Mirumir Russia レコード& CD

Review: This vinyl issue presents some of Edward Artemiev's finest soundtrack work, taken from Andrei Tarkovsky's classic films Stalker and The Mirror. The A-side is given over to four tracks from Stalker, with the haunting themes of the film's narrative explored in the title theme with chilling synth textures, pan pipes and harpsichord tones, while the prickly textures of "Train" and "They Go Long" offer tense introspection. "Exodus" and "Dedication To Andrei Tarkovsky" from The Mirror both offer that unique combination of monolithic scale and pastoral melody that makes Artemiev's music so intriguing.

Review: As one of the fearless theorists and adventurers of the avant-garde, John Cage's famed performance at the Teatro Lirico di Milano in 1977 stands as a marvellous moment when high art met with an irreverent crowd and created something entirely new. Based around the demilitarization of language and breaking down words to focus on small clusters of vocalised noise, Cage's reading of his text shows a determined grit as the audience grow progressively more restless and boisterous throughout the two and a half hour recording. Available on vinyl for the first time, this is a pleasing reminder that the academic approach can have relevance in the real world.