V/A (Multimood) -- Apokalypsis Explicata

Home Released 1998 Label Multimood Records Reviewed by Michael C. Lund Contact Multimood Records Box 53095 400 14 Göteborg Sweden Visit Last Edit/Update 28 juli, 1998	Various Artists (Multimood) APOKALYPSIS EXPLICATA Multimood Records Ten Years Anniversary Track Listing Disc 1 1. M'lumbo -- An Eternal View Of The Future (Lilac With Heart Shaped Leaves) 2. Ashley/Story -- Wax Staircase 3. Plancton -- Voice Tide 4. Oil In The Eye -- Callipers 5. Oblivion Ensemble -- Forgotten Side Beneath Your Eyes 6. Gregorio Bardini -- Manoscritto Trovato a Saragozza 7. Tween Deck 2 -- Down The Drain 8. Robert Rich -- A Flock Of Metal Creatures Fleeing The Onslaught Of Rust 9. Michael Winnerholt -- Forum II 10. Roedelius/Spitzer-Marlyn -- Veni Creator Spirito Disc 2 1. Shinjuku Thief -- 17/21 2. Vidna Obmana -- Shaking The Surreal 3. Tonal -- Vaesen 4. Peter Frohmader -- Mission X 5. Jeff Greinke -- Ketembe 6. Sonic Fractal -- Hope is Gone/Red Meddle 7. R. Angus -- Papa Legba Dreams Again 8. CC: Dome -- DR 1 (Molasses Mix) 9. Mark Kirschenmann -- Bionic Salad 10. Asmus Tietchens -- Tot Derivat With releases by such world renowned artists as Asmus Tietchens, Vidna Obmana, Robert Rich, Jeff Greinke and Controlled Bleeding, Swedish Multimood has firmly established an international reputation as one of the underground scene's most eclectic and quality-oriented labels. This year is Multimood's tenth anniversary, and to commemorate the occasion, a lavish compilation -- featuring contributions by most of the musicians who have been involved with the label in the past, as well as a number of affiliated artists -- has been made available. The individual selections on Apokalypsis Explicata display a wide variety of musical influences; many are electronically generated soundtracks of an incidental/experimental nature, a number are inspired by jazz, and a few incorporate such disparate elements as noise and world music. However, these diverse modes of musical expression have all been sequenced to flow very harmoniously together, and aside from being a wonderful introduction to Multimood's musical universe, the compilation is also a rich and intriguing listen in its own right -- one that will have something to please most listeners.
	Disc one of the set opens with a bizarre barrage of radio tunings, media samples, jazzy saxophone acrobatics, keyboard themes, multiple ethnic influences, and a little of just about anything else one can imagine. This strange musical hybrid is delivered by M'Lumbo, an American duo whose second full-length CD is seeing release on Staalplaat this year. Succeeding M'Lumbo is another American duo of a very different temper. Ashley/Story is a collaborative project between the relatively unknown Dwight Ashley, and the prolific Tim Story, whose music has appeared on labels such as Hearts Of Space, Eurock and Multimood (A Desperate Serenity, 1994). "Wax Staircase" is a meditative and tranquil piece, composed of synth atmospheres that slowly unfold and float amongst each other, like nothing so much as a bank of clouds moving across the sky. Plancton -- the solo-project of Swedish Pär Thorbjörnson -- nicely builds on the mood set by Ashley/Story, with a piece that is both beautiful and disconcerting. In accordance with its title "Voice Tide" pits the ever soothing sound of waves against a rather foreboding backdrop of extremely manipulated human voices.
	British Oil In The Eye steers the compilation into rhythmic territory with a refreshing dose of electronica. "Callipers" features a swarm of synthetic minutiae and beats, dancing across a sheet of subdued ambience. The comparatively simple structured music of Oil In The Eye is followed by a very extended and complex composition by the American duo Oblivion Ensemble (here assisted by Mark Kirschenmann and Douglas Wallace). The track is one of the darkest on the compilation; with every instrument and sound having been twisted and manipulated into strange and foreboding sonic apparitions. For close to 11 minutes the piece steadily moves through sequences of droning horror atmospherics, ghastly choral segments, and moments of stormy noise. Also disconcerting, albeit in a more subdued fashion, is Gregorio Bardini's "Manosscritto Trovato a Saragozza." Here, the seductive and fragile sound of a flute courses through a claustrophobic landscape of reverberating sound effects and percussive impacts. The Swedish duo Tween Deck 2 exchanges the flute for a clarinet in their contribution -- "Down The Drain." Their richly detailed composition departs from the chilling excursions of Bardini and Oblivion Ensemble, belonging instead to the more serene and playful end of Multimood's musical spectrum.
	With his long list of releases -- many of them on Fathom/RGB -- Robert Rich is well established on the ambient scene. The piece presented here conjures up a massive aural presence that all but completely engulfs the fluttering sound of the "metallic creatures" referred to in the title. Like Rich, Swedish Michael Winnerholt also resides in the pantheon of atmospheric composers, and with a fifteen year long career already behind him, he too has a substantial production to his name, including two releases on Multimood. On "Forum II," he adds texture to his smooth mercurial harmonics, with various sounds imported from nature and the Far East.
	The first CD closes with a collaboration between Roedelius (whose music has also seen release on Multimood in the past) and Spitzer-Marlyn. "Veni Creator Spirito" is -- like M'Lumbo's opening track -- another strange compound of a variety of musical elements and styles that would otherwise seem difficult to unite. Robotic voices, ethno-tribal percussions, distant synthetic emissions, birds' voices, rushing water and Christian chorals are here all weaved into one rich and colorful tapestry.
	Australian Shinjuku Thief -- known for a number of acclaimed releases on the Dorobo label -- leads off disc two with a powerful composition entitled "17/21." A series of crashing bell-like impacts introduce the piece, which then settles into a mode of post-Apocalyptic bliss with subtle chimes, distant chattering as of coughing engines, and harmonics that hang in the air like a shimmering haze. Afterwards, the calming presence of Vidna Obmana descends upon the compilation. "Shaking The Surreal" features strong, pulsing rhythms of a tropical quality, soaring atmospheres and the rushing of water, all centered around a subdued chanting voice. Vidna Obmana is of course another of the true veterans of the ambient/atmospheric music scene with a long list of albums to his credit, mostly released by Projekt, although the 1994 collaboration with Djen Ajakan Shean (Parallel Flaming) came out on Multimood.
	Tonal is scheduled to release a number of CDs this year on Third Ear Productions, and judging from the track included here, this Swedish one-man project promises to be an interesting new acquaintanceship. "Vaesen" is composed of a combination of crystalline and decayed electronic sounds that dart in and out of the steady stream of atmospheric presence, like stray signals transmitted from a very distant place.
	Two longstanding artists follow. First is German Peter Frohmader, who has produced more than twenty releases -- several of them on Multimood -- in a career spanning two decades. "Mission X" gracefully moves from a suspenseful depiction of a deserted landscape with eerie walkie-talkie communications and gyrating machinations, to a jazz-induced drive through a neon lit metropolitan setting at night. Jeff Greinke likewise has a long career behind him already, with a number of CDs out on his own Intrepid label, as well as Changing Skies (1990) on Multimood. Alongside his musical works, Greinke has also been active in the visual arts, and "Ketembe" shows this influence. The piece is based in rich layers of harmonic sound that slowly turn and overlap, while a wealth of subtle electronic details twinkle and flicker deeper in the sound picture -- provoking all kinds of associations and images in the mind of the listener.
	Sonic Fractal released their debut CD -- V.NT -- on Multimood in 1996, and as the name of this American duo suggests, their music has a strong synthetic and structured feel. Especially the latter half of their contribution "Red Meddle" is very clinical, and does have the quality of a computer designed geometrical figure translated into sound.	$sonicfractallogo.gif (3779 bytes)$
	Strong, tribal beats, shrill voices and flute-like callings conjure up a true jungle atmosphere that briefly shake the otherwise very reflective mood of this CD. The perpetrator is R. Angus, who is perhaps best known for his collaborative work with Jeff Greinke, but who has also released a solo-CD on Multimood in 1994. CC: Dome follows up on Angus' percussion oriented sound, with a composition of slow harmonic themes and dragging beats. "DR 1" moves forward at a strolling pace, stopping intermittently -- as if to take in the view -- and then continues on its way with new thematic or rhythmic elements in its stride.
	Two selections of a strongly experimental character bring Apokalypsis Explicata to its close. Kirschenmann's "Bionic Salad" alternate sequences of harmonic/ambient qualities, with segments of electronic coughs, failing gadgetry, screaming wind instruments and funky guitar loops. The piece is quite abstract, and is one of the few that come close to jarring the unity of the compilation. On a comparatively subtle note, Tietchens' deliver a closing track of cold droning presence, serving as the ground upon which swarms of sparkling electronic sounds, and, later, clusters of accelerated tappings, jump and dance.
	As is often the case with compilations, Apokalypsis Explicata is almost overwhelming, especially if one is not familiar with the many fine musicians featured on it. However, as is also often true about really good compilations, repeated listens are highly rewarding. One is strongly incited to plunge into, and further explore, the rich musical world of Multimood and the many artists affiliated therewith. For those interested in knowing more about Multimood and/or the individual artists featured on this compilation, the label site features extensive information, along with the opportunity to order this and other releases directly.
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