Category Archives: Experimental

Dub, Experimental, RIP

Wild At Heart – David Lynch R.I.P.

Born in Missoula, Montana, on January 20, 1946 – Died Los Angeles, January 15, 2025.
Best known for directing the films “Eraserhead” (1977), “Blue Velvet” (1986), “Wild At Heart” (1990), the TV series “Twin Peaks” (1990-91, 2017) and “Mulholland Drive” (2001).
David Lynch was one of the great artists dabbling in the worlds of the bizarre, abstract and subconscious and dared to be different with varying success but true to his artistic visions. His influence in music and arts was immense as his sense in expression a wide range of emotions without compromising.

For anyone who cares, song being played is an altered version of Far Away Chant by African Head Charge.

Anarcho, DIY, Electronic, Experimental, Reissues

Transgerman Mind Configuration – Solanaceae Tau


[Berlin Wall, pictured by Tomas Val, London]

25 years ago one of the most tumultous phases in German history reached one of it’s highlights with a call for Unity in East Germany (GDR) shortly after the Berlin Wall was open.

It took less than a year (November 9th, 1989 to October 3rd, 1990) until the German Democratic Republic dissolved – one year which caused plenty of emotions; the fear of German Third Reich fantasies, strong right-wing tendencies and the prediction of heartless capitalism, loosing wealth and security and more. 1990 was a very intense year for all, the feeling of living in historical times paired with big question marks. Many promises where made concerning a bright future for all.
Many decisions where made hastily and from some of them we still suffer today.
In June Solanaceae Tau released this tapework, now available in a new redesigned and remastered edition by the talented hands and mind of Maurizio ‘Noisebrigade’ Pustianaz.

Solanaceae Tau reflected most of these themes from Fascism, Opression to Industrial Production vs. Individual Human Needs (not for the first or last time) in their 1990 album including historical quoatatios and unfiltered lyrics and the imminent feeling of pressure and change.

Nihilistick Noise Archive proudly combined this reissue – which still feels very current concerning various global incidents and trends – with a 3 track single, featuring an exclusive edit and an L.H.D. Remix.

Coil, Electronic, Experimental

Looking Backwards & Further

The last year was the year I finally gave in and accepted that I’m getting older. I listened as usual to a lot of music in all formats, but what excited me most with only a bunch exceptions where lost & found reissues actually with some current releases of old names thown in.

DVA

The year started quite promising with a Sign from Adi Newton as Clock DVA, together with his recent partner in crime TeZ and affiliates Rizosfera the first new DVA album since an eternity after various singles and remixes spread into the world since reactivation ca. 2014. ‘Neosis’ came in various formats, CD was my choice as it beared more content in form of 4 extra tracks. Marketing was on spot this time arround, various limited packages and appeareances accompanied this event and I had quite high expectations. In the long run I listened to it only a few times, musicwise it was exactly what one can expect from Clock DVA, the sonority of Adi’s vocal, semi Kraftwerkian coldness and dark hints between tech and occultism. Actually a solid but not surpsrising album I would have listened more often if it hadn’t gone lost due it’s unhandy A5 digipak folder ArmComm settled on as standard with it’s releases so they need to be stored somewhere other than in a current pile.
Besides he also released solo compositions and various collaboration, check adinewton.bandcamp.com , Spectral Unit (with Enrico Marani), Psychophysicst (without A. McKenzie) and The Anti Group with some more elusive stuff from the archives via a subsription option.
On a sidenote : BEF’s “Music For Stowaways” feat. Adi on one track was finally reissued with all tracks included that where on this and the “Music For Listening To” issues on CD/LP/DL via Cold Spring.
After years of silence a hell of activity, but at least some new material after VOD most likely published every single tape recording from the beginnings in three boxed LP sets starting from 2012-2019. Sorry Adi but this was too much for my bank account so I gave up in completing DVA/TAG.

Another band I gave upon collecting after years was COIL, there where just to much reissues, remasters, half-legal attempts and color variations with few new tracks I obviously had to have. As much as I welcome their music and legacy being widely available I felt amibigious about “Queens Of The Circular Library” being forced on Vinyl. This was always meant to be listened to as a whole as I understood it and not split in sections. To a lesser degree the same applies to ‘Tunnel Of Goats’ from “Constant Shallowness Leads To Evil” but imho this was best experienced live anyway. Coming in March via Dais is “Moon’s Milk (In Four Phases)”, the compilation of their 4 solstic EP’s published (of course in various variations) throughout 1998 together with the 2002 appendix of the bonus disk added to the Eskaton 2CD Reissue. This might be one of the last offerings as all releases when Drew McDowall and / or Thigpaulsandra (excluding the live ones) where involved are available now again. Danny Hyde seems to have published all his outtakes and mixes too so the big question is still open : Will their 80’s releases and early Albums up to “Love’s Secret Domain” ever be reissued ?
As of now VOD announced a John Balance 8LP Box Set in a woodcase with t-shirt and whatever determined to be a collectors item containing earliest recordings and collaborations and earliest Coil (solo & with Sleazy) in two editions, regular version 666 copies + 133 extra limited ones which can’t be purchased without the other. Most likely this is the last of his Vinyl endavours as the gobal postage and economical pressures took his toll. We’ll see, as next project he’s announced CD Box Sets already and if they’re made with the same care they can’t be bad.

Photo: VOD

At least David Kenaan’s English Hidden Reverse Book on Current 93 / Nurse With Wound and Coil got finally a repress via Strange Attractor with some expansions now and hopefully a little more Coil and less C93 content now but as far as I read it’s only already published material about artists who interesected with them originally as Furfur. But of course it’s not over with Memorabilia to be plundered, Timeless Editions published a facsmile collection of pages from John Balance’s notebooks. See for other items in various editions for your pleasure if interested.

Drew McDowall, who had left Coil and the UK after “Musick To Play In The Dark I”, published a 6CD Box Set including his 4 solo Albums with added Live and Outtake Recordings via Dais. Just after I completed getting his 4 Vinyl / digital only Albums. I was still tempted, especially after his strong Lamina LP from 2020 and finally seeing him live in 2020 (post Covid restrictions) with his Time Machines interpretation.

While looking after the whereabouts of ex-Coil members there was also a remarkable release by Stephen Thrower with David Knight in the ongoing Modulism Series as digital only release in the guise of UnicaZürn. As all parts of the series linked to an extensive interview and additional photos. If you dig deeper you’ll find Thighpaulsandra there too with another exclusive release.

Electronic, Experimental, ffwd, Klappstuhl Records

2023 Activities : “View From Nowhere” ..

Self promotion is not really what I would call my strenght. Anyway, there is a need to sum up what happened since the last Klappstuhl releated post now.
Anyway, here is a slight look back on another year Klappstuhl & releated Activities:

January started with a compilaton of loose tracks from MIK@ issued via con area Hand Made which is for now a PWYW release.

February and May saw the next remastered reissues of Frankfurt’s cyber goth Project Solanaceae Tau on nihilistick noise archive .Each Album accompanied by a free digital single. The next release sadly came to an halt due to the untimely death of singer Katmaina this Autumn. Shocked and sad we will continue to present the legacy as good as possible, also in memory of Axaxas who left earth the year before.

On Klappstuhl April and June where highlights unearthing an unpublished Siegmar Fricke electro EP, recorded back in 1999 and the definitive Version of the Pharmatrance Album by his and Heike Böhm’s project A:M:B, both freshly mastered , licensed from the ever evolving pharmakustik both featuring original artworks by Siegmar Fricke.

A radio show featuring among others Siegmar Fricke, D.S.I.P. and A:M:B by Mr. Ebu from FFM (who still has a wide open heart for the Casssette Culture and more). Follow on Mixcloud is now listenable online at:

August came and with it my personal favourite – ‘View From Nowhere’ which is a great double album documenting the recent sound developments of ungarian electronic dub maestro OhmikRon following 2022’s ‘Pandemic Dub’ also on Klappstuhl and ‘Broader Spectrum’ (via ODrex Music, Berlin. Toying with an AI image Generator for the design gave it an extra fitting and futuristic touch. More can also be found at ohmikron’s page.

In Autumn all I could do was reworking the early Walt Thisney album ‘ThisContinuum’ for an reissue. Thanks once more to Maurizio for his work beyond the call of duty which gave this retro futuristic collection a fresh neonlike sound.

Thiscover more recent works by Walt via his site which seemed dormant for a while but got recently updated with new releases.

On a releated note Marco Milaneso of DsorDNE also deep dived into his archives and published two soundtracks, commissioned for original theater productions MARAT SADE and RED by Nevio Gambula back in the mists of time.e 8 tracks extracted from soundtracks specially made for theater works in 1989 from the Acqualuce Studio tape archive and remastered, two tracks have also been remixed from the original tapes, at O.F.F. Studio, Torino.

As far for now, I wish all a better year than the last one.

Electronic, Experimental, Sheffield

NOESIS – Clock DVA Album 30 Years Post ‘Sign’

Adi Newton, conceptualizing & envisioning Clock DVA since 1978.

2023 sees the first DVA all new album release since 1993’s ‘Sign’. The 2nd (electronic) incarnation of Clock DVA was then already faded out with only Adi Newton and Robert E. Baker left. Dean Dennis had at least participated still to ‘Man Amplified’ before starting his own project Sector in the fall of 1993. Adi Newton did publish the weakest TAGC album ‘Iso Erotic Calibrations’ in 1994 and also the excellent ‘Burning Water’ Recordings dating back to 1987 and 1990 on Side Effekts and stayed as far as known in Italy with very few signs of musical activities besides 1996’s Psychophysicist collaboraton with Andrew McKenzie which had already been recorded in 1994.
A reissue deal with Mute was once rumoured about but nothing came of it so in general all proper DVA albums are still mostly out of print. I guess it is quite difficult to sort it out properly as there have been many group members through the years who contributed even when A. Newton always was the head and main writer.
Vinyl On Demand explored with various formats and boxes the earliest phase from roughly 1978 to 1980 with three different box-sets (4 if you like to count the double 7″ with the book) and which helped me to get my hands on some of the material I only ever heard of before.
But concerning new music the current line-up did not rush with releases.


Maurizio Martinucci (aka TeZ) Permanent DVA Member since 2010.

As is his do-it-all-alone style various sites and announcemnts popped up in the 2000’s but until 2013 when a compilation of unpublished Mid 90’s tracks appeared as “Post Sign” and in 2014 the first new tracks coupled with a multi media approach, remixes and video on an USB Stick in best possible audio quality plus two remixes on a limited 12″ through his Antererio Research Media Com. the Neoteric CD EP in 2016 was the next one with a Remix 12″ following in 2019 and also a Vinyl Reissue.

The Anti Group Project stayed pretty on the backburner besides a new Remaster available in 2013 of 1994’s Adi Newton solo effort, a few compilation tracks up to 2018 and very few live activity but is now fully active again with no less than 3 new works published and another expanded reissue of the singles Compilation. A playlist with TAGC & Clock DVA tracks older and more recent compiled by Adi Newton to promote his appearance as The Anti Group at Cinema Classico’s Overlook in Torino, Italy on the 1st of July 2017 is well worth a listen:

Adi Newton also collaborated with Jack Dangers (of MBM) as SŌON and published one excellent CD in 2019.
Various other projects have seen the light of the day, usually difficult to obtain, expensive or both. It got better since he teamed up with the Italian label / publishing company Rizosfera /NU KFM who handle the european ARM COM Releases for now.

Find full details / tracklisting / formats here.

Dub, Electronic, Experimental

(12 Movements Of) BOOM – Keith LeBlanc

Aside

Incredible 23 years have passed without an regular Keith LeBlanc solo album now, hard to believe as he’s been all over the place all of the time but except some reissues on his / Blanc bandcamp lately there was hardly any solo activity besides 2008’s Chess Moves – Future Blues Project not many seemed to know what to make of as it was a strange hybrid of original recordings with added Instrumentation by Keith, Doug (Wimbish) and Skip (McDonald) – maybe best described as found on dc “Re-production and partial re-instrumentation of old blues tracks using the original tapes”. Then there where regrouping activities as Tack>>Head live and even culminating into the “For The Love Of Money” cover versions album in 2014 which didn’t exactly overmatch it’s expectations. I’m not even sure if the title was meant ironically.
Anyway; 12 Movements Of Boom does.
Of course it might be there where no expectations to see another KLB album which was really regrettable as his incredible mix of electro, hip hop, funk, jazz and whatever style comes to his mind held together by his rhythmic brilliance somehow managed to build up to amazing heights, especially on Time Traveller (Blanc Records 1992) and Stranger Than Fiction (Enigma / Nettwerk 1989) two albums I regularly return to. The selected cast of guest musicians old and new support this all-in vision.
His long time allies Doug & Skip ‘Little Axe’ and a shelved but not forgotten tape with recordings of vocals and poetry from the late Andy Fairley given to him in the 90’s build the solid core of Boom. He dives more into mellower jazz ambience and hip hop here than in the 1990’s without loosing himself and his trademark edgy beats. A very welcome highlight.

A week later, October 25th he released the companion album – Boom Instrumentals & Bonus Tracks.

More Blanc Records digital releases, rarities and reissues are online at bandcamp and further infos on keithLeblanc.com .

Ambient, Experimental

:zoviet*france: Next Sound – call for help

“This is an unedited recording of our live performance at the 6th Next Sound festival in Kyiv, in 2018.

We are making this available as a free download and in doing so, urge you to make a donation to a not for profit humanitarian aid organisation that’s supporting people in Ukraine.

There are many of these all over the world so you should be able to find one near you.
In the UK, donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an alliance of 15 charities, will be matched by the government, up to a maximum of £20million:
donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal

Recorded live in concert at Next Sound, Saturday 6 October 2018
http://nextsound.org/2018/
Venue: Closer, Kyiv, Ukraine
https://ra.co/promoters/44245

Unedited stereo recording from the on-stage mixer operated by :zoviet*france: (this is a mirror sound image of what was heard by the audience)

Composed, performed and mixed by :zoviet*france: As with all of our live performances, this was completely improvised
1st edition AAC 320 kbps, released as a free download 8 March 2022
© 2018 copyright control
cover photo: Aerial view of Kyiv Oblast © :zoviet*france:”

www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.de/spenden-ukraine

Dub, Electronic, Experimental, Findings, Post Punk, Sheffield

Free Agent : Eric Random

Video

Eric Ramsden from Manchester was one of a handful of early electronic post punk pioneers, unique and uncompromising not completely unlike Robert Rental, Fad Gadget, . He was involved with early Factory acts, the New Hormones label, Buzzcocks’ Pete Shelley as The Tiller Boys and maybe best documented with Cabaret Voltaire (as guest musician on record, as opening act on tour and fully absorbed on the Pressure Company live LP). From solo output up to putting a band together (The Bedlamites) and getting recruited for the then Manchester based femme fatale junkie legend Nico as tourband member – with additional stints in the Suns Of Arqua, Psychic TV and the Durutti Column.
This short bio shows a lot unknown facts, thankfully supported by the man himself about his whereabouts and his surprising return to electronic music starting with ‘Man Dog’ in 2014 on Klanggalerie after a 18 years hiatus and continuing until the present day. Find his latest Album ‘No-Go‘ here as CD and DL and a live recording from 2019 promoting the ‘Wire Me Up‘ 2*12″ on soundcloud.

An incredible find, many, many thanks to Hugo Ball.