Ten & Tracer :: baker's blood

I am pleased to close this blog (views & reviews) with a release, which combined so much shared values and thoughts about what can possibly be an open-minded work, so far from stale genres and dogmas, full of creative curiosity for sounds and things around. Without complex, but with the faculty to influence notably the course on, Jonathan Canupp cultivates all these talents and some, less obvious, to discover right now.

Format :: digital
Location :: zymogen / bandcamp
Website :: Ten And Tracer / discogs

© thierry massard / mars 2007
originally edited through the blog :: ++++++++++++
(restored links as far as possible)

Stephen Walter :: monocline

Far from ::das interspects or ::recapulatory (both for Retropublik), far also from last year's collaboration with David Velez (::data transfer of Lezrod for zymogen.) is coming this album of Stephen Walter, a release inaugurating a "conceptual mutation" for the label of Modena. Yes, it should be said , through the "poeticlinical" camera objectives of Mario Aldovini, we were used to move in some botanical mental walks, looking sometimes to rare growing plants under the beneficent protection of glasshouses in form of jewel cases … Then now are coming the minerality times for zymogen (with a nice contribution of Laurent Batailley), and Stephen Walter is the first craftsman invited to this new approach on things.

Abstraction and cold fusion (by opposite to the traditional scheme) seem to be the main abjectives and qualities which come first on mind through ::monocline, and "new heart" which opens the release is a slow imersion in apparent traditional ambient soundscapes. Like a second layer with the general matter, “red shift”, which follows, reinforces this feeling of descriptive slow dematerialization. No time to come back (where?) , impresses with solemnity, "tone" invits us to go deeper. Then from now, one thing is certain, nobody will remain insensitive with the mostly impressive and enigmatic density of “green shift” opening a second phase, and introducing two "section ", where we cross some reminiscences of reality posed on a particularly emotional harmonic texture, delicately interweaving. "before you eyes" still plays with some emotional figures, as an overflight with telescopic glance. Then "rising" which is ending the netaudio, is a kind of revelation, the result of an introspective "emulsion" of senses and, from now, so far from any archaeological or sedimentary layers.

the first beautiful stone in a beautiful garden.

Format :: digital
Location :: zymogen

© thierry massard / january 2007
originally edited through the blog :: ++++++++++++
(restored links as far as possible)

various artists :: glasshouse #01

Thus, we finally have in hands the first hardcopy and tenth reference of the Modena label …
It is, we easily imagine, an important moment, because the first off-line excursion for a netlabel with a great recognized requirement.
Then now, is the question :: welcome in the real world zymogen ? … the answer is making absolute no doubt.
Between concept album or an obvious will of representation of the activities of the label, this release can easily make lie these points of view, so much it has a real coherence, :: glasshouse 01 is of those rare compilations from which we refuse to distinguish such participant or such other - this unit is partly due to the excellent graphic work of sunisbetterthanmoney, to the beautiful and now usual images of Mario Aldovini, due to the suggestive immersion of the tracklist and well on, due with the high behaviour of the guest-list :: Ibakusha - D'incise - Takeshi Nakamura - Lezrod.
Suggestive immersion? yes, Filippo Aldovini has it seems, have privileged a progression tactic on, and that does not have been so easy, as so much these artists compete in the excellence and the multiplicity of their matter. Thus ibakusha surreptitiously takes us on board, in some soundscapes where sometimes we perceive an aural signal inviting us to the back return - too late!
D'incise offers to us "un bouquet de fleurs fanées c'est si joli" … et tellement vrai (and so true)
Nakamura continues with a “subtraction” which in fact, hides an authentic and beautiful sub-abstraction.
Finally, Lezrod closes the door of the glasshouse in a flow and a backward flow of tearing sound layers of particles in search of skeletal and late harmony, this “xx” is … XXL.

Off or On, zymogen is a very precious line to follow.

//

Ainsi donc, avons-nous enfin entre les mains la première hard-copie et dixième référence du label de Modène …
C'est, nous l'imaginons aisément, un moment important car la première excursion off-line pour un netlabel à l'exigence reconnue.
Alors maintenant, la question est-elle :: welcome in the real world zymogen ? … la réponse ne fait absolument aucun doute.
Entre concept album ou une évidente volonté de représentativité des activités du label, cette réalisation peut facilement faire mentir ces points de vue, tant elle a une réelle cohérence, :: glasshouse 01 est de ces rares compilations dont on refuse de distinguer tel participant ou tel autre - cette unité est en partie due à l'excellent travail graphique de sunisbetterthanmoney, aux belles images désormais coutumières de Mario Aldovini, à l'immersion suggestive de la tracklist et bien sur à la haute tenue de la guest-list :: ibakusha - d'incise - takeshi nakamura - lezrod. Immersion suggestive ? oui, Filippo Aldovini a semble-t'il privilègié une tactique de progression et cela n'a pas du être facile, tant ces artistes rivalisent dans l'excellence et la multiplicité de leur propos. Ainsi Ibakusha nous embarque subrepticement dans quelques soundscapes où parfois l'on perçoit un signal sonore nous invitant au retour arrière - trop tard !
D'incise nous offre "un bouquet de fleurs fanées c'est si joli" … et tellement vrai (and so true)
Nakamura poursuit avec un "subtraction" qui cache en fait une authentique et belle sub-abstraction.
Lezrod enfin, referme la porte de la serre dans un flux et un reflux de déchirantes nappes de particules sonores en quête d'une squelettique et tardive harmonie, ce "xx" est … XXL.

"Off" ou "On", zymogen est une très précieuse "line" à suivre.

Format :: digital / cd
Location :: zymogen

© thierry massard / octobre 2006
originally edited through the blog :: ++++++++++++
(restored links as far as possible)

Takeshi Nakamura :: easy listening

In the continuity of :: ordinary days done at the beginning of year, also at zymogen, the very productive Takeshi Nakamura invites us, not without derision, to 31 minutes of :: easy listening declined in 6
pieces. "Wonderful" which opens this new opus, sorrow slightly to be convinced in front of such an eminent predecessor such as "voices" on :: ordinary days. The first true success of this EP awaits us with the second track, "I sink", intense swarming and laconic voice on an acknowledgement of impotence monocorde. "cloud" invites us to an abstraction enriched with the cut-up by the best effect. "defeat"
delivers some secrecies that thanks to an abandonment to variable amplitude, not very convincing. "particle", innovative, probable interlude enough not a certain disinterest of its creator, whom we
hope for momentary finally the release is closed again on "sundial" built on the concept of a progressive covering. Wasn't that "easy listening" superfluous? perhaps, an error, altogether, without consequence …

Format :: digital
Location :: zymogen
Website :: Takeshi Nakamura

theQuestionnaire :: Takeshi Nakamura (2006)

© thierry massard / may 2006
originally edited through the blog :: ++++++++++++
(restored links as far as possible)

Lezrod :: data transfer

First is the summary of the previous episodes. If you have unfortunately miss the first Zymogen contribution of Lezrod "retorno a la nada", i have the regret to inform you simply have passed through one of the best release of 2005 ( but it is not too late to check it ). Then, here it is "Data Transfer", a netaudio release which opens, for the first time in the short history of the label, a second collaboration with an artist. You probably imagine a possible comparaison with the previous release, it will be a wrong way as Lezrod have chosen the delicate exercice of plural collaborations. Mainly with the homing device Darren McClure, Fgmcvp for whom David Velez (Lezrod) have done remixes, Stephen Walter or electronica artist Gurdonark, this "Data transfer" is very well entitled as the tracks seem so easily "transferable" for the artists working on, a real successful collaboration from the man of Bogotà with his guests, as a sort of enriching friendship. Then, of course, it is finally possible to have a special interest for one or another track ( 'jas" which opens the album, is perhaps the most emblematic), but we never feel this sort of step on interest we usually have in those productions.
Lezrod have called them "data" … or was it a "harmonic data" transfer ?
Last advice, please check it before next year …

Format :: digital
Location :: zymogen

© thierry massard / avril 2006
originally edited through the blog :: views & reviews (restored links)

Bacanal Intruder :: modem

Luis García-Pumarino belongs to precious artists. Touch-with-all, and possibly registered in the very private and worthy filiation of visionary people such as the flying lizard David Cunningham ... Far from any traditional standards and reduced category, Bacanal Intruder awakes us to hidden curious good feelings and he plays with it.
Such as a conjurer, Luis is a child able to place in levitation some infinite melody drops that are necessary for you to assemble and combine with your own way on perception of music and the result is this "Modem ep", all made of fresh air, jumping "pulgas" and catchy "pedalillas" … "modem" is a good and warm remedy for the slow inertia of things and that is a reason to thank Zymogen, "grazie" for this nice gift.

Format :: digital
Location :: Zymogen

© thierry massard / mars 2006
originally edited through the blog :: views & reviews - (restored links)