Hi Greg!
etcu> Well, Locust is certainly *my* cup of tea (and Helen's,
etcu> etc.).
Your memory's working pretty well :-)
Mark van Hoen definitely is my favourite IDM artist. If I could take 3 albums
with me to the next world, I'd certainly take Weathered Well. For completeness
the other two would be Selected Ambient Works II (Aphex who else?) and A
Collection of Short Stories (Reload).
I can't really fathom why his music has such an attraction on me. The earthly
sounds, feeling nature's forces ... The dark mysterious deepness ... I wonder
if he'll ever make a record I won't love. His music holds so much feeling.
Amazing. Have you managed to see one of his performances yet? The way he
combines music and visuals ... truly, a must see.
What do you make of his collaboration (Aurobindo - named after that Indian
philosopher?) with Daren Seymour of Seefeel? ... It scares the pants of me.
Have you heard the work he's done with Annie Williams? And the outstanding
Autocreation 'Mettle' with Kevin Hector and Tara Patterson? (I'm running out of
superlatives)
etcu> I suspect that being a Former Industrialist With A Clue[tm]
etcu> helps a great deal in this regard. Van Hoen's work is
etcu> infused with an Industrial sensibility, as is to some extent
etcu> Autechre's (I've finally gotten a tape copy of "Tri
etcu> Repetae", and my pico review is "The record Richard James
etcu> could have made if he'd stop pissing about". Positively
etcu> post-Aphexian and brilliant.).
(A friend of mine would kill you for making that comparison) Mind you, I'm
firmly of the opinion that Aphex is not pissing about, he's one of a kind. I'm
always looking forward to what he comes up with next. Honest, I've not been
disappointed yet ... Well, maybe that remix he did for the Gentle People. Only
yesterday I gave SAW 85-92 another close listening ... faxcinating, how his
music always sounds different, everytime I hear it.
etcu> Then again, I've spent most of my adulthood searching out
etcu> that which would be considered "weird" by some/most, it's
etcu> usually where the most challenging music lives.
My 'old' friends actually believe that I've gone stark ravin' mad ...
(they're right ofcourse)
On the turntable: Wagon Christ 'Throbbing Pouch'
doei!
Helen