Test ToneTest Tone

Test Tone vol. 23
Broken Melodies and Other Protusions
Featuring: Xyramat (from East Germany), Ultra Living, Dowding-Club, MOJU aka Michel Pennec (Video Works)



The 23rd installment of Test Tone once again brings a line-up of artists from the periphery without fear or favour. This month, we are proud to be the first stop on veteran German artist Xyramat's tour of Japan. A member of the networks Female Pressure and Electronic Ladiez, her music pushes the boundaries of electro-acoustic composition. Using a plethora of sound sources (including her own voice), she creates aural tapestries, making captivating soundtracks for several films in the past. Also in the line-up is Ultra Living, a group who, for over ten years, has remained consistent in both quality and innovation, with releases on Creation Records, Sub-Pop, and P-Vine here in Japan. Flowing seamlessly between post-rock and free improvisation, they have returned to a band format for their 4th release, Zoonomia, scheduled for release on May 3rd. Completing the line-up is Dowding-Club, a unit led by Naoto Sekijima and Akihiko Taniguchi, who play improvised music with self-made electronics, prepared strings (violin and cello), laptop, programing, remote-controlled helicopters and more. In addition to all this fine music, we will have Swiss filmmaker Michel Pennec aka 'moju' on hand to premiere several of his latest works. A fine night out indeed.

For more information please visit: www.test-tone.com

Xyramat (Japan Tour 2007)

The music of East German female electronic music artist Xyramat pushes the boundaries of electro-acoustic composition into fresh new territory. Using a plethora of sound sources (including her own voice), she creates aural tapestries, making captivating soundtracks for several films in the past. Now based in Hamburg, Xyramat is a member of the networks Female Pressure and Electronic Ladiez, moderates the monthly radio show 'Radio Gagarin' together with Jetzman and Asmus Tietchens at FSK, and contributed to the CD sampler compilation 'Women take back the Noise'. We are proud to be the first stop on her 2007 tour of Japan.

Ultra Living

It's been five years since Ultra Living's last release - 2002's Through. Perhaps it took that long to strip away the layers to reveal the sparser, leaner sound evident on their latest album, Zoomania, released on May 3 on p-vine in Japan. The brothers Nonaka – the foundation of the band since its formation back in '96 - have largely swapped their laptops and electronics for piano and guitar, and are joined by a double-bass player and drummer to round out a music marked by plaintiff, jazz-inflected melodies and elegantly simple arrangements.

Dowding-Club

This rambunctious unit, led by Naoto Sekijima and Akihiko Taniguchi, covers such a wide spectrum of music in their performances, it's hard to know how to define them. Granted, in their own words: "dowding-club does not have conception for playing music" and "dowding-club makes sweet song sometime". However, what can be promised is an exceptionally unexpected live performance from this group, who will mesh their anti-conception with a fine sense of hip-hop, electronica, lo-fi aesthetic and wit. Improvised music in the truest sense, with self-made electronics, prepared strings (violin and cello), laptop, programing, remote-controlled helicopters and more.

MOJU aka Michel Pennec (Video Works)

These days, we seem to have been inundated with moving pictures; from the YouTube phenomenon to video blogs, 'video artists' are clambering out of every corner of our multi-mediated world. MOJU aka Michel Pennec reveals himself as a fresh interpreter of the image. Much of his subject matter seem sociological in its conception, exploring ideas such as contemporary surveillance and the effect of environment on perception. With soundtracks from the pioneers of noise and drone (such as Dave Phillips, HOFLI, Phroq and Kohei Matsunaga), his universe is challenging and complex, deserving a second look, and often even a third.

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A documental slide show of OEIL

March 4th - 30th