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Key new album releases for March 31st [A more detailed release listing including other new releases, compilations and reissues - can be found further up this webpage.]
This Week: March 31st
A.R.E. Weapons - A.R.E. Weapons (Rough Trade)
Hajsch - 1992 (Sonig)
Brian Harden - Instinctive State Of.... (Moods and Grooves) UK Release 2003
Hungry Ghosts - Hungry Ghosts (Normal)
Le Rok - Hausarbeiten (Karaoke Kalk)
John Lindberg - Ruminations Upon Ives and Gottschalk (Between the Lines)
Manitoba - Up In Flames (Leaf)
Gary Martin - Viva La Difference (Exceptional)
Paal Nilssen-Love featuring Ken Vandermark - Dual Pleasure (Smalltown Supersound)
No-Man - Together We're Stranger (K-Scope/Snapper)
No Neck Blues Band - Intonomacy (Sound One)
Savas Pascalidis - Galactic Gogolo (International DJ Gigolos)
Reverbaphon - The Medium Through Which Sound Travels is No Longer Present (Benbecula)
Rework - Fall Right Now (Playhouse)
Donna Summer - This Needs To Be Your Style (Irritant)
Sunn O))) - White 1 (Southern Lord)
Terre Thaemlitz - Lovebomb (Mille Plateaux)
Zorn - Cruel Summer (K20)
For Reference:
Last Week: March 24th
Android Lust - The Dividing (Dark Vision) UK Release 2003
Aphex Twin - 26 Mixes For Cash (Warp) Double CD of remixes
Circle - Alotus (Klangbad)
Deerhoof - Apple O' (5 Rue Christine)
Further Seems Forever - How To Start A Fire (Tooth And Nail)
Grand Ulena - Gateway to Dignity (Family Vineyard)
Robin Guthrie - Imperial (Bella Union)
Anders Ilar - Everdom (Shitkatapult)
I'm Not A Gun (John Tejada & Takeshi Nishimoto) - Everything At Once (City Centre Offices)
Katatonia - Viva Emptiness (Peaceville)
King of Woolworths - L'Illustration Musicale (Mantra)
Tim Koch - Islandtones (U-cover)
Magas - Friends Forever (Ersatz Audio)
Murs - The End Of The Begining (Def Jux)
Ogurusu Norihide - Modern (Carpark)
Pea Green Boat - Two Way Traffic (Head+Arm/ Sonic360)
Pest - Unnecessary Measures (Ninja Tune)
Pulseprogramming - Tulsa For One Second (Aesthetics)
Qebo - Flopper (Vibrant Music)
Sad Lovers & Giants - Melting In The Fullness Of Time (Voight-Kampff)
Secret Mommy - Babies Who Hunt (Orthlorng Musork)
Solefald - In Harmonia Universali (Century Media)
Veer - Lideskape (Source Records Germany)
Otto Von Schrach - Chopped Zombie Fungus (Schematic)
Wevie de Crepon - The Age Old Age of Old Age (Sonig)
Zongamin - Zongamin (XL/ licensed from Flesh Records) # posted by DJ Martian 1:58 PM
According to Moving Hands legendary 80s goth rockers: Red Lorry Yellow Lorry have reformed and there will be a forthcoming album. Yes ! # posted by DJ Martian 7:24 PM
In The Nursery
Sheffield's experimental electro-acoustic music duo: In The Nursery have a new studio album (corp026) to be entitled "PRAXIS".
Release date 23rd May 2003
More info on In The Nursery: Biography and download tracks @ MP3.com # posted by DJ Martian 7:02 PM
Paddy McAloon - I Trawl the Megahertz
Official website for Prefabsprout announces an album from Paddy McAloon, I Trawl the Megahertz on May 19th. It was engineered by Blue Nile producer Calum Malcolm and includes artists helping out on Violin, Viola, Chello and Double Bass.
I listened to a track off this album on the BBC Mixing It show several weeks ago and was impressed with the ambience of the music.
The album starts with a 21-minute title track.
Note in 2003, first: Matt Elliott (ex of Third Eye Foundation) and now Paddy McAloon have gone down the classical / strings path - who next? # posted by DJ Martian 6:54 PM
Gridface review Four Tet - Rounds # posted by DJ Martian 6:31 PM
Chunky Records - Forthcoming Releases: April
A selection of forthcoming releases listed @ Chunky Records including:
RELEASED 7th APRIL
Ellen Allien - Berlinette (Bpitch Control)
Berlin's queen of techno Ellen Allien follows up her 2001 "Stadtkind" (one of Muzik magazine's albums of the year) album with 'Berlinette'. She's a renowned international DJ, having been a regular on the Berlin circuit for over ten years, and her unique blend of synth driven Techno, Electro and breakbeat cuts has made her hugely popular across Germany and Europe. 'Berlinette' was produced with Holger Zilske (Smash TV)
Anti Pop Consortium Vs M Shipp - Fight Of The Century (Thirsty Ear)
Upon first glance, the pairing of hip-hop revolutionaries ANTIPOP CONSORTIUM w/lower Manhattan free-jazz piano master MATTHEW SHIPP seems unlikely. It's the next step in Thirsty Ear Records' Blue Series, feat. the trio of SHIPP, WILLIAM PARKER & GUILLERMO E. BROWN, plus Khan Jamal on vibes & Daniel Carter on trumpet w/manipulation & vocal virtuosity from Antipop. This unitentional farewell to APC (as members moves on to solo endeavors) both unifies & departs from the past to deliver the future directly into the present
Brainticket - Alchemic Universe (Funfundvierzig)
Brainticket 2003: An excellent synthesis of Psychedelia and Modern Grooves.....Belgian sonic explorer Joel Vandroogenbroeck reincarnates Brainticket for the new millenium. Electronics are at the core of his new creation, but like his classic CELESTIAL OCEAN there are layers of exotica mixed in too. Spatial synthetics pulse and undulate while acoustic and vocal spices (by original vocalist Carole Muriel) elevate the overall production 7 levels higher than most other EM of today. After all these years Joel remains true to his original creative vision and sound. ALCHEMIC UNIVERSE is space music extraordinaire
Cassiber - A Face We All Know (Rer Megacorp)
Cassiber were keyboard player Heiner Goebbels (now an internationally famous composer and theatre director, who records for ECM); Christophe Anders, who sang, played guitar and samples; and UK drummer Chris Cutler (Ex Pere Ubu, Art Bears, and Henry Cow). This is their masterpiece, an intense account of the collapse of the Berlin Wall, with news broadcasts batted about in the mix, and thousands of samples, from porn movies to bits of classical music. They create a headlong frantic world, as culture disintegrates into information overload, and at one point Anders enters a debate, via sampler, with Adolph Hitler. This music is what happened to the Soft Machine school of musicians, post punk, post the traumatic structures of This Heat, integrating the spirit of Brecht and Eisler and inventing a new and shocking art rock. Its ferocity, freedom and scope have never been surpassed since its initial release in 1991. The CD has been out of print for five years
Kevin Drumm - Land Of Lurches (Hanson Records)
'Land Of Lurches� is the new release from Chicago�s Kevin Drumm. Two side-long tracks of diarrhetic hailstorms. �Land Of Lurches� is maximalist diarrhea created in the spirit of true Heavy Metal. That is... it�s ugly, loud, disturbing, courageous, triumphant, and totally fucking POWERFUL! What starts out as a thick relaxing drone quickly turns into a brutal and bloody animal fight. This is the sound of a seal ripping apart a human body while a crowd of 90,000 cheer it on. Kevin is a modern day barbarian and this is his music. It�s gonna freak you the fuck out!. WIRE Magazine recently praised Kevin�s previous release �Sheer Hellish Miasma� (Mego) as one of the top records of 2002. Recent collaborators include Ralf Wehowsky, Pita, Dan Burke (Illusion Of Safety), Gimi, Aaron Dilloway (Wolf Eyes), and Lasse Marhaug
Fortdax - Folly (Tugboat)
Folly� is the full length work from one-man electronicist, FortDax, recorded during the latter months of 2002 in the slipstream of the press acclaimed Static Caravan mini album �At Bracken�. �Folly� will hit home with all lovers of contemporary chill out electronic music. It co-exists in a stable with the likes of Mum, Boards Of Canada, Susumo Yokota
David Grubbs & Mats Gustaffson - Off Road (Blue Chopsticks) US Import
Off Road, Is Grubbs� And Gustaffson�s Second Duo Recording, The Follow Up To 1999�s Apertura. This Release Finds Them Forsaking Their Earlier, Glacially Meditative M.O. For A Shower Of Digitally Re-Composed Slivers, The Metal-On-Metal Timbre Of A Saxophone Equipped With Contact Mics, Grubb�s Chiming Electric Guitar, And Gustaffson�s Pro Rhythm Analog Synthesizer Clipped To The Bell Of His Horn. Turntablist Henry Moore Selder Makes A Couple Of Guest Appearances Marked By Sharp Rhythmic Countepoint And Low-Frequency Warbles And Moans
Kill Me Tomorrow - Skin's Getting Weird. (GSL) US Import CD
Kill Me Tomorrow relies heavily on interdependent guitar/vocal arrangements, hypnotic effects, spare, analog electronics, dense, passionately delivered lyrics and spastic, tom-heavy drumming applied to smart, psychedelic, nervy, new-wave/post-punk-pop songs. This shit-hot band is back w/an ep recorded w/Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession) of propulsive, percussive now-wave. Vocalist/standing drummer Zack Wentz wields a soft, almost unbearably relaxed voice rem. of Swans' Michael Gira. The eerie basslines recall Movement-era New Order while the effected 6 string melodies rain down like a fountain of sparks, not unlike Daniel Ash or Thurston Moore. Hand picked by The Liars for their upcoming tour, they do a Suicide cover, and sometimes this is all the noise you need
Maquiladora - What The Day Was Dreaming (Darla) US Import
San Diego, California's Folksy, Psychedelic, Ambient, Americana Trio Maquiladora Have Self-Recorded Their New Record For Darla. Many San Diegian Friends Gave Support. Blackheart Procession Members Paal Jenkins Mixed The Record And Also Played Guitar And Saw On Two Songs. Joe Plummer Played Drums And Toby Christiansen Played Piano On One Track. Even Trumpet Player J. Crane (Rocket From The Crypt) Toots His Horn Here. Acid Mothers Temple Folks Makoto Kawabata And Cotton Cassino Added Psychic Nuances Too. God Bless The Flaming Lips, The Grifters, Tom Waits And Especially The Great Big Lonesome American Southwest. You'll Taste A Bit Of All In Their Rare Brew. Check Out Their Current Record 'Ritual Of Hearts' (Better Looking) And Their Previous 'White Sands' (Lotus House). Both Are Most Highly Recommended And Both Can Be Found At Ye Olde Darla Shop. On Tour Of The Southwestern Us To Sxsw And Back In March. They�ll Tour Japan With Makoto Kawabata In April. Look For A Collaborative Release With Maquiladora And Makoto On Acid Mother�s Temple Records Soon Too
Noxagt - Turning It Down Since (Load) US Import CD
From Norway, NOXAGT comes to burn your dirty soul. 3 piece in the bass, cello & drums format. Sounds nice? Wrong, it's on Load you moron. Heavy heavy heavy, produced by Billy Anderson (Sleep, High on Fire, Neurosis), pummelling pummelment at the forefront of the Nor-Wave movement taking cues from Lightning Bolt & Pink & Brown w/a distinctly Norwegian heavy slant. Liner notes by Stefan Jaworztyn of Whitehouse! Member Kjetil has numerous records on Ecstatic Peace & Corpus Hermeticum. I'm gettin' hot under the collar thinking about it
KK Null - Kosmik Engine (Important) US Import
KK Null's Kosmik Engine is a unique digital ride through jarring surreal electronic soundscapes in a similar vein to recent works by Nobukazu Takemura, Merzbow, Zipper Spy & Cordell Klier. This cd release is housed in a deluxe cardboard gatefold package with artwork created by KK Null
Subarachnoid Space - Also Rising (Strange Attractors) US Import
Also Rising stands apart as SubArachnoid Space�s most composed record. This time out SubArachnoid Space hone ideas crafted from the depths of improvisation to a set of razor-sharp songs that stick w/ your brain receptors, refusing to leave. The result retains all the magic of their full-blown flights of fancy, but with a solid punch that will leave your mind and body reeling. Armed to the cerebellum w/ effects-drenched twin guitars, bowel-rumbling bass and propulsive, complex drumming, SubArachnoid Space leave your brain quivering
Ahamad Szabo - This Book Is About Words (Eastern Developments) US Import
On this album, ATL-based musician Ahamad Szabo emcees a dialog amongst a panel of influences such as Savath+Savalas, Microstoria, Oval & a vintage Stanley Clarke - but goes on to build supple, acoustic & electro-ambient compositions that are uniquely his own. W/ folkish & soulful stylings, trickling guitar chords, quietly flowing electric whispers & buzzes, SZABO is a storyteller giving us the message of hope & power through simplicity
Rafael Toral - Electric Babyland (Tomlab)
Tom has been dreaming of this record for years - ever since the "Lullabies" 7" came out with 3 wonderful pieces for guitar & musicbox. This is the reissue! But this CD is much more than that: "Electric Babyland" is what has been coming out of the initial idea to extend the Lullabies into a more complete work. Rafael Toral is using music box and modular system here. And the result is maybe his most beautiful record since "Sound Mind Sound Body." Quite an achievement!
RELEASED 14th APRIL
Austerity Program - Terra Nova (Hydra Head) US Import
From the rumbling underbelly of NYC, HydraHead unveil the debut mini album from Austerity Program. Claustrophobic soundscapes and stark mechanization. Pummelling, industrial-grade rhythms provide the backbone for scathing sonic violence and vitriolic wit. Occupying the narrow confines between art-damaged noise rock and abrasive post-punk, the duo's modern take on the underground rock idiom produces a sound as harsh and appealing as the metropolis that spawned it. Bringing to mind such rhythmically sturdy acts as JESUS LIZARD, BIG BLACK, (early) DON CABELLERO, the 2 human members plus Drum Machine recorded their debut in a church - finally capturing the felling of standing in front of big powerful speaker cabinets and being shattered by over-amped electricity
Holger Czukay - The New Millennium (Funfundvierzig)
To coincide with his 65th birthday, Funfundvierzig release Holger Czukay's new album "The New Millenium". A founding member of the enormously influential Krautrock group CAN, Holger Czukay can look back on 35 years of exceptional work - successfully bridging the gap between pop and the avant-garde, pioneering the use of samples and exploring the significance of world music on Western culture. Following the break-up of Can, Czukay went on to release many notable solo albums, instituting both primitive sampling techniques (achieved with tape splices) and worldbeat influences, employing samples from a number of international sources, and consequently positioning Czukay as an early proponent of world music. Holger has worked with many artists from Brian Eno to Jah Wobble, The Edge, Conny Plank, Dav�d Sylvian etc. on his new album he collaborates with U-She. Her voice has a similar teutonic sound to Nico�s. This album is a testimony to the power of Holger's music as a unique composer - when asked why he called the new album "The New Millennium" he just answered: "because it doesn't fit into the old one" . The DOUBLE vinyl version has an extended version of the first track
El Guapo - Fake French (Dischord)
'Fake French,� New York/DC trio Guapo�s second Dischord release, brings art-punk funk to the post-millennial dance floor, think WIRE meets GANG OF FOUR. Largely self-recorded in numerous sessions over six months, the album elicits comparisons to groundbreakers Wire, Devo, Suicide, Kraftwerk, and Gang of Four. From the dark electro anthem "Just Don�t Know" to the B-boy-esque vocal exchange of "Glass House," the New York/Washington DC trio herein crystallizes its singular take on pop music. Justin Moyer (drums) plays guitar in Antelope, a post-punk trio with an upcoming split Dischord release, while Peter Cafarella (keyboards) has recorded with THE RAPTURE and continues to tour with his synth duo Shychild. For fans of: Wire, Gang of Four, Devo, Rapture, Radio 4, Suicide
Continuous mix �Best Of� Freeform as selected by BERND FRIEDMANN. Freeform has released tracks on some of the worlds leading electronic labels including SKAM and WARP. Nonplace provides an introduction to SIMON PYKE�s finest grooves, all the titles - although derived from the original releases were radically "condensed" for predominantly entertaining purposes and remastered to guarantee 100% aural excitement
Adam Johnson - Chigliak (Merck) US Import
�Chigliak� Is Adam Johnson�s First Release On Merck And Also His Debut Full Length. 2003 Finds The Minneapolis Native Emerging As One Of The Midwest�s Most Gifted And Dynamic New Producers. Increasingly Adept At Melding Dub, Electro, Idm, And Experimental Influences Into His Own Unique Style, Adam Can Crunch The Cranium As Well As Throw Down The Dance Floor Hustle. Elegant, Crystalline Idm Rides Shotgun With Deep, Bassline Driven Minimal Techno In A 21st Century Electric Soul Stew. 16 Tracks And 77 Minutes Long, This Is A Solid Release Touching On Many Genres With Johnson Adding His Own Superb Style To Them All, And All Techno-Dub Enthusiasts Pining For New Material From Maurzio Should Rush Straight To Track 12 (Sorry, No Titles On My Advance Cd), Crank The Amp And Find Themselves In Thrall To A New Echochamber Hero 7 Minutes Later
Migu (Yuko Araki) - Migu (Ochre)
Migu Is Cornelius Drummer Yuko Araki. This Is The Debut Migu Album And Features 12 Tracks, One Of Which �Train Run� Is A Collaboration With Cornelius (Keigo Oyamada). Cornelius Has Also Mixed The Track. Anyone Who Has Seen Cornelius Live Over The Past Few Years Will Have Witnessed The Amazing Powerfull Drumming Of Yuko And Here Her Innovative Style Is Highlighted On This Her Debut Album. Yuko�s Versatility Comes To The Fore On Several Of The Tracks With Not Only Drums And Percussion But Also Vocals, Flute And Synth Playing With Even A String Quartet Appearing On The Track �Drive Strings�. Scattered Beats In A Mix Of Poetry And Song. In Parts The Album Echoes The More Experimental Side Of Cornelius
Yoshimi And Yuka - Flower With Co Color (Ipecac)
Pop rock icons Yoshimi (Boredoms) and Yuka Honda (Cibo Matto) have joined forces to bring you an unexpected ambient gem. Tribal, beautiful, and classic(al) all at once, and much like the women who created it, the album is dreamy and classic. Recorded at Mt.Ikoma in Nara & at Free People Studio on Osaka over four inspired days. Share an easy stroll with Yuka and Yoshimi through a foggy Japanese mountain top. Yoshimi is the Yoshimi featured in the recent Flaming Lips title track "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots"
RELEASED 21st APRIL
Lexanunculpt - Lexanunculpt (Planet Mu)
Amazing debut album from Lexaunculpt aka Orange County�s Alex Graham, classical overtones and glitched electronics trade off against My Bloody Valentine �Loveless� - style fuzzy distorted chords. Previously had releases on Tigerbeat6/City Centre Offices/Merck/Pitchcadet etc. Fulfils the promise of his early ep�s on Isophlux (Oh Here�s Some Noises in 1997) and Orange (Double Density ep in 1999) with his most fully realised compositions yet
Manta Ray - Estratexa (Acuarela) Spanish Import
Brand New Studio Full Length From These Spanish Indie Stalwarts. Having Honed Their Sound To A Dreamy Psychedlic Pop Akin To The Flaming Lips, They Now Take The Influences Of The Avant / Kraut Rock Of Can And Einstuerzende Neubaten And Meld That T Othe Winsome Fractal Folk Of Mercury Rev And The Forward Thinking Experimentalism Of The Likes Of The Notwist, Creating A Sublime Yet Challenging Pop
Push Button Objects - Ghetto Blaster (Chocolate Industries) US Import
The Mighty Edgar Farinas Is Back To Rock Your Box With His Second Long Playa. The Masta Of Dizasta Brings Nasty Beats, Electro Zaps And Fluttered Samples To Drop Science On Your Tweeters, And Your Tweeters Are Glad. Think Dynamix Ii Meets Pete Rock, Cybotron Duels Bambaataa In Queensbridge, Prince Paul Blunts Out In Berlin, Then Think Again Cuz Coz Ya Still Getting� Dumb. Features The Cutting-Edge Cadences Of Mr Lif, Akrobatik, Vast Aire, Aesop Rock, And Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, And Some Kind Of Anticon, Plus Cuts From Dj Craze
S Process - MNML (French Kiss)
AVANT U.S. DISCO PUNK FOR FANS OF DEVO, ENON, BRAINIAC. The S Process are Bob Doto (vocals, guitar, mind-numbing grad school banter) Daneil Mazone (drums, vocals, arbitrary fits of rage) and Julian Greffe (keyboards, guitar, incessant references to the DJ lifestyle.) "MNML" was recorded with producer extraordinaire, Phil Ek (Modest Mouse, Built To Spill, Luminaries Galore)
RELEASED 28th APRIL
FALSE - False (Plus 8) US Import CD
False, Matthew Dear Delves Into A Plunderphonic Territory Of Hard Grooves Filled With Deep Textures, Sampled Vocals, And Warped, Squelchy Synths. But This Isn�t Just Somenose-Deep-In-Powerbook, Chin-Scratching Audio Collage Of Blips And Clicks. False Occupies That Tight Space Between Abstract Techno And Straight Up, Four-On-The-Floor Mayhem That Will Have Subwoofers, Dancers And Academics Straining To Keep It All Together. Matthew Dear Was First Introduced On The Spectral Sound Label (From The Ghostly International Family), Gaining The Attention Of Plus 8 By His Industrious Approach As A Dj And Producer And All Around Seriousness To His Music. Not One To Sit For Long, He Has A New Single Out Soon Under The Name Jabberjaw For Berlin�s Esteemed Perlon Label. For The First Time On Cd, �False� Collects The 10 Tracks From 3 Singles Released On Plus 8 Over The Last 6 Months, Which Have Been Heralded By International Djs Such As Ricardo Villalobos, Zip, Richie Hawtin And Many More. Reviews Are Expected In All Areas Reporting On Techno And New Electronic Sounds # posted by DJ Martian 5:47 PM
Saturday, March 29, 2003
themilkfactory.co.uk - April 2003
themilkfactory.co.uk deliver another fine selection of reviews. [The summaries below are taken from a Milkfactory.co.uk e-mail/website, to see the full reviews go to the link above]
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Manitoba - Up In Flames Second album for Canadian-born Dan Snaith, aka Manitoba, and with Up In Flames, he sticks two fingers up the entire electronic scene. This album makes its predecessor sound like a gentle walk in the park.
Hans Appelqvist - Tonefilm Following his first EP released in 2001, Malm�-based Hans Appelqvist returns with his first album. Beautiful, cinematic and above all, truly accessible, Tonefilm is a very clever debut.
Autechre - Draft 7.30 After ten years, Autechre still manage to avoid repeating themselves. Warmer and sharper than Confield, Draft 7.30 is surprisingly luxuriant and playful.
Beans - Tomorrow Right Now With Anti-Pop Consortium, Beans took classic hip-hop to new level, incorporating it with elements of electronica, and with this first solo effort, he devlops his rhymes over intricate lo-fi soundscapes.
Black Dog With Black Sifichi - Genetically Modified Last year's unsettling and fascinating Unsavoury Products saw the legendary Ken Downie, aka Black Dog, team up with Scottich poet Black Sifichi for this project inspired by the work of William S. Burroughs. Genetically Modified revisits the album and gives it a radical twist.
Fe-Mail - Syklubb Fra H�lvete Maja Ratkje and Hild Sofie Tafjord, who form half of all-female experimental improv band Spunk, present the first release of their side project Fe-mail. Syklubb Fra H�lvete see the pair improvise with a variety of electronic devices to produce what Thurston Moore called 'the best noise album ever released'.
Gagarin - Earthling Graham Dowdall, the man behind Gagarin, has been around since the early eighties, working with the likes of Nico or John Cale. Started in 1995, Gagarin is his solo project.
Galaktlan - Sinine Platoo Released at the end of last year, this beautiful collection of downtempo electronica reveals the very imaginative soundscapes from Estonia's Galatklan.
Meanest Man Contest - Merit Relative new comers on the underground hip-hop scene, their music is fueled with the same progressive inputs as the likes of Boom Bip or anything to come out of the Anticon crew. Imaginative and excellent, Merit deserves to be heard.
Erlend �ye - Unrest One half of Norwegian acoustic duo Kings Of Convenience, Erlend �ye is perhaps best remember as the voice of Royksopp. This first solo album, recorded in ten different cities with a different producer for each song, is a funky collection of electronica-tinted pop.
Prefuse 73 - One Word Extinguisher Second album from Scott Herren's Prefuse 73, One Word Extinguisher builds on the broken hip-hop structures of its predecessor. If the first Prefuse 73 album presented the sound of tomorrow, Herren has already started working on what the day after will be like.
Maja Ratkje & Lasse Marhaug - Music For Shopping Maja Ratkje met Lasse Marhaug, one half of Jazzkammer, during a workshop organised by Otomo Yoshihide in Oslo in April 2000. Music For Shopping is the result of their noise collaboration.
Aoki Takamasa - Indigo Rose The prolific Aoki Takamasa presents his third album in just over a year. His most accessible work to date, Indigo Rose is futuristic pop at its most compelling.
Zainetica - Escaping Dust London-based Zainetica has produced with Escaping Dust a classic electronica album the way Black Dog and Plaid have in the past. Brilliant. # posted by DJ Martian 5:54 PM
BBC Music review Dave Douglas - Freak In...a kaleidoscopic, powerful slice of electric jazz... # posted by DJ Martian 5:34 PM
BBC Music review Spacek - Vintage Hi-Tech due for release April 14th on k7. # posted by DJ Martian 5:31 PM
Sikth, one of Britain's most adventurous and experimental new rock bands this side of the millenium - have at last announced the details of the debut album. I rate Sikth as the most promising British art-experimental-Metal band since Earthtone 9.
Sikth have named their forthcoming album as: 'THE TREES ARE DEAD AND DRIED OUT, WAIT FOR SOMETHING WILD...' due for release May 19th. # posted by DJ Martian 4:44 PM
Leonard's Lair Reviews new albums from: Portal, Yellow6 and Your Favourite Horse
whilst other influences are brought to mind by 'May To September' (Durutti Column), 'Safe' (Cocteau Twins) and 'Visions' which is a dead ringer for Cabaret Voltaire's 'Automotivation'. More importantly, Portal manage to excel in all styles they take on.
Two reviews from Other Music [mentioned in their weekly e-mail newsletter]
Freescha - What's Come Inside of You (Attacknine)
California's own Freescha return with their third full-length and this
time out they have really come into their own. "What's Come Inside
of You" is a journey through electronic music where downtempo
beats collide with vocodered vocals, and analog synth washes live
harmoniously alongside delicate piano melodies. Freescha have
definitely established their own sound; the songs still retain the
downtempo bliss of artists like Boards of Canada or Casino Vs.
Japan while also retaining elements of bands like Air and Alpha. But
now the songs seem longer, constantly morphing textures to create
a whole new melody (often a few times within each track) that often
seems like another track entirely. With "What's Come Inside of You"
Freescha have created an amazing album that is a trippy, sensual
journey through sound. Highly recommended!
Rework - Fall Right Now (Playhouse)
Before Miss Kittin and Adult became hipster touchstones, Rework
began releasing sick and sexy 12" singles on the esteemed
Playhouse label. They stood out by having that dark, post-punk-y
sneer, rejecting the overused Moroder-isms, and combined it with
the dark, dank minimal house that Playhouse is known for. Now,
post-punk is "cool", and now Rework have an album of singles, new
tracks and a Chris and Cosey cover ("October Love Song") that
actually does a good job of getting rid of the romantic melodrama in
the lyrics. Don't get me wrong, "C + C Music Factory", as I like to
call them, rocks, but... oh, nevermind... Gain cool points by
claiming you bought their first 12-inch back in 2000! Most tracks
will grab every one on the dancefloor, straight or gay. (Good thing.)
There is an undeniable omni-sexuality to the humdingers in here.
("You're So Just Just", "Loin de Moi", "Anyway I Know You" and
"What You Want"). "I Think You Think" is an utterly danceable,
stupid filler track that works. There is a definite kinship to Closer
Musik here, that is, with the post-punk thing I mentioned earlier,
and not as psychedelic. So, what are you waiting for? # posted by DJ Martian 4:00 PM
Excellent CD compilation bringing together all 20 of the Plaid remixes that are strewn across the vinyl two-parter released this week. Ed and Andy have produced a deluge of material over the last decade, taking in remixes of such luminaries as Grandmaster Flash, Nicolette, Bjork and Photek to name but a few. The Bjork remix opens the fray, 'All is Full of Love' is a seminal Bjork moment, here given an epic reworking that�s heavy on the sparkling melodies and harmonics, adding a touch of fairytale stardust to the lady�s distinctive crooning as well as giving Plaid an orchestral touch to their sound, a beaut. From there straight into Tao's remake of Ryuchi Sakamoto's seminal 'Riot in Lagos' track, Plaid give it their funky workover with melodies reminiscent of Autechre joining in with breakbeats and the Eastern synth line that is the backbone of the original. Plaid can craft a remix with what sounds like ease, but is probably the product of extremely hard work, even on the more obscure early remixes like the blissed out jazz of Gregory Fleckner Quintets 'Juicy Jazz Girls' which was released on the short lived but incredibe Clear label in the mid 90's, a lush remix worthy of high praise, and still more, crossing over to Latin sounds, the floor friendly remix of Koolaking's 'One Latin' reminds me of their classic 'Scoobs in Columbia' track off their first album 'Mbuki Mvuki', all jangly piano and latin percussion and a solid groove to boot. Their remix of Photek's Studio Pressure project, another remix taken from the Clear label of Reflection's 'Spiral Bits', plus the aforementioned Grandmaster Flash and Nicolette remixes and the superb remix of Unkle's 'Coffeehouse Conversation' follow, before the pre-garage broken beat mix of Nicolette's 'Wholesome' fires through with visionary and detailed fractured production. Next up is their remix of Goldfrapp�s 'Utopia' and Funki Porcini's 'King Ashabanapal' which are both given the full workover, before a couple of mixes throw usback to their Detroit influenced Black Dog Production days, with the squelchy 4/4 remake of Dropshadow Disease's 'Fototienda', warm strings and steel drums combining over the shuffling Plaid drums backed by a subtle acid bassline making for one of their finest remixes to date, and the lush synths of the remix for Sensorama�s 'Zone 30' , along with a lo-fi drumbreak and spooky melodies, and that's before you hit the Herbert, Jung Collective and Coba remixes, plus their own track which opens the compilation 'Wrong Ways'. A superb compendium of one of todays hottest electronic production teams, who have influenced many a new producer and also helped set the blueprint for IDM since 1990, legendary.
Tread - 3 - Third Ear
If you�re looking for some lush, shimmering Detroit summertime bliss - look no further! Hiroshi Watanabe has of late been enjoying much attention for his work as Kaito for the Kompakt label, further swelling his reputation after years spent as deejay in New York and around the world, and with previous form for a wealth of more jazz inflected house labels. Here, the label Third Ear, which brought us the stunning Detroit Beatdown compilation last year, have procured a hugely appealing set from Hiroshi, a lovely follow up. Spanning a contemporary, instrumental fusion of balearic filtered disco, chilled vibing-tempo house music on tunes like 'Find Out A Place', and downbeat jazzy and latinised flavours on 'Till the night", the double vinyl is just made for sultry, hot summer nights with sea breezes. The project will eventually grow to four volumes: this is the first to be released, admittedly out of sequence, but rest assured you could be hearing a whole lot of these tunes this summer. Perfect.
Styrofoam - A Heart Without A Mind EP - Morr Music
Oh boy, Morr Music have been quiet for a while, biding their time for their first release this year...and it�s just gorgeous. Much has changed with Arne Van Petegem�s approach and production since the release of his last two albums �The Point Misser� and �A Short Album About Murder� for the label, the latter of which came out a good couple of years ago now. Gone are the processed vocals and studies in considered abrasiveness, and in come flowing blissful layers of electronics, guitars and the untouched, crisp and remarkably moving vocal performance that Arne has been threatening to unleash since his days recording under the moniker of the wonderful Tin Foil Star. These last twelve months have seen the electronic and indie traditions come together in so many ways and with a frequency that just hasn�t been present before. Styrofoam�s achievement, though, lies with the depth and honesty of production, you never get the feeling that there�s an over-indulgence or conceptual brain at play here, the simplicity of the songs, the TUNES, the loveliness of the interplay between the guitars and the crunchy, fractured electronic accompaniments, the layering of his fragile voice all making for a touching and deeply engaging evolution of sound that displays itself at its most touching on the opening title track.�Fade Out Your Eyes� follows and sounds like it could have lived quite happily on Hood�s immense �Cold House� album with its fractured words and drone-like stretches of electro-accoustic shimmering and moving fragmentations. The opening salvo of �A Heart Without a Mind� and �Fade Out Your Eyes� are both original Petegem compositions, while tracks 3 and 4 offer up cover versions of songs by Codeine and The Mountain Goats � giving you an idea of some of the inspiration at play here. Codeine�s �Hard To Find� is treated with the sensitivity it deserves, shimmering keys and a solitary acoustic guitar accompanying Arne�s exposed voice and the chugging of a dusty, broken percussive engine, while the Mountain Goats �Snow Crush Killing Song� is more folk-based and uplifting, a euphoric, beatless ending to a simply sublime EP, immerse yourself without delay.
Andrew Weatherall - From The Bunker - A Rotters Golf Club Mix - Rotters Golf Club
Wicked timing for this ace new mix CD from the Chairman, Mr Weatherall very clearly having a good time with some blistering tunes and some all-round electro devastation. 17 Tracks come on thick and fast, perfectly mixed and built up with the experience that the man has attained over the last godknowshowmany years. Tracks included come courtesy of most of the RGC backatalogue, with pseudonyms galore from messrs Weatherall and Teniswood, just how we like it! Wicked and wild.
Manitoba - Up In Flames - Leaf
'Up In Flames' is Manitoba's melody drenched, joyous, frazzled, second album. A much more assured confidence resonates through the ten tracks contained compared to the highly acclaimed debut 'Start Breaking My Heart'. Most tracks feature vocals shared between Dan and Kieran Hebden�sman, Koushik. Even though there are numerous influences and elements twirling round the haphazard but lovable mix-up, the sound is pure Manitoba. Several tracks give you the sun in your eyes madchester indie slant pop and with 'Bijoux' it's back to the seventies for a stoner love psych vibe. Addictive stuff, should be massive, vinyl edition highly limited! Ace.
Patrick Pulsinger - Presents : Easy to Assemble, Hard To Take Apart - Form & Function
At last the genius that is Patrick Pulsinger releases the full album version of his Easy To Assemble, jazz variation group. So far we've had two 12"s that have dropped over the last 18 months (5 tracks on this CD). From abstract/free jazz pieces, like a 2000 cut up version of prime Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane to lushed out modal tracks more akin to a spikier Cinematic Orchestra. Check the re-wired piano trio tune! 'Man Sitzt Bequem' and the bass clarinet led 'Choose Mode' propulsed by a midtempo Squarepusheresque flow and the gorgeous ambient 'Cellar Door'. In the studio Patrick deconstructs and edits the live recordings with subtlety and a compositional worth. Killer leftfield jazz.
Wevie De Crepon (Wevie Stonder) - The Age Old Age Of Old Age - Sonig
Skam�s Wevie Stonder change their name for this excursion on Sonig (Mouse On Mars, A-Musik), opening with the sound of a needle being put on a record and a Rupert The Bear style english narration talking about princesses...hmmmm bring it on Wevie!! The New Orleans jazz influenced �Mr Naz� opens the fray proper with mad samples and heavy beats creating the backbone, with Wevie throwing their flotsam and jetsam of vocals and samples over the top in a randomly uniform way, the track is almost over before its begun but it leaves with a strange sense of happiness and sets you up for the madness to commence. And so it does on �Ton Wah�, a track I have seen Wevie play live when we toured together in Switzerland, and watched a crowd at first bemused by the four lads from Brighton then start cheering and dancing to the main crux of the track. A narrative barks orders at us to follow directions and get into a car, telling a story of driving, and the car hitting bollards as it speeds, this is reinforced by a thumping 909 kick and acid bassline banging away while the voice shouts �A Bollard, and another!! and another!!� and as the car speeds, so does the beat and so does the voice, a brilliant track to hear live, and it comes across superbly on the CD. Miss this live at ATP this April at your peril! Other moments of insanity that crop up on here are �Chips with Everything� a happy go lucky collage of junglist beats, messed up editing and mad ass jazz samples that drop into a fat ass hip hop break that slows and slows until it flys straight back up to the speedy jungle beats, this is the mad hatters tea party, no doubt. Wevie use theatrical props as well as a plethora of wild and wonderful instruments, from 5 foot cocks (yes, that kind!) to 6 inch toy guitars, right up to the uber cool mpc3000, and its an experience that you will cherish if you catch them live, a) because they�re superb to watch, and b) so you can watch the rest of the crowd�s reaction!. But, for a moment of complete lushness, check �Alice in Wonderland� a beautiful track that uses Atomheart glitches over the top of atmospheric synths to create a slice of heaven within a melting pot of madness, calm at the eye of the storm. An acquired taste is Wevie de Crepon, but ultimately one you would like to have on your tongue, wicked.
Zorn - Cruel Summer - K20
So, more than six months after we brought this to you on import, someone somewhere has decided its time to give it a full uk release. The latest offering from a stalwart presence in these lists, Michael Zorn's work has graced labels near and very dear to our hearts, Lux Nigra, CCO, Expanding and here he lends still further weight to his impressive body of work so far. From dubby drops to the powerful digital steppas of 'The What-If Machine', Michael has suffused himself with all that's best in berlin music and that's mighty hard to refuse.
Hajsch - 1992 - Sonig
Beloved of the Wire, Hajsch has been a stubborn and curmudgeonly presence on the experimental scene for more time than i care to reckon. Sonig revisit these decade old pieces, and you have to say the cd format is perfectly suited to the delicacy and textural finesse of this engrossing music. Building field recordings and concrete elements, with acoustic horns and strings into sampler and synthesizer based music is no new thing, but there's a surety in the realisation of the drift and drone based material which can't fail to snare even a casual listener. Less is yet again more, beautiful.
The No-Neck Blues Band - Sticks and stones may break my bones - Sound At One
Reissued missing link for these three pieces originally on John Fahey's Revenant label. And the No Neck's links with Fahey's legacy are clearly more than contractual, for their brand of eastern infused, open tuned, modal blues. The links with the delta are strained to the limit, and this can only be a good direction for the genre to head in - like when Davy Graham visited North Africa, and found more open structures for the limits of the blues. The extended piece surmises missing links between Archie Shepp, moroccan trance musics and Derek Bailey, sprawling over an epic eighteen minutes.
V/A Sonig.Ilation Sonig
Super compilation of 18 exclusive tracks from the experimental mavericks at Sonig's Cologne home. Present and correct are Wevie De Crepon [Skam's Wevie Stonder], �, Mouse On Mars, Microstoria, FX Randomiz, Oval, Lithops, Scratch Pet Land, Fan Club Orchestra, Schlampeitziger, Vert, Niobe, So, Aelters, Workshop, C-Schulz and still more. A great opportunity to check out the whole roster and uncover this rich seam of talent. Check.
Rework - Fall Right Now - Playhouse
Now available on CD. Rework have undergone something of a rediscovery in the last few months, prompted primarily with a new twelve and their inclusion by Carl Craig on his last compilation. Here the ever reliable Playhouse family put them right up there with Isolee, Losoul and Khan, giving them an extended double on which to chuck some funky moves. Kicking off with the big pre christmas number 'You're so just just' the album knowingly treads a line between the more abrasive electroclash inf[l]ected bits and the more satisfying four four material. And whilst the house cuts work unfailingly well, one has to say that this smudged makeup chic don't half lead to a load of old shit, in the vein of 'Amoureuse' and 'Affaire Classique', which we could all well do without. Which is a shame, as the single promised so much more.
Savas Pascalidis - Galactic Gigolo - Gigolo
The purveyor of the hi-nrg Laser Gun label releases his album on the much hyped Gigolo imprint. A collection of dirty disco bombs, computer game electroclash and mullet happy tunes is the result, drawing its roots from (yet again) the 80�s its a heavy listen with lots of distrorted breaks and synths giving the gigolo vibe a little more life. Check straight in to �Defend It�, a distorted mashed up synth fest with classic disco handclaps holding the groove and warbling metallic basslines giving the electro punk genre a run for its money. Also the vocalised and badly titled �Fly with the Wind� has an awesome groove with old skool basslines and soaring string-synths doing the music and a slowed down disco style vocal that could have been lifted off any disco album in the early 80�s. Skip past the pointless ambient track �Medusa� and head for the rougher side of the album, �She Blinded me with Sciene� (sic) is a good example, a rough bongo loop lays the groundwork while modulating synths play a classic line over the top, a simple but effective tune. Lastly the bleeped up old school hardcore madness of �Cant Wait to Get to You� has throwbacks to Newbeat and early Belgian Techno with its pitched strings and warbling 303 bassline complete with warp style bleeps, best track of the album.
Kareem - Full Spectrum Dominance - K20
We�ve been following the work of Kareem since the release of his awesome �Ramadan EP� early last year - an instrumental Hip Hop record of the finest kind, combining RZA�s �Ghostdog� soundtrack, Company Flow and Push Button Objects all at the same time. This massive album carries on in the same vein : tough, deep, bass-heavy and always squashed instrumental hip hop largeness with a vast cinematic quality. The cuts are frighteningly tight, but there�s an abundance of deep atmosphere on board making for something that doesn�t quite fit comfortably within any predefined generic characterisation. If you enjoyed Company Flow�s massive �Little Johny from The Hospital� collection of instrumental bombs- and let�s face it, who didn�t?? - then check this out at your earliest convenience. Killer.
A.R.E Weapons - Are Weapons - Rough Trade
A.R.E. Weapons is a NYC trio consisting of Matthew McAuley, Brain F McPeck and manager/musician Paul Sevigny. The Weapons have been making tracks and playing incendiary live shows in and around the downtown NYC slum set. Throwing parties/showz that draw crazers of all sorts (drug addicts, gallery owners, actress people, model things, fashion dorks, music nerds, criminals, and ultimately the police), the Weapons have inevitably earned a reputation for being wild and bold with the balls to back it up. Not content neither with retro-retard rock nor electro-amateurism, the Weapons have created a sound high on energy, long on musicality, and rife with pissed off, but ultimately positive, messages. Check.
magazine...
Grand Slam Magazine Vol 1 Issue 1 Spring 2003 Grand Slam
Killer new hip hop, funk and all that good stuff magazine that extinguishes the ashes of 'Big Daddy' and steps up as essential as 'Wax Poetics' (new issue v.soon). A further essential exhaustive article on the origins of cut and paste (interviews with Omar Santana, Danny Krivit, Coldcut, Steinski, Latin Rascals), Egon's Funk 45 spot, Chairman Mao and Dave Tompkins old school hip hop recollections.. a baad interview with ?uestlove and an insighful interview with gasface server MC Serch. Extra's include an interview with Buck 65, a Jam Master Jay tribute, a chat with Ego Trip - plus killer graf and a spot on review section giving nuff love to some of our favourite spins. If further issues keep up the same quality then us kids have got a new bible. On yes, there's even a killer free CD on the cover. Essential reading. # posted by DJ Martian 3:26 PM
Friday, March 28, 2003
Dusted: Comets on Fire
Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists determined by our favorite artists. This week: Ethan Miller of Northern California's solar anthropologists Comets on Fire.
Dusted feature on Comets on Fire # posted by DJ Martian 1:54 PM
The next new music from the sublime epic rock band: Oceansize [who are one of my big tips for 2003 back in January]
Fresh from their raptuous shows with Cave-In, Manchester noiseniks OCEANSIZE release their new EP, 'One Day All This Could Be Yours', on 5th May in the UK through Beggars Banquet.
The EP, produced by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Feeder), features 2 new songs 'One Day All This Could Be Yours' and 'Breed Siamese' plus a live version of fan favourite �Massive Bereavement' recorded on a raucous night at the Witchwood , Ashton-under-Lyme, New Year�s Eve 2002.
The band are currently in the studio with Chris Sheldon recording their debut album for Beggars Banquet. # posted by DJ Martian 12:16 AM
The Gathering - Souvenirs
The Gathering have released their new album Souvenirs in a number of European countries (but not yet UK). However good news for Americans:
The End Records is proud to announce we have signed THE GATHERING - "Souvenirs" for North America. Here�s more detailed info:
THE GATHERING - "Souvenirs"
Cat#: TE035
UPC: 654436003526
Release Date: May 6th, 2003
After a successful release of the EP Black Light District in 2002, Holland�s premier rock band THE GATHERING are now releasing their most precious Souvenirs. Again THE GATHERING rock, groove and take you on a exciting journey through highly impressive emotional music, in which Anneke van Giersbergen reflects on her mental �souvenirs� of real life experience. Souvenirs breathes a fascinating modern dark sound in which a perfect musical balance between organic and electronic sounds go hand in hand with more psychedelic film music. Together with producer Zlaya Hadzich the band streamlined a mere 50 minutes of music and is joined by Trickster G , who sings the song �A Life All Mine� together with Anneke. With the release of How To Measure A Planet? <1998>, THE GATHERING invented the term �triprock� to escape the pigeonhole community and with Souvenirs again they prove to be pioneers in bending modern sounds into beautiful, experimental and emotional music.
see the The End Records webpage for a MP3 download, Broken Glass.
The track Broken Glass showcases the sublime vocals, stunning musicianship - the way track builds up , from a delicate start the celestial sweeping emotional vocals of Anneke van Giersbergen are right up with A + grade of Kate Bush/Liz Fraser/ Harriet Wheeler.
I love how the music flows, the guitar patterns are atmospheric and they melt and complement the emotional vocals, the timing, the drops of tempo, the low key keyboards /samples and drums in the background, then 3 min and 37 seconds in - the track takes off and changes, the guitar sounds buzz with shards of feedback the vocals woosh "through the water", and the guitars continue to twist and change texture - guitar effects go mad galore - overdrive ...liquid pools of rippling guitars. Completely addictive - the type of track that demands repeated listening.
triprock, darkwave, ethereal, shoegazing, epic progressive rock - whatever this sublime music.
Ps As I have said before The Gathering's How to Measure a Planet ? album - released in 1998 is one of the finest rock albums of the 90s. # posted by DJ Martian 12:04 AM
Show broadcast on Radio 1 on Thursday 27th March 2003:
Peanut Butter Wolf mixes up an hour of obscurities and US hip hop, a session from electronica band Hint and Revolvo come in to preview their new album. # posted by DJ Martian 6:45 PM
Manitoba
The Independent interview Manitoba # posted by DJ Martian 5:54 PM
Coloma - Finery
Thanks to Tim Finney on this ILM thread about The Blue Nile who mentions that a new album by Coloma is on the way.
you should really check out that there new Coloma album which is almost self-consciously an update of The Blue Nile for the post-glitch generation. As with The Blue Nile it's svelte literary studio-pop that feels like all the sound-politics have been surgically removed (eg. this is click-pop only because, well, why not if it sounds good? cf. Schneider TM's "The Light 3000") so I imagine that in a decade or so it'll have that same lovely timeless-datedness as TBN's first two albums have. It's very much like A Walk Across The Rooftops in particular. Much better than their first album.
Mentioned on the official website for Coloma >>>> New album Finery out 11th April 2003
A little over a year after the release of their debut album Silverware (EFA# 26095-1/-2), ALEX PAULICK and ROB TAYLOR are dressing up in their Sunday best to present "Finery", a collection characterised by harmonious shape and classic lines. Once again the pair have clearly been attending to detail, as befits their bespoke approach to songwriting. PAULICK"s cuts (and clicks) are perfectly measured, and piano, vibraphone and violin (hand-played, of course) provide natural warmth. TAYLOR"s voice is sometimes buttoned up; sometimes he gets just a little hot under the collar... As you are probably realising, there is a common thread running through "Finery". From a melodic yearning to put away the winter garb and put on the clothes that summer wears, along a procession of thought (in seven verses!) from a megalomaniac tailor, and on to a stream of consciousness journey wrapped in a coat made out of senses. Finery, which refers to the finest clothes you wear on special occasions, is certainly a neat title for this disc. But it doesn"t stop there. In "The Second Closer Still" TAYLOR relives some teenage angst in one hell of an all-night bar, in "You Are Here" Paulick"s stuttering bass drum and atmospheric soundscape underpins the search for love despite a poor sense of direction. Illegible Love features CHRISTOPH CL�SER, of BOHREN & THE CLUB OF GORE (current release "Black Earth" EFA#, 64158-1/-2) adding some moody sax to the bitter-sweet tale of indecipherable emotions. And in If "You Can"t Be Good", with its nervous beats and grandiose techno-pop chorus, TAYLOR declares his manifesto of romantic rebellion. Enjoy perusing our new collection. Tracklisting: 01. The Second Closer Still, 02. You Are Here, 03. Summer Clothes, 04. Welcome To Arcadia, 05. If You Can"t Be Good, 06. The Tailor, 07. Illegible Love, 08. Green Eyes Of The Yellow God, 09. Coat Of Senses, 10. If They Ask You To Stay; 12": feat. Remixes By MISC., MARKUS G�NTNER & MATHIAS SCHAFFH�USER # posted by DJ Martian 12:49 AM
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
Side-Line
The Side-Line website has been redesigned. What a superb new design. Content wise expect the latest news in electronic music, synth-pop, EBM, Industrial, Darkwave, Goth etc. # posted by DJ Martian 11:51 PM
If I were an editor of a weekly music magazine this week's front cover would feature:No-Man
No-Man release their new album, 'Together We're Stranger' on March 31st on KScope/Snapper.
Coming two years after the critical and word-of-mouth cult success of 2001's 'Returning Jesus', 'Together We're Stranger' sees the band extending further the reach of its panoramic and emotive soundscapes. Steven describes the album as "lyrically, a real break-up album" with Tim adding "'Overall, it's a way of expressing the emotional fallout of loss... On listening back for the first time, even we were surprised by some of the music's emotional power."
Stylistically the music continues in a similar vein to 'Returning Jesus' (although the band stress that it's definitely not 'Returning Jesus 2') but this time moves even further into the realms of epic orchestral textures, slowcore songwriting and sonic experiment. The new songs are the band's sparsest and most directly emotional work to date, comparable in parts to the "exposed" feeling of 'Carolina Skeletons', or to the work of bands like Lambchop or Low.
Orders for this album are already being dispatched @ Burning Shed
Coming two years after the critical and word of mouth cult success of 2001's 'Returning Jesus', 'Together We're Stranger' sees No-Man extending further the reach of its panoramic soundscapes and cracked ballads.
Boasting impressive performances from Ben Castle (clarinets), Roger Eno
(harmonium), 'Lord' Peter Chilvers (bass) and Gramophone's David Picking (percussion, trumpet), amongst others, the 7 track, 47 minute album lays claim to being No-Man's most powerful and emotionally direct album in its 15 year history. # posted by DJ Martian 11:11 PM
One World Shows
A brief listing of the next 3 One World shows on Radio 1:
27th MarchPeanut Butter Wolf, Hint and Revolvo. 3rd AprilTrama Label Special - Brazilian music including DJs Marky and Patife. 10th AprilKilla Kella live, Calexico in session, and Fourtet and RZA will preview their forthcoming albums. # posted by DJ Martian 10:46 PM
Changes at Radio 1 and Xfm: Zane Lowe defects to Radio 1
MediaGuardian.co.uk report that Xfm Lowe defects to Radio 1 and documents the merry-go-round of changes at Radio 1 and Xfm. Of course Zane Lowe's defection to Radio 1 is no big secret. His crude teenaged targeted rock/hiphop music tastes and cliched street style will no doubt be lapped up by the yoof listeners at Radio 1. # posted by DJ Martian 10:34 PM
Latest Magazines: Jockey Slut, The Wire and Bang.
The new edition of The Wire has Autechre on the front cover looking moody and pensive.
The April edition of Jockey Slut has NYC punk-funk band The Rapture on the front cover, and a free CD that includes tracks from: Playgroup, The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem and Rework.
and a reminder, the debut edition of Bang magazine is launched tomorrow in the UK. # posted by DJ Martian 6:08 PM
Fast 'n' Bulbous - 2003 So Far
Fast 'n' Bulbous has once again been updated, so far 59 albums released in 2003 have been graded and ranked. # posted by DJ Martian 12:19 PM
Wednesday 26 March - Kitty Yo Label Night - Live from Maida Val
For this label night special we are joined byJeans Team and Tarwater. # posted by DJ Martian 10:43 AM
Music Non Stop
The latest info on new and forthcoming releases @ Music Non Stop [info taken from an e-mail newsletter]
Front 242 - Pulse - Xiii Bis
After years of silence the undisputed masters, legends and creators of dancefloor EBM return with an album for electronic music lovers everywhere. "Pulse" delivers 20 tracks of uncomprimising electronics combining old school 242 sensibilities with new millenium programming and sound manipulation. The innovators are back ! Released 28th April 2003
Android Lust - The Dividing - Dark Vision
American diverse electro act Android Lust unveil "The Dividing" ( their third full-length release ) and a bold step in the evolution of their sound. The CD is a Brilliant follow-up to the critically acclaimed Resolution. With the help of guest musicians on flute, live drum performances, viola, and touches of her own acoustic guitar, Shikhee adds an unconventional layer of organic warmth to Android Lust's trademark palette of icy electronics. The eleven tracks on "The Dividing" are as diverse in presentation as they are in subject matter, running the emotional gamut from loss to discovery, from regret to carnivorous loathing. Building on a foundation of its earlier electronic work, Android Lust weaves in elements of punk, pop, and rock to create what can only be described as neo-industrial. Includes a special CD-ROM section with photo gallery, lyrics, and a bonus track. Overall "The Dividing" offers an industrial based sound rich in synthetics and comes across as compositionally and prolifically atmospheric. Sifting amongst this post-industrial soundscape is the inclusion of organic sounds and instruments, allowing for a more human and personal connection to the electronic manipulations and darkened circuitry. There are even dashes of gothic and EBM strewn strategically within. Unconventional and adventurous, "The Dividing" is a rewarding breath of fresh air. Recommended. Released 24th March 2003.
Chandeen - Echoes - Kalinkaland
CHANDEEN began their career in the early 90's with releases on the famed Hyperium Records Label, which introduced them as one of the leaders of the Heavenly Voice movement, inspired in part by bands from England"s 4AD label. After some line-up changes, HARALD L�WY and ANTJE SCHULZ remain CHANDEEN"s two masterminds and now present their 6th album, "Echoes". "Echoes" is a schamanic journey, full of breath-taking beauty, soft rhythms, percussions, cello, guitars and wonderful heavenly voices. With this release, CHANDEEN return to their musical roots, sounding authenic and unique, poetic and profound. The cosmos of "Echoes" are populated with smooth piano-sounds combined with mysterious and romantic lyrics from Oscar Wilde ("In the forest"), William Blake and Edgar Allen Poe ("A dream Within a dream"). Nostalgic, CHANDEEN"s typical soundscapes are orchestral, sometimes distantly reminiscent of Dead Can Dance; and atmosphere, full of strange, mystic, longing feelings and mysterious stories. Features special musical guest: ANTJE BUCHHEISER (Vocal) and CHRISTIANE FISCHER (Cello) of STOA. Released 5th May 2003.
Elend - Winds Devouring Men - Prophesy
Definitely the most welcomed re-union in the neo-classical scene is the surprising and unexpected return of ELEND ! The legendary Austrian -French project that defined despairation and darkness is back ! Five years after the last album "The Umbersun", "Winds Devouring Men" presents dark atmospheric music, romantic heavenly female vocals and influences from classical music in the vein of classic Dead Can dance. The first limited edition run comes as a nice Digipak and contains one bonus-track. Released 14th April 2003. # posted by DJ Martian 12:24 AM
Tuesday, March 25, 2003
The Passage - Re-issues
Having come to an arrangement with Cherry Red, we are proud to be releasing the entire recorded works of The Passage between March and May, which amounts to five whole CDs. For those that need reminding, this unique Manchester band recorded four superb albums in as many years ie Pindrop (1980), For All and None (1981), Degenerates (1982) and Enflame (1983). To this tally we have added a fifth disc comprising their three BBC Sessions for John Peel. Dick Witts, Joe McKechnie and Andrew Wilson have all lent their support to the project, which involved compiling a detailed band history and running down countless unheard bonus tracks, while thanks to some painstaking digital remastering the albums have never sounded better.
FortDax - Folly Released - 7th April 2003 On Tugboat Records # posted by DJ Martian 5:42 PM
Four Tet - Rounds
Cool Delta provide the press release for Four Tet - Rounds due for release May 5th on Domino.
A new Four Tet website has just been launched. # posted by DJ Martian 5:29 PM
Autechre on Radio
BurnitBlue.com have a schedule of upcoming radio shows featuring Autechre, including slots on Radio 1, Radio 3, Resonance and Xfm. # posted by DJ Martian 1:17 PM
There is much excitement over at ILM: due to the announcement that Ze Records is back in Business. Ze Records were famous in the latest 70s in promoting the avant garde No Wave movement centred around NYC.
ZECD01 : NEW YORK NO WAVE
The Ultimate east Village 80's Soundtrack :
A 30 tracks double CD Digipack compilation of the finest No Wave songs from the back catalogue of ZE all stars recording artists including : Suicide � Mars � Lydia Lunch � James Chance � Rosa Yemen � The Contortions � Arto Lindsay � James White & the Blacks � Lizzy Mercier Descloux � Teenage Jesus & the Jerks � James Chance �
ZECD02 : MUTANT DISCO
A Subtle Dislocation of the Norm :
A 25 tracks double CD compilation of the finest of the Novo Disco Remix songs from the back catalogue of ZE all stars recording artists including : Kid creole & the Coconuts � Cristina � Coati Mundi � Was (not Was) � Aural Exciters � Gar�ons � Don Armando's second avenue Rhumba Band � Material � Gichi Dan � Suicide � Daisy Chain � Lizzy Mercier Descloux � # posted by DJ Martian 12:24 PM
BurnitBlue.com report the release date for the upcoming Ed Rush & Optical album: The Original Doctor Shade as May 26th. # posted by DJ Martian 8:42 PM
SPOTLIGHT...KEY NEW RELEASES THIS WEEK:
Key new album releases for March 24th [A more detailed release listing including other new releases, compilations and reissues - can be found further up this webpage.]
This Week: March 24th
Android Lust - The Dividing (Dark Vision) UK Release 2003
Aphex Twin - 26 Mixes For Cash (Warp) Double CD of remixes
Circle - Alotus (Klangbad)
Deerhoof - Apple O' (5 Rue Christine)
Further Seems Forever - How To Start A Fire (Tooth And Nail)
Grand Ulena - Gateway to Dignity (Family Vineyard)
Robin Guthrie - Imperial (Bella Union)
Anders Ilar - Everdom (Shitkatapult)
I'm Not A Gun (John Tejada & Takeshi Nishimoto) - Everything At Once (City Centre Offices)
Katatonia - Viva Emptiness (Peaceville)
King of Woolworths - L'Illustration Musicale (Mantra)
Tim Koch - Islandtones (U-cover)
Magas - Friends Forever (Ersatz Audio)
Murs - The End Of The Begining (Def Jux)
Ogurusu Norihide - Modern (Carpark)
Pea Green Boat - Two Way Traffic (Head+Arm/ Sonic360)
Pest - Necessary Measures (Ninja Tune)
Pulseprogramming - Tulsa For One Second (Aesthetics)
Qebo - Flopper (Vibrant Music)
Sad Lovers & Giants - Melting In The Fullness Of Time (Voight-Kampff)
Secret Mommy - Babies Who Hunt (Orthlorng Musork)
Solefald - In Harmonia Universali (Century Media)
Veer - Lideskape (Source Records Germany)
Otto Von Schrach - Chopped Zombie Fungus (Schematic)
Wevie de Crepon - The Age Old Age of Old Age (Sonig)
Zongamin - Zongamin (XL/ licensed from Flesh Records)
For Reference:
Last Week: March 17th
Aborym - With No Human Intervention (Code666)
Susanne Brokesch - So Easy Hard To Practice (Disko B)
Cave In - Antenna (RCA)
Corker & Conboy - In Light of That Learnt Later (Vertical Form)
DAF - 15 neue DAF Lieder (Superstar Rec./Universal)
Data 80 - Data 80 (Force Tracks)
The Detroit Experiment - The Detroit Experiment (Ropeadope) US Import
Futureshock - Phantom Theory (Junior/Fuju)
Kristin Hersh - The Grotto (4ad)
Daniel Magg - Facets (Compost)
Pelican - Pelican (Hydrahead)
State River Widening - Early Music (Rocket Girl)
John Surman/Jack DeJohnette & London Brass - Free and Equal (ECM)
Throwing Muses - Throwing Muses (4ad)
Christian Wallumrod Trio - Sofienberg Variations (ECM)
Yattering - Genocide (Candlelight)
Susumu Yokota - Overhead (Play)
Bryan Zentz - Seven Breaths (In-Tec Records) # posted by DJ Martian 8:37 PM
Type O Negative
Roadrunner Records report that Type O Negative have a new name for their upcoming album: Life is Killing Me. # posted by DJ Martian 5:56 PM
Magyar Posse - We Will Carry You Over The Mountains (Verdura)
We've really been enjoying this find from Finland: Magyar Posse have put together a really great set of sweeping, emotive post-rock instrumentals highly reminiscent of the excellent "La Planete Sauvage" (aka Fantastic Planet) soundtrack, believe it or not. Orchestral embellishments introduce the icy sounds of reverb-laden guitar and trembling electric organ. Suave drums and spooky glockenspiel melodies mix with manifestations of krautrock in the funky basslines and oscillating, moog-y synth sounds.
Occasionally, plaintive vocals are subtly placed low in the mix, buried in layers of echo. And is that the haunting voice of a musical saw I hear? Why yes, it is! The whole thing builds into climactic crescendos a la Godspeed You Black Emperor. Truly splendid! Andee actually saw this band play when he was visiting over in Finland not long ago -- they hail from Pori, also the hometown of AQ-faves Circle, and we think any Circle fans ought to like the Posse. It's really majestic, beautiful stuff, and more original and a lot less wimpy than the general run of post-rock that they might get lumped in with. Recommended.
Nurse With Wound - Salt Marie Celeste (United Dairies)
Before I get into any critique of this, I have to say that Salt Marie Celeste is easily the best Nurse With Wound record in years!
Throughout the 25 years of Nurse With Wound recordings, Steven Stapleton has actively pursued audio manifestations of Surrealism, often hypothesizing on what Surrealists like Andre Breton or Tristan Tzara might do if they had access to contemporary recording technology but still maintaining their bastardizations of Victorian aesthetics. Recently on recordings like Man with the Woman Face or Alice the Goon, NWW embraced obtuse free associations to build dense sound puzzles of dead-end jokes, absurd parataxis, and general confusion. However, Salt Marie Celeste is far simpler an application of Surrealism, as Stapleton renders NWW a vehicle for psychological horror. For this album, Stapleton and studio wizard Colin Potter (who has been the only other collaborator with NWW for the past couple of releases) have drawn from Gavin Bryars' "Sinking of the Titanic" for inspiration; however, NWW never dwells in the lulling pathos which characterizes Bryars' composition. Instead, Salt Marie Celeste is a relentless album which imagines the tidal currents around the Titanic's demise as an inhumanly cold force steadily bringing the doomed ship to the bottom of the ocean. Through a series of looping mechanisms, Stapleton and Potter build a massive orchestration of fluctuations which swell and dissipate with an unnerving regularity. The central element to the compostition is an ominous wave of electronic sound which constantly tumbles forward. Fans of NWW will recognize this from the super limited edition Music from the Horse Hospital 2cd, yet done much more effectively here. Wooden creaks and moans emerge from this gravity well of sound, before breaking up and disappearing amidst the tidal wave of intensity. For the references to the Titanic (or at least in Bryars' composition), Salt Marie Celeste conjures suffocating and bleak images of ghost ships mysteriously appearing on the horizon.
Regardless, this is clearly one of Nurse With Wound's best and should not be missed!
Richard Youngs - Airs of the Ear (Jagjaguwar)
The UK's Richard Youngs is a treasure, and his new release is a stellar one. Psychedelic, haunting, gorgeous, unique. As with his recent albums like "May" and "Making Paper" Youngs draws on British folk traditions, but here also melds his voice and acoustic guitar with electronics, for less of a minimal approach. The balance is perfect, of warm human melody and calming, sheening electronic drones, densely interwoven, or ringing out alone in the open, songs being both epic and intimate. Think of his last album "May" (a sad-song acoustic guitar and voice affair) with space-rock sound effects, adding drama and proggy intrigue. What's great is that the sci-fi mad scientist laboratory type of sounds here (theremin, ring modulator) are recognizable, but used uniquely, not ending up sounding like what they usually connote (thanks to the acoustic element perhaps). Meanwhile, the colorful, cartoony cover art looks like it was done by someone from a local high school art class, perhaps inspired by a '70s era after-school TV animation or something. But that's part of Youngs' charm, his aesthetic is wholly his own, not conforming to any hip scene, unafraid and honest. Both solo and with collaborators (notable among them Simon Wickham-Smith, Kawabata Makoto, Matthew Bower), he's created a fantastic body of work, from quirky noise improv to metallic drone to psuedo-prog to minimalist folk, his creativity and talent deserving of greater recognition (when's he going to show up on the cover of The Wire?). We'd imagine that although a lot of AQ regulars probably know Youngs, many more don't, and as this latest Youngs is certainly one of his best (of many great albums), it gets a big recommendation to all! So good, so heavenly. Also, if you liked Glenn Donaldson's Birdtree cd as much as we did, you'll definitely want this too, for Youngs is an obvious comparison/influence...
Deerhoof - Apple O' (5RC)
Recorded "live" in the studio, this recording expands on the "rock" side of Deerhoof-- those moments from "Reveille" that reminded us of the Who, with drummer Greg pounding mercilessly on his stripped down kit behind power chord outbursts. Those bits were sandwiched between more experimental fuckery, the whole thing rendered somewhat surreal by singer Satomi's high-pitched little-girl-on-acid vocals. On "Apple O," the damaged noise has been toned down somewhat to make way for the aforementioned rock, but there are also some very sweet, gentle and even romantic numbers, with acoustic guitar strum and a bit of lovely fragile falsetto from Greg. They even get jazzy for a minute (damaged Beefheart lounge jazzy, that is). Even amidst romantic sweetness, Deerhoof still retain a sense of the bizzarre, albeit an awfully cute kind of bizzarre. It's their balancing act between fucked-up noise and twisted yet adorable pop, crazy huge rock n' roll and vulnerable beauty that make Deerhoof the best band in San Francisco (at least in Marcy's opinion!). "Apple O" isn't as mind-bendingly amazing as "Reveille," but then it's difficult to repeat perfection. It's still super-awesome, and growing on me with every listen.
Susanne Brokesch - So Easy (Disko B)
Over the past decade, Susanne Brokesch has produced a handful of throroughly abstract techno for some of the more respected labels in electronica, including Sahko, Cheap, Tension, and Disko B. Yet it has been 6 years since her underrated debut album "Sharing The Sunhat" came out. While that album was built from cold slivers of Pan Sonic techno-minimalism, her second full album "So Easy, Hard To Practice" seeks the recombination of sultry jazz and electronic production techniques. The results find loose rhythmic structures punctuated by electronic drum fills, occasionally pulled together into swells of German disco grooves or washes of ambient synth patches. Disko B's press release quoted one critic in praising her debut as "a cross between Oval and a good ECM record." I would offer that "So Easy" is a cross between Microstoria and an average ECM record.
Circle - Alotus (Klangbad)
Right on schedule, the prolific band that The Wire insists on referring to as "Finnish Metal Minimalists" and who of course are all-time AQ faves, have come out with another disc (they're in the double digits now!) of their trademark mantric, repetitive space-rock music that's our addiction. Granted, their previous album, the amazing "Sunrise", did dabble in the devil's music. But while on this one Teemu and Jyrki's guitars do get heavy at times, and vocalist Mika does an Udo Dirkschnieder impression at least once here, "Alotus" is primarily about plenty of late-night rhythmic slow-burn stuff that references prior Circle discs like "Hissi" and "Pori" -- recalling as well their krautrock forebears Neu! and Can, as always. Circle's grooves simmer here, brooding yet pretty, only exploding with heavy prog/psych power towards the conclusion of a track, if at all. With Mika whispering and crooning weirdly more than screaming, "Altous" is driven by ticking clock tension provided by drummer Janne's metronoymic pulse. Some songs are dark and spooky (though Mika's vocals to some might verge on silly, which is ok with us), instrumentally relentless and ominous, while others have a more gleeful exuberance, as captured (for instance) by the repeating Magmoid bass riff from Jussi as the title track percolates along... The tension is resolved when "Potto" ends things with the disc's most potent eruption of "metal" (actually just loud rock) mayhem. Both of the tracks just mentioned might actually sound a little familiar to Circle fans, for they've been aired before in live form on their recent "Raunio" disc!
Released on Faust's label Klangbad (and produced by Faust's Hans Joachim Irmler, who had a hand in the arrangements as well), this boasts liner notes in German and English by Rolf Jaeger that highlight the connection 'twixt classic Krautrock and Circle's modern day take off on the form. Comes in a digipak with purple-tinted photo of a wall and a hedge or tree to puzzle over.
Liaisons Dangereuses - s/t (Hit Thing)
Another great reissue from the Hit Thing label! Joining the Georges Montalba pipe organ cd on their catalog is this mysterious European minimal industrial album from the very early '80s.
Liaisons Dangereuses were primarily two individuals, Beate Bartel (who in later years went on to form Malaria!) and Chris Haas (a founding member of DAF). They were accompanied on vocals by Krishna Goineau who sang in French, German and Spanish (a few customers have mistaken his flamboyant delivery for that of Falco). Very much akin to Einsturzende Neubauten, The Normal, Suicide and DAF. Edgy, dark and throbbing, the programmed nailgun-like beats are punctuated by Goineau's impassioned singing/speaking, some high pitched female backing vocals, squidgy electronic belches, an occasional saxophone run, and much metallic clanks and thuds. It was all mixed at Conny Plank's studio. The one track here that may be familiar is their dance 'hit' "Los Ninos Del Parque", however L.D.'s impact goes beyond this one song. Indeed they were/are highly regarded and very influential in techno, house and yes, electroclash circles. Fans of present-day electro, EBM, post punk and no wave should definitely check this out as it's the real deal - solidly kicking ass on many of the current crop. This album sits quite perfectly next to the Teutonik Disaster compilation that we recently reviewed as fine historical documents of the early '80s European sounds. May leave you reeling.
No Neck Blues Band - Intonomancy (Sound@one)
It's been a surprisingly prolific and action packed few months for the otherwise NOT-prolific and as-underground-as-can-be No Neck Blues Band. Good for us. And them too I guess. First was the super elaborate and expensive Ever Borneo lp/7" we listed a few weeks back as well as a super limited live lp and the reissue of one of their old double cds. This week brings a reissue of their out of print Revenant cd and this here brand new full length. Phew. Must have run out of weed or something. What else could explain such productivity?! No Neck Blues Band, for those just tuning in, are a loose collective of East Coast noisemakers (whose members also do time in AQ faves Sunburned Hand Of The Man as well as AQ not-faves Suntanama) who are the ultimate in hippy-psych-trance-free-drone-folk. Taking liberally from classic Krautrock, seventies folk, free jazz, and noise rock, NNBB have a knack for turning all of these disparate elements into smooth and cohesive, rhythmic and hypnotic, and totally fucking gorgeous free-jams. This new record may just be their best yet. Dreamy and drone-y and completely mesmerising. Washed out tones stretch out over rickety frameworks of hand drums and simple percussion, bells and chimes, while guitars tentatively weave their way through the murk, leaving trails of wispy melody and shimmery thrum. Propulsive rhythms struggle under a dense fog of thick chords and moaning synthesizers while delicately strummed guitars flit from note to note, weaving a lush and soul soothing soundscape. Hippy tendencies are downplayed throughout, resulting in a way more cohesive, way more 'musical' offering than No Neck's usual hippy-trance-caveman-freakouts (which I love, don't get me wrong). Fans of classic and modern krautrock, Finnish psych-folk (Avarus, Kemialliset, etc.), Jewelled Antler, and all things drone and clatter should buy this NOW.
Tosca - Dehli9 (!K7)
Those Kruder & Dorfmeister gents - both individually and in tandem - do what they do exceptionally well. And what they do is make ultra sleek, mellow grooves always packaged in an exquisite fashion. Case in point, this Dehli9 double disc offering from Tosca. For those unfamiliar, Tosca is a collaborative effort between Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber which predates K+D by a wide margin. Actually the title of this release was the name of an early (highschool!) Huber/Dorfmeister project.
Disc One is filled with what they're known and loved for... enveloping, downtempo jazzy electronic tracks often with guest vocalists. It's the perfect soundtrack for a long, smoooth'n'groovy night of sipping incredibly steep and stiff cocktails in haute couture fashion. Disc Two comes as something of a surprise - a pleasant one - as it's an altogether different affair. You'd never guess it was Tosca... really. It's a dozen of Huber's piano compositions skillfully produced by Dorfmeister. Totally hushed and minimal!
The first cd will certainly please their old fans, and the second just may garner them some new ones.
Xiu Xiu - A Promise (5RC)
Xiu Xiu, one of the Bay Area's most original bands, is like a synth pop group that doesn't let the shiny happy face of the genre take over. They know the genre is merely a vehicle for expressing the fully intense and anguished emotions they've got bursting out of them. So instead of punchy casios and happy go lucky tunes, the foremost element is this hushed, trembling voice straining towards the epic wail. Yes, it's dramatic but the sincerity of emotion prevents it from becoming melodramatic. Out of the shards of anguish come experimentally structured songs that dart amongst jittery drum machines, wintry minor key piano, fuzzed out noise, clanging percussion. Building new, fresh songs out of raw emotion that might by a lesser band be inarticulate and messy, Xiu Xiu transcend the genre and any of their many influences, which clearly include Joy Division (Ian Curtis is namechecked on a songtitle here) and Talk Talk. Includes a stark, desperately sad cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car."
If you're new to Xiu Xiu, check out their first two releases before this one, not that they're better, but they are simply a teensy bit more upbeat amongst the beautiful despair, and that makes 'em that much more accessible. This one is a downer, albeit in a gorgeous, shimmering beautiful way, like Talk Talk's "Laughingstock." # posted by DJ Martian 8:41 PM
We love these sorta releases, or at least, reviewing them. I mean, let�s face it, you all already know about this baby, and you all know how good some of these mixes are, so what�s left to say? Well, at the risk of stating the obvious, and ignoring the beautifully cynical title, here�s some words on our favourite mixes here. 1. Baby Ford (Helston Flora Remix by Afx) - quite simply the best dancefloor tune RDJ has ever written, given some extra genius points with the totally misleading intro (lulling your listeners into the impression that you�re about to play some sharp teutonic 4/4 factory shit) before the most devestated acid breakbeat squelches into life and provides for some of lifes finest adrenalin-fuelled moments...oh, and some excellent Ansaphone action to boot. Utter Genius. 2. Nobukazu Takemura (Let My Fish Loose Aphex Twin Remix) - one of the Twin�s most obscurely magnificent reworkings, Takemura�s Jazz / World stucture swimming with double bass, flute and the sound of the orient, RDJ�s piece by piece fusion of scarychild vocals taking us higher and leaving that distinct RDJ indentation when the voice turns into a perfectly harmoized screech. Breathtaking. 3. Saint Etienne (Your Head My Voice, Voix Reveriment) - what can we say? Just pure classic, the coupling of a deadly afx crunch session imbued with snippets of sarah cracknel�s breathy breath, an outerspace lullaby to dance to. Shocking. Plus, of course, the new Acid Edit of Windowlicker (yes, it�s ace), the Beat-reworked version of Track Two from Selected Ambient Works Volume II (originally recorded for a mighty and as yet unreleased Peel Session back in 1995), oh dear, and shitloads more. You�ll know how hard some of these tunes are to get hold of so, with the 26 tracks of the title on offer, this is really quite an amzing collection. But, sh*t, that Baby Ford track! Immense.
Brian Harden - Instinctive State Of.... - Moods and Grooves
Now available on CD. Brian Harden is one of todays rising stars from Detroit, Moods and Grooves finally deliver his much anticipated debut album. With production credited to Brian and Mike Grant (Detroit Beatdown, and one of Detroit�s hottest producers) you know the music is going to be high class. Opening with the sublime �Missing You� the album hits a high point straight away, piano and vocal go together to create a smooth opener that could have been produced anytime in the last 10 years, timeless, not dated. Next check �Zion� for a bit of Roy Ayers vibes over a tight house beat giving a proper late night feel to the track, lush. And for some new school Detroit action check �Crazy Talk�, probably the best and deepest track on the album, almost Vladislav Delay noises over deep, deep beats, a real house cut for 2003. Detroit upholds its reputation to the max, smooth.
Diamond Ice - Funk 4 Da Trunk - Metatronix
Miami - home to an ocean of thugs, pawn shops, strip clubs and lowslung cars that make the ground shake. A place so hot it can make your head fry, and just when you thought you had the Metatronix sound pegged, in steps diamond ice. This is a simply amazing record, fusing together two genres that have hitherto not been fused with amazing results : Jiggy beats with a classic Detroit insistance on only using the deepest chords possible. If you can imagine Timbaland fighting it out with Carl Craig you may well be a bit confused but will have an idea of just how good this is. Having lived for 2 years at the infamous 90.9 fm tha bomb, one of miami�s pioneering pirate stations, Diamond befriended bass legends such as ghetto style djs, uncle al and jam pony express, as well as supersoul, the guiding hand behind metatronix and producer of �funk 4 da trunk�. These instrumentals are an ode to bass, the monster stereo systems and the cars that push them. Their originality and amazing jiggy depth should be investigated without delay. Awesome.
Donna Summer - This Needs To Be Your Style - Irritant
Massively anticipated new release (check out the new issue of The Wire) from Donna summer, aka jason forrest of brooklyn, new york. Currently the most talked about producer on the electronic underground after his groundbreaking debut cd "to all methods which calculate power" on omeko records of japan, album of the month in germany's influential de:bug magazine, jason has surpassed himself with this follow-up cd, a sublime mix of hardcore breaks, prog rock, and free jazz (with disco handclaps). But that�s not to tell the whole story, for this is an album of such impressive originality it is set to become an all-time classic of electronic mastery. Jason forrest first received attention via his weekly radio show on wfmu, broadcasting across new york and new jersey, entitled "advanced d&d with donna summer", featuring live sets and interviews with the likes of Hrvatski, David Grubbs, Doormouse, Kevin Blechdom, Goodiepal, End, etc. One show featuring DJ/Rupture has been downloaded over 7,000 times from the archives.Fans of Kid 606, DJ Rupture, Venetian Snares, Hrvatski and Knifehandchop should check this out without delay! Ace.
Innerstance Beatbox - All Little Boys - Wobblyhead
Innerstance Beatbox is the solo project of jason todd from Def Harmonic, and this ridiculously charming instrumental morsel sounds not unlike luke vibert�s downtempo offerings. Pulling moves from the hip hop and jazz canon and setting them against aburbling electronic backdrop, �all little boys do silly little dances � retains a nice twisted sampladelic mentality and melodic flair.
Le Rok - Hausarbeiten - Karaoke Kalk
Christoph D�hne is from Hanover and "Hausarbeiten" is his musical debut, created during the course of the last five years. This has become probably my favourite Karaoke Kalk release since the excellent filmic shorts of Takagi Masakatsu�s �Eating� album. It�s sometimes difficult pinpointing how Karaoke manages to consistently produce albums which seep into the unconscious. Twelve tracks on this album span styles effortlessly, beats always to the fore. �Puppylove� begins in no uncertain terms, keys infused with a certain sadness find themselves in counterpoint to burning rhythmic programming, the kind of thing you�d imagine someone like Ellen Allien slipping into a deejay set to awesome effect. �Tuttifrutti� lends that unmistakeable sometimes skank of Karaoke releases a mighty bottom end, as �Little Piece of Luck� is the first of the two vocal cuts contained here, a jaunty hit song, just this side of the vocodered elements found in The Notwist and Console and at least as lovable as anything on �Neon golden�. �Knack� shows the true strength in depth of this fine album, minimal shimmers and a handmade Opiated beat with a tugging low end, an emotional end to a great first side. My favourite cut though has to be the anthemnic �Glockesong�, which finds a canny midpoint between accessible pop and brooding electro lines to killer effect, this absolutely slays me. The trick in all this seems to be the trace of rock; sometimes gloomy, then again cheerful; always delivered with a light but sure touch. �Standing Behind� again delivers a tuneful vocal charge to the album, and through the strings of �Tribute to miroslav� and the playful Tigerbeat stabs of �Radiowrecker� there�s one thing you can be sure of - this duly le roks!
Magas - Friends Forever - Ersatz Audio
New on Ersatz Audio! suddenly it�s a good time to be a modern electro fan, with new albums from Adult, Robotnick, and GD Luxxe all due in the next few weeks, and to that list add the name Magas, who follows up last year�s �bad blood� ep with style and skill in abundance on �friends forever�. Drawing inspiration from many sources, but never allowing his creations to be contaminated by his musical heroes, Magas (with the co-production assistance of Adult�s adam lee miller) offers us an unstoppable force of electronic no wave, thick beats, vindictive synths, and vocals to chill your blood. If the human league made �travelogue� today (and left out the iffy lyrics about sandwiches), it would sound like �friends forever�. 11 tracks, with 2 songs exclusive to each format. Check!
Miss Kittin - Radio Caroline Mixed By Miss Kittin - Mental Groove
Much talked about debut Mix cd from the incredibly fashionable Miss Kittin on the incredibly fashionable Mental Groove imprint. Bringing together electro, house, minimal house and a deeply surprising selection of electronic tracks, Miss Kittin�s vocal workouts are interspersed between segements for your listening pleasure. Miss Kittin has chosen timeless classics, obscure tracks and delightful soundscapes to please both your brain and feet, featuring Delarosa & Asora , Alexander Polzin, Jake Fairley, Alexander Robotnick, Jesper Dahlback, Autechre, Panasonic, Blaze, Redagin P & Smash J, Andreas Fragel, Marshall Jefferson vs Noosa Heads, Repeat, Leo Elstob, Der Zyklus, Conrad Black, Maus & Stolle and Walking Endustries. Check!
Mouse on Mars - Glam - Domino
Good onya Domino for giving this excellent MOM album from 1999 a much needed CD airing, it has up until this point existed on a limited vinyl-only Run on the Sonig label. Glam, allegedly, was a soundtrack that MOM recorded for a budget arthouse Porn flick, and contains some of their most beautifully understated work. Sitting nicely alongside the also little-known �Instrumentals� album, �Glam� is soulfully melodic, understated and forever evolving collection of tracks that work best when treated hollistically. Well worth investigating.
Numbers - Death - Tigerbeat 6
Featuring Kid 606, Kit Clayton, GD Luxxe, Electronicat and more! This collection of all-star remixes of Numbers� debut album �Numbers Life� is diverse, dynamic, downright rocking and enjoyable in a way remix albums seldom are. The remixers try to outdo each other either by improving on the originals or reinventing them by adding not just new rhythms and synthesizers but in many cases new vocals and completely new musical sections � all faithfully inspired by the Numbers aesthetic. Highlights include: the full-throttle dancerockabilly remix of �driving song,� by recent depeche mode remixer Electronicat (disko b, angelika kohlermann); the new orderesque take on �prison life� by GD Luxxe (aka gerhard potuznik of mego, cheap records, ersatz audio, interdimensional transmissions); Kid606�s rock-steady reworking of �we like having these things� into a hands-in- the-air dance punk anthem; Original Hamster�s fittingly all-over-the-sound-canvas drill-and-bass remix of �human replace�; and Kit Clayton�s original and inspired take on the numbers� theme song �information.� Ace.
Ogurusu Norihide - Modern - Car Park
Norihide�s distinctive techno-folk hybrid has been identified in some quarters as part of the burgeoning �laptop folk� scene (see also greg davis & takagi masakatsu), but to limit his music to the confines of a handy journalistic tag would be to do the artist a dis-service. His music follows its own path, informed as much by contemporary japanese culture as by the ancient rituals and institutions of the shinto faith (in which he is a priest). In an reflection of his hometown, Kyoto, where centuries-old temples and gardens share space with the offerings of modern japan, the music on �Modern� finds hand claps and bells rubbing up against digitally-produced rhythms integrated with acoustic guitar and piano. Instantly famialiar and totally abstract, �Modern� bears the traces of many other musicians but sounds like no-one except its creator.
Otto Von Schirach - Chopped Zombie Fungus - Schematic
The new cd from the dr moreau of beat abberation, collecting all 15 tracks from his 3-part ep series, �Boombonic Plague�, �Pelican Moondance�, and �Earjuice Synthesis�. His twisted, sinister and vicious production decimates everything you think you know about booty bass, the dirty south, idm, electro hip hop and ghetto tech, flattening their edifice and rebuilding with corrupt, artful and beastly replicants. It�s the RZA, DJ Shadow and Morton Subotnick pulled apart like so many toy soldiers and reconstructed with arms in leg sockets and heads on backwards. Like King Tubby, Otto is a master of suspense, and you�re never sure when the train will switch tracks, with thumping manic beat patterns swallowed whole by ambient fuzz, only to return moments later backwards and stupefied like some alien abductee. And his creative asperger syndrome is topped only by his obsessive technical detail. This is the real electronic psychedelic underworld, pushing all sonic boundaries to the edge and imploding the funk with busted speaker beats that will have you reaching for something solid to hold before dashing to the hi-fi shop. Essential.
Qebo - Flopper - Vibrant Music
Latest release on the Basic Channel / Chain Reaction affiliated Vibrant Music imprint, the debut release for the label from Alex Retsis and George Aggelides Qebo Project. The duo depart in some measure from the typical Vibrant Music manifesto, and this is very much not a Chain Reaction-esque piece. In Fact, Flopper�s opening gambit �1507� sets off with a deeply analogue interwieve that brings to mind some of Isan�s most reflective work, while the ensuing formation of tracks spans across a wide and varied spectrum of electronic design and manipulation. Midrange tracks like anti-matter imbue proceedings with a much more tricky, squashed intricacy that the label has veered clear of in the past, but in all this is another wonderfully deep and brilliantly executed release from an often overlooked label. Check.
Reverbaphon - The medium through which sound travels is no longer present - Benbecula
New on Benbecula! At last, the return of Scotland�s most talked about label, after leaving us marvelling last year at the northern lights of Christ�s immense �Pylonesque�, at the span of talent contained in the �Music Volumes 1 & 2� cd collection and the homespun charms of �Alba Absurdia�. It was on �Alba�� that Reverbaphon was first unveiled, his tune �Kupka� hit a confident bouncing four four rhythm, considered its breakdowns and wrought a chattering, yet shy wonder of a tune. The mood here is more pensive and chilled altogether, a large clue lying in the frosty exploits of the sound engineers depicted on the cd cover, we reckon rocking the river Volga, submissions please! Kicking off with �Only song�, a smooth, deep continuous bassline and swells of keys, pitched aginst the grainy, soft indie-inflections of the undamaged new vocal. �Honky� takes a beat, tastily crisped around the edges, then spooks the track with an awesome crooning vocal sample; �anything your heart desires will come to you� �Nemnon� creates the impression of a windchime in activity, but one involving a deliberate setting of Robert Wyatt like keys and poignant, plucked loose string instruments. �Angel� takes wooden marimba sounds, tucks them into a bed of uneasy electronics, and then adds desert fears in the shape of a disembodied slide guitar, giving the tune a definite shape and drive. �With without words� is assuredly this record�s central piece - a subdued hip hop beat, with glowering large bass, the vocal intones �all the emotions are absent� until the drum programming shifts a gear and the tweaked top end does the business, building into an inspired bit of dsp mayhem, which all fans of the Planet Mu and Tigerbeat imprints would do well to check. �Blooduncle Part One� ends this expanded mini album with a distillation of Reverbaphon�s freestyle, uninhibited take on electronica. Merging conventional and unconventional instrumentation: melodica, reverbaphone, banjo, biwa, guitar and the human voice all stand next to analogue electronics, field recordings and samples, deftly touched up on computer. This represents a refreshing, organic diversion from preset laptop hegemony - Reverbaphon allows us to fill in an all important piece of the mysterious, always collectable and above all innovative Benbecula jigsaw.
Tim Koch - Islandtones - U Cover
Nice new album from Austraia�s Tim Koch aka Thug. Tim Koch has reached a nice status in the electronic scene, appearing on a number of compilations of labels such as Seeland, Component, Lucky Kitchen, M3rk, Intr_version, collaborating with fine remixes and with full length releases on Defocus and Aural Industries. This 16 tracker for U-Cover shows Tim�s more emotive, ambient and mellow side without neglecting the beats and rhythms. The compositions result in a perfect balance flowing into gentle melodies, rhythmic complexities, bright sounds, emotional soundscapes, lush atmospheres and contagious beats. Includes the tracks 'Vakohai' with soft, pop female vocals; 'Dry bones' live, and the Yunx remix 'Xemirynx'. Check.
Veer - Lideskape - Source
Ole Schulte, aka Veer, stems from Frankfurt and has previously released an excellent EP for Force Tracks and is set to release another on Kid Clayton�s Cytrax label. This is a perfect release for Dave Moufang�s Source imprint, adhering to the finest principles of floating, Micro 4/4 with sensitive layering and an intense attention to detail throughout every track. Fans of the Open Source Code compilation will love this record, complex production taking a back seat to the relaxing, cathartic arrangement of sounds. Like Akufen�s less hectic, more intoxicated. Recommended.
�Everyday magic�, is the debut album from Your Favourite Horse, aka Acceleradeck, who enjoys keeping us all on our toes by assuming different identities for different projects. At any rate it�s another slice of excellence chris jeely has produced with a 14 track mix of songs and instrumentals, infusing electronics with guitars and vocals. Chris first came to everyone�s attention with releases on labels as notable as Morr Music, English Muffin, Pitchcadet, Endorphin, Neo Ouija and more. This time around Chris creates a moving and melancholy atmosphere, managing to maintain an ambient warmth with lyrics provided by the man with much success in delivery. Check.
New on Tigerbeat 6! Ultra-lo-fi, mysterious, and frighteningly addictive slut-punk duo zeigenbock kopf (german brothers hans and uli bunschlaper with aid from detlef) have left the dance scene of Berlin behind forever. Their beats pummel. their bass is too loud and the highs are acrid. They came to san francisco not to embrace the dance scene or the gay pride parades, but to destroy clubs and to hurt those who open themselves up victimization by hurters. �Nocturnal Submissions� follows their debut album �I.D.M.� - a severely warped and very un-pc collection of ass-destroying, sexy, electro gabber beats, rockabilly-ish guitars, organs, and dancetill- you-drop-dead vocal commandments. Fans of men�s recovery project, Whitehouse, Pink and Brown, Kid606, Abba, Miss Kitten, Electronicat, Merzbow, Coachwhips, Numbers, and Throbbing Gristle will be very pleased. Zeigenbock Kopf�s is the sound of a spastically pulsating prostate, and they will tear you a new earhole while showing you the difference between your orifices, polymorphously perverse crunchy waveforms and harsh, minimal, early industrial booty with krautcock vox, erm, yeah.
Breast Fed Yak - Get Your Greasy Head Off The Sham - Birdman
New group fronted by Controlled Bleeding founder Paul Lemos. Completely putting aside all the electronics on these recordings to getback to something much more primal, with influences such as Morricone, Sun Ra, Beefheart and Ayler, Breast Fed Yak also features yoshida tatsuya of the Ruins and Joe Papa of Controlled Bleeding, plus Hakan Almkvist (ensemble nimbus) and the Holy Trinity High School Detention choir.
No Neck Blues Band - Intonomacy - Sound One
Brand new recordings, brand new release from this eclectic and genre transcending new york collective. Recorded june 2002, Bensonhurst, NYC by Matt Szwed for mixtery.
Otomo Yoshihide - New Jazz Quintet Live - DIW
Third album by otomo�s Jazz quintet. "Their powerful and cool play took all the audience aback in the live. Though otomo as an artist has been expressing his music through all sorts of activities, he shall be newly recognized as a key Jazz artist. Each track from 15min to 20 min is to be strained gradually,approaching to demolished end,and giving intensive catharsis to the listener"......."its crisp treachery and thrilling warpage!!!".....great working of the jim orourke track "eureka".
Secret Mommy - Babies That Hunt - Orthlorng Musork
�Babies that Hunt� is the latest release on Kit Clayton�s ever wonderful and highly skewed Orthlorng Musork imprint, brought to us by the newly formed Secret Mommy crew. A contemporary pop album in its own right, �babies that hunt� chronicles the blood thirsty environment in which it was produced, and serves as a historical fulcrum for the shame of pop to come, the realization of which has been similarly fought for by Blectum from Blechdom, Dat Politics, FX Randomiz, and Kid 606. Secret Mommy currently resides in Vancouver under the name Andy Dixon and is an integral part of Ache records. Cannibalised electronic pop for circus sideshow freaks. .
Terre Thaemlitz - Lovebomb - Mille Plateaux
"Rather than songs of love and unity, I long for audio of love's irreconcilable differences. Not the lovelorn elegy or torch song, but crossed strategies and layered content. Audio in which promise, expectation and momentum are merely possible byproducts rather than essential elements. Despite attempts to 'get over' past loves, today's patterns collide with memories of the lost love still longed for, or the bad relationship never to be repeated. New urgent desires are fed by outdated themes, samples and techniques. At risk of invoking another over-used term, I long for songs of 'diversity' -- conflicted diversity devoid of unity. Such diversity does not threaten a future collapse of contemporary society. Rather, it is a reflection of the longstanding separatism and divisiveness implied in every 'holy union' whereby social units break down into cultural microcosms. Empowerment, like love, is when and where you find it. A perverse mirror of the cut." -- Terre Thaemlitz. Erm, yeah.
Xerophonics - Xerophonics - Seeland
Xerophonics is a cd for anyone who has stood near a copying machine and found the sounds of staple sorting oddly groovy, the noises of the paper jam compellingly funky, and the hum of standby mode vaguely soothing. Recombining the sampled sounds of copying machines, Xerophonics delivers an extended pun on sampling itself, copying the sound of copying. Fans of the cut-up, reorganized sounds of Christian Marclay; Stock, Hausen, and Walkman; and Negativland will enjoy these sonic x-rays of the ghosts in photocopying machines. Xerophonics is dance music for disaffected office workers, grindcore for fanzine formatters, and ambient soundtrack for mystics in the age of ubiquitous machines.
Data 80 - Data 80 - Tresor
Data 80 is the new project from Hakan Lidbo, and it is definitely the most pop influenced album to have ever been released by the Mille Plateaux/Force Inc. stable. Data 80 was the only artist with two tracks featured on the "Digital Disco" compilation and this album is filled with 12-tracks of funked up vocoder ed disco and house that are catchy as hell. Think of the French house revival of a few year�s past with the likes of Daft Punk, Cassius, Benjamin Diamond, Stardust, and you will have some idea of what this album is like. "No More Lies" could be a long lost track from Basement Jaxx�s "Rooty" album, while "You Were Always on My Mind" sounds like it came straight off of Daft Punk�s "Homework".
Jeff Parker - Like Coping - Delmark
Debut solo full length from guitarist jeff parker, one of the most prolific improvisers & composers on the Chicago new jazz scene, who has also established a reputation as a member of The Chicago Underground Duo & Trio, Tortoise, Isotope 217, and Ernest Dawkins� New Horizons Ensemble. An intimate setting, full of the melodic compositions, uncanny phrasing, and chordal mastery which have become the hallmarks of Parker�s style. Bassist Chris Lopes and drummer Chad Taylor, last heard together on Chicago Underground�s �Playground�, round out this intuitive and versatile trio. Recorded and mixed by John Mcentire.
Pest - Necessary Measures - Ninja Tune
Debut album from Ninja�s brilliantly original new signings Pest. Music references: Frank Zappa, Kool Keith, Christian Vogel, Shostakovich, Kenny Dope. They are the Deptford Avant Garde based around Hales gallery and caf�, a multi-talented collective of musicians, producers, DJs, they directed the photoshoot, scripted their own video, designed the sleeve�.� Check.
Zongamin - Zongamin - XL
So what and who is Zongamin? He�s Susumu Mukai� incognito and Zongamin can be one of many things (for example, as a live entity it�s a five piece rock band). Where 90% of dancing music is created on computers by people who can�t play any instruments, Zongamin play the bass, drums, guitar and percussion; blurring ESG�s punk-funk elasticity and catching the attention of a varied selection of DJs (Andy Weatherall, FC Kahuna, Trevor Jackson, Soulwax...), From the dramatic opening of the Arrows cover, �Make Love Not War�, to the haunted crypt closer, �Mummies�, Zongamin mixes a peculiar brand of rock �n� roll and dance music. Trace elements include Siouxsie and The Banshees, Miles Davis, Prince, Arthur Russell, The Tornadoes, Bowie, Joy Division, The Cramps, Vincent Price era horror movies and a unique sense of humour. One for the DFA crew.
Crawling Chaos - The Gas Chair - Boutique
First release from a new label specialising in experimental and bizarre reissues. �Crawling Chaos� debut album �The Gas Chair� was one of the strangest releases to surface via Factory Records. Released on their Benelux subsidiary in 1982 it followed the electro-punk single �Sex machine� (also included here) and was a blend of post-punk psychedelia and strangely compelling sing-alongs. This cd features their entire 12 track Factory output on CD for the first time ever.
Damien Jurado - Where Shall You Take Me? - Secretly Canadian
Damien jurado is the sort of songwriter who straddles rock�s past and future, and with each record contributes a new chapter to an ever fruitful body of work This is his fifth ful length, his first for the burgeoning secretly canadian label, and is a beautiful collection of ten raymond carver-esque vignettes of terror and bliss in middle america. Mostly acoustic with sparse band arrangements, Jurado puts the darker, more complicated side of the heartland back on the map. Check. # posted by DJ Martian 6:51 PM
Electronic & Dance Music: drum n bass/ jungle, electro, breakbeat/ nu skool breaks, industrial/ electro-industrial/ ebm, synth pop/ electroclash, techno/tech house/deep house/progressive house, psychedelic trance, IDM/ experimental electronics/ ambient/ glitch sounds/ folktronica/ downbeat, jazztronica/ electro-jazz, leftfield/ instrumental/ electronified hip-hop/trip-hop. Rock Music: art-rock/ avant-prog/ avant rock, electro-rock/ epic alt-rock, experimental rock, jazz-rock, kraut rock/ math rock/ post-hardcore/ post-rock/ space-rock, darkwave/ gothic/ ethereal, dark metal, hardcore/ metalcore/ noisecore, post punk and shoegazer/dream pop sounds. Other Orbits:Kozmigroov, avant / free jazz, dub, modern composition, improvised music and many other hybrids and musical mutations.
Age: I entered this world in 1970. A British Blogger.
2014 ALBUM RELEASES: 2014 FORTHCOMING ALBUMS
using rateyourmusic.com: 2014 Album Releases [Updated Regularly] This information is updated on a continual basis.
