It’s a crying shame that Belarusian Rock-In-Opposition-influenced band Rational Diet is no more. For my taste, they had carried the torch first illumined by bands such as Art Zoyd, Univers Zero and Henry Cow.
Improvisational
숨 [su:m] – Passing Rain
Another killer from Max Franosch.
숨 [suːm] are another incredible band from South Korea. I can’t seem to find much information on the duo (except that they are Jiha Park and Yanggeum), but they perform on what look to be traditional instruments, and the sound is both hypnotic and powerful.
[Music] Pierre Henry: Fragments pour Artaud (1970)
Pierre Henry was the composer who introduced me to the world of musique concrète. The fact that he and his contemporary and partner, Pierre Schaeffer, were able to do some of their early works without the use of magnetic tape, still astounds me.
[Music] Organisation – Tone Float (Full Album)
Before Kraftwerk coalesced as a band, they were called Organisation. You can tell where their influences mutated from.
[Music] Christian Wolff – Exercise 15
Franco-American experimental composer Christian Wolff was among the elite of the American avant-garde which included John Cage, Morton Feldman and David Tudor. He’s become somewhat forgotten today, but this composition shows him near the quiet peak of his powers.
You can find this interpretation courtesy of Edition Wandelweiser Records.
[Music Sample] Cuneiform Turns 30: The Albums of 2014
Washington D.C.-based Cuneiform Records has been publishing influential avant-prog rock music for three decades now. Steve Feigenbaum, the label’s owner, should be commended for bringing such groups like Univers Zero, Daniel Denis, Richard Pinhas and Happy Family to American consumers.
This compilation covers 30 years of great releases, and is available as a ‘name-your-price’ download, courtesy of Bandcamp.
[Music] Gregory Ayriyan – s/t
After years of having to let this project lie dormant, I’m proud to announce the resurrection of my record label, the Carrera-Linn Cultural Exchange (CLCX). Our first release is from the Russian-based Armenian-American violinist Gregory Ayriyan, who composed all but three of the tracks on this disc. The other composers include Sayat Nova, Komitas, and Niccolò Paganini, so he interprets the cream of the crop.
[Music] Throbbing Gristle – Dead On Arrival
Throbbing Gristle were the band responsible for introducing the concept of Industrial Music to the world, for better or for worse. This track comes from the 1978 release of D.o.A: The Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle.
[Music] Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm – Four
Many thanks to Post Global Recordings producer Toni Dimitrov, an old friend and incredible musician in his own right, for today’s post. This collaboration between Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm is as peaceful and engaging a piece I’ve heard in some time.
[Music] Ryoji Ikeda – The Planck Universe [Micro], June 21 – August 9 2015, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
Ryoji Ikeda is a Japanese composer and sound manipulator who is currently based in Paris, France. He’s collaborated with the Japanese experimental troupe Dumb Type as well as with Carsten Nicolai.
This project is part of an installation over at ZKM in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Special thanks to Christine Tesla Coil, who originally posted this piece.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 