REVIEWS_03_on Paper

ON PAPER V/A

released on: Crónica 005~2003

Ce recueil remet au goût du jour certaines pratiques héritées du "nouveau-réalisme" (arrachage d'affiches, etc...) à la lumière de l'électronica éxperimentale.
>06.2004 Coda (FR)

On Paper is perhaps the most strange, uncommercial, unfathomable and difficult releases around. Yet I say that with a strange sense of awe. The concept of mixing and remixing the sounds of paper being ripped, those great big thick, almost cardboard gig posters you see around town, or you would if you lived in Berlin, is unmistakably weird. Stranger still is that this is a double disc set filled with numerous souls who have lined up for the challenge. And there’s even some known names such as Sebastian Meissner (Random Inc/Autoposies) and Ran Slavin who team up under the name b.Z_ToneR for a couple of incredibly minimal and tense electronic pieces flirting in that quiet and gentle way with dangerous frequencies that in the wrong hands could be potentially head splitting, yet in theirs are almost pop. There’s also German artist Stephan Mathieu, a master at dragging out the unseen/ unheard frequencies trapped beneath the recordings. Mathieu’s contribution surprisingly is a spooky drone, half feedback, half organ, a dreamy narcotic that seems to have little to do with the paper preamble, which only leads to more confusion. Many of the tracks feature much scratching, banging crashing and yes of course ripping, but little in the way of melody, rhythm, or repetition, in short there are very few handles. Yet it’s in these strange bleak environments where the unexpected can grow, such as the fragile warm industrial drone of Pal or Pure’s All This Paperwork, which begins abstract and difficult yet develops a soothing electric ambience that is simultaneous painful calming before erupting into a strange mechanical drone. Again what this has to do with paper is totally beyond me, yet given this disc boasts some of the strangest music I’ve encountered I’m willing to sit tight and forgive any thematic inconsistencies.
>Bob Baker Fish 06.2004
cyclicdefrost.com

The Portuguese label Crónica released a double CD with several relatively unknown names. Some of the artists presented here have released material through the label previously, like @c, Pedro Tudela, Longina and Vitor Joaquim. Other artists such as Stephan Mathieu or Pure are known due to releases resp. Lucky Kitchen, Fällt Publishing, Ritornell, and Grob or dOc Recordings.
The first album can be seen as a collection of tracks with a rich diversity. CD1 features seven tracks, all offering a different atmosphere. Opening with Vitor Joaquim's strong rhythmic piece in which heavy noises interrupt and interchange with the rhythm, the album continues with a more myterious approach by (Des) Integração. The combinatin of crispy sounds, crackles and the sound of bells gives the listener the impression to be situated in a mysterious fabric hall all on it's own.
The third piece can be considered just as uncommon, b.Z_ToneR combine a female "Science Fiction" voice with irregular percussion beats and many sound particles.
Stephan Mathieu offers a piece in which flutes seem to be tuned. Sad, long drawn-out tunes have been layered in a monotonous, emotionless way. Pure's contribution exists of different atmospheres. Some parts of this piece remind of the refined work by Richard Chartier, other parts seem to be generated by means of contact mics.
Pal's composition reminds of a slow approaching sound ship; dense repetitive and mysterious. Paulo Raposo's contribution changes all the time, heading off with disrupted, distorted snippets and getting quite noisy at the end.
The second album of the On paper compilation features two artists also presented on CD1: b.Z_ToneR and Vitor Joachim. The four remaining projects are @c, Longine, Pedro Tudelo and Return.
CD2 offers about the same atmosphere compared to CD1, though with a little more song structure. Warm electronics have been combined with noises that seem to be created by means of contact mics, repetitive structures co-exist next to unexpected scrapings. Songs are build upon a string of varying ways of making music.
Number 005 in the Crónica series proves the quality of this label.
05.2004 (NL)
Phosphor.nl

Papier is een informatiedrager en een opgerold pakket verregende posters is kunst! Op deze dubbele verzamel cd buigt de Portugese elektronische ondergrond zich over het papierwerk. Relatief bekende namen als Vitor Joaquim em [des]integração halen papiergeluiden uit hun software (en omgekeerd). Pulserende tonen worden versneden met diepe bassen, computergesis en papierstroken die worden verfrommeld of verscheurd. Stefan Mathieu valt op met een ode aan mensen die met behulp van een vloeipapiertje een kam kunnen omtoveren tot een mondharmonica. De finale van Return is een multimediatrack waarin vier (papier)stroken met natuurbeelden over elkaar schuiven tegen een achtergrond van versterkt papiergeffrommel. Wie in de vorige eeuw vond dat de primitieve papiermanipulaties van The Haters naar meer smaakten weet wat hem te does staat.
03.2004 Gonzo Circus.be.nl

O suicídio esclarecido de Sócrates, encarado como prova da imortalidade da alma, faz sentido em termos ontológicos. Acontece que, quando calha a nós, como diria Woody Allen, faz sentido, sim, mas "no papel". Esta discrepância entre a Fé e a desconfiança da razão encontra eco no trabalho de "colagem/descolagem" empreendida por artístas sónicos portugueses como Vitor Joaquim, @c, Paulo Raposo, Longina e Pedro Tudela, a partir de um tema deste último, "Rasgão.aif", e do papel, simultaneamente superfície rasa e suporte de informação. "Aceitar que se trata de uma matéria que acumula informação por camadas e conjugações" como ponto de partida, determina as múltiplas manipulações/funções de "On Paper" em que o som do papel (rasgado, dobrado, batido à máquina...) é processado electronicamente. Ao contrário da máxima de Allen, porém, resulta desta operação não a dúvida ou o medo, mas uma paleta diversificada de músicas inseridas no "industrial", na música concreta, no ambientalismo digital sujo ou em abstracções órfãs de paternidade estética. Soa incómodo, no papel. Aos ouvidos, felizmente, ainda mais. 8/10
Fernando Magalhães
23.01.2004 Y.Público.pt (PT)

Originaire du Portugal, le label Crónica propose avec On Paper une prolongation musicale sur le thème de la manipulation de la matière, et en particulier, comme son titre l'indique, du papier. Collage-décollage-coupage, la réflexion sur les gestuelles et pratiques communes à l'utilisation du papier at à la création musicale électronique sert de poiunt d'ancrage à l'intervention de plusieurs artistes réputés dont Stephan Mathieu, Pal ou les Portugais Vitor Joaquim et Pedro Tudela. Papier de verre ou papier glacé, les sensations tactiles at auditives se marient avec bonheurs dans les moutures musicales allant de la musique concrète à l'ambient industriel.
01.2004 Octopus.fr (FR)

Auslotung von Aggregatzuständen, ihre Beschreibung und Veränderung, und das alles in Sound. Das Label Crónica aus Porto setzt auf Intermedialität, allen Widrigkeiten wie »zu arty« und »zu offensichtlich« zum Trotz. Diese formschöne Doppel-CD-Compilation österreichischer, deutscher und portugiesischer Klangkunst hat das Papier zum Thema. Sozusagen eine Brücke zwischen den Cut-Ups auf Papier und deren akustischer Abbildung. Nicht: Wie fasse ich mein Gedicht in Töne, sondern: Wie geschieht der Transfer der »Restgeräusche« des Papiers auf eine musikalische Oberfläche? Kratzen, schaben, reißen, schneiden,... alles wunderbare Soundquellen, die es per Mikrofon abzunehmen gilt. Dann aber sind diese Geräusche ihrer Ursprünge eigentlich so beraubt, dass sie zu »freien« Klängen werden und die einzigen Unterscheidungsmerkmale nur noch zwischen dem eigentlichen Gegenstand (Papier) und der Peripherie (Stift, Mund, Stimme,...) auszumachen sind. Wenn es so etwas gibt wie das »originär Sonische« des Papiers, dann ist es auch nach diesen 13 Beiträgen gut in irgendwelchen schwarzen Wissenslöchern verborgen, von weiteren Komponenten wie räumliche und zeitliche Verdichtungen – also krümmen und zerknüllen – mal ganz abgesehen. Und das trotz einer sehr guten Auswahl an Musikern wie Vitor Joaquim, Stephan Matieu, Pure und Petro Tuleda. Allemal ein ambitionierter Sampler, der völlig unprätentiös daherkommt und nichts weniger im Sinn hat, als Wissenschaft und Rock’n’Roll miteinander kurzzuschließen. Dranbleiben, Crónica verspricht viel Gutes.
Heinrich Deisl
01.2004 Skug.at (AT)
http://www.skug.at/reviews/
review_b.php?id=1983

Sobrement Intitulé "On paper", cette compilation élaborée par Pedro Tudela, armateur de Crónica records est un rêve lointain , une méditation antérieure rendue possible et accessible par un travail laborieux et passionné. Couché sur le papier, ses 13 compositions le sont: réfléchies, pensées, maturées ; chacune emprunte un chemin de traverse sur le parcours de l'initiation et de l'expérimentation.
Etrangement, l'idée, bâtie autour du "collage-décollage" (rien avoir avec les compilation Mille Plateaux) n'est pas venue de la musique, mais de la sphère plastique/artistique. Inspiré malgré lui par les travaux de Villégié et des Hackers publicitaires (lire No Logo de Naomie Klein), Tudela a récupéré des bribes et des lambeaux d'affiches superposés et, en défini, par ce biais, une transposition musicale qui voit aujourd'hui le jour.
Il part de l1idée que cette superposition d'affiches, d'images, de publicités crée une grammaire visuelle, un phrasé cohérent ou des concept donnent vie à d'autres concepts.
Musicalement, le travail de collage-décollage se transpose en un univers de séquençage et de soustraction d'apports personnels à un ouvrage commun.
La part de chacun dans la composition se dilue dans l'échange et la transposition. Les interventions sont multiples et dressent le panorama joyeusement chaotique de la production actuelle au Portugal : on retrouve ici, Paulo Raposo, Vitor Joaquim, @c, Longina, [des]integração, b.Z_ToneR et évidemment Pedro Tudela, qui composent le pré carré du collectif Crónica auquel sont venus s'adjoindre quelques illustres messagers tels Pure, Pal, return ou Stephen Mathieu.
Fort intéressant.
12.2003 Jade.fr (FR)
http://www.pastis.org/jade/jade.htm

Hier ist auch Geduld erforderlich, aber da sich 13 Artists auf 2 Discs abwechseln, geht das sehr gut. Akustisch exploriert wird nur mehr ein Material: Papier. das medienmusikalische Experiment birgt aufgrund seiner spannenden Vielfalt überraschend viele packende Momente, vor allem auf der zeiten CD.
11.2003 Terz.de (DE)

Digitale bits en bytes voor de avantgarde-freaks. "On Paper" focust op het fenomen collage-décollage en pakt uit met verstilde elektronica, ruwe klankschetsen vol digitale storingen of simpelweg hoogtechnologische elektronicabeats. Qua collage kan zulks tellen.
11.2003 Rifraf.be.nl (NL)

Il arrive de plus en plus souvent que les mondes de l'art et de la musique électronique se croisent et s'influencent, que des plasticiens sonores soient invités à illustrer des expositions ou à l'inverse que ce soit des démarches plastiques qui influencent leur propre pratique musicale. a des échelons divers, ces deux approces sont représentées dans les deux doubles compilations Audiolab et On Paper.
(...) c'est une émotion esthétique ressentie par le compilateur Pedro tudela, alors qu'il travaillait sur une pièce sur le collage et le décollage d'affiches, qui est à l'origine de la compilation On Paper. Partant de tous les éléments du papier, sa plasticité, sa capacité de mémoire, son rôle de support d'information, les divers artistes présents ont composé des titres où les drones et les craquements, les sons organiques et les compositions électroniques rivalisent pour appréhender toutes les réalités distinctes d'une simple feuille de papier.
Jean-François Micard
11.2003 D-Side.fr (FR)

I'll leave the conceptual explanation of this double CD to its cover notes; suffice for me to say, this is mostly obscure concrete/electronic/pulse music presented by Portuguese artists with some "famous" guest, like Pure and Stephan Mathieu, whose highly personal sound is almost instantly recognizable in a group of pieces tending to suburban hollowness and experimental practices. No easy task getting the goodies at first listen - better still, I suggest listening to "On paper" through headphones to catch all the subtleties and the different interesting artistic personalities, of which there's certainly no shortage here. While Longina's "On voice", with its incessant beat, is maybe the most capturing track, I'd say I choose my "preferred ones" in the pair of @c and b.Z_ToneR, whose use of space and sense of "waiting-for-an-accident-to-happen" gives something to fix with our own ears.
http://www.touchingextremes.org
(IT)

Parte-se então para novos processos de abstracção/concretização.
É precisamente desta dicotomia entre a abstracção e a concretização que vive a compilação On Paper. É que, partindo de uma realidade concreta - o sample com papel a ser rasgado -, o seu processamento será sempre uma abstracção em relação a esta, bem como a construção de uma nova realidade concreta. Em suma, uma faixa que parta numa direcção mais abstracta em relação ao ponto de partida poderá também aproximar-se de uma realidade musicalmente mais concreta (ou não).
O exemplo pode ser materializado pelas duas faixas de b.Z_toneR; "Let's Get Lost" atira para memórias recônditas a sua génese para se aproximar de terrenos convencionais, enquanto que "In and Out of Love" tem ainda os golpes desferidos no papel - sendo também uma faixa musicalmente mais abstracta. Na mesma linha temos o tema de Stephan Mathieu, circular como o silvo de um carrossel envolto em algodão doce (os rasgões andam lá longe, imperceptíveis). Com Vitor Joaquim acontece o mesmo, com o segundo tema, mais incisivo e rítmico, a adquirir uma maior personalidade.
Queremos com isto dizer que On Paper ganha claramente nos temas em que a consciência harmónica, rítmica ou até melódica toma os comandos, tornando-se quase invisível nos temas que se aproximem de realidades conceptuais/ambientais/sonoplásticas - riscar a(s) que não interesse(m). 6/10
Sérgio Gomes da Costa
19.08.2003 Blitz.pt (PT)

O artista plástico e músico electroacústico Pedro Tudela propôs a uma série de músicos (...) o desafio de reciclarem os sons do registo de uma manipulação sua de cartazes publicitários retirados das paredes do Porto, cartazes sobrepostos a outros cartazes, em várias camadas de papel engrossados e endurecidos pela cola, a chuva e o sol. O trabalho realizado por Tudela tem uma forte dimensão conceptual, sendo o papel tratado simultaneamente como superfície, suporte e medium, o que implica interessantes relações entre as ideias de espaço e acção - para além das características particulares de uma matéria como esta já carregada de informação, ainda que informação deturpada, tornada numa abstracção de sentido. A gravação original foi incluída, o que nos proporciona uma melhor ideia das transformações operadas pelos participantes nesta colectânea. (...) Particularmente felizes são as intervenções de Paulo Raposo, Stephan Matthieu e Pure, mas o todo desta edição torna-a na mais interessante até à data do selo Crónica.
Rui Eduardo Paes (PT)

(...)