L/M/R/W

1. Birthday
2. Clay
3. Tegendraads

cd on Home Normal, January 2010

CD SOLD OUT
But available digitally, here

This cd compiles the 'Live Edits' cassette (recorded with Leo Fabriek, Mariska Baars and Wouter van Veldhoven) and the 'Clay' 3-inch (self released, with Mariska Baars). It's remastered by Ian Hawgood and comes in a beautiful matte digipack.


Reviews

Norman Records

Home Normal are kicking off the year with a whole slew of exciting releases. The first of which is by L/ M/ R/ W (Leo Fabriek, Mariska Baars, Rutger "Machinefabriek" Zuydervelt and Wouter van Veldhoven) and is entitled 'Drifts'. This is comprised of three tracks. The first of which, 'Birthday' is an edit from a live performance which first appeared as a super limited cassette on Digitalis. The track is constructed from Harmonium, guitar, vocal, sampler, effects, taperecorders and melodica. Together they construct a well restrained piece with many subtle layers of micro detail. Zuydervelt's unnerving sense of tension becomes prevalent which really builds the anticipation of a climax you know will probably never happen. Each musicians contribution to the mix works perfectly and what appears to be minimal on the surface is bordering on maximal in terms of its stirring and emotional impact. The second track 'Clay' has Baars on voice and good old Machinefabriek taking care of processing and editing duties where he stretches and layers the vocals into angelic drones. This one is haunting and really very beautiful indeed. This originally appeard as a mega limited 3" CDr. The final number 'Tegendraads' is the artists minus Baars and has some gentle piano, static crackle and some curious and unrecognizable sounds. This is the most organic and less heavily processed track of the three. Recommended.

Smallfish

L/M/R/W is the collaborative moniker of Leo Fabriek, Mariska Baars, Rutger Zuydervelt (aka Machinefabriek) and Wouter Van Weldhoven – something of a minimal electronic supergroup, I think you'll agree. This three track album comprises two tracks that were originally only available as a cassette release on Digitalis and a new track to complement them. I'm glad this has made its way onto CD and not at all surprised that it's Home Normal that's picked it up. The slow burning Birthday kicks things off with 16 minutes of pure beauty. As soon as it begins you get the feeling of where these tracks are coming from and the icy way he textures hold your attention is serene and calming. Clay is certainly the most rugged of the tracks using, as it does, a slightly more dissonant and grainy feel. That's not to say there's no melody, of course, because it works in the way that only this style of music can, by implying the tuneful underneath a seemingly impenetrable fog of sound. What's there is actually rather delicate and it's this play between the quiet and the noisy which makes it so compelling. Finally Tegendraads lulls us with an affecting piano and melodica piece. Beautifully arranged into an almost pastoral work, it shimmers gently whilst adding some wonderfully inventive and unusual background sounds with tape recorders. It's a fitting way to finish up and leaves you feeling rather relaxed and very satisfied. I'm a huge fan of this I must say and it's yet another reason to be very excited about Home Normal. Absolutely superb.