planetsounds.co.uk
laboratory
series reviews
back to home
page
laboratory series volume 1:
"Excellent CDR compilation on this Manchester based label, featuring
pretty much everyone who's involved with the budding experimental scene in
Manchester at the moment. Tracks come from the likes of Daniel Weaver,
DOS, JJ Howard, Whitecube, Magic City, Pendro, Black Curtain, and many
more………truly varied and inspiring - tracks range from
augmented drone and static, to percussion based overlaying and glitch
processed electronica….recommended"
……………Pelicanneck Records
Review, 18 Feb 2001.
"A varied and tangentially varying disc of mainly abrasive new
electronic music from a new UK label. Planetsounds, run by Dave Clarkson
featuring 14 different artists covering an hour of material steered wildly
in a number of different directions. The proceedings open with the trashy
(ironic?) electro of 'Debbie Does Dusseldorf' by Pendro (which to my mind
lets down the project a touch) and moves through laptop-spawned noise a la
Mego and basic rhythmic workouts to more amateurish Merzbowish ear-melting
improv: Essentially, a huge range of material in a small time frame.
Standout tracks come from JJ Howard, Illuminati (superb and haunting
soundscaping), Black Curtain, with an Excellent piece of lopsided acoustic
drone, 'Melodica Playpen', and one of the label owner's projects Monte
Cristo, who proffer a genuinely affecting miasma of melodic loopings. A
number of these projects are manifestations of the same grouping of
individuals who may well be part of the same scene (Manchester perhaps,
where the label is based). Worth checking out if you like your electronics
in a slightly roughed-up Stock, Hausen & Walkman vein or even in the
fake-moustache-and -glasses of a more respectable V/Vm"
……………Brian Lavelle,
VitalWeekly, Staalplaat, 17 Jun
2001.
"A good selection from Manchester's busy underground. Disco
Operating System (scene catalyst Gareth Bibby) provides a drily cosmic
track, JJ Howard a beautiful miniature. Daniel Weaver's laptop degrades
his cello, industrial noise emanates from Magic City and Midget Gems.
Whitecube do their Manc Faust. This is worth hearing"
……..Andi Chapple, Flux Magazine, Aug/Sept
2001.
"Having cut my experimental teeth on artists such as Electronic
Musik, BLD and Cavendish Sanguine, I was looking forward to hearing the
tracks on this little beast. It came via Planetsounds, a label that has
all the right intentions and ingredients to strengthen the fact that
there's a lot to be said for composing and recording via the safety of
your own armchair. One or two of the artists are familiar, such as Pendro,
Whitecube and Oleum (a real hard on of a track). Pendro kicks off the
album with Debbie Does Dusseldorf, a cracking mix of porn samples,
Burroughs-influenced Eastern sounds all held together via an enthralling
and pulsing synth. Some tracks take longer to 'get into', such as Daniel
Weaver and Alex Impey's Chump, which more or less takes longer to write
than it does to play. JJ Howard's JS Howard (at least I think that's what
it's called because it's difficult to scan what's what here) is a simple
yet hypnotic piece. Magic City's Pinnocchio leaves you bewildered, as
though some deranged electronic puppet has just given you the biggest
mindfuck this side of the big bang, whilst Black Curtain's Melodica
Playpen is incredibly intriguing, bringing forth memories of Deliverance
meets the Waltons! Gelatine's Malaria is what I can only describe as the
perfect audio example of the disease. Disco Operating System's Just East
Of Lyra Northwest Of Pegasus surely must have been taken from the film
Dark Star, intense! I really can't go on describing each track because
there just isn't the space, but as time has gone on since I got this
album, I've really got into it and there's some great stuff on here.
Fifteen tracks that features some of the most cutting edge dark technology
there is. The nearest description I can award this beauty is covert aural
orgasm. Do not play this in public"
………..Dave W Hughes, Modern-Dance
Magazine, Oct/Nov/Dec 2001.
"Trawling
in mostly sonic experimenters and improvisers from the Manchester area,
this CD-R compilation offers a partial window on the noises being made at
regular events such as Rotations and aLECTRO_eCOUSTIC throughout 2001. The
laboratory bubbles with the multiple musical personae of its curator Dave
Clarkson, drummer for the now defunct White Cube who end the CD-R with an
oddball ode to sexual shenanigans, singer Su Li sounding off like Eve
Libertine of Crass nursing a wound. Dave Clarkson is also behind the
sci-fi babble of Gelatine, the sinister drone of Illuminati, the backwards
techno of Midget Gems, the dirty factory grind of Valis 33 and the
mournful serenade of Monte Christo. The RSI label throws up three
disparate chunks of audio experimentation. Disco Operating System float
off 'Just East of Lyra, Northwest of Pegasus' with a new track that
signals a noisier direction possibly influenced by Birmingham's cut up
noisician Magic City, opening with what sounds like a distorted organ
heralding rapid pulsebeat degenerating into abstract dissonance. Magic
City starts out with some random squeaks before erupting in a typically
noisy squall. There's also a dose of emotive melodic electronica culled
from JJ Howard's RSI CD-R 'Human Commodity Recordings'. Then there's the
Welsh industrialists of Fflint Central, Pendro and Oleum. A Pendro drone
opens the lab for experimentation with the orgasmic sighs of Debbie doing
Dusseldorf in a chunky synth loop, whilst Oleum lights a 'Corpse Candle'
with warped squelching beats and engine rumble whilst the church organist
worries about his tuning and tries to convince the vicar to update the
hymn book with '20 Jazz Funk Greats'. aLECTRO_eCOUSTIC instigator Daniel
Weaver delivers a mulched dose of solo cello mooching, with weird bowed
and processed noises flying off at tangents to a jovial plucked chugging
centre. He also appears on a more frazzled, jagged and abstract short
collaboration with electric toy molestor Alex Impey. Black Curtain play
slow guitar and country banjo picking in a 'Melodica Playpen' which nods
to the likes of Papa M and Pullman. Go Go Ghidora sound like they've caged
some hellbeast and miked up its rumbling stomach full of lesser demons.
The CD-R can be bought direct from www.planetsounds.co.uk and a second
volume with a completely different line up is imminent".
……..Graeme Rowland,
Brainwashed
on-line, Jan 2002.
"Makes
for a lovely listen and if you like your electronica strange and some
other oddities on there then go get. Another strawberry me feels".
……..Norman Records
Review,
Feb 2001.
................................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................................................
laboratory series volume 2:
"More head mangling material this time from Planetsounds of Manchester with Volume 2 of their Laboratory Series compilation CD's. Not many folks on there I've heard of apart from Illuminati, Tele:funken and Mild Man Jan but I can confirm if you like your music dark and disturbing with a small amount of fear thrown in for good luck then you'll like this. Experimental electronica to mess with your head. Lovely"
……………Norman Records Review, 12 April 2002.
"It is a professional work with excellent music. I have a lot of samplers with strange electronic sounds and musicians but this is one of the best I have. All songs are in the 'right' positions as we heard the whole CD without a break. I think that is the best way and it seems like a movie. We wish you a successful work and always good times"
……………Tine and Karl, Berlin, Germany, 01 May 2002.