Two tapes from KRAAK...

Limpe Fuchs & Gerard Herman - Ghent, October 2010 - KRAAK
Live recording of a collaboration between young Belgian artist Gerard Herman and established and respected German composer/sound artist/instrument builder Limpe Fuchs, who has been making interesting and challenging music since the 70s (There's a record at Mutant Sounds, and some nice writing at MMS). Really wild stuff! Fuchs plays an assortment of her self-built instruments and sings a little, and Herman provides alto sax, otherworldly vocalizations and assorted rattlings from his home-made Duchamp Wheel. Dynamic recording in what sounds like a large church--would loved to have seen this performance! I can't tell you very much about Herman other than he seems to be a very, very cool dude, and very funny. Definitely check out his website, especially the Gordon Matta-Taart in the "Performance" section. The duck bike is also a hoot!
$8

Köhn - All I See Is Light - KRAAK
Epic live performance from this Belgian musician about whom I can tell you very little. The work here is a long, flowing, organ and synthesizer piece of remarkable maturity and concept. Like many artists at the moment, Köhn seems to be interested in the "transcendent" or "cosmic" but he balances these ideas in his work with a relatively spartan approach and an emphasis on clarity. A very pleasurable listen--the pace is relatively quick but still gives each idea the space to develop before moving on. Nice wide range of modes, too, from stately organ playing to that addictive motorik bounce, there's even some Big Beat style filter twiddling. To be critical, the tape doesn't quite sustain itself for the entire duration of this very long piece but it is only near the end that it begins to lag, with plenty of good ideas crammed in before then.
$8