Majakka ja Perävaunu

lvjcdr002 (2006)
cd-r, limited edition of 50
68:54
January 2006

yksi.Fotoperiodismi (27:28)
kaksi.Radiotekniikan Perusteet (21:37)
kolme.Ystävyyskaupunki (19:49)

M&P; = Simo S. ja Mikko V.
Äänitetty Tampereella syksyllä 2004
ja keväällä 2005.
Kansitaiteen teki Heikkisen Saila.

Recorded in Tampere in fall 2004
and spring 2005.
Cover art by Saila Heikkinen.

Massive, improvised journeys through static space

SOLD OUT

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Parhaimmillaan improvisoitu musiikki taltoi vallitsevan tilan, ajan ja ilmapiirin. Äänitettä ajatellen kuunneltavissa oleva lopputulos riippuu soittajien näkemyksistä, käytettävistä instrumenteista, äänityslaitteistosta ja vallitsevista olosuhteista joita ovat tila, aika ja ilmapiiri. Jossain mielessä improvisoitua musiikkia sisältävä äänite on siis tallenne toisen sisällä.

Toivottavasti jotain tämäntapaista välittyy myös tämän äänitteen kuulijalle. Kahden kaveruksen soittamaa musiikaalista äänimaisemaa havainnoidessaan kuulija voi kenties saada häivähdyksen soitosta kumpuavasta ilosta ja luomisen riemusta kiirettömissä syksyn ja kevättalven iltapäivissä.

Simo Saukko maanantaina 19.12.2005

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At its best, improvised music captures the present space, time and atmosphere. As for a recording, the final result for listening depends on the players' vision, the instruments available, the recording equipment, and the prevailing circumstances, which are space, time and atmosphere. In same way a recording including improvised music is therefor a recording inside of another.

Hopefully something like described here forwards also for the listener of this recording. As the listener senses the soundscapes played by two buddies, he maybe can get a slight hint of the delight and joy of creating that derives from playing music in the hasteless afternoons of fall and early spring.

Simo Saukko, Monday, December 19th 2005

 

REVIEWS

"Ensikuunteluilla kummastuttaa tähän duoon liitetty impro-leima. Mitäs improa se tämmöinen on, jossa ei edes tapahdu mitään? Majakan ja Perävaunun sähkömusiikki paljastaa kuitenkin salaisuutensa vasta tarkemmalla kuuntelulla. Levyn kolme parikymmenminuuttista kappaletta ovat hitaita, minimalistisia ja näennäisesti muuttumattomia, mutta pinnan alla kuohuu. Muutokset äänen kaaressa tapahtuvat välillä lähes huomaamatta. Ei kai improvisaation tarvitse aina olla niin hyperaktiivista?

"Majakan ja Perävaunun esikoislevyn pelastaa ambientin ikävästä maailmasta kaksikon rohkeus äänenkäytössä. Esimerkiksi "Radiotekniikan perusteet" on jopa ilkeän kuuloista, särisevää ja riipivää ja siksi nautinnollista. Pelkkää särinää ei levyllä toki ole. Ehkä parhaiten syväkuuntelussa toimii "Fotoperiodismi", joka on ajoittain jopa jossain määrin melodinen. "Ystävyyskaupunki" keskittyy hitaasti jumittavaan rytmiin.

"Majakka ja Perävaunu kuitenkin vaativat kuulijaltaan ehkä hieman liian paljon. Lähes 70-minuuttisen levyn tarkka kuuntelu palkitsee, mutta palkitseeko lopulta tarpeeksi? Levyn kolme pitkää kappaletta ovat äänimaailmaltaan sekä rakenteeltaan loppujen lopuksi kovasti toistensa kaltaisia ja voipi olla niin, etteivät kovin usein tietään levysoittimeen löydä. Potentiaalia kumminkin on ja juuri tällä hetkellä kuulostaa hienolta, joten uutta putkeen, kiitos." (Ville Moskiitto / Shortcuts to Enlightenment)

*

"Majakan ja Perävaunun devyytti on kuvauksensa mukaisesti 'improvisoituja matkoja staattisen tilan halki'. Surullisen kaunista äänimaisemaa, jossa minimalistisen elktrotaustan päällä seikkailee pari eri tasoilla olevaa kuviota. Silloin kun ei liikuta liian tutulla maaperällä - niin kuin käy Fotoperiodismissa, jonka erottuvin melodia on usein kuin suoraan Pienestä rumpalipojasta - levy on kerrassaan viehättävä.

"Improvisaatio näkyy rakenteilla leikittelyssä, ei hajanaisuudessa, ja se on tämän tiimin selkeä vahvuus. Erityisesti keskimmäinen raidoista, Radiotekniikan Perusteet, on todella hieno, yhdistäen maalailua ja radionoisemaista pientä säröä. Myös Ystävyyskaupungin junnaava rytmi toimii kivasti. Silti valehtelisin, jos sanoisin etteikö pitkästymisen vaara ole halki levyn koko ajan läsnä. Vaikka kuinka kyseessä onkin hyvätasoinen tavara, ei 20-30-minuuttisia raitoja mitenkään pysty pitämään täysin kiinnostavina näin hienovaraisin menetelmin. Joko yhtyeen täytyisi lisätä palasia mukaan, tai sitten lyhentää yksittäisteostensa pituutta. Tässä muodossa jäädään vain kiinnostaviksi, mutta ei päästä todelliseen vaikuttavuuteen.

"Erittäin lupaava ja usein hyvin kauniskin, mutta ei sen enempää." (Jiituomas / Kuolleen musiikin yhdistys)

*

"–– Also on the Finland tip is the hypnotic flights of fancy by Majakka ja Perävaunu. Brought to us by the good folks at Luovaja , these massive improv pieces do a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere for cosmic excursions. Each of these three sprawling pieces (ranging from 20 minutes to 27 minutes) unfolds slowly, but is always led by a sure hand. This is the work of someone's creative vision, and this duo pulls it off quite well. This is the music of the changing seasons, when everything is in bloom, but dying. These tracks contain the aural depictions of nature's yearly decay. It's the sound of falling leaves and browning grass, everything and everyone looking for their place to hibernate for the oncoming winter. With each subsequent listen, you realize that there's really something special happening here. Really lovely. – –" (Brad Rose / Foxy Digitalis)

*

"–– Also on the Finland tip is the hypnotic flights of fancy by Majakka ja Perävaunu. Brought to us by the good folks at Luovaja , these massive improv pieces do a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere for cosmic excursions. Each of these three sprawling pieces (ranging from 20 minutes to 27 minutes) unfolds slowly, but is always led by a sure hand. This is the work of someone's creative vision, and this duo pulls it off quite well. This is the music of the changing seasons, when everything is in bloom, but dying. These tracks contain the aural depictions of nature's yearly decay. It's the sound of falling leaves and browning grass, everything and everyone looking for their place to hibernate for the oncoming winter. With each subsequent listen, you realize that there's really something special happening here. Really lovely. – –" (Brad Rose / Foxy Digitalis)

Marko Marin: Heijastu, katoa ja ole valmiina

lvcdr001
cd-r, limited edition of 100
36:14
October 2005
 
Molemmat vanhukset Osa 1 (1:34)
Joulukuun ensimmäiset päivät (4:19)
Saapuneen postin laatikosta (6:07)
Persoonallisuuksiemme sadetakit (2:44)
Kaikki jotka pimeää hengittävät (7:12)
Auringon holhouksesta vapautuneet (3:59)
Molemmat vanhukset Osa 2 (3:24)

Composed and arranged by Marko Marin
Produced by Jaakob Karhu
Photos by Kaarina Luova
Thanks to Taavi
Recorded in 2004 ja 2005 in Vilppula

Electronic soundscapes with strong ambience. Inspired by Tangerine Dream, Mike Oldfield, Vangelis and modern soundtrack music. Marko Marin is known for his scores for some of the recent Trash Video movies, and his music has been played in Finnish Avaruusromua radio show.

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"Reflect, disappear and be ready. Letters From The Mailbox. Every name on this release are giving away parts from a certain story, but I won't tell you the complete version. I don't know the details myself and I also think it's always better that the listeners form their own opinions about the music.

Originally the story came up during the summer of 2004. After that, it slipped from my mind. About three weeks ago we noticed that I have enough tracks for a possible release. We chose the best tracks and decided the final look of the release. There was enough material for me to choose and even the budget was already calculated, so that was fairly easy and it only took two days.

So now the job is done. Hopefully the cd is in a safe place and not as a coaster or laying in a trash can." (Marko Marin / Saturday, August 13th 2005)

*************

"Heijastu katoa, ja ole valmiina. Molemmat vanhukset. Saapuneen postin laatikosta. Levyn sekä kappaleiden nimet viittaavat tiettyyn kehystarinaan, mutta tarkka kuvaus siitä jääköön hämärän peittoon. En itsekään tiedä sitä yksityiskohtaisesti ja on aina parempi, että kuulija muodostaa oman käsityksensä asiasta.

Alkuperäinen idea syntyi kesäkuussa 2004, jonka jälkeen se unohtui lähes kokonaan. Muutama viikko sitten huomasimme, että kappaleita olisi tarpeeksi mahdollista levyjulkaisua varten. Materiaalin valinnassa ja julkaisun lopullisessa muotoilussa kului aikaa noin kaksi päivää. Kuvia löytyi paljon ja pakkauksen tyyli oli jo tarkasti mietitty kustannuksia unohtamatta.

Nyt urakka on siis ohi ja toivon mukaan levy on turvallisessa paikassa, eikä esimerkiksi toimi lasinalusena tai loju roskakorissa." (Marko Marin / lauantai 13.08.2005)

REVIEWS

"This is an excellent exercise in the art of making synth based soundtrack music circa 1985. As I listened to "Heijastu…", I kept making references to, among others, Vangelis, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, & Mike Oldfield... there is a lot of hero worship here.

"While Marin's compositions don't move me in the least (though I suspect it many of the Foxy readers might become closet fans) I have to respect the massive amount of talent it takes to create an album like this. That said, I was highly skeptical of this disc being the work of Marin and him alone. Solo instrumental efforts too often take a turn for the worst and become highly indulgent and grossly self-gratifying. When no checks and balances are in place, the urge to create can grab any project and warp it in to a stinking pile of Rick Wakefield. Of course "Heijastu…" is an indulgent piece of work, as many prog/synth/soundtrack albums are, but in a way that embraces the symbiotic relationship of cinematic imagery and evocative sound rather than wallowing in its own importance. Each of the seven tracks reaches for and affects a different emotional center. Each does in achieving the goal of creating an engaging sense of drama throughout the entire disc. Whether it was the intention or not, it is very easy to block out an entire scene using any of these songs. Image after image present themselves effortlessly as each scene is set for action. Ultimately it is the true relevance of Marin's compositions as well as the lack of irony, cheese, and to a lesser extent, pretension that makes this disc a refreshing listen. Whether you want to praise or pan the genre itself, you have to give credit to the passion and performance he lays of the line." (Chris Jacques / Foxy Digitalis)

 

*

 

"– – Up next is Marko Marin, with the 2005 release 'Heijastu, Katoa Ja Ole Valmina,' on the Luovaja microlabel. This is a rather strange electronic disc, playful at times, kind of an odd blend between a Phillip Glass side project and the lighter side of Brian Eno’s outings with Jon Hassell. – –" (DaveX / Stratling Moniker)

*

"Marko Marin’s music is rooted firmly in the atmospheric electronic tradition of artists like Vangelis and this release offers an emotive string of compositions, each woven from batteries of synth. Canned percussion, canned piano, canned strings. It’s a marvel how such artificial raw material can be woven into honest and evocative music.

"Now I have to admit, this is one of those releases that challenged me to confront my own prejudices. In general I have a strong distaste for electronic music when its production renders the proceedings blatantly artificial, or ‘plastic’ as I like to say.

"A simple example – no synth piano will ever have the rich under and over tones of a true piano, and I don’t understand why, in general, anyone bothers with the substitute. I personally feel that if you don’t have access to the real thing then better not to betray your musical vision with a cheap electronic substitute.

"You can imagine that at first I therefore resisted the impossibly clean, metronomic execution of this album; the whole damn thing screams MIDI from every pore. Yet repeated lessons broke down my resistance and I have to admit – if this album had used real instruments it would have lost a lot of its charm.

"The pieces are melodic to a fault and the music has a very vocal quality, with the various synthetic instruments almost singing, albeit wordlessly. That’s a remarkable feat at the best of times, but especially for music with this aesthetic. Ironically I really like the synth piano and think it works better with these compositions than a real piano would have!

"The music also serves well in the atmosphere department, though I must say its spirit is generally quite light and even optimistic. It does range through a number of emotional palettes, but this release is neither gloomy nor melodramatic. I would guess that were he a classical composer, Marin would take after Mozart more readily than he would Mahler.

"My only substantial complaint is about the programmed percussion, which is particularly flagrant in its artificiality. I must admit this is one area where a fuller, more organic feel would be welcome. I’m not entirely sure whether the production and timbre of this release is intentional or the product of limited resources, but certainly the drums (while not totally devoid of the necessary sway) are less than convincing.

"But really this is just nitpicking on my part. It’s a very considered and carefully composed CD-R release with some catchy themes, clever arrangements and beautiful moments. Marin has subsequently worked on soundtracks (this release dates back to 2005!) and that seems like a natural progression for this artist. I really enjoyed this sincere and atmospheric, if slightly cheesy, CD and I’m curious to hear more of Marin’s work." (Henry Lauer / Heathen Harvest)