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Otavan Veret is the cosmic duo of Kaarna & XVL- two sonic adventures haling from Finland. Syvys is their sophomore release for the Cyclic Law Label based in Canada.
Human Extinction Engine is a twelve inch vinyl release bringing together two American acts that sit in the more noise-bound end of the experimental genre- Bastard Noise and Xiphoid Dementia.
Wzd³u¿ Pasma severs up a decidedly wonky & uneasy mixture of wavering synth textures, off-kilter percussion elements, unwell electronics, and weird field recording flotsam & jetsam. This is seemingly the first full length release from polish based sound artist Lech Nienartowicz, after a split with Micha³ Wolski four years ago.
In recent years interest in Italian Giallo films has grown and grown- with a host of classy & often deluxe reissues of key Giallo film-makers works coming out. As well as first-time digital releases of more rare, obscure & curio Giallo’s appearing at a rapid rate too. There’s also been growth in modern takes on the genre- taking in the more arty post-Giallo’s like The Strange Color of Your Body's Tears, and films like Francesca that attempt recreate the classic Giallo feel of the ’60s & ’70s. From Severin here’s a release to make any Giallo fans hart sing- this three-disc Blu Ray, DVD, CD release- brings together a new feature-length documentary about the genre, Four hours of Giallo trailers which have the option of switching on a commentary track from genre expert Kat Ellinger, ninety-one minutes of Krmin trailers( the German thrillers that predated Giallo), and an hour plus CD bringing together twenty great slices of Giallo sound-tracking.
Tetsuo sees the welcome return of respected French noisemaker Julien Skrobek( Ghost, Gesis, Ruine, Sumbru & many other projects). Eternal Respect is a three track, self-released CDR release- which sonically sits between tense electro-improv, textured noise, and taut sine wave sculpturing.
Here we have a transatlantic wall noise split bringing together Springfield, Oregon based Willowbrook & Stockholm, Sweden based Rien. This release appeared at the very tail end of last year on Ominous Recordings- coming as either a C30 tape or digital download.
Malevolence 3: Killer is the third and for the moment final chapter in Stevan Mena's serial killer/ slasher series. The 2018 film leans more of the slasher side of things, and less on the trilogies serial killer drama leanings - to offer up a mostly pacey, if fairly predictable stalk & slash thriller.
Zombie is not only one of the more effective living dead films ever made, it also stands as a high point in 1980’s Italian genre cinema. The film aptly balances campy adventure elements, over the top- but very skilful executed gore, moments of brooding dread, and some damn great rotting ‘n’ decaying walking dead. Here on Blue Underground is truly the ultimate edition of this classic film-this three-disc forty-anniversary release of the film, takes in a splendid new 4k scan, a good enough selection of new extras, a bludging bunch of previously released extras, the films soundtrack on CD, and a glossy colour booklet….oh and a very neat Lenticular 3D cover, of the key worms in eyehole zombie.
The No Performance sees this Italian noise project offering up two fifteen minute slices of harsh noise- that’s edged with twists of atmosphere and moments pared back ambience. The release appeared back February of last year-as both a cassette and digital download- it appeared on Vienna, Austria based Fall Into Void Records- sadly the thirty copies of the tape are all gone now- so the only option is a digital download.
From Another Timber- the always dependable & quality bound modern composition label- here’s a split CD release bringing together two wonderful stark, considered, yet highly compelling examples of modern composition from two US composers for very sparse ensembles.
November Sky is the 13th album from London dark-noir to avant-tinged jazz collective The Remote Viewers. The album appeared back in 2015, as a ten-track CD release- and it really finds the band at their more atmospheric & cinematic, yet with enough creative avant twists & turns present to keep you on your toes.
It is difficult to think of a more famous noise artist than Japanese musician Masami Akita. He is one of the founders of the style of experimental music, called Japanoise – an often chaotic and harsh take on the noise form. His project Merzbow, which has existed since the late 1970s, has become so legendary that when the genre of noise is mentioned, the project is the first to be mentioned. Merzbow has released a truly huge number of albums. According to Discogs - the total number of albums in projects discography is 433 releases- but I’m sure they are more. For 40 years now, Merzbow has maintained its position as a leader in the global noise scene, releasing at least several albums per year.
Appearing at the end cusp of the 80’s slasher trend Cutting Class is a tongue-in-cheek, at times subtly sleazy addition to the genre- featuring creative, if not terrible bloody kills, a selection of clichéd-if- amusing genre stereotypes, and a rather neat killer showdown in the school's machine shop. On Vinegar Syndrome here is a duel format Blu Ray & DVD release of the film- featuring a punchy & fairly bright new print, a fair selection of extras, and a commentary track from the always amusing & informative four piece slasher podcast The Hysteria Continues.
The first and last concert of Kosmose Mark I, the avant garde musical collective hailing from the Belgisn city of Charleroi, in the region known as The Pays Noirs (Black Country) and formed in 1973. The Pays Noir region was most well known at the time for producing a steady stream of blues rock bands, so when Kosmose came along they were something quite unique for the region, sharingsomething of an affinity with the bands of the German kosmische scene of the time. First Time Out is the band’s third posthumously released album following on from 2015s Kosmic Music of the Black Country and 2017s Some Little Trips to Our Fluorescent Land.
Time And Tide is the fourth full-length release from British Prog Rock Band Greenslade. The ten track album originally appeared in 1975, and is often seen as one of the bands most cohesive & balanced records- bringing together grand, genre-twisting, and dramatic instrumental tracks, with more short 'n' sharpe prog rock with often pop or showy leanings. From Cherry Red sub-label Esoteric Records, here’s a recent deluxe double CD reissue of the album- bringing together the original ten-track album, with a handful of bonus tracks & a second disc featuring a full length set from 1975.
Horrendous are a professed 'old school' death metal band from Philadelphia which formed in 2009, releasing their first album "The Chills" in 2012. Their 4th and newest album, "Idol", came out in 2018 on Season of Mist.
Vindran Pluges Suaus offers up two no-nonsense & ear roasting examples of walled noise from this Spanish project. Each track comes in at the twenty-minute mark, and each is as simplistic-yet- searing as each other.
Dennis Hopper is known most for playing fiery, unbalanced & unpredictable characters - racking up over 200 film roles between the 1950s & the 2000s. But he also directed seven feature-length films- most notorious & controversial of these was his 1971 film The Last Movie- a deranged, at-times near incoherent, yet often spellbinding & wholly distinctive creation that flits between gritty character study, trippy travel log, & Peruvian adventure/ drama- blending linear, and non linear film-making, with tons of strikingly imagery & more than a few What-The-Hell moments. Here from Powerhouse Films is first time UK issue of the film- offering a new 4k Blu Ray transferee, a good selection of extras, a poster, and an 80-page book.
Swedish industrial project Maschinenzimmer 412, later known as Mz.412, released its first album back in 1988. Staying active to this day, releasing 13 full-length albums, two EPs and two Compilations. Currently, Mz.412 are a three piece. The most famous member been Henrik Nordvargr Björkkthe project leader and a very prolific musician who has many experimental projects, the most famous of which are Mz.412, Folkstorm, Pouppée Fabrikk and Toroidh.
World On A Wire is heady & bleak, if at times chatty & arty slice of 1970’s Sci-fi drama directed by highly respected German auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder. For many years this has been unavailable in the Uk- here on Second Sight is a Deluxe Blu Ray box set of the two-part film- bringing together informative extras, a fifty-page book, and a slipcase.
Last Moments Of 1923 was the first sonic statement from British industrial project Konstruktivits- it originally appeared in 1982 as a C60 tape, offering off a selection decidedly wonky & off-kilter ambient tracks built around synths & melted muzak. Here from klanggalerie is a CD reissue of the album.
Sometimes you really can't’ judge an album by its cover- take Rendez- vous- it’s decidedly cheesy cover of a jumper wearing women & smiling breaded man sitting on green grass, may suggest some form of bland romantic folk collaboration. But in reality there’s nothing cosy, twee, or warningly lulling here- instead you get an unpredictable & wonderfully weird slice avant-garde composition, that moves between off-kilter blends of horn & electronics jarring electro-acoustics, squealing- yet playful avant jazz & electro funk crosses, weird & surreal ambience, cartoon-like impro, odd theatricals, and beyond.
Directed by Cuban film maker Camilo Vila, The Unholy was originally released on VHS in 1988 by Vestron Video. One of a great many genre titles of that time to find its way straight to video in the UK. I vaguely remember viewing it around this time but have little recollection of the movie from that time, so this feels almost like a first watch for me.
Originally released on cassette in 1986 by Toracic Tapes , Orfeón Gagarin's (Miguel Ángel Ruíz) Orfeón Gagarin is the debut release of this project. Based in Madrid, Spain, Orfeón Gagarin encompassed the burgeoning, electronic sound of the DIY, post-punk, industrial movement of their scene.Remastered for vinyl and digital, Verlag's reissue of this Spanish experimental classic is its first time on either format.