20 Signed copies of the Digipak CD on the Klangaglerie label comprising tracks recorded live by Philip Sanderson for Klang 30 (Vienna June 2023) along with tracks constructed from field recordings (church bells, coffee cups, trams, street bands, etc) captured whilst in Vienna. Hear extracts at www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZCVE8SXp2U.

review from Vital Weekly

PHILIP SANDERSON - UNDERNEATH THE UNDERNEATH - A VIENNA SOUVENIR (CD by Klanggalerie)

I recently revisited Vienna, after thirty or so years, and, as before, I find this a charming city, with a lot of historical stuff to see and many places for coffee and cake. Judging by the musical content of this new Philip Sanderson CD, I am not the only one. In June 2023, he played at 'Klang 30', the annual (I believe) festival organised by Klanggalerie, a label that released more work by Sanderson and his previous Storm Bugs project. Three songs contain samples from the city, church bells, coffee cups, trams, and such. Three pieces were recorded during rehearsals, and "track 7 is a cabaret version of 'Swing'". I very much like his music, as it is a curious collision of styles; there is the musique concrète-like use of field recordings sitting next to rhythms, sequencers and vocals. I don't think pop music is the right word, but it's along those lines; a piece such as 'Hodge (Revisited)' could lean towards industrial music. When Sanderson sings, it is very accessible music, such in 'Line D'; when not, it becomes a bit more abstract, such as the 'Coffee House Calculations', with its coffee house sounds. As before, Sanderson's music isn't upbeat, necessarily, and yet it is also not dour. It's atmospheric and lighter than your usual dark drone music. The music is more instrumental than vocal, and once again reminded me of The Residents (in as much as I know of their recent work, which isn't a lot). The cabaret version of 'Swing' is, I think, an ode to the twenties of a century again, and maybe also an ode to the somewhat conservative life in Vienna, where everything seems a bit more formal. It's a fine CD, not his best, which accolade I reserve for his 'On One Of Those Bends' (Vital Weekly 1177), but a continuation of great music. (FdW)