V.A. (VARIOUS ARTISTS) (COMPILATIONS) - Struppig Mahlen

Format: CD

Label & Cat.Number: icht-ung/KulturStadtLev

Release Year: 2023

Price (incl. 19% VAT): €13.00

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"My oh my, time flies ... The first activities I did for Vital Weekly were in February '22 after meeting with Frans at a book presentation. And the first batch of CDs I reviewed included a sampler entitled "Struppig Droehnen!". (Vital 1323, http://www.vitalweekly.net/1323.html) So it is a kind of mindf*ck to see and hear the next instalment of that CD, which bears the title "Struppig Mahlen!".
First things first: There is an annual event in Leverkusen called 'Struppig Tanzen', and the artists performing last year are featured on this CD. The event, as well as the CD, are guided into existence by Milan Sandbleistift a.k.a. ]licht-ung[. In 2022, the performers were Recorded Home, Modelbau, [BOLT], Orphax and Murmur. As with the previous episodes, I wonder why the f*** I didn't attend the event. Who knows, maybe this year?

Even if it is a sampler or registration, the CD has a bit of a dual approach. Of the five tracks, two are live recordings made at the event, and three artists chose to edit or rework the recordings into what is presented on the CD. Therefore, the ambience in the tracks is different, which is a bit strange. It's like when you listen to a fantastic industrial noise drone album, and suddenly you hear one neo-folk track with militaristic drumming because there are people who like both styles. It may not break the atmosphere, but it influences it. But it's a choice; in this case, the final mastering created uniformity.

Recorded Home is recorded live (red: you knew that would be written) and is based on an arpeggiated kinda melody with spoken / sung words. Strings and pads and, in the end, even rhythms are added, and even though it's not my thing, it is a welcome opener for this release. Modelbau is next with a 16-minute drone that he does. A delay / looped system is fed with sounds and noises, and this way, they keep developing themselves and the composition. The title "My Memory Of What Happened, Is Not What Happened" is a clue that this is one of those re-recorded tracks I wrote about earlier. The third track is [BOLT], with a 17-minute piece called [37]. [BOLT] is a trio with drums, basses and effects and on this CD, they present a proper piece of post-rock or maybe even drone-rock (if there is something like drone-metal, there should be drone-rock too, right?). It starts easy, with a nice minimal post-rock middle and a noisy ending. Yet, especially, this track would become stronger if it were a proper studio recording.
The final two tracks are Orphax, which presents a short but powerful drone, and Patrick McGinley's Murmur. Usually, when I get to review Orphax or listen to him in my spare time, I choose the long pieces because I love how he develops his compositions. The tension over a longer period is something Sietse controls very well, and even with this drone being well done, I can't help thinking it seems a bit 'rushed'. I know it's not, but I suppose that's the time/tension thing. "Music For Shaggy Dancing" by Murmur closes this document of the event and is, with its 30 minutes, the longest track. The booklet has extensive information on the used sounds and their sources, and this track was recreated entirely in the studio. It sounds pretty majestic with great dynamics and dedication towards the mix: A nice clear production, lots of attention to placement and a open ambience.
A festival like this - and therefore this compilation - is great to get acquainted with new names. And next to enjoying the release, this particular sampler makes me want to buy more Murmur." [BW/Vital Weekly]