Poem of the day

Broken Flower

She was sitting at the bar

Sipping her mojito

Eyes wide open     

Open but emotionless

The inner light

Was shut down a long time ago

She was sitting alone

A broken flower

She experienced things in life

That no human being

Should ever experience

In their lifetime

A broken flower

Her inner sensibility

Keeps shining through

So beautiful

Yet so fragile…

 

homemade postcards of the day

Hiroshima Yeah! # 126 August 2015 (zine)

Man I love this monthly zine. I like the lowbrow cut and paste aesthetic of it all. Barbara Windsor and Sid James are the cover stars of this issue. There`s `ugly, useless and over-inflated `poetry. Favorite pieces this time around are:

Drop

Sometimes I can see

Why people drop out

Of society.

Everything about it

Becomes disgusting

After a while.

And

Like

Listen to young people talking

And count how many times

They use the world `like`

It will, like, drive you mad.

Damned this is some good writing, wish I was that talented. I think that Gary Simons is a free man nowadays. He started a new monthly installment `13.82 billion years of hell `. Insane ramblings with obscure references = feed me more (sorry Ryback). There`s a couple of music, books and DVD reviews. We end it all with our usual writing threesome: `four cats and a kitten `(texting gozungus nonsense with Mark Ritchie + Gary Simons). `socks `(good short story from da man himself Mark Ritchie) and `doctor Thornaby`(what else is there to say). Have no fear, get a beer, contact`s here: 

Mark Ritchie

94 Main street

Forth

Lanark

ML11 8AB

UK

 

 

Hiroshima Yeah! # 125 July 2015 (zine)

After coming home from tired and thirsty, there`s a small parcel in my mailbox. Lo and behold it`s Mark Ritchie`s bimonthly package with the two latest issues of HY!. Hiroshima Yeah! is a monthly, black and white, cut and paste, five pager zine. Cover star features Joni Mitchell (famous Canadian folk singer and painter). Now let`s begin with poems `aborted plans and sudden hopes`. Standout pieces are:

Blank page

And so it begins again:

Another day,

Another week,

Another blank page.

Some see it as

A fresh new start,

While some consider it

To be terrifying.

I am firmly

In the latter camp.

And

Cool becomes eccentric

Cool becomes eccentric

At the age of forty.

Last but not least

Antisocial media

At the Taj Mahal

You took a selfie

To put on Instagram;

At the Grand Canyon

You sent tweets;

At Niagara Falls

You updated your Facebook status.

On your deathbed

You realized

You hadn`t seen anything at all.

Beautiful isn`t it. Gary Simmons writes his monthly installment of `1.5 years out on probation`. I love senior Simmons weird personal writing style, which seems to make more sense after my fourth beer. We have a couple of music, concert (The Replacements, Roundhouse, 3<sup>rd</sup> June 2015), film and book reviews. The zine ends with a trio of misfit writings: `how we love our mums`(back and forth texting madness from Gary Simmons and Mark Rithchie), `buzz`(nice little shorty about flies from Mark Ritchie) and `doctor Thornaby`(words fail me here). Contact address: 

Mark Ritchie

94 Main street

Forth

Lanark

ML11 8AB

UK

 

Painful Defecation – commomération du centenaire de l`art des bruits de Luigi Russolo (mp3)

This mini album (4 tracks = 17.05 minutes) was released in 2013 and is a tribute to the centenary of `the art of noise `manifesto. I read TAON manifesto about four years ago. I decided to download it here: http://www.ubu.com/historical/russolo/index.  and read it a second time around. This manuscript was written in 1913. If you manage to read between the lines, it talks about sound processing, layering, sampling and sequencing. The electric guitar came out in 1931. This manifesto was way ahead of it`s time. Luigi Russolo was part of an avant-garde Italian art movement `The Futurists`. They did some noise concerts, free mp3`s available here: http://www.ubu.com/sound/russolo_l. (I confess, I didn`t have time to check it out but I will, believe that). Which means, noise existed before Merzbow. You think that Brian Eno`s `music for airports`(1978) was the first ever ambient album? Do a little research and check out Erik Satie`s `gymnopedies ` (circa 1888).Now I`m getting carried away, again, which is pretty easy in my case. Anyways, what were we talking about here? The music on this mini EP offers various styles here: meditative minimal ambient noise (glouglouteur and scatalogue de gauche vargas), lo-fi experimental electronics (track # three) and the last piece which is a joyous cacophony mix of: percussions + samples + found sounds + tight sequencing = good stuff. Free download here: http://painfuldefecation.bandcamp.com/album/comm-moration-du-centenaire-de-lart-des-bruits-de-luigi-russolo 

Node Pajomo, summer 2015, final issue (zine + CD)

Node Pajomo was a half sized, black and white, cut and paste, 24 pages long zine. Sadly, this is the last issue. I understand his reasons. Been there, lived that, done that (anybody remembers `Mastock – the experimental music zine?). Personally, I lacked the time, the passion, the energy and the money. Printing Mastock was not that bad. The thing that was monetarily killing me was that damned nearly obsolete, not that reliable and highly expensive postal system. I wanted to spend more time recording solo music and noise projects. Anyways, NP`s divided in two parts reviews and contact addresses. There`s lots of music and zine reviews crammed in there (48). You have a good quantity of contact for various postal friendly independent, fringe projects: time sensitive mail art projects, ongoing mail art projects, mail art exchange, postcard exchange, tape traders, zine exchange, zine seeking submissions and some events to attend. Last but not least, the `piece the résistance`, which is The Audio Mail Art Project 4 – intoxication compilation CD. There`s 12 bands / artist here: Minimal Frank, Galactic Dream Club, Pedro Bericat, Animals Like Earthquakes, Serse Luigetti, Armadillo Ricochet, Dull VS Letterfounder, Breadwinter, Eberhard Janke, Dan Susnara, Lost Trail and Sonic Disorder. The zine might be dead but he`s seeking submissions for the `Audio Mail Art Project 5 – sculpting the audio space`compilation CD, by 31^st December 2015. More information here: 

Node Pajomo

P.O. Box 2632

Bellingham

WA

98227-2632

USA

The Dandelion Council – dream homes (mp3)

After listening and reviewing `The Dandelion Council – essa misteriosa estrela ` album, I have to admit it. I was hooked. A little googling later, and I discover more freebies from Pip Craighead`s solo electronic music project (The Dandelion Council). I decide to download `dream homes `his most recent mini album (16 tracks = 35.02 minutes), released on `Archaic Horizon Records`(a netlabel which releases experimental, ambient, downtempo material, they focus on thoughtful melancholic and nostalgic themes). When I have time, damned I shouldn`t say that. When I find some spare time, I will download a couple releases and see what it sounds like. I`ve been listening to this album all week long and I can`t get it out of my mp3 player. Yes, it`s that good. The music is a mixture of: light ambient techno, IDM, and instrumental electronic music. I love this album as a whole, here`s a small list of my standout tracks, at present time:

2 – starry nights at the geodome (2.19 minutes): relaxing, chill-out electronica.

5 – work and days (4.11 minutes): warm song oriented  electropop / synthpop, pretty funky if you ask me.

15 – gemstones (2.59 minutes): amazing melancholic, brooding, yet peaceful, relaxing, dare I say chill-out? Well I just did. This mini album gives you a small idea of what dreams are made off, music with strong emotional values: warm, soothing, meditative, mellow, melancholic, peaceful, chill-out, relaxing and ethereal at times. Don`t be a lemon, get it here: https://archive.org/details/DandelionCouncil-DreamHomes

Lost Trail & Animals Like Earthquakes – split tape (cassette)

I like split tapes and compilations. It`s a great way to discover new bands / artists. Tim collapse (ALE) who sent me this here cassette, told me before to check out `Lost Trail`. LT is the ambient / drone / experimental noise project of husband and wife duo Zachary Corsa and Denny Wilkerson Corsa. They hail from Burlington, NC, USA, and use a lot of old, lo-fi, obsolete recording technology (definitely analog equipment). Upon the first listen I`m quite impressed. They use; found sounds, samples, guitar drones, lo-fi noisebytes, and field recordings. They create a sonic tapestry of otherworldly ambient noise / ambient darkwave / noise with lo-fi minimalism undertones. This is relaxing and beautiful introspective music. More information here: http://www.losttraildrone.com/

On the second side we have Animals Like Earthquakes. Tim collapse also uses old analog gear. I would love to see this guy in a live setting. Upon listening, I found out he uses a mixture of: answering machine samples, minimal electronics, found sounds, loops, samples and sounds / processed sounds of unknown origins. The end result is a weird journey into psychedelic, psychotronic experimental lo-fi ambient minimalism. Strange but true. Tim I love your music please send me more. Limited edition of 50 copies, write for availability: 

Animals Like Earthquakes

P.O. BOX 72

Altamahaw

NC

27202

USA

Painful Defecation – cockrock (mp3)

Regarding this free, rather short (4 songs = 14.36 minutes) EP, let`s hear what the man himself, Kurt Beaulieu as to say about it: `the 2012 Montréal comic convention needed a music theme, so here goes. The remaining tracks are just fillers`. If you`re wondering what it sounds like, here`s a brief description:

1 – grand public – thème du festival (1.57 minutes) = lo-fi digital nooddlings + lo-fi ambient noise = a strange, but relaxing journey in the land of aural experimentations.

2 – oupelaye (5.15 minutes) = loops and / or samples mixed with musique concrete and ambient noise = meditative and peaceful material.

3 – la plot me chauffe – version instrumentale (4.59 minutes) = consistently moving / mutating / evolving ambient noisescapes.

4 – cockrock (2.25 minutes) = percussions + lo-fi noise bursts (nice sequencing job here) = going into INM (intelligent noise music) territory. It`s local, it`s from Montréal, have a beer and get it here:

http://painfuldefecation.bandcamp.com/album/cockrock

David Wells – efegin (mini CD)

A limited edition (100 copies) mini CD-R, released in in 2007. This release has been sold out for some time now. I didn`t have the guts this ear it yet. David Wells took the source material from `The Infant Cycle – ephedrin bird samba ` mini CD. Then he proceeded to mangle / re-assemble / process / remix everything, in order to create something new, using a golden oldie (my opinion here). I was scared to hear this. I didn`t think someone would be able to pull it off. I`m a big (and not just physically) `The Infant Cycle ` fan. Jim De Jong always comes up with an interesting and challenging listen. About a month ago, I mustered the courage to hear this for the very first time. Lo and behold `efegin `this is a really, really, really good long track (20.43 minutes).  `Efegin `starts off with light ambience, slowly shifting / evolving / moving / mutating into minimal dark ambience (with electroacoustic elements thrown in), minimal ambient noise and finally ambient noise with rhythmic elements running in the background. Kudos to David Wells, great job man. A sold-out recording, but you know what they say? Find it on www.ebay.comwww.ebay.com

art is everywhere part 30

More insanity from The Haddock himself!!!

Homemade postcard of the day

Alexei Borisov & Jeffrey Surak – ulitsa Novatorov (mini CD)

A music collaboration featuring: Alexei Borisov (Russian musician) and Jeffrey Surak (veteran experimenter from Washington, DC’ USA). This mini CD was released on `the locus of assemblage`, circa 2003 (like the dinosaurs, it’s extinct, gone, sold-out i.e. there`s no more copies left). I love the feeling of owning limited editions recordings (mine reads 53/200). It feels like I`m holding something rare, something unique. Anyways you`d like to know what this sounds like, right? Here goes:

1 – radioalmaata (9.22 minutes) = abstract ambience with electroacoustic undertones (nice use of Russian voice samples).

2 – zaraza (4.07 minutes) = minimal electronic works mixed with peaceful drones = highly meditative and relaxing stuff (doesn`t sound like that Montréal electronic / doom metal / symphonic / industrial / devil worshipping / rock band  named… you guessed it Zaraza).

3 – poste banketa (2.53 minutes) = experimental ambient noise with some nice lo-fi drones thrown in for good measure.

4 – no reply (4.34 minutes) = sonic experimentations mixed with drones and strange ambient noise  = schizophrenic mood music for inner turmoil.

Art is everywhere part 29

More Malok material 

Malok
P.O.Box 41
Waukau
WI
USA
54980

Daruin – fake professor of Japanese pipe (mini CD)

Another fine mini CD from `the locus of assemblage` (a defunct UK based experimental label releasing limited editions works). This was released in 2003 and unfortunately it`s sold-out (I own copy # 51 / 200). Daruin is the solo experimental noise project of Kazuya Ishigami (from Japan). This is my second Daruin listening experience. About 10 – 15 years ago, I had split cassette with Daruin on one side and I think it was The Violet Grind on the other side. I traded that tape a long time ago (there was a good reason that I didn`t keep it, more likely it was of no interest to me). After repeated listens, I`m quite impressed. The music is a potent mix of field recordings (sounds like it was recorded in an abandoned factory), ambient noise, lo-fi noisy drones and samples of unknown origins. The end result is a short journey in the land of confinement, abandonment, meditative noisy / ambient noise with lots of subtleties involved i.e. INM (intelligent noise music). This one`s a keeper. MY PRECIOUSSS!!!

homemade postcard of the day...

Dedicated to the Malok himself...
;-)

Art is everywhere part 28

This time around the amazing Malok!!!

Malok
P.O.Box 41
Waukau
WI
USA
54980

Cab Alter – l`énergie du vide (mini CD)

A limited edition (50 copies) mini CD-R, released in in 2003. It`s long gone, but available as a digital download here:  http://facthedral.com/.http://facthedral.com/. PCA is the solo experimental electronic music project of Patrice Bal from France (BORDEL DE MERDE!!!). there`s five songs with a total running time of 22.50 minutes (the CD-R is full of musical material, which is definitely a good thing). Here`s what it looks / sounds like:

1 – pi (6.15 minutes) = creepy minimal ambient noise.

2 – cab (4.21 minutes) = minimal ambient noise / darkwave.

3 – cabale (4.27) = drones + percussive elements + various effects + hypnotic experimental ambience  = horror movie soundtrack material.

4 – alter (6.52 minutes) = a subtle collision of samples / found sounds with ambient elements = dark music for dreamers.

5 – terre (55 seconds) = short and sweet scary ambient noise / darkwave (almost Schloss Tegal material, I`m impressed). I highly recommend it.

Origami Subtropika – ultimatum (mini CD)

Origami Subtropika is one of the numerous side projects of Origami Republika. OR is a world-wide collective (like what the good old Phycus used to be). More information here: http://origami.teks.no/http://origami.teks.no/ . A limited edition of 200 copies. At the time it was released on `the locus of assemblage` (a UK based experimental label releasing limited edition works, now defunct). . As you can guess, this baby`s long gone. There are two tracks on this mini CD, which are:

1 – Ultimatum A (8.07 minutes) = ambient noise + some percussive elements here and there + musique concrete.

2 – Ultimatum B (11.24 minutes) = grinding / grating low-bit noise + found sounds / samples = sounds like minimal ambient noise with meditative qualities. If this album was longer it would make a great soundtrack for the `Eraserhead `movie. Yes it`s that good (I feel blessed to own a copy of this rare recording too).