Cindytalk - Hold Everything Dear

Beautiful 2LP from Cindytalk on Editions Mego. Hold Everything Dear is the 2011 conclusion to a trilogy of installments that originated in 2009. Not exactly a new release, but then, this isn't a blog about new music, as much as it is a chronological list of stuff I hear that blows my mind. And this is definitely that. A wonderful theatrical progression front to back, each track seems to add a chapter to a story that evolves throughout the listen. Layers of harsh noise intermingled in ambient acoustic warmth. Elegant piano passages alternating with harsh caustic soundscapes. Sounds like the disassociated soundtrack to a life lived with meaning, experiencing the sweetness and sadness in every moment.

A beautiful gatefold jacket and poly lined sleeves, the entire presentation is just gorgeous. Grabbed along with the first cassette from the 2012 Discriminate promo series. And as if you needed another reason to buy from dscrmnt, now they're giving away incredible music. Promo #1 featuring The North Sea and Roe Enney is now fully exhausted, but it appears further editions are on the way.

Black Velvet Stereo - Metal Rain Machine

Black Velvet Stereo on Sacred Phrases kills with Metal Rain Machine. Seems like an exercise in stark contrast, and beautiful synergy, between disparate subgenres of electronic music. An extremely refreshing intermingling of electronic relatives. Vast, evolving, ambient spaces weave into blissful focused drone. Waves of overdriven melody give way to propulsive layers of rich, full, progressive synth. Each side peaks with an absolute standout track, the massive uptempo burn of the Alex Barnett-esq “Hope” on A, and the pulsating, extraterrestrial emotional pull of “///” on the flip. When c40’s are born, they dream of becoming a tape like this.

Don’t miss this one, seriously. Grab it along with the rest of the new batch directly from Sacred Phrases.

Evan Parker / John Wiese - C Section

Evan Parker and John Wiese create chaotic free jazz and harsh noise on C Section from PAN. Sounds that play together, and against each other with a sense of improvisation and discovery not typically associated with electronic composition. It's an interesting intersection between Parker's raw, organic saxaphone, and the harsh electronic of Wiese. At times, the two halves seem downright unhappy with each other, scratching and clawing for position in the soundscape. At others, they seem to coincide in a single thought, complimenting and even counterbalancing the chaos of each. Parker's manic sax work circles and dances in front of you, even with your eyes closed, like an artist coloring lines on the inside of your eye lids. Wiese simultaneously decays each note and moment with caustic bubbling feedback and distortion, bending the intent of the collaboration to his will. The entire work was recorded live as an improvised set. If you have a musical comfort zone, this record will knock you out of it fast. 2 really talented dudes making one hell of a racket.

As with all PAN releases, the packaging is completely first rate. The LP is housed in a poly lined sleeve, and packed with hand numbered liner notes, inside a silkscreened jacket. The jacket is then placed in a PVC sleeve printed with geometric designs. It's really tough for my amateur photography skills to do the presentation justice here. Totally over the top.

I purchased from Discriminate, and was trying to make sense of the whole thing in just 2 days.

Dante Augustus Scarlatti - Recycled HNW + Candle

Recycled HNW from Dante Augustus Scarlatti is a relentless wall of noise in every sense. It makes you crave silence. It makes you reinterpret what music is. Art defeating musicality. In some cases, both the art of extreme noise and musicality can exist in the same space, but not here. Recycled HNW is a solid hour (give or take, each tape is an unknown length) of tall, wide, paint peeling artistic noise. Extreme electronic and power violence enthusiasts will find this tape a welcome challenge.

And as always, the aesthetic of Auris Apothecary is on full display with a heat sealed package and 11 color variations to choose from. The incredible creativity, precision, and attention to detail in each release DAS takes on is, quite frankly, stunning. Truly the standard bearer for hand made packaging in the tape scene.

I purchased along with the Winter Seasonal Candle. I figure, if I'm going to have my brain torn out through my ears for an hour, I may as well be enjoying the scent of vanilla and spiced apple. Dig both the sounds and the smells by purchasing directly at Auris Apothecary.

Various Atoms - White Eye of Winter Watching

Incredible double cassette compilation from Hospital Productions. White Eye of Winter Watching is a master class compilation of classic industrial and noise artists. Genre legends such as Genocide Organ, Sutcliffe Jugend, Prurient, The Grey Wolves, and CON-DOM, are all here, mixed in among a whopping total of 52 total tracks. This type of comp is either exactly what you want, or completely objectionable, depending on your interest in the extreme corners of heavy electronics. Check the sound sample to confirm if a reservation has been made for you at the psych ward, and then purchase as I did, at Tesco.

Peter Rehberg - Work for GV 2004-2008

Peter Rehberg on Editions Mego. Harsh and melodic synth sounds that weave in and out of consciousness, intertwined with spoken word readings that seem to be almost pieces of a journal written by a regretful drug addict and prostitute. There is a strong story-like progression to "Works" that carries heavy emotional weight. Tracks make glacial shifts from contemplative and introspective, to more ominous, and finally to hopeful with the standout "Boxes & Angels". Giving the entire work 2 consecutive listens left me feeling emotionally drained and almost sick. Super highly recommended, and available at Discriminate.

Ophibre - Psyllium Husks

New tape of distortion, glitch, and general unorthodox creativity from Ophibre on 905 Tapes. Psyllium Husks is a very challenging listen. Faint glimmers of musicality and rhythm show through only for brief moments for those dedicated enough to seek them. I listened twice and I'm stil not quite sure what it all means, which I'm pretty sure is exactly the point. I received it as part of a "Mystery Sack" from 905 with 10 in-house tapes for just $30. I can't think of a better way to spend a weekend than with 10 new tapes, especially gritty, mind expanding ones like these. Photo of the entire bundle below.

Belarisk - II

New tape from Belarisk on Semanta Productions. Interesting and varied sounds from 8 bit to melodic, to harsh noise, and all of it enjoyable. Deconstructed melodies played backwards through decaying factory machinery, or some other type of metaphor that imparts a sense that this release is outstanding. The track, "Serpent Lays and Egg In a Unreachable Relm" is one of the most emotive, moving pieces of harsh electronica I've experienced. I wasn't familar with Belarisk or Semanta before this release, but will certainly become more so now.

I purchased my tape at the fastest shipping distro on earth, Discriminate, There appear to be a few copies left from Semanta as well.