fabric.

VITAL WEEKLY
number 378-- week 27

cubicfabric is a new sub-division of Cubicmusic, and they start their new side-dish with a compilation. The main focuss lies on presenting artists that are somewhat well-known via their own releases but do not belong (yet) to the top ten of the glitch 'n cut scene.
Z.E.L.L.E., Aero, Tu M', Motion and Alejandra and Aeron represent the European/US side and Minamo (the band who is behind this label, I think), Tosjimaru Nakamura, Masahiko Okura, Yoshio Machida and Kazumi Namba the Japanese side of this CD. I know, I said glitch 'n cut, but that was just to quickly put them in a corner. In fact not one of these artists belong in strict rhythmic corner, as the overall idea behind these tracks is a rather austere soundworld. Aero has a simple piece of sine waves moving along eachother, but which works well.
Yoshio Machida works with sound processings of his steel drum, maybe this is one of the more odd-balls in this collection. Another one might Minamo themselves who do an improvisation on guitar and electronica, which sound, at least, in this collection, quite traditional. High pitched excursions are to be found in Z.E.L.L.E.'s piece and of course the no input mixer from Nakamura. Motion and Kazumi Namba are the only ones from the warm laptop ambient circles.
In all a small variety that is offered in maybe a limited context.
But for the very well iniatated, there is a great deal of very nice music to be discovered here.
(FdW)

Igloo Magazine
"microview"
written by TJ Norris

A great roster of the new guard in experimental minimalism. From the top Italians z_e_l_l_e (Maurizio Martusciello and Nicola Catalano), whose debut on Line was filled with chilling tonalities, and here on lib . They break it down further. In these shake 3 and a half minutes we are looking into a kaleidoscope of higher shades of whiteness, a shifting set of sine tones that is as clear and sharp as a fine blade. Japan's Minamo's live piece (recorded at Michael Schumaker's Diapason Gallery, NYC) is the delicate, wobbly intersection between harmonious improvised jazz and the static crackle of click/cut electronica. Here Keiichi Sugimoto takes us through his dense atmosphere of "Listening", real slowly. The piece sounds a bit like an orchestral breakdown of the soundtrack for Kubrick's 2001 . Motion (Chris Coode) has recorded his latest full-length for 12K. His "Been and Gone" has all the distinct poise that brought Pole to fame on his first two records, although Coode brings the depth lower than sublevel. It's an undulating recipe. "Watching Your Shoes" is the addition from Italian artist and Mr. Mutt label gurus tu m'. This is a glitchy recycle, similar to some of the work heard on Noto's "Kerne." The track bounces and then reverberates in place with a playful interdimensionality. Toshimaru Nakamura's Pre"Preset #01 (nimb#22)" is a live piece based on internal feedback. Filtered, tonal shifting and a ball of meandering warm noise, this piece leaves your ears in a silo. Without using mixing board input he has almost channeled this improvised found sound concrete and added a wonderful layer of throbbing ambience. Bass clarinetist Masahiko Okura's "False Surfer Style" was recorded live at Pink Sky. With its percussive stutter, this piece certainly is one of the most unique prepared renderings of the instrument I have heard to date. Now I am just imagining him and Tom Heasley working together!

The sudden gamelan style of Yoshio Machida's "Rain Exposure" pops while playing his amorphone (which is a steel pan). It has a certain traditional Japanese sound appeal with beautiful harmonies and scales. "As Is" is the pulsating flutter created by Apestaartje label's Aero (Koen Holtkamp). After starting out centered and masked to fit, its bold wide symmetry then bleeds clear from normal spatial dimensions and winds up floating perilously. Kuchiroro's Kazumi Namba presents the orchestral ambient "Our Hands." There's a bit of this that sounds like some type of sacred ritual, and then again it may just be the presets on a playschool toy need to be tuned or his batteries have been partially de-juiced. The folky twang of guitar of "Puppies, Grandma and Juanita" takes us to conclusion with Lucky Kitchen's Alejandra and Aeron. The way they take simple sounds and deliver such an esoteric appropriation of many things is impressive. The yearning sound of a baby puppy, electronic ocean waves, and other samples of everyday life create a warm, almost organic tapestry of optimism. And so it goes...