Kasper Van Hoek
Den Haag/Groningen/Froombosch
FORMAT: CDR
LIMITED EDITION: 50
RUNNING TIME: 29:57
CATALOGUE NUMBER: DirtyCDR 028
RELEASE DATE: February 2008
excerpt
about
6 tracks which are more or less based on field-recordings and are named after the street addresses they where recorded.
All recordings were made in The Netherlands between May 2007 - January 2008.
The track 'Gedempte Zuiderdiep/Tellegenstraat' also appeared on a small release called 'A/B' on Kasper's own HeilsKabaal Records, which comprised of 15 pieces on 3" CDR and one copy on 10" vinyl.
reviews
"Also on the Dirty Demos label is a CD by Kasper Van Hoek: 'Den Haag/Groningen/Froombosch' which is 6 tracks of field recordings which are named after the streets they were recorded in. It's all quite fuzzy and distorted and it's not an easy listen by any stretch of the means.
Tonal crackles and whizzles aplenty, it's like being the piece of liquorice that's being sucked post sherbert fountain. Albeit with plenty of droning rubarb and custards floating by and some disturbing chocolate cigarettes to scare you with.
An engaging release if you can work out what the wangchung I'm on about. Limited to 50 copies. Whacka whacka."
- Ant, Norman Records
"If I am not mistaken, this might be the very first release by Kasper van Hoek that is not presented on his own Heilskabaal Records label. Time to expand to other CDR ventures and he's right, his work is right for the next step. That is the conclusion which we can draw from his first release on Dirty Demos. Recorded in the Dutch cities of Den Haag and Groningen and the for me unknown Froombosch, he processes these field recordings with 'open source software' and thus creates microsound like music. Some of the street life leaks through, but Van Hoek effectively alienates the material beyond recognition.
Quite a move away from his previous work which was more noise based, around old equipment such as tapeloops and turntables. This is quite intense music, with creepy undercurrents and even a touch of music in it (perhaps any street musicians around).
This is an excellent break with the past and a major leap forward."
- Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly
6 pieces by Dutch sound manipulator van Hoek each named after the location the recordings were made between May 2007 and January 2008. Throughout the recordings you can clearly hear the source sounds which have either been subsequently or simultaneously processed and manipulated. There's much to like here as a tumult of sounds race past each tumbling over the other. Which however is also it's main weakness as the music never really allows itself to be listened to. Almost as soon as your attention is attracted by an intriguing sound or idea it's gone, lost amidst the torrent.
I found it's restlessness to be contagious meaning each time I listened to it I soon found myself being distracted by the things around me rather than being fully absorbed by the music.
This is definitely worth a listen due to it's scope and it's execution (it's beautifully mixed) but is particularly recommended to those whose preference is for the noisy and the abstract."