300 dpi pic for Print: 4wnc press pic
Bléfari/Beridze/Gouzy/Pratter : 4 Women No Cry - Vol.1
monika 42 album cd digipack / double lp

remix12“ (monika43) Landsleute remixe von: Ark (FR), Post Industrial
Boys (GEO), Gustavo Lamas (AR), B.Fleischmann (AUS).

4 Women No Cry - Vol.1

“Sugar and spice and all things nice, that’s what girls are made of", or so a British saying claims. But although the tunes featured on this compilation are undoubtedly sweet, charming, playful and spiced with plenty extraordinary talent, the proverbial categorisation doesn’t quite match its international protagonists (hailing from Buenos Aires, Paris, Vienna and Tblisi): Besides their unquestionable delectability, all women featured are cool, independent and purveyors of a confident idiosyncrasy that doesn’t make for a quick-fix, easily consumed musical snack.

No Women No Cry kicks off with Argentinian singer Rosario Blefari’s doleful tale of separation and renunciation (Partir y Renunciar). Subtly atmospheric, yet deeply moving her gentle vocals and delicate guitar passages nestle between street sounds, their mellifluence disturbed by intricate disruptions on the follow-up Nunca. A lot of scope, a lot of unpredictability pervades Blefari’s musical excursions, until Melodia weaves her weird and wonderful melodies into a stunningly beautiful pop song.
Aware of her Goslab video activities we might expect Tusia Beridze aka tba to provide a visual accompaniment to this compilation – besides journalism and media studies the Georgian tends to focus on audiovisual productions, even winning second price at the renowned Oberhausen Short Film Festival. Musically, the incredibly versatile artist (check out her latest, excellent album on max.Ernst) allows the atmospheric, narrative and culture-encompassing aspects of her work to enter the composition: with Gorod, an immensely popular, Eastern European campfire classic (as featured in the Russian film “Assa”), Beridze introduces a very personal, emotional element to this collection, followed by hypnotised, semi-somnolent confessions couched in a blend of fake strings and real feelings (Cuet). Sometimes, Beridze employs a string of casual handclaps to highlight the poignant melancholy (Wound), sometimes she twists dejection and sharp rhythms into a touching take on modern minimalism (Hextention) – in the end, her tracks sneak straight into the subconscious, like her knowing nod to the electronic excursions of compatriot and occasional collaborator Nikakoi (Late).
Parisian artist Eglantine Gouzy introduces a sharper, punctuated element to the proceedings: her short vignettes, veering between chilled New Wave charm, whispered elfin-like nursery rhymes (Nurse Song) and gorgeously nervous exuberance (Boa, Y’ a pas de mal), afford luscious glimpses of Gouzy’s eclectic fashion and art projects.
Like her peers on this compilation, Catarina Pratter is well-travelled and wise to the world – since 2001 the Viennese singer and musician has played numerous gigs between Sao Paulo, Berlin and her Austrian hometown (with 550rondy) and contributed to numerous theatre productions and radio plays.
While Johnny Isolaschn constitutes an exemplary exercise in minimalist subtlety, the subsequent Dreamin Of Love soon turns into a full-blown assault on the senses – disregarding any musical conventions the track bores straight into our ears and mind to unleash three songs in one, from stroppy beats to poppy inevitability.

For this compilation, the original Bob Marley title (No Woman No Cry) was subjected to a radical redefinition: Whether it is the absence or presence of the female population these men might be crying about – why should women be considered harbingers of sadness at all?
Gudrun Gut: “Enough of all these tears. Let’s tear up preconceptions instead!”

For a delectable preview of these four artists check out their remixes by fellow countrymen (LANDSLEUTE 12") B.Fleischmann (Wien), Ark (Paris), Gustavo Lamas (Buenos Aires), Post Industrial Boys (Tblisi).

4 Women No Cry - Vol.1 - Background:
4 Women No Cry serves as a prelude to an annual compilation series instigated by Gudrun Gut (Monika) in order to draw further attention to the still underrepresented female view in music.
Gudrun Gut: „Nowadays, very few releases by unknown artists even get to reach the shops. The idea behind this project was prompted by my re-discovery of a fantastic LP (No New York) featuring four different bands with 4-5 tracks each – the perfect way to discover new artists.”
4 Women No Cry introduces four highly creative, international artists who combine outstanding songwriting talents with electronic elements, yet often – and unjustly so - remain relatively unknown. The only selection criterion: a unique, original approach to music that is continued in sound aesthetics and production.
(Sonja Commentz)


INTRODUCING THE ARTISTS:

Rosario Bléfari lives and works in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Singer and writer for the rock group "Suárez" 1989 to 2001. Actress and poet. She appears in "Silvia Prieto", a film directed by Martín Rejtman in 1998. In 2001, she produced "Cara", first solo musical work. December 2004, she recorded "Estaciones", an album of songs with a band. Rosario runs her own label in Buenos Aires called „Fan Discos“.
LISTEN reunciar

Tusia Beridze (aka tba) born in Tbilisi, Georgia. Contributing in Goslab activities, music videos for Nika Machaidze, Goslab exhibitions in Tbilisi, Paris, Zürich. Various live performances. Releases: debut TBA/max.E. / Vinyl `georgia is like spiritual tokyo` / max.E. now: `annulé‘ cd/max E.
LISTEN gorod

Èglantine Gouzy lives and works in Paris, France. Live: with Ethyl at Pulp (Paris), Aquaplaning Festival (Hyères), Batofar (Paris), Who's Who's land (Brussel), Nouveau Casino (Paris), Live with Panico (La Scene - Paris).
Soundtrack for Stephanie Coudert's fashion show (Paris, Pekin, Varsovie). Releases: var. tracks on compilations and on Fat Cat online.
LISTEN zone a
Catarina Pratter lives and works in Vienna, Austria. Var. theatre productions + radioplays (Hörspiele). Live @ Flex, Rhiz, B72, Icke Micke, WUK, Temp Festival etc (Vienna) Posthof (Linz), Goldener Pudelclub (Hamburg), Kiosk (Frankfurt), Rotari (Frankfurt), Podewil, Luftschloß (Berlin) Dialog02 Festival (Zürich), Moodclub (Sao Paulo). Releases on cheap rec and Temp rec with „550rondy“ and solo as Catarina Pratter on Sue.mi records.

4 WOMEN NO CRY: FEMALE, GUARANTEED NOT WHINING.

QUOTES:

It's my favorite record in a long time. I love almost every song.
Jimmy Tamborello (Dntel, Postal Service, Figurine)

ich bin seltsamerweise kein allzu grosser freund von frauenstimmen, genaugenommen nicht mal ein grosser freund von vielen stimmen ueberhaupt. trotzdem gefaellt mir die idee... Ich habe mir alles brav angehoert und ueberraschenderweise hat mich nichts genervt, oder besser: es war sogar einiges dabei das mir gefallen hat. (Viel besser kann es aus meinem mund nicht werden.).... gerade der vielschichtige umgang mit sprache ist mir angenehm aufgefallen.
Blixa Bargeld

It's impossible to pick a favorite among these four artists, or to adequately represent even one of them in a sound sample. Each is at once a great melody-maker and uncompromised sculptor of diverse sounds, making this, my favorite compilation so far this year, a hard first volume for Monika to top.
Andrew Culler / Brainwashed

4 Women has initiated a new conversation, a necessary one.
Dan Nishimoto / Popmatters


PRESS:

adequacy.net (USA)

popmatters.com (USA)

melancholyrhino.com

brainwashed.com (USA)

othermusic.com (USA)

lunakafe.com (SE)

etherreal.com (FR)

stylusmagazine.com

evermusica.com (RU)

DE:BUG
Bléfari/Beridze/Gouzy/Pratter - 4 Woman No Cry Vol.1 (Monika Enterprise)
Bin mir nicht ganz so sicher wass die 4 (alle haben hier nacheinander 4-6 Tracks auf der CD) eigentlich so verbindet. Ah, doch, sie singen alle. Und irgendwie singen sie auch alle Songs die auch alle in einer Bar laufen könnten die in irgendeinem Autorenfilm auftaucht, oder eben in Twinpeaks. Darin sind sie allerdings sehr verschieden. Catarina Pratter mit ihren eher technoiden Sounds manchmal auch fast rockig, Eglantine im typisch französischen Kleinkindgenre mit Klimperkasten unterwegs, Tusia Beridze von Goslab eher dunkel rauchig Femme Fatale im Märchen und Rosario Blefari aus Argentinien ist wiederum ganz anders - und hier fällt es mir auch schwersten das einfach so wo hinzusortieren, denn auch die Musik ist hier am spannendsten. Wer Gesang liebt und Songs die für sich stehen können, und davon gleich 20 auf einem Album, der sollte sich diese CD nicht entgehen lassen. Begleitend gibt es dazu übrigens eine sogenannte Landsleute Remix EP auf der jede der 4 von einem Act aus ihrer Heimat geremixt wird mit: Ark, Gustavo Lamas, Berhard Fleischmann und den Postindustrial Boys. Auch sehr gut das. Ich frag nie wieder voreilig nach einem Konzept.
bleed *****