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DJ Martian's Page

Intro: A diverse music positive weblog for the discerning listener with an interest in creative artistic music across the contemporary sound spectrum: Goto New Content Section for DJ Martian's Page

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Tuesday, May 31, 2005

This week's flavourpill LONDON an email magazine covering music, art, and cultural events

# posted by DJ Martian 7:45 PM

Midge Ure is a guest DJ on 6 Music this week.

All of this week Midge Ure will be stepping up to the Evening Sequence microphone while Tom's away and on Tuesday night you can win bundles of CD's simply by voting for next weeks's Record Of The Week.

# posted by DJ Martian 8:25 AM

Monday, May 30, 2005

BW & BK report on Aborym: ABORYM Issue Recording Update

# posted by DJ Martian 7:54 PM

This week's new releases @ Fopp

# posted by DJ Martian 4:00 PM

New organization: ISIM - International Society of Improvised Music

... promotes performance, education, and research in improvised music, and illuminates connections between musical improvisation and creativity across fields

# posted by DJ Martian 1:51 PM

BPI maps out Hall of Fame plan

BPI report a British Music Hall of Fame is on the way:

UK record companies trade association the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) has confirmed that it is in advanced negotiations to build a British Music Hall of Fame in The 02, formerly known as the Millennium Dome

Hopefully this will last longer than The National Centre for Popular Music, in Sheffield !

# posted by DJ Martian 1:44 PM

The Departure @ Virgin Megastore, London - June 6th

NME.COM report The Departure to play free London show on June 6th @ [6pm] at LONDON’s VIRGIN MEGASTORE on Oxford Street.

More info @ The Departure website:

The Departure will be celebrating the release of All Mapped Out by performing live instore at Virgin Megastore, Oxford St, London on 6th June. They will be onstage at 6pm and will also be signing copies of the single too! Also, a limited number of free 'Dirty Words' fridge magnet sets will be available from this Virgin store on the day of the single release. Ask behind the counter for more details....

After the instore gig, the band will be going straight round the corner to DJ at Wash Your Hands @ The Social bar, 5 Little Portland Street, W1. It's free entry and they will be playing their favourite records all night until midnight. They'll also be loads of free Departure giveaways on the night too.

# posted by DJ Martian 1:30 PM

BW & BK report on Voivod: VOIVOD - Fans Should Prepare For "Barrage Of Material"

# posted by DJ Martian 1:08 PM

Tiefschwarz - Eat Books

Tiefschwarz, The German kings of the electro-house sound have a new album lined up for July.

Fine records provide info on the upcoming Tiefschwarz album: Eat Books

'EAT BOOKS'
The Album

Released 11th July.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:52 PM

Brainwashed Releases a listing of recent & upcoming electronic/experimental/etc. releases has been updated.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:40 PM

Splendid review Esmerine - Aurora

Esmerine is primarily composed of Becky Foon (A Silver Mt. Zion, Set Fire to Flames) on cello and Bruce Cawdron (Godspeed You! Black Emperor) on percussion. They're joined by a revolving cadre of additional musicians who add their talents to the various tracks.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:26 PM

Splendid review Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Worn Copy

# posted by DJ Martian 12:23 PM

e|i magazine issue 4 of the experimental/ electronics magazine.

announcing the release of e|i issue #4 - now available -

contents for this issue include:

interviews with:
- radian
- eivind aarset
- thomas dimuzio
- andrew deutsch vs. tetsu inoue
- asmus tietchens

- part three of our overview on canadian electronica, the conclusion:
toronto

label profiles:
- apestaartje
- cold blue
- cronica
- vinyl-on-demand

- ellipsis by guest columnist michael bentley (of the foundry label)
- the usual batch of commentary, critique and criticism

Source: via Yahoo Groups IDM-M

# posted by DJ Martian 1:26 AM

This week's One World show: Rosin Murphy & Colder

Show broadcast on Radio 1
Monday 30th May 2005: 0100-0300

This week we have tracks from the new Roisin Murphy album plus an interview with French video artist, designer and producer Marc Nguyen Tan AKA Colder

# posted by DJ Martian 1:05 AM

Koneisto Festival 2005

The line up of one of Europe's leading electronic music festivals, Finland's Koneisto Festival will be announced on Tuesday.

Fmag.net - KONEISTO FESTIVAL UPDATE

Koneisto will launch this year's programme on May 31st.
The new Koneisto web pages will be launched on that day - so check it out then: http://www.koneisto.com

Koneisto Festival
August 12th-13th 2005
Kaapelitehdas
Helsinki Finland

Official website: Koneisto

# posted by DJ Martian 12:34 AM

Jaga Jazzist in the UK & Ireland

Reminder for British & Irish readers: Jaga Jazzist have these live performances lined up in early June:

JAGA JAZZIST: UPCOMING LIVE DATES

01.06.05 UK, London, Mean Fidler
03.06.05 UK, Brighton, Pavillion Theatre
04.06.05 UK, Bristol, Fiddlers
05.06.05 UK, Cheltenham, Wychwood Festival
06.06.05 UK, Norwich, Norwich Arts Centre
07.06.05 Scotland, Glasgow, Kings Court, Mono
09.06.05 UK, Edinburgh, Cabaret Voltaire
10.06.05 UK, Belfast, Spring & Airbrake
11.06.05 Ireland, Dublin, The Village

# posted by DJ Martian 12:18 AM

Quart Festival - Norway

Quart 05 is Norway's biggest music festival, taking place in Kristiansand between 5th - 9th July.

Some artists appearing:

Annie (N)
The Beautiful People (N)
Bloc Party (UK)
The Earlies (US)
Fantomas (US)
Converge (US)
Datarock (N)
Efterklang (DK)
The Futureheads (UK)
The Go!Team (UK)
Isis (US)
Khonnor (US)
Madder Mortem (N)
Manes (N)
Mars Volta (US)
Mental Overdrive (N)
M.I.A. (UK)
Mylo (UK)
The Secret Machines (US)

# posted by DJ Martian 12:12 AM

Sunday, May 29, 2005

Efterklang & Under Byen - ICA, London - June 3rd

This coming Friday in London two of Denmark's finest groups perform at the ICA: Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)- - ICA & KNOM present: Efterklang & Under Byen:

ICA & KNOM present: Efterklang & Under Byen

Performance:
Fri 03 Jun 2005.

Denmark's Under Byen and Copenhagen ten-piece Efterklang

Tonight sees a rare UK show for Denmark’s Under Byen. The eight piece is fronted by Henriette Bennenvalot; undoubtedly one of the most striking chanteuses since Nico. With an eccentric armoury of strings and keys, Under Byen make a beguiling dance music of pillowy beats and voluptuous shadows, with finely blurred echoes of British trip-hop, Björk’s elfin romanticism and the ice-flow rock of Sígur Rós.

Copenhagen ten-piece Efterklang whisper like thunder, combining transcendent melodies with glacial strings and piano, febrile electronics, hushed male-female vocals and a Greenlandic choir. This band breathes with sensations and subtleties, bringing to mind the music of Múm, Rachel’s and My Bloody Valentine.

Live visuals plus DJs in the bar.

Venue(s) : Theatre (standing).

Fri 03 Jun 19:30 Theatre (standing)

# posted by DJ Martian 11:41 PM

Marc Hellner - Asleep On the Wing

Peacefrog label will release an album by Marc Hellner titled: Asleep on the Wing on June 13th.

Marc Hellner's name may be familiar as one half of revered Chicagoan audio-visual artists Pulseprogramming, or as a touring member of Windy City regulars L'Altra. A prolific musician with a latent fondness for 'real' instruments to match the dexterous digital manipulations of his regular combo, Hellner, by his own admission, 'writes too much music for just one project'. Marriages - ironically given the title - is effectively Hellner's debut solo longplayer; an outlet for the aforementioned compositional overload but also a thoroughly focused collection that consistently errs toward intimate beauty.

In fact, the title is hardly ironic, as Hellner's modus operandi involves the discreet deployment of collaborators; using smart, likeminded local talents to help decant his vision into an album that's constantly alluring, often breathtaking, but never predictable. Among the luminaries involved here are Tortoise percussionist John Herndon, Cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm (Boxhead Ensemble), double bassist Josh Abrams (Town & Country) and sound designer/programmers Joshua Eustis and Charles Cooper - aka Telefon Tel Aviv. The latter also produced the record, helping Hellner marshal the numerous players and diverse sound sources into a winningly homogenous whole.

All of which makes Marriages a veritable thoroughbred of a solo record. An album that interleaves recognizable pop structures with delicate ambient passages, all of it warmly coloured by string arrangements and the sentient presence of live musicians, lending a warm lucidity to Hellner's typically meticulous soundscapes. The result is music of longing and quiet spaces - imaginary love songs crafted from disparate sources, but with an undeniably singular voice

Source: soulseduction.com

# posted by DJ Martian 11:05 PM

This Week's New Releases @ Boomkat

This week's new releases @ Boomkat include:

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Sanso-Xtro - Sentimentalist
Type

Melissa Agate is no newcomer to the music scene, being exposed very early in life as the drummer of Australian avant rock outfit Sindog Jellyroll. Since then she has refined her styles and perfected what she believes to be a truly personal sound. Taking influence from her antipodean background and also from a life-changing move to British shores, Sentimentalist is deeply reflective and unashamedly visual. Finding herself discontented with the trappings of the rock genre, it was not long before Agate discovered electronic music and began to experiment with as many different instruments as she could manage to acquire. From acoustic guitar and ukulele to traditional bells and kalimba, anything at hand was added to the rich soundscape of her creative vision. In doing this, Melissa has created something truly original. By purposefully taking sounds which inspired her and allowed her to visualize the rich memories she had stored in her mind, she has forged a work which is accessible but very difficult to define in genre. Agate's influences are as far reaching as her musical ambition, and she takes well informed references from avant jazz, blues and experimental electronic works. Moments of Sentimentalist project hazy echoes of Robert Johnson, before colliding with the sublime analogue chic of Stereolab or Broadcast. Elsewhere, skeletal outlines of Opiate or Mum drift into angular rhythmical sounds explored by Supersilent or Radian. Yet rather than try and emulate another artist, instead Agate takes ideas to add to her ever changing musical ideal. It is her goal to produce an honest sound, something that is true to her soul, and she succeeds magnificently. Sentimentalist leaves us with something truly timeless and it exists slightly removed from the world we live in. Carefully selected fragments of musical history are lovingly woven together creating a magical album, and one not to be taken lightly under any circumstance...

Various / Consumers Research & Development - Hazardous Materials
Consumers Research And Development Label

Personally, I'm more than happy if a compilations running theme is its high quality rather than a specific genre fix and was therefore pleased as punch on hearing the Consumers Label's return to the fray after a two year sabbatical with 'Hazardous Material'; a collection of tracks that are anything but. Containing new and remixed material from the likes of Alder and Elius (remixed by Skam / Scsi artist Made), Del Rey, Salvo Beta, Tstewart (aka Machine Drum), Proem, Single Minded Pros and Stunt Rock, the Chicago based label operates an admirably open door policy where no-one is likely to get turned away for wearing trainers. Kicking things off is Innerstance.Beatbox with 'Helium Disco', a signature flouting hunk of Quasimoto style hip-hop delivered with a grin by Milwaukee's Jason Todd that is immediately juxtaposed by the following Atom Heart remix of Detalles' 'Solm' which sounds very much like a micro-sound re-reading of Depeche Mode's 'People are People'. Continuing down a genre promiscuous avenue is the smile inducing post rock of Del Rey on 'There Is Some X Such That X Loves', Tejada style beats on Miles Tilmann's String Theory remix and Dr Octagon aping paranoia-hop on Single Minded Pros' 'Wanting People To Listen'. Elsewhere we are treated to Gameboy corrupted acoustica from Mark Denardo & Miles Tilman (imagine Fan Club Orchestra Japan on a Twisted Nerve tip), the IDM heavy Rephlex d'n'b of Tstewart's 'Heartful' and the binary blip-hop of Single Minded Pros feat. C-Rayz Walz, Breez Evahflowin & Juice on the Anti-Pop of 'Who's F*cking With This'. Closing with the polemical Stunt Rock and it's label baiting song title (you'll have to buy it to find out...), Hazardous Materials is a risk we implore you to take....

Ascoltare - Gallery
Dubbel

Housed in a quite bizarre A4 sized grip-lock bag, 'Gallery' is a limited mini-album of bastard-pop originally put together as support for DJ Rupture's 'Special Gun Powder'. Who's first then? Taking a Raekwon acapella, reducing the pace almost imperceptibly then firing half a tonne of ear blistering digital debris up its arse, 'Assasin & Son' is a suitably raucous opening that doesn't relent on the helium treated ODB clicks'n'cut graft of 'On A Natural Charge'. Ever wondered what a Busta Rhymes, Oval collaboration would sound like? Probably nowt like 'Vile Haze', but it'll do for a comparison, whilst 'Somewhere There Are The Absent' drops a beat, lets it splinter then doesn't put it back together again... Kids these days....

Michael Mantra / Rod Modell - Sonic Alter - Deepchord Remix
Silentes

Following on from the breathtaking compilation of Rod Modell's Deep Chord material on the same label some weeks back, "Sonic Alter" is a new re-working of the classic ambient masterpiece by Michael Mantra, originally issued by Kim Cascone on his Silent imprint back in 1994. For this version, Rod Modell infuses rhythmic elements and further processing, creating a deep, padded layering of organic ambient stretches and post basic-channel dub reductions. A fabulous counterpart to the Deep Chord collection, this album will not only appeal to fans of Basic Channel / Chain reaction but also to followers of purist ambience as best displayed by the likes of Eno and Harold Budd. Deep, shimmering, endlessly moving minimalimism and mood music at its finest. A Huge recommendation....

The Tower - Parts I-Vii
Mordant Music

Soopa-doopa limited release from The Tower (no idea) that'll go down a treat for all the Kranky devotees out there. Schooled in the George Lucas appelation programme, 'Parts I-VII' is a collection of drone lashed compositions that ruminate between the the beatless excursions of Bronnt Industries Kaptial, the vocal-less excursions of Elizabeth Anka Vajagic and the general excursions of Thomas Koner, whilst retaining a distinctive bite that is very much their own. Undoubtldy to be consumed as a whole, The Tower have put together an intriguing journey that rewards your effort with gorgous moments of crackle-footed bliss, Radiophonic Workshop blisters and Oval-esque contraryness....

Vend - Wiel
Line

Vend are UK based minimalist sound sculptures Joe Gilmore and Alex Peverett, who will be better known to most as one half of Team Doyobi. Being on Richard Chartier's groundbreaking Line label (backed by 12k) you'll know this ain't no Skam set. Instead think the mathematical mood of Mark Fell's recent album and the works of artists such as Bernhard Gunner, Steve Roden and Steinbruchel. Ultra minimalist brain food with ace artwork and slim card case with foamy cd grip. Recommended....

Crossover - Cryptic And Dire Sallow Faced Hoods Blast Off Into Oblivion
Gigolo

From its fantasy-comic cover, Wickerman liner notes and GCSE Goth title, you could be excused for thinking Crossover's new album 'Cryptic and Dire Sallow Faced Hoods Blast Off Into Oblivion' was a Scandinavian death-something outfit peopled by members called Clor and Doomsap... What we in fact have is an International Deejay Gigolo stamped collection of electropop that seems a couple of years late. Comprised of icy vocals, chrome plated beats and frosted-glass atmospherics, 'Cryptic and Dire Sallow Faced Hoods...' sounds throughout like a Cityrockers hangover as Marl Ingram and Vanessa Tosti face off over perfectly appointed and well referenced synths and beats. Crossover can certainly be lauded for doing what they do very well, with 'Messages' appropriation of 80's electo-hop beats and Sheffield steeped vocals, the straight faced Adult. nature of 'My Wave' and 'Bats Fly Free's' faultless synth-wave love song all of particular note. Crossover; better late than never....

Taylor Deupree + Kenneth Kirschner - Post_Piano 2
12K

Long before the current tide of outstanding piano meets electronica albums (to coin a naff, inadequate turn of phrase) Kenneth Kirshner released the beautiful 'Post_Piano' CD alongside 12k boss Taylor Deupree on Sub Rosa back in 2002. At the time the realisation of how important this kind of interplay would become was only fleeting, now in hindsight we may have missed out on embracing same album as the birth of today's micro-scene. Kenneth relates that this time he actually had an old piano in his studio rather than relying on samples as before, the episodic original composition here '11.11.2003' is the actual unaltered piano notes mixed alongside environmental sound effects (like the sound of the passing New York subway trains outside his window), again Morton Feldman's shadow looms large over these pieces that are based more on classical minimalism than the warmer works of Goldmund, Sakamoto et al. The three Taylor/Kenneth duet pieces recorded between September 04 and January 05 alternate between fairly sinister midrange drone scapes to pink noise cut ups and found sound processing around the spiked piano notes. The '09.15.2004' piece with it's lingering static sounds a lot like the finer works of Phillip Jeck. Pieces, 08.09.2004 (11:10), 01.09.2005 (10:04), 09.15.2004 (12:08) and 11.11.2003 (18:48). A serious album from two seriously underatted musicians in my opinion. A refreshingly different style of piano/electronics album that's very highly recommended....

Jackie-O Motherf**Ker - Fig.5
ATP

Having expanded from its two man multi-instrumenatlist origins over a decade ago, Jackie-O Motherf*cker (what a name) now have a liquid membership of 13 playing everything that makes a noise and ranging from the banjo, flute and oboe to just about every breed of saxaphone I've never heard of... Originally released back in 2000, 'Fig.5' is experimenatal to its core, operating within broad strokes that at first lack cohesion and detail but when given time soon focus into something quite wonderful. With a continuesly wandering eye when it comes to specific genres, Jackie-O plunder shamlessly and somehow manage to get the better of those who stick soley to the styles on which they touch. So whilst opening track 'Analogue Skillet' is confusingly structured bout of sugarfree dronecore, it is soon replaced by a following salvo of kaelodscopic violin on 'Native Einstein' and crowd pleasing post-rock on 'Your Cells Are In Motion' that will satisfy fans of Mogwai. Proving that vocals are more than welcome within the Jackie-O aural collage, both 'Your Cells in Motion' and the 10 minute oddesey of 'Beautiful September (We Are Going There)' employ swampy Blues structures over which are draped the gorgeous voice of Honey Owens (again, what a name) providing a much needed sunshine burst. Add to this 'Amazing Grace', a song that sounds like a one-man band undergoing a serious assault whilst onlookers knock out a rendition of the eponymous song on violin and the Ben Drury packaging (the man responsible for Mo'Wax's heyday, most notably the epoch defining Liquid Liquid reissue) and you've got yourself a must have... Mother f*cker!...

Magic Arrows - Sweat Heavenly Angel Of Death
Wobblyhead

Yet another 'Magic' prefixed artist (joining Piano and Numbers), Magic Arrows is Scott Beschta, Milwaukee's self-professed answer to Syd Barett and (for trivial knowledge heads) flatmate of Erik 'Casino Versus Japan' Kowalski. Sharing a sonic mischievousness with Japanese auteur Cornelius, Beschata's similarity with the ape-fixated artist is purely spiritual, forsaking Day-Glo cartoontronica for an altogether grimier beast. Opening with 'Uptown Devils', Magic Arrows slouches into life through a slew of Spaceman 3 drones that eventually open out into a break dappled horizon that still has to fight hard to penetrate the rimy, distortion ripped miasma. Similarly, next track 'Jude's Theme' takes a clutch of echo-laden, Shadow back-beats and forces them down a fizzing aural waste disposal unit alongside what sounds uncannily like the melody from Squarepusher's 'Iambic 9 Poetry' before 'Buffalo Gals' hints at a respite before plunging deeper into frayed territory that resembles The Go! Team on crack. Due to its unrelenting fogginess, when Beschata does choose to provide the listener with a glimpse of light it is all the more effective, with 'Train Yourself's' swirling, nebula backdrop a fantastic example. Belligerent, murky and repetitive it may be, but don't take that as a criticism......

Port Royal - Flares
Resonant

Debut album from Genoa-based multi guitar collective Port Royal, a band so eager to spread their sound that they stretch the 78 minute CD recording limit to breaking point. Very much in the Manual school of grand post-rock, Port Royal seem to have a dizzyingly expansive remit that will appeal to anyone bewitched by Sigur Ros, Jonas Munk or even Ulrich Schnauss, fashioning gloriously hued sunset music which positively bursts with aural paroxysms. Opening with the ambient hearted 'Jeka', Port Royal draw you deep into their horizon-less world through gauze coated vocals that sit just out of reach before treating us to a 10 minute open vista on 'Spetsnaz - Paul Leni'. However, Port Royal save their truly epic visions for two compositions that consist of three movements each, straddling as many tracks. The first of these ('Zobiong') is a genuinely grin-inducing journey that suggests a similar recording dictum to that of Triosk, but with wildly differing aural results. Encompassing electronica, IDM, post rock and any other stravaig movement you like to mention 'Zoboing' combines the kinetic optimism of Mogwai's 'Rock Action' with Cocteau drums and crackling machine beats into a confection that is neither too sweet nor too bitter. It's just occurred to me yet again what a great label resonant is - and this is a simply fabulous release. Highly Recommended....

Githead - Profile
Swim

The charmingly monikered Githead follow up the 'Headgit' EP with 'Profile'; their debut album and first outing for the now Max Franken-enhanced line-up (Minimal Compact). Also counting Wire's Colin Newman, Scanner's Robin Rimbaud and Minimal Compact's Malka Spigel amongst their ranks, Githead certainly have some heritage to draw upon, and draw upon it they do, with 'Profile' succeeding in taking their early sound, filtering out the self-indulgent crap and leaving an album full of sequestered guitar based songs. 'Alpha' opens 'Profile' with a scene setting (almost Radiohead) plethora of evolving instrumentation and Ian Drury vocals ("It's always one thing or another...") that unexpectedly break free and soar, taking you with them ready or not, a trick Githead successfully repeat throughout. So whilst 'My LCA (Little Box Of Magic)' goes for digitally manipulated pop and 'Cosmology For Beginners' is a baggy trousered crossbreed of The Specials/New Order and shouty Anglo-rap, 'Raining Down' prefers to plunder The Smiths and Mogwai for its kicks, without it ever feeling either awkward or ill-advised. Jammy gits....

Geiger - Out Of Tune
Firm

Geiger is based in cologne, germany, and presents with his new album "out of tune" a bizzare mix of different musical styles, mixing rock, funk, techno, r&b and folk to create a unique sound - already known from his ep "made in home" (firm/ kompakt). With a hybrid of the psychedelic rock sound and trash punk, hippy folk and detroit techno, Geiger sets himself no boundaries, playing bass, guitar and singing, covers and mixes, pinches and invents, until every single drawer has been opened and closed again. With minimal equipment and maximum will, Geiger has created his own soundtrack, all that is missing is the appropriate movie....

# posted by DJ Martian 9:54 PM

AAJ review Drew Gress - 7 Black Butterflies

Personnel: Drew Gress (bass instrument); Tim Berne (alto saxophone); Ralph Alessi (trumpet); Craig Taborn (piano); Tom Rainey (drums).

Style: Modern Jazz/Free Improvisation

Wondrous, strange, bold, and beautiful are all synonymous of 7 Black Butterflies, one of this year’s most interesting releases.

# posted by DJ Martian 8:36 PM

The Boston Globe overview the Thirsty Ear label.

# posted by DJ Martian 8:11 PM

Blabbermouth.Net report on Deftones: DEFTONES Frontman Says New Album Will Be One Of The Band's Biggest Records

# posted by DJ Martian 7:52 PM

BW & BK report on Finland's Thyrane: THYRANE Reveal Tentative Tracklisting For Travesty Of Heavenly Essence - due out through Spinefarm in September.

# posted by DJ Martian 7:47 PM

BW & BK provide a Zyklon update: ZYKLON - More Disintegrate Track Titles Revealed, ‘Core Solution’ Video Available Online

# posted by DJ Martian 7:39 PM

BW & BK report on OSI: OSI - New Material In The Works

# posted by DJ Martian 7:34 PM

BW & BK report Nocturnal Art Productions Joins Forces With Candlelight Records - a new partnership of two Metal labels.

# posted by DJ Martian 7:33 PM

Wobbler - the progressive rock debut album of 2005 ?

In progressive rock circles, e.g Progressive Ears forum, the debut album by Norway's Wobbler is much anticipated.

Wobbler make use of vintage instrumentation such as the Mellotron and Hammond keyboards. If early 70s artists such as King Crimson, Genesis and Gentle Giant interest you then read on.

To be released by The Laser's Edge the debut album by Wobbler

WOBBLER
Hinterland
[TLE-1041]
Release: September 6, 2005

New Norwegian sensation Wobbler is strongly influenced by symphonic progressive greats of the past such as PFM and Il Balletto di Bronzo, classical music, and folk. Even Scandinavian contemporaries such as Änglagård and Anekdoten seem to have had an influence on Wobbler's music.

The tracks on their debut CD "Hinterland" are both long and complex, like their demo brethren. The title track clocks in at a whopping 28 minutes! However, these tracks are more mature and have been painstakingly shaped into dark symphonic masterpieces. Vintage keyboards (Mellotron, Hammond C3, Mini-Moog, harpsichord, etc.) run rampant on the album, both exemplifying Lars' affinity for the instruments and providing sonic ecstasy for fans of keyboard-laden symphonic progressive rock. Sweeping dynamics emphasized by engaging acoustic guitar and flute melodies allow a bit of time for the listener catch his breath during the invigorating journey though Wobbler's musical landscape. Close friend Jacob Holm-Lupo of White Willow assisted the band in both recording and production. The album was expertly mastered by Bob Katz, who applied modern production techniques while maintaining the desired vintage feel of the music. Hinterland is a true aural extravaganza.

Also available now download MP3 sample.

Apparently this album will be available to order direct from the label for a limited time, then withdrawn after the Nearfest festival - and then given a worldwide release on September 6th.

# posted by DJ Martian 7:23 PM

Jamie Lidell presents 6 Mix on 6 Music tonight, between 8pm - 10pm.

# posted by DJ Martian 7:06 PM

Slapp Happy Re-Issue / re-mastered

I noticed on the weekly Forced Exposure new releases e-mail this reissue:

SLAPP HAPPY: Acnalbasac Noom CD (RER SH)

2005 repressing of this art-rock classic now available. Slapp Happy were a trio of Peter Blegvad (guitar, vocals), Dagmar Krause (voice), and Anthony Moore (keyboards, guitar). "Slapp Happy met in Germany in the early seventies, where they recorded their first album Sort Of for Polydor ('Years ahead of its time'-- NME). Acnalbasac Noom was their second LP, recorded in 1973, and engineered by Kurt Grauner, in Faust's legendary Wumme studio. Like the first it was produced by Faust's Svengali Uwe Nettelbeck, using Faust as the Slapphappy house band. Unaccountably it was rejected by Virgin Records, who made the group re-record all the material with different musicians and another producer in their own studio. That version is still available through Virgin as 'Casablanca Moon' -- they straightened up the name too. As time has told, it is now universally accepted that Acnalbasac is the definitive version of this material. This rather overdue reissue, taking advantage of significant technological advances, has been completely re-mastered by Bob Drake from the original tapes. The CD also features a handful of extra tracks, including the single 'Everybody's Slimming' released to coincide with a one off concert at the ICA in the '80's." Bonus tracks: "Everybody's Slimming," "Blue Eyed William," "Karen," and "Message."

[Sign up for the weekly email newsletter @ Forced Exposure website]

# posted by DJ Martian 11:57 AM

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Playlouder review Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll with a top 5/ 5 rating.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:42 PM

Almost Cool review Mitchell Akiyama - Small Explosions That Are Yours To Keep

# posted by DJ Martian 5:38 PM

Almost Cool review Keith Fullerton Whitman - Multiples

# posted by DJ Martian 5:35 PM

Next week's releases reviewed @ Norman Records

# posted by DJ Martian 5:34 PM

David Stubbs on the 1980s music TV program The Tube: Sound of the underground

Groundbreaking, seminal, stylish - three things that Channel 4's celebrated foray into pop programming never was. David Stubbs won't get sucked back into The Tube

Selective memory recall ? there were some interesting artists on The Tube, although by 1987 it was running on empty.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:32 PM

The BBC have launched their dedicated Glastonbury 2005 website.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:27 PM

DJ Magazine have a new website.

Also the current issue of DJ magazine comes with a free CD - mixed by Mr C and Omid of 16B

Ellen Allien is on the front cover.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:15 PM

Friday, May 27, 2005

The Guardian interview System of a Down

# posted by DJ Martian 8:04 AM

Thursday, May 26, 2005

New website for House Music Awards 2005

Nominations for the 2005 House Music Awards are open until 31 July!!

# posted by DJ Martian 9:11 PM

MIC Norway profile Kim Hiorthøy

Currently on a mini tour of the US, where he is performing his unique and celebrated brand of electronica in a few major cities, Kim Hiorthøy is one of the busiest and most sought-after of Norwegian artists.

# posted by DJ Martian 9:09 PM

Issue 44 of Earplug

MAY 26 - JUNE 8

Earplug is a twice-monthly email magazine, delivering a handpicked selection of news, sounds, videos, and original features for the international electronic music community.

# posted by DJ Martian 9:04 PM

Killing Joke :: the official site has been relaunched.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:49 PM

Tomorrow: Jazz on 3 - Live from Bath Music Festival includes Acoustic Ladyland, Avishai Cohen and Misha Mengelberg

Broadcast: Friday 27 May 2005 23:30-1:00 (Radio 3)

Jez Nelson presents a special live broadcast from Bath International Music Festival. The main set comes from British band of the moment, Acoustic Ladyland, pioneers of what is currently being termed post-jazz. There'll also be sets from New York/Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, Trio Braam De Joode Vatcher and the legendary Dutch piano master Misha Mengelberg.

# posted by DJ Martian 8:33 AM

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

10 DAYS OFF festival happening in Belgium, between 15-25th July.

In the City of Ghent/ Gent

artists confirmed include:

Akufen (CAN)
Alter Ego (D, live)
David Guetta (F)
Richie Hawtin (CAN)
Hell (D)
High Contrast (GB)
Hyper (GB)
Jaga Jazzist (NO)
Mathew Jonson (CAN, live)
M.A.N.D.Y. (D)
M.I.A. (GB)
Michael Mayer (D)
David Morales (VS)
Photek (GB)
Silicone Soul (GB)
Tiefschwarz (D)
Tiga (CAN)

# posted by DJ Martian 5:19 PM

Musique Machine review ASVA - Futurists Against The Ocean

# posted by DJ Martian 4:58 PM

Version Festival - Newcastle

version - the other music festival is happening in the City of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne between 8th - 10th July.

Artists appearing include:

Autechre
Monolake
The Hafler Trio
Pan Sonic
Fennesz
Wolf Eyes
Khonnor
Tunng
Chris Clark

# posted by DJ Martian 4:51 PM

SuperSonic 2005 - Birmingham

Montreal has Mutek, Barcelona has Sonar, whilst Birmingham on a smaller scale has SuperSonic

SuperSonic - July 8th & 9th - Birmingham, UK

The line up of the SuperSonic 2005 festival has been announced

Friday 8th of July

Capsule will join forces with legedary HOUSE OF GOD to bring two rooms of the best Techno/D&B/Jungle mash-up with special guests playing alongside HOG residents.

Room one:
Surgeon
Paul Damage
Sir Real
Nicky B
Harvey Lane

Room two:
DJ X
Shitmat (Planet Mu)
Chris Clark (Warp)
PCM
+ more tba

Saturday 9th July
This year will see three stages of live performances, art installations, film programme, video bingo, karaoke and most importantly cake.

Outside stage:
Psychic TV
Rother & Moebius (neu!/cluster/harmonia)
Dalek (Ipecac)
Battles (Don Caballero /Helmet)
Jesu (Hydra Head ex Godflesh)
Black Galaxy vs Kreepa (ex Napalm Death/Scorn)
Aereogramme (Undergroove)
Esquilax

Theatre space:
*Merzbow vs Stephen O'Malley (Sunn 0)))/Khanate)
Brian Duffy and Modified Toy Orchestra
Barbara Morgenstern + Robert Lippok (To Rococo Rot)
*Martin Creed + His Band (Turner prize winner 2001)
*David Cunningham (ex Flying Lizards)
Sol_dat

Medicine Bar:
Trevor Jackson
Colder (Output)
Dance Disaster Movement
Noise Noise Alore!
Granine + Stuart Braithwaite - Mogwai Dj set
Tunng (Static Caravan)
Khonnor (Type Records)

'dotb on ice' featuring live performances in an ice cream van from Dreams of Tall Buildings/PCM
Commissioned by Capsule and Wolverhampton Museum and Art Gallery
* Performancespresented in collaboration with the Ikon Gallery

# posted by DJ Martian 4:28 PM

Kultureflash - Headlines from London [No. 125/ 25.05.05]

This week's Kultureflash - Headlines from London

KultureFlash is a free, weekly newsletter covering contemporary culture in and around London. Each week we track down some of the more unusual and interesting events taking place in the Capital and deliver them straight to your inbox. Featuring art, gigs, films, talks, clubs and more -- we are committed to bringing you an eclectic mix of the most stimulating events in London.

# posted by DJ Martian 4:13 PM

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

EnoWeb provide a link to hear a new Brian Eno track:

The details aren't up on the website yet, but Andy Kershaw played 'This', the first track from Eno's new album, last night - second track in! You should be able to hear it till next Sunday, 29 May.
Andy Kershaw (track starts just past the 5-minute mark)

# posted by DJ Martian 7:24 PM

Playlouder interview The Human League

The Human League will be performing in the Live Arena at We Love Homelands, May 28th 2005, 1pm-6am, The Bowl, Matterley Estate, Nr Winchester, Hampshire England. For more Homelands info

# posted by DJ Martian 7:06 PM

MIC Norway interview Röyksopp

# posted by DJ Martian 7:01 PM

The Wire - June 2005

The new issue of The Wire magazine includes a free 20 track CD.

# posted by DJ Martian 7:00 PM

Dusted review Minamo - Shining

# posted by DJ Martian 6:57 PM

This week's flavourpill LONDON an email magazine covering music, art, and cultural events

# posted by DJ Martian 5:09 PM

Monday, May 23, 2005

Burst Title Forthcoming Album Origo

Swedish Art-Metal band Burst announce:

".. Our upcoming album will be entitled ORIGO. Look for it in October in Europe and January in North America, although the dates may be subject to change."

The work on "Origo" is going really well and we are all stunned at the enormous progress of the sound so far. For the first time ever we recorded the basic instruments live which has been nothing but a good thing for the feeling of the record. If Prey on life was to your liking, Origo will be a revelation.

Relapse label: BURST BEGIN WORK ON NEW ALBUM...

# posted by DJ Martian 8:30 PM

Safe as Milk Festival 2005 line up announced:

Supersilent (N), Serena Maneesh (N), Kim Hiorthøy (N)
Dälek (USA), Steffen Basho Junghans (D),
Samuel Jackson 5 (N), MoHa (N), Colleen (F).

Dates: 29-30 July
Location: Høvleriet, Haugesund, Norway

If you travel from another country to our festival you will actually get a free festival ticket! Also, we'll be glad to help you out with finding the best way of travelling and of course a suitable accomodation. Just ask us! Important: Your free tickets have to be preordered by email: .......

# posted by DJ Martian 5:22 PM

BW & BK report on Satyricon: SATYRICON - New Album In Progress

# posted by DJ Martian 5:08 PM

This week's new releases @ Fopp

# posted by DJ Martian 3:52 PM

Sunday, May 22, 2005

BBC Music review Acoustic Ladyland - Last Chance Disco

...the first classic of the post-jazz movement...

# posted by DJ Martian 10:33 PM

TDK Cross Central Festival - August Bank Holiday Weekend, London

Xfm report TDK Cross Central Festival Line Up Announced

More info @ TDK Cross Central website.

# posted by DJ Martian 10:10 PM

New Echoboy Album: Elektrik Soul Psymphonie

earworm records will release the new Echoboy album in June

coming soon: echoboy elektrik soul psymphonie cd
released on cd only, this is his first album since leaving mute. richard now divides his time between playing bass with spiritualized and his echoboy solo stuff. ace krautrock grooves alongside other stuff which acts as a departure to his more song based stuff of late on mute.

Official website: Echoboy

# posted by DJ Martian 9:11 PM

AAJ review Meat Beat Manifesto | At the Center

At the Center continues Thirsty Ear’s Blue Series’ drive to blend modern electronica with the riskier tenet of jazz improvisation. Dangers’ remarkable ear for sound potential makes At the Center one of the label’s most successful meetings to date

# posted by DJ Martian 12:45 PM

Music blog for Caribou: Caribou Stuff

News, Links and pictures - Spreading the word of Manitoba to Caribou

# posted by DJ Martian 12:37 PM

BBC Collective review Four Tet - Everything's Ecstatic

# posted by DJ Martian 12:32 PM

musicOMH.com review Mice Parade - Bem-Vinda Vontade

# posted by DJ Martian 12:24 PM

Forthcoming One World shows on Radio 1 include:

06/06 - Jaga Jazzist in to play tracks from 'What We Must' - plus more guests tbc.

13/06 - Exceptional Records label Special with live music from Plej, Bluprint, Cloud, Ernesto & Cane 141 - Hosted by Nik Weston

# posted by DJ Martian 12:12 PM

Forthcoming The Breezeblock shows on Radio 1

May 23rd
Grime Special
2 hours of tunes from the key players

May 30th
Jamie Lidell live
Otis Redding soul meets old skool rave

June 7th
Switch vs DJ Tonio
Essential Mix faves up against wicked French techno

Coming Soon:

Mike Patton
Sonar Special
Vitalic live
James Murphy

# posted by DJ Martian 12:09 PM

Blabbermouth.Net report PARADISE LOST: New Album To Receive U.K. Release In August

# posted by DJ Martian 11:58 AM

The Observer | OMM review Four Tet - Everything Ecstatic [reviewed by Paul Morley]

# posted by DJ Martian 11:50 AM

The Observer | OMM review Brian Eno - Another Day on Earth

# posted by DJ Martian 11:44 AM

This Week's New Releases @ Boomkat

This week's new releases @ Boomkat include:

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Four Tet - Everything Ecstatic
Domino

With the weight of expectation currently resting upon Four Tet's shoulders it would have been easy for the part time Fridge-man to crack open a tin of instrumentroinica, tinker with it a bit then release an updated Xerox of 2003's 'Rounds', raking in both the cash and accompanying platitudes. Thankfully for us he's decided not to do that and whilst 'Everything Ecstatic' is by no means a drastic departure from his previous work, it nevertheless shows the innovative evolution of sound and blindingly amblicated acumen we have belligerantly come to expect from Hebden. Opening the album with a starburst is the obstreperous rhythms and porous bass of 'A Joy', a track that does exactly what it says on the tin. Built around a pretty punishing bass and rotating palate of ADD percussion, Hebden weaves a beatific tapestry of florid instrumental delicacy before rubbing it up against all manner of dissonant auditory gravel to produce a thrilling friction that gives crystal lucidity to the track. 'Smile Around the Face' is a slight reworking of the recent limited edition 12" which obsesses in creating a fantastically complex structure then rendering it in a manner that suggests it is the most charmingly simple thing you've ever heard. `Everything Ecstatic' allows Hebden to indulge his musical whimsies in a way that, rather than resulting in a collection of electronically informed navel gazing, actually produces a dauntless record of extreme beauty. With 'Sun Drums and Soil' taking on the mighty Shadow and winning, 'And Then Patterns' twinkle-toed hip-hop stylings and the epic 'Sleep, Eat Food, Have Vision's 3 part rhetorical structure (1. Jumble of beats, bleeps, fogged out noise 2. Rigid, stuttering Jenkinson beats 3. Backwards dubbing), Hebden has created an album that is both scrupulously new yet steeped in tradition....

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Colleen - The Golden Morning Breaks
Leaf

Stunning new album from Colleen, no doubt one of the records of the year. If Colleen were a painting she'd undoubtedly be a George Morland, combining a sense of the innocent and rural within a broader, more wraithlike landscape. Her second album for Leaf, 'The Golden Morning Breaks' sees Colleen (aka Cécile Schott) furthering her beguiling strain of purely instrumental, folk-speckled psychedelia. First up is the welling instrumentation of 'Summer Water', a fuzzy hearted collection of ethereal melodies structured in a style very similar to that of Russian composer Petrovich Mussorgsky. The muted mood continues on the rimy 'Floating in the Clearest Night', a song so fragile and diffused it's almost not there, whilst 'Sweet Rolling' brings to mind warm winds and falling blossom. Possibly the stand-out moment on 'The Golden Morning Breaks' is the haunted music box and backwards tape effects of 'I'll Read You a Story', where heavy harps are plucked ominously against a brooding, yet effervescent, backdrop. It's almost inevitable that comparisons will be made with 'The Golden Morning Breaks' and Mum's first album, but whereas the Icelandic quartet relied on elfin whimsy too often, Colleen is a far more textured and complex artist who will reward repeated home-listening. A massive recommendation....

Benge - I Am 9
Expanding

`I Am 9' is the latest album by Ben Edwards recording as Benge.Here are a few words from Ben introducing the various ideas and concepts which have culminateed in the birth of his latest opus... "Hello my name is Benjamin D Edwards. This is my ninth album I have recorded on my own. I like synthesisers and sports cars. There are nine tracks on my new album, and each one is named after a different sports car from a book my parents gave me when I was 9. They run a school which i could play in all the time when i was little. My favourite room was the music room. I recorded some of the instuments on this album in there like glockenspiels, piano, cymbals and drums and my favorite, the synthesiser. I can make any sound I like on synthesisers and my favorite kind are modular ones because you have to build the sound up from nothing using wires and make a sound nobody has ever heard before. Some of the music I recorded when I was on holiday in France, because I can use a portable synthesiser and computer. I hope you like the music, my favorite track is track 4 and I called it `Facel 3' because that is my favorite car in the book. "

Karsten Pflum - Flugten Fra Ar 2000
Jenka Music

I'm not sure what I expected a winner of the Danish Arts Council award for young composer of the year to sound like, but it wasn't this. Following on from a debut album 'Tracks', an EP and some compilation tracks, 'Flugten Fra Ar 2000' is Karsten Pflum's (24 year old Jacob Helverskov to his Mum & Dad) most complete work to date and displays a love of the digital and the organic, forcing both into a union that whilst often unholy is always welcome. Pflum opens 'Flugten...' with 'Ube I', wherein what sounds like an analogue central heating system bursts into life with all manner of pleasing gurgles and belches, bringing to mind a more coherent theboylucas. Next up is 'Rottefar', a brooding slab of digital buckshot that threatens to shout "whose the f*cking daddy" throughout, as 'Girl/Boy' rotating beats dip up and down like a Tory economy. Mellowing the whole shebang out a little is 'BLFONK I', a dainty xylophone led composition that all too soon buckles under the weight of beats and the dark atmospherics of 'BLFONK II', and that's before the grimy bass even begins to bubble... Possessing a real gift for keeping the listener's ear on the sunny instrumentation whilst sporadically pummelling you with digital mayhem and Herculean beats, Pflum has made an album that's joyfully mischievous and refreshingly irreverent....

Bronnt Industries Kapital - Virtute Et Industria
Static Caravan

Now, I'm all for making up new genre names by sticking the trusty -tronica suffix onto anything that moves, but Bronnt Industries Kaptial's preferred description for their music, 'clockworktronica', is a bit daft sounding even by my standards. However don't let their erroneous appellations in any way put you off checking out this gorgeous album of frosted glass electronica that will be honey to the ears for fans of The Remote Viewer, Bjork, Opiate etc., combining hypnotically intricate beats with astonishingly supine Eno atmospherics. Comprised of Bristol based duo Guy Bartell and Nick Talbot, Bronnt Industries have previously surfaced on the 'Chiller Cabinet' compilation, with their 'Polaris' contribution laid out here again for all to see. Undoubtedly the standout track however is the genuinely stunning 'Valmara 69'; a swan necking fusion of pink hued electronica and thrumming percussion that, I must concede, does bring to mind a Victorian clockwork folly. Augmented by soaring atmospherics that precipitate a static induced breakdown, 'Valamara 69' is worth the entrance fee alone and is destined to become a home listening favourite. Exceedinglygoodtronica....

NQ - Recording Syntax
Progressive Form

The eagle eyed will have observed NQ's quiet appearance on the last Progressive Form sampler "Forma". Recording Syntax lives up to its name, dismantling the very processes of music making. Nils Quak is operating at the forefront of the Progressive Form credo - `Panel' has a glorious, vulnerable melody line, swathed in the rhythmic dissembling, crackles and syncopated pops. Nils teases out from the miasma a gentle progression, there's the giant bass presence of "Nhls", almost a signature tune we imagine, which enters a central section of distortion before building again into a bright melody heard from askance, an absolute killer modulation. "Disthant" and "PlEhR" both allow Nils to show further rhythm chops, while "Juri" allows him to retreat inside a luminescent shell, waves of sound lapping against your ears. You all know the story with Progressive Form by now - pretty well all essential stuff and NQ is no different. ...

Gush - Norrkoping
Atavistic

"Elegant, masterful trio recordings from one of Sweden's national living treasures. Mats Gustafsson (reeds), Sten Sandell (piano) and Raymond Strid (drums) set course for a sublime oblivion, driven by this longstanding (ca. 1988) group's unique brand of instrumental telepathy. For those previously acquainted with Mr. Gustafsson's power-soul-honk in such projects and collaborations with The Brötzmann Tentet, Sonore, The Thing (w/ Joe McPhee), HIDROS 3 (w/ Sonic Youth), Jim O'Rourke, David Grubbs, John Corbett & Ken Vandermark: another dimension of his estimable facility is on full display here, conjuring empathic textures within & without Sandell's world-class keystrokes and Strid's titanic structures."...

Fred Lonberg-Holm Trio - Other Valentines
Atavistic

"The FLH Trio returns with their second album for Atavistic: a beautifully conceived, bittersweet follow-up volume-and companion piece to "A Valentine For Fred Katz". On Other Valentines, the Trio weaves ten rich tapestries from several luminary songwriters' works: Sun Ra, Syd Barrett, Jeff Tweedy, Gil Scott-Heron, Chan 'Cat Power' Marshall are each given a timeless and virtuoustic treatment. Playful yet poignant, Other Valentines is a lovely reflection of Mr. Lonberg-Holm's personality, interests & obsessions."...

Toob - How To Spell Toob
Lo

New project from Red Snapper's Rich Thair and Jake One that aims squarely at the electronically informed mainstream and manages to come away with its dignity intact. Made up of a pretty much 50/50 split of instrumental and (all female) vocal tracks, 'How To Spell Toob' can seem almost wafer thin on first listen, seemingly too concerned with grafting together leftfield leanings and pop sensibilities to have much soul. But give it some time and it soon starts to reveal a distinctive charm. Opening track '4 Walls' takes a juddering, electro laced foundation then overlays a rich sediment of pop-informed guitars that is an aural cousin of New Order and similar in style to the Ghostly's Midwest Project. The first vocals appear on 'Here Enough', with Zoë Bicat contributing a plumy performance that is one part Beth Orton, one part (whisper it) Sophie Ellis Bexter, whilst 'Beaulieu' sees Shingai Shoniwa drifting around the mix as a thrilling Bristolian bass-line patrols below. Yet for all it's high NRG stylings (see the vintage electro-pop of 'Clawing Its Way Back' and the Roy Lee and The Villagers referencing 'Drum and Monkey'), 'How To Spell Toob' succeeds most when it turns down the volume and sets about the red wine. Closing with the beatific double-header of the string marinated 'The Miscreant' and the syrupy Bicat torch-song of 'After', Toob have produced an album that pretends to be vacuous whilst being anything but....

Room 204 - Trans Panda
Effervescence

Proving that a guitar and drums duo don't have to sound like the modern day Showaddywaddy of Jack and Meg, France's Room 204 make sprawling post-rock in the mould of Mogwai and 65Daysofstatic. Creating far more noise than should be humanly possible, Room 204 appear enthralled by the up and down schematic first road tested by the likes of Shellac and Slint, and subsequently refined by the Rock Action mob. Taking an eclectic bag of influences that range from the goatee metal of Metallica on 'Isopar' and the melancholy inflected musings of The Smashing Pumpkins on 'Flex Over', Room 204 allow individual melodies to build up from nothing into sprawling, full-on growling epics. If you think Mogwai have gone soft in recent years and lust for some 'Ithaca 27-9' magic, then you'll love Room 204... guaranteed....

HRSTA - Stem Stem In Electro
Constellation

You might well think the combination of monastic chants, Deep South swamp blues and 1970's British Prog-Rock is as ill-fated as Esperanto - but nobody thought to mention that to Hrsta. Part of the same broad movement which spawned Silver Mt. Zion, Hrsta take themselves and their music very seriously, allowing minor key-progressions to encroach whilst broad post-rock structures duke it out in the foreground. Nowhere is their sound more apparent than on the opening missive '...and we climb', where Hrasta half sing, half-chant the "we climb to the light" chorus with all the zeal of a religious cult. Meanwhile guitars are sacrificed outfront to the god of rock by front-man Mike Moya before it all sinks into the swampy 'Folkways Orange', where belching thickets of prog paint the sky red.... The best release on Constellation in quite some time - a big recommendation....

Mice Parade - Bem Vinda Vontade
Fat Cat

Five albums in and this is quite possibly Mice Parade's best album to date. Pitching his tent somewhere between the Notwist's 5-berth, Kieran Hebdon's prefab chalet and Tortoise's outdoor hammock, 'Bem-Vinda Vontade' sees Green in the mood for nature, a theme that seems to covertly run throughout the entire album. Mice Parade open the record with 'Warm Hand in Farmland', a butterscotch slab of acoustic delicacy built around a sublime melody and Pierce's college.alt vocals. Having been long regarded as a muscisans musician, Pierce attracts collaborators like wasps around a primary school bin, the first of which being Mum's Anna Valtysdettir on 'Nights Wave'. Using her extravagant voice more as an instrument than a regular vocal, 'Nights Wave' allows Valtysdettir to be gradually dragged down into the mix as surging waves of instrumentation well from all sides and Pierce begins to duet in a gravely juxtaposition. All recorded live and without computer jiggery-pokery, 'Ben-Vinda Vontade' (a sister album to last year's 'Obrigado Saudade') is surprisingly accomplished, no doubt down in part to the slew of collaborators taking part, including Doug Scharin (June of 44, HiM), Dylan Cristy (Dylan Group) and Ikuko Harada (Clammbon). A really strong, beautiful record....

Captain Comatose - Up In Flames
Playhouse

'Up In Flames' is the new record from the tech-disco collaboration of Khan and Snax, better known as Captain Comatose, finding our glitter ball superheroes careening head first down the 'electro with a raised eyebrow' slip road. The aquatic machine funk and intentionally vacuous vocals of 'Theme From Up in Flames (Cool as Ice)' might get you panicking that we're straying close to a service station marked Scissor Sisters (albeit a hardcore version), but such fears are quickly dispelled by 'To My Song' wherein a bellicose bass-line and shimmering acetate overlay of jangly guitars and strained, disco-biscuit vocals point out the neon sign over the door. A similar sound is maintained throughout with surface tinkering of the schematic; 'Na Na Now' grafts in some Arthur Argent electro guitars and screeching modems, 'Up in Flames' puts on some Green Velvet whilst 'Had It All' is crunchy tech beats, catchy vocals and 'Le Freak' strings. Probably what Daft Punk were aiming for....

Paradroid - Romanticism In Robotic Systems
Plateaux Resistance

Following the collapse of Mille Plateaux there's been some consternation as to where the clicks&cuts denizens are going to get their grade-A micro supply from. Well fear no more, for careening out of the label wreckage is Plateaux Resistance and they're tooled up already with their first release... A producer since the days of Thatcher, Max Wendling (aka Paradroid) has decided to get his hands dirty in the world of glitch, releasing 'Romanticism In Robotic Systems'; not just the labels debut print but also his first full-length foray into microsounds. Informed by the electroacoustic movement, Warp and UR, 'Romanticism...' opens with the graceful click/cut majesty of 'Staring At The Aeroplanes', a track whose shades of DAT Politics are rendered like a digital stone skipping across an idyllic electronic lake. Evidently operating within a broad church, Wendling immediately changes the pace on 'Capacitive Accelerometer Design' with heavily distorted vocals, some carpel inducing beat beepery and a rubber coated set of cracklely clicks & cuts all offsetting the previous work perfectly. Elsewhere, 'Deep Fritz' gives the nod to Vladislav Delay whilst 'Romantic Crystallite Illusions' takes a leaf out of the micro-tech guidebook, implementing a dubby bass charge and precision glitch overlay. Good stuff

Various / Traum - Elektronische Musik - Interkontinental 4
Traum

Traum's annual bestseller series returns with new tracks by Domink Eulberg, Oliver Hacke, Adam Kroll, Steve Barnes, Offpop and the epic "Dinamo" by Nathan Fake, featured on cd for the first time in its full length, still kicking off all over the place. Also check for the usual muster of new Traum contributors shaped like Peter Schumann, Acut, Zentex and Terrae. Peter Schumann has successfully released music before on Frankfurt's Catennacio label, Achim Gauder aka Akut, displays the kind of intricate harmonies commensurate with a countrysider. Zentex is Traum's portugese connection, debuting with "napa" on Traum, Pasquale Basso aka Terrae already known for his work on the italian DSP label. In keeping with previous form, the cd is a loose-fitting compilation, casula but at the same time has a strong dynamic flow, also containing an animated video by long term collaborator Yvette Klein, based on the fairy tale "Quon and the wild flowers of China" by with a soundtrack composed by steve barnes. Tracklisting: 1. Zentex - napa 2. Adam kroll- aeugler 3. Oliver hacke- taxi 4. Nathan fake - dinamo 5. Steve barnes and riley reinhold- murder in the clouds 6. Jesse somfay- the days of our youth ended with broken bottles 7. Off pop - grammophon 8. Dominik eulberg - die rohrdommel und der wachtelkönig im Schachtelhalmlabyrinth". 10.acut- morgenmuffel 11. Terrae - sturm und dub 12. Peter schumann - ric + animation - quon and the wild flowers of china by yvette klein...

# posted by DJ Martian 11:05 AM

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Martin Grech - Unholy

Martin Grech had two tracks from his new album Unholy, [due next month] played on Mixing It:

BBC - Radio 3 - Mixing It - 20 May 2005:

Martin Grech: Erosion and Regeneration; I Am Chromosome (10.01)
Martin Grech began making music 10 years ago, when he was twelve, after buying a copy of Radiohead's album The Bends. Four years late he teamed up with producer Andy Ross, and over the next three years they put together the tracks which would become debut album Open Heart Zoo. This track comes from the imminent follow-up.
album: Unholy
Island UNHOLYCD1

Track: Erosion and Regeneration

references: Brian Eno, eerie quality of Depeche Mode: circa Music for the Masses little 15 track, Peter Hammill, Peter Gabriel on Passion, Gavin Friday, Death in June, Nurse with Wound, Barry Adamson, Coil - a stunning track swamped in dark ambience, chilling spoken vocals over monk type chamber choral music.

Track: I Am Chromosome

The other track played is more industrial rock at times, more eccentric vocals, a touch of Radiohead/ Thom Yorke & VDGG dramatics, Depeche Mode circa 1993, Tricky on the first two albums, added classical strings, blasts of distorted breakbeats ala Zan Lyons/ or Alec Empire crossed with Nine Inch Nails vibes circa 1990.

The production on both tracks is stunning.

From the Martin Grech website:

UNHOLY - album out 13th June. (Album of the Month in July issue of Rock Sound out in June - also contains WORLDLY DIVINE on the cover CD and a full feature inside)

This could be a good outside bet for the Mercury Music Prize shortlist.

# posted by DJ Martian 2:48 PM

Friday, May 20, 2005

Terrorizer - June 2005 Issue

The new issue of Terrorizer magazine is on sale next Thursday [May 26th]

Features:

STUDIO REPORT: SOLEFALD + ARCTURUS
STUDIO REPORT: DARKANE
BRUCE DICKINSON
ULVER
TESTAMENT
THE AXIS OF PERDITION
SENTENCED
TURBONEGRO
UNSANE
MOURNING BELOVETH
DAM
DISIPLIN
DESECRATION
AUDREY HORNE
HARD OF HEARING: CRADLE OF FILTH
PRO-PAIN
RAGING SPEEDHORN
THE RED CHORD
CLAUDIO SIMONETTI/DAEMONIA

Fear Candy 16 CD

OBITUARY 'Insane' EXCLUSIVE
ULVER 'Christmas'
SENTENCED 'Ever Frost'
DESECRATION 'Bacterial Breakdown'
DARKEST HOUR 'Convalescence' EXCLUSIVE
GOREROTTED 'Pain As A Prelude To Death'
UNSANE 'Release'
GRAND MAGUS 'Kingslayer'
THE RED CHORD 'Antman'
AS I LAY DYING 'Meaning In Tragedy'
BIOMECHANICAL 'Regenerator'
UNFOLD 'Superman Diabolico'
SHAM RAIN 'To Leave'
PSYOPUS 'Death, I'
< CODE >
ALLHELLUJAH 'Your Saviour Is Here'
MOURNING BELOVETH 'Elemental Nausea'

# posted by DJ Martian 7:39 PM

A-ha album due September

MIC Norway report on A-ha: Exitement surrounds A-ha's London recording sessions

Exitement surrounds A-ha's London recording sessions

Reports from A-ha's ongoing work with the band's forthcoming album indicate reason for very high expectations

# posted by DJ Martian 5:57 PM

Almost Cool review Pelican - March Into The Sea EP

# posted by DJ Martian 5:33 PM

Next week's releases reviewed @ Norman Records

# posted by DJ Martian 5:16 PM

Thursday, May 19, 2005

BW & BK report on Rush: RUSH - Work On Next Studio Album To Commence This Fall

# posted by DJ Martian 11:31 PM

The Return of Eyeless in Gaza

Funprox report Eyeless in Gaza will perform at the Bush Hall, London on July 29th.

Also: New Album

a new album due later this year

Retrospective

July 6 sees the release by Cherry Red Records of both the new retrospective CD 'No Noise' and the DVD 'Saw You In Reminding Pictures'.

More info @ Eyeless In Gaza website.

Eyeless in Gaza @ The Bush Hall

"Eyeless In Gaza are one of the great bands that
emerged post punk... They were truly unique...
Martyn Bates is one of the great white soul singer
voices, by soul I mean Ian Curtis not Jamiroquai. I
still love them."

Alan McGee, March 2005

(from the sleeve notes to
forthcoming 'No Noise' compilation)

As Cherry Red Records prepare to celebrate the career
of one of the most idiosyncratic bands to emerge from
the post punk/new wave years of the early eighties,
Eyeless In Gaza - the duo of Martyn Bates and Pete
Becker - are set to play their first live gig in
eighteen years, on July 29 at Bush Hall.

Apart from an inpromptu get-together at a private
party last November, it is, in fact, their first live
appearance since 1987.

# posted by DJ Martian 11:24 PM

Simon Reynolds has launched a dedicated website to promote his book: Rip It Up & Start Again

# posted by DJ Martian 11:06 PM

Pitchfork report The Fall Prepare New Album titled The Fall Head's Roll will be released on September 20th.

# posted by DJ Martian 4:47 PM

Reminder: Eternal Fusion has shifted over to the podcast format: eternal FUSION Podcast

# posted by DJ Martian 12:12 AM

The Young Gods: Best of Cd in September + New Album for 2006

The Young Gods provide a news update:

Spring 2005 is The Young Gods' twentieth anniversary, and the band will mark the occasion with a year-long series of events, starting with two exceptional evenings at the Montreux Jazz Festival this summer.
The Young Gods will also release a "best of" cd in September, and a new album early next year. Further surprises will be announced, and this website is the place to watch.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:02 AM

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

New Cristain Vogel Album

epm provide info on Cristian Vogel - Station 55 - NOVAMUTE due for release 4th July on Novamute

Artist - Cristian Vogel
Title - Station 55
Label - NOVAMUTE
Format - CD / 2 X 12
Catalog No. - NOMU149CD/NOMU149LP
Release Date - 04/07/2005

Cristian Vogel’s productions never stand still, but ‘Station 55’ is going to blow away even those used to his mastery of electronics, space, and funk. Using styles and sounds from all the periods of his previous work, including the wild weightless techno-soul he explored with Super_Collider, he’s reached a whole new level of completeness for an electronic album. From the warped waltz-time haunted-house atmospherics of ‘Typewriter Of The Dead’ to the digital jazz, warm sub-bass and Kraftwerkian keyboard lines of ‘Neon Underground’, melody and pure funk are at the forefront the whole way through. Though certain sounds may recall other music (the total 80s electrofunk bassline in ‘The Time Lock’, a hint of Peter Hook in ‘Monkey Inc’, melted acoustic guitars in closing track ‘Lovelights’), the mind-fryingly crisp and new sounds could only come from 2005, and this could only be a Cristian Vogel album. The relentless panic of ‘1968 Holes’, featuring the crazed electro punk acid queen vocals of Kevin Blechdom, and the brooding, pumping bassy dreamscape of ‘Turn On, Tune In, Drown Out’ featuring Franz Treichler of the legendary Young Gods are the most likely to be taken up by DJs, but there is nothing here that – played over a big system – won’t pick dancers up, whirl them around and leave them dazed, exhausted and happy, not knowing what’s hit them but glad it did.

It’s a listening album too, though. Cristian has always been the master of the subliminal melody, of the tune that gives up new secrets every time you listen to it, and that’s truer than ever on ‘Station 55’. This album has a story: not necessarily a single thread running through it, but a recurrence of sound and patterns which suck you into its sci-fi world of mysterious radio stations broadcasting number series from the underground, freaked numerology, time travelling entities and monkeys with typewriters. The atmosphere is built by the poetic voices of Blechdom, Treichler, of frequent Vogel collaborator Max Turner of the Meteorites and Puppetmastaz, of Madrid-based artist Burbuja, and of Barcelona band Virüs, who Cristian describes as having a “dark, sensual and science-fiction based lyrical universe” – and of course by Cristian’s sounds. These sounds – though they may be as weird, strung-out and full of digital crack’n’pop as anything by sound experimenters like Autechre or Fennesz – are always human, physical, moving and musical. Everything, even the harsh rattling of ‘On The Line’ or the sparse, desolate pulse of ‘Arctic Wolfman’, is infused with the spirit of the dance and the funk which has always informed techno. ‘Station 55’ is an album to think to and to lose yourself to, to dance to and to sink into; it’s an album to terrify and delight, and an album that keeps on giving more and more every time you hear it. Play it again and again.

# posted by DJ Martian 11:51 PM

Blabbermouth.Net report ULVER Mastermind Working On New 'Heavy Rock' Project

Daniel Cardoso (ex-SIRIUS) and Kristoffer G. Rygg (ULVER, ex-ARCTURUS), plus a few "noble assistants," have been writing music and conspiring theories for SINDROME...

An album titled: A Killer View is currently in production, and is scheduled for an Autumn release.

From the samples the music sounds similar to A Perfect Circle

# posted by DJ Martian 5:17 PM

Stylus review Keith Fullerton Whitman - Multiples

# posted by DJ Martian 4:52 PM

Prolific New Order

Xfm on New Order: New Order Complete NEXT Album

# posted by DJ Martian 4:49 PM

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Kultureflash - Headlines from London [No. 124/ 18.05.05]

This week's Kultureflash - Headlines from London

KultureFlash is a free, weekly newsletter covering contemporary culture in and around London. Each week we track down some of the more unusual and interesting events taking place in the Capital and deliver them straight to your inbox. Featuring art, gigs, films, talks, clubs and more -- we are committed to bringing you an eclectic mix of the most stimulating events in London.

# posted by DJ Martian 11:46 PM

Playlouder review Isolee - We Are Monster

# posted by DJ Martian 11:26 PM

Stylus review Superpitcher - Today

# posted by DJ Martian 5:34 PM

This week's flavourpill LONDON an email magazine covering music, art, and cultural events

# posted by DJ Martian 4:59 PM

Monday, May 16, 2005

Richard Davis delivers Details

Kitty Yo will release a new album by Richard Davis titled: Details in June.

Richard Davis creates staggering minimal-house by adding pure intensity, propulsive beats and a glimpse of pop-appeal. His amazing music is defined through some sweet melancholic viewpoint, warm subbasses, clear clicks and plops, shuffling hihats and a wonderfull touching voice to keep you warm and the dance floor hot. Believe us, you'll be into it.

Also download free mp3 track: honest with you from the album.

The music is similar to Matthew Dear and Junior Boys

# posted by DJ Martian 11:44 PM

Later...Show 2: 11.35pm, BBC2, Friday 20th May 2005

This week's Later...with Jools Holland show, including:

An old classic rocker from the West Midlands [well past it]: Robert Plant
Mavericks from Manchester: The Fall
Uptempo fun from Brighton: The Go-Team
Multilinguist resident of Montreal: Lhasa

# posted by DJ Martian 11:15 PM

Jackson Debut Album on Warp

Warp confirm the signing of Jackson. A debut album titled: Smash will be released in the Autumn.

Warp are chuffed to announce the signing of Jackson, the hotly-tipped 25-year-old Parisian producer whose extraordinary music has enchanted the electronic world for a few years now. Best known for 2003’s ‘Utopia’ single and his remix of M83’s ‘Run Into Flowers’, Jackson Fourgeaud is one of the most exciting and original new electronic talents to emerge from France since Daft Punk. He describes his wild, romantic electronic pop music as "antique futurism", a "style orgy" that sounds like nothing you’ve heard before.

Warp releases the eagerly awaited debut album ‘Smash’ by Jackson & His Computer Band this autumn, preceded by a single in the summer. Jackson recorded the album over four years at home and in various studios in Paris. Vocalists on the album include his mother, Paula Moore, a successful singer in the 80s, his young niece, and rap sage Mike Ladd. In the past, Jackson has remixed Air, Dead Combo, Vanessa Paradis, Freeform 5, and Pepe Braddock.

# posted by DJ Martian 10:56 PM

Tomorrow on Radio 3: Late Junction - 17 May 2005

Fiona Talkington celebrates Norwegian Independence Day with the new album from Jaga, and music from Nils Petter Molvaer, Xploding Plastix, Jan Garbarek and Bugge Wesseltoft.

# posted by DJ Martian 10:43 PM

Junkmedia interview Caribou

# posted by DJ Martian 10:13 PM

The Guide | Interconnected: Cool music blogs

At last recognition in print, this blog was mentioned in The Guardian on Saturday in The Guide magazine.

# posted by DJ Martian 9:16 PM

This week's The Breezeblock show features Xela

May 16th
Xela: John Xela is the king of downbeat

# posted by DJ Martian 9:13 PM

The latest One World show: One World - Fourtet, Bang Gang, Electrelane & Bryan Gee

This week Fourtet review tracks from the new album, Icelandic act Bang Gang play new material, Electrelane play tracks from their new album 'Axes' and Bryan Gee runs through tracks off his new 'Liquid V Club' album.

# posted by DJ Martian 9:11 PM

Drowned in Sound on Radiohead: Radiohead back in the studio - new material due for release early 2006.

# posted by DJ Martian 1:58 PM

This week's new releases @ Fopp

# posted by DJ Martian 1:39 PM

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Almost Cool review Kammerflimmer Kollektief - Absencen

# posted by DJ Martian 10:48 PM

Almost Cool review Mice Parade - Bem-Vinda Vontade

# posted by DJ Martian 10:47 PM

Musique Machine review Sanso-xtro - Sentimentalist

While being in a class of her own, Melissa Agate could be linked to someone like Colleen: both share a highly personal approach to music-making, using unusual instruments, composing extremely touching music.

# posted by DJ Martian 10:44 PM

This Week's New Releases @ Boomkat

This week's new releases @ Boomkat include:

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Ø (Mika Vainio) - Kantamoinen
Sahko

It was only last week that we made the quantum leap discovery of Mika Vainio's lost classic album 'Metri' (note: back in stock now on 2LP and also, amazingly, on limited CD) and now out of the blue comes Mika's brand new album - a follow up of sorts to Touch's 2003 'In The Land...'. 'Kantamoinen' is a full length of wonderous, very special music that when heard feels like it was made just for you. Strange, deeply cinematic ambience pieces with the odd track supported by deep bass and padded 808 thuds. Hearing this album and 'Metri' in the last two weeks is making me want to go out and ravenously buy all Mika's previous albums, a masterful turn from a truly incredible producer. This week buy this, the Keith Fullerton Whitman and the CD issue of 'Metri' and I guarantee you'll be amazed at the power of modern electronic music. Absolutely essential....

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Keith Fullerton Whitman - Multiples
Kranky

Now we've been looking forward to this album since the moment we caught our breath back after being swooned by 2002's 'Playthroughs'. Since then our ears have been stretched and ravaged by the sounds thrust forth from our vinyl pick up's on the limited vinyl ep's 'Antithesis' and 'Schöner Flußengel' and now at last it's time for 'Multiples'. This album harks back to the 50's, 60's and 70's when each quantum leap forward in electrical instrumentation was embraced by the lucky, selective few whose task it was to wrench all the mite out of these miracle instruments - often inadvertantly hitting on abstract loveliness in strange and wonderful tones. Keith's time lecturing at Harvard University gave him open access to step into his peer's shoes to bring forth his own ideas and inspirations through a host of both delicate and humungous analogue beasts. 'Multiples' starts out quite delicately as a tuned hi-hat cymbal (sounding like an alto gong) is recorded - honing in on the vibrative drone sounds that give this piece a deep devotional, meditational feeling. The rustic mixing desk styled Serge Modular Prototype provides the sounds for the next piece - cascading cavernous and echoic drones dive towards earth at differing paces while earth bound receptors fire back blasts of welcome static and burble away in excited rapture - an extraordinary three part piece. For the next track Ina-GRM man Jean Claude Risset lends his early Yamaha Disklavier Prototype keyboard - with this instrument Keith lays down an incredible track - repeating piano riffs wrap themselves around some absolutely gorgeous, heavenly, lush drone tones from a Italia Modena Electric Guitar - one of the tracks of the year so far. Next the Farfisa Compact Duo Deluxe keyboard spikes your mind with sublime notes backed up by jazzed minimal drum patterns and bleep chimes. The final two pieces meld acoustic guitar with the telephone switchboard aping Buchla Music Box 100 and software shaping, if you hear a finer fifteen minutes of music all year then I want to know about it (I've been lucky enough to see one of Keith's travel movies which i'm sure one of these pieces provides the soundtrack to). I never thought 'Playthroughs' would be bettered, how naïve of me to underestimate this talented producer (bring on a DVD) - 'Multiples' is surely album of the year material. Beyond essential....

Flotel - Wooden Beard
Expanding

Having previously recorded for Robin Saville's Arable imprint, this is Flotel's second release on Expanding Records and sees Leigh Toro channelling his sometimes scattershot sound into a much tighter and disciplined unit. Seemingly enthralled by both ends of the spectrum, Toro delights in creating broad, broiling landscapes then concentrating his focus on the precision tooled electronica littering the foreground. Opening track 'Carry Water, Chop Wood' is a perfect example of this, with Flotel first introducing a finely detailed linocut of rustic electronica before drawing the ear away from the minutia to admire the grand, IDM vista above. Taking a different approach, but with similar results, is 'Sorrel Sea'; an agile excursion into blunted minimalism that is one part Susumu Yokota, one part Terry Riley, whilst 'Fold Up and Put Away' is a Rephlex-esque fusion of atmoshphere jacking and splintered, near drum & bass. Also, nice to see the multi-talented Morgan Caney on this album's closing, title track. Nice....

Blacworld - Subduing Demons In South Yorkshire Part 2
Intone

Blacworld is a side project of Richard H Kirk (Cabaret Voltaire, Sandoz, Citrus), with the five tracks on 'Subduing Demons in South Yorkshire' a remix project from work under the same name. Undoubtedly best consumed as a coherent whole, 'Subduing Demons...' is full of subterranean dub and spectral ambience, lulling you into a false sense of security only to scare you shitless with abrupt and heavily treated, unidentifiable vocals. Whilst anyone in doubt of the horrors South Yorkshire possesses need to pay a visit to Sheffield's Kingdom on a Friday night, 'Subduing Demons...' is more enthralled with the faceless and primeval fear you experience in the Peak District alone and after dark. Deeply unsettling yet sonically playful, Blacworld has made ambient music a much more unsettling place....

Merzbow - Sphere
Tzadik

F*ck me, this is noisy! Second release on Tzadik for the Japanese noise monger Masami Akita, a significant figure on the scene since 1978. Renowned for his ear-splitting hardcore audio, 'Sphere' sees Merzbow pushing this aural assault even further and achieving an absolutely cochlea rupturing effect. Opening with what sounds like a horde of Taiko wielding warriors, 'Sphere Part 1' is a punishing ten minutes that offers glimpses of hidden structures (spiralling rhythms, untethered vocals) within the electronic squall. Continuing throughout the album, 'Sphere' at times resembles a circuit board being boiled alive but Akita's skill is in taking what at first seems random and overwhelming, then allowing it to gradually reveal it's internal payload. Like a more electronically informed Sunn O))), Merzbow is not one to play when your Nan's round....

Jacques Coursil - Minimal Brass
Tzadik

The first recording since 1969 from one of the legends of the New York experimental music scene who has collaborated with Anthony Braxton, Sunny Murray, Perry Robinson, Albert Ayler and many others. After two astounding albums incorporating serial techniques into the angry energy of free jazz, Jacques Coursil dropped out of the music scene and returned to his native Martinique to teach linguistic theory...but he never stopped playing and never lost his connection to the music. Minimal Brass is a new beginning for this remarkable maverick, a fabulous suite incorporating sound, noise and texture into a swirling masterpiece of overdubbed trumpets. Circular breathing, French philosophy and soulful lyricism from one of modern music's lost masters....

Ammon Contact - New Birth
Ninja Tune

Carlos Niño and Fabian Ammon return with this killer sequel to the 'One In The Infinity Of Ways' album. 'Omniverses 1' kicks off with a rolling percussion jam with deep bass licks from Greg Malone and pure cosmic drone lifts, tune. 'Naeem' (named after Ammon's first born son) kicks into third world funk, minimal dusted click percussion with sparks of african guitar melodics. 'A Satellite's Return' injects some serious pace into the proceedings, much neck snapping on the dancefloor to this one that would mix well with classic Theo Parrish. 'Omniverses 2' delivers some delicious pop eclectic vibes and harmonious female vocals (this track in fact a tribute to Mary Hansen of Stereolab, and it shows). 'My People' drops marimba over the roughed political lyrics of Lil Sci. Finally the full Build An Ark collective drop the lush improvtastic jam 'Temple Jam', a piece that even Sun-Ra will be proud of as he tunes his galactic radio tuner in from planet Saturn. Another amazing album from Ammon Contact who's works in the future will be as collectable as the deepest black jazz albums of the 60's and 70's are to us today. Ammon heads also need to head to the Dwight Trible EP (also out this week) for a dose of the righteous cosmic vocal jaaaaazzzzzzz. Deep as you like!...

Dwight Trible & The Life Force Trio - Equipoise (With Madlib And Sa-Ra)
Ninja Tune

Dwight Trible is a vocalist who's been paying his dues for many years playing with significant jazzers like Charles Lloyd and the vibesmeister Bobby Hutcherson with a vocal tone that's pure Gil Scott-Heron, Will Downing, Andy Bey and one of my heroes Leon Thomas. Having come to prominence to the new jazzbeat crowd via his work in Build An Ark this leads us to his forthcoming Ninja Tune album co-ordinated by Carlos Niño with nuff class guest input, 'Love Is The Answer'. The first blast is this EP that kicks off with the Sa-Ra produced 'Equipoise' in effect a Sa-Ra remix of the Build An Ark track 'Peace With Every Step', originally a jazz classic from the pen of Stanley Cowell - nuff spaced out jamming with Sa-Ra's squelchy synths out front, wicked ish'. After the wicked short 'Rise' Madlib drops the offbeat ill track 'Waves Of Infinite Harmony' with ill scratching, buzzing grime beats, wild synth drops from Daedelus and the soaring vocals (instrumental version present as well). Finally GB (Sound In Color) drops 'Otherworldly', a wickedly rhythmic roller with shuffling percussion, thunder effects, bubbling bass and more of the heavenly vocals. The album's really going to be something if this EP is anything to go by. Highly recommended. ..

Nobody - And Everything Else....
Plug Research

When Nobody decided it was time to revisit his hip-hop roots, he did so in a big way, The album's last collaboration is also the second installment in the 'La Correccion' production cannon, which is the new teaming of Nobody with Prefuse 73. Already rocking stages world wide as part of Prefuse 73's live show, Nobody features their follow up to La Correccion Exchange on Herren's "Surrounded By Silence" album with "Tori Oshi", a folky banger. Nobody also collaborates with the first MC he had ever done tracks for. Xololanxinco, who along with 2 Mex makes up `Of Mexican Descent', is from the classic Good Life era of MC's that once filled entire underground tapes that Nobody would trade in high school. Forward a few years and the pair meet at Project Blowed, where they began to record tons of 4-track songs that would eventually make it to more underground tapes that would inspire many an indie MC for sure. This album also finds nobody building on psychedelic themes apparent in his last album, yet revisiting his hip-hop roots as heard on his debut "Soulmates" Nobody once again teams up with Mystic Chords of Memory (Chris Gunst of Beachwood Sparks and Jen Cohen of the Aisler's Set) and Farmer Dave Scher (Beachwood Sparks) who delivered the standout track on Pacific Drift, a beat heavy cover of the Monkees' "Porpoise Song". This time, they jump 30 years to cover one of Nobody's favorite 90's anthems, The Flaming Lips' "What is the Light?, a track that was originally intended for use on Ubiquity's Rewind series. Although Nobody remixed two songs on Mia Doi Todd's album `The Golden State', their first original work together appears here with "You Can Know Her," a song comprised of audio from photographer B+'s massively anticipated hip hop documentary "Keepintime"....

Ricci Rucker - Fuga
Alpha Pup

Part of the next generation after The Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Ricci is making serious power moves, starting with the jawdropping 'Scetchbook' album with Mike Boo that dropped in 2002. Since then he's toured with D-Styles as Gunkhole and Ned Hoddings and recently he's also been heard backing up none other than Ghostface Killah for some proper futuristic hip hop. All this info will pass you by when 'Fuga' busts forth from your speakers. What first hits you is the feeling that this masterwork was inspired by the jazz masterpieces of the late sixties and early seventies, when the commercialism ground bop forms into dust leaving the independant spirits like Black Jazz, Starta East and artists like Max Roach and Pharoah Sanders to fuel the artform. Ricci feels strongly that this music of ours has also for too long been disrespected by the masses, time must change. Musically at times this album reminds me also of Tortoise's epic 'TNT', this may be a surprise to most but i'm sure you'll hear the similarities in structure soon enough. Apparatently Ricci gave some idea scetches to a group of jazz/improv musicians who jammed away supplying Ricci with a wealth of material. Now this is where this project gets scary hype - Ricci then private pressed up a number of vinyl's of this music and composed 'Fuga' from these tools. This album is insanely heavy one moment and spiritually uplifting the next - just like the finest forward thinking jazz. The lines between sampled music and live playing are blurring beyond recognition here. If all this seems a little overwleming then fear not |: just grip on for dear life and dive into the wonderous sounds of 'Fuga'. Another album of the year contender for me personally from what is fast becoming one of the best new labels on the scene, Daddy Kev's Alpha Pup. Do not sleep!...

In The Country - This Was The Pace Of My Heartbeat
Rune Grammofon

As well as being a writing partner in Susanna and The Magical Orchestra, a writer and arranger for Norwegian jazz singer Solveig Slettahjell, founding member of Shining and a corner stone of Jaga Jazzist, Morten Qvenild also finds time to be part of Scandinavian chart-topping pop/rock combo The National Bank. Yet ANOTHER quality Norwegian export, 26 year old Morten Qvenild has somehow found room in his bulging diary to record a solo record, 'This Was The Pace of My Heartbeat', for Runne Grammofon. Imbued with a smoky after-hours atmosphere, 'This Was The Pace...' takes cues from John Convertino's recent release in its sparsely populated but richly layered Piano arrangements. Including an intriguing cover of Ryan Adam's 'In My Time Of Need', Qvenild is very much a man of the piano and brush drums, allowing all the compositions time to unfurl in a natural and unhurried fashion. More Kreuzspiel than Don Redman, 'This Was The Pace..." is nonetheless jazz through and through and will appeal to anyone with an interest in the less frenetic alcoves of the genre. A gorgeous release from a fabulous label....

Korekyojinn - Isotope
Tzadik

A slashing, razor sharp live concert from one of the most powerful bands in the Tokyo underground...an all-star instrumental trio with members of Ruins, Altered States and Bondage Fruits. Little riots and mini-masterpieces filled with noisy, intense energy and detail - included as a bonus is an outrageous unreleased composition from the recording session of their second CD, Arabesque, but for the rest of the CD you are transported to a small sweaty club in Tokyo to witness one of the most cacophonous instrumental ensembles on the planet. File Under: Avant Garde/Rock...

White Out With Jim O'rourke - China Is Near
ATP

Although by no means the first people to impose a free-jazz template over the traditional rock line-up, White Out are one of the more successful purveyors of this particular genre graft. Now augmented by Jim O'Rouke and whizz-bang percussionist William Winant, 'China Near' marks White Out's third album and serves mainly to update the sound last encountered on 'Drunken Little Mass'. Loud, tightly structured yet resolutely free range, opening track 'Ghost Mirror Image' is a meandering jazz composition that cranks up the volume then lets the various instrumental elements duke it out for supremacy. Toning it down considerably, White Out follow on with 'Lost In Grey' augmenting the subdued styling with a healthy dose of digital lambency whilst 'Stifled Moon' heats up a crucible of disparate percussive elements (including what sounds like the kitchen sink) then, under the guidance of Winant, pours them out to harden into a brittle rhythm fuelled track. Cerebral and enjoyable......

Animal Collective (Feat Vashti Bunyan) - Prospect Hummer
Fat Cat

A product of the same (broad) scene that has thrust Devendra Banhart, the Golden Apples and Antony and the Johnsons to public attention, the newest artists to re-emerge from the gently skewed sphere of contempoary Americana areFat Cat's Animal Collective. Recorded by Sung Tongs' producer Rusty Santos,'Prospect Hummer' is a meeting of the Animal Collective and Brit-folk veteran Vaashti Bunyan (check 'Just Another Diamond Day' for musical reference). Limiting their oeuvre to harps, guitars and vocals on EP opener 'It's You', Animal Collective and Bunyan nevertheless produce a clamorous GM modified Americana/folk mutation that is suitably moving and much grander than its constituent elements may suggest. Title track 'Prospect Hummer' harks back to an era when railroads dictated American life, with a locomotive rhythm beating at its heart and multi-harmonised choruses in it's head whilst the closing 'I Remember Learning How to Dive' has the covert menace of the much cited Wickerman soundtrack....

Jane - Beserker
Paw Tracks

Having met whilst working in a New York record store (undoubtedly alongside the obligatory resident cat), Scott Mou and Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear of the Animal Collective) bonded over their love of Detroit, Chicago and Berlin dance and formed Jane with the express purpose of ditching the binary and cranking up the soul. Comprised of three tracks (a fourth bonus cut on the CD), 'Beserker' is a good introduction to the Jane oeuvre, providing a precise cross section of their sound. Opening with the title track, Mou and Lennox present a rousing but beatless six minutes that has overt shades of Sigur Ros within its cushioned swelling vistas, an outlook similarly shared on the following 'AGG Report'. Taking a cue from Twin Peaks, 'AGG Report' introduces a dubby fingered rhythm that appropriates a ~scape refit of Plug Reasearch-era Tejada that swoops and soars throughout. Closing the record is 'Slipping Away', a dark-hearted midnight trip down to the woods that uses a slow burn, Bert Jansch framework to silhouette a polite (but insistent) build towards an anbalogue heavy, jackhammer beat....

Jersey - Jersey
Lok

Jersey's debut album is exactly the kind of thing an aural magpie would be on the lookout for; shiny, well formed and relatively unassuming. Counting members of The Notwist, Fred is Dead and Iso68 amongst their ranks, Jersey are purveyors of the often overlooked (but always welcome) digitally polished indie. Sharing DNA with The Notwist, New Order and Boy in Static, 'Lok' underpins its breezy exterior with tightly wound guitar pop that literally bristles through pent up momentum. Opening with a gently sighing instrumental ('Southwestern'), Jersey soon move into Alien Transistor territory on 'Boy With a Rifle', wherein multi-harmonised vocals ("Not young enough to be innocent, not old enough to be wise...") are underwired with rainbow coloured, gobstopper electrics. Elsewhere 'Come To Me' is a rougher take on similar territory to Mum's debut, '1435' drafts Lali Puna's Christoph Brander in dressed as Bernard Summer, whilst 'TV Dinner' has a vial of Nick Cave in its Mogwai nodding, monastic outlook. Very good....

Lawrence - The Night Will Last Forever
Novamute

Lawrence has for a long time been one of the most interesting and consistentlty righteous characters in the Kompakt universe. His "Teaser" twelve for the label ranks as one of its finest moments, while his catalogue of releases for Dial has always threatened to hoist the bijou imprint from under the shadow cast by it's eagle-winged guardian. This is a very good signing for Novamute and is, by a country mile, the best thing the label have released in an age. The 4/4 movements here are tempered with such a well honed musical posture and ear for melody that you could be forgiven for mistaking this for an altogether more mature kind of generic offering. "The Night Will Last Forever" sparkles with a shimmering dancefloor sparkle that will not be easily surpassed this year. Fabulous....

Juan Atkins - 20 Years Of Metroplex 1985-2005
Tresor

Juan Atkins' long-awaited restrospective of his work on Metroplex from 1985-2005. 23 beyond classic tracks, which celebrate 20 years of Juan Atkins' re-writing techno music..this is the most extensive retrospective yet of techno music's most famous innovator. Juan personally selected all the tracks on this double CD pack, containing a few pre-Metroplex tracks from his early Cybotron project, but with the bulk of his important works coming from his Metroplex catalogue, a label which he founded in 1985. Amazing tracklisting : Disc 01 01. Cybotron / Alleys Of Your Mind 02. Model 500 / Future 03. Model 500 / Starlight 04. Model 500 / Vessels In Distress 05. Channel One / Techinicolor 06. Model 500 / Chase 07. Cybotron / R9 08. Infiniti / Game One 09. 3MB feat. Juan Atkins / Jazz Is The Teacher 10. Cybotron / Cosmic Cars 11. Model 500 / I Wanna Be Free 01. Cybotron / Clear 02. Cybotron / Dreamaker 03. Infiniti feat. Juan Atkins / Skyway 04. Model 500 / No UFO's 05. Model 500 / Nightdrive (Thru Babylon) 06. Model 500 / Ocean To Ocean 07. Juan Atkins / Something About The Music 08. Model 500 / Off To Battle 09. Cybotron / Cosmic Raindance 10. Model 500 / Flow . 11. Vision / Other Side Of Life 12. Model 500 / Passage...

Tread - Tread 4
Third Ear

Second release this week from Japan's multi-talented Hiroshi Watanabe, also known as Kaito (Kompakt) and Tread. This release was actually promo'd to us about a year ago so im not quite sure its taken quite so long to come out, though those of you into soulful Detroit 4/4 will quickly forgive the wait. Nice, spacious production, twinkling keys and an evident respect for Theo Parrish and Recloose - if you're a fan of either of those two this will no doubt appeal. Good stuff....

# posted by DJ Martian 12:10 PM

Dusted Features spotlight the listening interests of Caribou

Canadian math-whiz Dan Snaith seems to completely renew himself with each new release. Conveniently the law was on his side for the release of his new record, as his original pseudonym, Manitoba, was forfeit following the threat of a lawsuit by perennial chart-topper Handsome Dick Manitoba. Now know known as Caribou (formerly Dan Snaith's Manitoba), Snaith has taken the smooth beats of his debut and clean cut-ups of 2002's Up In Flames, and moved right along to the gong-banging chaos of 70s prog (albeit without the actual gongs). His new release, The Milk of Human Kindness is a typically genre-defying masterpiece of production and composition, and an exciting new chapter in this increasingly significant artist's catalog. Caribou are now on an extensive tour of North America.

# posted by DJ Martian 11:47 AM

Next week's new releases are reviewed @ Norman Records

# posted by DJ Martian 11:45 AM

Friday, May 13, 2005

Pitchfork review The Cure reissues: The Cure - Seventeen Seconds / Faith / Pornography

# posted by DJ Martian 8:09 PM

Jaga Jazzist webcast on May 14th:

The 14th of May Jaga Jazzist will perform at Paradiso, Amsterdam. This concert will be webcasted live at Fabchannel.com and afterwards the concert will be included in our online archive. Both live and on demand the webcast is free for everybody to watch.

The webcast starts at 21.30 CET

# posted by DJ Martian 12:21 AM

Oslo jazzfestival 2005

The Oslo Jazz Festival takes place 15 - 21 August 2005.
The website is under reconstruction and will be back in place by the end of May.
The program will be released 18 May.

Supersilent are already confirmed.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:17 AM

New Djam Karet double album to be released in September:

We've just finished recording and mixing our new release 'Recollection Harvest & Indian Summer'. This release contains two separate albums on the same CD: 'Recollection Harvest' and 'Indian Summer'. On this CD we explore the many diverse worlds of Djam Karet, and have created a sonic experience that we are very proud of.

While making great use of acoustic guitars, modular analog synthesizers, and our new black Mellotron (we finally talked Chuck into buying one!), along with the usual aural assault from amped up electric guitars and thundering bass & drums, we've produced our best album yet. But you can be the judge of that yourself.

With highly melodic tracks such as 'Twilight In Ice Canyon', 'The Gypsy And The Hegemon', 'Dark Oranges', 'The Great Plains Of North Dakota', and 'Requiem', we've charted a new course for Djam Karet, as we explore vast landscapes and uncover hidden worlds.

Not content to just sit on our laurels, on this release we worked very hard to branch out into a more melodic and orchestrated vision of high energy music; as well as creating deeply brooding and disturbing atmospheres and netherworlds for you to discover at your leisure.

The release date is September 2005, on Cuneiform Records

# posted by DJ Martian 12:08 AM

Thursday, May 12, 2005

New Kate Bush Album finally this Autumn?

Late last year, there was much anticipation of the news of a new Kate Bush album in 2005. Briefly mentioned at the end of this article states that the album is now set for release this Autumn.

In the Daily Telegraph last week: Perfect playlist: Kate Bush

Unpredictable as ever, she recently announced a new album, set for release this autumn.

It will most probably be the priority Autumn album for EMI, to tie in with the pre-Christmas market. So pure speculation - most likely an October release ?

# posted by DJ Martian 11:36 PM

Wibutee announce forthcoming music

.....::: WIBUTEE :::..... the Norwegian jazztronica group, provide a news update:

NEW EP
Three new tunes for our next album now in production. To be released Autumn '05 as a limited edition EP with Playmachine remixes. Stay tuned!

May 9, 2005: WIBUTEE IN STUDIO
Wibutee will be in studio working on three new tunes May 9-11. The new tunes have working names "Vinstra", "Entry" and "4-4-7". Audiopol in Skien, Norway will be totally Wibutized the next three days. In studio are: Wetle Holte (drums, electronics, programming), Håkon Kornstad (saxes, flutes, programming, keys), Rune Brøndbo (keys, electronics), Tor Egil Kreken (bass, guitars, electronics).

Wibutee also announce that they will be performing at the Insomnia Festival in TROMSØ, Northern Norway, in late August. This is within the Artic Circle, as is probably Europe's most northern music festival.

Along with Wibutee, Nils Petter Molvaer will be performing @ Insomnia Festival - a full festival program will be announced soon.

# posted by DJ Martian 10:42 PM

BBC Music review Vitalic - OK Cowboy

# posted by DJ Martian 10:13 PM

Radio 3 website for Cut and Splice

Sonic Arts Network and BBC Radio 3 present Cut And Splice - 14th May - 3rd June

This year's Cut and Splice festival presents Dots and Lines, a cluster of events that explore the idea of notation and the relationship between score, image, text and sound in electronic music and sound art.

There will be coverage of the festival on Radio 3

# posted by DJ Martian 10:11 PM

Issue 43 of Earplug

MAY 12 - MAY 25

Earplug is a twice-monthly email magazine, delivering a handpicked selection of news, sounds, videos, and original features for the international electronic music community.

# posted by DJ Martian 9:54 PM

Splendid review Et Sans - Par noussss touss les trous de vos cránes!

# posted by DJ Martian 5:38 PM

Avant Music News has a new look.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:36 PM

Music blog One Louder moves to it's own domain.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:33 PM

Mew Mastering New Album

Danish epic rockers Mew provide a news update:

"the mastering of the record will be altered a little this week, but then it's all over. it's been a very long and at times tough record to make, it's ambitious and the pace of the record and the songs individually are very high, it's quite a journey... it is also the longest record we have ever made... but as you all know there will be a chance to hear a lil somin' somin' soon..."

# posted by DJ Martian 5:21 PM

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

New Broadway Project Album

Broadway Project announce details of their third album: In Finite due for release on June 6th.

The album includes contributions on the piano from Matthew Bourne one of the leading young British avant jazz musicians.

Dan Berridge releases ‘In Finite’, the third album from his critically acclaimed BROADWAY PROJECT on Grand Central Records in June 2005.

An all-out composer, Berridge has scored numerous award winning short films and completed commissions for Channel 4 and the BBC. Inspired by the love of avant-garde jazz, hip hop breaks and the cinema aesthetic, the Broadway Project sound is naturally epic. Its soul penetrating grooves are gripped by a deep emotional charge and indeed, the project did initially only take form as something of a creative outlet for Dan’s recovery from ME/chronic fatigue syndrome.

A blessing in disguise perhaps, as within a two years Broadway Project had numerous EPs out on London’s Memphis Industries label, followed by two albums: ‘Compassion’ (“a masterpiece of electronic melancholy” - NME) and ‘The Vessel’ (“Dan Berridge is one of our generation’s finest leftfield musical talents” - I-DJ).

Fulfilling his ultimate aim of translating Broadway Project into a stage performance, Berridge retains the grand scale of his work while delivering a contemporary and unique performance: beats and piano led, with the free jazz aesthetic interwoven throughout. One man and his laptop, this is not. Accompaniment includes some of the UK’s best young jazz musicians, such as Perrier Award winning Matthew Bourne on piano and Riaan Vosloo on double bass, both of whom have taken time out from their own electric jazz outfit, the Electric Dr M, to play on ‘In Finite’.

Of ‘In Finite’ Dan says “It’s my third album, but at the same time my first. I’ve found a sound that I’ve been looking for…something that is of its time, yet timeless”. Taking the heavy crack of cutting edge hip hop production techniques, he whips his earthy jazz and classical influences into an emotionally compelling frenzy. Ethereal melancholic sounds will seep into your blood, grab your inner core and pin you down whilst simultaneously evoking an overwhelming feeling of breaking free and escaping (a number of tracks were inspired by travels through Eastern Europe). Obsessive, emotive and clever - this is a labour of love like no other.

Prepare to be blown away.

GCCD140

Released on June 6th 2005

# posted by DJ Martian 10:37 PM

Esbjorn Svensson Trio are featured on Jazz on 3 this Friday on Radio 3

Friday 13 May 2005 23:30-1:00 (Radio 3)

Jez Nelson presents an exclusive recording of the Swedish jazz sensation Esbjorn Svensson Trio. With their beguiling mix of accessible melody and creative improvisation, EST are now firmly established as one of the most successful headline acts in jazz today.

Tonight's concert, recorded at the recent Gateshead Jazz Festival, features new material from their latest - and darkest - album.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:07 PM

May 18th - Transmission...Ian Curtis remembered 25 years on

More info on the Ian Curtis day on 6 Music: Transmission there will be a free event in Manchester in the evening, plus:

We will also be remembering the life of Ian Curtis on air throughout 18 May:

Gideon on Breakfast - 0700-1000
Featuring an interview with Factory's Tony Wilson.

Andrew Collins (in for Gideon) - 1000-1300
Featuring Peel sessions of Joy Division.

Vic McGlynn 1300-1600
Featuring interesting covers of Joy Division classics.

Steve Lamacq 1600-1900
Featuring an interview with Anton Corbijn.

...reminder, all these shows will be available on listen again on the BBC Radio Player.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:03 PM

Later...Show 1: 11.35pm, BBC2, Friday 13th May 2005

Reminder: the new series of Later ...with Jools Holland starts this Friday.

Including the overhyped Pitchfork faves The Arcade Fire

# posted by DJ Martian 4:51 PM

Radio 1 announce Radio 1 goes to the Sonar Festival

Rob da Bank's One Music shows and a One World Special will be coming from Sonar on Thursday 16th June and Sunday 19th June. There will also be sets from the festival in the One Music Shows with Rob, Ras and Huw the following week.

# posted by DJ Martian 4:47 PM

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

New Magnet Album: The Tourniquet

it's a trap! report on the new Magnet album:

The new Magnet album "The tourniquet" has been confirmed for a May 30 release in Norway via Atlantic/Warner and will come out all over the rest of the world later on in the fall. The disc was self-produced by Magnet with the assistance of Jørgen Træen, Jason Falkner and Yngve Sætre

More info @ official website: Magnet

# posted by DJ Martian 11:12 PM

Kultureflash - Headlines from London [No. 123/ 11.05.05]

This week's Kultureflash - Headlines from London

KultureFlash is a free, weekly newsletter covering contemporary culture in and around London. Each week we track down some of the more unusual and interesting events taking place in the Capital and deliver them straight to your inbox. Featuring art, gigs, films, talks, clubs and more -- we are committed to bringing you an eclectic mix of the most stimulating events in London.

# posted by DJ Martian 10:04 PM

This week's flavourpill LONDON an email magazine covering music, art, and cultural events

# posted by DJ Martian 7:01 PM

The Guelph Jazz Festival 2005

ejazznews.com report The Guelph Jazz Festival Announces 2005 Lineup! to be held September 7-11, 2005 in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Artists appearing include:

The Art Ensemble of Chicago (Great Black Music: Ancient to the Future) (USA)

Roscoe Mitchell and Pauline Oliveros (USA)

Douglas Ewart/Wadada Leo Smith/Joseph Jarman/Hamid Drake (USA)

Supersilent (Norway)

Satoko Fujii/Natsuki Tamura/Mark Dresser/Jim Black (Japan/USA)

Fire Into Music (with Steve Swell/Jemeel Moondoc/William Parker/Hamid Drake) (USA)

Sticks and Stones (Matana Roberts/Joshua Abrams/Chad Taylor (USA)

Miriodor (Quebec)

# posted by DJ Martian 12:22 AM

New Gene Loves Jezebel Album

metaluk.com report GENE LOVES JEZEBEL - New Album And UK Tour

New album titled: Exploding Girl - Release date 6th June 2005

The 80s Goth Pop-Rockers return with Michael Aston fronting the band.

Apparently:

"Exploding Girl" is near flawless in its U2 meets The Cure meets Human League style delivery. The songs are strong and catchy and the thought-provoking lyrical content makes it all the more intriguing.

As Rolling Stone put it "Overall this is a great album. The production is great, the song writing is superb, and the lyrics will stir you. This could very well be the defining moment for this legendary band".

# posted by DJ Martian 12:03 AM

Monday, May 09, 2005

Playlouder review Captain Comatose - Up In Flames

# posted by DJ Martian 11:38 PM

Solefald Announce New Album - Red For Fire, Black For Death

BW & BK report on Solefald: SOLEFALD - New Album Due In The Fall titled: Red For Fire, Black For Death - will be released by Season of Mist

This will be the one of the most anticipated rock / metal albums of the year, such is Solefald's supreme track record to date.

# posted by DJ Martian 11:15 PM

Forthcoming The Breezeblock shows on Radio 1:

May 9th
ESG live
All girl, old skool funk from New York

May 16th
Xela
John Xela is the king of downbeat

May 23rd
Grime Special
2 hours of tunes from the key players

May 30th
Jamie Lidell live
Otis Redding soul meets old skool rave

Coming Soon:

Mike Patton
James Murphy

# posted by DJ Martian 10:57 PM

New Goldfrapp Album

Goldfrapp announce a new album Ooh La La for an August 22nd release on Mute.

Goldfrapp release their brand new single ‘Ooh La La’ on 8th August 2005 on Mute. This is followed by their new album, also called ‘Ooh La La’, released on 22nd August 2005

Described by Alison as “sulky, sexual and a bit ambiguous”, the single ‘Ooh La La’ is a thrilling slab of glam-noir. Vibrant and visceral, the track is pure excitement and tension, delivered with the downright dirty insouciance that we have come to expect of Britain’s most captivating act.

Co-written and co-produced by Alison and Will, ‘Ooh La La’ comes accompanied by an appropriately electrifying glam fantasy video courtesy of uber-director Dawn Shadforth that Alison describes as ‘harking back to Eno era Roxy Music and old Top of the Pops’- see it here very soon!

Their third album follows their Mercury Prize nominated debut release ‘Felt Mountain’ in 2000 and 2003’s ‘Black Cherry’. “We’ve made an electronic, glam cross between Berlin, New York and north-east Somerset.” explains Alison. The new album is the sound of Goldfrapp breaking through their own crash barrier - a strident, psychedelic, 100% uncompromising creative force at the top of their very own game. ...

# posted by DJ Martian 10:14 PM

Pitchfork review Nathan Michel - The Beast

# posted by DJ Martian 5:06 PM

Jacen Solo Album

epm provide the press release of the debut album by Jacen Solo on Ai: Jacen Solo - Virgo - AI

Artist - Jacen Solo
Title - Virgo
Label - AI
Format - CD
Catalog No. - Ai001
Release Date - 20/06/2005

......With ‘Virgo’, Jacen Solo embarks from the same starting point that made Claro Intelecto so unique - marking himself precisely between the points where techno and electronica cross arms. It’s a rich, oddly beguiling sound that takes in fragmented shards of electro, seductively detuned flute-cut techno, glazed-over daydream house and the windswept seafront parading of late night neon music that doesn’t quite have a name yet. This is where nostalgia leaves you looking to the future, something this label is just so damn good at. Influenced by Detroit's past whilst showing a complete understanding of the way forward.

# posted by DJ Martian 5:02 PM

Musique Machine interview Meshuggah

# posted by DJ Martian 4:58 PM

This week's new releases are reviewed @ Norman Records

# posted by DJ Martian 4:53 PM

This week's new releases @ Fopp

# posted by DJ Martian 1:28 PM

The Green Dolphin's Poll 2004

"The Green Dolphin's poll"?

The Green Dolphin's poll is a poll where participants, who are voting for the Best Albums, Bands & Artists, are critics, writers and publicists, musicians, distributors, producers, promoters, radio DJ's & collectors.
The Green Dolphin's poll covers mainly innovative & creative music: Avant-Progressive, Avant-Rock, Chamber-Rock, Jazz-Rock/Fusion, Out-Rock, Post-Rock, Progressive rock, Rock in Opposition etc.

[What is The Green Dolphin's poll?]

The results of The Green Dolphin's Poll # 13: "Of 2004" including:

B e s t a l b u m s (243)

Mono "Walking Cloud And Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered And The Sun Shined" (Human Highway Records/RykoDisk/Temporary Residence Limited) (62)
Björk "Medúlla" (One Little Indian/Atlantic) (45)
Univers Zero "Implosion" (Cuneiform) (38)
Marillion "Marbles" (Intact Recordings) (26)
Paatos "Kallocain" (Inside Out) (26)
Ahvak "Ahvak" (Cuneiform) (25)
Matthew Parmenter "Astray" (Strung Out) (25)
65 Days Of Static "The Fall Of Math" (Monotreme) (23)
Múm "Summer Make Good" (Fat Cat) (21)
Animal Collective "Sung Tongs" (Fat Cat) (20)
Brian Wilson "Smile" (Nonesuch) (20)
Happy The Man "The Muse Awakens" (Inside Out Music) (19)
Bark Psychosis "Codename: DustSucker" (Fire) (17)
MAGMA "K.A" (Seventh) (17)
Peter Hammill "Incoherence" (Fie!) (16)
Mike Keneally Band "Dog" (Exowax) (14)
Pain Of Salvation "Be" (InsideOut) (14)
Blackfield "Blackfield" (Helicon & Universal/Gates Of Dawn/Snapper Music) (13)
!!! "Louden Up Now" (Touch And Go) (12)
California Guitar Trio "Whitewater" (Inside Out) (12)
Dave Bainbridge "Veil Of Gossamer" (Open Sky) (12)
Efterklang "Tripper" (The Leaf Label) (12)
Fripp & Eno "The Equatorial Stars" (Opal) (12)
Ayreon "The Human Equation" (Inside Out) (11)
Guapo "Five Suns" (Cuneiform) (11)

# posted by DJ Martian 8:41 AM

idm-net.lv the latest experimental electronic music news.

# posted by DJ Martian 8:36 AM

Sunday, May 08, 2005

The Observer on Ian Curtis

Twenty five years after its release, Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' remains a classic, reflecting the short, chaotic life of its writer, Ian Curtis

# posted by DJ Martian 5:54 PM

Vince Watson - Sublimina

The new album by Vince Watson titled Sublimina on headspace recordings has been picking up considerable positive feedback. The music is similar to the classic sound of Carl Craig and Laurent Garnier on Unreasonable Behaviour.

'sublimina' is his third full-length album - following ‘biologique’ on alola and ‘moments in time’ on ibadan - and features 15 tracks of deep and soulful machine music, from shimmering dancefloor tracks to more reflective grooves, all laced with vince's distinctive melancholy harmony and intricate rhythm.

"sublimina is watson's most accomplished work yet: this is a deeper and more ambitious slant on the detroit techno blueprint than he has attempted previously." (4/5) - idj magazine, uk

"love it. drove from wellington to auckland playing this and joe clausell. fantastic driving music and good headmusic for the dancefloor." - carl craig - planet e, detroit, usa

"big fan of vince watson! can't wait to play a couple of these out." - josh wink, ovum, usa

"geschichte voller zeitlossen detroit-positivimus zu erzahlen beginnt, was niemals abgedroschen klingt." - raveline, germany

"it is absolutely stunning! vince is the man!" - laurent garnier, france

"wanted to say that the vince watson album is top! vince is the man to watch and will have a nice future!" stefaan vandenberghe - music man, belgium

"it's really my type of music. there should always be demand for well produced techno like this. will chart it anywhere!" - ken ishii, japan

"techno album of the year - i can't see any chance that there will be a better album this year. point!" - arne weinberg, germany

"it's a solid album, my favourite is definitely 'signals', simple but timeless." - ben sims, theory recordings, uk

# posted by DJ Martian 5:49 PM

Saturday, May 07, 2005

This Week's New Releases @ Boomkat

This week's new releases @ Boomkat include:

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Rod Modell / Deep Chord - Vibrasound - The Deepchord Years 1999-2004
Silentes

To those heads who couldn't get enough of the Basic Channel sound and all its incarnations back in the late 90's, Rod Modell's Deep Chord imprint acted as a much needed source of additional deep dub shimmers, low-end trembles and minimal techno templates that typified the sound signatures formed somewhere in Berlin. Based in the States, Deep Chord often got regarded as a shameless emulation of the BC sound, although the benefit of hindsight has been much kinder, the sound measuring up healthily to the sizeable task of providing a hugely emotive slant on familiarly spacious dub variations. Since then Modell has provided some of the most tantalising and indispensible installments in the fabulous Echocord series, always insisting on keeping proceedings respectful to the bass and effervescent layers of sound. This much needed selection of highlights from the Deep Chord archives illustrates in incredibly lucid colours just how wonderfuly these tracks have matured, making for a heavenly collection of blissful dub techno minimalism that any followers of Basic Channel, Chain Reaction, Main Street, Burial Mix and Rhythm & Sound will adore. All tracks available here on cd for the very first time - an absolute Must....

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Ryan Teague - Six Preludes
Type

Residing in Cambridge, Ryan Teague has grown up with classical music. Learning classical guitar from an early age, and also becoming proficient in clarinet and a number of other obscure instruments, it was not long before Teague tried his hand at composing. However the trappings of standard classical composition were not of any interest to him, and he had already discovered the wide world of electronic music and experimental rock. Taking hold of Arvo Part with one hand and Biosphere with the other, Teague has gone on to create a record that crosses boundaries without ever resorting to generic stereotypes. He has managed to forge a record which sounds both timeless and startlingly fresh.The opening track `Prelude I' begins with strings enswathed in digital noise and drifting bells, before a haunting choral vocal is introduced into the mix. Bringing together the operatic with electronics in such a way has almost never been achieved successfully, yet Teague manages effortlessy to blend the genres and emerge with something beautiful and uncluttered. On the final track `Prelude VI' it's hard not to bring to mind the finer works of Cliff Martinez as bass bubbles underneath an echoing piano and electronic distortions: a stunning widescreen finale to this captivating story.It would be right to compare `Six Preludes' to the work of Steve Reich or John Adams, as there are clearly similarities, yet Teague takes his sound to another place entirely. Sitting more closely alongside the more contemporary ECM catalogue with artists such as Arve Henriksen or Marsen Jules, this is a marriage of classical and electronic rather than a mere experiment. Ryan Teague has begun a deep excavation into an exciting sound, and it is our hope that he continues to do so. Another breathtaking release from the seemingly unstoppable Type imprint....

SINGLE OF THE WEEK!
Amina - Animamina
The Workers Institute

After playing on and generally gracing the last two Sigur Rós albums - "Agaetis Byrjun" and their untitled album, not to mention the Album Leaf record "In a Safe Place" and the Efterklang album "Tripper", the women of Amina have at long last created some beautiful and engaging music of their own. This, their debut ep, is released on a new imprint - The Worker's Institute - finally allowing the world to taste what has been brewing in their heads over the last few years. From the shimmering sustained feel of the opener - we were just irresistibly drawn into this magnificent four track release. Playing together since 1998, after meeting at Reykjavik music college, the ladies quickly found themselves touring with Sigur Rós supporting the Agaetis Byrjun release. As they toured the world playing only the songs from that album, they all felt the need of new material. Amina joined the boys in nightly soundcheck improvisations, which led to collaborations on many songs. After recording a second album with Sigur Rós and touring further, Amina decided it was time to work further on their own music. Months were spent in apartments around Reykjavik and a summer house in Borgarfjordur in the west of Iceland, defining and refining their sound. This ep will only be the start, as Amina have planned a full length album this fall and a full tour of Europe with Sigur Ros from June through to August. Known as a string quartet, this release finds them playing to their considerable strengths on Violin, Viola and Cello as well as many malleted instruments, a glassophone and various stringed instruments they picked up around the world. Amazing music - a huge recommendation....

Grooves - Issue 017
Grooves Magazine
Mag // £ 3.99

Latest issue of this U.S.-based electronic monthly. 97 packed pages including features on Autechre, Monolake, Four-Tet, Prefuse 73, Sole, The Books, Tarwater, Out Hud, Fog and loads more, plus absolutely shedloads of album and single reviews, new gear, live reviews and choice heads-up on things to come....

Various / Progressive Form - Forma 2.03
Progressive Form

So the fine folks at Prog Form have put together a second instalment in their excellent and occasional compilation series. This time Forma casts its net still wider to encompass Dublee, who we now know all about after his excellent album on the Mule Electronic label, Process who's never too far from these pages as either Cosmic Sandwich or depping on Traum and Trapez, CCO's own Static offers the lovely "Examples are but suggestions" and what's more there's several enticing leads on new artists, as ever with this forward looking imprint. The highlights here have to be NQ, of whom more next week, and a track from 30506 whose definitive twelve inch for the label sadly disappeared in a flash. Excellent stuff once more from our favourite japanese label....

Various / Staubgold - Childish Music
Staubgold

Naive sounds from Germany, Scotland, France, Japan, Australia and the United States make up for a superstar collection of new music for new children featuring contributions by Dr. Rockit, Devendra Banhart, Nobukazu Takemura, Sketch Show, Lawrence, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, F.S. Blumm, Anne Laplantine, World Standard and many more. The cd comes with a luxurious 32-pages full-colour booklet including extensive linernotes. Compiled by Ekkehard Ehlers. "Children like to be silly. Secretly, adults like to be silly too. Here's a space to be silly, with the children." (David Toop) Full list of contributors : Fan Club Orchestra, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Hassle Hound, Lawrence, Dr. Rockit, Yuichiro Fujimoto, La Grande Illusion, World Standard, Arrow Tour, RdL, Guido Möbius, F.S. Blumm Meets Anne Laplantine, Kammerflimmer Kollektief, Devendra Banhart, Oren Ambarchi, Asa-Chang & Junray, Harald "Sack" Ziegler, Nobukazu Takemura, Lullatone, Anne Laplantine, Asao Kikuchi, Bernadette La Hengst, März, Sketch Show, Kazumasa Hashimoto, Takagi Masakatsu....

Wax Poetics - Issue 12 - Spring 2005
Wax Poetics
Mag // £ 7.99

Latest issue gives you a revisit to Jimmy Smith's classic live album 'Root Down' which doubles as a heartfelt tribute to the king of the b3. Japanese beat digger and mix supremo Muro get's has crates seriously rummaged through - gotta love his set-up. Profile/interview with ABB head Beni B. Incredible extended interview photo showcase with legendary graff artist Phase 2. Boom bap ja' legend drummer Leroy 'Horsemouth' Wallace paid tribute to with a deep interview and the mysticism of the Gabor Szabo Quintet is revealed. The story of the scene that hit Italy after disco burned out - afro cosmic! A feature on the struggles of aboriginal rap - attacking australia's sickening new apartheid. A wonderful interview with one of my heroes, saxophonist/flutist Yusef Lateef ('Eastern Sounds' is prob my alltime fave jazz album) I can feel some catalogue gap's being filled soon. James Brown's piano man #1 David Matthews in mega profile plus the second part of the Jimmy McGriff piece - here Jimmy Goes Electric. Classic 60's and 70's latin album artwork completes the package.....Phew! Buy....

13 And God (The Notwist & Themselves) - 13 And God
Anticon

Dream team ticket collaboration between The Notwist and Anticon's Themselves (Doseone, Jel and Dax Pierson)! Prompted by an unscheduled tour stopover in early 2004 and numerous crossed paths in their cornucopia of guises, The Notwist (the Acher brothers and Console fella Martin Gretschmann) and Anticon mob decided to collaborate first via the postal service then later in person on a 17 day Munich based recording lock-in. 13 & God is the result. With hopes so understandably high, 13 & God open with 'Low Heaven', pinning its intent like Luther in Wittenberg as fog shrouded, lazy instrumentation percolate through the crisp electronic beats before Doseone does his nasal thing. However it doesn't end there, with the Notwist contributing a beautifully harmonised chorus that resonates to a Rudolf Christoph Eucken-style refrain of "threatening their lucky stars...". Next up is the traction rhythm, piano and corrugated guitar of 'Men of Station'; a song that for all intents and purposes could have been taken from 'Neon Golden', whilst 'Perfect Speed' introduces dense washes to fizzing effect. 'Afterclap' plugs some treacle slow scratches into a tender break that are silhouetted beautifully by the choral backing and college.alt vocals, whilst 'If' appears to have procured some unsettling strings then overlaid them with a blanket of optimistic, synth led exuberance. Lovely....

Michael Nyman - The Piano Sings
MN Records

Amazing compilation of Piano music from Michael Nyman's vast back catalogue here - having dabbled in everything from film-scores and fashion show soundtracks through to extreme minimalist modernism and full symphony works, this is a return to his musical foundation stone; the piano. Sparse and simple but bestowed with a bewitching clarity and warmth, 'The Piano Sings' doesn't deviate far from its central theme of diffused grandeur conveyed through the ivories. Very similar in tone to Gonzales' recent excursions, 'this is an album that's best viewed as a cohesive whole and whilst individual songs do standout ('The Morrow', 'Debbie' and 'All Imperfect Things') it is most potent when allowed to slowly reveal its charms and coax you in. Like a snowfall for the ears, this is a collection of absolutely mesmerising music that every home should own. Essential purchase....

Electrelane - Axes
Too Pure

Much anticipated new album from current Wire cover-stars Electralane, recorded (mostly) live over Christmas 2004. 'Axes' sees Electrelene hooking up with the College Rock don Steve Albini (Big Black) to produce an album of clever time changes, mashed up instrumentation and thundering chord structures. A natural progression from their previous two albums, 'Axes' is predominantly indie-rock albeit filtered through a grubby sieve of post rock and (almost) metal stylings. A good example of their collision mentality is 'Bells', wherein Electrelane build a towering construction of layered drums and choleric guitars that is pushed to breaking point against the agile male/female duet. With a distinct nod to one of Britpop's biggest hits (think Port Merion...) 'Bells' is like an aural magpie, picking shiny bits and pieces from disparate genres then bringing them all together in their nest. This pic'n'mix approach continues on 'If Not Now When' where crazy signature changes back up some Rimskjj-Korsakov inspired melodies and swing, managing to bring the whole thing together in a most pleasing fashion. Elsewhere 'Two For Boy' exploits taut guitars in a Moldy Peaches romp, 'Eight Steps' is like a Buster Keaton locomotive chase scene interpreted through cello, piano, drums and guitars whilst 'Those Pockets are People' gets down and dirty with a rocking strut. John Milton for the ears......

Efterklang - Springer
Leaf

After 'Tripper' became Leaf's biggest selling debut album, it's no surprise that they've had a dig about and unearthed the bands self-released 2003 'Springer' EP. With only 500 original copies pressed, 'Springer' has become something of a eBay fixture, as the Danish multi-media mob gained popularity having seemingly snagged something in the music buying public's subconscious. Shot through by a firm understanding of modern classical, Efterklang open the EP with 'Kly Gyn' wherein digital shards underpin a bombastic, post(almost prog)-rock song that sounds like it has a full orchestra's worth of contributors. Based around Linda Drejer's vocal performance, 'Kloy Gyn' is like Sigur Ros to the power of 10 yet devoid of any cloying elfin overtones. Following straight on is 'Antitech' which, through it's opening dubby electronica, bears comparison with Oval before evolving into a vocal led song which could easily have graced early Faultline releases. Drejer surfaces again on the bucolic stomp of 'Bright' where the male/female duet brings to mind a less claustrophobic Black Box Recorder whilst the abstract noodlings of 'Filmosonic XL' allows them to purge some of their leftfield urges. Lovely....

Mitchell Akiyama - Small Explosions That Are Yours To Keep
Sub Rosa

Best known for his electronic deconstructions of traditional instrumental music, Montreal-based Mitchell Akiyama's fourth and most ambitious solo recording is a sprawling work that bristles, burns and slouches with emotion. "Small Explosions That Are Yours To Keep" came into being at the twilight edges of composition and digital manipulation and sets billowing strings drifting around household gamelans while shimmering guitars drown in saxophone waves. Since his debut release on Alien8 Recordings, Akiyama's music has been a study in fiction and texture. He records compositions and improvisations for piano, strings, and other instruments, and restructures them in his studio in a post-facto montage. Playing on the distortions in causality that recording technology can effect, Akiyama creates music that lays claim to a moment of creation that never happened. Located somewhere in the interstices of classical, electronic composition and post-rock, his works vacillate between delicate melodies and confrontational bursts of noise. Recommended....

Piano Magic - Disaffected
Green UFO's

You know what we're really short on at the moment? Bands who cite The Smiths as their main influence... Joining the swelling ranks of Mozphiles are Piano Magic who can at least claim they were on the Salford band wagon earlier than most, with 'Disaffected' marking their 6th album proper. Coalescing around a core 5-piece, but very much guided by an open-door policy, Piano Magic open 'Disaffected' much as you'd imagine; Nick Cave rhythms, The Dears-style guitars and Glen Johnson's vocals that pitch up somewhere between Marc Almond, Brian Wilson and (of course) Morrissey. Yet that's not the whole story of 'You Can Hear the Room', for even when you think you have them pegged, niggling away in the background is a clutch of reedy John Williams synths that serve to elevate it above much of the current guitar based groups. Next up is 'Love and Music', twitching into life through a Radiohead intro that soon settles on a Dream City Film Club rhythm as its foundation. With lyrics that can become a little cloying ("All I knew was love and music, Love and music get me by, And all I need is love and music, love and music 'till I die..."), 'Love & Music' is again rendered fresh through some post-punk atmospherics. The theme of the album (melancholy tinged optimism) is continued on title track 'Disaffected', albeit in entirely different clothing. With a Casio beat and self-consciously delivered female vocals (Angele David-Guillou, aka Klima), 'Disaffected' takes on a distinctly poppy feel whilst the male/female duet of 'Deleted Scenes' works a treat. Elsewhere, 'I Must Leave London' is a clichéd acoustic/strings match up that sounds lovely, whilst 'You Can Never Get Lost (When You've Got Nowhere to Go)' goes straight for the emotional jugular. Say yes Paul......

Hanged Up - Clatter For Control
Constellation

The viola suffers from a serious image problem within the pantheon of rock and roll debauchery; whether it's the Bluebells or Hope of the States, playing a violin on stage just doesn't have that all important X-factor. Well get ready to re-write your prejudices, for here comes the 3rd full-length album from Montreal's Hangedup, a fluid drums and viola duo who count members of Pest 5000 and Shortwave amongst their ranks. Kicking things off is the orchestral pomp of 'Klang Klang', where great big chord stabs render the song reminiscent of a steroid addled Four Tet. From this they then turn to Post Rock for inspiration, with the Mogwai-esque 'Alarm' carving the violin to shreds as wave after wave of dissonant aural brutality pummel your ears without ever becoming uncomfortable. Peaking out into a sun bleached refrain, Hangedup have another successful dalliance with the peak/trough structure of 'Junk The Clatter' whilst 'A Different Kind of Function' boils the instrumental soup down to a languid refrain that juxtaposes wonderfully with the right royal riffage in attendance on 'F*ck This Place'....

Hanne Hukkelberg - Cast Anchor Ep
Leaf

Those of you who tune in to Radio 3's incredible Late Junction show will already be intimately familiar with the work of the wondrous Hanne Hukkelberg, an artist they have had playing on rotation over the last 18 months. The good folk at Leaf have obviously been tuning in and are bringing in to a wider audience yet another quality Norwegian export. 'Cast Anchor' is the limited edition debut UK release from Hanne Hukelberg and suggests that there really must be something in our Scandinavian friends water supply. Taken from her album 'Little Things' (about to be licensed by Leaf from the Propeller label), opening track 'Cast Anchor' is a joyfully waterlogged tale extolling the benefits of hedonism set to deep instrumentation that includes clarinet, lap steel, guitar and (moreinterestingly) water, bottles and wine glasses. Comparable in style to a less electronica centered Mum, Emiliana Torrini or Susanna and the Magical Orchestra, Hukelberg has a voice that drips with honey and, with its drifting prolactivity, is firmly in the none giddy Björk school. Blunted yet open,'Cast Anchor' is incredibly accomplished and is likely to appeal to those finding themselves drawn to Antony and the Johnsons. Elsewhere, 'Ease' is another album cut whilst 'The Professor' and 'Words & A Piece Of Paper' are both live tracks recorded in Oslo and display an aptitude that renders the performances sharper than many people achieve through months of studio time. A good bit of licensing from leaf - recommended indeed....

Ark - Caliente
Perlon

Finally available on cd. I'm probably Perlon's biggest fan in this office, even when they show a offbeat injection of fun and weirdness to the mix they always imo come out more interesting than many other german labels of a similar ilk. Matt Herbert's buddy Ark (here in solo mode rather than usual Perlon guide with mate Cabanne as Copacabannark) makes his full Perlon debut here with this double pack of wild and wobbly clatterbeathouse madness. Nothing is straight here but neither does it fall into dry and abstract waters instead imagine The Soft Pink Truth mixed with Dabrye on the more downtempo r'n'b instrumentals, gospel house grind on 'The Preacher' with crazy and wild religious chanting and 'Eigil' a perfect Perlon roller that Ricardo Villalobos would be proud of. Amongst all this one track instantly hit's classic status and that's 'R2D2' featuring the soulful but dangerous vocals of Jamie Lidell declaring his true love for the Star Wars droid himself - killer, deranged fun like most of this album. All this complimented perfectly by Rashad Becker's so deep vinyl cut and inspired run out groove doodles. Wicked....

Caro - The Return Of Caro
Orac

The return of Caro is an entirely listenable album which provides a bounty of dancefloor-friendly tracks. Caro swims between intersecting genres from detroit-influenced house to jacking techno, with the signature style that led de:bug, german bible of all things electronic, to call him "surely one of the most self-willed house producers." The tracks "can't tell why" and "my little pony" are the one-two punch of this album - each has a memorable vocal and raw, movement-friendly beats that harken back to the glory days of Trax and Dance Mania. These jackers propose an alternate universe where "it's a cold world" and jamie principle's "baby wants to ride" stormed the pop charts. "Can't tell why" is the sincere, emotional number, telling a brief story about love and loss to which we can all relate surely. "My little pony" is a tasty, guilty pleasure: unforgettable dry dancefloor humor. "Ah, ah, ah" and "Heavy wheel" offer widescreen, cinematic house appeal. "Ah, ah, ah" is a perfect opener for the album, full of optimistic sci-fi sounds, good for a sunny day. "Heavy wheel" is a melancholy, jazzy, slow builder. Woven between these house and techno tracks are some less genre-bound numbers. "Sea of hands" is a glitched-out love song with intricate latin beats and an oceanic guitar melody. "We can build it" is melancholy techno of ambitious scope which folds in heartfelt references to influences from Drexciya to the Black Dog. "Ovnito" is a rare recording from 1962 of Perez Prado's orchestra jamming with a small guest who came one day from another world, bearing arp synthesizers and some delicious ham-and-cheese sandwiches. Finally, "My little castle" finishes up the album with hypnotic, acidic and thoroughly modern techno. Sweeping and sultry, the minimal foundation supports an atonal song from some mysterious cabaret. The acid is kept at a slow simmer as hypnotic melodies weave inside - a track with plenty of room for the head and feet to wander, a fitting end for an album of huge scope....

Maetrik - Casi Profundo
Treibstoff

**6 track vinyl and 10 track cd** Absolutely immense, cut-up beast of a record, bridging the gap between electro, House music, Techno and some undefined strain of deadly machine music - a stone cold killer. Erik Estornell has been producing prodigious numbers of tracks recently, and Treibstoff have obtained from him ten absolute killers here to constitute what is undoubtedly their best album to date, and a ready made, stand alone dancefloor armament in its own right. We're only slightly disappointed that six of the tunes are on the vinyl package, three of the remaining four featured on the latest twelve - the pressing is crisp and deadly for all you vinyl addix out there. The cd flows beautifully of course, the panoramic sweeps of "Defiance" are topped with a sad melancholy and bumping rhythm, "Funnels' is more controlled, detailed rhythms and immaculate bassline science make for a totally overwhelming and educated listen. Estornell here manages to liaise two distinct sound planes here - abstract, yet bouncing - deeply rooted in the current dance-floor yet expanding its vistas to contemplate previously removed colours and feelings. "Tiny destructor" is surely an anthem in waiting, one that cannot fail to move you, then take you apart. Basically, the new Maetrik album is something of a real miracle and simply overthrows all parameters. Underneath the elegant, hammering surface structures, the space is crawling with bizarre creatures, shunning immediate revelation and burrowing deep into your subconscious. Dancefloor album of the year so far, by a country mile - immaculate stuff....

Vince Watson - Sublimina
Headspace

As soon as you see the predominantly white cover adorned by a charcoal grey 'symbol', you know that you're firmly in mid-90's classic Detroit Techno territory. Vince Watson is a 'Scottish Techno Stalwart'&tm; whose first release for Headspace marks his third full-length album alongside countless 12"s and EP's, dating back to (you guessed it) the mid-90's. However just because we're looking back a decade doesn't mean 'Sublimina' is any kind of dead relic, with Watson delivering a sublime techno variant that goes heavy on the synths and spaciousness. 'Sublimina' peppers it's beaty goodness with deep ambient interludes which make the ensuing beats all the sharper when they do arrive. Highlights include the snare-inflected tech-house of 'Maya', the bass heavy ~scape escapades of 'Intrisync' and the acid-licks of title track 'Sublimina (encryption)', whose cocky bombast works a treat. Lush....

# posted by DJ Martian 6:10 PM

BBC collective interview The Fall

# posted by DJ Martian 9:35 AM

Friday, May 06, 2005

The Guardian interview The Bays

Off the record

It may seem strange to be in a band and refuse to make CDs - but for the Bays, performance is everything

# posted by DJ Martian 7:16 PM

The Guardian review Acoustic Ladyland - Last Chance Disco

# posted by DJ Martian 7:14 PM

The Guardian review Cut Copy - Bright Like Neon Love - this album gets a full UK Release.

# posted by DJ Martian 7:12 PM

Uncut - June 2005 Issue

New issue of Uncut magazine has Stevie Wonder on the front cover.

# posted by DJ Martian 3:18 PM

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Blabbermouth.Net report on Red Harvest: RED HARVEST Sign With SEASON OF MIST also:

RED HARVEST will be touring Europe with ARCTURUS between October 1 and October 14

# posted by DJ Martian 8:13 PM

TrusttheDJ report Sisters Of Mercy’s Alice resurfaces as a dance bootleg.

# posted by DJ Martian 7:57 PM

Dusted review Jane - Berserker

While bits and pieces here and there could easily come from the same pool as the likes of, say, Birchville Cat Motel or the Keith Fullerton Whitman/Greg Davis axis, there's more of a rhythmic purpose, explicitly stated or not. The most immediate comparison I can think of is the more ambient work of Arthur Russell.

# posted by DJ Martian 1:36 PM

Stylus review Studio Pankow - Linienbusse on City Centre Offices

# posted by DJ Martian 1:33 PM

Mojo Honours List 2005 - Nominations Announced

yahoo/ dotmusic report on Mojo magazine's Honours List: MOJO Honours unveiled

MOJO magazine has revealed the nominees for its 2005 Honours List.

More details at the official: MOJO HONOURS LIST

# posted by DJ Martian 1:27 PM

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

PopMatters review Caribou - The Milk of Human Kindness

# posted by DJ Martian 4:48 PM

All About Jazz review In the Country - This Was the Pace of My Heartbeat

With its air of dark tranquility, This Was the Pace of My Heartbeat may not have the immediate catchiness of releases by E.S.T. or the Bad Plus. But in many ways it’s even more compelling, with an approach that, in its purity and lack of presumption, never approaches shtick or artifice.

# posted by DJ Martian 4:42 PM

All About Jazz review Acoustic Ladyland - Last Chance Disco

Acoustic Ladyland, formed in '01 to play jazz reimaginings of Hendrix—and exciting enough even then—has now evolved into one of the most thrilling bands on the planet. No question about it. A punk jazz orgasm you don't want to miss.

# posted by DJ Martian 4:40 PM

TrusttheDJ report More additions to the Sonar Line-up including Martin L. Gore and Diplo

# posted by DJ Martian 4:34 PM

Mojo - June 2005 Issue

Oh no, look who is on the front cover of the new issue of MOJO Magazine and Mojo have the cheek to use the strapline of the 1985 album by The Fall: "This Nation's Saving Grace"

This issue looks particularly boring, includes a Mod themed CD.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:55 PM

Kultureflash - Headlines from London [No. 122/ 04.05.05]

This week's Kultureflash - Headlines from London

KultureFlash is a free, weekly newsletter covering contemporary culture in and around London. Each week we track down some of the more unusual and interesting events taking place in the Capital and deliver them straight to your inbox. Featuring art, gigs, films, talks, clubs and more -- we are committed to bringing you an eclectic mix of the most stimulating events in London.

# posted by DJ Martian 8:11 AM

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Tool Album Titled - Teleincision ?

Unconfirmed rumours circulating online that the next Tool album may be titled: Teleincision. Due on August 16th. However Tool have a history of teasing fans with album titles, so this may change !

Source: Teleincision -- Tool -- Rate Your Music

# posted by DJ Martian 10:27 PM

This week's flavourpill LONDON an email magazine covering music, art, and cultural events

# posted by DJ Martian 2:39 PM

BW & BK report ULVER Video Available For Download - new track: 'It Is Not Sound' from the album Blood Inside.

# posted by DJ Martian 2:05 PM

Next Thorns Album

..: it's a trap! relay the news of the next Thorns album:

Terrorizer is reporting that Snorre Ruch of Thorns is busy working on material for his next album and is assembling a group of backing musicians to feature the omnipresent drumming of Hellhammer (Mayhem, Arcturus, etc.) combined with a group of jazz musicians. "I am trying to put together a jazz band here," he said, "It's still going to be in the vein of Thorns 'cos I will be writing the music, but I want to work with people that can bring diverse influences to the new record."

# posted by DJ Martian 1:56 PM

Stylus review Eluvium - Talk Amongst The Trees

# posted by DJ Martian 1:47 PM

Brainwashed Releases a listing of recent & upcoming electronic/experimental/etc. releases has been updated.

# posted by DJ Martian 1:43 PM

Monday, May 02, 2005

for the eardrums interview Dan Snaith of CARIBOU

# posted by DJ Martian 3:46 PM

Madison Strays = NYC Psychedelic Furs Karaoke Tribute Band

Yet another NYC Anglophile rock band, yet another US band that launch their music in the UK first. This lot go by the name of Madison Strays - their debut single "Last Train" is released on May 16th in the UK. It's already picking up airplay on 6 Music and apparently Radio 1 - they sound like a complete rip off of The Psychedelic Furs.

You can listen to the track on Myspace.com

Such is the blatant Psychedelic Furs alike-Sound their press release does name check them. What they do, they do well but it is so derivative of The Psychedelic Furs - however how many 16-21 year olds are aware of The P-Furs.

Madison Strays

UK Tour

Going on a UK tour in May:
17 London Metro
19 London On the Rocks
20 London The Barfly (with The Blood Arm)
22 London Brixton Windmill
24 London Camden Club Fandango @ Canaervan Castle
+ more dates TBA

"Last Train" single official release date now May 16th
on Good Time Folk Records in the UK.

# posted by DJ Martian 3:41 PM

Junkmedia interview Ghost

The Japanese collective Ghost has been making haunting, powerful music for over two decades, melding traditional Japanese song forms, psychedelia, folk and rock into a spellbinding catalog.

# posted by DJ Martian 12:01 PM

BW & BK report on Celtic Frost: CELTIC FROST - Work On New Album Continues

# posted by DJ Martian 11:55 AM

indieworkshop.com report The Gang of Four have signed with V2. A double album of re-recordings and remixes will be released on August 30th.

# posted by DJ Martian 11:52 AM

Paul Morley's list of esoterica: "Eighty 8 - If You Think Radiohead's _Kid A_ is Weird, Then You Should Really Hunt This Music Down" -- Rate Your Music

# posted by DJ Martian 11:46 AM

Another update @ rateyourmusic.com: Top 100 rated albums of 2005

# posted by DJ Martian 11:44 AM

This week's new releases @ Fopp

# posted by DJ Martian 11:20 AM

Sunday, May 01, 2005

This week's 6 Mix is presented by Ils

# posted by DJ Martian 7:04 PM

Mathew Jonson Mix

Now available on listen again: Blue Room show on Radio 1

30 April 2005
Saturday Morning Fever with Rob da Bank

includes a: BLUE ROOM MIX BY MATHEW JONSON:

# posted by DJ Martian 6:53 PM

Next weekend Radio 1's Big Weekend goes to the City of Sunderland

# posted by DJ Martian 6:49 PM

Forthcoming One World shows on Radio 1

Monday mornings :: 1 - 3am and available on listen again.

01/05 - Alan McGee presents Death Disco - the "ginger fuhrer" spins more underground and unsigned UK music

09/05 - Encompass - Live music from this year's festival including Static Caravan, Nasha Soundsystem and more

16/05 - Fourtet in to review tracks from the new album / Icelandic act Bang Gang play new material / plus more guests tbc

# posted by DJ Martian 6:47 PM

This Week's New Releases @ Boomkat

This week's new releases @ Boomkat include:

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Robert Lippok / Barbara Morgenstern - Tesri
Monika

Barbara Morgenstern and To Rococo Rot's acclaimed Robert Lippok are two of Berlins most innovative electronic musicians, here joining forces to produce this unique and vibrant album. The project began as 4 tracks for a 12" in 2002 and the musical friendship developed from there until in late 2004 they had enough material for an album. The direction of this record is brave and futuristic. There is multitude of instrumentation, rhythms and sounds. With warm interlayered pianos, wah wah guitars as well as classical, whirring electronics and minimalist percussion. The music is for the most part instrumental with the exception of two guest vocals. London based Japanese singer Mieko Shimizo aka Apache 61 features on "Kaitusburi" and Damon Aaron (Telefon Tel Aviv) adds his sweat soul voice to "if the day remains unspoken for". Morgenstern herself, meanwhile, forgoes lyrics but hums beautifully on the album's standout track "summer". This is a collaboration in the best sense, both highly individual artists meeting on a middle ground between their individual styles - so close is the working spirit of Morgenstern and Lippok that it's almost impossible to tell who has contributed which sounds. Highly Recommended!...

ALBUM OF THE WEEK!
Populous - Queue For Love
Morr Music

With his debut album "Quipo", Italian producer Populous already showed that he drew his very own conclusions from the jazzed up beats and positive vibes of the Native-Tongues movement around A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Whereas "Quipo" still displayed a mildly bulky attraction influenced by abstract electronica, "Queue For Love" now has a much more homogeneous atmosphere and a warmth fed by carefully selected samples from Soul, Jazz and Soundtrack records from the late 60s and early 70s. Unlike the aesthetics of recent, dominating approaches to HipHop, "Queue For Love" is a triumph of the DIY ethos. After all, Andrea Mangia is just a kid with a computer and an incorruptible taste. "Queue For Love" isn't pure sampledelia, though. A lot of the guitars, e-bows and glockenspiels on this album have been recorded in the bathroom of Populous' tiny student apartment. This is where singer Matilde of Italian band Studio Davoli even recorded her gorgeous vocals for "Bunco" and "Clap Like Breeze", turning the music into an amalgam of Broadcast, The Cocteau Twins and a crazy-in-love DJ Shadow. On "My Winter Vacation" Dose One of cLOUDDEAD fame does what only he can do: Twanging his stream of consciousness into the world with his matchless flow. Furthermore, Jukka and Luca from Italian Indie heroes Giardini Di Miro have helped to realize a few tracks to a huge extent and thus have had their share in making "Queue For Love" as enjoyable as possible. This album definitely has HipHop at heart, but it reaches out into the kind of delicate songwriting, ambient, folk and film scores that cross genres effortlessly. All of this delicately held together by a remarkable concept of "Soul" and obviously: "Love". Highly recommended....

SPECIALTEN - Issue 9
Specialten
Dvd / Magazine // £ 4.99

The 9th and most alluring issue of this incredible DVD magazine is finally with us!! Featuring cover artwork by The Designers Republic's Matt Pyke, the DVD itself includes an intimate interview with Four Tet / Kieran Hebden talking about his new album, M.I.A. talking about how her project came about (plus video promo footage), plus documentaries, Short Films and Video clips from/about : Stereolab, Chris Cunningham (a preview of Rubber Johnny!!), M83, Caribou, Women & Children, Trabant, Cut Copy, The Knife, Wolfmother and loads more. Surely the most innovative and aesthetically astute publication operating in this field - a real labour of love for a measly fiver. Essential purchase...

Danieto - Cirugia Casual
U Cover

As one half of Skipsapiens, Daniel Nieto has helped carve Chile a distinct niche on the world electronica/IDM stage. Now striking out alone under his real name (kind of...), 'Cirugia Casual' comes on the back of remix work for the likes of Process and Ontayso and is a finely crafted batch of electronica that subscribes firmly to the Deadbeat/Pole aural school. Opening with 'Cantina Portena', Nieto takes elements of The Other People Place, Akufen and Rod, then blends them around a delicate piano line and bleeping soul. Crisp and exact, 'Cantina Portena' eruditely fizzes with electronic beauty and is soaring IDM at its best. Moving on, 'Inductancia' looks to Bola for inspiration as hazy synth washes rub shoulders with high-torque beats, whilst 'Tropiezo-eléctrico' relishes in cotton wool electonica most familiar from Jan Jelinek and Deadbeat. Elsewhere, '6 Dual Relays on Chips' goes for the female lost in the machine vocals whilst both 'Luego Todo Cambio' and 'Exact Random' have a cheeky grinned bounce reminiscent of Global Goon. Although hardly groundbreaking, like John Nash architecture 'Cirugia Casual' does what it does very well and in suitably grand style....

Proem - Negativ 2005
Merck

Special 2005 repress with new artwork of Proem's second full length (his first for Merck) originally released in 2001, and unavailable for the last couple of years. 74 minutes of lush electronica melodies and crunchy rhythms, smooth yet dynamic, definitely not your standard idm beat science and a telling portent of things to come. Also includes Brothomstates remix as a final hidden track!...

Stylus - Eisteddfod
Irrational

The first officially available live material from experimental veteran Dafydd Morgan, 'Eisteddfod' is comprised of live recordings made in the summer of 2002 (at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and for Radio Amgen) and amply showcases his cavernous soundscapes. Ranging from the relative light of 'Migration' and its subdued bird song, through to the almost baroque opening of 'Angle', Stylus makes what could be unremittingly personal music in a way that opens it up to the listener. Broad and bijou....

Arild Andresen Group - Electra
ECM

Arve Henriksen completists check this! "Thine is a fatal course of grief, passing ever from due bounds into a cureless sorrow; wherein there is no deliverance from evils. Say, wherefore art thou enamoured of misery?", yeah we are in ECM theatrical mode here with an album by label stalwart and extraordinarily soulful bassist Arild Anderson featuring Arve Henriksen as main accompanist. 'Electra' being Sophocles' greek tragedy scored in this musical version by Arild for greek theatrical director Yannis Margaritis who happens also to be a big fan of class filmakers Theo Angelopoulos and Andrey Tarkovsky. All ECM virgins might need a guiding hand here as this is quite some distance away from Arve's prior guest spots except maybe for Jon Balke's amazing orchestral/big band projects. Joining this ECM dreambill are also Nils Petter Molvær and Ervind Aarset (both these days better known via Bugge Wesseltoft's Jazzland than ECM) amomgst other guest vocalists (semi operatic but not too far out) and multi vaceted percussion players. More directly cinematic than most ECM releases issued these days and definetely a little epic it still boasts some amazingley soulful trumpet lines from Arve, out front amongst all the artcore madness. Me being an ECM vet I love this. Others may want to check the samples first before committing your hard earned though i'd say the 11 minute '7th Background' is alone almost worth buying this for. That said i'm seriously recommending you all to dip your toes in the nordic waters via Christian Wallumrod's outstanding 'A Year From Easter' also just out and one of 2005's best CD's to date....

Curtis Roads - Point Line Cloud
Asphodel

We are in some serious electronic sound sculpture terrain here. No doubt an influence on Autechre and the like, AE booked Curtis for the ATP party in 2003. 'Point Like Cloud' is an abstract suite or what is called granular synthesis music. From Asphodel's website to continue in Wirespeak : "Beneath the level of the note lies the realm of sound particles. Each particle is a pinpoint of sound. Recent advances let us probe and manipulate this microacoustical world. Sound particles dissolve the rigid bricks of musical composition - the notes and their intervals - into more fluid and supple materials. The sensations of point, pulse (series of points), line (tone), and surface (texture) emerge as the density of particles increases. Sparse emissions produce rhythmic figures. By lining up the particles in rapid succession, one can induce an illusion of tone continuity or pitch. As the particles meander, they flow into liquid-like streams and rivulets. Dense agglomerations of particles form clouds of sound whose shapes evolve over time." To these pair of lugholes it brings to mind the environmental works of Bernard Parmegiani and Keith Fullerton Whitman's 'Manchester-By-The-Sea SVP' and 'Car Passings At Night'. Bonus DVD brings interviews with the artist, plus abstract visual representations of the audio by Brian O'Reilly. Recommended. ..

Shapeshifter - Reticulum Flux
Schematic

New on Schematic! Shapeshifter (aka Malcolm Goodman) kicks off debut album 'Reticulum Flux' with 'Propulsion Barriers', a track that opens to the intruiging sound of machines sighing. Taking cues from Oval and 'Chiastic Slide'-era Autechre, Goodman constructs tides of Wagner informed electronic ambience that is thrillingly defused whilst being unwaveringly focussed. With a Pinter-esque understanding of sparseness, Goodman allows the first half of the album to gel into an undefined cloud of sound design that is at times gloomy, but never unwelcome. Allowing thickets of emotion to break through, particularly on the Phonophani style 'Convergence of the Antediluvian Vessel' (can I hear a crafty Coldcut sample in there?), Shapeshifter perfects his bewitching sound on the haunted circuitry of 'Acheron Sector'. Don't have nightmares....

Mike Ladd - Negrophilia
Thirsty Ear

Now available on cd! From the get-go this is probably the best album yet from both the Thirsty Ear label and from Mike Ladd. A much bigger success than both of Matthew Shipp's duo album's with Antipop and El-P. On the back of a full interview and page long review in The Wire this eleven track album does not dissapoint, in fact it goes way beyond my expectations and I'm already a big fan of the majority of the Blue Series. Mike Ladd's intelligent poet lyrics feature on around half the tracks alongside Roy Campbell's gorgeous trumpet, Andrew Lamb's horns, Vijay Iyers keys, Bruce Grant's tape loops and Guillermo E. Browns percussion instruments. Mike also plays the Teo Marcero role, editing, splicing and chopping up the music, keeping it real and vital. Deep righteous jazz to exotic ambience with not one second wasted. One of my fave albums of the year to date....

Christian Wallumrod Ensemble (With Arve Henriksen & Nils Okland) - A Year From Easter
ECM

1998's amazing 'No Birch' CD was not only my first introduction to the amazing talents of pianist Christian Wallumrod but also that of Rune Grammofon stars Nils Okland and Arve Henriksen (I dived into the madness of Supersilent 1-3 shortly afterwards and quite literally got my brain fried). 'A Year From Easter' is a tribute to John Cage in particular his writings, most crucially his 1968 book 'A Year From Monday' from which this album lends it's name if not its musical style. This music is heartbrakingly beautiful, evoking solitary peacefulness and life's sorrows and small joyful moments, fog bound uncluttered nordic style. Quiet music, minimal execution but large themes. This music brushes aside the depressive aspects of similar musical palletes, brimming with life. In the main Arve, Nils and Christian play in unison, a hushed blurring of the lines - for instance trumpet - hushed breath flowing through Arve's lungs merging with the heartfelt tugs of Christian's piano strings and Nil's searching string tones with the subtle improv aspects of Per Oddvar Johansen percussion factory.It would be disparaging to label this folk, classical or jazz - it's none of the above but everything good about all three open ended musical styles. From full quartet pieces to solo piano moments. Make sure you check out 'Neunacht' that echoes Susanna & The Magical Orchestra, Susanna may or may not be related to Christian as they happen to share the same christian name. Call it absolutely gorgeous minimal melancholic jazz/classical music per excellence if you must. You must check this out - completely essential....

John Convertino - Ragland
Sommerweg

John Convertino is better known as one half of the gifted Calexico and also drummer for Giant Sand. As a composer he is known for his dreamshaped accordion pieces, lilting piano meditations on Satie, silent and beautiful cornerstones within Calexico's oeuvre. Now there is Ragland, his first solo album, recorded at his home in Tucson, Arizona using nothing but two micraphones, a solitary piano, vibes and a drumset all recorded onto a small 8-track analogue recorder. Ragland is Monk playing Eno high on Verdi. It's broken ambient music; twelve instrumentals that are beautiful, dark and often take brutal turns. Arpeggios from an old piano set the beat and the progress of chord changes search for light and relief. This is a monumental piano-led album, challenging this most moving of genres into a more emotionally varied trawl through ups and downs, all within this master-musician's unique genreless vision. A Massive recommendation....

Guapo - Black Oni
Ipecac

With a passport that includes Fantomas, Circle, Ruins and Kid606 touring stamps, Guapo certainly know their avant onions. Fusing fragments of kraut-rock, minimalism and folk then binding it all together in a prog-rock shell, Guapo make cluster-fuck post rock that dips, dives and crashes in the most pleasing fashion imaginable. Opening with the po-face monikered 'I', Guapo initially introduce little more than slowly blossoming, distortion saturated noise that, whilst lacking a firm focal point, nevertheless draws you in totally. Just when they've got you fully submerged a sucker-punch of jerky post-rock kicks in, made all the more potent for its lack of introduction. Sounding not unlike a more eclectic take on the current resurgence of prog (think Mars Volta sans vocals), Guapo then go onto deliver a blinding selection of odd time signatures and percussive bursts ('II') that belie their friendship with Mike Patton. Elsewhere 'III' is a 10 minute churning monster of jazz influenced structures, 'IV' a bass marinated set of beeps and feedback, whilst 'V' takes the Mogwai schematic... then shreds it. Like an Edward Munch for the ears....

The Locust - Safety Second, Body Last
Ipecac

Where does punk end and grindcore begin?, that is the question. Unfortunately 'Safety Second, Body Last' from The Locust is unlikely to provide any ready answers, existing with one foot in each and making one heck of a racket in the process. Formed from the smoking remnants of San Diego hardcore band's Swing Kids and Struggle, The Locust allow punk, rock, metal, and synth tributaries to feed their rabble-rousing sound which is undeniably infectious and underpinned by a firm understanding of pop song structures. Dividing the tracks up through electronic interludes, the rigid guitars and male/female vocals often arrive totally out of the blue thereby tripling their effect. Part Fantomas in places, The Locust will kick your door down then steal your ears....

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Worn Copy
Paw Tracks

Although recorded on 8-track at the end of 2002/early 2003, 'Worn Copy' is a more complete and involving record than Ariel Pink's proper 2004 debut release 'The Doldrums'. As personal as Pepys, 'Worn Copy' is comparable to The Magnetic Field's '69 Love Songs' in terms of genre plundering and dogged intimacy making it easy to see why he has been causing so much fuss in our Willy Mason-era. Opening track 'Trepanated Earth' illustrates his style perfectly, beginning with a reedy synth led rock song that sounds like it's been recorded straight off the TV during a 1980's Hasselhoff show. This is then punctured by a flurry of overlapping and hotch-potch vocal samples, through which Pink emerges into some full-on operatic rock that sounds very much how Bobby Conn would were he to cover Queen's 'Flash Gordon' score. But we're not done yet, with Pink falling on a chrome-plated electro-pop close to shimmer us past the 10 minute mark. A bit like allowing your radio to keep searching out the strongest signal whilst on the move, 'Trepanated Earth' displays Pink's ADD syndrome through a patchwork of accomplished genre-bending segments that at no point descends into parody. Elsewhere we get the fantastic jingle-corruption of 'Credit', where Pink borrows a melody from Michael Jackson's 'Beat It' and cross-breeds the results with the Human League and Gary Numan, spitting "Credit, we win you lose, credit - our choices buy you, credit go buy something used..." whilst 'One on One' is a bit Lou Reed and a bit Adam Green, without the contradictions that should resonably imply. Fiercely unique and strangely beguiling....

Mugison - Mugimamma, Is This Monkey Music?
Accidental

Having fired a series of limited 7"s as warning of Iceland's Mugison's imminent return, Mathew Herbert's Accidental imprint now gets the pleasure of releasing his 3rd, and undoubtedly most accomplished, album; 'Mugimama, is this Monkeymusic?'. Dealing in contrasts, 'Mugimama...' is as happy lulling your sensibilities with the bright-eyed folk shuffling on 'I'd Ask' as it is canonballing in on a Breeders' riff and sissor-kicking through the sqwawk-rock of 'Sad as a Truck'. Opening with the filtered vocals and sleazy immediacy of 'I Want You', Mugison opines "Look at my wee boy, he's one of a kind he makes me laugh he makes me cry..." with the listener left unclear as to whether this is an actual person or not. This embracement of the confusing is evident again on the lulling solipsism of duet '2 Birds', where the two protagonists share memories such as "we stayed up late and slept all day..." over a Longpigs (that's right; Longpigs) melody. However any sentimentality is then blown away as the relationship undergoes a transformation on 'What I Would Say In Your Funeral', with Mugison relaying his views on their past "I would tell them I didn't like you... at all!" whilst the female protagonist goads him on even though the pain is clear to see. A deeply moving and hugely rewarding record....

The Books - Lost And Safe
Tomlab

From their self-issued CDRs through to this their third full album, The Books have always retained a distinctive sound that has been resolutely difficult to pin down. Easing off the cello that was so conspicuous on 'The Lemon of Pink', The Books have also chosen to forsake the beatific vocals of collaborator Anne Doerner and concentrate fully on those of Nick Zammuto. Collaging decontextualised auditory snippets and blending them into a miasma of warm instrumentation, 'Lost Safe' is on familiar territory with the opening 'A Little Longing Goes Away'. Cherry picking elements of Elliot Smith, Telefon Tel Aviv, Sigur Ros, The Notwist and Fenomenom, 'A Little Longing Goes Away' manages to sound entirely its own with the opening salvo of "yes & no are just distinguished by distinction, so we chose in between..." galvanising this. Undoubtedly the most proficient and pleasing example of The Books jumble-sale approach to sampling thus far is next up with 'Be Good to them Always', where syncopated Stockhausen click guitars clear the way for Steve Reich minimalism. With Zammuto dueting alongside the dead-pan government and news-cast samples ("this great society is going smash...") The Books conspire to make him sound robotic and inhuman, whilst the recordings are rendered full of emotion in contrast. As intense as a deserted library...wonderful listening....

Nao Tokui - Mind The Gap
Progressive Form

Another week goes by, and another Progressive Form killer to absorb. The vinyl lovers amongst you may well have picked up on some of the advance moments already released across the two 12" eps drawn from this release. Still just about available, they function at the other extreme for Progressive Form, where Ryoichi and Aoki occupy decidedly experimental positions, Nao Tokui applies the label's credo most effectively to dancefloor production. A mouth watering prospect and you'd be right - discover here 'Pan Pacific' `s melodies - a sinewy mesh with a bumping disco bassline, disguised with backwards jazzy sensations, the beeps and whirrs and dancefloor microfunk of 'Monolith' - house music at its finest and most developed. Inspirations for Nao could be said to nominally include Farben, .snd, Carl Craig, perhaps even Recloose - but there's significant advances and departures from all these weighty forebears, Tokui just simply sets his own agenda and delivers on all fronts. Usual essential purchase material from Progressive Form. ..

Superpitcher - Today
Kompakt

Mighty mix cd from Superpitcher here, opening with the Ghostly delights of that man Lawrence, `Spark' shows the producer at his best - a bassline to go on with, drop this and everyone gets up! Of course there's a healthy representation of some definitive recent Koln joints, Nathan Fake's Dinamo in the mix on cd for the first time, and dare we venture most probably not for the last time this year. Also Oliver Hacke's equal finest moment "21:31", last week's Wighnomy Triola rejig, Aguayo's tasty feast on Mayer's Lovefood, Lawrence again on Aksel's own `Happiness' anthem and Koze's large `Let's help me' from `Late Checkout' again first time on CD . The mix is the best of its kind for this material since Triple R's 'Friends', the further support from Playhouse's Max Mohr, Gigolo's Psychonauts proves significant - Sebastian Tellier's `La Ritournelle' offering a suitably lateral and yet romantic conclusion to a killer party mix. Get it on.!...

# posted by DJ Martian 6:37 PM