Kairos 118, June 2020

Our Wo. tries hard to keep up with writing about our .No's monthly radio show on Concertzender. Through Kairos he gets exposed to loads of music that would otherwise never enter his ears and brain. Through the blog .No has been exposed to acts that fit well in his show. The interaction between the two is firmly in place just like in the old days of WoNo Magazine, which is getting an ever more distant memory. So what's in store for Wo. in the June 2020 Kairos? Let's give the page to him.

A soft piano takes over the familiar intro followed by a soft flute and a darker instrument. It makes me think of something I must have heard a long time ago but can't get around to recognising. I notice that the intricate melodies demand listening. They need to be followed and not written through. So, that's just what I'll do.

I listened to Trio Leandro and the Nottorno from the Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp. (Harp?, so it started with a harp? Okay, if you ask me a harp started as a dissembled piano that was plucked to see what happens.) The music is sounding sweet but also challenging. The notes are not my average blues scale for sure. Without listening seriously to this composition as a listener you're lost. Let's resume the program.

Harrold Roeland is mixed into the trio with an excerpt of 'Koen'. Estranging sounds wash over like waves coming in too fast and rockets flying over not impacting me. The effect is disorientation especially as The Orb returns somewhere in here as well. I have no telling what is what here. I am hearing part classically inspired music, loops and electronics, a French and Swiss? voice. In combination with the French horn I think of Sophie Hunger immediately. Associations galore but I notice that I'm also a little impressed. The disorientation leaves me, replaced by a feeling of being intrigued. What is this I'm listening to? How can someone think of it and combine it?

The modest cacophony is replaced by long-held notes. Again the mood is dark, the kind where ghosts feel at home in, wavering on the airwaves, coming at me as if someone unlocked a secret gate within my speakers. Ben Lukas Boysen certainly triggers my imagination here.

Next up is Marja Nuut & Ruum. It's been a while since she was on the program. This is amended by having an over six minute chunk. In what I take to be Estonian she sings for me in the form of a wave as well. The music and background singing are all waves. Long rolling waves, where the lead melody is a fast one, going up and down per syllable. The result is a combination of relaxation and disharmony, accented by the high notes on Nuut's violin. At some point the song is chopped up into fragments. .No at work I suppose.

'Helmut Holds The Chaos Helmet'. Is that title coincidental after what I've heard so far? Lárus Sigurðsson plays long held piano notes, exuding calmness. In the background though there's room for the helmet to go at work. Long atmospheric sounds interfere with the piano. Electronics that are mixed deeply away but are undeniably present. The Helmut and his helmet have their work cut out. Joking aside, this composition holds an inner beauty and strength that reach me easily. Several seconds see .No taking his skills to the song.

Marja Nuut & Ruum return with a second song. 'Kurb Laulik' is more traditional in singing. In the outset it could be an Estonian folk song. From that moment in the duo sets to work. A long held organ note is adorned with electronics in total contradiction to the serene vocal melody. Estrangement is again the word that comes closest to describing it. Ghosts and witches hover in the background of 'Kurb Laulik' or is it just a sad singer? Marja Nuut is certainly singing with a sad voice as if singing from the netherworld towards us living mortals. I'm listening alright.

Next up is what I expected to be a church choir but is not. Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke return to Kairos with a serious but serene song called 'The Unfolding'. As far as I'm concerned this composition could be sung in a cathedral any day. It is not fully Gregorian but has parts that are. Oddly enough it sets off in a direction that, with a slightly altered presentation, could be a part of a James Bond movie theme song like 'Goldfinger' or 'You Only Live Twice'. At the same time it could not be further removed and yet so close.

A new name for me, Di Gojim, sings in Dutch. A serious song sung in a style that reminds me of Herman van Veen. Underneath is a long held note, expanded on later, but not changing the song until much later when notes turn into chords flowing the vocal melody closely. The approach puts the emphasis of the song on the lyrics about Ashja, who flees her village on horseback.

Another new name on Kairos and to me since yesterday, coincidentally, is Marynka. Another album of slow piano notes called 'Red Moon'. As I have already written before, it is impossible for me to keep these piano compositions apart. There are just a few slow notes played and they simply all sound the same. It is not that I dislike the records. In fact I have tried to express my feelings when listening to them several times. It remains something that I will never play at home. Marynka releases another record like this and well what can I say? If you like slow, solo piano music this is an album to try out.

'Asia' returns this time with prominent, sad sounding violins. The way of playing clearly has a classical influence. It sounds as if the solo has been cut out of the song and placed here to contrast with Marynka.

Soft singing replaces the violins. Klangstof, a Dutch band, influenced by e.g. Radiohead, returns to Kairos. 'We Never Liked The Outcome' is one of the most beautiful songs on 'The Noise You Make Is Silence'. It is intricate and delicate. The kind of song that would break could if it be touched. I'm glad that it is in the program. I had sort of forgotten about the album because it was so expensive when released as a LP. Time to check again.

The change into Eluvium's 'Bending Dream' is excellent, as it could have been a mysterious outro to Klangstof's song. Again I have an association with waves and Hollywood, digital ghosts. So as far as I'm concerned here's this month's theme.

Coldplay is a far too big name for this show but some of the band's later songs, which I think are mostly boring, could have fitted here. .No presents Fink once again, but how different is this from 'Fix It' (one of the songs causing me to doubt my future relationship with Coldplay in 2005). Only barely more bare. Fink dares to descend into a level deeper, making his music less commercially interesting but artistically winning. 'I Just Want A Yes', who doesn't, does play with the listener as it plays with the listener's mind by presenting different levels of depth to the song. The mystery, the rhythm, the churchlike solemnity.

The poem of the month, 'She speaks in colours', is accompanied by Pieter Nooten. Long held piano notes are accompanied by what could be an orchestra or inventive electronics. The piano notes are so far apart that it's almost impossible to speak of a piano composition. 'Epicural' nevertheless is worthwhile to listen to. It holds a dreamlike quality and inner tranquillity only interrupted by a piano note every once in a while. Like a minor ripple on a lake on a windless, sunny day.

Is there a storm gathering slowly on the horizon or is it Harrold Roeland with a second input of his 'Ceres' album? The piano has disappeared the mood has not changed. Long-held notes and uninterrupted sounds abound.

For the second time there is a longer silence in the program. I had never heard that before and wonder if it is intentional, before Roeland returns with a final fading note.

The program ends with one of the new Donna Blue songs, also so different from anything being released these days as pop music. 'Fool' is one of the slowest pop songs ever and belongs to another day and age. Nancy Sinatra's 'Like I Do' comes to mind but then played on 33 RPM. It makes the song so relaxed and empty it fits precisely with the piano players and electronic music artists of this Kairos. Still a shame that 'In Between' has not been released physically by Snowstar. The EP was so deserving of it. There are no bands like Donna Blue in the world. Wallowing in nostalgia for a dream world from long ago that never existed. Every once in a while I dream with the band before I strap on my rock guitar and boots again. An extraordinarily beautiful ending to a beautiful Kairos.

Wo.

You can listen to June's Kairos here:

https://www.concertzender.nl/programma/kairos_559418/


This is the playlist.
00:00 – 04:36  Harald Genzmer. Notturno from Trio for Flute, Viola and Harp. Trio Leandro. Album ‘Trio Leandro’. NCA 60158-207.
04:09 – 05:05  Harrold Roeland. Koen (alternatief). Album ‘Ceres OST’. Self-released.
04:36 – 08:46  The Orb. Pervitin- Empire Culling The Hemlock Stone Version. Album ‘Abolition of the Royal Familia’. Cooking Vinyl.
07:53 – 10:48  Ben Lukas Boysen. Blessed. Album ‘Mother Nature (OST)’. Hymen Records.
10:30 – 15:42  Maarja Nuut & Ruum. Une Meeles. Album ‘Muunduja’. 13701 Ltd.
15:42 – 15 :46  Maarja Nuut & Ruum. Une Meeles (fragment). Album ‘Muunduja’. 13701 Ltd.
15:46 – 15 :51  Maarja Nuut & Ruum. Une Meeles (fragment). Album ‘Muunduja’. 13701 Ltd. 
15:51 – 15 :55  Maarja Nuut & Ruum. Une Meeles (fragment). Album ‘Muunduja’. 13701 Ltd. 
15:55 – 16 :13 Maarja Nuut & Ruum. Une Meeles (fragment). Album ‘Muunduja’. 13701 Ltd. 
16:09 – 19:56  Lárus Sigurðsson – Helmut Holds the Calmness Chaos. Album ‘We are told that we shine’. Volkoren 65.
19:49 – 20:04  Lárus Sigurðsson – Helmut Holds the Calmness Chaos (fragment). Album ‘We are told that we shine’. Volkoren 65.
19:52 – 20:15  Lárus Sigurðsson – Helmut Holds the Calmness Chaos (fragment). Album ‘We are told that we shine’. Volkoren 65.
20:04 – 20:21  Lárus Sigurðsson – Helmut Holds the Calmness Chaos (adapted fragment). Album ‘We are told that we shine’. Volkoren 65.
20:15 – 20:54  Lárus Sigurðsson – Helmut Holds the Calmness Chaos (adapted fragment). Album ‘We are told that we shine’. Volkoren 65.
20:21 – 24:20  Maarja Nuut & Ruum. Kurb Laulik. Album ‘Muunduja’. 13701 Ltd.
24:07 – 28:43  Liasa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke. The Unfolding. Album ‘Duality’. 4AD – CAD 8004CD.
28:33 – 32:11  Di Gojim. Asia (fragment). Album ‘Oostenwind’. Syncoop 5760 CD 251.
32:06 – 32:43  Di Gojim. Asia (adapted fragment). Album ‘Oostenwind’. Syncoop 5760 CD 251.
32:11 – 36:20  Marynka. Heart Beat. Album ‘Red Moon’. Self-released.
36:09 – 37:09  Di Gojim. Asia (fragment). Album ‘Oostenwind’. Syncoop 5760 CD 251.
36:56 – 37:34  Di Gojim. Asia (adapted fragment). Album ‘Oostenwind’. Syncoop 5760 CD 251.
37:20 – 40:34  Klangstof. We Never Liked The Outcome (ft. Flaming Lips). Album ‘The Noise You Make Is Silent’. Mind of a Genius.
40:07 – 42:49  Eluvium. Bending Dream. Album ‘Similes’. Temporary Resistence TRR 163CD.
42:25 – 46:06  Fink. I Just Want A Yes (fragment). Album ‘Bloom Innocent’. R’Coup’D/DGR.
46:05 – 47:00  Fink. I Just Want A Yes (fragment). Album ‘Bloom Innocent’. R’Coup’D/DGR.
46:55 – 51:46  Pieter Nooten. Epicural. Album ‘Stem’. Rocket Girl RGIRL115.
47:00 – 47:49  Manuel Suurhoff. Ze spreekt in kleuren (poem). From ‘Het Oog van Memnon’. Uitgeverij de Wilg.
51:16 – 55:23  Harrold Roeland. Zomer (fragment). Album ‘Ceres OST’. Self-released.
54:56 – 59:57  Donna Blue. Fool. Album ‘In Between’.

or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g