Jerry Johansson - Next Door Conversation

from Vital Weekly # 591:

Although it says Jerry Johansson, his 'Next Door Conversation' is not a solo work. Johansson is a guitar player and composer, but after hearing George Harrison on the sitar, he was hooked to that instrument. His latest CD is a work for sitar, santour, tambura and string quartet. I am sure to tell you I am not at all qualified to write about this CD at all, since I have a black hole when it comes to classical non-western music. I think.
Perhaps this bears no relation with traditional Indian music? I don't know. Two long pieces of swirling notes in a sort of middle eastern style, with plucking on the sitar and santour. Actually I quite like it for what it is. Kitsch perhaps? High art? I am not able to tell, and luckily I don't care that much either. I like to take things face value. Do I like this? Yes I do. Fine.

(Frans de Waard)

Label: Kning Disk
Cat. #: KD038
Format: CD
Release date: 2007

Tracklisting:
01 - Next Door Conversation Part I (27:14)
02 - Next Door Conversation Part II (25:39)

Links:
Jerry Johansson
Kning Disk

Alexander Turnquist - Apneic

Alexander Turnquist’s "Apneic" has been realised with the use of a 12 string acoustic guitar, an antique balalaika, Boss sp-303 dr. sample, and a laptop...

Label: Kning Disk
Cat. #: KD039
Format: CD
Release date: 2007

Tracklisting:
01 - Idle Nightmare (06:14)
02 - Electric Lines (23:00)
03 - 130 (05:42)

Links:
Alexander Turnquist
Kning Disk

Mark Wastell - Come Crimson Rays

from Kning Disk website:

Come Crimson Rays represents the third and final part to a trilogy of solo tam tam recordings. The first two, Vibra #1 (w.m/r) and Vibra #2 (Longbox Recordings), dealt with the high (#1) and mid (#2) tones of the tam tam's spectrum.
This third recording concentrates exclusively on the bass region. Giant, pulsing bass swells and long, sumptuous decays mark this final instalment of historic releases.

Label: Kning Disk
Cat. #: KD032
Format: CD
Release date: 2007

Tracklisting:
01 - Come (19:30)
02 - Crimson (12:52)
03 - Rays (8:20)

Links:
Kning Disk

Alejandra & Aeron - Billowy Mass

from Vital Weekly # 592:

Alejandra (Salinas) and Aeron (Bergman) debuted in the mid 1990s with a unique combination of Spanish folklore and traditional tales and electro-acoustic/environmental recordings. 'Billowy Mass' consists of 'Campanas' (a reworking of their sound installation from 2001, the first 6 tracks) and 'Billowy Mass' (another installation dating from 2005, the final 2 tracks). Even though there is a track index on this CD, the music sounds like it's one comprehensive composition. Campanas features Spanish spoken word fragments, the sound of bells and snippets of (environmental?) sound, based - like other Alejandra and Aeron works - on Spanish folklore. In ancient times bells often were the only form of communication between people and villages and were used to ward off evil spirits and to warn for heavy storms. Billowy Mass continues this theme as it was recorded during the typhoon season in Taiwan. Even thought they were recorded 4 years apart, the two installations go well together. The Campanas tracks are slightly more subdued compared to Billowy Mass. Combined they make up this rather short (34 minute) CD, which creates a wonderful, often mesmerizing, almost slow-motion ambiance like you're actually in the sound, rather than listening to the sound. A major achievement for Alejandra and Aeron, who, with this release, have made one of their best-ever CDs.

(FK)

Label: Kning Disk
Cat. #: KD024
Format: CD
Release date: 2007

Tracklisting:
01 - Campanas [I] (1:20)
02 - Campanas [II] (3:46)
03 - Campanas [III] (1:55)
04 - Campanas [IV] (6:05)
05 - Campanas [V] (4:16)
06 - Campanas [VI] (3:35)
07 - Billowy Mass [I] (7:34)
08 - Billowy Mass [II] (6:03)

Links:
Alejandra & Aeron
Kning Disk

Giuseppe Ielasi & Nicola Ratti - Bellows

from Vital weekly # 591:

…Ratti and Ielasi are both credited with guitars, percussion, turntables, electronics. This is a different aspect of Ielasi, a much more free man, playing his guitar and electronics, while Ratti, I assume at least, plays drums and turntables.
Great pieces, of which especially the first two should be noted as powerful statements of glitch meeting popmusic. Whispering guitar and distorted, almost vocal like sounds.
Other pieces they are more in 'regular' areas of improvised, with at times even a more noise outing, but throughout this is a high and mighty fine disc, that showcases Ielasi's talents quite well.

(Frans de Waard)

Label: Kning Disk
Cat. #: KD031
Format: CD
Release date: 2007

Tracklisting:
01 - I (4:28)
02 - II (7:31)
03 - III (6:20)
04 - IV (7:02)
05 - V (3:59)
06 - VI (2:25)
07 - VII (10:58)

Links:
Nicola Ratti
Kning Disk