Monday, May 14, 2007

h3o, or how to slice a loaf of bread

works by the hafler trio (one andrew mckenzie).
including lovely drones, provocative texts and graphic design.

-the sea org 1986, touch (re-release 2006 korm plastics)
-intoutof 1988, kk (re-release 1998 soleilmoon recordings)
-kill the king 1992, touch (re-release 2005 korm plastics)
-mastery of money 1992, touch (re-release 2005 korm plastics)
-all that rises must converge 1992, touch
-resurrection (with the sons of god) 1993, touch (live in stockholm)
-an utterance of the supreme ventriloquist 1996, soleilmoon recordings (re-released 2005)*
trilogy in three parts:
-cleave: 9 great openings 2002, extera
-no man put asunder: 7 fruitful and seamless unions 2003, die stadt
-no more twain, of one flesh : 11 unequivocal obsecrations 2003, nextera
-whistling about chickens 2002, fire inc*
-a small child dreams of voiding the plague 2003, important records
-wolf sheep cabbage 2003/2005, somnimage corporation*
-"how to slice a loaf of bread" 2003/2005, phonometrography
(part I — thursday 4th december 2003, part II — thursday 4th march 2005) i just have part II
-"normally. being by that entity formally known as the hafler trio" 2003, soleimoon recordings*
(based on the voice of blixa bargeld)
-kisses with both hands from gods little toy 2003, important records
-æ3o & h3æ 2003, phonometrography
(collaboration with autechre)
-scissors cut arrow 2005, phonometrography
(material premiered at clifford's tower, york with dvd)
-where are you? the partial results of an investigation by the hafler trio 2005, phonometrography*
(based on the voice of david tibet)
-i never knew that who you thought you were 2005, important records*
-only the hand that erases can write the true thing 2005, smallvoices*
-exactly as i say. a rapid learning method devised partly by the hafler trio 2005, phonometrography (&2006 dvd edition with 2 videos)
(based on the voice of jónsi birgisson)
-æo3 & 3hæ 2005, die stadt
(collaboration with autechre)
-á ég að halda áfram? 2005, important records*
-being a firefighter isn't just about squirting water 2005, important records*
-exactly as i do. the revised handbook of essential practice by the hafler trio 2005, important records
(based on the voice of jónsi birgisson)
-bloom (production and bonus track on fovea hex's album) 2005, die stadt & janet records
-exactly as i am. the complete course in speaking for all occassions by the hafler trio 2006, important records*
(based on the voice of jónsi birgisson)
-a pressed on sandwich 2006, nextera
(colin potter shapes how to slice a loaf of bread)
-3 eggs 2006, important records
(with andrew lilies and colin potter)*
-the work of washing 2006, jnana records, on not alone compilation

these are cds and records i have collected over the years by the hafler trio. my focus has been mainly on the later (recent) work. of all the "drone" artists, the hafler trio is hands down my favourite. mckenzie's ability to abstract beauty (the voices of david tibet of current 93 and jónsi birgisson of sigur ros for example) into something totally indefinite and ghostly, but with impressions of the original, is very rare. my work in film and video has taken me down similar paths, but after discovering this work i was ready to give it up.
alchemy comes to mind and the alchemist's tool, the alembic, a distillation apparatus. the hafler trio uses such devices physically and metaphorically, with chilling and mysterious results.
it is impossible to do any justice to this work in a format like this (theartofmemory), but here is a ghostly glimmering of the work:

nomanputasunder
no man put asunder: 7 fruitful and seamless unions

haflertrio-nomoretwain
no more twain, of one flesh : 11 unequivocal obsecrations

normally
"normally. being by that entity formally known as the hafler trio"

kisses
kisses

whereareyou
where are you? the partial results of an investigation by the hafler trio

never
i never knew that who you thought you were

onlythhand
only the hand that erases can write the true thing

exactlyasisay
exactly as i say. a rapid learning method devised partly by the hafler trio

æo3-3hæ
æo3 3hæ

egadhaldaafram
á ég að halda áfram?

beingafire
being a firefighter isn't just about squirting water

exactlyasido
exactly as i do. the revised handbook of essential practice by the hafler trio

foveahex
bloom (fovea hex)

exactlyasiam
exactly as i am. the complete course in speaking for all occassions by the hafler trio

pressedon
a pressed on sandwich

3eggs
3eggs

6 comments:

shahn said...

what an extensive post.
i love the commitment to a common aestetic across so many covers.
are some of these books? the shapes don't always look like cds or lps.

the art of memory said...

most are multiple cds in complex packages with very very poetic text. the more complex packages come in boxes with lots of ephemera, like photos, plants and things. some are more simple. the newer work does have a "common aesthetic" in sound and packaging. minimal, but not clinical. much of the design was inspired by old french books, like from the gallimard publisher. i have some of these, i should post them next..

Zazie said...

Hi Matthew,

thanks a lot for the comment. You're very kind!

I like your photos, your blog is nice, too! Then... there's a post about Bob Dylan... ;o)

Thanks again and nice to meet you!

Zazie.

the art of memory said...

thanks zazie, i have enjoyed yours as well.
nice to meet you as well.

Ruisenor said...

Did any videos come with these?

the art of memory said...

2 or 3 of the limited edition ones have a dvd.
he would put out a limited release of something already out with a dvd (exactly as i say).
scissors cut arrow has a dvd.
there are more out there i don't have.