In a spring shower of vinyl releases by Ecstatic Peace! with new material from Mouthus, Mutant Ape, and the final emergence of The New Blockaders tribute by Richard Ramirez and the late Koji Tano/MSBR, we receive a reissue of the limited-run ‘Stratospheric Passenger’ by northern California’s Servile Sect. A mysterious release to be certain, the mystery comes not for lack of evidence – the LP features nine tracks of deliberate, confidently-paced vignettes of titles like “Trainwreck”, “Rendering”, “Kingdom”, and “Hyperdermic Like Bailing Wire”. Rather, the mystery is the question: Drone (read: Black) Metal or Metal Drone? It seems the games of accepting an experiment always begin with genealogies, particularly when the grandiose pretensions of Metal are breached as if it all were rubbings from some impossible runestone (yes, XXX Maniak included). In this regard, the pair minimize denotation by actively incriminating themselves otherwise: offering little more to decode with than an obscured photo of the two wielding a Death In June t-shirt and studded belt, making plain this is a rather unconventional outfit in an otherwise orthodox division, the Sect’s metal is a more optimistic, or in the least sensitive experiment in the shoegazer terms of Isis or later Cave-In (and this comparison reaches beyond the monochrome moonscape of the cover art).

But of course this genre question is pure distraction, as the practical use of listening to these caring constructions will cohere the appropriate audience of end-users inclined foremost toward minimalist experiment (including, perhaps especially, dilettantes of the so-called “Cold Wave”), Industrial and exploratory Noise, and in the last instance, Metal. With punctured-neck vocals appearing in some form on each track but the first – indicating the harmonic introduction “Numb” as the frozen peace before the war – voice becomes just another instrument in the truest sense of the phrase, blended into this unique mix of sounds without ever appearing to explain or wrangle the trajectory. Otherwise made mostly of guitar and electronics, percussion emerges only accidentally in the phantom surge of energy beginning second intro “Into The Bloom”, guitar erasing itself to set “Suicide From Verona Rupes”, and even effects peel away for meditative segments weighing the end of the record toward some sort of ablution (though in these moments voices do appear as bold dissent). Taken altogether, texture is the guiding focus, as the pair generates an astonishing range of sounds bundled in so many palatable and complimentary compositions that the brilliance of each is absorbed seamlessly into the whole, and the whole a fantastic story. This is no doubt a needful resurrection. On black vinyl in an edition of 400 copies. (Ecstatic Peace! LP, $12 HERE)

UN021 Christopher Riggs - 'Amazed Nova' cass £3
"Prolific guitar whizz Chris Riggs specialises in coaxing and battering all sorts of wrong sounds from his 6-string. If you have heard any of his other releases on labels like Hanson or his own Holy Cheever Church, you know to expect none of the usual twang or strum. Here, he paints a dense and detailed wall of bizarre tone, from ancient sounding music-box jitters to uncomfortable amp thud."

UN022 Pyroclastic Pontoon Quintet cass £3
"From the brains behind Scumbag tapes, two long tracks of cheap keyboard mystery. Childlike and haunting if you feel that way, or maybe this will tickle yr wonky bone more. Like Conrad Schnitzler on sleepy drugs, getting down."

UN023 Tuluum Shimmering - 'River Gods Strike Tuned Bronze Flowers' CDr £4
"This disc should get the prize for doing-what-it-says-on-the-tin. Come to think of it, Tuluum Simmering is a pretty apt name too... A trip right inside your skull, dribbling voodoo magic in your inner ear. Organic, fogged collective psych(e) style, well in touch with nature."

UN024 D.O-NEIMAGI-N.E/I-AMBNECESSNO - 'A No Place' CDr £4
"Spit-close overloaded musings, backwardness, broken electrical clatter. A kind of musique concrete/cut-up/sound poetry symphony that is a pure treat. This is the first lengthy taste of his grim aesthetic available for pubic consumption. Glaswegian beauty like no other."

UN025 Precious Trombley - 'Simple Fighting' £3
"If you search for these goofs on youtube, you'll see them jammin their thang on some Detroit street, looking like doobie-tooting youths who been spending too long trying to capture the cavemen-playing-free-jazz aesthetic which is so hot right now. On this tape they throw in some fizzling electronics and moaning trombone to the mix. Art by Knox Mitchell."

UN026 Elfenbeinturm - '1982 - Pizza, Beer & Smokes' cass £3
"A ritualistic lament for half-remembered smoked out youth. Datashock man Pascal Hector twists backed-up chatter, tape collage, analogue synth and primitive conga taps around themselves. Welcome to this guy's private universe, you'll like it."

WEBSITE

André Foisy - 'After The Prophecy' CDr $6(US)/$10(World)
"To Be Released on Monday, August 3rd: Pre-orders accepted now. Two tracks of string-based (mandolin, acoustic and electric guitar, and violin) dronescapes recorded in 2007. Edition of 25 copies. Track 1 appeared previously on the "Summer Solstice" compilation album from Twilight Luggage. CD covers screen printed by Kelly Rix." HERE

Mark Bradley - 'Dreamstate' (Reverb Worship RW 082) CDr
"I am very pleased to announce the release of "Dreamstate" by US based electronic musician Mark Bradley. The music has a lovely reflective feel with minimal drones (which at times sound like bagpipes or chanters) , delicate electronic flourishes, gentle industrial pulses and zen like reflective chimes which brings to mind Fuxa, Tangerine Dream and others. The cd is available now and comes in an edition of 45 hand numbered copies with hand made lace paper covers."

Gnod - 'Wuste Zeremonie' (Reverb Worship RW 083) CDr
"Gnod have created some really interesting cosmic sounds on this album which is their debut release for Reverb Worship.The bands music is a mix of free tribal drumming, Hawkwind inspired festival band swirl, krautrock pulse and Sun Ra's outer worldliness."Wuste Zeremonie" is the bands new album.It contains three tracks and comes in an edition of 70 hand numbered copies.The covers are stencil sprayed in a variety of different colours.Each cover is unique."

Mizuumi - 'Motion' (Reverb Worship RW 081) CDr
"OK.So, at last here is the debut release from Mizuumi called "Motion".Mizuumi are from Japan and are the duo of Hirano from Spiritjack and Yoshino from Tranko.The idea is to supplement the music with guest musicians.On this album we have Mayuri (Dance & Voice), Naoto Baba from Kailash Calling (Tabla, Voice & Pianica) and Dan from the Lickerish Quartet (Guitar).The cd features just two long tracks.There is a very cool and chilled out psychedelic vibe going on here.Floating ambient soundscapes with eastern sounding strings from a turkish Saz-Electro, guitar and percussion.If you like the sound of Tranko and the Taj Mahal Travellers this cd will float your boat. Made in an edition of 51 copies.The cd is available now and comes in a stencil sprayed blue plastic sleeve with cd and hand numbered insert."

Wyrdstone - 'Cuffern' (Reverb Worship RW 075) CDr (Second edition)
This is "Cuffern" by Wyrdstone.Released on Reverb Worship as RW 075.Wyrdstone is the psychedelic folk project of guitarist Clive Murrell.I first came across Clive's music late last year.To coin a phrase Clive's music can be discribed as "perfect pastoral psych-folk with hints of Camberwick Green".After a few discussions it was agreed that we would do this release.Clive went away after telling me that he was doing some recording over the christmas period and the new year.The cd contains ten delightful tracks comprising arrangements of traditional folk songs and new material.Clive seemlessly merges styles showing wonderful musicianship using acoustic and electric guitar, effects, percussion, recorder, field recordings and the odd voice or two. This is the second edition.The first edition was hand numbered and sold out very quickly.The cd comes in an edition of 50 copies in white card sleeves with paste on artwork with a "Wickerman" theme."

WEBSITE

Walter Gross - 'The Death of the Samplesman' CDr/cassette $10/$9
"Walter Gross is an articulate wonderchild of progressive noise music. His chaotically unorthodox mixes and wonderfully sanguine tapes are composed and constructed out of a refined miscellany of soundscapes, including field recordings (one presumes), monstrous beats, and mass-media fragments. Walter Gross takes musical canvases and sculpts mosaics of art and sound, and the result is a nostalgic punk-influenced orchestra of noise straight out of Maryland. With dollops of punkabilly rancidness and hip-hop fuckery, Walter Gross has developed a unique style representing what it truly means to be from Baltimore. Just like a needle exchange program, Walter Gross takes in the dirty and returns a decisive resonance of noise that would dishearten the strong and empower the weak." HERE

The Faraday Trippers Symphonette Society – ‘The Airburst Suite’ CDr $7(USA)/$9(World)
“The Faraday Trippers are a Los Angeles-based theremin duo. In their hands, the theremin is neither a twinky novelty nor a fossilized icon of 20th century modernism, but a portal to a hypnotic and disorienting alternate universe. Their debut album opens with a roar, the blasting churn of the 23-minute “Adagio Furioso,” then creeps into the luminous and haunting fog of the “Andante Misterioso,” before igniting the trans-dimensional slowburn of the “Largo Molto Agitato.” With a sound every bit as experimental and psychedelic as their name implies, the Faraday Trippers ride their chosen instrument through new expanses of netherworldly, otherworldly free improv and drone.” The first edition of 25 inscribed, numbered copies with hand-drawn disc labels is sold out. The second edition of 100 hand-numbered copies is available. HERE

Dialing In - 'The Islamic Bomb' LP (mf41) $15(US)/$19(canada)/$25(world)
"Reita Piecuch transforms field recordings from her extensive travels through south Asia into dense, static-barbed walls of drone through a variety of arcane and archaic methods of sound transformation. Instead of using a sampler, Reita's collection of odd and classic vinyl is mangled by pieces of scotch tape across the grooves, allowing her to capture samples of everything from Soviet 78s and Bollywood to classic rock and folk onto cassettes. When moving to cassette, the four track becomes her instrument, allowing her to transform the sound by speed and pitch and through layering with other sounds. The backdrop for all this tape fuckupery is the inspiration of her travels through Asia. By mixing audible snapshots of her journeys with piano, harmonium, and her collection of samples, Piecuch creates an amazingly textured and unique sound. The new album, <I>The Islamic Bomb</i>, uses recordings from her recent trip to Pakistan. Calls to prayer from the Islamic muezzin become movements so antarctic they slow the heart. Discintegrated loops of fast-talking boys on the street become jittery Ata Kak rythms, masterfully meshed with slow drifts of muffled piano. <I>The Islamic Bomb</i> is Dialing In's third album following previous releases on Pseudo Arcana (<i>Cows in Lye</i>, 2006) and Celebrate Psi Phenomenon (<i>Ketalysergicmetha Mother</i>, 2005). It is undoubtedly her most restrained, meditative, and mature work to date. Jade green vinyl limited to 500 copies." SAMPLE/WEBSITE

MV & EE - 'Road Trips' 12x cassette boxset £49(UK)/£50.75(EU)/£56(World)
Includes: The MV & EE Medicine Show 'Citybillies' Brooklyn, NY 5/23/02 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED); MV & EE With The Bummer Road 'The Suncatcher Blossoms A Novatone' Tonic, NYC 7/18/2005 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED); MV & EE With The Bummer Road 'Abstarct Blues and Egyptian Mud' Campfire Sounds, Acra, NY 7/15/06 ( UNRELEASED); MV & EE with The Bummer Road 'Pastis King' Paris, November 11th, 2006 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED);MV & EE with The Golden Road 'Barn Joint' Red Barn, Amherst, MA, 10/16/07 (feat. J Mascis and Tom Carter) (PREVIOUSLY OUT AS AN UNOFFICIAL BOOTLEG); MV & EE with The Golden Road 'Lobstora Vs Tone Crabs' Floristree Auditorium Baltimore, MD, 6/14/08 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED); MV & EE with The Wolfpack 'Yurt Aspects/Rural Centrifuge' Wickermania Festival, The Yurt, Goshen, MA 8/2/08 / Tinderbox, Brattleboro, VT, 8/3/08 (UNRELEASED); MV & EE with Jeremy Earl '"He's On Tonight, Saddleback"/"Multiple Gravitrons" Cakeshop, NYC, 1/20/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED); MV & EE with The Wolfpack 'Mamma Zooed' The Triple, Richmond, VA, 1/23/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED); MV & EE 'Smoked Bossier' Art Space, Shreveport, LA, 1/29/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED); MV & EE with The Golden Road 'Sequential Circuits' Vintage By The Pound, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2/7/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED); MV & EE 'Pete's Pix Vol. 2' 2004 - 2006 (tracks from Cambridge UK, Colour Out of Space, Thurston's ATP, Oxford, London, and more. Features Nemo, Chris Corsano, Samara, Willie, Jiggs, Sparrow, Simoes) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED). LIMITED TO 250 COPIES. PRO-DUBBED CASSETTES IN PRESENTATION CASE.

JAKE BLANCHARD - 'Blackest Rainbow' shirt £10(UK)/£10.50(EU)/£11(World)
"Horror eyeball design from an original lino print design by Jake Blanchard, the man behind Menagerie and last years covers for Child Bride andCaldera Lakes. He's also just done a really nice cover for the Risil record on Important. The design is screen printed on Gildan Soft Style shirts... nice fit and lightweight cotton. Available in black with white print, and then the following colours with black print: indigo blue, grey, chestnut and military green. Available in sizes small, medium, large and xlarge. The design can be seen on the homepage of the website, check it out! Only 54 printed."

SPILL - 'Where You Aren't' CDr £5.25(UK)/£5.50(EU)/£6(World)
"New release from this ultra mysterious Welsh born duo... 3 tracks improvised live with guitars, microphones, voice and effects. Swirls of feedback, weirdo pops and glitches, distorted decaying walls of fuzz and barely recognizable voices. Packaged in black/white classic BR style sleeve designed by the band with insane black mental logo and blackened psyche art, and a bizarre loved up photograph insert. Definitely a weird one. Limited to 50 copies."

MV & EE WITH WILLIE LANE - 'Pray For Less' cassette £6(UK)/£6.25(EU)/£6.5(World)
"BACK IN STOCK - ONLY 5 COPIES AVAILABLE! Second in this ongoing series of live cassettes from Matt Valentine and Erika Elder, this time joined by Willie Lane of The Golden Road in Oklahoma. This is post Ecstatic Peace releasing last year's awesome Gettin' Gone... pro dubbed tapes with printed green shells. Limited to 200, in full colour sleeves with the same art as Catalytic Dung but with different info and a new MV tale... Here's some words from Willie Lane: 'Some of Austin's brightest cognoscenti told us of the "coin" that resides in OK City. So we spent most of our bread on hot dog kings and Mexican coffee at scenic turnouts, thinking we'd make it all back two-fold at the gig. OK City and its lost lake were sobering to our power-ball minds. The Golden Road harvested tonal riches instead - and in spades - to the rejoicing of both common folk and high-rollers alike. Hospitality flowed after the gig & a kind soul rolled a bone on a Lord Buckley sleeve as our minds turned back to the road for what lay ahead. But maybe we shoulda stayed...'."

WEBSITE

richard ramirez s/t dosefortyseven 4x 3"CDr
"four examples of richard ramirez's varied and incredible harsh noise wall work. one disc each from each of these projects: one on top of the other (with jonas teunissen), an innocent young throat-cutter (with isabella k.), savage broadcast (solo), and crash at every speed (solo). this set serves as both a great introduction of what richard is up to these days and a deeper look at how his work varies project to project. edition of 51 copies in silkscreened boxes. each disc is affixed to its own insert card." HERE

fouke s/t CDr dosesixtytwo
"mysterious new richard ramirez harsh noise wall project built around the legend of the fouke monster. Possibly my favorite of richard's recent endeavors. sputtering, crackling, crumbling sounds on the first track make way for an intense assault on the second. clocks in at just under 43 minutes. edition of 49 copies." HERE

i am a slut - 'agony of still breathing flesh' dosesixtyfive CDr
"self-hating, depressive harsh noise walls from poland created by the man behind selymes viragszirom. two 17+ minute tracks. edition of 39 copies in printed white envelopes with insert." HERE

Black Eagle Child — ‘Two Days’ C24 $7(US/CAN)/$8(World)
”I had just purchased a new pickup for my acoustic guitar and had played through several enjoyable sessions in which some music was recorded, and some was lost. The playing of these songs helped to dial down the eustress levels in our apartment a bit, since our daughter Mary had just been born a few rapid days earlier. Two songs were salvaged for this cassette, each recorded on a different day. The tracks are single take—acoustic guitar plugged into digital delay and amplified with a solid-state Kenwood amplifier. Produbbed, red shells with deep blue imprint. Limited to 100 standard copies, 5 art copies.” HERE

Sam Francis - 'Pure Masonic Zeal!' $6
"The 8 songs featured on his new album titled “Pure Masonic Zeal!” range from a classical folk approach, instrumental keyboard pieces, electronic drums, the occasional off the cuff solo in the vein of Joe Satriani, and generally the energy of an improv player with a 1 take aesthetic. Issues surrounding stimulus packages, end of the world fanaticism, and stream of consciousness grabs in the dark – color this portrait with its own sense of quirky zeal. Limited to 50. Artwork is original watercolor done by the Annapolis Chosen." HERE

Given the dubious category of “goodness" in modernism and the even more dubious subject of the determining critic – frequently more fascist than friend - it’s difficult to articulate what it is about A.M. Shiner’s ‘Good Cop’ that makes it a worthy listen. Like it’s cohort of concrete noise and drone (synthetic, or in other cases, “found” or aggressively “captured”), foremost a utility for playback, the sound object exists in exposition without claim to much, particularly in the divorce between title and content. The disc’s seven tracks are mechanical and motoric, unconsciously compulsive and tenacious; the levels are level, neither combatively harsh nor smoothly assimilated. Perhaps hungry for the other this unpeopled sound rebukes, untitled track six (and given the curtness of number seven, the final track) reveals the brilliance of this regressive algorithm as a slurred, low-fidelity incantation is looped in an arrhythmic cycle which warps and multiplies the sound in an ingrown meditation to the floor. Not to negate the gains of the preceding tracks, this is good, falsifiably good, and good for reasons wholly its own. Branded with a unique screening on the disc, ‘Good Cop’ appears in the series of double vellum prints housed in thick vinyl sleeve. Limited to 100 copies. (Stunned CDr, sold out HERE)

Timmy the Terror and the Winter Coats - 'Thoughtful Moans, You Need Him' cassette $5
"Two young jerks from Portland who record a lot of songs. Tyler Bristow (formerly of White Fang, Wild Bird) and Jimmy Leslie (White Fang, French Dad) jam punk songs about all of their friends, do hella long loop mantras with critter sounds and beatboxes, and even sing together. Their live shows usually have giant blow up snowmen and strange props. They smoke a lot of weed and kind of always have and maybe always will. This is not their first tape and it won't be their last. C-44 silver tapes in jewel cases with hand-drawn labels and fabric squares." Edition: 20. HERE

Caethua/Ancestral Diet split $7
"Clare Hubbard (Caethua) and Andy Neubauer (Uke of Spaces, Flak Mask, Impractical Cockpit) play the koner synth holy carols. Edition of 100 with white imprinting and letterpress inserts."

Cro Magnon/Circuit des Yeux/Bird split $6
"Short tape by Katie and Haley. A-side is their collaborative project, Cro Magnon, conjuring apocalyptic no-core anxiety. B-side features each of their solo projects: Circuit des Yeux (Haley) slows it down with “Fire Signs” and then Bird (Katie) deconstructs/microtunes the acoustic rock song with free, downloadable software on “Swamp Cry”. Edition of 100."

Blobs - 'Hey Hello' $6
"Lieven Martens (Dolphins into the Future, Taped Sounds) and Eva Van Deuren (Orphan Fairytale, Pluim) are sea sponges on this tape. Edition of 100."

Edgar Wappenhalter - 'Spuiglavementen' $7
"Steve Marreyt of Sylvester Anfang and the KRAAK label has a handful of old tapes and just a twinkle of psych pop wunder. Edition of 60."

Bone Patrol U.S./Varlet Tarsod split $7
Luke (Dead Luke, Jerkwave, etc) and Aaron (Peaking Lights) chill on the dual guitar/just hang out Bone Patrol status. The flip side is Luke solo with his desert music proyecto. Edition of 100

WEBSITE

RzDz 11 KK/KK-POLDR split C40
"Twilight Zone split tape between the london based synth blowing KK/KK and Poldr. Obsessive and synthetic sound stars from the London based Chris Kalafatis and his mesmerizing drone modulations. Whistling broken loops and blurry collages by Benjamin Aman. Run of 60 Solaris copies, transparent tape, color print on paper. Artwork by B.L.A." HERE

(kimdawn008) Horse Hair Everywhere - 'Nothing Happened' 3"CDr $4
"Five members of this nebulous sound tribe came together to attempt to score a film. The jury is still out on whether that happened or not- what is presented here is a fragment of that evening,consciously and accidentally manipulated for maximum openness and space. Five individuals, one screen, working in the dark- deep inside a groupthink trance. This is what happened. Presented on a 3" cdr in a hand numbered edition of 40. Cover film stills by Geoffrey Sexton."

(kimdawn009) This is Communication - 'Self Titled' 3"CDr $4
"After hearing clips from Jeremy Walker's recent performances and watching a video of him demonstrating his home made oscillotrope, I was expecting him to deliver a blast of harsh noise to me. Instead, a was pleasantly surprised when he invited me over to hear his new project- This is Communication, which has a lot more in common with "Slanted and Enchanted" and "Loveless" than Merzbow. The home made noise makers are still present, but now they are being mixed with guitars, drums and vocals to create a unique drone-pop blend that is equal parts pure texture and sentimental pop melody. Signals converge and form songs, only to be deconstructed again into fragments of ideas and half finished sentences in the end. Presented on a 3" cdr in a hand numbered edition of 50. Cover design by the artist."

WEBSITE

Xiphiidae - 'Waning in Archaic Color Sequence' 12" VHR#1 $16
"Jeffry Astin's first full-length wax, 'Waning in Archaic Color Sequence' offers a revolutionary trip into the artist's sonic realm shared with listeners whose minds create inner visions. Altogether a complete spectrum. side a pan cyan essence gently lifts masseuse pressures, kneading inviting folds to welcome potter's hands. Dough envelopes turnover insides. Returning an easy letdown. I see circles outside, too. spins aja mother stirring boiling pots. Cabinets flung by Merlin child drumming pots from the cupboard. Dad tiptoes ballerina in the kitchen, an initiation raindance for reunification ceremony. Father calls us home into her arms. Blessed surprises at the company table. side b aeckt wetting shower. akimbo, Cycadia spits fine network in space. Ensnared, flash hands liquid dance passes over web. Thick layers of existence blot the screen. Shed a skin. The choir revives me snatched upward. Existence vail not so heavy; light in fact. Not there except in memory. Koala cycadia perched on limb, fiberoptic carpet issuing overhead.. Woodelves' endless song conducts along Cycadia's drawn watchway. Waking in dream. Shed another skin. Sand and stone scuffle clap chant the ancient memory. Source love, what blinds always see another way? Each vinyl's centerpiece label is hand painted and sepia stamped with hand-carved 12 point mandala. The vinyl sleeves are also hand painted. Each one is very different. Covers are front and back full color, and there is a b&w front and back 8"X11" cardstock insert. Edition of 100."

Zebulon - 'Webolo' C30 VHR#2 $5
"side a Bizarre combinations of found media, environmental recordings and experimental instrumentation. Rhythms emerge harmonies among seemingly unrelatable sound sources. There is a balance between the preservation of found media and intervention on its waveforms. Altogether a complex composition of various sound sources that make music floating down the street. side b An expedition into the listening field-- where we find ourselves on park benches, crosswalks, or neighborhood backyards. Composer takes us to sound document of minimal intervention reality recording. Coincidences of connection, rhythms and sources, a serendipitous realization. A record, that for every moment of our modern environment, calls us to listen to the ancient patterns that move through wind and tree, mic and voice, even engine and ground. Edition of 40 cassettes in jewel case with full color front and back j-card cover and insert, painted and color labeled tapes."

Antigua Ibis - 'Bisected by Ravines' C30 VHR#3 $5
"side a During this recording session, David and I wanted to create a blissful soundscape. We used the things we found: toy keyboards, tingshas from a friend, a tape document of a holistic health meeting (bowl therapy); and formed the sounds into a composition intended to impart pleasant vibes to the listener. side b Long keys improvisation with wind. Entirity of elements forms an environment in motion, the happenings of a couple inhabitants inside a log cabin during an autumn nightime storm. Places of stillness develop between rolling melodies that drum the beat of air. Edition of 48 cassettes in jewel case with full color front and back j-card cover and insert, painted and color labeled tapes."

WEBSITE

Slasher Risk s/t CD $10
"A long time in the making, Obsolete Units is immensely pleased to be bringing you its second silver CD, this time from everyone's favorite Brooklyn destructionists Slasher Risk. On their first full-length CD, the duo provide an exquisitely diverse and confident set that focuses on the disparate strains of sonics the two are infamous for operating among., Here we're allowed access to a garage-punk nugget of an opener, a clean-driven psych guitar mantra, an unforgiving blast into harsh electronics, and a 20-minute live assault aptly capturing the id-driven physicality of the band's performance aesthetic. A powerfully comprehensive overview of Slasher Risk's growing forcefulness in the past couple years. Comes in beautiful color digipack artwork."

TwistyCat - 'Ultra Low Frequency Object' 3-Minute Loop Cassette $7
"The woodwind-drone duo of Ed Bear (ex-Talibam!) and Lea Bertucci have been displaying feats of acoustic-birthed, but electronically corrupted sound for the past few years, and in one of their more ambitious projects so aptly suited to their sound, they present here a haunting three-minute loop cassette. The howling rumble projects itself in infinite space, sounds hanging around for greater periods than earthly laws allow, giving way to sparse and gorgeous progressions of controlled ambiance. You can decide where and when it all ceases, from a short gasp to total domination of your environment. Very limited! Edition of 30."

Fluorescent Vibes - 'Possibilities' C34 $6
"Drone can be a tricky style to tend to without falling prey to monotony and regression, but like fellow Brooklyn master Millions, the Vibes make an exquisite case for the style's encompassing authority and its continuing evolution into unheard, thrilling entities. The first half documents one of the band's breakout performances taken from last year's New York Eye & Ear Fest, with the then trio of Heliotaxis/Arcanode instrumentalist and Cryptic Carousel label-head Corey Bauer and former Miami Beach members Phillip Gerson and Matt Kimmel (he of Acid Marshmellow and Melted Mailbox fame) emitting a consolatory and illusory pastiche of submerged synths and fleeting found sound. A Silent Barn action fills out the second side, finding the Bauer-Gerson duo trudging through notably spare and slightly sinister forms, all the calming surreality in tact. A gorgeous head trip. Edition of 60."

Grasshopper - 'Wretched Blood Wraith' C24 $6
"The NY brass/electronics duo Grasshopper has been confounding the NY populace with an aggressive sprawl of electric burble and fuzz-damaged horns, but man, I didn't see this one coming. On this cassette, their sound hits a peak of totally controlled, sharp mayhem, one that's almost PE in nature save for the commanding brass that blasts in where vocal chords usually shred. Interestingly, Wretched... was birthed, then aborted, and reborn as a more concise pair of compositions filling out an ominous sub-drone sprawl. Here, a very imposing, very unique identity sees creation, falling between harsh noise, early electronics, and free jazz. One of their first releases outside of member Jesse DeRosa's fantastic Baked Tapes imprint. Edition of 60."

Towering Heroic Dudes - 'Bad Old Daze' CDr $7
"The Brooklyn merchants of behemoth, messy, surreal drone present a late 08/early 09 live report of sorts: three untampered audio missives reaching beneath the concrete spaces of standard sonics and melding into something warm, murky, and powerful all the same. An apt summary of the second phase of THD that was birthed unexpectedly early last year. Responsible parties include the folks behind killyrboss, Abandon Ship Records, Rust Worship, Sweaty Bullets, and Obsolete Units. Edition of 60."

WEBSITE

Ajilvsga – ‘The Muddy Banks of the Arkansas’ LP $16(North America)/$18(World)
”Near Passerine Devotionals is a new, vinyl-only label residing near Toronto, Ontario, Canada. For our debut release, NPD is proud to deliver this mammoth caustic-drone masterpiece from Oklahoma’s native sons, Ajilvsga (Brad Rose – he who runs the Digitalis imprint, and Nathan Young – NOT the Wolf Eyes guy). Trading in their guitars for synthesizers, this prolific duo has unloaded a pair of rocket blasts that are sure to flip your skull. The A-Side is ear-meltingly delicious, slowly ramping from deepest drone to sheets of piercing skree. The flip takes the pummelling even further, incorporating a sinister rhythm and ghost-vox from Brad's wife, Eden. It’s the soundtrack to your beheading... We feel that this is some of the best Ajilvsga action yet! And it’s on VINYL!! Comes sheathed in a 12"x18" poster on heavy stock silkscreened by the mighty VGKids; artwork courtesy of Evan Caminiti (Barn Owl).” EMAIL

The collaborative one-off by three gentlemen (Bop Bellerue, Raven Chacon, Sandor Finta), perhaps better known for their hand as label-bosses (of Anarchymoon, SickSickSick, and Bastardised respectively), KILT play the classic noise recital of thick-banded distortion, taffy-stretched tones, and imported cosmos in little granular tosses. The 3” excerpt of a one-night stand at LA’s Il Corral entitled ‘Vaya Con Nada’ offers authorial turn-taking, or in the least, sonic ecumenism, probing the picas which space the title in turns of harsh drone and harsh minimalism. Mechanical, inorganic, and macroscopically busy - whatever myopia each player suffers is deflated by the amplification of simultaneity, specifically the tone-deafness which the artist brings to the positivistic creation, nothing a little negative dialectic of group play can’t solve. Despite being presumably a live performance with audience, the hum of bodies is not evident, nor is the deft lilt of sound to listening mass which can severely undermine a recording (not to mention performance), and in this same sense, the production is flawless and full. Seventy-one copies in a heavy, screened sleeve and vinyl slip. (Small Doses 3” CDr, $4.50 HERE)

Puffy Areolas- 'Harrigan's Blues: Ok Pussyface, It's Your Move' 2xC31 (PN 25) $13(US)/$15(CAN)/$17(World)
"A full hour of sonic gunk recorded mostly by Damon, the head puffy and bass player, Dusty. Insanely fresh and concise release for one of the most insanely off-kilter rock projects going right now. Absolutely in the zone four-track recordings that capture lo-fi psych scum basement rock and a wide variety of instrumental tracks that really make this entire release HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. Heavy guitar fuzz explorations of cosmic kraut'esque realms. Beautiful synth gnarl and killer jams through and through. Sonic experiments that leave you feeling as if you are being flushed down some giant neon green polka-dotted toilet bowl. You may have checked them out with their recent additions of Cleveland radio psych guru, Steve Newton (Krauty McKraut) on vocals and John Elliot of Emeralds on synthesizer but you've likely never heard them as fully realized as they are on "Harrigan's Blues"."

Jeff Host - 'In Memoriam: Joybubbles' 2xC20 (PN 27) $13(US)/$15(CAN)/$17(World)
"Super hypnotic sequencer cuts from Jeff Host, a longtime ohioan who is just recently getting more attention around here. An incredibly talented guy who has studied electronic music at Oberlin and recently graduated in guitar performance at Kent State. At age 10, he could be found playing Led Zep covers note for note on the back of flatbed trucks at county fairs around ohio. "In Memoriam: Joybubbles" is an incredible display of his composition skills being put to use using minimal sequences and subtle vibrations that create spacious rainbows of aural ecstasy . Insane rhythm compositions pair up nicely with the more subdued zones that he explores. All in memory of legendary hacker, Joybubbles."

Prehistoric Blackout - 'Stone Reaper' C20 (PN 28) $7(US)/$8(CAN)/$10(World)
"On "Stone Reaper", Prehistoric Blackout (Taylor Richardson of Infinity Window) conjures haunted malibu droning and cascading synth between intoxicating guitar pieces that sound almost like martin denny making music for toxic oil spills. Influenced by the toxic gases in Greenpoint, the tape ends with a psychedelic thunderous stomp that allows for a disorienting rock style synth blow out. A huge inside out pop piece cycled through various sound/content systems. The tape is kind of like an incredibly good looking piece of abc gum, a wide variety of grime stuck in the a hot pink goo, hard not to resist."

Docile Dawn - 'Overgrown Forest II' C20 (PN 29) $7(US)/$8(CAN)/$10(World)
"Twenty minutes of pretty and eerie swirling synths that stretch themselves out like tree roots. Sounds that wither away and others that blossom out and unite each piece as nearly one endless synth collage. Docile Dawn is the outcome of a recent collaboration between Zach Troxell of Fragments and Sam Goldberg. Melodic and strange live improvisations recorded in a dark basement in Cleveland."

Freedom - 'I'll Ride Yr Lawnmower' C38 (PN 30) $7(US)/$8(CAN)/$10(World)
"Freedom is the current vehicle for Justin Coulter and Tony Merrit, two of Cleveland's most killer zoned out rocker dudes. Justin's noisey guitar tendencies and overall sonic visions are heavily fueled by his past collaborations with David Russell in Jerk and Tanked. Coulter takes the reigns on this one and shells out an insane rock tape full of disgusting manipulations of vocals and guitar over thumping rock rhythms. Ultimately Freedom forms their own no wave sludge sound that blasts it into grimey slow churning noise zones. This tape also features Steve Mehlman of Pere Ubu/Rocket From The Tombs on drums who propels the cassette into raw damaged oblivion."

Two tremendously weird tracks (plus a locked-groove) for John Wiese, ‘Zombie’ features the antipodal “Withered Arm”, a still, static track of sharp-hued white noise divulging only the slightest information like a magic eye poster, something deep bulbous and fluid which may never full detail its contours in forty listens. On the reverse, the repetition piece of a title track chugs through a superfuzz Flipper riff of infinite iterations with a punky little MC shouting “I’m a zombie!” A notable track, though difficult to reconcile as one from Wiese, his presence is really only felt in the delicate conditioning of the track, deteriorating either by effect or showing its age through familiarity. The LP limited to 300 copies. Available from Italy's Presto!? for 18€ (worldwide) HERE.

Another, more conventional frame of experiment from Italy, Lolita Terror Sounds (Maurizio Vitale) leaves the estrangement to the composition. Despite the industrial-sex-danger triad forming the cover image of Rudiments And Bases For The New Millennium', the music is august and only structurally-challenging (as opposed to offensive or abrasive). Playing an array of containers and percussion instruments, Vitale is joined by piano and a string septet, though these accompanists serve only to bolster the drummer as soloist. Rolling rhythmically through to the announced "finito", the stings and synthetic manipulations of tracks like "Italsiders' Ruins" recall Kronos Quartet, as the simple, steady beats suggest more worldbeat than jazz. Vitale draws a nice spectrum of sounds from these loose objects, and the minimal embellishments do well to fill out without crowding. CDr available from Titanium Sound Factory HERE.

Anvil Salute - 'Cosmic Yes' CDr
"Oklahoma free form folk by way of the Far East turns to spiritual out-jazz and back again. Gorgeous. Ghosts linger in the dusty halls where this music echoes."

Gown/Chapels split C20
"Two different takes on mangy guitar free form. Gown, as always, brings a gritty guitar bathed in lust. Always for real. Chapels has broken near-beats and broken guitar. Both sides, a gentle rampage."

WEBSITE

Sean McCann & Greg Manata – ‘Fair Beginnings' C42 $6(USA)/$7(Canada)/$8(World)
”This is, without a doubt, the most outright beautiful tape we’ve ever released. San Francisco’s McCann (who’s on a roll of sorts with recent solo killers on Stunned, DNT, and his own Roll Over Rover) teams up with longtime friend Manata for a full-length collaboration. In the grand tradition of synth/guitar duos like Fripp & Eno and Budd & Guthrie, McCann & Manata lay down perfectly soothing waves of ethereal ambience. Like standing in a tide pool and pondering the vast ocean—infinitely pleasant, yet a strange, otherworldly presence lies beneath. Your summer will be a little better with McCann’s synth and viola and Manata’s guitar as the soundtrack. With full color art, inserts, and labels by Matt Yacoub. Edition of 75.”

Husere Grav/Meditations split C33 $6(USA)/$7(Canada)/$8(World)
”Two dark passengers run parallel through the night. Husere Grav kicks things off in short, episodic fashion with five entirely unique reflections on dread and anguish. Crumbling walls of distortion, heartbreaking funeral dirges, and voyeuristic acoustic passages all tell a twisted but remarkably consistent story. Meditations follows with one side-long track that relies heavily upon synth, homemade electronics, tape, and vocals. A storm of tones, drones, and screeches build into a frenzy and eventually coast into a mournful, tense, and unexpectedly melodic finale. With full color heart-and-lung art, inserts, and labels by Matt Yacoub. Edition of 75.”

ANALOG CONCEPT – ‘MUSIC’ C32 $6(USA)/$7(Canada)/$8(World) ”From Russia with lots of love, antique electronic guru Alexey continues his all-caps American infiltration (previous tapes on Digitalis Ltd. and Holy Cheever Church) with two servings of synthetic mastery. The appropriately titled “Science” mixes cold and spacey tones with bizarre sequences with clinical precision. “Nature” is a much more sentimental and downright gorgeous affair, with warm drones, melodies, and even a little guitar work that’s nearly overwhelming in its sublime expression of the pastoral. Step outside and study the earth, bask in its glory, or—even better—do both. With full color art, inserts (featuring a manifesto by Alexey in both English and Russian), and labels by Matt Yacoub. Edition of 50.”

The North Sea/Bones of Seabirds split C64 $6(USA)/$7(Canada)/$8(World)
”Prolific, heavy Midwest and Southeast minds join up for an unprecedented analog synth tag team. Brad Rose leads the way with two distinct burners. One swirls between beauty and menace while threatening to suck you into its hypnotic vortex—a place you’ll surely want to go. The other burrows straight into your skull and blows rainbow bubbles in your grey matter. Ryan McGill goes the distance on the flip with a sidelong piece that sculpts a gentle, soothing pulse into a towering monolith and finishes with a truly hellacious descent—the likes of which haven’t been heard on a BoS recording in quite awhile. With full color art, inserts, and labels by Matt Yacoub. Edition of 80.”

Special Rate: Purchase all three new releases for $20 USA/$22 Canada/$27 World

WEBSITE

Victor Villarreal – ‘Alive’ CD $15
”After a seven-year hiatus surrounded in mystery, Victor Villarreal (Cap'n Jazz, Ghost and Vodka, Owls) has re-emerged with a new outlook on the musical career he had all but abandoned. On his first solo release, the poignant "Alive," he concisely channels the spirit of his late brother Carlo with the record's 10 tracks serving as testament. In a break from tradition, Villarreal trades his electric guitar for an acoustic and, for the first time, pens his own set of heartfelt, deeply inspired lyrics. By working at his own pace, free of the distractions and upheavals which plagued much of his earlier life, Villarreal's daring delve into the world of solo artistry is thus far a successful one. And to think, it almost never came to be.” HERE