Boris Kovac - East Off Europe - Closing The Circle (1998) Modern Creative/Avant-Garde (320 kbps)

Пожалуй, лучший из ранних дисков Ковача - и одновременно один из самых мрачных, тяжелых и авангардных дисков. Душевный надлом не замаскирован тут, как на других известных мне вещах Ковача лиричностью и фольклорностью - сплошная рваная рана. Фантастическая вещь - и по настроению, и по музыке.

Что пишут

Boris Kovac's second album for the Canadian label Disques Victo, East Off Europe: Closing the Circle ranks among the best musical achievements of his career. This cycle is clearly related to his previous album Anamnesis: Ecumenical Mysteries. One finds a similar instrumentation (violin, clarinet, saxophone, double bass, piano, voice), the same chamber music meets tradition meets modernity approach. But this time Kovac took the recipe to a new level of emotional power. Split into three parts, "Visible Side," "Invisible Side," and "Finale," this cycle gains strength through the use of a leitmotiv, a simple but very dramatic melodic and rhythmical motif. It has the effect of a calling bell: each time it appears the listener's attention is refocused. The contrasts between quiet and powerful, pastoral and dark are enhanced by a wonderful comprehension of dynamics -- you can do a lot with only a bass drum for percussion. The soprano Jaroslava Benka Vlcek gets a smaller role on this album, but it gives more impact to her presence in the second movement of "Invisible Side" and in the "Finale." Once again, comparisons would have to be drawn with the chamber music of Ligeti and the dark side of Rock in Opposition (Univers Zero, Art Zoyd). Moreover it is crucial to understand that Kovac's music does not belong to classical music, rock music, or even instrumental music, nor does it fit into a particular time period. Beautifully timeless and moving, East Off Europe: Closing the Circle can be a revelation to any open-minded music lover.

François Couture, All Music Guide

О диске

Track listing:

1. Visible Side (Kovac) 2:48
2. Visible Side (Kovac) 8:44
3. Visible Side (Kovac) 7:02
4. Invisible Side (Kovac) 5:56
5. Invisible Side (Kovac) 25:24
6. Finale (Kovac) 4:38

Musicians:

Boris Kovac - Drums (Bass), Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Mixing, Grosse Caisse, Producer, Main Performer
Nenad Vrbaski - Violin
Ivica Marusevic - Double Bass, Contrabass
Sasa Svijic - Piano
Jaroslava Benka Vlcek - Soprano
Bogdan Rankovic - Clarinet, Clarinet (Bass)

Links in comments. Enjoy!

Henry Cow - Unrest (1974) Avant-Prog/RIO (320 kbps)

Второй диск легендарной английской группы - весьма непростой и авангардный, но очень интересный. Несомненная классика жанра. Переиздание 1991 года с двумя бонус-треками (на более позднем переиздании Rer эти бонус-треки убрали).

Что пишут

Второй альбом легендарной кентерберийской группы, основателей нового, доселе невиданного и неслыханного стиля в музыке – “Rock In Opposition”, четко разделенный на две половины. Первая половина – камерный арт-рок кентерберийского образца, виртуозный, отточенный, естественно, с сильным влиянием джаза, только более суровый и печальный, а вот вторая, – коллективные импровизации группы, диссонантные, жестокие, порой навевающие жуть и ощущение “неба с овчинку”, но, как ни парадоксально, близкие скорее не фри-джазу, а иным произведениям Альфреда Шнитке (!), – то бишь не ждите от группы четкой мелодики и структурированности, - вместо этого получите абсолютно немелодичный, абсолютно неритмичный, и абсолютно шикарный музыкальный кошмар! “Unrest” – это ведь беспорядок, вот поэтому на половине альбома и царит зверская музыкальная анархия, надо сказать, довольно завораживающая и сражающая наповал своим психоделическим зарядом. Вот только за этой психоделичностью нет никаких наркотиков – музыка сделана с горячим сердцем, но с холодной головой. Хотя, конечно же, альбом довольно тяжел для восприятия, и, чтобы такая музыка понравилась сразу, нужна некоторая подготовка. Однако, если вы любите диссонанс, угловатые ритмы и мелодику, вам нравится большинство альбомов King Crimson, - то имеет смысл рискнуть! Бонус-треки – это не очень хорошо записанные фрагменты студийных джем-сейшенов группы, предшествовавших записи альбома, конечно, они еще более дикие, лохматые, непричесанные, чем сам альбом. Настоящий музыкальный погром и разбой! О игре музыкантов, я думаю, распространяться не нужно – Henry Cow, как всегда, играют превосходно.

Илья Прутов

О диске

Track listing:

1. Bitter Storm over Ulm (2:44)
2. Half asleep; Half awake (7:39)
3. Ruins (12:00)
4. Solemn Music (1:09)
5. Linguaphonie (5:58)
6. Upon entering the Hotel Adlon (2:56)
7. Arcades (1:50)
8. Deluge (5:52)
9. The Glove (6:31)
10. Torchfire (4:51)

Musicians:

- John Greaves / bass, piano, vocals
- Chris Cutler / piano, trumpet, drums, vocals
- Lindsay Cooper / bassoon, oboe, recorder, vocals
- George Born / bass
- Fred Frith / guitar, piano, violin, keyboards, xylophone
- Charles Fletcher / vocals
- Tim Hodgkinson / organ, clarinet, piano, keyboards, saxophones, vocals

Links in comments. Enjoy!

Boris Kovac - Anamnesis: Ecumenical mysteries (1996) Modern Creative/Avant-Garde (320 kbps)

Замечательный диск сербского композитора Бориса Ковача, записанный вместе с его авангардным проектом Ritual Nova.

Что пишут

Anamnesis: Ecumenical Mysteries was Yugoslavian saxophonist/composer Boris Kovac's first release out of Europe (on the Canadian label Disques Victo). It was also his first work recorded in Yugoslavia following the war that forced him to an Italian exile for a few years. Back in his native town Novi Sad, he reformed his Ritual Nova Ensemble (disbanded by the war) and composed this suite in four parts and three intermezzos. The music does not have the same power of impact and emotional strength as his next album (East-Off Europe: Closing the Circle). Here, Kovac remained more meditative, as to accommodate the spiritual plot underpinning the work (an attempt at the synthesis of Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Islam, the three major religions of his country). The all-acoustic group (voice, reeds, violin, cello, piano, percussion) was recorded in a church, adding to the solemnity of the music. The atmosphere lies somewhere between modern chamber music (Ligeti) and the early albums of Art Zoyd and Univers Zero, mostly because of the sparse and martial use of percussion, and recourse to wide volume dynamics. Traditional dances are woven into the musical fabric (especially in "The Singing") and the warm voice of soprano Jaroslava Benka breathes a majestic soul into the work. Very beautiful and recommended, although Kovac's next album is more moving.

François Couture, All Music Guide

О диске

Track listing:

1. Voice (10:40)
2. Violin interlude
The Travel
Alto saxophone interlude (16:49)
3. White Cities (12:29)
4. Cello interlude
The Singing (8:52)

Musicians:

Jaroslava Benka: soprano
Mihal Budinski: violon
Nebojsa Pandurovic: cello
Srdjan Dalagija: piano
Ljubomir Zivkovic: percussion
Boris Kovac: various instruments and composition

Links in comments. Enjoy!

Guapo - Five Suns (2004) Avant-Prog/Zeuhl (320 kbps)

Грязное звучание с явным влиянием хардкора и нойза, пульсирующий и сбивающий с ног ритм, чрезвычайная мрачность, тяжесть и общая сложность...
Крайне рекомендуемая вещь для тех, кому нравится творчество NeBeLNeST, The Mars Volta или Anekdoten - а также, вероятно, для тех, кому нравится Univers Zero. Ну или Magma, Ruins. Или пост-рок. А также всем остальным, кто уже запутался в сравнениях - группа уникальная и вряд ли тут можно услышать явную похожесть на кого-либо из перечисленных.

Что пишут

Five Suns? Yeah right. Perhaps if yours truly found himself at home in the unwelcoming realms of Charon, feasted upon the blood of his enemies, and had the unfortunate curse of having a bad trip about every, oh, two minutes, Guapo's latest outing could be considered a quintuple arrangement of life-giving stars. The way it stands, however, the only five suns the listener will get from this harrowing tour-de-force will be those above an apocalyptic sky teeming with toxic fumes and a temperature worthy of Hades himself. Don't forget to mix in a good amount of neurosis, paranoia, claustrophobia, and martial steadfastness. Yeah, I know; it sounds pretty cool. It is.

Apparently someone somewhere once said that Guapo resembles Lark's Tongues in Aspic's King Crimson, which is pretty much like comparing Weezer to Slayer, golf to rugby, or picturesque streams to incoming asteroid storms. Forget the Crimson reference and remember that rock critics tend to categorize every single progressive band on the planet as a bastard child of Yes, Pink Floyd, Rush, or the aforementioned Crimson. Hell, if it were up to the hip staff of Rolling Stone, Guapo would most likely be the spawn of all four of them. Then it would storm the infamous mag's offices, drive everyone mad with a dead-on attack of massive proportions, and spit it all out; all in one fell swoop. No, ladies and gentlemen. Guapo is not a King Crimson. Guapo doesn't want to be a King Crimson. Guapo doesn't need to be a King Crimson. And with the incessant onslaught of Dave Smith's drums and the maddening drive provided by cohorts Daniel O'Sullivan and Matt Thompson, it's clear why: these guys don't intend to share the world with anyone anytime soon.

And they won't have to, unless the boys in Magma (well, they actually aren't quite boys anymore) decide to duke it out with them in a death duel, which not only would be a marvel to look at, but would also make even California's current governor cower with fear. Steering back to the matter at hand, however, the reason why the members of this British trio could aspire to dominate such a considerable piece of land is the fact that the intensity they conjure is simply bewildering. Although the multi-movement "Five Suns"does steam off towards the end and leaves an ever-so-slight trail of disappointment behind, the core of the piece is so obliterating, so perversely sinister, and so unforgiving that the listener can't help but feel a bit of delicious psychosis sinking in and consuming whatever traces of normality struggle to remain. Noisy drones here, pseudo-jazzy licks of concentrated darkness there, unstoppable walls of crushing marches further along the path, and a constant sense of alluring trance are all weapons of choice in Guapo's arsenal. You might as well know what the band is going to hit you with, because you should remember the following: Guapo cannot be stopped.

And truth be told, you probably wouldn't want the British outfit to do so either. If the hypnotizing soundscapes of "Five Suns" don't produce the effect, there are still "Mictlan" and "Topan" to ineluctably involve the listener in a world of precisely placed dynamics, intelligent structuring, and sheer power. If that doesn't suffice, then you must be a resident of the netherworld itself. Either that or you forgot to push "Play" on your stereo. For the rest of us mere mortals who are aware of the trappings of modern sound-reproducing devices, however, one thing stands crystal clear: Five Suns is coming and embedding itself into our consciousness, whether we like it or not.

Marcelo Silveyra, September 2004

О диске

Track listing:

1. Five Suns - Part 1 (4:31)
2. Five Suns - Part 2 (10:19)
3. Five Suns - Part 3 (10:30)
4. Five Suns - Part 4 (12:57)
5. Five Suns - Part 5 (7:55)
6. [untitled] (1:00)
7. Mictlan (8:58)
8. Topan (6:37)

Total Time: 63:09

Musicians:

Daniel O'Sullivan - Fender Rhodes, organ, Mellotron, harmonium, guitar, electronics
Matt Thompson - bass, guitar, electronics
Dave Smith - drums, percussion

Links in comments. Enjoy!

Runaway Totem - Tep Zepi (L'era degli dei) (2002) Zeuhl (320 kbps)

Великолепная итальянская группа Runaway Totem ухитряется сочетать в своем творчестве почти оперный вокал и типично итальянскую воздушность с серьезной тяжестью, мрачностью и сложностью. Музыку группы обычно относят к zeuhl, но не ждите тут похожести на Magma, стиль группы совершенно уникален.

Что пишут

Many moons ago I remember having seen an advert for a concert by a certain Tep Heperi. It seemed to be a cheap local musical act, so when I saw the word Tep Zepi I thought Runaway Totem had gone mental! Luckily the kind of music on offer here is a long way removed from the (lack of) talent of Tep Heperi! Luckily it remains as complex and as interesting as their previous work for the Black Widow label. Again it gets close to modern opera but done with a very tiny budget. It’s the kind of work that should be given a chance to be performed at the world famous La Scala one day with real instruments as opposed to the samples used here. Expect a multitude of rhythm breaks and rhythm changes backed by dark sounding string sections and very low bass sounds which almost announce "hell on earth." Imagine the strings being played by a real orchestra and the vocals tackled by Pavarotti and you would most certainly get worldly recognition! It must be said however that the vocals by Cahal de Betel certainly do the trick as well, containing a decent amount of classic feel. The lower notes of the piano complement a monotonous drum pattern and screaming guitars before ending "Sacro Re."

Repetitive patterns, low piano chords, powerful drumming and sampled choir will be the spine throughout this "evil" work, which will be more like a collective work rather than a concatenation of individual ideas and solos. The trained voice once again takes over during the final statement of "I 4 Signori," which builds and builds towards the expected finale. Accompanied by an almost military drum and church organ (a real one would have done miracles here!) the composition steers towards more sombre atmospheres with plenty of drum breaks. Some parts could be ideal soundtracks to horror or disaster movies! New Trolls anyone? The scope of this entire production could be so much more powerful if real instruments could be used. Just replace all the brass parts now played on synth by real brass and you will be blown away!

Listening to a complete Runaway Totem album isn’t an easy process. It’s like you're dissecting another spin of the Carmina Burana trying to find new details along the way. Indeed a very complex and nerve wracking experience! However, in the end it becomes rewarding knowing you have just experienced something rather unique, because so few others will have had the opportunity to hear this work. And that’s where it goes wrong for Runaway Totem, because although their work is unique, they simply don’t seem to get the media attention they deserve. For sure people who are into theatre and/or film must be able to commission this band for future reference? It will be their only possibility to finally get the necessary budget in order to record their work the way it should be done!

John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, September 2003





Дискография

Trimegisto 1993 (Studio Album)
Zed 1996 (Studio Album)
Andromeda 1999 (Studio Album)
Exoterical Melange (promo cd) 1999 (Studio Album)
Tep Zeri (L'era degli dei) 2002 (Studio Album)
Pleroma 2004 (Studio Album)
4 Elementi 5 - Esameron 2007 (Studio Album)

О диске

Track listing:

1. Aurea Carmina (4:52)
2. Sacro Re (7:58)
3. Pardes (6:43)
4. Iperborea (11:39)
5. Montsalvat (6:14)
6. I 4 Signori: l'Isola Sacra (5:10)
7. I 4 Signori: I Guardiani (5:43)
8. I 4 Signori: Akâsha (6:26)

Total Time: 54:51

Musicians:

Virhur - Keyboards and Sampler
Nezah - Bass profundo
Cahal de Bêtêl - Lead Voice and Guitars
Tipheret - Drums

Special Guest:
Susanna Villanova - Voice on "I 4 Signori"

Официальная страница

Links in comments. Enjoy!