New limited release: Janek Schaefer and Stephan Mathieu 5″ split

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Crónica is very proud to present its forty-seventh release, a split 5″ vinyl by Janek Schaefer and Stephan Mathieu in a very limited pressing of 50 numbered cuts. All of the discs in this release are unique originals, with different audio content, and packaged in 50 original covers created by Arménio Martins.

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Janek Schaefer: “Fifty Inner Spaces (for JG Ballard)”

“Inner Space Memorial [for JG Ballard]” is a music & sculpture series in memory of the novelist JG Ballard (1930–2009). He lived a mile from my studio in the far west fringes of Greater London. His life was astonishing. His central treatise was ‘inner space’ [as opposed to outer space]. The novel Concrete Island inspired my early project The Memory Museum. He died in April 2009 while I was reading his autobiography. I was preparing to go and say hello. He was a full time father and reading his daughter’s Eulogy is inspirational. I have been moved to produce a multiple of works in memory of his legacy. This 5″ vinyl is the first release which takes the 20 minute composition and cuts random 2 minute slices of sound from the master track. Fifty little slices of inner space. Janek winter 2009.

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Stephan Mathieu: “Girl”

Girl is an excerpt from an audio file of 11 hours duration, a string of slowly changing data rattle. This file is generated from a screenshot taken from the classic Arcade jump-and-run game Donkey Kong. The girl is Princess Pauline, my piece is a tribute to the beauty of data. Stephan, Roma 24.11.09

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This 5″ vinyl disc is only available directly from Crónica, for 30€ (post included). Order it now. Serial numbers will be shipped sequentially.

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“Lectures” reviewed by Earlabs

Lectures
Cornelius Cardew was a musician who had his feet in avant-garde music. He worked as assistant of Karlheinz Stockhausen, was member of free improvisation group AMM and at the end of the sixties formed the group Scratch Orchestra. While in this orchestra he build up a huge aversion against avant-garde music and the elitist nature of this music. At the same time he turned his career in the direction of politics supporting marxist-maoist organizations. Musically a swing to more traditional folklore music was taken at the same time. For various popular causes he developed musical pieces together with his old AMM colleague Keith Rowe. Until his death in 1981 he stayed active as member of communist parties in the British politics.

The musical career of Cardew has been an influence to several musicians even leading to several festivals, like the Zakrzyienia Igly festival in Warsaw, Poland in 2007. For this festival Polish musician and composer Piotr Kurek composed several pieces to be played. As a starting point several recordings from Cardew were used, while the musicians improvised with additional instruments. With these live pieces as starting point Kurek composed the music we find on the album Lectures.

While the original setting for the festival was improvised, here things are worked out into the smallest detail. The 10 pieces are based around lectures and piano play by Cardew and around these recordings we hear clarinets, percussion and subtle computer generated sounds (among other instruments). What comes to mind is the music by the Berlin based duo Dictaphone, but in a more abstract version. The electro-acoustic music has similarities to modern free-jazz compositions, but as easily can be fitted in with modern avant-garde classical music.

Lectures is a strong release which shows great tribute to one of the innovators of avant-garde music, although Cardew might turn in his grave if someone would say this too loud.

Highly recommended release. Sietse van Erve

via Earlabs

2 x ONE — Crónica holidays promotion

Holiday promotion: buy any Crónica release and get another one free

Holiday promotion: buy one, get one free

Until the end of 2009, for every order of a Crónica release you can choose to receive another one for free (from any of the CD or DVD releases 1 to 30). Just place your order and send us a note or an email to sales@cronicaelectronica.org mentioning which other release you want to receive. Don’t miss the chance to complete your Crónica collection.

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“Erotikon” reviewed by Orkus

Erotikon
Nein, nichts Schlüpfriges. Wer bei dem Titel Erotikon auf Pornomusik hofft, wird enttäuscht. Ein Erotikon ist eigentlich ein Stück über Liebe, vulgo: Liebeslied. Doch ganz so banal geht The Beautiful Schizophonic glücklicherweise nicht vor. Das nur schummrig beleuchtete Liebesnest wird vielmehr mit warmen Flächen bestrichen, die eine sehr intime Stimmung erzeugen. Irgendwie ist das allerdings auch recht handzahmes Bettgeflüster und kann problemlos neben solche Fummelcompilations wie jede der Erotic Lounge-Serie gestellt werden. Für das nächste Liebesspiel sicher nicht ungeeignet, ist Erotikon etwas zu einfallslos, um einen erinnerungswürdigen Höhepunkt zu entfesseln. Die Liebe ist manchmal eben auch nur ein gutes Gefühl ohne grandioses Finale.

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EME.LL / Olhares de Outono 2009

emell
After 8 years of EME, this year EME turned to EME.LL – EME Live Laptops.

This year’s edition is a parallel event dedicated exclusively to laptops in the live performance context. It is also a moment of reflection, a moment of evaluation and a small step into new possible futures. The main focus is now the creator, the laptop user, his problems, his questions and why not, his ambitions!

This edition will consist of a one-day symposium with 16 musicians, followed by a day of performances. All the 16 guests have in common their extended use of the laptop in a real time performance context.

The group will make a collective performance —16 laptops (12 on sound and 4 on visuals) followed by a solo laptop from one of the most recognized electronic activists: Robin Rimbaud, aka Scanner.

EME.LL edition is part of Olhares de Outono Festival and is supported by the Universidade Católica do Porto. The meeting and the performance will be held at the historical space of the Mosteiro São Bento da Vitória in Porto.

November 21th, (14h30 – 23h00) — LAPTOP MEETING

November 22th, (21:30) — CONCERTS:

16 LAPTOPERS
Audio: Pedro Almeida, The Beautiful Schizophonic, Miguel Carvalhais, Rui Costa, Jerome Faria, Ivan Franco, André Gonçalves, Vitor Joaquim, Nuno Moita, João Ricardo, Carlos Santos, Pedro Tudela.

Visuals: Alba G. Corral, Laetitia Morais, Hugo Olim, André Sier.

SCANNER (Robin Rimbaud)

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“Erotikon” reviewed by De:Bug

Erotikon
Jorge Mantas’ neues Album versammelt ein knappes Dutzend Ambient- und Drone-Tracks. Wohlklang pur, alles klingt fast wie unter Wasser und hat eher Installations- denn Trackcharakter. Vermeintlich Orchestrales mischt sich mit Klavierpassagen, Digitalem und den ersten Gesangsaufnahmen von 1860, einem Ausschnitt aus “Au Claire De Lune” oder (heimlich belauschten?) Telefongesprächen. Fließend, ätherisch, episch und romantisch ist die Musik, jedoch nie süß oder kitschig. Geschmackvoll.

via De:Bug

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“Lectures” reviewed by Rumore

Lectures
Origini colte invece per Lectures (Crónica) del polacco Piotr Kurek, che interviene su registrazioni acustiche effettuate a Varsavia nel 2007 ad un festival intitolato a Cornelius Cardew, intercalandole con frammenti di conferenze e performance del compositore, procurate dal di lui figlio Walter. Attivo anche nel combo breakcore Slepcy, Kurek opera alchemici tagli e montaggi, dando forma a misteriosi ibridi di concettuale, contemporanea e free jazz vecchia scuola. Un feticcio per i cultori di CC. Vittore Baroni