KK Null/Z'EV - Brombron 17: Extra Time, Extra Time
Korm Plastics kp 3038
CD only
Korm Plastics is proud to present the seventeenth release in the
Brombron series. Originally a co-production between Staalplaat and
Extrapool, it is now hosted by co-curator Frans de Waard. In the year
2000 Frans de Waard and Extrapool started the Brombron project. Two or
more musicians become artists in residence in Extrapool, an arts
initiative in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, with a fully equipped sound
recording studio. These artists can work in a certain amount of time on
a collaborative project; a project they always wished to do, but didn't
have the time or the equipment to realize.
Since almost forty years z'ev belongs to the absolute fore front of
experimental music. Playing percussive music he gained a lot of
attention, but in more recent years he returned to working with
electronic tape manipulation. One aspect is working with other people,
such as Francisco Lopez or Kasper Toeplitz. In his collaboration with
KK Null he plays electronic drums.
KK Null (born Kazuyuki Kishino in Tokyo) is a Japanese experimental
multi-instrumentalist. He began as a guitarist, but soon added
composer, singer, electronic musician and drummer to his list of
talents, and also studied with the Butoh workshop.
Null joined the noise/progressive rock band Ybo2 in 1984, issuing
several albums and EPs throughout the remainder of the decade. Later he
founded more bands, such as Absolute Null Punkt (aka ANP) and his most
well known one, the self-described "progressive hardcore trio" Zeni
Geva. From that point he also produced albums for other artists,
created his own record label (Nux Organization), played live and
collaborated on albums with many other musicians, including John Zorn,
Yona-Kit, Steve Albini, Boredoms, Seiichi Yamamoto, Jim O'Rourke,
Merzbow, Fred Frith, James Plotkin, Keiji Haino, Otomo Yoshihide, Jon
Rose, Atau Tanaka, Zbigniew Karkowski, Z'EV, Alexei Borisov, Earth.
Noisegate and Philip Samartzis, as well as supporting such artists as
Sonic Youth and Mike Patton on tour.
This CD is available for 10 euros including
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listen to excerpt
reviews
KK Null / z'ev
'Brombron 17: Extra Space, Extra Time'
For fans of Japanese noise / extreme electronic / avant garde and
experimental music, the chances are these who will require little
introduction. For the uninitiated, there's a lot of ground to make up,
but here seems like as good a place as any.
Both multi-instrumentalist Kazuyuki Kishomo, better known as KK Null
and percussionist and tape manipulator z'ev have immense discographies
to their credit, to the extent that I doubt even the most hardcore fan
of either is likely to ever achieve the claim of being a completist.
Still, what these two don't know about parameter-pushing
experimentalism isn't worth knowing, and 'Extra Space, Extra Time'
represents their first true collaboration.
In comparison to some of KK Null's other excursions (I have to admit to
having only heard a few, with 'Fertile' being something of a
favourite), 'Extra Space, Extra Time' is relatively gentle. That isn't
to say that this is by any means easy listening.
Sinister ambience is the order of the day on 'ESET_01', rather than
splintering electronic white noise that would give noisemeister numero
uno Merzbow a run for his money. This is rent with violent blasts of
stun and phaser that are potent enough to immobilise even the most
dangerous assailant, and it's all dominated by powerful,
industrial-strength percussion reminiscent of Test Dept. at their best.
'ESET_02' is a dizzying exercise in grinding, heavy techno, again
driven by a relentless, battering percussion. Things slowly shift
deeper into disorientating electronica, rapidfire barrages of
skittering bleeps and squelches with occasional washes of distortion.
Time signatures warp and become more organic, pulses replacing rhythmic
beats and pinging in every direction, before barrages of clattering
treated drums return on 'ESET_05'.
Without being overtly hostile in tone, there isn't a single point over
the duration of 'Extra Space, Extra Time' that allows the listener to
become too comfortable, too settled. It may not be the strongest work
of either of these artists, but the sum is by no means less than the
parts, making for an album that's well worth investigating. 8/10
Christopher Nosnibor
http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/reviews/review.asp?id=7800
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