2007 enligt: CM von Hausswolff & MSCHarding

In the last period (2006-2007), we have both turned 50, both lost our mothers, and Touch reached its 25th anniversary... How different things are from 1981, when the independent scene thrived, centered on a strong retail and distribution system and 'indie' meant'independent', politically, economically and culturally, not 'guitar music'.

The paucity of cultural independence is now staggering. Money rules and idealism is considered foolish and firmless. Where are the green shoots of radicalism? Rotting away within the concepts of "career" and "no risk"? So bearing in mind this historical perspective, what has excited us in the recent past?

CMVH: Continuing working with my curatorial project freq_out has given me great joy. This has not only made me come closer to the individual works of the participating artists but also clearified for me that a lot of artists can and will collaborate. freq_out has also functioned as a platform for meeting new interesting artists like Building Transmissions in Antwerp and local artists in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I am also deeply focused and inspired by The Land Foundation in Chiang Mai. Seeing their worked based on Thai Buddhism generosity and concern for other people makes me think there's still hope for mankind. Another item that turns me on is finding and adopting certain non-artists' works and folding them into this infected egocentrical world of art of 2007. Looking into the works and activities of people like Friedrich Jürgenson, Olga Eriksson, Selmer Nilsen, Martin Ekenberg, Jim Irwin makes my blood system pump. From a general point of view I get excited by the recent audio works of J.G. Thirlwell, Mika Vainio, Ditterich von Euler-Donnersperg, Michael Esposito/Leif Elggren/Emanuel Swedenborg and Sten Hanson as well as by new visual works by Rirkrit Tiravanija, Finnbogi Petursson, Teresa Margolles and Santiago Sierra.

MSCH: I continue to be inspired by all the Touch artists, particularly in this past year Chris Watson, Storm and the Touch 25 events. I also loved working on the sound for the TV drama Instinct [ITV], for which I was fortunate enough to do the "music design". Working with the Music Research Centre at York University continues to delight and surprise. I look forward with excitement to releasing albums by Norwegian Jana Winderen and Icelandic Hildur Ingveldardóttir Gudnadóttir, both new to the Touch fold. Fennesz's latest work continues to challenge, intrigue and move me.

CM von Hausswolff, musiker
MSCHarding, driver skivbolaget Touch