March/April – Slow Slow Loris on tour

march april tour poster2016

Slow Slow Loris visit some venues in the south east of Europe. Go see them if you are around. One of the souvenirs you can take home is their tape released by staaltape.

Absolutely recommended!

Jeff Surak – All Gold

FdW writes about this release

“He’s been around for… I don’t know… more than thirty years and somehow never got the recognition he deserves: Jeff Surak. In the 80s a cornerstone in the world of cassettes, with his Watergate Tapes (he is from Washington, DC) and later on, still at it with a label, Zeromoon and his solo music as 1348 and the group New Carrollton, later on with Sovmestnoye Predpriyatiye when he lived in Russia, and, again later, as V. These days he also curates the excellent Sonic Circuits festival.”

“If I recall this well, it was at Zeromoon I first heard of Rinus van Alebeek, who is these days responsible for Staaltape, the original label name for what many people now know as Staalplaat. These days the tapes are very limited, and have a package in which a lot of labour goes before it is finished. Of this particular tape there were ten made, and new ones will only made once these are gone.”

“It’s not easy to say what Surak does here: it seems that he moves, partially at least, away from the world of drones, sound effects and computer treatments and works around with field recordings more than before, although in one case leaving them untreated/as is. There is also a bit more loops/rhythm in his current work (there was a lot of repetition in 1348). In the various pieces on this tape, Surak explores the minimalism of sounds and puts them together in some highly varied pieces.”

“The somewhat grainy lo-fi textures of his sounds seem present in almost all of these pieces, which is what ties these pieces together. I am not sure how he achieves this quality but it sounds great. Sometimes it reminded me of the very early Cabaret Voltaire, both in ambience and in execution of the music. Experimental, electronic, even a bit krautrock like, but all firmly on the lo-fi side. A great release! Certainly that deserves to be out there more than a handful beautiful copies; it would be even great if there was a possibility to download this!”

There won’t be a possibility to download this, except for these excerpts.





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This is the package for the tape that got sold.

*****

contact me at staaltape at staalplaat.com

The Cuckoo Edition

In the year 2013 all titles will become available as a bare cassette in a strange case. No information, except for the cassette title, will be added. The releases will pretty much look like those in the picture below. (Please Note, that Staaltape will continue to release new works in handmade packages and art work, plus full info!)

The Cuckoo Edition

The cassettes can only be bought on demand. See for a complete list of releases this page. Each cassette will cost 4,50 euro (ex shipping). This is your chance to get the rare (you can kill a pig in july, poem) or the since long sold out (Berlin Tape Run1, Paris Tape Run1).

Information staaltape at staalplaat dot com

Au Coeur de la Nuit- Review of Four Corners of the Night

“De ces lieux émerge une poésie constante, chaque approche conserve son style, le résultat au final donne une intranquillité surprenante, la bande analogique aidant bien les manipulations, renversements, retournements.”

“And even if the snow is only the one of some old radio left turned on, programs are over for a long time now, objects took control over our sleepy world.”

Read the complete review by Flavien Gillié on The Field Reporter. I just had to add a comment, to explain why there is no digital files available alongside with the releases by Staaltape.

Full information on Four Corners of the Night