Loading
Fecalove
Italian based sonic pervert Fecalove(aka Nicola Vinciguerra) has been making sexualized noise and sonic mayhem since 2001. He first came to my attention with the excellent 2007 release erection which consisted of a cut up, sound collage and noise, more recently his sound has moved more towards Power electronics, but his sound is still distinctive, fresh and depraved- Nicola kindly gave me an email.
Thinguma*jigsaw
Thinguma*jigsaw are a two piece original from Norway now residing in Ireland, they play their self moniker style of music called splatter-folk.Their debut awakeinwhitechapel is one of the freshest, strange yet memorable takes on folk music your likely to have every heard mixing together banjo, musically saw and flute. The pair kindly agreed to give me a email interview for MM.
Sissy Spacek
John Wiese it one of the most well know, respected and prolific names operating in noise today. Sissy Spacek is his project with guitarist and fellow noise maker Corydon Ronnau original conceived as grindcore band but grew well beyond those restraints over their four releasers dipping into cut-up, noise etc- With their new firth release the 4 cd box California Ax they’ve stretched their sound out even father into electro acoustics, avant jazz, grim and grimy soundtracking, improvising, plus many more genre traits along the way too. John Kindly took time out to answer a few email questions.
KK Null
For many experimental & noise fans KK Null’s sound is an instantly recognizable and distinctive mix of noise, electroncia, cinematics, improvising and some rock elements. The projects solo member is Tokyo born Kazuyuki Kishino has been recording music and sound at a hugely prolific rate since his first recordings in the mid 80’s- Last year alone saw four new KK Null albums appear. Kazuyuki kindly took time out from his busy schedule of recording and live shows to give me an email interview.
Merzbow, Satori & Sutcliffe Jügend
This was Merzbow’s first show in London for 6 years or so and my first live merz experience, with support by considerable atmospherics and sleazy/violent respectively sets fromSatori and Sutcliffe Jügend.
The English Heretic
The English Heretic are a mysterious musical/ literary collective who investigate ocultic matters, blurring the lines between fact and fiction, their music is a layered and sinister mix of dark electronics, folk and source recordings & ambience. And their written word a mixture of ocultic history, true crime and horror fiction. Their Music and texts together make an intoxicating and often highly un-nerving whole. Andy Sharp one of the main minds behind the project kindly agreed to give me an email interview.
Sand Snowman
Sand Snowman's original, creepy psychedelic tinged folk rock is one of my key discoveries of this year so far, having fallen head over heels with their most recent release The Twilight Game (reviewed here). I felt it only fitting to hunt down the projects mysterious key player Sand- whom kindly agreed to give me an email interview.
The Starving Weirdos
Sudden Fear is The Starving Weirdos first foray in soundtracking(that’s been releashed) with images based around elements from 1952 film featuring Joan Crawford & Jack Palance. Merrick McKinlay from the SW's kindly gave me an email interview regards the project- but first a brief review.
Zlye Kukly
Zlye Kukly are a Russian langrage project who offer up an invigorating, tuneful and often flamboyant mix of styles dropping down in; Folk, Prog rock, 70’s rock, gothic rock, weird soundtrack elements, world pop, piano and classical touches. German folk/ rock/ what every label Ahnstern released Strange Tomorrow at the end of last year- it collects together some of their best work from early & ltd albums into a very approachable album form. The projects main writer and singer is Fred Adra- he kindly agreed to give me an email interview.
Best of 2007
Musically 2007 has been an excellent year. I found it no problem to find many excellent albums, and as usual the worldwide 'back catalogue' has been keeping me busy and still full of surprises and many real gems which I'm technically not allowed to list here. I'm sure this goes for much appreciated contributors Erwin and Roger as well, given their lengthy list. Thank you and all the best for 2008, which also goes for the people reading our modest little webzine, made out of a mad love for music and not business, and therefore sometimes a bit slow. My apologies for that, but I guess that's the price to pay for no ads.
Mouthus
Mouthus create an unequal & dense mix of noise, suffocating guitar tone, electronics & battering rhythm. But also have the ability to be able to summon up more uneasy/alien atmosphere mixing together ritual, ambient, acoustics guitars and avant-rock elements into a distinctive blend. This year has seen them released two of the years highlights in the form of the sludge brain melting wonder that is Follow this house and the more darkly melodic yet still atmospheric and at times devastating Saw A Halo . One half of Mouthus, Brian Sullivan, kindly agreed to give me an e-mail interview.
John Brien
Important are one of the most consistent, prolific and varied experimental labels around today in their 6 year existence they’ve released albums in the following genres; noise, post rock, drone music, folk, metal, improvisation, classic reissues avant- grade, psychedelic rock and the list goes on. Label owner & runner John Brien kindly agreed to give me an interview from Imporant’s base via email
The Skull Defekts
The Skull Defekts are a four Piece from Gothenburg & Stockholm who have been getting praise and rave reviews for thier of repetitive & rhythmic based music that dips it’s toe in electroncia, old school industrial, Analogue synth scapes and noise elements- to come up with very much their own painful white neo audio nightmare. There also hellishly prolific releasing this year alone four albums as well a handful of smaller releases. Band member and iDEAL label owner Joachim Nordwall kindly agreed to give me an email interview.
Caïna
Caïna are one of the darkest shining lights of recent post black metal scene with their mix of black metal, Folk, indie/shoegaze and post-rock, All with a very distinctive English edge. The whole project is played, sang and recorded by one person uk based Andrew Curtis-Brignell, in the last few years he’s released two albums; 2006 Some people fall 0n God is myth records and this years Mourner on Profound Lore Records (reviewed here). Andrew kindly agreed to give me an email interview.
Lasse Marhaug
Lasse Marhaug is one of the most recognised and respected names in the Noise genre, having released a massive amount of varied work since the 1990’s. Going from; noise, to guitar scapes, to ambience- Released under his own name, as his collaboration with John Hegre as Jazkamer, and numerous other collaborations. He has recently formed his own label Pica disk, who’s first release is the four cd box set Lasse Marhaug Tapes 1990- 1999 (reviewed here). Lasse Kindly took time out from his busy schedule to give MM an email interview:
Circle
If MM were ever to have a house band it could well be someone like Circle, who whole heartily mix and match musical genres like there’s no tomorrow, but still keeping their feet well and truly planted in that distinctive Circle sound- going from rock, modern classical, jazz, folk, metal, soundtrack like, ect…you think of it Circle have probably dipped there toes in the genres water at one time or another. Bass Player & Ektro label(whom have released a few circle albums among other artists) runner Jussi Lehtisalo kindly agreed to give me an interview:
Hoor Paar Kraat
Hoor Paar Kraat appeared on the experimental scene about a year ago making strange and surreal ambient/ sound puzzle/ bizarre ritual music- that sounded unlike anyone else. They’ve released most of their work in very small, but arty and bizarre pressings designed and made by main participant Anthony Mangicapra. Anthony kindly agreed to give me an interview; at the end of the piece you’ll find a look back at some of the projects out-of-print work with comments by Antony and reviews of the works by my self.
Whitehouse
Whitehouse are one of the true noise originates as synonymous with the genre as the likes of Merzbow. They’ve been making extreme sounds since the early 1980’s, always independent through-out their long career releasing everything on their own label Susan Lawly. Their new album Racket(review here) sees them incorporating African rhythms, drones and cinematic textures. One half of the duo William Bennett kindly agreed to give me an interview.
My cat Is an Alien
My Cat is an Alien have been weaving their own distinctive mix of improvised ambient/ noise space music for a few years now, releasing their prolific discography on a mirad of labels including there own label Opax which releasers more ltd and art bound items . The project consists of tw0 Italian brothers Maurizio and Roberto Opalio whom both kindly agreed to give me an email interview.
Starving weirdos
Starving weirdos are one of the true rising stars of the underground with their distinctive quiet noise come improvised, come cinematic soundworlds. Over the last year they’ve been releasing material at an alarming rate, but never sacrificing on quality and with each new release they’ve changed and refined their one-off take on sound. At the centre of the group are Brian Pyle and Merrick McKinlay with many other collaborators coming and going with each release. The pair kindly agreed to give me an email interview. You’ll also find at the end of the interview an over view of their releases thus far.
Seven Things
Seven Things are a Scottish based experimental Mp3 label whom thus far have released exclusive work from the likes of Luc Ferrari, Charlemagne Palestine, Max Richter, Spring Heel Jack and many others. John Harris Director of the label kindly agreed to give me an interview regarding the label & at the end of the interview you’ll find an overlook of their first ten releasers.
Tom Carter
Tom Carter is most widely known for his participation in Charalambides, a "band" which was founded by himself and his then wife Christina in the early nineties. Over the years, the band worked as a three-piece, first with Jason Bill, then with Heather Leigh Murray. The first "official Charalambides album was the Union LP, released 1994 on Siltbreeze Records. Their first unofficial release was Our Bed is Green, a tape self released on their still running Wholly Other label (since re-released as a double CD on Kranky).
Fog
Fog are one of the great always shifting and growing musically entities. Started by Main writer and onetime DJ Andrew Broder- their first self title album was an attempt to mix Turntable music with post- rock. Next came Ether Teeth and exploration into ambient, piano singer song writer music and folk. Next came 10th Avenue Freak out which mixed up-tight avant garde indie gitar music, folk, jazz touches and jarring electronic elements. With a few ep in-between that investigated there developing muilt-genre sound. Due out this summer on Lex records is their new album Ditherer. Andrew kindly agreed to give me an interview.
Carlos Giffoni
Carlos Giffoni is one of the key figures in the growing US noise underground. he’s the organizer and originator of the No Fun Noise Festive in New York city , He’s been releasing noise craft under his own name since the late 1990’s, He started the No Fun label in 2005 which has just released was his new excellent full length Arrogance (reviewed here). With more releasers from other artist to follow. Carlos was kind enough to agree to give me an email interview.