the first reviews for Pjusk April 26, 2007

i am pretty honored (but not completely surprised, since i agree with these reviews!) about the feedback that is coming in for the Pjusk cd. it is difficult in this day and age to sell brand new artists. I put my faith in these artists because of their amazing talents and am very grateful when others recognize it as well. I keep going back to Shuttle358, who in 1998 was merely a demo in my demo pile… no one had heard of Dan Abrams or his work, but once his music was released and out there, people stopped and listened, and now Shuttle358 is considered one of 12k’s best moments. I hope the same will come of Pjusk and I look forward to seeing how their music develops as the years go on.

here are the first 2 reviews in for “Sart. Congratulations to Pjusk for such a nice debut.

BOOMKAT (UK)
You might not have come across the name Pjusk before, I can’t say that it rang very many bells in my head either – but the Norwegian duo did pop up on 12k’s very lovely Blueprint compilation not so long ago. With their careful blend of Biosphere-influenced electronics and subtle processed field recordings their tracks were a real highlight, and now they’ve treated us to this full-length vision. Building on their early promise, it becomes evident within minutes that there’s something afoot in the worryingly oil-rich land of Norway. From their early days of raping, pillaging and spreading red hair around England they’ve moved into surprisingly avant garde territory, and in recent years have pretty much conquered the world of Badalamenti-inspired atmospheric electronics. Maybe this was all started by the man Biosphere, but with help from Deaf Center and Erik Skodvin’s Miasmah label Norway has quickly become the centre of a growing scene, a scene which Pjusk are more than happy to muscle in on. Taking cues from Deaf Center’s murky acoustic doom, Pjusk manage to keep the hazy atmospherics intact while never quite sinking into total darkness. Indeed there’s a lightness and an optimism rarely found on these kind of records, something which almost gives me the same warm glow as listening to 12k’s finest moment, ‘Frame’ by Shuttle 358. With throbbing waves of emotion-drenched electronics it’s easy to forget you’re listening to an electronic album at all and the whole idea that this could be computer music goes out of the window altogether. ‘Sart’ reminds me of a time when I originally fell in love with electronic music actually, and although electronic albums have been thin on the ground in the last few years, hearing this album gives me back the confidence that it can still be done right every once in a while. Blending electronic and acoustic sounds masterfully, and showing an admirable restraint you are slowly and surely drawn into Pjusk’s breezy seaside land, the narrative is assured and deep, with motifs making themselves clear in a dense fog of vinyl crackle and tape hiss that you would be forgiven for thinking emanated from an artfully intense Scandinavian film playing in the room next door (maybe Insomnia?), all that’s missing is dialogue. ‘Sart’ is an album which truly stands out for me, and will no doubt incite the sound of jaws dropping for the rest of the year – any fans of good quality atmospheric music would be absolutely bonkers to miss out on it. Sublime.

SMALLFISH RECORDS (UK)
I must admit that I really wasn’t prepared for just how stupendous this album is. Yes, it’s on 12k and that’s a hallmark of quality in itself… you expect a certain level of design and music every time you buy a release on the label. ‘Sart’, though, just blew me away from the first few tracks right to the end. What I didn’t expect was the sheer variety of styles on offer or the way it seamlessly flows together to make an album of incredible beauty and substance. Dark, cinematic, organic, electronic… all of these sounds make their presence felt, but it’s the way it’s blended together that really makes it a killer. For those that enjoy the more abstract, experimental side of 12k there are strange, subliminal background tones. For those that enjoy the more minimal, melodic side of the label, there are moments of sheer sculptural bliss. And there are even some delightful rhythmic moments – one in particular brings to mind nothing less than the might Gas with it’s pulsating 4/4 beat and layered textures. All at once it’s over and you find yourself longing to enjoy it all over again. My advice is *do* listen to it again… and again… and again. You won’t be disappointed. Album of the week, possibly month and an easy top 10 album of the year. Stunning.

camera lucida release party April 20, 2007

Sunday, May 27th, 8 PM, MELKWEG
Lijnbaansgracht 234a, 1017 PH Amsterdam, The
Netherlands

Tez (live performance)
Bas van Koolwijk (live performance)
Evelina & Dmitry (live performance + presentation)
Christian Toonk (live performance)
EU 5

To celebrate the release of their new DVD, ‘Camera
Lucida’, on the award-winning label, Line, Evelina
Domnitch and Dmitry Gelfand will present a variety of
audiovisual hors d’oeuvres followed by cyber-sumptuous
performances by Bas van Koolwijk, Tez, and Christian
Toonk.

Developed in collaboration with scientific
laboratories in Japan, Germany, Russia and Belgium,
Camera Lucida (chamber of light or lucidity) is a
sonic observatory that directly transforms sound waves
into light emissions by employing a phenomenon known
as sonoluminescence: ultrasound, propagating within a
liquid, triggers the formation and implosion of
micro-bubbles that reach temperatures as high as are
found on the Sun and emit light in the shape of sound
waves. To create the sonochemical compositions
comprising the DVD, the authors of the installation
joined forces with multiple sound artists, including
Alva Noto, Carter Tutti, Richard Chartier, Taylor
Deupree, Asmus Tietchens, and COH among others.

videos posted April 20, 2007

videos aren’t something 12k has really focused on over the years.. however, a few have been done. most notably, dan abrams incredible video for “frame” which, as many of you know, is available on Shuttle358’s “Frame” cd. during the shooting of “Frame” dan also shot a short video for an excerpt of one of my tracks from the “comma,” cd, called “balance.” sawako recently performed live and created these visuals to go along with one of her tracks from “hum”.. and, to round things off, even though it’s not 12k… piana recently spent some time way up north and shot, what has turned out to be an award-winning video, for “something’s lost.”

i hope video is something i can get into more as the years roll on. this is, at least, a teaser, and makes available some stuff you’ve never seen before.

go to the website, and navigate to VIDEOS

australian wrap-up April 19, 2007

last week in australia was fantastic. a bit short, of course, but definitely a positive experience. thank you to lawrence english, matt roesner, and simon hampson for organizing and promoting the shows. i’m happy (as is lawrence) to say that the brisbane concert sold out, but we also had the opportunity to allow 40+ more people through the doors so no one missed it. it was a fantastic room with great areas to relax and lay down. my kind of venue. the highlight in perth, besides the friendly people and great sound guys, was probably the sound system.. so nice in the university concert hall. i was only there overnight so i really saw nothing of the city.. shame. and in melbourne it was my great pleasure to finally meet cameron webb from Seaworthy and to hear, for the first time, australian artist Solo Andata. it looks like 12k may be releasing a limited CD with live performances from melbourne by myself, seaworthy, and solo andata… music that night was fantastic.

thank you to all of the listeners who came out and supported the shows, bought cds, and enjoyed the music. i only wish i had more time to explore the country although lawrence and i managed to spend some time in the forests listening to the sounds.

my cd on Room40, “Landing” came in from the manufacturer the day after i arrived so lawrence put me to work putting them together. we hope it’s enjoyed … and i will have some shortly to sell in 12k’s online shop.

looking forward to going back…

Grooves Mag interview with Taylor Deupree April 17, 2007

interview with me at Grooves Magazine’s website here:

http://www.groovesmag.com/

PJUSK “SART” now available April 17, 2007

back from australia (report soon)…. the new 12k cd PJUSK “SART” is here.. looks great, sounds great… it’s available in the online shop… and shipping now.

in a couple weeks, my new cd that just came out on Room40 in conjunction with my tour in Australia, will be available here as well. it’s a 3-song EP called “Landing”. you can read about it here:

colorfield remix April 10, 2007

yes, that’s right, MySpace April 5, 2007

ok.. so it’s done…. many people were wondering why 12k didn’t have a MySpace presence, and i’ll surely get into that below!, however, thanks to the efforts of our resident MySpace expert, richard chartier, who has kindly taken the time to put a 12k + LINE page up, we’re here. and, thank you to everyone who has already become our “Friend”…..

the page will serve as another public billboard, a beacon in the sea of information saturation… another way for adventurous listeners to find out who 12k and LINE is. we are, after all, “just another MySpace label” now! whee!

everyone’s doing it. the bandwagon has been joined. MySpace has become a necessary evil.

the MySpace page is, obviously, not designed to replace our web site or even this blog (which has become quite successful lately, thank you!). my fear of this sort of thing is that people will visit the MySpace page and not our website, which presents our labels the way we want them presented, and that’s very important to us.

MySpace is like high school. it encourages cliques, it’s ugly, full of marketing, it’s chaotic, and worst of all, trendy. none of these things i associate with 12k, which is why i’ve been resisting as long as i can. i’ve received as many “i can’t believe you’re on MySpace” now emails as we have friend requests (ok, it’s an exageration, but the point is made)…

(ok, rant over) phew. 🙂 (that was fun, a much needed load off my chest… let’s hope that it brings the kids our way. after all, it’s a very quick way to hear sound samples from the latest releases and get an overview of what’s happening on both labels at once. please be sure to visit our friends’ pages, as there are a lot of great musicians in that group. And please don’t take this post (too) seriously… i do mean what i say, i’m just not a MySpace type of person, but despite what how i feel, MySpace has proven itself to be a great source for discovery and exposure.

so… here we are. don’t hate me for it.

oh, i almost forgot: www.myspace.com/12kline

taylor deupree Australia Tour details April 5, 2007

Thursday, 12 April, 2007
Brisbane
Syncretism, Judith Wright Centre,

Taylor Deupree (12k, US)
Boca Raton (NL)
Qua (Headz, AU)
Lloyd Barrett + Joe Musgrove (ROOM40, AU)
Tickets: $10-$15. Doors open at 7.30pm.

Book tickets online HERE.

Friday, 13 April, 2007
Perth
WAAPA theatre space

Taylor Deupree (12k, US)
M.Rösner (Apestaartje/ROOM40, WA)
Stina (Meupe, WA)
Doors 8pm.
Tickets available from 78 Records (Perth) and Planet (Mt Lawley) – $15/$10 + booking fee.
For more details see http://meupe.net/aesoteric

Saturday, 14 April, 2007
Melbourne
Northcote Social Club

Taylor Deupree (12k, US)
Seaworthy (12k, AU)
Solo Andata
Doors 8.30pm.
Tickets: $15+bf on sale Mon 12 March ($20 at the door if still available).
co-presented by ROOM40 and RRR’s SYMBIOSIS programme.