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BLATANT PROPAGANDAThis zine was run by that madcap Australian political activist whose name completely escapes me. No, it's not an age thing this time, promise. I have a note of his real name here, but I'm pretty sure he didn't like its use, so I'll be nice and not use it. I just can't remember how he did like to be referred to. Anyway, musically you will know him for Eye, a contributor to the UWU compilation CD, and Aya, the 'sister' project. When not scaling the roof of the Canberra parliament building, he wrote nice things about our output, like this...-------------------------------------------------- Magic Moments at Twilight Time ::: "Creavolution"space-rock-indie-psychedeliaA spacey mix that reminds of Hawkwind, late-70s Kraftwerk, Stereolab, Blondie, and Anubian Lights. That's how I'd describe this album. While this album has a great amount of diversity - from driving space-rock through to flamenco-acid-ballads with warm analogue synth burblings and the talents of 6 vocalists (3 female 3 male) - it is held firmly together through its concepts and musical themes. The opening track "The Starship Psychotron" took several listens for me to appreciate - possibly because of its fun fantasy nature! I like the way this track breathes - lots of music breaks between the dreamy female vocal refrains of Leonie Jackson. It's characterised by lots of Jean Michel Jarrish analogue synth arpeggios, spine tingle sounds and a doof techno beat on an old clankety drum machine. "Lights turn blue" begins with an alien voice anti-nuke narration which leads into a more serious rock track with the British rock voice of Inga Leru. "Kronophobia" begins with a marching snare beat that moves into a grooving Hawkwindish track featuring the vocals of MMATT's musical mastermind, Mick Magic. He must have been wearing the darkest set of sunglasses for this track - i.e very "cool". In the middle of the album are the tracks which really do it for me! "Purple eyed & mystified" is an excellent trippy pop track with very dreamy vocals by Leonie. I dug this so much that EYE started doing a remix of it!! (hopefully it'll be finished one day soon). "Demonic Attack" is another slightly harder sounding rocking piece - due largely to Inga's vocals - with Brian John Doran's baritone voice. I think a kick-ass rock drummer would work better on this piece than the drum machine though! "Spirit Electric" is another personal highlight for me. With its Spanish flamenco-ish acoustic guitar and rhythms it reminds me of projects like Anubian Lights. "The night fantasia" is a real epic with its fantasy analogue synth-burblings and dreamy vocals - a track that sends shivers up my spine, grabs you and takes you flying through inner and outer space. Leonie Jackson really has a terrific voice; the harmonies work tremendously well. "Love let thy name be darkness" features more superb female vocal harmonies - another great light and trippy goth-pop track. "The Torch" is a chug-a-long piece that showcases the baritone vocals of Brian John Doran who reminds me of Laibach (a big compliment from me!) at their most gallant and operatic moments - but with more of a tongue-in-cheek fun attitude! The album closes with "Rock and Roll Lifestyle"; a mega-mega-cheesey upstage of the cheesiest rock and roll band you've ever heard! Overall, this album has a late 1970s, early 1980s feel to it - mainly due to the drum machine programming sounds and the analogue synth burblings. For myself and others who dig the early 80s new romantic synth-pop space sound that's fine. However, I think that may hold this venture from achieving the potential contemporary success it deserves. This is an album that I wouldn't have been able to get into in years past - when I was predominantly into heavy political music. However, for now, this is an album that I would love to have been involved in making. Why? Because: a) it sounds like it was lots of fun b) the tracks are great pop and space-rock compositions and c) I'm inspired with things that I'd like to add - mainly this would be in the area of drum programming - I'd groove them up and make them a bit jungly-trip-hoppish with some broader sound sources and textures. Though that may have been something MMATT were deliberately avoiding. These tracks really deserve wider recognition and exposure. I look forward to hearing what they'll do with a bigger budget and studio. Available for 7.99 British Pounds from: Music & Elsewhere/ United World Underground - 6 Farm Court Frimley Surrey GU16 5TJ U.K. (0216-684209) -------------------------------------------------- And he did radio shows too. When he played any of our stuff, we'd get a nice little e-mail from him like this... "Hello, either a track of yours or from a release of your label was played on today's show. |
show = "Friday Sunset" 4-6p.m. 2XX 98.3FM, Canberra Australia July 26 2002
lord litter - love freak Artemiy Artemiev - 5 mystery tales of Asia Part 1 (5 minute excerpt) Ras Al Ghul - qual Artemiy Artemiev - 5 mystery tales of Asia Part 2 (5 minute excerpt) Love in a Plague - freak
*** I don't usually host this show. I've been filling in for a few "sunsets" of late though. A good thing about doing this show is that I can play some international music that doesn't fit within the scope of my other 3 radio shows. Please see http://www.blatantpropaganda.com for more information on these.
With a bit of luck I may end up with a regular weekday slot from 4-6p.m. - meaning I can play lots of the diverse non-Australian stuff I receive which doesn't fit into the genre-specifications of my other shows." -------------------------------------------------- Of course, he played more than five tracks, but I only left in M&E artists. Bias accepted. Whether he's still playing stuff on radio shows and doing a zine and making political hardcore teknoid music is another matter. However, two e-mail addresses in my contact folder means we have reasonable odds of finding out... (UPDATE)
The work of the impressive networker, Kim Harten, Bliss being her tape label and Aquamarine being her zine. Always very supportive to M&E, the following brief reviews coming from issue 6 in 2000... --------------------------------------------------
VARIOUS
United World Underground CD (Music & Elsewhere)
SHAY
Dreamers & Stalkers (M&E 583) -------------------------------------------------- An e-mail is on its way to the two e-mail addresses I have on file, her answer will appear right hereishly... (UPDATE) |
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