Wrac

A constant low rumble, earthquake-like explosions or tectonic plates agitated by slow brownian movements, images of desolated landscapes and noise filtered by the walls ; SLEAZE ART (bass unit) is not your typical group with songs, compositions and solos, it is not even a "noise" act, it has more in common with a real-time installation of deep noises and sub-harmonic structures and very long states of bass density. Architectures of electric frictions, tensions of many shades of fuzz or the beauty of static nothingness - not a concert proposition but an immersion in the density of a standing wave.


SLEAZE ART is a group of 4 electric basse using all kind of basses (fretted, fretless, double-neck, bowed, scratched, rubbed, fitted with any number of strings) and hooked to all kind of electronic devices : computer, effect boxes, modular synths etc. All played live and producing a long electric howl, a slow chaotic dive.


The first composition this version of Sleaze Art plays is "INFRA" (a one hour long sub-bass noise rumble, composed by Kasper T. Toeplitz)

Teaser

Eryck Abecassis
Frederick Galiay
Jean-Batiste Hanak
Kasper T. Toeplitz

SLEAZE ART INFRA - BOCIANBCSL
Distribution : Metamkine CD
Chronique "REVUE ET CORRIGÉE"
Bocian records poursuit son exploration de la scène française. C’est au tour du projet de notre collègue/rédacteur Kasper T Toeplitz SLEAZE ART. C’est en quatuor que le squelette de basses se présente. Le titre nous met sur la voie. Sur une composition de Kasper interviennent Eryck Abecassis, Frédéric Galliay, JB Hanak et donc Kasper. La magnifique photo, prise a priori en live par Eric Guyot, de la pochette intérieure, nous met aussi sur la voie. La voie d’une opposition/confrontation de styles. Trois jouent debout, un autre assis. Les archers frictionnent cet infra d’un peu plus d’une heure dans une composition linéaire sur la vibration. Une autre opposition vous remarquerez, ça vibre dans la ligne. Ici leur terrain, dans une pugnacité mordante, ici leur prédilection, dans un drone tournoyant, presque noise. Une infrastructure se construit en direct, là sous vos oreilles. Une infrastructure grandiloquente, au gigantisme exacerbé. Une masse volubile tenace. Mais pourtant stagnante. Chaque variation pousse la prochaine dans ses retranchements. Un disque excellent dans sa façon d’aborder les thèmes qui jalonnent la pièce. Parfois presque cinématographique j’ai envie de dire. Une infrastructure à 360°, pour rester dans la thématique du cinéma, où l’on se demande parfois où ils vont s’arrêter. Alors qu’ils vont déjà très loin. L’écoute au casque, chaudement conseillée, relève parfois du physique. Il n’y a pas à dire, SLEAZE ART c’est du physique, c’est du sport !
CYRILLE LANOË

"INFRA" :
In Vital Weekly #995, Franz de Waard says : Sleaze Art is a quartet of bass players : Eryck Abecassis, Frederick Galiay, Jb Hanak and Kasper T. Toeplitz, the latter also being listed as the composer of the piece. […] Toeplitz is a man with a background in modern classical music but with penchant for all things quite loud. Loud and bass-heavy of course, as the bass is his primary instrument.
[…] The Sleaze Art release is causing serious damage to my speakers, because of the bassiness of the music […] . _ At seventy minutes this is also quite a long work and not one that one easily digests. Heavy bass drones, loud bass noise, sounding almost like the sound of plane engine from time to time, the work takes quite some time to develop. […]
I am not sure which place that should be, but no doubt seeing and hearing this in concert would be the right place.


"INFRA-BLAST" :
In Vital Weekly #1011 Frans de Waard says : Hold on. Didn’t I already review something called ’Infra’ by Sleaze Art, the quartet of bass-players under the guidance of Kasper T. Toeplitz, along with Eryck Abecassis, Frederick Galiay and Jb Hanak ? Yes, I did, in Vital Weekly 995. This is however another version, called ’Infra-blast’. Back then I wrote : "at seventy minutes this is also quite a long work and not one that one easily digests. Heavy bass drones, loud bass noise, sounding almost like the sound of plane engine from time to time, the work takes quite some time to develop. Perhaps a bit too much time I would think". This new work is along similar lines ; very much in the low end of the sound spectrum (what else would you expect from four bass players ?), but it is only twenty-nine minutes long. That is, compared to the first recorded version of ’Infra’ quite a blast. Much of this piece, about two thirds this is quite low rumbling, but slowly works its way in noise land, with all sorts of bass treatments, creating a varied myriad of noise elements. It then cuts out for about eight minutes and becomes much softer, but stays dramatic. There are a few thumps on the bass and crackles (maybe electronic residue when the basses are shut down). In the last five minutes everything works up into a might crescendo, of the well-known Merzbowian proportions. Yes, this is something I prefer over a seventy-minute version indeed. Short and very much to the point. (FdW) As often it’s not completely true (Infra-Blast is NOT a reworking of INFRA) but very nice anyhow !. Slease Art is at http://www.sleazeart.com/SleazeART.html