We gingen van start met een driedubbele verzamelaar onder te titel Tracks Across the Universe 1 tot 3. Deze 3 CD's verschenen samen met het gelijknamige boek in 2003. Later, in 2009, werden de CD's apart heruitgegeven op Aucourant Records. Het boek vertelt het verhaal over elektronische muziek en verwante genres (Native american, wereld, didgeridoo, keltisch, new age, avant garde) vanaf het midden van de jaren 60 tot 2000. Het werd geschreven door Jim Brenholts, een vrij bekende Amerikaanse recencent. De CD's, die voor een groot deel uit unieke tracks bestaan, geven een goed overzicht van wat er 20 jaar geleden allemaal gebeurde in het wereldje van de elektronische muziek en nog vooral op het gebied van de ambient. Ik kan deze schijfjes warm aanbevelen! Een overzichtje:
Volume 1: Jeff Pearce, Craig Padilla, David Parsons, Robert Scott Thompson, Robert Rich, Byron Metcalf, Vidna Obama, Loren Nerell, Todd Fletcher, Ma Ja Lee, Robert Carty, TUU, Biff Johnson en Steve Roach.
Volume 2: Costance Demby, Suzanne Ciani, Dino Pacifici, Kees Aerts, Rudy Adrian, Ron Boots, James Johnson, Richard Bone, dreamSTATE, ETERE-O, Never Known, Larry Kucharz, Matt Borghi, Max Corbacho en Dave Tollefson.
Volume 3: Cornsmoke, Marina Raye, Kenya Dubois, John Pemble, Ian Boddy, Synthetic Block, Jim Cole, Gabrielle Roth, Paul Ellis, Dweller at the Threshold, Tony Gerber, Spacecraft en Forest Fang.
Links:
http://www.aucourantrecords.com/catalog.php?op=detail&cid=64
https://www.discogs.com/Various-Tracks-Across-The-Universe-A-Chronology-Of-Ambient-Electronic-Music/release/382418
http://www.groove.nl/cd/7/75691.html
https://play.spotify.com/album/5Nl4L9lngJx8ppwfjrsFux
https://play.spotify.com/album/1OEgrKWHVk5SuR02OzQKUf
https://play.spotify.com/album/0qn05h4MJ9HEoV7VxUQLH5
Pats had een plaat bij van Roberto Cacciapaglia die als titel Sonanze had. Een kleinood dat dateert uit de eerst helft van de jaren zeventig en blijkbaar zijn debuut album is. Een klassieker dus!. Elektro-akoestische muziek van de bovenste plank die zijn tijd heel erg ver vooruit was! Een absolute verassing! Hierbij een review van op de progarchives site:
Lesser known from the audience, Roberto Cacciapaglia is recognised for his high-quality and eclectic instrumental epic albums. His personal musical universe is quite varied, it incorporates classical symphonic music, sonic looped dronescapes, majestic spacey synth grooves and concrete avant gardism. Sonanze is an impressive and fascinating album, melodic, entrancing and experimental at the same time. This fantastic debut album admits comparisons with Franco Battiato's most challenging efforts and with Franco Leprino's exceptional orchestrated electronic suites. The two first movements introduce the listener in a charming-tumultuous symphonic dreaminess based on collage sounds, synth frequences and heroic langurous parts for strings and brass. Some buzzing-trancey manipulated voices are added to the mix, providing catchy hallucinatory effects. The third movement is a playful classical piano piece floating-like calm waves. The fourth movement is a dark-ritual voices incantation made in a modern operatic-theatrical style. The three following movements provide gorgeous, long form dreamy soundscapes for cloudy synth textures and harmonious static drones. The atmosphere is deliciously meditative and introspective without being easy listening and unconsistently new agey. The two last movements are strange cinematic musical scenes using massive atonal orchestrations and otherwordly layering synth sounds . This album is impressively complex, technically achieved but without being boring or cryptical for neophyts: The atmospheres are completely suggestive and magically haunted with the inclusion of dense, colourful melodic lines. A magnificent album and a must have for fans of vintage Italian prog, classical contemporary music and kosmische electronica.
Links:
https://www.discogs.com/Roberto-Cacciapaglia-Sonanze/release/612316
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=19437
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rQ8VjcKVm8
https://play.spotify.com/album/2MoGoOOc7m4x3ZKewxp57j
Robert Scott Thompson bracht in 2001 de dubbele CD Acousma uit. Een dubbelaar boordevol experimentele electro-akoestische pareltjes die voor intens luisterplezier zorgen voor de liefhebbers. Dat kan ik je garanderen!
"Robert Scott Thompson fashions soundscapes that are so imaginative, it seems that we’re in another distant world listening to the sounds of that far away place. And then we hear a hint of something familiar, something like a flute, or a koto, or a chorus of voices, and we’re reminded of the sounds we know. It’s the blending of the familiar with the unfamiliar that draws us in and becomes fascinating. Thompson’s music is almost narrative as different things happen and different stories seem to unfold and time moves in a very special way."
Links:
https://robert-scott-thompson.bandcamp.com/album/acousma
https://www.discogs.com/Robert-Scott-Thompson-Acousma-Electroacoustic-Music/release/235780
https://www.electrocd.com/en/cat/emf_034/
https://play.spotify.com/album/6HwByOp6iYOyzxL2Lxx6dI
Jacky verraste ons met het schitterende The Road Eternal (2001)van Steve Roach en Erik Wollo, de opvolger van Stream of Thoughts (2009). Steve moeten we niet meer voorstellen, maar de Noor Erik Wollo is wellicht wat minder bekend onder lezers annex luisteraars. Dat zou niet zo mogen zijn, want Erik is echt wel uit het goed hout gesneden... The Road Eternal is een trip doorheen onmetelijke klanklandschappen op tegelijk vreemde en bekende werelden.
Op discogs vond ik deze review:
"Long awaited second collaboration of two highly respected veteran composers came to its final stage during Erik's visit in Arizona when performing on SoundQuest Fest in October of 2010. I am immediately impressed by the eye-catching 4-panel digipak with absolutely stunning blue colored images (photographs by Erik and Steve). But the visual part of this release is very soon leveled by the sonics as the opening title track "The Road Eternal" unfolds its 21 minutes long trip. Slower magical desert ambience quickly traverses into breathing, rhythmed and melodic parts, this is crystal clear sonic orgasm!!! No questions here, two true masters are at the top of their craft and musicianship merging with highest precision their own distinct trademarking styles. Absolutely exciting and adventurous overture!!! But this spectacular sonic travel continues on "Depart At Sunrise", which can be easily described as "crème de la crème" of melodious soundscaping. Delicately crafted and sculpted textures where hauntingly evocative atmospheres are skillfully balanced with highly attractive smooth, pulsating and energetic passages. To me, both these compositions are the most unique and imaginative pieces of art Steve and Erik did together so far, thank you so much, Maestros!!! Warm and dreamy "The Next Place" sounds quite mechanical and futuristic with always presented vibrant groovy elements, one of the most uplifting compositions on this route. "First Twilight" is more aerial and nostalgic cooling down piece. As night settles down, "Travel By Moonlight" begins, nice mid-tempo rhythmic tribal ride through still hot, but refreshing and darkened desert vistas, mesmerizing and relaxing! "Night Strands" peacefully completes this truly amazing, enterprising and panoramic trip. And don't forget to pack your headphones too! "The Road Eternal" is undoubtedly another highly polished pearl in both artists' discographies, magnificently rich in all aspects, musically, sonically and visually!!! I am a proud owner (and reviewer too) of this masterpiece!!!"
Links:
https://www.discogs.com/Steve-Roach-Erik-W%C3%B8llo-The-Road-Eternal/release/2900455
https://projektrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-road-eternal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB_foU22t7A
Jovica Storer heeft een nieuw album klaar dat als titel Celebrate Life zal krijgen. De aanwezigen kregen een 20 minuten durende electro-etnische trip te horen om bij weg te dromen. Dit werk wordt later dit jaar uitgebracht, wellicht in eigen beheer. Hierbij eens een ouder prentje:
RVNG Intl. is een relatief nieuw label uit New York. Het bestaat sinds 2004 en legt zijn focus op experimentele dansmuziek en elektronische muziek met een knipoog richting avant-garde. Sinds 2009 zijn ze gestart met een reeks 12"-es onder de naam FRKWYS. Tot hiertoe verschenen er 12 in deze reeks, van nr. 2 tot 13. Ze hebben blijkbaar nr. 1 overgeslaan... het zijn stuk voor stuk kleine meesterwerkjes... allemaal must haves!
"The guiding concept behind [FRKWYS] is to bring contemporary electronic artists together with their creative fore-bearers of sorts and allow them to collaborate as inspired."
Artisten betrokken bij het FRKWYS project tot hiertoe: Excepter, Carter Tutti, JG Thirlwell, Jack Dangers, ARP, Anthony Moore, Psychic Ills, Juan Atkins, Gibby Haynes, Hans-Joachim Irmler, Mirror Mirror, Alig Fodder's Pranayame, Stuart Moxham, Stuart Argabright, Gretchen Faust, Rico Conning, Julianna Barwick, Ikue Mori, Samuel Godin, Blues Control, Laraaji, Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras, The Congos, Steve Gunn, Mike Cooper, David Van Tieghem, Diamond Terrifier (Sam Hillmer + Max Alper), Future Shuttle, Georgia, Helado Negro, Darren Ho, Eli Keszler, Hiro Kone, Megafortress, Blanche Blanche Blanche, Maxmillion Dunbar. Niet van de minsten dus...
De complete reeks ziet er tot hiertoe als volgt uit:
Cat. # Yr Album title Artist(s)
FRKWYS02 2009 FRKWYS Vol. 2 Carter Tutti, JG Thirlwell (12" + MP3)
FRKWYS03 2010 FRKWYS Vol. 3 Arp, Anthony Moore (12" + MP3)
FRKWYS04 2010 FRKWYS Vol. 4 Psychic Ills (12" + MP3)
FRKWYS05 2011 FRKWYS Vol. 5 Mirror Mirror (12" + MP3)
FRKWYS06 2011 FRKWYS Vol. 6 Julianna Barwick, Ikue Mori
FRKWYS07 2011 FRKWYS Vol. 7 David Borden, James Ferraro, Sam Godin, Laurel Halo, Daniel Lopatin
FRKWYS08 2011 FRKWYS Vol. 8 Blues Control, Laraaji
FRKWYS09 2012 FRKWYS Vol. 9 Sun Araw, M. Geddes Gengras and The Congos (ICON GIVE THANK)
FRKWYS10 2013 FRKWYS Vol. 10 David Van Tieghem x Ten (Fits & Starts)
FRKWYS11 2014 FRKWYS Vol. 11 Steve Gunn & Mike Cooper (Cantos de Lisboa)
FRKWYS12 2015 FRKWYS Vol. 12 Robert Aiki, Aubrey Lowe & Ariel Kalma (We Know Each Other Somehow)
FRKWYS13 2016 FRKWYS Vol. 13 Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Suzanne Ciani (Sunergy)
Links:
https://igetrvng.com/shop/category/frkwys-releases/
https://www.discogs.com/label/427739-FRKWYS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RVNG_Intl.
We luisterden achtereenvolgens naar volgende pareltjes:
Vol 2 Excepter
https://www.discogs.com/Excepter-FRKWYS-Vol-2-Remixes-By-Carter-Tutti-And-JG-Thirlwell/master/758916
https://play.spotify.com/album/7alJjS8UG92EHkicXI4FCl
https://www.discogs.com/Arp-2-Anthony-Moore-Arp-Anthony-Moore/release/2260881
https://play.spotify.com/album/2ZNv7Kw0H1tQ9ob52e0Ijp
https://www.discogs.com/Kaitlyn-Aurelia-Smith-Suzanne-Ciani-Sunergy/master/1057656
https://play.spotify.com/album/1so4uecEQlyhPJbQLJ4wFF
Onze Hongaarse vriend Laszlo Hortobagyi bracht in 2009 samen met Gyorgy Kurtag Jr. en Miklos Lengyelfi op ECM het album Kurtagonals uit. Experimentele vingeraflikmuziek... het kan ook moeilijk anders op het legendatische ECM label...
Hieronder wat ECM zelf erover schrijft. Ik zou het niet beter kunnen zeggen...
"In the landscape of electronic music among European art circles, the name of Pierre Schaeffer (1910-1995) is a monumental landmark. A pioneer in musique concrète and its ancillary technologies, Schaeffer introduced a remarkable line-up of composers to new and exciting possibilities in audible media, not least among them Luc Ferarri, Iannis Xenakis, Jean Barraqué, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Pierre Boulez. Boulez is particularly important in the context of this album, for he would go on to found the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique, or IRCAM, where György Kurtág Jr. later studied. Boulez’s rocky association with Henry led to a schism between the former’s insistence on the integrity of electro-acoustic configurations over the latter’s “computer music.” I find this conflict to be a moot one, however, when considering that instrumental music immediately becomes “electronic” the moment it is recorded, and that electronic music becomes “acoustic” when played through speakers in any given environment. Also, much of Schaeffer’s pioneering work, such as his entrancing Symphonie pour un homme seul (1951), was fundamentally rooted in the acoustical properties of live instruments and the human voice. Whatever the argument may boil down to, this fiercely original album happily marries the two camps into a bustling commune of shared ideas. Kurtág is joined here by two fellow Hungarians: composer László Hortobágyi, who works much of his compatriot’s thematic material into the album’s infrastructure, and Miklós Lengyelfi, a musician of many stripes whose rock roots bring an edgier sensibility to the underlying aesthetic. The three are known collectively as Hortogonals, and through their triangular approach they create music that is undeniably spherical.
Intraga sets the tone for the album as a whole, its varied sounds barely discernible from the surrounding haze: a bass sings at our feet, a toy piano croaks into our ears, and a wordless voice flickers at the threshold of audibility. Kurtagamelan is appropriately riddled with its titular chimes. Their echoes are electronically transformed, seeming to inject a visible murmur into every struck note. A passing swarm of insects retreats into the background. And beneath it all, a muffled drum. The bass continues its subterranean journey, marking its passage through the earth with pitfalls and sinkholes. A brief chorus of voices swells, the wind blows. Interrogation is overlaid with a cicada-like drone and a distant wash of strings, contrasting effectively with the lovely rhythmic threads of Lux-abbysum, which put me in mind of Tomas Jirku’s early click-hop experiments on the Substractif label, though the “live” touches of triangle and other percussive samples add more variation to the music’s topography. Dronezone showcases some of Hortobágyi’s interest in North Indian music, and Kurtaganja a bit of Lengyelfi’s in the electric guitar. This and Twin PeaX form a whimsical pair, respectively characterized by less veiled beats and freer sampling. Necroga closes where the album began, its steady bass strummed like a large cosmic string boring into the center of our spines.
Although the music of Hortogonals is rich in implied silence, here it moves in a continuous stream of sound. The lack of gaps between tracks renders the titles almost arbitrary, even if they do provide the occasional clue into the goings on. The music is dark, but far from ominous, and when it is ominous it is never dark. The experienced electronic listener may not encounter much in the way of innovation in the album’s sound or construction, but will nevertheless find it bears a unique compositional stamp and that sort of haggard beauty only the collaborative object possesses."
Links:
https://www.discogs.com/L%C3%A1szl%C3%B3-Hortob%C3%A1gyi-Gy%C3%B6rgy-Kurt%C3%A1g-jr-Mikl%C3%B3s-Lengyelfi-Kurt%C3%A1gonals/release/2650270
https://ecmreviews.com/2010/07/05/kurtagonals/
Op 22 januari ll. stierf Jaki Liebezeit, een drummer met een indrukwekkend parmares. Zijn laatste muzikale wapenfeit dateert ondertussen van 2013 en heeft als titel Cyclopean. Als een hommage voor de man beluisterden we dit schitterende ritmische werk! Doet ons denken aan Muslimgauze op zijn best, maar dan nog beter en strakker!
Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaki_Liebezeit
https://www.discogs.com/Cyclopean-Cyclopean/release/4271749
https://play.spotify.com/artist/0sZxBM8QLb5bet1UuIL6aR
De klassieker van de avond werd een verzamelaar van de albums van Pink Industry in 1989 uitgegeven op Parade Amoureuse. Deze compilatie bevat de beste tracks van hun 3 albums:
Low Technology (1983)
Who Told You, You Were Naked? (1983)
New Beginnings (1985)
Pink Industry waren Ambrose Reynolds, Jayne Casey en Tadzio Jodlowski. Ze kwamen uit Liverpool maakten heel mooie new wave met een hoekje er af. Is this the End is een echte klassieke slow... en Don't let go is een ander bekend nummer van hen...
Links:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/84073-Pink-Industry
https://play.spotify.com/artist/0UnQckJPCkTe2ofiV6syh6
De volgende KQC zal doorgaan op woensdagavond 26 april en de gitaar staat deze keer centraal. Interesse om er bij te zijn? Email dan naar joost-punt-carpentier-apestaartje-gmail-punt-com.
