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Still is one lengthy slice of dense-yet- bleakly contemplative walled-noise craft from Dutch project Uitgeschakeld. The release came in form of CDR on Minneapolis based Altar Of waste. And featured the labels house style clear DVD case- and this time around the doubled–sided cover takes in moody black & white photo’s on vast snow top mountain scapes, and mist enshrouded forest scapes.
Canadian David Berezan has since 2003 been director of the Electroacoustic Music Studios and the Manchester Theatre of Sound (MANTIS), both based at The University of Manchester UK. His work tends towards a radicalising of the aesthetic and techniques first pioneered by Pierre Schaeffer and the GRM during the first wave of Musique Concrete. He describes his music as acousmatic and has travelled extensively collecting material for his compositions. Allusions Sonores appears to be the first collection of his recorded works to be released.
Hidden Persuaders is one of numerous projects from the incredibly prolific Andreas Brandal. This cassette is the work of Leeds based label, A Giant Fern. The album was recorded at The Station, in Bergen, between April and August of 2014.
Eternal Distance brings together warped & aged ambient matter, microtextural detail, and predominant feeling of haunted out-of-time-ness…like the soundtrack for a time trapped & slowly decaying reality. The release comes in the form of an either a C60, or digital download- it appeared 2017 on Minimalist Recs, which is the recent set more ambient/ experimental label of Sergey Pakhomov, whose behind the excellent Russian wall noise project Train Cemetery, and runs the more ‘wall-noise’ focused Reason Art Label.
Animus Retinentia, the 3rd full length album, by Arcana & Sophia mastermind Peter Bjärgö picks up where the previous two left off. A heavy blend of cold wave and neoclassical styles mix with dark ambience to provide every Projekt / Cold Meat fan with everything they could wish for in one handy album.
Here’s a recent reissue of Say It Again- the third album from US pop bound R&B/ soul/ funk singer Jermaine Stewart. Who will be most known to folks for his 1985 hit single “We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off”- which was memorable, yet slightly cheeky shot of 80’s pop R&B.
Here’s another release from the ever dependable Another Timbre, arriving in a sombre white, card wallet, adorned with a cryptically beautiful photograph of a windowed room. The album has four tracks, two longer pieces which outlast 13 minutes, and two shorter, at four and six minutes. The trio divide up thusly: Cremaschi on double bass, Kepl on violin, and Vrba on trumpet and clarinet. Each also plays the mysterious ‘and electronics’ - it would be nice to have these devices or set-ups further elaborated, but they do remain a mystery. The tracks were recorded in a monastery, and hall, both in Czech Republic, so (as is often a feature of Another Timbre releases) we are listening to the space as much as to the musicians.
Diverse Norwiegen experimental music outfit Ulver began playing black metal in the early 90's before exploring a multitude of other genres in the last 20 years, from dark ambient to art rock.
Here we have a recent dual format reissue of two obscure 1970’s exploitation films that sold themselves as horror films, but in reality were more of a blend of soapy drama, thriller, and light soft-core- with very slight horror elements. If you enjoy the more chatty/campy elements of Russ Meyer films, or more chatty-yet-trashy 70’s exploration fare- I think you could well enjoy what’s on offer here…but if you are expecting horror, then you will be sorely disappointed.
Not needing an introduction on these pages, Skullflower returns once again with a double disc of hypnotic drones, layers of noise, and evocative tones. Following in step with Draconis, 2017's The Spirals of Great Harm's drawn out, 2xCD approach gives Matt and Samantha adequate time to let their noise unfold. And, basing their work on Dante's Inferno 17, Skullflower uses grim sounds to convey the descent into the abyss.
Soft White Damn offers up two slices of brisk, battering, and seared walled noise from Texas Huston based Servant Girl Annihilator. The release came as either a C47 tape, or a deluxe, ltd & now sold-out box set that took in the C47 plus a 3inch CDR with an extra track, and lastly a digital download from the labels website.
Formed in 1967, Agitation Free are one of the originators of the German Kosmische scene along with the likes of Amon Duul and Can. Sadly Agitation Free have never received the same level of praise for their ground-breaking albums, as their peers, so when a retrospective like this comes along it’s great to get the chance re-evaluate their work.
Parade Ground, the pioneers of Belgian cold wave and EBM, was the brainchild of two brothers Jean-Marc and Pierre Pauly in 1981. After a few maxi-singles released between 1983-1987, Cut Up (originally released on PIAS in 1988) was the band's mighty and wonderful full length debut and represents their "synth period". A genius pop music of 80s underground that pierces your soul.
From September 2015 here’s a very troubling & suicide focused two split way between Minneapolis based Dejection & Denton, Texas Big based Big Hole. The tape offers up a blend of pressing & airless synth drone, and bleakly battering walled-noise.
Conquest of Space is a C30 release consisting of two side long slices of Psychedelic tipped & spaced themed walled-noise/ harsh noise. The release appeared in late 2016 on Minneapolis-based label Altar Of Waste- it came in a rather scene generous edition of 50 copies, and as of writing this review, there are still copies available.
Here we have "Jinn", the second album from dark ambient project Gaap Kvlt. This CD was released in 2016 on Polish experimental mixed genre label Zoharum
Dumbed Down, the new “full-length” by Cleveland hardcore band Fuck You Pay Me sure sounds familiar. A quick look at the label blurb and I realize why this sounds so recognizable….Tony fucking Erba. One could argue that geography defines a band’s sound, but in this instance, one look no further than Tony Erba, who has spent time in a number of legendary Clevo bands, including Face Value, Gordon Solie Mother Fucker, and 9 Shocks Terror.
This arrives in quite a package: a very neat, wooden box, with the front cover image printed onto it, containing a cassette, and a smartly printed insert. The box itself perfectly fits the tape inside, and it all adds up to a very impressive object. The front image, repeated on the insert, gives no real clues as to what to expect in terms of sound, and the rest of the insert is just as ambiguous. Roadside Picnic present us with two, long tracks, one either side of the cassette.
From late 2015 this C30 release is Vomir’s take the now rather over-populated HNW subgenre of feet & nylon-themed walled noise. The release appeared in either a physical form, or a digital download- the tape version is now long gone, but you can still download it from the labels band camp site.
Here's the recent Blu Ray, DVD & CD soundtrack reissue of this sleazy & gore slasher-meets-Giallo movie from the 1980's. This new edition appears on the always quality bond & extra heavy Arrow Video.
When it comes to IDM, Arovane has been one of the artists to take notice off from his beginning in the late 1990s. Albums like “Atol Scrap”, “Tides” and “Lilies” gained the Berlin based electronic musician a great reputation for his subtle blend of warm melodies and refined beat programming, a distinct sound that is highly accessible and experimental at the same time. After touring the world excessively Arovane decided to go on a nine year long hibernation from where he reappeared in 2013 – since then, he has been more productive than ever and already released a dozen solo and collaborative albums.
Well, this CD comes with the barest of details… It’s a professional affair, with a pro-pressed CD, and a letterpress printed card wallet. The wallet has really the minimum of information (performers, date and place of recording, track titles, and credits), and a minimal image of a road exit sign (presumably), with the bottom half of the sign missing - a very formal and mysterious package. Which really reflects the collaboration within rather well. The album has four tracks - 63, 64, 65, and 66 - with three of the pieces between 13 and 21 minutes in length, and one shorter track at 6:14. All four are harshly stereo-split, with Olive in one channel, and Owen in the other.
Canadian Death 'n Rollers Zombie Assault see their debut album released through Eclectic Productions. Combining classic Death 'n Roll with the tried and true genre fodder of 70's/80's horror films, Zombie Assault's Video Nasty is the boxed macaroni & cheese of the metal world; nothing wildly unique, but still comforting and familiar.
Split albums are a popular way for band to release material that tends to be shorter than a full-length album, however this project is a little different in that respect. This release comes packaged as a double CD with enough material for a full-length album from each artist, however in this instance the album is divided up into four section Earth, Air, Water and Fire, with each artist taking on two of the elements. 100 Schoen take on Earth and Fire whilst Ab Intra tackle Fire and Water. The album is a double disc release from Polish label Zoharum.