Been a fantastic year from my point of view musically speaking. Probably bought more vinyl, CD's 7"s and downloads than any other year since I was a teenager, so........
Here's a quick post of some of my favourite music from the last year. You can DL a couple of compilation files should you wish to plop them on your media player.
It's not all been good in 2014 though.
Sadly, far too many musical mentors have passed into the deep beyond this year, many at far to young an age. My thoughts and comiserations are with family, friends and followers for their sad loss. R.I.P. - Christophe F. (Universa Panzies, Fried, Julian Cope Group, Black Sheep), Scott (Rock Action) Asheton (The Stooges), Jack Bruce (Cream), Gary Burger (The Monks), Nicholas John Talbert (Gravenhurst), Tommy Ramone, Bobby Keys (Rolling Stones), Dave Brockie (GWAR), Mark Bell (LFO), Robert (Throb) Young (Primal Scream), Paul Revere, Johnny Winter, James Lavesque (Agent Orange), Frankie Knuckles, Bob Casale (Devo).
Tracklist.
01. Pye Corner Audio - The Black Mist (Long Version)
02. Chain & The Gang - Stuck In A Box
03. Jane Weaver - Argent
04. King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizzard - Celephane
05. Fat White Family - Is It Raining In Your Mouth
06. The Wytches - Grave Dweller
07. Camera - Parhelion
08. The Liminanas - Je' M'en Vais
09. Richard H. Kirk - Never Loose Your Shadow
10. Kreidler - Modul
11. Who Put Bella In The Wychelm - Gravenhurst
12. Liars - Boyzone
13. Goat - Goatchild
14. The Black Dog - Too Many Isms
15. Das Boot - Spion Cop
16. Shellac - Mayor/Surveyor
Tracklist.
17. Laetitia Sadier - The Scene of The Lie
18. Gulp - Vast Space
19. LA Hell Gang - What You Want You Got
20. TV Ghost - Maze Of Death
21. Shiftwerk - [Less] Merchandise
22. Plaid - Thether
23. Tarwater - The Log Of The Sloop
24. Brian Jonestown Massacre - Fist Full Of Bees
25. The Soundcarriers - This Is Normal
26. Laetitia Sadier - Oscuridad
27. The Amazing Snakeheads - Memories
28. The Second Bardo - The Cult Of Dom Keller
29. Listening Centre - Observation One
30. Phillippe Petit & Edward Ka-Spel - Where Does The Sound Go
Video's Of Above (Where Available).
01. Pye Corner Audio - The Black Mist (Long Version)
02. Chain & The Gang - Stuck In A Box
03. Jane Weaver - Your Time In This Life Is Just Temporary
04. King Gizzard & The Wizard Lizzard - Celephane
05. Fat White Family - Is It Raining In Your Mouth
Thought I'd put together a CD length compilation for these short cold days and star encrusted nights.
Not your usual Xmas inflected jiggery, a bit of a darker theme to mull over the year that's past, and the new one yet to come. Probably best tuned into later in the evening, when you've had a few nips of the good stuff, and are feeling a little contemplative.
1. Intro December - Drama Workshop Presents
2. A Year And A Day - Belbury Poly
3. Fairy Ring - Fursaxa
4 Iopetus - Circle
5. Boreas - Einsturzende Neubauten
6. Hollow Hills - Bauhaus
7. Solstice - Matt Berry
8. Dark Becomes Light - The Album Leaf
9. The Chain - Liars
10. Incantation - Aqua Nebula Oscillator
11. Blood Chant - Gorky's Zygotic Munci
12. Creeping Crazy Time - Big Blood
13. The Hooden Horse - Drohne
14. Misc - Broadcast
15. Threshold - Eric Zann
16. Ghost Seeds - Crow Tongue
17. The Salt Path - Wolfram Wire and Roj
18. Christmas Is Now Drawing Near - Coil
19. Outro Winter - Drama Workshop Presents
A few of the usual suspects, but hopefully a few curveballs to.
Here's hoping anyone that drops into Sound Mirrors from time to time has a very Merry Xmas.
Don't forget the mince pies and sherry for Santa, he might just drop something nice in your lap.
In a recent previous post I raved about the wonderful Outer Church compilation, and used the rather lazy tag Hauntology to describe the varied but unified, eclectic range of sounds and artists within.
In the post I also mentioned a couple of (for my day, in the circle's I ran with) seminal left field complitions, The Elephant Table Album, and The Afflicted Man's Musica Box. Whilst trawling the intertwat, I also came across a couple of other compilations I'd owned, lost or sold and since forgotten - L.A.Y.L.A.H Antimusic - The Fight Is On , and also the Life At The Top LP.
Inner sleeve for The Fight Is On on L.A.Y.L.A.H. antirecords
So why have I come to consider these artists as befitting a place under the Hauntology banner. Well, let me explain... at the time many of the artists were considered industrial, an easy catch-all for musick listed as difficult in the music press of the time'. With the luxury of hindsight/ re-appraisal many of the bands it seems to me covered similar territory to the current crop of Ghostbox and sundry artists who sedem to fall under the musical hauntology umbrella (you may be familiar with many of them: Mordant Music, Advisory Circle, Belbury Poly, Demdike Stare, Position Normal, Focus Group et.al. to name just a few).
Many of the acts on these early compilations were also primarily electronic in nature, occul' fixated and part of a select group who saw themselves as holding a black mirror to the mainstream. Most acts were willfully obscure, difficult and obtuse, and much of the music was challenging and unsettling, and in the odd case, almost unlistenable. Many artists operated on a financial shoestring, having only the most primitive in electronics and tape machines, often sharing equipment between friends and artists. Bands that have now become almost underground legends (COIL, Nurse With Wound, Tuxedomoon, Lustmord, Legendary Pink Dots, Current 93 to name but a handful) were seen as dangerous and subversive in the music world. Indeed the L.A.Y.L.A.H records compilation actually incorporated the 'antimusic' label as a call to arms, a concious pointer that what you were about to hear was not ordinary music.
Jhonn Balance (COIL)
Much was informed by earlier music, for example you could argue that Lou Reed invented power electronics with his Metal Machine Music suite. Acts such as Whitehouse would use this template to terrorise audiences with viscious sonic assaults at deafening volumes, and with a deliberate antaganistic and confrontatoinal approach to performing. You really could leave a gig with blood on your face as the audience they attracted were as extreme themselves, looking for release in this kind of extreme sonic confrontational 'entertainment'.
Metal Machine Music
Other acts such as Lustmord or Nurse With Wound would look to the Kosmische/ Dada-ist approach, releasing beautiful sub ambient soundscapes, and absurdist tape 'cut ups' as records or cassettes. It was easy to become po-faced and precious about these artists, with many of us failing to see the humour in the musick, even though, as with Nurse With Wound, and with hindsight, it was often blatant and obvious.
NWW Debut LP Cover - Chance Meeting On The Dissecting Table of a Sewing Machine and Umbrella
Coil and Current 93 to name but two bands, embraced the dark occult apocalypse. They gave voice to the Manson generations psychotic remeberings Coil released songs such as Sicktone, a series of fast flanged, repetitve drum patterns, the intention implied was to bring about 'heightend' states off conciousness through submission to the musick. The EP, How To Destroy Angels, was a baffling aray of slowly struck gong reverberations, bull roarers and simulated sword fighting, the tag line on the EP's cover described using the record as a meditative tool, a fascilatatetor for the 'Accumalation of Male Sexual Energy'.
Current 93, dabbled initially in crude and dark industrial meanderings, eventially settling into a dark apocalypic style of folk on the 'Swastika's For Noddy' LP. Tibet continued in this vein for quite some time, only later going back to collaborations in drone and ambience with Nurse With Wound and other contributers.
Current 93 / NWW Bright Yellow Moon
Now whilst modern Hauntological musicks don't claim these kind of extreme mission statements, and dabble only in the imagary world of the occult, much of it does take the listener on a disjointed dark journey's. Maybe it's through the collation and replication of half remembered jingles and idents from a lost/forgotten world of childhood of TV, radio or other media, or just through the route of unsettling yet familiar sounds and imagary. A re-imagined structuring of a past that never was, challenging our recollections of how we were and who we've become, and how we recall that perceived and recall that safe former world.
Coolest!!!
Anyhow, I'm going on a bit, and this is really just an excuse to post several of these 'out there and difficult' compilations from a dark yester year.
A bit previous for an end of year round up, but thought I'd cobble together a compiltion of highlights of the year from my point of view. Not all new relaeses by a long straw, but most are new to me, so in effect are 'new'. I'm sure with just under two months to go, there will be a few tasty bits and bobs yet to come, but here's a few of my personal faves/ discoveries.
Download a CD length Compilation HERE. Or just peruse the post for a flavour of what's floated my boat.
Fantastic nosie rock from longstanding collective, once home to the almost legendary Jay Retard.
Think Chrome, think Helios Creed, Think prime 80's Amphetamine Reptile, add a dash of space rock phase and your in the (outer) regions of Deep Trip.
One of those slightly expensive Record Store Day releases, but price can be forgiven for the low down and dirty garage punk grooves contained within. I gotta say, I think this is the best record they've ever released. They've come a long way from those early wanna be Jesus & Mary Chain infected grooves of the first two albums.
Named after a novel by legendary crime writer Jim Thompson, Pop. 1280 more than fit their namesakes sleazy criteria. Treble Skuzz Birthday Party-esqu guitars and drums sit alongside hollered and spat vocals/lyrics of distopian reverie and demise. Anyone whose perused the blog to any degree will know my love of this collective, debut album The Horror was one of my albums of the year in 2011. The Grid isn't a new relesae, insdeed it's from the period just prior to the release of The Horror, but it still contains enough bile and vitreol to recommend it. Sadly, the most recent album Imps Of Perversion seems to tread similar ground, whilst pulling back on the reigns somewhat. As yet it's not gotten under my skin to the same degree as previous releases. Maybe the next one will fan the flames a little higher.
Another band who I've followed for some time. Debut release 'Always Then', was a firm fav' back in 2011, now getting a lush whie vinyl repress, well worth picking up if your a fan of My Bloody Valentine-esque sheets of noise. New album Immaterial Visions takes the MBV template and runs with it adding textured synth and the odd motorik beat. Deffo one to watch in the future.
Psychic Psummer was an album I bought years ago, stashed in the racks and promptly forgot I had. How the hell that travesty was allowed to happen is quite baffling, but I stumbled across it again this Summer, and it's not left the turntable since. Absolutely stunning piece of post rock/ kosmische/kraut/drone. Really, this is deffo one to track down if you don't own it. Originally released in 2009, this should have been on everyones end of year list, but turned up on only a few.
AMT release cohesive 'normal' album shocker. This record is a blast, All the trademark AMT 'tricks' are in place, but with most tracks coming in at a mind numbungly short 5 or 6 mins. Of course there are a couple of strung out freak outs, but this is da bomb, plain and simple.
Superb slice of acid fried psyche from San Frans resident spaced out stoners. Not quite as out there as the drawn out jams of Transmissions From Telos, but still a great cohesive trip of a record.
This stunning and unsettling debut by Ice Age offshoot VÅR (trans. Spring) gives me goosebumps in much the same way as Scatology by Coil still does. They both share an under current of the uncanny, of something left unsaid, with sounds that at times make me quite nervous. Though recorded in a fairly cramped bedroom, the sound is full almost of wide open spaces and horizon like vistas. There is a tense almost homoerotic undertone that's hard to explain, and singer Elias Ronnefelt adds a slightly mournful vocal to many of the songs. Though a recent recording, this could have been released at any time during the early eighties, it has that D.A.F. like teutonic sound, everything is very stripped back and glacial. Marsha drums pepper the pace of a few songs adding to the brooding, almost militaristic air .
This is one of my fav' tracks from the awesome Outer Church compilation. It has an almost balaeric ambience to it that's at odds with much of the dark matter contained over the two discs. Sat watchnig a stunning sunset on Cleeve Hill to this on repeat recently, was a sublime (if cold) experience. See Post for Death and Vanilla for brief Expo of Outer Church Compilation.
Side project of noise terror meisters Prostitutes (a.k.a. Jim Donadio). This cassette release is a different barrel of fish altogether. Soothing analogue drones and tones transport you to hushed inner oceans of tranquility. Each track novelly named after a 90's 'indie' dance act, the songs bear little resemblance to their namesakes. More akin to drawn out Conrad Schnitzler ambient pieces. Listened to this on holiday whilst crawling amongst the rock stcks of Carn Menyn (original quarry to the Stonehenges bluestones) and had a delightful afternoon. A Wonderful happenstance discovery. Out on the never less than wonderful Foxy Digitalis label.
Originally released in 2010, this review of Salted Earth explains the album more succinctly than I ever could. Awesome record (Plus it's a free DL from Bandcamp along with Verma II). If you enjoy, put your hand in your pocket for Coltan, it's equally imressive.
Bent equally on bristling psychedelic squall and driving motorik, Verma emerged in the wake of an experimental improvisational collective. Blending a wide range of influences from proto-metal, minimalism, electronic, space rock and drone, the group constructs and explores cinematic sonic landscapes. Verma is amoebic in nature, coexisting with the mechanical. The driving rhythm section creates a solid architecture for swirling guitars and haunting vocal melodies, all beneath a haze of sweeping synthesizers. This repetitive dervish of sound rises from dark roots to a meditative plane, at once the atmosphere of metamorphosis and cerebral introspection.
Feminine Squared is the long overdue reissue of 80's DIY unit Algebra Suicide entire catalogue on vinyl.Simple guitar, Vox, and drum machine tarry with super sarcastic vocals delivered in that inimitable 'bored' style. Great discovery, and a wonderful record. Sadly, singer Linda Tomkiw passed away in 2007.
Uk band Savages do a pretty great reproduction of Post Punk, almost too good you might say. Savage Siouxsie-esqu vocals cut across glass treble guitars, tribal drums and ominous bass. Hell, I love it. Takes me back to many of my fav' bands of the 80's, Bauhaus, Joy Division, Banshees, Wire et al. My only concern would be that the artifice is a little too authentic, even down to the stark black and white imageary. There seems to be not much of themselves and plenty of everyone else on this record. Still, it's not been off my turntable, so comes highly recommended.
This is a great record, a digital/industrial amalgamism of the first two Fuck Buttons albums, Street Horrrsing and Tarot Sport. Industrial strength beats force your attention to the wayward and distorted undercurrents of sound that fight for your attention. Took me a while to plough thrugh the depths to appreciate this recording, but it's an effort that's ben well rewarded. They might as well give up now, they'll never better this.
Fluctuating German Kosmische Kollective Camera (phew, there's a gob full!) have been plying the Berlin underground with their unannounced Geurilla gigs for some time now, but when they finally commit their sound to vinyl, it's like a lost artifact from the great days of German underground rock. The LP Radiate! is every bit as impressive as Can, Neu, Amon Duul etc. When I stumbled across this release I died and went to heaven. Part motorik beats, part cosmic drone, part trance inducing repitition, this is a thing of absolute beauty. Do yourself a favour and bury yourself in it, you won't surface for weeks. Skylla is a non LP track released on the System Solaire EP.
Taken from the LP Follakzoid II, more Kosmische grooves and Neu! tinged guitars. Superb record on my label of the year Sacred Bones. I've bought more music from this label than any other over the past few years, they seem to put out the kind of noise/psyche/folk/drone that has a hotwire to my heart and soul. Keep it up in 2014, and I'll have to sell the house to fund my addiction. There is a rather nifty Follakzoid remix EP too. Psychic Ills and Moon Duo take on the task admirably.
The latest edition of Mojo magazine has a great 'psyche' compilation as a cover-mount disc. Now it's gotta be said, most magazine compilations are not worth the plastic they're burned on, but this has a great selection of new and favourite tracks in a great running order. Have a LISTEN and see what you think? Please don't forget, if you enjoy the tracks, follow the links and buy the music, you won't be disappointed.
Well I guess it's that time of year when the web succumbs to list mania again, when we all 'fess up' about the stuff we've been listening too and raving about all year. I may as well add my 2p worth, and whilst it is by no means complete list of aural 'diggage', the accompanying MP3 compilation gives you a rough idea what's been rocking my world for much of the last year.
Of course, after compiling a shortish 20 song tracklist I realised there were quite a few notable records I'd forgot to include, so there ay yet be a part two, but for now, I hope you enjoy my little Soundtrack annual.
Track list goes a something like this... (The video's below don't necessarily represent tracks on the compilation')
1. The Pre New - I Believe In Jackie (From the CD 'Music For People Who Hate Themselves')
Rising from the ashes of Earl Brutus and World of Twist, The Pre New glitter stomped their way into my heart with a wonderful album encompassing influences as diverse as D.A.F.and Ivor Cutler through to Italian disco and Punk and all points in between. Lyrics laced with a dark and frankly ridiculous reference points from popular culture to pop art. Deserved to be huge, but sadly seem to have been universally overlooked.
2. G R - Bradenhend (From the vinyl LP 'A Reverse Age')
Great in your face album in a similar vein to many early to mid 80's Blast First noise acts like Big Black, Sonic Youth, Big Stick etc... Sadly only got a limited vinyl release. This one really floated my boat.
3. Pop.1280 - Bodies In The Dunes (From the Sacred Bones LP 'The Horror')
Another great ensemble taking their grimey cues from the darkest recesses of post punk, Pop.1280 ( their named after a Hunter S Thompson novel) mesh dark garage guitar with stark electronics, deep bass and pounding drums to brew up a heady stew of claustrophobia and paranoia fresh to your own front door. Can't wait for the next record, I'm sure its gonna be a keeper. Much of this album has similar dynamics and sound the last album 'The Human Jukebox' by Antipodean wonders The Scientists which trust me, is a GOOD THING.
4. The KVB - Until I'm Cold (From the digital only release 'Always Then')
This duo take all the best bits of 70's/80's post punk (Joy Division, Mary Chain, Cure et al) along with the odd dose of Suicide and Spacemen 3 to boot and mold it all into something new and fresh. This album seems to only be available as a digital download, here's hoping it gets a 'proper' release in the not to distnt future.
5. Woven Hand - Closer (Taken from the album 'The Laughing Stalk')
Great album by one time singer with 16 Horsepower. All the usual themes are on show, religion, redemption and Old Nick, but fleshed out with a meatier sound than the early Woven Hand releases.
6. Tarwater - Radio War (Taken from the album 'Inside The Ships')
I've been a fan of Tarwater since the LP 'Animals, Suns and Atoms' from the mid 90's. and have closely followed there on/off career ever since. Can't say the new album holds any surprises sonically. Lush soundscapes, mid tempo beats and hushed vocals is the order of the day with a nice mix of acoustic and electronic instrumentation. Plus there's is a great cover of the D.A.F song 'Sato Sato' which is appreciably different enough to the original to be interesting but similar enough that you recognise what song it is.
7. Clinic - Seesaw (Taken from the LP 'Free Reign')
Rockier album than were used to from Clinic. All the usual ingredients are there, melodion, organ, guitar and drums, and dare I say a less melancholic air than those early albums, but everything I love about them is still intact.
8. Peaking Lights - Cosmic Tides (Taken form the album 'Lucifer')
This is a great step forward from last years '936', The band seem more self assured and aredefinately channeling King Tubby in there somewhere.Hell they even released an 'In Dub' version of Lucifer too which is ever bit as essential. Would luuurve to catch these babies live, bet they'd be a blast.
9. Death Grips - System Blower (Taken from the CD 'The Money Store')
Lets get it straight, Hip Hop ain't my thing, but something about Death Grips really got under my skin. Could be that they operate as a real band, guitar, keyboards, drums etc, and have an appreciably harder sound more akin to punk than the usual MTV kak were used to being served up. Can't say the subject matter strays much form the rap mores were used too, but those abrasive sounds are really what caught my attention.
10. METZ - Negative Space (Taken from the the LP 'Metz')
This is a fantastic slice of raucous guitar and drums, fueled by teen angst and vinegar and piss.
I have been a massive electronic music fan for most of my life. Something about the tones, frequencies and textures synthesizers evoke has always really interested me musically, and for many years after the 80's I guess it was dance music that did it for me. At the time (late 80's early 90's) it seemed to be pushing new and interesting boundaries, but slowly over time it got samey and repetitive and I lost interest. It seemed to stagnate with four to the floor beats and ridiculous wailing divas, not those pure and interesting noises it started out with. But, something about VCMG got under my skin. I wasn't too bothered on first hearing the album Ssss. Nothing new is really brought to the table in terms of pushing boundaries, but the combination of rich and pure analogue tones really does it for me. If I'm honest, it's basically Vince Clarke and Martin Gore ripping off mid period Nitzer Ebb, but in a goood way.
Cyrk is a great quirky album, full of fragile voices and deranged fuzz excess, not quite up there with the debut album 'Me Oh My', but interesting enough that it had me coming back for more. Cate is basically channeling Trish Keenan on 'Greta', and I could have done without the drastic trumpet parping at the end, but it's still has something about it that makes me put the needle back to the beginning of the track every time.
13. Julian Cope - As The Beer Flows Over Me (From the double CD 'Psychedelic Revolution')
Copes best album in a good while (tough still not as good as Christophe F's 'Heathen Frontiers In Sound'). If I'm honest, I couldn't stand this album when I first got hold of it. I thought it a little twee and light weigt, but coming home from a particularly arduous hike, it turned up on the walkman and seems to be just the right thing for the drive home. There are some great catchy sing alongs on here, not something I ever thought I'd associate with Cope, but his melodic strengths really shine through on this album. Some of the lyrical sentiments are a little embarrassing to say the least, real 6th form bedroom rantings, but you know his heart is in the right place. I just wish he'd stop the 2 CD thang though, the album is barely 80 minutes long. For professed 'eco' warrior, he's bloody wasteful.
14. P.I.L. - The Room I Am In (Taken from the album 'This Is')
I was pleasantly surprised how good the latest offering fro P.I.L. is. Seems to meld the best of the later stuff, with some of the nouce of those seminal early records. High points for me were the tracks 'One Drop', Lollipop Opera' and the Magazine like ambiance of' The Room I Am In' (Which owes ore than a nod and a wink to Magazine track 'The Book')
15. Rites Wild - Thieves (Taken from the Not Not Fun release 'Ways Of Being')
If I'm honest, I don't know a whole lot about the artist behind the tour de force that is Rites Wild. I've read that the LP is basically three super limited cassette releases and a few new tracks bundled together to make an LP. Channeling the same sonic reverberations as 'Stella On Source', Rites Wild is a delicious mix of reverb, delay and strung out drones, held together with gossamer beats,micro melodies and a hushed/buried vocal.
16. Peaking Lights - Cosmic Dub (Taken from the rather wonderful 'Lucifer In Dub' LP)
17. Moon Duo - Seer [Psychic Ills Remix] ( Taken from the limited Moon Duo - Mazes Remixed LP)
Seems to be a bit of a thing about 'remix' albums this year. Luckily most seem to be worth a listen. There are some drastically different (in a good way) versions on the 'Mazes Remixed' album. Well worth picking up.
18. Eternal Tapestry - Alone Against Tomorrow - (Taken from the Thrill Jockey LP 'A World Out of Time')
Don't know a whole lot about Eternal Tapestry other than they make a righteous guitar driven psych rock, and remind me of the seminal and sublime Michael Yonkers Band. Looking forward to more from these guys in the coming year
19. Mugstar - Axis Modulator - (From the LP 'Axis')
Mugstar make space rock into an art form. Gota say Axis is my fav' so far.
20. The Horrors - I Can See Through You [Blank Mass Remix] (From the forthcoming box set 'Higher')
Another remix album (this one is available for download from the Horrors website) prior to the release of a 4 12"/CD/DVD box set due out next year.
