HANS REICHEL - Lower Lurum (1994) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Hans Reichel's Lower Lurum is perhaps the record that introduced the world to his invention, the daxophone, a box playing a long, thin altered board that produces so many tones and sounds they are virtually limitless. Add to this Reichel's homemade guitars, which are truly exotic pieces of art as well as functional instruments, and you have an orchestra from another dimension. Which is what Lower Lurum is pretty much all about. Being subtitled as a "guitar and daxophone" operetta, in Reichel's mind there is probably a concept here. But that concept for the listener -- especially since there are no notes explaining what the "plot" of this operetta is supposed to be -- is tonal. Given how technical Reichel is about everything in the booklet, it is -- for those who've never heard Reichel's music -- shocking to hear its emotional warmth, depth, and humor. There is very little manipulation of sound with overdubs occurring in very few places, and even they are used sparingly. This is music that comes straight through the microphone without effects. In large part this is because it doesn't need any. Reichel's operetta and his music in general are more musical than music because they integrate the entire human being -- physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual -- into the way in which a composition or improvisation is executed and ultimately sounds. On Lower Lurum, Reichel has created a light body (or, from the Buddhist perspective, a rainbow body) of sound. Its clarity and spirit are one in the same, expressed as resonances from the heart through the hands and moving beyond them both into a sonic architecture that expresses emotions and thoughts that occur just beyond the field of language, and that achievement is far greater that the faculty of language this reviewer possesses. by Thom Jurek  

ARRIGO BARNABÉ E A BANDA SABOR A VENENO - Clara Cocrodilo (1983-2001) APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist:
1 Acapulco Drive In 4:30
Arranged By, Synthesizer, Electric Piano – Bozo
Backing Vocals – Passoca, Teté
Backing Vocals, Arranged By – Gi Gibson
Lyrics By, Arranged By – Paulo Barnabé
Music By – Gibson Gibson, Paulo Barnabé
Music By, Arranged By, Bass Guitar – Otávio Fialho
Music By, Synthesizer, Vocals – Arrigo Barnabé
Vocals – Mané Silveira
2 Orgasmo Total 4:37
Written-By, Arranged By, Vocals – Arrigo Barnabé
3 Diversões Eletrônicas 7:49
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Baldo Versolatto
Backing Vocals – Eliana Estevão, Passoca, Teté
Synthesizer, Electric Piano, Piano, Backing Vocals – Bozo
Written-By, Arranged By, Electric Piano, Piano – Regina Porto
Written-By, Arranged By, Vocals – Arrigo Barnabé
4 Instante 3:30
Clarinet – Marcelo Galberti
Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Mané Silveira
Written-By, Arranged By – Arrigo Barnabé
5 Sabor De Veneno 2:31
Piano, Electric Piano – Regina Porto
Piano, Electric Piano, Percussion, Written-By, Arranged By, Vocals – Arrigo Barnabé
Vocals, Arranged By [Vocals] – Teté
6 Infortúnio 4:50
Arranged By – Itamar Assumpção
Arranged By, Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals – Paulo Barnabé
Backing Vocals – Bozo, Passoca, Teté
Cello – Mario "Biafra" Aydar
Written-By, Vocals, Arranged By – Arrigo Barnabé
7 Office Boy 6:59
Backing Vocals – Teté
Electronics, Narrator – Regina Porto
Written-By, Arranged By, Narrator, Vocals – Arrigo Barnabé
8 Clara Crocodilo 7:21
Backing Vocals – Bozo, Eliana Estevão, Gilberto Mifune, Passoca, Teté
Guitar, Violin, Backing Vocals – Gi Gibson
Lyrics By, Narrator, Arranged By – Arrigo Barnabé
Music By – Arrigo Barnabé, Mário Lucio Cortes
Credits:
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Baldo Versolatto
Clarinet – Felix Wagner
Percussion – Rogério
Producer – Robinson Borba
Recorded By – Carlos A. Duttweller, Francisco Braga
Recorded By, Mixed By – Marcus Vinicius
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Chico Guedes
Trombone, Bass Trombone – Ronei Stella
Vocals – Suzana, Vania

ZÉ EDUARDO NAZÁRIO - Poema da Gota Serena (1982) lp / FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist:
1 Energia dos 3 Mundos / Só Prá Ouvir 15:16
Flute, Written-By – Cacau
Written-By – Zé Eduardo Nazário
2 Prá Pensar / Prá Sentir e Contar 16:00
Bells – Lelo Nazário
Written-By – Zé Eduardo Nazário
Credits:
Drums, Glockenspiel, Kalimba, Tabla, Xylophone, Percussion, Voice, Khene – Zé Eduardo Nazário
Piano, Xylophone, Synth – Lelo Nazário
Remastered By – Lelo Nazário
Tenor Saxophone – Cacau

DEAD CAN DANCE - Spleen and Ideal (1985-2008) SACD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With this amazing album, Dead Can Dance fully took the plunge into the heady mix of musical traditions that would come to define its sound and style for the remainder of its career. The straightforward goth affectations are exchanged for a sonic palette and range of imagination. Calling it "haunting" and "atmospheric" barely scratches even the initial surface of the album's power. The common identification of the duo with a consciously medieval European sound starts here -- quite understandable, when one considers the mystic titles of songs, references to Latin, choirs, and other touches that make the album sound like it was recorded in an immense cathedral. Opening number "De Profundis" sets this mood so thoroughly, with bells and drones and more supporting another bravura performance from Gerrard, while the immediately following "Ascension" builds on this initial effort with further style and grace. It's limiting to think of either album or band strictly in terms of simple revivalism of old music. While the elements being drawn on are certainly of an older range, the results owe as much to the technologies of arrangement and production and a consciously cinematic feeling as much as they do antique pasts. Similarly, the feeling is not simply European but worldwide, with Gerrard's glossolalia intentionally reaching beyond easy understanding. Perry's vocal efforts are no less compelling, his own high point occurring with the vast-sounding "Enigma of the Absolute," as a steady, massive drum pound echoes behind a similarly treated guitar/harpsichord combination, tinged with a striking string arrangement. The overall feeling is of an ancient religious service suddenly brought to life in a truly modern way, with stunning results. by Ned Raggett  

DEAD CAN DANCE - The Serpent's Egg (1988-2008) SACD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Perry and Gerrard continued to experiment and improve with The Serpent's Egg, as much a leap forward as Spleen and Ideal was some years previously. As with that album, The Serpent's Egg was heralded by an astounding first track, "The Host of Seraphim." Its use in films some years later was no surprise in the slightest -- one can imagine the potential range of epic images the song could call up -- but on its own it's so jaw-droppingly good that almost the only reaction is sheer awe. Beginning with a soft organ drone and buried, echoed percussion, Gerrard then takes flight with a seemingly wordless invocation of power and worship -- her vocal control and multi-octave range, especially towards the end, has to be heard to be believed. Nothing else achieves such heights, but everything gets pretty darn close, a deserved testament to the band's conceptual reach and abilities. Slow plainsong chants such as "Orbis De Ignis" mix with the harpischord and overlaid vocals of "The Writing on My Father's Hand" and the slow build and sweep of "In the Kingdom of the Blind the One-Eyed Are Kings." Two of Perry's finest vocal moments occur here. The first, "Severance," is a slow, organ/keyboard led number that showcases his rich, warm vocals exquisitely -- it's no wonder that Bauhaus chose to cover it some years later on its reunion tour. "Ullyses," the album's closing track, makes for a fine ending as much as "The Host of Seraphim" did an opening, Perry's delivery almost like a reading from a holy book, the arrangement of strings and percussion rhythmic, addictive and lovely. by Ned Raggett 

DEAD CAN DANCE - Aion (1990-2008) SACD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Their reputation growing by leaps and bounds, including a huge underground following in the U.S. -- they were able to tour there even without one domestic release available, while at one point Dead Can Dance was the biggest selling band in 4AD's history -- Perry and Gerrard once again did the business with Aion. Its cover taken from Bosch, Aion's medievalism was worn more openly than ever before, with songs adapted from centuries-old material. The beautiful, entrancing "Saltarello," with lead performance by what sounds like an old wind instrument, comes from an Italian dance of the 14th century, while the mysterious moods of "The Song of the Sibyl" derive from 16th-century Catalonia. The group's command of not merely recording possibilities -- witness the exquisite layering of vocals on the opening "The Arrival and the Reunion" -- but of musical traditions, instruments, and more from around the world was arguably never stronger. Gerrard's vocals in particular have an even stronger, richer feeling than before, not merely able to command with its power but softly calm and seduce. Perry, meanwhile, is no less compelling, his ever-strong, wonderful voice perfectly suited to his choice of material. The standout track is "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According to the Book" with lyrics from a Spanish poet. The musical combination of softly plucked guitar and buried organ drone is striking enough, swathed in reverb, but when Perry steps in with his vocals, matched by more sparkling keyboards, the result is yet another high point for a band laden with them. Guest performers once again assist throughout, including Perry's brother Robert on haunting, quite non-clichéd bagpipes for "As the Bell Rings the Maypole Spins" and singer David Navarro Sust, returning again to contribute some fine backing work. by Ned Raggett  

DEAD CAN DANCE - Into the Labyrinth (1993-2008) SACD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

With a regular American deal in place for the first time ever, thanks to 4AD's linkup with the WEA conglomerate, Dead Can Dance made a splash on commercial alternative radio with "The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove," the first single from Into the Labyrinth. Raga drones, a strange clattering beat, a haunting wind instrument, orchestral shading, and Perry's ever-grand voice make it one of the more unlikely things to be heard on the airwaves in a while. It all begins with yet another jaw-dropper from Gerrard, "Yulunga (Spirit Dance)," with keyboards and her octave-defying voice at such a deep, rich level that it sweeps all before it. Wordless as always but never without emotional heft, the song slowly slides into a slow but heavy percussion piece that sounds a bit like "Bird" from A Passage in Time, but with greater impact and memorability. As the album slowly unwinds over an hour's length, the two again create a series of often astounding numbers that sound like they should be millennia old, mixing and matching styles to create new fusions. Perhaps even more impressive is that everything was performed solely by Perry and Gerrard -- no outside guests here, and yet everything is as detailed, lush, and multifaceted as many of their past albums. New classics from the band appear almost track for track: Gerrard's a cappella work on "The Wind That Shakes the Barley," the gentle beauty of "Ariadne," the rhythmic drive and chants of the title song. The conclusion is a slightly surprising but quite successful cover -- "How Fortunate the Man With None," an adaptation of a classic Bertolt Brecht tune about the turn of fortune's wheel. Given a restrained arrangement and Perry's singing, it brings Labyrinth to a satisfying end. by Ned Raggett  

FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION - We're Only in It for the Money (1968-1995) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

From the beginning, Frank Zappa cultivated a role as voice of the freaks -- imaginative outsiders who didn't fit comfortably into any group. We're Only in It for the Money is the ultimate expression of that sensibility, a satirical masterpiece that simultaneously skewered the hippies and the straights as prisoners of the same narrow-minded, superficial phoniness. Zappa's barbs were vicious and perceptive, and not just humorously so: his seemingly paranoid vision of authoritarian violence against the counterculture was borne out two years later by the Kent State killings. Like Freak Out, We're Only in It for the Money essentially devotes its first half to satire, and its second half to presenting alternatives. Despite some specific references, the first-half suite is still wickedly funny, since its targets remain immediately recognizable. The second half shows where his sympathies lie, with character sketches of Zappa's real-life freak acquaintances, a carefree utopia in "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance," and the strident, unironic protest "Mother People." Regardless of how dark the subject matter, there's a pervasively surreal, whimsical flavor to the music, sort of like Sgt. Pepper as a creepy nightmare. Some of the instruments and most of the vocals have been manipulated to produce odd textures and cartoonish voices; most songs are abbreviated, segue into others through edited snippets of music and dialogue, or are broken into fragments by more snippets, consistently interrupting the album's continuity. Compositionally, though, the music reveals itself as exceptionally strong, and Zappa's politics and satirical instinct have rarely been so focused and relevant, making We're Only in It for the Money quite probably his greatest achievement. by Steve Huey 

IKUE MORI - Hex Kitchen [1995] Tzadik / FLAC

Hex Kitchen showcases downtown New York musician Ikue Mori at the height of her compositional abilities. While her unique manipulation of samples and drum machines always yields interesting sounds, some of her improvisatory and recorded work leaves something to be desired in terms of musical structure. This release, however, offers the fascinating percussive and machine sounds Mori is known for, along with some highly inventive, yet listenable songs. Most of the tracks even clock in at the three- to four-minute range, making for the closest approximation of a conventional album that will ever come from this purely experimental electronic musician. Boasting an appearance by John Zorn on clarinet, Hex Kitchen is an all-star avant-garde ensemble piece with some inspired playing by Zeena Parkins on electric harp and accordion, trombonist Jim Staley, and violinist Hahn Rowe. The real highlights of the album come with the first three tracks, though. Album opener "Slush" showcases Mori's unique approach to rhythm with driving, syncopated solo drum machines and sampler. "Woke Up Aghast" is rather catchy with a rolling bassline courtesy of Hideki Kato and surprising use of bagpipes by David Watson. Here, Mori also introduces her haunting use of vocals, which have a sort of lullaby-ish quality that portrays a frightening innocence when coupled with Mori's abrasive samples. Zorn's clarinet work, coupled with Parkins' accordion and the odd vocalizations of Catherine Jauniaux on "Angler Fish" make for the album's best moments. Hex Kitchen remains consistently solid, however, with Mori laying a solid foundation for the other musicians to work on top of, using drum machines and samplers to create alternately strong rhythmic bases and brief blasts of utter chaos. The sum total is an engaging experimental work that would be a good starting point for the uninitiated.   by Matthew Carlin   
Tracklist  
1 Slush 2:40
2 Woke Up Aghast  3:16
Bagpipes – David Watson
Bass – Hideki Kato
3 Angler Fish  3:51
Clarinet – John Zorn
Harp [Electric], Accordion, Keyboards – Zeena Parkins
Vocals – Catherine Jauniaux
4 Shiver   3:10
Guitar – Hahn Rowe
Harp [Electric] – Zeena Parkins
Vocals – Catherine Jauniaux
5 Recipe 4:11
6 Loops   3:28
Bass – Hideki Kato
Harp [Electric] – Zeena Parkins
7 Kiss Of Fire   3:46
Bass, Violin – Hahn Rowe
Vocals – Catherine Jauniaux
8 Eight Million Ways To Die   4:22
Accordion – Zeena Parkins
Violin – Hahn Rowe
9 Clapper 2:49
10 Dau Miu   4:12
Trombone – Jim Staley
11 Hive  5:13
Guitar – David Watson
Harp [Electric] – Zeena Parkins
Credits
Drum Machine, Sampler, Vocals, Producer – Ikue Mori
Executive-Producer – John Zorn

 IKUE MORI - Hex Kitchen 

[1995] Tzadik / FLAC / scans

O Púbis da Rosa

JIM O'ROURKE - Terminal Pharmacy [1995] Tzadik / FLAC

With Terminal Pharmacy, Jim O'Rourke creates a soundscape so calm and minimal that some people, lacking patience for the seeming formlessness, could do entirely without it, while others will find themselves repeatedly putting it in their CD player at home, work, or wherever they need warmth dispersed throughout the air. Seeping steadily from the edge of silence comes crackles, thin fuzz, and extended string tones. Less narrative than what "electro-acoustic" usually refers to, "Cede" hums at the back of your mind. Given almost a minute of silence in between, the second piece then begins; sounding like a very quiet improvisation, the instruments whisper bowed rounds, a conversation in tininess that grows bolder at moments.  by Joslyn Layne
Tracklist:
1 Cede  41:32
Bass Trombone – Jeff Cortazzo
Clarinet – Tony Burr
Drums [Drum Set] – John McEntire
2 [Silence] (no audio) 0:59
3 Terminal Pharmacy   8:21
Accordion – Isha Suftin, Rob Prosser
Acoustic Guitar – Jim O'Rourke
Alto Flute – Lisa Hemmer, Sue Oberg
Cello – Dan Loch, Hattie Franck, Mike Dockter, Robert Keckmary Labreque, Stan Saderk
Clarinet – Tony Burr
Flute [Bass] – Jim Vanden, Wendi Lev

JIM O'ROURKE - Terminal Pharmacy 

[1995] Tzadik / FLAC / scans

O Púbis da Rosa