Glitch, deep house, shoegaze, EBM and other matters of note

This weeks recommended listens:

Thriftworks – Fader – Bandcamp – 17th November 2014 :  34 tracks washed with rich synths and ‘glitchy’ melodies, featuring a few collaborations with fellow Californian producer Russ Liquid.

Solid District – Moon Anomalies – Emerald and Doreen –  Release Date Unknown : Cancun’s Fernando Mendoza is fascinated by the moon and its effects on mankind, this release reflects that. “Lunar Madness” is a  psychedelic deep house opener that makes clear that somebody’s “thinking of you”. The answer is an “Automatik Reaktion”, a Statickman-esque synth-house roller with cowbells & handclaps . “Thyone” is a slow, heavy, techy-funky space house chugger. “Lunar Madness” gets two remixes. Headpocket provides a beautifully progressive cosmic Balearic Kraut trip with a smoothly rolling bassline, the stand-out track on the release. Airsouth provide a twisted, fragmented and strangely amazing piece of dubstep-infused electronica.

Sounds of Sputnik – New Born – Ear to Ear Records – 21st November 2014 :  Sounds of Sputnik (aka Roman Kalitkin) redefines his listeners’ expectations of Russian music by tastefully mixing post-rock, shoegaze, dream pop, and noise. With a love for The Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride, Sonic Youth, Happy Mondays, and Slowdive, these bands have exerted their influences over Kalitkin’s own compositions, forged through twenty years spent in various post-punk, alternative and shoegaze bands.

Atomzero – Symbioisis – Analogue Trash – December 2014 – was initially a UK-based music project by Peter Godziszewski.  A 3-track demo was recorded in 2001 with the track “Metaverse” included on Elektrauma Vol.6 compilation released in 2002. Relocated to Canada the project continued with remix work for other bands and further compilation contributions, culminating in Gord Clement joining forces with Peter in 2004 and a new phase of Atomzero was born. Drawing the best elements from influences such as Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Front 242, Nitzer Ebb among others, the new songwriting partnership brought strong vocals, thoughtfully-crafted lyrics and a more melody-driven brand of electronic music, fusing classic electronic influences of early electro-pop, industrial and EBM into a polished and modern mix. After self-releasing Symbiosis in May of 2014 to positive reviews from the alternative music press and fans alike, Atomzero signed a European label deal in September 2014 with Manchester-based independent label AnalogueTrash Records to release a special edition of their debut album in December.  The European edition of Symbiosis contains sixteen tracks including ten tracks from the original edition of the album, two exclusive original songs and an array of remixes from Assemblage 23, SkinjoB and label-mates Advance and Neonsol.

….and watch out for the following in forthcoming weeks, months and indeed new year….

• alansmithee feat. Marklar – Checking Out/Plain Sailing – Flowers In The Dustbin
• Six Organs of Admittance – Hexadic – Drag City – 16th February 2015 (herein a preview thereof)
• Klozapin – Klozapin – Conquest of Noise – 5th January 2015 (check them out here)
• Moff Skellington – Marine Sugars (locally glimpsed) – German Shepherd Records – 5th December 2014
• KP2 – A Cabinet of Curiosities – German Shepherd – 5th December 2014
• West Coast Sick Line – Wasp In The Car – German Shepherd – 28th November 2014

 

 

 

Blurring the genre lines

And the excellent new music keeps flowing into the Aural Delights Bunker – sometimes I can’t keep up – what is impressive with this latest selection is the innovation and the blurring of the traditional genre boxes to provide some interesting listening ……let’s kick off with some crust

Trollhättan, Sweden-based Gust, in preparation of the upcoming release of their self-titled second LP, and their first with Southern Lord, have released a preview called “Reality Chokes”….

Self-recorded at Fvck Life Studios, and mastered by Brad Boatright (Warcry, From Ashes Rise, Deathreat, Audiosiege Engineering), who also supplies guest vocals to the album, I am advised that “Gust” (the album) is a crushing but incredibly dynamic album, displaying a unique style of crust-infused hardcore and talented songwriting from the young act.  Hopefully I can get a copy and share it on the Sonic Attack Podcast.

Gust – (photo credit: Magnus Larsen)

The Dan’l Boone album, which will be featured on next weeks Aural Delights Podcast is a challenging listen – and to give you a taste of what to expect here’s a video from the band:

The release date is September 22nd via Drag City.

Reptile Youth are releasing a free download in advance the  official “Structures” single which is released next week – it’s called “Clouds” and is previously unreleased.

Since 2013, Ufomammut have been slowly working on a video project which will be released on DVD via Malleus this October. The DVD features over three hours of live footage (including “Magickal Mastery Live”, a 12 song live act), interviews, and outtakes, all documenting these first 15 years of the band. Titled XV, this audiovisual experience will also be available as a special wooden 8GB usb drive. In addition to this DVD release, Ufomammut have confirmed that they shall be heading into the studio to record their seventh studio collection this September. The new album should see the light of day in Spring 2015 via Neurot Recordings. They will return to the US for their first proper tour, as well as a promise of more European live shows. You can preorder XV here – http://supernaturalcat.bigcartel.com/category/xv

The always busy Stuart Estell has released a new bandcamp EP “The Hearer, the Listener and the Blank” under his Lachenalia project – which demonstrates again his virtuosity and willingness to explore a range of different sonic forms. Both ambient and hypnotic the EP melds busy percussion with surging keyboard sounds to create an extremely pleasurable listening experience.

The Lachenalia album “Acts & Monuments” and the single “Leveno” are still available from German Shepherd Records.

“M” is the latest track to be released from Obake’s upcoming second album, “Mutations” , which will be released this October from  Rare Noise Records. Like a number of the new album tracks, it begins with a familiar sound, a thick, sludge- like groove recalling multitude numerous titans of the Southern Rock scene, however it soon it breaks down all conventions with a game-changing voice unsettling interlude which segues into mind-boggling progressive rock, replete with minor chords and epic crescendos.

​​Following hot on the heels of free single Demonstration , and appearance at Song By Toad’s ‘Pale Imitation’ festival, those lovely at Flowers In the Dustbin have announced a new single – “Checking Out” ​​- from Alansmithee, this time recorded in collaboration with Marklar.  Sounds damn fine to me:

And to conclude this round up a couple of new releases from German Shepherd records.

First up another KP2 collaboration, this time with Luana’s Black Reptiles – comprising three excellent tracks which explore phobias about insects, provide a tribute to the great jazz saxophonist Albert Ayler, and muse on the thoughts of people waiting to die at Jonestown, Lyrically rich and with a  vital sonic palette this is a must listen release which is called “Taken To See The Tiger”

The second is the sophomore outing from Modal Roberts called “Motion Blur” which could be subtitled adventures in dub and self deprecation – Modal mixes things up with a, sometimes, tongue in cheek exploration of dance/electronica tropes, post punk moves and funky workouts all wrapped up in a neat little selection of five tunes which demonstrate variety in sound and lyrical content. Always impressive is his ability to somehow subvert the genre norms, mess around with them and create something which is both entrancing and thought provoking.

 

 

Early Morning Shake Up

SNOOZE / THE ALMIGHTY ALAN SMITHEE BLUES from Livingston band ALANSMITHEE is out 7th April on Glasgow based label Flowers In The Dustbin Records, available from itunes and all major digital stores.

The single is also available to pre-order now on Bandcamp with a free, immediate download of exclusive track ‘Missing Tongue’.

http://flowersinthedustbin.bandcamp.com/album/alansmithee-snooze-the-almighty-alan-smithee-blues

ALANSMITHEE also play a triple single launch event on Saturday 5th April at the 13th Note, Glasgow with fellow Flowers In The Dustbin artists MUMMY SHORT ARMS and KICK TO KILL. Free copies of all 3 singles for everyone!

Language gets a bit choice towards the end – be careful!