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Peru based Sepentina Satélite make epic spacey and psychedelic rock scapes based around guitar, bass and drums. Nothing to say is thier debut full length after an ep a few years back –it’s also the first release on New label Trip In Time.
In addition to Candy Cane’s excellent Fay-ra-Doowra (see review), this four-band split disc makes a very good introduction to some of Finland’s most interesting new bands. Instead of taking the more fashionable path of big acts such as Stratovarius and Nightwish, the four bands here seem to draw from very different sources, namely Suomi’s legendary black metal scene and the school of experimental rock that took the Finnish by storm in the late 60s.
When I put the needle into the groove I wondered what happened the lp. There was an amount of static that made you wonder if this album was second hand instead of being a brandnew limited edition release of the equally brandnew Panic Arrest imprint.
In these days of 'partymix' and 'shuffle' on one hand and the emphasis on being able to customize everything to your own personal choice as we have to remember we're inviduals above all, one can wonder if there's room for a compilation.
This is a reissue of Bong- Ra’s 3rd and highly respected album from 2005 which mixers up a dark and heady electroinca storm and melds together elements of Breakcore, techno, rave, dark pop, dark ‘n’ hazed raga & the odd metallic edger’s.
This 3 inch cd finds surreal sound smiths Hoor Paar Kraat in a more horror filled droney, ritual, hypnotic and mainly field recording stripped mind set. With the 3 pieces on offer here concentrating on sinister manipulated gong, feed back and singing bowl tones.
I knew her is one long gracefully, majestic and building 40 minute track that mixers together soundtrack string soar, electronics, synthetic choir elements, ect
This is the 5th letter volume compilation from the Zelphabet label this time as the title suggests taking in artists beginning with the letter E. We have five tracks on offer here one from each of Ed Osborn, Elliott Sharpe, Emil Beaulieau & Evil Moisture.
Nahvalr is the grim and dense black metal meets noise project by the two minds behind the superbly lo-fi retro goth 80’s pop meets doom project Have a Nice Life.
Peruvian Vacation is the debut album from late 80’s distinctive uk hardcore band The Stupids who’s songs were often lined with quirky humour , skate and Americana obsessions. Peruvian Vacation is a lot more speedy, break neck and less harmonic then they’d become on later albums- but it’s never the less an enjoyable spunky, speedy and often trash lined uk Hardcore album.
Box music is an rewarding and offten haunting collection of ambient/ experimental and strange sound scapes built with the use of everyday items; with each of the five tracks using a different set of items to create these compelling, haunting and alien sound worlds.
Kikuri brings together two legendry, often noise bound experimental and oriental artists; Masami Akita- better know as Merzbow & Keiji Haino. Pulverised Purple is the projects first born & it mangers to meld seething noise, creative & inventive sound making and often a real emotional resonance/ atmospheric air.
French born modern classical composer & noise maker Edgard Varèse is best known as an influence on the young Frank Zappa, but he deserves much more attention and appreciation beyond this. Varèse's work has certainly an big influence on both the noise and industrial genres, as well as wider experimental music forms with its use early electronics’, noise matter and mixing it with orchestral instruments & the up front and often violent percussive focus running through much of his work.
This Norwegian trios mainly instrumental 2nd album is a real heady, creative and memorable muilt-genre trip mixing in so many different musical colours and sonic shapes along the way in a effortless and inspired manner. The three piece is made up of Ivar Grydeland whom handles; guitars, banjo, pedal steel guitar and various instruments. Tonny Kluften on double bass and various instruments and lastly but hardly leastly Ingar Zach on percussion, tabla machine, sarangi box, shruti box and various instruments
Tecumseh take on doom is very hypnotic, drone based and dense; the slow crush and barely shifting riff’s that populate this the bands debut album often feel like the sonic equivalent of trying to tread though a sucking muddy bog or an endless quick sand desert.
Constructing Towers is a wonderful, memoroble & always dramatic collision; between Electronica, drum ‘n’ bass, post-rock, jazz touches and cinematic atmospherics. Terminal Sound System is a one man Australian project featuring Melbourne based Skye Klein- this is the project 7th releasers and 2nd on extreme.
Justin Wright's mostly one-man project Expo '70 had its beginnings in Los Angeles, prior to his relocation to Kansas City. Expo '70 was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." Could that be what Mr. Wright is shooting for through his recordings? It's hard to say for sure, but suffice it to say these recordings do have a sort of spiritual feel. There's a palpable sense of darkness and tension to be found in equal measure to the blissful elements, which makes for a nicely balanced listening experience.
So far every release that I've reviewed on the Afe Records label has been intriguing, original and intelligent. It's quite an accomplishment, considering their extensive release schedule. Each one of their CD-R's are released in tiny editions, and are presented in a suitably simple, classy package adorned with beautifully printed art or photography. Perhaps their biggest achievement, though, is that there is no common "label sound" associated with the recordings. They skirt fashion for substance and present quality music without concern for hip genre exercises.
I:Baphomet delivers six slices of damned, blacked yet often fairly shiftily moving dark ambience. The tracks are simplistic yet memorable in their execution and above all thick with dark and sinister intent.
Phantom Orchard is the sonic joining of forcers of two of the most respected women in experimental music; Ikue Mori (Death Ambient, Electric Masada,solo work, ect) and Zeena Parkins (Carbon, Keep The Dog, News From Babel, solo,ect). Orra is the projects first wonderful sonic fruit - which sit’s between creative electronics, world music, quirky classical elements, sound tracking, ambience and improv elements.
High Culture Motherfucker is juddering often manic ride that jumps between atmopsrics/ dramatics & playfulness often. Utilizing a mixture of live electronics , turntable elements, percussion, piano, brass and strings for it’s often rollercoaster like ride.
Electronics is the first of three collaborative releases between genre shifting German chamber orchestra Zeitkratzer and other respected experimental artists. This first release finds them working with Carsten Nicolai who is one of the mainstay and owners of minimalistic and arty electronic label Raster Noton.
I’ll have to admit I was rather doubtful when I first heard about this project; cover collections or tributes are often very hit and miss and more often than not misses. But I’m happy to report this is a hugely successful through out with Down in June really making these track’s very much their own and mixing in all manner of often surprising musical genres along the way too.
Hot Gossip were a dance troupe/ experimental Synth pop collective from the late 70’s / early 80’s. This is their debut album from 1981 is a quirky at times quite electro noise lined and experimental slice of synth pop making and electronica- which had a big input from both Martyn Ware and Ian Marsh(ex Human League, Heaven 17, ect).