Friday 27 May 2016

MuhMur Radio SoundArt Radio Broadcast 26:05:2016.




The first broadcast in a month, the first broadcast from the new SoundArt Radio studio. Still on the Dartington Hall Estate, but now in the much larger and multi-roomed Space Studio #4. So big and vast they've put the turntables in a separate room away from the mixing desk and CD/Tape players.
With Dave having CarTrouble Chris Booth stepped in as engineer and turntable-meister.
Tonights broadcast features the work and sounds of Thortsen Soltau. I first became aware of Thorsten's work when I was trying to track down St. Martin, a Hamburg based artist who DJ'd the night I played Gängerviertel in 2013. St. Martin is not active on the www, and Thorsten offered himself as a go-between. Then an interesting package came through with releases on Thorsten's own m.m.label imprint and some 7" singles by the mysterious Unknown Singing Objects.

Playlist:
01: Sema : "The Concrete And The Klee" (Vinyl On Demand) 2012.
02: Thorsten Soltau x Max Kuiper : "Funeral (Black Banderole) (R.E.M)" (Geräuschmanufaktur)       2014.
03: Margitt Holztt : "Eventyr Er Brøde Av Drømmen" (Albert Detzel Records/m.m.label) 2011.
04: Column One & M.S.C. : "White Errors Part One #3 (Artefakt Magazine) 1999.
05: Thorsten Soltau : "Cataflaque" (Not On Label) 2016.
     (Exclusive piece recorded for MuhMur Radio. See details below).
06: Thorsten Soltau / J. Adolphe : "Eulogy For Tramadol And Mädchentraube (For HL)" (Geräuschmanufaktur) 2015.
07: Unknown Singing Objects : "Come To Daddy" (Not On Label) 2011.
08: Thorsten Soltau + Marina Stewart : "The Seranade (In Pale Daylight) (Sirenwire) 2015.
09: Thorsten Soltau + Marina Stewart : "You Never Come Back" (Sirenwire) 2015.
      (Both pieces from the cassette "M.Mories").
10: Herr Penschuck + Thorsten Soltau : "Screening" (Alrealon Music) 2012.
11: Thorsten Soltau : "Shere Khan Whitewashed By Memory" (Audio.Visual.Atmosphere) 2016.
12: Thorsten Soltau : "Malapartus" (Audio.Visual.Atmosphere) 2016.
13: Thorsten Soltau : "The Marplesley Jugend (Album Version)" (Audio.Visual.Atmosphere) 2016.
       (Three pieces from the cassette "Breathing Through Glass", a split release with Sonatine).
14: Etant Donnės : "Dog's Attack" (90% Wasser) 2005.

Thank you very much Thorsten.
Please Copy & Paste : https://www.mixcloud.com/muhsteve/muhmur-radio-thorsten-soltau-soundart-radio-special/

Pictures:
01: Alice Kemp + Chris Booth at the studio.
02: The MuhMur Radio bag!
03: Thorsten Soltau.






                                               Dedicated to those we lost so early. 


THORSTEN SOLTAU CATAFALQUE
  1. I  Silver Lines On Red Cloth
    • Traces of a fulfilled life. A breathy voice. The flame dancing. •
  2. II  The Construct Of Humanity
    • Birth inside crystal clear water. A dream. The gift of love. •
  3. III  A Black And Everlasting Womb
    • The beauty of sleep. A breeze on the shoulder. Memories corroding. •
Music for synth tapeloops, sonic constructs and found acoustics

Programmed and constructed by Thorsten Soltau Produced from February—March MMXVI
Final editing by Thorsten Soltau


FX chains and parametric equalizing on I by Marina Stewart CATAFALQUE is a commissioned work for MUHMUR RADIO 





Tuesday 17 May 2016

Alan Courtis


It has taken me a while to want to mention recently acquired sounds on this blog, and for that I apologise. Over the past months it seems to be a blog to register the play listings on the MuhMur Radio Programme and link to the MixCloud archive. Again I apologise. I meant to keep up with the visit to secondhand record shops I visited on my travels and gigs I went to see, but life, work and having three young kids seem to have halted all that.
The last few "record reviews" I did seemed to anger the artist(e) and or label. Requests to delete my post etc and the for my last review I got an insulting personal missive from the label owner which made me think "is this really worth it?" so I stopped. "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all" as my mother used to say.

This year has been a good year for releases. There have been some mighty gems through the door at Hartop Towers. I try and play them on my radio programme but sometimes they slip through …

Alan Courtis, Anla Courtis, Anal Courtis the former guitarist with Reynols has just released a 10" on Nottingham's finest KIKS/Girlfriend Records. It's a limited edition lathe cut thing and one of the finest records I have heard all year. "Crystal Faisa" has two seven minute pieces. "Hamamatsu Crystal Piano" is exactly that. A recording of Alan playing the crystal piano that is at Hamamatsu Train Station in Japan. It is a melancholic piece that slowly falls in to chaos, but what appeals to my ears is the acoustics, the liveliness of the piece and the great feeling of space, the feint whisper of a tannoy announcement at the end is perfect. A magnificent construct of art. "Jaribo Y Faisa" is a small symphony for electric guitars. Layered guitars, atonal and droning creating a generator hum. I was immediately reminded of those Jim O'Rourke, Jim Plotkin and KK Null CD albums that appeared in the early 1990's. Stuff that used to be released by Charnel House, Extreme and Sentrax Corporation. For me that is the appeal.
I know the Courtis cannon is vast and it is only recently through his collaborations with Culver, Edward Sol and Kazuya Ishigami that I have given time for his work. In 2013 Anla kindly provided a "session" for MuhMur Radio.

This wonderful lathe cut is limited to 22 copies and available at www.kiksbooks.blogspot.co.uk