Friday 30 May 2014

MuhMur SoundArt Radio Broadcast 29/05/2014.


Last nights broadcast featured a section by GX Jupitter-Larsen with a couple of "exclusive" pieces. I really wanted to play the track "Dicuts" that appears on the 1986 cassette compilation "Wolfsangel" (Bloedvlag Produkt) but the tape machine in the studio is well and truly fucked! It's a great compilation and a great track and the first time I heard the work of The Haters. As soon as the studio gets itself a new cassette player I shall be playing it!
The programme is now available to listen to on Mixcloud. Just copy & paste :
http://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-broadcast-290514-haters/
Thanks for listening. The next MuhMur Radio programme will be on June 12 and feature a session from B⋄Tong.

Playlist.
01: The Human League : "Crow And A Baby" (Virgin Records) 1980.
02: John Watermann : "19235" (Tochnit Aleph) 1999.
03: Stock, Hausen & Walkman : "Boats" (Hot Air Records) 1996.
04: Re:Drum : "Death Of The Flame" (Zoharum) 2014.
05: Muennich/Esposito/GX Jupitter-Larsen : "Heinsuchung" (Firework Editions) 2012.
06: The Haters : "Taisic" (Hanson Records) 2009.
07: The Haters : "A Furthered Pause #3" (Robot Records) 1996.
08: GX Jupitter-Larsen : "Red Flag" (Not On Label) 2014.
09: GX Jupitter-Larsen : "Permawave 2014" (Not On Label) 2014.
10: GX Jupitter-Larsen : "Solidarity Forever" (Not On Label) 2014.
11: The Haters : "Mantra To Rot" (Vinyl On Demand) 2005.
12: Frans De Waard : "Punch" (Helicopter Records) 2010.
13: Cacophony '3.3' : "Swamp Wasser" (Outsider Records) 1007.
14: The Cortinas : "Ask Mr Waverley" (CBS Records) 1978.
15: Michael Flower & Neil Campbell : "Wharf" (Golden Lab Records) 2014.
16: The Hafler Trio : "Burst" (L.A.Y.L.A.H.Records) 1985.

Please feel free to comment and visit the MuhMur Radio Programme Facebook page.

Monday 26 May 2014

Various Artists - Computer Music (LF Records)


I have spent a pleasant while listening to the latest compilation release from South-West based label LF Records. "Computer Music" is a mixture of soundscapes and noises from 17 artists / projects including Phil Julian, Astral Social Club & Anla Courtis. I must admit to not knowing any other names on this release. I imagine all sounds have been produced on a "computer", I am pretty certain it is not a tribute to Kraftwerk. I am not a big Kraftwerk "fan". I have never owned one of their releases. The tape plays like a continual album of bleeps, blips, drones and sequences. An excellent listen.
The cassette is limited and still available. http://www.lfrecords.autmusic.com

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Problems Posed By The Pre-Order.


Over the past couple of years it seems to become fashionable to have a release on a pre-order. It doesn't seem to be the norm now to say, look we've released this product - would you like to buy it, I will post it off to you as soon as you've paid for it…thanks. That idea of business is soooo 20th Century. Why is this? And, how has it happened?
As a rule I don't bother with the pre-order, I have done it a couple of times, the last time being with the Psychic TV box set on Cold Spring Records. That was a delayed release if memory serves - problems at pressing plant or some such. I notice that Cold Spring have put the latest album by Trepaneringsritualen on pre-order. You can buy now but the projected release date is June 30. 1000 copies on vinyl and 1000 copies on CD, why is it on pre-order? Surely this item won't sell out within days and if it did I am certain Cold Spring'll just repress the album - fools if they didn't. Why is this happening - I am sure Cold Spring Records don't need the cash.
Last December - the 3rd to be precise - I noticed that a special release by Michael Flower & Neil Campbell was being released by Manchester label Golden Lab Records. A release consisting of a 7" single, a CD and a book of artwork inspired by the sounds contained. The release was to be very limited and as Golden Lab Records pointed out the last Flower & Campbell release sold out within an hour of release. To be released the last week of January it was available on pre-order for £19.99.  Too tempting to miss out … January came and went as did February and not a word from Golden Lab. A visit to their web site noted that the release was to be March. March came and went … I sent E mail after E Mail to Golden Lab and the replies were always the same - it's on its way and You'll not be disappointed, there was even an I'm in America, will be posting out on my return .. Never a reason as to why the release was delayed, or an apology and it is at this point where I realised I couldn't even claim my monies back from PayPal as the money had been paid 4 months since.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed the release was out! Idwal Fisher gave the package a few nice words and Neil tweeted his joy so I came home from work each day expecting the jiffy to be on the doormat. But no (as Colin Newman once said). E Mail time again .. and always It's in the post, except it wasn't. In a reply to another "Where's my package" E Mail the chap at Golden Lab admitted he had miss-filed my payment and the book/7"/CD will be posted the nest day (phew), except it wasn't, another reply to a "Where's my package" E Mail the chap at Golden Lab said that he hadn't posted it but will in a couple of days when he does his regular weekly post out. And never an apology.
Today the package arrived. No letter of apology enclosed - no little "extra" for trouble and worry caused. A badge or a CDR from their back catalogue - a slow mover from 2012 or something .. no none of that. And so to "Wharf Cat" by Michael Flower & Neil Campbell, both stalwarts of Vibracathedral Orchestra. The single is excellent, two sides of chugging sub-Velvets guitar riffs. An ideal "pop" 7". The CD is of the duo live at Wharf Chambers in Leeds. A poor live recording of live improvised noodling that put me in mind of Ascension and all that jazz. There's nothing to grab hold of here and (as mentioned) the recording is poor. The book is of drawings by Lucy Jones inspired by the CD. Monochrome scribbles of a BTEC ND nature … Unnecessary. All in all the release is an over=packaged 7" single.

Pre-ordering, the mark of a charlatan? Golden Lab Records certainly come across as an amateur outfit and I have now been bitten too many times to buy on pre-order again. There is no need. "Wharf Cat" is still available via the Golden Lab Records web site for £17.99.



Monday 19 May 2014

Stuart Chalmers



Firstly I feel I should apologise for the recent lack of writing / entries on this blog. A variety of factors .. I suppose I hit writers block. Time became very precious and prioritised somewhat so sitting and listening, ruminating and writing got put on some back burner. I apologise. Some great sounds have come through the door of Hartop Towers in the past few months … and it has been great just to get to listen to some of them without notepad and pen (so to speak) … I now have a Facebook page for the MuhMur Radio Programme, where I play a large percentage of new arrivals…Please feel free to peruse.

Stuart Chalmers. I first became aware of Stuart's work last year when he mailed some of his work for review. Certainly his work back then could be called "plunder phonics" and/or "Musique Concret". Although not 100% my cup of tea I knew Stuart was a name worth keeping an ear out for, and now arrives "Imaginary Musicks Volume One" a C40 cassette on the legendary Beartown Records label.
I thought I knew what I was in for - but quell surprise .. Stuart has drawn inspiration from the sound of the South Seas. Polynesian rhythm samples and flute loops. Calming and pleasant moments, easy listening in a Martin Denny kind of way, and somewhere in the back of my mind … "Songs Of Byzantine Flowers" by S.P.K. The sound is beautifully produced, no cheap disposable tape release here just 40 minutes of aural bliss.
It would be great to see Stuart in this mood on a full length CD(R), or vinyl … Essential listening. Available from the Beartown website for a fiver - very limited though so act fast…...

Friday 16 May 2014

MuhMur SoundArt Radio Broadcast : 15/05/2014.



Even with a busted knee and being pumped full of Tramadol I made it to the SoundArt Radio Studio to broadcast live … All pieces of the programme are culled from live releases. Simon Jarvis (Ex-Wallpaper Paris) paid a visit whilst I was on air .. he surprised me when he said he'd never heard of the Pseudo Existors! Old age & memory loss …
The programme has been uploaded to Mixcloud. http://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-soundart-radio-broadcast-live-150514/

Playlist:
01: Tho-So-Aa : "Live In Leipzig 2008" (Tesco Organisation) 2014.
02: Universal Indians & Neil Campbell : "Untitled Piece" (Music Mundane) 2012.
    (Recorded live in Rochester, USA, in 2000).
03: S.P.K. : "John" (Theraputic/Adverse Recordings) 2012.
    (Recorded live in San Francisco, in 1981).
04: Hunting Lodge : "Throb" (Vinyl On Demand) 2010.
    (Recorded live in Port Huron, Michigan, in 1983).
05: Dave Phillips : "Video Action 100901" (Scrotum Records) 2012.
    (Recorded live in San Francisco, in 2010).
06: Ultravox! : "My Sex" (Foxx Records) 1977.
    (Recorded live in Stockholm, in 1977).
07: Trepaneringsritualen : "C'est Une RĂªve" (Not On Label) 2013.
    (Recorded live in Exeter, in 2013).
08: Crisis : "Kanada Kommando" (La Vidae Sunmus Discos) 2014.
    (Recorded live in Bergen, Norway, in 1979)
09: Con-Dom : "Locust Day" (Nuit Et Brouillard) 1998.
    (Recorded live in Lille, in 1995).
10: John Ellis : "Babies In Jars" (Rat Race Records) 1981.
    (Recorded live in Hemel Hempstead, in 1980).
11: Pseudo Existors : "Wildlife Was A Gas" (Overground Records) 2006.
    (Recorded live in Lincoln, in 1979).
12: Alien Brains : "Live At Aberdeen Arts Centre (1981)"  (Vinyl On Demand) 2014.
13: Club Moral : "Foolish Little Girl" (Club Moral) 2004.
14: Club Moral : "Leugens In De Mist" (Club Moral) 2004.
    (Both tracks recorded live in Berchem, Belgium, in 2003).

The next broadcast will be on May 29 at 21:00 hrs (GMT).

Pictures:
01: In the studio - standing is easier (with a wounded knee).
02: Simon Jarvis & Dave Mutch discuss.

Friday 2 May 2014

MuhMur SoundArt Broadcast : 01/05/2014


The Beltane special has been archived on Mixcloud. The programme features an unheard Muhviertel piece. "Finger Drum" was recorded at Silencer Studios in Lincoln in 1987 and remixed by Schuster in Perth (Australia) 2008. Also slipped in a Depther track from the excellent Nihil Market CDr "Altar State". It was only last week I learnt that Depther were Jakko Vanhalla (Of I.Corax and Grunt fame)!
Hope you enjoy the listen. http://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-soundart-radio-beltane-special-2014/ (Copy & Paste).

Playlist.
01: Hum : The Spectral Ship. (Substantia Innominata) 2008.
02: 1000schoen : Dageraad (EE Tapes) 2008.
03: Troum : "Palos Tyn" (EE Tapes) 2008.
04: Werkbund : "Karpfanger" ((Abraum) 2000.
05: Depther :  "The Shadow Gazer" (Nihil Market) 2001.
06: Muhviertel : "Finger Drum (Schuster Remix) (Not On Label) 2008.
07: Midwich : "Penny Dropped (Live)" (Kirkstall Dark Matter) 2013.
08: Lull : "Silenced" (Aquese Recordings) 1994.
09: Omei : "Trait" (Beauty And Pain) 2003.
10: Delayer : "Agnus Deo" (Klang Galerie) 2004.
11: Maeror Tri : "Voices On My Skin" (Manifold Records) 2005.
12: File Under Pop : "Heathrow" (Rough Trade Records) 1979.
13: Clay Figure : "Walk Through Leaves: (Musically Incorrect Records) 2002.
14: Sylvie Walder : "Paris Failure" (Experimedia) 2009.
15: Blue Orchids : "Low Profile" (Rough Trade Records) 1982.

Thanks for listening …