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[UM012] Gary Smith / Silvia Kastel / Ninni Morgia “BRAND” LP / DL
BIRDCAGE
DROPS
“Brand” is the new trio of Gary Smith (guitar), Silvia Kastel (voice and synth), Ninni Morgia (guitar).
Ninni Morgia lived in NY in the early 2000’s, where he played with Daniel Carter, William Parker, Peter Evans, Lee Ranaldo and many more. Since his relocation to Italy, he is now in a duo with free jazz veteran percussionist Marcello Magliocchi (they put out the LP “Sound Gates” on Ultramarine last summer) and in the group Control Unit with Silvia Kastel. Morgia has extensively toured the US and Europe, and has been widely recognized as an innovator of the electric guitar, both for his personal playing techniques and a creative use of effects and electronic textures.
Silvia Kastel is a singer, electronic musician and artist who studied with Joan La Barbara and Indian singing with Lee Torchia and graduated in electronic music and sound engineering, while living in NY. Since she has moved back to Italy, she has toured and recorded with Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer, Temperatures, Chora, played shows and festivals including the recent Colour Our of Space in Brighton, UK (together with Ninni Morgia). Her first solo release ‘Love Tape’ is a charming blend of synths, bass, beats, whispering, moaning, screaming, howling…
On this recording Gary Smith produces the playing for which he’s considered a master of avant guitar: multiple layering, complex grainy textures, dense counterpoint, influences of birdsong. Fused with the guitar of Ninni Morgia, which floats between minimal movements of primordial electronics, pre-war slide blues and Hendrix-esque feedback. Over, and blending with them, Silvia Kastel’s moaning, screaming and howling, alternates with her delayed, bubbling, glitchy or round bass synth.
It’s a dense sound for 3 people. Not just visceral and intense, but articulate and defined, and in some instances very delicate. The depth of sound and the strong group style give the nine pieces their own character and atmosphere. There’s no fear of tempo, pulse, more conventional musical devices, or pushing to unpredictable extremes. LP comes with free download card, edition of 330.
“Gary Smith swims circular; parting water, breaking the waves. He plays to his pulse, he breathes in, he breathes out, each lung full of muggy feedback clouds, smoke circles hovering round his head” David Keenan
“Silvia Kastel squeals, cooes, howls, snarls, grunts and yelps through all manner of intriguing analogue-ishness, whilst synthesizers conspire underneath” Julian Cope
“Ninni Morgia’s technique is pretty interesting… he does a lot of baffling note suffocation and chocking that ends up being real damn intriguing” Byron Coley
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[UM013] Ninni Morgia “Ladyboy Sonata” CS / DL
QUESTIONS
FREAKCORE (excerpt)
Thirty minutes of guitar delirium from Italy’s finest avant guitarist. Morgia starts off in his own unique warped way, with a noise psych intro filled with fiery bendings and his signature wild distortion. Then the guitar gets modulated until it’s filtered and thinned out to a hammering, hypnotic cicada chant. It’s a Kafkian nightmare, and when the guitar is reduced to bits, it feels like it’s emitting its last cries of help, like Solmania’s face-cutting licks, or better, like a windy February night walk in NY. Morgia’s guitar work resembles the extended techniques applied to trumpet by Peter Evans and Axel Doerner, both in terms of dynamics and research, especially in richness, clarity and overtones, and also in a beyond-limits live performance (there are no overdubs on any of his recordings). Pro-dubbed imprinted black tapes with a foxxy Ninni on the cover. Edition of 100.
Also comes in a numbered limited edition of 9: same packaging but housed in stenciled ladyboy cardboard boxes by SK. See it here
“This is some powerful thirty minutes… a razor sharp thing… great sense of energy… Quite wild” Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly 802
“Real damn intriguing” Byron Coley, The Wire
VERY LAST COPIES
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[UM011] Marcello Magliocchi “Music for Sounding Sculptures In Twenty-Three Movements” CS / DL
MOVEMENT 11
MOVEMENT 20
Twenty-three wonderful pieces recorded live in a tower in Tuscany, in which master percussionist Marcello Magliocchi plays sound sculptures byAndrea Dami, made of various metals including iron, brass, copper, steel, aluminium and featuring other elements like strings, stones and gongs.
Imagine a mix between Indonesian gamelan, Bertoia, Lucier, obscure recordings from Africa, Beaver Harris and Don Moye, all infused with Marcello’s unique approach to polyrhythm, dynamics and modulation, the result of over 40 years of personal studies. Each movement flows through the most disparate sounds: percussive, flute-like, thick drones, lap-steel, bells, cymbals… every sculpture becomes alive and is made resonate in all possible ways, through a fine work of tonal juxtapositions, rhythm interlocks, deep resonation and also using brushes, bows and sticks. The excellent clarity of the recording allows for a total acoustic enjoyment of the rich range of harmonics, pitches and clangs produced.
C60 type II chrome tapes, with photo artwork by Lidia Stranges and watercolor labels by Silvia Kastel; each tape is unique. Edition of 60.
VERY LAST COPIES
“Magliocchi is a gifted player with a great sense of sound and timbre. Great music” Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly
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[UM010] Silvia Kastel “LOVE TAPE” CS / DL
UMINE
SO WHITE
Silvia Kastel: synth, voice, bass, beats, tenori-on, NatGeo artwork
A concept tape packed with unconditional love to whoever hears/buys/does whatever with it.
C30, white shells with watercolor labels by SK; each tape is unique.
Edition of 60; also comes in a numbered limited edition of 9 with different covers, each one featuring an instant picture of/by Silvia Kastel. See it here
“The sexiest experimental music I’ve heard in a long time” Was Ist Das
“…she squeals, cooes, howls, snarls, grunts and yelps through all manner of intriguing analogue-ishness, whilst synthesizers, rough hewn bass and pre-constructed Igjugurjuk jawjaw conspire underneath to create the kind of compelling rudimentary musique concrète that post-punk ensembles such as Factrix regularly stumbled into. Better still, the cassette itself works as an art object of the kind that used only to be the realm of such record labels as Factory, Rough Trade and New York’s ROIR” Julian Cope
“Kastel’s brand of lovin’ is distinct enough to exist on its own level, in its own zone, with its own rules and regulations. Every “song” blows in a completely disparate direction, and you never know what’s going to happen” Tiny Mix Tapes
“Fine experimentation, surely has some fine poetic moments” Vital Weekly
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[UM009] Ninni Morgia & Marcello Magliocchi “Sound Gates” LP / DL
Guitarist Ninni Morgia, after playing with countless improvisers such as Peter Evans, Daniel Carter, William Parker and lots others, is here in a duo together with master Italian drummer and percussionist Marcello Magliocchi. Marcello Magliocchi has been active since the early 70s and has played and recorded with amazing artists like Steve Lacy, Evan Parker, Peter Kowald, Mal Waldron, John Tchicai, Joelle Leandre and countless others. He also put out his work on Andrea Centazzo’s Ictus label and is a sculptor and designer for the UFIP brand, making strange marimba-like instruments from scratch from found beach stones, along with litophones, cymbals and huge sculpture bells. His latest LP release dates back to 1988. Morgia’s infinite guitar timbres (electronic, filtered analog sounds, soothing bowed drones, wild distortion or small, bird-like plucking techniques) meet the warm acoustic sounds from strings, metal sheets, handmade rattles and just beautifully tuned drums played by Magliocchi. The eleven pieces slowly grow, build up and dynamically move across pure avantgarde, early electronica, psychedelic hypnosis and wild free jazz… but the music on “Sound Gates” is a sonic trip transcending all genres, it is lyrical and free, a dialogue so rich and detailed made by two real masters of their instruments. The result is pure beauty, and as this is the first in a series of recordings the duo intends to put out, we really look forward to hearing more! The cover features amazing photo artwork by Lidia Stranges and exclusive pictures in the back. LP version comes with free Diogenes download card.
“Most definitely one of the best improvised records you’ll hear this year. Massive thumbs up! 9/10 ” Peter Taylor, Foxy Digitalis
VERY LAST COPIES
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[UM008] Kommissar Hjuler und Mama Baer & Ninni Morgia and Silvia Kastel
Kommissar Hjuler und Mama Baer “STALKING”
Ninni Morgia and Silvia Kastel “IN SEARCH OF RED WATER”
“Two Couples” is the collaboration between German artists/performers Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer and the Italians Ninni Morgia (guitar) and Silvia Kastel (synth and voice). Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer are known for their provocative, neo-dadaesque, often extreme art and performances and have previously worked with Smegma, Thurston Moore, John Wiese and many others. They have performed and exhibited all around the world and are part of the NY collective NO!Art Movement. Ninni Morgia has become well-known in the NYC improv-free jazz scene, has played among others with William Parker, Daniel Carter, Peter Evans, Kevin Shea, Quivers, the psychedelic rock outfit La Otracina and back in the 90’s, started the noise rock band White Tornado. Silvia Kastel graduated in sound engineering and electronic music in NYC, studied singing with Lee Torchia and attended workshops with Joan La Barbara. She also runs the Ultramarine record label. The music on ”Two Couples” is a fusion of musique concrete, avant-garde, tropical psychedelia, moaning, screaming, free jazz and lots of raw synths. The two pairs have recently come back from an epic tour all over the UK, where they have played and recorded at the historical sound poetry venue The Morden Tower in Newcastle. The cover features a special portrait of the two couples by Mama Baer and exclusive pictures in the back. Edition of 300 copies.
“TRULY SUPERB” Julian Cope
“Tropical… screaming… sounds good. I totally need an eleventh record from these nuts.” Darksmith
TEDIUM HOUSE BEST OF 2011
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[UM007] Ninni Morgia & William Parker “Prism” 2LP / DL
“Prism” is the result of the collaboration between upright bassist William Parker and Italian guitarist Ninni Morgia. William Parker needs no introduction; a master player of his instrument, Derek Bailey described him as “one of the few ones left who play pure Free Jazz”. Ninni Morgia, after proving his talent and versatility on his previous works (Control Unit with Daniel Carter, The Right Moves, Quivers…) here reaches the top-level of avant guitar, his sounds ranging from Stockhausen’s tape experiments, to the saxophones of Anthony Braxton and Evan Parker. Such an alien guitar sound has rarely been heard, and still stays pure in its essence. Parker also plays the slide whistle and a strange Spanish reed instrument called gralle. During the making of this recording, Parker asserted: “This is the music I have always had in my mind, the music I have been dreaming about. Music that inspires me with visions of colours, like the light reflecting through a prism”.
“Parker’s plucking is emotionally weighty, and Morgia’s guitar work, even at its most abstract and non-guitarish, has real beauty. You won’t hear anything else like this anytime soon” The Wire
“The pair make a strong statement” All About Jazz
“A breath of fresh air compared to most of what seems to pass for ‘free’ improv these days, with a sound palette that’ll have you scratching your head in disbelief. A veeeeery interesting release… and a genuinely exploratory one!” Norman Records
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[UM006] Chora / Quivers split LP /DL
CHORA excerpt
QUIVERS excerpt
Chora is the British duo of Rob Lye and Ben Morris, joined on this recording by Ben Nash and Karl Brummer. Their music is a gorgeous mix of psychedelic free-form improvisation and ecstatic free jazz, with hypnotic percussion, cymbals, bowed instruments, eerie reeds, and an overall ritualistic, shamanic vibe. Quivers is guitarist Ninni Morgia and upright bassist Jordon Schranz, joined here by drummer extraordinaire Mike Pride, a Milford Graves student who has played with Anthony Braxton, John Zorn, Nels Cline and Keiji Haino among others. Their improvisations show some amazing timbral research and creative interplay, sometimes reminding of great historical groups like AMM, Musica Elettronica Viva and Smegma.
Pressed on high-quality virgin vinyl, artwork by Pascal Nichols of Part Wild Horses Mane On Both Sides. Edition of 300.
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[UM005] Ninni Morgia Control Unit - 2LP / DL
RED SECTIONS
DHYANA
Brooklyn-based guitarist Ninni Morgia (Quivers, The Right Moves), on this occasion with multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter, one of the most active and talented musicians of New York’s free jazz community, who has played, among others, with: Sun Ra, Sunny Murray, Test, Matthew Shipp, Other Dimensions In Music, Plastic Ono Band… and drummer/percussionist Jeff Arnal, create a beautiful mix of psychedelic free jazz and Indian raga with a wide range of instruments like thumb piano, kalimba, bells, gongs, all centered around Morgia’s versatile guitar work, previously compared to great masters like Keiji Haino, Sonny Sharrock and Hendrix. On the various tracks of this 2LP, Morgia’s guitar goes from Miles-electric style funky-wah and the acid trips of Jerry Garcia, to the fury of Haino and Sharrock, and finally reaches the ecstatic visions of the great kosmische bands Popol Vuh and Ash Ra Tempel. Mastered by audio wizard Scott Colburn (Sun City Girls, Magik Markers, Animal Collective). Edition of 500.
“A joy to listen to… and when it’s over I just want to start the journey again” Foxy Digitalis
“Juicy conglomerations of fluidly repetitive and heavily processed guitar lines, unadulterated melodic pensiveness-cum-blowouts and masterfully delivered metrical abstraction” Massimo Ricci, Touching Extremes
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[UM004] Temperatures - “Eksra” LP / DL
UNTITLED #1 (excerpt)
UNTITLED #2 (excerpt)
Temperatures are the London-based duo of Peter Blundell: bass/voice and James Dunn: drums/synth. Blundell’s rumbling delayed bass runs against Dunn’s bursting drums that simultaneously trigger an unruly ARP 2600. Vocals are both muffled and shouting at times and eventually end up getting buried under a landslide of sounds. Thanks to their instinctive but thoughtful approach to noise, Temperatures manage to express a suffocating sense of alienation as well as today’s over-communication resulting in a helpless lack of communication; but “Eksra” strikes most for its original and refreshing sound, far from the stale cliche that noise so often falls into. Recorded live with no added overdubs in a makeshift studio in London in January 2009, “Eksra” was entirely improvised. Recommended if you like: Throbbing Gristle bootlegs, Sunny Murray, Dead C, Lighting Bolt. Edition of 300.
“One of London’s most spasmodically captivating outfits” Byron Coley - Thurston Moore, Arthur Magazine
“Bass, drums, and synth as though the instruments had only just been discovered out of an archaeological dig” Ed Pinsent, The Sound Projector
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[UM003] Amolvacy - “A La Lu La” LP clear vinyl in custom die-cut sleeve
Photo by Art Into Life, Japan
LULA
BEAT OF THE DRUM
Amolvacy is Aaron Moore from Volcano the Bear, Dave Nuss from No-Neck Blues Band, and Sheila 16 of the Laboratory Theater Group, NYC. The band creates compositions from its improvisations centered around strong elemental percussion, radical theatrical vocals, and classical acoustic instruments. Recurring themes in Amolvacy’s texts are the pain of relationships, the affirmation of the feminine in myth, the hero’s journey, and continuous need to flame the passions of the heart. “A La Lu La” specifically addresses the gap of language in facilitating accurate communication, a gap that only music at its most primal can fill. The back of the album features text by Jose da Fonseca & Pedro Carolino, two Portugese who in 1855 created an English phrasebook titled “English As She is Spoke,” but who faced just one problem: they didn’t know any English. The linguistic train wreck that ensues mirrors the play of language, sound, and unintentional humor on “A La Lu La.” Edition of 500.
“Imagine Dagmar Krause’s Art Bears attempting Longfellow’s ‘Hiawatha’ with just tuned percussion and traps… ESG vocal escapades… Muslim Gauzean drones… imagine all of this and you’ll glimpse just one miniscule aspect of Amolvacy’s worldview. One hell of an original proposition” Julian Cope
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[UM002] Chris Forsyth & Shawn Edward Hansen - “Dirty Pool” LP
MOON, I AIN’T WAITING (excerpt)
Electric guitarist Chris Forsyth (Peeesseye) and organist Shawn Edward Hansen (Phantom Limb & Bison) run rock music through a filter of transcendental experimentalism and improvisatory nerve. The result is a disorienting, psychedelic, and beautiful realignment of rock music’s form and function. Edition of 300.
“A totally gorgeous continuous improvisation inhabiting some zone of paradise… Forsyth’s confident strokes and licks contain compressed moments of pure genius” Ed Pinsent, The Sound Projector
“…a brain baked take on the blues… a long dip in crystal waters….”
Nick Richardson, The Wire
“…a meditation on and assimilation of psych, blues and raga-rock gestures that draws from the same deep, heavily dosed well-spring as Jerry Garcia, John Cipollina or even Robby Krieger.” Daniel Spicer, Rock a Rolla
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[UM001] The Right Moves - “The End of the Empire” CD digipak
“Morgia bends and buffs his fiery tones like Jimi Hendrix to fit the rhythmic shuffle that surrounds him… it feels odd to say any group could be better without Peter Evans, but the increased sonic coherence of this line-up makes a pretty convincing case” Marc Masters, The Wire