November Release: Wixel - Somewhere Between The Sun & The Moon Part 2

About a year ago I released “Somewhere Between The Sun & The Moon” - a record I’m still proud of. I hadn’t listened to it in ages (musicians seldom like to hear their own songs unless they can still go back and change things) but when I did listen in order to make this November record, I didn’t felt the need to change bits. It’s the kind of record I’d still like to make. I don’t have that feeling with any other thing I did. I’m not saying it’s the best record ever, just that I think it’s fine the way it is. So….

For this month I wanted to go back to that period of my life, find the songs that didn’t make the cut, find alternate recordings, destroy and mix up different versions. If I was on Universal Records and they would release a Deluxe Edition of Sun/Moon, this would be the extra cd. It includes my stofstuk remix of Machinefabriek - which is less of a remix than a new song. It also includes the moment when I stumbled upon the “Outside Your Locked Heart” theme. You can literally hear that melody being born which is why I like it. I also remember that particular moment quite vividly. And then I remixed some songs that did and didn’t make the cut.

The songs on this record are nowhere as “good” as the Sun/Moon music - there’s a reason they didn’t make the cut! But still, to those few who’d like to see Sun/Moon expanded, here are some other songs that belong to the same soundworld and the same mindset. “Moon/Gone” for example only got cut off the record in the last definitive listening session of the record.

There are 30 copies available this time, send me an e-mail (wimmaesschalck@gmail.com) and I’ll hook you up with a copy. It’s 12 euro, shipping included.

Glowing Review at The Silent Ballet

This is probably my favorite review, along with de standaard article. It is wonderful when people “get” it, or when they describe your personal work as you want it to be described.

I’ve posted the review below, you can go to their (excellent) site here: thesilentballet.com

Wixel - Somewhere Between the Sun & the Moon

Score: 8/10

Over the past few years, Wixel (Belgium’s Wim Maesschalck) has been quietly causing ripples in the electronic sea. First came Heart, the endearingly placid debut album in the hand-assembled sleeve, followed swiftly by the companion EP, Herfst. Then Wim decided to start his own independent label, Slaapwel (“Sleep well”), filling a niche that nobody knew existed: “music to fall asleep to.” To date, contributors have included Jasper TX, Steinbruchel, Wouter van Voldhoven and Machinefabriek/Soccer Committee. In early 2008, Wim went on to release Wixel plays Sonic Youth, a truly ballsy move considering the legal ramifications; but don’t sue, Thurston, Wim is not wealthy!

Soon afterwards, the artist entered a “winter period” in his life, during which the current album was composed. Much of it was recorded at home on acoustic nylon guitar, and was later augmented by piano, hohner organa and software electronica. Over ten tracks, Wim attempts to capture the “warmth, brightness and hiss” of the sun and the “cold distance” of the moon. The album cover, when opened, depicts a deer with human arms paddling a canoe up a white river to the site of the Apollo landings.

Somewhere Between the Sun and the Moon is a success, but not for the predicted reasons. In fact, the album is a perfect example of intention v. interpretation. Wim’s melancholy translates to empathy on disc, his coldness to comfort. What started as an artist’s lonely meanderings ended up as an audience’s auditory salve. On his website, Wim half-apologetically describes his music as “lacking happiness,” but he’s wrong. The very act of creating music, of making something out of nothing, of transforming negative emotions into palpable product, is in many creative circles the very epitome of happiness.

I doubt that Wim could make a depressing record if he tried. He seems to possess a natural, ephemeral ebullience, which shows in his mad ideas (Sonic Youth and Slaapwel), his ridiculously raucous alter-ego (Bloodroed, now on indefinite hiatus) and his cheerful, unqualified support of other unheralded artists. One might, in fact, make the claim that it is Wim, rather than his music, that rows back and forth between the sun and the moon, as perfect a metaphor for the artistic temperament as I’ve ever encountered.

Wim is quick to mention his influences, which range from Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie) and Adrian Orange (Thanksgiving) to Tim Hecker and John Cage. “This music would never be able to exist without other people’s music,” he writes in his liner notes. “In this record, you can hear me stealing/building upon ideas of some important people.” His humility seems genuine, rather than like an attempt to derail the reviewer. Certainly all good music is an amalgamation of what has come before, but Wim also has a sound of his own, an elusive tenderness that hints at large themes through deceptively simple constructions.

Imagine walking into a room filled with eligible people of whatever gender you wish to date. A large portion of these are stunningly beautiful, while a handful are simply attractive. After conversing with the models, you start to realize that they are less enchanting than initially presumed. Now you begin to notice a person you merely nodded to at the punch bowl, one your brain had initially classified as a “potential friend.” Soon – although you don’t know it – you’ll be asking this person out.

Wixel’s albums are like that person. At first, they just seem like placeholders in a CD changer, non-descript and pleasant, good to hang out with until something better comes along. Your attention, for now, is probably drawn to the flashy new release from the big name act. But soon you’ll tire of that release, which will be replaced by another, and then another. Meanwhile, Wixel’s disc will stay in the changer. No, you’ve not tired of it yet; in fact, the melodies are beginning to stick in your head like the enchanting voice of the person at that party. You’re falling in love. Yes, you are.

How exactly does Wixel achieve this effect? By burying sub-melodies and counterpoints behind his main melodies like hidden talents and traits. This album reveals its treasures slowly and is worth getting to know. It may seem like background music when first played, but then it will eventually take baby steps forward, waiting to be noticed.

To many, the album’s highlight will be “Nowhere,” which formerly appeared on 45 and contains the album’s most memorable guitar line. But for my money, the go-to track is “Barefoot on the Surface of the Sun,” a piece whose initial abrasion – a mounting wall of white noise – is absolutely integral to the project. This track reminds us that Wixel is only languid by design; that his chaos is not absent, but reined in. While the album is easy to listen to, it is not “easy listening;” it carries a lot more bite than anything in that genre. The lack of overt, repetitive melody is the quality that allows Somewhere Between the Sun and the Moon to survive repeated plays without erosion.

With only two albums under his belt, Wixel is well on his way to establishing a signature sound. While he may be too humble to be a leader, others may one day claim him as an influence, and I believe nothing would make him happier. Well done, Wim, hope you’re feeling better.

-Richard Allen

Norman & Smallfish

The new record is now available at smallfish records and norman records. Both have some lovely (probably biased, but hey.. throw the first stone will ya). Uk people might want to get it there for easyness.. Heck; both recordstores offer excellent records, might as well be a good place to shop some music!

Smallfish wrote:

“Wim Maesschalck is the guy that runs Slaapwel and I’m jolly pleased to have snaffled some copies of his own album, as Wixel, for Debonair. It’s a low-key and very beautiful collection of guitar tracks with electronic elements that slot into the mix perfectly. It’s a friendly sound with a real human warmth and plenty of melody. Gorgeous strummed guitars and subtle percussive elements join some lovely ambient moments (getting into drone territory, in fact on one of the tracks with its robust layers of guitar noise) but most of all this an album of tunes. Brightened up my day no end. For those that enjoy labels such as Type or Moteer or even some of the more recent 12k releases, this is a must check. Utterly beautiful”

Norman Records wrote (+recommendation of the week slot):

“That smart Slaapwell label is run by a a chap called Wim who is rather busily the man behind Wixel. Here is the Wixel CD in it’s lovelyness.. The 2nd full length CD (Somewhere Between The Sun And The Moon) we’ve had from the guy this year and it’s totally lovely. It starts off all acoustic and dream sounding with acoustic guitar and it continues down that road of floaty. Immediately I’m struck by how personal this sounds. It sounds really from the heart… emotional and heartbreaking. I guess it sounds like a mish mash of the quiet end of Mogwai, hints of Sigur Ros and possibly a bit of Helios (like it says in the press release but that is totally spot on!). I had to stick some headphones on cos their was too much noise in the office (Brians arse) and it’s sounding even better. It would sit reasonably comfortably on the Morr label…post rock meets indietronica and creates a whole new genre called pretronic post indietrock. Catchy!! Heartily recommended!!”

pretronic post indietrock. awesomeeee!!!!!!

Humbly Stealing Other People’s Songs & Idea’s Part 1

Hi!

As promised, I will write about all the stuff I stole to make this record. First song I’d like to start with is…. “You’ll Be A Warming Wind From A Distant Sun”. It’s the fourth track on the record. It’s one of the most early tracks and was recorded in one go. There’s also a version with a 2 minute extra outro.. it’s in this weird tuning i don’t remember. I hope i’ll discover it again someday.

The main part that I stole for my song is the rhythm/vibe from a The Microphones song called Solar System. (The title is appropriate as well). It also starts with a huge avalanche of hiss.. as if you’re thrown into the sun. I wanted it to have the same sun summery melancholic nostalgic vibe. Lots of sounds swirling around. Especially the line “through your skirt i see, your legs gracefully” is one i particulary like. Graceful, what a lovely mood. I wanted it to be a song full of graceful melodies. Anyways; you can listen for yourself. The song is a huge recommendation. The video is awesome too. Maybe you can try muting the music from the videoclip & playing “you’ll be a warming wind” at the same time. I think it would fit perfectly. Note: i just tried this, it works and is lovely! Now I even stole a videoclip!

The Microphones from Rob Tyler on Vimeo.

The next bit I didn’t really steal - i mean, if you already should call it stealing when using the same sound, that’s a bit weird. But it’s too important to ignore. The early grandaddy awesome sense for broken keyboard sounds. I really like “Under The Western Freeway”, I think it is their best and most sensitive/honest record. If not only for this beautiful dreamy ambient flute keyboard piece of the same name. Listen to this, and then the last 20 seconds of the wixel song… and you’ll know it is the same. I actually noticed this only after I finished the “warming wind” song, but I am very sure it was already there on a subconcious level.

Artikel/interview in de standaard

“De wondere wereld van Wixel”

Wim Maesschalk, alias Wixel: ‘Ik wou een klankwereld creëren die zo verschroeiend is als de zon.’

BRUSSEL - De Brusselaar Wixel heeft met ‘Somewhere between the sun and the moon’ een van de ontroerendste Belgische platen van 2008 gemaakt.

‘Ik maak me niet zo gauw boos’, zegt Wim Maesschalk en hij glimlacht. ‘Als ik al kwaad word, wil ik misschien even iets of iemand een mep verkopen, maar tien seconden later ebt dat gevoel al weg.’

Geduld en bescheidenheid zijn, niet verwonderlijk, de basisingrediënten van Somewhere between the sun and the moon, het tweede album dat Maesschalk onder de naam Wixel maakt. Het is een collectie intimistische instrumentale nummers, gespeeld met akoestische gitaren, percussie en een toefje elektronica. Zijn nummers putten uit melancholie en tristesse, doen lieflijk aan of klimmen naar een koortsachtige climax, met onthutsende ruis en noise. Daardoor doet het album eerder aan een gemoedstoestand dan aan een muziekgenre denken.

Maesschalks wonderlijke klankenwereld mag dan weinig uitstaans hebben met pop en rock, toch is hij geworteld in de alternatieve muziek. Hij begon op zijn vijftiende gitaar te spelen, gevoed door rockbands als Sonic Youth en de Smashing Pumpkins. Na zijn eerste experimenten met muzieksoftware sloot hij zich op zijn achttiende aan bij de postrockgroep A December Lake. Toen die groep er de brui aan gaf, ging Maesschalk als Wixel verder.

‘De muziek die ik de voorbije drie jaar heb beluisterd, verschilt drastisch van de muziek waar ik van hield toen ik achttien was. Ik heb voor mijn studies filosofie een thesis geschreven met de titel “Over de grenzen tussen geluid, muziek, lawaai en stilte,’. Ik heb die begrippen onderzocht aan de hand van composities van onder meer John Cage en Morton Feldman. Hun theorieën hebben mijn visie op muziek sterk beïnvloed. Daarom staan er op de nieuwe plaat nummers waarin niet meer dan twee instrumenten worden gebruikt. Het gaat mij in dat geval om de klank, niet zozeer om de emotionele expressie.’

Dat is een opvallende uitspraak voor iemand die zo’n tedere, romantische muziek maakt. ‘Fuck emoties!, zei John McEntire van Tortoise ooit. (lacht) Ik vind dat een leuke manier om naar muziek te kijken. Anderzijds hou ik ook van singer-songwriters die een gevoelig verhaal vertellen. Mijn muziek is een combinatie van die twee polen. In mijn geval is het simpel: ik maak meer muziek als ik me slecht voel. Een cliché, dat weet ik, maar als in mijn leven iets negatiefs gebeurt, heb ik de neiging mijn gitaar te pakken.’

Hoeft het dan te verbazen dat Somewhere between the sun and the moon tijdens een relatiecrisis ontstond? Maar niet alleen Maesschalks liefdesperikelen boden inspiratie, ook de hele kosmos droeg bij tot zijn sound. Hij kocht een boek over de zon en één over de maan en had meteen de titel van het album te pakken.

‘In mijn laatste jaar filosofie kreeg ik het vak kosmologie. Dat is de leer van het universum, waarin je ontdekt dat de zon en de maan slechts een fractie zijn van de kosmos. Ik ben me gaan verdiepen in die materie. Wie geluidstapijten of ambient maakt, probeert vaak een soort onderwaterwereld te simuleren. Maar ik dacht: als we nu eens een klankwereld proberen te creëren die zo verschroeiend is als de zon.’

Vooral Maesschalks oor voor detail leidt tot verbluffende resultaten: vingers die langs de snaren glijden, het hout van zijn gitaar dat kraakt, een kuchje, een tikje, omgevingsgeluiden - ze maken deel uit van zijn composities.

‘Veel producers filteren de ruis weg uit hun opnames. Ik laat die er vaak gewoon op staan: een extra laagje ruis draagt bij tot de compositie. Onder de hoofdtelefoon komt zo’n krakje of een hoest pas goed tot zijn recht.’

Maesschalks visie werkt aanstekelijk. Zopas produceerde hij het debuut van de groep Yuko, For times when ears are sore, een prachtige herfstplaat vol introverte liedjes. ‘Het was mijn eerste klus als producer. Ik heb mij geschikt naar de wensen van Yuko. De communicatie was beperkt: ze stuurden mij de muziek, ik heb ze gemixt. Ik vond hun liedjes sowieso heel sterk. Anders had ik het niet willen doen, of ze zouden me enorm goed betaald moeten hebben (lacht).’

Maesschalk ligt goed in de markt, maar hoe ver kan je met dit soort muziek gaan? ‘Ik zit in een vrij beperkte wereld. Gewone Belgische popgroepen mikken op de grote kanalen: ze hopen in rotatie te geraken bij Studio Brussel. Dat is een echt slagveld. Daar hoef ik mij niet om te bekommeren. Ik heb het geluk dat ik kan spelen in culturele centra en dat Bozar of De Singel mij een forum willen geven. Je zult me niet snel horen klagen.’

‘Somewhere between the sun and the moon’ is nu uit

///////////////DISCLAIMER/////////////

Dit interview werd opnieuw gepubliceerd zonder toestemming van de standaard, de krant die het interview publiceerde op 26 november. Ik dacht; als de knack ‘liefdesbrieven’ van morel & van hecke mag publiceren omdat het relevant is, dan mag ik dat ook! Het interview werd afgenomen door Sasha Van der Speeten. Link zolang hij geldig blijft: http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=3523ACBG

////////////////DANKUWELALSTUBLIEFT///////////

The New Record is Ready. Hooray!

Here’s to a new record! Finally, after quite some troubles (which caused everything to slow down, in the end even literally, the music of the first press sounded like a slow motion space movie), the new wixel cd is ready. It is called “Somewhere Between the Sun & the Moon” and was written on my trusty acoustic guitar, and recorded between ‘o6 and ‘o8 at zaventem  & schaarbeek with instruments like guitars, piano, banjo, hohner organa, software electronics, drums, a little violin and everything that came through my bedroom window while i was recording. (including airplanes! ..ehm.. i mean, the sound of airplanes.) It’s a record influenced by two of my favourite heavenly bodies, sometimes warm, fuzzy, wild and blinding like the sun, sometimes, cold, distant and really lonely like the moon. What the sun and the moon share is that they are really beautiful, so i did my best to make the music sound as beautiful as i could. Anyways: feel free to have a listen / read some stuff about it / perhaps even consider a purchase over at the sun and moon microsite.

Next up is a releaseshow in stuk, leuven, tomorrow. Also on the 4th of december we are playing with my icelandic producer hero Valgeir Sigurdsson at budascoop and friday the 5th we’ll play in de petrol in antwerp. Fun!

Those Who Look

will surely find.

Wixel Review in RifRaf

Hiya! I don’t really know how it exactly happened; but there is already a first review for the record. Published in the rifraf. It’s in dutch dus veel gaat ge der niet van verstaan als ge van den engelsch zijt. The record will be out on the 23rd of November. The date has been set. Yessssss! Hopefully the discs will arrive pretty soon now. Anywizzy:

“Het tweede album van Wixel is een pareltje. Een instrumentaal nachtalbum van ongekende schoonheid. Een plaat van een artiest die beweert veel te pikken van The Microphones en Mount Eerie maar toch weet te boeien met duystere soundscapes. Opener  ‘Fatigas Del Querer’ verleidt meteen met een akoestische Kings Of Convenience-gitaar, stijgt vervolgens op naar hogere sferen en gaat ten slotte weer op zoek naar een minimale omgeving. De toon is gezet: wat volgt zijn gelaten tracks die zonder al te veel elektronica en een enkele keer voorzien van een shoegazewolk (‘Burned And Blind’) of een kosmische atmosfeer (‘On My Way To The Moon’) niet langer aan Fennesz doen denken maar vooral een eigen verhaal vertellen. Soms mistroostig, altijd mooi. (bvm)”