NXP - KELA - new release for free download

A brand new release from NXP is available for free download. Said to be one of his noisier releases for a while, it sure is worth a listen.The album is called "Kela" and is out on Requiem Productions.

You can find the download here

The Grand Erector LP

German label Pure Pop For Now People has just released an interesting project by The Grand Erector. Intended as a tribute to the group FAUST, source recordings for the project were contributed by invited members of the Faust mailing list and a few other cronies. The contributions were all then dismantled, RE-processed and RE-smeazed, before being RE-assembled to make the final album. Each track was created by combining material from several sources. Being only 100 copies on black vinyl, including an 8 page 10" booklet with photos by Ian Land, it will probably sell out fast!

Quote:

THE GRAND ERECTOR would like to thank Alan Holmes, Zoë Skoulding, Maeyc Hewitt and Ann Matthews (ECTOGRAM), Alex O’Shea, Steve Pittis (BAND OF PAIN), Ben Tinker (THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH), J.S. Adams, Dane Johnson, Gustavo Jobim, Jean-Hervé Peron (FAUST), Jim Bowers, Ian Morrison, Jim Donnelly, Ken Hyder (KSPACE), Mike Rowlands, Olivier Manchion (ULAN BATOR / PFE), Phil Wilson (THE JUNE BRIDES), Richard Fontenoy (STELLA MARIS DRONE ORCHESTRA), Ronny Waernes, Joachim Gaertner and Martin Brauner (S/T), Steve Fligelstone, Luis Forner and Paco Gomez (TRAUMMASCHINE), and Zoltan Pfefer.

Listen to a soundclip here

Noisemusic - is more better?

Someone said to me in a very noisy room: "I guess you like this, being so much noise here!" This made me reflect a bit. Some of my friends, colleagues or family have no clue what this is about. They know I like noise, they know I make noise, hell they even know I am performing occationally. They would never say noisemusic, btw... But is more better? My instant reply was: "I’m not sure, it’s not that good." And good is usually better than more. Not that I am not a fan of more. No, but better is usually…well...

Maybe I should start explaining what I mean. Someone told me that they prefered noisemusic that is possible to play at a low volume. How does that relate to noise? Is this not a contradiction? Yes, it can be. If you are interested in the sheer energy and the massive wall of sound some of these artists can produce, it would be relevant. But I think that it is possible to listen to noisemusic at a very low volume, if the noise itself is interesting enough. Some prefer the repeptetive side of it, and some people enjoy the more structured side of it. The depth of a track would mean a lot to me also. When exposed to noisemusic with a minimal range of frequencies, it is harder to listen to it for a longer periode of time. One example of this can be some of the early recordings of Whitehouse which have some needling high frequencies, and nothing more.

Melodic and compositional structures can sometimes be hard to find for an untrained ear, but that is also something that would improve the listening experience. Many noiseartists would regard Lou Reed – Metal Machine Music as a pioneering work for this approach. If this is combined with depth and a wider range of frequencies, it would be easier listening to and for some considered better. Fine examples of this can be found in Fe-Mail – Voluptous Vultures, later recordings from Wolf Eyes and Lasse Marhaug. Interesting is also albums/releases that have a very wide range of different approaches or sound. Noise compilations have usually these qualities, as they have lots of different bands and artists, who naturally sound very different.

Other than that, there is also the massive amount of artists incorporating instruments and/or voices that you would easily recognise. And the other way around.

Ultima Contemporary Festival

Today is the opening day of Ultima, Oslo Contemporary Music Festival. If you are anywhere near Oslo the next 2 – 3 weeks, you should try and find time to check out some of the events. To many events to present here, but only a few recommendations:

Saturday 4th - 19:30 BODØ SINFONIETTA @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB w/soloists, will perform ao Arnt Håkon Ånesen (NO) Frames (2006/07), John Cage (US) Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1957/58), Sven-David Sandström (SE) Konsert for fløyte og orkester (1980), Jonathan Harvey (UK) Wheel of Emptiness (1997).

Wednesday 8th - 10:00–12:00 THE LAPTOP AS INSTRUMENT @ AUDITORIET, NORGES MUSIKKHØGSKOLE - A presentation of eksperimental music technology by Dan Trueman.

19:30 ensemble recherche @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB - performs Cecilie Ore (NO) Cirrocumulus (2002/2004), Klaus Huber (CH) Plainte (1990), Younghi Pagh-Paan (KR) Hang-Sang III (2005), Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) 7. Stunde aus KLANG: Balance (2007).

22:00–23:30 STOCKHAUSEN @ LINDEMANSALEN, NORGES MUSIKKHØGSKOLE - Kazuko Ihara, flute performes Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Freia (1991), In Freundschaft (1977), Ypsilon (1989) & Mikrophonie I (1964) for 6 players with tam-tam, 2 microphones, 2 filters with potentiometers. Other artists: Asbjørn Flø, Mats Claesson, Jøran Rudi, Kjell Samkopf, Rob Waring og Kjell Tore Innervik.

Friday 10th - asamisimasa w/Mark Knoop @ LINDEMANSALEN, NORGES MUSIKKHØGSKOLE - Performes Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Refrain (1959), Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Klavierstück XI (1956), Brian Ferneyhough (UK) Bone Alphabet (1991), Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Plus-Minus (1963).

Sunday 12th - 19:00 AL KAMANDJATI – The Violinist @ OSLO KONSERTHUS

Monday 13th - 18:00 & 19:00 DRÅPEN - SOUND INSTALLATION by ARNE NORDHEIM @ BEKKELAGET RENSEANLEGG

Thursday 16th - 19:30 NORDIC VOICES With PETER BRÖTZMANN & FRODE GJERSTAD @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB - Concert for clarinet and voices. Nordic Voices and soprano Ellen Aagaard meets legends of improvised music, Peter Brötzmann og Frode Gjerstad.

Saturday 18th – 1800 CIKADA @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB
Performs pieces by Nils Henrik Asheim (NO) Ensemble music for 5 (1985), Lars Petter Hagen (NO) Sørgemarsj over Edvard Grieg (2008), Henrik Hellstenius (NO) Hi Ophelia! (2006), Eivind Buene (NO) Nature Morte (2008), Arne Nordheim (NO) Partita per viola, clavicembalo e percussione (1963).

Much, much more at ULTIMA