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:stephan mathieu +
taylor deupree
transcriptions
KK019
Buy / Order:
spekk
boomkat
image: japanese forms
taylor deupree
stephan mathieu
"This inaugural collaborative outing from microsound maestros Taylor Deupree and Stephan Mathieu marks a creative partnership between two of the most influential electronic musicians of their generation. Both have made consistently brilliant solo albums over the past decade, and so it’s with no small amount of excitement that we set about listening to their first foray as a duo." ©boomkat - (more)
