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EPRC are an experimental Italian duo who seem to have derived their four letter moniker from the initials of the two musicians, Elisabetta Porcinai and Roberto Crippa. Their music is a kind of digital post-industrial that touches on influences from techno and power electronics. The only other release on their Bandcamp is a two-track EP from earlier this year, so it seems to be a recent project.... this seven-track LP is their full-length debut.
People Funny Boy is a double CD/ fifty-three track compilation of the early work of creative, inventive, and influential reggae producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. The release focuses on a period of just two years 1968 and 1969- really giving a great snapshot of the development of this truly one-off talent. And though it’s not all quite as creatively off-kilter/ mad geniuses wonderful as some of his classic 1970s albums, there are some real gems on display here, and you can also chart his growth as an artists- taking more risks, and doing more & more things in his distinctive/ unique was.
Destination Hong Kong: Dim Sum Rock 'n' Roll Collection is a twenty-six-track compilation focusing on Chinese/Asian-influenced American rock ‘n’ roll, vocal groups, R ‘n’ B collectives, garage, and related from the 1950s and 1960s. As you might expect with this type of collection- there are a fair few racial stereotypes( both musically & lyrically), as well as moments of dated/ now offensive humour within the songs presented here. But if you can/ are able to put those aside, and take this as a sonic time capsule- it’s another worthy and varied collection from our friends at Bear Family Records, who are one of the key labels putting out 50’s and 60’s compilations.
From Dark Force Entertainment Drive-In Double Feature #21 takes in two 70’s grindhouse films that promise lots of flesh & sleaze, and sadly don’t really deliver. We have All The Young Wives- a rural-based drama with fleeting nudity, and My Pleasure Is My Business- a raunchy farce, which is neither funny nor sexy.
Hillybillys In A Haunted Mansion is a wacky mash-up of comedy horror, low-grade spy caper, and country ‘n’ western musical from the late '60s. It’s a decidedly corny 'n' kooky ride—high in camp/silliness, and low in sense/logic—but if you’re are after turn-off-your-mind fun, with some light sonic yeeha and lots of cheese, this is a perfect fit. Here from VCI Entertainment is a dual DVD & Blu-Ray release of the film- taking in a bright ‘n’ bold scan and a commentary track.
The Crazy Family (aka Gyakufunsha Kazoku) is an early 80’s Japanese domestic drama/ satire- which gets slowly but surely more deranged/ at points demented. The film balances dark humour & more wacky slapstick- with time-to-time things slipping towards the ridiculous and provocative. Here from Third Window Films as part of their Director's Company Collection, which focuses on the legendary 1980s Japanese production company is a recent Blu-Ray of the film, taking in a new scan of the film, a commentary track, a director interview, and visual essay
The Demoniacs is a wacky ‘n’ weird early 70’s take on the rape-revenge genre. The 18th century-period set film focuses on a group of pirates, flits of sex & violence, a ghost clown, and dives into puzzling fantasy- all edged with a decidedly comic book/ pulp tone. The film was directed by Euro cult director Jean Rollin, and here as either a UHD or Blu Ray is a recent release of the film. It takes in a new 4k scan of the picture, a commentary track, and a good selection of new and archive extras.
Grieghallen 20180528 is a ten-track live album from muiscal shapeshifters Ulver. It features a professionally multitracked recording of the bands set at Bergen's 2018 International Festival- which highlights the bands firming up/ jamming with songs from the 2017- 2018 touring cycle.
Impromptus Und Interationen collects together fifteen pieces for solo piano composed by German Composer/ jazz musician Gebhard Ullmann. It’s a surprisingly varied and often unpredictable release with the tracks switching between darting and abstract, repetitive and moody, harmonic to pattern-based, and beyond.
To Byzantium And Beyond brings together works for both solo recorders and electronics. Brian Andrew Inglis is a German-born composer of Scottish-Irish heritage- his work here moves between darting and swirl, onto the playful and warbling, though to the moody and slightly uneasy.
Here’s another CD of intriguing classical pieces from Kairos, with three works from Jean-Luc Hervé. The in depth booklet tells us that Hervé was influenced here by the designs of Japanese gardens, and Déserts by Varèse, a piece that combined an orchestra with tape; in that light, electronics perform a large role here, with all the pieces on display utilising electronics or electronic sounds in some form.
As stated in the review for the first of two Trepaneringsritualen rarities releases, The Totality of Death covers this acts well respected career by highlighting compilation appearances, unreleased tracks, as well as engaging cover versions, all of which take the Trepaneringsritualen aesthetic and place it in its own atmosphere, devoid of further album influences and atmospheres. With this, one gets a better look at their creative process and songwriting acumen, as well as getting these scattered tracks in one nice location (well, two, technically). The first, Alpha, was reviewed above, and this will cover the second set of ten songs, Omega.
Long-running ritual and dark ambient project Trepaneringsritualen has released music on a variety of labels, styles, and formats over their nearly twenty-year career. Due to the changes in formats and delivery of releases in this time frame, many tracks have been limited to digital-only releases, on limited-run formats, or not even released at all. Cold Spring and Trepaneringsritualen have put together twenty of these tracks spread over two CDs, The Totality of Death. Split between Alpha and Omega, each features ten tracks on a beautiful and well-designed six-panel digipak.
From the jump, Zenjitsutan pushes hard – against your ears and any other body part that stands in its way. Yuko Araki has done his best to recreate the experience of one of his infamous noise performances within the bourgeois formula of an album, and if that is what listeners expect, they will probably be pleased with the results. For the uninitiated, Zenjitsutan is an aural onslaught, filling the acoustic spectrum to near-total exhaustion with pure noise, walls of it. Over seven tracks, Araki does his best to push the absolute limits of listenability, assaulting unapologetically, with almost no respite (save for a few audible tracks changes).
French occult rock legends Aluk Todolo returned to action on September 6th with their new album, Lux, recorded during the summer of 2023 Lux becomes the band’s fifth studio album, their first since 2015s VOIX. The album was recorded, mixed, mastered, cut and pressed using all analogue equipment to give it that authentic 70s occult rock feel. I am very tempted to pick up the vinyl release for this to hear just how good it sounds on what is the most appropriate format.
Street Cabinet features three minimal drone/ field recording works from Norwich UK’s Michael Ridge( Acerbitas, Norfolk Trotter, Zebra Mu). The release appears as either a tape release or a digital download- I’m reviewing the latter.
Ikenie Man is a late 2010 Japanese slasher that leans more towards the manically paced & parody-focused side of the genre. The largely woodland set affair is full of self-referential dialogue/ set-ups, character cliché send-ups, and fairly light moments of splatter bound ‘n’ vein spurting gore. Here from Wild Eye Releasing is a recent DVD release of the film.
The Agitator: Three Provocations from the Wild World of Jean-Pierre Mocky is a Blu Ray boxset focusing in on three 1980 films by Jean-Pierre Mocky- a prolific French director, who also acted, wrote novels, and was an in-demand raconteur. His films blend & blur genres in interesting and creative ways. With the set moving from the horror, mystery and fantasy mix of Litan. Onto the thriller/ dark comedy/ action blend of Kill The Referee, finishing with quirky edged mystery/ thriller Agent Trouble. Each film is given a wonderful new bold and bright 4k scan, with a good selection of old and new extra, and a eighty page book.
Deathdream ( aka Dead Of Night) was the second feature-length from Louisiana-born Bob Clarke( Black Christmas, Porky’s, Turk 182 ). The film is a decidedly ghoulish example of 70’s horror exploitation- blending proto-slasher tropes, down-beat back from war drama, and one of the more original takes on living dead horror. Here from Blue Underground is a recent(ish) Blu-Ray release of the film- taking in a 4k scan, a new commentary track & interview, as well a great selection of archive extras.
As a child of the mid-70s, my first experiences of video gaming were far simpler/ basic, than those of today's kids. The first impactful game I played- not at home- but in an arcade was Space Invaders- a highly basic shoot ‘em up where you were a set/ fixed spacecraft firing at lines of descending aliens. And I thought this was amazing/ wonderful- flash forward to the early 80s, and we got The Last Star Fighter- which saw a small-town teen playing an upgraded space invaders game- beating it, and getting to take part in a real space-bound shooting match/ saving several universes. The film was a great teen-focused Sci-fi picture, blending action- both space-bound & earthbound, humour, and a fair bit of heart, as well as one or two cheese romantic moments. It always stood as one of my favourite films of childhood- so it’s great to see this new reissue from Arrow Video, and while some of the effects do look rather dated- it’s a great slice of action-bound 80’s Sci-fi.
Practical Dreamers is a seven-track electroacoustic/ improv jazz album. It’s a release that shifts ‘n’ swirls between the abstract & sound layer shifting, onto the more harmonic and atmospheric fare- all making for a rewardingly unpredictable release, which offers up surprises/ shifts even on the single-track level.
Untouched (aka Sombra Verde) is a torrid Mexican jungle melodrama from 1954. Here from Indicator/Powerhouse is a US/Canada-only Blu-ray release of the film. It takes in a new 4k scan, a commentary track, and a few other extras
Konwulsanki is a ten-track album that’s a jarring-to-dizzying collusion between electro-martial beats 'n' chants, wavering 'n' wonky stringed folk melodies, and off-kilter carnival-like drives into metal 'n' fat electronic beats loaded with shouty vocals.
Eden, Fall is a new album from Melaine Dailbert. It finds the French pianist/ composer returning to his early more pattern-based work for two lengthier tracks and one shorter piece- with the album having a rather Yin & Yang that it's title suggests.