NO MORE - Silence & Revolt [Rent A Dog]

So it's official - NO MORE are back with a new album on Rent A Dog and they're still standing strong 35 years after the release of their first ever record, their "Too Late EP", back in 1980. Straighter and more uptempo than their 2012-released album "Sisyphus" it seems like the Kiel-based band readjusted their focus to enter terrains somewhat in between classic PostPunk, Wave and modernistic Indie whilst adding a little surfy twang in songs like the floating, dancefloor moving hit "Turnaround", turning (Synth)Pop with "Stardust Youth" or hitting the fast lane with "Rope A Dope". The first recognizable drum machines come into play with the epic, krauty and Lynch'esque "After The Rain - Passegiata Notturna", "Revolt Against Yourself" brings in slices of wistful, yet fast paced Americana and the instrumental cut "It's About Time" might also appeal to fans of original KrautPop bands like Rheingold and the likes of. String-loaden romanticism and piano tenderness is the formula for the highly dramatic, score-worthy "1816", a bluesy, down-to-earth yet electronic swing for long nightrides through deserted lands is served by the albums title track "Silent Revolt" and the aura of "Give My Compliments To All The Girls" reminisces of the era of huge, amazing broadway entertainers and their trademark songs - a piece perfectly fitting for a grand finale and farewell. Following up to this huge song is "The  Cold Years", musically balancing in between SynthWave and - yes... - a kitschy, discoid version of ElectroClash before "In A Leaden Time" closes on a well-autumnal, melancholia driven and piano-based vibe. A 'modernistische Welt' this is and a recommendable album for sure. Check!

Meanza & De - OU [Aut Records 018 Promo]

Put on the circuit on June 15th, 2015 via Aut Records is "OU", the first collaborational album effort of media artist Bob Meanza and sitar player Filipe Dias De under their conjunctial moniker Meanza & De in which they serve an eight tracks an 45 minutes journey into Ambient realms with an experimental and slightly disharmonic twist. Electronic improvisations somewhere in between Drone-influenced, cinematic spheres and an electrical buzz meet sparse, hollow sounding percussion elements, hyperdigital clicks and the out of tune sound of Dias De's prepared sitar, creating a cold, partly esoteric yet not necessarily easily accessible sonic environment that stems from a Berlin-recorded, four-hour non-stop performance - all re-edited and recomposed by Bob Meanza to built "OU" from this source material. The result seems to be best described somewhat in between the sound intellectualisms of the late - ca. 2010 - MillePlateaux / MillePlateauxMedia / Ritornell / Cluster conglomerate, hippie'esque Indietronics, ethnic Folklore influences as well as the diverse output of labels like City Centre Offices and the likes of. Defo more of a specialists release that won't appeal to a wide audience for sure but an album that is catering quite a fascinating view on Illbient / Plunderphonics Dub with the tune "Puppets" which is, according to our listening session, an outstanding highlight amidst a bunch of more balky and abstract tunes which make up the majority of the album. 

27.06.2015 Liquid Sky Berlin presentz #lsb_TV

six hours of experimental audiovisual television - starting midnight!

featuring:

baze.djunkiii
Hendrik Mokry
Moolsaasa
Sheldon Drake
Twin Peetz

broadcasted via ALEX Offener Kanal Berlin TV

stream will be here:  www.alex-berlin.de/tv

check: www.lsb.tv

Simon James Phillips - Blage 3 [Mikroton]

An improvised concert / sonic performance exceeding the usual hour-long concept can be a tough bite for an audience to take but stretching things to a maximum of five - !!! - hours is a bit of a badass move, even more when doing so without letting the audience know upfront. But exactly this is what Simon James Phillips had in mind for the Berlin-based performance of  "Blage 3", executed by six of the cities most recognized experimental artists including himself, Werner Dafeldecker, Liz Allbee and more which has been, although in a condensed, edited form of a close to two hours double CD album, released via the Mikroton imprint in mid May. Within these two hours we're taken on a journey through layers and layers of various instrumentations underpinned by mostly warm, athmospheric drones and noises providing an organic bed for multiple waves of piano improvisations, chaotic percussions, crushing waves and ambient'ish,  slightly balearic guitars which, although embedded into sonic disarray, seem to restructure and ease off the musical ruckus to a certain extent, being a landmark to focus on amongst jazzy improv, rumbling anti-grooves, clanging percussions and other ADD-inducing events. And if it wasn't for this imminent, although subconscious structure, we're pretty sure that a journey through these two - or five - hours of cacophony would surely be able to drive listeners insane. But now, in it's recent and edited form, even this barely controlled succession of sonic events has a surprisingly calming and relaxing effect rather than being obnoxious and nerve wrecking for a reason. Defo a specialists album anyway.

2014.12.20 baze.djunkiii DJ-set @ #lsb_TV (52 minutes excerpt)

This session resulted in the birth of the Poemes Electroniques project as premiered at the Museum Of Contemporary Art Of Georgia in Atlanta / USA in March 2015.

Kackegeruch - Das Beste Von Heute Zum Preis Von Morgen (Best Of 1999 - 2015) [Raketenbasis Haberlandstrasse 020 Promo]

This hand-numbered, limited to 50 copies C-100 (yes folks, 100 minutes...) gold-glittered 26 song cassette tape by the ominous German project Kackegeruch - translate as: 'smell of feces'- is possibly the most debatable and questionable release on the underground imprint Raketenbasis Haberlandstrasse so far. Although one might claim that this project, brainchild of Turgut Kocer of Shhhh Records and Voluntary Whores, does refer to the tradition of Dada, full-on nonsense and - in a sense that painter Jonathan Meese would like - total art which would explain the stylistic inconsistency with a range from total DIY homerecording trash ("Eine Luftikus Fur Dik"), to obscure Rhythm Industrial accompanied by weird German accent ("Du Mit Deinem Scheiss Barschgesicht") , (Neo)Trance ("Urin") and beyond one might and must still seriously question whether a label should provide a platform for psyched out torture phantasies as to be found in "Der Zangenmacher" or the Happy Pop of  "Ich Bin Verwahrlost" sporting super sick, partly pedophilia-implying lyrics. Also songs like the paranoid "Alles Kontrollierbar" cast a damning light on the artists mental health for a reason and so does the surely illegaly Sven Väth cover "Streifzug Durch Die Szene". Apart from that the album provides some quality moments in the retro'esque MinimalPop of "Hey Hey Zucker" - which is the albums highlight for sure - and the quirky MinimalWave of "Kaffeegesichtmutter" as well as well entertaining moments with songs like the Ilsa Gold-reminiscing "Eurovision Beitrag Bayern", the ElectroClash on overdose named "Katzenaugen" or "Liebes Tagebuch" which makes fun of record reviews and magazines for a reason, the MC Hammer-cover "Das Kannst Du Nicht Berühren" or the great Acid-heavyNicole-spoofing EuroTrash "Ein Bisschen Frieden Für Danach". Obscure for sure and after two listening sessions we feel like the producer behind Kackegeruch should go and see a therapist. Pronto!

Various Artists - Rock'N'Roll People Vol. 4 [Schamoni Musik / Pico's Yodelin Records]

Coming straight from the vaults of Munich's underground is this twelve track compilation, a conjunctional effort released by Schamoni Musik and Pico's Yodelin Records to please all lovers of things leftfield, artschool and obscure. Less Rock'N'Roll than the title promises but more related to the DIY-school of PostPunk, Ingenious Dilettantes, (No)Wave and similar styles "Rock'N'Roll People Vol. 4" caters both live and home studio works by previously unheard of underground bands and projects like Jacke Wie Hose, Das Weiße Pferd feat. Relle Büst, Tagar, Lunsentrio feat. Sarah Gonputh and many others, delivering own compositions, often also home recorded and / or being raw, noisey studio sketches like Murena Murena's melancholia-inducing "Shy Goose", Derribos Arias preset-rhythm based "Aprenda Aleman En 7 Dias" or the afro chant-influenced "Polisario Edit" by LeRoy as well as fascinating interpretations of well known songs of the past, e.g. "Porque Te Vas", "7 Tage Lang" or "Huna Huna" which, albeit heavily obscured, still do heavily trigger the collective human memory of Pop music and evoke warm, cosy feelings for some reason. Interesting stuff for sure! 

Say Yes Dog - Girlfriend

The first outtake from the forthcoming Say Yes Dog album "Plastic Love" perfectly fuses SynthPop, innocent Electroclash and sweet, vernal Indie vibes. Defo a dancefloor hit for girls in love.

Stefan Wesolowski - Kompleta [Ici D'Ailleurs]

Recently re-issued via the ever active experimental imprint Ici D'Ailleurs is "Kompleta", the originally 2008-released debut of the Polish producer Stefan Wesolowski who, since then, has made a mark on imprints like Miasmah, Ghostly International, Important and others. Produced and composed at the a early age of 21 these nine tracks with a  total runtime of 31 minutes encounter solemn, string-laden territories, accompanied by exigent, grave vocals evoking memories of medieval times and parochial ceremonies of paramountcy. This said and combined with contemporary techniques of todays (neo)classical composition and contemplative, electronic droning "Kompleta" is defo a rich and intense listening experience and surely about to become a beloved companion for thoughtful, reflective, autumnal late night hours spent in front of an open fire. We likey.

So I Went To Berlin And This Happened... (baze.djunkiii vlog #5)

A short recap including behind the scenes material from the latest #lsb_TV show.

Poligono Hindu Astral - 00110010 [Verlag System 004 Promo]

Coming from Spain and reviving the synthesizer magic of classic Cosmic and New Age music with their latest album "00110010" being released via Verlag System is the electronic music duo Poligono Hindu Astral, perfectly emulating the spaced out feel of the 70s and early 80s brought to a sonically tripping audience by artists like Klaus Schulze and the likes of. Using and abusing a wide range of classic analogue equipment to a trance-inducing effect as to be found in the mysteriously floating "Terra Incognita" or delivering a score'esque set of perturbing robotic sci-fi noises announcing imminence and danger with tracks like "Miles Millones De Anos" whilst the 4/4-based, beautiful Proto-Trance of "Bronce" surely awes open crowds in early morning sets on the shores of Goa. "N.Av" fuses tripping synth modulations and seductive grooves, "Aguas Subterraneas" introduces a kinda subaquatic, drexciyan touch to Cosmic music whilst "Lineas Que Describen Circulos" is about to please all those loving their minimalistic Space Electro right before the cryptic "B3 CIII.Y.E37" takes the listener on a mental journey to calm, peaceful areas and the fascinating final "Rocas Gravitando A La Deriva" enters more modernistic Electro realms to set advanced dancefloors in motion. Recommended!

Ben Zimmerman - The Baltika Years [Software Recording Co. Promo]

Having already announced the forthcoming release of Ben Zimmerman's new album "The Baltika Years" earlier this year we're now finally able to review the full longplay piece that has been put on the circuit via Software Recording Co. on June 8th, 2015. Holding a massive bunch of 31 tracks, with the epic 21+ minutes opener "Phyllis" being the most heavyweight in terms of playtime whilst the majority of other tracks remaining shorter than 2 minutes, we see a previously unreleased selection of Zimmerman's work created between 1992 and 2002 based on the initially 1984-released program Tandy DeskMate which might give an insight to the cause of the kinda lo-fi'ish sound quality of some tracks. But as early computer music is a fascinating field and especially the opening tune serves a complete journey through different stages of sound, sometimes epic and super chromatic, sometimes hyped and happy whilst several moments of silence subdivide the piece into different chapters, we're pretty sure that "Phyllis" is trying to re-emulate computer game music to a certain and thrilling extent. With "For Mimi Pt.1" and it's four successors we see explorations in more kinda Southeast Asian-reminiscing sound aesthetics happening whilst following bits like "The Scream", "Housed!", "Reverse Me", "75000multicolouredorgasmaticballoons" or "Crystal Lake" are, like many others, short experimental outburst or raw musical sketches. With "Redecorated Proto-Computations" Ben Zimmerman even provides some lo-fi Hard- / Breakcore terrorism, "Da Chopp" enters Glitch- / IDM-realms, the "Yellow Daffodil (Burning) Against A Grey Sidewalk" pays homage to Synth-pioneer Wendy Carlos, "Reso" provides pure Ambient beauty and "Mazer" brings in 20 seconds of bleep madness. Furthermore we'll find score'esque melancholia in "Life Without Liz", dancefloor-seducing beats and melodies in the 67 seconds of  "F-Trip", more Breakcore in "Now I Am Numb" and finally a mixture of dark Phonk and wild, tumbling Breakbeats with a partly noir'ish attitude provided by the six parts of the "Pausebreak"-series which might appeal to fans of chopped DarkJungle as once created by artists like Leon Lamont or super underground imprints like Marasm. What a journey. 

Pas Musique - Inside The Spectrum [Alrealon Musique 061]

Released in mid-May via the experimentalism-focused imprint Alrealon Musique is "Inside The Spectrum", the latest album effort created by the 1995-founded Pas Musique collective which dedicates its work to the denial of established musical structures and aims to start from scratch again with each and every new composition, often resulting in a kind of Non Music reflecting the groups name which translates as 'not music'  in French. Heavily using and abusing layer techniques as well as colliding soundscapes and samples the bits and pieces on the album, which comes in an oversized art cover that appeals also to collectors of digitally created collages, more than once reminisce of the conceptual art of Plunderphonics, cross over into Noize with the title track, incorporate elements of Electronic Space Kraut ("Listening To Interstellar Space"), epic, drugged out live jams ("The Soul Catcher") or deep, tripping Intelligent Techno like catered in "Ancient Evil Aliens". Furthermore there are epic Synth-moments crossing over with glitching CutUps ("First Breath Of Speeding Light") followed by dramatic SciFi-Electro sounds with the intense yet retro'esque "Mindless Mechanics" whilst the sound of "Molecular Vibration" kinda evokes memories of old science-fiction movie scores due to its use of quirky, jingling analogue synthesis and threatening bass treatments. When it comes to the "Blue Lotus Ritual" droning guitars mix up with harsh, apocalyptic Industrial Techno-beats, a "Cerebral Vacuum" sounds like a fever'ish future-ancient machine ritual with a pretty surprising, absurd ending and the final "Transference" keeps things angelic and cinematic in terms of Ambient and Scores. Defo a recommended one, although Pas Musique's approach to create everything new and from scratch, without further influences from things already existing, does not necessarily succeed.

Fabio Crivellaro [self-released tape]

It's been a few months since we reviewed Fabio Crivellaro's cassette album "Comic Sans Terrorist" and now we see the Italian producer coming back with a new shot these days - an untitled, limited to 30 copies tape that's seemingly exclusively available via the Musica Bella mailorder on bandcamp. Exploring the realms of super phonky Rhythm Industrial, quirky Broken Techno, experimental Hardcore as well as dark and lo-fi Industrial Drum'n'Bass kinda reminiscing of early releases on labels like Subversion and others more related to the French DarkJungle- / teknival scene of the late 90s / early 2000s Mr. Crivellaro sets an exciting example of how today's tape underground scene is still alive and working all over Europe, relying on the fascination of super limited print runs instead of churning out endless streams of heart- and soulless digital releases. We do approve of that!

So Youtube Happens..

Pretty much exactly 2 months ago, a week after I came back from Atlanta / USA, this post happened and introduced a bunch of new social media channels like baze.djunkiii's Tumblr, bookface and Youtube - even though it wasn't clear at all what kind of, or if any, video content was about to happen on the platform last mentioned. Now, after a few weeks of research and experimenting with getting used to a kind of direct to camera situation (sort of...) and also inspired by the artist talk I held alongside Uli Sigg at the Goethe Zentrum Atlanta, the fog lifted and I decided to embrace the vlogging side of things, possibly even turning this into a kind of regular habit of sorts, adding up to other social media channels and hopefully serving quality entertainment for the readership of these pages and an audience yet to grow. Still being at the very beginning of what hopefully turns out to be an interesting journey I do hope that you're all up and ready for new adventures and bear with me when it comes to editing and on screen performance. Join me for a ride, subscribe to the channel and feedback in the comment section - it's appreciated for sure!

To cut things short, this is what happened last night to round off the recent baze.djunkiii Charts post on these pages...

Kneading Bread Dough (Video)

Officially the best video we've seen in a while, also recommended for those loving repetetive mechanical Noize. Biggin' up the mighty Kompaktkiste for this one!

Various Artists - No. I [No. Ware. 001 Promo]

Released on May 27th via No. Ware. , the Berlin- / Santiago-based label run by Atom™ and Material Object, is No. I, the first label compilation celebrating material released on the label throughout the past twelve months as a continuously arranged 73 minutes mix incorporating sonic material by the likes of Atom™, Sagittarius A, NSI, Jacek Sienkewicz and various others. Slowly evolving from Ambient and Deep Listening, slightly embracing decent, advanced dancefloor suitable rhythm structures here and there, exploring technoid realms as well as more ritual fields with tracks like Sagittarius A's "Omega Point" but always keeping on the soundscapey, droney, more listening side of things this decent mix selection fully embraces the sonic spectrum of imprints past year nicely whilst still unveiling a new perspective to its output as all tracks featured here have been heavily altered and overdubbed for a perfect fit this limited to 200 copies CD release that is about to please all lovers of Deep Listening Music for sure although it is a little too slick and polished to truly stand out as exceptional within this musical field. Solid quality.  

Chapelier Fou - Fuses EP [Ici D'Ailleurs Promo]

Following up to Chapelier Fou's 2014-released album "Deltas" is his new EP "Fuses" on Ici D'Ailleurs which is featuring four remixes of tracks taken from the album plus two new tunes, including the title track of this EP which fuses a picked guitar melody with vintage theatre / James Bond-flicks covering music and heavy dope beats whilst "Les Yeux De Mes Yeux", the second original tune on this one, enters the realms of overly friendly organic and violin-sporting Indietronica which one would've expected on labels like Morr Music or possibly Doxa in their early years. With "La Guerre Des Nombres (Daedelus 'War Of Numbers' Remix)" we're entering the field of more weakish instrumental AltHipHop for dreamy hippies, Johnny Rippers rework of "Tea Tea Tea" is on a more repetetive tip here, turning the picked guitar into a surprisingly neat piece of more experimentalist Minimal House of a kind  and To Rococo Rot manage to land a little favorite with their Electro meets Post-PostRock fusion version of "Triads For Two". Finally Yakie is responsible for the second rework of "Tea Tea Tea" featured on this six-tracker and serves a highly recommended Electronica Rave anthem for advanced late night dancefloors that perfectly matches the once Rephlex coined term of Braindance. Save the best for last, they say, so Yakie wins.

baze.djunkiii Charts 06/2015

01. Drax Ltd. II - Amphetamine *Original Remaster [AFU Limited 031]

What a fucking uber-anthem this one is and still - 21 (!!!) years after it's original release - one of my favorite Techno / Rave tunes of all time, possibly also due to being a part of my personal Rave history as a punter back in the mid 90s. Remastered for 2015, limited to a pressing of 500 copies on blue vinyl and sporting a remix by Umek on the flip which is good, but not anywhere near the original magic happening. Killer!



02. Mark System - Final Approach LP Sampler [Exit Records 055]
A sweet two track teaser for Mark System's forthcoming "Final Approach" longplay piece that's about to please all those loving their Drum'n'Bass deep, stripped down and rolling. "Optix" is floating and atmospheric with deadly, raw analogue sounding subs, kinda reminiscing to classic pieces like Aquasky's "Radium EP" minus the Rave vibewise, whilst "Pursuit" on the flip is on a more minimalistic yet techy tip appealing to all those loving their sci-fi stabs to death.

03. PS Stamps Back - Μουσική Για Διάσχιση Δασών [1000+1 TiLt]
Although already released in 2014 this CDr album with an - for a non-Greek - unpronounciable and even more unreadable title by PS Stamps Back, whose collaborational album "Homefucking Is Killing Prostitution" alongside Anal Fissi has recently been re-released via Minor Label as seen in baze.djunkiii's April charts, is an essential addition to this months favorites. Released via the Greek diy-underground imprint 1000+1 TiLt this eleven track spanning album is an uber-intense showcase of alarming Synth works crossing over into apocalyptic (Neo)Cosmic and Dark / Death Ambient fields. Defo a stunning must have for all those longing for brain stimulating music of any kind.

04. Lydia Lunch - Conspiracy Of Women [Other People]
Lydia Lunch - poet, writer, activist, actress, speaker, musician, whatever. A phenomenon of its own right and a force still standing strong. Her album "Conspiracy Of Women" was recorded live in Berlin on April 12th, 1990 in Berlin and originally released on her very own label Widowspeak Productions in the same year. A pure and intense Spoken Word performance now available again via Nicolas Jaar's Other People imprint with a little re-do of the 2:35 minute piece "American Invasion". Recommended.

05. Various Artists - Cargaa 1 [Warp Records 378]
This one's massive. Five tracks produced by DJ Marfox, DJ Nedwyt Fox, DJ Nigga Fox - that's quite a pack of foxes, innit? -, Blacksea Nao Maya and DJ Ly-Coox are fusing contemporary electronic dance music with African influences like Kuduro to a thrilling effect. If you loved the great shaky swing of DJ Mujava's  legendary "Township Funk" this one's for you, especially for DJ Nedwyt Fox's "Grandes Invejosos" and it's killer lo-fi melodies, the polyrhythmic Bleep jam "Lumi" coming straight from the studios of DJ Nigga Fox and the deep AfroTribal madness created by Blacksea Nao Maya's "Afro". Get!

06. Prince Buju - We Are In The War [Makkum Records 013 / Redwig 013 Promo]
See review for details...

07. Continuum Sorge - Stutenbeschau [Starting To Pestalozzi 002 Promo]
See review for details...

08. Neue Deutsche Mitte - Meinung [Raketenbasis Haberlandstrasse 012 Promo]
See review for details... 

09. Peter Maybaum - Photonenweit [Raketenbasis Haberlandstrasse 011 Promo]
See review for details... 

10. Kat Vinter - Islands [AdP Records Promo]
See review for details...

Decoder Ensemble - Decoder Ensemble [Ahornfelder 027]

Recently released via Alexander Schubert's very own Ahornfelder-imprint is the debut album of Hamburg's Decoder Ensemble, an ensemble and band rooted in the so-called New Music which indefatigably explores new terrains and expressions of contemporary music, working as a tightly knit group as well as incorporating the work of several young composers - an approach well reflected by the groups self-titled longplay piece which features six compositions created either by Decoder Ensemble members or close collaborators. Starting with Gordon Kampe's "Nischenmusik Mit Klopfgeistern", a shrieking, highly dissonant composition incorporating overexaggerated vocal techniques seemingly deriving from modern Opera as well as hectic, military-like sequences, Score Noir episodes and various samples balancing between Industrial and Plunderphonics it becomes pretty clear that we're about to go on a demanding sonic experience here which continues with Alexander Schubert's "Superimpose V - Sugar, Maths And Whips", a ten minutes exploration of the most experimental Free Jazz meets CutUp hybrid imaginable that's not made for the faint-hearted. An amalgamation of dark drones, swampy sci-fi atmosphere and NeoClassical approach is to be found in Burkhard Friedrich's "Flug P" intensely unfolding over approximately 16 minutes whilst "Asesino Sin Razon" by the Venezuelan composer Jorge Sanchez-Chiong turns out to be highly repetetive yet ever changing, adding up layers of shrill wind instruments, super aggressive snares, free percussions, spooky, abstract vocal abuse and shambling, aboriginal bass figures. Inspired by Thomas Edison's five-second short film "Fred Ott's Sneeze" is Leopold Hurt's musical piece of the same title, blending live musicians and electronics, calmness and eruptive musical outbreaks as well as elements that could be well taken out of scores for fairy tales to an effect that sonically depicts the energy within a sneezing attack - but not without making room for the often also comical side of such an event. Finally Andrey Koroliov's "Like My Domination (Die Gelehrigen Körper)" obviously deals with (Post)Punk- and Hardcore-influences, vocal cut-ups, Free Jazz and the sound of fully loaded guns, providing an intransigent closing tune for those who made it through the full 68 minutes of this fascinating release.