The album was described by Sea of Tranquility webzine as being "one of the most anticipated comeback albums of the year" and stylistically compared to Fates Warning's A Pleasant Shade of Gray
in that "it is a long-form composition divided into eight movements,
plus a short intro track. These movements, or sequences as they are
named in the booklet, are all parts of a huge 63-minute song, linked
through various key themes and motifs."[1]
Sieges Even broke up after Uneven but returned in 2005 with The Art of Navigating by the Stars,
their most sophisticated and progressive album to date, and with a new
singer in Arno Menses, the best they’ve had. The music is less busy than
before, with only a few vestiges of their metal past remaining. It adds
some Yes influence and places a lot of emphasis on melody and vocals,
both lead and harmony. Sieges Even doesn’t have a keyboardist, but the
band gets a very full, rich sound from varying guitar tones. These long
tracks are actually movements of one 64-minute composition.
Track listing
"Navigating by the Stars" − 0:29
"The Weight" − 10:14
"The Lonely Views of Condors" − 6:14
"Unbreakable" − 9:00
"Stigmata" − 8:22
"Blue Wide Open" − 5:13
"To the Ones Who Have Failed" − 7:26
"Lighthouse" − 7:42
"Styx" − 8:55
"Al-Azif"
is the second work of Capricorni Pneumatici. Released on tape in 1987,
the album was recorded in an underground location containing a group of
vitrified cement tanks that created an extremely deep reverberation and
amplification of sounds. The tanks were very large, some with a capacity
of 500/800 quintals, others smaller. They had openings both above
ground level and below the ground at depths of 5/6 meters. Thus, the
sound had a very unique and impressive flow.
Among various instruments, Capricorni Pneumatici used sheets of metal,
hammers, PVC pipes, air compressors, corrugated tubes, etc. The
recordings were made with a Teac hi-fi tape deck and two Akai
microphones suspended at different heights inside the tanks, directly
connected to the tape deck. All recordings were made directly on the
two-track recorder during the performance, without any digital or
analogue intervention, and no overdubbing after recording.
The first seven tracks included in this reissue are the originals from
the Al-Azif tape published in 1987, while the last four are part of the
same recording session in June 1986, but were not included in the C45
for various reasons, mainly space constraints.
The Al-Azif tape had significant circulation (by the
standards of the underground at that time), especially among
enthusiasts of esotericism. Up to Ix Tab the tapes, in addition to being
sold by the ADN label in Marco Veronesi's famous watchmaker's backroom,
were also sold by an esoteric bookstore in Milan, circulating several
hundred copies—an uncommon occurrence for such self-productions.
After the reissue of "Nibbas" (Eighth Tower Records, 2022), Al-Azif
brings to light another jewel in the discography of Capricorni
Pneumatici, one of the flagship projects of Italian industrial/esoteric
underground in the 80s, alongside Ain Soph, Sigillum S, Rosemary’s Baby,
LAShTAL, Thee Three Rings, and other representatives of this realm of
sonic occultism.
Raffaele Pezzella
credits
released March 21, 2024
FreeForm thanks Raffaele Pezzella for providing us with a copy of this release.
This Is Darkness
Al-Azif is the second album from Capricorni Pneumatici. Originally
released on tape in 1987, this has now been released on the Eighth Tower
Records label to make it available to a wider audience. This is an
album of deep, dark industrial ambient with an incredibly unique sound
resulting from the fact that the album was recorded underground in
location containing a number of large cement tanks. Fans of industrial /
post-industrial ambient should definitely check out this classic album
now that it has been re-issued. Wonderful stuff!
With
the album 'Between Planes, the American project Vyormouth continues its
auditory journey through the liminal spaces of both the physical and
psychic realms. Similar to the previous album 'Liminal Places,' in this
case, it presents three tracks, each lasting an hour. This format
contributes to amplifying the sense of spatiotemporal alienation
characteristic of its sonic world. Whether exploring desolate and fenced
cities, abandoned refueling stations, empty and surreal rooms,
submerged and deserted villages, Vyormouth's post-human scenarios delve
into the mental and Ballardian space that emerges and manifests in these
"planes". Our ear and, consequently, our brain wander in search of
coordinates and footholds that cannot be found in Vyormouth's sound,
whose monotonous and desolate frequencies prevent us from establishing a
psycho-spatial anchoring. It's music of stillness, observation, and the
absence of a sense in perception.
credits
released March 14, 2024
FreeForm thanks Raffaele Pezzella for providing us with a copy of this release.
This Is Darkness
Zero K continues to release dark ambient / experimental albums of the
highest quality, and Between Planes by Vyormouth is no different –
providing an “auditory journey through the liminal spaces of both the
physical and psychic realms”. With 3 tracks, each an hour in length,
this album is perfect for losing yourself in as the slow pulsing drones,
and monotonous and desolate frequencies take us far away from our
surroundings and ourselves. Absolutely remarkable!
Polish progressive rock continues to be a force, and so much of it is top tier. Amarok is back with a new album called Hope, which releases on April 5th. It continues the trend of excellent Polish releases.
Amarok have been around for quite some time now, since 1999, though
with a lengthy hiatus in the middle. Still, their output over the last 8
years has been remarkable. The current lineup includes Michał Wojtas
on vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion, and e-drum; Kornel Popławski
on bass, violin, cello, and vocals; Marta Wojtas on backing vocals,
gong, and percussion; and Konrad Zieliński on drums and vocals.
Amarok has some of the typical traits of Polish prog. You’ll hear
the throbbing bass front and center, the darker atmospheres, and the
emotional guitar solos. They don’t end up sounding like everyone else,
though, because of how pure and innocent and crystal-clear their sound
is. Part of that has to do with Michał’s fantastic vocal performance,
but it’s also in the way their music uses space, layers, and percussion
effectively and distinctly.
You can hear this on all their albums. I’m most acquainted with 2004’s Metanoia and onwards, especially 2017’s amazing Hunt and 2021’s earworm Hero. Hope is most like Hero,
I would say, as the band continues to find their own niche and their
own style. This album, I would say, has a little more edge than older
ones, more guitar and more riffs. But it still has that ensemble and
almost mystical feeling to it, as well, and the band’s signature
eccentricity.
The album features Michał on vocals, but you will also hear Kornel
and Konrad on lead vocals on one track, respectively. The album puts
both of those tracks smack dab in the middle, which I find a fitting and
interesting structure. Both halves seem pretty equal to me, with each
half having some towering highlights. I will say, though, that this
album is a grower—it took several listens to grab me.
I absolutely adore the opener “Hope Is”; I love the voiceover and
spacey vibes and the synth melodies. Such a great song. “Stay Human”
is a quirky, rhythmic, circular sort of tune that can feel repetitive,
but when I understood what they were trying to do, I began to like it.
“Insomnia” is one the most razor-edged songs I think the band as made;
it has plenty of emotion and all that, but the last half is like a
driving force of anxious guitars. “Trail” follows and is a favorite—I
like how it marches along with electronica, hovering vocals, and
Oldfield-style guitar work, and then the second half brings a wave of
heaviness that is not typical for the band. Sounds great!
The next two tracks offer a detour in vocals. Konrad ends the first
half with “Welcome”, a piece that is casual and beautiful—I love the
drumming. Kornel begins the second half with “Queen”, a quirky and
colorful piece that slowly burns its way into multiple layers of stylish
violin, floating vocals, and leering rhythms. Such a cool song. Of
course, the instrumental “Perfect Run” comes next and is absolutely
astonishing; it is well-named with how it drives and flows perfectly.
It is such a satisfying piece.
The last three songs are good ones. I like “Don’t Surrender” for its
emotional lyrics and guitar work. “Simple Pleasures” is a reserved
song that is mostly vocals and some guitar; it might take the wind out
of the album’s sails somewhat, but it is beautiful, nonetheless.
Finally, “Dolina” is a textured, short closer which I love; it is
gorgeous and Michał emotes so well on it, and in Polish. I do feel like
the last three tracks being mostly reserved hurts the album overall,
but that is just a track order issue.
Amarok hasn’t made a weak album, and this one has all the beauty and
variety I have come to expect from them. Michał’s vocals are strong
once again, as is his guitar work, but the whole band puts in a
performance that will stay with me. And for an album called Hope, it certainly does leave you feeling uplifted and confident.
Amarok is the thirteenth studio album by English multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Mike Oldfield, released in May 1990 by Virgin Records. Oldfield originally conceived it as an "angry protest album", showcasing his musical technique.[2] It is presented as a single sixty-minute track of continuous, uninterrupted but constantly changing music.
In July 1989 Oldfield released Earth Moving, his twelfth album for Virgin Records.
By this time, his relationship with the label had become increasingly
fraught as a result of disagreements over his contract, royalties, and
the lack of effort in promoting his albums. Earth Moving was an
album whereby he "listened to Virgin totally" in regards to its musical
direction, which became a success in continental Europe, but received a
disappointing reaction in England, for which Oldfield received "some
flak" from Virgin over the matter.[3]
Oldfield was now required to deliver two more albums as part of his
Virgin contract and in the summer of 1989, he started on one with the
aim of pleasing his fans while annoying Virgin executives. Oldfield
deemed Amarok his "personal revenge" for Virgin's lack of support.[4]
The idea for Amarok originated in August 1989, when
Oldfield recorded a session for broadcast on BBC Radio 1 that included a
7-minute excerpt of his debut album Tubular Bells (1973) performed by himself. Oldfield had fun in the process, which inspired him to make Amarok in such a way.[3]
When Oldfield started to write and arrange "Amarok", he ignored the
pressures of delivering commercial material for Virgin and instead "let
it all come out without any interference [...] I felt I was getting
ideas from somewhere inside me, and six months later I had a whole
album."[3]
He decided upon an album that contained one 60-minute piece which,
unlike his previous long tracks, was not split into sections. Such a
format would create difficulty for Virgin to market or promote with
radio airplay. He avoided letting a theme become something that Virgin
might have identified suitable for a single, and developed ideas by
"imagining sound, not picture".[3]
Oldfield's contract with Virgin expired on 1 January 1991.[5]
Tone Science sub-label, from DiN records, continues to explore the world of modular synth music.
Following the success and critical acclaim of the first eight Tone
Science compilation albums, DiN label boss Ian Boddy has collated
another nine tracks from musicians of varying backgrounds working in the
realms of modular synthesis.
As the Tone Science journey continues it never ceases to amaze just how
varied and individualistic each musicians work can be. Whilst the
hardware is technologically based each artist teases out a reflection of
their own musical personality.
This volume kicks off with two pointillistic compositions from Loula
Yorke and State Azure with intertwining sequencer patterns flowing and
coiling around to create ever changing soundscapes.
After this energetic start the next pair of tracks from Theda Electronic
Music and Swansither enter calmer, ambient territory where careful
sculpting of synthesiser voices creates room for expression and
atmosphere.
The mid-point of the album sees Sulk Rooms take us into darker territory
with a drone based piece that slowly climbs from the undergrowth like
some great creature arising from its slumber.
The next three tracks from Tomorrow The Cure, JacqNoise and Alex Ball
are rhythmically based and showcase just how different the feel and
energy of music made with modular synths can be with pure tones, deep
bass and transient blips respectively.
Finally Michael J. York leads us gently into the distance with a
beautiful, shimmering cocoon of blissful sound to close out the album.
“Tone Science Module No.9 Theories and Conjectures” continues the
journey down the rabbit hole of possibilities and sound worlds inhabited
by artists and musicians working in this ever fascinating and varied
musical field.
credits
releases April 19, 2024
1) Loula Yorke - Eala - 7:44
If you’ve come to save me, you’re wasting your time. Your freedom is bound up with mine.
loulayorke.com
2) State Azure - Scanner - 8:23
The lone traveller glides through the void, the scanner revealing
secrets in the darkness. Guided by stars, they explore the cosmic sea,
uncovering its mysteries.
youtube.com/@stateazure
3) Theda Electronic Music - Per-Bast - 7:24
An exercise in semi-aleatoric machine/human collaboration, using various
constrained semi-random elements to control pitch, timbre and timing,
further elements added by myself to accentuate the most pleasing moments
that the synthesizers brought up.
soundcloud.com/theda-electronic-music
4) Swanswither - Muad’Dib - 7:04
5 a.m on a rooftop in Marrakech. The mysterious ebb and flow of several
competing mosques calling to prayer. Recreated with my Make Noise Shared
System.
swansither.bandcamp.com
5) Sulk Rooms - Grasping The Eye Of The Duck - 6:43
A piece of music that came from sheer chance jamming with my Bass VI
guitar and Strega. I love venturing more and more into sludge territory
these days with pulsing atmospherics.
instagram.com/thomasragsmusic
6) Tomorrow The Cure - Minimum - 6:18
Based around a 4-note melody using one VCO and a self-oscillating VCF.
Performed and recorded entirely in Eurorack, all sounds are AJH Synth
modules with modular FX.
tomorrowthecure.bandcamp.com
7) JacqNoise - Lono - 5:51
In the realm of sounds, errors can manifest as dissonance. The noises
introduce characters like embodied structures and sequences. Lono is the
Hawaiian God of Music and Peace. May his spirit be alive in the sounds,
providing a base of peace we so all need in the world today.
jacqnoise.cargo.site
8) Alex Ball - Adaption - 6:23
Polyrhythmic synthesizer sequences dancing in spring reverb, tape echo
and modern glitches with soft analogue percussion and gentle voices in
support.
alexballmusic.com
9) Michael J. York - And They Shall Have Stars - 6:20
This vignette was created quite spontaneously one clear night under the
gaze of Glastonbury Tor using a Fenix II, a Moog and a reverb pedal.
thewitchingtale.bandcamp.com
Classical rock is an often maligned
genre, when done well it can bring new dimension to time-worn classics,
done badly and it can fail to enhance the originals.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have
always done it better than most, and in recent times they’ve
orchestrated Queen and Fleetwood Mac and – even further back – the music
of Pink Floyd and – where it all started – Deep Purple in 1969. I
suppose it all comes down to the arrangements and the interpretation.
Having well known rock musicians as
“soloists” (and in one example the original artist) stops any
over-egging or extravagance and a core rhythm section including the
Cottle brothers – Laurence and Richard – at least keeps the foundations
rocking. They are particularly impressive on ‘Watcher Of The Skies’ and
it’s perhaps a little surprising that Steve Hackett is conspicuous by
his absence.
Amongst the guests, Ian Bairnson stands
in for David Gilmour on ‘Comfortably Numb’ whilst one-time mediaeval
rocker Richard Harvey (Gryphon) excels on ‘Thick As A Brick’.
The heaviest almost big band diversion is King Crimson’s ‘21st
Century Schizoid Man’ which features Gavin Harrison and the fusion
guitar of Guthrie Govan. Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith is featured on
Rush’s ‘Red Barchetta’.
Elsewhere, as you might expect, this is a
production job of widescreen proportions, especially evidenced on
‘Think Of Me With Kindness’ the lesser-known Gentle Giant song (from
‘Octopus’ in 1972) that now comes across as Vaughan Williams mixed with
Big Country (the movie theme not the band). Yes’ ‘Roundabout’
(featuring the late Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards) sounds like it could
have been a Bond theme. Of course this treatment may not appeal to all
tastes but it is very well done.
Hopefully this will be the start of a
series (there’s also a “More Symphonic Rock” album released in May
although not on the same label). It demonstrates that in amongst prog
rock there was always a damn good classical musician trying to get out,
and an even more durable tune. ****
The First Tuesday of every month we spotlight a classic progressive rock album from the 1970s in the first half of the show.
This week we are featuring Emerson, Lake, & Palmer's classic 1971 release: Tarkus
Tarkus is the second studio album by English progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released on 14 June 1971 on Island Records.
Following their debut tour across Europe during the second half of
1970, the group paused touring commitments in January 1971 to record a
new album at Advision Studios in London. Greg Lake produced the album with Eddy Offord as engineer.
Side one features the 20-minute conceptual title track written by keyboardist Keith Emerson,
the opening of which created friction between Lake and himself that
almost split the group, but Lake agreed to pursue it and contributed
musical ideas for it and wrote the lyrics. Side two features a
collection of unrelated tracks of different styles. The artwork was
designed by William Neal.
Tarkus went to number one on the UK Albums Chart,
becoming the only album by the band to do so. It was a top 10 album
worldwide, including the US, where it peaked at number 9. The album
reached gold certification in the UK and US, the latter for 500,000
copies sold. It has been reissued and remastered several times,
including a new stereo and 5.1 surround sound edition by Steven Wilson, with bonus and previously unreleased tracks from the original sessions, released in 2012.
You will be hearing the 2012 Steven Wilson stereo mix tonight.
So pleased to announce that next to give us their interpretation of
quiet details is the supremely talented multi-instrumentalist, Andy
Cartwright, here as his widely-loved alias, Seabuckthorn.
Exploring
all manner of experimental techniques and genres, Seabuckthorn has a
string of wonderful releases, on top-tier labels such as LAAPS/IIKKI,
Eilean Rec, Fluid Audio, Lost Tribe Sound and more. This, combined
with regular international live shows and music for film, art shows and
other media, makes him stand out as one of the most intriguing and
forward-thinking artists of recent years.
With ‘this warm, this late’ he’s taken all this experience and deep understanding of music to create something truly stunning. Working
with double bassist and trombonist Phil Cassel, he’s crafted an album
that stands unique in the quiet details series - extended guitar
techniques and incredible melodic intuition leading to twelve tracks
that traverse emotions in the most beautiful way.
The playing is
virtuosic while retaining so much soul and feeling it’s both a
breathtaking and hypnotic listen - delicate tones mix with sounds that
are pushed to the edge of gorgeous harmonic distortion, guitars mixed
with Andy’s ukulele, banjo, clarinet and field recordings - affected and
processed into what could well be felt as transcendental experience. Phil’s
double bass and brass complements it perfectly - two musicians clearly
in lock-step with each other - responding and improvising sections to
become something that’s far more than the sum of its parts. Deep
drones and distant, hard to recognise shadows appear and dissolve as we
move through the album - the first time I heard this I was immediately
in love - hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
The artwork was made
as always influenced by the music and idea behind the album - this time
originating from a picture Andy sent over, which was then captured with
analogue photography and processed here at quiet details studios. I
dearly love this one - a wonderful juxtaposition to some of our other
releases.
A very special album in every regard - huge thanks to Seabuckthorn for everything.
As usual, the album is presented on the physical edition, a custom 6-panel digipack with a separate fine art print too. The CD also has a special long-form continuous mix of the album, representing the music in its purest form.
Recorded and mixed at Studio Kaktus, Jawa Barat, Indonesia 2024
Produced and mastered by Pete Swinton 2024
Photo by Yani Vandenbranden on Unsplash
Tinting and graphic design by Pete Swinton
Copyright 2024 Pete Swinton
All Rights Reserved Pete Swinton 2024
Pete Swinton is a half Hungarian, half Polish man born in London, UK in 1961. Since 2015 he has lived in Jawa, Indonesia. He
began
playing guitar in the '70s. He started playing keyboards in the 2000s.
He makes Ambient and Experimental music. And a cross between the 2 which
he calls Insanbient music. He likes cats and motorbikes.
FreeForm Radio thanks Raffaele Pezzella, The Tapes, Puppy Bordigo, and Low Communication for providing us with copies of their releases for tonight's program.
Alrune Rod is probably one of the most important
Danish rock bands from the psychedelic era, and along with STEPPEULVENE,
generally considered the epitome of Danish psychedelic rock and the
Danish counterculture movement of the1960s and 1970s in general.
Alrune
Rod, colloquially referred to as 'Alrunen', were formed in 1968 by Leif
Roden and are considered to be the pioneers in Danish psychedelic and
artistically oriented rock music, along with acts like BURNIN' RED
IVANHOE , STEPPEULVENE, CULPEPPER'S ORCHARD, BLUE SUN and ACHE. Alrune
Rod debuted with the single 'Tæl Aldrig I Morgen Med' in 1968 and the
full length studio album 'Alrunes Rod' in 1969, followed by the highly
acclaimed 'Hej Du' in 1970 and 'Alrune Rock' in 1971, which was released
in a Danish language version and an English language version. The
remaining three albums 'Spredt For Vinden' from 1972, '4-vejs' from
1974, and 'Tatuba Tapes' from 1975 are generally considered sub par
compared to their earlier releases. Nonetheless, 'Tatuba Tapes' is
notable for being recorded live in the studio.
Their musical
style is often described as a hybrid between THE GRATEFUL DEAD and early
PINK FLOYD. They initially composed fairly long songs, typically of 10
to 13 minutes of length which blended the heaviness of the blues rock
with the complexity of art rock, some of their compositions bordering on
bein symphonic. 'Hej Du' is considered their masterpiece with
compositions like hard rocking 'Du Taler Og Siger' and the almost
twenty-two minutes long 'Perlesøen'. While their early efforts are
characterized by a relatively dark atmosphere, their post-'Hej Du'
albums contain shorter, livelier and more accessible tunes, which
nonetheless retain several progressive elements. Lyrically, Alrune Rod
dealt with complex topics like the human psyche as well as society and
politics but were not above addressing more trivial topics like love and
rock 'n' roll rebellion.
While not having released any studio
album since the mid 1970s, Alrune Rod still occasionally perform live
shows at typically packed and sold out venues.
From the artist:
"I draw inspiration for my music mainly from my life. These are the
moments that I have experienced, felt and which allowed me not to lose
heart, but to live on. Each track is a presentation of a diverse stream
of my thoughts. Some of them are metaphorical and some are real. For
example, I don't like "Ignorance", so I made this track as gloomy as
possible, but the track "Just Another Day" is already a more major
version, it gives hope for what will happen tomorrow. Also everyone can
interpret the composition "Rainbow Swing" as they want, although it has a
syncopation that is inherent in jazz music, but it can also be a swing
on which children have fun."
"To write music, I use only Ableton for arrangement, vst plugins, midi
keyboard and Studio One for mixing. Very rarely, when I have a clear
vision of my future work, I usually sit down, open a certain digital
synthesizer and start turning the knobs until an interesting sound
appears, then I start from there and try to create a full-fledged
composition. Most of all, I like strings, for them I use vst's k1 and
halion. Also, most of the tracks are recorded using FM8 and Novation
V-Station, Jup-8, Mini, CS-80 (the last three are from Arturia)."
credits
released March 18, 2024
All music written and composed by Bohdan Linchevskiy, aka Low Communication.
Cover with original painting by Marina Harkavenko.
Something new with my friends Marco, Daniel and Wilfired. A kind of continuity of the previous album.
After almost ten months, we finally found our way to be again active in
the music world. This new album as the previous one, is a sort of
reflection about life out of the grid, and some other ideas.
Thanks Marco, Wlifried, Daniel and Scarlett for joining this adventure.
Also thanks to our friends and family, and everyone involved.
credits
released November 3, 2023
All music by Puppy Bordiga, except tracks 3, 6 and 7 as indicated on the tracks.
Puppy Bordiga: Guitars, Keyboards, Samples.
Marco Lucchi: Keyboards
Daniel Fumega: Guitar, Samples
Wilfried Hanrath & I, Eternal: Band
Scarlett Chapman: Muted Voice on tracks 1 and 6
Mixed and Mastered at Enterprise Sounds Lab, B.A., Argentina
Image by Tiny Catskill Cabin on FB.
The
project "The Tapes" by Giancarlo Drago developed over a span of 10
years, between 1982 and 1992, before being revived in 2016 in Genoa,
Italy. In 1982, Drago was 16 years old and recorded his first tape using
toy instruments and creating loops with cassettes, influenced by
industrial and new wave music. During that time, a friend gave him a
self-built analogue echo unit that produced an incredible background
noise, which would become a hallmark of many compositions, along with
the radio that Drago constantly used as a sound source in the years to
come. Later, Drago incorporated analogue instruments such as the Korg
MS-20, the Roland SH-101, a Roland TR-707 drum machine, and the Casio
SK-1, which introduced him to sampling (which he would extensively use
in his future productions), along with a Tascam 4-track for recording.
Chance and error as a form of art are recurring themes in The Tapes'
work. "The screeching of a car outside, my mother passing by, while I'm
recording, and talking to me. I manipulate the sounds and keep
everything." (author's quote)
The production of The Tapes during the 1980s was extensive, even though
only a few things were actually published. One tape for Technological
Feeling of F:A.R. in Savona, a tape for
Minus Habens by Ivan Iusco, a track on the vinyl "Amen 8" by the Amen
collective in Milan, and other tracks on compilations associated with
fanzines of the time.
In the final years of the decade, Giancarlo's brother, Roberto, joined
The Tapes project, merging his artistic identity with Giancarlo's.
Compositions from 1989 onwards were recorded on an 8-track reel-to-reel
recorder and using a "real" sampler. The best production from that
period came together on the tape "Il tempio," revised and corrected over
time, and reissued by Luce Sia in 2017 with the title "Time Out of
Joint."
"A Touch of Despair" dates back to 1986. It was recorded live on a
standard 2-track cassette recorder, using a 4-channel Fostex mixer, the
infamous echo unit, a Korg MS-20, and toy instruments like a plastic
trumpet. It is undoubtedly the darkest and most industrial work in The
Tapes' production. The cover features a photo of what the musician saw
from his bedroom window (where he recorded): the rooftops of industrial
factories, with a distant steel mill emitting smoke. Immersed in the
music and industrial culture of the time (Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret
Voltaire, W.S. Burroughs, J.G. Ballard, W. Gibson, B. Sterling, P.K.
Dick), "A Touch of Despair" represents one of the brightest examples of
the Italian "tape culture" of the 1980s, as well as a significant
testament to creating music that defies the passage of time by
experimenting with extremely limited technical means and relying on
passion, motivation, and creativity. Reissued on CD in collaboration
between the Unexplained Sounds Group and Luce Sia, with mastering by
Raffaele Pezzella, the cd features three additional unreleased tracks
from the same period when the tracks of "A Touch of Despair" were
composed, providing valuable material for enthusiasts of the genre.
The two lengthy tracks of "A Touch of Despair" were recorded nearly
forty years ago, yet they have a contemporary feeling as if they were
produced yesterday. The music of The Tapes serves as an ideal soundtrack
for my darkest and most solitary nocturnal reflections.
Raffaele Pezzella
Vitaly Weekly
The music uses a primitive setup of a four-channel mixer, a self-built
analogue echo unit, a Korg MS20 and toy instruments, all going into a
two-track tape. Perhaps a limited setup but with some excellent results,
efficiently meeting with the best of that time. This could be an early
example of what we later would call ambient industrial.
www.vitalweekly.net/number-1425
This is Darkness
A Touch of Despair was recorded in 1986, on a standard 2-track cassette
recorder, using a 4-channel Fostex mixer (the infamous “echo unit”), a
Korg MS-20, and toy instruments. The album has now been remastered and
re-released, and is well worth checking out – the music may be almost 40
years old, but it sounds as fresh and exciting as anything being
released today, with it’s analogue tones and strange other-worldliness
creating a haunting listening experience that is deep and multi-layered
and dream-like in nature. Absolutely stunning!
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This week I am also hosting the Rural Electric (Mostly) Country show from 7-9 pm, this week featuring Kacey Musgraves' new release: Deeper Well. Spotify playlist here.
Find playlists for my shows on Spotify by searching "FreeForm Radio".
Progressive Art Rock luminaries The Pineapple Thief return with new album ‘It Leads To This’ out February 9th on Kscope.
The Pineapple Thief revel in opposing forces. Muscle and fragility.
Chaos and precision. Distorted introspection and warm, dreamlike
expanse. Conceived in 1999 by Bruce Soord, the progressive quartet
underwent a rebirth in 2017 with the arrival of Gavin Harrison (King
Crimson, Porcupine Tree) on drums. Completed by bassist Jon Sykes and
keyboardist Steve Kitch, they’ve honed a lean yet lush, quietly timeless
sound that soars on It Leads To This.
The Pineapple Thief had the following to say regarding the new single:
“We worked on these new songs for nearly 3 years. It was the most
intense time I can remember within The Pineapple Thief. Personally I
was being pushed well beyond my known limits, which is great from an
artistic perspective but also very very challenging from a personal
perspective.
Bruce continues:
Conceptually ‘It Leads To This’ continues my desire to observe
and (try to) make sense of life and the world around me. It’s all there
in the lyrics.
The initial concept for the songs came together very quickly but
the final lyrical and musical elements took a huge amount of work to
piece together between the four of us, at least to a point where we were
all satisfied. After so long in the business, being ‘satisfied’ is
constantly being pushed further, constantly redefined. That’s the thing,
we just kept pushing…”
To coincide with their formidable return, the band reveal a
beautifully shot, compelling video for the first chapter of ‘It Leads To
This’ in the form of ‘The Frost’. The video for the new single shot by
Jeremy George brings the vibrant landscape of Iceland to life in the
post-apocalyptic world pictured on the cover.
It all feeds into It Leads To This. Comprising eight
fat-free epics – all about five minutes long, mixing rock urgency with
delicate atmospherics, pensive keys and captivating melodies – it finds
Soord looking back and fearing for the world his children will inherit.
His lyrics also drew from literature: accounts of Ancient Rome, John
Williams’ classic Stoner and epistolary Augustus. All
conveyed through Soord’s fragile yet penetrative tenor, nodding to
storytellers like Nick Drake, Thom Yorke and Katatonia’s Jonas Renkse.
In a way, that’s The Pineapple Thief all over. Idiosyncratic but
relatable. Devastating and life-affirming, in the same breath. Not
married to a single genre, just melody served by tones and textures.
Music that only the four of them could make.
It Leads To This will be available in a multitude of formats that are as follows:
Limited Edition Deluxe 4 Disc set featuring: DISC 1: CD Album DISC 2: Bonus CD ‘Y Aqui Estamos’ – Alternate Versions DISC
3: Blu-ray – It Leads To This + bonus album “Y Aqui Estamos”
(reworkings of album session recordings): Dolby Atmos-DTS-HD MA
5.1-24/48 PCM Stereo mixes created by Bruce Soord DISC 4: DVD – It Leads to This and Y Aqui Estamos: DTS 5.1-24/48 PCM Stereo 52 page book
Limited edition brick red vinyl LP (exclusive to The Pineapple Thief and Kscope stores) Limited edition green vinyl LP (exclusive to worldwide independent record shops) Limited edition cream vinyl LP (exclusive to Germany & Austria)
Blu Ray – Includes “It Leads To This” and bonus album “Y Aqui
Estamos” . All in hi-res dolby atmos, dts-hd 5.1 and stereo created by
Bruce Soord
The next release in the quiet details series has been created by two
of the most well-respected artists currently in modern ambient and
experimental music, Ian Hawgood and James Murray, here as Slow Reels.
Ian
is one of the people behind the legendary label Home Normal, plus has a
vast discography of releases under his own name and in collaborations. A
masterful exponent of magnetic tape, synthesisers and electro-acoustics
- Ian is loved across the musical world for his deeply thoughtful
production and curation. James runs the wonderful
Slowcraft label, another fantastic outlet for some of the best
ambient-leaning music around. His own productions are also of the
highest calibre, exploring analogue and digital techniques to
breath-taking effect. Also working on film scores and more, James is an
artist with many talents.
Together
they complement each other perfectly, as shown by the previous two Slow
Reels releases - Farewell Islands (Morr Music) and Sustain (Fluid Audio). This is continued in stunning fashion here, they have made something quite wonderful with their latest album, Everyday Exotic.
Bringing
all their melodic and textural sensibilities, they have created an
album that’s full of beautiful and deeply moving moments, always
evolving yet giving you enough time to fully immerse yourself in the
harmonic wonder and the vast open spaces only artists of their skill and
experience can achieve.
Piano,
electro-acoustics and field recordings meet incredibly creative
synth-work and granular processing, creating a peerless marriage of
layers and textures - you can feel the respect and affection these
artists have for each other coming through every element - some
collaborations just work and this is easily one of my most loved.
Each
track moves gently and seamlessly into the next, the pacing and range
of emotions are again a sign of musicians with full command of not only
their tools, but also the human feeling behind what they are aiming to
express.
To me, this is as close to sonic bliss as you can get, it’s my great honour to share it with you.
The
artwork was made as always influenced by the music and idea behind the
album - this time originating from a picture of James’ beautiful
cockatiel friend Coco, which was then captured with analogue photography
and processed here at quiet details studios.
As usual, the album is presented on the physical edition, a custom 6-panel digipack with a separate fine art print too. The CD also has a special long-form continuous mix of the album, representing the music in its purest form. Find it here on Bandcamp.
Our thanks to Alex at quiet details with providing us with a copy of this release to share with our listeners.
Among
the musicians I have appreciated the most in recent years, a special
place is undoubtedly reserved for Lars Bröndum and David Lee Myers. From
2015 onwards, I had the pleasure of playing their songs on the radio
transmission The Recognition Test frequently, and inviting them to
participate in numerous compilations published by the Unexplained Sounds
network. Over time, I realized that, albeit in different ways and
forms, their music could integrate and complement that of my Sonologyst
project. This led me to the idea of inviting them to collectively
produce tracks. From our exchanges of samples, audio experiments, music
segments, a long piece of over 20 minutes emerged, which I believe
effectively encapsulates how our musical sensibilities complemented each
other. We then added individually composed tracks, resulting in this
album, "Unus Et Trinus," in which the listeners can hear the music of
each of the three participants separately but also the collective piece.
This allows them to get an "almost real-time" idea of how three
different sonic worlds can create a synthesis.
Raffaele Pezzella
credits
released February 29, 2024
Our thanks to Raffele Pezzella (Sonologyst) for providing us with a copy of this release to share with our listeners.
David Lee Myers, hailing from New York City, is an accomplished sound
and visual artist. His journey in sound manipulation began in 1980,
utilizing electronic circuitry of his own design for sound production,
both under his name and as Arcane Device. Since 1987, he has pioneered
"Feedback Music," a distinctive approach that predates the "no-input
mixer" trend by several years. In this genre, audio processors feed off
their own outputs and those of other processors via custom-built matrix
mixers, enabling these devices to create their unique sonic narratives.
More recently, Myers has incorporated modified video circuits to produce
complementary visual presentations during his performances. He has an
extensive discography, with over thirty recordings released by prominent
labels such as Generator, Recommended, Line, Silent, Pogus, RRRecords,
Staalplaat, Monochrome Vision, and more. Notably, he has collaborated
with electronic music pioneer Tod Dockstader, as well as artists like
Gen Ken Montgomery, Thomas Dimuzio, Ellen Band, guitarist Marco
Oppedisano, and Dirk Serries (Vidna Obmana).
Sonologyst is the brainchild of Italian producer Raffaele Pezzella,
known for his meticulous exploration of the intersection between music
and contemporary mythologies. Sonologyst's sonic landscape spans from
Fortean documentary-style soundscapes to the creation of post-industrial
auditory experiences. He fuses various technologies, including analog
machines, software, and, more recently, AI, drawing inspiration from the
early electronic music pioneers. Since 2014, Pezzella has curated
Unexplained Sounds, a 'Global Network of Aural Disorientation.' Under
this umbrella, Unexplained Sounds Group was founded in 2015, now
encompassing subsidiary labels like Eighth Tower Records, ZeroK, and
Reverse Alignment. Pezzella is also a publisher of books and hosts a
streaming radio program titled 'The Recognition Test.' Sonologyst's
works have been published by various labels, including Cold Spring
Records, Unexplained Sounds Group, Eighth Tower Records, Gravity's
Rainbow Tapes, and Attenuation Circuit.
Lars Bröndum, PhD, is a versatile artist, serving as a composer, live
electronics performer, theorist, and guitarist. His compositions have
graced international stages in countries such as Sweden, Japan, Germany,
Scotland, Lithuania, Russia, Latvia, England, USA, Spain, and Mexico.
They have also found their way onto the airwaves, being broadcast on
radio and webradio in Germany, England, Italy, Sweden, and the USA. Lars
Bröndum's music is a captivating exploration of the interplay between
acoustic and electronic instruments, residing on the boundary between
structured compositions and spontaneous improvisation. His works are
characterized by cyclic processes, irregular ostinatos, fragmented
gestures, and microtonal clusters. Bröndum is actively involved in the
electroacoustic music scene, notably at EMS (Electroacoustic Music in
Sweden), and he has held positions on the boards of Fylkingen (a society
for new music and intermedia art), SEAMS (Society of Electroacoustic
Music in Sweden), and VEMS (Composers at EMS) from 2007 to 2008. He has
also contributed as a board member to the Swedish Section of ICEM
(International Confederation for Electronic Music). Bröndum often
composes for and collaborates with ensembles such as ReSurge, ExSurge,
AGAIG, and Spiral Cycle. He is a key figure in projects like the
"Ensemble SFW" and maintains a duo partnership with Sten-Olof Hellstrom.
His dedication to the craft has earned him composer grants from
Konstnärsnämnden (Swedish Art Council), STIM (Swedish Performing Rights
Society), and accolades from FST (Swedish Composer's Society). Moreover,
Lars Bröndum is the founder of the independent record label Antennae
Media.
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