Yu Miyashita –Noble Niche 6.7

                Yu Miyashita starts off a new revival of the legendary label Mille Plateaux. Mille Plateaux has had a troubled existence since it went defunct in 2003. Now we’re beginning to see some semblance of order out of the chaos strewn across multiple bankruptcies, etc. In a way Yu Miyashita embodies some of the past and future of the label’s future: beginning to forge a new path but not quite there yet. 

                “Noble Niche” might as well have been called “Noble Glitch”. The sheer amount of glitch techniques employed on here is a tad bit massive. If you’re familiar with Mille’s output in the late 90s/early 00s you won’t be surprised or shocked by Yu’s approach. Basically he takes the best of melody deconstruction and controlled chaos.

                The beginning of this album is amazing. It is in the beginning where Yu does the best job asserting his personality. “Latatan” blasts through with an impending sense of collapse. While it near fully collapses it manages to stay afloat despite the distortion. “Noble Niche” comes in as another gloriously overstuffed track full of life and energy.

                Unfortunately Yu doesn’t manage to keep things this inventive for the entire album. Other songs appear to be concepts better executed by bands years ago. “Symmetrical Snare” sounds like something SND did in 2000 called “Stdio”. Microstoria created many of the approaches employed in the other tracks, particularly “Scrypt”.

                I enjoyed this album even with these limitations. They are noticeable particularly to anyone well-versed in glitch. Yu essentially has a tasteful approach on old ideas, never a bad thing, but he doesn’t explore the genre any further. Only in the beginning of the album do I see the potential for better, more overwhelming approach. After the initial blast of optimism I’m left with a relatively stale approach which is doubly disappointing considering all the creativity he displays in the beginning.

The Internal Tulips – Mislead Into a Field by a Deformed Deer 8.3

                Brad Laner (of countless side projects) and Alex Graham (from Lexaunculpt, no idea why he’s been hiding) came together to make this delicate project. How does it play? Well, think of it as fragile pop sketches with Electro-Acoustic influences. The pop influences help keep the experimentation warm and give the music soul.

                Coming in at exactly 39 minutes, each piece nicely melts into the other. A unifying theme brings all these quiet pieces together. Brad shows off a shockingly sweet voice, anchoring some of the more experimental impulses of Alex. Alex isn’t a stranger to affecting arrangements, as he did work on Lexaunculpt for many years before falling off the face of the Earth.

                Planet Mu does a lot more accessible music now. Having them offer up an album as inventive as this, with songs like “Mr. Baby” is a real treat. On that song you’re treated to Alex’s love of string arrangements, along with piano and guitar. A fractured beat keeps it all together. Using an unconventional structure allows them to show off a bit more emotion than either is accustomed to. 

                Interesting, they end the album with the only fully produced song, “We Breathe” to perhaps offer a taste of what they might explore on their next album. It feels fully formed, but still has enough quirkiness to be considered a true pop song.

                Sadly, this received very little attention. Had this come out a few years earlier, I think people might have been more receptive to it. But at this point, this kind of pop-structure experimentation, involving glitches, skipping, and so on have fallen out of fashion. That is a pity since this is such a strong release.

Nobukazu Takemura – Scope 9.4

Oval might have created the template for glitch music, but Nobukazu Takemura gave it soul. Beginning in a surprisingly quiet manner with “On a Balloon” it builds up. Stopping for field recordings, it breathes more life into the environment. And despite its very obvious digital origins, there’s a large amount of warmth within these sounds. Somehow Nobukazu avoids the usual glitch obsession with technical detail to come up with something that has emotional resonance as well.

“Kepler” is a bit easier to get into. Using more human sounds, it has a familiar feel to it, like a warm blanket of sound keeping you snug in the winter. “Taw” does the opposite; it is extremely cold and nearly devoid of life, with large pauses of silent to heighten tension. This is as difficult as the album gets. 

None of these track compare with the track “Icefall”. Every so often you’ll be listening to an album, sort of into it, and a song comes up. This song makes you re-evaluate everything you just heard. Consider it a “Rosetta Stone” for the artist’s intention. “Icefall” is such a track. Whenever I’m feeling down or blue, this always manages to cheer me up. Words fail me with this; it flutters about like a butterfly. Listening to it, it makes me think about what would happen if a computer wrote a love song.

Honestly, what I can tell you about this album is have patience. If you’ve had previous exposure to glitch, that would help. But if you’re worried, I’d suggest listening to “Icefall” first and then deciding whether or not to give the rest a go. Obviously I’d strongly suggest this to just about anyone.

Otomo Yoshihide - The Night Before the Death of the Sampling Virus 7.9

I have no idea what’s going on half the time here. Otomo worked with glitches in CDs so early on (this came out in 93) that he needed to explain to people what was going on. What is now an everyday thing was not so common place, even in the experimental Japanese noise scene. 

None of this gets coherent. Samples ranges from random Japanese advertisements to harsh noise. There is no in between, no melody, no development. This is some of the most nothing music ever, it is as you’re listening to the sound of infected pop culture.

Despite this lack of coherence, there’s something very appealing in it. Even after so many people have attempted this same sort of fragmentary structure, it sounds fresh. Maybe it has to do with the amount of freedom he gives each sample. Or perhaps by having 77 tracks, some of which are only a few seconds long, things never get stuck in a rut.

Oddly appealing for anyone with an interest in experimental electronic or free jazz (of which it shares a similar disregard).

Shirt Trax – Good News About Space 6.6

Made up of Mark Fell (of SND fame) and Jez Potter (some DJ from Sheffield who isn’t famous), Shirt Trax presents an extremely unstable sonic environment. Alternating between extreme sonic detail and almost unhinged chaos, it is an uneven but ultimately interesting listen. 

When asked about their process, Mark stated that they were aware of the academic history of real-time mixing, but weren’t interested in it. The fact that some compelling work happened on the fly is admirable. Apparently they didn’t want to have to set up some giant system to work with. Those of you familiar with SND will certainly understand this, since that duo’s work is almost painstakingly well-organized.

Yes, there are references to techno and structure, particularly in the sarcastic track “B-Parent” which is easily the most immediately enjoyable track on here. Actual beats are used, recognizable as beats. Stops and bizarre clicks are part of the template. Everything moves at some sort of ungodly speed.

Not the entire album has this take. Other tracks focus on the absolute minute details of structure and timbre “aF"fear” and “Ab-Remem”. Unfortunately though, there is a lot of filler on here. Other parts seem to last way too long without saying much. “Crtl”, which closes out the album, falls afoul of this. Lasting almost 17 minutes, it meanders about without doing anything. 

Had there been a stricter editing process, some of these dregs could have been removed. However, it still retains a certain perverse charm in its casual indifference to such common things as structure, melody, evolution, etc. For all its flaws, it remains a unique album.

Jan Jelinek - Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records 9.3

Rarely does an album combine a concept and listen-ability with such ease. Loop-Finding-Jazz Records is just one of those records. What could have come off as just another “clicks n’ cuts” generic nonsense comes off sounding so positively lush. 

Even with zero previous experience to the whole “clicks n’ cuts”, glitch movement, this is instantly enjoyable. Mixing jazz records with more modern mixing techniques, he creates a warm atmosphere. At no point are you subjected to any loudness, each sound has been edited to perfectly blend in with the environment.  I’m a bit of a sucker for this kind of sound, but it is also very rare for an electronic musician to incorporate multiple music-making aspects. Generally speaking, the kind of promotion he does of both the old and new, in the very ultra-high tech glitch field was treason when this came out in 2001. Back then, that wasn’t so much a thing, and even now, it rarely is done with the class or style that Jan uses here. 

Along with SND, Jan Jelinek made one of those few glitch albums that get better each time I hear it. Obviously the introduction tracks works well, sounding like some Red Norvo track completely blurred into near oblivion. “They, Them” is probably my favorite on here. Building up on the suspense it lets loose and creates probably one of the smoothest moments in German techno (and that’s really saying something). Looking for a favorite on here is pretty hopeless; they all have a certain quiet groove that bridges the gap between dance and lounge. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to see him live once, at Tonic (still my favorite now-closed music venue). Wearing a black and white striped shirt, he looked like a nihilistic Charlie Brown. His dance movements as he hovered over his equipment could only be described as “heavily autistic” and how he handled his liquor was terrible. A very attractive blonde woman had to finally escort him to a waiting Taxi, since he appeared too incoherent to figure out how to walk down a straight hall. Nonetheless, he put on a great show, considering the lackluster nature of live electronic acts. 

Please find this however you can. I highly recommend such a well thought out album, completely perfect and so smooth.

Will “Steelywave” wash over us in 2011?

Lo-fi didn’t always rule over us with a rusty iron grip. Back in the early 2000s, there was a movement towards excessive high fidelity, up to the point of almost sheer absurdity. Part of that had to do with IDM’s fascination of perfect sound, the beginning of MP3 sharing of “bedroom musicians” and the glitch movement. Bedroom musicians used to spend inordinate periods of time on their music, making sure it sounded sure of itself and fully polished. Radio still maintained a greater importance, and you could find alternative kinds of music from major stations (though it did happen mostly at night). Glitch, although supposedly focused on digital error, ended up having some very pristine, highly processed sound.

            Now that so many bands sound like “they recorded inside a bum’s ass” there’s bound to be some sort of indie rejection of what has become a norm for so many bands. Certain bands have already caught onto this, cleaning up sound that had previously been messier, like Neon Indian on that one new song, Ariel Pink on his newest album, or Nite Jewel on her new EP. Eventually these outliers will become the trendsetters, if it already hasn’t happened.

            Part of this lo-fi came from nostalgia for the “unremembered 80s” but what about the “yet to be mined for material” late 70s? And now, I’m not talking about No Wave and Punk. Punk died. No Wave may be explored, but so far precious few bands have tackled the difficult style. I’m talking about light jazz-rock fusion, you know, Steely Dan. Steely Dan, that YUPPIE band which played the YUPPIEST of music to investment bankers and other assorted rich New Yorkers, is poised to make a giant comeback.

            In terms of comeback, I don’t mean their ghoulish faces haunting your children’s nightmares, though they are legendary for being hideous people. Instead, they might decide that now, with interest in disco coming back, light jazz-rock fusion might be next.

            How do they take advantage of this? Well, they can use their extremely obnoxious sense of humor, like they did once they sent a letter to Owen Wilson about his role in “You, Me, and Dupree”. Perhaps sending a letter to Pitchfork about how hard they suck it and with rewrites of their album reviews, to make those albums look thrilling. Basically, the heavy irony they already incorporate in their day to day lives (from being assholes) will help to build a following among young people everywhere.

            Marketing will be important, so they might want to do something to be funny and get it somewhere besides their embarrassingly bad website, which looks like it was designed by your grandfather. I’d suggest crashing a party, or acting like the creepy weirdos you describe in so many of your songs. Or just write parodies of your old songs:

“Driving like a tool out to Hackensack

Snorting coke off of a hooker’s crack”

-Daddy Don’t Live in that New York City No More

            Failing this, there’s an easier way: re-edits. They’ve already been done with equally cheesy music (disco) and you don’t have to write any new songs. Get Todd Terje to come on in, and re-edit all your songs. He can even edit out those things you hate in music, like passion, emotion, and raw talent. Instead, all that will be left is your unhip sound, made hip using technology. Think of it as a facelift for music. I’m sure your old-school fans are more than familiar with the procedure.