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.

Mark Fell – Manitutshu 8.7

                Mark Fell got into Acid Techno at an early age. You can hear it in some of his work. No matter how obtuse or difficult the material he puts out (and he’s well-known for putting out some challenging material) acid never seemed to be too far behind. Manitutshu is Mark Fell’s tribute to acid techno. 

                The album is the third one Mark’s released in the course of the past few months. Usually artists tend to space things out a bit more evenly. Considering the several year hiatus he took from SND and his own solo’s work previous small output, it is a bit of a maniac release schedule.

                Manitutshu is a bit maniac itself. Right from the beginning you’re treated to a hyper-active sonic landscape. The first track pings and splatters around the eardrums. All the glorious funkiness and processing you’ve associated with Mark’s previous efforts is here in full. Despite the supposed nature of the work (these were original samples for Native Instruments) they hold together quite well. It’s Native Instruments loss since they rejected these pristine sounds. 

                Actually, this may be Mark’s fastest work. Each piece blazes through its track length. For me the third track would probably be the most recognizable track. Others show a new path for Mark’s focus; particularly the fifth which evolves so startlingly fast. The ninth track even shows off a particularly aggressive approach unusual in Mark’s mellow world.

                Finally there’s the giant closer, a remix by Mat Steel. Some would consider this more “SND-like” in terms of its repetitive nature. I feel it may be more of a digital version of Zoviet France. The extremely slow and almost-industrial vibe the track gives off reminds me strongly of that seminal band.

                Overall, this may be one of my favorite things Mark has put out in some time. It is less abstract than “UL8” and more immediately graspable than “Multistability”. With Manitutshu, Mark shows us a little of where he may take his sound and SND project.

Mark Fell – Ten Types of Elsewhere 7.7

Mark Fell is a pretty accomplished interdisciplinary artist. Besides being one half of “SND” he also does live performances of both sound and vision. This particular release “Ten Types of Elsewhere” deals with his installation work. Despite the disparate nature of the works, it does have its own unifying theme.

44 tracks might seem like a lot to wade through, but really it is more like 9 tracks, since some of these come together like suites. Rhythm is important on here, though there’s none of trademark SND beats. Beats do pop up occasionally, most notably in the “Storage” and “Ideation” groupings. In fact, each one of those suites seems to have heavily influenced parts of SND’s more recent output.

A lot of the track offer glitch treatments and various scraped guitar sounds. Since so much of it feels cyclical, there’s a certain Zen feeling that is achieved, particularly in the more ambient works. L-NE definitely changed its rules around for a bit for this releases, since a lot of the sounds on here are quite loud, so mind your volume controls, as the bursts are almost at random.

Experimentation is in full force throughout the disc. Towards the end though, that experimental edge is given a soul. Using panning to full effect, the music begins a gentle playfulness, removing all previous harsher edges. “Remote Systems” begins this process, popping from right to left, left to right. 

“Commuting” ends things on a high note. This is one of Mark’s most tender tracks. A soothing ebb and flow of a track drifts along as you float with it. Listen to this one on very, very good headphones. Going on in the background of the ebbs are additional echoes of what you’re hearing. Usually such large scale acoustic experiments are purely academic, but this one feels pure, feels genuine.

I really liked this.

SND – Vandky-K Integ Paradise 7.6

SND named this after a cloned cow, for reasons I can’t possibly fathom. At no point are you reminded of farm animals at any point during the recording. Instead, you get that sweet, technically talented music they are well known for. If I had a sore spot about the EP, it is that it is that there are only 93 copies of this, already sold out. I’m not sure whether or not to blame Dust Science Recordings for this, or blame SND for releasing through their label in the first place.

Musically, this seems like a logical evolution for SND. A few true SND heads (yes, they exist) claim that SND loosens up whenever they release EPs, since there isn’t the same level of attention and pressure that comes with a full release. Often there’s a greater emphasis on emotional content than what tends to be the case with an entire album. 4,5,6 showed this off to some degree.

I mention 4,5,6 because this EP has a lot in common with that overlooked artifact. The songs on here go into deeper bass frequencies (don’t worry; they’ve kept the skeletal structure that made them famous). On the first track, which stretches out longer than anything they’ve done before, the flirtation with multiple chords is wonderful. Brief glimpses of those lower pitched sounds eventually overtake the track by the end. It is that conflict which makes the track so immersive.

The lower hits segue into the second paradise track. Here the beat becomes more prominent. Handclaps try to anchor the whole thing, but the different variations on the same pattern make it difficult to keep hold. With the final track, there’s actually the closest they’d get to a beat workout for the first half of the song. Right in the middle of the track they get into whatever they count as melody.

Obviously, with any SND album, you’ll need good headphones for this. Indeed, SND’s releases were one of the main reasons I brought such ridiculously over sized headphones in the first place. Shame about the unavailability of the songs due to the fickle nature of the label, but it is worth seeking out.

Secular Musics of South Yorkshire – Reproduction 7.0

According to Mark Fell, this is a reconstruction of the Human League’s “Reproduction”. Even the cover states as much, with instead of showing babies, it shows microscopic cells. Strangely enough, that does a pretty good job of introducing to the music held within. 

Each piece bumps and blasts around. Glitches are a given, and any sort of interaction you’ve had with SND might better prepare you for what’s in store. Beats scatter about. Melodies are hidden somewhere within the glitching electronics. 

Some of these pieces point to the direction SND would later take. “The Path of Least Resistance” and “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” hint at the more energetic approach SND would follow after their several year semi-hiatus. 

The ambient tracks surprise me the most. Usually SND and Mark Fell’s projects in general work more on an intellectual rather than emotional level. So songs like “Morale” and “Circus of Death” are shocking in how tender they are. 

Overall, it will appeal to those outside of the SND fan base, but not by much. A certain amount of knowledge about their project is needed in order to better appreciate what’s ultimately going on here.

Mark Fell – Multistability 8.5

Maybe I enjoyed SND’s little EP offering this year, but I’m really into Mark Fell’s solo stuff lately. With this, he basically gives his music the greater edge I knew it could have. Previously he did his release of “Ten Types of Elsewhere” on L-NE, and keeping in sync with that label’s aesthetic, it felt brittle. Sure, there were tender moments on it, but overall it felt a tad bit distant. 

His “Multistability” changes that. This is a work absolutely brimming with life. If you didn’t read the cover, you might think it was SND’s follow-up to their album from last year. Similarities do exist between the two of them. For one, the kinetic, almost origami-like beat structures are in place. But what is slightly different is the chords structures and synth pads used.

The real meat and potatoes of the album lie in its heart. “10-A” begins with some truly smooth sounds as the claps and beats frantically lose their mind. As the piece progresses, you realize that all the chaos he throws over that lush sound won’t faze it in the least. Perhaps this is Mark’s intention. 

While writing about his work, he stated that this was supposed to be an aural illusion. You the listener could have two dramatically different ways of interpreting the piece, either as the beat workout or as the lusher sounds going on beneath all of it. That you could see the sounds as a form of noise or acknowledge its near-accidental funkiness.

Honestly, the sounds are more reminiscent of Tender Love’s style than of their newer stuff. Those glistening sounds that seemed to shimmer around are back in full force. “1-B” even offers the heavier side of sounds that he has been neglecting of late.

I’m surprised by the approach. Since this is Mark Fell we’re talking about, this album isn’t some radical re-invention of the wheel. Rather, he continues to refine his process and move forward with his work. Raster Noton did us all a favor by releasing this and this release only confirms their subtle shift towards more emotive experimentation.

SND Week

Yeah, that looks pretty cool.

SND remain a true favorite. When other artists ‘jump the shark’ SND has stayed tried and true to its roots. If they felt that the scene they worked in had grown too overbearing, they simply dropped off the planet. In 2002 they did this and came back about six years later to basically start right back up.

This week I’ll be reviewing almost everything SND-related. Whether that is Mark Fell’s solo work or Mark Fell’s work with other musicians, they are all fair game. As I sorted through the various projects, I noticed how little information exists about what Mat Steel does in the duo. I know they specialize in minimalism, but he takes it to a new extreme. No actual side project or writing from him. Anytime there’s an interview, Mark handles it. Mat’s job might be the ‘weaker link’ of the duo.

Mat: Hey Mark, I added a single beat on that last track. You like it?

Mark: Yes, I mean, there’s about 597 different beats on there, but yours really sounded great in that particular section.

Mat: Anything else I can help with? Perhaps I might assist you with some of the programming?

Mark: While that does sound helpful, you could help me out in other ways. Remember art school? Man that was fun. How about you go downstairs and get me a beer and we’ll talk about it some more.

Mat: Sure thing!

                I’m assuming that their average recording sessions go something like this. But that’s all irrelevant who contributes the most to the music. What their music focuses on is as much what’s there as what isn’t.

                If anyone needed a light introduction into electronic minimalism, they could do worse than this. Containing the same muscle as Autechre without the ornate imagery, they incorporate influences of garage, techno, hip-hop and glitch. I don’t mean glitch in a “aw, how sweet” sense which a lot of musicians use. Rather, it is meant as an easier way to get into the chance rhythms offered up by the experimental musician Yasunao Tone (indeed, that’s what Mark Fell stated inspired his latest album ‘Multistability’).

                 SND in general appears to be in full swing after such a hiatus. Having released an album on the prestigious Raster Noton label last year, they released an EP this year. Solo work-wise, Mark has been busy. Not one, but two full lengths are expected, with the first one on Raster Noton just dropped about a week ago. Then, and hold onto your hats here, there’s another one in December on Editions Mego. Most likely that one will be the harsher, more abstract of the two, but lately Mego’s been harder to predict.

                Yes, I know how infinitely nerdy this duo is. But consider it a testament to the inner nerd that lives in us all.

SND – Atavism 9.1

SND occupy a little space in my soul. I’ve been following their music since they first came out with Makesnd Cassette. Back then, they focused on bass and the low end a bit more. Synthesizers milled around slowly in your head at a languid pace. 

Never prolific, they took their time with each and every release. Each release seemed to come closer to their perfect ideal. EPs were common in the early days, with things like “Travelog” giving a slightly more subdued flavor than their Mille Plateaux outings suggested.

Finally, what appeared to be their swan song came out. “Tenderlove” spoke to nearly everyone that year. Mixing hip-hop production values with an increased focus on melody, it put me in a trance the way that little minimal does. They know how to limit their palette without taking away from the music. Yes, these are grooves, and they appear lush, but really they are perfectly formulated.

After that, nothing came from them for about six years. Sure, there were little compilation releases, and Mark Fell had a solo album on L-NE, but otherwise little else. Oh yeah, Blir appeared on Raster Noton, and I thought that the SND project was through, and we’d only get whatever leftovers they had lying around.

But a magical thing happened in 2008.The 4,5,6 Vinyl got released by SND, and they brought out their first T-shirt. Plus, they got around to designing a website for their band, a big thing for a duo so focused on remaining anonymous.

Finally, Atavism dropped in 2009. I was happy. All those harsh edges from the Vinyl had been smoothed out. Of course, the music remained as challenging as ever. But they had changed considerably. For one, a lot of their old formulas had changed, now they were less focused on loops and more on patterns. The joy of hearing the mutations on “8:22” cannot be expressed. It is like hearing some sort of musical origami, with so much being made out of so little.

“4:29” seems to veer in and out of perception. Parts of the song appear to come into focus only to slowly move away from the listener. Those warm chords get nearly hidden during “7:09” as the track trudges forward.  And “2:13” virtually is dance music, but with a stuttering problem. 

SND doesn’t even realize how heavily they reference pop music. It is as if their music is made in some crystal clean vacuum, blissfully unaware of what goes on outside. And we’re better off for it.

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.