Week in Review #98
#1 – 12.6.2015 – Ohio-based experimental noisemaker Khaki Blazer released a new album into the world; titled Clammy Mitts, the twelve track excursion sees Patrick Modugno orchestrating bubbling synth lines, whirring machinery, pitched vocal snippets, and various chirps and twitches into bite-size goodies that can be consumed in a few minutes each. Stream the album below and pay what you like for a download over on Bandcamp. -LP
#2 – 12.7.2015 – Like Decoder, our comrades at Weird Canada don’t take editorial timelines too seriously when it comes to their short coverage. In case you’ve never contrasted publication methods for relatively free-form publishing platforms, particularly volunteer ones (particularly particularly volunteer ones published in multiple languages), I can say this approach is almost certainly necessary, but obviously it also yields boatloads of pleasant surprises months after when you’ve been conditioned to expect a thing. This week we discovered Ontario-based Hexigen’s vivid universe of drones via Regenerations I-V, a pay-what-you-want download released this past June but just lately filtering over to Weird Canada — seemed like a good excuse to share a particularly rad bit of noise. Read the full post at Weird Canada and click through to download via Hexigen’s Bandcamp. -DP
#3 – 12.8.2015 – Fledgeling Sydney-based beats label o-nei-ric Tapes released a split of low-key sampled funk and beats courtesy of two producers from the American south, Richmond’s Korporal K and Atlanta funksmith o̶xela. Evidently it’s the label’s first proper cassette release following a seasonably mellow launch single from proprietor A’daleis. Stream the split below or click through to Bandcamp to grab a cassette copy. -DP
#4 – 12.8.2015 – From the OSR Facebook page: “Hartley C. White, C. Weisman Monet, CE Schneider Topical , BBB Hints, Jimmie Packard, Martyr Group, ZP Closest Exit and the C. Weisman Music On A Tape covers compilation are now FREE / PAY WHAT YOU WANT at the OSR bandcamp thru the end of 2015. Thanks for listening!” Peruse those on Bandcamp, and click through to their Facebook for some other appetizing year end deals. -DP
#5 – 12.8.2015 – Brooklyn-based appealing noise clusterer rawmean, aka Ramin Rahni, released a new cassette via MJ MJ Records — the label’s final release of 2015. Though Rahni’s footprint may seem small from some angles, his SoundCloud is chockablock with zaney loop and acousmatic experiments, and well worth exploring to say the least. Check out the cassette via MJ MJ. -DP
#6 – 12.9.2015 – From a truly hilarious parody year end list courtesy of musician Matt Weston: “The melodies, played on a harp strung with gossamer dreams and diaphanous hopes, are enhanced by the wistful melancholy of the arrangements.” Read the rest here and thank Marc from The Out Door for the tip. -DP
#7 – 12.9.2015 – Beer on the Rug unveiled a new maximalist head-trip from LA-based producer Angel 1, “that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.” Titled Rex, the album’s volume, saturation, and range of over-driven noises probably approaches the scope of that intention. Click through to Beer on the Rug’s Bandcamp to download… though I also feel obligated to point out there are CD copies left of their somnambulant Mello Mist release with Dang Olsen Dream Tape from earlier this month, so check that out too for good measure. -DP
#8 – 12.10.2015 – M. Geddes Gengras shared the second in a pair of previously unreleased tracks from his Personable project, which reconvened earlier this fall for its first release since 2013 (in this case via Peak Oil). Stream “Collapsing Bridge” (Raw Cut) below and click through to his SoundCloud for more, including a couple of new mixes under the name. -DP
#9 – 12.10.2015 – Field Hyms teased an upcoming compilation with the below incredible j-card art and the following statement: “A bit of a hint of a future to come: 26 unreleased tracks = a fuckload of awesome. Coming to a new year near you!” Follow Field Hymns on Facebook for more updates. -DP
#10 – 12.11.2015 – Tabs Out posted their “Top 200 Tapes of 2015″ list — peruse it right here while you keep in mind the science behind their choices: “As usual, all tapes have been scientifically calculated and are in their correct positions. No mistakes have been made. This list has been checked 69 times by supercomputers and a guy named Jack we know. Jack owns a calculator.” However, if you still find an error in their calculations, they even have a form you can submit for complaints. Ain’t that nice. -LP
#11 – 12.12.2015 – We’re sad to report that J&C Tapes, the imprint of former Decoder editor Steve Dewhurst, wound itself down today with a final label sampler. Though we’re heavy-hearted to lose the label as a source of music, we couldn’t be more thrilled that its proprietor trounced a tumor this year and remains well-preserved for everything else. The sampler is the label’s third and holds up nicely in that crowd, with new and old tracks from Derek Rogers, Final Cop, Tanner Garza, as well as other first introductions from artists outside-catalog. -DP
