Self-Portrait
Layer upon surreal layer, Ricardo Gomez Y De Buck of the mysterious Kraken records a bottomless 4 hour experimental masterpiece to get lost in.
Ricardo Gomez Y De Buck is a noise/industrial/ambient musician, probably most known for his work in Kraken, a Belgium-based duo of him and Joris Vermost. Ricardo has also recently released a solo record under the guise of RGYDB vs Kids, titled Noisebevel - soundsculptures accompanying a projection made by children from an art school in Bevel/Kessel. The duo of Kraken has been around since the late 80s with a number of great releases, most of which came out in this millennium on Spectre and more recently Raubbau. Both Ricardo and his co-conspirator are visual artists as well as musicians, and, accordingly, Kraken’s output has a strong visual element to supplement the music. Much like the mythical creature, little is known about Kraken - they seem to just appear occasionally out of the great abyss and drop an album for humanity to ponder over. The sounds on these records are like the echoes of those same oceanic depths encoded in the project title, or like echoes of the sea of subconsciousness in which we all sink or swim. Field recordings of remote conversations, layers of faint, barely recognizable sounds, oppressive atmospheres that creep up on you through the vast emptiness - all of this and much more can be found in the works of the great Kraken. When asked to categorize their music, Joris Vermost once said it could simply be described as “flow of thought”, and it does seem eerily accurate to think of it as just that.
Secret Thirteen Mix 220 was created by Ricardo Gomez over a span of two years. That may seem like a long time, but what we have here is a 4 hour 122 track leviathan of a mix with so many layers that it’s difficult to figure out where tracks surface and wither away. Much like the oeuvre of Kraken, a fitting metaphor for Ricardo’s mix is that of a ship lost in the ocean of the mind, crossing streams and pockets lost to the world of the waking. The massive collection merges tracks that have left an impact on the author at different points in his life - mostly industrial, noise, contemporary classical music, spoken word - by well known experimental artists, as well as underexposed ones; tracks from computer game soundtracks (how many have been scared shitless playing System Shock 2?), film scores, monologues. At almost any point throughout the duration there are 3-7 different layers intermingled for a confusing, yet completely coherent whole. By no means is this an easy background listen, rather, it is a long, challenging, and extremely rewarding journey beyond the Mountains of Madness, to see the Great God Pan. If it were necessary to describe it in a painting, then perhaps it would be Rene Magritte’s The Lining Of Sleep. The depth of its horizon, the vague familiarity of its shapes, and the surrounding mystery are similar to the feel captured in Ricardo Gomez’ mix. Leave your day behind and lay down.
Tracklisting
1. Franz Falckenhaus - The Lost border [Strange Life Records / 2008]
2. System Shock 2 (computer game) - SHODAN speaks [Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios / 1999]
3. Stuttgart Schola Cantorum - Lux aeterna, for 16 unaccompanied voices [Rhino / 1996]
4. Floating Museum - Ghost in the Shell [Mamoru Oshii / 1995]
5. The Puppet Master's Speech - Ghost in the Shell [Mamoru Oshii / 1995]
6. Devil Daggers (computer game) - II [Sorath / 2016]
7. System Shock 2 (computer game) - Soundtrack [Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios / 1999]
8. Cranioclast - The Poison of the Dead Dog [CoC / 1989]
9. Maja S.K. Ratkje - Intro [Rune Grammofon / 2002]
10. The Advisory Circle - Logo [Ghost Box / 2010]
11. Internazionale - Medora And Gulnare [Total Black / 2015]
12. Randy Greif - Verdi's requiem,the missing part [Soleilmoon Recordings / 1997]
13. Vanity Productions - Kæmp For Alt, Hvad Du Har Kært [Posh Isolation / 2012]
14. Coil - Ascension [Threshold House / 1994]
15. Nurse With Wound - I Cannot Feel You as the Dogs Are Laughing and I Am Blind [United Dairies - 1982]
16. Zola Jesus - Past The Blue Brick Stone [Troubleman Unlimited / 2009]
17. Body Sculptures - Body Prison [Posh Isolation / 2015]
18. Cranioclast - Körperbemalugen [CoC / 1989]
19. Poets of the Signature - Story in grey/Genkomst [Insane Music / 1986]
20. Pharmakon - Milkweed it hangs heavy [Sacred Bones Records / 2013]
21. NON - Make Red [Mute / 1987]
22. Randy Greif - Verdi's requiem,the missing part (cont.) [Soleilmoon Recordings / 1997]
23. Nurse With Wound - The Schmürz (Unsullied by Suckling) [United Dairies - 1982]
24. LR - America Disfigured [Morte Creations / 2015]
25. KDNR - Prologue [Old Europa Café / 1994]
26. Pornosect - The Sorrow And The Pleasure [Parade Amoureuse / 1989]
27. The Advisory Circle - And The Cuckoo Comes [Ghost Box / 2010]
28. Cranioclast - His Hair in the Sand [CoC / 1989]
29. Cranioclast - L' été et la Morte [CoC / 1989]
30. Hovercraft - Wire Trace [Mute / 1998]
31. Cristobal Tapia De Veer - Where is Jessica Hyde part 1 [Stage & Screen / 2013]
32. A Thunder Orchestra - Shall I Do It [Bio Rhythm / 2015]
33. Men's Recovery Project - Ye, Part 2 [Vermiform / 1998]
34. Quite Ridiculous Nonsense - [Insane Music / 1986]
35. Antipop Consortium - Contraption [Warp Records /2002]
36. Men's Recovery Project - Good Friday, 2033 [Vermiform / 1998]
37. The Boyd Rice Experience - Music from the Movie Pearls Before Swine [World Serpent / 1996]
38. Andrew Liles - Anhedonia [Beta-lactam Ring Records / 2007]
39. Hafler Trio, Colin Potter, Andrew Liles - False Soap [Important Records / 2006]
40. Randy Greif - Rusted sorrow of the old crane [Soleilmoon Recordings / 1997]
41. Primus - Salmon men [Prawn Song / 2011]
42. Andrew Liles - Humiliated [Beta-lactam Ring Records / 2007]
43. Asmus Tietchens - Du darfst [Vinyl On Demand / 2007]
44. Satomi Taniyama - Simulations of a garbage truck [Strange Life Records / 2011]
45. Maman Kusters - 78 [Beko / 2014]
46. Smackos - Sparse clues [Strange Life Records / 2007]
47. Routine (computer game]- Trailer [in development] 48. Legowelt (Smackos) - A Mysterious Horse d'Oeuvre [Strange Life Records / 2006]
49. Devil Daggers (computer game) - III [Sorath / 2016]
50. Consumer Electronics - Murder The Masters [Diagonal / 2015]
51. Ascion & D. Carbone - Substructures Two [3TH Records / 2015]
52. LR - America Disfigured (continued) [Morte Creations / 2015]
53. Sam Mcloughlin, David A Jaycock - Crazywell Pool [Folklore Tapes / 2015]
54. Kurt Stenzel - Coming of a God [Cinewax / 2015]
55. Biosphere - Departed Glories [Smalltown Supersound / 2016]
56. Neutral - Bond ultra mild [Omlott / 2014]
57. Zola Jesus - Odessa [Sacred Bones records / 2008]
58. Eric Zann - Threshold [Ghost Box / 2005]
59. Lee Renaldo - Fuzz/Locusts [Atavistic - 1996]
60. john Duncan - Last words [AQM / 1984]
61. Suzanne Ciani - Third voice, sound of cold [Dead-Cert Home Entertainment / 2012]
62. Matmos - L.A.S.I.K. [Staubgold / 2014]
63. Damien Dubrovnik - Fingers into Majorelle [Posh Isolation / 2015]
64. :$oviet:France: - Nruknesh [Singing Ringing / 1985]
65. De Fabriek - Break/Attack [Artware Production / 1993]
66. Black Zone Myth Chant - Pass Over Into Nothing [Editions Gravats / 2015]
67. Clint Mansell feat. Kronos Quartet - Fall, Sara Goldfarb Has Left the Building [Nonesuch / 2000]
68. Negativland - A big 10-8 place [Seeland / 1983]
69. Janet Cardiff - The Missing Voice [Staubgold / 2014]
70. Maja Ratkje - Breathe [Rune Grammofon / 2010]
71. Else Marie Pade - c.i.r.k.l.e.r. [resonance.dk / 2002]
72. Ukiyo - Mu [Hyperium / 1994]
73. DF Sadist School - La Fille Aux Yeux Morts [Parade Amoureuse / 1990]
74. Schloss Tegal - Beyond the Wall of Sleep [Tegal Records / 1995]
75. THX 1138 Movie Scene: Under Control (1971)
76. Psychophysicist - Psience [Side Effects / 1996]
77. Schloss Tegal - Dark Eyes [Tegal Records / 1995]
78. Sinoia Caves - Arboria Tapes, Award Winning Gardens [Death Walz Recordings / 2014]
79. Neotropic - What Will I Do Now [Ntone / 1998]
80. Autechre - Parhelic Triangle [Warp Records / 2001]
81. Internazionale - Beating In Dactylic Strikes [Posh Isolation / 2016]
82. Emmplekz - Painfully teal [Mordant Music / 2016]
83. Randy Greif - The Hole To Heaven [Swinging Axe Productions / 1986]
84. Mary Stark - Holly & Ivy [Folklore Tapes / 2015]
85. Cremation Lily- Torn Straps [Strange Rules / 2012]
86. Heroin And Your Veins - The Death Of a Lover [Solina Records / 2007]
87. The Advisory Circle - Cobol landing [Ghost Box / 2014]
88. Mira Calix - Protean [Warp records / 2006]
89. Aphex Twin - White Blur 2 [Warp Records / 1994]
90. Klara Lewis - Surfaced [Editions Mego / 2014]
91. Ligature - Window to the World [Total Black / 2015]
92. COH - Health And Deficiency:Love's Septic Domain [Eskaton / 2000]
93. The Advisory Circle - Everyday Electronics [Ghost Box / 2008]
94. Catherine Christer Hennix - Five times repeated music [1976]
95. Jun Konagaya - Float [Art Into Life / 2014]
96. Julia Kent - Empty states [Leaf / 2015]
97. Organum - Talon [L.A.Y.L.A.H Antirecords / 1985]
98. Victor Gama - Huyra E Coma [GC / 2008]
99. Jòhann Jòhannsonn - Arrival [Deutsche Grammophon - 2016]
100. MIAUX - Midnight Snack [Ultra Eczema / 2016]
101. Cristobal Tapia De Veer - Hungry Woods [Mondo / 2017]
102. Remörk - A1 Untitled [Ultra Eczema / 2016]
103. Bruce Gilbert - Sliding off the world [His Voice / 2006]
104. Hild Sofue Tafjord - Wormhole [+3dB Records / 2014]
105. Jacob Kirkegaard - Heavy water (barseback) [Touch / 2006]
106. Helm - Liskojen Yo [Where To Now? / 2013]
107. Ryoji Ikeda - untitled [Touch / 2006]
108. Enema Syringe - Hoppla min bruna rand [Ultra Eczema / 2006]
109. Barry Adamson & Pan Sonic - Hymn of the 7th illusion [Kitchen Motors / 2001]
110. Vom Grill - Knerpen side B [Pan / 2015]
111. Maja Ratkje - Chipmunk party [Rune Grammofon / 2006]
112. Raime - Passed over trail [BEB / 2012]
113. Pan Sonic - Slovakian rauta [His Voice / 2006]
114. Meer Staal - Hey you watch it [Limbabwe / 1987]
115. Ryoji Ikeda - untitled (reprise] [Touch / 2006]
116. Satori - Heel [Functional / 1993]
117. NASA - Mercury7 recordings [1962]
118. Nocturnal Emissions - Smash with love [Sterile Records / 1983]
119. Controlled Bleeding - Dredging Phil [Dossier / 1990]
120. Hild Sofie Tafjord - Kama [Pica Disk / 2007]
121. Coil - At the heart of it all [Force & Form / 1984]
122. Delia Derbyshire - The Dreams [radio broadcast 1964]
