Claro Intelecto-Neurofibro
Label: Ai
Street Date: 28th April 2004
Neurofibro-- A techno-appropriate album title if ever one existed. However, Mark Stewart struggled with the genetic nerve disease of the same name throughout the recording of his debut record. While only a handful of house/techno artist albums are coherent pieces from start to finish—think Villalobos’ Alcachofa or Carl Craig’s More Songs…many are simply a collection of unrelated 12s. To the contrary, Neurofibro is something sincere; a cohesive offering of highly polished and varied techno that updates classic sounds. The album ebbs and flows freely, with changes in tone, tempo and emotional content. Songs range from the ethereal and uplifting “Chicago,” to the clunky microsampled “Back” with its restrained 303 acid squiggle. “Peace of Mind” features crisp hi-hats dancing in regiments over sad piano chords, leading to a stirring string piece. It can be said that some of the most pure, focused art in any medium comes from times of pain and hardship, and this undoubtedly applies to Stewart’s highly moving debut. (CJN)
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Monday, March 22, 2004
With just about every electronic music aficionado seeking a turn behind the decks, it increasingly helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Norwegian Erlend Øye, of Kings of Convenience fame, seems to have found one that works. Øye takes the microphone out of the hands of the MC and adds his unforgettable croon to instrumental tracks. Though the thought of a singing DJ might conjure up visions of mobile discos and Bar Mitzvahs, it works well in this context. His taste in music isn’t half bad either; the tracklisting features gems from Jurgen Paape and Ricardo Villalobos. The mix doesn’t dwell on one genre however-- The Rapture bring the punk-funk revelry and Morgan Geist brings immaculately produced downtempo to wind things down. Highlights include Øye’s emotive acapella of The Smiths' “There's a Light That Never Goes Out” over Silicon Soul’s remix of “Poor Leno” by Royksopp and Erlend’s own track, “Sheltered Life.”
Superpitcher
Here Comes Love
Kompakt
Forthcoming on prefixmag.com
Superpitcher (aka Aksel Schaufler) is best known for his prolific string of warm, emotive and often melancholic singles and remixes on, among others, Cologne’s Kompakt label. Here, he releases his debut album; a perfect fusion of techno, pop and perhaps the most emotion of any electronic release this year. It’s a strong testament to the possibilities that exist when techno comes up for air and into the sun, while retaining a bit of its dark, intense edge. Kompakt has been doing it exceptionally well as of late (ie: Heiko Voss, etc), and this record can be seen as the crown jewel of said subgenre.
The album opener, “People,” starts with a warm vibraphone loop, interspersed with crunchy synth stabs over a stomping 2/4 beat. Best described as dark tech pop, it’s warm and lush, contrasted with undertones of paranoia and isolation. Schaufler’s vocals over the track take the undeniably strong groundwork and round things off perfectly. “The Long Way” is the album standout -- its crisp, slightly off kilter schaffel beat and acoustic guitar loop continues for several bars before a lovely piano line takes over. Towards the end, the drums drop out and the track gradually builds in intensity as strings swell and Schafler breaks out of verse.
The album’s strength, aside from just how well-produced and beautiful the tracks are, stands in Schauflers’ masterful embrace of various styles, whether its the aforementioned schaffel, downtempo on “Sad Boys”, or ambient, as is case on the heavenly second half of “Angels.” As noted electronic music writer Philip Sherburne puts it so well, “[Here Comes Love] is like moonstomping in a mattress factory while every steeple in town chimes out the hour.”
Superpitcher
Here Comes Love
Kompakt
Forthcoming on prefixmag.com
Superpitcher (aka Aksel Schaufler) is best known for his prolific string of warm, emotive and often melancholic singles and remixes on, among others, Cologne’s Kompakt label. Here, he releases his debut album; a perfect fusion of techno, pop and perhaps the most emotion of any electronic release this year. It’s a strong testament to the possibilities that exist when techno comes up for air and into the sun, while retaining a bit of its dark, intense edge. Kompakt has been doing it exceptionally well as of late (ie: Heiko Voss, etc), and this record can be seen as the crown jewel of said subgenre.
The album opener, “People,” starts with a warm vibraphone loop, interspersed with crunchy synth stabs over a stomping 2/4 beat. Best described as dark tech pop, it’s warm and lush, contrasted with undertones of paranoia and isolation. Schaufler’s vocals over the track take the undeniably strong groundwork and round things off perfectly. “The Long Way” is the album standout -- its crisp, slightly off kilter schaffel beat and acoustic guitar loop continues for several bars before a lovely piano line takes over. Towards the end, the drums drop out and the track gradually builds in intensity as strings swell and Schafler breaks out of verse.
The album’s strength, aside from just how well-produced and beautiful the tracks are, stands in Schauflers’ masterful embrace of various styles, whether its the aforementioned schaffel, downtempo on “Sad Boys”, or ambient, as is case on the heavenly second half of “Angels.” As noted electronic music writer Philip Sherburne puts it so well, “[Here Comes Love] is like moonstomping in a mattress factory while every steeple in town chimes out the hour.”
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Colder Interview
forthcoming in prefixmag.com
Colin James Nagy
Take away press releases and other background information and you’d be hard-pressed to find a music enthusiast that would have pegged Colder’s Again as a debut record. Parisian Marc Nguygen Tan has culled influences from postpunk and other genres, updated them with a clean, modern glisten and added his own detached and often haunting vocals. Because of the mature production sound and uncluttered arrangements, it’s as if he applied his artist’s eye for clear, uncluttered visual composition to an audio context, producing a debut that doesn’t sound the part.
The album is a blend of influences, notably Cabaret Voltaire, Can, Suicide, Joy Division and New Order, with some bass lines seemingly stolen from Mani from the Stone Roses’ notebook. When pressed for further inspirations, Tan self-consciously said, “They’re numerous and would be boring to list,” suggesting that the influences on the record are more than meets the eye and not so readily identified as being overly reverent to the aforementioned bands.
Before producing Again, Tan’s musical background was decidedly informal, limited to childhood piano lessons. He spent his teenage years “listening to music rather than making it,” never playing in a band. However, he was always actively listening to a variety of bands, building points of reference to build upon.
At age 20, Tan started producing music on his own as a hobby, without any specific ambitions or goals. When asked if there was a particular catalyst that pushed him toward this, he said, “I clearly remember when I first listened to Einsturzende Neubauten's first record, Kollaps.” He called it “a great moment,” and alluded that it brought the first urge to create his own music.
This moment for Colder’s musical debut came unexpectedly. A new media artist by trade, Tan was originally supposed to spend two months working on a multimedia project commissioned by a friend. When the plans fell through, the spare time allowed him the opportunity to start recording his own material.
“That moment in my life was very special,” Tan said. “For the first time, I was getting more and more bored with my work, and music brought me all that I needed and all I was expecting. I have great memories of that period.” Using a spartan bedroom setup -- a laptop computer, guitar and a bass on loan from a friend -- Tan started putting together the album.
The entire record was recorded in a shockingly fast month and a half. Upon its completion, Tan sent a demo to Output Recordings boss and renowned graphic artist Trevor Jackson. “(Trevor) got in touch with me three weeks after with a very nice e-mail, and we met in Paris two weeks after that, deciding it would cool to work together.”
The changes from the initial recordings were minor -- two tracks on the record were shortened slightly, by eight or sixteen bars. Jackson’s biggest contribution on the record was the accompanying DVD. “He was the one who really insisted in having it done,” he said. “At the beginning, I wasn’t feeling that confident in doing it, but he really supported me along the way.”
Trevor’s lobbying resulted in a DVD of abstract visuals packaged with the record, something increasingly being used as an incentive to buy a record instead of downloading it for free before the release date. The days of gatefold cover art may be gone, but added digital mediums add extra value to a release.
“It's something that comes as a bonus,” said Tan. “The work it featured has no specific purpose ... it’s just an expansion of the music through abstract visuals. Sometimes when I listen to a record I like, I wish I could have a massive video projector and watch images that don’t intend to promote anything, but just relax my mind and allow me to immerse a bit more into what I’m listening to.” It’s an appropriate sentiment from an artist who works with visual mediums professionally and started creating music as an aside.
Again’s first single “Crazy Love” is a choppy funk rhythm with a driving bass line and Tan’s vocals floating over the track. The testament to the song’s strength comes in the form of an acoustic version courtesy of Tan’s friend, Luke Innes. It’s a cover rather than a remix and breaks everything down to a decidedly somber tone, with subtle synth whispers and acoustic guitar.
Innes’ version is a far cry from the original, but an excellent interpretation, indicative of how many permutations can be made if the original ingredients are good enough.
“Luke is the ex-boyfriend of a very close friend. We met in pub one day and started talking about music for ages,” said Tan. “I never listened to what he was doing but I felt he could do something sincere and interesting. A month after that I received a CD with its own cover and thought it was really wicked.”
The other remix on the single comes from Rework, creating something with the complete opposite effect: A 4/4 dark and sexy stomper for the dance floor.
The forthcoming single release, “Shiny Star,” is dark, synth-tinged dub, bringing to mind moonlight shimmering on a black sea. It twists and builds into a kick and snare crescendo at the end, all the while featuring Tan’s characteristic vocals, this time delivered in a slightly more staccato fashion.
Tan has some ideas regarding the remixes, but no confirmations yet. “I'd like to keep the balance I had with the “Crazy Love” single, having close friends work on it,” he said. “I've also asked for cover versions instead of traditional remixes.”
Having produced the album in such a short period of time and on minimal equipment, the transition to a live performance would predictably be a tough one. Tan asserted that this transition was helped along by the fact that the band members are close friends. That doesn’t eliminate first-gig jitters, however.
“The first time we played I couldn't sleep for two or three nights, and then spent three weird days at my apartment,” he said. “I was not depressed or hysterically happy, I was just feeling strange. Now [performing] is still scary, but the big difference is that we like it even if there are many things we have to improve.”
After a stunning performance at the Output/DFA records showcase in New York last fall, Colder has played in Europe, mainly in Spain and the U.K., but also in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan with electronic stalwarts LFO and Underworld.
Tan is anticipating U.S. gigs in the future, as Output increases its presence stateside. In the meantime, he's finishing “what could be an eventual second album for Colder,” and plans to take care of the visual side of the live performances from April to August, further adding his own interpretations to the music, and satisfying his insatiable audio/visual creative urges.
forthcoming in prefixmag.com
Colin James Nagy
Take away press releases and other background information and you’d be hard-pressed to find a music enthusiast that would have pegged Colder’s Again as a debut record. Parisian Marc Nguygen Tan has culled influences from postpunk and other genres, updated them with a clean, modern glisten and added his own detached and often haunting vocals. Because of the mature production sound and uncluttered arrangements, it’s as if he applied his artist’s eye for clear, uncluttered visual composition to an audio context, producing a debut that doesn’t sound the part.
The album is a blend of influences, notably Cabaret Voltaire, Can, Suicide, Joy Division and New Order, with some bass lines seemingly stolen from Mani from the Stone Roses’ notebook. When pressed for further inspirations, Tan self-consciously said, “They’re numerous and would be boring to list,” suggesting that the influences on the record are more than meets the eye and not so readily identified as being overly reverent to the aforementioned bands.
Before producing Again, Tan’s musical background was decidedly informal, limited to childhood piano lessons. He spent his teenage years “listening to music rather than making it,” never playing in a band. However, he was always actively listening to a variety of bands, building points of reference to build upon.
At age 20, Tan started producing music on his own as a hobby, without any specific ambitions or goals. When asked if there was a particular catalyst that pushed him toward this, he said, “I clearly remember when I first listened to Einsturzende Neubauten's first record, Kollaps.” He called it “a great moment,” and alluded that it brought the first urge to create his own music.
This moment for Colder’s musical debut came unexpectedly. A new media artist by trade, Tan was originally supposed to spend two months working on a multimedia project commissioned by a friend. When the plans fell through, the spare time allowed him the opportunity to start recording his own material.
“That moment in my life was very special,” Tan said. “For the first time, I was getting more and more bored with my work, and music brought me all that I needed and all I was expecting. I have great memories of that period.” Using a spartan bedroom setup -- a laptop computer, guitar and a bass on loan from a friend -- Tan started putting together the album.
The entire record was recorded in a shockingly fast month and a half. Upon its completion, Tan sent a demo to Output Recordings boss and renowned graphic artist Trevor Jackson. “(Trevor) got in touch with me three weeks after with a very nice e-mail, and we met in Paris two weeks after that, deciding it would cool to work together.”
The changes from the initial recordings were minor -- two tracks on the record were shortened slightly, by eight or sixteen bars. Jackson’s biggest contribution on the record was the accompanying DVD. “He was the one who really insisted in having it done,” he said. “At the beginning, I wasn’t feeling that confident in doing it, but he really supported me along the way.”
Trevor’s lobbying resulted in a DVD of abstract visuals packaged with the record, something increasingly being used as an incentive to buy a record instead of downloading it for free before the release date. The days of gatefold cover art may be gone, but added digital mediums add extra value to a release.
“It's something that comes as a bonus,” said Tan. “The work it featured has no specific purpose ... it’s just an expansion of the music through abstract visuals. Sometimes when I listen to a record I like, I wish I could have a massive video projector and watch images that don’t intend to promote anything, but just relax my mind and allow me to immerse a bit more into what I’m listening to.” It’s an appropriate sentiment from an artist who works with visual mediums professionally and started creating music as an aside.
Again’s first single “Crazy Love” is a choppy funk rhythm with a driving bass line and Tan’s vocals floating over the track. The testament to the song’s strength comes in the form of an acoustic version courtesy of Tan’s friend, Luke Innes. It’s a cover rather than a remix and breaks everything down to a decidedly somber tone, with subtle synth whispers and acoustic guitar.
Innes’ version is a far cry from the original, but an excellent interpretation, indicative of how many permutations can be made if the original ingredients are good enough.
“Luke is the ex-boyfriend of a very close friend. We met in pub one day and started talking about music for ages,” said Tan. “I never listened to what he was doing but I felt he could do something sincere and interesting. A month after that I received a CD with its own cover and thought it was really wicked.”
The other remix on the single comes from Rework, creating something with the complete opposite effect: A 4/4 dark and sexy stomper for the dance floor.
The forthcoming single release, “Shiny Star,” is dark, synth-tinged dub, bringing to mind moonlight shimmering on a black sea. It twists and builds into a kick and snare crescendo at the end, all the while featuring Tan’s characteristic vocals, this time delivered in a slightly more staccato fashion.
Tan has some ideas regarding the remixes, but no confirmations yet. “I'd like to keep the balance I had with the “Crazy Love” single, having close friends work on it,” he said. “I've also asked for cover versions instead of traditional remixes.”
Having produced the album in such a short period of time and on minimal equipment, the transition to a live performance would predictably be a tough one. Tan asserted that this transition was helped along by the fact that the band members are close friends. That doesn’t eliminate first-gig jitters, however.
“The first time we played I couldn't sleep for two or three nights, and then spent three weird days at my apartment,” he said. “I was not depressed or hysterically happy, I was just feeling strange. Now [performing] is still scary, but the big difference is that we like it even if there are many things we have to improve.”
After a stunning performance at the Output/DFA records showcase in New York last fall, Colder has played in Europe, mainly in Spain and the U.K., but also in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan with electronic stalwarts LFO and Underworld.
Tan is anticipating U.S. gigs in the future, as Output increases its presence stateside. In the meantime, he's finishing “what could be an eventual second album for Colder,” and plans to take care of the visual side of the live performances from April to August, further adding his own interpretations to the music, and satisfying his insatiable audio/visual creative urges.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Trapist-Ballroom
Thrill Jockey
The first studio album from Vienna-based trio Trapist, Ballroom, is improv jazz first, electronic music second. The musicians — bassist Joe Williamson, Radian's drummer Martin Brandlmayr, and the prolific guitarist Martin Siewert — laid down the original tracks live, with no predetermined structure, and then went back to edit and overdub. What's notable about the recordings is the degree to which texture is made audible: a drumstick scratching back and forth over the snare drum head, the dull ring of a hand-muffled ride cymbal, perhaps even the creak of the drum stool. Silence is almost as important as sound, as evidenced by the vast, empty spaces of "Time Axis." Spacey yet restrained, chaotic yet rhythmic, Ballroom argues for the symbiotic relationship between electronic music and improvisational jazz. (CJN)
Thrill Jockey
The first studio album from Vienna-based trio Trapist, Ballroom, is improv jazz first, electronic music second. The musicians — bassist Joe Williamson, Radian's drummer Martin Brandlmayr, and the prolific guitarist Martin Siewert — laid down the original tracks live, with no predetermined structure, and then went back to edit and overdub. What's notable about the recordings is the degree to which texture is made audible: a drumstick scratching back and forth over the snare drum head, the dull ring of a hand-muffled ride cymbal, perhaps even the creak of the drum stool. Silence is almost as important as sound, as evidenced by the vast, empty spaces of "Time Axis." Spacey yet restrained, chaotic yet rhythmic, Ballroom argues for the symbiotic relationship between electronic music and improvisational jazz. (CJN)
Kiln- Sunbox
Ghostly International
A version forthcoming in prefixmag.com
A light used to replicate the sunshine, colloquially known as a sunbox, is often used to treat problems such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It's characterized by depression in the winter months and said to be related to seasonal variations in light. Kiln are a trio hailing from Michigan, a state that’s no stranger to inclement weather, and their sound can best be described as an aural prescription for grey days of the mind.
Kiln's latest record, on the excellent Ghostly International, can be characterized under the broad swath that is downtempo electronic. More specifically, Sunbox is a subtle masterpiece of warm textures, crackles and gentle melodies ideal for headphone consumption. Intricate glitches dance left to right, from background to foreground, over layers of slightly distorted synth tones. The record constantly engages the listener, divulging more with every play; a characteristic of the most cerebral electronic releases. While Kiln have produced a record of intimate music constructed under grey Michigan skies, it is a perfect soundtrack to sunrises viewed from airplane windows.
Ghostly International
A version forthcoming in prefixmag.com
A light used to replicate the sunshine, colloquially known as a sunbox, is often used to treat problems such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It's characterized by depression in the winter months and said to be related to seasonal variations in light. Kiln are a trio hailing from Michigan, a state that’s no stranger to inclement weather, and their sound can best be described as an aural prescription for grey days of the mind.
Kiln's latest record, on the excellent Ghostly International, can be characterized under the broad swath that is downtempo electronic. More specifically, Sunbox is a subtle masterpiece of warm textures, crackles and gentle melodies ideal for headphone consumption. Intricate glitches dance left to right, from background to foreground, over layers of slightly distorted synth tones. The record constantly engages the listener, divulging more with every play; a characteristic of the most cerebral electronic releases. While Kiln have produced a record of intimate music constructed under grey Michigan skies, it is a perfect soundtrack to sunrises viewed from airplane windows.
Monday, March 08, 2004
Freerange Records Colour Series: Yellow 01
Release 23rd February 04
US distribution: Groove
London-based Freerange is best known for its releases of immaculately produced broken beat, spacey house and downtempo tunes. Recently, the label has reached into their archives to produce Yellow 01, the first compilation of rare and previously vinyl-only releases. On the record, label co-owner Jamie Odell's Audiomontage project is prominently displayed with “Movin' On,” a rich, bubbling disco groove with lingering atmospherics and crisp drum programming. Landslide’s remix of Hanna’s “Faceless Emotion” takes soft piano notes and echo, adding thick broken beats punctuated by quirky synth chirps and a fluid, bending bassline with tinges of mid-tuned toms for added rhythmic element. Label stalwart Shur-I-Kan’s “Generations” offers perhaps the most floor-friendly tune with tinny snare snaps and complex, yet uncluttered percussion building into a lush synth line washing over the track. The compilation is unmixed to allow for several different genres and does an excellent job introducing the clean, atmospheric, yet delightfully percussive Freerange sound.
Release 23rd February 04
US distribution: Groove
London-based Freerange is best known for its releases of immaculately produced broken beat, spacey house and downtempo tunes. Recently, the label has reached into their archives to produce Yellow 01, the first compilation of rare and previously vinyl-only releases. On the record, label co-owner Jamie Odell's Audiomontage project is prominently displayed with “Movin' On,” a rich, bubbling disco groove with lingering atmospherics and crisp drum programming. Landslide’s remix of Hanna’s “Faceless Emotion” takes soft piano notes and echo, adding thick broken beats punctuated by quirky synth chirps and a fluid, bending bassline with tinges of mid-tuned toms for added rhythmic element. Label stalwart Shur-I-Kan’s “Generations” offers perhaps the most floor-friendly tune with tinny snare snaps and complex, yet uncluttered percussion building into a lush synth line washing over the track. The compilation is unmixed to allow for several different genres and does an excellent job introducing the clean, atmospheric, yet delightfully percussive Freerange sound.
SOULPHICTION EP 12"
Label: FREUDE AM TANZEN
Reviewed for Turntablelab.com
Having recorded for labels du jour Perlon and Playhouse, Soulphiction (aka Jackmate, Michael Baumann) brings a 5 track EP to Germany’s Freude Am Tanzen imprint. Though much is being made of the minimal sounds emanating from Deutschland, this is on the deep and jazzy tip in the vein of Theo Parrish or Moodymann. The standout track is White Ropes featuring the blues-inspired vocals of Ben Harper. The tune is an otherwise understated affair, clocking it at around 122 bpm with mid-tuned tom percussion and a simple but effective synth arrangement. It’s not doing too much in the background, allowing for the vocals to do their trick, and it works like a charm. Black Woman is some spoken word over a lagging beat with a dark and choppy synth bass, gradually adding the hats and some other percussive effects. Whats Your Name starts with a off kilter, dusty horn sample and gradually brings in the kick, as more and more crate-dug jazz samples fill in the spaces, building with some warm synth in the background. Towards the middle, the din of the samples fall out, leaving a rich, bubbling groove with a super-filtered synth that sounds like it was dropped down the stairs into the pool. I love it, due to the fact that the track started rather predictably and went in a direction that caught me completely off guard. Fantastic.
Shur-I-Kan
Generations 12’
Freerange records
With this release, Tom Szirtes aka Shur-I-Kan illustrates the increasing cross-genre might of Freerange Records. His original broken beat version of Generations on the 12 is undoubtedly my pick—there’s an unbelievably high amount of detail buried within the fluid, expressive drum programming. On first listen, pitch the tune down significantly to see what I mean, as when played at proper speed, it’s a lot to take in at once. Tinny snare snaps, random hi-hats and complex yet uncluttered percussion build into a wash of ambient tones that then lead into a lovely nu-soulish vocal part. Muffled trumpets, flutes and other horns float in and out of the mix and just when you thought the vocals were the highlight, a light funk keyboard line comes in and steals the show for a moment. Jimpster’s house mix takes a basic kick snare pattern and pulls the synth funk bassline from the original, putting it way out in the front of the track—excellent for a bottom heavy system. He retains the hi-hat arrangement, some of the percussion and light keys from the original. The Unabombers mix is more of a peak time tune, cribbing small edits and samples from the vocal line, adding a few male vocal bits and a new bassline with a razor sharp midrange synth. It’s got the most locked and focused groove of all the mixes, building and building in tension. I was expecting a drop of some sort—nothing came, so this might be a good building block to bring things elsewhere. All in all, its two dead solid mixes, and one shining star. A must listen for fans of broken soul.
Label: FREUDE AM TANZEN
Reviewed for Turntablelab.com
Having recorded for labels du jour Perlon and Playhouse, Soulphiction (aka Jackmate, Michael Baumann) brings a 5 track EP to Germany’s Freude Am Tanzen imprint. Though much is being made of the minimal sounds emanating from Deutschland, this is on the deep and jazzy tip in the vein of Theo Parrish or Moodymann. The standout track is White Ropes featuring the blues-inspired vocals of Ben Harper. The tune is an otherwise understated affair, clocking it at around 122 bpm with mid-tuned tom percussion and a simple but effective synth arrangement. It’s not doing too much in the background, allowing for the vocals to do their trick, and it works like a charm. Black Woman is some spoken word over a lagging beat with a dark and choppy synth bass, gradually adding the hats and some other percussive effects. Whats Your Name starts with a off kilter, dusty horn sample and gradually brings in the kick, as more and more crate-dug jazz samples fill in the spaces, building with some warm synth in the background. Towards the middle, the din of the samples fall out, leaving a rich, bubbling groove with a super-filtered synth that sounds like it was dropped down the stairs into the pool. I love it, due to the fact that the track started rather predictably and went in a direction that caught me completely off guard. Fantastic.
Shur-I-Kan
Generations 12’
Freerange records
With this release, Tom Szirtes aka Shur-I-Kan illustrates the increasing cross-genre might of Freerange Records. His original broken beat version of Generations on the 12 is undoubtedly my pick—there’s an unbelievably high amount of detail buried within the fluid, expressive drum programming. On first listen, pitch the tune down significantly to see what I mean, as when played at proper speed, it’s a lot to take in at once. Tinny snare snaps, random hi-hats and complex yet uncluttered percussion build into a wash of ambient tones that then lead into a lovely nu-soulish vocal part. Muffled trumpets, flutes and other horns float in and out of the mix and just when you thought the vocals were the highlight, a light funk keyboard line comes in and steals the show for a moment. Jimpster’s house mix takes a basic kick snare pattern and pulls the synth funk bassline from the original, putting it way out in the front of the track—excellent for a bottom heavy system. He retains the hi-hat arrangement, some of the percussion and light keys from the original. The Unabombers mix is more of a peak time tune, cribbing small edits and samples from the vocal line, adding a few male vocal bits and a new bassline with a razor sharp midrange synth. It’s got the most locked and focused groove of all the mixes, building and building in tension. I was expecting a drop of some sort—nothing came, so this might be a good building block to bring things elsewhere. All in all, its two dead solid mixes, and one shining star. A must listen for fans of broken soul.
Sunday, March 07, 2004
A version forthcoming in prefixmag.com:
Colleen- Everyone Alive Wants Answers
Leaf
Everyone Alive Wants Answers is the debut record from 26-year-old Parisienne Cecile Schott, who records under the Colleen guise. Following a seven-inch release of the track Babies on France’s Active Suspension label, Schott caught the attention of London-based Leaf, home to esteemed Japanese minimalist Susumu Yakota. The resulting LP contains music that effortlessly transcends time and frequently contradicts itself, sounding from 1950s and 2004 simultaneously; music produced by a group of musicians or lovingly assembled alone. This is a record brimming with emotion and it evokes subtle images that resonate heavily within-- visions of childhood and memories of times past.
The overall sound of Everyone Alive Wants Answers can best be compared to William Basinski’s Disintegration Loops and is indicative of where his recordings might have meandered if stretched beyond the confines of two bar repetitions. …Answers shares the submerged, distant and slightly unnerving aesthetic, contrasted by the sense of warmth and comfort created in the analogue-sounding recordings. However, The Disintegration Loops stem from organic origins while…Answers was created on a laptop, alone, and with modern composition techniques. To Schott’s credit, her debut doesn’t sound even remotely machine made. Rather, it is a record tinged with subtle imperfection; fiercely intimate textures sewn together with a personal, narrative feel.
The songs on the record are emotive, fragile tones coming together in a very human fashion. A gentle, childlike naiveté seemingly papers over the cracks, concealing something slightly sinister below. It’s the way you felt when you first listened to Boards of Canada’s Music Has the Right to Children, only instead of vintage synths and beats, think dusty piano loops, ancient-sounding xylophones, strings and glockenspiels.
The title track conjures up images of springtime in the country, viewed by holding film negatives up to the light. Delicate string plucks mingle with samples of birds and lay amidst the pops and hiss of the tape. Ritournelle is a cinematic-sounding loop that, with a simple key change, manages to convey more emotion than infinitely more complicated works. The only distinct rhythmic element on the record appears with a distant heartbeat sample on Carry-Cot. The submerged tone, seemingly pulled straight from the chest cavity, anchors a haunting sample of a child’s enthusiastic banter mixed with the angelic strums of a harp. It’s the sound of memories; antiquated childhood recordings stashed in the attic only to be discovered after maturing.
Regardless of the images the songs suggest, the listener is blanketed with a sentiment that runs much deeper than the compositions on the surface. Though a few tracks are forgettable, Everyone Alive Wants Answers is an overall rewarding experience and one of the most stunningly different ambient records of the year. It is also a very promising individual release from a pool of talented female electronic musicians including Mira Calix and Mileece, who bring warmth and emotion to a genre sometimes criticized as cold and lifeless.
Colleen- Everyone Alive Wants Answers
Leaf
Everyone Alive Wants Answers is the debut record from 26-year-old Parisienne Cecile Schott, who records under the Colleen guise. Following a seven-inch release of the track Babies on France’s Active Suspension label, Schott caught the attention of London-based Leaf, home to esteemed Japanese minimalist Susumu Yakota. The resulting LP contains music that effortlessly transcends time and frequently contradicts itself, sounding from 1950s and 2004 simultaneously; music produced by a group of musicians or lovingly assembled alone. This is a record brimming with emotion and it evokes subtle images that resonate heavily within-- visions of childhood and memories of times past.
The overall sound of Everyone Alive Wants Answers can best be compared to William Basinski’s Disintegration Loops and is indicative of where his recordings might have meandered if stretched beyond the confines of two bar repetitions. …Answers shares the submerged, distant and slightly unnerving aesthetic, contrasted by the sense of warmth and comfort created in the analogue-sounding recordings. However, The Disintegration Loops stem from organic origins while…Answers was created on a laptop, alone, and with modern composition techniques. To Schott’s credit, her debut doesn’t sound even remotely machine made. Rather, it is a record tinged with subtle imperfection; fiercely intimate textures sewn together with a personal, narrative feel.
The songs on the record are emotive, fragile tones coming together in a very human fashion. A gentle, childlike naiveté seemingly papers over the cracks, concealing something slightly sinister below. It’s the way you felt when you first listened to Boards of Canada’s Music Has the Right to Children, only instead of vintage synths and beats, think dusty piano loops, ancient-sounding xylophones, strings and glockenspiels.
The title track conjures up images of springtime in the country, viewed by holding film negatives up to the light. Delicate string plucks mingle with samples of birds and lay amidst the pops and hiss of the tape. Ritournelle is a cinematic-sounding loop that, with a simple key change, manages to convey more emotion than infinitely more complicated works. The only distinct rhythmic element on the record appears with a distant heartbeat sample on Carry-Cot. The submerged tone, seemingly pulled straight from the chest cavity, anchors a haunting sample of a child’s enthusiastic banter mixed with the angelic strums of a harp. It’s the sound of memories; antiquated childhood recordings stashed in the attic only to be discovered after maturing.
Regardless of the images the songs suggest, the listener is blanketed with a sentiment that runs much deeper than the compositions on the surface. Though a few tracks are forgettable, Everyone Alive Wants Answers is an overall rewarding experience and one of the most stunningly different ambient records of the year. It is also a very promising individual release from a pool of talented female electronic musicians including Mira Calix and Mileece, who bring warmth and emotion to a genre sometimes criticized as cold and lifeless.
Friday, March 05, 2004
Nitrada- We don’t know why but we do it
Label 2.nd records
Release date: 23.02.04
With his soundtrack of subtle electronic glitches, strings, and guitar-driven melancholy, Christopher Stoll aka Nitrada has created a reclusive-sounding and introspective record. “We don’t know why but we do it” originated from Stoll’s basement studio in Hamburg, but to brighten up his self-imposed solitude Stoll drafted a series of collaborators from across the European continent. The result is Stolls’ basic outline augmented by fresh external ideas and mixed on an ancient analogue desk, adding warmth to the largely electronic compositions. “Old Love, New Idea” is reminiscent of Squarepusher’s Port Rhombus—frantic, syncopated breakbeats floating over a layer of sweeping, cinematic strings, creating a challenging but functional contrast. “Fading away” features the near-whispered vocals of collaborator Kaye Brewster over layers of subtle pops, glitches and anchored by a faint guitar line. The album concludes with the lovely “Start Today,” a melancholy guitar piece gradually intensifying with layers of strings, showing a sliver of restrained optimism to puncture the grey Hamburg skies.
Label 2.nd records
Release date: 23.02.04
With his soundtrack of subtle electronic glitches, strings, and guitar-driven melancholy, Christopher Stoll aka Nitrada has created a reclusive-sounding and introspective record. “We don’t know why but we do it” originated from Stoll’s basement studio in Hamburg, but to brighten up his self-imposed solitude Stoll drafted a series of collaborators from across the European continent. The result is Stolls’ basic outline augmented by fresh external ideas and mixed on an ancient analogue desk, adding warmth to the largely electronic compositions. “Old Love, New Idea” is reminiscent of Squarepusher’s Port Rhombus—frantic, syncopated breakbeats floating over a layer of sweeping, cinematic strings, creating a challenging but functional contrast. “Fading away” features the near-whispered vocals of collaborator Kaye Brewster over layers of subtle pops, glitches and anchored by a faint guitar line. The album concludes with the lovely “Start Today,” a melancholy guitar piece gradually intensifying with layers of strings, showing a sliver of restrained optimism to puncture the grey Hamburg skies.
Forthcoming in The Fader:
You’re no doubt tired of the music mashups and bootlegs, but ever wonder what your Planet of the Apes DVD would look like mixed with some creepy Czech stop motion animation? Stoner inquisitions aside, if you have an extra seven grand, wonder no more. Pioneer has released DVD turntables modeled after their successful digital CD models. The decks allow for real-time digital video scratches, loops and instant cues, allowing you fluid edits on the fly. It’s a far cry from the conventional VJing methods of two video sources, a mixer and a projector due to the intuitive interface. So skin up, sync up and don’t let it get played out like a Darkness/Lil Jon boot.
You’re no doubt tired of the music mashups and bootlegs, but ever wonder what your Planet of the Apes DVD would look like mixed with some creepy Czech stop motion animation? Stoner inquisitions aside, if you have an extra seven grand, wonder no more. Pioneer has released DVD turntables modeled after their successful digital CD models. The decks allow for real-time digital video scratches, loops and instant cues, allowing you fluid edits on the fly. It’s a far cry from the conventional VJing methods of two video sources, a mixer and a projector due to the intuitive interface. So skin up, sync up and don’t let it get played out like a Darkness/Lil Jon boot.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Daedelus- Of Snowdonia
Release Date: February 24, 2004
Plug Research
On his second LP for the Plug Research label, Santa Monica-based Daedelus further illustrates his sampling dexterity and imagination by melding ancient jazz samples with gentle acoustic guitars, subtle glitches and a warm, organic production sound. Of Snowdonia is equally inspired by Sun Ra’s freeform experimentation (evidenced by the first sample on the record) as it is by Amon Tobin’s cut-up, jarring jazz breaks interspersed with a tinge of gentle, textured folk. The record is decidely introspective with influences spanning from film noir to hip-hop to jazz and free-form poetry; personal bits and bobs culled from a lifetime of listening. Basic composition styles seemingly from the 1930’s and 40’s are augmented by subtle, frantic drum samples floating in the background amidst off-kilter synth whirs and the odd clarinet loop or marching band snare line. Schizophrenic music for an ADD culture? Perhaps, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Release Date: February 24, 2004
Plug Research
On his second LP for the Plug Research label, Santa Monica-based Daedelus further illustrates his sampling dexterity and imagination by melding ancient jazz samples with gentle acoustic guitars, subtle glitches and a warm, organic production sound. Of Snowdonia is equally inspired by Sun Ra’s freeform experimentation (evidenced by the first sample on the record) as it is by Amon Tobin’s cut-up, jarring jazz breaks interspersed with a tinge of gentle, textured folk. The record is decidely introspective with influences spanning from film noir to hip-hop to jazz and free-form poetry; personal bits and bobs culled from a lifetime of listening. Basic composition styles seemingly from the 1930’s and 40’s are augmented by subtle, frantic drum samples floating in the background amidst off-kilter synth whirs and the odd clarinet loop or marching band snare line. Schizophrenic music for an ADD culture? Perhaps, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.
CD REVIEW: Ellen Allien, Remix Collection
Bpitch Control
Released January 2004
$18.99 (Other Music)
After her acclaimed Berlinette LP, restless Bpitch Control label boss Ellen Allien here assembles a few years' worth of remixes. The highlight is her mix of Sascha Funke's "Forms and Shapes" — over lagging, electro-tinged breakbeats, a resonant synthesizer line from the original mix lingers alongside Funke's vocals before a distorted bass line takes the tune up three notches. "Let's Get It On" rides an off-kilter, almost two-steppy beat, with Allien's crunchy synths leading to Gold Chains' sassy, in-your-face flow. Goldenboy and Miss Kittin's "Rippin Kittin" tips the hat to the Misfits' "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?" and touches it up with glimmering hi-hats. By mixing pop, minimal techno, electro, and breakbeats with her singular subtlety, Allien's made Remix Collection a varied, addictive listen that always engages cerebrally but remains aimed at informed dance floors. (CJN)
Bpitch Control
Released January 2004
$18.99 (Other Music)
After her acclaimed Berlinette LP, restless Bpitch Control label boss Ellen Allien here assembles a few years' worth of remixes. The highlight is her mix of Sascha Funke's "Forms and Shapes" — over lagging, electro-tinged breakbeats, a resonant synthesizer line from the original mix lingers alongside Funke's vocals before a distorted bass line takes the tune up three notches. "Let's Get It On" rides an off-kilter, almost two-steppy beat, with Allien's crunchy synths leading to Gold Chains' sassy, in-your-face flow. Goldenboy and Miss Kittin's "Rippin Kittin" tips the hat to the Misfits' "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?" and touches it up with glimmering hi-hats. By mixing pop, minimal techno, electro, and breakbeats with her singular subtlety, Allien's made Remix Collection a varied, addictive listen that always engages cerebrally but remains aimed at informed dance floors. (CJN)
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
James Lavelle Global Underground 26: Romania
(forthcoming in prefixmag.com)
Most people equate James Lavelle with his leftfield hip-hop imprint, Mo’Wax, which propelled artists such as Peshay, DJ Shadow and DJ Krush to widespread popularity in the mid-nineties. The label was founded on sample-based music rooted in classic soul and funk breaks while being immersed in b-boy culture and turntablism.
Since the subsequent decline of the label, Lavelle has reinvented his DJing sound and opened himself to new influences. While he began playing next to the likes of Gilles Peterson and Norman Jay, his celebration of eclectic jazz and hip-hop sounds has taken a backseat to the bombastic stylings of London’s underground breakbeat and tech-house scenes. This seemingly radical shift in styles can be partially attributed to Lavelle’s Friday night residency at Fabric in London. His DJ sets at the forward-thinking club have focused his sound, as he now prefers playing for a room electrified with hands-in-the-air energy, rather than attempting to be overly clever or obscure as a selector. In short, a more populist approach—no more playing to impress the trainspotters.
Lavelle also plays and records under the ever-evolving UNKLE moniker, which in its current incarnation consists of himself and Richard File, his longtime friend and production partner. It is here that the early cratedigging days and inspirations remain alive, with the duo time stretching samples on the fly, cutting in re-edits and generally applying a subtle hip-hop aesthetic to the dancefloor.
With the Global Underground series, Lavelle was originally drafted to add some breadth and variety to a label that mostly showcased progressive house and remained strictly rooted in the rules dictated by 4/4. His first mix from Barcelona seemingly broke many of these -- The long fluid mixing in key, the seamless and often boring connections; and shook things up by throwing in hip hop, samples and breakbeats while still appealing to fans of the series and managing to sell 100,000 copies worldwide.
Now, Lavelle returns with his next installment, inspired by a set played at Studio Martin in Bucharest, Romania. The mix is divided into two CDs, the first representing the more breakbeat-based side of Lavelle’s sound. His recent mixes, Fabriclive 01 and GU Barcelona, started with more psychedelics and downtempo hip-hop, gradually gathering stream and venturing uptempo into breaks and ending with tech-house. This fluid and genre-shape shifting dynamic is not present on the Romania mix, to the dismay of Mo’Wax purists and fans of Lavelle’s early DJing ethic.
Instead of the characteristic beats, dusty breaks and samples one could expect early on in a Lavelle set, the first CD of the Romania mix launches directly into a sharp snare drum and snarling bassline assault with UNKLE’s reconstruction of The Queens of The Stone Age track “No One Knows.” From here, many of the recent UNKLE re-edits are showcased, ranging from DJ Shadow’s GDMFSOB to South’s “Colours in Waves.” These tracks are interspersed with nuschool breakbeat tracks, ranging from PFN’s electro-charged “Flow” to the sublime open chords of Santos’ “Unknown.” On the first CD, the buildups of old are decidedly lacking, and the tempo of the mix remains more or less constant. A sizeable fanbase, ranging from Mo’Wax enthusiasts to Fabric regulars like James Lavelle’s sets for their disregard of the rules, and this CD ends up adhering to them, resulting in monotony despite the strength of individual tracks.
The second CD is decidedly more dark and metallic, starting with the almost-comical “Ask Yourself” by Richie Hawtin, which personifies the sound of bad acid. Fortunately, the refined production style of fellow Fabric resident Craig Richards carries us out of this moment and kickstarts the more fluid and cerebral of the CDs. Highlights include an unreleased Medway remix of “Invasion” from the newest UNKLE record, a dynamic sub-bass funk monster from Photek and Ewan Pearson’s excellent dub of the Chemical Brothers’ “Golden Path.” CD2 concludes with a Sasha mix of UNKLE’s “In a State,” which, oddly enough, is also featured on the first disc in its original form.
The mix succeeds at its intention, which is to capture Lavelle’s evolution as a DJ and represent the sound he is currently playing out. It does dwell on occasion, leaving the listener yearning for some of the innovative and eclectic selections Lavelle made in the past, even as recently as the Barcelona mix. This is in part salvaged by the strength of the UNKLE reconstructions, which make the recording more unique as compared to a generic battering of big room tunes. It must be remembered that capturing the energy of a dancefloor is an often-insurmountable task for a mix CD, but with this release, a bit more variety would have kept the listener more engaged when listening outside of the club context.
-Colin James Nagy
(forthcoming in prefixmag.com)
Most people equate James Lavelle with his leftfield hip-hop imprint, Mo’Wax, which propelled artists such as Peshay, DJ Shadow and DJ Krush to widespread popularity in the mid-nineties. The label was founded on sample-based music rooted in classic soul and funk breaks while being immersed in b-boy culture and turntablism.
Since the subsequent decline of the label, Lavelle has reinvented his DJing sound and opened himself to new influences. While he began playing next to the likes of Gilles Peterson and Norman Jay, his celebration of eclectic jazz and hip-hop sounds has taken a backseat to the bombastic stylings of London’s underground breakbeat and tech-house scenes. This seemingly radical shift in styles can be partially attributed to Lavelle’s Friday night residency at Fabric in London. His DJ sets at the forward-thinking club have focused his sound, as he now prefers playing for a room electrified with hands-in-the-air energy, rather than attempting to be overly clever or obscure as a selector. In short, a more populist approach—no more playing to impress the trainspotters.
Lavelle also plays and records under the ever-evolving UNKLE moniker, which in its current incarnation consists of himself and Richard File, his longtime friend and production partner. It is here that the early cratedigging days and inspirations remain alive, with the duo time stretching samples on the fly, cutting in re-edits and generally applying a subtle hip-hop aesthetic to the dancefloor.
With the Global Underground series, Lavelle was originally drafted to add some breadth and variety to a label that mostly showcased progressive house and remained strictly rooted in the rules dictated by 4/4. His first mix from Barcelona seemingly broke many of these -- The long fluid mixing in key, the seamless and often boring connections; and shook things up by throwing in hip hop, samples and breakbeats while still appealing to fans of the series and managing to sell 100,000 copies worldwide.
Now, Lavelle returns with his next installment, inspired by a set played at Studio Martin in Bucharest, Romania. The mix is divided into two CDs, the first representing the more breakbeat-based side of Lavelle’s sound. His recent mixes, Fabriclive 01 and GU Barcelona, started with more psychedelics and downtempo hip-hop, gradually gathering stream and venturing uptempo into breaks and ending with tech-house. This fluid and genre-shape shifting dynamic is not present on the Romania mix, to the dismay of Mo’Wax purists and fans of Lavelle’s early DJing ethic.
Instead of the characteristic beats, dusty breaks and samples one could expect early on in a Lavelle set, the first CD of the Romania mix launches directly into a sharp snare drum and snarling bassline assault with UNKLE’s reconstruction of The Queens of The Stone Age track “No One Knows.” From here, many of the recent UNKLE re-edits are showcased, ranging from DJ Shadow’s GDMFSOB to South’s “Colours in Waves.” These tracks are interspersed with nuschool breakbeat tracks, ranging from PFN’s electro-charged “Flow” to the sublime open chords of Santos’ “Unknown.” On the first CD, the buildups of old are decidedly lacking, and the tempo of the mix remains more or less constant. A sizeable fanbase, ranging from Mo’Wax enthusiasts to Fabric regulars like James Lavelle’s sets for their disregard of the rules, and this CD ends up adhering to them, resulting in monotony despite the strength of individual tracks.
The second CD is decidedly more dark and metallic, starting with the almost-comical “Ask Yourself” by Richie Hawtin, which personifies the sound of bad acid. Fortunately, the refined production style of fellow Fabric resident Craig Richards carries us out of this moment and kickstarts the more fluid and cerebral of the CDs. Highlights include an unreleased Medway remix of “Invasion” from the newest UNKLE record, a dynamic sub-bass funk monster from Photek and Ewan Pearson’s excellent dub of the Chemical Brothers’ “Golden Path.” CD2 concludes with a Sasha mix of UNKLE’s “In a State,” which, oddly enough, is also featured on the first disc in its original form.
The mix succeeds at its intention, which is to capture Lavelle’s evolution as a DJ and represent the sound he is currently playing out. It does dwell on occasion, leaving the listener yearning for some of the innovative and eclectic selections Lavelle made in the past, even as recently as the Barcelona mix. This is in part salvaged by the strength of the UNKLE reconstructions, which make the recording more unique as compared to a generic battering of big room tunes. It must be remembered that capturing the energy of a dancefloor is an often-insurmountable task for a mix CD, but with this release, a bit more variety would have kept the listener more engaged when listening outside of the club context.
-Colin James Nagy
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
from flavorpill.net:
DJ
Dr. Rubberfunk
when:
Sat 14 Feb (8pm-1am)
where:
The Embassy (117-119 Essex Road, N1, 0207.359.7882)
Tube: Highbury & Islington, Angel
Simon Ward (aka Dr. Rubberfunk) offers some wax to the platter in support of his debut LP, The First Cut. With more than ten years of DJing under his belt and a drummer's ear for the choicest breaks, Rubberfunk has molded an expressive and eclectic style equally rooted in classic funk and soul and modern productions from various genres. Adept at balancing faithful crate-digging with an eager ear for the freshest new tunes, the good doctor is joined by the hip hop, funk, and party jazz break masters Rob Mac and Matt Smooth from Scratch. (CJN)
DJ
Dr. Rubberfunk
when:
Sat 14 Feb (8pm-1am)
where:
The Embassy (117-119 Essex Road, N1, 0207.359.7882)
Tube: Highbury & Islington, Angel
Simon Ward (aka Dr. Rubberfunk) offers some wax to the platter in support of his debut LP, The First Cut. With more than ten years of DJing under his belt and a drummer's ear for the choicest breaks, Rubberfunk has molded an expressive and eclectic style equally rooted in classic funk and soul and modern productions from various genres. Adept at balancing faithful crate-digging with an eager ear for the freshest new tunes, the good doctor is joined by the hip hop, funk, and party jazz break masters Rob Mac and Matt Smooth from Scratch. (CJN)
Monday, January 19, 2004
CD REVIEW: Dr. Rubberfunk, The First Cut
Gps
Released October 2003
£10.99 (Amazon)
Having spent more than a decade DJing in London and around the world, Simon Ward, aka Dr. Rubberfunk, has finally released his debut LP, The First Cut. With an emphasis on dusty drum-heavy beats culled from his religous crate-digging, the doctor has infused the album with samples from countless genres and coupled them with live instrumentation. Bossanova, hip hop, jazz, and funk all get a tip of the hat. Standout tracks include the cinematic "Downtown Lowdown", the DJ-friendly funk of "Bossa for the Devil", and the infectious acoustic pluckings of "Harry the Guitar". (CJN)
Gps
Released October 2003
£10.99 (Amazon)
Having spent more than a decade DJing in London and around the world, Simon Ward, aka Dr. Rubberfunk, has finally released his debut LP, The First Cut. With an emphasis on dusty drum-heavy beats culled from his religous crate-digging, the doctor has infused the album with samples from countless genres and coupled them with live instrumentation. Bossanova, hip hop, jazz, and funk all get a tip of the hat. Standout tracks include the cinematic "Downtown Lowdown", the DJ-friendly funk of "Bossa for the Devil", and the infectious acoustic pluckings of "Harry the Guitar". (CJN)
Monday, December 15, 2003
Written for Flavorpill.net
15 dec 2003
Released on Kompakt, Pop Ambient 2004 is the latest annual installment in a series of the most emotive and ethereal ambient music being produced today. For a genre that can sound flat, Eno-derivative, and unoriginal in its lesser moments, this series shines by showcasing some of the best and brightest talents in electronic composition — from label regulars like Ulf Lohmann to up-and-coming new talents like Japan's Tetsuo Sakae (aka Pass Into Silence). The overall sound of the record is absolutely hypnotizing, with warm, subtle synth pieces and minimal melodies and progressions. It's completely tranquil, yet cerebral and engaging at the same time. Highlights include Pass Into Silence's "Sakura" and Donnach Costello's fragile, guitar-based "To Thee This Night." (CJN)
15 dec 2003
Released on Kompakt, Pop Ambient 2004 is the latest annual installment in a series of the most emotive and ethereal ambient music being produced today. For a genre that can sound flat, Eno-derivative, and unoriginal in its lesser moments, this series shines by showcasing some of the best and brightest talents in electronic composition — from label regulars like Ulf Lohmann to up-and-coming new talents like Japan's Tetsuo Sakae (aka Pass Into Silence). The overall sound of the record is absolutely hypnotizing, with warm, subtle synth pieces and minimal melodies and progressions. It's completely tranquil, yet cerebral and engaging at the same time. Highlights include Pass Into Silence's "Sakura" and Donnach Costello's fragile, guitar-based "To Thee This Night." (CJN)
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Publication: The Fader
Date 10 December 2002
Final
With the popularity of downloading on the decline due to RIAA restrictions on peer-to-peer networks, other more traditional outlets are resurfacing. One example is New York’s East Village Radio, a station serving, well, the East Village and beyond. While the variety of programming may have a pirate radio ethos, the founders want to keep things legit in terms of national broadcasting regulations. As such, the station streams on the web via live365.com and is limiting its actual transmissions until the proper license can be obtained, thus avoiding unpleasant FCC entanglements. However, lack of signal hasn’t prevented the word from getting out. Station manager Donielle McCary stated that they have been fielding calls from all over the US, with the number of streaming broadcast listeners growing steadily. Currently, the musical programming is eclectic, ranging from minimal German techno, to sixties rock, to Brazilian neo-afro-jazz and other hyphenated genres. But is this college radio revisited? In response, DJ Doug Mosurock and station co-founder Frank Prisinzano both emphasized the station’s grassroots approach as a local community resource. In addition, there is a more open music policy, as there are no CMJ-mandated playlists-- the strength lies in the depths of the DJ’s crates and their imagination.
Date 10 December 2002
Final
With the popularity of downloading on the decline due to RIAA restrictions on peer-to-peer networks, other more traditional outlets are resurfacing. One example is New York’s East Village Radio, a station serving, well, the East Village and beyond. While the variety of programming may have a pirate radio ethos, the founders want to keep things legit in terms of national broadcasting regulations. As such, the station streams on the web via live365.com and is limiting its actual transmissions until the proper license can be obtained, thus avoiding unpleasant FCC entanglements. However, lack of signal hasn’t prevented the word from getting out. Station manager Donielle McCary stated that they have been fielding calls from all over the US, with the number of streaming broadcast listeners growing steadily. Currently, the musical programming is eclectic, ranging from minimal German techno, to sixties rock, to Brazilian neo-afro-jazz and other hyphenated genres. But is this college radio revisited? In response, DJ Doug Mosurock and station co-founder Frank Prisinzano both emphasized the station’s grassroots approach as a local community resource. In addition, there is a more open music policy, as there are no CMJ-mandated playlists-- the strength lies in the depths of the DJ’s crates and their imagination.
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
Humor?
hello, and thank you for choosing karl briedrick and I to
dj at your party/event/festival/after party.
our requirements:
(2) roundtrip first-class tickets on a domestic US carrier
(for events in the continental United States), preferably
one not in the death throes of bankruptcy.
For all other cases, we prefer a star alliance affiliated
airline for global travel.
In descending order of preference:
Singapore Airlines
ANA
SAS
Lufthansa
UAL
So on and so forth.
We've also heard through the grapevine that the new
bathrooms on British Airways are fabulous. Mahogany
accents/ windows, and so forth. Because of this, BA is
a perfectly acceptable carrier.
(2) nights lodging in a suitable hotel, preferably one
designed by phillipe stark, or an appropriately
highbrow scandanavian designer.
(2) bottles of veuve clicqot, chilled. no exceptions,
especially for cristal.
(4) gram(s) cocaine
1/4 oz cannibus sativa (preferably named white widow
or another suitably clever/fri
ghtening name)
(2) 14 year old estonian models. Latvians will do, the
entire Baltic region for that matter.
(2) bottles of Matoni spring water from the czech
republic
(1) packet of M&Ms, with the greens removed. Karl
doesn't like green.
other requirements-
under no circumstances may the hilton sisters, the bush
sisters or badly drawn boy be allowed on the guest list.
this is for your safety as well as ours.
however, chloë sevigny is more than welcome,
provided she is not accompanied by vincent gallo, or
any other brooding musician or filmmaker for that matter.
thank you!
hello, and thank you for choosing karl briedrick and I to
dj at your party/event/festival/after party.
our requirements:
(2) roundtrip first-class tickets on a domestic US carrier
(for events in the continental United States), preferably
one not in the death throes of bankruptcy.
For all other cases, we prefer a star alliance affiliated
airline for global travel.
In descending order of preference:
Singapore Airlines
ANA
SAS
Lufthansa
UAL
So on and so forth.
We've also heard through the grapevine that the new
bathrooms on British Airways are fabulous. Mahogany
accents/ windows, and so forth. Because of this, BA is
a perfectly acceptable carrier.
(2) nights lodging in a suitable hotel, preferably one
designed by phillipe stark, or an appropriately
highbrow scandanavian designer.
(2) bottles of veuve clicqot, chilled. no exceptions,
especially for cristal.
(4) gram(s) cocaine
1/4 oz cannibus sativa (preferably named white widow
or another suitably clever/fri
ghtening name)
(2) 14 year old estonian models. Latvians will do, the
entire Baltic region for that matter.
(2) bottles of Matoni spring water from the czech
republic
(1) packet of M&Ms, with the greens removed. Karl
doesn't like green.
other requirements-
under no circumstances may the hilton sisters, the bush
sisters or badly drawn boy be allowed on the guest list.
this is for your safety as well as ours.
however, chloë sevigny is more than welcome,
provided she is not accompanied by vincent gallo, or
any other brooding musician or filmmaker for that matter.
thank you!
Political Essays:
A digression from music writing, if I may.
This was a paper I wrote in early 2002, and I think that many of you will find it interesting knowing what we know today.
Drop me a line with your thoughts.
Colin James Nagy
Political Theory
23.06.2002
How much freedom should we trade for our security?
Domestic security within the United States has always been an issue, yet with recent developments in global terrorism, most notably the September 11th attacks on the United States, it has become evident that holes and inconsistencies exist in the current system. However, despite the obvious need for change in the way our domestic security is carried out, there exists a fine line of what is necessary and what infringes on the civil liberties afforded to all Americans. Herein lies the dilemma facing the United States as it enters the 21st century.
The burden of balancing the rights of individuals as granted by the Constitution and Bill of Rights with the necessity of the state to undertake measures to protect both itself and its citizens during a time of emergency is heavy to bear and one that is not without far reaching implications on both sides. In seeking a greater protection for the threatened state, more power is either ceded by the individuals or usurped by the state. This has been the case throughout American history, and is no different today.
However, with an educated public and an alert media, it is possible to prevent such egregious violations of civil liberties.
These are two of the most vital resources when the question is raised: How much freedom should we trade for our security? The reason being, this question is not directly posed (nor can be), but rather emerges in time. With proper media attention, public discourse and commentary, a system will emerge which balances the two, rather than having excess on either side of the equation.
When confronted with dire circumstances such as the destruction, loss of life and economic disruption that global terrorism threatens, changes are unquestionably justified and various areas of our security infrastructure have come under severe scrutiny. Areas such as airport security to border control to coordination between the FBI and CIA have all been issues of the moment, and reform is on the tips of everyone’s tongue. However, with bureaucracies that have in the past been resistant to change, the true challenge is the reformation of pre-existing policies with due consideration of the very liberties that are contained in our modern democracy. It is my thought that during times of war or terror, the civil liberties of Americans have the potential to be blatantly curtailed and administrations use a combination of high public support and distracted attention to further a controversial agenda. This can currently be seen in the FBI’s new abilities for domestic surveillance and the current situations with military tribunals and indefinite detentions. When discussing the issue of how much freedom should be traded for security, a helpful place to start is with the United States Patriot Act, signed into law October 26th, 2002. It is clear to see that steps in the wrong direction have already been taken.
Political Philosopher John Locke argued that “occasions may arise when the Executive must exert a broad discretion in meeting special exigencies or "emergencies" for which the legislative power has provided no relief or existing law grants no necessary remedy.” (1) This idea can be applied to the legislation written and passed in the immediate period following September 11th—although it went through the traditional methods of becoming law, many of the safeguards and methods of scrutiny have been thrown by the wayside. Because of this, civil liberties and freedoms are being curtailed in favor of increased security.
The Patriot Act (Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act ) passed October 25th and signed into law on the 26th, yields significant power to the Attorney General, the President and his cabinet, and in many ways lies in contrast with the original intentions of the constitution--to limit power to any certain area in an attempt to prevent tyranny.
To briefly summarize the 342 page act, it contains provisions to “deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools and for other purposes…” This means increased access by law enforcement agencies to electronic information, easier access to wiretaps and the right to eavesdrop on previously confidential attorney/ client privileges in certain situations. It outlines increased funding for anti-terror in both the domestic and international context, including financing for money laundering abatement. There are significant enhancements to immigration policies in the US, notably monitoring of foreign students. Perhaps most controversially, it outlines the concept of military tribunals of those suspected of terrorism and indefinite detention. The act also outlines new definitions of terrorism. For example: someone may be guilty of aiding terrorism, if he collects money for or even contributes to a charity which supports the general aims of any organization abroad deemed inappropriate or illegal by the US government - the IRA, for example, or foreign anti-abortion groups.
A recent article dated March 9, 2002 in the Guardian (UK) stated, “The Justice Department has now detained several hundred aliens, some of them in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. None has been convicted of anything at all, and many have been charged with only minor immigration offences that would not by themselves justify detention.” (2) This in essence is the major problem many people have with the provisions outlined in the Patriot Act; they feel it provides the government with far too much unchecked power, and as we have seen in the past, this can have disastrous consequences. In short, too much American freedom has been compromised.
The article goes on to state, “The department has also, without any congressional approval, unilaterally altered other safeguards against injustice, including, for instance, the right of someone suspected or accused of a crime to consult in private a lawyer of his own choosing. On November 13, in the most dramatic declaration so far, President Bush announced that any non-US citizen that he declared a suspected terrorist - this includes aliens resident in the US for many years as well as soldiers captured in combat in Afghanistan - might be tried, at his discretion, by a military tribunal rather than in a criminal court. Such tribunals might be secret, and would be governed by rules laid down by the secretary of defense, including provisions for the "qualifications" and "conduct" of lawyers representing the accused; the ordinary rules of evidence would not apply; the tribunal might declare a defendant's guilt even though not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt; its verdict, including any death penalties, could be reached by a two-thirds vote; and that verdict might be reviewed only by the president, or the secretary of defense….” (2)
An extremely recent example of the powers given to the government can be seen in a Washington Post article dated June 20, 2002. When referring to a statement by the Justice department in appeals court, it states, “The filing in the case of Yaser Esam Hamedi, the U.S. born man captured with Taliban forces and being held at a Navy brig at Norfolk, provides the most forceful enunciation yet of the Bush administration’s position that those declared enemy combatants in the war on terrorism have no right to counsel and can be held indefinitely…The document signals the government’s intent to assert broad political authority in the cases of terrorist suspects apprehended overseas. It raises the likelihood that similar authority will be sought in the case of Jose Padilla, a Brooklyn NY native arrested in Chicago in May on suspicions he was planning to participate in a “dirty bomb” attack.” (3)
With these examples, it is absolutely clear that too much freedom has been yielded in the name of security. Both of these men have United States citizenship, and are fully entitled to a criminal trial and legal council. While the plight of foreign combatants may be seen as a legal “gray” area (relegated to cells in Guantanamo bay) there is no doubt that these two men are US citizens, and are entitled to legal counsel and a fair trial. David Cole, a Georgetown law professor, states in the Washington Post article that, “This is a really astounding assertion of authority…its not just that you have no right to a lawyer, it’s that you have no right to have a hearing. If that is true, there is no limit to the President’s power to label US citizens as bad people and have them held in military custody indefinitely.” (3) One must only observe other examples in US history where this authority goes unchecked—perhaps most notably the internment of Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The aforementioned are merely examples of trading too much freedom in the name of security. This is absolutely intolerable. Civil liberties must be upheld in any case. It is one thing to be searched more thoroughly while traveling, but it is completely another for the US government to reign supreme over former legal methods and practices outlined in the constitution; a document intended for the preservation of individual rights. This holds true in other areas as well, such as the FBI’s increased eavesdropping powers. The question must be raised of what if, during the monitoring of communications or other methods, the agency comes across other illegal activities? What, under the current provisions, prevents them from acting on this information that they didn’t originally set out to find? This stands as a slippery slope issue, and one that must be addressed in a clear and unquestionable manner. If civil liberties keep diminishing, the eventual slide into a police state isn’t necessarily unfathomable.
It is clear that in the current time period, in the wake of the most deadly attack in history to occur on American soil, that much is left to be done and reforms are necessary. However, with the current system, it has become glaringly obvious that in its haste, the American government has neglected the civil liberties afforded by the United States Constitution in favor of wartime legislation and emergency acts. To answer the question, how much freedom should we trade for security? The answer stands, enough to raise the level of public safety in our country, but never enough to start making our modern democracy appear as the shadow of a police state, with similarities to Soviet Russia or any other repressive regime in history. It was, in the end Osama bin Laden who stated an intention of Al Qaeda’s terrorist actions to be the limiting of personal freedoms to Americans by way of increased oppressive laws and regulations. This must not occur, as it will drastically affect American life as we know it.
Spinning in the Gulf.
Colin James Nagy
April 2003
According to a recent op-ed in the New York Times, columnist Paul Krugman presents the viewpoint that the War in Iraq was sold and imposed by the Bush Administration on the public and the international community on the basis of Iraqi possession and development of potential weapons of mass destruction (WMDs)
President Bush’s most important partner in the “coalition of the willing,” Tony Blair attempted to rally the British public using a mixture of this tactic and a lofty moral purpose. He stated in the Guardian UK, “history will prove us right.” Mr. Blair further went on to make historical comparisons related to potential pre-emptions in history that would have saved an immense amount of bloodshed particularly in regards to World War II.
In reference to the current justifications for the second Gulf War, Krugman quotes an unnamed Senior Bush administration official as saying, “We were not lying…but it was just a matter of emphasis.”
The US news media has deservedly been focusing on the hunt for these elusive weapons, as the Bush administration hypes the liberation and forthcoming groundwork for democracy. However, as Krugman rightly points out, “One wonders whether most of the public will ever learn that the original case for war has turned out to be false. In fact, my guess is that most Americans believe that we have found W.M.D.'s. Each potential find gets blaring coverage on TV; how many people catch the later announcement — if it is ever announced — that it was a false alarm? It's a pattern of misinformation that recapitulates the way the war was sold in the first place.”
Other Times columnists such as Thomas Friedman believe that ends in this case, justify the means, stating, “As far as I’m concerned, we do not need to find any weapons of mass destruction. That skull (in reference to the skull of a political prisoner under the Hussein regime featured on the cover of the Friday, April 25th issue) is enough for me. Mr. Bush doesn’t owe the world any explanation even if it turns out the Bush Administration hyped the issue.”
This leads one to consider another “hyping” in history, hyped so much in fact, to the extent that it didn’t even exist. The first Gulf War was essentially sold to the American public stemming from allegations that Iraqi troops in Kuwait were removing newborn babies from their incubators.
Testimony before congress came from the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador in Washington, DC. The most emotionally moving of the testimony came on October 10, 1990, from the 15-year-old Kuwaiti girl, known only by her first name of Nayirah.
Sobbing, she described what she had seen with her own eyes in a hospital in Kuwait City. "I volunteered at the al-Addan hospital," Nayirah said. "While I was there, I saw the Iraqi soldiers come into the hospital with guns, and go into the room where . . . babies were in incubators. They took the babies out of the incubators, took the incubators, and left the babies on the cold floor to die."
This testimony was eerily reminiscent of World War I Allied propaganda that invading German soldiers had bayoneted and mutilated Belgian babies in 1914.
Since then, reputable human rights organizations and journalists have concluded that the baby incubator story was an outright fabrication. Every study commissioned by the Kuwaiti government could not produce a shred of evidence that the ambassador's daughter had been back in occupied Kuwait to do volunteer work in a hospital.
Subsequent investigations, by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, found no evidence for the incubator claims.
Nevertheless, on Jan. 12, 1991, the U.S. Senate approved support of the war against Iraq by a narrow, five-vote margin.
According to a report written by Lou Morano for United Press International on February 26, 2002, …The New York Times reported that the Defense Department is paying the Rendon Group, a Washington-based international consulting firm, $100,000 per month to help the Office of Strategic Information (OSI) with a broad campaign that would include "black" propaganda, or disinformation.
The Times later stated that, "the Rendon Group has done extensive work for the Central Intelligence Agency, the Kuwaiti royal family and the Iraqi National Congress, the opposition group seeking to oust President Saddam Hussein. ... The firm is well known for running propaganda campaigns in Arab countries, including one denouncing atrocities by Iraq during its 1990 invasion of Kuwait."
Again, this brings to mind the aforementioned pieces of disinformation promulgated the last time the government wanted to build public support for a war against Iraq. Hill and Knowlton, one of the world’s largest public relations firms, fabricated it.
From Krugman’s article, “In September Mr. Bush cited an International Atomic Energy Agency report that he said showed that Saddam was only months from having nuclear weapons. "I don't know what more evidence we need," he said. In fact, the report said no such thing — and for a few hours the lead story on MSNBC's Web site bore the headline " White House: Bush Misstated Report on Iraq." Then the story vanished — not just from the top of the page, but from the site.” The original and edited versions are available online at thememoryhole.org.
The liberation of Iraq is no doubt a good thing, but the road we took to get here is quite troubling. Campaigning on a solely humanitarian rights basis would have brought critics out of the woodwork saying, why not Sierra Leone? Why not the Congo? Why not displace Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe? These are all valid questions. The US and its coalition members knew they needed something more effective and perhaps most importantly, more frightening. The fear of nuclear annihilation or death from sarin gas weighs much more heavily on the minds of most people, rather than the plight of people in far away (and much less publicized) conflicts.
Thus, tactics employed by the both Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. in their respective experiences with Iraq are quite similar. Time will tell if weapons of mass destruction will be found, despite international intelligence reports to the contrary. The recent, attitude of “might makes right—he who has the Stealth bombers, smart bombs and predator drones make the rules” posturing adopted by Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and other senior members of the administration is nothing new, contrary to the views of opponents of the war. It was clearly employed by the slick Public Relations maneuvering during the first Gulf War.
The main issue, however, is while these tactics might serve immediate US interests in the realist perspective, they seem very short-sighted when considering long-term credibility of US policy for the forthcoming years, not to mention further damaging the already strained trans-Atlantic and global alliances.
-----
Written in 2002
The recent discovery of Al Qaeda videotapes by Senior CNN correspondent Nic Robertson documenting chemical weapons tests on animals is undoubtedly disturbing. However, one must question the timing and media coverage of such an event, especially given the questions being raised at the moment regarding further strategic action in the Middle East.
According to the CNN lead posted online August 18, 2002 at 10:48 p.m., a collection of dozens of videotapes obtained by CNN in Afghanistan sheds new light on the inner workings of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror organization. The chilling archive includes footage of dogs being killed in poison gas experiments, lessons on making explosives, instructions on terrorist tactics and previously unseen images of bin Laden and his top aides.”
The question as to where the tapes were discovered remains unclear. According to the original CNN report, “Mr. Robertson and senior CNN executives declined to say precisely how or where they located the tapes, but they said CNN did not pay for them. Mr. Robertson said he drove 17 hours from the Afghan capital of Kabul about two weeks ago to view the tapes, which he said had been moved away from their original location…”
The tapes show various Al Qaeda activities, ranging from instructional videos on bomb making to various terrorist activities. According to both CNN, and the New York Times reports, the most disturbing scenes included the poisoning of various dogs by unidentified chemicals.
A story by Judith Miller run in the New York Times describes in detail the poison-induced death of a “white Labrador-like dog, wearing a green ribbon.” The article goes on to state, “The dog then tries standing; its head shakes violently, and its breathing quickens. Its hind legs appear to collapse. Seconds later, the dog falls and struggles to stand. Unable to control its front legs, it whimpers and moans. Then the dog appears to vomit. Its moan becomes a piercing wail.”
As horrifying as this is, the dramatic detail proves entirely unnecessary, and one must question what this sort of emotional appeal does for US public opinion in a time of divided interests. It brings to mind the rumors, and subsequent rampant media coverage of the babies in Kuwait allegedly removed from their incubators by Iraqi soldiers, thus rallying opinion towards strategic action against Iraq under the first Bush administration.
Such blatant emotional appeals, whether they be newborns or white Labrador retrievers serve essentially the same purpose. It paints the enemy as unhuman, and makes it entirely easier to sell any sort of war plan to the public. With a nation divided as to what will happen in the forthcoming weeks in respect to Iraq, these discovered videotapes may just serve that purpose. Media agencies, especially such bastions of journalism as the New York Times must remain cognizant of the fact that the US government has, and always will be mounting propaganda campaigns in times of war. To say that these Al Qaeda tapes might have been strategically leaked (or placed in an area easily found with an anonymous tip) might not be far from the truth. It’s purely speculation, but something to bear in mind given the circumstances.
A digression from music writing, if I may.
This was a paper I wrote in early 2002, and I think that many of you will find it interesting knowing what we know today.
Drop me a line with your thoughts.
Colin James Nagy
Political Theory
23.06.2002
How much freedom should we trade for our security?
Domestic security within the United States has always been an issue, yet with recent developments in global terrorism, most notably the September 11th attacks on the United States, it has become evident that holes and inconsistencies exist in the current system. However, despite the obvious need for change in the way our domestic security is carried out, there exists a fine line of what is necessary and what infringes on the civil liberties afforded to all Americans. Herein lies the dilemma facing the United States as it enters the 21st century.
The burden of balancing the rights of individuals as granted by the Constitution and Bill of Rights with the necessity of the state to undertake measures to protect both itself and its citizens during a time of emergency is heavy to bear and one that is not without far reaching implications on both sides. In seeking a greater protection for the threatened state, more power is either ceded by the individuals or usurped by the state. This has been the case throughout American history, and is no different today.
However, with an educated public and an alert media, it is possible to prevent such egregious violations of civil liberties.
These are two of the most vital resources when the question is raised: How much freedom should we trade for our security? The reason being, this question is not directly posed (nor can be), but rather emerges in time. With proper media attention, public discourse and commentary, a system will emerge which balances the two, rather than having excess on either side of the equation.
When confronted with dire circumstances such as the destruction, loss of life and economic disruption that global terrorism threatens, changes are unquestionably justified and various areas of our security infrastructure have come under severe scrutiny. Areas such as airport security to border control to coordination between the FBI and CIA have all been issues of the moment, and reform is on the tips of everyone’s tongue. However, with bureaucracies that have in the past been resistant to change, the true challenge is the reformation of pre-existing policies with due consideration of the very liberties that are contained in our modern democracy. It is my thought that during times of war or terror, the civil liberties of Americans have the potential to be blatantly curtailed and administrations use a combination of high public support and distracted attention to further a controversial agenda. This can currently be seen in the FBI’s new abilities for domestic surveillance and the current situations with military tribunals and indefinite detentions. When discussing the issue of how much freedom should be traded for security, a helpful place to start is with the United States Patriot Act, signed into law October 26th, 2002. It is clear to see that steps in the wrong direction have already been taken.
Political Philosopher John Locke argued that “occasions may arise when the Executive must exert a broad discretion in meeting special exigencies or "emergencies" for which the legislative power has provided no relief or existing law grants no necessary remedy.” (1) This idea can be applied to the legislation written and passed in the immediate period following September 11th—although it went through the traditional methods of becoming law, many of the safeguards and methods of scrutiny have been thrown by the wayside. Because of this, civil liberties and freedoms are being curtailed in favor of increased security.
The Patriot Act (Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act ) passed October 25th and signed into law on the 26th, yields significant power to the Attorney General, the President and his cabinet, and in many ways lies in contrast with the original intentions of the constitution--to limit power to any certain area in an attempt to prevent tyranny.
To briefly summarize the 342 page act, it contains provisions to “deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools and for other purposes…” This means increased access by law enforcement agencies to electronic information, easier access to wiretaps and the right to eavesdrop on previously confidential attorney/ client privileges in certain situations. It outlines increased funding for anti-terror in both the domestic and international context, including financing for money laundering abatement. There are significant enhancements to immigration policies in the US, notably monitoring of foreign students. Perhaps most controversially, it outlines the concept of military tribunals of those suspected of terrorism and indefinite detention. The act also outlines new definitions of terrorism. For example: someone may be guilty of aiding terrorism, if he collects money for or even contributes to a charity which supports the general aims of any organization abroad deemed inappropriate or illegal by the US government - the IRA, for example, or foreign anti-abortion groups.
A recent article dated March 9, 2002 in the Guardian (UK) stated, “The Justice Department has now detained several hundred aliens, some of them in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. None has been convicted of anything at all, and many have been charged with only minor immigration offences that would not by themselves justify detention.” (2) This in essence is the major problem many people have with the provisions outlined in the Patriot Act; they feel it provides the government with far too much unchecked power, and as we have seen in the past, this can have disastrous consequences. In short, too much American freedom has been compromised.
The article goes on to state, “The department has also, without any congressional approval, unilaterally altered other safeguards against injustice, including, for instance, the right of someone suspected or accused of a crime to consult in private a lawyer of his own choosing. On November 13, in the most dramatic declaration so far, President Bush announced that any non-US citizen that he declared a suspected terrorist - this includes aliens resident in the US for many years as well as soldiers captured in combat in Afghanistan - might be tried, at his discretion, by a military tribunal rather than in a criminal court. Such tribunals might be secret, and would be governed by rules laid down by the secretary of defense, including provisions for the "qualifications" and "conduct" of lawyers representing the accused; the ordinary rules of evidence would not apply; the tribunal might declare a defendant's guilt even though not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt; its verdict, including any death penalties, could be reached by a two-thirds vote; and that verdict might be reviewed only by the president, or the secretary of defense….” (2)
An extremely recent example of the powers given to the government can be seen in a Washington Post article dated June 20, 2002. When referring to a statement by the Justice department in appeals court, it states, “The filing in the case of Yaser Esam Hamedi, the U.S. born man captured with Taliban forces and being held at a Navy brig at Norfolk, provides the most forceful enunciation yet of the Bush administration’s position that those declared enemy combatants in the war on terrorism have no right to counsel and can be held indefinitely…The document signals the government’s intent to assert broad political authority in the cases of terrorist suspects apprehended overseas. It raises the likelihood that similar authority will be sought in the case of Jose Padilla, a Brooklyn NY native arrested in Chicago in May on suspicions he was planning to participate in a “dirty bomb” attack.” (3)
With these examples, it is absolutely clear that too much freedom has been yielded in the name of security. Both of these men have United States citizenship, and are fully entitled to a criminal trial and legal council. While the plight of foreign combatants may be seen as a legal “gray” area (relegated to cells in Guantanamo bay) there is no doubt that these two men are US citizens, and are entitled to legal counsel and a fair trial. David Cole, a Georgetown law professor, states in the Washington Post article that, “This is a really astounding assertion of authority…its not just that you have no right to a lawyer, it’s that you have no right to have a hearing. If that is true, there is no limit to the President’s power to label US citizens as bad people and have them held in military custody indefinitely.” (3) One must only observe other examples in US history where this authority goes unchecked—perhaps most notably the internment of Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The aforementioned are merely examples of trading too much freedom in the name of security. This is absolutely intolerable. Civil liberties must be upheld in any case. It is one thing to be searched more thoroughly while traveling, but it is completely another for the US government to reign supreme over former legal methods and practices outlined in the constitution; a document intended for the preservation of individual rights. This holds true in other areas as well, such as the FBI’s increased eavesdropping powers. The question must be raised of what if, during the monitoring of communications or other methods, the agency comes across other illegal activities? What, under the current provisions, prevents them from acting on this information that they didn’t originally set out to find? This stands as a slippery slope issue, and one that must be addressed in a clear and unquestionable manner. If civil liberties keep diminishing, the eventual slide into a police state isn’t necessarily unfathomable.
It is clear that in the current time period, in the wake of the most deadly attack in history to occur on American soil, that much is left to be done and reforms are necessary. However, with the current system, it has become glaringly obvious that in its haste, the American government has neglected the civil liberties afforded by the United States Constitution in favor of wartime legislation and emergency acts. To answer the question, how much freedom should we trade for security? The answer stands, enough to raise the level of public safety in our country, but never enough to start making our modern democracy appear as the shadow of a police state, with similarities to Soviet Russia or any other repressive regime in history. It was, in the end Osama bin Laden who stated an intention of Al Qaeda’s terrorist actions to be the limiting of personal freedoms to Americans by way of increased oppressive laws and regulations. This must not occur, as it will drastically affect American life as we know it.
Spinning in the Gulf.
Colin James Nagy
April 2003
According to a recent op-ed in the New York Times, columnist Paul Krugman presents the viewpoint that the War in Iraq was sold and imposed by the Bush Administration on the public and the international community on the basis of Iraqi possession and development of potential weapons of mass destruction (WMDs)
President Bush’s most important partner in the “coalition of the willing,” Tony Blair attempted to rally the British public using a mixture of this tactic and a lofty moral purpose. He stated in the Guardian UK, “history will prove us right.” Mr. Blair further went on to make historical comparisons related to potential pre-emptions in history that would have saved an immense amount of bloodshed particularly in regards to World War II.
In reference to the current justifications for the second Gulf War, Krugman quotes an unnamed Senior Bush administration official as saying, “We were not lying…but it was just a matter of emphasis.”
The US news media has deservedly been focusing on the hunt for these elusive weapons, as the Bush administration hypes the liberation and forthcoming groundwork for democracy. However, as Krugman rightly points out, “One wonders whether most of the public will ever learn that the original case for war has turned out to be false. In fact, my guess is that most Americans believe that we have found W.M.D.'s. Each potential find gets blaring coverage on TV; how many people catch the later announcement — if it is ever announced — that it was a false alarm? It's a pattern of misinformation that recapitulates the way the war was sold in the first place.”
Other Times columnists such as Thomas Friedman believe that ends in this case, justify the means, stating, “As far as I’m concerned, we do not need to find any weapons of mass destruction. That skull (in reference to the skull of a political prisoner under the Hussein regime featured on the cover of the Friday, April 25th issue) is enough for me. Mr. Bush doesn’t owe the world any explanation even if it turns out the Bush Administration hyped the issue.”
This leads one to consider another “hyping” in history, hyped so much in fact, to the extent that it didn’t even exist. The first Gulf War was essentially sold to the American public stemming from allegations that Iraqi troops in Kuwait were removing newborn babies from their incubators.
Testimony before congress came from the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador in Washington, DC. The most emotionally moving of the testimony came on October 10, 1990, from the 15-year-old Kuwaiti girl, known only by her first name of Nayirah.
Sobbing, she described what she had seen with her own eyes in a hospital in Kuwait City. "I volunteered at the al-Addan hospital," Nayirah said. "While I was there, I saw the Iraqi soldiers come into the hospital with guns, and go into the room where . . . babies were in incubators. They took the babies out of the incubators, took the incubators, and left the babies on the cold floor to die."
This testimony was eerily reminiscent of World War I Allied propaganda that invading German soldiers had bayoneted and mutilated Belgian babies in 1914.
Since then, reputable human rights organizations and journalists have concluded that the baby incubator story was an outright fabrication. Every study commissioned by the Kuwaiti government could not produce a shred of evidence that the ambassador's daughter had been back in occupied Kuwait to do volunteer work in a hospital.
Subsequent investigations, by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, found no evidence for the incubator claims.
Nevertheless, on Jan. 12, 1991, the U.S. Senate approved support of the war against Iraq by a narrow, five-vote margin.
According to a report written by Lou Morano for United Press International on February 26, 2002, …The New York Times reported that the Defense Department is paying the Rendon Group, a Washington-based international consulting firm, $100,000 per month to help the Office of Strategic Information (OSI) with a broad campaign that would include "black" propaganda, or disinformation.
The Times later stated that, "the Rendon Group has done extensive work for the Central Intelligence Agency, the Kuwaiti royal family and the Iraqi National Congress, the opposition group seeking to oust President Saddam Hussein. ... The firm is well known for running propaganda campaigns in Arab countries, including one denouncing atrocities by Iraq during its 1990 invasion of Kuwait."
Again, this brings to mind the aforementioned pieces of disinformation promulgated the last time the government wanted to build public support for a war against Iraq. Hill and Knowlton, one of the world’s largest public relations firms, fabricated it.
From Krugman’s article, “In September Mr. Bush cited an International Atomic Energy Agency report that he said showed that Saddam was only months from having nuclear weapons. "I don't know what more evidence we need," he said. In fact, the report said no such thing — and for a few hours the lead story on MSNBC's Web site bore the headline " White House: Bush Misstated Report on Iraq." Then the story vanished — not just from the top of the page, but from the site.” The original and edited versions are available online at thememoryhole.org.
The liberation of Iraq is no doubt a good thing, but the road we took to get here is quite troubling. Campaigning on a solely humanitarian rights basis would have brought critics out of the woodwork saying, why not Sierra Leone? Why not the Congo? Why not displace Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe? These are all valid questions. The US and its coalition members knew they needed something more effective and perhaps most importantly, more frightening. The fear of nuclear annihilation or death from sarin gas weighs much more heavily on the minds of most people, rather than the plight of people in far away (and much less publicized) conflicts.
Thus, tactics employed by the both Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. in their respective experiences with Iraq are quite similar. Time will tell if weapons of mass destruction will be found, despite international intelligence reports to the contrary. The recent, attitude of “might makes right—he who has the Stealth bombers, smart bombs and predator drones make the rules” posturing adopted by Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and other senior members of the administration is nothing new, contrary to the views of opponents of the war. It was clearly employed by the slick Public Relations maneuvering during the first Gulf War.
The main issue, however, is while these tactics might serve immediate US interests in the realist perspective, they seem very short-sighted when considering long-term credibility of US policy for the forthcoming years, not to mention further damaging the already strained trans-Atlantic and global alliances.
-----
Written in 2002
The recent discovery of Al Qaeda videotapes by Senior CNN correspondent Nic Robertson documenting chemical weapons tests on animals is undoubtedly disturbing. However, one must question the timing and media coverage of such an event, especially given the questions being raised at the moment regarding further strategic action in the Middle East.
According to the CNN lead posted online August 18, 2002 at 10:48 p.m., a collection of dozens of videotapes obtained by CNN in Afghanistan sheds new light on the inner workings of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terror organization. The chilling archive includes footage of dogs being killed in poison gas experiments, lessons on making explosives, instructions on terrorist tactics and previously unseen images of bin Laden and his top aides.”
The question as to where the tapes were discovered remains unclear. According to the original CNN report, “Mr. Robertson and senior CNN executives declined to say precisely how or where they located the tapes, but they said CNN did not pay for them. Mr. Robertson said he drove 17 hours from the Afghan capital of Kabul about two weeks ago to view the tapes, which he said had been moved away from their original location…”
The tapes show various Al Qaeda activities, ranging from instructional videos on bomb making to various terrorist activities. According to both CNN, and the New York Times reports, the most disturbing scenes included the poisoning of various dogs by unidentified chemicals.
A story by Judith Miller run in the New York Times describes in detail the poison-induced death of a “white Labrador-like dog, wearing a green ribbon.” The article goes on to state, “The dog then tries standing; its head shakes violently, and its breathing quickens. Its hind legs appear to collapse. Seconds later, the dog falls and struggles to stand. Unable to control its front legs, it whimpers and moans. Then the dog appears to vomit. Its moan becomes a piercing wail.”
As horrifying as this is, the dramatic detail proves entirely unnecessary, and one must question what this sort of emotional appeal does for US public opinion in a time of divided interests. It brings to mind the rumors, and subsequent rampant media coverage of the babies in Kuwait allegedly removed from their incubators by Iraqi soldiers, thus rallying opinion towards strategic action against Iraq under the first Bush administration.
Such blatant emotional appeals, whether they be newborns or white Labrador retrievers serve essentially the same purpose. It paints the enemy as unhuman, and makes it entirely easier to sell any sort of war plan to the public. With a nation divided as to what will happen in the forthcoming weeks in respect to Iraq, these discovered videotapes may just serve that purpose. Media agencies, especially such bastions of journalism as the New York Times must remain cognizant of the fact that the US government has, and always will be mounting propaganda campaigns in times of war. To say that these Al Qaeda tapes might have been strategically leaked (or placed in an area easily found with an anonymous tip) might not be far from the truth. It’s purely speculation, but something to bear in mind given the circumstances.
Written for the Washington Square News (NYU)
Spring 2003
Jon DeRosa, a graduate Music Technology student at NYU, has recently released the latest in a series of albums under the guise Aarktica. The project consists of a constantly revolving lineup of collaborators, yet is anchored by the atmospheric guitar soundscapes DeRosa creates. The newest record, Pure Tone Audiometry (Silber Records) is a cohesive piece of music from start to finish, with a distinct and subdued atmosphere, punctuated by occasional moments of upbeat post-rock, and set amidst an almost glacial ambient backdrop. It’s a sonic contradiction that leaves the listener roaming between frigidity and warmth. Perhaps most striking is the level of production, enabling the listener to discover deeper layers of textures and pulses with each listen.
As an undergraduate at NYU, DeRosa was a music technology major, focusing on electronic music synthesis and composition with Dr. Kenneth Valitsky. As a graduate, DeRosa has enjoyed studying composition with Nick Didkovsky and psychology of music with Dr. Robert Rowe. He also studies North Indian classical music with microtonal composer Michael Harrison and minimalist pioneer La Monte Young.
DeRosa’s last Aarktica album, …Or you could go through your whole life and be happy anyway (Darla Records), was well received in both the independent music community and major media outlets. Jon Pareles, pop music editor of The New York Times noted, “Guitars, voices and electronic pulses are layered together in stately, gradually changing, mostly instrumental songs that could come from a less neurotic version of the Cure.” Even the notoriously highbrow Pitchforkmedia.com, home to some of the most intelligent record reviews around, called it “an essential release in the Darla bliss-out series,” and that, “The consistency of the music here creates a world unto its own. It'll churn in any season, like a snow globe.”
In addition to Aarktica, DeRosa’s other project, the country-esque Pale Horse and Rider, has also released a new record this month on Darla Records. The album is titled These Are The New Good Times, and can be compared musically to the sounds of Johnny Cash or Hank Williams, in stark contrast to the blissful and distortion drenched Aarktica. Instead of lush, thick, production, PHR is comprised predominantly of steel string acoustic guitar and vocals. Jon recently joined me to discuss Aarktica, his other musical endeavors and what can be expected from him in the future.
What sort of progression do you feel has occurred from the previous Aarktica records to Pure Tone Audiometry?
For one, there was a clearer focus on what I was doing than on past albums. The finished product this time around was very close to what I had set out to do. Now this probably doesn’t sound like that big a deal, but if you’ve ever recorded in a well-equipped studio, you’ll know what I mean. It’s easy to get distracted by shiny toys and blinking lights. And since I get very easily distracted in the studio (whether it be by the new issue of Maxim in the control room or the new tube compressor), the idea that I was able to produce an album directly from what I had in my mind to begin with and not get sidetracked was significant.
I think the issue I had been dealing with all the while with Aarktica was “How do you make a drone album with pop nuances, in such a way where both elements work together and compliment each other?” And I feel that while there’s still progress to make on that angle, the new album really gets closer to that than any of the previous albums.
Also, I had several friends perform on this record, which is very new to me since Aarktica’s usually pretty solitary. Lorraine (of Mahogany) had sung on the previous album, and she joined me again, along with Andrew of Mahogany on cello, Ernie of Plexus on bass, Molly Sheridan on violin, Hadley of Escapade on drums, and Charles of Flare on harmonium. Charles also co-produced the record and offered a lot of good ideas, which I feel worked out really well.
Would you consider the Pale Horse and Rider project essentially a way to connect more directly with songwriting, and not become distracted with the nuances and production of Aarktica?
Even though Aarktica is allegedly my “main” project, I had been playing folk music long before it ever occurred to me to start doing anything ambient or experimental with guitars. So that’s sort of where my roots are. I started Aarktica after losing hearing in my right ear, with the intention of creating drones that recreated my now damaged stereo image and which utilized frequencies I could still hear clearly in both ears. At the time, the project was anything but “produced.” The first Aarktica album No Solace in Sleep was recorded in Carlyle Court on a 4-track cassette recorder.
Both projects exist very separately from each other. Maybe I’m schizophrenic or ridiculous that way, but when I’m working on one, the other is very far removed from my mind. Almost like it’s someone else’s thing.
You’ve mentioned perhaps combining some of your studies in classical Indian music with Aarktica, have you written anything in this vein to date?
I think that influence has seeped into Aarktica in its own subtle way already. I have a very large-scale idea for the next album involving raga, but it’s too early to really say if it’ll work or not.
What direction do you want to head with Aarktica? Any more “rocking out?” as you put it in reference to track two on the new record?
Well, “rocking out” is always the fun choice, though it doesn’t always make for good music. Restraint and precision is usually the way to go, being able to channel that rage into something beautiful. But I don’t know. Each Aarktica album has had a very different sound from the one it follows, and I think as long as I can keep myself on my toes (not to mention others as well), I’m doing a good job.
Spring 2003
Jon DeRosa, a graduate Music Technology student at NYU, has recently released the latest in a series of albums under the guise Aarktica. The project consists of a constantly revolving lineup of collaborators, yet is anchored by the atmospheric guitar soundscapes DeRosa creates. The newest record, Pure Tone Audiometry (Silber Records) is a cohesive piece of music from start to finish, with a distinct and subdued atmosphere, punctuated by occasional moments of upbeat post-rock, and set amidst an almost glacial ambient backdrop. It’s a sonic contradiction that leaves the listener roaming between frigidity and warmth. Perhaps most striking is the level of production, enabling the listener to discover deeper layers of textures and pulses with each listen.
As an undergraduate at NYU, DeRosa was a music technology major, focusing on electronic music synthesis and composition with Dr. Kenneth Valitsky. As a graduate, DeRosa has enjoyed studying composition with Nick Didkovsky and psychology of music with Dr. Robert Rowe. He also studies North Indian classical music with microtonal composer Michael Harrison and minimalist pioneer La Monte Young.
DeRosa’s last Aarktica album, …Or you could go through your whole life and be happy anyway (Darla Records), was well received in both the independent music community and major media outlets. Jon Pareles, pop music editor of The New York Times noted, “Guitars, voices and electronic pulses are layered together in stately, gradually changing, mostly instrumental songs that could come from a less neurotic version of the Cure.” Even the notoriously highbrow Pitchforkmedia.com, home to some of the most intelligent record reviews around, called it “an essential release in the Darla bliss-out series,” and that, “The consistency of the music here creates a world unto its own. It'll churn in any season, like a snow globe.”
In addition to Aarktica, DeRosa’s other project, the country-esque Pale Horse and Rider, has also released a new record this month on Darla Records. The album is titled These Are The New Good Times, and can be compared musically to the sounds of Johnny Cash or Hank Williams, in stark contrast to the blissful and distortion drenched Aarktica. Instead of lush, thick, production, PHR is comprised predominantly of steel string acoustic guitar and vocals. Jon recently joined me to discuss Aarktica, his other musical endeavors and what can be expected from him in the future.
What sort of progression do you feel has occurred from the previous Aarktica records to Pure Tone Audiometry?
For one, there was a clearer focus on what I was doing than on past albums. The finished product this time around was very close to what I had set out to do. Now this probably doesn’t sound like that big a deal, but if you’ve ever recorded in a well-equipped studio, you’ll know what I mean. It’s easy to get distracted by shiny toys and blinking lights. And since I get very easily distracted in the studio (whether it be by the new issue of Maxim in the control room or the new tube compressor), the idea that I was able to produce an album directly from what I had in my mind to begin with and not get sidetracked was significant.
I think the issue I had been dealing with all the while with Aarktica was “How do you make a drone album with pop nuances, in such a way where both elements work together and compliment each other?” And I feel that while there’s still progress to make on that angle, the new album really gets closer to that than any of the previous albums.
Also, I had several friends perform on this record, which is very new to me since Aarktica’s usually pretty solitary. Lorraine (of Mahogany) had sung on the previous album, and she joined me again, along with Andrew of Mahogany on cello, Ernie of Plexus on bass, Molly Sheridan on violin, Hadley of Escapade on drums, and Charles of Flare on harmonium. Charles also co-produced the record and offered a lot of good ideas, which I feel worked out really well.
Would you consider the Pale Horse and Rider project essentially a way to connect more directly with songwriting, and not become distracted with the nuances and production of Aarktica?
Even though Aarktica is allegedly my “main” project, I had been playing folk music long before it ever occurred to me to start doing anything ambient or experimental with guitars. So that’s sort of where my roots are. I started Aarktica after losing hearing in my right ear, with the intention of creating drones that recreated my now damaged stereo image and which utilized frequencies I could still hear clearly in both ears. At the time, the project was anything but “produced.” The first Aarktica album No Solace in Sleep was recorded in Carlyle Court on a 4-track cassette recorder.
Both projects exist very separately from each other. Maybe I’m schizophrenic or ridiculous that way, but when I’m working on one, the other is very far removed from my mind. Almost like it’s someone else’s thing.
You’ve mentioned perhaps combining some of your studies in classical Indian music with Aarktica, have you written anything in this vein to date?
I think that influence has seeped into Aarktica in its own subtle way already. I have a very large-scale idea for the next album involving raga, but it’s too early to really say if it’ll work or not.
What direction do you want to head with Aarktica? Any more “rocking out?” as you put it in reference to track two on the new record?
Well, “rocking out” is always the fun choice, though it doesn’t always make for good music. Restraint and precision is usually the way to go, being able to channel that rage into something beautiful. But I don’t know. Each Aarktica album has had a very different sound from the one it follows, and I think as long as I can keep myself on my toes (not to mention others as well), I’m doing a good job.
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