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Where Does A Body End? is a documentary that covers the history of Swans- a band who have always rather darted though & blended genres, with the only true/simple description of their sound been emotional intensity. Here on MVD Visual is a deluxe double Blu ray release of the film- bringing together an extended cut of the doc, and a disc full of cut/ extra scenes- with each disc having a playtime that hits around the two hours & forty-minute mark.
Since forming in 2006 Norwegian trio Huntsville have been very much about blending ‘n’ blurring genres and their sonic traits- this they’ve managed in a seemingly effortless & highly atmospheric manner. Their instrumental focused sound sits somewhere between improv, experimental post-rock, and moody jam music, which mangers to sit in its own bracket. For their most recent release Bow Shoulders, the group pull in four guests musicians- who rather push the bands sound in a rather interesting, at points quite dense & abstract ways.
Originally released in the year 1990 Freak show was the 18th studio album from The Residents- it found the sonically quirky collective offering up a concept album about a selection of characters from a traditional carny Freak show. The original nine-track album was a mixture of wonky theatricals, bouncing ‘n’ darting electronica, and synthesizer orchestration- topped with a blend of male & female vocals, which went from showy, barker like, and powerfully wordy. The album stands as one of the projects more approachable/easy records, as well as the album that had the most off-shoots/ spin-offs, taking in a live show, bizarre PC game, and a comic book. Here as part of the ‘pREServed’ series is a new deluxe three CD release of the album- bringing together a newly remastered version of the original album, a host of bonus & live material, and most important for long-term fans like myself a whole disc full of early demos/ song sketchers.
France's The Scalar Process hit Transcending Obscurity with their debut, Coagulative Matter. Amped up tech death, this first outing has the quartet firing on all cylinders, blasting, blazing, and arpeggiating with technical ferocity. Timed tight enough that you could set your watch to it, Coagulative Matter is a stringed frenzy propelled by a blistering drum kit.
Sitting halfway between moody-to-rising spacey-ness and seared sourness, Surface is a new release from UK based sound-maker & academic Emile Bojesen. The release comes in the form of a C25/ digital download on Italy's Sounds Against Humanity, and features five tracks created via modular synthesis.
The Task Force is a crunching ‘n’ snapping slice of the walled noise, which is nicely bass grinding, yet at the same time texturally detailed in its attack. Here we have a digital download release that features a single fifty-minute track.
The Showman is another splendid, at points damn eerier example of atmospheric walled noise craft from TheNIGHTproduct. This release appeared October last year, in the form of either a C32 cassette or digital download- I’m reviewing the latter.
It's no secret that the most common/recognized form of 1990’s black metal comes from Scandinavia, though there were more than a few interesting flourishes all around the world. One such location is Mexico, where Xibalba appeared in 1992, giving their fairly distinctive take on the BM form. Here from Nuclear War Now! Productions we have a double LP reissue of the bands legendary 1994 debut Ah Dzam Poop Ek, with some split tracks from the same period as a bonus
Dogtablet is a new-ish industrial adjacent project from Chemlab guitarist/singer/songwriter Jared Louche, whose main band's last album Oxidizer was way back in 2004. Feathers & Skin is an album that has more in common with post industrial projects like Pigface or the smoky trip hop of Massive Attack than the guitar driven aggression of Chemlab. Dogtablet shares a 'supergroup' feel with the aforementioned groups, alternating through a host of male and female vocalists of various styles bordering gothic, with Louche being the most frequently occurring, appearing in six of the album's thirteen songs.
The Bloodhound is a glumly creepy–to-subtly unsettling low-key horror film, which takes place inside a greyly claustrophobic house focusing in on just two characters. Released just last year the film very much nods back to grim and troubled thriller/ horror films of the 1970s, though with a side order of early 2000’s awkward geek-ness. Here from Arrow Video is a Blu Ray release of this slow-moving, maybe slight but effective creep feast- bringing together a director/writer & editor commentary, and a few other things.
Here’s the ninth in VCI Entertainment’s Scream Theater series, which brings together two ultra-obscure horror films. This time the focus is on the mad doctor side of the genre, with both films coming from the 1970’s. Featured here is Night of the Bloody Transplant, a decidedly clumsy z-grade heart transplant horror thriller. And The House Of The Living Dead, a South African period set chillier, that focus in on a mad aristocratic doctor who believes he can catch & keep the souls of humans & animals. Both films are presented on the DVD with no extras, and (just) about passable scans.
Here we have the second in Powerhouse’s Columbia Noir boxset series, and once again the label offers up a wonderful selection of the noir film in its many forms. Going from a tight & twisting crime drama, onto a Cops Vs scammers noir, though to undercover cop mystery. Onto a mystery melodrama, though to a taut one location thriller, finishing off with a very distinctive hit-man based example of the genre. Featured on the Blu Ray boxset are new high definition prints of all six films, a good selection of extras, and the finished version of the set comes with a hundred and twenty-page book.
American-British sound artist Bill Thompson hits Burning Harpsichord with his latest composition, Ocean Into Light. One, long form track, Ocean displays the interplay of synthesized layers, their birth, rise, fall, and decay. The oscillations here echo the waves in both oceans and light, and work as a semi-tangible way to bridge the gap between the two.
Transcendental pagan ambient duo Coil charted an incredible path of interdimensional psychedelic electronic journeys within their twenty three years, ending in the death of singer/poet Jhonn Balance in 2005. Since the death of the other half of the band, 'Sleazy' (Peter Christopherson) in 2010, I have been less than satisfied with the handling of their mostly out of print legacy. Most of what has come out has been compilations of unreleased material that was never intended for release, and many of the essential full-length albums remain out of print and quite rare (Constant Shallowness Leads to Evil and Moon's Milk, among others).
Here we have a double CD reissue of one of the more experimental/none rock-based albums by revered cult Italian musician Paul Chain( aka Paolo Catena). Originally appearing in the year 1990 Opera Decima (The World Of The End) focused on the more creepy-yet-theatrical ambient, to dark electronica/ industrial side of Mr Chain’s sound, with none of the doom or dark psychedelic rock flavour he’s most known for with either the group's Paul Chain Violet Theatre, Death SS, or as a solo artist.
Directed by Paul Golding (Beat Street and The Magical World of Disney) Pulse is a sci-fi horror movie originally released in 1988 starring Cliff De Young (Glory, The Craft and Rude Awakening), Roxanne Hart (Highlander, Letters from Iwo Jima), Charles Tyner (Harold and Maude, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Cool hand Luke) and the Lawrence brothers, Joey (Blossom, Oliver And Company) and Matthew (Boy Meets World, Mrs Doubtfire).
There's something intrinsically satisfying and comforting about a harsh noise release that takes in two ten-minute slabs of sound. Equally valid when- it comes to live performances in this field. Remember noise-sets? Then you should know that the ten-minute mark shines great in this context too. It's all it takes. If your craft can shift gears and alter gravity and/or possess some sort of threat to the all-encompassing time-continuum then TEN minutes/ 600 seconds is all you need..No more. And this C20 release from Kadaver is a prime example of this point.
Body Low is a harsh noise release that blends together densely textured with moody-to-surreally searing noise matter. The C70/ digital download is both brutally thick, yet trippingly heady- which is certainly a usually/ difficult mix, but this release largely managers to carry it off in a compelling/ brain-twisting manner.
Jazzblazzt is a jagged ‘n’ jerking example of edgy-to-fiery improv for tenor sax and guitar. It’s a two-track CD release coming in at the fifty-five-minute mark- with each track been as darting, unpredictable, yet rewarding as each other.
I’d never heard of Tarab before Housekeeping, but this is a very accomplished release, of equal interest to ears tuned to field recordings, electroacoustic music, or noise. The CD has two long tracks, both past 15 minutes, accompanied by an insert that explains the album. Housekeeping is just that: a release that tidies up lots of discarded, neglected, and forgotten recordings - those files that lurk at the back of the computer - and combines them finally: gold from base metals.
The Sleeper is a (fairly) recent 1980’s set Sorority house slasher, with an effectively creepy winter setting, creepily deranged killer, and some fairly good retro detail. Sure it wears its influences clearly enough, retreads the familiar genre tropes in a fairly even manner. But what is fairly original is the fetishism of the killer & his mannerism, making what we have here rather akin to the Neo-Giallo films, though of course with a slasher focus. From Scream Team Releasing here is a dual Blu Ray/ DVD release of the film- bringing together directors commentary, a one-hour making of, and a deliberately worn VHS version of the film.
Neurogenesis is the latest album from respected and influential US ambient artist Robert Rich. And once again it finds him trying something different from his previous offering 2020’s Offering To The Morning Fog-which focused on hazy & warming tones/ structures. Neurogenesis is an album that finds up-beat Berlin school ambient/ electronica sound, meeting cascading electro minimalism. Sure, later on, we get dips into the slightly slower–to-moodier fare, but mostly this is a pulsing, urgent if at points quite spacey record.
Mogul Mowgli is an edgy 'n' frank drama, full of passion, and arty touches. It's a troubling-yet-never sentimental look at circuital ill-ness, identity, and belief. The 2020 film follows Zed- a up ‘n’ coming British Asian rapper- who's on the cusp of making it big, when he suddenly gets knocked down by an illness. Here from the BFI is a new Blu Ray release of the film, taking in a high definition print, commentary track & a few other extras.
Originally released back in 1978 Drastic Plastic, was the 5th & final album from the UK four-piece Be-Bop Deluxe. It saw the band largely moving away from the prog & glam rock styling's of their previous work, towards a blend of new wave, art rock and early synth-pop tropes. It certainly was a daring & risky release, that sometimes worked, sometimes didn’t, but you certainly have to admire the band for stepping outside their four-album comfort zone. Here from Cherry Red Sub-label Esoteric Records, we have a recent deluxe reissue of the album- with the double CD set bringing together two mixes of the album, a good selection of bonus tracks, an inlay booklet & mini-poster.