Crestfallen is the project name of Alexander Zafiropoulos, from Athens, Greece, and 'Chamber Works' is a song cycle for intimate salons and small audiences. As the artist describes it, "The music makes use of a wide variety of classical and acoustic instruments, demure baritone vocals and a powerful mixed vocal ensemble; all skillfully assigned to a certain role, for the purpose of dramatizing the written words. The poetry tells of the artist's self-awareness and his sense of duty, in the context of tormenting memories of a fearful and bitter boyhood." It took eight years to create this work, to get it right, and every bit of it shows in this recording.

'Chamber Works' is neoclassical at its most elegant. Well-steeped in 19th century tradition and melodic form, yet with a modern sensibility. It is gothic in tone and temperament being bittersweet and somewhat melacholoy, but not in the vein of goth music as you know it. It's the kind of music that Edgar Allan Poe would have appreciated. The orchestration is splendid, utilizing a variety of instruments - strings, woodwinds, horns, bells, xylophone, chimes and also plucked string instruments, harpsichord, organ, vocal chorale, musical box, drumkit, and other things. It is all done so delicately, especially the vocals which at times remind me of Kerry Minnear's vocal contributions to the band, Gentle Giant, at others, Scott Walker and Nick Cave. There are passages when Alexander's voice is unaccompanied by instrumentation, and it works magnificently, attesting to his prowess in that department.

You really need a libretto as the poetry (lyrics) are essential to appreciate this work in the fullest. (Fortunately you can find them in the Archives of the Spleen and Doom Library on Crestfallen's website.) 'Chamber Works' is often light yet powerful, and never lags or comes off as stilted. Most chamber works by modern composers often seem angular and episodic; compositions by Lukas Foss and Arnold Schoenberg come to mind. This bears no relation to that at all. It is likely closer to Peter Warlock's 'The Curlew,' yet far more ambitious. And the music is multifacted too, not strictly classical by any means. For example, here is a segment at the end of "Narrations of a Marooned Pirate" that recalls Jacques Brel. Although influences abound, there is no parallel for 'Chamber Works' that I can think of. I don't know how much of the music was actually played by Alexander, but it is done to perfection, and that's what's important. If this was ever to be performed live (and it would be neither inexpensive nor easy to do) it would be a 'must see'.

'Chamber Works' is available on two 180g vinyl Lps (with CD) in gatefold cover with printed inner sleeves and two art-prints, limited to 500 copies for 28 euros. If you can't do vinyl (and what a shame that would be), it also comes on CD with handmade packaging adorned with dried leaves and flowers, typescript sheet, two photographs stamped and numbered by hand and sealed in wax, limited to 70 copies for 12 euros. For most, it is only available through Crestfallen's website at present, but hopefuily, more outlets may appear in the future. I can't recommend this work highly enough. It is unlikely to ever appeal to the masses at large, but the composition, arrangement, originality and execution of Crestfallen's 'Chamber Works' sets it apart from the vast majority of music being released these days.

The renowned Dutch band The EX doesn't really need any further certification (including mine!) to demonstrate their skills on stage, but this extensive collection of some gigs they played at the Bimhuis, the notorious and appreciated jazz club in A'dam and undoubtedly one of the leading jazz club in the world, which collected some highlights they made over 25 years of performances which shaked the ground and spitted wise euphoria and positive vibrations in the likewise vibrant Dutch capital. Their amazing amalgamation of punk, jazz, afro (particularly Mulatu Astatke-like declension of Ethiopian jazz) and Eastern Europe folk music could disprove the idea according to which post-punk is just a sort of unuseful appendix of the nihilistic mood (for all those idiots who keep on match nihilism to punk...) and got grabbed during their most congenial dimension, the live stage, and include the almost legendary first gig they held in June 1991, which featured guests like comedian Herr Seele, Wolter Wierbos, Han Bennink and Ab Baars, three nights where they performed with the Ethiopian saxophonist Getachew Mekuria, who also performed with The Ex in his native country, two gigs of the 33 1/3 Festival - I really enjoyed the session "24 Problems" they made together with Brass Unbound -, ICP Jubilee, the October Meeting, the Ex Orkest - the four tracks of The Ex declension of orchestral music, which opens the second cd of this collection, are really super! -, a New Year's Eve party and a concert for children! The release includes a booklet where you're going to find some photos of those performances, some posters and an interesting article by Dutch journalist Peter Bruyin, who stressed the value of this release and the importance of The Ex's idea of music, which is going to provide further musical fruits as highlighted in the final part of his words.

Electronic music lovers don't really need any introduction of the evergreen maestro Hans-Joachim Roedelius, who in spite of his age - he should be 81 at the moment and I really wish a long life to this living genius of electronic music, whose sometimes troubled history (check his interesting biography) maybe watered his flourishing creativity - keeps on spreading lovely sonic gifts like this lovely "Ubi Bene", where he joined his remarkably creative energy with the ones of DJ, studio musician and guitar player Leon Muraglia. Many moments over the 12 brilliant tracks of this new journey could sound like the revamping of the sound that Roedelius explored together with his historical partner-in-art Dieter Moebius on some of the very first albums by Cluster - particularly the quasi-synthpop output "Zuckerzeit" or the heights of folkish exoticism of album like "Sowiesoso" -. The excellent balance between Muraglia's sound design and the unmistakable forging of electronic pattern and astonishing piano-driven simple melodies by Roedelius is the most relevant aspect of "Ubi Bene", which resurfaces from the nostalgic breeze of the beautiful cameo of "She Had Always Loved Vienna", the lovely dialogue between the resounding nylon of a guitar chord and the shining tone of a synth-celesta on "Gently Falling Snow", the cheerful vivacity of "Red in a Circular Loop", the delicate miniature of "A Nostalgia for Lollipop" or the new age-like movements "A Reflection in Deep Sea" or the ethereal "Summer Breeze Turning", which get closer to the stylistic territories of Boards Of Canada or Ulrich Schnauss or to the moments when Roedelius sonic journey begin to get influenced by Brian Eno's style, as well as on more shadowed or experimental moments such as the 12-minutes lasting thrilling track of "There is a Huge Duck Standing Right Behind You" or the final "Surfaces That Appear To Change". The high level of expertise of its author makes "Ubi Bene" a unique specimen of the most genuinely human side of electronic music.

As the title suggest, this is is the last studio album in the discography of Genetic Transmission, one of the alias of Tomasz Twardawa and, almost incredibly, also the last realization of the IYHHH series that was conceived as a way to present unconventional Polish artist using also an unconventional artwork as a presentation strategy. This is properly the reissue of a CDR release collecting 15 untitled sound experiments using electro-acoustic sources. As all tracks are untitled they will be denoted with their number.
"1" starts this release with reverse played tapes of perhaps string instrument while "2" is focused on the rhythmic displacement of samples. "3" features small noises and "4" on metallic resonance; "5" juxtaposes drones obtained by electronic devices and "6" sounds as field recordings of waters where used as a background. "7" sounds as if noise generators were the focus of the track while "8" takes advantage of the effect of resonance. "9" is based on complex layers of drones, tapes and noises while "10" sounds as constructed from field recordings layered to underline their rhythmical properties. "11" and "13" uses a dry metallic beat to sustain the abstract musical foreground while "12" and "14" sequences industrial noises. "15" closes this release with a drone that evolves into a metallic mass and, after a quiet section, into a noise fragment.
Apparently lacking a narrative direction, it sounds as a collection of experiment unified by a fistful of elements as the metallic beats, electronic device's samples and drones. As the tracks are usually short, this musical property gives a sense of variety which removes that sense of boredom that could arise as the loop, and his rhythmic framework, is the proper base element of the track of this release. All fans of experimental music would hear it with a sense of loss for the end of this project.

This new release from Marek X. Marchoff is the follow-up of his remarkable 'Funeral Musik für Jenny Marchoff' but it's a reflection on the meaning of life and death unrelated to the personal issues which were the foundation of that release. Instead, all tracks are called with coordinates that seems related to the park where is located the St. Michael's Cemetery in NYC which is shaped as a triangle and where is located the studio where the album was mastered and probably recorded.
The sinewaves of "ezoterascopick 40.696095°N 73.905029°W" introduce the listener to a minimal music where there's only small variations, so "40°41'²20'³N 73°56'²40'³W" continues this pattern introducing synth lines and loops. "40.69.572-73.90342" introduces bass and voice and it triggers the suspect that every track introduces an element until it will return to the minimal elements of the first track mimicking the passing of time on human being. "40.7641°N 73.9813°W" feature an intermittent beat and spacey sound. "40.80553,-79.91451" marks the return to the minimal structure of the first track using mainly sine wave's generators and "40.699511°N 73.911166°W" is his twin using synth notes. "40.6937°N 73.9833°W" closes this release with two distinct parts: the first one is a quiet ambient part based on textures while the second one is based on a loop borrowed perhaps from an old record of music to be played in a smoky bar.
As it's a release whose processes are minimal and long and its sound palette has few tones, this not a release for the typical distracted listener which is in vogue in this times and critics could tear it to pieces as it's the kind of sound which triggers thought rather than emotion. If the track were shorter or with expanded arrangement could be easy listening but this depiction, an mimesis, of life of death could be too difficult to realize until there's a true intention to hear. Careful listeners will rate it at least 4 stars while the others 2 stars so the average is 3.