Sunday 24 December 2017

MuhMur Radio Broadcast 21 December 2017.



The seasonal MuhMur Radio Broadcast, kicking off with Kadaver and a track from their 2003 tape "Stille Nacht - 24 Christmas Songs from Kadaver" on Krimljud. Kadaver were Kristian Olsson (Alfarmania) and David Bremer (Chemical Co-Operation).
Out in the early days of 2018 is the second album by Circuit Breaker. Thanks to the nice chaps at Harbinger Sound I have an advanced copy. Three tracks being played here. It's a great listen, a few instant classics with slow burners. The LP is called "Hands Return To Shake" and available from the Harbinger Sound website in January. www.harbingersound.bigcartel.com


The Sons Of God track is from the 2017 Flexi-Disc "The Sons Of God Hear Voices" on Phantom Archives. For this record The Sons Of God were Kent Tankred, Leif Elggren and Michael Esposito. The track is an EVP recording taken at Drottningholms Slottsteater.
In the past few weeks I have been listening to Metgumbnerbone's "Ligeliahorn" album. I was fortunate to be given an unplayed copy. News then came through that Metgumbnerbone are planning to release a double CD of their back catalogue in the new year. Originally released on A-Mission Records, the label operated by Flowmotion magazine mainman Gordon A. Hope. Gordon was also behind the Cosey Fanni Tutti "Time To Tell" album which originally appeared as a C60 cassette on Flowmotion in 1983. The label was an extension to the magazine and co-operated with Ian Dobson.
This year Cosey reissued the album on the Conspiracy International label.


So, the sad news came through that Z'ev left this world on 16 December. Details are unimportant, just the body of work and wisdom Z'ev has left behind. I remember first hearing the single "Wipe Out" at Tim Bayes' house and it blowing my mind - he also told stories about seeing Z'ev live supporting Bauhaus and it sounding like a world / sound that I wanted to get involved in. I was fortunate enough to meet and 'support' Z'ev live in 2011. One of the most interesting releases in his cannon is "The Abject" a collaboration with Michael Esposito. Z'ev treating EVP recordings made by Michael at John Duncan's childhood house in Chicago.
"Untitled" is taken from the compilation album "Berlin Bruit" and "Where Were You" is from the compilation album "Project One".


The broadcast ends with a seasonal piece from Der Bekannte Post-Industrialle Trompeter. "Stille Nacht" is from a split single with Feine Trinkers Bei Pinkels Daheim.

Playlist:
01: Kadaver : "Sleigh Ride To Hell" (Krimljud) 2003.
02: Genesis P-Orridge & Column One : "Vis Spei #2" (Cut-Up-Construction Records) 1993.
03: Circuit Breaker : "Soft-Talk" (Harbinger Sound) 2018.
04: Circuit Breaker : "Hands Return" (Harbinger Sound) 2018.
05: Coil : "Restless Day" (Yangki) 1985.
06: Current 93 : "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam" (Yangki) 1985.
07: Yannick Dauby & Hitoshi Kojo : "La Vie Dans Les Eaux" (Substantia Innominimata) 2017.
08: The Sons Of God : "The Sons Of God Hear Voices" (Phantom Archives) 2017.
09: Circuit Breaker : "Alert" (Harbinger Sound) 2018.
10: Z'ev : "Wipe Out" (Fetish Records) 1983.
11: Metgumbnerbone : "Ligeliahorn (Part Two)" (A-Mission Records) 1983.
12: Cosey Fanni Tutti : "Time To Tell" (Conspiracy International) 2017.
13: Z'ev + Michael Esposito : "The Abject" (Fragment Factory) 2011.
14: Z'ev : "Untitled" (Ironflame) 2008.
15: Z'ev : "Where Were You" (The Product Korps) 1987.
16: D.B.P.I.T. : "Stille Nacht" (White Rabbit Records) 2005.

Please take a listen here : (Copy & Paste) :
https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-soundart-radio-2112-2017/

MuhMur Radio will return in January 2018 after a post prandial four or five hour special on Sunday January 7.

Saturday 23 December 2017

Thomas LaRoche



This cassette arrived through the mail the other week. A new cassette from Thomas LaRoche on his own Research Laboratories label. Research Laboratories release small edition cassettes packaged with art and care. The last Thomas LaRoche release (I was aware of) was the "Mauvaise For", a cassette that was cut into an antique bible. 2015 saw the lathe-cut anti record by Thee Thomas LaRoche & His Confounded Instinct Of Mediocrity Orchestra. Completely unplayable - unless I want to ruin my stylus!
"Repeat Prescription MKII" is about 4 minutes in length, and simply packaged in a standard jewel case - I am certain there will be an "art" edition. The piece itself may or may not be called "Kodeine Pop". A slow driven electronic pulsating rhythm is present throughout. The piece is built of a slurred and slowly spoken poem. A repeat of four lines that slowly become more audible but still make non sense, playing like some Nietscheian, Jungist psycho(therapy)babble. It becomes more disturbing and compulsive the more it plays.
"The Self Assertion"
"The Will To Power"
".....Compensation For Weakness"
It's all I can make out after repeated listening.

One of the finest cassettes I have heard all year. Try contacting Thomas at :
www.ResearchLaboratories.tumblr.com or ResearchLaboratories@hotmail.co.uk
You will need to hear this.


 We share a commonality. We have both played percussion live for Vagina Dentata Organ. Both at Bristol Arnolfini & London Tate Modern. Thomas has also worked with The New Blockaders, Mama Bär & Kommissar Hjuler. 


                                           

                                                                 

Monday 11 December 2017

MuhMur Radio Broadcast 7 December 2017.


The annual MuhMur Radio birthday broadcast, breaking with tradition this year though as too many exciting new releases came through the door of MuhMur HQ through November and the past week. The birthday broadcast is usually me playing old new wave singles and 'Industrial Music' from the 1970's ... maybe next year.
The broadcast starts with a track from the latest release by Raison D'Etre & Troum. The CD "XIBIPIIO. In And Out Of Experience" is the second collaborative release between these two masters of sound consciousness and drones. On this piece Raison D'Etre provide the source and Troum process the sounds. Saint Abdullah and Anunnaki Signal both appear on the compilation album "Visions Of Darkness (In Iranian Contemporary Music)" released earlier this year by Cold Spring Records.

                                                       Tim Holehouse (Live In Bristol ).

A couple of tapes from Bulgarian label Amek arrived at MuhMur HQ earlier this month. They can both be considered cassingles. Two tracks per tape, about twelve minutes per side. Leaver and Tim Holehouse release is called "Before The Fire". Tim has toured with MyTrip (project of Amek mainman Angel Simitchiev) a few times over the past few years and this release is a product of that. Leaver is the more guitar / acoustic driven project of Angel. Back in October MuhMur radio broadcast the demo version of "Circle Of Loss", now we play the official release mastered by Ivan Shopov. The excellently titled "She Didn't Drown, She Loved The Sea" is the accompanying track on the cassette. "Circle Of Loss" is available here : https://mytrip.bandcamp.com/merch
Out of the blue and by complete surprise is how I describe the new 12"EP from Robert Rental + Glenn Wallis. I switched on my computer one morning and looked at the Discogs page and there it was ... recordings I didn't even know where on the horizon. Pretty much how it was a couple of years back with Rema Rema and their "International Scale" 7" single. Five tracks of improvised synthesisers and guitars from bedroom recordings made in Battersea in the late 1970's. 

Beequeen "Sturmwind" is a lovely slice of Dutch Pop. It does have a touch of AC Marias AC about the vocals and guitar parts, perhaps why the B Side is called "Gilbert"?
Nam-Khar and Markian Volkov both feature on the latest volume of the Drone / Mind / Mind / Drone series of albums released by Drone Records. I do miss the Drone Records 7" series and wish these albums were a series of singles, but ... still essential, and (once again) Stefan at Drone Records introducing new names / projects to discover.
Sevan_Oh is the project of ex-Muhviertel member Sean Rorke. Sean kindly mailed a couple of CDRs, I am uncertain if they are available to buy, try the Sevan_Oh Facebook page. The sounds range from techno driven electro beats to subtle dadaist tape manipulations. "On Television" is culled from "One Opens The Door". Sean is still part of Stray2 with another ex-Muhviertel member Andy Wright.

                                                              "One Opens The Door"

The tracks from Nocturnal Emissions and Genocide Organ are from recent 'compilation' releases. "Klan Kountry" featuring on the new triple album box set by Genocide Organ. "Civilization" does have new live recordings on it but is mainly a collection of singles, appearances on compilation projects and the "Save Our Slaves" LP. The Dieter Müh track was recorded live in Augsburg supporting Genocide Organ. (It all ties in)...
There's also a good reason why I should never be let near a microphone after a few cans of Stella hidden within the broadcast ... well it was nearing my birthday....but I have learnt (from now on) to keep my mouth shut (if I have had too much to drink!).
Please take a listen here : (Copy & Paste).
 https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-soundart-radio-broadcast-07122017/

Playlist:
01: Raison D'Etre & Troum : "In Der Wellen, Ein Sehnen" (Transgredient Records) 2017.
02: Saint Abdullah : "Unforgotten Promises" (Cold Spring Records) 2017.
03: Annunaki Signal : "Father" (Cold Spring Records) 2017.
04: Leaver + Tim Holehouse : "Picture Postcards" (Amek) 2017.
05: Robert Rental & Glenn Wallis : "Untitled" (Dark Entries) 2017.
06: Robert Rental : "ACC" (Regular Records) 1978.
07: Robert Rental : "On Location" (Mute Records) 1980.
08: Beequeen : "Sturmwind" (Tonefloat) 2016.
09: Nam-Khar : "Hinoss" (Drone Records) 2017.
10: Markian Volkov : "Battle Ritual" (Drone Records) 2017.
11: Nocturnal Emissions : "Vegetation Flesh" (Mannequin) 2017.
12: Beequeen : "Gilbert" (Tonefloat) 2016.
13: MyTrip : "Circle Of Loss" (Amek) 2017.
14: MyTrip : "She Didn't Drown, She Loved The Sea" (Amek) 2017.
15: Sevan_Oh : "On Television" (Not On Label) 2017.
16: Contrastate : "An End Marked By Pessimism" (Tesco Organisation) 1992.
17: Genocide Organ : "Klan Kountry" (Tesco Organisation) 2017.
18: Dieter Müh : "Sutreworde" (Haemoccult Recordings) 2008.

Next broadcast is on December 21 and will include tracks from the upcoming album by Circuit Breaker as well as a couple of Xmas tunes. 20:00 gmt via the SoundArt Radio website or on your radio  - 102.5 FM in the Devonshire countryside around Totnes.
A 4 - 5 hour Festive Feast is also in the pipeline for the first week of Jan ... announcements will be made soon.

Chris Cross

                                                         Billy, Robin, John, Chris & Warren. I have said it before and I'll say it a...