El Sopor (Audio for video) Volúmenes 1, 2 y 3

El Sopor es el nombre que he venido utilizando desde mediados de los años 80, a modo de productora,  para mis trabajos en video.

En 1985 se editó por el sello holandés Korm Plastics "El Sopor - Video Soundtracks" una cassette C30, con referencia KP 14, que recogía los audios utilizados en la realización de algunos de mis primerizos ensayos videográficos aún con el alías de Comando Bruno. 

Estas grabaciones serían remasterizadas y reeditadas en 1999 en formato CD por el mismo sello. Igualmente existe una edición no autorizada de la cassette, con diferente portada a la original, del sello australiano Zero Cabal. 

El segundo volumen, que permanecía inédito y que recupera trabajos realizados entre los años 1994 y 2005, ha sido publicado, en formato exclusivamente digital, en marzo de 2021.

El tercer volumen de la serie, publicado en abril de 2004 y por tanto con anterioridad al segundo, fue una auto edición limitada y no venal, en formato mini CDr de 145 ejemplares.

Las tres ediciones están ya disponibles para su escucha y descarga en www.rafaelflores.bandcamp.com

El Sopor (Video Soundtracks) ‎

(Cass, C30) Korm Plastics KP 14 Netherlands 1985

El Sopor (Video Soundtracks) ‎

(CD) Korm Plastics KP 14
Remastered at "the laboratory"
Exclusive Distribution: Staalplaat Netherlands 1999

El Sopor ‎(Cass C30) Zero Cabal Australia (Bootleg)
Distribution RRRecords USA

El Sopor (Audio for Video Vol.II) 

Released March 2021

Digital Edition at www.rafaelflores.bandcamp.com

El Sopor (Audio for Video Vol.III) 

Released April 2004

3" CDr · 145 numbered and signed copies 

"Redrem 3 SK1 Resurrected" on Cheap & Plastic Compilation

Hal McGee presents the
CHEAP AND PLASTIC #2 

Compilation featuring the sounds of cheap and plastic consumer level Casio, Yamaha, Bontempi, Kawasaki, Concertmate, and other various brand electric-powered keyboards! -- also known as tablehooters or kiddie keyboards. Co-produced by Chris Phinney. 

Nubes, Rumores, Cometas y Orugas CD 2005 (Last copies on Bandcamp)

• Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

• • 
   
  • 
   
  • 
   
  • 
   
  • 
  ___________________________________________________________
  
  

  NOTE: This is not a reissue, they are the last copies of the original edition by the Russian label Monochrome Vision from 2005.

  The digital download also includes two unreleased tracks not included on the CD.

  ___________________________________________________________
  
  

  First official CD album of Rafael Flores who hails from the depth of spanish experimental music scene also known for his early works released under Comando Bruno moniker.

  This compilation presents one decade, 1994 to 2004, of his sound experimentation, and shows quite diverse sides of his creative efforts, which ranges from collaged field recordings to noise ambient loops, from rhythmic structures to hypnotic electronic passages.

  
  

  review mainfold records

  Flores, a respected experimental composer in more European circles perhaps, collects a thick gallery of works here, each static in it's own feel, style, volume, texture and tone. The only consistent aspect shared between each of these five distinct piece is their monochromatic sound. Either one loop welded so the seam is indetectable, such as on Minoo 1, the first track, or a cubed cacophony of near-extreme noise on the mercifully timed 5 minute Sanzoot. It has an appeal and listenability somewhat greater than early Merzbow via Loop Panic or such. Flores isn't tearing the roof off by any means, but creating quite vibrant moments lasting anywhere from one minute to ten. Like taking the best scenes from a film, the most hyphotic moments, and looping them together. The selection of whats used is what makes Flores good at what he does. I find myself contained beautifully inside of whatever piece is playing when this is on. Content to be restrained under odd sounds and colors.

  
  

  review vital weekly 513

  Flores plays industrial music, but one that strictly along the 'old' rules. He takes he sounds from rather primitive sources (such as the radio depicted on the cover), feeding them through electronics, chopping them into small rhythm particles (such as in 'Boucher 2' which sounds alike Esplendor Geometrico), but never the material dissolves into a mass of noise sound. Crisp clear, layers of electronic sounds, processed field recordings (in 'Para'), this is music that reminded me of the late eighties Asmus Tietchens. Forceful, yet intelligent industrial music. A major step forward and hopefully much more to come.

  
  

  review connexion bizarre

  Apparently, Rafael Flores, long serving Spanish experimental musician, is most notorious for the “intimate poetical touch in the soundworks”. I must be too cynical and uncultured, because I am struggling to hear the poetry in the ten tracks of difficult experimental sounds presented here in this anthology spanning the decade from 1994 to 2004.

  The useful and informative inlay notes contain a wonderful quote from a certain Fenici magazine, “…the contrast between the luminous mornings and the anxious dreams of the siesta… The light breeze waves a weightless curtain. The curtain caresses a just made bed.” I have never considered beds or curtains to be the most industrial of household items but I considered this poetry carefully and let it guide me in the right direction for appreciating this sonic art. Let’s have a go at this… A tap is left dripping in the kitchen as mother left too quickly for work again. A mosquito buzzes past the sink, unhindered in its progress by murderous hands. The breeze picks up, gently ruffling a vase of sunflowers on the windowsill, as outside a sudden crash and a cry is heard. Young Jose has fallen off his bicycle, for the third time this week, and this time he is quite badly hurt and the tears stream down his red cheeks.

  Excuse me. There is quite a range of curious and occasionally emotive sounds in this album; unfortunately, each track tends to remain the same once it has got moving and things can become slightly tedious for a few minutes. This seems to be evident with much experimental music for many years; brief moments which might even be genius separated by long periods of tedium. Flores’ more uneventful periods are thankfully not so long, and when not paying too close attention there are some good background pieces. The noisier compositions start very well, with dense masses of harsh, unsettling sound, but these do tend to be the more repetitive ones.

  “Clouds, Comets, Rumours and Worms” does stand up to repeated plays, at least for the more patient listener, and I would certainly have liked to see Flores live if I’d had the chance. However, this could be quite an inaccessible collection of work for the newcomer to experimental ambience, and for the more experienced it seems this would only really please those who are not so demanding for much to be happening in a short space of time.

Galaxia Marconi - Segunda Época #4

"El cornetista bufo” (1983)

Estreno: 28 Febrero 2021

Entre la nutrida colección de viejos discos de pizarra de mis abuelos, que he tenido la gran suerte de heredar, entre valses, pasodobles, coplas y zarzuelas destaca “El cornetista bufo” conocido popularmente como “el disco de la risa”.

Recuerdo que la escucha en familia de aquella pieza, al igual que su cara B “La lección de canto”, producían una hilaridad inmediata, contagiosa e incontenible. 

Si bien la edición española que conservo es de 1951,  OKeh Records la lanzó en Estados Unidos como “The OKeh Laughing Record” en 1922 que a su vez era una reedición del original del sello alemán Beka de 1920. 

Fue descrito por la biblioteca del Congreso norteamericano como "uno de los registros sonoros más inusuales, influyentes y sorprendentemente duraderos jamás registrados", 

Otto Rathke, junto con la artista Lucie Bernardo, participaron en la grabación editada con el título original en alemán de “Lach-Aufnahme” (Laughing Record)". En ella Otto interpreta con la corneta la canción "Aus der Jugendzeit” (Desde la juventud) al tiempo que se suma a las estridentes risas de Lucie.

En este capitulo de Galaxia Marconi, compuesto en 1983, las risas originales son manipuladas hasta adquirir progresivamente tintes sombríos quedando finalmente diluidas en un agotamiento sórdido e inquietante.