| July 2008 news
July 31, 2008
ARTFUL SCIENCE
• tube'|133 - Neubau - Definitions of Nowhere
«There is absolutely no doubt that music is an art form, sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse. But can it also be a scientific project, something closely related to the mathematical ability? Stockhausen - among other musique concréte and contemporary thinkers like Koenig and Beyer - thought so. Austrian Arno Steinacher in his own way, also pursues this ideal. This is taken from his own website: «(...) The focus of my actual works is the implementation of scientific models and ideas into music. not just to translate them: hopefully to dance them through sounds, to let them shine through.» Not an easy feat, Arno.
Recently I found a review of Arno's latest work - signed under Neubau, as this new one we are presenting - in one of my favorite music blogs, Cyclic Defrost. Writer Adrian Elmer writes at some point: «(...) To my ears, what Steinacher achieves is a grand update of the serialist traditions of the mid-20th century. Those ideas came to their climax as Elektronische Musik in Cologne in the 1950s, where purely electronic sounds and sequencing were used to ‘play’ serialist music which was so complex, yet rigid, as to render it impossible for human instrumentalists to create. (...) Steinacher seems to have applied similar serialist restrictions, but with infinitely more interesting timbral variety.»
This is what we're really talking about here: taking those pure, abstract sound forms into something human related, something able to speak to our hearts and minds and make us dream and ultimately, travel away from our physical body. This is the power of music, even if it is science-based music.
'Definitions of Nowhere' is a complex album made from a number of highly texturized drones and percussive sounds. It has the power to make you lose your way, as sometimes you believe to have advanced a couple of tracks but you're actually at the same one. It has the power to make you travel and dream, and also has the power to make your mind tingle. This is usually the result of exceptionally made electronic music. Discover and enjoy.»
- Pedro Leitão
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July 27, 2008
MAMMALS WITH WINGS
• tube'|132 - Morgan Jenks - Sound to Activate Space EP
«Throughout the existence of the humankind, the understanding of space - its frontiers and dimensions - has changed a number of times. In "Sound to Activate Space", Morgan Jenks helps us experience another change that expands the boundaries of visible space.
From the beginning, Jenks' unobtrusive electronics add a resonance and atmosphere that can take you to places of inexplicable calmness. There is a reflective melody held at a remote distance in "Gemini" that succeeds in activating spaces inside your memory banks. "An anthem for the bats and their prey" speaks for itself. An atmospheric anthem that will keep you silent until the moment where a group of blind flying mammals echolocate their victim. I assure you that if you close your eyes, you will have a very graphic experience of this encounter. Furry bodies frantically flapping wings and screeching voices that transform into electronic signals.»
- Sebastian Alvarez
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July 16, 2008
CELESTIAL REFLECTIONS
• tube'|131 - Edoardo Romani Capello - Chrysopraze Spheres
«By reflecting light, 'Chrysopraze Spheres' brings celestial phenomena into the most dark corners of your surroundings. Each song is composed of fine crystals that change color constantly. 'Breathing Sea' elevates you like one of this particles to a 'Shining Blue' sky with 'Cold Clouds'. The enormous 'Shadows' of a 'Lost' 'Damp Cave' resonate from the bottom of the earth asking you to return. As a crystal, you float between the sky and the surface of the earth without belonging to any specific territory.
Most of 'Chrysopraze Spheres' is like experiencing a soothing, dream-filled slumber while awake, and even if some of the pieces have obscure or menacing qualities, the instants of unease are ephemerous, like a passing nightmare whose feeling lingers briefly upon waking but whose content is forgotten.»
- Sebastian Alvarez
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July 10, 2008
MAY-JUNE TOP DOWNLOADS
Back again with more download stats. Let's review the MAY-JUNE period, then:
MAY 4XT
#01 - tube123 - d'incise - Les Restes du Festin [1822 downloads]
#02 - tube078 - Quest.Room.Project - Fiducial Banality [631 downloads]
#03 - tube099 - Entia Non - Distal [453 downloads]
#04 - tube122 - Entia Non - Lilt [444 downloads]
#05 - tube120 - Gordon Tebo - Patina Turner [338 downloads]
#06 - tube125 - Uncle bart comes to have breakfast - Some... [299 downloads]
#07 - tube096 - Long Desert Cowboy - Western Spaghetti [293 downloads]
#08 - tube121 - Mother - Self Deprivation [289 downloads]
#09 - tube110 - Shelter - Sleepyhead falls off the edge of... [284 downloads]
#10 - tube124 - OCP - Stepping Stone [282 downloads]
d'incise going strong with his amazing album. Almost triple the downloads of the second most downloaded release, surprisingly, an old one, 'Room Number: Fiducial Banality'.
#03 and #04 belong to Australia's Entia Non - two of my favorite releases from the last months. A couple of older release and more recent ones complete the top ten. It's also nice to see Western Spaghetti again...
JUNE 4XT
#01 - tube113 - TrianguliZona - Flossy [726 downloads]
#02 - tube123 - d'incise - Les Restes du Festin [716 downloads]
#03 - tubemm001 - David Vélez - 20:51 [494 downloads]
#04 - tube128 - Dan Schreck - Grow in the Dark Watch [302 downloads]
#05 - tube126 - 900piesek - Lonesome Abyss [297 downloads]
#06 - tube124 - OCP - Stepping Stone [260 downloads]
#07 - tube120 - Gordon Tebo - Patina Turner [185 downloads]
#08 - tube127 - Jin Men Ju - 01122008 [181 downloads]
#09 - tube122 - Entia Non - Lilt [162 downloads]
#10 - tube089 - Clorofila Azul - Revisitado (sem voz) [101 downloads]
More interesting facts here; an older release gets the top #01. Actually, it's not that old... anyway... another amazing album, from Croatian jazz ensemble TrianguliZona. Completely deserved as a lot of people downloaded the album. d'incise is still close to the top with more than 700 downloads, and in #03 comes another surprise (or maybe not) with our first mixed media release from David Vélez, '20:51', getting almost 500 clicks. It's good to see that David still has a lot of fans and they didn't forget how great his music is. Go David! :D
The remaining top is pretty much normal with the most recent releases getting more downloads, except the #10 where we had another older, from Clorofila Azul. Nice.
Keep clicking, people. More awesome music coming up next!
Peace,
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July 07, 2008
DANCING IN SMALL DOSES
• tube'|130 - Ad.R - Short Dance Songs EP
«Polish kid Adrian Kowalczewski (cover photo, black suit) aka Ad.R sent us a nifty little EP a while ago called 'Short Dance Songs'. It took some time to get everything ready for the release but, alas, here it is!
This EP is a nice little surprise, as it covers a lot of electronica's ground in just over 23 minutes. Inside, you will find nicely crafted old school IDM, some breakbeat, some 8bit stuff, some experimental IDM and a little whim of Glitch. Although most people that were big fans of electronica back in the days won't stand IDM in regular doses anymore - so many good stuff to listen to, so little time... - this small dose of really good IDM will take them in a small trip into nostalgialand.
'Out Moon (Of)' sounds like it got taken right off M3rck's or Neo Ouija's catalogue. 'Short Movie Song' and 'Short Vocal Song (parts 1 + 2) would fit perfectly into some of the late 90's Squarepusher records. A really great listen for old school electronica fans.»
- Pedro Leitão
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