NXP – Notes From the Field of Guilt (review)

Label: Requiem Productions

Cat no: XP 12

Release date: 15.02.13

Bandcamp link

NXP is a solo noise project from Norway, focusing on ambient noise, sometimes rythmic, sometimes just dirty noise. He collects samples, field recordings and various sounds and instruments to create his world of darkness.

I see this album in two parts. The first three tracks are quiet dirty ambient noise. So quiet from the start that you have to go and check whether you have turned the volume way to much down. But ultimately this makes you listen even more, and I notice the murky darkness of a future sound of a barren landscape. The second half is also three tracks, and they come out much more apparent, and easier to relate to. Not that this is easy listening, though. Far from it. Again it is darkness, but rhythms and even piano chords makes the tracks less abstract. The moods are slow, melancholic, and the label claims this album is not for people afraid of the dark, or not for people with suicidal thoughts. So if you think the world or you life is a dark gloomy place, with no positivity, have a listen to this album and get everything confirmed. But still, it can be shared with yourself on a dark rainy night with your own thoughts, a glass of wine, lighted fireplace, and scare yourself with what lurks outside the windows or in a not too distant future. Or if you think the daylight is just too bright, and the sun always shines on your life, get deep into tracks as “A Crash Course to Final Destruction” or” Snapshots of Reality” and get your mind in the just direction. Or you might say; my life is not that bad, anyway. Have a try.

Review published on Freq webzine

Mats Gustafsson, Paal Nilssen-Love, Mesele Asmemew – Baro 101 (review)

The Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love has made a fast and hard-hitting impact on many recordings in the national and international scene of free-jazz and improv these last years. Whether as a band member of Peter Brötzmann's Chicago Tentet, the assembly of some of the leading musicians of today’s free-jazz, or in the powerful Hairy Bones also including the said German. Also worth mentioning are the remarkable recordings with Lasse Marhaug, either in the jazz-strangeness Fire Room, also including Ken Wandermark, or their duo collaboration release Stalk of the more sound-noise-improv-less-jazz style. No surprise then, that he was invited to Ethiopia by the Dutch-weird-punks from The Ex, to do the ‘Free the Jazz’ Saxophone project, alongside other acclaimed musicians such as Ken Vandermark and Mats Gustafsson. The Ex has been going to the Horn of Africa for many years, starting back in 2002, and the idea is to do collaborative works with different Ethiopian musicians. So, at the end of this trip, Paal, Mats and the Krar-player Mesele Asmamaw, decided that they wanted to record (A Krar is a five- or six-stringed bowl-shaped lyre, btw…and yes, I had to look it up!). They joined forces in room 101 of the Baro Hotel in Addis Abeba, and did this free improvised recording.

Baro 101 was an album I had great expectations to. Mainly because I know and enjoy a lot of the projects Nilssen-Love has been a part of. I did not know much of what Gustafsson has been doing other than the Tentet, and Asmamaw I had never even heard of. But excited as I was, the first listen made me unusually aware of the conversation between the musicians. Not that I understood what they were ‘talking’ about, anyway. But most times new music makes me feel something, either good or bad. Not this one at first. How strange. I was intrigued how they responded to each other’s outbursts or repetitiveness or how they moved together in wilder more unpredictable ways. It made me wonder more about what was happening in the room. But then it started getting to me. I started getting the chills. Wonderful chills created by the sounds being shoved into my mind. The diversity of the conversation creating shapes and structures of sounds, and suddenly I saw the African animals of the safari I went to many years ago. Elephants moving slowly towards the water, spiced with the musician’s conversation about the fun they had during the Ethiopian adventurous project. Or the traffic jam in the streets outside the hotel one busy afternoon. All of which is probably my own crap in my own head anyway, but still, they play well together, making wonderful sound-landscape. The saxophone is very evident, almost a major focal point during the entire album. Followed by the drums and spiced by the Krar and occasionally wonderful singing by Asmamaw.

The overall impression is very much live in the room, as it is. Often times improvised recordings, being unedited as this is, can have ups and downs. Some periods of genial music, others of not that fantastic or even quite crappy. So not with this album. It goes in many directions. Sometimes they loop, or a nice melody comes together. It is massive, subtle, has beats, rhythm, no rhythm, its minimal, chaotic, or sometimes concentrated on a point, or goes in every direction possible. And the conversation! No elephant talk here! It made me wanting more, going to a concert, or wishing I was in the room. For me, Barolo 101 is one musical highlight of this year.

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Anders Hana - Dead Clubbing (review)

I’m on a train a foggy winter afternoon, beats rocking me away into an unfamiliar yet known landscape. The steady beat accompanied by bass-noisy distorted guitar rhythms feeds to the familiarity of the sounds. Suddenly strange background screeching brakes hits, but without any effect on the speed, like the change of mood when entering a tunnel, but still continues when coming out of it, swirling through the narrow valley of winterly mountainous landscape. The feelings created by the first tracks on Dead Clubbing matches perfectly the dual sides of the experience of listening to the music, combined with the train ride I am on writing this. Almost like they were made for each other.

Anders Hana has made some hard impressions on the Norwegian scene of avant-rock, by his involvement with the heavy sides of Noxagt, or the free-rock combo Mo-Ha! and others. With his uncompromising attitude to his guitar, he makes for a challenging listen for the faint-hearted, or a welcoming experience for the open-minded in the mood for a path of what? This would be very much the same with this one-sided vinyl LP, although here he does all the instruments himself on this album. The six tracks are all on the one side, and a screen print directly on side 2 of the record. I can’t say anything at all about the appearance, as my cd-promo with accompanying words give no credit to it, but it seems like a nice gem for us vinyl enthusiasts anyway. The beats continue to rock’n’roll me into a rhythm that possibly could make me want to dance, but as it is here and now; music perfect for travelling or driving, or sitting in a cart behind an old diesel engine on rails, looking out the window at the wintery snow-filled murky forest of pines, expecting trolls to appear any minute. Soundscapes filled with mysteries, moving left and right in my ears, back and forth of my head, but still with that hectic rhythmic beat.

The music is sparsely, almost minimal with little focus on the melodies. Experimenting with a few layers of sounds and distorted or string-like soundscapes seems more important, held all together by repetitive heavy rhythms by drums. It still makes for creating interesting catchy tunes and moods, all in a strange way somewhere between rock’n’roll and dreamy hypnotic meditative eastern feelings. Rooted in a combination of ancient prog of early King Crimson and some of the sounds and feelings of Grinderman, it is strikingly structured and free at the same time. All that said, it has something of its own, first of all it is also a very heavy album. Heavy on the drums, riff-based tracks, all instrumental. It’s a slightly uneven album, the first three tracks definitely being the strongest and fit right in my mind immediately. The three last seem less heavy on the beats, probably needing more time to get them under my skin, although the ending of the last track makes my head spin perfectly. All of them, however, still adds to the impression of a well-made album that will continue to run on my stereo. Only downside: it ends all too quickly, so repeat again!

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Jazkamer - Metal Music Machine 2 CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA026
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: November 2010

I've had a small brake from reviewing the Jazkamer monthly 2010, but this is not me quitting the promise of reviewing every monthly. No, I have been busy running a festival, and was planning on picking up where I left with submitting the August release. But what happens? During the festival I was, as the first person in the world, given by Lasse Marhaug himself this brand new Jazkamer release, and being taken by surprise by the title, I knew I couldn’t help myself doing this one first. So the rest would have to wait, but it will come of course. This release is due out November 2010.

When Metal Music Machine was released in 2006, Jazkamer was hailed over the world with this new metal direction, even by their old noise fans who obviously thought nothing lesser of this metal – noise combo. Metal and noise is in many ways related, and Jazkamer founder Lasse Marhaug has numerous times acclaimed his fondness of various metal acts, and his solo work is sometimes heavy and dirty as trash can be, so no surprise when his and John Hegres Jazzkammer turned into Jazkamer, the Metal act (this spelling is used most of the times from then on, even with pure noise releases). More surprisingly at that time though, was the introduction of members from the Norwegian Death and Black Metal, and that they wanted to join such an underground unpredictable movement as the noise scene. But in retrospect it is understandable, as the trashy, dark, scary parts of Jazkamer and the rest of the noise world has these things in common, as also with the moods they create and the loudness and attitude combined with it. Various metal bands has also been closing the gap between genres, as also has been the case with many hardcore punk bands. Incorporating noise in metal would of course be a natural developement using metal effects pedals to the extreme, and bands probably want to take back some of the loud noisy distorted sound from the noise performers.

Anyway, Enslaved guitarist Ivar Bjørnson and Manngard drummer Iver Sandøy teams up with multi-instrumentalist Jørgen Træen (aka Sir Duperman) for this new release in the Jazkamer Metal Music saga, only with small contributions (!) from the founders Marhaug and Hegre, and also from Trond Myklebust. Digesting this makes for an understanding that Metal Music Machine 2 would be less noisy than the first one and more of a metal record. And so it is.

First track, The Metal, is a fast and furious speed trash metal guitar based track of 4+ minutes. It’s a bit pompous without losing energy, but speed varies a bit. The guitar and speed of drums gets me going like a duracell rabbit, this is a fun start. Second track, Bestial Desolation, is just over three minutes. This is more oldschool trash metal from the 80s. heavy drumming, hypnotizing riffs, rhythm changes, faster, more furious. It is almost as it is made in the old days of the 80s when trash was invented. I wouldn’t say as progressive as Metallicas …and justice for all, but it was certainly the very first thing that came to my mind. Not a bad mark, as that was my first introduction to trash, and still is a favourite of mine to this day. I wish it was longer, though.

Noisy distorted really slow guitar riff to start off the third track No Lamb For The Lazy Wolf. It’s 8+ minutes, and other sounds are slowly introduced. No drums during the entire track. It’s dirty, and creates a scary dark landscape, scraping on the surface of your nerves. Make sure the kids are in bed, and you have a cold beer in the fridge to comfort you and cool yourself down with when playing this track. Even better if it’s raining and it’s dark and you are sick having had a hard night out last night. This track will take you to your discomfort zone. The wolf is certainly not getting any lamb, but he is still that creepy guy I would dread meeting on a dark wet night, even around the corner.

Track 4 is almost 17 minutes. Slooooow drums to start with. The track is almost minimalistic to start with. Just a kick, then a snare with a cymbal. Then some feedback. Where is this going? Ah, it’s The Crimson Worm. If a snake is supposed to dance to this, it is wagging extremly slowly. The drums are alone in the rhythm for a while, just adding some gentle guitar feedback. But after a few minutes the doom guitar enters, and later something else is happening. And then that isn’t much either, slowly, slowly it builds itself. The sonic landscape this track creates is very exciting, though. And makes me in a state much happier. Although it’s dark and dirty, it has to have some of those frequencies or harmonies that makes me want to go and finally grab that cold beer. Mmm, that’s nice. The worm doesn’t really go anywhere, but it explores some sound that makes it exciting still. And it’s not over yet.

5th track. Electra Glide in Black. Jazkamer finishes off with again, a classic heavy.The name suggests to me to go and get me a bike, and get moving. Ok, I will. It starts off as a classic road heavy track, but moves after a short while in strange guitar mayhem. BUT then it fades away! What!?! It’s over? No more tracks? Crap, I was just getting into it…the track…

This record is a very good metal record, and follows the first in an excellent way. It’s dirty and dark. It’s fast and fun. It’s slow and scary. It’s got a lot of elements that you rarely find on one album. A bit short at 37 something minutes, but it fits nicely into a vinyl record, so hopefully we’ll see one of those appear as well. It is certainly no noise album, but I am equally fond of metal, so all the better for me. The Metal Music this machine produces has run on my player a few times aready, and it will again. I am certain this record will sell out, as it is a short run subscibtion thing, and being a bit more accessible than most Jazkamer releases, so run and get one if you can even find one.

Puma – Half Nelson Courtship CD (review)

Label: Rune Grammofon
Catalog#: RCD2098
Format: CD, Album (Available on vinyl)
Country: Norway
Released: May 2010

What is Puma? This young Norwegian trio started out as a jazz trio, and they all studied at jazz conservatories. They also fit in numerous other projects, such as Jaga Jazzist, Bushman’s Revenge and Westerhus recently joined Nils Petter Molværs‘ new trio. As Intro winners (Norwegian award for young jazz muzicians) in 2006 they where also given oppportunities to go on tour with noise artist Lasse Marhaug. In recent years they have been regarded as leading talents of the Norwegian improvisional scene.

Although Half Nelson Courtship is divided into 10 tracks, the album works as a whole, almost a suite that moves into various aspects of the sonic palette Puma wishes to explore. There is a highly experimental feel to it, but in many senses also inspired by 70s progressive bands of the more experimental kind. King Crimson around ’73 is mentioned in the press release, and is not much off the mark; Earthbound comes to my mind on some occasions. But they are of course more freeform, almost at times as free as the most intricate Frith could be. But they also explore and varies a lot between…

Fast.

Easy.

Slow.

Siren.

Kraut.

Jingle.

Glitch.

Organ.

Guitar.

Heavy.

Drums.

Sacred.

Naked.

Reverb.

Virtous.

Panned.

Looped.

Organic.

Harbour.

Difficult.

Screech.

Ambient.

Freeform.

Feedback.

Industrial.

Incredible.

Symphonic.

Power tools.

Minor moods.

Wailing guitars.

Gilmour stretch.

KC but no Fripp.

Rhythm. N. Soul.

Symphonic guitar.

Plinkety-plonkety.

Birds, but no birds.

Growls, but no animals.

Sonic fantastic universe.

Subtle noisy strangeness.

Drums random..ly structured.

Loud high pitch and waves of wind.

Will I play it again? Yes, I will play it again!


Whoutcha!

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Jazkamer - Cover by Hair Stylistics CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA021
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: July 2010

From the Pica Disk website:

“Cover by Hair Stylistics is the july edition of Jazkamer‘s ongoing 2010 monthly Compact Disc series. This month’s album finds Hegre and Marhaug joined by Iver Sandøy playing noisecore. Noisecore is a crossover between grindcore and noise music. One could call it improvised grindcore, as its emphasis is on short bursts of blastbeat drumming backed by screaming vocals and heavily distorted guitar. Often the music is improvised on the spot. (…) Cover by Hair Stylistics contains 129 songs in 20 minutes. Because of the Compact Disc-format’s limited index ability the songs are presented as one continious track. Jazkamer also prefers the album to be experienced as a whole, rather than prominence given to individual songs.”

How can we possibly not do that?

Noisecore should contain hard chaotic drums, chaotic vocals and chaotic noisy guitar (and/or bass). No proper guitar riffs, and difficulty to hear musical elements should also be a part of the overall experiense. In such manners, Jazkamer succeeds very much in doing so. As with a lot of noisy stuff, it is also better to enjoy live than any studio recording. As Jazkamer has recorded this fast an furious, with some mixing after, they manage to make it sound quite live-like.

The noisecore recording tradition is also rough, distorted recordings, with difficulty to separate even the instruments at times. The recording of this Jazkamer edition is at times very distorted, both drums and vocals, but the mixing quality makes it easier to separate the individuals and you can hear what they are doing. It makes for a good listen, even so. Maybe even better as this album is quite long for a noisecore release. It is easy to lose focus after a while, but the mix helps, as there are new interesting things happening all the time. Maybe as Jazkamer is not a true noisecore band, but plays on quite a few strings, as we have learned during the monthly series, they also add bits and pieces to this genre (unintentional or not), that helps the untrained listener to stay focused throughout the entire 20 minutes (my player stops at 19:25) and 129 songs(!). Hailed noisecore bands are usually very fast as Anal Fist, or very distorted. Jazkamer is fast at times, but also slower for a noisecoretrack. For me this also creates a more diverse and interesting listen. The last minute comes out quite weird, even.

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Jazkamer - We Want Epic Drama CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA020
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: June 2010

The June edition of the Jazkamer monthly series, We Want Epic Drama, is the first album with the full metal line-up since the highly acclaimed Metal Music Machine was released. Two drummers, electronics and three guitars promises quite an onslaught. However, that is often the case with Jazkamer, two or more members almost always manages to present an impressive wall of sound, no matter what.

As with the March edition, this album is a full-on production, with lots of drums apparent, though not in a metal doom kind of way you might expect from this line-up, but more free improv full speed ahead noise style. Divided into two tracks, this album is more than 70 minutes long. Both tracks starts off with hard-hitting freestyle drums, and guitar and electronics follow. By the mid/end parts of both tracks the drums have disappeared, and noisy guitars and electronics take turns in being more apparent. But this is beside the point. The interesting, exciting works of this album is how Jazkamer explores every bit of the sonic palette. Maybe less of the more subtle sides, but all kinds of feedback, harsh white noise, pink noise, screeching and wailing guitars, whistling, rumbling, airplanes, cars, just to name but a few I could sense myself.

So, does this six-piece make any difference compared to a smaller line-up? It certainly does. For one thing, the use of guitars makes for an interesting change that I like about this CD. At times you hear metal-sounding guitar riffs in combination with free improv use, all blended nicely in the mix of drums, electronic noise and strange sounds. Both tracks have so many layers and so many sounds that We Want Epic Drama deserves many rounds in the player. I find myself discovering new things every time. As with the March edition("Jazkamer – The Monroe Doctrine"), it also triggers a lot of happy places with me. It is hard, loud, massive, energetic and guarantees excitement for me yet another time.

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Jazkamer - Chestnut Thornback Tar CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA018
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: May 2010

The May edition of Jazkamers monthly series starts with an almost twenty minute long drone track. It's very deep dark and with mellow synth sounds to start with, moving about in my headphones, almost without recognising it, the track creeps upon me, moving more, being more intens and distorted. I hear adding layers, adding sounds, but almost not noticing it. I am feeling relaxed by this soothing, meditative track. Hypnotizing me to go to another place, until the end is blissfull of wideranging distorted noise.

Then the album changes to a more experimental focus. Next up is six short tracks, spanning from just under thirty seconds up to almost four minutes, and one last track of almost fourteen minutes. Most of them are experimental, very varied tracks within themselves. Expressions as a simple guitar loop including acoustic noise, playing with synth sounds adding whitenoise, cut and paste techniques, use of pauses within tracks, massive use of cymbals, distorted burploop, fiddling with guitar, (do I hear someone trying to say something?), free drums, aggressive noise, playing with various soundgadgets creating weird noises, playing with drums and more cymbals, high pitch that almost makes the sound dissapear, room recordings…. plenty going on. One track (7) stands out as more happy-noise. It's a massive wall of drums and sounds that have the same feel to it all the way, not changing the sound image throughout the entire track, although a lot of interesting is happening all the time.

All these powerful changes makes “Chestnut Thornback Tar” very interesting and moves me very much. I am thrown from one end of my emotions to another. From the state of being mesmerized, hypnotized, to wanting to dance. In between I am concentrated in deep listening trying to figure out what comes around the next corner, or thrown off my seat while my head explodes and later being lured back trying to re-assembly it.

The album title could be some Japanese gamer reference, indicating that some of the sounds are inspired by gaming activities, certainly some of the sounds appear to be also. Some of the tracktitles, however shows a more philosophical point of view, as with “We need a painting not a frame” or romantic, sentimental as “Yellow, mountain fur peak” (actually the last and more experimental), or as clearly as “Sentimental Journey”. It is not clear to me what is the albums actual focus. It might be showing the range and variety of some of Jazkamers abilities, in wich they clearly succeeds. If it is to entertain, they certainly do. I was never bored.

Vocokesh - Electric Indian Blues LP (Review)

Label: Pure Pop For Now People
Catalog#: Pure 04
Format: LP, Album
Country: Germany
Released: July 2008

I have started reviewing some underground vinyl releases not only Norwegian. My love for the vinyl format will always follow me, and I figured that should count in developing this blog also.

This is my first Vocokesh experience, but will not be the last in account of this release. The LP is beautifully done with a handmade cardboardcover. Limited to 200 copies, there are only a few left at the label.

Side A starts off with a bluesy, untidy, short- just over 3 minutes track. The overall sound is off-tune, with lovely disharmonies between guitar and sitar, which bears very little of typical indian sitar sound.

The next track gives a change of mood and tidyness. No Sitar. Almost 9 minutes, slow blues, harmonies, ambient soundscapes. More spacelike mood, but then it changes mood, almost a very early 70s PF blues rhythm. It is clearly very similar to the chords and bass lines of PF, and this track is one of my favourites on the LP.

The last track before turning the vinyl is more than 10 mins, with lovely guitar sound. They use a bit more use of fuzz and feedback. The track seems more untidy. Halfway it gets more slow bluesy like track two, moving closer to that PF mood, but still more daring use of guitar without loosing it, and without being to prominent and it gives me some chills… as it moves to the end.

Side B starts off with the title track. The sitar is back (electric), slow blues, just over 7 minutes. There are more harmonies, and it is a well built track. Not much happening first, but the eastern indian sound qualifies the name. Good combination of the PF bluesy style and indian moods and harmonies, some organ, lovely track (one of the best also imho).

The next and also last track of the album, is more than 14 minutes. It starts with wind, bass, guitar, quite a long intro. No specific rhythm other than bass. The guitarist is using some stereo echo, which sounds nice. The combination of synth effects and electronics, makes it improv sounding with some jazzy use of drums. Halfway it moves into some blues rythms with some synth, and strange use of effects and guitar. A wonderful bass line-represents the melody, and nice use of the guitar wich feeds here and there without being overwhelming, makes a great finale!

Jazkamer - Self Portrait CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA017
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: April 2010

We’ve come to the April edition of Jakamers monthly, and of the previous being quite electronic, "Self Portrait" is the complete opposite. A pure acoustic Jazkamer release must be of the rare kind.

This album consists of three untitled tracks, the two first almost 11 minutes each and the last just over 16 minutes. The first impression of the album makes me think of some kind of metal furniture being pushed around at random, and microphones recording whatever happens in the room. Whatever pieces of equipment they use, it certainly comes out deep and multilayered, and feedback-like, dark ambient sounds are still evident. The first track seems to be highly improvised, making the track not going anywhere, but clarely the performers seem to be exploring the sounds that appear as they “move the instruments” about.

The second track starts out sounding almost exactly the same, but after a while it is clear that we have some rhythm. Rhythm being slow moving, but still it is kind of looping going on, same patterns being repeated over and over again. The third and last track is completely different, as Jazkamer moves to some kind of strings. Again slowly moving patterns creating a track that is very relaxing and soothing. So, a very ambient sounding track completes the release of quiet acoustic noise, if ever there is such a thing. All in all a very ambient record.

Sound sample here.

Torstein Wjiik - Wjiik Let Angreben Af Influenza CD (review)

Label: Synesthetic Recordings / Ambolthue
Catalog#: Syre 021 / Ambolt -90
Format: CD, Album, Limited to 220 copies
Country: Norway
Released: February 2010

Apparently this is the debut CD of Torstein Wjiik, which is really hard to believe when you look at his discography, where you can find lots of MP3 and CDr releases. Wjiik is the alias of Norwegian experimental artist Kjetil Hanssen. Knowing that this young man has been around and producing sound since 2004, some would say it is about time he appeared on the proper CD format. However, this is usually no guarantee of a more proper listening experience.

The title suggests that Wjiik is slightly attacked by influenza, just like Ibsen was described when his health got worse 6 years before his death, and the tracktitles can certainly be a cronology of getting the flu. Firstly the “Gag Reflex” followed by “The Flu Has Come”, “Screamer”, “Headache”, and so on. Some of the titles are also descriptive. When the title is Gag Reflex, you get, yes a recording of someone gagging (I’m guessing the artist himself). And the track “Oslo Tram”, is a recording of trams in Oslo, nothing more. In between these recordings there are wonderful full on feedback and whitenoise recordings. The track “Brekninger & Feedback” is a wonderful combination of a recording of gagging or vomiting and feedback. You can barely hear the person doing it as it is brilliantly hidden in the feedback.

So, is this CD meant for the noise audience or those who like field recordings or just strange recordings? I believe neither. It seems like Wjiik here has made something he wants to present rather than point it to someone specific. A mix of the said gagging, harsh noise, low-fi recordings and outside field-recordings can seem a bit random at first, but to me the cronology and the way the tracks are mixed proved it differently. Listen to this alone on a cold dark, snowy winter night as I did, you’ll make sure to keep warm avoiding the flu come and get you.

Uncompromisingly put together it can easily be labeled as a release someone didn’t quite know what direction to choose, but Wjiik has many talents, as he has proved before in his massive amount of other releases, and here he shows but a few. Is he making fun of us or is it a well put together concept album? For me it will have to be the the latter, and in contrast to Ibsen he is certainly in good health, although the CD finishes off with the title track.

Jazkamer - The Monroe Doctrine CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA016
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: March 2010

“The Monroe Doctrine” is the March edition of Jazkamers 2010 monthly abum series. This CD is a 30 minute track with full on noise rock free jazz improv beat hysteria. Performers are the regular four piece of Gross, Hegre, Marhaug and Drønen. Beautiful artwork by José De Diego.

To make it short, the album immediately striked me as something heavy but lovely, a full on wow-factor after just a few seconds, it knocked me way back in my seat, pushing enormous amounts of energy inside me. And it didn’t stop until the full half hour came to an end. Reviewing this CD without emotions is impossible, but I’ll try to describe some of what I heard.

It starts off with a massive wall of sound from guitar, drums, electronics, and I’m guessing, keyboards of some sort. The soundwall is heavy and loaded with bass and lower midrange frequencies, but still it is possible to hear the drums and guitar, although they are not in front of the sound image, but well blended in. Nothing is piercing, and you have to really listen carefully to separate out details. I can hear Coltrane, Hendrix, trains, traffic, cricket singing, jet fighters, blistering feedback sounds, although sometimes it is well hidden, almost subtle inside the mass. Jazkamer produces a fantastic amount of energy all the way through, they never slow down, especially the drums are pounding at an enourmous energy, speed and power.

The title made me wonder if it is meant as a political full on statement, as the original doctrine was made to stop colonising any countries of the western hemisphere. Or is it just a full on statement?

The CD is very well produced and mixed by Jørgen Træen, no noise overtakes the drums or guitars and opposite. The sound in my ears is fantastic, and very rarely noise/rock releases give me just as good experience as a live show, but “The Monroe Doctrine” really does. In fact I might have a new favourite hangover repair album. I am sad when it stops on 30 minutes sharp, and I had to go repeat…

Jazkamer - Musica Non Grata CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA015
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: Feb 2010

From the website comes this information: "The February edition of Jazkamer's 2010 monthly CD-series. "Musica Non Grata" is a feedback-fest. Armed with guitars and analogue synths and an arsenal of amps, Hegre, Gross and Marhaug locked themselves into Duper Studios in Bergen, exploring how feedback-timbre sounds like when recorded on an analogue 24 track 2" tape-machine. The three long tracks that makes "Musica Non Grata" are slow-moving long-form meditations on feedback that will be bliss for a select few and hell for most listeners. February is not an easy month . CD in digipak cover. Photos by Martín Escalante."

Musica Non Grata is the second release in Jazkamers 2010 monthly series, and the CD has three long tracks. To make it clear and save you wasting time reading further: this is a study in feedback! Those who are still reading might like to know that this full length CD from the trio again being Marhaug, Hegre & Gross, is very much different from last months Solitary Nail. When the latter was one 30 minute track of cut and paste, Musica Non Grata is slowly moving, changing over long periods of time, making the change barely noticable.

The first track “Honda Sound Works” is more than 30 minutes of high pitch guitar, synth and electronic feedback. By insanly slowly altering the sounds, they make the track go on for the full 30+ minutes, and making it sound right. It is not very wide ranging, and the sound stays for most of the trak up in the high frequency range, making it challenging to follow all the way.

Next up is the title track, starting off where the first finished, but here the track is coloured by lower frequency sounds making it very much “easier listening”. Sometimes a mid ranging squeal is mixed in the background. It is however very industrial sounding, and sounds of circular saw and various powertools appear, although I think none of them were ever used.

Last track “Feedback Fans” is a more evident guitar based track, although I suspect other sound sources are used. By pounding, hitting or touching the guitar in some way, a slow rhythm appears from time to time, making the track vary more. The second half of the track is also less full on, and the study of feedback becoms even more evident.

So, was February an easy month? It certainly wasn't bright, but Musica Non Grata has made more turns than normal and made my life brighter and easier in comparison. Musica Non Grata is also worth a try if you think the world of feedback needs further explorations.

Jazkamer - Solitary Nail CD (review)

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA014
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: Jan 2010

This release is the first in the Jazkamer 2010 Monthly Series. A card following the CD states: “One new Jazkamer album on Pica Disk every month of 2010. One year of music and anti-music.”

Perfomed by the two founders and regular members Lasse Marhaug and John Hegre, plus Jean-Philippe Gross, who also edited and mixed this CD very interestingly.

Solitary Nail is one 30 minute track, although it feels like many tracks. It is a cut and paste of multifrequent parts combined with more one-dimensional sounds. Recordings range from guitar feedback explorations and movement of gadgets wired up with contact-microphone and very low (also volume) bass frequencies to massive full on distortion and harsh noise. At around 13:30 though, the track turns around to explore a more simple tone or feedback of very high pitch. This high pitch varies a lot, but still up there and goes on for the next ten minutes. For me this was the Solitary Nail as it went hard right inside my skull and stayed there for the full ten minutes this part of the track lasted. Be careful using earphones! After this the track moves back to exploring a more easy listening harsh wider-ranging freguencies and definetly multilayered sound.

When the monthly series was announced in November last year, Jazkamer promised to “…keep it exciting all the way, so in keeping with Jazkamer’s eclectic tradition of making very different sounding records, each monthly album will cover the wide (non)musical range Jazkamer has become known for…” With this release they have set the pace, so to speak, as it proves to be, within only 30 minutes, very diverse. It is both multilayered and one-dimensional, not to mention challenging at times.

So, for me Soiltary Nail was both nice and very disturbing at times. An experience. And I had to listen again. To experience it. Again.

Lasse Marhaug – Ear Era CD (Review)

Earlier this year Lasse Marhaug got an interesting opportunity. The Henie Onstad Art Centre invited him to go through its massive audio archive. An archive of recordings from concerts and also recordings made in the Norwegian Studio for Electronic Music, located at the centre for some years in the 70s. Recordings (about 800 tapes) filled with artists as different as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Jan Garbarek, Arne Nordheim, Mauricio Kagel, Webster Lewis, Steve Reich, Laurie Anderson, Soft Machine, and various Norwegian jazz and rock artists. Marhaug was asked to make use of these recordings to make his own piece. The result was presented at three concerts at The Henie Onstad Art Centre, and also as this CD version released by Prisma Records. It is in only 500 numbered copies, and there will also be a deluxe box-set of 50 copies available.

Being only about 30 minutes divided into 11 unnamed tracks, it promised some excitement and variety. The first track starts with wind, voices and some naïve synth playing, making you wonder who initially recorded it. For most of the CD it is difficult to identify the original artist, unless you have a very specific knowledge of some of the pieces being used. Instruments and voices are easy to spot though. Marhaug process them slightly, inlcudes various bits and pieces, and makes the track sound a bit melancholic or sad. This first track sets the direction for the majority of Ear Era. It is almost to the end a CD filled with melancholy and sadness, only with a few exceptions, and it makes me wonder if it was made on a rainy day.

One of the techniques Marhaug uses is to cut out bits of music, and loop it, but also twist the pitch, speed it up, slow it down to make it change its mood or pace. A good example of this is in track three where a couple of loops are mixed together during the first half of the track and the loops themselves are slowed down from beginning to end, and thus making them sound sad. Other cut out bits are added to the track and many of them treated the same way.

To draw attention to the point an opposite effect is added in track four, which starts off with a rather noisy, less sad loop, making a happy rhythm. But after a minute the rhythm dissapears and what’s left is some strange sounds being quite mellow also, and the track ends just after two minutes.

So the album continues, a mix of strange, weird sounds and noises, mixed carefully with some more noisier, harsher bits. Melancholy being the most prominent mood to me, but also occasional happiness and energy. What is really striking about this release, is the gentle way Marhaug mixes it all together. No part, strange or noisy is overfocused, and everything comes together as a nice whole. When seeing Marhaug live, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer energy of his noise and performance, and it can be easy to presume that he would translate that to all his recordings, but here he proves just the opposite. Nice, gentle, short tracks, but still challenging to listen to, and after 3 – 4 listens, I still find myself being surprised.

The CD ends in a way that makes me think it needed a happy or more promising finale. Track 10 is a short track of just over two minutes, and has almost the same sadness as the rest of the album. It starts with some rumbles and a rythmic sad loop, but when left with 30 seconds a female voice enters the track, and at the very end it is clearly that she is saying: “it will be best for you if anything is good for you”. And so the track ends, leaving the door open for track 11, which starts with a simple, almost generic loop. After a while some more driven parts come to life, and the track gets more and more noisy, but in a much more happy mood than the previous tracks.

This CD made me sad and made me smile. It even made me want to dance occasionally, but also made me wanting more. Ear Era is a piece of music with lots of diversity and it triggers various moods. What more can you ask? Some more, maybe?

Available from the artist.