This review by Massimo Ricci was published on Touching Extremes 10 April 2011

Lapslap’s third release is this writer’s initial approach with their work. For the occasion, the improvising entity was represented by Michael Edwards, Martin Parker, Karin Schistek and Mark Summers. The group stresses the importance of a difficult distinction between acoustic and electronically processed sources, thus revealing a will of bamboozling the audience through varying assortments of gradations and environments. By utilizing Max/MSP they generate slightly deformed versions of discernible structures. Rarely the outcome causes a loss of focus, or a decreasing in the level of gratification.

Maybe the track that better indicates the depth of Lapslap’s research is the final ‘Soup Delirium’, played on a balanced mixture of computerized glissando, extreme breakup and pianistic sharpness. A potential pandemonium opening up in a series of superb  pictures, dramatic unpredictability and tendency to superior echelons of frequency combination giving a measure of alleviation to sympathetic minds, even in presence of severe complexity. An appreciable limitation of the most lustful processing desires is what separates this stuff from the irrelevance of certain laptop-brandishing micronizers. The non-human components never triumph, and – as it happens in ‘Shield’ – an inoffensive weapon like an ocarina can govern the audio scene despite the noises coming by a Nord synthesizer. This piece is immediately followed by another high: ‘Gletscher’, a solo episode by Schistek. Its mysterious grace – taking advantage of the expert probing of the instrument’s internal zones – speaks for itself. Still, in terms of sheer beauty, the accumulation of luminescence of ‘Old Liptauer’ (viola da gamba, piano and computer) is perhaps unbeatable.

The lone exception to the general merit is ‘Flatuway’, based on a distorted flugelhorn whose splinters are triggered by an auto-sampling MIDI wind controller. Frankly atrocious. However, that’s the only weak point of an otherwise fascinating album, planned and executed with fully operating brains and finely tuned ears. In the secret place where improvisation and technical possibility convene, hoping to keep the fruits of that furtive meeting private, Lapslap are hidden behind a bush to bottle some of those bizarre essences.

This review by Rigobert Dittmann was published on Bad Alchemy (http://www.badalchemy.de/) in December 2009

Bei Zuppa Inglese (LR 550), ihrer dritten Veröffentlichung auf Leo, stellt LAPSLAP jeden, für den Elektro und Akustik zwei Paar Stiefel sind, vor Rätsel. Wer glaubt, er wüsste, wie eine Ocarina klingt, ein Flügelhorn, ein Piano oder ein Saxophon, der wird durch gepresste Überblastöne des Horns, gezupftes Innenklavier oder Drumsticks, die am Notenständer schaben, auf Proben gestellt, denen man nicht immer gewachsen ist. Zwar wird verraten, wann Michael Edwards und Martin Parker ihre Computer oder den Midi Wind Controller einsetzen oder Karin Schistek ihren Nord Synth. Aber wie, das bleibt fraglich, weil Resonanzen, Sinuswellen und andere Soundderivate als Schatten oder Abziehbilder der Instrumentalklänge für merkwürdige Vexationen sorgen. Dabei ist das nicht einmal die Hauptsache. Die besteht vielmehr in der spielerischen Geste, die allen 10 Improvisationen etwas ganz Zwangloses gibt. Kein Konzeptgehampel steht der Verliebheit in die gemeinsame Klang(er)findung, dem ‚Suppendelirium‘, im Weg. Dreimal kommt auch noch Mark Summers mit einer Viola da Gamba ins Spiel, und es wird trotzdem kein alter Käse. Bei ‚gletscher‘ pickt Schistek alleine Eis vom Tauwerk ihres Segelschiffs, ‚imitation‘ ist ein Sopranosaxmonolog von Edwards, ganz pur und poetisch. Bei ‚béla‘ bahnt er sich mit dem Tenorsax durch ein zunehmend computerverfremdetes Gestrüpp aus Klavierdrähten und Violasaiten. Bei ‚arg‘ bilden zwei Computer mit Viola und Piano ein einziges Knäuel aus Krallen und heiklem Waffenstillstand. Die Gambe bleibt auf der Strecke zu ‚soup delirium‘, das Piano gerät deswegen außer sich und halluziniert in manischen Schüben. Stark. [BA 65 rbd]

This review by Francesca Odilia Bellino was published on All About Jazz Italia (http://italia.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=4954) in May 2010

Inserito Zuppa inglese nel lettore uno pensa di aver sbagliato stanza: i Lapslap rappresentano uno sbriciolamento sonoro totale! E la prima tentazione è quella di cambiare!

La prima traccia è il solo suono di un’ocarina distorto da un laptop, seguito da una seconda di sola distorsione e frantumazione sonora. Ma superato lo scoglio delle prime due tracce, da “droh,” si entra finalmente in un’altra stanza sonora… e le cose vanno meglio. Non che manchi nulla di quanto c’era prima, ma prevale una dimensione più acustica (ocarina e viola da gamba in prima linea), pur sempre addizionata di quella elettronica con computer-strumentati/strumenti-computerizzati.

Le impetuose sonorità del trio Lapslap, accompagnato in questa incisione da Mark Summers alla viola da gamba, non fanno economia di rumori per giungere a quel che deve per forza essere considerata una piacevolezza sonora. Ma questa è caratteristica del trio, impro free + elettronica. Infatti, anche il precedente Itch metteva a dura prova, concedendo tuttavia sprazzi di vero piacere sonoro. Zuppa inglese è per certi versi un po’ oltre e più ostico.

Va detto tuttavia che le tracce centrali sono bellissime. Viola da gamba, ocarina e sassofono (con grandi frullati) costituiscono le trame di una musica interessante, mai banale, quasi amabile all’ascolto. Nella zuppa inglese non finisce tutto compresso e computerizzato, al contrario. Il finale “soup delirium” è sbalorditivo.

Consigliato, ma agli amanti del genere.

This review is part of the article “Global Unity: Scotland” by Gordon Marshall published in All About Jazz NY in November 2010.

The quartet Lapslap’s Zuppa Inglese likewise plays with cultural mixing and matching. Of the musicians, Michael Edwards focuses on saxes while Martin Parker plays flugelhorn – but also picks up the ocarina, an egg-shaped wind instrument with a uniquely convoluted international history. Karin Schistek plays piano while Mark Summers performs exclusively on the viola da gamba. The music is rhythmic and animated. Scratches on the strings of the viola educe the quality of the copper coating the gut. Piano is broken down into its component elements of steel, wood and ivory. The ocarina, which started its evolution as a child’s toy, is eerily innocent. This is a balanced and well-rounded endeavor that still veers and sways with risk.

This review was published on Jazzflits 27 april 2009, 7 de jaargang, nummer 117,pg.6

In februari van dit jaar besprak ik in JazzFlits de debuut-cd ‘Itch’ van het trio Lapslap uit Edinburgh. ‘Scratch’ is het tweede deel van een tweeluik, dat een portret van deze unieke groep geeft. Ook hier wordt de laptop gebruikt als instrument (vandaar de groepsnaam), maar de nadruk ligt toch (anders dan op de eerste cd) op het akoestische instrumentarium van piano, tenorsaxofoon en hoorn. Alle drie de groepsleden openen de cd met een solostuk, waarin opvalt dat de klanken die ze produceren soms akelig dicht tegen elektronische sonoriteiten aan liggen. In ‘blau’ maakt pianiste Karin Schistek veel gebruik van het linkerpedaal, en de aldus ontstane boventoonsspinsels zijn er een mooi voorbeeld van. Hoornist Martin Parker gebruikt dubbeltonen in ‘Throat Horn’ en saxofonist Michael Edwards betoont de Europese aartsvader van de saxofoonschreeuw, Peter Brötzmann, eer in de titel ‘Zerbrötzeln’. Wel speelt hij veel gestructureerder dan zijn held, zodat een associatie met Peter van Bergen of Luc Houtkamp mij eerder voor de geest kwam. Die gestructureerdheid is de kracht van Lapslap, want hun muziek klinkt bij vlagen bijna gecomponeerd, terwijl er sprake is van pure improvisatie zonder afspraken vooraf. Ook weten ze goed wanneer te stoppen of een nieuwe wending aan een stuk te geven.

(Herman te Loo)

The following review, in German by Rigobert Dittmann, appeared in Bad Alchemy (http://www.badalchemy.de/).

Nach Itch heißt der zweite Streich von LAPSLAP, logisch, _Scratch_ (LR 531), und das Triostück mit Blockflöte wurde “Blödflocke” getauft. Die Tiroler sind lustig, was hab ich gelacht. Zuerst hört man Karin Schistek, Martin Parker und Michael Edwards aber solo – Piano, gehämmert, French Horn, geröhrt, und Tenorsax, zerbrötzelt, und das Piano macht nach “blau” später auch noch “gelb”, während das Sax beim zweiten Mal beißt. Dazwischen vereint sich das Trio mal akustisch, mal computerisiert als Piano-Laptop-Sandwich. Die Computer sind “touch-sensitive” programmiert, d. h. man muss sie “spielen”, wenn sie einen Ton machen sollen, oder so, dass sie den Instrumentalklang reflektieren. Kontrast wird groß geschrieben, Punkte vs. Linien, zwei Konsonante gegen einen “Störer” oder Eigenbrötler. Schistak pingt, dröhnt, dongt, unverbindlich, dezisionistisch, mit Donner- und spitzen Meißelschlägen oder Innenklavierschraffuren. Lässt sich zerschroten, verschleifen, verhackstücken, als Perlen an die Säue verfüttern,
eintauchen ins alltägliche Gelärme. [BA 62 rbd]

Written by grisli on “Le son du grisli”
Quelques mois après la parution d’Itch, le trio composé de Michael Edwards (saxophone ténor, ordinateur), Martin Parker(cor, ordinateur) et Karin Schistek (piano), présente Scratch, qui l’installe encore mieux.

Pour, notamment, paraître bien moins l’œuvre de jeunes musiciens soignant leurs frénésies en ludothèque sonore et amonceler dans la mesure d’encourageants penchants improvisés : piano profitant des effets imprévisibles de la pédale de soutien, cor récalcitrant et ténor éreinté, se partageant les solos qui ponctuent cet essai d’électroacoustique assagie. Sur lequel Lapslap respecte les codes établis de l’improvisation britannique telle que l’histoire musicale la considère, tout en l’agrémentant des effets de postures rappelant celles de Charlemange Palestine  ou de John Zorn.

From All About Jazz

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=32104

By John Eyles

It is not a surprise for an improvising group to integrate computers and
instruments in its music; since the turn of the millennium, that has almost
become the norm. Neither is it unusual for a group’s music to combine elements
of contemporary composition, free jazz and improv. In both respects, Lapslap
ticks all the boxes; what is remarkable about this threesome is the verve and
imagination with which they manage it. Based in Edinburgh, Lapslap consists of
the English-born Michael Edwards on tenor saxophone, computer and midi wind
controller, Martin Parker on French horn and computer, and Austrian-born Karin
Schistek on piano. The group “grew out of a desire to make well-formed music in
real-time using computers and instruments”.

The albums Itch and Scratch were both recorded at the Reid Concert Hall,
Edinburgh, from 7th to 9th September 2007. Itch was released in autumn 2008,
followed by Scratch in spring 2009. There are many similarities between the
two, including their complementary titles, and monochrome visual style; they
are best considered as two different parts of a double album. As if to
reinforce the link, Itch contains a track entitled “Scratchy,” while Scratch
contains a track entitled “Itchy”. (Hmmm, “Itchy” and “Scratchy.” Maybe these
guys are fans of The Simpsons?)

Lapslap
Itch: 10 improvisations for instruments and live electronics
Leo
2008

Lapslap’s first release is a showcase of the breadth and range of their music,
particularly their use of electronics. None of the ten pieces is long and only
one—”Spoons”—features all three instruments together without computers;
it reveals the trio to be a creative improvising environment in which no
instrument dominates but where there are ever-shifting collaborations between
the players, creating a kaleidoscopic effect. The piece features effective
metallic percussive effects that are not obviously attributable to any of the
credited instruments—maybe these are the spoons of the title? This piece may
leave you wanting to hear the trio improvising together for longer than its
four minutes. The sound of the Reid Hall is richly resonant and is captured in
great detail by the recording.

The other pieces all feature computers; three feature tenor sax plus piano plus
computer; the rest feature a lone instrument plus one computer or more. Edwards
and Parker both have a history in computer manipulation of instruments, as
evidenced by Parker’s use of “reactive sound environment” on “Not Cheddar
But”. As ever when computers are deployed in this way, their use raises more
questions than it answers; to fully understand what one is hearing, a full (and
doubtless quite lengthy) explanation of their role would be useful. Based on
the aural evidence of “Not Cheddar But,” the computer seems to create a
background drone which is not obviously “reactive” but certainly contributes to
the piece’s laid back ambience. Here as elsewhere, Edwards on tenor saxophone
impresses with a rich tone plus keen melodic instincts on a slowly unfolding
solo. The only track that belies this impression of the saxophonist is “Honk,”
which largely showcases Schistek’s fractured piano punctuated by occasional
loud contrasting blasts (honks, indeed) from Edwards.

Just as surprising is “Hungry,” on which the use of two computers subsumes the
solo piano into an industrial blast of metallic percussive noise and
glitches. The piano gamely fights its way to the surface to recapture the
limelight with an appropriately percussive display of block chording offset by
finer detailed soloing.

Lapslap
Scratch: 11 improvisations for instruments and live electronics
Leo
2009

In contrast to its partner album, Scratch rather downplays the role of the
computers and electronics. Its opening three tracks feature solo instrumental
performances by Schistek, Parker, and Edwards respectively, affording the
listener the chance to hear the key ingredients of the three tracks that
follow, all of which are trio improvisations without a computer to be
heard. All six tracks satisfy the craving created by Itch, and support the
impression gained there of three improvisers bursting with creativity.

Intriguingly, Schistek is a synaesthete—one who actually experiences the
sensation of colour when a sound is heard. This explains the references to
colour in Lapslap pieces such as “Rhapsody in Light Yellow” and, here, her two
solo piano pieces, “Blau” and “Gelb”. The contrasts between the moods of these
two pieces give some insight into the experiences of a synaesthete; while
“Blau” is grandiose and majestic with a sense of deliberation, “Gelb” is more
subdued and understated. They make an intriguing pair when heard back to back.

Only two of the albums pieces, “Pinned” and “Rustle,” employ computers, and the
sleevenotes of Scratch provide more explanation than those of Itch, informing
us that Lapslap apply a loosely held rule to exercise control over their use:
if the computer is not being “touched” then it does not make sound. This is a
refreshing approach, as it avoids some of the less creative uses to which
computers are put elsewhere, uses which can overwhelm the instrumental
contributions. The two tracks demonstrate this admirable restraint, including
the computers’ music as an equal partner in the improvisations rather than as
an added extra or a novelty ingredient.

As a contrasting pair, Itch and Scratch demonstrate the strengths of this trio,
particularly their improvisatory skills and innovative use of computers, and
can be highly recommended. The only question that remains: after these two, how
will they title their third album? Whatever the answer, it will be worth
waiting for…

Tracks and Personnel

Itch

Tracks: Not Cheddar But; Spoons; Sloppy Lips; Nailed; Honk; Hungry; Schweigen; Scratchy; Motor Mouth; Rhapsody in Light Yellow.

Personnel: Michael Edwards: tenor saxophone, computer, midi wind controller;
Martin Parker: French horn, computer; Karin Schistek: piano.

Scratch

Tracks: Blau; Throat horn; Zerbrotzein; Kettle; Itchy; Seep; Pinned; Gelb;
Bite; Blodflocke; Rustle.

Personnel: Michael Edwards: tenor saxophone, computer, midi wind controller;
Martin Parker: French horn, computer; Karin Schistek: piano.

This review was published on JazzFlits 2 februrari 2009, 7 de jaargang, nummer 111, pg.6

Het trio Lapslap heeft z’n thuisbasis in Edinburgh en combineert akoestische instrumenten met live elektronica. Anno 2009 betekent dat vooral de laptop. Tenorsaxofonist Michael Edwards en hoornist Martin Parker wisselen hun ‘gewone’ instrumenten dus regelmatig af met een schootcomputer. Alleen pianiste Karin Schistek houdt het bij haar vleugel. Op ‘Itch’ verkent het trio (soms ook in duo’s) in tien vrije improvisaties de mogelijkheden van dynamiek. Fraaie voorbeelden zijn ‘Honk’ waarin Edwards de verstilling en de stiltes dramatisch doorbreekt met Peter van Bergen-achtige saxexplosies (vandaar ook de titel). In ‘Schweigen’ omspeelt hij subtiel de randen van de stilte. ‘Hungry’, daarentegen, is weer heftig met stompende computerpercussie die de luisteraar vanaf de eerste seconde overdondert. In alle gevallen wordt de laptop ingezet als een volwaardig instrument, en het onderscheid in klank vervaagt langzamerhand steeds meer. Het puur akoestische ‘Spoons’ lijkt elektronische klanken te bevatten, maar die komen voort uit ongewone instrumenttechnieken.

This review was published on the Italian version of AllAboutJazz.com

http://italia.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=3572

By Francesca Odilia Bellino
Lapslap è un trio di base ad Edinburgo (Scozia) – composto dal sassofonista Michael Edwards, dal trombettista Martin Parker e dalla pianista Karin Schistek – che unisce uno spiccato interesse per la musica strumentale all’improvvisazione elettro-acustica.

Le dieci tracce sonore di Itch, primo album per la Leo Records, intervallano parti puramente acustiche, con piano, sassofono, tromba che procedono sui ‘canoni’ dell’impro-free, a veri e propri naufragi sonori nei laptop e sintetizzatori.

Ma se la sola intelaiatura elettronica di Edwards e Parker di per sè direbbe poca cosa perchè pare ripercorre strade già sentite, decisamente più tagliente e stimolante è l’apporto della pianista austriaca Karin Schistek. Grazie alla sua esperienza di improvvisatrice e sinesteta (ragion per cui molte tracce di Itch fanno riferimento a colori), Schistek con le sue incursioni nella cassa del piano ribalta decisamente le strategie elettro-acustiche di Edwards e Parker conferendo al tutto un apporto di grande interesse.

La sostanza c’è. Pruriginosa, come vuole che sia il trio!