the submersible dirigible

In an email to subscribers yesterday, Portland, Maine’s miniture folk label L’animaux Tryst announced their latest project to follow the just-concluded seasonal 7″ subscription series –  a new series of 31 Cursillistas “master” cassettes.  Each cassette in the series was improvised and recorded live on a separate night in May 2008, with only a single, solitary copy of each recording available, available in packages pieces together with rubbish and dodads discovered during the course of the day.  In other words, they’re selling the master tapes, and producing no copies.  

I can’t decide if this new series is the worst or the best idea I’ve ever heard.  Probably it’s a bit of both.  With each passing year, it seems the rising microlabel stars are releasing more and more albums, but in smaller and smaller editions (i.e., Natural Snow Buildings, (VxPxC), Robedoor, Pocahaunted, Emeralds).  This keeps interest high, but makes it extremely difficult on the collectors and fans.  In its own brilliant/horrifying way, this 31 edition-of-one cassette series is the logical end to a spiralling trend.

L’animaux Tryst is selling each unique tape for $13, available on a first-come first-served basis.  They’re vanishing quickly, so email lanimaux@gmail.com immediately if you’re interested in any remaining tapes.  I claimed May 18th myself.

Wired reports today that muxtape — the slick, music and mixtape networking webapp — has become the latest victim of the Recording Industry’s tireless quest to kill all the internet’s happy places.  Despite a sunny statement from the muxtape crew, “Muxtape will be unavailable for a brief period while we sort out a problem with the RIAA,” this development does not bode well for the site.

Meanwhile, Pandora — another of the internet’s broadcast pioneers — have recently indicated that last summer’s egregious Copyright Royalty Board internet broadcast rate hikes are finally catching up with the company, slowly strangling the life from their successful business model.

Pandora is one of the nation’s most popular Web radio services, with about 1 million listeners daily. Its Music Genome Project allows customers to create stations tailored to their own tastes. It is one of the 10 most popular applications for Apple’s iPhone and attracts 40,000 new customers a day.

Yet the burgeoning company may be on the verge of collapse, according to its founder, and so may be others like it.

“We’re approaching a pull-the-plug kind of decision,” said Tim Westergren, who founded Pandora. “This is like a last stand for webcasting.”

Last year, an obscure federal panel [Copyright Royalty Board] ordered a doubling of the per-song performance royalty that Web radio stations pay to performers and record companies.

Traditional radio, by contrast, pays no such fee. Satellite radio pays a fee but at a less onerous rate, at least by some measures. — Giant of Internet Radio Nears Its ‘Last Stand’ By Peter Whoriskey

As for Pandora, its royalty fees this year will amount to 70 percent of its projected revenue of $25 million, Westergren said, a level that could doom it and other Web radio outfits.

Techcrunch naively suggests (“Pandora, Our Sacrificial Lamb“) that Pandora’s demise will rouse the music industry giant’s from their slumber, compelling the industry to recognize the potential of open content communities like YouTube, muxtape and Pandora at long last.  Fat chance Mr. Arrington.  Content industries want nothing less than absolute control over their creative properties.  The very existence the DMCA — a law that turns customers into criminals if they dare circumvent DRM for the sake of convenience/usability — demonstrates the content industry’s unwillingness to play fair.  The growth of internet broadcasting, while providing new choices for consumers, leaves the labels with little control over content delivery and presentation, upsetting a business cycle that maintains profitability and ensures predictable outcomes in an unpredictable market, but depends on payola, brain-dead product placement, and incestuous partnerships with content patsies like Clear Channel, the Disney Channel or MTV.  Internet broadcast introduced an element of unpreditability, and had to be killed.

Lawrence Lessig — Stanford law professor, founder of Creative Commons, and indispensable advocate of digital rights — puts the CRB internet broadcast rate hike and Pandora’s demise into a broader context with his final presentation on creative rights (embedded below); in his final speech, and tirelessly on his blog, Lessig highlights the corrosive relationship between Congress and the content industry, and their collaborative, slow-motion erosion of “free culture.”  With payola, drm/DVD John, the Sonny Bono Act, Napster, the riaa’s frightening litigation strategy, and Pandora in mind, it’s hard to imagine the music industry ever willingly cedeing power, as Arrington suggests.

In support of Bowerbirds recently released debut album (technically a re-release) Hymns for a Dark Horse on Dead Ocean — home, also, to Will-Oldham-analogue Phosphorescent and indie-dissonance-rockers Dirty Projectors — the label releases a stunning stop-motion music video for ‘In Our Talons’.  Since touring with John Darnielle’s Mountain Goats last year, the North Carolina trio have been attracting a great deal of attention from pop-folk observants.  If this video is any indication, the album must be pretty splendid.

Directed by Alan Poon and inspired by films like Microcosmos [clip] and The Planet Earth series, the video takes the visual spectacle of a nature documentary and puts it into a stop-motion animated world. The video explores three magical creatures from three different lands, equally beautiful, yet doomed by the hand of man.

Not only is the result stunning, but the process is equally impressive. The stop-motion puppets were custom made for this video. The bird alone took over a month for the puppet fabricators to build with over 300 feathers manually sized and glued on. For the animals to come to life, the puppet is put into position, a picture is taken, then the puppet is moved slightly and another picture is taken. This is done 24 times for one second of animation, shooting approximately five seconds per day. Most of the miniature sets were made out of foam and clay and then painted, while the clouds were made from cotton. Watch the stunning results on Subterranean’s blog below, or wait for Saturday, August 9th and see it in the comforts of your own home on MTV2. — 08/06/08 Bowerbirds video premiere on MTV’s Subterranean

Under the account SecretlyJag, the Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar and Secretly Canadian labels have cozied up on youtube, publishing videos together under the single collaborative account.  The channel has a veritable goldmine of content already available.  Black Mountain’s “Wucan“, another recent SecretlyJag upload, is yet just one more pleasant example of the great content emerging from the label conglomerate.

also: BBC’s Attenborough on the ‘Bower Bird‘

Gearing up for the album release of Max Richter’s24 Postcards in Full Colour, FatCat/130701 and Max Richter have launched a splendid promo site, explaining the project’s conceptual underpinnings.  Basically, each of the twenty-four tracks were composed as ringtones, only squeezed into an album format for conveniece or tradition’s sake.

The 24 postcards are not an album – but my first attempt to look at ringtones as a vehicle for music performance.

…

Unlike my previous records, which I wrote sequentially from beginning to end, I have no control over how these tracks will be played back, or in what order, so they are composed as a collection of related pieces with many shared references between them – so the more of them you hear, the more they will connect.

I have made an ‘album cut’ version for the CD and vinyl releases, but that is only one way through the material – I’d expect people to find other ways to use the tracks.

The planned premiere performances will be by invited audiences at events in London, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo – where the audience’s phones (having previously registered and downloaded the MP3s) will actually be performing the pieces (as a text alert) in response to text messages from me.

While it’s unlikely 24 Postcards compositions will ever work effectively outside Richter’s concept performances as actual ringtones.  Despite this obvious shortcoming, these individual, short-attention-span slices of contemporary composition, by embracing our music culture’s continued evolution away from traditional, album-centric listening experiences, address some fascinating cultural issues with surprising courage and grace.  Each track on 24postcards.co.uk must be individually selected, looping continuously until another choice is made — the sort of music that would live most comfortably on an iPod shuffle.  With the rise of mp3s, iTunes, the iPod, and even ring-tones, it seems only a matter of time before pop culture has discarded the album for good.  Richter’s 24 Postcards demonstrates effectively why there’s no reason to fear the increasing popularity of this new technology, or to expect a coinciding annihilation musical creativity with the rise of 99 cent mp3s.  Music, like organic life, finds a way to adapt to changing conditions.

Of course, on the fringes of music culture, where the submersible dirigible, drone music, BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop, circuit bending, and Max Richter reside, experimentation will always survive, regardless (sometimes even in spite of) conditions in the mainstream.  Cdr, tape and vinyl culture continues to thrive today, despite the growing commercial dominance of track-by-track iTunes style one-hit-wonder culture.  While technology hasn’t exactly democratized mass media, delivering niche culture to the masses, it does create a habitat where experimental culture can flourish comfortably — surviving like the varied, highly-specilized Galapagos tortoise populations, comfortable in isolation and obscurity.

http://www.24postcards.co.uk/

http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/news.php?id=816

Richter’s 24 Postcards in Full Colour is scheduled for release in the UK on 25 August 2008.

In a continuation of the good news emerging for Radiophonic Workshop enthusiasts, the BBC reports the existence of 267 previously unreleased Derbyshire tapes uncovered shortly after the composer’s 2001 death.  Delia Derbyshire, early electronic/tape music pioneer, is the most celebrated of the BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop composers, largely responsible for the iconic “Ron Grainer” Dr. Who theme.  Earlier Derbyshire work has been reissued on a variety of Radiophonic compilations, with a recent reissue of her KPM LP, Electrosonic, in 2006.

Lost tapes of the Dr Who composer By Nigel Wrench (BBC)

Now David Butler, of Manchester University’s School of Arts, Histories and Cultures has revealed for the first time the existence of 267 tapes found in Ms Derbyshire’s attic when she died in 2001.

They were, until last March, in the safekeeping of Mark Ayres, archivist for the Radiophonic Workshop – and have lain unheard for more than 30 years.

Most unexpected of all, however, is a piece of music that sounds like a contemporary dance track which was recorded, it is believed, in the late sixties. — Lost tapes of the Dr Who composer By Nigel Wrench (BBC)

Most surprising, as the BBC article notes, was the discovery of an experimental “dance” track, prefaced by Delia with the bashful quote referenced above.  Radiophonic composers are known for being innovators, decades ahead of their time, but the Delia’s experimental dance tape sounds almost like a fully realized Warp recording, only composed while electronic was music still in its infancy.

Mr. Wrench’s article unfortunately doesn’t explain why these tapes were languishing so long with Mark Ayres — Radiophonic archivist — before they were eventually passed along for restoration to the University of Manchester and David Butler.  Despite widespread coverage in major news outlets, Create Digital Music commenters have voiced a great deal of skepticism regarding the authenticity of the new tapes.

According to the BBC story, they haven’t been “found”; they were presumably retrieved from her attic as her affairs were put in order, back in 2001, and left with Mark Ayres (the official Radiophonic Workshop archivist, who is presumably above suspicion) until last March. What’s unclear from the story is where they’ve been between then and now, although the implication is that they’ve been with David Butler – presumably also above suspicion. — gwenhwyfaet

Another commenter calling himself David — presumably the same David now restoring the lost Derbyshire tapes at the University of Manchester’s School of Arts, Histories and Cultures –  generously fills the gaps left by the BBC’s brief initial report with details-a-plenty, even linking to a lengthier article and presentation from the University’s Centre for Screen Studies.

We were stunned when we heard the rhythm track that you’ve all heard on the BBC site – I’m still knocked out by it! The track in question is from a 10.5″ reel that runs for just over 15 minutes – the only identification on the reel is a label that says ‘NOAH’s dance – basic rh.”

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Captain Howdy is right again to point out that this track sounds so different to Delia’s known output or that of her contemporaries at the time – but it’s also worth remembering that – not least following their collaboration as Unit Delta Plus – she did have access to Zinovieff’s fledgling synthesizer the VCS3 and other electronic textures – and much of what we know of her output is limited to a relatively small body of work – but she was active in all kinds of contexts throughout the 1960s and there are several pieces in the archive that expand our understanding of what is characteristically ‘Delian’. — David

David’s explanation, posted yesterday, is worth reading it full.  I look forward to hearing the story in more detail, and eventually hearing the restored tapes in their entirety.

While irresponsible and tragic, my long absence, now ended, was for a worthy cause.  I’ve spent the last three months focused completely on the everlasting Democratic nomination, to the point of neglecting all new releases, reviews, and even most valued blogs and podcasts. I’m dying to return to music, especially in light of the election results last Tuesday and the prolonged, vicious political scuffle that is sure to follow. Nothing especially insightful to add honestly, except I think our party would be foolish to turn away all the new, young voters Obama has drawn into the process in recent months by voting in the candidate who’s “owed” the nomination. Clinton is a wonderful Senator, but Obama presents the opportunity for a real realignment of American politics. After eight years of an Obama presidency, I imagine a world where liberal is no longer effective as a smear. It’s up to my old home state now, Pennsylvania (dear god).

Regardless, the music world has been exciting in my absence. Just today, ruralfaune’s Bruno Parisse annouced (rather cryptically) his latest batch of releases, including new discs from Goliath Bird Eater, Pumice, Fabio Orsi, and Mike Tamburo. I’m still working my way through that massive Tamburo 7cdr, dvd & book box set released on New American Folk Hero / Music Fellowship last year, but I can’t resist another slew of cdrs from france. More detailed press release of sorts here. Besides ruralfaune, I’ve been bathing in the constant torrent of new Digitalis releases, especially the creepy, growling new Xela tape (sample mirrored from digitalis).

 

 Xela - Gilted Rose (excerpt): Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1211)

Crumbling black landscapes of mysterious buzz and whispered menace. The A side of this tape is like a field recording of a rickety old dock, jutting out into the choppy waters of the River Styx, old rust chains rattle, rusty lanterns clang against one another, the rotted wood groans and creaks, the wind howls, the choppy water laps at the pilings, black birds circle overhead, an old boat tied up to the dock rocking wildly in the water, straining against the frayed rope, while in the distance, an ominous buzz permeates the air like the stink of decaying flesh, and somewhere, below the surface of the water, or hidden behind the black clouds overhead, some unspeakable beast growls, his ominous rumble like thunder filling the sky. (aquarius records)

Exactly. Next week, Type’s Xela, Zelienople and Helios will join New York’s own Mountains for a live set at the Knitting Factory, and again in Brooklyn a day later with a trimmed Zelienople/Xela/Helios lineup. Zelienople’s page also mentions a barrage of brilliant upcoming releases, including a spring release Root Strata 7″ box set, featuring Christina Carter, Glenn Donaldson, Grouper, Hisato Higuchi, Islaja, Valet, Richard Youngs and Xela. Tons of other news, but it shall wait.

Speaking of music, WFMU, the finest radio station in the world, is currently running their once yearly two week fund raising marathon. Jersey City’s WFMU is the surely the finest example of freeform radio on the east coast, if not worldwide (there are some that come close). Rich history, brilliant, cutting edge djs, and 100% listener supported. I’m not aware of another operation quite like WFMU, even considering other the several (though far too few) wonderful listener supported independent radio stations. Providing any sort of definitive or worthy recommendation of their best program would be completely futile, so I’ll only make a couple recommendations from recent programs. Fabio’s program is consistently my favorite slot, and his show hosting The Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co., though out of character, is well worth a listen. Primarily, his show features ambient, drone, psych, prog, and the like, but TSIT&DC provided something like a breath of fresh steel-town-happy-hour air to a usually sedate program (unfortunately, only the realplayer stream is still available).

Marissa Nadler’s live performance on Trouble’s baguette, psych, folk and pop program is another essential delight. During the performance, the station’s fire alarm started blaring, but dj Trouble and Nadler pressed onwards, even at risk of a slow, painful immolation (at least, ahem, had it not been a false alarm).

If you’ve never listened to WFMU before, this week would be a painful time to start. If you’ve listened to WFMU before, or might conceivably make them a destination in the future, they definitely deserve your donation. Head to wfmu.org, or click the marathon image below.

Obama photo by Daniella Zalcman, used courtesy of CC share alike license

I’ve been wandering around the history of electronic music recently, and spent a good deal of time dwelling on the work of Delia Derbyshire and the rest of the BBC Radiophonic workshop. My interest stemmed mostly from the incredible slew of releases and re-releases coming out of Trunk Records, the indisputable masters of this realm. Bernard Herrmann’s spectacular ‘The Day The Earth Stood Still‘ soundtrack, especially the pieces that include his theremin work, have contributed to my recent fascination with early electronics. Well, while “working’ today, I came across a wonderful BBC Four documentary covering the workshop, Alchemists of Sound, on the youtubes. Apparently the documentary hasn’t been released properly on dvd, so I don’t feel so guilty watching such a wonderful program for free. The documentary is a wonderful look back at the atmosphere within the BBC that allowed the Radiophonic Workshop to develop, and shortly after its creation, create some of the pioneering tape, electronic and experimental music of the era.

WFMU’s blog featured one of the more interesting snippets investigated by the AoS documentary, namely the otherworldly pop single from ‘Ray Cathode‘, an imaginary artist dreamed up by George Martin of the Radiophonic Workshop. The post includes mp3s for the A&B sides of that single, which has apparently become quite the collectible.

Before the video, I also just wanted to note for you, my non-existent readers & listeners, that I’ll be more active shortly. New show should be up shortly, with more postings coming on a regular basis from now on.

Radiophonic Workshop -Alchemists of Sound -Part 1 of 7: