Compact Listen
CLaudi_016
CD
Edition of 500
The first CD release for CLaudia, this compilation is all New Zealand artists, produced in co-operation with High Street Project gallery in Christchurch.
01 - Arie Hellendoorn "Strangers in the night" (1:12)
02 - Mhfs "A tin dinghy" (2:09)
03 - Jane Austen "Hot water" (5:00)
04 - Greg Malcolm "Last dance" (4:54)
05 - Ray Off "Reveille" (5:58)
06 - Sam Hamilton "Into navigation" (6:37)
07 - Sweetcakes "Peace pill" (8:08)
08 - Rosy Parlane "Odessa" (4:15)
09 - Tim Coster & Nigel Wright "Cathedral" (5:47)
10 - Métal Rouge (5:07)
11 - A.M. "Poerua acid 2" (9:11)
12 - The Futurians "Bionic vampires" (4:28)
13 - Stefan Neville "Moon of the moongoat" (6:56)
REVIEWS:
Best Various Artists Compilation [of 2007]
"Compact Listen" CD (CLaudia)
This was a tough call because the "Post Asiatic" 2CD on URCK is pretty great, too. But "Compact Listen" has a little bit of everything but works perfectly. It's a great collection of stuff from New Zealand, with the highlights being Métal Rouge (who are actually based in LA at the moment), Greg Malcolm, Mhfs, and of course, The Futurians. There's also quality tracks from Foxy D favorites A.M. and Stefan Neville.
BRAD ROSE - FOXYDIGITALIS
Year in Review: More Best Albums of 2007
VA, Compact Listen: Compiled by Tim Coster, himself a key player in the Auckland experimental/noise circuit, Compact Listen is one of the most meticulously compiled compilations I've heard in a while. A wonderful mix of old and young guns, it has a considered cross-section of artists from Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Tokyo and Los Angeles. My favourites are the dusty 'A Tin Dinghy' by MHFS, the startlingly crystalline and sharp edged 'Peace Pill' by Sweetcakes, the wistful and achingly beautiful 'Odessa' by Rosy Parlane and the only slightly menacing 'Moon of the Moongoat' by Stefan Neville.
KIRAN DASS - LUMIERE READER
"This is by far the most carefully crafted and cohesive various artists compilation I have ever come across. I am not familiar with very many of the artists here, all pulled from the apparently rich and talented pool of New Zealand experimental sound explorers, and that makes me very excited; because it isn't everyday that I can get bombarded with this many artists all speaking my sonic language, yet still pushing it into new and captivating directions. What makes "Compact Listen" so unique and compelling is that most of these tracks move and shift it such subtle, thoughtful ways. The first three artists- Arie Hellendoorn, Mhfs, and Jane Austen all present cryptic, barely there messages that seem to be emerging from the cracks in my floor. These three pieces start things off in a meditative space that continues through the rest of the album. Guitars, harps, and other more recognizable instruments start to appear occasionally (along with some truly bizarre, elf voices on Ray Off's track "Reveille" ), but the sense of mystery and contemplation never leaves the disc. Things also venture freely into noisier areas with The Futurians, Stefan Neville, and A.M., -whose beautiful 9 minute wash of warm fuzz felt more comfortable than confrontational. I don't believe this compilation has a central focus to it (aside from all of the artists being from New Zealand), but it definitely feels like it does. Perhaps all of these artists share an unspoken bond, or maybe the CLaudia folks just knew exactly the right people to invite to the party with this one. Either way, this disc represents some of the most exciting and well crafted experimental music (with heart!) around. I'm a bit late on this one, but hopefully you can still find this if you search a little. It will be worth it." 10/10 -- Charles Franklin (FOXYDIGITALIS)
"It's a shame that New Zealand's thriving experimental/noise/improv scene has gone so neglected by our local press when it's been so revered overseas. While the words "noise" and "experimental" might suggest some level of inaccessibility - and I'll be the first to admit some of the shit still scares me - this lovely compilation by Auckland sound artist Tim Coster should perhaps unlock a few doors for those curious to explore other rich musical frontiers beyond the realm of the conventional.
The first official CD release on his label CLaudia - home to a slew of CDRs - Compact Listen gathers 13 tracks featuring the work of Coster's close friends and fellow artists - Nigel Wright, Mark Sadgrove, Sam Hamilton, Angeline Chirnside, Stefan Neville - alongside obscurities like Ray Off and Arie Hellendoorn. There initially seems to be a wide disparity in styles - from free-form clatter to wall-of-sound drones to warm acoustic guitar pieces - but the album is ultimately united by its sense of mystery and unpredictability, a sonic freedom that isn't shackled by the boundaries of words or hooks.
Part of the album's appeal is trying to decipher the origins of the digitally processed found sounds on the tracks. Dutch-born painter Hellendoorn opens the album with a charmingly brief lo-fi composition that wouldn't be out of place on Finland's Fonal label, combining the creaking of a rickety chair and playful keyboards. Similarly, Jane Austen and Dunedin outfit Ray Off opt for child-like experimentation. The former buries her vocal refrain beneath water-logged tinkling keys, rumbling, chattering noise, and insistently crashing cymbals, while the latter's gorgeous guitar filigree is interrupted by a backdrop of ethereal vocals, toy instruments and flipped-out electronic noodling.
Following the acoustic prettiness of Ray Off and Greg Malcolm, Sam Hamilton's Into Navigation provides a necessary jolt. It starts off like some lost tribal Folkways recording - eerie, high-pitched hollering with skeletal percussive accompaniment - but buzzing electronics soon creep in before climaxing in a flood of dense noise. On the dronier side of things, Coster and Wright's collaborative effort Cathedral provides a strong, cavernously toned workout that lives up to its title, while Rosy Parlane's Odessa is a blissfully hazy Eno-esque waking dream anchored by a hypnotic harmonium.
Excluding The Futurians' maddening, assaultive Bionic Vampires, every track on Compact Listen is subtly selected and sequenced, resulting in a deep, rewarding listening experience that demands close attention to unearth the beauty amid the shards of aural discord." Aaron Yap - REAL GROOVE MAGAZINE
"From the active scene in New Zealand, where everybody seems to be making music, hails the CLaudia label, of whom we reviewed releases before. But now they venture out to releasing real CDs, and like a young label would the first real CD is a compilation, showcasing only thirteen of the talents from the world down under. We come across well-known names such as Greg Malcolm, Metal Rouge, Mhfs, Sam Hamilton, Rosy Parlane, Antony Milton, but also Stefan Neville, The Futurians, Sweetcakes, Jane Austen and the very dutch name of Arie Hellendoorn. Throughout the music is experimental, working out in different directions. Drone like, lo-fi guitar playing, computerized glitch drones, and more straight forward improvised music. There is however a strong element of 'atmospheric mood music' to be detected in all of these tracks, even in the more heavy outing of The Futurians or Stefan Neville. Tracks are throughout short and to the point and none of them is a real high flyer, but there isn't also a real weak link. A good overview this compilation of just a tiny bit of a big scene." VITAL WEEKLY