Maja Ratkje
Considering the limits of noise and the avant-garde (and it can be limiting, sadly) when something as exciting as Voice by Maja Ratkje comes around, it is cause for celebration. As arresting as Masonna, as playful and odd as Mike Patton’s Adult Themes for Voice, Voice is truly interesting work from a truly interesting artist.
If early Boredoms and Eye’s Hanatarashi stuff excites you, check out Voice. If Patton’s Tzadik works get your blood pumping, give Maja a listen. Voice—an all vocal recording—predates Bjork’s Medulla by a few months, but while Bjork uses voices to sculpt lush soundscapes and a few pop songs, Ratkje uses hers to create shattering screams and an absolutely creepy vibe that will stay with you long into the dark, terrifying night. This woman is the future of forward thinking composition.
Most known in Norway as one of the 4 members of the all female imrpov unit, SPUNK and the offshoot duo, Fe-Mail, Ratkje has turned a few heads in the improv/ electronic/ noise community. Taking their influence from Pippi Longstocking, the quartet SPUNK has apparently made some bizarre sounds that I shall comb the record stores of Chicago to find.
"Pippi Longstocking sleeps with her feet on the pillow. I try to turn certain conventions on their heads. But most of all it's about not taking everything for granted, about always being open to different solutions as long as it's fair. Pippi is anarchistic and boundless in her ideas, but also has a great sense of fairness and justice. That's a fine model."
Make sense?
Go to: http://www.ratkje.com/index2.php and read all about Maja.
Go to: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/home/forsiden?opendocument&url=http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2003120214442173790341 and listen to Voice.
Note: Since posting this, I have given the CD a few more listens (I am listening to it right now, as a matter of fact) and I must add that this is hardly a noise CD in the traditional sense. There are many, many quiet, calm, ambient and intensely silent moments that add to the sheer beauty of this recording as a whole, and it begs to be experienced as a whole. Just thought I’d add that in case the 4 people who come here were scared off. Give Maja a chance, she’d do the same for you.
If early Boredoms and Eye’s Hanatarashi stuff excites you, check out Voice. If Patton’s Tzadik works get your blood pumping, give Maja a listen. Voice—an all vocal recording—predates Bjork’s Medulla by a few months, but while Bjork uses voices to sculpt lush soundscapes and a few pop songs, Ratkje uses hers to create shattering screams and an absolutely creepy vibe that will stay with you long into the dark, terrifying night. This woman is the future of forward thinking composition.
Most known in Norway as one of the 4 members of the all female imrpov unit, SPUNK and the offshoot duo, Fe-Mail, Ratkje has turned a few heads in the improv/ electronic/ noise community. Taking their influence from Pippi Longstocking, the quartet SPUNK has apparently made some bizarre sounds that I shall comb the record stores of Chicago to find.
"Pippi Longstocking sleeps with her feet on the pillow. I try to turn certain conventions on their heads. But most of all it's about not taking everything for granted, about always being open to different solutions as long as it's fair. Pippi is anarchistic and boundless in her ideas, but also has a great sense of fairness and justice. That's a fine model."
Make sense?
Go to: http://www.ratkje.com/index2.php and read all about Maja.
Go to: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/home/forsiden?opendocument&url=http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2003120214442173790341 and listen to Voice.
Note: Since posting this, I have given the CD a few more listens (I am listening to it right now, as a matter of fact) and I must add that this is hardly a noise CD in the traditional sense. There are many, many quiet, calm, ambient and intensely silent moments that add to the sheer beauty of this recording as a whole, and it begs to be experienced as a whole. Just thought I’d add that in case the 4 people who come here were scared off. Give Maja a chance, she’d do the same for you.
posted by ZombieDante at 8:20 AM
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