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Appearing in October of last year here we have a rather splendid release from Swedish project Nils Dacke-who blend together dense-at-points-wallish harsh noise, with slightly seared-to-wonky ambience. Blenda is a two-tape set/download themed around a Swedish folk tale, which tells of a group rural women( led by Blenda) who got the invading Danes drunk, and then killed them in their sleep.
Echoes of Genocide is grimly scrubbing–to-bleakly baying wall noise split, which brings together tow forty-minute examples of ‘wall’ craft. The split appeared in early February 2021- coming as a digital download on Polish based label Gates Of Hypnos.
Appearing in late 2019 Tapestry Of Noise is a six-CD set focusing in the 1990’s- that most celebrated & respected of decades in the career of Japanese noise legend Merzbow. The boxset brings together unreleased material, different mixes of known albums, and releases that have been out of print for some time. So very much a release focused at the Merz-collector….though that said there is some great material on display here.
Here’s the latest in the Righteous labels Lux & Ivy compilation series, which sees respected music journalist Dave Henderson crate-digging for obscure 45’s from the ’50s & ’60s. Entitled Pure Exotica, this two CD set takes thirty-four slices of easy listening cheese- and while it may not all be strictly Exotica, it’s another well compiled & evenly balanced compilation- blending together known names like Martin Denny, Les Baxter, and Arthur Lyman with more obscure fare.
Possessor is a sleek-yet-terminal grim body-swap thriller, which is edged with moments of extreme & gruelling violence, neon licked trip-ness and fleeting perversion. Here from Signature Entertainment in the UK- is a digital, Blu Ray or DVD release of the film- I’m review digital version.
The wonderfully entitled Tomorrow I'll Wake Up and Scald Myself with Tea is a late 70’s Czechoslovakia sci-fi film, which is both charmingly amusing & quirkily inventive. It’s a time-travelling caper based in the near future where a group of neo-Nazi hijack a rocket to return to 1944. Where they plan to deliver a hydrogen bomb to Hitler, making sure he wins WWII and conquers the world- but their devious plot is thrown off by something as simple as a stale bread roll. Here from Second Run, who has released a fair amount of Czech film, is a new Blu Ray release of this lesser-seen & rather distinctive slice of 1970’s Sci-fi. With the release taking in a new HD scan, a new commentary track, and a glossy inlay booklet.
Teaming up again for another gorgeous assault on the senses, Boris & Merzbow give their one finger salute to 2020 with 2R0I2P0 (2020 RIP). Mixing heavy, distorted rock with harsh backing soundscapes, the collaboration once again brings an interesting mix of music/non-music in a way that only masters of their craft can produce. While their output is as expected, sometimes that's just what a reeling world needs: solid, loud, comfortable noise rock. A reminder that all is not lost and we still have heavy, cathartic maestros with us, 2R0I2P0 has the grit and power needed to kick 2020 to the curb and grab 2021 by the balls.
Rapoon is the solo musical project of Robin Storey, formerly of Newcastle industrialists Zoviet France. Storey started the project in 1992 and since then has become something of a prolific artist in the ambient electronica field, releasing innumerable albums over the last 29 years, for a number of notable labels. This latest release has found its way to Zoharum recordings who continue to release some of the most interesting experimental electronic music.
The Shape Of Solitude severs up eight examples of moodily gloomy-to-cold sound-scaping, which blends ambience with atmospheric guitar-scaping. Originally released back 1999 on Sweden’s Multimood Records- here on Zoharum is a 2020 reissue of this collaboration- featuring a new remastering & new artwork.
Appearing at the tail end of last year Madman In The Moonlight is a C120/ digital download, which severs up eight slices of choppy & nasty walled noise with a horror/ stalking psycho theme. The release appeared on North Dakota based Black Ring Rituals Records.
Self-Reflection is a six-track CDR/ digital release that brings together strummed-to-roaring no-wave guitar playing, mumbled male vocals, and vaguely harmonic sax wonders. It’s a release that comes off like less coherent & more forlorn Fog, edged by horn tones- that barely, and I mean barely hold the tracks together.
Here’s a relatively new release from Thin Mountain- one of the more recent projects from American noisemaker Sean E. Matzus (Black Leather Jesus & Last Rape). Thin Mountain V features two around five-minute examples of atmospheric & uneasy walled noise. This release appeared on Matzus own label The White Visitation- coming as either a 7inc lathe-cut (sadly out of print) or digital DL- I’m reviewing the download version
Canadian Black Metal one-man-band Rvbber VVitch started out in 2017- putting out their self-released debut album Mastvrbations Malveillantes MMXVII. The projects has a few distinctive tropes- firstly, it tries to blend BM with industrial and noise elements. Secondly- visually and thematic it focus in on BDSM culture that's quite interesting. And lastly the mind behind the project hides under latex mask and clothes. In 2021, the Finnish label Werewolf Records reissued the projects debut album in the from of a CD, having plans to release an LP version down the line.
Mysterious analog electronic outfit Taibach has released their debut LP on German label Empty Editions. With a name that is apparently a combination of industrial group Laibach and their homeland of Taiwan, the sound of the album takes cues from the niche of beat driven'tribal'/ethno industrial ambient as popularized by groups like Muslimgauze or Deutsche Nepal.
Michael Begg, the Scottish composer born in Edinburgh began experimenting with computer technology in around 2000, alongside Deryk Thomas. These early recordings would form the basis of the first Human Greed album and fire his career in music. Since then, he has formed Fovea Hex with Clodagh Simonds and he has worked on a number of commissions in the contemporary classical music field. For this project he has teamed up with kosmische legend and synth innovator, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, a bonafide legend of German experimental, progressive music. As part of Begg’s residency at Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh the two men were due to collaborate on a performance, however with the Covid situation and the subsequent lockdown meant they were unable to go ahead. Fortunately, the two men were able to continue their collaborative efforts remotely and the result of this union is Two Gather in the Waiting Room.
Moravian Meeting is a collaboration between Randy( the singing Resident) and Czech prog rock/ Avant-garde band Už jsme doma. Recorded live and in the studio- it finds an often very brass & guitar forward take on classic Residents tracks- making for a very unequal & distinctive take on these songs.
The Masque of the Red Death was the second to last of Roger Corman’s 1960’s adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s work. It once again featured Vincent Price in its lead role, and I think it’s fair to say it was the grandest, most triply creepy, and chillingly effective of the sequence of films- as well as a stone-cold gothic horror classic. Here from Studiocanal is a new reissue of this masterpiece- taking in an extended version of the film, which reinstates several censored scenes that were cut from the original release & a wonderful lush new 4k scan, as well as some great new extras. The release is available as a Blu-Ray, DVD, or digital release- I’m reviewing the Blu-Ray version.
Survivor Ballads is a Blu Ray boxset that brings together three 1980’s film from Japanese director Shôhei Imamura. He is known for his often documentary style of filmmaking, which focuses in on the racy-yet-spirited underbelly of Japanese society. His films make sympathetic and compassionate studies of peasants, working-class people & prostitutes. This recent three-disc set from Arrow Academy, offers up high definition prints of each of the films, as well as commentaries & other extras.
Ljudvägg (Wall of Sound) is the ambient project of sound artist Filip Forsström. Transformation was originally performed in conjunction with Anna Kristensson's exhibition ‘See Through’ (gallery FRANK, Malmö 2019). Although available digitally, Transformation is being brought to wax through Lamour Records and Purlieu Recordings. Giving this wonderful work of ambient and avant-garde piano its just due, fans can now have a physical copy to match the strong, physical sound contained within.
Repetition Of The Same Dream is a modern composition album, which moves between haunting, piercing/shrill, and textured-often managing to be both moody and primal at the same time. The album brings together French composer/performer Clara de Asís, and Switzerland based flautist Mara Winter- it was recorded last year when much of the world was in lockdown- and it highlights both mournfulness & moody creativity.
Here we have a fourteen track piano-based release that focuses in on moodily gloomy-to-boundedly angular modern classical/ minimalist composition. This album features three piano works by Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi: Suite No.9 "Ttai" (1953), Quattro illustrazioni (1953), and Un Adieu (1978/1988), with each been played with great clarity and emotion by Israeli concert pianist Shira Legmann. The release appears on US label Elsewhere- available as either a CD, or high quality digital download- I’m reviewing the CD version of the album.
Noise Wall Compendium is a six CDR box set bringing together twelve half-an-hour examples of the walled noise form from Northampton Uk based project HOMExINVASION. The recordings move from lulling-yet-raging ANW, thick ‘n’ searing HNW, and roasting hiss-bound textured noise. The release appeared at the tail end of last year- been put out by prolific UK noise label Harsh Noise London.
Speak Down The Wires is a four-CD boxset charting the slowly shifting sound of the Edgar Broughton Band- a UK collective from Warwick, who began life in the late ’60s, having an initial run until the early 1980s. This four-album set begins with their 6th full length 1976's Bandages and finishes with 1982’s Superchip- The Final Silicon Solution?- with the bands sound moving from genre shifting-rock, onto bounding blues rock & proto-punk, thorough to creative 70’s rock/ punk crossbred, onto dystopian/ sci-fi themed electro-touched post-punk/ new wave.
The obsidian works of H.P. Lovecraft and the grimmest ambient go hand in tentacle. Hearing low, vile, chthonic dirges sends forth such a vibe of utter, otherworldly chaos that one cannot help but think of the terrors of Lovecraft's universe, whether inspired by or not. Eighth Tower's compilation The Black Stone – Music For Lovecraftian Summonings is a perfect example of how well these two worlds mesh. Long after his death, Lovecraft's vivid imagination continues to inspire in every genre imaginable, and this grim and vile collection is a wonderful representation.