MNortham - Molt And Anecdote (S'Agita Recordings, 2003)

1 Molt (14:37)
2 And (14:24)
3 Anecdote (20:25)

Whilst 'A Great And Riverless Ocean' was composed in Portland, Oregon in the summer of 2002, the CDR 'Molt And Anecdote' was made in the same period in Port Townsend, Washington. It has three tracks 'Molt', 'And' and 'Anecdote', so they are probably linked together. 'Molt' sounded much to my suprise like computer processed sounds, branches or leaves being fed through some effects. A bit like the more recent works of John Hudak. The second track 'And' is again
unlike MNortham, it has the usual drone stuff, but it sort of ends a bit rhythmical and errmm musical. 'Anecdote' finally, the longest of the three, features again, the usual Mnortham processed environmental sounds, but are, again a new feature, presented here in a more
collage way, with abrupt fades and changes. Three times new, or rather, kinda new Mnortham elements, makes this into a remarkable disc.
Vital Weekly

sold out visit MNortham

try

Loren Chasse - Fantasy Apparition (S'Agita Recordings, 2002)

1 Fantasy Apparition - Part 1
2 Fantasy Apparition - Part 2
3 Fantasy Apparition - Part 3
4 Fantasy Apparition - Part 4
5 Fantasy Apparition - Part 5
6 Fantasy Apparition - Part 6

During the past couple of years, San Francisco's Loren Chasse has split his time equally between textural minimalism, as found on his exceptional solo album "Exfolia Motors", and organic improvisations, as heard in Thuja as well as several other bands on the Jewelled Antler label. Yet, Chasse has released a couple of limited CD-Rs that bridge the two at times conflicting headspaces. "Fantasy Apparition" is one of those cross-pollenizing albums from Chasse, showcasing a good deal of sustained harmonium built into half melodies amongst Chasse's signature environmental abstractions, where low creaking drones emerge from blustery loops of slowed down cricket choruses and the hiss of burning wood. As always, Chasse contextualizes these field recordings and contact microphone striations with an amazing sense of mystery.
Aquarius Records

sold out visit Loren Chasse

try

Entrelacs - Underleaf (S'Agita Recordings, 2003)

1 Underleaf (48:47)

Entrelacs is the ongoing collaboration between Yannick Dauby and Micheal Northam, which they presented in various live concerts. I am not sure if this is a live or studio recording, but it uses the sounds of 'a walk along a fallen tree, corbet, oregon' and 'a
conversation with found objects, paris, france'. One can see the MNortham influences in this one - spacious processings of the outdoor sounds, but the small tinkling on the found objects work really nice along side this. The crackling seems to be appearing on all possible
levels and makes this is quite a complex work. Complex because of all the sounds happening, but it works out as a nice sort of ambient work. Maybe clocking in at almost 49 minutes is a bit on the long side, but nevertheless it is a nice one.
Vital Weekly

sold out

try

Andrea Belfi & Ciro Fioratti - Fata Morgana (S'Agita Recordings, 2003)

1 La Creazione (13:39)
2 Il Paradiso (9:03)
3 L'Età Dell'Oro (9:46)

Trois pièces basées sur le film de Werner Herzog, brillants collages de field recordings et d'électronique improvisée...

I haven't seen 'Fata Morgana' by Werner Herzog, so I am not sure how the music by Belfi and Fioratti relates to the film. Andrea Belfi runs the Chocolate Guns CDR label and Ciro Fioratti runs the Soleilnoir label. On this release we have solo pieces by each and in the middle a collaborative track by the two. All three tracks are excellent excursions into the world of microsound. Shortwave sounds, field recordings and some very strong sound processing. Building up in tension all the time, with great counterpoints. Surely one of the best releases on S'Agita so far.
Vital Weekly

sold out

try