MuhMur Radio SoundArt Radio Broadcast : 23/07/2015.

For tonights programme Le Syndicat (J.M. Onni) provided some exclusive and rare sounds. The tracks from "Prothesis Pack" are culled from two early (1981) tapes "Spermicide" and "Totalitarisme". The material has been digitalised by Entre Vifs. "Prothesis Pack" is planned for 2016 release by Vinyl On Demand. "Plasmoglitch #2" is a collaboration between Le Syndicat and Pharmakustik (Siegmar Fricke) and is planned for 2016 release by Rotorelief.
"We Owe You" was my first experience of Le Syndicat, it is on the 2xC90 compilation "Wolfsangel" released in 1986 by Peter Zincken's Bloedvlagprodukt label.
For asll things Le Syndicat go to http://www.rotorelief.com

Playlist:
01: The Bim Prongs : "Walking In Rhythm" (Disembraining Songs) 2015.
02: Unknown Singing Objects : "Brunzkees (Gastänger Pizza Ni Ni) (Albert Detzel) 2015.
03: Le Syndicat : "Prothesis Pack #5" (Le Syndicat) 1981.
04: Le Syndicat : "Prothesis Pack #6" (Le Syndicat) 1981.
05: Le Syndicat : "Prothesis Pack #7" (Le Syndicat) 1981.
     ("Prothesis Pack" is to be released in 2016 on Vinyl On Demand).
06: Le Syndicat : "Move" (Le Syndicat) 1999.
07: Torpsquartet : "No Title" (Bloedvlagprodukt) 1986.
08: Le Syndicat : "We Owe You" (Bloedvlagprodukt) 1986.
09: Le Syndicat : "Idol Breaking" (Rotorelief) 2010.
10: Le Syndicat : "Lost Empire (Part Two)" (Thirdtypetapes) 2015.
11: Le Syndicat + Pharmakustik : "Plasmoglitch #2" (Rotorelief) 2010.
     (Unreleased piece projected for release in 2016).
12: Whitehouse : "Cruise (Force The Truth - Instrumental Mix)" (Susan Lawly) 2001.
13: Sleaford Mods : "Bronx In A Six" (Harbinger Sound) 2015.
14: Sleaford Mods : "Talk Bollocks" (In A Car/Salon Alter Hammer) 2015.

Take a listen. (Copy & Paste) : https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-soundart-radio-broadcast-230715/

Pictures:
01: Le Syndicat Source!
02: J.M. Onni live in Lille 2014.

Cremation Lily & False Moniker

Staying with the Brighton based label Strange Rules (see previous post on Cheapmachines) and the C20 cassette release "Opalescent Blue" by Cremation Lily & False Moniker.
Since experiencing Cremation Lily live in Belgium last year it has been a great pleasure discovering his sound through various releases - mostly cassettes on his own Strange Rules label - but there are others .. vinyl on Harbinger Sound and Alter as well as tapes on Total Black and Fusty Cunt. (I know, some folk never learn).
"Opalescent Blue" has been released to coincide with an exhibition at the Collectiv National Gallery in Antwerp (Belgium) by Zen Zsigo (Cremation Lily) and Niels Geybels (False Moniker) called "The Storms Of Summer". The exhibition ran throughout July.

Five pieces covering twenty minutes, the pictures painted are incredibly peaceful, floating through time and space. Side one features an ethereal guitar á la Durutti Column set against such sounds as children playing, calls to prayer, engine running drones and a great heartbeat pulse. The sound is slightly lo-fi, the sounds are quite "murky" in places .. but that does not distract from the overall atmosphere. Side two has three opposing pieces - still the "floating in space and time" synthetic sounds - "Stars That Outline Your Body" has Zen screaming a poem accompanied by "biscuit tin" style percussion. Not the greatest but it does remind me that Cremation Lily are associated with Unrest Productions. A short interlude of lock groove and vinyl "run-off" manipulation leads us to the finale and the excellent "Paradise Capsules". The coupling of heavy keyboard against light floating polychord synth waves and a euro dark wave disco backbeat. Cue the dry ice. It is the kind of sound that Belaten have been releasing and distributing of late.

Great tape - a fantastic 20 minutes. I am awaiting the day Cremation Lily (and False Moniker) start releasing on CD or vinyl. "Opalescent Blue" comes with a small booklet of collages and photographs treated and constructed by the artists and is limited to 84 copies. Try http://www.strangerules.com but, like all Cremation Lily tapes at the moment, it won't be there for long.

Cheapmachines #4

I have just spent a pleasant while listening to the latest release from Cheapmachines. "Quiet Trade" has been released by Brighton based label Strange Rules. Originally only available as a download (boo) on the Phil Julian / Cheapmachines web site, http://cmx.org.uk, those fine fellows at Strange Rules have decided to put it out as physical matter albeit in an edition of 84.
The four pieces were recorded throughout 2012 at various locations in London and Berlin and I think the recordings catch Phil Julian on the cusp of dropping the Cheapmachines moniker and becoming (simply) Phil Julian.
#1 is a great introduction, a journey down corridors and into rooms. Warm but with a sense of unease. I sense a nod towards the work of Nurse With Wound in this piece. Drone work with quiet murmurings and hums, static, empty spaces with shuffling beings. A moth caught in the lampshade, a gentleman in an iron lung … These are strange rooms. Half way through the piece and a door is opened into the room that reminds us that in 2012 Phil Julian was a member of The New Blockaders. #2 brings to mind David Jackman, but that is just scratching the surface…and cymbals. Abstract sounds creating a cacophonous symphony. Piano, drill, resonances & vibrations, Tibetan bells and bellowed organ sounds.
Flip the tape and there is a warm opening, a beautiful organ drone waving not drowning in a peaceful place. Nurse With Wound's classic "Soliloquy For Lilith" is evoked. #4 picks up the pace, a race through space with a pocketful of contact mic's. 2012 and Phil Julian was playing a few gigs with BBBlood … the influence is obvious here. And like Putrefier became Mark Durgan and BBBlood became Paul Watson, Cheapmachines became Phil Julian.
A brilliant release and despite being 3 years old - not dated at all. As mentioned it is an ultra limited release so go to : http://www.strangerules.bigcartel.com/product/cheapmachines-quiet-trade-cs-rule-092
£5.00 well spent.

Dark Mother Wood

Back in 2001 I saw Treriksrøset at the Fylkingen in Stockholm. His performance was billed as "One Man Static Live No-Show". Dark Mother Wood's debut live performance at South Brent Old School Community Centre could be described as similar. One man sat in a chair, no visuals, no movement just pure noise. Of course back in those days, 14 years ago, harsh noise wall as a style, as a genre did not exist. Dark Mother Wood (on this occasion) were HNW.
Dark Mother Wood is Alasdair Robertson, sound artist, photographer, South Brent resident and presenter of the "Clicks & Hum" radio programme on SoundArt Radio (102.5 FM). Dark Mother Wood present some interesting, eye catching imagery on their Facebook page and describe their sound as electro-acoustic folk. I still think Harsh Noise Wall is nearer.
The fifteen minute performance took place in the library of the community centre. Acoustically brilliant and on the same surreal level as watching Nocturnal Emissions and Nick Bullen in a village hall in Polruan (try and find that place on a map)! This wasn't a gig in the traditional sense of the word, it was a live broadcast as part of an awareness raiser for the work of SoundArt Radio and South Brent Community Radio. Earlier in the day there were performances from Lucy Simister and Antony Jinman along with poetry, quizzes and local conversation. Dark Mother Wood closed the proceedings.
Alasdair provided fifteen minutes of free-form noise. Shortwave / Longwave radio conversations, tape machines, headphones as microphones, distortion machines, a box that clicked and hummed, wind-up machines, and a continual high pitched sine wave … and it was this that became obstructive to some of the sounds that were building. I have seen a performance (on the Internet) by French artist Vomir, this sounded very similar. Perhaps the performance needed visuals, but then (and at the same time) it was a performance for the radio, hopefully the next performance will feature imagery / visuals, theatre and the surround.
Alasdair handed me his debut release .. a Dark Mother Wood Floppy Disk. Excellent. I shall treasure.

Pictures:
01: Old School Community Centre, South Brent.
02: Dark Mother Wood prepare for broadcast.
03: Chris & Dave (SoundArt FM) on the mix.
04: Dark Mother Wood and the table of elements.
05: Pappin' in da old skool with Dave + Alice.
06: Dark Mother Wood Floppy Disk.

MuhMur Radio SoundArt 102.5 FM Broadcast. 09/10/2015.

On arrival it was sad to hear that DJ 2Shoes has hung up his stylus. I used to arrive at the station and he'd be finishing off his 2 hours of 1990's deep house mix. Quiet lad but with an obvious sense of fun and mischief. Sad to see him go … real name "Andy". His show has been replaced by "A Conversation" where folk are invited to "pop in" and have a chat, from what I could work out it was three women talking about a lettuce that looked like a Christmas tree. (Only on SoundArt).
Another beautiful evening, the rouged sky sunset over the woods towards Dartmoor whilst Psychic TV "Kondole" was blasting out loud from the studio speakers was a special moment. Also special was the session from Greek sound artist Kostis Kilymis. 20 odd minutes of new material entitled "The Void (Parts 1 - 4)". I mistakenly mentioned Kostis runs the record store "Electric Knife" in London. He doesn't … I was mixing him up with Thanasis (another greek friend). Apologies - blame the Stella & Tyksie!
It's quite a delicate and quiet programme. Please take a listen and feel free to comment.
https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/mhmur-radio-soundart-fm-kostis-kilymis/

The next programme will be on July 23 and probably feature some rare and unreleased material from Le Syndicat.

Playlist:
01: Will Montgomery : "2012 + 2012 By Manfred Werder" (Organized Music From
                                       Thessaloniki) 2015.
02: E.G. Oblique Graph : "Study Of The red Pope (Innocent X)" (Vinyl On Demand) 2006.
03: Kallabris : "Apologia" (Jazztone / Entra'cte) 2006.
04: Column One : "Go Uite Than-Four" (90% Wasser) 2004.
05: Artificial Memory Trace : "Synkronika #6" (Noise-Below/Tentacles Of Perception) 2015.
06: Psychic TV : "Kondole" (Temple Records) 1989.
07: Helm : "Often Destroyed" (Pan Records) 2015.
08: Kostis Kilymis : "Void Parts 1 - 4" (Not On Label) 2015.
      (Piece exclusively recorded for MuhMur Radio).
09: Kostis Kilymis : "Ground Loops (A Line, Obscured)" (I Dischi Del Barone) 2015.
10: MK9 : "A Reading From Anhendonic Ideations" (Neural Operations) 2014.
11: Sleaford Mods : "Face To Faces" (Freaks R Us/Harbinger Sound) 2015.
12: Sudden Infant : "Wölfli's Nightmare" (Voodoo Rhythm) 2014.
13: The Pop Group : "Nations" (Freaks R Us/Harbinger Sound) 2015.

Pictures.
01: Scene from the studio,
02: Kostis Kilymis "Void 1-4".
03: Kostis.