alva noto & ryuichi sakamoto : summvs

alva noto & ryuichi sakamoto
summvs
r-n 132
raster-noton
triple fold-out cardsleeve


image:©japanese forms

I'm still way behind in my posts with regards to recent purchases
so I'll try and get in at least two posts this week. First up is the latest collaboration from Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakomoto. Summvs is the fifth recording that the pair have made together over the past 9 years or so and it's another sublime piece. A fusion of Sakamoto's piano-based compositions and Carsten Nicolai's digital rhythms and computer/software manipulations leaning towards a lot more harmony and melody than we're used to from Alva Noto. Immerse yourself in the, atmospheric, relaxing, ambient electronic and acoustic tones that run through the whole album. Features two versions; sans the vocals, of “By This River” from Brian Eno's 1977 album Before and After Science. Highly recommended. one2zero

raster-noton / alva noto / ryuichi sakamoto / carsten nicolai

anbb - mimikry

anbb
mimikry
r-n 121
raster-noton
triple fold-out cardsleeve
includes 16-page booklet

image:©japanese forms

Well I thought that the latest recording by Senking had been raster-noton's best release in recent times until I heard the Mimikry album collaboration by alva noto and Blixa Bargeld (Einstürzende Neubauten / Bad Seeds) under the Anbb moniker. Bargeld and noto have produced a quite astounding album with the former providing lyrics and vocals and the latter the electronic sounds to accompany them. The music is far removed from Carsten Nicolai's (alva noto) usual glitch and microsounds and much more melodic than what we're acquainted with regards to his other recordings. On this disc, his experiments in sound embrace the conventional notions of song much more than one would have expected and in a quite enthusiastic manner. A perfect match to Bargeld's captivating vocals. Undoubtedly one of my albums of the year as well as being a perfect follow-up to the excellent Red Marut Handshake e.p.
Highly recommended. one2zero


Recorded & mixed at Andere Baustelle Tonstudio and Studio Carsten Nicolai in Berlin between January 2009 and July 2010.
Cover "Wallstreet-Spider" from the series "Veruschka self-portraits" performed by Vera Lehndorff, NYC 1992-96.
Booklet Artwork : Blixa Bargeld
Photography : Andreas Hubertus Ilse
© raster-noton

Also available by anbb : Red Marut Handshake e.p.

Buy this album @ raster-noton / Download / Buy @ boomkat

anbb / raster-noton

pan sonic - gravitoni

on my turntable

pan sonic
gravitoni
ptyt 045


image: ©japanese forms

I haven't many discs by Pan Sonic -despite their quite consquent back-catalogue- but those that I do have have always been rather good; this one is no exception. As their last disc as Pan Sonic, the duo, Ilpo Väisänen and Mika Vainio, bows out with a tremendous final album of power electronics, techno concrète and deep tonal darkness of a quite amazing standard. Quite astonishing indeed and an album that I loved the first time I heard it. Stand-out tracks being 'Hades' (which reminds me somewhat of a track from Alva Noto's 'Xerox' albums) and the wonderous 'Pan Finale.'
Packaging is of the same standard as the music contained within; fold-out digipak with graphic design by Bente Schipp and 14-page illustrated booklet with photography by Pan Sonic. one2zero

Web: Blast First Petite Pan Sonic Artwork@Discogs™

Buy or Download:
Blast First Petite
Boomkat

frame.sync / raster-noton

on my turntable

raster-noton
offf lisbon '09
frame.sync

Not Available

image: ©japanese forms

A very rare and exclusive compilation CD released to coincide with Frame.Sync ; a one-time installation project at Offf '09 (an International festival for post-digital creation and culture)which took place in Lisbon, Portugal in May this year. Beautifully designed and packaged; the CD features most of the label's artists. Given away free to anyone who bought a ticket for the festival. one2zero

This copy; courtesy of GMA.

"In cooperation with Derivative's TouchDesigner, Raster-Noton and Offf'09 present:
FRAME.SYNC, a multi-visual space + exclusive cd compilation featuring tracks
by all participating artists: COH, alva noto, atom™, byetone, Frank Bretschneider,
Kangding Ray, nibo, pixel, Pomassl, senking, signal, SND and special guests
Fennesz and Vladislav Delay. Free with ticket for offf festival in Lisbon." (© raster-noton )

Web:
frame.sync raster-noton

alva noto - xerrox vol.2

alva noto
xerrox vol.2
rn-103

raster-noton

image: ©japanese forms


I've been following the releases on raster-noton, and listening to most of the label's output, for quite some time now and this latest alva noto offering is again up to the label's high standard. A companion -follow up- to last year's Xerrox 1 and an excellent piece it is. Lavishly and beautifully packaged, as is usually every release on r-n, this Vol.2 in the series is, in my mind, one of the best ever from noto. Those who've already listened to Ekkehard Ehlers' Plays John Cassavetes or William Basinski's The Disintegration Loops vol.1 will find that Xerrox 2's opening track is very similar to the Ehlers and Basinski pieces but all in all this is an absolute must have for all serious lovers of electronic music.

Also available as an mp3 download.

Buy:
raster-noton

Download:
raster-noton