Michael Trommer – Spectral Sound System (2023)

No Type/Panospria

Ambient Musique concrète Sound art Space music Experimentalism Electronic music Field recording Avant-garde Organic electronica Ambient drone Conceptual

Inglise keeli "spectral" osutab nii lainepikkusele kui kummitustega seonduvale. Järelikult lainepikkustel võib kohata lahkunute hingi; vaevalt keegi seda soovib -- seega ettevaatust raadio lainepikkustega mängimisel! Mainitet kahemõttelisust püüab konstrueerida 36-minuti pikkuses kompositsioonis torontolane Michael Trommer. Ja mitte ainult! Kogenud kanadalane on kasutanud välisalvestusi psühhogeograafiliste taieste genereerimiseks. Sujuvalt kulgev -- alatihti kiirendatud -- sugereeriv ämbient (kohati kosmilisi parameetreid omandades) seguneb nii ebamääraste inimhäälte kui näiteks kusagil tümpsuva popmuusikaga (loo alguses ning hiljem katkendlikumalt). Järelikult ka autoriõiguste alusreeglitele esitatakse väljakutse (kas siis rikutakse õigusi, kui salvestatakse tänavahääli ning juhuslikult jääb peale möödasõitvast autost või kaasaskantavast kõllist kostuv tümm?). Eks see teos ole linnaruumi mälu talletamise ning tahtlikult moonutamise katse -- püüdes simuleerida seda, mida tavakodanik teistmoodi ja tahtmatult -- pealiskaudset tähelepanu osutades -- niikuinii teeb.

Turner of Wheels – Not Quite a Self-Portrait (2006)

 

No Type/Panospria

 

• Musique concréte 
• Ambient 
• Avant-electronica
• Organic electronica
  
• Acousmatic music 
• Abstract 
• Glitchtronica 
• Electronic music 
• Experimental electronica 
• Micronoise

 

Shane Turner on artist, kes üllitas suht vähe ning kelle loomingu põhiosa jääb kibemagusasse minevikku, st nullindate keskpaika. See oli lootusrikas ajastu, nii tehnoloogilise hüppe, kodussalvestamise tehnika kättesaadavuse ja muusikamaailma demokratiseerimise püüuga. Ka loodeti loomingulisele plahvatusele – see tuli (kui mõelda chillwave'ile ja witch house'ile). Shane Turner'i muusikas on veenvus ja jõud, ehk sellest tulenevalt koguni veenmisjõud. Igatahes siinkirjutaja tinistasid ära need rohkem või vähem boreaalsed helid 5-loolisel üllitisel, millele nullindate algul vahtralehemaalane Tim Hecker andis väga erilise tähenduse. See on krõbiseva jaheduse tungimine soojate tundmuste keskele, tundmuste murendamine, mille taamal loovad panoraami virmalised. Helklevad oleva ja olematu vahel. Olles ja mitte olles. Sel hetkel kui nad ilmnevad meile, ei pruugi neid (enam) olemas olla. Tuntakse seesugust fenomeni nagu paradoksaalne lahtiriietumine, kui külmasurma viimases staadiumis inimene hakkab end lahti riietama, kuna ta tunneb palavust. Äkki sellesse muusikasse ongi surmatung sisse kätketud, kuna tõeline ilu kui ideaalne seisund ei saa olla maapealne ilming viimasele omase muutuvuse ja hävimisega. Olla teisel pool hävimist tähendab (mitte) eksisteerida hävimise järgselt. Vähemalt mitte endisel kujul. See muusika on ühelt poolt kauge ja külm, ent ometi sisendab hinge piisaval hulgal soojust. See on miraaž, mille kui peegelduse taga võib (kuigi ei pruugi) olla fenomen. Ja keda see õigupoolest huvitakski. Oluline on näivus, see peegeldus sääl koopaseinal. Meistri kohalolu tunnetame intuitiivselt. 

 

9.0 (8.5-10)

K.D. Expression – For the Broken Heart from Collapsed Dreams (2007)

Nishi

No Type

• Ambient pop 
• Electronic music 
• Trance 
• Alternative dance
• Chilltronica 
• EDM
• Hi-NRG
• Electronic pop 
• Organic electronica 
• Electro pop

Comment: Sascha Müller aka Pharmacom`s discography and involvement in music is being impressive. As an artist and as a DJ and as the leader of imprints he has also taken part in the establishment of the weblabel/audio world. 9-track For the Broken Heart from Collapsed Dreams is a churning blend of electro beats, bombastic synthesised orchestrations, trance-y threads and atmospheric upper layers providing the asylum to an acid/ecstasy-intoxicated head (it results in a placebo effect though because this part is also thoroughly synthetic). As I have figured out one of his tenures was to play as a DJ at Love Parade. I guess he has played better music there as an average music choice used to be there (which has been quite horrendous in fact!). At least one can hear over there is certainly better stuff. In truth, the current issue is also more mainstream rather than underground influenced because all those bold electro rhythmic patterns and synthesised pads used to be in the contemporary EDM vein (but my intention is not to dilute the estimation of the album because of that). On the other side, given that the issue was released in 2007 on Canadian underground imprints like No Type, and Nishi its mainstream tendency was not so clear then. In a nutshell, it is a solid, coherent flow. It vamps up a mood that is tumultuous and soothing ceaselessly as if the reflection from a day of a person with bipolar syndrome and provides some interesting compositional solutions as well.

Samarah – Robots Smile Too (2006)

Nishi

No Type/Panospria

• Indietronica 
• Electro-indie 
• Alternative 
• Electronic music 
• DIY 
• Lo-fi 
• Dream pop 
• Minimal electro 
• Electro pop

Comment: what is that? Is it a reaction to electroclash music having been so prevalent in the beginning of the 00s? On the other side, it could be admitted to be a subdued and strongly decelerated version of Ladytron. Samarah provides a remarkably more lo-fi, primitive and minimal counterpoint to it. It is just the truth in a half measure. The listener can hear progressions toward the aesthetic of dream pop. Or are the progressions instead of it something reflecting upon the more immersive and ghastly trajectories by Throbbing Gristle? The truth is obviously somewhere out there. The issue is a part of the discography of Nishi, No Type, and Panospria, a quite weird and important angle from Canada within the netlabel/webaudio world. Indeed, robots smile too but the question is whether the smile is human-friendly or not?

Endos – Pure Sound (2005)

Panospria/No Type

• Glitch 
• Sound art 
• Ambient noise 
• Avant-garde 
• Minimal techno
• Ambient 
• Musique concréte 
• Experimental electronica 
• Electro-acoustic 
• Micronoise 
• Experimentalism 
• Acousmatic music 
• Psycho-acoustic

Comment: by listening to this 5-track issue by the Montrèal, Quebec, Canada-based duo Endos which consists of such experimenters as John Brennan aka Johnny Naughty, and Shane Turner aka Turner Of Wheels it did evoke many thoughts and dormant sensations to surface. Of course, it comes out from Montrèal, which is a fertile soil for every kind of art, including the music, including the experimental sort of music. Tim Hecker, Martin Tètreault, Muhr, Simon Trottier, Nicolas Bernier, Akufen, a loads of GYBE-related projects. Let`s add to it a bunch of other artists who have been involved both with the city and in such labels as Alien8 Recordings, Constellation, Where Are My Records, Camomille, Epsilonlab, Panospria/No Type. Indeed, the recent issue which initially was issued in February of 2005 is a part of the discography of the latter labels. For me, it is an outstanding issue due to its fluctuating nature being somewhere between a ghastly noise fractal, glitched-out incantations and concrete sound-based hazy reality, however, one could never forget the issue is produced somewhere in the northern hemisphere somewhere quite close to the subarctic latitudes. Furthermore, it sets up my brain to think of it as an emotional one though it does have nothing in common with superfluous and wasted emotionality of the pop artists. The final track White Dots, Red Bubbles is a little poppy in its sentimentality though having nothing in common with brainless pop artists. As I have already said its is a truly praiseworthy outing. It is the pure sound.

Darcin – Castor Volant (2009)

No Type

• Drone 
• Avant-garde 
• Experimental electronica 
• Space music 
• Minimalism 
• Experimentalism 
• Microtonal 
• Sound art 
• Abstract 
• Ambient drone

Comment: let’s keep reviewing in the vein of the discography of Montrèal, Canada-based No Source/Panospria imprint. Nicolas Dion aka Darcin`s issue is an undoubtedly methodical listening because these three pieces used to unveil throughout 67 minutes. Furthermore, the compositions are quite disparate; especially the second track Bonus Piano is something of a cut-up sort, where silence is varied with very short, wispy sonic bits. Later on, all those bits will be subjected to unsteady wobbling. It would be interesting to know why the artist decided for the sake of this kind of composition. Given that I am just feeling myself fairly curious to know the rationale of such a sort of dividing line, however, the track is fabulous. Castor Volant is the lengthiest composition on it, unveiling its brilliant nature throughout a span of 33 minutes. It is the contemporary kind of drone music being in general produced for small tape imprints with small print-runs oftentimes residing at Bandcamp. Furthermore, it is the contemporary sort of minimalism while listening to this immense piece one can perceive tickling sensations coming out of those incessantly undulating waves, which will be broadening the more the 33-minute course reaches the end. In a word, it is a gentle, in-depth psychedelic experience. Bonus Process could similarly be categorized as drone music though its accents are a little bit different. More profoundly, it is more abstract chiming like the sound of the engine of a space rocket having reached a very remote distance from Earth. Because of that it could be admitted to be a part of ambient drone music/space music. It is similarly captivating and laid-back though its method is set up otherwise. In a nutshell, the outing is a fascinating issue, which even would predict the hype of analogue-based drone music some years before. It is mesmerizing how Nicolas Dion excels at producing and investigating minutiae within the soundscape. Get it now. Yeah. 

Camp – Mean (2016)

No Type

• IDM 
• Experimental techno 
• Dub techno 
• Glitch techno
• Minimal dub 
• Drum and bass 
• Tech-dub
• Ambient 
• Electronic music 
• Minimal techno 
• Ambient dub 
• Post-classical

Comment:  David Turgeon has been heading No Type, and Panospria imprints since 1998, and as a musician as Camp he had been active since 2000 to 2007 (being very prolific in the span of time). Mean consists of 10 previously unreleased compositions, which in general consist of techno and IDM-drenched vibes though at times the Canadian musician searches for other directions either. For instance, one can hear enough ambient and dub-inflected appendixes, which are mostly coated with glitched-out its and incisive shards. Droning layers are set up in the midst of crunchy rhythms to establish drowsy harmonies. However, an obvious exception is Fucking in Tents based on the frantic drum and bass pattern, being counterpointed by a volatile synthesised layer atop. Another dodge is Hardly (feat. The Acoustics), which is an (electro-) acoustic composition indeed. It involves a mind-provoking post-classical shift within itself. The central piece of the issue is What When All The Air Is On The Ground?, which is compressed and slowed down and immersed in dreams being at times interrupted by a disparate kind of samples. In spite of it the notch chimes organically. Burn is an excellent ambient piece where elemental aurora borealis-alike flickers are mingled with majestic spacey layers thereby a little bit reminding of another Montrealer Tim Hecker (especially his first issues). In a nutshell, it is a great issue with the known and unknown tricks. Of course, the issue is a part of the discography of No Type.                                         

Period Three – Morose Beach (2014)

No Type

/Noise, Experimental electronica, Abstract, Glitchtronica, Experimentalism, Avant-garde/

Comment: the Canadian David Turgeon`s 9-track issue moves along the pathway of freely improvised music which is spiced up with more or less brutal (brown) noise incisions, microscopic glitch-y sonic spots, muffled incantations, orchestrated tendencies and…actually much more. At times his soundscape turns into fairly austere, even abstract minimalism, at times he stands up to go walking across wide-ranging plateaus and gliding over dimensional plateaus. The album hides many layers of depth which can be discovered after many listening times. The issue is released under a legendary Canadian label, No Type. In a word, all the aforementioned elements do hint at it this is a fine instance of Quebec province based experimental music scene (GYBE!, Martin Tetreault, Simon Trottier, Nicholas Bernier, Fly Pan Am, Tim Hecker, Muhr etc).      

Milliseconde Topographie - Paperasses Èparses (2006)

No Type

No Type

/Glitch electronica, Musique concrète, Avant-folk, New Weird Canada, Drone folk, Modern classical, Glitch folk, Sound art, Experimental folk, Epic, Post-folk, Chamber folk, Folktronica, Electro-acoustic/

Comment: Milliseconde Topographie is the collaboration act between Montrèal residing musicians Nicolas Bernier and Delphine Measroch whose 2-track issue is a sublime instance of borderline folk music due profound dodges into glitch-y electronic explorations, and cello drones, providing chamber music inspired beauty and offering many flirtatious moments with concrete sound washes and electro-acoustic effects. Despite the duo`s musical complexity and segmentation in a formal sense the whole is adeptly structured and organically spliced. Furthermore, natural segmentation and ramification does not hinder them to wind up truly picturesque, even sublime moments. On the other side, the Bernier-Measroch`s clockwork can be seen by a more “ugly” aspect as a folk exemplar with some irksome “errors” and “disruptions”. The issue will be ended up by a barrel organ based soothing melody. All in all, the result is challenging and drenched with solace at the same time.                      

Lorenzo Brutti ‎– Why Everything Ended Here? (2004)

Panospria

• Experimental electronica
• Glitch ambient
• Abstract
• Microtonal
• Ambient noise
• Soundscapes
• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism

Outstanding tracks:
Why

Heart & Soul - Cosmic Signals (2006)

No Type

Panospria

• Deep house
• Electro-house
• Alternative dance
• Club dance
• Psychedelic
• Acid disco
• Conceptual

Spell - Hex (2011)

Panospria/No Type

9.3

/Drone, Ambient drone, Experimental electronica, Avant-garde, Experimentalism/

Comment: the centre of this 4-track release is made up of ethereal female vowel effects which is adorned with pitchbent layers and hazy, billowy electronic manipulations. By nature the album is a little bit dark-hued, however, being filled in with suggestive repetitions, and fluttering loops. In a word, it is a creepy, stalking whole which seems to be built upon the same aspects, though, being re-ranked permanently. However, the exception is focused upon Just a Matter of Time which slightly resembles of Bjork due to its electro-drenched incantation/shamanism.

Nuthre - Bloops for Alice (2007)

No Type

7.7

/Avant-garde, Primitive pop, Experimentalism, Downbeat, Sound collage, Electro-acoustic/

Comment: This release was issued more than 4 years ago on the Canadian experimental label No Type. Jeff Morton, an artist, used to exploit comparatively few elements to carry out his enterprise. At most times the whole sounds like a downbeat shake with reversed effects, thudding beat nuggets and electronic tails in it. At its extremities, anyway, it can be considered way too provocative, using the hisses coming out of the digital sound processing or being slowed down to form into a primitive piano-driven chord building, for instance.

Hitori Tori Kinematics (Panospria/No Type)

Hitori Tori ei ole keegi jaapani artist, vaid kanadalane Julian La Brooy, kes kuulus 90ndate lõpus duosse Finch ning edendas isiklikku projekti Fasp, reliisides samanimelise albumi legendaarse label`i Nishi all 2002. aastal. Praegu võib julgelt sama väita 11-loolise üllitise kohta, kuna La Brooy atmosfääriline IDM-muusika kõlab väga erksalt ka näituseks 21. septembril 2010.

Vancouver`i muusiku 4-looline ning 16-minutiline üllitis demonstreerib ühelt poolt masinlikke, täpselt välja mõõdetud rütmistruktuure, teisalt süstitakse sinna jultunult entroopilist efekti breakcore ja breakbeat-jurakate kaudu. Ning selle lõppefekt on sageli lõbusakoeline. Varasemale projektile omane atmosfäärilisus ei ole ka kuhugi kadunud, kuigi seda doseeritakse kindlasti väiksemates kogustes. Albumi üldmulje on voolav, mitmekesine, balanseeritud ning lõbus. Mõtlesin, et kas niimoodi võiks Autechre ja Felix Kubin omavahel kokku kõlada?

Kuula albumit siit

8.7