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[Music] Steve Jansen & Claudio Chianura – Kinoapparatom

/ Rudy Carrera / Leave a comment


It’s hard to believe this release was recorded 20 years ago, as it has a healthy freshness to the material.  Former drummer of the new wave band Japan Steve Jansen collaborates with keyboardist Claudio Chianura and is ably supported by guitarist Roberto Zorzi and synth player Piero Chianura.  The work is a collaboration where the quartet improvise to the Dziga Vertov film Man With A Movie Camera [German: Kinoapparatom], a classic of Soviet filmmaking.

In places, it sounds similar to Industrial noise; in others, like a more playful version of Rock-In-Opposition.  It’s a solid release, though I wonder if there is live footage of this performance available.

[Music] Chad Lawson – The Chopin Variations / Modern Interpretations on Chopin Works

/ Rudy Carrera / 2 Comments


I grew up in a house that appreciated the work of Frédéric Chopin.  My Mom was and is still a big fan of his compositions.  It came as a pleasant surprise to hear that a North Carolina pianist issued some arrangements of Chopin’s music which were recorded beautifully.

Pianist Chad Lawson is joined by Judy Kang on violin and Rubin Kodheli on cello.  They update Chopin’s work into a modern, minimalist landscape.

[Music] Juhani Silvola – Post​-​Biological Wildlife

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Norwegian composer Juhani Silvola is the heir of the French electroacoustic music tradition, and he has managed to update the sound while maintaining its spirit.  According to his biography, “Juhani’s music often explores themes circling post-humanism, nature and virtual reality, questioning the role of humanity in the near future, and painting varied scenarios without exclusively condemning or glorifying the techno-futuristic vision.”  We’re in for a bleak future, folks.

Post​-​Biological Wildlife is his latest album, released on his own Eighth Nerve Audio.

[Music] Wings Of An Angel – Disgusted By The Monotonic Shortsighted Grayness Of Civilian Life

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Wings Of An Angel is a mysterious one-man project out of Israel who release a new album VERY frequently, but manage to maintain good quality throughout.  Long, droning, wandering ambient tracks with horribly long names in the finest post-rock fashion, but all in all, a decent and very engaging listen.

As an aside, WOAA is generously offering his entire back catalog, at least a couple hundred releases, for the sum of $1.50.  A good investment.

[Music] Alexis Evans – I Made A Deal With Myself

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The Anglo-French singer and guitarist Alexis Evans must have had one hell of a good soul and R&B collection growing up, because he sounds like he studied under the masters.

The last 5 years have been amazing for neo-soul music, especially with the likes of Sharon Jones (RIP) and the Dap-Kings, The James Hunter Six and Charles Bradley, and to thing that Bordeaux, France had such a scene is almost mind-boggling, but this track, from Alexis’ upcoming album, I’ve Come A Long Way, is a barn-burner!

Expect to see a lot more soul reviewed here!

[Music] Meng Qi – Span 跨度

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Meng Qi is a Chinese experimental music composer based out of my current place of residence, Beijing.  His music is unlike most of the genre, where one would expect to hear an avalanche of nearly pointless noise.  There is a beauty to his compositions that I don’t find much in a lot of modern releases that purport to be ‘experimental’.  He’s definitely an intriguing character.