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VanderGraafKommandöh View Drop Down

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 09:06

Some Zeuhl/Magma news for those who may not know...

Wayside has copies of Jannick Top's new album Infernal Machina.

Here's some details:

SKU UTOPIC 1009

Here is something big that has been quietly brewing in the land of Zeuhl for some time now and was finally released for Jannick's appearance at les Tritonales in Paris. Bassist Jannick, best known for his playing in the 1974 edition of Magma and then co-leading Magma (as VanderTop) in 1976, has finally put together his definitive take on a zeuhl-related solo project. This large-ish ensemble includes Jannick-bass, cello, cellobass, percussion and voices, Natalia Ermlova, Veronika Boulytcheva and Klaus Blasquiz-vocals, Stella Vander, Himiko Paganotti, Antoine Paganotti-backing vocals, James McGaw, François Delfin, Thibault Abrial, Jim Grandcamp-guitars, Damien Schmitt, Christian Vander-drums, Marc Chantereau-percussion, Mathias Lecomte-grand piano and Fabien Colella-keyboards and computer.
A single piece with 12 movements, the album starts slowly with a gradually intensifying buildup. The voices have a 'Mystere de voix Bulgares' kinda sound, which they keep, no matter how heavy it all gets. By the time of the 3rd movement, it's pretty heavy and by the time of the 4th movement, Klaus is singing solo over heavy growling bass, grand piano and noise and it's pretty evil. By the time of the 5th movement and onward, it's gotten unbelievably heavy and reminsicent of De Futura turned inside out and...well, do I really have to write more? You want this.

Does that not sound positively eargasmic just reading that?

I've ordered a copy (along with Soleil d'Ork which I heard the other day) and I hope it lives up to that description by Steve Feigenbaum.

Cleo, I am presuming you may have this? I do not know if you went to NEARFest but if you did, I am presuming Wayside would have been selling this on their stall.

Can anyone perhaps give us a brief review of the music, if they have heard it?

Edit: I forgot the all important link! http://www.myspace.com/MachinaJannickTop

Edited by James - June 29 2008 at 09:25

song_of_copper View Drop Down

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 17:31

Just a quick line to say...

Downloaded Guapo, 'Five Suns'... and I'm liking it a lot, but... um... they sure do like their Köhntarkösz and Theusz Hamtaahk 'quotations', don't they?! Tongue

VanderGraafKommandöh View Drop Down

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 17:39

Also check out "Black Oni". It's my favourite Guapo album so far. I've yet to hear "Elixirs" even though I've had it for quite a while.

I need to play "Five Suns" more though.

I believe the Magma references are due to Daniel O'Sullivan who joined Guapo (and became their composer) before the release of "Five Suns".

song_of_copper View Drop Down

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:05

James wrote:

I believe the Magma references are due to Daniel O'Sullivan who joined Guapo (and became their composer) before the release of "Five Suns".

The guy who introduced me to Guapo described him (Sullivan) as having (and I quote) "a huge Magma boner", so I guess that must be it... LOL

listennow801 View Drop Down

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:08

song_of_copper wrote:

The guy who introduced me to Guapo described him (Sullivan) as having (and I quote) "a huge Magma boner", so I guess that must be it... LOL

lol!!!

Ratings of Lady Gnosis: http://www.gnosis2000.net/raterclaire.shtml

VanderGraafKommandöh View Drop Down

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:08

Oh... Sullivan, not O'Sullivan. Snooker players on the brain... but not the one that counts, unfortunately. LOL

That one that counts being Magma fan Steve "The Nugget" Davis.

You've just reminded me that I must listen to The Flying Luttenbachers version of "De Futura" soon.

That also reminds me to remind you to listen to Jannick Top's "Soleil d'Ork" album, featuring a quite different version of "De Futura". Wink

Syzygy

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:17

song_of_copper wrote:

James wrote:

I believe the Magma references are due to Daniel O'Sullivan who joined Guapo (and became their composer) before the release of "Five Suns".

The guy who introduced me to Guapo described him (Sullivan) as having (and I quote) "a huge Magma boner", so I guess that must be it... LOL

Fair comment, but the same is also true of drummer/founder member Dave Smith.

Elixirs (which only came out in the uk about 3 weeks ago) moves on a bit from the Magma and Univers Zero influences of the last couple of albums; a lot of it sounds like a much darker version of Popol Vuh. It's an excellent album, and will definitely get reviewed when I get round to putting my reviewer's head on again (along with side projects Aethenor and Stargazer's Assistant and about a zillion other things).

'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'

Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom

Pnoom!

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:18

James wrote:

That also reminds me to remind you to listen to Jannick Top's "Soleil d'Ork" album, featuring a quite different version of "De Futura". Wink

I second this reminder. Apparently he has a new album called Infernal Machina that I must find a way to get my hands on.

laplace

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:20

Hi Syzygy =) are Stargazer's Assistant any good? I only recently found out about them. I'm really happy with Elixirs and Betimes Black Cloudmasses...

Pnoom!

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:21

Syzygy wrote:

song_of_copper wrote:

James wrote:

I believe the Magma references are due to Daniel O'Sullivan who joined Guapo (and became their composer) before the release of "Five Suns".

The guy who introduced me to Guapo described him (Sullivan) as having (and I quote) "a huge Magma boner", so I guess that must be it... LOL

Fair comment, but the same is also true of drummer/founder member Dave Smith.

Irony: one of the users leaves the band because they sound too much like Magma and then they start sounding less like Magma...

Guapo fans should check out Rashomon's cd The Ruined Map, which is by aformentioned ex-Guapo member (Dave Thompson, not Dave Smith, iirc). It's like Guapo meets metal (only a little) meets noise meets film soundtrack. It's pretty neat.

VanderGraafKommandöh View Drop Down

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:27

What's Aethenor like?

The only side-project I have anything by currently is Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses.

Pnoom - I have ordered Top's new album and there's some samples up on the MySpace link I posted at the top, if you need to sample first. Wink

Oh and because I got "Elixirs" from Wayside, I've had it more than 3 weeks... and still haven't given it a spin. LOL

Syzygy

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:28

laplace wrote:

Hi Syzygy =) are Stargazer's Assistant any good? I only recently found out about them. I'm really happy with Elixirs and Betimes Black Cloudmasses...

I'm not one to brag, but I was at the opening of the art installation by Dave Smith that Stargazer's Assistant provided the soundtrack for (and played at). I also bought one of 10 copies of their CD in a lead case.

Anyway, it's a very good album but closer in spirit to Aethenor than Guapo; very atmospheric and with Dave Smith working more as a percussionist than a drummer (when I saw them there was no drumkit as such). If you like Aethenor you'll probably like The Other Side Of The Island as well.

'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'

Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom

Syzygy

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Posted: June 29 2008 at 18:43

James wrote:

What's Aethenor like?

The only side-project I have anything by currently is Miasma and the Carousel of Headless Horses.

Pnoom - I have ordered Top's new album and there's some samples up on the MySpace link I posted at the top, if you need to sample first. Wink

Oh and because I got "Elixirs" from Wayside, I've had it more than 3 weeks... and still haven't given it a spin. LOL

Aethenor is a collaboration between Daniel O'Sullivan and members of Sunn 0))) (who he occasionally plays with). Personally I find Sunn0))) heavy going at times, although I would like to experience them live - it's a remarkable sound but it seems to be all about texture. Aethenor's albums explore similar territory but with a greater sense of structure, plus the album clock in at just over half an hour each, which means they don't outstay their welcome. They're both on emusic and well worth a handful of downloads.

Edited by Syzygy - June 29 2008 at 18:44

'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'

Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom

song_of_copper View Drop Down

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Joined: March 20 2008
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Posted: June 30 2008 at 04:34

Pnoom! wrote:

James wrote:

That also reminds me to remind you to listen to Jannick Top's "Soleil d'Ork" album, featuring a quite different version of "De Futura". Wink

I second this reminder. Apparently he has a new album called Infernal Machina that I must find a way to get my hands on.

I'll get around to it, don't worry! But my next Zeuhl purchase is going to be (I have decided!) Weidorje.

(I think J. Top would make an excellent Bond villain. He sure does look the part, and his music is like the sonic equivalent of an offensive weapon. In a good way... LOL

Of course, when backed into a corner, he might unleash Celine Dion, which would be cataclysmic in a less-good way... Wink

)

song_of_copper View Drop Down

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Posted: June 30 2008 at 04:39

Syzygy wrote:

Aethenor is a collaboration between Daniel O'Sullivan and members of Sunn 0))) (who he occasionally plays with). Personally I find Sunn0))) heavy going at times, although I would like to experience them live - it's a remarkable sound but it seems to be all about texture. Aethenor's albums explore similar territory but with a greater sense of structure, plus the album clock in at just over half an hour each, which means they don't outstay their welcome. They're both on emusic and well worth a handful of downloads.

I have Sunn O)))'s 'Black One'. I was instructed to 'play it loud' but I actually find it more effective played really quiet. What you say about 'texture' is absolutely right. It's all mood and atmosphere. I wasn't expecting to like it at all, but it's surprisingly listenable. I haven't heard their other stuff though.

I put it on as a writing soundtrack sometimes - if it's playing in the background whilst you're concentrating on conjuring some kind of dark atmosphere in what you're writing, it kind of focuses the mind...

Edited to add... Aethenor sounds interesting. I'll have to check that out...

Edited by song_of_copper - June 30 2008 at 04:41

Petrovsk Mizinski View Drop Down

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Posted: June 30 2008 at 04:49

Syzygy wrote:

Oh and because I got "Elixirs" from Wayside, I've had it more than 3 weeks... and still haven't given it a spin. LOL

I don't think their is anything wrong with have less of a "sense of structure", it's just a case you need to perhaps approach the music from a slightly different perspective, but maybe I'm just biased because I think Sunn O))) is awesome Tongue

Thanks for the tip on Aethenor, I actually hadn't heard of them before, something to add to the "must check out" list.

listennow801 View Drop Down

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Posted: July 02 2008 at 22:10

kew rhone 2008!:

http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/kew%2Brhone/video/x5ls8d_kewrhone-live-2008_music

Ratings of Lady Gnosis: http://www.gnosis2000.net/raterclaire.shtml

song_of_copper View Drop Down

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Posted: July 03 2008 at 06:21

Well, the Big Day is here. Big%20smile

Happy birthday Franz Kafka, Tom Stoppard, and, uh, Tom Cruise. And... me! Tongue

I bet I'm the only one (out of the three of us who are still alive!) who got an Univers Zero CD, plus a Magma DVD & CD, for their birthday though. Big%20smile

My ears are currently enjoying Univers Zero (remastered expanded first album). I'm going to call it, on first impression, 'a tango for the mind'. LOL

Kind of passionately sulky, with an air of suppressed fury about it, and flamboyantly precise. Yes - a tango for a mind with OCD. LOL

And phew, what on earth (or off it) is that lingo being yelled at me from the bonus track?! I can't understand a word of it, but it sounds obscene! Confused

avestin

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Posted: July 03 2008 at 07:54

Got two more promo cd's from Igor Gorely of RAIG records which may interest people here; Both are recent releases from this year:

Tribal Logic - Freaky Karma:

The press release notes:

TRIBAL LOGIC began in early 2006 in Chelyabinsk, the Ural city famous not only for manufacturing “Katyusha” and “T-34” during the WWII but also for its traditions in jazz-music. Not surprisingly, the majority of previous projects in which Anton Sheludko (keyboards, wind instruments), Alexei Savitsky (guitar), Konstantin Poptsov (bass) and Alexander Strashinsky (drums, percussions) got involved were jazz orchestras and ensembles. Discovering a unique chemistry of progressive rock, psychedelia with world-beat flavor, new-edged ambience, frenetic bluesy jams, and surreal instrumental soundtracks, the four decided to play together and push the frontiers of their own musical expressions. Their all instrumental music ranges from structured suites to extended improvisations with focus on melody, atmosphere, catchiness, and experimentation. While pensive and uneasy about the mixed reaction of local audience, the band relied on friends and family to spread the word about them. There is an album out available for free download at local website Chelmusic.Ru."

WOGULOW, TAROUTZ, VERMO - Morok

http://www.myspace.com/wogulowtaroutzvermo

Press release notes:

Here come three names from the title. Who the hell are these guys? Is Comrade Wogulow that grey-haired bowed old man with the lustrous hateful eyes, "Chief Boss of the Globe Reconstruction"? Did Comrade Vermo graduate musical secondary school where he practiced folk-instruments and succeeded then as "an Electrical Engineer of Heavy Currents"? I don’t know… But as the name of Taroutz is concerned, Alexei is best known as a guitarist and master-mind behind instrumental avant-rock quartet I AM ABOUT ON THE LEFT. Since the end of 2006 when the four decided to cease their joint-venture, Taroutz has gained reputation as one of the most inventive and originally minded experimental composer scoring for cinema and making solo recordings. Ranging from micro-noise manipulations and ambient-drone sculpturing to academic minimalism and chamber-rock music, Taroutz’s solo works are always deeply rooted in documentary visual performance often self- cinematographed and directed.

On May 29, 2008 WOGULOW, TAROUTZ, VERMO played their stage-debut as a duo of Alexei Taroutz (guitar, electronics) and Evgeny Grinko (drums, percussions).

Hanging Sounds

PA Index of prog music vendors

VanderGraafKommandöh View Drop Down

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Posted: July 03 2008 at 11:46

song_of_copper wrote:

Well, the Big Day is here. Big%20smile

Happy birthday Franz Kafka, Tom Stoppard, and, uh, Tom Cruise. And... me! Tongue

I bet I'm the only one (out of the three of us who are still alive!) who got an Univers Zero CD, plus a Magma DVD & CD, for their birthday though. Big%20smile

My ears are currently enjoying Univers Zero (remastered expanded first album). I'm going to call it, on first impression, 'a tango for the mind'. LOL

Kind of passionately sulky, with an air of suppressed fury about it, and flamboyantly precise. Yes - a tango for a mind with OCD. LOL

And phew, what on earth (or off it) is that lingo being yelled at me from the bonus track?! I can't understand a word of it, but it sounds obscene! Confused

Many happen returns for the day, Melissa! Hug

I wish I got such goodies for my birthday. I'm lucky to even get acknowledgement!

Which UZ album is that? I am curious to know which bonus track you're referring to. Wink

Oh and fancy sharing your birthday with two of the best Czech born authors of all time and erm... some American guy who ruined one the of best sci-fi stories ever written.. Wink

I have to make to do with sharing a birthday with Geri Halliwell. Ouch

I'm glad you're enjoying UZ though, they're a fantastic band indeed.

May I recommend a purchase for the future?

Not sure why that's a question...

Koenjihyakkei - Hundred Sights of Koenji (2008 re-release with rerecorded drums) Wink