“Ification” reviewed by Hair Entertainment

Ification
Ification, the latest release from Pure, otherwise known as Peter Votava, is seven tracks which stand independently as pieces of work. It is an electronic album with an ever changing background peppered with an array of less subtle noises. Instruments weave and drag around their own stretched sounds and generated electronic hums. Votava has come from a DJ background, through techno and rave, to a now more drone based sound. The voices of such musicians as Ilse Gold, Erich Berger, Alexandra von Bolzn and The Heart Chamber Orchestra exist somewhere in Ification. Pure has twisted and shaped them to create his work. The record opens with “Fire” and a sledge hammering guitar repeated over and over with subtle variations in tone and length. “After the Bomb”, a notable contrast, has a nice background tone pierced with high high pitches. It leads appropriately to “Approximation” in which has the effect of an orchestra stretched to a thin line under ominous brass blasts. Ification continues in a similar fashion with further sampled and drill like sounds. “End”, in particular, harmonised really well with my aging fridge. In general the tracks are long and become seemingly longer through lack of variety. There is little development within the tracks which makes it sound thin. Maybe that is the point. Anna Johnston

New unlimited release: Marc Behrens’ “Compilation Works 1996-2005”

Compilation Works 1996-2005
“Compilation Works 1996–2005”, the first ever authorized online album release by Marc Behrens, features 19 tracks, previously scattered over compilations and reinterpretation projects (by artists like Disinformation, Ralf Wehowsky, John Hudak, Ilios, and others) from a 10 year period.

Most of the works were short one-off conceptual pieces, but, listened to in this new sequence, they reveal common strategies, mainly because many of them feature characteristics from Behrens’ album works, carried out over a sometimes extremely short duration.

The personal shifts in technology, the state of sound research and of processing techniques occurred during the period in which the works were realized turn this release into a good opportunity to explore how Marc Behrens’ work kept a unique consistency under varying conditions and while exploring different concepts.

All works have been carefully remastered and can be considered as definite versions.

You can download “Compilation Works 1996–2005” in high-quality MP3 or Apple Lossless formats directly from Crónica and free of charge. Donations are welcome! :)

The artwork

With Compilation Works 1996-2005 we present the fifth release in the Limited Series of original artworks, especially produced for each digital release. The Limited counterpart of this Unlimited release is “The Recompiler”, a certified signed and numbered limited edition of 19 31,5 x 31,5 cm Lambda prints, produced for Crónica by Marc Behrens. For ordering, please see this page.

New limited release: Marc Behrens’ “The Recompiler”

The Recompiler
…is a multicore adapter cable with eight different connectors, none of them matching. The cable is wired in such a way that if used with powered-up machines like recorders, mixing desks or microphones, it could potentially damage equipment.

The different connectors refer to different generations of technology in my studio. Pieces of equipment from different eras or of different qualities often create adapter problems – not only between connectors, but also regarding their technical specifications, such as impendance, for example. For many years in the past I have encountered such difficulties challenging my technical skills. Many times I had to work around problems in the resulting sounds during post-production – in other cases I simply failed. All the different connectors used on this object refer to historical tape machines, contact or air microphones, digital or video signals, consumer level recorders and sound generating machinery of all kinds, roughly during the time when the tracks included in Compilation Works 1996–2005 were produced.

The Recompiler is part of the Limited Release series from Crónica and is in the cover art of Marc Behrens’ “Compilation Works 1996-2005”. Each of the 19 signed and numbered copies is signed and certified by Marc Behrens and available directly from Crónica for just 100€.

“Berlin Backyards” reviewed by De-Bug

Berlin Backyards
Gilles Aubry lebt seit 2002 in Berlin und hat vier Jahre später Fieldrecordings von einigen Hinterhöfen der Stadt gemacht. Er arbeitet dabei mit dem natürlichen Hall der Gebäudekomplexe, die sich als natürliche Soundeffekte auf die Alltagsgeräusche der Stadt legen. Die Hinterhöfe funktionieren als halbprivate Bereiche, dienen Kindern als Spielplätze und Erwachsenen als Ort zur Müllzwischenlagerung und Versorgung mitStrom und Frischluft. Und genau das hört man auf seiner neuen CD außer dem Baulärm von der Straße: Vogelgekrächz, Kindergeschrei, Ventilatoren, Müllcontainer und Geräusche von Stromgeneratoren. Ganz normale Stadtgeräusche, die der Bewohner schon längst nicht mehr bewusst hört, die ihn aber täglich umgeben. Unterm Kopfhörer klingt das wie eine fremde Welt.

“Ification” reviewed by Rock-A-Rolla

Ification
Waves of austerity crash down upon the recumbent listener upon playing this much-delayed fourth solo release from Pure. Each of the seven pieces contained within are densely textured, revelling in their level of processed, electronic detail, seeming to present fractured splinters of a disintegrating persona while maintaining a similarly foreboding mood throughout. It’s a bit like a close-up examination of a healthy living specimen which reveals the microscopic bacteria devouring the flesh. The opening guitar drills of ‘Fire’ give an electric jolt to the system, but following that a mist of gloom and entropy cover proceedings. ‘After The Bomb’ is a dark, glowering swathe pinpointed with tiny glimmerings of light; ‘Approximation’ blends ghost-like doppelgangers of strings and horns into an almost modern classical feel and, most unsettlingly, ‘Sonomatopeia’ utilises unintelligible vocal samples courtesy of Alexandra von Bolzn which cackle, croak and chirrup as if nameless, unseeing creatures were beginning to populate the encroaching darkness. Ification is too seethingly active to be described as “Dark Ambient”, but it covers a similar territory of ever blackening mood-scapes and makes for hugely effective late night listening. Euan Andrews

Limited releases available at Inc.

Crónica and Inc. have teemed up for the sale of Crónica’s Limited Releases. From now on you’ll be able to purchase the Limited Releases (by Pedro Tudela, Miguel Leal, Ran Slavin and Marius Watz, with more to come) at the Inc. shop, a specialized seller of books and author’s editions.