| $16.24
back in stock as of
august 15th, 2008
first in stock on
march 12th, 2008
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sound-art
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sound-poetry
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electro-acoustic-improvisation
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| | | semishigure (germany) #semi 011 cd new humans “aka vito acconci / new humans / c. spencer yeh” compact disc - you in the background (25:59)
- double negative (32:38)
| | click the play button to hear an excerpt of "double negative" |
| march 2008 release ; a document of a “happening” what which occurred at the elizabeth dee gallery in nyc during 2007 involving howie chen, mika tajima, and eric tsai’s new humans art / music project (i’ve got / have had some of their lovely self-pressed records in stock) plus artist / architect vito hannibal acconci (i practically lived inside his “island in the mur” in graz for a straight week a few years back - completely amazing piece of work there ...) on recitation and c. spencer yeh on double-bowed violin ...
this is, for all intents and purposes, a free-for-all, with acconci’s filthy texts dotting the wall of electronic sound in the first piece (getting all-but-buried in spots) - following by an extended “instrumental” take in which spencer’s acoustic / unamplified violin (front / center) does battle with new humans’ battery of noise-makers ...
removed from the art-world connotations (the images of the staging of the event show each member of the ensemble bricked-off, each in their own cubicle / cell) this is a fine slab of noise-drone improv... spencer is particularly on-point throughout (natch) & new humans have dropped any semblance of “rock” from their approach, now dealing in pure free sound. highly recommended !!! |
| | semishigure press release... |
| new humans
aka vito acconci / new humans / c. spencer yeh
cd / semi 011
noise surrounds and permeates us, and no one is more responsible than the new humans from that loudest and noisiest of metropolises: new york. from installation art to ear splitting live concerts, this infernal power trio lead by artist mika tajimi eschews no collaboration, no matter how insane. guitarist and artistic leader tajimi is supported by electronics specialist and voice acrobat howie chen, drummer eric tsai, as well as a large number of guest musicians. the new humans like nothing more than to drag friend and foe with them into their noise avalanches.
semishigure proudly presents the fourth release, a unique live collaboration with artist vito acconci, a pioneer of body/conceptual art, and vintage experimentalist c. spencer yeh. this album consists of two concerts that took place during an exposition of the collective at the elizabeth dee gallery in new york. two electrifying, memorable performances that just had to be registered on cd.
the last time american performance legend vito acconci collaborated with a band was more than ten years ago, when he worked with punk rock brigade the mekons. a similarly untainted, classically grim punk attitude shines through in his spoken word performance with the new humans. “you in the background” is the name of their jointly raised middle finger to the world. floating on the ominously swelling waves of noise created by the new humans, acconci throws all frustrations overboard. captive to a feverish, shamanic trip, acconci speaks of each and everyone’s search for their own identity. acconci has made a special selection from his audio works for the occasion. texts such as “now do you believe the dirty dogs are dead” (1978) and “cry, baby!” (1977) still sound like screams for enlightenment and liberation. c. spencer yeh’s plaintive violin careens into the impenetrable wailing wall of feedback. the new humans not just voice, but scream their anger of life under the bush regime, and in acconci they have found a worthy ally.
c. spencer yeh and the new humans go the whole hog on the second live concert, an immensely loud drone séance lasting half an hour. like no other, radical violinist yeh manages to infiltrate any collective, be it dream/aktion unit, comets of fire or smegma. through his trademark exorcising velvets violin sound yeh manages to create unbearable tension with the new humans’ sound avalanches in hot pursuit. during the performance, a glass sculpture is destroyed and the noise of its breaking amplified. at any moment the waves of noise terror threaten to submerge yeh, but he stands firm. thank god this all-engulfing live experience has been registered for posterity! |
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