Sounds from underground/File N°016

<<Queelum>> is an avant-grade project that will bring you to the far psychedelic lands. a trip into the space. very far away


0. name of the band
Queelum is my experimental composition project with 7 albums and is studio based. I also have Umbah which is avant industrial/cybermetal project.

1. where are you from?
Sunny Scotland, place called Aberdeen. 

2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use?
Queelum has a mix of live instruments like classical guitar and some  sounds like piano which are virtual. I design and build avant VST machines which i can either play from a keyboard or trigger via midi, most of them are generative, and i program them with formulas derived from chaos and automate all parameters so they can also auto-compose.

3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene?
Mainstreams and the artists/labels involved of any genre are with few exceptions nothing but a joke. An elborate con very well executed. I admire the tenacity of those involved to  have pulled of one of the greatest heists of our age, but little else. Queelem is never gonna be a part of their portfolios or scenes. He will remain underground and for now tag on as part of the underground metal scene, metal heads  are not scared off by the complex or heavy parts. Thanks to Umbah i have earnt enough kudos on underground that listeners of Umbah now expect something awesome from my side projects, but it might be difficult or new and need a few listens to appreciate.
So I view Queelum as pioneering a new virtual sub-genre of the classical scene. One that doesn't exist yet, one that has no limits, it evolves and embraces technology, takes the art of recording seriously, maximizes sound design and automation etc... 

4. which is your method of composition?
Queelum combines a lot of wild techniques, fractals, generative chaos, infinite modulation, progressive mutation, live recording, sampling  + decomposing + normal composing. even microtonal sometimes.
From this perspective Queelum is light years ahead of most traditional composers, Queelum's score is code and formulas, and the performance hybrid human/artificial, the sounds are synthesized, the borders blur and the frontiers open up.

5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique?
The latest release 'Outer Circuitry'  has half the material generated by machines the rest live. Before on 'StarCluster'  it was mainly fractal and lots of sampling. Before that on 'Multi-Versum Central' its another combo with all multiple techniques together to create hyper-complexity. I still enjoy just plotting out notes one by one, but to make these bigger Queelm works in short spaces of time its necessary to use the other techniques in combo just so they can exist.
So each album has a different approach and a different sound. The latest is a mix of chilled galactic spaces and then towards the close becomes a lot smaller and intricate and kicks out some really fast complexity on the violins. its like a double album. 

6. do you play live? how public react to your music?
no live shows

7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you?

yes very true. these Queelum albums are documents. somewhere coded in the notes are reflections of an outsider observing.
there will always be enemies. but to rise above these obscurities like fashion and make something great and original is the only solution. Just doing your own thing is the only way. Its pointless to dwell on all the negative aspects that have crushed music to be very dumb and homogonous. its more fun to ridicule the mainstream products by producing something that is 1000 times cooler than they can ever dream up. then you can stay chill, confident and laugh from the other side back. The Queelum albums represent a search for something more, something greater, something different, something never experienced. A space to escape and think or just chill and get lost in. A voyage to the edge of the Universe to find a new world... and to realize some amazing dreams.

Images from underground/File N°005

The work of German Toporkov is a requiem for a dream. Intense images that make me think about the best european avantgarde artists.  Beautiful
if you want it more, and I'm sure you do, you can find it on facebook  

Waiting (when I become a butterfly)

1. where are you from?
Russia, Saint-Petersburg 

Morning elephant!

2. do you use any particular tools/materials/methods during the working process?
not special tools ... Photo 

Conversion

3. how is your working process?
spontaneously 

Finnegans

4. what do you think about the art market nowadays?
Market this conjuncture. We need to educate consumers 

Unsettling

5. do you exhibit your works? how do you place yourself in actual art context?
are not exposed. but I want 

Decay

6. is there a common idea that go across all your works?
Beauty will save the world!

Sounds from underground/File N°015

 there's noise in Italy. there is. for the 15th session of <<Sounds from underground>> I'm glad to present you <<DJ Crivellator>>, it's like a noise-hop, it's fresh, it's a pleasure of sound. With all the trash you can find on Internet it's better to get <<Internet trash Vol.2>>



0. name of the band
DJ Crivellator
1. where are you from?
I'm from Latina, Italy, south of Rome, the kind of place nobody wants live to I think...
2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use?
My gear nowadays  is based on sampler grooveboxes, I started off with handheld game consoles and old computers with software sequencers on them
3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene?
I can happily definite myself an outsider, got some serious difficulties being part in my local scene and beside this, the most of people do not make sense in music or noise making
4. which is your method of composition?
Since I am some sort of producer I'm heavily sample and groove based, I start sampling or collecting or even synthesizing sounds I like and then I am ready to arrange them in the beat form, adding vocals or freestyling
5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique?
I self record everything, got this old multi track recorder for vocal or noise layers, instrumentals are more often recorded live and then roughly mastered on an old laptop of mine
6. do you play live?
I am very happy to play live and look for nice situation to do so, as mentioned before local scene is not ready for  this kind of performance... local shows were sometimes totally crap, luckily there are always curious or noise enthusiasts, a hug to all of them!
7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you?
I record stuff for my need, I feel this urgency and then make things.. I'm completely aware that my recordings are not a fashion product and they are hardly featured in any kind of media, I used to spam on social networks all the time for instances ;)

Echos of underground/Theo Nugraha

if you enjoyed the music of <<Theo Nugraha>>, posted here few days ago you'll be happy to know that there's out right now a new split with <<IHATETHISWORLD>>.  All for you, all completely free via bandcamp.

Sounds from underground/File N°014

 a tasty noise from Argentina. <<Gripper>> offers a harsh release for all the fetishists of sound. to contemplate 

0. name of the band

Gripper

1. where are you from?

Jose C. Paz, Buenos Aires. Argentina

2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use?

I use a dell notebook, monotron, electric guitar, sometimes bass, microphone, connected to a Tascam external audio soundcard

3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene?

The music context is totally abarcative, its huge. You can't see all the scenes, genres, shows, the market place, the underground scene., the essence of music is in every part of the word. I see myself as a part of some underground, unknown, marginal artist from the suburbs trying to express myself, my art, trying to sharing with everyone i know, even i don't take part in any musical scene at least with Gripper.

4. which is your method of composition?

I use different types of method for every album. Every album have a different method of composition because the styles are always different so I use Ableton in a different way, trying something new. Using the machines, or recording something I need.

5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique?

No, I use the stuff I have and I have no much resources to make something sooo huge. I make with the things I have and the ideas for songs, records comes with the stuff I got or the stuff I can get. Thats my base for any kind of recording practice or audio practice.

6. do you play live? how public react to your music?

I never play before with Gripper, I have another band pretty much alike Gripper thats call Drones (with a friend of mine) and we played live once. I live in Cordoba, and there's a scene of noise artist or freak artist. There's a minor audience thats most of it, are musicians themselves, and people who are interested in nature of sound. Being myself one of that ''crowd''.

7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you?

I think Genesis, its a great referent. Aphex Twin also. I mean I take influences from the weirdest places; 133 from slipknot, mr. hands from Linkin Park. Dj Shadow (there's another project of my own called faust[°] of instrument hip hop on soundcloud :) ). Argentinian folklore.Grindcore, Cybergrind, Splittercore, Merzbow, John Zorn. A lot of Mike Patton's projects. Frank Delgado from Deftones. Dj crook. Team Sleep, Ligetti, John Cage, Sonic Youth, Johnny Greenwood, Steve Reich, Secret Chiefs 3, Lee Perry. Mad Professor, Dick el demasiado. Culture Club. I mean there's bunch of records by this artists and artists related to; and i take influence from all of these, and more i can't named all. And from circunstances of life, playing with other bands. Living, take concepts from books. movies and make something new all the time. Its something that its in constant change! 

Sounds from underground/File N°013

<<Douglas Feto Alado>> - they are great. Said this, I can ensure you that these guys rocks and I can't wait for more releases from them. It's some kind of a wild, schizophrenic, psychedelic rock, full of improvisation that is... is just great. That's all. It's just great. So get it via bandcamp and be happy. 


0. name of the band
Douglas Feto Alado.
1. where are you from?
Rio das Ostras, Rio de Janeiro's countryside, Brazil.
2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use?
Electric guitar with heavy fuzz, drums, a sampler called Funk Brazil and voice.
3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene?
Our band is the best band of the future.
4. which is your method of composition?
The method is called "stone 'n' play", it means calling people to experience themselves under effects of marijuana, people who never played together before... An acasual invitation for free music.
5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique?
We recorded with simple way: a cell phone recorder and just it.
6. do you play live? how public react to your music?
We ain't already play live, only accidentally for our neighborhood (during the session), who don't care about, I expect.
7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you?
Our record represents our life style, funny nihilistic attitude, brutal aesthetic, post primitive way to sell our soul to the unknowledge norm of universe. 

Self Portrait/Chest II

Sunday gallery. Chest II - trash on cartoon, dimensions: mystical

Chest II

Chest II, detail

Chest II, detail

Chest II, detail

Chest II, detail

Chest II, detail

Sounds from underground/File N°012

in our tour around the world in a research of underground sounds today we are visiting Borneo. I'm glad to present you a experimental noise maker <<Theo Nugraha>>. you can find much more releases from Nugraha here https://theonugraha.bandcamp.com/music dig it!



0. name of the band 
I use my own name, Theo Nugraha 

1. where are you from? 
I'm from Samarinda (East Borneo) and now I'm living on Palangkaraya (Central Borneo) 

2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use?
I'm using tools like piezo, Casio keys, walkman, music toys, Nintendo DS, Circuit bending etc 

3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene? 
music will always continue grow and always appear something new. It sound interesting. I always be a part in my friend's scene 

4. which is your method of composition? 
Improvisation, emotional, and communication 

5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique? 
Sometimes, I make a good recording if I'm with my friend. But if I do make recording itself, It's gonna be simple because lack of tools 

6. do you play live? how public react to your music? 
Yes, I do. Whatever people thought. I ever see people are enjoyed, and there is also people are watching and then make a question "what was that?" and sometimes people think I do a sound check LOL 

7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you?
more or less like that. For me it's like a painting which sometimes cannot be re-paint. Then as sound documentation or moments for me and my friends. 

Sounds from underground/File N°011

here we come again with wonderful stuff from Eastern Europe,«The Son of a Seagull» is a noisy electronic project from Kiev. A lot of dark wave atmospheres that can bring you out there.




0. name of the band
Name of my current project is «The Son of a Seagull», however it’s very hard to say what I want in frames of one «project». So I got some more stuff under «Ignore the virus» (dark and blind industrial) and «Drama through the virtue» (concrete-ambient both you will be able to find on bandcamp).

1. where are you from?

I born in Town with giant snakes underfoot, which is Kiev. My family lives there from the 16th century and I could be treated as a local. It’s my favorite city and it's worth to have another interview about it. The town had a great no-wave musical background, check "Ivanov down» or «МЕДЛЕННЫЙ РУЛЬ» (slow wheel) and you will be surprised by both of them. Thats artist from 90s, today a lot of shit happens with our stage but I guess its problem of whole post-soviet society. 

2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use?

If we are talking about last album of «The Son of a Seagull»  I was using kind of "analogue wall of sound" method. For drum parts its samples from MFB-503, synths like mopho keyboard, doepfer dark energy 2 and roland alpha juno with guitar pedals. For Drone parts or noises I prefer to use field recordings from my portable zoom h4n mixed with pitched down old 7 inch vinyls from my collection. what else… guitar and jazz bass recorded through the amp on shitty mic with chorus. I’m not using the same gear usually each track contain different extent of each instrument which I mentioned. Sometimes I was using «handmade» synths there. 

3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene?

Well, i think as far as I’m sophisticated listener of different music I can say that I was inspired by many dark wave artists like Störung, Play dead or November Növelet e.t.s. But i can’t say that I’m in the flow of some movement. Of course right now in Kiev we got some sort of «synth» oriented artists but I never spoke with them and to be honest I hate them. I’m staying not in the dark underground with broken furniture and ruins, I’m staying in quiet lone grey room with grey-white striped wallpaper (if you  need to know how my personal studio look like) there you can find me sitting for weeks in process of execution. However, I will not mind if I my material gonna happen in some kind of new fucked up «-wave» genre. Right now I’m fully in dark wave but this is rather way of thinking then style of music.

4. which is your method of composition?

Despite the fact that I have tons of gear (I didn’t mentioned everything from question 2) I prefer to put a lot of attention on my own mental condition. Things which I’m usually doing, done by free jazz approach. I already have this tracks in mind all I need to do it’s just represent it on record. To do it properly it’s much better to assess my condition during the period of recording. For example, understand "what disturbs so much?» or «should I look on the sun so often?». By just asking such sort questions you can establish your own logical chain where you supposed to be in the most comfortable place. Only after understanding of this comfort I can sit and do what I do. Today a lot of musicians are too much bothering about the composition and the technical side of it. I agree, when you have only laptop you can’t understand that you are a magican not a musician or something… but I passed this «laptop» stage with the same philosophy and even simple sequencer is pretty much enough for magic. If I put it unclear just read some lectures of great guy George Gurdjieff and maybe you will understand what I mean here.

5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique?

Technical part in my process is very simple, I’m just using Ableton live to record each instrument and then I mix it by pretty much the same pattern adding echoes, reverbs and sometimes more complicated circuits of effects. Everything which happening «before» is absolute mess. Sometimes I am putting 4-6 guitar overdrives just on one delay and tape player on the start. I never thinking about such stuff I’m just improvising like Cecil Taylor but in studio with equipment.

6. do you play live? how public react to your music?

I can’t say that I got a lot of experience in live because of my town. Of course it's excuse, I was playing live there no more then 10 times as a Dj with sets of trip hop. Today I had played my music only in Warsaw and it's really great because of nice and open people. Today techno rules in Kiev and it's a big shame that nobody interested in my music there. I’m planning to strike back on local stages when i will get some kind of reputation abroad. I don’t know the reaction of people because I’m not interested in this. Reaction is only first stage of understanding and it’s much more essential to get interpretation from listener then simple reaction.

7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you?

I’m doing music since childhood and I can associate it with different episodes in my life. As far as I’m here by «The Son of a Seagull»  material I can say definitely that it brings me on the limb. Place where you able to transform in something else or die in agony. Basically my records it's like something between story and psychological portrait of me in different perspective. For listener it's a great chance to associate it with something else and make new meaning of it.

Images from underground/File N°004

 
horror, disturb, nightmare. today we'll have a bad trip. or a great trip, it's a point of view. anyway it's sure that the art of Thomas Stetson won't leave you untouched. if you can't stop to watch it (like me) more you'll find here https://www.facebook.com/Foul-Apparatus-425423467612094/timeline?ref=page_internal

"Disability & Disease "

1. where are you from?
Originally from Massachusetts U.S.A raised by a working class family and lived in a poor neighborhood. Stuck around the New England area with my wife till 2008 and moved to North Carolina. Currently residing in a trailer park surrounded by degenerate swine.

2. do you use any particular tools/materials/methods during the working process?
Mainly use sharpie pens for the outlining and microns for the detailing, especially in my art journals. On bigger pieces I stain the paper with coffee and ink dye. I don't use color very often. 

3. how is your working process?
OBSESSION 

4. what do you think about the art market nowadays?
Not much. I have little or no contact with other people. 

"Untitled"

5. do you exhibit your works? how do you place yourself in actual art context?
I exhibited my work at two different locations. One of which is an outsider art gallery, not sure if I quite fit in with that crowd. I draw a lot of inspiration from old medical illustrations and artwork by psychotics. 
 
6. is there a common idea that go across all your works?
I put a lot of emphasis on mental illness, really try to make a physical/visual representation of a psychological hell especially of my own. Social Anxiety. Disease. Outsider. Poverty. Malnourished. A young man I met in a psychiatric ward put it best: "It's like pictures from a medical book from the dark ages. They are all infected."

Sounds from underground/File N°010

a debut release of experimental german duo <<Raune & McCartney>>. very, very well done! enjoy!

0. name of the band 

Raune & McCartney.

1. where are you from? 

Pogo McCarntey: Berlin and Münster in Germany.

2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use? 

Pogo McCartney: Previously basses, organ, metal sheets and a lot of effects.

Raune: Mostly an electric bass, synthesizers, various noise generators/boxes, pedals, gongs and other traditional Chinese instruments.

3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene? 

Pogo McCartney: Growing up I needed a sense of security and I saw myself as part of the punk/hardcore scene. This has, of course, influenced my music and me. I still have many friends in that scene. Today, I’d say, I feel have distanced myself from that very scene. Being part of one scene does in a way limit ones freedom. I’ve neglected a variety of inputs (music, art, and other influences), while exclusively focusing on bands and artists that are connected to the punk/hardcore scene.  

Raune: I feel the same way. Most of my friends are somehow connected to the punk/hardcore scene. I still go to shows, but less often. Personally, I still feel connected to that scene, but more to the people, while lowly drifting away from the music. For the past few years I’ve been searching for novel musical input of various kinds, as I got more and more bored of listening to bands, new and old, that apply similar musical patterns. A good friend of mine (also with a punk background), who is into noise music, introduced me to a few artists. Shortly after, I was fascinated by this kind of music - especially noise, drone, ambient etc. But so far, mostly because I have not played live, I don't consider myself to be part of that particular scene, even though it is a vital one.

4. which is your method of composition? 

Pogo McCartney: We don't use any method in particular, and mostly improvise.

Raune: We try to interact while playing/recording. It works quite well, as we both know what the other is doing and which direction he wants to move to.  

5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique? 

Pogo McCartney: Nothing special. I have recorded both of our releases myself. Basically just setting a microphone in front of the speakers with a few additional microphones in the room. The percussive elements are simply connected with contact microphones. No big thing.

6. do you play live? how public react to your music? 

Pogo McCartney: We have performed once. A friend of ours, Hendrik Otremba, who is the singer of my other band, Messer, read an excerpt of his upcoming novel and we provided background music, sound that accompanied the text.

Raune: I am going to play a first show at a festival organized by the guys that run the econore label which released our recordings.

7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you? 

Pogo McCartney: Music, thats the main thing. 

Raune: We do not do this music, because it is fashionable or on vogue. More people seem to like experimental/noise music, because some artists get some attention in the media. We play this music, because we like it. Most importantly, we enjoy working with and exploring sounds.

in the meanwhile in Prague

Self Portrait/Urban Crash

another 3d piece made with trash. enjoy

Urban Crash

Urban Crash, detail

Urban Crash, detail

Urban Crash, detail

Urban Crash, detail

Images from underground/File N°003

for the third scene of "images from underground" we'll explore <<Art of Jude>>. dig it!

"Blood Forest"
acrylic on canvas panel

1. where are you from?
Lake Arthur, Louisiana USA
2. do you use any particular tools/materials/methods during the working process?

"#9 - VI"
edited vintage photo

I use my hands and fingers
 



3. how is your working process?
I'm an impatient painter sometimes... so I quickly paint abstract.
 

"Nothing Much to See Here"

4. what do you think about the art market nowadays?
the art market nowadays needs to expand. we need more art in schools and in the world.

"Crucified Alien #4"
acrylic on canvas

      5. do you exhibit your works? how do you place yourself in actual art context?
no, I don't exhibit my work. I just paint what i feel.

Untitled

6. is there a common idea that go across all your works?
no, not really...

more works of Judson you can find on his facebook right here https://www.facebook.com/juds.art/

Sounds from underground/File N°009

 a dark sound with best elements of industrial - <<Slow Slow Loris>> - it's what you expect should come out from the Berlin scene and I can ensure you won't be disappointed 



on the bandcamp you can get this wonderful black cassette that offers you 50 minutes of pleasure

0. name of the band
Slow Slow Loris
1. where are you from?
we are based in Berlin
2. what kind of instruments/equipment you use?
Our live set up varies from set to set but we always have 3 pedal boards, a sampler, a digital effect board with ableton live, contact mics that amplify sometimes inexplicable objects, and a violin or other stringed instrument. And that all fits nicely into our two flight cases!
But in our studio, it’s a different story. It’s overflowing with digital and analogue synthesizers, guitars, a bass, lots of metal sound sources, many more pedals coz Angie is the pedal queen, a collection of flutes and toys and some mannequin arms.
3. what do you think about the music context nowadays and how you place yourself in? do you feel a part of any scene?
We’re not sure what is going on in the mainstream music world these days, since we are surrounded by a vibrant experimental music scene in Berlin. This scene is composed of different groups with everything from conceptual to laptop to circuit makers and benders to harsh noise industrial people to machine destroyers and re-builders to instrument inventors and so on. We feel like we don't really fit in any of these categories either, but are influenced by all of them.
4. which is your method of composition?
Occasionally, we begin with an idea, but more often than not, we begin quite rawly with improvisation, hoping it will lead us to some unknown delight. For Angie, this has a somatic focus, whereas Robert is more driven by the sound itself.
Sometimes all the sound, melodies, lyrics, and even structure, come instantly. Other times, just one aspect of a song comes out and we continue to develop it through more improvisation.
We record these improvisations and through listening back, we slowly refine and define the song step by step.
5. how is your recording approach? do you use some particular record technique?
We tend to record by playing everything in the moment but occasionally, we lay down individual tracks and add layers.
6. do you play live? how public react to your music?
we play live frequently.
often people get emotional.
sometimes people don't understand it.
sometimes people think it is unique, like it’s its own thing.
(we are currently organizing a southern european tour. please get in touch if anyone has suggestions.)
7. Genesis P-Orridge said "Our records were documents of attitudes and experiences and observations by us and other determinedly individual outsiders. Fashion was an enemy, style irrelevant.". What do your records represent to you?
journeys of our life and the liberation of its expression...
the meeting of our own reflection..