Cyclic Defrost Issue 8

ISSUE 8 CDITORIAL CONTENTS Welcome to issue 8 and the end of our second year. It has been a 4 COVER DESIGNER: MARK GOWING upward curve since Sonar last year, and Cyclic Defrost is back at Sonar by Bim Ricketson this year and continuing to build connections with Europe. Good Australian electronic music has been starting to spread more broadly 6 PURDY overseas and the next couple of months sees the number of Australian by Sebastian Chan PO Box a2073 acts overseas growing substantially. Sydney South 10 CITY CITYCITY This issue’s cover art is by Sydney-based graphic designer Mark NSW 1235 Australia by Bob Baker Fish Gowing, whose logos and other work should be familiar to a lot of We welcome your contributions 11 ANTHONY PATERAS Sydney locals. Inside you’ll find interviews with the old guard – Kevin and contact: by Bob Baker Fish Purdy, Coldcut, Tortoise’s Jeff Parker, as well as the spring chickens – [email protected] Perth’s IDM youngster Pablo Dali, Melbourne post-rockers City City www.cyclicdefrost.com 14 PABLO DALI by melinda Taylor City, Lali Puna and Anthony Pateras. After the continual hectoring ISSUE 9 DEADLINE: AUGUST 12, 2004 about MP3 politics in previous issues, one of our writers, Vaughan 16 COLDCUT Healey finally got hold of an iPod for a fortnight and went about trying Publisher & Editor-in-Chief by Clark Nova to learn the art of iPod krumping, and Degrassi gives solid holiday tips. Sebastian Chan 18 LALI PUNA By the time you’ve waded through those in this 44 page bumper issue, Art Director & Co-Editor by Peter Hollo you’ll come to the treasure chest of reviews and this issue’s sleeve Dale Harrison 20 TORTOISE design look at embossing. Sub Editor by Matt Levinson There’s so much that couldn’t fit in this issue, including an even Aparna Khopkar greater number of reviews – some for some very important releases 23 MP3 AESTHETICS that just couldn’t be squeezed in. We’re trying to add those to the Reviews Editor by Vaughan Healy Dale Harrison online version over the next month or so, and some will run in the 26 MUSIC REVIEWS next issue. Our other news for this issue is that Cyclic Defrost has Advertising received some additional funding from the Australia Council for the Sebastian Chan 38 SLEEVE REVIEWS by Alex Crowfoot Arts to help us keep our advertising rates down and continue for Advertising Rates another 4 issues. Also, we will be putting out a double CD compilation 40 SELECTS: MUSIC VS PHYSICS download at www.cyclicdefrost.com in early 2005 for which there will be a call for submissions on the by Dale Harrison website and in issue 9 (September). Get in touch, Issue 9 is up next. 42 DEAR DEGRASSI Sebastian Chan & Dale Harrison Distribution Editors Inertia Distribution Stockists www.inertia-music.com NSW: Victory Music, Bloody Fist, Plum Music, Market Music, Troy Horse Rock Shop, Hi Fidelity Lounge, Salamander Sound, Printing Spot Music, Redback, Spank, Music @ Byron, Hum on King, Torch Publishing Hum on Miller, Hum on Oxford, Leading Edge Warriewood, Web Programming 360 Sound, Leading Edge Penrith, Mall Music, Electric Giv Parvaneh, Qbique www.qbique.com Monkeys, Fish - Newtown, Fish - Glebe Music, Bizarre, Euphoria, Freestyle, MCA, Metropolis ,Recycled,Explore Web Design Music, Disc, Reefer, Record Store NSW, So Music, Red Eye Luke Elwin, Qbique www.qbique.com Extended articles Victoria: Licorice Pie, Slap, Readings Carlton, Northside, Web Hosting Kent St, CC Geelong, Recycled, Missing Link, JF Porters, Downloads of featured artists Blueskyhost www.blueskyhost.com Boston Sound, Voyager Port Melbourne, Record Collectors ISSUE 8 EXCLUSIVE WEB CONTENT: Guest Cover Design Corner, Second Spin Tech, Voyager Ivanhoe, Greville, Sister reviews of Koji Asano, Backfeed Slumber, Mark Gowing Ray, Polyester, Synaesthesia, Central Station Melbourne, Cornelius, Scanner, AGF, Sun Ra, Issue 8 Contributors Substrata, Gaslight, Raouls, Kriskay Giardini di Mirò, Kid Spatula, Pensive Jordan Spence, Bim Ricketson, ACT: Impact, Landspeed Vaughan Healy, Alex Crowfoot, Melinda Platforms Comp, DJ Shortkut, Illogic, Queensland: Skinny's, Rockinghorse ,Butter Beats, Tayor, Bob Baker Fish, Lawrence Music vs Physics plus more Sunflower, Toombul Music, Alleyway, Cosmic Music, English, Tim Levinson, Matt Levinson, Leading Edge, Music Scene Tim Colman, Peter Hollo, Damian O’Keefe, Ron Schepper, Dan Collins, Western Australia: Dada's, Mills, Central Station Perth, www.cyclicdefrost.com Barry Handler, ollo, Lawrence English Planet Video, Chinatown Records Thank You South Australia: Muses, Big Star, B Sharp, Chatterbox, The views contained herein are not necessarily the views of the publisher nor the staff of Grace Chan for blessing us with your Uni Records Cylic Defrost. Copyright remains with the authors and/or Cyclic Defrost. presence, Nick, Ash, Justin, Ruby, Tasmania: CD Centre, Ruffcutt, Wills Music, Aroma A New Audiences project, Chloe @ Inertia, Natalie & Noel @ NT: Casuarina assisted by the Australia Council, the Torch Publishing, Giv @ Qbique, Chris If your store doesn't carry Cyclic Defrost then get them to Federal Government's art funding and advisory body, Bell at Blueskyhost, and all our adver- order it from Inertia Distribution through its Audience and Market Development Division. tisers. This issue is dedicated to the memory of Paul Rodwell. Handmade compendium for 4 Hopscotch Films

took Mark and a bunch of friends and work expe- rience students many weeks and piles of materi- als to create, and although he drew no fee from the project, it has led to an strong relationship with Hopscotch, and Mark now designs cam- ‘The job was assisting the marketing art direc- paigns for all their films. Especially proud of the LOGO RHYTHMICtor in a then one-man studio. EQUATIONS Within four years posters for Spellbound and Raising Victor Vargas, Cover Designer the studio grew to eight people and I received all Mark has also sold the designs of some of these my training from the art director, Peter Lee. I campaigns overseas. ‘Money for nothing,’ he says. Interview with Mark Gowing stayed at Scholastic for seven years, and in that Mark also developed the distinctive Hopscotch by Bim Ricketson time worked as art director for the Book Club, corporate identity and this year developed that Software and Trade divisions. I then took a job at into a live promo for cinemas. Deliberately Next Media as art director of Hyper Magazine. I avoiding the mega, 3D, animated, aural extrava- Escaping from the cold wind into a big old ware- chose this job as the magazine was a culture- ganzas of other cinema promos, this is simply house in Redfern, I’m struck by the size of Mark based computer games publication and allowed the Hopscotch logo filmed as neon, sitting in an Gowing’s studio, which he has all to himself. ‘I me to explore and experiment with design and urban park. Simple, real and a point of differ- just like having the space,’ he shrugs. Recent type in ways I had only dreamed of at ence. Also immediately recognisable to Cyclic photographs are piled in neat stacks on gener- Scholastic. After four years working on various readers are his corporate identities for Sydney’s ous bare desks, a retro digital clock tells the publications and freelancing for the music indus- 2SER and Inertia Distribution, both of which wrong time and a pad of hand sketches lies try, I left to start my own business.’ have had recent updates and additions. beside a couple of immaculate Macs. An impres- Gowing’s business now has an impressive Mark’s has also designed artwork for a number sive and inviting workplace. range of clients and media, most of it culture or of releases in the last few years, including for arts based. His work ranges from corporate iden- trip hoppers Lino, chart topper Groove Mark Gowing, designer of this issue’s front cover, tities and packaging to film campaigns, record Terminator, indie rockers Big Heavy Stuff and got a very early start as a working designer, leav- covers and photography. In his office I am shown compilations of his own Preservation label. ‘I ing school at 16 to work as a junior at children’s a sample of recent work, much of it recognisable started working with the music industry through book publisher Scholastic. ‘As a kid I was fasci- and all of it quality. Responding to my compli- my contacts at Rolling Stone Magazine when I nated by logos and typefaces and I used to copy ment Mark shrugs again. ‘Thanks, I do try. A was at Next Media,’ he says ‘I always wanted to them from magazines with textas. My grandfa- couple of years ago I decided I didn’t just want design record covers. I guess as a designer I saw ther told me that what I was doing was called to design, I want to be good.’ it as a way to somehow contribute to my love of commercial art (as it was at the time), and that The first outstanding thing I spot in Mark’s music. From there it just snowballed.’ Before there was a part of commercial art called typog- portfolio is a hand-made compendium for long Mark found himself designing for a major raphy. My head started spinning at the idea of Hopscotch Films. In keeping with the company’s label – but he soon found they weren’t nearly as designing logos and typefaces as a job. So that commitment to ‘real’ films, Mark used fabrics and receptive to cutting edge ideas as perhaps their was it. I knew what I wanted and went after it. I found materials that related to each of the distri- European or American counterparts were. never really liked school, so uni was never on bution company’s upcoming films, and each of Although lucrative financially, Mark moved the cards – I just couldn’t wait to get started. I the 150 copies is individually handmade. away from the frustrating majors for a number of did work experience at Scholastic when I was 15 Accompanying a photograph and synopsis of years and is only now considering putting his and was offered the full-time position after vol- Good Bye Lenin!, for example, is some flocked hand up again. ‘Four years later, perhaps atti- unteering there in my holidays. wallpaper and a page from a German novel. It tudes have changed,’ he says hopefully. Clockwise from Left: Film poster for Spellbound, Live & Direct CD cover. Photography for Glen Street Theatre. Above: a selection of Much more satisfying are the record covers he Mark’s logo designs does for Preservation Records, which he co-runs with Andrew Khedoori. ‘I met Andrew about six cleanly off the picture beneath. The type in the top years ago through mutual friends. Andrew had left corner hints at the content of the pattern as they worked at a few record labels, was then a freelance “I am always inspired by purity and utilise the same colours. The combination of the pat- music writer and is now the music director at tern and photograph is based on nothing but tone. 2SER. Andrew came to my house one day with a a dedication to the execution of There is no real meaning except for an overall sense copy of a beautiful recording by Sun, made up of concept through the simplest form.” of technology. The matching of the angles is pure Oren Ambarchi and Chris Townend. When we coincidence.’ found out that Sun were having trouble finding a artist Tara Jane ONeil. We are currently working ‘I am always inspired by purity and a dedication to label we decided to form a label and put it out. with Grand Salvo on a release for mid-year.’ the execution of concept through the simplest form. ‘Preservation is still evolving and is becoming a For the cover of Cyclic Defrost, Mark wanted to Aesthetically, I am excited by art. Especially within a good home for project-based works that might not create something that represented what interested record cover context. Modern art is a constant inspi- be financially viable at other labels. We have very him about design on a more experimental level. ration when attempting to express musical content. few boundaries on the kind of music that we will ‘Because there is no real brief or guidelines, I was Finding the heart of a musical piece is the same release. We look for artistry and a uniqueness that able to let go of the usual strategic design goals and process as viewing a piece of art and embracing its will make a recording interesting. In the past we set more aesthetic ones. The photograph is one of meaning – the two are one in the same. have released what might be classed as pop, avant- my own. It is a field solar panels in Switzerland. I ‘My first objective is always to create an exchange garde, electronic and folk. We have another folk like the sort of super-technology/brave new world between the medium and the audience. record on the horizon and an electronic piece in the tone of this place. The pattern printed over it is a ‘For most of my work I like to use a kind of arbi- works. Andrew and I make most of the decisions coded typeface that I have been working on lately. trary decision making theory: existing constraints together. Andrew handles what you might call A&R When text is set in the coded typeface it becomes need to be embraced and new ones invented to min- and publicity while, I handle a lot of the business more of a pattern than legible copy. It can still be imise the number of aesthetic decisions. I like the management as well as the creative direction.’ deciphered – the cover pattern reads “Cyclic Defrost design process to work like some natural law of ‘So far we have released work by Sun and a remix Magazine, Issue 8, Free”. I find this random pattern inevitability: build in sufficient constraints and it disc of Sun featuring Mapstation, Pimmon, Tom generation interesting as the design is driven by designs itself. However, a lot of record cover design Recchion, Rafael Toral, Hrvatski, Norbert Möslang specific content and meaning, but the result seems is a different process. I find that the packaging for a and Christoph Heemann. Last year saw the release purely aesthetic. recording is best approached as a material extension of Rand and Holland and the Motion compilation of ‘The coded type is locked into a perfect square of the music and is sometimes closer to art than it is 22 Australian experimental and avant-garde musi- controlled by the magazine proportions. This system to design. The best results are tonal and largely cians that included Candlesnuffer, Pimmon, Qua, immediately removes the freedom to mess around intangible in a conceptual or design sense.’ Joyce Hinterding, Ray Diode, Oren Ambarchi, Clue with free-form ideas, shapes or layouts. I also limit- to Kalo and Pretty Boy Crossover. This year we ed myself to a very small colour palette, with the have released a record by American folk/electronic only criteria being that the pattern and type lift

33 ARTISTS MARK GOWING LISTENS TO WHEN DESIGNING: Smog, A Silver Mt Zion, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Prince Billy, Brian Eno, Brokeback, Clue to Kalo, Colleen, Do Make Say Think, Domenico De Clario, Duke Ellington, Gene Clark, Gillian Welch, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Grand Salvo, Iron and Wine, Jackie-O MotherFucker, Jim O’Rourke, John Coltrane, Judee Sill, Marvin Gaye, My Morning Jacket, Neil Young, Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers, Radiohead, Richard Buckner, Savath and Savalas, Sigur Rós, Songs: Ohia, Sufjan Stevens, Susumu Yakota, The Rectifiers, Wilco. 6 ‘We ended up recording three tracks and releas- ing them independently as The Cruelty of Beauty, a reversal of the Louis Nowra book, The Beauty of Cruelty. It was launched at our first gig ever, at the Exit club, which is now Candy’s Apartment, possi- bly the most re-named venue in the history of Sydney. The place was packed. Double J (before it became Triple J) had been making a big fuss about it – we were their darlings for a while, until we got too weird. That’s where former Double J pre- senter Tim Ritchie came into it for us. He loved the weird shit and we couldn’t get weird enough for him. Tim was a big supporter and friend and with Sir Three momentsLeft: in even managed us for a couple of weeks. Kevolution. Circa ‘Madroom went through lots of changes. I Robbo as Tooth; began bashing things apart from drums, like Above and Right: chairs and cookie tins, doing backing yelps and Madroom mumbles, running homemade tape loops and slasher guitar. We organised many happenings, complete with performance art, Russian films, oil lightshows and other craziness. We had hooked up with others like Tex Perkins and Lachlan McLeod, Peter Reid and Stu Spasm, who had an ever-changing variety of bands, some of which I similar musical tastes – Eno, Velvet was in, such as Chicken Holder, Leather PURDY LI’L THANGUnderground, post punky stuff. Brian had a Moustache, Thug, Salamander Jim, and Moist. Tascam PortaStudio, Roland Jupiter 6 and a Dr ‘Madroom was a regular act at the Strawberry Kevin Purdy Rhythm, could play guitar, bass and keyboard Hills Hotel, the Trade Union Club, the Yugal Interview with Kevin Purdy quite well and was a very unusual. As it turned Soccer Club, Behind Enemy Lines and other sem- out, he didn’t really want to play live… he’d inal 80s underground venues around Sydney. We by Sebastian Chan only played once in a car park in Sydney’s played with The Tactics, The Models, Box of Bankstown. Brian was really a classic bedroom Fish, The Lighthouse Keepers and a lot of other Kevin Purdy has been around forever. Oscillating boffin beat head, mixed with a bit of Phil great (and crap) bands of the time. between Sydney and Melbourne he is probably Spector/Brian Wilson. When combined with my ‘Eventually we put out an album that had a para- best known at the moment for his psych-rock take on things, it produced some very curious graph-long title taken from the Klaus Oldenberg influenced sampladelica, for his solo Purdy proj- results. Most of it was never released but we did Manifesto – I’m for an art … The engineer had a ect and as a core member of Sydney three-piece put out a cassette album under the name Aural habit of nodding off over the mixing desk and tak- Tooth. He is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, Indifference, titled The Sound of Indifference, ing breaks to score [smack] and consequently it as much a blues guitarist as a ProTools boffin. and a 7" on the M2 label which was a version of took forever to finish and sounded like crap. The His musical career stretches way back to the late “California Dreaming”. mastering and pressing made it sound even crappi- ‘70s playing with some of the seminal Australian ‘Between us we spent thousands of hours in his er. It was rightly slagged. The follow up was a 7" of post-punk and avant-rock outfits throughout the studio, doing all sorts of cut-up post punk, poppy, our big live number “Acid Dog Man”. ‘80s, including the predecessor to legendary Factory Records-style stuff, that made its way into ‘Madroom went through about seven guitarists, Sydney band Box The Jesuit. Purdy’s story is one many households in inner city Sydney. Meanwhile eventually stopped looking for one, and we of coincidence, constant experimentation and a I hooked up with what was to become Madroom, decided to all play guitar instead. Near the end commitment to following your own path. the precursor to Box The Jesuit. Back then Goose we got our own sound, a sort of drunken dada-ish had flaming red hair and was still known as a loose, lazy, less-inhibited one. Sadly, the record- THE MADROOM YEARS (EARLY ‘80S) journo around town. Suzie, his girlfriend wanted ings were never released, except for the ‘Banana The story begins in Sydney in the late ‘70s. to be part of the band so she was given a keyboard Box’, a 50-only cassette box, with a plastic Kevin explains, ‘I was a bit of a late starter due to with the letters of the notes written on correspon- banana stapled to the front. I never got one. Suzie the fact that every band I was in from the age of ding keys. There was also bassist Paul Koff and his says she hasn’t got one either, but I don’t believe 11 broke up before they played their first gig. I girlfriend Karen, she wanted to sing, but was made her. During all this artiness, I had discovered was living the rock n’ roll dream in my head. I’d manager… that was a scary mistake. That left our early rhythm n’ blues, soul, funk, hillbilly, bent been playing some pretty mean drums since I very own ‘Keith Levene’ [Public Image Ltd], Gary rockabilly shit and lots of points in between. But was about ten, plus collecting records, and gener- Taylor, on guitar. We rehearsed for about nine I’d also become more serious about playing guitar, ally being a manic music nut. It wasn’t till 1979 months, working through everything from Stooges which was a crime in those circles. Madroom was that I found a notice in a music store from Brian and Velvet covers, to our own Joy Division/Echo & together for five years and five minutes after I left Hall who was looking for other musicians with The Bunnymen/Roxy Music-inspired originals. the band they became Box The Jesuit.’ MELBOURNE (LATE ‘80S TO EARLY ‘90S) whatever was cooking. My music tastes were con- ‘After Madroom, I spent the next year or so playing stantly evolving. I travelled around the world, wrote Left and Above: with an Afrofunk outfit and a hillbilly thing I called lots of tunes, and worked in my studio on all sorts of Madroom in Gasoline. They were very unsettled times, and I was new ideas. I was now fusing a lot of new sounds – their prime living in Sydney’s Kings Cross and then above the hip hop and dancehall were co-existing beside funk, Hopetoun Hotel. I knew I had to get out. Then I dis- rocksteady, dub, jazz and other Afro sounds. It wasn’t Below: Chicken covered Melbourne, which was like shining beacon of much of a shift to start developing ideas that ran par- Hawks poster musicality, as well as a quieter, cleaner, happier, sexi- allel to the evolving trip hop sound of the time. It er place in general, with great record shops and music came together for me when I heard U.N.K.L.E.’s The on every street corner. I sold just about everything I Time Has Come EP, Wagon Christ, DJ Shadow and so owned and moved. It took a long time to find my feet on. I could hear a kindred spirit in them, people who there as an outsider, but I kept at it. Eventually I seemed to have a broad range of influences and were hooked up with Hamish Marr from These Cars able to combine them in an abstract fashion. Collide, a band I’d been on line-ups with. Hamish I started my career as an ‘electronica artist’ by played a mean finger-picking blues-style guitar and chopping breaks and sounds bit by bit from my belt- sang, whilst I played rhythm and lead guitar, kick driven turntable onto my 4-track, later adding key- drum and hi-hats with my feet plus vocals. Together boards, vibes, spoken word, percussion, making some we were called The Chicken Hawks, doing rhythm n’ weird dubby, breaky excursions. Alongside all of this blues, strychnine-laced hillbilly and rockabilly and I was presenting radio on 3PBS and DJing more and eventually some originals. It was like Sun blues artist more. The Ocean Stairs fizzled out in 1994, leaving Joe Hill Louis meets Tav Falco’s Panther Burns. We behind a self-titled CD and a bunch of unreleased were regulars at the Espy, the Corner and several material, but I was off and running with the new shit other places. The Hawks eventually started adding that was developing in my studio. I got myself an members, I got out from behind of the drums and the Ensoniq 16+ sampling keyboard and a drum machine originals got to be a bigger part of the set. The band and began writing on that, once again overlaying on changed its name to The Ocean Stairs and basically the 4-track. This eventually led to me getting an became Hamish’s band, in which I played guitar, AtariST and Cubase setup, which was when I really vibes, drums and did backing vocals. During all of started to get the tunes that were destined for my first this I was playing with several other bands, some- releases and eventually the Kevolution album.’ times seven nights a week, doing jazz, country, dub,

ABC Radio National SUNDAY 8.30 p.m. THE NIGHT AIR SATURDAY 12 midnight NEW MUSIC, CREATIVE WORDS, RADIO MULCHING www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/nightair email: [email protected] SYDNEY (THE LAST DECADE) ‘In 1996 a friend of mine played Creative Vibes’s half to finish No Strings, which back then seemed like as many layers of live instruments as I wanted, some Peter Pasqual a demo of my stuff and he seemed to an eternity, but really everything was happening so tracks with four guitars, two bass tracks, three cellos be really keen for me to be involved with his label. fast. For the album and live gigs we had teamed up and five layers of percussion. This gave me so much At the time it seemed a very cool idea, especially with Dale Harrison, who provided bass and good scope to interweave sonic colours. There were times because they were closely connected with Ninja company. With help from Cryogenesis and the where I thought I’d never make it, editing tabla lines Tune [as the Australian distributor]. So I started get- Fromage posse we got our crazy selection of Indian for hours like a mad professor. I wanted the album to ting all these ideas about going back to Sydney. In chants, sunshine pop, cocaine disco, space boogie and have a wholeness to it, to take you somewhere as a my last months in Melbourne I finished “Dope psychedelic lullabies together, with gorgeous artwork journey. The tunes were becoming more lush and Thing” for Creative Vibes’ Evolutionary Vibes I com- by Fromage’s Duncan Irving. All the reviews of No seductive, and I wasn’t about to let that stop. When I pilation as well as performing at [seminal mid-90s Strings were amazing, tons of kids dug it, it got lots of write, I’m gauging the effect the sound has on me and Melbourne ambient night] Global Warming, and my radio play [especially on the community stations], but working on strengthening the aspects of sonic colour, own night at the Prince of Wales called Uppah. it didn’t sell as well as would have appeared… to heighten that effect. On this album I tried to tie the ‘I had been back in Sydney for just two days, Probably three-quarters of the people who liked it had tunes together so that they all shared a common jour- recuperating at Curl Curl beach, when I met Sir burnt copies, which gave us the kudos factor, though ney. Though the journey, like the title, has a duality, Robbo. I had been aimlessly wandering around, try- without the sales factor. But by the time we put out investigating lines of fantasy, dreams and childlike ing to find a few underground happenings. Ken our second album, Sirens From Here To Titan in 2001, wonder juxtaposed with the lightning bolts of the Cloud at the now defunct Reachin Records told me the general vibe was that our first album did very bogeyman, the despair of the oppressed, the hopes of to check Club Kooky [the legendary, performance- well, but I was always mystified. There were so many the human spirit, in a world in which it is downtrod- meets-eclecticism weekly club night run by cool, crazy kids buzzing around at the time, with den. The end result is really in the eye of the behold- Seymour Butz and Gemma, 1995-2001]. Someone Freaky Loops parties turning hordes of people onto er. Some have noted the album as dark and some as else said to check The Cricketers Arms [which host- leftfield beats, so what was with the stupid low sales?’ light and bright. I think the dark aspects are more ed some of the best eclectic low key nights around like sitting on a cliff at night under a large full moon. 1995/6]. Next stop Good Groove records. I get into a All of those things could lead some to intense dis- rave with JD, the guy behind the counter, about FAIRYTALE INSURANCE (TODAY) comfort, others to blissful joy, depending on whether records, places to go, and I mention I make music, Kevin Purdy has spent the last two years working on you go with it or not.’ his ears prick up and he asks me about it. He puts his second solo album Fairytale Insurance, a lavish, Fairytale Insurance comes at a time when pop is on my demo CD, and two minutes later the guy sprawling record that is equal parts sample-based on an upswing, lyrics and vocals are everywhere in beside me asks, “What’s this?” JD points at me. The Krautrock, and warm, enveloping psychedelic live the remnants of the electronic scene. Abstraction, tune that was playing was “Sugar”, which became instrumentation. His production has become more depth, and the ‘journey’ doesn’t seem to fit with the my first solo record on 7" vinyl. Sir Robbo was the expansive, helped by new equipment and a shift to MP3 and Ritalin generation who demand instant, guy next to me, and one of the heads behind under- ProTools. He says, ‘I want to use technology to make quick gratification. ‘It’s a crazy scene when you’re ground zine Head Shots, which I’d been collecting things simpler. I was using the Atari ST to trigger the making lengthy abstract tunes in a time where the in Melbourne, and he asked if I would be interested Akai [sampler], now I just use ProTools. My main market wants short, catchy, genre-specific product. in an interview for the mag. The interview never focus is to compose music, everything else is just They don’t want space jams, not in Australia any- surfaced but we got to hang out a lot. flummery and I’ve never had any interest in being a how, I’m talking the mass market here, not music ‘Robbo had recently become involved with Frigid, technological wiz, it’s not the way I’m made. I can’t loving, open-minded folks. So we’re always essen- which was then just starting out at Kinsela’s [see read manuals and I know next to nothing about the tially giving the bird with our stuff, being cheeky Cyclic Defrost Issue 1]. He hooked up one of my most basic of technical terms and concepts, I just schoolboys who won’t tuck our shirts in… If my first gigs in Sydney there and helped out with want to make music. Originally it was just a cheaper label Soft sold lots of CDs and I had my way, I’d sounds on the decks when I played my Frigid and more efficient way to multitrack, without getting release tons more vinyl, gatefold 10"s with posters debut. I’ll never forget that night: a room full of a 24-track analogue set up… I got myself heavily in and bubblegum cards. Boxed sets with comic books happy faces, digging the tunes. Some of those faces debt last September and bought a whole stack of and pop out 3D glasses. I think there’s still a few of became good friends, the start of a very positive cool studio gear, including a full ProTools set up, a us out there. I think it’ll be alright, we’ll last the new stage. Not long after, Robbo and I started hook- Mackie desk and some beautiful microphones. I long run because we do what we love.” ing up for some sessions in my recently updated wanted to get my studio to the point where I could studio. Instead of the usual swag of funk breaks, do the whole process up until mastering myself, Robbo brought around psyche beat/rock, folk, without having to pay for studio time, or having to Purdy’s Fairytale Insurance is soundtracks and all sorts of unexpected stuff. It translate my thoughts to a mixing engineer. out now on Soft Records. Copies came together beautifully. Over the years, lots of ‘So the journey began, not only to finish the album, of the ‘Sugar’ 7" and other back people have said, “Hey, maybe we could lay down but to learn how all this new technology worked. catalogue can be ordered some beats together”, but, apart from the fact I gen- That’s how I spent my summer. After months of through Soft (softrecords.com). erally don’t have the time or mental energy, I just work, technical mishaps and madness, I sussed out To find out more on the can’t see it, not like I could see it with Robbo – it what I was doing and how I wanted to do it, and Melbourne and Sydney under- was right, you just know these things. with a few weeks to spare, I finished the album. So ground scenes of the ‘80s and ‘We had the bed of a bunch of tunes for what was to the flavour, the comfort and tension, the colours and ‘90s, see Bob Blunt’s excellent become the No Strings album (released in 1998) down the magic of the album all came from, basically, those Blunt – A Biased History Of in no time and were soon doing gigs as The Sir three weeks. The other thing which adds richness to Australian Rock. Robbo/Purdy Experience. It took about a year and a the album was that I now had the ability to lay down

I remember listening to a recording of a gig ... not only did I find it boring – it seemed so irrelevant to the music I was into. It was just this kind of dull noodling. ‘I think that’s where a lot of improvised music and jazz falls down,’ he continues. ‘Unless you are a complete aficionado, which a lot of the jazz audience seems to be, as long as you play jazz you can do no wrong. It really is just music for the people playing. I remember listening to a recording of a gig we did and not only did I find it boring it seemed so irrelevant to the music I was into. It was just this kind of dull noodling. ‘I think we’re all trying to hit people with this tative of the outfit’s more upbeat, guitar-orientat- one big sound we’re trying to create. There’s no ed live performances and preoccupations. hierarchy of soloists, lets make the tunes as long A TALE OF 3 ‘I alwaysCITIES wanted it to be much heavier than it as they have to be to get their point across but used to be, and it is now,’ offers an enthusiastic lets not harp on about it.’ City City City Collette. ‘It’s just more full on with seven people As a result the music on Dawn And The Blue Interview with Ned Collette and the sort of sounds we’re getting up there. One Light District, whilst still drawing a loose influ- thing I’ve wanted for the last couple of years is to ence from jazz, never feels cluttered, long or over- by Bob Baker Fish bring that electro vibe in but still have what I done. By contrast it all feels carefully constructed would call a really driving rock guitar in there too. and finely nuanced, a remarkable achievement Over the last few years luscious instrumental ‘As far as electronic music goes, I really like when considering the number of players involved. seven piece City City City have been busily those lo-fi elements – where a ye olde guitar is To Collette however, this is not surprising. exploring the intersections between jazz, rock, thrown in with like crazy glitchy beats and shit ‘Everyone’s very confident in their playing in electronica and all posts between, experimenting like that,’ he continues breathlessly. ‘Even dudes this band so I don’t think anyone feels that they’re with various line-ups, sounds, and techniques like Matmos using guitars and all old instru- getting squashed, not getting a big enough say, or until arriving at the smooth, challenging and ments. I really like that sort of graininess you get that they’re saying too much,’ he states. ‘When the beguiling sounds of their debut long player when you combine those crappy crunchy guitars seventh person joined, we looked around and Dawn And The Blue Light District. Recorded with really slick electro stuff. I think the album said, “Fuck, we’re a seven piece!” It was a bit of a over a year ago, the full ensemble had only been represents that really well, but the set we’re play- shock, but it’s never been harder with seven, it’s together for about a month before entering the ing now probably represents it even better. And actually been easier. I think it’s a band full of peo- studio, with the resulting session capturing an it’s just a lot more unified for me from beginning ple that are interested in what happens when you energetic and vital outfit full of enthusiasm and to end. You could see a downside in that all the have the onslaught of seven people, but we’re all numerous ideas. In short, it’s an album brim- songs sound similar to each other now, but I also interested in what happens when not every- ming with musical possibilities. don’t think that’s really the truth, I think they one plays at once. We’re trying to work more of complement each other a bit more. The whole that into the music as we go along. ‘Everyone had their own place that they were show and the whole vibe behind the band is a bit ‘Everyone in the band has a very similar idea coming from,’ remembers guitarist and founder more unified now.’ of what the music can sound like,’ he continues. Ned Collette. ’I think on the album that’s very Initially formed to provide Collette an outlet for ‘Even though everyone comes from very different true. It sort of swings through a whole bunch of some of the tunes he had been writing, City City backgrounds, we’re finding that a lot of us are genres really, which funnily enough have sort of City has developed quite organically. It was origi- into the same thing right now. I feel like just a ironed themselves out.’ nally more jazz orientated, featuring extended component of some sort of music that’s happen- At the time, Collette reflects, the sounds on solos and improvisation, before a bit of active lis- ing, and I don’t really know where it came from. Dawn And the Blue Light District were still very tening caused Collette to re-evaluate this approach. I know that sounds really wanky, but I think we fresh, with keyboardist Tye (the newest addition ‘I spent a few years studying and listening to all feel like we are elements of something that’s to the band) providing a more synth/electro jazz, came to the end of it and thought everyone’s greater than the sum of its parts.’ sound than they had previously experimented playing too long and too much. Everyone thinks with. Although their sound has continued to that everything they play is worth hearing and I City City City’s Dawn And evolve with Tye’s recent departure and the addi- don’t believe it. And our band used to be differ- the Blue Light District is out tion of Ben Bourke, two tracks on the album, ent; we used to do really long versions of songs now on Sensory Projects ‘Grayscale’ and ‘Year In’ are still quite represen- live, sometimes they’d go for 25 minutes. through Inertia 11 initions of music and so forth. A couple of the Pic by Cindy Milton performers who play my stuff are actually from the improv community who are interested in doing something that requires a bit more work than just rocking up to a gig and playing with whoever. Some of them want to do something more structured or work harder; really rigorously rehearse something so it can be absolutely killer when it’s time for the performance. These people are the ones you want to work with – they’ve got the essential ingredients of having a completely open musical mind, combined with discipline and enthusiasm.” Pateras, who is currently doing his PhD in Composition (he’s been studying since 1997) wrote Mutant Theatre over two years and, as a result, it is quite varied, touching upon many of his divergent interests, drawing upon many local musicians to perform everything from abstract DOMINO THEORIES percussion to setting off 650 dominoes and Anthony Pateras mousetraps. Then he sent it to John Zorn. As an exploratory musician you have to do your ‘I just sent Zorn a CD and hoped for the best, Interview with Anthony Paterasresearch – ask yourself what can you offer within and he responded quickly because I think he’s the historical context of this stuff. really into composers at the moment,’ he remem- by Bob Baker Fish ‘I think it’s important to present musical ideas bers. ‘The whole idea of scoring and presenting it without any kind of pretension, and just say, to the conductor and the conductor presenting it “This is what I’m doing, take it or leave it,”’ he to the ensemble, that whole process. I think he Melbourne-based composer Anthony Pateras is continues. ‘But at the same time, to not assume digs it.’ Whilst touring through Amsterdam on somewhat of a puzzle in the local music scene. anything about your audience… that can be the Synaesthesia tour alongside the likes of He simultaneously fits everywhere and nowhere. really insulting. The best thing for me about my Delire, Snawklor and Robin Fox, Pateras received His tastes are broad and his talents unique. Even CD launch was that there was such a diverse the call from Zorn, saying he wanted to release it in the world of electronics and improvisation, a audience there – from hiphop crews and golden immediately, though unfortunately there wasn’t world he regularly inhabits, he stands alone, oldies to kids and musicians across the board. It enough material. When the tour ended he quick- creating inspired, challenging and iconoclastic wasn’t just your regular improv/new music back- ly set to work writing three new pieces specifi- music, seemingly out of step, or perhaps a step slapping sausage party.’ cally for the disc. One of these was “Twitch”, an ahead of those who surround him. And then Pateras’ most recent work, Mutant Theatre, on amplified quintet, which is arguably one of the there’s his painstakingly devised score-based John Zorn’s iconic Tzadik label, is extremely radi- most challenging and interesting pieces of the work. Straddling the difficult divide between cal. A veritable grab bag of Pateras’ musical album. Comprising of Natasha Anderson on her academia and live improvisation, over the last obsessions it’s an exciting work that somehow distinctive contrabass recorder, Vanessa few years Pateras has become a regular on the manages to draw the listener in without appear- Tomlinson on percussion, James Wilkinson on live scene, responsible for some of the most awe- ing self-conscious or contrived. It’s a work that he trombone/conch, Erkki Veltheim on viola and inspiring and challenging performances around, refers to as his chamber music record, though the regular contributor Robin Fox on laptop, either in solo or ensemble pieces and utilising a reality is that it’s unlike any chamber music that “Twitch” is a strange disjointed musical game of variety of instruments and sound-making tech- you’re ever likely to hear. Unless your idea of tag, where each performer performs short series niques. Both facets of his work are unique and chamber music involves percussion sextets, of ordered sounds before the piece ultimately diverse, often barely existing within known amplified quintets, numerous percussion instru- culminates in Veltheim torturously smashing and realms, dragging genres and expectations kick- ments, dominos, mousetraps, prepared piano, tearing apart a violin. ing and screaming behind him. vocal manipulations and electronics. Though at ‘The quintet is a very acquired taste,’ laughs times quite dense, it is an absolutely astonishing Pateras. ‘The interesting thing about that piece is ‘I’m not trying to be provocative, that’s the thing,’ assemblage of fascinating, energetic and tightly that it is written not just for instruments but also for he offers from his home/ studio in the northern controlled sounds. Equally influenced by his clas- instrumentalists. It’s written for five very specific suburbs of Melbourne. ‘What I find hard to sical background, the avant-garde, and his live people with sounds they’ve spent a lot of time stomach about that ultra-minimal thing, or improvisation work, its mood oscillates from aus- working on. Erkki, Natasha, Robin, Vanessa and experimental music in general, is that sometimes tere complexity to the mischievous and absurd. James all have sounds that only they can do, so I people think they’re being extremely radical. You ‘I’m pretty interested in that juxtaposition of felt really privileged to be able to ask them to per- don’t want to actually be able to hear that in the comedy and violence with anything that I’m form those sounds at certain times in the piece. The music, you don’t want to listen to that and think, doing, and it’s especially satisfying in the cham- score is almost like a comic strip – that seemed like “Oh, they’re trying to be extremely radical.” I ber music context because many people in that the only way to communicate the piece, rather than just want to listen and hear something unique. field can be so narrow minded – hung up on def- using a traditional score-based format.’ Unlike many contemporary composers Pateras respond to any given musical gesture,’ he begins. Miles Davis. It’s something that I’ve regretted at times. has in recent years developed a strong interest in ‘But the more I watch improv, and this is by no I mean, I can’t play jazz at all. I can’t read charts or working with electronics and integrating them into means all of it, some of it is predictable in its voice a chord properly. But I’m not really interested his scores as an instrument equivalent to any other. unpredictability. You kind of know where it’s going in that because I’m not interested in harmonically Not only is “Twitch” an example of this but, like to go just from the language the performers set up functional piano-playing. I’m interested in more phys- much of his recent work, it highlights his desire to from the beginning. I’m interested in structured ical approaches to piano, which is influenced by elec- explore the possibilities of the electronic form. improvisation personally, but I’m not interested in tronics more than anything. Treating it as a resonating ‘What I’m interested in is using electronics in being able to tell where the music’s going. I think box of strings and focusing on density, intensity and notated composition as an instrument,’ he offers, you can juggle these two things to make something velocity – rather than treating it like a piano and wor- ‘not as a separate element to the music like a drone really special – to guide your impulsiveness with- rying about harmony, melody and rhythm.’ or something, but actually gesturally incorporating out being restrictive.’ Pateras currently has a number of other projects on it into the piece. And that’s what “Twitch” was ‘I think improv is a forum where a lot of amazing the boil. Firstly there’s a two-pianos record with The about, giving Robin an instrumental voice for his ideas can be executed, but because anything goes, Necks pianist Chris Abrams, where they each play instrument. I aim for a total integration of his often the ideas aren’t presented as strongly as they for fifty minutes in each octave, with four overlayed sounds combined with the idea that you can also could be, or perhaps there’s a kind of underlying takes each, which results in a chaotic piano going make acoustic instruments sound “electronic” - like excuse that you can do anything without being crazy for fifty minutes. ‘The point of that is to add so with prepared piano for example.’ accountable conceptually or even technically,’ he much piano to something that it ceases to sound like Laptop musician Robin Fox has been an essential continues. ‘It ruins it for everyone – it just becomes a piano,’ explains Pateras. ‘You get this spectral wash figure in Pateras’s burgeoning interest in electronics. like bad theatresports with instruments.’ of energy. I’m interested in that kind of instrumental Back when Fox was a drummer the two collaborated ‘I’m not saying this is the ultimate solution to exploration as well – adding so much that it ceases to in the trio Flubb (with Jeremy Collings on cello/elec- music’s problems – but Robin and I always have exist or becomes something else, in a manner of tronics), constructing instruments, using junk and parameters, but that’s because we’ve been playing speaking. The results freaked me out actually.’ combining them with toys, distorted voice, cello and together for four years. For example, depending on Then there’s his hip hop record. Being the first to bass. Four years later, the duo produced the wonder- the patch that he is using at a certain time, there are admit that he knows little about hip hop, he is clear- fully chaotic and violent Coagulate (Synaesthesia), only certain things that I can do which will sound ly excited about this project, playing fragments on which consisted of Pateras feeding a number of chan- decent with that patch – and they have to be per- his computer whilst discussing its inception. nels, consisting of vocal mics, piano frame and the formed at a certain rate to allow the processing to Instigated by Sydney-based turntablist Martin Ng, ancient AKS synth prototype to the waiting Fox, who kind of breathe and work. If you work with someone they also roped in Robin Fox and Curse Ov Dialect’s then electronically treated the sounds in real-time via long enough, that’s when the great stuff happens. Vulk Mackadonski for extra support. The result is an his laptop. Pateras would then respond to the process- Like with Rob, I think we’ve always understood each abstract, demented form of hip hop, with Pateras act- ing, creating a sensory feedback loop of real-time com- other musically, but just started to at the same time. ‘ ing more as producer chopping up Vulk’s beatboxing position. Whilst the album is sonically and emotional- Recently Pateras teamed up with local improvisers on one track whilst Fox chops up Ng’s turntables in ly devastating in its energy and abrasive mischievous- Sean Baxter and David Brown (Bucketrider/Lazy), to real-time and Ng scratches over the top. The parts I ness, their live show kicks it up a notch. Interestingly, release Ataxia (Synaesthesia), which is a gentle, heard were weird and strangely beautiful, a simulta- what looks like fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants improvi- though at times uncomfortable, textured bed of neous kick in the pants and demonstration of the sation is in reality a lot more carefully prepared. improvised sound, which saw him utilising pre- possibilities of modern hiphop. ‘Our stuff is based on having an intensive rehearsal pared piano alongside Brown’s prepared guitar and ‘It’s not like it’s a pisstake,’ laughs Pateras, ‘it’s more period and working out different systems and Baxter’s percussion. ‘There are certain people you like taking elements of the style, processing them approaches to the instruments at hand,’ reveals play with where your languages sort of convalesce beyond recognition and then using them again in the Pateras. ‘So we spend a lot of time just working on one into one rather conveniently,’ offers Pateras enthusi- form of the style. So we used hip hop as a starting sound. When we actually perform it live it’s impro- astically. ‘I don’t think improv is all completely pre- point, improvised with the elements of it, and then vised, but there’s been a lot of research that’s gone into dictable. With these guys I just sit down and play brought it back into improv-influenced, song-based the actual sounds and the different sections that we and we rehearse maybe once a month. We don’t talk form through post-production. Martin and I did a lot present during a gig. In terms of actually discovering about it.’ The result is a collection of minimal clut- of talking on the phone rather than heaps of rehearsal. something interesting during improv, I guess I do it the ter, fragments of junk sounds ricocheting off each It’s evolved a lot over the last three months because I other way round. I see improvisation as a forum to other, and rustling, twitching, tearing textures from was just left with all the material to put together in present the ideas that I work on at home as an instru- an ill-defined unknown sound world. post-production. It’s probably going to be a 16-track mentalist. You build your arsenal then you let it loose. Ataxia came about quite by chance, when Baxter record and there’s more accessible stuff on there as Of course you find stuff in totally free improvisation and Brown performed at the launch for Pateras’ debut well… which actually surprised me.’ but, at least in my experience, often it feels a lot better album Malfunction Studies, with Phillip Smartzis in It’s fun, he smiles. It’s nice to do something not as to play than it actually sounds. I don’t want to be fum- their minimal electronic trio Western Grey. serious for once. Writing scores gets a little boring, bling for ideas and trajectories in front of audience ‘They saw me play and they wanted to do a free not the results, just the actual process. It takes so unless I really know what I’m doing.’ jazz trio with Baxter’s fucked-up percussion and fucking long it feels like your life is slowing down, In fact, improvisation is a concept Pateras finds Dave’s bass, said it’d be really freaked-out free jazz but the results are eventually worth it.’ problematic, ill-defined and, despite its intentions, stuff. I said that I didn’t really listen to much free jazz often flawed or at best unhelpful in true music stuff and didn’t have much experience with it,’ development. remembers Pateras. ‘I listened to classical music for ‘It claims to be this free art form, where you’re years before I listened to rock music. So I was never Pateras’ Mutant Theatre is out granted any kind of option at any given time to one of these kids who grew up on John Coltrane and now on Tzadik.

14

‘I like working with mistakes and trying to make something from them.’

The music of Pablo Dali combines a rich sonic palette of minimal electronic and acoustic HARVEY WALLBANGERsounds that is both mesmerising and provoca- tive. ‘I find that minimalism is a major inspira- Pablo Dali tion. Simple ideas are the best, and you can have a really sparse sound that still has a lot of emo- Interview with Matt Roesner tional depth. Certain sounds and objects always by Melinda Taylor get my creative thoughts going. I could stare at modern buildings, the aluminium and concrete, and get a thousand ideas, and it’s the same with Matt currently lives in Harvey, a little town mobile phone towers, antennae and power lines. about an hour and a half drive south of Perth. He These man-made inspirations are played against works during the day as a CAD draftsman, the natural spaces that I live in. designing farm machinery for his family-run ‘In terms of sound I might find inspiration in a business. The rest of his time is spent in the stu- small fragment of noise found in a guitar record- dio capturing and embodying the serenity of life ing or the way a sound reacts when projected into in Harvey in musical forms. a large space. I like working with mistakes and ‘In Harvey music is my only outlet. There are a trying to make something from them. OK Tokyo lot of open spaces where I live, flat plains to the tracks were always built up from improvised west and large hills to the east. Harvey is so jams, between the acoustic elements and electron- quiet, I can sit outside and not hear a single ics that we were using; we didn’t have a plan, as thing except birds or the wind. It’s the quietness long as it sounded unique. Now I am more and the space which helps me create the music focused in the way I create music, I have a plan that I make, I find it very reflective and medita- with each track, and I use processed sounds a lot Matt Roesner is Pablo Dali, a self-confessed con- tive in a weird way.’ more, like taking something that was originally an trol freak who finds musical inspiration in the Pablo Dali started in late 2001 while Matt was acoustic sound source and then mutating it into tranquillity of his natural surroundings, as well still involved in the post-rock electro act OK something that sounds quite digital. Making as the sterile and harsh nature of man-made Tokyo. OK Tokyo had built up quite a reputation music is a lot easier and fun for me now. In OK structures. for their amazing improvised live sets and played Tokyo I had to write pieces that fitted within a regularly at festivals all over the country. The live band context. but I’m a control freak and I Inspired by the indie music of his generation, group split in late 2002 leaving Matt to pursue have always been happier working by myself.’ Matt began his musical career at the age of 18. his solo work. ‘I had been experimenting with However, Matt’s extensive touring with OK Like many electronic musicians, he has no for- abstract and minimal sounds that didn’t fit in the Tokyo has given him an insight into how to pres- mal music training; he taught himself to play band context, and at the time it felt like OK ent his minimal and less accessible sets as Pablo guitar by ear and everything else since then. His Tokyo was heading in a more song-based and Dali to a live audience. His shows place a large introduction to experimental electronic music accessible direction that I wasn’t 100 per cent emphasis on improvisation and real-time audio came via the advent of Radiohead’s stunning happy with. I decided to start a solo project as processing. album OK Computer in 1997 and the evolution Pablo Dali, but it really wasn’t until mid 2002 ‘I don’t feel it’s hard to create an intriguing live of trip hoppers such as Massive Attack and that I started to take it more seriously. Some of set as a solo electronic artist in terms of sound. Portishead in the mid-nineties. This music the early Pablo Dali music wound up in an But it is more difficult to create a visual pres- altered Matt’s perceptions and took his own installation in Perth and also got a bit of interest ence. The audience don’t get much out of watch- musical adventures down a winding path he has from overseas and I was invited to play at Sound ing a guy press buttons and looking into the lap- not since returned from. Over the last three years Summit 2002. Toward the end of 2002 OK Tokyo top, that’s why I like to use live guitar playing he has shied away from his indie roots, experi- was burnt out creatively, it seemed that we had and also sampling to create a stronger live feel. I menting only with an abstract and minimal pal- reached a point of implosion, and it was then never play the same live set twice, I will use sim- let of sounds that inform his current musical that I decided to make Pablo Dali my main musi- ilar sounds or progressions, but they will never project Pablo Dali. cal focus.’ be in the same sequence. Live visuals can be a great tool too, as they give the audience a chance to one-minute MP3 file that contained a heap of differ- ence without the backing of a label, and MP3s are a establish a visual identity to the sounds that they ent sounds and noises, and the challenge was to great promotional tool. are hearing. Visuals are something that I hope to use create a track using only the MP3 as source materi- MP3s, digital distribution, file sharing and the more of in the future. al. I spent a weekend working on a track that internet all play an important role for electronic ‘I perform live using a laptop, acoustic or electric involved a lot of processing and editing of sounds, musicians located in far off locations such as guitar and a cheap Boss sampler for really grainy lo- and I ended up with really minimal click house Australia. It helps them gain exposure international- fi textures. I normally run eight outputs from my track. When I sent it to them they played it on ly, and far off states in their own country, that other- soundcard into a mixer, so that I can manipulate Frequenzen, their fortnightly show. wise would never get a chance to experience their sounds through the desk as well as the laptop. ‘I think online collaboration between artists is a music. Without the internet there is still the local Lately I have been doing the occasional laptop-only great thing, it’s something that I would like to scene that can thrive and nurture an upcoming artist. set where I play sounds in a more improvised and explore more in the future. It’s a way to learn new ‘In Perth only a handful of venues promote elec- minimal fashion.’ techniques and also be inspired by other artists’ cre- tronic music on a regular basis. That’s why a gig While we await a full-length release from Pablo ativity. 12times50 are hoping to release the tracks like Aesoteric, a weekly night dedicated to new left- Dali, his music has not gone unnoticed, with several created by various artists who participated in the field styles of electronica, dub and jazz is so impor- compilation appearances to date. Ai Records in the file sharing project sometime soon.’ tant to the Perth underground scene. It provides UK included one of his tracks for their last compila- File sharing? Aren’t they the two words that make local artists a platform to perform their music to an tion release entitled Station. ‘”Contemplate” was any underpaid and overworked independent musi- appreciative audience.RTR FM is also a strong sup- recorded in July last year and at the time the plan cian shake their head in frustration and sadness? It’s porter of local music. was to include it on a demo CD for sending out to strange to think that file sharing, in the sense of ‘There are artists in the Perth underground elec- various labels, it was not written for the AI release. I making files openly available for audio collabora- tronic scene that are producing music that is unique spent most of last year working on refining my pro- tion, is a great way for musicians to broaden their and high quality. It’s strange because some of the duction techniques and writing new material, and creative output. And yet file sharing, as in making artists are more well-known overseas than over on “Contemplate” was one of the first tracks that I other people’s music freely available for download the east coast. My favourite local artists are Dave actually felt happy with in terms of production and despite copyright restrictions, is a great way to Miller, Manuel Bonrod and Audio Cephlon. inspiration. The track was recorded on a really cold ensure a lot of musicians will never be able to make ‘Kieper Records, run by Audio Cephlon promotes morning, and I remember it was finished in around a living from their music. West Australian electronica through the release of three hours, it just seemed to fall into place. ‘In the future I hope to make my music available compilation CDs and occasional gigs. There is also a ‘In August last year I was reading a review of an for download but I hope to get paid some money for local collective called Semikazi which involves a Ai’s Montag release and thought they might be it. What concerns me is when files are downloaded large number of Perth electronic artists working in a interested in hearing some of my music, so emailed and distributed without the consent of the artist. wide range of genres, from noise, electro, indie-troni- asking them if they were accepting demos, and they Technology will eventually overcome this problem, ca, hip hop and glitch. There are also a couple of VJs replied saying they were looking for new tracks for making downloading of music more secure and a involved. The aim of Semikazi is to increase expo- their next compilation. So I sent them some tracks, way for artists to receive income that they deserve. sure of electronic music outside the realm of tradi- and they asked if they could use “Contemplate” on ‘I am a CD/vinyl man at heart, I do download tional club music, and also to nurture new talents.’ the Station compilation. I was surprised that they MP3s but if I really like something I will buy it. chose that track as it was the most unique one on Then you get the artwork and packaging, it’s collect- that demo. I thought they would be more interesting able. I like what the Fällt label does, you download Pablo Dali is currently working in the other material which was more beat-based the MP3 and a PDF file to print out and fold it up on a full-length album to be and glitchy.’ into a cover. If I were going to go with digital distri- released on ::Room40:: early Matt has also collaborated with the Micro Label bution I would do something along those lines, it’s next year. In the meantime, 12times50, also based in the UK. ‘I came across interactive, personal and collectable. I have looked keep an eye out for his contri- them whilst listening to Resonance FM online. We into digital distribution, which I think is a good butions to the upcoming Kieper started talking via email and they asked me to work thing provided the artist is paid. I see it as a good Records Aether 2 compilation on their file sharing project. Basically they had a way for a new artist to get exposed to a larger audi- and Semikazi 02 compilation. I suppose there’s a Zen-art to selling out successfully. Zen and the art of selling out! People do it all around you. I won’t name names – it would take too long!’ compilations–as much as anything–has main- tained their relevance, seeing them and their label outlast a number of short-lived genres they’ve regularly been associated with. As much as they strive to break new ground, they’re fondness for music as a whole, like all good DJs and record collectors, has resulted in a moment–let’s be honest–the Zen number of releases and ideas that always sound TV DVD compilation. In the last fresh while other labels and artists have well and two weeks I’ve done Liverpool, truly passed their used-by date. Equally, they’ve STEALTHYInterview with Jonathon SMALLGOODS More Manchester, London, Glasgow, been confident and conscientious enough to say Coldcut Say Kids What Time Is It (1987) Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, no to projects that may have brought fame or used the laborious method of Madrid, then Japan after that. money as well as being careful not to repeat by Clark Nova recording samples and breaks So, we do a lot of that. If we’re themselves. Recently Black and More compiled from records onto a 4-track, touring Coldcut stuff we’re often tacks for the funk/soul re-issue label Harmless. It Four turntables and a 4-track then rewinding and recording touring just a general show and was a welcome relief for the pair to do something tape recorder is a long way more samples and breaks. then I DJ all over the shop. I’ve where they weren’t responsible for the licensing. from the hi-tech world of VJing Today Black and More spend a done about 20 gigs this year ‘We thought it would actually be a good idea if Coldcut now inhabit. While lot of their time programming already in different states and someone else did the licensing because it’s a lot Jonathan More and Matt Black new plug-ins for their audio places. We’ve also been develop- of work. They were one of the first bunch that have adapted to more techno- programs and creating comput- ing the software we use and came to us and haven’t asked for a mix, because logically advanced means for er programs for their live VJ making stuff and that takes a lot we get hundreds of people wanting us to repeat music and video making–or shows. Their label, Ninja Tune, longer than picking up a guitar the Journey By DJs mix and we don’t really want adapted the technology to suit has passed its tenth year and is and thrashing out a tune.’ to do that,’ More explains. ‘One day when things their purpose–their movement almost nearing the hundred With their Jazz Brakes series are right we might do another album like that. around the cultural fringe has mark in terms of releases. With Black and More were at the Our attitude is we do something like that on a been decidedly backward. all this, they haven’t released a forefront of what was eventual- regular basis with Solid Steel anyway. So [the They travelled from chart suc- record of their own in over five ly termed ‘trip-hop’. Over the Harmless compilation] was a really good opportu- cess with their earliest releases years. next few years they started nity to find some really great records that we and remixes, to become the ‘There’s no rules that you building the Ninja Tune roster, liked that had an influence on us. There were still ‘anonymous’ DJ Food, starting must release an album at a given early on releasing artists such loads of records that we couldn’t get hold of, that a wholly independent record time,’ More says. ‘We do a lot of as Steinski, London Funk we really wanted to have on there so, as with all label. Not to mention their different things. We’ve got the Allstars and Funki Porcini and, things it depends on who you can get permission radio show Solid Steel which radio show, the record label; more recently, artists as varied from; there’s always a compromise. It’s not 100% had its first incarnation on the we’ve just done a play for BBC as The Cinematic Orchestra my ideal compilation because we couldn’t get all then pirate ‘Kiss’. Radio 3. We do a lot of stuff like and Super Numeri. the material we wanted but it’s still good.’ that, plus we were touring the In 1996 the duo had their Whilst never having faced any serious legal con- last album. I think we came now legendary Journey By DJ sequences from their sample-heavy sound, releases down your neck of the woods 70 Minutes Of Madness mix and artists, the issue of licensing is one More is all about five years ago. That show released. It also saw the return too familiar with. ‘You get situations where Queen has developed and we only to their use of the name object to you using one of their tracks which goes stopped touring it at the begin- Coldcut, having absolved [beatboxes We Will Rock You], you know? If I was ning of this year. At the moment themselves of a contract with to do that on a record I’d have to put the publish- we’re touring a show for the Arista records. Coldcut’s com- ing down for that. We wanted to use We Will Rock project we’re promoting at the mitment to DJing, mixes and You on the Hexstatic mix but Queen wouldn’t allow us permission to use the actual record, so we checks and balances, as they say in politics. We similar path saying EBN’s visual production on U2’s went ahead and just recorded it with a drummer. We turned down a remix for the Rolling Stones recent- Zoo TV tour somehow diluted their message and did that and they said that was allright because it was ly, they wouldn’t let us do our own thing [laughs]. future output. a cover version but they still wanted 100% of the ‘They wanted us to fly to America and do it in More is just as happy providing ‘zentertainment’ publishing. Even when I did vocalised [We Will Rock their studio and use some special system that means as he is confronting people with uncomfortable out- You] to you on the phone, it’s instantly recognisable that it can’t be duplicated. Why don’t they just put a put and live shows. ‘It’s meant to do your head in and they’ve stamped their identity on it. Those are bloody album of Rolling Stone acapellas out, get and make people think a little,’ he says of their live some of the difficulties you do encounter when you’re shitloads of amazing bootlegs, take the best, make a show. ‘We’re surrounded by these images all day doing these mix albums. Some people object to you compilation CD and put it out? You don’t have to every day, we’re just constantly being bombarded mixing their music with someone else’s music pay anyone anything then. The bootleggers can’t by, people are trying to sell you shit the whole time. because they don’t necessarily see that as valid turn around and say ‘hey, that’s my bootleg!’ when You’re always being approached from every angle because they come from a different discipline.’ you’ve officially released it. They couldn’t get that with some guy saying ‘hey I’m wonderful, buy me. Indeed, Black and More’s talent at re-contextu- argument. So we turned it down because they want- Why isn’t your life like a soap?’ Things like that. alise the world of popular music and culture has ed too much control over it. They hade this idea of The idea, in a way, is taking that and regurgitating it long been the basis for the Coldcut aesthetic. This what they wanted us to produce but it wasn’t the and adding in stuff that they filter out and it can has seen them move on to the visual media and idea we had. And that’s often what happens, people make it quite difficult to see.’ VJing which developed into their cut&paste audio- get this notion in their head and say this is what we And while many contemporaries–such as visuals–using Vjamm– which is put together in a want you to do and it doesn’t necessarily marry EBN–have been prepared to take the big bucks, similar way to their earlier remixes such Erik B & with our version.’ More isn’t so quick to point the finger, ‘Well I don’t Rakim’s Paid In Full. (incidentally, Rakim has been For More and, it would seem, the whole Ninja knock anybody for doing it. If you can do it and highly critical of the Ofra Haza sampling remix.) Tune staff and roster, as much as it’s about the keep it going… I suppose there’s a Zen-art to selling At the same time, this has provided them with music, there’s also a strong commitment to politics, out successfully. Zen and the art of selling out! the opportunity to do remix work for the very cul- activism and a sense of integrity. Something Coldcut People do it all around you. I won’t name names, it tural products they would normally throw in to have been able to illustrate more articulately would take too long!’ their ironic musical critiques. Though, as More through VJing. Through this combination of media explains, it’s not always something the pair are manipulation and tomfoolery Coldcut have met comfortable doing. ‘We’ve turned down quite a lot like-minded artists such as Emergency Broadcast See www.ninjatune.com for of stuff along those lines basically because we Network, who pioneered cut&paste VJing. Whilst more info on Ninja Tune, haven’t got the control that we required or the More respects EBN’s work, he’s wary of following a 18

more because we’ve included the live thought in the recording.’ The new album Faking The Books is much more of an indie guitar album – sounding sur- prisingly closer to old bandmate Steffi’s Ms. John Soda than previous releases. And the drums, while often programmed, are much more rock- 4 TRACK MIND sounding too, due to the influence of playing live with the band. Lali Puna ‘The thing is, when we started doing that Interview with Valerie Trebeljahr album we knew it was the third one, and you had to make sort of a step. And we really wanted by Peter Hollo to do that. For me it’s not that much indie rock – of course that’s our background, I mean that’s the Lali Puna is one of the best-loved electronic pop groups on the music we heard, Sonic Youth, Pavement and Yo Morr Music label. Previous releases have gained them attention La Tengo, all those bands – but we really wanted from some high-profile fans such as Colin Greenwood of to include the guitar and we wanted to include it Radiohead and Andy Weatherall, and their third album, Faking in a way that had an energy, but that was also the Books, will only gain them more fans. Lali Puna began as a sort of electronic. It’s not used in a “rock” atti- ‘I want to believe solo project for Valerie Trebeljahr. tude, like for example Nirvana. It’s really used in in what somebody a distant and electronic way; that’s important for ‘A year before Lali Puna started I played in an all-girl group [called us, to still have that electronic background or tells me or writes LB Page],’ Valerie says. ‘It was a guitar band, quite a normal indie influence also.’ in a book so there rock band.’ Unfortunately getting the six girls together (including ‘It’s often programmed too. I mean the guitar Steffi Böhm, who went on to form Ms. John Soda) proved compli- is still the best instrument to transpose that ener- has to be that cated, and they split up. ‘It was more a fun project because we were gy kind of thing, but we really wanted an elec- connection’ friends. In the end everybody had different ideas on where to go to.’ tronic background on it. A really big influence ‘I played classical piano as a child’, remembers Valerie, ‘but that were bands like My Bloody Valentine.’ was the first time I made music myself, and with my own songs Lali Puna is just one of what seems to be a and so on.’ thriving community of bands from Germany (and After such indie rock beginnings, Lali Puna was markedly differ- elsewhere) that are working in that indie-meets- ent. ‘The idea of Lali Puna was really to sort of make what I under- electronica area. stood as techno, but with a pop melody. So it was really designed ‘Here – just in Munich or Weilheim – all these as an electronic project in the beginning, it just sounded quite bands are related and have a similar background; trashy because I recorded everything on 4-track. Over the years and but if you look at other bands that are making with the other band members involvement, it developed more into music in the same direction as us, there’s a sort a band, and it more into a song-oriented group.’ of community. For example, in Germany, bands Markus Acher (of the Notwist, Tied & Tickled Trio etc) was the like Tarwater or To Roccoco Rot also come from first additional member of Lali Puna. ‘Yeah, he already played on that song background, but they do music in a the first 7"; it was just quite natural – he was there. I also asked much more electronic way than we do it, Also Steffi from Ms John Soda too, and she played a melody on one maybe Dntel in the US; there are bands that are track on the 7". At that time I asked people to just join in on the coming from electronic backgrounds and moving recordings, and it was later that it developed into a band. Also, it towards song, so it’s also happening the other was just getting boring doing everything by myself.’ way round, and in the end you can’t make a The trashy 4-track tape-recorded sound was quickly replaced by clear distinction any more.’ a computer, ‘because it’s much easier and it sounds better,’ says Lali Puna did a remix of Dntel on the Evan and Valerie. These days Markus and Valerie write the songs at home. Chan single in 2002, and a Dntel remix is in ‘We just do the very basic structures there; the chorus, the verse, planning for a 12" later this year. Boom Bip has and maybe the lyrics, but all the instrumentation and arrangement also remixed and been remixed by Lali Puna. is done in the studio.’ ‘I really like to work continuously with people – ‘There used to be a big difference between Lali Puna in the studio not to have this person on one record, and that per- and Lali Puna live. We used to re-arrange everything in quite new son on the next... I really like to keep personal rela- ways live, because it would be too difficult – we didn’t have the tionships with the people I work with. It’s sort of a computer in use like we have it now. The difference isn’t so big any friendship over music, working together on songs.’ As for their remixes of other artists, ‘It’s mostly It’s impossible to convey the delightful way of Stereolab was a very important band for me, and Markus and me when we’re doing a remix. We very speaking that Valerie has in a written article; but lis- she sings a lot in French. Maybe I’m just so used to rarely do remixes, because it means taking the ten to their songs, or read the lyrics on the website, hearing different languages that I don’t really notice sound of somebody else and making something new and you get some idea of the strange evocativeness much that it’s now French – now English.’ out of it, so it takes us even longer to make than our of English lyrics written by a European. Why does Stereolab comes up again when I ask Valerie own songs. You have to deal with the idea some- Valerie, who was born in Korea and brought up by about influences on her vocal style. I refer to a body else had, and then your idea of the song. German parents, write in English? famous German chanteuse, but, ‘I know that com- Normally, you get the files from the person you’re ‘I used to write lyrics in Portuguese too – because parison to Nico and I don’t really like it at all! I doing the remix for and you hear what they’ve I lived in Portugal for a long time and can speak absolutely respect what Nico did on the recordings, done, and then you think of doing the opposite, or Portuguese – but it’s really a long time since I lived but I don’t see that connection. I really like vocals making a really big difference. Then you try to pull there, and that’s why I concentrated on English. that are sung in quite a normal way, not so much everything apart, and just go from the sounds to Many people ask why we don’t sing in German, and big expression in it; I really like the singer of the build up a new song from them.’ Notwist get that question too, but the thing is that Pastels, and also of course Laetitia Sadier from Apart from the other band members, who them- each language is very different. You have to make Stereolab, and the Cardigans’ singer Nina Persson, selves feature in various other acts in the promiscu- totally different lyrics if you want to use the and also the girl from Yo La Tengo.’ ous Munich scene, Lali Puna has had some great German language. Something would sound okay if As to whether her lyrics are drawn from real life, collaborators. Many listeners first became aware of you say it in English, and if you said the same thing well naturally they are. ‘I mean it’s not one-to-one Lali Puna through the gorgeous Bomb the Bass col- in German it would sound totally stupid – and exactly, but of course I think everybody does it in a laboration Clearcut, which Valerie is characteristi- embarrassing maybe. The German bands I really way that – except maybe for country singers or cally laid-back about. ‘He just asked us. We’ve got a admire all have that sort of an ironic approach to something – that of course you tend to reflect what distribution company in the UK called Baked the lyrics, and I can’t do it in that way... I never you have experienced. And I think that is the right Goods. He’s friends with them and they just gave really tried; I always concentrated right from the way to do it. I don’t like to read, for example, a him the record –they probably give him many start on English.’ book where somebody tells me a story that is totally records – and he then asked us through if we want- ‘In Portugal, they just had mainly English TV, far beyond him and his personality; I want to ed to do a song with him. It was quite funny English movies, so the English language isn’t that believe in what somebody tells me or writes in a because we didn’t see each other, we just far away from me. For me, it was quite normal to book so there has to be that connection.’ exchanged the files through the mail, and it was use it, and I can’t really say if it comes also from the only months later – after the record came out – that music I hear. I don’t notice if a band sings in Lali Puna’s album is out on I met him in Berlin.’ French, or German or English. For example Morr Music through Inertia 20

The way that it is perceived by the public, as well as the way the musicians look at it, it’s like this elitist thing. I don’t think it should be like that.’ This hierarchical approach that places jazz above other music is reminiscent of the one that used to put classical music above jazz. ‘I hate to put it like this. But all the categories! Creative people are just going to reinvent the music. That’s just what’s going to happen and Like his daughter, Parker knew what he wanted eventually it’s just going to end up being called OUT OF THEIRfrom a very youngSHELLS age. Immersed in the sounds something else. Most people who think of jazz, or Tortoise/Jeff Parker played around his parents’ house in Hampton, even rock, have a certain sound they expect and Virginia, Parker wanted to be a jazz musician. associate with it. Everyone in Tortoise, just Interview with Jeff Parker After a year’s worth of piano lessons, he picked because of our backgrounds, excluding mine, con- up the guitar at age nine and started learning siders Tortoise a rock band because of the way we by Matt Levinson basslines from Earth, Wind & Fire and come up with songs. Even though we might Funkadelic songs on the radio. His parents eager- sound different, essentially that’s where it comes from. Because all those guys played in punk rock Tortoise’s Jeff Parker is exhausted, having ly signed him up for guitar lessons. After time in bands from when they were 16 years old. Even arrived home at 4am following a four-hour drive a handful of obscure high school bands playing though they were checking out a lot of different from a gig in Bloomington, Indiana. The gig was ‘generally modal music, rock and jazz... like stuff and had a really open conception of music, with Josh Abrams’ Aesop Quartet. The quartet Santana without the singing, and rock bands that in the social realm, that’s kind of what we identi- consists of Parker, Abrams, former bass player played like ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin’, he took fy with.’ in The Roots, with Cologne-based trumpet play- off for the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After college Parker spent time playing impro- er Axel Dorner and saxophonist Guillermo After four years of study, he quit just before grad- vised music with George Garzone (now an Gregorio. He was back up at 8am to look after uation, frustrated by the controlled learning envi- Associate Professor at Berklee) and Antonio Hart his two-year-old daughter Ruby. ‘Woah...’ he ronment and conservative approach to the music before moving to Chicago in 1991. ‘I didn’t move chuckles. Ruby makes sure she gets plenty of he loved. here because of any scene. I moved here to work attention throughout the interview, chiming in Of course, studying is about learning the tech- and was planning on staying for a couple of with songs, shouts, and occasionally wrestling nique and theory of the music. But Parker years then moving to New York.’ Despite this, control of the phone from her father, piping in to thought the musicians at Berklee had a narrow Chicago proved fertile ground for Parker. ‘I just ask for a turn. perspective. It wasn’t alive the way he’d experi- enced as a kid, and the musicians were more kinda fell in with this crew of people... Chicago focused on honing their technical skills. ‘I spent is a good place if you’re trying to find your way a really good part of my professional adult life in because the local musicians, the local scene, is reaction to the conservative atmosphere. For really supportive. Between the club owners, the years I wouldn’t even really even identify myself audiences and the record labels here it just as a jazz musician. Even though it was my back- seemed like a really good place to work to really ground and I wanted to be a jazz musician from find your niche. And that’s what I was looking when I was a little kid, I mean now I’m fully for when I had just come out of college. I wasn’t admitted. But I made a conscious effort to disas- quite sure what I wanted to do, I just knew that I sociate myself with the jazz aesthetic just wanted to do something different, and fortunate- because I felt there were too many limitations ly I fell in with a group of people who saw things imposed on that music. People don’t buy jazz like I did.’ records anymore, they don’t see the music, Parker’s technique has been described as play- because so many musicians are so self-absorbed ing the guitar like a saxophone. Whether it’s and the music is so intellectual on many levels. straight-ahead, fuzzed-out, abstract or mysteri- ous, he always creates a beautifully toned, textured sound. ‘I used to listen to a lot of saxophone and I spent a lot of time not necessarily trying to make the guitar not sound like a guitar, but more around the phrasing. I’ve always had a kind of linear approach to the instrument. I was always very con- cerned with the sound and the fullness of the tone. And when I was in college I liked a lot of guitar There’s no improvisation... the biggest thing is the way that players but I was really into saxophone players such we blend the instruments [and] look at the way the individual as Sonny Rawlins, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Lee Connit. So I would just approach the instru- instruments function in the ensemble. I think that’s what makes people ment more like that until I came up with a way that compare Tortoise to jazz... But there’s absolutely no improvisation in was comfortable and felt like it worked.’ Since leav- ing Berklee, Parker has continued to refine the Tortoise’s music. And that’s the numberin a recent one interview characteristic with www.jazzhouse.org of jazz. that sound. ‘I think it is a lot clearer now than it was 15 he’d seen both of them play. Described by Jazz Times years ago,’ he says. ‘When I first moved to town I did some gigs with magazine as ‘the foremost underground avant-garde Chicago is a cold working class city – the meat- a drummer named Larry Banks, and Ernest sax player today’, Anderson was a critical player in packing and grain industries are big employers – Dawkins, a saxophonist. We got to talking and the germination of the AACM back in the 60s. In the and it doesn’t jump out as a centre for wild musical Banks had some of the same ideas, and I think he jazzhouse interview he explains his reasons for work- ferment. But combining the legendary sixties jazz liked the way that I played. He’s a little older than I ing with (Jeff) Parker by saying, ‘he hears the music collective, the Association for the Advancement of am, he had his own band that was pretty estab- right away. I can play with him because he has such Creative Musicians (AACM), and the eighties indie lished in Chicago and he asked me to play with good ears and he picks up on it for a youngster.’ boom that led to the formation of labels such as him. He’s a very prominent member of the AACM By the end of the ‘90s, Parker had established a Touch and Go Records, it’s produced a thriving in Chicago and I got affiliated with the organisation, reputation for involvement not only in Chicago’s music scene. By nurturing the free spirit of jazz, the met a lot of other musicians and started playing rich avant-garde music scene, but also for captivat- city now sees the thrilling results of collaborations with them and collaborating. Cats like Fred ing performances and recordings with a swathe of between avant-garde musicians, electronic produc- Anderson.’ indie rock musicians. He’s now 37 years old and has ers and indie rock hacks. And outside of that there’s With Charlie Parker and Lester Young’s influence played with several generations of jazz musicians so much else happening – house, hip hop, gospel, on his guitar playing it must have been rewarding including Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis, Joshua classical, hardcore and electronic. getting the chance to play with Anderson, who said Redman and Branford Marsalis, as well as Fred Anderson, Lin Halliday and Ken Vandermark. He’s improvisation in Tortoise’s music. And that’s the collaboration, though Parker has been listening to a also worked with musicians from very different number one characteristic of jazz.’ lot of hip hop. He worked with Chicago rapper backgrounds. He began in the city playing hard bop Since forming thirteen years ago the band has con- Diverse on his excellent One AM album, and they’re and free jazz with cornettist Rob Mazurek and drum- tinually redefined their sound. They’ve just released currently completing a new project together. He’s mer Chad Taylor as the Chicago Underground Trio a fifth full-length album, It’s All Around You, while particularly excited about the current wave of pro- (which is sometimes extended to form the Chicago the band’s members play and record with a bewil- ducers and MCs reworking the rich vein of jazz his- Underground Orchestra). Mazurek and Parker also dering array of other bands. Think the beautifully tory. ‘That Madvillain record is awesome. Oh man, I played as the art-rock/jazz-funk outfit Isotope 217 complex sound of the Sea and Cake, Bowie-style love Scott Herren, Prefuse 73, Madlib, MF Doom, alongside trombonist Sara P. Smith. He’s played with glam rockers Bobby Conn Band, Eleventh Dream Jaydee. It’s refreshing to hear. One of my favourite bands like Ernest Dawkins’ New Horizons Ensemble, Day, Gastr del Sol, Come, Sonic Youth, Him, Smog, times in music was early ‘90s hip hop – you know, Uptightly, Aesop Quartet and Tricolor, and released Stereolab, Red Krayola, Tricolor and 5ive Style just Tribe Called Quest, where they were sampling old his first solo album, Like Coping, last year on the to name a few. Suffice to say, they’ve had a profound Blue Note records and stuff. It’s really nice to hear it influential Delmark Records label. impact on the indie rock scene. coming back, but in a completely different way.’ ‘They’re all just friends.’ Parker commented on After three years coming to grips with McEntire’s Like the Native Tongues, Tortoise have always working with such a diverse range of musicians. ‘I new Soma studio, Tortoise released Standards. It searched the past for inspiration. But the LA Weekly actually introduced Rob [Mazurek] to the more cre- was a step back from TNT’s computer-based produc- summed up popular feeling in 2001, saying ‘it’s dif- ative part, the more creative side of the Chicago tion, and though it was dismissed by many as little ficult to decide whether Tortoise are capable of cre- music community – I mean he was a pretty straight- more than a Bitches Brew outtake, it had a more ating their own riches or can only mine the past’. ahead jazz trumpet player when we started hanging organic feel than previous albums. ‘Standards was- Whether it’s Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti westerns, out. I got him into free improvisation and eventual- n’t a ‘live’ live album, but most of the performances Neu and Can’s machine funk, the minimalist work ly that led him to electronic music and such. It’s were live,’ comments Parker. ‘Of course, there was a of composer Steve Reich, or musicians like Lee inspiring to be in a community of musicians who big process behind us getting to the point where we Scratch Perry, Herbie Hancock, Dick Hyman and have so many great original ideas and great voices could play the songs with everyone at the same Jean Jacques Perrey, there’s no doubt Tortoise have on their individual instruments and such.’ The time.’ It’s All Around You combines the cut and borrowed liberally from their heroes. Parker consid- extent of cross membership of bands makes the paste aesthetic of earlier albums and the organic, ers his words for a moment before saying ‘I think Chicago scene seem like an incestuous musical fam- musical elements of Standards to form possibly whatever you’re checking out at the time inevitably ily tree. In some ways it’s reminiscent of New York’s their most developed album to date. ‘The process filters it’s way into whatever you’re creating. It’s just underground in the ‘80s. Like the collaborative net- for recording the new record was actually a lot clos- a thing that’s true for all art and artists. I can defi- work around Branca, Laswell and Zorn, Chicago has er to TNT, we went with no material and made nitely listen to our past work and hear the influ- had an amazingly prolific output of experimental everything in the studio. John McEntire’s getting ences a lot more clearly than when I listen to this and often brilliant records that, in reality, few peo- these really distinctive tones [at Soma] and I think new record. We’re kind of coming into our own, ple will ever hear. he was just discovering how to do that when we did really developing our own identity. That’s apart It’s probably his membership of post-rock outfit Standards, it’s a lot more refined now.’ from all of our influences, in my opinion, when I Tortoise that Parker’s best known for. He joined Tortoise have long flirted with electronics, though listen to the new album.’ Tortoise prior to the recording of their ‘98 album it rarely does more than peek out from beneath the At this point Parker’s daughter Ruby has a TNT, replacing bass player Dave Pajo (formerly of sparkling melodies and rhythms. But software and tantrum, screaming and generally needing attention. Slint and now Aerial M/Papa M). This cemented the the technical aspect of production have been an ‘I’m going to have to talk fast,’ he said ‘because my lineup with John McEntire on percussion and key- extremely important compositional tool for the daughter’s starting to get pissed off that I’ve been on boards, John Herndon on keyboards, vibraphone, band. ‘I don’t know what we would do without it the phone so long.’ While juggling the phone and percussion and programming, Dan Bitney on guitar, [Pro Tools],’ Parker laughed. ‘Tortoise is essentially Ruby he quickly gives his take on file sharing (bad baritone saxophone, keyboards, vibraphone, marim- a studio, and we’re a studio band. I mean we love to for artists/labels, especially mid-level acts like ba, bass and percussion, Doug McCombs on guitar, play live, but this particular aggregate of Tortoise, Tortoise, but also capable of encouraging artists to lap steel guitar and bass, with Parker on guitar, we come up with everything in the studio, that’s be more self-sufficient and concentrating ownership vibraphone, electric harpsichord, synthesizer, key- how we write all the songs, everything is based with artists instead of labels). And then he’s gone. boards and drums. around us experimenting in that environment. So at Whether you call it jazz or not, Parker has created a least for me, it’s hard to even imagine what our body of work that’s unique and new, from a diverse Skirting the boundaries of rock, jazz and electron- band would be like without the innovation of hard range of influences and sources. His thirst to play ics, Tortoise make complex and melodic music that disc recording.’ This was also part of the reason for and create with a dazzling range of musicians from probably bears the closest resemblance to jazz than the gap between TNT and Standards, as they spent different backgrounds marks him as an important any other musical genre. Despite (or perhaps a lot of time in the studio getting to know the soft- player in modern music. Perhaps in the future, we’ll because of) his musical background, Parker categori- ware. ‘Nobody was really using it when we did see his name quoted alongside some of the names cally disagrees with Tortoise’s music being TNT, so we went in with totally cold feet and were he mentioned such as Charlie Parker, Sonny described as jazz. ‘There’s no improvisation. I think learning as we went along.’ Rawlins and Fred Anderson. the biggest thing is the way that we blend the On earlier albums, Tortoise extended their elec- instruments or the way that we look at the way the tronic romance with remixes from producers like individual instruments function in the ensemble. I Oval, Coldcut, Autechre, Derrick Carter, Springheel think that’s what makes people compare Tortoise to Jack, UNKLE, Wagon Christ and Techno Animal. Tortoise’s It’s all Around You is jazz they’ve heard. But there’s absolutely no These days they are less interested in that sort of out on Spunk/Inertia vision commercial tied in with free music down- loads from the iTunes service. Coke replied by step- FREE TO BE MP3: ping into the ring with mycokemusic.com. Dentists worldwide couldn’t believe their luck. These exercises in calorific cross-promotion and THE AESTHETICS soft drink propaganda conceal the biggest winners in this early scramble for high visibility MP3 associ- OF MP3 ations. Peter Gabriel’s Real World label pushed world music into the western consciousness by Vaughan Healy through the 1980s and 1990s, but his recent project is proving to be much more significant. His OD2 venture provides the structure and distribution You might have seen that scratchy footage of European explorers playing gramophones to Papua New framework for a number of European music servic- Guinean highland tribes. They are pretty amazed, not having experienced the wonders of records or impe- es, including Microsoft’s Music Club, HMV and rialism before. In that moment, an entire worldview changed radically and indelibly. And that moment Virgin in England, the French music chain FNAC, still reverberates today, as some of the biggest record collectors in the modern world are the descendants of as well as MTV in Italy, Germany, Spain and those once undiscovered, lost tribes. Holland. OD2 looks after the publishing rights and Those explorers considered themselves pretty mod- matted into a legal web-service selling music to the downloads while the peripheral brands concentrate ern. Today, we too consider ourselves rather con- English and American market. on identity and marketing. temporary, especially those of us with iPods, but we Napster is staking out territory in an already Telecommunications companies are also taking should remember that modern awareness is a crowded arena dominated by the Apple iTunes note of what is happening in the music arena. process and not a position. In fact, we are living service. When iTunes was launched in March Despite its small broadband market and poor infra- through one of those quantum shifts in the way we 2003, downloading was largely unexplored as a structure, Telstra is looking to legitimate MP3 e-tail- understand music right now. After a shaky start, the form of legitimate distribution, as music publishers ing as a way of providing substance for its content- MP3 is becoming accepted by the music industry as were reluctant to allow their music to be available starved internet service provider Bigpond. If unreli- a legitimate music format and delivery medium, on the internet. But Apple’s achievement went able broadband or defective email access isn’t and this will prove to be the largest shift in our beyond persuading the music industry to open enough of an incentive to sign up, the new bigpond- understanding of music since Edison rapped ‘Mary their vaults; they also provided the public with music.com site offers music downloads at a sub- had a little lamb’ onto wax. remarkably fashionable little white devices to play sidised price for its customers, as well as the help- The radical evolution of the MP3 from outlaw to their legally downloaded tracks on. The iTunes ful reminder that ‘not paying for music downloads saviour is neatly summed up with the recent service and iPod player go hand in hand and have and file-sharing is like stealing. And stealing is still relaunch of Napster as an online music store. Its been a massive success: over 70 million MP3s ILLEGAL.’ Got that kids? original incarnation in 1999 as the infamous peer- were downloaded in iTunes first year, and iPods The telecommunications interest is understand- to-peer software allowed music lovers to freely now outsell their computers. able. The public response to MP3s, the take-up of swap music. Despite being bankrupted by litigation The Apple business model relies on selling both fast domestic internet services and the subsequent and shutdown in 2002, peer-to-peer sharing and the the hardware and the music, but legitimate music investment in bandwidth infrastructure are the lit- MP3 was established as a force for the music indus- downloading also offers new and novel commercial mus test for a delivery network that could conceiv- try to grapple with. Jump forward to 2004, and the possibilities. A recent Pepsi campaign featured ably provide other forms of media, for instance tele- cultural cache of the Napster brand has been refor- Beyoncé and Britney in an epic Gladiator-style tele- vision or cinema. Software like Bittorrent already allows easier downloading for the huge files required for television 24 shows. By employing a variation of typical peer-to-peer sharing, Bittorrent is a perfect way to download all those movies and televi- sion shows yet to be broadcast through traditional methods. As bandwidth improves, this will force a major rethink of television scheduling. Stations will no longer hold the keys to programming and the ad break that interrupts viewing every few minutes will be a thing of the past, as commercial material is further integrated into storylines and plots. But while established media giants have the publishing rights to support the insatiable demand for content, cyberspace offers a level playing field where smaller websites can offer niche services. IPOD KRUMPING Although independent artist and label sites might not have the sug- BY VAUGHAN HEALEY ary endorsements of pop divas or funky white and chrome digital toys, inventive music makers are still able to exploit the enormous There is a whole industry of after-market accessories for Apple’s iPod. You can possibilities of file sharing. Backpack hip hop doyen DJ splash out on a remote control unit, memory-card readers, digital cameras and Dangermouse has guaranteed his place in pop music history with of course, upgrade to special earphones. All in white, naturally. Of the more his now infamous Grey Album: bootlegged Jay Z’s Black Album a interesting paraphernalia is the iTrip – a tiny radio transmitter that is sup- capellas over beats jacked from the Beatles White Album. Ironically posed to allow the listener to tune an FM radio into their iPod. Armed with the Grey Album would have faded into obscurity if not for what is effectively a pirate radio transmitter, fashionable iPod enthusiasts Dangermouse being served with a cease and desist order from EMI, have devised a new variation on the classic pirate radio hijack: Pod-krumping, who own the Beatles recordings. The interest of the press was or Pod-jacking. piqued by the David and Goliath tussle, and the public was able to make their own mind up; the Grey Album was readily available as a The scenario is straightforward: the iPod-armed vigilante enters a space broad- download. From LA to Liverpool, listeners who had never given casting bad radio with nothing more than an expensive piece of designer fetish abstract hip hop a second thought were rocking to Dangermouse and spirit of mischief. Places like cafes, taxis or long-haul buses are perfect with and his high-concept prank. their terrible MOR/FM-rock radio and captive audience. They find a position near The paradigm shift in consumption and listening stretches to the the antenna and turn on, tune in and press play: the local supermarket is rocking very core of the music industry itself. Pressure is mounting for to your very own playlist. Getting down with your personal Top 25. Who needs changes to be made to the composition of music charts. In 1999, the conspicuous white headphones when the background ambiance is your own celebrated boss of Factory Records, Anthony Wilson, declared that MP3s? Pod-jacking/krumping is proving to be so popular that a suspicious black ‘in five years time we’ll still be buying CDs but the UK singles chart market exists beside the iPod industry. A bit of hunting can unearth iTrip boost- will be 80 per cent composed of download statistics’. As yet, the ers, Bluetooth transponders, cigarette-packet-sized microwave links and miniature UK pop charts don’t reflect download statistics. However, the amplifiers – available pre-assembled or in kit form. Krumpers are jacking into Official UK Charts Company is currently assessing ‘the best time to datastreams all over the place and grooving everyone out with their selections. include downloads into the main chart’. That time may be soon. I was lucky enough to be lent an iPod from the kind people at Apple for a cou- While the public has long been sceptical of the mysterious music ple of weeks and decided to try my hand at pod-krumping. Famously, Apple industry alchemy used to compile pop charts (a suspicion that was design their products for ease of use and luckily for us krumping is no excep- cynically exploited by reality-TV hit Popstars), download charts tion. Since it’s launch in 1999, the iPod has been a miracle of product placement promise a less affected method of tracking what’s hot and what’s and slick design. Other manufacturers of MP3 players can only drool at the iPod not. Indeed no established download service would be complete sales figures and cultural cache. There are swags of MP3 players out there, built without its own top ten. Chart reform could even go further than into watches and phones or rolled into PDAs. Many, such as the iRiver HP-120, tracking sales, with the popular internet service gracenote.com pro- are technically better, with in-built recording features, sturdier design, and viding a chart of database hits that track individual songs being longer battery life. The iPod itself will soon become an anachronism: not only played in computer CD trays. Perhaps this could provide the next with competition from Apple’s very own Mini-iPod, but through the necessary geek challenge: a total and complete pop music chart able to trace turnover of volatile technology – 40GB in a device the size of a deck of cards MP3 downloads, international file swaps, CD database hits, radio might sound impressive now, but machines of the future will eat 40GB for break- and television playlists, and so on. For an entrepreneurial computer fast. Even the first generation of iPods looks old fashioned with its antiquated nerd, these lines of code could be the path from the garage to the push buttons. However, for the wealthy and fashion conscious saboteur in 2004, mansion. Just remember where you got the idea… a pristine iPod is the only way to go. There is considerable inertia and pressure to maintain the status After a couple of alse starts, my first success was a greasy spoon cafe in quo as entertainment industry giants struggle to keep up with new Sydney’s inner west. I took a position near the laminex counter and spied the technology, but consumer demands are proving to be both vora- coat-hanger doubling as an antenna for the radio blasting the hits of the 70s, 80s cious and infinitely creative. Just as business models have been and 90s. The soundtrack was krumped in no time, moving from bland radio to a adapted to accommodate MP3s as a legitimate format, a surprising selection of 20th century serialism before you could say “atonal mayhem”. A few new sector of the pop music economy has developed. Similar to eyebrows were raised, but unfortunately the staff were quick to change the radio the syncretism Apple used to establish its iPod and iTunes, mobile and put a CD on instead. Deflated with the end of my short-lived radio prank, I phones have created a huge demand for ringtones as pop music. As sat back with a Turkish pide and played solitaire on my $800 toy. monophonic melodies evolved into polyphonic rings, the new gen- eration of mobiles can play sophisticated realtones. Realtones, or mastertones or truetones depending on whom you ask, are sections of pop songs rendered down to catchy hooks and are the coolest ring in the playground. Amazingly, some estimates suggest that mobile phone ringtones now account for 10 per cent of the global music market, earning a whopping US$3 billion. Coming Up: The realtone phenomenon illuminates some of the deeper movements behind HC11 changes in music awareness. Music composers are engaged in a complicated EdSeven feedback loop with culture, technology and the listening public. Advances in Purdy technology precede evolutions in uses and understandings of music itself, for Dave Miller both consumers and performers of music. In the same way, the shellac disc Pablo Dali allowed accurate recordings of intricate performances in New Orleans to be Stalker played back to amazed jazz fans in Paris as well as amazed mountain clans in Papua New Guinea. The 45 single afforded teenagers with a medium to covet Music vs Physics Lawrence English and exchange and rock n’ roll was born. MP3s and the changes produced Motormowf through digital distribution offer artists an entirely new relationship with the see snarl.org/frigid public and palette to create their art. Information for Members and their Guests for lineups One of the most immediate changes for the MP3-ready music listener is the offer of an unprecedented choice of music. People have (almost) all music plus regulars Sir Robbo, instantly available all the time. This allows listeners to be radically causal in Sub Bass Snarl and Prince V their listening as tracks can be downloaded on a whim. Searches are ad hoc and haphazard, randomness and surprise is created with misspellings, typos and EVERY SUNDAY incorrectly labelled files. Listening becomes grazing, with the audiences’ micro- 6pm–11pm scopic attention spans searching for musical hooks and repeated licks to main- tain interest. Significantly, the unit of exchange is the song as opposed to the @ NEWTOWN album, reducing the importance of the album as a staple of artistic intent. It 52 ENMORE RD could be argued that the current popularity of hook-based, song-based music (Old Newtown RSL) such as r’n’b and hip hop is partly because of its ability to translate into catchy ringtones and for a downloaded song to be a complete unit in itself. FREE As a balance to this blithe and chaotic grazing, listeners are also allowed a deeper engagement with artists and ideas. Enthusiasts worldwide can tune into a movement that would otherwise be confined to a city, or perhaps collect and archive the complete works of their superstar of choice: from all the legal recordings to all the bootlegged concerts and everything in between. These two contradictory tendencies generate conditions that demand music to be arbitered. As music is abstracted from context and removed from tradi- tional modes of distribution, new forms will develop that direct taste and pro- vide meaning. This is role conventionally filled by media like radio, television and magazines, but this economy of cool will necessarily develop in additional ways. One optimistic scenario is a record store renaissance where canny retail- ers will be able to trade on the kudos of recorded music and associated para- phernalia as a fetish item. Perhaps most significantly, the move from atoms to bits places a renewed emphasis on live performance. A sympathetic legislative framework combined with supportive infrastructure would nurture new modes of performance and celebration, and the benefits of progressive thinking are obvious. Shows would be a corporeal experience, ideally with the economics of performance geared in favour of supporting artists of all scales, from megastars to the undiscovered bedroom producer. Regardless of our political, economic and cultural climate, history dictates that the kids want to party. The new consciousnesses and aesthetic possibilities afforded by MP3s are only the latest manifestation of the most important func- tion of music: that of social ritual. After all, we can’t all be sitting behind com- puters downloading all day long.

Tortoise’s It’s all Around You is out on Spunk/Inertia 26 26 interplay between the two is absolutely exhilarating, not due to their ability to adapt at split seconds, rather due to the fact that much of Durch Und Durch connected that it could easily have come from the mind of one person. Therefeels are so little tightly or no jazz elements in this work, it is pure experi- mental improvisation owing more to the world of sound art than jazz or rock. There’s even a REVIEWS couple of moments of pure silence, that when broken serve to reorientate the piece. An incredi- ble, challenging, document.

swirling, syncopated layers, although the repetitiveness of Celsius Bob Baker Fish the strategy is camouflaged by the tracks’ sonic contrasts: an Kickin it to Hell and Back incessant whirring pattern accompanied by clanks and rat- (Croockneck) tles dominates ‘Recursive Toupee,’ for example, whereas bell Following hiphop in Australia is like watching a patterns hypnotically pan back and forth in ‘Libidinal whole civilisation in its adolescent years, as it strug- Decay.’ On the majestic ‘Working The Whole,’ machine nois- gles to establish a legitimate government, a system of es and twitchy pinpricks grind out relentless chugging law and an infrastructure. Though hiphop in Australia rhythms alongside industrial thrattle, abrasive surges, and has a rich and illustrious history, it is only in the past garbled voice samples. Over its ten minutes, the track few years that it has gained wider recognition. Celcius, becomes increasingly dense and works up an incredible, and in particular Serreck, have been around for a lot propulsive steam until it turns progressively more vaporous, longer than many of their contemporaries, and it’s fitting and seemingly evaporates at its end. While the labels are that they have delivered the first pubescent, cynical middle obviously dissimilar in some respects, it wouldn’t be hard to finger statement (albeit with a wry smile), to all and sundry visualize – partly in indignance at other’s successes, but also mindful a Fällt one.Ceremonial As if to dispel any doubt, crowd noises and exot- of the fact that as hiphop’s popularity grows, so does the as a Chain Reaction release rather than ic clatter surface through the haze of the eleven-minute clos- ability to make a living. With the ‘Hoods on Nova and The er ‘Jaffa’ which clearly references Vladislav Delay’s equally Herd raising Stan Zemanek’s ire, the time is ripe for a slap in immersive ‘Multila’ and ‘Entain’. Certainly, the face of complacency – an album that is so real to the LOCAL exudes the deep, dubby qualities associated with the Berlin roots of hiphop that it doesn’t even sound like a hiphop RELEASES label but, more importantly, it’s a work of mesmerizing origi- album. Relying more heavily on 808 and synths than on nality that sublimely reconfigures, if not transcends,Ceremonial genre samples and loops, it’s an album like a finally restored vin- Ian Andrews stereotypes. tage car – finely crafted glassy synthlines work in harmony Ceremonial Ron Schepper with shiny chrome beats, albeit powered by an engine of vit- (Fallt) Tony Buck & Axel Dorner riolic rhymes. Devoid of pretence, Serreck’s abrasive frown defines him as one of the elder statesmen of oz hiphop. Fellow Australians Pimmon and Oren Ambarchi Durch Und Durch (Tes/Vitamin) Brass’s sidewinder flow is far more contemporary – taking might currently be more familiar names within Whilst Buck is more renowned as the drummer of the sub- inspiration from Anticon’s Dose One as much as anyone electronica circles, but, if there’s any justice, that lime improvisational trio The Necks, he has also forged a else, and Sinus strides a middle ground (though he’s perhaps should change for Andrews with this exceptional simultaneous career as an improviser of note. Dorner, who the most ascerbic of the three). It shouldn’t work – it’s akin outing. The Sydney-based composer brings incidentally lives in the same apartment block as Buck in to KRS-One hooking up for a collabo with Busdriver and decades of experience to the recording. Most Berlin, is also widely regarded throughout Europe for his Sage Francis – but it does, and despite the anger and the notably in his guises Hypnoblob and Disco Stu, improvisational work and pioneering techniques on trumpet. swelling temple veins there’s plenty to laugh at as well. he immersed himself in techno and A couple of years ago the duo began playing together and Hardly anyone escapes unscathed – the industry, fellow drum’n’bass during the ‘90s and recently drew Durch Und Durch artists and headz in general – but it’s such a gloriously attention for Radiohack, a foray into online records. Dorner createsis their a warm first releaseatmospheric on Buck’s wash own by simply Tes unprejudiced broadside (they seem to hate everyone equally) minimal ambience. But allowing the air to pass through his instrument and then that it is compellingly entertaining. And ‘Straight Outta...’ unto itself. Its repetitive rhythm patterns manipulates the results via laptop, whilst Buck tinkers and will go down as one of the all time great moments in oz Ceremonial suggest techno but it’s too unusual to be is a peak thuds along, allowing the duo to progress through fragile hiphop – a nod to a classic NWA moment combined with a delimited by that label. Its music oozes minimal moments, to bizarre electronic buzzes or increase in local re-rendering (‘I’m radical, white and ready to kill, and dub-like fluidity and a production style of volume and density into dull roars of electrics. In fact some I’m coming fresh, straight outta Wentworthville’) over a per- oceanic depth, yet it’s hardly dub. There’s of the music is either so dense or unexpected that in the tra- fect bluesy Sandro beat – it’s pure gold. no shortage of digital handiwork either dition of some of the more interesting electroacoustic per- but to name it glitch would be mislead- formances, at times it becomes difficult to determine who DH ing. In short, Andrews’ music bears exactly is doing what – which is always a sure sign that traces of said genres but distills them things are really cooking. The duo appear to utilise a similar all into a compellingly fresh hybrid technique to The Necks, allowing ideas to simmer, develop that’s mesmerizing. On most tracks, or gradually fall away until the piece has altered dramati- Andrews creates a looping base over cally from where it was only minutes before. Whilst the sounds are which he drops strange, the

28 Koolism LOCAL RELEASES continued Good Buddha Part 3: Random Thoughts Futurhistrix City City City (Invada/Inertia) (Independent/MGM) Dawn And The Blue Light District When Canberra’s Koolism first hooked up Journeymen of the still blossoming Australian hiphop scene, (Sensory Projects) in the early 90s, Aussie hip hop was all Good Buddha have existed in various forms for almost a Melbourne’s Steve Phillips has made a name for himself as about American accents and dodgy DJing. decade. Like the scene around them, they have evolved from editor of the Sadness is in the Sky zine, and much of that Countless shows, a couple of 12"s and an raw beginnings, in this case the instrumental funk of their publication’s power lies in the compilation CDs they fre- album later, the duo of Hau and have hooked youth, to a level of sophistication that both belies their quently come with. So it’s only natural that the label he up with Katalyst’s Invada label for the long beginnings and acknowledges their dedication to the previ- started up in the last year or two is going to be an excellent awaited second album, ously thankless task of making hiphop in Australia. Despite source of interesting new music. City City City are a seven- crafted a unique sound. It touches on electro, taking the anachronistic path of their oz rock forebears in Part 3 piece from Melbourne who would probably be best hiphop, Miami bass, reggae, jungle. And and they’ve breaks, developing songs on the road and playing them night after described as post-rock. This album was first released on with soul and funk mixed into Polynesian night until they were right, Good Buddha have produced an their own Big Leg Records before being picked up by rhythms. Nasty sub-bass tears into squelchy syn- album in Sensory Projects. It’s a heady mix of genres, from ’70s spy- thesized basslines, while bells and scratches ride their excitingFuturhistrix and tight live show. The hooks are all still movie-soundtracks to krautrock beats, Slint-like guitars and that in some ways fails to live up to hiphop beats and smoky dancehall rhythms. there in their abundance, the songs are obviously occasional electronics. Minimalist ostinati in guitar and Above all and despite the various flavours, its unchanged, and the lyrical interplay between the staccato rhythm section can be offset by a jaunty horn line seemingly hiphop that’s bursting with funk and originality. prose of Alex Young and the somewhat laconic AND shines in a completely different key... Long expansive passages can Hau comments in the liner notes that he’s ‘never through – but somehow some of the glossy excitement and change mid-song – and some of these tracks are quite epic in afraid to open up on a track’. It’s true. He flips words joi de vivre length! Krautrockers Can are without doubt are a definite ref- around all sorts of emotions, with throw your hands ing process. hasWhat been remains removed is comparatively in the recording sterile, and/or and mix- lacks erence point in these tracks, but then short interludes will in the air party tracks, intimidating battle rhymes and the goopy mid range glue of their last release, point in a totally different direction – now more contempo- reflective observations. He can just as easily swing That said – as a document taken rary jazz, now driving post-punk rock. In amongst this are between cutting politically observations and sexy and sparklingly solid, with an almost uncanny separation of some truly memorable riffs and grooves, making this a high- breathless suggestions. His cheeky lyrics show a depth sounds courtesy of engineer extraordinairesans Bob Scott,Skillathon and ly accomplished debut more than equalling output on labels live context it is that’s rare in Australian hip hop vocalists. The produc- this, more than anything else, marks it as ‘album most likely’. such as Constellation, Kranky or Thrill Jockey. tion and rhymes are killer, but the best thing about Part 3 to cross over to mainstream success. Whether that parlay is just how much fun it is. It sounds like a band messing turns out beneficial remains to be seen – perhaps us Epa around and having fun in the studio, and the fact that it’s doubters will be silenced by a live album at some stage? Black Ice Peter Hollo come through on the record is just as exciting as the wildly (Dorobo) original music and lyrics. Jolz Whilst no stranger to creating dark, dense, difficult and Down Pressure Mark N Matt Levinson evocative soundscapes this is Darrin Verhagen’s first foray (Down Pressure) DH Under Sufferance into the noise genre. And the first of a trilogy that will also Producer driven albums are still a rarity in Australia – no (Epileptik) include an ambient record and a minimal electro acoustic doubt a factor in the disparity of recognition between lyri- Mark N mixes Volume 7 in an ongoing mix CD series from piece. But he begins with noise. Whilst it’s an album filled cists and beat makers in this country. Starting with the rather French hardcore label Epileptik. difficult, tearing sounds stretched and tortured well lack lustre instrumental ‘Just Doin It’, tracks of unconventional extreme breakbeats and brutal beyond the comfort level - initially it’s all about the traverses a number of territories with great aplomb and in a grooves, deftly assembled with turntable skill. The assault, yet repeated listens reveal a searing darkness as manner that hints at, but never suffers from, the obviously Under Sufferance Down Pressure Novacastrian noise merchant has always enjoyed a much Verhagen twists and manipulates his sounds, favouring modest manner that it was produced. Somehow Jolz man- is 20 higher profile overseas, and this CD was recorded during relentless whooshes of wind and searing bursts of stat- ages to bring forth the best in his collaborators, especiallythen Mark’s 2003 tour of the Middle East and former Soviet ic. What further elevates it above simply a series of the rappers. Solomon shines in the melancholy head nod of republics. In a gesture of goodwill, Mark was asked to pro- harsh sounds are the extraordinary use of dynamics, ‘From Within’; Hau from Koolism rides a digi dancehall vide some entertainment for the troops and citizens of occu- where a piece can feel brutalized beyond salvation, rhythm like a sweet voiced cherub; the self-examining pied Iraq, performing at a number of hotspots and flash- Muphin exposes his inner workings yet again in ‘They’ – but dip slightly and then kick it up a notch. Verhagen’s points across the freshly liberated country. Mark’s selection, is serviced with a contrasting, yet perfect, uptempo beat that use of structure, not just restricting himself to repet- cutting and mixing is, as usual, superb. Peppered throughout screams mid 90s brit soul; and the UK’s finest Task Force itive bursts of chaos, ensure that he’s striving for the mix are a few turntabilist embellishments but the real bookend the mini-posse ‘Truth and Rights’-sampling more than just the pain, and perhaps more unex- highlight is the smooth mixing: individual tracks are left ‘Forward’ like a manifest destiny. Despite being pressed pectedly, more than just the trance. Not only does from their start to their finish letting the overall mix breathe. locally on single vinyl (a recipe for the feedback monster this elicit the emotional response of beauty The selection is from the more radical side of electronic that was Hunter & Dazastah’s release) the tracks are seperat- borne from pain, the complexity of the assaults music, artists like Doormouse and Noize Creator as well as a ed with superb attention to detail in the lower end, and as is strangely refreshing. Call me a masochist, but few tracks from Bloody Fist protégés: Syndicate, Fraughman such they shine through the gain knob crustiness that could as I sit through the various works I can hear and his own drum & bass pseudonym, Overcast. Suprisingly have been their destiny. Incidentally, the CD comes with train whistles, machine guns and even faint though, the overall effect from these tracks is not skull- instrumental cuts – hopefully an instrumental version on numbing - tracks are assembled and the tempo manipulated chorals in with cartilage, though perhaps I’m wax will also ensue. just hearing things. And that’s the other to accentuate not the harsh metallic textures, but the abstract strange aspect of this collection of sonic DH and progressive qualities of the music. I have no doubt that aggression, your ears become so brutalized the Iraqi prisoners and brave warriors from the US military that they begin to play tricks upon you. enjoyed the mix as much as I do. Whilst the sounds are extreme so too are the rewards. Vaughan Healey Bob Baker Fish Rosy Parlane Always electronics piece entitled different cities, the travel Iris ‘Meshanitsa’, perhaps one of the most effec- between the two, and the everyday chal- (Touch/Creative Vibes) tive, rewarding and different works is ‘Twitch’. An ampli- lenges of living in both Adelaide and Melbourne. Though While New Zealander Parlane has released soloIris delivers a darker representation of fied quintet consisting of contrabass recorder, percussion, a bustling feel is consistent throughout both releases, work on Sigma Editions, he may be better known to trombone/conch, viola and Fox’s live laptop processing, the Buildings, Always Cities Touch listeners for Live, a collaboration with Fennesz participants splut, squeak, spasm and twitch through a series those times. Pulsing stabs, distorted panic across a constant released on the Australian label Synaesthesia. of short gestures, in what almost sounds like a musical pass static - awash with dreamy confusion. Shifting between the itself is three immersive, drone-like soundscapes the parcel. It’s only after repeated listens that some vague gently layered ambience of suburb illustration to the murky totalling 50 minutes whose organs, pianos, and guitars semblance of understanding comes from this live real time dub of decks, the album is able to tap into a range of differ- are digitally transformed into glacial masses. ‘Part 1’ jump cutting, and even then you’reBob inclined Baker to Fish wonder about ent moods. Effectively an album of reworkings that weren’t unfolds slowly as a mournful organ tone acts as a nucle- him, particularly given that it ends with a violin getting torn right in the context of the initial release, the shivery sounds us around which soft crackle constellates. Six minutes apart. An odd yet brilliant work. throughout left me with a resounding feeling of winter, and in, prickly showers emerge and build in intensity until the contemplativeDan mood Collins that is brought on by the sun being they obliterate all other sounds save the dying drone of the Pateras, Baxter & Brown lower in the sky. organ. It’s not an abrasive sound, however, but simply a Ataxia textural one that gradually turns into a softly subsiding (Synaesthesia) Purdy wave of percolating pinpricks. The piece entropically winds It’s sparse yet feels like you’re wading through clutter, Fairytale Insurance down with the crackle eventually disappearing, leaving soft through odd bits and pieces, and strange fragments of sound (Soft/Inertia) organ tones and insect hums to end it meditatively. ‘Part 2’ making junk as acoustic instruments rattle, pick, boom and Fairytale Insurance is the second album from Sydney is the least interesting piece of the three for being most twang and successfully coagulate into one overriding force. based artist Kevin Purdy, whoo happens to be a key monochromatic. It opens with a shimmering organ drone, It’s a unique alternate universe of rustling and unsettled member of Sydney’s Tooth. Following on from 2002’s clouds of static, and creaking shuffles until the textures drop twitching that’s surprisingly patient, surprisingly restrained, Kevolution, Purdy himself plays the majority of the out at the six-minute mark leaving an unaccompanied organ, surprisingly silent in parts, and one that when the Tourette’s instruments, though he’s joined by Fourplay’s Peter now unaccompanied, to continue for six more minutes induced torrent of bluster appears, manages to avoid making Hollo (cello), and Prop’s Kym Moyes (vibes). On ‘The before being overtaken by a sound expanse including noises any violent scenes and gently evaporates into minimalist ter- Roof Of The World’ bounces its way along nodding that skitter and grind. The loudest piece is also the shortest, ritory. Part experimental, which is the sound medical design term and to wholly describe impro- com- appreciatively toward Stereolab, but then says its Ataxia the twelve-minute ‘Part 3.’ In this case, a sombre opening of vised, goodbyes to its sexy and quirky krautrock groove organ tones is buried gradually by blurry waves that abruptly plete loss of muscular coordination, lacks any discernable and opts for smooth sweeping guitar chords that stop, allowing the organ to surface again before ceding the grooves or melodies and is the documentation of the meeting introduce a nifty chorus. More power to Krautrock spotlight to thrumming showers that close it out. In many of three local sound artists. With Anthony Pateras on a piano aesthetics and strong choruses! The wonderfully Iris is a quintessential Touch recording. Its packag- respects, prepared with bolts and coins beautifully documented on cinematic ‘The Secret Smile In The Camel Girl’s ing includes the label’s signature style of evocative land- the cover, and the Bucketrider, Lazy and Western Grey duo Eyes’ plods along lusciously as if taken from a of David Brown onhighlights prepared some guitar of andthe moreSean abstractBaxter on and per- cowboy movie-slow groove-dream sequence, scape photography, in this case wintery scenery, and its cre- Ataxia ator brings to the project experimental credentials that put cussion, complete with ‘outlaws just murdered my wife restrained work of these renowned improvisers. The trio and child and henceforth my only reason for him in good stead with his fellow Touch Ronartists. Schepper In truth, Iris hardly represents Touch at its peak (see Fennesz and Jeck for coordinate an amazing array of sounds and textures, much of living is sweet bloody revenge ..’ breakdown. instance) – it’s wholly less engaging and memorable work which are impossible to discern which participant created it. ‘3 Friends To The Stars’ immediately reminds than much of the recent Touch output. Launching through six tracks, the trio utilise a number of of the movie Midnight Cowboy’s melancholy different techniques, yet repeatedly arrive at a similar mini- guitar motif, and then gets all burbly with Anthony Pateras mal, almost silent location, which allows the individual submerged synths and vibes, revealing the Mutant Theatre sounds an additional emphasis or resonance. Whilst for extent of Purdy’s marvellous cinematic grip (Tzadik) some its stop start nature might be a little confronting, others on sound production. ‘The Grip’ moves Eclectic local composer Anthony Pateras manages to effec- may find a certain freeform rhythm. When things do get toward more spooky territory, but still tively straddle the divide between austere academia and the going, and the textures become denser and the sounds more allows the luxury of the most sought after energy of both performingare separated and improvising into five distinct live. The parts, pieces all flowing, such as hexadactyly, it really does become crazy, groove we all know and love, the cop- on Mutant Theatre almost overwhelming, feeling like the sounds are all travel- chase groove. ‘Another World, Any of which are representative of a particular aspect of Pateras’ ling together in the same furious flood, rattling, rubbing, Colour’ ever so slowly throbs into an restless musical mind. It begins with ‘Transmutations’, a per- banging against each other, causingBob Baker a chemical Fish reaction that eerily beautiful piece, its placement in cussion sextet that continues to explore Pateras’ interest in will send both them and the listener ricocheting off into the album perfectly bringing the pace getting people to belt things. The pieces, which are then strange new sonic worlds. down a notch to introduce the won- divided into five tracks, vary from booming spasms of per- derfully brooding saunter of ‘Harry’s cussion to an odd cacophony of squeaks, shuffling, and even Pretty Boy Crossover Day’. ‘Happy Ending’ is in fact not a weird rumbling that initially appears to have more to do Always Buildings, Always Cities altogether happy, introducing the with electrics than percussion, before, though a shrill fascinating, pierce and (Sensory Projects) debut vocal contribution to the what sounds like a Mutantpiece of Theatre timber being hit with a sledge- Pretty Boy Crossover are Cailan Burns and Jason Sweeney. album (apart from miscellaneous hammer. Much of This latest release is on the Melbourne based Sensory and thoughtful use of speech sam- moody and uncomfortable is also ingrained with a sense of Projects label and documents their early workThere on 8-track.are apparent ples), featuring the majestic lurk- These works were collections scattered on many old tapes ing menace that isFairytale prevalent the absurd; utilising dominos, balloons, and mousetraps. Always Buildings, These cuts are challenging to say the least, almost relentless and minidisksThe made Building at the and same Formation’ time as tracks from the first throughout. allThis of is an album in their energy as the occasional accenting beats punch Surgery LP Insurance through the music like uppercuts. Whilst he also engages in linkages betweennot this only first in termsalbum of and titling, but more so the that just seizes your attention, solo piano on ‘Inevitable Plasma’, and demonstrates his Always Cities and does an outstanding job incredible, almostwith textural, Robin Fox piano for style, a piano, and voice teams and up urban atmospheretion conjured on the time throughout when both both. artists A reflec- lived in 30 result – the yet kindred in their apporach to music. The metal box (similaroddities. to the Packed Chain in a Levy Symbiotic CollectiveEP remixes. by The TheRectifiers, Rectifiers featuring are a Melbourneseven Reaction boxes) the range of contributors LOCAL RELEASES continued six piece, most recently responsible for the are international and local luminaries - a the Resting Sky mix of sound artists and electronic musos. of holding it. Fairytale Insurance is brimming with simply acclaim, with its, atmospheric,an album released subdued, last yearcerebral to critical sonics Disc one opens with a brutal telescopic lovely melodic colour and movement that has you humming mixed with country roots. More than a remix,Wear and closerWeight to of sound recording from Chris Watson who to almost every track, and features a slew of perfectly unclut- reinterpretation, the Symbiotic Collective set to work with reveals alien sound worlds up very close to tered tracks, with softly rounded percussion that just merges samples, but without any knowledge of their origin or previ- common objects, insects and animals, appar- magically with all the other instrumental work. Essential. ous context. The result is something special, something ently recorded in the Cairns rainforest one Barry Handler unique, even - with a few tracks showing hardly a semblance summer night. However after Watson’s brash of their previous selves. In a way that still manages to com- start, the album settles into a deep subliminal Realistix pliment the original, the Symbiotic Collective have managed drone space with excellent spatial and hypnotic Turf Wars to create some downbeat/instrumental hiphop gems. Original tracks from Stephen Vitello, Melbourne’s Ai (Self-Released) guitars are moulded into something new, especially on the Yamamoto – her best work since Shoushi, Oren It’s hard to remember an album this bitter and paranoid track ‘The Pull of the Restless Earth’ by Beatrix. Other stand- Ambarchi, DJ Olive – who reprises some material since Tricky’s outs for me included the dark and brooding ‘Climate from his excellent Sleep CDR. DJ/Rupture’s track red-eyed nights,Pre-Millenial it’s redeemed Tension by real insights and tough, Control’ by Pitch Bureau, and the ‘Rusty Dawn Reprise’ by ‘Heart Mumur’ is possibly the weakest on the first raw production. Better known to his mum as Shane Wasley, Paso Bionic - in which the beat construction recalls the clas- disc, sounding like a unhappy conflation of sound . The result of plenty of Realistix has been on Sydney’s hiphop fringe for a while sic sounds of Portishead. Not to be outdone on their own recording and a subdued version of his usual bom- now. Starting out with Blue Mountains hiphop crew disk, the Rectifiers chime in with a remix of the title track bast. The second CD is more musical and, strangely, Explanetary in the mid ’90s, it’s taken a while for him to get ‘Levy’ – a worthy inclusion in an otherwise quality EP. vocal with contributions from John Chantler, Scanner, a solo release out. Along the way he’s kept up a pretty con- Collins David Toop. Ralph Steinbruckel and Janek Scahefer stant stream of output – notably producing a 7 inch for Brass offer the two standouts on the disc, whilst heart sur- Knuckles of Celcius fame – but he hasn’t been happy enough Various Artists geon/avant-turntabilist Martin Ng collaborates with to release anything solo ‘til now. The lyrical subject matter Xing-Wu Dan improv guitar virtuoso Tetuzi Akiyama to create a swings between bitterness at bands ‘selling out’ with their (Xing-Wu/Synaesthesia) strange crossbreed of guitar and high pitched tones. ‘pop lyrics’ while hordes of speakers are wasted ‘on pop Featuring live bands, avant electronica, field recordists, Locals Frost and Gail Priest offer two returns to the shit’, and black observations about the life of a Marrickville improvisers and minimalist composers, there are numerous soundscapes of the first disc and Tim Koch follows his gangster ‘Pimpin’ ain’t easy with GST / All the paperwork reasons to be excited about this 2-disc compilation of some recent Islandtones of the most innovative and original sound artists from across just confuses a mack like me’. There are a handful of great techno. An excellentalbum compilation with more that experimental for the most partambient guest MCs on the album – Ozi Batla and Urthboy turn in the world. Perhaps the most important reason is that this is holds together around its theme well, although not one to typically acerbic rhymes, check Batla on the promise of the first release from the new Malaysian based Xing-Wu try to sleep to. policy change from successive governments, ‘I won’t records, a label established to document local experimental Sebastian Chan believe a word / ‘til I see red, black and gold up a flag- works, five of which appear here alongside the worlds fore- Various Artists pole’. Macross and 13th Son also contribute guest most experimental performers. Another reason is that all of Aether 2 rhymes, and ex-Explanetary MC Disco Rossco delivers the tracks are exclusive to this release, including the likes of (Kieper) persistently weird Argentinean rockers Reynols, no input the hilarious ‘I write it down / So I don’t have to think Word has it that Perth is the most remote city in the world. mixing board sine manipulator Toshimaru Nakamura, about it.’ Despite some well-executed vocals, it’s the But despite this, or possibly because of it, Perth has devel- renowned improviser and What Is Music cofounder Oren oped a solid electronic music scene. Its distance from the production that stands out here. Wasley’s schooling in Ambarchi, recent visitor and collaborator with Tony Buck, rest of Australia has meant that a lot of West Australian acts New York hip hop, old school funk and tough indus- German trumpeter and sound manipulator Axel Dorner and look immediately overseas rather than bother with the east trial Bloody Fist techno informs the sound. The Japanese dobro player Tetuzi Akiyama, who coaxes difficult coast. A sensible move that has paid dividends for Dave result is a dark, moody atmosphere that’s by turns skull piercing pitches from his innocent looking instrument. Miller (Background), Greg Packer (Looking Good), Pendulum tough distorted industrial or sparse electronic Highlights include American Jeph Jerman’s field recordings (31 Records) and others. Greg Lawrence (Audiocephlon) runs hiphop beats. At times let down by the vocals, it’s of birds gathering near his house, local improvisers Anthony Kieper Records and this is the label’s second compilation the interludes, intros and other instrumental tracks Pateras and David Brown’s (Bucketrider) sparse and tentative release. that show the potential talent on show here – Aether 2 untitled cut which echoes some of their work with Sean ent electronic soundsbrings from together some ofa rangethe emerging of downbeat figures ambi- in they’re moody, electronic sketches that I’d love to Baxter on the recently released Ataxic disc, and the incredi- the Perth scene. Standout tracks include ‘Futuristic see extended into a full project. bly difficult pitches of Malaysian ensemble Zai De’s Ni-Be. Dinosaur’ by Ele-mental, a delightfully glitchy soundscape perfect. At 20 tracks it could do with some The reality is that the multitudes of sounds and approaches reminiscent of the work of Xela or Telefon Tel Aviv. The pruning. But Realistix conveys real,Turf raw Wars emo- presented here ensure Xing-Wu a bright future in providing smooth jazz infused softness of ‘Blue Eyes’ by Kane and the tion. There’s something really honest and isn’t an important regional role in documenting the local scene eerie breakbeat uneasiness of ‘Turn to Shiver’ by Jaek are engaging about this album and it’s worth and assisting it to remain connected to the all of the direc- also notable. Complementing the electronic warmth felt tracking down for that reason. tions and developments from the other side of world. throughout the compilation, a couple of dubbed out num- Baker Fish bers, ‘Paying Tribute’ by Manual Bonrod, and ‘Departure The Rectifiers Matt Levinson Dub’ by New Sirius Project are both rich in punchy synths, Levy Various Artists and laidback feel. Twelve tracks in all, providing everything Bob (Sensory Projects) Melatonin from ambient noodling to breaky glitches and sombre vocals, Late last year, it seems Melbourne’s (::Room40::) and a rare inisght to the goings on over the other side of oz. Named after the brain chemical that is a main part of the Sensory Projects label-head Steve Phillips Dan Collins brain’s sleep process, and featuring tracks based around had somewhat of a revelation – a remix the idea of sound in sleep, Melatonin is a project between artists from differ- splendid compilation of ent musical worlds unfold in an elegantly natu- DH ral manner – as though the songs were Mitchell Akiyama already in existence and were just waiting to be uncov- INTERNATIONAL If Night Is A Weed And Day Grows Less ered in some sonic archealogical dig. (Sub Rosa) RELEASES At thirty-five minutes, this qualifies more as a mini-album Cee-lo Green !!! but, thankfully there is no shortage of satisfying music. The …is the Soul Machine Louden Up Now album grew out of four piano compositions that were decon- (Arista) (Warp/Inertia) structed and reassembled, the result being eight pieces that How Cee-lo hasn’t blown up all round the world is com- contain distant echoes and vague refrains of others featuring American 7 piece !!! cross neo-disco heavy punk funk pletely mystifying to me. A Dirty South longstayer who used Akiyama on piano and trumpet and Becky Foon (Set Fire To to be part of Goodie Mob, Cee-Lo has also guested every- with a west coast sense of liquid psychedelia. There have Flames, The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra) on cello. where from Common to Santana. His voice is raw, beautiful been some comparisons to the D.C. GoGo sound of Trouble He lists ‘manipulation’ as his third instrument, and that’s soul with a hint of bassoon that is dynamite when whisked Funk and E.U. and it’s a fair point to make: the ten tracks Cee-lo Green and his Perfect entirely apropos, given the liberal degree to which he smoth- with his double-time and gospel-influenced rhyme patterns. rock with enough driving twists and percussion flips to pull ers the piano in DSP treatments throughout. Aside from the Similar to his debutthe production album contains roomy percussive these meandering jams through some interesting instrumen- Steve Reich homage ‘With Hope That,’ the tracks gather into Imperfections’ tal moments into fully formed tracks with a sense of urgent groupings of Fenneszian DSP or more conventional piano arrangements, this time courtesy of the likes of Timberland, groove. The big difference lies in the beat: !!! leave the gogo pieces. Coming after the two opening abstract excursions, the Neptunes and himself. But it’s when his colourful har- shuffle well alone, instead each groove is pinned down with a Reich tribute offers some effective contrast. Akiyama’s repeti- monies get playful you realise you’re really in Cee-lo-land weighty 1 2 3 4 kickdrum and bassline ensemble. The absence tive piano lines and Foon’s multi-layered cello create a dense and the space given by each production piece fills out of syncopation or backbeat is notable on this record with a propulsive mass that approximates a blurred version of like a pregnant belly. His infectious optimism is really rhythm is mapped out in even, regular strokes. The heavy Reich’s large group sound. Two pieces, ‘A Lesser Path enjoyable to get caught up in – like Missy Eliott without beats are a counterpoint to the wacky instrumental excursions: Growing’ and ‘Night Grows Less,’ feature Akiyama’s piano in the hype or ‘old skool’ marketing. Although the appear- songs breakdown into mutant guitar bridges, short latinesque is !!!s second album, relatively unadorned manner, save for some echoing tinkles, ance of the Neptunes and Timberland seem an unnec- percussion breaks, tonal keyboardLouden riffs, Upvocalist Nic Offer faint clatter, and a soft glow of reverb that shadows the piano essary addition brought in to turn a highly successful wailing ‘everybody thinks I’m fucking crazy or something…’ playing. Both are pensive in mood, with the second an affect- artist into a massive star. I could be wrong though. into melodic synth noodling. ing, gentle coda that ends the recording. The remaining five They might be good mates. One thing is certain - I just in time to surf the no-wave revival. Its’ easy to understand tracks showcase Akiyama’s command of DSP and his talent can’t imagine not liking Cee-lo, he seems like a good why attention is focused backwards to some of those obscure Tim Levinson for creating richly textured soundscapes. In each case, piano fella. 1980s sounds: the rediscoveryare of liveevidence funk isof aplenty response of fresh to sounds are submerged by Ovalesque flutter, stuttering clicks, aesthetic deadends and boring performances. The inventive Louden Up NowVaughan Healey and a blanket of static and thrum. The piano is virtually Chicago Underground Trio grooves on swallowed by the dense, rippling layers of grinding static, yet Slon ground to be explored. the piano emerges near the end in a manner resembling both (Thrill Jockey/Inertia) Ron Schepper a mandolin and dulcimer. It’s an accomplished and distin- Having had an ambiguous relationship with The Advantage guished recording in spite of its indebtedness to DSP precur- ‘jazz’ over the past few years – in that it seems s/t sors like Fennesz and Markus Popp. that nothing before my date of birth is worth (5RC) listening to – I approached Slon with a degree The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was somewhat a The Books of trepidation. Of course, having heard Rob benchmark of home entertainment in the eighties. The con- The Lemon of Pink Mazurek’s unique timbre on many Chicago sole equivalent of the Commodore64 or the Sinclair (Spunk/Inertia) scene releases and the odd tootle on Pan Spectrum, its games were pixelated, clunky, simplistic, fea- The second album from The Booksis like –an who imaginary thankfully sequel are tofar DJ American releases and the presence of tured plinky yet memorable soundtracks using the saw, sine, more imaginative than their name – is a strange beast Bundy K Brown’s deft touch on the mixing The Lemon ofsoundtrack, Pink except the grimy tumes- square and triangle forms of audio waveforms, and it looked hangs between appealing indeed. Dark Days board, I wasSlon prepared for my prejudice to like a goddamn brick from video gaming hell. The Advantage Shadow’s be allayed. are a four piece who have decided that these old NES sound- cence of the NYC subway and its shady denizens have been to a nicer, kinder time in history and an tracks deserve more than just the dust of pawn shop shelves. replaced by a sublime (or ridiculous) parade of hoary buck- encapsulation of the lustful beckoning of Welcome then to a group of twenty-something white boys toothed fiddlers, six-toed banjo pickin Maybelles and shot- technology and the war machine – the reliving their childhood soundtracks to rainy days, in the gun totin’ moonshiners riding pickup truck-chariots – all album jarringly moves from the perfect form of balls-out riff rock interpretations of their favourite viewed through the chillingly dappled Appalachian sun-man- play between ride cymbal/double bass NES game tunes. Included are the unmistakable melodies of light. Juxtaposed to this litany of hickdom are a subcontinen- undertow of Taylor and Kupersmith games such as Marble Madness, Bubble Bobble, Bomberman, The Lemon of Pink tally-accented narrator, a muezzin’s call to prayer and a min- and the uneasy trumpet of Mazurek Contra, Super Mario, Zelda, and Ghosts ‘n’ Goblins. By pure imalist chordal refrain – and all this in the first two minutes. to exercises in the outer edges of coincidence, the complexity of themes such as Castlevania 3 Despite its sample-based origins, sonic play, where individual instru- and Goonies 2 (at least until it changes into the Cindy Lauper ages to appear at once organic and refreshingly human – this mentation is abstracted to near tune) results in a translation to the more conventional guitars, is partly due to the proliference of vocal samples (including oblivion. It’s as if they need to bass, and drums format with an unexpected math-rock twist. distant shouts, narration, singing, found artifacts and prove their jazz chops as well as Alternatively Ninja Gaiden translates into bad electric guitar processed sections of sound) but is arguably primarily due to appeal to the chin scratchers – disco, with its octave jumping basslines and plinky leads. the fact that it eschews the palpably seductive impulse to and though this provides for an Mario 3 – Underworld (the definitive Mario melody) remains use drumbeats as a sonic canvas. Though syncopations album that is diverse in scope, the infectious slab of zany melody that it forever shall be. To Barry inherent in tunes such as ‘Take Time’ suggest possible drum it seems to lack coherence and the hardcore retro gamer, this collection will mean a lot, to patterns, they never appear. Though initially unsettling, this settles for merely navigating the uninitiated, the WTF factor will be to the point of lends the album a uniquely airy and unfettered quality, and through sounds rather than bemusement,who but ultimatelyrefuse to believe Handlerit is just that some the NESgrown is updead. kids appears to allowThough the songs at times spacecomplex, abstract to stretch theand andalbum deceptivelytracks breathe. and therein the 32 Greek myth his productions are intricate mazes in which the INTERNATIONAL RELEASES cont unwary can perilously lose their way (or find themselves tion of local heritage, it’s crass vote-buy- gored by a Minotaur). And though his flights of fancy are ing come election time, and it’s neglect of scoping out new territories in both their ‘jazz’ and ‘abstract’ supremely elegant, they are also tragically fragile – like his the less fortunate in society such as the voices. Although this may seem harsh, one needs to remem- namesake’s son Icarus – sometimes they attempt to fly too homeless and unemployed. Sound familiar? ber that the genre that they appear to feel most comfortable high and come scudding to earth in a mess. Juxtapositions Small world. ‘Paradise Paving’ sounds like in is at least thirty years past its prime, and despite the fact abound on its beats are also created from construction – that they are far more interesting than the conservative fairytale interruptedMeanwhile by an oil rig; ‘The Brazillionaire’ is a it’s spattered with a synthesised pneumatic noodling that currently passes for jazz, and retain the agit- – ‘One Breath to Breath’ is an aquatic well dressed daytime television schmaltzonality being drill while a single note mournfully loops, prop attitude that their forebears had in abundance, it’s still stalked and eventually bailed up in a dark alley by the knife- reminiscent of a distant fog horn. For me this firmly grounded terrestrially – despite aspiring to the lofty wielding proto jungle swagger of a sowf lundn ‘ard geezer. is the most successful musical evocation of the heights of outer/inner space travel. ‘Outnumbered’ is like a pre-pubescent Aphex Twin strug- album’s theme. There are some interesting gling with ADHD and a rampant delay unit; ‘A Stiff Drunk’ sounds on here, and some lovely evolving tex- Claro Intelecto tures - and that’s where I should come clean. I DH again offsets incompatibles – the guitar sample rolls around Neurofibro like a pilled up slosher, accompanied by the frenetic amen can’t help wishing he would do more with it, as it (Ai Records) break of his never to be sated libido (brewer’s droop never appears to be another in a long line of amorphous Neurofibro’s short for Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder sounded so good); The Barry White-isms of ‘Just For You’ are proccesed sound that bear little interest if subjected of the nerves which cause tumors to grow along various again accompanied by snips and snaps of guitar, jungle to repeated listens. If a few more of these sounds kinds of nerves and which can also affect the development breaks and scratches – they bristle with primal energy, bliss- were formed into slightly more structured tracks like of bone and skin tissues. Apparently Mark Stewart (Claro fully unaware that Bazza White drolls on moistly. The ‘Paradise Paving’ I could listen and enjoy more often. Intelecto) was accompanied throughout the recording of the crowning achievement however, is the clamly evocative The album closes wth ‘Container Anxiety (version)’ - album by the disease but, beyond the title, the album betrays ‘Denouement’ which starts as some lost french master’s there’s a scratchy, speakerphone-like conversation at no audible connection to the condition. As delectable as it autumnal scene in oils and slowly transubstantiates into an the end, where two men discuss the phenomenon of is, Stewart’s not blazing any new trails here and treads actual dappled sun-lit glade. It’s also packaged in a nifty feeling the need to fill a CD with 78 minutes of sound ground visited by others before him. Still, having registered digipak with gorgeous cover art. just because you can. This nicely returns us to the theme that caveat, there’s no denying its considerable pleasures. of the album, but also begs the question – sure, you ‘Peace of Mind’ opens the set strongly, with warm Rhodes process sound into abstract pieces of amorphousness, as DJ/Rupture & Mutamassik DH chords joined by funky propulsive beats and atmospheric DJ/Rupture & Mutamassik in Shotgun Wedding I : The many people do at the moment, but does that mean you synth washes. Other highlights include the stumbling house should? Bedouin Sessions I don’t know the answer, by the way. can rhythms on ‘Percentages,’ the chugging Kraftwerk machine (Violent Turd) beats on the electro-house-flavoured ‘Mono,’ and the dark Apparently made initially as two 30 minutes mixes for as a Rob Ellis symphonic techno of ‘Section.’ ‘Contact’ might be the best giveaway for series of shows in the United Arab Emirates, Music For The Home Vol. 2 ollo thing here, its insistent bass line establishing a hypnotic these date from 2004 (Rupture) and 2002 (Mutamassik). Both (Leaf) groove alongside flickering hi-hats and moody synth mixes draw extensively on Arabic music – Rupture’s opens While the first volume emphasized computer-based composi- melodies. What ultimately compensates for the familiari- ominously with the Malcolm X sample from 1964 ‘22 million tions, volume two collects twenty-seven tracks, seventeen of ty of the Claro Intelecto style is Stewart’s ability to victims of Americanism are waking up’ and then deftly cuts them solo piano. Even though he’s self-taught, Ellis’s piano playing is accomplished and assured. The manic style of infuse each of the thirteen tracks with unique qualities. across hiphop, dub, jungle and breakcore cutting TOK with many compositions, however, more often induces admiration Such largesse has its downside, however. Most of the Kelis with something that sounds like something from the at the technical prowess required for their execution than it tracks weigh in at five or six minutes, and the album Ambush label. It never settles into a particular sound - keeping does appreciation for their emotional depths. In ‘No. 2 The consequently becomes wearying. Imagine each track it sounding fresh and exciting. Brooklyn-based Mutamassik Rank Outsider Triumphs’ (‘Three Nature Studies For Three shortened slightly and the result would still be over opts for a more dub heavy approach but her mix continues Pianos’), for example, one is entranced by its rapid-fire fig- fifty minutes, and subsequently more concise and mixing Algerian rai with North African music, Arabic beats ures but more impressed by the ruminative mood conjured fleeter in spirit. whilst blending these with some excellent old school hiphop and manic drum and bass. What continues to make these on ‘No. 1 60 Francs’ from the ‘Four Pictures With Debussy’ Ron Schepper mixes interesting, as with Rupture’s other releases, is their series. Not above injecting humour into his playing as well as Daedelus focus on building some kind of pan-Atlantic African liberatory his song titles. ‘No. 2 Tom & Jerry & Claude’ (‘Four Pictures Meanwhile and revolutionary sound. I’m not sure it’s all successful and it’s With Debussy’) appropriately simulates the chaotic sound of (Laboratory Instinct) certainly a work in progress, but these mixes are drawing on mice scurrying up and down the keyboard. The non-piano Despite the tag of ‘instrumental hiphop’ (as in more musical styles than your average world music store, and works include excursions into minimalism, drones, and field file under) being hard to lose – Daedelus keeps at the same time injecting an anger and vigour, a feeling of recordings. ‘Triminufakeinsymph’ sounds like a mini-piano pushing the boundary lines of what is accept- post-colonial resistance. This is not some world music to be concerto performed with an electronic toy orchestra, and the able at the outer limits of beat-making. In fact, consumed comfortably in your favourite café, but neither is it marimbas and child-like harpsichords on ‘If You Were The calling this hiphop would be akin to calling shaved head white boy noise music. Only Girl In The World’ and ‘And I Was The Only Boy’ main- John Coltrane’s Ascension ‘jazz’. Although tain the playful mood. Clearly, the method is similar they are obviously Andrew Duke an idiosyncratic and challenging release. At almost eighty Sebastian Chan very different beasts. Although Just because you can doesn’t mean you should minutes, it’s also long, although Musicthe closer, For The‘Music Home For Vol. The 2 doesn’t scale the giddy heights of Coltrane (Cognition Audioworks) Home No. 9 - The Empty House,’ is a superfluous nineteen- minute field recording that could have been omitted. Given it nevertheless goes far from theMeanwhile craggy That rare thing, experimental sound art with a message – is boom bip shore in pursuit of deep ocean- although it helps if you read what the message is before lis- its solo piano emphasis, it likely won’t have the same broad appeal as does his work with PJ Harvey, nevertheless it’s ic depths. Like the brilliant tening. In this case it’s a comment on his local gov- a work of rich stylistic range. architect/industrial designer of ernment’s disregard for the preserva- Schepper Ron Fennesz Hinterlandt with oddly looping electron- Venice Poprekordt ic glitches and percussive cut ups, Keep (Touch/Creative Vibes) (Hinterlandt) creates a genuinely enjoyable and for the most part gentle Although he is working in the experimental reaches Initial reactions are along the lines of a wry smile as you think ride through the outer rim of electronica. Tracks such as of electronics, Austrian laptop composer/guitarist/ that if Jochen Gutsch aka Hinterlandt believes that he has ‘Bose Bose’ feature probing synth parts that wash back over sound manipulator Christian Fennesz is so adept at made a pop record then he must be more than a little deluded. each other in waves of reverse processing, there’s an under- conjuring up emotions that his sounds feel firmlyhave left With three of the four pieces clocking in at over thirteen min- current of distortion present here, a tension that adds a real entrenched, unable to be separatedEndless from Summer memories, utes it isn’t exactly the format we’ve become accustomed to. appeal to this piece. These ideas of creating tension are feelings and experiences. It appearssees him that entranced these worlds by a repeated throughout the record – ‘Tam’ for instance has a Venice The music, at a stretch, could be considered pop - a repetitive he created on his last outing bass run, glitchy funky beats and some slow burning slide gui- soft yet piercing quality to it – like rubbing your finger on a an indelible effect, as tar. Though perhaps this is Gutsch’s impression of pop, or bet- blunt knife. There’s often a sense of danger here, but there’s similar form of nostalgia, though he is operating with ter still prog pop, as the piece then slides into an extended no real chance of slicing open your skin; this inherent secu- more of a drone-based palette. It’s almost impossible to dreamy heavily reverbed vocal part before returning to the ini- rity meaning that at no point does this album lead to dis- draw out highlights, but the overwhelmingly ethereal tial bassline and funky electronica beats. A carefully produced comfort. At its best, this album has a swelling quality, a is treated guitar of ‘Circassian’ wavers betweenVenice noise and album with multiple parts referencing everything from post sense of purpose and direction that engages with the listener new age, never really defining itself, a gorgeous wall of rock to minimal electronics and numerous posts in between, in a plethora of ways. At its weakest there are moments of bombastic reverb that hints at the tones touched upon by multi-instrumentalist Gutsch has created a strangely accessi- predictability and familiarityLawrence but these Englishseem to play against Sigur Ros and the textures of Keiji Haino. ble, weirdly logical yet bizarrely constructed series of suites the darker element of the mix, rather than dominate the Fennesz’s most gentle and searching release thus far, the that feels like it drags some of the more difficult and unusual overall mood of the songs. entire album imbued with a sense of space and patience that techniques from the underground out into the open. It’s is sheer genius. There’s also a couple of unexpected develop- almost abstract experimentation sprinkled with a pop spirit Icarus and deep love of groove and percussion, ensuring that every- I Tweet The Birdy Electric , scientist Seth Brundle is ments, firstly a breathtaking collaboration with David The Fly Sylvian, with Fennesz providing a shifting bed of static and thing is not just interestingBob Baker and Fish challenging but more impor- (Leaf/Inertia) overloaded digital material over which Sylvian croons, and tantly, enjoyable. In David Cronenberg’s ‘Laguna’ in which he strums some winsome electric guitar fused with a fly that accidentally goes along for the ride warm and untreated. Venice reinforces the fact that, with a Hinterlandt in a telepod and leaving him a grotesque mutant. few warm sweeps of droning static and decaying digitalia, Sitting Going Places Imagine now conventional instruments of late-20th Fennesz can sayBob more Baker than Fish most artists will say in their (Abflug) century popular music making that same trip and entire career. Perhaps it’s something to do with the lack of stimulating things likewise getting turned inside out by an accompany- to do whilst travelling, the lack of movement, or that weird ing circuit board or two. The sonic outcome might Jason Forrest half asleep weariness that internationalto the exploration travel brings of its withunique it, resemble the sound of Icarus, as the group exhumes The Unrelenting Songs of the 1979 Post Disco Crash but German artist Jochen Gutsch was intrigued enough by it to instrumental artifacts of the 20th century and rean- Sitting Going Places (Sonig) devote imates them for the 21st. Using the acoustic past Last year I saw Donna Summer (aka Jason Forrest) perform at environs. In Gutsch’s hands the music is always moving, as fodder for electronic manipulation while still the Wrong Festival in Barcelona. For some reason I keep get evolving through genres as diverse as ambient, electro pop, retaining the audible presence of those acoustic him confused with Knifehandchop who I met on the same electronica, and more experimental sounds. He begins low key instruments to provide a recognizable ground trip – a scruffy kid in a Megadeth t-shirt. Both make mutant drifting, with ‘Taiwan’, a piece that opens with flecks of for the abstract result is a reasonably imagina- splattercore but Jason Forrest makes music that is big, loud, processed glitchy static and a warm drone before slowly evolv- tive, but not entirely original approach, as stupid but at best of times also witty and intelligent. How ing into a more upbeat pulsy electro cut, whilst simultaneously Icarus is hardly the first group to merge can this be? Well, Forrest ran one of the best college radio retaining that dreamy quality via some repetitive strings – it acoustics and electronics. The album’s a shows in the USA on WFMU, Advanced D&D which fin- then descends into some noisy electro chaos before what mish-mash of electronic bits and pieces ished earlier this year, and on this show he developed a sounds like a sample from a midday movie is introduced, that’s all fury and commotion but lacks a huge global fanbase. This full length album from Forrest before it slowly drifts into a weird computer generated jig and conceptual core. Drum patterns rarely settle who, perhaps for legal reasons, has dropped his Donna vocal samples that lead into the next track. This kind of rest- into a groove but flail spasmodically like Summer moniker, plunders the vaults of Seventies rock – less wandering is presented throughout the album. ‘What’s jittery jellyfish, and electronic enhance- from the rubbish to the classic, the hair metal and glam to going on in the world today’ repeated ad nauseum opens Oslo, ments are added so excessively they the very revered. Imagine if you will, a crack fuelled DJ a deathly dark stomp, again evolves into upbeat electronica, become suffocating; ‘Teabell,’ for Shadow let loose on the playlist of a ‘best of the 70s’ radio and ends finally with some repetitive vocals, whilst Santiago instance, would be an even more station. The best track, ‘Satan Cries Again’, is a lively mix of and Cologne reference everything from avant garde sound appealing reverie of resonant bells and crashing drum solos, guitar riffs, a slight snapshot of The design to ambient chill out music. Hinterlandt’s command of chimes without the intrusive electron- Cars, and loose jungle timing. And on ‘Ten Amazing Years’, multiple styles and techniques and ability to integrate them ic effects. Icarus effectively morphs The Who is mercilessly shreddedbut thereand reworked. is a truly irreverentThere are seamlessly, almost logically into his tunes – resulting in a fluttering piano lines on ‘Essen’ into Bob Baker Fish obvious nods to GreyZ-Trip, Album Shadow, RJD2, Prefuse73 and strange form of prog-electronics that is nothing short of jaw stuttering shadows yet again one Dangermouse’s dropping – especially when accompanied by grainy airport imagines that the piece would streak that runs through everything on the album – too fast, footage from Finish artist Karri O. breathe more easily minus the elec- Sebastian Chan , I Tweet The too noisy. And unlike most of the bootlegs and mashups cir- tronic clutter. In short, for all its culating this is more than just stupid fun, there’s actually Holkham rambunctious energymeanders along in been time, care and concept at work. Komatta Saru Birdy Electric (Expanding) an improvisatory haze rather Ron While the work of Holkham (Simon Keep) is littered with than developing into satisfying, rhetoric of exploring sound for its ‘scientific’ qualities and fully-formed compositions. applications, his presentations on Komatta Saru are not so Schepper much scientificfragments as cinematic. and Grabbingmeshing themsmall together melody 34 ing bassline; and ‘Accordion’ with MF Doom’s broken flow INTERNATIONAL RELEASES cont fitting tongue in groove with ‘Libs off-kilter beat, work as tion is clever without being tricky as it pieces in their own right – it’s only when taken in context moves through the insistent crunch of Lowfish that they become truly magnificent. In fact many of the ‘Slow Rewards’ before reaching the title 1000 Corrections per second tracks barely reach two minutes, and much of the album is track – correctly billed as the stand out. (Suction) made up of sketches and sample-driven interludes that ;Sinking’ joins a vortex of delay and vocal Lowfish (Gregory de Rocher) presents his third album, and should, by all means, grow irritating. However, they grow looping with hip-chugging syncopation and all you need is to hear the first few bars of the first track, more appealing after each listen, and act as the glue that seductive. ‘The Inevitable Haunting’ picks up ‘Glass House’, to get a good idea of what’s coming. And keeps the sometimes crooked edges stuck together. With the looping delays rather than the beats, and it that’s some well chunky retro-styled instrumental electro each of their alter egos appearing for cameos (Lord feels like the natural thing to do. It wouldn’t and electro pop, with a couple of more reflective moments Quas/Quasimodo and Viktor Vaughan respectively) the be too many steps from here to a form of digital towards the end. The early eighties are Lowfish’s spiritual album verges on one big in-joke befitting the smoke belch psychedelia. Across the album, bittersweet home: Vince Clarke effectively gets three nods (as himself, giggles of a night on the bucket bongs, but retains a sense of chord sequences and delays build into melody Depeche Mode and Yazoo) in the sleeve notes, and he is per- elegance that only the most sartorially blunted can achieve. and hold the attention. The beats sometimes haps the most appropriate of the listed influences. Some vin- Like taking several bong hits and noticing the patterns on the threaten to stumble but always remain upright. tage kit was used, but a couple of newer machines and the loungeroom wallpaper – with further listens more detail Sinking is a well-paced album – nothing outstays occasional contemporary production quirk place it in the appears and the reality of the Madvillain universe comes on its welcome and it flows like a dream as it gently now. Vocally it’s free of the cheap sleaze or detached mono- like a hit of delicious, positive paranoia. walks those twitchy glitchy digi-beats over to a tone that, currently, seem like the only style permitted. In soothing corner and makes them listenable again. fact the whispers on ‘Air of Supremacy’ and some Rob Mazurek The only gripe I have is with it’s slightly cold digital vocodered counting are the only vocals on the album. The Sweet And Vicious Like Frankenstein DH sound which could be the mastering, I don’t know. tracks have a lot of great (if familiar) ingredients, and overall (Mego/Synaesthesia) But don’t let that put you off because you’d be missing the production is clean and punchy. It will sound hot as a One of the many denizens of the incestuous Chicago scene a treat. ollo bag of roasted scorpions on a club sound system, although in that revolved around Tortoise in the late nineties, cornet Australia that won’t happen very often. But too often a track player Rob Mazurek is renowned for his post-rock jazz chops Laurent Pernice & Jacques Barbéri like ‘Deadlines and Errors’ will raise hopes and then fall via his Chicago Underground ensembles, though increasingly Drosophiles and Doryphores short by going into a holding pattern – or by going into a in the last few years has acquiesced to the pull of electrics. (rx:tx) breakdown just as it’s triggering the old foot-tap head-nod Constructed from field recordings and various digital and Pernice and Barbéri bring decades of wide-ranging experi- double whammy. There’s not quite enough musical interest analogue electronics, there is a certain vitality to the sounds, ence to this collaborative foray into electro-jazz. They’re or knob twiddling madness to fully engage – and a little a certain diversity and a certain sense of structure, which both gifted instrumentalists: Pernice is tasteful throughout, more playfulness and experimentation wouldn’t go amiss. suggests that although Mazurek has forsaken his cornet for resourceful yet unobtrusive, and, although he occasionally Perhaps either a song over the top (these sometimes sound the laptop and is operating within strange new soundscapes, solos (as he handsomely does on ‘Au bord du centre’), he like backing tracks crying out for a song) or less stop-start lessons learned during those post-rock years are still inherent often adopts a supporting role. Barbéri’s no slouch either, equally adept at playing robustly or with restraint; the stran- track structures would offer some wings - but in his music. And this is the album’s strength. Though it con- gulated, squeals on the opener, ‘Au-delà du miroir,’ for Corrections per second sists of two epic tracks, each dense tapestries of sound, with their own swells, peaks and dips, everything is carefully con- instance, showcase that more aggressive side. Like most sax it’s frustrating. is so close to being outstanding structed together and free from abrasive squalls of feedback players, traces of influences surface in his playing, and in ollo 1000 or digitalia. In this sense it’s almost pop music for the elec- this case it’s Wayne Shorter; with his electronics-based Madvillain tronic pioneer, much more accessible than say Jim O’Rourke’s arrangement and treated saxes, ‘Entourloupe’ evokes Shorter’s Madvillainy recent foray in laptop music on Mego. Mazurek seems to be Phantom Navigator and Joy Ryder. The duo is striving for a (Stones Throw/Creative Vibes) interested in creating a series of moods, working with repeti- fresh electro-jazz fusion here but it’s only partially successful Although the distance of time will certainly provide tion yet moving restlessly from one soundscape to the next, with the electronics a mere backdrop (‘Rêverie métallique’) a a greater objectivity – it seems we have a winner for before abruptly pulling the rug from under the feet to reveal distinct base that’s not wholly integrated with the piano and album of the year – at least in the beat driven and another perfectly formed world. With elements of subtle sax playing (‘Waterbed’). A more successful piece is lyrical camps. Although there has been no dearth ambience evolving into roaring drones, fluttering electrics ‘Charybde et Scylla’ whose fluttering multi-tracked saxes and of excellent beats and lyrics in ’04, nothing has and booming bass heavy rumblings, Mazurek is a master at brooding electronics evoke the futuristic style Paul Schütze quite come close to perfection, in terms of a manipulating volumes and density, unravelling conjured with ‘Phantom City’. whole project, as Madvillain. With their collec- Vicious… is, frankly, quaint when considered next to its peers such as in a strangely logical yet still entirely unexpected tive prolificness it’s as though MF Doom and manner that unlike many laptop practitioners remains not Phantom Citys Drosophiles and Doryphores Madlib have finally thrown enough shit against just intellectually but emotionally engaging. Sweet and Perhaps overstretchedSite Anubis in their roles as solo players and over- the wall to finally have something stick reliant on overdubbed rhythmor backing, Shiva Recoil the album (LiveUnlive). suffers (despite more than adequate performances in Mr Projectile from a consequent lack of spontaneity that arises naturally the Viktor Vaughan and Jaylib releases). Sinking Bob Baker Fish through a full band’s interaction. Madvillainy is simply a great album – and in (Merck) the tradition of great albums it’s not the Matthew Arnold’s third album rides in on a wave of Ron Schepper’ songs as parts but the gestalt of the whole approval from Funkstörung and it deserves the acclaim. Sinking album that is particularly impressive. floats between pillows of evolving ambience and Though songs such as ‘America’s Most stuttering digital percussion, before settling into bold, hiphop hinted swathes of musical confidence. Laid back Blunted’, with its insistent guitar lick, melody coexist happily with frantic drum programming stumbling stonerphonic beat and ascend- on tracks like ‘Resistance is Fertile’ and ‘Acting Right’. The produc- Proem to Opus III’s ‘It’s a Fine Day’, appears here in three differ- LiveMD Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Always On My Mind’ and ent versions – clearly a universal favourite. (n5MD) Shocking Blue’s ‘Venus’ (yes, the same one Banarama did a Carl Craig’s ‘epic’ nine-minute re-version starts out sim- Richard Bailey (AKA Proem) opens with an expan- cover of). These are overlaid across tracks from Øye’s own ply re-ordering and looping parts of the original, but once sive yet hypnotic looping ambience that invites tracks (with Kings Of Convenience and solo), Jurgen Paape, minimal repetition has led to a trance-like distraction, he mental images of the large dark spaces and flickering Royksopp, Morgan Geist, Villalobos, The Rapture, and from adds his own elements, turning this pop song into a club visuals that are most likely his live domain. This is in New York, the Peaches’ clones Avenue D who do their ‘ver- track. Simon Ratcliffe (from Basement Jaxx – cripes!) crafts a some ways a mix CD, but who cares when you get breathtaking, dripping, breezy, pulsating, shimmering mirage sion’ of Too Drunk To Fuck.delivered Its very inovertly a deadpan pop – New all rub- such a seamless and evocative dark landscape populat- bery basslines, asoft capellas melodic synths, rounded blips and bub- of a rendition and TG members Carter Tutti add ‘United’ into ed with elegant swirling mists of sound, enticingly fat bles, with the their throbbing filtered house version. Does this release live Sebastian Chan breakbeat clicks and kicks, and sequencer lines that Romantic fashion. Indeed, ‘It’s A Fine Day’ never sounded so up to the hype? That depends entirely on the expectation of slither around your hips. ItEd flows) during well, the with 13-minute well-timed ‘Sleep good. For those of us who grew up on synth pop, this is a the listener. After several repeats, I find it quiteollo successful progression and movement, although it does sag a little in fun summer mix, bright and silly. overall as an enjoyably eclectic collection of contemporary the middle (don’t, and weit doesn’t all? quite lift off again before it electronica tracks. It is, however, not an essential TG release. is for Lunch’ Savath & Savalas I await their new material with trepidation. drops the pace for ‘And Sweet I Mean’. Otherwise this is a Apropa’t very effective ad for the Proem live experience, and one that (Warp/Inertia) Tortoise I would far rather have paid my precious dollars to see that a The notion that ‘place’ plays a part in the production of a It’s All Around You certain Twin I saw not so long ago. Best played loud in the commodity is antithetical to free market global economics. (Thrill Jockey/Spunk) dark with enough space between olloyour furniture to enable Gladly, Savath & Savalas have yet to dip their lid in the The nature of the post rock beast is slow change, if any – unhindered bodily gyration. Better still, get a friend to wave direction of anonymous spaces and ‘music as product’ think- witness recent releases from giants of the genre Mogwai a torch at you at the same time. ing (despite, rather ironically, producing an album of tracks and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who’ve redefined that would sit well on any of the Café Del Mar comps). their sonic template just enough to prolong long term OOIOO Apropa’t fairly glistens with the magic of Barcelona – the audience interest. Yet the third, and possibly most Kila Kila Kila modernista architecture, the winding thousand year old revered prong of the post fork, Tortoise haveand rolling,had no is the TNT streets, the still simmer of summer – like the boozy garlic truck with sweeping old ideas from their Chicago stu- (Thrill Jockey/Inertia) Kila Kila Kila , the techy Millions Despite recent projects, for many people Yoshimi P-we will sweat of too much cerveza and tapas the night before, Scott dio and starting again, from the retro/ futurist . This newie is be forever known for her long standing role in Japan’s free- Herren and his new conspirator, the angelicly tonsilled Moogified Standards s/t wheeling chaotic outfit The Boredoms. Catalan native Eva Puyuelo, literally ooze the character of elemental guitarisms... and their of theirdebut landmark fourth release from her side project OOIOO, an all female their surroundings. More a collection of variations on a Now Living quartet. It’s a step away from the ethereal pop ambiance that theme of prettygreat indolence virtues are than in itsan denialovert stableof easy of categorisa- tunes, another thing again, a wide-screen soundtrack characterised some of their earlier work, moving into some Apropa’t’s perfect for an as yet unwritten film by maybe edgier, fractured structures. It begins with stark fragmenta- tion and its seemingly timeless quality – with a nod to the Werner Herzog, Cassevettes or Godard. When tion; freeform organ work that echoes the transcendental Tropicalismo movement and a wink in the direction of viewed live, the great power of the act was their improvisation of Alice Coltrane, though Yoshimi’s vocal Herren’s other project Prefuse 73 it manages to sound at once wilful destruction and able re-creation ofIt’s All utterances push proceedings in a markedly different, more contemporary and of another time. The breathy lushness of songcraft; the band made you feel they could playful direction. There is still something very spiritual the vocals ebb and flow like gentle waves lapping on a river rewrite the universe if they had the urge. occurring, however, and unlike Coltrane, music isn’t the bank of lazy arpeggios, with plucked guitar, subdued piano Working withis less essentially electronic a live-soundingelements, vehicle for worship, it’s the actual source. Complementing and subtle percussion the slowly bobbing boat tethered to Around You this religious fervour are some amazing Eastern percussive the shore. Very rarely the boat strains at its moorings, as in record, best described as heavy, both soni- DH works that come across like water dripping in a temple over the vague Lennon-McCartneyisms of ‘Um Girassol Da Cor De cally and in a hippy sense. Be it the direct which Yoshimi and her band mates chant and wail, such as Seu Cabelo’, but even then it’s merely a gentle tug (as at stomp of ‘Salt the Skies’ and the tribally the epic sweeps of ‘Sizuku Ring Neng’, in which the peace is heartstrings) rather than any real attempt at breaking away percussive ‘Dot/ Eyes’, or the extraordi- shattered by some repetitive guitar riffing and pounding from the picturesque framing of the river bank. nary loping beauty of both ‘The Lithium drums. Like many of the cuts on Kila Kila Kila, ‘Sizuku Ring Stills’ and ‘Crest’, the former offering LP, what’s on offer Neng’ appears composed in numerous sections tenuously, Throbbing Gristle vocals on a Tortoises/t track for the first almost innocently secured together, making emotional rather Mutant TG time since the than intellectual sense. There’s elements of post rock, the (NovaMute) are tightly reigned and expertly played trance psychedlia that the Boredoms have experimented Despite the odd surfacing re-interpretation, Mutant TG is journeys into instrumental space and with in the past, disturbed folk, strange pop, odd experimen- Throbbing Gristle’s first ever album lenght remix release. further, although ‘On the Chin’,It’s All veers tations, even elements of jazz, all Bobtied Bakertogether Fish with a bizarre The final choice of remixers and the fact that the record has too close to the jazzy muzak realm epic and ecstatic compositional structure and Yoshimi’s been released on NovaMute, with CD and vinyl versions they’ve hithertois aavoided. document that amazing and distinctive vocals. offering different track listings (emphasis on home listening Around You and dancefloor respectively), points to the considerable com- demonstrates that this significant Erlend Øye mercial concerns that have gone into this release. Some of act remain on the artistic make, Glen Martin DJ Kicks the tracks have lost nearly all the menace of the original (the and though it’s not essential, it’s (K7/Creative Vibes) Motor remix of ‘Persuasion’ is aurally accomplished, but still highly satisfying. Voice behind Kings Of Convenience, Erlend Øye returns comes across as a bit tastefully toothless) and some contain vocals to the role of a DJ. The DJ Kicks series has been only small traces of the song covered (Two Lone through peaks and troughs over the years and this mix is one Swordsmen’s disappointingly uninspired ‘United’ picks up of the best yet, revealing and revelling in the parallels from the above-mentioned Sabres remix, gaining more stomp between shimmering Kompakt pop-techno and 80s synth (and a re-recorded vocal?) and losing more of the melody). pop. Øye sings ‘Therea capellas Is A as Light varied That as NeverThe Smiths’ Goes Out’ It’s synth pop pearlstands ‘Hot out On here The as Heelsit did Of26 Love’years thatago. It 36 only leads to more confusion. Many of the tracks feature Various Artists INTERNATIONAL RELEASES cont much scratching, banging crashing and yes of course ripping, Haunted Weather but little in the way of melody, rhythm, or repetition, in (Staubgold) Trapist short there are very few handles. Yet it’s in these strange It’s hard to imagine that electricity hasn’t Ballroom bleak environments where the unexpected can grow, such as been with us for centuries. As we grapple (Thrill Jockey/Inertia) the fragile warm industrial drone of Pal or Pure’s ‘All This to come to terms with our humanness in a It begins sparse jazz improvisation, the strum of acoustic gui- Paperwork’, which commences in abstraction yet develops a digital age, David Toop shines a light over tar, and reverberating silence, before being joined by the rus- soothing electric ambience that is simultaneously painful this vast area, illuminating this sometimes tle of percussion and a feeling of endless space, an evocative and calming, before erupting into a strange mechanical spiky landscape and offers us a soundtrack in form of stasis that bleeds into an electronic drone. The drone. Again what this has to do with paper is totally Haunted Weather fusion of electronics and jazz improv has the potential to be beyond me, yet given this disc boasts some of the strangest disparate array or .artists, Featuring an immersive and a perilous pursuit however Vienna based trio Brandlmayr, music I’ve encountered I’m willing to sit tight and forgive echoes the many sounds, movements and audio Siewert and Williamson manage to create a fully integrated any thematic inconsistencies. theories that have shaped soundHaunted production Weather in sound that never seems to confirm to any kind traditional recent years. Collecting together the looped forms of improv techniques or approaches, and this is what Various Artists Bob Baker Fish abstract sonic clips from Oval and juxtaposing makes Hiiro them against the wonderful acoustic phenomena Ballroom approach works beautifullyso interesting. on the This opener no safety ‘Time net Axis freeform (Saag/Couchblip) captured by artists such as Toshiya Tsunoda and Manipulation (Part 1)’, providing twelve minutes plus of IDM has been in crisis for a while, suffering from a direc- Alvin Lucier (whose recordings of Ionosphere radio drifting textures and unexpected progressions. ‘Part 2; mean- tionless-ness that has come from a plateau-ing of technology, emissions are simply astounding), while is a much more traditionally structured, almost funky the stagnation point for a musical style whose lifespan was provokes contemplation rather than offering resolu- groove with oscillating electrics and smooth synth lines. At artificially extended by the spread of digital signal process- tion. Like the snippet included from Janet Cardiff’s Haunted Weather times it recalls the searing work of fellow fusionists the ing (DSP), soft synths, and glitch. ‘sound walk’ (The Missing Voice) around Brick Lane Kammerflimer Kollektief, with it’s locked in grooves and ing compilation of fractured IDM from Japanese label Saag (available for use from the White Chapel library – a and in these days of general over stock and over supply of introduction of bursts of dense static, before evolving into Hiiro personal recommendation!) we’re introduced to a way is a very plain look- rumbling textures that eventually increase in volume and electronic music I’m surprised to see such a plain cover. of experiencing the sound world around us and asked to density and are locked in with a steady beat that makes it Inside there is a solid representation of some of the Japanese explore what lies in this realm. From this exploration feel like the music is literally scorching off the compact disc. scene as well as ring-ins from elsewhere – Octopus Inc, comes a chain reaction of imagination that’s increasingly With a freeform instrumental approach in which each instru- Kettel and Ghislain Poirier. Full of those icy mid-90s IDM rare in a world where consideration and reflective thought ment (including the electrics) play differing roles at different synths and fractured static beats reminiscent of some of the is erased by transsexual reality TV, cheap video gag pro- instances, it’s abstract - yet with enough hooks to get the early releases on Schematic, Hiiro suffers at times from its grams and lifeless soaps. The accompanying book by Toop pulse racing. derivativeness. The standouts are all Japanese – Taisuke should be out locally very soon. Bob Baker Fish Matsuo’s pure Schematic-style splinters and delicate melodic flecks; Yuzokako’s pure sci-fi synth and tone pulses; Purusha Various Artists Various Artists Lawrence English On Paper & Urkama’s skipping gloom; Akar’s crumpled lumbering beat Station and crumbling industrial glitch. (Cronica) (Ai Records) On Paper Building a reputation as a label unafraid to release music Various Artists unfathomableis perhaps and difficult the most releases strange, around. uncommercial, Yet I say Sebastian Chan from unknown producers, this release is Ai’s third compila- Beanbag Aesthetics tion to date and presents 16 tracks from 13 different produc- that with a strange sense of awe. The concept of mix- (Pink Music) ers. The music traverses a range of styles from the metallic ing and remixing the sounds of paper being ripped, The idea of the beanbag is appealing, but the reality is some- quirky dancefloor of 214's ‘From the Outside’ to the bewitch- those great big thick, almost cardboard gig posters thing else entirely. While the concept of a piece of furniture ing melodies of Sofalofa – one of the stand out contributors. you see around town, or you would if you lived in which moves to the whims of your body appears on the sur- Sinner DC's track ‘Alice’ takes me back to the days of Warp's Berlin, is unmistakably weird. Stranger still is that face to be a good idea, extended beanbag use usually leads to Artificial Intelligence compilation (a strange co-incidence I this is a double disc set filled with numerous souls back problems not to mention just getting comfortable in the am sure) while Iceland's Traject presents a dark and intri- who have lined up for the challenge. And there’s thing. Which leads us to the Gold Coast beanbag sound. A cately programmed piece which sets the mood for the latter even some known names such as Sebastian reaction to lounge music and aimed at people who can’t half of the CD – melancholic, moody and contemplative. Meissner (Random Inc/Autoposies) and Ran afford lounges – Other highlights include the beautiful instrumental ‘Fairly Slavin who team up under the name b.Z_ToneR insight into the sampleBeanbag heavy Aesthetics genre. Over two discs samples Tall Tails’ by Intonamori – a track mildly reminiscent of for a couple of incredibly minimal and tense are butchered, hacked and melded together at a lightening Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells. Though Station didn’t imme- gives the listener an electronic pieces flirting in that quiet and gen- pace – sometimes in rhythmic fashion and at other times all diately grab me, it rewards further attention, with yet more tle way with dangerous frequencies that in the sense of rhythm is abandoned. Artists such as Gold Coaster, hidden details revealed upon each listen. There's a good wrong hands could be potentially head split- Bliss Bongs and slako & Bushsmoker! create soundscapes that assortment of music on offer and it has a certain unique ting, yet in theirs are almost pop. There’s also take in raw noise, punk rock rackets, hip hop, bizarre exotica, quality that can only be appreciated when engaging with it German artist Stephan Mathieu, a master at erratic samples, world music snippets and tinny electro. It’s in a focussed manner. dragging out the unseen/unheard frequen- not easy listening, but most probably wasn’t designed to be. Melinda Taylor cies trapped beneath the recordings. Much like a beanbag requires a great deal of manoeuvring to Mathieu’s contribution surprisingly is a achieve any comfort, deal of patience… Perhaps they should have tried for the spooky drone, half feedback, half organ, a Beanbag Aesthethics divan sound? (see also sleeve review in issue 7) dreamy narcotic that seems to have little requires a great to do with the paper preamble, which

Tim Colman Vast Aire Madlib himself – a fact hinted kicks off his mix with the is a Look Mum…No Hands at by the drummer’s handle; Otis Jackson Jnr massive ‘Odyssey’ by Drumsound & (Chocolate Industries) (which of course is the name Madlib’s momma calls him). Bassline Smith. Bingo has alwaysBingo pushed Sessions its own Volume take on 1 After the explosive Cannibal Ox album a few years This intricate web of deceit is secondary to the music itself, drum’n’bass, and though they’ve messed around with garage back, and repeated guest spots, comes the much is but serves to illustrate Madlib’s brilliantly slaphazard attitude and breaks sounds in the past, anticipated solo album from Vast Aire. Blessed with a Look Mum… - one which transforms an album of Stevie Wonder standards strictly junglist affair. All styles are covered with dark andMatt stalled, jolting flow reminiscent of blunted spoken into a series of fractured musical fairytales. ‘Superstition’ is nasty, chopped up and soulful stuff, through to classic jump- word (though not spoken word at all), Vast controls the rebirthed as a loping obesity, ‘Golden Lady’ an elegantly up. 80% of the tracks are previously unreleased, so new mic without raising volume. Thankfully flawed charcoal sketch and ‘Visions’ as Musak for a parallel tracks from Roni Size, Shimon, Fierce, Calibre, Sonic & a departure from some of Vast’s uninspiring cameos, universe in which greenbacks are replaced by greenDH buds. In Silver, Trinity and Loxy are bound to get hearts racing. with all tracks here displaying solid rhymes, humour all its half-arsed glory YNQ’s lazy beat driven jazz is a tonic Levinson (‘you want world peace, world peace is where the titties for ears grown tired of the twin fascisms of quantized time at’), and some fresh as fuck production courtesy of Madlib, and the precise noodling of instrumentalists. Zu and Spaceways Inc RJ, Camu Tao & Da Beatminers. The authority Vast com- Radian mands arises out of his composure and the rhythmic space Dennis Young (Atavistic) in his delivery, which also demands he gets every phrase Old Dog, New Tricks A savage burst of muscular, machismo jazz, this collabora- right. This is perhaps why when he lacks in imagination, the (Day & Nite) tion between legendary Chicago trio Spaceways and Italian result can’t be hidden underneath a barrage of syllables and There’s a tendency in pop music to think short term. And ensemble Zu, manages to be violent and aggressive with- his flaws are exposed. That’s not the case here though, and under this thinking it is difficult to conceive that Dennis out necessarily being abrasive. Split into two distinct his ability to balance between the viciousness of ‘9 Lashes’, Young could still be making music. Drummer/percussionist parts, the initial four cuts are played as a quartet by Zu where he eats up Eso and Celph-Titled, and the softer senti- for the seminal late 70s/early 80s New York punk-funk band with the addition of the Spaceways reed player Ken ments of ‘Could You Be?’ where he adlibs ‘tell someone you Liquid Liquid, who were part of the whole No-Wave scene Vandermark, explosively combining hard funk with free love em, that’s real’, is indicative of the skills possessed by back then alongside Glenn Branca, ESG, Bush Tetras, Dennis jazz on some original Zu cuts. The bass is heavy as the man. Ain’t nothing wrong with creative dissing, I’d prefer Young and Liquid Liquid are both still, clearly, making hell, a pounding apocalyptic rumbling as Vandermark it any day over simple battle shit so often employed among music. Indeed, on this latest album, Liquid Liquid singer Sal and Mai’s baritone sax tussle for supremacy, the tunes often escaping into seemingly freeform screech fests weak angry MCs.Tim Levinson Vast is slowly taking his rightful place near Principato guests on several tracks along with the guitar of the throne. David Axelrod, both riding Young’s super funky percussion - before they triumphantly kick into a doom ridden Latin and African polyrhythms at the fore. Of course, punk groove. The remaining four cuts are a true collabora- Venetian Snares funk is back in vogue – the initial signs of a revival came a tion, a sextet of both Zu and Spaceways providing Horse and Goat few years ago first with MoWax reissuing Liquid Liquid’s strong-arm interpretations of Funkadelic, Sun Ra (Sublight/Couchblip) self-titled mini album featuring the famous ‘Cavern’, the and Art Ensemble of Chicago tunes. Funkadelic’s Any discussion of this mini-album must firstand mention Find CandaceTrevor track whose bassline was sampled for White Lines and sub- ‘Trash A-Go-Go’ in particular is really quite amaz- Brown’s artwork, which apparentlyDoll Doll inspired Doll the music. sequently bankrupted both the 99 label and Sugarhill. ingly constructed. Whilst the bowel rattling funk Brown is responsible for the disturbing artwork on Venetian Young’s solo release then is well timed and for the most part is probably an expectation for this outfit, open- Snares’ two Hymen albums keeps pace with these young pretenders, although most of ing with a funky assed drum solo is absolutely the punk urgency is gone, replaced by a quite lovely languid inspiring, and by the time the bass kicks in (reviewed in Cyclic Defrost issue #4). Under, on afledgling special safe- for-shops insert is a mostly-pink scene involving a half- groove. ApparentlySebastian there’s Chan a new Liquid Liquid album in the you’ve got your hands in the air and are posi- Horse and Goat naked pre-pubescent girl tied up among what can only be wings as well. tively cheering. This is contrasted with quite described as ‘sex toys’. gentle moments of subtle discordance, where Canadian label Sublight, finds Aaron Funk at his most Zinc & Friction the sax seems to be coming from miles in experimental (emphasis on ‘mental’) and least ‘funky’. The Bingo Sessions Volume I the distance – a display of restraintBob Baker and Fish seemingly-random bleeps and blurps do coalesce on repeat- (Bingo) unique interpretative skills to offset the ed listens, most successfully on ‘Weinerpeg Mannertoeba’ (a With what looks like a new mix series for the Bingo Beats otherwise powerful listen. reference to Sublight’s hometown), which is a demented label, are two of the drum’n’bass scene’s biggest DJs – old Venetian Snares classic. Other tracks seem like gratuitous hand Zinc and new recruit Friction – mixing up 47 tracks filler, with lack of melody and weird time signature leaving over two CDs, with extra vocals from Dynamite MC, MC Eksman and MC SP. Zinc’s mix uses space efficiently to cre- little sonic friction, so it all slips by withoutPeter making Hollo an impression. And although I’m no great fan of the guy, ate a cold, metallic junglist funk. It harks back to the pivotal ‘Richard Devine A+ student’ seems a bit of a snide title for a moment when hardcore exploded and rave and jungle were throwaway bit of ambient randomness. brothers. Now of course, rave is a pretty cheesy affair, all lowest common denominator hard house, but Zinc’s selec- Yesterday’s New Quintet tions bring back the energy rush of that period, with Stevie improved production and technical skills. Unfortunately, (Stones Throw/Creative Vibes) self-aggrandizing interjections from Dynamite MC are like a The ‘jazz’ project of the prolific sonic auteur and loop digging slow leak in a balloon, gradually deflating the tension of obsessive Madlib, Yesterday’s New Quintet relegates the cos- Zinc’s selections. At least he doesn’t dominate the entire mix mic slop loops and head knot lyrics of his typical production and MC Eksman almost makes up for his colleague’s failings. work to a minor role in favour of live playing – albeit with the New boy DJ Friction drops a more straightforward uniquely out in-ness that defines his work. In line with this, drum’n’bass selection on the second CD. Widely recognized YNQ consists of musicians who are themselves, in a sense, as one of most best new drum’n’bass DJs, he’s won a handful samples - in that their names are truncated from real jazz play- of awards and recently mixed a cover CD for Knowledge ers – Ahmad Miller on vibes is a nod to pianist Ahmad Jamal mag. Highlights are Zinc’s own ‘Coco’ (now renamed ‘Drive and bassist Marcusmost Miller. part all The the irony parts beingare played that for by the By Car’) and ‘Steppingsion of Jo’s Stones’. classic There’s ‘R-Type’ a great and newFriction ver- SLEEVE REVIEWS Sleeve Design by Alex Crowfoot

Right: Dangermous & Jemini’s Ghetto Pop Life with close-up of the embossing inset Various Lexoleum Tile 1 (Lex 2003) Format: 3 x 12” vinyl Designer: eh? Leading the pack, as far as I can see, are the design- ers at Eh? who, as well as possessing a name that approaches genius, have been turning out some breathtaking work for Warp’s hip-hop offshoot Lex. Some people, as the cliché goes, know the price of everything and the WHAT IS EMBOSSING? Often embossing is “pretty” and takes one of a few value of nothing. These people, if they were releasing a record, would Embossing is the process by forms: the embossing of text or a title, of a logo, or a be unlikely to shell out for embossing. An embossed sleeve is often a which areas of paper are raised to pick out parts of an illustration. Here, on the sec- sign that someone gives a shit. It costs more money. You have to go into bumps. Debossing is not the ond Lex release, debossing is used to bring a realis- out of your way to make it happen. You have to care. It could even be process of creating out-of-office tic texture to a painting of some lino floor tiles, argued that embossing is a manifestation of love. And as we all know activities for your manager in complete with irregularities, scratches and gaps that’s what makes the difference. In the last year I have seen some order to be left alone to do your between tiles. There’s a lot of detail – it took some incredible embossing on record sleeves. This could be due to an job, but rather is the reverse of doing. Also embossed are the cheesy “sparkles” on advance in embossing technology, or it could be a reaction to the two- embossing. To emboss, part of a the word Lexoleum. And, as if to say “you thought dimensionalisation of design that’s occurred since the emergence of design is cast in metal. These we were finished?” the centre of the letter “o” fea- the screen as dominant graphic medium. Or it could also be due to shapes are then stamped into the tures a blind deboss. Such is the quality of this the passion of one design company leading the way. Whatever the rea- paper. Often embossing is used design that it could just as easily star in a feature on son, embossing seems to have entered a new era, so it’s time for a to highlight a title, or a logo. A the use of metallic inks, varnishes (entire illustra- selective retrospective, with an emphasis on the recent output of braille typewriter is essentially tions consisting only of varnish) and hand-drawn Warp offshoot Lex. More examples from the recent and not so recent the same principle. typography - with a footnote on die cuts. In a league past are also available at cyclicdefrost.com. It’s very hard to photo- Coincidentally embossing with- of their own, despite the slightly nauseating colour graph embossed paper, however. Hopefully this will prompt you to out corresponding ink markings combo on this release. look out for these designs and see what they are really like. Like most is known as blind embossing. art, you need to see the real thing. Jonathan Wolf and Andrew Broder DM & Jemini Hymie’s Basement Ghetto Pop Life (Lex 2003) (Lex 2003) Format: CD Format: CD Non Prophets Designer: burlesque design / eh? Designer: eh? Hope Yup, another card slip case and gatefold. Totally Another shining star from Eh? comes in the form of (Lex 2003) contrasting graphic style this time, perhaps because this card slip case and gatefold insert for DM & Format: CD the initial layout was by someone else. It’s still a Jemini. A masterpiece of gold foil stamping and Designer: eh? nice job, with a studied lo-fi feel. Angled black and embossing, this sleeve manages to say bling and Like DM & Jemini, this CD comes in a card slip case white images with ripped edges are overlaid with anti-bling at the same time. The decadent use of gold with gatefold insert. Anything would look subdued squared-off areas of spot varnish on both the outer foil and gold metallic inks contrasts nicely with the in comparison to that release, but this is another and inner sleeves, a nice touch being that the spot use of grown-up graff that tells a story. On the outer highly detailed and visually absorbing sleeve. The varnishes on the inner sleeve image are “ripped.” sleeve a cartoon cat and mouse are seen inside a safe embossing is restricted to the front cover here, this All over the artwork are red pen marks and my - a treasure trove of gold and gems. The cover of the time it picks out the detail in a kind of gothic graff overactive imagination suggests that it is a dismis- gatefold inside finds the mouse in pre-robbery mode, illustration of Christ being crucified on a ship’s sive comment on the original art by the people ar dreaming of the riches he’s about to find. Thank god anchor, surrounded by what could be mutated cog Eh? but that’s most likely crap. Anyway, the red pen they left some white space on the inside of the wheels. Beyond that, stars shoot out from the elabo- is where the deboss comes in. All these red pen design or it would be one super-rich triple chocolate rate centrepiece. The finely detailed emboss is exag- marks have been indented, creating a very convinc- and whipped cream pudding. But on to the emboss- gerated by the skilful use of a gloss varnish on the ing trompe l’oeil – it really does look as if the art- ing, on the outer cover. It’s difficult to tell if the gold unembossed portions. A characteristic contrast with work has been crossed through. foil stamping involves debossing or not, suffice to this graphic finery appears in the remainder of the say it’s very slightly recessed. Then we’ve got large cover illustration and its soft pencil/charcoal tex- areas of blind debossing on black with what looks tures. The hand-drawn type on the back references like an underprint of vignetted metallic gold. These ornate manuscripts, completing the updated gothic guys do nothing by halves. The debossing is a aesthetic which suits Sage Francis’ raw and swirling organic texture of tiny dots, some only the unapologetic confessional lyrics. The inner gatefold size of a pinprick. This pattern also appears on the displays a more thoroughly contemporary abstract back and on the spine. A tiny misregistration of the form before opening to reveal some lo-fi blackletter deboss means that a few dots intrude on the gold foil hand lettering, all in black and white. The inner but it’s still damn accurate. The sparkle on the gems and outer sleeves don’t quite hold together as well may have been stamped separately, as you can still as “Ghetto Pop Life” and there is a lack of sophisti- make out their shape as they cross other areas of cation in the typography, particularly some awk- gold. Not content to leave it there, the letterforms ward line returns but that’s like saying you don’t from the Lex logo are blind debossed into a gold like the seat fabric on your Porsche 911. ingot on the back cover. The inner sleeve, where the mouse is about to open the safe, is like a lesson in Detail of the Hymie’s Basement release the visual richness that can be achieved with two- colour artwork. Worthy of mention is that these releases come shrink wrapped with a on a sticker See cyclicdefrost.com for a more holding the artist information and bar code. This comprehensive overview of leaves the slip case free of the usual graphic embossing – including releases by intrusions and the dilemma of what to do with the Durutti Column, Ultravox and bar code. Muslimgauze. 40

you can drive yourself, and everyone else, insane learning to cut with Rumpelstiltskin and Goldilocks records.

Sonic Youth Goo (Geffen, 1990) Age 14 The first time I heard someone making giant racecar sounds on a guitar I knew I wanted to make music. Unfortunately I lacked the guitars and amps, but there was something about this album that told me it didn’t matter. After messing around with tape experiments and microphone feedback for awhile I realised it probably did matter, but at least the seed MUSIC VS PHYSICS had been planted.

A Tribe Called Quest SELECTS Midnight Marauders EVERYONE HAS THOSE SPECIAL RECORDS THAT CHANGED THEIR LIVES, AND THEY’RE NOT ALWAYS (Jive, 1993) 3RD DEK’S SELECTION Age 16 JUST TEENAGE SONGS. THE MOST MEMORABLE MUSIC MAKES AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION, MORE The Beatles I had been listening to a bit of hiphop for a few THAN JUST A ‘DOPE BEAT’ OR A ‘HOT DSP EFFECT’.Abbey THIS Road ISSUE WE FEATURE MUSIC VS PHYSICS. years but this was the first hiphop album I ever (Capitol, 1969) bought. It defines the crossover from guitars to Age 0-5 samples for me. The simplicity of hiphop Music vs Physics have strode an idiosyncratic path Let’s start at the beginning. This album is the sound- production opened my eyes up. I learnt a hell of a throughout their career. Beginning with one of the track for the earliest memories I have. It got some lot about production from cutting this album to unsung gems of the late ‘90s in their instrumental serious airtime in my childhood, I’m pieces on my parents’ computer. Soon after this I debut Northside Perspective, they have since half-convinced my dad must have listened to it three hooked up with some producers in Adelaide and added live drums and vocals – along the way times a day for five years or something. I’m pretty got introduced to my first ever sampler. developing a versatile live show that fills dance- sure this was the music that introduced me to music. floors as much as it fills minds. Though firmly Tha Lumbajak The Smiths Blue Ox Breaks grounded in hiphop, they manage to steer clear of The Queen Is Dead (Bombay, early 90s) the cliches of the genre merely by being themselves, (Warner, 1986) Age 18 which is refreshing – especially when it results in Age 11 This record was my first battle album. As an aspir- something like 3rd Dek’s (production/ rhymes and One day my older brother returned home with this ing young turntablist, it felt good to finally get my scratching) prediliction for using a custom-made album and the rest of us had copies in a week. Up hands on that all important ‘Ahhh this stuff is really mouse rather than a crossfader to scratch. They until this point my music collection pretty much fresh’ sample. Up until this point I had been using also figured prominently in the Symbiotic System’s consisted of cassette recordings I had taped off SA- spoken word albums (mainly old children’s story- compilation Ants Farm Aphids, which was one of FM: ‘Hits of ‘84’, ‘Pop Charts of ‘85’, and ‘Pre- book albums) and you can drive yourself, and the highlights of 2003. Packaged This Is The Music You Like of ‘86’. This everyone else, insane learning to cut with album sent me down the path of listening to music Rumpelstiltskin and Goldilocks. Although I can’t that I guess would be dubbed ‘alternative’, and led remember a single break on this album, I can recite me to discovering a whole cache of music I every single sound in the last centimetre of both probably would have never found. sides. Brains are weird. BEATRIX’S SELECTION Billie Holiday Neil Young Greatest Hits Harvest (Sony, 1998) (Warner, 1972) Billie Holiday’s voice blows me away when ever I When I was ten I stumbled across a dusty turntable hear it. Her voice is like a free-flowing spirit with in the garage. I set it up in my bedroom and was no constraints. The combination of Billie’s textured eager to test it out. As I had no records of my own I voice, the instruments and record crackle all meld had to settle with my dad’s collection, which together like a sweet humming horn. Billie’s live included Harvest by Neil Young. I instantly fell in recording of ‘Solitude’ with her orchestra is by far Buck 65 love with his voice, lyrics and guitar. I would lock my most favourite song. If you’re feeling lonely, Man Overboard myself in my room for hours and sing along to Billie’s crooning soothes your soul and makes you (Anticon, 2001) ‘Heart Of Gold’. This experience not only prompted revel in your lonesome mood. Billy made me realise This album has probably me to get an acoustic guitar but also helped me dis- that there is a lot more to singing than just being in influenced me more than any other hip hop album. cover my love for vinyl. tune. Buck 65 has the ability to fuse hip hop with coun- try, folk, heavy metal, blues, etc. Buck 65 has Nevermind God Speed You! Black Emperor proved without a doubt that hip hop has evolved Nirvana Yanqui U.X.O into a genre that can encompass any kind of music. (Geffen, 1991) (Constellation Records, 2002) His husky, old man, narrative, rapping style sets my Nirvana was my introduction to grunge music. Kurt This album is like a big, grey, ominous orchestral mind a wandering. Has anyone noticed how similar Cobain’s simple chord changes and melancholic storm slowly marching towards a tranquil blue sky, Buck 65’s voice is to Jim Henson’s ‘Rolf the dog’ vocals really touched a spot in my cynical teenage and at times covering it completely with heart- voice from The Muppets? heart. Nirvana made me realise that simple songs stomping thunderous sheets of melodic noise. The can be just as striking as complex compositions. slow haunting builds and monstrous crescendos When I was 14 I went to the all ages Nirvana gig in make this album ideal for those times you feel like Music Vs Physics’s new 12" is Melbourne. As you could expect, I got trampled in being engaged in your deepest darkest thoughts. All reviewed in web version of issue 8 the moshpit, but luckily a kind bouncer let me and of GSYBE albums are extraordinary and I find them see cyclicdefrost.com. Underscore my friend hangout sidestage. From this close angle most effective when played really, really loud! is available now on Sensory we saw a big trucker dude throw a can of beer at Projects through Inertia Kurt’s head, he didn’t even flinch!

LALI PUNA Faking The Books ISAN Meet Next Life Adored by Radiohead. Pop Wonderful melodies and soft rhythms to transport you to far-off with distorted guitars and and imaginary landscapes. The sounds of glockenspiels, guitars, distinct, beautiful electronic percussion and an aged drum computer – this is dreamy. compositions and of course “All twelve pieces are exquisite jewels. Time stops when you Valerie Trebeljahr’s amazing put this on.” WWW.PITCHFORKMEDIA.COM vocals. Includes members MAN’S BEST FRIEND The New Human is Illegal from The Notwist, Tied And Sole of Anticon’s political, lo-fi side project. Shitty guitars Tickled Trio and Console run through broken reel to reels, rusted keyboards and “A divine rock-techno marriage, progressive electronics and new wave over-compressed radioshack mics. melodies powered by drone jazz gusto and motorik propulsion.” SPIN “...angry, often hilarious attacks on this bullshit country over beats and loops that sound like Portishead” ROLLING STONE (US) The Morr Music label // Distributed by DEAR DEGRASSI A REGULAR DOSE OF IRREGULAR POP CULTURE

Still, if your up for a cross-country drive, with very little to amuse you along the way, then this could be the holiday for you. Sherry If donning some lederhosen is more your kind of and Richard Dear Degrassi, thing, then join me in Salzburg, Austria, for a re- Mercer are originals, they ain’t I’m planning a holiday away soon. Do you have imagining of The Sound of Music. I’ve never made got nothin’ on Clint’s DJ Dave Garver who any ideas of where I should go? any secret of my love for Maria Von Trapp, and I brings his late night jazz lovers ‘a little bit of song Wandering Star will refuse to make any apologies for it. Although and a little bit of verse’. Chicken delight! I’ve not yet made it on to the tour, it is definitely on If the idea of jumping into a minibus with a I can help you get away from it all whilst catering to the top 100 things I’ll do once I turn 30. Like bunch of strangers and some guide who appears to your need for lashings of pop culture. However, karaoke, I imagine that it would be a judicious move have taken a near fatal dose of Marcia Hines’ Own since you didn’t specify your budget or your level to pack at least one hip flask of grandfather port for anti-depressants makes you retch, then step with of comfort, I’ll provide you with a number of differ- each hour of the tour (that’s four per person) because me, away from the bucket, towards www.famouslo- ent options catering for the backpacker and 5-star it’s always more fun to belt out off-key Broadway cations.com for a more DIY approach. Sure, you Princess alike. tunes when you’re absolutely shit-faced. But if that’s have to do all the legwork yourself, but that also If you’re looking for a cheap but cheerful Mecca- a little out of your price range, how about getting means you can tailor it to your means. The locations like pilgrimage across the United States of War uninhibitedly naked bar a pair of hiking boots and can be somewhat vague, however when an address Mongers, what better way to do it than following visiting www.foxhome.com/soundofmusic? is available, they deliver. Since I was already in the the steps of Danielsan aka the Karate Kid? Yes, this (By the way – remember that late ‘70s Spider-man Bay Area I investigated another of my favourite a bit of a pick-your-own-adventure style holiday TV show with really dodgy special effects because films, Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece, Vertigo. Of where you won’t have to put up with a tour guide, they superimposed video and film? Well the man in course since the film has been ‘paid tribute to’ so but that also makes it free… ish. It looks as if I’ve the red tights was none other than spunky Friedrich many times in films such as Dressed to Kill and the found someone who has out-Degrassied me – there Von Trapp. Oh, and Louisa Von Trapp posed nude mini-series, Tales of the City, even those who is a website dedicated to The Karate Kid which for Playboy years after TSOM.) haven’t seen the original will recognise most of the shows a monumental surplus of time and an Truly, any trip to the west coast of the States that landmarks. You’d be surprised to find where some unhealthy (even by my standards) interest in the doesn’t include a day dedicated to The Dirty Harry of your favourite flicks have been filmed. first two Karate Kid films. Don’t believe me? See for Tour of San Francisco (www.movietours.com/harry), Alas, the website is not so all encompassing as to yourself at www.fast-rewind.com/kkid. Golf n’ is a trip wasted! Harry Callaghan was the baddest, include a DIY guide to the best adaptation of Stuff… it’s all there! meanest, and dare I say it, hunkiest cop to ever Homer’s Odyssey thus far (apologies to the Cohen To convey the feeling that Danielsan was not from enforce the law on the streets of ‘Frisco. If you boys, yours is a close second), The Warriors. And an upper-middle class Country Club kinda family, haven’t already seen Dirty Harry steer clear of me extensive searches for any enterprising Brooklyn the director insisted on using real locations and did- when you see me in public, but also, make sure that locals have also proved fruitless. So I implore any n’t make too many alterations to them either. As a you view it in its historical context. It devised the NY natives that somehow read this zine to rectify result, you’re more likely to see more of the loca- template for films such as Die Hard 3 in much the this situation, post haste. Surely the loose change tions from the Karate Kid films than just about any same way that Play Misty for Me pre-dated Fatal needed for a daily travel pass, a knowledge of the other film, since most are filmed on sound stages Attraction by more than a decade. So while you’re working NY subway and good vocal projection capa- that are disassembled once the film wraps. in the approximate vicinity, you’d be a fool or just a bilities are all that are needed… Unfortunately the plague of mega-mall homogenisa- plain ol’ Clint-hater if you don’t also take in The tion has led to a number of these sacred sites being Play Misty for Me Tour of the Monterey Peninsular but a memory etched in cyberspace by über-nerds. (www.movietours.com/misty). If you think Ken Cyclic Defrost is Australia’s only nationally distributed independent electronic and hip hop focussed music magazine. 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The wonderful new album from Icelandic group múm; Summer Make Good is a collection of playful and delicate songs created from a spellbinding blend of live instruments and electronica, sure to please fans of Björk and Boards of Canada. Undoubtedly some of the most gloriously beautiful music Also available: Finally We Are No One you’ll hear this year.

Available at all good record stores // Distributed by Inertia distribution // 02 9698 0111 // www.inertia-music.com // [email protected]