WTF Album: Classwar Karaoke - 0011
Tags: experimental avant-garde electroacoustic electronic experimental electronic jazz musique concrete noise poetry prepared instruments tapeism
WTF Quality: A diverse selection; each track has its own unique sound, within the overlying unity of the tags above.
Lifespan: 2010 -
Country: Various
Collaboration is key.
Classwar Karaoke compiles the works of many artists into 22 tracks of twists and turns, something fresh and new at every corner.
You will hear -
sound sculpture
contemporary chamber music
abstract beats
ambient drone
environment sounds
percussion realm-scapes
collage musique concrete
audio images
journeys through vibration fields
noise painting
glittering rays of harmonic pulsation
synthetic clouds
outer spaceways
primordial howlings
transcendental fabric
time sway
cyclical winding
broken circuit transmissions
electroacoustic textures
anti-jazz
psychedelic spree
electroacousticism
digital experimentation
distorted thoughts
twisty tape
prepared technique extensions
microscopic moments in sequence
neoclassical ruins
This review is timely to coincide with the household objects marathon on wtfmusic, as many of the performers on here, yup, make music with objects.
This music is not the highest on the WTF meter. It ranks mid-level. What we call "experimental" these days has become familiar to many with a taste for new expressions in music. Without fucking our minds too much, the music is nevertheless forward looking, not backward, adventurous, bold, and at many points, highly strange. As a whole it is a nicely packaged work, very satisfying to listen to, tasteful, never offensive. It definitely belongs on this site because it is still well outside the realms of what is normally considered normal. And we like stuff that is not normal. This is the 11th volume(I think); having been informed of CK volume 10 by another wtfmusic member and understanding the quality of music put into these, I will be sure to check back next time a new one is compiled.
Since there are 22 tracks, I will now undergo the task of briefly introducing each artist featured in this volume of Classwar Karaoke to curious readers and listeners. The Classwar Karaoke site can be found here:
http://classwarkaraoke.bandcamp.com/
A brief summary of each track is provided. I have dug up some extra details and links for each of these artists to create a mini profile for each. In the process of doing so I noticed many connections between them via various labels and groups.
These artists are all basically European and American, representing improvisational and electro-acoustic composition styles of western music, each with a unique personal flavor.
6 or 7:
Hopek Quirin from Berlin plays drum machine and radio. A member of avant-garde chamber trio ABQ, whose music superimposes noise with tonality.
http://www.reverbnation.com/abq#
http://www.myspace.com/hopekquirin
Akoustik Timbre Frekuency:
Ritualistic dark electroacoustic haunting landscapes, influenced by H.P. Lovecraft and Aliester Crowley.
http://www.akoustiktimbrefrekuency.com/
Ambient Fabric
From Norway. I think their name says it all. Download albums straight from their myspace page.
http://www.myspace.com/ambient.fabric
Ampersand
A Band from London playing improvised meditations on found and broken objects, all acoustic, or electroacoustic. Interesting website.
www.ampersand.tv
Anton Mobin
From France. A sound artist, working with field recordings, objects, sound diaries, sound documentation.
http://antonmobin.blogspot.com/
audio blog: http://audioblog.arteradio.com//ANTON_MOBIN/frontUser.do?method=getHomePage
Aunt Benny
Aunt Benny is a member of this thing in Northern UK called zooligic, or zoologia, not sure which. At the mud-pat-farm. I don't know, all I can say is mysterious. Very mysterious. The video is from these two guys, David Cunliffe and Adrian Beentjes, credited on the classwar karaoke site. Very strange myspace page.
http://www.myspace.com/zoologia
Autotistic
Also from England, "a noise sensation of pure guitar abuse."
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/saramik/
http://autotistic.blogspot.com/
Ayato & Anton Mobin
These two play together as "Crash Duo" ... Anton has already been mentioned, Ayato's page is below. They are "Both active members of the collective H.A.K. LO-FI RECORD" also linked below. France. Use of tape, radio, and strange rarities of archaic technological sound devices.
http://h.a.k.free.fr/htmlFolder/KREW/AYATO.htm
http://h.a.k.free.fr/
Beentjes Donovan Johnco
Colin Johnco is a member of Dr. Drone, from Paris, and he also has his own record label. Again we have Adrian Beentjes from the very strange and mysterious zoologic thing. Anthony Donovan has a solo project called Murmurists which incorporates music, film, writing, and visual art.
http://www.myspace.com/esoterian24skidoo
http://colinjohncorecords.free.fr/
http://murmurists.blogspot.com/
Bryan Lewis Saunders & Audra Dawn Fleming
Bryan lives in Tennessee and is a kind of intense cathartic performance artist. He makes a self-portrait every day.
Audra may or may not be the keyboardist for a Rock Band from Portland Oregon...
http://www.bryanlewissaunders.org/
http://www.myspace.com/drunkenprayer
Chevo Légé
strange music from France. Yes!
http://www.myspace.com/chevolege
Connor Donovan Packer
Anthony Donovan has been mentioned. Neil Packer plays guitar and objects, and was a member of Psychiatric Challenge, on the Electronic Musik label run by Ian Simpson, a member of this site. Will Connor is a percussionist and member of the Vultures quartet, a London based Improv / composition group (Donovan is also a member). He also plays many objects. Another of his solo projects is called seesar.
http://www.myspace.com/psychiatricchallenge
http://www.myspace.com/justvultures
http://www.myspace.com/seesar01
Denis McCarthy
Denis mc carty, from Lyon France, makes "*Unschool Hip-Hop* *Experimental Noises* *Alternative Poetry*"
http://denismccarty.blogspot.com/
EHEIM 1000.220 & PAS
Germany. Solo electronics, audio-visual work. Conceptual.
New York. PAS (Post Abortion Stress) specializes in sound + video, now active as a collective collage unit.
http://www.myspace.com/eheim1000220
http://www.myspace.com/postabortionstress
Gurdonark
"Ambient. Weirdbient. Chill." Also this person seems to be a nature lover. His hame is Robert Nunnally, he is from Texas, and he shares his music freely with the world.
http://www.gurdonark.com/
Jonas Ruchenhever
Tags: sound art experimental music minimal ambient noise drone
From Belgium
http://www.jonasruchenhever.be/
Juan Antonio Nieto
Spanish composer who uses the name Pangea, creating rich textures from rough sounds.
http://pangea-juanantonionieto.blogspot.com/
Kalistongue
UK psychedelic artist.
http://www.myspace.com/kalistonguemusic
Lezet
Experimental Serbian artist with 37 albums released from labels around the world.
http://lezet.blogspot.com/
MaCu
Her name is Susanne Hafenscher, she is an Austrian solo ambient artist.
http://macu1.wordpress.com/
Noise Research
Noise Research has been documented and reviewed here at WTFM:
http://wtfmusic.org/#topic/1280592726
One Minute Wanda
She is from Northern UK, her music is strange! It's like outsider avant pop-beat messed up stuff. Short songs.
http://www.myspace.com/oneminutewanda
Pythagora & Pilectro
Pythagora: Swedish Ambient
Pilectro: Swedish Ambient
they join forces for ultimate double swedish ambient!
http://www.myspace.com/pythagorasspace
http://www.myspace.com/pilectro
Sweetie
UK noise ambient drone
http://www.sweetielovesyou.co.uk/
The Thud Experiment
Virtually no information could be found via the internet on these chaps: Jack Derbyshire, David Cunliffe, and Noel Kidd. Cunliffe is somehow connected with Aunt Benny / zoologic, which remains mysterious.
The Original Thud experiment was an interesting look at whether psychiatric patients can be properly diagnosed as sane or insane... turns out they can't with accuracy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenhan_experiment
Tvlasunor
I assume this is from France. I think it's two guys, John Marron and Manel Bigot. They do improvisation with dance and poetry.
http://membres.multimania.fr/partyculsystem/tvlasunor.htm
Zilmrah
Lawry Zilmrah, from New York, plays all kinds of gadgetry, with many different guests.
http://www.myspace.com/zilmrah
In conclusion, a short meditation on the whole of this compilation.
Classwar - a political statement, recognizing the inequalities in society and the struggles of the weak to resist being stomped upon by the elite classes.
Karaoke - music for anyone, average people with no other outlets for musical expression.
Together, a statement for the advancement of culture, not through intelligencia or snobbery, but coming from the ranks of real down to earth people. The promotion and dispersion of the outer unfamiliar fringes of music.
Or a meaningless title that just sounds cool. Doesn't matter - just listen.
-Jeemobon
http://www.classwarkaraoke.com/
