News & reviews (w/b 27 Aug 2010)
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Hello folks. It's been all go here this week as we've introduced fancy and special new ways of doing things here which will hopefully save time and make things run smoother (and maybe more efficiently!) The main changes for you lot is when you place an order you'll get an automated e mail as normal BUT you won't get an e mail from us anymore unless there's something missing or you'll be waiting a while for the order. But you'll now get an e mail when the order ships which is something which will hopefully improve things dramatically for everyone! Sorry it's been so long coming!
So that's the news and here's some of the weeks goodness which has arrived this week! We finally got that Walter Gibbons on vinyl, we got Beirut vinyl restocks, a new Blonde Redhead 12" single, Boris re-issues of their first two albums, a Quivers/Chora split, a cool LP by The Dictaphone, Dungen LP's, a David A. Jaycock and Moon Unit LP's on Blackest Rainbow, two nutty Lp's from Les Rallizes Denudes plus new LP's from Chris Pottinger, The Super Vacations and Conrad Schnitzler. We got super 7"s from Roots Manuva, Radiohead sticksman Philip Selway, Tricky, Funeral Party and a nicely packaged affort from The Strange Death of Liberal England. We've also got the Miles Davis 'Bitches Brew' deluxe CD and a bunch of super cheap, super classic CD's from The Fall, Cocteau Twins, Cat Power, The Birthday Party, Pixies, Huggy Bear, Interpol, Guided By Voices and Seefeel courtesy of a super special CD sale campaign. Check out the sexy Mordant tape by Mr Maxted, vinyl of the last Scorn LP, BJ Nilssen & Stillupsteypa 2LP, Warpaint split 7, oh the list goes on and on.... That should be enough to keep you folks busy for another seven days. PEACE OUT BLADE!
From the TEAM at NORMAN. x
Album of the week
Shed - The Traveller (CD/2xLP on Ostgut Ton)
Once again i'm getting my head gorgeously smashed in by the future of German techno - this time the record is all the work of one man - the incredibly gifted René Pawlowitz. After the soulful, sublime & uber-deep grooves of 'Shedding the Past' blew everyone's minds a couple of years back it's a pleasure to report another classic-in-the-making in the form of 'The Traveller'. The first track is an itchy, stunted gurner with a fabulous drumbreak. Another highlight is the 90's ambient techno inspired 'Atmo-Action', a spiritual rave odyssey that is reminiscent of some of those dreamy old Rising High bangers. This album has quite a distinct old-skool spirit actually! It's thankfully unsaturated with 3rd generation dub techno, although there are some familiar hallmarks discreetly peppered about. Varied to the max, whilst unconcerned with either totally breaking new ground OR playing it particularly safe - this is a blinding album, different from his last, that brandishes an impressive post-dubstep artillery of tough rhythms, astral synths, ecstatic breaks & lashing of intoxicating atmosphere. Oh yes.- Brian
Single Of The Week
Ducktails - Mirror Image (7" on Shdwply)
Been waiting a while for this little beauty and it's been worth the wait. Two more delicious helpings of jangle heavy, sun drenched, blissed out jams to save what's left of my crappy summer. I've been hammering 'Landscapes' and the self titled LP so it's a treat to have a couple of newies to beam off. A-side 'Apple Walk' is a bitter sweet almost ballad-esque tune that is still as light as a summer breeze and tasteful as a whole stack of Olde English Spelling Bee LP's. It's packed with the instinctual, spur-of-moment lo-fi charm I've come to expect from Matthew Mandanile's recordings. Blissful and mildly melancholic guitars coupled are with a singular distant guitar solo and an inarticulate garbled vocal delivery to create a slightly sentimental sounding ode to something important. Flip this tasty treat over and you've got a outstanding lo-fi arpeggio jam that shares a little in common with 'Deck Observatory' from 'Landscapes' and really takes you into the 'O' zone. Both sides showcase what our Ducktails man has to offer and is a must have purchase for anyone with sense. You can catch Ducktails on tour in the UK in September and if you've not already done so, take some time out and listen to the Real Estate, Alex Bleeker and the Freaks and Predator Vision/Sun Araw split LP's he has played his part in creating. I think I've said enough. PIZZA SIGNS!- Business Lady x
Reviews (in no order)
Dave
Ten kens - For Posterity (CD on Fatcat)
"The second album, 12 gracious melodies...to listen.." The newie from Ten kens is a brash brooding piece of plastic. A bit like Chucky from late 80s schlocker Child's Play, but instead of wanting to possess your children's souls, Ten kens want to possess your aural palace. It has mood, texture and rawness in spades. It has a sort of surf garage feel to it, with maybe a hint of goth indie, which is an enchanting mix. They have quite a rep on the live circuit and have played some incendiary shows apparently, with loads of car chases and explosions and crunching fight scenes. Well mebbe not the car chase/action part. It has quite a haunting feel too, and has slick dynamics and a really arid production. And one of the gents is called Dan Workman. If that doesn't make you want to purchase this CD and dance about in your aunties nightgown then I don't know what will.
:Take: - :Take: (CD on Three Four)
...Take my wife..no please take her..My wife sez to me "I want you to take me some place I've never been before, I said "Where ..the Kitchen.." ..I just got back from a pleasure trip.. I just took my mother in law to the airport..Sorry about that I suffer from Henny Youngman Syndrome and sometimes it sneaks up on me like a tiger in the darkness. This album is a bit like that. If you looked in a dictionary and looked up the words "Miserable" and "Ambiance" the chances are that Take would be gazing moodily back at you through a cigarette haze. Take is the brainchild of Jerome Boutinot, and its quite pleasant. Its a maudlin collection of soundscapes and dark hearted electronica. It's quite nice to have your earholes fondled like this sometimes. It is a bit like "Driving Miss Daisy" in the sense its quite serene and doesn't exceed 2 MPH. It do sent annoy me though like "Driving Miss Daisy"...stupid Miss Daisy (the daft racist)....so if this sounds like your type of thing you might wanna listen to it in the comfort of your own houses.
Tricky - Murder Weapon (7" on D-D-Domino)
I'm confused by this but I'd best be complimentary about it as I don't want to be beaten to a bloody pulp by Tricky or one of his minions. I play Connect4 with him every Thursday at the Day Care Centre, with Denzel Washington, Russ Le Roque and Apache Indian as ombudsman, overseeing proceedings as it can get quite violent. We played TiddlyWinks last September and two people had to go to A&E. Not a pretty sight to behold, I can assure you of that my brothers. Anyway this single is an interesting proposition...not in a "I'll give you 12 million pounds for a steamy romp with your wife...all right 6 million..well how about 2 million..all right then £87 a CurlyWurly and a copy of Razzle" kind of way. More like its just plain hard to pin down. The flip side has a haunting cover of a Britney Spears song. At least I'm not confused about this track. It's arse...Main track 2, flip side 0...
S. Carey - All We Grow (CD on JagJaguWar)
This is a really nice collection of lovelorn ballads and moving compositions from Sean Carey, of Bon Iver. Its quiet, understated and to be fair, quite brilliant. It has great production and amazing songsmithery. It has emotion and depth. It's a bit like this reviewer...Ohh!! I'm just kidding. I have the emotional depth of a puddle. All of the songs on this album almost brought a tear to my eye while I was listening to it. I then realized I had my bottom caught in a mousetrap so that explained my watery eye escapades. It is achingly beautiful though and should probably come with a box of tissues. My favourite tunes are the title track, which not so much tugs your heartstrings as wrestles them to the ground, then gives you two dead arms and puts freshly cut grass down your jumper, and track four "Rothko Fields", which is heartstoppingly beautiful. Its a potential classic and a really strong release. Come and cry on the shoulder of majesty...
Logo - La Vie Moderne (12" EP on Kitsune Maison)
This EP is pretty sweet. Its a bit 70s Italian disco, mixed with the slick production of Moroder. Its well fashionable. It made me want to roll up a £20 note and get to work on some devils dandruff. Then maybe stumble into a fashionable night club and flex it only to wonder why all the babes are backing away from me with looks of disgust..then I look down and realise I haven't put my pants on. Its uptempo dance music with an emphasis on uptempo. I guess its solid and reliable...a bit like Burt Reynolds or Arsenal's back four, circa late 80s/early 90s. Top stuff.....
Dungen - Skit I Allt (LP on Subliminal Sounds)
I'm really feeling this album. It's well prog!! It flounces about all over the place like an 17th century fop. It has sterling musicianship, and more space-mysticism then you could shake a lightsabre at. I reckon it doffs a massive wizards hat to the Canterbury sound, as it has many pastoral segues and haunting acoustics. Then the next moment it will be mounting a jet black steed of progressive rock power and galloping into the war of hearts. It sounds like it was recorded in another time, before people had two eyes, and the moon was young and you were even younger. The protagonists play all manner of instruments really well, so there's none of that Jack of all trades, master of none shite. It's really good and spending 55 minutes in there mystical company was a real joy! A massive piece of fanfuckingtastic pie!!
David A. Jaycock - Presets (LP on Blackest Rainbow)
...I broke my leg in two places, My doctor says I should stop going to those places..there's nothing like a shitty joke to liven up proceedings. This David A. Jaycock sounds like he needs some crap gags to turn his frown upside down. I don't know the feller, he could be the happiest man alive, with a basket of puppies and clothes made of sweets and saccharine smiles. I wager he isn't. His music is maudlin misery and it's your entertainment. It sounds quite good and he's obviously an accomplished songwriter. His strengths are texture and mood, understated vocals and shimmering electronica. His weaknesses are alcoholism and dropsy. I'm just kidding...this album is quite the sprawling opus it wants to be, and is intent on wringing sadness and melancholy from every musical sponge. It might be a miserablist classic....
Business lady talks a whole lot of shit
Johnny Flynn - Barnacled Warship (7" on Transgressive)
J.F likes to keep busy. I saw him on the tele-box the other night and now here he is again, singing out of the stereo box. 'Barnacled Warship' is a brooding little sea shanty based around a catchy little cello riff. It's a pop single and a folk song all in one. The chorus doesn't stand up as well as the sinister verse line but it's still kickin' it, fighting the good fight...etc. The B-side contains two poems written and performed by big J.F himself. I can't review poetry, it ain't my field. I find it difficult enough to review the music so I'll leave the poems up to you guys to decipher.
Philip Selway - By Some Miracle (7" on Bella Union)
You should know Mr. Selway's name, he's the drummer of the relatively well known British rock band Radiohead. Selway's been running with a bad crowd of late, doing a bit of charity work with the likes of Neil Finn of Crowded House amongst others (Eddie Vedder...it's no crime being wealthy lad, enjoy yourself and stop bothering me with your charitable spirit). On 'By Some Miracle' Selway sings and plays guitar with Lisa Germano and a bunch of other folks. He crafts an enchanting folksy number and doe's it with taste and dignity. I prefer his drumming efforts myself but there you go, it's still a nice little single.
Red Stars Over Tokyo - Not Moving (LP on Hothair)
Red Stars Over Tokyo return with a new selection of minimalist drones and ambient compositions on the Hothair label. What can i say about this guy? Previously he's been known to touch on neo-classical type stuff whilst occasionally drifting into minimalist techno. Now he's in it purely for the electronic drones, crafting dreamy sleep inducing tones that drift peaceful from the hi-fi system and leave the Norman staffers feeling at ease with the world around them. Sorta reminds me of Dolphins Into the Future but without the dolphin sounds. Kinda new age but with the purest synthesizer aesthetic you'd expect from Emeralds. Tranquil and pleasing stuff indeed.
The Dictaphone - S/T (LP on Kill Shamen)
The Dictaphone is the work of a one (French) man band. The sleeve is all cryptic and features a kid sorta dancing with a cute little Simba-esque lion cub. Musically this record is KING! Imagine a one man version of The Residents smoking pipes and jamming with Kurt Vile and Ty Segall on a frustratingly wet afternoon in July and you'll get some idea of what this sounds like. The Dictaphone man noodles it up on the guitar, he turns up the distortion pedal, he smashes through a bunch of drum kits, he gets freaky wild on the mic and generally fuck's shit up and, best of all, he doesn't give two poops if you like it or not. You will like it though, because it's mint. Twisted industrial outbursts punctuated by kick ass garage rock and bizarre electronic experimentation, what more could a boy/girl ask for? Ice cream? A deal sweetener certainly but the record will do just fine.
Walter Gibbons - Jungle Music (Double LP/CD on Strut)
Walter Gibbon's is a name i don't think I've ever heard before which comes as a surprise considering his output and his contributions toward the evolution of modern dance music...I'm all embarrassed now. It's funny how much of this stuff can pass you by. In the press release he is described as 'one of the most important and unheralded DJ / remixers in New York dance music history'. He was out there on the starting line mixing up two identical records Kool Herc style way back in '75. Famous for his pioneering reel-to-reel edits and mad production skills, Gibbon's is responsible for a bunch of sweet extented disco cuts that would eventually form the basis of house music and bridge the gap between disco and hip-hop. On 'Jungle Music' (the name given by his peers for this new kind of music) we are treated to nine super extended mixes including takes on Gladys Knight's 'It's A better Than Good Time', Sandy Mercer's 'You Are My Love' and Arthur Russell's 'Calling All Kids'. Everything on here sounds totally boss. Gibbon's knows how to throw a few abstract shapes into the blender and mix things up proper and for that alone he should be rewarded. Being a fan of Chicago DJ pioneers like Ron hardy and Frankie Knuckles I'm surprised I've never heard any of this stuff. Anyway, a must have collection worth further investigation.
The Super Vacations - Thicker Milk (LP on Shdwply)
I've only heard the one single by these Norfolk, Virginia based characters ('Henry' i think it was called) and i thought it was pretty sweet but they've totally surpassed themselves on this long player. Sitting somewhere in the new and previously un-mined territory of lo-fi, surf and psych The Super vacations manage to sound like many things whilst maintaining their own identity and crafting sweet tun-age at the same time. 'Thicker Milk' serves up 21 nuggets of lovably shonky lo-fi pop gems that totally kick ass. I can hear elements of the Woodsist/Captured Tracks stable here but there are also got moments of classic psych and surf to mull over too. Some bits have got a Spectrals-esque 50's style reverb drenched rock 'n' roll thing going on but I'm also digging their Guided By Voice/Sebadoh style dedication to writing proper catchy tunes and slappin' them down on the cheapest recording gear they can find. Totally great LP, nice work lads.
Boduf Songs - This Alone Above All Else In Spite Of Everything (LP on Kranky)
This Boduf Songs LP is well whispery. Don't recall ever hearing Boduf Songs but from the minute the needle hits the wax i feel compelled to take the whole Boduf Song vibe very seriously. Musically, we are talking super minimalism. Tracks are recorded with a singular microphone and are primarily made up of one instrument and a vocal that generally dominates the track. This is due mainly to the bleak lyrical content and the husky, whispered vocal delivery of B.S mastermind Mathew Sweet. Another reason why i know this is super serious business is that the lyrics are printed in full on the front of the sleeve. Here's an example from opener 'Bought Myself A Cat O'Nine' that might get the party started 'My hammer feels the urge to nail you to the ground, to smash one through your cheek and splinter into wooden floorboards.' That's heavy shit dude. So, if you like your music kick-ass moody you'll probably dig this little number. Some of the instrumentation is fantastic and the minimalist approach to instrumentation really compliments the sparse vocal arrangements, It even kicks of into full band mode from time to time which is also pretty effective. Kinda hard to pin down a fair comparison but it doe's have a little in common with the likes of Vic Chestnutt or perhaps Red House Painters as well as hinting at The For carnation. Bleak stuff.
Ant
Tweak Bird - Tweak Bird (CD/ LP on Souterrain Transmissions)
Now this is some good old fashioned heavy rock... The duo are brothers and this is their debut album. This has been produced by The Dutch Uncles which is Dale Crover of the Melvins and Toshi Yasai and they get a really weighty sound. Tweak Birds sound is kinda a blend of classic heavy rock/metal like Black Sabbath combined with 60's psychedelic elements and themes of space travel. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable record with some catchy hooks and infectious riffs. Certainly comparable to Big Business and 'Stag' period Melvins. All good fun.
Surgeon - Fabric 53 (CD on Fabric)
It's hard to believe that this is only Surgeon's second ever mix CD. He used to put out a fair amount of records back in the late 90's but really not much at all these days. This is a welcome selection mixing up 30 tracks, presumably in Ableton. It's a heady mix of techno and UK bass music expertly blended. Surgeon really knows how to construct a mighty fine journey through his DJ sets and this documents that wonderfully. There are some cracking tunes on here from Scuba, Forward Strategy Group, Starkey, Robert Hood, Gatekeeper, Ancient Methods, Ital Tek, Greena, Planetery Assault Systems, Orphx. There's a health balance of dark and lighter tracks, always with an emphasis on infectious rhythm and almost narcotic groove. The set ends with two euphoric funkers from Russ Gabriel and DJ Overdose. This is coming in the car with me..... Highly recommended. I think the cover is a bit shite though but that's a minor gripe.
Moon Unit - Hell Horse and Heady Stratus (LP on Blackest Rainbow)
I've only ever heard the 'New Sky Dragon' LP and know little about them other than Ruaraidh Sanachan from Nackt Insecten and Andreas Jonsson of Lanterns are members along with Peter Kelly. The first side opens with the epic 'The Solar Skull' which is an expansive, swirling psyche-fest with big wah-wah guitar. 'Mother's Ruin' increases the intensity to high levels with wailing guitar and crashing drums that make for a full on freak out. 'Too Many Blues' is another top jam with the guitar coming across like Michael Flower at times. 'Ten Horse Hairs' mellows things out with its soothing and tranquil celestial drones. Then back into monster jam mode with closer 'Earth Collision' and oh my, what a jam this is... A full on magic carpet ride through the cosmos. Edition of 500 copies in lovely sleeve designed by Jake Blanchard.
Chris Pottinger - Moist Membrane (LP on Tasty Soil Records)
Chris Pottinger is a name you may be familiar with if you've heard Slither, Odd Clouds or Cotton Museum. This guys art has an awesome style... highly detailed but quirky cartoon macabre adorns this lovely sleeve and the sounds on this 45RPM LP reflect the weird nature of the illustrations. Recorded in his basement, this record has two tracks. The first of which 'Moist Membrane' is a delicious slice of Michigan horrorcore in a Wolf Eyes/ Dead Machines mould. His tools are Saxophone, analog synth and zither and here creates a startling disturbed soundscape that evokes images of strange little creature infestation. 'Dripping Dead' is equally unsettling with scrapping sounds, a sinister pulse and almost spooked horror analog synth. Hand numbered edition of 400 copies. I really dig this!
Chora/Quivers - Split (LP on Ultramarine)
Choras side on this recorded it totally spooked. The line up here is Rob Lye, Ben Morris, Ben Nash and Karl Brummer. Cloning my eyes it's not difficult to imagine being on some shamanic ceremony or ritual. Although this is clearly freely improvised it feels very controlled with a clear vision, although what that is I'm unsure. 'I Met An Oak Tree As Tall As My Finger: And It Was Suffering' Is a super mysterious blend of reeds, percussion and bowed instruments. Quivers side pairs up nicely with Chora's with both complementing the others sound. Stylistically quite similar although Quivers approach is far less subtle opting for itchy and intense hyperactive sounds that build a strange and almost unfathomable abstract sound world with glimpses of something tangible. Like Chora there's also a sort of free jazz methodology at work here.
Conrad Schnitzler - Zum (LP on m=minimal)
This is a startling icy futuristic composition originally released on private tape in 1974. The twenty minute piece builds from cold pulsating snares that become very hypnotic and then huge waves of cascading synthesizer. I guess it's fairly minimal in terms of its component parts but the overall effect and attention to detail is magnificent. For more contemporary comparisons I'd say it's like a cross between Hecker, Richie Hawtin and Pete Namlook. Flip the record for a couple of remixes, the first of which is by Pole. In his capable hands the reshape takes on new life as a shuffling metallic head nodder with deep late night listening potential. Finally a remix from borngräber and strüverborngräber has a slow stomping kick that reminds me of Daft Punk's 'Da Funk'. Over its 10:32min duration it builds into a fairly brooding and sleazy techno track that could have come out of Belgium in 1989. All three tracks are winners!
Cindytalk - Up Here In The Clouds (CD on Editions Mego)
Cindytalk is somewhat of a rotating cast centering around Gordon Sharp, who I thought came across as being a wonderful spirit in his recent interview in The Wire. These recordings were created between 2003-2010. This sounds great from the moment I hit play. It's difficult to tell if the sounds of waves across a shore are field recordings that have been processed or purely synthetic. Meanwhile ghostly tones hover above opener 'The Eighth Sea'. Onto 'We Are Without Words' which really grows building tension and a sort of slightly uncomfortable Euphoria. 'I Walk Until I Fall' has a howling digital wind with superb cracked electronics and glitched up textures. Then some super imaginative sound design enters the mix. I could waffle on all day about this so I'll stop now. Like any really decent electronic music, it is beyond words and should be experienced rather than talked about. Highly recommended.
Scorn - Refuse; Start Fires (2LP/ CD on Ohm Resistance)
This somehow managed to evade our review pile upon its CD release a few weeks ago. Now it's on on juicy double vinyl so it seemed appropriate for me to tell you how FUCKIN GREAT this album is. Now there is one thing you can say about Mick Harris' output; that is that it's consistent. Any style he applies himself to he seems to master, whether it be isolationist ambient or ultra heavy dubstep (well lets face it, a fair amount of his productions have been proto-dubstep). 2007's 'Stealth' full length seemed to fit into what was happening at the time but with an ultra heavy style that could only be Mick Harris. So is this follow up album more of the same? Well yes and no... Some of the tracks follow the ludicrously heavy mechanical electronic beat template of previous work, however, this time round Ian 'Yan' Tracy has been enlisted to play live drums which Harris has then given the good ole fashioned dub treatment and it really does work well. What I find interesting is why he chose not to play the drums himself? What with him being such an innovative skin thumper back in his Napalm Death Days.... Perhaps he cant drum slow enough, maybe he sees a kick drum and becomes possessed and starts pounding away like Animal from the Muppets and so he had to get his mate in.... Anyway There are some absolute monter tracks on here. For example 'Take Someones Eye Out' is ludicrously heavyweight and would slip in nicely into a mix with some techno. 'LT94' is full of slow thudding and snappy percussion with shuddering bass growls and atmospherics from the darkest void. It's extreme, apocalyptic dub heaven, but then it's Scorn so I would expect nothing less. Seasoned followers will add this to their collection with joy, while newcomers should watch their bassbins. Thoroughly satisfying.
V.I.V.E.K - Feel It (2x12" + Mix Session CD on Deep Medi Music)
This is the second release on Mala's Deep Medi label from V. Shadra, and is four tracks on heavyweight vinyl accompanied by a 45 minute mix CD which includes all four tracks plus a ton of dubplates. Opener 'Feel It' is PROPER dubstep. No cookie cutter stuff here, just the purest, huge bass machinations with spiritual vocal sample, trance inducing tablas and all out interstellar good vibes with all the hallmarks of ace early to mid-period DMZ. A swift flip over to 'Grandfather Clock' which has a metronomic ticking that prepares for a rolling mid-tempo burner that is total fuckin' class. This one is on a wee bit of the techy side; with repetitive hi-hats low in the mix and a sort of dual bassline/ synth attack, complete with reverbed clock dongs. This has all the elements of a crucial smoke filled 2AM floor filler. I'm really digging this guys warm and full production sound, he's totally nailed it. A subtle track which is astonishingly infectious. Onto the second plate with 'Motherland' with its fairly minimal construction and Indian vocal sample. Again the tablas appear and build towards a spacious breakdown before the bass kicks back in for some stare out your toes meditative bass worshiping complete with some endless delay added to the vocals and atmospherics. 'Strategy' is a dub techno/ garage hybrid of supreme brilliance. An enchanting feel-good odyssey that ticks all the boxes. It makes me think of what Kevin Saunderson and Maurizio might have come up with in some fantasy scenario where they worked within a shuffling melodic garage template. One of those tunes which really makes me want to start punching the air in slow motion. When I put thee first slab of vinyl on my 1210 there was so much static on there, that it literally hoovered up a zillion micro-fibres from my slipmat and I had to get thee trusty magic brush out. Annoying, but like my misbehaving children, my love for this doublepack is unconditional. Magnetic dub of the highest order > Meditate on bass weight indeed!
BJ Nilsen & Uppstaypa - Space Finale (2LP/ cassette on Editions Mego)
This was previously a cassette only release and has now been given the full 2LP vinyl treatment. To begin to attempt to articulate the audio on here is an intimidating process to say the least. I'm actually inclined to not even bother to translate the magnificent drones and abstractions this pair have created. In many ways it feels futile and somehow wrong to try and contextualise this sonic world into mere text. Yes it is a total cop-out from a reviewing perspective but pinning this audio down could prove an endless task, and indeed one beyond my capabilities of the English language. I believe Mr. Bruce Lee once said (see Enter The Dragon) "Don't look; feeeeeeeel" and I am feeling this one a whole lot. Close your eyes and be transported.
Mr Maxted - Momentum (Cassette on Mordant Music)
We've been fortunate to score some copies of this wicked tape of total post industrial analogue synthesizer heaven. Anyone that picked up the LP will know what to expect; futuristic, dark, raw electronics that have benefited for yee good old tape saturation. This really is fantastic malfunctioning sci-fi, that sounds like it was created in some bunker laboratory on Mars. This really takes me back to a golden age in electronic music and is everything I love about early synth pop, electro, techno, New beat... blah blah blah. Grab one while you can and watch out for those Dalek's!!! Retailing at £6.66.
Phil
Blonde Redhead - Here Sometimes (12" on 4AD)
Oooh. Blonde Redhead are back. To say I used to be obsessed is probably an understatement. Melody Of Certain Damaged Lemons still does it for me every time I hear it. Man I love that album! They've got more polished over the years and some of the early fuzzyness and guitar mess has been replaced with a more poppy sombre tone. Here Sometimes is the first track from forthcoming opus 'Penny Sparkle'. It's a stripped back tune with it mainly consisting of a weird electronic beat, Kazu's delicate breathy vocals and some synthy business and that's pretty much it. It's a slow tune which builds up into a slightly busier slow tune. Certainly sounds better on 2nd listen but it's not awe inspiring. It sounds like some 80's synthpop band that's escaping me now. Bugger.... The flipside is a remix of of 'Love or Prison' by Kastellet which is a downbeat sombre sounding tune which I vastly prefer to the A side. It's stripped back again not much going on in there but what is in there is proper wrist slashy and mardy. Regular readers will know how I like to keep it mardy. Oh and it's on super thick heavy vinyl. Nice!
Timber Timbre - Demon Host (7" on Full Time Hobby)
I'm not familiar with this dude but I sat and listened to his album this morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. His real name is Taylor Kirk (remember it's important to have a stage name to protect your identity) and he makes music of a singer songwriter flavour. That particular flavour is a very bare bones ernest sounding one with it mainly being him and a guitar with the odd occasional piano creeping through. It's powerful stuff though for a formula you've heard a million times before it's good when someone comes along armed with their brain, mouth, hands and guitar and make something which has the power to make your hairs prick up on your hand. There's something very slightly Richard hawley ish about this but I think it's just the way his voice is recorded. It's timeless stuff with nods towards alt country and folk and I'd like to say it delivers. Mine's a pepperoni with extra onion Mr Kirk.
Sisu - Sharp Teeth / Stranger Skin (7" on Hell Yes!)
Sisu is Sandy Vu from The Dum Dum Girls and this is her debut release of her own new thing which she can call her own. It's good to have something you feel like you can call your own. Apparently the guy who runs the label liked this so much he played the songs on loop for 3 hours. That's a level of commitment I personally have to admire being that I don't think I can do anything at all for 3 hours without wandering off in front of traffic or something. Sandy's vocals on Sharp teeth really sound like Natasha Bat For Lashes Khan and mix those in with a slow plodding beat, a nice late 80's slightly gothy bassline and some Brad Laner/ Medicine abrasive guitars and you've got the pop smash on your hands. It comes in an amazing sleeve with various shapes cut out of it and some crazy splatty coloured vinyl. Lovely lovely lovely looking thing I say!
M. Ostermeier - Chance Reconstruction (CD on Tench Recordings)
Aw, this is lovely. I've heard this a few times now and it's winning me over! Ole 'M' had a CD out on Hibernate a while back which was well received by us and you lot. Here's his 2nd album and it features Mr M constructing some lovelyness using piano, electronics, guitar and acoustics. It's spot on gorgeous as well... you'll get a dab of maudlin sounding piano popping up and then some electronics appear out of nowhere and together everything is layered densely and richly in a way that your heart desires! well that is if you're into this kind of thing. if not then you'll want to stab it up but personally it's one of the finest examples of neo classical experimentation I've heard in a while. There's deffo elements of Harold Budd and Labradford in there (especially the Buddmeister) as well as contemporary tykes like Nils Frahm and Goldmund. Thoroughly excellent from start to finish and it gets my official stamp of approval!
Brett
So erm.. I don't think there's much I can really say about this record that hasn't already been said a hundred times before. I mean it's a total masterpiece and, as the LP that really brought fusion to the world at large, one of the most influential releases in the history of popular music. Even without Miles this thing'd be fucking insane: Wayne Shorter already had a few legendary releases of his own to his name by this point whilst the likes of John McLaughlin (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Chick Corea (Return To Forever) and Joe Zawinul (Weather Report) would all launch illustrious and long-lived groups off the back of these sessions.. To mention a few! Everyone involved totally smokes and contributes fully to the concoction of the heady, dense voodoo broth. You takes your choice of two versions, the double CD comes with a DVD of a 1969 Copenhagen concert while the vinyl set features all of the above plus an extra CD, giant booklet etc. etc. If you've not got this in your life then might I suggest that it could be time for that to change?
Roots Manuva ft. Ricky Ranking - Jah Warriors (7" on Big Dada)
I reckon this is the best thing I've heard ol' Rodney Smith do for a fair old while. It's a slight darkening of the upbeat dancehall sound he was doing last album around (even retaining the prominent steel drum that was all over that stuff) and all the better for the murkier, more psychedelically dubby feel which almost recalls the deep jungle humidity of prime Lee Perry productions. Ricky Ranking, Jonathan Ross's favourite MC, guests and the two contrasting vocal styles work a treat in the crafting of a satisfying and understatedly catchy number. 'Bashment Bogle' features a few highly comical couplets which 'Rebuff' is a reworking of that 'Buff Nuff' tune from a couple of years back and doesn't seem quite as instantly tiresome as it did originally.
No Age - Glitter (7" / 12" on Sub Pop)
I used to think these guys were about the most overrated band on the planet but I've got to say that the last few things I've heard by them have grown on me a bit. The lead track here is a bit of an odd one with its strangely bleary mid-range production style.. Everything else about it reminds me of Dinosaur Jr. because of the lazily delivered vocal melody and the noisy, atonal guitar line that runs right the way through it but the comparison doesn't quite seem right because of the haze of it all. Fuck it, it's the best I'm gonna give you. The 7" and 12" feature different extra tracks and, as Business Lady has just pointed out, they're gonna appeal to the folks who've been into that last Wavves album as they mine a pretty similar sort of furrow.
Concern - Caesarean (CD on Slow Flow)
Concern is the project of Oregon's Gordon Ashworth who's taking tape manipulation and running with it on this album which includes a couple of earlier rarities by way of bonus cuts. Inevitably there's a William Basinski sort of feel to his ambience as his tapes wear out, repeat and decay with that beautiful trademark warmth which is in stark contrast with the heavily synth-based sound of much of the recent (tidal) wave of modern ambient music and provides very welcome relief from it, at least to my jaded ears. At times harmonium drones feature very prominently while he also gets piano, banjo and guitar involved from time to time, amongst other instrumentation. It's definitely of the 'involving listen' type of ambience rather than the 'passive snoozathon' type and I can see it really appealing to those who were into the Concert Silence releases. High class ass.
Les Rallizes Denudes - Heavier Than a Death in the Family (Double LP on Phoenix) and Blind Baby Has Its Mother's Eyes (LP on Phoenix)
It feels like I've been waiting for these lads to come in for AGES. Bootlegs of bootlegs they may be, but Les Rallizes' stuff's only ever been available in bootleg form anyway as they were way too fucking cool and reclusive to even consider something so dull as an actual, proper and official album. If you've never heard them before they're pretty much the black-clad progenitors of the Velvet Underground-worshipping line of underground Japanese rock which would later include the likes of Fushitsusha and they took the super-loose, jammy, psych-noise-rock template about as far as it's possible to imagine it going way before anyone else had even thought about setting off. Expect swirling vortexes of feedback-strewn guitar howling, echoing vocal yelps, clanging, meandering and highly repetitive basslines and a truckload of nasty attitude for your money. That's got to be money well spent, no? In other news, I just went to buy ice creams and Ant managed to put his Cornetto away in literally about 80 seconds.
Boris - Absolutego (Double LP on Southern Lord) / Amplifier Worship (Double LP on Southern Lord
BORIIIIIS! First two albums! Heavy double vinyl in gatefold sleeves! BORIIIIIIIIIS! I guess if you're more familiar with their recent straightforwardly balls-out rock stuff some of their earlier material might come as a little bit of a surprise being super droney and everything but these two by no means jettison the riffs entirely, preferring to use them as the crushing payoffs to lengthy periods of buildup, tension and zoning out that conjure a psychedelically doomy post-metal kind of impression. Absolutego is the more minimal of the two.. It's a good 'un but personally I'm more of a fan of Amplifier Worship with 'Hama' being a particular favourite. Flood, Heavy Rocks and Akuma No Uta nxt plz.
Brian
The Strange Death Of Liberal England - Rising Sea (Nicely packaged 7" on some label or other)
Well, this lot were always mildly popular on the fringes. Sort of poppy baroque indie. They had a vocalist with the most curious of voices if I remember rightly. Now they've simply turned into Arcade Fire. No really. They have totally BECOME Arcade Fire. Arcade Fire are now officially OUT OF A JOB. Oi Canadians! GET DAHN the job centre. Oh actually, they're not open today. But you could always busk outside and earn yersen a few pennies that way. Go on, you could dress like Dexy's Midnight Runners. This is totally worth buying for the elaborate flag which wraps the whole package up that everyone in this office thinks resembles a tea towel. Kind of makes up for the uber-dire B-side anyway, these lot were always concentrating on the grand designs over the quality of the music.....
V/A - Total 11 (2xCD/3xLP on Kompakt)
I was once under the impression Kompakt was a dead-in-the-water minimal techno label that just shoveled bland, drippy 4/4 onto the market, years after it's initial glory days were over. Maybe in the mid 00's it had run out of steam a bit, I dunno - I certainly never dreamed i'd be intrigued & eager enough to buy anything brandishing THAT name. How completely fucking wrong I was. Seemingly, German techno (& its many hybrid offshoots) has become revitalized, re-energised & fluidly funky again - these annual double disc journals being the year's contemporary benchmark by which many other acts & labels can only be judged. I can't easily start picking out key moments here but the general vibe is of eclectic crisp 'n' fresh electronica forged from old techno & house templates that takes inspiration from various strands of "non-electronic" music such as Krautrock, soul & rockabilly. You'll get anything from slick emo-house to deep mind-rattling techno and so, so much inbetween. This album works as much as a background mood setter as it could completely slay a party. Much of the cream of today's European dance music is to be lapped up here, get it while it's extra fresh for optimum delight!!
Antony & the Johnsons - Thank You For Your Love (5 track CD/12" EP on Rough Trade)
Another act who regularly polarises the office down the middle is old warbly chops and his sad-eyed baroque balladry. Personally I've always respected his wavering, soulful heartfelt take on things, even if his voice can often err on the erm....aquired taste side. You cannot deny he's one of the most distinctive vocalists on the planet these days. The fact he's added his tragic tones to so many cool, contemporary records over the last few years is testament to his worth & the love he commands. This new EP opens with the title track, a kind of ever-intensifying stax-soul ballad which is pretty darn ace. Ignoring the "wistful fat man at a piano" style un-plaudits he's receiving from a certain corner of the office, 'You are the Treasure' is an understated slice of melancholy & heartbreak that will test the hardest heart. The sombre piano-led tone continues unabated until the twinkly MOR of 'Pressing On', his voice becoming more of a strange comfort than ever until...until he goes and nearly DESTROYS every good thing he's ever done by covering the overrated, sickly & sentimental pile of audio gash that is Lennon's 'Imagine' If you could cut CDs with scissors then i'd shave off about 2 and a half inches of this shiny fucker just so that...THAT THING could never torment me again. Vinyl lovers - get yer stanleys out at the ready. You lose a whole star for that, damn FOOL.
Dum Dum Girls - Stiff Little Fingers/Dream Away Life (US Import 7" on Hell, Yes!)
That ghostly, rattly indie that the Dum Dum Girls produce is starting to make total sense now. Like the Shop Assistants crossed with Moon Duo is the closest I can get to describing 'Stiff Little Fingers' - possibly a tribute to the Irish Punk wonderkids who properly kicked off the whole Rough Trade empire, I do wonder? Problem is with this rhoobarb 'n' custard motorik pop is that if you strip out the vocals it does sound a bit like a Fat Truckers record pitched down -6, playing out of a bin. Which is great for ME but for you lot of trendy hep-cats? Do you know what you are doing? The flip is like a Mazzy Star choon being covered by Best Coast before she/they lost all the lo-fi reverb & hypnagogic elements. Dunno which side I prefer, they're both quite charming. Limited as heck, no doubt, on the uber-cool Hell, Yes! imprint!
Sunburned & Paul Flaherty - Unmuzzled Ox (Ltd mad shit-fest LP on Manhand, Edn of 200)
Righto. What I want this minute is a bit of mad-as-chips drunken skronk-jazz mess with a monged arcade feel & some warped 'n' slurred dialogue intermittently scaring the shit out of all & sundry. Oh please, can I? This album may just answer my prayers. Paul Flaherty cocking around with everyone's beloved acid-fried munters Sunburned Hand of the Man at ajn apparently legendary show in Northampton MA. The tenor Sax on here is suitably deranged, but it's the absolutely unhinged maelstrom of sound - stumbling, flyaway drums; fuzzed-out electronics; buried strands of damaged synth & these crazy, muffled gibbering vocals & ruined samples that cause the most aural unrest. This is the caustic sound of whacked-out drugjazz & misanthropic party ruining electroid sludge - side 2 sounds like an apocalyptic sermon in a zoo on flygaric mushrooms & peyote. The audio equivalent of the really fucked-up trippy nightmare scenes in Gilliam's Fear & Loathing, these guys should have been the house band. Insane & beyond...
214 - Cascadian Nights (Ace 12" on Touchin' Bass)
Gotta totally love Andrea Parker's dogged determination to stick with releasing progressive electro even though, in her own words, most of the things she throws onto the market don't even break even for her in this current climate of dubstep overload & minimal techno. Chris Roman's 214 material is her latest squeeze & i'm not surprised her ears have been seduced! This is proper detailed, crisp & full-frontal electro funk with a thoroughly dynamic scope. With acts like Bitstream, they took the often cold mechanisms of "IDM" and shoved them through some android party shredder so it still sounded alien but you could well imagine totally losing it on a dancefloor to their disintegrating beats, dislocating rhythms & haunting synths! This guy's got that very same magic. His tunes have this superb shuddering futuristic feel - very technical & precise - but all of a sudden you'll get this amorphous synthline, like on 'Sprockets', that'll just have the hairs on your neck sticking up and then your spine melts. Not so many people can make electro that spills with so many progressive ideas, yet keeps the groove snaking so majestically. Ant & I are really feeling this one. Definately for fans of Nomadic, Quinoline Yellow, Bitstream & Gescom's clubbier excursions. Smart as...
Clint=idiot
Crippled Black Phoenix 'I Vigilante' (CD/LP on Invada)
Supergroups eh? Here's a post rock one. Can they do for post rock what Emerson Lake and Palmer did for prog? Or what Tired Pony have done for......um........um..........Anyway this is the first time I've come across them. I've been told that past members include a Mogwai and a Portishead though the names on the current CD are less familiar. The music is grandiose progressive rock music with huge guitars and crashing drums. The songs tend to be freeform in spirit breaking down into some lovely gentle piano interludes then building back up again into rock behemoth mode. So far i've quite enjoyed it - despite the skyscraping guitars theres not quite the pomposity of some other post rock bands i could mention.
Goodnight Lenin 'Crook in the Creek' (7" Static Caravan)
Static Caravan is often a mark of quality amongst the billions of records we have to wade through each week just so you, my dear reader can part with your hard earned cash on the odd lavish gem that pops through the murk. There are two this week first off is Goodnight Lenin ...well theres no way round this... and it may be a good or bad thing depending on your viewpoint but the rollicking folky tune on the A side closely resembles Mumford and Sons. You know that kind of upbeat strummy thing they do? Just like that. The B side does something similar. Men singing tuneful songs together, Oxbridge education, a mandolin, jumpers around shoulders, streams of Pimms.
The Yellow Moon Band 'Barehed' (7" on Static Caravan)
On Yellow vinyl (the good people at Static Caravan don't just throw these things together you know), for some reason I was expecting this to feature Warp like electronics but no its a 1 minute progressive metal jam. Cream, Led Zep type of thing. Not for me. More to my liking is the B side which is much more tuneful slice of instrumental guitar rock, the type of lovely composition that Pell Mell or Scenic might have come up with in their hey day. It does have a bit of the Allman Brothers in it but thats no bad thing right?
Warpaint/Sister Crayon 'Bowie Tribute split' (7" on Manimal)
Warpaint are the lot that Brian likes. Well he's a red blooded male, they are attractive ladies with a predeliction for on stage wind machines - who can blame him? The pressing plant have cocked up the labels so the A side is labelled the B side and vice versa. Idiots. Can't anyone get anything right? Which makes it even more confusing as its a split single but strangely both bands sound the same. Warpaints 'Ashes to Ashes' and its extremely faithful to the original. Again like my whines last week about the same songs being covered over and over I wonder if theres any need for this. I mean Keane all but covered it a couple of years ago. But as its played slower it does have a certain melancholy about it and hearing lovely lady voices rather than the quivery Bowie delivery does definitely add something. They've definitely manage to pull it off with aplomb, Brian. There's a bit of Hope Sandoval in the vocal delivery and something of The XX in the playing of Sister Crayon who tackle another Bowie track 'The Bewley Brothers' on the other side (the B side as we call it in the trade). This song is unknown to me so its of more interest despite the really annoying synth which snakes through the track.
teamNORM x
