MARK PISTEL
"Pistel"
BKA 0007
1997 M. Pistel Music.
Baraka Foundation
http://www.pistel.com
----------------------
TOTAL PLAY: 68:42
1. COLORFUL WORLD - 6:34
***Featured Pick*** This track is one of the most satisfying tranquilizers
you'll ever consume. The first few minutes are very relaxing: an excursion
into the ambient soul of your thoughts. Redefining the sounds of world
music, and regenerating the forces that define them. We're at the
2:35-mark, and these smooth sounds filter inside me like water flowing
through a small canal. How can peacefulness be described? Here we go, some
wicked drums pounding now, drum 'n bass flavored melodies, with the ambient
texture filtering itself away from us. Some strange rhythms are rolling
around in many directions, I'm totally confused where these awesome drums
came from, or when they arrived. A totally mesmorizing feeling of subtle
bass, funky back-rhythms, strange water drops, and a twisted fusion of
classic sounds, fused with the sound of crisp snapping vinyl bursts, and an
abstract piano excerpt. We're taken into the next track . . .
2. CHEESE - 3:19
An underground electronic beatbox. Pulsing "techno" beats, the typified
high-hat and a repetitive back-beat. Strange, mind-altering technology
infiltrates the drums, while the acid twitches seem to explode, displaying
themselves in many colors. Structural elements of melodic noise swish
around the wide spectrum of hard punching bass. A very distinct
electronically produced camouflage of ambient frequencies, and fundamental
loops of agitating rings. Fast, furious, and to the point.
3. SKIN UP - 7:11
*** Featured Pick*** Excellent grooves that totally redefine the meaning of
pure electronic break-beat. Mark Pistel has produced a track meant for our
minds to directly consume. My body moves to this track without the use of
muscles. There are elements of chaos and confusion that seem to tranquilize
me entirely. Awesome use of drums, drum patterns, compressed beats
colliding with machines, and all that aligned chaos that flows perfectly
into a distinct unit. At 3:26, a new set of drums is introduced to the wide
spectrum of structured sounds. A short whistle spurts out every eight
seconds, with a drenching bass-line that only one person could possibly
invent. Weird shapes start to form over this four dimensional
multi-confusion of wonderful noise. There's a strange break at around six
minutes, with the original bass vibrating in both channels. Sounds of
spatial freedom, bass, and short melodies wisping around . . .
Unbelievable music worth a million feelings.
4. MILLENNIUM - 5:30
*** Featured Pick *** An introduction so peaceful, calm and moving, that
tears begin to plunge down my face instantly. This is a strong melody meant
for abstract beats to take over. So it does. At :50, we're pushed into the
jungle envelope of reggae pulses, and Mohammed gently rubbing his voice
against the jungle vibe which is now dominating the whole mood of this
track. The peaceful melody brings with it more substance this time, a
totally corrupted and intoxicating drum'n bass extraction. Then the
original drum'n bass, straight to the punch jungle continues to flow
casually with subtle reggae rhythms and lyrics: lyrics that are similar to
_Finlay Quay's_ singing on _A Guy Called Gerald's_ Juice Box release "Black
Secret Technology." We get the same feeling with a different drum looping
itself into abstract melodies. Fine intelligent jungle.
5. TRAIN JUMPING - 6:24
Strange tingling electronic mayhem for the first minute. Minimal sounds
protrude from the growth of organic chemicals, while a sound test may be
tricking our speakers. A bass-line begins to develop in the distance, and a
subtle drum'n bass extraction purely meant to take you off guard pops in at
1:40. Amazingly simple, tremendously flavored. Smooth ambient qualities
manifesting themselves peacefully from the outer rim of classical sounds.
2:41--a distorted bass line takes over the control booth, until 3:15. At
this time, a very funky chime seems to shake itself loose over the original
d+b extraction. Interesting use of ultrasonic experimentation. Strange
looping ideas that pulsate smoothly within those of us who are now asleep.
Close your eyes, imagine the sky beginning to spin around you, and the
floor begin to drop rapidly. Put your hands in the air, and feel the utmost
sensation of breathing into a sonically drenched sound scape of
mind-bending space music.
6. EXPERIENCE - 4:04
*** Featured Pick*** "Your eyes will remain closed during this entire
experience. Experience moving in space." "Nobody knows where we go when we
die, I wonder why, I wonder why." A journey into pure space, as I'm
literally lifted into a new plain of cosmic sounds, looping melodies, and
the subtle excerpts of lyrics whispered slowly inside me. Break-beat at a
higher level of intelligence; Music not typically understood by people who
walk with their heads on the ground; Sounds that don't follow the same
groove; Melodies that don't follow the same pattern. Synthetic dub crying
for more pleasure. Seeking to open the envelope of a new generation of dub.
This is music directed for a new genre of spatially direct electronica.
Smooth, hypnotical moans, and a totally relaxing feeling of plastered
musical sheets of noise and peace. "Experience how they feel, and how you
want to feel." Where else do we get an entire philosophy lesson and a
feeling of thought that is powered by the pulse of melodic noise? Just
"open your eyes" and you'll see where.
7. YOU COULD JUMP 6X HIGHER ON THE MOON - 4:28
Symphonic angles of purifying bass, with strange, out of shape tweaking
melodies and distorted rhythms. Absolute IDM in a genuine electro-synth
kind of way. This track has many blips and beeps similar to _Coldcut's_
track "Timber." I'm totally amused at how they can fuse electronics and odd
twitches of altering beats to produce an almost ambient degree of purity
with twisted melodies. The sample "You could jump 6x higher on the moon"
sounds like a recorded voice lifted from an old film with its direct yet
scratchy lyrics. I'm pretty sure _Fortran 5_ used this type of voice remake
for their release "Blues." The odd psychedelic voice teaching the listener
how messed up our world is, and how easy it is to navigate it. Dub me up
daddy.
8. WHAT YOU ARE WITHIN, THAT YOU WILL BE WITHOUT - 5:25
*** Featured Pick*** A dark and mysterious mood dominates this funked up,
yet drenched trip-hop beat. Abstract and eerie feelings slowly creep up in
every direction. Odd pulses of dub and reggae seem to float peacefully on
the forefront, and the track changes into a sped up version of the original
beat. We're now listening to a smoking drum'n bass tune that amplifies the
vibe, and surpasses the conceptional judgements that put drum'n bass on a
commercial level. Very smooth hypnotic pulses ranging from analogue beeps,
to hard-hitting bass-lines: I'm totally mesmerized by the power of this
dub-infused tune.
9. TEMPORAL FUSION - 5:20
*** Featured Pick *** Industrious melodies, linked with a throbbing
bass-line consumes this track. I can't even keep up to this technically
challenging tune. There are all sorts of strange synth effects, and drum
patterns interlaced ever so smoothly, you can't even distinguish one from
the other. There's a voice crying in the background that I can't make out,
and an electronic collage of deranged sounds twisting back and forth. I
can't see anything in front of me! A break at 2:25, and an introduction to
funky reggae rhythms is splashed in the background. All kinds of melodies
following each other in the complex and detailed confusion. One could
almost say this is techno music, but I think it surpasses any form of the
traditional techno style. Mark incorporates many interlocked melodies, with
a pulsing beat driven by analogue sounds stretched to the absolute limit.
This is a very tiring tune, loaded with tranquilizing loops, and
complicated rhythms. Fantastic noise nonetheless.
10. SEROTONIN COFFEE SHOP - 9:35
Pure electro-dub with hypnotizing ambient tendencies. The bass-line is the
main ingredient for this tune. You can't ignore that. "Suicide" is
whispered subtly in the background of this beat oriented track. I'm
mystified by the amount of satisfying sounds mixed and re-arranged casually
inside each other. A soothing track meant to lift you from your circular
cosmic spot. There's a piano riff that perfectly describes what one would
feel while traveling through a dark tunnel. Strange tingling feelings
dancing all around, bouncing off the walls, and ultimately affecting your
train of thought. I would call it ambient-dub: a mix between soothing
electronic moods of atmospheric sounds, mixed gently with a throbbing
bass-line, and drums that describe chaos at an intensified level of
confusion. This tune will take you places you've never been. I'm still
floating around, still confused with all the wonderful sounds swimming by
me.
11. WE LOOK SO SMALL - 4:15
***Feature Pick X2*** It's my favorite tune!!! Aggressively packed drum
machines crashing together, intensifying screeches of noise, and the
soothing lyrics "From here we look so small. From here we look like nothing
at all." Mohammed raps gracefully, with his power of satisfying lyrics
telling us how to use our brains. Crazy, funky, and symphonically
aesthetic. One of the most complicated and intricate use of drums, powerful
melodies, and a strong magnetic feeling of purely aggressive sounds. Makes
you wonder how high Mark was to be able to see us at such a distance. One
can only assume that he is at a much higher form of elevation then most
electronic artists these days. I'll never dream in black & white again.
"Fabric softener, no time to explain, use your brain!!" I definitely will
after this heavy workout of awesome sounds.
12. ROLLED MATERIAL (Jack Dangers Mix) - 6:37
***Featured Pick*** Jack Dangers does his homework once again, although
this time remaining true to the original track "SKIN UP". There's an entire
dope infused melody that melts smoothly with the Meat Beat bass-line. There
are a few samples interlaced perfectly between the breaks: "Let's smoke a
marijuana cigarette, let's turn on, let's blast a joint." Similar to the
remix Jack did for _Empirion's_ "Narcotic Influence": "Giving them drugs,
and taking their lives away?". I must question, that even if drugs are the
main course of making excellent music then why the fuck should it stop
anyone from making music? By regenerating the original tune, Jack Dangers'
drums patterns are completely satisfying. An amazing fusion of heavily
influenced electro, with the soothing excerpts of minimal jazz. This is a
drenching tune made to break all preconceived notions of typical
noise/musique.
------------
ALBUM NOTES: All songs written, recorded, and produced by Mark Pistel.
Recorded and mixed at Studio Patchass, San Francisco. Mastered at olde
West by Guy Slater.
TRACK NOTES: (04,11) Written by M. Pistel & Mohammed.
(10) Written b M. Pistel & Adam Sherbourne.
(12) Written by M. Pistel & Jack Dangers.
EXTRA NOTES: M. Pistel plays: minimoog, serge modular, arp 2600, arp solos,
oberheim ob-xa, rb388, novation bass station, guitar, bass, vocals,
akai samplers, turntable.
Vocals: Mohammed, Tracy Blackman & Tsune.
Photography: Cesar Rubio, San Francisco.
Art Direction: Newell Design, San Francisco.
THANKS: ...to my family and friends who have supported me through this
endeavor. Special thanks to my wife Deborah, Jack Dangers & Ellen
(Meat Beat Manifesto). Mat Aerts, Mat Callahanm Cathy Cohn, Boras, Jon
Drukman, Skully, Adam Sherbourne, Patch, and Baraka.
"No thanks to fair weather friends & music industry assholes!
www.pistel.com
---Overall Sound Composition: (1-10) = 9.5
---Overall Percussion Composition: (1-10) = 10
---Overall Rhythm Composition: (1-10) = 9
Overall: 28.5
Summary:
One the most intricate electronic masterpieces ever to grace the break-beat
community. With the fusion of polyrhythm dub-melodies, reggae extrusions,
and deep personifying bass, I just about tripped over the chords when these
sounds flowed out of my speakers. Looking forward to Mark Pistel's next
contribution to the fine world of gratifying musical experimentation.
Pietro Da Sacco- mbm@netcore.ca
This review September 16, 1998.
Copyright- The Circular Cosmic Spot-Archive Section
http://www.sdriver.com/spot
____________________________________________
The Meat Beat Manifesto Article Database
Temporarily located at:
http://www.sdriver.com/spot/mbmrev.html
"I don't like humans" - mbm@netcore.ca