Amoeba berkeley Staff

Felix
Amoeba Berkeley

Chopin: Etudes (CD)

Yunchan Lim
The Korean pianist Yunchan Lim has been lauded and glorified by enthusiastic pundits and virtuoso musicians well before this CD was ever released. Back in 2022, Lim became the youngest person to ever win the Van Cliburn international competition at the age of only 18. That particular performance, when sent on-line, had revved up over 11 million viewers! Remember, this is a classical pianist I'm referring to. Accordingly, when he signed with Decca and elected to perform and release on CD, all 24 of the Chopin Etudes; I felt I had a duty to buy it. And yes, his reading of both Op.10 & Op. 25 is quite stunning! No need to take you through the many glorious steps as to why this recording of Lim's Chopin Etudes should be a part of anyone's classical collection, simply because it's already been written about; many times. Up to now, my favorite recording of this grand and exquisite, not to mention, demanding piece was no other than the Bronx native, Murray Perahia. But just in case you've been incredibly busy with life in general and the many surprises it can dump on one, I highly suggest listening to this highly entertaining recording of the Etudes. Yunchan is on the path of becoming legendary. A stunning reading of one of Chopin's finest compositions, and the sound is honestly remarkable. Read more

Reconnaissance / Helsinki Chamber Choir (CD)

Kaija Saariaho
The Swedish label, BIS, has released a stunningly beautiful set of compositions for choir by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, who unfortunately died in 2023.  All these pieces on this disc, have atmospheric and ethereal effects which demand close and attentive listening.  In some of these works, the choral group, Helsinki Chamber Choir, are accompanied by light instrumentation or electronics but sing mostly unaccompanied. Each of the seven compositions performed here. offers the listener with an interesting world of novel effects. Isolated voices are amplified and staggered to where choral polyphony is expanded so as to fit our modern age. The amazing amount, I can only assume, of trial and error which Saariaho needed to somehow, weave together into a coherent whole for the purpose of constructing each of these compositions, is a testament to her brilliancy.  The seven compositions offered here were written over the past 30 or so years.  My favorites of the seven begins with the opening piece; "Nuits, adieux" (1991) where an array of singing, breathing and whispering are organized around two text sources; one is from the French Poet, Jacques Roubaud as well as the French novelist, Honoré de Balzac. Certain voices are amplified and intermittently processed, creating reverberations from their inflected voices. The effect is other worldly, and as the provided booklet states; "...the whole song is a lullaby, not so much for a sleeping child as for an elderly person sleeping out of our world."  Another piece which intrigued me was "Tag des Jahrs" (2001) where Saariaho uses text from the German poet and philosopher, Friedrich Hölderlin. Most of Hölderlin's life was plagued by mental illness and in these poems of his, he strangely assigns them "...different dates, in other decades, even other centuries from the time in which he lived."  He even signed them using a different name.  What exactly triggered Hölderlin to assign his poems to imaginary dates with an imaginary name only serves to be a mystery for Saarihao.  Using celestial singing from both the soprano & alto (bass and tenor join in later), these poems are sung amidst Timo Kurkikangas' sparingly used but effective electronics creating an uncharted effect.  One more favorite of mine, which is a re-doing of the first piece, "Nuits, adieux" (1996) but without accompaniment. Thoroughly entertaining and is an indication as to how talented the Helsinki Chamber Choir is. I also recommend listening to this entire CD with headphones.  The closer one gets to her music, the more extraordinary Saariaho's pieces come alive. Highly recommended! Read more

Orchestral Works / Rebecca Miller / BBC Concert Orchestra (CD)

Dorothy Howell
English composer Dorothy Howell is once more beginning to acquire some well-deserved exposure with this release despite having died well over 40 years ago. Even if the name, Dorothy Howell, might not ring a bell for the average classical fan, this release should be enough to capture their attention. 4 of the 5 pieces on this CD are world premiere recordings (3 were written a century ago!) and one would assume, without delving into her history, that the reasonings behind her being, for the MOST part; overlooked, must be due not only to there being world wars in succession but must also stem from the fact that her profession was dominated by men (quick, name just 3 women composers! Sadly most can't.) Nevertheless, her piece "Lamia" (included on this CD) was premiered at the Proms back in 1919 and had a jubilant reception. Regardless, her stature quickly faded, despite her passion to continue composing, albeit, through unforgiving times. In the opening piece "Humoresque" one will notice a kaleidoscopic array of blooming colors beginning to slowly burst out with wonderful balance and harmony. This piece immediately reminds me of segments from Dvorak's symphonies and as the provided booklet conveys to us; hints of Sibelius' orchestration as well. There is a lovely gaiety to the rhythm throughout the piece "The Rock" with triumphant horns and jocular flutes. Howell's pieces are programmatic and are drawn from distinct story-lines but not without her showcasing beautiful and engaging melodies. Her phrasings have a way of morphing seamlessly into elegant and appealing expressions. Observing the development of her melodies is comparable to following a scene from a novel. Take for instance the induction of castanets in the opening to "Three Divertissements" (1959) as the winds and violins proceed like a merry stroll in the garden. Her only known piece "Lamia" (taken from a John Keats poem) reminds me of the wonderfully robust and explosively colorful painting by Kirsty Matheson that is displayed on the booklet front & back cover. A powerful work that showcases poignant and inspiring phrasings from the string section with exciting and dramatic writing for the winds. Hints of Wagner? Possibly, but the five works on this release are a powerful reminder of how much of a tragedy it was that both society and more specifically, the Classical world, had snubbed such a brilliant and gifted composer as Dorothy Howell most definitely was. Many kudos to the Californian conductor, Rebecca Miller, for choosing to resurrect this essential composer into our listening lives. Marvelous and superb playing from the BBC Concert Orchestra. Also the sound quality from this Signum Classics recording has represented Dorothy Howell tremendously well. Read more

The Vienna Recital (CD)

Yuja Wang
I've been looking forward to a Yuja Wang recital ever since she released "The Berlin Recital" back in 2018.  Listening to that CD was mesmerizing for me and so when I noticed this one,"The Vienna Recital", I didn't hesitate to buy it. Like most solo recitals, a great deal of them touch on a wide scope of various composers; Miss Wang's release is no different. But what I specifically enjoyed about this 78 minute set was her articulate enthusiasm for each piece. You can literally sense her zest for the music as she accentuates each stroke of the keys with noticeable force; like in Ligeti's Etude No.6.  Her clear and precise, not to mention, expressive notes are exciting to hear. Wang even magnifies the sheer dimension of Ligeti's piece where her arpeggios treks from an amplified height while falling to dramatic depths. The drama is in how she accents each note at the most appropriate time. Her stirring rendition of Albeniz's "Malaga" (from Iberia) is no exception.  Also, listen to her Beethoven Piano Sonata No.18 where in the Allegro, her articulate and precise runs are enunciated with an amount of expression I've never heard before, especially with this particular movement. The quick choppy tongue-in-cheek twangs she playfully embellishes (has anyone attacked this piece with such jest?) add so much joy to this sonata. Miss Wang is not breaking any sacrosanct rules here; she simply LOVES this Beethoven sonata; and she wants you to feel the same way!  Stressing the highest notes on her run up the ladder in Ligeti's Etude No.13 can only initiate attentiveness for it keeps us interested.  She then begins a Philip Glass Etude (No.6) and embellishes the sweeping cluster of notes with magnificent drama. Miss Wang has a phenomenal way of allocating just the right amount of both loudness and softness to her notes. There is much more to share here about the excitement I have concerning this release. She even compels us to become a bit more enthusiastic than normal over the Scriabin Piano Sonata (No.3) she performs.  Yuja Wang has a marvelous tendency to keep us on our toes throughout her selected pieces with quick bursts of struck notes when appropriate. She is keenly aware you are listening but doesn't want anyone nodding off. Drawing attention to the strengths within each piece is where Yuja Wang is awfully good at.  Even so, Wang's intriguing choice to play a beautiful but restrained rendition of Brahms "Intermezzo op.117/3" as the penultimate piece for this recital, only serves to magnify the high tonic notes to Gluck's "Melodie" which is played with a restorative yearning for a sparkling outcome.  Both of Yuja Wang's recital CDs (Berlin & Vienna) are must purchases. Read more

Ghe Vienna Recital (CD)

Yuja Wang
I've been looking forward to a Yuja Wang recital ever since she released "The Berlin Recital" back in 2018.  Listening to that CD was mesmerizing for me and so when I noticed this one,"The Vienna Recital", I didn't hesitate to buy it. Like most solo recitals, a great deal of them touch on a wide scope of various composers; Miss Wang's release is no different. But what I specifically enjoyed about this 78 minute set was her articulate enthusiasm for each piece. You can literally sense her zest for the music as she accentuates each stroke of the keys with noticeable force; like in Ligeti's Etude No.6.  Her clear and precise, not to mention, expressive notes are exciting to hear. Wang even magnifies the sheer dimension of Ligeti's piece where her arpeggios treks from an amplified height while falling to dramatic depths. The drama is in how she accents each note at the most appropriate time. Her stirring rendition of Albeniz's "Malaga" (from Iberia) is no exception.  Also, listen to her Beethoven Piano Sonata No.18 where in the Allegro, her articulate and precise runs are enunciated with an amount of expression I've never heard before, especially with this particular movement. The quick choppy tongue-in-cheek twangs she playfully embellishes (has anyone attacked this piece with such jest?) add so much joy to this sonata. Miss Wang is not breaking any sacrosanct rules here; she simply LOVES this Beethoven sonata; and she wants you to feel the same way!  Stressing the highest notes on her run up the ladder in Ligeti's Etude No.13 can only initiate attentiveness for it keeps us interested.  She then begins a Philip Glass Etude (No.6) and embellishes the sweeping cluster of notes with magnificent drama. Miss Wang has a phenomenal way of allocating just the right amount of both loudness and softness to her notes. There is much more to share here about the excitement I have concerning this release. She even compels us to become a bit more enthusiastic than normal over the Scriabin Piano Sonata (No.3) she performs.  Yuja Wang has a marvelous tendency to keep us on our toes throughout her selected pieces with quick bursts of struck notes when appropriate. She is keenly aware you are listening but doesn't want anyone nodding off. Drawing attention to the strengths within each piece is where Yuja Wang is awfully good at.  Even so, Wang's intriguing choice to play a beautiful but restrained rendition of Brahms "Intermezzo op.117/3" as the penultimate piece for this recital, only serves to magnify the high tonic notes to Gluck's "Melodie" which is played with a restorative yearning for a sparkling outcome.  Both of Yuja Wang's recital CDs (Berlin & Vienna) are must purchases. Read more

Annie Fischer "Schumann: Piano Sonata No.1 / Schubert: 4 Impromptus D.935 (CD)

Annie Fischer
Here we have a rare studio recording (never before released on CD!) from 1975 performed by the then 60 year old Hungarian pianist, Annie Fischer, playing Schumann's first piano sonata written when he was only 25 years old.  The final piece is Schubert's 4 Impromptus, written just a year before he died (at 31) but not published until 10 years after his death. This recording of Miss Fischer's is unusual  for she rarely recorded in the studio. She felt  that playing in front of a live audience was a necessary addition for an honest and complete interpretation. Because Fischer was in London at that time for a scheduled recital, she was asked by the BBC to record a part of her repertoire in the studio; and this CD is the result.  Be that as it may, I'm assuming that Annie Fischer, if she were alive today, would object to this recording being released commercially based on her own notions and philosophy of interpretation. It is well-known that Fischer spent 15 years recording all of Beethoven's piano sonatas in the studio yet they were never released in her lifetime (she died in 1995) due to her discontent with them. But six years after Annie Fischer's death, those complete Beethoven piano sonatas were eventually released to the public and are now hailed as one of the preferred Beethoven complete sonata sets in existence. But 1995 is a long time ago and the talent of Annie Fischer mustn't be forgotten giving importance to this latest release.  Here, in Schumann's opening movement, her robust way of attacking the keys is where we first zero in on her playing.  The unhurried way she simplifies the need to change speeds is performed so beautifully but without much flair. This conjures memories of my mothers delicious cooking where basic ingredients are kept at a bare minimum yet ample room is given so that each ingredient reveals its best succulent quality.  Fischer's acute sense of focus brings each played note into sharp relief but not without marvelous clarity. When hearing her play Schumann's beautiful Aria movement as well as Schubert's charming Andante (3rd of four impromptus) Miss Fischer has just enough sensibility but without that sentimental fluff. Her no-nonsense approach toward these interpretations sound naturally spontaneous. This release as well as any of her future releases should be dutifully snatched up. Read more
Erok
Amoeba Berkeley

Sanshi (CD)

Ripped to Shreds
I’ve been a fan of this Asian death metal group, their guitarist/vocalist Andre Lee delivers some of the sickest shredding in existence.All of their work is stellar in an Entombed worship sort of way. Read more

Hellbutcher (CD)

Hellbutcher
From the ashes of Swedish black metal lords Nifelhiem comes this skullet rocking menace. Read more

Punished by Nemesis (CD)

Stress Angel
I discovered this Brooklyn black metal band on the Fenriz Metal Pact, this and their first album are essential black thrash! Read more

The Seventh Curse/Witch from Nepal (BLU)

From the same director as Story of Ricky comes this Hong Kong shock-a-thon. Look out for a ghastly infantile face shredding monster plus there’s Chow Yun Fat in a meaty role. Read more

Pleasure (CD)

Girls at Our Best
Leeds post punk goodness that’s similar to Dolly Mixture or Kleenex. Read more

Burning Savage (CD)

Obnoxious Youth
I’ve followed this band ever since 2017 with Disturbing the graves. Sometimes the vocals sound like a Japanese Hc band but they hail from Finland. Their brand of metal has tasty riffs and is dripping with evil! Read more

Blood and Lace (BLU)

Here’s a rare slasher movie that has all the charm of a warped 70’s sitcom. Mel from Mel’s Diner (Vic Tayback) plays a similar unsavory creep. Gloria Grahame from film noir hits and It’s a Wonderful Life appears with lethargic fury! Read more

Severin Films Russ Meyer Vixens Trilogy: Vixen, Supervixens, Beneath the Valley of the Ultra Vixens (BLU)

Russ Meyer
All 3 Russ Meyer hard to find films starting with Erica Gavin as Vixen. Next Supervixens and finally Ultravixens with RM’s wife Kitten Natividad. Cartoonish violence, tough yet overly endowed babes and squarejawed lunkheads illustrate the world of RM. Finally we all get to see these amazing films in all their pristine clarity. Before Severin restored them they were on rare DVDs exclusively sold by Meyer himself for market price. Read more
E. Lit
Amoeba Berkeley
My #1 tip always is to listen to albums from musicians, not curated playlists or programs that promote singles. The less people listen to albums, the less the curation of albums by artists matters, which in turn leads to less memorable albums. Listening to an album from beginning to end can convey an artist's statement in a way that no single song can.

Dance On My Grave (LP)

Paten Locke
Hard to believe it’s been almost 6 years since the passing of Paten Locke in 2019. This second (and likely final) full length posthumous release from P. Locke is a dizzying display of creative hip hop with an experimental edge. Culled from a collection of finished recordings and demos finalized around 2017, this album is rough around the edges and raw in a way that Paten Locke would have approved of. Production, scratching and rapping handled by the man himself, with some memorable guest spots sprinkled in the mix as well. The genuine passion and heart that was poured into these recordings is nothing short of remarkable, and this collection is a great testament to a hip hop renaissance man gone too soon. Read more

Genuine Dexterity (LP)

k-the-i??? & Kenny Segal
k-the-i???’s return to rapping in 2024 was a welcome surprise to me, and once I heard that he’d linked with Kenny Segal and Backwoodz Studioz for a project I knew it was going to be something special. This album delivers for heads who are into hip hop that explores some edgy and experimental sounds. k-the-i???’s chaotic and verbose delivery borders on heated spoken word, and Kenny Segal’s production walks a fine line between left-field jazz and weird electronic sounds. Excellent guest spots from Armand Hammer, Open Mike Eagle, Fatboi Sharif, ShrapKnel, Jesse the Tree, and Self Jupiter round out this dope project. Read more

Love (the) Ominous World (LP)

Blu & Exile
Regardless of what order you rank their albums, Blu & Exile remain one of the more consistent duos working in hip hop today. Fans of these two pretty much know what to expect at this point. Traditional jazzy hip hop beats with that special warmth and precise chopping that only Exile can deliver. Blu in top form with the raps and at his most personal when paired with Exile, spitting bars about his upbringing and history in the West coast rap scene. Lots of stand-out cuts, but special nods from me for the beautiful braggadocio of “Smack” alongside Fashawn, as well as the creative rain metaphors of “A Song Called Precipitation”. Great album as usual. Read more

Nothing Is My Favorite Thing (LP)

Nappy Nina & Swarvy
Brooklyn-by-way-of-Oakland rapper Nappy Nina has been honing her style and craft for years, and this pairing with talented LA producer and Mndsgn collaborator Swarvy feels like a step up. Nappy Nina flexes her steady flows and perceptive lyrics over Swarvy’s mellow keys and spacey beats. Some unusual time signatures and beat switch-ups give Nina free reign to show off some versatile rap styles. The project feels thought-out and cohesive, with both musicians playing off of each other’s strengths. It's quite ill. Read more

Brain Candy (LP)

Fat Tony, Fatboi Sharif &
A very original and dope collaboration between rappers Fat Tony and Fatboi Sharif alongside producer Steel Tipped Dove. Fat Tony’s more traditional rap stylings contrast with Fatboi Sharif’s slow experimental drawl in a unique way, with each rapper carrying their portion of each song in a different direction. The two MCs compliment each other’s vocals more than I would have expected, and Steel Tipped Dove ties the whole thing together with beats that are simultaneously strange and funky. The funny X-rated alien girlfriend song on here, “X-Files or X-Videos”, truly needs to be heard to believed. Short but very sweet. Read more

Animal Slavery (LP)

Z-Man & Tahaj the First
2025 vinyl pressing of this 2022 concept album from Bay Area hop hop duo Z-Man & Tahaj the First. Z-Man is one of the more talented and creative rappers out of the SF Bay Area, and this album is a daring full-length exploration of veganism in hip hop form. Destined to alienate fans and often bordering on preachy, this album succeeds conceptually thanks to Z-Man’s witty lyrics and humor. Z-Man covers the ways that different animals are abused in the food and fashion industries, and offers dietary solutions to keep those animals out of harm’s way. As an omnivore, I did not turn vegan after listening to this album, but still really appreciated the amount of thought that was put into the lyrics throughout the project. Well worth a listen, even if you ain’t trying to change your diet. Read more