|
Post by andypandy380 on Jan 2, 2013 10:48:40 GMT -5
Apparently this is out now? The Retort Records store has closed due to technical errors, I've sent them an e-mail and a facebook thing to try and get hold of one... but no reply as yet. Has anyone got a copy/been trying to get a copy? maybe they're just on a rather extended Christmas break. I'm of the opinion that Merzbow should do some more 7" singles, it's just quite a rewarding format to collect, I love all those punky bands who seem to do everything on 7" Looks nice doesn't it ?
|
|
|
Post by ashessehsa on Jan 2, 2013 16:10:18 GMT -5
That is an incredible, INCREDIBLE album cover.
|
|
|
Post by andypandy380 on Jan 2, 2013 18:29:01 GMT -5
yeah man, and that vinyl looks almost good enough to eat
|
|
|
Post by japanesebird on Jan 8, 2013 9:26:29 GMT -5
to ko or not to ko, that is the question
|
|
|
Post by andypandy380 on Jan 8, 2013 15:57:41 GMT -5
Ordered mine today, the webshop is up and running again, it tried to charge me a small fortune for postage but thankfully that's been sorted out now as well. Very friendly customer service coming from these fellas. very much looking forward to getting my hands on it.
|
|
|
Post by trollh on Jan 10, 2013 21:59:33 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by acsenger on Jan 22, 2013 2:38:53 GMT -5
I got this yesterday and I have to say I'm not very impressed with it. It's hard to describe why it doesn't do much for me: maybe it's too monolithic? A bit like one kinda impenetrable slab of music and I can't get "into" it to really enjoy it. A constant stream of sound with computer craziness over it of which I'm not that big a fan. This is my opinion after 2 listens anyway. Will give it some more listens. And by the way, I'm not very familiar with Merzbow's laptop output (though I'm no analogue purist), so I don't know how it compares to his recent music. I'd like to read the opinions of those who can compare.
|
|
|
Post by andypandy380 on Jan 22, 2013 4:20:47 GMT -5
I quite like it, not yet received my copy but had the mp3 on the go for a while. Although I do see where you're coming from. The first part is perhaps quite similar sounding to recent works like loplop, but more urgent. I like having these little blasts of noise, somehow there always seems as much content as a 20 minute track but crammed into like 3 minutes. I admit it does all seem to come to a close rather too quickly. I heard there may be another 7" on the way too, but its early days I think.
|
|
|
Post by andypandy380 on Jan 22, 2013 17:19:27 GMT -5
I lied, Mine came in the post today too... surprised how flimsy the sleeve is but that doesn't really matter. Is your record a murky grey colour? or were you lucky enough to get a red one?
"alright! so the first copies of Merzbow are making their way out. This one's super limited at 150 copies, with the first few coming out on a red marbled vinyl"
I don't know exactly how many 'the first few' applies to.
|
|
|
Post by whatjames on Jan 22, 2013 19:07:28 GMT -5
got mine last week, missed out on the red,i like side a, upon first listen side b was interesting but after multple listens side bit b doesn't do much for me now, just hanging out for duo to arrive now
|
|
|
Post by andypandy380 on Jan 23, 2013 6:37:31 GMT -5
I'm hanging on for Samidara to arrive, not sure how far along they are with that one, the only answer that appears is "coming soon"... whether that means they're posting them as we speak, or whether it means they're still waiting to have them pressed... who knows. I was tempted by Duo, maybe because of the price, seems reasonable for 10 CDs, are there any samples of it around? I've never bought one of those large box sets before, when they say 'raw material' is it the two of them battering pots and pans for 10 hours... or is it more like listening to a regular Merzbow album? I might still try and grab one, I'm sure it'll be and interesting listen and a nice addition to the collection.
|
|
|
Post by acsenger on Jan 23, 2013 8:28:53 GMT -5
I think it's black, but since you mention murky grey and I didn't check that thoroughly, I'll check it again tomorrow. If it's grey, it sure is very close to black. I don't really care either way, and if it's black, then at least it's meant to sound better.
|
|
|
Post by japanesebird on Jan 23, 2013 12:09:45 GMT -5
I got this yesterday and I have to say I'm not very impressed with it. It's hard to describe why it doesn't do much for me: maybe it's too monolithic? A bit like one kinda impenetrable slab of music and I can't get "into" it to really enjoy it. A constant stream of sound with computer craziness over it of which I'm not that big a fan. This is my opinion after 2 listens anyway. Will give it some more listens. And by the way, I'm not very familiar with Merzbow's laptop output (though I'm no analogue purist), so I don't know how it compares to his recent music. I'd like to read the opinions of those who can compare. it is similar to his recent works such as yaho-niwa, loplop, dead zone, uzu me ku. i think the short tracks do not do his style justice. they sound more like teasers rather than fully realized pieces. his full length releases seem to really mess with my perception of time and i enjoy being immersed in a particular sound space for a long time. on youtube there's an old clip of crispin glover doing a book narration on dennis miller's show. he [miller] says after the performance that he likes to be immersed in it and know he's there for a while. i think this applies to merzbow very well.
|
|
|
Post by acsenger on Jan 24, 2013 4:46:47 GMT -5
I listened to it again today and I like it a bit better now but I'm still not 100% convinced. In any case, it's an interesting listen. Maybe I should check out a full-length of this style. I've been thinking about ordering Samidara but even the tape version is pretty expensive with shipping.
|
|
|
Post by qweasd on Feb 1, 2013 19:00:33 GMT -5
It's just an EP, so it's going to be short. There's nothing wrong with it, two enjoyable Merzbow tracks. Going by what you wrote acsenger, you might find you have a bit of trouble appreciating Merzbow
|
|
|
Post by acsenger on Feb 1, 2013 23:26:17 GMT -5
I don't think so, having heard probably 100 of his releases and owning, on a rough estimate, about 50 releases (including the Merzbox) . It's just that I'm not too familiar with recent Merzbow and wasn't that keen on this EP.
|
|
|
Post by qweasd on Feb 3, 2013 22:44:03 GMT -5
My apologies acsenger, I guess I read your comment 'A bit like one kinda impenetrable slab of music and I can't get "into" it to really enjoy it. A constant stream of sound with computer craziness over it of which I'm not that big a fan' in a more generalised way, as one could surely describe most recent Merzbow as that, depending on one's level of experience with his recordings.
Knowing now that you have listened to many Merzbow albums, it would be useful to know which ones you find less impenetrable and therefore more enjoyable so as to point you further in the right direction with his recent releases.
Ko To No O To is not dissimilar to Lop Lop and Kibako regarding recent releases. I find it to have satisfying energy perhaps due to the shorter track lengths and I also enjoy the rhythmic variety across the two tracks - pulsing on track 1 and more improvisatory on track 2.
There is a tendency in recent releases towards a more 'monolithic' structural approach with rather long tracks tending towards a generally continuous or singular approach, an almost 'set and forget' approach which has sometimes occurred throughout Merzbow's output.
I count Ouroboros as one of the strongest releases in recent years that contains a greater sense of internal contrast within its structure.
|
|
|
Post by acsenger on Feb 16, 2013 15:58:56 GMT -5
Thanks, qweasd, for the short summary of Merzbow's recent style. I have to admit I only know 3 solo Merzbow albums from the last 6 years: Kamadhenu, on which I really like the first track with it's rhythmic, pulsing bass and Eastern-like melody (sort of , but the last 2 tracks do nothing for me. I just don't really like the sounds used. And in reference to what you wrote, they do sound quite monolithic and therefore even though they're pretty long (I think at least around 15 minutes each), I don't really like any part of them. The other 2 albums are Dead Leaves and Coma Berenices, but I have to listen to them on my new hifi before I can say anything about them (there's such a big difference in quality between my new hifi and my old one that every time I listen to a CD, it's an altogether different listening experience than before). I might try to track down Ouroboros if you reckon it's that good.
|
|
|
Post by qweasd on Feb 16, 2013 18:25:15 GMT -5
Kamadhenu track 1 does stand out in an immediate way. There's enough to discover though in the following tracks I found after initially thinking they didn't live up to the strength of track 1 (perhaps another reason I've likened it in my mind to Merzbuddha), maybe give it some time. (Then again, track 2 is derivative of a particular track Merzbow has returned to a few times, rather than being totally new material, which mars the release for me somewhat).
You may find Dead Leaves has some similar qualities and does drift a little. Put it this way, if you liked track 1 of Kamadhenu, I'm sure you'll enjoy Coma Berenices - similar textural approach.
I do recommend Ouroboros.... I put it somewhere alongside the better of the 'long and varied' tracks from previous years like Untitled for Vasteras, Rattus Rattus Suite, Cluster Amaryllis, Zophorus Part 4 (not as long, but still has that quality), (maybe My Voice at the Pace of Drifting Clouds, have to listen again) - tracks that for me are multidimensional because they change tack rather than remain fixed on more singular trajectories.
|
|
|
Post by acsenger on May 14, 2013 3:31:11 GMT -5
I listened to Ko To No O To again and I quite like side A. It's got a nice pulse underneath and it's also interesting to see the difference between this 7"s more "monolithic" style as opposed to mid-90s works where things were happening on every level. Side B is less to my liking due to the random drum sounds. I wonder if his "drum" albums are similar in style; I'll have to check some of them out.
|
|
|
Post by andypandy380 on May 14, 2013 12:30:27 GMT -5
This one does differ to other Merzbow 7"s I have, it sort of feels like a snapshot of what LopLop and Kibako had going for them, I've given it a few more listens too, and its definitely a solid and likable release. I would say the sounds on this are quite 'delicate' (not sure if that's even the word I'm looking for) but all piled up on top of each other so it's like a stabbing of sound rather than a wall of noise, which is great. other Merzbow singles sound rather more dense, but i suppose that's just in line with the kind of sound he had in the 90s. except for Hummingbird which is all chopped up film soundtracks and things. I wouldn't compare side B to his drum albums really, this sounds very percussive yes, but the albums tend to have more of a consistency to them, the drums are jazzy and performed with a traditional drum kit with quite a minimal amount of manipulation brought to them.
|
|