Sound Awakener - Five Chapters

Band / Artist: Sound Awakener
Year: 2014
Genre: Dark Ambient, Free Jazz, Modern Classical, Experimental, Field Recordings

My Review:
*EDIT - I'm a twat, and forgot to ask, Nhung is female. All gender references have been changed. Sorry!*

Today's artist of note is Sound Awakener. I got an email from her right before the new year. She lives in Vietnam, and makes ambient, experimental style field recordings with piano. She describes it this way.

Five improvisations recorded on upright acoustic piano. Each piece has a really extinctive character .Vibrate has layers of reverb and exteneded techniques on piano string. Gather Eternity has loud hiss noise and distorted sound. Gallery of emptyness is sort of a lo - fi recording. Remembering all passing things and Untold are a mix of piano chords and field recordings.
"Five Chapters" refers to the endless search in life.

Here's the interview that we had.

Jumbly Music: It's nice to meet you. How are you doing?

Nhung Nguyễn : I’m doing good. Thank you. Things are getting musicaly marvelous for me.

Jumbly: So, whats your back story?

Nhung :  My musical journey started in 2002 when I began taking private classical piano lessons. The training ended in 2007 and since then I have been developing my own techniques and focusing on composition and improvisation.
In 2011 I started my solo musical project - Sound Awakener but no material was released until 2014. My aim is to live with the sonic journey as close as possible. It has always been a natural process.

Jumbly: Where are you from?

Nhung : I was born and now living in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Jumbly: Do you find it influences your style and your music much?

Nhung : Obviously it does. The city is full of thousands types of sounds. That’s why I use a lot of field recordings from everyday life in my music. To be more specific, in “Five Chapters”, there are field recordings from streets and restaurants.

Jumbly: Who makes your album art?

Nhung : Right now my album artworks are stock photos and each of them connects strongly to my music. I hope in the future I’ll invite someone to work with me on that aspect.

Jumbly: What way do you think is best to enjoy your music?

Nhung : The best way is to enjoy with an empty mind.

Jumbly: What would you say is your favorite thing you've done?

Nhung : Interesting question. My favortie thing I’ve done is the thing I do everyday – appreciating and collecting sounds.

Jumbly: Do you like giving away your music for free? Do you hope to continue or would you rather move to a pay system?

Nhung : I like giving it for free when I feel I need to do that. I have some for free on my Bandcamp page and actually “Five Chapters” is free too. But I also have some paid ones  – honestly I need to support myself financially.

Jumbly: If anyone wanted to do a collaboration with you, would you be interested?

Nhung : I’m always open to collaboration.

Jumbly: How should they get in touch with you?

Nhung : The best way is to fill out the contact form on my website (http://soundawakener.weebly.com/contact.html) or the contact form on my Bandcamp page (soundawakener.bandcamp.com)

Jumbly: What kinds of projects do you really want to do in the future?

Nhung : I really want to focus on making music for moving images and installations. Of course other forms still interest me.

Jumbly: Do you follow the blog? What would you like to see more of? Or any suggestions?

Nhung : I’ve been following the blog since June and I much enjoy the content. One thing I would like to see is more interviews of artists

Jumbly: Do you know any other great sites that people should check out?

Nhung : Haha, this is self – promotion : I have a pretty private music blog called Cánh đồng âm nhạc (Vietnamese, which means “Field of music” in English) (http://canhdongamnhac.weebly.com/ ). The reason I write it in Vietnamese is that there are few music blogs here, especially for genres like ambient/experimental or even classical music.

Jumbly: Thanks for sharing your music with me.
I have one last question. What is the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?

Nhung : The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen hmmm is maybe the calm sea in Đà Nẵng (it is a city in the central of Vietnam, which I’ve visited twice) Thank you so much for the great talk! 

Here are some other places that she shared with me to check out
Facebook page
Soundcloud
Youtube

Alright, enjoy it.

Sound Awakener - Five Chapters

Moya - Honey Demo

Band / Artist: Moya
Year: 2007
Genre: Ambient, Experimental, Post-Rock, Classical

My Review:
You like Post-rock? Then have some. You like Classical? Then enjoy them both, at once. Here is their album description, which is as succinct as you need.

"Mozart + Mono, Chopin + Clann Zu, Dvorak + Do Make Say Think, Grieg + Godspeed You! Black Emperor = Moya"

Vasil Maronau makes the music, or made it, and released this at about 21 years old. He had a Google+ page with nothing on it other than the cover photo from this album. https://plus.google.com/106084273066833271369/posts
He also has a blank facebook page, and an empty twitter account. Not sure about much more on this album. It was enjoyable, but I don't know why he doesn't keep social if he made all these accounts.

You read Russian? I CAN'T, but if you can, then check out their website. http://www.moyaband.com/

Either way, if you enjoy the sound of a classical and post rock album, then you should enjoy this.

Moya - Honey Demo

Weerthof - Out Of Control

 

Band / Artist: Weerthof

Year: 2013
Genre:IDM, Modern Classical, Folktronic, Glitch

I used to wander around the net and find out of the blue record labels to follow. I just so happened to be checking one of them on prep for my trip to DC, and found this guy from the Netherlands, Michael Van Der Weerthof.. He calls himself a songsmith, which makes sense. His website is here.
http://www.michielvandeweerthof.nl/
He also has an extensive resume on his site, so you know, if you want someone to make music for a videogame on par with katamari damacy, you should totally give him a call.

You will start this album feeling like its going to be very gentle and melodic...  And then it jumps on your table and bounces up and down for a minute, Stops, then calmly sits down, cocks its head to the side, and begins making strange music while starting at you.

It is very glitchy, wiggly music. Which reminds me of plenty of IDM bands I've enjoyed. It is a pretty Pleasant overall experience, barring the spazzy bit right at the outset. Also, you should know that physical copies of this album are available,.. in special usb sticks in the middle of scented bars of soap.

3 days left - Josh Garrels Megapack

Band / Artist: Josh Garrels
Year: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012
Genre: Breakbeat, Folk Pop, Jazz Rock, Modern Classical, Indie

My Review:
I posted the B-sides for Love & War a good while back, but then I saw this the other day and thought it might be time to revisit Mr. Garrels..

Its a very extravagant sort of folk/ndie. I don't really know what else to call it. At one of his shows he had a short talk about it, and he said "I'm not sure what to call myself...so I say folk".

SO the point of this mega-share is saved in a quote.

From March 14 to March 28, all 5 of Josh Garrels' most current albums will be available for free, exclusively on Noisetrade. This free catalog of music is given as a gift, but 100% of the tips received for any and all of the 5 albums will be given to World Relief and their courageous work in Congo. Congo is currently the most unstable, violent, and impoverished country in the world, with thousands displaced due to warring factions and a majority of the women suffering from gender based violence. Please consider leaving a tip, and in so doing, becoming a partner in the work for restoration in Congo. Thanks.

So I'd imagine that it would be worthwhile to donate a little to this one if you feel like supporting a good cause. I'm always happy when people do this. As always, enjoy, and share with others.

 5 Albums By Josh Garrels

Josh Garrels - Love & War; B-Sides & Remixes

Band / Artist: Josh Garrels
Year: 2011
Genre: Breakbeat, Folk Pop, Jazz Rock, Modern Classical

My Review:
A soulful mix of acoustic guitar, waves of orchestral instruments, electric guitar, Brass instruments, and a backing chorus, that all rise and soar together to make this mans voice sound transcendant.

There are elements of breakbeat, funk, classical, jazz rock,and a bunch of other shit going on.

Josh Garrels - Love & War; B-Sides & Remixes

The Ghost Of 3.13 - The World Isn't Here

Band / Artist: The Ghost Of 3.13
Year: 2012
Genre: ambient, modern-classical, IDM, glitch, breakcore

My Review:

The 26 year old Romanian dude making this music definitely know how to play around with his breaks, creatively and emotively. I would say that its breakcore, but it really isn’t through & through. It's kind of like a film or game score. Rainy day candlelight sort of feel to it.

It's really strange sad and beautiful together. I definitely love this one.

I just realized after following them for years, that Sociopath Records was a Taiwanese record label. One more reason to go to Taiwan, ladyboys be damned.



The Ghost Of 3.13 - The World Isn't Here