Mikrokolektyw: Revisit (Delmark, 6/15/10)

Mikrokolektyw: "Running Without Effort"

Hajduch: Mikrokolektyw (pronounced micro-collective) is the Polish duo of Kuba Suchar and Artur Majewski. Together, they make a very primal sort of experimental jazz, rooted in Suchar's one-man rhythm section of drums and Moog. Atop this framework, Majewski adds restrained, thoughtful trumpet lines. The result is head-nodding and hypnotic, and at times would not sound out of place in an Italian horror film scored by Goblin.

It also sounds like classic Chicago jazz fusion, like what Rob Mazurek's Isotope 217 and various Chicago Underground ensembles have accomplished.  The sparse, melodic trumpet playing owes a lot to Miles Davis' In a Silent Way, and there's a punchy moment of ensemble playing (here, "ensemble" means Majewski doubled) in "Watermelon from the 80s" that sounds like a riff from a Fela Kuti song.  This guy would definitely call the cops on this album.

Morrow: The comparisons to Mazurek and Isotope 217 are right on, but I feel that Mikrokolektyw emphasizes the loops and electronics much more.  There are also elements here, with the loops and jazzy, circular beats, that remind me of DMS, a one-man operation (later a duo) by American Football drummer Steve Lamos.  The later DMS material, which really never was released, was criminally unheard.  And the earlier stuff, in fact, included a great cover of "In a Silent Way."

Really, enough can't be said for the importance of Mikrokolektyw's loops.  Whether it's the trumpet, drums, the marimba melody on "Running without Effort," or a Moog that acts as a bass line, they're a vital component to each song.  They keep the whole thing grounded for Majewski's improvisations, yet they leave enough room for Suchar's beats, which quickly repeat but are impeccable — particularly his rapid drum rolls on the toms.

Hajduch: Yeah, the looped nature of the music is what keeps the whole thing together.  The music has hooks everywhere, which keep it from being some sort of impenetrable riff fest.  Not only is it hooky, but it's also sparse, so the tracks have a lot of room to breathe.

Restraint is important.  I love Ken Vandermark, for example, but a lot of his compositions with The Vandermark 5 or his gigantic Territory Band come off as so crazy that you get overwhelmed by listening.  Mikrokolektyw understands restraint.  The music is uncluttered not because they're a duo — plenty of jazz duos overplay — but because they are patient, accomplished musicians who know when it is best to be quiet.

Morrow: For sure, and restraint is something that wasn't as evident in their last band, Robotobibok — a four-piece contemporary-jazz ensemble that was much busier.  The music was great, and it crossed into electronica and groove, but it got a little too loaded at times.  Mikrokolektyw's Revisit strikes a great balance, and it's one of those gateway albums that can get your friends into some jazz crossovers.

Hajduch: This album is excellent.  Delmark, if you read this, please consider vinyl pressings of more of your releases, starting with this one.

Circle of Animals: Destroy the Light (Relapse, 10/12/2010)

Click here to download Circle of Animals' "Poison the Lamb"

Producer/multi-instrumentalist Sanford Parker (Minsk, Buried at Sea) and saxophonist Bruce Lamont (Yakuza) have long and assorted ties in and around Chicago, where the two reside and contribute to the city's vibrant underground.

Parker, in addition to his main gig in Minsk, has produced the likes of Pelican, Rwake, Unearthly Trance, Jai Alai Savant, Lair of the Minotaur, and Nachtmystium, and Lamont, outside of Yakuza, recently finished recording a solo album and regularly plays with other experimental metal and noise outfits (Decayist, Sick Gazelle) as well as improvised-jazz players (Jeff Parker, Ken Vandermark, Dave Rempis).

Each man's résumé is a mile long, and now the two have come together to pay tribute to Chicago's late-'80s and early-'90s Wax Trax! industrial scene with their new project, Circle of Animals. A diverse and widely recognizable cast of drummers rounds out the lineup on this release, with names like Dave Witte (Discordance Axis, Municipal Waste), John Herndon (Tortoise), John Merryman (Cephalic Carnage), and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) lending their talents.

The band's press release specifically references the Chicago industrial scene, and one can pick out more than a bit of Ministry influence on this album. However, Godflesh, Swans, and neo-folk come off as bigger inspirations. This is not terribly surprising, as Parker has shown quite a bit of respect for the works of Justin Broadrick and Michael Gira in interviews.

The bigger surprise might be Lamont, whose main role, outside of general sonic direction, is as vocalist.  Parker is responsible for most of the recorded instruments, including guitar, bass, synthesizer, and programming, but he also vocally backs Lamont throughout.  (As a side note, Lamont's sister Kelly provides an excellent vocal guest spot on "Poison the Lamb.")

Historically, this brand of industrial music is based upon layering textures and rhythms into sonic paintings rather than creating hooks or riffs — a technique that can be very hit or miss. When it misses, it results in boring sonic experiments and sympathetic nods of “cool idea — never want to listen to that again.” Circle of Animals, however, has hit the mark, and Destroy the Light is exciting and engaging throughout. The soundscaping pushes visceral buttons that stimulate the subconscious. "No Faith," for example, functions as an NON-esque burgeoning swell, sweeping the listener away in a wave of epic synths and chattering crowd noise.

An ominous sense of foreboding ties each of these tracks together. This is deeply uneasy music that captures a state of longing and dread. It has a consistent, pulsing rhythm, whether from breakneck tom triplets or unflinching, echoing snare hits. This is the perfect soundtrack for questioning whether or not a modern metropolis is the right place to live out the rest of your days.

The true test for this record will come in the coming months when its experimental tendencies are no longer a novelty. Will it stand out enough to bear repeat listens down the line? The depth of its immediate emotional impact, coupled with its rich atmosphere, seems like more than enough to relive its experiences.  But only time will tell.

“Most of my earlier posters were for local musicians in the Chicago improvised music scene, such as MacArthur Fellow Ken Vandermark,” he adds.  “That led to working with a lot of visiting international musicians such as Peter Brötzmann and The Ex.”

Now designing for bands including The Black Keys, Melvins, and Phish, Grzeca draws his inspiration from the same place he always has: painters (Philip Guston, George Grosz, Max Beckmann, and Pablo Picasso, among others).  “Then we have contemporary events and the history of human conquest, and that pretty much keeps my brain busy.”

Keeping his production process pretty simple, Grzeca listens to the music, sits down at his table, and draws.  Using scratchboard and vellum for silkscreen separations, he focuses on reflecting the music of the musician in his own specific style, a method he describes as working “99.9% of the time.”

And because of Grzeca's artistic appeal, his designs have been able to travel the country on tour posters.  “I’m fortunate enough that people hire me because they know I’m going to bring a unique illustrative perspective to the poster they want to promote and sell at the show.”

To view or purchase Grzeca's prints, visit his Etsy shop.

Poster Art is a biweekly column about today’s independent poster art and the artists who create it.

It’s a busy, burgeoning community, where each musician carries responsibilities for upwards of a dozen bands, supporting one another live and on record, developing their skills and a familiarity with each other’s musical styles and tendencies.

“It’s a family,” Adasiewicz says. “The reason why the bands are sounding better and better is that we’re growing together. We play an insane number of projects with one another, and the bands are cohesive and evolving.” This camaraderie can be heard in large ensembles like Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra, of which Adasiewicz is a crucial member, and smaller groups like Rolldown, the vibe player’s personal project.

As a young musician growing up in Crystal Lake, a suburb of Chicago, Adasiewicz found himself torn between his interest in jazz and love of rock. He discovered the vibraphone in junior high, and though it piqued his interest, his primary focus was on the drums. “My drum teacher had a vibraphone nestled away in the studio,” he explains, “and when I heard it for the first time, it was like, ‘Oh, wow.’ I didn’t know something like that existed. [It was] always on the side, though. Drums were in the forefront.”

He entered DePaul University to study jazz but was disinterested in the rigid, academic approach to music he found there. Ironically, it was only when he entered the Chicago indie-rock scene as drummer for the band Pinetop 7 that he discovered the deep, rewarding jazz music that he had been looking for. Mixing with notables like Fred Lonberg-Holm and Jeff Parker, who managed to pursue their improvisational inclinations while also moonlighting for rock bands, gave Adasiewicz the confidence and motivation to try new things.

He credits his true education in jazz to Chicago’s renowned Jazz Record Mart, where he found new sounds, new ideas, and new friends who would serve as his collaborators for many years. “The Jazz Record Mart is a really amazing record store that specializes in jazz and blues,” he says. “It’s a classic downtown environment with an insane amount of records. It’s for serious record dorks.”

It’s also where he met cornet player Josh Berman, his one-time roommate and current collaborator in Rolldown. “We lived in this house together,” Adasiewicz says, “fiddling around with compositions, writing, trying to figure it out, and we looked up to people like Rob Mazurek, Fred Anderson, and Ken Vandermark.” It wasn’t long before Adasiewicz was playing with his idols, learning from them and using his newfound knowledge to develop his songwriting and guide his own groups.

Twelve Cups Records, the new label run by avant-garde violinist Carla Kihlstedt, has issued its first release. Titled Ravish (and Other Tales for the Stage), the album is a collection of music for theater and dance written by Kihlstedt, bassist Dan Rathbun, and drummer Matthias Bossi — each a member of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum.

The Dillinger Escape Plan has hired Billy Rymer (of The Rivalry) as its new drummer, replacing Gil Sharone, who will resume focusing on Stolen Babies with his brother Rani.

Beautiful electro-acoustic duo Lymbyc Systym begins a European tour today.

The Alex Skolnick Trio, an experimental jazz group led by Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, has announced a short series of show dates, mostly in California. Skolnick's trio focuses on original pieces but also includes jazz renditions of rock and metal songs, including Testament's "Practice What You Preach."

After performing in France on New Year's Day, risque music/dance troupe Extra Action Marching Band returns to the Bay Area to play at The Uptown in Oakland on January 24.

Rock cellist Helen Money (the solo moniker of Alison Chesley) just finished a new album at Electrical Audio. Details of its release are forthcoming.

Video-game/metal experimentalists Horse the Band will begin recording a new album in March, likely with Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart at the boards. The album should be released in May or June on an unrevealed new label.

One of jazz saxophonist Ken Vandermark's upcoming recordings is a disc of live and studio improvisations with German saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and Swedish saxophonist Mats Gustafsson. The group, Sonore, will have the album released in fall of 2009 on an undetermined label.

The request of the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) to appeal the retrial of Jammie Thomas has been denied. Thomas was deemed liable for $222,000 in damages in 2007 for sharing 24 songs on Kazaa, but the same judge ruled months ago that the initial case was a mistrial. A new trial is set for March 9.

Fredrik Ljungkvist

Swedish saxophonist Fredrik Ljungkvist is a prolific free-jazz artist in his homeland, but his many projects include a collaboration with Chicago standout sax player Ken Vandermark.

Leading Yun Kan 5, Ljungkvist combines experimental passages with more-traditional melodies, often leaning on pianist Klas Nevrin and bassist Mattias Welin. A good portion of this album should appeal to melody-focused jazz fans.

Leng Tch'e / Fuck the Facts: split 7"/CD (Power it Up)

Ottawa extreme metal outfit Fuck the Facts unleashes six new tracks of brutality (two only on the CD release) on this split with Leng Tch'e, a Belgian four-piece of equally harrowing grindcore.

Both groups have releases on Relapse, but this joint effort is specially prepared by German metal label Power it Up. Leng Tch'e also has two bonus tracks that only fit on the CD.

Leng Tch'e: "1-800-Apathy"
Leng Tch\'e: \"1-800-Apathy\"

Fuck the Facts: "The Wrecking"
Fuck the Facts: \"The Wrecking\"

Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan: Caravan (self-released)

Inspired by Django Reinhardt, the legendary face of Gypsy jazz guitarists, Alfonso Ponticelli and his backing band create swinging numbers that hearken to the 1930s — both in style of his originals and in covering Reinhardt and a number of other classic musicians.

Ponticelli is also a talented flamenco guitarist, and he often infuses the styles together in a fun, percussion-less mixture that includes violins, accordion, bass, and more guitar. This 18-track re-release of the group's 2004 album contains three Reinhardt tunes, a Duke Ellington cover, a rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown," a handful of originals, and much more.

Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan: "Mademoiselle de Bucharest/Tziganskaia"
Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan: \"Mademoiselle de Bucharest/Tziganskaia\"

Lord Sitar: s/t (Silo [France])

Originally released by Capitol 40 years ago, this only release by Lord Sitar takes pop hits of the day and turns them into sprawling psychedelic renditions that feature, naturally, sitar. Led by sitar master Big Jim Sullivan, the group's tripped-out covers include "Eleanor Rigby," "I Can See For Miles," "Black is Black," and "I am the Walrus."