[HA-17] Ville Moskiitto: Vallankumous nyt

Soundtrack for a new revolution. A big hunk o'noise. Hang them all & play it loud.

1. Vastuunvälttäjä
2. Menetetty maa
3. Myrskyn silmään
4. Suden aika
5. Lumisokea

Cd-r, printed/handcrafted sleeve, insert, anger & violence.

[HA-16] Ville Moskiitto: Jos jostain täytyy puhua

Slow-boiling psychedelic guitar excursions.

1. Kuninkaallinen saattue saapuu Samarkandiin
2. Hapankaali-Henriksson
3. Varjot veden yllä
4. Vedän verhon sen eteen
5. Satu sokeasta miehestä, pilvien keisarista ja hiirestä
6. Vapauden kaihosta

Cd-r, printed/handcrafted sleeve, insert.

[HA-15] MD Howser: More Phat Beats

The BOY WONDER is back!!! Bigger but not better!!! Same old stupid BEATZZ!!! Same old stupid BREAKDOWNZZ!!! Get on the dancefloor and wave your arms like you JUST DON'T CARE!!!

1. Baby Take Your Vitamin 2. Pretty Fly 3. Rock Won't Save You From Religion 4. Pimp-Style Management
5. Give Smack a Chance
6. Frontin'
7. Let It Flow
8. Herpes
9. Miuzi Don't Weigh Shit
10. Have You Got Anything To Say To That?
11. I Gots To Boogie, Yo!

Cd-r, printed sleeve and NO BLING!!!

[HA-14] The Insane Birds: The Insane Birds

I can feel my mind is going...

1. Soothing Sounds for Disorderlies
2. Schizophrenia and the Book of Changes
3. Valse melancholie

3" cd-r, printed sleeve.

[HA-13] Ville Moskiitto: Death of the Proletariat

Reductionist electric guitar improv. Dedicated to the working class, R.I.P.

1. 14031883
2. 05081895
3. 21011924
4. 21081940
5. 15011919
6. 11091973
7. 18121932
8. 19061876
9. 19011865
10. 17111858

Cd-r, printed sleeve.

[HA-12] Ville Moskiitto: Things You Are Not Eager To Touch

Experimental electronic sounds.

1. Tavallaan täytät mieleni
2. What the dead men say
3. Katolla, tai ennen kattoa
4. Slight return
5. Vuusit

Cd-r, printed sleeve.

[HA-11] Ville Moskiitto: Kupariluostari

Autistic drone music for those "special moments".

1. Kupariluostari
2. Kuhnuritanssi
3. Kanjonikostaja

Cd-r, printed sleeve, insert, polaroid abstract.

[HA-10] Ville Moskiitto: I Think I Will Dismember The World With My Hands / Liar on the Mountain

Processed electric guitar soundscapes.

Thanks to R.A. Lafferty & Jack Kirby.

1. I Think I Will Dismember The World With My Hands
2. Liar on the Mountain

Cd-r, printed sleeve, insert.

What they say

"Ville Forss on ollut aktiivinen nimi kansainvälisillä kokeellisen underground-musiikin kentillä jo usean vuoden verran. Vuodesta 2005 eteenpäin häneltä on ilmestynyt kymmenen albumia Ville Moskiitto -nimen alla (cdr- ja kasettimuodoissa), kaksi Autumn Galaxy -projektin levyä yhdessä Brad Rosen kanssa sekä liuta kokoelmaesiintymisiä. Lisäksi hän on edistänyt kokeellisen musiikin kulttuuria levyarvostelijana sekä julkaisijana oman Harha-askel -mikrolevymerkkinsä kautta.

Harha-askel onkin toiminut Ville Moskiiton toiseksi uusimman (uusin näyttää ilmestyneen eilen!) albumin julkaisijana. Kokonaisuudella ei ole varsinaista nimeä, vaan se on nimetty sisältämänsä kahden pitkän teoksen mukaan I Think I Will Dismember The World with My Hands / Liar on The Mountain. Molemmilla kappaleilla on pituutta noin 17 minuutin verran. Tyylikkäästä kansitaiteesta vastaa Marvelin sarjakuvatehdas, jolta kansikuvat on – no, lainattu. Kappaleiden nimet puolestaan ovat peräisin R. A. Laffertylta.

Mielenkiintoisinta Ville Moskiiton diskografian tutkiskelussa on tyylilajien tai oikeammin lähestymistapojen runsaus. Levytyksiin mahtuu niin paljasta akustista kitarointia, free jazz -kokeiluja, niinsanottua metsäfolkia ja elektronisia ääniveistoksia.

Tämän levyn molemmat kappaleet kuuluvat viimeksi mainittuun kastiin ja tuovat aiemmista julkaisuista ehkä eniten mieleen vuonna 2005 ilmestyneen Ylistyksiä-albumin. Lopulta samankaltaisista levyistä ei silloinkaan ole varsinaisesti kysymys. ITIWDTWWMH / LOTM:n kappaleet ovat pitkiä harhailuja äänimaailmoissa, jotka on saatu aikaan lähinnä jalostamalla sähkökitaran tuottamia ääniä. Kitaraksi ei musiikkia todellakaan tunnista kuin hetkittäin. Prosessoinnin avulla on syntynyt mystisiä äänitiloja, joissa pitkinä vellovien pohjaäänten varaan on luotu monenlaista jännittävää. Mistään drone-tyyppisestä musiikista ei kuitenkaan voida puhua, Moskiiton äänimaisema ei ole tarpeeksi staattinen siihen.

I Think I Will Dismember The World with My Hands on kappaleista rytmisempi. Tätä ei pidä ymmärtää missään varsinaisesti perinteisessä mielessä. Enemmänkin kyse on rytmisesti toistuvista, terävistä äänipurkauksista pimeänä vellovan pohjamassan seasta. Pistot eivät ole aggressivisia tai hyökkääviä. Päinvastoin kappaleesta syntyy lämmin, joskin avaruudellisen vieras atmösfääri, joka ei ole täysin vieras esimerkiksi 70-luvun berliiniläismestareiden seesteisimmille hetkille.

Liar on The Mountain ei puolestaan toimi mielestäni aivan yhtä hyvin kuin levyn avaaja. Muodoltaan hajanaisempi avaruusromun vyöhyke paisuu ja kevenee luontevasti ja vaivattoman oloisesti, mutta lopulta se ei vie kuulijaa kovin kauas. Ei samalla tavoin kuin edeltäjänsä. Ei silti, sopivassa mielentilassa tämäkin kappale saattaa hyvinkin jättää kuulijan kellumaan johonkin toismaalliseen tilaan, joskin ehkä ympyrää kiertämään.

Hämmentävän monipuolisessa Ville Moskiiton tuotannossa tämä kompakti ja yhtenäinen teospari sijoittuu ehdottomasti parhaimpien joukkoon. Tällä kertaa musiikista välittyy sellainen johdonmukaisuus, mikä on joskus jäänyt puuttumaan Moskiiton albumeista. En aio sanoa, että levy olisi sävelletyn oloinen, koska sitä se ei varmasti ole, mutta tällä kertaa artisti tuntuu tienneen selvästi, mihin on pyrkimässä. Pieni helmi." (Jaakob Karhu/Jaakobin Wsi Testamentti)

[HA-9] Ville Moskiitto: Bastard Dances, Spirituals and Serenades

A little light music for acoustic guitar. Improvised compositions and limited technique.

1. Waiting for Menuet
2. Verhot
3. Liljankukka
4. Linnun lento
5. Tahdon sinun tietävän
6. Joki Espanjaan
7. Jussi
8. Light Hits Your Eyes
9. The Dark-Haired Girl
10. Ballad of the Lily Flower

Cd-r, handcrafted sleeve, insert and polaroid abstract.

[HA-8] Ville Moskiitto: In Fine Style - 4-track Recordings 2003-2004

Handcrafted happiness, tape hiss, song sketches and murky guitar excursions from the not-so-distant past.

1. Burning
2. Morning, Soul or Goodbye
3. Soultaker Blues
4. Fat Chance
5. Matkoja kuolleiden mailla
6. Cherry Blossom Tree
7. More Beautiful Than Today
8. Sä oot noita
9. The House

[HA-7] MD Howser: Phat Beat Farming

THE FUTURE IS NOW! a.k.a. is it the 20th century already? Retarded tekkno-beats and total regressive electronica from the boy wonder MD Howser.

1. (I Ain't No) Rocket Man
2. Who Let the Dawggs Out
3. A Short History of Time
4. Calcutta Homies
5. Waiting for the 'A' Train
6. Goldfingah
7. Weapons of Mass Seduction
8. Bitches Need to Chill
9. Matlock Smackdown
10. Krakheadz

[HA-6] You Get So Alone - solo instrumentals

A collection of solo instrumental music from Europe and North America, featuring the sounds of guitars (electric, acoustic, bass), dulcimer, alto sax, turntable, percussion, oud, harmonium, recorder and homemade instruments (including Talugung's "bass zither").

1. Sindre Bjerga - Rust (Still) Never Sleeps
2. Jani Hellén - Rushes in the Moonlight
3. Amigo Result - Selipates
4. Maxime Primault - Strictly Turntablized
5. Ville Moskiitto - The Look of Lurv
6. Sparkle in Grey - Bass Quartet
7. Robert Horton - Blues for a Grey Day
8. Talugung - Ant Nest
9. Andy Futreal - Black Sand
10. Michael Futreal - Wire Mountain in Winter
11. Michael Futreal - Wire Mountain in Spring
12. Crow Feathers - Cornelia Street
13. Destroy All Tie Fighters - untitled
14. Jani Hellén - Evening Call
15. throuRoof - Drawing Spirits into Crystals



Michael Futreal - Wire Mountain in Spring



throuRoof - Drawing Spirits into Crystals


What they say

"You Get So Alone on turkulaisen, kokeelliseen akustiseen musiikkiin keskittyneen Harha-askel-mikrolevymerkin kolmas kokoelma. Levymerkin ensimmäinen julkaisu, Goin’ Down Slow (2006), keskittyi täysin akustisella kitaralla soitettuun musiikkiin. Viime vuonna julkaistun Sing with Men valokeilassa oli ihmisääni. Näistä varsinkin ensimmäinen oli vahva kokonaisuus ja kaiken kaikkiaan vuoden 2006 parhaita kokeellisen musiikin julkaisuja.

Tämänkertaisen kokoelman aiheena on ollut sooloinstrumentit. Jokainen levyn 15 kappaleesta on esitetty vain yhdellä soittimella ja pääosin ilman minkäänlaisia päällekkäisäänityksiä. Yksittäisistä instrumenteista eniten on käytössä ennalta arvattavasti kitara. Esitykset eivät kuitenkaan ole suinkaan tasapaksuja toistensa hiilikopioita, vaan ne todistavat entisestään soittimen monipuolisuutta. Kitaroiden lisäksi levyllä ovat käytössä muiden muassa saksofoni, harmooni ja erilaiset lyömäsoittimet.

Kokoelman sisällön voi rajata – erittäin karkeasti! – kahteen sarjaan: Levyn aloittaa neljän abstraktin äänimaalauksen sarjalla. Niiden jälkeen loppulevy kuluu pääosin muodoltaan rakennetumman materiaalin parissa viimeistä, throuRoofin kappaletta lukuun ottamatta. Mistään läpisävelletyistä teoksista ei kuitenkaan voida puhua; kokeellisuus, improvisaatio ja tietty muodon hajottaminen ovat tärkeitä piirteitä levyn jokaisessa esityksessä. Kappaleiden tyylilajit vaihtelevat Robert Hortonin kitarabluesista Sindre Bjergan kitaradroneen ja Ville Moskiiton freejazz-sävyistä Michael Futrealin kauniisiin folktunnelmointeihin.

You Get So Alone on musiikiltaan riittävän monipuolinen kantamaan vajaan tunnin mittansa. Itse olisin jäntevöittänyt kappalejärjestystä nykyisestä niin, että selvästi abstraktimmat raidat olisivat kuuluneet melodiapitoisempien (en uskalla sanoa “perinteisempien”) välissä. Selkeä kaari kappaleiden välille syntyy toki nytkin. Yksittäisistä esityksistä välittömimmin vahvimmilta tuntuvat jo mainitut Michael Futrealin kaksiosainen dulcimer-improvisaatio ja Ville Moskiiton saksofonin puhaltelu sekä Sparkle in The Greyn bassokvartetto.

Harha-askelen tasavahvassa katalogissa You Get So Alone on mainio jatke. Toivotaan, että levymerkki jaksaa jatkaa, vaikka cdr-kulttuuri lukemattomine pienjulkaisuineen tuntuukin kärsivän tällä hetkellä kenties ylikuumenemisen aiheuttamasta väsymyksestä." (Jaakob Karhu/Jaakobin Wsi Testamentti)

"You Get So Alone is a second release from the Harha-askel label (home of Talugung) - fifteen solo instrumentals of instrumental music. The disk contains gems such as the kitchen-sink metal percussion of Amigo Result's "Selipates", Sparkle In Grey's "Bass Quartet", Robert Horton's wonky slide guitar "Blues For A Grey Day", Talugung's "Ant Nest" (slowed down thumb pianos?), Michael Futreal's folk strum "Wire Mountain In Winter, Wire Mountain In Spring", and the gorgeous Indian-styled album closer "Drawing Spirits Into Crystals" by Throuroof. For those who like a bit of variety, this is an excellent listen." (Simon Lewis & Steve Palmer / Terrascope Online)

[HA-5] Talugung: Under Humid Light

The word "talugung" comes from the Ivatan language spoken by the people of the Batanes islands in the Philippines. Accordingly, the music of Talugung, the solo project of Ryan Waldron from Canada (also known from the group The Riderless), is a kind of imaginary world music evoking and blendind together images of far-away lands. "Under Humid Light", recorded in 2007 and mostly played on self-made instruments, puts together elements of Asian, African and western musics and the picture they form is a very beautiful one, indeed. Following on from Talugung's fabulous debut album "Flooded Fields", released on Foxglove last year, "Under Humid Light" is a fine example of Waldron's singular musical expression.

1. Wobble Crackle
2. Vliuug
3. Gobi
4. The Wonders of Weather
5. Glazed Greys
6. Folded
7. Apparition Comet
8. Arrows
9. Lumber Moan
10. Slope Fen
11. Peeled and Crushed

What they say

"Talugung is the alias of Canadian musician Ryan Waldron, who makes his own instruments and clearly listens to a lot of African and Asian traditional music (his alias is borrowed from a language spoken on the Batanes Islands of the Philippines). In fact Under Humid Light is a kind of imagined world music, tapping into a fictional musical tradition that doesn't strictly exist, but amalgamates from different sources. The vexed ethics of Sun City Girls' use of field recordings made in Southeast Asian marketplaces immediately come to mind, but Talugung is closer in spirit to Jon Hassell's Fourth World projects, or the invented parallel worlds of Jorge Luis Borges - there is less in the way of theft and more of tribute. A sense of anachronism haunts Under Humid Light (why fake a tradition?) and also of magpie flightiness, as Waldron skips from instrument to instrument with each track. But it works nonetheless. Like Harry Partch, Waldron allows his work to be shaped according to the peculiarities of his homemade instruments. Tracks like 'Wobble Crackle' and 'Arrows' are junkyard jumbles of likembe-like sounds. 'Vliuug' is all rubbery, papery bass strings, challenging you to visualise exactly what kind of instrument Waldron has built." (Sam Davies/The Wire)

"I liked Canadian musician and instrument-builder Ryan Waldron’s Foxglove release under the Talugung moniker a lot but I think Under Humid Light might be even better. This is an exciting musical journey that goes from abstract, slightly folk-tinged drones to exotic string plucking and Sun City Girls-like field recordings from all over the globe. It’s a downcast sound affair overflowed with organic beauty that covers a lot of ground and change direction from track to track, but the overall result is simply pure genius. What we need now is some enterprising label to see the potential of this fellow and let him record and build weird instruments for the rest of his (and mine) life." (Mats Gustaffson/The Broken Face)

"In releasing their album "Under Humid Light," Talugung present the listener with eleven ethnic soundscapes, each track focusing on a different instrument or set of instruments: chimes, gongs (I think), bells and bowls, stringed and bowed instruments, gamelan, marimbas, thumb pianos. One track, "Lumber Moan," seems to be sampled voices. The album is strikingly reminiscent of the work of Stephan Micus. Each track is beautifully recorded and superbly arranged; it is impossible to say whether any of the music here is a genuine folk piece or whether it was all composed by the musicians, but that probably isn't the point of the album. My only complaint would be that some of the pieces are far too short! Sonic concepts this good should perhaps be allowed to last and linger in the memory... but this is an intriguing and mysterious release, well worth investigating." (Simon Lewis & Steve Palmer / Terrascope Online)

[HA-4] Sing With Me - music for the human voice

New compilation from Harha-askel, this time focusing on music made for (and with) the human voice, ranging from song-forms to abstract voicings. Demented pirate blues from Alligator Crystal Moth, Robert Horton goes pop (sort of), Jani Hellén explores the mellotron's vox humana, Ville Moskiitto interprets an old Finnish hymn, Komutian throat singing from Kheta Hotem and lots more... Artists from Finland, France, Italy, USA, Australia, Faroe Islands and Great Britain.

1. Lamppukello - Maalari Mäki
2. Robert Horton - Fry Your Brains Out In Your Hat
3. Alligator Crystal Moth - The Mad Courier
4. Jani Hellén - Silpoydin (Static)
5. Kheta Hotem - Around a Single Bird
6. Metsämorfeus - Pilvin poikin kottaraista
7. Vellamo - Olemisen riemu
8. The Mighty Acts of God - The Slow Hardwood of a Once Thorough Woman
9. Rokkiryhmä - Laulu miehestä
10. Sorella di Kometan Pärsson - Best Explanation
11. Wanton Loverboy - Sucking Tits
12. Hue (with Gaia) - Pillow Talk
13. Autumn Galaxy - Red Glow
14. The Reggaee - Lude
15. Xenis Emputae Travelling Band & Jani Hellén - The Secret Gregorian Plug-In
16. Ville Moskiitto - Oi Herra jos mä matkamies maan

Limited edition of 80 copies on black cd-r. Printed covers and insert in plastic sleeve.

What they say

"Released on the Harha Askel label (who released a similar compilation featuring guitar players last year) ‘sing With Me-Music For The Human Voice’, is a collection of wonderful experimental folk songs with the accent firmly on the voice, although the music is excellent too. After the little girl vocal nursery rhyme of Lammppukello, the prolific Robert Horton (didn’t think we would get through a rumble without him did you?) enthrals us with the old Americana weirdness of ‘Fry Your Brains Out In Your Hat’, after which Alligator Crystal Moth take you further out there with the truly wonderful ‘The Mad Courier’. While these may be the most well known names on the compilation, at least to Terrascope readers, every single track is worth hearing, showing how versatile and inventive humans and their voices can be. Possibly Rumbles album of the month." (Simon Lewis / Terrascope Online)

[HA-3] Andy Futreal: Ophelia Wanders

An intimate offering of acoustic guitar wizardry from the UK-resident Andy Futreal (who also appeared on Harha-askel's Goin' Down Slow compilation and the Like Twilight Bleeding 3" cd-r on New American Folk Hero). Recorded in 2004-2007 in North Carolina, USA, these improvised pieces ran the gamut from blues and folk to more abstract explorations of guitar strings (and field recordings). Futreal's playing combines aspects of the "American primitive" picking of John Fahey (etc) and the UK folk/blues scene of the 60's and onwards (Bert Jansch, Davy Graham etc) with some more exotic influences whilst retaining a quality all his own. A real new talent in the blooming field of acoustic guitar playing.

1. homescape I
2. laterite road
3. ophelia wanders
4. christmas04
5. frontporch
6. over across and down
7. minus5postbenadrylslide
8. suppertime
9. there is no "in the big scheme of things" today
10. occasional rain
11. chickenwing
12. black coffee with sugar
13. timezones II
14. homescape II
15. in the failing light

Edition of 80 copies. Black cd-r, printed covers and insert in plastic sleeve.

What they say

"Finnish label Harha-askel lays some fingerpicked acoustic steel string action on us, courtesy Andy Futreal. Not being familiar with his previous work, the nicely packaged cdr serves as a fine introduction to the Cambridge UK-based guitarist. Futreal lists guitar third in his instruments played, following field recordings and wind chimes. Upon reading this and listening to the opening track, I was excited to see what tricks were up his sleeve and held high hope for a seamless integration of acoustic explorations with “the attendant sounds of place and time”. Turns out the field recordings are mostly held at bay, occupying separate tracks, with only one brief exception. Yet no disappointments ensued following my initial discovery. Instead, this is a rather pleasing set of highly skilled (but not overly flashy) guitar work.

Futreal notes that all of his tracks are improvisations, and it’s tough not to be impressed. He clearly draws on the definition of improvisation as spontaneous composition, as the pieces here follow narrative arcs, have recurring themes, and hold together structurally quite well. His ability to take the kernel of an idea and toss it around playfully is what makes this cd mostly successful. Echoes of Jansch, Fahey and others are all present of course, but Futreal escapes the pressure of mimicry and follows his own style to its logical end. At fifteen tracks long, it’s a bit long, but he’s got something to say and it’s hard to begrudge that.

Futreal’s preferred mode on this disc is the short form, with most tracks hovering around 2 to 3 minutes, simple sketches around a basic idea. Wind chimes and field recordings emerge in the too brief track 5, but again I found myself wanting to hear the guitar brought into the mix. The great strength of Futreal lies in his ability to compose on the spot and to mine the depth of a singular idea in sketch format. Some of the melodies haunt and the playing is certainly impeccable throughout. Rather than succumbing to the need to prove himself alongside fellow travelers Harris Newman, Jack Rose, Rick Bishop, etc, Futreal seems confident enough to play simple melodies and figures without much filigree. He has an ear for the song form and his fingers convey that understanding without trying to impress through dazzling skills of proficiency. Why use more when you can achieve the same results with less?

The disc can feel like an endurance test in spots, but patience is well rewarded, as the last track, “In the falling light”, may hold the most promise here. A near 12 minute excursion, it tips the deck to show that Futreal may have more cards in store next time around. Unlike the sketch-based approach, this is a fully realized and satisfying whole piece of music. Small plates leading up to the final course perhaps? Whatever the intent, it works. Interestingly, this final track is also the sparsest and least showy of all. It’s imbued however with a lovely resonance in the ringing of the guitar tone, and it carries an emotional weight that can only be developed with the time and space to stretch out. This is the Futreal I hope to hear more of in the future. An album’s worth of longer exploratory tracks in this mode would be a welcome next step. 8/10" (Eric Hardiman/Foxy Digitalis)

"Also utilising field recordings, this time mixed with improvised acoustic guitar, ‘Ophelia Wanders’ is a inventive collection instrumentals with influences ranging from the experimental tendencies of John Fahey, to the dexterity of pickers such as Bert Jansch. A fine example of this dexterity can be heard on the title track, the playing expressive and emotional, whilst ‘over Across and Down’ has a more eastern sound in its slowed down style. Final track, the 12-minute, ‘In the Falling Light’ is a truly beautiful piece and is worth the price of admission alone, the fact that a whole albums worth of good stuff accompany it is reason to celebrate indeed." (Simon Lewis/Terrascope Online)

"Bislacca ed interessante etichetta la Harha-Askel dal grazioso logo ‘a impronta di scarpe’, con sede a Turku, Finlandia, e gestita da Ville Forss, già su queste pagine con il nickname di Ville Moskitto, nome con il quale firma gradevoli e neanche troppo lo-fi dischi di improvvisazioni chitarristiche. Non troppo distante appunto da quanto proposto da costui è il materiale prestente su “Ophelia Wanders”, quasi un’ora di chitarra acustica registrata in varie locations dall’americano Andy Futreal, forse non un gran virtuoso dello strumento ma certo un abile strimpellatore di gradevoli e variate melodie. Il modello di riferimento potrebbe essere il solito Fahey, ma anche certo folk ‘povero’ e semplice, termini qui intesi in senso per niente negativo: il disco, con i suoi errori, le sue piccole stonature e sbavature, si fa ascoltare molto volentieri e ripetutamente, realizzandosi come colonna sonora ideale di letture, cene, viaggi e dialoghi. Forse non un capolavoro e neppure un disco da lasciare a bocca aperta, ma di certo a Futreal non mancano né le capacità tecniche, né il gusto per la melodia, né tanto meno il senso della misura: i brani sono in prevalenza brevi (circa due/tre minuti), e talvolta inframezzati o intrecciati a fields recordings e uno sparuto, bellissimo vibrafono. Un’eccezione l’ultima lunga, lenta e sospesa In the Falling Light, dodici minuti di variazioni per niente noiose che chiudono un CD-R che vale molto più del suo – bassissimo – prezzo, nonostante una produzione davvero - per così dire - artigianale." (Matteo Uggeri/Sands-zine)

"The link to Andy Futreal goes through the New American Folk Hero label and what he does on Ophelia Wanders is to examine the emotional range and possibilities of the acoustic guitar. Gentle guitar structures flow over you and color your current view in different colors depending on what track you’re listening to. We get 15 guitar instrumentals that stroll along gently and in most cases remain in melodic terrain. Sure, Fahey is an inspiration but this has honestly more to do with folks like Bert Jansch than the Takoma scene. That doesn’t prevent it from being an impressive recording draped in talent, but more importantly also in emotion." (Mats Gustafsson/Broken Face)

[HA-2] Bjerga/Iversen: Shortest Way to the Moon

Two live recordings from this prolific Norwegian duo's 2006 UK tour. Deep drones and clattering percussion. Intense, strange and beautiful.

1. Newcastle (Live at Chillingham Arms, 12.10.06)
2. Brighton (Live at Prince Albert, 15.10.06)

Jan-M. Iversen: electronics
Sindre Bjerga: tapes, percussion, effects

Bjerga/Iversen homepage
Bjerga/Iversen @ Myspace

Released in a limited, numbered edition of 80. Black cd-r, cut & paste covers in plastic sleeve, printed insert.

What they say

"More experimental drone and noise can be found on the excellent “Shortest Way To The Moon”, recorded live in the UK by Berga/Iversen and featuring just two elongated pieces. The first, recorded in Newcastle, is edgy and scattered, random sounds cutting through the drones beneath. Audience noise (I assume) only adds to the dynamics as the pair create a brittle landscape that breathes by itself. The second Track, recorded in Brighton, repeats the trick although this time the piece plays itself out with a lunar drone, that sounds as if it was frighteningly loud for the audience." (Terrascope Online/Simon Lewis)

"Stesso formato ma musica radicalmente differente per “Shortest Way to the Moon”, dischetto spartito tra Jan-M. Iversen (elettronica) e Sindre Bjerga (effetti, percussioni e nastri). Qui la bassa fedeltà è un tantino eccessiva: si ha l’impressione di ascoltare un bootleg registrato con microfoni da due lire e senza una virgola di editing. In effetti le due tracce, di 12 e 20 minuti ciascuna, sono state registrate nel 2006 in show dal vivo, che hanno visto i due impegnati in improvvisazioni di stampo concreto-rumorista sullo stile di certe spiazzanti cacofonie di Robert Horton o simili. É un peccato che la qualità del suono sia così scarsa, poiché si ha l’impressione che le tracce (la prima un lungo ohm inframezzato dal rimestare di suoni analogici, la seconda un sommesso accumularsi di suoni di oggetti con una sorta di asciutto drone in sottofondo) crescano bene e contengano suoni e spunti degni di nota, avvicinandosi ad una musica sperimentale forse un po’ datata e granitica ma comunque interessante e molto bizzarra.
Forse una stranezza che sfugge ad ogni schema e logica, forse un esperimento senza un fine preciso, certo si tratta di un disco in grado di incuriosire parecchi ascoltatori delle musice più bislacche." (Matteo Uggeri/Sands-zine)

[HA-1] Goin' Down Slow - music for acoustic guitar

A compilation of new music for acoustic guitar featuring 13 artists/acts from the UK, New Zealand, US, Norway and Finland. Blues, folk, noise, minimalism, improv, drone...

Tracklisting:

1. Tom Carter - Arroyo Crawl
2. Robert Horton - Chaos Blues
3. Andy & Michael Futreal - Bukka's Bad Trip
4. Keijo - On that winding road
5. Mark Dagley - I Call Unto My Lord
6. Mike Tamburo - The Ballad of Stuart McGill
7. The North Sea - Moon Shadow
8. Stephen Lewis - All great and precious things are lonely
9. Sindre Bjerga - A Harsh Leak (Random Overtones)
10. Amigo Result - Pelkselit
11. Ville Moskiitto - Joen varrelta
12. Don Bosco - Newton's Big G
13. Armpit - A cooler spot on the pillow

Released in a limited, numbered edition of 80. Black cd-r, handpainted cardboard sleeve, printed inserts.

What they say

"Goin' Down Slow is a small but super satisfying sampling of modern day free folk cd-r artists who are doing strange and wonderful things with acoustic guitars. It's not just strum and pick and twang anymore, although we do love us some of that too. Instead, these visionaries transform the simple acoustic guitar into strange shapes and wondrous sounds. As with a lot of these comps, there's an exciting collection of known names and favorites, but an even more exciting assortment of folks totally new to us.
Some of the favorites include Tom Carter (from Charalambides), who takes his guitar and stretches it into a slowly slithering raga like buzz, local boy Robert Horton, who offers up a tangled cacophony of detuned strum and damaged jangle, Finnish troubador Keijo who unfurls a very exotic sounding folk jam that is equal parts old scratchy blues and some exotic snake charmer music, Armpit who take a simple strum and a mumbled vocal, and wrap them in thick swaths of distorted electric guitar and dense spacerock FX, The North Sea, who offer up the most straight ahead piece, a dreamy rambling melancholy Appalachia, as well as Sindre Bjerga and Mike Tamburo. The new names here: Andy And Michael Futreal, Don Bosco, Amigo Result, Ville Moskiitto, Stephen Lewis and Mark Dagley offer up their own varied takes on the steel string, from dark and languorous bluesy buzz, to super abstract sine wave wrapped shimmer and strum, to murky percussive fingerpicked tangle to gorgeously languid near ambient folk drift and beyond.
Another amazing collection of guitarists on the periphery, and a beautiful introduction to some new names we definitely want to hear more from." (From the Aquarius Records website)

"Excellent compilation of, yep, acoustic guitar music from some sort of international and underground weird folk scene or another. Mostly solo playing, but there are a couple duo tracks. Tom Carter, Robert Horton, Keijo, Mike Tamburo, The North Sea, Sindre Bjerga, Armpit, and those are just the names I've heard of before. The other six acts on here are even more obscure than that, but the whole album is great, a continuous instrumental vibe somewhere between ancient folk lament, hopped-up mountain music, and total modern noise. I like it because for acoustic music it's pretty weird, and sometimes a little crazy, but it never tries too hard to be either. I still don't know who does which tracks because I always just get stuck listening before I get around to checking out the credits." (From Blastitude)

"Limited to 80 copies and packaged in handpainted sleeves ”Goin’ Down Slow-Music for Acoustic Guitar, is a mighty fine compilation and the first release from Finnish cd-r micro label Harha-Askel. Featuring a cast of musicians from Europe, New Zealand and North America the compilation highlights a variety of style ranging from the scratchy drone of Tom Carter through to the blues wizardry of Andy and Michael Futreal. Other players include Robert Horton, with some wonderful discordant chaos, the fragile beauty of Mike Tamburo, the deep space exploration of Sindre Bjerga, and the random scraping of Armpit. Truth be told however, if you have a Terrascopic heart you are gonna love all these tracks, a small essential purpose." (From Terrascope Online)

"Tamburo, Wood, and Horton also all appear on the first CD by a new Finnish microlabel called Harha-askel, a compilation of acoustic guitar music titled Goin' Down Slow, each copy of which comes housed in a nice hand-painted cardboard sleeve. (It's probably worth a brief digression here to note that the theme of this column has my attention mostly focused away from the micro-label/private release underground, though that is where a lot of our favorite sounds have been coming from; just check any of Lee's Bones columns for more on that...) The unplugged 6- and 12-string has been seeing continuing revival action of late, with great players like Jack Rose, Glenn Jones, Harris Newman, and Steffen Basho-Junghans making consistently fine music, and some worthwhile compilation showcases like Berkeley Guitar and the Imaginational Anthem series. As befits its provenance, Goin' Down Slow swims in more basement-experimental waters than most of the above, also bringing in figures more noted for their avant-garditude than their traditional leanings, including Sindre Bjerga (usually part of the great Bjerga/Iveson drone duo), Armpit, and Tom Carter. I don't think I'm being unreasonably churlish if I note that compilations such as this do not always feature an artist's most fully-conceived work, and a few of the tracks here are clearly closer to rough sketches than recognizable figures. On the other hand, there's plenty of invention at work too, and everyone involved deserves proper respect for not simply restating currently fashionable Takoma-isms, and at least trying to see what other possibilities remain open to this most basic yet possibility-filled of instruments." (From Deep Water Acres)