pondělí 9. prosince 2013

SFA020 - Stratocluster: Tamanrasset

Writing liner notes for a project as spontaneous as this one is somewhat self-defeating. The purpose of liner notes is generally to expound a concept, an innovation, a purpose: we have none of these things.
We met to have a few drinks, breathe the proverbial fresh air and play music, not to record an album. We recorded in a living room, not in a studio, and on one handheld recorder, not an expænsive setup.
There was no playlist, program or concept, but only the projected coherence of our individual musical personalities. We played instruments we didn’t know we could play, and played things we didn’t know could be instruments. We played music we knew and music we didn’t, and hopefully some music that’s new.
Ian Mikyska







Line-up:

Ian Mikyska – guitar, electronics, plastic bottles
Tomáš Mika – guitar, piano, klaxon
Benjamin McGarr – saxophone, flute, piano
Jan Faix – no-input mixer, live electronics, no-fi tapes
Mikuláš Mrva – bass guitar, electronics, jaw harp
Jan Kulka – drums, percussion

Recorded live on the 24th of July 2013 in Všestary, Czech Republic.
Mastering: Veronika Bartošová

Cover: Jan Polanský


http://bandzone.cz/stratocluster

SFA019 - Skan-zen: Pure Distortion


Project Pure Distortion (00-11) is a play with time and coincidence. Quest of sound. Corrosion and origination. Repeatedly effected record uncover the initial frequency of the material itself.
Thickening and transfering information, yearning... setting...
What is music?
Dream is more than life.

Skan-zen










SFA018 - Jindrák & Faix: Vagon 13/11/24


Recorded live in Vagon Club, Prague, 24.11.2013






Josef Jindrák: turntables
Jan Faix: no-input mixer, no-input tape player, synth, lo-fi tape loops

Cover: Jan Polanský


pondělí 2. prosince 2013

SFA017 - Boris Gagloev: The Exclamations From...

Pure music for acoustic guitar, solo or with overdubbs, romantic lyricism or avant-garde compositions. Old european polyphony, spanish tradition and concepts of free-jazz and classic music of the 20th century.
One of a few early records of russian guitarist and composer Boris Gagloev (1969 Vologda - 2008 Prague). 






Released on tape in St.Petersburg in 1995, in 2004 was digitally remastered from original DAT tapes.

Reissue on SFA with the consent of Marina Gagloeva.

SFA016 - Boris Gagloev: Stringers Monger


Electronic compositions of russian guitarist and composer Boris Gagloev (1969 Vologda - 2008 Prague).  Collection called Stringers Monger was released as a small edition of CD-R in 2004. Funny and strange instrumental songs and narrative sound collages.





Recorded, mixed and mastered by Boris Gagloev in Prague, 2004
Cover: Jan Polanský, 2013

Reissue on SFA with the consent of Marina Gagloeva.

neděle 3. listopadu 2013

SFA015 - Handa Gote research & development: URBAN CAMPING MUSIC 3


Recorded on the location: Moritzstrasse 20, Chemnitz, Germany
Everything battery powered.






Recorded by:
Pasi Mäkelä - banjo, Casio, clarinet, charango
Tomislav Federsel - drum machine, diddley bow, vocal, blues harp
Leoš Kropáček - bottles, cans
Johannes Dörner - banjo, charango
Knut - djembe, spoken word

Urban Camping is an action of art group Handa Gote reseach & development. 24-hour camping in a public space in the city center. After the piazza of the Prague National Theatre and the passage Archa, Handa Gote camped on a pedestal of Saxon Neue Bibliothek in Chemnitz. Recorded on four track tape recorder Fostex X-15 with battery pack. In addition to these tools were used handmade crystal and dynamic microphones and random repeater Parrot (made by Jakub Hybler).

www.handagote.com
Production: www.jedefrau.org


SFA014 - Limbo


We´re proud to introduce the re-edition of the first recording of avant-garde jazz quartet Limbo; this recording could be considered without exaggeration as one of the most powerful and most distinctive in existing context of Czech jazz scene of the 21st century. Unfortunately, its samizdat edition on CD-R in 2005 was quite overshadowed due to the then attitude of media and other institutions to more alternative means of recording. Leader, saxophonist and bass clarinetist Pavel Hrubý has reoriented the style of Limbo several times since that time, so as other remarkable recordings and concerts have come about, this time appreciated by wider audience; however, material from the first session held in Prague studio Faust with original all-star team (Pavel Hrubý with František Kučera – trumpet; Taras Vološčuk – double bass; Miloš Dvořáček - drums, percussion) still keeps its unmistakable position within the whole discography of the band. Apart from originally published collection, this netlabel re-edition contains also one bonus track coming from the same record sequence.





Recorded: 13. - 14.5. 2005, Faust records, sound engineer - Koudelka
Mastering of tracks 1-12: Josef Schinabek, studio Provox, 2005
Mastering of track 13: Federsel, 2013
Cover art: Josef Šporgy
Design: Karel Pobříslo
Translation: Jiří Beránek

www.limbo-music.cz




SFA013 - Jílètáng - 極樂堂


Morning prayer recorded in the mountain temple Jílètáng (極樂堂 / 极乐堂) in China, Sichuan province at 05:15, June 10th, 2013.






Recording, sleeve and sleeve photo: Petr Karlach (佧彼得 - 波静) 2013

Mastering: Veronika Bartošová

pondělí 24. června 2013

úterý 4. června 2013

SFA011 - Federsel & Mäkelä featuring Klapper: Live at Mayhem



Czech-Finnish duo melts elements of freak-out, no-wave, psychedelic, blues and krautronica in order to distillate their desired “fresh and wild” sound. This time with a little help of amplified toys virtuoso Martin Klapper.
Live recording from Mayhem club, Copenhagen, Denmark.






Pasi Mäkelä - guitar, vocal, shenai, Casio VL 1
Tomislav Federsel - 1/2 guitar, Pille, drum machine, vocal
Martin Klapper - amplified toys

Web:

SFA010 - Life with UFOs


Ken Ganfield: Synthi AKS, Modular Synthesizer, Electronics
Jan Faix: Synthesizers, No-Input Mixer, lo-fi Electronics,
tape loops

FREE DOWNLOAD


Recorded in Prague between 7th August 2012 and 31st January
2013
Mastering: Moimir Papalescu
Design: Jan Polanský

SFA009 - Captain Lobo / Count Portmon: Melancholic Unicorn


1. Peristalsis
2. What?
3. M.U. Leaves by Train
4. Bells in Bog
5. Memory Lapse





music by Count Portmon (bandzone.cz/countportmon)
cover design, pictures, video by Captain Lobo (polansk.blog.cz)

mastering: Veronika Bartošová

pondělí 15. dubna 2013

SFA008 - The Pololáníks: Záspě




In the world of free improvisation, solo projects and duos seem to be the
norm, while larger groupings are usually reserved for one-off projects and
special occasions. Being a regular five-piece band, then, makes The
Pololáníks something of an oddity, along with the fact that the quintet
meets for regular garage rehearsals, just like an aspiring indie band would
– except, of course, there is no repertoire per se, just an infinitely
developing interplay of five distinct musical personalities. The Pololáníks'
core instruments are trombone, double bass, recorders, guitar/saxophone/
clarinet and laptop, but other, more peculiar DIY instruments and found
objects (e.g. bowed CPU heatsinks) make frequent appearance.



The compilation presented here pairs excerpts from the band's very first
public performance with a selection from recent concerts, including joint
session with Count Portmon (tape players) and Ken Ganfield (modular synth).
 The selection of tracks is meant as a sort of retrospective preceding the
band's first proper studio album, which the quintet hopes to record shortly.






Vít Kořínek: trombone
Martin Lauer: double bass
Zbyněk Rohlík: recorders
Martin Strakoš: guitar/saxophone/clarinet
Pavel Bakič: laptop
(All - voices, found objects, various percussion and DIY instruments)

Tracks:
1. Hlacenstvo 4:45
2. Rabulista 6:10
3. Šantala 15:45 (feat. Count Portmon - tape players, synthesizers and Ken Ganfield - modular synthesizer)
4. Halže 6:45
5. Žrec 11:21
6. Žamputář 3:12

Recorded live in Prague: 8.10.2011 - Rybanaruby (1,5); 11.2.2013 - K4 (3); 23.2.2013 - Final Club (2,4,6)

pondělí 8. dubna 2013

SFA007 - Misogi



Misogi () is a Japanese ascetic practice of ritual purification. The main goal is the connection of the mind and body with the energy of the universum, the side effect is the increase in endurance. Misogi is also used in some forms of martial arts, especially Aikido (合気道), where to the purification, energetic and endurance principles the goal of the development of one’s centre is added.
This recording comes from the misogi performed on the December 20th, 2012 in the Aikido Kenkyukai Praha Dojo (http://www.aikikai.cz) under the leadership of Kodym Miroslav Sensei, 5th dan. In this dojo took place the first Czech misogi in the year 1992, so this recording captured the sound of the 20th anniversary misogi, held in the newly built dojo.
Where the strong energetic sound comes from? All participants are performing in the common rhythm for one hour using wooden swords bokuto the cut called kiri-oroshi (切り下ろし) accompanied with the battle cry kiai (気合).




Recording: Petr Karlach   (波静) 2012
Sleeve calligraphy: Petra Pejsova (紅虎) 2012
Mastering: Veronika Bartošová (维罗妮克)
Sleeve note: Petr Karlach (波静)

Participants: Agh Petr, Bouček Petr, Breburda Jan, Bulgakov Dimitrij, Dejdar Vítek, Doležal Kryštof,  Dúbravčíková Lucia, Franců Martin, Hiep Nguyen Duc, Karlach Petr, Kodym Miroslav, Kodymová Angelika, Klika Petr, Kraček David, Kršáková Leticia, Kureš Jakub, Lessenko Šimon, Lípa Jiří, Lípa Jan, Líva Václav, Matějka Jiří,  Mráz Miroslav, Pírko Milan, Reisiegelová Jana, Řezáč Zdeněk, Slyusar Ghilda, Stoupa Václav, Šimek Libor, Trakalová Pavlína, Vácha Filip, Velen Luděk, Yegorov Michail, Žáček Pavel + two unidentified persons

neděle 3. března 2013

SFA006 - Vrba/Cremaschi: Villa K



Petr Vrba: trumpet and vibrating speakers
George Cremaschi: electronics and contrabass

recorded live at Amsterdam and at Haag, Netherlands, June and July, 2012

cover picture by jp design





SFA005 - Zeleny Antoin




The first release of the project Zelený Antoin, one of the many alteregos of Slovak musician Michal Šuranský. We could tell that in his other projects (e.g. Jacques Kustod) is more controlled and as Zelený Antoin he can use more the complete hedonistic freedom in expression, but only if we don't know his entire music career, which incidentally started in the role of punk drummer.
Nobody knows the depths of his personality on which are based inspirations for this layering noise electronic structures, irrational musical form and spontaneous vocal and guitar exposure. Every listener must find the answer to the question himself.


1. Live
2. Live Again

Recorded live at Easterndaze Night (track 1) and at Bratislava (track 2).
Cover by Stix





SFA004 - Teleomorph: Teleomorph



Tracks:
1. Clarifying
2. Certainty

The result of home recording on an old cassette multitrack-recorder during one night session close to the end of the 2012. It captured euphoria caused by unsynchronized tape loops, various sound colors and feeling of time well spent.

Stefan Segi: keyboards, synthesizers
Jan Faix: electronics, guitar, drum-machine, lo-fi tapes

Mix: Stefan Segi
Master: Veronika Bartošová
Cover photo: Jan Faix
Design: Zvonimir Segi

FREE DOWNLOAD