The Caretaker “Everywhere at the end of time—Part 6” from History Always Favours the Winners. Review by Macon Holt.
The Caretaker is no more. After being afflicted with Alzheimer’s almost three years ago by his creator, James Leyland Kirby (also known as V/Vm), he has finally succumbed to his illness with the release of “Everywhere At The End Of Time—Stage 6”. Back in 2016, P/A’s Nils Bloch marked the start of this dissent and now, after 20 years of work, The Caretaker has come to an end in the way that all memories eventually do, disappearing into a fog of fragments and sensations so diffuse that you can’t even really call them your own anymore. But while earlier records of his could shy away from the terrifying implications of fading memories by drawing attention to the soft focus in which he casts them, the final part of this project cannot. This time, we are made to stare into the darkness of fading out of our own stories. But even though it may be frightening, even though it may be disorienting, something about this feels, if not right, maybe ok.
V/A: ZONE Compilation Vol.2 (ZONE Collective). Review by Ivna Franić.
The Copenhagen-based ZONE Collective is back with their second compilation, featuring another refreshing collection of tracks by underground acts mostly hailing from Denmark and the UK. Although the majority of the acts here expectedly operates between different styles of electronic and noise music—while also sharing an affinity for intriguing sound design—the new compilation shifts away from the explicit club leanings of the first one, putting an emphasis on more abrasive sounds.
This Saturday Extremely Rotten Productionshosts a death metal summit at the Mayhem venue in Copenhagen, with a lineup of some of the most vile and forceful danish bands ruling the death metal underground right now. A second infestation will take place at Pumpehuset in May! Full info below the interview.
Founder of Extremely Rotten Productions, David “Torturdød” Mikkelsen, is also a founding member of the bands Undergang and Phrenelith (and others) with several releases on some of the most respected contemporary death metal record labels out there. So why would he even bother to start up his own label and open a physical store on the outskirts of Copenhagen? We asked him about the current state of rotten death metal in Denmark.
Though having existed for more than 15 years, the forthcoming album, “Low Distance”, is only Deaf Center’s third full-length release. Since the Norwegian duo released their first EP, “Neon City”, their output has been somewhat sparse due to the geographical distance between its two members and their wide range of other collaborative and solo outputs. Since the start of their collaboration Erik Skodvin has recorded music in his own name and as Svarte Greiner and also produced and released music on the Miasmah label, while Otto Totland has collaborated with Huw Roberts under the Nest moniker and also released two solo piano records on acclaimed Berlin label Sonic Pieces.
The duo’s sound has definitely evolved throughout their existence, from the more organic and murky sounding “Pale Ravine” to the abrasive strings and heavier sound of 2011’s “Owl Splinters”, they have been operating within the realm of the dark ambient, post-classical and drone-heavy sound, which they have played a considerable part in developing and demarcating. However, “Low Distance” certainly marks a new direction in their collaborative effort.
Hvis du kan lide Neil Young, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys eller kender til Phil Spectors produktioner, så har du sikkert også hørt et eller flere af Jack Nitzsches arrangementer.
Jack Nitzsche (1937, Chicago – 2000, Los Angeles) var en vigtig baggrundsfigur i den amerikanske pop- og rockmusik særligt op gennem 60’erne, og han har arrangeret eller bidraget til store populære hits, som bl.a: “Be My Baby” indspillet af the Ronettes, “Needles and Pins” skrevet med Sonny Bono, “Up Where We Belong” fra “An Officer and A Gentleman”, som han vandt en Oscar for. Nitzsche har desuden spillet keyboards på og har skrevet arrangementer til flere af Rolling Stones hits, bl.a. “Play with Fire,” “Paint It, Black,” og “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”. Herudover har han samarbejdet med Neil Young op igennem 60’erne og 70’erne, som både medproducer tangentspiller på flere af hans plader.
Udover hans virke som arrangør har Jack Nitzsche også stået bag nogle i mine øjne rigtigt spændende soundtracks. Mine personlige favoritter er Miloš Formans “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” fra 1975 og den stemningsmættede musik i William Friedkins “Cruising” fra 1980. Læs resten
