Landscape Fanzine 4 (William Basinski, Christian Stadsgaard, Braulio Urbano) 2023

It is important to have a muse. Someone who, just by existing and being who they are, inspires you. Mine was enough to create this and much more. And I hope to always have him there by my side.

My recommendation: do something with what you feel or dream about. This edition is a delicate blue dream that finally came true. It shines among the rest of the volumes, and is completely dedicated to our real-life muses. It shines among the rest, just like him.

You are invited to enjoy the sunlight, the sound of the sea, place shells and white feathers on a cathedral organ. A coffee, a kiss on the hand, shy and soft. The silence. A walk in the white night, admiring churches, marbel angels and virgins.

“MY MUSE”

William Basinski, Christian Stadsgaard and Braulio Urbano are our new guests, with whom I had the pleasure of conducting three beautiful interviews throughout 2023. I wrote poems, which you will see accompanied by images made by Marian Vonfaiér (Marian from Paralapsus) and the photographer Gabriel Esposito in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

BY NAREL R

Without fear, sincerely

LANDSCAPE FANZINE 4

Narel R.

“EVERY ANGEL IS TERRIFYING” THE DUINO ELEGIES – RAINER MARIA RILKE “ISN’T LIFE UNDER THE SUN JUST A DREAM?” WIM WENDERS – WINGS OF DESIRE “LEARNING TO COPE WITH FEELINGS AROUSED IN ME. MY HANDS IN THE SOIL, BURIED INSIDE OF MYSELF. MY LOVE WEARS FORBIDDEN COLOURS, MY LIFE BELIEVES IN YOU ONCE AGAIN” DAVID SYLVIAN & RYUICHI SAKAMOTO – FORBIDDEN COLOURS

INTERVIEWS

I am so proud of this interview. Music journalism becomes interesting when I don't limit myself. Asking the artist about the same works over and over again is so boring, about his recording processes. I would never do that. Who cares about this stuff anyway? If you want to know more about The Disintegration Loops, you can go and check out any other interview, or go to Wikipedia. Here, William (or Billy, as I've seen others call him) opens his heart on topics that require to do so. I asked everything I wanted, making sure these were questions he had never answered before. What does he think of Jeff Buckley? Who is William’s muse? What does this stylish king dream of? Will I be as cool as him when I'm 65? I know I won’t be, that’s impossible.

William Basinski, an avant garde musician from Houston, Texas, has done countless brilliant works. He has and has had a very interesting life. But I have noticed, at least in the people I know, that they only know about a small portion of the musical side of him, linked to his ambient music. But he is WAY more than that.

So I hope this interview sparks your curiosity, so you can explore other parts of his career. From the memory of an Italian-style palace, which no longer exists, to the comfort of the reader's hands. I raise the curtain and reveal the golden treasure that I will carry with me forever.

tell me about him? As a human, his energy, his presence. I would love to know what you remember.

LF: I am completely fascinated by Arcadia. Everything I have seen and read about this elegant, unique palace…it really feels like something out of a dream. I know that many artists, musicians and poets got the chance to perform there. Diamanda Galás, for example. Who else had the honour to be a part of that mythical place? Is there any particular performance that you would like to recall?

WB: I only knew Jeff briefly when Merri Cyr was photographing him and creating the videos for his Grace album cover. She used to use Arcadia for her record cover shoots and I would set design and help art direct. Jeff was a challenging person. He could say something a little in your face, if you will, but if you came back with a witty response he liked that. He would soften up. Scorpio, I believe he was.

WB: Anohni was an early featured artist among many other young musicians during those days, Rasputina, Shelley Hirsch, The Murmurs, Daniel Cartier, numerous other very talented NY artists.

LF: There is a video of you performing Hymns of Oblivion live at Arcadia that I find totally hypnotizing. It is just you, your leather pants, your saxophone, until I see that chair…Jeff’s chair.

And for a moment my mind goes somewhere else. What can you

LF: I firmly believe that your career as an artist, as well as the way you are as a person, have led you to live super exciting moments, collaborations with other artists or simply encounters

that you consider to be nice memories. I know you have done so many things. And it would be really special if you could share one or two of those memories and tell me a little bit about them.

LF: I want to talk for a moment about the concept of having a muse and the way in which you work. Do you think you have one? Have you ever had a muse? And I don’t mean musical influences like Bowie or Eno, I mean something or someone that is close to you. Someone in your life who inspires you even subconsciously.

WB: James Elaine, my life partner was my first real mentor and muse. He is an incredible highly underappreciated artist and he and his artist friends whom I met when I moved to San Francisco to live with Jamie in 1978 were my muses. They were doing fascinating work with paint and found objects and they were also huge experimental music afficanados, so I got to hear all kinds of music I'd never heard before and boundaries were lifted. I was free to explore!

WB: so many things, I will have to write a book about it someday. Jamie photographed everything too, so there are tons of pictures of our life together in art. One extraordinary experience I had over 10 years ago was being invited by Anohni to co-music-direct Robert Wilson's opera, The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic. What an experience of a lifetime. I had never done theater on such a scale. Working with and sitting next to Bob during the whole building of the show was such a learning experience, and getting to know the entire cast and crew was something only theater people can understand. Much laughter and oh yes, some tears as well. Such a challenge, but what a triumph it was finally on opening night after an almost disastrous preview the night before. What a relief! I'll never forget it or the lifelong friends I met during this production.

LF: Is there any particular sound (or maybe more than one) that you find delicate, enjoyable or peaceful? Sounds from your everyday life. Something that is not considered to be music and does not come from any kind of instrument, but has the same relaxing and meditative effect as Ambient music does.

WB: love the birds outside, there's a train track a few miles away and I can hear the melancholy whistle blowin' several times a day.

LF: I am gonna ask you for recommendations. Whatever you feel like naming. Books, albums, movies. Whatever it is that you love.

Old, brand new. I will think of you while I check them out.

WB: well, let's see, I love to read and some of the newest books I have enjoyed are Monument Maker, Xtabeth, Industry of Magic & Light and really ANYTHING by the genius that is David Keenan. I love Clarice Lispector, Rolano Bolano, anything in translation from New Directions Publishing, NY. Laszlo Krasnahorkai...genius! I rarely see films anymore except on planes. One I saw last year a few times is the charming and wonderful, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris set in the 50's, an English housekeeper spots a magnificent Christian Dior haute couture dress at one of her clients homes and becomes enraptured and decides she must possess one of her own...it's adorable!

LF: One last thing, William. Do you have dreams? What is it that you dream about doing? What would you like to do next?

WB: of course I have dreams. The other night I had a dream about the most delicious looking bacon cheeseburger and crispy double fried french fries, of all things. I've been meaning to head over to our local classic diner and have one of theirs, but they only do lunch and we eat late so I haven't been able to realize that dream as of yet!)

I guess we all go through different obsessions when it comes to music. Well, I find myself always returning to my old love. And my old love is Posh Isolation, an electronic/experimental/ambient/noise music label. I have to add that everything related to the danish music scene is also important to me, and it’s pretty related to this label and Christian.

Many years have passed, I grew up with these melodies that evoke a freshness that is difficult to find elsewhere. Christian Stadsgaard is part of this formation and growth, and that is why it is so important that this interview exists. With Vanity Productions, Damien Dubrovnik, alongside Loke Rahbek or producing other personalities. He was THERE too. On the other side of the world, with corals and the sound of a million seas. If I had to put into words what his label and music bring to my mind, I would say: “The feeling of freshness after just coming out of a long shower, in which I took my time to enjoy it. Being naked in bed, waiting for my hair to dry a little bit while I read a book. Knowing that, in a matter of a few minutes, I'm going to let the cutest boy in the world get close to my neck to feel my perfume. An almost naked

neck, ornamented only with a chain that carries a seashell, a silver virgin and a diamond.”

different if I did not have the label. Most of my friends are people I have met through music or related to music.

Christian is an important figure if we talk about noise, electronic music and so on. But I also think it is important to highlight the sensitivity with which he creates. I thank him for this interview.

I think the most important thing for is that Posh has brought me to a place where I can do what I want. It has given me a platform for my music, and freedom to connect with like-minded people.

The label has given me the opportunity to share and perform my music on a regular basis, and to travel. I guess that’s the biggest achievement for me, and way more than I could wish for.

Of course, there are many highlights of events. It's getting a bit blurry as the time passes by. I do think, though, that the most fun I’ve ever had was touring with The Empire Line.

LF: It’s been fourteen years since Posh Isolation was born. I am more than sure that, after all these years, the experiences that you and Loke, its co-founder, went through…are truly endless. Live concerts, collaborations, meetings, adventures or simply memorable moments. It would be super special if you could tell me a little bit about these memories, stuff that you went through thanks to your label/work. Whatever you feel like sharing!

CS: There are few things in my life I have done for longer than 14 years. It is a significant part of my entire life - also to the point where it feels quite abstract to grasp. I can’t even imagine my life without Posh Isolation, and I am VERY grateful for everything it have brought me. I mean, I even met my wife at a show I played in Moscow. So of course my life would have looked very, very

LF: This issue is completely dedicated to our muses, the people in our lives that inspire us to create in one way or another. Not necessarily well known artists or musicians that we don’t really know on a personal level, but our lovers, close friends. Do you think you have a muse? Have you ever had one?

CS: All of my solo material reflects my personal life in one way or the other. I need social inputs in order to create, and I need different experiences in order to thrive. In that sense my music is a snapshot of my life at a given period.

LF: I grew up listening to the different acts that the Danish scene had to offer. I remember loving LFY, Var, Iceage, Communions, Puce Mary, to name a few. But your label has a special place in my heart till this day. I’ve been paying attention to it for almost ten years now and I dare say it somehow shaped me as a person, as well as my taste in music. Same thing with your different

projects (Vanity Productions, Damien Dubrovnik). What labels or artists do you consider to be important to you? Not only in a creative aspect, but also on a personal level.

does not come from any kind of instrument, but has the same relaxing and meditative effect as Ambient music does.

CS: It's impossible for me to draw a distinction between personal and creative influences, as it's so closely related. My absolute biggest influence is Merzbow. It's the only artist I can always listen to; the music that will always calm me down and that I never feel done with. I often go through phases where I look into particular genres or artists. Recently, I have been digging into the early works of Fields of the Nephilim. A band I was into as a teenager, but did not pay attention to for many years. I like to discover different music and then take from it something I feel is interesting or special. In that sense my source of inspiration is never-ending. Since my influences also come from art, literature, theory, films and photography it's impossible for me to make a list. I like hunting for new stimuli, and I keep being curious about things that I somehow don’t know about yet.

I will mention early Consumer Electronics as a major influence.

Not so much musically anymore, but the idea of making something very powerful out of basically nothing. So conceptually Consumer Electronics is a huge influence.

But I guess my biggest musical influences on my work besides my noise background is Kevin Shields' treatment of guitars, and different artists within the minimalist/post-minimalist movement.

LF: Is there any particular sound (or maybe more than one) that you find delicate, enjoyable or peaceful? Sounds from your everyday life. Something that is not considered to be music and

CS: My favourite sound in the world is the sound of an old modem connecting to the internet.

LF: I am gonna ask you for recommendations. Whatever you feel like naming. Books, albums, movies. Whatever it is that you love.

Old, brand new. Anything!

CS: My recommendation to other people is to stay curious and to look into things as they show up to you. Whether it's “Kentucky Bluegrass” or “Dariacore”, try to systematically look into whatever micro-genres that may come along. New and old. There

is so much information on the internet and so many things accessible to us nowadays. The same thing goes for books, movies or any other art form. I know it's a demanding job to do, but I do feel we have an obligation not to get lazy and just stick to things we know. So my recommendation to people is to use the internet proactively, to stay curious, and to dig into things. A lot of the stuff you may find you will probably not even like, and that’s totally fine. At least you are expanding your horizon.

other people that makes you think “damn, I wish I had done that”.

Don’t be shy and tell me!

CS: I wish I had done the feedback on “Psychocandy”.

LF: One last thing, Christian. Do you have dreams? Is there anything that you want to accomplish? What would you like to do next?

At the moment I listen to - besides from what I already mentioned: Miasmatic Necrosis, Pissgrave and Sequestrum when it comes to metal, Morton Feldman and Julius Eastman when it comes to modern classics, Richie Hawtins different projects in the 90’s is a constant influence, and so is the Japanese noise scene from the same decade. But really, there are so much music I appreciate it seems impossible to mention it all. Early Chicago house music is also something I have been enjoying lately.

LF: Let’s travel to another world just for a second. Another life, a different one. Where Posh Isolation does not exist, neither does your music. But you are still the same Christian. In this imaginary world and ideal timeline, you have the chance to be a part of a real band or project that you like. Who would you choose and why? Choices are endless. Is there any piece/work from

CS: My dream is to be able to uphold the life I have now. To be able to make music, to spend time with my family and to travel.

To have that freedom to live the life I want. It may sound like a modest wish for the future, but it takes quite a lot of work to uphold such a lifestyle without being completely broke or broken.

Braulio Urbano/RVRLS is a sound and visual artist from La Pampa, Argentina, who currently lives in La Plata. He made his way through some other parts of the world and institutions, until he finally decided to come back here. Perhaps, to create in a less technical, abrasive and classic way as it was elsewhere, now learning day by day on his behalf what interests him. He also attends university, where he studies sound more intensely.

When I arrived in La Plata, I did so partly with the desire to learn more about the local scene. Braulio was perfect as a guest for this edition, since he covers the ambient, experimental, drone and soundscape genres. Playing with tape, different processes, loops, recording in analog and putting together electronic devices to reproduce and create sounds.

The essence of the place where he comes from is present in each of his images, videos or songs, and that is my favourite part of it.

It brings to us the tranquility of a more natural life, far from the city, surrounded by animals and insects and how serene a sunset next to a lagoon can be. I have used his music in moments of extreme tiredness, where I really needed to rest, guiding me towards a gentle sleep.

LF: It was right in the middle of a live set of yours (the first and only time that I had the chance to see you perform live), that I decided to do an interview with you. It felt like the right thing to do since it wasn’t that hard at all to imagine having Rvrls here as a guest. You made me feel something beyond peaceful. I clearly remember paying attention to the visuals, which were a collage of videos recorded by you. There was one video of the reflection of the sun on the water, and many other videos recorded outside.

I also remember that I saw you grab a book of notes which contained the lines that you would recite from time to time. Now, let’s not think about your music for a moment. What’s your relationship with writing/visual art?

BU: First of all I would like to thank you for this warm invitation.

My relationship with visual art and writing are core to my work.

I am not a person who comes from an artistic background, although music was always very present in my family and it was a great channel of emotions for as long as I can remember. It was only in my adolescence that I began to explore and find some inspiration in literature. As well as writing certain “liberating texts”, as I always liked to think of them. And almost at the same

time, I was curious about photography. I think that consciously or unconsciously I began to find some kind of magic or poetry there, in the very same action of searching, observing and capturing different moments. That continued for severeal years before I got involved in music. And I think the same remains to this day, since part of my search involves evoking the images and landscapes of the countryside that gave me a certain type of support, since my interests began to escape a little from social and hegemonic standards, which are so common in small cities.

LF: Now, let’s talk about your music. How did you get started in the musical genres that you identify with nowadays? Was there something or someone in particular that made you feel curious enough to follow this path? Could be an artist or an event.

BU: I like to think that I make the music that I like to listen to, to the extent that my skills and tools allow me to do so. Same thing with the music that comes from the different states that I live with. At some point after finishing high school, and even without being completely sure about what path I wanted to take,

I spent some time traveling, getting to know different places and contexts. This was accompanied by a certain introspection, I distanced myself quite a bit from many bonds that I had built until then, and perhaps I also found myself questioning certain structures that I did not consider were very good for me and my life. I think here I could mention my father, who always had a fairly nomadic life, marked by his ideals and the desire to have a healthy life. That is why, for some time now, I have gone through stages in which silence and stillness became very important, in which I began to find answers and inspiration. And to this day I continue trying to create these moments, I think they are one of my main sources of creativity.

Then, since I moved to La Plata, in 2017, I began to meet people, artists, friends, who encouraged me to follow those paths and to link that most intimate personal search with artistic expressions.

I could mention among them the Extintas Epecies collective, whom since before I arrived in the city had cultivated something that, in my opinion, was an amazing universe, which I had the pleasure of sharing on some occasions. To Ivan from Villadrone, with whom we conspired almost involuntarily searching for the Teardrows and to this day we share multiple concerns, searches and adventures. And finally to Boy from M.O.A (Environmental Organic Music) with whom we had a close relationship full of good times and melodies, in his last moments here. Who I also consider to be a great influence when it comes to using the guitar to make music.

LF: I don't know what it's like to perform live. Being in front of people exposing what is sometimes so personal. We display our

radiant treasures and creations almost constantly, but I feel that doing it face to face carries another weight. What do you particularly feel when you do it? Is there a specific gig that you happened to enjoy above the others? For what reason?

BU: I agree with what you say, and I consider it to be a very beautiful instance. But it requires energy and prior work to make it happen in a pleasant way. In my case, this is the first year in which I play live alone, with a somewhat more intimate proposal.

My experience tells me that it is a little more challenging and dizzying than doing it in company, as has happened before. I always experience good nerves, even though the contexts in which I have performed have been very kind and with a lot of support. I think that part is a bit difficult for me, but at the same time it is a great challenge to face, and to be honest I am happy with the results. I think there are always good feelings left, and there is always something to continue working on.

I can say something about the latest Barrio Noise, an event we organized in collaboration with el Negro, (also known as: Viejo

es el Viento and Sigue Soplando or VeeVySS) and many colleagues from the local scene. We played with Ivan and Manu, as searching for the Teardrows. There were a lot of people very willing to listen, and the atmosphere was very pleasant, we spent a good time among mists and drone landscapes. It felt very good.

LF: Is there a particular sound (or perhaps more than one) that you find delicate, enjoyable or peaceful? Something that is not considered to be music or comes from any type of instrument, but has the same relaxing and meditative effect as Ambient music.

BU: The first thing that comes to mind is the countryside and its diversity. Especially the area where I grew up, which is familiar to me. It is a beautiful landscape, characterized by the plain.

"There is nothing in La Pampa" they say, often disparagingly. I think that's precisely why I like it.

I like to visit the chaos in which the bugs and plants there live. I only go a couple of times per year, but I love going out for a walk and being in silence for a while, on the dirt streets. There are still some fields with wild landscapes and some protected areas, which are a real pleasure to visit.

LF: This issue is completely dedicated to our muses, the people in our lives who inspire us to create in one way or another. Not necessarily super well-known artists or musicians that we don't really know on a personal level, but our lovers, close friends. Do you think you have a muse? Have you ever had one?

BU: The truth is that nowadays I don't know if I particularly have a muse. At least not as such, in my imagination. I think I am very inspired by the sensitivity of some people, and their ability to communicate it. So, I could consider some of my artist friends as muses, or artists I don't know personally and still admire. Who, due to their sincerity and devotion to what they do or did, have managed to move me repeatedly, regardless of the discipline in which they specialize. I know that along the way I have crossed paths with some of them, and that the power of their symbols is preserved in some way within me and in my activity.

LF: I want to give you total freedom to tell me where your head is at the moment, while doing this interview. when doing this interview. Tell me whatever comes to mind. Would you mind recommending music, movies, books? New, old stuff. Whatever you feel like sharing. I would also love for you to recommend more local artists that you like musically, people who happen to be a part of the same La Plata-Buenos Aires scene as you. if you feel like it.

BU: My head is in many places I suppose, between responsibilities, chores and projects. And the political context in which we live sometimes affects me more hostilely than others.

That is something that I cannot ignore, and since I am a little more aware of it, it affects me in different ways. I guess something similar will happen to all of us. Summarizing some thoughts, I could say that it would be good if, both as a collective and as

individuals, we began to question a little more from where our needs arise and what moves us. Where we are aiming with our activity. And if our desires are genuine, or if we are responding to needs imposed by power, market, capital, system or however you want to understand it.

Regarding recommendations: these days I have been revisiting Robert Turman, I could recommend the albums FLUX and Way Down. Atahualpa Yupanqui was also present, doing his thing. I love his instrumental album Die Andengitarre, I understand it is a German edition and I can't find the national edition of it. To complement, I could mention some of my favorite music labels: Shelter Press, XKatedral, Editions Mego, World Music 419, Total Black, Bruma del Sur, L.I.E.S Records. And some elementary projects as far as my musical tastes are concerned: Ssaliva, Las Barbas Indómitas, Hype Williams.

I like to read poetry, essays, fanzines or philosophical texts, more than anything current. That is something I do regularly, and somewhat disinterestedly, since I think some of the texts I read are far from what I understand about them, especially the philosophy ones. But I like to inhabit that more amateur understanding of things. Not so rationalistic.

Two of my favorite poets: Roberto Juarroz and Marcelo Amar. A book that was recently given to me: The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Regarding the cinema, I usually go to the cinema. I really like the films of Bergman and Tarkovsky. Although they are slow and cause anxiety; I like slow things and counteract anxiety. I also really like experimental cinema, I recently discovered the work of Claudio Caldini, which I loved.

Regarding the local scene, there is a collective of experimental artists that is responsible for curating events and bringing together like-minded musicians, called G.R.U.M.E.L. I like their proposals.

I recently met Sara from Uruguay, who also makes very nice soundscapes with tape loops and processes.

In CABA there is a duo called FFFFF, formed by Catriel Nievas and Pablo Diaz, I could say that their work, both together and separately, is the most pleasant thing I have witnessed in the area.

And about the scene in La Plata, I could mention some bands and projects that I like to see live: Eucalyptus, Bloodforest, VeeVySS, Kimura, Ortiba, Mente-Atada, SP?M, Bloques Irreconciliables, Cuco. From Neuquen: Villadrone. And others that are not from this scene but are good to listen to: Alfalfa and M.O.A. LF: One last thing, Braulio. Do you have dream to fulfill? How do you plan to make them part of your reality? I hope you get to make them true in the end and thank you for granting me this interview.

BU: BU: Yes, there are many things that I would like to be able to experience in life. Among them, I would like music to take me to discover new places, contexts and cultures. Traveling has always been something that I really liked, and for that to be accompanied by a musical exchange I think it would be pleasant and enriching.

And to achieve that I continue to train myself both academically and non-academically, and working in parallel with colleagues and friends from the local scene. Little by little, the circle of people in which many art workers find themselves is growing, the same one that we want to foster based on our experiences and ideals. Nowadays the Internet is also of great help, since it allows us to be in contact and collaborate with people from abroad. That is something that I have been experiencing for some time, and I would like to continue cultivating in the coming years.

Returning to the question: I would also like to establish a recycling venture that is a little more stable than the current one.

To return some love to the earth, since our kind ends up being very cruel to it. And a little more because I love recycling, I think it is one of the concepts that I like the most when it comes to chores.

Perhaps in the same recycling plant there could be a large garden where raw materials for plant-based delicacies are made. And well, there could also be a large cubicle prepared to emit and process sound substances of various types. A nice dream, in my opinion. We'll see what's in store for us.

Thank you!

Create contact networks, communicate, be active, create spaces in which we can express ourselves, train ourselves and share our time (which is more valuable than what capitalism pays for); Those are the activities that in my opinion promote this cause and allow us to celebrate our elections.

Clearly today I know that the way is not the mainstream or the hegemonic consumer market that we know. Years have passed since intuition came together with reason through many experiences, which made visible all the misery to which the commercial industry wants to condition us as people, artists and art workers. And this could just be the lead-up to a great conversation.

Translation, editing, presentation, interviews, image manipulation, poems, texts, analog collages, by Narel R @nrr.esxz PHOTOSHOOT Model Marian Vonfaiér/Marian de Paralapsus @mariandeparalapsus Photographer Gabriel Esposito @gaabiesposito Image editing/manipulation by Narel R @nrr.esxz Made in Mar del Plata 2023 GUESTS William Basinski @musex1 Christian Stadsgaard @stadsgaard @poshisolationworld Braulio Urbano @_rvrls

CRÉDITS

Thank you LANDSCAPE FANZINE BY NAREL R LA PLATA, ARGENTINA 2023.