PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

Started by GEWALTMONOPOL, December 15, 2009, 09:30:59 PM

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Yrjö-Koskinen

KATATONIA - Dance of December Souls (CD)
This is an album about which I am utterly uncritical, since it was first released and digested by myself when I was at that age when permanent fixtures are assigned to the mental Classics Gallery never to go away. Apart from the amazingly awesome pink cover, which I loved then and love now, there are a lot of interesting things going on here. For a listener checking this out these days I am not sure that the unique feeling of the thing comes across, given the amount of slow, doom-ish sad metal that has been produced in the past twenty-something years, but that is really that listeners problem. Extremely characteristic drum work, great, sorrowful string melodies, decent levels of synthesizer work, and hysteria infused vocals screaming psychedelic lyrics about literal worlds of depression. An additional bonus is a certain inconsistency between the tracks, which has been masterfully glossed over by the producer to make the album coherent (I seem to remember reading something about Dan Swanö taking a very active role in shaping the Jhva Elohim Meth demo, and perhaps there was something similar going on here). No matter what you think about the two hundred goth influenced albums Katatonia released later, this (along with the demo mentioned above, and also the For Funerals to Come... EP) is essential. Funeral Metal, dude.

V/A - Gelbkreuz: Silent and deadly
Well, then! A harsh noise/HNW compilation that manages to get just about everything moving in a direction I like. Two CDs (that's CDs, not CDrs) of constant, relentless noise goodness. Limiting the track length to a maximum of five minutes per track may have been largely motivated by the limitations of the format, but it also has significant and mainly positive aesthetic consequences. Some of the featured HNW stalwarts, like Vomir, would only very rarely consider making a track this short, and all static-wall stuff is re-contextualized in a way by appearing in short bursts alongside other noise assaults. Some of the more bandcampy acts feel like they've been taken from the useless anarchy of digital, potentially infinite, temporality and, and unwillingly shunted into a proper musical uniform for the greater good, if you will. The fact that much of the material is static also means that you don't really get the feeling of "excerpts" either; the noise is there and you have time to grasp it. You lose the meditative sense of disembodiment stemming from hearing the same distorted rumblings for forty-five minutes, but you gain a fun (yeah, FUN) experience. The pure noise/HNW stuff is broken up by more dynamic offerings too, like Cutcutcutcut's "Observer (Drop the Bass)", which borders on instrumental power electronics. To be overly clear: style wise there is a mix between the comparatively speaking recent form of ultra-focused, minimalist generic HNW alluded to above, and more traditional (though usually still very wall-y) harsh noise. The other mix worth mentioning is the one between established artists - Macronympha, Bastard Noise, the aforementioned Vomir, etc - and more recently established and obscure acts - among whom I will only mention Stoa, not to insult anyone's self esteem or reveal ignorance of some internationally famous artiste. All in all, it makes for a great listen that at least simulates the sense of a scene overview that you'd get a few decades ago from compilation tapes. Obviously, there are so many noise people making so much so easily available music (?) these days that this sense is largely an illusion, but it still works very much in Gelbkreuz' favour. How you can print a 2CD in just 100 copies and still get any kind of profit, I'm not sure, but that's German efficiency for ya.
"Alkoholi ei ratkaise ongelmia, mutta eipä kyllä vittu maitokaan"

Ahvenanmaalla Puhutaan Suomea

FreakAnimalFinland

Quote from: Yrjö-Koskinen on September 01, 2018, 10:40:56 AM
How you can print a 2CD in just 100 copies and still get any kind of profit, I'm not sure, but that's German efficiency for ya.

Nowadays real pressed cd in edition of 100 is very much doable. Of course making 200-300 costs just about the same. Making 100 might be merely realistic expectation What could be SOLD. If label doesnt trade, moving 300 compilation could be hard. At the same time, I doubt anyone is making noise comp for "profit". I would assume at best you recoup money spent on manufacturing and rest is just personal satisfaction - instead of money, hah...

Description of comp makes me want to check it out.
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
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Yrjö-Koskinen

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on September 01, 2018, 12:53:46 PM
Nowadays real pressed cd in edition of 100 is very much doable. Of course making 200-300 costs just about the same. Making 100 might be merely realistic expectation What could be SOLD. If label doesnt trade, moving 300 compilation could be hard. At the same time, I doubt anyone is making noise comp for "profit". I would assume at best you recoup money spent on manufacturing and rest is just personal satisfaction - instead of money, hah...

Description of comp makes me want to check it out.

People not making noise comps for profit? Are you telling me that you, Peter and other label owners are NOT being driven by hired drivers around downtown Berlin/Lahti while chilling in the back seat with several beautiful, money hungry women? Does that mean that my plans for financial independence through noise tapes are not realistic? To be serious, I could probably have phrased that better. I always had the sense that the 500 (these days 300) limit most pressing plants used to have for "upgrading" from CDr to glass master pressing was some kind of iron law of economics, but it makes sense that you can just pay almost the same amount, get 100 and still make your money back.

Do check it out, if you do I'd like to see at least a few lines about it. I think you and everyone else will find that there is a decent number of awesome, stand-alone noise tracks here. However, it would be interesting to know if anyone else agrees that the format elevates and gives shape and form to some of the "modern" HNW tracks that honestly wouldn't have impressed that much if they appeared online as 60+ minute downloads. I love this thing, but that was a kind of surprising aspect.
"Alkoholi ei ratkaise ongelmia, mutta eipä kyllä vittu maitokaan"

Ahvenanmaalla Puhutaan Suomea

FreakAnimalFinland

Basically disc price is almost all about the set-up fee. Some places where I have pressed, price difference of 100-300 discs is merely 5-20 euro. When adding packaging, that's where price get bigger depending on how much you press. Current good quality digital printing there is barely set-up fee, and jewelboxes or such are always the same price. This and the shipping, is what makes difference in total manufacturing price in small and big order.  Still relatively small difference in money. It is just enlightened guess what would be ideal amount that helps to avoid cluttering your apartment or house with shitloads of inventory.

I don't have any releases that I'd somehow regret pressing way too many. I know some labels who simply ended up throwing CD's into garbage, since it was easiest solution to get rid of too many copies, hah...

Fact is that when you announce release to be ltd 100, people know it won't be available forever, like a lot of 10-20 year old CD pressings that were done 1000. This may encourage to buy item now, rather than wait for distant future.
E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
LABEL / DISTRIBUTION: FREAK ANIMAL http://www.nhfastore.net

Andrew McIntosh

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on September 02, 2018, 06:11:43 PMI know some labels who simply ended up throwing CD's into garbage, since it was easiest solution to get rid of too many copies, hah...

A justifiable solution to the majority of music cds that exist and will be made in future.
Shikata ga nai.

MyrtleLake

#7010
A. Bolus, "Tropical Poolside Drainage." C45
Vitrine. 2015

This release is a whole package. The cover is from Andy Bolus's "Liquiflesh" series of visual works. The smeared, ambiguously entwined bodies serve the musical character well. Inside is a vintage photograph of a brunette housewife clothed in only panties holding a shotgun. "The best & the dirtiest from this black nut," borders the image. Track titles set the mood but don't take themselves too seriously. "Recordings of an adult nature," introduces the list. I laugh when reading them. Listening, though, my grin is reduced to a questionable smirk. The melodies are warbling and uncertain, even if a bird might chirp their simple tune.

There are plenty of manipulations involving speed change and reverse play. The tape machine is a primary instrument. Source recordings merely lend a voice. Cut-tape loops create rhythms which are asymmetrical. They lumber with disdain, repeating but not exactly so. Unmolested field recordings track alongside in unison. The two form a dynamic, combined rhythm which isn't cluttered or too complex. A deep sense of menace is present in the tone. The sound palette is just... off in that identifiable Evil Moisture way. This is 'industrial' in that sounds, themselves, are singing. There are a variety:

A Xerox machine. Tape hiss volume changing. A woman's blood curdling scream. Wind. Contact pops. A reel-to-reel machine eating magnetic tape. Scratching. A pitch change. There are, of course, the handmade musical devices of Mr. Bolus's unique imagination playing their tones...

These sources and more create a sick, twisted horror tune without irony or whimsy. This is serious and brooding with a rhythm to match. Each side is an extended exposition, patiently exposing its full array. "Tropical Poolside Drainage" shows Andy's personality clearly. The sound character is an outlier, though, to his other cassettes. There is no nerdy noodling around or exploratory, self-propelled sound set-ups. This recording is more thoughtfully composed, while its experimental distinction suffers none. It is a highlight among the vagary of Bolus's latter-day output.

https://www.discogs.com/A-Bolus-Tropical-Poolside-Drainage/release/6697355

FreakAnimalFinland

WINCE "The Older Generation" LP
Tordon Ljud
Many have praised this. Some have concluded that it's notch backwards from Traum, but being good for that reason. I will not say this would be bad at all, simply somehow more normal harsh noise blast than Traum what seemed far more original way of doing it. It's guaranteed work to satisfy noiseheads, yet when hearing some of the best moments of album, roughly middle of B-side, it makes me think the solid static walls presented on album are perhaps slightly below the abilities of Wince. When more dynamic moments hit in and somehow more rough edge is exposed, then the normal HWN type of material seems indeed notch backwards from the best of Wince. In best it is both noisy as fuck, but interesting textures that goes beyond static. Still, several rotations behind and recommended nevertheless!

ACTION / DISCIPLINE "Implementation of Pain Device" tape
Bacterial Field
Good brutal harsh noise. Compared to Wince, it's perhaps little less attention to finest detail, but in other hand old school harshness that could fit into MSNP or Deadline catalogue easily. Nowadays, of course Bacteria Field is one of the labels to keep attention when in need of good noise attacks.

CONCRETE MASCARA "Decay Sequence" tape
Unrest
Possibly best CM here? Should be! I like the sound. I like the sheer violent outbursts. Not so much electronic music feel here. It has both, modern power electronics / industrial, yet also the filthy edge. Saturated vocal bursts are among best things of tape.

GESTAPO'S LAST ORGY tape
Finnish/usa guys providing good lo-fi assault of noise electronics and movie samples and general gutter racket. Good stuff!

RAPED BY MONGOLOIDS "I" tape
Another obscure Finnish project. Dark juvenile humor meets the demented offensive topics. Lo-fi gutter noise and pitch shifted vocals that rarely appear in noise. Think of Whitehouse's Great White Death - when first hearing those vocals, how it sounded so odd. Raped By Mongoloids is far from sonic superiority of Whitehouse, but it is different and odd from standard "good noise". Quality that makes it good within longer playlist!

FINAL SOLUTION "Half/Dead" tape
Bunker
Fucking brilliant re-issue. I wouldn't mind someone doing CD reissues of FS stuff. This tape is well done. Sounds good, lay-out is good. Just would hope band like this would be available for larger audience. Includes so intense tracks that really nobody is doing at this point. Old School Whitehouse worship is obvious, but FS makes is more blunt and direct. At best the thin and disturbing electronics combined with obscene screaming voice that has dynamics and variation in everything: Pitch, pace, intensity, etc..  How to make brutal power electronics, clearly there are still lessons to learn in 2018! Final Solution releases are one good monument to observe.

FECAL FETAL "Lopun ajat" tape
Against Audio
Finnish noisecore band doing it the old traditional way. How they became on of the best noisecore things in recent years is: fast drums, fierce vocals, utterly noisy guitar. What is more just harsh brutal noise than "guitar". It's fairly long tape, but still keeps intense with traditional and minimal approach!

WORTH "Neantherdal Camera" tape
Lead Lozenges
Just brilliant harsh noise. Worth discography remains flawless at this point and its one of the current harsh noise bands to really not miss...

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MyrtleLake

Atrox Pestis. "12th Cell"
Fusty Cunt 2018

This 60 min. tape is patiently slow and, dare I say, very pleasing. Atrox Pestis is melodic, droning, sometimes listlessly percussive dark-ambient. Unidentifiable sounds of industry reverberate from far-off sources in a hollowed out concrete expanse. I do not hear melancholy or dispirited music, though, on "12th Cell." The overtone is neutral and calm to my ears.

My first number of listens were on headphones. The music is beautiful with an interplay of minimalist melodies. It was frustrating and irritating that the subtlety had to be strained to hear. The soft music was overwhelmed by tape hiss, having been recorded at what seemed to be an inadequately low signal level. I pined for a clear, digital option such as the contemporaneous "Hewn by the Hands of the Damned" on Chryptus Records. "12th cell" has low muddled bass, I reasoned; perhaps that forced the error? Further add a conspicuous misspelling of the band name (Petis) and the too clearly recognizable East Gable of St. Andrews Cathedral (Scotland) on the cover collage art, and I was woefully dissatisfied.

Then I played the album through a 2.1 stereo system. There is a warble to the pitch and over saturation to the notes which blend into the existent analogue hiss. An endemic, ancient character is created befitting something monolithic, full of dust and abandoned for ages. Was this even the same tape? Grant Richardson intermittently cuts his own lathe releases (Hex Lathes), and from an exchange with him about that, I believe he takes care with fidelity and attention to media. During songs, over the stereo, the hiss retreats into the ambience of the room. It adds a dirty, stochastic element to playback: subtle, uncontentious. The only deficiency is between songs where the hiss is forefront and unmistakable.

This release confounds me. I do very much appreciate the music; however, the method of playback is crucial to that enjoyment. The artwork is attractive, yet the central visual reference is to a Gothic cathedral abandoned in the mid 16th Century. Included with the cassette is a rusted metal part dating to the 20th Century and a continent away. The label's promotion explains, "Each package contains artifacts from around lost Pittsburgh [PA] relics, a sister city [of Minneapolis, MN] in decay." Does anything hold these various references together other than cliché? The music speaks to space, location, ambience and environment. None of the visual or physical elements add to that vision for me. I suspect these things bother me only because the music itself is so exceptional.

https://www.discogs.com/Atrox-Pestis-12th-Cell/release/12490699

MyrtleLake

Luke Holland. "Carrion" C30
Bacteria Field 2018

This is groaning, stuttering death-noise. Spitting distortion and simple, extended, rhythmic notes hold detail in their varied static manipulations. It's very nice in the way that a fire's crackle never repeats itself but retains a certain consistency. It can hold attention without any real change in character. That's the attraction here.

Everything about this release is macabre: the track titles, the artwork, the fried sound palate. The cover is an evocative body of dead flesh—sexless, featureless, anonymous. Other than bruised and wasting, there is nothing more to report. The rest of the image is color and texture and patterns with material connotations. Succinct. A perfect analogy for the music.

https://www.discogs.com/Luke-Holland-Carrion/release/12242147

FreakAnimalFinland

NIKLAS A.H. MARRITT "Revbensbur" tape
Tordon Ljud
This could be best tape on the label? First I was surprised to have man with acoutic guitar, singing bleak neo-folki'sh stuff. Not bad at all, just expected some noise here. But that will follow. Curious choise to mix together such music and noisy industrial tracks. It makes tape have feeling of something unexpected may happen. Dominance is with experimental noisy sound, but his approach is quite unlike most artists do it.

SCAR CROWE "s/t" tape
Self Abuse
Short tape of eerie field recordings. No more, no less.

MO*TE "Dusky Drunkard" tape
16/rec
Harsh noise tape from the old obscure Japanese artist. 20 minute tape still carries the old spirit of MO*TE. It is somewhat manual, never too edited, includes full blast harshness, but also elements what none of the known Japanese names would do. Meaning, artists own identity present here. 2014 recordings already. Sound is a bit crispier than many of his old works, but in core, it's not too far from material that was done 20 years ago. Since then band has just done some CDR splits and such. Not much offers from labels, I've been told. I'd suggest some of currently active labels to notice there could be potentially interesting stuff to release from him if just asking about it.

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MyrtleLake

#7015
Like Weeds. "They Grow"
Kitty Play 2018

This is exceptional. Like Weeds is Kenny Sanderson / Facialmess. The first release for the new moniker is a short, very interesting, 20 minute cassette.

The central thread running through the two songs is an electro-acoustic composition. Then there is a far louder, intermittent siren variously alerting to an air raid, figuratively screaming or just breaking the eerie complacency with violent wailing. There are rhythmic elements throughout. Only in the final minutes of side B does the pounding, upper register beat take over. And beautifully it does! It could fit right into a voiceless Dirk Ivans (Dive / Sonar) industrial pounding album.

Reverb gives the impression of being recorded in a large, empty gymnasium or theater. The central, lower register work includes glass bottles / debris tipped and clanking, dragging of wires on some unidentifiable contraption with a pick-up, contact mic sputtering, metal junk dragged about, distant pounding, straight field recordings of spaces, etc. There are sections where this takes the forefront. Just as you are content and curious, captured by the atmosphere... The siren blasts you awake and drops you back into the anxiety ridden, softer sounding melee. Unexpected timing increases apprehension of its return.

https://www.discogs.com/Like-Weeds-They-Grow/release/12090481

FreakAnimalFinland

N. "Unworthy" 10"
Cipher
This Italian project been always kind of odd. While his absolute best works are good, then next recording may be quite useless. It felt somehow odd that Australian label would do expensive ltd 10". But not in negative way. Safe bets would be easy to understand. Also people putting out some friends projects. For label around the world, choosing this band over hundreds of possibilities and the format, which Cipher rarely uses, makes it interesting to check out. It is hard for me to point what exactly made me spin this 3 times instantly. Quite simple and bleak. Early days N. was more tape recorder feedback sound, but later dominance of synth is obvious, although he appears to use mostly the same methods as beginning.
Seemingly simple and cold synth oscillations and pulsations, that have enough ideas to escape the trappings of generic factory set-up buzzing. Added echoes. Short duration of tracks. Some slighly strange gaps in sound. B-side with long darker track with death industrial atmosphere to it. More carefully adjusted structure. Some spoken pieces, looped noises and slightly BDN'ish tone to synths. Power of N. is that synths have modulation and progression and at the best they sound dirty and raw. Material is already from 2008.
Perhaps my view on N.'s work is clouded by shadow of labels who put them out. Even if material itself could be good, aesthetics of old Slaughter Productions titles were so much better that many of cdr releases with quite poor presentation doesn't give the sound same atmosphere. If one doesn't have much N. stuff, this 10" not a bad way to start.

V/A "Stay Yourself whatever the cost" tape
Antipakt records
Graustich suffers from strange cracking in sound. As if there was sever clipping in digital master, but nobody cared. Tape itself is not the reason. Song itself is decent, but ruined by wrong kind of clipping. Coma Detox offers grim and suffocating stuff. Finland's Whiteswan is decent, but clearly notch below the international names on the tape. Edge Of Decay blasts some simple harsh works to complete tape. Not any to-be-classic compilation, but works fine for fans of the type of sound.

METSÄKIRKKO tape
Duo from Kouvola region, Finland, produces sound that name describes rather well. It translates as forestchurch, and lo-fi ritualistic sessions and manual sound crafting has very out-doors feel to it. Some instruments, narration, nature mysticism, spirituality... Never loud or abrasive, but neither any kind of soft muzak. Creative and perhaps slightly outside specific genre lines.

BLACK LEATHER JESUS / RICHARD RAMIREZ "Sonic Eruption / Violent Anal Entry" split tape
Xenomorph / Deadline
1994 split. BLJ is very nice industrial-noise type of stuff. RR is less exciting on this, but works.
Black Leather Jesus "Bride Of The Lamb" tape
Deadline
Surprisingly lo-fi 1994 works. Often there is the crunchy element to this era. Not this time.
RICHARD RAMIREZ "Lve songs for the Apocalypse" tape
Lazy Squid Rekkids
While ago talking with friend about Rotten Piece and Lazy Squid Rekkids. Would be curious to check if Rotten Piece was as good as there is recollections of it. So much of stuff was CDR's, so most I have never heard. Anyway, their label Lazy Squid Rekkids put out also some nice noise tapes. This 1995 is good example how Ramirez can be from utmost crap to brilliant on same tape. Best tracks of the tape match his finest album works, while there is plenty of filler among 8 songs. Many times I find myself thinking "someone should reissue this"... and during next track "ehm... maybe not".
Still, listening few hours of the mr. Ramirez mid 90's works, can't help thinking that if there was one artist or label who'd benefit from well curated anthology box, it would be him. Put together 10 hours of best Deadline harshness, and it would be a monument of noise.
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FreakAnimalFinland

Some what the hell is this tape -category playlist picks from yesterday and today was two odd things. Just in some random box of tapes that may or may not been listened, but nevertheless been for about 15 years in the box...

SCHIZOIDE -tape.
Had no idea what it was. Hand painted tapes and j-cards, all hand made. Project name scratched into plastic box. A-side was pretty good stuff. Harsh noise, what eventually included buried spoken voices and such. Basically decent noise recordings, without sounding like any particular subgenre of noise. Today checked discogs if any info could be found, and seems like this material was published on very limited CDR's by Audiobot and artist himself. Tape cover says Finland edition 1/21. Absolutely zero recollections when and how tape was received. While Cut The Flesh that takes entire A-side is very good, the misc tracks from splits and bizcards on the b-side is much less so.

BULLFINCH "Cockfart" tape
Bunch of newspaper clippings on j-card and band name and release title hand written with magic marker. Ok, so C-90 of anonymous noise blasting. But what the hell! It is killer stuff. A-side is way more harsh and active, while b-side leans little more to "industrial noise", despite there isn't that huge difference. After just praising how monumental would be Deadline Recordings box set, this tape is also reminder that within noise, it isn't about the status or fame, but about guy who can deliver. And Bullfinch back in summer 2015 did it really well. No idea at this point who is Charles Read. It seems that project is not much sought after. Discogs has 1 for sale, 3 owns, 0 wants. I'd recommend someone to be wanting, as despite title and artwork may not be anything interesting, as purely sonical perspective - really nice noise release!

E-mail: fanimal +a+ cfprod,com
MAGAZINE: http://www.special-interests.net
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Duncan

Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on September 21, 2018, 05:09:04 PM

BULLFINCH "Cockfart" tape
Bunch of newspaper clippings on j-card and band name and release title hand written with magic marker. Ok, so C-90 of anonymous noise blasting. But what the hell! It is killer stuff. A-side is way more harsh and active, while b-side leans little more to "industrial noise", despite there isn't that huge difference. After just praising how monumental would be Deadline Recordings box set, this tape is also reminder that within noise, it isn't about the status or fame, but about guy who can deliver. And Bullfinch back in summer 2015 did it really well. No idea at this point who is Charles Read. It seems that project is not much sought after. Discogs has 1 for sale, 3 owns, 0 wants. I'd recommend someone to be wanting, as despite title and artwork may not be anything interesting, as purely sonical perspective - really nice noise release!



Not sure I've ever heard this release but I'd guess it's the same Charles Read as was responsible for Betty & BTR cassette label. Always was quite low key but did some great, scummy stuff in the early/mid 2000s. Makes me nostalgic for a time when the UK seemed to have so much more proper, gutter noise stuff happening.

Peterson

Final Solution "Half/Dead" reissue CS (Der Bunker, 2018)
        Where were you on September 11th, 2001? What could I say about this release that hasn't already been said? A mandatory reissue for one of the primary releases in PE et al. The demo tracks from 1990 are all the more vicious knowing the life circumstances and substances that went into them. My copy prior to this was a third-generation dub with Half/Dead on one side and  (I think) most of Pain Demo(n)s on the other – probably on an already-worn tape because this reissue is either at the correct speed or master tapes were cleaned up a bit. Sounds great either way but nice to have it how it's really supposed to be here. Only complaints would be "Bloodbath" and "Cum O.D." Never thought the Ramleh-style delay worked for them and that these tracks were live-only for a reason.

Guido Gamboa "2018:" CS (Regional Bears, 2018)
        Huh, a real head-scratcher by an artist whose introductory LP swept me away; guess it's hard to follow up such a killer album so why even play in the same ballpark? We get a similar collaged approach, but with incredibly detailed electronics and some strange voice and computer voice work in addition to the field recordings – possibly some snippets of piano and synthesizer as well. Some quiet, almost glitchy minimalist sections each side that sort of threw me off but worked great on headphones. I don't even really know how to describe this or guess at how the description or track titles even hint at the content. The artist himself tells me his next work will be something "like a radio play." I can't imagine, frankly. A talented sound worker who moves forward.

Leif Brush "Stitched Phenomena" CS (Pentiments, 2017)
        "Multi-year" layered recordings of homemade electroacoustic devices and synthesizers attuned to natural phenomena, which is sometimes included in naked tape fashion in the mixes. Two long-form pieces with more diversity than most modern experimental artists achieve. As impressive as these recordings are, I think seeing the process would be even more so. To give a more specific idea, I once read Aaron Dilloway's description of Emeralds as something like a stoned Ultra outtake from the '80s Flaam/Heemann/Carlson era. Well, I've never heard Emeralds, but that description could apply here. Surprising twists and details in long-form pieces that are as much drone and musique concrete as they are collaged, non-music unclassifiable sound art. Seductive, lush, and oddly dark at times.

Matthew Sullivan "M.O." CS (self-released, 2018)
        I really don't know much about this guy except that he works in contemporary experimental styles often with Sean McCann these days, since doing his own more noisy kind of stuff a while back. Frankly I've not heard anything else. But I love this kind of thing, what we get here: long-form, singular field recordings. The latter ten minutes of the first side (C80 length!) are some kind of bell-like synth but otherwise...trickling water, gravel, walking to a rural airport or bus depot? Part of a bus ride (kids singing)? Eavesdropped conversation? Second side has some high-pitched synthesizer tone for a few minutes followed by a very long recording of various size planes arriving at taking off at again, what sounds like a small airport. I can't explain to anyone why they should listen to this but if you like this type of thing you'd enjoy this. 

Troy Schafer "The Mailman" CS (1.8 sec, 2018)
        Went in blind because this said something about "spoken word" and had the Sesame Street/Muppets-type cover art – "what could this be?" Ended up sounding sort of like it looks – very odd experimental music with narration in a female voice that almost sounds computer-generated. I don't know what "vaporwave" is, but I imagine it sounding something like this. Sort of pleasant and disturbing, has this children's media vibe to it but obviously isn't intended for children.

Concrete Mascara "Decay Sequence" CS (Unrest, 2018)
        I really love the overloaded, broken sound that they achieve while managing not to push everything to the limit from the beginning. I'm not sure how pleased anyone might be with the comparison, but I see a similarity to Krieg's "Destruction Ritual" – psychotic, screamed vocals and mentally-ill atmosphere. In addition to their steady improvement and refinement, the recordings seem more claustrophobic than ever, perfect saturation for quality headphones and tape format. Forgot how minimal their sound can be, one of the very few that pull off vocals where I can't understand one syllable. I assume the way/format in which their stuff is recorded is integral which I think is essential in PE post-WH/GO/etc. My favorite part is the finger-on the-cable rhythm on side B.

Bummed that the PO hasn't delivered my copy of Boat Of "Forbidden Mourning Practice" yet. Possibly looking forward to that one most of all aside as I genuinely can't imagine what it even sounds like, at all.