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Dakota Suite & Quentin Sirjacq - There is calm to be done
Following 2011's The Hearts of Empty Liverpool based band Dakota Suite led by Chris Hooson in collaboration with David Buxton are back with another superb album on Karaoke Kalk. While Hearts of Empty was a distinctly jazzy instrumental album, There Is Calm To Be Done takes us further down a path of left-field song-writing and alternative pop. The album was produced together with Quentin Sirjacq with whom Dakota Suite have already worked in the past, on Valissa (2010) and the side of her inexhaustible heart (2012).
The most striking thing about the Dakota Suite sound is their immense instrumentation. While most songs are driven by the piano they are adorned with all kinds of instruments to provide an overall timbre of great majesty. The presence of brass parts, woodwind, double bass and a wide array of instruments makes for a special sound. Rhythmically, the drum parts throughout the majority of There Is Calm To Be Done are played with brushes, which takes the edge off and adds a gentleness that only the swooshing of brushes can achieve. The use of lap steel on the opening number This Is My Way Of Saying That I Am Sorry conjures up a definite country rock feel. While the album is mainly song based, there are vast instrumental passages strewn throughout the record and intermingled between songs. Flat Seat is one such instrumental tune with a decidedly filmic character; a lilting composition both mesmerizing and intriguing. Much of the album feels as if it could be film music, and each tune conjures a vivid image in the listeners mind to which the music plays the soundtrack.
Hooson's vocals are striking both for their singing style and lyrical content. Dronning Maud Land for example begins with the humorous line I seem to have grown myself a pair of old mans hands but the delivery is sombre and melancholy. In the Stillness of this Night is a powerful ballad that fuses the touching vocals and lyrical style that is so prevalent on the album with an evocative arrangement. In keeping with its title Committing To Uncertainty is a somewhat darker composition. The brass and woodwind orchestration builds to a powerful crescendo. Be My Love stands out as a prime example of singer-songwriting as it relies solely on acoustic guitar and vocals. Without the support of a backing arrangement, the song has to be that much stronger to stand on its own amongst all the instrumentation of the rest of the record. It is an unspeakably tender song with a highly fragile yet resolute emotional lure. The penultimate track on the album is also its song and true to its name is a delightfully calm tune. The record draws to a close with the minimally orchestrated I Miss The Dust, a very delicate instrumental that drifts away like leaves on a breeze.
Dakota Suite's music has covered such diverse genres as lo-fi, folk rock, electronic, ambient and taken in elements of jazz and modern classical. The band has their very own, highly personal and unique sound used so frequently by film makers and theatre pieces. There Is Calm To Be Done explores the art of song-writing while also venturing beyond, into new fields to create something new and subtle.
LP includes a free download voucher of the CD album. 180 gram Vinyl
A1 This is my way of saying that I am sorry
A2 Flat seat
A3 Committing to uncertainty
A4 Nu dat dexe dag voorbij is
A5 Dronning maud land
B1 In the stillness of this night
B2 There is calm to be done
B3 The world touches me too hard
B4 The tears that bind us to this place
B5 Be my love
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The National Jazz Trio Of Scotland - Standards Vol. III
I sometimes wonder if Im going in reverse, having started with the larger, more free improvisational ensembles and now getting down to a vocal pop band, but its one thing I was always aiming to do, says Bill Wells on his current position with the National Jazz Trio Of Scotland. And if one is to take heed of the age-old advice of not judging a book by its cover, then its wise to also apply that caution to CDs, for the group is neither jazz nor a trio, although it is at least partly Scottish.
Wells has been part of the Scottish Jazz scene since the late 80s, but has always enjoyed working with musicians in the Indie sector, including stints as a collaborator and arranger with Isobel Campbell, Jad Fair, Kevin Ayers, Future Pilot AKA and Japanese naivists Maher Shalal Hash Baz. He also worked with German electronica artists Stefan Schneider and Barbara Morgenstern and recorded Lemondale, an experimental, pop-tinged collection recorded with an eclectic cast of local musicians in Japan in 2011.
The National Jazz Trio Of Scotland consists of Wells on samples, with a trio of female vocalists: Aby Vulliamy, Kate Sugden and Lorna Gilfedder. Onstage, Aby plays viola, Kate marimba and other potential live players include Teenage Fanclub guitarist Norman Blake and Babe vocalist Gerard Black. The groups name may be Wells droll way of blowing a raspberry at the Scottish jazz establishment he feels has overlooked him in the past, but doesnt he think that such a deliberately misrepresentative group name could prove a problem?
I beg to differ, he responds. I think in the short term it's making life a bit harder, but hopefully in the long term it will make it stand out.
The groups debut recording The National Jazz Trio Of Scotlands Christmas Album, was released in late 2012, followed by Standards Vol II in 2013. Their new album is titled Standards Vol III, although the description isnt strictly accurate. Well its partly a nod towards the more standard way of songwriting, although structurally most of these songs aren't actually written in a similar way, he says. To me the best ideas are strong melodies on interesting changes, going back to the classic songwriters. Its a pretty old fashioned idea and I dont think that its the way that most people write these days when using computers.
Wells music had always been hallmarked by a directness and economy of musical line, and the fact that his pop music is pared down to just vocals and a lean musical accompaniment is, in fact, one of its strengths.
I do seem to like a sparser sound, he admits. For one thing, Im not that keen on drums. There are no drums at all on Vol II. I relented a bit on Vol III, but even then theres not that much. I like things kind of light and airy. As long as they are moving along nicely and you can hear the chords, and the voice is well supported, I think thats about all you need.
Wells wrote all the songs on the album with the exception of the Beach Boys With Me Tonight and the lyrics to Surprising Word, written by Saya from the Japanese band, Tenniscoats, and Trying To Escape You, written by Lorna Gilfedder.
The material on Standards Vol III hints at a diverse range of influences: the bossa nova of Antonio Carlos Jobim, the simple piano accompaniment of Brian Wilson, and the wider vocabulary of chord changes in the songs of Laura Nyro and in Todd Rundgrens earlier work. Wells also admits that some of his electronica may well be influenced by Stefan Schneiders work with Mapstation. And as he plays samples, Wells is keen that his soundworld avoids anything too generic, and that there is a little bit of grit in the mix.
Although there are a very few more conventional samples in there, for the most part I use samples that Norman Blake originally recorded of my guitar, bass and Abys viola, so that gives it all, hopefully, a very original and distinctive sound. It also means that its computer-based, but its not too squeaky clean or slick as the samples are not factory presets, and still have slight tuning, editing and rhythmic discrepancies.
One of the most striking aspects of Standards Vol III is its mix of pure-toned singing and cryptic, bittersweet, sometimes darkly humorous lyrics, as on the twinkly, musical box-like Unguarded Moment, with the lines, Got me when I least expected/Found it where I didnt look/Hit me like a block of concrete on a hook.
On Alive And Well, rather than being metaphorical or a fanciful notion, the lines, Its been the hottest summer that weve had for a while/The shower isnt working because of a broken tile, were an accurate summary of the facilities in the bathroom of Wells Glasgow tenement home last year, where the album was recorded.
The kitchen table is where I have my computer set up, so it's my HQ, he reveals. The acoustics aren't that good, plus I have to record avoiding slamming doors, the upstairs neighbours simply walking about, or the woman who lives below shouting at her dogs - or her partner, which sounds the same. However, it means I can make records very cheaply, and at my leisure - although that word seems a bit wrong. And for me these National Jazz Trio Of Scotland records are probably the closest I've got to doing something as I intended.
Mike Barnes
Tracklisting :
A1. Alive And Well
A2. Rare Species
A3. Unguarded Moment
A4. Buchanan Street
A5. Getting Out
B1. Push Your Face
B2. With Me Tonight
B3. Suprising Word
B4. Liar
B5. Trying To Escape You
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Tolouse Low Trax - s/t
Well recommended for the freaks the Manchester based independent music specialist Boomkat ones finished a review about a release of Düsseldorf based DJ and producer Tolouse Low Trax aka Detlef Weinrich (also known as one fourth of the German avant-band Kreidler). What a freak distinguished we do not really know - we just assume he walks this world on a different path. Tolouse Low Trax surely does! The latest evidence of this fact are four tracks of whom two are remixes by befriended artists, and two are coming right out of the middle of Tolouse Low Traxs very own sense for odd and catchy grooves. His friend Miles, also know as one-half of the experimental industrial techno and dark ambient duo Demdike Stare, puts hand on the track Sussing, originally released on Tolouse Low Traxs latest album Jeidem Fall in 2012. He covers it with an enigmatic, shadowy veil in terms of sounds, space, and obscure driving arpeggios in order to give the track a brighter haze feeling. A subliminal hypnotic transformation that swings with a unique dark and demanding drive. The second remix was done by Wolf Müller, a Düsseldorf based musician that released two highly acclaimed EPs on the German DIY label Themes for Great Cities. His profession as a percussionist calls the tune as he mutates the original track Jeidem Fall into a tribal celestial dance tune that jacks with an Afro-Baroque elegance. Also the two EP contributions of Tolouse Low Trax himself move on very different terrains but seem to come out of the same experimental laboratory. With Vindeland he delivers a track full of dark synthlines and drunken shuffled patterns that morphs into a nervous soigné sensation. In contrast his arrangement Eisenbahnzunge starts with a celestial arpeggio until a strange alienated voice appears and everything melts layer by layer into an elliptical ambient experiment beyond the usual definition. Both tracks are deeply rooted in Tolouse Low Traxs very own spontaneous minimal hardware approach of producing bold, hypnotic dance-not-dance music that shall not only illuminate the so called freaks!
A1. Sussing - Miles Remodel
A2. Jeidem Fall - Wolf Müller Mix
B1. Vineland
B2. Eisenbahnzunge
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Donna Regina - Holding The Mirror For Sophia Loren
Following their 2010 release The Decline of Female Happiness Donna Regina are back with a new album on Karaoke Kalk, Holding The Mirror For Sophia Loren. The project was formed by the husband and wife team Regina and Günther Janssen over twenty years ago and this is no less than their 12th studio album. There extensive career has seen them be remixed by the likes of Matthew Herbert and Mouse on Mars. Regina Janssen has also worked amongst others - with the French musician Bertrand Burgalat who released a compilation of Donna Regina´s work on his label Tricatel. But its in their own records and song-writing that their true musical skill comes to light as Holding The Mirror For Sophia Loren goes to show.
The album starts with the title track - a tribute to a deceased friend of theirs. The album's decidedly international character is left in no doubt by Les claviers de couleurs - sung in French, inspired by the beautiful names of colours on the scale of swiss architect Le Corbusier. Carlos has a distinctly dubby musical vibe; the muted trumpet, improvised like the bass clarinet and harp by Berlin based musician Volker Griepenstroh, chorus of lost and found and dub production make it feel like a Grace Jones track. While Cities has more of a straight techno-pop groove, with a 4/4 driving beat while the lyrics take us on a world tour that tells a story of non-conformity and alienation.
Koyasan takes this international affair even further afield with a trip to the mountain range near Osaka in Japan where Donna Regina's music has achieved considerable popularity and was even used in a Nissan commercial. The monotone delivery gives the piece a dark and dramatic mood. The Janssen's love of the industrial aesthetic is apparent from the cover artwork which depicts an inner city facade laced with ducts and vents. And For The Love Of is based upon the inspired juxtaposition of an industrial rhythm and a cheery piano riff.
The Spanish song Escúchame is based on a text written by the artists Graw Böckler from Berlin for their project after the crisis which they are showing in Buenos Aires these days. Gatsby is also driven by a solid 4/4 techno beat. The story is of course inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic character, and that's what really makes Donna Regina's music: its the personal element that's so important.
Holding The Mirror For Sophia Loren is Donna Regina's 7th album on Karaoke Kalk and over their many releases the band has clearly perfected the electronic pop format. Their latest offering is packed full of delightful nuances both in the lyrical content and the production as well as in the arrangements. For the first time in their production history they let somebody else do the mixes, Polish musician Michal Jacaszek who also co produced the album. They met him while they were touring in Poland and liked his work a lot. He later released on Miasmah, Gusstaff and Ghostly International and of course he adds a completely different his personal - touch to the production. All told, this is a powerful collection of songs which once again demonstrates Donna Regina's enormous appeal.
The digital download format contains two bonus tracks, Hopeless Hope and Other Side.
A1 Holding The Mirror For Sophia Loren
A2 Les Claviers De Couleurs
A3 Carlos
A4 Cities
A5 Lift Me Up
B1 Escúchame
B2 I Know Now
B3 Gatsby
B4 In The Company Of Friends
B5 Leaving
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Will Samson - Light Shadows
Quietly & unceremoniously released as a digital EP at the tail end of 2013, Light Shadows returns as a highly limited 12 vinyl, including two new reworks by Austrian electronic/experimental duo & label mates, Ritornell, & ambient sonic explorer, Benoit Pioulard.
Since the release of Balance ('an unusually intimate collection' 8/10 - UNCUT Magazine) in October 2012, Will has travelled across the UK and Europe, touring and sharing stages with Kurt Vile, Ólafur Arnalds, Valgeir Sigurðsson, Marissa Nadler, Shearwater, Pinback, Do Make Say Think & more - as well as performing his own headline shows.
On top of this, Will managed to find time to venture into 'dance' music and create It Grows Again a collaborative EP with London based producer, Tom Demac (Aus Music), which garnered mainstream radio play within the UK.
However, it was personal experiences of a radically different nature that shaped the outcome of Light Shadows.
During the summer months between the completion & release of Balance, Will unexpectedly found himself facing an extremely close & profound experience of death.
Following the aftermath of such a loss, he briefly retreated to India, seeking some time & space to gently reflect on the recent life-changing events. Travelling alone from the Southern tip, all the way up to the mountains in the North, this is where the first ideas of new songs slowly began to seed.
A few months after landing back in England, Will then travelled onto Berlin to begin refining and recording these ideas with close friend, Florian Frenzel (who had also helped to produce 'Balance'). Using their familiar selection of tape machines (many of which had now broken since the previous year's recording sessions) and home-made outboard gear, the pair crafted away on Samson's scrapbook of sounds until they eventually emerged with this deeply cathartic collection of music.
The release will coincide with live performances across Europe in late-April*
22.04.2014 D-Cologne | Wohngemeinschaft
23.04.2014 D-Hannover | Kumpanei
24.04.2014 D-Hamburg | Astra Stube
25.04.2014 D-Berlin | ://about blank
26.04.2014 D-Jena | Kombinat Süd
27.04.2014 D-Chemnitz | Lokomov
29.04.2014 BE-Gent | Cafe Video
06.05.2014 UK-London | Servant Jazz
15.05.2014 UK-Bristol | Colston Hall /w Hauschka
CONTACT: Thorsten Lütz - email@example.com
OFFICIAL WEBSITES: www.karaokekalk.de www.willsamson.co.uk
A1. Rusting Giants
A2. Empty Atoms
A3. Colliding With Oceans
B1. Sanctuary
B2. Rusting Giants - Ritornell Rerustle
B3. Colliding With Oceans - Benoît Pioulard Rework
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Various Artists - New German Ethnic Music-Immigrant's songs from Germany electronically reworked
International Electronic Folklore
In the 1970s the American composer Henry Flynt started a series of pieces under the title New American Ethnic Music. In so doing he worked together native styles of music such as blues, Country or Hillbilly with electronic production methods to make something altogether new. So far in Germany it has never been attempted to rework folklore electronically for a compilation. However, this picture changes if one redefines the idea of who the population is. Incomers have brought new national anthems to Germany, which means: even the Portuguese Fado, the African Gnawa, the Croatian Klapa or the Vietnamese Quan ho are these days at home in Germany.
With the cultural project Heimatlieder aus Deutschland (Native songs from Germany) founded by former Spex editor Mark Terkessidis and label manager Jochen Kühling all the various styles of traditional folk music now found in Germany has been collected. Thirteen of the songs recorded for the project have now been transformed by contemporary electronic producers to present a New German Ethnic Music. But why remixes? For one thing electronic music has recently focused a lot on the past (Ghost Music, Hypnagogic Pop etc.) - electronic editing is well suited to follow the effects of the immigrant music which the imaginary national anthems has created. Furthermore the project's instigators were curious how electronic musicians would handle folk music and folk songs which is a hugely difficult task. To this end artists were sought out who could get along with the idea of each music style and who are known to already have experimented with the human voice. The results are as varied as the music styles and Djs involved. Some melodies remain completely intact while others are abstracted beyond recognition.
Margaret Dygas' associative approach ensured that she presents a polish song about a girls arranged marriage with a claustrophobic feeling. With his remix of the Marrabenta of Mozambique Mark Ernestus has continued the rhythmic experiments he is known for with Jeri Jeri. Thomas Mahmoud translated Gnawa into dub and finally Ulrich Schnauss turned the song of the Italian Chorus of Donni So into a hymn for the horizon-expanding power of migration.
Hopefully this compilation will also expand some horizons.
A1. Spotkanie - Czemuzes mnie, matulenko
Margaret Dygas - Impulse Remix
A2. Donni Sò - La Pagliarella
Ulrich Schnauss Remix
B1. The Mahugang Back To The Roots- Moca cala te
Mark Ernestus Groove 26 Remix
B2. La Caravane du Maghreb - Saadi Belouali Jani
Thomas Mahmoud - Arab Disco Dub Remix
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Forgotten Birds - Sahara
When rambling the music scenes ever-changing geography of different bands, singular sounds and individual faces, we are always in need of someone who can shake us up and inspire us; someone like the Forgotten Birds.
Their music takes us along a track strewn with a conglomerate from good old times when girls braided flowers in their hair and swayed to tales sung of life and loves battles Country Folk.
Although reminiscent of earlier days, Jan Gazarra and Judy Willms would-be nostalgia is as substantial as a flashback of first love on an autumn evening in a Finnish sauna: passionate but familiar, and somehow outlandishly hot.
It was at an art-show (one of those where creativity is the last thing you want to be thinking about) that the two met.
Whether it was the red wine from plastic cups or the lukewarm canapés that drew them together, neither recalls. Maybe it was what each brought to the table: Jan had already done two solo records (Ladomat, Sunday-Service) and Judy had a voice so wonderful that legend quotes comparable only to a 15 year old whiskey drunk from a champagne glass.
Whatever it was,the resulting duo rapidly outshone whatever myths anyone could fabricate.
Soon, all that was missing was a record of their own. So they set out to Rocko Schamonis cabin at the Baltic Sea and recorded an album with Jörg Follert (Wechsel Garland,Wunder) in seven days.
And since general opinion says the pre-release phase is the time to open up and make a kind, outgoing impression on others, Judy and Jan decided to let Marcin Öz (bass-player, Whitest Boy Alive) join in on the fun.
Marcin asked the Birds to be their support act at Große Freiheit. Here, as at other concerts in overgrown back lots, local clubs and festivals, the response to the new Hamburg musician duo was wholehearted,unabashed elation.
The Forgotten Birds splash the neon grey of the everyday with psychedelic rainbow sunbeams. When the Birds play, knees go soft. Hearts break into squaredance on sticky bar-tables.
This is also thanks to their energetic live support along with Alexander Polzin (DIAL, Mirau), who also does electronic stuff, and Stephan Rath, who plays drums and things with the Goldene Zitronen, the enchanting Frenchwoman Hélène Gaudet gives the act that last, essential bit of magic.
The small flock of early listeners who already had the joy of hearing the album have since begun to smile uncontrollably, to feel compelled to burst into song at random moments or to hug anonymous street musicians out of pure high spirits.
1. Ballroom
2. Brooklyn Bridge
3. Silver River
4. Fools Rush In
5. She Goes
6. Rose Of Trallee
7. Small Things
8. Empty Dancefloor
9. The Aliceband
10. Windmills Of Your Mind
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The National Jazz Trio Of Scotland - Standards Vol. II
Following the release of The National Jazz Trio of Scotland's Christmas Album on Karaoke Kalk just last December, the Berlin label now presents the second album by acclaimed pianist Bill Wells' latest project The National Jazz Trio of Scotland; Standards Volume Two. While the previous record focused on seasonal classics, Standards Volume Two is comprised almost exclusively of Bill Wells original compositions.
Just for the record, The National Jazz Trio of Scotland dont play jazz, nor are they a trio. And while their status as national ambassadors is not exactly official, Bill Wells has however worked with many of the key players in the Scottish indie scene from the likes of Isobel Campbell and Future Pilot AKA to the magnificent collaboration with former Arab Strap vocalist Aidan Moffat Everythings Getting Older on Chemikal Underground recently. Indeed a host of Glasgow's finest have contributed to the new NJTOS album Standards Volume Two with Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub responsible for additional studio work and lending his voice to Winter Breaks And Back To Spring. Belle & Sebastian's Chris Geddes and Stevie Jackson also helped with recordings. Jackson of course was responsible for the stunning harmonica performances on Well's former ensemble, the Bill Wells Trio whose album Also In White on The Pastels Geographic imprint remains a seminal masterpiece.
Yet despite these impressive rock solid credentials and all the big names with whom Wells works, what sets the National Jazz Trio of Scotland apart is the vocal performances by Lorna Gilfedder, Aby Vulliamy and Kate Sugden. While these girls may not be professional singers their voices posses an honest quality which fits Well's compositions to a t. The sparse arrangements are understated yet outspoken while the lyrics tell of everyday moments few take the time to reflect on, with titles such as the opener We Grow Accustomed and This Is What You Could Have Won. The National Jazz Trio of Scotland's music is sublime in in the way it works on the soul especially after repeated listening. Seeing as Bill Well's has worked with everyone from Jim O'Rourke on the 2011 album Lemondale to avant-garde saxophonist Lol Coxhill his move to work with unknown singers on NJTOS lends a delightful freshness to the project. The songs walk a fine emotional line between melancholy and optimism, as demonstrated in the contrast between the songs Hillwalk and Chance. Though the majority of the songs on Standards Volume Two are written and composed entirely by Bill Wells, there are 2 covers including a version of the traditional Scottish folk song Mary of Argyle and a delightful cover of the Moondog tune My Tiny Butterfly with Gilfedder, Vulliamy and Sugden singing in a round to great effect. Singer Lorna Gilfedder also wrote lyrics to Snowed In, a song that from its title at least would not have been out of place on the ensembles previous record, the Christmas Album. Standards Volume Two draws Unexpectedly to a close with a lilting waltz.
Already his fifth album on Karaoke Kalk following the Christmas Album and including previous collaborations with Stefan Schneider aka Mapstation (the bassist from To Rococo Rot), Barbara Morgenstern and the Japanese improvised free-jazz ensemble Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Standards Volume Two marks another milestone release for the Glaswegian musician. And what with this being The National Jazz Trio of Scotland's second release in less than a year on Kalk, this is clearly a lasting ensemble with a lot to say. Here's looking forward to future volumes.
1 We Grow Accustomed
2 Never To Be
3 Winter Breaks And Back To Spring
4 Hillwalk
5 Chance
6 Miyuki
7 Just Found This Out
8 Snowed In
9 This Is What You Could Have Won
10 Mary Of Argyle
11 My Tiny Butterfly
12 Things We Got Up To
13 Unexpectedly
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TG Mauss - Dear Stranger,
Dear Stranger, is the fourth full length album by TG Mauss following his previous two long players Mechanical Eye and Gravity Will Keep Us All Together on the Belgian label Quatermass. The man from Düsseldorf also known as Torsten Mauss has been releasing records as TG Mauss since 2005 before which he put out several Eps under his early Twig moniker.
This truly incomparable album opens with the unexpected combination of vocoder and what sounds like nothing less than pagpipes on OMG. We miss out Monday but come up smiling on Tuesday, a song which fuses atmospheric pop, noise drones and arpeggiated synths. Welcome conveys elements of post-rock, not least of all in the distinctive drumming sound. Besides his TG Mauss solo endeavours Mauss also plays keyboards in the Sølyst project together with Thomas Klein, the drummer from Kreidler. Their project has recently released its second album on Hamburg label Bureau B and live shows have seen them play with Mouse On Mars at Berghain in Berlin and as far afield as St. Petersburg. This live drumming sound is also the driving force on Ghosts, a downbeat ballad slightly reminiscent of Tarwater in its delicate vocal style and percussive element.
The instrumental interlude Im A Child is a pleasant forray into experimentalism and despite the title, proves with the use of ambient drones TG Mauss has a very high level of musical maturity. Don't Argue picks up the tempo again and its clear from the meticulous electronic production and driving rhythm why Mauss was selected to remix the likes of Karaoke Kalk labelmates Roman and Hauschka among others. Of course TG Mauss's collaboration with Volker Bertelmann aka Hauschka goes back further than that: to their Tonetraeger project via which they have released several albums and movie soundtracks.
The title track of the album exchanges the electric guitar for an acoustic six string, giving the song Dear Stranger a distinctly folk feel; this gentlly meandering drift even features the delightful sound of a recorder. Sun King is of course not a cover of the Lennon-McCartney composition from Abbey Road, rather it bears that TG Mauss signature sound that is by now no stranger to the ear. The penultimate tune Dark is actually light in timbre and mood the meditative loop purveys an anthemic majesty. And Dear Stranger, draws to a modest close with Circle Lane, a delightful song rounded off with pizzicato plucked chords and some lovely lazy slide guitar.
Dear Stranger, is musically diverse enough to appeal to fans of electronica and post rock as well as singer-songwriting and folk-rock. The album revokes the old saying about not speaking to strangers; one listen to TG Mauss and you will want to get to know him better.
Includes a free download voucher of the CD album
2. Tuesday
3. Welcome
4. Ghosts
5. I'm A Child
6. Don't Argue
7. Dear Stranger
8. Sun King
9. Dark
10. Circle Line
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Ritornell - Aquarium Eyes
»Aquarium Eyes« is the second album by the Austrian duo, Ritornell. Their debut, »Golden Solitude«, was released in 2009 on Karaoke Kalk.
Acoustic and electronic sounds merge on»Aquarium Eyes«. Paying great attention to detail, Ritornell recorded at various locations (the studio of Patrick Pulsinger being one of them). The results are gently woven into their very own world of sound. Defamiliarized by subtle electronic manipulation, instruments such as piano, double bass, vibraphone, kalimba, and accordion develop a surprising life of their own, only to be consequently swallowed up by the hissing and buzzing of electronic devices.
Gleaming multi-layered electro-acoustic drones, isolated organic sounds, and sophisticated textures complete the intricate arrangements.
On »Aquarium Eyes«, Ritornell tackle the art of songwriting for the first time: Vienna based vocalist Mimu sings, whispers, and sighs golden threads through some of the fragile sound structures that Gerold and Eigner assembled with intuition. The duo also collaborated with vocal artist Didi Bruckmayer on the track »Tremble«.
»Music Box« is a conceptual piece: Under the direction of Richard Eigner, 20 people simultaneously turn the levers of their music boxes: Melodies of musical history blend into a sparkling confusion of sound.
With their interpretation of »In Every Dream Home A Heartache«, Ritornell finally present their very own version of a Roxy Music song, albeit with a twist: the guitars from the original have been replaced by a string trio.
During live performances, Richard Eigner and Roman Gerold present their music together with Mimu and Gerhard Daurer, occasionally supported by Bernd Klug on double bass and Meaghan Burke on cello.
Since the release of their debut album »Golden Solitude«, Richard Eigner and Roman Gerold have gained considerable attention through a number of collaborations with musicians, film makers, and writers:
They released the single »The Light« with Andreya Triana and the track »Three« with Sam Irl was selected by Kutmah to be featured on the compilation »Worldwide Family Vol. 2« (Brownswood). Richard Eigner played drums with Flying Lotus (Cosmogramma), Patrick Wolf (Magic Position), and Dimlite (Grimm Reality). Additionally, he provided remixes for Douglas Greed (Freude am Tanzen), Clara Moto (Infiné), and Abby Lee Tee.
In 2012, Ritornell, together with Mimu, Gerhard Daurer, and Jona Hoier, developed an audiovisual interpretation of Elfriede Jelineks play »Macht Nichts Eine kleine Triologie des Todes. The DVD, with a duration of two hours, was commissioned by Departure and is Ritornells first production in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound.
Invited by the festival Hörgerede, Ritornell worked with the Austrian writer Bodo Hell. The resulting text.ton.stück was performed in Graz in the autumn of 2012.
Ritornells long term collaboration with the noted experimental film maker Robert Seidel culminated in the joint endeavour »Erratic«, which premiered at the Vienna Independent Shorts Festival.
The graphic designer Katharina Hölzl realised the project »Ritornell for Musicbox«: perforated business cards in the form of long music box paper strips, which generate an individual tune when fed into the instrument.
Since 2012, Ritornell has been responsible for the sound design of the new version of Rainer Kohlbergers iPhone app »Rain«.
A1. The Morning Factory
A2. Urban Heartware
A3. In Every Dream Home A Heartache
A4. Aquarium Eyes
B1. Cherry Blossom
B2. Ono
B3. I've Stolen The Moon
B4. As We Swim Against The Tide
Limited edition, blue Vinyl
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Ritornell - Golden Solitude
Karaoke Kalk's head Thorsten Lütz first met young Austrian Richard Eigner back in 2006. That was in Melbourne during the Red Bull Music Academy. They got along with each other instantly and stayed in touch. So much the more Thorsten's looking forward to the release of the experimental musician on his very own label in february 2009. Eigner's »Golden Solitude« is a collaboration with pianist and fellow countryman Roman Gerold. Eigner and Gerold had already worked together on the music for the dance performance »Urgent Appetite« by Canadian choreographer Laura Kappel.
»Golden Solitude« ranges between cheerful dance tunes and highbrow audible music. Very playful, but yet respectful, Ritornell are exploring the aesthetical achievements of the 20th century and experiment casually with bits and pieces from pop culture. With lots of flair they mix acoustical elements with electronic sounds and create an album that, even after repeated listening, preserves its shimmering on the edge between pop and avant-garde. As to the technical polish of this fresh emulsion of sounds, the duo was assisted by Patrick Pulsinger. Eigner & Gerold's subtle tracks were employed in numerous movies. Thus, amongst others, the Canadian director Bruce LaBruce used the composition »Concrete Leaves« for his melancholic zombie flick »Otto; Or, Up With Dead People«.
Richard Eigner, born in Linz in 1983, works mainly as a composer and sound-artist, but he has also contributed as a drummer to various productions, such as Patrick Wolf's album »Magic Position«. In 2005 he won the Elektronikland award for experimental electronic music. Besides quite a few other musical projects he is managing his own label, Wald Entertainment.
Roman Gerold, an awardee himself and born the same year as Eigner, has been working as a pianist for various jazz bands in Austria between 1996 and 2003. In 2002 he began studying multimedia-art in Salzburg and changed to German philology in 2006. He's composing his music freelance for theatre and film.
Live Ritornell showcase their material as a electro-acoustic trio together with Gerhard Daurer. They focus on improvisation with a very reduced instrumental set up.
While Gerhard Daurer maxes out the possibilities of his specially devised gamepad-granular-synthesizer, Roman Gerold is adding subtle melodies and vivid drones as well as processing the live-inputs of the acoustic instruments.
Richard Eigner again provides the electronic improvisations with fine acoustic rhythms and textures, playing his ride-cymbal with the use of diverse utensils such as bass bows, sizzle-chains or a toilet brush.
»Golden Solitude« provides the listener with a modern and extremely human sound experience that unites passion and irony.
01. golden solitude pt.1
02. golden solitude pt.2
03. emere
04. catch & kiss
05. a fancy friendship (richard's rework)
06. disappearing city
07. naked
08. nina
09. interludium
10. concrete leaves
11. golden solitude (dimlite's superloner remix)
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Donna Regina - A Quite Week In The House
similar to the kind of books you have to reread on and on - for with
every reading you keep this uncertain feeling of having catched just
a tiny piece of the huge secret - similar to this kind of books you
wish to listen to a quiet week in the houseon and on. the singing of
regina janssens, sometimes just a whisper but always gentle recalling
memories of likeable ones like isabelle antena, you may took a fancy
to in your youth and the dainty, always modest and tender soundings
and melodies: nearly everything is brighten radiating a lovely
warmth. a quiet week in the house is narrating the musical history
of donna regina and about the pleasure donna regina has in telling
this story. they share with us views behind closed meanwhile maybe
just forgotten doors or open so far unknown ones. without being too
melancholic, always with a good sense for our here and now.
exactly this kind of openminded and timeless sensuality made us carry
a quiet week in the house always with us - in this little box, where
you keep all of your biggest treasures.
day by day
a quiet week in the house
shadow of your love
im walking alone
big bright star
devotional sleeper
blue echo
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National Jazz Trio Of Scotland - The National Jazz Trio Of Scotland's Christmas Album
Karaoke Kalk are proud to present:
the National Jazz Trio of Scotlands Christmas Album
featuring members of Francois & the Atlas Mountains, Golden Grrls, The One Ensemble.
Bill Wells - piano, keyboards and samples
Aby Vulliamy - vocals
Lorna Gilfedder - vocals
Kate Sugden - vocals
Gerard Black - vocals
Its a debut that isnt really a debut, by a Trio that isnt a trio; a Christmas album thats unlike almost any other Christmas albums, and very possibly jazz for people with an especially subtle and sophisticated concept of what jazz might be.
Yes the songs all look familiar, but its unlikely youve ever heard such a spooked version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, or The Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ) sounding so exquisitely bittersweet. Melodies are taken apart and rebuilt with the daring of Anita ODay or Sheila Jordan, and delicate, looping, sampled arrangements throw frosty new light on lyrics weve always taken for granted or perhaps never properly heard. When asked about the Christmas records he likes, Bill says there are one or two, but they arent relevant - I made this mainly because there are so many that I don't! When you think of the National Jazz Trio of Scotland, think Moondog plays Bacharach and youre pretty much there. Oh there is a Christmas album Bill loves, by the way Carla Bleys beautiful bruised blue Carlas Christmas Carols.
Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat recently won the inaugural Scottish Album of the Year Award for their collaborative album Everythings Getting Older, released on Chemikal Underground last year. You can hear pre-echoes of this particularly blue Christmas in Bill and Aidans brilliantly mournful cover of Bananaramas Cruel Summer (2011) and this years The Powers and the Glory of Love single a not-for-the-faint-hearted medley of Frankie Goes To Hollywoods The Power of Love, Jennifer Rushs hitherto unrelated song of the same name and just for added spice Pete Ceteras The Glory of Love.
The National Jazz Trio of Scotland is just one of many things Bill does when not making music with Aidan. Their actual debut was a track recorded with Chris Beans Geddes from Belle and Sebastian on vibes, Frozen Vaults, (you can find it on Boomkat), released as (drum roll) the National Jazz Trio of Scotland with Beans. Theres also an undistributed CDR - Standards Vol 1 -from a little while back but it was early days, and Bill says now they were just learning to play together, and it wasnt totally a serious thing - the character of the band hadn't really emerged at that point.
The seed of this Christmas record was sown back in 2010, when Alasdair Campbell asked Bill to curate a Black Xmas gig at the Tolbooth in Stirling - most of these arrangements were written for that event. The samples are of Bill playing guitar or bass, and Aby playing viola they were recorded by Bills longtime friend and collaborator Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) a while back. The beautiful artwork is by another old friend, Jad Fair who also did the sleeves for Lemondale and Standards Vol 1.
Heres Bill on the band:
Lorna Gilfedder I think it's interesting that her other musical activities have been in more straightforwardly 'indie' bands as drummer in Park Attack, guitarist in Golden Grrrls - but that neither of these showcase what a great all round singer she is. I truly think that she's capable of singing jazz standards as well as anyone I've heard.
Aby Vulliamy Aby also plays in The One Ensemble and used to play in Nalle, of course she was a big part of the sound of Everythings Getting Older as well. I just think she's one of the best musicians I ever worked with, she has that rare pairing of technique and emotion. She just has a very honest quality about anything she plays or sings and I think that comes across.
Kate Sugden: I first saw Kate play (drums) in a band called Johnny and the Entries, I mean who could resist? Again a very amazing voice, simultaneously conversational and musical.
Gerard Black ex-Findo Gask, currently in Francois & the Atlas Mountains, also has his own band Babe. Gerard is obviously very theatrical compared to the others but it really works for me as contrast and also in harmony with the others (thought to be honest you don't hear that on the record).
In the last few years, as well as the award-winning Everythings Getting Older, Bills made records in collaboration with Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Tape, Stefan Schneider (To Rococo Rot), and Stefan, Barbara Morgenstern and Annie Whitehead quite a few of which have been released by Karaoke Kalk. Last year, Double Six released Lemondale a labour of love (although all of Bills records are labours of love) which featured some of Bills favourite Japanese musicians including Tenniscoats, the extraordinary singer Kazumi Nikaido and Tetsuya Umeda who plays the electric fan.
Side 1
1 Oh Xmas Tree
2 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
3 Hark The Herald Angles Sing
4 Carol Of The Birds
5 Winter Wonderland
6 Jingle Bells
Side 2
7 I Saw Three Ships
8 Good King Wenceslas
9 The Christmas Song
10 In The Bleak Mid-Winter
11 Oh Come All Ye Faithful
12 We Three Kings
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Our 1st release on ALKOMERZ! Four track double A-side maxi single with a Remix from Riley Reinhold.
Jeans Team was founded by Franz Schütte and Reimo Herfort
1995 in Berlin.
Find out more?
Go to http://alkomerz.com
Label: Staatsakt
Distrubution: Rough Trade
Booking: powerline-agency.com
Booking Asia: Fake Music
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Will Samson - Balance
Just over one year after the release of his first vocal album Hello Friends, Goodbye Friends, 23 year old Will Samson presents a brand new album of his own personal fragile blend of experimental folk and ambient electronics.
However, with songs about a surreal overnight boat journey in South East Asia, paintings from a Dutch art gallery, to the simple love of a dear friend, Balance takes a confident step away from its predecessor in both feeling & sound.
The record began its life in Summer 2011, whilst Samson was living in a tiny bedroom in a shared apartment with 5 other people. One of whom was Joel Danell a wonderful musician from Sweden making music under the pseudonym of 'Musette'. When Joel moved back to Stockholm towards the end of the summer, he kindly left behind a collection of old cassettes, a Tascam 8-track and a cassette deck for tape mastering it was then that Will set to work on some new songs.
It didn't take long before I became totally absorbed with the magic of analogue recording and the mysteries to be discovered within these ancient cassette tapes. Numerous nights were spent working through to the early morning, playing quietly so as not to wake up my house mates. On Dusty Old Plane you can even hear the birds beginning to sing with the sunrise. Samson recalls.
Around September 2011 there were a few rough sketches of songs, but lack of equipment and recording knowledge had become a restriction. Around this time Will happened to receive an email from Florian Frenzel, expressing interest in helping to record some music. Shortly after, they casually met up at Florian's home and became better acquainted over a few cups of tea - soon realising that they shared a mutual obsession/love for the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind soundtrack, as well as many other musical (and non-musical) interests.
It was in Frenzel's home studio (containing a multitude of vintage equipment such as salvaged organs, analogue tape delays, beautiful old microphones, home-made equipment, and even a reel-to-reel from a former GDR radio) where they began recording new songs, editing earlier cassette demos, drinking more tea, exchanging music & childhood stories, watching Autumn slowly turn into Winter becoming great friends in the process.
By the beginning of Spring, the album was finally complete and handed over to their mutual friend, Nils Frahm, who lovingly mastered it at his Durton Studio in Berlin.
Floating in a gentle haze of melodies, soft white noise & intimate tape crackles, Balance manages to retain the spirit of the aged cassettes and equipment it was made with, whilst offering something altogether unique & new.
The recording process of this album was a joyous one, and it is my sincere hope that you may find some happiness within these songs too. Will Samson
05th October will see the release of Balance via Karaoke Kalk, followed by a European tour.
A1 Oceans Are Wilder
A2 Cathedrals
A3 Hunting Shadows
A4 Eat Sleep Travel, Repeat
B1 Painting A Horizon
B2 Music For Autumn
B3 Storms Above The Submarine
B4 Dusty Old Plane
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Le Rok - Lover & Friend
According to the motto my house is your house the new Kalk Pets 12inch of Hannovers finest House export Le Rok features the deep grooving track Lover & Friend alongside two remixes by Grinser and Chica Paula. The original mix is a soft burner that hugs you gentle with subtle melodies, touching vocal samples, and a deep absorbing bass line. Chica Paulas interpretation transforms the original into a dark magical nugget that leaves much space for the listeners own imagination while delivering slow-motion House deepness. The most up-tempo dancefloor oriented revision comes from Grinser. The resident DJ of Berlins Club der Visionäre transforms the original into a magic and funky House gem that is perfect for musical guidance during sunny days and long sweaty nights. Three versions under one groove that need no big speed to lift your spirits!
A1. Lover & Friend - Original
A2. Lover & Friend - Dark Lover Mix By Chica Paula
B1. Lover & Friend - Grinser feat. Random Willson Remix
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Le Rok - Hausarbeiten
le rok is from hanover, is in his everyday life called christoph döhne, and hausarbeiten is his musical debut. it is not easy to put a definite name to his music, as the twelve tracks on his album are all rather different. sometimes minimal, then again pop-like, sometimes even with a trace of rock;sometimes gloomy, then again cheerful;
twice with vocals and otherwise without. there is one thing all tracks have in common though: the beat is always prominent. this quality provides the album with continuity, forms a bracket to include its diverse parts and turns it into a unified whole.
with this compilation of tracks created between 1997 and today, le rok demonstrates how playful and cheerful music can sound. and this may be the reason why he has found his home on karaoke kalk, which has never been about the pursuit of one particular idea of music but about presenting music in its diversity and confusion.
A1. puppylove
A2. nach dem urlaub
A3. tuttifrutti
A4. little piece of luck
A5. topchic
A6. knack
B1. 93er
B2. glockesong
B3. tribute to miroslav
B4. pro player
B5. standing behind
B6. radiowecker
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Le Rok - Approx Twelve
Three years ago Karaoke Kalk released the debut by Le Rok, fittingly named Hausarbeiten, indoor works - a choice collection of home recorded tracks which may have been produced in the course of six long years but put together resulted in an album with varied themes but a close stylistic connection between tracks. Le Rok and his songs need and take their time. Now, three years later, enough new tracks have coalesced to come to life as Approx Twelve.
Every single track on the new album has an individual history starting out with the idea for a song in the classical sense of the word. Going on from this solid foundation Le Rok rather casually collects than produces the elements from which the tracks are put together like mosaics. This results in a specifically relaxed setting - which not necessarily means slow or quiet - while lots of little things cling themselves tightly around the spine that is the basic song. This method only works when the necessary time is taken for those small pieces to grow together into a whole. In the end everything is one unit comprising all the elements from the initial song to the final beat.
Although the tracks take shape as a construction of digital bits and cuts, the songs never lose themselves inside the technical devices from which they derive. Inbetween all the tight textures remains a slight sense of melancholy which is not hiding itself but needs to be found. All the while the beats may stay up front but they are not consuming what is definitely there to be listened to.
Le Rok is the project of Christoph Döhne from Hanover in northern Germany. And maybe this not exactly urban setting is the reason for a specially relaxed way of looking upon things and time and thus keeping a specific sense of otherness.
01. bonsoir 80n
02. colde end
03. cheeseball
01. weak textarea
02. frameset
03. director's cut
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Guido Möbius - Spirituals
Previously Guido Möbius has mostly given lyrics a wide berth. On his last album Gebirge Möbius strategy to avoid meaning and pathos altogether was the collaboration with Andreas Gogol with his wordless dada-song. And although Gogol's highly musical stuttering is also present on Spirituals, Möbius now goes the other way on his fourth album: this time he's allowing himself to indulge in meaning and pathos.
Spirituals unites crooked humour and dark premonition, apotheosis and kitsch. With each track Möbius highlights another aspect of spirituality, be it religious or another kind. Indeed, maybe one does come close to a feeling of transcendence through hypnotic rhythms. Maybe one can even achieve purification through noise or just take solace in singing spiritual songs. Möbius plays with the neo-pagan spirituality of Black Metal (all evil ways) as well as with egocentric rallying calls of soul music (the right thing). He evokes the spirits of the end of days (babylons falling) and harnesses the touching confidence of an amateur choir (though the darkness gathers). His pleasure in the unexpected is ever present in his music. Just as much as his preference for unusual sounds.
Six of the nine tracks on Spirituals use the texts from traditional gospels. Without knowing the originals Guido Möbius gave these lyrics new melodies and used them for his own purposes. This poaching on forbidden terrain was a special joy for Möbius the atheist. But in so doing its not about provocation or any shock tactics. Far more he has re appropriated something that is already firmly anchored in the collective consciousness. The citation alone suffices to expose principles of guilt, angst and humility. Spiritual music can be defined either as humorous, oppressive or double-sided even if it is unintentionally so. But gospels are also good when you want to enter a fully authentic emotional state with no trace of irony. They are sympathetic and when sung in a collective, a source of genuine spirituality.
Following two albums of predominantly chamber music, Möbius finally approached bass and bass drum driven music with Gebirge. And the Berlin based musician with his roots in the Rheinland also uses the instrumentation of modern dance music on Spirituals. Although stylistically he still can't be pigeon holed. On godhead appears he combines fevered percussion with Kiki Bohemias elegant singing and Andi Otto's cello playing. On babylons falling we hear layers, stacked like geological sediment and streaked through with a restless pulse. The rhythmic saws and squeaking sound on all evil ways combine with the morbid groove. Then there's judgment with its dry funkiness and blessed sleep with cutting guitar layers and noises of all kinds. The echo effect on the reign of sin lets loose whispers from ghostly voices. While most of the sounds on all around me come from the automatic tuner on an everyday portable radio.
This album has a light and a dark side. A fact that is most conspicuous in the LP format. The hopeful A-side with all around me to godhead appears could be understood under the motto redemption, whereas the B-side is more dedicated to damnation.
Guido Möbius works as a PR agent and runs the music publisher autopilot. On his 7 label emphase records he releases records at irregular intervals which are always recorded using only one instrument. Early 2012 the split LP asper 2 featuring re-edited concert recordings by Guido Möbius and Centenaire + King Q4 came out on dokidoki / clapping music & guilty by association. Spirituals is Guido Möbius' fourth studio album.
KIKI BOHEMIA (lead and backing vocals on 1 and 4)
GO:GOL (beatboxing on 2, lead vocals on 6 and 7)
WUZI KHAN (lead vocals on 3)
JAN THOBEN (hihat on 1, cymbals and pots on 4)
ANDI OTTO (cello on 4)
CHRISTINE JOKERST, SINA KANTOWSKI, SABINE SCHUHKNECHT-KANTOWSKI, UTE MARKGRAF, THE MARBLE MAN, RALF SCHINDOFSKI (choir on 9)
LORENA ATRAKZY (backing vocals on 8)
JANA PLEWA (backing vocals on 8)
DÖRTE BADOCK (backing vocals on 6)
ALMEIRA, BO, DAVID, LUCILIA & TESS (kids voices on 2)
LP Tracklist
A1 All around me
A2 Judgment
A3 The right thing
A4 Godhead appears
A5 Though the darkness gathers
B1 Babylon's falling
B2 The reign of sin
B3 All evil ways
B4 Blessed sleep
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de la Mancha - The End* Of Music
*What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.
The End of Music is the second full length album by Swedish group de la Mancha. At the core of the band are two childhood friends Jerker Lund and Dag Rosenqvist who founded the project back in 2003. A shared admiration for groups like Red House Painters, Sigur Rós, Led Zeppelin and My Bloody Valentine set out a general direction for the duo. And the band has stayed true to this tradition of leftfield pop-rock as The End of Music demonstrates most perfectly.
The album dives in at the deep end with a a brief intro, Golden Bells, which flows seemlessly into the straight up rocking number, Ursa Minor. Under A Leaden Sky is an epic orchestral ballad with strong dynamics. Again de la Mancha whose first release was an EP on Crying Bob Records in 2005, show their tremendous musical versatility on Hidden Mountains which quickly melts into a symphonic drone midway before tightening the reigns again at the very end, returning to the main refrain of the song.
There is no other word for Willow Lane than heart breaking. A stripped down arrangement of piano, vocals and organ make for an impact as powerful as any rock number. Equally fragile in its beauty is the sombre composition Erase. The song also relies for the most part on a very sparse instrumentation, but puts this to great effect.
Of course, the name de la Mancha is originally borrowed from Cervantes novel El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha, perhaps better known as Don Quixote. But unlike the Spanish legend, de la Mancha are well aware of where they are going; they have a clear destination, as the penultimate number At Lands End proves. Clocking in at over 9 minutes, its the longest track on the album and marks our arrival at Til Gupu, a fitting close to The End of Music.
As with the bands first full-length album Atlas (Crying Bob Records, 2008), The End of Music is an album full of contrast and beauty. Each track has a clear identity and both the song-writing process as well as the production have been meticulously executes by Lund and Rosenqvist.
In addition to de la Mancha, Dag also keeps busy with his side project Jasper TX. Since his debut album back in 2005, Dag has been released albums on labels such as Miasmah (NO), Kning Disk (SE) and SMTG Limited (US). Over the years he has also collaborated with artists such as Machinefabriek, Mike Weis (from Zelienople) and Simon Scott (ex Slowdive) and in addition to that hes done remixes for artists from a wide variety of genres. But its his collaboration with Jerker Lund in the form of de la Mancha that is the focus of 2012.
De la Mancha's new album is a highly charged emotional record. The band is clearly at ease embracing the moody turbulence that other artists and genres try to avoid at all costs. There is a resolute depth and profound truth to all the songs on The End of Music; each contains a level of authenticity and honesty seldom found in pop these days. The album title itself bears something of an apocalyptic tone. But let's hope we haven't heard the last from de la Mancha.
Includes a free download voucher for the CD album with one extra track
A1 Golden Bells
A2 Ursa Minor
A3 Under A Leaden Sky
A4 Hidden Mountains
A5 Willow Lane
B1 Erase
B2 What If Going Back Meant Coming Home?
B3 For Family
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Emanuele Errante - Time Elapsing Handheld
Time Elapsing Handheld is the third full length album by Italian experimental musician and sound-artist Emanuele Errante. His debut album Migrations came out in 2007 on Canadian label Apengenine to great acclaim. Along with Hauschka, Peter Broderick and the Books, Errante remixed his Karaoke Kalk label-mates Dakota Suite for their album The Night Just Keeps Coming In. Now with his latest work Time Elapsing Handheld he releases another long-playing record of astonishing majesty on Karaoke Kalk.
This stunning album kicks off with the appropriately titled opening track Leaving To Nowhere, and from the word go the listener is captivated by the many layers Errante's delicately interwoven sound-scapes. What's fascinating about Emanuele Errante's work is the way he combines acoustic sounds and electronic production methods to great effect. Like on Made To Give which was written in collaboration with English sound-artist Simon Scott who was formerly in Slowdive, now one member of Seavault on morr music (with A Ryan from ISAN) has also worked with Brian Eno, Machinefabriek, Jasper TX and Nils Frahm among others. Errante walks a fine line between an organic, analogue timbre on one hand and the modern digital world on the other. While the guitar, piano and harp all play a great role on Time Elapsing Handheld, its never too long before these instantly recognizable acoustic tones become engulfed by synthesized strings, sampled noise or digital effects.
Time Elapsing Handheld is accessible on a level that vocal based pop/rock can never be. And that is the wonderful thing about this kind of ambient music; it draws on our attention in a completely different way from traditional song-based music. Rather than constantly demanding close listening and cramming the compositions with obvious landmarks in order to grab one's attention, ambient seeps into the psyche effortlessly - almost against the will. In this way it is perhaps the most subversive music around as it is still taken in when one thinks one is not really listening; even as background music ambient sounds such as Errante's have a tremendous impact. In this way Time Elapsing Handheld plays with our preconceived perception of music and temporality allowing us a refreshingly positive new outlook. As Emanuele puts it: Time is a relative concept. The recording of a song makes infinite the moment of its execution. But man has not yet succeeded in inventing a device that can accelerate the passing of time. This strong metaphysical concept behind the album is illustrated beautifully in Valentina Russo's stunning cover artwork. And with one amazing video for Dorian's Mirror already finished by director Mélanie Skriabine plus Errante currently collaborating with Italian experimental theater group Acchiappastorie, there is no lack of visual stimulus to accompany the recordings contained on Time Elapsing Handheld.
Time Elapsing Handheld will appeal to anyone interested in serious new music and might be especially interesting for fans of artists such as Arvo Part, Marsen Jules or Deaf Center. This is definitely ideal music for contemplation while listening from the comfortable solitude of headphones. The calm and tranquil atmospheres that Emanuele Errante evokes lend themselves perfectly to sitting back and letting the music sweep you along on a sonic journey.
Includes a free download voucher for the CD album with two extra tracks
A1 Leaving The Nowhere
A2 Made To Give
A3 Counterclockwise
B1 Inner
B2 Dorian's Mirror
B3 Memoirs
01. Egostasy
02. Hidden Sun
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Stereonucleose / Alloy Alloy - split EP
12 split with Alloy Alloy and Stereonucleose,
track list:
a1: alloy alloy - all night
a2: alloy alloy - wheels
b1: stereonucleose - polly in the skyline
b2: stereonucleose - hamstersamba
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Stereonucleose / Alloy Alloy - split EP
12 split with Alloy Alloy and Stereonucleose,
track list:
a1: alloy alloy - all night
a2: alloy alloy - wheels
b1: stereonucleose - polly in the skyline
b2: stereonucleose - hamstersamba
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Tolouse Low Trax - Jeidem Fall
The man in the crowd is a wonderer with relaxed habits. In him the course of things and movement of the city is reproduced. The Düsseldorfer Detlef Weinrich is such a man in the crows. Some one who is constantly listening to future winds through rushes of the past. He loves the night for its free will. And his music tells stories about it. You might know him as a member of the band Kreidler. As a solo artist he goes under the name Tolouse Low Trax. And he's already got three Eps and two albums under his belt. His first solo album Mask Talk thrives on a feathery beat frequency and cool new-wave-strength. His recently released piece Corridor Plateau, which appeared as a limited edition to accompany the exhibition Corridor Plateau contains percussive electronics and Industrial sounding like its from the second industrial revolution. His third album Jeidem Fall, is also not from here. It sounds like music brought down to earth from the heavens. But its a dark cosmos in which there are only fleeting glimpses of light. All eight tracks were composed in a short space of time over the period of just a few months and fit together perfectly atmospherically. With a musical expressiveness that undoubtedly twists your emotions, Jeidem Fall attacks the subconscious and clouds the mind. The drums have more movement that on Mask Talk. Along with the constant tapping of drumsticks goes melodical arpeggios dancing dark and dirty. At times longing vocals drift abstractly through the room, as on Sa Seline or Geo Scan, without telling any obvious story.
To sound like stylistic cross references from the present and past is all just speculation for nothing on Jeidem Fall really sounds like anything that has gone before. You could compare the dark minimal timbre of the drum computer aesthetic with Craig Leon's first reductive album Nommos. There is also a hint of the minimallist industrial of the Spanish band Esplendor Geometrico in the bubbly textures. But Tolouse Low Trax is still looking from the present into the future and filter and filters all his personal preferences through his MPC and his small synth setup to make them come alive here and now in a new way. Again Tolouse Low Trax has created a truly mysteriously vibrating drum computer music which offers hypnotic magic for the shadowy dance floor. Only a little light should illuminate the whole thing and the bodies that move above them should have no fear from threatening percussion which are displaced into a misty trance. A dark swaying shadowy mass, ideal for a journey at the end of the night and all those non-places where longing sleeps and the last romantics dance while getting drunk.
Tracklist LP
A1. Geo Scan
A2. Jeidem Fall
A3. Sa Eline
B1. Sussing
B2. Barka
B3. Conpearl Walker
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J.R.Plankton - Neon
For the latest release on Karaoke Kalk the Berlin label introduces us to another exciting new artist. J.R.Plankton is a collaborative project by Jens Strüver and Robert Ohm.
Strüver also manages the M=minimal label which has been responsible for releases by people such as the late great Krautrock legend Conrad Schnitzler. With his Project Borngräber & Strüver (Transkontinental, Freispiell) he released in 2011 the Album Urlaub and also a collaboration with Schnitzler titled Con-Struct, not to forget his Kreuzberg- release. His first collaboration with studionerd and multi-instrumentalist Robert Ohm was an hour lasting radioplay-soundcollage about the legendary composer Moondog, repeatedly broadcasted on german radio nationwide.
Now their own pure musical work on Neon is nothing less than a tour de force.
From the word go, the album sets an incredibly high standard. The french titled Musique Electronique is without a doubt a nod to the founding fathers of German electronic music, Kraftwerk. The highly charged electro style laid down in this opening track sets the pace for what follows over the remaining 37 minutes of the album.
Clocking in at a massive 8 minute City Jungle is equally epic in length. Musically the track changes down a gear though entering a more atmospheric world of ambient oscillations and arpeggiated synth sounds, while the tune moves towards a more driving industrial feel towards the end.
Sundance kicks in with a throbbing slap bass part, soon to be followed by wah-wahed guitars, all of which make for a surprise disco-funk track on this otherwise electro orientated album. This is clearly a feel good track and is sure to have any room jumping in seconds.
The penultimate track Nakamura starts as another downbeat foray into ambient but again builds to reach a powerful minimal crescendo. The track makes powerful use of textures to paint a sonic landscape which is a world unto itself. And this superb album draws to a close with Regen (trans. Rain), which is another masterpiece of arpeggio action. The tune teasingly implies that it might kick off at any moment, but the beat remains absent, creating instead a hypnotic tension.
Neon has all the elements one might wish for from a modern electronic record. The experimental nature of some of the more protracted interludes should appeal to fans of Kraut and electronica: these moments are ideal for losing oneself in the trance inducing intimacy of ones headphones. While at the same time there's plenty on the album to interest all you Djs out there who would do well to drop some of the more uptempo tracks on Neon. Debut albums dont come any stronger than this and one can only hope there will be a chance to hear more from J.R.Plankton before long.
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Tolouse Low Trax - Mask Talk
For ages nighttime was said to be the time of ghosts and spirits. Creatures of the night were believed to gain special powers between midnight and dawn. In latin this shrouded in mystery lapse of time was called intempesta - time without time.
Detlef Weinrich, alias Toulouse Low Trax, too, seems to have lingered in the irrational universe of frozen continuity quite frequently within the last two years. Everyone who drifts to the sound of his first solo album Mask Talk will soon sense the musical intensity boding a different dancefloor.
Cool, atmospheric new-wave-sharpness, and a cushioned beat rate between 107 and 116 bpm call out a mechanical functionality that doesn't bow to any contemporary doctrine. Mask Talk: urban music, club album. Big city lights in Africa. Chilly neon-sounds made in Dusseldorf.
As a member of Kreidler, Weinrich just recently participated in the trio's newly found cosmic vibes, as well as in their album Mosaik 2014. Now, with his solo project, he is demonstrating that a MPC and a small synthesizer-ensemble are enough to bring alive futuristic dance music in the here and now.
Bedroom-recorded under tense creative circumstances, the ten tracks invoke, mostly instrumentally, an eerie atmosphere that would fit in perfectly with an early John Carpenter movie. The tracks' volume sounds as if a whole band had been at work in Weinrichs own four walls. With plenty delay on the bass figures, compact analogue effects, percussive dabs and a rough blend of layers, Weinrich has, without any digital support, created quivering drum machine music, whose dancability he was able to test regularly as a resident DJ and co-owner of the Dusseldof-based club/ bar Salon Des Amateurs. His new tracks breathe the hypnotic power of his DJ sets, where he arranges diverse rhythms between krautrock, cosmic, electronic and acid. They also remind of analogue-electronical pioneers such as Cluster or Peter Baumann. Also 1980s avant-gardists Cabaret Voltaire or Zazou Bikaye have left their mark, without Toulouse Low Trax explicitely referring to them.
All tracks are committed to experiment. They leave room for every sound without neglecting rhythmical clarity. A dark, urban solanum, full of reverb, whose melodies are never prankish, but whose minimal nonchalance is sure to help not only the dark creatures through the night. Form is essence brought to the surface Victor Hugo wrote 150 years ago. Mask Talk is reasserting this theory as a destillate of an operating procedure seeking to subvert ingrained listening habits and to resharpen the contours of the audible. Electronic music beyond any categorisation, whose sounds and rhythmics grow to an emotional atmosphere that far exceeds the immediately hearable.
01. Vai Vai
02. Mask Talk
03. Kingdom
01. Subghosts
02. Aseko On (vinyl only)
03. Prox
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Wechsel Garland - dreams become things
300g tight cartonage sleeve
300g color printed inner sleeve
140g Vinyl
+ free mp3 download voucher (additional 2 tracks)
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Roman - The Asthmatic Kingdom EP
Following the release of his recent eponymously titled full length album on Karaoke Kalk last year the Berlin based imprint's dancefloor orientated sublabel Kalk Pets now brings you Roman's latest remix EP, The Asthmatic Kingdom.
The record kicks off with the Brandt Brauer Frick reinterpretation of Goodbye Bunny. A fitting point of departure for the 12 as the ensemble's Paul Frick was himself the subject of the last single on Kalk Pets. This is a cutup jazzy number with all the elements one might expect from the accoustic-techno trio.
The cement holding together the triptych of tracks on The Asthmatic Kingdom is provided by Chica Paula's super emo remix of Traffic. Known as half of Chica & The Folder together with Max Loderbauer on Monika Enterprise or in her own right as a DJ and producer, Paula's use of pitched and sampled vocals makes for a moody transitory track, ideal for crossovers.
And this fine EP come to a close with another exclusive 12mix of Traffic. Roman's original lyrics hold the focus on this version making for a more pop climax to this powerful EP.
Once again Kalk Pets have delivered a prime cut in the form of The Asthmatic Kingdom EP.
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DeWalta - Hide And Seek
DeWalta aka David Koch from Berlin is an extraordinary musician. Koch runs his own label Meander with two friends and first of all studied classical jazz before he discovered electronic dance music to be his personal calling. Since then he has been experimenting and researching in this ever-changing field, either on his own or together with our musicians and producers resident in Berlin such as Aquatic, Audio Werner and Pier Bucci. In collaboration with Aquatic he released his debut EP Nebelhorn on Kalk Pets in 2007.
DeWalta's music is a wide-ranging mix of multi-cultural, pumped up sounds and selected influences from Detroit techno. David has his own very unique style of programming beats that make you move. Besides his work as a producer DeWalta is also well known as a DJ, and his danceable electronic songs are much loved especially in Berlin.
A DeWalta track was included on Berlin's much loved Watergate club's 2008 compilation CD Watergate 01. As well as two releases last year on 'Meander', he recently also put out a 12' on the Berlin label Vakant. But his year of hot productions isn't over yet. At the end of October the next 3 track composition by DeWalta is coming out on Kalk Pets (Vol. 16). It's sure to be another fresh dance interlude ideal for the grey autumn and with warm greetings from the capital!
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Daniel Meteo - Memento
Jack of All Trades...
Daniel Meteo released his debut Album Peruments in 2006 on his own Meteosound/Shitkatapult imprint. Now he is presenting with Memento a Clubversion of his musical world on Berlin Label Kalk Pets. The actual Hype for well trained, cleaned up and straight functional Minimal Techno does not seem to touch Mr Meteo, who prefers to take an extra ride around the block to have a 2nd look into deepness and other musical horizons and music-music. So Memento offers a Tech House ep combined with a big love to ideas, motive, harmonies and sound very euphoric on the floor.
Daniel Meteo runs his own little Booking Agency Flow.er and runs the Label Family Random Noize Musick (Shitkatapult,. Musick, Meteosound) together with Marco Haas aka T.Raumschmiere and Lorian Schmieg. As DJ he travels the world and produced with Tom Thiel as Bus two long players and several 12 on Pole´s ~scape label, aswell as remixes for artists like The Orb, Apparat, Masha Qrella or Dntel.
Side A
A1 into something
A2 pure I
A3 gone
Side B
B1 memento
B2 any reason will do
B3 beautiful (making music w/u)
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Bluff - Eminenzen 1
The deep house / minimal project Bluff puts its hands on 2 experimental lectures. The result is neverending deep sound structures with a dancefloor appeal and subfrequently pumping bassline.
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Daniel Meteo - Jack's Daniel Remixe
daniel jack of all trades meteo is back on track at kalk pets.
pure i, memento, beautiful from his previous kalk pets 12 memento
get sharpen up for dj and dancefloor needs.
detroit based tadd mullinix (aka dabrye) delivers an outstanding jack mix under his techno/acid alias james t cotton. pure acid and shifting beats for the best of sick. as james t cotton he
released his 2nd album now in february on spectral.
on the flip side two resident kalk acts complete the thrill. hanno leichtmann
aka static aka vulva string quartet in a classic 4 to the floor style and junction sm (sonja moonear and chilen dandy jack) showcase their talent of futuresque floor music, broken tech house at its best.
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DeWalta & Aquatic - Nebelhorn EP
It was quite a time, almost 20 years ago, when David Koch (aka. DeWalta) and Frithjof Meissner first met on that corn field under the sunny sky of a tiny little village, somewhere near sweet Heidelberg/Germany.
Back then David started to study acustical intruments, mostly wind instruments. Sessions, bands and different projects led him to further studies and finally to the profession of jazz. Meanwhile Frithjof early began to devellop a curiosity for collecting music, besides his classical string playing.
Besides Davids musical education, he started his own musical research, including issues like composing, phrasing, sounddesign and production-techniques wich brought him finally to his music-lab and studio in berlin.
Since the two guys are enjoying to live together in Berlin, they spent some years racking theyr brains over the phenomenon of electronic dance music.
The first 12 result can be listened to on the Nebelhorn EP released on the german Karaoke Kalk sub-label KalkPets.
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Antonelli - Ride On Black Train EP
With his second Kalk Pets release Antonelli refines his sound for another couple of revolutions more and such, in the 10th year of his making music, proves once again that the congenial one-man-band is up to continually amaze us over and over again.
Speaking of continuity: one's tempted to construe ride on black train as an invitation and to cheer the hypnotically rolling-rolling-rolling train to pleeeeeease go on and on and on. A bass drum, as tasty as manna but with a slightly dry note to it. Melody-miniatures that you'd wanna spread your bread rolls with thick as thick can. Sounds and soundies to regain your faith - and yeeeeeeaaaaaaah, harmonies!
Meanwhile the track romps through the eight-minute-mark and you wouldn't mind another some stops but then again everything has to end and this spirit-thing, oscillating between alarming and conciliable, makes you quite weak in the knees after all anyway.
So in turn the curious skeleton humbly contains itself and certainly doesn't try to challenge the reverse side's almighty train. And why should it? With its gentle bass drum and the elastic bits of melodies the endearing skeleton stands for itself, tatting with a gentle stoicism and spinning around in osseous circles - a perfect soundtrack for the Augsburger Puppenkiste.
The sleeptrack again should be above all understood as a finger exercise - not least due to its brevity. And considering its curious, feverishly swelling undertone you wouldn't necessarily want the latter to rise and shine...it's flickering, it's pulsing, it's driven - but relax: before it gets uncomfortable it's already over.
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Andrès Garcìa - Ballad EP
Andrès Garcia grew up in Spain and was, like so many artists are, introduced to the miraculous world of music by his grandfather. With guitar, flute and percussion he started to explore his future passion for sound and tones. His creativity and his joy with trying out new things increased with the discovery of synthesizers and computers.
Living in Switzerland since the 80ies, he's now producing electronic tracks for various projects. His diverse sound skills lend themselves perfectly to the resilient dancefloor. In addition to that his music has been variously used as a soundtrack for the theatrical stage.
Andrès is releasing an EP on Kalk Pets featuring three different versions of his track Ballad. Now if you're associating melancholy and a thousand tears with that title, you'll be taught better by the track itself. For this particular ballad is full of positive energies and sings anything but the blues.
Uwe Señor Coconut Schmidt aka Atom polishes the Ballad-track with additional beats and insightful words and turns it into a real Disco-Pop wingding: This Song is not about sex / it's about music / because music is better than pussy. The minds are shaking. He has proved his sense for slant humour already before on his album Liedgut.
Another potential hit is the Remix by John Keys & Los Updates. Los Updates being Jorge Gonzales, who has contributed the vocals. Having played in a popular band called Los Prisoneros, he is a celebrated popstar in South America, and, amongst other things, has been participating as a singer in the last album by Sieg über die Sonne. A finely lascivious party-mix. John Keys aka Dandy Jack & Andrès Garcia are responsible for the musical part. File under Powerpop and Emotronic.
Playful sounds keeping the stroke of a ping-pong game and sure to keep your body high-spirited.
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I Got Through EP - Paul Frick
Paul Frick is back with another massive EP on Kalk Pets. I Got Through is his third release for the Berlin producer on the vinyl sublabel of Karaoke Kalk and with it Frick has delivered another quality record.
The 3 track EP kicks off with title tune I Got Through which is a prime slice of jazzy house. Divine house beats and jazzy synth licks are interspersed with a spoken word monologue by Crawford, which succeeds in giving it that personal touch. The pace picks up on B-side opener Shoot & Roll, a funky tune with disco leanings. And this fine EP winds to a close with Into The Void, which is appropriately more down tempo and so provides the perfect closing number for the 12-inch.
The I Got Through EP has something for every moment: chilled house to warm up, prime time disco grooves and even a down tempo track to close with. Recently hyperactive with Brandt Brauer Frick, Paul Frick proves his versatility with a freshly inspired and directly bumping record. It is another proud addition to the Kalk Pets catalogue.
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Wardrobe Memories - The Lodge
Wardrobe Memories has released experimental cinematic ambient since 1999. Now after more than 6 years the recent album changes the rules with shimmering rhythms and suspense-cinematography for alien children.
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Bluff - 2x1
The deep house / minimal project Bluff puts its hands on 2 experimental lectures. The result is neverending deep sound structures with a dancefloor appeal and subfrequently pumping bassline.
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Wechsel Garland - Liberation Von History
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... - Wunder
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Wechsel Garland - easy
With 'Easy', Weschel Garland (aka Jorg Follert) has somehow captured that transcendent moment when a summer afternoon drifts lazily into a summer's evening; taking with it the salty remnants of the day and introducing the intoxication of night. Opening with an outwardly mournful guitar, first track 'Walker' is a smear of acoustic beauty; with Follert tenderly detailing the glow of companionship where, alongside a fragile whisper from Natalie Beridze and snatches of clunking percussion, it soon blooms into the kind of song which marries a slight but emotionally bold vocal to undulating instrumentation. The result? Beautiful. Elsewhere, 'White Circle' coaxes sunny dub into a string lashed partnership with Ennio Morricone-esque compositions, 'ABC to Be' is a tenebrous crease of incremental acoustic splendour, whilst the electronica undercarriage of 'Be, Baby (The Sea)' juxtaposes perfectly with the synth choirs and piano-etched vocals.
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Channel In Channel Out - The Author And The Narrator
Channel in Channel out is the musical project of Marcus Cotten and The Author and The Narrator marks his debut release on Karaoke Kalk. True to his name, Cotten is like an interface picking up as much inspiration as possible from his environment and sending the energy back out into the world in an entirely new form. ChInChOut fuses so many styles in his songs that it really is hard to know just what is going on between the input and the output that is his creative process. His art is like some alchemical spell, fusing genres as diverse as good old fashioned singer-songwriting with moments of experimental electronica.
The man from Americas west-coast bastion of all things indie Portland, Oregon sheds some light on the voyeuristic nature of his observations with song titles like Calculate The Surveillance. At times Channel In Channel Out's music verges on the psychedelic, but not matter how far-out the compositions become, they remain songs at heart. The song-writing has something of the throw-away sketch like approach of Guided By Voices. But there is clearly a profound message concealed within each of these songs, and although one might have to delve deep through many layers of figurative disguise to work it out, this is part of the enjoyment: much more than mere songs the tracks are like a kind of emotional riddle. While the tunes generally defy comparison, Cotten's voice has a somewhat familiar quality to it. With slightly nasal overtones Cotten's vocal style is at times reminiscent of Ade Blackburn from Clinic, for instance on the lamenting song A Modulating Perception.
Then out of nowhere, there are moments of loopy ambient bliss on The Author and The Narrator such as the instrumental Affirmation Confirmation. Cotten obviously knows that sometimes its good to let the music do the talking; actions speak louder than words. This ambient interlude quickly gives way to the almost bluesy acoustic guitar riff of the penultimate tune Drop by drop ill measure it myself. Almost bluesy because the piece begins and ends in the an analogue bubble-bath that could easily have been recorded by Delia Derbyshire.
Although there really is no direct genre for the music collectively gathered in this project there is an emphasis on forward thinking, creating with no boundaries, and hosting different sound and visual experiments throughout the journey of this project. Channel in Channel out's music definitely has a vibe to it that is driven by the atmospheres of scenery and nature as well being driven by the wonders and puzzles of every day life.
The overall goal of the project channel in channel out is to bring the music to life through Film, Art and Photography more of which can be viewed on the ChInChOut homepage. The spirit of the musical compositions are elaborated on more through these other mediums. In this way Marcus Cotten gives you the full scope of what the music is trying to convey. Channel in Channel Out was started in 2006. The delightful thing about Channel in Channel out is his seeming willingness to accept contradictions rather than stand in opposition to them. The Author and The Narrator is constantly full of surprises. One really never quite knows what to expect, other that a thoroughly delightful album and enjoyable listening experience that is. Lets hope Marcus Cotten's in and out channels continue to stay open for a long time to come.
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Dakota Suite - The Hearts Of Empty
When I was making the record that became 'the end of trying' I had originally intended for it to be a double CD, the reason was that whilst I was recording the music, the mournful hymnal like austerity of the piano and cello, I also heard a more stripped back jazz based piano record and a series of more driven pulses and arrangements. I asked David if he would write me songs to compliment what I was doing which were more loose and free-form, essentially to make a modern jazz record as envisaged through Dakota Suite glasses (can you imagine such a thing??!?). So David took some of David Darling's pizzicato strings from the original recording sessions and wrote these sparse late night hymns of his own.
What you hear is David (Buxton) making music for me, playing the piano beautifully, recorded over two late nights and given to me. David is a genius, he knows how my heart sings (played by Bill Evans, obviously) and responded with these fourteen gifts. I knew immediately on hearing them that they needed to be heard on their own and without any distractions. Thanks Buko.
Chris Hooson, January 2011
Following the release of The End of Trying on Karaoke Kalk in 2008 and 2009's The Night Just Keeps Coming In, Dakota Suite are back with a new album of equally mesmerizing beauty. The band are led by Chris Hooson and completed by David Buxton and previously also Richard Formby. They released their first album in 1998 and The Hearts of Empty marks the significant milestone of being the bands 10th full length studio album.
All the compositions on The Hearts of Empty are performed by David Buxton with a perfectly sparse instrumentation. This sublimely minimal combination of piano, double-bass and percussive brushes make for a truly captivating sound. David really exhibits a mastery both in the concise nature of the arrangements as well as in their precise delivery. Every note sounds as if it is played with directed emotion, carefully placed and skillfully executed. This tremendous simplicity is reflected in the reductionism of Dakota Suite's album covers where they stick to the basic yet effective format of an evocative back and white photograph.
Of course it's a cliché from the Jazz scene, its the notes you don't play... but the grain of truth within this generalization certainly goes for Dakota Suite. Their music is at times sombre, meditative and withdrawn, but never is it forced or over-cluttered. Every melodic and rhythmic change seems to flow entirely naturally with the result that the music creates a wonderfully relaxed listening environment.
Indeed jazz has a strong musical influence on the style of the songs; most noticeable in the lilting piano refrain of Eskimo Nebula and the impeccable rim-shot and brushes drum work on Vermont Canyon Road for instance. And while this rich organic acoustic timbre pervades the entire album, there are a few exceptions such as the scientifically titled interlude M-Theory and the entrancing ambient tune The Ladder which see a brief excursion into the more digital world of experimental electronics through the use of synths and looping. Always the energy of the recordings conveys a well defined mood, such as on title track The Hearts of Empty which is reserved and yet uplifting at the same time.
Although Dakota Suite may be inspired by jazz music and draw on the influence of this colossal art form, they have taken it in an entirely different direction altogether with The Hearts of Empty. As far as Dakota Suite have a really original take on jazz it's fair to say they exceeded the goal described in Chris' statement of making modern jazz record as envisaged through Dakota Suite glasses This is exactly what they have achieved. The Hearts of Empty goes way beyond the traditional concept of a jazz trio foraying into fields such as new music, experimental and neo-classical and well as into completely uncharted territory altogether.
Although these compositions were conceived as an accompanying double CD to go along with the recordings with Grammy award winning cellist David Darling that appeared as The End of Trying, they work so well as an album in their own right. Every one of the pieces on The Hearts of Empty is of the utmost highest order.
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Static - Freedom Of Noise
Static is Berlin based musician and producer Hanno Leichtman. Besides his work as a member of the trio Groupshow along with Jan Jelinek and Andrew Pekler, and Denseland with David Moss and Hannes Strobl, Static is his main solo project. Following the release of the last album re:talking about memories on City Centre Offices in 2006 Leichtmann wanted the follow-up Static album to be something entirely different. The question was how to go about this?
While searching for an answer Leichtmann kept busy with his many other projects. He released an ambient album, Nuit Du Plomb, also on Karaoke Kalk, another album under the Forest Jackson moniker on the Austrian label Mosz Records and toured the world with Groupshow and as part of the Pole live band, all the time working on new Static material but never quite satisfied. Then, during a festival for improvised music in Berlin, he struck upon the idea of working with free improvising musicians, but to deploy them in a pop context. Leichtmann was already well acquainted with many of the musicians he wanted to record with from his days in the scene so it was easy to get the ball rolling.
The main collaborators for the production of Freedom of Noise were harpist Clare Cooper, the trumpet player Axel Dörner and the saxophonist Tobias Delius. In this way Leichtmann was able to perfectly combine Static's loop based methodology with the additional expressive possibilities of having all those great musicians involved. So Static was able to move freely between arrangements and improvised passages.
In addition to the three principle collaborators named above Leichtmann also brought the following players on board to enrich the compositions: Nicholas Bussmann on cello, Zoe Irvine on electronics, Magda Mayas on organ, David Moss on voice, Andrea Neumann on inside piano, Gert-Jan Prins on analogue devices, Maura Rougieux on background vocals, Clayton Thomas on double bass, Kassian Troyer on table guitar and Sabine Vogel on flutes. All these musicians help to bring the vibrancy of a full live band to the album to make for a richly detailed tapestry of sound. On top of all these talented instrumentalists Leichtmann invited the vocalists Falko Teichmann from Berlin and Yanira Castro from Madrid to sing on a number of tunes, adding to the pop element of the album.
The result of Static recruiting such a diverse host of other musicians is striking. And true to the album title the recordings exude a great sense of freedom, as if the tracks were by no means forced, sounding instead as though they have have been allowed to fall into place entirely naturally and to develop into the most comfortable structure quite organically. Musically the record is extremely multifaceted ranging from moments of eclectic pop, to experimental periods of neo-folk ambient and cut-up electronica. No doubt Leichtmann has succeeded in his goal of creating a new direction for Static. Freedom of Noise is a refreshing and adventurous musical journey.
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Vibe Tribe Soundsystem - Vibe Tribe Soundsystem
first german dancehall album.
first german dancehall dub excursion versions.
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