MuhMur SoundArt Radio Broadcast 28/11/2013

This evenings broadcast was an Anla Courtis "Special" and features a 28 minute piece especially presented to MuhMur Radio by Anla. It is an untitled piece recorded live in Serial Space, Sydney Australia in February 2011.
It was a strange evening with no Dave to act as engineer - and take the obligatory photo! Therefore a bit of the previous show bleeds into the MixCloud download, and for that I apologise, just fast forward about 5 minutes.
The programme is now on Mixcloud. Please take a listen.

http://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-soundart-radio-show-28112013/

Playlist:
01: Dual : "Klanik" (Drone Records) 1999.
02: Ralf Wehowsky & Anla Courtis : "Tenia Arronette" (Ultra Mail Prod.) 2013.
03: Ditterich Von Euler-Donnersperg : "Schnullerbar Des Kleinen Fritz" (Walter Ulbricht         Schallfollen) 2006.
04: Amnertia : "Glimpse The Twitching Of Veils" (Transient Constellations) 2013.
05: Ure Thrall : "Premonition 9/11" (Drone Records) 2003.
06: Anla Courtis : "Untitled"
      (Exclusive piece for MuhMur Radio).
07: Culver-Courtis : "Aurraei-Ravena #1" (Riot Season) 2004.
08: Leif Elggren : "Twenty One Twenty Two" (Fragment Factory) 2013.
09: W>A>S>P>S : "Untitled Number Track & Curves" (Nunwsp) 2013.
10: Ralf Wehowsky & Anla Courtis : "Rekmos Ursten Lonco" (Ultra Mail Prod.) 2013.
11: Duncan Harrison : "Honeying" (412 Recordings) 2009.
12: Wire : "Mr. Suit" (EMI/Harvest) 1977.
13: Plain Characters : "Man In The Railings" (Final Solution) 1979.
14: Current 93 : "Lucifer Over London" (Durtro) 1994.
15: Vagina Dentata Organ : "The Administration Of Physique" (Ultra Mail Prod.) 2013.
16: Ralf Wehowsky & Anla Courtis : "Epiwchig Telan Etrenora" (Ultra Mail Prod.) 2013.
17: Anla Courtis : "Onco Cecilido" (Quasi Pop Records) 2013.
18: Reutoff : "Veiled" (Drone Records) 2000.
19: Sudden Infant : "Iranian Boy In Vienna" (Quasi Pop Records) 2013.

Next programme will be broadcast live on December 12, I have no idea what the playlist will be - depends what I get for my birthday!!!!

Astral Social Club #13

A clutch of new releases from Neil Campbell AKA Astral Social Club, AKA one of the busiest men in show business! First to play on the hi-fi is the 23 minute CDR "Glamanimals". This is the third in an ongoing series of Astral Social Club extended plays that also includes "Scudding" and "V.E.N.U.S".
"Glamanimals" kicks off floating somewhere between a Chris & Cosey studio out-take from the late 1980's, elevator muzak, Popol Vuh and the chill out room at G-A-Y Disco. Around a third of the way in to the journey and the sound morphs. We are now riding the Japanese bullet train. Locomotive rhythms and electro-noodles. Half way along and we're squelched and travelling backwards, back on to the Mirfield dance floor. Throbbing bass beats and handclaps. Slowly it all descends in to a disco fug. "Glamanimals" ends beatless as machines talk amongst themselves Neil Campbell - a 21st century schizoid man - recordings of automata - manifesto for astral socialism. Superb.

Astral Social Club has a big cartel page - go and buy. Neil has also put up his back catalogue on band camp and is available for donations. Be generous - this man's a treasure!

Amnertia

At the beginning of 2010 I was invited to play a gig in London, well not exactly London per se but a pub in the district known as Nunhead. The Ivy House. An old Victorian theatre turned in to a pub. Not a bad little venue but just a tad … remote. The evening was being organised by an outfit called Transient Constellations, an outfit that included Max Leonard Hitchings. Max was also in the group Lion Lies Down who were on the bill that night.
Over the next few years Transient Constellations have put on some interesting evenings in and around London, they've also become a small and compact label.
Amnertia is the solo project of Max Leonard Hitchings and "Spider Hashish" is his first release. A 22 minute 3" Cdr. The Cdr is accompanied with a small piece of fiction called "Luman". The two pieces are linked but can be digested separately .. which is good because although I have played the sounds a few times I have yet to start the book, I am a notoriously slow reader and "Friedrich" by Hans Peter Richter" is taking my time. The synopsis of "Lumen" is such;
"Lumen is a disquieting insight into the mind of a man for whom the boundaries between waking life and dreams become blurred in such a way that notions of free will, sanity and even the basic command of motor functions are seemingly replaced by paralysis, possession and delirium - all due to a moment of 'inspiration'."
The sounds are quite conceptual, very visual and very "electronic".
Four pieces beginning with "Glimpse Of The Twitching Veils", a slow starter where a synthetic insectual sound probes and makes spaces before becoming a huge groundswell, a tsunami of sound. Wailing ends the piece. "Spider Hashish" (great title) is a meeting of looped and random electronics. It is how I imagine circuit bending to sound like. A chaotic and addictive piece. "Limen" follows with (again) the sound of insects. A sense of unease. I mentioned the sound as visual, "Limen" brings in the carcass or corpse of a dead animal being devoured by insects shot in fast frame / rapid motion film. Seven minutes plus and very intense. "The Return, Changed" comes in with no respite or chance to gasp fresh air. This finale sounds like the previous three pieces layered and mixed as one.

Great sounds from an interesting man. Better than Lion Lies Down! I shall be playing some of this release on my next radio show on the 28th. I do not know if the release is limited but take a trip to www.transientconstellations.co.uk and have a look.

Murder Cult

Another fine cassette (to assist the Aspa cassette) is "The Bridge" by Murder Cult. As a rule I would pass on a project called Murder Cult but this cassette was recommended on the Idwal Fisher blog, and a general rule of thumb is that if Mark Wharton raves about it - then it's worth a listen.
Murder Cult are from Nottingham and consist of Ben Hallatt and Rashan Sabet. Ben also releases material under the moniker of SCKE// and Wasps. (Not The Wasps of "Teenage Treats" fame but Wasps - sometimes spelt W>A>S>P>S).
"The Bridge" is a c20 (maybe c23) tape consisting of two parts, both recorded live in London. Part One and bells,bowls,cylinders and junk metal are all hit to create a magickal sonic pattern. Very slow tempo that is almost touching Gamelan, the piece journeys on at a steady pace - no rise and fall or crescendos - a lovely meditative piece. I say "touching" because the rhythms are very "Western" .. if that makes any sense? Part Two is more ritualistic and builds to a fast tempo, I feel some instruments are introduced here - maybe glockenspiel or prepared acoustic guitar (?). Fantastic stuff and well worth investigating, as are Wasps. I got the split 7"EP with Nacht Und Nebel the other week too. High class electronics. Please pay www.kiksgfr.net and/or www.waspswasps.blogspot.co.uk a visit.
(Sorry about the poor image scan),

Aspa

I have just spent a pleasant while listening to the latest release by Aspa. Not (surprisingly) a solo or side project from Grunt mainman and freak animal Mikko Aspa, but a Hungarian project from Mate Karolyi-Kiss. Aspa are based in Budapest.
This album is available for download at www.aspa.bandcamp.com/album/1 and also available as a cassette, limited to 25 copies. I have the cassette. It is a beauty. Excellent cover photograph that describes the sound perfectly. Abandonment and discovery. I am linking this sound to another project I have listening to recently, the Bulgarian outfit Mother Spit. They are both working in the same areas. Anyway, Aspa provide a 4-Track cassette (would be lovely as a 10"EP), starting with "Encircled" and the sound of melting snow, the sound of snow underfoot. Certainly an amount of contact mic'ery going on. I once saw BBBlood live in Bristol create a similar sound using mic'ed up bubble wrap. There is a generated tone in there too. "Eweilicht" has a beautiful resonance. A very visual sound, a sound of attempt, a sound of old machinery waking. I have a distant memory of being told a story of a chap called Dave who lived in Texas. Dave had a beat up Chevrolet car in his front yard and there were mornings that he would just turn the ignition key and meditate on the sound of the car turning over. The machine was way past starting. I thought about this whilst listening (first time) to "Eweilicht".
Side two starts with "Raureif" (are these Hungarian titles)? Decaying static and random signal tones. Very visual. "Akovita" is a sad lament. A dirge on Harmonium with the sound of automata surrounding. Conjures up the sound of Column One.
Aspa are a great discovery and deserve to be heard, so please visit the bandcamp page and download. I think it is 2 Euro or something similarly as daft!

Notes From The Popside #4

Thee last time I went to see Torquay United, it was a pre-season friendly against local rivals Yeovil Town who had just been promoted in to the Championship and quite surprisingly Torquay played Yeovil off the park, and won 2-0 in the process. The season has not started well for Torquay United, hovering just above or in the "relegation zone" for the season so far. So, myself with my son, Oscar and his best friend Jack, we decided to take the short walk to Plainmoor and give them our support. Crowds have been dwindling …
The opponents were Chesterfield (The Spireites … I love that nickname) who have been doing the complete opposite to Torquay United and have been nestled in the top three or four for the season. Since the pre-season friendly Torquay seem to have changed their tactics a little and decided not to play it to feet … no more pass & go just hoof the ball away from "our" goal. The players looked unfit. Jak McCourt playing in right midfield looked knackered from kick-off, and the centre half Aaron Downes looked frightened of the ball (a bit like the last time I saw Fellani play .. he must be a role model for old Aaron). The captain Lee Mansell argued with the referee more than trying to urge his team on and give support. A real bottom of the league scrap for Torquay who (in the end) came out two-nil losers.
Chesterfield were OK, they were just running in to a nine man wall, very little wing (or wide) play, but they were able to pass & move.
Attendance was announced at over two thousand, I would have thought half of that myself, perhaps they were counting season ticket holders who didn't show? At this rate I shall be enjoying Torquay United play Lincoln City next season. I told Oscar we shall go to a game over the Christmas Holiday, I wonder if Alan Knill will still be the manager …

Pictures;
1: Programme.
2: Oscar & Jack in the stands.
3: A grey sky looms over Plainmoor.

MuhMur SoundArt Radio Broadcast : 14/11/2013

Apologies for the delay in posting this, quite a hectic week here at Chez MuhMur with gigs, Theatre trips and a trip to Plainmoor to see the mighty Gulls later this afternoon …
There was a technical glitch during this programme. The "recording" device was accidentally switched off during transmission for about 15 minutes, so Dave (SoundArt engineer extraordinaire) is patching and editing the programme over the coming days and when I get a copy I shall archive on MixCloud, posting the link below.
http://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/november-13-programme/
Thanks for listening.
Next programme is on November 28 and will feature Anla Courtis with 30 minutes of "exclusive" material recorded for "MuhMur".

Playlist:
01: Stephane Garin & Sylvestre Gobart : "Krupp AG, Arms Factory, February 22nd 2006" (Bruit Clair/Greunrekorder) 2011.
02: Throbbing Gristle : "Auschwitz" (Tin Toy) 2000.
03: MB : "Auschwitz" (Strut) 2013.
04: White Stains : "Underworld Initiation" (Monochrome Vision) 2009.
05: B*Tong : "First Kiss Of The Lady Of Initiation" (Attenuation Circuit) 2012.
06: Andrea Borghi : "Vetrale #6" (Observatoire) 2013.
07: Maldur Atai : "Alarm" (Autarkeia) 2010.
08: Origami Arktika : "Innstev" (Ignis/Komkol Autoprod) 2000.
09: Dieter Muh : "Stella Polaris: (EE Tapes) 2002.
10: Andrew Chalk : "Mutzu No Hana" (An'Archives) 2013.
11: Vincent Bondey/Cedric LeRouley : "Asphodeles #2" (COmma) 2004.
12: Zyrtax Vs. Sudden Infant : "Aloka 04" (Dead Mind Records) 2007.
13: Public Image Limited : "No Birds" (Virgin Records) 1979.
14: Public Image Limited : "Chant" (Virgin Records) 1979.
15: The Transmitters : "Curious" (Step Forward Records) 1979.
16: Optic Nest : "Two Moons" (Moptaco Discs) 2013.
17: Ditterich Von Euler-Donnersperg : "O Du Frohliche" (Meeuw Muzak) 2007.

Picture.
01: Transmitting with The Transmitters.

Optic Nest

I have spent the last few days (great band) listening to lots of drones and Dilloway, and then I slipped on the new LP by Swedish project Optic Nest and it completely took me by surprise. A new kind of noise.
Optic Nest is the solo project of former Member Of Tinnitus and half of Cryme Daniel Fagerstrom. His latest LP is "Ride On Silver" - as in silver horses. "Ride On Silver" is a concept album. That's different from a themed album - this album is conceptual. Daniel is a silver horse riding through past times marking the moments that have changed his life.
I have heard some of Daniel's solo work before on the "Tapeworks" compilation cassettes that his partner in Cryme Mattias Gustafsson released a year or so ago, but this is my first exposure to Optic Nest. Opening with the title track the sound is very much of The Residents, Renaldo & The Loaf … Ralph Records. This "feel" lasts through Side A with its swirling synthesisers and floating flutes with a disguised (and sometimes incomprehensible) vocals. The LP does contain a lyric sheet - which is helpful as the vocals almost disguise the fact. Side B and the side is more "Eastern". The opening instrumental "Energy Organ Farce" takes us through a North African bazaar with its bongos and conga percussion (and a sequencer rhythm that is quite close to a DAF song whose title escapes me)…. "Two Moons" is undoubtedly the stand out track on the LP. The single off the album. And the first time the vocals are coherent. Again, a sultry "Eastern" feel with an excellent saxophone sound. The closing piece "Chromosphere" is rooted in Jimi Tenor territory. Very "prog".
The sleeve reminds me of a Jimi Tenor / Aavikko style release and mix that with the sound of The Residents, Tuxedomoon and Snakefinger and you have "Ride On Silver". I have no other LP that sounds like this, a well produced / constructed labour of love. Recommended.
I'm uncertain who is distributing this in the UK, but get in touch with the label at www.moptacodics.com  - P+P rates from Sweden aren't that bad.

The LP comes with a "free" CD version - and is printed on mirror foil card.

Dieter Muh #52 (Dartington : Studio 20)

SoundArt radio (102.5 FM) celebrated its' seventh birthday last night and invited a handful of artists to perform a live show to celebrate. I was fortunate to be asked. Studio 20 is a space beneath the SoundArt studio, in the grounds of Dartington Hall.
As mentioned the evening was broadcast live on FM and streamed live across the Interweb.
The evening began with Grymbart (featuring Marg & Byrt) creating a wall of noise with percussive auto-harp, flutes and whistles before presenting the SoundArt Birthday cake. The Oima Orchestra followed … Dave and Maggie with a tableau of electronic gizmo's and boxes to make a greater meditative noise. Tongues were spoken and Tibetan bells were stuck before Alice Kemp performed a sonic seance. I entered the evening by playing some conversations, half heard words and looped rhythms. The whole evening was rounded off by Shokku (from Plymouth). A collaboration between visual artist Hannah E Drayson and Baconhead main man Ben Hudson. Crushing techno beats and "break core". (probably). Good stuff.
I have no idea whether or not the evening will be archived on MixCloud, or released as document - a shame if not as all performers created some quite magical sounds …
Hopefully I'll be around to celebrate the eighth birthday.

Pictures.
1: Open Door.
2: Seven Candles For SoundArt.
3: Grymbart.
4 & 5: The Oima Orchestra.
6: Germseed (Alice Kemp).
7: Dieter Muh (Picture by Tamsin Cammack).
8: Shokku.

Dieter Muh #52 (Poster).

Soundart at Seven

WhenWed, 13 November, 19:00 – 22:00

DescriptionHappy Birthday to us all A live stream of our birthday party. This month Soundart Radio turns seven - come and help us celebrate with performances by Soundart members. An evening of noise, ritual, and splendid projections. Performances from: Grymbart, with Marg and Byrt - A little welcoming ritual. The Oima Orchestra - Electronics with singing bowls from Soundart regulars. Germseed “May a Germseed her burning, plant in your self's area to create bright time for your black golden listening face musics. Accept and be seized.” Dieter Müh - Created as a two-piece in 1994, Dieter Müh has been a solo project of sound artist Steve Cammack since 2009. The sound has developed over the past 19 years, with walls of noise constructed from samples and loops creating a dense soundscape with surprising consequences. Shokku - An audio visual collaboration between Hannah Drayson (Sorry) and Ben Hudson (Baconhead). They have performed at the BFi, Big Chill Festival, Simplexity Bristol, Bangface Weekender and Cafe Concrete (Plymouth) Contains flashing lights.

MuhMur SoundArt Radio Broadcast : 31/10/2013

Halloween, a very wet and windy Halloween and I was in the SoundArt Studio with my beloved collection of Smell & Quim paraphernalia. I was lucky enough to be mailed a "promo" for their upcoming album "Quim De La Quim" on Stront Records - a label run by Pete Zincken - and I decided to create a two hour show around it. Great fun digging in to some old S&Q vinyl. Early 1990's, probably 1993 and I chanced upon a shop in Leeds called Bad, a basement vinyl emporium that stocked the weird and wonderful and experimental. It was here I bought the Smell & Quim 7" "Miss Piss" purely on reasons of; 1: Great name, 2: Great cover and 3: It was on Stinky Horse Fuck Records. A win win win situation! My love of everything Smell & Quim has not wained since that day. Bad also introduced me to the sound of Merzbow and Intrinsic Action. Great shop now sadly defunct.

Please have a listen. Copy & Paste:
http://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-smell-and-quim-special/

Playlist.
01: Smell & Quim  "Sucking A Dead Man's Cock"  (Tesco Organisation) 1993.
     (From the "The Jissom Killers" LP).
02  Smell & Quim  "Pukka Fukka"  (Old Europa Cafe) 1997.
     (From the "Meat/Pregnant Aisan Special" CD/Tape).
03: Smell & Quim  "Death Baby Fuck" (Red Stream Records) 1993.
     (From the split 7" with Taint).
04: Smell & Quim  "Tampax Woman"  (Solipsism) 1999.
     (From the "Porn Again" CD).
05: Smell & Quim  "Xanadon't/Desperhardon"  (Must Die Records) 2012.
     (From the compilation album "Must Die Records Sampler" Cdr).
06: Smell & Quim/The Members Of Tinnitus  "Alpha"  (iDeaL Records) 1999.
     (From the "The Alphabet Fanatics" 7").
07: Smell & Quim  "Inter-Lewd #3"  (Mental Guru Records) 2000.
     (From the album "Spaceshit" Cdr)
08: Smell & Quim/The Members Of Tinnitus  "Beta"  (iDeaL Records) 1999.
     (From the "The Alphabet Fanatics" 7")
09: Smell & Quim  "Fuck Factory"  (Stront)  2014.
      (From the forthcoming cassette album).
10: Smell & Quim  "Miss Piss"  (Stinky Horse Fuck Records) 1993.
      (From the 7" single).
11: Milovan Srdenovic  "Pig Stealin' Man"  (Idwal Fisher)  2002.
     (From the album "Live At The Packhorse-Leeds-14/05/02 Cdr).
12: Smell & Quim  "Skunk Pussy"  (Stinky Horse Fuck Records) 1991.
     (From the "Jesus Christ" LP).
13: Smell & Quim  "Turner Over To Sod (Excerpt)" (Songs For Conscientiousness Rape) 1993.
     (From the album "A Sod's As Good As A Wank To A Blind Arse" Tape).
14: Smell & Quim  "Dreamfucker (Pissed Off Mix)"  (Kay Ogden Percy Mather) 2011.
     (From the album "Lavatory" CD).
15: Come  "Come Sunday"  (Come Organisation) 1979.
     (From the "Come 1" 7").

Next programme will be on November 14.