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We Have Always Been Minimalist

The Construction and Triumph of a Musical Style

Christophe Levaux

Minimalism has always intrigued me – specifically in the realm of music. Having emerged as an antidote to twelve-tone bombast, it soon became a varied genre with idiosyncratic genres and styles being interpreted depending on the composer’s preferences and outlook.

Minimalist music is fabled to have come across in the 1960s in New York City as an experimental art form and a “work in progress” in that it did not adhere to structures and with its non-linearity was not being driven towards a desired outcome.

The focus was instead set on the internal processes of music without any limitations pertaining to duration, form or even instrumentation, which finds its sonic equivalent in recurring themes, hypnotic harmonies and repetitive drones and which are rarely embellished on: Minimalism strips music down to its essentials following the credo that less is more and that it is more about the notes that are not played than the ones being produced.

Needless to say, minimalism thoroughly shook the foundations of music as it was traditionally perceived and became one of the impulses to shape and change future music and the approach to it, sparking a resurgence that revolutionised the outlook on art, what it is supposed to stand for at large and questioned the status quo.

With We Have Always Been Minimalist, Christophe Levaux made it his mission to shed light on the genesis of the genre, its opposition and documents how it evolved to become an integral component and pillar modern music as we know it. With his critical and thorough approach, Levaux manages to cast light on the historical contexts, stylistic nuances and elaborates thereby in a manner, that should resonate and be relevant for both the uninitiated as well as the fanatics.

Water of Life

Martini (Applewood Coral Gin and Regal Rogue)

There are a myriad of cocktails but only few reliable ones that I’d confidently order in the more remote corners of this earthround with the probably most famous of the gin cocktails, i.e. the Martini, being one of them. While the constituents are fairly straight forward, i.e. gin, dry vermouth and zest of lemon, the preparation has for ages generated arguments about how to concoct the most accomplished “perfect” version. 

Needless to say that the right choice of a quality gin and vermouth is integral to the creation of what has been stylized as the emblem of sophistication, with twists on the classic serve having always been a hot topic and a subject of fierce debate amongst bon vivants, with the common denominator being that the lesser the amount of vermouth, the drier the Martini is supposed to be. Let’s not even get started at  an Ian Fleming-inspired debate about shaking vs. stirring and the resulting perfect level of temperature, dilution and opaqueness.

Personal taste and specifically the choice of gin and vermouth allows for much variety to create an individual taste even if the ratios are set.

As far as gins are concerned, we have sufficiently covered the surge and mushrooming of quality gin distilleries on terra australis, partly due to its provenance, i.e. its geological and botanical context and resulting unique flora, being one of the main unique selling points.

Adelaide based Applewood Distillery has its focus firmly set on valuing native, local ingredients while understanding the importance of producing in harmony with nature and therefore supporting farmers working in a sustainable manner.

A contender for one of my favourites of the Applewood Distillery portfolio is the idiosyncratic Coral Gin, which not only distinguishes itself in the liquor cabinet through its pink colour, but is a liquid homage to the Great Barrier Reef with its ingredients being made from sea succulents and coastal botanicals Including sweet strawberry gum, spicy riberries and salty karkalla. Sounds exotic? It is in parts, but it would not be Applewood if the flavour profile was not perfectly calibrated: Soft, velvety and delicate in nature, the never overwhelming light fragrance adds a refreshing note  to it, making it the borderline ideal juniper juice for hot summer days.

As far as vermouth is concerned, I have tried many but loved few.

However, given the aforementioned qualities of the Applewood Coral Gin, Regal Rogue’s portfolio of vermouths proves to be a perfect match with them not only valuing organic Australian wine and native Aboriginal herbs and spices but paying utmost attention to their handcrafted vermouths being created in the spirit of Aboriginal philosophy of  having minimum impact on their surroundings.

How could one create a better “Australian” Martini than marrying Applewood’s Coral Gin with the native Australian aromatics that form the unique savoury and salty DNA of the Regal Rogue Daring Dry, with its herbaceous character derived from the melange of an organic Sauvignon Blanc nuanced with native Anise Myrtle, Quandong and Native Thyme and followed by white pepper, gentian, olive leaf and juniper.

Sounds mouth watering? Wait until it hits your palate…

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images from company websites

Welcome to Search/Play/Repeat, a playlist blog here at SPB. Aaron normally posts these, but he’s working on some other fun stuff so I figured I’d take a stab at it.

I feel old quite a bit these days. It’s probably a mix of a disproportionately gray beard and not ever leaving the house because, well, look at the world right now. Hold on, though. I’m going somewhere with this. One thing I really miss is making regular mix tapes, CDRs, etc and sharing them. You know, like I did in the old days. So here you go.

There is a theme at play too. Each item on this 10-song playlist has been covered, by me, in some capacity at SPB. Most are record reviews, Ötzi is an interview, and Modern Cynics was a featured full album stream. So if you like what you hear on this list, hit our search bar and look up additional coverage.

It’s synergy, baby!

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PS, check out all the previous playlists via Spotify.

The Formative Years – Welcome to Venice

It must have been in 1990 that I first came across the Welcome to Venice compilation.

I was instantly hooked and made it my mission to find out more about each of the contributing acts, specifically Suicidal Tendencies, whose self-titled debut album was glued to my turntable once acquired.

While it was clear that ST was essentially a punk band, their crossover approach marrying hardcore punk with virtuous solos, metal and groove along with their idiosyncratic aesthetics were unlike anything I had grown to expect to emerge from California from the often overly melodic fun driven bands released by e.g. Mystic Records, whose charm was often found in the utter dilettantism.

The gang culture and resulting violence surrounding Venice and its bands is well documented and while it added an alure of danger to the mix, what made ST interesting was the other end of the spectrum, i.e. the fact that Mike Muir displayed both a sense of humour, authenticity as well as refreshing thoughtfulness when he e.g. delved into experiences with alienation and depression.

The second album Join the Army solidified their sound and ignited a commercially successful triumvirate of albums, with How Will I Laugh Tomorrow and Controlled by Hated / Feel Like Shit…Déjà Vu, each of which are classic full-lengths in their own right that have stood the test of time.

Light…Camera…Revolution was the first album the release of which I witnessed first-hand and it proved to be both technically and sonically the most refined offering so far with the songs not only being more complex but majorly enhanced by foci set on thrash metal as well as funk elements. A classic, focussed and inspired album.

1992 saw the release of The Art of Rebellion, which is by many considered Suicidal Tendencies’ most “experimental album” – a classification that was more often than  not meant as a put down as hardliners saw them loose their edge in a bid to blend in with the new wave of grunge and alternative rock acts.

I consider it a masterpiece.

While staying true to their punk and hardcore roots, with The Art of Rebellion ST managed to grow further as band by skilfully incorporation funk and pop sensibilities, which seamlessly tie into more progressive song structures.

Yes, it was more accessible and melodic yet did not stray from the band’s DNA, instead it saw Mike Muir utilize his vocal delivery even more as an additional instrument, infusing the songs with a new vulnerability without ever running danger of entering lachrymose territory.

High Adventures in the Great Outdoors – Undone

There are no two ways about it: The opposite of “off-the-rack” is gaining in popularity with customization being a feat of exclusivity and luxury. What in the world of bespoke tailoring with clothing being made to individual measurements of the customer, has been practiced for the longest time, specifically with tailor-made suits in the UK has now firmly established itself for other products as well.

When it comes to watches and the Hypebeast era we live in, brands tend to dominate the scene and while it might be hard to argue with the craftmanship that results in the creation of a Rolex, theme-wise it seems like antiquated concepts around e.g. aviation and seafaring, are being rehashed again and again. On the other end of the spectrum there are mass produced, widely available cheap variants which usually do not have staying power or merit beyond the flavour-of-the-day appeal. In other words, the equilibrium between accessibility and personalisation paired with quality manufacturing in the realm of watch making is rarely to be found.

Having used the Apple Watch for many years in a utilitarian manner for its features, I felt it was time to invest into a watch to sprinkle my day with a different aesthetic and add a bit of variety to the daily humdrum.

Enter Undone and their endeavour to make individuality matter by creating unique timepieces by understanding their customers’ requests and creating the desired watch specifically for them without any further third party involved. After having refined their approach to watchmaking by mastering the fundamentals via the creation of a line of vintage-inspired lines based on both mecha-quarts and automatic variants, they embarked into more experimental territory.

The way it works is that you browse Undone’s website to select the individual components of your watch, with the option to customize each minute detail from thousands of possible options and component either by relying on tried and tested presets or customizing everything from colour schemes, bezels, straps, etc. from scratch, including adding initials, engravings and other personal touches to the mix.

Once happy with the design and features, the individual parts are then being assembled by expert watchmakers, placed through strict quality control to make sure that nothing is out of place – a process, which also ensures responsible production and the elimination of excess waste.

Apart from the bespoke services Undone offers, collaborations with partners like DC Comics, illustrators and established graphic designers further aid in Undone’s commitment to explore and accentuate your own story.

The watch I created is based on a classic basecamp design with the customized features chosen paying homage to both classic designs as well as personalised touches, which includes the display of artwork I have specifically created for the backside of the watch, sealing the uniqueness of the watch.

Quality at work when it comes to building monuments to the greatest of all thieves.