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cd -- selection DECEMBER 2004 |
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| Artist: |
GURDJIEFF, GEORGE |
| Title: |
Harmonic Development |
| Label: |
BASTA (NETHERLANDS) |
| Format: |
3XCD |
| Price: |
55 euros |
| Catalog #: |
BASTA 9115 |
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“Restocked. Subtitled: The Complete Harmonium Recordings 1948-1949. 2 regular CDs, an MP3-disc (with 19 hours of music & visuals), plus a 144 page illustrated paperback book on Gurdjieff and his harmonium recordings. This is the first release of this music (there have been numerous releases of Gurdjieff's earlier piano music from the 1920s, usually performed by Thomas de Hartmann), documented to the usual high Basta standards. "Basta Audio Visuals is proud to announce the release of George Gurdjieff's complete harmonium recordings. In September 2000, at the instigation of producer Gert-Jan Blom, Basta Music obtained the license of the 44 master-tapes containing Gurdjieff's complete recorded output from Mme. Sylvie Anastasieff, widow of Valentin Anastasieff, Gurdjieff's nephew. The 113 recordings on these tapes are sequenced in four series: I: First Series - recorded between 1 April and 21 July 1949; II: Mesoteric Series - recorded between 22 July and 18 August 1949; III: American Series - recorded between 25 August and 27 September 1949; IV: Second Series - recorded between 27 September and 16 October 1949. These were recorded at Gurdjieff's apartment in Paris. Additionally, the very first recordings of Gurdjieff's harmonium music -- made at the Wellington Hotel, New York, between 25 December 1948 and early February 1949 -- have been added to this collection with the consent of the Gurdjieff Foundation of New York. These New York recordings also include several talks and stories as told by Gurdjieff to his pupils.
An addenda section containing several interesting, albeit unlabeled pieces from the original wire recordings brings the grand total to 136 recordings, over 19 hours of music, all brought together in chronological sequence on a single disc in 'MP3' format. As a special bonus, a short 9-minute film made by Evelyn Sutta on several automobile trips with Gurdjieff during the summer of 1949 has been added. This disc will play on any computer with MP3 software installed and on most recent DVD players. An extra 2 CD set in standard audio format contains a representative compilation of the recordings; these discs will play on any CD player. This unique collection comes with an attractive and profusely illustrated 144-page book with many previously unpublished photographs of Gurdjieff and recollections of people who were present when these recordings were made. It further contains several chapters by Gert-Jan Blom about the process of selecting and sequencing the tracks, audio restoration of the recordings, the history of Gurdjieff's harmonium music, transcriptions of Gurdjieff's stories and an extensive track notes-section. The book has a preface by King Crimson guitarist, Guitar Craft instructor and Soundscaper Robert Fripp."
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| Artist: |
Hala Nastra |
| Title: |
Fielding |
| Label: |
Last Visible Dog |
| Format: |
2XCD |
| Price: |
23 euros |
| Catalog #: |
LVD066/067 |
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"Hala Strana, which you may already have encountered as an entry in the Jewelled Antler Library series of 3" cdrs, is a project of LA-based multi-instrumentalist (and multi-instrument builder) Steven R. Smith, who is a member of Jewelled Antler flagship improv psych group Thuja and a solo artist in his own right. Hala Strana is his vehicle for instrumental droned-out Eastern European folk music appreciation/interpretation, and really represents some of his finest work to date. Multitracking turns Steven R. Smith into a one-man village orchestra, playing everything from violin to optigan, bul bul tarang to gourd guitar, harpsichord to clay flowerpots! Bouzouki, cello, harmonium, percussion, etc. These songs also incorporate snippets of field recording tapes and sampled recordings of traditional music. Plus some of his Thuja cohorts also show up to help out. Many of the tracks are based on traditional folk tunes from Hungary, Albania, Macedonia, Croatia, and other Balkan backwaters. If you've heard any of the wonderful Muszikas records, you'll understand Steven R. Smith's inspirations. His arrangements and instrumention turn 'em into total folk-psych gems, reminding us of certain krautrock bands, International Harvester, the Dirty Three, Kemialliset Ystavat, Black Forest/Black Sea, all sorts of good things. Utter old world beauty meets underground drone aesthetics = some kind of Transylvanian trance music. Really nice." -- Aquarius Records |
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| Artist: |
Birchville Cat Motel |
| Title: |
Beautiful Speck Triump |
| Label: |
Last Visible Dog |
| Format: |
2XCD |
| Price: |
23 euros |
| Catalog #: |
LVD053/054 |
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"Another release from the oh-so-prolific Campbell Kneale aka Birchville Cat Motel. And as much as we scoff occasionally at musicians who seem to release a record a week, Campbell's output has managed to remain relatively dud-free, even being one of the most prolific. The difference this time is it's a real cd, not a cd-r, and not just a cd, but a double cd! Exactly the way this sort of stuff was meant to be heard, stretched out forever with plenty of time to develop and expand, burn brightly and fade away. Two discs, six tracks, all but one twenty minutes plus. Drone nirvana my friends. A low rumbling drone that over the course of 30 minutes swells to a keening resonant whine with clicking and chirping (think crickets, pebbles, geiger counters) splattered throughout. Shakers, chimes, rattles, and bells manage to be clattery and distinct, but at the same time become a meditative and sonorous whole. Warm chords stretch langorously into the ether, while instrument crackle and amp buzz provide rhythmic support before spreading into a gauzy, indistinct raga. Chords and notes are smeared into a noir-ish cinematic blur-scape. A warm fuzzy expanse of late night swoosh, bookended by creaking springs and ambient clatter. A forty minute coda of clatter and croon and creak and crunch and click and calm. So goddamn good. Employing an unlikely arsenal of electric, acoustic and fake guitars, synth, cheap organ, recorder, clarinet, contact mics, wired turntables, violin, bells, baby rattles, firecrackers, piano, cymbals, melodica, steel pot lid, drums, space phone, tape loops and floorboards, Kneale may have sealed BCM's fate with an all but unbeatably perfect two plus hours of divine Ur-drone." -- Aquarius Records |
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| Artist: |
Cul de sac |
| Title: |
Death of the sun |
| Label: |
Strange Attractors Audio |
| Format: |
CD |
| Price: |
17 euros |
| Catalog #: |
SAAH 017 |
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"Nearly four years has elapsed since instrumental avant-rock innovators Cul de Sac released a studio album. Death Of The Sun is as much a musical and compositional departure in every way for Cul de Sac as their otherworldly The Epiphany Of Glenn Jones, the infamous psychodrama in collaboration with the late John Fahey. Taking cue from two tape-based pieces from that album, the band set out on a new path informed by their experience. By virtue of Trussell's modern electronics, augmenting analog wizard Rabbi Amos' role, a new approach to creating the music unfolded. Samples form to backbone of the album, the blueprint of the tunes. As the foundation became increasingly electronic-oriented, Cul de Sac responded with acoustic textures, and the juxtaposition works magically, a seamless integration. Death of the Sun is a challenging listen, pushing the Cul de Sac sound forward into entirely new realms. Folk, avant rock, electronica, turntablism, field recordings, percussive trance, ambient, Middle Eastern -- the points along the musical plane are vast but in the hands of Cul de Sac, the integration is spellbinding and atmospheric." |
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| Artist: |
Henri Chopin |
| Title: |
La danse des tonneaux roulants et brisés |
| Label: |
Erratum |
| Format: |
CD |
| Price: |
15 euros |
| Catalog #: |
SP658 |
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The legendary sound pioneer Henri Chopin performs his latest work (nov 2003) created at home (Dereham, England) in his studio with a microphone and a Revox. This 51 minutes three-part piece demonstrates the astonishing vitality of the 82-year old artist, who remains as forceful and passionate as ever. |
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