Greatest performance I've ever seen.
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Saturday, December 26, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Color Sound Oblivion - Patron's Edition
Just received this email from Threshold House...
"Colour Sound Oblivion - Coil's Official Live Video boxset - Advance Patrons Edit
| We are very pleased to announce: The first 200 copies only of Colour Sound Oblivion may be reserved now, for the special price of £175 each including free postage and packaging for delivery of both the frame and the DVD box set. For this you will receive a framed Certificate confirming your Patronage, to be dispatched before Christmas if you order by Dec 10th, and will be among the first 200 to receive the Collection when it is made. It is our intention to have finished Boxes ready for dispatch by March 2010. Not only that but the Patrons Edition will contain extras, yet to be confirmed, over and above the regular edition (which, once the boxes are in stock, will be have a standard price of £175 plus postage and packaging)! Colour Sound Oblivion will consist of at least 12 dvds of all the Incarnations of Coil Live, with simultaneous Projection channels, plus at least 2 discs of alternate versions Projections with "karaoke" backing tracks and audio loops, which you can use to remake Coil Live in your own image. A minimum of 14 dvds, possibly more - the final total depends on the last bits of compiling being done by the end of the year. More information, including an 'artists' impression' of the finished box, and a list of the final shows, will be posted when it is confirmed. Please note that some of the shows were shot with multiple cameras and edited "professionally", while others were shot by audience members on a single camera only, and are presented for the historical record. In all cases the videos are the best available, and have been mastered in multi-region, universally playable format, to maximise your enjoyment.  Colour Sound Oblivion will also contain a large collection of 6" × 4" postcards of personal snaps and images from behind the scenes on the road with Coil, which may be displayed in the frame Patrons receive with their Certificate, as well as various special personal objects and gifts, related to Coil's performances. This long awaited project is finally nearing completion! Do not miss this opportunity to reserve your copy now, become a Patron of the Project, as well as benefiting from this special offer. Click here to order from the Threshold House store." |
SoiSong Tour Blog
Sleazy and Ivan have created a blog specifically for the SoiSong 2009 Reunion Tour. Check it out here.
SoiSong Reunion Tour
29.10.2009 SOISONG@CLUB IKRA, MOSCOW, RUSSIA
posted by substromblah
posted by Ikespokes
06.11.2009 SOISONG@8TH INDUSTRIAL FESTIVAL, WROCLAW, POLAND
posted by mnulot
posted by phantasmag0ria
09.11.2009 SOISONG@STADTGARTEN, COLOGNE, GERMANY
posted by slamlockmaster
posted by nightwatch01
posted by substromblah
posted by Ikespokes
06.11.2009 SOISONG@8TH INDUSTRIAL FESTIVAL, WROCLAW, POLAND
posted by mnulot
posted by phantasmag0ria
09.11.2009 SOISONG@STADTGARTEN, COLOGNE, GERMANY
posted by slamlockmaster
posted by nightwatch01
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Elegy Interviews Soisong
from SoiSong's MySpace page,
Current mood:
working
Category: Quiz/Survey
A couple of months ago Soisong answered Yannick Blay's questions for a French magazine called Elegy. The translated version is now available in the latest issue of the magazine, here comes the original text in English:
- How do you work together in Soisong? What starts a song? Do you have any restrictions?
Sleazy: There are no restrictions. So far, I seem to have started most of the tunes but Ivan has turned them from something very childish into something much more beautiful and thereafter we have made additional contributions alternately.
Ivan: In the beginning we did not know how to do it - on the first EP the songs were 50/50 where it comes to the origin.. however, I always wanted to work with Sleazy's unique taste for decadent melodics. This can be found in many of his earlier works.. Things like "Halliwell Hammers" on the ElpH album.. xAj3z was concieved at my place so I had a great opportunity to play all kinds of "background music" to Peter, stuff he had never heard before - different types of jazz and obscure pop. I believe this strongly influenced the direction in his sketches.
- You have both a precise and incredible concern on sound. How can you be complementary?
Sleazy: Sometimes I think SoiSong is like the child's game where one person draws a head, folds the paper so the next person cannot see it, who draws the top of the body, who again folds the paper so the next cannot see, who draws the legs, feet etc, so when the whole paper is revealed it is the sum of many parts. Fortunately Ivan and I have very similar tastes and appreciations, so the results are not so monstrous!
Ivan: I feel we have a very similar sense of intensity and power that can be carried in music, even though expressed through disticntly different methods and sounds in our solo outputs.. That's what makes working together exciting and interesting.
- Is there any domains more mastered by one of you?
Sleazy: I would say Ivan is much more of a perfectionist, and concerned with the exact nature of the science and mathematics of the finished waveform, whereas I am lazy about this, but sometimes have a sense of the picture seen from across vast distances of space.
Ivan: Techically speaking, Sleazy is also very much in the Apple world of music making, whereas I run a PC and have little awareness of all kinds of new software. He is good in analogue equipment while I have some classical training in piano and guitar in my background..
- Have you got, each of you, a talent that the other has not?
Sleazy: Sure! Many, fortunately!
Ivan: I wish I could learn to sleep on the airplanes as easily!
- Are some tracks more Sleazy, and some more Pavlov, according to you?
Sleazy: I would say mostly NO. Because we start exchanging ideas at the very birth of each track, they are all the children of both of us.
Ivan: I always feel they're Soisong, and I don't mind taking the risk and going completely out of the more familiar world of COH to pursue the feeling I have with the piece we're making. Identity is nothing that feels important when we work together.
- Who decides and choses the obscure titles of the tracks ?
Sleazy: In the case of the album, most of the titles come from the lyrics, which are in a language neither of us speaks. Although I was first able to get them recorded, Ivan was the first to be able to decide how to write them down.
- What do you mean by xAj3z, for example?
Sleazy: Since the approach of SoiSong tends to be anti-Earth languages, and in favor of lyrics that are beyond human understanding (at least on an intellectual level), we did not want the album to have a title that could be compartmentalized by a specific meaning, even if we did, how would we decide what earth language it should be in - English? Russian? Swedish? Thai? Japanese? Sanskrit?
We feel that the unstated and visual overtones present in modern-day system passwords, are as close as it is possible to come to our intended meaning, using conventional keyboards and fonts.
Ivan: On the techincal side, album titles are passwords to our website and we feel they should be imitating the existing password prinicples. xAj3z was an intuitive choice, and feels somewhat poetic, in an unusual sense - I also found that if spinning the title written in various typefaces, a meaning emerges. The meaning intended in the music.. or maybe it's just me! :)
- Was this album composed and recorded in this very world or in a parallel universe?
Sleazy: Thats a good question! ,-) I'm afraid I am never really very sure where I am at any given moment, so cannot confirm or deny exactly which Parallel the album was recorded on, almost certainly several.
Ivan: I had a feeling that the album was rather taking us somewhere, as opposed to us taking it to what it is. I was always surprised by the way songs were coming out of our hands.. I have never done anything like this and I know neither did Sleazy - we were both in awe for each of the songs, which most literally emerged from somewhere as we worked on them.
- The format of the CD is quite interesting and strange. Who had the idea? Pianostealth?
Sleazy: Since I have been making packaging for records for so many years, I usually leave the design concepts to Ivan who has a mind that suits those kind of puzzles (as well as a love of Origami). Both cd packages so far have been designed by him, and manufactured by hand in Thailand. Once the package exists even in prototype form, I enjoy presenting it in different forms, and new lights.
Ivan: Stealth is a technology of disguise. Piano is a classical instrument. xAj3z could not have any other packaging concept. The music is made in computers, and the technology is used to disguise itself.. and to make it sound like a piano!
- Is it a way of both fighting against downloading and release an original piece of art in the same time ?
Sleazy: Downloads are part of everyday life now, and we encourage at least some free access to SoiSong's music, however we certainly like memorable packages to arrive in our own postboxes from time to time, and so try to make ours "art" if that is the right word.
Ivan: We are well aware that one can download our albums from torrent sites, and while we do not encourage that for reasons of de-evaluation of music as art, we do not mind.
- Is it both of you femininely represented in the artwork?
Sleazy: LOL! SoiSong's attitude to sexuality is a complex one that has not so far been much investigated.
The image in the package does contain aspects of both of us, as well as of two very beautiful asian friends of ours. As to gender I can confirm (from going to the gym with him) that Ivan is biologically male, but as for myself or the two beautiful asian friends, I can make no definite statement ,-)
Ivan: I have known many females of various ages and cultural backgrounds in my life - still today, I wish I could understand what "feminine" actually is.
- Difficult, with Soisong, to not think about Coil even if the voice of John Balance is obviously lacking and if the general atmosphere is a bit warmer. However, the profoundness of sound textures is also maybe more effective than ever if we compare Coil to Soisong, and maybe more important than melodies, just as the work of COH. Do you work differently on this work as you were working on Coil? What about Ivan and COH?
Sleazy: Our way of working (see above) is so different I do not see that SoiSong sounds like Coil at all, although sometimes Ivan says to me "Thats really TOO Coil, can you try it a different way?" so I guess you must be right to some extent. I certainly feel that Ivan's contribution makes SoiSong much stronger.
Ivan: As I appear to know Coil's output a bit better than Sleazy, I am very cautious to try and keep away from too direct Coil references often suggested by the melodics he comes up with. "Pentium Jazz Processing" is a sort of "mental technology" I developed to expand these melodics way beyond their origins and it is based upon the intuitive way I make COH records.. perhaps, it's my "next step" - the method is so versatile, it can be applied to anything, including real drums and artificial voices!
Current mood:
workingCategory: Quiz/Survey
A couple of months ago Soisong answered Yannick Blay's questions for a French magazine called Elegy. The translated version is now available in the latest issue of the magazine, here comes the original text in English:
- How do you work together in Soisong? What starts a song? Do you have any restrictions?
Sleazy: There are no restrictions. So far, I seem to have started most of the tunes but Ivan has turned them from something very childish into something much more beautiful and thereafter we have made additional contributions alternately.
Ivan: In the beginning we did not know how to do it - on the first EP the songs were 50/50 where it comes to the origin.. however, I always wanted to work with Sleazy's unique taste for decadent melodics. This can be found in many of his earlier works.. Things like "Halliwell Hammers" on the ElpH album.. xAj3z was concieved at my place so I had a great opportunity to play all kinds of "background music" to Peter, stuff he had never heard before - different types of jazz and obscure pop. I believe this strongly influenced the direction in his sketches.
- You have both a precise and incredible concern on sound. How can you be complementary?
Sleazy: Sometimes I think SoiSong is like the child's game where one person draws a head, folds the paper so the next person cannot see it, who draws the top of the body, who again folds the paper so the next cannot see, who draws the legs, feet etc, so when the whole paper is revealed it is the sum of many parts. Fortunately Ivan and I have very similar tastes and appreciations, so the results are not so monstrous!
Ivan: I feel we have a very similar sense of intensity and power that can be carried in music, even though expressed through disticntly different methods and sounds in our solo outputs.. That's what makes working together exciting and interesting.
- Is there any domains more mastered by one of you?
Sleazy: I would say Ivan is much more of a perfectionist, and concerned with the exact nature of the science and mathematics of the finished waveform, whereas I am lazy about this, but sometimes have a sense of the picture seen from across vast distances of space.
Ivan: Techically speaking, Sleazy is also very much in the Apple world of music making, whereas I run a PC and have little awareness of all kinds of new software. He is good in analogue equipment while I have some classical training in piano and guitar in my background..
- Have you got, each of you, a talent that the other has not?
Sleazy: Sure! Many, fortunately!
Ivan: I wish I could learn to sleep on the airplanes as easily!
- Are some tracks more Sleazy, and some more Pavlov, according to you?
Sleazy: I would say mostly NO. Because we start exchanging ideas at the very birth of each track, they are all the children of both of us.
Ivan: I always feel they're Soisong, and I don't mind taking the risk and going completely out of the more familiar world of COH to pursue the feeling I have with the piece we're making. Identity is nothing that feels important when we work together.
- Who decides and choses the obscure titles of the tracks ?
Sleazy: In the case of the album, most of the titles come from the lyrics, which are in a language neither of us speaks. Although I was first able to get them recorded, Ivan was the first to be able to decide how to write them down.
- What do you mean by xAj3z, for example?
Sleazy: Since the approach of SoiSong tends to be anti-Earth languages, and in favor of lyrics that are beyond human understanding (at least on an intellectual level), we did not want the album to have a title that could be compartmentalized by a specific meaning, even if we did, how would we decide what earth language it should be in - English? Russian? Swedish? Thai? Japanese? Sanskrit?
We feel that the unstated and visual overtones present in modern-day system passwords, are as close as it is possible to come to our intended meaning, using conventional keyboards and fonts.
Ivan: On the techincal side, album titles are passwords to our website and we feel they should be imitating the existing password prinicples. xAj3z was an intuitive choice, and feels somewhat poetic, in an unusual sense - I also found that if spinning the title written in various typefaces, a meaning emerges. The meaning intended in the music.. or maybe it's just me! :)
- Was this album composed and recorded in this very world or in a parallel universe?
Sleazy: Thats a good question! ,-) I'm afraid I am never really very sure where I am at any given moment, so cannot confirm or deny exactly which Parallel the album was recorded on, almost certainly several.
Ivan: I had a feeling that the album was rather taking us somewhere, as opposed to us taking it to what it is. I was always surprised by the way songs were coming out of our hands.. I have never done anything like this and I know neither did Sleazy - we were both in awe for each of the songs, which most literally emerged from somewhere as we worked on them.
- The format of the CD is quite interesting and strange. Who had the idea? Pianostealth?
Sleazy: Since I have been making packaging for records for so many years, I usually leave the design concepts to Ivan who has a mind that suits those kind of puzzles (as well as a love of Origami). Both cd packages so far have been designed by him, and manufactured by hand in Thailand. Once the package exists even in prototype form, I enjoy presenting it in different forms, and new lights.
Ivan: Stealth is a technology of disguise. Piano is a classical instrument. xAj3z could not have any other packaging concept. The music is made in computers, and the technology is used to disguise itself.. and to make it sound like a piano!
- Is it a way of both fighting against downloading and release an original piece of art in the same time ?
Sleazy: Downloads are part of everyday life now, and we encourage at least some free access to SoiSong's music, however we certainly like memorable packages to arrive in our own postboxes from time to time, and so try to make ours "art" if that is the right word.
Ivan: We are well aware that one can download our albums from torrent sites, and while we do not encourage that for reasons of de-evaluation of music as art, we do not mind.
- Is it both of you femininely represented in the artwork?
Sleazy: LOL! SoiSong's attitude to sexuality is a complex one that has not so far been much investigated.
The image in the package does contain aspects of both of us, as well as of two very beautiful asian friends of ours. As to gender I can confirm (from going to the gym with him) that Ivan is biologically male, but as for myself or the two beautiful asian friends, I can make no definite statement ,-)
Ivan: I have known many females of various ages and cultural backgrounds in my life - still today, I wish I could understand what "feminine" actually is.
- Difficult, with Soisong, to not think about Coil even if the voice of John Balance is obviously lacking and if the general atmosphere is a bit warmer. However, the profoundness of sound textures is also maybe more effective than ever if we compare Coil to Soisong, and maybe more important than melodies, just as the work of COH. Do you work differently on this work as you were working on Coil? What about Ivan and COH?
Sleazy: Our way of working (see above) is so different I do not see that SoiSong sounds like Coil at all, although sometimes Ivan says to me "Thats really TOO Coil, can you try it a different way?" so I guess you must be right to some extent. I certainly feel that Ivan's contribution makes SoiSong much stronger.
Ivan: As I appear to know Coil's output a bit better than Sleazy, I am very cautious to try and keep away from too direct Coil references often suggested by the melodics he comes up with. "Pentium Jazz Processing" is a sort of "mental technology" I developed to expand these melodics way beyond their origins and it is based upon the intuitive way I make COH records.. perhaps, it's my "next step" - the method is so versatile, it can be applied to anything, including real drums and artificial voices!
08.08.2009 Paris - Bangkok - Stockholm
Triple Sons and the One You Bury
Here's a short clip of COIL performing Triple Sons and the One You Bury, which was released on ...and the ambulence died in his arms.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
COIL Interview Collection
Though I posted this a few months ago, I recently discovered a treasure trove of links on Brainwashed. I highly recommend reading as many of these as you can. There is a wealth of information here; come get it while the links still work.
Text
Sleazy Peter Christopherson unedited (2009)
Benevolent Outsider (2008)
Tiny Mix Tapes, November (2008)
The Million Dollar Altar (2006)
Live Continues in Asia (2006)
Thighpaulsandra interview: The Vile Receipt (2006)
Sleazy interview (2005)
Allerseelen Interview Herz und Geist(English, 2005)
Absolute Elsewhere (2004)
The Stylus Interview Series (2004)
Strangers In The Night (2003)
Marc Almond Hat Uns Fast Umgebracht! (German, 2002)
Interview, (2002)
Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil (2001)
Coil Fucks Our American Minds for the First Time and for Good (2001)
Sounds of Blackness (2001)
England's Dreaming (2000)
What A Wind-Up? (2000)
interview transcript, The Wire (1998)
Brainwashed (1997)
Beyond the Eskaton (1996)
Obscure Mechanics (1995)
In the Temple of Abomination, Auf Abwegen (1995)
Zillo (1995)
Queer Noises (1995)
Distorted Loop (1995)
Fist (1993)
Compulsion (1992)
Human Rites: Coil's Agony and Ecstasy (1992)
Convulsion (1992)
Melody Maker (1992)
Uncoiled (1992)
Entering a More Pleasant Domain (1991)
Propaganda (1991)
Black Sheep And Black Suns (1991)
John Balance & Peter Christopherson’s Top 10 (1991)
Lust's Dark Exit (1990
Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1987)
The Darker Side of Sampling (1987)
Tape Delay (1987)
Datacide (1986)
Stator (1986)
The Feverish, #4 (1985)
AbrAhAdAbrA issue #1 (1985)
Unsound, Vol.1, No.5 (1984)
Interchange 2 (1984)
The Fetish For Shit, Abstract Magazine (1984)
They Are Going To Take Me Away Ha Ha (1984)
The Feverish, #1 (1984)
Grok, #6 (1983)
Coil Manifesto (1983)
A Key to an Unlockable LockA Coil Magazine
Eyeless in Gaza
Video
COIL on "Hello Culture"
Jhonn Balance and Stephen Thrower 1988 Interview
Audio
Mutek 5/16/2003
United Kingdom 2000
Supersonic Festival 7/12/2003
VPRO Radio 1985
VPRO Radio 3/11/1987
Radio Inferno 6/20/2001
Dublin Rattlebag 10/22/2004
The Hour of the Apocalypse
Sleazy Live on WZBC
If you know of any others post a link. Also if anyone has a copy of England's Hidden Reverse please let me know.
Text
Sleazy Peter Christopherson unedited (2009)
Benevolent Outsider (2008)
Tiny Mix Tapes, November (2008)
The Million Dollar Altar (2006)
Live Continues in Asia (2006)
Thighpaulsandra interview: The Vile Receipt (2006)
Sleazy interview (2005)
Allerseelen Interview Herz und Geist(English, 2005)
Absolute Elsewhere (2004)
The Stylus Interview Series (2004)
Strangers In The Night (2003)
Marc Almond Hat Uns Fast Umgebracht! (German, 2002)
Interview, (2002)
Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil (2001)
Coil Fucks Our American Minds for the First Time and for Good (2001)
Sounds of Blackness (2001)
England's Dreaming (2000)
What A Wind-Up? (2000)
interview transcript, The Wire (1998)
Brainwashed (1997)
Beyond the Eskaton (1996)
Obscure Mechanics (1995)
In the Temple of Abomination, Auf Abwegen (1995)
Zillo (1995)
Queer Noises (1995)
Distorted Loop (1995)
Fist (1993)
Compulsion (1992)
Human Rites: Coil's Agony and Ecstasy (1992)
Convulsion (1992)
Melody Maker (1992)
Uncoiled (1992)
Entering a More Pleasant Domain (1991)
Propaganda (1991)
Black Sheep And Black Suns (1991)
John Balance & Peter Christopherson’s Top 10 (1991)
Lust's Dark Exit (1990
Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1987)
The Darker Side of Sampling (1987)
Tape Delay (1987)
Datacide (1986)
Stator (1986)
The Feverish, #4 (1985)
AbrAhAdAbrA issue #1 (1985)
Unsound, Vol.1, No.5 (1984)
Interchange 2 (1984)
The Fetish For Shit, Abstract Magazine (1984)
They Are Going To Take Me Away Ha Ha (1984)
The Feverish, #1 (1984)
Grok, #6 (1983)
Coil Manifesto (1983)
A Key to an Unlockable LockA Coil Magazine
Eyeless in Gaza
Video
COIL on "Hello Culture"
Jhonn Balance and Stephen Thrower 1988 Interview
Audio
Mutek 5/16/2003
United Kingdom 2000
Supersonic Festival 7/12/2003
VPRO Radio 1985
VPRO Radio 3/11/1987
Radio Inferno 6/20/2001
Dublin Rattlebag 10/22/2004
The Hour of the Apocalypse
Sleazy Live on WZBC
If you know of any others post a link. Also if anyone has a copy of England's Hidden Reverse please let me know.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Updates.
Brainwashed and Threshold House have been updated. Here's the good news.
-There's a new shirt available at the SoiSong store.
-Peter has done a lengthy interview for Invisible Jukebox.
-This Immortal Coil, an acoustic cover of several COIL songs is now available in the TH store.
-Color Sound Oblivion will be release in DVD format (though memory sticks may be available by order only).
-The last day to submit the Missing Child photos is August 31st.
-Throbbing Gristle will be releasing something new and exciting soon.
-THBC will be uploading Form Grows Rampant as a digital download as well as a new release in due time. All music to my ears.
-And lastly, Sleazy's blogspot has been updated.
-There's a new shirt available at the SoiSong store.
-Peter has done a lengthy interview for Invisible Jukebox.
-This Immortal Coil, an acoustic cover of several COIL songs is now available in the TH store.
-Color Sound Oblivion will be release in DVD format (though memory sticks may be available by order only).
-The last day to submit the Missing Child photos is August 31st.
-Throbbing Gristle will be releasing something new and exciting soon.
-THBC will be uploading Form Grows Rampant as a digital download as well as a new release in due time. All music to my ears.
-And lastly, Sleazy's blogspot has been updated.
Holy Shit, Free T-Shirts and Backstage Passes!
From SoiSong's Blog,
"MISSING CHILD FLYER CAMPAIGN CLOSING
Current mood:
determined
Category: Friends
The earlier announced Missing Child Flyer campaign is coming to an end. It is only a matter of few days before we should be able to start rehearsing with the missing performer and therefore the Reunion Tour 2009 will take place as planned in October/November. The schedule of the tour will be published as soon as we have all dates confirmed.
In the course of the search we encountered several other notions of and even publications related to the missing 'singer'. These made us anxious at first, however now that we know our friend's whereabouts, we are confident these had no factual substance into them [see examlpe below]
Once again, SOISONG feel prviledged to have received enthusiastic help from about 50 individuals around the world. We sincerely hope you found participation in the campaign exciting and entertaining. The edition of 50 T-shirts will soon be manufactured and sent out, but we also decided to meet in person those who have been supporting us so sincerely, and to celebrate our connection. Therefore, during the Soisong Reunion Tour 2009 these Missing Child T-shirts can be used as a backstage pass of sorts, entitling the owner to an after-show drink with the band.. and may our glasses be full to the brink!
"
"MISSING CHILD FLYER CAMPAIGN CLOSING
Current mood:
determinedCategory: Friends
The earlier announced Missing Child Flyer campaign is coming to an end. It is only a matter of few days before we should be able to start rehearsing with the missing performer and therefore the Reunion Tour 2009 will take place as planned in October/November. The schedule of the tour will be published as soon as we have all dates confirmed.
In the course of the search we encountered several other notions of and even publications related to the missing 'singer'. These made us anxious at first, however now that we know our friend's whereabouts, we are confident these had no factual substance into them [see examlpe below]
Once again, SOISONG feel prviledged to have received enthusiastic help from about 50 individuals around the world. We sincerely hope you found participation in the campaign exciting and entertaining. The edition of 50 T-shirts will soon be manufactured and sent out, but we also decided to meet in person those who have been supporting us so sincerely, and to celebrate our connection. Therefore, during the Soisong Reunion Tour 2009 these Missing Child T-shirts can be used as a backstage pass of sorts, entitling the owner to an after-show drink with the band.. and may our glasses be full to the brink!
"
De:Bug Interview with SoiSong
From SoiSong's blog,
"NEW SOISONG INTERVIEW
Current mood:
busy
Category: Music
Ivan Pavlov & Peter Christopherson interviewed by Tim Caspar Boehme for an article in De:Bug [September 2009 issue]– How did your collaboration as Soisong come about?
We have known each other since 1997 and established an increasingly close friendship in the years since then, especially as Coil were glad to have COH and Ivan as part of their forays into Russia, which turned out to be both exciting and fruitful.
During that time we also did some collaborative work - on COH's Vox Tinnitus and Love Uncut releases - which probably reflects certain mutual interest in other's work. But the idea of forming a proper band together didn't come up until some 3 years ago, when we were on the same bill for a few shows in Japan. The music Peter has been recording in Thailand felt as a properly charged contrast to what Ivan was doing at the time, at the same time the emotional intensity, even if of dramatically different type, was very close.. So we decided to give it a try. As a matter of fact, the first work we did together in the Bangkok studio was the material that will serve as a basis for our next album. That very first joint work is, just like xAj3z, based on voice and language. We believe language can be a trap than detains the mind within the conscious world - so by fragmenting and re-assembling music sung in languages neither of us are fluent in, a different perception is possible. Some people find it absurd and threatening to listen to, others accept the emotion and passion without requiring complete conscious understanding.
– Do you meet for working together or do you exchange files most of the time?
Both, we use every chance of being at the same place. Peter comes to Stockholm when he is in Europe and Ivan flies to Bangkok at least twice a year. Working in the studio together is incomparably more effective and exciting, and that's how we make the essential part of the work, the first sketches.. In between these visits to each other we also do some file exchange, but that's only when developing the already conceived pieces and polishing their production..
We never had a chance to work in the same space for more than a few weeks in a row, in fact we don't even know what would happen if we could - it would certainly be dangerous for the equipment, most likely the building, and probably everyone in the neighborhood as well!
– The atmosphere of the album struck me as mildly disturbing. Is it something you intended as the direction of Soisong?
We do not have much of a specific musical intention, Soisong to us is more about enjoying variuos kinds of freedom. That goes for ideas and concepts related to music, but also for what reaches beyond the now common forms of music perception. We try to communicate these freedoms to our audience. Generally, we both feel quite playful about what we do in the band, however that playfullness is very sincere - so perhaps the "mildly disturbing" part comes as a natural outcome of the past we both have, in musical and personal terms.
Also, any creative endeavor should attempt to engage the viewer or listener, deeply enough to cause new feelings, emotions in, or experiences for them. It seems a pity to us that we live in a world where people find any new things disturbing, per se. In fact we believe an undercurrent of fear of the new has been encouraged by controlling institutions, who are too lazy or dishonest to want the status quo to change, but it has to, if we are to progress as a species.
– What is the purpose of the computer voices and their "arbitrary transient appearance"? Will they be part of the Soisong sound?
Toying with advanced technology is part of the play. xAj3z might sound somewhat natural and classical, but it has all been made in computers and most of the technology on the album has been used with the purpose of disguising that technology itself. That's what the "Pentium Jazz Processing" is about - making the high-tech inaudible. As for the artificial vocalists we have created and used, they have not only been an amusing technical experiment, but it felt interesting to develop a certain half-human character of the "singer". Again, these are the freedoms one can not possibly have with a real singer - singing in front of an audience is an intensely personal and exposing activity, which almost invariably takes its toll on the psychology and personality of the singer. Neither of us are willing to expose ourself to that risk at the moment, nevertheless we both love the sonic qualities of the voice [human or otherwise], especially at its most vulnerable. Therefore we invented a machine or operating technique, rather as bomb disposal experts have invented robots to operate in life-threatening situations, to sing for us, without regard for its own safety. Only in this way were we able to achieve the sonic results we were looking for.
– What was the idea behind the "strange object" design concept of the CD? Is it a purely "(anti-) aesthetic" decision or also an answer to the crisis of the music industry due to dwindling sales?
Soisong design concepts reflect our interest in transcending the general conventions of music consumption. Both the first EP and xAj3z CD are quite radical in their packaging. The first release was following the "disposable design" concept, where one has to destroy the package in order to hear the music. xAj3z packaging is PIANO STEALTH [tm] technology - this reflect what we have been doing with the sound - that "disguising of high-tech in classical forms". Further, PIANO STEALTH will be expanding into other lines of products we plan to make in connection with the album..
At a different level, one can also notice that in recent years the desirability of an album, particularly in the cd format, has shifted more and more from its audio content, to its nature as an object. We try to make albums with an emotional effect on the listener that begins the first moment they are faced with opening the package.
How much richer is the experience of a child who has been gazing at an intriguingly-wrapped present sitting under the Tree for days when they finally get to open it on Christmas Day, compared with the spoiled brat, who just sees something in the toy store, screams for it on a whim, forcing his mother to buy it for him with One-Click, and hand it to him instantly at the checkout?
This second "spoiled brat" experience [devaluing of everybody, and everything] is how the conventional music industry [apple and i-tunes included] would have us receive the most artistic and creative works currently available. Is it any wonder that few people care about albums any more? SoiSong packages aim to reverse this process.
– Are there plans for future releases yet?
Yes, we are still working on the release of our first live recording in Japan, which should hopefully be ready by the end of the year.. As said, we already have the base material for another studio album, but before that we plan to develop xAj3z further.. so there should be at least another xAj3z related release in the future which should take some shape after we finish the Soisong Reunion Tour in October/November.
– In an earlier statement you rejected the majority of the current music as "banal and meaningless". What would be required of music to regain meaning?
We would like to see more artists and musicians being independently imaginative, more playful in their work as opposed to being preoccupied with expectations from trends, from the media, from their record labels, from their fans.. and most of all, from their own desire for the trappings of celebrity and success, which are endlessly promoted as the single and only thing we should all aspire to.
The idea that it could be worthwhile spending your entire life, just making beautiful, or mysterious, or thoughtful music that in some way improves, or makes more bearable, the lives of those who hear it, never even occurs to most people.
We understand it might not be easy for young musicians to realize what matters, and what not - today's music is almost entirely driven by market and its interests - however this is the utopia we try to pursue with Soisong.
[July 24th, 2009]
"
"NEW SOISONG INTERVIEW
Current mood:
busyCategory: Music
Ivan Pavlov & Peter Christopherson interviewed by Tim Caspar Boehme for an article in De:Bug [September 2009 issue]– How did your collaboration as Soisong come about?
We have known each other since 1997 and established an increasingly close friendship in the years since then, especially as Coil were glad to have COH and Ivan as part of their forays into Russia, which turned out to be both exciting and fruitful.
During that time we also did some collaborative work - on COH's Vox Tinnitus and Love Uncut releases - which probably reflects certain mutual interest in other's work. But the idea of forming a proper band together didn't come up until some 3 years ago, when we were on the same bill for a few shows in Japan. The music Peter has been recording in Thailand felt as a properly charged contrast to what Ivan was doing at the time, at the same time the emotional intensity, even if of dramatically different type, was very close.. So we decided to give it a try. As a matter of fact, the first work we did together in the Bangkok studio was the material that will serve as a basis for our next album. That very first joint work is, just like xAj3z, based on voice and language. We believe language can be a trap than detains the mind within the conscious world - so by fragmenting and re-assembling music sung in languages neither of us are fluent in, a different perception is possible. Some people find it absurd and threatening to listen to, others accept the emotion and passion without requiring complete conscious understanding.
– Do you meet for working together or do you exchange files most of the time?
Both, we use every chance of being at the same place. Peter comes to Stockholm when he is in Europe and Ivan flies to Bangkok at least twice a year. Working in the studio together is incomparably more effective and exciting, and that's how we make the essential part of the work, the first sketches.. In between these visits to each other we also do some file exchange, but that's only when developing the already conceived pieces and polishing their production..
We never had a chance to work in the same space for more than a few weeks in a row, in fact we don't even know what would happen if we could - it would certainly be dangerous for the equipment, most likely the building, and probably everyone in the neighborhood as well!
– The atmosphere of the album struck me as mildly disturbing. Is it something you intended as the direction of Soisong?
We do not have much of a specific musical intention, Soisong to us is more about enjoying variuos kinds of freedom. That goes for ideas and concepts related to music, but also for what reaches beyond the now common forms of music perception. We try to communicate these freedoms to our audience. Generally, we both feel quite playful about what we do in the band, however that playfullness is very sincere - so perhaps the "mildly disturbing" part comes as a natural outcome of the past we both have, in musical and personal terms.
Also, any creative endeavor should attempt to engage the viewer or listener, deeply enough to cause new feelings, emotions in, or experiences for them. It seems a pity to us that we live in a world where people find any new things disturbing, per se. In fact we believe an undercurrent of fear of the new has been encouraged by controlling institutions, who are too lazy or dishonest to want the status quo to change, but it has to, if we are to progress as a species.
– What is the purpose of the computer voices and their "arbitrary transient appearance"? Will they be part of the Soisong sound?
Toying with advanced technology is part of the play. xAj3z might sound somewhat natural and classical, but it has all been made in computers and most of the technology on the album has been used with the purpose of disguising that technology itself. That's what the "Pentium Jazz Processing" is about - making the high-tech inaudible. As for the artificial vocalists we have created and used, they have not only been an amusing technical experiment, but it felt interesting to develop a certain half-human character of the "singer". Again, these are the freedoms one can not possibly have with a real singer - singing in front of an audience is an intensely personal and exposing activity, which almost invariably takes its toll on the psychology and personality of the singer. Neither of us are willing to expose ourself to that risk at the moment, nevertheless we both love the sonic qualities of the voice [human or otherwise], especially at its most vulnerable. Therefore we invented a machine or operating technique, rather as bomb disposal experts have invented robots to operate in life-threatening situations, to sing for us, without regard for its own safety. Only in this way were we able to achieve the sonic results we were looking for.
– What was the idea behind the "strange object" design concept of the CD? Is it a purely "(anti-) aesthetic" decision or also an answer to the crisis of the music industry due to dwindling sales?
Soisong design concepts reflect our interest in transcending the general conventions of music consumption. Both the first EP and xAj3z CD are quite radical in their packaging. The first release was following the "disposable design" concept, where one has to destroy the package in order to hear the music. xAj3z packaging is PIANO STEALTH [tm] technology - this reflect what we have been doing with the sound - that "disguising of high-tech in classical forms". Further, PIANO STEALTH will be expanding into other lines of products we plan to make in connection with the album..
At a different level, one can also notice that in recent years the desirability of an album, particularly in the cd format, has shifted more and more from its audio content, to its nature as an object. We try to make albums with an emotional effect on the listener that begins the first moment they are faced with opening the package.
How much richer is the experience of a child who has been gazing at an intriguingly-wrapped present sitting under the Tree for days when they finally get to open it on Christmas Day, compared with the spoiled brat, who just sees something in the toy store, screams for it on a whim, forcing his mother to buy it for him with One-Click, and hand it to him instantly at the checkout?
This second "spoiled brat" experience [devaluing of everybody, and everything] is how the conventional music industry [apple and i-tunes included] would have us receive the most artistic and creative works currently available. Is it any wonder that few people care about albums any more? SoiSong packages aim to reverse this process.
– Are there plans for future releases yet?
Yes, we are still working on the release of our first live recording in Japan, which should hopefully be ready by the end of the year.. As said, we already have the base material for another studio album, but before that we plan to develop xAj3z further.. so there should be at least another xAj3z related release in the future which should take some shape after we finish the Soisong Reunion Tour in October/November.
– In an earlier statement you rejected the majority of the current music as "banal and meaningless". What would be required of music to regain meaning?
We would like to see more artists and musicians being independently imaginative, more playful in their work as opposed to being preoccupied with expectations from trends, from the media, from their record labels, from their fans.. and most of all, from their own desire for the trappings of celebrity and success, which are endlessly promoted as the single and only thing we should all aspire to.
The idea that it could be worthwhile spending your entire life, just making beautiful, or mysterious, or thoughtful music that in some way improves, or makes more bearable, the lives of those who hear it, never even occurs to most people.
We understand it might not be easy for young musicians to realize what matters, and what not - today's music is almost entirely driven by market and its interests - however this is the utopia we try to pursue with Soisong.
[July 24th, 2009]
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Betty May and Raoul Loveday
I made an interesting discovering after watching In Search of the Beast 666, a documentary on Aleister Crowley. Whilst Crowley was staying at the Abbey of Thelema, a man named Raoul Loveday and his wife Betty May came to stay with him, Raoul eager to become Crowley's disciple. Betty May, however, was cautious of Crowley and was not enjoying her time at the Abbey. Raoul become obsessed with Crowley's teaching and, according to the documentary, cut himself with a razor every time he used the word "I"--at Crowley's suggestion. Despite May's attempts to help him, Raoul eventually fell ill and died. May claims it was from the drugs and "the incident of the cat's blood," which he drank during a ritual. I am told by a reliable source, however, that Raoul actually died of typhoid after drinking from the well--at Crowley's disgression.
If you listen to Ether, on Musick to Play in the Dark vol. 2, there is a part where Jhonn chants "Betty May and Raoul Loveday." I remember singing this to myself before, completely naive to what it really meant. You can hear it in YouTube video at 4:33.
All of the lyrics posted online either leave this bit out, or describe it as "?????" I'm posting a near-completed version at the end of this post. Strange that Jhonn would include this in the song, I wonder what the relevance is? There's still one part of the song I cannot figure out, "Memories of (?) slipping away into ether." If anyone has any insight into this I urge you to comment.
It's either ether or the other
My mind is back to front
And sometimes absent
And slip the cup
I've taken a sip from the cup that slips into ether
It's either ether or the other
I press my window to the glass
The glass turns to gas
I breathe out ether, a glass of ether
Ether is a thief
It's stolen my belief
Slip through the ether
We both slip through the ether
Slipstreams of memory slipping away
It's ether
Betty May and Raoul Loveday
Betty May and Raoul Loveday
Berry May and Raoul Loveday
Slip through the ether
Sip the ether
Sip the ether
Slipstreams of memories slipping away
Slipstreams of memories slipping away
Memories of ??? slipping away into ether
Into ether
I've changed my mind
It's what it's there for
I've changed my mind
It's what it's there for
For therefore
Full of ether
Full of ether
Full of ether
Full of ether
Full of ether
I'm going upstairs now
To take my mind off
I'm going upstairs now
To turn my mind off
(repeated)
lyrics taken from equ.in/ox
If you listen to Ether, on Musick to Play in the Dark vol. 2, there is a part where Jhonn chants "Betty May and Raoul Loveday." I remember singing this to myself before, completely naive to what it really meant. You can hear it in YouTube video at 4:33.
All of the lyrics posted online either leave this bit out, or describe it as "?????" I'm posting a near-completed version at the end of this post. Strange that Jhonn would include this in the song, I wonder what the relevance is? There's still one part of the song I cannot figure out, "Memories of (?) slipping away into ether." If anyone has any insight into this I urge you to comment.
It's either ether or the other
My mind is back to front
And sometimes absent
And slip the cup
I've taken a sip from the cup that slips into ether
It's either ether or the other
I press my window to the glass
The glass turns to gas
I breathe out ether, a glass of ether
Ether is a thief
It's stolen my belief
Slip through the ether
We both slip through the ether
Slipstreams of memory slipping away
It's ether
Betty May and Raoul Loveday
Betty May and Raoul Loveday
Berry May and Raoul Loveday
Slip through the ether
Sip the ether
Sip the ether
Slipstreams of memories slipping away
Slipstreams of memories slipping away
Memories of ??? slipping away into ether
Into ether
I've changed my mind
It's what it's there for
I've changed my mind
It's what it's there for
For therefore
Full of ether
Full of ether
Full of ether
Full of ether
Full of ether
I'm going upstairs now
To take my mind off
I'm going upstairs now
To turn my mind off
(repeated)
lyrics taken from equ.in/ox
All the Pretty Little Horses
"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleep you little baby.
Go to sleep you little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.
All the pretty little horses.
Blacks and bays, dapples and grays,
All the pretty little horses
Way down yonder, in the meadow,
Lies a poor little lamby.
Bees and butterflies, flitter 'round his eyes,
Poor little thing is crying mommy.
Poor little thing is crying mommy.
Go to sleep, don't you cry,
Lay your head upon the clover.
Lay your head upon the clover.
In your dreams, you shall ride,
While your mommy watches over.
Blacks and bays, and dapples and grays,
All the pretty little horses.
All the pretty little horses.
All the pretty little horses.
Monday, June 1, 2009
An Evening with Unkle Sleaz
COIL Song Meanings
I recommend this website to anyone interested in COIL's lyrics. Not many have people posted on it, but there is still some great insight into the meaning behind the songs. I was surprised to learn that much of Jhonn's lyrics are borrowed from other artists, most notably William Blake. I encourage you to contribute your lyrical interpretations.
The Sick Rose by William Blake
O rose, thou art sick!
The invisible worm
That flies in the night
In the howling storm
Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy,
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.
The Sick Rose by William Blake
O rose, thou art sick!
The invisible worm
That flies in the night
In the howling storm
Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy,
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.
Missing Child
From SoiSong's Blog,
"
Current mood:
anxious
Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes
1. Download the PDF file from by clicking on the image below or here.
2. Print it out on A4 paper in as many copies as you like.
3. Cut with scissors along the dotted lines where the tear-off phone numbers would normally appear
[for the reasons we can not disclose in public, please do not enter any phone numbers - leave the tags blank].
4. Place the poster in an appropriate location in your city or in places you visit.
[Note 1: Please post responsibly, and only in the areas where flyers would normally be found - i.e. avoiding illegal locations such as public buildings, transport, sculptures etc.]
[Note 2: As we originally found the singer by following flyers posted in rather desolate areas, it would be also appreciated if your A4 posters are placed not only in the lively city spots, but also in remote locations - do not hesitate to take a few with you on any possible vacation, or business trip].
Since the matter is of utter importance to SOISONG, we have decided to encourage the effort by rewarding your actions. Therefore, please take photographs of the flyers you post.
By sending to us photos of the flyers you may qualify for a free SOISONG T-shirt [free shipping included] with a new design featuring the missing performer's face, made exclusively for the first 100 participants of this action. All photographs should be sent to contact@soisong.com.
For you to be entitled to receive the new SOISONG T-shirt we require that:
a. the photographed flyers are displayed in at least 3 different locations;
b. the images are of high resolution - 700-800 kB size in JPEG format, as minimum;
c. street address and date of each poster placement are provided with each photo;
d. your own postal address and the preferred T-shirt size are specified in the message;
Last but not least: photos of flyers posted in illegal locations will not be admissible.
Naturally, You are welcome to send in more than three images if you like. We also encourage you to upload the photographs to your flickr account, and further submit to the Missing Child Flyer Pool on flickr. All photographs you send to us will be also published on our websites at greedbag.com and soisong.com
SOISONG need your help. However, please see this not only as an opportunity to help us, but also as a unique chance to be a part of SOISONG's history.
"
Alas, something to do. Unfortunately I ended up buying a pack of cigarettes during my photo shoot...each beat feeds the heartworms...
"
Current mood:
anxiousCategory: Goals, Plans, Hopes
In the view of the forthcoming Reunion Tour, SOISONG are eager to locate the owner of the voice used on the album, who has vanished since the studio recordings were made. Recently we have been unable to reach the "singer" by any method known to us, nor to locate his present position. Therefore we need urgent help in finding the missing performer.
Hereby we kindly ask you to participate in the search by doing the following:
1. Download the PDF file from by clicking on the image below or here.
2. Print it out on A4 paper in as many copies as you like.
3. Cut with scissors along the dotted lines where the tear-off phone numbers would normally appear
[for the reasons we can not disclose in public, please do not enter any phone numbers - leave the tags blank].
4. Place the poster in an appropriate location in your city or in places you visit.
[Note 1: Please post responsibly, and only in the areas where flyers would normally be found - i.e. avoiding illegal locations such as public buildings, transport, sculptures etc.]
[Note 2: As we originally found the singer by following flyers posted in rather desolate areas, it would be also appreciated if your A4 posters are placed not only in the lively city spots, but also in remote locations - do not hesitate to take a few with you on any possible vacation, or business trip].
Since the matter is of utter importance to SOISONG, we have decided to encourage the effort by rewarding your actions. Therefore, please take photographs of the flyers you post.
By sending to us photos of the flyers you may qualify for a free SOISONG T-shirt [free shipping included] with a new design featuring the missing performer's face, made exclusively for the first 100 participants of this action. All photographs should be sent to contact@soisong.com.
For you to be entitled to receive the new SOISONG T-shirt we require that:
a. the photographed flyers are displayed in at least 3 different locations;
b. the images are of high resolution - 700-800 kB size in JPEG format, as minimum;
c. street address and date of each poster placement are provided with each photo;
d. your own postal address and the preferred T-shirt size are specified in the message;
Last but not least: photos of flyers posted in illegal locations will not be admissible.
Naturally, You are welcome to send in more than three images if you like. We also encourage you to upload the photographs to your flickr account, and further submit to the Missing Child Flyer Pool on flickr. All photographs you send to us will be also published on our websites at greedbag.com and soisong.com
SOISONG need your help. However, please see this not only as an opportunity to help us, but also as a unique chance to be a part of SOISONG's history.
"Alas, something to do. Unfortunately I ended up buying a pack of cigarettes during my photo shoot...each beat feeds the heartworms...
You're Welcome
From SoiSong's Blog,
Current mood: imaginative
Category: Travel and Places
SOISONG appreciate the effort of everyone who is helping us with the flyer campaign. There is a steady flow of incoming images, and this alone already makes us happy if only by indicating that your interest in our activities transcends today's "average consumer" levels. We feel we are priviledged to have such a strong and dedicated audience and we would like to thank you for supporting us in these difficult times.
Here is the link to the Flickr group which contains images posted to us or directly to the image pool:
Missing Child Flyer Pool
We found out, however, that images in this group will only star showing to non-members in a few days, according to Flickr's policy of verification. Therefore in the mean time we have set up a simple gallery on our own website - follow the portrait sign from soisong.com [no password required].
We still do encourage people to post photographs to the Flicker group too, and kindly ask to place them on the geographical Map in their own accounts - just like the images posted there by us.
Most of the flyers appear to have been placed in good spots, however one can easily notice a few which appear to be slightly on the border of "littering" - therefore SOISONG ask you once again: please show respect to the envinronment.
PS: we hav ealso noticed in some photographs the image appears within a frame which only belongs to the small image in our blog, not to the actual PDF file. For a better quality printout please do click on the image, as opposed to saving it and/or printing it out. The image is a link to the PDF file which is of considerably better quality and fomatted for printing on a whole A4 sheet."
Current mood:
imaginativeCategory: Travel and Places
SOISONG appreciate the effort of everyone who is helping us with the flyer campaign. There is a steady flow of incoming images, and this alone already makes us happy if only by indicating that your interest in our activities transcends today's "average consumer" levels. We feel we are priviledged to have such a strong and dedicated audience and we would like to thank you for supporting us in these difficult times.
Here is the link to the Flickr group which contains images posted to us or directly to the image pool:
Missing Child Flyer Pool
We found out, however, that images in this group will only star showing to non-members in a few days, according to Flickr's policy of verification. Therefore in the mean time we have set up a simple gallery on our own website - follow the portrait sign from soisong.com [no password required].
We still do encourage people to post photographs to the Flicker group too, and kindly ask to place them on the geographical Map in their own accounts - just like the images posted there by us.
Most of the flyers appear to have been placed in good spots, however one can easily notice a few which appear to be slightly on the border of "littering" - therefore SOISONG ask you once again: please show respect to the envinronment.
PS: we hav ealso noticed in some photographs the image appears within a frame which only belongs to the small image in our blog, not to the actual PDF file. For a better quality printout please do click on the image, as opposed to saving it and/or printing it out. The image is a link to the PDF file which is of considerably better quality and fomatted for printing on a whole A4 sheet."
Friday, May 1, 2009
Answers Come When You're Stoned
To anyone thrown off by the ambiguity of xAj3z's associate images, here are some answers. [SPOILER ALERT: If you're interested in solving this ARG on your own, avoid this post.]
Notice anything about this picture?
The crater is the same shape as xAj3z's packaging!
Now here's the real fun: go to Soisong.com and type in "xAj3z" as the password. This will take you to a series of images, all within a moving Piano-Stealth shaped frame. See if you can spot that shape hidden within each of the photographs. I figured a few out, but am stuck on more than I've solved. It's like Where's Waldo!
Notice anything about this picture?
The crater is the same shape as xAj3z's packaging!
Now here's the real fun: go to Soisong.com and type in "xAj3z" as the password. This will take you to a series of images, all within a moving Piano-Stealth shaped frame. See if you can spot that shape hidden within each of the photographs. I figured a few out, but am stuck on more than I've solved. It's like Where's Waldo!
Reunion Tour
So, apparently there is going to be a SoiSong "Reunion Tour." Fingers crossed that they come to Los Angeles.
From Ivan's Blog,
Current mood:
amorous
Category: Friends
Sleazy was staying over a few days ago - a very productive visit, as usual. I have a strong feeling my physical presence makes him more concentrated when it comes to work. Maybe I'm just being too demanding..
In all cases, we have now fully developed our strategy for the forthcoming SOISONG Reunion Tour in October-November, both technically and conceptually. Sleazy, as always, has been extremely supportive towards all kinds of absurd ideas, so please watch the SOISONG space for some forthcoming news.
We have been taking new photographs during the visit, but unfortunately it will take time before I have them. In the mean time, here's a cheerful one from the xMas days of the xAj3z recordings:
"
From Ivan's Blog,
Current mood:
amorousCategory: Friends
Sleazy was staying over a few days ago - a very productive visit, as usual. I have a strong feeling my physical presence makes him more concentrated when it comes to work. Maybe I'm just being too demanding..
In all cases, we have now fully developed our strategy for the forthcoming SOISONG Reunion Tour in October-November, both technically and conceptually. Sleazy, as always, has been extremely supportive towards all kinds of absurd ideas, so please watch the SOISONG space for some forthcoming news.
We have been taking new photographs during the visit, but unfortunately it will take time before I have them. In the mean time, here's a cheerful one from the xMas days of the xAj3z recordings:
"
Hermetically Sealed: A Review of xAj3z
It is difficult to review something like this, as it exists in a very personal realm for both the artists and the listener. Just as the album itself is an exchange between Ivan and Sleazy, listening to it has been an exchange between my own subconscious and the musical manifestation of SoiSong's.
"Mystery" is my best word to describe this project, which seems to whistle at an experience beyond the music itself. Unlike with COIL and their manifesto, SoiSong has thrown us no bones as far as revealing their intentions. The website, the photographs, the passwords, the obscure album title--everything screams "puzzle" to me. If this is some kind of highly polished ARG, it blows Trent Reznor's Year Zero campaign out of the water.
When I received my "sample" of xAj3z in the mail, it was contained in a large plastic bag, complimenting the idea of it being some sort of lab specimen. Getting it out of this plastic bag was the first challenge, the second was opening it without tearing the beautiful and delicate origami case. This took me quite a few minutes to figure out and confirmed my puzzle theory, at least to myself.
The packaging is remarkable, very elegant and tasteful. Opening it reveals a glossy foldout with a photo of Peter and Ivan as women on one side, and a passage of encrypted text on the other. The text was designed by Ivan and made into a typeface by Peter, with the hope that one day it would be legible. Alas, more mysteries for us eager fans to uncover.
1. Amkhapaa - The album begins quietly, softly stepping out of silence with a gentle echoing piano melody. Slowly it starts to build; vibes enter and interweave, ambient noises creep into the background, the melody sinks lower, the bass rumbles in. At certain points the song moves back towards silence and when it reaches it everything comes back, stronger than before.
2. T-Hu Ri Toh - The second track begins on the same notes as the first, only at lower tone, creating a seamless bridge. However, instead of slowly building it launches into a quick, carnivalesque piano melody that feels like its bouncing around in your ears. This melody rotates with the ambient chimes, bringing them to the center while it continues in the background. The song rotates throughout, each time bringing back a deeper and slightly more distorted piano.
This is the first track to feature one of Sleazy's trademark voices, singing in what I assume to be Thai. The melody comes in behind it, and they dance together until everything once again moves towards silence, softer, quieter, and then--BOOM!--the drums unfold from beneath, creating an extremely dramatic effect. Towards the end a second, higher pitched voice comes in and both begin chanting the track title, "T-Hu Ri Toh," a pattern I began to notice on the rest of the songs.
3. J3z - This starts off with a near-jazz melody, although few sounds on this album fit any genre. Mechanical CoH-esuque drums kick in, followed by a beautiful synth melody and the accompaniment of several beeps and bleeps. Again, this track follows a similar formula of breaking down and then bursting back, creating a duality between noise and ambiance.
4. Mic Mo - Starts with guitar but then dissolves into an amazing, dreamlike sound that lulls under a child singing, "Mic Mo, Mic Mo." There is silence, a heartbeat, and then again it all comes crashing back like a tidal wave of sound. My favorite part of the song is when the guitar returns for the second time in a highly distorted, COIL-esque voice, sounding gorgeously eerie.
5. Paer Tahm - Much more centered on vocals, again at one point repeating the track title, "Paer Tahm" over and over. I'm sure, however, that you could hear track titles repeated in all songs, these just happen to be the only words I can recognize. During one of the breakdowns a child's voice and the backing ambiance create a brilliant mesh of sound that conjures memories of the film Akira. This is one of my favorite moments on the album.
6. Dtorumi - My absolute favorite track. Starts with a hum, then a beat, some delightful ambient noises, and finally one the greatest spooky loops I have ever heard. It sounds like ghosts crying. When the full drums come in...Fuck, I'm listening to it now and its absolutely orgasmic (perhaps its the Adderall).
7. Ti-Di-Ti Naoo - This one sounds almost like a lullaby, a sad goodbye and thanks for listening from SoiSong. It's probably my least favorite track, not because I think its bad but rather because I find trouble identifying with the emotion. It is beautiful though--very peaceful, like staring out the window on a rainy day. Each sound and feeling is so rich and distinct, yet they all resonates perfectly together.
xAj3z is freedom from the mundane. It is the hidden beauty that stares us right in the face and dares us to recognize it. There is nothing generic about its sound, each melody carries its own personality, its own indefinable emotion. To the surface dweller this can be a casual experience, but those who delve a bit deeper will uncover, piece by piece, the hidden revelations that SoiSong has packaged for us.
To me, SoiSong is an open invitation, a chance for us to join Sleazy and Ivan in their international musical endeavors. They have maintained a very open relationship with their fans, and in my opinion this is a critical aspect of what this project is all about. Should I choose to I may correspond with the them via their MySpace, meet them at one of their live performances, or even purchase their stuff in the form of a "memory box." SoiSong is selling an experience to those who are willing to buy it. They have done little to market themselves and seem to rely entirely on the dedication of their acquired fans. Few artists could sell a 7 track album for $35, but they have done it, and done it well.
As their website states, "this area is in expansion," it is rampantly growing ;-) and while it has manifested as xAj3z for the moment, who knows what it will ultimately become. Concepts aside, this is a brilliant piece of music and I recommend it anyone with a desire for something new. While it won't strip down for you the first time you hear it, with a little patience its subtle beauty will begin to unfold.
"Mystery" is my best word to describe this project, which seems to whistle at an experience beyond the music itself. Unlike with COIL and their manifesto, SoiSong has thrown us no bones as far as revealing their intentions. The website, the photographs, the passwords, the obscure album title--everything screams "puzzle" to me. If this is some kind of highly polished ARG, it blows Trent Reznor's Year Zero campaign out of the water.
When I received my "sample" of xAj3z in the mail, it was contained in a large plastic bag, complimenting the idea of it being some sort of lab specimen. Getting it out of this plastic bag was the first challenge, the second was opening it without tearing the beautiful and delicate origami case. This took me quite a few minutes to figure out and confirmed my puzzle theory, at least to myself.
The packaging is remarkable, very elegant and tasteful. Opening it reveals a glossy foldout with a photo of Peter and Ivan as women on one side, and a passage of encrypted text on the other. The text was designed by Ivan and made into a typeface by Peter, with the hope that one day it would be legible. Alas, more mysteries for us eager fans to uncover.
1. Amkhapaa - The album begins quietly, softly stepping out of silence with a gentle echoing piano melody. Slowly it starts to build; vibes enter and interweave, ambient noises creep into the background, the melody sinks lower, the bass rumbles in. At certain points the song moves back towards silence and when it reaches it everything comes back, stronger than before.
2. T-Hu Ri Toh - The second track begins on the same notes as the first, only at lower tone, creating a seamless bridge. However, instead of slowly building it launches into a quick, carnivalesque piano melody that feels like its bouncing around in your ears. This melody rotates with the ambient chimes, bringing them to the center while it continues in the background. The song rotates throughout, each time bringing back a deeper and slightly more distorted piano.
This is the first track to feature one of Sleazy's trademark voices, singing in what I assume to be Thai. The melody comes in behind it, and they dance together until everything once again moves towards silence, softer, quieter, and then--BOOM!--the drums unfold from beneath, creating an extremely dramatic effect. Towards the end a second, higher pitched voice comes in and both begin chanting the track title, "T-Hu Ri Toh," a pattern I began to notice on the rest of the songs.
3. J3z - This starts off with a near-jazz melody, although few sounds on this album fit any genre. Mechanical CoH-esuque drums kick in, followed by a beautiful synth melody and the accompaniment of several beeps and bleeps. Again, this track follows a similar formula of breaking down and then bursting back, creating a duality between noise and ambiance.
4. Mic Mo - Starts with guitar but then dissolves into an amazing, dreamlike sound that lulls under a child singing, "Mic Mo, Mic Mo." There is silence, a heartbeat, and then again it all comes crashing back like a tidal wave of sound. My favorite part of the song is when the guitar returns for the second time in a highly distorted, COIL-esque voice, sounding gorgeously eerie.
5. Paer Tahm - Much more centered on vocals, again at one point repeating the track title, "Paer Tahm" over and over. I'm sure, however, that you could hear track titles repeated in all songs, these just happen to be the only words I can recognize. During one of the breakdowns a child's voice and the backing ambiance create a brilliant mesh of sound that conjures memories of the film Akira. This is one of my favorite moments on the album.
6. Dtorumi - My absolute favorite track. Starts with a hum, then a beat, some delightful ambient noises, and finally one the greatest spooky loops I have ever heard. It sounds like ghosts crying. When the full drums come in...Fuck, I'm listening to it now and its absolutely orgasmic (perhaps its the Adderall).
7. Ti-Di-Ti Naoo - This one sounds almost like a lullaby, a sad goodbye and thanks for listening from SoiSong. It's probably my least favorite track, not because I think its bad but rather because I find trouble identifying with the emotion. It is beautiful though--very peaceful, like staring out the window on a rainy day. Each sound and feeling is so rich and distinct, yet they all resonates perfectly together.
xAj3z is freedom from the mundane. It is the hidden beauty that stares us right in the face and dares us to recognize it. There is nothing generic about its sound, each melody carries its own personality, its own indefinable emotion. To the surface dweller this can be a casual experience, but those who delve a bit deeper will uncover, piece by piece, the hidden revelations that SoiSong has packaged for us.
To me, SoiSong is an open invitation, a chance for us to join Sleazy and Ivan in their international musical endeavors. They have maintained a very open relationship with their fans, and in my opinion this is a critical aspect of what this project is all about. Should I choose to I may correspond with the them via their MySpace, meet them at one of their live performances, or even purchase their stuff in the form of a "memory box." SoiSong is selling an experience to those who are willing to buy it. They have done little to market themselves and seem to rely entirely on the dedication of their acquired fans. Few artists could sell a 7 track album for $35, but they have done it, and done it well.
As their website states, "this area is in expansion," it is rampantly growing ;-) and while it has manifested as xAj3z for the moment, who knows what it will ultimately become. Concepts aside, this is a brilliant piece of music and I recommend it anyone with a desire for something new. While it won't strip down for you the first time you hear it, with a little patience its subtle beauty will begin to unfold.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
SoiSong Album Released!
Buy it here.
I've also added a few links to the COIL Interview Collection, as well as a new COIL YouTube Collection.
Nude Pics of xAj3z
Respects paid to BlueKephra for the info,
From Ivan's blog,
"
Current mood: jubilant
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural
Here is something I feel very happy and proud about: package design for the new SOISONG album. I admit my original intention was to make it follow the concept introduced with our first release - "disposable design" [read "making outrageously expensive package which has to be destroyed in order to hear the record"]. Luckily, this time my band-mate Sleazy persuaded me to make something that can be re-used. Now, I personally don't mind my amateur design ambitions to be ripped apart by the hands of music lovers - after all I'm not a designer in any measure. But ever since seeing the way the first record turned out, I am filled with profound respect to the one-man company Here Ltd. that puts an incredible amount of care and passion into making my utopian school-boyish paperworks into professionally looking CD package. I guess I simply could no longer let this work of love to be destroyed, so..
Here is the result: PIANO STEALTH [TM] package, which I am happy to unveil now as our album has been announced.
The first image is the outside "shell", which was originally sketched to be "disposable"..
[Carefully] opening the shell, one finds a glossy folder which contains the actual CD. The front page of the folder portrays me and Sleazy slightly morphed into one of the photographs taken with help from Emi+ Takeuchi in Tokyo. [I must say the models look so much better in their original shapes!]
The back side of the package spells a cryptic message written in a typeface I accidentally came up with specifically for the purpose. I am very happy Peter Christopherson voluntarily took the difficult job of making a proper font out of it.. and I truly hope someone will one day be able to read what it says!
Within the folder hides a piano-laquered octagonal CD made with help from our friend in Taipei, Han Li Chiou.
Finally, the inside of the "shell" this time contains useful information one often expects to find in a record - printed credits and a drawing made for us by our webmaster Yuu Omiya - watch out for SOISONG T-shirts with this design!
In other words, the way this album looks today is a result of a very dedicated collective effort and I feel very grateful to everyone who put their love and energy into it. Myself, I have not seen the actual package yet, but I was already told it feels even better than what it looks like in the pictures. I'm not dribbling, but I'm certainly full of anticipation."
From Ivan's blog,
"
Current mood:
jubilantCategory: Dreams and the Supernatural
Here is something I feel very happy and proud about: package design for the new SOISONG album. I admit my original intention was to make it follow the concept introduced with our first release - "disposable design" [read "making outrageously expensive package which has to be destroyed in order to hear the record"]. Luckily, this time my band-mate Sleazy persuaded me to make something that can be re-used. Now, I personally don't mind my amateur design ambitions to be ripped apart by the hands of music lovers - after all I'm not a designer in any measure. But ever since seeing the way the first record turned out, I am filled with profound respect to the one-man company Here Ltd. that puts an incredible amount of care and passion into making my utopian school-boyish paperworks into professionally looking CD package. I guess I simply could no longer let this work of love to be destroyed, so..
Here is the result: PIANO STEALTH [TM] package, which I am happy to unveil now as our album has been announced.
The first image is the outside "shell", which was originally sketched to be "disposable"..
[Carefully] opening the shell, one finds a glossy folder which contains the actual CD. The front page of the folder portrays me and Sleazy slightly morphed into one of the photographs taken with help from Emi+ Takeuchi in Tokyo. [I must say the models look so much better in their original shapes!]
The back side of the package spells a cryptic message written in a typeface I accidentally came up with specifically for the purpose. I am very happy Peter Christopherson voluntarily took the difficult job of making a proper font out of it.. and I truly hope someone will one day be able to read what it says!
Within the folder hides a piano-laquered octagonal CD made with help from our friend in Taipei, Han Li Chiou.
Finally, the inside of the "shell" this time contains useful information one often expects to find in a record - printed credits and a drawing made for us by our webmaster Yuu Omiya - watch out for SOISONG T-shirts with this design!
In other words, the way this album looks today is a result of a very dedicated collective effort and I feel very grateful to everyone who put their love and energy into it. Myself, I have not seen the actual package yet, but I was already told it feels even better than what it looks like in the pictures. I'm not dribbling, but I'm certainly full of anticipation."
COIL on Flickr
Those not familiar should turn their attention to The Solar Lodge, an excellent COIL related Flickr group. While you're there, check out Chris Carter and Sleazy's pages as well.
Here are some gems:
Here are some gems:
Bread Crumbs
SoiSong has been teasing us with a series of obscure photographs, released daily on their MySpace. I assume this will lead up to the much-awaited release of xAj3z.
Codename: Piano Stealth
Updates!
From Sleazy's Blog,
"We have finally received specimens of the Object some refer to as "xAj3z", though here at the Lab, the boys have affectionately nicknamed it "piano-stealth" for reasons that will become clear when you get your own sample.
Having received the all-clear from Health and Safety officials we will be sending them out to Officially Sanctioned Distribution Points, in the next few days. If you have suitable security clearance you will be able to obtain your own sample, directly from the SoiSong site, as well as from local sources.
No one is quite sure what to make of them, since they are quite unlike anything anyone could have expected, and seem to suggest a totally New Mutation of the Genus - Possibly a New Species or Genre altogether, originating who-knows-where, and with features and abilities we can only guess at.
Naturally they should be handled with care.
As with the previous smaller sample of this nature, we do not advise you to insert it willy-nilly into just any old slot or orifice, as it could be extremely damaging. Use only tray based equipment.
Despite the reassurances of the scientists that "nothing can go wrong" we are wary of distributing the Object's source code by digital means, and strongly recommend that, whenever not in use, the substance be contained within its completely unique casing, which we surmise serves some kind of protective function, though whether for us, or the object itself, we don't know. Needless to say you should take whatever steps you can to prevent it's uncontrolled propagation.
Frankly, we just don't know how this thing could spread.
see also: www.soisong.com and www.myspace.com/soisong
Your affectionate Unkle Sleaz ,-)"
From SoiSong's MySpace,
"We are proud to announce that our first album is ready to be released. In a few days the CDs packaged according to PIANO STEALTH [TM] technology will be available from our online store. In the mean time you are welcome to enjoy a brief preview of the material here on myspace. Please make sure to be visiting www.soisong.com for the soon forthcoming updates of the relevant part of the site - as always, use the album title [xAj3z] as password."
From Sleazy's Blog,
"We have finally received specimens of the Object some refer to as "xAj3z", though here at the Lab, the boys have affectionately nicknamed it "piano-stealth" for reasons that will become clear when you get your own sample.
Having received the all-clear from Health and Safety officials we will be sending them out to Officially Sanctioned Distribution Points, in the next few days. If you have suitable security clearance you will be able to obtain your own sample, directly from the SoiSong site, as well as from local sources.
No one is quite sure what to make of them, since they are quite unlike anything anyone could have expected, and seem to suggest a totally New Mutation of the Genus - Possibly a New Species or Genre altogether, originating who-knows-where, and with features and abilities we can only guess at.
Naturally they should be handled with care.
As with the previous smaller sample of this nature, we do not advise you to insert it willy-nilly into just any old slot or orifice, as it could be extremely damaging. Use only tray based equipment.
Despite the reassurances of the scientists that "nothing can go wrong" we are wary of distributing the Object's source code by digital means, and strongly recommend that, whenever not in use, the substance be contained within its completely unique casing, which we surmise serves some kind of protective function, though whether for us, or the object itself, we don't know. Needless to say you should take whatever steps you can to prevent it's uncontrolled propagation.
Frankly, we just don't know how this thing could spread.
see also: www.soisong.com and www.myspace.com/soisong
Your affectionate Unkle Sleaz ,-)"
From SoiSong's MySpace,
"We are proud to announce that our first album is ready to be released. In a few days the CDs packaged according to PIANO STEALTH [TM] technology will be available from our online store. In the mean time you are welcome to enjoy a brief preview of the material here on myspace. Please make sure to be visiting www.soisong.com for the soon forthcoming updates of the relevant part of the site - as always, use the album title [xAj3z] as password."
Sunday, February 1, 2009
COIL YouTube Collection
Music Videos
Tainted Love
Windowpane
The Snow (Answers Come in Dreams II)
The Wheel
Live
Amsterdam
Greece
Berlin
Supersonic Festival
Barcelona
Paris
New York City
Moscow
Rehearsals
Italy
The Angelic Conversation
The Threshold Houseboys Choir
Brainwaves Festival
Moscow
Antwerp
SoiSong
Sugar Factory
Athens
Moscow
Tainted Love
Windowpane
The Snow (Answers Come in Dreams II)
The Wheel
Live
Amsterdam
Greece
Berlin
Supersonic Festival
Barcelona
Paris
New York City
Moscow
Rehearsals
Italy
The Angelic Conversation
The Threshold Houseboys Choir
Brainwaves Festival
Moscow
Antwerp
SoiSong
Sugar Factory
Athens
Moscow
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