william basinski - is this the best ambient/drone stuff around or what?

That said, I don't think he's the best out there, but it depends on what you want out of your drones - I think Phill Niblock and Steve Reich (Four Organs in particular) have done more powerful/arresting work, but I do enjoy Basinski's stuff lots.

From everything I've heard of WB, he's a one-trick pony. But I sure do luv that one trick. Listening to Shortwavemusic now, and it's great.

i still haven't heard/acquired disintegration loops

Also very good. I wonder if there's any truth the rumor that Madonna is a fan.

I wouldn't be surprised, she's kind of a dilettante.

Is drone the opposite of Beethoven or what? I mean, it's the antithesis of structure, of arc. It's the anti-arc! Does that make sense? Sorry, I'm kind of a dilettante.

Disintegration Loops = one of the greatest recordings of the century. Seriously. river wolf, make it the next thing you buy, man!

over-rated. Alva Novo's "Xerrox" does the sma ething better and in a more interesting way.

Wait, this is Billy Basinski aka Z-man?

Whoa, small world. He adopted/produced my first band in NYC. I've got to hear this, I bet it's incredible.

Maybe Masonna is a fan, and someone thought there was a typo.

I also really love the "River" double CD, I think Raster-Noton put it out. But it's all good.

which disintegration loops vol. is best? i'm about to give the first one a go

i wish he would record under "Z-Man"

am0n, having only heard vols I & II I'd recommend the latter. Its "DLP3" is really haunting/captivating.

i got all four. loving them. the second track on II is the shit, the comment upthread about SAW II #19 on repeat is apt

that would be loop 3. bliss.

I suppose non-drone music is anthropomorphic, in that it has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

who among us is enjoying El Camino Real?

Tape loop, recorded live, Los Angeles, July 2006.
First 300 copies came numbered and signed.

Want (and want to have been there)

Yeah I could totally fall asleep listening to this.

(I gave up on falling asleep to The Disintegration Loops 'cause they're a bit too melancholic.)

word

totally.

El Camino Real is some incredible stuff.

When did this come out? Info? Link?

http://www.mmlxii.com/home/home.html

May this year.

El Camino Real

Gotta hear it. Was slightly disappointed with Shortwavemusic.

To answer the thread title question: fuck yes! That's why I'm absolutely psyched for this, out on april 20th:

http://www.mmlxii.com/NEW-ISSUES-2K9.gif

And yes it is, indeed, fucking gorgeous. Is the love for Basinski really that marginal on ilm?

No. I love the Disintegration Loops. There's a poll-thread devoted to those discs. If I remember that thread correctly, Ned is a big Basinski fan, too (but he hardly needs me to speak for him).

yeah i think that poll might be longer than this thread even!

i've loved most everything i've heard by him
disintegration loops
melancholia
silent night
el camino real

all A+

He opened up for Antony last month. Great stuff.

I also really love the "River" double CD, I think Raster-Noton put it out. But it's all good.

― sleeve, Tuesday, 22 May 2007 22:56 (1 year ago)

Ah, this guy.

Anyone got or heard the new one?

i have 92982, its v good

What's the new one, Krakow?

I haven't listened to Basinski in a while, but I really like what I have of him. I've only one Disintegration Loop (no. III) cos it would have been very pricey to buy them all at the time. Does anyone know where to get the others reasonably cheaply? are they still available? some sort of box would be perfect.
I also really like Movement in Chrome Primitive and The River. I have a vinyl-only release, A Red Score in Tile which is similar in style to the Chrome Primitive stuff. Then I have Melancholia, and a split with Richard Chartier, to which have In't really given enough time.

There were a few other Musex releases, such as Water Music I and II -- has anyone heard them?

erm... should read thread properly. So the new one is 92982. He says a shorter version of track 3 was included as variation #8 on A movement in chrome primitive, so I can imagine I'll like this one

oh God please keep this thread going; I completely adore The Disintegration Loops (to the point of buying everything of Basinski's still available - my favorite so far is the River, although the new one is pretty good too) and I'm such a sucker for anything even evoking a comparison.

anyway in the meantime, I've been enjoying this:

http://deletedscenesforgottendreams.blogspot.com/2009/03/st-kilda-st-kilda-ep.html

as a sort of Cliff's Notes to the Disintegration Loops. v v v v v v pretty. I was happy to buy it.

It started with the Disintegration Loops set for me as well, and have also bought everything still available. My possible favorite is El Camino Real, but he really hasn't made a mediocre record. 'The Garden of Brokenness´ is gorgeous as well. Hard to single one out, his whole output has been fantastic.
The new one sounds great, but I´ve yet to take the time to fully dive into it. I won´t be dissapointed though, I know that for a fact.

I haven't listened to Basinski in a while, but I really like what I have of him. I've only one Disintegration Loop (no. III) cos it would have been very pricey to buy them all at the time. Does anyone know where to get the others reasonably cheaply?

eMusic.

How about in a physical (CD) format for less than $20 each?

Thanks to this thread, I had to pull out "Disintegration Loops" and have been, um, looping dlp5 for half of the afternoon. So much for my day. Thanks you guys (=it was a beautiful day).

@ilxor try this guy on eBay http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/TWO-HEADEDDOG__W0QQ_sidZ273089502?_nkw=basinski&submit=Search

I've bought from him several times and he's totally spot on ("an excellent seller A++++++" etc.). Usually has a few Basinksi titles in stock for the best prices I can find and could probably get others if asked.

Another new one out now from Basinski. Not heard it yet, will wait for it to filter through to the usual channels, but here's the link and Basinski's write-up:

http://www.mmlxii.com/music/music.html

Vivian & Ondine
Catalog#: 2062.0902

Price: $20.00
CD 45:10. Release date: December 2009

"...I got back to work and found yet another lunchbox of ancient tape-loops to go through for possible inclusion in the new piece. I came across the main theme and thought...well, this is gorgeous; let's see if we can use this to coax Viv to come out. I went through the rest of them and found another dozen or so that mixed well used randomly, just under the threshold.

"The next night I performed the piece at Issue with their 16 channel hemispherical speaker system set to move the sounds randomly around the room as if waves in a pool. We all had a really good time. It was mesmerizing."

This version was recorded with microphones and two Norelco tape decks live in my studio in Los Angeles in one take in September 2008.

this Sparkle Division alb is really nice and features the late great Henry Grimes on the poignant Oh Henry. can't ask for more than that really.

I'm banned from using violent speak so I won't describe it as "kaleidoscopic"!

the sparkle division record is good. the other day i was watching lethal weapon 2 and thought "why don't people make more music that sounds like the soundtrack to lethal weapon 2" and lo

thought this was going to be about the slight lamentations delay (LP pressing related, of course)

idk how people listen to this stuff on LP, every time you really make progress toward achieving oneness with cosmic godhead you gotta get up and flip the fuckin record

I never realized he was so queer and fabulous

https://mif.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/FEATURE-e1497260395653-650x397.jpg

he's in the new Wire and the first picture looks like one for the old men that look like lesbians thread. (and the others looks like iggy pop). not sure i'd seen a pic of him before.

that's the pic I was looking for! the poolside shot

another music group I'm in was laughing about this:

I was comfortable picturing Basinski as a man who made no effort to look cool and the new wire cover has him out here tryna be Bowie. Can't listen to his ambient sounds with same trust now. He is not committed to serenity and anonymity he is trying to be a rock star.

— Harmony Holiday (@Harmony_Holiday) October 19, 2020

also, he played saxophone on the 1980 LP by LA punk supergroup Black Randy & The Metrosquad!

Basinski has the best publicity photos

also, he played saxophone on the 1980 LP by LA punk supergroup Black Randy & The Metrosquad!

!!!

and the name of that album is...

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0348063897_16.jpg

I never realized he was so queer and fabulous

A few years ago at The Lab in SF, he presented an all night sleepover where he would perform Out of Time Out of Mind (a few months prior to release) and then play back all of the Disintegration Loops for about 6 hours (event went from like 10pm to like 5am). Everyone brought comfy pillows and mattress pads and stuff, it was great.

But... I never had seen the dude before and when he walked out he was wearing a skin tight disco outfit made of either sequins or that disco fabric you see a lot and dark sunglasses. He was FABULOUS and definitely a ROCK STAR. He also spoke with a gay southern drawl too. Had no idea he was a Texan, gay and utterly and completely fabulous. I was basically like "holy shit I know nothing about you dude, but the music you make evokes a very different mood and personality than your physical self expression and I am definitely here for it".

Saw him perform with tape loops and echoplexes last night in a beautiful acoustic space. At first I thought “this is nice, glad to hear it” and then gradually the room dissolved into a vast cavern of grainy noise and I lost myself altogether. Incredible experience.

rad

what is the deal with this terrible song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPiqVvpAo4g

it’s on Spotify too

I presume it’s someone falsely uploading music under his name?

AI shenanigans looks like

Been listening to this ambient cassette from a couple of Hobart teenagers recently: great Basinski pastiche. I mean, it's more than that, but it is very much a Basinski strain of ambient; highly recommend!

https://alteredstatestapes.bandcamp.com/album/plastic-magic-box

haaa - this is my friend's kid and her girlfriend, I saw them front row at Basinski here a few months ago!

No way! I just sent their label a fan email for thé this morning haha. Pass on my praise!

wow i love this

yeah this is great

Listened to a LOT of similar stuff in the late 00s/early 10s; this is really bringing the nostalgia. Also reminds me of The Caretaker and Celer. Love that abyssal sound, and the way it shifts and wobbles, like the vibrato of decay.

This is terrific!

I've listened to it like 5 times now

some Zoviet France vibes occasionally as well

Four Disintegration Loop CDs at $40 is both a dollar and pound bargain

https://www.temporaryresidence.com/products/trr300?variant=46129082106025

update: Mr Basinski purchased the Plastic Magic Box album and thought it “lovely”