Silber Records/Kobi/If Thousands
1 rating since posting on Monday, October 24, 2005
Overall Rating based on 1 rating |
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Hey Kidz, To promote Kobi?s new album Dronesyndrome, we have available for download Kobi?s Dronesyndrome Medley EP on which Kobi took the original electro-acoustic sound sources & built one twenty minute ambient excursion. We have some other recent EPs by Remora & Rollerball also available for free on our download page, www.silbermedia.com/downloads We also have a few mini-sales going on where if you buy multiple items you can save some money at www.silbermedia.com/sale Below are some recent reviews of the new discs by Kobi & If Thousands. hrt Brian John Mitchell KOBI: DRONESYNDROME 1 ambient noise, subtle rhytms, guitar and feedback 2 minimal scraping, water, metal, ebow, harmony 3 subtle ethnic influences, tension, more noisy towards the end 4 a bit like Troum towards the end, gorgeoud stone / metal sounds 5 voices, undefined sounds, short track 6 guitar, rhytm, experiment, secretly very beautiful; sometimes a bit like cindytalk 7 minimale noise scape based on voices on a manipulated taperecorder 8 continues where 7 stopped. more drone, less noise, more manipulations with the tapedeck 9 ultra minimal sounds; very nice alienating closing track Conclusion: If you are into Scandinavian avant-garde and electro-acustics, this is an absolute must! That's all, no nagging, buy! ~Bauke, Gothronic Listening to Kobi's Dronesyndrome feels like the audio equivalent of attempting an archaeological dig in some blasted, godforsaken land. The group - a Norwegian sound collective led by Kai Mikalsen - has proved quite adept at creating thoroughly affecting and transporting soundscapes that transport listeners to surreal, alien, and dark territories. But whereas their previous album, 2002's Projecto was rather inconsistent and ran out of steam halfway through, Dronesyndrome remains consistently strong and foreboding throughout its entire length. Those familiar with Supersilent's obtuse jazz stylings will find much to appreciate during Dronesyndrome's early moments. "Faint Echoes Ran Round The Unseen Hall (Part 1)" recalls the spacier, more atmospheric moments on Supersilent's 6. Clattering drums and brushed cymbals attempt to provide some semblance of rhythm and structure to the roiling drones, shrieking strings, and spectral horns swirling ominously around, only to fail miserably and be blown aside like so much straw. It's an almost impenetrable piece, and yet that's the very thing that makes it so intriguing, the way that it paints a photo of some completely foreign, unexplored place, a territory full of secrets too terrible to know. Can you tell I've been watching too much "Lost"? But the disc continues, the listener makes it through somehow, and as "Interspersed With Semi-Conscious Moments" unfolds, one hears the sounds of scraping and digging growing and growing, the sounds of excavation. And yet, the percussion creeping around the song's edge hints at unseen watchers, ghosts of ancient tribes looking over their lands. Warning, perhaps, that things are about to be unearthed that should remain buried. But "Anchored To A Central Core Of Saturated Intensity" reveals that the Pandora's Box has been opened. Spiralling tendrils of sound begin filling the space around, slowly at first, but with increasing speed and volume. And worst of all, ghostly voices can be heard, playing out processions and marches, whispering of longlost ceremonies and rites. The dread begins taking shape on the aptly-titled "The Evening Was Unusually Sultry And Heavy", as heavy electronics begin playing something approaching actual music, but music full of gloom and portent nonetheless. H.P. Lovecraft would be pleased. At this point, given the almost primeval atmosphere that Kobi has conjured up with their music, it might seem odd to hear the sample of some scientist or other narration an ancient hunting ritual. And yet, the events described would fit perfectly within the territory hinted at by Kobi's dark ambience. Rather than prove distracting, the narration actually lends credence and reality to the dark times and places conjured up by Kobi's dronework. The narration takes on a life of itself, much like a waking dream, so surreal is it. Dronesyndrome is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a pleasant recording to listen to. But it is a thoroughly involving one, as Kobi's use of electro-acoustics, processed samples and synthesizers, and more traditional instrumentation, conjuring up powerful and stirring imagery within the listener's imagination. And unlike some artists, who might attempt to assuage the listener with a relaxing, reassuring denouement - perhaps a lovely, ethereal passage that serves a light at the tunnel's end - Kobi remains fiercely committed to their arcane ways, even if it means leaving the listener in a more alien and uncertain place than where they began. ~ Jason Morehead, Opus IF THOUSANDS: I HAVE NOTHING Despite their five years of existence, four albums and three EPs, I never heard of If Thousands, the duo of Christian McShane and Aaron Molina. They return, so I am told, here to the more experimental days when they first started out. They receive help from Paul Metzger of TVBC on banjo and GST&2i on horns. Together they recorded this album during a two day studio improvisation, which were mixed by Ben Durrant later on. If Thousands play drone music that takes their drones from guitars (unlike others who use synthesizers or field recordings - to make the difference a bit sharper) and the music they come up with here bears resemblance from the likes of Stars Of The Lid or Windy and Carl - the beatless form of post rock. Heavy mood music with a darker touch. Slow waving tones, with guitar pedals stuck firmly in endless modes form the backbone of many of the tracks and on top they play a sparse melody or sometimes merely a set of tones. Gentle music with a darker edge to it. Maybe not entirely uplifting, but certainly one that could settle the mood on an autumn evening. ~ Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly The first notes of the 'I have nothing' CD leave my speakers and at once iI have to think about the earlier work by the Dead Hollywood Stars. It must be one of my favorites of the last couple of years. But rather quickly the oppisite is proven by the album's makers, If thousands. It's just sounds and during the second track I ask myself why in heaven's name this isn't the second half of the first track. It would have fit perfectly. The third track thoug is very hopeful again. 'Providence' is a great guitardrone where the sustain just balances on the edge of feedback. Towards the end of the track eratic sounds come forth. What are they, voices? Loose contacts? This is the ingredient for beautiful drones. Multiple undefined layer, either triggering or entrancing the listener. I start reading their biography. "All musics evolves from the experiment. Entering the studio using instruments they had no training using". It answers a lot of my questions. 'Cymbol', the already fifth track of "the album with the short tracks", we hear Indian influences which are combined with guitar noises in a very nice minimalistic way. It's definitly (again) not bad at all, but I'm starting to get curious if the gentlemen experiment less and compose more. And exactly as I write it down my prayers are being heard; 'Walking Otis' starts. It is as if men are walking around in a studio playing and fooling around with shortwave radios and guitars. The tension structure is really gorgeous in this 5 minute 19 track; the second longest of the album. But the drone-fun stops directly after the track. They're starting to play guitar again in 'Caterwaul' but I'ld prefer to play some old Hugo Race, or the soundtrack to Wenders' 'Paris/Texas' (by Ry Cooder). Other tracks worth listening to an this album are 'Children with horns', 'Eventide' '2i.Gist' and 'Alpha'. The album isn't bad at all, but the 70/100 is based on a score of 55 for the seemingly endless experiments and a score of 85 for the few great drones / soundscapes which are on this album. Because they are most definitly worth it. ~ Bauke, Gothtronic If Thousands music perfectly captures the bleak winter wasteland that is the upper American Midwest. The band was started in 2000 by Christian McShane and Aaron Molina. They made the conscious decision to make music with instruments they had no experience with. Their music sounds like early Flying Saucer Attack played at Loren MazzaCane Connors pace. The album opens with the beautiful ?Push.? An accordion moans as strings are gently plucked. It fades away rather abruptly. My only complaint about this disc is that I wish they let the sound pieces go on for longer. Some of the edits makes some of the tracks feel truncated. The music itself is amazing in its simplicity and its beauty. The photography on the cover by Joe Cunningham of monochromatic snow-scapes perfectly captures the expansive yet simple sound of the band. ?Wisconsin Bombs? may be one of the most misleading song titles ever. The song contains no explosions. It features only gentle guitar strumming and subtle electronic gurgles. ?Providence? enters a Dead C like vein. It features a nice blast of guitar feedback and slowly bowed strings. If Thousands inhabit the space of the more abstract, non-rock-out jams of Jackie-o Motherfucker. The If Thousands sound simmers yet never boils over. The band never falls into the trap of wanky-ness which is very easy to do in an improvised setting. One of the more startling tracks off this disc is ?Alpha.? It is a dirge-y tune which features an organ and thumb harp. I found the track jarring and out of place at first. Slowly the sound grew on me and I became at peace with the demonic clown music. The last song on the disc, ?Stella and Me,? is another pleasant surprise. It is a nice ditty which features accordion and banjo; it enters late-era Fahey territory. If Thousands music is minimal yet wonderfully home-spun. It will definitely get you through some cold nights out on the prairie. ~ Dan Cohoon, Amplitude Equals Frequency Squares Slow, sorrowful, and lush dronescapes that unfold calmly and thoughtfully. This album is like the quite before the storm - every track seems ready to explode with energy but manages to contain itself all the way through. I Have Nothing is confident and methodical - easily absorbed and brimming with emotion and conviction. ~ Everything is Fire - Brian , posted 10/24/05 |
Silber Records/Kobi/If Thousands was recommended for:
- Tribe: Industrial Music
- Tribe: 90's underground alt/indie
- Tribe: "dark" ambient music
- Tribe: InDie-M
- Tribe: dreampop
