Switched On – Karl Bartos: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (Bureau B)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

This is described as ‘narrative film music and sound design for Robert Wiene’s classic 1920s psychological thriller’.

It is, in effect, Karl Bartos retracing some of his steps back to when he was in Kraftwerk. Then, he helped to create Metropolis, inspired by Fritz Lang’s 1927 film, but now he goes several steps further to create a whole new soundtrack for Wiene’s picture.

To do it he pulled together a wide array of material from his musical archive, finding snippets that range from classical and Baroque to atonal and musique concrete – in short, creating a musical melting pot to bring the film to life in a musical sense.

What’s the music like?

Enormously entertaining and full of character. Bartos’s love of the film is immediately clear, and no stone is left unturned as he seizes the opportunity to create a fun and colourful score, one that portrays the characters and events in great detail.

There is a dizzying range of colour and styles, showing just how many areas of music Bartos has covered in his musical education and what a grasp he still holds on classical as well as more recent electronic work. The imposing organ of the Prologue sets the tone for scenes that are full of colour and imagination. As we move through the scenes Bartos brings amusement, dread, wittiness, and a macabre madness that gives his jagged motifs a refreshing unpredictability. Sometimes the music sounds like a barrel organ, as on the brilliant scene At The Funfair, which is brilliantly done.

Jane’s Theme introduces a much more tender mood, in contrast to the playful Caligari’s Theme 2 or the brittle piano theme used to depict Caligari’s Deception.

Bartos uses the waltz to really good effect in his portrayal of the different scenes, and the dances of the 1920s are always close at hand. Lunatic Asylum is suitably edgy, the music hanging on the edge, but In Search Of The Truth is the big number where everything comes to a head, Bartos marshalling his forces brilliantly.

Does it all work?

Not always as a listening experience, for some of the scenes are very short and would obviously benefit from the visuals. This is in no way the fault of Bartos, though, who delivers a masterclass of scene setting throughout.

Is it recommended?

Wholeheartedly. It would be interesting now to see if Karl Bartos feels inclined to take his clear aptitude for modern classical music any further, or if he wants to go down more electronic avenues. Either way he has made a colourful, vibrant soundtrack to accompany The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and can be proud of the extent to which he brings the mood and characters of the 1920s to life.

For fans of… Kraftwerk, Kurt Weill, Eisler,

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Published post no.2,098 – Saturday 24 February 2024

Online review – BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room: Five of the best

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by Ben Hogwood

Today (23 February) saw the conclusion of BBC Radio 2’s Piano Room month, which has been taking place every weekday for the last month.

For anyone new to the concept, it consists of a well-known pop artist delivering three songs in the company of a piano and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Generally they follow the format of something old, something new and something borrowed (which may of course be blue!) in the form of a cover version. We began with Bruce Hornsby on Monday 31 January (a performance already appraised by Arcana) and ended today with Pet Shop Boys.

The Piano Room has proved to be an enormously uplifting spectacle over the last few years, and a fascinating one too – the equivalent of watching a famous actor appearing on the West End stage. There are two things that often shine through in the course of a session. One is obvious, being the artistry of the main act in question, and their ability to breathe new life into their songs or well-chosen covers. The other is not so immediate, being the quality of the orchestral arrangements and the sheer ability of the BBC Concert Orchestra, who deliver their lines with incredible poise and great expression.

Here, then, are five top performances Arcana has had the pleasure to hear this month, in addition to the Bruce Hornsby already reviewed…bearing in mind that as I type this I haven’t yet heard Pet Shop Boys doing Left To My Own Devices!

Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up

The sign of a song with ultimate staying power is its versatility – and when it can be sung like this, in a version that bears very little resemblance to the original, you realise again just what a brilliant song this is. Somehow the arrangers and Rick have worked in a pizzicato part for the violins that comes from Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You – a very different love song, but one that fits this template hand in glove.

It also shows how Rick Astley has grown as a vocalist, making music that matches his experience but also his youthful approach:

Olivia Dean – Suzanne (Leonard Cohen cover)

This is an extraordinary cover version from Olivia Dean. Sumptuous strings begin and end the arrangement (made by Sam Gale) and Dean sings in a way that recognizes Leonard Cohen’s ability to wring great emotion from relative simplicity. She intones the verse and brings a swell to the chorus, giving the song a deep resonance. This is capped by the fragility of the closing violin solo, a moment of pure but devastating clarity (played – I am almost sure – by Charles Mutter). I haven’t been able to keep a dry eye watching it yet!

Jess Glynne – Everywhere (Fleetwood Mac cover)

This was a very pleasant surprise. I find I respect Jess Glynne rather than connecting directly with her music, though her Rather Be collaboration with Clean Bandit and her own Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself have shown their staying course, and Hold My Hand is on a TV advert several times a day. I wasn’t prepared for how much I would warm to this cover – sensitively done, a lovely ‘less is more’ vocal sung with evident affection, and some great work from the band (especially bass player Dishan Abrahams). Casting aside a well played but rather unnecessary reference to David Bowie’s Under Pressure towards the end, this is a beautifully made cover, which you can view from 16’50” on this link

Crowded House – Four Seasons In One Day

This short song gains an unexpectedly emotive orchestral prelude, made possible through a broad cello solo to set the scene before the song comes in. Neil and Tim Finn’s evocative songwriting makes an effortless leap from intimate voice and guitar to band and orchestra, telling the story in just as much detail as before – yet boosted by a beautiful string arrangement. You can view from the start of this link

Gabrielle – A Place In Your Heart

How does Gabrielle do it?! For 30 years now she has held the keys to an increasing array of radio friendly songs, and under the guise of an orchestra they blossom into even fuller colours. This, her most recent single, is a beauty – and touchingly sung, too, in an arrangement that adds a great deal of depth to the song. You can view from 7’23” on this link

And finally…what a lovely tribute the orchestra gave to Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright, playing his Big Show jingle in tribute to the DJ who died unexpectedly on 13 February:

You can watch the full set of Bruce Hornsby in the Radio 2 Piano Room by clicking here

Published post no.2,097 – Friday 23 February 2024

Let’s Dance – Various Artists: Africa Gets Physical Vol. 5 – Thandi Draai (Get Physical)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Thandi Draai has built a strong reputation as a DJ bringing some of the best Afro house music to the dancefloor, and her contribution to the last in Get Physical’s compilation series continued the good momentum the label have built up.

This fifth volume was actually released in December, but with the nights still long and dark in this part of the world it is a compilation Arcana didn’t want to let slip away.

What’s the music like?

The reason this collection should be praised is of course the music, well chosen and executed, with a number of standout new productions.

Among the best are Draai’s own cuts, headed by the superb Letha with DJ Beekay and the excellent collaboration The Clique, made with Candy Man, Cuebur feat. DJ Clock & Kitty Amor. Draai also turns her hand to one of Get Physical’s biggest hits, Samim’s Heater, in a distinctive remix. BlaQRhythm offers the slightly woozy (in a good way) Insimbi Yamabutho, while Dylan-S & Ed Ward offer the propulsive Phantom, with a fine breakdown.

McK & Nana Atta’s Lungisa is spacey, with an unusual loping break beat that works well, while in contrast Foozak & D.O.A. head for the trancier side of things with Uhula Kweeri, offering some great vocals. Josi Chave & TorQue MuziQ’s Inzangoma, featuring Khokho Madlala, is a powerhouse of a track, but topping these is Africa Get Physical from Suffocate SA and Roland Clark, who delivers a fantastic vocal in praise of the continent and its values. The sentiments – “Let’s all come together so we never have to dance alone” – are spot on.

Does it all work?

It does – Draai’s sequencing is pretty much spot on, and there is rich stylistic variety. Not surprisingly, the rhythmic elements are all on point.

Is it recommended?

Yes – the fifth in an increasingly vital series that is doing a great deal of good for house music. This one has plenty of highs!

For fans of…

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Published post no.2,095 – Thursday 22 February 2024

On Record – Elena Setién: Moonlit Reveries (Thrill Jockey)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Basque artist Elena Setién last released an album two years ago, the understated but incredibly powerful Unfamiliar Minds – a set of songs begun before 2020 but honed during lockdown.

Glenn Kotche, drummer and percussionist with Wilco, was a fan of the album – and when he was touring Spain with the band, he met up with Setién. The two began collaboration, Setién using a series of drum patterns from Kotche’s series A Beat A Week, after which the drummer started sending in more patterns. Setién enjoyed the irony of her music taking on more rhythmic direction. In her words, “funnily enough, I, being a Spanish artist, sought inspiration in the rhythms of a Chicago drummer to reach something with a Latin feel to it. A somehow surrealistic way to get there.”

Another influence at play in the album was that of Bridget St. John, who Setién sought to emulate in a low register vocal delivery. It became the instrument through which the singer / songwriter could express the dreamlike state of the songs, though her own instrumentation – guitars and keyboards – played a large part too.

What’s the music like?

In a word, dreamy. Yet that is not the only story behind Moonlit Reveries, for these songs often have a feverish quality. Setién has a knack of making intense music from minimal means, but when you listen closely her music is suffused with clever effects and details that give the music a semi-conscious appearance.

She holds her vocal with remarkable poise, and it cuts through clearly, but the instrumental accompaniment that she uses is often haunting and frequently shifts the perspectives of the listener. The gentle undulating guitar of Hard Heart laps like water against the resonant vocals, while Losing Control gets a rippling effect from its shimmering electronics and pizzicato violin. Strange is especially enchanting, Setién singing very slightly out of tune over a throbbing guitar line.

Moonlit Reveries itself is particularly vivid, a hypnotic harpsichord dancing on the horizon as Setien coos softly. Mothers is a deeply immersive song, a tribute to Low’s Mimi Parker with minimalist loops and concentrated, layered vocals that end above delicate cymbals.

Does it all work?

It does – and the more you listen to it, the more Moonlit Reveries has to reveal.

Is it recommended?

Enthusiastically. Elena Setién is a compelling artist, and the restraint in her music is deceptive – for this is an album of great intensity, a set of dreams that take place in slightly balmy conditions but leave their listener with vivid and lasting impressions.

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Published post no.2,094 – Wednesday 21 February 2024

Let’s Dance – Ash Walker & Amp Fiddler: Afronaught (Ron Trent Remix) (Night Time Stories)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Ash Walker’s Astronaut slipped under the Arcana radar in 2023, so it’s only right to focus on it as its constituent tracks start to get the remix treatment. The choice of Afronaught is ideal, not just because – as the press release states – it flips the title of the album on its head, but because it contains guest vocals from Amp Fiddler.

Amp – Christian name Joseph – sadly left us just before Christmas 2023 at the age of 65, leaving in his wake a stellar discography of solo vocal and band keyboard contributions (notably with George Clinton and Moodymann).

This is what Walker had to say: ‘Having recently very sadly lost a dear friend, mentor, collaborator and huge inspiration of mine – Amp Fiddler, it was very touching to hear how Ron Trent reinterpreted Amp and I’s track together ‘Afronaught’. Label buddy Ron was able to steer Afronaught in a Chicago style, Acid House inspired direction which compliments Amp’s vocal perfectly, giving the track a new lease of life. Amp was such a pioneer and embodiment of Afrofuturism who never ceased to push boundaries, proving that us as black musicians have the power to defy genre and surpass societal expectations. Amp’s spirit will live on eternally, not only through the music he created in his lifetime but also through all the artists he nurtured and influenced worldwide.”

The press release goes on to say that “Ron Trent’s remix marks just the beginning of this journey, a sonic flare if you will lighting up the way for the projects to come”.

What’s the music like?

It’s difficult to imagine a more appropriate mix to mark Amp Fiddler’s passing. Ron Trent delivers a spatial piece of work full of low-end goodness – mellow keys underpinned by a steady, deep kick drum and surrounded by vocal snippets that are easy on the ear. Amp’s voice appears as though in a vision, while the keys flicker in the middle ground.

Does it all work?

It does. All very easy on the ear!

Is it recommended?

It is – a very classy remix and the ideal tribute to a much-missed musical presence.

For fans of… Moodymann, Charles Webster, Carl Craig, Juan Atkins

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Published post no.2,093 – Tuesday 20 February 2024