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XXVI Festival de Otoño. 2ª parte

revistateatros — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:50:52 +0000

Por Vanessa Ramiro

DANZA

• Abre el festival la pieza “Kontakthof” (T. Canal). Estrenada en 1978 con los bailarines de la troupe del Tanztheater Wuppertal, fue retomada en el año 2000 por Pina Bausch. Con un elenco compuesto por hombres y mujeres de más de sesenta y cinco años, nos sumerge en un mundo nostálgico que ahonda en la necesidad de sentirse amado. Transgresión, erotismo y ternura en el montaje que la crítica ha descrito como cruel y emocionante.

• Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker presenta al mundo “Rosas danst rosas” (T. Canal), pieza con la que nos acerca a la dialéctica entre agresión y ternura, entre uniformidad e individualidad, a través de cuatro mujeres, entre ellas la propia Anne Teresa, y, además, estrena en España su última creac

ión, “The Song” (T. Canal), con la que sube al escenario a nueve hombres y a una mujer que tejen y destejen un universo de relaciones triangulares que bascula entre la armonía y el caos.

• Presentan también sus espectáculos los belgas Jan Lauwers y Koen Augustijnen. El primero sorprende con “Isabella’s Room (La habitación de Isabella)” en la que nueve actores y bailarines cuentan y cantan la vida de Isabella Morandi, con la monumental actriz Viviane De Muynck como epicentro del escenario. Una mujer ya invulnerable, que ha aprendido a amar la vida, nos exhorta a reír y ser amables con lo desconocido (T. Español). Por su parte, Koen Augustijnen nos trae “Ashes (Cenizas)”, un canto a lo que muere pero también a la capacidad de los seres humanos para resurgir de sus cenizas que cuenta con el compositor Wim Selles, la música de Handel y la belleza concentrada de las voces del contratenor Steve Dugardin y la soprano Amaryllis Dieltiens (T. Canal).

• También podrán verse en los escenarios madrileños “El final de este estado de cosas, redux”, del bailaor y Premio Nacional de Danza 2005 Israel Galván que, acompañado por cantaores, el grupo Orthodox, un vídeo que cuenta con imágenes la guerra del Líbano, seguiriyas, una violinista, guitarras eléctricas y un ataúd, emprende un viaje personal por el libro del Apocalipsis en una

pieza que habla de la vida y la muerte, de los mitos y de las profecías (T. Español), y “De nim não posso fugir, paciencia!” (T. Pradillo), de la joven coreógrafa portuguesa Tânia Carvalho, que toma su título de un verso de la poetisa Patricia Caldeira y sobre la que reflexiona: “El expresionismo es la tendencia del artista hacia la deformación de la realidad mediante un efecto emocional, es una forma de arte subjetivo. Cuando empiezo una pieza de danza, me involucro con las experiencias del mundo que he acumulado en mi interior y creo una composición a partir de esto. Cada uno de nosotros ve y siente las cosas que nos rodean de manera diferente”.

MARTA CARRASCO

Desde la irreverencia, la furia y el desafío, Marta Carrasco, Premi Nacional de Dansa de la Generalitat de Catalunya en 2005, se zambulle con “Dies irae; en el réquiem de Mozart” en el culto fúnebre (T. de la Abadía). Guiados por el Réquiem de Mozart, quince intérpretes, la mitad enraizados en Madrid y la otra mitad en Barcelona, desnudan la liturgia y muestran sin concesión la debilidad de la verdad mientras abren un telón fro

nterizo, símbolo de la apuesta personal de Marta Carrasco por enlazar las dos ciudades. Un espectáculo que va más allá de una misa de difuntos hasta devorar y obsesionar.

MARÍA PAGÉS

Con música matizada con ecos flamencos, clásicos y árabes quedan representadas las raíces del belga Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (Mejor Coreógrafo del año 2008) y María Pagés (Premio Nacional de Danza). Juntos estrenan en Madrid “Dunas” (Teatros del Canal), una pieza que nace de una admiración mutua en la que se une flamenco y danza contemporánea y que la española define así: “A mí me llevará Larbi a reconocerme en esa alma no sólo de artista o creadora, sino en la de mi propia persona. Yo llevaré a Larbi de la mano al ree

ncuentro con sus esencias”.

MÚSICA

• La noruega Hanne Hukkelberg vuelve a la primera línea de la actualidad musical con su esperado tercer disco, “Blood from a Stone” (La Casa Encendida). Pop, jazz y ecos electrónicos son las banderas de esta artista que a lo largo de su carrera se ha rodeado de lo más granado del campo experimental y jazzístico nórdico, como Jaga Jazzist, Dinosau y Shanning, entre otros.

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO

Este año Ryuichi Sakamoto vuelve a la carga con su primer álbum en solitario en cinco años, “Playing the Piano” (T. Circo Price). En Madrid podremos disfrutar de composiciones que funcionan como evocadores minipoemas sonoros con los q

ue el japonés vuelve a demostrar que, en su música, la única constante es el cambio. La carrera de Sakamoto, uno de los compositores más premiados de la escena actual, se ha caracterizado siempre por romper las barreras entre música y tecnología. Miembro fundador del mítico grupo Yellow Magic Orchestra, ha trabajado junto a personalidades como David Bowie, Iggy Pop o Pina Bausch.

CIRCO

• Adrián Schvarzstein nos acerca en “Circus Klezmer” la música klezmer, nacida en pequeños pueblos de Europa del Este antes de la Segunda Guerra Mundial donde tenía lugar una intensa vida judía. El humor característico de la cultura yiddish es el que ha inspirado este espectáculo de circo contemporáneo en el que los números acompañan a una historia y a unos personajes bien definidos. Con una música muy circense, romántica y onírica desarrollada en ambientes populares, se celebra entre risas y trucos la divertida boda del Circus Klezmer (Teatros CAM).

• “Chouf Ouchouf” (que en árabe significa “Mira y vuelve a mirar”) es un espectáculo de nuevo circo fruto de la unión de los suizos Martin Zimmermann y Dimitri de Perrot con los marroquíes del Groupe Acrobatique de Tánger. En medio de un laberinto de preguntas y reflexiones, el resultado

es una pieza llena de vida y entusiasmo que balancea al público entre el miedo a lo desconocido y el deseo de conocer nuevos mundos (T. Circo Price).

NUEVO CIRCO DE VIETNAM

“Lang Toi”, el espectáculo con el que se presenta en Madrid el Nuevo Circo de Vietnam, supera las convenciones del género y presenta una historia con narración argumental. Con el timbre de los instrumentos ancestrales, la música en directo marca el pulso rítmico de las distintas técnicas circenses, entre ellas teatro, malabares, acrobacia, artes marciales y música, mientras acompaña al espectador a un espacio estético oriental, que resulta, al tiempo, evocadoramente exótico y sorprendentemente familiar. El resultado, distintas escenas que, un

idas, forman un collage del exótico Vietnam: el canto del gallo, niños saltando a la comba, hombres trabajando en los campos de arroz, etc (T. Circo Price).

Del 4 al 29 de Noviembre. Varios teatros.

Music to hula hoop to (all genres)

secretshine — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:15:18 +0000

I loooove hula hooping! I also loooove music! Combine these 2 and there you’ll have my reason to wake up and get moving around. Hula hooping makes me dig through my collection and listen to songs I had other wise forgotten about through the years. So, If anyone is looking for ideas, check these out. Feel free to share your faves with me as well… I’m always looking for new jams!

Divine by Sebastien Tellier
Blood from a Stone by Hanne Hukkelberg
What the World Is Wating For by Stone Roses
World Clique by Deee-Lite
Digital Love by Daft Punk
French Navy by Camera Obscura
Back That Thang Up by Juvenile
Divine Hammer by Breeders
Earth Intruders by Bjork
Freakshow by Cure
Do It To It by Fannypack
I’m Good, I’m Gone by Lykke Li
Around the World (intro, rumba) by Senor Coconut & His Orchestra
Saturdays by Cut Copy
No Pussy Blues by Grinderman
Room to Breathe by Hangar 18
Margaya by The Fender Four
Close Your Eyes by Ian McCulloch
The Dream Machine by Sukia
Everything’s Fine by Adorable
Inclined to Vomit by Adult.
Egg Man by Beastie Boys
En Particulier by Blonde Redhead
Strange Fruit by Catherine Wheel
Beef Jerky by Cibo Matto

Hanne Hukkelberg: Blood From a Stone

artmalikwolf — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:37:00 +0000

Originating from Kongsberg, Norway, Hanne Hukkelberg has been making music and testing out her vocal capabilities from the ripe age of 3. Performing with an ever-expanding cast of friends and accomplished musicians, Blood From a Stone is Hanne’s third release under her guise as solo artist and composer. When listening to Blood From a Stone, one can certainly detect Hanne’s early punk / noise roots and her assimilation into a scene that championed DIY noise and experimentation over musical pomp and uniformity. Like the songs of the Cocteau Twins, Joanna Newsom or Coco Rosie, Hanne’s music has a distinctly ethereal quality, which both captivates and entices; transporting the listener through a series of dark, foreboding and enchanted spaces. Unlike the onerous drone of Funeral, the Doom Metal band with which Hukkelberg once performed, the singer’s third album, Blood From a Stone, positively lends itself to the majesty and grace of Hanne’s voice. If the world is a stone, Hanne is the crimson blood that spills forth from it, unapologetic, whimsical; brimming with emotion and depth. Hanne’s music creates a cathartic diversion from the hum drum of the everyday; it allows a space to engage in fantasy, and a medium for ecstatic, unadulterated feeling. Drawing inspiration from bands like Einstürzende Neubauten and Sonic Youth – Hanne utilizes all manner of found objects, from kitchen utensils, to clacking type writers, flag poles, sea gull cries and cat purrs, in turn weaving a unique and poignant miasma of textured, layered and ambient sounds.

Propeller Recordings (Norway)

Música íntima de Hanne Hukkelberg

kalzonepress — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:42:59 +0000

Un hada noruego A medio camino entre los universos que habitan Múm y Tom Waits, en la misteriosa enc

Hanne Hukkelberg – The Borderline, London – October 26th, 2009 - Live Review

thomashassomethingtosay — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:38:24 +0000

As the air is painted with the pastel sounds of seashell recordings, Hanne Hukkelberg and fellow Norwegian band mates bumble around the stage nomadically trying to set up for the night’s proceedings. Despite the warm ambience that has been set in the room for this, her only tour date in the UK, the atmosphere on stage is tense as the perpetual battle between sound engineer and musician is lost in translation over technicalities, only to end in furrowed brows and shrugged shoulders on both sides.

However, as the crowd ruminates to the aural undulations that allude to Hanne’s entrance, all has not been lost in the patient anticipation that is felt from the humble gathering in attendance. Stepping coyly onto the stage with an empty wine glass in hand to open with the brooding thrum of ‘Bandy Riddles’, it becomes clear how captivating Hukkelberg is as a performer. As her vocal reaches far beyond her petite figure, the Norwegian singer-songwriter sheds singing styles like a Russian Doll: crooning with a jazz fluidity through the likes of ‘Cheater’s Armoury’ to the angelic swoon of ‘Blood From A Stone’ to the rasping rock abrasions of ‘In Here/Out There’, Hanne may appear to be floating in a pool of indefinable influences; however she uses this eclectic appeal to great effect, holding the crowd with an attentive, appreciative string throughout as they applaud tardily after each song with open-mouthed admiration.

Returning to the stage for an encore of ‘Ticking Bomb’, she beats metronomically at the wine glass with which she entered. With the chalice withstanding, her face contorts and cracks discomfortingly as to evoke her own thought and feeling behind the song’s underlying detail and not the glass’ frangibility, it’s her shattered mosaic of melodic jazz and dissipated pop experiments that ring soundly on the night and travel tangibly beyond any possible language barriers.

Ikeakjøkken, Kongokaos, Hanne Hukkelberg og The Kinks.

krakelen — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:45:46 +0000

Nå ser det endelig ut til at vi har funnet ut hvordan kjøkkenet skal se ut i vårt nye hus. Det har vært en veldig lang prosess, men nå har vi altså omsider landet på en løsning vi begge er fornøyd med. Puh! Kjøkkenet kommer selvsagt fra IKEA (hvor ellers?), og frontene er Lidingö. (Kan hende det er et bildegalleri foran bildet av kjøkkentypen vår, men den er det bare å lukke. Du finner Lidingö i galleriet – det er hvitt.) Det ble ikke fullt så billig som vi hadde håpet, men hva kan man egentlig forvente seg når man skal ha ti tusen vitrinedører og desto mer av div div div? Vi står han av.

Det er godt å se at husdrømmen nærmer seg. Vi får det nok som vi vil ha det, til slutt.

Ellers i livet er det ikke spesielt attraktivt med tidlig-på-arbeid-dag i mårra. Har egentlig lyst til å være hjemme med åtte til to-sjuka, men jeg må nok ta meg i nakkeskinnet og dra meg avgårde og gjøre mitt beste for å overleve til neste helg.

Ser forresten at våre landsmenn i Kongo plutselig skal fortelle hvem den mystiske drapsmannen er. Ja vel? Hvorfor gjorde de det ikke med en gang, da? Det er noe forferdelig muffens med de godeste Joshua og Tjostolv.

Nu vel.

Under finner du en liten godbit fra Lydverkets arkiver. Har du aldri fått med deg Hanne Hukkelbergs fabelaktige versjon av The Kinks’ gromlåt All Day and all of the Night, så len deg godt tilbake på pinnestolen og nyt denne videoen.

Pukkelpop 2009. Dzień 3.

Bartek Chaciński — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:17:31 +0000

Czterodniowy festiwal to długi festiwal. Trzy dni są w sam raz. Pod warunkiem, że nogi nie odmawiają posłuszeństwa. Zwinęliśmy namiot i udaliśmy się na koncerty, bo w planach był wcześniejszy wyjazd. Dead Confederate okazało się warte tej dyscypliny. 11.20 to wczesna pora jak na start, ale tym razem się opłaciło. Znów zespół grający trochę muzykę z amerykańskiego Południa, a trochę w stylu Seattle. Pochodzący z Athens w Georgii – tak jak R.E.M. Młodzi i energiczni. Zamówiona po festiwalu płyta już w drodze. Telepathe miałem okazję poznać z pojedynczych nagrań (niezłe), potem z płyty (gorzej), a na koncercie w Chateau było widać, że dziewczyny nie przepracowywały się i większa część ich setu to niestety mizernie zakamuflowany playback. Potem – w zasadzie przypadkiem – trafiliśmy na występ Edward Sharp & The Magnetic Zeros. Moja żona stwierdziła, że to najwyraźniej jakaś sekta. Dodałbym do tego, że z lekką domieszką szant i tańca hula. W każdym razie bardzo dziwne, co w pewnych sytuacjach jest zaletą – ale my nie byliśmy w stanie dostrzec w nich tego, co najnowszy numer “Rolling Stone’a” opisujący ich jako nadzieję.

Odpuściliśmy sobie Micachu, mając w pamięci jej sceniczne zmagania na Offie, za to Jack Peñate – polecany mi również na tym blogu (vlad.pavlovy – dzięki!) – okazał się żwawy i wciągający, choć troszeczkę monotonny stylistycznie. No ale przynajmniej nauczyłem się wymawiać jego nazwisko – bardziej z hiszpańska niż z angielska. Jeszcze lepsze wrażenie zrobił na mnie Hudson Mohawke. W Chateau nagle zmieniła się atmosfera, bo z namiotu specjalizującego się w alt-country i folku stali się przyczółkiem elektroniki do słuchania. Szykuje się w każdym razie kapitalna płyta HM.

Tu doszło do jednego z cięższych wyborów Pukkelpopu. Deerhunter albo Gang Gang Dance. Wybrałem Deerhuntera, czyli to, co na płycie lubię bardziej. Nie wiem, czy dobrze zrobiłem. Brandford Cox – który sam sobie stroił gitarę i ustawiał dźwięk przed koncertem, więc chyba jeszcze nie nabawił się syndromu gwiazdy – był dość niemrawy. Choć, z drugiej strony, ludzi jego postury oceniam z góry jako niemrawych, często bez uzasadnienia. Energią nadrabiał jego zespół. Podobno na Gang Gang energii i żywiołowości jest mnóstwo – ktoś opowie parę słów?

Z przykrością odsiałem tego dnia prawie wykonawców ze sceny elektronicznej – w tym dubstepowców. Nie było klimatu, żeby oglądać ich o 16.00, a potem było już za późno. Wybraliśmy Rolo Tomassi – gitarzysta najwyraźniej już wyzdrowiał od czasu Off Festivalu, ale moim zdaniem nie straciliśmy wiele w Mysłowicach. Hanne Hukkelberg nieco poniżej oczekiwań, choć muszę przyznać, że nie za bardzo się do tego koncertu przygotowałem. Zupełnie inaczej w wypadku Dinosaur jr. Od rana majaczyli w tłumie kolesie w t-shirtach ze znajomą tandetną czcionką z logotypu tej zacnej grupy. Wyszli na dużą scenę i zagrali pod słońce 45 minut konkretnego, fajnego koncertu, rozpoczętego “Just Like Heaven” z końcówką, w której uwierzyłem, że naprawdę wszystko im siadło. Było z grubsza tak, jak się spodziewałem, zestaw największych “hitów”, zagrali nawet “Feel The Pain” w bardzo dziarskiej wersji. Duża scena – w dodatku w pełnym słońcu – to z reguły kiepskie miejsce na koncert, ale ten zostawił po sobie pewnie kilkuset nowych fanów zespołu. Może nawet wśród tych, którzy przyszli tego dnia tylko na 50 Centa i N.E.R.D., a sądząc po obłędnych tłumach, było ich sporo. Wyszedłem z poczuciem niedosytu na ostatni nasz koncert tego dnia – The Whitest Boy Alive. Miło skończyć takim akcentem swoją wizytę na festiwalu. Erlend Oye miał tak zadziwiające przyjęcie jak Bon Iver – może nawet bardziej, bo przecież jego zespół nie stał się ulubieńcem krytyki w takim stopniu co grupa Vernona. The Whitest…, pobudzeni reakcją, zagrali kapitalnie, przechodząc z utworu w utwór, żonglując swoimi kawałkami jak didżej płytami, a przy tym ani na moment nie gubiąc tego swojego specyficznego funkowego groove’u, a Oye wyglądał, jak gdyby brał jakieś środki wspomagające, choć nie podejrzewam, żeby jego uśmiech był efektem działania innej chemii niż ta między publiką a wykonawcą na scenie. Publika zresztą coś wiedziała – zespół grał tu dwa lata wcześniej, więc byli przygotowani na niezłe widowisko.

My wyjeżdżaliśmy zmęczeni i usatysfakcjonowani, więc nie pytajcie, co straciliśmy. I tak udało nam się pobyć w Hasselt dłużej niż rok temu. Pozdrowienia dla wszystkich, którzy tam byli. Ta relacja jest wprawdzie przydługa, ale jak widzicie i tak tylko po łebkach przejechałem się po poszczególnych wykonawcach. To duża impreza i wymaga dużo energii. Brakuje jej nieco bardziej awangardowych akcentów. Jak dla mnie zbiera się tu już zbyt wielki tłum, a część wykonawców kompletnie wychodzi poza mój krąg zainteresowań. Z drugiej strony, gdyby nie oni, to ciągle musielibyśmy dokonywać takich wyborów jak ten między Gang Gang Dance i Deerhunterem albo między Andrew Birdem a Grizzly Bear.

Teraz pora na PRAWDZIWE wakacje, więc przez chwilę mogę się nie odzywać. Wszystko jednak wskazuje na to, że kiedy wrócę, z koncertów przerzucę się z powrotem na płyty.

Pukkelpop - zaterdag 22 augustus 2009 (dag 3) - Kiewit, Hasselt

muziekfriek — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:10:49 +0000

Traditioneel kruipt de vermoeidheid stilaan in de kleren op dag drie. Maar dat let ons niet om onvervaard de meest woeste bands gade te slaan of de meest emotionele muziek aan te horen.

Als de Drive-By Truckers het ooit voor bekeken houden, is de opvolging met Dead Confederate (Marquee) al verzekerd. Ook deze band komt uit het zuiden en geniet ervan de gitaren te laten ronken en songs als voorhamers het publiek in te slingeren. Daarbij horen uiteraard ook de wild in de rondte vliegende haren en wijd gespreide benen. Jammer dat we hiervan een stuk gemist hebben want dit is een band die wij graag op de voet willen blijven volgen. Nu alleen nog die spuuglelijke T-shirts van de hand doen.

Wie ooit heeft durven beweren dat de flowerpower niet meer bestaat, kreeg in de Club lik op stuk. Daar speelde Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros een lichtelijk gestoorde set. Het podium was amper groot genoeg om dit omvangrijke combo te kunnen bevatten. Naast piano, drums, twee gitaren, bas, trompet, accordeon en percussie waren er uiteraard nog de twee vocalisten, die laverend tussen de kabels en instrumenten hun ding wilden doen. Misschien was het de bedoeling dat dit een feestje zou worden, maar ons leek het eerder op een uit de hand gelopen drankgelag.

De jongens van Team William (Wablief!?) hadden hun studies even onderbroken om even Pukkelpop te komen platspelen. En daar slaagden ze schijnbaar moeiteloos in.
Hoewel de songs van hun debuut geweldige popliedjes zijn, bleef het toch afwachten of ze het ook hier op de wei konden waarmaken. Maar uiteindelijk bleek de zaal al bijna vooraf voor de zaak gewonnen. Let wel: de heren speelden een prima set zonder ook maar een steekje te laten vallen, maar het publiek maakte er wel een feest van.
Of het nu London Lofi was, meezinger Wonderyear III of afsluiter Peptalk, elk nummer werd door het jonge volkje in de armen gesloten. Toen de regenboog tijdens 70 % het publiek werd ingekieperd, was het hek pas echt van de dam. Iemand slaagde er zelfs in om over het publiek te surfen bovenop dit wankele bouwwerk. En trouwens, ook dat ene nieuwe nummer (All We Ever Do Is Fight) dat ze tegen de wil van hun management in toch speelden, belooft het beste voor de toekomst.

Het was niet echt met overtuiging dat we gekozen hadden voor Hanne Hukkelberg (Club), maar deze Noorse jongedame heeft duidelijk een serieuze evolutie doorgemaakt sinds wij haar ooit in het voorprogramma van Spinvis zagen spelen. Haar uitstekende groep heeft daar waarschijnlijk mee te maken, maar ze heeft duidelijk ook aan persoonlijkheid gewonnen.
Soms kwam deze nimf behoorlijk fel uit de hoek om vervolgens weer bijzonder intiem te gaan klinken. Een heel spectrum aan emoties werd op die manier bespeeld. Bovendien toonde ze dat ze niet alleen over een mooie catalogus aan songs, maar ook over een fantastische stem beschikt.
Dit was wat ons betreft één van de grootste verrassingen van het weekend.

“We want to testify. We want to show you that Hank Williams’ Lost Highway and the Highway To Hell are one and the same.” Een uitspraak die enkel en alleen van Hayseed Dixie (The Shelter) kan komen. En er waren heel wat gelovigen opgedaagd in deze kathedraal.
De hilbilly versies van hardrocksongs als Breaking The Law (van Judas Priest), Walk This Way (van Aerosmith, maar ongetwijfeld pas gemeenzaam bekend in de versie van run DMC) en Fat bottomed Girls (van Queen) werden in elk geval steeds opnieuw op luid gejuich onthaald.
Bovendien weten deze dixieboys ook nog eens hun publiek te entertainen. Zo moest de banjotest aantonen dat “Reverend” Don Wayne Reno (banjo) en “Deacon” Dale Reno (mandoline, akoestische gitaar) wel degelijk kinderen van dezelfde ouders zijn. Maar ook de solo’s die beide heren uit hun instrument wisten te toveren waren behoorlijk indrukwekkend.
De prijs voor meest grappige act ging met andere woorden opnieuw naar dit zootje ongeregeld.

Hoewel Peaches (Dance Hall) op haar meest recente cd ‘I Feel Cream’ behoorlijk ingetogen musiceert, is haar show nog steeds even controversieel. Met The Sweet Machine als backing band, werkte zij zich door haar set met de nodige kledijwissels en andere attributen. En uiteraard was er plaats voor nieuwe songs als Lose You (dat trouwens door Simian Mobile Disco werd meegeschreven) en het bitsige Talk To Me naast elektroklassiekers als Set It Off.
Tussendoor probeerde ze dan wel met wisselend succes om het publiek zijn shirt te doen uitspelen en was er de nodige suggestieve taal ondersteund door de bijhorende bewegingen. Maar uiteindelijk bleef het allemaal bij suggestie en was het de muziek die (gelukkig maar) het voortouw nam.

Dat Life Of Agony (The Shelter) nog steeds één van de meest invloedrijke hardcorebands is, werd maar weer eens bewezen op deze editie van Pukkelpop. Steeds opnieuw weer werden de songs woord voor woord meegebruld. Keith Caputo, zoals steeds gekleed in een sweatshirt met veel te ruim vestje, brulde zich schor en gitarist Joey Z en bassist Alan Robert namen om de beurt de taak op zich om het publiek op te ruien. De onvermijdelijke circlepits waren daarvan uiteraard het gevolg en ook het verbod op crowdsurfing werd met veel bravoure aan de combat boot gelapt. Underground was maar één van de massieve blokken beton die hier werden gestort. Zelfs de problemen met de microfoon tijdens één van de weinige mindere songs (Weeds) kon de pret geenszins drukken. Life Of Agony heeft duidelijk opnieuw een plaatsje in de peperkoeken harten van de liefhebbers van hardcore veroverd.

Een optreden van Tortoise (Club) is een totaalervaring. Muzikanten wisselen elkaar af op instrumenten, de meest exotische muzieksoorten komen aan je voorbij en toch blijft het een consistent geheel, waarin de structuur op één of andere manier toch duidelijk is.
Het ene moment werd je ondergedompeld in een jazzy bad om het volgende opnieuw een puntig rockakkoord de kop te horen opsteken. Op die manier werd je als toeschouwer heen en weer geslingerd tussen allerlei emoties.
Op de achtergrond werden tegelijkertijd prachtige en tegelijkertijd vreemde beelden vertoond die de muziek nog dat extra tintje kleur gaven. Voor deze muziek is de term postrock intussen al lang voorbijgestreefd. Tortoise heeft zich een eigen, perfect passend pak aangemeten en wij waren met veel genoegen getuige van de modeshow.

Hanne Hukkelberg - Blood From A Stone

Undre — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:59:06 +0000

Editors' Playlist for the Week

Eleven — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:58:45 +0000

Sorry this is a day late, but, as expected, here is our famous editors’ playlist of the week.

Hanne Hukkelberg

Arabella — Sat, 23 May 2009 13:49:18 +0000

This was at Bush Hall which I like. I got there quite early and sat at an empty table and read my amazing book (The Varieties of Scientific Experience by Carl Sagan) . A few other people sat at MY table but it was okay. The first support was this girl called Jose Vanders who played the piano in a Regina Spektory kind of way and she was good. Nice to listen to etc. The next person was called Dan Smith and also had a Regina Spektory thing going on but in a more masculine way. He did this really good layering thing with percussionny stuff and his voice and it reminded me of parts of the soundtrack to Paprika where there’s the big scary parade. I think the track is actually called Parade (in Paprika). The dan smith song i liked most was Dictator(s?) which is on his myspace, www.myspace.com/dansmithuk

So then I talked to this person at my table called Jason who was nice but didn’t have a very good taste in films and for hanne hukkelberg i moved to the front where everyone was sitting on the floor. I had read that her new stuff was more “rocky” and I had listened to her new album once and I agreed but I hadn’t really listened properly. I hoped that she would still be as good as I wanted her to be because I listened to Little Things a LOT and I like Rykestrasse 68 too. She looked really different from how I imagined. All the pictures of her had been her being sweet and quirky with dark hair and usually looking cosy in a cold place but she was blonde and looked all summery and it was surprising. I liked the old songs about a hundred million times more than the new ones. I have no idea how she can play these new ones among the old ones without thinking, “hang on what am i doing? i used to be so much better and more interesting”. Anyway the old ones were so good. They did Cast Anchor and the Northwind and some others and BOBLE!! which was beautiful and amazing. I’m glad I went but I wish I could have seen her a few years ago.

New Music of 2009 - Volume VI

Longman Oz — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:11:20 +0000

Plenty of female lead vocalists to be found on this week’s tape! This includes Deanna Storey with Little Person from the soundtrack to Synecdoche, New York.

Also look out for Austria’s Soap&Skin (aka teenager Anja Plaschg) and psych folk band Woods from Brooklyn, New York – both of which I am liking a lot.

You can play the tracks listed below here.

Bat for Lashes – Siren Song

Deanna Storey – Little Person

Hanne Hukkelberg – Salt of the Earth

Lotus Plaza – Whiteout

Melissa McClelland – Segovia

Micachu & The Shapes – Vulture

Soap&Skin – Extinguish Me

Wildbirds & Peacedrums – Places

Woods – The Number

The 1900s – Collections

The photograph above is of the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare. 100-200 metres tall and stretching for 8km along the coast, they make for a magnificent spectacle.

Review: Hanne Hukkelberg -- Blood from a Stone

zombette — Sat, 16 May 2009 20:50:50 +0000

The first time I listened through Blood from a Stone, the third full-length album by Norwegian singer Hanne Hukkelberg, my headphones were dying and buzzing with some ear-tickling ferocity. For a good twenty minutes, I was almost convinced the vibrations were just part of the music, another one of Hukkelberg’s sonic experiments. After I adjusted the settings on my headphones, it was a relief to hear clarity in the vocals and arrangements, but that strange first impression had temporarily provided an interesting lens through which to view this collection of surreal, and sometimes disturbing, compositions.

The new album, in some ways, is a far cry from the crisp intimacy of 2006’s Rykestrasse 68; the jazzy quiver in Hukkelberg’s voice is mostly gone, replaced by a direct certainty, and so is the airy looseness of the songs. She’s still up to her old trick of using unconventional instruments for percussion, but there’s nothing here as obvious as the purring cats, street noise, or clacking typewriters of Rykestrasse 68. The pieces on Blood from a Stone, with their juxtapositions between organic sounds and dark tones, remind me strongly of Denmark’s Under Byen, but Hukkelberg’s songs are a lot more linear and tuneful by comparison. (Side note: I’m often compelled toward Scandinavian music, like a magpie to shiny things.)

This latest record contains a couple songs (the nearly radio-ready title track, and “In Here/Out There”) that are as close to pure pop as anything Hukkelberg’s written in recent memory, but she always throws a wrench in the proceedings to keep things from getting too harmonious; something’s off-key, or the beat lags ever-so-slightly behind. The lazy interplay of bass and the muffled thumping on “Seventeen” (a dark horse candidate for favorite song here) creeps under the skin as the song slowly builds to a surprisingly melodic finish. A small handful of songs, including “No Mascara Tears” and “No One But Yourself” get lost in melodies that have nightmarish twists and turns. ”Salt of the Earth,” in particular, tends to meander through some sinister “movements” without ever gaining foothold. Truth is, the album never quite wakes up from the bad dream, and it leaves us with a lingering feeling of unease in the closer, “Bygd Til By” the record’s only Norwegian-language song. The slow space jam perfectly mirrors the album cover: a picture of a woman in a glass bubble, holding a glowing orb against a landscape that’s half-alien and half-familiar. It’s often the familiar parts that are the most unsettling.

mp3: “Blood from a Stone” by Hanne Hukkelberg

Purchase the CD at Insound

hanne hukkelberg: blood from a stone (2009)

Wears The Trousers magazine — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:00:26 +0000

Hanne Hukkelberg
Blood From A Stone ••••½
Nettwerk

Hanne Hukkelberg has always been an odd and unconventional songwriter. Unlike some other Nordic artists, she has never been satisfied with expressing melancholy alone. Daring to experiment with instrumentation and verve, her debut album Little Things was a calm yet playful work of real substance given a human touch through the use of found sounds (bike wheels, wine glasses, raindrops etc.). Her second, Rykestrasse 68, showed more of a rock drive with uneasy, slightly schizophrenic vocals, intense gradation, little technical figures and interesting turnarounds, all incorporated into a relaxed, jazzy mood – a setting that suited her well, providing space for her vocal modulations, while the folksy traces in her work added an element of traditionalism.

Third album Blood From A Stone was written during a 7-month self-imposed exile on the remote island of Senja off the coast of Norway. While isolation is nothing too out of the ordinary for Nordic folk, Hukkelberg’s return to nature provoked a strong and bold reaction. Blood From A Stone is an ambitious body of work that reveals an artist of strong individuality, one who confuses listeners with changes of ambience and instrumentation and isn’t afraid of transformation. A helping of bravery, a bit of newfound cynicism and a good deal of darkness add up to create a uniquely atmospheric album. It’s difficult to say what Hukkelberg might have gone through while writing and preparing the album, but her metamorphosis seems to be more of a natural evolution than the result of answering to the desires of reviewers or fans. Blood From A Stone exudes a sense of intuition and ease with the material. The folksy touches and pure acoustic intimacy have almost disappeared to make room for the new Hanne Hukkelberg. Or at least the old-new (Hukkelberg’s experimental roots included a stint in doom metal group Funeral).

The album begins discreetly enough with ‘Midnight Sun Dream’, but change is in the air even by the first refrain in which Hukkelberg bravely declares that “there’s no despair”, later adding that “there’s no tender voice”. The most significant parts of the song alert the listener in advance as to what the rest of the album contains. Hukkelberg is neither warlike nor aggressive in these songs but her voice is often intractable and uncompromising, and this is mirrored in the instrumental arrangements. The minimalism of her previous albums has all but vanished. The usual array of traditional instruments (guitar, bass, drums, cello, flute) is present but there’s a new electronic edge to the songs that mixes in well with the familiar use of incidental sounds. Here, kitchen noises, train doors and the cries of seagulls are inseparable components of Hukkelberg’s musical fantasy.

The first half of the album is surprisingly optimistic; the songs have a radio-friendly length and their richly melodic ease seems to predestine them for alternative channels. On first listen they can seem simple, almost too casual, but the beauty of the many subtle details emerges given a few more spins, for example the percussion in the serene ‘Seventeen’ or the gorgeous cello in the background of the catchy ‘Bandy Riddles’. The full attention of the listener is caught absolutely by the vibrant ‘Salt Of The Earth’. The song’s eclecticism emerges clearly through the hustle of the inventive percussion and the gradation of electronic noise. Paired with ‘No One But Yourself’, which finds Hukkelberg shouting about “no shelter” both near to the mic and far in the distance simultaneously, these two songs provide a fabulous climax to the album, where the raging sound fades into a raw noise that intensifies the feelings of hopelessness. As evidence of Hukkelberg’s epic ideas on this album, it’s truly beautiful stuff. Not that the album suffers thereafter. Penultimate song ‘Crack’ is another highlight. Here, Hukkelberg sings resignedly that “this must crack” simply because “it’s the way it is”.

Ending the album with its longest and slowest inclusion, ‘Bygd Til By’, Hukkelberg bids us a mysterious farewell with Norwegian lyrics, bells, endless bass and swelling emotional waves that build until everything meets in the song’s climax where suddenly we’re running fast alongside her into lands of ice and silence. It’s difficult to pinpoint any real weaknesses of Blood From A Stone. Hukkelberg has made complex progress in all areas, found a new direction and preserved her uniqueness. Some people may miss the jazzy spark of Rykestrasse 68 or the folkier stylings of Little Things, but these pseudo-deficits are compensated with some truly impressive songs. Hukkelberg’s creative fearlessness and attractive introvert nature are key to her success, and the way in which she instils life into each song through her uncanny alto always keeps things interesting. This disconnect between her ambition and perceived fragility is compelling and renders any comparisons to more famous singers pointless. With her first two albums Hukkelberg established herself as a real force in the singer-songwriter genre; Blood From A Stone elevates her into its elite.

Tomáš Slaninka
UK release date: 04/05/09; www.myspace.com/hannehukkelberg

[adapted from the original Slovak on SME.sk]

New album review: Hanne Hukkelberg's "Blood From A Stone"

lauraleebove — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:38:28 +0000

Review of Hanne Hukkelberg’s Blood From a Stone on East Village Radio (out today on Nettwerk).

Listening to this nonstop for the past week or so and still not sick of it …

New Releases: May 12, 2009

aeschtunes — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:09:49 +0000

Here are this week’s new music releases:

Afroman – Frobama (Head of State)
Better Than Ezra – Paper Empire
Burden of a Day – OneOneThousand
Cam’Ron – Crime Pays
Children – Hard Times Hanging at the End of the World
The Church – Untitled #23
The Stanley Clarke Trio – Jazz in the Garden
The Crystal Method – Divided By Night
The Datsuns – Head Stunts
Candy Dulfer – Funked Up!
The Durutti Column – Love in the Time of Recession
Steve Earle – Townes
Jerremy Enigk – OK Bear
The Hill Country Revue – Make a Move
Hanne Hukkelberg – Blood From a Stone
Maximo Park – Quicken the Heart
Meat Puppets – Sewn Together
Fabio Musta – Passport
Alecia Nugent – Hillbilly Goddess
Roman Candle – Oh Tall Tree in the Ear
Utada – This is the One
Paul Wall – Fast Life
The Wooden Birds – Magnolia

Right record, wrong format

Gareth Main — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:21:20 +0000

Recently, I’ve spent way too much time and money buying records on vinyl that I previously owned on either MP3 or CD. The reasons for this are varied, but predominantly it’s because I simply don’t like CDs and I DJ mostly with vinyl.

Despite being the oldest popular format, the future of physical music – in my eyes – is vinyl. You get many records released with a free download code these days, and I can’t really see CDs being the predominant physical format in a decade’s time.

Unfortunately, pressing quality vinyl records is expensive, so the majority of small independent labels simply cannot afford to put out their fine releases on a format to suit. Recently, Tough Love Records got into a tricky situation when the company they’d tasked with pressing the 12″ copies of the new William record Slightly Delighted went into liquidation – costing the small independent label £1,200 – more than a small sum for a label born from a Coventry bedroom (you can buy the record in CD format to help them out here).

So the risks and costs of vinyl are high and, until it becomes a more popular format, they’re unlikely to fall. It means many records fall behind the wayside when it comes to a fan wanting a crisp pressing.

In no sort of order, here are my top three(ish) records that haven’t (to my knowledge) made their way to 12″.

Hanne Hukkelberg – Little Things / Rykestrasse 68 / Blood from a Stone

Hanne is a wonderful person, she produces records of utmost beauty that is only surpassed by their originality. Using sledges, typewriters, bicycle chains and a whole host of other weird and wonderful instrumentation, she creates what I begrudgingly call immense soundscapes. Created in a variety of locations, from remote Norwegian islands to the centre of Berlin, her three records are all wonderfully varied, but equally brilliant – it’s just a shame that The Leaf Label in the UK, and Nettwerk worldwide, haven’t been able to press these records to a standard befitting her music. Buy them in polycarbonate plastic format.

Cassetteboy vs DJ Rubbish – Inside a Whale’s Cock Vol.1

A phenomenal mix of music and cut-ups that mixes a blend of humour with cutting political commentary and satire. With the two lawyer dodgers Cassetteboy failing to clear samples for their usual cuts of irrelevance, DJ Rubbish’s useless rhymes and a host of guests falling into Streets parodies, hip-hop and R&B originals. There’s no way anyone would get the money together to put this out on vinyl, it’d be worth it to put this hidden gem in a special format though. Buy it in polycarbonate plastic format.

Tryo – Mamagubida

An enchanting release from the French four-piece. Nods to scathing political commentary and a love of the green herb pepper this French-language reggae release. The CD artwork is designed to look like a cardboard box, which is a reference to the band’s formation as homeless buskers on the streets of France. Recorded almost entirely live, this record started the band’s fierce popularity across the channel, and a deal with Sony watered down the political intensity of their future releases. Despite the disappointment, their debut still retains its charm and brilliance over a decade after its release. Buy it in polycarbonate plastic format

Other notable mentions
The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir – Fighting and Onions
Antarctica Takes It – The Penguin League
Bearsuit – Cat Spectacular
Beestung Lips – Songs to and from an Iron Gut
The Beta Band – The Three EPs
Brakes – The Beatific Visions
Caroline Martin – I Had a Hundred Reasons to Stay by the Fire
Cass McCombs – PREfection
Ed Cox – Clowncore
Electric Soft Parade – No Need to be Downhearted
Friska Viljor – bravo!
Gable – 7 Guitars with a Cloud of Milk
Grandmaster Gareth – The Party Sounds of Grandmaster Gareth
Gruff Rhys – Candylion
Jackie Balfour – Chip Pan Fire
John Peel – Fabriclive.07
Misty’s Big Adventure – And Their Place in the Solar Hi-Fi System / The Black Hole
MIT – Coda
Pagan Wanderer Lu – Fight My Battles For Me
Ralfe Band – Swords
Ratface – On Ice / Down with Ratface / Enough Ratface
The Rudy Trouve Septet – Songs and Stuff Recorded Between 2003 and 2007 Part One

Pstereo-forsmak på Blæst

sverrebm — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:09:57 +0000

Trondheim har ikke bare et stort musikkmiljø med mange lokale utøvere – det er også en hel del folk som jobber med å få det beste fra resten av verden til å komme og spille i Trondheim. Noen av dem er rockefestivalen Pstereo som etter to vellykkede festivaler og en tredje på gang nå må sies å ha blitt en tradisjon i Trondheim.

I år ga de oss en forsmak først på 30. april med amerikanske Glasvegas, og så med trippelkonsert på Blæst selveste 1. mai med nasjonale storheter innen jazz/elektronika. Jeg var til stede på den siste.

Etter en solfylt feiring av arbeidernes dag på torget forsvant vi inn i mørket på Solsiden for å få med oss musikk av toppkvalitet. Først ut var Hoem/Simonsen duo, som delvis har røtter i jazzlinja på NTNU. Min kunnskap om jazzmusikk er vel egentlig begrenset, men jeg er da i stand til å ta stilling til hva jeg synes er kult, og dette var fengslende på en litt merkelig måte. Sang og tuba, kanskje i roligste laget til å nytes i veldig lang tid når man står på et konsertgulv, så det holdt med den halvtimen de spilte. Definitivt noe jeg kunne hørt på som akkompagnement til en litt mer komfortabel stol, ost og rødvin.

Neste artist ut var Hanne Hukkelberg. Etter å ha brukt Spotify for å få et inntrykk på forhånd visste jeg hun hadde gjort noe i kombinasjonen mellom jazz og pop. Nå er hun tydeligvis blitt mer rocka, og stilte med fullt rockeband på scenen. Etter et par låter for å våkne var hun også en person med en sjarmerende scenepersonlighet som virkelig kommuniserte med publikum og nesten småflørtet litt. Å gjøre noe mer enn bare å spille musikken sin må liksom til dersom det å være på konsert med dårligere lydkvalitet i et varmt og klamt lokale skal konkurrere med stereoen hjemme. Lydkvaliteten klarte ikke å konkurrere med stereoen hjemme, det er vanskelig å kombinere rock med trøkk og jazzvokal så vi hører begge. Jeg synes det totalt sett var kult, men bedre lydkvalitet (kanskje mer dempet volum?) kunne gjort opplevelsen større.

Sistemann på plakaten var Kim Hiortøy. En pussig opplevelse. Plutselig står det en lutrygget nisse med bustete skjegg oppe på scenen, dypt konsentrert bak en miksepult der han begynner å skru på knotter. Sakte men sikkert begynner det å bli musikk av det. Først noen rolige techno-beats og så mer og mer lyd på det. Sakte men sikkert glir musikken over til house/trance-rytmer (mulig min sjangerkunnskap kommer noe til kort her), og nissen med skjegget blir mer og mer animert. Han er stadig like konsentrert over knottene sine, men driver tidvis og hopper opp og ned i strobelyset. Ganske mye hardere og røffere enn det som ligger ute av han på Spotify. Kult nok synes jeg.

Konklusjonen? Jeg synes alt var kult på sin egen måte. Samboeren min var med meg, men det falt ikke like mye i smak hos henne. Det synes jeg egentlig er helt greit. All musikk kan ikke være for alle – det er uansett ikke plass til alle i konsertlokalet, og her var det etter hvert ganske fullt utpå kvelden.

Ikke minst er det dritkult at noen faktisk booker band som ikke ligger på VG-lista, og det ganske mange som gjør det i Trondheim. Bor man i Trondheim kan man få med seg det meste, også det som er litt smalt. Selv om jeg ikke er blant de som går på konsert veldig ofte liker jeg det når jeg får det med meg, og digger at tilbudet finnes der. Takk til Pstereo, Samfundet, Blæst, Familien/Storås og de andre der ute som sørger for det. Gleder meg veldig til den virkelige Pstereo-festivalen 21.-22. august.

elephantshoeyou — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:03:26 +0000

Hanne Hukkelberg.

dudufraga — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:13:23 +0000

Tô bem parado com o blog, mas depois de conhecer o talento dessa norueguesa tive que reativar.

De forma breve como os últimos e, como sempre, promentendo atualizar mais.

O que tenho para dizer sobre a Hanne Hukkelber além de que ela tem 30 anos e eu só fui conhecer ela a bem pouco tempo??

Posso dizer que ela faz um som suave, elegante e delicioso de ouvir e que em momentos incríveis faz experiências que são agradáveis até para os não fãs de música (existe isso?).

Ah, ela toca todos(!) os instrumentos do disco e começou a cantar e tocar com 3 anos. : )

Clipe da música ‘Cheater´s Armoury’ que está no disco que coloquei para vocês baixarem.

Myspace da moça.

Disco para baixar – coloquei o Rykestrasse 68 de 2006 que ganhador de um Grammy na Noruega.