Various Artists - "LANding"
(Triton 2000, ISBN 3-85486-069-2)
Various Artists - "LANding"
(Triton 2000, ISBN 3-85486-069-2)
From Aural Innovations #16 (June 2001)
This compilation resulted from a gathering of Austrian artists in late 1999 under the banner of the LANding Electronic Culture Project. The event consisted of an exhibition along with computer and sampling events at the Tyrolese Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum, and the CD documents the results. And sadly, that's all I know. The CD booklet contains extensive liner notes but my inability to read German prevents me from benefiting from the information. I'm not even clear on who the various contributing artists are. But this, of course, places no limits on listening to the sounds burned indelibly on to the CD itself.
There's quite a bit of variety on the CD, including lots of raw, abstract, radio wave and other experimental electronics. Much of this is electronic music stripped down to the basics, but demonstrating the potential building blocks for larger works to come. There's some electro dance music too, some that has a highly mechanical feel, and some embellished by harsh fuzzy tones. At the other extreme, are more fully developed tracks that remind me of a more pop version of Eat Static or even Ozric Tentacles, as well as tracks with throbbing dance beats and colored by freaky space sounds. Overall, though, it's the more avant-garde electronics that predominate, so if you aren't a fan of the more experimental stuff you may want to steer clear. Overall an interesting project that comes across on the CD as being a bit uneven, but I'll bet it was wonderful to have attended the museum event itself.
For more information you can visit the Triton web site at: http://triton.co.at/.
LANding is distributed by MEGO Direct. You can visit their web site at: http://www.mdos.at/.
Reviewed by Jerry Kranitz