s w e e t b e a t s
june.14.2001 - #658
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artist : Mikael Stavostrand
album : Lite
year : 2000
label : Mitek
genre : Lo-Fi
catalogue : mitek1cd
quality : CD 192k HQ True Stereo
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01.1 03:34
02.2 07:57
03.3 06:30
04.4 06:16
05.5 07:28
06.6 02:49
07.7 rmx 05:30
08.8 03:41
09.9 02:20
10.10 01:10
11.11 06:39
11 tracks | 53:54 mins | 74,1 MB
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Lite blips open the first track on Lite. Going through a mellow
sequence with a gentle clicking at the peak and a slight background
crackle. The track retains a consistency, exhibiting little
variation - a wave lapping in constant tidal motion. The second
piece starts with a sound like a tick mechanism or a gulping
motion. Tock and fizz carry on the building wave; a subtle build.
The wave becoming a slow seesaw shift. A new sound comes in, a sort
of bob, acting as beat to give a rhythm across the flow. This
causes mild agitation amongst the fizz and pop shift. Pace shifts
up a notch, though the feel is still easy. Another notch - we have
a vibe established. A springy boink passes. Sliding slow dissolve.
A hum in slow oscillation is the third piece. Slight stroke and
periodic micro click. Very subdued feel of deep sleep. Light snare
taps, bringing occasional swipes. The chromatic feeling of the hum
seems more regular. There is a suggestion of bubbling working its
way in. Even with the extra detail this remains the barest dream,
flicker of eye motion. Tonal shift, repeating echo, forming a
sequence in the fourth piece. As these act off each other a
blipping glitch layers comes in more pronounced and with a blocky
edge. The pace increases markedly, forming a bobbing sequence.
Verging on energetic as a tin tap adds a gated progress. The sway
of the initial elements is a hypnotic back and forth behind the
diverting fore.
The following piece has a bass pulse on the edge of hearing,
followed by a glitched extraction. Buried a little chord hums,
suddenly welling to a more fore position through the increased
bubbling. This puts out an invitation for diversification, steady
taps providing a guiding beat. The regularity of the piece isn't so
different to the earlier pieces, but admittedly the feel of this
track gets a little dull. A stroke of bass sets up a jag in the
sixth piece, point a to b, jump, a to b. Metallic snare spikes with
this. The two elements in mechanical repetition. Slow change comes
with the number of repeats the glitch snare gets in each cycle till
it becomes the sole element.
The seventh piece is a remix, though given the lack of track titles
as far as I can see it is not clear what it is a remix of.
Regardless, it forms a pronounced glitch and pulse cycle - upbeat
and energetic, which makes it a more obvious piece. The cycle works
in lurching repetition - a bob back and forth. There is a catch and
a slithered glitch adds another element, bringing extra variables
in the process. With the last catch and then a lush shimmer we have
the eighth piece. There is a fluid sound, and suggestion of bird
sounds a mild impression of exotic location. The tonal motion
maintains as a wash, a vibrant drone, with a light surface popping.
Dipping in vibrant hum is the ninth piece, a slow glitch format
evolving into a tapping vibe. The taps become catches and the vibe
more sluggish, while there are high chimes around the edges. The
penultimate composition starts in a more dramatic fashion - setting
up swirls, dip and rise teasingly. A crackling mass adds to fore,
then aft then the whole is gone. Leaving the final piece - a very
slight rattle works as a glitch element to the sighing wave.
Engaging operation the base becomes a stepped up hum, the rattle
now a trickling flow. A pan sifts dust from the flow. A chord plays
a passing call its moments repeating in returning manner. The
subdued wetness stepping up with a crackle of percussion and three
stroke snare element. Energetic suggestion increases by increments,
till a catching sequence occurs - stutter and repeat till the end
is reached.
Lite is the first release on Mikael Stavostrand's own label. The CD
presenting compositions based on sound material from the
installation piece 10 klp which was produced for Artgenda 2000.
Possibly as a result of being for an installation the sounds show
mild evolution for each piece, the ones that work the best being
those which are the most mellow and easy going, while the more
pronounced tracks can be a little repetitive. Compared to
Degeneration the last release covered by Stavostrand here this is a
considerably more coherent release overall, taking the idea further
in a clear fashion. At times spacey and reminding in some way of
recent work by Ultra Milkmaids. --rem_ind.tripod.com
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s w e e t b e a t s
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greetings to klangwerk, mgc, sour, dh, impg & sfe
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