PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[Baglady]

SPOILS & RELICS "Turner" 7"
Harbinger
I recall Steve sent me this with postits label "You will hate this". Not at all. Nice odd sound collages made of found sounds, tapes, all sorts of junky rubbish. It calms down a bit in end of b-side and really nice stuff actually. Didn't get anything out of their interview on latest Fördämning zine, but luckily music speaks for itself.

Great 7"! Out of all S&R releases I've heard, this is, next to the Sins Of Omission LP, their best stuff. The LP is quite amazing really. Will be interesting to see where they will go from these two.

[THE RITA HN]

Most impotent fuzzy crackles I have heard for long time. With some many tasty stockings and high hells, I would hope sound to be like throbbing iron-hard erection.

I have so so all consumed by my live source manipulation in the past while; be it covered in expensive stockings, women applying heavy make-up, women doing forms for me, etc. that the sound is simply a direct submersion in the movement - translated via duplicating that addictive idling sound of a vintage two-stroke dirt bike engine as you mess with the timing and carburetion.  I can definitely see how some can see the sounds as tedious, but always hope that some can also get submerged in the movement, imagining the process - again translated by the very the minimal examples of classic BLJ / MO elements and played at a very high volume.

Below:
Contemporary The Rita elements of a live BT. HN. performance
Vancouver, May 3, 2014

[Andrew McIntosh]

I can definitely see how some can see the sounds as tedious, but always hope that some can also get submerged in the movement, imagining the process

There's the problem with conceptual art - it needs to be explained, and in performances' cases needs to be totally experienced.

[THE RITA HN]

Again, also dependent sometimes on shuddering, deafening volume.
Eg. a recent video below from Houston, TX featuring at around 8:35 spacial cracking and samples via an incredibly massive PA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xXMX79BVjE

[FreakAnimalFinland]

This latter one has so much more substance sonically. That (as proper recording) on side of 7" would be probably good.

In case where it's audio-only release, I expect audio to work - even alone.
This has been case with pretty much every other The Rita release commented recently (say, one month?).
This heavily criticized piece, appears like it's in fully relying in theory only and noise substance is nonexistent compared to actually good works of project (which include old & new stuff).

If necessity is deafening volume, I would hope artist to capture it. I think there has been some talk in other part of forum (amplifiers topic) about necessity of LOUDNESS. If noise wall requires loudness to work out, I think one should attempt to capture such feeling. That noise sounds loud, whatever the volume it is listened.
Of course even human whisper can be loud, if you play it loud. But if you listen it quiet - you would have had artist who makes release to be able to amplify the sound and capture it so it sounds loud. It's like those moments when after show someone concluded how great was when room was resonating, PA was on edge of being ripped apart, windows were shaking. People moving nervously. THAT is the sound to capture. Not dull line recording, but resonating spaces, exploding amplifiers, etc. All that texture what made noise piece more than concept.

It's challenging, of course. But perhaps beauty of it. It requires actual action and talent, which can't be achieved by mere written theory.

[Levas]

Trying to catch up with the stuff that has been standing around for far too long so too much to listen to, but things worth mentioning

Decondition - Sukellan Tuntemattomiin syvyyksiin - pretty traditional German style PE, but good.

[Gone Dark] Bleach - Choices - Rather freaky release with vocals on the first two tracks being not pitched down, but also up, etc. not bad.

Hypnoz - Breath of Earth - also above your average release.

and Lithuanian Mountainside - Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short - rock, traditional doom etc. Not bad, but the packaging is quite annoying

[THE RITA HN]

Not dull line recording, but resonating spaces, exploding amplifiers, etc. All that texture what made noise piece more than concept.

That's the crux of the recording situation as some of the exact same lines and analog systems are being played live which I enjoy as a feature for any recorded piece be it something like Raionbashi or Werewolf Jerusalem.  It's that fine line of adding too much of the nonexistent 'theatrical' - reverb, echo, compression, gating, etc. to achieve something that is usually played completely untreated in a voluminous live situation.  

I like INCAPACITANTS very much, but, I guess that their power of art/music/noise comes from live acts, not from releases. No doubt one of the greatest noise live band ever .... Their releases aren't so good, but still classic.

Kelly Churko spoke about those concepts at length when conversation about some of the Incapacitants recorded pieces would come up; differently mastered CDs that needed different volumes.  Some like the Pure disc, the Bulb disc, and the Zabriskie Point disc are heavy and full right out of the stereo's gate while a number of the Alchemy discs have to really be adjusted and cranked to force the heavy walls of lower end to match the walls of high end feedback squeal.  

Sorry to sideline the topic, but yeah, there's always going to be the challenges of capturing and translating concept; fulfilling in it's difficulty and part of the ongoing process.

Anyways - back to reality; my listening patterns of the last few months:
LA BAYADERE - Minkus, GISELLE - Adam, COPPELIA, SYLVIA - Delibes, LES SYLPHIDES - Chopin (amazing how like any 'soundtrack' the music injects the content into your head - the lines of women's perfectly sculpted and moving semi-opaque stockings, etc. hence the music on REPEAT)
CON-DOM - Subjection
DEATH SQUAD - Death Textures, Acoustic Isolation
IUGULA-THOR - Opera, Penetration Practice Pledge

[FreakAnimalFinland]

CON-DOM - Subjection

Related to that, just listened MARK SOLOTROFF "Sexual Homicide" tape. (Bloodlust! 008)
I kind of like this simplicity of one noise on one channel, and another in other channel, and mostly based on synth, I would guess. It's more rotten than other tapes he did as solo work back then (GROSS & OEC) and different than his later works under his own name. But then again, while it is 50 copies tape done back then, just like Con-Dom mentioned above, I'm kind of amused that covers would be so lazy that Mark would merely recycle photos of the same simple synth. Also in covers of Con-Dom where it wasn't related at all. Another thing is that I recall asking Mark years ago in past, am I hearing things, or is it really that many of Super Eight Loop project tapes include same pieces twice, just reversed. (No reply.) And this is case here too. It appears obvious that B-side of tape is A-side reversed. Or am I hearing things? It just makes one ask question whether making noise appears lesser importance than making a lot of releases. So many, that you don't have time to actually do new tracks or find cover artwork, heh...  But I guess questions can be filed under "who cares" section as tape is long long sold out. Still, after all being said, pretty good tape from Solotroff, despite its minimalism and simplicity.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Not dull line recording, but resonating spaces, exploding amplifiers, etc. All that texture what made noise piece more than concept.

That's the crux of the recording situation as some of the exact same lines and analog systems are being played live which I enjoy as a feature for any recorded piece be it something like Raionbashi or Werewolf Jerusalem.  It's that fine line of adding too much of the nonexistent 'theatrical' - reverb, echo, compression, gating, etc. to achieve something that is usually played completely untreated in a voluminous live situation.

Of course I didn't mean that one should try to similate loudness, but simply capture it. Like.. lets say, to capture room sound properly, is different from adding reverb effect for theatrical purposes - to give illusion of big spaces, but often sounding exactly that. Not big space, but obvious special effect.
So when saying I'd really hope to hear HWN that IS loud, would be about someones ability to capture sound what documents utterly loud. What is audible, whatever volume you play the document.

Like:

Some like the Pure disc, the Bulb disc, and the Zabriskie Point disc are heavy and full right out of the stereo's gate while a number of the Alchemy discs have to really be adjusted and cranked to force the heavy walls of lower end to match the walls of high end feedback squeal.

To me, 1995 "electronic era" isn't so loud sounding as the earlier stuff. Of course this is not question that "louder is better". I like that 1995 release bunch for density of textures and massivity and fullness of sound. But on quiet volume, it is not that loud. Or at least not in way how I understand loud. While earlier 90's discs, despite lack of bass frequencies and being relatively thin (Quietus), it's violently loud and piercing. You can hear that the sound only emerged from utmost loud blast of amplifier power. How feedback is so painfully brutal, you feel the utmost sonic torment. And certainly, not matter of any special effects. Simply capturing loud situation when all small subtle details makes one feel what it is.

But as said, plenty of noise is more than just about being loud. Often sheer loudness takes away lot of other sorts of textures and frequencies. Especially the crunchiness of direct all-on-red tape recording can be impossible to replicate "loud". Without involving crucial elements like blown out signal on magnetic tape.

And lets say:
No problem with off-topic. If discussions catch life, they can be edited into their own topics. I would hope that PLAYLIST - being most active topic on forum, would be more than just list. Comments, discussions, advices, recommendations, etc!

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Jessica Rylan /  C. Spencer Yeh "RYLAN / YEH 2xC-30" 2x tape
Dronedisco
c. one hour of 2005 improvised noise with home-made synthesizers and electronics. I guess this moment in history of USA noise makes boneheaded industrialists grin of disgust, but it's pretty good stuff at best. Sure some quite lazy moments here and there, but shitloads of live gigs, collaborations and releases behind, they know what they are doing. Perhaps B-side of set is the best. But at the same time moments when Rylan is humming quietly some vocals below the warm analogue noises work well.

XOME "switch" tape
Hospital productions
I guess dubbing on tape makes Xome here sound less forceful, but at the same time it may add more grain and texture to very line-sound pedal noise. Not near as good as for example biz card disc on PACrec, but still pleasant ultra hectic button tweaking harsh noise. Despite oversized format, I actually like this style of packaging.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Some weeks ago was listening WORKDEATH "excuse me but I think..." tape. Realised I also have their "Count The Days" tape on Hospital prod. Possibly first tape of project after couple CDR's. One side has (buried) vocals and muddy electronics, while entire b-side is brilliant analogue drone. Always slowly modulating into new things, but relaxing and nice sound. In some ways makes me think of Romero, although not perhaps compositionally same. But that drone has organic feel to it, even when being electronic. Good stuff. And A-side not bad either. Not at all. Just less monolithic dimensions.

DEAD MACHINES "Full moon" tape
Hospital productions 101
Same era tapes all these 3 mentioned today. Same kind of tall oversized packaging, I guess ltd 50 each.  John Olson & Tovah Olson duo doing improvised semi-goofy noise. About thousand tapes on american tapes and such labels. Quiet, primitive, non-talent guitar bling-blong and sax blowing. Gong hits. Then just suddenly everything snaps cut in middle of sounds going on. Flip b-side and same thing continues. Think of some random late night jam with toys, instruments and gadgets and that's that. Not noisy of distorted. Hardly lights blinking on tape for most part of its duration. It gets noisier and more intensive before ending, but too bad most of time quite worthless stuff and both sides appear like random cut from longer session. Start and end in middle of things.

[Bloated Slutbag]

Chris Watson - El Tren Fantasma
Chris Watson‎– El Tren Fantasma - The Signal Man's Mix
I'm on a train, y'all. Look at me on a muthafuckin train! Were this not so painstakingly composed and arranged, I'd have resurrected the "sound of engine & industrial mechanisms" thread. Fully cinematic sound-recordist documentation aboard the Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico, a real-life epic "that has now passed into history". But what a way to go. Wonderful juxtapositions of Watson's more representative nature sounds - insects, crickets, chirping - against the occasionally all-encompassing – indeed, overwhelming - chuff chug hiss screech of one raunch-ass rig. One gets a sense of Watson attempting to document every of the more dramatic species of (aural) sensation to be experienced upon this fantasmagorical ride – save perhaps the odd break to take a big ol' dump (though it wouldn't surprise me if that's on here too) – all overlaid, interpolated, mixed...smeared...  to output rather heavy, heady, concoction.
The Signal Man's Mix is almost worth the price of admission, containing extended mixes of two original El Tren efforts. The first I am disappointed to see is a remix my least favorite El Tren – faux  rhythmic bent and all - but develops the (much preferred) ambient elements to an extent that actually salvages in me a nodding, synchronized, agreement. The second gets things back on track, electing to remix El Tren's satisfyingly thunderous closing number, spicing things up with a few ringing ambient tones, and considerably upping the oomph.

Z'EV + Chris Watson - East African Nocturne
I knew I'd have to wait till late night, well into a few cans, before subjecting the capacities under percolation to these nocturnal ejaculations. Perfectly buzzed conditions, I'd surmise, in which to appreciate the buzzing narrations of masters z'ev & Watson. Buzzing, well. "Buzzing" is truly not the word. Better words might include: (hyena, elephant) snuffling, (hippo, frog, lion) snorting, (vulture, insect) scratching, and other onomatopoeic words that rhyme with (real life) "flatulence". Behind all this sits z'ev, re-arranger and processor, offering a subtle backdrop of curved metal drone and scrape. Like paying witness, at the edge of consciousness, in the throes of sleepless drift, to some creepy, night-time, African ritual... at a safe distance - at least over the next rise - and separated by several reassuringly solid trees. I, Bloated Slutbag, being at this time of considerably less than sound mind, declare this z'evdarkened spew the bzst fluarrging pizzzflflubbp aarye eerurrrewwuppit.

K.K. Null _ Chris Watson _ Z'EV‎ - Number One
Another z'ev brainchild significantly gentrified by the wonderful wildlife of Chris "I'd record my own asshole in the name of science" Watson. Were it not for the incessant yammering of Mr Null, this could be a(nother) dank, smoldering, ritual of epic proportion. With Null, however, forget any trite manbeast struggle with nature or nurture. This one leaps right off the planet. So here we are, deep in the jungles of Zaire, venturing ever deeper, enjoying the slow z'ev'd throb amid Watson'd bugscape and- suddenly- crazy man Kazuyuki starts wailing away. Wham bam squeal slam. The dark ritual atmosphere is all-pervasive, but so too an instability, a raging tempestuousness, ever verging on boiling over. The insects populaion, alien. The fauna, dripping, grinning, salivating. The landscape... somehow wrong.  A natural progression from here, I think, would be a  (painstakingly arranged) Watson recordist project that cuts out these z'evnulled middle men, juxtaposing heavy industrial construction (sites) with densely populated forests, or something. Has such been done? Should.

[Zeno Marx]

K.K. Null _ Chris Watson _ Z'EV‎ - Number One

one very fine album

[Levas]

Plague Mother - Starkweather/There I've Gone - First couple releases of this project was a pleasant surprise for me. This one is quite weak and boring.

Toil - Obscure Chasms - nice black metal

Puce Mary - The Viewer - Decent album, but not something I'd go hunting for and paying ridiculous amounts.

Giel Bils - Somme - I guess we've traded with this label from Belgium some time ago because I saw the cover of this lying on the table for quite some time. Nice one. And I was really surprised about the contents of the tape! Great material. 42 untitled tracks of murky, muddy, lofi sounds that has some very specific old-schoolish vibe. Enjoyed it thoroughly and I'd recommend to check it out.

Giel Bils - Abide to Hate - this one is shorter and I didn't get the same feeling as from the previous tape. But not bad.

Hvide Naetter - Massernes Fremdrift - Danish separatism? Rather good industrial - synth, percussions, etc. Check it out too.

[Levas]

ah sorry, I've confused Plague Mother and Painted Woman. Don't remember much about Plague Mother