mark fell : ul8

mark fell
ul8
mego 111
editions mego


image:©japanese forms

Well one2zero more or less ends the year with a further release from Mark Fell. UL8 follows hard on the heels of his very recent Multistability on raster-noton and his tape only release on Alku Records (see previous posts here & here). On UL8 Fell explores territories of sonic abstraction that might not be easy on the ear for most of us though some will applaud this adventure in sound and rythmn... As Boomkat puts it "... [Fell] takes his sound even further into the outer reaches of glacial, rhythmic experimentation. " I've only listened to it a couple of times (so far) but I imagine that even after a few more spins I'll like it less than the Multistability album. I'll maybe let the over-indulgence of Xmas fade a bit before returning to it and to give it a listen in less hectic circumstances.
All in all though, an impressive album with Fell in full 'experimental' but not completely uncomprising mode as someone like Hecker perhaps.
Available in digipak card-sleeve with beautiful graphic design/artwork which, like the Multstability sleeve, was done by the musician himself. Recommended. one2zero
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UL8 ...Just two weeks after Multistability comes UL8 on Editions Mego. Handily split into digestible sections, it's a much different listen than Multistability. The first section ("The Occultation of 3C 273") is the closest, but the sounds are duller, and more relaxed, with its distinct low-end coated with grit. The second section ("Vortex Studies") plays games with static and very slight noise for something that sounds like Kraftwerk's Radio-Activity as filtered through AtomTM's Liedgut: ancient but determinedly technological...©Resident Advisor
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Buy this disc @ Editions Mego / @ boomkat

mark fell : multistability

mark fell
multistability
r-n125
raster-noton


image:©japanese forms


Well Mark Fell is certainly ending the year in multi-release style with several recordings all appearing in the last couple of weeks. With a flurry releases including a cassette tape only release on Alku Records; a CD + 7" single on raster-noton; another album on Mego as well as a (very) limited edition release to tie in with the Coherence and Proximity solo art exhibition, Mr Fell has indeed been a very busy man recently. As with recent raster-noton releases, Multistability comes in a lavishly packaged triple fold-out card sleeve with artwork/design by Mark Fell himself. Electronic abstract and minimal is how I'd describe the music contained within which, I suppose, some listeners might define as being not very accessible -it's doubtful that you'll be dancing to it at your local club sometime soon but I don't think that was ever the point of it anyway. I'll be listening to it (often) on headphones; in the dark; with a glass and a bottle of single malt close at hand. one2zero
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Multistability chooses a theme that, though equally academic, is at least a little more trippy. In its most basic sense, the title refers to forms that contain two separate images at once, which the viewer can alternate between at will. A press release explains that Fell's new album is "split into two halves" and "contains two versions of itself," with recurring passages and "pattern-generating systems" somehow creating a multistable effect. ©Resident Advisor
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Buy this disc @ raster-noton

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

snd - atavism

on the turntable:

snd
atavism
rn-107

raster-noton

snd

image: ©japanese forms


Second-only release on the raster-noton label for snd, this is the follow-up album to the Blir compilation that included some rare tracks from hard-to-find 12inchers as well as some new recordings. That was issued way back in 2005! So any fan of the raster-noton label will be more than happy to see this brand new release from the snd duo of minimal-techno meisters Mark Fell and Mat Steel. I really enjoyed the 4,5, 6, EPs released last year but like this a lot less than the other discs released on the r-n label so far this year (notably those by atom™ & alva noto). Not to worry though as I'll probably grow to like it after I've given it a good few listens.
As with other r-n releases; the packaging -including inversed, embossed album title is beautiful.


Also available as mp3 download.

Buy:
raster-noton

Download:
raster-noton