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THE NAME OF SOMEONE
15 minutes? more like fifteen lifetimes - and who's to deny
it? certainly not YHN. did we laugh? possibly not. and here are
the pieces of the orders that were left behind that weren't seen
through a projector. well, what did you respect? featuring the
soundtrack to various artists, this package sets the standard
for documentation, and is a cautionary tale that perhaps no others
can tell. famous names, lots of ice cream. our head is not half-price,
and we will not be caught with our last wishes in the the downward
position! so er...! ...um... yeah.. right. erm, yes. it took
more than that to write. so CONSUME as if it was SOUP!
This double CD contains three previous Hafler Trio releases:
"Brain Song", previously released by Touch (1986),
'Various methods of attaining immortality | three different kinds
of seed', previously released as a CD with the book "(Antarctica)
Brahma" (1995-1996) and 'Kuklos', previously released by
Touch (1988). This is the final re-issue by The Hafler Trio on
Korm Plastics.
Price is 23 euros including postage worldwide. All direct
orders made with paypal (to: info [at] kormplastics [dot] nl)
will receive a free of charge pin, related to The Name Of Someone.
reviews:
The Hafler Trio is one of those marginal English avant-garde
projects which I have personally found very difficult to approach;
their techniques of alienation and distancing may work a little
too successfully for this listener. That said, I know they're
widely regarded as important and influential and I'm hoping to
fare better as I explore The Name of Someone (KORM PLASTICS
PARAGRAPH 0.3 SUBSECTION 111 2 x CD), the final set in a series
of reissue packages which have been emerging from Korm Plastics
over the last few years. Like previous issues, this one is housed
in a tactile wallet with a tracing-paper jacket overprinted with
texts and symbols whose meanings are highly obscure. The booklet
likewise does not yield its secrets easily, masking all with
lines of faintly-printed type which you have to hold up to a
very strong light to even discern a trace of anything. This double
CD set reissues Brain Song (1986) and Kuklos (1988),
originally issued by Touch; and another CD with a lengthy title
about attaining immortality which originally came out as part
of a book. Presumably these originals are quite rare, making
this reissue welcome to many. So far there seems to be plenty
of incident, event and substance to stimulate the aural receptors,
but the editing and layering strategies make it exceedingly hard
work to pull any sense or coherence from the drifting and interlacing
paths of sound. "Consume as if it was soup," is all
the press release can tell us.
Ed Pinsent
http://www.thesoundprojector.com/2009/04/
The Hafler Trio De Profundis : réédition
de trois albums mythiques
Musique concrète, musique industrielle, ambient, environnementale
(field recordings, soundscape), acousmatique, électroacoustique,
électronique, musique contemporaine, "cinéma
pour l'oreille", il y a un peu de tout ça dans l'univers
de The Hafler Trio. Fondé en 1982 dans la mouvance
post-industriel par Andrew M. McKenzie, H3O comme le nomment
les fans, est avant tout le projet conceptuel d'un seul homme,
même si sa pléthorique discographie (près
d'une centaine d'albums au compteur) a bénéficié
des apports variés de nombreux collaborateurs. Parmi ceux-ci
on compte Chris Watson de Cabaret Voltaire, Genesis P-Orridge
(Psychic TV, Throbbing Gristle), Adi Newton de Clock DVA, Z'EV,
David Tibet de Current 93, Michael Gira des Swans, Jónsi
Birgisson de Sigur Rós, Steven Stapleton de Nurse With
Wound, la performeuse Annie Sprinkle, l'artiste du mouvement
Fluxus Willem de Ridder, et bien d'autres.
Singulière puisque unique pour chaque album, la musique
d'Hafler Trio se situe donc au carrefour de plusieurs genres
et écoles, du moment que ceux-ci s'inscrivent dans le
cadre expérimental. Particulièrement conceptuelle
et souvent théorique, l'oeuvre d'Andrew M. McKenzie se
veut l'illustration sonore d'un discours social, esthétique,
religieux, mystique, scientifique et philosophique.
Une oeuvre riche donc, que les amateurs seront heureux de
découvrir sous une autre forme grâce à la
réédition de ses trois premiers albums initialement
parus chez Touch : Brain Song (1986), Antartica Brahma
(Various Methods of Attaining Immortality / Three Different Kinds
of Seed), originalement édité en 1995 avec
un livre ici intégralement reproduis et Kuklos
(1988, toujours chez Touch). Présenté sous la forme
d'un magnifique livret dépliable, d'une carte et de deux
CD regroupant les trois disques, The Name Of Newsome est l'occasion
plonger, ou se replonger, dans le(s) monde(s) fluctuants de The
Hafler Trio, un des rares projets à mêler musique
actuelles et musique contemporaine dés le début
des années 80.
par Maxence
http://www.musicareaction.com/expressions-musicales-contemporaines/musique-contemporaine-vs-musiques-actuelles/the-hafler-trio-de-profundis-reedition-de-trois-albums-mythiques/
Vital Weekly:
THE HAFLER TRIO - THE NAME OF SOMEONE (2CD by Korm Plastics)
This double CD compiles three very different re-releases by The
Hafler Trio; Kuklos, Brain Song and (Antarctica) Brahma. The
first CD is dedicated to Kuklos, which was previously released
in 1990 on Touch as a cassette. The music on this release was
composed as soundtrack to the film "The Graphic Language
of Neville Brody", which was shown at the Twentieth Century
Gallery of the Victoria and Albert museum and later travelled
the world. It's just that you know. Here the cassette is edited
in two pieces (side A and B of the original cassette), but seeing
the full length is over 63 minutes, I do feel that somehow some
reworking of the original material has taken place. As I don't
have the original tape release I cannot compare both recordings.
However, Kuklos is/remains a pretty straightforward piece featuring
layers of noise with a lot of reverb. Luckily enough, the noise
is not one-dimensional, but in a typical Hafler Trio sense, swirls
in your brain in a subdued way. After a while you are sucked
into the vortex of sound. Great to see this finally available
again. The Brain Song is one of the most popular releases by
The Hafler Trio and it's easy to see why. The five tracks were
previously released on Touch in November 1986 as a 12 inch record.
It's classic 80s H3O, refreshing and daring, like nothing you'd
heard before. On Brain Song, McKenzie is still eager to explore
and discover, yet his journey is highly listenable. There are
sounds of water, sinus waves, strange interludes, voices, found
and treated tapes, undecipherable sound (lots of that) you name
it. As diverse as these sounds may seen, McKenzie, like the true
master of sound he is, manages to combine them into a beautiful
coherent mix with not a dull moment in sight. If you are interested
in the H3O and you don't own Brain Song yet, you should go out
and buy this 2CD immediately. The last two tracks (28 minutes)
on this CD feature the much more reserved and restrained 'Various
methods of attaining immortality/three different kinds of seed',
which was previously released as a CD with the book "(Antarctica)
Brahma" (1995-1996). This release is new to me. On these
two tracks the sound is much more limited to less sources (or
so it sounds), resulting in a more ambient, relaxed and even
"refined" piece when compared to The Brain Song. The
two long tracks (the second one adds a unobtrusive slow rhythm
to the proceedings) make for ambient listening, but luckily not
a series of heartless drones. Rather a series of sounds, treated
and simplified. Great listening and a fine counterpoint to Brain
Song's more fragmentic sound. Still, within the structure of
this double CD, it is Brain Song that rules. Packed in the by
now familiar book-pack, including a brilliant booklet featuring
clear lettering on clear paper (deciphering the text will probably
take you hours - try and do this whilst listening to the music,
highly recommended), postcard and, if you purchase directly from
Korm Plastics, a badge. In all another important release in this
series. It is therefore extremely sad that this series of re-issues
will not continue. The Name Of Someone is the last Hafler Trio
re-release on Korm Plastics. This does not do justice to both
the music of Mr. McKenzie or the input and care of Korm Plastics.
(FK)
Address: http://www.kormplastics.nl
The Hafler Trio
The Name of Someone (Korm Plastics/Metamkine)
Pour conclure en grand sa réédition des disques
les plus elliptiques du Hafler Trio d'Andrew McKenzie, Korm Plastics
s'attaque à trois "classiques" de leur uvre,
à savoir les disques Brain Song et Kuklos, parus sur Touch
dans les années 80, et Various Methods of Attaining Immmortality
/ Three Different Kinds of Seed, enregistrement accompagnant
au milieu des années 90 le livre (Antartica) Brahma. Bénéficiant
d'un nouveau packaging, sur double cd, avec un livret aussi hermétique
que l'on pouvait le supposer - les textes sont écrits
en filigrane sur des pages transparentes -, cette nouvelle mouture
intitulée The Name of Someone balaye les champs fictionnels
les plus introspectifs et psychoacoustiques du groupe britannique.
Sonorités ingurgitées et régurgitées
dans des syncopes de fréquences hirsutes, collages magnétiques
et atmosphères de messes noires dadaïstes se bousculent
dans une litanie de captations déconcertantes, sorte de
bande-son pulsionnelle d'un voyage schizophrénique dans
nos inconscients humains. C'est bien entendu sur les deux longues
pièces de Kuklos que cette longue descente en spirale
dans les limbes d'un organisme sonore palpitant, traversant les
sphères sonores humanisées comme le héros
pictural du Pages Cachées de Sokourov, prend sa dimension
la plus fugitive. Si ce someone existe, nul doute qu'il vous
épie en ce moment même.
Laurent Catala
http://www.octopus-enligne.com/template.php?css=sommaire&page=oursinsc&num=1033
Earlabs:
Hafler Trio - The name of someone
RATED: 7 / 10
reviewed by Jos Smolders
The ninth release in a series that Korm Plastics produces.
It's a long process, which started in 2003. This one enduces
mixed feelings.
Hafler Trio was actually the first group that I heard make
collage and/or electronic music. It must have been in the late
70s when still living with my father and mother, that I heard
a radio broadcast of "Bang, An Open Letter". I was
stunned, awed, flabbergasted, excited. This was a true example
of the stuff that I was going to make (I was already experimenting
with a tape recorder). When I left the small village and headed
out for the rest of the world I kept following the movements
of the Hafler Trio. First I found cheap version of "Bang".
Cheap because the cover was somewhat damaged. That's when I could
hear the complete album for the first time. Again, I was awed.
And amused by the quasi scientific atmosphere that surrounded
the 'concept' of the Hafler Trio.
The products of H3 have been rereleased a few times. Apparently
Mute (who did a series of cd rereleases during the 90s) made
a mess of things, mastering wise. H3 now rereleases new masterings
on cd via Korm Plastics. New covers, new masters. Since 2003
these were released "kill the king" (19/XII/2003),
the sea org" (15/III/2004), "mastery of money"
(28/IX/2004), how to reform mankind" (12/XII/2004), "a
thirsty fish" (17/XI/2005), "seven hours sleep"
(25/III/2006), "ignotum per ignotius" (19/I/2007),
"dislocation" (21/III/2008), and now "the name
of someone" (01/IV/2009).
Through the years I have been disappointed by the producings
of H3. I suspect it has something to do with Chris Watson because
the 'bad period' started when he definitely broke with Andrew
MacKenzie and mystery guest Edward Moolenbeek. Since then the
music has become more and more droney, with endlessly ongoing
very minimalistic and layered harmonies and field recordings.
This double CD contains three previous Hafler Trio releases:
"Brain Song",(Touch 1986), "Various methods of
attaining immortality | three different kinds of seed",
previously released as a CD with the book "(Antarctica)
Brahma" (1995-1996) and "Kuklos", (Touch 1988).
There's a cover that has been given a lot of energy that goes
to waste because no one is going to read text in white lettering
on a sheet of transparent paper.
The first disc contains Brain Song and Various Methods. Brain
Song, to me, represents the 'old' H3: jumping from one time and
place into the other, acoustically appealing. On the other disc
there is Kuklos, which is produced two years later. Kuklos presents
two tracks (originally two sides of the cassette/album. These
are layered recordings of large masses of people, disformed into
a smudge, but that's it.
Hearing the first two minutes means that you've the other
18 as well. Since there is no way that H3 tells you anything
about the context of the music you have to take it 'as it is'.
Well, it's not good enough to me.
The 'Various Methods' music, on the same disc with 'Brain
Song', shows that MacKenzie is able to construct lengthy works
that remain appealing. There's a sample looping (of a stone that
hits the water) throughout the first half of the composition.
Over it high pitched harmonics are thrown, slowly progressing.
Then, in the second half of the work the background becomes noisier
and the sample subsides. The second composition of this work
is a variation on the same theme. It starts again with the sample
but the eventual development is somewhat different.
I don't really understand why H3 have always cloak themselves
into that aura of 'secret' audio experiments (Moolenbeek, etc)
and after that with the quasi mystical rambling. Is it some sort
of insecurity about the quality of the music itself? Well, on
a lot of occasions they were right. It wasn't good. But when
H3 is good it's really good and then all the poohah is totally
obnoxious. In the case of this release that counts for one of
the two discs.
The Brain Song and Variations disc is quite outstanding, but
Kuklos is (still) a waste of time.
http://www.earlabs.org/release/review.asp?reviewID=1391
The Hafler Trio
The Name of Someone * 2CD Korm Plastics * 2t - 63:39 + 7t - 55:16
Si conclude con "The Name of Someone" il programma
di ristampe che la Korm Plastics ha dedicato ai materiali d'annata
di The Hafler Trio, benché a nostra memoria rimangano
fuori non poche rarità. Quale che sia il motivo della
decisione, non rimane altro che prenderne atto e sperare che
qualcun altro porti a termine la missione.
Intanto riapprezziamo in formato digitale tre pubblicazioni del
fittizio trio, edite in origine nel decennio 1986-1996, e qui
riproposte collettivamente. Innanzitutto "Kuklos",
composizione in due parti, concepita per accompagnare la mostra
"The Graphic Language of Neville Brody" alla londinese
Twentieth Century Gallery, che uscì su cassetta C60 per
la Touch nel 1988; a seguire le cinque tracce del 10" "Brain
Song", stampato nuovamente dalla Touch nel 1986, realizzate
in principio come colonna sonora dell'installazione "Interaction"
al Camden Arts Centre sempre nella capitale britannica; infine
le meno note "Various Methods of Attaining Immortality"
e "Three Different Kinds of Seed", tratte dal CD allegato
al volume "(Antarctica) Brahma" del 1996, all'epoca
pubblicato in contemporanea con l'omonima esibizione alla Galerie
Nächst St. Stephan di Vienna. Per quanto di differente efficacia
e digeribilità, tra vorticose stratificazioni rumoriste,
voci e suoni trovati (oggi si direbbe field recordings),
ambient enigmatica-enigmistica, indefinibili formulazioni
analogiche, i vari segmenti diventano le tessere di un gigantesco
mosaico, parti essenziali a comporre l'enorme illusione acustica
pensata da Andrew McKenzie che a più di vent'anni di distanza
ancora non smette di sorprendere e affascinare. (7) Nicola
Catalano
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