INTERVIEW with John Gore of Cohort Records, 'kirchenkampf', etc.

John Gore

AUTOreverse #14, summer 2011
John Gore
Cohort Records
'kirchenkampf'
interviewed by
Ian C Stewart

John, thanks for answering a few questions. Let's start with that old chestnut, influences. Who are your biggest musical influences and why?
If you mean who do I think I want to sound like, that depends on when the release came out. My style has changed a couple of times since I started in 1986.

My earliest experiences with electronic music were Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. I was crazy about anything with synthesizers in it.

REVIEW: Moljebka Pvlse &; Cría Cuervos "Vid vägs ände" (Road's End) - CD

MOLJEBKA PVLSE and CRIA CUERVOS
Vid vägs ände (Road's End) CD, 2011
Cohort Records, 128 Condo Street, Monticello, IN 47960 USA
http://cohortrecords.0catch.com
Two long pieces, assembled by Sweden's Moljebka Pvlse and Italy's Cría Cuervos. Epic drone-ambients. "pa vndrande fot (Traveling By Foot)" fills the air nicely, with several twists and turns. It's cinematic in spots. "det ar aldrig for sent att vanda om (It's Never Too Late To Turn Back)" is a cleaner drone, reminding me of the music for the film 'Baraka', it feels profound, especially around the 20-minute mark, it sounds like a didjeridoo or its eastern equivalent, and a bit of feedback behind it. The last few minutes, with the reversed vocal sample loop is astounding. Gorgeous.
Ian C Stewart

REVIEW: amptext + bass / Blk w bear - split CD, 2011

amptext + bass / Blk w bear split CD 2011

AMPTEXT + BASS / BLK W BEAR
"Nine Strings" / "Ten Outtakes & Demos"
Split CD, 2011Cohort Records
The first track by amptext + bass, "The Ghosts Of Silent Radios," sounds like about four different scores by John Cage played at the same time, which, for all I know, it might be. It sounds like a person playing a cello. There's a bit of messing-around with a handheld tape recorder (I assume), the air in the room. An old telephone in a box, or something. Hard core avant garde. "Bodyment 1" and "Bodyment 2"  continue with the same template, while the final two pieces are less tape-menacing and more live performances, if that description makes any sense. The cello playing is deft and scrapey, and the pieces include lots of silence.  Nice. The tracks by Blk w bear that follow are of the ambient noise ilk, or dark ambience. "Valve Languere [Vasoline Mix]" includes some interesting samples and loops which gradually fade across the inner ear thing. "Reade Lactid" sounds like some sampler abuse, of which I approve. "Salt Water Coughing" finishes up sounding like a pipe organ being devoured by a poltergeist. This deeply experimental split CD is available now. Handmade covers, the whole deal. John Gore really does this sh1t up.
Ian C Stewart