REVIEWS - by Touching Extremes (AKA Massimo Ricci). Authors appear in alphabetical order and reviews will remain available for long time. Send all material to: MASSIMO RICCI – VIA AVICENNA 99 – 00146 ROMA (ITALY) to have it reviewed. Feel free to use my writings as promo material for bio sheets, your own web page, etc...Just mention my name! Thank you.

Last update: March 25, 2002.

 

ARKHAM – Arkham (Cuneiform)

From the vaults of Daniel Denis to our hands, these early tapes of Arkham are the kind of recording that bring the listener right into another realm – in my case, when I listen to this genre of music, I can’t help but being reminded of my childhood, a time in which any new discovery was greeted with enthusiasm and curiosity. To my ears, Arkham - which in their short lifespan included three members of one of my favorites, Aksak Maboul – had the same spirit of Egg, with their minimal riffs laying on fractured drumming, their distorted keyboard solos, their “simple but complex” harmonic openings. This record is a mix of nostalgia and creative inspiration; I like it much more than other similar archive operations.

KOJI ASANO – The last shade of evening falls (Solstice)

The japanese Asano is one of the most talked-about young composers these days: his music is quite various and free ranging, but always stimulating and  difficult in some cases. This release is one of his best: divided into 4 compact discs, an undercurrent of very strange, pulsating waves keep you company for hours. At first, it just feels like a detuned synth oscillator going random, but – sure enough – time goes and you get so addicted to it, you can’t stop listening. The more you let your brain sleep, the best satisfaction for your ears will come. Yes, it IS difficult, even to describe it, but I don’t remember a recent electronic release more challenging than Koji’s. Just try and you won’t be deluded.

AIDAN BAKER – Element (Arcolepsy) – Letters (Arcolepsy)

A beautiful surprise in my ever-expanding research of new independents. Aidan released “Element” two years ago and I still think it’s one of the best 6-string based records I’ve been hearing for a long time, given also its apparently extreme low budget. This is treated guitar at its very best, where you get delays, loops, slight saturation and black clouds full of strange harmonics. Baker plays with hands, sticks, violin bow and scissors. The overall sound is pretty dark, enormously satisfying; you can’t get much better when you listen to self-released new artists. Lovers of Plotkin, Toral, Main etc...let’s go get it! As far as “Letters” is concerned, this is another very good release, even if pretty different in some instance. This has two long pieces (about 23 minutes each) spontaneously composed by Aidan, who plays guitar, bass and percussion in his droning fashion, plus he adds his voice (for real or through pre-recorded tapes) in slow, engaging lamentations that make me think of american indians’ ritual singing, particularly in the first track. The second piece is more “acid”, with frippertronics-like loops and distorted feedbacks one against the other creating a deep breath – or a tidal wave, if you want. All in all, two records you must add to a serious collection.

BEXAR BEXAR – 07.04.99 (Elevator bath)

This unique piece comes on a single-sided 12” and consists of minimal accompaniment to a field recording that sounds like a regional fair, with children and merry-go-rounds. It reminds me an old Jim O’Rourke track, (“Rules of reduction”) but it also has very much its own character. I find it excellent, serene and captivating.

BIG BLACK – Ethnic fusion (Mutable)

A reissue of a 1982 LP, this is as good a record as you can find today, an era in which laptops, processing and fake inner quests are permitting too many people to release records and torturing ears. A fresh drink comes from Big Black and his companion, guitarist Anthony Wheaton, thanks to (...only!...) 35 minutes of hand drums and nylon strings running together into circular rhythms, african-influenced melodies and fragments, detailed buildings of exciting grooves and – on top of everything – sincerity coming out of every single note. Highly recommended and still sounding great after 20 years!

BIONIK – Common (Prikosnovenie)

Gaetan Bulourde, this is Bionik’s real name, uses basses and guitars to achieve his own soundscaping goal but be warned: this is NOT ambient music, though it’s pretty static all the way; low/high frequencies, loops and drones are the basis for “Common” but they’re constantly boiling in controlled feedback and overdrive. One has an impression of always being on the verge of exploding – it never happens, though. There are piercing high squeals sometimes. I’d call this record “a new step away from frippertronics” –  a very good one - and I’d suggest listening in headphones to get all the details.

BIOSPHERE – Cirque (Touch)

The album cover says it all: ice all over, blue sky, the idea of silence. Put the stylus on the vinyl and what you get is a classy, mesmerizing pot of loop-based new ambient bathed in reverb and delays, with some rhythms and voices here and there. Minute by minute, time runs out and you’ve come across various phases of detachment, flying high in your mind but never exiting your window actually. Notice the deep search into this - just apparently - simple music. Peculiar, in a class of its own.

BIOTA – Invisible map (Rer)

This is the one I was waiting for, as Biota are always so full of ideas and unbelievable architectures; and of course, it is a major piece of job by the Mnemonists’ alter ego. Rich booklet as usual, drawings, graphics and all you can get as a plus, but what gets you stuck to your chair is the spaciousness of the sound and its treatment with any kind of effect you can imagine. To think they just play small acoustic fragments and mesh them with a roaring battery of ear-splitting ambiences, one can say “I could do that myself” but of course it’s not so easy. You follow a path, you’ll find into a forest of ideas with no light at the end. And…who needs light after all? Well worth years of wait, this is pure excellence from any point of view.

BOURBONESE QUALK - On uncertainty (Staalplaat)

Welcome back, Bourbonese Qualk. I did like this CD a real lot, as the Qualks have significantly evolved since their beginnings (raw sounds became polished and articulate). This is music without a genre, just crystals of beauty with good construction and catching rhythms, and it stays in your CD player very nicely, as you have a good feeling while the tracks go on. Getting this result without sounding mellow it's not easy, we hear lots of "converted noise makers" these days, but this is not the case. Recommended.

BUCKNER/HAMILTON – Jump the circle, jump the line (Mutable)

Though I often disagree with vocal improvisation in a certain area (and I must admit that Thomas  Buckner, which I greatly respect, quite frequently works right there) this time it’s much easier appreciating the effort: as a matter of fact, the pairing of Buckner’s baritone range and Tom Hamilton’s electronic processing is very well conceived and – excluding some section showing great technique but not much heart – there are several defining moments in which one is really captured. A more “cosmic” research in a field that lately is bringing very few worthy results.

JONATHAN COLECLOUGH - Period (Anomalous)

Well, Coleclough is really good as we all know, and this vinyl LP is no exception. This is mostly done with low piano notes treated with long, long reverbs and the result is astonishing in some instance. You get static soundscapes, low drones, barely audible harmonics and so on. I just wonder why putting this out on vinyl, since I believe this kind of listening is made for CD...well, it doesn't matter, this is a great record anyway.

CURLEW – Meet the Curlews! (Cuneiform)

What would I do without Curlew? How can they get better with any release? These are only two of the questions that sprang from my mind while listening to this excellent recording, full of life and intelligent compositions. Ann Rupel (to whom a track called “ARM” is dedicated) left her bass duties to Fred Chalenor; now, only George Cartwright and Davey Williams remain from the old lineup. According to me, this record is the “In a silent way” of Curlew: its themes and lines are clearly explored and undergo analyses and dilatations, its harmonies are penetrable but difficult at the same time. The recording quality – very high – details every instrument’s nuance; adding piano and keyboards created an acoustic, “jazzier” vibe that for sure will bring new acolytes. A very particular “controlled” freedom for a great final result.

CHARLES CURTIS – Ultra white violet light (Squealer)

A pretty calm and detached kind of music, reportedly influenced by LaMonte Young (of whom Curtis is a scholar) but rather PinkFloydian to me. The two CDs are intended to be played simultaneously for maximum result, but it will work normally, too – one after another. Clean guitar, simple harmony, repetition: not a milestone but good and pleasing, certainly.

ERNESTO DIAZ-INFANTE – Solus (Pax Recordings)

A very nice collection of solo piano improvisations by San Francisco-based Diaz-Infante, free spirited and without any preconceived scheme; I was at times reminded of the easier (if this means something) parts of Cecil Taylor’s pianism, but only for the inner rhythm of some of these constructions rather than in the harmonies themselves. Thirteen tracks, each one pretty enjoyable – I believe that not annoying the listener with cerebral stuff is quite a success in itself!

DIAZ-INFANTE/FORSYTH – Wires and wooden boxes (Pax Recordings)

A good duo on paper, Ernesto and Chris just get near the target: the instrument list made me hope in a sparse, growing atmosphere with some burst of energy. Who knows why...But I was wrong – this is very much totally free abandon, with mostly raw sounds and very little of what I call interplay. Some  section  compare to Derek Bailey’s string scratching; inner parts of the piano are plucked, and so on. Serious people, yes – but I listened to hundreds of these ones and still I think it’s good that we’ve moved forward for better things, now.

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL – Aural illusions (Die Stadt)

See also “Orchestra Terrestrial” review later on. A 12 inch (38 minutes length, though) in which a “famous” unknown musician locks grooves, loops sounds and skips CDs in an intricate web of hypnotic, highly rhythmic, techno/minimal soundscapes. Looks like this stuff will be played from a string quartet in the future; it could get nice, as this format adapts very well to repetitive structures  like these. Interesting enough for lovers of techno/trance.

DUNCAN/LOPEZ – NAV (Allquestions/Absolute)

A double CD by John Duncan and Francisco Lopez, masters of the audio spectra. There’s not a single release by these two not worth of good criticism, as they continuously put themselves in discussion with more and more stimulating creations. The first record, NAV-gate, must be probably heard through headphones to catch every minimal detail of the vibrating phenomena, which bring dark views and far rumblings; the NAV-FLEX CD is a sort of “chordal vivisection”, since everything starts from a single harmonic shimmering cluster to be transported, altered, analyzed and assorbed by you – the listener. Few will understand what all this means, but the ones who remain will get a serious psycho-acoustic baptism towards their personal black holes.

FRED FRITH – Clearing (Tzadik)

Though I often disagree with Zorn’s choices, this has to be one of the records of 2001, bringing back to us a Frith in stellar shape on the guitar. Both acoustic and electric material go onto this CD, with an attention to the sound detail that lately I could rarely find elsewhere. Fred has developed himself into a COMPOSER (capital letters, please) as his work demonstrates; now, even his guitar playing shows him as one of the deepest musicians of this era, more concise and mature than ever, with no useless little noises and screeches but a string-based arsenal who kicks like a light middleweight. And don’t think you’ll only get rocked: intimate acoustic delicacies and repetitive forms are here, too. Who needs rock guitar?

FRITH/DROUET/SCLAVIS – I dream of you jumping (Victo)

Three complex personalities for this canadian concert: Fred Frith, JP Drouet and Louis Sclavis confirm, if necessary, their predominant role on the improvised music scene with this highly enjoyable CD. The trio creates a sort of documentary soundtrack on the spot, alternating furious exchanges and sparse atmospheres, sometimes mixing roles (here and there Frith uses his guitar as a percussive spine for his cohorts’ variations). Professional, careful to each other, these three guys make this record a sure bet.

GAL – Defragmentation/Blue (Platelunch) – Bestimmung New York (Durian)

Austrian Bernhard Gal is a finely talented sound manipulator and I was indirectly introduced to him thanks to John Duncan. The first record deals with a special relationship between time, space and the way we perceive them; it’s the aural soundtrack for an installation created with Japanese architect Yumi Kori, in which light and music go together. The resulting acoustics warmingly embrace the listener: soundwaves, pulses and sighs gently lull us into an almost physical sense of void. Really good stuff indeed. “Bestimmung New York” explores human voice and foreign languages as decontextualized means to create a rhythm or a harmonic turning point, with formants and palatal sounds getting looped and altered in order to get insistent and/or caressing fragments – depending on the track. Though not the first to use voice as a primary instrument, Gal gets – again – right to the point in a very effective and rewarding work, at times reminding me of some of Carl Stone’s best moments but with his own personality well grounded.

BERNHARD GUNTER – Time, dreaming itself  (Trente Oiseaux) – Brown,blue,brown on blue (For Mark Rothko) – (Trente Oiseaux)

I’m pleased to say these two CDs are a pair of masterpieces, possibly Gunter’s best until now. They seem to be born together, to be each other’s complement, such is their strong affinity link. Both consist of fluttering, barely flashing sound waves and strange concoctions of frequencies coming all around the listener, caressing him and sometimes stinging his ear – but for just a small time fraction. Pure vibration, slowly evolving harmonics slightly contrasting their own development – you’re never completely at ease listening to Gunter, even in his most static moments. “Brown, blue...” is dedicated to Mark Rothko and it’s a little more “present” in its electronic expression, while “Time” it’s so unreachable by your senses that’s almost non-material - and, according to me, it’s maybe the best of the pair. Two major electro/computer/contemporary (..what you call them...) pieces of work, they come absolutely recommended. Miss at your own risk.

BERNHARD GUNTER – Crossing the river (Night music) – (Trente Oiseaux)

See above! “Crossing the river”, dedicated to Iannis Xenakis at the time of his death, is an ideal continuing to Günter’s exquisite production of the last two years. Using acoustic sources and studio treatments, Bernhard once again establishes himself as one of the masters in what I call “frequency halos”, where you are catching few glimpses of sound flying around like angels, to be heard but not to be seen. These sounds bring melancholy, joy, questions, inner self-analysis but never anger or fear. It’s almost a transcendental experience and I absolutely recommend you to be initiated if you still haven’t any of this man’s records. Deep, positive music in any meaning.

AKE HODELL – Verbal brainwash and other works (Fylkingen)

I can’t stress enough the importance of releases like this one, as they transcend musical meaning to become historical documents of a defined era. Three CDs full of Hodell’s text-sound patchworks, enough to satisfy the curiosity of  those who look at Scandinavian composers with respect and interest. These tracks range from spoken fragments in random cut-and-paste to electronic hooks where voice and instrument become one. Also, great concrete/tape pieces, a look to the horrors of war, above all a complete mastering of the voice as our primary means of expression. This is absolutely fundamental for the brave listener!

IF, BWANA – I, Angelica (Pogus)

The last Bwana releases such as “Clara Nostra” or “Breathing” were very charming, with their drone-oriented hypnotic material: “I, Angelica” – as per Al Margolis instructions - must be played loud! It’s a double CD full of noisy, rough sounds generated by everything, from electric guitar and steel cello to manipulated tapes and random computer screaming. Music ranges from growing, static electronics that never cease holding your back to the wall (“Fantastic literature 3”) to contemporary classic-like diversions with male, quasi-operatic vocals on an immobile base (“The railway station fire”, dated 1992, will be a listening challenge for just anyone).  Another proof of If, Bwana consistency over the years.

ILLUSION OF SAFETY – In opposition to our acceleration (Die Stadt)

Wonderfully packaged – following the high quality standards of this label – comes this new release by Dan Burke (somewhere along the line helped by Mark Klein, Thymme Jones and Kurt Griesch) that showcases IOS at its very best in various live and studio settings. The sound oscillates between dark ambient and musique concrete, with just a slight touch of repetitive electronics here and there, made to measure for giving some life in an otherwise cloudy, oppressive atmosphere, rarely broken by pictures that make me think to an ant-hill with all its internal rules and processions. All in all, Illusion Of Safety keep setting a brisk pace to musical excellence.

MAURICIO KAGEL – Playback play (Winter & Winter)

This lively, funny score presents Kagel’s idea of a music fair, with sounds coming from lots of different sources and played/heard at various intensity and volume levels. Seriousness and fun mix together in this excellent interpretation (by the Ensemble Musikfabrik NRW). Kagel is one intelligent mind, his always present sense of humour particularly welcome among composers that often think too hard before writing a single note. A cross between a drunk Michael Nyman and a town folk band, very pleasing altogether.

DAVE KERMAN / 5 UUs – Abandonship (Cuneiform)

The intricacy of Kerman’s music is once again manifested in this new UUs release; sometimes I felt like undergoing a sensory overload, such are the parts’ complexity and their oblique construction. Now based in Tel Aviv, Kerman plays all instruments - one can only wonder how long you have to be working on a record like this in order to bring it to its definitive form! “Old fans” like yours truly will find “Abandonship” the usual treat: great music in every sense, dramatic panoramas, anguishing crescendos, well rehearsed scores – but the ones who never listened to this stuff should maybe start from older records (look on the Cuneiform website!) because this particular one could be hard to digest for the newcomer.

THOMAS KONER – Unerforschtes Gebiet (Die Stadt)

Would you believe it? A 16 mm film, full of dust, its tone recorded while playing onto a projector. The final result is another stunningly beautiful release by Die Stadt and maybe one of the best Köner albums ever (a slightly different version should be out on CD late in 2002). The whole LP is a trip into the realm of low drones and black holes, quite usual for Thomas, but this time no gongs were used; just think about something like a "caressing rumble" or a " distant choir of heavenly volcanoes", if you get the picture. As usual, this is a limited edition and you don't want to miss this superb work.

KONTAKT DER JUNGLINGE – 1 (Die Stadt)

Another winner for the Bremen label. How can you possibly go wrong with two names like Asmus Tietchens and Thomas Köner? Two masters of this genre, I mean roaring and rumbling low frequencies, coordinated by slow pulsating sounds and rhythms. Everything grows under your feet, sort of an electronic earthquake that never actually explodes. Headphones reveal hidden caves not to be violated, but the best result is listening in a silent, big room – if you can. An impressive collaboration between two major artists.

KONTAKT DER JUNGLINGE – 0 (Die Stadt)

Released after the number 1 (sometimes things go differently from our thought...) the second record by Tietchens and Köner is at the same level – if not superior – of the former. Recorded in Rostock, I can only say how lucky were the people who attended this concert! Must have been great getting wiped away by a mass of gong vibrations, by sounds that seem to come from the solar winds or from the soul of the earth itself. Need I say more? We must thank God there’s someone like these two guys, saving us from second-hand esoteric computer geeks. When is the next one coming out?

KURZMANN/STANGL – Schnee (Erstwhile)

I never heard of these musicians before listening to this: mea maxima culpa! A delicate, inside-looking record mostly made of acoustic guitar shadows and laptop treatments. It reminded yours truly about the best episodes of a young O’Rourke (circa “Disengage”) but with a touch of nightmarish aura giving this music a well recognizable spice. Dare I say “Feldmanesque”? Spacey but grey-brained, a character of its own: a lovely, lovely release.

RICHARD LAINHART – Ten thousand shades of blue (Experimental Intermedia)

We have a major participant in the poll for the best record in 2001: this collection (a double CD for the price of one) is something you must listen to while not thinking to anything else, just enjoying the carefully detailed, sculpted sounds that Richard Lainhart brought to the table, be it a processed voice, a slowly unfolding bowed tam tam, a computer-generated composition. The key word here is “slow”, as the composer itself declares his liking of naturally slow manifestations; the chiming resonances, low drones and richly articulated canvases of pure vibration will do the rest. This is in a class of its own and it’s a must for anyone thinking that contemporary music has not too much to say anymore.

DANIEL LENTZ – Voices (Aoede Records)

Charming, fascinating material by the always good sounding Lentz ; this record is text based (from a poem by Pablo Neruda to Japanese early literary period) but – through an army of MIDI keyboards and real instruments, plus of course various vocal characters – the composer creates scenarios ranging from “mystical fairy tales” to deep, resonating inner expressions, using slow glissandos and serene melodic fragments (my favorite piece is “Abalone”, built upon Harold Budd’s lyrics) together with more complex arrangements that will make you think for long moments after the record’s over. Delicious.

LOPEZ/NORTHAM – Belle confusion 0247 (Absolute)

Francisco Lopez released this album with sound sculptor Michael Northam and they got straight to the point, leaving me speechless through a festival of iridescent colors, complex vibrations, terrifying silences and, in general, a high degree of careful sound construction: better listened alone for maximum results (a large room will enormously contribute to sound propagation – on the other hand, maybe some ultra-low frequencies are caught better in headphones). There’s not much more to say: by now we know Francisco is one of the greats since many years ago; this – and also “Belle Confusion 00” with Amy Denio, moving on similar areas – are worthy of any serious collection.

RENE LUSSIER – Solos de guitare electrique (Ambiances Magnetiques)

Pretty much an unique voice among fellow guitarists, Lussier placed a set of microphones all across the room to capture the whole essence of his guitar sound and give it to us absolutely untreated. This CD can be fully appreciated by lovers of the Bailey/Frith/Kaiser old school; could instead be a little difficult to people not used to this kind of expression. Being a guitarist myself, I loved it but I also must say that I prefer Rene as the wonderful composer that he is (please check “Le corps de l’ouvrage”!!!)

DAVID MARANHA – Circunscrita (Namskeio)

This music will perforate your ears if you listen to it loud in your headphones! Maximum level of intensity is the key word for this new Maranha, coming after the already good “Piano Suspenso”; instrumentation ranges from violin and double bass to hammond, harmonium and guitar. Kind of a “Theatre of eternal music meets Third Ear Band” but with a slight touch of intelligent rage. There are also quieter moments, though, and I must say I often prefer those parts, maybe to relieve my eardrums a little bit...in both cases, David’s music is highly engaging and always interesting.

LASSE MARHAUG - Nothing but sound from now on (Smalltown Supersound)

Extreme electroacoustics; your monitors will be severely tested with these sounds, which show the talent of a very interesting composer. This is not Pierre Henry, though; you have lots of high frequencies and pulse, more like a "sound terrorism" than subliminal sensation (...to me, at least...) but trust me: Smalltown Supersound is a very good label, they gave us a wonderful paradise of drone a couple years ago (the Elektronova Electronova CD- look for it!) and Lasse Marhaug is a valid addition to their roster.

INGRAM MARSHALL – Ikon and other early works (New World)

It could be said that this is Marshall’s “Come out” or “It’s gonna rain”, though this sentence must be taken with a grain of salt. In fact, Ingram Marshall’s tape work is muddy, introspective, surrounded by a “fog”; it’s typical of his quite obscure place in the rank of the best American composers. Accordingly, “Ikon” is more sonically rewarding than Reich’s oldies et similia, and almost on the same level from a historical perspective.

CHRIS MC GREGOR’S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH – Travelling somewhere (Cuneiform)

Any manifestation by the South African exiles (the Blue Notes, of which only Louis Moholo is still alive) will be loved by yours truly, and of course this is no exception. This concert, recorded in 1973 in Germany, brings you a slew of themes and improvisations that fly high on the listener and carry a sense of communion rarely heard among most “jazz” lineups; quite often I find myself pretty cold to the stereotyped formula that “jazz” has become recently, where technique and posture have become the rule. Not here: Mc Gregor, Feza, Pukwana and the rest of the guys take out their blood and serve it hot to the listener, blowing air, hammering keys, creating the ghost of a freedom that we all strive for, but seldom manage to reach. Cherishing this album will relieve their souls, wherever they are now.

DANIEL MENCHE – October’s larynx (Alluvial)

What a beautiful record. Menche discards every colour except black, white and grey; puts his already excellent releases behind and presents us with almost one hour of ever-changing drone creations. What starts like water in a pan becomes a slow, distorted rumble; dark vibrating frequencies are looped for a hellish eternity. Sound springs from unknown sources and you’re forced to live with it, like it or not. A tiny sun ray comes at the beginning of the final track, courtesy of metallic bell tolling, but then it’s treated as usual and looped to render it dark grey – again. Shockingly good stuff.

MIRIODOR – Mekano (Cuneiform)

What a pleasant surprise, having Miriodor back in my favorites. This record shows them in great shape, sculpting and creating intricacies of MIDI links that continuously mesh with oblique guitar/bass lines, interesting sax parts and a very hard effort (by Remi Leclerc) on drums. The good news: everything sounds fresher than in the last couple of albums by the group; sometimes, it  looked to me that they were searching difficulties for themselves, without too much of a musical sense. Now they’re spirited, funny and dramatic at the same moment, and some of the tracks are really stunning and instrumentally eclectic.

MIRROR - Front row centre (Die Stadt)

This is not their last one but I must review it here, as I do think it's one of the most wonderful pieces I ever heard. Christoph Heemann and Andrew Chalk gave life to a slowly burning candle of immobile harmony, comparable to the best of Roland Kayn, Klaus Wiese, Phill Niblock, Michael J.Schumacher - well, you get the picture. The key word is - once again - STATIC, but the unrecognizable sources of sounds slowly build themselves without any trembling, generating hollow ghosts of notes that you hear but that haven't been actually played...This is what I really call "celestial harmonies"; I went to my window once, to look for a motor airplane in the sky, and it was the record instead! Absolutely indispensable album, like all Mirror records; catch them while you can because most are limited editions.

MONOS – 360° (Anomalous)

Darren Tate and Colin Potter (of Ora notoriety) created a new sound canvas through the use of field recordings and processing, and a very beautiful one indeed. The whole record has an organic quality that substantially makes it differ from most of the rest of similar stuff we’re nowadays used to get – by now, we all know that the democracy of self-producing creates unnecessary CDs by the dozen. On the contrary, “360°” is made with competency, class, care for the detail and with a musical sense – the juxtapositions between birds, motors and aircrafts are marvellous -  and it’s really a satisfying listening experience from any point of view, especially for “low-frequency lovers”.

MUJICIAN – Spacetime (Cuneiform)

Sober, serious music by four giants. The Mujician quartet is maybe the best jazz expression you can find today, with technical abilities and hard pumping lungs going together all the time. Paul Dunmall is a monster sax player and this CD shows him at his very best, even more splendid than in his recent solo album “The great divide”; Paul Rogers and Tony Levin are much more than your usual “rhythm section” and each has his own distinct voice, well documented in many beautiful solo sections. No one is better at the piano than Keith Tippett when you come to think about the best of English music. This record has a breathing quality and it’s an intelligent proposition, a highly enjoyable lesson for anyone.

NATIONAL HEALTH – Playtime (Cuneiform)

What is the most under-considered “super group” of the last 30 years? You guessed it: National Health. They influenced myriads of musicians and projects, they had the most memorable lineups, played exciting, intricate and melancholic tunes, included a marvellous female voice (namely Amanda Parsons) that could sing any line no problem. Was this enough to guarantee success? Of course not, but in my heart they have a special place. “Playtime” is not much more than a polished bootleg, but it captures the band’s energy in a way that will help the consummate fan to go and take their old records off the shelf, while the new one will listen to an exceptional version of “Squarer for Maud”, therefore having the urge to discover gems such  as “Of queues and cures”. Shame on musical history for not being just with this great band.

PHILL NIBLOCK - Touch works (Touch)

An excellent record - as usual - by the REAL father of the minimal structure. Forget La Monte Young or Philip Glass – the recent stuff, of course - and grab "Touch Works" (..and also all the rest of Phill's CDs...) if you want to be charmed and hypnotized. The first piece is a superimposition of hurdy gurdies - courtesy of Jim O'Rourke - that leave you breathless at the end. The rest is Tom Buckner and his baritone voice in all possible strokes, put together for your head to wonder "where am I?" (I gave its first try while walking to work and I almost lost my path. I mean it). You'll be enormously satisfied when the record is over, you'll play it again and again. Quintessential sound physics.

HERMANN NITSCH – Harmoniumwerke 1-12 (Organ of Corti)

A collection of improvisations on the harmonium by the Austrian actionist; different from the heavy, carefully orchestrated ritual music that made him a relevant name in most people’s books, this spacey, organ-like variations will appeal most fans of “cosmic” and electronic school – not far from some German stuff of the mid-seventies but slower, more basical and without too much of a previous thought.

NOISE-MAKER’S FIFES – Morfogenesi (Beta-Lactam Ring)

Geert Feytons’ music has no melody, but for sure contains lots of scary, interesting atmospheres. This ultra limited edition (50 copies) is the soundtrack to a theatre piece in which human performance and music go together and,  let me tell you, this is a typical NMF record, full of dark moods, loops, screaming voices and much of what you could call “post-industrial” aroma. All of Feytons’ records are excellent and this is no exception, but this is a collector’s edition: to get “Noise-Made” at the maximum level, check the wonderful “Cruelty has a human heart”.

PAULINE OLIVEROS – No mo (Pogus)

Forget – at least partially – the Deep Listening concept to which Pauline grew us accustomed to; “No mo” is pure electronic pioneerism, dating from 1966/67 when Oliveros was experimenting with any studio device she could put her hands on, plus tape splicing a go-go. Great noises fill the air when you put the CD on: 18 munutes of whistles, white noise, buzzes and whirls leave space to a second track consisting of a strange, quiet landscape which, in turn, introduces you to a marvelous electronic choral speech. Way out for those years!

ORCHESTRA TERRESTRIAL – Here and elsewhere (Die Stadt)

Well, this is quite different from the usual Die Stadt productions as it deals with less subtle panoramas in favor of an ambient/techno flavour with lots of synth lines and looping parts. Orchestra Terrestrial is Richard Kirk, previously in Cabaret Voltaire; probably, if you love them – as Die Stadt’s Jochen Schwarz does – you’ll want to add this to your collection. I never listened to CV, though, so I only judge this music for itself and to me it’s just partially fascinating, especially in the most hypnotic loop sections, but sometimes the rhythm of electronics and synthesizers leaves me a little colder; a good comparison could be Brian Williams’ “Arecibo” project.

JIM O’ROURKE – I’m happy and I’m singing and a 1,2,3,4 (Mego)

This is the best record Jim has released since “Terminal pharmacy”; yes, I also liked the Fahey influences in “Bad timing”, I loved “Happy days” and its hurdy-gurdy. But this is another story: three stunningly beautiful live tracks, starting with a minimal piece sounding like the best Rileyan trance transported 40 years in the future - lots of interweaving patterns leaving you speechless. The second piece is a cross between Mike Ratledge’s parts on Soft Machine masterpieces and an electroacoustic mixture of the highest level; the third and final chapter is a reworking of sampled strings in a slowly burning candle light and I’m brought back to the O’Rourke I mostly love, the man who presented us with “Tamper”, “Disengage” etcetera. And what a great title for a “serious” CD...!

O’ROURKE/GUSTAFSSON – Xylophonen virtuosen (Incus)

A duo specializing in spurious conversations between an acoustic guitar played without any pre-conceived scheme and the earthquaking spurts and cries of one of the best sax voices of the last period. “Xylophonen virtuosen” is not polished or particularly shining with “beautiful notes” but – sure enough – contains lots of interesting moments and some noise that makes me scratch my head and ask “Huh? How was this done?”

O’ROURKE/PRIME/PREVOST – Alpha lemur echo two (Mycophile)

This is a great recording of two improvisations from 1990 and 1994 – the period in which Jim O’Rourke had still to become the “famous” multi-talented genius that he is now, but maybe –just maybe- he produced his better music at that time. Here we have him together with Morphogenesis’ Michael Prime, a great “organic” composer himself, and master AMM percussionist Eddie Prevost, in a couple of tracks that sound like a cross between those collectives and the extreme fringes of the radical avantgarde. The first piece is multi-faceted and free-spirited; the second is a slow, long wonderful drone; Adam Bohman and Andy Hammond contribute with their own sound sources. Highly recommended for everyone.

CHARLEMAGNE PALESTINE – Holy 1/Holy 2/Holy 1+2 (Alga Marghen)

Milan is the base of Alga Marghen, a label specializing in dusting off old masterpieces and archive recordings like this one, a double vinyl LP by Palestine in which the American minimalist lets oscillators go for themselves after activating them, thereby producing a slightly dissonant drone that could sound a little “old” at first but it’s captivating and alluring as the recording goes. Here you can maybe find traces of influence for young composers like C.M.Von Hausswolff, even if the “style” is not the same. Palestine is one of the greats and – even if this is not his very best – it’s sure worth a good try. Most of these soundscapes are contained in the Alga Marghen CD “Alloy”.

CHARLEMAGNE PALESTINE – Jamaica Heinekens in Brooklyn (Barooni)

Dutch Barooni label, having one of the best rosters you can get today (think Kayn, Koner, Palestine, Heemann...) released an interesting and different work by Palestine, sort of a “New York field recording” with street fairs, jams and voices meshing with hypnotic electronic that grow up in intensity as the track goes. If you listen to this through headphones, you could be in for a major trip. Years ahead of the “old bones” of historical minimalism, Charlemagne is always advancing at a speedier pace.

PARKER/ROWE – Dark rags (Potlatch)

Luckily, Keith Rowe is getting very prolific recently; for years, I had to be happy just listening to his first solo album, “A dimension of perfectly ordinary reality”. Now he pairs with lots of old and young lions, slashing us in the face in company of  artists such as Parker (himself even more prolific!) and presenting us with masterpieces like this one. This is both brain scanning and blood/guts, as Evan spits his soul off his mouthpieces while Keith activates his soundscapes with any medium you can think of: eBows, electric rotators, razor blades, little chains. The outcome is absolutely gorgeous, as you are trapped into a growing flood of electricity, gurgling breath, unaccessible realms and high/low pitched strange birds. Improvisation at its very best.

PARKER/VARIOUS – Strings with Evan Parker (Emanem)

I can’t help but being enthusiastic about this 3-CD set, for sure one of the most intense new music experiences I recently went across. All of this is memorable string “controlled” improvisation, with a slice of electronics and Parker ferociously adding his reed in some of the tracks. A group of vibrating souls catching your heart and your stomach, particularly in a wonderful piece named “Double headed serpent”: non-stop circular breathing, pulverizing lines, a growing drone that makes ground under your feet tremble and roar. If you want to know more about “comprovisation”, start here.

MICHAEL PRIME - Requiem (Die Stadt)

The basic sources for this LP are: live improvisations by Negative Entropy (the duo formed by Prime with Geert Feytons, Noise-Maker's Fifes leader); a sound sculpture; Miro's voice. What you get is two sides of deep, ethereal, "difficult" electronics,  a little more static on the first side while the second part of the composition shows more of Prime's movements, slightly nearer to his "concrete" material - faraway resonances and more audio scenes. This is quite different from anything in this field: listeners will go from ice-cold snapshots to grey cave shadows. Michael's consistency is by now well documented, "Requiem" is no exception, adding further substance to an already excellent body of work.

PURE - Low (Staalplaat)

An excellent exploration of  tones, "Low" comes packaged with a metallic cloth instead of the usual CD cover sheet. This austrian manifestation, though absolutely not "light-hearted", is very listenable: it starts with  gentle, vibrating frequencies that superimpose one another, then brings you in the realm of contrasting glissandos, that slowly unfolding "up-and-down" electronic wave that I always loved so much. Then again, a slightly changing drone is a base for improvised computer voicings. And there's so much more...For sure one of the best Staalplaat releases of the last two/three years.

RAPOON – Cold war: drum ‘n’bass (Caciocavallo)

You only need to choose a title among his releases to keep Rapoon’s flame high in your hearts. Robin Storey’s consistency is well documented and his work shows a constant growth, both as a sound sculpting big name and as a human being. His prowess in letting us feel suspended in melancholic awe is never ending, his look towards an infinite loop horizon always firm. “Cold war”, though sometimes a little harsher than usual, brings him back at his very best. Also, look for the re-release of “Messianic Ghosts”, a limited edition. Go!

RAVEN REC. – Living on a lake (Angelika Köhlermann)

A simple record made with 4-track recordings, “Living on a lake” is the first CD by Raven Rec. and, even if the press sheets talk about Krautrock influences, you’d better not to believe it too much as this is kind of a slightly twisted electronic pop, with just a little bit of Cluster and Roedelius aroma but not as a real foundation. It’s pretty nice music but most tracks are on the light/naive side and not to be taken as masterpieces, but surely keep good company while doing something else.

ROEDELIUS – Evermore (Klanggalerie)

I’m a little suspicious about Hans Joachim Roedelius because - even if I follow him since many years ago - it’s not rare that I remain unsatisfied with several of his works. This time, we’ve got mixed results; some of the music is pretty mysterious and captivating, with flutes, guitar and percussion leading towards new paths; on the other hand, I never liked Roedelius’ solo synthesizer lines, with all those twists and bendings, plus I hate sampled presets and the track no.3 “Für Kurt” is really terrible in that sense. The final Rapoon remix of the same track is much better: Robin Storey should have taken home all the master tapes and work the whole record!

KEITH ROWE – Harsh (Grob)

More meaty than usual, the sound of “Harsh” is not your typical Rowe; this time you’ve got plenty of distortion, a crude exploration of the strings, the greatest dynamic variation you can get and the confirmation of this “old man” as the father of the improvised table-top guitar. Let’s try not to dream too much: we’ll keep learning that less is really more – Keith’s seriousness is out of any question. And he never practices!

MICHAEL J.SCHUMACHER – Fidicin drones (Colorful Clouds for Acoustics)

This is not a recent record; never mind, you MUST look for it, ‘cause it’s a splendid example of trance/drone music made with a few solid means. Guitars are by now a common instrument even in the hands of experimental musicians and it’s hard coming out with something really new. Schumacher does it with three pieces – two resonating sustained chords full of spectral colours and one a little harder - the one giving name to the album. Fact is, you don’t realize those are really guitars, you just think about the dancing of glowing sea water under the sun. When all is said and done, this is a memorable listening experience.

IRENE SCHWEIZER – Chicago piano solo (Intakt)

What am I to say? It’s impossible for me not to like Irene Schweizer’s playing, which I’ve been fondly listening for years and years now. “Chicago piano solo”, as usual, finds her in a very dynamic contest, with maybe a little more “improvising freedom” than in her last solo album “Many and one direction”, a genre-defining masterpiece for yours truly. Where you mostly had controlled “comprovisation” there, you get washed by dissonant fantasies and tumbling keyboard runs here; I see this record as an overall sensorial experience, like in a day where sun and rain continuously alternate themselves. Superb!

SPLATTERCELL – OAH (CeLLDiViSioN)

Guitar looping is an art, composition based on looping is an even more difficult craft. David Torn is a master of both and this great record stands there to show it. Approach “OAH” with a free mind and open yourself to a fleet of changing colours, punctuated by strong rhythmic foundations and surrounded by foggy shadows. Here and there, a distant echo, a muezzin call, an instrument from the Middle East, a techno beat – but never too much of anything. David’s masterpiece “Cloud about Mercury” sprang him to the sky; “OAH” confirms him as a noteworthy sound treater.

SUGIMOTO/DRUMM – Den (Sonoris)

A live recording of two major experimental guitarists, for those who like a complete use of the instrument’s body and parts. There are string plucking, electricity buzzing, silence and surprises. Percussive touches and heavy caressing bring out clouds of harmonics and squeaky timbres, underlined by held notes and chattering mosquitoes. This has to be listened with concentration, though; absolutely not to be used as a background.

TARENTEL – Mort aux vaches (Staalplaat)

A guitar-based group, Tarentel already made two studio albums that I never had the chance to listen to; this is instead a live recording made of four pretty long instrumental pieces that brought a lot of comparisons to my mind – above all, old (good) Pink Floyd and a band I always loved, Dif Juz. But listen to these guys without thinking too much, because they’re good value for your ears. Their melodic, repetitive lines could satisfy both minimal music lovers than fans of allucinations and “maudit rock”. Maybe if Velvet Underground had evolved into an instrumental band they’d sound a little like this??? Static parts aren’t bad at all, either. I think I’ll search the other two CDs!

ASMUS TIETCHENS – a (Alpha) Menge (Ritornell) – b(Beta) Menge (Ritornell)

Professor Tietchens has slowly but constantly become one of the most respected sound analysts, bringing out his best sonic results in the last decade. The first release is as good as any of his, continuously testing our brain and eardrums with sounds starting at the edge of the virtually inaudible that develop into percussive smacks or transfigure themselves into black holes of psycho acoustic realms. “Beta” is more electronic-sounding, starting from frequency analysis and often evolving into repetitive figures that quite soon leave room to an ambience very near to silence – but never completely relaxing, as there’s always something lurking far away somewhere and you must be alert to any upcoming change. From pioneer to lead figure, Asmus played all roles in the new music script.

TIETCHENS/MYERS – Flussdichte (Disco-Bruit)

Asmus Tietchens and David Lee Myers (AKA Arcane Device) have reached the third chapter of their excellent collaboration and also this CD is great. The principle of treated feedback remains more or less the same, with auras of lights and long shadows alternating each other; you’d never believe there’s no synthesis in this material if you don’t know what Myers is capable of. You’ll find yourself projected in the darkest holes of your imaginary space, hearing calls from above and below, turning your head left and right to guess what was that frequency that caught you defenseless. Beautiful!

KEITH TIPPETT – Linuckea (FMR)

You know the script: sincerity, integrity, highly skilled playing, a deluge of ideas and schemes on the keyboard; that’s Keith, we all know him. Here, he scored for a string quintet that brings his music to the highest thinkable level, a cross between contemporary classics and free improvisation. Also listen to the wonderful second track “Let the music speak”...and follow its title’s advice! Keith Tippett is really one of the greats, I think of him as the most serious musician you can find today, no compromise, no commercial shit, nothing. I love him BOTH as a human being and as a composer.

TMRX – Difficultè de comprendre dans le bruit (Selektion)

It’s not easy getting good results with a record consisting exclusively of field recordings, but Arnaud Jacobs from Belgium created a highly effective canvas of sounds which start as untreated, then they are processed in studio with additional concrete material on top; finally, they must be fully appreciated by the listener in his own environment. You’ll feel really good when voices and everyday noises come to your ears in different combinations than usual, soft instead of hard, sudden rather than expected...and above all, surprisingly influencing your humor and thoughts.

RAFAEL TORAL – Violence of discovery, calm of acceptance (Touch)

Few means for a great end. Portuguese guitarist/sound engineer Toral takes out his canvas and shows his chops as a looper/soundscaper in an excellent release that continues a way already paved with good albums like “Wave field” and “Aeriola frequency”. Sound keeps flowing naturally, gently, like a sunset colour with just a little bit of electricity. If you love “guitar painting”, Main, Plotkin, Ambarchi and so on, surely this is for you.

HANS TUTSCHKU – Moment (Empreintes Digitales) 

This young German composer served an ace with his creation, far away from the usual E.D. ambiences which you’re used to bath in. And so, no concrete or “classic” acousmatics; instead, a stunning twilight of sound stratification, just like linear clouds in a half-sun,half-rain day. A deep digging composition, you’ll need concentration at “10” to fully appreciate its mastery; rest assured you’ll be richly rewarded. Empreintes Digitales keeps being high in the bill of consistency, as far as avantgarde labels are concerned.

UNIVERS ZERO – Crawling wind (Cuneiform)

I remember a brazilian friend telling me years ago that he would have come footing to Italy if I ever found this album...Now everyone can rejoice in reading one of the most beautiful chapters in the belgian ensemble’s book. “Crawling wind” is maybe the best example of progressive music heavily influenced by contemporary classical material; the CD version is enriched by additional tracks, more recently composed. Fans of UZ don’t need my review to buy the record; on the other hand, if you never listened to Daniel Denis and his companions playing intricate lines, fragmented tempos, sick string harmonies... please dive right in: this is mastery of a well defined form of expression.

FARTEIN VALEN – The eternal (Rune Grammofon)

Probably what was considered dissonant and unbearable 50 years ago is completely acceptable today, maybe that’s why my ears found “The eternal” a very emotional, almost romantic chapter in our century’s music. The relatively unknown Valen (b.1887) had lots of trouble in his own Norway when confronted by conservative critics – shame on them, this is gorgeous orchestral work, carefully detailed and fully enjoyable by anyone with a heart and good hearing: kudos to Rune Grammofon for letting us discover this jewel, with honorable mention for the “Violin concerto”, 13.44 minutes of stunning beauty.

 C.M.VON HAUSSWOLFF – Operations of spirit communication (Die Stadt)

A pupil of Rune Lindblad, Carl Michael Von Hausswolff fathered one of the best records in recent memory (vinyl, no less) based on drones and low frequencies. You’ve got to be careful with your speakers if you choose listening at high volume, as the vibrating, shifting waves and pulses can really scare the ...stuff out of you. Your room will be invaded and filled in any of its spaces. Obscure and charming, like a never ending dream.

Z’EV – Face the wound (Soleilmoon)

I was used to old Z’ev material, with all those metallic reverberating clangs, those deep strokes of acid cymbals and chains; this is quite different, in fact it’s a pretty electronic work, full of sampled sounds and voices repeating cliches and phrases. Lots of cut and paste, still lots of drumming , but everything is much more intoxicating – not always good for my taste, but surely very original in its assembling. Die-hard fans will appreciate the coherence, I’d much prefer a little more rarefaction, though I can feel the record is good and deserves more than one listen.