Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck - d) Würm? …Und Innen Sind Sie Wurmstichig (Recordings 1988 - 1990) album flac

While I wouldn't describe myself as an expert on RUNZELSTIRN & GURGELSTØCK I am at least a little familiar with them (see the review of "Je Rumpelsturz Desto Burzelblock") I therefore expected, and received, an album both bizarre and fascinating. The cover is one of those 'video' style black vinyl cases, in which black-print-on-transparent-plastic pictures & info are laid, making a cover you have to hold at an angle to the light to discern, And both smart & effective it is too - the black-on-black concept could rival such attractive designs as those on COLD MEAT INDUSTRY releases.The flavour in the aforementioned vinyl release was one of 'zany' PYTHONESQUE humour, which came across surprisingly well, considering they used no actual language on it. This is a less manic release, but no less fascinating. Count up all the sounds which pop up here and there and you'd be well into four figures - this is damned complicated stuff. From 'Industrial' metal sounds, fragmented voice, foreshortened percussion, grumbles, rumbles, belches and blips, this album seems to try run the gamut of sounds no one else could, or indeed would wish to use. This is clearly rooted in the Futurist 'Theatre Of Noise' ideals, yet is so much further out, away from reality, that those sombre souls could hardly have dreamed of such music. Occasionally it is minimal, crumbling in it's semi-rhythm, continually mutating in chunks and globules, yet most of the time seems insanely busy, crashing, grating, exploding in frenetic sound-action which has to be heard to be believed. There is no easy way to describe this music, except to say it is of excellant quality and ingenious design.To finish this review, I'd say the only people I could compare it to are the 'Sons Of Varese' - people like NÉGLIGÉ - ELECTRONIC UNDERWEAR, with elements of such folk as BRUME, DE FABRIEK, DUE PROCESS etc, although I'm grabbing at straws here - RUNZELSTIRN & GURGELSTØCK are unique, and if their sound is in any way related to the above, imagine them chopped, diced, projected through a series of cracked and crazed prisms, then the end result painted by a genius schizophrenic artist who's personality & style switches from DALI, PICASSO, MAGRITTE, ARP, GIGER, BRAQUE, KADINSKY & all manner of others every second or two. Record the sound-impressions onto magnetic tape, get GYSIN & BURROUGHS stinking drunk, let them loose with blades & tape, then clean the resulting sound up to almost CD quality. Can you imagine the outcome? Nor me, but this tape album might give you a good idea. Much recommended.Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.

While I wouldn't describe myself as an expert on Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock, I am at least a little familiar with them, "Je Rumpelsturz Desto Burzblock" on the Schimpfluch label. I therefore expected, and received, an album both bizarre and fascinating. The cover is one of those 'video' style black vinyl cases, in which black print on transparent plastic pictures and info are laid, making a cover you have to hold at an angle to the light to discern, and both smart and effective it is too - the black-on-black concept could rival such attractive designs as those on Cold Meat Industry releases. The flavour in the aforementioned vinyl release was one of 'zany' Pythonesque humour, which came across suprisingly well, considering they used no actual language on it. This is a less manic release, but no less fascinating. Count up all the sounds which pop up here and there and you'd be well into four figures - this is damned complicated stuff, From 'Industrial' metal sounds, fragmented voice, foreshortened percussion, grumbles, rumbles, belches and blips, this album seems to try to run the gamut of sounds no-one else could, or indeed would wish to use. This is clearly rooted in the Futurist 'Theatre of Noise' ideals, yet is so much further out, away from reality, that those sombre souls could hardly have dreamed of such music. Occasionally it is minimal, crumbling in it's semi-rhythm, continually mutating in chunks and globules, yet most of the time it seems insanely busy, crashing, grating, exploding in frenetic sound-action which has to be heard to be believed. There is no easy way to describe this music, except to say it is of excellent quality and ingenious design. To finish this review, I'd say the only people I could compare it to are the 'Sons of Varese' - people like Neglige-Electronic-Underwear, with elements of such folk as Brume, De Fabriek, Due Process etc, although I'm grabbing at stras here. Runzelstirn & Gurgelstock are unique, and if their sound is any way related to the above, imagine them chopped, diced, projected through a series of cracked and crazed prisms, then the end result painted by a genius schizophrenic artist whose personality and style switches from Dali, Picasso, Magritte, Arp, Giger, Braque, Kadinsky and all manner of others every second or two. Record the sound-impressions onto magnetic, get Gysin & Burroughs stinking drunk, let them loose with blades and tape, then clean the resulting sound up to almost CD quality. Can you imagine the outcome? Nor me, but this tape album might give you a good idea. Much Recommended! - SOFT WATCH (UK)