a r t i s t : Stephan Mathieu
t i t l e : Radioland
d a t e : 2008
l a b e l : Die Schachtel
c a t : DSART06
s o u r c e : CDDA
g e n r e : Electronic/Ambient/Drone
r l s. d a t e : May/2008
t r a c k s : 07
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 77,0 MB
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GENRE: electronic, drone
FORMAT: CD digipack
DESCRIPTION: Deluxe transparent CD, coloured plexiglass body,
clear acetate multifold cover - 500 copies only
PRICE: 20 euro
Radioland is Stephan Mathieu's long awaited 5th full length
studio work, following his acclaimed The Sad Mac CD from 2004.
Exclusively based on real-time processed shortwave radio
signals, Radioland takes the listener on a carpet ride across
endless, majestic shimmering landscapes. Radioland is a
mesmerizing reflection on the bubble of information thats all
around us, all the time, by one of the truly unique minds in
today's abstract digitalia.
boomkat:
*WE HAVE THE LAST 40 COPIES NOW IN STOCK - STRICTLY LIMITED
EDITION TRANSPARENT CD - HOUSED IN AN ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS
OVERSIZED PLEXIGLASS CASE WITH AN ACETATE FOLDOUT COVER* In
recent years Stephan Mathieu has composed some of the very
finest examples of what the microsound movement has to offer:
most recently 2006's Hidden Name (Cronica) with Janek
Schaefer, and before that 2004's Pieces Of Winter (Sirr) with
John Hudak. Until now, the release of The Sad Mac on Japanese
imprint Headz was the most recent solo recording from Mathieu,
and deservingly, it found him a good deal of acclaim in the
press, but Radioland sounds like a real step up for the
composer and is without question one of the most beautiful
albums you'll see and hear in 2008. The album takes shortwave
radio signals as its starting point, meaning Mathieu instantly
invites comparisons with Tod Dockstader and William Basinski,
but while there's often a grainy, hazed over murk to those
works, Mathieu somehow brings a luminosity and brightness out
of his sources. The opening trilogy of pieces (each named
after an archangel) makes for an utterly absorbing half-hour
sequence, each composition spanning an immersive ten minutes
of analogue-mastered, carefully processed signals. To some of
the less ardent drone disciples out there, it might be
difficult to accept that certain records ascribing to that
format can be radically better than others, but Radioland
really is. The detail, subtlety and physicality of this music
transcends the norm by quite some measure, with the most
involved, elaborate pieces sounding positively symphonic.
Further to that, a special mention should be given to the
presentation of this album: it comes in a beautiful, oversized
plexiglass case with an acetate foldout cover, and the CD
itself is transparent - I don't really understand what devilry
makes that possible but apparently it is. In any case, this is
a thing of luxurious, opulence and beauty, but doesn't nearly
match the effervescent brilliance of the music it houses.
Brought to you with the highest possible recommendation -
"Radioland" is a real treasure that should not be missed.
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01-Raphael [10:04]
02-Gabriel [10:02]
03-Michael [10:08]
04-Promenade [05:06]
05-Auf der Gasse [05:03]
06-Licht und Finsternis zum Auge [08:20]
07-Prolog im Himmel [07:05]
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55:48 min