Spykes – The Deep End Test EP

Apart from putting the blog on hiatus for all this time, I also mainly abstained from looking at what other fine bloggers post, so I'm not sure if Bleak Bliss, who has been gracing us with the majority of American Tapes's catalog, has actually posted this - if they have, I'm sorry for stealing your thunder. In any case, here's John Olson doing his regular fried electronics. Track 4 is really cool evil noise. 2005 cdr on American Tapes.

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Coil – Love's Secret Domain 2XCD reissue

Listening to Coil for the first time at the age of 15 (it must have been Musick To Play In The Dark 2 or Scatology or one of the Unnatural History compilations) really was a life-changing experience, even without knowing anything about their musical backgrounds or their personal identities, which I would start discovering a bit later. And I still remember the day I read about John Balance's death on a DC++ hub/chat; it was one of the few artist deaths that really shook me. And in 2002 they performed live at my hometown, I really can't describe Balance with his hoodie, the xylophones, man.

So I actually also heard Love's Secret Domain very little after I had heard the three aforementioned LPs but boy. Until then I knew next to nothing about more "conventional" electronic music and this was one experience that was confounding, to hear sth that sounded slightly mainstream - for my then black metal and hardcore punk and kinda harsh noise standards - but also so sinister, and far out and hypnotic and sensual and whatever. First I was shocked by "The Snow" and by "Dark River" and I thought, "bro how much has Ulver listened to this shit," and then "Lorca Not Orca" with that reprise of "Teenage Hospital" in the background (though I must say that the version on The Ape Of Naples is by far my favorite) and then fuuuuck "Windowpane" and how many hours I've spent watching the video clip and even playing it non-stop at my university department's occupation we did years later.

So, this is the double cd reissue with some liner notes by Stephen Stapleton if I remember correctly (the cd is in my car actually so that I listen to "Lorca Not Orca" on repeat during nighttime driving, and the second cd is full of goodies: a latin guitar rendition of "Teenage Lightning" that is different to "Lorca Not Orca" that is utterly beautiful, a rhythmic version of "Dark River," the heartbreakingly beautiful cabaret-like "The Dark Age of Love," an instrumental of the title track. Must hear, a really respectful reissue to one of the best albums of all time. 2021 2 X CD on Infinite Fog Productions.

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PS1: I reached the age of 37 to actually feel for the first time that I fell in love with a woman and actually made a move for her. I doubt she will ever read this. She is the most beautiful, confounding creature ever and she broken my bloodthirsty communist iron-clad heart to so many pieces it will never be glued again. Last Easter I spent a whole night awake with her, staring at her, caressing her, bringing tears to her eyes. After countless joints and drinks I said goodnight to her with an embrace and a kiss on her forehead. She drove home and I slept in my car for two hours until the morning came to drive to my hometown 500 km away for Easter holidays. When I got into my car, I played Love's Secret Domain and sent her a link to "Lorca Not Orca." She loved it. I loved her. I love her. But it was destined to die from the first moment. So I destroyed it. Now the memories of her will continue with the musics I sent her and that I loved and that I hoped we would listen to together.

PS2:

 

That was in your words the best Thursday of your life. Do you remember that the quintessential breakup song of all time was the song that brought us together? A day earlier you told me that I was that excerpt from Osamu Dazai's No Longer Human. And do you remember that I told you that I pictured you as the following lyrics from "Black?" 

I know someday you'll have a beautiful life 

I know you'll be a star in somebody else's sky, but why 

Why, why can't it be, oh can't it be mine? 

Do you remember the road overlooking the whole city? Do you remember that blue dress you wore just for me? You looked like an angel, just the incarnation of your name. Do you remember the stockings you tore with your nails so I could penetrate you? Do you remember how much I wanted to be with you but was scared because I knew you would be a star in somebody else's sky, but it couldn't be mine? And that that desperation drew you to me? Yes, I eventually broke that promise I gave you that day, but I did it because you wanted me to act in contrast to my promise. And next year, on the anniversary of that Thursday I will go again up there, on that road. And how I wish there would be a miracle and you would come up there too to wipe the tears from my eyes.

Xqui - Microchasm / Recent Wormhole World releases: Robyn G Shiels & Steve Nolan - Sky Drew Near/ Mzungu - With Seasonal Affect/ Outside The Glitsch - Cartography / Jewels Of Shame - Negative Dialects / Quimper - Dejado

Xqui's fourth full-length came amidst a storm of other recordings he posted on his bandcamp during the quarantine. At first I thought that this would be his most structured releases due to some beats here and there, but it reveals itself as the exact opposite. It might not have the utterly Lovecraftian subterranean feel of other releases (apart from "Scale"), but it is one of the most psychedelic ones, at it reminds at times of Coil's mid-90s phase and even other mind-bending Coil-related projects such as The Threshold HouseBoys Choir and UnicaZürn, and it has some weird fuzzy beats that sound similar to old video games!

You can buy it for a very small price on bandcamp, and it's always a good idea to support his music.

Wormhole World is a label with which Xqui is closely related and it has released recently some quite nice music.

First is Sky Drew Near by Robyn G Shiels & Steve Nolan, which is a nice change from the label's usual abrasive electronics output, as it is a dark pop heartbroken music album with a touch of americana. I really liked this one.

With Seasonal Affect by mzungu is an adventurous attempt at wintry ambient with very beautiful frozen synth washes that you really must hear.

Cartography by Outside The Glitch is one of the best albums of 2020 so far. It is superb imposing ambient . It has all the best elements of Basinski and Robert Rich shaped in a very personal approach that I would dare say incorporates also elements of elemental/primordial beatless ambient techno. I see that the artist has also done other releases on Wormhole World which I will definitely give a listen to immediately. 

A slightly older release is Negative Dialects by Jewels Of Shame, some guy wanting to be shrouded in mystery, as most of his tracks are titled by date of recording, and they have all been recorded during the 2000s. There's some primitive horror noise/ dark ambient with a mostly crude sound and an unfinished feel to it, which I like, as it presents a non-linear and anti-closure/anti-perfection approach that I find interesting as in other artists such as J.G. Sparkes.

The last one of the recent lot that stood out is Dejado by Quimper, which is fun dark synth-pop/ hypnagogic electronica, like a more electronic/beat-y Ariel Pink with dark house music lurking somewhere in there...

As always, both Xqui and the Wormhole World label are very-hardworking and cool people that really deserve some support, so don't hesitate to pay some little cash to get these very nice musics.

Coil ‎– Astral Disaster Sessions Un/Finished Musics

With COVID-19 waiting outside our door, it's incredibly hard for me to do regular posts. I am a teacher and my job has been indefinitely closed so I'm at home, but me and my wife and disinfecting the house all day to protect our baby boy, and when I go out twice a week to shop we follow a fucking protocol with clothes, gloves, bags and disinfect all shopped products. Plus, I have to do skype lessons so no time left. Thus, any time I am able to post anything, it will probably be without any comments/review thing. Here's Coil's unreleased tracks from the majestic Astral Disaster. 2018 LP on Prescription.

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Newt Extinction ‎– Everything I Say Is Of The Utmost Importance

Criminally-insane synth/field recording muzak, like old James Ferraro on really bad drugs trying to play Jean-Michelle Jarre or some 80s arcade space battle game. Pure evil 2009 cdr on the always unpredictable Fuckin' Amateurs.

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Coil - Live - Copenhagen 2002

A rather noisy concert performed by Coil in Copenhagen in 2002 which is now offered for free on Thighpaulsandra's website. It features, among others, a very heavy and dark version of "Are You Shivering?", a trippy one of "Ostia The Death of Pasolini," and a cover of "Bang Bang," along with a very obviously heavily drunk John Balance. You can get it either from the source, or from my upload, it's your call.

Coil - Swanyard 2 X Cd

Rather passable compilation of early version of tracks that later appeared on Backwards, The New Backwards, and The Ape of Naples, as well as other 1990s unreleased tracks that sound more like sketches than fully-crafted songs. But I guess like most people who have bought this, we cried oooohhhh Coil archive material and bought it at the blink of an eye. Btw, these tracks come from Danny Hyde's archive, which have made it even more tempting to buy the thing. 2019 2 X CD on Infinite Fog Productions.

Disc 1
Disc 2

Georgina Brett - The Eclipse Collaborations USB stick

Almost three hours of beautifully diverse experimental music by Georgina Brett and her collaborators, ranging from Middle-Eastern haze to dreamy psychedelia, and from dark electronica to levitating ambient, released in 2016 on a golden-painted USB stick.

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Johannes Frisch & Ralf Wehowsky ‎– Tränende Würger cd

Two German veterans of experimental music join forces to create an album that combines free improvised jazz with industrial noise; Johannes Frisch is a double bass player whose deep chords penetrate and crackle through the noise, while Ralf Wehosky offers a feeling of anxiety with his noises. I particularly like the more evidently organic and live moments as in track 3 "Kantakari" which borders on electro-acoustic musique concrète. 2005 cd on Korm Plastics.

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Ило & Freiband ‎– Bits & Pieces cd

Electronic experimentations and noisy ambiences by Kapotte Muziek's Frans de Waard and Ило. 2013 cd on Korm Plastics and Motok.

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Frans de Waard ‎– Klankschap 1999-2005 cd

The mastermind of Kapotte Muziek offering manipulations of field recordings resulting in various styles from industrial to improvised electronics and then to noise. 2005 cd on zang:

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Shit Creek - Prozac Rainbow

Shit Creek became a household name to me through TQ#15, when the guy behind the project (and the Luxury Bucket label) Lewis Duffy was featured in an interview. The early Shit Creek material I head on his bandcamp featured fleeting/epic/fairytale ambient experiments for violin and loops. But it now seems that Lewis has moved into an entirely different territory, with several recent releases and this new album called Prozac Rainbow. Here we get hyper-modern hypnagogic electronica and soundscapes. There's a very fizzy and liquid feel to the sounds, which tempts me to label it as muzak for aquariums; it's kinda like the aquatic levels on Sonic the Hedgehog 2! One could find similarities to the more recent James Ferraro material, or even Vektroid; there's also a hint of labelmate Xqui's material; that said, there's a strong personal identity, not a rehash of said artists. Preorder it on Wormhole World and get lost in the waterworld.

Christophe Charles - Verena (and a comment on how Coil can potentially destroy your life)

"Verena" is a minimalist ambient composition created by Christophe Charles in 2000 composed of field recordings, glitsch electronics close to Coil's Worship The Glitsch, and a floating sense of drone ready to break out. Highly recommended listening.

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Speaking of Coil's Worship The Glitsch (released as ELpH vs Coil) the time when I first listened to it coincided with a period of acute depression and anxiety disorder with psychosomatic symptoms that plagued my everyday life for many months and nearly destroyed my relationship with my then-girlfriend (and now wife) as well as my stomach. So, the three-part track "Halliwell Hammers" from that album, which refers to the murder of controversial British playwright Joe Orton - who wrote the influential play Loot - at the hands of his boyfriend Kenneth Halliwell with a hammer. I don't know if I subconsciously related the sounds of that particular song, and especially its second and third part, with the actual murder - there is a percussive sound throughout, not a violent hammering bang - but from the first time I heard it I got instantly scared and anxious, and I don't remember ever having managed to listen to it through, though it lasts only 2.30 and 3.30 minutes respectively. Its cold crystalline sound always evoked to me an image of frozen green blankness, of expressionless faces, and to this day, the hair on the back of my skull and neck stand up. Combined with my then tortuous depression and stress-induced stomachache, I felt that if I was put to listen to that track continuously I would slice my wrists. I don't know why I'm going through the test to listen to all three parts of this track right now and write all this nonsense; maybe the fact that I'm in a extremely better situation right now in my life - being a father, having a regular job - enables me to confront that period. However, the suicidal sounds of "Halliwell Hammers" are still capable of raising my hair.

 The first, relatively harmless part:

The unspeakable part:

Christophe Charles ‎– Deposition Yokohama cd

Christophe Charles is a French sound artist who is based in Japan. I came across his music when I saw a butoh dance performance by great Japanese dancer/choreographer Mari Osanai. While I was talking to her, we discussed extensively on experimental music and she mentioned Christophe Charles, who has produced music for her performances, and when she returned to Japan she sent me two of his cds. In this cd, which is the soundtrack of an installation Charles did, we hear multiple tracks of very minimal electronics and musique concrète that challenge the idea of a narrative, linear duration and hearing experience, as all tracks have the same length, which potentially comes into conflict with the idea of a trademark track made by an artist. 1994 self-released cd.

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Psychophysicist - Psychophysicists CD

A masterpiece of alien ambient electronics born out of the collaboration of Adi Newton (Clock DVA) and Andrew McKenzie (The Hafler Trio). An excellent exploration of tones, drones, frequencies and atmospheres. There's not much to say here, if you like later period Coil, UnicaZurn, Cyclobe, and even early Oneohtrix Point Never, you are going to love this. Try to buy it, as the booklet is also very informative on the concept of psychophysics. 1996 cd on Side Effects.

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Tina Turner Tidal Wave ‎– Untitled tape (Soundholes)

Heavy, crushing tectonic synth electronics on this two-track tape, which indeed sound like tides colliding against rocks, or the roaring movement of tectonic plates. For fans of Tim Hecker up till Ravedeath, 1972. 2011 tape on Sound Holes.

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Moth - Scintilla cdr

Awesome spaced-out synths, electronic bleeps and prepared string instruments create a hypnotic trip made by Tim Alexander of LAFMS. 2018 cdr on Chocolate Monk.

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Bjerga/Iversen - Untitled 2 X cdr (1000+1 TiLT)

This is probably the first release ever made by the highly prolific duo of Bjerga and Iversen, so many releases of whom have been posted here. Not as much focused on drone, this one has wildly exploratory tendencies, ranging from deep bass tones to Coil-esque psychedelic synths and from elemental old-school techno melodies to harsh noise wall. Weirdness abounds. 2004 2Xcdr on the legendary Greek label 1000+1 TiLt.

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itdreamedtome - A.Y. and various Johann Wlight releases

If I had heard this in time, I would probably have called the best release of 2017. If you remember, one of the participants in the Pylons and Telegraph Poles comp of the previous post was Johann Wlight, a quiet and evasive figure of the English drone underground who had released a few tapes and cdr-s in the 2000s on Evelyn Records, Matching Head tapes and other imprints but never became a household name. He plays psychedelic devotional drone/ambient with a focus on mysticism.

The itdreamedtome moniker is the one under which he now records after years of silence and it shares its name with the title of a tape he released on Matching Head in the 2000s. It's an amazing release coming in a great package with beautiful esoteric images (John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress and others) and the music is sublime. Deep ambient with an angelic and frozen quality intermingled with some darker industrial tones ending in a levitating/peaceful dying orchestral ambient track of the order of William Basinski. A must hear offered by Trome Records, the continuation of Evelyn Records that had released the comp I mention at the beginning. The bandcamp download I got when I ordered the cd offered two additional releases: Johann's 2004 Y.V. on Evelyn, in which he experiments with heavier drones and slightly harsher tones while still containing the psychedelic/hypnotic edge, and the previously unreleased thunderthighbonetrumpet which is so spectrally and cinematically good I can't understand why he never brought it out. As an additional bonus I share two more releases of his I found on Internet Archive where they were posted for free: 2004's dark and menacing Dauswkn 2007's Oneironautic Recrudescence, both on on Sijis, on which he combines field recordings and electronic soundscapes to great effect.

itdreamedtome - A.Y.
Johann Wlight - Y.V.
Johann Wlight - thunderthighbonetrumpet
Johann Wlight - Dauswkn
Johann Wlight - Oneironautic Recrudescence

Violence Beyond The Snowline - Hollow Shit For Dull Suburban Witches 3"cdr

Glitchy ambient electronics with a weird medieval witch concept going around. 2005 3" cdr on First Person.

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