Monday, August 31, 2020

MEMORY OF THE WORLD on VINYL

 Our 2018 album MEMORY OF THE WORLD is available on VINYL

BUY IT from the band TODAY




Saturday, March 17, 2018

ZACHT AUTOMAAT - COMMERCIAL WASTE and other news

ALL IS WELL.

The newest ZACHT AUTOMAAT album was released digitally last December. A short run of cassettes will be available soon. That album is called COMMERCIAL WASTE....



Another album is done and being mastered for a vinyl pressing as we speak. That album is called MEMORY OF THE WORLD and will be out this summer, co-released by ALICIA'S KLASSIC COOL SHOPPE and E.C.H. !

Also keep your eyes open for the FAKE HUMANS album EXIGESIS, also out on vinyl this year. The FAKE HUMANS album is being released by Portuguese label Shhpuma.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

FAKE HUMANS album nearly done

In AUTOMAAT related news, I have been spending some time this year gigging and recording with esteemed collaborator Colin Fisher in our duo improv band FAKE HUMANS. Free spirited demo recordings led quickly (somehow) to a LP offer from Portuguese label SHHPUMA. Further recordings were made and much work and discussion done and now we are nearly finished out first album.

Side one is an extended three part suite of (often) beautiful diatonic improvisation with overdubs. Colin plays guzheng, drums, sax and flutes. I play taishogoto bass, and keyboards. Side two is more of a collage of disparate elements including multi-tracked percussion, tape-speed manipulated strings, gongs and shredding. The music was recorded at Colin's by me, using a combination of Colin's and my technology tape and computer, tube and transistor.

The budget was $0 and we came in on the mark. The only thing we needed was time and opportunity.

We have been performing together in this formation for a few years now but have been keeping an unusually low profile for a free-jazz improvisational duo.

The album will come out some time in the fall/winter, depending on when we send them the tunes and pressing delays etc.. The cover art is being designed by SHHPUMA and we hope it looks good. We'll tell you all when it is finished.

AUTOMAAT summer 2016

"Hello friends and enemies. ZACHT AUTOMAAT will not be playing this summer because M____ M_____ will not be visiting from Oxford, England.

The unrelenting grind of existence will not be ameliorated this summer by a delightful set of tunes played by your local fiercely stubborn psychedelic pop jazz band.

You must all try your best to get through the season without the musical respite that ZACHT AUTOMAAT usually provides.

We are deeply saddened by this missed opportunity but excited about the possibilities for our show in December/January.

Thank you to anyone who contacted us and offered us a show/food/sympathy/advice/spam and again, please accept our apologies."

--ZACHT AUTOMAAT official announcement

Monday, December 28, 2015

MORE DOWN THAN OUT


HERE IT IS - our new album is called MORE DOWN THAN OUT and was recorded principally in 2015 but contains pieces from 2004, 2007, 2011 and elsewhen.

All instruments are played and recorded etc. by Carl Didur and Michael McLean in an independent setting using fairly basic equipment. Louis Percival appears twice on drums (santa clause never went to school and final song side 2) and Colin Fisher appears briefly on the final song. We apologize for our mixing limitations but then formally retract our apology. Please enjoy:


AUTOMAAT 2015

Photo by Teresinha Costa


Well, time for a short post after the fact-

We just played our annual winter show at Double Double Land here in Toronto. M___ M___ is back on a plane to England again and we are at peace. This year was a tremendous success and we are proud of ourselves. We also premiered our new album (digital only at this time) at the show and just made it public a few moments ago.

(see next post)