The Cult of New Core, New Series Something happened that usually never happens. The year has only just started and five records have been released already that should and will be remembered throughout the year and beyond as influential. I'm not kidding. The five I'm about to present to you stand out compared to most of the music of last year and right this moment. They stand out because the music on these records cannot be pinned down to a certain time, a certain trend or fashion. That's what makes these records special. Mark Hollis - Mark Hollis You may know, but probably not. Mark Hollis was once the singer of Talk Talk. Yeah, that synthesizer act from the early eighties. Well, the synthesizer act became in the space of four records one of the most experimental popbands of the last two decades. Their last two albums 'Spirit of Eden' (1988) and 'Laughing Stock' (1991) are already accepted as pieces of art and have been compared to the best works of Miles Davis or many avant-garde classical composers like Steve Reich. Mark Hollis didn't feel like making a new Talk Talk record after releasing 'Laughing Stock' in 1991. After seven years there is finally this new record. Again, not a pop record, something inbetween classical music and jazz. There are no songs as such on this record, it should be listened to as a whole. In that it is more like a painting, a movie or a sculpture. Marks Hollis has made another piece of art. A timeless artwork celebrating sound and silence. To cherish like nothing else. (Polydor) - [ J V ] Philus - Tetra Philus is Mika Vainio, "better known" as Ø and as one half of Panasonic. He is one of the main artists of the Sähkö label and already famous for his use of analogue electronic equipment. All his work is in essence very abstract, making music (or to some just sound) using the most basic elements: silence, pulsating waves, clicking rhythms, bleeps, almost no melody, but still sometimes creating highly complicated patterns of sound. As Philus he has restricted himself more compared to his work as Ø or Panasonic, only bleeps, deep bass drones interchanging and creating patterns with phase differences. I rate Mika's music among the most emotional, although most melody orientated listeners are liable to disagree. This is his most balanced and complete work yet. And no, you can't dance to it. (Sähkö) - [ J V ] Shellac - Terraform Minimalism can take all forms and the threesome that is Shellac know that like no other. This second record by a rockveteran supergroup consisting of two highly appreciated producers, Bob Weston and Steve Albini, and one awesome drummer, Todd Trainer, has been anticipated for the last two years. With their debut 'Actionpark' they set such a high standard for themselves, that it would have been almost impossible to top. Well, rest assured, they did. On Terraform Shellac boldly go where no rockband, in the classic sense of the word, has gone before. Outer space. You can hear it best on the opening track Didn't we deserve a look at you the way you really are, a twelve minute groove that only gets formed into a song by adding some variants or extra information right at the start, twice half way through and at the end. It's truly amazing and a highly addictive song, almost like electronic music. The rest of the record is louder and agressive but the songs contain many sounds and structures you surely never heard before. The quality of the recording, as you might expect of a group containing two experience soundengineers is premium. For now it is released only on vinyl and they took so much care during recording and pressing that I've yet to hear any noise or crackle and the instruments are deep and clear like they should sound. No way the CD will sound better. Dust of your turntables. Shellac is back! (Touch and Go) - [ J V ] Bedhead - Transaction de Novo Just before the release Bedhead let their fans know via their homepage that this new one sounds a lot better on vinyl, even if you have just an average recordplayer. Again I must agree. This, their third record, is not that different compared to the first two records. The songs are still intimate, very personal, quiet and slow, depressing. "Oh no, depressing, I don't like depressing! I like happy music, things you can dance to." I almost hear you cry. Well no, you can't dance to Bedhead, but to say that you can't become happy listening to Bedhead I would dissagree. The Kadane brothers write so very beautiful melodies and songs that it is very difficult to not get happy listening to Bedhead. This band is like the days right before spring: everything is still cold, the trees are bare and seem dead, the ground is hard, but the sun is shining, the birds are returning and singing, the light is beautiful and you feel a warmth in the air. Those are the most beautiful days of the year. That's what Bedhead is like. The most beautiful days of the year. (Trance Syndicate) - [ J V ] Tortoise - TNT With a title like this you expect something explosive. Well Tortoise have always had that effect. In their four years of existence they have become the most influential band in America, setting a trend so many American bands have followed. People now call it post-rock, but in essence it is just instrumental music made up of all things you're influenced by. So Tortoise music is a wonderfull meltingpot of styles, influences and sounds. This band consisting of all kinds of music veterans coming from around the city of Chicago have always tried to do something new with every release. And with this it was again anticipated if they would succeed or just continue what they did on the last. TNT is Tortoise most musically succesfull record yet. The twelve songs sound almost like jazz standards, based around themes more than melodies that get extended throughout every song. The record goes from a summery samba, to a filmsoundtrack score to some almost technolike tracks right at the end of the record, which sound as if they are programmed by Mouse on Mars, one of the few bands Tortoise looks up to. The variations, the music, the melodies and the sheer feel of quality makes this an epic album. If the Tortoise project stops after this, TNT is what they will be remembered for. Let's hope they are unstoppable. (City Slang) - [ J V ]