Ben Vida - esstends-esstends-esstends

PAN continues to dominate the avant garde edge of experimental electronics with esstends-esstends-esstends from Ben Vida. Laser sharp passages of synth work and processed signal, clear and precise, intended to engage both the traditional two dimensional listening space, and the inner ear. Indeed. At times sounds seemed to be actually coming out of my ears as opposed to in them. Even at a reasonable volume shifts in room dimension and pressure can be perceived. A fascinating and challenging listen. As enjoyable as it is academic.

Exceptionally presented on black vinyl, with printed sleeve, printed jacket, and the signature geometric design PVC sleeve. The quality of this pressing truly should be observed in person to be fully appreciated. Acquire from Discriminate or Mimaroglu

Evan Parker / John Wiese - C Section

Evan Parker and John Wiese create chaotic free jazz and harsh noise on C Section from PAN. Sounds that play together, and against each other with a sense of improvisation and discovery not typically associated with electronic composition. It's an interesting intersection between Parker's raw, organic saxaphone, and the harsh electronic of Wiese. At times, the two halves seem downright unhappy with each other, scratching and clawing for position in the soundscape. At others, they seem to coincide in a single thought, complimenting and even counterbalancing the chaos of each. Parker's manic sax work circles and dances in front of you, even with your eyes closed, like an artist coloring lines on the inside of your eye lids. Wiese simultaneously decays each note and moment with caustic bubbling feedback and distortion, bending the intent of the collaboration to his will. The entire work was recorded live as an improvised set. If you have a musical comfort zone, this record will knock you out of it fast. 2 really talented dudes making one hell of a racket.

As with all PAN releases, the packaging is completely first rate. The LP is housed in a poly lined sleeve, and packed with hand numbered liner notes, inside a silkscreened jacket. The jacket is then placed in a PVC sleeve printed with geometric designs. It's really tough for my amateur photography skills to do the presentation justice here. Totally over the top.

I purchased from Discriminate, and was trying to make sense of the whole thing in just 2 days.

Heatsick - Intersex

The majority of my musical tastes (and for that matter, the majority of the experimental tape/LP scene) seems the equivalent of carefree, messy, uninhibited, children drawing their thoughts on a blank canvas with every crayon in the box. A sort of full on approach to creativity, with the dials wide open.

Intersex from Heatsick appears to me, as a statement in how wonderful a juxtaposition between inhibition and structure can be. A sort of "pendulum swing" in the other direction of experimentation towards exactness. Both sides of the LP feature extended tracks that dance with light, effortless precision through beat driven structures that walk the line between early Kraftwerk, and Jazz instrumentation. There is a metropolitan feeling present in these rhythms. A very urban vibe, that almost invites the listener to enjoy this music while walking city streets searching for the art present in places unlooked for.

The LP comes in an absolutely beautifully printed sleeve, and similar to other PAN releases, a really slick PVC slip cover package with printing front and back. I purchased from Discriminate and was nodding my head to this one in 3 days.

Thomas Ankersmit & Valerio Tricoli - Forma II

Forma II by Thomas Ankersmit and Valerio Tricoli creates a patchwork of sounds that mutate and transform like visual art as sound. As if emulating the philosiphy of free jazz, this limited CD on PAN continues in a locomotive state through an unpredictably vast range of tones and extremes. Muddy walls of hiss dissolve to a wisper of static, and then blow wide open into massive caverns of noise. Others drill into your ear challenging you to maintain your focus until a wash of texture ushers in a respite. The focus here isn't on creating sounds, but altering your ears perception of the space you listen to sound in. Perfect for those who love the complex and challenging.

I gladly traded my dollars to the folks over at Discriminate Music in exchange for a copy.