Exploding Head Syndrome / Solo Electric Clavichord

ZEA SIDE

Highly catchy sub-world pop gem, based on an Ethiopian melody – “Yemoye Lale” by Abonesh Adinew. Electro beat, moog bass, philicorda organ, sweet growling guitar and lyrics referring to the problem Frisian people (Arnold is from Fryslan, the North Central part of the Netherlands with its own language and culture) have with eating spicy food; it’s all there.

The cover painting is by Kristos Solomon, from Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. Next to it De Boer writes the story how he first met Oscar Jan Hoogland, who joins on philicorda and moog on this song, about thirteen years ago during his first hour as a teacher of philosophy at a secondary school in Amsterdam.

Recorded and mixed at Next To Jaap Studio in Voorhout, NL, by Corno Zwetsloot and Zea, 2013.

OSCAR JAN HOOGLAND SIDE

A six minute plus live recorded piece of improvised music on the electric clavichord by Oscar Jan Hoogland.

Jack in a box! For a long time I had the wish to enter the sound world of the electric guitar. I was hoping to be able to combine this sound world with the improvisation language I developed as a pianist. Then I heard an early 70s recording of C.P.E. Bach’s clavichord music by Gustav Leonhardt. Being recorded much too close, the loud high notes bend ridiculously. I loved it and thought; this is it. I started working on building my own electric clavichord. After trying out two clavichords and about 20 different guitar-pick-ups, a lot of soldering and clumsy DIY failures I came up with the electric clavichord as it is now. Tuned down an octave and played with unconventional techniques takes the bending and sound possibilities to a new level.

This recording is a piece of the first solo concert I gave on my electric clavichord during one of the Trytone evenings, a monthly night for improvised music that took place at Zaal 100, Amsterdam.

— Oscar Jan Hoogland.

• Oscar Jan Hoogland – solo clavichord.
• Recorded live at Zaal 100 by Ron Ruiten. March 18, 2009.
• Mastered by Arnold de Boer.
• Cover art: picture of Circling by Zoro Feigl.
• PB005 De Platenbakkerij
• Distributed by Toondist.nl.

• oscarjanhoogland.com
• doek.org