Blog : Audiopollen 19/07/06

Audiopollen 19/07/06

Catching up again.  The drought has given way to a plethora of activities in the last few weeks and those coming up - B.I.F.F. and S.O.O.B. being two acronyms worth exploring google-wise!

Ok this show was slanted very much towards individualistic takes on more conventional forms.

The show started with two tracks from Etron Fou LeLoublan (Crazy Shit, The White Wolf) a french band associated with the Rock In Opposition movement figureheaded by Chris Cutler of Henry Cow, Art Bears infamy.

Exposition Universelle and Nicole La Musique both taken from 43 songs - a 3cd compilation of all their studio material.

We then followed up with some NZ avant/noise/skronk/whatever from the City People's Farmer Music.  Sam Hamilton has something to do with this - he is both a very approachable / amicable chap and something of an all-rounder having his fingers in the more trad guitar based experimentalism as well as visual and performance art.

March of the Big Shoe was next by Tango Saloon.  A group curated by Julian Curwin, featuring members of the Australian ensemble Monsieur Camembert and released by Mike Patton's Ipecac imprint:  these guys explore tango music with the sonic aesthetic of improvised music.  These are some finely detailed recordings.

No-nonsense blood smeared pyjamas followed up by Opaque.  I recall nothing of this so i'm going to have to let Joel comment on this one.

Polwechsel have a new album Archive of the North but we decided to play Hyogo from Polwechsel 2.  They are in my opinion extremely reliable proponents of that european mixture of improv and soundscaping.  

Ktu up next with a track entitled Absinthe.  I've had a couple of Absinthe benders in my time but never dreamt of Accordian led prog-rock which is what this is.  Sonically it is all over the place - extremely unsubtle bombastic discordancy makes way for gamelan stylings and two ex-members of King Crimson add something else to their resume.  It's interesting, but being that I like KC yet found it hard to listen to KTU I think maybe it is only for the nutcases.

Marsen Jules gave us Datura - well not literally - its some nasty stuff!  Marsen's take is wholly unlike the blinding, choking paralysis of home made Datura experimentation - being more like opiatic pop for Dutch Hash Bar enthusiasts.  

The last recorded piece we played was "Final Relaxation" from the Golding Institute.  Another release from Ipecac bringing together the talents of Brendan (Set, Subsonics) Walls, Christoph Heeman and Neil Hamburger to present the penultimate relaxation disc...  Ideal for corporation CEOs, politicians and advertising executive wanting to wind down after a hard life exploiting people.  Comes equipped with a charming photo of a beached whale on the cover and a last will and testament it is the ultimate novelty album worth buying for your annoying elder relatives.

Joel will comment soon on last week's fun!

Added by skon on 31 July 2006