Ulver

Ulver – Eos

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Ever since my exposure to their 2007 masterpiece Shadows of the Sun, has become something of an obsession for me. Rising from their roots as a pioneering force of the Norwegian black metal scene in the early 90s, the band has since shapeshifted almost completely, taking cues along the way from the likes of , classical composition (one member left the band for a year to study 19th century composers), and mystic William Blake (whose work inspired an entire double album). Their sound is indescribable, though now takes place in a largely ambient context, the songwriting and production of which have been a huge influence on my recent A Setting Sun work.

Gaiser – Chlorine

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Like most of the M_nus catalog, puts out minimal micro-house that’s not really minimal or micro- in the strictest sense, but cuts through with the exactitude of the best brain surgeon. The spectral atmosphere is so well-engineered that even the blank space between sounds stands out. Never have I heard someone with such mastery of diverse sound synthesis techniques, techno melodic structure and mixing, and this song is Jon Gaiser at his best.  Yes, it’s so good it’s almost pretentious.

Atom™ – Wellen und Felder II

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is the brainchild of Uwe Schmidt, who I only know from his wacky project.  More importantly, this strikes me immeditately as a raster-noton release, and it’s proof that the label has honed in on their signature sound with a microscopic accuracy. Billed as a study in ‘romantic music’ and contrived around a number of guidelines (including some Neitzschean philosophy), Schmidt’s 2009 Liedgut album borrows equally from Pachelbel and Kraftwerk (whose Florian Schneider appears on vocoder on several tracks).  It’s really very interesting stuff – and can stand up to most good academic computer music without the snobbery that accompanies a lot of it – and very inspiring to see a guy take a seemingly simple starting concept and turn it into a remarkably consistent work with great depth and craftsmanship. Max/MSP, here I come.

Sunn O))) – Hunting & Gathering (Cydonia)

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I was lucky to have recently had the opportunity to see live (with Attila Csihar on vocals no less).  The concert was like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life.  Over the course of the 90 minute show, the band played the four songs from Monoliths & Dimensions at a tortoise’s pace, exploring every nuance of sustained bass-heavy drone.  With 16 stack amplifiers on stage (in a very small venue – yes, it was so intimate) the sound was so encompassing that I could feel each individual hair on my body vibrating. Forget about watching for musicianship or virtuosity (though it could easily be argued that these guys, and especially Attila, have it), this musical evocation of sorts forces the listener to simply be present for the strange and unique sonic event that is Sunn O))). I was truly able to fully experience the band’s slogan “MAXIMUM VOLUME YIELDS MAXIMUM RESULTS.”

Posted in Music Posted by on Jul 27 2009 12:00 pm

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