Human Flesh - Penumbra mp3

In the early to mid eighties I was a big fan of Insane Music, an indeed crazy label from Belgium. Their releases either worked around the various musical disguises of Alain Neffe, who played as or with bands as Pseudo Code (the biggest favorite here), I Scream, Cortex (which was poetry read by women, set to music by Neffe), Subject and Human Flesh. The latter was his most serious and also most open project. People from around the world mailed Neffe music and voices/vocals, to which Neffe added his own blend of music, made on violin, saxophone, synthesizer and piano. The fifteen pieces on 'Penumbra' were all recorded between 1985 and 1995, a period of silence for Human Flesh releases, but down in his basement Neffe continued to play music. There is something quite distinct about the music of Human Flesh. The way the saxophone is played, the voices (of Deborah Jaffe, Tara Cross, Nadine Bal, Anna Holmer) reciting rather than singing and the way other instruments are used. Right from the start this is easily to recognize as Human Flesh music. Maybe fifteen pieces is a bit much for what it is, but in terms of serious dramatic, melodic but also partly experimental music, Human Flesh has still an unbeatable style to it.
2007 - F. de Waard (Vital Weekly)

What’s to say on EE Tapes? In few words, since 1987 it has become one of the referential labels on the most underground area of the European outer limits music scene, with an excellent catalogue – which includes several sounding names – and a natural and logical evolution from the cassette to CD format. One of the above mentioned is Human Flesh, from which the “Penumbra” album is a precious item on the EE Tapes collection. Recorded between 1985 and 1995, this work by Alain Neffe’s project presents a collection of introspective and, let’s say, “obscure” compositions (with the predominance of guitars and analogical electronics), probably reflecting this French multi-instrumentalist’s personal perspective of the world. The musical environments of the old Crammed Discs releases aren’t a vain reference. But this ten year voyage isn’t made alone, with Neffe recollecting contributions from friend artists that range from Sweden to Mexico, which – and in spite of the conceptual “cement” – gives a heterogeneous ambience to the final result, as an album. And – of course – there are always the voices of Deborah Jaffe and the unforgettable Anna Homler.
2008 – N. Loureiro (gp information)

I’ve generally been ambivalent about the way so many current rock bands are appropriating elements of previously subterranean eighties styles, from postpunk to minimal synth to noise and industrial music. I guess I just don’t believe that the way to be original in 2008 is to copy obscure bands from twenty-five years ago (or forty years ago, for that matter). The good thing about all this retro-ness, however, is that some excellent musicians who were almost completely ignored in the eighties are finally getting attention. One person who really deserves some of that attention—but still hasn’t gotten anywhere near enough of it—is Alain Neffe. Neffe was/is the lynchpin of a plethora of interrelated Belgian bands, such as Pseudo Code, BeNe GeSSeRiT, Subject, Cortex, and Human Flesh. He was also the founder of Insane Music Contact, a (mostly) cassette label that released dozens of international compilations along with many of his own projects. Thus, Neffe was an important figure in the eighties cassette underground, which served much the same purpose as the web and sites like MySpace do these days as a way of connecting far-flung musicians and creating an international scene—though in a smaller-scale and more artisanal way. The latest release by Neffe’s Human Flesh, which consists of previously unreleased tracks recorded between 1985 and 1995, very much comes out of that eighties cassette underground but at the same time stands apart from it. Human Flesh is not really a band, but rather a concept or process, first conceived of in 1981. A Human Flesh track typically begins with Neffe writing a text, either in French or in English. This is then sent to someone in another country, most often a female, and is sometimes translated into the language of that person. A recording of that text, often just read, sometimes partly sung and with a few instruments added, is then sent back to Neffe. (In the pre-internet days, this was all done with cassettes.) Neffe next creates music around the words that is inspired by the sound and mood of the reading, alone or in collaboration with other musicians, whose parts he often processes in various ways. The final stage is the mixing of the track, which Neffe never does right away—his rule is to wait at least a year, so that his perceptions and reactions will be fresh. Neffe calls himself a non-musician, and has said of one of his bands, “We play potlatch music, which is emotional music, or more accurately emotional sounds, because we are not musicians.” Neffe certainly doesn’t focus on technique or virtuosity, but he plays many instruments—perhaps most centrally keyboards (including a primitive sampler, the Roland S-10)—with expressivity, personality, and a great deal of sensitivity to sound and atmosphere. In my book, that makes him a musician—but why quibble! The music on Penumbra, a very limited edition CD, not only relies on a classic cassette underground technique—trading parts through the mail—it also features some familiar names from that scene as readers/performers of Neffe’s texts: Deborah Jaffe (Viscera, Master/Slave Relationship), the recently deceased Lydia Tomkiw (Algebra Suicide), and Tara Cross. Improviser Anna Homler (Sugar Connection, Puppetina), who is in the group Chopstick Sisters with Neffe, contributes wordless vocals, while three long-time members of other Neffe projects also make an appearance: guitarist Daniel Malempré (Subject), Xavier S. (Pseudo Code), and vocalist Nadine Bal (BeNe GeSSeRiT, Chopstick Sisters). In addition to English, there are texts in Spanish, Swedish, and German translation, and two texts not written by Neffe (one by Xavier S., the other by Sleep Chamber’s Darline Victor). Lastly, there are three instrumental tracks, two of which—with their processed or sampled strings—sound rather “classical,” while the other, “Blond Smile,” is reminiscent of the krautrock band Popul Vuh. Despite Penumbra’s roots in the cassette underground, and some of the participants’ membership in the kind of harsh industrial bands that were the core of that scene, none of the clichés that limit and date much eighties industrial/experimental music are present in the collection. Neffe’s sound is so personal and original that it is not time-specific at all, and really can’t be put into any category—certainly it’s not industrial music or minimal synth. (There are almost no drum machines; in fact, there is virtually no percussion of any sort). The music on Penumbra is simultaneously innocent and bitter, morose and delicately gentle, naive and sophisticated. It is sometimes deeply beautiful, at other times anguished—and often both at once. The texts are brooding ruminations on lost love and mortality, but they avoid melodrama. Penumbra has a weight and depth that perhaps partly reflects its slow gestation process. It is a kind of “art music” made of simple means.
2008 - T. Coulter (The Brooklyn Rail)

Human Flesh was a mainstay of the 1980’s cassette culture, seemingly always appearing on compilations, not to mention being behind the Insane Music compilations. Essentially Alain Neffe with a rotating cast of collaborators, this project was active at the same time as many of his others such as Bene Gesserit, Niala Effen, Pseudo Code, Subject, Cortex, Japanese Genius, M.A.L. and I Scream. Some of these projects go back to the 1970’s and have that melodic lush quality lacking in a lot of things that we might associate with the aesthetics of the early 1980’s. For the most part, the Human Flesh material I was familiar with was made up of echoing cosmic ambient instrumentals. Apparently, Neffe also had a love of the female voice, and for this retrospective CD compiled a selection of collaborations with ladies from around the globe including Deborah Jaffe (Master/Slave Relationship), Nadine Bal, Darline Victor, Lydia Tomkiw (Algebra Suicide), Anna Homler and Tara Cross. Unfortunately for me, these vocalists tend towards a dramatic monologue style of delivery which really doesn’t do much for me. It also means the music turns in a different direction, which I don’t think is as strong as what Human Flesh does in instrumental works (“Blonde smile” on this disc is a nice example of the latter). One of the more successful tracks on this release for me is “meditations and fears (the fourth day)” which skillfully combines gentle backwards vocals with echoing bowed vahilla, swirling sounds and string organ ending with a reprise of the Pseudo Code sound (complete with Xavier S. on vocals). It’s still no Mauve Sideshow, but a very nice track. Given that this material goes back to 1985 and was all recorded analog, to the point of some vocal tracks being recorded on cassette, the sound is actually crisp and clear. I’m sure for what it is trying to accomplish, it is a great disc, just not my cup of tea all the way through.
2008 – Eric Lanzillotta (http://www.ribexibalba.com)

From Aural Innovations #39 (May 2008)
Human Flesh is a long lived project of Alain Neffe, utilizing a wide range of veterans from the hometaper underground. Based in Belgium, Alain started the Insane Music label in the early 1980s, and will also be known to many readers from the bands Pseudo Code and BeNe GeSSeRiT.
Penumbra is a collection of 15 never before released tracks recorded between 1985-1995. The various participants bring lots of intriguing variety to the table, with the common theme being Alain Neffe's appearance on each track and a fascinating array of spoken word vocals. Among the highlights is "Rust", which includes Deborah Jaffe (Viscera, Master-Slave Relationship) on spoken word. The music is dark and ethereal on the one hand, but the saxophone gives it an eerie lounge jazz feel too. Very cool. "Ofullbordad Malning" features Britt-Marie Lanner on Swedish spoken work, along with Phantom of the Opera organ, tasty guitar bits and spooky atmospherics. "Blind" is another excellent track with Britt's voice, this time with a bouncy proggy guitar and keyboard (mellotron sounding) segment. "Blond Smile" is a duo piece with Daniel Malempre on guitar and Alain Neffe on organ/synth/keys. It's a pleasant instrumental with a combination of gothic and spacey sounds.
"Possession" is one of my favorite tracks of the set. Darline Victor's voice is intense and haunting, and the supporting music is ideal for her vocal delivery. I like the avant-chamber music that backs Lydia Tomkiw's poetry on "So Weak", which later develops into a mysterious Residents-like carnival feel. "Nino Estrella" features a simple guitar driven melody backing all too brief dual vocals by Sandra Balderas and Larisa Lopez. Almost like some Anthony Phillips "Private Parts & Pieces" work. "I Love You, You Know…" is the most song oriented track on the album, and struck me as having a Tuxedomoon quality. Very nice. "Our Last Word" is a beautiful dreamy violin and soundscape piece. And at over 14 minutes, "Meditation and Fears (the fourth day)" is by far the longest track. It opens with an alluring Gothic/chamber music combination, with a cinematic quality that sounds like the soundtrack to some avant-garde film. Strangely image inducing, with multi-layered voices, some played in reverse, creaking sounds, and a use of strings and atmospherics that inject a deeply felt passion into the music. Freaky…. I dig it!
Overall, the music on Penumbra is sparse but creatively constructed and highly effective, with a focus on developing mood and atmosphere that supports the spoken word elements. Check out these gems from the hometaper archives.
2008 - Jerry Kranitz (Aural Innovations)