released October 7, 2016

agnespe.bandcamp.com
aggnespe.hotglue.me

www.macba.cat/en/experience-macba-agnes-pe

Agnès Pe works in sound beyond the limits defined by any musical genre. Her work is characterised by an attitude of overwhelming fun, covering the parameters of lo-fi music and plunderphonics, always looking for new ways to relate to the elements she recomposes through atonality, altered melodies and screeching textures.

Speedy classical, eurodancesymphony, melody punch, black-midi, happy slapped, terminal punk, humpatech, crossover thrash, non gender, mid-techno, hardlaptop and Powermid are some of the ways to define her music.

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*REVIEW* ( via yeahiknowitsucks.wordpress.com/2016/09/01/agnes-pe-item-tourian/ )

Agnès Pe’s Item Tourian album is let’s say pretty heavy, it’s probably the most violent sound that she had put out at this stage of frequent releases. But Agnès Pe wouldn’t be Agnès Pe if it’s not all done with a nice spoon of salt, not too taken hundred percent serious while she slaughters your ears (100 % seriously!) Agnès Pe simply takes her experimentation into another zone, one of theme park rides gone wrong, idiotic fights, duals and arcade machines. Luckily her good sense of humor dips through the hardcore madness, making it a wild pool for the imagination as swell a reason to let a random doctor subscribe you to some protective medication.

The following track by track description is absolutely bonkers, mostly because this album is pretty much ‘bonkers’ in itself. (You have been warned!)

Agnes Pe goes full body armor, ready to step on your head like a G.I.Jane! She is clearly armed with massive hardcore beats, swords of noise and shields made out of massive synths. Forget Joan of Arc as Agnès Pe’s Entrance to Item Tourian only needs one minute to flatten any enemy to pieces of pulp, and keeps her friends close behind her.

With such a victorious introduction the music producer turned warrior deserves a bit of distorted doodle sack playing in her honor. Unfortunately/fortunately no real doodle sack players are around, and is Agnes Pe doomed to do this celebrative sound of victory all by her-self. Lucky with her multiple arms she manages to create noises that resembles theses doodling sacks, as well as noisy materials that will make sure the sellers of pain killers will earn a little bit more.

Then Agnès Pe seems to have more fighting to do on this album; this time she bounces with the heads of her enemies as if they are bouncing basketballs. They have a really great bounce, and Agnes Pe has a serious respected grip on these bouncing ball beats. She still has one hand left which she uses to play the plastic carillon of a playful church; what a guts and what a daring amount of beats per second.

Then it’s time for Agnès Pe’s ‘‘Galatea range’ also know in my fantasy world as ‘futuristic sword fighting among crazy characters’. It sounds like a polite fight with introductions and bows of royalty, tiny birds cheer for the crazy candidates as lo-fi swords are hitting each other in attack and self-defense.

Agnes Pe can’t be always working in her harness of sound manifestations; she also needs to take some time off sometimes. And when normal people go to visit Disneyland for a laugh, Agnes Pe will hang out in Trashy dis Ne; a world that is more natural, more rough, has more birds then gigantic mice within them. The cool Agnes Pe will be so kind to take all the listeners of this album with her!

There might not be mice, but in this trashy theme park there is a 2 legged rat you can stand next to for a selfie. Agnes Pe despises this mascot and it is wise to gather around her when she calls this rat out and makes sure it feels intimidated, as it for sure sounds like an entertaining spectacle.

After the confrontation our tour guide shoves us all in ‘de Polycomp’, a wonderful attraction that goes in circles that with a little layer of booze might make some free festival goers puke in a bag. But not Agnes Pe she spins this wheel and enjoys the ride and even provides some sparkling little lasers at the end!

Agnès Pe seems to take us into an alternative arcade game hall, let’s call it ‘maimรณnides’ its one with machines of real life proportions in which all her enemies are living the life of a character from out of date game classics. Think living your life as Pacman and living and dying and living again! Trying to fill up your stomach with tiny pills and some fruits before some ghosts will help you out of your misery for just a few seconds. In Agnes Pe her world, Hell is a fun place, so much fun that some of its inhabitants might beg to just be placed in the fire instead.

After this it’s time for more battles! Agnès Pe takes out the alternative doodle sack and sets it up against a rival Arabic sounding vibe in an auditorium that is made out of screeching distortion. The duel is not a pretty sight; and it’s clear that ‘grand Duque Balo’ is the big winner over here! Not only executed this fine fight, but also destroyed many ears along the way!

But with all the violence and trashy fun fair rides it’s also good to know that Agnes Pe knows when time is due for straight up party music! With her ‘al k-pony car song’ she will shake the speakers as if there is a lengthy earthquake, making sure you will dance like a galloping horse that simply can’t stand still (as the floor will move anyway!) And yes this all might sound pretty much crazy, trust me this is the material that will get any waster raver (or weirdo warrior) hyped up and going for a dancing frenzy!

To kill us and the album off in violent style Agnès Pe has decided to give us all the sound of ‘be a terminal bomb’. Perhaps it’s about courage, about having enough strength, but it for sure sounds as if the audio is in itself a terminal bomb. It’s definitely no case of innocent fireworks that’s for sure.

This is the end of our temporary relationship. If you are not being carried away strapped in a straightjacket as you try to read this; you’ll be fine! This album is pretty nuts! Oh… and you would be nuts not to try and check it out.

<KN>

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*REVIEW* by Frans de Waard

www.vitalweekly.net/1065.html

AGNES PE - ITEM TOURIAN (cassette by Powdered Hearts Records & Tapes)

In Vital weekly 1050 I reviewed an extended catalogue/jubilee book from the activities of the Zarata
Festival, with a CD and I noticed that one Agnes Pe was on DJ duty on a lot of occasions. I wasn't
aware she did music by herself as well, although I now learn that her own Bandcamp has quite a few
of her releases. She offers here eleven pieces, although perhaps 'songs' would be a more
appropriate word. Agnes Pe has a sampler, a keyboard and sings her songs. She doesn't operate in
one specific area; it starts with something that could be hardcore techno, with fast pulsating beats
and a certain amount of distortion is not uncommon in her songs. Chaos is another feature, and Pe
likes to plunder other people's records for sounds and present them, whether or not they are
changed, in the form of a song back to us. Along with the samples (rock music, classical, techno),
she plays her keyboards in a similar chaotic fashion; some of the songs are pretty melodic and
would pass the test as a wacky pop song, such as 'Al K-Pony Car Song' or the sweeter 'Two Legged
Rat', with its bleep Gameboy sounds. Think of this as a sort of even freakier version of Felix Kubin
and you are on the road to Agnes pe. (FdW)