Aranis News

Aranis' latest newsletter tells about the band's activity and indeed they seem busy.

They have live shows coming up, a collaboration with a modern dance group, a new album in the works and a new website:

Review + Spotlight: Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung! - We Need New Animals (1998, Sony Classical)

I've had a "crush" on these belgians' music for some years now.

Their first album is still my favourite.

What follows is a short introduction to the band as well as a review of their second album, We Need New Animals.

Review: Zypressen - Zypressen (1996, Belle Antique)

Diversity – is too much good or bad?

Review: Jean-Jacques Toussaint - From Tiemko To Travelling (2009, Musea)

I’ve had my share of listening to eclectic and varied sounding albums. This offering from Jean-Jacques Toussaint qualifies as one of them and also amongst those albums of this nature I like a lot.

Jean Jacques Toussaint is the keyboards and bass player for Tiemko, a French instrumental prog-rock group. This helps explain part of the name of this album. At first I though the second part, Travelling, referred to a second French prog-rock group called Travelling (playing in the Canterbury style), however it appears not to be the case.

There is a note in the booklet saying in French: “Travelling: a path that leads nowhere, since nowhere is still the most mysterious place there is”.

Review: Pikapika Teart - Moonberry (2010, Atr0ck)

Do you know many bands from Siberia?

Whatever the case, here’s a group from Krasnoyarsk deserving your attention.

Pikapika Teart begain its life in 2004 with common love for the music of Aranis, King Crimson, Henry Cow, Fred Frith as well as Stravinsky, Schostakovich and Schnittke. The fact that there album is out on the Italian label Altr0ck is the result of Marcello Marinone (the band behind the label) discovering the band’s music on their Myspace in 2006. Thus began an online communication (using translators) about releasing their music on the label, followed by the hardship of finding a proper studio for them to record in. Eventually the obstacles were conquered and we have the opportunity to hear this band’s music.

Review: Rational Diet - On Phenomena and Existences (2010, Altr0ck)

I recently posted my review of Rational Diet's 2008 album, At Work.

After the jump you can read my review of their latest album, released through the wonderful Italian label, Altr0ck.

Expect reviews of the other three recent releases on Altr0ck coming soon:
Aranis - RoqueForte
Yugen - Iridule
Picchio Dal Pozzo - A Live

Review: Rational Diet - At Work (2008), Rational Diet (2007)

In anticipation of a new Rational Diet album, I am posting this review I wrote for the Belarus ensemble's album from 2008 called At Work and their s/t album from 2007.
Thanks for Marcello of Altr0ck for providing the promotional copies for these reviews.