Cyclic Issue 13 14
Cyclic Issue 13 14
Cyclic Issue 13 14
Mother’s Daughter & Other Songs FM21 Ghosts And Angels FM25
Tunng’s stunning debut album is now available Cutting edge electronica meets spacious
in Australia with custom packaging and bonus haunting piano.
track. Coming September 2006.
For a preview hit www.feralmedia.com.au
“It’s very different though also quite brilliant work
unlike anything else around.” Also available
www.feralmedia.com.au Bob Baker Fish, Inpress Tunng - The Pioneers
www.myspace.com/feralmedia Cover of Bloc Party as heard on Triple J.
“OK - it’s been found, the album of the year.” 3 track EP & bonus video
Demos: Send to Feral Media, PO Box M187 Tim Ritchie, Sound Quality, ABC Radio National.
Missenden Rd, Camperdown,
2050, NSW, Australia.
ISSUE 13
Contents
4 TRAIANOS PAKIOUFAKIS
by Mattew Levinson
Cditorial
There has been a lot of change here in the past few months at Cyclic Defrost.
Dale Harrison, our long time designer, editor and co-founder has sadly resigned.
7 JAMES HANCOCK Dale has been a key member of Cyclic Defrost and we are sad to see him depart. Bim
by Bim Ricketson Ricketson has taken over as designer and will be introducing his own style over the
We welcome your contributions and contact:
12 TOYDEATH next few issues. Bim has been involved with Cyclic Defrost since Issue 1 as a writer
PO Box A2073 by Bob Baker Fish and has a background in design and film making.
Sydney South It has been a long time since our last issue so Issue 14 is a bumper double issue. As
16 STEVE LAW a result we have a double cover – the front cover by Traianos Pakioufakis from the
NSW 1235 Australia by Andrez Bergen
Meupe label in Perth, and the back cover by the Sydney-based artist James Hancock.
[email protected] 19 SAFETY SPARROWS There are stacks of interviews with local Australian producers and artists – Toy
www.cyclicdefrost.com by Dan Rule Death, Steve Law, Scissors For Sparrow, Faux Pas, Moving Ninja, Textile Audio,
ISSUE 15 deadline: September 15, 2006 22 MOVING NINJA Cleptoclectics, and a broad overview of the state of improvised music via coverage
by Sebastian Chan of the Now Now Festival. From overseas there are interviews with Matmos, Tunng,
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Jimmy Edgar and supergroup Battles. Legendary Newcastle DJ and producer Mark N
Sebastian Chan 25 FAX PAS
by Matthew Levinson delivers an exhaustive rundown on the records that have shaped him in our regular
Art Director
piece, Selects. On top of this are our sleeve design reviews and music reviews.
Bim Ricketson 27 NOW NOW Not only that, you are probably also holding in your hands a copy of the free CD,
Sub Editor by Bob Baker Fish
Emergent, that comes with this issue. Produced in conjunction with the Noise Festival
Aparna Khopkar
33 JIMMY EDGAR and ABC Radio’s Sound Quality, Emergent features music by young Australians 25
Reviews Editor by Dan Rule years and under – including many of those interviewed in this issue.
Sebastian Chan
36 BATTLES All this content in the magazine means that there is even more online – more
Advertising interviews, stacks more reviews and don’t forget to keep up to date with all our latest
by Jon Tjhia
Sebastian Chan
reviews at the Thermostat blog. Between issues it is the place to visit for all the latest
Advertising Rates 38 TUNNG
content - generally updated daily!
download at www.cyclicdefrost.com by Anna Burns
Issue 15 should be out around October.
40 EMERGENT
Distribution 42 MATMOS Sebastian Chan
Inertia Distribution (www.inertia-music.com) by Dan Rule Editor
Printing 45 SONAR
Empire Printing by Chloe Sasson
Stockists South Australia: Muses, Big Star, B Sharp,
Website
Giv Parvaneh and Sebastian Chan
47 SELECTS: MARK N NSW: Victory Music, Plum Music, Market Music, Troy Chatterbox, Uni Records
Horse Rock Shop, Hi Fidelity Lounge, Salamander Tasmania: CD Centre, Ruffcutt, Wills Music, Aroma
Web Hosting 57 Sleeve reviews Sound, Spot Music, Redback, Spank, Music @ Byron, NT: Casuarina
Blueskyhost (www.blueskyhost.com) Hum on King, Hum on Miller, Hum on Oxford, Leading
62 MUSIC REVIEWS Edge Warriewood, 360 Sound, Leading Edge Penrith,
If your store doesn't carry Cyclic Defrost then get
Guest Cover Design them to order it from Inertia Distribution
Traianos Pakioufakis and James Hancock Plus online at Mall Music, Electric Monkeys, Fish – Newtown, Fish
donors
– Glebe Music, Bizarre, Euphoria, Freestyle, MCA,
Issue 13/14 Contributors
www.cyclicdefrost.com Metropolis, Recycled, Explore Music, Disc, Reefer,
Donors* who made major financial contributions to
Alex Crowfoot, Ali Burge, Andrew Chuter, Andrez Bergen, more music reviewst Record Store NSW, So Music, Red Eye
the printing of this issue :
Angela Stengel, Anna Burns, Barry Handler, Bec Paton, Bim Victoria: Licorice Pie, Slap, Readings Carlton, Hopscotch Films, Preservation Records, Feral Media,
Ricketson, Bob Baker Fish, Chloe Sasson, Dan Rule, Daniel More articles Northside, Kent St, CC Geelong, Recycled, Missing Mark Gowing Design, Chris Bell, Maude Brady,
Jumpertz, Daniel Spencer, David Lappin, Emmy Hennings,
Link, JF Porters, Boston Sound, Voyager Port Richard & Cam, Jeff Coulton, Stephen Cox, Eve Klein.
Guido Farnell, Jon Tjhia, Lawrence English, Lyndon Pike, mp3 downloads Melbourne, Record Collectors Corner, Second Spin (*see page 79 to see how to subscribe or donate to
Mark N, Matthew Levinson, Max Schaefer, Peter Hollo,
Renae Mason, Ron Schepper, Scot Cotterell, Sebastian
Tech, Voyager Ivanhoe, Greville, Sister Ray, Polyester, assist Cyclic Defrost Magazine remain in print)
Synaesthesia, Central Station Melbourne, Substrata,
Chan, Simon Hampson, Thomas Whitehead, Tim Colman.
Gaslight, Raouls, Kriskay
Thank You ACT: Impact, Landspeed The views contained herein are not necessarily the
All our donors both large and small, advertisers, writers views of the publisher nor the staff of Cyclic Defrost.
and contributors. Dale Harrison for all the hard work over Queensland: Skinny's, Rockinghorse ,Butter Beats, Copyright remains with the authors and/or Cyclic
the years; Nick, Justin and Lucy at Inertia; Hugh at Empire Sunflower, Toombul Music, Alleyway, Cosmic Music, Defrost.
Printing; Giv Parvenah (good luck stateside!), and Chris Leading Edge, Music Scene
This project has been assisted by the Australian
Bell at Blueskyhost. Government through the Australia Council, its arts Western Australia: Dada's, Mills, Central Station
funding and advisory body. Perth, Planet Video, Chinatown Records
TOOT SUITE
Perth is a long way from anywhere, as cities go. Pakioufakis learnt piano and guitar growing Stina to play the show. Apparently, Pakioufakis
up but never really pursued them. At 14, he played a signature five-minute set of riotous
It is so isolated that bands simply do their own
started making music with his computer and got noise and pop that the crowd loved. The label
thing, or else they up and move to Europe. That interested in noise, self-releasing a rash of tapes soon became part of the Aesoteric crew. He has
is the generally accepted truth at any rate. and CDs to high-school friends, which spun out since collaborated with Chris Cobilis, Manuel
into the FuckFace CD-R noise label. In 2001, Bonrod and M. Rosner (aka Pablo Dali), and is
22-year-old Traianos Pakioufakis, known to he played his first show and simultaneously working on a commission for a dance project
his cronies as T-pak, grew up in Edgewater, a stopped making new tracks, instead recording choreographed by Sam Fox, titled `Run'.
safe northern Perth suburb with a beautiful new material to use in an improvised manner Early in 2004, Meupe released Stina's Pocket
lake. `Perth is great,' he says. `The typical on stage. He was soon sharing bills with Songs, a lovely piece of music packed in a
complaint is the isolation, which seems to be a hardcore bands such as AIDS, and post-rock basic jewel case with a badge, and enclosed
big deal for a lot of artists and so they move, but favourites The Tigers and Adam Said Galore. in an envelope of cutely printed tracing
I think it's probably had a reverse affect on me. Moving on, the nascent record boss started paper. Releases from Pimmon, Inchtime,
Nothing's ever going to happen in a small town indie electronic label Meupe after discovering Qua, Lawrence English and Pivot that couple
Clockwise above: unless you do it yourself, so leaving to join an Aesoteric, a regular club night at the Velvet individual design and sound have followed
portrait of Traianos already established scene never really made any Lounge (since that venue shut, Aesoteric has in rapid succession. It is a unique thing to
Trakioufakis by Rob sense to me. I guess that's why it was natural for bounced between the Bakery, the Rosemount be able to package somewhat difficult music
Simeon; Muepe CDR me to start a record label and put on shows.' Hotel and Hyde Park). Dave Miller, one of the in a manner that instantly disarms listener
release of Pablo Dali; Small cities usually mean less hierarchy, less guys behind Aesoteric, who recently released prejudices.
Inchtime flyer; people and more personal connections. You can a remix EP on Meupe, says he stumbled across `The packaging and artwork of a release has
Aesoteric flyer. just try things and make them happen. the FuckFace website and booked Traianos and always won me over in a record store,' says
Pakioufakis. `I think it's especially important for a label with a Nikon F100 and 35mm film, as well as a Canon
such as Meupe to have a strong visual identity so that EOS-1Ds Mark II digital, he's pursuing a minimal
people appreciate and purchase releases rather than aesthetic that ties into a history of design, which stops
burning or downloading. Not that I think that those off in Norway with Kim Hiorthoy's sleeves for Rune
things are killing music, but it's nice to have the option Grammofon, and to a lesser extent Reid Miles's work for
of owning a well-designed product you'll happily put Blue Note.
on your shelf over an encoded audio file you can't even `I've always been interested in the printing process,
touch.' but didn't really think much else about it at the time,
Three-inch CDs, unadorned jewel cases, and other until a year or so after [the design course finished] when
unique uses of packaging tie Meupe into a historical Aesoteric asked me to do some flyers and posters for
thread of iconic record labels. `It makes the release their events. From there it's just been word of mouth
collectible and personal,' he says, `which is important and I do as much as I can between my full-time job at a
for recordings. It shows that the release hasn't just been photographic studio and running Meupe.
put together to generate money but so that it exists as a `I'm not usually that specific with graphic inspiration
documentation of sound. though any minimal design and innovative packaging
`It should be seen in similar light as a book; you never will do it for me. Right now, I'm a big fan of using
see a novel or art book hastily put together. Binding lines, dots and black and white photography like Heidi
and printing plays a huge part in the package especially Specker, Lee Friedlander, Irving Penn and Rankin.'
those that are unique to the format.'
Pakioufakis undertook a photography course that
included a basic graphic design component. Now, armed
'I took the invitation as a compliment to prior output and Clockwise from left: portrait of
James Beck; portrait of At Waugh
just created something that was typically in my style. With Gieles .
Anything else wouldn't have seemed right.'
Hancock’s art and design – to him they’re racing between meetings – he’s wandering,
inseparable – is built from the layering and looking over fences and picking up junk; it’s
recontextualising of everyday objects that the rest where his all inspiration comes from. ‘Everything
of us would either ignore or appreciate but not and anything takes interest,’ he begins ‘It can all
collect and obsess over. His work is a distinctive be used at some stage. Though I'll also just collect
collage of fabrics, printing, drawing, painting things in my head if I've got a job on. Or if I'm
and found objects. And while he is as at home doing a series of works, you can walk around and
on his laptop as he is with canvas, all his work find colours or shapes or other inspirations in the little moments.’ Some objects are easier than
maintains a tactile and homespun feel. most random things - the edge of a chair, the lick others to collect, but there’s always a way to make
Hancock graduated from a degree in Visual of paint on the gutter, the shadow on the wall. I them your own in some way. ‘It sucks sometimes
Communications six years ago. Soon after he don't know, there are so many things to look at. when you see something you really want to take
moved into an old bank building in the Sydney’s I love getting obsessed about some little piece home, something you really want to pick up,
inner-city suburb of Redfern with two friends of crap. One old pencil, a piece of wood, I have but it's too big, or it's on someone's house or it's
and together they began the artist-run initiative a small wooden ball I quite like at the moment. totally festy in the gutter on a rainy day (though
Space3. He has been involved in a wide range Power tools, pencils, mouse, scissors, speakers, I have picked up dodgy wet pieces of paper in
of projects across a number of media – from cogs, paint, wood, print. I had this magic trick the street to cut up later). Sometimes I've gotten
website design, VJing, album designs, animation, book from the ‘20s with beautiful illustrations around this; I remember there was this billboard
Above: detail photography and graphic identity, through that looked so weird de-contextualised: guys on Parramatta Road that I really liked, it was
from 'Artkerchief' to his mixed media artworks. The creative blowing smoke into their sleeves, or shaking made up of all this old sheet iron and I would
illustration for Third and personal relationships formed through hands in really suss ways. have loved to have had it but it was about 30m
Drawer Down; the gallery in which he lived has led to a wide ‘Collage and cut out has always been important x 15m and on someone's shop, so I just started
'Insert' silkscreen, network of creative types to collaborate with. As to me as a way of exploring relationships and of telling people it was mine. Whenever I drove
acrylic, photocopies well as just finishing compiling a compendium building narratives between images and objects. past with someone I'd say that the billboard was
and varnish on of Space3 shows into a hardback, he’s co-running One thing next to another thing can be really mine, so I'd sort of picked it up and collected it.
canvas, done in the Indonesia/Australia art festival gang. amazing. Photos side by side, old bits of paper, I just didn't have it at home in my pile of stuff to
Indonesia He’s a busy guy. But you can be sure he’s not plants, it all can be built like blocks into poetic be cut up later on.’
kicked out of the building after years of successful events - the almond rice and shish kebab smells wafting up on
and being a major part of the artist-run initiative scene religious holidays. It’s great knowing that we are living so
in Sydney. But we were all getting a little frustrated with close to such a different culture. We probably don’t really
the reliance on a space - it is so draining to keep a space know what they’re doing and I don’t reckon they really
running, to teach each new artist or performer how to know what we’re doing up here. It’s so interesting seeing
look after the space and inevitably cleaning up after them each other’s culture pass by. It’s pretty funny too ,seeing
– so we now operate as a project group. We organise trains of white HumVees rock up for a wedding, or super-
shows and other opportunities for the network of artists cute tiny kids in tuxedos being hassled by big mommas is
we built up over the years. Opportunities such as the great. It’s all part of the juxtapositions.
visual catalogue we recently put together with the help of ‘The presbytery is a bit different to Space3 as it’s not
funding from the NSW Ministry for the Arts. so much a public space. Space3 was a gathering point
‘The book is there to promote both the history and for people; there were always people hanging around
future of Space3, to allow people to see what happened chatting. This really bred collaboration and interaction,
over the years. So much amazing stuff goes on in little discussion and growth, both personally and in our work.
galleries around the world that never gets seen, so with The presbytery takes this idea and integrates some of the
the funding we had we really wanted to document some comforts of home.
of our events. I was the main producer, project manager ‘It's really important for me to have other creative
and designer of the book. It was a really stressful project, people around doing other creative things. Different
having to hassle people so much to get the content creative people, old “squat space” people, video artists
together and try and get them to understand how and audio engineers and musicians. Since I work mostly
amazing the end product was going to be. I lost a lot of from home, and spend lots of hours in the studio making
sleep over the printing, the amount of money, whether it things, it’s great to have other people coming and going,
was going to work, and what all the artists involved in the to be able to chat at random hours, to sit amongst their
space were going to think. Having such a massive project creativity, to have them show me things and to be able to
in your life for what was probably about one-and-a-half run ideas past them that I’m working on. It’s really like
years is pretty intense. At some stages I felt like it all a very, very, very free studio, with everyone working on
weighed really heavily on my shoulders, but the Space3 their own projects. It’s great also that we sometimes call
crew we’ve built up is so supportive and that helped so on each other to help us out with certain parts of our
much. We’re basically starting off by self-distributing it projects; I might get someone to help with some music,
through local and national bookstores, working up to or they might need help with some graphic thing. It’s a
international. If people want a copy they can go to our really stimulating environment.
website: www.space3.org.’ ‘It’s great to be in an interesting physical space too,
With the close of the building James moved into a more which enables us to do interesting things like having
regular living environment – a shared terrace house. This really big dinners. We just hosted the annual Imperial
was short lived. ‘It drove me mad,’ he says, ‘There were Slacks (an old artist-run initiative) Xmas cabaret,
students and professionals and we all lived separated where a group of us sat around eating and drinking
lives.’ There was no daily creative interaction. and performing for each other with readings of poetry
He moved next to an unusual shared studio space in written when we were four, nipple tassel dances, solo
nearby Darlington. ‘I’m living in an old Presbytery at music performances, and aerobics classes. It’s really
the moment,’ he says ‘It’s interesting; the church we rent stimulating to be amongst piles of creativity, in music, in
from is Melkite (Arabic-speaking Catholic), which means visual, in words – to sleep amongst it, but also having the
all their hymns are in Arabic, which is pretty beautiful space to be able to walk away from it all, sit outside, talk
to wake up to on Sundays. And it’s pretty nice smelling to someone in their creative space, outside of your head.’
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page
His work is a distinctive collage of fabrics, printing, drawing,
painting and found objects. And while he is as at home on his
laptop as he is with canvas, all his work maintains a tactile
and homespun feel.
On another level James has done the same thing with photocopying, trying to explain double-sided in another
his extended travels overseas. ‘It seems every couple of language was pretty hard! From a Sydney perspective, it’s
years I get itchy feet,’ he admits. ‘So I've travelled quite interesting to pull together all these artist-run initiatives
a bit. Travelling frees me into new ways of seeing, and it – that usually work independently but all know each
is also is a great way to collect imagery. I usually travel other through the network – for the festival. This
overland, trying not to use planes. It's a romantic way to solidifying of relationships has been a learning curve.
travel, more process driven, seeing countries change into For example, dealing with the relaxed and fluid nature
each other over borders - cultural gradients. The biggest of artist-run initiatives – having spaces close as we were
trip I did was overland from Sydney to London, via south organising the festival, moving dates and shows around
east Asia, China, Russia, Scandinavia and Europe. at the last minute.
‘Some of the travelling I’ve done has been a total step ‘My role in the whole festival is mainly as designer,
away from art and design - complete time off, but I have curator and residency artist. I went to Indonesia with
also worked while I travelled, which has taught me to work I curated here with fellow artist Alice McAuliffe.
use whatever material I can find, being inventive with And we both curated shows from Indonesia. I also made
what I have. It means I am actively using and recycling some new work while travelling. I expected to find a lot
things from my environment - this is important, this of craft-based, naïve sort of work in Indonesia, but was
constant collection and re-interpretation of objects, from really surprised to find a very strong contemporary art
pieces of paper to little plastic cogs. I always have a box scene and language. There were great organisations doing
of source material to work from. A recent art project amazing project works with the community and also
involved pulling apart a photocopier to source materials really strong graphic work from individuals.
that I layered with drawings of these found objects (like ‘In some ways it was interesting to see how free they
a botanist draws their discoveries as they go, losing were allowed to be. In setting up some parts of the Gang
drawings along the way amongst rotting plants and Festival in Sydney we’ve had to consider sometimes
animals). pretty crazy public liability and health issues, which can
Recently the Gang Festival project has required an be stifling sometimes. In Indonesia they just do stuff;
extended stay in Indonesia, an opportunity he relished. if you want to set up a shop in your house, go for it; if
‘After travelling so much, I really wanted to do some you want to build a castle in the backyard of your mum’s
work in another country, to really become part of the place, no one is going to stop you. That freedom seems to
culture and not pass through as a tourist. A grant came generate great potential for projects and opportunities for
up from the Australian Indonesian Institute, so we got a artists to take part in the community on a daily basis.’
team together to apply to do an exchange festival, and we Despite drawings no distinction between his art and
got the funding. We decided to do an exchange where a design, James admits that some clients are better than
group of Australians from artist-run initiatives went over others on commissioned design. And some of the best
to Indonesian artist-run initiatives with a touring show clients of all are musicians. ‘They are typically the best
, showcasing work from Sydney artist-run initiatives. type of client because they come from a similar creative
Then we would bring back a number of Indonesian head space,’ he says. ‘So they are genuinely interested
artists and a whole lot of Indonesian art work from in what you are doing as an artist. It is much more of a
artist-run initiatives and have shows, discussions and collaboration, where you are each responding to each
collaborations. other’s work to make the whole thing work together. It’s
‘It was a really exciting trip, and it was amazing also exciting to work with artists whose music you engage
finding ourselves travelling through the night in bicycle with. For example a big recent project was a whole visual
taxis to shows we’d set up, stapling the room sheets package for Josh Pyke (www.joshpyke.com). I did all the
together as we went. And trying to get things done, like illustration for Josh, and designed the CD artwork and
page 10 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006]
merchandise. These illustrations were also integrated into ‘I think I find myself in a really great community of Clockwise from over page:
the video clip for the single “Middle of the Hill”. people in Sydney. From Space3 and all the artist-run 'Mechano' posters, photocopied
‘The final design involved illustrations of animals initiative networks, I've been able to have a community of drawings; 'Twist and Shout
where you could see the interior of their bodies. It was such like-minded yet different people. It's great being in - silkscreen, acrylic, photocopies
a romantic sort of anatomy, where there were too many Sydney for that reason, that I know so many people here and varnish on canvas - as part
hearts, buildings infecting the lungs, and heaps of having spent the better part of 28 years here, that you of a series of work done while
entrails (you’ll see these pipes have lingered onto this are in people's heads; it's hard to build that up overseas in residence in Indonesia; book
magazine cover!). I've found. But overseas opportunities start to build a bit cover illustration 'Powerscape'
I did these illustrations while on the artist in residence more also.’
program in Indonesia. I brought ideas and illustration Pressed on what his works might mean, James finds
techniques from that artistic experience over into Josh’s he only discovers meaning as he goes on – it’s all about
final designs. the process. ‘Most of the time I'm making things and
‘With Josh’s work I started with the lyrics. I got a have no idea why I'm making them,’ he admits. ‘They
lot out of them and built up a story that I connected just happen out of a drive to be creating. But then I
with from them. Then, with the melodies, I took these look back and see that I really was communicating
ideas of stories into a style and context. Because of this something I was working out in my head. I look back
dialogue and shared experience, it can be a really natural and can see that I actually knew more about what I was
rewarding process. I have also done some covers for thinking about than I thought at the time. I love this
Dsico, which used a process of collage that I was working use of creative process to work though thoughts, ideas
with at the time. I was loving putting together tiny bits of and emotions. I can see this happening with musicians
paper, like little colour chart puzzles, the pieces getting around me. Building little moods and poems from words
smaller and smaller in repeating pastels. and melodies, explaining things to oneself. I seem to be
‘I’m constantly seeking new methods of construction. explaining personal confusions - for example working
Technique and process are constantly developing. I out how the body works, not how it actually works,
embrace whatever methods my process takes me to. I am but how you feel it working. Like the Josh Pyke work
constantly looking and playing with what I find. There with hearts all over the body and intestines in the head.
are of course consistently relied upon techniques such Working out how machines work, how you can construct
as collage and drawing, but even the ‘core’ methods are mood and moment. Note taking, machine design, cogs
constantly evolving, one method never stays the same and interconnectedness, the romance of things, little
very long. beauties in moments.’
Toys are stuttering, wailing and exalting strange, something’s wrong. The Barbie spits high- to circuit bend,’ he offers with a sly grin. And
nonsensical sentences and it is crazy, beautiful pitched, garbled nonsense alongside inane drivel it’s with this that we are offered the keys to the
and oh-so-wrong. The performers, Toydeath, about trips to the mall, whilst the giant hulk fists Toydeath kingdom.
are a Sydney-based three-piece who appear make a punching sound that ends in a burst of Circuit bending is about short-circuiting
even wackier than the sounds, seemingly like cheap electronic feedback. It seems these toys electronic instruments. It is predominantly done
action figures themselves, colourfully costumed, have been tampered with! on small, battery-operated toy instruments to
with some kind of outer space rocketeer with a It’s the next day, when my head is reeling from reduce the likelihood of being shocked and is
strange alien visor, an angelic looking Barbie, inhaling too many solder fumes and from four relatively easy for anyone to do. Primarily it
and well, I’m really not too sure, some kind of hours of intense concentration, that I find out involves forming new connections between
dreadlocked orange doll-like creature that I’m how. In my hand, I’m holding a doorbell that I circuits, rewiring the toy at specific points to
frightened to focus on for any length of time have constructed and soldered myself, learning cause strange unexpected fluctuations and
in case flashbacks begin. It’s all very peculiar. from scratch about resisters, capacitors and all distortions in the sound. Simple electronic
We’re at the Empress Hotel in Melbourne’s other electronic jargon. I’m in a class with eight toys can quite easily be transformed into quite
inner-city suburb of Fitzroy on a warm night others. Two of them are under the age of six and complex, chance-based musical instruments,
in mid-December. Local improvisers Pateras they’ve done a better job than I have. My solder where pitch, tambour and tempo have been
Baxter and Brown have just delivered another is lumpy and erratic and it’s taken me double altered considerably. In short it can be a world of
consummate set of eclectic improvisation and the amount of time to construct as my primary limitless possibilities.Or not. Finally, long after
were preceded by the very dodgy Casionova school cohorts. God I hate kids, smugly playing everyone else, I finish my doorbell. Proudly I
camping up his technical problems, farm lifestyle with their buzzers and alarms whilst I struggle plug it into the small testing speakers. Nothing.
and obsession with Casios. But nothing could on attempting to assemble my Dick Smith kit. ‘Tomorrow we bend some toys,’ offers Wishart,
prepare the audience for Toydeath’s onslaught It’s nearing the end of the first day of a two-day handing us all a toy. Mine is a cute little white
of childish mayhem. And it’s so much fun, we’re course in electronics for the uninitiated taken by guitar with a series of notes down the neck and
in hysterics, marvelling at the talking Barbies, Toydeath member GiJoe’s alter-ego Nick Wishart. small buttons that play nursery rhymes.
chattering, flashing Japanese cameras, hulk fists Grabbing one of the kid’s buzzers he looks up at My doorbell doesn’t work. I’m in trouble.
and an over-the-top double-axed toy guitar. Yet the class smiling. ‘Now I want to show you how ‘I think my fascination with toys started
page 12 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006]
when I was working on a kids theatre show,’
says Wishart later at a nearby pub where I try
At the time Toydeath were content to simply
mix the sounds of different toys, which were
‘The first original thought was to make
to drown my doorbell sorrows. ‘We needed a wacky enough, just adding amplification, heavy metal music on toys,’ he laughs.
prop for a scene where the animals came out to
play as the humans left the house. There was a
though with a very different bent than today.
‘The first original thought was to make heavy
‘And our characters then, we all dressed
drumming rabbit, but we needed a guitar for metal music on toys,’ he laughs. ‘And our like metal gods, black AC/DC t-shirts,
the cat to play. So we went shopping around characters then, we all dressed like metal gods, studded belts, really long wigs and
Canberra and in a toyshop we came across black AC/DC t-shirts, studded belts, really long
this little guitar called a Microjammer. It was a wigs and masks.’ masks.’
perfect size but it also had six buttons that had ‘A few years later I met Tim from Casionova
eight bars of heavy metal on each button, and I and he put me on the path of a bit more bending
was so excited and I thought we could make a them and letting them go a bit crazy,’ he reflects.
band out of this.’ And then the fun began.
This was back in 1995, around the time when The next day we all take our toys apart and become part of the circuit. All you have to do
electronics were becoming cheap enough to go marvel at the myriad of wires and bending is attach a wire to the point and connect it to a
into mass-produced toys. So after learning from possibilities. The doorbell failure is in the back screw on the outside of the instrument. Then
a friend how to amplify them, Wishart began of my mind so I make sure to ask Wishart for whenever you touch the screw the instrument
collecting toys, and Toydeath officially began. assistance every step of the way. We are shown freaks out. Of course to find these wonderful
At the time he was already a musician with a some of the choices we have. Pitch bending, distortions of sound you need the batteries
history of playing sax. ‘I’d had this period where placing buttons between resisters to trigger in and the sound up. And with six different
I had been a classical musician,’ he begins. crazy new variants of sound, buttons triggered toys on the go we have a table of demented toy
‘Then I looked for something more freer and I by light, and my personal favourite: body melodies, pitching up and down, and freaking
started getting into more improvised music and contact, which you can get if the sound really out in the way their manufacturers never
eventually got into composing electronic music, freaks out whilst you are pressing down your intended. Throughout this mayhem Wishart
into the production side, which I still do.’ fingers on the circuit board. You actually is in his element. Every variation in sound
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 13
causes a wicked giggle, and though he must ‘There was a group with a bigger political replacing his toys. A song called ‘Froggy’ has
have heard it a million times before, you can see agenda who were going around swapping GI Joe recently been retired, as the toy is no longer with
the genuine enthusiasm on his face when the voice boxes with Barbie,’ he laughs. ‘The best us. ‘They’re pretty robust really,’ he reflects. ‘But
circuits begin to bend. thing I ever saw was I was going through Toys I do a lot of maintenance. But there are songs
‘I see myself as an instrument maker,’ he R Us and there was a Britney Spears doll and we can’t do that have fallen by the wayside. We
says, ‘making new instruments that you can the poor person who put it in the package, their throw them in suitcases and travel halfway
play. Instruments that are also really cute and political act was to put her in the package with around the world or they fall and get beaten
unique.’ As a result Nick does all the circuit her skirt lifted up.’ around on stage and stuff. They are pretty robust
bending in Toydeath and also most of the ‘We’re not really trying to say “Fuck you, though – they have to survive kids.’
purchasing. ‘I can’t walk past a two-dollar shop,’ Mattel”’, he continues. ‘We only use two or three Toydeath have released two albums. 2001’s
he laughs, ‘but also Toys R Us and Kmart.’ He Mattel toys and we have been using Super Talk confusing, chaotic Pokey as Shake and 2005’s
prefers buying toys new and you get some Barbie. Mattel brought out a Barbie that can more overtly song based, yet still crazy Guns
very strange variants in the two-dollar shops. talk and it can say 100,000 different sentences. Cars & Guitars. Though the music is only half
‘When the Spider-Man movie came out all this It’s quite sophisticated; each sentence can be a the Toydeath experience. Live they are a frenzied
imitation Spider-Man stuff came out. I’ve got combination of four parts. So they go “lets”, “do”, assault of silliness, colour and chaos.
this toy, the packaging is called a Spader-Man. “on”, and “with” and you press a button and it will ‘It’s about creating a whole show,’ reveals
The toy is covered in Spider-Man graphics and go, “It will be great to go to the mall on Saturday Wishart. ‘Ideally, I’d like to have a month of solid
you press the button and they’re farm animals. with Ken and Allen.” So there’s quite a lot of rehearsals and develop a real show. There’s a lot
It’s a guitar with a little keyboard and when it’s possibilities all about going to the mall or playing more stuff we can do, a bit more chorography
bent its an awesome bass machine.’ tennis and listening to music and she’s bossy too! and stuff. We really want to keep adding to that.’
Despite subverting the intent of the She’s got lots of great ideas about having fun. I ‘My costume, that’s the second show,’ he
manufacturers, something that may be viewed guess we are subverting Barbie and there’ll be continues. ‘My character’s GiJoe. For a long
as a political statement, Toydeath don’t view times when we have her blabbing on about inane time I’ve been this combat version, camouflage,
their actions as malicious in any way. In fact, things and then we punch her with a Hulk fist. a helmet and some spiky straps and things. I
you get the sense that Nick is almost thankful to But she’s broken at the moment.’ wanted to have a bit of a change. So we got a
the toy manufacturers for the sonic possibilities And therein lies one of the problems of cheap costume designer, he was working on Farscape at
offered to him. electronics, with Nick constantly repairing and the time, and we got the helmet from that.
Zen Paradox
Interview with Steve Law
by Andrez Bergen
UNIVERSAL JUSTICE
It seems that erstwhile Melbourne-based Do you even vaguely recall what you were wave radio, and kitchen utensils. After dabbling
connoisseur knob-twirler Steve Law lurking doing 12 years ago? In my case I had my head with an ambient-electro outfit called Guild Of
stuck in the quagmire of a post-grad history Fire, in 1990 Law helped form the guitar-
behind the machines under the alias of Zen
thesis at Melbourne Uni, trying over those 12 industrial band Foil and, by 1992 – now more
Paradox isn’t so difficult to comprehend after months of 1994 to come to grips with, analyse, influenced by the sounds of Detroit and acts like
all – and in fact he resolved a swag of residual compress, chew up and spit out 10,000 words Underground Resistance – had kick-started his
underlying quandaries during the course of a on Britain’s industrial music putsch in the ‘70s. solo project under the alias Zen Paradox.
recent rant with Cyclic Defrost. In the time since then I’ve conducted a wad of ‘I was reading a book called Valis, by Philip K.
interviews with Steve Law, but the first took Dick, at the same time that I was trying to think
place that year. It was for a long-defunct little of a name for my techno project,’ Law recalls.
goth/industrial/electro magazine called Dark ‘The term “zen paradox” was frequently used
Angel. As it turned out, my specific history in this novel, and I thought it was appropriate
angle came in useful – Law just so happened due to the often paradoxical approach I take to
to have a hankering for industrial bands like making music.’
Cabaret Voltaire and Throbbing Gristle, the very Law’s studio had conveniently developed
same guys I’d recently interviewed in the course somewhat over the intervening years. ‘At
of researching my thesis. that time I was using a Roland MC-500 as a
While fellow Melbourne artist Voiteck sequencer, controlling a bunch of MIDI synths
Andersen is the will-do enforcer you get to go – Roland Jupiter 6, Juno 2, JX-8P, D-110, E-mu
hassle the party promoter who hasn’t paid up, Emax. I was borrowing things like the TR-808,
Law is the shy, unassuming guy that Voiteck 303, 202 and 101 until I bought them the
probably defers to most in the Melbourne scene. following year.’
All good yarns begin at some specific point, It was in this upgraded studio set-up that
and the Zen Paradox superhero origin story Law produced the baptismal Zen Paradox
goes something like this: album Eternal Brainwave, which was first
Rear-vision mirror yourself to 1983, when released in 1993 through Ollie Olsen’s new label
a young Steve Law – age 16 – discovered Psy-Harmonics, then internationally through
industrial music, Kraftwerk, Brian Eno and John Kk subsidiary label Nova Zembla in Belgium.
Cage; he bought his first synthesizer (a Realistic/ ‘I think it still stands up okay,’ Law says of that
Moog MG-1), and started producing an array work a dozen years down the line.
of experimental tapes in the confines of a home 1993 was also the first time I caught a Zen
studio that included two ghettoblasters, a short- Paradox live set. It was a 3PBS benefit gig in
May that year, where he played second fiddle In April ’94 Steve Law and Voiteck got imprint Nova Zembla had ended. ‘Unfortunately
to better known acts (at that time) Snog, This together for a bit of a live jam at an otherwise they were becoming more trance-focused,
Digital Ocean, and Screwtape. To my mind, this forgettable rave party called Mayhem, and while my music was going in a totally different
diminutive solo artist hiding behind a stack of their Sonic Voyagers collaborative project was direction,’ Law reflects.
rack-mounted gear was the definitive highlight whelped. The outcome? Two studio albums, a ‘[Melbourne] has developed enormously over
of a night in which the music was great, and the couple of memorably searing live reunion jaunts the past ten years or so,’ Law assesses of the city’s
amber fluid flowed rather nicely too. fronting the Zoetrope gigs at the Punters Club electronic-attuned independent music scene.
A year later, 1994 was a banner-year for a few years later, and a mutual respect that lasts ‘More experimental and improvised music has
creativity in Melbourne on the techno- to this day. ‘I know that music … is a necessary been flourishing in Melbourne over the past few
electronic front, with people like Voiteck, form of expression for both of us. I think I have years, with festivals like Liquid Architecture,
Arthur Arkin (Hi-Fli), Dave Beattie (Q-Kontrol), perhaps the most intuitive partnership with What Is Music? and Anthony Pateras and Robin
Adam Raisbeck (Soulenoid), Derek Shiel and Voiteck out of all the people I’ve collaborated Fox’s excellent Articulating Space events - as
Dan Woodman from TR-Storm (nee-VOID), with,’ assesses Law now. The list of collaborators well as regular nights like Make It Up Club. It’s
Scott Armstrong (Guyver III), and the M.P.I. isn’t one to be taken lightly – over the past a great city – I’m not sure why, but there has
and Lung UPC posses all making their own decade Law has worked with Atom Heart, always been a great artistic vibe here.’
signature inroads in a constantly morphing Speedy J, Monolake, Tetsu Inoue, Bochum Welt There have been drawbacks, however.
scene. ’94 was also the year that local label and Ollie Olsen. ‘Ten years ago there was a ton of techno
Dorobo released the excellent (if chronically Whilst many other Melbourne producers happening, but very little on the electronic
underrated and abysmally titled) Melbourne of the mid 90s had disappeared or relocated improv/experimental scene. Unfortunately the
compilation Trance/Tribal, which featured overseas by 2000, Law was still making stuff live techno scene itself is not as healthy as it
Paul Schütz, Garry Havrillay, François Tetaz (as as Zen Paradox without the archetypal deejay was. Lately at the bigger parties – and in clubs
Shinjuku Filth), and Snog/Black Lung illumine hype or techno live act fanfare – albums like – things have gotten a lot more commercial,
David Thrussell, with Pieter Bourke, as Soma. From The Shore Of A Distant Land (1995), and that doesn’t leave much room for live
The downbeat Zen Paradox inclusion ‘Between Catharsis the following year, and more performers who are pushing their own unique
the Apo Kayan and the Infinite’ hinted at a more recently Experiments In Emotion (1998) sound.’ The result has been that, while Steve
cerebral artist who was prepared to lock horns and Chromium Dance (1999) through his Law has no problem finding more abstract
with electronica away from the dance floor. own label Solitary Sound – as well as cutting electro gigs for himself, there’s been a dearth
Even the title was a little out there. ‘The Apo a diverse swath of material under new aliases of opportunities for Zen Paradox – a situation
Kayan is a jungle basin on the island of Borneo,’ like Mutagenic Mind, Mr. Suspicious, Retreat Voiteck also recently complained about.
Law reports now. ‘The “infinite” part of the Syndrome, and just plain Steve Law. He was ‘Hopefully it’s just a phase, though; these things
title was a reference to Kubrick’s 2001: A Space playing live at the big techno parties like tend to happen in cycles,’ Law adds in his usual
Odyssey.’ Of course. Hardware, but his relationship with Belgian optimistic fashion.
He does, however, perceive another emergent was the first time we’d done a one-on-one gig
problem. ‘I think the biggest development, together since the Love Parade in 1993. Ollie and
not necessarily a good one, has been the I have been recording a few things together since
gentrification of electronic music. Back at the late last year, and we’re hoping to record an album
beginning of the ‘90s it was simply “techno” or in the near future.’
electronic music, but since then a huge number Late last year Law also released the most recent
of sub-genres have developed, each with their Zen Paradox long player, an album called
own dedicated following. I think this tends to Numinosum, through new label EEM. It was
fragment the scene quite a bit, and unfortunately another esoteric title that Law says refers to
people have a blinkered approach towards any Carl Jung, to describe “the heightened state of
music outside of the particular sound they’re into.’ consciousness as a result of a spiritual experience
For Steve Law, the biggest change over the past – the sensation of the unknown and the
six years has been the studio he works with. ‘I’m mysterious,” as he puts it. I’m not prepared to
always learning more about music production,’ argue with that one.
he admits. ‘It’s mind-blowing what you can do The soundscape therein is another matter – this
with a computer these days, compared to a studio is a body of work you can hardly call straight-
full of hardware [back in 1993]. I got a laptop a down-the-line techno. ‘The album is a pretty
couple of years ago, which has had a huge impact diverse exploration of contemporary electronic
on my music production. Ableton Live has music,’ says Law. ‘I think you can still see some
revolutionized my live performance, and it’s also elements of Eternal Brainwave in the new album,
a fantastic tool for coming up with new ideas for and it’s a pretty good reflection of my approach
compositions in the studio. It’s also great to be to techno/IDM, perhaps. I do see each album
able to use the sounds of the analogue machines as a snapshot of where I’m at, at that time.
and then push them further with computer Unfortunately the promotion has been a little
processing.’ slow up to now, so it’s really hard to gauge what
The music he listens to has more or less remained people think. Hopefully things are going to start
consistent, but whereas a decade ago he was moving a bit more this year. Frank G., who runs
tuning in to Nurse With Wound, more recently the label, has limited resources but I know he’s
he’s espoused the virtues of Cristian passionate about the album…’
Vogel’s latest album Station 55 and his work While electronic music in general is all too
with Jamie Liddell as Super_Collider. In terms obviously Law’s own passion, he readily admits
of own music, Law is as diverse as ever. Aside that an oral fixation comes in a close second
from ongoing solo projects, he’s a member of the – and his taste perfectly reflects his audio
Terminal Quartet (with Ollie Olsen and Andrew preferences. ‘There’s so much amazing food in
Garton) and Black Cab, and occasionally jams this world,’ he raves. ‘I like things that have an
with High Pass Filter. ‘I’ve been doing a lot of live impact - so bland foods definitely don't do it for
improvisation with other musicians in recent me! I'm very partial to a really good vindaloo,
times, something that I absolutely love doing. but then there's Sichuan hotpot, Cambodian
There really is a certain kind of magic.’ raw beef salad, fish and chips from Huskisson in
Back in December Scorn played at the Distorted Jervis Bay (with the wharf in Cooktown coming
party in Melbourne, supported by a live act a close second!), mature, washed-rind cheese,
calling itself The Mutagen Server – a newer mulligatawny soup, kim chi … ahh, the choices,
collaboration project Law shares with Olsen. ‘It the choices.’
page 18 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006]
features / local
SAFETY SPARROWS
The idea of pop music doesn’t exactly hold connotations of elaborate musicality. To most minds, pop walks
hand-in-hand with elementary instrumentation and rudimentary composition, with notions of achieving
beauty in simplicity; perfection in imperfection, if you will. From this perspective, Jon Tjhia’s Scissors For
Sparrow project represents something of a coup for the pop underground.
A vaguely rotating group of musicians, working back lawn, we clear leads, amps and abstract in the space. ‘The fireplace actually has a
under Tjhia’s conceptual and compositional pieces of ‘furniture’ from what will be our chimney that makes whooshy noises,’ he urges.
guidance, Scissors For Sparrow melds interview setting in the lounge. But it’s not ‘Sometimes I think it would be great to make a
supple, beauteous and endearingly clumsy that Tjhia’s disorganised, there are just some multi-track album that is completely laden with
pop aesthetics with a more experimental, extenuating circumstances. ‘I hate moving,’ he artefacts, so you can hear when a tape track is
heterogenous and developed sense of groans, waving a disconsolate arm in the general being put on half way through a song to record
musical process. Recording in home-studio direction of the mess. ‘There’s still a lot to do.’ an extra vocal, you can hear a dog barking or
environments and playing rare, raw, but Nevertheless, he is excited about his new something. I think that would be a cool idea.
rehearsed shows, the project harbours no set-up. Having shifted out of Northcote, in As long as the instruments sound good, then
ambitions of mediocrity. To put simply, Tjhia is Melbourne’s inner northern suburbs, Tjhia has whatever else comes is fine.’
a perfectionist – there are no half-measures, no migrated two suburbs further out, to quieter, It’s a statement that’s somewhat indicative of
untried ideas – but simultaneously, perfection cheaper Preston. ‘I’m still largely operating in Tjhia’s approach. While consistently open to new
is hardly the point of his music. His interests lay fear of the neighbours,’ he laughs. ‘I just met and ever-changing ideas, his music possesses
in searching out and navigating the potential Francis from next door today. She was really a strong, unyielding sense of purpose. Scan
of writing, recording and performing within a nice; she said she loved music and that her your way through the Scissors For Sparrow’s
progressive pop context – in using an imperfect daughter plays music, and that I should go for it: Oh…Hello! EP (released in late 2005) or
medium to explore much grander ideas. “Go play now! Go play loud!”’ appearances on Sydney independent label Feral
Jon Tjhia’s new house is a shambles – sparse, Indeed, his studio is the only room in the Media comps (Southern Winter) Northern
relatively furniture-less, but a shambles all the house with some vague sense of order. And Summer and Plastic Cotton Tree, and you’ll
same. We sit on milk crates for our introductory talking me through its various equipments, it’s find yourself traversing everything from washed
tea and biscuits, we take a tour of the unmown clear that Tjhia sees some interesting potential out instrumental passages and blocky pop
Moving Ninja
Interview with Paul Jebanasam
by Sebastian Chan
SILENT STEPPA
Paul Jebanasam, or Jabba, is one of the largely unknown Australian talents starting to
break through into the very London-oriented dubstep scene. With a tasty 12” under his
belt for UK label Tectonic, Jabba has recently started to play live at a few select events
around Sydney, intent on building up his local reputation. His sound, heavily influenced
by the sound design techniques of sci-fi cinema, rumbles with subsonic bass frequencies
and a glistens with a cold alien sheen. Hardly dub influenced, there are more parallels
with late ‘80s American industrialists like Skinny Puppy and early Nettwerk Records.
Like most microscenes in Sydney, it is through of South London that were similar to what
the work of a few largely unheralded people I was doing, but more dub oriented. People
that particular musical styles take root and like El-B, Zed Bias and Hatcha were really
grow. In the early years of the millennium a inspirational and were pushing a sound I had
crew called Garage Pressure started putting on never heard anywhere else. One of the great
one-off nights and spinning in the back rooms things about linking up with Garage Pressure
of larger clubs and events. Although beginning was they were already in touch with a lot of the
playing UK garage they quickly moved into the main producers and labels behind the scene. I
early precursors to the current dubstep sound, was lucky enough to hear tunes that probably
eventually hosting live sets from seminal UK weren't going to be released for at least a year
producers Zed Bias, Kode9 and Oris Jay. More and some never. The early Garage Pressure
importantly though, they were determined parties were Sydney's answer to [founding
to push their sounds to as broad an audience London monthly dubstep night] Forward and
as possible, happily taking up residencies at it was really the only place that you could hear
superclub Home as well as small underground this sound. Farj was producing as well so we
events. It was through Garage Pressure that worked on a lot of stuff together that could be
Jabba started producing. He explains, ‘It would played at these nights. We'd be in the studio
have been around three years ago now but it's finishing off a track then an hour later, it'd be
hard to say really. [Back then] it was more just playing in the club off CDR. For me, the parties
dark 2-step garage for a long time but without were important both to have an outlet and also
any vocals; just beats and bass lines. Around for people to hear music by a whole community
that time I was introduced to Paul and Farj of unreleased artists that was pretty different
from Garage Pressure through a mutual friend from the stock breakbeat that was coming out
and started hearing a lot of tracks coming out at the time.
page 22 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13 [07.2006]
‘Nowadays though, the Sydney the sound, and in some way acts to ‘amplify’ the signal
of the pirates. Jabba explains, ‘The net has been super
dubstep scene is a strange one, I important, especially now that a lot more people are
think more people in the UK know playing tracks off CDRs. Artists from all over can
exchange their music and have their tracks played at
about it than people here.' events on the other side of the world even before the
words “label” or “release” are mentioned. And in terms
of my current vinyl releases the net also played a part in
that all the tracks were originally hosted on the Garage
Pressure website though they had also been circulating
for a while on either dubplate or CD. The label that put
out the last 12” (Tectonic) I've only spoken to on the
phone a few times; it’s been all email really. Contracts
were sent back and forth and the tracks themselves were
transferred via an FTP server. The net has had an impact
on pirate radio as well, now that there are people who
religiously record the radio streams and then host them
on either their own site or a public file hosting sites like
YouSendIt. Rinse FM, which operates out of London,
is a perfect example of this and has become one of the
main stages that a lot of dubstep artists present their
music from, and now its starting to happen in other
cities as well. People like Joe Nice in New York, DST in
Budapest and Conspira in Portugal are now all regularly
disseminating recorded sets to anyone with an internet
connection [which has massively increased the effective
broadcast ‘range’ of the pirate stations].’
Currently studying film and sound design at College
of Fine Arts in Sydney, Jabba has been diversifying his
studio work further away from the dancefloor. ‘Sound
‘Nowadays though, the Sydney dubstep scene is a Eli of Southern Steppa fame and the nights they've for film offers a really different perspective when dealing
strange one, I think more people in the UK know about been putting on for a while now. It seems as though a with sound. Everything has a lot more gravity than you'd
it than people here to be honest. It definitely has grown whole stack of new people are being introduced to the expect at first so even a scene that seems simple can
though from when (UK producer) Kode 9 played to an sound with a really good response even when it has have a huge amount of planning and thought behind
almost empty room a few years back. Kode's sets were been pure dubstep; tunes that aren't really being played it, especially if you're working with a director who
so skunked out back then, all the stuff out on Tempa anywhere other than the London’s seminal Forward and has a very particular vision for what he or she wants.
[Records] by people like Horsepower and Hatcha went DMZ nights. Then there is the weekly radio show on FBi At the moment I'm working on the script for a film.
down a lot better at Frigid than at the Garage Pressure 94.5, that has been recently moved to 9pm on Fridays, Myself and the others involved decided from the very
night. I think then it was the strong dub influence in which is really great. [Perhaps as a result] there is a lot beginning that the music score would be written in
a lot of the tracks that helped it crossover, but now the of stuff that's being written now that is really going off unison with all the other initial ideas. That's turning out
stuff by Vex'd, Pinch and Boxcutter is something all on different tangents so it's a perfect place to experiment to be a really epic project which will hopefully involve
together different. It's easily as heavy as drum’n’bass in a bit with the less dancefloor, more minimal sounding parts played on a cello and violin alongside some pretty
its engineering, but the slower tempo means that there is tracks.’ complicated sound designs compared to the work I've
enough space to really explore some interesting sounds. Garage Pressure also set up a critical website (www. done previously. It's offering a whole new way of looking
All of those artists have stuff out or coming out on garagepressure.com) not only to promote their events at sound, so I'm just really glad to be involved in it and
Planet Mu which is great, as its means the sound is really but also to promote their productions and mixes. For can't wait to get in the studio with people from a more
starting to spread further than a lot of people thought Jabba, the hosting of a few tracks on the site ended up classically-trained musical background to record the
it could. It's now not as rare to see “dubstep” on a flyer in their eventual release on vinyl. Dubstep is one of a score.’
once in a while and the nights seems to have a regular few recent styles that has been driven internationally Dubstep, like jungle and drum’n’bass before it, and
following. Grime hasn't really had much movement almost exclusively by internet promotion and online dub before that, has been a studio culture: producers
though, its an MC-led thing in my opinion, and without media – key websites, message boards and forums, creating alchemical combinations of sound and rhythm
them, it's just not grime . Recently the big contribution blogs, P2P and streaming radio. Indeed the net has impossible with ‘live’ musicians, productions that are in
to the scene locally has come from Scott (Kodama) and played a role similar to pirate radio in terms of spreading turn ‘performed’ to an audience by the figure of the DJ.
Faux Pas
Interview with Tim Shiel by Matthew Levinson
Shiel is in an internet cafe in Salzburg his wife is away audiences everywhere, seems to be making for a more, when they hear that, but I just see it as another way of
on a Sound of Music tour and we are continuing an rather than less, homogeneous international music adding texture to a mix. If I really like a sample then I
email dialogue that has been running for months as the experience. `I guess what makes hip circles `hip' is am probably going to use it even if the sound quality
couple do the around-the-world circuit. everyone agrees on what's cool and what isn't, or that at is poor.
He employed the name Faux Pas at first for DJing least while there is enough variation in a given hipster `I don't fetishise sound quality. I appreciate good
purposes `No beat mixing, no effects, no nothing, as if population to give the impression of diversity. sound, but I put my music together at home using a
I was doing a radio show (which I used to do)' down at `I don't like the idea that obscure music is good computer, a combined sound card and keyboard that
the Espy Public Bar in St Kilda on Monday nights. Those because it is obscure. I like discovering new music cost under $500, and a pair of speakers that my uncle
sessions were soon followed by the self-released debut and I am always looking for things that interest me in made himself in the `80s. I don't fetishise lo-fi either,
EP Faux Feels> in late 2006, and the Entropy Begins At ways that I might not have thought of before, but I am I just get the job done with whatever gear I can afford,
Home> album in January this year that Shiel describes definitely not one of these people who thinks that any which really isn't much.'
as `sample-based' music similar to `Caribou, Minotaur
Shock or even Mountains in the Sky'. A week later he
got on a plane, leaving Wally de Backer from Gotye
to field calls from eager music journalists (the album `When I am putting tracks together I'm not really thinking about an
was playlisted on Triple J, US college radio, and most end result, and in particular I'm not trying to illicit a particular
Australian community stations).
`I listen to so much music and I even make it myself,
emotional response from someone.'
but I don't feel particularly articulate about it. I'm
jealous of the way some bloggers and music critics can
so artfully put music into historical or political context, band that more than five other people might have heard
and I feel like as a supposed `artist' I should be able of is instantly shit. I wonder if some people listen to
to have the same level of insight. Arguably I should be obscure or inaccessible music just to be difficult.
even more connected to what I'm doing, more aware `It's a matter of scale though, I suppose, because a
of the levels on which it operates or on the context lot of my friends would probably categorise me as the
that it depends on, but the fact is I tend to just slam person who only listens to weird, obscure shit, and
music together almost by accident until I like the way instantly dismisses all popular music, when really I
it sounds. don't think that I am,' he says. `But I still don't like
`I think comments like `waiting for baile funk to blow Wolfmother.'
over' [his myspace site is emblazoned with the quote] Sound quality is shaping up as a big question
come out of being frustrated about that, but it probably mark around the internet only a decade old, at least
has something to do with me not being particularly in mainstream terms the web's instant delivery is
interested in some of the most recent hipster obsessions changing the way we look at music, taking us further
like grime, baile funk, Baltimore, micro-house, or and further away from the hi-fi dreams of the `70s.
whatever. I just can't get into a lot of that stuff.' Shiel is ambivalent: `Most of my samples come from
The buzz created by influential blogs and online MP3s I have downloaded, so the source quality varies
magazines, and their huge influence over hipster wildly. Audiophile types always roll their eyes and gasp
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 25
`I would absolutely love to be in a real band. I
would be absolutely pathetic and I may not last
very long, but I would love to do it.'
This famous quote appears on the Now Now find something new, something for now.
website and is something of an underlying 'Clayton workshops the program for nine
modus operandi for this annual Sydney festival, months,' offers an exhausted Clare Cooper the
a celebration of spontaneous and experimental day after the festival. 'He’ll start with a list of
music. In unfortunate timing, the man who groups that he thinks will be great. And then
wrote these words and in doing so provided the will send it to me and I’ll throw some ideas in.'
name for this festival, and over the last 40-odd There’s actually a degree of perversity in the
years had given so much to the exploration and design, with the duo often forcing performers
understanding of improvised music, passed into uncomfortable realms, where they have
away a couple of months before. to move beyond what they have become
This year's festival was cast in the shadow accustomed to, and hopefully find something
of the great man's death. Though there was new and unexpected. Otherwise it’s also
little ceremony, an acknowledgement on Cooper and Thomas, the music fans themselves
opening night, and then the music flowed thinking up dream combinations of artists they
out, unpredictable, frightening, seductive, believe will complement each other.
challenging and frenzied over the following 'I think with most of the groups in the festival
three. There were seven sets each night, we try to program things that haven’t happened
encompassing numerous techniques and before,' she continues. 'Most of the groups it’s
approaches, drawing upon diverse genres the first time they’ve played together and we
and palettes from participants from around find you can generally tell in the audience if a
Australia and across the world. It was music group is trying to find their way when on stage.'
that celebrated the now - strange couplings of And unlike most musical forms, which are
performers courtesy of organisers Clare Cooper, more about flourish and polish, presenting a
Clayton Thomas, Jim Denley and Dale Gorfinkel finely honed ensemble, improvised music is as
- and an opportunity for artists to be pushed much about floundering as it is about meshing.
outside their comfort zones, to be challenged In fact, listening to artists from disparate worlds
by new approaches, to take on unfamiliar roles, attempts to find equal ground can often be
to reach instinctively within their technique, to more rewarding than a group that hits it off
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 27
immediately. And, in this sense, a rehearsal can be a realising what was happening! It’s a good concept that 'I’m not sure what it sounded
negative for the experience. could be refined, I thought, to be quite an interesting
This is a point taken up by Melbourne sound artist architectural performance.' like to the audience but I
Phil Samartzis, who performed in an eight-speaker 'The field recording ensemble I felt conveyed a strong couldn’t hear anything except
surround sound ensemble with the likes of Joel Stern, sense of spatial relations and natural language,' adds
Anthony Magen, Lawrence English, Camilla Hannan, Lawrence English. 'I felt that piece worked well because me, really, as I was sitting on
Inge Olmheim and Matt Earle. Hidden amongst the people had space to let their sounds evolve and there top the speaker.'
audience, each performer had one speaker on which was a common interest in listening, responding and
they interacted with the others, much was to be gained chance interaction.'
by wandering around, and changing perspectives with It was a performance in which many of the performers
the sounds, hearing frogs, water, static, high pitches, and had never even met each other prior, a theme that
birds all come and go from earshot. continued to play out over the entirety of the festival.
'I have great confidence that any musician I perform Melbourne contrabass and electronics performer
with knows what they are doing and I am happy to Natasha Anderson and Sydney’s voice-based artist
follow their lead,' offers Samartzis. 'I really dislike Amanda Stewart would have been in this situation had
rehearsal as it negatively affects the way musicians they not opted to meet up the day before to acquaint this rigour comes across in her performances. 'I have
approach improvised performance. The searching and themselves with each other. consciously worked on developing a bank of gestures
questioning that occurs in an improvised exchange is 'Well, I’m an uptight, tooth-grinding classical musician and sounds, and means of electronic processing
replaced by the anticipation of events that have been really, so yes, I like to rehearse,' offers the Berlin-based that reflect my interest in a language of playing and
predetermined in the rehearsal. One is active and the Anderson. 'But not necessarily make a game plan, as performing that originates in my training as a classical
other is reactive. Also all the rough edges and awkward often you do this and then, from the very first sound, musician, but which goes much further into ideas of a
moments are of particular interest to me as a listener.' it has to be thrown out, or else suffer a completely kind of framing of sound production in performance,'
This particular performance, however, seemed to have constipated horrible 30 minutes in your life. But I do like she offers. 'I have tried to create a language that shifts
few moments of searching and questioning, as many of to play with the other people prior to the gig, to have an quickly between dialectic extremes of frequency and
the performers, who all worked with field recordings idea of how your language interacts with theirs, and also dynamics, the digital and the bodily, and the processed
of natural and constructed environment, seemed to be to talk about form and means of formal development, and the instrumental so that often, hopefully, the
very much in their own world, concentrating on their even if you don’t actually fix this in a game plan.' provenance of sounds becomes unpredictable and
own space. Much like the real world. In fact, thanks to Though they weren’t to know this beforehand, they confused.'
their disparate positioning, it was likely that many of discovered that they shared similar interests and 'This language then becomes the basis for interaction
the performers never even heard some of those they concerns, not least the desire to possess a well-developed with other players. Of course whether this is
were playing with. It did, however, transfer the onus of understanding of the approaches and ideas of the person "improvising" is highly debatable, but also a question
the interaction to the usually passive listener, providing they collaborate with. that I’m not that interested in. I wouldn’t particularly
them with the opportunity to affect their own mix of the 'When I am working with other improvisers I see our claim for myself the title of "improviser".'
performance by moving around the space. music, first and foremost as a collective act where all Their performance on the night was jaw dropping.
'I’m not sure what it sounded like to the audience the people involved should have equal input into the With Stewart using her voice and Anderson on her
but I couldn’t hear anything except me, really, as I was collaborative process,' adds Stewart. 'I tend to feel very amazing contrabass recorder and electronics, it began
sitting on top the speaker,' reflects Melbourne sound uncomfortable if this does not occur. The first thing, quite frenzied, exploding into a series of spasmodic
artist Anthony Magen. 'It would have been great if the for me, is to try to hear and conceptually appreciate squeaks and vocal growls squawks and flourishes. As
audience wandered around a bit or were right in the the unique qualities of the people I am working with they continued they went from two separate entities,
middle getting bits and pieces of sound like in a pseudo through listening, thinking, talking and, sometimes, into one unique organism, as, without utilising any
real world. It fucked with the organised performer reading.' perceptible rhythm, they began finishing each others
audience concept a little too, which I like. I mean, one Anderson is very clear and somewhat rigorous about sentences and morphing sonically together to the point
person asked me to move out of the way at one point not her approach when playing with other musicians and where you couldn’t tell where one ended and the other
page 28 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13 [07.2006]
It felt like we were watching some kind of high pitched
chemical reaction.
began.It felt like we were watching some kind of high suddenly making lots of short, abrupt gestures so that amplification set up that highlights really deep tones
pitched chemical reaction. 'Well, that’s the benchmark,' this spatial aspect was highlighted. We also explored and shimmering high tones that he pulls out of the
said Rod Cooper beside me as he stood up to applaud. areas of convergence, so that the listening fields kept metal. Mark Harwood on Mark 2, a Cooper-constructed
'Natasha and Amanda, I feel like it’s still stinging shifting. It seemed to me that Natasha had created a new instrument that is based on thumb pianos, except the
my brain,' says Clare Cooper. 'I was saying that to instrument or series of interlinked instruments and it percussion are round stainless-steel rods welded to a
Natasha yesterday. She came up to me and was saying was fascinating to engage with her. It took me to places hollow, stainless-steel sound chamber. Dave Brown on
improvisation is so hard. I think you can hear that in I hadn’t been before. We plan to do more together in the the Mongrel, an industrial lap-steel with three thick
that set that there is this difficulty, but also everything future.' piano wires strung across a hollow metal girder. Dale
they shot out was so sharp and the timing was Anderson also played in one of the more unique Gorfinkle on micro tonal vibes, a vibraphone he built
incredible. They were inhabiting very similar sound ensembles at the festival, eschewing her contrabass himself, adding extra bars and using motors which
worlds - they were like these shards of glass. I hadn’t and electronics for ‘This is not an exhaust pipe’, a Rod activate the tuned bars, bowing the bars and dampening
heard Natasha on electronics before and I really enjoyed Cooper-constructed instrument that extends the length them with soft objects. Then there’s Cooper himself on
that.' of a recorder mouth piece to over two metres to create the Highly Resonant Object. It looks like an industrial
'When we did our gig we played totally differently a deeper, breathier tone. It was part of Rod Cooper’s strength BBQ with spikes, but it was actually built based
from the way we had the day before,' reflects Stewart. otherworldly music ensemble, a surreal collection of on his own body measurements.
'In both instances, we worked with no specific instruments crafted by him and performed by some 'There is a manhole over a bridge in Melbourne,
predetermined strategies (except for our conversations of the best improvisers in the country. Cooper is a which has the smallest opening,' says Cooper. 'It just
and agreement on an approximate duration). What renowned Melbourne musician/ sculptor/composer who fits through. I was doing a lot more urban exploration
emerged was constantly surprising for both of us.' constructs his own instruments and regularly performs back then. The HRO is about eight years old and I'm
'When I first worked with Natasha, I saw that she in subterranean locations around Melbourne. His only just learning how to play it. It’s my largest portable
was using these wonderful ideas of working inside and debut 2005 release on Room40 Friction features many construction, though I can't take it on a plane. It’s a
outside her instrument [placing mics in different spaces] of his self constructed instruments and is an amazing beast. I wanted an instrument that incorporated many
and moving between different electro-acoustic and collection of textures and drones, which uses silence and sounds into the one complex interface. It’s ideal for
electronic environments [through the additional use of space as a compositional device. improv. I have produced countless objects in my life,
her computer],' she continues. 'It was as if space itself His personnel were as follows: Rory Brown on sculptures, furniture, buildings and paintings. The HRO
was being stripped away by sound and vice versa. I loved prepared double bass, in which Cooper assisted with the is something I mark my existence against.'
what she was doing and this inspired me. So when we preparations that work on weight gravity and altered The ensemble opened proceedings on the Saturday
came to play together at the Now Now, I found myself string tensions. He plays it lying down with a unique night. Whilst the music was surreal, it had links to
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 29
the previous few days but somehow it was also like 'That was amazing because everyone was trying to encompass was the Splinter Orchestra, a Sydney-
nothing else. The strange-looking instruments offered figure out who was playing and because it was Rod based collection of musicians that numbers 20
a real performative aspect; no one could be sure what Cooper's ensemble everyone was looking for him to performers. They are made up of some of Sydney’s
was going to happen. Everyone was watching Cooper, give the signal but it was like he was being reverent best improvisers including Clare Cooper, Jim Denley,
yet he was intently watching Brown on the Mongrel, or something,' remembers Clare Cooper. 'He was and Chris Abrahams. On the last performance on the
standing almost at attention giving nothing away. Of so serious. He was so focused, just staring at his Friday night, they expanded their ranks by a further
Brown, Cooper is especially reverential. 'He was a bridge instrument and everyone thought that he was doing 35 introducing the likes of Tony Buck, Lawrence
between all of us. Some musicians have that instinct to it. It was great. Everyone’s looking around, Dale folded English, Jeff Henderson and Anthea Caddy into the
allow enough space in a complex arrangement, which his arms, and Natasha got up.' fold. So 55 musicians were seated in the centre of
only comes from years of improvising.' 'That was one of the sets that showed some of the the Petersham RSL at Newtown, around an omni
The music was subtle, brooding, and metallic. And problems in improvising but also some of the things directional microphone, leaving barely enough room
Cooper just stood there with his aggressive-looking BBQ that are quite unique,' Clare Cooper continues. 'If there for the audience to surround them. Spearheaded by
producing highly resonant metallic sounds, Natasha was a composition there for that whole piece and it Clayton Thomas, the group was arranged into various
Anderson blowing her strange thing that is apparently finished on a very neat stroke of a bow and everyone sections or sub-groups. Before the performance Clare
not an exhaust pipe actually walked off midway, clapped, it may not have worked so well. I think it Cooper could be heard marshalling the troops. 'Who’s
overcome by plastic fumes from the instrument she had really set the tone for the night. No one expected it; no section C?' she asked. The audience braced themselves
only been introduced to two weeks earlier, Brown kept one knew what the hell it was. It just turned up and for chaos, yet every time they played it was apparently
going, and the audience, not unlike the performers, took over the whole room. If people hadn’t applauded different, working off a new set of directions. Despite
were filled with the confusion and uncertainty about it could have gone on for ever. the multiple instruments they managed to evolve
when the set had ended, thanks to Cooper inadvertently 'Rod’s one of the characters. Imagine going to slowly and subtly with incredible care and beauty,
putting one of his instruments down on the keyboard Elvis Costello’s Sydney gigs supported by the Rod hardly the lumbering sonic beast you’d expect with
behind him, leaving a warm steady tone to continue Cooper ensemble instead of playing with the Sydney so many cooks. This night’s performance was entitled
once the performers seemed to have ceased. It was symphony. How much better would that have been?' Stamen and worked from the inside out, the initial
strange chaotic bliss and one of the highlights of the Another ensemble that defied expectations and group of musicians beginning an improvisation and
festival. challenged the notion of what improvisation could the outer group slowly picking up where they left off. It
“A.I.R. takes you on a dreamlike journey--not unlike what one could imagine the results would be if Kruder & Dorfmeister, Alan Parsons and
Calexico were to hang in a studio for a week. Top notch” - Groove Palace Radio.
“One of the most elegant and simple instrumental rock albums I’ve ever heard…a heavenly cloud of radiance that is simply not of the material world.
I can’t wait to hear more.” - Brainwashed (USA)
www.allindiaradio.com.au www.myspace.com/allindiaradio
Edgar understands much of the city's character as the past.`I made it mostly while on drugs, so it was
stemming from its expansive suburban sprawl and kind of about just getting in a different zone and
bleak, decaying urban environments. `I live sort of just letting things flow out. I just got sick of orking
right off the red-light district, so I'm kind of in a little on computers and really wanted to give it more of a
bit of the outskirts of Detroit,' he says. `As far as the human touch. All of the instruments were played by
city goes, the whole place is kind of really spread hand - whether it was controllers or whatever it was
out, so it's a little bit weird like that. In some ways - so it was all sort of done by a human, instead of a
Detroit doesn't really directly inspire me too much any mouse,' he laughs.
more because I'm so kind of inside of it, but it is my Color Strip resonates with human sensibilities, with
environment so I respect that and I think it comes out Edgar creating a sound that's equally raw and precise.
in my music.' Wielding a lithe, razor-sharp sound, the record
Music was always a large part of Edgar's life. exhibits a full cache of stuttered beats and basslines,
Growing up under the guidance of a single mother, he pulsing synths and chopped-up vocals. Tracks like
was introduced to techno and hiphop at the earliest of `Pret'a'porter' and `I Wanna Be Your STD' burn with
ages. `She was very young when she had me, and you crystalline techno energy, while the wildly fractured
know, really into dance music,' he says. `She definitely R'n'B of `My Beats' and `LBLB Detroit''ooze sexuality
exposed me to hiphop and stuff, you know. She always from every bass-heavy pore. Nevertheless, perhaps
had the radio on and stuff, so I heard tonnes of old the record's strongest sonic moment - `Personal
R'n'B and techno and stuff like that.' Information' - is it's most unoriginal. The track,
Despite his early taste for electronic music, the with its blocky, segmented beats, handclaps and
interest lay dormant throughout his teenage years synthesised bass, feels like little more than a prickly
as he experimented with playing numerous acoustic throwback to early Madonna or Nina Cherry.
nstruments. `I started out playing rhythm, so my But this doesn't worry Edgar, who also sees his
background is all in that; playing drums and stuff like stylistic direction as an exploration of his own
that. I did that for 15 years and that kind of led childhood. `I mean, you've got to remember that I
me into making electronic music. I played other grew up on that stuff, so it's what comes naturally,'
instruments, not seriously, but just kind of figured he offers. `My mum was always listening to it when I
them out and kind of had a mind for music from was young, so it's more about going back to my roots.
there.' And I always heard music in my head - actually, this
Edgar's history goes some way to explain the almost album - I always heard in my head even when I was
nostalgic early hiphop and techno sensibilities of younger. I remember lots of the parts from then, and
Color Strip; an aesthetic he broaches with an almost it's just sort of flowed out this way. So it's almost like
innate ease, but an aesthetic for which he has been I kind of foretold it before it happened. That's why it's
widely critiqued. a very personal album and kind of important to me
Indeed, while Edgar has managed to harness the in that way.'
washy synths and pronounced beats and basslines of He does have a point. Rather than trying to stake
an era past, many have written off his explorations a chic claim on the '80s - a decade he is barely
as nothing more that of derivative pastiche. He has old enough to remember - perhaps Edgar, in all
other ideas. `I think it sounds kind of retro because innocence, is merely traversing the domestic musical
it was just me on retro equipment,' he explains. `I experience presented to him as a kid. Indeed, maybe
was just doing my style on dusty old equipment, so I he's just acknowledging his mum's good taste. `I
think it just sort of came out that way. It wasn't really don't know man,' he pauses. `I guess so. It's kind of
intentional, I guess ... I'm not just trying to recreate funny because I often wonder what it will be like
page 34 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006]
THIS IS AN Kerrier District
Kerrier District 2
Luke Vibert alias #1. The second
album of his Metro Area inspired
‘house’ alias. Drawing on disco and
`I like to keep the creativity flowing in lots ‘80s funk elements Vibert’s take on
of different things, and not just music. I house is guaranteed to be cheddar free.
in the future when people listen to it, things, and not just music. I like to just Triosk
because the time will have already been keep my hands in other things. I treat The Headlight Serenade
past. It will be weird for somebody to my music like a graphic design and Sydney three piece’s second album on
go like, ``It sounds a bit '80s but it was I treat my fashion design like I treat renowned UK label Leaf. Their use of
made in early 2000s, so what the fuck?'' music. If I get inspiration I'll kind of space and electronics has made made
I wonder if it will stand the test of time, seek one of those mediums in kind of
them globally recognised as one of the few
I guess.' creating that certain feeling I want.'
It seems as though Edgar views his And as long as Edgar's still creating genuinely innovative forces in jazz today.
INERTIA AD
potential future success in the music that `certain feeling', it seems he'll be
world as fairly inconsequential. To put it happy enough. `You know, I've got
simply - juggling fashion design, graphic tonnes of emails like, "Oh, your new
design, photography and digital art - he album's fucking trash!'' and then I've got
has a lot on his plate.`I'm concentrating people who are like, "Oh my God, I love
on fashion design right now,' he says it'',' he pauses. `As long as people either
offhandedly. `I actually spent all day love or hate it, I'm fine with it. If people
today doing a fashion shoot. It was for were just kind of mediocre with it then AVAILABLE ONLINE AT
ID magazine,' he urges. `I like to keep I'd be really upset.' www.inertia-music.com
the creativity flowing in lots of different
Battles
Interview with Battles by Jon Tjiah
Several months after I heard the Battles Mixtape fan of Ian's work, so I just kind of agreed to check out cramming scores of riffs into each song, but also for his
Sampler, the band brought out their first releases- what he was doing. And that was that. It pretty much
proper, entering the arena with both Tras/Fantasy completely happened out of nowhere.'
and EP C, on Cold Sweat and Monitor respectively. Battles members are typical of many musicians
Soon followedB EP on Dim Mak which, combined today, balancing time between various projects and
with Tras/Fantasy and EP C, would form their debut locations. Stanier himself spent January of this year
release on the infamous Warp label. in Australia, playing shows as a member of seminal
Comprising Ian Williams (Don Caballero, Storm + Adelaide band The Mark of Cain. `The writing process
Stress), John Stanier (Helmet, Tomahawk, Mark of is much different now after we've been a band for `We're definitely not like
Cain), Dave Konopka (Lynx) and Tyondai Braxton three years, and everyone knows each other's style,' a jammy kind of band, so
(an accomplished avant-jazz multi-instrumentalist),
Battles was eagerly awaited by trainspotting indie kids,
he explains. `We do a lot of writing at home, emailing
each other little parts and stuff like that. All of us have, everything's pretty much pre-
metal heads, and experimental music fans alike. Even like, three other bands, so we're kind of bouncing ideas written. It's starting to change
so, nobody could have calculated the groups sound
from the sum of its parts. A blend of flitting guitar
back and forth. We didn't really do that before. Before,
we just sat in a dingy little basement in Brooklyn, sat
a little bit'
notes, twinkling melodies, ever-complicated loops and there and wrote on real giant paper on the wall, and
the lumbering muscle of Stanier's drumming, the band wrote down every particular little engineered part
have already birthed a wholly distinctive sound. of a song. `We're definitely not like a jammy kind of
The group formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2003. band,' he continues, `so everything's pretty much
Williams had moved there from Chicago fresh from pre-written. It's starting to change a little bit. Before it
the spectacular demise of Don Caballero, following a was very, very engineered from the inside out, but now
serious accident involving their tour van (bombastic we're more comfortable playing with each other, so it's
drummer Damon Che has since reformed the band of definitely morphing a little more to just a typical way
his own accord). He began playing with Ty Braxton of writing songs.'
(son of legendary avant-garde woodwind player Williams has likewise hinted that, despite the central
Anthony Braxton), after the latter repeatedly urged role of structure in Battles music (from which, he
him to make a solo record. Thinking they needed explains, improvisations hang), they are allowing
something extra, Williams invited Konopka to join themselves to branch out a little to keep older songs
them for a show. Stanier's involvement came a little fresh. Those familiar with Ian Williams' guitar work
more by chance: `I ran into Ian, and I was always a big in Don Caballero will remember his penchant for
See www.myspace.com/battlestheband
for more info
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 37
SHORTS / international
Tunng
Interview with Mike Lindsay by Anna Burns
FORKED TUNNG
It’s a wet Wednesday morning in Tunng started about three years ago when Mike have become a bit of a collective.’
England and Mike Lindsay has got up Lindsay and Sam Genders met by chance, through a After a significant time playing a bunch of live shows
early to chat about his band Tunng. mutual friend. Sam, as singer/songwriter was looking they’ve come back with another album, Comments of
Mike has finished his breakfast of for someone to work with and as chance would have the Inner Chorus. The experience of performing live
it, Mike is a producer and he was also on the look has somewhat affected the process of making an album.
melted cheese on toast, topped with
out for people to work with. It sounds almost like a ‘We have less chopped up guitars and that sort of thing,
tomato sauce, as in ketchup. He set up: ‘mutual friend took me to see a show of Sam’s because live they’re quite tricky to do,’ says Mike. ‘[But]
humours me as I ask perhaps too many conversations turned to music and we started playing the studio is one thing and playing live is another and
questions about the details of this. You around in a dark, grey basement studio in Soho’. The we didn’t want to change things too much – we didn’t
see, it’s my favourite question to warm songs come together when Mike ‘tinkers in the studio’, want to be thinking “Oooh we shouldn’t do it that way
up a phone interview; make sure the making beats and pieces, and when ‘Sam comes in because playing it live might be tricky to play”. We
levels are working fine for recording with lyrics and guitar tinkers and they see what fits. Or just wanted to make a really good record. It’s always
and all that. But I’m also genuinely sometimes Sam writes the songs, and then brings it to at the back of your mind that you’ve got to perform it
me and I add the finishing touches and bring it together.’ but … you’ve just got to make the best songs and then
fascinated – cheese on toast with
They rarely sit down and write together, although that come to the question of how to translate this into a live
tomato sauce. Interesting. What does does sometimes happen. The making of Tunng music performance later.’
this tell us about one of the major seems to be a rather relaxed and organic process. The Tunng has more than doubled in size – they’ve gone
masterminds behind Tunng? I’m not sure. mystical worlds, the tales of murder, robberies and from a duo to five strong – which, surprisingly, didn’t
intrigue portrayed in the lyrics of Tunng songs mostly cause too many changes in the production of the new
come from Sam’s imagination. Who would’ve thought record. ‘[It] was quite similar to the process of Mother’s
someone so quiet could come up with songs that are at Daughter; I still sit in the studio and makes beats and
once so beautiful, but sometimes so dark and twisted. samples and bring everyone in at certain points to add
The other remarkable thing about Tunng is these same their ingredients to the pot. There are more people
worlds are also always so charming, sweet, light and involved and there’s been an evolution of Tunng but
picturesque, not dark and depressing, more light- we didn’t all sit around and decide to write an album,
hearted and quaintly innocent. it happened over the course of the year, much like
After a period of all this creating and collecting, Mother’s Daughter, between gigs been doing stuff in
they ‘sent around a bunch of demos to various record the studio.’
companies,’ says Mike. ‘Static Caravan came back Some of the samples used on the new album are
with an enthusiastic response’, which gave them more the ‘results of a trip to Belgium with a mini disc where
momentum. This is how Mother’s Daughter and random recording bits and bobs were cut up, other
Other Songs came into being. But how did a basement samples are random noises and sounds created on the
studio project grow into a five-piece live band that has computer and a few old poetry record samples have
recorded a couple of live sessions for One World, (the been thrown in … for good measure. It was an obscure
BBC 1 show that’s taken over from John Peel), supported old record that in a day gone by had been used for
some high-profile people, played a stack of their own educational purposes in schools, featuring headmasters
impressive shows, and landed at SXSW this year? and headmistresses reading things and talking. I loved
Although they’d never intended to be a band and play their voices, they have such a wonderful texture and
live, Mike says they kept getting asked to play live, so parts of this featured heavily on the new album.’
eventually what was a studio project took on another Now back to those casually mentioned BBC Live
dimension. ‘We got a band together, spilt some tracks sessions, in Maida Vale. That’s a pretty huge step for any
down to make things work, combined more traditional band. Mike agrees it was a kind of ‘crazy experience, all
instruments with things like sea shells, bits of wood and that history’, but it’s also eerily normal. ‘The producer
page 38 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006]
'random recording bits and
bobs were cut up, other
samples are random noises
and sounds created on the
computer and a few old poetry
record samples have been
thrown in … for good measure.'
that worked with them has been we decided to. Apparently Bloc Party
there 20 years, you spend a few hours have heard it and liked it, which is
recording and then mixing, and after good because briefly we’d been worried
go to pub. It’s all very normal until he that die hard Bloc Party fans would be
casually starts rattling off some of the offended or something, but they seem A NEW ALBUM OF WORDS & BEATS FROM
other bands he’s had beers with in this to be okay.’
COOK N KITCH
same pub put after a similar process!’ And, finally, the name. The story is
I’ve interviewed other bands about short and sweet: one day Mike and
recording BBC Live sessions and one Sam were sitting at the pub, writing
www.the-frequency-lab.com
they decided not to release the Tunng
cover. ‘But we liked it and so thought See www.tunng.co.uk
fuck it, it’s a waste to not release it so for more info
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 39
ABOUT EMERGENT
Hopefully with your copy of Cyclic Defrost #14 you
found a CD titled Emergent. If you didn't, well some
Cleptoclectics
cheeky blighter probably scarpered with it. Anyway,
Emergent is a compilation made made in conjunction Instrumental hiphop producer Who are some people in your life you admire, and
with the Noise Festival and ABC Radio's Sound Quality. Cleptoclectics is 22-year-old why?
The compilation brings together young artists from Thomas Smith, from Sydney. Tom is Alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman is a hero of mine. I
around Australia who all submitted tracks via the web. respect his persistence, and that he played in his own
currently studying at the University
way despite intense criticism.
Klara Leander, project manager for Noise, ran of Technology, Sydney, where he’s
two question & answers with Textile Audio and writing an honours thesis using Gilles Do you have a creative highlight to date?
Cleptoclectics. Elsewhere in this issue you can read Deleuze’s ideas on the refrain to Every time I finish a tune I imagine it to be my best
full interviews with Scissors For Sparrow and Moving conceptualise sampling as a creative work, for about a day … and when that day has past I
Ninja, who are also on the compilation. process. don’t think I’ve achieved anything. I’m hoping that will
change.
Tell us something about where you come from.
I originally come from Canberra, where it was very cold. What has been the biggest challenge for you so far?
I gained a taste for gloomy weather ... I could see for Networking, meeting the right people; I’m not an
miles, and there weren’t many people around. extrovert.
Tell us your three favourite things: What’s the next thing on the cards for you and
Music, food and interesting people, in no particular your music? Any big plans: exhibitions, gigs,
order. My needs are fairly basic. collaborations, exciting things?
Getting a full-length release is my first priority. I’ve got a
How would you describe your work? small, weird gig coming up for the DKDC performance
For convenience I usually say something like beats or collective in Sydney. I’ve been asked to interpret Charles
instrumental hiphop. I prefer sample-based music, but Bernstein’s 'logrhythm’ poetic format, in the form of nine
it tends to illicit blank looks; people need a point of 30-second sound poems, which I’ll bash out on an MPC.
reference, so I name stuff like Four Tet, DJ Vadim, DJ
Spooky, Prefuse 73, DJ Krush, Madlib, Daedalus, Amon How do you imagine yourself in ten years time, and
Tobin, Manitoba, etc. Ideally, [I’ll] let them listen and what challenges do you imagine you’ll face along the
make up their own mind about which generic buzzword way?
they’d like to apply. I try not to be determinist in the way I think about my
life. Challenge is inevitable.
Matmos
Interview with Drew Daniel and M.C. Schmidt by Dan Rule
SIGNAL TO NOISE
Drew Daniel and M.C. Schmidt – the oddball San Franciscan pairing behind acupuncture meridians under your skin, and it’s this
the exploratory sound worlds of Matmos – have long been something thing that you sort of slide around your skin and it goes
of a drawcard in an increasingly crowded electronic community. Over ‘eeeeee’ and buzzes when you hit the different points. So
eleven years and five albums, their music has traversed history, human I play this thing live, Drew samples it, and we build a
song out of that.”
function, high camp, humour and hyper-surrealism, delving into sonic and
Somewhat unsurprisingly, Daniel and Schmidt met
conceptual depths previously untouched by the electronic scene’s vast in less than conventional circumstances. “When we
tendrils. Drawing sounds from the most extraordinary of sources, the pair met music was a point of mutual interest,” says Schmidt.
have managed to create music at its most abstract, lithe and boundless. “But seriously, I met Drew while he was go-go dancing
on a bar and I was putting dollars into his underwear,
and when he climbed down off the bar and I was able
Drew Daniel is in a good mood today. In fact, it’s preoccupation with the notion of paradigm to actually speak to him, it was one of the first few
hard to imagine him otherwise. He’s chirpy, talkative shift; a sensibility that has allowed them to things we talked about.”
and cracks bad jokes. “I not only have Cat Power create some of the leftist electronic world’s most “Well, honestly, it wasn’t that pure,” he laughs. “The
evenings, but Black Sabbath mornings,” he offers simply. bold, unique and often absurd sound works. guy I was standing with – looking up at Drew in his
“Listening to music, to me, can definitely be about From the start, their output was recognised as underwear – said ‘Oh, you know he makes really cool
feeling introspective and melancholic at some points, different to what was going on in the UK dominated electronic music’, and that’s not generally something
and feeling kind of satanic and powerful at other times,” underground scene. Removed from the synth-heavy you’d think about someone who’s go-go dancing on a
he says, breaking into laughter. aesthetic of the time, the duo set about defying the bar in front of you. So it gave me a great chat-up line. I
His creative partner Martin C. Schmidt, too, is hardly dance-oriented margins of the time, taking a newly was like, ‘Soooo, you make music? What kind of music
in a serious frame of mind. “Do you feel satanic and artistic and deconstructive view of sound and music. do you make? Blah, blah, blah’. Thank god I could be
powerful today, Drew?” he jibes. They released their self-titled debut in 1997 through more specific than ‘Do you come here often?’”
But Daniel, who along with Schmidt is today chatting their own Vague Terrain imprint to a flood of critical “So we started talking about this French musique
from their home in San Francisco, does have a point. praise. Daniel a then Ph.D. student, and Schmidt, concrete guy, Pierre Henry,” he continues. “We had
That being that for him, the simple emotions and a visual artist (he now manages the New Genres both heard this piece Variations For a Door and a Sigh,
gratifications of listening to music exist on a different department of the San Francisco Art Institute), were which is entirely this music made out of not music; it’s
plane to that of his own creative processes. doing things differently. The record’s aforementioned made out of an object. So I proceeded to step up, in the
“I’m the same as anyone else as a listener to music,” he crustacean neural activity, plus the sound of freshly cut pick-up procedure, to ‘Would you like to come see me
explains. “But as a creator I don’t really see music as my hair and human breath, only seemed to drive home sometime and learn how to use a computer to edit?’
chance to finally express buried emotions.” the point. This was, like, 1991 so having a computer was a much
Instead, he sees his own music as an attempt at 1998’s Quasi-Objects and 1999’s West followed, bigger deal. It’s like, how do I pick up boys? I know, I’ll
changing the terms of reference. “I think there’s a lot before they released perhaps their most infamous buy a computer! This was the only time it worked out,
of emotional impact that comes along as a result of recording, 2001’s A Chance to Cut is a Chance to Cure. but it worked out really well.”
people’s associations with sounds, and part of what Composed almost entirely from the recorded sounds Daniel soon moved to London, and after exchanging
Matmos is hopefully doing is letting people notice that of surgery and medical technology, the record set a tapes through the post for the next couple of years,
there can be something fascinating and emotional about new precedent sound recontextualisation, with the they eventually reconvened in San Francisco Bay Area,
the sound of a typewriter or the squeak of a door. It isn’t duo (both, conveniently, the sons of doctors) shaping founding Matmos in 1995.
just about a D-minor chord meaning ‘cry now’. There’s medical procedures into a remarkably accessible cache Since that time, and unlike many who inhabit the
a lot of emotion in everyday life, so making music of experimental electro tunes. As Schmidt explains, the oft-intellectual world of experimental music, Daniel
out of everyday life is taking a gamble on that fact.” pair still use some of the ‘instrumentation’ from the and Schmidt have managed to retain a sense of humour,
His explanation says a lot about Matmos and their album in live shows these days. understanding their music as a vehicle for playfulness
approach. Over their eleven years together as an “We do the acupuncture point detector,” he says. “In and experimental frivolity as much as the sober,
ensemble, the pair have maintained a healthy Chinese medicine they use this box that detects your intellectual exploration ideas. Their new record – the
page 42 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006]
“it always starts orderly
and ends in chaos, and..
every Matmos song is kind of
the same in that sense.”
SONAR 2006
Monday 12th June character who they can move around the town via performance was the minimal, but wonderfully effective,
Arrival in Barcelona SMS, and receive messages back regarding their health,
World Cup score: Australia 3, Japan 1. whereabouts and state of play in the
town. We adopted Kiki.
While the number 13 is unlucky for some, Sonar 2006
celebrated its first teenage year in style. This year, the Message One: Kiki is dropped off at the edge of town.
focus was on the multiple facets of black music and Where would she like to go? GOTO Rat Research Centre.
an exploration of Japan's rich, yet often unrecognised,
musical scene. Spread over eight stages in the shadows Hype Band of the Festival: The Knife
and within Barcelona's Museum of Contemporary Art, There's always one band whose name is whispered visual display from Nicolai. A single fluorescent strip at
SonarDay attracts one of the most wonderful crowds through festival crowds as THE act to catch. This year it the back of the stage threw up simple geometric figures,
you're likely to find at an arts and musical festival. As was the Swedish brother and sister duo The Knife, their explosions of chainsaw fireworks and classic LED
one local surmised, `It's the sneakers and sunglasses reputation for dark electro and stunning visuals had The patterns; the mostly yellow on black triggered perfectly
set from around the world'. It's a mix heavy with trendy Hall Stage was at capacity and closed to punters within by Nicolai to create a visual imagery of the night’s
Spaniards, the sunburnt English (sans the lager louts), minutes. Opening with throbbing sine-wave pulses performance.
an impressive contingent of Japanese, a sprinkling of and ghostly Bjorkish vocals, The Knife certainly was
Americans; plus a dozen or more so other nations; all promising. However, half way into their two-hour set,
with their 20 to 40-year-old delegates mixing together in the duo's electro vibe became more of the same old. No June 16. SonarDay
the latest Adidas, coolest T-shirts, and even a few tutus. doubt they will be huge, even if their on stage get was Update on Kiki: Still at the edge of town.
As in previous years, Sonar's musical performances reminiscent of our own TISM. Realising that Kiki had not moved in 24 hours, an
were backed by a dizzying plethora of non-musical investigation revealed that none of our SMSs were being
events; from technologically inspired art, interactive received. Kiki is stranded.
demonstrations, and more traditional exhibitions ... June 15 - SonarNight
Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto at Insen Richard Chartier
Bizarre Beer Administration: Line up for beer. A walk away from Sonar Day is Barcelona’s L’Auditori. From the Raster Norten label, Richard Chartier’s DJing
Then told to line up for beer ticket. Then go back and Built in the late 1980s as part of Barcelona’s ‘urbanistic of minimal ambient drones was barely audible over the
line up for beer. Alternatively; line up for beer ticket, reorganisation strategy’, it is the home to many of the boisterous Sonar Dome crowd. It was a problem many
then flag down mobile beer pourers in crowd. city’s classical and contemporary musical events. A Dome performers suffered, including Australia’s Inch
welcome change from SonarDay’s astro turf and fun- Time, who performed the previous evening as part of a
in-the-sun crowd, Insen provided the perfect setting Static Caravan showcase. Your best bet was to visit the
June 15 - SonarDay for Insen’s experimental collaboration of electronic record fair and pick up a copy of Chartier’s work from
Standard IDM Opening : Basscadet and visual artists Carsten Nicolai (Alva Noto) and Raster Norten stand. Exceptional packaging!
Slotted in as the opening SonarDay act this Spanish composer Ryuichi Sakamoto (best known for his work
laptop DJ paid perfect homage to his UK influences in Japanese techno pop outfit Yellow Magic Orchestra). Exhibition of Destruction:
Autechre and Aphex Twin. Set at opposing sides of the stage, Sakamoto’s piano Once Upon a Time Chernobyl exhibition
work moved from the highly experimental (fingers An example of Sonar’s deeper commitment to art and
Gaming Participation: Day of the Figurines inside the strings, manipulating metallic strains like an understanding was the inclusion of the exhausting and
As part of Sonar's exhibition component, this year's eccentric car mechanic; tuneless childlike thumping of quite disturbing exhibition about the Chernobyl disaster.
exhibitions were based around `the concept of territory discordant plonks), to classical melodies. Across from Highlighting the darker and highly destructive side of
in the modern world'. One of the more intriguing him, Nicolai’s simple laptop set-up provided equally technology, this extensive display detailed time from the
exhibitions came from the UK's Blast Theory collective experimental electronics, from clicks, cuts and fuzzy point of the explosion, through the clean up and ugly
and their IPerG (Integrated Project on Pervasive static to the piano-like mimicry in one of the night’s aftermath, with hundreds of pictures, videos, drawings
Gaming). Set in a fictional town, users adopt a most captivating movements. Rounding out the and excerpts from government memos.
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 45
the crowd slowly left, not warming to tracks totally
devoted to ecstasy use. Shadow didn’t totally alienate the
crowd though, pulling out 'Organ Donor' towards the end.
As part of the Schematic showcase, Otto Von Shirach and IDM from the UK’s Expanding Records were the
Surprise Pop Act: Scissor Sisters took to the stage splendid in fake nose and breasts. In a outstanding attraction; and two from the set quickly
Britain’s White Diet pulled out at the last minute and set of brutal, depraved electro noise he stalked the stage made it into our bags.
were replaced by an unannounced Scissor Sisters. ripping through demented covers of 'I’m Too Sexy' and
Perhaps an odd choice but their Bowie-esque glam went 'When Doves Cry', even inspiring violent, crazed dance Perfect Stoner Moment: Fat Freddy’s Drop (www.
down well with punters in the afternoon sun. moves from one overexcited punter. fatfreddysdrop.com)
The ever-popular Kiwi reggae band provided the perfect
June 16. SonarNight DJ Shadow setting for Sonar’s final sunset. Playing on the main
DJ Krush There was a certain buzz around the DJ Shadow SonarVillage stage, the Drop’s Rasta vibes had the crowd
Performing in the massive Sonar Park, Japan’s DJ Krush show and the ‘hyphy’ sound with Bay Area MCs Keak smoking their stash dry in what was a feel good contrast
spun an epic instrumental, often cinematic, hiphop set. Da Sneak, Turf Talk and Nump. Those expecting a to much of the colder, experimental music of the past
Despite precise and intricate mixes the downbeat nature laidback trip-hop affair were in for a shock as they three days.
was lost on a crowd wanting something more energetic. ripped through an up-tempo hiphop set featuring hard
Perhaps a more intimate SonarDay set would have been electronic stabs and R'n'B synths rather than warm
more fitting? jazz samples. It showed too, as the crowd slowly left, June 17. Sonar Night – Rupture Off Sonar
not warming to tracks totally devoted to ecstasy use. An hour’s walk to the outskirts of Barcelona, in an
Chic Shadow didn’t totally alienate the crowd though, pulling industrial wasteland, where heavy metal bars and
As the familiar bassline of the disco classic 'Le Freak' out 'Organ Donor' towards the end. teenage drinking dens were surrounded by construction
emanated from the Sonar Club, it was surprising to sites and scaffolding is where DJ/Rupture chose to throw
see a full band performing rather than a DJ dropping an off-Sonar party. The hard-to-find warehouse was
a crowd favourite. With the only surviving member, June 17. SonarDay a door behind a non-descript wall and it cost just one
Nile Rodgers, leading a massive entourage they ended Update on Kiki: Still at the edge of town Euro to enter. Inside it was a classic warehouse party,
with a marathon version of 'Good Times', complete Apparently the town is at war and disease has spread with kids in black, trippy visuals and horrible toilets.
with a Sugarhill rap and beatboxing from former Roots through the population. Kiki is still stranded. It just goes There was even homebrewed beer… that tasted like
member, Rahzel. to show that you can’t always trust technology. tuna. Along with Rupture, Planet Mu’s Shitmat and new
Soot Records signing, Filastine, performed, dropping an
Jimmy Edgar Music Without People: Raster Norton in the Essential often overlapping mix of drum'n'bass, hiphop, breakcore,
Considering his album on Warp was somewhat Room ragga and grime, though it was so packed though it was
disappointing, Jimmy Edgar proved to be the surprise Set in the MACBA Audiori, record label Raster Norton hard to tell who was doing what … great fun!
of the evening. Performing with a laptop and various created a solitary environment where sound was the
gadgets, he ripped through clinical set of Detroit- only focal point. Set up with four surround-sound Time of filing story: Tuesday 27th June.
inspired electro. Crisp beats over robotic rhythms. speakers, visits to the space ended with an audience World Cup score: Australia 0, Italy 1. The dream is over.
reduced to total silence as crystal-clear pieces from a
Jeff Mills number of commissioned artists such as Alva Noto and
As Edgar’s last beat sounded, a back curtain fell Richard Chartier were played.
revealing Detroit icon, Jeff Mills. His first beat dropped
with such force the audience was literally thrown back Most Irresistible Purchase: Expanding Records
a step. Setting the standard for the next two hours, he Like a kid in a lolly shop, Sonar’s record fair was a
expertly mixed a set of relentless four-to-the-floor dangerous place for buyers on the Australian dollar.
techno over four decks. A crowd favourite - just trying Over the 50 stands dedicated to festivals, DJ equipment
to exit the venue required deft manoeuvring. and vinyl, most of the customers seemed to be the
serious European DJs. However, the delicious set of
Otto Von Shirach colourful 7”s covering the spectrum of electro, techno
page 46 CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006]
features / local
SELECTS:
MARK N
Mark N is one of the under- His ‘take no shit’ attitude and deadpan, self- rightly, as an outsider and a threat. Original
appreciated renegade figures deprecating humour have been responsible Nasenbluten records trade for ridiculous
in Australian electronic music. (together with Aaron Lubinski and Dave figures on eBay, and every release from
Melo) for Nasenbluten’s noisy, grating and his Bloody Fist label is a collectable. Mark
Immensely hard-working and
harsh music, which has been released on ceremonially closed down Bloody Fist on its
driven, he has more notoriety labels all over the world, including Industrial 10th anniversary and moved interstate. He
overseas than locally, having Strength. Becoming frustrated with putting vows to return to Newcastle to retire, and
toured extensively through music out on other people’s labels, Mark set when he does maybe the Newcastle mayor will
North America and Europe up Bloody Fist Records - a name that still gets present him with the keys to the city.
first with his now defunct trio him strange cold calls from telemarketers.
Nasenbluten, and later solo Bloody Fist steadfastly refused to release Mark was given the task of choosing ten
as Overcast and as a fierce DJ. music from anyone outside of the Newcastle records that have defined him over the years.
region. His later solo productions as Overcast He approached the task with such relish
Growing up and running things
are for the most part dark, menacing relentless that we’ve decided to run the whole thing in
from Newcastle, a city two drum’n’bass, but also explore cut ups and interests of complete-ness.
hours drive north of Sydney once other tempos, whilst his highly technical
famous for its now-closed steel DJs skills, including wins at the DMC and Here are his choices in his own words.
works, he has enormous pride in ITF championships, have irritated many in
his roots. the local hip hop community who see him,
CYCLIC DEFROST ISSUE 13/14 [07.2006] page 47
I ran across new tracks that I liked the sound of, I
would listen to them on repeat, paying extremely close
The simplistic use of multi-track
attention to the edit points, structure and scratching recording had... stepped up the
techniques, scrupulously studying every aspect to death.
One of the first cut-up records that I became really
overall impact and density of
excited about was Coldcut’s debut 12” ‘Say Kids’, which the collage
sounded exactly like it had been assembled using
nothing more than records, turntables, a mixer and
four-track tape recorder. The all-encompassing sonic
collage, slightly rough edits and primitive scratching
gave the track a ‘live DJ’ feel. Although it came off far been entirely discarded - the Zeppelin break regularly
more dense and compact than an actual live DJ set gives way throughout the track to extended drop-ins
– and it wasn’t like a regular scratch showcase track on a from several other records. At one point a bold eight bar
hip hop album either. slab of Chubukos’ ‘House Of Rising Funk’ is scratched
This record consisted of actual slabs of other records in twice, then further on through the track four bars of
- specifically, huge chunks of Kurtis Blow’s ‘Party Time’ ‘Soul, Soul, Soul’ by The Wild Magnolias is roughly cut
- rather than purely manipulated fragments. It would back and forth, extending it into a sixteen-bar chunk.
COLDCUT: Beats + Pieces even be fair to say that Coldcut’s ‘Say Kids’ sounded I still think that the sample and breakbeat selections
(Ahead Of Our Time : UK 1987 : CCUT1A/B : 12”) like a tightened-up, thrill-a-minute version of ‘The featured in this track put it a notch above the many
Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of other cut-up tracks of the time. Coldcut seemed to take
Music by so-called ‘non-musicians’ was something Steel’. The simplistic use of multi-track recording had, a slightly more cerebral approach - their aim being to
I became interested in as a direct consequence of in effect, stepped up the overall impact and density of continually excite and surprise the listener with a clever
growing up throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s in the the collage, thus restyling the slightly cumbersome and cut-and-paste sound collage, rather than boring them
suffocating cock-rock guitar hell of suburban Newcastle. rough ‘quick mix’ technique that Grandmaster Flash with a dull six-minute scratchathon. And by crikey, they
As far as I was concerned, the notion of people had employed on ‘Adventures’. I also found that I much nailed it.
making contemporary music without using traditional preferred Coldcut’s style over Double Dee & Steinski’s Following this, Coldcut went on to put together one
instruments (especially guitars) was akin to ‘thinking ‘master mix’ collage technique that, although remarkably of the most legendary and best selling hip hop remixes
outside the square’. Unsurprisingly, collecting records clever, was more about clean and tight tape edits rather of all time – the ‘Seven Minutes Of Madness’ version of
composed of fragmentary portions of pre-existing than the ‘live DJ’ feel. Eric B & Rakim’s ‘Paid In Full’. After hearing their remix,
records became a nerdy obsession of mine, and during Later on in 1987, Coldcut became affiliated with Eric B famously dismissed it as ‘girly disco music’ but
this period I was always on a keen lookout for these ‘cut the UK label Big Life, and they released a cracking 12” was obviously more than happy to collect the royalties
up’ or ‘DJ’ records regardless of their origin or quality. by the name of ‘Beats + Pieces’. On this single, they on its sales. Coldcut cheekily replied by re-releasing
Sample-based records seemed to be in abundance had actually taken more of a structured and focused the seven-minute remix independently on their own
throughout the late ‘80s, as new production techniques approach, basing the track around a looped drum break label - with Rakim’s vocals removed - and calling it ‘Not
were slowly being discovered, developed, and samplers with slightly more emphasis on sound manipulation Paid Enough’. (Legend has it that Island Records paid
became more affordable. Even some of the more and scratching. The scratching itself is very primitive, Coldcut a measly one-off fee of £750 for the remix).
commercially successful UK sample-house records old-school, and a little sloppy compared to what was In any case, a veritable flood of pedestrian ‘girly disco
appealed to me during that time; particularly ‘Pump Up going on in the US and elsewhere in the UK at the time, music’ then followed from Coldcut as they went on to
The Volume’ by M/A/R/R/S and the ‘Beat Dis’ follow-up but it works in the context of this track so damn well. collaborate with and produce records for both Yazz and
‘Megablast’ by Bomb The Bass – both which have, in The drum break that ‘Beats + Pieces’ is based around Lisa sodding Stansfield, spawning a handful of chart-
my opinion, dated rather well. The actual story behind is the famous first bar of Led Zeppelin’s ‘When The soiling pop singles throughout ’88 and ‘89. Obviously
‘Pump Up The Volume’, the controversy surrounding Levee Breaks’, from their fourth album Zoso. I had the record company game was well and truly in full
its release and resulting legal action by Stock, Aitken & heard rumours about how these particular drums were effect by this stage. Nonetheless, back in ‘87 when
Waterman is fascinating enough in itself. originally recorded and I eventually read that they were Coldcut were apparently looking for a record deal by
But another thing that seemed peculiar to the ‘80s recorded in a three-storey concrete stairwell. shopping ‘Beats + Pieces’ around to several labels, they
was that any hip hop album worth its salt would feature [Drummer] John Bonham sat at the bottom of the were told by one label in particular: ‘Sorry, but this just
a ‘cut-up’ track where the artist or crew’s DJ would go stairwell hammering away in his distinct ‘muscular isn’t music’. The quote immediately became Coldcut’s
solo and showcase his cutting and scratching skills. drumming’ style and a single microphone captured catchphrase – and when ‘Beats + Pieces’ was finally
These were always the highlight of hip hop albums for the performance from above, creating the ultra-heavy, released the catchphrase appeared on the 12” sleeve,
me, and not only would I skip forward to those tracks muffled but immense resonance that makes the break and regularly in large bold type on their record sleeves
whenever my attention span had been caught short by so distinct and dynamic even when sped up. Although for a long time thereafter. Even if ‘Beats + Pieces’ wasn’t
the rhyming, but I used to rate hip hop albums on the the Led Zeppelin break formed the backbone of ‘Beats + ‘music’ – it’s still one hell of an incredible six-minute
strength of their cut-up tracks alone. Each time Pieces’, Coldcut’s original collage technique had not racket almost 20 years on.
soundtrack to my entire [Higher School Certificate] study Someone at the Newcastle Uni Student Union HIJACK : Hold No Hostage / Doomsday Of Rap
sessions. As a whole, the album also opened my ears up thought it would be funny to book Nasenbluten as (Music Of Life : UK 1988 : NOTE21 : 12”)
to other sonic possibilities beyond the realms of cock the ‘warm up’ act. Needless to say we dived at the
rock, unchallenging pop and ‘metal up your ass!’ – all of opportunity to warm up for an act that had meant so This 12” was probably the be-all and end-all of
which my largely insipid peers seemed enthralled by. much to us during a certain period of our lives (even hip hop for me. The unmistakable sound of late-‘80s
And the high-school friend who introduced me to all though we were in the advanced stages of Clifford-style Britcore. Fast, heavy, uncompromising, didactic and
this? That was one Aaron Lubinski, with whom I would disillusionment). We arrived for sound check sometime furious. Kamanchi Sly spitting his (rightfully) elitist
go on to form Nasenbluten a few years later. late in the afternoon to witness several big heavy-duty and perfectly calculated lyrics over fast breakbeats is
Over the years we both maintained an interest in road cases full of equipment being hauled backstage something that totally mesmerised me when I first
Severed Heads, particularly the early material that Garry and unpacked. heard it, and still gives me goose bumps every time I
Bradbury was involved in. We also learnt of Tom Ellard’s We casually strolled in with a couple of Amiga 600s drop the needle on it. Kamanchi’s sharp tirade against
amusing disdain for what he referred to as ‘Cliffords’. wrapped in ratty bath towels and plastic shopping bags. the competition is delivered at breakneck speed, and
These were people who apparently only liked the ‘early’ Aaron may have even been using a picnic basket as his he only comes up for air to make way for the insanely
Severed Heads stuff. That definitely described us and we road case at the time. Our warm up set was booked at fast and technical cuts of DJs Supreme and Undercover
(somewhat childishly) revelled in it. 8:30 and we made a point of playing our least palatable – which are also beautifully executed, amazingly creative
We kept up with Ellard’s Severed Heads activities but and most extreme pieces – to a slightly miffed and and still untouchable to this day.
became increasingly disillusioned, particularly when [the largely indifferent crowd of drinkers. Before we did I was a big fan of Hijack’s first single, but this 12”
seminal] ‘Dead Eyes Opened’ was remixed and reissued this we made quite a dent in the Severed Heads/Snog totally nailed things for me – the tempo, attitude and
in the mid-‘90s. It had been turned into a horribly ‘refreshments rider’ which was backstage – much to elitism all being turned up a notch since ‘Style Wars’.
effeminate little affair with its limp-wristed skipping their chagrin. By the time we finished, all of us were I realised at the time (perhaps stupidly in hindsight)
percussion; all of the gritty elements that made the extremely drunk and keen to try and stir up some shit that this record embodied exactly what I wanted
original 1983 version so quirky and interesting had been with the headlining visitor and his predictably aloof and everything I needed from hip hop as a whole
well and truly strained out. Even though the remix was entourage. – calculated tirades, fast, heavy breakbeats and precision
not directly Ellard’s doing, I guess we were pissed off that There were a few friends who had come along with us cuts. I didn’t give much of a fuck about anything else in
a much revered track had been turned into exactly the to the show (also proud Cliffords), and one had brought hip hop and I still don’t – much to the chagrin of the
sort of wimpy unchallenging fruity dance music that we his copy of Clifford Darling Please Don’t Live In The many scene purists.
(as Nasenbluten) wanted to pulverise. Past to try and get Tom to sign it. We knew that Tom There were some great records which followed this
After this particular remix of ‘Dead Eyes Opened’ probably wouldn’t take too kindly to this request and Hijack 12”, but none quite managed to harness the raw
hit the Australian charts, Severed Heads went on tour we were keen to see how he would react. After plucking power of Kamanchi’s delivery and Supreme’s production
around the country. The live act consisted of Tom up the courage, we approached Tom with the album on this specific release. Over the years I remember quite
Ellard and Paul Mac playing keyboards on stage with and made the request. a few people going berserk at Kamanchi Sly’s affected
video accompaniment. They were booked to play with Amazingly, Tom regained our instant respect without American accent, but again this failed to really bother
[Melbourne industrial band] Snog at the Newcastle saying anything. He simply rolled his eyes, snatched up me as his amazing vocal delivery far outweighed any
University “Bar On The Hill” on some lost Thursday a black marker and wrote on the back of the cover in ‘faux accent’ criticism.
night in 1994. very small letters: ‘I Disapprove’ T.Ellard. Back in late-‘80s Newcastle, word got around my
This London release manages to give an With this sober but lavish treasure, the
evocative sense of place, the feel of the cover is treated as packaging proper. It
music and becomes a treasureable object is a series design, and from the care and
because of its simple, elegant and unique expense incurred by the label, one can
form. Two sheets of matte board the only conclude that its contents contain
colour of frosted glass are inoffensively something precious and covetable. The
taped from the inside to form the cover. package is essentially a cover with an
This frames the front and back cover inner sleeve, but it is how they are
photographs as if being exhibited. treated and interact that makes the piece
The front cover has a square, much more than that.
movement filled photo of a London Thick, unbleached, lacquered card
park with a frenzy of pigeons taking forms the cover and is printed with
off. The only warmth in the otherwise diagonal repetitions of the label name
desaturated colour palette is a woman in wee, black, Trade Gothic type to
in a red coat, ducking from the sudden pattern the space. The inside is printed
flight. The back cover has a photo of a with orthogonal, lined shapes that create
brown, depressing apartment complex dark patches where they overlap. Three
but in the foreground strands of brightly unevenly spaced lines are embossed
coloured flags flutter in the wind and and Pulver is debossed next to a die cut
contrast the otherwise bleak scene with window that reveals the soft blue metallic
their mirth. The CD is printed with a print of the inner sleeve. A small
photo of crystalline fountains plashing in trapezium shaped die cut sits at the edge
front of a compressed concrete corporate of the cover to allow easy removal of the
structure. The drone of everyday scenes inner sleeve, which has the information
is made joyful by playful contrast, much and graphics for the album.
the same way as the music drones and The background of the inner sleeve
resonates with experimental guitars and is solid metallic ink, with schematic
fire crackle. diagrams of various electronic music gear,
The only type is on the back from an MPC through to the inputs at the
photograph panel and is all red and set back of an amp. Tone is achieved by using
in charming old Avant Garde. Clean and thin lines with various spacing. Clean and
slick, the logo is used as a dinkus and stylised, these graphics sedately claim that
the overall design is used for all of the the broken beat and deep house within is
albums on the label, but for changing of high quality and to be taken seriously.
the colours and photographs to suit. A white band braces the sleeve aligned
with the thumb hole of the jacket, and
the information is set within this space
in Euromode—almost as if it were as
specification sheet for a designer product
created by an industrial designer. This
treatment interacts and resonates with the
slick imagery of the technical equipment;
the inner sleeve interacts with and
redefines the outer sleeve; and even the
graphic device of the instructional diagram
approach allows the cover to speak of the
product as a desirable ‘tool’ to have handy.
GAIN
Nothing is overplayed and repeated
listens reveal quiet counter melodies
and field recordings floating away in
the murky background of several of the
tunes. The way Palmer is able to bring
Detritus and grace to encourage a peaceful out such strong emotions via his simple
Origin drifting off. Yet, his skill as a craft and head for minor key melodies
(Ad Noiseam ) percussionist is evident here, with gentle, make this a nostalgic listen, transporting
David Dando-Moore’s 2003 debut well placed beats providing enough us to an imagined past, perhaps a 1950’s
album as Detritus ‘Endogenous’ clearly punch to draw attention back to the black and white romance film set in the
reviews
hard-edged drum and bass, balanced Some compare his work to his fellow Doddodo
with a sweeping orchestral approach Scottish counterparts the Boards of Sample Bitch Story
reminiscent of Dead Can Dance’s gothic Canada, which is not an entirely unfair (Adaadat)
Looking for the new zydeco atmospheres. Intended as a statement analogy but I do wonder if it is made Osaka-based noisecore / plunderphonic
bluegrass-micro house crossover against “the parodic and saddening more because of a common geography artist Namin Haku apparently takes
reviews? In the interests of avoiding low quality of many electro-industrial rather than a common sound. His style her alter-ego name Doddodo from her
infinite micro-genres we've created releases”, this follow-up ‘Origin’ inhabits of composition with a concern towards obsession with dots (‘dod’ in Japanese)
our own classification. Here's your considerably more downbeat terrain, a gradually evolving sound continuum and this eight-track mini-album follows
guide: with Dando-Moore building emotive draws upon the heritage of C20th on the heels of a steady stream of ultra-
atmosphere amidst frequently harsh composers like Steve Reich and Harold limited CDR and cassette releases on
gain and jarring rhythmic elements. Slow
armour-plated tracks such as the forlorn
Budd but the interwoven melodies and
textures on this album make it more of a
underground Japanese labels including
Space Moth and G2. Taking equal cues
Chronic electronics: ‘Dead Daffodils’ certainly manage to cinematic experience, a soundscape for a from fellow Japanese experimentalists
including every imaginable conjure lush cinematic atmosphere, the film (or a dream) that exists only in the Boredoms (particularly their ‘Chocolate
software-based permutation from sweep of vaguely Eastern European inner mind’s eye. Renae Mason. Synthesiser’ period) and the lo-fi
electro to clicks and cuts. orchestration counterpointed effectively sample-based barrage of Alec Empire’s
highs by sparse, distorted industrial beats.
‘Tinsel’ meanwhile represents a descent
Directorsound
Tales From The Tightrope Vol.1
DHR, ‘Sample Bitch Story’ actually
comes across as far more accessible than
Culture, dahling, culture: into humming walls of droning (Powershovel Audio) its somewhat ferocious title suggests.
Sound art, contemporary classical, electrical substation noise punctuated A dusty, creaky sound full of melancholic While there’s certainly the odd
jazz, improv, world and elsewise. by menacing electro rhythms that calls minor keys made by classical guitars, concession to all-out sonic violence
mids to mind Techno Animal and Dalek’s
explorations into swaggering industrial
pianos, accordions, mandolins and a
sparse drum kit is the introduction to
(witness the fantastically-titled
‘Whitehousedisco’, which resembles
Strummed, stunned & shunned: dub-hop. Chris Downton this gorgeous album from Directorsound. Kid606 going head-to-head with the
From post-rock swankery to metal- What sounds like a quartet sitting in cast of ‘Riverdance’), much of this
solo wankery; from folk to farked, Dextro a warm room playing these late night record appears to poke its tongue
it’s pop n rock in all its forms. Consequence Music paeans to real emotions is in fact the knowingly at the established cliches
lows (16K Records)
Consequence Music is Glasgow based
work of one man – Nick Palmer, a
literary student who hails from Dorset
embedded in commercial hiphop.
Opening track ‘ABCDOsaka’ layers
Rumbling and mumbling: Ewan Mackenzie’s debut full-length in the UK. buzzing industrial feedback over a
Hiphop, drum’n’bass, reggae and the album. He evokes a quietly introspective Evoking the sounds of obvious crunked-up backdrop of distorted
odd broken beat and/or leg. late-night listening mood, where long parallels including Ennio Morricone’s turntablism and wall-of-sound
mute tracks lull at a consistently languid BPM.
The emphasis on sustained synthetic
quieter moments, Ry Cooder’s Paris
Texas soundtrack and Calexico circa
screaming augmented by toy samples,
while a stray fragment of Ice Cube even
Silence and the absence of it: notes, repeating melody lines and the their Black Light album, Palmer began rears its head on ‘King Of Tomorrow’s
Ambience, field recordings, use of voice as a textural rather than recording in 2001 on a borrowed quarter eerie fusion of Hammond organ,
outsider, noise, and everything lyrical device draws the listener in to an inch reel to reel machine at the age overdriven synth-bass and relentlessly
that’s unclassifiable. ethereal realm, providing enough space of 22. Remarkable really, considering clanking beats. Like a more hiphop-
HIGHS
this year celebrating their 10th birthday, of North American electronic music
and these two compilations cover much - from techno and house to electronically
of that history, albeit in a somewhat enhanced futuristic hip hop , modern
revised form, as the subtitle would imply. industrial, lush ambient and
Hefty can be a difficult label to pin experimental tones. This label diversity
down, covering all the bases of Chicago has been helped by an impressive Badawi drift across the tune’s desert expanses
music, from modern jazz to post-rock design aesthetic, right from the earliest Safe like a nomadic tribe. Elsewhere, the
and “future roots music”, a term label releases. Idol Tryouts 2 expands the (Asphodel) exotic hoedown ‘I Said Oblivion’ affords
boss John Hughes III coined for his 2004 roster further with a retrospective of Ably abetted by a stellar cast of the violinists an ideal vehicle for trading
Slicker album We All Have A Plan. In some previous releases, some ring-ins, musicians associated with the New York infectious lines while Shahzad Ismaily’s
something of a coup, each CD features and new material. Disc one, subtlted jazz scene (string players Eyvind Kang, electric bass animatedly rumbles
a remix by a Yellow Magic Orchestra avant-pop, opens with the sweet electro- Mark Feldman, Jane Scarpantoni, tuba through ‘Ocean of Tears (2005 remix).’
member: on Part 1, Ryuichi Sakamoto pop melodies of Solvent before settling player Marcus Rojas, guitarist Marc With Ribot’s stirring guitar work a
turns Telefon Tel Aviv’s ‘Sound in a Dark back into the rubbery techno funk of Ribot), the Israel-born composer Reuel focal point, ‘The Bedouin Walks Alone’
Room’ into something like minimal Matthew Dear and later the classic ‘Raz’ Mesinai (aka Badawi) conjures strongly aligns the Middle Eastern
dub, while Haruomi Hosono’s work on stripped back funk of Dabrye’s Magic the deep mysteries of the Middle East dimension of Mesinai’s sound with the
Slicker’s ‘God Bless This Mess, This Test Says. Some of Ghostly’s recent signings and Arabia on his second Asphodel ambiance of his adopted New York. Safe
We Pass’ is almost invisible at first — a have been ‘proper’ bands and their latest full-length Safe. Though his guests impresses as a meticulously crafted and
strangely unradical interpretation of Skeletons & The Girl-Faced Boys is a predictably dig into the aromatic thoroughly accessible presentation of
the original, although nicely minimal. chaotic jittery freak-out soul fusion jam, material with impassioned ferocity, exotic soundscaping. Ron Schepper
Daedelus, on the other hand, is in and Benoit Pulard’s The Depths & The Mesinai’s no slouch as a player either, his
radical form in his reworking of Savath Seashore could have been pulled from aggressive piano attack in the feverish Diaspora
+ Savalas’ ‘Paths in Soft Focus’ doing his 1991 shoegazer indie. Disc two is full of ‘The Avenging Myth’ more than equal to Let’s Hear It For The Vague Blur
stumbling jungle thing - lots of fun. ambient delights - Loscil’s subaquatic the broil stoked by Feldman and Kang, (Half Theory)
Elsewhere on Part 1, Perth resident pulses, Cepia’s widescreen haze, Greg the 14-minute epic also a showcase for Audiovisual duo Lloyd Barrett and Joe
Victor Bermon presents ‘The Lonely Davis’s unravelling guitar spindle, Tim Mesinai’s percussive talents (apparently Musgrove have conspired here together
Tired Dance’, a track that is very pretty Hecker’s processed fuzz and feedback he was introduced to Middle Eastern for a dreamy piece of psychedelic
with its guitar chords and subtly clicky are the standouts. Sebastian Chan drumming as a child and spent time in wallpaper. Still images almost smudge
sampled percussion, and STS9, Slicker drumming circles with Yemenite and into each other, into vague almost
and Retina.IT collaborate with some Various Artists Moroccan Jews, where he learned how perceptible blurs of colour that gently
minimal hip-hop with guitars. Japan’s Min2Max to play instruments like the Zarb, the fragment and burst into another
Spanova open Part 2 with the lovely (M_nus) Darabuka, and the Bendir). On ‘Sound ill-defined image just before you
layered vocals on ‘Absentminded’, which Minimal is back. Apparently once again on its Eccoing,’ his flute lines undulate think you’re staring to get a handle
eventually turns into a kind of funky a dance genre in vogue, Richie Hawtin’s hypnotically over a funereal drone, with on what you’re seeing. All the images
ambient electro. Telefon member JLE M_nus label releases Min2Max. This Mesinai’s dub influences coming to the are still, garnered from the internet
remixes Slicker in familiar style, and compilation, the second on the M_nus fore in the echoing string plucks that then processed and abstracted into
MIDS
antidote, there is a real confidence to tune, “Go Well”, with it’s xylophones,
his off kilter constructions, yet it’s not acoustic plucking and Nick Drake styled
technical wizardry, rather he conjures vocal, we have moved to another place
up these amazing sound worlds – he altogether. Shifting it’s moods from
makes you believe, then he extricates happy, melancholic, moody to ethereal
Always garbage, stale food, fart spray, ‘90s USA himself from them with a quirky and more, Snow On Moss On Stone is a
Bear Pride + Gross Odour teenage tape labels and old fashioned devilishly clever logic. This is a guy who rewarding album that keeps you coming
(Chapter Music) hamburgers. It comes through. ‘Cruising isn’t being played by his computer, the back for more. A folk album proper, it
Coming straight outta the NSW/Victoria + Body Odour’ is John Waters-gone- song is king and the song is fucked is a mature sophomore effort from this
border towns of Albury-Wodonga, homo sleaze, zine culture and cut up up. A guy who previously played with Nordic singer songwriter. Lyndon Pike
Alex Vivian has to be the only tape production. It’s stupid, but cool. Young Beck plays trumpet, and there’s also real
loop producer celebrating bear pride enough to have grown up with the double bass. These considerably add Faux Pas
and gross body odours. The art/music/ Internet, even in Wodonga (Albury’s to the real world jazz elements, though Entropy Begins At Home
prankster plays stupid techno as Slam poor cousin, apparently), Vivian’s been Dijf is also tinkering on the piano (Self-released)
Dunk and used to go under the name nipping out of class for years to keep and he plays it with a noticeable jazz Last year Tim Shiel self-released a
Viviano. He likes jockstraps, percussion, his blogs and myspaces and livejournals sensibility and sense of space. There’s nice little EP called Feels. Since then
LOWS
got pretty quickly stuck in my head, and song. In fact the song is very important
it is a decent opener on an album with to Tunng. You can hear vague elements
some even stronger songs. The strongest, of Icelandic heroes Mum, Nick Drake
such as ‘Jenny Again’, could easily or even Grandaddy, yet Tunng are very
survive a straight folk performance, clear, confident and accomplished, not
but the subtle electronic treatments to mention unique in their vision. The Ellen Allien & Apparat follow a steady 4/4 structure, shaded
serve to enhance them. Best of all is opening track on the album is enough Orchestra of Bubbles by warble-like ringing tones looped to
Sweet William’, another murder ballad to make you sit up and realise that that (Bpitch Control) infinity; at other times the squelchy
with dark cello and diminished chords Tunng are very different. A female vocal Orchestra Of Bubbles is life-affirming thuds and pops murmur softly just
in the guitar picking; here the innate cries ‘stay,’ and is electronically treated music in the most wide-eyed of senses. below a dusty ambient glow.
experimentalism of the folk scene and and elongated into a strange disjointed Sweaty, throbbing electro pulses flirt ‘Retina’, in particular, is wound tight
the concrète and cut’n’paste aspects of wail, whilst some whispering rapping with fat analogue beats, swim through like a coiled spring. The aquatic pads
electronic influences seem to walk past female vocals appear over an acoustic gleaming ambient pools, and ride on the and high-necked baseline fall into
each other, not entirely interacting until bed of guitar, some jittery percussion wings of Ellen Allien’s sprightly voice. a repetitive pattern that is infected
the cello gets caught up beautifully in and bizarre explosions of fragments of Pieces such as ‘Way Out’ are essentially by a plaintive string refrain. Further
a glitch delay at the end. ‘Engine Room’ sound. Then after a couple of minutes about overflow: one’s ear is clipped by a songs continue to fashion sleek, robust
concludes the album with some more the smooth vocals kick in. It’s very bevy of different voices, some restrained rhythms that constantly replenish
of William Blake’s dark satanic mills, different though also quite brilliant and in the background, some flying themselves, gorging themselves, as it
and again the folk singalong, the techno work unlike anything else around. Bob sharply just over one’s head. Similarly, were, on the ever-changing relationships
thump and the synth pads somehow Baker Fish the perambulating atmospheres are rife in which they are thrown. Yet these
remain as separate elements at the same with numerous cadences and moods. relationships are not wholly random.
time as holding together as a complete Now and again, the glassy electronics Although songs like ‘Metric’ skirt off
MUTE
around the individual takes on the as you could possibly hope for. With
form being explored by the collective’s this release, Planet Mu really show the
members. While there’s a steady focus breadth and depth of their roster, and
throughout on the defining elements of can legitimately claim to (still) be one
dub – cavernous bass, heavy drums and of the leading lights of the electronic
echo-delay, the tracklisting overseen underground. Ali Burge Tim Coster which weave bend and exist under and
by executive producer Scott McPhee Landing around all manner of electronic and
(Nerve Agent / X-Ray Sound System) Various Artists (Half Theory) electric instruments. They are songs,
takes in diverse terrain. Dsico offers Up The Anti mixed by Mr. Trick & On Landing Tim Coster works with but the structures have been lovingly
one of this compilation’s few vocal Waxfactor ambient drones, with indiscernible distended and experimented upon,
moments as well as a previously-unseen (Needlework) fluttering sounds and gentle barely where the internal logic of the sounds
glimpse of his dub-selector skills with UK-based listeners and the internet perceptible fluctuating melodies, informs what happens next rather than
the woozily laconic ‘Over And Out Dub’, radio-savvy may have already come offering a simultaneous feeling of stasis any notion of form or expectation. And
while conversely, Koshowko set the across Mr. Trick and Waxfactor’s and progression. Apparently garnered this freedom makes for some really
controls for the crashing heart of the Rhythm Incursions radio show on from processed field recordings, interesting and agreeable compositional
echo-chamber on ‘Promise’, stretching London’s Resonance FM, which for processed instrumentation and decisions. And though initially it may
vocoders out over a treacherously- two years has seen the duo throwing electronics, it’s an exercise in patience seem to the contrary, it really has
shifting rhythmic backdrop that sits anything from glitch remixes of Usher and subtlety, in the delicate integration been carefully and quite subtly crafted
somewhere between broken IDM and to The Bug’s violent dancehell into of material almost under earshot. It’s all as it can not be possible to layer this
pulsating dub. It’s also worth moving their unpredictable live mixes. Billing quite low key, the warmth of the drones amount of disparate sounds and textures
swiftly for the limited extra CD, as it their show as ‘picking up where hiphop anchoring the pieces as multiple sound together even if you are some sort of
nicely caps off an already impressive stops’, this second in a series of mix sources converge and entwine together slacker Brian Wilsonesque slacker genius
compilation. Chris Downton CDs reflecting the content and style of to form one rich tapestry of sound. It’s –which no doubt these guys are. So
the show follows on the heels of recent really quite beautiful and subtle work alongside the odd moments of difficult
Various Artists guest mixes for both Ninja Tunes’ Solid with mannered and soothing tones that music concrete weirdness you have the
Sacred Symbols of Mu Steel and XFM. With the duo apparently still manage to retain an experimental whispering vocals over gentle acoustic
(Planet Mu/Inertia) reaching a point where they felt it was edge. Bob Baker Fish guitar. Yet before long their mischievous
Originally intended to mark the time to unleash their ‘definitive’ mix, nature takes hold again and you’re back
label’s 100th release, Sacred Symbols ‘Up The Anti’ represents the fruits of Greg Davis & Sebastien Roux in the realm of gentle furtive spurts of
of Mu has suffered a similar fate to an entire year of work by Mr. Trick & Paquet Surprise electrics. Bob Baker Fish
the much delayed Planet Mu DVD. Waxfactor and shows them throwing a (Carpark)
Now fully complete, mastered and headspinning 130 tracks into a one hour American Greg Davis and Frenchman Ferran Fages & Will Guthrie
pressed, this label overview compilation long party mix session (with absolutely Sebastien Roux have thrown everything Cinabri
demonstrates just what has changed no track information to tell you what’s but the kitchen sink in together and (Absurd/Antboy)
at Planet Mu in the three years since coming next). crafted a quite beautiful, occasionally Melbourne experimental percussionist
Children of Mu, and what hasn’t. There In this case, Mr. Trick & Waxfactor off kilter suite of glitch folk bastard Will Guthrie has increasingly moved
are of course tracks from label stalwarts have fashioned a heaving, multivaried electro acoustic pop oddities that if they beyond the kit, redefining the concept
like owner Mu-ziq, as well asVenetian mashup mix that rolls with the force could assume human form you’d want of percussion with all manner of objects
Snares, Luke Vibert, Shitmat, Leafcutter of an earthmover through alternating to hug them. Most prominent on their and junk, even a strange purpose built
John and Dykehouse. However it is the hiphop, dub and dancehall styles and is list of ingredients are acoustic guitars, percussion machine by local instrument
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