Samstag, 28. Februar 2009

Khaela Maricich - Look For It In The Sky, It Will Always Be There (2001)

Genre: Acoustic, Anti-Folk, LoFi
Label: KNW-YR-OWN (US)

Answeringmaschine snippets, songs on ukulele, accordion and acapella. She appeared on some Microphones records and on this album there is a stripped down version of Ana & Oli which you will find as Oh Anna on the Microphones Tests album.

Tracklisting
  1. Girl In The Sky 
  2. Our Bad Sex 
  3. Laundromat 
  4. untitled 
  5. Scream 
  6. Let's Keep Things 
  7. Fuck You 
  8. Glove Ballad On Speed 
  9. Air 
  10. My Dog Dill 
  11. Lisa Cohen 
  12. untitled #2 
  13. Ana & Ollie 
  14. Words 
  15. The Spar 
  16. Fairy Tale 
  17. V-Day 1998 
  18. Saints In An Arc 
  19. Aloha 
  20. Train 
  21. The Cowboy Song 

Freitag, 27. Februar 2009

Curse Ov Dialect - Wooden Tongues (2006)

Genre: Hip-Hop, Psychedelic, World Music, Folk
Label: Mush Records
Similar Artists: Beastie Boys

This is one of the greatest Hip Hop acts for me. The members (Maltese, Macedonian, Anglo-Indian, Maori, and Pakistani) living in Australia and producing a sort of Hip Hop I've never heard. The raps are similar to the Beastie Boys and the music is a wild mixture of eastern music, noises, classical music, blues and much more, backed by dopest beats you've ever heard ;). And if you think this sounds boring, no! their sampling work is absolutly amazing. It's psychedelic and politic at the same time. Check the video below, theire myspace and get this record.
For your listening pleasure, i've included the orginal track of turkish psych folk singer Selda, which is used as loop in Take me to the Arab World.

Tracklisting
  1. Renegades 
  2. Saturday Night 
  3. Word Up Forever 
  4. Forget 
  5. Jokes On Me 
  6. Take Me To The Arab World 
  7. The Potato Master 
  8. Bird Cage Alert 
  9. Bury Me Slowly 
  10. Broken Feathers 
  11. Mr. Miscellaneous 
  12. Sticks And Stones 
  13. Ropungan 
  14. Strawberries 
  15. Stop Sarisis 
  16. Letter To Athens 
  17. Previous Desicion
Try it - Buy it - MicePays



Donnerstag, 26. Februar 2009

Kranioclast - Can I Talk Or S..., 7" (1997); Cranioclast - Rats Can Coil Cats Can Roil (1990) 12" EP

Genre: Psychedelic, Ambient, Post-Industrial
Label: Sonaria (PL) / CoC (GER)

Very dark and trippy soundscapes, with insect sounds, cats and dogs and oriental melodies. Both are one of the best records by this obscure german ambient project.

Tracklisting - Can I Talk Or S...
  1. Honey For The Bees 
  2. No Caveman Bites The Dog

Tracklisting - Rats Can Coil Cats Can Roil
  1. Rats Can Coil 
  2. Cats Can Roil 
Try it

Mittwoch, 25. Februar 2009

Hochenkeit - omu4h 4aholab / 400 boys (2000)

Genre: Space Rock, Psychedelic, Experimental
Label: Road Cone (US) 

After the first, more acoustic release I love you (to be found here), this is more rock music in the widest sense. Krautrock jams, drones and space rock by this obscure project.

Tracklisting
  1. Seen 
  2. Two Fish Kissing 
  3. To Be Born Drunk And Die Dreaming 
  4. Give Them To The Ants 
  5. 400 Boys 
  6. Please Turn Out The Sun 
Try it 

The 63 Crayons - Spoils For Survivors (2007)

In former days The 63 Crayons playing some kind of sixties influenced Indie-Pop, always with some spacey synth swirls. With their last album they add a The in front of their name and go into a more darker, danceable, more psychoactive direction. Revolution Fight Song, reminds in the drumming style on of Montreal (and The 63 Crayons are from Athens, Georgia too ;-), Devils is a dark floating number. Save us kicks you completly out of this world. This is a perfect space trip and the bouncing beat in style of The Can Drummer Jaki Liebezeit show their roots in some ways. (There is a bit longer version named Heal us on a compilation called „Death Before Distemper 2). This is a really great record! Dancing don't Trust!

Label: Self Release?!
Genre: Indie, Psychedelic, Post-Punk, Space-Rock

Tracklisting:
  1. Revolution Fight Song
  2. Forget About The War, Lets Go Shopping!
  3. Devils
  4. Save Us
  5. Let Fission Ring
  6. Spoils For Survivors
  7. Science
  8. Well Fall Down
  9. The Squeeze
  10. Just Relax and Float
  11. Crisis Nerviosa
  12. Dancing Don't Trust 
Pass: dyingforbadmusic.blogspot.com

Dienstag, 24. Februar 2009

Meneguar - Bury a Flower 7" (2006)

Genre: Indie Rock, LoFi
Label: troubleman unlimited (US)

The half of Meneguar are the wonderful Woods. But it's different. Cool Indie Rock, Punk, loFi, however you will label this.
I love this 7" because it contains a different and much rawer version of Bury a Flower which appears on the 2007 Strangers in the House album. It got a better ending and at all it's a catchy tune.
As vinyl lover, the red version of that 7" is still available and lots more of this great label, that hosting all you indie superstars like Growing and so on ;-). So get it!

Tracklisting
  1. Bury A Flower 
  2. Freshman Thoughts 
Try it - Buy it - MicePays 

Montag, 23. Februar 2009

Prewar Yardsale - Lowdown (2000)

Genre: Anti Folk
Label: Oliver Juice Music (US)
Similar Artists: Moldy Preaches

Anti-Folk by played by a couple from NYC. Just Guitar and a Bucket as drums.  Starting with the 14 minutes "Elevated Platform Stand" mantra.  

Go here and grab the nice "Would Ed Wood?" Song posted along with a Compilation about Ed Wood (WFMU Blog) 

Tracklisting
  1. Elevated Platform Stand 
  2. United Airline 
  3. Weird 
  4. Bicycle Free N.Y.C. 
  5. Disney In Times Square 
  6. Bridge && tunnel 
  7. Prewar Yardsale 
  8. AU Base 
  9. Lowdown Girl 
  10. Consolidated Sanitation Power 

Samstag, 21. Februar 2009

The Black And White Years - Real! In Color" (2006) + Demos

Genre: Indie Pop, 80ties Wave, Dance
Label: Self Release, MySpace, Demos
Similar Artists: of Montreal, Talking Heads

The Black and White Years are an Indie Pop outfit from Austin, TX. As far as I know, this is a melting pot for good music. I found them more than a year ago on myspace, or better they found me in aquire new fans. Well it worked and I always check their myspace site for infos, when the 1st real record will come out. I like their mixture of Twang, Reggae (I normally hate offbeat reggaelike music, except of jungle stuff and old Dub records ;-), 80ties references and danceable Indie Pop. In some cases, they got a similar Drumprogramming like the later stuff of of Montreal (my hidden love). So I really enjoy their music and their style and their moustaches :-{).
The BAWY Backcatalogue is a bit mysterious. There must exist an EP "Real! In Color!" which was available as CDr and as iTunes download. I'm not sure about that and it's hard to find out (or I didn't read correctly).
Just today I've found a complete Demo on mp3.com. So I pack all early stuff, that I collected, in one archive for you. Some tracks are double or versions or maybe it's incomplete/false track numbering, but I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.

You can listen to their full 2008 Release on last.fm it sounds more professional and it's produced by the Talking Heads Keyboarder Jerry Harrison, but for some reasons, I love their Demos much more. In any case, this is a Band you should support!

Try it - Buy the new Album - MicePays

and here a nice home recorded video of a living roomset.


Donnerstag, 19. Februar 2009

Kallabris - A Smile For Brandon, Tape (1990) + Considération Sur / Sous Le Café, 7" (2001)

Genre: Freak Folk, Home Recording, Ambient, Drone
Label: Jazztone (GER), Genesungswerk (GER)
Similar Artists: Cranioclast

In general, Kallabris is a german post-industrial, ambient, drone project, related to the much more obscure Cranioclast collective. Kallabris released a lot of strange, limited records and here are two, I really love.
A Smile For Brandon is a rare tape I bought in the early nineties and maybe my first contact to that nowadays called Freak Folk genre. In these times it was just a kind of obscure DIY homerecording, released in the tapescene. A bunch of tiny songs with acoustic guitar, voice and some additional noises. Nice and full of tapehiss.
The second one Considération Sur / Sous Le Café  is a conceptual 7" record about coffee, and it comes with a text about that. It's kind of a very strange Coffeehouse music (whatever this means). Sparly Piano tunes, a voice and some shimmering guitar feedbacks laying in the background. Enjoy them!

Tracklisting - A Smile For Brandon
  1. Movement III
  2. Nous Nous Faisons, Bichette?
  3. Flutes Of Jericho
  4. The Night Mood
  5. Nine To Six
  6. Movement IV
  7. Something More
  8. Season Of Fire
  9. Mme. Edwarda
  10. Movement V
  11. Kill Me!
  12. Autumn
  13. So What?
  14. Raindrops
  15. Salty Water
  16. My Garden
  17. Party It Up!
  18. Too Deep To Be Named
  19. The 3rd Way

Tracklisting - Considération Sur / Sous Le Café
  1. Considération Sur Le Café 
  2. Considération Sous Le Café 
Try it - Buy it

Le Loup - The Throne Of The Third Heaven Of The Nations' Millennium General Assembly (2007)

Genre: Indie, Laptop Folk
Label: Talitres Records (FR)

Banjos, Electronics and several voices turned into simple but beautiful songs. The album ends with a field recording. Listen also to their Daytrotter Session, with newer tracks.
Read here about the albumtitle.

Tracklisting
  1. Canto I
  2. Planes Like Vultures
  3. Outside Of This Car, The End Of The World!
  4. To The Stars! To The Night!
  5. (Storm)
  6. We Are Gods! We Are Wolves!
  7. Breathing Rapture
  8. Look To The West
  9. (Howl)
  10. Le Loup (Fear Not)
  11. Canto XXXIV
  12. I Had A Dream I Died

Mittwoch, 18. Februar 2009

Birdengine - I Fed Thee Rabbit Water (2007)

Genre: Psych Folk, Acoustic
Label: Drift Records (UK)
Dark Folk songs, best listen at night.
Lawry Joseph Tilbury plays a nylon string guitar and accompanies himself singing the horrors in his mind. Killing dogs, sticks for arms, black snow, giant birds, dancing bears and kings trapped in jars all get a mention in Lawrys’ frightening but beautiful music.
Tracklisting
  1. Heads Off Dogs 
  2. Alone With The Beast Folk 
  3. The Evil Twin 
  4. Fare Thee Well Feral Child 
  5. Dead Mermaid 
  6. You Gave Birth To A Horse 
  7. Buried In The Black Snow 

Sonntag, 15. Februar 2009

Future Islands - Wave Like Home (2008)

Genre: Elektro-Wave
Label: Upset the Rhythm

Cool eighties influenced electro wave rock group. Strong singer voice, drumboxes, soundwaves and an impulsively played bass, not unlike Joy Division. Future Island are from the same pool as Dan Deacon and the video hippos. Check YouTube and your favorite music ressource for more ;-) and grab a liveset, recorded at Freeform Radio WFMU.

Tracklisting
  1. Pangaea 
  2. Old Friend 
  3. Flicker & Flutter 
  4. Escape Artist 
  5. Seize a Shark 
  6. Heart Grows Old 
  7. Beach Foam 
  8. Wave Like Home 
  9. Little Dreamer 

Tacks, The Boy Disaster - Oh, Beatrice (2006)

Genre: Indie Pop
Label: Ark Recordings (UK)
Similar Artists: Grizzly Bear

Austin, Texas Indie pop outift with a member of The Polyphonic Spree. Really good arranged songs. Unfortunatly there are no new recordings till now. Hope there will come more.

Tracklisting - Oh, Beatrice
  1. Frozen Feet 
  2. Paris 
  3. Forget-Me-Not 
  4. Man With A Plan 
  5. Last Stand 
  6. Queen of the Fishermen 
  7. Matilda
Tracklisting - Daytrotter Session
  1. Dying to Know 
  2. Man with a Plan 
  3. Frozen Feet 
  4. Matilda 
Comes with their Daytrotter Session with 2 additional tracks.

Try it - MicePays

Donnerstag, 12. Februar 2009

Giddle & Boyd - Going Steady With Peggy Moffitt EP (2008)

Genre: Europop Noir, Easy Listening Noir, Lounge Noir
Label: Discriminate Audio
Similar Artists: Psychic TV

Beside his Noise-Attacks he sing along with Giddle Partridge and make some cool weird Lounge Pop.
Boyd Rice and Giddle Partridge, two of the most creative and respected artists of the 21st century have decided to team up and make beautiful music together. Drawing from a variety of influences including 60’s French Pop, Spy Films, Psychedelic & electro pop...
Tracklisting
  1. Contact 
  2. Sunset Strip SS 
  3. Rocket USA 
  4. Bubblegum New Forever 
  5. Going Steady With Peggy Moffitt 
  6. Bonnie & Clyde 
  7. Warm Leatherette (Bonus) 

Try it - Buy itMicePays

Tarwater - Silur (1998)

Genre: Indie Pop, Electronica, Folk, Trip-Hop
Label: Kitty-Yo! (GER)

Third album by this german electronic outfit, with roots in east german punk/avantgarde and west german electronic scene. Related to Kreidler and To Roccoco Rot but with some "Folk" influences. Mostly loop based music, sometimes with spoken words.
Otomo use beautiful Guitarpicking which is guided by a loop of the scratch over the guitarneck. Check it!

Tracklisting
  1. Visit 
  2. To Moauf 
  3. The Watersample 
  4. Seafrance Cézanne 
  5. Silur 
  6. No More Extra Time 
  7. Otomo 
  8. Ford 
  9. The Pomps Of The Subsoil 
  10. 20 Miles Up 
  11. To Describe You 
  12. V-AT 
Try it - Buy itMicePays

Mittwoch, 11. Februar 2009

Meric Long - Dodo Bird (2006)

Genre: Indie Pop, Folk, Acoustic
Label: Not on Label
Similar Artists: The Dodos, Simon and Garfunkle

Debutalbum by Meric Long, better known as The Dodos. This EP has all the elements of later The Dodos records. Meric Longs wonderful voice and guitar playing, some background keyboardsounds and the drumming style, even if it a bit lighter than today. Wonderful!
Oh! Do you know their Daytrotter Session (and another here)?
And take a look to this wonderful Live Session.

Tracklisting
  1. Notes 
  2. Coals 
  3. Fiends 
  4. Couples 
  5. Popo 
Try it - Buy it - MicePays

My Teenage Stride - Lesser Demons (2008)

Genre: Post-Punk, Indie Pop
Label: ?! itunes only?

The opener of this digital EP is maybe some of the catchiest thing you've ever heard. (maybe not ;-)). My Teenage Stride play some nice Indie Pop and have their roots in 80ties Post-Punk, but with much more fun.
“Theme From Teenage Suicide” may be the best song the band has ever written: it’s bracing and breathless and sarcastic and has the kind of hook that you remember after only one go-round. All five of these songs are winners, from the haunted mansion rattle of “The Loud Confessor” to the hyper-pop of “Skin Lieutenant.” I have a tendency to get very “rah! rah! rah!” about bands I love, but My Teenage Stride is clearly a band that is going somewhere. Lesser Demons finds them speeding along even faster. Pure pop bliss! Seriosuly: try “Theme From Teenage Suicide.” SOLID GOLD. ~ Joe Keyes, 17 Dots 
Tracklisting
  1. Theme From Teenage Suicide 
  2. Red Nurse 
  3. The Loud Confessor 
  4. Skin Lieutenant 
  5. Focus On Sanity 

Donovan Quinn - October Lanterns (2007)

Genre: Freak Folk, Psych Folk
Label: Label: Soft Abuse (Puissant Series)(US)

The other half of Skygreen Leopards with a real similar sound. So if you love them, try it!
Donovan Quinn recorded October Lanterns late in the evenings of 2002 and 2003, while living on a horse ranch in Walnut Creek, California. It's a home recorded DIY affair of the bedroom school, a bit off-key and folky, and calls to mind the recorded works of Treacy and Kusworth at their most dour. The mood is dark, maybe even morbid, but has a sweetness to it that betrays both a sense of humor and nostalgia beneath the surface.
Tracklisting
  1. October Lanterns 
  2. Blackbird Headchamber 
  3. The Guttering Flame 
  4. At The Tent Revival 
  5. One Thousand Matchsticks 
  6. Saw A Ghost On The Water 
  7. The Crooked Smile Of A Jack-O-Lantern 
  8. Along The Hollies 
  9. Miner 
  10. October Lanterns 
Try it - Buy it - MicePays

Giant Skyflower Band - Blood Of The Sunworm (2007)

Genre: Freak Folk, Psych Folk
Label: Soft Abuse (US)
Similar Artists: Skygreen Leopards

The Press release says all... Glenn Donaldson by the Skygreen Leopards + lots of Sitar Sound:
...Giant Skyflower Band, an exotic, flowery and crumbling new recording project with nods to fruity new age, psych, prog, folk, and pop songwriting.  Donaldson quickly invited multi-instrumentalist Shayde Sartin to “smoke marijuana & make up strange pop songs, ” and thus the band was born. With Gong's seminal Magick Brother as a starting point and a sitar close at hand, the duo created a dark, peregrine pop transmission from their shoddy analog recording studio in San Francisco.  Blood of the Sunworm is the duo’s debut offering.

Giant Skyflower’s purpose is to examine in detail the idiom of Bummer Psych; the strain of damaged Anglo-pop music pioneered by Syd Barrett that arguably reached its apex with The Television Personalities’ Painted Word LP in the mid-80’s, but found new life in Japan via the genius of Tori Kudo and like-minded acts such as Nagisa Ni te and Tenniscoats. Indeed, Blood of the Sunworm consists of depressing pop songs and damaged instrumentals - teeth bared and falling apart as they are cobbled together – on a hazy, cryptic journey through a busted kaleidoscope, behind a dusty mirror & up through the rafters.
Tracklisting
  1. Oh Mary Green 
  2. Starbeams 
  3. Time Won't Sing A Song For You 
  4. Feast Of Blood 
  5. Rainbows And Dreams (With Worms Singing) 
  6. Bitter Wild Rabbit/Builds The Bone 
  7. All Of Us (You And Me) 
  8. Lice Of Rainbows 
  9. The Arcangel (Hurray For The Beast) 
  10. Meditations On Christ And The Magi 


Try it - Buy it - MicePays

Dienstag, 10. Februar 2009

The Skygreen Leopards - Jehovah Surrender (2005)

Genre: Freak Folk, Psych Rock
Label: jagjaguwar (US)

My favorite Skygreen Leopards record. This is special because of the raw sounding Psych Rock they played here. Fuzzy bass, the strange singing voice by Glenn Donaldson and Donovan Quinn and drums that sounds always delayed from the rest of music and a bit awkward but very well played.
Electric guitar howl like a farmers hound, fuzz bass stampedes, and drums trot and gallop like the finest of wild horses. Donovan & Glenn write: "Not long ago the band was visiting a friend in Port Costa, CA. After sharing a bottle of wine and enjoying the moonlight dances of his two daughters--the friend wanted to share a secret. He pulled an oversized key out of his overalls pocket and lead them out back to his shed. In the shed was an ancient drumset and a cobwebby electric guitar. The man said he knew Arlo Guthrie and that he was once in a band called "Hobo Splendor". Well thats all it took for the Skygreen's to lose their hearts and heads to a new muse. We played "All the Young Dudes" and "Hobo Jesus Blues" all night long and the daughters danced ballroom. This e.p. is inspired by the man from Hobo Splendor--get better my friend!"
Tracklisting
  1. Jehovah I Surrender 
  2. Julie-Anne, Patron Of Thieves 
  3. Play For The Spring 
  4. Apparition Of Suns (A.K.A. The Ferryman's Long Arms) 
  5. Let The Lion Be Swallowed By A Dove 
  6. I Was A Thief 

Montag, 9. Februar 2009

Pumice - Yeahnahvienna (2006) + Pebbles (2007)

Genre: Lo-Fi, Freak-Folk
Label: Soft Abuse (US)
Similar Artists:Wavves, Mudboy, Neutral Milk Hotel

New Zealand Lo-Fi Trash. Northland is real rumbling bliss! Some droney harmionias, distorted pop tunes and acoustic folk.
...the eccentric, flummoxing and oft-gloomy one-man band helmed by Stefan Geoffrey Neville, a resident of the cultural hamlet of Auckland, New Zealand.  Though Pumice’s skewed take on experimental folk and pop songwriting is firmly rooted in the outsider vibes of downunder stalwarts like Pip Proud and Alastair Galbraith...
Yeahnahvienna was conceived and recorded during an artist residency in Vienna in 2004. Neville's precariously arranged arsenal of cassettes, chord organ, vocals, drums and guitar has yielded a fragile and fractured masterwork. A stark and melancholic affair, calling to mind Alastair Galbraith, Sun City Girls and Supreme Dicks. Through Neville's layers of hiss and murk lie beautifully stirring & shambolic downer hymns.
Tracklisting - Yeahnahvienna (2006)
  1. Abominable 
  2. King Korny Remains 
  3. Worsted 
  4. Wild Dogs 
  5. Brawl 
  6. Worsted 
  7. Tears Tasting Fair 
  8. Darkpark 
  9. Worsted 
  10. Worsted 
Try it - Buy it

Tracklisting - Pebbles (2007)
  1. Eyebath 
  2. Bold/old 
  3. Brownbrownbrown 
  4. Stopover 
  5. Greenock 
  6. Northland 
  7. Spike/spear 
  8. Both Beasts 
  9. The Only Doosh Worth Giving 
  10. Onion Union 
  11. Pipi 

Sonntag, 8. Februar 2009

The Old Haunts - Fuel On Fire (2006)

Genre: Punk, Garage Rock
Label: Kill Rock Stars (US)

Second album by this great Band.

Tracklisting
  1. Civil Savage 
  2. Death Of The Sickbead 
  3. Culture Of Prey 
  4. Paradise 
  5. Wasted Day 
  6. Into A New Room 
  7. Filled In 
  8. Fuel On Fire 
  9. Unveil A Key 
  10. Salvage Purity 
  11. Scarlet Hall 

Samstag, 7. Februar 2009

Sinebag - Près De La Lisière (2005)

Genre: Field Recording, Electronic/Acoustic/Folk
Label: Ahornfelder (GER)
Similar Artists: Greg Davis & Sebastien Roux, The North Sea, metthew de Geranno

Peaceful record with field recordings and some nice tunes and lots of birds. Tip!

On the second album "près de la lisière" sinebag focusses even more on the approach of a continous soundfield which was already part of the concept for "milchwolken in teein". on this record all fieldrecordings and compositions form one long track without interuptions. songs and soundrecordings are present in the same amount. this interweaving, an adaption of the surrounding everyday soundscape, is the aim of the field creation.
The compositions feature mostly acoustic instruments - guitars, pino and organs form the basis of the material. these elements are processed and enriched by electronic synthesis.
The title "près de la lisière" (close to the border) reflects in several ways the contant of the record. it points at the nearness of the music to sound and the closeness of this album to no music at all.


Tracklisting
  1. Rien 
  2. Garten Am Abend 
  3. Petit Crr. #7 
  4. Deux Avions 
  5. Pergola Paul Singerstraße 
  6. Près De La Lisière .2b 
  7. Découper Et Insérer Unités D'Un Chanson, Rhododendronpark 
  8. Klavier Cutup n1, Fruehstück 
  9. Fruehstücksreste. Dekonstruiert 
  10. Pinienwald Auf Dem Sofabezug 
  11. Rasen Bilden Boden Für Muster 
  12. Collection D'électroniques Vétustees 
  13. Stromgenerator  August-Bebel-Strasse 
  14. Ajouter Nouveau Electroniques 
  15. À La Lisière 
  16. Rien Rev. 

Gowns - Red State (2007)

Genre: Shoegaze, Noise-Folk, Indie
Label: Cardboard Records
Red State, though, is an album with a particular sound, like the sun-bleached Polaroids of one’s family, documenting personal exercises in communal cultural contexts. Melodies lie obscured under a matte of cracked electronics, trains of thought dissipate before reaching a resolution, and thick streams of static and noise disturb states of ghostly beauty. Imperfections are purposeful and frequent, and the music derails from its predetermined path with consistency.
Tracklisting
  1. Fargo 
  2. Rope 
  3. Fake July 
  4. White Like Heaven 
  5. Lie Down 
  6. Clawless 
  7. Mercy 
  8. Subside 
  9. Advice 
  10. Cherylee 
Try it - Buy itMicePays

Oral Constitution - Bibelpreik (1993)

Genre: Neo Folk, Avantgarde, Freak Folk
Label: Artware Production (GER)
Similar Artists: Current 93

Seriously though, I am concerned about this and I'm particularly concerned about the little girls who you see on the cover of this Oral Constitution record.  They look sweet there, but their parents make them participate in fucked up music.  And I mean fucked up even by Norwegian standards!  Eerily sexual, nightmarishly mystical, gloomy, pounding, angry, demented and hypnotic folk music: sure to produce psychosis in high doses, especially for the young and impressionable - aren't you worried about the future of these little ones now?

Still, mature songwriters were clearly behind the record; you'll find more than enough good ideas to entertain you throughout this twenty minute EP.  Threatening male vocals, darkly seductive female vocals, creepy reverbified little girl's vocals, simple but metaphysically resonant acoustic guitar, ripping distorted electric guitar, mournful cello, spectral birdsong: comparisons to Current 93 and Diamanda Galas make a lot of sense. (Nat Roe WFMU Blog)

Tracklisting
  1. Barbie's Sang 
  2. Oddny's Sang 
  3. Christine's Sang 
  4. En Hymne For Sven 
  5. Untitled 

Freitag, 6. Februar 2009

Domotic - Ask For Tiger (2005)

Genre: Electronic, Space-Pop
Label: Active Suspension
Similar Artists: Bidibop, Köhn

Wonderful digital Pop Music. Sweet and sour. Distorted harmonies, grained acoustic guitars, drumboxes and nice songwriting. Turquoise/Trotzdem at example turns from a ballade into a electronic sequenz which is so far out and reminds on early 70ies Krautrock electronics in the best sense and merge finally into a drum driven electro space rock track full of swirlling noise. And see the great nerd video at bottom of this post ;-)
It is definitely a songwriter’s record, also. It is full of stupid melodies to get all emotional. Full of guitars to knock your head off. Full of noise for exultation. It is also tinted with an urge to create new forms, new means, to fulfill envies, methods of work. There are, eventually, stories to be heard, whether in the form of cryptic lyrics or barenaked melodies.
Tracklisting
  1. Meanwhile, In The Woods (A Boyscout's Day Out) 
  2. I Hate You For Ever (If You Think I'm So Nice, Why Am I Alone All The Time ?) 
  3. Tonsil 
  4. Hugs And Kisses 
  5. Turquoise / Trotzdem 
  6. Self-Service And Robots 
  7. Not The Movie You Expected 
  8. Captain Forest's Word Of Advice 
  9. Nyeps Club 
  10. There May Be A Tiger 
  11. Animals Are Ugly And So Am I 
Try it - Buy it - MicePays

Donnerstag, 5. Februar 2009

Aavikko - History Of Muysic (2003)

Genre: LoFi, Electronica, Easy Listening
Label: Solnze Records

Don't miss this hissing, noisy outtakes and alternative recordings from Synthy Ensemble Finland. Buy all of their records! especially Derek! and their latest - Back from Futer
A truly awesome compilation including material from their very beginnings, rare singles, remixes, sold-out releases (like their first single, the "Oriental Baby"-ep and the "Kabar"-single). Definitely recommended.
Tracklisting
  1. Siperian Rata 
  2. Alas Volgaa 
  3. Samojedien Keskuudessa 
  4. Krakovan Niityt 
  5. Viiden Asteen Pakkanen 
  6. Aavikko 
  7. Tyttöystävä 
  8. Sibiri 
  9. Oblomovin Henki 
  10. Cafe Panama 
  11. Seikkailu Villi 
  12. Holiday Inn 
  13. Oriental Baby 
  14. Oaxaca 
  15. Kova Lääkitys 
  16. Boa 
  17. Pelihelvetti 
  18. Entinen Mies 
  19. Superlake Beat 
  20. Antarktis Slow Rock 
  21. Kumman Kaa 
  22. Of Stomping Men 
  23. Kova Lääkitys 
  24. My Yamaha 
  25. Eye Of The Leopard 

Mittwoch, 4. Februar 2009

Bidibop - Snapshot (2005)

Genre: Electronic, Space Pop
Label: Carte Postale
Similar Artists: Domotic

Bidibop was part of the superb un automne à Lob-Nor released some beautiful solo records.
Old synths sounds to earlies glitches, guitar and sound treatments, are part of the bidibop's textures glittering music which only aim is pop.
Tracklisting
  1. Stars Hunter 
  2. First Step In Snow 
  3. Contact 
  4. Missur 
  5. Snapshot 
  6. Ding 
  7. Apesanteur 
  8. Second Step In Snow 
  9. Today's Butterflies Still There In My Dreams 

Apparat Organ Quartet - s/t (2002)

Genre: Organ Driven Space Rock
Label: TMT Entertainment
Similar Artists: Aavikko, Add N To X

Four E-Organs on one Beat!
In the past various AOQ members have worked with the likes of Marc Almond, Hafler Trio, Sigur Ros, Barry Adamson, Stillupsteypa, Mum, Pan Sonic and even Hermann Nitsch! But you won't find any blood soaked cacophony here. Nope, this is all warm and warbly, dreamy and bouncy, fun and fuzzy.
Tracklisting
  1. Romantika 
  2. The Anguish of Space-Time 
  3. Cruise Control 
  4. Ondula Nova 
  5. Global Capital 
  6. Seremonia 
  7. Charlie Tango # 2 
  8. Sofðu Litla Vél 
  9. Stereo Rock & Roll 

Dienstag, 3. Februar 2009

The Old Haunts - Fallow Field (2005)

Genre: Punk, Garage Rock
Label: Kill Rock Stars (US)

Just Great!
Fallow Field features 60's influenced production with enough of that basement-party sound to leave the energy intact.
Tracklisting
  1. By The Bay 
  2. Walk Through The Woods 
  3. Deflect It 
  4. Poison Control 
  5. Boots As Clubs 
  6. It's So Scandalous 
  7. The Old World 
  8. Gold Light 
  9. Cult Baby 
  10. You Could Never Know 
  11. Out Of Sight 
  12. Vandal Hymn 
Try it - Buy it!!!!!!!!!!! - See Live - MicePays

Montag, 2. Februar 2009

Vertonen - The Ocean Is Gone, The Ship Is Next (2003)

Genre: Drone
Label: Ground Fault Recordings
Vertonen is Chicago experimental music veteran Blake Edwards and this CD continues an ongoing exploration of turntable-fueled drones. The opening track's title is self-explanatory: "untitled for air organ and turntable motor". Recorded live on the radio in Chicago, this piece is a fourteen minute long deep and dense mix of beautiful bass tones and thick breathy hums playing endless phase games with each other. On the second piece, a very heavy speaker-rattling bass tone loops through the beginning as metal-percussion sounds slowly cycle in the background. Scratchy vinyl sounds and dense ambient tones continue throughout as some recognizable vinyl-sourced sounds emerge- like a looped horn-line perhaps. the regular sound of the loop disturbs the drone atmosphere a little, adding some humor to a track that doesn't seem to need any. The next piece, "Four chambers plus their various fluids" kicks out the noise from the get go- fast and loud cycling noise whirring and flanging endlessly. Hissy field recorded sounds predominate as the track fades out to silence. "Soma Trio Study (2)" is the shortest cut one here at 5 minutes and could have used a little more time to develop. The sounds at play are delicate and melodic slowly evolving loops drifting in and out of phase- a bit like Philip Jeck, perhaps and much more romantic than the claustrophobic sounds on the previous pieces. Final track begins with warbly locked groove piano sounds eventually overtaken by a darker, machine loop that slowly fades in as the piano plays on. The mix of endless drone frequencies and more loopish vinyl sounds works wonderfully throughout this disc. -- Angbase


Tracklisting
  1. Untitled For Air Organ And Turntable Motor 
  2. The Last Great Circus Of Desperate Heritage 
  3. Four Chambers Plus Their Various Fluids 
  4. Soma Trio Study (#2) 
  5. Harbor Surfacant
Try it - Buy it - MicePays

Sonntag, 1. Februar 2009

The North Sea - Underneath The Jesus Tree (2006)

Genre: Psych Folk
Label: Barl Fire Recordings
Similar Artists: Metthew de Gennaro

Wonderful shining athmosphere, reverbed acoustic guitar and lots of birds.

I can only have respect for the man; he's made the record he wanted to make, without stopping to care that he'll be vilified, if anyone notices, for his hippy sincerity. Unfortunately, it's a boring record. There are no hooks and there's no real structure, just messy, jam-style soundscapes. The shortest track, Windmills is the high point of the album, a simply pretty guitar noodle thankfully sans the nature sounds. But this is undermined by a tune which fails to arouse interest, and by some incongruous rough string overdubs which take more from the song than they add. (Halo 17 review)
 Uhm, maybe the reviewer is right, but I love this record anyway.

Tracklisting
  1. Asleep Underneath The Jesus Tree 
  2. Marigold Perfume 
  3. High Tide 
  4. Legend Of The Albino Deer 
  5. Windmills 
  6. The Morning Birds 
Try it - MicePays

Mudboy - This Is Folk Music (2005)

Genre: Drone, Freeform, Minimal
Label: Last Visible Dog

Mudboy do soundresearch on older modified e-organs. Sounds sometimes like the early days of electronic music. Nice!

Tracklisting
  1. Solitron Wave 
  2. Solitron Waves 
  3. Untitled 01 
  4. Starlight 
  5. Untitled 02 
  6. Untitled 03 
  7. Lost 
  8. Running 
  9. Beirut Dance Party 
  10. Coming Here Was A Bad Idea 
  11. Dawn Treader 
  12. Sailing Song 
  13. Untitled 04 
  14. Untitled 05 
Try it - Buy it - MicePays