Bizarressmania - II

"You are here for science and the comfort of our heroic soldiers. Your life as leeching parasite on the German Reich has placed you high on the list of undesirables. However, here you will be given the opportunity to be useful to the Fatherland and the honour to be of service to its glorious pursuit of its final victory. You will find that you'll be expected to show your gratitude with your complete and immediate obedience to orders. Hesitation or refusal to perform any task assigned to you will be considered a rebellious act and appropriate punishment will follow."

- taken from the film SS Camp 5: Women's Hell - 

II CD/LP (Freak Animal - 2018)

V/A - La Contra Ola - Synth Wave And Post Punk From Spain 1980-86

 Οσο συνεχιζονται οι εκσκαφες στα obscure 80s, τοσο η φαση θα μου θυμιζει το Τρελο Γουικεντ Στου Μπερνι. Οι εταιριες περιφερονται κουβαλωντας ενα πτωμα στους ωμους, το οποιο θα επρεπε να εχει θαφτει εδω και 30 χρονια. Ωστοσο δεν παραπονιεμαι, εχω ανακαλυψει τα οσα χαρη στις συλλογες τυπου Now That's What I Call Minimal Synth Volume Ταδε. 

 Στην περιπτωση της La Contra Ola, ξεθαβεται το DIY ρευμα της Ιβηρικης Χερσονησου, μιας σκηνης που αγνοουσα, περαν των τεραστιων Esplendor Geométrico, των Diseño Corbusier και των σαφως πιο pop, Oviformia SCI. Αναμεσα τους πεταγονται οι EBM αποπειρες των La Fura Dels Baus, το dark wave των Derribos Arias και η Pop Group-meets-Blurt-meets-ο,τι να ναι παρανοια των La T. Ομως ο πρωταγωνιστικος ρολος της συλλογης ανηκει στο γοητευτικοτατο ερασιτεχνισμο, φουλ στις σπαστες προφορες και στο ατσαλο sampling.

 An eye-opening compilation that showcases the spanish post punk scene, back at a time when the analog keyboards took over. Most of the acts deviate from their respective niche sound and they manage to strain an excess of ideas from their self-confined means. Somehow, the hummability of the tunes remain intact, even when the bands are frenetic or just plain weird. Of course the whole thing sounds dated, but that's exactly its charm.

La Contra Ola CD/2xLP (Les Disques Bongo Joe - 2018)

Jean-Marc Foussat / Georgios Karamanolakis - Substunce Sans Scrupule

 Ηλεκτρακουστικος διαλογος μεταξυ του Γαλλο-Αλγερινου Jean-Marc Foussat και του Γεωργιου Καραμανωλακη. Ο καθε καλλιτεχνης επεμβαινει στα ηχογραφηματα του αλλου, ειτε με διακριτικες παρεμβασεις απο field recordings και lower case αυτοσχεδιασμο, ειτε αντιστρεφει εντελως το τοπιο με σχεδον harsh θρασος. Αυτο ομως που εντυπωσιαζει αυτοματα στο Substunce Sans Scrupule ειναι η αισθηση πως οι εμπλεκομενοι δεν φοβουνται να λερωσουν τα χερια τους, πραγμα αδιανοητο για τις συγχρονες αποστειρωμενες musique concrete παραγωγες. Oι fans της Creel Pone, της Recollection GRM και των C.C.C.C. θα λατρεψουν.

 The esoteric world of electroacoustic composition is graced with this black slab of vinyl. Substunce Sans Scrupule may be a cerebral work, but its million twists and turns have a full hand-on approach, thanks to the extensive use of EMS Synthi. The real magic happens when the disjointed fragments gel together into a cohesive vortex that brings to mind the Forbidden Planet soundtrack, remixed by Hiroshi Hasegawa inside the legendary GRM Studio. This is a unique record which guarantees constant revisiting.

Substunce Sans Scrupule LP (Άγιος Άνθρωπος / Ηρακλής / Coherent States / More Mars / Noise-Below / Robbery Alarm - 2017)

Alvin Lucier - Criss Cross / Hanover

 O oγδονταεφταχρονος Alvin Lucier αναθετει στον Stephen O' Malley και τον Oren Ambarchi την εκτελεση δυο προσφατων συνθεσεων του για ηλεκτρικη κιθαρα και ταλαντωτη. Κι οσο και αν αυτο ακουγεται θεμελιωδες η ακομα και αχρειαστο για ενα συνθετη που ασχολειται με τις ιδιοτητες του ηχου για παραπανω απο πενηντα χρονια, αξιζει αφενος να αναλογιστουμε την τοτεμικη θεση της ηλεκτρικης κιθαρας στη λαικη μουσικη και αφετερου τη σταδιακη εργαλειοποιηση της στα χερια του Chuck Berry, του Keith Rowe, του Lou Reed, του Robert Fripp, του Kevin Shields και του Dylan Carlson. Επομενως το Criss Cross / Hanover θα συνεβαινε αργα η γρηγορα. 
 Οπως φανταζεστε οι συνθεσεις ξεγυμνωνουν το εξαχορδο απο τα γνωστα χαρακτηριστικα του. Το πρωτο κομματι αποτελειται απο δυο κυκλικους, μουντους τονους που συναντιουνται περιοδικα, καπως σαν την doom εκτελεση του Adnos I-III της Eliane Radigue. Στο δευτερο ακουμε προσεκτικα, ξυπναμε απο το ληθαργο, σβηνουμε το φακελο drone απο τον υπολογιστη και στη συνεχεια σκοτωνουμε στο discogs τα albums του Eleh.

 Alvin Lucier composed Criss Cross and Hanover in 2013 and 2015 respectively, but these works could have been born at any time of the octogenarian's career. In the first composition, we watch two oscillating tones drawing patterns at glacial pace, as Stephen O' Malley and Oren Ambarchi create their own Soliloquy For Lilith. On Hanover, the duo is joined by a "big band" of some sorts, with saxes, violin, piano et al, but the results are equally minimal and delicate, offering tiny details akin to dust particles swirling in a beam of light. Heady stuff, with its balls placed right where they should be. 

Criss Cross / Hanover LP (Black Truffle - 2018)

V/A - Epicurian Escapism I

 "An extreme example of a saint who was truly zealous in the mortification of her flesh and senses is Saint Mary Magdalene de'Pazzi. 

 Born in Florence in 1566 of an aristocratic family, Caterina de'Pazzi was a religiously precocious child. At age 10 she made a vow of perpetual chastity, secretly whipped herself and wore a crown of thorns. Although her parents were unhappy with her behavior, they allowed her to enter a Carmelite convent where she chose the name of the holy harlot, Mary Magdalene. Due to the austerity of her life she soon gained a reputation for outstanding virtue. Frequently she experienced periods of 'rapture' during which she made predictions about the future. She reportedly was able to cure diseases; one procedure she followed was to lick the skin lesions of afflicted nuns, including one who was thought to have leprosy, and to suck the maggots out of skin ulcers. 

 At age 20 she declared that God had ordered her to eat only bread and water. Because of swelling in her feet she often crawled around the convent on all fours and kissed the feet of the bewildered nuns. Claiming that she was being hounded by devils, she frenetically and publicly whipped her body to chase them away and threw herself naked on thorn bushes until she was covered with blood. She burned her skin with hot wax and cajoled the novices in the convent to whip her and to step on her mouth. 

 At about age 37, emaciated and racked with coughing and pain, she took to her bed and did not leave it until she died four years later in 1607. Her painful gums were so badly infected that she could not bear to close her jaw, until her teeth fell out, one by one. Her body was covered with putrefying bed sores, but when the sisters offered to move her she warned them off for fear that by touching her body they might experience sexual desires. 

 Because of her virtuous life, her miraculous healing, her clairvoyance and the presence of a perfumed fragrance that emanated from her corpse, she was beatified by Pope Urban VIII in 1626. She was admitted to the company of the saints by Pope Clement IX, who issued a decree of canonization in 1668. A large statue of her holding a flagellant whip can be seen in her church in Florence where many people from around the world still come to pay her tribute."

(The extract is taken from the book "Bodies Under Siege: Self-Mutilation and Body Modification in Culture and Psychiatry" by Dr. Armando Favazza)

Epicurian Escapism I CD (The Epicurian / Silken Tofu - 2014)

V/A - Epicurian Escapism II

 Η συλλογη Epicurian Escapism κυκλοφορησε το 2013 με αφορμη το ομωνυμο φεστιβαλ, παρουσιαζοντας την πολυπλευρη προσεγγιση των συμμετεχοντων πανω στο συγχρονο (post) industrial. Απο τοτε οι εξελιξεις ηταν ραγδαιες και τα ονοματα ανεβοκατεβηκαν την κλιμακα δημοφιλιας, με κορυφαιο παραδειγμα τον Trepaneringsritualen που αυτη τη στιγμη που μιλαμε απολαμβανει τα σαλονια των μεγαλων εταιριων.
 Oι υπολοιποι καλλιτεχνες παρουσιαζουν αυτο που ξερουν καλυτερα, με τους Ke/Hil σε ψυχροπολεμικο mode, τον Αnemone Tube σε δυο ελλειπτικα drones χωρις τρελες εκπληξεις, Post Scriptvm σε απονερα του Grey Eminence και Dieter Müh να μεγαλουργουν στο εικοσαλεπτο Bethlehem.

 The exemplary curated second volume of the infamous Epicurian Escapism compilations showcases a diverse roster of artists that serves both as a treat for the initiated and an introduction for the newcomer. If I had to pick only one track, I would get Dieter Müh's Bethlehem, which is an glorious mindfuckery in the vein of Maeror Tri and Unveiled. Luckily I don't have to.

Epicurian Escapism II CD (The Epicurian / Silken Tofu / Peripheral - 2013)