Never content to rest on his laurels, we have here a new stellar release from Boston based composer/sound artist Brendan Murray, the followup to the acclaimed 23five release “Commonwealth.” Murray’s compositions tend to hinge upon drones and this eponymous record is no exception. That being said, this is a work which differs considerably from “Commonwealth” or “Wonders Never Cease”(Murray’s Intransitive release from 2007).

In Brendan’s own words: “This record was recorded after a 6 month break from making solo music. Commonwealth was a pretty big undertaking over a few years, and I wanted to see if I could take some of the long range deliberation out of my process and trust decisions that I normally rethink over and over. I also worked under a deadline for the first time.

The six tracks represent the first real overhaul of my approach since I started. I found myself breaking a lot of self-imposed rules and working very quickly. I decided to incorporate recognizable instrumentation, mainly piano and guitar.
I made some shorter pieces and use lots of differentrecording techniques to give each track it’s own character while making it sound like a record. It definitely sounds like my music, but it’s a more delicate in some places than anything I’ve ever released. I regard the ideas as refined and realized, but each track inhabits its own space, almost like chapters in a book.

It’s self-titled or untitled, depending on how you care to think of it. The images in the artwork could also work as symbolic titles. I have left that very open, because the titles of the pieces are purposely evocative. They are also rather personal and refer to specific moments in my life, whether real or imagined. I plan on making a couple of more records like this, as well as continuing to make large, complex pieces. I don’t regard this as a detour. Some people have told me that this music sounds dark, others have told me it sounds really paranoid. I think it’s a weirdly optimistic record.”

The 60-inch (“Mikrophonie”) tam-tam is a large piece of metal, a proto-sculpture. Brancusi might have altered it: rounding and tapering the edges, making an oval instead of a circle, polishing the surface into smooth gold.

The tam-tam is also a vast sound landscape-an instrument that makes noise at the slightest provocation. A resonance is created just in the act of walking past the instrument or breathing on it … that is, if your ear (or a microphone) is close enough to hear it. Wherever it is touched with a bow or a hand, it responds with chaotic, unpredictable complexity, never producing the same sound twice.

I have attempted to work within the givens of this landscape, to allow some of its implicit contours to reveal themselves-by collecting sounds, giving them a duration, putting them into a clear structure, and cutting a path through them with pure tones.

Sleeping Muse is something like a four-part chorale of bowed sounds, with a melody made up of long sine tones buried in the sounds.The Endless Column is a collection of sixty extremely light, close recorded strikes, randomly ordered, but with a rising scale of sine tones mixed in, more or less within the central frequency range of the tam-tam (from 50 to 671 hz).

Sculpture for the Blind arranges eight layers of bowed sounds (which are then released) along a pattern of lengthening durations and combined with a sine tone trio, again woven into the sounds of the tam-tam.

Hearing Metal 1 is the product of close collaboration between composer and performer. The piece evolved as Greg made test recordings based on my suggestions and then sent them to me. As it happened we feel we fell into its world, in order to move it slightly towards our own.

Michael Pisaro

Brain One’s interest in doing things in the present rather than trading off his considerable reputation means he’s almost constantly at work in his studio; it’s not unusual for him to turn up for a radio interview clutching a new piece he’s finished off that morning. That many of these tracks never see the light of day was a source of concern to Brian’s assistant Marlon Weyeneth, who’s compiled this album from the heaps of DATs littering the Eno studio.

Brian’s fans are split by a desire to hear him repeat old glories and a simultaneous longing to hear him do something groundbreaking. It’s a lot to live up to. Curiosities sort of sidesteps that anticipation by just presenting the music – no conceptual baggage, no sleevenotes. Just Brian and his machines making some rather lovely noises.

Apart from two remixedtracks from the unfortunate Headcandy CD-ROM (one with trusty old mucker Robert Fripp) and one extended version of a track from The Drop, all of the music here is previously unreleased. It runs the gamut from mechanistic digital funk (slithery basslines, stiff drums and ghostly percussive clatter) to the ‘Unwelcome Jazz’ of The Drop. There’sspectral ambient meanderings and a spot of the experiments with processed vocalese that he’s lately become interested in. There’s even a rather beautiful little organ solo, entitled “My Lonely Organ” (Fnaaar).

The thing that unites most of this stuff is Eno’s rhythmic sense. Despite his reputation as the Godfather of Ambient, Eno’s love of funk and Africangrooves has been as strong an influence on his work as Cardew or Cage. There’s a kind of non-funky funkiness (what do you expect from a fifty-something white Englishman?)at work, which gives his rhythmic constructions a distinct personality.

Eno also gets some of the best bass sounds known to man, and that’s the key to what makes him so great. In an age where any off-the-shelf synth or software gives anyone access to instant sonic wonderment,he still has an immediately recognisable sonic palette. As he said to Lester Bangs 25 years ago, it takes a day to learn how to use a synthesizer, and five years to learn what not to do with it. Even at its most sketchy and provisional, Eno’s music resonates and seduces in a way that little other electronica can.

I did some shopping on ebay and found this two Eno Compilations (cheap too!!) Some songs we know well but most of the material is unreleased elsewhere. Volume II is one of my many favorite Eno albums.

London-based All Saints Records decided to celebrate its relaunching (it was mostly silent from 2001-2004) by releasing Compounds + Elements, an 18-track compilation album showcasing the span and quality of the label. Though All Saints started in 1991 with producing almost solely ambient music, it has expanded since its birth and now concerns itself more with innovation in the approach to the music rather than genre. This is not to say that there are any particularly unexpected pieces here: Harold Budd and Brian Eno, the label’s biggest names, are both heavily featured.

There are songs from six of Eno’s records, which does make sense — he is the father of ambient music, after all. “Neroli,” from the album of the same name, with its calm, meandering bass, is roomy and suggestive, a true minimalist masterwork. Eno describes “Neroli” as “like opening your window onto an orange grove in high summer,” which might be a bit of an exaggeration (especially since the song is mixed at such a low decibel level that it’s difficult to even hear), but his point is well taken.

These songs do present an image, an idea, a fleeting sensation, a story, and it’s up to the listener to decide what exactly that is. While the first part of the album offers a modal exploration into the world of ambient music and soundscapes, the second part picks up the tempo and adds some groove, beginning with Jon Hassell’s “Out of Adedara.” Driven along by rolling jungle beats, Hassell shows off his trumpet skills by turning his instrument into traffic sounds and train horns, a jazz guitar accenting the movement of the piece.

Newcomer Vacabou offers the most traditionally structured of any of the tracks, the Europop-ish “Russia in White,” and even Eno’s “Fractal Zoom” has a funky feel. Surprisingly, the strangest — and perhaps best — piece on this album is one that is the least ambient. John Cale (of Velvet Underground and punk-producer fame) presents an orchestral interpretation of 20th century Welsh poet Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night,” using a children’s choir, plenty of strings, and Cale himself passionately singing the poem’s stanzas. Compounds + Elements is certainly not all-encompassing, either of genre or of All Saints’ catalog, but it’s a nice collection of well-put-together and thoughtful songs, and a good way to reintroduce the label to the world.

Selektor - Pete Namlook + New Composers

“Selektor”
The cover for a Pete Namlook + New Composers collaboration from 2001 that never saw the light of day (around the time of PW45)

Too bad, I love this cover, It’s something about it… When i look at it i come to remember those old propaganda posters from former Russian communist regime.

And at the same “Kraftwerk’s Man Machine” comes to mind, obviously first the color red and men walking / standing in line.

What’s baking my noodle is how this albums would have sounded like or maybe sounds like, because we don’t know if the songs were released  on some other record, or maybe remixed and this excellent cover changed to something else, Who knows?

Pete Namlook is one busy bee, FAX is releasing a new album!
“Lorenzo Montanà – Black Ivy”
(Lorenzo Montanà)

Lorenzo Montanà - Black Ivy

This debut Solo-CD of Lorenzo Montanà is a fascinating mixture of IDM/Glitch and Chill-Out/Ambient combining different styles and modern production technologies.

The sound is fresh and unassimilated,futuristic and “80s” at the same time. Using this unique music mixture BLACK IVY describes the microcosmos of flora, lakes, ancient landscapes… the sound of the sap and microscopic life forms.

Debut CDs often have this special magic that comes from years of collection and dedication to the best sounds and compositions the artist was able to find to finally release them. “Black Ivy” has this kind of magic and FAX is proud to present this music to you.

CD tracks:

01. Erasing You (feat. Chelonis R. Jones) 6.19
02. Jehr Water 2.44
03. Insect Invasion 4.26
04. Sap 5.24
05. Kirkuk Lanke 4.51
06. Sap 2 8.07
07. Dionaea 6.00
08. Mysteries of Nature 4.59
09. Black Ivy 4.28
10. Haliaras 8.32
11. Debhra Thor 7.37

Looking forward to this release,  Date is set to 09-06-15. Keep your eye’s and ears open. Ta ta. . . Back to some Acid… Not the drug, I’m in a Acid period listening to what others made with that Magic Silver Box – The TB-303, Now playing you might ask?

Hardfloor these dudes made some really good stuff I just listened to HF’s Remix of Robert Armanis “Circus Bells” that’s one timeless track, that’s it, till next time! Have one! Pick a Good!

12k Records

12k is an independent record label, based in Pound Ridge, New York, USA. It was founded on January 1, 1997 by Taylor Deupree. The label focuses on experimental electronic music, specifically on digital minimalism and contemporary forms; as of January 2007, it has released over 40 CDs and become one of the most respected experimental electronic labels in the world.

Line is a division of 12k: documenting compositional and installation work by international sound artists exploring the aesthetics of contemporary digital minimalism.

Happy is a division of 12k records, Taylor Deupree´s label. Now defunct. In early 2008 Taylor Deupree wrote in his blog that there’s no reason to have two separate labels as Happy’s sound merged with that of 12k.

The sublabel term. was founded in 2000 in the form of a netlabel, featuring MP3-only releases, available free of charge.

Taylor Deupree:

Taylor Deupree

Taylor Deupree (b. 1971) is a sound artist, graphic designer, and photographer residing in New York. On January 1st, 1997, he founded 12k, a record label that focuses on minimalism and contemporary musical forms. In 12k’s 10 years of existence Deupree has released over 40 CDs by a roster of international sound artists and has developed 12k into one of the most respected experimental electronic labels in the world.

In September 2000, Deupree and sound artist Richard Chartier formed LINE, a sublabel of 12k that curates its continuing documentation of compositional and installation work by composers exploring the aesthetics of contemporary and digital minimalism. In January 2002 (as a celebration of 12k’s fifth anniversary) Deupree launched term., an online series of MP3 releases.

While 12k’s emphasis lies not only in sound but also on design and presentation, term. exists entirely in the digital domain with no physical object or package. In September, 2003, Deupree started a 3rd record label called Happy to promote unconventional japanese pop. Happy was born from Deupree’s interest in Japanese pop and the fact that it is quite unknown outside of Japan.

Since 1993 Deupree has created critically acclaimed recordings for labels worldwide including Spekk, Plop, Noble (Japan), Ritornell/Mille Plateaux, Raster-Noton, Disko B (Germany), Sub Rosa (Belgium), Audio.NL (Netherlands), Room40 (Australia), Instinct Records, Caipirinha Music, Plastic City (USA), Dum (Finland), and of course 12k and LINE, among others. In January 1999, Deupree currated a compilation for New York’s Caipirinha Music label that he titled Microscopic Sound’s This release was among the first to gather together artists of this style and helped put a name to a then-rising genre of electronic music.

His solo works in recent years have explored a fusion of digital sound manipulation with organic and melodic textures that take influences from his interest in architecture, interior design, and photography. Themes of minimalism, stillness, atmosphere, nature, and imperfection prevade throughout his work . An intense passion for recording and studio technology creates a strong technological backdrop for all of his compositions.

Collaboration with other musicians is also a very important aspect of Deupree’s work. Working with other artists is a way to not only create unique works beyond his solo recordings but to also expand his own techniques and processes as a learning experience. Over record years he has collaborated with a wide variety of artists such as Christopher Willits (US, guitar), Kenneth Kirschner (US, Piano), Eisi (Japan, 3-piece acoustic ambient-rock band), Tetsu Inoue (US, sound artist), Frank Bretschneider (Germany, sound artist), and Richard Chartier (US, sound artist). Deupree feels the importance of collaborative work is to not layer two individual styles but to create a 3rd, fusion sound that incorporates the strengths of each collaborator yet sounds like a unique, 3rd identity.

Deupree continues to evolve his sound and approaches each project with a new direction and different process. Continued shifting and sound exploration is vital to his work. He has many recording and remixing accomplishments and a substantial, varied, discography formed over 14 years. His design and photography work has appeared on dozens of projects and record labels around the world and published in a number of books in Japan and the UK.

Brian Eno is a genius and unparalleled figure of all time! Listening to Ambient 2, the Plateaux of Mirror, this is the good stuff, music for your body mind and soul.

“Do you know what I hate about computers? The problem with computers is that there is not enough Africa in them.”?- Brian Eno, May 1995

This quotation is from an article in Wired Magazine, I have never forgotten it.

“What’s pissing me off is that it uses so little of my body. You’re just sitting there, and it’s quite boring. You’ve got this stupid little mouse that requires one hand, and your eyes. That’s it. What about the rest of you? No African would stand for a computer like that. It’s imprisoning.” ?…still Brian Eno.

Yes. That’s May 1995. More than 10 years ago. And what has happened? The scroll wheel.

PowerMate – USB Multimedia Controller

The scroll wheel is an excellent invention and I can’t think of using a computer without one. Still it’s just you and that mouse. Maybe you keep your other hand at the keyboard.

The Griffin Powermate has a name, a look and a description that suggest that you should use it to adjust the volume on your computer.

It’s incredibly well built, good looking, solid and very useful knob. You can use it to scroll in my browser. To zoom in Photoshop. To shuttle in my video editing software. To scroll in my photo archive. Right hand on the mouse. Left hand switching between the keyboard and the Powermate.

It has completely removed quite a bit of straining your right hand.

There is a very reliable rule that says that a company that makes hardware can never make good software (look at the software that follows ATI’s graphics cards or Creative’s MP3 players etc…*) Griffin has done an exception with the Powermate. The latest version of the software for this device is actually quite useful. And if you don’t like it you always have Girder and the Girder Powermate Plugin.

The Powermate puts a tiny, tiny bit of Africa back into my computer.

* Yes, Apple is an exception

Music for Supermarkets

Music for Supermarkets (Musique pour Supermarché) is a 1983 album of instrumental electronic music by Jean-Michel Jarre. It is notable for having only a single copy pressed, and the subsequent, deliberate destruction of its master plates, effectively making the copy unique.

Production

In 1983, Jean Michel Jarre was asked to compose the background music for a supermarket themed art exhibition, the Orrimbe show. Jarre agreed, recording Music for Supermarkets (Musique pour Supermarché) between February and May 1983. The exhibition, created by some young artists and friends of Jarre, ran at the Jean-Claude Riedel gallery between June 2 and June 30, 1983, and the works of art on display would be auctioned off afterwards. 

Inspired by this, Jarre decided that the music accompanying the exhibition could be a one-off piece of art as well, and thus, Music for Supermarkets would have only a single, unique copy pressed, to be auctioned for charity at Hotel Drouot. After the exhibition had ended, master tapes and plates were destroyed, making this the only existing copy in the world. It instantly became one of the most expensive and collectible albums in history. In the internal cover contents 11 photos polaroid that step by step showed the elaboration of the disc, leaving one slot so that the final owner placed his photo with the album. The album owner was first kept anonymous, but later revealed to be a certain M. Gerard, who after a car crash woke up to the radio playing Jarre’s track “Souvenir of China” (from the Concerts in China album), this album cost him 69,000 francs(10,500 euro). As of 2007, the album has been sold two times, and its current owner is unknown.
 

The music today

Shortly after its sale, the album was played in its full length on Radio Luxembourg. Jarre launched the album with the words “Piratez Moi!” (Pirate Me), and bootleg recordings of the radio broadcast do exist, providing us with the ability to listen to the album, although at a very poor quality (the radio station was an AM station). Some of the music, however, has been reworked into subsequent Jarre albums, so the music from the album is not completely lost for the public. The following tracks were reworked:

Music for supermarkets part 3: Used in “Fifth Rendez-vous part 3″ on “Rendez-vous” (1986).
Music for supermarkets part 5: Used in “Blah-Blah Café” on “Zoolook” (1984).
Music for supermarkets part 7: Used in the second half of “Diva” on “Zoolook” (1984).

Track listing

“Music for supermarkets part 1″ – 3:57
“Music for supermarkets part 2″ – 2:12
“Music for supermarkets part 3″ – 3:20
“Music for supermarkets part 4″ – 2:10
“Music for supermarkets part 5″ – 3:41
“Music for supermarkets part 6″ – 5:37
“Music for supermarkets part 7″ – 3:48
“Music for supermarkets part 8″ – 3:40

The above timing is approximately calculated from bootleg recordings, as the original record is not available.

Well, the Fall weather is here. There was even frost on my rooftop the other day! Burr. I’m not ready for REALLY cold temperatures, but I don’t mind it being a bit cooler. It’s raining and blowing outside and the days get darker for each day.

I wish that i could turn my diurnal rhythm to normal so that i could see the daylight, this vampire-like lifestyle is not healthy. I’m waiting for inspiration to lift myself from this vacuum and start eating food that is good for me and exercise on my bike again, i need to get into shape. But the Svinehund in me is keeping me in this lazy state of mind.

Sitting here in my loneliness like a butterfly larva longing for the summer sun…  listening to Brian Eno, this is a man that I would like to meat! I mean his genius in unparalleled. I bought his huge box-set I- Instrumental. This music i composure, perfect…

Eno’s, ambience gets me contemplating and thinking about thinking… So basically what ticks you off is not knowing a reason for living life itself.

So here I am grouching and grumping with grumbles that life is mean. Well its not all that mean, its just that I’ve lost focus or fell off track for a while there. I need to have a goal or hobby to rest for a while in that oasis where I know where I’m heading and sit down contemplating about what I’ve achieved so far, not done but achieved.

So now, as my volcano starts to reside, and as closures’ been found. I need to take on something new in my life. An oasis to rest from my daily war with life, a happy place I can be my own.

So if you do have any ideas?! Thought so, back to Eno and a hot cup of tea. [...]