Music/non-music/curious sounds.
‘How did we get ourselves here?’ asks Rebecca Foon (aka Saltland) on ‘Light of Mercy’, a typically heart-tugging track from her new album, ‘A Common Truth.’ The question isn’t answered but offered instead is a musical and emotional evocation of what ‘here’ is and what it feels like. ‘Here’ being a world heading towards potentially… Continue reading Saltland – A Common Truth (Constellation)
The Doomed Bird Of Providence have been threatening this album for a while. Not in terms of press-releases or trailers, although the notes surrounding this record are interesting and worth reading. Instead, the inherent violence that has always been controlled and channelled in previous albums has here been unchained. Mark Kluzek’s words: barked blood-soaked tales… Continue reading The Doomed Bird Of Providence – Burrowed Into The Soft Sky (Front & Follow)
Aaron Dalloway's latest is a mind swallower. My previous exposure to his brilliant 'Modern Jester' album only provided limited immunity to the deeply troubling sounds on this release. Where to begin? All is wonderful confusion. The reversed EVP message of 'Karaoke with Cal', which slips around on oily locked-groove noir-jazz; crackle and whistles adding burnt bin-rescued… Continue reading Aaron Dilloway – The Gag File (Dais Records)
Nemeton (aka Adrian Newt on, field recording, sound processing and editing) is an ambient artist interested in deep ecology, an environmental philosophy that puts humans on a level with all other living things, an idea that permeates right down to the roots of 'All Trees Are Clocks'. Field recording of woodland sounds: bees, birds, wind and rustle. Scraped cellos… Continue reading Nemeton with Emily Burridge and Karen Wimhurst (self-released)
Mami Wata - s/t (Wild Silence) I saw this duo in action at a Boat-Ting gig a few years ago, theirs was one of the best performances I ever saw at that waterborne improv night. *Digression begins* Boat-Ting is still going and is back from its usual summer break in September. The amazing N.E.W. are playing if you'd like… Continue reading Reviewed: Mami Wata – s/t (Wild Silence)
The 'Prion EP' is fierce stuff. Metallic and bilious even in its quieter moments. Comprising a single 15 minute reconstruction of a live improvisation, S/N Measures have, on this debut release on the Arell label, sculpted a discrete piece of bleak horror. The synth sound palette is minimal and tightly focussed: clanking rust-scrapes, dog-growl bass rumbles, sped-up… Continue reading Reviewed: S/N Measures – Prion EP (Arell)
On 'Self-identified non-male artists making experimental electronic music,' Hyle Tapes has collected together a compilation of 34 female and non-binary artists. Opening with the stunning electro-smeared sing-sighs and ambiguously sad/blissed atmosphere of 'UK Border Diocese' by Abençoada, the rest of the mixtape doesn't disappoint. The highlights are many, and include the drifting ambient hum and echoing, subtly… Continue reading Reviewed: V/A – Self-identified non-male artists making experimental electronic music (Hyle Tapes)
Wood N Head - s/t (Rano) It's great to see Rano back releasing music after a lengthy gap, the label last putting out 'Anti Gravity Tea Ceremony' by kuxxan SUUM in 2015. The label returns with a self-titled tape by Wood N Head as weird as anything Rano has ever unleashed. 'Maid of the Mist' is… Continue reading Reviewed: Wood N Head / Marlo Eggplant
The yawning hell mouth on the tape cover gives you a rough idea of what to expect with this one. Split between Bir (aka Larry Crywater / Maurice's Death Hotel) and Stapperton, the two artists share your mind in the way some sort of toothed space worm might portion out your unfortunate and slowly imploding cosmic freight… Continue reading Reviewed: Bir/Stapperton split – LB-071 (Lurker Bias)
Ears For Eyes 