[microsound] enjoyed in 2007

[Kim Cascone <kim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I hate 'best of...' lists
they tend to promote cronyism and are more a badge of hipness and  
most sadly lack any muscle-tone gained through intellectual push-ups
that being said I am always asked to write one of these damn things  
every new year

but rather than framing it as 'my favorite CD's' or 'the best of 2007!'
I prefer to call this list: 'things I enjoyed last year'

in that spirit
here are some things that I enjoyed last year:

*disclaimer: this list is in no way complete or rigorous – it's the  
plucking of low hanging fruit due to a fogged memory cultivated by  
traveling, time-zone changes and jet-lag

enjoyed in 2007
===============

music:
Deathspell Omega - 'Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum'
– a potent blend of math metal, industrial ambience and demonic  
vocals. Dark, swirling yet intelligent.

V/A - Spectral Music CDR compilation
– some of these are extremely difficult to find on CD so I was  
ecstatic when presented with this collection by a student of mine.

V/A - 'Far Afield'  -
[free from webbedhandrecords.com]
– an intriguing range of approaches to field recording with  
thankfully very few of the 'sonic postcard/puzzle pieces' which  
comprises most field recording these days.


books:
A Frolic of His Own - William Gaddis
– a hysterical send-up of the legal profession in the USA...the  
dialog snap, crackle, pops off the page with the machine gun delivery  
of a 1940's Hepburn vehicle.

Remainder - Tom McCarthy
– the second time the hairs on my neck stood on end while reading a  
book...I can't wait to read his new work.

Sonic Experience - Augoyard & Torgue
– while a poor English translation, the book manages to extend and  
remix Pierre Schaeffer's work very nicely.


film:
Inland Empire - David Lynch
– you either get it or you don't - but this is the first film Lynch  
has made where (it seems) he's retained complete creative control;  
getting his vision onto hard drive without compromise and without  
becoming a caricature of himself.

Werckmeisiter Harmonies - Bela Tarr
– since I learned of his work in Budapest he has become one of my all- 
time favorite filmmakers.

No Country for Old Men - Coen Bros
– I came to Cormac McCarthy's work rather reluctantly due to my  
yawning boredom of all things cowboy -- but saying his books are  
western's is like saying the HBO series 'Deadwood' is a western.  
McCarthy's work is dark, austere and very fucked up. Check out his  
book 'Blood Meridian' to see what I mean. This film by the Coen's  
captures McCarthy's hard-boiled cowboy-noir style very nicely.

The Science of Sleep - Michel Gondry
– a charming film which extends the notion of filmmaking as a conduit  
of our dream life.

Bug - William Friedkin
– Friedkin, best known for being a 70's Hollywood director of  
Exorcist fame, has opted to make smaller budget and more unsettling  
films like this one. I hope this is a trend more directors pick up  
on. 'Bug' is a squirmy, slow, uncomfortable descent into madness.