The Compiled Reviews of Jliat

Jliat, the preferred nom de plume (purportedly came to him in a dream) of conceptual artist James Whitehead, is one that makes many people in the noise scene cringe with anger (especially what he calls "rebellious Americans") because of his vehement stance on the concept of anti music. Not only is he a person who has released CDs that exhibit the various different "kinds" of silence, CDs that are not only silent but will make speakers smoke if turned to high volume, classical music midi files repurposed with war sounds, a DVDr boxset of 233 discs containing in total 711 days of audio, an automated program that mimicked the effects chain that Merzbow had at the time of its creation, set to generate (and upload) 4 minutes of random noise every day without human intervention, and so forth.

He has also angered many a noise label for his opinions that devalue the concept of an artist/truth seeker/genius of present day with the resolution that we are in a post modern cesspool. To jliat, we are left with only a few outmoded post ironic creative devices set to a devalued instinct towards limp mnemonic conceptual repetition.

Paradoxically, he has been a consistent reviewer for the venerable publication Vital Weekly over the course of several years, and a shit disturber in a couple of chat forums about noise for a good while too. His reviews seem to come with the resolution that all recorded noise is basically the same (as something that communicates nothing), or it is thinly veiled music, neither of which merit a consistent level of literary acknowledgement/observation.

Instead, jliat, undoubtedly a sophisticated and well-educated man, who as a student at Falmouth School of Art crossed paths with AMM, John Cage, John Tilbury, Harrison Birtwistle, The Music Improvisation Company, and various progenitors of fluxus, electronic and tape machine workshops, etcetra etcetra, will use the admittedly open ended and unassuming medium of noise reviews to wax poetic, expounding upon various realms of art history or just seemingly belching out polysyllabic free association verbage, rather than even attempting to paint an adequate picture of what the listener might expect if she were to purchase the release in question.

With the assistance of Mr. Whitehead, and since Vital Weekly is a publication that encourages the free distribution of its contents, I present to you all or at least a great many of the reviews Jliat has done over the course of several years, in all of its dizzying and convivial, unrepentantly counter-intuitive glory (after the jump).

FLUTWACHT/PRAYING FOR OBLIVION "SPLIT" (CD by Radio Obsolete Recordings)

THE SOUNDS OF EARTH/FLUTWACHT POLTERGEIST (CD by Theremin Noise Club)

Within what is becoming apparent not what which might have been called a 'collective' within a nexus, a rhizome there is an assemblage of apparently diverse artists, 'groups', web sites loci - events, “labels” across the German continent which represents nothing more than the achievement of the enlightenment in an equality of structure form and content which should not be easily described, but which in its radical democracy presents a volume of work which is neither propaganda or industrialised output- but a comment on this- that this commentary on…. of the subjective 'spirit'…. on industrial musics should appear in the situ of both a centre of industrialisation and of an individualist romantic 'tradition' should not be surprising, as here eschewing the crass American technologies the work is set in the great traditions of the country, of Marx, Hegel, Beethoven - and Krups! It would be surely a worthwhile task to embark on an exegesis of this phenomena - though I very much doubt simple cataloguing would be possible or appropriate- to catalogue what might be superficially described in Deleuze & Guattari's terms as a schizophrenic capitalism is more likely to be a new kind of Hegelian dialectic- i.e. the very idea of "split". (jliat)

address-http://www.flutwacht.de http://www.freewebs.com/prayingforoblivion/home.html

MUTANT APE A FINE MEMENTO (CDr by Krakilsk)

“These banal objects, technological objects, virtual objects, are the new strange attractors , the new objects beyond aesthetics, transaesthetic, these fetish-objects with no signification, no illusion, no aura, no value that are the mirror of our radical disillusionment of the world.…There lies the pataphysical irony of the situation. All metaphysics is brushed aside by this reversal of the situation where the process no longer originates with the subject .. the object refracts the subject and subtly, using all our technologies, imposes its presence and its aleatory form..” this is such bad academic practice but I was almost tempted to pass of the above without reference to its subject - Jean Baudrillard - as it precisely elucidates the problematic regarding ‘noise’. It removes the problematic completely - and reverses the process - noise represents the fetishisation of music… its tones and themes and technologies both sexual and technological fetishes / bondage et al. arises from the object - of the post modern world and locates itself - creates the subject - in vast quantities - via typically the CDR - (Mutant Apes over 100 already). The review therefore must start and end in my opinion in the fetishisation of the object - brilliantly realised by Merzbow - but brilliantly realised here again. (jliat)

Address www.mutant-ape.co.uk

UIUIUI-POU - PENYYNEP AND DARUIN (Cdr by neus-318)

FUNAMAN/DARUIN SPLIT CDR (Cdr by neus-318)

HAIR PEACH - YINGFAN AND DARUIN (Cdr by neus-318)

DARUIN/ANALOG SUICIDE SPLIT CDR (Cdr by neus-318)

Sexual intercourse, it is hypothesised by evolutionary science, developed as a means of exchanging DNA code, so it’s a form of communication , I’m sure Derrida has commented on this, if not he certainly should have. Can I then provide a name for Penyynep’s Untitled track on uiuiui-pou, it’s “The digital love song of two automated water pumping stations exchanging data as to their divine love for one another.” Part 1: “Conversation” Part 2: “Excitement and lust” Part 3: “Hi Score!” Its all rather sweet and charming. Things calm down with Daruin whose minimal digital landscapes become a familiar place of drifting consciousness. I want to resist the comparisons with Zen gardens and sushi, which would be about as silly as going on about Jamaican’s natural sense of rhythm and ability at cricket. Stripped of cultural prejudices then I’m reduced to sitting in a vast digital waiting room, waiting, but knowing I’m not waiting for anything. On the funaman/Daruin split CDR there are only two tracks, familiar Daruin soundscapes populated by primitive digital animated electronic life forms. Funaman inhabits a lower order still of molecular noise, 60 or 50htz feedback, analogue glitches, squeaks, and high pitched noise stripped down to minimal blocks of about a second or so, and further split by similar spaces of near silence, structured, but more systematically than biologically as in the case of Daruin. Hair Peach begins with Yingfan taking us on a sight seeing tour of the BBC’s Radiophonic workshop in its hey-day. But it’s a breathtaking ride, no time to stretch ones legs before we are rushed off to another set of synth oscillations, static noise texture, lets see its 11.15 so this must be Stratford on Avon, or a ring modulator? So when our coach finally pulls up at Hotel Daruin the exhausted tourists can find their way to their rooms and relax in the digital bubble baths provided. The final split is between Daruin and Analog Suicide, the 3 Daruin pieces follow themes previously described, it’s with the 3 pieces from A.S. that a new problematic appears, one of historic and even cosmological significance. (In music that of rhythm.) Briefly put, synchronous Vs. asynchronous, discrete quanta Vs. a continuum. Analog Suicide is the former in both cases, laden with pulses, firmly in the modern tradition even of Stravinsky, strangely out of joint in the post modern world, which is now (of course) outside of history, time and therefore rhythm. (jliat)

Address www.neus318.com

WOLF EYES WITH JOHN WIESE EQUINOX (CD by Troniks)

I think I’m at odds with Frans regarding noise from reading his reviews of John Wiese but I’m attempting to be positive if perhaps by using oblique strategies…. And I think Brian Eno has a lot to answer for, as do The Pink Floyd - (by which I mean the Studio LP of Ummagumma in particular), that is the idea of Ambient “music” as opposed to the experimental music of say just for example The Two Virgins or Kontakte. Ambient music in the form of Equinox (Track 1) is like The Church at Laodikeia, is a light industrial looped variety - a landscape of the suburbs of a northern European town under a grey Saturday afternoon sky, its not the Rialto, or the Alhambra, or even the ruins of Hiroshima in 1945… Computers (also) have a lot to answer for, they make virtual what was once real, once physical, they remove the sacred and the profane under a surface of simulacra. Wiese remarks in an interview “If I was born 20 years earlier I probably would be doing the same thing with tape”, could he? A trade on eBay of his lap top for a couple of Revoxs would I think prove him wrong, and I’m neither being cynical or negative in this suggestion, but offer the idea that the physicality of production in art, especially this form, is, and always will be crucial. But then Track 2 appears after 5 minutes of silence (not 4:33!) to be a firework party later on that evening… ‘a field recording’ with much amusement by all, on the disk at least … (Jliat)

Address http://home.earthlink.net/~johnwiese www.wolfeyes.net

SYNOMORPH RECORDED IN HELL (CD by Apocalyptic Radio)

TZII / FLUTWACHT DEAD FLESH AND LIVING SCAR (CDR by Apocalyptic Radio)

Track 1 of Recorded in Hell has been hijacked by the 60s marimba liberation front but soon the disk is retaken by the constellation of sites and links across Germany, and Kirkel might be hell, which drift in and out of industrial landscapes and pleasant camping sites on the French border. Dark black html and 404 errors, and then a dull beat… “complete nihilism is the necessary consequence of the ideas entertained hitherto” in extreme noise… but we do not have this here- here we live in an incomplete nihilism, extreme positions are succeeded by moderate ones, nature is moral, where it should be immoral, values appear - landscapes and camping sites again, and lure the listener away from the most paralyzing idea, but though we need to think this thought in its most terrible form, here is only the age of decay, declining vitality and a superabundance of bungled experiments, which maybe is a problem for Synomorph but also for the “found objects” in TZII’s part of the CDr split - a fear of what would otherwise be a Dionysian affirmation of the world as it is, this music needs amor fati… something finally approached in Flutwacht’s contribution, but notably only in the “live” track is the terrible weight of noise and the fear of its endless repetition realised - this is the greatest weight, sensuality and cruelty, productive and destructive force as continual creation, the will to power and nothing besides - and that’s what I call noise. (jliat)

Address www.apocalyptic-radio.de

N.STRAHL.N - BROT UND LÜGEN (CDr by TOSOM)

The blurb for this CDR (along with other remarks) states "no message, no deeper meaning, no program..... just some pretty pop-muzak for the "age of bread and lies""

which is (bread & lies) a reference to some other blurb about Afghanistan. My My.. we have it seems a contradiction of sorts- surly deliberate? tongue in cheek?- lets follow this particular white rabbit and see what hole it goes down - yes we have noise musak (when i say it it kind of sounds critical) - chain clinking landscapes of rusting industrial detritus - which appears to have very little to do with the poppy fields of Afghanistan - i'm missing something - yes? Or is the whole thing a double bluff- a CIA plot to render noise a political tool of the bourgeois capitalists -oh well it always was - which the fools don’t see - far too many people listening in bedrooms - say no more. (jliat)

Address www.tosom.de

THEREMIN NOISE CLUB COMPILATION VOL 1 (CDr by Theremin Noise Club)

I don’t want to be critical of this CDr - not particularly of the participants work on this compilation - I’m forbidden - and rightly so - for listing my favourites - or creating a chart. What then is the problem - my problem? Well - its that the highly complex 'scene' or web of German industrial/noise music - (one that itself claims to be avant-garde, ambient, noise, and more) from the outsiders perspective (i.e. mine) when presented as a list - a compilation just doesn’t do in my opinion justice to that landscape - occupied - explored by the artists - the catch all “and more” allows in the acoustic guitar, forbidden planet noodlings and harsher noise - but again listed like this it seems wholly inappropriate as I sit here navigating the various web sites which maps this art form. I’ve said elsewhere this strikes me as a schizophrenic art form - as opposed to the paranoia of modernity at the end of the 20th centaury, and such an oeuvre represents faithfully that cliché known as post-modernity. Schizophrenia is the post-modern condition and as such this compilation might have been better ‘performed’ as some kind of ‘split screen’ simultaneous ‘event’? (jliat)

Address http://www.8ung.at/tnc/

FLUTWACHT/PRAYING FOR OBLIVION "SPLIT" (CD by Radio Obsolete Recordings)

THE SOUNDS OF EARTH/FLUTWACHT POLTERGEIST (CD by Theremin Noise Club)

FLUTWACHT + KADAVER (3inch CDR on Nervous Nurse)

KALIBER 9 - Defloration (CDR on Nervous Nurse)

STAPLERFAHRER / VINCENZO BOSSI (CDR on Nervous Nurse)

I do my research, listen carefully to the pieces and try to - for instance - try to what just exactly regarding the above - FLUTWACHT + KADAVER 3" split CDr is rather gentle ambient deep drones / reverb / echo - washes - KALIBER 9 - Defloration - somewhat too Hollywood for noise or even industrial unlike the excellent STAPLERFAHRER / VINCENZO BOSSI live split which exemplifies the industrial / noise genre…this is perhaps what I should write - or not …<del> <del> <del> I read constantly similar reviews - contextually we could almost be discussing Robbie Williams - or Robin Williams…given Zolotov’s manifesto - (any bet its not!) I’d do better posting spam-Stable Company! Fueled by the possibility of an upcoming merger, Wild Brush Energy (WBRS) is gearing up for an explosion. Is noise meant to be listened to just like anything else? If not what then do we do- this is the problem. If as it poses - in Zolotov’s manifesto that there is - a difference -“ This is NOT art nor music.” - then what should we do with it and how should we respond? On the one hand we ignore the text/context and listen to it much the same as Mantovani - or do we attempt to engage in the context- perhaps - Now anyone feeling that this would avoid listening to *what is there* is surely in Zolotov’s naïve terms wrong- moreover such an understanding would regard listening as an attempt to regain a presence which is absent - an absurd impossibility as is the manufacturing of some transcendental presence. We are not so stupid as the dog on the HMV label . So we are not listening to what is there - or are we listening to anything else - the problem of listening qua noise is critically just this, this is the ontology of noise- the ‘question of listening’ and not the canine/inane act of dodgy/doggy listening... (jliat)

Address www.nervousnurse.net.tc

THE RITA - THOUSANDS OF DEAD GODS (CD by PACRec)

There is an alternative aesthetic which to use a far too simplistic metaphor runs like a mirror image to the one one sees or that is placed in front of one in everyday life. Here terms like ‘progress’, ‘harmony’, ‘tradition’, ‘form’ , ‘idea’, ‘content’, ‘purpose’, ‘terrorist, ‘fanatic’, ‘patriot’, ‘religious’, ‘materialist atheist’, ‘existentialist’ are all deconstructed in aporia, in the aporia of works such as the one titled above. This is an aesthetic of the Pharmakon, the remedy is a drug, a poison, and so in this difficult review (to write?) written language both denies presence and gives the metaphysics of a transcendental presence… it is to say (clearly) only in and with the legacy of such ideas that I can express, recount- re count? the experience of this work…. Re Count (to you) (an impossibility- yet that’s what this is) “This scission, this opening, this appearance of appearing through which the present seems to free itself from the textual machine (“history,” numbers, topology, dissemination, etc.) in fact denounces itself at every moment” To borrow - or better steal others words as how can I give them back? This then is it not a counting of a Thousands of Dead Gods. Excellent. (Jliat)

Address www.iheartnoise.com

DOUBLED YELLOW SWANS GLOBAL CLONE (CD PACRec)

5 tracks from cassettes of GMS (Gabriel Mindel Saloman) and Pete Swanson. Pieces - notably parts of track 2 and 4 bear all the hallmarks of live improv jazz, and hallmark is an apt word here as I think it qualifies the material from the more noise based work which at times relies too much on the Monosodium glutamate of electronics, that is reverb and echo. There are the pulses and swathes of feedback etc. but where things get exciting, and I think improv has this opportunity, is where the two improvise dynamically with each other and their sound sources. And yet here is another problem, a solo improvisation is very much inward looking, which focuses on the envelope of the particular instrument, Fahey, Bailey rather than Merzbow who fries other fish, but when we have ensemble work I think a duo is insufficient to produce the kind of interaction which can maintain an interesting collaboration. Doubled Yellow Swans seem at times over stretched and a “doubling” - the addition of more members might make all the difference. One last thought as I’m giving advice, I’d not only like to hear a larger group doing the kind of things the current line up do well, but what of trying to work with home made acoustic instruments, and here I’m thinking of the kind of things Harry Partch created? Now that would be interesting. (Jliat)

Address www.iheartnoise.com

KAZUYA ISHIGAMI DARUIN PAST MEDLEY VOLS 1-5 (CDR NEUS-318)

A collection of CDRs of tracks from previous works by Kazuya Ishigami (A.K.A. Daruin). Kazuya Ishigami has studied electronic music at The Osaka University of Arts under the tutorage of Satoshi Shimura and Kazuo Uehara. On his label (NEUS-318) he releases his own work together with other material of graduates from the Osaka Music Engineering Degree course. Briefly within the space of a limited review we have fairly conventional disks containing tracks of electronic and processed field recordings and though I don’t think they break new ground they are delicate constructions carefully and intelligently worked. They are not emotional outbursts of an uncontrolled and perhaps naïve psychi but a rhythmically biased abstract synthesis of sound and texture. They make for refined listening for anyone used to the more visceral noise works from Japan, who might find them overtly academic works. Perhaps we have at Osaka a contemporary Bauhaus for sound art, and anyone who appreciates the abstractions which the Bauhaus produced should relate well to this work. One of the problems with many in the west who work with sound art (for want of a better title) is the lack of provision for its study. If Past Medley represents the consequences of the serious academic study within a department focused on that, and not some fringe activity bolted onto a fine art course, then Ishigami together with The Osaka University of Arts should be praised and used as a model for curriculum designers if not in the west in general then certainly in the UK. (Jliat)

Adress www.neus318.com www.osaka-geidai.ac.jp/geidai/english/index.html

A PURPOSE NOT NECESSARY - BLACK LEATHER JESUS / INCAPACITANTS (CD by Dadadrumming)

LOVE INTERUPTS - A DADA DRUMMING SAMPLER (CD by Dadadrumming)

Beware the Jubjub bird and anything that uses a fade! The incapacitants came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as they came! As I said to frans my beamish boy! Not all noise is the same ... Black Leather Jesus have the jaws that bite, the claws that catch! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! I chortled in my joy but incapacitants were all mimsy with feedback in the borogoves, and sounded like the mome raths outgrabe. Love Interrupts has 22 tracks by various artists working, loosely in some cases, within the genre of noise and the difficulty of reviewing this is similar to those selection boxes of biscuits you get at Christmas, I only found a couple of chocolate bourbons with the custard cremes, cherry points, priest in shit and chocolate digestives. Well maybe this CD would make a good Christmas stocking filler for a favourite nephew or aunt? Joshua or Rita? (jliat)

Address www.dadadrumming.org

PILGRIMAGE OF SOUND 2

ABHORANCE - KAZUYA ISHIGAMI (CDR by NEUS-318)

IN A PAST GLORY - GROYXO (CDR by NEUS-318)

Kazuya Ishigami has created a digital reconstruction of primordial life, within warm Permian Seas and on its sandy shores the delicately evolving insect like life appears before the rise of the amphibians, lizards, and mammals who will finally destroy the now new and beautiful ecosystem. In this digital world life forms are simple short lived delicately coloured experiments, a world before the rise and the march of the symphonic monsters, bone crunching rhythms and final cacophony of modernity.

The editing of Master Toru Kai of the two short pieces,12 and 10 minutes, on “In a Past Glory”, is respectful: courteous: the left and right stereo images of white noise and human screams are shifted, cut, and folded, it is then not yet black noise, it is brown noise. However any rhythm or temporal regularity that may appear to us as accidental rather than programmed, any hallucination of western order in the apparent entropy of sound is mistaken by that western audience and its preconceptions of what is an non occidental formalism which only the naive reviewer such as myself would attempt to describe, or elucidate. There is no room here for our chaos as it lacks our history, which marks a fundamental difference between the noise works of the West and those of Japan. (jliat)

Address www.neus318.com

DAMION ROMERO - NEGATIVE (CD by PACRec)

ENVENOMIST - ABYSSAL SIEGE (CD by PACRec)

ROMAN TORMENT - SKIN GAME (CD by PACRec) What is the noise project, what is the genre and how can it be distinguished and evaluated? Or is it just a collective for an ill defined project, or not a project at all. Do we even want one, I think we do in order to facilitate a critical dialogue with the art form? but these three Pacrec releases only serve to confuse the issue. Damion Romero?s Negative reminds me of Tarkovsky?s Stalker, it?s a fine work, it has all the feeling of a post-industrial wasteland, unbelievable and supernatural urban deserts of wrecked rooms, the idea of an hallucinatory salvation where such landscapes become mindscapes. It?s both desolate, and poignant, and like the film excellent work. But it doesn?t relate to an abstract form which delineates noise from experimental music in general, so I wouldn?t place it within the genre. Now keeping to our movie analogy, Envenomist?s Abyssal Siege with its synth pads isn?t Noise, isn?t Fireball XL5, or Star Trek but perhaps Space Patrol. Only with Roman Torment do we arrive at something which can be critically evaluated within the idea of a noise genre, that is - abstract sound centred on white/brown/black noise & feedback which has a clearly defined (even scientific criteria) - of a ?clearly? defined quality. Skin Game represents a definitive statement of abstract sound- its based directly within the contexts and form of a definitive noise work and within the analogous context of film then it must be Die Hard! And a serious comparison is possible here between the two as both exhibit a clear archetypal exegesis of their art form, and the range of nuances, possibilities, aesthetics within it. (Jliat)

Address www.iheartnoise.com

SHIFTS BRANCHES (CD By taalem)

Derrida’s idea that the “semantic horizon which habitually governs the notion of communication is exceeded or punctured by the intervention of writing…” which “..does not give rise to a hermeneutic deciphering”…. is key to understanding the difficulty of locating the ‘drone’ within the idea of music which is “western” – i.e. teleological, which is written contra the arguments given in S.E.C. And though we have passed through such a teleological epoch we are only now in the light of post modernism reconsidering the alternatives, i.e. ‘turtles all the way down’.. the eternal return of the same… and alternative mythologies – Buddhist, Jain, Hindu .. even Wagnerian prior to Parsifal... And so this ‘music’ is open to the critique of those who wish to enforce a teleology upon us. (And the usual ploy of levelling ethnocentric critiques on musics which are not part of this great tradition of the west! – and its teleological meta-narrative – i.e. Christian / Jewish / Islamic / Marxist) This piece avoids the latter critique, its very Conrad-esq beginning locates it within modern western culture despite its use of the de-tuned string instrument. Its development, and that’s a very dangerous word to use here, is something subtle – it does not so much hide the development but points towards a cyclic anti hermeneutic work – and this is perhaps my only ‘valid’ point of criticism of this otherwise excellent work, and maybe not that valid – but given a piece of music (normally) has to be temporally located this provides an obvious challenge to the drone work – (unless repeat play is used) – maybe via an mp3 disk this temporality could be extended but never breached, but this is not a significant philosophical challenge to the drone work as its not surprising that our technology supports the western idea of a teleological universe even though there is a likely alternative – eight track tape as the anti-Christ! (jliat)

Address http://www.taalem.com

MERZBOW BLOODY SEA (STOP WHALING) (CD by VIVO)

This is a time where external events slide by as glib advertisements, as Baudrillard remarked – there was no gulf war. We only had signifiers…there was no signified - by which I mean can anyone say why we went to war – without even declaring a war? The politician/corporate executive via overwhelming technological power, media subversion and staggering wealth is able to inflict devastation on a global scale. All of their actions in reality are destructive of life, truth and morality. Their texts, their whole culture – justifications, motivations, philosophies even! are only placed to take our attention away from their actual actions. A farmer through the sights of an infra red missile is a terrorist, humans and animals are political-exploitative opportunities and media foci – not anymore even useful commodities, third world famine an opportunity to not feed the world, but feed the pockets and egos of pseudo-political media personalities.. (and Noise is the nihilistic rejection of all this..) We have come along way from Gericault’s raft of the medusa, we have even come along way from Gurnica and the ambiguity of The Weeping Woman– or the blatant hiding of the horrors of 1914-18 through a screen of an iridescent mist of water lilies. It was the artist Schwiiters and now his Japanese doppelganger who refused both the exploitation of inhumanity, or a refusal to acknowledge it in an art as opium for the people. After all people are not treated by Merzbow as sheep –but as free moral agents with which the artist can engage in a dialogue, in which the artist’s work is more than an opiate or merchandizing opportunity but a commitment to the idea of community which has to engage in ethical frameworks of cooperation and consideration of all life. Art cannot divorce itself from morality for as Wittgenstein stated- ethics and aesthetics are one and the same. (jliat)

Address www.merzbow.net campaign www.australiansforanimals.org

ROEL MEELKOP 1(HOUR AS GOD'S GIFT GETTING STUCK IN YOUR GIZZARD) (Cdr by Audiobot)

STARVING WEIRDOS WITH ALL THE HUES OF THE RAINBOW (CDr by Robo Records)

The signified is never revealed (This is the great myth of the enlightenment - the hunting of the Snark) it always escapes, "Writing is read, and "in the last analysis" does not give rise to a hermeneutic deciphering, to the decoding of a meaning or truth." Starving Weirdos (unfortunately) still appear to be located in the great meta narrative of experimentation, an attempt at truth, located within the framework of late modernism - which of course is 'improv'. Their 'music' is good at what it attempts, a transcendental signified, as far as we realise the programme ended awhile ago - improv aimed at pushing envelopes, had structure, meaning direction... Roel Meelkop demonstrates the failure of all such programmes, meta narratives... mythologies in an hour of noise originally broadcast on resonance FM. Not that noise is not music, not signification, as a denial noise would engage in a dialectic with music, and those who think it might reveal in such a dialectic a new synthesis are mistaken. (Roel Meelkop's) Noise is not empty of music or feeling, but is full, a plenum - so cant expand, progress... oppose, it has captured all meaning, all possible signification, an endless signification where food can be fashion, can be art, Noise a priori supersizes everything. (jliat)

Address www.freaksendfuture.com

JLIAT NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL NOISE VOL 1 (CDr by The Larks Council of England)

This is a badly made, badly recorded, badly thought out, badly produced , directed, designed pastiche of a pastiche. Its handfistedness belies its naivety, it’s a little like those Xeroxed pornographic jokes which are faxed around offices, but not so funny. Lacking in any quality but banality - suppose - but even this is difficult to find- the poverty of material - both literal - the self made badly copied sleeve, the re-cycled CDr and the 8 tracks of re-cycled noise thereon - even a poor 30+ minutes - (perhaps it was intended for 8 track?) It attacks strawmen and commits all the other grammatical faux-pas it can manage- lame - but so lame that not even an appeal to post-modernity’s learning from las Vegas can help it. (jliat)

Address www.jliat.com/ntwicn/ntwicn.html

FRANCISCO MEIRINO / TIM OLIVE EAGLE KEYS (CD by Evenstilte)

V/A NO NOISE (CD by Evenstilte)

Grazing contact microphones raise their heads as the passing linesman for the county hums, - but not a tune to be heard across the 50htz field, along the shore line feeding pnp transistors dart in and out of the pink sea which is about to set. Crabs of corrugated mental crawl over rocks which do not rock, silica seaweed twitches, the sun comes up like thunder over a vibraphone escarpment which might be fusing the lights... this is the music of A Thousand Years 1990 Steel, glass, flies, maggots, MDF, insect-o-cutor, cow's head, sugar, water.... This is the music of Francisco Meirino (Computer & Acoustics ) who has collaborated with aritsts such as : Dave Phillips, Brent Gutzeit, Tim Olive (of course), Sickness, Guilty Connector, Cindy Van Acker, Manon Bellet, Filippo Leonardi, Takashi Tsuda, Kasper T. Toeplitz ... (That’s 12?) and many more. And performed in Cities such as : Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo, Kobe, Osaka, Geneva, Zurich, Barcelona, Valencia, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Paris, Marseille, and many more - and - Tim Olive - Electric Bass .. who has made recordings with Phroq, (of course) Supernatural Hot Rug And Not Used (Nisikawa Bunsho), Jeff Allport, Fritz Welch, Nimrod, Soap-Jo Henshi. (is this 6?) and live action in Europe, Japan, North America with the Phroq(!) and Otomo Yoshihide, Martin Tetreault and many others. On the other CD we have even more friends - as it’s a compilation! -10 tracks of various artists who collectively spiral around more electronic noodlings with ‘surprising’ ingredients, like Myspace pages which are all different, and surprising, yet all feel the same, animated gifs and smart stuff, yo’s and respects from friends (again!), like the MacList menu which itemizes differences which are safely all the same, ultimate choice, ultimate selection, and ultimate security in the universality of life... Even Stilte's Friend Space Even Stilte has 65 friends…. Gangpol & Mit … norman bambi.. Dave Phillips, Dustbreeders , Junko et al all have 1,789 thousand friends. (jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/evenstilte

POOCHLATZ THANKS FOR GIVING IN (CDr by Something on the Road)

POOCHLATZ VICTIMS OF SELF PRESERVATION (CD by Heart & Crossbone)

IRONING / GAYBOMB YOUR OXEN HAVE DROWNED / SCRATCH (12inch vinyl by hymn)

DEAD VAGINA / GAYBOMB SPLIT (CDr by hymn)

"Thanks for Giving in" recorded when opening to the Grave Temple Trio- noise improv and distorted vocals and “Victims Of Self Preservation” - this time adding Hebrew vocals to “noise” from Poochlatz (i wont say what its translation is)....*is* influenced by a swathe of artists... **is** (apart from a biography) a difficult review for a number of reasons which I may well conceal. Firstly how can an Israeli group slaughter a 'holy cow', surely a more 'iconoclastic' event would be a cover of a Pinky and Perky number...or a cover of Jake and Dinos Chapman's Dead and Zygotic Acceleration, Biogenetic, De-Sublimated Libidinal Model (Enlarged x 1000)..... I'm trying to be ironic as its long been the case that harsh (or not so harsh) noise's political content is only ever ironic, and the overspritualised content of noise like that of the NGO might be serious but is miss-directed - and I thought there were dangers where ideology still runs down streets or flies into buildings, where folks were unaffected by the genealogy of morals and KFC, but I was wrong. So what are we? to make of 'Victims of self preservation's' long Hebrew wailings? influenced by pre-packed sushi from Japan - or a smorgasbord from Norway!... influence is naive - and smells of colonialism -The cradle of authenticity has shed its skin and created its blog, pictured on youtube - however the problem lies in the very sincerity of such acts and attractors- its simply not bad enough - weak enough…. hell it (almost) has a manifesto! - It's left to the Americans to provide an answer- to show how post-nihilistic culture sounds - cleverly and ridiculously recorded on Micro cassette and Mini DVD, Ironing and Gaybomb's Vinyl, and Dead Vaginas concert piece are perfect, resolve all the issues of a culture which lacks any depth in the detritus of their work... Dead Vagina's live at Lenny's is cocktail bar music with a no input mixer! - it defies a genre- gaybomb loops drumming and screams on CDr and Vinyl - while Ironing's single LP track (Your Oxen Have Drowned - analogue feedback hipity hopity )-is just a mess...The Americans present something which is like sifting through a landfill site of waste, half eaten pizzas and plastic dolls, plastic wrappers and pig offal, we listen like modern archaeologists to the actuality of now, dead waste and rotting food, broken electrical appliances and vomit... blandly, ever so blandly rolling over pop magazines, torn children's clothes and garden waste, egg shells and hedge clippings - empty beer cans, cigarette ash coffee grounds and junk mail. superb! (jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/poochlatz

Address www.myspace.com/hymnslabel

FILTHY TURD SCHOOLGIRLS IN CHAINS (CDr by CutHands)

LOVELETTERS DOKE SMOPE (CDr by CutHands)

Schoolgirls in chains begins with strange digital intro then some very quiet and looped recordings from what could be a very gentle s&m movie (which is not particularly what one might expect from visiting http:/ /profile.myspace.com/ index.cfm?fuseaction=user. viewprofile&friendID = 77003272 where we get visceral noise feedback and mimed Sadeian activities with various electronica) - and the occasional coughing laughter and music band practice - again field recorded in an “actual” girls school - but processed and looped… which is further repeated with more processing to the point of disappearance and distortion - I think the cdr attempts a purely audible representation of such antics on myspace and with its breaks and glitches perhaps manages the trick - however cerebral that might be? The repeated band practice gets rather cloying as the ‘idea’ is pummelled into ones consciousness - but mutilation of an audio track is not the same as raw meat - as Frans pointed out (vital weekly 514) the difficulties or perhaps the Nietzschean nature of noise is it inability to progress, this represents perhaps an attempt at such, but fails in its nihilism light to over come the greatest of weights- one begins to wonder if the excrement covered body on the myspace videos is not in fact real but max factor? Whatever (my favourite new phrase) progress is not to be found in noise- which is why noise is firmly at the centre of post-modernity - and so like Disney Land incapable of evolution or real sex. Whereas with Loveletters Doke Smope despite the packaging which didn’t bode well (unlike F.T.’s) what begins with cut up noise collage of feedback / loops and such slowly over 4 tracks engulfs the audio spectrum, there is some discernable but minimal guitar, percussion, and speech in parts, but the disc stands out in both the intensity and clarity of its production, its both harsh and interesting with finer filigrees of high and low pitches- not the raging pornography of merzbow - but certainly ritualistic and totemistic in terms of sound to give it the credentials of a schoolgirl striptease act. (jliat)

Address www.cuthands.net

WETHER SKIN ATONEMENT (3” CDr by Hymn)

ZAÏMPH EMBLEM (CDr - no label given)

Or is it Hymns - checking - Hymns - my mistake then… Whether - AKA -checking - mike haley - (I seem to have won a free mobile phone) (myspace!) has very many releases on cassette (god what a boring introduction to a review) - and appears to now be moving to mini cdr - such is progress - no longer can we get super 8 film processed - and my biggest regret is the passing of flexi disks which I cant help thinking would be an ideal medium for mike and his myspace chums. (there were loads of these made by illegal pressing plants in the old soviet block - all sadly gone - unless anyone reading this knows otherwise - please let me know - sorry frans - I digress again!) If I am forced to give opinion - all right no force needed - this perhaps would be better on cassette, its noise is vaguely nostalgic, reverby, short tracks and then for no reason a long end track, the small size of the disk lacks presence as do the tracks themselves. Which becomes a theme as we move on.. Emblem’s Minimal packaging - silver on black and minimal information- seems ZAÏMPH is Marcia Bassett of Double Leopards et al. - a drone pulse for track one then a more pulseless drone - hashish music? - whatever (that word again) for the second and last track sounds like FM synthesis someone used to make - with third world horn/flute…but I think its guitar? - again its all very nostalgic and depressing for me - those long lost nights…. Bassett seems to be heading away from noise back to some 60s dream house - is this some denial of 911 and the current situation - lets nuke iran (and any other nation beginning with I - iceland?) - I suppose it could represent a sexual experience encountered by Odysseus - not the Lotus-Eaters not the sirens gently singing but the spell of the nymph Calypso… we need daylight! I find with different reasons both of these disks difficult to review, like an old family photo album, some times, good things in their own way - but something I’ve passed on from - I cant even string a sentence - these could be played on BBC Radio 3s night waves - is that bad or good? Let the dead bury the dead. (jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/hymnslabel Jack Jack and De Wandelende Feedback Law & Order (CDR by De Hondenkoekjesfabriek) Scratchtickzzoooomrumblerumbleclickclickzipclickziptearscreamsquealsquealdoomchackchackbangweeeeeeeweepbahbahbahbooooooowharumbleclickclockclickburpburpbhaaaablapblipblipquackquacksqeeeek…. Strange CDR in DVD case of 13 tracks from a duo who are very difficult to track down (pun intended) but a previous review of their release (VW514) describes these as “ rhythmic beating on a contact microphone, looping into feedback, the softly arising sound of feedback, the collage/cut-up approach” - true - but I think it misses the amusing biology of these pieces - all about 2 or so minutes long - and though analog - many having the sounds of animals - clue is in the tracks names also - e.g. “Stop sticking needles in my bird you pervert!”…. squeeksqeeeeekcrawcrawzipboingboingboingcrawcrawcrawsqubblesqible…

Some kind of attempted composition, AKA dialects of noise squeals of sometimes amusing animal grunts… in some kind of pre seminal Paul Klee landscape?.. an analogue zoomorphism playing with the stereo fields and chattering… ziiipzipblaweeeeee - a delicate musical joke? Like letting off indoor fireworks when drunk on vodka? (jliat)

Address [email protected]

JARROD FOWLER DISTRIBUTION AS RHYTHM KENNETH GOLDSMITH SINGS(Cdr by JF)

JARROD FOWLER DISTRIBUTION AS RHYTHM BRANDON LABELLE - MUSIC AND ITS DOUBLE (Cdr by JF)

JARROD FOWLER DISTRIBUTION AS RHYTHM JAY DEE DILL PICKS (Cdr by JF)

JARROD FOWLER DISTRIBUTION AS RHYTHM BEATS & DRONESA COMPILATION FEATURING SCUTOPUS & DURLIN LURT + OSCAR P. MCCLURE (Cdr by JF)

I should say to start I think the titles above hint at this review being effaced from the obvious titles to a more subtle signification implicit in the “meta” work that’s going on here. And so the review itself steps into the very dangerous stream of the metaphysic…Lamenting the passing away of SoLewit who famously explored the nature of conceptual art - and his definitions- though his work was more minimal - “Jarrod Fowler is a Conceptual Artist.” This statement opens up the review - its subject - (once removed - perhaps then not obvious) Having said that, he is not working within a particularly well defined sub-genre, but one perhaps one of his own creation- so whilst we might refer to the “idea” as dissemination there is more a link to Marxist/Smithian dialecticism than any overt reflections on “continental” philosophy. The releases are as distribution as rhythm, so I’m not talking about these as such, as anything internal or external signified, interesting as they are, but the ideas of distribution which relates not only specifically, and more and more ironically to the “recording industry” but to our post-fordist consumerist society in general - which aesthetically I have argued is both rejected and critiqued by “noise”. It is here parodied in the Duchampian sense of ‘presenting’ a readymade at base, but extends this into a meta-analysis - as rhythm - of the holistic process in which we find ourselves. The range of questions are both generalised, and also can be radically focused in the current i-(fill in the blank) zeitgeist. If the medium is no longer the message then perhaps it’s the product and its distribution. But the product itself is void - branding has become everything - (“Jarrod Fowler is a Conceptual Artist.”) - the content in this new meta-society of individual receptors has therefore to be on one level completely opaque - witnessed by the impossibility of rendering a playing within ones lifetime of the mp3 catalogue - this is the Tristram Shandy of post-modernity. (jliat)

Address www.jarrodfowler.com

SEWER ELECTRON SEX/DEATH (CD by PACrec)

GOVERNMENT ALPHA VENOMOUS CUMULUS CLOUD (CD by PACrec)

TOTAL SLITING OF THOATS AN HNW AUDBLE MANIFESTO Feat. THE CHERRY POINT, MANIA, THE RITA, SEWER ELECTRON, TREIKSROSET (CD by PACrec)

In a recent exchange the ‘value’ of such phenomena as Myspace and Youtube was debated, in which I sort to point out their contradictory natures - in being both democratic and so ‘good’ in a modernist sense - yet lacking any objectivity and so ‘bad’ in a modernist sense. Now I see I’ve placed myself in a very arrogant position - to give such a metaphysics, but looking down from such a height (which may well be illusory) how does this landscape appear. Certainly it lacks hierarchy, structure, teleology, and ignoring each individual facet - from here each person is simply a binary digit, what can be seen, or heard would appear as noise, not randomly even, but not coherent. Now what I’ve just described is interesting because it is an almost precise review of these three releases from Pacrec. The logic of statistics dictates clustering and that’s what we hear in the Sewer Electron CD (typically a re-release of cassette material - new to VW - is Dan Johansson from sweden - I could find very little Bio..), and also in Government Alpha’s (AKA “Yasutoshi Yoshida one of the hottest and harshest of the young Japanese artists looking to fill the shoes of the old-timers like Hijokaidan, Merzbow”!) six tracks, of more clustered and splintered sounds, we get ‘close’ in a very venal way to the guts of noise and sex and death of it, with the Swedish ensemble, as opposed to GA’s lyricism! - (they both make splendid listening - though I prefer SD to GA) Total Slitting of Throats as the name suggests is more ‘totalising’, its (Sam McKinlay of The Rita) taken the already metaphysic noise of The Cherry Point et al and viewed this landscape as a whole tract of wasteland of 60 + minutes, no longer form but a disintegration, and integration of the binary swarms of noise. So Finally returning to arrogance, I did when I began reviewing for VW question the blood and gore aspect of some of noise releases - particularly Pacrec, I was wrong, this is necessitated by the very arrogant stance of noise and noise artists, producers and labels, justified in its aristocratic removal from (moral) values and lofty disdain. As I said elsewhere, they represent the vampire, not the rabble who want to burn their castle down. Dangerous stuff?(jliat)

Address www.iheartnoise.com

MIXTURIZER + PHIL TARR & FRIENDS COLLABORATION CDR (CDr by R.O.N.F.

Firstly the R.O.N.F. records site has a very useful database of its roster, Mixurizer is from Spain – Manuel M. Cubas and Phil Tar guitar player of the abusive stepdads- from Sydney Nova Scotia, whose message is his disgust for some states within the human condition, why I think only some states, though it’s a sunny June day in the English countryside, birdsong, bees, and of course before you forget a Blackhawk helicopter on some training mission, England’s green a pleasant land is used as a training ground for – I would say our armed forces – but mostly the USAF, so I’m finding it hard to find any part of the human condition worthwhile, this is probably not the screaming noise and I think very abusive language, oscillator feedback sweeps and improv noise shriek, but the total nausea of the moment, is it the history or the remains of the alcohol which makes one sympathetic with Phil’s sentiment. If anything I’d swap the 40 minutes noise fest for a stinger missile anytime.(jliat)

address www.ronfrecords.com

MASONIC YOUTH SLOP CAKE SPLIT (CDr by De Hondenkoekjesfabriek)

FCKN’BSTRDS RANCID SHIT WANK SPLIT (CDr by De Hondenkoekjesfabriek)

A strange note inscribed with pencil for frans accompanied these two split Cdrs, the text very runic and difficult to read, the label even more – but here goes - so de HONDENKOEKJESFABRIEK ? Masonic Youth (= honden??lys project) and Slopcake (wheelchair full of old men project USA) very much the Tibetan signing kind of thing & occultism from Masonic Youth, more techno noise twittering from Slop Cake. Well this reviewer found the password to M.Ys website – see VW532, and remember the number of the beast…though I’m not supposed to give out this information, BTW it’s the police inspector in The Mousetrap… as for who killed Kennedy and Lady Diana – I’d want cash for that kind of information. Rancid shitwank (according to Marc Van Helburg’s note – an Australische Act?) start with a silly little tune, then whole thing stops and we are into track 2 – screams, noise, that shortwave radio kind of stuff, and crazy synths…. And screaming like the first exorcist film…there are 18 tracks from R.S. and 5 from the F.Bs, the latter still into noise and screams – though decidedly different, almost gentler, although that doesn’t seem an appropriate word to use, some mucking about with playback speeds of voices, a popsong etc etc.. It sounds disgusting and apparently is even more so live – you know that bit in Event Horizon – well lots of bits… so I must admit to enjoying this spilt more than the other, whose sound is too cinemagraphic for me. So de Hondamotorbikething are to be thanked for entertaining this sullen Englishman, well done! (jliat)

HAIR POLICE THE EMPTY QUARTER (CD by Harbinger Sound)

A digipack CD of industrial noise from ‘Mike Connelly (Wolf Eyes), Trevor Tremaine (Death Unit) and Robert Beatty (Burning Star Core)’…. is certainly not in the same territory as the other Harbinger Sound release I’ve just reviewed… though the first tracks are ‘noisy’ dull throbbings (er yes - perhaps a tip of the hat here?) and some higher pitched work latter on- the processing and use of echo, the gradual layering of textures as opposed to the totality of violence in more harsh noiseworks puts this Cd in an ambivalent position, neither slower and sinister or faster and more obviously violent… until the last droney track fades away…. Like the digipack in monotone its strangely out of place and out of joint… but not in the sense of Hamlet… it appears however spectreish enough to evoke 70s and 80s experimentalisms and gothic landscapes, and if that is what it intended it does this well, but lacking in any irony, or maybe I’ve missed that. Ultimately then - well not ultimate but strangely nostalgic - though I’d rather not go back there… its good at last to be that “21st centaury schizoid man”(jliat)

Address www.harbingersound.org

NOISE CONCRETE KONTONBOY (CDr by Government Thirteen/Deserted Factory)

BARDOSENETICCUBE LORD OF LIGHT (CDr by /Deserted Factory)

BARDOSENETICCUBE SATURN WIND (CDr by /Deserted Factory)

RECANT SPIROCHETE FEVER (CDr by /Deserted Factory)

We begin- 7 tracks all untitled… with very little information – and short pieces – but raw(ish) noise from Japan – contrasted by three CDs whose genre might be called industrial, experimental…’Bardoseneticcube was formed in summer 1998 by Igor Potsukailo and Sergey Matveev …. The most precise definition of their music is surrealism’… Recant formed in San Diego CA … and as it said somewhere on the net they use voice, sax and other assorted devices… that’s the easy part. Noise Concrete’s noise is not as pure and crushing as the Pain Jerk/ Weise ubber-piece of the other week – it had some tortured vocals and noodlesques about its short 7 tracks, perhaps its trying to say something- perhaps it shouldn’t, perhaps its pushing noise into music concrete like it says on the tin. In doing this I think it makes an error – any deviation or movement is automatically appropriated by “them”, “they”, “it”…. Take surrealism – the Dali worlds are all over the place – so why the interest in it by what must pass as fringe groups, outsider art, hell – avant garde- and what do I mean…. If you have MS Word – Format – Font – Text effects – (choose any but I have marching red ants and shimmer) – MS Surrealism – built into Word and just as useful as a melted watch. If these people – and I’m grouping the whole 4 together here- are re-appropriating past isms, genres then they do need to be careful – of seeming like tribute bands to western civilization T.M. Is there anything wrong with this – Noasis after all sounds very P.M. But the Glen Miller Orchestra continued long after the man died… I have found the success at overcoming this – is to do nothing- now immediately the danger of 4’32” looms – and its not good enough to simply pass oneself of as Jane Cage…. Even as a drag queen….but its maybe not surprising that the violence of Japanese Harsh Noise could lie in their long tradition of doing nothing – violently. Please understand the 3 Industrial / gothic Cds have at times ethereal and filmatic sequences, glimpses of improv, which for all I know may be ironic, but in the form of such media the effect can get lost, like you don’t see any marching ants in this text do you? One – well I for myself want to distance myself – mentally and physically from the totalisation of modernity – even the seven seven bombers went white water rafting as some kind of team bonding – just like Microsoft execs do – very surreal (jliat)

Address www.desertedfactory.com

PAIN JERK & JOHN WEISE TERRAZZO (CD by Harbinger)

This review is dedicated to ‘Dave’ at Halfords (car accessory and cycle retailer) an assistant who recently spent an hour fitting a CD player into my car, (normal time 2-3 minutes) - during which time he disassembled the old radio cassette and in doing so nearly pushed a Philips screw driver through his right thigh – his left thigh and the passenger seat. The cd player was fitted twice, once we decided that a 10% angle though looking attractive was not the correct position for the player- each time Dave handling it like it was some kind of snake that he had to crush with his own hands or else stab to death with his screwdriver… screws and brackets would fly around the car… in all the excitement he also forgot to charge for the fitting – a piece of performance art in its own right - this was the first good thing to arrive out of the “event” - and the day – the second was playing this CD. Though Dave wasn’t at all impressed at the sound as I drove off, for me Terrazzo made the wait and the performance of Dave the fitter worthwhile. Do I need to list the background credentials of the collaborators John Weise- Bastard Noise, and Kohei Gomi aka Pain Jerk…. Actually no - this recording is simply in a different league, its beautifully constructed noise work, changing in dynamics, bass and treble white noise and feedback, sheer brilliance of sound and construction, an absolute classic of the genre, and you should just have seen the expression on the face of some youth playing his rap music at the traffic lights on the way home -‘ just what was that old guy in the crappy micra playing!!!!!’ So the wait - Dave’s performance and the cost of my new Kenwood(t.m.) player was well worth it, what a wonderful day…. (jliat)

Address www.harbingersound.org

KING RAZOR POSSET SPLIT SERIES #1 (CDr by Dirtydemos)

JOE+N HEAD COLD (3inch CDr by Dirtydemos)

Another “split” series - well at least its not a comp of 55 various artists -

And tricky - King Razor sounded like the spin up and down of the Cdr in the computer… with some domestic background noise and a thumping sound - the thing winds down to an eventual stop and the track is over, prompting me to think maybe there is something wrong with this P.C. - have I been listening to the CDr player break… Posset promises to be a tasty dish of heavy analogue noise - but all I’m getting is silence and an egg timer. A quick save and then investigation. On the Walkman King Razor has obviously got an auto panner.. its very minimal various hums and glitches - and yes the spin up and down sound was down to this Fujitsu Siemens and not KR - how embarrassing that could have been! - now the Posset is remarkably similar - no its not - its KRs second track - a split with two tracks each? again micro-sound effects and field recordings - some speech.. and echoy bits… industrial noodlings and wooooowy sounds .. Now Posset’s - noisy - hardly analogue but metallic crashes - imagine a maniac on a fork lift truck in a steel works… then strangely track 4 seems a continuation of the fork lift sequence - very strange but quite likeable - not harsh enough for my taste - Chicken Tiki not vindaloo.. and some 3 or 4 minutes of silence at the end - or is the Walkman now on the blink? Moving on then … Joe+N’s 3inch has two pieces of guitar, steel strings? Either de-tuned or tuned to some exotic scale? and looped melodica which unfortunately for me sounded at times a little like a harmonica, especially on the second of the two live tracks, which even more unfortunately at times sounded like The Rock Iron Line by Lonnie Donegan… such are the perils of live improv I once realised that we were drifting into the theme tune from the magic roundabout. So leaving the dubious accidents of track 2 - track 1 was more thought provoking- it builds pleasant steel string riffs and chords- and I was thinking how best to describe this - and decided on simple associations rather than eccentric metaphor, what came to my mind for perhaps no good reason - or by virtue of the piece was- Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights or Matisse’s le luxe calm et volupte…. A memorable fancy?(jliat) P.S. Windows media player tells me the Split might contain errors - and I should turn on error checking….

Address www.dirtydemos.co.uk

ORIGAMI SKANDINAVIA FURET VÆRBITT (CDr by Humbug)

A delicate work, at times nostalgic and at others a commentary opposing a proposed oil terminal, short tracks of a few minutes, a longer 22 + minute noise piece and found sound, metallic, always seeming polite and civilised with perhaps not humour but a whimsicality within the strange genre of “extremely gay noise”….. this is a “Cdr lamenting Norway’s’ 100 year independence from Sweden (by importing a Danish Price”??? Part of, if part could be, origami republika “A cultural network where over 260 people from all over the globe and with uniquely diverse backgrounds have participated since the start in 1990”. One is reminded of Peter Blake’s nostalgic pop art which mourns something that was only ever an idea of something like a toy shop, a sweet shop, a seaside pier with miniature railway and hand crafted pin ball machines in mahogany cases… woodbine cigarettes - in some abstract collage of sound and sentiment… delightfully sad(jliat)

Contact http://www.museumsnett.no/alias/origami/skandinavia/index3.html

Noise Music: A History by Paul Hegarty Paperback: 221 pages

Publisher: Continuum ISBN-10: 0826417272

Paul Hegarty is a philosophy lecturer at University College Cork, with an interest in what he wouldn’t call the genre of noise(‘music’). A book either giving a history of noise’s development – or an exegesis of its socio-philosophical implications would have been interesting, unfortunately this is neither. The opening chapter sets off at a fine intellectual gallop “for Kant ..for Russolo… for Cage …. Attali too … as .. Ardono” - this is from a single page! (8) elsewhere Nietzsche, Heidegger, Bataille, Hegel et al. all appear…. a little too like the first attempt at a doctorial thesis, then in later chapters citation either runs out completely or revolves around another of Hegarty’s interests – Adorno on Jazz – but not the Jazz here, (and why Jazz?) Bataille on Sade… there are inclusions- too many – improv, Punk, The grateful Dead, Prog Rock!, and self confessed notable exclusions- and others not Reich’s pendulum music Lou Reed’s Metal Machine – The Gamelan – Harry Partch The whole New Zealand phenomenon… How Hegarty gets away with this derives from two of his arguments , first that anything can potentially be called “noise” – as in his long example of Yes’s Tales of Topographic Oceans - well yes! – but no mention then of Abba or Mantovarni… and secondly that the Avant Garde in music has often been described pejoratively in its beginnings as ‘noise’ – or as in the famous case of Sir Thomas Beecham – as shit - but this is beside the point. The point being “noise” applies to a particular phenomenon in music as an identifier and not a critique. (Pop art is not Pop art because it is or was ‘popular’) We know and Hegarty certainly does, that such games can be played with definitions- this is Wittgenstein’s famous ‘game’ . To conflate the genre of noise – the ‘thing’ with the same word applied as an attribute or subjective opinion of any music or sound is something of what I would call an ontological mistake of the first order. Or is it a strategy because it allows Hegarty to discuss any artist he wants to… for instance the space given to Cage and his silences – relevant by being irrelevant to the point of being a binary opposite – he might say? When after several chapters we get to actual Japnoise, and a further chapter on Merzbow the irrelevance of much that went before becomes obvious. But here Hegarty fails to deliver what the patient reader might want – might expect, a detailed account – its all apologies, “this chapter will not so much deal with the specificity of noise music from Japan…” he then goes on to “a consideration of McLuchan on globalization, to raise the question what kind of world is in or behind world music.” “World music”? I’m confused? - this is a very confused history, and one which fails to pick up on the development of noise from Japan back to the USA and Europe, where it has been taken up as a definite genre, having its own festivals, labels, retail outlets both on and off-line –and even now its own proto-industry of designed and manufactured devices marketed by such as noisefx.com. Widespread broadcasting on US University campus’s and across Europe as radio and webcasts, of dedicated web sites to the promotion of noise labels such as PacRec, artists like Weisse and The Rita… As a history the book this is chronology flawed, as a serious study the attempt to buttress certain artists(irrelevant to the genre in many cases) by relationships to certain philosophers seems strained, the book lacks structure and appears more like a set of articles, some written in an academic style others not. A detailed chronology, discology would have been useful, works are referred to where perhaps a copy of the score might have been illuminating, even some pictures would help what is aesthetically a remarkably dull book. An accompanying CD or at least pointers to MP3s on an associated site would also have helped. I think that there is a sufficient body of material, artists, events, labels, online and actual retail outlets, manufacturers, chronologies and general dissemination of what can be called noise to warrant a study which does not piggy back on to it philosophical critiques of Cage, Jazz, Prog Rock, Punk, and Rap amongst others- unfortunately that’s what Hegarty appears to do, maybe we can justify such irrelevance in this communication (of a history of noise music) as being itself yet another example of ‘noise’, but the genre of noise music is nothing to do with the unwarranted junk found in communication, or if it is, how is it, and why is it? (jliat)

BONEMACHINE RIGHT NOW! (CDr by Ambolthue Records)

KENJI SIRATORI FUTURE FREEDOM (CDr by Ambolthue Records)

I reviewed a collaboration of Kenji Siratori sometime back (VW594) in which he utilized his rather fierce voice against Federico Barabino’s gentle guitar work… but this CDr is nothing like- has two tracks of pure noise (yes i’m happy) – the first track could be using ’field recordings’ as could the second with sufficient morphing from the various effects, both tracks are walls of noise – clatter and shards of sound – perhaps cracking ice and worn machinery tearing itself apart…Bone Machine has a sustained rhythm throughout its industrial reverberated wash of industrial clanking, annoying like the alarm that continually sounds at the atomic plant at windscale – now renamed sellafields – well change the name and the radioactivity might go away, anyway as long as you hear the alarm everything is OK- when it stops you’re dead, it might be a release celebrating the infamous event 50 years ago in the reactor which was being used to make Britain’s A Bomb-(hooray! And God save the Queen!) “On the morning of Friday October 11 and at its peak, 11 tonnes of uranium were ablaze.” Hummm – kept that quiet… but I digress- that might have helped my coming to terms with the piece- but this all too rhythmical work with its cinema horror voice-overs is not convincing – with the Kenji piece the alarm rhythm (of life) has stopped and we are once more returning to the chaos of atomic particles from whence we accidentally came- nice! (jliat)

Address http://www.ambolthue.com

GLAUKOM SYNOD OGRE (CDr by )

VARIOUS ROBOT EARS (CDr by Meatronic recordings and the St. Petersburg Institute of Noise)

NOVASK ALPHA (CDr by Triple Bath)

“[SIC]TIM GOLDIE “ABJECTOR[SIC] ( CDr on hibari music & w.m.o/r)

Putting on one side (for a moment) ideas regarding sexism and biological differences one could produce a bigoted review of this “music” which in its generality and ignorance of any subtlety or fact, mimicking the abhorrent behaviour – at least intellectual – (i.e. the recent debacle re free speech at the oxford union) – to behave as an unreasoning right-wing bigot might represent – or present to an active, subtle and discriminating mind something which could be described as noise. Noise as the opposite of communication – of clear and subtle thought, of truth etc. The French would appear slightly askew in their Gallic nonsense and tomfoolery – of the mime artist, watched disdainfully by the thick necked Germans and ignored by the English, who are either stupid aristocracy or stupid football hooligans.. whatever a general English distrust of intellectuals. “diverse Glaukom Synod are an extraordinary and eclectic mixture of sounds and styles that almost defy classification and yet which come together brilliantly. Experimental and hypnotic at times, and seriously danceable at others..." – see what I mean – as an English man I cant take anything danceable seriously – it a genetic fault (if my argument holds) It is only with the eclecticism of a nation which is not a nation but a legion of united states that the incomprehensible can exist and the idea be not ignored but held in great respect. Which explains why noise is so popular in the land of the free…that is Robot ears (my my) audio PowerPoint of contemporary music, modern art in a Midwest gallery? Here I can be the English snob so moving swiftly on then Novask meddle with sine waves whilst " [sic] Tim Goldie: drums (disc 1), voice (disc 1, 2), credit card (disc 1, 2), bird whistle (disc 1), snare drums (disc 2), guitar amplifiers/leads (disc 2)” i.e. noisy drums and noisy voice - “Recorded by " " [sic] Tim Goldie with two AKG 414 BULS direct to Tascam DAP1 DAT No overdubs or effects” – “no effects”! - I think that is because it sounds like its all run through my behringer bod100 (German design Chinese manufactured and only £14.95!). (jliat)

Addresses

http://meatronic.com

http://glaukomsynod.site.voilat.fr

www.novasak.com

www.mattin.org

DISASTRATO FLOWS-FLAWS 1 (Online release www.luvsound.org)

The archaeology of the floor of my car is illustrated by the above, wd40 and damp-start, de-icer cans, packets and papers, wrappers, water bottles – labelled still which appear from under the seat, small bits of tape, a metal bracket, some candy wrapped in orange cellophane, an empty Kleenex box, A-Z of somewhere – torn, a local large scale OS map ripped and mud stained, a car jack, leather jacket – an old body warmer – Tibetan style hat, a single felt glove, flyer stating that Jesus loves me, screen scrapper, assorted change and dust, numerous car parking tickets, garage receipts- post its with vague shopping lists- leaves, shells, a broken cassette box, horse chestnut conker shell spilt open and as we track across the floor the digipack of Disastrato flows-flaws lost in and with the flotsam and jetsam from which it now has emerged to be played -only to illustrate its own life’s sad and tragic history in the debris- a micro sound of the illustrations of the bacterial residues of modern life….(Jliat)

Address WWW.LUVSOUND.ORG

I DIED THEE VIRGINAL BRIDES SPLIT (Cassette by Black And Purple)

THEE VIRGINAL BRIDES / KÖRDHA / FEVER SPOOR MOMENTS OF TRUTH (CDr by animamalnata)

VINCENT KOREMAN FEVER SPOOR HEMELTERGEND (CDr by animamalnata)

Beginning by taking into consideration what ‘should’ be said the cassette is pulsy electronic noodlings on one side with more spacey 50s sci-fi on the other, rhythmical – chiming bottles industrial in the sense of an eastern block factory through simple effects, Moments of Truth – a 46 minute CDr (Sony!) has more “field” recorded sounds – a Mall, water, various mains loop/hums and micro sounds which evolve or decay, track 5 has some Christian evangelical spoken text about child rearing… Hemeltergend is glitchy at times almost inaudible (no good in the car then!), glitch beats and what appears to be a monster/goblin moaning/roaring, and yet more low-fi electronica – as I’ve now been careful to listen several times and then do so research…”Industrial slash drone slash noise” - id say low noise rather than harsh- and this has generated nothing – contentiously I’d say –and lets be contentious- music only generates when its ‘noise’ – when its unlistenable- the work here is too significant to be creative- as creativity now takes place elsewhere as an escape or failure – here we can listen – there are things to listen to. Though connections are made is it only in their disruption that things occur. AKA Pornography as opposed to phonography used to record industrialization (of not just sound). Though within the network we can establish too many sterile facts - proof that the internet cannot be conscious-what it needs is more than dissemination (a fuck up) -I Died = Chris Gierig Noise artist from Eugene, Oregon. Thee Virginal Brides = Gibet+MortalManifest+Vomit Arsonist, Genre: Electronic Style: Industrial, Noise, Experimental, Ambient Notes: Side A : Recorded live on KWVA Radio, Eugene OR on Chris' 40th birthday. Side B : Recorded between July 2006 and August 2007.Black And Purple DIY cassette label run by I Died The Virginal Brides started in May 2006. A new experiment in droning electronics - the brainchild of AlBéRiCk, Andy and Oren.Kördha =Botchan Karisen = Botchanimal =Fever Spoor = Marcel Herms. Here is the problem Style: Industrial, Noise, Experimental, Ambient prevents any binary opposition – or does it?- eat me! What it needs is “Will to Power” and the magnificent collapse of such a will into the germ, it fails in this and so is completed… played out. (jliat)

Address [email protected]

//www.vincentkoreman.com/

//www.animamalnata.nl/

NO JOHN PARASITE (3" CDR by Industrial Culture records)

THE SLEEP SESSIONS HEATWAVES & SNOWDRIFTS (3" CDR by Industrial Culture records)

PRAEW JIK WU WEI (3" CDR by Industrial Culture records)

Occasionally and even ignoring any pretences at some spirituality or justification or explanation someone breaks through the detritus and produces noise – like the Rita who’s only valid intellectual justification is a sexist remark – itself then turns in on its politics – the police remember are the peoples thought- these three Cdrs do the same – they are brave works ensuing anything human or intellectual or anti intellectual – the “just critic’s” response is just that – their response and no apologies here to those who are bemused by their own work- heat and kitchens my friends- Noise is the obscenity of music, (here in shed loads) its body uncovered and exposed for what it is in a pornographic display- everywhere else is the dis-interest of the actuality of what lies behind the aesthetic so carefully hidden- and called culture- and is culture. And as all pornography it is essentially the same and essentially insatiable – though hidden these works repeat themselves in their excellence of exposure. Art masks what noise reveals unless it’s the truly great that annihilates itself and so brings not a synthesis but a new age and new forms- the spirit of Prometheus is here contemptuous of even our interested gaze it simply reveals itself – intellectually and physically from the bride stripped bare to etantdonnes & lhooq. (Or better in these days after the end of time- realdoll.com.)

(jliat)

Address www.Industrialculture.org

TWODEADSLUTS ONEGOODFUCK CD/LP (Self Released)

Shane Broderick Ted Sweeney Joshua Hydeman – all electronics and vocals. Experimental / Live Electronics / Industrial and very much from visiting myspace - http://www.myspace.com/tdsogf - performance artists, so perhaps this should be a DVD- at times harsh it is at others strangely musical – almost Jazz like – and perhaps critically- *is* going somewhere. They do – the myspace videos- capture the naïve vigor of young men wanting to take off their clothes in public, and though they do fight and tussle ones not sure of where they want to go – towards eventual catastrophe of Rudolf Schwarzkogler http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Schwarzkogler - or steady girl/boy friends and respectable day-jobs?? - but there is a definite teleology present here I think and I’m interested to see just where it finishes- as finish it will. The CD is nicely packed with a full size CD only part silvered so you get a 3inch Cdr in effect and under 12 minutes. I could say that they are doing something very well, they might be – but I’m a little overpowered by the seeming sincerity of it all…but we now are in the age of talking to the hand so its all a little nostalgic.(Jliat)

Address www.twodeadsluts.com TAPE RAPE RAPE THOSE EARS! (CDr by Tape Rape)

Artist Kenji Siratori – The first release on a label run by Torstein Wjiik ( experimental music/artwork project of Kjetil Hanssen) … which is predicated on using cassette tape as sound sources- Rape Those Ears parts 1 through 7 were recoded live using poorly working equipment. - here runs discernable (pop) music cassettes through effects which simulate listening to the music on a short wave radio- at times – at others just the noise of someone fiddling with a mike &tc. I wanted to respond positively to this but I cant – why (the fault is mine?) I think the idea might be good if we are not in a post conceptual age – and so who cares what it sounds like? – we see and hear far worse – we have access to the actuality of a live be-heading, concept becomes amusement, ironic avoidance of what once was the truth…. However on uploading to analyze the recording its noticeable what a very low level the recording is- so it might be in this case insufficient mastering which castrates the attempted rape - increasing the volume by 40db made all the difference, removing the chances of thought and breaking open the concept with shear sensation. (jliat)

Addrress http://www.ambolthue.com/taperaperecords/ N.STRAHL.N WAHRNEHMUNGSHYGIENE (Cdr by TOSOM )

LICHT-UNG GIEB FAHRT! (3"Cdr by TOSOM)

After the debut "Eingang" and "Brot und Lügen" (that shows the noisy side),

"Wahrnehmungshygiene" is the third TOSOM release by N.STRAH.N,

a fantastic and very busy project from Germany.

In the past N.Strahl.N released also some works on different labels (like Apocalyptic Radio or Krakilsk)

and some very limited self-releases. All the stuff by N.Strahl.N is very worth to check.

"Wahrnehmungshygiene" was recorded between February and May 2006, mostly using field recordings.

And this time the project also used, for some compositions, acoustic instruments (like flute and melodica).

The music is more than normal and usual soundscapes, this are sounds for a head cinema.

Listen to N.Strahl.N.s world and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy...

licht-ung - gieb fahrt! real name - Johannes Elbert and I think titled “mind your step” but I’ve no german- also goes under the names Hikari No Oka (The Hill Of Lights), Milan Sandbleistift and has collaborated with it seems most of the significant figures/groups in contemporary music - Government Alpha, Stilluppsteypa/BJNilsen, AUBE, Killer, Zbigniew Karkowski, MERZBOW, Kapotte Muziek…. And also appears to write poetry – though again I cant read it and google’s translations are a joke. So Johannes is to contemporary noise what Da Vinci was to the renaissance. The 3inch has a strange short video of 6 seconds and a 12 or so minute harsh noise work which mixes harsh rumble with high pitched feedback. The noise piece is competent to the point of a total refinement of what harsh noise should be, and that’s praise not criticism, it winds and weaves through a sonic landscape at times quixotically so much so that the piece IMO could have been longer – but it pays to leave your audience wanting more – which I do. (Jliat)

Address http://www.tosom.de/ KADAVER - THIS TIME...IT'S CANCER (CD by Topeth Prophet)

AKA Michael Zolotov who only hates 99% of everyone – he has a myspace site and 826 friends – so ‘doing the math ’having then 67 odd million he’s nonplused about– and advises those who do better to destroy themselves (he’s not familiar then with the first law of thermodynamics~) Track 1 is a mother talking about her son who was sexually attacked – there is also a little background noise – which I fail to see the point of – the Cd continues “shockingly” with tracks like “Poisoned Vaginal Doorway”, “Ejaculation from beyond the grave”…..this “Israeli death industrial prodigy” (yep that’s his blurb!) is just fucking clueless – (look mom I used the f word!)The misguided idea that any idea has content or force – the Chapman brothers tableau depict fictional atrocities badly, putting red noses on a Goya etching of the horrors of war and claiming it improves the work – count the ironies…* I’ve attempted to explain elsewhere but I’m talking to the hand – all this angst is just passé – like the music here- sound effects from a cheap funfair ghost train that even the average 8 year old would find only vaguely amusing. Actually- if he is being ironic he’s *very* good. (jliat) *Answer = 4

Address http://www.topheth.org/

ORIGAMI BONDEPRAKTIKA & ORIGAMI SUBTROPIKA & ORIGAMI SYNERGIKA - COLLABORATIVE FAN-CDR (CDr by Cipher Productions)

TADM & TIMISOARA - 'I AM NOT DYING IN A NIGHTMARE' (split CDR + 3"CDR by Cipher Productions)

Collaborative fan-CDR is packed in a plank – two squares of 4 mil ply with 4 bolts and inside a full size CDr – only silvered out to 3inches both bearing the image of an Ouroboros..(look it up then!) is on a Tasmanian label hosted by those sulky Californian guys at iheartnoise. (So don’t be my friend then Phil!) Obviously part of the Norwegian instigated world wide collective – here Karl Midholm of Swedish Ovum, Jorge Castro of Puerto Rican Cornucopia and The Great Lasse Marhaug… collaborate (obviously) on three tracks of neo-experimentalism – first track someone typing, second improv with cans and rubber bands, third pure sine waves .. &… bit of noise rhythm etc.

TADM (a Canadian guy? Who has collaborated with the likes of Incapacitants) harsh noise and Timisoara – (Keiko Morita ) guitar and electronics – a strange mix – the packaging for one- of a full size CDr and a 3inch – both repeatedly fall off their little plastic nipples in the card sleeve… but Timisoara’s drone/industrial that’s nothing like the extreme harshness of TADM, so the question why? Lets ignore for a moment – TADM s contribution on the 3inch is a singularity – though by the CDrs 4th track is beginning to experiment with structure – soon we may see the nazi leader and the schematics for a worm hole machine – its dangerous when the meaninglessness of any noise takes on form, as the Origami’s neo-experimentalism certainly follows its cyclic logos, ‘ I am not dying in a night mare’ still needs refinement into that which is art and experimentalism or to *actually* consume itself and so open a horizon in communication which is the essential dissemination of non-ironic noise- aka the pornography of the cum-shot. (jliat)

Address www. http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/ SEWER ELECTION & TRERIKSRÖSET KILLING SESSIONS (Cd by Troniks)

TRERIKSRÖSET SEXREGLER (Cd by Troniks)

Both are protracted noise works within the first three shifts in dynamics from a rocket-noise & feedback continuum in the second it is as if the sample rate has been reduced to virtual disappearance – but you can these days* hear this yourself, my description is redundant, as is with the aid of discogs.com any historicism - the significance I find here then is that these are two re-releases of pieces originally on cassette in 2004 and 2002 respectively, the latter re-mastered by (The Great) Lasse Marhaug. I will then question the archiving and the move from analogue to increasingly particular forms of digitalization – PCM, MP3, MP4, ATRAC RSS feeds etc – and this increasing virtualization to the point of it be un-playable- missing the right codec, disappearing in a matter of microseconds- delete all y/n. Already the cassette is becoming obsolete and the digital archiving (such as above) might be proof of some deep psychological panic about the erasure of history and so ones identity. Perhaps it doesn’t matter as regards noise whose technology unlike the violin is comparatively simple to use, and so repeatable- but that brings into question these releases – doesn’t it? Isn’t the significance of noise partly its un-importance? The preservation of the Mona Lisa demonstrates the ridiculousness of modernity in putting the painting behind bullet proof glass and having six million people look at it for 15 seconds whereas the perfect device for playing noise would be an analogue tape whose takeup reel is replaced with a shredder? (jliat)

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/ MICHAEL THOMAS JACKSON Mass Wasting (2 X CDR by Primecuts Recordings)

MICHAEL THOMAS JACKSON ID CONTROL (Cassette by deep fried tapes)

RAFAEL FLORES & MICHAEL THOMAS JACKSON EL SONORE DE LA PELICULA DEFETO (2x 3inch CDr by Phase!Records)

MICHAEL THOMAS JACKSON MARC ZAJACK BRIAN OSBORNE MIXED CASSETTE (cassette by heat retention records)

Rather a large amount of material here and not particularly within my scope of interest at present - “Michael Thomas Jackson is a composer and multi-instrumentalist…. he has

been involved in notated composition, free improvisation, electronic studio work, avant - employing microtones and multiphonics as fundamental elements of music-making.

This spirit of experimentation… “ And many of his works are available to listen @ http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=448401 – so maybe I’ve ruled myself out of court? (jliat) Address http://www.microearth.com/jackson/

www.deepfriedtapes.org

www.phaseweb.tk

www.heatretentionrecords.com THE FORTIETH DAY PELUSIUM: 540 AD (Cassette by Cipher Productions )

Industrial sounds I would say – like being in the engine room of the titanic pre iceberg, are in fact the guitar/bass duo of Isidro Reyes and Mark Solotroff, though this is far from obvious and extremely processed and heavily split across the stereo field it clinks on in washes of noise in search of its iceberg. The Fortieth Day is to do with some orthodox ritual for the dead and Pelusium a city on the Nile delta, and the year 540 AD marks the outbreak of the bubonic plague in that city, and appears as one of the first historical accounts of the famous European outbreak which continued into the last centaury in parts of the world. Such scary events are only reduced to absurdity when one thinks of a stupid baker burning down London and so relieving the city of its rat vectors and giving Wren the opportunity to create some remarkable churches… and of course forcing Newton home to his apple orchard….the deaths from the plague generally increased the economics of a faltering Europe and given the impact of Newton’s work on subsequent industrialization makes the occult glee I surmise is hinted at here somewhat questionable.

(jliat)

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/

INCAPACITANTS EL SHANBARA THERMINOSIS (CD by Segerhuva)

EDWIGE THE INCONSOLABLE WIDOW THANKS ALL THOSE WHO CONSOLED HER (CDr by Segerhuva)

The Incapacitants release is of a 1995 cassette, which features theremins instead of vocals… and before I continue – two things - anyone interested in the noise genre should get a copy – and secondly – the Incapacitants fall into a different category as far as I’m concerned - being located within a genre which ensues traditional musicology and its associated aesthetics – but anticipating the familiar questions “did I like it – is it good?” the wrong answers would be “yes” and “yes”. Anything this pure is beyond ethics in the Nietzchean sense for one – which does mean the previous answers are also not “no”, “no”. Given limited space, such a work could prompt a book! - within the gestalt the theremins begin as ostensive features which are embroidered into the overall object - which is not an object at all but more molecular that molar - in the Deleuzeian sense, that makes for the differentiation of noise in general, and this release in particular, as being outside the western (molar) hegemony of power, tradition, politics, ethics et al. (maybe that’s why punks “like” it too!) - and while still in this –“thousand plateaus” much of the above applies to Edwige – (Mania, The Rita, Sewer Election) a tribute to Edwige French the “erotic film star”, this is a re-release of a sold out vinyl- Perhaps “tighter” packed by being a joint collaboration the term “erotic” only politely re-inscribes for comfort the “pornographic” – which again – dismembers (makes the Molar Molecular) the female form as a sex object(s) – or simply three organs (without a body) anathema to the chattering classes’ modernist/feminist cliques – reveals a contra - powerful female exploitation of a male seminology. (This) Noise does not communicate, pornography does not procreate. (jliat)

Address www.segerhuva.se

HIJOKAIDAN POLAR NIGHTS LIVE (CD BY PICADISK)

INCAPACITANTS BURNING ORANGE (CD BY PICADISK)

(Lasse Marhaug’s new label released the above recorded live at All Ears festival in Oslo – both have a mixed line ups - Jojo and Junko performed as a Hijokaidan for track 1 (No Oslo No Harm ) of their disk – the subsequent two being Jojo with guitarist Per Gisle Galåen (Book Of Changes) and Junko with Sten Ove Toft (Le Rayon Verte), whereas the other disk has Incapacitants - Fumio Kosakai and T.Mikawa on track 1(Orange Smoke), followed by (Out Of Schnaps ) by “Fumio Tommiakawa” who are- Kosakai and T.Mikawa with Tommi Keränen.) Coherance (what I mean here is all at onceness) cannot communicate, only difference can, whatever communication is, if it exists at all – noise does not communicate – it is the problematics of any communication system (Nyquist-Shannon law), it is immanent – not delayed – not teleological, neither signifier or signified ergo common to both these disks is a remarkable demonstration, both opening tracks of Hijokaidan and Incapacitants are noise, and the others in their interplay *are not* - do communicate, they are the arche human tendency to represent (by interplay, recognition, pulse, improvisation, desire, becoming, binaryism …) and so differentiate from the “throwness” (a bad word) of noise. Remarkably both CDs demonstrate this gulf and they are worth listening to for this apart from the excellence of the performances – though excellence is of course a singling out –we can predicate the non-noise works – even anticipate- as an audience member obviously does! on Le Rayon Verte (almost classically silly!) - and can not of course hope to represent the – un-representational of the totalising presence of the noise works of Hijokaidan and Incapacitants – again - ambiplasma - organs without bodies the Meer der Brustwarzen of the Ephesian Artemis. (jliat)

Address www.picadisk.com

AHD + RAVEN STRAIN THIN FEVERS (CDR by Sonora)

I/C/O/C PARASITIC CONCUBINE (CDR by Sonora)

EYE THE DRESDEN CODEX (CDR by Sonora)

On a Puerto Rican label three works which inhabit the New World and the world of industrial/ sampled/electronic / electroacoustic sound. I/C/O/C (Input/Cable/Output/Cable) (as is described on myspace) mixes noise(feedback distortion) against a clear beat. The noise is certainly harsh but surly the placing of a rhythm here re-introduces the concept of teleology– and so music not noise (its admitted on the myspace site). Its trying to say something even if its as hysterically neo-surreal as Guido Flichman’s Argentiaian AKA EYE explanation of his “music“ as sounding like your mother having sexual intercourse with a dead horse from mars.- or industrial noise – in the sense of factory sounds echoy field recordings etc. – even more trance like on the AHD & Raven Cd…Programme music? Noise to be noise lies outside morality (as I have said) and ethics and aesthetics are one and the same- the condemnation of noise as being bad in all senses of the word is from a noise point of view besides the point – morality is something that noise transcends, these three CDs are still on the bridge passing over – or else in danger of being leap-frogged by a devil. (jliat)

Address www.sonoradisc.com

PRURIENT AND STILL WANTING (CD + 5inch single by No Fun Productions)

A feature of this epoch (an end) is its similarity with the Baroque(another end)- i.e. irony, sex as perversion and pornography, surface, amusement and ultra realism, (the origins of opera!) compared to the religiosity of truth and beauty - even eroticism - of what preceded - the renaissance or modernity. Contrast Michelangelo with Caravaggio or Sol Le Witt with Jeff Koons. My reasons for not liking opera – in the past - was that it was not serious - and my reasons for still not liking -now- it is that it has become serious (and popular amongst intellectuals). I was appalled at Nixon in China whilst the chattering classes were enthralled - they at last had something they didn’t have to understand. So this release must be good, is serious and popular - should be acclaimed amongst a set... from which I am excluded. A self exclusion by virtue of its very idea of an opus an operatic work in scale and form/content – voice / noise. Industrialization saved humanity before, with the end of logic no machine will either save us or burry us, the shouting and posturing – which is both ethical and aesthetic – and what gives the work above both credit and value – (old functions) as noise- or better music- is in vein, only decoration without function - pure noise - which this is not- will do. (jliat)

address http://www.nofunfest.com/nofunprod.html

HOLY DREAD DRENCHES (CDr by Cut Hands)

Presence and surface is the hallmark of modernity- truth to materials- transparency is the miasmic landscape of what went before – romanticism of which impressionism was a part. Within electronic music – that is music amplified - the use of reverb gives depth- and so the illusion of nature – as in hall – room – cathedral reverbs- and within the genre of noise (industrial) the natural phenomenon – thunder, explosions – or industrial – deserted factories – aircraft and tube trains- which can be just programme music- and in many examples it is just this- and tedious at times like a b movie. Holy Dread however manage in this release to transcend such by the sheer intensity of its application. The sine/tones in the second track seem completely out of place from the more magnificent and overpowering of the noise elsewhere. The work builds from the obvious to such an extreme that is becomes abstract pure presence which is the hallmark of noise – even the obviousness of its being an over the top- unreal – Hollywood apocalypse of nature – and virtual Armageddon. Excellent (jliat)

Address www.cuthands.net

TANDEM ELECTRICS INTAGLIO (CDr by RAR)

Richard Kamerman & Evan Rosenberg collaborate on this microsound improvised CDR of just over half an hour. Work of such low volume and thin texture – hum and noise of minimal electronics requires careful listening. Its easy to see why many reviewers are disparaging of such sound works – but not this one. Careful and effortful listening brings with this a kind of de-toxification- though not to be confused with anything like modernity's minimalism – as art statements – now such works work phenomenologically, on and in the consciousness and sub conscious – they are psychologically the equivalent of breathing fresh air or perhaps the literal explanation of the parable in John 2:1-10.

Address http://www.myspace.com/reedevanrosenberg

DONYS MOKUALG SUBSTITUTION PRODUCT KATAPLASM (CDr by ?)

This was release in January 2008 and a contact address is [email protected] the disk I got was a verbatim with marker pen bearing the above text. An accompanying green flyer provides more information- as above – and a track listing showing 24 tracks with names like “Hunger of the artificial vagina”, “autoroute orgasme” and “scalpel vector cunt (part 1 to 5). The collage on the other side includes a cutout with French text. The sounds – first tracks - fast drum machines, piano , guitar? and sax plundering from noise into semi Jazz? Google yields very little more- http://www.scan-dm-mania.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=293&sid=0890796fe6cbd17502fa47a699333d04 gives – “Cyber death noisecore/ Harsh noise/ Cut up noisecore” The following pieces are more abstract slabs of noise- impressive – there then follows some less dynamic pieces of abstract sounds cut up (a little boring) with a good finale. Perhaps the very low key packaging and scant information is deliberate- and only in parts does it live up to its claims of death noisecore – which is a pity.(jliat)

Address [email protected]

REDGLAER CRANKY ( 7" on Static Aktion)

ABQ=/=LAX ( 7" split co released by Hype Machine, Anarchymoon Recordings,

sicksicksick, Ohmni)

KILT - SNOW WHITE IN HELL (12 inch by sicksicksick, Anarchymoon

Recordings, Bastardised )

So I thought - analogue - three *apparently* separate disks with exception of

a guitar piece on ABQ=/=LAX were in the main neo-electro-experimental-jazz improv noise - live I suspected- and so I was set to hope for an un-copyable analogue universe -

and would have written on this - on the impossibility of a digital network – the failure of post modern institutions – such as the post-non-academic institutions of “anti-culture” as comfortable culture – of outsider art in warm middle class environments under appropriate lighting. Of “Friends”. But the work here is not evil, pornographic, disgusting – its “The feedback fucking never gets too intense, but always smooth enough to groove” – not even ironic soft core – certainly not hardcore- its too much a Californian Institute based and bursaried event(s) for that. Could I get from CalArts Interdisciplinary Grant to perform live in an Amsterdam brothel – or study “Integrated Media Noise Performance” Redglaer / Bob Bellerue’s (who is involved with the plethora of band and labels here - “A Treatise of Irrelevance” – gives a 404 error- So now I'm in a strange frame of mind - I even notice there's an entry in Wikipedia for 404 error- fucking never gets too intense? I guess not. (jliat)

Address www.staticaction.com www.anarchymoon.com KAPOTTE MUZIEK ENHANCED ROOM ACOUSTICS (CDr by Lunhare)

Tracks 1 and 3 was a cassette release by Kapotte Muziek from 1996, the middle track (a bridge) was produced by processing these using software by Freiband in 2007. I’ve noticed a trend lately in re-releasing cassette material on its replacement – CDr with varying degrees of success. Here is a doubling of the process of processing and re-processing- the bridge provides both difficult and interesting listening being micro-sound – very low pitch as if the two outer works – which are themselves processed acoustics but noisier (especially in the second) have cancelled each other out – almost.. In fact at first on speakers near inaudible on headphones a variety of interesting features appear. Like looking at water in a jar – seemingly clear and empty but once under a microscope teaming and pulsating with creatures. It is not so much a bridge then but a synthesis of the two more obvious industrial noise works which become in contrast strangely evocative of a centaury which we have left- a centaury which was obvious, more certain even about its paranoia into this strange centaury where understanding, listening, seeing, thinking, has now become problematic. We have lived in a centaury from which and into, a century, in which we all will die- what a strange thought this CDr has provoked. (jliat)

Address www.lunhare.net JAMES BREWSTER & PETER HENNING - RÖNNBLOMSGATAN RUDBECKSGATAN

(MP3 Download by Hwem)

James Brewster and Peter Henning improvise pieces of electronica - sparse sounds - from various sources - including no input mixer, samples and effects. The sounds are delicate electronic twittering and broken fragments - edited down from longer sessions. The impression is of careful working and concentration on the processing of abstract sounds. Development is always a problematic with this kind of abstract work – as it is in general with any form of art which aims at devolpment given the now present history of music and sound art. As this is their first release we are yet to see if and where this goes, if it attempts to go anywhere at all – so i must remain for the moment silent on any trajectory they may undertake – just to add though a warning that progress has in effect been made redundant, though it is very relevant that they produce this as a MP3 download-- its no good looking in HMV then. (jliat) Address www.hwem.net MESSIAH COMPLEX ABOVE THE FLOODS (3inch CDr by Industrial Culture)

NANOHEX THE BRAIN EXPERIMENT (3inch CDr by Industrial Culture)

ICHOROUS CIRCUMSTANCES (3inch CDr by Industrial Culture)

Above the floods is it seems inspired by the floods in the UK last summer – rumbbling field recording with static – sounds very much like an over amplified recording of an urban night’s background city hum. The Brain Experpment is more overtly electrnonic – mostly high pitched feedback and noise – track 1 – track 2 reverses this with deep rumbles somewhat restrained which ebb and flow which gives way to a final track of very echoy reverby twitterings. Both explore the idea of change and so render the listener static.. and passive. It is only with the third disk we have what is unmistakably harsh noise –which a poorer review might be tempted to compare or describe – as say Merzbowesque .. but all harsh noise is so – it represents a fixed and unchanging phenomena removed from fashion. It is why it relates not to eroticism with its fashions of stilettos and bikinis’ but to the obscene pornography of today’s internet which is no different to the imagery found in Sade. Such explicitness, an erect phalluses is and always has been the same – and the acts are and always were - in such unchanging quantity of production that has become the backdrop against which humanity can now think – can now change. Once culture establishes itself as the bassist of phenomena the human imagination is free from the trap of teleology and metaphysics- free to enjoy the changes of the moment whilst the art of harsh noise masks what is demanding and prescriptive of us in society today. (jliat)

Address www.industrialculture.org THE MACHINE AGAINST RAGE (Cdr by nolabel)

[NOISE SYMBOL] (Cdr by nolabel)

Amazingly minimal packaging of two pieces on HP domestic recordable CDRs and sparse textual information on what could NOT be called a website – but is a txt file! http://noisepedia.org/nolabel.txt Well pop fans what am I to do- being generally berated for not listening to the music (carefully enough!) and not saying if I liked it or not. Check out the intentional fallacy pop-pickers - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentional_fallacy - then eat dirt! Whoops – now i’ll be accused of writing a stream of consciousness – as opposed to unconscious writing? Noise symbol - which is a double crotchet crossed out (under erasure for all those who finished third grade) is someone mucking about with a cassette of cheesy film music a’la eric morecambe (whoops) – reminds me of chicken in the basket music – plus some samples of junk = domestic field recordings- german(spice girlies) & Byng Crosby etc. - the music/sound is subsequently deconstructed into noise (trans. Fucked up). Its either a piece of shit or a searing inditement of post-modernity’s aporias – take your choice. (trans. “The semantic horizon which habitually governs the notion of communication is exceeded or punctured … and "in the last analysis" does not give rise to a hermeneutic deciphering, to the decoding of a meaning or truth.) (trans. Yeh man I liked it – its cool!) Swiftly on then ducking the brick bats – TMAR could be described as a load of vomit- or its an arabesque of abstract cut-up sound of neo-baroque minimal merzbowesq low-core transubstantiating into the previous work! Personally I prefer a little more maxing of the DBs (dude!) – and would love to give it the once over – if you know what I mean – writing as someone who likes ketchup and mustard on his dog. (yo respect) (?) (jliat)

Address [email protected] PLASTIC BONER BAND - DANCE, CALIFORNIA (3"CDr by Dokuro )

GOOD NOISE BAD NOISE ODD ROOKS RECUR (3"CDr by Dokuro )

TORSTEIN WJIIK KOMPRIMERT MUNN (3"CDr by Dokuro )

NODOLBY MADE OF BLAZES/MAZE OF BLADES (Lilac C16 by Dokuro )

http://www.dokuro.it/news.html and you will see both the packaging- line up/recording-gig details and be able to listen to excerpts. So having reduced my readership to friends and family – as the wife doesn’t read this – we are now close to zero. PBB is a distorted guitar drone. A fairly (minimal rhythmical modulation towards the end) continuous wall of sound. Its good at what it is – though its kind of out of place in this century ( oh here he goes again!) Why – you ask? Well it has presence (it is pure) and presence is something Jacques D. has taught us we can no longer enjoy- what we now have is a continual deferment – so this piece remains like a statue – and not like the decomposing and flayed (holy) cows of post-modernity – pecked at by the beautiful fishes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2413658 i.e. presence is the guarantee of truth – as in witnessing a marriage ceremony – but *now* we know that divorce is also present – as a deferred possibility- get it? and if you do – it means that music/noise is now open to itself – its glitches – its mistakes – rather than attempting some perfect construction – (in a sense it destroys itself – i.e. it becomes not music but noise) the more sensitive the artist the worse for them – Barnett Newman hated Warhol– just like post-modern software – is never good or complete- (just set your browser to show script errors) such a music – art – noise – world - reflects back the new truth that perfection – presence – the good and true always alludes us. And if you think that sounds hypercritical - you’re on the money. GNBN use loops and electroacoustic lap top mess which in turn degenerates or generates into Conradesq violin drone which in making categorization difficult could seem to be a protogenesis – but as this is “post” it cant – and so succeeds in making the point either knowingly or not – that there is no point – and similar could be said of the last 3inch CDr, Nostein Wjiik’s ghostly industrial work- the pieces have not yet perhaps reached the “oneness” of minimalism and the now futile presence found in Dance, California, or yet possibly reflected on the irony of a “record”- "the trace itself does not exist"…"in presenting itself, it becomes effaced" (J.D.) i.e. listening to noise - makes you deaf! So I’ll leave you to complete this already too long review by reflecting on what comments could occur regarding a cassette tape of 16 minutes (?lilac!C16?) of *broken* guitar feedback – clue – which overloads the tape to the point of self effacement! - (OK!) (jliat)

Address http://www.dokuro.it XDUGEF BOSSLADY (CDr by Canned Beef Records)

This Cd arrives in a jewel case which is wrapped in ”resealable sextape” , the artwork is in part cut ups from female domination magazines and included with the cd is a single black latex glove. Xdugef is AKA Adrian Dimond a noise maker from L.A. whose work is produced from found sources on the internet, from modified electronic toys and self made devices. There are 17 fairly short tracks, and on one we do hear the boss lady speak – but as elsewhere the whole work is a mix of pulses and beats, glitches and feedback… this has to be one of the most significant pieces I’ve yet reviewed. If noise contradicts itself by obliterating itself – and here we have that and the actuality of the fucking up not only of sound but the mechanisms for making sound – which though is doubly inscribed by the whole iconography and ontology of female domination. A reversal of traditional roles yet one which is generally opposed by feminists – an interesting aporia which is the sexual doppelganger of the noise genre. It was Merzbow who famously created the problematic of noise paralleled by the exploitation of female bondage which was “carried” off by the excuse? of being part of an oriental culture- and so art! - the feminist critic becomes racist or tolerates female exploitation, imposes colonial values or allows the pornographic- the music isn’t music but noise – yet we are in a double bind as it clearly is just that. Our value judgements flip backwards and forwards like computer logic gates, western logic and the rule of the excluded middle is broken – do we obtain what used to be called freedom? Do I enjoy the kitsch of noise/glitches – fishnets and arse as an intellectual comment – or as is – or both? Perfect. (jliat)

Address www.cannedbeefrecords.com

THE RITA & WILT WEREWOLF IN THE BLACK SPACE (CD -Cipher Productions)

CLEW OF THESEUS THE PLAYGROUND OF THE DAMNED (CDR - Cipher Productions)

Counter to the proliferation of “objects” in amongst other things cybernetics but also in the world of celebrity which appears to cover everything now- including The Rita- I was reading that despite our primitive notions of number- that numbers may not be objects at all- but properties – if so then what we have here is a denial of that, of the de-establishment of the totality of what The Rita was and is (now) in collaboration with Wilt which erodes the semantic totalities into something with beginnings middles and ends. The provision of such pieces found here re-casts the object as some narrative process, negating what was once Rita’s truly indistinguishable noise (back) into authorship. The semiological breakdown has been (sadly) arrested. As is said elsewhere the “murderous rampaging of The Rita material shaped, shrouded and clouded by Wilt…” droney echoey rhythmical intros washed in reverb merge into static and lowrise noise feedback and back out again or sometimes fade into oblivion- or blocks of hail and blue echo-spaces like english bank holiday weather. Nothing is erased – a picture is painted and painted again in the second Cdr where the monster reverb roams and roars. And what is similar with the first release is the mix of harsh noise – ambient reverb and quoted speech- Ben Brucato states his “music” Never sounds like itself. - “Sound can be ambient, experimental, harsh, quiet, cut-up, wall of sound, etc.” Which could be a plea for noise to progress into a totality of arbitrariness? Of the kinds of experimentalisms in the use of shortwave radio and the iching of the previous century. And that would be my main concern – as in recent conversations with others over the lack of irony which is needed now but might not be present. Not that there is anything wrong with that – quite the reverse it holds up (again) an ethic – even if it’s a totalizing one- (jliat)

Address [email protected]

MENACE RUINE CULT OF RUINS (CD by Alien8 Recordings)

Well I was once into the Pink Floyd I admit, but could never quite take Black Sabbath though they are from my home town, and under duress I’ll own up to buying Close to the Edge – though the only way I can consider Cult of Ruins to be noise is in the sense of Paul Hegarty’s book where more or less anything one doesn’t find musical can be considered noise – including prog-rock – but prog rock *is* or thank god/satan/St Cecilia *WAS* musical- it depends on complex formalities such as melodic phrasing and rhythm, as does COR which though at times more depends on the Meatloafesq crashing chords drums and organ /guitar riffs we know of old. OK it does descend into nosier parts – but more inter-galactic overdrive than merzbow. Track 6 is even ‘garrynewmanlike’ in its intro – yes it has intros- which in this slowly transforms into an “anthem”- and should end with the noise of an audience in a mega stadium cheering- and a band member drenched in sweat announcing - “thank you and goodnight wembley”…. Back in the 70s if this was produced by some Krautrock band it might have been criticized for being overly melodic. Maybe on 8 track with a free tab of ACID it might sell to the baby boomers – but though I’m one I wouldn’t buy it. “Don’t buy Drugs children – become a rock-star and they give you them for free!” (quote from Love Actually- chic flick y/n?)

(jliat)

Address http://www.alien8recordings.com/

WINTERS IN OSAKA RED TOOTH, RED CLAW (CDr by Power Silence)

“2 tracks of harsh noise and drone from Chicago based trio.

features collaborations with Kenji Siratori, Zweixx and Mykel Boyd.

dedicated to Erik Stanis” The dedication I assumed is to someone no longer alive – who it appears committed suicide at the beginning of this year-and the last track more than the first is empty, bleak yet in no way an industrial soundscape – a long and pitifully piece of noise and rumble at first like an over amplified run out of a vinyl- it is IMO a fitting tribute to the emptiness which can in these days overwhelm any of us – track one though less overtly devoid of structure, form, life, humanity and colour still has on subsequent listening a meaningless and emptiness in its cut-up shards of sound. I’m not one who eschews context – and even as it stands this is as remarkable recording – hopeless and empty without recourse to tricks or atmospheres – truly a 21st century requiem. (jliat)

Address (www.somnimage.com)

BABA LLAGA GESAMTKUNSTWERK (Cdr by Hamaika)

You can watch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpfOSehym9c and get some idea of the sound/concept – but on this recording they play magnificently with the stereo field and excellent sound qualities - samples – voices clips etc.– this is a very peculiar disk – the cut ups are short clearly and cleverly defined- you’ll get a better idea of the sound @ http://www.myspace.com/baballaga - the work despite the youtube extravaganza is remarkably refined – almost a genre of its own though not surprising -- not being in the mainstream of LA or even perhaps not their native country – are- (they deserve a name check!) miguel a garcía (mixes, effects, feedbacks, rhythms), raul dominguez (metallic percussion, radio, musical instruments) daniel llaria (voices, shouts, thrash drums, performance) itziar markiegi (mediatic sampling, effects pedal, ixi software)- from Bilbao - and produce really excellent and original material -after listening to just too much pretentious industrial clankery from across the pond this makes a very refreshing change – well *novelty* – it reminds me of some strange animations of the 60s – pop/fast frame - BABA LLAGA - could be considered pop at times – avant garde at others- all I can say in closing is I recommend you take a listen – if only to see how reverence and pretension can make for pretentious crap which is a polite way of referring to some other recent material I’ve been listening to. And if any A&R people read this – god why- sign this group- the next Autechure or Pansonic? Brilliant- neo-fluxus… marx bros meet Stockhausen.. off the wall out of the frame leftfield.. (I must stop- but track 16 baba llaga though it’s just a scream!… jliat.)

Address http://www.xedh.org/baballaga/

OZMADAWN RISE OF THE MOTH (CDr by Chambara Records)

HORSEFLESH SYNTHENESIA 1 ( CDr by Chambara Records)

With titles like - Synthenesia 1, tracks called The Breath Of Orion and notes” For the Ra of the Sun and the Eye in the Pyramid” its difficult to be serious – or should it be ‘Sirius’ (boom boom). Actual I think Stockhausen (R.I.N.) claimed he hailed from the neighborhood of said star and spoke approvingly of 9-11 – both facts kept quiet by his minders- I digress, Freudian avoidance- Synthenesia has fairly straight FM sounding works – long quite sparse – and well – I just don’t get the point? – The Rise of the Moth (there is nothing more dangerous than a cornered moth) is a little more interesting as Dereck Donohue has support from Jonah Rust, he really does spell his name Dereck… and reading on “Recorded at Vahalla Summer 2007 Post Production by Skozey Fetisch” – umm two things – its sounding like a Douglas Adams hitch hiker cast list – so the whole thing might be a giant pun (to set the controls to the heart of..) and I recently got flak for commenting not on the music but extraneous detail- as if it matters what planet they think they are on to criticizing the music, but Hitler’s watercolors are still crap- so TROTM – more interesting frippery but the opening track sounds a little like the theme music to Marathon Man – sets your teeth on edge then? is it safe – yes very- Actually an old Aunt of mine (RIP) was once bitten by a moth which drew blood…so careful with that moth Eugene? ……oh and “Style: Krautrock, Drone, Space Rock, Noise, Experimental” ………..(jliat)

Address [email protected]

_RMX COMPILATION’S VERSUS 1 VS 2- KIF_SOUP (CDR by Kif Recordings)

I’m a little uncertain as to just what is going on here, even to the title!- back in VW608 a review of Ten Seconds Compilation appeared- some 71 - 10 second tracks from various artists- this CDr seems to be “a hybrid” from two such compilations – where each was remixed – by Animal Machine / Cygore & Eraritjaritjaka / Animal Machine as the blurb says “remix 1 vs. remix 2 = SOUP” KIF – Keep it frozen “is a non -profit music label , distributor specialized in micro & mini tracks recordings” responsible for this very interesting reduction / deconstruction of the compilations. I’m not fond of compilations as I’m averse to serial events like a many coursed meal – here the result is a soup- everything is present in the resultant 20:39 - is a mixture of many lo-fi noise sources at a fairly ambient texture which makes for a coherent context in which the pieces now separated from their teleological menu co-exist – re-act – and play as a homogenous yet rhizomic whole. A long, slow implosion of sounds… The important thing here then is the re-generation by the co-operative forces at work which makes something both in its audio presence and conceptualization significant. BTW KIF are accepting contribution for comp #3- but I will look forward more to the hopeful synthesized soup #2. (jliat)

Address http://www.freewebs.com/kifrecording/

BRANDKOMMANDO HUNGER (CD-R by Apocalyptic Radio)

NAPALMED iii (CD by Napalmed)

The first is a CD-R in Digipack limited to 99 copies of 7 tracks of _____________ from Poland whilst the second is a “genuine” CD in a special folding pyramid package with a single 80 minutes of ___________________ from the Czech republic. Both claim harsh noise - Brandkommando - Terrorism = Aggression, Aggression = Violence, Violence = Terrorism-- 'PURE HARSH INDUSTRY IMPRO NOISE' IN NAPALMED WAY’ Of a kind. Once again noise conflates itself with politics - sometimes with magic and devil worship, though with bands like the UK/US government - x lead guitarist Tony - 15 minutes from death Blair and the DUP - vocalist Rev - Ian (kill the pope) Paisley these x eastern block rockers don’t measure up to the mayhem and violence of the “real” musicians in our present dance of death. Even the Fundamentalist Religious anti-abortionists manage to out irony any harsh noise commentary - they think killing is a sin - so they shoot doctors. Though I’ve probably said this before - I begin to bore myself- so maybe we are left with the American noise shrug- Awesome - well no not really, alternatively the tired French deconstructive ploy - I’ve worn this out - and youtube vacantness of punk. Will noise go the same way - is it the new-punk ? Or is it simply the echo of the world from groups trapped in Plato’s cave. The simple truth is its all part of the dance of death which has become dull and boring by its repetition and inevitability - I’ve said this all before - which is how these tracks sound- not even poor enough to be rubbish - quite good - even cigarette smoking is more naughty. Or is this feeling just because its Monday and I’m sober? Answers to me please on a bottle of black label.

(jliat)

address http://www.apocalyptic-radio.com/

Address http://www.napalmed.cz/

NAPALMED iii (CD by Napalmed)

This is my second attempt at a review, the napalmed piece is 80 minutes! One track which begins with 20 minutes of cow bells and gentle swirling noise, rhythms rise and fall *deceptively* pleasantly - at 20 + minutes they begin to hit pans of water and grown all with the reverb and echo which then settles down to much the same cow bell clanging somewhere in a muddy mix, it’s 30 minutes now – they are banging on canaries with rusty bicycles – and my eyes are glazing, the canaries don’t last long, I think they/we might all be in a sewer, more water, the vague impression of cars above, and a nice bar selling beer and playing Frank Sinatra records…I joke – I wish! but there is no escape. 35 minutes and perhaps some crickets have got flushed down here with us, I long for daylight. There is more machinery, obviously part of the pumping plant, I think the crickets have died – I wish I had, some ooooo ooooooy voice sounds, half way and still clank clank, more rhythmic machinery (napalmed iii comes is a pyramid foldout thing – I’m saying this – hell knows why?) What seems like day 28 and I’ve lost the will to live… and on it goes… (napalmed claim to be harsh noise – a war of attrition – they are wining) it seems I’ve been listening for months, I’ve chewed off all my toes and fingers on my left hand, typing with one of the fingers on my right, still another rhythmic pumping plant… I think I can hear the sounds of trams far above – I no longer believe the sky is blue – I’m probably GOING MAD. 50 minutes – seems like years – another outflow of sewage and more machinery muffled and in the distance, does anyone know a good joke…. And on they clank, its now 60 minutes which means 20 more to go, I could just write a short review and say it’s a remarkable piece and hit the stop button. My life is over – has run its course, slowly the earth spins into the sun, black holes eat up the remains of dead stars and still this clank clank clank… Aghhhhhhhhhhhh! (jliat)

Address http://www.napalmed.cz/

BRANDKOMMANDO HUNGER (CD-R by Apocalyptic Radio)

A CD-R in Digipack limited to 99 copies of 7 tracks of Noise from Poland.

Track 1 echoy machinery – I begin to twitch, finishes just after a minute, track 2 is some sci-fi transporter and someone playing the God father film music, or I really have gone mad. More noise- rumbles- BUHHHH BHUHHH not noise – noise should be WAZZZZ HISSS KICKKKKK SCCCCCCAAA XYYYY !!!! !”£$%^&*( - which at 2 and a half minutes these boys are now doing – yeh! – go for it boys – shred them tweeters – split some wigs - rip my woofers out! Well they’ve gone rhythmic and spacey echoy thing again – sigh! I’m getting bored – maybe there could be a computer program which just read the disk and if everything was not well over on the DB scale “bend them VU needles” – totally in the red – it would print “Interesting” – and if totally in the red, flag it up for listening. If so Hunger is marginal. If I really wanted to listen to sci-fi music I’d watch Alien – but just witch one… Or Event Horizon – that cool too-

(jliat)

address http://www.apocalyptic-radio.com/

FIXTURE FOR TOXINS THRENODIES OF LABOR (CDr by Future for Toxins)

FIXTURE FOR TOXINS NIGHT HOVERS OVER US AGAIN (CDr by Future for Toxins)

This I think is part of a sub-genre – AKA Breakcore, Powernoise-industrial …?? short live performances of rhythmic improv of what sounds like de-tuned guitar and noise with vocals. A pastiche of a punk band performance – or of good old Black Sabbath- which is perhaps the origins of its move towards noise – which is a bad term – though this is ‘noisy’ – it has both form and structure in the articulation of pseudo-songs which I think pushes it out of the category of Noise - if the term has to have any meaning. And though some don’t see the worth in discussing boundaries, I do – if only for the ‘play’ or crack as the Irish say. What differentiates this sub-genre is its teleology – and its ontology- (trans: – where it came from –its being – and where its going – telos) and why it isn’t what I would define as Noise is that Noise has neither. Noise has no ontology, teleology or *ethics* – (it is the Übermensch). FFT though - faces back critically at the pop group performance of songs even as “anakistic’ as punk itself- and offers a moral critique, it lies within “music” (even pop) (but) is different not just in sound, in its construction, instrumentation, production of – lo-fi product and packaging & dissemination but by the very ethical values of its performers. It replicates itself as gestures which resemble “songs” as being anti-pop neo-dada works, (and Dadaism was a moral response!)this makes it sufficiently different to “industrial” - which often seems to paint landscapes rather than address the concept and traditions of our industrial history from which the pop-group emerged.. And in being this honest, artists such as these are taking great risks … i.e. Atrax Morgue… (jliat)

Address : http://www.purevolume.com/fixturefortoxins

TEXAR ANNELIE AND THE DARK SEA (CDr by After Music)

Myspace give us “Acousmatic / Tape music / Minimalist / Live Electronics Darren Brown & Rick McCollum Influences - What needs to be done must be done in silence .. Sounds Like - Your Nightmare - Record Label - After Music “ and very little else. The disk quotes Annelie whilst a flyer gives the title as Aniline… Is the lack of information and dis-information - deliberate or not? In a lack of clear intent it engages something of the thoughts elsewhere re Fixture for Toxins, though the blurb says “live” this has been - and is obvious - studio processed or sliced up. At first maybe a studio album of natural sounds- perhaps - but perhaps synthesized – rain and thunder – processed with added noise – regular groans and elephantine animal noises. Long cries, generator noises appear to start at 5 minutes – and woooowy woowy sounds – and so it continues ghostly moans and repetitive indistinguishable chanting – a little like children trying to frighten each other…16:12 and the sound of a cheering crowd and then a few seconds more and its all over. Though having a different sound texture it has much in common with FFT in its low fi - low production / presentation and short length. What was once an EP in the days when vinyl ruled the earth - and maybe that offers still a better format for such oddities. However nothing is so simple even in the spent pointlessness of lo-fi absurdities- even more mysterious I find with no apparent link – or maybe there is- Texar is also a *pro-slavery* character in a novel by Jules Verne, - so what could that mean - deliberate or accident - though its also the name of a drilling company an I.T. set up, and a credit union as well as a musical ensemble. (jliat)

ODRZ ODRZ12 (3inch CD by TIBProd)

What appears to be an empty envelope arrives from Holland – inside however is a Hessian sleeve – and inside that a CD printed with a logo “oorz?” “12” “tibcd98” “TIBProd”, and that’s it – that’s all! so place it in the lap top and google it- but I cant because the only information is on the disk…eject and google – everything is googled these days… I find the site and the disk which means I can write the heading. What’s this to do with the music you might wonder. Well last night I had an epiphany! Derrida famously said there is nothing outside the text- I’ve reversed this – there is nothing inside the text – what’s “playing” now is a string of 0s and 1s – what this has caused in my head is the google search and this text- but that is not in the binary strings I’m now hearing – but they have caused this writing event. (The rhythm is that of a washing machine- imagine if you can a washing machine with a cassette of noise inside – that’s what I’m hearing – even down to wash and spin cycles) From now on then the world is transfigured – its not the paintings in the galleries that is important but the viewers, not the musicians but the audience.. not the team but the crowd watching. Saving you time http://www.odrz.org/biograph.htm reveals a bio- to save more time – “an aristic group from italy” wannawatch? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txh7z0tAZVo – this disk is much nosier – “with the goal to research and to explore new expression ways.” No I don’t think so – “new” has been done – to death. But OK. (and not this text but what you do with it) (Jliat)

Address: http://www.bek.no/~tibprod/

THEE VIRGINAL BRIDES RE/COLLECTION (CDr by walnut + locust)

Back in the 70s the Glide of the Mini Moog gave a characteristic sound which now dates it to a distinct period of time. Rec/collection does much the same, though the period is difficult to pin down it’s certainly set towards the end of the last century… at times industrial, yet at others more structure rhythmically and compositionally. The usual drone/noise with spoken texts of some kind of religious incident and O.T. readings. T.V.B. “started in May 2006. A new experiment in droning electronics - the brainchild of AlBéRiCk, Andy and Oren…” but nothing new – only nostalgia. So lets propose a watershed, a revolution, something new to make noise about – for industrial is dead! I visited my home town of Birmingham last weekend which at one time like many cities in northern Europe had its share of old disused factories- but they are gone – replaced with apartment developments, wine bars and bistros, secure gated car parking and video entry phones, along what was once the old disused canals young professionals sit in cafés drinking Belgian beer or latte, or jog along the towpath- the old post sorting office is a shopping arcade – Hugo Boss and Harvey Nics.. so perhaps industrial music like its landscapes is a thing of a nostalgic past?(jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/theevirginalbrides

GOLDEN SERENADES / SEWER ELECTION & TRERIKSRÖSET S/T (Cd by Roggbif Records)

This is classical noise- can I use the term? – then i will define it – is essentially a (binary) dualism (of two sounds - though infinite via rhizomic mitosisc bifurcation) which is fundamental to any ontology, at its most univocal a deleuzian difference, of two, yoni, ass, hole, holy of holy’s, the creative vacuum of expansion(big bang), procreation, oedipal desire of capitalism- and its alternative- the lingam, phallocentric, narcissistic masturbatory, ouroboros, cyclicality, unity, infinity of the möbius (feedback!), which unlike the multifaceted tonality of *music* is in classical noise TWO - the deep bass of processed expansive white noise – (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvWHnK2FiCk) and the (prick! of) high pitched feedback loop. This is why noise unlike music is non-colonial non territorializing and non metaphorical – it is the actuality of immanence. It does not explain the cosmos of being but it is its actuality and is present here in this CD of two remarkable pieces of noise. It therefore lies beyond the horizon of criticism – actually enfolds criticism, I was depressed on Tuesday, today is Wednesday and I’ve listened to this masterwork, the world is changed, there is a new reality- this reality. A brilliant, brilliant work – a thousand suns. Now I suppose to help anyone not yet convinced I should mention that there are two live tracks – long structures of feedback and noise *and nothing else* (and so everything else) – no compromise from John Hegre (Jazzkammer/Jazkamer) Jørgen Træen (are Golden Serenades), Dan Johansson (is Sewer Election) and Tommy Carlsson (is Treriksröset) "kalo ‘smi…" (jliat)

Address www.roggbif.com

JLIAT “MONSTER” 1.4 gig MP3 8cm (DVD - by Larks Council of England)

JLIAT NTWICN continuing set … (CDR - by Larks Council of England)

Logocentrism and other metanarratives which have dominated western culture and promoted a white male hegemony of value and truth has been critically discussed and deconstructed by post-structuralist thinkers and artists. However in the main their critique has mimicked the very structures of the (and in the ( new)) academies, dissertations, white papers, academic publications, gallery installations or (theatrical) performances. The truth it seems is always around 200 pages- and the length of a piece of music, book, novel, play – whatever is fairly fixed. (Is only challenged as *a point* of issue.) But if we are to challenge at all (as an attempt at ethics) it should be implicit. Our whole value system of truth and assessment – morality – law et al. revolves around such quantifiers- and not what is quantified! Only rarely is this exposed as logically ridiculous –Tristram Shandy or The Library of Babel. A person- their universe –the universe- is “captured” and curtailed violently in and with such temporalities which are immoral and un-ethical.

NTWICN (Now that’s what I call noise) is potentially an infinite set of disks each containing 8 x 3:59 tracks.

“Monster” is an attempt to create something socially/critically *inedible* in order to out distance the critics – locally but more specifically the general critique produced by this phallogocentristic structure – a ploy found in nature of disrupting the governing biological and sociological cycles in order to survive.

ANIMAL MACHINE HOMO HOMINI LUPUS CDr by KIF Recoding)

SWAMPS UP NOSTRILS DIGITANA (CDr by KIF Recoding)

Homo homini lupus is a roman proverb – people act like wolves to each other – as in are cruel, for never are humans happier than killing each other apart perhaps from working out new ways to do this. Giving such a title to 4 tracks of essentially harsh noise provokes the comment that here noise once again criticizes what others call civilization – which is also its “music” – its organization of sound, in particular western music, an organization which is responsible for the world we find ourselves in. A worry is that using animals pejoratively misses the point of the extent of man’s fall from grace, man invented punishment- not animals - how much this is to be taken seriously? – should we be serious at all- for noise’s amateurism and in-competence denies appropriation into an academia which if no longer literally throws humans to wolves – by way of amusement – “justified” as punishment - does so in far more spectacular and devious ways. Modernism’s programme of absolute organization – (of everything including sound which it defines as music) generated paranoia – post-modernity’s schizophrenia (look at the proliferation of groups and labels in *noise* – often the same people – *same people* multiple personalities).. is the overcoming of modernity…But I explain too much? Digitania has what appears to be 6 tracks – beginning like an experimental work based on sine and other wave forms, beats pulses and silences – interrupted by swathes of noise which are themselves interrupted. Interesting but more acoustically/ethically problematic (modern!) than the ideological deconstruction of AM. (jliat)

Address http://www.freewebs.com/kifrecording/index.htm

THE NOISER (AKA JULIEN OTTAVI) LA TRILOGIE DES FANTÔMES (CDr by Free SS)

PATO CLIP_CLAP_CRISIS (CDr by Free SS)

JOSETXO GRIETA SORISAS VENDO, DONDE NOS LLEVAN! (CDr by Taumaturgia)

Free Software Series is an organization which releases work made using – you guessed it… sadly goes on to say it releases “experimental” work. This is bad though I’ve used the term myself – i should not – do we need the so called respectability of “science” to ideologize work? is art to be subject to objective falsification? There is some ethical consideration of just what can be done in the name of experiment. see- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Harlow - you might not – so here- “Harlow was recognized with several distinctions, including - National Medal of Science (1967), and Gold Medal from American Psychological Foundation (1973) chose deliberately outrageous terms for the experimental apparatus he devised, including a forced mating device he called a "rape rack," tormenting surrogate mother devices he called "iron maidens," and in about 1971, an isolation chamber he called the "pit of despair" where baby monkeys were left alone in darkness for up to one year from birth”- So there is a general ethical connotation as to the idea of “research” and “experiment” & the idea of de-humanizing – of gaining “the truth” and through this some kind of academic hierarchy which legitimates not only torture but “CULTURE” and “ART” - which – in the first example - appears is precisely what our Jules is about. “Founder, artistic programmer, audio computer researcher (network and audio research) and sound artist of the experimental music organization APO33… the purpose .. the advancement of sound creation… “etc etc. - Advancing where exactly? Why, & @ what cost? – advancing? by producing drones drenched in reverb and static white noise bursts with pseudo electronic tibetan chanting. Are such pieces verifiable in the Popperean sense? The only information regarding Pato I could find was on the disk sleeve- 12 tracks recorded in a dirty living room in Berlin- on a broken laptop, would appear to lie in direct conflict to the noiser… & the others… Josetxo Grieta - is I think a group of 3 - Josetxo Anitua, Iñigo Eguillor & Mattin- run the label Taumaturgia, (Mattin’s the person responsible for the free software series) –they have played with Eddie Prévost- haven’t we all? Been reviewed by Art & Language, The Wire et al. – we continue the schizophrenic paths .. with strong links to Bilbao and London- seem to radiate around various groupings/festivals and publications of the “avant garde’s” institutions and state funded art bodies - dire – 10 minutes of a guy talking in Spanish whilst another shouts and screams (about his lama?) followed by an encore of twiddling guitar feedback – I suppose sufficient for some grant or bursary? But still dire. Pato’s is the only piece which lives up to its reputation of in-competence and challenges the rest of this academicized bull-shit. (jliat)

http://www.freesoftwareseries.org/

http://www.taumaturgia.com/

IRON BITCHFACE KITTEN APOCALYPSE (CDr by SFRecords)

“Iron Bitchface is Kyle "Rot" Martin doing voice, keys and programming, and Kris "Fin Du Monde" Misner rocking the guitar.” Kind of sits in the tradition of US crazzyness – Spike Jones - Frank Zappa? Loony tunes – noise - and beeps – random sines… well – maybe? And maybe not in the tradition of those – more street theatre a la fluxus? – perhaps - here a very short – inexplicably (7 minutes!) so for a full size CDr - obviously then not a serious commercial venture- ha! – or anything else for that matter? This *outrageous* band of “rock noise”, deliberately playing badly, are bewildered at their own success- why I’m not sure - people will pay to see nonsense - bearded ladies and double headed dogs – tiny tim was famous as is the Portsmouth Symphonia, I know guys- there’s no point - it’s a laugh and been done before- and even before that – perhaps a modern dada gesture based on the medieval fool – or not? But if your promo pics have you holding a crucifix upside down with cans of Carlsberg – at least they could be Special Brew – shocking kids – just shocking! (jliat)

Address [email protected]

PLASTIC BONER BAND ISAIAH 66:6 (CDr by self release ?)

I was going to use the bible quote inaccurately given in the second track as a lame excuse for quoting Jules’ Ezekiel 25:17 miss-quote in Pulp Fiction, but cant as the biblical text seems to have little meaning here. As previous there is heavy duty packing but problems occur once the cd is played. That aside I could return to “I lay my vengeance upon you..”. There is a double paradox of Jules wanting to believe his interpretation of a fake which might be just that in reality.. but Isaiah is not doing this- its essentially a synth/sample electronics work. Track 1 is rumble and noise through a VCA- with a riff and rhythm- track 2 harsher with white noise and filter sweeps, track 3 slow intro to rhythmical drone!? (guys when looping a sample find a zero crossing point and crossfade otherwise you here a click in the loop) which strangely becomes track 4 – without inter track gap of 1 & 2, track 5 again uses loops but harsher with a badly produced fade at the end. All that said – sounding negative is not what I like, and I get the feeling that PBB could do something but seem to be uncertain of what. Perhaps too planned and composed – if only the soundworks would live up to the packaging and title – violence is required I think – I’m sure they are up to it…”." I been sayin' that shit for years. And if you ever heard it, it meant your ass. I never gave much thought what it meant. I just thought it was some cold-blooded shit to say to a motherfucker before I popped a cap in his ass.”… you need to pop some caps guys? Next time? (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/plasticbonerband

VARIOUS NEGATIVE MESSAGE FROM COLLECTIVE MIND 2 - YOUR TALK MAY KILL YOUR COMRADES (CDr by Spirals Of Involution)

KENJI SIRATORI EXQUISITE CORPSE (CDr by Spirals Of Involution)

CRANK SHAFT VS BIOMASS (CDr by Spirals Of Involution)

FEAR KONSTRUKTOR AND MOURMANSK150 ARSON ACRIMONY (CDr by Spirals Of Involution)

CISFINITUM MUSIC OF LIGHT (CDr by Spirals Of Involution)

A set of disks only identified by the Tatlin tower logo – from Russia – in a variety of packages and graphics. Use of small black text on black images, broken DVD cases and jewel case inserts without cases – well they also break- makes identification difficult. Perhaps the EU could issue a directive re a standard of using the card – digi-pack – blanks now available – and a proforma contact sheet- identification would be a simpler task- though we would sadly become even more homogenised. The distinctive lo-fi packaging and printing prejudices the Russian releases with taints of former USSR collapse, so when Various opens with an industrial landscape “Verterno” by “Misery” (sic) I thought nostalgic field recordings of bankrupt soviet industrialisation and collapse was going to unfold - and does to an extent (Out Of Focus Moloko, Frozen Ocean Myrmekos Fear Konstruktor Dead Space, Circle Of Iron Tape Quella Villa Accanto Al Cimitero ) – but tracks 10 – 14 explore the noise genre- ranging from heavy bass (Biomass ????????? ? ????????? ????????, Necrasota ?????????? (???????)) through high pitched stuff (Organoid Like Fly In Spider Web )– noise feedback (Maaaa Karelia) etc. – if anyone from Spirals reads this – could I suggest a coherent website with information in English and some mp3s? I checked out the Russian section of chondriticsound.com/forum/ without luck, discogs gives their site – barely discernable on some disks as - http://fnord.lenin.ru/soi/ - punch in this and you get – “404: LOVE ALWAYS YIELDS Alas! your file is forfeit” Hummm? Is this diss-information intentional? Exquisite Corpse by *The* Kenji Sirtori *is* extreme noise – extreme as it consists in the main of electronics pushed to the extreme – that is over modulated and so falling into hypersonic feedback - which no doubt resists capture in 44100hz PCM. Live one would I suspect be more aware of this inaudible feedback – the piece is extreme rather than harsh in its rhizome structure – or de-structuring – and a particular example for this listener- where meta-sonics are employed rather more than the rumble and white noise of atypical harsh noise. I hope such work within the Russian context can remove the temptation of a self indulgent introversion of a potential nostalgic and closed retreat into nationalism – and history. Tatlin’s tower had non parochial ideologies! But at times pieces on the comp are over played industrial or elsewhere on other CDrs “spacey” and “cosmic” landscapes of a future predicted in the last century but which never happened – at best? tangerine dream 20 years ago on vinyl- well no! and certainly not on an ipod. Biomass (who runs the label) & Crank Shaft’s CDR is heavy noise with strong rhythms and pulses, a re –release of previous material- the more recent work of the compilation lacks this structuring agenda – is more de-focussed and de-structuring- that is ideologically more noisy - The last two Cds, Sci-Fi reverbry - Music of Light (!), unfortunately resorts to close to the edegry glissera + noise? synthed reverb washes of 70s / 80s anthemic freakery, Arson Acrimony more industrial spacey-wailing-beats– with dialogue samples – Russian? French and English expletives. Certain soviet sc-fi masked or metaphored criticism of a regime, but this fiction is redundant. Perhaps involution is a dangerous thing – paranoia after all was the disease of modernity – but this “now” is the future and our disease is schizophrenia, not to be confused with eclecticism and third worldism - the noise genre is in each successful piece a demonstration of schizophrenic sound - madness rather than gladness. It might be that the Russian consciousness has to overcome the vestigial proclivity to hierarchies, structures, rhythms, tunes which (they can learn from) Japanese noise has accomplished without regard to some primitivism or fake occultism of western noise’s bare chested shenanigans. (jliat)

Address [email protected] (perhaps?) SUJO DORA (CDr by Inam Records)

“four new tracks of lo-fi noise, drone and distant shoegaze” Yep! Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (jliat) This does an injustice to this release, the music is finely balanced and crafted, as is the mix, depth is created by skilful use of reverb and what sounds like carefully controlled guitar feedback and distortion – rhythmic drones and slowly evolving abstractions - with this Sujo manages to create a work of merit and anyone interested in this kind of thing should try to get to listen if not actually buy a copy.(jliat)

Address [email protected]

WAND. AND PRINCESS YELLOW SHIP (CDr by Wand. and Princess)

W. & P obviously have a massive P.R. and publishing deal, I like this kind of stuff, so low fi its nearly dirt, the corporate info sheet is a page torn out of an exercise book with a biroed “Hello there ..” same money, time and care was spent on packaging the CDr- hand painted blue card – well a few brush strokes of yellow and maroon – with again hand written text- cut no doubt by a pair of scissors with the precision of a drunk. A white label stuck to the cd is blank – they lost their biro perhaps. And what on the CD you ask – what you would expect – one track of lo-fi noise – they might call drone but I wouldn’t- of appalling quality – brilliant stuff – the only pity is the myspace site gives more – too much information- and is almost professional in appearance! – it needs the biro and paint job… Anticipating cries of hypocrite – as in my critique of the lo-fi Russians – I think you need to be competent or totally incompetent , as W Blake said – if a fool persists in his folly he shall become wise. And such in-competence and apparent carelessness should not be used as a pretence, the beauty lies in its worthlessness to the point of bored meaningless which describes life itself and a survival mechanism for it without - hope. (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/wandandprincess

CORNUCOPIA BLACK OPERATIONS (CDR by Sonora)

CORNUCOPIA STAR TRAILS (CDR by Sonora)

Claudio Chea & Jorge Castro - live recordings from 2005/6 B Ops recorded in San Juan the other across the Netherlands. Synth Noise Box, field recordings and other data – I précis … S.T. 17:53 – reverb – reverb – everywhere And all the boards did shrink ; reverb reverb every where, Nor any one to think.. The very deep did rot : O Christ !That ever this should be ! Yea, synthy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea…. B. Ops 32:07 – here the things chatter and chrip – the doses of spring-line, focusrite, Bucket Brigade, Lexicon … “The classic mistakes of the novice are using too much reverb return on everything and allowing reverb tails to be too long. Reverb generally needs to be subtle..” Hugh Robjohns - Sound on Sound Magazine. That agony returns :And till my ghastly tale is told…. "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" is a track written and performed by Roger Waters from the two-part 1969 Pink Floyd album, Ummagumma. The track consists of several minutes of noises resembling rodents and birds simulated by Waters' voice and other techniques, such as tapping the microphone played at different speeds, followed by Waters providing a few stanzas of quasi-lyrics in an exaggerated Scottish brogue. There is a "hidden message" in the song at approximately 4:34. If played at a slower speed, Waters can be heard to say, "That was pretty avant-garde, wasn't it?". Also, at the end of the rant, Waters is heard to say "and the wind cried Mary", referencing the Jimi Hendrix song of that title”… Ay! and the wind cried Mary (jliat)

BUBONIC HERMAPHRODITE IDIOTUNDERGROUND01 (CDr by ??)

Is it true in every household there is a draw – or more- of stuff, we have one, ball of string broken can opener, lawnmower blades (used) several boxes of matches, those things used to assemble Ikea furniture, several bent drawing pins, an incomplete set of playing cards, a chopstick, bits of strange shaped plastic and metal, screws of various sizes, mains adaptors for what we have forgotten… the list could run to pages- well imagine the sonic equivalent and that what I’m listening to. Such a strange conglomeration of noises which organically shift in waves like a migraine- oh and a shelf of tins of paint most either half or fully used- the detritus of life which somehow no matter how often you clear – returns – or if you do throw them all out you immediately need that alan key – or realise the purpose of that bit of plastic is vital to your continued life and happyness… only with death is such ephemera finally thrown out – to surface years later I suspect in an antique shop – my junk draw in 100 years time will be no doubt of great interest and value to some avid collector – and maybe they might also find this CDr and play it – and think how it summed up the pervious eras taste in music - which of course it doesn’t but splendidly resists categorisation like the contents of the “junk draw” – some how junk – yet important and annoyingly autobiographical – like the broken flash light you one day will fix, and the tube of superglue which might come in handy – though of course its set solid in its tube. On the last track they sing badly to a broken harmonica – “brown nipple” – deep or what? (jliat)

Address(non given – try http://www.myspace.com/bubonichermaphrodite)

DOG HOLOCAUST VOL I-III (real CD by Gaping Hole)

It is difficult to review Dog Holocaust’s (Dan Johansson/Sewer Election- Kakerlak/ Nolan Throop) Volume I-III (from 3 1 sided C30s) on Gaping Hole – the B&W cover showing an anus – quite a lot of noise seems to pick up on S&M, bondage and occultism. So what should I say – it’s a noisy disk (3 tracks of continuous white/harsh noise and semi-modulated feedback)– I like it? – but S&M /Occultism and its influence on art/culture goes back to Sade and before – and the likes of Derrida pick up on this creative tension – e.g. Glas… or the work of the Chapmans – or Jakes meatphysics. If the very idea of “noise” is against the idea of “meaning” as noise is the reverse of music – def. “organized sound” – that’s a similar process to deconstruction. And I’ve said a much before – but the depth of noise – its origins in Whitehouse / TG et al. is underpinned and re-inscribed. Sade = the actualisation of the Kantian ethical enlightenment – revolutionary anti-transcendentalist. Is the Dawkinsian telos. And such a duality which is in fact a singularity, the Kantian logic IS the Sadistic act is only (perhaps) in high art dismissed, dealt with as irony, if not by its practitioners then by its audience or supportive critics.. In (noise) its (over) consumption and production, its own solution as a cultural zenith which must destroy itself even if this destruction is mistakenly seen by its practitioners as success-and marks a wider destruction, is taken too seriously- as a part of the whole which is both territorialization and its reverse. I like it then for its integrity and my ability to find this a valueless presence. (jliat)

Address http://snse.net

KOTRA RESET (CD by Kvitnu)

I like bars which sell Peroni Nastro Azzurro at exorbitant prices- anthropologically to people watch the beautiful young things both sides of the bar - which usually has a vast flower arrangement of giant lily’s. And you can get fries and mayonnaise to dip – which leaves little change from a 20…. Well they have this cool trippy ambient electro dance music, or else more ethnic trance, I know some bars play a cool jazz – the clientele are different- older- probably divorcees and middle management – but without the more shrill electro alarm samples ‘Reset’ could almost make it in the former, or if more up/complex/faster beat resemble autechre? 16 tracks – rhythmic sequenced glitch music – high pitched sine alarms and electronica from the Ukraine - Dmytro Fedorenko whose music credentials are impeccable and who mixed these during residence in Krakow Music Academy would no doubt find such beer, such fries, seductive? I like the idea behind reset – “to clear errors, events, people, experience and concepts to bring intention energy to a condition of initial state to refine the transformation process. reset to inner to free” it has the same vacuous feel of these places however it does not quite have the semi-sophistication.. http://www.barroombar.com/home/ http://www.hahaonline.co.uk/ (jliat)

Address http://kotra.org.ua/

JEFF REHNLUND RECYCLED (Recycled Cassette by RRR)

“so today this guy came to my shop and dumped his cassette collection, the usual 80's rock + metal, hundreds upon hundreds of the damned things - I got no use for them except for recycling.......YAY!!!! ….today is the day I need new masters........ who wants to put out a Recycled Music tape on RRR?? if you are reading this, then consider yourself invited - all I need from you is a cassette master (preferably a C-46 or a C-60) oh yeah, I just want noise and its various subdivisions - please NO TECHNO/IDM/BEATS/etc - I normally dont reject masters for the Recycled series but stuff like that is going straight into the dumpster …also I need no artwork, its always the same design BEST – Ron” Which is how it all began- the “design” is duck tape and felt pen… and no more- this current series is over- so here we have one example… Rehnlund’s contribution is a strange eclectic mix of harsh noise snippets, ‘field recordings’ both from the US and elsewhere – electronically processed - acoustic type low fi improv- in diverse sections- processed ‘found’ sound pieces – the whole lacks coherence as a monolithic work – or even identifiable tracks - but that’s OK as it underlines rather well the general idea of recycling of what could be regarded as the detritus of existence- though I doubt if its any good news for all our polar bear readers. (Jliat)

Address www.rrrecords.com / www.myspace.com/jeffRehnlund

SUDDEN INFANT PSYCHOTIC EINZELKIND (CD by Blossoming Noise)

Is or are Joke Lanz, who here is joined by Bill Kouligas and Christian Weber, but has from the website collaborated with most of the people in the known universe. And even here the last three tracks are remixes by Z’EV, Lasse Marhaug and Thurston Moore. Given all that and his support from Pro Helvetia? and the Swiss Arts Council (resist third man quote!!!) I have to admit I didn’t enjoy or like (not the same thing) this release. I know its all my fault.. I’ve been listening to this over and over and it still reminds me of French mime- no doubt both incredibly deep and at the same time funny to the Gallic mind but to me – a WASP – I just don’t get it? Though I do understand the rules of cricket – ‘I don’t like Reggie – I love it’ to quote 10cc…. Well I suppose it has bits of noise but I’m thinking Fluxus does eurovision – and that might prove popular to some. What I would call clanky clank silly rhythms – which naughty Thurston has just run tracks 1+? through a distortion pedal, Lasse’s a kind of coughourama.. or take track 11, its made from zipper noise to sound like small dogs barking…(very funny? Oh how clever – in the accent the pigs use in shrek…) elsewhere bits of guitar and electonica – I’m probably damming my chances with the avant garde – but sorry guys – I don’t get it, maybe – just maybe the first name is a giveaway- emperors new clothes – or maybe not? (Jliat)

Address http://www.suddeninfant.com/

VRIL THE OBSERVER (CD by Skullnoise Records)

"The Observer" es la "antimúsica", la descomposición y el desorden donde la estructura musical es el mismo caos. Intento romper con todas las normas y crear unas texturas y atmósferas ruidistas e inquietantes en algunos casos….” Well you can say that again – and they do in English - "The Observer" is "anti-music", the decomposition and disorder where musical structure is chaos. I attempt to break with all norms and create noisy textures and atmospheres, even disturbing in some cases. 58 minutes of pulsating brutality where the tone generator and distorsions merge in a vortex of high voltage frecuency…” Yep – does what it says on the can- as the Ronseal ad goes (I love that expression but imagine others hate it… especially the swiss) Its noise (jim – but as we know it) slow- drawn out like things being fed through some giant electric saw and slowly shredded into oblivion – well into bits at least… and not on all the tracks – the persistence and single minded stupidity of noise is I know at times hard to maintain.. Another point I’d make Paco (Rodríguez) is the artwork is dull – I’m thinking… (ad man type voice…) princess leia as the slave girl in SW5 perhaps? A thinly disguised rouse to intellectualize pathetic sexism…by calling it ironic… oh come on- 7 of 9 – searing indictment of post-modern cybernization of humanity or what! (jliat)

Address www.vrilnoise.com

HUM OF THE DRUID RAISING THE NEW WING BRAIDED INDUSTRY (LP by SNSE)

I’m having to fix my deck (yo man respect ?) for this one so while we wait just some words of warning to Eric (Stonefelt) that the druids are in the UK a bit of a joke – though they pratt around at Stonehenge the said circle predates them by hundreds if not thousands of years, plus Ken Barlow of Coronation Street is a famous! druid. Nuf said? – (not from the UK? then Wiki said Ken..) OK – elsewhere a reviewer talks of the Bass on this – and its there at first simply like the amplified rumble of the deck- but then what appears as a rooftop flyover of a Hercules transport – I say this from experience – you know - what the FCUK was that! There is some processed “scary” vocal – but we will let that go … What is *particularly* good about this release is that given its on vinyl at times you cant help but think the stylus is simply running over a slab of rusty metal, and that any artifacts of the actual medium are instantly part of the piece. (That’s good children as it relates to McLuhan’s dictum – I said dictum!) Anyone who is into vinyl (resist slutty joke) should check this out. OK vinyl and noise – got to be a sex thing here? Ken certainly wouldn’t like any of it. “Soooooo I’m thinking noise… vinyl… ken & then Barbie … and…” oh getoutahere – actually “Kenanbarbi” – what do you think – kind of japanesse sounding…. no?…. sorry – anyway – nice release - nice(jliat)

Address http://snse.net/

PRURIENT ARROWHEAD (CD by Editions Mego)

Three tracks with mostly very high pitched feedback, screaming and on tracks one/three drumming recorded back in 2004. Despite the accompanying blurb’s “ear splitting” the vocals are restrained in terms of volume, the drumming more incidental than loud – it could be that somewhere the message and meaning of noise has been misunderstood, or re-interpreted, i.e. that there is no message, I suppose means it can mean everything and anything but not to the exclusion of anything else. Noise does not communicate by definition, noise prevents communication. "I don't have any special message in my noise, but being loud." Mikawa-san. So what the *angst* does here and anywhere else is position the piece as some critical dialogue with – “whatever”. Just as the intensity of the bongos (track 3) or the anger is much U.S. noise misses the point and places itself back into communication and so music, not noise. The vocals should be cold, as cold and unfeeling as the electric feedback- unemotional, its not the Munch Scream but the cold emptiness of Zen, the nothing that is obviously available to the Japanese masters that many in the west fail to recognize or achieve. (jliat)

Address www.editionsmego.com

FCKN’BSTRDS POWERTRASH 2008 (DVD by Farmers from Holland)

Are Vulvax, Dr Bibber, Sjab el Kebap, The Stiff Nipple of Terror on this DVD – are what I would call a performance group from Holland who can be seen here for the most part semi naked with headdresses of their own creation performing at various venues including a hotel bathroom. The DVD is dedicated to Berry Rikkerink who I know little of I’m afraid. From what I’ve said elsewhere I don’t regard such groups as making noise – but that is what the anarchistic output can at times resemble. And I even admit to feint amusement at such antics - it would be all too easy to place them in the tradition of social commentators, clowns, fools and the like that has accompanied humanity’s so called progress and civilization- and I suppose that is what I’d do. Their functions and features have been studied in depth and no doubt they form some psychological benefit to society though perhaps showing my own psyche’s faults I take things too seriously. Then again perhaps this kind of thing long ago when danced by shaman in order to join once again humanity back into the natural world of the unconscious it was serious, and its trivialization is what I dislike. (jliat)

Address http://www.fcknbstrds.com/

MARTIN BLADH & BO I CAVEFORS THREE STUDIES FOR A CRUCIFIXION (DVD & CD by FireWork Edition Records)

This DVD is of a three act “Passion Play” dedicated to Francis Bacon, this is nothing to do with noise either, but certainly could in no way be described as trivial. The protagonists here in front of a projection of the paintings set out to embody the nihilistic vision of the painter. You might feel disgusted or sick at the blood, intestines and homosexual acts- and perhaps want to return to the playfulness of Fckn’bstrds antics. This is the real deep black horror of existence – shocking in that is can be or should be performed by human beings at all, not that it is in its deliberation – to shock or disgust- that would be too easy, it would become a sex show, and it is not. Like the paintings of Bacon it unfolds along a horrific and deterministic trajectory that somehow cannot be avoided, if it did appear to be deliberately shocking then it would be possible to step outside the drama and see it as amusement or entertainment. Or is it excuseable as a sudden outburst of promethian energy - which is understandably human - from tribal dancing through to the sillyness in noise festivals. The real horror here is the premeditated logic of the performance devoid of any emotional excuse. This performance as also Bacons’ paintings in their inhumanity could and should be ignored as impossible imaginations if not for the reality of the logic of the slaughter house from which they derive and the even more terrible realizations of these artists finding in this beauty. (jliat)

Address www.fireworkeditionrecords.com

NICOLAS TONE I'M TONE DEAF (3" CDr by Thor’s Rubber Hammer Productions)

CHARTREUSE NO MORE PATHS TO SOUNDER SLEEP (Cassette by Thor’s Rubber Hammer Productions)

THE GREEN KNIGHT THE ETERNAL (Cassette by Thor’s Rubber Hammer Productions)

There is quite allot of drumming on the Tone CD, and fragments of noise, found sound and film track sound. The drumming is frenzied but rhythmical, tracks 4 and 9 completely silent even on inspection with a sound editor – zero- bits of micro sound, track 7 is some children mimicking police sirens, it comes in a grey sleeve envelope. Elsewhere I’ve made comments regarding noise, but as in his book Hegerty maintains noise can be anything you like, all categorizations are off, or on, when some powergroup can motivate sufficient numbers. Noise has transfigured itself into a cult, from a genre in which disparate groups find kinship. And through this kinship exert a hegemony of the sort that the USS Nimitz does. Chartreuse.. “We can't wait. No More Paths will come out on a real-deal CD this summer, but so many people have e-mailed that TRHP’s gonna go ahead and offer 15 of the 50 copies that Drew Smith (Chartreuse) himself dubbed onto cassette. (Note: This is the unmastered version, but there's a great gritty and muddled quality that makes it distinct from the final product.) Organ drones seep through the earth as if heard by a tape recorder buried underground.” This is indeed very muddy and a kind of looping drone- and guitar riffs- on the cassette box is some illegible text, are we meant to read it, are we meant to play what is inside. It seems there is some urgency that we should, more evangelical hand clapping, more eschatological hand waving that tidied up could do well in wine bars or sell insurance. And before you think I’m being harsh, I like wine bars and carry insurance. What is happening is the mirroring in the alternative of the image now not reversed – were the pigs wrong at the end of animal farm and was the fall of communism a good or bad thing. And now today you answer by googling – We pursue excellence and happiness- even I have paid over 5 UK pounds in a Crowne Plaza bar for some peanuts… and the means to do this is almost free. Green Knight… “Abrasive tape manipulations fall down the stairs in paranoid murmurs.” - boded well as the cassette case was of course broken- though the idea of this being deliberate echoes as a concept these days between being cool, avant garde and clichéd. And both at the same time. So some tape manipulation yes – and a rather good recording of the great northern diver- I joke not – a track for bill oddie? – which – you will never guess – is then looped! The religiosity of noise – or any group of fundamentalists- like the ipod carrying iconoclastic Taliban is maintained by the ability to maintain openly contradictions, that after all is the whole point of free-speech and the American way of life. This of course being the exception. (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/thorsrubberhammerproductions

HELMETICRONONAUT / ANIMAL MACHINE PARTIALLY DIGESTED MEALS SAYING HELLO / HOMO HOMINI LUPUS

(CDr by Kraklisk)

ANIMAL MACHINE SCAPEGOAT (CDr by Kraklisk)

CADMIUM DUNKEL THE ENERHAUGEN CONCERTS (CDr by Kraklisk)You might do well to read the blurb on all these @http://swampsupnostrils.teks.no/krakilsk/index2.htm – its not serious is it? I’d really like some help here… it’s a fiction in parodying other S&M and occultist sites – and not the real thing – as for the first CD - “gory subspace visions of werewolves joining cannibals in a carnivorous blood orgy where the main coarse is human beef tartar, with a side dish of aborted fetuses and fried puppies.” Obviously a micky take? - these guys eat the pizza mom prepares- and anyway didn’t she and hubbie eat the afterbirth – the “sons of agrothorax” would be horrified. But children- art lovers were horrified when Nigela Lawson accidentally thawed out the head of Marc Quinn, stored among the frozen peas. The work, “Self”, consists of Quinn's head cast in nine pints of his own frozen, congealed blood.- gross mom! And Nigela, daughter of the former conservative chancellor of the exchequer , (Baron Lawson of Blaby) star cook of t.v. and domestic goddess, Chelsea football fan and partner of the dead cows Saatchi…fckin weird or what – here is the paradox – my point - the establishment far from finding the gore text(joke) here revolting would find it silly in comparison to their actualities. So its got to be all a mindless parody or this really is the stuff of sex starved adolescents playing violent (but safe soooo safe ) video games? “Put it on loud and grunt along while your fellow wolfmen howl at the moon!” Oh come on! – its not bad noise though… No grunting boys- just get out your moms ironing board and surf the irony. Scapegoat’s write up attempts some justification! – but singularly fails to identify the need for noise to be ambivalent. All talk of blood and sodomy doesn’t shock an authority that’s been indulging in this for centuries. “Yet again, noise tries to take upon itself to redeem us from the archaic melodic harmonic rule bound structure of boredom.” *Redemption* – yet again a genre becomes a pseudo religion- regains a morality- Jesus wants me for a sunbeam? Actually there is some excellent noise on these two releases- and excellent not because of either invention or shock which are and always have been the pleasures of the bourgeois, but excellent– because they are indistinguishable.. but Cadmium Dunkel’s is an imaginary concert- a live open mike with background rumble and someone is playing the piano, and plucking the strings- for a few seconds then synth noise…echoing swathes of pads – I was in one of those ethnic shops the other day where they sell those cds – you know – of whales and wolves and red-indians- you press the buttons and out comes music for municipal mantras- more noise then? “ mr.Dunkel paints an abstract and floating audio image that can only be seen by utilizing your pineal gland” What? “The pineal gland is large in children, but shrinks at puberty. It appears to play a major role in sexual development, hibernation in animals, metabolism, and seasonal breeding…. Historically, its location deep in the brain suggested to philosophers that it possessed particular importance. This combination led to its being a "mystery" gland with myth, superstition and metaphysical theories surrounding its perceived function.” Wiki.. When Nietzsche and Heidegger threw away the truth in some idea of producing the superman (who can endure the boredom of the eternal return) how wrong they were- for we do not any longer have the truth but we do have what is true. Now heaven forbid you think I’m again being harsh – I think that’s up to the reader, but the idea of truth – say regarding the pineal gland – opens up the post-modern can of worms. At the end of the day such arguments always ignore the text in favor of individual justification. And if that’s OK then its OK – I can no more stop you thinking that than change the events of 9-11 In the work of “Georges Bataille, …. Hollier discusses how Bataille uses the concept of a 'pineal-eye' as a reference to a blind-spot in Western rationality… “ Image – the Taliban carrying their favored Russian made RPG.. We see nothing wrong in any fundamentalism which is anti-intellectual using the self same justifications. (God you do go on here! – did you like it? – first two yes – last no) (jliat)

Address www.krakilsk.org

WINTERS IN OSAKA RED TOOTH, RED CLAW (Cdr by Power Silence)

PETER J WOODS THE DESERT HOLDS NOTHING (Cdr by Power Silence)

TERENCE HANNUM OATHS/OMENS (Cdr by Power Silence)

PS a sub label of Somnimage...These works hover over a precipice which the likes of Russolo was both not aware and victim to. In modern theory there too we see the shadow of Saussure everywhere and it is evident here in spades. That is the identities of the pieces are not so much derived as the differences amplified, quiet rubbings, heavy noise, harsh brocades and wet reverberation. To a Searlean, S.A.R.L. programme they could be distinguished as symptoms however they resist in themselves any particular polemic of what is considered outdated politics, and further they obfuscate the techno-scientific panacea which they ultimately employ. I must apologise here for not having hierarchized the works and that must be a condemnation of a very poor review/reviewer however devoid of richness these works might well by more affluent critics be termed “sub prime”. In listening I certainly could “see” that one coming, so we will now do some pedantic detail. W.I.O - Jennings Stanis (RIP) and Golen with Mykel Boyd on track 2 & Kenji Siratori & Zweizz track 1 cut up noise across the stereo field - & tape manipulations? Track 2 a long drawn out from silence to electro-howl – the two then diachronic Vs synchronic.. which is found again on the P.J.W piece- here some harsh noise amongst harsh ambiences of performance which might well satisfy Searl if not for P.M. undermining… which is continued and amplified in the musicology of the Hannum disk reverbed landscapes where dogs no doubt ypyip bow-wow or oua-oua… that is the nature – not natural? Expression- how they can be – art at all. Strangely if anyone is satisfied by this P.D. then they begin to look like re-constituted atomists. And what a dream this would be though its reality was a nightmare, a closing thought – not the nightmare of Heidegger – of the terminator and the rise of the machines – but the more comforting words of Cypher “You know this steak doesn’t exist. I know when I put it in my mouth the Matrix is telling my brain that its juicy and delicious..” (jliat)

Address http://www.somnimage.com/artists1.htm

DISTURBANCE, THE 13TH (Cdr by R.O.N.F. Records)

MIXTURIZER EXPLORATO SATURATIO (Cdr by Smell the Stench tapes/CDrs)

At the end of Event Horizon the doomed inter-stellar drive sinks into the atmosphere of Neptune and is consumed… the section with the gravity drive is a metaphor for post-modernity and though the horrors of the black hole appears totalizing the relative insignificance of the outer planet consumes it. Also as John Lennon sang on a broken 45 we found but would still play, “nobody told me there would be days like this..” “strange days these..” And so i’ve been playing these disks for two weeks now and avoiding writing .. and having these kind of thoughts.. Within the genre of what can be re-named as experimentalism – which appears as The Wire’s “Outer Limits” – but never made even the nearest star – Proxima Centauri, are drums and beats, water gongs, guitar feedback, synth drones, bass and chirrup, ring modulation and samples, looped, reverbed and echoed, phased and electronically panned, field recordings, geese?, gentle singing and processed screams, clips from radio and or film again processed and beautifully placed in a dynamic stereo field, such is the achievement of The 13th –a five way split TORSTEIN WJIIK (Norway), CHILDREN EGOISM (Serbia) & EGO DEATH (Greece) SPOOKLIGHTS (US) & SIN SEÑAL (Ecuador). There is a considerable range of work here and what I suspect is using contemporary technology, feats of electro-recording that at one time was not even possible in the EMI studios at Abbey Road. Not that the relative low cost and range of technologies open to the MAC/PC recording artist/engineer should diminish the obvious amount of painstaking work undertaken here. And in the Mixturizer disk we have if anything more, though not of the same, as being a singleton (Manuel M. Cubas) its more unified in the exploration – not exploitation- of thematic beats which might range across an experimentalist/industrial genre, are if anything more well placed, well balanced, produced in a sparkling and at times surprising clarity of sound. Why then the schizophrenic worry, maybe I like the Event Horizon we / I have become divided – into two and detached from the horrors of post-modernity in a new and comfortable “rescue”- mourn the failed evil of technology and feeling in the comfort of the rescued a little too secure, a little too like I’m becoming a child? (jliat)

Address www.ronfreecords.com

Address www.smellthestench.net

TORTURING NURSE 192171-200871 (Cdr by Why Not Ltd)

JULIEN SKROBEK VOLATIL (Cdr by Why Not Ltd)

GOH LEE KWANG CICADAS (Cdr by Why Not Ltd)

As jamesy ignored the hun’s Flugabwehrkanone he once again banked his trusty Lanc over the enemy, though this time below him lay the cotton fields of the deep south, he could hear the gentle strum of banjos as his bomb bay doors opened…..Three disks wrapped in colour Xerox A4 + commercially branded –Life Tec CDRs – hopefully I haven’t mislaid these as no identifying writing – is this a phaleologocentric trope weeeeeeeeeeee! Booom! Or an attempt to place oneself before the event, writing, encasing, screening, the time before the first…weeeeee… boom! Broken bits of banjo and burning Jack Daniels fills the air.. Volatil uses a picture of a bird –“ it's kind of a pun between "volatilisation" (like the sounds) and the bird, because the lyrics in Vietnamese mean "I want to be a bird..." eh-hem! Nod nod say no more- a strange concoction- mix of sounds – found maybe – and dialogue- effects minimally strung out- like a charm bracelet of 60s avant garde? Ethnic drums &tc- though once exotic are now in shops everywhere selling pan-pipes and didgeridoos… so it’s a bit like being in one of those shops.. with the kids playing about- only much more silence on the disk – Goh Lee is echoey industrial, gongy droney single track which ends in a high pitched thing?... moving on and T.N. – buy this! It starts as a fairly laid back racket of feedback and clanging – live I suspect – the guitar needs tuning and there is a serious mains loop hum (joke) by track 3 they are beginning to wind themselves up – hell they have what I think is called a groove going- its splendid stuff- the kind of noise that brings a smile – you just know they are touching 80mph and there is more power left – this is a fucking Harley Davidson of a disk- they ease the throttle on 4 only to open it back up into more feedback (excellent) on 5, 6 eases out into a field recording??? Brilliant - see for yourself – and weep. Chinas rising! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HT7WgvzfojQ (jliat) (clear enough?)

Address http://www.geocities.com/whynotltd/

DECONTROL COMMITTEE DECONTROL COMMITTEE (Cdr by Deconcom Records)

YASUJI MORIMOTO LES PLANTES (CD by Low Speed Duplicating)

Both websites provide little information – Decontrol tops minimal information, 5 tracks of fairly continuous noise, some discernable pulses, the last track having audio clips of someone going on about thanksgiving and the vice president. For want of explanation all 5 appear though noise to be field recordings, imagine a contact mike being dragged along the ground. Les Plantes is packed in thick cardboard, again minimal information here, but maybe that’s the point, should we need information to support this kind of work? Though Les Plantes when I played it again yielded more noise, less homogeneous- swathes of white noise and oscillations until it appeared to loop and glitch, but on looking at the CD player it was the disk that was performing these tricks and not the recorded material, I doubt if deliberate, a nice trick if it was – genuine in your player field playing rather than recording. But an accident – its playing OK on the computer – track 7 is quite harsh, with 9 we get someoneone playing a trumpet? And others joining in with percussion and singing? – again a recording of some band pictured on the disk- Mexican or south American – very odd. I could say and should both are interesting if a little quirky, but the general “foundness” of both left me not cold and not interested that much. I get the feeling that more work needs doing- terrible thing to say on a Sunday afternoon- Lazy sunday afternoon, I've got no mind to worry, close my eyes and

Drift away, Close my eyes and drift away. Here we all are sittin in a rainbow(da da da do) Cor blimey hallo missus Jones hows your Berts lumbago?

I'll sing you a song with no words and no tune

I'll sing at your party while you suss out the moon, oh yeah (jliat)

Address http://www.deconcomrecords.com/

Address www.lowspeedduplicating.com

BEARSES THE PRETTIEST GIRL I EVER SAW (3" cdr by Hymns)

IRONING THE END OF THE JACKSON PARTY (3" cdr by Hymns)

“Live collaboration between Ironing and Pairs recorded June 17, 2005 in Tampa, FL. to digital and split into five seamless thematic tracks. Andrew Chadwick , Troy Turriate- ++ Blistery harshness with woven pop culture sounds. A live performance from June 11, 2005 in Orlando, FL using microcassettes, records, cassettes and keyboard straight to digital and split into six seamless thematic tracks…” = Andrew Chadwick…– of electro noise-?, after theory, the non-debate, briefly the internet brought communication of theory – how? = In the form of use groups, the “ use” of latter Wittgenstein (don’t ask for meaning ask for use) or the Derridian ever open difference. Once knowledge was power and now its free , the Use groups are dead, post-modernity is over only the baudrillian echoes ring true are of the virtual and hyper real facebook communicates, the signals of equality, not of psycho linguistics. Here we have elements of a pan-handle collective or anagrammatising of lost souls it seems from a board, which in turn becomes binary chatter? Genre, style, content, prospective manifestos and suggestions collapse, we have style, and what was once harsh. Rumble & hiss ~ rattle & hum… The inconsequentiality of noise is present, and reverberated – only its everywhere else, the Janet Jackson clip is not out of place- nothing is. The seeming financial war is scripted like everything. Rhythmic elements like the syntax of words are only noted, No difference. (jliat)

http://www.myspace.com/hymnslabel

THU20 TILBURG (Cdr by Korm plastics)

Practicing priests … for once information is to hand – (A rare live work from THU20- Jos Smolders and Roel Meelkop (computer) Peter Duimelinks and Frans de Waard, acoustic objects and the analogue electronics of Jacques van Bussel. ) and if not then this multilayered work might suggest some studio piece – which would account for its un-noise structuring of abstract “shapes” of sound, more sound collage, sectioned to short to evolve into something which once called itself industrial with almost nostalgic references to the Abstract of the previous century, charming rather than American brashness or lost in translation Japanese renderings, I’m reminded of that strange and interesting Abstract Expressionist movement in Northern Europe of Wols et al. – an intellectualism which was overwhelmed by first the size and then the brash confrontationality of US Nimitz sized and cultured art. Which was a pity, no longer the intellectuals smoke in street cafes galwarze, but if at all Malbro lites, indicative of the refusal to live and denial of the truth, SMOKING KILLS, and here in Tilburg some smoking clearly takes place, a careful and thought out improvisation that is just like the eddy of gallwose smoke and thickened with the taste of real, not instant coffee and real not instant improvisations of sound – not noise then- something that might speak from the past and say here is something to talk about. (jliat)

CRACKED DOME FLIPPING OFF THE SKY (Cdr by Knife in the toaster)

FONIK(2) FUEL (Cdr by Knife in the toaster)

FOSSILS DAGOBAH (Cdr by Knife in the toaster)

www.knifeinthetoaster.com says it will be here soon. “You can check back again, if you want” - http://knifeinthetoaster.tripod.com/ - last post 2006? http://www.discogs.com/label/Knife+In+The+Toaster gives a listing of 82 releases of which these are the latest 3- google maps for this “Noise” label from St. John's NL Canada is sponsored by Memories Forever PartyBus… If you would like to talk to someone about our services or anything you have seen on the website, please feel free to contact our friendly and competent staff....Ross, Ed or Alma at (709) 738-4336. So maybe Alma can help? Yes I am making a sarcastic point – “Some people think it's perhaps 'cool', 'fun', 'art' or otherwise to send something to Vital Weekly that has no information..” Discogs again, Fossils is David Payne, Scott Johnson, Jeremy Buchan, Cracked Dome is one half of the sonic noise duo known as The Sunken out of Kelso, nothing on Fonik(2). The genre is described as Abstract, Musique Concrète, Noise - which needs to be understood in a new way if any sense is to be made of labels relating to what were experimental, intellectual activities of 50 years ago. The recordings themselves are on commercial CDRs- Fuji Film and Maxell, b&w photocopies for artwork– with a sticky label slapped across the surface of the disk- low core graphics, Fossils is in a DVD case the others in poly bags. WTSA, what the shit aesthetics.. This and the lack of information, save Cracked Dome who thank Satan and evil doers the world over.. has forced me into this (long) analysis. My wife often sticks a knife in the toaster! and I pointed out to her the other night, mathematicians regard 2 as being identical to 1.999... I was very upset, (in a platonic way) but she just gave a WTSA look or was it a WTF... What has happened to the truth... this question is answered by KITT A.K.A. post – theorists everywhere- with WTSA. (This might help Nietzsche and Heidegger – but I doubt they would approve) Fossils is not Noise – (though it can now be so called) more audio collage – of the type first produced by the tape cut-ups of the 50s and 60s, bits of found sound, distortion , audio clips from video/TV/Film? Low freq rumblings and such – cut up though not chopped – so sounds overlay and merge. Fonik(2)s 20-30 minute track is of noodling on a drum kit, twiddling with a synth and audio chop/loop of film dialogue… Cracked Dome employ static, noise drones - a short track 1, rhythmic 2- like train wagons, and a slow build 20 minute+ track 3. The problem here is that the WTSA means glitches skipping and looping appear @ 20 minutes, and skipping/looping also in 4, 5 & 6, from errors in the media (not the message?). In lieu of explanation, I maintain that this is significant work – even if it seeks insignificance – in packaging production and construction. Not because of any 60s anti art or Dadaism - but because it presents a phenomenon of not creativity – or anti creativity but usability, which is the metaphysics of “After-theory”. “Abstract, Musique Concrète, Noise“ as its called – like the term “modern art” – is now *used* to define a space which is not structured, grounded in knowledge, theory, or meaning – i.e. not representational. This particular genre/community has assimilated the term “noise”, they have not “made” anything (new) but inhabit a space once created by the moderns of the last century. Post-theorists use structures – here “creatively” – like those who use myspace etc. without understanding the purpose or method of its creation, foxes living in badger holes. They mimic because they wear only the skin (avatar) of the past – of “modernism”. The technology or meaning is lost to them, like post roman Europe in the dark ages, the metaphysics, culture, theory, politics, history, aesthetics which created modernity’s structures – ART MUSIC NOISE are lost to them as its simply no longer required and more importantly no longer possible. This is the correct (my)space of post-theory, of users- not critics or creators. It is a new space, though not one created, of the re-use of modernity’s surviving outward appearances and more historical in a Fukuyamaian sense than the current oscillations of economics and politics. (jliat)

reliable Address http://www.discogs.com/label/Knife+In+The+Toaster

KK NULL GALACTIC TORNADO (CD on Quasi-Pop)

More sound art than noise, this contains many variations of electronics and acoustic sounds, at times anthropomorphic at others technological, and again rhythmic, pulses, drumming, and abstract. Structured in tracks, blocks and tonality which develops thematically though never melodically. Obviously Kazuyuki Kishino has no need of introduction here or am I going to attempt any appraisal of an artist with such a wide catalogue except to note that there might be a general movement via computerized sound and electronics away from the distortion of noise prominent in the Japanese school towards more structure and less, little or no noise harshness and feedback. The problem then however is though harsh noise is a simple affair, sound experimentation requires a degree of insight, technical ability and deliberation which I have noticed is missing in lesser artists who assume that sound art is simply improvising with electronics, it isn’t and their sad offerings are nothing like the solidity of the music found on this CD. Virtuosity of mind and body are obvious here, and as a warning to those who might imitate, very much an art of thoughtfulness, practice and consideration. (jliat)

Address http://www.quasipop.org/

SWAMPS UP NOSTRILS ?9-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL(CDr by R.O.N.F. Records)

There are thematic variations, which resolve into and out of some pure harsh noise, (good stuff you know), however given such titles (An Aromatic Terpenoid, Endocannabinoid Synaptic Transmission, The Post-Synaptic Neuron, Dronabinol 11-Hydroxy-THC, Gastro-Hypothalmic Axis) and thematic developements suggests a Heideggerian “thrown-ness” of in-authenticity about the problematic of where to go next (in/with noise). Add voices and call it an opera. The problem of the present which alluded even the likes of uncle Albert and brother Jacques was the magnificent achievement of harsh noise, that is not pretence but a totalizing fullness. Though noise might be data without meaning the roar in the jungle that is noise in post-cultural culture was once sufficient to place presence before pretence. Nice work here but it needs to be obviscated as much as possible, the text erased and the whole thing put through the meat grinder that was the epoch. (jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/

TAIKO OROSHI BLEEDER LOCKED ATTACK(CDr by R.O.N.F. Records)

A wet November morning in East Anglia, sleepily the CD goes into the player in the car stereo – and then BLAM! The noun “Noise” has been appropriated by all kinds of musics, experimental through to tinkling new wave nonsense – post Dada fluxus semi political bullshit performance of which even the God Merzbow has stepped into. This – read the title above again and weep– is – Noise, but I can’t say this, limp, thoughtful, planned music uses the name these days, anything and everything is noise, is it then ‘Harsh Noise’… ‘Extreme noise’- ‘wall noise?’ I muse as I drive to work through the grey rain. (someone employs the guy!?) – each of the 11 tracks offers a differing definition of noise – in the same sense that Bruce Willis defines glazing in Die Hard, its ‘Rape Music’ – I like the image – what this evokes and the pun on Rap, (Rap on ecstasy) its Snuff Music, its not art or music but Stuff; I made up these titles whilst driving to deliberately exclude anything that puts forward an argument, and excludes all the sound collage/texture improv pussies.. (I’ve been watching ‘Life on Mars’ and the ‘philosophy!’ of Gene Hunt has got to me…oh the days before PC was everywhere …) The term ‘post-conceptual art’- more polite, dangerously so, but still has the irony that what now goes for conceptual – unmade beds et al. is in fact material, this sound is material, is stuff. Can we adopt then – us noiseniks, stuff, rape music to remove those who have pocket handkerchiefs from our genre. Here on some post Deleuze/Guattarian plateau - is all noise stuff- and its always perfect. Claus – you’re the man. (jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/

CROATAN ENSEMBLE - WITHOUT (CDr on Eh?)

GAMMA GOAT BEARD OF SOUND, BEARD OF SAND (CDr on Eh?)

What a good title for a label producing such diverse material, Gamma Goat are almost a rock band, maybe they “are” a rock band, well I think they say they are – but drumming and un-recognizable vocals- is it a pastiche? Probably not - anyway I must admit after listening to this first time I wanted to play a stones track – “start me up”- and that presents a problem as I was driving, cursory glance and it was not obvious – the best of stones cd was probably underneath the seat with decaying things- I’m not a tidy car person. The second problem is this- if you want rock music then you play the Rolling Stones – ?Sí? Croatan Ensemble layer synths and electronics in beautiful droney layers, improvised I think, full of interesting textures and carefully done, and if you like that kind of thing worth a listen, its far more crafted the G.G.- but GG sets out to be un-crafted, so unfair to compare. For me C.E. was just too much like film music, in the inoffensive pejorative sense… neither made this grown man cry.. (jliat)

Address http://www.publiceyesore.com/

ANTRACOT GALVANISM (3” CDr by Tosom)

MX NIHIL SICK BEASTS (3” CDr by Tosom)

I like this label, despite its quirky web site- which could benefit from some reasonable html and a bit of graphics in keeping with the products (blue and pink not good and Lucida font – cummon guys) which comes from Memmingen, Germany, a medieval town well suited to these releases on 3inch cdr which I would describe as noise, and though on Galvanism you do at times appear to be listening to machines destroying themselves – it is keeping with illustrations of early factories which are permeated by a sense of the alchemic and Hermetism which also appears on the Sick Beasts, though here the occultism is laced with sexuality, on both swathes of noise lo-fi, lo-freq underpin what might be sexual or mechanical deviant praxis. So guys – google images – Hermetism – there’s that wonderful Dürer http://www.ljhammond.com/phlit/images/melancholia.jpg - a local of yours and in keeping with the general feel of this series - and use some texts such as "O son, how many bodies we have to pass through, how many bands of demons, through how many series of repetitions and cycles of the stars, before we hasten to the One alone” preferably not in Lucida but gothic blackletter… and maybe pack in card sleeves rather the dull and sensible DVD plastic case, then this might make these collectable releases more popular- which they deserve to be. (jliat)

HAL MCGEE AND IRONING JOURNEY TO LIGHT AND PROGRESS (Cassette on Hal Tapes)

COMPOUNDEAD VISCERA (Cassette by Compoundead)

Hal McGee is a prolific electronic music improviser from florida, and here he is accompanied not by his dogs but by Ironing in a short and flimsy cassette piece of stuff I presume was part of a tour. As per – information is lacking these days, Hal recently – well a month or two ago – caused a fuss on .chondritic sound’s forum when he promulgated mp3 downloads as the only future for communication of stuff- after lengthy and dizzyingly circular arguments he has released this. Found sounds of conversations mixed with electronics which sound unusually (for Hal) distorted, maybe down to the over saturating of the cassette – which has now gained a vogue amongst many noiseniks , ever in search of redundancy and unplayability…. And again another short cassette from Compoundead, crackling noise and tape echo. Both are fragile reminders that we are living at the end of time, sweet and nostalgic, though never apocalyptic. Both are interesting pieces of lo fi flotsam… (jliat)

http://www.halmcgee.com/

http://www.myspace.com/compoundead

THE PROSTITUTION OF GULLIBILITY (Cdr by zh27.org?)

Zan Hoffman is behind this release and to quote “Since 1985 this recording project has featured an international roster of home-recording artist tossed assunder.” On this disk 6 tracks of a mixture of these, you might want to attempt navigating the blog to find out more. OK so maybe being deliberately obscure is OK, but even from the sleeve I got the feel that this would not be easy. Maybe its me, yes its me, but great schemes just don’t work these days … he continues “Zan Hoffman's 27 year mission to explore new audio realms including outreach to fellow explorers worldwide started 1984. Witness international collaborative releases a go-go!” does that mean by 2012 this project will be complete – whatever that means- just in time for the London Olympics if we have any money left, and global warming hasn’t meant that all events will be aquatic. I’m moving to high ground and committing myself to no great projects anymore- the one I cant seem to end is far from great. The “music” on the disk given its mixture is strangely very similar, chunks of 2-3 seconds of one noisy sound the another. Drums, then field recording in 2-3 second bursts- latter other noises- but nearly always mixed with background sound and noise/drum bursts… very odd. Is this prostitution? I’m certainly gullible… certainly non-pulsed is it? I think we have to give up thinking its not getting us far… (jliat)

Address www.zh27.org

SEVENHOURGERM DOCUMENT 2 (Cdr on Minimal Resource Manipulation)

KVIK ELKS SLOP DAM (CDr on e.xtrem t.on a.nstalt)

SHG is Matthew Atkins - Computer, found sounds, samples. – the web address given is up for sale but you can get more information here http://smallfish.co.uk/shop/release/?cat=MRMCDR06 and even listen for yourself.

Industrial clanking and echo – this wouldn’t play on a car stereo TOC ERR – and once again manic drums – one could say that manic drumming seems to becoming a sub genre of noise – but as I have said elsewhere the term has become a catch-all and there are at times odd things in the net. Track 4 is practically silent – T5 backwards- 6 I think someone’s playing pop music on bed springs, T7 what could be shortwave – T8 – Title Wednesday bit of noise- and rhythm from some sampler- and finally 9. industrial fieldsounds and sampled radio – looped noodles through echo. Quite soft and delicate. Not very original – but why should it be. Not very coherent – but why should it be. Kvik is not of the Swedish group Ballingslöv Int. AB. Ballingslöv one of the leading companies in kitchens and baths in Scandinavia and Great Britain- but Simon Thibaudeau – from Montreal who explores post-industrial drones – inspired by the quiet resolve of pine trees according to his bio. Three tracks of not post but I’d say industrial noise – which maybe is drone- in a nice 7 inch printed sleeve. Both the first tracks are glitchy droney things which build to a kind of climax whereas the last doesn’t seem to go anywhere- not that it should. (Jliat)

Address try http://www.myspace.com/sevenhourgerm if you visit the supposed band website http://www.minimalresourcemanipulation.co.uk/ you get a 404 error…

Address [email protected]

MACKLE JACKLE SHANAKEE FUNERAL (C-90 by Turgid Animal Records )

LHD OPAQUE (CDr by RRR)

Shanakee Funeral is best suited to release on cassette for in appears to be various layers of recorded noise, speech etc from locations layered through noise and in static on a Dictaphone. An on-going collaboration in this instance between Darren (Filthy Old Turd) and Dean ((Lack of) Romance). LHD is John Wiese and Phil Blankenship (Cherry Point) ergo - 3 tracks of total perfection. Now if this was a proper typewriter I could perform the review in a similar way to how Mackle Jackle perform their piece by constantly inscribing and re-inscribing the words “total perfection” until the type becomes overloaded with ink, the type head cuts through the paper and eventually destroys the roller and its own mechanism. This is the minimalist methodology of the re-inscription of the cheap tape which presents itself as it is in a very modernist manner. The two make an interesting comparison, from a modernist point of view LHD must seen to be deeply ironic in its sophisticated process of producing what should be the result of a mal-function- i.e. Noise, whilst the cassette in its transparency and honesty despite but more because of its dependency on the product of its manufacture is pure to the point of the sublime. From the post-modernist perspective the cassette becomes naïve and exhibits a meta-narrative of the past- whilst the CDr makes a re-inscription of truth in a new and subjective way. Though neither addresses the present situation - “after theory” (rococo-esq undefinablity) both remain as historicity & icons in their own particular genres. (jliat)

Address www.turgid-animal.co.uk

Address http://www.rrrecords.com

CALDERA LAKES CALDERA LAKES (CDr by Sentient Recognition Archive)

An obscure project – of Eva and Brittany (no second names on the CD) on an obscure label. The Caldera website http://deathbombarc.com/calderalakes/index.htm gives little away as does the myspace page, the label also has a myspace page but more information can be found here http://auxiliaryout.blogspot.com/2008/10/caldera-lakes-caldera-lakes-sentient.html... “This piece is profoundly expressive… This is one of those releases where words fail…… Fuck the financial crisis and all that, everything will be fine as long as Caldera Lakes keep putting out records…” Wow- and Gordon Brown thinks he is on to something. The blog gives a friendlier description than I would – it mentions harsh noise (from Eva) and Björk singing (by Brittany). Given the hosting sites “belief that music has no rules” this could be noise, “eerie though calming female coo[ing].. peaceful vocal loops and the agitated harshness … it takes a sampling of the entire spectrum of sound and births an entirely coherent work of art that creates so many sensations and feelings in me that I don’t know where to begin…” If noise is the deliberate attack on the edifice of the given norms of beauty and behaviour – which I a) think it is and/or b) think if not it should be then this is not noise, or is the rebellious behaviour of another Brittany. Noise always should be politically incorerent- the spell checker suggested incoherent but I meant incorrect – but incorerent is even better. (Ben Johnson was a shit- or shite? or shiite) (jillyhate)

Address http://www.myspace.com/calderalakes

DIAPHRAGM SUBLIMATION (CD by SNSE)

“…amalgamation of dark droning machinery, choppy shuddering, and static-laden buzz…” Which is a pity given what I ‘ve said regarding noise and industrial.- and those industrial wastelands of which the inspiration of this kind of thing derives is at least in Europe an endangered species. But I must thank the label for at least sending a flyer with information- but inspiration from “the greyed-out hulks of broken concrete and broken razorwire” is now a little passé? And at the risk of annoyance such collectives might find some solace in the inward stare and dereliction of the post industrial scene – and if Caldera stops releasing stuff and the recession continues they may have more of that kind of landscape to brood about – but it wont be factories- but empty deserted shopping malls and plazas, smashed and boarded up wine bars and burnt out Porsches. However shaky the stock gets though Eva and Brittany can make everything fine – soooo mine will be a dry martini – with olive and definitely stirred not shaken. (jliat)

Address http://www.snse.net/

HAEMORRHAGING FETUS PROCREATION: A DISEASE / TANGLED DESIRES (LP by Gaping Hole)

I’ve had this 12inch around for about a week before playing – I was hoping not to be disappointed- but it lives up to both its promise and its PR. 3 tracks of sheer walls of noise –fairly continuous low roar- like escaping stream, jet engine, Apollo lift off kind of thing, with shards of feedback. H.F. is Anthony Shaw – he makes harsh noise …. Ergo HF = HN . And that might be sufficient – but just two small points- technically this is excellent- it takes both some skill- but much more the bravery not to glam up or add to the totalizing noise, and the confidence to release a work into a genre which is in some areas imploding back into musicological and/or political sterility AKA pussyfication. To those who assert noise is just another musical genre this LP offers the lie. Noise is not music but the sound of the end of the world. Best release of 2008. (Jliat)

Address WWW.SNSE.NET

DEAD KNIGHTS SOLAR SKELETONS (Cdr / Lathe cut by produck)

This makes for an interesting release – for those of no technical savvy CDs play from the middle out – whereas of course the old vinyl plays from the outside in.. (everybody’s got something to hide except for me and my monkey…) soooo here the Cd has one track and on the same surface is a lathe cut track. The noise is fairly slow evolving layered distortion probably of found sounds and reversed vocal detritus- that was a least the CDr – moving the polar bear and elephants to let me use the deck (I’m serious but wont explain) the lathe cut at around a minute @ 45 rpm – which seemed right was far far better. The quality – and surface media noise enhanced the fairly bland and typical low/sloo noise into a much more organically interesting piece – which not having a run out groove ends with the stylus crashing into the centre spindle. Great stuff. Worth getting if only for the novelty – but here could I say is an opportunity for someone – hopefully the Dead Knights (awful name – change it!) to use old CDrs as lathe cuts and so bring Rons (of RRR) re-cycled cassettes up to date. The CD surface gives a remarkable low fi sound… an interesting and promising potential – (jliat)

Address http://www.produck.tk/

LOCRIAN RHETORIC OF SURFACES (CD by Bloodlust)

When I read the blurb about this something jarred- “Rich, heavy, guitar/

keyboard/voice-based drone for those who usually find such music to be too gentle or uneventful… “ and more significantly …” artwork that includes an appropriately "Ummagumma" and "Kollaps"-influenced photograph… “ which I failed to see – on re-examination there is a photo of a few combo amps and instruments in an industrial setting but it no way matches the pun of Ummagumma’s reference to military aircraft displayed with their weaponry- drum sticks replaced machine gun belts etc. and an LP latter shunned by “the floyd” as they became known probably because it represents one of their most creative works still under the influence of the crazy diamond… of course no doubt the group would denounce its experimentalism – in light of M.O.R. classics such as the sickening Dark Side of the Moon – but enough – that was 1969 – what has Locrain to offer soundwise.. Frippery drone descending into feedback, rumblings and feedback …without echo and reverb this piece would almost disappear… which might be a good place to start. When spring reverbs and echoplex machines first appeared they may well have suited the trippy analogue vagueness of hippy orientalism and cosmic pretentiousness - unfortunately today we live in a cleaner digital age of 0s and 1s – though at my most positive I’d have to say that this “rhetoric” even back in 69 would lack the imagination and naivety of Syd Barrett- (jliat)

Address http://bloodlustcatalog.blogspot.com/

OTOMO YOSHIHIDE CORE ANODE (CD by Ftarri / Meenna)

Three tracks of live (of catastrophic electro improv sound) recordings on 19th September 2002, Kid Ailack Art Hall, Tokyo (20:41), 14th July 2006, Stubnitz, Copenhagen (27:00), 15th December 2006, ICA Theatre, London (22:22) Any one of which would make this a significant release. Not withstanding the brilliance of these pieces - this is the third attempt at a review. Anyone familiar with Otomo Yoshihide will no doubt not require explanation and for anyone who is not unfortunately I lack the pedagogic skills to describe and have sufficient wisdom not to attempt a description or what might be called wrongly a translation of this work. Its arrival is perhaps serendipitous amongst a general clamour of hair splitting, definitions, pseudo- philosophising and pseudo naivety its only with works such as this that we can arrive at something if not generally epochal but perhaps just personal. Not that I can use the over used term epiphany as is done in that magazine… as what this represents is not (for me) the road ahead- (the way the truth and the life) or a reinstatement of a dead end but the (continual) fulfilment of a project, that in this though not in my case.. but neither a defeat but rather like the arrival of the cavalry or general Kitchener – only this time I’ve managed to keep my head, I can sensibly leave these mountains and those pedants who seek to know just when a hill becomes a mountain- and embark on new seas in this new year. What I and others do might be good or bad – but my task here is fairly simple, this marks I would argue a general more than personal turning point. (jliat)

Address http://www.ftarri.com/

MIXTURIZER / FLAT AFFECT " SPLIT " (CDR by Smell the Stench)

EGO DEATH / MIXTURIZER SPLIT (CDr Sewer Records)

Mixturizer (=Manuel M. Cubas from the Canary Islands) First track is fairly continuous harsh noise, followed by something a little more rhythmic, track three = more “live” feedback and IMO the most “upfront” of the three- Flat Affect (= Shaun Phelps of Panama City, FL) Noise ‘n’ industrial hum and across which has a sample of vinyl lp scratch- across this first and into the second track which begins with lo-fi industrial and merges into some girl talking about who knows what to be followed by lo-fi echo rumble and electronic twittering which continues into the last track where the vinyl click re-appears. Maybe FA is attempting something conceptual, maybe Mixturizer is attempting anti-conceptual noise based around live manipulation of feedback – as is also found on the three tracks on the second split, but once again like FA Ego Death (noise (maybe dark ambient, soundscape or soundtrack at times) one-man-project from Athens, Hellas (Greece)) lives up or down to the idea of “maybe”…

Maybe there is nothing wrong with eclecticism, but I cant help feel that two of the artists here are wandering around a little too much – maybe rather than listen to and consolidate, though a work in progress might be interesting to some- the vagueness “maybe” will not help move to the position of Mixturizer who I think is definitely in the process of forming a coherent musical or soundbased project, now others may not wish to do so, the outcome of Mixturizer’s development may well be something akin to (heaven forbid) art. (jliat)

Address http://www.smellthestench.net

Address www.myspace.com/sewer_records

KENJI SIRATORI BLOODY BRAIN (Cdr by r.o.n.f. Records)

“Deep Noise from the Japanese Noise creator Kenji Siratori. Dark, deppressive, static, deep from the mind and unspoken. Kenji Siratori presents a brain bleeding of experimental pure Harsh Noise attack.” I’m sorry to say if I had paid for this I would want my money back under the trade descriptions act, fairly quiet noise which in track two almost has some tubular bell sounds, its neither deep, harsh, or brain bleeding – actually brains cant bleed as I think there is something called the blood brain barrier.

(jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/

NAPALMED - NOISAX JAZZOSTRIAL FRACTAMENTAL (Cdr by Guerilla Records)

“Profile:The band started in the mid `94. Planned to create "noise", but play kind of noisy-noise-core w/ a drum section, two basses and voice. Stopped to use the instruments they started to play only/mainly many different materials, equipments, garbage, junks and things, people didn't need (as like metals, woods, glass, plastics, papers), prepared electronix, various microphones, tape deck, pedal effectors, drum module, mini disc, samples, turntable, etc... “ Yep- I’d go along with this – only use the find and replace and give- Profile:The band started in the mid `94. Planned to create "noodling, strumming, inconsequential mix mash ", but play kind of noisy-noodling, strumming, inconsequential mix mash -core w/ a drum section, two basses and voice. Stopped to use the instruments they started to play only/mainly many different materials, equipments, garbage, junks and things, people didn't need (as like metals, woods, glass, plastics, papers), prepared electronix, various microphones, tape deck, pedal effectors, drum module, mini disc, samples, turntable, etc...” Something that the dying acts of the fluxus movement might have produced, this is what could be summed up in the word “silly”- which might be OK? (jliat)

http://www.napalmed.cz/

FLESH FOR FRANK RAW (CDr )

A domestic CDR with handwritten label and Xeroxed insert giving a track listing of 10. FFF is Francois Marceau from Montreal, that’s Canada. Most of the tracks begin with short snippets of found sometimes spoken sound, some in English, one orgasmic moaning and another what I’d guess is arabic – but I’m no expert, but that track is different- whereas the others rapidly degenerate or develop, depending on your mood, or philosophy – into very harsh noise, some with repetitions but nothing you would call a beat, of electronics, in that track the “Arabic” continues as a weave through the piece. Track ten I thought was a development into looped samples of speech, but looking at the CD player counter it was a faulty disk continually skipping, which would have probably played forever – well no because no withstanding the eventual death of the planet in the engulfment of an expanding red giant of our sun and despite the wonderful engineering of those guys who make the Kenwood CD player it wouldn’t I suspect last that long… but I never knew that Kenwood Electronics was originally Trio who made the first transistor audio amplifier…(jliat)

(Address [email protected])

BABY DADDY HUNGRY HUNGRY NIPPLE (Cdr By Slut Factory Records )

Quite short @ around 20 minutes of 4 tracks of PERFECT harsh noise. I have prefaced noise with “harsh” to guide anyone who expects the sounds here to be organised- as they are not, and though some might argue that such noise is impossible- here the magical Petitesque tight rope walk of harsh noise is accomplished throughout all 4 tracks, neither falling into a predictable organisation or totally wiping out, Mr. Stonecipher and Carl Kruger manage at break neck speed to ride the various swathes of deep noise and shrill feedback at a level way in the red. And this *is* difficult to achieve, one is tempted by accident or technics to seek more stable ground, but BD is perfectly un-stable- such noise has the ability to co-exist though not identify with other work -and so disappear in a leibnizean identity of indiscernibles. It might be ontologically objected that if perfection is unique- then this work would not exist, however that would be mistaken and this work does co-exist as perfection with others.. (6 28 496) for anyone reading this far, though increasingly difficult, and so truly an accomplishment – it is achieved here though not oddly as that would be truly remarkable. (jliat)

Address www.slutfactoryrecords.com

REI REA KILOTON ASSAULT (Cdr By Slut Factory Records )

IRON BITCHFACE RIGHTEOUS MUSCLES (CDr by Iron Bitchface)

Kiloton Assault - “A grey repetitive sound track to move along with weekly travels. Rei Rea is based on a wordless passive observation…” Hummm… not the synaesthesia of Scriabin's music’s “sincere expression of genius” So maybe I should stop here- Track 1 has a variation not of greys but a couple of chords! by track 2 we’ve a guitar riff and rhythm of an indie band – OK there’s a machine racket over the top, but this is pop music jim and as we knew it. More beats a guitars on 3 and 4 almost attempting a rock anthem.. and even as outdated as this sound is – to “observe is to alter” … and sorry to say I just don’t get Righteous Muscles, a single 11 minutes, there is a beat, a slow melody line and someone chanting, looped samples then the whole thing speeds up – its only rock and roll.. - I cannot see the difference between this kind of thing and all the punters playing band in a box in their living rooms- and what is wrong with that you may ask – sadly – nothing.. or maybe I should attempt a moral justification for saying that it is in fact bad- as its incompetence breaks the structures of what is intelligent music/noise. (jliat)

Address www.slutfactoryrecords.com

Address www.ironbitchface.com

FILTHY TURD DEATH RAY ORGASM / NO SEXUAL HYGIENE (Cassette by Space 07)

FILTHY TURD THE TURD MASTER (Cassette by Hanson Records)

MUTANT TURD OOZING EARL OF DENMARK (A6 Booklet)

George Proctor's Various noise projects and collaborations involve an extremely opaque collection of materials, represented here by the resurgence of the cassette in the noise scene and the production of a booklet which revolves around badly Xeroxed and grafitted pornographic images riven with poetics around sex and baader-meinhof musings. A grouping of either Burroughs’ children or the parasitic remnants of the naked lunch… Proctor &Co at any rate deserve far greater attention despite or because of their material resembling the floor of a public house toilet late on a Saturday night… not *all* of human life is there but a reality shorn of the hypocrisy of the news of the world the day after and strictly come dancing from earlier in the evening.…as for the cassettes the idea of quality or any indication of a Dolby setting would of course be facile, TM consists of a track of obliterated sound, maybe distinguishable voice somewhere as if – and it might be the case – it was over recorded with the erase head missing, it reminded me of a blocked drain- the reverse side is more discernable singing- speech- guitar and looping…though again the prominence of tape wow-and flutter *makes* the piece, and DRO/NSH follows a similar format this time the more incoherent side gives screaming, as opposed to the more coherent side which is wall of noise and feedback- but the actuality of the recording is of course the logos of the piece.. - I found all of this very enjoyable- why? simply put because of its realism- though I had the benefit of the booklet as well as the tapes which presented a multi-media experience akin to throwing up in someone’s lap, so please GP could future releases each have a booklet? which hopefully might raise the status of this underrated collective.(jliat)

http://mutant-ape.blogspot.com/

Address http://www.hansonrecords.net

DROR FEILER+LASSE MARHAUG NO MORE DRAMA (LP by No Fun Productions)

DYLAN NYOUKIS INSIDE WINO LODGE (LP by No Fun Productions)

I cant critically agree with the descriptions on the NFP website that you might like to read, though in parts factually no doubt true, in others I’m very dubious. “The most brutal vinyl record you will hear this year” – is addressed no doubt at someone either about to go deaf, become a trapist monk or are listening to this on their ipod as they fall from the golden gate bridge. Dror Feiler’s days as a paratrooper, and Lasses’s 300 other great projects, does not account for the lo-fi gentleness- though the description of Nyoukis’ “LP of strange sounds, vocal improvisations, tape manipulations mangled strings and hiss drones” is probably more relevant. As these are vinyl, and arrive with a pedigree they are no doubt entomologically of significance. There is in what has become known as “the noise scene” a certain confidence reminiscent of the maiden voyage of the titanic, a feeling of camaraderie and adventure, but one destined to sink if not already doing so into murky depths (was once called industrial) to the applause of Gavin Bryers, rather than reach any destination, yet alone the opportunities afforded once one clears Ellis island. Brooklyn no longer holds the promise of the shock of the new – though once it certainly did. Noise should either be that, and release itself from political or even emotional silliness, or else take up philosophy or religiosity and metaphysics with some degree of seriousness. Spelling this out – though noise/dada mutated into the silliness of surrealism this did provide the philosophical aesthetic for the *abstract* expressionists.(jliat)

http://www.nofunproductions.com/

JUAREZ REVONTUTLET (Cd by Sabbatical Records)

GREEN BERET PART 1 & PART 2 (Cd by Sabbatical Records)

ABSOLUTEN CALFEUTRAIL & BLAKE BAYER CONFLICT RESOLUTION SEMINAR (Cd by Sabbatical Records)

Before I attempt to review these three releases on Sabbatical (I need one) as what might be an irrelevant and rather stupid observation, looking at their blog and in particular the now obligatory you tube clips of electronic improv I note something that might differentiate wheat from chaff. Why is it that some performers seek to rock, sway and almost dance whilst twiddling knobs when others remain totally static and immobile? And drawing a mental list of the immobilities, they go Cage, Tudor, Merzbow, Bailey even, and he plays guitar!…et al. - are the other kids (the head nodding swayers) just wishing they were in a rock band? Anyway back to the task in hand, “Juarez is the solo project of Jessica Pinney..” comes with a picture and painting of goats, and despite the P.R. blurb only has “layering of rich vocal lines” on the last track, the first being mostly very quiet ambiance punctuated by blasts of noise, the others still ambient sounds if perhaps slightly louder, and all tracks end with about 10 seconds of silence? Green Beret is a collaboration… which again produces fairly quiet ambient electronics… the final offering again is electro improv which consists in parts of short bursts of noise – though not particularly harsh, and sections of what could be machinery, a lathe or food mixer… You would certainly find all three pieces difficult to rock to, but sadly anything else. The idea of conflict resolution has perhaps permeated all three releases, but as we all know children without conflict or disturbance we wont hear a thing….

(Jliat)

Address www.sbbtcl.com

JOSETXO GRIETA DISTANCIA #2387 (Cdr by Hamaika 11(?))

Josetxo makes a good opening impression, the sleeve is a folded piece of black manila held together with staples and sporting a photo of Josetxo held onto the sleeve by red insulation tape. He – in the photo, looks drunk or half asleep, is holding a mike in one hand and cigarette in the other. Apart from the CDr inside there is a green slip of paper in Spanish, so from the outset it presents a completely different image to the attempt at corporate cool of the sabbatical releases. Superficially you could say the single track shared much in common with the Sabbatical releases, though unlike those this glories in its throw-away inconsequentialities. So the section where the sound appears cut up could be down just to the cdr skipping, the whole thing is thrown, taped and stuck together in a make ship fashion which of course is deliberate… “Me quedo con el placer de la musica el crearla con otras personas y no necesitar hablar que sea la musica la que hable por ti y el resultado te sorprenda positivamente. Y reniego absolutamente del negocio musical nos mino” Thanks to Google gives “I stay with the joy of music create it with the others and no need to talk it is music that speaks for you and the result will surprise positively. And absolutely denies us the retail music business. “ Something absolutely missing in the attempted corporate image and lush PR of Sabbatical, a case of – with this type of sound – not trying harder – but not trying at all. Bien hecho mi hijo. (Jliat)

Address www.gatza.org

JACQUELINE SITU (CDR BY HASISH)

“jacqueline situ hashish ha4” gives 8 hits in Google, the only one of which providing any information being discogs – where there is 1 of this limited edition (50) for sale. The three tracks are of extreme harsh white noise, the third having @ the intro some watery type sounds before sporadic bursts of white noise take over once again. The packaging is minimal providing no information and a print of a very old photograph of what looks like a young man. Dicogs gives its origin as Greece and that the entry was submitted by manfredd who is “George Kanavos Location: athens,Greece

Profile: 29,ambient/drone/experimental/noise fan.Married,one boy,aek athens supporter.Love cats and lautreamont.Currently into 2 projects:wand.and princess and jacqueline.” The former a drone/ambient project (see VW 658) very unlike the severity of Situ, but perhaps still hinted at in the opening of track 3, which might pose a problematic, though this release perhaps relatively marks first steps, the monolithic nature of the walls of white noise have yet to be fragmented. HN if anything is about effacement, effacement of music, structure, teleology, being, time and ultimately itself, a process which when complete can be nothing other than perfect, but which here perhaps still lies a little ahead. (jliat)

Address(not given but try : www.myspace.com/wandandprincess)

HELMETICRONONAUT / ANIMAL MACHINE HIJO DE PUTA (CDr by KIF Recording)

Again as with situ this collaboration, and perhaps because of this, still at times has recognizable identities, its very much a work where at times one is aware of the process, of collaboration, of technique or of a relinquishing of technique, to the extent it could be a live performance. The “anecdotal” passages are insufficient to detract from the themes of annihilation of structure unless – and I find it unlikely, and I hope it is unlikely, that it might mark some kind of decent from the mountain, though the rhythmic of track 2 seems somehow out of place, and at times the intensity is somehow lost, perhaps in order to dangerously engender some form, a form of amusement even. The 8 tracks could benefit from some editing, as in editing out of the irrelevancies of “how its done”- no doubt a defense lies in the series title Productive Vs Destructive, but a demonstration lacks something of the totality of a performance, as in the clinical lack of eroticism in a “good sex guide”.(jliat) Address(http://welcome.to/kifrecording)

HELMETICRNONONAUT PATTERNS OF DUMB (Cd by Ethedrone Muzac)

Some things are generally true and contradictory, other peoples dreams are dull, whilst your own full of surreal insight, which is puzzling as when you relate the one where you’re back at school, (again) you find it strange that listeners seem to glaze over or else want to tell you about their dream, which as far as you can see is of no interest at all. Likewise if you get to playing with a shortwave radio its fascinating to tune into and out of strange stations or those equally strange signals and noise, you can spend hours playing with the tuning dial, how odd then that anyone else in the room finds your improvisations incredibly frustrating or just plain silly, and when they try, well they simply have no idea how to make such radio transmissions sound as piquant as you can…. That – in not a nutshell is I think is the problem here. Resisting to quote the title, or the track titles which are no doubt very amusing – to the author, this is endless twiddles with feedback and electronics which never gets anywhere, other than being genuinely annoying, but only as annoying as a blue bottle in the room without the fear or threat of a wasp…. “Thirteen-track mandate from the Norwegian King of Feedback.” P.S. if you go to the site (below) it plays a track whilst scrolling this- “language of light - (excerpt)inside the Head of a Butterfly Dreaming of being a Giant Moth Destroying Tokyo” (excerpt) I kid you not…. And “the narwhal invasion: if we were constellations-"time #1" (jliat)

Address(http://www.ethedrone.com/)

CHEFKIRK BURL!!! (Cdr by Quagga Curious Sounds)

Roger H Smith on no-input mixer + sampler- 12 tracks of experimental noise and now only two left so get in your order now!- staccato hiss and feedback sounds, clicks et al. obviously modulated which is the problem here, well the problem is letting the modernist grand narrative in by the backdoor – “experimental” noise – like military intelligence, an oxymoron of huge proportions through which pin prink a thousand dead philosophers appear and not so much walk as talk again the dead weight of history the modernity of technics and experiment, the curse of all zombies is to feed of the living, you see a zombie is an oxymoron also as is the idea of killing one by a bullet in the head…. “Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-twentieth century, particularly in North America, and whose most famous and influential exponent was John Cage (Grant 2003, 174). More loosely, the term is used to describe music within specific genres that pushes against their boundaries or definitions, or else whose approach is a hybrid of disparate styles, or incorporates unorthodox, new, distinctly unique ingredients” – and that is not noise is it playmates? Or is a no input mixer pushing against any boundaries- there are non – once again everybody say 'Il n'y a pas de hors-texte' - and again 'Il n'y a pas de hors-texte'…(jliat)

Address(www.myspace.com/quaggacurioussoundsandoddities)

AZOIKUM ENDZEIT (Cdr by Produck)

“Stefan Widmann Influences Influenced by the cruelty, uselessness and ugliness of mankind” – and cites PE – this is 4,361 seconds of what could be continuous harsh noise...but is in listening more like some tonal music which has been stratified and fossilized for in very short and at two or three instances it shows through the continuum of filtered modulated and distorted white noise and mangled electronica. Strangely then though it seems to make a point or is attempting something programmatic the sedimentations prevent this from becoming anything other than empty. (jliat)

Address(www.produck.tk)

DEAR MICHAEL KUMMIEBAND & GLEBSTOFF SPLIT 12inch (12inch glue flexi + 2 x3ich Cdr by Produck)

Deliberate or not but the “glue flexi” which you play from the inside out was literally spilt – made from some kind of PVA – mould off a lathe cut I suspect. The first or last track was a piano piece – the outer last track only part playable sounded like rumbling noise, the DM Cdr has 6 tracks of which track 3 is the piano off the glue flexi, though the other 5 tracks are mostly silent with odd scrapes and scraps of noise. The KG Cdr has 12 tracks mostly sub minute of harsh noise except the last of 5 minutes which is I think just a recording of someone walking, which I suspect makes up the outer track of the glue flexi. From the website of Produck its clear that the label goes in for this kind of thing. I’m not sure of just what to make of it all - “interesting” is not to be used. This is a situation where the nature of manufacture and materials is perhaps as important- if not more so than what is actualized. Strangely it reminds me of jugglers, I don’t much like them or do I dislike them but I know many are impressed by such performances. For those who like the arcane, the two headed dogs on display in circuses etc. they should no doubt enjoy collecting the Produck range – though not as odd or costly as Marc Quinn’s “Self” (Jliat)

Address(www.produck.tk)

AUTORES VARIOS ASTILLAS AL VIENTO RUGEN (2 x Cdr by Ruidemos)

A massive comp of 19 artists from Granada Spain – well the comp not the 19…the blurb translates as “silva ruidista in two large movements cough, distilling an exquisite palette of fertile cracks along a dynamic range of intensities of ARG BEL CHIL ESP EUS JAP MEX PER PUE” I think tracks – but have no idea of cough. And dynamic range sounds ominous, well that’s my research – you will now metaphorically have to wait some hours whilst I listen to the coughing cracks – is that Joyce? …… I’m not going to give a detailed review of each – which would only be descriptive but a well compiled set of pieces across the two disks forming a fairly coherent set of sounds – sound sculptures and electronica- music concreate kind of thing typified by sprase silences and electronics with at times perhaps field recordings and looping along the conventional lines of electronica – no industrial/metal/noise as such - useful perhaps as an introduction to these sound artists though the folded paper sleeve gives only names and titles. I’m not a great fan of compilations as I’ve said before- but this could have been better done if contact details and some background information on each artist had been given. Maybe cost plays a part here – the sleeve is B&W paper and the two disks Verbatim branded. Ok so it might be going for a throwaway aesthetic- which if done on a quirky single can work – but not here I think. Its probably not that more expensive to use blank digi packs and inkjet printable Cdrs- and if the cost of extensive printing of contact details and backgrounds to the pieces is prohibitive, then a link to a website providing these details would be helpful. The label’s website is similarly fairly thrown together- and here the obvious appears – on further translation “a collection of virtual disks free download, which aims to raise awareness and support artists in the area of noise as a form of expression as other trends abstract minimalist / maximalist and improvisatorias, leaving the door open for a time most popular aesthetic”

OK – but the lack of contact details and information on the artists still stands unless I’ve missed something Spanish here again. However if you are going in for virtual web based releases (and send review copies to an English based review) maybe detect the browsers language and direct to the appropriate pages- it not that difficult. Please not those silly flags to click on - OK so Spanish is widespread – but what I received was anything but clear…and as for me learning a new language – English is hard enough - (jliat) AKA the dyslexic Kid.

http://www.ruidemos.org

TRIPTYCH TRENCHER HALLWAY FOR CHRONIC LIARS (3 inch cd-r by Grimeology Records)

“People are constantly putting up an umbrella that shelters them [from chaos] and on the underside… write their conventions…But poets, artists… tear open… Then come the crowd of imitators who repair the umbrella with something vaguely resembling the vision…Other artists are needed to make … ever greater destructions..” (What is Philosophy Giles Deleuze & Felix Guattari) // ‘inter-media artisan’ bricolage of ‘Meticulously composed sound collage and noise novella. Equal parts oscillator spit, factory floor custodial work’ does this include the three minutes of silence… perhaps noise/experimentalism was more like a cut in the flesh of culture which is now only a scar, or as in meticulous lacks the violence of a tear and becomes more like a surgical operation of protection rather than a (cathartic) attack on the self. (jliat)

Address www.grimeology.com

MIXTURIZER SENILE DEMENTIA (CDR by Mask of the Slave Records)

There is a ‘joke’ which relates to the title on the outer tracks, 1 & 6 – however this is layered between with harsh noise sedimentia which marks an apoapsis not only for Mixturizer –who should quite rightly be congratulated – but is therefore as a noise apoapsis – an apoapsis of colonialist phallogocentric western hegemony. That this might prove problematic for this artist we must wait and see, but if I can offer some advice to Mr Cubas - "The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see the weaklings brused, exhuasted, fluttering, back to the earth" (Kate Chopin)…..(jliat)

Address www.maskoftheslave.tk

JOSETXO GRIETA HITZAK, EGINAK, PERTSONAK, ANIMALIAK (DVD by Discos Crudos / Munster records)

So there’s these three guys in a dark room – one a drummer on a stage- the other two in semi darkness, a vocalist who screams a lot and a guitarist who makes fairly rhythmic noises as does the drummer. The camera working is dizzily shocking and the sound grows and falls in intensity – though in the mix the vocals are more up front than the others.. It may sound cruel to say this but “You never had seen anything like this, and never will have the chance to see it.” leaves these open to the trades description act. Not that I’m saying this is bad – its not- but wrong on two counts – we can see it over and over as it’s a DVD – and they are following a well trod path… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VZFjQpWB68 which might not be where it started but was shocking enough to illicit a no comment from George Martin, and Lennon may well maintain ages before the YBAs that ‘you can make anything you want out of it’ …… or I could reference Derek Bailey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f20VQjKH9xk or many others – what strikes me as very odd is the feeling that the Oxley Bailey piece is more cohesive in its free play. Maybe Josetxo Grieta is trying to communicate something… all of which reverses the naivety of the idea of anything being free… oh – but places itself- these guys- if not us - back in the very naff position of admitting to (a) transcendence…. And that is from me a far more shocking indictment of the piece. (jliat)

Address(http://www.artoartian.org/)

ASPEC(T) EL OBSCENO PAJARO DE LA NOCHE (Cdr by FF HHHH)

ARKLIGHT TEARDROP ENTREATIES (Cdr by FF HHHH)

Aspec(t) appears to be sax and electronics improvisation as almost jazz whilst arklight electric guitars drums and vocals as improvisation as not almost regular rock/pop- I think like some of those (whatever happened to them) New Zealand bands- effectless amplification strumming discordant rhythms etc. So if you are at all interested checkout the website there are mp3 samples which saves me a task of description. Unlike Josetxo Grieta both of these in different ways lack any transcendence but affirm the immanence of certain improvisational performance. Roughly translated in the case of Arklight as ‘couldn’t give a fuck’ whereas Aspec(t) as from the name with bracketed t produce crescendos of electronics and wailing grunting sax – and I’m now doing what I said I wouldn’t! Anyway I think immanence is now cool – again – it seems Jacques Derrida's attempt to re-introduce god into the room has failed and though dead its Deleuze who is the main man – and so immanence – which means these two bands are cool and JG and JD are not! (jliat)

Address http://www.ffhhh.be

PRINCESS DRAGONMOM UNICORN MAN (Cdr by Time Stereo)

PRINCESS DRAGONMOM THE ROBOTS (DVDr by Time Stereo)

PRINCESS DRAGONMOM TAPES 1993-1997 (Cdr by Time Stereo)

Current members: Davin Brainard, Warn Defever, Ronald Cornelissen, Dion Fischer, Erika Hoffmann, Jeremy Kallio, MOG if this is correct, who have spun out of harsh electronic noise to performance art, here on the DVD featuring robots who are often destroyed- yet in friendly manner – there is nothing sinister… Although the reason for the occurrence of such performances at a certain distance may not be connected in any direct way to what was once called “performance art” which arose out of attempts to push perceived boundaries of what was art. It could be that cut off from any pre-existing foundations – PDM share the general anthropologic drift of much of what is now called noise – noise art – etc. Creating now either at the end of art – or the discovery that reality is more a Möbius strip than a road which leads to Rome, a historical schism from what was- has occurred and in any critical evaluation comparisons with the recent past look less profitable than wider cultural comparisons. Ones where custom has replaced meaning through the kinds of performances – which are very stylized – typified by PDM and a good section if not all of the noise scene. Though not rooted in any historical way to Art or any tradition- significantly any pre-art tradition, which might provoke a Deleuzean rhizomatic critique or account, I think such accounts at best will only re-occur – so- I will venture something that is probably not unique or new. Not that these disparate groups cut off from modernity's teleology’s are aware or not, but I refer to such things as The Padstow Obby 'Oss or The Mari Lwyd…What for? – an acceptance of madness or a respite from the intellect and emotions which threaten to overwhelm? Of something which once had meaning but is now pointless – but not as pointless a whipping a dead or living horse.(jliat)

Address http://timestereo.com

JOHN WIESE CIRCLE SNARE ( CD by No Fun Productions)

John Wiese working within the genre of noise as an “experimentalist” forgive the title, is significant in that his work using microphone and electronics appears to be a coherent development which is rather surprising given the general un-hegemony.

Certainly anyone who is following his career or has any interest in this genre will need to consider this as it offers something not so much as a departure or resolution but certainly a development. Each piece - of the 4 tracks builds from minimal staccato noise into a rich field of electronics and microphone manipulations. Though (there is I’m afraid a ‘though’) I have great respect for this and other of his work, moreover I’m reminded of the mix of wit and seriousness of Bruce Nauman - a significant conceptual artist who perhaps because of his wit rather than seriousness has become something of a ‘hero’ to the following generation of artists. Is the very fine work of Wiese the beginning of a new dawn or a glorious sunset (to steal a Wagnerian metaphor) . What I’m attempting to say is how modern and so somehow non-contemporaneous this all seems which offers the following idea. From one (my) perspective this is hauntological in appearance though in no way as kitsch retrofuturism or in any sense of the cyber-punk musicological use of the term- but Wiese might be part of the predicted re-orientation to the past rather than a naive attempt at transcendence, though the “spectre” of transcendence remains. (jliat)

Address http://www.nofunproductions.com/

ZOOLOGIST THE CANE TOAD (3inch CDr by Sicksicksick)

BLACK GUYS BLACK HISTORY (CD by Sicksicksick /Hype Machine)

The Cane Toad is a mixture across 4 tracks of found sound electronics guttural noises and blips and burps (a particularly annoying burping) snippets of sound tracks- in short an electronic collage which is “the third in a series of concept EPs (of) John Gross and Todd Novosad Denver 'pillars-of the-noise-community'….” Whereas Black history is a full length CD - “A comprehensive collection of the Albuquerque duo's 3" harsh noise cdrs and drone endless loop cassettes…” which is very much in the mold of the 3inch. (Another set of sound collages.) Information regarding both “projects” is limited but I think a clue in all this “stuff” is the idea of a ‘noise community’. The actual idea of Art has been sublimated by “community” as also the terms “concept” and “experiment” etc. In platonic terms a society devoid of artists… Noise or art as an anthropological structuring rather than any critique- internal – of art or external of culture/society/community. Within such communities there are all the emotional and sociological tropes we find in any other, whether religious or political, a very familiar phenomenon “they are haunted by the thought of other groups as fearful and hostile as they are themselves … they lie entwined together.. each looks to his mate for support and comfort and finds in the other a bulwark… against the difficulties of every day and the meditative melancholia which from time to time overwhelms the Nambikwara…In one and all there may be glimpsed a great sweetness of nature, a profound nonchalance, an animal satisfaction as ingenious as it is charming, and beneath all this, something that can be recognized as one of the most moving and authentic manifestations of human tenderness” (jliat / Levi-Straus/ J Derrida)

Address http://www.sicksicksickdistro.com/

JASON CRUMER WALK WITH ME (CD by Misanthropic Agenda)

"I threw all my past music career in the garbage. There was no longer any need for concepts like 'career' and 'skill'. I stopped playing music and went in search of an alternative." - Masami Akita . Despite playing Walk With Me several times I still found its form opaque. Long slowly building and diminishing industrial noises over several tracks over several minutes at times with processed piano- and then somewhere around track 4 of 6 a plain recording of a piano being destroyed. On the press release “Jason Crumer has further honed his craftsmanship … Romantic in nature and cinematic in scope..” Noise – in the Akita sense is a totalizing end to music – as organized sound- So what’s going on when in a Noise forum Jason Crumer appears at least twice in a “Top 10” list – “Jason Crumer - this guy creates some of the most idiosyncratic sounds to have been recorded in the last decade, hand down. And, like Prurient, he seems to be improving with time.” – Prurient also appears in the “top 10 of currently active "noise artists"” and on the Heartworm Press site we find re the Prurient- Rose Pillar release – “What separates Dominick Fernow’s Prurient project from the rest of the contemporary underground cannon is its unyielding personal subject matter.” (is anyone following this divergence from the sentiments of Akita- is what is considered Noise now something quite different – musical, autobiographical, thematic…) So I posted “Maybe you could help me then” to which Jason himself replied “walk with me describes the more current period of one feeling over a very long period of time. a simple emotion stretched to painful dullness, to the point of numb…. the sources for walk with me were recorded in a drug study, (a hospital bed going up and down is the source for about half of the 'ambient' parts), a goat farm in north carolina (piano), and a filthy room in oakland scattered with -hard- drug paraphanalia (electronics, airhorn), and us smashing the piano..” Now ignoring the apparent mistake with “What separates Dominick Fernow’s Prurient project..” it appears that autobiographical programme music is now considered noise by a sizeable group within the noise genre- or that having no where to go with the craftless totality of noise - themes, stories and craft have been re-introduced. Something very significant is going on within the genre – certainly in the USA, perhaps not unsurprising – within post-modernity it should have been anticipated – as in the work of Tracy Emin or Steve Reich (Tehillim, Different Trains).. My only criticism here at this point given an already overly long review is that this autobiographical basis needs to be made clear- in this release it was not. (jliat)

Address http://www.misanthropicagenda.com/

JOSH LAY HEIROPHANT (CD by Sentient Recognition Archive)

Distortion/feedback/vocal moaning… a title that relates to the Tarot?, and tracks which relate again perhaps to some autobiography 'These Times Are Bad Times' - 'Found Dead In The Woods Of Kentucky' + one collaboration with Nicholas Szczepanik who runs the SRA label that “plans to explore “a branch of science dealing with hearing, the sensations produced by sounds, and the problem with communication” while offering “narrative interruptions, disorder, and sidetracks that exhaustively investigate, discover, and create new meanings” in audio...” I’m not certain of just what this branch of “science” is and I’ll probably be thought of as being sophomoric (again) the creation of new meanings is it seems now cool, new meanings for “science” – for “noise” for “art” – which avoids any critical closure other than if we are to be positive about life theses days praise – praise for the last men.(jliat)

Address http://www.naszczepanik.com/sra/

WHISTLE PIG SALOON ROBERT VAN HEUMEN & JOHN FERGUSON (CD by Creative Sources Recordings)

The idea of repetition in the film Ground Hog Day (aka whistle pig day) is that the past as the future can be re inscribed with novelty, and appears in a more opaque form in the writings of Deleuze and Guattari – an opacity in part given by a certain reading of Nietzsche which carefully removes – “of the self same” – which is cool – as it arises out of a long line of (lit) critters, I.A. Richards, William Empson, William K. Wimsatt, Monroe Beardsley, F.R. Leavis as well as Roland Barthes, Jacques Derrida, Paul de Man, Geoffrey Hartman et al. so allowing the “re-appropriating a previous moment.” It opens up I suppose a conscious re-evaluation – re-working of difference – to and with the pioneers of modernity such as Cage and Tudor. And so techniques become –re-new-ed. However one criticism needs to be addressed which is scientism – these works were produced in a culture *lab* – how immune from the Sokal affair? – but for myself at this moment more importantly the serious reality of Nietzsche’s eternal return of the same as a not knowing identical experience, “this spider.. moonlight…..”, “the most scientific” not literary idea, a la Markov. “John configures the electric guitar as a site for multiple simultaneous points of interaction and queries the iconic cultural status of his instrument via feet, fingers and feedback. Robert crunches, growls and smashes both John`s live sampled sound as well as his private stack of industrial bits and organic beats." Either there is nothing new – or there is endless novelty – “two cultures”? (jliat)

Address http://hardhatarea.com/

WPS/ REVERSE MOUTH THE CONFUSION OF THE SOUND OF CONFUSION (Cdr by Primecuts Recordings)

KUSARI GAMA KILL NOISECORE EXTRAVAGANZA (CDR by R.O.N.F. Records)

BISTURI VRIL MIXTURIZER BVM SPLIT (CDR by R.O.N.F. Records)

Reverse mouth AKA Panagiotis & Spoulos Cdr in barely legible grey print on grey paper fold and nothing much more to find for this particular release on the web. Two tracks with perhaps vocals but what seems in the main distorted guitar more on the second track – repetitive machine like industrial feedback and white noise. Organically flowing, too much of a narrative going on for me here. Kusari Gama Kill is 99 tracks of I suppose “noise core” – found recordings processed screaming and vocals. Even a robot on track 99. The BVM split was more industrial – aural landscapes in which noisy objects emerge. The Mixturizer track (4) being the more substantial wall of (fairly) harsh noise. For some reason I cant get enthusiastic over these – I suspect its more my own depressive state rather than the snippets of over enthusiasm in which these releases seem to float… “irreverent orgy of guitar noise, tightly controlled feedback………… to make the dead walk full of mean and sick killer energy perfection………16 minutes of audio agony dealing with harsh feelings and clinic methods…..”? (jliat)

Address www.microearth.com/jackson

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/home.php

+DOG+ HOT BORDERS (CDr by Love Earth Music)

This was more of a surprise (or surprise under erasure!~) as the usual industrial rumblings of other releases which *have* to evolve here - do not. Its consistently un-dynamic and choked in bass frequencies to rarely do anything. The titles which promote some politico ideas seem to have absolutely nothing to do with the sound(s). Which appear to have absolutely nothing to do with anything else. Oh very much then in the zeitgeist – well in my own - “Nihilism lite” (Jliat)

Address http://www.geocities.com/loveearthmusic/

ATMEN IM ATOM ATOM HEART NOISE III (Cdr by Why Not Ltd)

The art work for this is an A4 photocopied sheet wrapped around a CDr . If you folded the sheet so as to insert it in a jewel case then the cover would be the wrong way around. Doris Boeker gets the credit for this, the text also has the caution that the CDr contains extreme Frequencies and unexpected Dynamic Processes. Well it (Track 1) starts in the bass – with a bubbling sounds (custard?) then slowly and predictably moves up the spectrum. Track two is whistles and hisses and crashes with reverb – as opposed to rhubarb. The other tracks continue in this industrial vein – with the occasional high pitched noises but never more than 22khz (which would be something?) Not that its particularly relevant but the worst/best thing on Audio CDs is fairly fixed high DC offsets – which can in some cases burn out speakers.(jliat)

Address www.whynotltd.tk

PHROQ HALF-ASLEEP MUSIC (CD by Entr’acte)

This was recorded by Francisco Meirino on the edge of sleep in order to tap into some sub-conscious brain stuff/nonsense. Why – god knows – as the surrealists did this back in the middle ages. What do we do with it- do we listen to it half asleep or write a Phd doctorate on it. We could move on to examine the lint in trouser pockets- or explore the back of the sofa for signs of extra terrestrial life. What does it sound like – all sorts – tracks of different length – some totally empty. It’s the kind of concept musical idea that even Brian Eno would give up after a few days thought. “Mystifying snippets of pragmatism and bewitching sonic pictures of seductive stimulation form a somewhat disjointed narration, where both condensed fragmentariness and surrounding spheres of nerve-tickling frequencies have the same right of citizenship.” Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (obvious!) (jliat)

Address http://www.entracte.co.uk/

CHEAPMACHINES SECEDE (CD by Entr’acte)

“These recordings were made as part of a proposed file-sharing collaboration with Austrian sound artist Helmut Schäfer. The recordings were abandoned after Schäfer’s death in April 2007….” And continues “Schäfer does not appear on these recordings” what we have are 8 beautifully constructed tracks of abstract sound. They have poise poetry and deliberation – others take note. I need not say much more- than they utilize with what I think is both wit and skill the audio media of the sound artist. Not noise then as much as abstract musical compositions. (jliat)

Address http://www.entracte.co.uk/

RONNIE SUNDIN SEVEN YEAR SILENCE (CD by Fang Bomb)

I cant quite see (hear) "the densest, most dynamic and near-impenetrable blasters I’ve yet heard to be issued in the name of electro-acoustic noise" of The Sound Projector’s review – it arrives in an A5 booklet of ink drawings – with the text “God is Silent no more” –(have I missed something?) Anyway Ronnie began life as a visual artist – how is that relevant? the ink drawings are not particularly hard hitting – though what do I know. The two tracks are again abstract electronics, a move from it seems work that was almost silent – but I’m not aware of that. I think as in the Cheapmachines release there is careful delicate location of the compositions sonic elements but the device of slowly complicating a simple and fairly quiet beginning is I think both clichéd – and animalistic – in the rising drumming which flows out of Africa and into

Stravinsky- and though there is nothing wrong with that, the dynamics of focused force, it runs the risk of re-introducing narrative where its perhaps not required. (jliat)

Address www.fangbomb.com

FILTHY TURD COCK DOLLAR ON AMBULANCE TIME (Cassette by poor little music)

The cassette came wrapped in newspaper and fried rice which was quite disgusting, which is I suppose the general intent? It begins with a rather clichéd 50s sci fi clip about being turned into jelly, then obviously breaks into harsh noise, however after awhile there are more sampled vocals – Islamic singing noise etc. Side 2 captures more the ambience of tape with its saturated clips and distortions. (Women screaming men vomiting sex film clips chanting …violence… noise … film clip loops…noise etc) Also included was a 10000 dollar Heaven Bank Note, a bribe? Apart from having to wash the rice off the cassette and the fact I laid out money on a CD player for the Micra, and the nice metal walkman packed up so I had to nip down to argos to buy a cheap Sony Cassette player WM – EX194… this is rather a good tape. Why – well though not inventive – because it denies invention and novelty which so many seem to think possible (too many and not thinking that much) - this whole project is prolific and reminds me of the smell sound and images of an open dump of household waste- then it achieves its goaless goal – in sound form content and presentation- well done.(jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/poorlittlemusic

ASTRO SHELL STAR SPICA (CD by Cipher Productions)

Composed by Hiroshi Hasegawa (of C.C.C.C.) this is a re-release of a double 3inch CDR. Arriving with suitable Hubble telescoped imaged photographs it contains two tracks of analogue synthesised waves of cosmic sound effects drenched in reverb. I guess from his myspace site and all to familiar modulated waves that a Synthi AKS is playing a significant part in this very 60s sounding spacey sci-fi offering. It has that strange un-sophisticated sound of Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett, and fireball XL5, and I guess should be listened to dressed in a cheap polythene space suit. Apart from what one could call ideological simplicity there is perhaps in the underlying nostalgia the idea that the past offered a future quite unlike this present which resembles evermore the cold materialism of the 1950s. (jliat)

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/ K2 TARGET TO NOWHERE (CDr by Cipher Productions)

This is perfect. That said I suppose more should be said – but it need not. Why I continue is not for self gratification but as an act of providing public information- much as I would tell you if your house was on fire. If you already accept TTN is perfect – or know that your house IS on fire – read no further- phone for help? Of the 4 tracks 3 are of splits and cutups- sections placed across the stereo field – of manipulated / mutilated harsh noise- feedback, distortion, some voice- punctuated and staccatoded magnificence. Track three stands out in being mono? Of a more limited dynamic range, still noise and its sources as before but not as cutup. The applause at the end of this track makes the summation that this is a live recording obvious, whereas the others which seem to be more edited or de-edited I suppose are studio work. No matter the live track documents though grainy an excellent noise performance, the others are simply splendid. Its not often I hear what I consider a definitive work, which this is, so why only limited to 100? Ok if you’ve read so far and are the least bit into noise – buy this. Can I now do the so called “pseudo-intellectual bit”?- (climbs on high horse) Noise (this kind of noise) either marks the completion of western music’s teleology – evolution, dialectic – “whatever”- or directly opposes the idea of any structural grand narrative, it can simultaneously occupy both positions – it can be art and not art ‘at the same time’ (therefore resisting closure in a transcendental signified – its immanent becoming….) though not purring quite like Schrödinger’s cat, and though *only* occupying the *most* significant position in light of its anti dialectic contra-eschatological ontology its summits can be descended from as well as climbed up. (spot the cute mountain metaphor – K2 get it?) Still the view from the top is splendid, and the going down both Nietzschean and with the fait glow of Moses on his decent. (jliat & trigger)

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/ BLUE SABBATH BLACK CHEER CROWS EAT THE EYES FROM THE LEVIATHANS CARCASS(CD by Release the Bats)

Very funny- black on black printing - I have also just received a USB release whose accompanying text was microscopic- but advertised itself as audio/software made in part by hackers- kind of poison pie factory product? Do they honestly think I’ll run the thing- well I will but not on this c09$%^5645860&^%8er… CETFTLC is essentially horror movie soundtracks kind of thing. Ambient soundscapes.. It documents several previous releases with newer material. I’ve mentioned this before but there does seem to be in the USA an interest in horror of this kind which might be genuine? It doesn’t cross the Atlantic well, and I suspect it’s a cultural phenomenon. Those of us who live in Europe are aware of a history which does go back to real dark ages, a village I once lived near still has the stocks, where I live now has a water pump in the square which served also a lockup – (prison) and supports a metal beacon for warning and celebrating, the pub opposite when re-decorated a Childs boot was found up a chimney and its common to find under old doorsteps dead / buried cats. I think maybe some Americans (not natives) feel cut off from this past, and it makes my review therefore difficult. CETFTLC sounds fairly gentle- not particularly frightening, but I want to pay it respect in case it is serious. Here they appear like the fun fare ghost train and joke shop novelties, but then that’s perhaps because you can in Europe glimpse the “real thing.” Though places like Warminster have a certain reputation its really old hippies and crystals, but I remember once visiting Ashby de-la Zouch in Leicestershire – an area known for active serious witchcraft, and visiting a magic shop off the high street was not funny, hippy or amusing. Not that there might be any real supernatural events – that doesn’t prevent the occult violence that does take place in communities across the UK, that is real enough. But then the label is from Gothenburg - in Sweden which further complicates the matter. So is it some pesky kids joke, but even then in the non-supernatural there is a psychology of unconscious archetypes – so its either harmless nonsense or harmful nonsense - so be careful there. (jliat)

Address http://www.releasethebats.com/rtb44.html DARIO SANFILIPPO PREMIO MALATTIA (CD by Creative Sources)

Dario Sanfilippo work is “experimental” using “non-linear DSP systems through feedback-networks” and “environmental recordings”. What we have then is a mixture of electronic feedback sounds and glitches which could well be ‘found’ sounds which populate the 7 tracks of varying length. Its difficult to know just what kind of aesthetic is being deployed/explored here. In the context of experiment the sound textures as the tracks length’s appear fairly arbitrary and improvised. Not that I’m asking for such pieces to be “explained away” but I do think they require some guidance as to just what is going on. An experiment – or the idea of experimentation has to have some kind of framework within which to evaluate its success or failure, otherwise the open ended ness defeats any selection or choice in the matter. So this is a difficult and confusing disk.(jliat)

Address http://www.creativesourcesrec.com

NOISE VS. SUBVERSIVE COMPUTING (1GB USB Stick by COMPUTATIONALLY INFEASIBLE RECORDS)

Two groups on a 1 gb usb drive(though just over half is used). A novel idea with 10 contributions from each. Achenor - "Noise Steganography" embeds data in noise .WAVs by altering the lowest byte of the two byte PCM data, though this project assumes noise is sufficiently chaotic it might not be (in certain definitions its not)- you would hear its effect in a PCM stream of 4’33”- the limit of discernabilty is about 2 to 3 bits, so why not just alter the lowest *bit* of the signed integer, a single bit change is *not* noticeable, and given 88200 samples per second that’s 11025 bytes – and so far this review has only used 600 or so… Netglitch- a project by ASHRAE uses data from a network (sniffer) attack to generate midi data,(packet drip- odd distortions across the stereo field – and an out of focus MP4 of how it was done?).. SIFTING THROUGH THE NOISE runs a speech to text program on random web speech data, it then analyses this data in respect of larger systems – which probably already exist in FBI / CIA sites- Wiki gives Google’s @ 450,000 servers, which cost @ 24 million USD a year in electricity... Another project EK’s “Rainbow” explores synesthesic ideas - (piano chords? And white noise) G0rg0g0l is supposedly a noise search engine? – but in reality only returns 4 hits, that’s 4 for “jliat” (Google gives 5,890) 4 for “Merzbow” (454,000) and 4 for “Beatles” (53,700,000)….? What remains is a poem, “I sing riot songs and bring noise to the apocalypse”.. Pascal Cretain - "Information Pollution” – a well conceived noise video of computer images and desert landscapes with an audio track of different spoken languages which builds into noise(HN), and Rodrigo Marcos Alvarez – creates mySql functions for playing noise and using a text to speech engine.. Perhaps interesting and certainly its welcoming to see collaborations but (ah! but) the real subversiveness of the datasphere is in the illusion that the free play of the “hacker” is something of a threat, whereas they are unpaid ‘sniffers’ for the corporate capitalists to follow. i.e. does Mr Alvarez want to be considered subversive – might not this damage the reputation of *his* company whose accounts I can view for the sum of £18.00. As capitalism is a flow without codes it is able to territorialize – deterritorialize much of this. (All of this @ my most nihilistic) The noise community is less dependent on being pseudo-parasitical –(actually symbiotic) and is able to encode its flows- not as anti-art or art but as both – which probably accounts for Deleuze being the new Mr Cool. But the audio presents another problem – eclecticism. briefly- BBBlood - Bicep Venoms Gut Virus by Paul Watson is a good mix of HN using a plethora of sources…. Odd Config.sys - "Bit Bucket" is this techno???? – Family Battle Snake - Black Hat synth noodlings …a typical lópez (untitled #223) at first seeming empty – clicks and deep bass sines - GEN 26 - "Untitled" – static noise fairly continuous - Hellboy106 - "stgzknmhtrka"--manipulated sounds and speech – “hacking” -ILIOS - "4000 ?evaloj kriegas Mi ami Vi" continuous industrial noises --- Kommpound soft mod – industrial REVERB (.rtf re moding xbox??) JQR - RE:if you are angry don't--noise using (obvious) drum loops - & distortion -- Sarah's Charity - "Colour of Clarity" – more industrial side of noise… Obviously the López “earns” its place though not noise as such and undermines the idea of obfuscation in the Achenor piece – a byte in a López work is doing a fair amount of work! – apart from that there its generally an industrial mix excepting the odd inclusion of the techno dance of Config.sys. A 20 artist comp of noise and differing software products makes reviewing difficult/superficial? – and definitions of noise are notoriously problematic – but here there is a factual contradiction. An interesting idea- more collaboration might have helped- as noise is a key factor in information processing – “data without meaning” – so similar to (not wanted) and different from the computer virus which *has* organisation. Not that obviously realized here with the notable exception of Pascal Cretain. And here a simple definition of what noise as striving (becoming) for (a line of flight) if failing to achieve… a nomadic trajectory re meaning- attempting not to be deterritorialized at the same time re-territorializing its history- (music). And one last consideration must be the fetish of the material consumerist/capitalist object – “a stick” rather than the more obvious ‘open source’ why so? Well even Deleuze comodifies himself with his signature? As do i- where? (jliat) here!

Address http://www.myspace.com/pascalcretain NOISE VS. SUBVERSIVE COMPUTING (addendum) (1GB USB Stick by COMPUTATIONALLY INFEASIBLE RECORDS)

Due to incompetence on my part two items of “subversive computing” were missed though perhaps serendipitously so. The first “My kind of shithole” (by Gorrrrgar) is a bit map of images of Bucharest's legal/semi legal cable system? This appears to represent the chaos of post-modernity’s communication systems… why or how i’m unsure – as it is simply a single picture of .BMP rather than the universal .JPG? The second was Stelios Douskos - "LawyerFish"- the project seeks to make one aware of the “incomprehensible, privacy policies that Internet users implicitly adhere to when using universal online services” (I think they are in fact simply to cover the site creators from litigation) – it does this by translating these into “12 tone” music using “Knuth's Soundex algorithm”. I have attempted to run this program with no results other than it prints out the input string in reverse. On examining the code it appears to use the soundex routine to map words to notes. The midi player appears to attempt to render these – but I did notice the google.txt file hard coded in there. Anyway what we have in effect is a program which maps *any* txt (text) –not just legal - to music notes. That it uses all 12 tones might make any output appear *like* 12 tone music but examining the algorithm the mapping is very simplistic and would bias certain notes. If you didn’t know, soundex was created before computer technology and is a way of indexing a word by its “sound” – the first letter and its consonants coded as a number. Though its not clear why the mapping attempts to map the “sound” of a word to a note and because the word/note mapping is fairly simple – so that for instance the word “and” will map to a given note – it follows that the uniformity of the 12 tone approach will be broken – *certain* notes will be selected more than others establishing a “key”. To break this at its most simple would need the word-letter mapping to be arbitrary and therefore render the input source (text) irrelevant, otherwise it could employ (fairly complex) techniques used by the serialists – who broke these themselves for ‘expressive / aesthetic’ reasons. (This *is* serendipitous as its taking far more space to describe the ideas here than a brief overview in the main review). Anyway an arbitrary set of notes is *not* 12 tone music in its historic sense. For the non computer user a similar/simpler thing could be achieved by labelling piano keys with letters of the alphabet and then playing a text on them. I’ll leave ‘open’ just what is achieved, but if as I think it is not actual 12 tone music in any conceptual sense other than pseudo random note production we can avoid an even lengthier discussion of the actual metaphysics of the historic 12 tone system. Using programs such as Akoff’s (http://www.akoff.com/) composer any .wav can be translated into midi data- *any* recorded reading- not just legalize- for instance this review, which may or may not sound better than it reads – and may be 12 tone or set in a major or minor key. Or for the dead pan of legalize the text could be “read” by software such as readplease to create the source .wav which after being processed by akoff into midi data rendered as an actual score by MuseScore and played by real musicians in DJs… why? Why not! and played alongside “real” 12 tone at say the proms, would anyone notice? (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/pascalcretain CHEFKIRK TOXIC MILK (CD-R by Retinascan)

Roger J. Smith kindly sent this to Frans with the proviso “If you no longer want to review my releases …you can give them to the other guy. His reviews are fun but I cant make any sense out of them..” – hummm – no input mixer- it seems that Roger’s sound is changing to 14 tracks of micro sound glitches, noise and feedback which seem to inhabit a virtual insect world of what I’d guess is careful crafted ‘experimentalism’. I’ve come across things like this before- which reminds me of Paul Klee – an acquired taste perhaps- and like Klee represents something of a frozen dynamic, not fully abstract and embracing noise, or a return to delicate representational composition – a place I suspect is ultimately untenable for Chefkirk as it was for the delicate European abstraction of the 1930s before the violence of what culminated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Whatever – western culture is either destroyed or condemned by such actions including that polite abstractionism of the utopia that was the Bauhaus. (the other guy)

Address http://www.retinascan.de/

PUMA/ MARHAUG FIST FULL OF KNUCKLES (LP by Knuckleman Records)

Puma= (Øystein Moen(synth), Gard Nilssen(drums), Stian Westerhus(guitar) + Lasse Marhaug (turntable + electronics) a collaboration which began in 2007 and included a tour of Norway and Japan has now released this vinyl. Side one is a catastrophic jam of noise mayhem which is nicely contrasted by side two’s more (neo) musicality, it begins quite sparse and gathers pace with various improvised rhythms, riffs and crescendos reminiscent of proto-avant jazz, or should I say neo-avant jazz as we are after what was once the contemporary, but don’t let my neo/pseudo philosophical musing on labels detract you from a delightful production. (jliat)

Address www.lassemarhaug.no

www.myspace.com/pumapumapuma

NOVELLER PAINT ON THE SHADOWS (LP by No Fun Productions)

ZAIMPH DEATH BLOOMING PLEASURE (LP by No Fun Productions)

The ubiquitous technologies mean that playing a Cd is generally no problem, unlike vinyl which in this case means finding space and setting up the relevant hardware in my studio has caused a delay. That’s my excuse. And of course whilst the newer technology has approached a zenith the problem is just how long the digital media can be relied on. With changing codec’s and systems and the reliability of storage or unreliability we face the prospect of one day being virtually blind. At least with a vinyl the data can be seen as well as heard which is more than a charm but a metaphysical statement as to the universe being analogue rather than digital. A clear clash of cultures – mathematics of the virtual Vs the plasticity of the real. An LP is flesh and better flesh clad in vinyl – erotic and festishizing, however here both LPs employ not noise but each 3 tracks of drone like continuums…. In being more delicate, Zaimph (Marcia Bassett) employs guitar and vocal, Noveller (Sarah Lipstate) again guitar as analogue is strangely delicate and ephemeral as if the material itself is already something organic and found before the cruelty of number. (jliat)

Address http://www.nofunproductions.com/

ALLEIN LUDDITE MUSIQUE POUR PERSONNE (CDr by Ambolthue Records)

THE WJIIK ANIMAL PROJECT LIVE AT NIU (3” CDR by Ambolthue Records)

JON WESSELTOFT UNDER A TROPICAL MOON (3” CDR by Ambolthue Records)

Inhabiting the field – or more likely that industrial landscape of dereliction itself an all too familiar metaphor for the failure of modernity in all its guises- playing with what was once avant garde or cutting edge – if not as obvious taking their victims/muses from behind a la Deleuze these three works perhaps attempt a passing slap, Musique pour Personne is 4 long tracks of noise/drone guitar, track 1 fairly homogenous, 2 more chaotic cut ups 3 returns to longer and deeper tones, 4 is more of a mix of low pitched feedback bump and grinds…whereas Live @ NIU has a very quiet start – splutters and gasps towards the end of loud synth improv noise, by phased industrial/electro noodlings some unidentified speech – grows and develops!!! Synth oscillator manipulation appears out of the industrial ghosts of the past- its only with the Wesseltoft a more clear re-interpretation of the past is formed or deformed in an indistinguishable single track of electric noise- occasional representations of proto-rhythms but a general denial of content/concept - excellent. (jliat)

Address http://www.ambolthue.com/

UNTITLED FOLDER LABEL COMPILATION (CDR by Untitled Folder)

Untitled Folder is a web based sub label of Mikroton what I gather is a Moscow based label / promoter of “mostly improvised electroacoustic, electronic, computer.. (music) with potential for conjuring brave new musical world” Information provided was sketchy so I’m not sure if this “label” has subsequently released a CDR or that this is just a hardcopy for review. A very optimistic enterprise – although the brave new world of Huxley is one of control, overcome by savagery… it might be that the newly democratised USSR like the not so recently USA has avoided the nihilism of Europe which might account for the misunderstandings re – meaning. From what *here* seems like naive enthusiasm about the experimentalism or the mistaken ideas re deconstruction and popular culture… Claire Lumiere (Kurt Liedwart) 06/003 & SndIOerror -(2 tracks of Lopezesque glitches across a lo-fi hum) - Dental Meat (Kurt Liedwart/Serge Kolosov) – (2 more similar with chimes etc swathed with reverb ) Alexander Grishin / Kurt Liedwart Fünfundzwanzig – (again similar with some stringed instrument ) Kurt Liedwart / Valery Posternak – (As before but we have someone speaking in Russian? ) – so a kind of eclectics and avant whimsy from my position- I’m uncertain of just where its located- as the bareness of minimalism is confronted by the reverb and poetics? Leaves me puzzled. (jliat)

Address http://www.mikroton.net/uf.html

GEHIRN.IMPLOSION ALLUMFASSENDER UNKONTROLLIERBARER SOG (CDr by Tosom)

This CD of recurring long drawn out noise/drone by Gehirn.Implosion appears to be a requiem for a dead child – Mio (27 days old). Its 6 tracks use heavy feedback and distortion to provide minimal and bleak landscapes, whose titles provide something of the sonority - Forlornness - Your Way - Night Sky - Sadness - Only Sounds - Time Behind The Time. There isn’t much anyone can add? (jliat)

Address http://www.tosom.de/Tosom-Home.htm

COREPHALLISM (3inch CD by Apop Records & Lascivious Aesthetics)

This is Shane Broderick (of Two deadsluts One good fuck) “this debut recording Mr. Broderick offers a brief glimpse into his struggle with personal demons of hereditary mental illness, sexual addiction and depression which serve as subject matter” and so is in its programme similar to the Gehirn.Implosion in that it resolves as subject matter some heavy emotive stuff. And so the problem of anything other than a sympathetic nod is ethically for me very difficult. Are we supposed to enjoy what is the expression of such harsh emotions, or are we in not feeling the proposed response being in-human. Communicating such feelings artistically is notoriously difficult as the subjectivism is so deep. It was once common to invoke metaphor in the form of demons and universal archetypes to express across emotional devides these experiences. There are two tracks here the first a fairly spacey landscape the secord more industrial, but insufficient to convey much because of this.. of course its possible to go straight for it – like the Lennon’s untitled debut LP (working class hero) but there is always the danger of embrasesd self pity - in more musical terms then OK we have Beethoven’s fate knocking at the door or Mahler’s second. But even here with such sublime attempts on my first hearing of it I laughed as it sounded like bad holywood film music, a few years on and I wept along with a large proportion of the audience. This “big emotional stuff” is hard to handle- like revenge its best served cold and certainly noise as signal without meaning isn’t up to the task of universalizing these emotions.

Address http://www.myspace.com/corephallism

100 PIECES EBOLA HEMORRHAGIC SUITE (Cdr by Backwards Records NW)

MURDER BURNIN DOWN YR BLEAK VILLAGE (Cdr by Backwards Records NW)

100 pieces is two tracks of spoken audio describing the disease followed by fairly harsh noise- 4 tracks of chop up noise ending strangely in a short piano melody? Murder’s 8 tracks of noise looped drum sequences and electronic guitar riffs.. (i think are remixes?) – a strange collision of – showing my ignorance drum and bass beat?s with chop-up noise sound effects makes rather compelling listening. Both seem to be attempting at pushing the envelope… a quirky americanaist move? An attempt to (if they are located within noise) politicize - or even moralize the emptiness, to co-opt noise- but noise in itself has a metaphysics which is part of post-modernism (I can hear the sighs) in which there is no one single big idea and so sub-groups can co-opt noise- surrealism dada etc with no need to worry about meaning. Noise is essentially disorganised (sound) and so cannot as is – in itself- represent anything. Rather like abstract painting – it simply ‘is’. At this point it in effect questions the ontology of culture… in its refusal to communicate. This is a radical destructive / critical questioning of the ideas of truth, beauty, ethics – the great grand narratives - western creations – fictions- just like the old idea (grand western narrative) that art – music had a meaning outside of culture – the music of the spheres- noise is a direct counter to that idea of music – OR ANY OTHER which marks the end of music. Some people will find it hard, even unacceptable at the removal to the plane of “culture” these things that they assumed were outside, but that is an act of bad faith – so- It’s not surprising then that noise artists get into politics and politico uses of noise- but as the reality- that all of these are just arbitrary choices- is what N called the greatest weight. That is the individual can’t bear that meaningless individuality and so joins a group. (herd) And herds do not communicate other than noises to identify their existence, mooing… and sameness..” (jliat)

Address http://www.backwardsrecords.com/nw.html

KANIN KRUSETE - LIKE A THING (CDr by Twighlight Luggage)

Veering more towards HNW (that’s the Harsh Noise Wall of The Rita et al.) at times, unfortunately for anyone who sees HNW as not anything – the use of speech – distorted shouting throughout the first tracks removes the contextless that is HNW, so there is some kind of angst, a process which deteriorates further into avant garde gentle distortion and found sound speech clips of track 4 – “1987 Buick GNX "Over My Dead Body" (Chop And Screw Like the Noise Doers Do)” once again this becomes music with movements and dynamics and not inline with the idea of not giving a dam thing, we have even if inadvertently re-entered the idea of meaning which elevates the nature of human being well away from the vacuum that is HWN. Tracks 5 (Dedicated to all the Jewish-Taoist-Hindu-Toltec-Buddhist Bullshit )and 6 ( I'm Sick of You) regains or attempts the loss of form but still the use of “field” recordings provides a point of leverage – I guess only time will tell A final thought for KK- “My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it—all idealism is mendaciousness in the face of what is necessary—but love it. “– so as far as HNW goes its either that or pop music, not giving a dam is a position – HNW is the übergeräusch not of supreme indifference but an amor fati more sexy than angst. (jliat)

Address http://www.twilightluggage.com/

JUNKO MASAYOSHI URABE MICHEL HENRITZI ECSTASY OF THE ANGELS(Cd by Opposite Records)

JUNKO / AYA ONISHI / RINJI FUKUOKA / MICHEL HENRITZI LIVE AT PENGUIN HOUSE (CDR by An'Archives)

On the first of these two remarkable releases we have Michel Henritzi -snare drum, wood and metal junk, turntable and feedback, Masayoshi Urabe - alto sax and guitar. & Junko – vocals – on the second Junko – vocals Aya Onishi – Drums Rinji Fukuoka - Violin & Guitar & Michel Henritzi – Guitar. Well I’ve been playing these for sometime and trying to think of how and what to say, but must admit I’m somewhat defeated. The construction of these works is such that it could almost be considered classical, that what I suppose is improvisation is so closely listened, and listening is the key to making sound as music, that one could imagine that these musicians were either playing from a score or playing a traditional set of pieces, to the extent it could, but does not, almost spoil the work by a seeming lack of spontaneity. But rather like a ballet whether the product of accident or endless rehearsal the result is something aesthetically beautiful, and perfect in its accomplishment. (jliat)

http://www.oppositerecords.com

http://anarchives.wordpress.com/

NIENTE RECORDS VOLUME 2 (Cdr by niente records)

NIENTE Record’s flyer makes a deal out of not explaining of not providing information and all their material is packaged alike in a mirror covered cd case. In this particular issue 11 tracks of industrial synth and clatter processed voice etc. And by etc, loops of metal – vowel sounds –string instruments and oscillators- a smorgasbord of what was once called experimentalism which reminded me of a “Mediterranean” pizza once served to my dear wife which looked like something from star wars – some kind of incinerated alien which one would rather give a good funeral to than eat. (jliat)

http://www.myspace.com/nienterecords

SHIFT BULK (Cd by Silkentofu / Unrest Productions)

Again minimal information, pictures of the Tricorn Centre Portsmouth – looks like a 60s car park, and the text “Recorded at the Second Floor, July 2007”. Note not *on* & 2007. Three tracks of continuous rumble which could be noise but lacks harshness, and I might have stopped there- merely adding out of spite that it’s the kind of thing which The Wire would approve of – noise lite? The silentofu site adds nothing – a case of NIENTE, but yours pedantically googles – and finds – “The Tricorn Centre *was* a famed Brutalist shopping, apartment, nightclub and car park complex in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. It was designed by Owen Luder and Rodney Gordon and took its name from the site's shape which from the air resembled a Tricorne hat. Constructed in the mid-1960s, it was demolished in *2004*. It was home to one of the first Virgin Megastores and housed the largest Laser Quest arena in Europe.....Portsmouth City Council deliberated the demolition of the centre for many years. However, the uniquely designed car-parking block was too useful to the city — providing 400 car parking spaces — to be destroyed until recently. This car park was the scene of many suicide attempts, being amongst the highest publicly accessible buildings on the South coast. For this reason, a plaque offering the support of The Samaritans organisation was positioned at this infamous point....The site is now occupied by an open-air car park. The 1812 Overture was played at its demolition - a reflection of the Tricorn's heroic status in people's imagination.” I recommend http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=C628_5rpj7w – view / sound of its destruction. Recorded *at* the second floor and not on the now non existent second floor is interesting- as is the video of this failed modernist building complex. A failure which might be dissected and discussed as it could reveal a truth- but then truth was the very metaphysics of modernity – something else demolished and what we are left with is everything and anything. The Tricorn’s progress from high art to suicide platform is not an optimistic trajectory.. And non of this interesting story is in or on this CD?(jliat)

Address http://www.silkentofu.org/

ABUSIVE CONSUMER MONOLITH (CDr by Abusive Consumer)

The accompanying blurb for this gives perhaps too much information (am I ever pleased?) AC is J Morales who has spent the last 20 years playing drums/percussion - from Improv free jazz prog rock and now uses synths – influenced by Xenakis… Pan Sonic Bastard Noise Terry Riley? And no doubt Max Bygraves? This piece was made direct to computer (his first and a birthday present) in MONO J.M. admitting he is a bit of a luddite- the intent here to move from one texture to the next in an organic manner yet “improvised in their entirety with a little post editing to cut out the crappy parts“ I think you could say he achieves his goals – but that makes this a demonstration - ideologically a muddle then (see Tom Wolfe’s– The Painted Word for why) once the metaphysical frameworks of modernism are removed this edifice becomes a point of suicide. Once the handrails are removed the careless fall..(jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/abusiveconsumer

UNKNOWN (3 inch by zerojardins)

All I could find out was this is a label from Lyon France which is into Folk, Free Improvisation, New Wave, Noise and some details of live performances. We have four tracks of improvised abstract sounds using real as opposed to electronic objects. It could be made using kitchen equipment – pots and pans with the string sound made with an egg slice but I suspect it’s a guitar and drums.. and so these sounds rumble on like a slow goods train, I’m sure whoever made this was having fun and its quite fun to listen to. Oh- and the last track uses a wah wah so strike egg slice and replace guitar…and some electronics – but that’s OK – it’s as they once said ‘groovy’(jliat)

http://www.myspace.com/zerojardins

R.J. SCHREY with KENJI SIRATORI FUTURE EMBRYO (CDr by R.O.N.F. Records)

ANDRZEJ PIONTEK MAY YOU LIVE IN INTERESTING TIMES (CDr by R.O.N.F. Records )

Both of these orbit the idea of sci-fi / horror / dark ambient / soundscapes – which means basically any sounds need the reverb and echo set to the maximum and I can see an interest in that idea – but its Dali not Miro, and they appear well after such has been appropriated for mass-entertainment.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oYNvmNZP2o Piontek’s second and third tracks especially. I’m sure I’ve said this before but the whole thing can slip into cliché, and here it does. OK some may like these soundscapes- but why if this is a very personal work through fields of despair does it sound like every Sci-Fi soundtrack since Alien. A film which simply added horror to 2001 and removed the brilliant idea of the contrasts in that sound track. The only redeeming feature of the Schrey release is the spoken voice of Siratori – but here it’s the idea in my head of the exotic of orientalism which gives its piquancy, something which Edward Said would rightly rail at. If these guys want to express what they say they do then throw away the obvious and get some symbolic sound that uniquely puts across the ideas/feelings, however that I know is hard and trying genuinely to be helpful here a key is to take the ordinary as a starting point- that it turns out is the source of the most surreal, so a child asking a repeated question can become ominous as does the question “is it safe” or what derives from the statement “its gonna rain”….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG5Qk-jB0D4

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x90h1r_steve-reich-its-gonna-rain-part-1_music

(jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/ N.R.Y.Y.(noise re yacky)

STIRNER COMPILATION ( CDr by Skum rex)

BAGMAN STIRNER A BY-PRODUCT OF ANXIETY COMPILATION(Cdr by Skum rex)

I’m uncertain as to if Skum Rex exists as I couldn’t find any information, N.R.Y.Y is from Japan - Norihito Kodama – Bagman from the UK, Stirner from Overijssel Netherlands – ABOA myspace site is referenced anxiety930…& Florida. NRYYs first track mixes a classical string work with bursts of delicate noise, others mix drum machines, heavy breathing / female orgasm , high pitched sine whereas Stirner’s 4 tracks are more conventional swathes of noise with found vocals and white noise feedback. I think ABOA begins the second CDr with 2 tracks of vocal spoken loops and tortured (white)noise, The Stirner is much more harsh but still I think is treating samples. The 3 Bagman tracks are quite simply harsh noise, that they are recorded live and that there might be some quite profound emotional concepts behind these is beside the point. His work he says represents the darkest side of human behaviour, and his site references notorious murderers. But I’ve made the point before – missing in the list are Blair and Bush, the list’s so called bogymen only serve to promote the police and authorities power over us all, the need for the smart bomb and hellfire missile. We are now told that Swine Flu is more dangerous than terrorism, that terrorism was more dangerous than the threat of nuclear attack in the cold war, and that we were all going to die of rabies carried by French foxes through the channel tunnel. The one thing that marks Artists like Bagman is not their madness but a purity of aesthetic and artistic sincerity – by which I don’t mean to demean the others on these compilations but the lad from Newcastle deserves a wider audience and a bigger canvas. I know at times one can feel lost and creativity as being pointless, Steve Bacon’s (Bagman) work is outstanding- and I’d like him and whoever else reads this to know I think so – there - as simply put as I can for those who sometimes find my reviews difficult. (jliat)

Addresses http://nryy.web.fc2.com/

http://www.myspace.com/bagmannoise

http://www.myspace.com/strnr

http://www.myspace.com/anxiety930

NAPALMED HARSH SYNTHESE NOISE (CDr by Napalmed)

Rather than singletons Naplamed is a band I have reviewed before VW 624 - from the Czech Republic PaveL.H. - metallic arrythmia MartiN.B. - electronix, metals RadeK.K. - voice, electronix, metals- here are 9 tracks of harsh noise / electronics, sometimes immediate at others slow beginnings and endings. The Cdr is a limited edition and comes with a booklet made from sheets of silver and black and white photographs of close-ups of shielded cable which complements very well the audio. It might be interesting to see how things pan out here, as at times I cant help thinking there is some tension in maintaining a generality that is associated with HNW which they kind of obliquely approach but not sufficient to self efface the trace of a narrative which in the past I’ve been somewhat dismissal of, certainly this is a much stronger and coherent work if I can say coherent in the bands approach towards that beautiful event horizon of the complete erasure of information which is what I call noise. I look forward to our next encounter at or over that edge. (Jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/napalmed http://www.napalmed.cz/

ANTOINE CHESSEX ARNAUD RIVIERE SPLIT 7" (Vinyl by LE PETIT MIGNON)

My one- and only- criticism of this release is that it’s limited to only 300 copies. (though I get to keep my promoJ) The artwork is stunning – someone knows what they are doing! A coarse and beautiful silkscreen sleeve which could have been a woodcut, the disk itself clear, with “clever” labels identifying the polish and pill sides respectively. You can check this out on the website (and hear mp3 extracts which saves me detailed description) – of Le Petit Mignon “a gallery and a music label located in the mighty specialist of experimental and avant-garde music record store Staalplaat” Which explains the quality? Just in case you might think its all packaging – well no- the two pieces complement each other and the whole production. Antoine Chessex’s sax sounds like an alarm until its swamped in HWN – in which tide it rises and falls, Arnaud Rivière’s electronics are equally brilliant and harsh – though much more sporadic. I should also name check designer, printer and regurgitater Mounir Jatoum of La Commissure & mastering by Rashad Becker at Dubplates. Vital does not give stars – so I’ll say 5, and I’m just left wondering how and why Frans let this one go. I could say much more regarding the detail of both the sound and whole production but just end by saying as clearly as I can if anyone is into noise or art or just beautiful things – get this or weep. (jliat)

http://www.lepetitmignon.de/

JOHN WIESE ZOMBIE (12 inch Lp by Presto Records)

2 tracks using loops and a locked groove track: John Wiese is well known and respected but this release perhaps not marking so much as a departure as a different (& at depth radical) step/trajectory- is both complex and yet simple. The idea of the circle or loop is simple enough, children’s songs are often simple repetitions but hidden in this simplicity is the Ouroboros, the eternal return of the same and the opposite to the Judeo/Christian /Islamic faith on which the ideas of a teleological and understandable evolutionary and scientific universe is predicated. Of even the idea of artist as creator/originator (of course Barthes!) – there is no origin to the locked groove. Not only that but the locked groove has mythic and legendary narratives, from Sgt. Pepper through to RRR… Wiese loops a favourite Drunks With Guns track for one side the other consisting of a more complex and indiscernible looping process to render some Sissy Spacek material into a monolith. Added is a locked piano chord to be played for 21.5 minutes and included is the score and sleeve notes which render this LP’s exegesis. To those of the Gerridae family, Side A is cool but the simple repetition of the DWG is both obvious yet not- it is terrific- in more senses.. as is the eternal return. Wiese is here doing something quite subtle, if the incomprehensibility of noise marks the end of something – that grand western metanarrative that begins with Moses leading his people (us) out of the land of the yearly inundation of Hapy, we are now beginning to hear the echoes and depths of this pre-history in these loops…. Yes an excellent and deep *disk*… Well John you might have started something – but if The Demon in GS 341 is true you haven’t? eh? But what you present for yourself and us is (the challenge of?) amor fati - “That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.”- Waugh's Dust and much more…even the impossibility of making a sleeve to fit the record- squaring the circle was a failed greek project… (jliat)

Address http://prestorecords.com/home.html

RADIOACTIVE PROSTITUTE KING MARIS DAY (12inch Vinyl by Radioactive Prostitute)

This is a basic rock band line up from a band which tours the US far across a line from the other vinyl releases I’ve reviewed elsewhere, improvising a fairly – now from a HWN point of view coherent sound, from a musical point of view they do cite Nirvana amongst others- they even admit that an uneasy sonic truth has developed – which is IMO a pity as this kind of performance resembles or used to resemble a war, and catechism, that’s not to say I don’t like the performance and I suspect live they are entertaining, but how many Peace films have been made compared to War films, How many cop films in which no crime takes place, even (especially!) in the world of popular music there is the need I suspect for conflict. On what I’ll call the B side against a rumble of background noise is chatter which includes talk of ETI, screaming and feedback… I suppose its vaguely Mothers of Invention – which makes it doubly difficult – as apart from Hot Rats I wasn’t a big fan – wasn’t there some MOI LP with prostitutes and fishing from a hotel? – but I cant find any reference on Google – did I imagine this? its along time ago when this kind of student antics was fun, before AIDs and student loans - I confess to not only buying a Hawkwind LP but actually going to a concert! Oh and Gong – radio gnome invisible – those crazy kids…(jliat)

Address www.radiopros.org

DICTAPHONIA MICROCASSETTE COMPILATION VOLUME 3 (Microcassette by HalTapes)

In all 23 tracks on this release of various material, the better I think realising the nature of the media which in this case plays a significant part of just what is going on. Those interested can still buy the recorders to play this series, which raise a number of questions, one regarding modernism and what has subsequently followed, even to the extent that post-modernism is seen by many now as passé – we might be in a period “after theory”. Certainly the microcasstte raises McLuhanish issues (theories!) which are/were “modern” – the alter ego of the present virtuality where even the medium has disappeared, perhaps the message has returned but its now empty theory-less and floats in MP3 MP4 Voc Ogg MOV flak… whatever - computers will automatically find the codec… but what is left in the virtual is the idea of a virtual and so non-existent individualism of Stirner (via iphones which make farting noises) who appears on this comp and who predicted the future and all this freedom via torrents.. posted on blogs, etc. I have been more concerned with wasps this summer than swine flu.. not w.a.s.p.(s) but something like that did for Stirner .. this tape remains a tragic reminder of rationality and sense – and also property and object. (jliat)

Address www.halmcgee.com

ODAL SMASHING UP REALITY / THIS DAMNED NIHILISM (2 x CDr

by Impulsy Stetokopu)

KNURL MESOSOMA (NIHILISM (CDr by Impulsy Stetokopu)

Knurl’s (Alan Bloor, Canadian experimental composer and sculptor) CD arrives in a metal tin with 6 cards, photographs and quotes from Henri Bergson.(not) coincidentally has 6 tracks made by live recordings using scrap metal and violin. That was useful information and interesting because of the totalization of noise across a range of frequencies and feedback which has the feeling of speed or speeding is not an obvious auditory signified of its means of production so usurping the modernist ideology of truth to materials- ah! At least in most of the tracks. 3 is more obviously a pitched stringed instrument and sits uneasy as does the following track amongst the otherwise unidentifiable noise. So I’m not sure of these- are they there to show us the puppets strings, or remind us of materiality and sense? And references to Bergson and arthropodic morphology, a middle? More odd packaging from Odal (Peter Zincken from the low countries) 2 x CDr in a “painted cake box with a tomentum. Never released material from 1987-1989 years.” Tomentum I think refers to a felt disk between the CDrs? Chops and cuts of film song and other noises lofi- collage, distorted loops- I did say lo fi.- perhaps recorded through a Tomentum- long distorted pointless loops- if noise is a reaction to invention (of the western project) then this is fine noise indeed in its throwness, like scrapping through an industrial waste heap it better exemplifies noise than the Knurl which still has an Avant Garde artisim about it, Odals hand made cake box contains the sediment and detritus which the confused searchers for quality would should and could listen to. (jliat)

http://www.myspace.com/impulsystetoskopu

DISGUISES S/T (2 x CDr by Brise-Cul)

REI REA - QUEL QUE (CDr by Brise-Cul)

SLAM NIHIL PULSE RAMP (CDr by Brise-Cul)

Quel Que is the normal industrial – heavy metal pulses awash with reverb and echo- track 4 which is shorter and more dense almost song like. Pulse Ramp – is what it says on the can -a mix of analogue synth noise (pulses) at times sounding like eastern chanting – (its hard not to see patterns and be anthropomorphic) Which is said to be “skate noise” – the cover does show images of a broken skate park- I was unaware of the genre. Three tracks in all fairly homogeneous – perhaps becoming denser – with the occasional laser gun sounds.. General packaging is poly sleeve B& W or B & R photocopy with spray painted CDrs.. its left to the Disguises double to do something a little more interesting – these sound like live group performances rather than the dead studio work of the other two where you get the distinct feeling of fun- but that might be my big mistake. Strangled guitar and primitive pulses, crashing cymbals the whole thing a drunken improv… 2nd disk has more solo guitar improvisation still very live and raw in feel.. I think the problem here – if there is one – is that notwithstanding the anti-art of harsh noise- electronics and experimentalism is now so out of date and so over-rehearsed it becomes difficult in that what was novel becomes normal. That’s not a direct criticism, but what was once a listening leaning is now just a listening. The live performance is different in only that its never quite the same, a National Geographic film as experimentation is always the same unlike a visit to the zoo. (jliat)

Address bhttp://kvlt667.com/ WANDER WANDER (3inch CDr by R.O.N.F. Records)

Wander is the drone project of beequeen (and you all know who that is!) and this single piece of 19 minutes resulted from an accident involving itunes, as was the accompanying image of a semi naked girl sliced with digital drop outs a result of an accident in downloading. More ambient than drone with whiteish noises the piece resembles electronic abstract field recordings, in two sections– the first slowly rhythmical mixes of noise and oscillations reminiscent of old FM synthesis the second section builds in intensity of white noise. How much the product of accident and deliberate alteration is difficult to detect, the whole thing however resembles the found objects along the tide mark, surreal, strange and at times somehow poignant, such finds brought home and kept on a shelf or in a draw as tokens of something now gone, lost. (jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/menu/rnf/rnf038.php UNITAUF NEFES (3inch CDr by Lanpaarntaal)

N.R.Y.Y. SUFFERING (CDr by Lanpaarntaal)

BOAR - (3inch CDr by Lanpaarntaal)

FELLAHEAN /FUCK, THE RETARDED GIRL - ANONYMOUS DIVORCE (CDr by Lanpaarntaal)

Pre-amble - Lanpaarntaal Sounds is a trade only label – though some of their releases are certainly interesting enough to allow non noise/music makers the opportunity to get a copy. The myspace site gives this “Noise can be anything, sound art, pedal noise, musique concrète, tapemusic, computer generated sound, field recordings, found sounds, outsider music, so it's not all harsh noise or power electronics” anyone on the chondriticsound forum might know I have to disagree. Not on the basis of the source of the sound but its underlying structure and loath to say “metaphysics”. I’m not going to rehearse or whip the dead horse but can i point out “Impressionism” as an art term it could be argued is not just blurry French 19th C painting but anything that makes an impression – from the Sistine chapel through to a Homer Simpson cartoon. OK Noise can be anything- even Frank Sinatra- so I’ve lumped some of these anythings here – with something of a definitive response. Unitauf nefes has 3 tracks Al adiat – A very distorted Male song in Arabic, Araf – Arabic music – flute and percussion – looped for around 6 minutes followed by very distorted singing and track 3 – ‘Eastern format’ again distorted Arabic? Singing. / drumming. Art can be art by virtue of its context but that as an original idea has long been done, I’ve no idea what Unitauf is about- it might be nothing at all – but the recognizable Arabic songs immediately politize the piece, though even recognizabity is sufficient to move away from noise to a form of play between signifier and signified. N.R.Y.Y.’s myspace gives Experimental/noise/dark ambient/EBM – yes though not much noise or experiment – lo-fi twittering… BOAR – Starts with what I suspect could be called a drone with distortion – is in reality a deep pitched humm which evolves into noise, the following track noise evolves into a high pitched whine/oscillation- and final track where noise becomes echoy metallic drumming. Does this signify a drift away from noise towards music or some attempt at a terminal grey? Again though there is movement across some semantic plane it is of definite direction(s). Lastly the comp- Fellahean’s contribution is 4 tracks of hissy stuff continuous noise(s) not saturated- lacking speed at times – at others having electronic movements- rotating the black hole rather than heading in- still unsure and perhaps flirting with the muse. Fuck, The Retarded Girl recorded on a single day “no mixing no instruments no talent no thanks to anyone” Which is it. Or rather not it. What it? – Noise. By this yardstick the others can be diffentated, not only in themselves but against the mess which FTRG makes. The perfectly simple definition of Paul Hegarty (2007) as "intrusive, unwanted," "lacking skill, not being appropriate" What’s so difficult to understand in that- why attempt to do more- re-introduce form, idea quality? Why is it beyond the ontic and epistemological reasoning of some people? The human condition? one that wants to impose order, meaning, sciences and gods on a universe which just might not be like that, and even worse impose individual subjectivities – id, ego and superego, political frameworks cultural ideologies etc etc.. there is a missionary movement of the pseudo religious which as in the past seeks to cure nature of its disease which is called life, and replace it with death, the fear of death, the idea of quality and progress. (Sorry it seems I did hit the dead horse after all – how pointless is that? – I think I’ve had “that” flu). (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/lanpaarntaalsounds

LPS/004/2009 – TORTURING NURSE - ERSTELLEN (CDr by Lanpaarntaal Sounds)

I’m a great admirer of this group who seem to be trying to outdo the great M in terms of output. Since my last review where I heaped praise – where due & quite rightly – they have here gone I think better – how – in removing even tracks –a single work of 33”44’, this single monolith features extreme noise with oscillators and feedback amid walls of white and distorted noise. There may even be a kind of pun in the length, but removing even the parameters of track boundaries can only help this creep a little closer to the goal which cannot be reached – just as 2 and 1.9 recurring… the work floats on a recurring pointless sea of noise towards that non-obtainable/reachable limit. (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/lanpaarntaalsounds

OBSOLETE (OFFICE EQUIPMENT) FAIRGROUND DISORDER (3inch CDr by Lanpaarntaal Sounds)

The noises made by video games as opposed the rock music associated with fair ground rides forms the basis for this 3inch. The fist track an amalgam (which is what dentists seem to mess with ugh!) of these noises – kindoff nostalgic now as are fairgrounds as they lack the realism of modern day alternatives such as GTA and the Wee, which is right up or down Jean Baudrillard’s street “Our modern cultures no longer believe in this illusion of the world but rather in its reality (which is of course the final illusion).. On the second track these self-same effects (should be affects?) are further decomposed pulled apart, disordered – or being trendy – deterritorialized. A piece then that not only pushes ALL the right buttons IMO – but hammers nails into them or rips them out with pliers. More demolition than deconstruction, the mighty fairground which is western culture and art has spun out of control and inverted itself and all values. Now that’s what I call noise. (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/lanpaarntaalsounds

MOURMANSK150 NO VOLUNTEER 4 THIS SOCIETY (CD by Topheth Prophet) KADAVER AUTOMATIC AUTOPSY (CD by Topheth Prophet) “Mourmansk150 is a honest, uncensored & unrestrained expression of my deep hostility towards the inequities, corruption, abuse, ignorance & perversion of our civilizations, our species & the machinations of mans predominantly revolting existence…. You, you, you, you, you, you are responsible for my current neurosis, my mental impediment, my fucking psychosis You and your legions of CRIME are responsible for my daily strain, my hate, my despair, my frustration, my apoplexy, my malevolence, my PAIN!! …” ..” Kadaver is Michael Zolotov. A project I started back in 2003 in order to vomit out and to drain the pus from what I feel inside. Because the meaning of Kadaver is to create an atmosphere, a mirror to inner sickness, sadness, depression, pain and grief and not to create "art" – there is no specific genre that can be attached to Kadaver. The sounds shifts from twisted dark ambient through industrial till harsh noise and power electronics.” There is a lot of shouting on the Mourmansk150 and pictures of the duo in face masks bare chested white males.. the Kadaver release is more musical mix of noises- see above- industrial sounds. Significantly for me as you can also see above, both are using sound as a form of self expression, not yet taken to its limit of ritualization and into religion but that is where I guess it might (sadly) end. Not that I disapprove of these releases at all, they make a point – but fail my test that noise is or should be “data without meaning” – and again who am I to make this anything other than a piece of text… However, and I suppose both exasperating and annoying those who simply want to make shit – be it angst ridden or not I would like to make the point that such nihilism – self inflicted pain- or inflicted on others is no different to the very phenomena they seek to deal with. To say briefly they are in danger of becoming Zarathustra's ape… “O Zarathustra, here is the great city: here hast thou nothing to seek and everything to lose. Why wouldst thou wade through this mire? Have pity upon thy foot! Spit rather on the gate of the city, and--turn back! Here is the hell for anchorites' thoughts: here are great thoughts seethed alive and boiled small…” My advice/critique to these is the same as Zarathustra’s.. “Bite”.. “And verily, what I saw, the like had I never seen. A young shepherd did I see, writhing, choking, quivering, with distorted countenance, and with a heavy black serpent hanging out of his mouth. Had I ever seen so much loathing and pale horror on one countenance? He had perhaps gone to sleep? Then had the serpent crawled into his throat--there had it bitten itself fast. My hand pulled at the serpent, and pulled:--in vain! I failed to pull the serpent out of his throat. Then there cried out of me: "Bite! Bite!” (jliat)

Address www.topheth.org

UNIFORM POWER GESTAPO WORKING FORCE (Cassette by No Label 2009)

NXFXTXEX SOVJET PARTY (Cassette by No Label 2009)

Both of these cassettes recycle previously recorded commercial cassettes in packaging that compliments the recording quality. Uniform Power has noisy tracks tape echo with human voice but at its most popy – uniform with sung lyrics despite the general and deliberate ham fisted recording and tape drop outs it’s a kind of Lo fi Kraftwerk – early days thereof - Ralf und Florian – as this cassette is daubed with typex its difficult to locate the songs – sung in English but “uniform” has a very RuF rhythm to it… Sovjet Party has a badly Xeroxed booklet featuring female genitalia opens disappointingly with xylophone meanderings (the general packaging stereotypes noise rather than post holocaust experimentalism. ) Another example of wasp music- beautiful but annoying in practice.. which drifts in and out of stuff with bits of singing- German? Pop clips tape drop out and mechanical noise- I suppose the whole metaphysical thrust is an anti consumerist throwness the problem being that just such a metaphysics is now the current chant of the bleating sheep – everywhere I look I see wind farms organic carrot juice and Phalaphel, give me a cold Peroni Nastro Azzurro steak sandwich and that kind of non-music they play in bars these days… there certainly is a lot of work on these two releases but that is I think the problem- the stuff is to good for its own genre and packaging, to serious in its incompetence which either needs to become Kraftwerk or destroy itself, content and form in a single gesture which is noise, they are I suppose indicative of noise/experimentalisms drift into the rococo. (jliat)

Address try legionsudan at gmail.com?

MARCO FUSINATO RIPPING SKIES (LP by No Fun Productions)

ASTROMERO LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO (LP by No Fun Productions)

Electro noise spluttering of malfunctioning electronics, feedback and overloaded hum- HNW / noise variations across a semantic plane of dead signifieds graphemic nonsense of punctuated gaps in the sound under erasure, a metaphysics of nonsense exposing itself to the pornography of art and sound in the last instance divesting itself of itself – over ripeness…rotten fruit crushed and bloody of a sub-cultural parascitic gesture… of a cultural self induced vomiting…Marco Fusinato (http://www.marcofusinato.com/) apart from “doing things” and doing things with a guitar and doing things in what *you* might call art - not ignorance - has never the less produced – in spite of produced – because of – produced- as a Kantian Synthetic Apriori causality produced a remarkable record. Like Flavin better without the lights/guitar…(joke). The persistence governs one side where the other is free. (of experimentalism gesture culture place syntax) Though sadly Astromero despite its C.C.C.C. pedigree seems lost, is a sc-fi vortex of neo-Hawkwindian landscapes- for “psychedelic synth / noise” – read psychedelic synth / sound – with a decent drummer would be psychedelic synth / pop – and quite nice as such. I’m being overly harsh ofthis very “spacey” “trippy” tom –foolery. It’s OK, probably very fine, for myself I no longer find fire-work displays either beautiful or exciting- the cynical tastes of old age? Another oscillator sweep through VCF and reverb breaks overhead in glorious colour … ooooohhh ahhhhhh -- Cantona? The crowd like it anyway – side two a more composed (read yet more reverbed!) studio piece is likewise.. And a naf cover – the horse head nebula would have been the more obvious.. to be slightly more serious the religiosity of its uber-science is daft. I wont go into detail but NASA is replacing the shuttle with a V2, the Playstation 3 forms the basis for the fastest supercomputer.. Folding@home - (jliat)

Address http://www.nofunproductions.com/

DOODSHOOFD NYD (Cdr by Skumrex)

DOODSHOOFD HEIL HNW (Cdr by Skumrex)

DOODSHOOFD HEIL HNW (Cassette tape by Skumrex)

BAGMAN FOR KENNETH MC KENNA (3"cdr by skumrex)

I think someone called Too wrote to Frans in Dutch where I guess he writes that the above are for me- that’s all I can make out… Skumrex is a label from Overijssel in the Netherlands, in google maps its the middle of a field.. which is more useless information- we live in an age of useless information… of course as the geographiles know “Overijssel is bordered by Germany to the east, the Achterhoek region of Gelderland to the south, the Veluwe region of Gelderland and Flevoland to the west, and Friesland and the former moors of Drenthe to the north. Overijssel comprises three regions: Kop van Overijssel in the northwest, Salland in the centre of the province, and Twente in the east. Besides the capital Zwolle, the major cities are Almelo, Deventer, Enschede, and Hengelo. To the southeast, the province's surface is mostly sandy, interspersed with small rivers, such as, Regge and Dinkel and brooks, in the northwest, the geology is dominated by sediments from the Overijsselse Vecht and clay.” Sounds like something from Lord of the Rings to the geographically challenged, just in case you are wondering what is the relevance of all this - then its not, just as HNW – that’s a wall of noise “Hash Noise Wall” is not to music.. Anitimusikalische Akation – which is German for anti musical action- DOODSHOOFD is Dutch for Skull. How educational can a review get- I do hope you are following – there will be a test. NYD (I will leave for the curious to google (tip: google “nyd rune”) ) 1:01:13 sounds like a pitchless tornado, until about 38 minutes there is a slight wobble (& @ 48) and volume reduction? (why? A act of self effacement? Explicit symmetry breaking (of the continuum of the HNW) indicates a situation where the dynamical equations are not manifestly invariant under the symmetry group considered. This means, in the Lagrangian (Hamiltonian) formulation, that the Lagrangian (Hamiltonian) of the system contains one or more terms explicitly breaking the symmetry. Eh?) a remarkable work which escapes any legitimizing systems. To get heavy- not only States legitimize (musics/physics/ethics et al.) but contra Deleuze rhyzomic groups (sub-genres, gangs..) do also – to value is to become capitalist – the worth of Marxism makes it a Capitalism.. from the HWN perspective- not that in its monophony is there any perspective, it overwrites, or ignores value(s). Not good stuff but nice stuff, nice is value free. To comodify is to make good.. make goods / gods … get it? OK what country borders Overijssel to the east? No cheating. The second CDr has two tracks as does the cassette (“recorded in rural Netherlands” – come on guys more detail please! – everyone reading this is asking “which region of Overijssel?”..) both HNW which though not identical share a identities in parts- HNW which only reinforces what is above – walls of disrupted noise - An interesting thought in an already overlong review-can we have beauty without goodness? Perhaps- here? Bagman noise could be described as extreme harsh noise rather than “wall,” the pieces are in constant morphogenesis, a dangerous situation nearing the collapse of everything, certainly no attempt at coherence which strangely is a problematic for “wall” noise. I think at times he might be stretching to far, in danger of falling into meaning- of vocals or some kind of neo-industrial rhythmics of track 3, however the danger of such “experimentalism’ and pseudo-teleology is mitigated (though it cant be justified) by the final track of wonderfully new? (for me/him) totalizing high end feedback, breaking free of the particular cathartic fall into a generalizing totality removed of the personal id, disintegrations not of sound but of universes of… ethics. Question: should catharsis be good or just a pleasant respite from the truth that there is no good. “Good is dead” - ha ha ha. (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/skumrex

NRYY NOISE RE YACKY (3inch Cdr by Hikikomori Records)

KENJI SIRATORI – SHUTDOWN( Cdr by Verato Project)

CONTAGIOUS ORGASM + FLUTWACHT - INSPECTION OF 1 HOUR (Cd by Seeking Sensation Scale Music + The Tourette Tapes 2009)

Now these three sadly I just don’t get- Hikikomori Records is supposedly an experimental music label from Denmark (despite the Japanese sounding name!) which is surprising then as this release can best be described as quirky-pop, the kind of thing which goes down well I guess at The Wire (hi guys). Ordinary music with a hint of turmeric, like Dulux off white paint – white but that something that makes it different, interesting, *individual* guitar strumming a very pleasant tune but a backing track made in a toilet, bongos and rumba but with a hint of noise, waves crashing and dial tones – I’m waiting for the whale sounds. No it’s a fly, and water, field recordings for the Abba generation- so – well soooo musical- here come the bongos… I have a collection of Wire tappers – and this kind of stuff appears on them in shed-loads… the riffs and rhythms of Hoxton Square. Moving on - Shutdown - micro sounding and using composed composites of no-pitched sound it however follows old ploughed ruts of musical convention such that to those of a noise perspective it is not understandable in its gentle semi-industrial rattlings. The fact that its packed in a eco JakeBox is more typical than impressive. The asymmetric label on the actual disk also gave some interesting noises – though unintentional. The CO/Flutwacht is the strangest of all, conventional avant garde micro sounds and voices- yes- conventional industrial landscapes- and piano and gamelan – beats and rhythms and beats – with synth samples and industrial pads – homage a Autechre? But poorly done… deliberately I wonder – an ironic gesturing at the pop worlds pseudo experimentalism? I don’t think so… All three seem unable to make up just what they are about or even attempting to be about…(jliat)

Address http://www.hikikomori-records.com

Address http://www.verato-project.de

Address http://www.tourettetape.de/

MIXTURIZER MXTRZR (CDr by R.O.N.F. Records)

I thought I had reviewed more than just a comp but then perhaps I’m not thinking.. Here the electronics goes through slow processing and manipulations – slow enough to be predictable and almost precisely atypical of any conventional western music. Compare with Spruit where the chop up offers a different more open approach to the development of forms more akin to their digital genesis. There is a massive hour and 8 minutes here – some latter tracks of almost sheer harsh noise others play with rhythms devices and real feedback. The more “live” the pieces the better the human as opposed to microsecond digital manipulations. This focuses on an important issue – to engage in change today the need is to rely on the hyperfast logic switching of cybernetics or else deny change in the move to HWN… To “hear” the foot moving the wah wah or hear the hand turning the filter / oscillator is to remove us back into a past which is dead and gone. So the last track is the most successful of the 9 apart from the needless fade into reverb. Still the old gods work – “The old habit, however, of associating a goal with every event and a guiding, creative God with the world, is so powerful that it requires an effort for a thinker not to fall into thinking of the very aimlessness of the world as intended. “ (jliat)

Address (http://www.ronfrecords.com)

PINE TREE STATE MIND CONTROL ESQUMAUX (3inch CDr by Walnut+Locust)

“Part cult, part corporation, part social experiment, Pine Tree State Mind Control layers subliminal messages under harsh, yet hypnotic, noise…” Track 1. Harsh industrial/2. underwater sonar sounds through reverb/ 3. noise-drill and looped indiscernible voice & noise. I could say I’m totally underwhelmed – (I am!) but the catch is PTSC could argue that that was precisely the hidden message controlling my mind was meant to do? And not as on their web site “encourage the listener to smile more often, work harder, and get the best out of his or her leisure time. “ actually its rather annoying sounds.. All a bit utopian and magic crystals, one of the problems with utopian projects like the concept of an afterlife is boredom. And anyway who says I want to work harder! Though I did some work – in the second track a very slowed down voice appears (when speeded up) to say “im gladdy with my roots” – well yes? Far out man.. as for the chanting loop on the third track there is obviously much else going on- a racket- one slight problem for people who claim the ability to control minds, predict the future – lottery numbers etc. is that they are not stupendously famous and/or rich? Of course they might argue to use such powers in a selfish way would be wrong – but I think that’s a lie, and they are fakes – but who put that idea in my head. No one – its bunk and nothing but. (jliat)

http://www.ptsmc.org/

GRIEF NO ABSOLUTION EUROSTOPODUS ARGUS/CRYPSIS (LP/EP / Digital album by Flingcosound)

GNA make no grandiose claims for what I assume they assume is “metal” though some tracks (5/6/7) appear almost experimental or with a slight shift even HWN. They seem to be genuinely exploring what is for them *new* terriorties, the source of their sound – perhaps even vocals so over-inscribed by feedback, distortion and noise that no meaning or avant garde statement can raise its pretentious self-indulgent head. It may be hard for some to grasp but the search for meaning is either successful or fails, in other words asking what a drum kit is for presupposes an essence on the material before its existence which is nothing other than anti-human religiosity. Life for the Jazz musician (like a drum kit or saxophone) has purpose, for noise there are only uses- not defined meanings which explains why the old avant-garde look on from behind at the play of post theoretical musics. GNA are Deleuzean affects, lines of flight, territorializations de-territorializations – movement towards a B.W.O. (jliat)

Address http://www.flingcosound.com/

SPRUIT ON/OFF (3inch Cdr by Spruit)

Marvelous digital cut-ups and glitches- music for the 21st century at last, a positive and affirming digital aesthetic complementing the over saturations of noise. Poetic digital ballets of sound.. It could be the self generated genius of some AI device @ M.I.T. in its binaryism but IMO the product of a hard working and sensitive mind which I know from the address is not silica. Anyone interested at all in digital electronic music should check out this remarkable work. (its such a nice feeling when someone gets it completely right) (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/spruit

DEFLAG HAEMORRHAGE / HAIEN KONTRA HUMILIATED (CD by Tochnit Aleph)

Packaged in a silver anti-static bag along with two printed cards one having dense self indulgent text "My Excrement hallucinatory rejections of a concrete reality.." and even denser overwritten text with photographs of blurred hand writing on the reverse. When tracked down - (they give no address) the following amongst other can be found "" "[sic] GOLDIE - drums, voice, credit card, amplifier, stereotaxic. MATTIN - GNU/Linux computer feedback, voice, guitar.formed in East London in 2001...perform internationally...work with noise, silence and abjection...transgress all notions of what a performance can be without imposing aesthetic or moral limits...two of the most unpredictable and 'conceptual' contemporary sonic activists..."[sic] Goldie is one of the most original noise musician/performers on the European scene...from any current or cultural influence, Goldie's work places itself in a unique conceptual universe, ..DEFLAG (etc) collaborated with some of the most radical and legendary musicians in the avant-garde such as Eddie Prevost (Prévost?) (a *Jazz* drummer!) and Philip Best " And continues with reviews from Dan Warburton (The Wire). &...Nick Hobbs validating their oeuvre. Actually despite all this the piece begins with guitar / drumming noise @ 3 minutes a lot of shouting - everything then goes quiet and we hear a silly child voice and chimes? to give way to more shouting and noise finale. When was The Two Virgins series released? I'm sorry this is weak avant gardeism of the 1960s - no wonder Eddie and the Jazz heads want in. They *do not* transgress notions or moral limits or is there anything original here, certainly no unique conceptual universe whatever that might *mean*- but you might start by checking out the work of such as Fowler and the ideas regarding the current state of sonic art "in the blink of an ear"- The only post-modern credentials they have is passing off cliched rubbish as art given a set of an influential clique in line with Damien Hirst's (successful) objective, so the whole thing might be an ironic gesture - at least that is an excuse.. otherwise as a quote they give from A&Lers Michael Baldwin, Charles Harrison, Mel Ramsden from 1994 states "To mistake the causes and reasons which originate cultural practices for the causes and reasons which make it possible to go on with those same practices is a species of immaturity which terminates in Stalinism, or in some even worse adolescent disorder." which is sufficient even given the pedigree/praise above to write this off as "embarrassments and pettinesses " I suspect and hope that the self regarding, self pitying narrative is just a post-modern ploy through I'm aware of an enormous anti-intellectualism (read anti-human) tendency in the Stalinist Jazz Mafia/Media .(jliat) Address http://www.mattin.org/DHHK.html

TAKLAMAKAN / GNAWED PARALYSIS / RUST AND BONE (Cdr by Spit & Cus)

Taklamakan = Harold Gojani from Croatia 28 minutes of slowly fading in what is termed brown noise which is on the blog or somewhere is termed HWN. Gnawed- delicate gongs hanging in static silence which fades into white noise- each mirroring the form!… There is a type of conflation by which in mathematics a sequence of non-equations ends up proving that 1=0. Its everywhere, a recent example operating at multiple levels in a book entitled Noise & Capitalism where in the main neither is discussed and meanings are again and again replaced with whatever is convenient. A superb example is Genre is Obsolete by Ray Brassier – the article seems to wish to adulate two neo-fluxus performers – under the heading noise, though neither considers themselves to be noise. So the definition is shifted to include neo-punk/pop antics and then the conclusion is asserted that noise is just as comodifiable as anything else. Well a colander is a saucepan if you fill in the holes and attach a handle. Elsewhere Edwin Prévost claims that all music save religious is commercial, discounting the illegality of downloads- which of course might be illegal in his art-sphere but free and open downloading, production at a loss or to swap, is apparent with many who make noise. The very simplicity and anti-elitistism serves as such. What has this to do with the above, simply put if noise is not conflated it is the very thing the sad Marxists want – a non comodifiable artform, but unfortunately the above miss the point by assuming anything can be called noise. To put it even more bluntly – a slow fade = form, bells = sonority. Both are stuff that’s possible to flog – unlike noise as dead horse. And to a perceived objection- to buy noise is likewise to indulge in an ironic (anti) capitalist act..(jliat)

Address http://www.spitandcuss.blogspot.com/

THE VOMIT ARSONIST WRETCH (CD by Cipher Productions)

AZOIKUM ANTHROPOPHAGY (CDR by Cipher Productions)

GUILTY CONNECTOR IKOMAYAM STARS 'N' NISHINARI (7" EP by Cipher Productions)

The coelacanth was a mystery until human understanding dragged it from the depths and killed it. Knowledge is power, and power is death, not life, understanding destroys in two ways, the subject it destroys literally but the act of understanding gives a limit, a limit to life. Literalism and understanding are what separates the artistic act from that of the therapeutic, of which the latter is what Wretch is about. A personal description which sounds like many others, the “Alien” sound track. If it posited anything other than that is would be clichéd. As its not its more like a diary than a novel. Unfortunately texturally / sonically Anthropophagy is much the same, and here I take full responsibility for not being able to read the text, these texts which focus very much on a signified – a teleology of mental health and normality. “dedicated to those who understand”. I dont understand – or do I think it’s a good thing to want to, or achieve what is a phallogocentric telos. Ikomayam Stars 'n' Nishinari is more of a non signifying signifier, perhaps by limiting itself to the format of only two tracks – a long metallic drone & and a short semi silent shimmering which terminates in what could be a real non-linguistic turn if perused with more confidence. It is then – and certainly what was just referenced, immanent rather than the hallucination of transcendental error in the other two. Kant was after all the first and last philosopher who posited the transcendental as unpredicated limit, a land which deluded metaphysicians think they inhabit, a group of foolish costume wearing super-heroes one never sees flying or traversing the city in a single leap.

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/

PURE NOISE / ART ZOYD STUDIO EXPÉRIENCES DE VOL # 7 (CD by Art Zoyd / In-possible Records)

The 69 prog rock band Art Zoyd has collaborated from 2000 with Musiques Nouvelles in a long term project entitled Expériences de Vol, which on this CD has 3 pieces by Ulrich Krieger, Kasper T. Topeplitz and Dror Feiler. All three have very respectable CVs- (check out the address) both academic and in collaborators/ions… so in the first instance despite the academic gravitas one might make a trivial critique of the first two, especially Topelitz’s gently evolving layers of abstract sounds, and the Krieger piece still orbits albeit at a great distance the saxophone. Both fail to engage with TTII (the thing in itself- i.e. noise)- an obvious impossibility and prohibition for Kantian and Neo-Kantian “music”/music-theory etc. of which the two cannot fully reduce. It’s the final piece of Feiler’s (an ontic masterpiece) which opens up the space of discourse for a truly non-musical performance / affect that in the Laruellean sense could be translated as a ‘non-philosophical’ or ‘non-decisional’ materialism – of OON (object oriented noise) and provides a non-musicological solution to the problematic in music of its failure qua “concept” to produce – as here instanced as a “phenomenon-without logos” and importantly identified by Brassier as a reversal of thoughts foreclosure to decision. “That is to say, a transcendental theory of the phenomenon, licensing limitless phenomenological plasticity, unconstrained by the apparatus of eidetic intuition or any horizon of apophantic disclosure;- but one which is simultaneously a transcendental theory of matter, uncontaminated by the bounds of empirical perception and free of all phenomenological circumscription.” Well that is interesting because Ousia (obviously) exists/exhibits an empirical hyle which therefore demonstrates the distance between music / musicology and the plasticity (political as well as material) of non-music, non-decisional musicology, OON. We have at last (maybe I’m a latecomer)… a “theoretical” – tool – a means of axiomatics for describing in performative terms noise which is non-music – without recourse to clichéd “sound art”, “sonic art” etc. A piece which even within itself has an idealizing synthesis and Reality.(jliat)

Address http://www.artzoyd.com/

MAJA S.K. RATKJE LASSE MARHAUG: MUSIC FOR GARDENING (CD by Pica Disk)

Micro found sounds looped – to much looping and always of the same length- speeded up voices, cat meows – dog barks again looped… Music for gardening as a title sounds silly and silliness abounds on these tracks… I presume the cats are a gardening problem, as is the radio which is not correctly tuned in – maybe after smoking certain home grown products this might appear amusing or somehow meaningful? - the blurb gives “plunderphonic collage-work,… great stuff” – well I don’t think gardening or music for it can ever achieve greatness unless its on the scale of Capability Brown which was underpinned by Kantian enlightenment and a vision of sublime synthetic perfections – with a theme and structure – even though there the lakes and temples were all fake.. we are however sadly far from arcadia – but now we know that even there is death – but I’m getting far to serious? "Et in Arcadia ego" – but now such classical truths are abused by the likes of not Capability (note the predicate) but Dan- so maybe there is a serious social and political comment to be un-earthed here? Or one that might be grafted on- “Thus, the Real as foreclosed or as separate-without-separation from Decision is cloned as that force-(of)-thought which is separate-withoutseparation or foreclosed to the Decision that serves as its empirical support.” (jliat)

Address www.picadisk.com

V/A WHAT PLEASING THE LORD LOOKS LIKE MARRIAGE: EXTREME NOISE…AND TERROR FROM JAPAN AND ISRAEL (CD by Heart & Crossbone)

GRIM KIRBY/ THE SHOCK TECHNICIAN SPLIT (Cdr by Hirnmetastase Records)

Ryokuchi, Cadaver Eyes, Zenocide, LietterSchpichDiet, MONEYI$GOD, Poochlatz Remesh, Nerveless … I’ve given a list of all yet on playing the similarities – maybe evolving towards noise of distorted voice, lots of drumming and harsh guitars I had by accident rather than design done a kind of Pepsi challenge on this CD, - maybe industrial power electronics – I don’t know – but strangely conservative for all that..

The Kirby / TST split was again cohesive – though not proto orcish rock band stuff – micro electronics of sound more in the vein of the Ratkje / Marhaug but lacking in the humour which makes the latter a hidden critical object… very much a non-work rather than the ghost of modernity.. I see this as ghostly not just because of the sound, but lack of object – lack of Reality – the Addendum miss-spelling or spray paint, rocks and nail… we have lulu.com these days to create the Real. (jliat)

Address http://www.hcbrecords.com

Address http://kulturterrorismus.de/hirnmetastase-records

CHARLES BASCOMB VS ROBOT BRAIN (CDr By Stront)

DOODLEINAKAKOON + SHITTING WHORE + ODAL LIVE ON RADIO

STRONT (CDr by Stront)

L.S.D. MOSSEL 9-2-08 LIVE (CDr By Stront)

DASHA BI (CDr By Stront)

ODAL NOISE (CDr By Stront)

ODIVSEMBOEL VOMIT SUCKING CUNT LIPS (CDr By Stront)

EYOCLEATH (CDr By Stront)

STIVNER (CDr By Stront)

Arguments rage over the origins of & nature of noise (its ontology and its epistemology) & these 9 Stront releases (a lofi-cheap graphics Dutch label) offers an exposition of the current diversity found under the “label” – with perhaps one notable exception. In evolutionary terms noise arrived out of a multiplicity of sources but arrived at its epistemological stance by virtue of the over-inscribing of whatever was its original ontological history. This dialectic which culminated in the over-inscription of data - typically of Japanese artists can now in turn be approached from the other direction in what is called HNW (Harsh Noise Wall). (Here it’s the Charles Bascomb vs Robot Brain piece) As a kind of reversal of the originating dialectic- the method is very simple- what is difficult is tolerating such an approach ideologically. A simple demonstration – download http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ - from the menu “Generate” -> White Noise - > set length and go. Next Edit –> Select –> Select All… and -> Effect -> Bass Boost – you now have some parameters to play with - keep the boost high and alter the frequency- you can now produce variations of HWN Synthetically. This HWN (e.g. Charles Bascomb vs Robot Brain et.al.) is epistemologically opaque- but from its synthetic origin and not from its methodology. The philosophic, cultural, ideological ramifications are vast, and cannot be covered here in any detail, but the simplicity of the process as an instance reverses the creative ideologies certainly of the enlightenment but at a deeper level the meta-narrative of evolution itself. No one as yet fully explored this – its almost like a machine for making philosophy, perhaps its defies rational analysis itself- pushes further the Deleuzean idea – perhaps it is a body without organs, something he thought impossible- has evolved – or un-evolved, HWN has no parts… The remnants of this evolution can be heard in the 8 other releases - Odivsemboel Vomit Sucking Cunt Lips – L.S.D. Mossel 9-2-08 Live - Heavy Metal Guitar Screaming Vocal and (at times) mad drumming- some deconstruction of Thrash Metal? Via a Punk aesthetic? Other evolutionary sources which did not evolve from the “Rock Band” include Music Concrete (Eyocleath …and Odal Noise) slabs of (looped?) sound objects – through to the more Merz (not Mezbow!) collage of found sounds and vocal noises, from the extreme and fabulously operatic Doodleinakakoon(sp?) + Hitting Whore +Odal Live on Radio through the less so Dasha Bi and the more homogeneous Stivner which all tip the hat at Fluxus – as many do. The exception missing here being those works which are over loaded with signifiers to the extent of appearing molar though not – and those which mimic these, if at times ironically, or better as cybernetic simulations. But the irony of the truth is another matter.(jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/odalnoise

SISTER IODINE FLAME DESASTRE (CD By Editions Mego)

This was originally released as a vinyl – the French “band” which consists of drummer and two guitarists- Lionel Fernandez (fr, Paris) Erik Minkkinen (usa, Paris)

Nicolas Sakamoto-Mazet (fr-usa, New York) have in the past played with the likes of Sonic Youth, Faust, US Mapple, Circle X, Keiji Haino, Flaming Demonics, Bästard, Krackhouse, Melt Banana, Tone Rec… and have just completed an extensive European tour. On this release the sound is not that recognizably guitar/drums – but electronics – noise – but carefully choreographed, the sounds appear, and disappear although the semiotics is strange the underlying picture is sonically total and representational. They form part of a tendency to re-musicalize noise and backed by a certain “successful” neo-clique will probably succeed. Illusions of child pornography and carefully structured pieces which are rational and describable – certainly bodies with organs – a movement to re territorialize not just noise but culture itself. More (! as in Thurston?:-) specters of Mussorgsky than Marx, but the same generality of some line of flight- wire music – the doctors have re-taken the asylum, at best/worst it’s the pink floyd at their best/worst, and more an embroidery than a bricolage of abstraction rather than the psychic commitment of the insane and out of luck, money, ideas, talent, future .. of authentic noise, its just too good, too well done. (for me/or to be really silly – for the thing in itself) Maybe I’m wrong here- maybe its an ironic careful photo realistically plastic representation of noise – as if you can – and you can- copy its texture as flat surface, it reminds me of art language’s paintings by mouth, a physical talent used to subjugate or avoid the confrontation with the “concept”, “idea” and problematics of ideality…whether deliberate or not its Noisesac as in the Sgnt Pepperist penultimate track of 7.51 half of which is silent (the latter) should have been 8.66 and then we would all be laughing… (jliat)

Address www.editionsmego.com

SNAPPING TURTLE BRAVE RIGHT BURST (CDr by Savage Yank Records)

Industrial / noise sound collage – some S.W. military conversations? Lots of industrial noise and harsh glitch white noise cutting across the stereo field industrial drone…. “Apparently representing a long hot summer in the life of… “ a turtle. Well at some metaphysics beyond me – unless the said turtle listening to shortwave radio whilst working on a production line @ Chrysler? The blurb does say “this one is for you to figure out” … if it did operate on any level of representation I’d see it as the failure to stay abstract- opera always awaits – but I don’t think it does. Very confusing though some might think it interesting… I’ve mentioned elsewhere the difficulty of extremism and the idea of “where to go next”. It not only occurs in modernity but just as the classical gave way or overdeveloped and gorged its musicality into the rococo so the very extreme noise without any understanding that its not just one step on the ladder or that its part of any cycle, as western thought is teleological (I’m aware I’ve said this before- but its worth repeating) in forgetting, ignoring or not seeing the finality of noise is to push it back into musicality, no bad thing some may think but I’ll just bring to your attention the likely consequences of such a move, as Clement Greenberg confessed after the recognition of modernity’s triumph in painting, which (unfortunately) completed the project, his only alternative was the still life flower paintings of Fantin La Tour….. (jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/snappingturtlemusic

TBC - OKTOBER (REMIX) (2x CD by Suggestion Records)

Thomas Beck, Hans Fallopen – No input mixer E-Gitarrere etc…Oktober = Slow monotonous though not mono-tone industrial heavy mechanistic sounds, pulses, beats… which drag rather than drift across the aural zeitgeist which could have been recorded live in a soviet ball-bearing factory in the 1950s, too much atmosphere and one that smells of swarf and oil.. Oktober remix = same? Makes for very tiring listening though I can imagine some would feel at home – strangely- in such a landscape. It makes for dreary and depressing listening, again programmatic but also problematic, and I’m not sure if this kind of music, for that it is, can approach the kind of Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich sort of thing.. (jliat)

Address www.suggestion-records.de

OMNI (CD by Presqu’île Records)

Omni (Kato Hideki / Tetuzi Akiyama / Toshimaru Nakamura)

Recorded live by Kato Hideki at SuperDeluxe in Tokyo on November 25, 2008.

“Time is an essential subject in music.” Well there are some- few but still some zero length works…and subject – in the case of the zero length it may be… “Conventionally, musical time moves in one direction on a linear plane. …We visualized the three of us on separate trains going through tunnels, rather than riding together on a linear time-table. Prior to the performance, each of us came up with individual sequences, without telling the others what we would do…The result was many layers of moments that were transfixed in the recording, like a photograph taken with a long exposure.” Well that would give one image – without layers- perhaps I’m being particularly un-receptive at the moment… I can follow the aesthetic and drift of micro-sound – is this now a generally abandoned project - Bernhard Günter it appears is back to playing an academic jazz on bamboo flutes, shakuhachi, xiao clarinet, alto clarinet, pocket trumpet, though not simultaneously (and is learning to play the Arabic Ou.) – out of abstraction into Fantin La Tour? So here chronologically out of time 2 tracks 40- minutes microsounds / electronics lots of silence hums electric clickery followed by 5+ minutes similar- why? (jliat)

Address www.presquilerecords.com

COMPOUNDEAD OMS HAVOC (3" mini-CD-R by Dumpster Score Home Recordings)

More turtle music? – but the guys have a reverb. Actually there is a dynamic- the whole thing slowly winds down to clanging gongs and deep silences. “Crunchy bass and dying electronics give way to a claustrophobic, nightmarish black-ambient second half. Bleak otherworldly soundscapes.” I’m looking out of a window at bare trees – in the distance the silver river Great Ouse runs off into the fens – now that’s a very bleak landscape in December with its huge skies and cold black fields lined with sedge and rotting willows.. the sounds of trickling water and water birds.. I suppose what I’m saying is the imagination falters at other worlds – one can hardly call atmospheres of hydrochloric acid and ammonia – bleak? (jliat)

Address www.dumpsterscore.org

ENDORGAN ENDORGAN (3inch Cdr by Toxo Records)

SEC_ & P’ex a duo from Naples – that’s Italy using prepared guitar and synth electronics have produced this work. (Nice in parts as the curate said) It certainly begins in the vein of harsh noise, a total clamor of sound – then slowly dissolves or evolves depending on your point of view, metaphysics, religion, shoe size or star sign. I’ve said enough about this before, which is why those of the noise fraternity have walled themselves up (sic) in the face of those who are never content with perfection. Whether perfect in the sense of complete or utterly hopeless, once again the dynamic brings in the idea of episodacity – ahem! In other words expect the Lone Ranger, Jesus Christ or even Godot to actually turn up with some cock-and-bull explanation of what all the fuss is about. It doesn’t have to be wall, though that guarantees the interlopers above wont get in and start their yarns, it can be just harsh noise which shows these people to the door, but then I guess you can’t have a door without a wall. So I could edit out the middle section- how close is that to a middle 8- see-! But perhaps should simply join the HWN inside the stockade. (jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/endorgan

FAT LEGS LAMENTATIONS) (cdr by a mastro titta produzioni)

ECOMORTI INTERFEARANCE (cdr by a maestro titta produzioni)

Lamentations has three tracks of what was once called electronic experimentalism, oscillators and the like.. some quite harsh / industrial others more didgeridoo like – but strangely empty .. Ecomorti = 3 tracks slow silent beginning each evolves into noisy but never overly harsh sounds with industrial loopings? … I’ve addressed the problem of “the experimental” before but I think it needs re-stating. Properly an experiment is associated with science, typically supporting an hypothesis but better attempts to disprove it, seasonally apt- one of the first users of this method was Francis Bacon, not the painter, who in 1626 set out to prove that freezing meat would keep it fresh longer, unfortunately though his experiment of filling a dead chicken with snow supported his hypothesis (you can only ever support – never finally prove) he caught pneumonia and died. This by the way is inductive reasoning, from the observed facts to the general, as opposed to the greek deductive, from the general to the particular. Electronic musicians of the 50s and 60s borrowed the term ‘experiment’ as at the time science (inductive remember) was thought cool. However doubt must be raised as they were in fact reasoning from the general ideas of music into specifics, so the term is descriptive but inaccurate. So its simple to see that questioning what things are music or art isn’t a matter of experiment at all. I’m rambling on like this just to point out that this process just doesn’t work for art and music, just mucking around with stuff to see what comes up isn’t experimentalism, further what has been proven is that music and art in general is about context. Any 4 plus minutes of silence isn’t a Cage piece, not all urinals are art. So to set out to see if twiddling with some synth is music is a waste of time. Now these guys may not be setting out to do so, but if so drop the word experiment, even if they simply point to a style of 50s music practice, as its no longer the 50s in that context they place their work outside even that use of the term. Within modernity the ready made has been done, the only escape would be to use the term in a post-modern ‘ironic’ way, if so its not at all obvious. What does this prove (you might ask) well you might decide to play your saxophone outside in winter to get lower notes, cold air being more dense, but in the process catch pneumonia, though you may be comforted by dying for your art you would not be dying for it, but maybe for science…(jliat) Why science – well you might disprove the hypothesis regarding cold air.

Address www.mtp.altervista.org

CREMASTER NORANTA GRAUS A L’ESQUARRA (CD by MontypeRec)

‘Ferran Fages: feedback mixing board, pick-ups-Alfredo Costa Monteiro: objects on electric guitar’ – @ which the address below can be found mp3s… but for the lazy it would be difficult to guess a guitar was involved, high pitched noise and feedback mainly staccato sounds recorded over a four year period- another attempt at research (into – about?) noise, which one could take issue with, but the offering here is well produced and surprisingly delicate, maybe the long gestation period accounts for such intricacy of form. Which generates the question regarding the idea of noise research, as noise can be – and is – defined as the detritus of existence (and or culture), not its careful constructs, so this work falls more in line with the genre of modernist avant-gardism than the flagrant ignoring of culture of the more recent work of others. Even the harsher sections are carefully located like jewelry manufactured from junk and found objects. (jliat)

Address www.monotyperecods.com

WINTERS IN OSAKA MOLDED TO CRAWL (Cd by Haunted Hotel Records)

SECRET BOYFRIEND BROKEN BLEEDING EARTH (Cdr by Hot Releases)

MTC = Spoken American – some political commentator amidst low-fi low-volume sounds which slowly envelope the work “Triumph of Wolves” – the second track begins with some domestic contestations soon disappearing to be replaced by massive metal clanging like some huge badly made robot walking? Track three begins with quiet rising tones and squeaky door hinges…which again becomes clanking noise, reverb metal, whilst the final offering begins almost like a band, but morphs again into metal and this time animalist noise- only to see the band re-appear and disappear as the tape slowly grinds to a halt. Machine noise, almost cattle, burbling…which is Caligula in fragments, the band re-appears, I don’t know what is going on? I’m even more confused by the eclecticticity of S.B.s BBE, which according to the Xerox was recorded 2008 in Itri-Italy, Celo NC, Carrboro…. Industrial electro drones and rumbles which do morph into noise, sprinkled with conversations? – and chopped up with ambiences.. I’m reminded (though god knows why) of Sigmar Polke’s strange mix of the representational and abstract as one of the early post modern attempts at somehow re-interpretation – re-inversion of modernity, which might have offered some neo-romantic alternative to high modernism but IMO failed to establish anything other than an individualistic peculiarity – something these works maybe have, kept in-sufficient to match the more robust, outwardly not old art moves of the YBAs. That makes both Polke’s work and these strangely nostalgic, odd that the present feels more like the past than the 80s? (jliat)

Address Myspace.com/hautedhotelrecords

VOMIR / MIXTURIZER UNTITLED NEGRATIVO (Cassette by R.O.N.F. Records)

Harsh Noise Wall (HNW) upsets many people which I maintain here & now is not from a cochlean aesthetic but from a deeper neurosis (disease – dis-ease) from which they hide.. that is the hiding of modernity, culture, civilization which at other times they appear to find ecologically now and now too late – problematic. I live in a town, lying awake in bed I can hear the sound of a train, against the distant rumble of the traffic, and the noise of the water in the heating system, there is a stillness and in this each of these sounds signifies something. And of course that is the problem, and if there is a problem then there is a philosophy, whether you like it or not, that is unavoidable… “Why are there essents rather than nothing?” (Heidegger) the most important and deepest of questions at the source of all signification, the fundamental question of metaphysics, one which is never answered, for in any answer lies the question, which is why philosophy is always incomplete. Put elsewhere, this arises from the space of chora on which the thinker establishes a plane of immanence, that question, the most important of questions, its not the first, and is often ignored, and is never answered other than by the act of genuine ‘being’ in the world. It marks an essential break or return from modernity. Sound that ceases to signify will/must *be* this pre-oedipal chaos, and the opprobrium for such is the very act of repression which is the un-curable psychosis of the ego and super-ego – i.e. culture, music, art, even philosophy itself. I have followed “the progress” of Mixturizer away from ego/super-ego towards- but not yet lacking all structure and signification, a space where Vomir ‘moves’ – i.e. ‘Chora’ “The earliest stage in your psychosexual development … this pre-lingual stage of development… You did not distinguish your own self .. the stage, then, when you were closest to the pure materiality of existence, or what Lacan terms "the Real." … “ ‘Untitled’, the overcoming, overwriting of the repressions of ego and super-ego – which is music, by that which “never alters its characteristics…. the unchanging form, uncreated and indestructible, admitting no modification and entering no combination..” -( Plato Timaeus) If my argument here is true and HNW is ‘the real’ what does this imply for the other….what then does merit this cassette? than it has something beyond metaphysics?(Jliat)

Address www.ronfrecords.com

MR FUCKHEAD AND COMPANY (Cassette – self release?)

90 + minutes of a compilation “junk metal scrape, chains, vacuums, glass, drills, guitar, keyboards, field recordings, classical samples, and tape loops..” from Travis Dobbs (ONO), Daniel Burke (Illusion of Safety), Michael Kendrick (Lovely Little Girls, ex-Rope, Redemer, etc), Mike Krause (Death Factory), Dave Purdie (Silver Abuse, Satan2000), Richard Syska (Dummy Antenna), Andy Ortmann (Panicsville), Bruce Lamont (Yakuza), Right-Eye Rita, Brian Klein, Christopher ILTH (Daily Void, ex-Functional Blackouts), Alejandro Morales (PISSPISSPISSMOANMOANMOAN), Rik Garrett, Rupert Glimm, Bobby Danger (Black Bear Combo), and Allison Lake (Pommel). I suspect revolves around the DIY ideas in the noise genre, which I suppose I should say something about. I think it’s a continuum of the very free improv work on the outskirts of jazz / avant gardism / fluxus which will it seems continue to exist as its kind of found an ecological niche within contemporary modernity / post-modernity, a niche similar to a biological one through perhaps in terms of Dawkins’ “meme” – though I must admit to not liking the idea which seems self contradictory especially here as I cant see how this music can have the desire to sustain itself anymore than DNA. The ideological processes that gave the left field avant improv is no longer active, which is proclaimed by the current practitioners, but that perhaps is the whole point – an ironic positing of the no longer theory laden intellectualism of the new wave, more an oily swell of pollution and dead seabirds. Interesting, poignant even and ultimately nice.(jliat)

Address http://nopartofit.blogspot.com/

KG (3inch CDR)

Strange CDR of 12 tracks all but 2 sub minute tracks of cut up feedback and extreme harsh noise the shortest of 8 seconds, a nice idea of further deconstruction, and one which continues as all I have is the CDR with the letters KG stamped on it, whether it arrived as such or during my recent house move it became lost from any explanation / packaging its enigmatics is only increased by is being around my desk for about a month I think, to the extent I might have already reviewed it… I would recommend it (but for the odd, in timbre and length, last track?) if I knew what it was… information welcome..(jliat)

ANIMAL MACHINE / C-UTTER KALIYUGA (Cdr by R.O.N.F. Records)

Kali Yuga (as it should be) is a 38 minute track of harsh electronics with (pseudo) screaming, explosive electro, oscillator and heavy drone… the site describes as “harsh ambient”…Kali – not to be confused with 'Kali-li' the Beatles spoof in “Help!” or maybe? = Wikki- “ lit. "age of (the male demon) Kali", or "age of vice") is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures” continues .. the age when … “Rulers will become unreasonable…will no longer see it as their duty to promote spirituality, or to protect their subjects: they will become a danger to the world. People will start migrating, seeking countries where wheat and barley form the staple food source... Humans will openly display animosity towards each other…. People will have thoughts of murder for no justification and they will see nothing wrong with that mind-set. Lust will be viewed as being socially acceptable, and sexual intercourse will be seen as the central requirement of life, with the result that even 13 to 16-year old girls will get pregnant. Sin will increase exponentially, whilst virtue will fade and cease to flourish. People will take vows only to break them soon after. (sub-primes?) People will become addicted to intoxicating drinks and drugs. Men will find their jobs stressful and will go to retreats to escape their work. Gurus will no longer be respected and their students will attempt to injure them. Their teachings will be insulted and followers of Kama (as in Sutra) will wrest control of the mind from all human beings…” The problem here is – to put it most blatantly – in view of the age – are they taking the piss- 38 minutes to represent 4,000 years of decline seems odd at the most forgiving. And if in reply the idea that subject matter is in this case irrelevant then the whole thing becomes a double bind. The indifference to the prophecy is supported itself by the same. The taking on of some core Buddhist / Hindu cosmology no more (or not) significant than the utilization of child pornography and sexual mutilation. However to say this as nothing to do with the music is itself contradictory- and we go on and on. So you are either bothered by the textuality within this and all music – or you’re not reading this. (jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/home.php

TORTURING NURSE / ANIMAL MACHINE STRESS OF HAVING NOTHING TO DO / CYCLES OF CREATION, DESTRUCTION AND REBIRTH (Cdr by Keep it Frozen)

T.N. is the Chinese group? very much underrated IMO whose noise work always sounds fresh, enthusiastic and alive, not hidden in either abstract electronics or over-laden concepts. Here performing in such manner a 16 minute piece, I’d recommend all of their work that I’ve come across, including this, for its spontaneous élan vital. It seems true that everything these days is made in china.. and I cant complain about the quality.. Animal Machine (from Poland) utilizes white noise though eschews HNW for a gradual intersecting of short staccato silences over an 8 minutes …which perhaps is some kind of semitology, but doesn’t seem to relate to the titles referencing of the eternal return as the piece is neither static (HNW) or circular (TEROTS) or completely teleologic, its necessary to make up ones mind even if that is to realize it cant be made up, I’m alluding to some kind of Heideggererian maneuver which I think might make some more profound departure from even sound itself, certainly production, in the idea of overcoming consumerism by consumption as opposed to production – of in this case T.N.(jliat)

Address http://welcome.to/kifrecording

ARME NIA EXPERIENCIA CONTRADICTORIA (Cdr by DISKUS FONOGRAFIKA de MEXICO)

First off don’t try the address – its just a splash screen – so if you are interested in this you might find it hard to get. Frans in VW does make the case against the so called “cool” not sending any information types- and as blogs these days are free and mp3s can be attached – (and I do try to track down web presences..) I cant quite see the point of sending out for review what amounts to anonymous work? Anyway this appears to be a group of fairly noisy performers using white noise / distortion- though rhythmic at times, I’d imagine playing through the usual noise pedal chain, though it sounds in these post-vomir days more like Straus than Merzbow. I suspect it’s a bit like curry, your first mouth scorcher is more like poached eggs when compared to a good vindaloo, which has nothing to do with nourishment but the endorphin rush it produces- ah those Friday nights – oh and Saturday mornings- well that’s Karma – not korma. Anyway by track 3 the band have given up noise for looping a girl taking in Mexican – or should that be Spanish? Admittedly they overlay that with road drills and feedback, it might be saying something deep… but it’s a little at odds with the HN of the last 2 tracks. This is a limited edition CDr but potential customers might have a problem, which is a pity as someone into HN (not HNW) might want to check it out. (jliat)

Address http://www.diskus-fonografika.com/

PATAPHOR TERRIBLY TWEE (CDr self release)

I guess the “project’s” title alludes to pataphysics – a parody of modern methodologies and so I guess must take some kind of stance against prevailing orthodoxies – if there were any - which there are of course not- other than to be orthodox is to be non-orthodox. Hence my taking to wearing a bow tie. That presents a problem for Shannon Smith (AKA) and credits her pedagogy in guitar with Roger Miller of Mission of Burma. This is a relatively new project, and its first release where it adopts a throw-away presentation. Admittedly a typed blurb, but minimal packaging – colour xerox and commercially branded (SONY) Cdr, at times noisy, but not noise, mostly electronics with (not obvious) guitar, though it departs from the noise mantra by employing loops, discernable and a times quite beautiful sound manipulations, notably on track 3 which kind of reminds me of swastika girls, but maybe that’s some Freudian thing going on in my id? And what might be a gentle strumming on track 2… again with delicate processing which disintegrates into more noisy loops. I’m not certain if this is intended as a commercial (ha!) release or just to showcase/present the project. Overall I’d say a thought out, careful and well constructed set of sound objects.. which in their seeming care and quality of production runs against the throwaway packaging, good thing or not? I hope the project continues.(jliat)

Address [email protected]

GOVERNMENT ALPHA EVIL MOISTURE SPLIT (7 inch vinyl by Le Petit Migion)

I reviewed a previous L.P.M. release in VW689 where if anything my praise was not up to the mark in terms of just what can be produced as a release of a certain kind of “music” or art. The crucifix gatefold sleeve is once again an excellent piece of craft, of image and colour by crippaXXXalmqvist and Anna Lili Konishchev printed by La Commissure. However the printing is by a superb set of layered silk-screens which work wonderfully with the graphic, the record itself (Mastering by Rashad Becker at Dubplates, Berlin) is a beautiful bright pink- a Barbie pink! Has two sides (sic) a Bomb! Side which is Government Alpha (Yasutoshi Yoshida) and a Skull Side, Evil Moisture(Andy Bolus). I’m more familiar with the work of GA than Andy Bolus – a multifaceted “artist” who is here I guess working with home made electronics and modified electronic toys, which appear to function in his sonic activities, as well as modifying/moderating these? With meat, and in one case the meat is in the form of a girl “live girl meat” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lg--xqM9bc . A series of noises, squeaks and crashes, like some monstrous Acme machine which rampages rather than revolves around the disk. As this could be described as Baroque noise or rococo the Government Alpha in its solidity is more Michelangeloesque, of sharp feedback across the spectrum, yet even here an intrepid space invader occasionally falls into GA’s meat grinder. Both on there own would form an interesting comment on the development of noise and its themes, thankfully away from the dreaded earnestness of some (no names) to the more relevant in its critique of the present in its playful irony. A work of splendid and beautiful irreverence, an aesthetic heresy at its finest….The sound art and printed art fit together beautifully in an a Escher like way, neither illustration of the other and both illustrating the other…A perfect pink paradox.. Everyone involved in this production should be commended for their work, its very rare that the various talents, intentions and forces of artists, producers, distributor come together as an organic whole, and when they do as here, a genuine art object, a jewel, in brought forth. (jliat)

Address www.staalplaat.com

GERRITT & JOHN WIESE PANORAMIC GLASS AND MIRROR (LP by Misanthropic Agenda)

SISSY SPACEK AGATHOCLES (7 inch by Ultra Eczema)

What links these is obvious, and not obvious at all, which is why I find writing this so difficult. The Gerritt/Wiese disk is a split of gentle layers, drones, studio based and live respectively, both add to the gentle drones acoustic ambiences, in Gerritt’s case the whole side slowly drowns in reverb, whereas the Wiese employs gongs and strange animal sounds, a pig eating is the nearest I could think, and perhaps hints at some kind of paranormal sound track? On the 7 inch Sissy Spacek is Charlie Mumma, Corydon Ronnau and John Wiese, Agathocles = Bram, Jan and Nils. Both lineups include drums, both intersperse drum ridden noise with short breaks, vocals are more discernable on the Agathocles side with printed lyrics indicating the current anti-banking zeitgeist. 1. Addressing the politics, if I worked in a chocolate factory I could freely indulgence my liking for the stuff so why do people get so upset when bankers working in places where the product is money indulge themselves. And its not punk intellectuals who are upset, but everyone who is not a banker, Its not the 70s and punk isn’t radical – its de-rigor in Bond Street and Park Lane. 2. Addressing the links, the less obvious is that although the sound of these two is quite different, they share a content, or better share a lack of content, and by no means is this pejorative, as in impressionism the content is arbitrary, what links these is “music”. But music is now out of place, whereas in the 70s form and function dictated art, being lazy, I’m yet to dress, wash or shave, ill quote from the brief for instal 10 (www.arika.org.uk) “ Praxis is informed action; it places theory and practice on the same footing.. There is no progressive use in art for art’s sake, none in theory without action.. We think that much of our relationship with sound today is ill-informed. It thinks of itself as implicitly critical of the mainstream of capitalist society while most often simply replicating the systems of that same mainstream: alienated individuality; the valorisation of craft, skill and taste leading to; artists as (or for the production of) objects and; art as part of a entertainment industry for the production of pleasure… There is a power of thought at the core of sound, music, listening. But these radical concepts have had systems of thought and practice derived from them which have ossified into traditions which are perhaps no longer relevant, or should be superseded.”

(jliat)

Address http://www.misanthropicagenda.com

NOISE NOMADS (LP by Ultra Eczema)

“Why is there something rather than nothing” Only an unrepentant Nazi could perhaps dare to open a book on metaphysics with such a question. And the consequences of another opening – “the question of the meaning of Being” have echoed through philosophy over the decades even and explicitly in the radical left wing Marist and Maoist camps, though all – well all I can think of, shun the reality of the answer (well perhaps not Sartre…Camus ..?) DASEIN. Dasein as a praxis, which here (Noise Nomads AKA Jeff Hartford AKA Moose Jaw) emerges over the two sides of the LP. Side 1, early vocal distortions, side two vocals processed with digital effects. I suppose I should say more in case anyone reading this misses the achievement of Jeff Hartford’s work, what achievement? Answering both of the questions above which philosophers and theorists have failed to do, that is a great achievement! - how does he answer, what is the answer, I cant “say”, listen to the record to find out. “Heidegger used the concept of Dasein to uncover the primal nature of "Being" (Sein) which Descartes and Kant left unexplored. Like Nietzsche, Heidegger criticized the notion of substance, arguing that Dasein is always a being engaged in the world. The fundamental mode of Being is not that of a subject or of the objective but of the coherence of Being-in-the-world. This is the ontological basis of Heidegger's work. There can be no Cartesian "abstract agent" - the agent emerges out of his environment. On Heidegger's account, traditional language, logical systems, and beliefs obscure Dasein's nature from itself. Beings are Dasein even when they are ontologically wrapped up in a tradition which obscures the authentic choice to live within and transmit this tradition. In this case Dasein still authentically chooses the tradition when it is confronted by a paradox within the tradition and must choose to dismiss the tradition or dismiss the experience of being confronted with choice.“ Or else as here become genius – src. ‘gignere’ to beget, produce, give birth... (jliat)

Address http://www.ultraeczema.com

SPRUIT PATTERNS (3inch Cdr by Spruit)

Morphology is a strange science. At its extreme, most open to ontologies it appears open ended, and so rather than mark off a territory offers ever expanding planes of immanence, certainly to the creative, inventive mind, but de-anthropomorphise this, it should allow “a hyper-chaos, for which nothing is or would seem to be, impossible, not even the unthinkable” The whole history of post-theory is strewn with papers, blogs and books where such is attempted, and it seems ever more justified by appeals to “empirical science”, as if that offers some freedom from the philosophical blinkers, or shackles (keeping us facing the cave wall) of Kantian correlationism. But such musings of the prisoners once exposed to the empirical daylight would bring disappointment. Plastic is a good (empirical) example. Deemed to be the most amorphous protean being too easy to catch, plastic either looks plastic or looks like anything else, wood, metal, ceramic. Rather than offering a hyper-chaos it adds one more and only one more substance to the world, itself. Likewise with electronic music and its locus of the synthesizer, that either sounds like a synthesizer or some other pre-existing instrument, but never sounds the realm of infinite and impossible, even to the extent that modern software emulates a Moog in the same way it does a Grand Piano. Cutting to the chase then, ‘Patterns’ rather than extending the chaos of ON/OFF becomes not more abstract but dissolves into insect like soundscapes and computer glitches which are immediately recognisable. That might be a good thing, that “rock ‘n roll feeling”, and I suppose shouldn’t disappoint- our ears can only hear what we hear, not “the” sounds, which are not available, like “the thing in itself” lost to us. The recent metaphysical howling for the moon is very familiar. (jliat)

Address Myspace.com/spruit

KOBI EARPLUGGED (CD by End of Hum)

KOBI LIVE IN JAPAN (CD by End of Hum)

Earplugged is Kai Mikalsen’s solo (studio?) “ death-ambient album the world has been waiting for..” consisting of very gentle scrapes and clicks….. I could save space and time by a link or cut and paste to my thoughts on Spruit…(I wont) The consequences of accepting the greatness of Kant, none seem yet to knock him down, put so simply as I can, to the extent of making the ridiculous, is that we only see, hear, feel and know by virtue of what we are not by virtue of what is. That’s probably good, at least evolutionarily, because otherwise the world would appear to us like the LSD trip magnified to infinity. We cope with the world because its our world, there is no point in waiting for godot, he wont come because he is already here, if not the actual saviour, not the actual infinite being of the second coming, i.e. the product of some grand experiment in art, the whole of metaphysics is nothing more than the feeling a child has on Christmas eve, assuming she/he is living in a affluent tolerant middle class western household, and so at the most transcendental he/she will only see Santa kissing mommy. There is a chapter in John Barrow’s book on impossibility entitled “Does Gödel Stymie Physics”, well does Godot stymie experimentalism - I guess so. (I should have said Kant but the symmetry wouldn’t be the same.) On the second CD, Kai Mikalsen is joined by Petter Flaten, Eilertsen and Kelly Churko in a live piece which is much more interesting as its not a dead metaphysical monster, who never existed and who never will, but good ole humanity interacting, so from above replace Santa with Daddy, and kissing with what ever possibility turns you on. Its amusing, worrying, funny, serious …. Human work, one in which its possible to hear the breath of God, as “performance”. (jliat)

Address www.endofhum.no/

STIRNER AFGESCHREVEN (Cdr by Sum Rex)

STIRNER VERDE EN WELVAART (Cdr by Scum Rex)

DOODSHOOFD GEENHEIDSWORST (Cdr by Doodshoofd)

DOODSHOOFD untitled (Cdr by Doodshoofd)

OBSOLETE OFFICE EQUIPMENT MADFUCK STIRNER COMP (Cdr by Scum Rex)

The genre of noise whose origins are debated has given rise to the subgenre of HNW, Harsh Noise Wall, whose origins begin with the work of The Rita – (Sam McKinlay) and have associated artists such as The Cherry Point and Richard Ramirez which has provoked and divided many, given associations with and opposed minimalism, Dadaism et al. …… at times pointless descriptions of just what HNW is, and more interestingly if it can go anywhere- if not backwards. Its worth reiterating, something which HNW does all the time! Just what it represents, especially in the work above which seems to revolve around a Dutch collective focused @ a bland neat & suburban row of modern terraced houses which have the feel of the council estates I’m familiar with in England, but here its very neat and leafy with no graffiti to see – google street view is a wonderful toy. As the proliferation of releases and low fi packaging with what even in HNW is extreme in that little or no change occurs in the distorted white noise – there are no “events”, ideas of theme progress or even time- marks the point of HNW which is opposite to everything that western culture was and is at its most popular and at its most cultured, at its most radical and conservative. Its quite amazing and quite obvious that these works – some of the best HNW that I’ve heard are from such an architecture which denies arche –“ 'beginning', 'origin' or 'first cause' and 'power', 'sovereignty', 'domination'”- is a reversal of that- i.e. “’ending’ ‘destination’ ‘last event’ ‘weakness’ ‘uniformity’ ‘freedom’. “best” HNW as it marks such a non-arche point, whatever happens next these works mark a critical paradigm. Excellent! (jliat)

Address c/o Tony Mulder Hoornbladstraat 194 7601 SR, Almelo The Netherlands

HATE-MALE GREATEST HITS (Cd by dogbarkssome discs)

This CD is a remix of material from the 10 years that Hate-Male has been producing works, i.e. 1999-2009. Though ostensivly a reworking of material in the first 8 tracks, the work still shows how over a decade the harsher ontologies of noise have moved in that on some if not most tracks pitch and rhythms appear, as well as recognisable vocals, form things which could only be described as songs, esp. track 3, with pulsing rhythms and drones like soundwashes of electronica, though on others, the latter ones, white noise predominates, elsewhere the musicology and aesthetic is clear. It is only with the final track 9 which is made from compiling all the previous material do we get a “white out” of sound. Historicising is always difficult, especially with actual source material, and I suppose a kind of eclectic mix is inevitable, as with all “best of” and “greatest hits”, these are only ever exercises in nostalgia. There would be some, and I include myself, that would argue that noise’s “data without information “ should preclude any kind of geology at all, and yet here we do see definite strata, which may have been intentional, it marks a clear spot on a map, a definitive date and time – unlike the HNW vacuum, however that might be an irrelevance for the trajectories here are hard to tell where they are heading, back to definite electronics or into the noosphere of HNW?

Address www.myspace.com/hatemalenoise

STIRNER VRIJE GELUIDEN (Audio Cassette by Skum Rex)

This is yet another example of how harsh noise marries well to the cassette medium in that it can interact with the medium’s “defects” to create a new synthesis of “affect” by which Dolby (S) et. al. is rendered musicologically as opposed to technologically pointless. I.e. one labours electronics in with a fog of tape residue, including vocals in places, a long work… by which the difference between materials, thought and production disappear, and so much like the name suggests, rejects all political, economic, philosophic, psychological, thought & production, from religiosity through radicalism at its most atheistic and nihilistic. “Look at Stirner, look at him, the peaceful enemy of all constraint. For the moment, he is still drinking beer, Soon he will be drinking blood as though it were water.”

(jliat)

Address c/o Tony Mulder Hoornbladstraat 194 7601 SR, Almelo The Netherlands

SMUT / RIGHT NOW SPLIT (Audio Cassette by Friends and Relatives Records)

This is another of a few examples of being honest to the medium of the audio cassette in its thrown togetherness – its accidentality which is quite Heideggerean throwness of Daesin – to be overly pretentious in an ontological way, but this kind of thing is more ontic than ontological- “what da ya mean?” Ontic in that it represents a particular thing, i.e. this tape with its actuality, makes it a science of music, or subject of scientific investigation of things, i.e. “this!” one listens to a *particular* performance, which is not the same as the ontological idea of being “at all”, the philosophical ramifications that was once high art but now can be found in HN / HNW. This Ontic stance which has become general through the “performances” of work across the music cultural plane, partly I suspect via Frank Zappa, but now even in the gesturing of Simon Rattle, as opposed to the expositions of the ontological nature of sound as noise. There is much on this tape which some might think similar to that I critiqued elsewhere, but here it only serves to underline the nature of its factivity, there is no aesthetic to intervene. (Jliat)

Address www.freindsandrelativesrecords.com

RUST WORSHIP INFORMALITIES (Audio Cassette by Obsolete Units)

NONHORSE NOXON (Audio Cassette by Obsolete Units)

Informalities is supposedly three live recordings, however the extreme stereo panning and lo-vol scraping and feedback hums- the kind of thing you hear amateur rock bands going through when setting up, gives the work a studio feel as its here all beautifully presented and controlled. What springs to mind is a show by some art lecturer of slides, those that you get marking the end of the film, with coloured bands where light has got in on the last un-rewound bit of 35mm. He – the lecturer, enthused about these but the general feeling was – “Well…. And…….” I wont quote all the blurb but it describes this in almost an apologetic way - “An apt representation of Rust Worship's current state-of-affairs.” Well yes – i.e. “lost” as it says “flow between something like”…” forgotten miscellany” – why the cassette format here when its low fi quality is ignored and by using commercial tape gives inappropriate lengths for the live works- i.e. many minutes of unused silent tape? Nonhorse – Noxon, I read with a falling heart “Noxon is an unending hour-and-a-half plus expression of Crane's particular mastery of his art, a sonic canvas of half-remembered daydreams, ambiguous episodes of astral projection, and floating remnants of lost AM radio transmissions. A future classic of fever-dreamed ambiance…” Well yes, it’s the kind of thing bored kids (and me) do in ethic shops where there is that machine which plays excerpts from the ethnic whale/American Indian/pan pipes and meditation music stuff. Some might like this music… We get these (machines) in garden centres in the UK these days, but I prefer to wander over and watch the fish. Being serious and trying to be constructive, there are too many ingredients here both sonic and not, effects and illusions to nonsense, insufficient contemplation of the silence which is the perfect chora, one does not “master” this, (or subject it to electronics), but listens to it, even in its banality. (And) the reason things are “lost”, “ambiguous”, “half-remembered” is either that they were/are unimportant or represent the conscious tip of a very very unpleasant repressed reality “It is the dark, inaccessible part of our personality, what little we know of it we have learnt from our study of the dream-work and of the construction of neurotic symptoms, and most of this is of a negative character and can be described only as a contrast to the ego. We all approach the id with analogies: we call it a chaos, a cauldron full of seething excitations... It is filled with energy reaching it from the instincts, but it has no organisation, produces no collective will, but only a striving to bring about the satisfaction of the instinctual needs subject to the observance of the pleasure principle.” [Freud, New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis (1933)] (Jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/obsoleteunits

FILTHY SMEAR CONSTIPATED ALBION (Audio Cassette by Total Vermin)

“traffic noise, trumpet noise, bashing and crooning. Artwork by Ms Susan Fitzpatrick” Lofi production - Voice noise which sounds like vomiting, short snippets layered with noise, movie clips, ambient noise and discernable vocals ranting on about shit.. rhythmic noise bursts, this fits more into the industrial/fluxus category than noise as in HN and HNW where such thematic devices are abandoned, or Obfuscated. The second side opens with a semi tune like thing – before entering another vocal mish mash. Some may like the texture of this work, as it weaves its abstract bricolage like a walk along the shoreline at low tide, ultimately romantic which is the problem with all such work which postures the idea of creativity and comment. A piquant Gilbert and George kind of piece of work.(Jliat)

Address http://totalvermin.blogspot.com/

FILTHY TURD DEATH EJACULATIONS (Audio Cassette by Knife in the Toaster)

There has been in noise quite a loud group (ha ha) of proponents of the cassette as THE medium of choice, it being cheap and noisy, having almost the aesthetic of a packet of cigarettes. As a non smoking pro smoker who misses the other worldly atmospheres of the great British pub now like the French café in sad decline since our elders and betters told us off and stopped us smoking in public… I digress from my digression, there is something about the packet of cigarettes, is it size, the wrapper, the flip lid or the softer America or Gauloises packet - paquet – which is shared by The Compact Cassette (correct term) which has now perhaps via its cult status in noise become a more general indie phenomenon- marketing ploy – see http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/mar/29/audio-cassette-comeback - regardless (insert musings on comodification/exploitation referencing Marx et al.) and finally getting round to this tape – sorry Compact Cassette- this – is harsh noise – continuous in its saturation of the tape certainly harsh noise – a harsh Wall in its continuum of Cantoresque infinities. For the sake of a quote to help the label- “This tape represents one of the many apogees, capstones, climaxes, culminations, heights, high points, highest points, meridians, optimums, peaks, summits, tops, ultimatums, vertexes, zeniths of Harsh Noise Wall, highly recommended” - to anyone – especially those who smoke Capstan full strength cigarettes. i.e. NFP (not for pussies) ”The brand became less popular when the health effects of Tobacco became more widely known, few shops now sell them. In 1971 the UK government published a table of the tar and nicotine contents of cigarettes available in the UK market, and Capstan Full Strength contained, by some margin, the highest tar and nicotine contents of any brand.” On side 2 the HNW auto destructs into a mission impossible of white noise and disconnection. (Jliat – cough-)

Address knifeinthetoaster.tripod.com/index.html

ORIFICE DARLING MAUNDER (Cdr by Herbal Records)

GOH LEE KWANG HALF(Cdr by Herbal Records)

JULIEN SKROBEK 0.10 (Cdr by Herbal Records)

Daring Maunder is a real time analogue synth improv by Burkhard Jaeger recorded in Hannover Germany in July 2009 – lofi rumbles and drones, higher pitched noises.. which are very much and very obviously analogue products..

Half - is two tracks of “micro noise” the first lofi-noise but anything but noisy – the second a gently wandering distorted wave form – a minimally pleasant exercise.

0.10 is a reference to Malevitch – Skrobek’s interest is in the opposition between popular / folk and high art, and uses such things as acoustic guitar, balloons, electric heater, radio, digital metronome & 220 hz sine wave. It very much resembles the supermatist blocks and shapes with its distinctive abstractions and structures, the early and not the latter which like most of modernism ends in some religio/mystical blankness, a theo-ontology unlike the nihilist ontology of noise itself. Never the less this work deserves attention, an abstract yet aesthetic composition in its own right. Though one could take issue with the idea of a differentiation between high and low/folk art in the post-modern, which we are either located in or have past. The barriers between the two in fact were well under dissolution in the Victorian era where the new bourgeois classes wanted art they could understand, through to the pedalling of impressionism to the Americans and the reciprocity of sending Jazz back across the Atlantic to infiltrate the avant garde. There are problems generated by what Skrobek explores, of elitism and fascism , but its a process which has been explored and intellectualised until nothing is left but dried an bleached bones, perhaps we should make a music with these? (jliat)

Address www.welcometothemepark.tk

CIOGOELACH CO? WOMB OF THE GRAVE (Cassette by Waterpower)

The packaging of this cassette was two badly xeroxed sheets of B&W pictures of what I think are naked and semi naked female cadavers who have met violent ends, being for various reasons a little low I expected from the take a cathartic and violent scoundscape fitting of these images, what I got was lo-fi rumble, noise and ambience, bit like a water fall, with faint industrial field sounds, evidence of some looping, but nothing totalising and violent. The gentility of the ambient loops are just annoying, and I forget but rectify, the title above is what I could make of unreadable text, it’s a very disappointing piece, the tape is saturated to the extent that it is a lo-fi mud… which it might meant to be? Just as is the title? As such it succeeds, which probably means its very good. (jliat)

No address given

TORSTEIN WJIIK WJIIK LET ANGREBEN AF INFLUENZA (CD by Synesrhetic Recoedings / Ambolthue Records)

A debut despite a previous large back catalogue of a “real” CD.. field recordings .. “humorous and intense sonic experience”… the first track is someone (from the artwork) vomiting blood, hence the reference to swine flu? The great killer epidemic that’s never happened, Y2K all over. Subsequent tracks we have noise, with total right left splits, and gross vocals,(track 3), echoey spaces of deep bass and reverb(4), noise and feedback, very short tracks, near silence ambient field recordings, heavy noise tracks, “in a time where the swine flu seems to have taken over the world, what better than releasing an album you’ll probably feel sick from just listening to? No, it hasn’t and no it doesn’t. If I have to give a diagnosis its this, there are just too many ideas here, it lacks coherence but fails to deconstruct music or itself or pretensions about itself, it might well be that it suffers from a deductive logic, of what “this” might mean or imply, rather than an inductive “finding the world”, “being”, what is “this” , one track “Oslo tram” (just that) if left alone (from over refinement) could have replaced perfectly – in its “throwness” the rest of the audio effects zoo. (jliat)

Address http://www.ambolthue.com/

PORTABLE NOISE KREMATOR NO DEDICATION!(Cdr/Lathe cut by Produck)

Manufactured from those audio effects typified by faulty cables, staccato interrupts and feedback hum, in other tracks more overt industrial rumbles and loops… this release is also distinguished by the Cdr having a lathe cut track… it’s the kind of industrial, lo-fi, throw away aesthetic that I like, it lacks the polish that would otherwise gloss over the detritus which is part of life, instanced by its contempt for hi-fi – for the Cdr format, tracks of seemingly pointless length, the whole thing over in 10 minutes, as for the lathe cut piece there is a mix of surface noise and very low quality noise and blips, blips which finalize this in an infinite and equally pointless loop. Like the popular Straw Dogs of John Grey it is a “musical” equivalent – “an attack on the unthinking beliefs of thinking people.” i.e. Liberal Humanism, or - in this case an attack on the noise / industrial ideas of atheist/humanist redemption, catharsis and/or psychological cure or sociological critique. For anyone attempting such statements, before any sound is laid down they should listen to this work.(jliat) (IMO of course)

Address http://www.produck.tk/

MASS No Title (Cdr by P in a Circle Records)

ALL GIRL KNIFE FIGHT No Title (Cdr by P in a Circle Records)

Mass is 5 tracks recorded by Ethan Moseley of harsh noise and vocal moaning “over a different Walt Disney cassette” Swathes of feedback and what sounds like old and distorted computer games, I’m not sure if any of the Disney remains, though we are told “using only guitar laptop and voice improvised to tape.” Given that, and perhaps I’m being pedantic, but why a 30 minute Cdr and not a C30 itself? The second C in P release was assembled by Ethan Moseley from a variety of sound sources typical of the industrial genre, layers of radio TV broadcasts and noise, it appears to be heavily processed and layered with some tracks reversed and arranged around the stereo field so it has a more techno/electro vibe than the run of the mill industrial material, certainly lacks the empty throwness of the P.N.K. release and though the press release says “what industrial music should have become” I think the giveaway here is the word “music” – this is very composed material, and so very purposeful, (organized sound) which kind of gives it a liberal humanist optimistic feel, which is just another religion, - you know – set of arbitrary values, which are in fact chains, of authority, structure, work, ethics, rights, blah .. blah .., blah (Jliat)

Address http://www.pinacirclerecords.com/

OPPONENTS I SWARM WITH A THOUSAND BEES (CDr by Obsolete Units)

I’m not sure about this release, although its made from abstract electronics the structure of each of the 6 tracks is very song like, its almost like it was produced in some parallel universe, or perhaps a conventional set of tracks has passed through some bizarre translation via an alternative set of dimensions, a dreamlike reality which appears to have some logic of its own which is completely strange to me, though reminiscent of a polish space fiction film that was never made in the 50s with oblique references to the soviets in portrayal of the alien insects, though this CDr is not from Gdansk but Brooklyn – bizarre or what? (Jliat)

Address http://www.facebook.com/pages/OPPONENTS/219200143266 FILTHY TURD AN OCCULT HISTORY OF THE MIDLANDS (Cdr by Fragment Factory)

This is a splendid antidote to practically everything, especially anything remotely sensible which makes a criticism, or description impossible, lyrics such as “who is the creature living in the bog, I am the creature living in the bog”, it sounds at times like a field recording made in a lunatic asylum or a meat packing factory run by psychopaths who have been tortured into a state of imbalance by being played Stockhausen for days without sleep… sometimes crazy noise at others mixed sound clips, not so much noise as sheer chaotic madnesss. And see how its made me spell madness… It would make an excellent anthem for the so called United Nations… Brilliant! (Jliat)

Address www.fragmentfactory.blogspot.com

ATLATL DRAWS THE ATLANTIC (Cd by Mimeomeme Recordings)

14 tracks of various length from a minute and a half through to 20, all a very eclectic mix of abstract electronica ranging from near sub harmonic hum through to top end whistle and crunch, a kind of electronic sounds of the rain forest in parts, though swathes of silence and near silence in others (if you can have a swathe of silence). I can imagine some will find this flora and fauna of silicon life forms fascinating, something to explore and catalogue, I’ve mentioned before with similar work that I can get visual metaphors with the graphic work of Paul Klee, these “creatures” of a carefully woven cyber imagination cavort and gamble for 70 odd minutes within their own virtual world. (jliat)

Address http://www.mimeomeme.com/

SEBO DE TRIPA SC (3inch CDr by Inqb8r)

The two tracks here were made by 4 “amateurs” manipulating old USSR radios, which are supposedly “anti-music” – and despite good intentions, and the fact that the use of radio receivers in the avant garde must be 50 years old, might have worked, if not for the trippy reverb woo woo 60s sci-fi sounds in the background which runs completely counter to the idea of “anti” and non-repetitive moments. I was genuinely disappointed because I think the idea sounds great, but I don’t think the work needs this over-processing of effects, reverb is notoriously difficult and often over used, as here the sounds of the radios are buried and blurred, the idea of a band or even an orchestra using vintage radios could be spectacular, but here for some reason, lack of confidence perhaps, just using this simple idea is obliterated by adding unnecessary processing, which is a very musical tinkering, I hope they continue, but stick to the simple idea, simple ideas are often the best. (jliat)

Address http://www.inqb8r.net/

PAIN JERK & JOHN WIESE NERIMA (CD by Anoema Recordings)

You can visit the web site and hear for yourself – indeed this is classic harsh noise- as other reviewers do, and not vital, if this was a car it would be a Ferrari, in estate agent speak, it ticks ALL the Boxes, or a guy in a music store re a Yamaha Rev 5, its the donkey’s knob, I hate the way when you order sandwiches you get crisps and old salad, I remember in a high class restaurant asking for a beef sandwich on white bread, and that’s just what I got, i.e. this is just 4 star or is it 5, Michelin Noise, chicken vindaloo, Carlsberg special brew… now add your own clichéd metaphors of praise for something being *just* right, I know- doing exactly what it says on the tin etc etc. only 18 minutes … quality Vs quantity, I’m guessing the title refers to the ward of Tokyo and though “Nerima provides 40% of the cabbage grown in Tokyo. One of the famous products of Nerima is the Nerima daikon radish. It is primarily grown for pickling…” it might be that it “is the birthplace of anime in Japan” and not because “Ricky Gassko (played by Tom Hanks) wears a Nerima baseball jersey in the first twenty minutes of the movie Bachelor Party (1984).” That this splendid 3 tracker was named. Though if it was in tribute to the daikon, that must be some radish! (Jliat)

http://www.anoema.com RAY BRASSIER, JEAN-LUC GUIONNET, SEIJIRO MURAYAMA, MATTIN IDIOMS AND IDIOTS (CD & Booklet by w.m.o/recordlabel)

Improvisation recorded at the NPAI festival Nirot in 2008 would be to begin to locate something in what we understand, however here is the difficultly, whether you like it or not if you’ve blithely accepted this “review” so far then I can immediately point to you and shout – “Kant”. And the shadow of François Laruelle crosses the landscape. (The full text can be downloaded @ the address) Non- philosophy, correlationism … and the subject of “improvisation” makes a review in any meaningful sense impossible- as impossible as “improvisation”. The best task of such artists where the ontologies are ripe is to ignore all of this and behave like suicide bombers, which is precisely what they might be doing metaphorically. It certainly at times seems both dangerous potentially to self or audience – self and audience and a criminal act, a crime against certain ideas, as fundamental as time and space, that’s your Kantian assumption. What is music, art, philosophy without time and space? As an idiots guide then, me being the idiot, a world view which is such is as holy as the Koran, there is a fundamentalism everywhere which this release not only documents but also attempts to overcome, in such a way as failure itself is like a failed suicide bombing, a success of sorts to some, but only a success if dismissed not by ignorance, a primitive ignorance is immediately at one with improvised performances, but the shocking reality of only thinking at second hand through a dead german philosophers head. OK in a “line” in a sentence, anyone interested in – now I was going to say music, but I’m even afraid I’m unable to finish this line – why? Deleuze - “With the Kantian transformation .. time becomes straight …. “ of …or.. in a more general problematic which includes both Deleuze and Kant - doesn’t “this kind of” improvisation eschew or face up to “decision” which all previous (before Laruelle?) philosophy was blind to? (jliat)

Address www.mattin.org/recordings.html

FILTHY TURD DEATH EJACULATIONS (C30 By Knife in the Toaster)

MUTANT APE KNOCK AND WAIT / WATER GROWTH (C10 By Knife in the Toaster)

La bohème like its source Henri Murger's novel, Scènes de la vie de bohème, relates the fact that even 160 years ago originality within the arts was beginning to be located with the poor and outcast, its no surprise then that fine-art and fine art sound artists are “re-discovering” the cassette medium – a feigned discovery as its cheapness and dated technology has long been esteemed in the production of noise, that genre as we know which has rescued the elitist methodologies from the avant garde and completed the western teleology of music. Both these tapes are of recordings made 3 years ago. FTs a fairly static wall as is MA once it begins, a wall of static like noise which crumbles across the tapes stereo tracks as if merely the recordings were made by a broken/breaking machine, or static of a communication system in breakdown. As in the novel which is a collection of vignettes with no unified plot this represents the breakdown of analogue life, its analogue where we find signals with noise, all too often the modern digital age offers only perfection, or silence, this is not a critique, its simply what it is, perhaps that’s why Seti has failed to detect any life, I cant “tune” my new DAB radio, it decides what is listenable, so if even if I want a signal sliding into oblivion, like old fashioned warfare, now we just get an impenetrable digital silence. (jliat)

Address http://www.knifeinthetoaster.com/

BROWN WING OVERDRIVE L PHANTASM (CD by Kavekavity)

BWO consists of Chuck Bettis – electronics and throat, Derek Morton – banjo fx synth divination and Mickey IQ Jones electronics objects voice. They present 10 tracks of mixed up electronics and sounds, creatures and effects reminiscent of some of Star Wars sounds, and by that absolutely nothing to do with John Williams, more the burbling of R2-D2 like robots being tortured by those little midget creatures- I’m no geek about these films- so cant remember what they are called… a case of ‘first is best’, (I cant be a doing with all the “prequel” nonsense which I think related originally to the Godfather films and not Star Wars) but I digress, BWO manipulate electronics, what sounds like balloons with pseudo Tibetan throat singing in such an eclecticism and mix which does definitely portray some pictures of the above in the imagination, especially and sadly when the whole is wrapped in reverb. And that raises the question, can noise ever be reverb (or visa versa), that is a device rather than destroying sound, is for creating a false impression of space, something which in its narrative structure all traditional western music does, from the Four Seasons through to the Right of Spring… that general telling of either Christian, political or other such stories, the general idea of beginning, (genesis), middle and end, - (eschatology), which is so powerful in the west, to the extent its now found core to the writings of Quentin Meillassoux and Ray Brassier, and what is called Speculative Realism, a mistaken interpretation of correlationism (IMO) with its pre-ancestral post human apocalypses that is in danger of subverting modern physics into a new religion with “real” teleologys, conveniently ignoring both Barrow’s – ‘given infinite time everything re-occurs’ and Penrose’s intriguing take on the second law of thermodynamics and the infinity of universes that creates, one in which these Star Wars creatures would no doubt exist, all imaginary landscapes being realties, though the problem here is too much truth for anything not to be true. So any criticism of my review fails if it thinks it doesn’t address the music sufficiently, in some other universe in some other language (than English) this text will do *precisely* that.(jliat)

http://www.brownwingoverdrive.com/

P.O.W.E.R. COWBOY LOVES (Mini Cdr by Le Son 666)

“Credits Artwork By [Design] - Le Son 666 , Éric Normand

Keyboards, Bass, Harmonica, Electronics [Video Cam, Tv, Cb, Telephone] - Catherine S. Massicotte , Dominic Gagnon , Éric Normand …” This is a wonderful conglomeration of sonic errors no where in which could I place any of the devices listed above, allegedly made live and by phone (track1) and by battery and solar recording in non-organized territories???? (track 2) just sounds like a house being demolished, or perhaps a recording badly made and manipulated of a house being pulled down. An unsettling being of presence as destruction. Excellent stuff then kids? (jliat)

Address http://www.le-son666.com/

+DOG+ STAY GOLD (Cd by Love Earth Music)

9 tracks of what I’d call electronica but the Wire probably would file under outer limits, (that linear teleology like sand (or volcanic ash)gets everywhere). Each track begins and ends and in the middle manipulates low-fi rumblings, arcade games and washing machines through a thick fog of a filter, or poor reception on an AM radio. The cover has pictures of a lake, soccer pitches in autumnal landscapes, nothing seems to relate – no information is provided. No information is needed, I wrote a similar review to which the artist misunderstood me – nothing unusual then, in this act of the reversal of meaning, structure, form, content…its lack of interest in science, philosophy, the past or the future this inconsequentialism like Heidegger’s boots brings with it a being in the world which is no way “outer” but essentially – existentially present here – only here – and now – only now. That is what makes it to anyone who sees that this, and not stories of… (physics, religion, psychoanalysis ..etc) actual presence of a thing, in this case sounds, without a history or future- authentic being. That is in other words to those who don’t believe in fairies- it is very good.(jliat)

http://www.loveearthmusic.com

GNAWED DESPISER(3inch Cdr by Spit & Cuss)

HATE-MALE LIVE IN THE STUDIO 20thy MAY 2010(CDr by Hate-Male)

BRUITAL ORGASME ELLE SAIT (3inch Cdr by Hoarse records)

FUCKER WHERE IS THIS (3inch Cdr by Hoarse records)

HORSING CHANGZHENG (3inch Cdr by Cantankerous Records)

Bruital Orgasme’s manipulated percussive micro sounds, & coughing, could be a ‘live’ production with the only thing brutal some panning across the stereo field, interesting in a entomological way the piece develops in intensity only to fall back into a near silent humm… it therefore “suffers” from composition, as does inevitably Hate Male’s “live in one take, with no overdubs, editing or other post-production” piece of fairly homogenous slab of sound, Fucker is more industrial than ‘noise’, high pitched noises all fairly modulated white, escaping steam and wind, ? track two has spacey laser sounds the final track a composition of sine like waves…again in a lo fi micro sound industrial setting… which is also to be found on Gnawed Despiser - utilizes high pitched industrial noise and profanities- but again ‘industrial’, because of the ‘quality’ of the sound “compositions”…The exception to all of these releases is the last from Horsing, a so called “free Jazz” work which sounds like pure cut up noise with sax uproar… I have said elsewhere that synthesis is perhaps now possible rather than the analytic of Noise proper including HNW and HN especially, the De-construction of music, modernity – blah blah blah.. a process which is very particular. Biologically the process of creation, procreation and destruction might share a complexity found in the DNA code and the structures and processes which eschew from it, but from a human standpoint to artificially end life is relatively simple, its only now that we have it seems artificially created it… what distinguishes Horsing is its lively deconstruction, the other works though thematic, not to have a theme is a theme, are still very much mediated by their media, they could not have been other, they therefore are very much music, musical compositions of “sound” and can be experienced as such. As they do not maintain any particular intention then there is nothing wrong with this, I’m not throwing the “Sunday painter” remark, though it might be there, but would like to offer the alternative possibility of a conceptual synthetic, but this like synthetic life is far more difficult than a genetic boogie woogie waggle dance. (jliat)

Address http://spitandcuss.blogspot.com/

Address http://www.myspace.com/hatemalenoise

Address http://hoarserecords.atspace.com/

Address http://www.myspace.com/cantankerousrecordlabel

GNAWED ICE VOLT INSIDES MUSIC LESSON 69 (Cassette by Spit & Cuss)

YOSHIHIRO KIKUCHI TEXT’S ABSENCE OPTICAL GLOOM AUDIBLE LIGHTS (C40 cassette by Fragment)

Gnawed (Grant Richardson) drawn out static and electronic artefacts- Ice Volt (Bryce Beverlin II ) electronic organic gremlin sounds & processed vocals – clanking harsh noise which morphs in to drone didgeridoo – and back again - both pieces narrate a journey of some sorts – even in the latter of just movement accompanied by musical trolls – more a goth than gothic masterpiece, and in the former a long and slow destructive crash. Both share an unreality which is not to my taste, if you can get an ‘inkling’ about my difficulty here, ‘boom boom’... Yoshihiro Kikuchi utilizes electronic cut ups and processed percussion, alarms and samples - the beauty of this work is that the micro cut up electronics works wonderfully well with this medium, the sounds appear out of the tape like fragments of broken glass, again working within and with the constraints of the medium, without recourse to Tolkienography a work which resembles analytic cubism, yet to encompass the readymade reality of the synthetic. (jliat)

Address Spitandcuss.blogspot.com

Address http://fragmentfactory.blogspot.com/

FRANS DE WAARD CORONA REWIND (C45 Cassette by Petri Supply)

This cassette has a difficult genealogy, being (from my excavations) a re-mix made in April this year from a 1990 4 track by Kapotte Muziek (corona wind) a concept by Yeast Culture, with Dale Travous and Gary with recordings made by Abo and Allen Russell, others involved are David Lee Myers Jeph Jerman, AMK, Achim Wollscheid… in which recordings are passed around based on the performers age, if that’s not sufficiently confusing the package is a purple screen printed sleeve on orange paper which wraps around a custom card case held together with electrical wire… which can be viewed at the address given.. the sound is fairly industrial mechanistic looping noises which has a very narrow bandwidth probably as a result of all the processing, with interruptions of static – and feedback saturated tape. Almost as if the recording was made of the artifacts of tape recording itself. Again a consequence of the projects re-processing? There is at stake here an important difference in noise as subversive anti-music and noise as a minimal purism and integrity of the high art philosophy of the mid 20thC. – in particular the work of Robert Morris & co - http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/features/kuspit/kuspit7-14-06-12.asp ‘Box with the Sound of its Own Making’ which became what was known as conceptual art. This is all very interesting for me (and hopefully any reader) - space and genre prevent a full exploration of this apparent emerging phenomenon in music, as a new conceptualism, one that is addressed in Seth Kim-Cohen's book - 'In the Blink of an Ear '... why in sonic art there wasn’t a similar rejection of the aesthetic object – which perhaps in music (and in poetry http://ubu.com/concept/ etc.) is now emerging - “rejecting sound-in-itself in favor of a reading of sound’s expanded situation and its uncontainable textuality”… it is not perhaps accidental that the philosophical debate re idealism / empiricism centered around the “sound” of a falling tree, a debate which resonates still in the very important problem in physics of the observer - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observer_effect_(physics) – or here – the listener. (jliat)

Address Http://www.Fransdewaard.blogspot.com

DISSECTING TABLE CHAOS ATTRACTOR (3inch CD by R.O.N.F. Records)

Ichiro Tsuji name checks a whole shed load of “industrial” rhizomes and what is now well known physical/mathematical theory which might tip into “psychedelic detunings, paranoid futurism”.. dangerously close to the kind of dreadfulness (in its true sense) of Metatronic Healing .. Archangelic rays.. energy vampires.. his synth metal clanging echo reverb soundscapes… such nonsense – even taken to the criminal extremes of De Sade and Crowley rather than the pretty fairies – though even here there lingers a sense of pedophilia, for all their beauty and truth – esoteric and hidden gnosis, is a kind of nonsense which at every level is cheap. Libertine philosophy is anything but, it is predictably typical and biologically ridiculous, like the work of Damien Hirst or the Chapmans – who at least poke fun at such ‘stuff’. Taking a tip from the determinism of Calvin who coined the term, though I’m fine about not excluding the middle… continental philosophy is a hobby of mine… the problem here is the reverb. Just what is this problematic is – is an aporia in its own right for in order to create a false sense of ‘space’ the effect creates the illusion of walls, be they of a cave, cathedral or room… only by creating the illusion of something which inhibits, closes off, limits, space.. a space which rationally is infinite or finite and *unbounded* that the device attempts its trickery, that of a Victorian séance? Of course this could all be a cultural miss-reading, a delight of the Japanese in crucifying Father Christmas, but the oddness and charm of My Kitty isn’t here, it’s just not anti/non occidental enough. (jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/

MAAA DECAY AND DEMORALIZATION (CD by Mind Flare Media)

“ALL RIGHTS RESERVED UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION IS A VIOLATION OF APPLICABLE LAWS” (from the CD cover) Mind Flare media is a label which not only turns its back on the Lo-Fi DIY aesthetic of noise, its also a sign of the truth that capitalism more than an economic system is a mental disease which has infested, and infected humanity, in a more nihilistic than Marxist vein it’s the general condition of humanity from which it might just be possible to discuss what a cultural revolution entails. Anyway I suppose Merzbow et al. could, if this label makes a buck take them to court, but (un)fortunately the work here – which began promisingly is only (IMO (inserted by legal request?)) a poor pastiche of Harsh Noise and not the thing itself. A general processing, clangy reverb and feedback which is always controlled, except for some reason track 5 has a short section of sound of someone apparently having a wash (so it’s the arty bit?) and the final track “Satan Edge” begins I think with a bit of Aleister Crowley “Do what though wilt” – as an ex public school estate agent would say ‘your ticking all the right boxes’ – but if what thou wilt is to bootleg this disc* then you would I suppose need to get a good lawyer first. And that would be it if it were not for what might be YHWHs sense of humor, my copy made by www.ultraentertainment.com ‘The nations low price leader!’ had problems with playback on tracks 5/6…* so much so that when I did try to rip it I got a “could not read audio data” error- but that (to keep the lawyers happy) might be a fault with my player. (jliat T.M.)

http://www.myspace.com/mindflaremedia

MAAAA SAMPO DISTORTION (CD by 24919 Records)

Noise as much before, but superb packaging, check out the web site, but then about 4 minutes in there’s a punk track, followed by scrap metal working and a dog howling, general reverb and echoy space lasers… etc. etc. MAAAA seem to be appropriating HN?…google translation “Maaaa produced a totally ruthless thing and in fact and by the sound. Mythical grinder Kalevala as a grand annihilator rises from the sea floor and grinds all of this ugly world of evil and progress. - Everything is falling apart, all in the house collapses and the here and now and then - once remarked to me a strange citizen. "Sampo Distortion" And she was right - "Sampo Distortion" comes to you. Almost by accident a few days crossed with Rombiksom, and he - has issued a new album Maaaa , which is 10 minutes earlier freshest came to him from the factory. That evening, listened attentively to his friends and still love it! This a great noise in the right spirit of K2! And at the end of a good bus left us on board, but not gone - took off . Once again, convinced that Maaaa - a great group.” Great they might be but it’s the Wall, the wall is where its at man.(jliat)

http://wingzz.livejournal.com/

CUSTODIAN TOIL AND WASTE (Cd by Syzmic Records)

INHALANT SAVE OUR SOULS (Cd by Syzmic Records)

MORTUOR IM WAITING FOR YOU (Cd by Syzmic Records)

Inhalant and Mortuor fall into or under the industrial noise genre, though not as harsh as maybe the label says, as the harshness is always a narrative. That’s fine, cool, guys – hoodies with knives and titles like “dead love” “Skalpel Inzertion” … “little girl” or riot police and “death is laughing” “lick the dead”, humanities obsession with death and sex is blazingly obvious, look at Catholisim, and Islam for that matter, OK masked in ideas of “passion” and not the outright onticness of tantric practice, always masked in a transcendentalism – i.e. heaven… bucket loads of western art picks up these themes from Grunwald and before via Michelangelo's Dying Slave http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dying_slave_Louvre_MR_1590_n3.jpg through to the shower scene in psycho http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VP5jEAP3K4 and both Inhalant and Mortuor produce fine tracks which narrate this obsession or condition of humanity….in bleak swathes of industrial noise processed incantations et al. But – (ok here it comes) the shift in art from the actual, i.e. the idol, totem, icon (is in itself holy) through to the representation of the other in the 20th C (as everyone knows) moved back towards the idea of the object in itself, its material not representing the other but being the other in its actual presence. That is one of the key features of Noise, especially HN and more so HNW that separates it from the narrative tradition of previous art. And that is a precise description of what separates the Custodian’s Toil and Waste from the other two works here. An excellent example of HNW’s purest aesthetic of reality as what is given and not refereed to. Ergo - “Obviously I had major influence from artists like Ad Reinhardt, Richard Serra, Barnett Newman, Ellsworth Kelly, Richard Long, George Trakas, Kasimir Malevich, etc. “-Sam McKinlay (Jliat)

Address http://www.syzmicrecords.com/

GOVERNMENT ALPHA ABERRATIONS (C40 by Quagga Curious Sounds)

RESUMING TREATMENT THE FIRST YEAR (CDr and Cassette by Fragment Factory)

Packaging: that would be a theme that links these two releases other than degenerate noise, the C40 arrived in a purple velvet pouch with inside the (typically broken) case a cigarette card of Lord Dundreary from the Dandies series of cards from John Player & sons, Fragment Factories birthday present was in a more industrial corrugated card box, spray painted with CDr & cassette in thin blue plastic.... From a purely anecdotal history wasn’t it the famous Sergeant Pepper that began the vogue of packaging as something more than – well… packaging, employing not only a “real artist” – Peter Blake – but the whole idea of art and popular consumerism somehow welding together in what became that high point of the 1960s which in its promotion of the consumerist object, LP sleeve, or the ubiquitous MINI – car and skirt, arrived via a strange conflation of radical thought – from the ICA – via mass consumerism, to one where Marx is either pals with Engles or Spenser both in divergent ways becoming the body and soul of the bourgeoisie who now began feeding from the supermarket… So should we , can we un-pack, when even the idea of thinness goes from women /girls through to lap top computers and mobile phones, and “I” whatever Apple thinks we need next, and fat is an issue, the emblem of the Harsh Noise scene is a fat arse – female of course, is this any different from the Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy, or topless women that sell newspapers and promote la revolution on the barricades? Sexism, Rock and Roll and radicalism… passing thoughts… however unusually lacking in any pornographics the Government Alpha is a general cacophony of sound works, some mores the pity swathed in reverb, obvious synthesiser sound and studio panning, but elsewhere feeding back screaming textures of what might be becoming neo-classical noise- in the feeling that compositional devices might be just around the corner? FFs offering is a comp featuring: Bryan Lewis Saunders, Sutekh Hexen, Yoshihiro Kikuchi, Filthy Turd, Krube, Drowner, Gray Mullet, Out Of The Unknown, BBBlood, Instinct Control, Regosphere and Duncan Harrison… to namecheck them all, and as I’ve wasted much space in pointless digression I can only pass a much too brief comment on the work, however I could do without the Vincent Price type intro dialogues, corny or kitsch… (obviously) a mixture – some ambient nonsense but on the whole swathes of junk, feedback and white noise, some particularly narrow in dynamics… some “spooky” (not)- industrial…some deconstruction of sound / instruments – circuit trickery knob twiddling et al. … I can see the reference to torture, but given I can turn down or even off the work it doesn’t follow… I find all references to head splitting in noise somewhat banal, as clearly they are not akin to putting ones head on the euro star line… however all of this passes into some kind of perspective in reference, as opposed to comparison, non is found or sought, to the noise as noise as noise of BBBloods (track 10 in case I missed something) … who unlike others fails to yield to any form of control or figuration, is a wonderful unthought out of control thing of noise, the strangeness of the ease of noise like this is that few can just do it, though perhaps such id less freedom is understandably difficult. However “Chicago based unit known as Instinct Control, consisting of Ryan T. Dunn and his circuit bent Sony Stereo 530 Solid State reel to reel tape recorder 40 minutes of minimal feedback/bending weirdness” on the cassette, offers some validation of my digression - mostly at canine frequencies of glitchity… but interestingly a post-modern obsession with the 60s?, this is a Vintage machine – 1967 the very year of the Sony TC 530 and Sgnt Pepper! Spooky eh? in passing a wonderful demo here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egybhmaGKDI , but how odd – or not - that now within what could be called the avant gardists is a recourse to 40+ year old devices, mechanical, not god forbid conceptual? (the question mark here is more than ironic but points to various spectres appearing today) However on such a chronological note (sic) can I wish all concerned many happy returns (how very Nietzsche ien of me! ha ha- and “a splendid time is guaranteed for all”…. Consumerism rules…ruled?)

Address http://fragmentfactory.blogspot.com/

Address www.myspace. quaggacurioussoundsandoddities

ELISABETH SCHIMANA HÖLLENMASCHINE (Cdr by chmafu nocords)

Translates as Hell Machine is a ‘Composition for the Max Brand Synthesizer’

Which demands some explanation however brief, the machine made by a Bob Moog for the composer who wanted a version of a ‘Trautonium, an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1929 by Friedrich Trautwein and later perfected by Oskar Sala’, in the days months and years that have elapsed since then apart from a world war, nuclear weapons, moon trips etc we also have the internet, Google, wiki, and youtube, so pasting any of the above into ones computer – another artifact of modernity – sufficient information for a ‘Month of Sundays’ can now be found. What we have on the disk a demonstration of this antique or is it a composition. Flight of electric bumble bees –saw toothed oscillators et al. VCA, VCO and VCF are evident, and the Cdr arrives in a tin with booklet which perhaps explains the motivation for such a piece. As you suspect I have a problem here, just what is the motivation? And the explanation if given is in german – which I cant read… there is currently a vogue for things old (is this why frans gets on TV these days?) – making art films in super 8, using old formats, 8 tracks, cassettes, or buying stuff on ebay, computer games, retro is, to use a retro term, hip, though not the traction engine kind of thing, but why not, I suspect there is as much concern over traction engines and old stream trains as electronica, I just don’t get it. I could rave on about the search for a history in the cybernetic alienation of today, but its kind of odd to see on youtube via the wonders of the internet and TCP/IP packet switching some guys stoking the boiler or twiddling some knobs of what is now available for under 50uk pounds – i.e. http://www.korg.com/monotron. OK not the same – but you get my point? Or do you? There is a difference between technology and art (this is a biggy so I cant discuss it here) – old art (contra Kosuth) retains a value, its called aesthetics guys, Hamlet still speaks to the human condition, the spinning jenny is obsolete, people might find museums interesting but no one recourses these days to gas lighting, burning witches, sending children up chimneys, blood letting or leaches – well no - some do don’t they… but they I suspect have some (justifiable – even in psychological terms) problem with technology, or is it modernity post-modernity – whatever? (jliat)

Address http://nocords.net

THOMAS PETER CIRCULAR (Cdr by Theme Park)

BASS HATERS DEUX BOULETS (Cdr by Live Actions)

I’ve reviewed this label before, once again surprising, original and creative stuff.

Circular is given its origin in feedback system, drums and objects, is a beautiful restrained work, the feedback is delicate controlled – “musically” that is, which is shared by the other disk – a musicality of improvisation, though not in anyway thematic, are Tony Dryer: double bass, electronics, Jacob Felix Heule: drum set, electronics… A live recording made in Liege - Improv – and not bad… they use both electronics and ‘conventional’ instruments here in one long improvised piece – a strangely compulsive piece at that … it does fall into a rhythm at one point but this is not in anyway unexpected. At my most critical these disk can both be “listened to”… which makes them in present climate strange oddities…. A good thing…

maybe ‘just’ listened to… surely not a bad thing? (jliat)

Address www.welcometothepark.tk

www.herbalinternational.tk

KERÄNEN BATS IN THE ATTIC (CD by Pica Disk)

Tommi Keränen using vintage analogue synthesizers from EMS in Stockholm… produces a single piece of 35ish minutes of analogue mayhem. Problematics of writing about.. about say the perfect… the perfect is both simple and difficult, like the blank sheet of paper- perfect until the first mark is made, the silence before sound… and then the great and historic background, the same old story that appears in the garden of Eden, through Greek and world wide myth… for whatever reason, laws of thermodynamics, evil spirits, id, ego, super ego conflict…comodification of labour and theory, excess…noise is essentially easy and so difficult, or difficult and so easy, as a block of sound or sounds undifferentiated once achieved, and technically this is a relatively simple matter, even of making a mistake, e.g. the feedback loop, then once (this) nirvana is obtained what does one do, it takes a god or Buddha to do nothing, to not interfere, not offer advice, change a detail, make a mark or even suggest a game of cards. Its not that Nirvana is hard or noise is difficult, its that human nature in the main will want to interfere and impose form, feeling, and above all meaning. I.E. a non existent god is perfect and does not do this, but at a deeper level than human nature, nature itself abhors a vacuum – or as Nietzsche points out nature never reaches perfection as if it could it would (have)… I have one criticism of this work and its that at about 16 minutes there is a break which might indicate a second piece/track, but other than this human or natural intervention, this work is and remains, a perfect work of abstract noise. The proof of my thesis is the time it took and number of words written to say just this, but to anyone with ears who can listen that is what this work is, perfect. (jliat)

Address www.picadisk.com

ZBIGNIEW KARKOWSKI KELLY CHURKO INFALLIBILISM

(CD by Herbal International Concrete Disc)

4 tracks- Track 1.. “sustained pressure”, very harsh (whiteish) noise overload… beautiful torrent ..2 .. “subjective probability” …partly similar part disconnected hum 3 … “the pleasure of the interval” …begins with very low bass & volume hum and glitches building or morphing into drone gong and ending in glicthy high pitched noises…4 .., “de-vein”… industrial air conditioners fairly static process of filtering to lower frequencies very unlike track 1’s incoherence. All these we are told are live tracks, but makes little difference as with the exception of the first track the hand or mind, sub conscious (or not) is clearly at work, perhaps under the guise or old pretext of being “experimental” or psychological or psycho-acoustic or even ‘industrial’ surrealism.. there is sufficient ‘surface’ – as in made surface or space – authorship- to attach a label . ‘Not that there is anything wrong with that’ proviso added here, if you want ‘music’ of some sort then its to be found easily with the exception of track 1. I suppose why you would want to find music is your own thing, and as such should be respected, but as someone said somewhere else – liberal toleration is a form of totalitarianism just like anything else, the failure of metaphysics was more than an act of enlightened integrity but gave the chance of religiosity to re-emerge unchallenged, as such I suppose those who prefer tracks 2,3, and 4 should be dragged screaming from their houses and burnt alive? (jliat)

Address http://www.herbalinternational.tk/

MARKO KARLOVCEC GREETINGS FROM THE SEA (Cdr by Botanic Records)

IRENA TOMAŽIN MARKO KARLOVCEC THAT WHICH HAPPENS IS ITSELF DRIPPING RED (Cdr by Botanic Records)

Mr Karlovcec is “a young musician (saxophonist, guitarist, experimental no-input electronics) from Slovenia, active on the contemporary improvised/noise/''alternative'' music scene… “ The difference between cargo cultists and ‘real science / technology’ is easy to spot, and in an age of globalization (which is bad?) and multiculturalism (good?) a respect for cargo cultism is probably de-rigueur, though remember the problem of liberalist totalitarianism. That said lets get on with the public burning then, more due not to one particular flammable act but an explosive compound, here “young”, “musician”, “saxophonist”, “guitarist”, “experimental”, “Improvised”, “noise”, “alternative”, they are all there like wooden control towers and painted landing strips, one match and its all smoke. But I (‘me’) have not as yet lit it, so its anyone who follows my analogy who is guilty, as guilty as the proverbial Pharisee – the whited sepultures and eye of the adulterer bit…(if you see it you have lit it, if not you’re OK) The duet with Irena Tomažin (renowned singer, dancer and actress) is sax and vocal noises, noises at times extremely harrowing, in a live performance. Greetings from the sea (no-input effect units, mixer) consists of 3 tracks, the first moves from pulsing bass gently through high pitches and noise through to an almost inaudible finish, track 2 is similar in sound, only the sequence is altered, whereas the last track is made from controlled low gong like sounds at static twittering.. one suspects this like the rest might have some meaning, which (to make a spark if not strike the match) is the problem. “There is no signified”… and sadly with this ‘lack’ the sea kissed shores of the coral islands have long ago seen the last B52 and Dakotas depart… what is left other than self amusement and hope is only of interest to the anthropologists or naive liberals (the ones who fund ‘the arts’). (jliat)

Address http://www.myspace.com/markosinai

Address http://www.myspace.com/torarobit

BACILLUS ANTHRACIS (b-card CDR by iheartnoise/cipherproductions)

A tiny Business CDR yet with 4 tracks but only 5 minutes in a Biohazard warning clear envelope with printing on clear plastic. 1 sheet detailing the tracks the other detailing the background of the bacterium, its discovery, and effects. Much more information @ http://bacillus.webs.com/research.htm . The tracks sound like their description made from “various detritus of society in basic analog formats and treat them as disease does to a body; I break it down to a point where it becomes an organic slush, and then move on to the next host”… being naughty I’m tempted to argue that eukaryotic cells themselves (and all the evil therein) were a result of a prokaryote failure at producing slush… so the only risk is that Bacillus’ activities might be more harmless and creative than is first made obvious, even to the extent that the target host cannot be an apple mac due to the format… There is obviously much more to be said, especially to anyone who doesn’t “get” noise, and just what it is, is it the disease or the symptom of a disease? Another important decision to be made, but having got the message - that of the deconstruction – of DNA, code, language, culture, growth, structure, coherence, one is not left with an alternative but with the violence of truth which does not lie anywhere outside, strangely noise passes itself on yet fails to be communicable, well this kind of noise. Well I’d argue that this “is” the only kind of noise which is noise.. which at one time and in one perspective would be impossible to prove, however the lack of communication is a proof, and a transcendental absolute in itself, in Brassier’s nihilism “the organon of extinction… cancellation of sense, purpose and possibility” yielding the actuality of ‘the thing in itself’ of OOP and Meillassoux’s infinite if negative reconciliation with thought and the absolute – same thing?… blah blah blah… Yes! I should cut myself short here and cut to the chase, the B-Cdr is a perfect example of what noise is and recommended to those who know what it is and those who don’t. Fantastic stuff Peter- love your work. (Jliat)

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/

TORTURING NURSE IL COMUNISMO DOVEVA MORIRE (Cd by Mind Flare Media)

“Why noise from Japan was spectacularly good was that noise as miss-appropriation of western music in post war Japan was where miss-appropriation of the west was paramount, removal of tradition in favour of day glo Elvis’s Whiskey made from genuine Scottish grapes and school girls in tartan mini skirts…” … discuss…. Or why miss-appropriation has now firmly shifted to China might be the explanation of the ability of Torturing Nurse to take over the incoherence of noise from the great masters of Japan, and that in there inconsequential screaming, noise and feedback is what they do so well, whether from design, pastiche or naivety, it doesn’t matter, all is symptoms without any traces, illness without disease, psychoanalysis of sanity, this is a culture which was never part of the monotheistic religions…judaistic calling which engendered the enlightenment and guilt, Freudian Oedipus or Marxist theory ,T.N. is a superficial image, a simulacra of the west without foundation or introversion, it has nothing to attack or demolish, so is pointless, nothing to solve or cure, the name itself silly lacking any psychosis of western introversion, those bare chested lot who miss mommy, no this is noise as noise for noise from noise and nothing else besides, and 74 minutes which is never enough. All those blokes in Texas half drunk on Budweiser with their effects pedals, guitars and toys should take a listen and weep, no not weep, too much weeping already, maybe then get washed have a shave and get a job at HMV in the local mall, or else take up the dizi, sheng, paigu, paixiao, guan, erhu, zhonghu, dahu, banhu, jinghu, gaohu, gehu, yehu, cizhonghu, diyingehu, leiqin, guqin, sanxian, yangqin, guzheng, ruan, konghou, liuqin, pipa, zhu????? (jliat)

www.http://www.mindflaremedia.com/ http://www.cathnor.com/

ERNST KAREL ANNETTE KREBS FALTER 1-5 (Cd by Cathnor Recordings)

PATRICK FARMER DOMINIC LASH BESTIARIES (Cd by Cathnor Recordings)

“Falter 1-5, a duo electroacoustic improvisation recording by Ernst Karel and Annette Krebs” is lo-fi and disturbingly panned across the stereo field of short pulses and silences, as the artwork suggests very minimal micro sounds – painfully careful constructs of detritus sounds, mains hums, vinyl surface noise, microphone fumbles, all minuscule non-entities of sound, like pocket fluff, carefully placed in silences and panned with watchmaker precision across the stereo field. Very much “compositions” of found? sounds remarkable in their inconspicuousness … perhaps bringing attention to a world focused on the macrocosm the micro, though I find the carefulness, fragility and perhaps sincerity and thoughtfulness strangely out of place in the current epoch in which the gentle only serves as decoration, and the trivialities are not precious and marginalized but rendered in neon. If Falter was micro sound then Farmer and Lash in what is called an acoustic improvisation is not more of the same but less into the non existent… Patrick farmer – percussion – Dominic Lash – double bass. This micro sound ‘music’ exudes a seriousness that should be respected, it makes a specifics of sound exploration which is strangely incongruous, even using headphones and at full volume ‘external’ sounds dominate, and performance thus becomes problematic, and I don’t think such ‘problems’ as externalities are helpful or intended as the ‘compositions’ have a kind of logic and coherence of their own… an inner and other world – removed from this one, one that I find impossible to communicate with.(jliat)

http://www.cathnor.com/

MOHA! KRIISKAV VALGUS (7 inch+ booklet by Le Petit Mignon)

I will try to be as least obscure as possible …. The Le Petit Mignon label has produced some remarkable material bringing together graphic art and extreme music in beautifully crafted and presented 7 inch vinyl releases, and this current release is no exception. Mohan! A drum guitar duo pour out a stream of high octane sounds of beats and noise which is both harsh, alarming and beautiful. Anyone interested in extremes of musical production which pushes playing into noise or noise into playing would find both sides of the white vinyl a delight. And now sounding like one of those daytime TV sales shows – ‘It doesn’t stop there!’ because as well as the sonic gem, hopefully a fitting crystalline metaphor for the sound, you get a 12 page screen printed book by of Bongožt. (Berlin based graphic artist duo). It’s a perfect match, I love the wonderful transparent layering of rich screen ink in vibrant florescent reds, dull black and greens of photomontage and abstract imagery. That together with the white vinyl and its caustic rhythms and sound washes makes the whole production into a beautiful object. I should say art object, it’s a pity when so much mediocre ‘stuff’ is to be found these days that these releases don’t get more credit. Anyone from musician to graphic designer should check out this and the rest of the series, because I’m sure they will one day be seen as something significant in whatever the future will call this period in art history. I cant say it any simpler than that can I? (jliat)

Address http://www.staalplaat.com/search/catalog/309

GERRITT WITTMER VESSEL (LP by Misanthropic Agenda)

Not Breathing Vesica Piscis Desert (7inch by Misanthropic Agenda)

Gerritt Wittmer is a sound and performance artist… his work uses “theatrical lighting” and “body performance”, unfortunately not presentable on audio vinyl, because the cover art shows an old wooden trunk or chest, and there is talk of physical confinement and isolation – which is penetrated and so a vast new world is suddenly accessible. That’s not me I’m paraphrasing the press release, most of the LP is near silent, with a bit of heavy breathing , muffled human and what sounds like rodent noise. I’m supposed to say something else, my mind is a blank with indifference, I don’t understand what any of this is about, the phrase ‘pretentious nonsense’ drifts through my mind like the smell of Italian cooking, but I like Italian cooking… Not breathing uses more found sounds, mains hums, whales? Though probably not, synth swathes which fade into operatic singing and fire bells, Vesica gives us rubbing noises in an old piano frame, escaping stream, echoy feedback with reverb and a side serving of garlic bread, if only. Perhaps the best of the offerings though, Motown meets Darmstadt?(jliat)

Address http://www.misanthropicagenda.com/releases.html

ISA CHRIST CRUUDEUCES HUMAN ERROR (7inch by Idiotunderground)

Cruudeuces, as I’m in descriptive mood, sounds like seagulls and drone synth, low key and is not surprisingly called “gull slang”, my best put down would be ’40 years ago and a ton of L.S.D. this wouldn’t be half bad… ‘ ouch!… moving swiftly on…Isa Christ is next up. More sound effects, distorted car crashes against the sounds of the Martians from the old War of the Worlds film, some submarine noises, and disco cows in a dentists, actually when it all gets jamming this sounds very good, kind of The Clangers do Bob Marley (for non UK residents & youth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HArUmqqiL0s) oh and the soup dragon, escaping in a motor boat – or is it the Queen Mary, being attacked by a U boat – manned (or whatever cows do) by above mentioned cows some of whom are stampeding whilst playing saxophones. Brilliant, simply brilliant! Absurdity unlike the other material pushed to the extreme becomes literally ecstatic and *does* creative bizarre stupendous new worlds. Bravo! (Jliat)

Address http://ghettonaturalistseries.blogspot.com/

ALO GIRL CATHARSIS (3inch Cdr by Small Doses)

Harsh Noise Wall, (HNW) is the ‘Future Christ’, or if you’d prefer a more explanatory term – in Laurellean – ‘The Future Non Christ’, or even the future Socrates or Future Non Socrates, though I doubt the latter as it (HNW) doesn’t in my opinion amount to a dialogue, more than a monologue, it is a parable - certainly this piece might be? or perhaps even a miracle. An exegesis of HNW might find it miraculous, or perhaps some would prefer ‘monstrous’, a Frankenstein creation, "the future is necessarily monstrous: the figure of the future, that is, that which can only be surprising, that for which [they] are not prepared, you see, is heralded by a species of monsters" (Derrida).” However its domestication might prove harder, surely the next battle will be that of appropriation, we wait to watch how and when the current Caesars will transform into Popes… but for the moment, these may be last days in many ways, we see signs such as Catharsis, and ask is this the ‘future Christ’ or ‘Future John the Baptist’, merely! making way and not worthy to do up his shoelace? How much does it dwell in the wilderness, within its walls a slight tremble is to be found, (“What is the- I and what becomes of responsibility once the identity of the I trembles in secret?" - Derrida (The Gift of Death)) or tremble in the face of this coming monster, like a reed shaken by the wind, that noise of the whirlwind, the breath of God, Derrida’s deadly foe, phonocentrism as the God Monster roars? “And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?” So though we might be witness to the breath about one who will yet come, or perhaps the actual breath of God, it strangely leaves for me presently the role of merely holding coats, “And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.” (Jliat)

Address http://www.small-doses.com/doses/90/dose90.htm

NIGHT SCIENCE IV (Book and CD by Cipher Productions)

An A5 book with interviews live reports and reviews. The Cd contains tracks by Hum of the Druid, Raiobashi, Golden Serenades, Kazumoto Endo, Dieter Muh, The Haters and Halthan, who you would guess are the interviewees. I quite like this kind of thing, even though you might not think so from what I will go on to say, it’s a pleasant winter read and the interview thing is very much a “Why did you” … kind of thing, that you get in magazines everywhere, obviously that’s a disservice but space prevents anything more than the superficial, and perhaps a nostalgia for the printed text in an age where youtube is replacing Wiki and Google as the fount of knowledge, or should this now be called the cloud of knowledge. It does make for an interesting project in that we can hear both the sound and something of the motivations behind its creation, unfortunately in the main it seems to be of a fairly anecdotal level, ‘what do you use?’, ‘who do you work with?’, ‘how do you do it’?… and the confusion that aesthetics is something to do with either packaging or equipment, certainly no attempt at transcendentalism, or critique of it.. IOW everything is acceptable and accepted, indicative are phrases like “retro feel”, Britain is an Island”.. and “there wasn’t any conscious reason..” but sadly no attempt at a Freudian or any other exposition or any existentialist denial, I’m very much afraid these works sit on the coat tails of others, not Gnosticism either or no wave… As I seem to be giving this a negative review and await the flak, fully acknowledging my inabilities, I might as well say that the whole thing is summed up by the illustration on the back of the book, to the by line, ‘Lusting quality noise since 2002’ (quality noise – oh?) the B&W pic of a clean and neat young lady in stockings peek-a-boo revealing nothing, not even as raunchy as a Marks and Spenser’s lingerie Ad. Certainly nothing here to frighten the horses… Ouch! So that’s another zine where jliat is verboten! There was no indication of the price of this book, or any subscription, but perhaps its more sporadic than periodic, however I do hope they make subsequent publications which might be more ‘risky’? an address for anyone interested, Cipher Productions, P.O. Box 169, Newtown, Tasmania 7008 Australia, [email protected].(jliat)

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/

N. MACABRE LUST DESTINATION MORGUE (2x Cdr by Cérebro Morto)

First off a label that’s scary in itself – the Cdrs have paper texts glued precariously to them, one can imagine them detaching in the player and either bursting into flames or wrapping themselves around various vitals of the machine…these are live recordings by n. “one of the most important acts out of the Italian death industrial movement..” though wiki proof and google less, I suppose industrial in that there’s mechanical pulses, death because someone’s making growling noises – or it might be electronic, And the usual reverb swathes…sci fi bleeps and whooshes that are incredibly nostalgic now, but not to the conventional listener perhaps who is too young to remember Dan Dare, and even myself – back then so young (sigh!) I couldn’t read, I could only look at the pictures, honest gov. This whole caboodle could high jack the speculative realists or whatever, the alien nation, (alienation ugh!) not of the TV series, or the film which I didn’t think much of, the negro slave, black American parallels all too obvious? and a chilling justification for white supremacy just under the surface, - i.e. liberal understanding and toleration as the most powerful fascist force yet to be observed… no not that but the semi impenetrable doctoral thesis by one Ray Brassier which needs photon torpedoes and laser blasters to get through - called ‘Alien Theory’… Its transcendentalism Jim but not as we know it…” By dissolving the respectively ‘materiological’ and ‘phenomenological’ amphibolies which are the result of the failure to effect a rigorously transcendental separation between matter and concept on the one hand, and between phenomenon and logos on the other” - whoosh, zip, zap… “You are a fool Dan Dare, within three minutes I will be aboard my spaceship with all my treens, and I shall be escaping the explosion by which you will have caused your own death!”…. “a transcendental theory of matter, uncontaminated by the bounds of empirical perception and free of all phenomenological circumscription….” Wow! – you just have to believe that this ‘music’ just totally illustrates this stuff! though cleverly I haven’t said (and will not) which, Dan Dare or Speculative Realism, but surely not both!? Not even the evil Mekon or Ray Brassier could do that? but maybe Ian Bogost, perhaps? (jliat) (evil laugh…)

http://www.myspace.com/cerebrodomorto

SPRUIT BITS ‘N BLOCKS (CDr by Soul Shine Through)

TUSK BUG (Cdr by Stuart Chalmers)

Bug is ten tracks of modulated oscillations made using a Bugbrand Weevil, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqiFxnvUBb0) Stuart Chambers makes what are in effect electronic ‘field recordings’ using this device which have affinities with zoologica each of the 10 tracks could be considered as vitrines or aquaria, some sparsely inhabited, to the extent that the creatures are hardly to be seen, as in some reptile houses where all that appears in the exhibit is its food, and a few dry branches, has the creature escaped, is it buried, non-existent or so well camouflaged that’s its probably the supposed dead branch, or like the plants Lithops – living stones, sometimes actually long dead, on some tracks it might just be the mechanism of reproduction that is the significant sound. An ecology of electronica. Bits ‘n blocks is well titled and another electro zoo or small cyborg insects… I recently played with a radio which could receive short wave transmissions, sadly these are – well maybe not sadly, devoid of the strange signals of maritime communications, scraps of Morse code and other radio modulations, replaced by FM and satellite communications? all has here become if not HNW then mostly white static, which elsewhere I could consider a progress? The only remnants of a once lively shortwave ecology is to found now in the sub genre of digital simulacra of long dead analogue worlds. (jliat)

Address www.myspace.com/spruit

Address [email protected]

DISSECTING TABLE CHAOS ATTRACTOR (CD by R.O.N.F. Records)

As if to please some authority without authority, the taxonomy of this is extreme noise, what someone called average noise, in that it has no surprises and is not radical, as I’ve read elsewhere, one track – which once it gets started is a cacophony. I do not want to annoy any radicalists “out there” – well perhaps I might, but all the talk of radical and harsh and wall as well as Ad Reinhardt misses the point, and I’m not saying there is no point. The very plasticity of the work, melting Godzilla’s and Atari computers doesn’t deny the analytical – it’s simply not there, and not by being overwhelmed, or ‘being’ in a certain sense. Such analysis will render a disappointment and perhaps the alternative is too ‘continental’. Or all too quickly overcome. My point then is this, its all too easy to account for HNW in conventional, dialectic, (even a version of Marxism will do quite nicely, and perhaps situationism, so the likes of Vomir and Rita can be accommodated) But that is why this work appears “average” when of course both it and the concept has lost its meaning, or better is simply somewhere else. This noise is not “different from” in that it is actively and radically “playing” within some dialects which not only might but does include music, and so for all its difference a *wall* is the point of the dialectic, here no such process can take place, it is in effect a colourless colour, understood in the conventions of radicalism as grey, even a terminal grey, but again that is mistaken. It is in fact, and facticity rather than minimalism (HNW) abounds – here – a difference far far more profound, a transcendental difference in itself, and so subject to all that this implies, a similarity or return that is both eternal and eternally novel. Of course this may sound impossible, but there it is, a possibility that with work, hard work can be understood as something which escapes radicalism. And (of course) in its novel eternal return it admits to the fact which sounds strange of being generated by the apriori past. I’d very much like to be more clear, especially to the analytical, scientific, mathematical mind, as this is not some lit crit metaphysical nonsense (in the Sokal sense or any other) so if you wonder how a wall can be “breached” without either its overcoming or its destruction, retreat, to music, opera, the average, then wiki tunnelling electron, for a more technical account as to how the average can overcome something physically, intellectually, whatever – superior. And if you think that metaphor is incorrect excuse me and not this, I’m a poor reviewer. But more important than my standing - we need to “post it” this from now on in every discussion of HN and HNW as well as throwing the drowning musicologists a life line. (jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com

BEN BYRNE DISPOSITION (CDr by Avant Whatever)

I hate (well no more am mildly annoyed) by totalizing ethics, IOW the Daily Mail for those in the UK. Everyone wants to save the whale, and that doesn’t mean I’m a whale hater. Its just in its totalizing it ceases to say anything. The fact that this is produced on “100% post consumer” stuff is no doubt laudable, as is a bowl of bran flakes each morning. And the 5 tacks of lo fi electrontrica “experimental” Gunteresque works are OK. And that sounds damming and makes me feel wretched, but the only alternative turns me into a Republican who re-cycles his wine bottles. One of the (perhaps all too few?) good things about growing up was being able to pick your nose or bite your fingernails. You see I’m not even going to talk about the hypocrisy in globalization of NGOs – not because it’s a worthy thing to do, or not, and not because I’m a snotty cynical kid, more an old curmudgeon – so please take pity on me. (oh and James Lovelock --- te he) (jliat)

Address http://www.avantwhatever.com

MARANATA TOTAL REPAIR (Cd by ohm records)

“Dag Stiberg: Saxophone/Voice/Electronics, Jon Wesseltoft: Electric Guitar/Electronics, Kjetil Manheim: Percussion, Cover by Lasse Marhaug” though despite its own attempt in text to locate it as “nekroimprov” this misses a significant idea with this sort of noise as extreme noise, once again a ‘non-radicalizing’ cacophony. Just what this non-radicalizing cacophony does is both complex and it turns out more radical than its critics envisage and it might be worth exploring this conceptually as the work does audiophonically, yet not as pure effect. Put simply improvisation in time allows time to dissolve the ego (hence I suspect the “necro”) I.E. the ego is a fiction textually of grammar, - but no more so than in music as ‘organised sound’ which even is brought to a kind of “safety” in Kantian transcendental categories, but which via extreme improvisation (here) removes the fiction of grammar, the idea of representation and the idea from this of identity. We represent identity in music (as organised sound) as much as anywhere else. This identity at its extreme is nothing other than God and the I (ego), the logos etc (word made flesh, Descartes’ cogito..). By not synthesizing ego out of time (which is music) extreme improvisation such as this becomes difference ~*within itself* i.e. the spontaneity (which is time) of extreme improvisation. It breaks up the religious synthesis of the ego and god from time which is nothing other than what all ‘music’ has been hitherto. Even in phenomenology ego is absolute subject post time, and extreme improvisation via its temporality breaks up even the transcendental ego of consciousness of phenomenology. And hence a radicalism which is not bound up in representing radicalism – difference from, but difference in, and radical in, as elsewhere its eternal return of the new. To try to be as clear as possible, on the one hand music which represents- represents something else, i.e. something other, god the ego et. al. as opposed to extreme improvisation’s time, which breaks up representation (repetition of sorts) by an internal repetition. Extreme improvisation in its repetition of difference creates a time, but a time ‘out of joint’ which never totally repeats itself, a true time of events (and so not of a continuous (timeless) representation of God / Ego) where all prior music once was religious, extreme improvisation like this is a spontaneous flow of time which is creative and affecting. This is fairly radical stuff, and I haven’t even begun to expand on what this means to *being*, Dasein…. But even the most religious would see improvisation as becoming rather than being? (jliat)

Address www.ohmrecords.no

+DOG+ BLISS (Cd by Love Earth Music)

+DOG+ ACOUSTIC SHADOW (Cd by Love Earth Music)

EN NIHIL THE ABSOLUTE (Cd by Love Earth Music)

+Dog+ is steve, bobby, lob, ed, sean, dav, andrew, fo, chad, taito, dustin, alison, geordan, josh, gitane , En Nihil is Adam Fritz. All three CDs consist of tracks which are openly thematic “Crown of Nothing”, “The dead will kill the living”, “Raining maggots”… dark ambient, low rumblings and distorted vocals… “illustrating a spectrum very few artists have explored this completely” – which is just the point at which we can begin what I would hope to be a positive critique. Essentially the question is what is a copy and how does it differentiate itself from an event or singularity, this raises the problem of genesis itself… however the idea that there is anything wrong with a copy is neither my concern or problem, that is what I wish to produce, a problematic of the copy. The origin is obvioius, species and genera occur from ‘events’ or individualizations of virtualities, by differenetiating themselves internally, they are not a comparison to an external form, spectrum, condition, or imprint of an idea or form (Platonic or expressive form – of emotion etc.), “of personal darkness, the cryptic savagery of human emotion” i.e. a track or a song that represents ‘something else’, an emotion an ‘image of thought’ is a copy. It is not the Aristotelian process of re–cognition re-presentation which is capable of being by becoming, or is ‘already there’ as a (Platonic) genre – “death metal” “Dark Ambient”, species and genera are the results of events, not copies of, representations, recognitions of “[e]verything from melodic "songs", tribal rhythms, ethereal drifts, dark ambient, chaotic harsh noise, rhythmic noise, cut-up sound collages, noise ambient, field recordings and so on”, these are all species of ‘music’, and an illustration of them is nothing other than a copy, a re-presentation, and not the difference in itself which is the source apostori of species, and genera - ‘genres’ and genesis itself, even diseases, as an obvious biological empirical example familiar now to everyone, it is not from some comparative process that a new virus appears but via some internal difference within itself. Given this, there is now a framework with which to critique genre-ism in general which might be useful and ‘the problematic of the copy’, as is demonstrated here and elsewhere in art. (jliat)

Address www.loveearthmusic.com

IGORRR BAROQUECORE EP (12inch by aentitainment records)

I’ve been listening to this for sometime and still find it confusing, which may not be a bad thing. It is (perhaps) “A 12" vinyl in fullcolored sleeve featuring 6 tracks of a fresh new attempt of extreme music.”… which " guarantee a satisfying time of horribly entertaining breakcore..”, so amongst such rhythms? Adds pseudo baroque music, not so much pleasant as reminiscent of spoof comedy LPs of Spike Jones, or at this time of year the tradition of pantomime, but then it may well be – or at least is in intent it seems, more like Commedia dell'arte, which was and is taken more seriously.

My problem is as the confusion lifts that the mildly entertaining which all too quickly shifts into ‘corny’ can be excused, one can intellectualize even spiritualize pantomime, but that feat is more intellectual than artistic, and ‘guarantees’ and ‘satisfaction’ run counter to ‘extreme’ unless some derridian somersaulting is performed, but then the applause goes to the silver fox and not to the man dressed as a woman or woman dressed as a man. I always did prefer circus to panto… Maybe I should try another review, one in French letters – nudge nudge, “oh no you wont” (jliat)

Address http://aentitainment.com/vmchk/igorrr-nostril.html

MATTIN OBJECT OF THOUGHT (LP by Presto Records)

Art as sound can engage thought in a struggle for survival of the human species, the impact of this in Mattins’s work –here- processed soliloquies, is becoming yet more transparent. The materialism of thought and its relationship to capitalism is a response to something even more profound. Capitalism is a system, whether contingent or not and one even in the historicy of Marxism began with and is situated in agriculture. Agri culture here as agri, the beginning of culture and so a certain cultivation of the idea, its settling in a fixed point in both space and time, its finity, its fixation, psychosis, and its objectification of truth… objectification of thought, objectification of sound… philosophy with is cultured thought is always at war with the nomadicism of life, or the real, just as music is a violence against noise, (non music) which here both the seeming nomadicity of thought, (only an hallucination!) as speech, is in confrontation with the real. Both protagonists, the farmer and the nomad can be as simplistic as the farmer and the cowman, such as the objectification of capitalism for Mattin, the object of thought deals with some difficult problematics, improvisation, and capitalization, the manipulation of thought, its attempt at the radical real and its comodification in the work ethic, one which is governed by synthetic time, material – mechanical time and not the real radical time. The non-time of improvisation is replaced by the abstract time of thought, of history and of course both the western dialectics and the wild west’s de nomadification as successive waves of colonization of a land still called free, or of the free. The image of thought is attacked by the “Red”-Indians! i.e. Capitalism is attacked by the nomad. This recording is of thoughts which like the well known wagon train is forced on a circular defense of the radical real. All ideas revolve defensibility against the nomad, and as this record revolves, in speed and time, of mechanical time its very physicality, its analoguality allows nomadic infringements. This is not so much an object, but a scene from the war of the farmer against the nomad, the next skirmish after territorialization in the end of both music and philosophy. (jliat)

Address www.prestorecords.com

SLOW DEATH CDR01 (Cdr by Slow Death Records)

“4 tracks for 75 minutes of HNW. Sourced from radio, recorded & processed in 01.2011 by Ghost.” Harsh Noise Wall is the phenomenon of a certain discovery… not the truth of the meaninglessness of the outside world, but more itself inaccessibility, as a complexity of ideas and forces of a scale larger than the individual, human, mind, self, consciousness, concept, idea, image, composition, object… This external violence of forces (historical, technological, philosophical, scientific, mathematical, cultural, political..) often results in nihilism, the other(s) who are better, whose groups, matrix’s, sets, are larger, infinite, stronger and so generates the total ineffectuality of the individual as individual which may inhabit this nihilism is in fact empty of that, which is to say it’s a realization of the REAL as REAL and not as an external hallucination of culture, art, i.e. great music… and this realization is incomprehensible to the other, e.g. it is noise, an incomprehensible wall, an insurmountable wall which encloses the real from the colonialization and subjectivation of the other.. as such it is 1) Incomprehensible 2)Perfect 3) Real. A cancer FOR the other, an eye that sees as eye without brain, a leg which walks without a body, a sound which is sound without a form. (jliat)

Address www.slowdeathrecords.blogspot.com

WASTELAND JAZZ UNIT / TIGER HATCHERY – SPILT 7" (7inch EP by Gilgongo Records)

An interesting disc as it shows a drift, evolution, devolution in free Jazz towards noise, though this would be a mistake, mistakes of appearance in nature also can fool the evolutionist. Tiger Hatchery is unmistakable free jazz in the tradition and recognition that makes it hard to say why the term “free” can now be applied, as its anything but free, as specific as a Big Mac rather than a Whopper… though I suspect the term is one of difference from what was once a more tight musicology, in pushing freedom we can arrive at something which sounds like noise, Wasteland Jazz Unit’s drums and reeds have almost but not quite disappeared into a miasma of sound. I say sound and not noise, just as a triceratops is no relation to a rhinoceros or a whale shark is far removed from a whale, though appearance and diet might hide the biological fact, noise is not a release from the constraints of music, even though it is free of them, its freedom is not an evolutionary step but a radical alternative… Still enjoyable listening is to be had here, but its music and musicians, all the way down, or rather still pretending that horizons can be traversed… cutting edge… etc. High Modernism at its best. (jliat)

Address http://www.gilgongorecords.com/

GUITLY C PATO SPLIT (7" by le petit mignon)

Another wonderland of vinyl and graphic screen printing in a series which if you are not collecting for its aesthetic you should just for its particularity, an investment in jewelry as this is again a sparking thing as well as ‘musical’ release. Half musical half noise, Pato’s contribution is a delightful mix of electronics and sound structures, (remember the word) electro tapas in a delightful sunny setting… constructed… whereas Guilty C is harsh white noise with underlying hum – a kind of AC mains, the sound unrelentingly spirals towards nowhere, literally, though noise is of course illiterate, as if you didn’t know, a phenomenological actuality rather than a metaphysical father Christmas, Husserl wouldn’t like it - which is a pity as it achieves something he failed to, you know, produces an epoché. (jliat)

Address www.lepetitmignon.com

BLUE SABBATH BLACK FIJI MISTAKE OF A SMALL BIRD (LP by Feeding Tube Records)

A rock pop album of 8 tracks, despite what you may read elsewhere, dominated by a drum beat and cymbals, four four on the floor, metal guitar riffs and crescendos an attempt- only that, worthwhile of any Kerrang reader. 8 tracks of what could be just another rock and roll jam session, but angst free, the blurb says you could dance to this, and you could, even hoedown to it, slapping thighs, but tastefully, nothing to do with noise, more to do with a good session in the pub after football, Chas and Dave rather than Gilbert and George… Of course the whole thing could be a post-modern ironic gesture – ‘Gertcha’!!!! (jliat)

Address http://www.feedingtuberecords.com/

ALOIS RICHTER MODULATED WHITE NOISE (Cdr by Slow Death Records)

THE SANDMAN WEARS A MASK SLEEP FOREVER (Cdr by Slow Death Records)

This is noise and… the world (event… reality…life world…) in many philosophies, for instance Deleuze – is seen as an actualization of a virtual plane, where virtual is a possibility and not a cybernetic emulation or simulation…. And its true that some contemporary musicians are taken with such philosophies… whereas there is an enormous amount of negative prejudice and misunderstanding regarding noise and HNW in particular – even from its adherents. A confusion that it is somehow nihilistic.. etc etc.. Whereas in simple matter of factness Noise and HNW in particular represents The Real… unlike organised sound i.e. MUSIC. Which is not (yet) to say its better or good or bad.. The audio CD (such as these) will do fine to represent a virtual plane and show that certain actualizations are less prejudiced, less privileged than others … A CD contains 6265728000 bits which means there are 2 ^ 6265728000 possible / virtual CDs of which the current stock is a very small fraction. A true representative sample of this virtuality would/should in most cases be noise, and HNW at that… what accounts then for the non-representative nature of all the stuff in HMV, even in the classical and contemporary ‘classical’ sections? is that it is privileged. And what is wrong with that, well nothing yet, but it is predicated on the prejudicial (pre judged un-just) privileging of humanity. Its (is it!) both obvious and reasonable that MUSIC as a human product should be humanist, or phallogocentric? And its not that it could not be otherwise, if it were to be REAL….. most of us have dumped the supposed physical privileged position of the earth and humanity post Copernicus? The physical real no longer revolves around us, why then does art and especially MUSIC continue to present such a false image? Admittedly there is some disquiet about sexism racism and capitalisms privileging! but the inability to locate the problem is the metaphysical nonsense masquerading as being meaningful and important- masquerading, and not being representative of reality, at all. Modernity argued (I don’t particularly think you have to follow this line) that truth is beauty… ergo HNW is beautiful- that’s these two Cds . And in post-modernist terms? in lacking privilege, even lacking a denial of critique, they are not deconstructable, they are (JUST) noise, JUSTice…but if (on the other hand) MUSIC is beautiful (good, truthful, worthy?) its because it (its advocates) sees humanity as, in a vast universe (of sound) divinely privileged, in Gods image, why else does it single out such minorities to actualize in a given virtuality? Musicologists and pop-pickers alike are all dreaming of angels dancing on pin heads, how long before music and the arts wake from their “dogmatic slumbers” – can they not hear something, anything other than what they want to hear? (jliat)

Address slowdeathrecords.blogspot.com

CAVE BEARS TRAGIC CEREMONY (Cassette by Ozonokids)

Part screaming and distorted pulses, young girl singing to acoustic guitars, drums and guitars singing, all lo fi out of tune snatches of music, movie films, overloaded tape… a general mix of domestic sound objects resembling a ‘found’ montage of notes, photographs and debris drunken parties messing with stuff, autobiographical, psychoanalytical dream associations, and in-jokes polished as art then discarded. Installations of old stuffed toys and Barbie dolls, cigarette cards and DC comics… poignancy of the pointless, the deification of the banal.. I’m sympathetic with all of this, it’s the human condition from the inside, even truth… and my sympathies could go along with this if it were not for in its inclusiveness, like a family to which one doesn’t belong, though it survives and thrives, from the outside one is like the one who doesn’t know the in-joke, like the child who doesn’t understand the grownups or the grown up who doesn’t understand the child, one is made to feel terribly alone. In my loneliness I could walk the street or lanes of Warwickshire, but that would mean nothing to you, or these or even myself now… its an answer but in the end not a comfortable one. And me – I don’t see why I can’t eat the porridge which is ‘just right’. (jliat)

Address http://www.ozonokids.com/

CAUSTIC CASTLE THREE UNTITLED (Cdr by Dim Records)

STABWOUND EMPIRE VASECTOMY (Cdr by Dim Records)

CCs 3 tracks are of live events, though recorded not via the ambient sound but directly, all are electronics, probably analogue devices modulating and over modulating sine waves in various extremities of frequencies and volumes but unified in a wash of reverb which ‘holds together’ these pieces and so pushes them towards the musical. Stabwound, again 3 pieces (ignoring the titles!)… is harsh noise, cut up and overlaid, in the last track a repeated loop of sound which is not deconstructed but destructed in noise, by noise and with noise, though throughout the noise never attains a wall, it continually collapses. Each collapse a “scientific” anti musical paradigm shift of a less (but perhaps still present) phallogocentricism, an anti musicological materialism… The totalizing plane of transcendence which is wall noise (only) defines a(n absolute) limit, which is a plane where mankind can individuate in non sophistic, non-religious (of music) actualities, events… sound or sound art. Another plane has been produced of virtuality which is infinite in space (volume) and speed.. a plane where sounds can actualize themselves as univocities rather than signifiers, (of art, music, god, etc) an example of Laurelle’s One in the last instance in art, sound art, noise art- where music- the totalizing anthropomorphism (the decision of music!) is de-centred by the limit of noise in the virtual plane- which is like a Brassierean nihilism of extinction, and in the simple play of possibilities… contingencies which can now constitute an object as such….. In simple terms what Harsh Noise Wall (amongst others – it is not a representation but a repartition of very large or infinite number) has done in its destruction of Music’s pseudo religiosity is opened up a new set of possibilities, its deterritorialization (of music) has created by re-territorialization the possibility of sound works (i.e.) of difference and repartition, as if the object as such was not possible, is now present, at the end an example of pure imagination as event and entity in time.

(jliat)

Address http://dimrecords.wordpress.com/

CHEFKIRK SOFT PROPAGATION (Cdr by DumpsterScore Home Recordings)

"using nothing more than a no-input mixer, boss sampler and a micro-cassette recorder... walls of feedback, micro-tonal rhythms.." ..There is a decisional dialectical "splitting" of the world according to on-philosophy - a decisional sufficiency towards the Real (as singular) a claim which noise places ALL sound "on an equal footing"- I'd rather speculate and say a "scientific footing". "All concepts are welcome, so long as they leave their implication in Decisional sufficiency at the door.". All sound articulates, actualizes, articulates across a plane only when it leaves such decisions which are music, musical, not at any door, a door is yet another decision, logic gate, law. a propagation in time via causality. Doors are casual , decisional in every instance, limits are not only decisions but become finite, the causality of the finitude of the feedback of a no input mixer, now a token of experimentation in the tradition of all that is philosophic, by 'distinct paths' is axiomatically decisional, but ultimately a decisional machine as finite and casual as any piano forte. It is a philosophic mistake to attempt to solve such problems as feedback loops that is such a disappointment in this piece. Experimentation with whatever form is not in art, science but a pseudo science, a pseudo music which longs for the imaginary real, which longs for the metaphysics of truth rather than anything else. Recourse to a metaphysics of sampling is an input, a musical trope which renders the piece senseless and empty. I mean if you are using 'nothing more' but include a sampler - what is left out, how is this sampled cosmos accommodated with a system which allows no input? Trickery and jiggery pokery. (jliat)

Address http://www.dumpsterscore.org/

ARVO 333 (Cd by no label given)

An series of electronic illustrations of an emotional infatuation with 333 industrial work with a long history of its gestation, a Salvador Dali work if ever there was one in industrial music… played in various venues and group members and none over 11 years.. “with a sample-based material ranging from madly structured pseudo-classical, swing jazz, or exotica to industrial, noise, drone…” which accounts probably for its over worked ornate baroque features… just summarizes, encapsulates the virtual modernity and spaces we now find ourselves in, in its eclectic disgust for the present it has to be a remarkable critique, I cant say I like it, but then I don’t particularly like the current situation, or were the paintings of Francis Bacon pretty… it should be played for 24 hours over all media worldwide, and then humanity might see sense and in doing so as Camus advised commit mass suicide thus saving what is left of the planet…. to the seagulls outside this apartment now..(jliat)

Address http://nopartofit.blogspot.com/

GHOST PROCESSION (CDr by Slow Death Records)

Becoming now familiar red and black esoteric printed voodooistic photos of another slow death records release, and again maintaining the coherence of HNW. Four tracks of Wall Noise. Out of a passing interest reading other reviewers attempts to grapple with the Wall, endless descriptions and advejectival sentences and paragraphs of now redundant semantics, syntax and grammar, strung out sentences along desert roads resembling Gaddafi’s burnt out tanks and armour. Feeble attempts to humanize the inhumanity of the Wall, sounds of galactic meaninglessness – look ma I can do it too, but only fall target to another Brimstone missile… there is something metaphorical in the missiles ability to decide for itself the target, its two phased warhead, the first to overcome active armour the second to destroy …. In a sound which if drawn out would mark another anti-syntactical expression of the Wall… the only hint of humanity is the succession of catalogue numbers or the missile’s collective algorithm to allow several missiles to pick off successive targets in turn… (jliat)

Address slowdeathrecords.blogspot.com

MICHAEL GARDINER COURSE OF THE SYMPTOM (CD by Visceral Media Records)

Rarely is someone with a formal and recognized institutional academic background able to both use this and reject it in relation to composition. Bernard Shaw is not the only amateur to throw doubt on the academics ability to compose freely, and I’m well aware of such institutions and their priorities and hierarchies which require careful negotiation. Yet Gardiner, here using as a source ‘discarded piano variations’ processed, synthesized and distorted by a wave editor into what is at most times unrecognizable sounds, noise, has achieved something quite remarkable. Though Gardiner might regard this work as more an iconoclastic ‘blast’ at the past, I’m more inclined to see it as a deconstruction, which is a positive trope, something long long overdue in music, to render it like others plastic arts ‘real’ for the first time in centuries. And to take a big risk I’m saying that this is a deconstruction which both puts into question, suspends, and animates the Hegelianism which all music was hitherto attached. Remarkable.(jliat)

Address http://www.visceralmediarecords.com/

DEMONOLOGISTS MISCARRIAGE OF THE SOUL (Cdr by Crucial Blast)

If ever there was a case of justifying the “intentional fallacy” then this release might be an excellent example. With the title of both producer and product, the plastic DVD case with B&W skulls, a sticker and a badge, track titles such as "Necro Prayers" and "Chalice Of Snake Venom And Piss" one could be excused for imagining the actual sound on the CD would be gothy/emo neo-psychedelic fake Satanist rubbish. But its not, the actual sound works despite the blurb’s Vincent Price approach to critique are well constructed. Somewhat theatrical, and too theatrical in places - but nowhere like the ghost train propaganda which surrounds it, with some judicial editing, but little, just to remove those more trippy patches and a repackage, re title and you’d have a respectable (if you can use that word) work of minimal noise wall, which merely in its presence would not need the all trappings… but that might not be at all the intention of the artists and producers concerned with this release, which of course brings us back neatly to my opening remark regarding the intentional fallacy, despite what appears could place the work into the skip marked ‘cheap kitsch’ – it materializes itself as a remarkable work of abstract sound. (jliat)

Address (http://www.crucialblast.net/)

PETER J. WOODS/WAPSTAN SPLIT (Cdr by Brise-Cul Records)

Supposedly a split, this is 14 tracks, though its difficult to tell if these 14 tracks relate to the two titles given on the sleeve, it might then be a simple case of miss identity, I don’t know?... a collage of musical snippets, fanfares and scrapings, a long noise wall which fades into soft vinyl noise… and hums etc. distorted speech / guitar ambient space trippery synths… a contingency which is not decisional, or even intelligible, poetic in a Joycean sense, though perhaps at times a little too poetic? And wasn’t James Joyce writing quite awhile ago? So maybe too decisional, too intelligible? I could say that I like the undecidability of the work, but I don’t, its far too musical for that, and so strangely political… human all to human, whether it be deadly serious or a dadaesque joke I find it in the end chauvinistic- but that’s not the word either, difficult listening? I think in the end I suspect politicizing even if using harsh noise wall, but I guess that makes it a kind of ‘capitalist’ appropriation of noise, which there is nothing anyone can do about… I maybe should explain ‘capitalist’ here, it treats sound as a commodity… so sets up a system of values – obviously not monetary- with which it both negotiates internally and externally with the listener, have I just defined music? If so that’s what it might be, and you know I don’t like music.(jliat)

Address http://kvlt667.com/

DOODSHOOFD POLITIESTAAT (CDr byDoodshoofd)

In a sense Harsh Noise Wall lacks ambiguity and so the role of the critique might be to provide it. A sample from any of theses 7 tracks could be regarded as simple in that its not music but a field recording of some cosmic, meta cosmic micro cosmic event, a seismic trace of raw data from the LHC. Its reasonableness then is what obfuscates it, and yet recent history shows both the dangers of the poetic, and philosophy as poetry, and its consequences in a even newer and more naive scientism. Ecological, cosmological, facts… what is needed is something non wikiable and yet not some Yiddish momma talk. Its as if art has lost its subject, as if Bloom orbits Dublin in a circle, that history is the history of events. Doodshoofd maintains that sounds speak for themselves, yet sounds are silent, having neither ears nor mouths… what is it outside the event… what is the event at heart it’s the thought that you are unconscious on an operating table about to soon awake. That everything meaningful is your imagination and only the obscure and confused is the real. Here I send you on a fools errand to listen to this noise and see if you can hear faintly the surgeons conversations… and then how ridiculous this would be…(jliat)

An Address http://soundcloud.com/doodshoofd

ZYRTAX? SOLDIERS OF THE MOON (CDr by ????)

Manipulated analogue synth sounds, though I suppose this could be a digital simulation, rhythmic hums and filter sweeps, spring reverb, perhaps?, thematic compositions of near and non and tonal music…clicky beats even.. I’ve listened to this several times now and still do not know what to make of it, though made it certainly was. I guess that would be a critique, that it cant be mistaken for anything real, unless real is the sci-fi future of the sound which once existed in the past. As if it were made by actual ring modulators and analogue tape, as if it were made in the 1950s it would gain a credibility which I find confusing, antique ‘modernism’ of a digital replica. Was it plugged in or is it a plug in? if I can steal a line from elsewhere..” The tortoise lays on its back, its belly baking in the hot sun beating its legs trying to turn itself over but it can't, not without your help, but you're not helping.“ prize given to the first correct answer- insert smiley emoticon here… (jliat)

Address Non given

THE HATERS VS FCKN BSTRDS (7inch by Dead Mind Records)

How to read this review. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 1. How does art work? Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 2. The Haters, some few minutes of metallic wall and feedback. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 3. 45 R.P.M. Single. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 4. American Juke boxes with lights.. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 5. Pin ball machines, Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 6. Atoms and electrons in space. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 7. The universe, a child’s address… England, Europe the world the solar system the galaxy the universe. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 8. How does art work like synapses in the brain a mesh, the internet, in multiple ways. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 9. Fckn Bstrds cut ups of collaged sound and vocals, Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 10. alzheimer's, dementia, Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 11. linear text and time… Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 12. vocal performance, Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 13. therefore a lesson for me, Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… 14. a mesh of objects. Think of a number between one and fourteen… go there… (jliat)

Address http://www.blutistzeit.nl/

FIRE IN THE HEAD/BEREFT – MA/PE/FU Vol. 1 (12inch by Existence Establishment)

Well I’m disappointed, maybe I just don’t get “power electronics” or industrial, here we have two tracks of rumble through a reverb with someone chanting in that very ‘put on’ menacing way something or other, sounds important to him, Bereft, but in all the turgidness it loses me, FITH is more industrial PE rumble, this is a massive production of inserts picturing the familiar urban wastelands and old Cadillacs of the United States, not quite the trailer trash, but now oh so familiar like the groaning PE sludge quite soporific, but I take full responsibility, you see I don’t like opera and this is more operatic than soporific…. Perhaps...perhaps… It has something to say, its like Wagner but slowed down or some Russian soviet opera set in a light bulb factory in Minsk… all no doubt significant, important, the urban rusting automobiles a metaphor for humanity… an incisive indictment of capitalism and consumerism, but this whole thing is a massive product in itself, and only volume 1, how many more seals will be bludgeoned to death, how many more dolphins skinned in order to make volume 2? (jliat)

Address http://existest.org/

ZYRTAX BLACK ROOTS (7inch by Dead Mind Records)

Sounding at times like a slowed down petrol engine with digital glitches finally descending into clicks which sound looped like a dripping tap. Deep in the background are other random electronics, again looping seems to predominate, even with vocals which sound like – is it called dub? Given the digital precision its odd to hear a format which is so traditional in its staging… The metallic loops and moaning appear as if from a proscenium stage and act out their strategies for us, yet that is not quite right, we these days either interact, or else are totally isolated, you know, on the street all those people talking to themselves, are they on hands free cell phones, or psychos listening to ipods, it’s really hard to tell, I’m sure this government will twig and issue headphones to schizophrenics – much cheaper therapy than the talking cure or drugs, and we would no longer notice them… I’ve strayed from this review, but then its maybe because I’m simultaneously talking, to a friend or one of the many voices in my head? (jliat)

Address http://www.blutistzeit.nl/

BRUNO COSSANO LIVE IN PARIS 04.IX.1986 (12inch by Dead Mind Records)

Bruno Cossano was unknown to me until I received this, and not that much information or releases from “an early industrial artist” could I find– though this is not the soundscapes of reverb of the typical industrial track I’ve come to know. It’s a chaotic mixture of quite brutal ‘in your face’ sounds, no pretense at poetics – or rather the presentation of a new concrete and metal poetry, one which is constantly breaking itself up, loops are not digitally pure Microsoft/Apple productions but resemble actual machines breaking and missfunctioning, or being broken down as an act of anti mechanistic terrorism. All this makes a review difficult, always a good thing, as the work resists description, resists translation as Derrida would say, is idiosyncratic? For industrial strangely human, as if rather than exist in a dreamscape of deserted humanless urbanity it’s the destruction of the actual machine by actual flesh. A biological engulfing of the city and factory of a powerful humanism. (jliat)

Address http://www.blutistzeit.nl/

V/A PENUS RECTUS (7inch + Cd by Dead Mind Records)

Aube, K2, Lasse Marhaug, Masonna, Sin Crime, MSBR, DL Savings TX., Kapotte Muziek, Deathpile, Government Alpha, Macronyphia, Pain Jerk on CD, Prurient, Odal, Smell & Quim, Streicher on 7inch make this re-release 14 years after the original 30+ artist 3 cassette tape comp- a medium which went out and came back in fashion over that same time period. Comps make difficult reviewing, thankfully now reduced from the original cast one cant help wonder what happened to the others, we no longer have Lady Di, instead Lady Gaga who now is the first hit on google, which back in 97 was a year away from existence, though I cant believe we still have pop tarts, and of course I could do none of this without wikipedia, only 11 years old.. how did we live before google and wiki? Well anyway as you probably now know what many of these names sound like again my job is simplified, and if you don’t you can wiki and google.. something impossible in 97, all tracks relate to the male member though I’m not in the loop as to why, and wiki isn’t responsive to PENUS RECTUS.. so we are left in the dark, or rather its assumed now if its not wikiable its existence is in doubt? What is surprising is the amount of vocals on the tracks, the screaming sort which is now re-appearing, as some antidote to the incommunicable HNW? Pain Jerk, Government Alpha and Kapotte Muziek are notable exceptions… and I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I don’t particularly like being shouted at, and in these exceptions, strangely still the industrial roots can be heard, and here and there the signs of where this work might be going, though not progressing but multiplying into genres and repeating older tactics, sometimes successfully sometimes not. As an historical record its an interesting mix, though why not just repeat the original, after all though the cassette format was also pronounced dead, it is alive and well, and it has now gained an avant garde as well as noise/industrial elitism …and unbelievably we didn’t have mp3 players in 1997- yes they were the dark ages? Winamp was 1998! The ipod another three years away.. (jliat)

Address http://www.blutistzeit.nl/

GHOST VOLCANO TARKOUSKY (3inch Cdr by Rainbow Bridge Records)

What at first seems like a broken washing machine becomes more human obvious

vocalizations, humans attempting to be chimpanzees, set against lo fi

music, piano or keyboard of some kind and drum set. I've said before that

this kind of material reminds me of detritus, and that this was an

interesting portrait of modernity, though my critique was taken badly. I

cant say I like this kind of thing, but I can appreciate it, or to be an

absolute snob, I know what art is and this is art, but I don't like it. IOW

not I don't know anything about art but I know what I like, however this is

a problem, one that will throw out words like "elitist" and "ironic", to be

refuted by the artist's claims of simple sincerity.. cant help thinking I'm

writing myself into a lose lose situation.OK I'll say something meaningful

then finish, as good as it is this is clichéd, risks need to be taken these

days which are not deconstructive improv but moves towards the possibility

of absolutes, I recommend Ray Brassier's book Nihil Unbound.. The End.

(jliat)

Address www.hellorainbowbridge.com

GNAWED PURGE (C40 Cassette by Maniacal Hatred)

EN NIHIL PYRES (C40 Cassette by Maniacal Hatred) We live in strange times, strange because they don't seem strange, on UK's most popular TV channel (BBC 1) last week a man was shown dying, this was one of the highlights together with Doctor Who and the Eurovision Song Contest, which gives certain aesthetics of PE, Noise etc. a problem (or not). The event was defended by the conservative broad sheet Telegraph newspaper, whilst the tabloids were suitably outraged. The defense was of course "death is a fact of life": so is rape and murder, and murder without trial now is the de facto means of the worlds supposedly most powerful, moral and religious society. To return to my 'or not', talking to the purveyors of so called 'shocking material' - and by this I mean the noise, PE fraternity, their excuse / explanation for the Satanist / violence et al. is that it is simply NOT serious, not REAL. There is an obvious logic in these two violences, these two "reals" which the journalists at the Telegraph should be aware of, but perhaps are not, one aspires to truth, beauty and humanity.... the other to baseless violence and death. I was recently in the Musee Granet in Aix-en-Provence, where in case anyone isn't aware a certain artist- fairly unknown amateurish in his time produced paintings, which, in short, were to change the history of art. The small museum can only afford a couple of works, and a Picasso who's departure into cubism and the abstract art that follows is indebted to the insignificant man in Aix, why insignificant- because the museum is full of 'other' art, huge sculptures of naked classical men and women writhing about, which was at the time thought to be what art should be, no doubt for reasons competently opposite those of the modern journalists, who now see truth and not poetry and myth as important, important to show an 84 year old man die of cancer - rather than say an apotheosis of a saint. My point is very obvious and no doubt you saw it coming, but either these cassettes of modulated harsh noise wrapped in a Kitsch fake Satanist pretend violence and make believe nihilism- produced by, from conversations, very caring people of integrity, (rather than voyeurism / popularism) might be silly indulgences, or.. works of great seriousness. beauty. and import, something maybe in the blind spot of those who watch BBC 1 - and fatal accidents on youtube? Works which will one day not be forgotten popularist trash but the creative, re read - creative, human, 'just', spiritual - even- spark amidst all the popularist shit on the BBC and justified murder. P.S. I'm aware that this critique is corny, but I'm not working for the president of the USA or The Telegraph.. (jliat)

Address http://www.maniacalhatred.com/

BT.HN & SISTRENATUS EXPOSING THE RIBCAGE (Cdr by Existence Establishment)

Swathes of synth washes soaked in reverb, modulated oscillators fall and rise is gentle arpeggios of gently pulsing drones, rhythms emerge and sink from the miasma.... at places the textures gently thin, wisps of sound drift....great lumps of processed sound float in a sea of synthesizers.... an extravaganza of full Hi Fi stereos echo and reverb washes of huge menacing bass pads.... this is rubbish- is it, is it crass enough to be amusing, is it a sci-fi film track.... it might be true that those who play WOW should get out more.... that there aren't intergalactic cruisers and virgin princesses to quest for.... and continuing to believe in them after the age of 16 isn't psychologically good.... but then whole industries thrive on virtualities - economies and families... who am I or who is anyone to know better.... the total musicality of this work might be one huge ironic joke, it might not, it might be a modern space ballet.. Or a subtle move from the radical militant austerity of HNW, the move is towards Las Vegas and Disney interpretations of sound as pop soundscapes... it's a predictable enough move, eschews the bourgeoisie appropriation of militancy in pop phenomenon and explores Dadaist territory. To take the banal serious, been done before - sure - but to represent rather than repeat might steer the project away from intellectualism, a kind of KFC cultural revolution in HNW. (jliat)

Address http://existest.org/

MURDER CORPORATION SPLAT TV (DVD by Menstrual Recordings)

MURDER CORPORATION <<SCHWARZ>> (CD by Menstrual Recordings)

LASIK SURGERY AS ONE ENTITY (CD by Menstrual Recordings)

The DVD is made from previous VHS (1995/96) material which focuses on mutilated bodies and some Nazi film. The bodies are mostly murdered women, in one section the images have been superimposed with effects… or coloured washes applied… The sound track mechanical/industrial noises… <<SCHWARZ>> is a total black CDr- it contains 6 tracks of industrial noise- repetitive loops etc, which appears to be different on each channel, the 7 inch sleeve has a picture of a decomposing corpse. This again is a re-release, from a 1994 tape. As One Entity has looping drones + reverb with distant field recordings? … recorded in 2010, it comes in a digipack with a B&W out of focus – what appears to be a factory silo. There is nothing special about the sounds on these three releases, the M.C.s obviously exploit violence, in particular sexual violence against women and Nazi violence. L.S. is more concerned perhaps with de-humanisation via industrialization. All works if taken seriously I suppose involve a critique of humanity, or else involve either a macabre interest in it, or even a delight. They are not unusual, and a reviewer might be excused for seeming passé about such endeavours, failing to take the bait. Which is why I’ve been listening and looking on and off for weeks until today I’m forcing myself to write something, and something more than just a ‘so what?’ Yesterday, as you do, on you tube I stumbled across a U.S. Christian docu about the end of the world in December of 2012.. the Aztec thing, the pastor set out to prove its impossibility by reference to the bible, the proof being there wasn’t enough time between now and the end of the world in 2012 for the 1290 days of Daniel 12:11 or the 1260 days of Revelation 11:3… of Tribulation... if you want more of this insane thinking - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Tribulation... but... i should say BUT the pastor was very keen to explain that we were in the ‘last days’ – and proof was given from the bible, we are in a period of Wars, disasters, genocide, disease….. unheard of in history.. proof enough. Well proof of the effects of mass communication and the internet. Dickens starts his book A Tale of Two Cities by citing the times, as the best and worse.. as always, and I admit to being taken in by Tony’s “things can only get better”.. (I’m getting there..) so what do we do with the pornographers of hate, and sexual violence, and do I mean the TV evangelists or Industrial Nihilists. Most folk wisely ignore these J.W.s on the doorstep, but I’m so perverse and inhuman as to take these seriously, though not here in detail, simply put, in Theology there is The problem of Evil, but alternatively in Demonology- The problem of Good. Much work is now being undertaken in thinking – err that will never do…e.g. in speculative realism.. which is not afraid of the dark – or the light. (jliat)

Address http://www.menstrualrecordings.org/

SISSY SPACEK DASH (LP by Gilgongo Records)

As you know – John Wiese, Corydon Ronnau – here with Lasse Marhaug and Will Stangeland. “41 tracks of scathing sound”!!! Pubs (public houses) in England once sold Beer, and that was about it, now they sell mostly food, some gastro pubs at exorbitant prices, fine wine and imported Lagers.. the second rate will if you order a sandwich give you a plate of iceberg lettuce and other salads, a pile of crisps (US chips) and somewhere on brown bread made with gravel and dirt a thin slice of ham encased in Mayo.. So I was once in a Pub which boasted a Michelin Star, and ordered a sandwich, what and how, I wanted Beef on White bread… what did I get, Beef (very nice beef) on white (very good) bread. Moral, it takes a lot to spoil things, its why the Rolling Stones are simply the best Rock and Roll Band, Mick is a Michelin league pop star- keeps it simple, and of course the same applies everywhere. Keep it simple stupid… this is a very complex way of saying Dash is excellent pure noise music. If you don’t believe me there is “an audio sample here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ3kB_AZSUA” Hear what I mean? Michelin grade noise…! (jliat)

Address http://gilgongorecords.com/

DOODSHOOFD STIRNER RESONAN NOIA SPLIT (CDr by resdatcom)

A split, a dangerous acrobatics which exposes the genitalia to risk.. or the division of a living thing across the alter where the blood of life which is God’s is given back, or offered up is not a history but an act of non-time, split time…however 10 tracks on this “split” the 4 from Stirner certainly qualify for noise, preoccupations with pulses, I’m trying to formulate a non rational critique of the pulse, the repetition along the lines of the “identity of indiscernibles” but that too falls into the aporia of the rationalist idea of equality, that is how can two things be the same… you might like to re-read this to get the feel for the nonsense out of which sense is built, i.e. that the a priori is an a posteriori production… the 4 Resonan are micro electronic noise…with the final Noia track set in an industrial landscape. Played in reverse order this Cdr could map out the trajectory of noise over the last decade or so, like a missile shedding at each stage, atmosphere, techniques, until either an ordered equilibrium – or orbit- rhythm is attained or as in the case of HNW (Doodshoofd) the final product is a never ending? journey into a void without differentiation, beginning, middle, end, or meaning.

Address http://www.resonan.com/

+DOG+ FORCED MORALITY (Cd by Love Earth Music)

A cliché regarding Birmingham (England) is that it has more miles of canal than Venice, though narrow canals, navigations, hence the navvy- manual laborer canal digger- or cut… on an early Monday morning due to its non flow sports all the flotsam and jetsam of the weekend, bottles, plastic bags, styrene fast food boxes.. a poetics of another hedonist weekend, and/but strangely just below the brown surface perch swim, and a squadron of Canada geese patrol, while on the bank goslings graze… another more modern navvy is fishing out the debris with a net, while outside the café tables are arranged… such is post-modernity an eclecticism hard to define and so critique, one in which human and inhuman nature and the synthetic have despite all the ideologies, Marxism, Environmentalism, Socialism, Capitalism, Democracy, simply got on with life. A morality forced by an evolution which though may not have any cause certainly has an effect, which in turn is the bleak yet lively recordings found here of polluted/pure electronica sound - affect…

Address http://www.loveearthmusic.com/

KNURL REACTANCE (LP by Wintage records and Tapes)

Knurl = “Harsh Noise made from found objects and constructed metal sculptures” & “Knurl's objective is to take music and strip it entirely of what we know music to be: it’s rhythm, melody, vocals, even production quality”… there- I’ve said this before BUT NOBODY BELIEVES ME! Sorry its very hot, and that just gotta way from me… I’ll take a shower. Its as if …. Quoting myself” Its perfectly possible to listen to and enjoy the aesthetic sound of noise- though this is not new, one can and others have enjoyed noise- sounds of fireworks, thunderstorm, waterfall, sea breakers… Its perfectly possible to enjoy noise as an anti-music anti establishment – punk – nihilist rhetoric… but again that not new or particular to noise or punk- i.e. rock and roll… BUT a third option –which doesn’t exclude the previous two- is to see how its disengaged from the “perceptual” – and is engaging then “as the turn from “appearance” to “conception” Joseph Kosuth, from the era of taste to the era of meaning – Arthur Danto, from the specific to the generic (Thierry de Duve) …” But now slightly damp and much cooler - this is an excellent “performance” of more violent than harsh, but one suspects not in an overtly politico way? Five performances which if not moving towards the conceptual will be faced with the failure of (Clem Greenberg) “Formalist art (painting and sculpture) (is) the vanguard of decoration..” which Clem has since reneged on in favour of Fantin Latour- true! – in favour of vases of flowers or Mantovani I suppose. Moral, though this is excellent Harsh Noise, practitioners should be aware of such harshness like minimalism can become–“ so minimal that for all functional purposes it is not art at all, but pure exercises in aesthetics”(jliat)

http://www.pantarheirecordings.com/

MIXTURIZER SIETE PATOLOGIAS (Cd by R.O.N.F. Records)

7 tracks, what might be a noble attempt but still somehow is bourgeoisie – mention of extremes and “soul” mention of a “from” a “to” – Marxism? - “Intense Noise album, seven tracks dealing with sickness, abstractness, violence, insanity. Purely analog executed, effect units, machines, cheap odd mics, feedback, metal junk, voice, body and soul... Variated, ranging from lo-fi to brightness, from dynamic to static, from detailed to brutalist, from chaotic to structured, hopeless, restless, undogmatic, straight to the sick point..”. Thus Zizek inputs both his philosophy of Violence (Adorno’s arsonisity) together with Bartleby’s nihilism..? Yet what lurks is either a national socialism or many happy hours in the light bulb factory… unfortunately for Mr Z the pace of i-history means that before he can hit ENTER (the old ink drying) things are not… to vary, implicates Hegelianism again, Noise as new Stalinism-lite just wont do, its just not “Spring” enough… Though I like this work and I do, the beautiful stuttering rumble and feedback, yes soulful, only a noise of completeness, which no longer is the empty vessel for, not this then but yes…… – HNW can begin to conceptualize- which after all said and done is the only alternative to religion and rock and roll. Run the whole thing through a low pass filter, digitally – cut the bit rate and release on mp3. (jliat)

Address http://www.ronfrecords.com/

DANIEL SPICER ENGRUNTLED (Cdr by The Slightly Off Kilter Label)

ANTHONY MURPHY TRIO BLOOD BLISTER (Cdr 3” & 5” by The Slightly Off Kilter Label)

MARTIN PRESTON VAPOUR (Cdr by The Slightly Off Kilter Label)

Daniel Spicer’s disk has 6 tracks though not ‘actual’ I guess is a kind of poet, or perhaps a ‘real poet’, how would I know, here has 5 live performances from Brighton of spoken “poems” accompanied by minimal acoustical instruments- little gongs and chimes… Anthony Murphy’s starts with deep drone – then again readings of his poetry- against heavy reverb and echoey textures… “Hunched and needy like a baby seagull…” etc. metaphors and similes pile upon each other like slagheaps of welsh schoolchildren etc. poems of soulless loss and empty chip shops.. ? Why does this material miss the point, why is it so like what it is, is that the concerns are firstly totally selfish, in a ‘oh my life is soooooo heavy man….” It begs to have the piss taken out of it, and of course such material has, to the effect that the send up sounds better than what it addresses, the agonising triteness of (‘and I am an ant which crawls on the road…’) Alan Bennett et al – in (for those in the UK) Bellamy’s People- The Poet - Geoffrey Allerton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT5gQXZuXAM you will SEE what I mean.. Its funny to laugh at this, but what about “My angel has flown to Brazil and it makes me feel strange you know incomplete not broken because I know she will return and I will be waiting meanwhile I’m traveling North (sic) to visit my mother to try and ease her mind before it goes completely, I look through the window of the coach the sun is showing off and a hot air balloon sits like a superimposed strawberry….” I or he is not going on - enough alliteration to keep alligators happy.. Sorry I do care if you are in a shit job and your boyfriend/girl friend has left you- but this is therapy not art, not poetry which universalizes feelings so they belong to all humanity and not someone who is living in a damp bed sit with “issues”… whose pretentiousness and sanctimonious regard for the rest of humanity is either a consequence or cause of their dilemmas… nevertheless they exist in a kind of self support network of new-age concern? So whatever I might say is irrelevant- I will be the philistine – while they flip Burgers and think of T.S. Eliot… I become the hollow man, harsh and cruel and uncaring of these poets who have genuine problems and illness to confront. But given that I sense a kind of blame on the rest of us for their condition, as if they cant sympathise for those – like the old lady passing wind on the bus- they hang on their crosses spitting and rebuking humanity,

Asking for what, pity, respect, money… and why?…

A penny for the Old Guy

We are the hollow men

We are the stuffed men

Leaning together

Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!

Our dried voices, when

We whisper together

Are quiet and meaningless

As wind in dry grass

Or rats' feet over broken glass

In our dry cellar

Shape without form, shade without colour,

Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

(Jliat) (err well not the last bit……..obviously!)

Address http://www.slightlyoffkilterlabel.blogspot.com/

MASAKI SATSU INTENT (Cdr by Hipsterdeath)

The processing of recorded samples… One obviously looped and slowed … other artifacts of electronic processing… lots of processing, reverb panning… generating industrial, sci-fi landscapes, images, visual…..at times film track music but not musak – electro Mahler maybe? For me a little too thematic… oddly reminiscent of some German Floyd influenced work of the 70s? Coming back to Mahler though, electonica maybe faces similar problems (as to the trajectory of the symphonic form within tonality…) and here the solution is a massively careful audio construction… with drum loops- track 5… not my territory though I do confess to owning an Autechre CD… Though this may work, its superstructure is such that it always seems at the point of a collapse, which of course has already occurred- always looking for new ways of preserving musics “formalism” (in Neo Kantian Clemy ways)… an impossibility – because it stands on what it thinks is a transcendental position, an old metaphysics, both dangerous and identifiable with a kind of German idealism (Mahler again) which has been thoroughly eviscerated…. (jliat)

Address http://www.hipsterdeath.bigcartel.com/product/masaki-satsu-intent

DOODSHOOFD STRIJDT! (2xCdr by Skumrex)

2 Cds of HNW – so what’s the big issue = What is peculiar is that music/sound only occupies what if the world was an apple a layer the thickness of its skin, i.e. 10 miles or so, and if – a strange if – elsewhere then not in the solar system, Mozart on Mars wouldn’t work, though Impressionist painting could be seen, though a little red, (Rothkos would still be cool) and of course sculpture should have a universal appeal.. there are after all quite a few rocks out there. Out of all the arts then music is very limited, I’m not even sure what Beethoven would sound like on Everest? Is then our atmosphere a special event for sound, something quite singular – or at least nowhere within a few trillions of miles to be found anywhere else. Is this lack of universalism a singling out – a privileging- like humanity, or is it an anomaly – a deviant (from the norm)… like humanity….. The whole of both western and eastern music – and other points on the compass seems to depend on the propagation of waves within a given set of gases at a given density…. which is very very peculiar – cosmologically. You might want water for life but you need air for what is called music. There is at least one point, not the old ‘in space no one can hear you scream’, but do you need to *listen* to HNW? Or is it possible for it to exist conceptually… ? Across the Universe…. At even a post conceptual- as at a post communication – level- plane- khora… The idea may sound (!) mad, but if not so isn’t HNW an Aporia? (jliat)

Address http://skumrex.blogspot.com/

GRIZ+ZLOR GLACIATING 1 & 2 ( 2 x C-90's by Desiccated Husk)

Civilization, any civilization, is doomed because of the goldfish/castle phenomenon. This follows from an understanding of both Laurelle’s non-philosophy and also from Deleuze’s actualizations of the virtual. (I.E. The last instance for and of The One becomes only seemingly ever and ever present, not that it is, for it’s a limit.) Memory and information, supplemented as it is now by the Wiki phenomenon brings with it the need to actualize phenomenon (create intensities) on global and Chaosmosic scales, the ability to instantiate and visualize, viralize the cosmos in meta-phenomenonologies and a kind of wishful thinking or ontologizing a real. The more we remember the more that there is to remember, - we remember to remember, place mark the place marks of a life, in other words as language is memory, differentiated memory capable of infinite flux, differentiations – Dx,Dy…or the empty set… being as it, in itself is re-folded, music like everything else becomes more complex. Reality escapes us in its superabundance, for example in the very act of reading say Joyce’s Ulysses reality is mirrored and so escapes us in our inability to move into the mirrored world, we stand outside of it, suffering from but being aware and so scared – an Alzheimer’s which is common to all systems of large dynamic memories… whereas it can distort, shape, enfold, endlessly re-reflect we remain static in front of it, only mentally as well as physically excluded. A tactic is to become a clone, a simulacra. Goldfish music is noise, yet one where even the castle has been removed or destroyed in a granulation of sound. A sound of constant low static without synthesis so without time, so without “ing”, only the mundane reality outside of noise provides the real, rather than the complex illusions of mirror play – each telling the truth, each reflection univocally the world which is not noise. Thus HNW effectively walls off the mirror, or mirrors, like an opaque goldfish bowl of infinite size – being dimensionless, well 2x90 minutes here! though this ‘time’ can only be given exterior to the work unlike musics internal clocks… and so becomes the limit as *reached*, leaving what could be called if we had a language- self, reality, the real, “This” (my favourite from java) but not The One, not being… better the Hollywood IT! or The Goldfish that is me.(Jliat)

http://caveofthegrizzlor.bandcamp.com/album/glaciating

DEATH FACTORY FEASTING ON FEAR (Cassette by Death Factory)

FLESH COFFIN SEEING THINGS (Cassette by No Visible Scars)

The Death Factory tape is a tribute to late 70s horror films, it employs analogue sounding synth pads, filter sweeps and echoy atmospherics… I’m never sure of the popularity of horror films, those of the B movie kind, I suppose it’s a kind of irony, its cool to like the non-cool, like students who are into coronation street or I suppose in the US it would be friends. So one is never sure if the mountains of Kitsch synth is all done tongue in cheek. A similar thing then to badly made pornography, or a big Mac, problem for me is I actually like junk food. I suspect that I’m too autistic to get this? But then it looks as if I do! So if it is ironic then it would be cool not to actually like it qua music, something of a double bind for the artist? Strangely Flesh Coffin appears out of the same stable in the packaging, though the content isn’t. Its noisy but not noise, like stuff being thrown down a lift shaft in a deserted building, PE or industrial… some sub genre of a sub genre but then these synths appear again…side two muffled film track sound loops? Compare the Hollywood Frankenstein monster to the original, the square bolt on head is just comic… The horror genre is tricky, all too easy to see it as ridiculous and so it can only become ironic, a rouse which the Chapman’s employ, though its not obvious here- and the lack of high art presentation draws a suspicion that the work might be serious- if so could offer advice - I guess films like the Blair Witch project and Paranormal Activity- i.e. Found footage (genre) would work better for me. That is dump any illusions to horror films and present the thing as an actual field recording of a paranormal event, where its possible to play with ideas of normal and paranormal sufficiently carefully to make its reality or unreality ambiguous for the listener / performer. This is BTW constructive criticism… So I’ll end with first the Tarot reading for these releases.. “Final Outcome . Three of Swords - Sorrow and extreme pain. With a positive view in end: upheaval, separation, disruption and discord. Heartbreak, tears, strife, conflict. The clearing of that which is obsolete to make way for that to come. Establishment of something better.”… and a tarot “Cockcrow penetrating to heaven. Perseverance brings misfortune.” Now am I being serious?(jliat)

Address [email protected]

Address http://nvslabel.blogspot.com/

MAAAA K2 SPLIT (Cd by triangle.records)

MAAAA are a couple from Warsaw , K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth….With a peak elevation of 8,611 m (28,251 feet), K2 is part of the Karakoram Range, and is located on the border between Baltistan, in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China…. (See elsewhere for the up and downside of Wiki.)… Metal noise and vintage synth and or a soft version of it for Nintendo DS (ibid below) often completely split across the stereo field… joking aside I think its (also) important in a feeble attempt at authenticity to both avoid reason and eschew contradiction so despite what I say elsewhere as much as I think noise has no denominator – common or otherwise – this is one hell of a release. Remarkable noise and remarkable in it making any assertion regarding noise hypocritical. Enough said? Well hell no - three tracks by K2 and 5 from MAAAA as well as a booklet of abstract images… the thing about harsh noise – as this is – is it is as like the event - from a univocity of folk musics which jazz self synthesized itself and transcended the most refined totalities of the “western traditions” in a kind of Nietzschean overcoming, a great noontide affirmation - and eternal return of Deleuzean violence and extravagant creativity from the infinite plane of virtuality, James Joyce at Butlins, and Doris Day at Diego Garcia … da da da … (jliat)

Address http://trianglerecords.blogspot.com/

TUSK SKARABEE SPLIT (Cassette by ?)

If you check out the MPC series esp. http://www.akaipro.com/mpc5000 and youtube you might get the conclusion without needing to read…(part of the point..) (another of which might be a free sampler for this reviewer courtesy of Mr Akai- unlike our wonderful police and politicians I’m still open to bribery) Before technology we were all in the same boat- though boats are technical, have you ever tried to paddle a coracle, initially technology provided all kinds of things I will summarize under the word “power” – see the opening of 2001 for more detail… but with it there was a requirement for skill, to master the machines, including abstract machines like logic and mathematics, through to steam trains and saxophones. Whilst folk music was played on spoons music technology developed along with all the others in increasing complexity and technical requirements- see the typical flight deck … up to a certain critical point where from needing to learn how to use it, technology suddenly opened itself to a lowest common denominator- look at the Apple iMac… or ABS brakes… which is all to say it both justifies ‘universally’ all – for those who want justice, democratizes for all those wanting democracy – empowers … desegregates …socializes (facebook not Fidel) enlightens (Wikis) etc etc. However it should be obvious that the post technical skills and abilities are like simulations, virtual or better put, fake. It’s cute- we half think we can be Guitar Heros (T.M.), (even) in noise mobs claim skill and awe at productions which require absolutely no skill or thought… however no matter how much these groups ape music stuff like this cassette epitomises the trash that noise can be at its best. - baby reich loop noise and trash.(jliat)

No address given

DISSECTING TABLE ADVENTITIOUS AFFLICTIONS (2 Cd + 2 3inchCd by Verato Project)

I would be foolish, but I have been before, to argue for a conspiracy of forces attempting to turn noise into doxa. Those powers that be in effect have already done so – a priori. It is not that they particularly see anything musical, but there is certainly an image at work. An image which creates through a succession of disks, 4 here, a succession of images, though like the artwork maybe obscure, but not incoherent, thematic alternative languages of texture, colour, pitch , depth. Texture as in the clear repetitive pseudo-musical ‘objects’, colour as in a broad spectrum of ‘sounds’, pitch, as in a bandwidth, depth as in the processing of a glaze- a chiaroscuro… But back to my original point, the wonder of noise is in its inability to not only form an image (of thought – be it good or bad) but its inability to do anything- thus avoiding the pitfalls of conceptualism or the aesthetics of the object qua object – i.e. a kind of minimalism. Any powers that be must rely on musical/politico - etc usurpation of noise- which turns it into something else, musical, movie for your ears (i.e.) – social comment or personal catharsis etc. At its best then never advertising itself as made with or without such and such, never having a patina, its recourse perhaps to a kind of Satanism

if you like as a Blakean critique, I’ll allow it that, and other than that provide it with enough incoherent nonsense - criticism as I can forge to keep it either alive or dead, its state doesn’t matter. But finally as this massive release perhaps deserves some more specifics, I cant help being reminded of the paintings of Ged Quinn I seem to keep seeing, kind of attractive but then maybe not – maybe creepy- maybe not…(jliat)

Address http://www.verato-project.de/shop/home.html

. IN THE LAND OF ARCHERS THOSE WHO SURVIVED TURNED THEMSELVES INTO CROWS (Cdr by Unlimited drift recordings)

IN THE LAND OF ARCHERS DUST AND SPARKS THE GIANT ROCK (Cdr by Unlimited drift recordings) “Another label and set of releases”- taking seriously ‘an other’, maybe, I’m reminded of a BBC TV Doc on Stephen Hawking’s public popularity and scientific irrelevance, as his paradox has been refuted as a result of a meeting at a pseudo science tricksters house, set to entertain and impress which started a war and another popular book. Only politicians and the police make any money. Why – I watched on I player having no TV, Ben Hur is something on a 2inch screen. It takes Hawking and his PhD student 18 months to get a handle on the refutation, most releases not just in noise are so narrow they slip through needles eyes with ease. Communication is in the main simplex these days, who wants a conversation, just the hope that obscurity brings money. Whatever happened to Dido. And I wont buy the Wire as they wont run my ads. Anyway some writer spends 5 years at Uni and still thinks Deleuze means Common sense when he says common sense. As such how can anyone approach a subject. I’ll rewrite that in case you think I’m just parsing words, its been said of me. A case in point is The Image of Thought is bad in D&R but good in WiP. No I mean “common sense is the norm of identity from the point of the pure Self..” As such how can anyone approach a subject…. But they all say they do. There is a lot of swearing. Shiszh- so it’s a case of anything- well no. Then what- tempted to use caps as an amusement – but you are not supposed to believe X has a handle on life- (X = replace with any/everything) but it does. Even a bad image, bad recording – even the tumult of unheard releases is the “clamour of Being”- see I can do Badiou too. So we ask? Are these releases any good, will they be like impressionist paintings, thought rubbish but now worth a bob or two? That’s for an economist, but they are a kind of mirror on the world- even in how they exist. Reviewing has become the impossible - of being outside when on the inside – is that Derrida… no wonder I don’t get invited… “Creepy, bizarre and utterly unhinged noise-scapes by this long standing Texas duo. Limited Edition of 25A shifting, churning, buzzing piece of abstract electronics loosely based around Russia's mysterious Tunguska explosion. Minimalist and monolithic in equal measure. Limited Edition of 25.” I would like to spend more time on the “unhinged” bit – no seriously- I think “the event” unlike ‘the image of thought’ is un-hinged- did I get that? But if I did – I don’t and if I didn’t I did. Ugh? – only an individual who is full of ill will, who does not mange to think, effectively begins and effectively repeats. (jliat)

Address http://unlimiteddrift.blogspot.com/

KAPOTTE MUZIEK / RICHARD RAMIREZ STATEMENT 1950 (Cassette by Unlimited drift recordings)

RED HOOK THE LIGHT OBSTRUCTS YOUR VIEW (Cassette by Unlimited drift recordings)

More demonstrations of the continued fascination with Noise, (in order..) (electro improv/experimental lo fi micro sound rice crispies dog barking…?..?) Noise.. Harsh Noise and Wall, a never ending release of material on Cdr and more recently cassette (again) in various conditions of graphic and textures…. which amongst some provokes resentment, blasé pseudo indifference etc. OK so within genres it can become pedantic, “doom metal” “shoe gaze” etc. (wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_styles) however these are nothing other than distractions, Noise.. Harsh Noise, Harsh Noise Wall, as if then given a broad definition anything much can go inside its boundary- fine for the record stores, but what about Joe Public and Joanne Artist. You may want a wall, for what – to keep people out, Hadrian’s - The Great Wall – or keep them in - Berlin 50 years ago, its structure and materials are also significant. Is it total and concrete – Vomir, made by whatever comes to hand and follows a given terrain. The label is only the beginning of a process of differentiation *in language* which only attempts to match reality. Velocities which are real, like sound works are “measured”. What is produced from this process of creation and measurement is *only* culture, society, world. i.e. the universe… of ….- we mean do we not? not the garden wall as opposed to carpet bombing- the wall of water as the destroying tsunami? Not the filigree patterns of the lake districts pleasant views which were once overpowering as anti-Christian sublime nature…the waves of sound and water as a dynamic movement as a chaos- destructive or otherwise a natural producer of tectonics? That infant(tile)? Idea of where space ends – at some wall? At some product? A wonderwall as the cosmic background radiation… collapse of the (w)all, of the wave from probability to an event… this is what (w)all (music) begins @- what (W)all music is about- as the wall here is a limit which is not reachable. (jliat)

http://unlimiteddrift.blogspot.com/

MANDOM ALL THE WORLD LOVES A LOVER (CDR by chefkirk)

CHEFKIRK MARLO EGGPLANT SPLIT (CDr by chefkirk)

IVAN LISYAK SOUTH WEST LINE (CD by Avant Whatever)

Oscillator and guitar feedback – the utilization of “equipment” Calling itself in the first instance a power drone (but is equally universally descriptive!) the sound is sourced from … audio oscillator, electronic switcher, broken function generator – (Don Haugen) and - no-input mixing board – (Roger H Smith)… is more or less what you expect- the oscillator being taken trough its paces, chugging like a motor boat, it speeds up it slows down while an audience no doubt looks on. Or in the latter case (Ivan Lisyak’s South West Line) guitar feedback qua feedback! The only idea I have about this is that its an enthusiast thing, I know some think that is all anything is – and I’ll give them their due- even if their argument like all DIY is somehow self defeating especially when it comes to the real world which it seems it must deny. How so, well I can in the right shops buy CDs of sounds of 1930s stream trains… and no doubt other shops will sell other “material”- and it takes little imagination as its been done (to death) in the past to pass this off as music and or art. Pity it isn’t? Well no, I could get into a debate as to why it is or isn’t but one is never forthcoming. Ok its fine to drag out some gear and run it through its paces to an interested audience, like model railways, and its not that it might not be art but due to the casual onlookers that is not a problem. But if the question is asked then answers are forthcoming. The material being the message WAS an idea and this idea once explored becomes yet another museum piece. Not that I think it is correct but you might start with part 7 of What is Philosophy. I’m expected to say such things. And of course its not necessary, but just as you don’t accidentally find a higgs boson neither is it possible to create a work of art accidentally…. I don’t agree with Dasein’s throwness and inability to separate itself from the world, but its hell difficult to deal with this idea, even more come up with something… That we can have an abstract art in the first place was a result of a great overcoming- that is its achievement- that is a knowing overcoming not the accidental noise of the saw-mill or feedback guitar. At its lowest level art is a demonstration of *art* - at its best such demonstrations remain valid in their still to be discoveredness which is the open endedness of being – Dasein, and not the closed world of the railway modeler. (jliat)

Address http://chefkirk.tripod.com/shop.htm

Address http://www.avantwhatever.com/

VARIOUS AUTO BADAU TAPE SAMPLER CATALOGUE NO.01 (c60 by Auto Badau Kassettenmanufaktur)

Tracks by Dissecting Table: Werewolf Jerusalem: DNZ: AMK: Hollow Bush: Errare Humanum Est: TheTobacconists… By artists such as.. Ichiro Tsuji, Richard Ramirez, Rodger Stella Scott Foust, Frans De Waard… is something of a dilemma- fabricated on a retail TDK tape and with an “impressive” roster of well known “artists” a low fi production harsh noise and electronica – which ends is some agit-prop regarding being rich or the rich…. Works range from the subtle DNZ / AMK through musical - Errare Humanum Est and the chaotic – Tobacconists… I’m led to believe that compilation tapes are collectable, so surly this will be, so if I keep it long enough I could well become rich myself, one problem about what was once alternative is it becomes the norm, you hear Leonard Cohen in supermarkets… not Merzbow yet – maybe never – but capitalism’s appropriation of anything and everything is history, as is the idea that it is continually dieing, only like those monsters in B movies that seem to take one hell of a killing. Hmm the Devil and Sony do have all the best tunes- but not a decent cassette tape collection – YET! (jliat)

Address http://autobadau.blogspot.com/

POTIER EINSICHT IN DIE NOTWENDIGKEIT (Cassette by Potier)

Although I get a credit on this cassette its (only) for the mechanical task of producing the artwork from supplied text and pictures, as such I had no creative input, but was interested to hear what accompanied the pictures of bleak modernist housing estates of European Bauhaus utopias that proved to be such a social disaster to the extent that the date of the beginning of post-modernism was that of similar buildings being blown up on 3 PM on March 16, 1972. Michael Töpfer’s tape is well with the aesthetic of a failed mechanical solution – to any problem – here music or sound- as the mechanics are is diss-array, the tape is saturated mechanics of failure and destruction, Heidegger’s critique of the technical and the technology of science as the lack of the depth of the hidden, the all too over exposure of the openness and earthlessness of modernity. Perhaps in lots of things he was wrong, very wrong, but in a vision of the inhumane which technology has given birth to he was sadly on the nail. A cassette which is a sound track to this technology, to urban failure and a cancer of body and soul.

(jliat)

http://www.potier-point.blogspot.com/

BARRIKAD WE MAKE NIHILISTS SMILE AGAIN (Cd by Phage Tapes)

KALI ENSEMBLE, THE – THE KALI ENSEMBLE (Cd by Phage Tapes/Turgid Animal)

First - Two tracks 33.33 minutes each?! by Page &. Dassum?? Essentially industrial noise, clangs and bangs and massive amounts of reverb. The artificiality of reverb, its electronic deception if at all can only be justified by it being a politico-fetishization, but that doesn’t work for me…I think there is politics – which has to lie- or exists only as un-truth and a more radical one that has little or no reverberation which we come across in the next work… three tracks in which Barrikad collaborates with Kriminaaliset Metsanhaltijat , Fear Konstruktor, both fairly dark ambient industrial and Government Alpha, harsh noise… plus a booklet with five passages by Giorgio Agamben, who – and here I can stop because anyone wondering who and reading this before I can type will have cut and pasted the name into Google and Wiki the result. From that I need an antidote- and one already exists – an anecdotal antidote - I have been listening to the offspring of his bio-politics in the recent lecture series held at MaMa in Zagreb this year - ‘TO HAVE DONE WITH LIFE: Vitalism and Anti-vitalism in Contemporary Philosophy’… whilst ambivalent towards Che and Lenin as I am I guess I didn’t ‘get it’ - they are kind of avatars or tropes these days, but I still really don’t like the post Heideggerean use of IT. That’s the definite article? And I guess in sound it should be said that the first two tracks regain the politics of IT (the THEY etc) whilst Government Alpha reverses this procedure in a way that could be described as learning FROM Heidegger, or learning from Jazz, that philo-accuracy denied - but once removed always bounces back on elastic, just as industrial noise will remain “musical” so will philosophy remain not only “political” but determinist – philosophies pre conceptual decision, scission, cut etc. so along with GA we must attack both the IT and the BIT so

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;

Or close the wall up with our English dead.

(that’s @3.55 on track 3?)

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

As modest stillness and humility:

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

Then imitate the action of the tiger;

And so by imitation of politics, and here I mean Marx- Che, Lenin, Mao et al. can this kind of very dry politics, a politics without *artificial* theyness (i.e. popularist media(ted)) reverberation be internalized as some metaphorics or dream and so open itself to analysis both biological, biographical and psychological.

(Jliat )

http://phagetapes.blogspot.com/

JAMES FELLA “SLOTS / INNER SANCTUM / TUSKS / DESOLATION (CD by Gilgongo records)

Within the blurb is a reference to the effect that no edits were used- and there is a growing tendency in noise for such sentiments, no laptops, no mixing, lets continue the process until we have no computers no internet no Cd or vital weekly or review?

As if this offers some ‘back to the land’ philosophy of Amish noise? While I try to find some orange squash which has added sugar in Tesco’s – goodness and wholesomeness = capitalism, any trip to McDonalds these days and one has to queue with families of slugs hungry for salad! Could we not spawn a new sub genre of “stuff” processed to death, multitracked for hours, with added sugars and various carcinogenous substances artificial colouring MSG and packed in paper from Fukushima with a free high tar cigarette? However the work improvised – obviously! builds into walls of electro acoustic noise – or “non-music” – yet is described as “harmonious” and maybe is… I’ll just re-kindle a flame war where I equated capitalism with technique and skill- noise needs a crypto-Marxist input not as economics, though some packaging sure can look so – but a psychological Marxism which can even employ terror at the chemical-synaptic level and ensures nothing of any worth is produced from the over saturated and polluting industrial process of proletarian failure – all brain cells being equal.. it’s a fact that in Freudian terms noise represents the murder of the Tsarist Super ego, the gulaging of the ego and the commune of the Id and its primal drives in that great soviet chaosmos… (jliat)

Address http://gilgongorecords.com/

APOPHALLATION RETRO-ELECTRONICA FOR PLEASURE (Cdr by Shit Music for Shit People)

“Apophallation is a technique resorted to by some species of air-breathing land slugs such as Limax maximus and Ariolimax spp. In these species of hermaphroditic terrestrial gastropod mollusks, after mating, if the slugs cannot successfully separate, a deliberate amputating of the penis takes place.

The slugs are hermaphroditic and have a full set of organs of both sexes. They have relatively large penises which, during mating, wrap around each other in a tight spiral. They sometimes have difficulty separating afterwards. When separating seems impossible, one slug gnaws off either its own, or its partner's penis, so that separation is then possible. No replacement penis grows, and the apophallated slug adopts a purely female function from that point onward.”

A conventional sized Cdr with only the centre silvered for a recording of segments of harsh noise interspersed with gaps- studio hums… etc. for some five minutes. “Its realism Jim but not as we know it” (jliat)

http://www.shitmusicforshitpeople.com/ E

MIEL TEN BRINK TAPE MUSIC (Cdr by Shit Music for Shit People)

Not so much noise but trashy tape sounds - noisy field recordings – birdsong – clip of very distorted sounds + music and tape distortion.. loops Radio TV, a Cd of tape which stumbles on for hours of pure pointlessness. I cant help thinking that it would be brilliant if some country adopted this as their National Anthem, and better won a gold at next years Olympics. It the kind of music I suspect seagulls would like, why? Because its like the huge landfill sites outside our cities which they feed on these days, having giving up the seaside as its become polluted with tourists eating health food and shopping in Fat Face. Altogether a very nice waste of plastic.(jliat)

http://www.shitmusicforshitpeople.com/

NXFXTXEX MUSIK FOR RØVHULLET (Mini Cdr by Shit Music for Shit People)

This release is of 5 tracks, the first relies of the simple expedient of playing something at the wrong speed – it this case far to fast, noise beats and voices all at a very high speed/pitch… others use a mix of musico-sound and cartoon noise constantly at a break neck speed – more anti music than noise- why? Well it – this anti-music has a deliberation in its destructive organization which could be seen as an opposition to music – even parasitic on it – not portraying the indifference towards music and anything else that is found in noise. This simply is obvious and has been stated many times - has to do with codability and transformability, mapping non-Euclidean geometries, Riemann manifolds- in that noise operates at entropies at or beyond Bekenstein boundaries – a kind of anti Shannonism … anti music only effects the same procedure as non-music which like non-philosophy is not a destruktion at all, and like music itself becomes both pleasant and dissonant. (jliat)

http://www.shitmusicforshitpeople.com/

BLOATER RADIAC (Cd by Bloater)

I’ve had this disc for sometime, and apart from the problem it presents, like any attempt at communication, there are some who might be reading this or deliberately not who have not helped. The disk itself comes in a card slipcase with a chest x-ray on the front, two guys out of focus on the back, inside a sheet which documents various environmental acts of pollution by commercial companies in the New York area. The work is made by Steve Smith, Guitar and Ken B, electronics, with “no overdubs”- well I’m not going there! Or am I going to either attack the idea of agit prop noise – or ‘industrial’ in this case- guitar feedback’ noise and oscillator hum… or defend it. My confusion is totalizing… I’ve been told that noise or art has nothing to do with philosophy, or politics, whist others berate the financial crisis and make art in protest. Do they see the current financial crisis as a bad thing that their music should be marshaled against, just as pollution and exploitation? But the financial crisis means that “growth” is either slowing or stopped, and growth is what powers the oil and mineral companies and bank loans (now in short supply) allow the construction of chemical plants etc. So I should address just the ‘music’ – that’s all that matters- certainly not my ego. Here then are two performers improvising non-tonal abstract free form or formless works, should I ignore the context of pollution or not? Do those who make ‘industrial’ work see it as a protest against mans inhumanity to man – (hope someone’s counting the clichés here) or do they indulge in it- is the nazi / porn / black magic iconography for or against – the acts they portray? Do they know the difference between amorality and immorality? On the face of it this disk offers a moral indictment – unless its being ironic? Though Žižek argues such charitable acts do more harm than good- but now I’m just name dropping. Surely a recession will do good for the environment but bad for humanity- bankers who cause a collapse in the worlds economies will slow or even stop growth- is this good or bad?. Again what has this to do with music, should it? I’ve no idea, but the makers of Bloater have instigated a musical response to an issue of pollution in NY and so have they opened up the topic of art as communication/propaganda? Should I eschew this and simply describe the music – the improvisation of guitar and electronics, whining, screeching, droning.. I dare not even address the fact that the production of a CD is a ‘manufacturing’ process… absolutely not – this is justified protest?… so in the clamor of the justified mob(s), what am I to do? Well the whole thing turns out not to be amoral at all but immoral, and by that I mean not this CD but *this* reviewer and so *this* review.(jliat)

Address myspace.com/bloaternyc

WOZZECK ACT IV (Cd by Opposing Music)

A conventional rock jazz lineup of drums, sax, guitar, vocals and electronics steaming into a post-punk improvised fusion of industrial sound. From an intro of feedback drums beat sax’s honk and on and on it pounds relentlessly into nowhere. Screams wails and uproar… Certainly not noise as noise, Russia is still in some nightmare of social and political injustice, corruption and dire poverty of pointless struggle at mere existence to have the time, space or money to enjoy the luxury of alogical continental philosophy. As if the war never ended for them in 1945, and never will. Condememd to remain forever in this nightmare of eternal violence. The *only* hope in this grim catalogue of Russian music is that it might just be a fake…?(jliat)

Address www.opposingmusic.ru

DOR LIFE IN RUSSHAUSEN (Cdr by UFA Muzak)

A black and white A5 booklet showing grim scenes of urban landscapes, police violence, protestors, burning rubbish murdered journalists, painting a picture of Russia as once again in that state of inner collapse, of corruption in a country the size of a continent riddled with deep paranoias, “celebrated” in 8 tracks of power electronics. Of course its impossible for someone like myself to even begin to review a piece which speaks of such conditions of entrapment and social/political and economic multiple failures. If only this was some temporary condition which democracy might mitigate, but the grim truth seems to be that this other world is incapable of becoming the affluent bloated western consumer society full of bulimics which we all enjoy. Maybe the alternative resolution to the Cuba crisis of 1962 would have in some terrible way been better? I cant recommend this music as its so terribly depressing in its mix of 30s broadcasts and power electronics…and screams which will continue forever in that bleak cold and forgotten world…. depressing in the extreme…(jliat)

Address http://ufa-muzak.narod.ru/

SIROTEK - ? ????? ??? ?????? ????? (CDr by Autizm)

So with trepidation of another vision of a Russian dystopia this CD slid into the player. Despite the idea presented of “.Noise as the key to understanding the self,

unstable, fluid, transient, woven of countless vote that does not belong to itself…” thanks Google language tools – noise is no more an answer than it is a question. Or is it any cathartics, politics, religion…. But capable of all and non. Of being bourgeoisies and content even in some Franco Maoist ivory tower. Only when the electro pulse destroys humanity, and humanities understanding that the universe can free itself from both reason and romanticism to become the random nothing which it is. Maybe that’s the hope or trajectory of industrial commentaries, true or not, in the un-totalizing totality of noise. That persistent ‘not getting it’ of the luxuriant middle class of middle America – or middle earth- cant even imagine life in Siberia- discontent with Disneyland and bemoaning the lack of designer hair styles- can neither become the vodka junkies or the free fall philosophy of post continental thought- signifiers flying in all and every direction, they sit on imaginary buses going to imaginary destinations… there is no need to thank God for (this) noise or rebuke the thought, every consideration of a contradictory YAHWEH is over ruled by logic but Noise qua (this) noise is in all its Aporias, pointlessness, univocity both scared and profane, alpha, omega, it itself, the I AM. (jliat)

Address http://autizmprod.blogspot.com/

AG DAVIS + JAMISON WILLIAMS AUTO DE FE ("7" by Gilgongo Records)

“AG Davis (voice) and Jamison Williams (Alto-Saxophone.. pushing the boundaries … in a display of free-improvisation… the most left-field Zorn or

Boredoms off-shoot…” Well I don’t know. The sax honks and shrieks, the vocals consist of screams and cave-man grunts that you might hear in a Hanna Barbera cartoon of the late 50s. And I guess the whole “left field” boundary pushing thing, idiom is of this date also. Hush Puppy shoes and space satellites, bowling alleys and drive in movies, electric toasters and I love Lucy. Its meant to be amusing as well as boundary pushing, but without the threat of global nuclear war and Yogi Bear its neither nostalgic or naïve in its belief in boundaries and Top Cat. But then this is “good”. The scare quotes are needed- because the text like the sounds no longer have *any* boundaries – i.e. “guard rails”. Vocalizations and improvisations (here in this – and now in this) are neither determined or stochastic… but are both (present and transparent) at one and the same time. And the rationale for this is not singular, it too is non deterministic – and also has a teleology! it is as if both the elaboration of writing – as escaping the metaphysics of a final presence – ignoring the guard rails, and the underlying identification of power with writing – or music here- its violence and capitalization is true and present- and constituent of it and its value, its understanding, its aesthetic, and also the parody of writing as meaning as music as organization, motivation, idea, value, humanity found in “The Writing Lesson”, the ‘lie’ of music, its un-natural deception of meaning – in a primitive meaningless universe is also simultaneously present with both the logics and illogic – which justify the “work” being called ‘good’, ‘significant’, ‘relevant’, ‘important’, which in the end and before the beginning justify justification itself. (Jliat)

http://www.gilgongorecords.com

MV CARBON DISLODGED PERIHELION (Cdr of LP by Ecstatic Peace)

Even if a review was not a re-view, a re-evaluation rather than an evaluation, a mere doubling commentary would be difficult in the best of circumstances. That is a translation of sound into words may well be possible, but I can not think of either anyway this would be achievable – or if anyone would be able to decide on its success, and supposing such an achievement was possible then only a doubling commentary would have been given. Why this presents itself as a problematic is that nothing could be achieved, no re-evaluation, and so in its genesis it wouldn’t commence in the first place! Extensive use of electronic loop and stereo splits, some electronics and non – guitar? Cello? Piano- over which “Bjork” type voice with train station echo- the backing sounds loop and pulse musically in layered textures and loopy techno sounds. Kind of “dream sequence” or “LSD” sequence Hollywood sound track meets Autechre, though the obviously random cascades of notes and bleepy loops lack the edge of Autechre…. The dreamy voice continues throughout each track- with the bleeping looping backing sounds. Its more avant pop, certainly not noise in its more obvious meanings – I suspect might go down well in The Wire and from her promo sheet is obviously well thought of as an international player / collaborator. Despite my very poor description, some might say hostile, unsympathetic, crass, botched picture, this music is of merit and no doubt – as I’ve been told my others its capable of transforming and transfixing the careful listener from this “mess that is reality” to “such a beautiful and ideal alternative” – an act of transcendence which my prose is incapable off – therefore not even capable of a view, of a translation or sufficient description yet alone a re-evaluation, such music is beyond my abilities, literal, intellectual, transcendental. And now any reader needs to translate, re-view, evaluate this? (jliat)

Address www.metalux.cc

XOME/JOLTHROWER GOLD FIVE (C5 by Ratskin Records)

HATERS/CRANK STURGEON/PCRV/STYROFOAM SANCHEZ SPLIT ( CDr by Ratskin Records)

The cassette begins with rhythmic noise, synthesizer? Feedback effects, slow pulses, throbs and feedback manipulated through various frequencies into a live? Crescendoing torrent of sound, whereas the other side has similar if not quite the beginning pulse structure and more of a constant malfunctioning feedback which drifts in and out of pulses and crescendos. The recording sounds fairly monophonic as if a live recording of a performance, and a ridiculously short length…incomprehensible.. Crank Sturgen layers speech and electronics in almost jazz like scenarios, P.C.R.V. random electronics from a cheap oscillator random arpeggiation and crackling noise of a short wave, again in its restless improvisations strangely jazzy, Styrofoam Sanchez seems to be fumbling with a double Bass and some balloons, and getting upset and growling expletives, animalistic into increasing reverberation, its only with The Haters track we get somewhere which is nowhere, the best description I can give is it sounds like a closely miked industrial air extraction fan, the kind you get at the rear of office buildings and shopping malls, where the bins overflowing with refuse, organic, cigarette butts and where revelers have pissed and vomited. That or it could equally be the generation room of an electricity plant, spotlessly clean overwhelmingly hot and noisy, or the engine room of a cruise ship, war ship, oil tanker, quite beautiful non-aesthetic – harsh noise wall – there might be some signal buried in the wall, noise of meaningful activity but its lost- very lost, its title “Five minute five second glitch” which I’m philosophically un-sympathetic to - the idea of a glitch- which presupposes some order – it might be the creation of power or equally the exhaust of its excretions – an Alpha or Omega – again operating creatively despite the logocentrism of stasis- the divine shit which is the multiverse makes its concept just a little too theocentric for me. (jliat)

Address http://www.ratskin.org/index2.html

MAUSSADE À LA NÉANTISATION DE LA VIE PAR L'HOMME RATIONNEL (CD from Oral Records)

It could be argued – or proposed- represented- conceptualized – that noise as HNW is like – a repetition of Deleuze’s actualizations on the plane of immanence of viurtualities. That differences origins are in the play of virtualities - difference (Derrida?) repeated as new – repetitions which materialize – actualize these differences. This is not true. As HNW has no difference as novelty – as repetition or object or vitrtuality- but is conceptless being. Maussade – Bruno Julian “In the annihilation of life through the rational man” from Montreal- source of sound broken glass in an ammunition box hand manipulated and recorded with contact microphones- would give you no idea of the sound recorded here. Or does it make sense or is it possible to describe – re present the chaosmos which is the event of any HNW occurrence, a repetition of the same in which its hard for the logocentric amongst us, musicians et. al. to see or hear any difference, as if they are straining to understand the roar of the lion or paths of the stars, or how or why this recording was made or how and why anything was made. The brilliance of a thousand suns, or as pedantic as the continuous destruction in and of humanity a continuous uninterruptible wall of rumbling static and feedback whose musics lack of ability at distinguishing the nuances here, and there are plenty, as these exist in and of themselves and not the communicate of a thought, those slight pulses and tremors is a cosmos of sound (jliat)

Address http://www.oral.qc.ca/index2.php

XDUGEF INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (Cdr by Obfuscated Records)

DON HAUGEN ANGELS WITH BLACK WINGS (Cdr by Obfuscated Records)

I need to describe these two releases quite carefully, not to assuage some very angry people, but because in the end I want to be quite critical about these works. Can or should a review do either of these things? After all there is nothing wrong with ‘restfulness, neutrality, perfection’…Integrated circuit is 14 tracks of what the wire calls electronica, synthesized beats, processed through filters on track 1, electronics replacing vocals in some jam between deep base pulses and high pitched oscillations, technically meshed- suddenly jumping to a high BPM, and becoming rhythmically more sophisticated, track 2 begins with a slower base pulse again counter posed with high pitched filtered noise, and again the bass beat structures the piece as well as giving a sophisticated variation into what is or could be dance music. Some tracks like #4 lack any clear beat, only to be re-introduced with #5s rhythm gurgling dance floor beats, and glitch vocalizations. Some tracks - #7 blend all these forms. #8 stands out as it’s an old clip of some American woman very politely saying “I hope this doesn’t bother you but I’ve been imagining what you look like naked” - #11 mixes in some old jazzy music recordings? I must cut short my attempts at description for space or inability at a note for note doubling, other tracks are similar, #13 begins with a deep drone and is non-rhythmic abstract electronics in a deep reverb- which continue in the “spacey” Alien- ated #14. Angles – has 4 tracks – most begin low volume – #1 mains hum and Morse code short wave and speech- static – which morphs into deep electronic drones and processed static…#2 sine wave bell tones – which throb and vibrate- at one point sounding like? A police siren – unless it is a police siren - #3 is much more aggressive in the timbre and attack of the oscillators, and #4 ends a little more smoothly with close synced low pitched oscillators drifting in and out of phase. The sleeve and audience applause indicate all 4 were live performances. Did I like them – well yes…quite.. Why then should these be criticized – is – because of a certain lack of understanding, which IS understanding. In this case understanding what Good music, good noise, is, or if you like simply what it is, what is the case. And that would be splendid for the high modernist, or confused post-modernist or most anyone who assumes that thought (understanding) is always good – (aesthetically and so ethically!) thought is always from the best intentions and so allied to the truth. And so art and music likewise – are guaranteed if thought enough as aesthetics, a value. What is the problem – and of course this is straight Deleuze- is this “image of music” or ‘image of noise” only re-cognizes music, sound-art, noise – whatever. It recognizes – re presents to us, as if we already know what is good music, what music is. What anything is. We “hear” this and recognize it as music. Nothing wrong with that- precisely! Hence it will always be in the best interest a confirmation of what we already know, what we feel, lacking surprise, lacking, shock, lacking the violence of the other, the stranger that unwanted thing, that dis-ease in the night- that unwanted persona or sound – NOISE. Art which is good, is kindly to us, bad art shocks us, wakes us up, beats us up- and that fraternity of noise-heads are just too fraternal, too moralistic to beat up the critic, to beat him or her up, other than some reply on a web-site, everything should be friendly, welcoming, familiar. That is why the idea of resting in peace seems so odd – but then perhaps not- good friends standing watch of each other and sending to sleep with lullabies? I do hope I’ve not upset anyone….(jliat)

Address http://www.obfuscatedrecords.com/ob/

GYAKUSATSU AND HINYOUKI (HIKUME) HUMAN SCHMERZEN CHAPTER 2 (Cassette by Marbre Negre)

GYAKUSATSU AND HERPES (THE CHURCH'S SIN)HUMAN SCHMERZEN CHAPTER 1 (CD by Marbre Negre)

These are part of a proposed series of releases, “schmerzen” being the German for pain. Human Pain? The cassette appears to relate to female masturbation using a baseball bat, so the idea of pain seems odd, it, the opening? track consists of female orgasmic sounds and distorted white noise with R2D2 sounds, some tracks are just simply harsh electro-static noise- nice- but then the orgasmic sounds (have to) re-appear - though now with added echo and reverb.. The case comes with a young topless blonde – a little too flat chested for British tabloid papers but no more extreme. The sounds in places are OK – like the curates egg, see below? But female masturbation as its addressed here appears as light hearted titillation even at its most extreme. The CD further exposes the dubiousness of the supposed theme of “pain” in attempting to deal with something far more widespread, deep and difficult, to the extent that even anthropologists sort a universal “evil” – in incest where there isn’t one! The Cd begins with a track which is a recording of the liturgy, - surprise surprise? what follows are rhythmic noise clanging with typical echoes of industrial P.E. and catholic incantations Using such obvious themes as “mans inhumanity to man” as a pretext for art is a loaded and dodgy thing to do, especially picking on established easy targets, I mean is anyone actually defending priests who sexually abuse children? And by defending I mean arguing that its OK. So the artists here are in step with the establishment? And we are of course familiar with the prurience of the popular press and the general public. So what? The answer to all these problems is castration, the point well made in A clockwork orange, and that without mans inhumanity man fails to be human, but a point not well made at all here, as it sounds like most other industrial music, with the exception of the liturgical speaking. A far more problematics might arise from the beautiful work of Church music compared to the deep hypocrisy which financed it, even today. The idea of being like a “whited sepulchre “… now who said that? IOW in tackling such big subjects the artists needs to take risks, but here no person or animal was harmed in the making – I guess – I hope? (jliat)

Addrress http://www.marbrenegre.com/

ZBIGNIEW KARKOWSKI & JULIEN OTTAVI ARGOSH (Cd by Uzu Sounds)

The inability of noise to carry a message? Good or Bad? i.e. a message which is discernable, has a value? BUT any text can equally fail to do so – take Job for instance, a realisation of the ineffable nature of the Absolute or the presentation of YAHWEH as Satanic, as evil botched demiurge, or the revelation to the chosen people that there is no God, no big other. Well there are kinda gods here. Given an authority, - in huge biographies I cant reproduce due to nothing other than space……. studied with Iannis Xenakis, Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Boulez, and Georges Aperghis, residency at UC Santa Barbara in California, Regular collaborators of reconized artists : Jenny Pickett, Brandon Labelle, Keith Rowe, Kasper T. Toeplitz, Jerome Joy, Ryan Jordan, Joachim Montessuis, Christian Galarretta, Achim Wollscheid, Elpueblodelchina, Zbigniew Karkowski, Randy Yau, Ilios, Philippe Roux, Dominique Leroy, Dion Workman, Yvan Etienne, Mike Bullock, Phill Niblock, Seth Cluett, KKnull, Jean-Louis Costes... exhibited, performed and presented work @ Knitting Factory Old Office, NYC, , Goldsmiths College / London - UK, - Amsterdam, residency at Festival Parochial - Berlin, Montevidéo - Marseille, - Bruxelles - Belgique, Musée d’art Contemporain – Strasbourg...etc. I genuinely admire such biographies, and the hard work that is thus entailed. Both artists have further credentials in use of electronics, hardware and software- some self made/built, in the production of their music, which sounds like? Downloads here - http://www.archive.org/details/karkowski_ottavi_argosh. So assuming one cant be bothered, sounds like heavy beatless layers of electronica which is improvised? Watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqCUPMGLYLw or better http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHvxnwzBDuU&feature=related . Now its clear these guys are in a different pool to the mid-west bare chested Budweiser drinking crews elsewhere in the noise scene? Yes? But other than the venue and seriousness, corporate and government arts money being thrown at them I’m buggered if I can see it. I’m not as it seems just being jealous, but point out that the ubiquitousness of rubbish, or noise, levels everything. Early on in modernity the classic philistine phrase (a misunderstood race who while the Israelites where still in the bronze age were making tools and weapons from the more sophisticated iron)- was that “a child of 5 could do it.” Which might not be true, but key to this was that the technical superior ability of making, iron Vs bronze for instance had in high modernity been replaced by intellectual capacity – for challenge and novelty. So though true that anyone can make an abstract painting, stand on stage with feedback guitar, it was getting there first which mattered. However once “novelty” is removed, by everything being done that can be done (with say a saxophone or dead cow) then such a criteria are removed. And also I add novelty becomes itself passé. Then all things being equal, (but they in fact are not) it sounds much the same. No matter how much theology you know it wont get you into heaven, given that a) There isn’t one or b)There is and its full of thick fundamentalists. What does this mean – well we are either all dumb, or we need to talk more and improvise less. (jliat)

Address www.uzusounds.com

SCUMEARTH / CRANK STURGEON - "SPLIT" (Cdr by Mattoid Records)

Scumearth introduces in the intro to his single track of very harsh noise electro machine gun rattles and space blasters sounds at almost regular intervals, so the piece resembles some programmed destructive machine, an ingenious idea to add to harsh noises texture without falling victim of programme “music” or “sound effect”, after five or so minutes the intensity rises to a cacophony of feedback, roar and electronic howl. Excellent stuff, far removed from some of the pussyfooting that is palmed off as noise, and as if such a totalizing work is impossible the piece halfway through the 18 minutes collapses into PE / Industrial ambience. It could be argued this somehow is to the determent of the track – but I think it works well. Crank Sturgeon has all the other 9 tracks, noise- overdubbed, glitches, strange rhythmic vocals and bangings in nursery rhyme military marching songs, mixed with falling rubble and mayhem. Distorted filtered squeals and metallic miked sound and electronic farts…. Its pace and variations give it a strangely old fashioned iconoclastic feel, parts like the cartoon sounds of car or train crashes, I’m even half convinced that dick dastardly and muttley might make guest appearances? The whole thing then unpretentious, amusing like an early Chaplin film, but without any social comment- perhaps. (jliat)

Address http://mattoid.funguscerebri.com/en/

WIDOW'S BATH A LOVE IN THE SHADOW OF THAT WHICH CONSTITUTES LOVE (Cassette by Rainbow Bridge Recordings)

S.C.O.A.M. / PREGNANT SPORE - CIRCLE THE EXCESS (Cassette by Teen Action Records)

Widows bath – Justin Marc Lloyd & Matt Boettke, Pregnant Spore J.M.L.- S.C.O.A.M. -? The first collaboration cutting down descriptions (after all description is a view – and this is a re-view) begins with ambient (found?) music which degenerates into noisy improv on A side, mains humm and sci fi sounds degenerate onto the flip side only taking a little longer. The second cassette uses “of innovative technologies, such as The Internet and Sesame St. talking toys” produces weird electro sounds – reverb and noise of tape saturation. Rhythmic electronic pulses – static etc. Well I need to be careful here as I’ve had quite heated exchanges with J.M.L. and a circle of “noiseheads” who see the genre in no way different from any other (western elitist art movement) who struggle with skill, technique, emotion and expression within a clearly “given” aesthetic / ethical framework. An (aest)ethic of “i don't want to ever release (or perform) anything that doesn’t have 100% exertion of all energy, emotion and mental effort.” – however they have re-appropriated and capitalized a Rancièrean aesthetic, should I then be critical, no I think not. As a re – view I can see three possibilities, all of which are both ontic and ontological. (1)That of a Rancière system which is haunted by a hierarchy, even if Rancière’s writings are not, which I think is a good, by that a fairly accurate, view of these works - here, (the citation of pseudo-arithmetic ideas of emotional production and valorization) (2) The system of noise qua noise, i.e. vomir and the uniformity of walls, therefore inability to hypostatization, and (3) the mathematical (Badiou) ontologies of transcendental infinite absolutes, or non-absolutes, un-reason (of Meillassoux, Brassier and I suppose Harman, and all? of OOP/OOO?) which is phalologocentic logics – of transcendentals, i.e. PI, E .. the Alephs. And so in keeping with the re-view I pass no judgment, or assessment other than an attempt to more than double? So from my position – of reviewer, what I see is the reflection even of my own modernity, and capitalism. However I claim no percentage, I cant help finding an actuality is inexistent with regard to an infinity, a problematic which I oppose, no matter what I do, is written, or is not. (jliat)

Address http://hellorainbowbridge.blogspot.com/

Address http://www.teenactionrecords.com/

KEROAÄN DAUNTING IN ITS VARIOUSNESS: FIRST IN A SUITE OF AN INDETERMINATE NUMBER OF PIECES (Cdr by Copy for your Records)

Keroaän is a musical A.I. program developed by Ian M. Fraser and Reed Evan Rosenberg using XENAKIS’S Dynamic Stochastic Synthesis… Non determinist “music” on a Fixed state machine- tricky…. The subject is complex and ‘quite’ large, even to the idea of describing the sounds so produced, more than human / human description, I cant help wonder though i know Heidegger would disapprove, how any Dasein is authentic by nature of biology, a hence human air born auditory systems. This I’m exploring elsewhere, music – should it be limited to human auditory systems? Regardless this is a sound work, though its significance for me is much more in the move into territories outside of the correlationist’s ear. Here using A.I. and stochastics-. One criticism (which is a positive generation arising from such work!) I have lies in the ontologies of Stochastics Vs those of k-multicombinations, i.e. multisets or bags, in simple terms the totality of ‘all possible’ rather than the non totality of probables. Probability has for me a possible emptiness in infinities, which is obvious in my own work. I prefer the pedantic algorithm to the stochastic chimp, though this is not to be seen a pejorative description, the play of probabilities offers much, its potentially an embracing field (it includes Meillassoux’s future God!) and it strikes me as something more in my personal psychology to prefer “bags” to great apes. The whole project is commendable in its openness and the placing of so many themes on the table, it’s a pity I cant explore more here. Possibilities, probabilities, infinities and time! What we hear is 10 or so slabs of noise and tones, drone like oscillations which rise and fall, the first signs of a colossus. A release which has not only sonic interest, one that should open up a discussion for anyone interested in music or sound art, and one way around or out of any HNW nihilism or correlationist’s circle. (jliat)

Address http://cfyre.co/rds/

ANNEXIFIER AGRICULTURAL ADJUSTMENTS (C17 by foredoom productions)

GRIZZLY IMPLODED HE BECAME SOMETHING...( 8cm Cdr by foredoom productions)

The C17 has no label to distinguish sides, one of which has drumming and distorted guitar noise and very distorted human vocalizations, which plod along in a beat through a miasma of noise, the other side lacks the drum rhythm beat, has harsh static feedback and distorted vocal roars, deep throbbing industrial hums, bass guitar, drum thuds. Once “anything” exhibits features it forms or is capable of falling into taxonomic ranks, Species, Genus, Family, Order Class, Phylum, Kingdom, Domain, LIFE. Or death metal, grind core, shit core… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_styles ... from which noise escapes in its univocity, perhaps not HNW? But of course these are not real structures! One is born an individual with nature, God, or some musicologist making no decision as to what , Genus, Family, Order Class, Phylum, Kingdom, Domain each “thing” is to be, such an apriori location is almost essentialism, as a distinction unlike the haecceity as ens inquantum ens being qua being i.e. noise qua noise. Here music’s taxonomy implies an Aquinan metaphysics capable of reforming an ontological argument, and do we really want to go there? It might be agued the radical free improvisation, drums sax …etc. on the Cdr could likewise be critiqued, but apart from my liking such a “live” deconstruction of music qua performance it fails to do anything other than be an improvisation, and so falls out of any taxonomics of subtleties found elsewhere, shoegaze etc. – could be considered as a biblical choice of time place species sent forth to multiply. In other words as its essences is indistinguishable from its existence it’s the kind of music that Duns Scotus would dig – dadio! Francesco Gregoretti: drums Maurizio Argenziano: guitar Sergio Albano: guitar (jliat)

Address http://www.foredoomproductions.blogspot.com/

POITER / OCRA SPLIT (C30 by Ramshackle Day Records)

The poiter track superficially could be described as sounding like a faulty air conditioning unit or industrial filtration unit, long clunky drones, these appear however to pan from channel to channel giving movement to what would otherwise be a dull monotonous sound wall. This might be a good or bad thing depending on your taste, or depending on some other aesthetic. The piece is thus located between noise, what could almost be a field recording, and the industrial genre. The Ocra track is very different, layered mechanical drones, slow oscillator sweeps which slowly evolve, again a mechanistic soundfield but here it lies in heavy reverb pushing the sound from the banality of the industrial real into the fantasy fictions of science fiction. Its evolution of layers building before dying away giving it a symphonic form, the old male orgasm played out this time in a hyper-real space. I prefer the Poiter realism, if anything is now real, and anyway the structure of evolution despite all its Darwinian credentials whilst not falling back into some fundamentalist / creationist Yahweh ejaculation symphonic / musical dissemination, of some 6,000 years ago, is faced with numerous problematics, “evolution by jerks”, bags and bulks… Its not so much the nihilism of the extractor fan but the banality and mechanistic repetition which even challenges the creativity of Deleuze’s infinite speeds and planes, or Derrida’s impossible events. Like a factory replacement model the Poiter appears to be moving into some world of infinite warehouses, I think a step into mono might be fruitful here because just as binocular vision gives an animal perspective to the world a monaural cosmos has no perspective, no reverberation, and so is effectively infinite, like an airless planet lacking a sense of distance and scale, and sound, and so impossible for both territorialization and or de-territorialization of the peeing wolf.(jliat)

Address ramshackledayparade.wordpress.com

CHEFKIRK / SOMNAPHON - TENDER PINK MOVEMENTS (C20 by Bicephalic Records)

CHEFKIRK WE MUST LEAVE THE WARREN (Cdr by Control Value Records)

Micro sound – statics (rain, ) tiny glitches, very short snippets, hums, of field recordings- domestics, distant railway locomotives, radical panning, a mixture of abstract dead electronica – long near silences with very evocative and spatial recordings… “silly” electro loops and light sabers. Side two of the cassette is Spacey Yamaha synthesiser pads – floating in reverb – with added micro percussive doodlings… (the arty bit) - “weird” chords and deep reverbed descending drones… segues to chimes and then a ridiculous loop of robotic cats and mice…which wanders on through insects? and warble distortion…We have again on the Cdr a bizarre mixture of dead micro sounds and spatial atmospherics. Tracks of long feedback via no input mixer at times raw , sometimes mixed static, at others deep drones… The Bicephalic label belongs to August Traeger who is Somnaphon, Chefkirk is Roger H Smith … and appears here on Justin Lloyd’s label, one of many which is part of some ‘collective’ of ‘artist’ / ‘labels’ of many names who operate within a genre I think they would prefer called “experimental’ rather than ‘noise’, as it seeks to inhabit the woodwork of modernity, not so much as some beetle tapping out a death knell, it certainly doesn’t want to bring the metanarrative roof down in an apocalyptic crash of harsh noise, or remove the pillars like a blinded Sampson. The philistines, I have said, were a cultured race, and this micro-music is all about culture. Stockhausen and Cage, Moog and Jobs and Gates between them whilst making money gave out blank cheques. And so microlife lite such as this is able not only to live on but prosper as microbial mats. The microbial mat is the human biological surface of the earth which now exists as ubiquitous univocity of micro technologies, electronical, environmental, economic/political noologosphere- and not to be confused with the pre-cambrian bacteria, otherwise I’d be accused of arguing for some kind of completed circle which is abhorrent to life and an economics of growth- and so also to music (avant-garde / experimental) in Marxist/Darwinian terms. The latter of course is pre-history, the former – a post – dialectics, difference qua indifference. (jliat)

Address http://www.bicephalic.net/

Address http://www.controlvalve.net/

WRESTED THREAD UNTITLED (Cd by Must Die Records)

Eight tracks of a total 30 minutes?, heavy drone didgeridoo sounds, clanking metal loops and rumbles all in very deep reverb and echo, looped almost techno jabberings, I can find very little information about this work, and to save further poor descriptions samples can be found at the address below, and the comment “pure aural abuse – certainly not one for the faint hearted” – which I must take issue with. The over production is a kind of avant-garde lite, and though I’ve played this now several times I can find nothing there? Reminiscent of alcohol free lager perhaps? A simple fact is that reverb and echo as electronic effects give the illusion of depth and space, they give a picture a meaning a signified, even if and as a cave or cathedral!, just as distortion effects might be an illusion, the illusion of some deterioration in the production of sound, although it could be argued in the latter case the deterioration is “real”, as opposed to a Papier-mâché cave. One qualification for noise is its reality, and that might be an insight for those who think that anything and everything is OK – in noise, which if it was would mean that a Tallis choir of angels would be OK, despite its overarching religiosity, meaning and metaphysics, of a male god etc. A stream of consciousness might read like an Enid Blyton book. But all these excuses, apart from being immediately self destructive are misunderstandings. Its possible to misunderstand senselessness – as nonsense or meta-rationality as irrationality. Groups might spend time and effort in creating such works, as music, as noise they are like a night out with the lads drinking alcohol free lager or with the girls drinking “mocktails” and no doubt having safe sex. So the criticism here, as I’m sure there is one is the very “goodness” the “smoothness” of the piece, which might validate “my” idea of indifference after difference. (jliat)

Address http://mustdierecords.co.uk/

ARVO ZYLO - SAINT STREET (Cd by No Part of It)

I have had long discussions with Arvo about Australian Sheep rolling over cattle grids. That is the 'new' way of wearing scarves which seems to have taken the UK (and probably the world) by storm - folded in half and then ends put through the loop - and they mentioned 'morphic resonance' to explain the fact that the behavior had spread so rapidly – here perhaps in relation to noise? Or the Jackson Pollock Formica tables of the 1950s. Just in case anyone thinks this is a performative review, the calculus was either invented or discovered allegedly simultaneously by Leibniz and Newton. Zylo claims no prior knowledge of noise before creating these works, “but from a reckless abandon that resulted from an absolute failure at making electronic music”, which is one of the most precise definitions of noise I’ve read recently. Though the signification of the calculus was fairly definitive, noise is not, so arriving at it, like the blank canvas can be via a dead logic, or sublime mysticism. Good noise – which escapes “goodness” can be so regarded, as a mystical sublimity or a dead logic, as both philosophic and non-philosophics, as a chain of difference, and repetition of not the same in the same as a signifier without a signified. Some might find these works (Saint Street) as sublime metaphysics or musicphysics, as a logic of abandonment of music into a Kierkegaardean sickness unto death or a Nietzschean overcoming (of music), or failure of communication, or a nihil, similar to but not IMO noise, in these protoforms which collide and collapse. The ten tracks are of shear non-musical invention, no matter their origin they claim and demand to be listened to, as a destrukion of music, more an imaginative and authentic act of existenz than the cooler essenceless existence of existential noise. Remarkable works. (jliat)

address http://nopartofit.blogspot.com/

FILTHY TURD "BILE ENEMA" (C30 + Zine by Narcolepsia )

FILTHY TURD JORIS J (C60)

FILTHY TURD ERECT ROAR OF EERIE MOON COCK (Mini Cdr by Kafkex Rex)

FILTHY TURD THE DELICATE SCENT OF SIN AND TEMPTATION (Min Cdr by Debila Records)

“The indissoluble link between the pre-individual character of sensibility and affect and the unabashed artificiality of artistic invention, taken as a prism through which to grasp the singularity of contemporary art, is thus employed against any notion of art as the manifestation of subjectivity..” Life (or Being but not becoming, ) like noise is a private language and not some mathatico/philo/theorectical system. And so if “art” offers itself to any philosophy or non philosophy, one of many consequences is the loss of time. And music is impossible without time. If any of Wyngarde’s work was “timed”, which is to read it, then in it “becoming” it would fail. As it is its only a detritus and so unlike the Delandan anti essentialism, you know his homeomorphisms a multiplicity is replaced by an essence which is to say an existence which “is” essential, to life and time etc. But being born of “fish and finger pies” as it were without life there is no time at all. So no music only noise. A noise which becomes a music, not a non music, but the smell and sound of rotting flesh. A mirror image of the equally disliked conceptualism of Kosuth’s three chair scenario of truth, of actualité. A zine of B&W Nothingness – Sartre! Why is the worthless noise (C30) pointless dirt loop (c60) or wasted distortion of nothing- an (unshielded) field recording? –and general messing- with sound loops and Atari video games banjos (actual tin guitar?)… Cdr of value is that they are found not in some suburban garden but on Mars. Imagine the fuss of finding an empty crisp (US chip) packet on Pluto – which BTW is no more a planet than I am, and not on some refuse dump on the fringe of some city. This is not noise but “bad music”. A finite reality…. Ergo a big problem for any philosopher. (that is someone who now asks a question, offers a proposition etc.) Subjective to the point of absurd wastes of time space and money. (jliat)

Address http://filthyfilthyturd.blogspot.com/

Address http://narcolepsiahn.blogspot.com/

Address www.myspace.com/kafkexrex

Address [email protected]

MACKLE JACKLE SHANOKEE FUNERAL (C30 'Knife in the Toaster')

@ VW 655 A C90 appeared - MACKLE JACKLE SHANOKEE FUNERAL a cut up layered tape of various found sounds very badly layered/ recorded / presented and now , MACKLE JACKLE SHANOKEE FUNERAL a cut up layered tape of various found sounds very badly layered/ recorded / presented and now , perhaps a chance to smooze with Deleuze, but not so. This is not the same material but the same material, though whereas mister D sees repetition as a chance for art, this is not so, well is so. Does anyone know or care, cemeteries and chip shops, etc. Its enough to make Heidegger turn in his grave, at the momentous decision of authenticity – at the moment of fear and trembling – that’s not him but the great Dane – I know! I know.. Darren goes out for a 99, that’s an ice cream with a Cadburys flake in the top, and not for the first time. If the world was full of Wyngardes – we would need a philosopher as if the world was full of philosophers we would need a Wyngarde, but both is the case. Wyngardes – we would need a philosopher as if the world was full of philosophers we would need a Wyngarde, but both are the case.(jliat)

http://www.knifeinthetoaster.com/

BBBLOOD / TINNITUSTIMULUS SPLIT (C30 by BBBlood)

Paul Watson’s (BBBLOOD ) material is created by manipulation of junk metal and a step-ladder, ‘field recordings’ which are cut up – re-assembled and layered. Through use of looping, notably on the second track the resultant ‘image’ though a construct could itself be a field recording- it sounds very like a goods train. It might be argued that this then is a ‘representational’ work – albeit accidentally, but then the sound of a goods train could be equally an accidental re-representation of a BBBLOOD track.

Tomas Bennett’s side uses found sound with the addition of electronic feedback loops resembling old shortwave data signals which are pushed and distorted into harsh “walls” of noise, especially in the second track where these are pushed and folded dis-continuously into dense blocks, one of the “best” HNW I’ve heard in awhile. A track which demonstrates the solution to the problem of representation in noise, be it human or accidental only “works” under a total erasure, of sense, method, meaning, value, structure etc. otherwise we are left with a “brutalism” lite, which can only work with a sense of humour as in Cementimental. A process / work I can best “describe” by an extensive / [adapted!] quote from John Mullarkey’s essay on Henry… “Affects [here the “blocks”] are as much like points, therefore, as they are like passages. But this is not to concede everything to some kind of mathematical punctualism [or integer arithmeticalization] or ‘misplaced concreateness’ (at least not yet). The puncta in question are felt, and are much closer to Ronald Barthe’s use of ‘puctum’ – the shocking point in an image, the pathetic suffering of thought – than mathematical points on a line. They are monads of experience…” and so in this work of Bennett’s the problem of Henry’s representation – like that of Watson’s is sufficiently ‘overwritten’- or as Henry says the image (of thought / sound / idea) is projected into the milieu of exteriority.(jliat)

Address http://bbblood.blogspot.com/

YOSHIHIRO KIKUCHI ONE INTENSELY EATS UP ANOTHER ECONOMIC PRINCIPLE (C26 by Fragment Factory)

Kikuchi’s recordings were made in response to glitches and errors in software on an Apple computer in reading or converting between audio stored in .WAV format and .AIFF format, the two being (almost) the standard audio file format for Microsoft and Apple respectively. Kikuchi doesn’t say which software or precisely the actual details of the files, for both formats can store sound in various sample rates and formats. Details of these are found in the files (header) from which software can detect the number of channels, sample rate and sample size. This is a labyrinthine world of technical and so techie delight, but one with both philosophy, metaphysics, and surreal humour. For instance a likely source of the error could be Apple’s changing its format from big-endian to little-endian. In simple terms which end of an address (here its data I know) is the most important. So [email protected] is little-end (ian) because you are smaller than hotmail, or wonderfully child’s myname, my street, my town, my country, the world, the solar system , the galaxy the universe. Compare that to the Big endian 1,000,000 – where the 1 is Big, though wiki says that in big endian the first byte, lowest in address is the biggest, and gives Arabic numerals as an example, because I assume 1,000,000 is where we address memory 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, so 1 is in position 1, this is confusing because one might assume the end is position 7 and not 1. The article goes on to explain this has caused bugs!* And just before anyone goes completely insane, the terms little and big endian – wait for it- come from Gulliver’s travels where the two nations (Lilliput and Blefuscu) go to war over which end of the egg goes into the egg cup, the big end or little, or is it which end sticks up… I think I should get back to the review but with Kikuchi’s help I’ve established that the world of so called logic and computer science is far more otiose - ontologically (love it!) than anything those French post-modernists could dream up – well, maybe not, but certainly someone is giving someone a run for their money. *For my part rather than “think” I tend to try each end (when programming!) and listen to the result, see I’m an Englishman and at heart an empiricist, even if I try my hardest I cant go metaphysical for love or money. Perhaps the Japanese share the English sense of empiricism, Gulliver was you see written by an Irishman, as was Finnegan’s wake, though I’m enamored of Deleuze’s transcendental (or is it transcendent- :-) Ha! There’s a BIG difference ….. empiricism…. And so infinite virtualities… but empirically an audio sample (which is a two byte signed integer) say +303 would be stored as 2F 01, or 47 256 (2F is hex 2x16 + 15) or 0101111 00000001 which is 47 + 256 = 303. The 2F is the least significant byte, the 01 the most significant… in binary 1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128 in the first byte 256,512,1024… in the second byte, so 1 x 256 (from the second byte) + 32+8+4+2+1 = 47 (from the first) = 256 +47 = 303 so empirically we know that if 303 is stored as 2F 01 then the system is using little endian. Obviously we need to know apriori that our number is 303, then the endian format becomes obvious or “visible”, tangible and no more a theoretic object. And this is no more irrelevant than a review of classical music which uses such terms as C sharp, as in “what does C sharp sound like?” – what does this cassette sound like, sounds like a possible endian conversion error in PCM data. And as such a review exceeds any subjective impression in giving an empirical fact, representation of the work, could then be criticized as, and this is true, saying nothing at all, but being a mere doubling, as if I am nothing more than a cassette recorder. Surly (even) any realist can see a mistake here? (jliat)

Address http://fragmentfactory.com/

COMBUSTIONE & LIBERAZIONE ASH ME (CDR by Orgonomy Records)

COMBUSTIONE & LIBERAZIONE/PANDA SPLIT (CDR by Orgonomy Records)

C&L takes its name from a right wing anti Marxist catholic organization which (C&L) aims to fill the space left by this organization with ultra psychedelic noise. With Panda on the split join their forces for “a journey into the meaning of living”… The Solo CDR consists of heavy electronics and statics looped. Indecipherable voices appear and disappear. Track two takes place in the engine room of some middle of the last century stream ship…again a rhythmic loop(s) – a sudden image of women doing exercises in spandex flits across my mind, 80s dance routines. The split begins again like Ash Me with added reverb and echo. The second track starts in almost silence and slowly fades up!? into the industrial loops (again). The other tracks continue the obsession – not with spandex but with industrial loops. There might have been and maybe still is a justification for political activity wrapped within the milieu of genres - industrial? or is the right term Power Electronics? And I must not let my experiences of property owning Marxists who have time share Villa’s in the South of France prejudice my attitude to these ‘left wingers’ – it would be gauche of me to do so (Boom boom). And those odd “collectives” that once flourished and still remain as kind of tired house plants. I’m well aware that for these and the likes of Zizek genocide in the name of McDonalds is not the same as genocide in the name of Burger King, (I’ve never had a Wendy burger -) and that any critique will not do my commercial prospects with the arts nobbling scene much good, but could we not have some more “music” rather that PE, Street Fighting Man or the Red Flag will do…(jliat – class traitor and chav)

Address http://orgonomy-records.blogspot.com/

A VIEW FROM NIHIL PRIMORDIAL SEA (Cdr by Void Séance)

This is HNW with slow bass drone that works in and out. I’m well aware that “noise” has any number of interpretations to it, and that harsh noise and harsh noise wall can be politicized and used in any number of ways by any number. Contra what some want to believe its ease of manufacture and seeming “anti” status make it a prime candidate for propaganda, polis, jouissance…and also alternatively it can become re-infected with progress, value, capital, skill, and condemnation… though its been pointed out that these are nothing other than cargo cults. That a view from nihil is at all possible, a view from nothing, is ridiculous, but that has no hold. You cant have concepts, and this CDr touts itself as a concept par excellence, from the entropics of noise, actually a reverse entropics, the nihil unbound of a trillion years in the future if Brassier gets his wish is one where no information processing and so no concepts can occur- but of course this is a concept. Anyway a concept should be recognized especially to a “waller” as tout court impossible due to the overwriting of information tout de meme… however we are told that this is a product, from a true artist, we have re-introduced truth, but not as a woman, and a genuine professional. The anthropology is clear that in any group, stratifications will take place, territorialization will occur. We seem then to have a conflict, perhaps a dialectic (which will please many) that of the overcoming of entropy by a kind of ecstatics of divine immortality as A man’s destiny in a Christ risen, but risen above the masses. (pun intended). Laurelle’s Gnostic heretics of “knower” … Meillassoux’s future forgiving Christ… IOW what has been done with the simple drone, is making of something (noise) which has no meaning into something which has. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing, the answer is yes. Its excellent. (jliat)

http://www.voidseance.com/

. BACHIR GEMAYEL HNWAR (CDr by Order of The Nihil)

“Misbaha beads and bullet casings as source material, along with the absence of distortion effects” recorded in Chicago but aims at presenting something of the nightmare of the middle east. Its difficult not to take sides, as is pointed out, in urban warfare and impossible problem for those of us lucky enough not to be directly involved. How then to review such material. It’s claiming to use HNW as some kind of political form of communication, and I guess some will anticipate my answer. However there is a point where one must remain silent, and this is one of them. However the silence is neither academic, or passive but sufficient to let the work and artists concerned speak for themselves. “The walls constructed are made of nothing more then misbaha beads and bullet casings, standard items either held or scattered around war torn areas of Lebanon. This is HNW on a realistic level. Inspired by life and the world around me, in the name of my people, I produce Walls of War.” (Jliat)

Address http://orderofthehnw.blogspot.com/

DIE REITENDEN LEICHEN RAUSCHEN & SIMULATION (CDr by Order of The Nihil)

Perhaps here is another answer to my own of apparent hand washing in my approach to politics. Though in my case it was unlike Pilate’s and more sympathetic (empathy is impossible) than an excuse to leave the party. However the mules in Two Mules for Sister Sara are complicit even in their passivity to the political and in the end a form of revolutionary prostitution which leaves anyone not enthralled with Mr. Eastwood (nobody!) in a dilemma. So what should the mules do? I maintain, and I have consistently done, that they should do nothing. Biologically at least they can do nothing. If they are as dumb as (Ass) made out maybe they can escape any part in the ideological conflict, not at all like the other equine revolutionary, Boxer. However returning to their Deleuzean excuse, they are not the virtual plane (which I think is a metaphysics to far!), but the plane of immanence itself where singularities or events occur. In translation then, Boxer is modernity, avant garde, Eastwood & Co the dialectic – and you guessed it- the two mules HN and HNW. Perhaps a less allegorical explanation is here - orderofthehnw.blogspot ? The actual sounds are interesting in that they are not what one expects primarily from HNW, but are made of two or three layers of noise, a deep rumbling bass, a static crackle and at times a high pitch whine which is of a definite pitch. These are all of a fairly low volume and quite discernable with subtle changes and mixes, more noticeably a use of a Doppler effect… which reduces the click to clunks and throws the bass rumble deeper.. so neither (pure) HN or HNW but certainly Noise, as its context is lacking, or if any, has no use or purpose, even to cause the physicality’s of HN / HNW. (jliat)

Address http://orderofthehnw.blogspot.com/

MOURMANSK 150 YES WE CONFLICT (CD by Topheth Prophet)

“Mourmansk150 is a honest, uncensored & unrestrained expression of my deep hostility towards the inequities, corruption, abuse, ignorance & perversion of our civilizations, our species & the machinations of mans predominantly revolting existence…. The complete annihilation, extermination, destruction, ruination, violent collapse & permanent extinction of ALL oppressive forces & political tyranny through

VIOLENT ACTION-DIRECT FATAL CONFRONTATION-LETHAL COLLISION

the purgation, irreversible removal, immolation of Social Abuse Civil Ignorance Ecological Dissoluteness Gluttony”…. Or maybe release a CD with industrial drones, Darlek voices, tons of reverb and stuff…..Though perhaps one can be sympathetic, violent action seems de rigueur whatever your politics, confrontation is precisely what our existing power structures like, it re affirms their power, gives them excuses for greater control, and the need for more weaponry against such threats. In the UK when the good Friday agreement was reached quite a few, myself included, thought, great no more bombs, no more need for MI5… then from nowhere Islamic fundamentalism appeared…odd? Very odd? - another reason to abandon political musics for meaningless HNW. (jliat)

Address http://www.topheth.org/

LHD EVEN STILL (2CD by Troniks)

Mbiemrat mund të jetë Tropetë vetëm, por ato të dobishme - ndoshta kështu që kjo muzikë është Heideggerian në shumë aspekte. Si jo muzikën e tij, natyrisht, por zhurma, zhurma dhe jo francez, ku matematika marksiste metafizikën dhe madje edhe gjurmët Ujku janë të punësuar, të vështirë si kjo shumë është i pranishëm në dorë. Thereness, dhe gjithashtu e vështirë ose e pamundur për të përkthyer, por jo një ngjarje ose një dekonstruktimi, por fiksimit të gjithë të lehtë të Kierkegaard dhe Nietzsche filozofi dhe një jetë që të dyja në aktivitetin e ishte i papenduar dhe ende pavarësisht përpjekjeve për të kapërcyer atë të mbetet në fund për shkak të së vërtetës së saj në dy poetikë dhe angazhim. Kjo punë duket cuditerisht vjetër në qartësinë e saj. Si Loci, ne mund të kthehen për të, një qenie, dhe të gjitha ato që gjëra throwness kaq keqkuptuar kaq. Kjo ndjenjë e paplotsueshm?ris? - kjo është një re-release është gjithashtu shumë Heideggerian në një mënyrë të dukshme. Kjo është e qartë, lidhja e saj për muzikën, dhe kjo është e qartë është në tejkalimin e saj të metafizikës. Dhe kështu borxhi paguhet është një nga një qepje në mendim dhe në muzikë mes muzikës dhe zhurma. E cila është prishur. Një prerë shumë e rëndësishme, me të cilin është e mundur që nga njëra anë dhe jetojnë në mos tjetër jetojnë. Është një përhapje e cila lejon përhapjen. Një gjurmë e cila mund me kujdes të ri-futur në një shkencë që nuk është një shkencëtarizmin. Ashtu si një philosopheme philosopheme ose të veçanta me të cilat kjo copë e bën vendimin e pa-nevojshme. Pa dyshim një punë e madhe pastaj. E vështirë të mos jetë aq e qartë dhe transparente, kur shkrim në lidhje me një punë të tillë si ky i saj, që e bën më mungon besimin e nevojshme për t'u angazhuar në detyrë. Gjithashtu nga ana e tim ajo i plotëson mua si një trashëgimi të ardhmen për atë që kam bërë tashmë, dhe kështu që unë borxh një borxh i madh i mirënjohjes. Ndoshta ne mund të shtyjë metaforën diku tjetër, por unë nuk mendoj, sepse vëmendja lexuesit mund të jenë të tërhequr për këtë shkrim dhe jo punës nën shqyrtim. Ajo duhet të jetë e qartë gjithashtu se borxhi im është gjenetik, kjo punë është një gjenetikë, kështu që unë do të përdorë fjalët e veta e mia të thjeshta dhe jo disa të tjerë që do të bëjmë atë të drejtësisë shumë më tepër unë e di, sepse ndjej një familjare me atë që është më shumë se historike . Unë nuk mund ta bëjë atë të drejtësisë si unë mund të bëj as më larg drejtësinë time. Shqyrtim ime pastaj është një mbrojtje e jo akti i dhunës ndaj veten time nga vetja ime, por një shartim i multiplicities, në krahasim me thjesht klonimi, e cila nga ana tjetër mund të jetë e konsiderojnë të dhunshme, por thonë se nuk ka asnjë dhunë këtu , në të gjitha. Si mund të jetë kjo kështu? Ajo është vetëm duke parë shokët e Zarathustra si më pak të dhunshme se dashurin e tij se kjo mund të kuptohet.

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/

LHD EVEN STILL (2CD by Troniks)

Adjectives might be only tropes but useful ones – perhaps so this music is Heideggerian in many respects. As its not music, obviously but noise, and not French noise where Marxist metaphysics mathematics and even wolf tracks are employed, difficult as this too is present at hand. Thereness, and also difficult or impossible to translate, but not an event or a deconstruction, but the grafting all to easy of Kierkegaard and Nietzsche philosophy and a life which both in activity was unrepentant and yet despite the attempts to overcome it remain in the end because of its truth in both poetics and commitment. This work seems strangely old in its clarity. As a loci, we can return to, a being, and all that throwness stuff so so misunderstood. Its sense of incompleteness – it’s a re-release is also very Heideggerian in an obvious way. This is obvious, its relation to music, and this is clear is in its overcoming of metaphysics. And so the debt paid is one of a suture in thought and in music between music and noise. Which is broken. A very important cut, with which it is possible to on the one side live and on the other not live. It’s a semination which allows dissemination. A trace which can with care be re-introduced to a science which is not a scientism. Like a philosopheme or special philosopheme by which this piece makes the decision un-necessary. No doubt a great work then. Its hard not to be so clear and transparent when writing about a work such as this, that makes me lack the necessary confidence to engage in the task. Also for my own part it meets me as a future legacy for what I have already done, and so I owe it a great debt of gratitude. Maybe we could push the metaphor elsewhere, but I think not, because the readers attention might be drawn to this writing and not the work under review. It must be obvious also that my debt is genetic, this work is a genetics, so I will use my own simple words and not some others which would do it far more justice I know because I feel a kinship with it which is more than historical. I can not do it justice as I could neither do my farther justice. My review then is a defense of not an act of violence towards myself, from myself, but one of the grafting of multiplicities, as opposed to merely cloning, which in turn may well be consider violent, but I maintain that there is no violence here, at all. How can this be so? It is only seeing the friends of Zarathustra as being less violent than his lover that this can be understood. (jliat)

LHD EVEN STILL (2CD by Troniks)

This 2 CD release documents the work of two west coast artists,

Phil Blankenship and John Wiese working together under the LHD name producing works of Harsh Noise between 2002 and 2007. Disk 1 contains 18 tracks, disk 2 a further 5. The material is from various vinyl releases; 7" material: Asthma, Hands of the Priestess, Fascination , Hotel Fire, Normandie 2x7", Lock Up, Los Angeles 2x7", Veiled, 12" Material: Triple Void, Electrophorus, and Trap. A further 2 unreleased work also appear, Rau and Wasp. Unfortunately only 200 of this release have been pressed which in my opinion is perhaps insufficient as it makes an excellent introduction to those wishing to hear actual Harsh Noise from the period in which this genre developed. It would be recommended listening for anyone interested in the development not only of noise, but also the “music” of the early 21st Century and therefore be an essential part of a recording library for the individual collector or musicologist but also in institutions were music is studied. (jliat- my “other” review is here) www.jliat.com/txts/lhd.pdf

Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/

KYLIE MINOISE DIE YUPPIE SCUM! SECRET LOVE QUEST OV SHOCK DISCO DESTROYER! (Cd by Mind Flare Media)

Billed as Harsh Noise Dance/Pop that pretty much summarizes the CD and the review could stop there. There is one short intro track of harsh noise, then follows the dance tracks with beats and background trippy nonsense which reminded me of Dr Alex Patterson and the Orb, also The Future Sound of London, and I could wonder whatever happened to them, but they went the same way as my interest in that electro beats chill out music. This has a little more “noise” lite added, but its hard not to dismiss this kind of thing. http://www.myspace.com/kylieminoise has pictures of Mira Hindly and The Princess of Wales suitably graffitied, as a snapshot of the 80s. This is a piece of pure retro pleasantness hitching a lift on YBA art and Irvine Welsh’s Train spotting 1980s novel, now in prequel… Even within the title “Yuppies” is another 80s reference. I suspect along with Margaret Thatcher and Reaganomics this material would be a puzzle to anyone under the age of 40, unless they were historians. For me I never liked the 80s but for those not into their middle age they might find this interesting, pleasant enough and without being nasty that’s all except a realization that quite allot has happened since the days of Bhopal , Chernobyl , Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Frogger and the biggest let down of all Halley's Comet . Or was it the fall of New Labour into Old mass murder…the future always makes he past absurd, and that is the fate of this retro. (jliat)

http://www.mindflaremedia.com/

PUSDRAINER THE LUSTFUL SEXLIFE OF A PERVERTED NYMPHO HOUSEWIFE (Cassette by Auris Apothecary)

“As the most despicable artist in the Midwest packs up and heads to New York, he does so with a giant middle finger in the air. An absolutely vile soundtrack to match an absolutely filthy concept, TLSOAPNH presents the sounds of vintage audio 8-track porn manipulated and mangled into something which is somehow more disturbing than the original” The problematics here are immense, the use of a condom and harsh sex as some arche feature of noise as in the Caesar finger pointing, Levi jeans wearing Caesar or George bush. Tracy Emin’s bed, with condom and menstrual blood exhibited in the most prestigious establishment of the authorities designation of what is high culture, high art and nobility returned once again via the Tyrian porphyrogenitos, of the popes to the Bolinus brandaris of the Caesar finger raising not into an arse but in the condemnation to death, which is the death of the predatory gastropods from which his origin arose. Such protest from those who fail to imagine where they come from, or see a re-introduction as some crime against a society they disdain. Those that give each other the Bras d'honneur, turning noise in to a fox hat! Both the church, those making noise and those attempting to make noise can only wonder at the shells beneath their feet of the sounds made by the snails which crawl over this tape and the Bishops who lie in Tewkesbury Abbey. The screams of dying gastropods in the shallow seas of Pierre de Caen here recorded for posterity! is better than the the praise and condemnation from The Warriors of Grezan in the “August” condemnation. Urbi et Orbi fingers held high a reversed. Et benedictio Dei omnipotentis, Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti descendat super vos et maneat semper. He cried torturing tape and sea shells.… (jliat)

Address http://aurisapothecary.org/

SKIN GRAFT DYSTROPHY (Cd by Hanson Records)

TWIG HARPER - TWIG HARPER (Cd by Hanson Records)

Skin graft is Wyatt Howland from Cleveland attempting to evoke horrible sounds by use of clanging metal and screams, acts of violence, long mechanical drones…Twig Harper creates supposedly musique concrete / sound poetry / etc. using plucked strings and various electronics and found sounds. These works can be reviewed together as they might be regarded as the product of some musical dialectics, or a translation of music, a play of differences of the possibilities of sound which in themselves are empty. Have become empty. Bodies without organs then. No such simple cliché though! is available here, now. However not so, they can be regarded not as naive copies of art music, but form part of a conservatism in Badiou’s sense of the term which seeks to preserve the present rather than radicalize it, or instigate some historical transcendentalism. Which in fact from another set of axioms seeks to mirror Badiou’s own activity. You could say in listening to both you get a corny re-hash version of “modern music” but that would miss the point. The operation of the dialectics of not only music but also post-theory have cut across any idea that art is related to Maoism, which obviously it is. Those rules forbidding re-presentation may here be simply ignored, but there is around this something far more significant, the very “localizable” territory, either a re or not, but not a de, undermines the theory which itself couldn’t find anywhere to go. The triumph of capitalism is of its own capitalization, its selling itself as now success now failure, the comodification and trade for instance of carbon dioxide capitalizes not the destruction of society but its continual re-structuring, novel, novelizing. So its not a case of making something of this or not. If , and quite rightly, any analytical movement is seen to be threatening (to creativity) then a recourse to dialectics seems obvious and appropriate, however in this kind of art, the process is reversed. The present looks back on the past as its originator, and therefore any temporality of “being” or “syllogistics” fails through the process of neither negation, death, creation or synthesis, other than the pure synthesis which this is, as such both part and apart from the continuum, more paradigmic of a Grothendieck universe than anything offered by old philosophy. In other words – inaccessible.(Jliat)

http://hansonrecords.net/

GOD PUSSY TORTURING NURSE & RICHARD RAMIREZ DEATH OF A MEMORY (Cd by Placenta Recordings)

If you say “tree” an image appears, or “a landscape”, then not so much impressionist or Constable, but more likely a picture similar to those paintings of the Barbizon school...likewise “Orchestral Music”, sits between Mozart- and Debussy- excluding these, where would the Hollywood films be without Mahler? And the introduction of “pop” in The Graduate”, which is now de-rigour in ‘feel-good’ films. There are still many convinced of modernity, but I really cant understand how they fail to have apriori a sound image at the phrase “avant garde music” without having to hear a sound. These form a group not so much of holocaust deniers as members of a cargo cult. It is then perhaps the un-heard of God Pussy, Jhones Silva from Rio who attempts to “Make it New”, something which would once have been approved not only in music but still inhabits the philosophies of Badiou and Deleuze, still living in the former! and as Adorno points out has to ignore “Nietzsche’s liberating act” – or twist it (same thing). All three here play with the grammar which is comprehensive and so not, of Harsh Noise, and The Wall, its only the latter two who have no need of modernist demands and can adopt as Sisyphusian denial of “The Event” of ‘Music’. Just examine the monikers, we might forgive a bad Chinese attempt at western nomenclature but noise is noise and Richard Ramirez is Richard Ramirez. (Jliat)

Address http://placentarecordings.blogspot.co.uk/

DENTAL WORK K CHAI FLAN AND Z LYSERGIC SUPREMAS 2011 TOUR DOCUMENT (DVD/CDR Box Set by Placenta Recordings)

“This is a 72 minute film that was shot during Dental Work’s “K Chai Flan And Z Lysergic Supremas” tour in April of 2011 in Traverse City, MI - Lansing, MI - Chicago, IL - Oakland, CA - San Francisco, CA - Denver, CO - and everywhere in between! Contains chronological footage documenting the entire tour, complete with video of Dental Work’s full performances during the tour, excerpts from the tour of the legendary performance artists Crank Sturgeon, Styrofoam Sanchez, Rubber O Cement, Caroliner, and tons of other rare glimpses into this amazing time in experimental music history!” To add that Dental work is a young american Jay Watson and that this documents very well a scene or the scene of noise/experimental/music which is a non critical performance based activity which has similar anthropologics in europe. In the main white, young male, utilizing lap top computers guitar effects and “performing” a kind of mash up of Cabaret Voltaire, Fluxus, 60s happenings, only significantly each performer is at pains to delimitate themselves, and extreme forms of Daseinism abound.. or tagging…noisy material using found sounds – pop – “bizarre costumes” playing in small venues to other mainly white male young americans who stand around twitching more than dancing as each performance unfolds. We have road clips and domestic scenes of those “finding oneself” episodes that all M.W.M.Y.A.s have as a right of passage, meeting the occasional forever 21s (Coelacanths) on the way. Such is an attempt at an unbiased description which will already be suspect to those M.W.M.Y.A.s. The noise like the junk food, junk places, sex shops and cheap eateries is I suspect a novelty to some of these M.W.M.Y.A.s who are from comfortable and respectable middle class families, and operate with a clearly visible morality, which of course splits them apart from any cultural critique (Dada etc.) and places them in some teenage road film. That they use noise and the avant garde “performance” is firstly its easy, non-aesthetic and kitsch, and also in the current weltanschauung such “activities” are de facto “avant garde” tools for ‘this’ Jugendbewegung. However- this weariness of cognition I have is in actuality transcendent to subjectivity in its immediacy *for* subjectivity, ”without being conceptually stained by subjectivity…we return to stages of consciousness that lie before the reflection upon subjectivity and transmission”- ha ha! – I’m doubtful that they are Edelweiss Pirates – or their more sinister opposites- or even a positive critque of anything – as sutch the “noise” here is not the sound of the sound but the coherance of the repetition. A negative Deleuze. Noise as arche-behaviour? Failed khoriographony.. In such activities “art” subjectively cling to the phenomenology of things, are ‘original’ and at the same time doing justice in the material, as they in fact eliminate definitions from cognitivity and thought- “denken”, as Kant once eliminated them from the-thing-in-itself, far emptier than the ancient transendental (fluxus et al) subject which always caried “egoity”, the memory of a consiousness in being, as its uniy of consiousness. This, of course, is a nominalistic kind of fact directly contary to any otological intention….convicts Husserl-Heidegger methodologies as flirting with a science (of language and form) convicted of false or premature generalization… art, culture, music, et al.(jliat)

Address http://placentarecordings.blogspot.co.uk/

DENTAL WORK FRUIT OF LEBANON (7” by Placenta Recordings / Love Earth Music)

Another of the getting on for 200 releases by Jay Watson’s “music” which “is pretty much a genre of its own..” although the numerous artists in lists of “dependencies” may seem to aid an “originality of repetition” any musical theorist would need to recognise an obvious aporia as being just that in a methodology which despite the paraphernalia is the most simple of syntaxes, which given its “giveness” has to be as anything other would result in the divergence from the rumble and squeak feedback which originates with the use of a Boss delay configured in a feedback loop. Hence the totality of the “other” from Mo-Town to Hacksaws- like Heinz soups 57 varieties of red brown or cream. The multiplicity of noise arises out of a singular which is multiple and therefore can become the singular of the multiplicity of the unique. This is something which non-dialectic thinking, which has typified northern thoughts and songs will always fail to understand, even the so called practitioners! This is typified by a supporter of Manchester United referring to “We”. If I can once again “borrow” from Adorno –this involves contradictions that cannot be settled neither in the nominalistic direction nor in the realistic one of ideation’s elective affinity for ideology, acquiring music vested with the authority of absolute, unimpeachable, subjectively evident being-in-itself and essence perception, the physiognomic view —a legitimate view because things here are not constituted by the cognitive intentionality of consciousness but are based objectively, far beyond the individual author, on the collective life of the mind, in accordance with its imminent laws. Which is why I’m so surprised despite the OOP review of Noise and the interest show by Mattin et al, - noise and Capitalism, no one as far as I know has made this comparison, a dialectical one albeit “negative” which not only “excuses” the “We” – above – but mitigates or better generates it! How then is such work so interesting or should be to these is demonstrated.(Jliat)

Address http://www.loveearthmusic.com/

COREPHALLISM GNAW THEIR TONGUES SPLIT 10" (10 inch by gnaw their tongues)

This is one side - Corephallism – two tracks of synth pads with industrial noise overlaid – and the other a single industrial / P.E. / Sci Fi “landscape” of filmatic sound textures. These kind of “spacey” tracks appear within the P.E. / Industrial genre every so often, I suspect they have a general appeal as do sci fi action movies. No way would I criticise these, but I should point out that within cinema despite 3D and CGI in buckets, a good script and acting is preferred even by the general public. That said the computer games industry is in decline and the recent batch of action sci-fi films seem to be using “actors” and scripts which heaven forbid employ irony. Perhaps the days of such pure P.E. as this release are numbered- cue eerie music as the truth of an ontology of “slowly stabbing the life out of everything” destroys itself, slowly and in 3D. (jliat)

http://www.gnawtheirtongues.com

TORTURING NURSE UMPIO SPLIT TAPE (Audio cassette by Tenzemen)

Its been argued that the “success” of artist’s such as Mezbow and T.N. is due in part to an act of translation of cultures in which meaning – certainly subtly of meaning – becomes lost. The emphasis or underlying structures hidden in the techniques of rock and prog rock replacing the diatonic structure which we in the west found a comfort when mirrored back as in a mirror its reversed or lost. T.N. continue here in swathes of noise and overlays of screaming vocals and screaming electronics without any obvious pretence of acknowledging an avant-garde tradition which I find in much Noise which originates in the USA. Umpio, Pentti Dassum, from Krefeld, Germany, single-handedly produces harsh noise which goes along way to negating the propositions above, it too though lacking screams is a totalizing mixture of harsh noise. Once again so completing an “overwriting” that others in their attempts at experimentalism fail intellectually because of intellect, to do, though of course in such failure there is a double failure and so a metaphysics of noise- aka noise again, so unlike meta-music, metaphysical noise is no more coherent or privileged than noise itself, in as much as a priori noise is no different to a posteriori noise. This is a really very good tape as example of harsh noise though making the genres complete non-musicality non-signified hermeneutics obvious might lead a naïve listener into some “idea” regarding other noises which posit but do not present something “other”, when they cant. Success and failure become one and the same with only hidden ironies which are evaporated by the generality of being/non-being. For example though we might criticise the Heidegger of ontology in that its only a jacking up of onticity, and an objectifying phenomenology, its still philosophy though – right? Which – I’ll anticipate a logical positivist rebuttal here – ‘it might be philosophy but its also nonsense’ but to quote Julia Roberts from Notting Hill, “nonsense it ALL is” (jliat)

Address http://www.tenzenmen.com/

JAMES BREWSTER & PETER HENNING - RÖNNBLOMSGATAN RUDBECKSGATAN

(MP3 Download by Hwem)

MESSIAH COMPLEX ABOVE THE FLOODS (3inch CDr by Industrial Culture)

NANOHEX THE BRAIN EXPERIMENT (3inch CDr by Industrial Culture)

ICHOROUS CIRCUMSTANCES (3inch CDr by Industrial Culture)

Address www.industrialculture.org

THE RITA & WILT WEREWOLF IN THE BLACK SPACE (CD -Cipher Productions)

CLEW OF THESEUS THE PLAYGROUND OF THE DAMNED (CDR - Cipher Productions)

Address [email protected]

Comments

that's a lot of words.

Posted by: chooch | July 07, 2012 at 02:14 PM

the words have meaning, please read them

Posted by: benjamin flocka | December 11, 2012 at 02:45 PM

The cat chases the mouse and the bird, and the coyote chases the bird. If Tom, Sylvester, and Wile E. stop chasing, or go vegetarian or vegan, not only do the narratives crash and burn and the collaboratives split, but the bonds between these frenemies dissolves. A vegan Coyote and a Road Runner would have nothing in common as friends except to reminisce about old times.

Posted by: buy from china | December 14, 2012 at 08:52 AM

On the 17th November is a day that i will never get in a hurry, it was broadcast live on health matters when Dr shant tami was interview on FOXI station, about is various healing spiritual drugs and how he came about the discovering of his HERBAL REMEDY DRUGS..
He narrative when the gods speak to him to used ROOT, HERBS AND OTHER SPIRITUAL MATERIALS to cure deadly various. i do also remember that people was calling and asking were they can find his drugs and he said unless he prepare it is not in any shop..
it was march 2007 i was suffering from GENITAL HERPES i feel something is moving in my body i tried different drugs no one seems to cure my GENITAL HERPES, 17 November was my day of remembrance when i pick dr shant tami email on FOXI TV health program i send him a message and explain my problem he told me i,m going to be cure from GENITAL HERPES, he ask me to avoid eating some things and prepared ADURON B1 HERBAL REMEDY DRUGS FOR ME.. he send me the drugs and i followed everything written on the ADURON B1 HERBAL REMEDY DRUGS in two weeks time i was cured from GENITAL HERPES. i ran to the hospital and the doctor ST MARRY WORLD HOSPITAL did a check up and they did not found any virus again in my body.

also my father used ASPIRIN C1 NI DRUGS From Dr shant tami and my father stroke was also cure my father can move and carry heavy load.
please this man is a great healer has various drugs cure all manners of sickness.. don,t excetate to meet him Dr shant tami of his email address [email protected] please don,t send useless message and i promise you. you will testify too.
please when you are cured Dr shant will tell you to go and testify please always testify to save others life.

Posted by: Jones | December 20, 2012 at 05:42 PM

i was suffering from Glaucoma since 3 years,that almost make me half death human been, i was experience pain and rapid vision lost, and also my fluid pressure was very high, i have tried alot of drugs to make sure this deadly disease is out of my life, no drugs seems to work..
i heard about people giving testimonies on the internet when i was searching for help to cure my Glaucoma, many testify that ODUOSU G1 herbal remedy drugs cure there Glaucoma, i was shock i quickly contacted dr shant tami of Indian spell to prepare my ODUOSU G1 herbal remedy drugs to cure my Glaucoma and the spiritualist dr shant tami told me not to worry and told me what i will eat and what i will not eat since i want to used his herbal remedy drugs.
9 days later after using his ODUOSU G1 drugs white thing was rushing out like milk from my eyes and was seeing very well no pain, the eyes was bright and dr shant told i,m cure.. i even went to see my doctor in the hospital and my dr used Tonometer and Gonioscopy to test my eyes, and he told no Glaucoma again the my doctor was happy about my healing.. dr shant tami told me he also cure any type of disease herpes, hvi/aids, hepatitis, stroke and lot more
i urge you all quickly contact dr shant tami of [email protected] to prepare your ODUOSU G1 herbal remedy drugs to cure your Glaucoma and you testify as i,m testifying now.

Posted by: Tyson charles | December 28, 2012 at 10:31 PM

MY PROFOUND GRATITUDE GOES TO DR SHANT TAMI FOR CURING MY ONLY SON EPILEPSY WITH IS PIRITIN B1 LIQUID SPIRITUAL HERBAL REMEDY DRUGS, THIS MAN REALLY DESERVE THE MONUMENTAL AWARD GOING TO HIM BY MINISTER OF HEALTH. WHO WOULD HAVE TAUGHT MY SON EPILEPSY WILL BE CURE, WITH IS PIRITIN B1 LIQUID HERBAL REMEDY DRUGS MY SON WAS CURE.. TALK THIS GREAT POWERFUL MAN TO CURE YOUR DISEASE TOO, YOU REACH VIA [email protected] IS DIFFERENT HEALING DRUGS IS REALLY POWERFUL.

Posted by: Kate | January 19, 2013 at 11:30 PM

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