Etherreal Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption Le label ukrainien poursuit sa série pickup dédiée à des productions un peu plus faciles d’accès que ce que l’on trouve en général sur Nexsound. On avait déjà parlé de la collaboration entre Saralunden et Andrey Kiritchenko puis Nole Plastique, deux sorties qui nous ont permis de nous rendre compte que par facilité d’accès, Nexsound entendait une approche plus pop, mais sans faire de compromis sur la qualité de la composition ou du travail sonore.
Accessible de qualité, tel est donc le crédo de cette série pickup dont Bluermutt est le quatrième élément. A 25 ans il s’agit là de son premier véritable album, mais il multiplie les productions depuis 2-3 ans avec des sorties MP3 chez Insubordinations et Nexsound, un projet en duo sous le nom de Mickey Eats Plastic, et déjà des remixes pour Leafcutter John et Giardini di Mirò.
On est d’abord un peu surpris par la tonalité de cet album, du moins sur les premiers titres. Bluermutt travaille énormément par collages sonores ce qui explique peut-être cette impression de kaléidoscope où se croisent influences hip-hop assez marquées (Welcome to a Bluer Blue Sky, Old School Lesbians vs The 21st Century), mélodies naïves ou ludiques contribuant à alléger le ton (Fashion Arythmetics), ou encore enchaînement de guitares rock old school et d’une electronica cliquetante et langoureuse sur One Body - No Head, accompagné d’un chant grave haché, faisant passer Bluermutt pour un crooner post-hip-hop ou un bricoleur hip-folk (Self Approach).
Le ton change un peu sur la deuxième moitié de l’album qui contient de véritables perles. On s’oriente aussi vers un son plus électronique même si des guitares apportent leur contribution mélodique sur Fuckin’ Jimmy From Here et le lancinant Jimmy Coda. Ce dernier titre montre d’ailleurs l’importance du sampling dans le travail de Bluermutt, encore plus présent sur Metallic Concepts for D and M ou le magnifique The Diapason’s Uncertainties, ce qui sera considéré comme un compliment chez un artiste qui rêve de se faire remixer par Matmos !.
On terminera avec son travail le plus pop et deux pièces absolument parfaites. Before Going to Bed d’abord aux sublimes glissements mélodiques, rythmique de batterie, sèche, en frappant sur le bord des fûts, accompagnement de métallophone et la voix envoûtante et haut perchée de Fred Viola. Daily Explosions ensuite, d’une douceur infinie, amples nappes d’orgues et micro-glitchs avec cette fois Linn Rasimelli à la voix. On l’écoute en boucle !
Il a beau sortir dans cette fameuse série pickup, ce Decivilize After Consumption cache bien son jeu, se révélant d’abord pas si facile d’accès et dévoilant ensuite toute sa beauté. Artiste à suivre de près, son approche pop d’une musique tarabiscotée pourrait rapidement lui ouvrir de nombreuses portes !
Fabrice Allard
le 14/07/2009
Sodapop Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption Bluermutt ha venticinque anni, vive a Barcellona, ed è la nuova uscita della Nexsound: arrivata alla numero quattro, l'etichetta di Andrei Kritchenko ha fatto uscire il suo disco migliore, sempre orientato verso una via interessante da far percorrere all'elettronica nella direzione del pop. Figlio del suo tempo, questo disco propone una miscela di quello che è da qualche anno il suono della generazione più "cool" e giovane della computer music, o meglio della laptop music.
Non che brilli assolutamente in originalità, ma questo Decivilize After Consumption è un disco gradevole e riuscito nel complesso: il tutto a base di blips, glitch, indietronica, qualche voce e tutte la caratteristiche di un suono che ricorda molto le prime uscite della Plug Research e le cose più elettroniche e giocattolose della Ache. Al di là dell'ottima fattura del disco, resta sempre il fatto che, anche usando i tools "giusti" e i suoni "attuali", se ci si muove bene si può imbastire qualcosa di valido, ma c'è sempre il grande rischio di restare confusi nel mucchio, dato che la diffusione di hardware e software "azzeccati" è davvero ampia. Insomma, Bluermutt ha studiato, si è applicato, ma al prossimo giro gli servirà qualcosa in più per strappare la sufficenza...
Indieville Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption Decivilize After Consumption brings on more melodic electronic quirkiness from fine Ukrainian imprint Nexsound's PQP series. Andrey Kiritchenko and his unique label have been carving out an intriguing niche for themselves on the electronic scene, and Bluermutt's avant-mess of techno, electro-pop, and post-rock is a fine addition to the ongoing story. This record is an elaborate and melodic journey with several highlights. Opener "Welcome to a Bluer Blue Sky" is a whimsical yet foot-moving romp, while the absolute top of the tops on this disc is the one-two punch of cranial post-rock/electro gem "Fukikin' Jimmy from Here" and brooding soundscape "Jimmy Coda." The rest of the disc has its share of highs (Plone-esque "Before Going to Bed," urgent finale "More About Him Later") and lows (bland "Old School Lesbians vs. the 21st Century," irritating "Metallic Concepts for D and M"), and even a Family Guy sample, but the overall impression is certainly a positive one. Keep Bluermutt in mind.
IndiePopRock Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption Naviguant entre Rome et Barcelone, Bluermutt promène ses expérimentations électroniques au gré des vents, et surtout au gré d’une inspiration visiblement cosmopolite : pourtant, difficile d’en trouver la trace dans sa musique, qui est avant tout un travail de laborantin sonore. On croise bien quelques mélodies pop sur cet album, mais l’objectif premier de Bluermutt reste visiblement de triturer des sons plus que de construire des chansons. Son travail sur les textures et surtout son obsession du bruit parasite (craquements, crépitements, tintements) prend au final le pas sur le reste. Une écoute loin d’être désagréable mais pas renversante.
Par Tristan
Aufabwegen Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption Andrey Kiritchenko hat sich seiner Leidenscahft für Pop verschrieben und hier ein weiteres knisternd-crunchiges, gut goutierbares Produkt auf den Markt geworfen. bluermutt, wohl aus Spanien, spielen HipHop beinflußte Electronica, mit knackiger Produktion un schön kaputten Beats, ohne dass diese nerven. Verdammt nah am Morr Music Soudn von vor fünf Jahren…
Zipo
Musique Machine Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption The musical entity peculiarly named Bluermutt (a word suggested by eBay) creates, like the infamous Perrey & Kingsley, quite catchy pop through 'avant garde' means.
Not that the guy from Barcelona goes as much overboard as that colourful couple. Not in the sense of painstakingly cutting tapes, which has become a lot easier with the arrival of computers and not in the sense of the almost sickening happy-happy-joy-joy coming from that 'in sound from way out'. That said, Bluermutt does make popsongs that are upbeat and uplifting while incorporating a lot of harddisc editing. Pretty much every sound that's recorded on his harddisc has been tampered with. There's a hint of Richard D. James album as well, in its naiveté of the musical themes combined with the playful electronics. He himself says De La Soul inspired him to make music with samplers.
The music on Decivilize After Consumption generally is pretty hectic, full of detail. Even in the calm guitarchords of Fuckin' Jimmy from here all kinds of electronic crackles disturb the peace. It's typical for the somewhat restless nature of the album, but it's also all those soundevents that make the music more fun and exciting. The balance is just right most of the time. Most songs have a strong beat to them to keep it all on the rails.
Decivilize After Consumption is a charming listening adventure. The cd comes in a very nice looking oversized digipak, although of course you can also buy mp3's without fancy packaging.
Martijn Busink
Cracked Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption Some time ago Nexsound have added PQP to their sublabel routine which marked the leave from the harsh and extreme noise experimental side and the introduction of what might be called pop in the overall context of Nexsound. This release by Bluermutt marks a sort of slight return or rather connectivity to the dynamics and chaos of earlier times, but not in extremity or harshness of sound. Mostly probably just because Bluermutt is not song-structured, but track-structured. On the other hand, disturbing dynamics, weird collections and juxtapositions of sounds and structures and a shifting of expectations has been a basic framework for Bluermutt on older releases as well, and within the roster of nexsound the Italian one man multiple helpers project has been the softest but in no way tamest artist. On “decivilize after consumption” the linearity and rhythmicality of tracks is being played into the foreground, but without losing the weirdness and originality. So, in a way, it once again sits comfortably between all reserved seats.
The self-proclaimed non-musician Bluermutt mixes a variety of things into one nice ratatouille or risotto of tracks that sound straightforward and laid back but actually aren’t. Funny vocal samples (“I am a lesbian, what do I have to do to prove this to you?” “Well, maybe if you kiss your girlfriend.” “Okay” Smooch. From “old school lesbians vs. the 21st century”.) mix with cubist bass lines and ever changing tinkering in the back and the front. Thanks for using water sounds on “Jimmy Coda” by the way, for some reason unknown to me, I like the sounds of natural water as from rivers, streams, drops and so on in experimental music and I am convinced, there should be more usage of these sounds. Far more. But that is just a personal side note, a bigger bunch of other things are also included here and there.
Rhythms change by accident and almost unnoticed (especially on “one body – no head”) and nothing ever really stands still on here. The music lends itself well to lightening up any room in the house, to housework just the same as to studying sessions. Bluermutt works with a compulsive drive, yet pours all the energy in mid-tempo tracks that range from club lounge to avant weirdness – in the same song at the same time simultanously sometimes. Most obvious are the samples about music making from hip hop artists during “self approach”, where talk about bars of rhythms and percussions used for producing tracks are then juxtaposed with a solo on an acoustic guitar. But also the bouncy, bitpart collected “fuckin’ Jimmy from here” is a wonderful, abstract electro track of laidback bleeps and beats.
On almost any track somebody is helping out with vocals, guitars, synths and even a slide guitar (Gianluca Pellegrino on the aforementioned “old school lesbians…”) which shows Bluermutts status as node in a network of Italian producers and musicians, also from his running of skyapnea and a bunch of other musical projects. This kind of multiplicity is mirrored in the music, or vice versa, who can say for sure. Maybe running on several multiple levels all at once is a way of live forming all aspects of Bluermutts day to day existence. Or “all my actions cause explosions”. But those are tiny, very relaxing and soothing explosions, nonetheless.
Luna Kafe Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption It's always exciting to receive discs from the elegant and eclectic Nexsound label. Striking design and cover art, neat digipaks, and with a content always stretching out to be - if not always succeeding they're at least doing quite well trying - innovative and forward stuff.
Bluermutt popped up out of our P.O. box and a joyful spectacle it is. Decivilize after consumption is an explosive and playful collection of songs. Bubbling, bursting hypnobeats, fine samples of voices & sounds and cool cut'n'paste techniques, colourful collages with humour and wit: Bluermutt describes his (their) music as "scrambled humans singing and dancing". He also says about himself: "...is 25 but looks like 13, maybe 15 with beard." And: "...doesn't make art, just assembles sounds together till he's satisfied." A laugh and serious business.
Bluermutt (I don't know his name, he's also one half of Mickey Eats Plastic) lives in Barcelona, Spain, and seems to be a European traveller. In fact the whole Bluermutt project looks like a worldwide project including: Lucz (Roma, Italy - the other half of Mickey Eats Plastic), Fredo Viola (New York, NY), Steph Thirion (Barcelona, Spain), Dorian Concept (Vienna, Austria) and Nils Christian Fossdal (Norway). Some of Bluermutt's listed sources of inspiration are: Matmos, Neptunes, Busta Rhymes, Fugees, Justine Timberlake, Radiohead, Karate, Basement Jaxx, Timbaland, Mouse on Mars, Mos def. Quite a mix, with some being more obvious than others. Bluermutt had success with his first record, When I'm Not. I'd better check it out. Until then I'll have plenty of entertaining moments with Decivilize after consumption. It somehow makes me think of a wilder Cornelius, and also the French surprise a couple of years back in time, Cagesan.
Finally, just to underline the humour included yet again, Bluermutt's got some cool and fascinating song titles - often a story on their own: "Welcome to a Bluer Blue Sky", "Old School Lesbians vs. the 21st Century", "Fuckin' Jimmy from here", "Metallic Concepts for D and M", "The Diapason's Uncertainties". Get it? This is 'city music': it should be coming out of your headset while going by bus, by tram or the tube. Dig in and dig!
Vital Bluermutt-Decivilize after consumption The person behind Bluermutt is from Barcelona, but also lives in Amsterdam, and he is part of Mickey Eats Plastic and sometimes works as Crashbonsai. He likes creating music using computers. That is perhaps the thing that I learned from his website. He has a bunch of free tracks on Nexsound, who now release a CD of his work. I must admit I played this CD twice in a row. Not because I thought it was so great, but rather because it was early morning. I was getting up, looked at the 'today's pile of Vital Weekly', and I scanned this briefly before, so it seemed like an appropriate thing to hear, starting the day. The bass I cut down a bit, but the eleven tracks rolled on, with IDM styled rhythms, glitchy sounds, female vocalists, guitars. I picked up the newspaper, ate a bit, drank some coffee, and then this was over. Damn. I think I didn't get it quite right. So I played it again, made more coffee, finished the newspaper, checked e-mail. Its seems over again. Twice in a row, didn't notice it that well, but on a third, more concentrating listening (making notes now), I thought it was quite a nice, if not ordinary release of home listening rhythmic music. Not great, not bad, positively in the way it uses various guestplayers, especially the various vocal bits. Certainly a great way of starting the day anyway.