Island-Label Profile (1999)

Perched below an ozone hole on the outer reaches of the Pacific Rim, New Zealand is a place of climactic and geographic extremes. A last stop southward on the way to the base of the earth. Its largest city Auckland, built on and around the remains of more than 40 volcanoes, is an economic and social magnet for restless souls, opportunists and those of a migratory nature. Experimental and improvised music has never found a firm foothold here, and so a small group of like-minded musical explorers have come together to share their resources and release a succession of unusual and distinctive recordings. Is Land was started by John Kennedy, who has been involved in independent improvised and experimental music in New Zealand since the mid-80’s. When he moved to Auckland in 1994, he found it difficult to link up with other musicians. “There’s a lot of electronic music happening in Auckland outside the mainstream, but there’s very little improvised music, no consistent venue and very little interaction between players - a fragmented situation.” ** “That may be slowly changing, but in the meantime we are documenting music that has evolved to incorporate elements of musique concrete, ethnic music, environmental sounds, dance music, process music and minimalism. This utilisation of everything at hand and within our experience is how I relate now to the term improvisation” To Kennedy the project is a long-term one. Unorthodox music from the Northern Hemisphere’s hubs of experimentation are influential but “...it feels like there is still so much that needs to be done to achieve recordings that have some relevance and substance for the particular place where we are living.” **Post script: by 2004 the situation had greatly improved, thanks in large part to the emergence of Vitamin S. www.vitamin-s.co.nz Is Land releases: Doubt (1997) Slow Learner (1998) Never Look Up (1998) Drumsmachine (1999) Portal (1999) Music in the World of... (1999) So Called Science (2000) Kit (2002) Is Land recordings are available at: http://members.tripod.com/~is_landsoundimprint