Pierre Henry, legendary pioneer in the field of musique concrète, passed away today. He was 89.
More to come on his passing shortly.
Ambient
[Music] Oval – SE
Though Markus Popp’s Oval is best known for his glitchy compositions, he’s been branching into rather sublime, Brazilian-inflected pop music as well. Lovely stuff.
His back catalog is 50% for the time being over at Bandcamp as well. Now’s a good time to stock up on his work.
[Music] Mark Van Hoen – Electronic Music 1982-1987
Mark Van Hoen made quite a name for himself recording under the monicker Locust during the 1990s. This recordings in this archival album show how much he developed his sound.
[Music] IXΘΥΣ – ㊢
Witch house and its related genres are areas I can’t claim to have a great knowledge of. It’s made worse when I can’t pronounce the names of half of the bands, or their song titles, due to cute tricks played by these children who, I doubt, know the meanings of what they’re using as names for their projects. Thankfully, we have more serious artists like Zane Michael O’Brien, who also does business under the monickers Zanye East and the aforementioned IXΘΥΣ (no, not Icthus, as in the pre-Ecumenical Council symbol Christians used to identify each other as fellow believers, but as whatever Zane sees fit as a reason to use such a name).
㊢ is a collection of remixes Zane has done for other bands who do everything from witch house to vaporwave and other genres I can’t bother keeping up-to-date with. What informs his music is a combination of experimental music as well as what used to be termed as Electronic Body Music or Industrial Dance, represented by the likes of Frontline Assembly, an old favorite of mine. The use of samples repeating hypnotically until you become so numb to the sound that a switch to a new track startles you also gives this a feel of some of the better elements of Nurse With Wound in their early, more Musique concrète years. Of particular note is the final track, Laura’s Got An Aura. There is a poem which is constantly repeated, along with incantations of one sort or other, which allows the listener to be lost in this psychedelic haze of a remix.
IXΘΥΣ’s latest release is worth your time. Consider exploring it and allowing it to envelop you for a while.
[Music/Interview] Destruktionsanstalt – Ex Bello Volaptus (plus interview with Per Najbjerg Odderskov)
Destruktionsanstalt is one of several monikers used by Danish composer Per Najbjerg Odderskov. Per is no stranger to this blog, as we had the pleasure of reviewing his previous release, Swedenborg, a master work of bleak ambient music. His latest release, Ex Bello Volaptus, builds on that foundation, at once creating something akin to SPK and the early Sheffield sound which produced the grimy sound of early Cabaret Voltaire and Hula.
We had the pleasure of having a chat about his music:
AMOTM: I just started listening to the new release. What inspired you, because it sounds even more powerful that the last one we reviewed?
Per Najbjerg Odderskov: It was more or less a unconsciously choice .. It felt natural to build on something which this project was build upon. A see the one as a bigger, brutal brother to Vivens Monumentis. (Craneal Fracture 2015)
Inspirations… came out of boredom. I was living in a town where I didn’t know a soul, and nothing was happening. I think this album was a reaction to that.
AMOTM: Boredom seems to be the spark of so many great musicians.
PNO: Yup… I think Trent Reznor said the same thing, same as those musicians from Sheffield who pioneered British electronic music. When you’re bored, you’re isolated in your mind. It’s easier to have more focus on things without being disturbed, although I am doing music which some find disturbing.
AMOTM: It’s almost as if you have time to meditate on a crumbling world. Would that be a fair idea to hold? Considering how messy the world is, it seems like now is a ripe time for musicians like yourself to give full expression to a vision of a rather gruesome political, religious, and cultural situation.
PNO: I think that… I don’t know. So much is happening as we speak that it’s hard to mentally digest. We’re being mentally bombarded with terrorism, politics, religion, hate crimes, almost to the point where nothing matters. Nothing can shock anymore –
we’re getting more and more numb to these tragedies. Tuning into that sound of numbness, would probably describe the theme of Ex Bello Volaptus I think..
AMOTM: I’d say so. The album is definitely shares much in common with its predecessors like Throbbing Gristle, that mighty Sheffield scene which produced Cabaret Voltaire, and of course, SPK. In general, were there any projects outside of the early Industrial Records movement which inspired your work?
PNO: Well, I guess NON have had a huge impact. Also the rhythmic brutalism of Esplendor Geometrico. Nocturnal Emmissions is also another project I have a huge love for. Konstruktivists as well. But still, witnessing Throbbing Gristle live on original VHS-tapes back in 1998… Jeez… My life changed when I saw those 4 tapes in one night!
I had most of their albums on CD, but live .. That was powerful!
AMOTM: Heh, I can imagine. I stumbled into this music in my teenage years during the 1980s, and I’d have to say I’ve never been quite the same since! Are there any other influences which motivate the work of Destruktionsanstalt or any of your other projects? Film or literature, for example?
PNO: Literature from Lovecraft, Poe, Robert E. Howard, Brian Lumley, Ramsey Campbell. Love that kind of pulp horror, from Gothic to splatter-punk. If we´re talking about art as in paintings then I’ll have to mention Giger and Richard Corben. And regarding movies… The classics of horror cinema: Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Henry, Nosferatu (K.Kinski), Alien, and also arthouse flicks like The Begotten and Possession, and of course watching old and classic Dr. Who episodes (black and white) with William Hartnell or Patrick Troughton. The classic vintage synth soundtrack on them are amazing, by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
AMOTM: You’ve done a splendid job synthesizing these influences into something focused and cohesive. Are there any plans for touring, or performing in festivals or art installations any time this year?
PNO: Hmmm… I’m doing an art installation in July in Aarhus. This town even got a prize as being the Cultural Capitol of Europe of 2017. So I guess I’m going into the art world. I’m presenting a HNW video on a screen with cars crashing in Russia. I´m surprised that I got approved!
AMOTM: Now is as good a time as any to send Destruktionsanstalt into the art world. It may well be a breath of fresh air, considering most installations these days are rather lifeless. Should be expect any new projects this year under Destruktionsanstalt or any other aliases?
PNO: God Cancer I’m keeping my focus on. Having some ideas for this project. Big-city vintage-synth-soundtrack is a way to describe it; lots of improvisation and weird glitch sounds.
AMOTM: We look forward to hearing this, and wish you continued success with this remarkable new release by Destruktionsanstalt.
PNO:
Thanks, and blessed be.
[Music] Robert Scott Thompson – Pale Blue Dot
Shame on me for not knowing so much about the work of Robert Scott Thompson. I had the pleasure of hearing his work via samples over on Soundcloud, but it wasn’t until recently that I thought to properly explore one of his albums. There’s nothing quite like hearing these pieces in their proper context.
It’s not fair to compare Thompson’s work to artists like Steve Roach or Robert Rich, both masters of their field, because there’s something quite bright about this. This isn’t ‘dark’ ambient, but a rather powerful, uplifting sort of music. There is a warm thread throughout the music, and after a few listens, the album really began to reverberate inside of me.
I’m very much looking forward to exploring more of his work.
[Music] Santiago Fradejas – Nila Taurica
Santiago Fradejas’ album came as quite a surprise, not only to me, but to him. He’s a friend to this blog, and in my estimation, is among the most important young composers of the 21st Century, as well as being one hell of a fine guitarist.
This new album came from an explosion of creativity which produced 11 songs of solo guitar tracks, manipulated into a type of horror-movie or noir soundtrack vibe (think the creepier moments of Bernard Herrmann, but with an electric guitar). This is going to be a treat for those of you who like the work of Keiji Haino’s solo endeavors, and even those who like avant-garde and experimental music like Nurse With Wound or Luc Ferrari.
[Music] Various Artists – The living strings I. (Exclusive musicformessier, Black Hill, Silent Island and whitecube single package)
Csarnogurszky István is a guitarist out of Hungary whose work simply leaves you in a state of floating mellowness. This release is a compilation of some of the projects he works on, under various guises.
[Music] Kayno Yesno Slonce – Mare Verborum
Kayno Yesno Slonce are a band based out of Sofia, Bulgaria, who straddle genres so easily that they’re nearly impossible to classify. There is a gentle beauty in the music that reminds me of Bert Jansch or The Incredible String Band, but one can hear elements of Wyrd Folk like Shirley Collins or the more instrumental endeavors of Current 93. For those of you who like neofolk, Balkan music, or something slightly hazy and psychedelic, this album is a stunningly good choice for your ears.
[Music] Robert Fripp – Easter Sunday
A perfectly sublime work by King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp to end the Easter festivities.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 