Carl Abrahamsson

Message 23 released on Highbrow Lowlife

May 5, 2017

“Message 23” is a powerful compilation with words/readings by American, New York-based poet/artist Vanessa Sinclair and a host of contemporary talent within the experimental and electronica scenes. The result is a mind-blowing exposé of impressions and truly bewitching seduction. Drifting into areas of sexuality, psychoanalysis, dreams, witchcraft and deep emotional layers, Sinclair together with her collaborators drags the listener into uncharted psychic territories. On this album, Sinclair has consistently used the cut-up technique, as developed by William S Burroughs and Brion Gysin. And she has collaborated with some of the finest talent on the scene today: Sheer Zed, Val Denham, Joachim Nordwall, Xambuca, Carl Michael von Hausswolff, 156, Akoustik Timbre Frequency, Thomas Bey Williams Bailey, Carl Abrahamsson, Mary Nymphection, Damages, Katelan Foisy, Mikronesia, Liza Beth Paap, Audio Spirits, Witchbeam and Madame Deficit. The result is a hauntingly beautiful...

Sinclair & Abrahamsson interview at Arcana Machine

May 5, 2017

We were recently interviewed by Arcana Machine, the eminent label that released our first album Cut to fit the mouth. Please go here to read it at their site or just read on below. Interview by Douglas Lucas with Vanessa Sinclair and Carl Abrahamsson about their debut album CUT TO FIT THE MOUTH released on Arcana Machine: DL: As the readings on CUT TO FIT THE MOUTH were composed by means of the cut-up method, I wanted to ask you how has the practice of the cut-up technique affected your own life? CARL: I’m a creature of habit, so allowing for chance elements to affect me is important. Life is not wholly causal, and the really good things come when you sidetrack the expected. That’s as true for the music making as for life in general. It’s very true of filmmaking, writing and all other creative practices too. Valuing all the creative stuff in my own life makes me a more openminded human being. DL: What are some of the text sources used to create the cut-ups on the album...

A new, expanded edition of California Infernal

May 5, 2017

The first edition of California Infernal: Anton LaVey & Jayne Mansfield as portrayed by Walter Fischer sold out pretty quickly, which was great. I was tempted to just print a second run but knew that my collaborator Alf Wahlgren had more spectacular images in his archive. So instead we worked on selecting more amazing photos for an expanded edition. And now it’s here! We’ve called it the “Mansfield” edition, because we’ve added eight new colour pages and in total more than ten new photos of Jayne and Anton LaVey in various shapes and sizes. Please check out the TRAPART site to see the different options/versions available. Thank you!

White Stains’ “Work Workings” re-released

April 30, 2017

Way back when, Thomas Tibert and me created different soundscapes designed for ritual work. These were issued on two small-run cassettes and were called the Work Workings. Recently they were re-released by the phenomenal record label IDEAL Recordings, on cassette. A wonderful full circle experience! Here’s a little text I wrote for this release. White Stains: The Work Workings The Reality Studio, Stockholm, ca 1989-90. In the process of exploration of ritual, a multitude of musical sources were listened to, tried out and evaluated. Ethnic, traditional, old, contemporary, electronic, acoustic, percussive, drone-based, noisy, still, violent, peaceful. I experienced, took notes and felt what could bring out an optimal sonic atmosphere for my own “intellectual decompression chamber”. Patterns began to emerge. Depending on the ritual in question – physically excited, calmly meditative, intellectually probing – distinct sounds and combinations seemed better fitted than others...