Roel Meelkop:::: Oude koeien - New Release - Herbal
 

1003 Roel Meelkop:::: Oude koeien


1. ERSTES STÜCK IM ALTEN STIL, 10", (Korg Platsics),1998
2. ECHT DOOD, track on CD (Herbal ), 2010
3. 2 (JOS SMOLDERS), 5" lathe cut, 2002
4. 1 (RIKTIGT DÖD), 7", 1999
5. 1 (VERAMENTE MORTO), 7",1998
6. ZWEITES STÜCK IM ALTEN STIL, 10", (Korg Platsics), 1998
7. 2 (BEEQUEENS), 7" (limited edition with Beequeens LP Ownliness on MOLOKO+), 2002
8. DRITTES STÜCK IM ALTEN STIL, 10", (Korg Platsics), 1998

Almost all tracks on this disc have been released on vinyl by Korm Plastics, except where noted in brackets. My gratitude goes out to Frans de Waard for his continuing support for my work and his unwavering commitment to the music that we all love so much.
Roel Meelkop, 2010.

Audio CD, 6 panels digipak
50 minutes+
12 Euros + shipping
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http://www.herbalinternational.tk/
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"Koken Met Sneeuw"
No doubt it is sheer coincidence that the release of this CD coincides with the 25th year of Korm Plastics existence. When I started the label, I had no clear idea of what its aim should be. No doubt if you would have asked me back then, I would have said: to release good music. Maybe if you would ask me today I would give the same answer. What motivation should one need to run a record label? Change the world, save the environment, fight for your rights? I never comprehensively studied the various social and political backgrounds of everybody whose music I released and I never will either, but no doubt the vast majority of them does not have a strong political idea or social motivation behind whatever they do in music. Sit back and listen. Roel Meelkop's installation at the first sound art exhibition he organised in 1998, 'just about now', summed this up perfectly: two speakers, a couch, a vase with flowers and an ashtray. Sit back and listen. And maybe most of all: enjoy!
I think I first met Roel in 1986, when we were preparing a concert of his band THU20, my band Kapotte Muziek and the odd loner Odal. Bumping into each other after that, at concerts usually, grew steadily into a friendship. When Mailcop became Meelkop, following a hiatus of some years of non-recording (mainly out of lack of good equipment), Roel returned with a great CD for Trente Oiseaux, to be followed by more great works. I invited him to do a 10" in the Korg Plastics series of music solely made with Korg machines. It was the third and final episode in the series, and the most 'composed' one. Later on he asked me wether he could release a series of 7"s, in which each new 7" was a rework (recycle remix) of the previous one, but for whatever reason now forgotten, it became only a series of two. The final record on Korm Plastics displayed his interest in concepts: taking Jos Smolders' 'Music For CD Player' as the starting point, he recorded two pieces of 99 seconds each (analog to the 99 tracks on the CD) which was pressed on a 5" lathe cut (the size of a CD) with silver foil in the middle (again like a CD, but made as a picture disc). A small work of art. Four great records and because of the fragile character of the music, it deserves to be released on CD. Another fine mark of quality and a great 25th anniversary item.
Frans de Waard
17-XI-2009

Old cows? lol

Vital Weekly
The problem with being a 'reviewer' and having more than one hat 'in the business' arrives when things like this land on my desk. Should I really be the one to review it? I wrote the liner notes for this release, because Roel Meelkop is not only a dear friend of mine (reviewers are sometimes asked to write liner notes, we all know that), but also someone whom I occasionally create music with (in Kapotte Muziek, Goem, Zebra and THU20 for instance). That's two reasons for not wanting to review this. The third is that 'Oude Koeien' contains re-releases Meelkop did for my small Korm Plastics label in ancient days when it was releasing highly limited vinyl - all gone of course and rightly so to deserve a re-issue. Oh and a fourth reason is that one track is a remix that I didn't release but rework an original I did. So, thinking this all over, its hard - neh, impossible - to write something objective about this release. Should I elaborate on the genius that Meelkop usually is? Marvel about the great microsound composer he is? Do you really need MY opinion then to get this? Hardly, I'd say. But one, objective, advise: Meelkop's music should never be released on vinyl. Its too delicate. But that's something you know already, I assume. You can now shelf your precious vinyl and hear a wonderfully remastered re-release.
- Frans De Waard -

Yeah well actually this stuff sounds fine on vinyl, in my opinion, the 7" releases are great.

It would've been nice to see this released on vinyl too...

The Watchful Ear - Richard Pinnell

Monsieur Delire

Électronicien expériental par excellence, Roel Meelkop se fait discret ces temps-ci. Voici que l’étiquette Herbal International propose, sur CD, une compilation des pièces que Meelkop a publié sur vinyle chez Korm Plastics entre 1998 et 2002. On y trouve un peu de tout: du rythme et de la facétie dans “Drittes Stück im Alten Stil”, du remixage expérimental dans “(Beequeens)”, de l’art sonore conceptuel assez poussé dans “(Jos Smolders)”, et j’en passe. L’univers de Meelkop n’est pas facile d’accès, mais sa démarche artistique embrasse une certaine variété et ne se cantonne pas dans des parti-pris rigides. Notons la présence d’une solide inédite, “Echt Dood”.

Experimental electronician par excellence, Roel Meelkop is keeping to himself these days. And now Herbal International releases a CD culling the tracks Meelkop released on Korm Plastics vinyl between 1998 and 2002. There’s a little of everything: beats and playfulness in “Drittes Stück im Alten Stil”, experimental remixing in “(Beequeens)”, advanced conceptual sound art in “(Jos Smolders)”, and so forth. Meelkop’s universe is not easily accessible, but his artistic process includes a certain degree of variety and it eschews rigid stances. Let’s note the inclusion of one previously unavailable track: “Echt Dood.”
- François Couture -