Pan Sonic & 灰野敬二

Pan Sonic的艺人档案
by Sean Cooper
Finnish minimalist techno group Pan sonic are among the most active and well-known artists from that countrys tiny experimental techno underground, and the first to reach acclaim at an international level. Pursuing the jagged edges of minimal techno and hardcore, the group have earned an enduring association with industrial and noise music through their incorporation of antiseptic production techniques and power-tool electronics, landing them in 1995 on the English Mute labels experimental subsidiary Blast First! (most of their catalog to date has since appeared there). The affinity lay more at the surface, however, as Pan sonic are better understood as a collision between Jeff Mills and Mike Ink; dance-based electronic music with a maximum of impact, realized through a minimum of extraneous detail. Known for junking together studio equipment from spare parts and ancient analog debris, Pan sonics search for the untried in techno is their compositional M.O., placing them closer to the musics Detroit roots than is often understood.
Formed in Turku in the early 90s, Pan sonic began as the duo of Mika Vainio and Ilpo Väisänen. As with most Finnish techno groups, Pan sonics earliest beginnings lay with the Sahko/Puu imprint, the focus of the Northern European techno scene and home to such artists as Kirlian, Philus, Ø (Vainios solo guise), Mono Junk, and Jimi Tenor. Pan sonic released its self-titled debut single through Sahko in 1994 before being joined by third member Sami Salo and landing a contract with Blast First! the following year. The groups first BF! release, Vakio, was a full-length CD/triple-10 boxed set featuring the same brand of furtive, passively aggressive techno, though with a fuller, more thought-out sound. Soon after Vakios release in 1995, Salo left the group (apparently to join the Army), and Pan sonics subsequent releases — the Osasto EP and the groups 1997 sophomore long-player, Kulma — noted his absence by their comparatively harder, less subtle tone.
Pan sonic added live performance to their regular repertoire in 1996, playing a number of gigs throughout Europe and Japan, as well as touring with gothic rock group the Swans. Vainio moved to London in 1997, where, in addition to his continuing commitment to Pan sonic, he continues to record as Ø (his third full-length under that name, Olento, was issued on Sahko just prior to Kulmas release). He has also released work on Sahko, Puu, and Cheap as Tekonivel, Orchestra Guacamole (with Jaakko Salovaara), and Kosmos (with Jimi Tenor), as well as remixed tracks for Björk and Tactile. Pan sonic have also been featured on several compilation albums, including A Fault in the Nothing (Touch, 1996) and Funktion 1: Finnish Techno Collection (Function, 1996). By 1998, an inevitable confrontation with the Japanese manufacturing giant also known as Pan sonic had resulted in a name-change of sorts, to Pan sonic. The missing letter re-surfaced the following year, as the title of the duos third album. Vainio and Väisänen also recorded the Endless LP (as VVV) with the addition of Suicide vocalist Alan Vega. In 2001, Pan sonic returned with Aaltopiiri, toured the world, and then returned with a four-disc album, Kesto (234.48:4), in 2004.
灰野敬二是日本千叶县人士，生于1952年(与纽约爵士天才John Zorn同年)。60年代后期，全球左派风潮流行时开始自录作品，十八岁时组成第一支乐团“Lost Aaraaf”，并于山梨县一个音乐节上演出。在1978年组成最重要乐团“不失者”前，也曾经与早亡萨克斯风手阿部薰、钢琴家竹田贤一等爵士、前卫乐手合作，并多次与日本最重要摇滚乐团“裸身聚会”(Les Realizes Denudes，1967年组成，此团以迷幻摇滚为主，曾有“赤军连”成员参加，此员1970年挟持民航机飞至朝鲜。1996年解散，团员仍然各自活跃于日本地下乐界。录音极少，多为盗版或刻录盘，在网路上极为抢手。“裸”与灰野并列日本摇滚两大传奇，影响面相当广。)同台献艺。1982年，灰野初次推出个人专辑《只有我》，更被誉为个人的经典之作，知名度也逐渐传到西方前卫乐界。1995年组成的“拔祈罗”，以噪音包装蓝调与日本民谣。1998年的“哀秘谣”，则是探索日本通俗音乐史的乐团。他的演出与创作至今仍然十分活跃，合作对象包括John Zorn、Barre Philips(低音提琴)、等前卫音乐大人物，以及日本国内各种风格的乐队和艺人，包括后面将提到的鼓手吉田达也。
　　灰野以长年于各种音乐上的素养，融合泉涌般的创作力，建立出独树一格的“灰野流”，不仅受邀参加欧美大小现代音乐活动，更跨足了多种表演艺术配乐及诗作等领域。