. . .
This is the full album stream for Runhild Gammelsæter’s Amplicon.
. . .
Runhild Gammelsæter – Amplicon [full album stream]
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
. . .
It came out on CD in 2008 on Utech. (We reviewed it here.) Now Little Black Cloud is releasing it on vinyl. The first pressing of 100 is a bit unusual. It’s clear vinyl, which comes in a sleeve that’s an autographed self-portrait by Gammelsæter. To get at it, you have to break through a “soft cotton webbing”. Then you have to use your turntable’s spindle to break a hole in the clear label. Clear vinyl, clear label, wrapped in cotton webbing and a polybag – you can see a photo here.
Such willfully difficult packaging is appropriate for the music, which, oddly, reminds me of a round-table interview in Guitar World’s June 1992 issue with Kim Thayil, Snake Sabo and Scotti Hill of Skid Row, and Diamond Darrell (before he was called Dimebag). When asked about multi-effects units for guitar, Darrell replied,
I never really understood people who were into those things. I mean, just what I need — 30 different choruses and 75 watery reverbs. I think those boxes were designed for people that either play New Age music or sit in their room, shoot crank and go, “Wow! Far out!”
Now, Gammelsæter does not sit in her room, shoot crank, and go, “Wow! Far out!” As one of the most accomplished women in the world, she does not have time for that. She is the only person whose CV includes a PhD, a Fulbright Scholarship, a Female Entrepreneurial Ambassador position for the EU, presidency of a biotech (is godzilla?) company, Thorr’s Hammer, Khlyst, and Sunn O))). That really is the most impressive résumé I’ve ever seen.
But on Amplicon, Gammelsæter certainly sounds like she sits in her room, shoots crank, and goes, “Wow! Far out!”
The record’s press blurb says:
Amplicons are pieces of DNA formed as the products of natural or artificial amplification events. Amplifying from a minute non-tangible idea creates something larger which may be experienced with the auditory sense. Amplicon sees Gammelsæter as a creation operator, increasing the number of particles in a given state, undertaking the operation necessary to amplify ideas to sound.
Something to do with mutations, maybe? Turning ideas into sound? This is not a work constrained by genre. In fact, it is not constrained by anything. It has guitars both violent and gentle, voices both violent and gentle, shoot-crank-go-wow-far-out synths, and absolutely no conventional song structure (that I can hear, anyway). Don’t expect metal. Expect to be annoyed, surprised, scared, bored, baffled, and, yes, entertained.
My guess is that when Gammelsæter gets home after scientist-ing, entrepreneur-ing, modeling, painting, and generally kicking ass, she has one hell of a dark side. She could probably fry us all Carrie-style. Instead she just makes charmingly challenging music.
Photo by Brian Sweeney
. . .
LINKS
Amplicon on LP
Amplicon on CD
Amplicon on MP3
Runhild Gammelsæter’s CV
Runhild Gammelsæter’s music site
. . .
Music like this is for people with too much time on their hands.
i liked her contribution to the khlyst record, this solo effort… not so much. i was into a lot of this experimental/weird stuff a few years ago and came out clutching a few gems, but with ease of production/release it’s even harder to keep track of avant/noise/drone than it is of my beloved metal. and i just don’t have the time to wade through all of that.
I interviewed her for The Wire when this record originally came out. The article is now posted on my blog; here’s a link:
http://runningthevoodoodown.blogspot.com/2008/10/rapture-of-metal.html
SUUUUUUUUUUUPER obscure reference to the Guitar World article; not only do i remember it well, i still have every issue from 1991-1994, as they shaped much of my life thereafter.
the best parts of this remind me a little of Heathen Earth by Throbbing Gristle. The first track isn’t really going to win many people over on an album stream where you can’t skip tracks (or am i doing it wrong?)
someone should scan that guitar world article, sounds like a good read. been on a skid row kick lately, slave to the grind is pure balls.
haha I remember that guitar world article too!
Holy shit. That’s not a resume. That’s a freakin’ arsenal of bad-assery. I don’t have anything to say about this album but I will certainly be listening to Thorr’s Hammer with different ears after reading this. I am DEFINITELY not worthy…
I just want another Thorr’s Hammer effort. That stuff was godly.
It’s like a soundtrack to a twisted nightmare–or more accurately, “uneasy listening.” You had a feeling she was quite capable of this, and after Thorr’s Hammer (which I loved) she has brought an element of sweet to join the scary and mashed them together like the recombinant DNA she works with. I’m not sure I would be into this sort of thing, but it’s fascinating from a mere mortal’s point of view–she’s a definite polymath working on a level much more evolved than I am.
if this is the future of music, count me out.
She’s hot
Bad drugs leading to multiple personalities converging upon each other every 10 seconds. A little too ADD for me.
trumbum – The text actually links to the Guitar World interview, but for your convenience, here it is:
http://www.guitarworld.com/dimebag-darrell-wild-bunch
oops didn’t see that. thanks.
Music, not bad.
100 piece vinyl release with all that crap?
Wankery for record collectors* – yet more reason to never buy vinyl.
*
I was annoyed, surprised, scared, bored, baffled but not entertained.
Gammelsæter is to Kate Bush as the Birthday Party is to Talking Heads.
I like this! Bet the lyrics are interesting. I’ve been on a Skid Row kick too lately, but ONLY Subhuman Race.
This is definitely obscure. Is that the girl growling?? Sick!! We like unique songs like this! Check us out here! http://krowm.com/music/