Here be two new vinyl LPs from New York’s Heat Retention Records, starting with a split between NYC scumbags Blastocyst and noise sculptors Reverse Mouth. The former splits their side into four tracks of competent, albeit familiar free-noise, the trio (last time they were just two) pummeling their way through “Nexiom and Digitalis” and “Blur Car Blur Eyes Blur Suit” with a consistently hectic tempo overwhelmed by thick white static and the erratic barked additions of each player. A swirling fire-hose of feedback washes over the clattering stem-playing of “Clandestine Beers of the Casserollers”, the best takeaway of the side for its dissipation and regroupings in a vigorous show of power and begrudged group-mind. “Marjoe Works for Free” consumes the most grooves, takes its time doing so, using the momentum of the disc’s revolution to carve circles of medium static, scratched-out percussion, and into the eventual collision of arms as the drums beat out a choppy code, the guitar skronks, and the bass finally emerges in full suggesting a wavy warp to the entire track. On the flipside, Reverse Mouth plays the track “Somebody Put Something In My Drink (Hair)”, approximating 20 minutes of pitch, groan, and bend which, like their roommates, breaks no new ground but does so with panache: the opening tone pierces the ear and slowly expands to form a hole sufficient to cram more studied shards of feedback, painstakingly drawn and sustained in long jabs through the end. I suspect it’s just the title, but the longer meditations of Hair Police come to mind as a suitable comparison, as does Thurston Moore and the recent DBA pizza-boxset (Kevin Shields, Men Who Can’t Love). On black vinyl with Xerox insert and heavy, block-printed sleeves. Co-release with Phase! Records, Greece.

Beyond the P-Orridginal name and spray-stenciled sleeve, the musty LoFi city-folk of Cakes Ov Light settles into a differently familiar pattern with Smoggish insert of watercolors and type-written lyrics, the sole singerman murmuring over a drywall of guitar strum and four-track residue, and a female accompanist appearing almost throughout with a ghostly hollow of a harmony. “The Inward Eye” is an early success, fitting a more emotive lament ala Bird By Snow to a sawing of strep cello and a conclusion of picked notes suggesting a gypsy ballad as perhaps A Hawk and a Hacksaw might produce. “Secret Life of Plants” manages a similar Jandek gloom not aimed at any one thing in particular, the slow step of piano notes and low-impact train sounds more intelligibly married to more evocative abstractions like “he sees his reflection/activates a switch on the roof of the mouth.” The sequence of the tracks does little to retain the heavy moods emerging in these tracks, as a couple lighter, unidentified Oldhammy tracks follow – including the side’s closer, a personal favorite reminiscent an old Fluf song – on airy notes and sing-song lyrics. An extended track of fickle noises and found sounds starts the second side, the optimism of the last stretched around the corner and appearing even gladder, followed by a shorter piece of off-tune Grubbsian whimsy, completed with clip-clop tempo. Better suited to end the first side, the final track is another long track of captured sounds as architectural din and broadcast voices, a requiem of electric buzz alternating frequencies and the voice bellowing hopelessly, having never eluded to why. On black vinyl with heavy sleeve and slick insert. (Heat Retention LP, $10 HERE)

Italian Chandelier C20 $7

Placenta Popeye - 'Fosse Speed' C20 $7
"two headed french dog puking hard on the cosmic pole."

Yeast Curd - 'And Then Came Eve' C20 $7
"A young girl with the aid of an oversexed girlfriend discovers her sexuality... previously released on LoveLess now reissued/expanded."

Hereharehere C45 $7
"celestial scum chants."

Vlubä /Josue O Salvador Em Busca Da Perdicao C45 $7
"fungus brains from Portugal."

WEBSITE

GANG WIZARD - 'The Stolen Groceries' 3" CDr 5€(everywhere)
"These kids will never grow up! Probably the most typical example of free rock. This 3'' is a live document from a GW performance in Den Haag which took place in June 2007. Raw structure, weird strummings, complete freedom! Essential America!" Edition of 99, in a repeatedly laser printed color fold out paper.

GRANDMA FREEDOM - 'The 1967 Parties' CDr 5€(everywhere)
"Archival reel-to-reel recordings from 1967 which belong to my beloved grandmother, Eleftheria Filippou. These people (most of them are dead now) used to gather up and jam accapella songs in the key of despair, reading poems or making just fun. It's not that funny though, you can feel the emptiness beneath the warm company and it's a bit weird + haunting. Beautiful voices you won't hear anymore" P. Spoulos. Full-color cover, very limited pressing.

GREECE

AA RECORDS COMPILATION LP VOLUME II $15
"This LP features the next 13 lathes since the first comp = Isis & Werewolves, Ex-Cocaine, Mirror/Dash, Pengo, Christina Kubisch, Birds of Delay, Sick Llama, Jackie Stewart, Evil Moisture, Prurient, Rusted Shut, Carlos Giffoni, 16 Bitch Pile-Up, Demons. All the messy atmosphere of lathes on freshly pressed vinyl, weird! Banned in Canada due to the jacket (guess why). But we'll ship them to Canada anyway. Ships after No Fun later in May (this and all update items will be at No Fun)."

HATRED/DEMONS SPLIT LP $15
"Reissue of the first signs of life from Demons and a particularly brutal Hatred. Recorded Fall 2005 in the old Wolf Studios. Thanks Simonetti!"

NO FUCKER - 'LIVE 02/22/08' C30 $8
"Live in Detroit on 02/22/08, Conquer the Innocent, Bodies in a Pile, Realities of War, Nameless Cities."

RODGER STELLA - 'THE ELECTRIC ZODIAC II' CD/C30 $8
"Long anticipated and finally fully realized, twice. CD = 23:18 Korg MS20 recorded 08/11/01 in San Francisco, CA. Mixed 12/07-02/08 in Birmingham, AL. C30 = 28:09 Korg MS20 recorded 08/11/01 in San Francisco, CA. Mixed 12/07-02/08 in Birmingham, AL. Moog Theremin recorded 12/07."

HATRED - 'PITTED WATER' C30/CD $8
"Hatred featuring Max Eisenberg and Twig Harper. Recorded Live in Detroit on 03/29/08 and Live in Baltimore on 03/09/08, in that order."

DEMONS - 'NAROPA TO SPIRAL JETTY' DVD $12
DVD recorded Live 11/10/07 at Naropa University and 11/12/07 at Spiral Jetty. Bonus track Live at The Echo LA 11/17/07." SAMPLE

USAUSA

Hands of Sand - 'Clay Dreams' CDr 8€/$12(world)
"The english sound artist Mark Peter Wright is the second contributor to the ongoing Odomez Serie here at NOTHINGoutTHERE, successfully following Robert Horton's effort last year. Mark worked out of a package of Odomez goods I sent to him, and came out with a masterful, half-an-hour piece of inspired and fascinating musique concrète, infused with field recordings and musical events. An all the while deep, dense and optimistic voyage into Odomez' imaginary. Here is what Hands Of Sand writes about this recording process : "When the package arrived its contents seemed so dry, coughed up from a choked earth, staved of water, starved of life. This thirst and need for renewal became the central compositional focus – an overall cycle of water to stone, a journey from liquid to solid." Odomez... it's a small town up north in France, inside which is located a huge and beautiful land of strangeness. Before 1965, it was a chemical-textile factory. After that, no one really knew. Like a quiet jungle of metal and plants. The Odomez Serie aims at keeping the memory of that place alive, now that it is doomed to demolition, and to call for musical and visual collaborations. Every artist contributing will be sent an artwork related to the place as an inspiration. More about Odomez here. Clay Dream's artwork is a postcard from Odomez to you. Its mail envelope includes postcards with prints of my Temporary serie of photographies, and writings about Odomez (from the Sense-of-Place contributions and others). Last but not least, n.o.t.#6 also includes extended liner-notes by Hands Of Sand about his recording process." Largest n.o.t. pressing to date with 75 copies !

WEBSITE

Sssk#35: Occasional Detroit - 'Prayer Packages' C19
"Occasional Detroit: One of the most original, insanely entertaining, and loudest acts to ever call Albuquerque home. This Michigan duo (occasional trio) had toured the U.S. many times over before settling down here. If they'd ever seen this band live, 'damn!', many rappers and punkrockers and preachers would just quit. Prayer Packages: 1/3 televangelist firing off, 1/3 telemarketer wanting to be fired, 1/3 Classic OD on FIRE!. Limited to 50 copies. 4 songs on 19 minute cassette. Purple tape lives in a purple imitation-silk sleeve."

Sssk#33: Black Guys - 'Black By Popular Demand' 3" CDr
"Noise-drone duo. Recordings from live shows, Albuquerque, NM. Side project of Alan George Ledergerber. Packaged in a plush red jewelry box. Limited to 30 copies"

Sssk#30: Cobra//group - 'Brujas' CDr
"The second full-length release by the largest experimental band in the Southwest U.S., this album was recorded in the fall of 2007 at various abandoned locations around Albuquerque,,,in total darkness. It is not known by the core group who exactly is on the tracks or who plays what instrument. Strangers were invited to walk in the room at any session and leave without a trace. Extra tape recorders were set to record, but with no input to attract the home ghosts. Some sessions were broadcast via radio and fed-back into the haunted houses to make the badloop. Some sessions started with one person alone in a room, turned the lights out, grew to twenty in the room, turn the lights on after 3 hours and no one was there. Silkscreened digipak - limited to 150 copies. Almost an hour and a half of music on a black on black cdr. Best when listened to while alone."

Sssk #22: KILT - 'Snow White in Hell' 12" LP
"Noise, Noise, Noise. The trio of Redglaer (Halfnormal), Raven Chacon (Christ with Braces), and Andorkappen (Harassor). All I can say is that it is the loudest we could get it before your needle starts to skip. Colored vinyl ranging from "exorcist green" to "grandma's bowlingball pink" and a completely over-the-top jacket cover. Co-released with Anarchymoon and Bastardised. 500 made."

WEBSITE

[tzpCD26] Plastobeton - 'Glam Mort + The Lost Tapes' 5€
French act including members of AH Kraken, Feeling Of Love, The Dreams, Facteur Kamikaze and more from the always challenging Centre D'Hygiene De L'Est / Do You Like Sushi ? collective. This edition includes their only release "Glam Mort" + some forgotten bunker tracks. Rythm box + guitar + synthesizer + vocals. Desperate energy from postindustrial area. Emergency, martial law. Fuckin great. You just need it.The cd is coming in a 7" rigid sleeve with a bunch of flyers, miniposters, lyrics." Black CDr - 50 copies.

[tzpCS06] Kommissar Hjuler/Mamma Baer - 'tanzprocesz-Sicherungskopie' C60 5€
"Der Kommissar and Mamma are german performers. They're recording stuff, paiting stuff, building stuff. Side A is compiling 3 schyzophrenic cut up vocal pieces. Side B is electronics noises and singing. Side A is words and cuts and words. Side B is melody and noise. Side A is der Kommissar. Side B is Mamma."

WEBSITE

A 15 minute edit from over three hours of improvised play, the ‘Rönnblomsgatan Rudbecksgatan’ EP 3" CDr by the Malmö-based duo of James Brewster and Peter Henning is a wonderful sampler of the pair’s collective approach to post-production reconstruction: five tracks titled for their length in seconds, the pieces materialize out of fragments pushed to their sonic ends, such that the brief skronk of “94” bats back and forth as it skips channels, coughing and sputtering timbres only a machine could love; yet despite its chop, the regular return of central sounds adhere the piece into a practically perceivable melody. The airy “95” employs many of the same jumps, yet with greater open space which reveals a charged static leading into the central “444”: with a high-speed, insect chirp, the track’s lead tone oscillates bpms in an erratic groan given to showers of feedback as it wrenches into other gears; with the ambition of Francisco Lopez, the artists tear through the whole bag’s worth of tricks in little time, expressing the discipline and attention to detail of an Extreme lifer. “66” exits the lofty centerpiece with a similar crackle to that which entered it, piercing the senses before last piece “177” whacks the ear with paddle claps, steel drum thunder, and crisp electronic insertions. Though the format suits this production well, a full-length from this pair will likely reveal equally phenomenal results. In a hand-assembled, razor-cut sleeve printed on heavy paper. (Namenlos/HWEM 3” CDr, £4.5 HERE; also available as a free download HERE)

Stunned is cornering the market:

Ajilvsga — 'Crossed Bones' (Stunned no. 5)
"The hot dust of a thousand atomized strip malls whips into the eyes and ears of all who pass the way of Crossed Bones. Our seasoned guides Brad Rose and Nathan Young clutch their headscarves tighter and drive their guitars even deeper into the blistering earth, if only to anchor themselves momentarily in the bent circuit tempest. Forty minutes featuring twin cabinet-shakers that had us promising the neighbors we weren't testing a new form of sonic weaponry after spinning the demo. Of all Ajilvsga's past and present explorations into heavy mental music, none have grabbed us so quite in the gutz. Serious low end woofer junkies encouraged to be among the first to check this one as the jam to mix with the sweat of a new summer." Ltd. 100 handnumbered copies in thick polyvinyl case with spooked art by Ted Trager.

The Doglands — 'The Doglands' (Stunned no. 6)
"At last, the promised re-issue of John Frank's former folk handle The Doglands, and one of the few releases from the last couple years that inspired us to get Stunned Records up and running. Wide-eyed & weird tin can psych from the lo-fi backhills of the hi-fi mind who brings us Oregon's Molten Honey. Any vocals here are peaced-out Huxlian assurances of glistening outer and inner worlds, every rusty guitar strum a testament to the irrelevance of government and impotence of academia in the face of such nature and the cosmos. For those who travel the high trails close to the sun." Ltd. 40 hand numbered copies in heavy Tibetan rice paper sleeves.

WEBSITE

Fist-to-temples in the wake of departed Birthday Party, Jesus Lizard, and The Melvins, tough-guy noise rock finds its solace subtly yet swiftly diffused in Sunn O))), Neptune, and just in time for Oxbow’s latest bout of brilliant masculine therapy – so perfect, and so likely to inspire more than a few modern dandies to rethink their tattoos – Shit And Shine offers an alternative, and for most, complimentary program, giggling hysterically through the terrors of militaristic discipline that the name implies, a Yossarian dash to the water, an escape from manliness.

A bizarre concoction of styles, forms, and content, ‘Cherry’ is the British band’s latest violation, and from the second track “Am I A Nice Guy?” – the true introduction, a Jaramusch-like narrative set to a minimal polyrhythm, a hipster tale of abutting the “true” underground – on, the band’s multiple percussionists never stop swinging with obscene drive, nor do the guitars seem intend to stop wailing (the Butthole Surfers are the obligatory, albeit apropos mention here). Oscillating wildly between one and two minutes snippets and double-digit, sidelong jams the band never break the fundamental configuration, offering vocalization largely by way of secondary sources, otherwise dependent on wrenching the mighty fuck out of their instruments to achieve an eighty-minute array of fresh irresponsibility. Following a scrapbook of false starts, the peel-offs of “Honestly Don’t” enter a crotchety Kyuss back and forth with the percussion, the odd groinal uh! accentuating the rhythm. A locked groove of bass creates the meta-groove of “Danielle” wherein sleek guitar flits seem to merge with the cream of the wall behind, a tongue-in-cheek Rock maneuver to have one’s cake and eat it too. The album’s humor cannot be stressed enough, as the Spartan presentation of these tracks belies a far more complex space of irony and competence argued effortlessly. At the same time, the band affords the necessary dromologic indulgence, such that “If You Knew Susie” nearly consumes the band itself in Prurient prattle and the sharp corners of feedback shards, salved in the light, looping deliria of “Flower Petal Sword”.

In reprise, “Prize Winning” returns the drumming to the padding tribalism of the introduction, now with a modulated croon evoking the melting weirdness of Excepter, and retained through the sequenced babble of purported cover-track “Sharlade”, sounding like an early Terry Riley rented out for a Vitamin Water commercial. The erratic fright of whistling fireworks sets a metered pulse in “Cigarette Sequence”, an intensely methodical pummeling of industrial percussion, granulated pitches in awful hypercolor, and swallowed shouts murmuring beneath the shrieking cacophony. With the same distorted façade, the title track groans in dark harmonies hastily-fused into an Earthen drone with deep, crowning drum-roll pulling it into the smirking funk (from the Zappa-Porest continuum) of “Shockwave”. The album’s final movements – “High Brooms” and “The Rabbit Song” at 15 and 20 minutes, respectively – seem to edify the band’s two grand approaches: the first, a droning metal as slow as sump oil, thuds along on a wafts of thick distortion guided by clean organ hum, entirely conceivable as a ‘Black One’ centerpiece, and worthy in itself of a solo release; on the flipside, the final album’s track riffs neurotically in the Surfer’s meanest posture, riding high on the clap of double wardrumming syncopation, howling voice/guitar meld, dubby bass outcropping, and a last ditch lyricism monogramming the disc with respects, revisions before running out of tape - the beat never gives up. Huge recommendation. (Riot Season 2LP, £12/13/14 HERE – CD/DVD version out May 26th)

Bones of Seabirds – 'Nihanisyati' C20 $6(US)/$8(World)
"Hailing from Athens, GA, Bones of Seabirds is Ryan McGill. A devout slave to the tube-driven drone, McGill sets aside the axe for two synth passages, one sidelong and one brief, which seek transcendence by swathing the ears with layer upon layer of dark sine waves. The cassette ends by way of a blissful return to the guitar with massive crunch and a melody that grows increasingly sinister until its dizzying finale." With full color artwork, inserts, and labels by Matt Yacoub. Edition of 50.

Meditations – 'I' C15 $6(US)/$8(World)
"Ultra-crude, single-mic recordings from a new unit informed by harsh noise, raw black metal, and the id. With zero regard for fidelity and blasphemous intent, this is a document of unbridled frustration and anguish. No good vibes in here." With full color artwork, inserts, and labels by Matt Yacoub. Edition of 33.

Special Rate: Purchase both cassettes for $10(US)/$8(World)

WEBSITE

AUK THEATRE/THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE HOWELL BEND s/t C30 5€
"an expanded listening session that breaths towards visions of KORLA PANDIT, TOM DISSEVELT, and early 1900's fair / carnival folklore. two tracks contain the aural documentation of the wanderers of the AUK THEATRE. check out their beautiful visions of the parallel continent on the Ubu Web archives. two tracks from the COLLECTION, another project of Auk Theatre mind IRENE MOON. a beautiful blend of organ / piano tunes and more introspective signals. and while were at it, we advise every friend of the weird to get hold of a copy of the SCIENTIFICALLY SPEAKING WITH IRENE MOON 10", one of the most beautiful / strange "easy listening" records that saw daylight in the Y2K panic years. it's been re-released in the post 2000 spectrum, so it's THERE."

BRINGERS OF THE DAWN/DOLPHINS INTO THE FUTURE C30 5€
"BRINGERS are members of UTON and THE FREE PLAYERS. DOLPHINS are members of 3D-FREE and SAFETY DRINKERS. both sides are inspired by dolphins/interspecies communication, and the world wide webchannel brought band one and two together. both sides are stream of consciousness / direct writing. BRINGERS do it accoustic / electric. DOLPHINS are edited tape collages from random transmissions. over."

ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER - 'transmat memories' C35 5€
"this audio tape is a leaked document of the MONTAUK research group. DANIEL LOPATIN has been sent over to 6037 A.D. and these are his interpretations of the inscriptions of the pedestal on wich he saw the golden horse. in another time-track, Daniel is also known as Duncan. these are smooth 80's conspiracy tech vibes. space bleeps. sequencer waves wich would give PETER BAUMANN the goosebumps. and polysynths and electronic thunder storm that is keeping the dream of BERNARD SZAJNER alive. this is awesome! O.P.N. also plays in INFINITY WINDOW, together with BLACK EGG Taylor, and is a member of the space research pod ASTRONAUT."

AFTERNOON PENIS - 'i want you to write' C60 5€
"Nate from MOUTHUS / RELIGIOUS KNIVES. this cassette is a two sided scenario. side a is the seeker, about to discover a new path. side b is the thinker, about to interact with new information. this is the smoked-out entity of an encounter. this is a long moment of contemplation in the SHADOWZONE."

THE HELL RAIDERS s/t C40 3€
"spaced out synth tunes. electronic grooves. gunshots. mood setting ambience. and random conversations about freedom and beyond. THE HELL RAIDERS is a tribute to nature, freedom, sweet synth sounds, vhs messages and photoshop thinkers. this is part of our ongoing CULTURAL SERIES."

MUNTJAC - 'warp' C40 5€
"Paul Grimes, member of the now defunct DEATH CHANTS walks a surprisingly personal path on this album. very outside the common psychedelic genre he draws a path of his own. on WARP, Grimes scrapes together a faboulous blend of easy listening, light marbles and more retro space tunes. a hot mix of elements of KITARO, JOE MEEK, and even some hits of an introspective DENNIS WIZE. fantastic stuff for the upcoming summer hangovers."

UTON - 'pearls and dust' 3CD + booklet 18€
"disc one is a capture of the Uton live speech and riddle. disc two is a reissue of the mysterious Uton tape on the back then still mysterious Sloow Tapes from coded B.D.P. (released in 2005). disc three is the mosaic of different strange Uton sound and content. 28 pages of full color UTON eye candy embraces these 3 discs of freedom. this is a private peek in the memory of JANI HIRVONEN. a dive in the hole in time. these are the books of HIRVONEN, one of the first seekers of truth in the modern take on introspection. a post 2000 view on things, that feeds hapilly into the bucket of post 1965. an imagenery of things to do when nearing a vortex."

KRAUS - 'the facts' C30 5€
"RESTOCK!! a 30 minutes book on tape. Kraus, drumpad for acts like THE AESTHETICS and THE FUTURIANS, gives the humble an insight to his path of life. from deep listening spacesounds towards bubbly synth excursions: this is a unique vision. Pat Kraus manages to sound like the BBC RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP run through the minds of alien creatures. this is truly my imaginary BAD CHANNELS OST. currently, Pat is working at an lp for ULTRA ECZEMA, because society wants more...."

WEBSITE

Ikuisuus is an ultra-weird Finnish label dabbling in psych and way way Out jams. The first or second legit CD by the label, ‘Cosmic Continuum’ by Elektronavn (aka Denmark's Magnus Olsen Majmon) is a dyad represented in stretches of comparable length. Totally defying its one-man reality, the sound is comprised of medium-cool free form ala 6majik9 and their ilk, made with quasi-rhythmic elements and exposing a truly brilliant design beneath the clamor. Wheezy windbags and bubbly tabla open the disc, distant clattering and a stuttering bass mystifying this grotto of submerged harem voices. The timbre grows grainy and harsh as transition, into which a warmer, hummed vocalization compensates with melodica-type vibrations. Part two arrives with greater directive, maintaining the cluttered orchestration, while pulling together a more intentional jazz/psychedelic jam impression adhered almost exclusively by a teetering blue bass-line and electrified thrusts in its final moments; rainy and reckless, the track nicely marries downbeat to weird. CD comes in Arigato-type pack with paste-on images.

Not out of step with the last disc, the trio Matomeri’s trilogy ‘Joys of Summer’ lives in the same bleary musical frame, though with a much heavier endorsement of the burning psychedelia with prior, in ways which only a live band can perform. “Joku puhuu Ransun äänellä” tops 11 minutes with searing, High Rise electric guitars and groaning, almost Robedoorian synthesizers developing a muddy wall of deep darkness. The elemental of percussion appears as in two bodies: as the rolling skins which meter without rhythm, and as sporadic, springy cymbals clapping a high-end texture to broaden the sonic range. The shorter “Disastrous Restoration” is a (mostly) drumless meditation mediating the two longer tracks, the synthesizer employing a jeweled drone over which the guitared noise rises with maximal, though not high-frequency, intensity ala Mirror. One guitar emitting mid-range strums, the second wheedles a nasally lead on the almost 20 minutes of “Brown Line Fever”: resembling an early-mid Sonic Youth bonus jam, the guitars dominate with the same, swirling deep grey and chrome color, odd periods of harmony emerging. The drum’s crashing menace of the track’s final third, rethinking the track in terms of a darker O’Malley-type drone-metal, yet without sacrificing the character of the individual guitars. Intense to its smoldering end. Blank CDr comes in full-color paper sleeve. (Ikuisuus CD, 13€; CDr 6€ HERE)

From label Housecraft:



HR39 Sean McCann - 'Shore Net' C17
"Pitch-shifted hand percussions playfully bounce around a swirling synth feel-good thunderstorm on the 'A' side. The vocal work here is exceptionally fantastic and it's all over the stereo spectrum. Eventually found sounds somehow flutter their way into the already ultra-saturated reels and the vibe just keeps getting stronger. Things get more abstract on the other side where driving hand-beaten rhythms bow down to pitch play and infinitely layered weirdness." Edition of 48.

HR40 Joshua Mcabee & the (7/13) Moon - 'Accidentally Transcending' C35
"Boiled down Xiphiidae recordings steam bath the ears, vocal sweeps disintigrate to a buzzing halt, tape guts churn up from nowhere, splashes of muck dot the landscape.. Josh's recordings are in a constant state of wild esoteric metamorphosis which allows his diverse source materials, pristine field recordings, mixing excellence, and homemade instrumentation to mesh in other-worldy fashions, leading us to places of mystery and profound beauty one may never find accessible by any other means." Edition of 48.

HR41 Ghost Brames - 'Whisper When the Wild Winds Blow' CDr
"There's a spaciousness here that immediately invites the listener to make themselves comfortable in a wide open space. Scattered steel and drums bang and slide about in every direction, quickly shifting into hypnosis when drumming takes on a different role, one that corrals the senses into more subtle layers where chiming things lurk under fine linens of relaxed melodicy. Instruments wind up and down in 'two' to raga-bleached twang, flutes, and hand-percussion. Walls eventually crumble and the sky is wide open." Edition of 48.

HR42 Hairmaiden of the Totem Robe - 'Boomerangs from the Eastern Room of Rebirth' C40
"Conjured bones and drones ebb and flow in intricate networks of glowing undergrowth and seamless stereo mirage, under continual excavation of guided clatter and strung mystery. Mist crawls over stone benches. Chants fall from branches. This is dreaming geometry, sunk in soot, bright with leaves." Edition of 48.

WEBSITE

A new label from Norway called Twilight Luggage:



TLCD01 - Andreas Brandal - 'The Dead Station'
"Twilight Luggage's debut release is a free mp3-album: Andreas Brandal - "The Dead Station". A dark and noisy clash of analogue and electronic sounds, experimental composition and strange melodies." Free download, including artwork and high quality mp3's.

TLCD02 - Lupus Golem - 'Persuaded By the Man Who Ate the Phoenix' CDr €20
"This is the debut album from avant-noise-rock outfit Lupus Golem, and the first CD-R-release from Twilight Luggage. Lupus Golem's sound can best be described as a mentally disabled, bastard son of Khanate and Skullflower, raised in a dark and cold dungeon by Keiji Haino's grandmother and Derek Bailey's ghost, trying to scrape his way out of a sarcophagus.
The album was recorded as an improvised session on August 7, 2007." The CD is available in a limited edition of 50, delivered in a DVD case. The limited edition will include a postcard-sized Twilight Luggage sticker, a booklet and a small portion of genuine wolfs hair.

TLMP01 - KRAFFT – 'Decomposing'
"10 Strange and haunting stories moving through scenes of industrial noise, neo-folk, and dark electronic soundscapes." Free download, including artwork and high quality mp3's.

TLMP02 - Torstein Wjiik - 'Foggy Forest'
"Something is hiding in this foggy forest! A truly facinating journey through claustrophobic, dark atmospheres. One long track that creeps up on you. "Free download, including artwork and high quality mp3's.

TLMP03 - Kallsup - 'Above the Mountains'
"A masterfully crafted album filled with eerie moods and subtle details. The 7 tracks blend perfectly together, with their broken melodies, noise-bursts, crispy loops, and delicate waves of sound." Free download, including artwork and high quality mp3's.

VISIT or CONTACT

Super Minerals - 'The Thaw' CS $8
"Tracing the veins of a band’s constituent parts can uncover strange and enlightening currents of influence, history, mystery, etc. And LBC riff kings Magic Lantern have as ripe and rich a creative periphery as any other crew in the NNF matrix: guitarist Cameron spellbinds as Sun Araw, other guitarist William does the luminous Eureka, drummer Chip stars in Christian musicals (!!), and together William and vocalist/keyboarder Phil soundtrack acid vistas as Super Minerals. What’s perhaps even more unknown to most is that SM actually predates Magic Lantern by a solid few years, and have been gently unfurling fried and frayed zoner atmospheres in micro-edition CDRs since at least 2005. Due to humility or mellow marketing, however, virtually zero of these have slipped into the greater global earhole. So when Phil one day graced us with the Minerals’ entire collected works, we realized the time was now to right this wrong, and began compiling The Thaw, a gargantuan C120 selection of their most truly tripped and narcotic audio mirages, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with it. Murky sunlight string-jangle, jungle Om heatwaves, distant insect whirr, phantom flute whispers, deep drugged rainforests of vibrant harmonic hallucination – this land is yr land. Immense and imaginary." Pro-manufactured high-bias chrome tapes (with shell-imprinting) in faintly silkscreened oversized cases with double-sided full-color ‘solar ooze devouring owl’ artwork by the band. Edition of 100.

Barn Owl - 'From Our Mouths A Perpetual Light' LP $13
"Since first bearing witness to Barn Owl’s mythically desolate amplifier alchemy last year, we’ve been rabid fans/fanatics. But like lots of badass bands, BO are a rolling stone, heavy on the transformation tip, and the BO of today is an altered beast from the one that folkily fingerpicked Bridge To The Clouds and their self-titled disc way back when. And in case we’re not being clear: this is a beautiful thing. From Our Mouths A Perpetual Light burns with the sun-dead majesty of a Death Valley burial ground, all wasted waterless expanse and cracked earth smoke blowing in the dry wind. Heavy western drone revelations bleed into forlorn guitar drift, downcast percussion plods across the plain, a skull on its side lies in the sands. Evan Caminiti and Jon Porras have somehow flawlessly evolved Barn Owl into a blazing new universe, and From Our Mouths… is the first mission statement from their new spectral/aesthetic outpost, a stunning and timeless eight-song suite of grim cinematic electricity. Tune in, drop dead, rot on." In swank matte jackets with ‘four-armed demon warrior-yogi’ artwork by the band. Edition of 435 (275 on white wax, 160 on black).

WEBSITE

OM-08: Uton - 'Radio Olio Metaphysica!' double CDr 9€
"first disc recorded in july/august 2007, collecting sounds and tunes together with experimental new methods. from small no-fi dada sounds to space-ambient atmospheres to acoustic pseudojazz to psychedelic moonshine to screaming guitar feedback to violin scratches... making a tour to the mind of what is. second disc, The Book of Beginnigs, is mostly recorded early 2006, and shows the another deep-drone-dream-realm of Uton. few tracks with J.Koho (from Kulkija, Free Players, Tulasi etc.), and also some help from Vanessa Rossetto (Mighty Acts of God, Pulga etc.), Brad Rose (the North Sea etc.), Maxime Primault (Enfer Boreal) and Magnus Olsen (Elektronavn)." comes in beautiful silkscreened clothe-sleeves and small booklet. edition 100 copies.

WEBSITE

Bearly Queen – 'The Infamous Commercial Suicide Album' CDr 4€(EU)/$6(elsewhere)
"Third release of Bearly Queen, a one man ambient project from Oulu, Finland, is out now! The Infamous Commercial Suicide Album contains four pieces in ~16–18 minute range. Atmospheres vary from large scale spacy floating in the way of Tangerine Dream's Zeit to more proggy electronic wanderings. — Bearly Queen's music has more in common with the electronic pioneers and tape manipulators of the late 60's and early 70's than the present day artists of digital worlds, even though he is working with the home PC instead of tapes nor any actual instruments.” Limited edition of 50 copies. HERE

More tapes from Middle James Co.:

MJC178 SHORTY 6: SICK LLAMA/FOSSILS C20 $7(N. America)/$10(World)
"2 live sets from saturday nite 517 fest in Lansing, Michigan ~ jan26, 2008~
side a=sick llama AKA Keith Goreland~ you know this fag tapes dude and what he's about~ he smokes dead radio static and blows weird hissy masterpieces. here's another distant and depressed lofi blurs from the best&beyond. great groan tones. side b= fossils as Payne, Buchan and Smith. tape mush builds up echoing in a crumpled beer can ~ slomo vocals over reed tones that squeaks creaks creeps and squeals the steel to the drag of life. get yr brains unfroze..." packed in a clear polybox w/2-sided art. limited to 50

MJC181 CM - 'JESUVE' C30 $7(N. America)/$10(World)
"CM is Brooklyn's Todd Brooks (of Pendu Sound Recordings, Ghost Moth, Mialessot) working it out on prepared guitar and oscillators. recorded live direct to walkman 2/12/08= apocalypse NOW lowend rumble drones dressed in high scratches on red vinyl dresses frequency feedback fucking, traces in the wake of the solar anus~ for fans of A.C. & depressed reality." limited to 43

MJC182 SHORTY 7: KHOURY/BUETOW C20 $7(N. America)/$10(World)
"going back in the archives recorded July 15-17, 2004 Michigan string improvisation duets by Mike Khoury on violin and Hans Buetow (Graveyards, Melee, Traum) on bass. Ryan Jewell hit it on the head, referring to these two musicians as "master decision makers" ~ peep this shorty, stark sad beauty bowed." limited to 50

MJC183 TERROR TAPES 30: KHOURY & SODERBERG/BROWN BIRD C60 $7(N. America)/$10(World)
"side a= "violinsploitation 2" Mike Khoury teams up with Will Soderberg.
recorded late 2007~ string deconstruction and sensual insect electronics; these alien blues are green blues~ side b= Brown Bird with the future now sound busted sonic phoenixxx duo of Payne and Matthew Boughner~ wings stretching over no-input mixing boards recorded early 2008 so lofi it's scifi." limited to 43.

WEBSITE

Coldstream self-titled C30 £3(UK)/$7(World)
"Using computers, guitars and field recordings, Coldstream presents 4 tracks of drones, and dark atmospheres: A 1. Learn - Organ drone recorded in a church in the middle of the night; 2. Search - One long depressive drone; B 1. Taken - Apocalyptic deep drone with harsh electronic overtones; 2. Fia - Endlessly looped machinery."

Sample, etc. at the WEBSITE

Hard at work, or hardly working? Har har. It's Abandon Ship, fatty:



ASR028 Tunnels - 'Astral Collage'
"While Tunnels has traditionally explored more meditative and atmospheric realms, on Astral Collage he penetrates a different sphere of consciousness, one of primitive song craft and musics that evolve out of momentary trance. Paying homage to Angus MacLise and Alister Crowley, with influences ranging from kalimba player Francis Bebey to the Velvet Underground, he attempts to evoke his schizophrenic musicality into a cohesive yet semi-improvised sound form." cd-r edition of 100

ASR031 Warmth - 'Paradise Found In Dirt'
"These are the sounds of desolation. Imagery of a sweltering, barren desert comes to mind. Riding a dying camel, with an empty canteen dangling from your neck, the future seems bleak. You notice a glimmer on the horizon. Hope is momentarily restored. Warmth (aka Steev Thompson) evokes this type of scenario with his latest release. Before it's over, he gives you one last taste of hope before laying you down for eternal rest. The ever elusive paradise we've all been looking for. Now gone, just as quick as it arrived. There is no hope. Only Warmth." c21 edition of 100

ASR034 Steve Gunn
"Steve Gunn from GHQ solo outing reissue from Onomato label, 2007. Not many people have had the chance to hear these recordings, based mostly around his acoustic guitar improvisations and inspirations from travels in Morocco. Vocal help on last track from Heidi Diehl (WWVV, Vanishing Voice, Time-Life)." cd-r edition of 200

ASR035 Panopticon Eyelids - 'Glitter Vomit'
"Glitter Vomit was recorded on Mini-Disc at The Pines during the phantom power sabotage incident, winter 2007. The Alien Altars (rival gang) hijacked the sessions, stole our booze and beanies, drugged us and forced us at gunpoint to sonically wear boogie boots and glitter pants. Unphased and deep-zoned, we ripped through their inspirational cue cards like "Thin Testicles", "Free Boogie, White Boy" and "Fuck You! No! Not You! You! - Fela Kuti"... They kidnapped our bassist that night, too!" c43 edition of 100

ASR036 Millions - 'The Notebook Behind Your Eyes'
"Queens local David Suss lays it all out for us here. While having a complete understanding of patience and subtlety, he can jar the senses with his powerful technique: "Three extended, texturally rich pieces for guitar, voice, electronics, effects, etc. Massive blurred-vision dronescapes of existential heaviness and introspective density." - David Suss. cdr edition of 50

ASR038 Caethua - 'Queenly Women Crowned and Uncrowned'
"Cold marriages of growing up in the snow covered cornfields of upstate New York, moldy nylon-stringed guitars, a hissing blend of flea market electronics, rusted pots and pans, field recordings of a doomed boat trip down the St. Lawrence River, birds in the ice covered trees, the groan of an overheating diesel engine, shortwave radio in the middle of nowhere, busted cars sliding in the sleet of Indiana, the soft hum of a dusty living room, bugs and reptiles singing from Florida swamps, and a sorrowful voice leading us into the frozen ground. Recorded, written, produced and mixed by Clare Hubbard, featuring the accompanying sounds of Justin Clifford Rhody and friends. Queenly Women Crowned and Uncrowned is Caethua's 3rd release." c45 edition of 100

WEBSITE

Christina Carter - 'Working Texas Blues' cassette £5
"Christina Carter plays in the incredible Charalambides out of Texas, USA. Over the past couple of years Christina has be releasing of some of the best stuff I have heard, not only in Charalambides, but solo... Electrice, Lace Heart, The Light is Out all blew me away, so I am really pleased to be announcing this one! Two sides of 'tracks recorded in the spring, but meant for summer'. 6 supremely beautiful and effortless elegant tracks across two sides of awesome vocal and guitar, landing in at about 50 minutes... there is a similar kind of vibe to that of Electrice or Lace Heart maybe. I cannot recommend this enough." Pro-printed red cassettes, colour sleeves with liner notes by Christina in an edition of 200 hand numbered copies.

Slow Listener - 'I'm Not Afriad of the Dark; I'm afraid of What It Conceals' CDr £5
"New 3 track bass shuffling feedback drone from this Brighton home slice... Ultra zoned out feedbacked layers, taking you on a visit to meet all those weirdo Twilight Zone creeps from both the original series and the 80s series (not the 2002 whack revamp with credit music by some dude from Korn - actually true). I noticed whilst listening to this that it's pretty loud on my system at 5 and the loudest my stereo goes to is 40, pretty nuts... I'd hit up 40, but I gotta be careful cos of the old guy next door is cool and he lends me screwdrivers, do wanna lose that hook up. Anyways, this is a mindblowing - kinda almost minimal but kinda 'full' at the same time - trip. You ain't heard feedback til your heard this." Limited to 50 copies in hand inked sleeves with stamped credits, each sleeve is entirely individual.

Cold Turkey - 'Transmission' cassette £5
"Cold Turkey is a altar ego for Michigan's Andrew Coltrane, who's had a stack of stuff coming out on labels like Sound Holes, John Olson of Wolf Eyes American Tapes, and his own killer Hemitage Tapes print, he's a fine as fuck example of the noise leaking from that part of the US. Searing sludge electronics and tapes, minimal bleep moments leading into junk jazz sax spillage. Limited to 50 copies, blackened swooshed and splattered gold textured paper, again each individual with hand numbered stamped backs. This release is on insane reel to reel style vintage 80s cassettes, pretty damn fresh... F'real."

WEBSITE

SOD-18 Area C - 'Charmed Birds Against Sorcery' CD $15 special edition/$12 regular edition
"Charmed Birds Against Sorcery" is the third studio album by New England-based musician Erik Carlson, and constitutes a startling development in his sound. The first Area C record, 2006's "Traffics + Discoveries," was a small marvel of whirring loops sourced primarily from processed guitars. Last year's "Haunt," Carlson's second record for Last Visible Dog, was a different affair entirely, investigating the provocative drone capabilities of farfisa organs. The compositions which constitute "Charmed Birds..." develop and, often, transcend the motifs found on these prior albums, with Carlson revealing an astonishingly refined and singular approach to guitar-based composition. Soundwise, the album recalls more the crystalline, kaleidoscopic webworks of the first Area C record than the ragged organ workouts of "Haunt." Glacial harmonics drift in and out of each channel, skittering, modulated notes pulse and surge, sputtering suddenly to luminescent manifestation before disappearing just as quickly. Many of the compositions here are in fact more remniscient of the ambient side of Wolfgang Voigt's work in Gas, or perhaps the less beat driven aspects of "94 Diskont"-era Oval than what we've come to expect from what is ostensibly a 'guitar and electronics' based project. An almost kraut-like rhythm subtends the topography of "Composition Journal," the album's stunning opener, its low throb punctuated by brittle shocks from deconstructed drum machines over which Carlson weaves a spiraling lattice of bowed and picked notes. Later, on "Sleeping Birds," we're presented with a lulling idyll concocted by way of flute-like tones and languid note clusters, a shorter piece which dissolves seamlessly into modulating static at the onset of the pointillist microcosm that is "Spell of Resistance." The title track is without question the album's apex and constitutes a formal peak in Carlson's discography, as brilliant, bright guitar lines tread effortlessly in a sea of tranquil pulses and disembodied percussive elements. It should come as no surprise that, by day, Carlson works in the field of architecture. For with "Charmed Birds..." he has constructed an edifice of stunning complexity, originality and beauty." "Charmed Birds Against Sorcery" is available now for PRE-ORDER. Please note the availability of 100 SPECIAL EDITION copies which feature an additional 3'' CDR of new Area C recordings which won't be available otherwise. The 3''s will come in sleeves designed by Carlson himself ala the gorgeous 3''s that constituted the 'handmd' series that he self-released. ltd. 500

SOD-73 Marble Sky - 'The Sad Return' CD $15 special edition/$12 regular edition
"Limited to a mere 15 copies, the original Marble Sky cassette is definitely an album which has been talked about more than actually heard. Released in 2007 by the Callow God label, and dedicated to "several friends passing through and across," "The Sad Return" finds Impregnable's Jeff Witscher conjuring devastatingly beautiful tidepools of romantic, nostalgic drone music. As evidenced by the surge of placid, warm Impregnable recordings which began turning up midway through 2007, Witscher has become increasingly interested in lulling ambient music - a move which is in sharp contrast to his earlier, blisteringly harsh noise work with Impregnable. After hearing the cassette, we knew that this was material that demanded a larger audience and we're thrilled to present the original material along with 20 minutes of new recordings. Listening to "The Sad Return" is akin to staring out into a grey horizon on a late autumn day. "Pulling Out Grass Under a Blanket" is a smear of beautifully evolving, evocative tones wrung from guitar and synthesizer. Witscher's attention to detail and pacing is marvelous, as wisps of choral drones weave in and out of warm gushes of washed out synth discharge. Later, on "What You Might Forget," surges of static threaten to unhinge a romantic dronework that brings to mind the levitating vistas of Mirror at their most poignant. Elsewhere, Witscher channels the glacial synth studies of Elaine Radigue into a myriad of focused, devotional dreamstates akin to the dayglo analog string fantastias put forth by Stars of the Lid circa "Avec-Laudenum." Ultimately, Marble Sky stands as Witscher's opus: a strikingly wrought meditation on sadness, love and the depths of memory." "The Sad Return" is now available for PRE-ORDER. Note the availability of 100 SPECIAL EDITION copies which will include a 3'' CDR of new Marble Sky recordings that will not be available otherwise. ltd. 500

HERE

Duncan Bruce – ‘New Glass Tapu’ CDr £5(UK)/£6(WORLD)
"Thought you had a grip on the whole New Zealand free noise/drone/freak scene? You best think again. Duncan Bruce (aka Rahmane) has been a shadowy figure on this edge-of-the-world noise steppe for the past decade. He’s hit downtime with the likes of Armpit, skronked heavy with Crude and layed down solo sax dervish rotations that have split skulls and flayed the skin offa legions of hornless infidels. Recordings are tough to track (Bruce has previous releases on Veglia and Freedom From), but New Glass Tapu is a fresh divination from the depths – 9 tracks of free jizz and radiation burn in the form of reed scouring feedback, decomposed electronics, piano blindness and astral drone. Sounds like some deep long lost 60’s freakout document recorded in the Rif and buried in a stale veil of opium/djinn haze. As with the best produce from these antipodes, this sounds a trillion miles out-there. The cdr features team-ups between Bruce and talents of Clayton ‘CJA’ Noone (Armpit, The Futurians), Tim Cornelius (Sandoz Lab Technicians) and Lee Noyes (Wolfskull/Behemothaur) I’m ultra-excited to be releasing this cut of love from the man, it’s an ecstatic joy and hopefully fills in some more gaps in the labyrinthine story of the modern NZ sound thing." 100 copies, clamshell pack with shattered Glass Tapu art on cdr face.

Dsic/Ian Watson – ‘Phantom Dsic/Phantom Scum’ 2xCDr £5(UK)/£6(WORLD)
"Co-released with Phantomhead Recordings. Western thunder blast! This is a very special wintertime mail collaboration between Cardiff’s Ian Watson (Sound of Aircraft Attacking Britain) and Bristol based dsic. Watson provided oddball mixer feedback outings and the results were churned/regurgitated back in Bristol nether-regions. The resulting dirge was split into two short sessions, the first easy/sleazy, the second as eyeball surgery. Phantom Dsic strays into some killer feedbacker territories and skuzz computing/electronics. The Phantom Scum cdr treads heavy water with cyclonic blasts of noise mayhem. Blackened vibes of doom ambient and digital gash bang heads in the best possible way. This should thoroughly dispel the vibes of West Country/Welsh mellow good-times. Disc one comes in black as ash card-packaging with weirdo digital-realist gloss art." Disc two in an obsidian-mirror clamshell, just like John Dee intended. Limited to 50 copies.

WEBSITE

Spores - 'Daub' CDr 5$(N.America)/7$(World)
"One dude got out the milwakee brew and let out layedback goodtime jazzhavoc on drums, the other dude filled up his blatter with tap-water and smoked cigarette smoke up his nose, stuck an L shaped peice of steel the size of andre the giants face into a semi-hollow sears guitar and cranked up the mids on a 20 watt amp...screw a pick, use scissors and a pipe made out of nickel, 7 minutes through:the drums are gettn heavy, now just smash the guitar with it, calm down a little later and make squeak and rumble once again." Limited to 30

Rockbiter - 'WrathWraith' C30 5$(N.America)/7$(World)
"Stacked tape from cloudvalley sessions between thousand year frog and Scott Johnson (hunting rituals/bottom feeder). Side a intros with "wrath". Spastic anxiety attack space station style tone generator vs mixer feedback mayhem with background vocal shreeks and metallic "wretched"ness---absolute low doom vs high end scissor-cut death, constant sporraticness, absolutely unpredictable... chewed. Side b = "wraith". Excreted back into the haunted forest/no mans land-brutal spectres with a nasty sense of humour- have their eyes set on fresh meat, presented in 3 obscured jams setting the pace for a straight out scalp-fest." Limited to 33

Ancient ruins of the Peruvian mind - 'Sacred Vision' C10 5$(N.America)/7$(World)
"This thick brooding zoneyard tape single is courtesy of joshua james burke of advocado jungle, vesvuvan, pregnant brother and much much more....this lad is, has, and will be working overtime to bring to you some meltdown crushers of all sorts-- in a mouthfull of various forms and concepts. This particular focus involves deep prayers to gods unknown from a place deeply buried away from daylight. both jams enter with gigantic crusty bass thuds and eventually seep into the jaws of unfriendly creatures wedged somewhere between our dimension and the beyond...welcome to the danger zone." Limited to 27

SweetSweet CoffeeBreath/Hunting Rituals split c30 5$(N.America)/7$(World)
"If you're lucky you can catch a glimpse SweetSweet Coffeebreath lurking with his magic somewhere within the depths of the burning sun-god organ drones of Slow Listener... or, he's working some open sky healing with Atoms to conjure the great Black Sparrow. SweetSweet CoffeeBreath may or may not be Robin X of Slow Listener...Robin X may or may not be a spirit trickster sending us ethereal vibes from time and space unknown. The only other thing i have to say is that this is one beautifully channelled magnetic spell on side A of this tape. Have you seen the cloud dancer? coffeebreath probably knows her quite well. Side B of this tape involves ceremonial tapestry from the wither clan...brooding horn, fungus infested steel, and wolfcry woodwinds telling tales of the great hunt of the ancients and the madness that followed after the feast, devoured the forest whole and all its tranquility...all gone....only woodhaunts remain, twisted and torn." Limited to 50

Mountain Boat CDr $5(N.America)/$7(World)
"A place where the bottom of the ocean and the top of the world meet as one, you only need one thing to get there... the biggest barge ever built." Limited to 20.

WEBSITE