CDr with sparsly to heavily processed environmental recordings.

Tracklist:
1: Gedempte Zuiderdiep/Tellegenstraat 2: Hoofdweg/Deliplein 3: Hofstraat/Waagplein/Hoofdweg/Kruissingel 4: Kalvermarkt/Spui 5: Gedempte Zuiderdiep 6: Oosterstraat

Reviews:

Gonzo Circus by PSD

Wie anno 2008 Nederland en elektronica in één zin plaatst, botst hoogstwaarschijnlijk op de alomtegenwoordige Machinefabriek, de schuilnaam waarmee Rutger Zuydervelt nu al enkele jaren furore maakt. En terecht, alleen heeft Nederland ook nog andere beloftevolle zonen en dochters. Twee mensen die ons met recent plaatwerk konden bekoren, zijn Gert-Jan Prins en Kasper van Hoek... ...Ook Kasper van Hoek lijkt net als Zuydervelt een workaholic van de zuiverste soort. De jonge inwoner van Groningen bracht op vijf jaar tijd maar liefst vijftien sterk gelimiteerde cd-r's uit, maar bewijst met zijn nieuwe plaat niet alleen erg productief te zijn, maar ook heel creatief om te gaan met een amalgaam van geluiden, tapes en microfoons. Van Hoek zijn label heet Heilskabaal. Meer informatie heeft een mens niet nodig. Als de wind goed zit, dan oort u nog van hem. Vingers kruisen.

Tokafi by Tobias Fischer

...Small editions are also the specialty of Kasper van Hoek. Over the past five years, he has slowly worked his way up from print runs of one (“Broken Speaker Music”) to 300 (“Minerva”, a Vinyl LP pressed as part of his graduation from art school), arriving at a style incorporating elements of electroacoustic composition, field recordings, drones and noise. “Den Haag/Groningen/Froombosch” presents listeners with six audiopaintings inspired by particular streets in the Netherlands, with source material recorded in situ.
It is important to note that van Hoek is not looking for a realistic impression of his selected locations. Most tracks are actually collages of different spaces, with disparate elements overlapping in a surreal game of juxtapositions. With the field recordings firmly in the centre of attention, the underlying textures, often replete with subcutaneous tension and opaque harmonic structures, award these dense, delirating scenes a halucinatory intensity and frightening darkness – the Dutch tourism agency should probably buy and destroy all 50 existing copies of this short, but significant release.

Wondeful Wooden Reasons

6 pieces by Dutch sound manipulator van Hoek each named after the location the recordings were made between May 2007 and January 2008. Throughout the recordings you can clearly hear the source sounds which have either been subsequently or simultaneously processed and manipulated.
There's much to like here as a tumult of sounds race past each tumbling over the other. Which however is also it's main weakness as the music never really allows itself to be listened to. Almost as soon as your attention is attracted by an intriguing sound or idea it's gone, lost amidst the torrent. I found it's restlessness to be contagious meaning each time I listened to it I soon found myself being distracted by the things around me rather than being fully absorbed by the music.
This is definitely worth a listen due to it's scope and it's execution (it's beautifully mixed) but is particularly recommended to those whose preference is for the noisy and the abstract.

Norman Records

Also on the Dirty Demos label is a CD by Kasper Van Hoek: 'Den Haag/Groningen/Froombosch' which is 6 tracks of field recordings which are named after the streets they were recorded in.
It's all quite fuzzy and distorted and it's not an easy listen by any stretch of the means. Tonal crackles and whizzles aplenty, it's like being the piece of liquorice that's being sucked post sherbert fountain. Albeit with plenty of droning rubarb and custards floating by and some disturbing chocolate cigarettes to scare you with.
An engaging release if you can work out what the wangchung I'm on about. Limited to 50 copies. Whacka whacka.

Vital Weekly by Frans de Waard

If I am not mistaken, this might be the very first release by Kasper van Hoek that is not presented on his own Heilskabaal Records label.
Time to expand to other CDR ventures and he's right, his work is right for the next step. That is the conclusion which we can draw from his first release on Dirty Demos.
Recorded in the Dutch cities of Den Haag and Groningen and the for me unknown Froombosch, he processes these field recordings with 'open source software' and thus creates microsound like music. Some of the street life leaks through, but Van Hoek effectively alienates the material beyond recognition.
Quite a move away from his previous work which was more noise based, around old equipment such as tapeloops and turntables. This is quite intense music, with creepy undercurrents and even a touch of music in it (perhaps any street musicians around).
This is an excellent break with the past and a major leap forward.