[ Hypnos Forum ]

Jon Hassell/Brian Eno--Fourth World Vol.1 Possible Musics.  Remastered reissue of 1980 release.  Probably a huge influence on artists like Peter Gabriel, David Sylvian, O Yuki Congugate, Steve Roach, etc.  Treated trumpet, drones, subtle African percussion...achieves a very otherworldly and psychoactive ambience.  Excellent essay by Eno about the time period and the album, and a really great, fascinating interview with Hassell. 

I have this on CD already from years ago. Is there an improvement in the sound? It's hard to know if they've actually done any real work on it from what I've read.

np:

Marsen Jules Sinfonietta
Loren Dent Anthropology Vol. 1 (looking forward to 2 and 3 now)
Eluder Hunter's Ridge

M

Quote from: Mark Mushet on January 18, 2013, 12:34:53 AM

Dream Logic by Eivind Aarset

I enjoyed this too, but thought that the album was a bit too short.

Have been enjoying the reissue of Deux Filles' Silence & Wisdom/Double Happiness, a strange ambient project from the 80s involving Simon Fisher Turner.  Also listened to a disappointing 2012 release from Moebius and Asmus Tietchens that was too abrasive and glitchy for my taste.

Forrest

Hi Forrest! Happy New Year!

Yes, Dream Logic could be longer but it may be that it was an ECM thing. Ralph Towner once told me that he liked ECM's view that the "classic" vinyl-dictated album length of approx. 40 minutes was reasonable when expecting a certain level of quality from an artist in that measure every couple of years. BTW there are many excellent live chunks of Dream Logic on YouTube.

I was never fully sold on his previous music but this is really excellent and the whole package is gorgeous. As much as I like the new Eno, this gives it a run and outclasses Lux on packaging by a long shot.

I wish somebody would take the cover art process out of his hands. Milk Sea was promising on that front but, really, after the brilliantly bang-on work on the ambient series, there's no excuse for his recent visual work on CD covers. And I guess the Indie laid off some proof readers as you noted! Also, when the English end a proclamation with "Don't they?" or "Aren't they?" then surely a good journalist should take that as a challenge to counter and make things interesting. That said, looking forward to hearing it.

I saw Brendan solo last year with Robin Guthrie. Very good show all 'round. DCD is another matter for me. I think they still look and sound great and have done some pleasant enough new work to go along with the reunification.

I just find I can't relate to what I have to describe as the early music/ethno/mystic/escapist pastiche that they eventually perfected and polished into the ground. And lyrically (because they foreground it) it can be just silly romantic goop. Nonetheless, I still cherish some of their work.

I liked the '93 version of DCD because Brendan revealed himself as a sincere balladeer with a great voice. Lyrically kind of naive on occasion, but compelling.

But, as with Magazine (who I prefer for their power, wit and continued lyrical relevance) they should continue on for as long as possible because, whatever your view, the world's a better place with them in it!

M

Aside from the easy recommendations of artist's projects I've worked on this year (Forrest Fang's two wonderful releases and loscil's piece for Tweaked Conspiracies), I've been relishing a recent resurgence of really great Canadian (chamber?) prog/pop this year. In particular:

Mean Sun by Vancouver's Brasstronaut
Glass Kites by Vancouver's Glass Kites
Adventures in Your Own Backyard by Montreal's Andrew Watson

This is really lovely..but the link isn't working at present!

Bernocchi/Budd/Guthrie-Winter Garden.It's great, yeah, although nothing really new.  Guess I'm a bit disappointed there wasn't more Bernocchi and/or more experimenting going on.  If you don't listen close it's hard to tell it's not just G&B.

I don't think we're ever going to get a serious departure from Robin and Harold. I view their releases as a kind of angelic sonic comfort food that comes along more frequently than I'd ever imagined it would and will be very sad when it comes to an end.

I have one ipod, and thousands of CDs. Is downloading perfectly green?  Hell no, but I do think it's greener than shipping/making CDs, LPs, etc.  Manufacturing, shipping, and displaying a CD + me driving to the store to get it, vs. a download:  seems clear.

I think we're headed for more of a cottage industry model for CD manufacturing in any case. I have an iPod 32gb Touch that was given to me. I like it. But one good drop and it all goes away. Then I'll have to have had another device or two as back-up.
In reality, like so many technologies, these things are not so much replaced as they become another layer in the great swelling techno-midden. I was recently in rural Washington state and came across displays of commercial music cassettes in gas stations!

I completely agree. Worse still is the fact that the conditions you describe affect our ability to communicate effectively in other aspects of our lives. Politics and daily social discourse is affected in myriad ways. Relationships suffer, levels of potential connection to art suffer. After that, producers begin to pander to the condition so that complexity and nuance in all aspects get dumbed down.

OTOH I see some glimmer of resistance from young people who are seeing this all take place.