Archive for March, 2010

ERIC GLICK RIEMAN: Trilogy From The Outside (Water Goes Into Air Recordings)

themilkman on Mar 31st 2010 12:00 am

Eric Glick Rieman: Trilogy From The Outside I Eric Glick Rieman: Trilogy From The Outside II Eric Glick Rieman: Trilogy From The Outside III

ERIC GLICK RIEMAN
Trilogy From The Outside
Water Goes Into Air Recordings
18 Tracks. 161mins23secs

Turnbuckle: Trilogy From The Outside I
Amazon UK: DLD US: CD | DLD iTunes: DLD

Animist: Trilogy From The Outside II
Amazon UK: DLD US: CD | DLD iTunes: DLD

Inverting The Sphere: Trilogy From The Outside III
Amazon UK: DLD US: CD| DLD iTunes: DLD

California-based composer and multi-instrumentist Eric Glick Rieman has played with a number of ensembles and as part of various collaborative projects in fields as diverse as jazz, rock, improvisation or modern classical. A classically trained pianist, he has also composed a number of experimental pieces for ensembles of various sizes, some involving scores created ‘in collaboration’ with animals. As a solo performer, Glick Rieman has been working with prepared and extended Rhodes electric pianos, which combined with more conventional acoustic instruments, have allowed his to experiments with incidental sounds and noises and integrate them within his music. Continue Reading »

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TOLOUSE LOW TRAX: Mask Talk (Karaoke Kalk)

themilkman on Mar 30th 2010 12:22 am

Tolouse Low Trax: Mask Talk

TOLOUSE LOW TRAX
Mask Talk
KARAOKEKALKCD052/LP056
Karaoke Kalk 2010
10 Tracks. 64mins59secs

Amazon UK: CD | LP | DLD US: CD | LP | DLD Boomkat: CD | LP | DLD

Behind the slightly silly pun serving as a banner for this project is Detlef Weinrich, who, as a member of Kreidler has, alongside bands like To Rococo Rot or Tarwater, been shaping and reshaping a particular blend of Krautrock-infused electronica which, while deeply indebted to the German progressive music scene of the seventies, is also very influenced by contemporary electronic music. This also informs much of his solo project, although the angle is somewhat different. His sole appearance so far, via an EP, Boarding To Rio, released in 2006 on Amontillado Music, collected seven tracks which were, for the most part, clearly destined to the dance-floor.

Four years on, Weinrich’s debut album, published on Berlin’s Karaoke Kalk, continues to focus on hypnotic loops and themes, but here, the man explores a much wider sonic scope. Continue Reading »

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LINDSTRØM & CHRISTABELLE: Real Life Is No Cool (Smalltown Supersound) / PRINS THOMAS: Prins Thomas (Full Pupp)

themilkman on Mar 25th 2010 01:25 am

Lindstrøm & Christabelle: Real Life Is No Cool Prins Thomas: Prins Thomas

LINDSTRØM & CHRISTABELLE
Real Life Is No Cool
STS159
Smalltown Supersound 2010
10 Tracks. 47mins24secs

PRINS THOMAS
Prins Thomas
FULLPUPP018
Full Pupp 2010
07 Tracks. 60mins04secs

LINDSTRØM & CHRISTABELLE: Real Life Is No Cool
Amazon UK: CD | 2CD | LP | DLD US: CD | LP | DLD Boomkat: CD | 2CD | LP |DLD iTunes: DLD
PRINS THOMAS: Prins Thomas
Amazon UK: CD | LP US: CD | LP Boomkat: CD | LP |DLD

Norway is officially the coolest place on Earth. Sweeping statement? Perhaps, but, beside counting one of the most active metal scenes around, the country continues to produce some of the best and most forward thinking musicians in fields as diverse as jazz, noise or electronic music, with experimentation as a common theme to most. In the last few years, Norway has also been at the forefront of a revitalised disco scene, spearheaded by Hans-Peter Lindstrøm on one side and Prins Thomas on the other. Not that there is any kind of rivalry in their respective endeavours, the pair having collaborated since 2003 and produced a number of EPs and two albums. Continue Reading »

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SUBTRACTIVELAD: Life At The End Of The World (n5MD)

themilkman on Mar 24th 2010 01:30 am

SubtractiveLAD: Life At The End Of The World

SUBTRACTIVELAD
Life At The End Of The World
MD173
n5MD 2010
10 Tracks. 63mins14secs

Amazon UK: CD | DLD US: CD | DLD Boomkat: CD iTunes: DLD

Anchored somewhere between the refined ambient work of Brian Eno and the lush hazy guitar motifs of Slowdive, Vancouver-based Stephen Hummel, AKA SubtractiveLAD, has become, in the space of six albums in as many years, one of the most prominent artists to have emerged from the n5MD stable. From his first steps away from his background as a jazz musician back in 2005, he has predominantly been found scouring the outer reaches of ambient electronic music, and while his subsequent record, Suture (2006) introduced a slightly more beat-driven approach, he returned to vast atmospheric soundscapes with No Man’s Lab (2007), this time supplementing his largely electronic set up with a guitar, an instrument which, in extremely treated form, has since become central to his work. Continue Reading »

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GREG HAINES: Until The Point Of Hushed Support (Sonic Pieces)

themilkman on Mar 22nd 2010 11:42 pm

Greg Haines: Until The Point Of Hushed Support

GREG HAINES
Until The Point O Hushed Support
SONICPIECES006
Sonic Pieces 2010
04 Tracks. 47mins57secs

Amazon UK: DLD US: DLD Norman: CD

Over three years have passed since pianist and cellist Greg Haines released his debut album, Slumber Tides, on Miasmah, and gained praises for his stark minimal modern classical soundscapes. Since, he has played on a number of records, collaborated with Machinefabriek, Wouter Van Veldhoven and Xela, and has formed Liondialer, a project based on improvised experimentations, with long term friend Danny Saul.

Recorded in the Grunewald Church in Berlin, where he currently resides, Until The Point Of Hushed Support, released on Sonic Pieces, is Haines second full length. Continue Reading »

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BIRD SHOW BAND: Bird Show Band (Amish Records)

themilkman on Mar 19th 2010 12:53 am

Bird Show Band: Bird Show Band

BIRD SHOW BAND
Bird Show Band
AMI041
Amish Records 2010
07 Tracks. 36mins17secs

Amazon UK: DLD US: CD | LP | DLD iTunes: DLD

For over ten years, Brooklyn-based Ben Vida has been spotted in a variety of bands (Town & Country, Singer, Pillow), and has, with his solo project, Bird Show, released three albums for Kranky, the most recent one, published in 2008, seeing him collaborate with Greg Davis, Robert AA Lowe, Michael Zerang and brother Adam. For his latest incarnation, he is joined by bass player Josh Abrams, drummers John Herndon and Dan Bitney and Jim Baker on vintage ARP 2600. Operating at the confine of experimental improvised jazz, avant-rock and noise, Bird Show Band continuously build on a convincing mix of organic energy and outwardly sonic explorations to create a refined collection of experimental pieces.

Recorded over a two day session in Chicago in 2008, BSB is at once angular and vibrant, and progresses through a series of seismic pulses which are at times reminiscent of Supersilent. Continue Reading »

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CLARA MOTO: Polyamour (InFiné)

themilkman on Mar 17th 2010 09:28 pm

Clara Moto: Polyamour

CLARA MOTO
Polyamour
IF1008
InFiné 2010
11 Tracks. 54mins54secs

Amazon UK: CD | DLD US: CD | DLD

In the four years since its inception, Franco-German imprint In-Finé has made a tangible mark somewhere between dance-floor and lounge, with excellent releases from Francisco Tristano, Rone, Apparat or Aufgang demonstrating the eclectic yet focussed vision of label head Sebastien Devaud. Perfect embodiment of this ethic is Austrian artist Clara ‘Moto’ Prettenhofer, whose debut album swerves elegantly between the two, often blending fluid grooves and celestial atmospherics into infinite combinations, some leaning towards minimal tech-house, brightened up with pretty strong melodies and a hefty dose of human emotions, others resolutely more haunting and, occasionally ambient. This is no insipid coffee-table tosh though. All throughout the record, Clara creates stunning little electronic vignettes which, while often very different, undeniably stem from a singular clear vision. Continue Reading »

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JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON: And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees (Type Recordings)

themilkman on Mar 16th 2010 01:05 am

Jóhann Jóhannsson: And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees

JÓHANN JÓHANNSSON
And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees
TYPE64
Type Recordings 2010
13 Tracks. 40mins17secs

Amazon UK: CD | LP US: LP Boomkat: CD | LP iTunes: DLD

Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson might be best known for the records he has been delivering since he made his debut on Touch almost ten years ago with the superb Englabörn, but the cinematic nature of his work has also led him to work on countless soundtracks for feature films, short films and documentaries. Originally released as a limited vinyl edition at the end of last year, And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees is Jóhann Jóhannsson’s soundtrack to the beautiful animated short film Varmints, created by Studio AKA member Marc Craste, based on the book of the same name published over two years ago by children’s author Helen Ward, which Craste also illustrated. Continue Reading »

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INTERVIEW: GREG HAINES Ich Bin Ein Berliner

themilkman on Mar 14th 2010 10:44 pm

INTERVIEW: GREG HAINES Ich Bin Ein Berliner

Four years ago, Greg Haines unleashed his debut album, Slumber Tides, released on Miasmah. Its intricate blend of discreet electronics and contemplative classical music rapidly found a place of choice on the musical landscapes. Since, he has been busy contributing to a number of records. Last year, he released a collaborative album with Danny Saul as Liondialer, for which they improvised noise pieces in pubs used to more generic music. As he is about to release his second solo album, Until The Point Of Hushed Support, on Sonic Pieces, Greg Haines took some time off working on a dance piece in Paris to talk about his influences, making the transition from studio to live performance, working with other musicians on his latest album and transmitting his knowledge and experience to younger generations. Continue Reading »

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CELER: Pockets Of Wheat (Soundscaping Records)

themilkman on Mar 11th 2010 12:44 am

Celer: Pockets Of Wheat

CELER
Pockets Of Wheat
SOUND002
Soundscaping Records 2010
01 Track. 59mins10secs

With the untimely death of multi-instrumentist Danielle Baquet-Long in July 2009, Celer, the duo she and husband Will Long formed in 2006, came to an abrupt end. Yet, in the space of three years, the pair have recorded a considerable amount of music, and beside a number of self-releases, part of their work surfaced on a wide variety of labels, including Spekk, And/OAR, Digitalis, Smallfish and Home Normal, and releases continue to filter out.

One such new release is Pockets Of Wheat, published on Burgeoning Norwegian imprint Soundscaping, following on from last year’s excellent Air Resort by Christophe Bailleau. Continue Reading »

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TO ROCOCO ROT: Speculation (Domino Recording Co.)

themilkman on Mar 10th 2010 01:17 am

To Rococo Rot: Speculation

TO ROCOCO ROT
Speculation
WIG234
Domino Recording Co. 2010
10 Tracks. 44mins55secs

Amazon UK: CD | LP | DLD US: CD | LP

To Rococo Rot was formed over fifteen years ago by brothers Robert and Ronald Lippok and friend Stefan Schneider. Building on the rich heritage of the German experimental scene of the seventies and confronting it with contemporary electronica, the trio have, over the course of six studio albums and countless EPs and singles, created a very consistent body of work. Even more so than with Kreidler (Schneider was once a member), or Tarwater, another of Ronald’s projects, one can easily trace TRR’s electronic instrumentals back to pioneering bands such as Cluster or Harmonia, yet the trio have always favoured a more down-to-earth sound and format. Continue Reading »

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SAM AMIDON: I See The Sign (Bedroom Community)

themilkman on Mar 9th 2010 01:09 am

Sam Amidon: I See The Sign

SAM AMIDON
I See The Sign
HVALUR9
Bedroom Community 2010
10 Tracks. 42mins23secs

Amazon: UK: CD | LP US: CD | LP Boomkat: CD

Hailing from a small provincial town in south Vermont, Sam Amidon grew up in a family of traditional folk musicians who have made a life out of performing a wide range of music from the American folklore and teaching old New England stories and songs. Having left his native state and moved to New York, Sam took his musical roots with him, performing old songs, bringing them up to date by creating modern acoustic arrangements. He eventually released his first album, But This Chicken Proved Falsehearted, in 2007. After joining the ranks of the ever excellent Bedroom Community, Sam recorded All Is Well, his second album, with a number of Icelandic musicians, including Valgeir Sigurðsson. The album also saw contributions from Bedroom Community regulars Ben Frost and Nico Muhly, while Sam’s younger brother Stefan played drums on a couple of tracks. Since, Sam has contributed to his fellow label mates’ releases, especially Nico Muhly’s Mothertongue album, for which he provided vocals and played banjo and guitar on The Only Tune, a piece adapted from a disturbing folk song about two sisters that Muhly’s parents used to sing to him as a child.  Continue Reading »

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