The announcement for this series I must have received, but I couldn't find it anymore. If I recall there will be eleven split LPs with Kommissar Hjuler on one side on all eleven records and on the other side every time an unique band. The only two names in the series, so far, will be Smegma (up next) and for now (the first) Lt. Caramel. A pity that I don't recall the other names, so I can't say anything about reviving old names or some such. Let's just wait and see. So on side one Lt. Caramel, the French electro-acoustic composer Philippe Blanchard, who perhaps did what are do in reverse: he changed back to his Lt. Caramel name. Never change a winning horse? A side long composition of manipulating sounds through the use of... oops... I was going to write tape recorders, but perhaps these days we speak about computers? Its not easy to spot those sounds, save for the extended use of voices. Furthermore there is the use of electronics - synthesizers perhaps? electronic manipulation of acoustic sounds? who knows? - which makes altogether a dark and dense piece, with some crazy wacked out melody dropping by every now and then. Hardly a traditional piece in terms of musique concrete, but in the not so vast catalogue of Lt. Caramel certainly no odd ball. All the trademarks are there, and tops it off as a fine piece.
On the b-side Kommissar Hjuler and Frau. Already they have a long discography of craziness. Small handmade editions, anti-records sometimes, art objects (to some at least), but sometimes (not always) their music is actually pretty good. Their recent CD for Intransative (see Vital Weekly 683) is a fine overview of the best musical work. Their side of the record is also quite nice. It uses the idea's of electro-acoustic soundtreatments, just like Lt. Caramel does, but it seems more direct, more right y'r face. The unfolding of adhesive tape for instance in the first part or the movement of objects over the floor board in the third part, makes this into a fine piece of electro-action music. I can vividly imagine some sort of performance going on here. Think Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock in a long form fashion, without the rapid cut-ups. Very nice side of a very nice record. (FdW)