Sunday, October 3, 2010

Salakapakka Sound System: War - Musique concrete

Review by Batcheeba


This is Marko Vierikko's project. A mysterious man from Finland who offers free downloads via his site. Several releases can also be found over at Because God Told Me To Do It and Kill Your Gods.

Salakapakka Sound System is Musique concrète at it's finest.
This release named "War" starts off rather unforgiving with it's first track "Class war". And being as I am a total sound freak, I instantly start decyphering the various sounds trying to figure out what he used and how. At his site he states he used "Doepfer dark energy monophonic synth, micro Korg, kaossilator, WSG, iron junk, databending, melting ice, radio noise and a bunch of other things I just cannot remember anymore." My heart ia actually beating faster from just thinking about the proses.

"Class war" is a 10:05 min long track, and it's slowly building up to a rhythmic and meditative trance inspired atmosphere. I LOVE it. Just as the first track is about to end Gird interrupts me to tell me that the release he is reviewing sucks. I feel blessed. I'm reviewing material of exeptional quality. The second track "Race war" is much harder, more noisy, cold and brutal. But still with this meditative vibe to it. This track is much more dissociative. This is the soundscape you would end up with if you place SPKs early recordings in a metal container and blew it up. It's unmistakenly noise, but not Whitehouse kinda noise. It's much more intelligent and controlled.

Track 3 "Information war" is more minimalist and dissolved, even cut up I would say. Could the title be more fitting? No. This is exactly how TV, radio and politics sounds like to me. Several samples from music and radio is raped by harsh noise elements in this track. It's the kind of chaos that makes you enraged. Fueled. Then the track calm down, but by the time this track is over, I am preparing for revolution. Track 4 "Gang war" is equally chaotic, but more experimental. For some strange reason this tracks makes me think of Dada. Maybe it's share lack of order. I don't know. It's a good thing though. At the end of the track the meditative rhythm once again appears, and then it all ends in brutality.

Track 5 "world war" is such a fitting last title. This is the longest track coming in on 14:17 mins. I guess world war takes time. It starts off rather soothing, with an eerie promise of hell to come. The first half actually being a more melodic noise ambient. I think this is an intelligent move from Marko as most would expect World war to be the most brutal track on this release. But it stays in this ambeint experimental landscape and end off with a intensely facinating sound that is really just want to steal and use for my own musick.

I love this release. Deeply and madly. If you are into Musique concrète you need to download this or buy if from Marko. He sells his musick for 6 euros post paid anywhere, paypal only. This is intelligent, this is controlled musick. And I also really love the whole concept of the release. We all love war, and Marko has given us the most brutal wars out there. I would not say this is a political release. Even though everything is political. I would say this is a misanthropic release. It's built around realism, and I would assume pessimism. And let's not forget anger.

"War" is not a moral release, Marko is simply stating a fact. The world is a fucked up place. Marko has this very special talent, he doesn't cause the listener to resign. He makes us deal. And relate. This war could be going on inside Marko's head. That's not for me to decide. And it's not important. He has managed to put together a release with such high quality, with impressive production and mastering. The sound is crisp and the layers in this production is never even once drowned out. I can't stress how much I love this release. And the cover is just pure perfection. Please buy it or download it. You will not regret it.

Track list:
1. Class war
2. Race war
3. Information war
4. Gang war
5. World war 3

Links:

http://ikuinen-kaamos.blogspot.com

http://theebradmiller.wordpress.com/salakapakka-sound-system/


http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=salakapakka%20AND%20mediatype%3Aaudio

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Salakapakka_Sound_System/

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