June 13, 2015 at 3:27 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Graham Repulski: Octopus Bribes cassingle
First single from the prolific lo-fi songwriter’s upcoming album
Success Racist. The A-side, as to be expected from Repulski, is mindlessly catchy lo-fi pop covered in layers of guitar fuzz, with vocals obscured just to the point beyond comprehension, but the melody is impossible to remove from your head. B-side “Zip Flag Erections” has vocals which seem to hide behind the big, slow drumbeats and guitars, but keeps coming back to the refrain “I don’t believe her.” There’s also a quieter snippet of another song tucked away at the end. Not out yet but you can hear it on
Bandcamp now.
May 16, 2015 at 7:44 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Real Adult: Fake Person tape
Cory Bracken’s debut tape as Real Adult is harsh, disorganized, haphazard, and all around not pretty. It erupts in fits and starts, sometimes relying on electrical noise bursts, and other times utilizing crashing percussion and bells playing rapid, nervous clattering sounds, somewhat similar to that David Van Tieghem collaborative LP RVNG Intl released in late 2013. The 5-part “God Holes Suite” takes up side A, and the more shivery 7-minute “A Course In Miracles” begins side B, and then the tape ends with the metallic detritus of “Idiot Shivers”. Available on
Bandcamp.
May 16, 2015 at 6:05 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Mazhar Ve Fuat: Türküz Türkü Çağırırız!
I know nothing about Turkish music and I don’t really follow the endless glut of obscure/private press psych reissues that will never cease, but Shadoks has always been a label that’s unearthed some of the more interesting rarities, to my ears at least. Mazhar Alanson and Fuat Güner ended up founding hugely successful Turkish pop group MFÖ, but this is an earlier album the duo recorded in 1973. This album is closer to folk-rock than psych, but it has its mystical, ethereal side. The album’s title translates to “We are Turks, we sing Turkish folk songs”, and the opening title track is appropriately declamatory. “Sür Efem Atını” is as close as we get to fuzzy psych-rock, but there’s nothing “acid” about this album. “Derdimi Dökersem Derin Dereye” and “Türkmen Güzeli” feature lead vocals from Mazhar’s wife Hale Alanson, and both tracks are gorgeous, chilling hauntological loner-folk which transcends any language barrier. “Upside Down” is the album’s only English track, and it sounds like it could’ve been taken from any number of American folk-rock LPs from 1973.
May 13, 2015 at 11:35 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Gordon: Bleu Merle
Gordon used to go by the name Gordon Shumway (after ALF), but several other artists used that name, so now he’s just Gordon, because that’s obviously way less confusing. Regardless, the French DJ has been kind of behind the scenes for a while contributing remixes and compilation tracks here and there. This is his third EP but first for Infiné, and it’s pretty straightforward melodic techno. “Bleu Merle” is pretty calm with a fluttery, insistent synth riff which blossoms and sparkles as the track progresses. “Line 93” has a “Shari Vari”-esque arpeggio, synth pads reminiscent of Coil circa “The Snow”, and a very straightforward 4/4 hi-hat beat. “Gull” is a bit more lush, with a knocking future-garage beat and woozy synth textures. “Fagus” is more straightforward Detroit-y techno, but it’s got Amen breaks crashing away in the background. Bonus track “MK Ultra” is minimal and a bit quizzical, with some mysterious voices chanting and wailing in the background. Can’t really choose a highlight, they’re all decent, and different.
May 13, 2015 at 10:51 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Arandel: Solarispellis
Second album from an anonymous French artist who claims to use all analog synthesizers with no sequencing or samples, although plenty of this album (especially the live drums on sections 11 and 9) sounds far too lushly orchestrated and layered to be completely recorded live. The tracks are all movements and sections rather than individually titled compositions. Sounds a hell of a lot like Jean-Michel Jarre, doesn’t it? Definitely yes, but this is clearly influenced by more modern developments in electronic dance music. “Section 7” is close to hazy midtempo kraut-disco, and “Section 11” is a peppy chiptune-like number. “Section 13” is where the heavy cosmic arpeggios come in, with Philip Glass-like organs meeting Goblin-esque synths. “Section 12” starts with clicking sounds and minimal keyboards, then builds into an ominous cinematic techno track. A lot of the interludes and shorter tracks sound like RPG themes. The whole album is charmingly retro, but at the same time doesn’t try to hard to recreate something it probably wasn’t around for in the first place.
May 10, 2015 at 2:20 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Opaline: Memory Drain tape
The name Opaline doesn’t sound too different from OPN, and I’d be lying if I said this was something other than serene, arpeggiated synth-drone. This tape is definitely tech-savvy and neon-colored, and it hits the right notes as far as new agey synth tapes go. Ultimately, this one is best for just letting your brain get sucked into a vortex and zoning out. Another winner from the can’t-go-wrong Constellation Tatsu label. Sold out but you can download it on
Bandcamp for free.
May 9, 2015 at 7:50 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Sergeant Sawtooth: This Is Tomorrowland
Industrial musician Rob Robinson (formerly of Hate Dept. and Kevorkian Death Cycle) has been using the Sergeant Sawtooth moniker for his more experimental IDM and synth-pop recordings for over a decade now. This album (which was actually released as an 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel tape, as well as CD and
free Bandcamp download) is based on Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, and samples vintage audio from long-retired rides. The music itself is primarily made using old analogue synthesizers, giving it that retro-futuristic feel. It sort of sounds like Raymond Scott’s electronic experiments updated for the electro-industrial era. It’s also somewhat like Public Service Broadcasting’s music, but synth-pop instead of post-rock. Rides and attractions such as the Matterhorn and Space Mountain are represented, and there’s loads of remixes. The whole album seems like a huge labor of love, and is a fun listen even for people like me who aren’t crazy about anything Disney-related.
April 26, 2015 at 9:00 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Coppice: Cores/Eruct
Something is dreadfully wrong with these machines. It’s like they’re intentionally malfunctioning; wheezing, sputtering, blanking out, doing everything but what they’re supposed to. It’s hard to be productive if these robots simply aren’t doing their jobs. The room is filled with gray dustclouds and a musty odor and it’s going to take a lot of backbreaking labor to get everything back in working order again. How did I get myself into this mess anyway?!?!
…………
This album’s credits list a lot of prepared and modified instruments and objects, but sometimes they just sound, well, broken. Plenty of buzzing and swooping (rhythmic swooping, somewhat) and just generally lots of mechanical drone. The highlight is 13-minute centerpiece “While Like Teem Or Bloom Comes (Tipping)”, which processed and loops the sound of a pump organ into some loud acoustic drone vortex. Very difficult and possibly patience-testing, but they make it sound like it’s intentional, like these objects were created to make these sounds. It’s great. Now excuse me, I think I need to fix my radiator again. [I don’t actually have a radiator]
April 26, 2015 at 8:35 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
Triac: Days
Soft slow-moving ambient drone. Some of it swells up, some of it is more blurry, some of it has tones which sort of jut out and form melodies. It gets a little dark, but it’s still gentle all the time.
April 26, 2015 at 6:22 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment
M. Ostermeier: Still
Marc Ostermeier of shoegaze band Should has been exploring minimalist piano ambience for a few years now, this is the third such album on his Tench label. Piano is the focus here, but there’s calm electronic drone and field recordings. Lots of rattling and clicking sounds. “Counterpoise” sticks out with its electronic glitch textures. “Congruence” has heavy bass tones (not super heavy, kind of hollow, but definitely high volume). “Inertia” has high-pitched tweeting sine waves. “Parity” has more bass tones. For fans of Alva Noto’s collaborations with Ryuichi Sakamoto.
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The Answer Is In The Beat 