fourcolor
as pleat
12k1065
fourcolorimage: ©japanese formsAs usual, I haven't been updating this blog as much as I should -I've received quite a few discs/tapes since my last update so I'll try to catch up with the backlog over the next week or so. Latest release on the one2zero deck is the third album from Keiichi Sugimoto's solo project: Fourcolor. Faithful followers of Taylor Deupree's 12k label will be well aware of Sugimoto's previous two and very fine albums: Air Curtain (2004) and Letter of Sounds (2006). As with quite a few recent 12K releases, the guitar has a central role with Sugimoto manipulating the chords to muster up drones, buzz and all sorts of sounds that he shapes into rhythms and a groove that form a sort of alva noto-like ambience. A couple of the tracks are enhanced by vocals courtesy of Sanae Yamasaki (aka Moskitoo). Recommended. one2zero
marcus fischer
monocoastal
12k1063
marcus fischerimage: ©japanese formsIf expired polaroid film had a sound then Marcus Fischer's sublime Monocoastal is what it might sound like. The reason I mention 'expired polaroid film' is that, besides from making beautiful sounds, Fischer is also a photographer who has a very fine portfolio of photographs; some of which, like the cover of Monocoastal, have been taken using it. According to the press release; tape hiss, sounds originating from field recordings, as well as found instruments, are used to make sounds recorded by both analog and digital recording and thus creating; as the following reviews put it: "softly undulating gestures... like a landmass meeting the recessing sea" (Resident Advisor) or "swathes of glistening ambience keep you firmly in a dreamlike state where you're unlikely to want to return from for a while" (The Digital Fix).
Couldn't have put it better myself. If, soundwise, you enjoyed Taylor Deupree's recent Shoals album you'll enjoy this one too. Highly recommended. one2zero
on my turntablemurralin laneour house is on the wall
12k1061
image: ©japanese formsOur House Is On The Wall is the debut release from Murralin Lane; a Swedish duo formed by David Wenngren (Library Tapes) and Yiva Wiklund. Distinctly Lo-Fi vocals, deformed and fashioned through the distorted tones and drones provided by Wenngren make for a certain form of abstract beauty. Tones, drones; recorded through god knows what, with Wiklund's haunting vocals adding to the general feel (sound?) of corrosion/decay that emanates from this recording. Sounds like a rather grubby and dusty vinyl that hasn't been cleaned before being played back through a pair of cheap car-speakers. Speakers that have been savagely pierced by a large screwdriver beforehand I might say. In all, it's great. Recommended.Lovely 12k digipak packaging; with cover art photography by David Wenngren and Victoria Hannfors. one2zero
Web: 12k murralin laneBuy or Download:12kBoomkat
on my turntabletaylor deupreeshoals
12k1060
image: ©japanese formsMy my, how time goes by.
It's been almost 3 years since Deupree released Northern, his last proper full-length album on 12k. On Northern, Deupree introduced traditional instrumentation -notably acoustic guitars- but on Shoals, he uses a selection of Javanese and Balinese gamelan instruments. Instruments he became familiar with during a residency at the University Of York Music Research Centre. However, Deupree doesn't play any of these instruments in a conventional way. Apparently he experimented with the timbres and innate sonorites produced by these instruments and the materials they were made of; collecting sounds from playing surfaces via scraping, tapping or using an eBow and then channelling them through a specially devised looping program. Anyhow, I'm not really aware -nor technically competent- in how he actually achieved the sound processing; all I can say is that not only is the album very good it also attains the high standard of its excellent predecessor. Minimal, electronic music at its best.As usual beautiful packaging, design and photography by Taylor Deupree himself. one2zero
Also available: Shoals (Edition) 7" single. Northern (Reissue) CD.
Web: 12k taylor deupreeBuy or Download:12kBoomkat
on my turntableminamodurée
12k1058
image: ©japanese formsAnother superb disc of electroacoustic soundscaping from the very wonderful Japanese quartet, Minamo. Relaxing ambient minimalism at it's best. Another gem in the 12k catalogue. Wonderful design and photography by 12k mainman, Taylor Deupree. one2zero "Durée, their last studio work since 2007’s collaboration with Tape, and their follow-up to Shining on 12k (12k1031, now out of print), takes influence from the French philosopher Henri-Louis Bergson’s concept of “pure durée,” an idea that one’s consciousness is a constant flow and not something that can be divided, reversed, or measured. Minamo used these ideas in creating their music, despite the contradiction of the time-stamped CD format, to try to subvert the ideas of compartmentalized “time” and “space.” With a strong sense of non-linearity and flow taken from Bergson’s ideas, Minamo have created a colorful, skittering wash of music, noise, and texture that embraces a sense of out-there-ness." © 12k
Web: minamo 12k website taylor deupreeBuy or Download:12kBoomkat
on my turntabletaylor deupree &
savvas ysatishourglass 12k2015
Available on 12" EP / Download
image: ©taylor deupreeA lush, dreamy, ambient soundscape. Absoulutely beautiful. Available on 12" vinyl or as a download. In my mind, one of the best releases so far this year. Very highly recommended. one2zeroHourglass [...] two instrumental pieces and two vocal songs created with a multitude of acoustic instruments, analog synthesizers and very little computer aided programming. The idea of treating the computer as a tape deck instead of a programming device was vital to their process as they surrounded themselves in the studio with as many noise-making objects as possible, shunning nothing if it could be used in interesting ways. (© 12k )
Web:12k taylor deupree saavas ysatisDownload:Boomkat
on the turntable:tomasz bednarczyk
let's make better mistakes tomorrow
12k1055
Buy / Order: 12k
Boomkat
image: japanese forms
tomasz bednarczyk myspace
Let’s Make Better Mistakes Tomorrow is the third full-length CD from the young Polish musician Tomasz Bednarcyzk. Following Summer Feelings and Painting Sky Together (Room40), Bednarczyk naturally continues his process of utilizing mainly treated piano and guitar to create fragile, lingering structures that hover around only a few fundamental notes.©12k - (more)
on the turntable:lawrence english
a colour for autumn
12k1052
Buy / Order: 12k
image: japanese forms
lawrence english website
A Colour For Autumn is the second in a series of editions from Australian sound artist Lawrence English that trace the experience of seasonal transit. Following on from For Varying Degrees of Winter (published by Baskaru), A Colour For Autumn reflects on and explores the transitory nature of Autumn - counterpointing the uniformity of the ‘term’ with the varied qualities expressed by landscapes in different countries.©12k - (more)
on the turntable:kenneth kirschner
filaments & voids
12k1050
Buy / Order: 12k
image: japanese forms
A subdued chord, and a subsequent quiet. A hovering drone, followed by a compelling absence of sound. True to its title, Filaments & Voids is comprised predominantly by one or the other: by carefully constructed audio of lingering delicacy or by singular silences of ambiguous depth. Over the course of two discs and nearly two and a half hours of music, composer Kenneth Kirschner focuses the listener’s attention on the silence inherent in his sounds, and the sounds implicit in silence. Like the night sky evoked by the album’s title, the music heard on Filaments & Voids is a broad and dark space inhabited by dispersed and luminous materials. ©12k - (more)
Available October 2008
amplifier machine
her mouth is an outlaw
12k1049
Buy / Order: 12k
amplifier machine @ myspace
Amplifier Machine began in 2002 with James Dixon (Swordfish, Supagroop, James Dixon) on guitar, Korg & piano, Seth Rees (The Spheres, This Is Your Captain Speaking, I Want A Hovercraft, Seth Rees) on drums, violin, samples, piano & guitar and Alex Jarvis (Automatic, Black Cab, Registered Nurse, Alex Jarvis) on guitar & drums, with the intention of combining their songwriting talents. Something about getting three solo artists together, or maybe something about what rehearsing for so long in a freezing Collingwood warehouse does to the brain, caused the pop-bred members of Amplifier Machine to spiral out into a peculiar music of inquisitive, atmospheric, half-improvised mini-epics. Amplifier Machine is a self-described experiment inanemocratic process and near-improvisation (anemocracy = rule by whim or the wind). Through earnest discussion and endless unending jams, Amplifier Machine came upon The Rule: that when the other two members have settled, it’s your turn to change. ©12k - more)
FORTHCOMING
Available September 2008
steinbrüchel
mit ohne
12k2010
Limited to 500 copies.
image:japanese forms
Mit Ohne is a sound documentation of an audio/visual installation by Yves Netzhammer and Steinbrüchel. The installation entitled “The feeling of precise instability when holding things” was part of the group exhibition “Wohnträume/Wohnräume” exhibited from 26.07. to 28.09.2003 at the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich, Switzerland. The audio sections by Steinbrüchel where composed in sync with the visuals by Yves Netzhammer and succeed in translating and supporting the poetic vibrancy and slow morphing movements of the 3d rendered animation. For the exhibition an atmospheric fragile and detailed work was created involving a three-part projection and multichannel sound which conveys an abstract audio and visual approach to the environment surrounding us and the concept of a room itself. ©12k - more)
Buy / Order: 12k
steinbrüchel website
Available May 2008
sawako
bittersweet
12k1047
New York/Tokyo based Sawako is a musician, software designer, and multimedia artist whose multi-disciplinary works intermix and pollenate her music with inspiration ranging from nature, science, academia and poetic motion.
Bitter Sweet's diffuse and hazy soundscaping is Sawako's most mature work to date, relying less on her previous child-like melodies while remaining feminine and tender. She has come into her own after having established herself for a number of years as a New Yorker where she has tirelessly performed, studied and created as an important member of the city's electronic music community.
Bitter Sweet is packaged in a 6-panel digipack with photography throughout by Brooklyn-based artist and photographer Maki Kaoru. (©12k - more)
Buy: 12k
Download MP3: boomkat
Available February 2008
willits / sakamoto
ocean fire
12k1046
Christopher Willits and Ryuichi Sakamoto’s forthcoming release, Ocean Fire, is a sublime soundtrack for the ocean. It is an intense and stirring wash of cascading tones and textured harmony. Willits + Sakamoto surprise with rare form in this collaboration, creating a sound world unlike anything they have produced previously. Each artist has gently pulled the other into new sonic territory. Sakamoto’s gorgeous processed piano sound reflects Willits’ beautiful shimmering clusters of notes, a new aspect of Willits’ pioneering guitar/computer approach. Together, their sounds merge effortlessly, creating deep and seamless swells of gigantic melodic waves.( © 12k - more )
Buy: 12k
Download 12k MP3s @: boomkat
new release from 12k guiseppe ielasiaugust12k 1044
Following a long, laborious summer one2zero has finally got round to posting something. My relocation has been put back due to some unforseen difficulties; with almost all of my belongings in storage plus the fact that I don`t have a home to call my own yet; posting will be sporadic. Hope to be back on a more regular basis soon. In the meantime, check out the latest release, by guiseppe ielasi on the great 12k label. one2zero
August is a haunting, but beautiful album that falls neatly between the starkness of Gesine and the scattering rhythmic complexity of s/t. LIke music for a farewell, an ending of ends, August is moody, static, slow and emotional.
Ielasi, Born in 1974, lives near Milan, Italy. He started playing guitar in 1988, and worked for many years in the area of ‘improvised music’ (long term collaborations with Renato Rinaldi in the duo Oreledigneur, Alessandro Bosetti, Michel Doneda, Ingar Zach, Dean Roberts). He has performed live with Taku Sugimoto, Jerome Noetinger, Mark Wastell, Martin Siewert, Nmperign, Brandon Labelle, Nikos Veliotis, Gert-Jan Prins, Phill Niblock, Oren Ambarchi, Thomas Ankersmit and many others. In recent years his main interest has been in site-specific solo performances, still using guitars as primary sound sources but integrating microphones and multi-channel speaker systems in order to create complex networks for sound diffusion in relationship to space. In 1998 he founded the Fringes Recordings label. (© 12k)
Buy direct from: 12k
