In the Shortlist sections, I will mention some of the albums that I enjoyed listening to, but couldn’t find the time (or the right words) for a “full” review for. Still, I think they deserve your attention: use the links to find more info and hear previews.
JFFSTNHS (JEFF STONEHOUSE) – BROKEN
A haunting and slowly intensifying drone created by Jeff Stonehouse, co-founder of Listening Mirror.On this 22 minute track (presented on a limited edition 3″ CDR on the Cooper Cult label), Jeff Stonehouse visits “darker places than Listening Mirror dared to tread”. The overall sound is dark, indeed, and feels like something is bound to happen soon – illustrated by the Franz Kafka quote (from “The Metamorphosis”) accompanying the track, as well as by the cover image of the test pilot, who “looks sedate and calm, but there is the implication that he is about to do something extremely dangerous”.
TERJE PAULSEN – SVART UNDER IS
Similar in length (20 minutes), and similar in atmosphere is this soundscape by Norwegian artist Terje Paulsen, released on Yugen-Art. While jffstnhs‘s release slowly builds up in tension, this mysteriously named track by Terje Paulsen starts heavily concentrated, but slowly unwinds and gives space to percussive, raindroplike sounds. So they’re a perfect match when played together (in this sequence).
[FREE Download]
YUGEN – OBSERVATIONS ON TRANCE OR HUMAN HYBERNATION
While you are visiting the Yugen-Art site for the Terje Paulsen release, I strongly suggest you also download the latest release by David Yugen, curator of this interesting netlabel. The titles of this release suggest this might be an A/B side (cassette-?) release, but as far as I can see this is a (free) download only. The title and the short description tell all you need to know about this fascinating soundscape: “Composed using various Self-Hypnosis recordings on tape and vinyl as source material”. The tracks are quite different: the “A-side” covers somewhat frightening ESP-like territories, while the “B-side” track is considerably calmer, yet equally haunting, in nature.
[FREE Download]
MACHINEFABRIEK – VERSTILDE TIJD
Quite another kind of drone recording is this one by Rutger “Machinefabriek” Zuydervelt. Its title translates as “muted time”, or “time standing still” – which can be taken literally, since this is a transformed and time-stretched recording of a single bell from the roof of the building for which the sound installation was created. The installation is very simple, technically: it consist of just one hidden speaker playing at a low volume continuously. “The impression is given that years and years back, the old bell on the roof of the museum’s residence was struck, and at that very moment, time froze. The distant resonance of the bell is still audible in the room, filling it with a ghostly presence”.
Apart from being nice to listen to, this (55 minute) recording of the installation is especially dear to me since it was created for (the soon-to-be) “Museum Oud-Amelisweerd“, which happens to be only a few kilometers away from where I live.
[FREE Download]
VARIOUS ARTISTS – 3M33S
And, to conclude this shortlist full of drones, here’s: some more drones!
33 Tracks, all 3’33” in length, contributed by familiar and lesser-known sound artists to help fund an upcoming label / artist collective startup.
Donating is simple: for the incredibly low amount of $3.33 you receive all 33 tracks that are included in this compilation (curated by LeBerger).
If you want, you can also buy single tracks for $0.33, but I do not see why you would want to to this given the ridicilously low price for the full two hour compilation.
Every individual track has the release date as its title, so this compilation covers 2013.01.30 to 2013.03.03. Obviously, there may be a lot more to follow. Provided there are enough people interested to donate, of course…