Time—s/t cs

Time

s/t

Illuminated Paths

Not really my thing. It sounds like a more synth-pop version of Sisters of Mercy with Kate Pierson singing a duet constantly… There really isn’t any song I can hear. It’s just kind of synth-salad with two people singing over the whole thing. Without much of a break. I’m not sure how serious this is supposed to be. 

It looks fine. The cover is nice but the logo is kinda of silly and the type throughout is pretty rough. It’s this script font with a bit of radiance put on it to make it look like it’s glowing. I think there could have been a lot more work throughout the whole release. 

Ice Orgy—III cs

Ice Orgy

III

Unovis

Another gorgeous release from Ice Orgy. First of all the music is excellent. Basically the soundtrack to my current anxiety attack that I have been experiencing for the past 48 hours. I am not kidding. I am falling apart. Hooray! The first side is this building and rhythmic drone type piece that completely works on every level. The second side reminds me a bit of some of the more experimental Mt. Eerie stuff (I am totally, mostly thinking this because of what I am about to mention). It’s got drum machines and loops that degrade into a tense, yet beautiful drone.. You should hear this. I love this project. I respect how few releases they do but I do wish there was a higher output coming from them. Maybe now that they have relocated to Port Angeles, WA from Brooklyn, NY (definitely a step up, and I love Brooklyn) we will get more from this project. Maybe even a show or two. 

The packaging is wonderful. Linoblock carved elements along with letterpressed o-cards and j-cards. They said something in a note about how the printing wasn’t as nice as they wanted and I think for the paper chosen this is an excellent print job. The paper feels like French paper which has a shitload of sizing in it. That makes getting an impression without damaging your type pretty difficult. The ink layers seem good and the choices all work well for me. I say bravo! I also would like to take this moment to ask the French Paper Company to create a line of papers designed for letterpress. They have a 140lb paper they say is good for letterpress but it’s really not. It’s fine but I am hoping for the texture and feels of BFK Rives or Savoy Reich but with the colors selection of French. I know that is super difficult, almost impossible, but you should do it anyway. 

Shining Sex/She Walks Crooked—split cs

Shining Sex & She Walks Crooked

split cs

Petite Soles

I think i have made my opinions on the whole harsh noise meets devious sex/misogyny thing pretty clear. I get that it is a bit ironic and satirical but it is also a bit tired. Regardless though this is great. I think any quality HNW is pretty much peaches with me and both of these acts are really fucking good at it. I am glad to have heard this and I definitely recommend checking it out. 

The art and song titles fall into that whole “watch out! I make girls nervous with the juxtaposition of black and white photos that have boobs in them and the intensity of my sounds!” thing, but it looks nice. The photos are well printed and do a good job of being unsettling. The type is simple and well handled and you know how much of a big deal that is for me. Nice job printing heavy black on an interesting colored card stock instead of just plain white. For something so simple you can really see that this release had some thought and care put into it. Good label. Good quality. 

Lord Time—Mandatory Human Livestock Reduction cs

Lord Time

Mandatory Human Livestock Reduction

Universal Consciousness

I am a huge fan of Lord Time and I knew I would probably be pretty into this. Not surprisingly I was. This actually really kills more than I thought it might though. The sounds on this are just perfect and the music is getting even better than it had in the past. Just enough growl to compliment the piercing aspects of this noise-ladened bedroom black metal. It’s also moving towards a more heavier blackened-thrash I would say but what do I know? Regardless it rules and it has a picture of some pretty brutal kitty cats walking down the street. 

German Army—Te Ano cs

German Army

Te Ano

Opal Tapes

How excited was I to get a new German Army cassette in my mailbox the other day? Holy shit I have missed these. Most readers here will know that I gush over German Army a lot and I am probably not going to stop today. It was exactly what I needed. This is a full length album of 12 tracks that show exactly the kind of work German Army is known for (there is a couple tracks that I think had been on something before but I could be wrong. I feel like i recognize a couple here though). For those that aren’t familiar I will say that GA sort of pick up where Coil left off but also do something that is in no way a throwback. This exists entirely in its own world. Loops, samples, noise, texture and excellent taste dictate what you will hear on any GA release and I have yet to be disappointed. I doubt you will either. 

The design is clean and simple but with a small collection of images that when viewed together seem to give you the beginnings of a narrative that you are not privy to. Looks great. Sounds great. Is great. 

Murmur Ring/A Death Cinematic—split cs

Murmur Ring/A Death Cinematic

split cs

Gewih Ritual/Simple Box Construction

This thing is a masterpiece. I almost don’t know what to say exactly. First of all it’s beautiful. I’ll just start there. Transparent vellum, screen printing and die cutting make this understated cassette look utterly amazing. I think once you get one of these in your hands you will understand that. I have always loved Simple Box Construction’s work and this is no exception. Musically it is just beautiful. It’s like a memory of the first time you saw your mother played through the filter of your many years. There is a subtle tragedy to the whole thing but it’s beauty cannot denied. I am just so in love with this. I hope you will be too. 

Various Artists—WCCZ comp cs

Various

WCCZ (West Coast Cum Zardinia compilation)

Tingo Tongo Tapes

So at first I thought this was one project and I was shocked at how diverse this was. Then I actually looked at the J card. I feel dumb but this is a huge compilation of amazing experimental west coast (just California and Oregon) projects of all types. You have some loft drone, some orchestral cacophonies, some straight up noise, some more snazzy instrumental weirdness in the vein of Lightning Bolt or early Black Dice… There is a lot of different approaches to the kind of shit that I just love. I have always loved comps because I feel like they really help in building and bridging scenes. I really hope that each of these projects have these on their merch tables and are spreading this around because we could use more of this. Especially on this coast where touring can be difficult with lots of long drives… You know what someone should do? Someone should get a booking collective on the west coast for stuff like this. Say you want to head from Bellingham to San Diego in a week. There should be a place you can email your info to and they will book you a show a day with minimal driving but instead of this being some disconnected booking agent this would be a group of people who actually do this stuff, are will to play as well when you hit Seattle, Chico, Bakersfield… wherever… and they don’t do it for money but to support all of us because when we are all supported as a group we are supported as individuals. Hmmm… I would be happy to do it in Seattle or at least help as much as possible. See! See how inspiring comps can be. 

I would say that as great as the outside of this tape looks the inside is basically illegible. That’s a bit of a bummer. Oh well. Still an excellent release! Thanks guys.

Here is a list of every act on this cassette:

Swump Thangs (CA), 13 Fires (Los Angeles, CA), Whereas (Los Angeles, CA), Existence Habit (Astoria, OR), Elegant Humanoid (Arcata, CA), Captain Captain (Arcata, CA), Divine Brick (Los Angeles, CA), Present (Los Angeles, CA), and Failings (Portland, OR)

Teeth Gnashers—Queer Tales cs

Teeth Gnashers

Queer Tales

Tingo Tongo Tapes

Huh… So this is kinda knucklehead blackened punk/hardcore that kinda works for me but I’m not sure why. I think the recording has a lot to do with it. It sounds like it was mashed together by setting up four or five boomboxes near all the amps and drums while a singer shouted, with an english accent, into another boombox. Then all the tapes were placed into a mixer, everything was turned up to 11 and then they put it on tapes for you. It has this sort of late 70’s metal vibe but there is something else happening here… something strange… and I just can’t stop listening… I think I actually love this… bizarre.

It looks like it sounds. Filthy and great. The skull on the cover is kinda funny but also spooky in that way that your best friend’s older brother was spooky when you stayed at his house in the 80’s. It’ pretty fucking legit. 

Rjyan Kidwell—Certainty/Identity cs

Rjyan Kidwell

Certainty/Identity

Automation Records

This is fucking killer. Damn. Beautiful and intense electronic music that seems very much like it could be a score or soundtrack to the best movie of 2020. It’s so forward thinking and bold that I can’t imagine anyone not appreciating this. I am floored and humbled by the taste level of the person that put this together. It is never pretentious but is still is always somehow a few steps ahead of the listener. Really amazing work. I kinda want to try my hand at describing this but I think you will just have to hear it yourself. Check out the band camp page here and then immediately buy the tape. 

The tape itself is understated but still beautiful and thoughtfully done, even with absolutely not text at all. A better compliment for the album. This is living on my bookshelf forever. 

Bravo

Merzbow—Aodron cd

Merzbow

Aodron

Automation Records

There is a new Merzbow cd. Go buy it. I am now sure what to say really. I have loved everything in the 30+ years or so that M. Akita has done. I probably at one time owned almost 200 Merzbow cds, lps and 7”s and I listened to them all constantly. There were a few that were weaker than others but for those that don’t know my first noise show ever was in 1995 (I think) with Daniel Menche, Masonna and Merzbow before he went straight laptop and it was life changing in a way that I cannot express. I remember almost leaning into a friend for almost an hour while I was being pummeled by something I had never heard before. Masonna played for about 7 minutes and Merzbow for almost an hour and a half. They were a three piece at the time and it was incredible. I still think about it. Constantly. I was chasing that for a long time with Merzbow releases. I think a few really stood out for me: Mort Aux Vaches:Locomotive Breath, Pulse Demon, split with Bastard Noise, Spiral Honey and probably a handful of others—as you can tell the mid 90’s was my favorite era of Merzbow. Anyway this is another piece in that huge chain of recapturing what it felt like to be assaulted and cared for by pure beautiful noise. I recommend you add this piece.

Acre/Andorkappen—split cs

Acre/Andorkappen

split cassette

Universal Consciousness

Nice. I haven’t heard Acre in years, since I played with him in PDX back when Nadja toured. I remember him being kind of a jerk to me but I did really enjoy his set. Regardless I didn’t give him much thought after that. Seems like maybe I missed out cause this is great. This piece is reserved yet still completely engaging. It doesn’t wallow in darkness completely but it still has a creepy undertone that clearly still hates me. I like it. 

The Andorkappen track is basically like a dance track for people who wish they were dead. It’s great and is also not at all a dance track… it’s hard to explain but you will know what I mean when you hear it. It kind of made me feel crazy. I am almost glad I didn’t hear this on headphones first or I would probably join the police force immediately afterwards and become an actual Maniac Cop.

I have always loved what UC does with their packaging. This is great except for one little thing. I think putting Acre huge across the top and then Andorkappen smaller below it on the cover was a mistake. i know these are two different projects but the typographic hierarchy implies that the band is Acre and the album is titled Andorkappen. I honestly think it should have just been the crazy overprinted black textures but whatever.. it’s still great.  

Ex-Breathers—Paste Tense cs

Ex-Breathers

Paste Tense

Forknife Records

Okay. Let’s definitely talk about the music first because I have some comments about the layout of this. So musically this rules. This is right in line with so much that I love. This lives somewhere in the world of Craw (favorite band of all time), Hammerhead, Unsane, Scratch Acid, Birthday Party, Steelpole Bathtub, Fugazi, Guzzard, Chokebore… you get the idea. All the amazing noise rock that fucking ruled. The stuff that later gave you amazing shit like Ken Mode, Akimbo, Doomriders, Young Widows, Death Engine, etc. Anyhow, I really like this. It has just enough mathy changes to keep it interesting but it also completely rocks. Definitely if you are a fan of the Craw album, Bodies for Stromium 90 you will dig this. I think I even like this a little better than that Craw album… I will have to think on this though. That’s very high praise.

Now the layout. What happened here? It’s simple enough and that’s fine but why are the lyrics in 2pt type (see picture)? I know the answer to that is that you needed to fit them on the 3 panel j card but here’s the thing. You don’t have to do that. This type is aggressively tiny. It’s almost unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have a loupe. On top of that there is an entire second side to the J card that is totally blank. I get that cost is an issue when making cassettes, you don’t really make much on them and they don’t sell great but just don’t include the lyrics. It’s fine, put them online or something or just don’t worry about them. These are so small that they really might as well not be on there. I would say, as a rule, for now on, no one should use type that is smaller than 4pt ever and if it’s something you hope for a reader to indulge themselves in I would so no smaller than 6pt. I have a small laptop and when I design I often have to zoom in to see what I am working on. It gives me a false sense of legibility. I have been the perpetrator of this a few times myself and that is why I am passing this criticism down. That all said though, you absolutely need to find this record in whatever format it is available in. I am going to try to see if there is vinyl because this belongs in the library. 

Matt “MV” Valentine & Sun Hoods—split cs

Matt “MV” Valentine & Sun Hoods

split cassette

Crash Symbols

This is PSYCHEDELIC. Also, great. This has that element that I think all space-rock/psychedelic music has and that is the feeling of traveling. This feels more cinematic than even a score to a film because this tells the story itself. It’s not the support for the story. I guess if I could sum up Matt “MV” Valentine in some probably inappropriate comparisons I would say it’s a little like Devandra Banhardt if he wasn’t so into himself and had half of Eternal Tapestry and half of Hawkwind backing him up.

It does go on a bit long, like I feel like it’s an awesome trip across the stars but then when we hit the first gas station on venus Matt seems to just hang out in the snack aisle for a really long time. I mean, it’s awesome being on venus but… Sun Hoods definitely have this dark middle eastern classical vibe. The modern touch of it reminds me of Master Musicians of Bukkake a bit and that is a good thing. The darkness that is sitting below this is kinda chilling and I wish i could explore it more but it’s really solid. Great cassette all around. 

The artwork fits quite well once you hear the music. It doesn’t immediately make sense to me but then when I get into it the collage work is pretty great. The type is fine. Totally works. Nice job.

Stag Hare—Velvet and Bone cs

Stag Hare

Velvet and Bone

Inner Islands

photo stolen from discogs

This is unexpectedly gorgeous. Somewhere between some sort of synth dream pop and drone. Musically is expansive. It stretches across whole continents but somehow still feels intimate. Like the song is traveling for you. It’s really lovely. It has vocals on some tracks and they just sort of slowly pour out of the speakers filled with love, pain and beauty. It’s really sweet… I have a soft spot for this type of thing and can pretty much listen to it constantly. I probably will. 

It looks cool but I did not expect it to sound the way it did based on the cover and layout. It’s a nice juxtaposition. Nice work SH.

Distant Trains/Office Park—live cs

Distant Trains/Office Park

live cassette

Centipede Farm

photo stolen from discogs

I love live recordings when it comes to noise/drone/experimental music. You get to really hear someone’s taste level, how they play to the room and how well they keep their flow. It’s awesome. This is a great example. First of all it’s super blown out. Just fries your speakers. it sounds great and the music it’s self is pretty fucking solid. Good flow and good restraint. Excellent work from both acts. The layout is simple and kind of throwaway but I really like it. It’s hard to explain. Sometimes I see something like this and kinda roll my eyes but this just works… weird.

Distant Trains/BBJr

Sacrosanct Blues

Personal Archives

So, I guess I got this a long time ago and I am just getting to it now. i apologize for that. This is pretty great. I am sure it’s long gone but to everyone that missed this small run of 25 psychedelic space noise death circuit bent tapes you are in luck because Personal Archives has everything on bandcamp. Check it out. I found that out because there is basically no info anywhere on this cassette but a quick google search found my way to their page. In fact I had no idea that it was a split or what the bands were called. Kvlt. Still, it’s pretty fucking killer and totally holds up. 

Silt—Nineteen cs

Silt

Nineteen

Forknife Records

Huh. This is weird. Do you guys know the band Evergreen from California in the 1990s? They were what we called emo before a hot topic ever decided it was some genre with terrible screaming/singing, skinny jeans and dumb everything. Well, this sounds a lot like Evergreen to me and that is a great thing. Their split with Still Life and their 7” and lp are really important to me. they sort of have this same sort of totally honest delivery. Where things aren’t always perfectly in key or tune but the music just has this deep-felt honestly. I love this. It takes me right back to 1994 when my life was shitty but also so full of hope and beauty that I almost couldn’t take it. It was a wonderful time. This is a wonderful record. 

Radiation Blackbody—a 7" and an LP

Radiation Blackbody

Maximum Entropy and the Nearly Black Object

Nerve Alter 

Radiation Blackbody

Falling to Death Through Time and Space

Ultraviolet Catastrophy

https://radiationblackbody.bandcamp.com/

This band is incredible.

In every way.

It’s just bass and drum instrumental music.

There isn’t anything you’d add and nothing you’d take away.

The playing is phenomenal.

Complicated and fascinating. 

They are incredibly prolific.

The artwork and design is always amazing, with a Man is the Bastard type of consistency and discipline.

They are the best guys ever.

My copies came with an hand-written letter and tons of drawings. 

I love them.

Listen and you will too. 

Black Knife—s/t cd

Black Knife

s/t

Husk Records

Remember back when metal was actually scary? When the guys who worked with your big brother at the auto repair shop in Farmers, KY used to blast Motorhead, Pentagram and Judas Priest and you were legit scared of these guys? Well, that is what this is like. It’s dark and totally rocks but has this classic bit of late 70s metal angst that has been missing in our lives for many years. The vocals are the only thing that is a bit more brutal than and of the aforementioned bands and that’s a pretty good thing. I am fully behind this and you will be too. I think maybe I should just their band camp link here. It speaks for itself. 

The artwork and layout are perfect. It’s simple and unpretentious and works perfectly. It has kinda of made me fall in love with classic cds in jewel cases. Find this.

Oskoreien—All Too Human cs

Oskoreien

All Too Human

Self Released

I borrowed this image. It's nicer than my photo.

This is going to be huge… well, If Jay Valena wants it to be. It’s totally a one man Black Metal project in every sense in everything from writing to preforming to releasing. Musically this doesn’t start out quite as brutal as the previous effort but it hits a much more poignant emotional note from the first moment. That theme is explored throughout the album in a more mid-tempo approach to the genre but not entirely. It becomes very much a expansive record than I think I was assuming and I believe that is kind of the point. Valena plays with expectations a bit on here and once you think you have his approach on this pegged he completely destroys it. One thing I really want to point out before I go on too long is that this record has some incredible musicianship on it. The drumming in incredible and is able to easily keep up with the fascinating stringed instrument interplay. The drums move from brutal blast beats to interesting yet reserved beats that are tastefully accented by some pretty killer fills. I imagine this album took a little while to finalize with all different instruments and just one man to play them all. The vocals are totally on point and super tragic sounding. Like dying alone. It’s great. The layout and artwork are pretty simple but I gotta hand it to him that he dealt with Trajan (the font) in a very professional way. It’s not the easiest font to kern or letter space correctly (those R’s can be a pain) but he did an excellent job. 

Don Haugen—Black Ashes/Beyond Time 7" lathe

Don Haugen

Black Ashes/Beyond Time

Human Monster

Don always has the best layouts. This is no exception. This 7” lathe has two beautiful and sparse synth drone pieces on a super clear disc. Musically it’s beautiful but I am really stunned but how simple and clean the artwork is and how well it works with the clear lathe. It’s a great piece. Limited to 22 copies, so, good luck…

Black Earth—Diagrams of a Hidden Order cs

Black Earth

Diagrams of a Hidden Order

In Solace Publishing

Holy fuck, this rules. A swirling, nightmare, migraine piece of black metal from Spain. It’s completely confounding and brutal. This is a fever dream and may actually do damage to you but it as has this subtle beauty of a deadly flood watched from 10,000’ above the earth. Gorgeous.

The packaging is great. Letterpressed Brad packs with small letterpressed inserts in a anti-static bag (full disclosure: I printed all the letterpressed elements on this one). It’s an amazing package and you must find this. Good luck. 

Lather—Guitarsenic & Bowed Bass cs

Lather

Guitarsenic & Bowed Bass

Bob Heavens Records

Whoa. This is fucked up. I guess the title is part of the description but there is this weird sampled element that sounds like haunted family movies peaking through the squealing and scraping. It’s very unsettling. The artwork is simple and understated but handled nicely. This music kinda gives me the creeps though. 

Tereshkova—Fog and Other Memories cs

Tereshkova

Fog and Other Memories

Already Dead Tapes

This is great but the best part is in the first 30 seconds. There is this cool little beat and then this tidal wave of distorted synth just come crashing on it. This has a cool My Bloody Valentine meets Guided by Voices meets Meridian Arc meets Depeche Mode meets Ariel Pink thing going on and I clearly cannot classify it. It’s really worth a listen. I think it’s made by a mad person.

The art is pretty great. The painting is fucked up, the type is well-handled and I am pleased. 

The Kendal Mintcake—Insignificant Digits cs

The Kendal Mintcake

Insignificant Digits 

Big Sleep Records

Pretty rad synth music. I think. Tracks really switch from here to there throughout this strange experimental album. This reminds me a bit of some of the stuff that was once on John Zorn’s label. I think I really like it. There are moments that are almost dance but others with super-subtle movements that just hover overheard like overcast clouds made of sampled oboes. It’s really odd. 

The art is cool and the type is fine. Nothing too crazy but totally fine. The music though… It’s really growing on me.

Charles Barabé + Roadside Picnic—National House Milk cs

Charles Barabé + Roadside Picnic

National House Milk

Wounded Knife

Um… Weird. Yes. Very different. I really don’t know how to feel about this. I kinda love it but it also feels like it is so disjointed that it isn’t really ready to be heard yet. Like a collaboration between two people that never heard each other’s work. I like the spastic nature of the crazy drum programming with the beautiful swelling samples but there is no real cohesion here. Hmmmm. I may need to hear this more. 

It looks great. This label is really killing it with doing a lot with very little. Clearly there is a strong designer on the other end of these releases. 

Lore City—Absence & Time cs

Lore City

Absence & Time

Already Dead Tapes

Huh, this is cool. Kinda on the Zola Jesus meets World Serpent Records circa 1993. Driving and dark with some haunting vocals that swirls around a persistent beat. Reminds me a bit is The Arid Sea had a female voice or maybe some of the Death in June stuff with Rose. It’s great. I’m glad to have heard this.

The cover art has that cool 90’s look as well but the type inside is total throw-away. It’s fine just not fun to look at. 

Laughter—Ain Soph Aur cs

Laughter

Ain Soph Aur

Belief Mower

Well, I have one big issue is that this cassette is mastered super quiet. That’s a bummer for me. That aside it’s pretty cool. Super heavy, blackened prog. The vocals are a bit much at times and slide towards Queensreich for me a bit but in general this is a decent band. I just wish that the cassette was mastered correctly. It sounds like a decent tape that sat on a magnet for a month.

The art and type is great though. Handled really well.

Third I—Nice Collection (2008–2016) cs

Third I

Nice Collection (2008–2016)

Centipede Farm

Fuck this kinda rules. I had never heard of Third I but this is some interesting stuff.  Sometimes it’s very brutal, crushing industrial noise and other times it’s this beautiful, restrained drone pieces. Never too long and rarely self-indulgent. This is impressive. I would love to search out some full lengths now if this is what a collection of rarities sounds like. Nicely done. 

The art and layout don’t really work for me but they don’t ruin it either. I really like the abundant use of yellow but the typography looks like it was an after thought and the cover art has that unfocused pot-head art feel that reminds me of what an unfocused pot-head I used to be. I’m too old. 

Lake Mary & Nathan Wheeler—Also cs

Lake Mary & Nathan Wheeler

Also

Wounded Knife

First of all, this is gorgeous. Please take note everyone. Nothing here can’t be done at your local copy shop but by using smart design and good typography you can elevate the presentation of your music to a point where when you put this in you sit up straight, stop playing minecraft and really pay attention. You will be glad you did too. This electrical/acoustic drones on this album are sincere and intimate. This is a really beautiful piece through and through. Probably one of the best things I have heard this year by far. I’m very impressed and I hope to hear more from this group and see more from this label. Excellent work. 

BADNRAD—Deep End cs

BADNRAD

Deep End

Last Triumph

Ok, I am not going to lie. I totally thought I was going to hate this but it’s actually pretty fucking killer. The name is ridiculous, the art is silly and the song titles are a special kind of dumb: Atomic Teenage Trash, So Bodacious, #Thirsty. Hashtag. In the song title. Jesus… Then I put it in and it was really fun. The music knows it’s silly but also understands that it’s also pretty catchy and a total blast. It’s not at all something I would normally put on but now I think I have to. This is basically a danceable version of being self-aware and having a decent sense of humor at the same time. Nicely done. That name really makes sense. 

SBTDOH—DTH6 cs

SBTDOH

DTH6

Shrouded Recordings

So this is the second pressing of this sweet, short one-sided cassette. I don’t know how much you know about SBTDOH but it’s probably more than me. All I know is that they are pretty great. It’s super fucking dark and distant. I love this. Not a giant fan of one-sided cassettes but oh well. The layout is simple and xeroxed to fuck. It could maybe be a little more over the top in that way, even if they xeroxed black onto the back sides or something but I still love this. Good luck finding this. 

Blue Movies—Muffy cs

Blue Movies

Muffy

Centipede Farm

Im not really sure what’s happening here. It’s weird. I like that part but it basically just sounds like someone lives in a strange country with only weird music on the radio and they are so to scanning through the channels. It becomes a bit more focused and at it’s best moments has this lo-fi, lo-fi, lo-fi version of At Jennie Richie that I certainly enjoy but it isn’t resonating with me like I think it should Maybe this is a good thing. It’s certainly more challenging that some noise tapes I receive. I’ve listened all the way through and I think as I went I liked it more and more but it still feels pretty unfocused. Maybe that’s the point… I think I am out of my league. 

It looks pretty cool. Simple and straightforward with some effected photos. Not bad. 

Spiteful Womb—Postpenitent cs

Spiteful Womb

Postpenitent

self released

This is good. Really cruel and dark electronics that sound like the horror you experience being in the room next to the worse thing you can imagine. There not much more to say than… fuck….  Simple and focused. I like this. The layout has the only real issue. I hate when the type on the spine is upsidedown. Drives me nuts. 

Bell Stray—Scribble the Pink cs

Bell Stray

Scribble the Pink

Self Released

I love this. A lot. You will too. I almost don’t want to describe this. It’s precious, small and beautiful but it speaks to something bigger and more personal inside you. Bell Stray sings in a way that almost sounds like a child but like a child that has been a child for eons. It’s tragic and homemade and sounds like the kind of music that may have never made it outside a bedroom but luckily for us it is here. I am pretty obsessed. I would recommend listening to this right away. It’s on band camp and you can decide if you agree.

The tape itself is pretty underwhelming. It doesn’t have any of the meticulous care that went into the music itself. That’s okay but it’s a bit disappointing. Of course at this point i think each Bell Stray release should come with epic books that rival Henry Darger’s entire life’s work. So maybe I am being unreasonable. 

Lather/Sommer Duo—A Sygil Bob Heavens Joint cs

Lather/Sommer Duo

a Sygil Bob Heavens Joint

Self Released?

This is quite an adventure. A spaced-out noise/jazz trip that really is quite expansive. I love it. It sounds like what the 1960s thought hell would sound like if hell were supposed to be in space… and in your mind. Does that make sense? Fuck it. It’s rad. I would definitely check this out.

The tape is not the nicest looking thing. The text and layout aren’t handled very well and the picture of the dudes inside is kinda goofy but the cover art is great. It totally looks like how this sounds. Messy, creepy, psychedelic madness in a glorious handmade style. Nice. 

Bobby Peru—2 Live Peru cs

Bobby Peru

2 Live Peru

Self Released

So if I wanted to explain what this sounded like I would say the band is called Bobby Peru and there is a mummy smoking with sunglasses on the cover. I think that covers it. It’s actually pretty great in a lo-fi 60’s garage way. This isn’t my favorite genre. I have a few records from bands that borrow from this world, Oblivions, Girl Trouble, The Fall-outs, etc. but I don’t have a very extensive vocabulary. It’s pretty rad though. Kinda more pissed than most of the stuff. The singer sounds like they just poured him on stage and he’s probably covered in some blood from somewhere. I think if this band comes through your town you should probably go see them. Bring a knife. 

I.G.M./Lugweigth—Seven of Clubs cs

I.G.M./Lugweigth

Seven of Clubs

Pidgin Records

I’m not sure if I love or hate the cover art… I think I love it. I know I usually don’t start with this but I keep staring at it. The colors are great and the design is nice… hmmm. Yeah I think i love it. That said I hate the type on the spine. It’s really an unattractive font. I guess I get it but everything is handled really well. I guess it’s just a taste thing. Not for me. But let’s get past that.

THE MUSIC IS AWESOME. Really. This is great I.G.M. sounds like elephant dreams of conquering. It’s spectacular. Just massive. It sounds like if you saw SUNN0)) and they were standing miles from each other and somehow filling the space and enveloping everything inbetween. Or something. I don’t know it’s just great. Wow. Lugweight is very similar but more intimate. Like it’s right in your face. Take the same amount of sound but trap yourself in a basement with it. You’d have to create new worlds in your mind just to fit the sensory stimulation or else you’d probably die from it. Fuck.