ALL OF THE RELEASES ON THIS PAGE RULED, BUT THEY ARE NOW TOTALLY SOLD
OUT. ALL HOPE, HOWEVER, IS NOT LOST. ALL THESE
AWESOME STORES AND DISTRIBUTORS CARRY ARBOR JAMS, MANY OF WHICH ARE
SOLD OUT FROM ME. PEEK AROUND OR EMAIL FOR SPECIFIC
HELP.
01. ice
age- the sneaky pines
02. maasedun- hannu karjalainen
03.NEON- the futurians
04. middle- bagelsandcreamchesse
05. waves- e*rock
06. laffy taffy- treetops
07. dust march- raccoo-oo-oon
08. suite for magna choda burrito and poon tycoon, magnum hign five-
gastric female reflex
09. light feelings- horsehead
10. three stems- joe+n
11. sanibel- the goslings
12. the upstairs room(the cure)- ethelscull
13. vegan pagan regan- silver daggers
14. coma toes- robedoor
15. wire-tap-tapping- barrabarracuda
16. killer (rad) bees- haunted castle
17. river of muck- loopool
this has been in the works for just about ten
months now. it is finally ready for you and yours to listen to and
enjoi. a wide range of music from some of the raddest bands around.
this thing has carpal tunell inducing construction featuring a 24 page
handsewn book littered with glu-stiked art from the contributing
artists. filled to the brim with something like 1 hour 19 minutes at 33
seconds of music. limited to 200 copies on sticky sprayed cd-rs.
the icy
cold l.a. weather brings creepy crawly sounds that creep with trachea
scarring drones and crawl with wind riddled blasts of noise. oh yeah,
there is some drums in there too. this record has been too long in the
making, but is worth the wait (unlike xmen3). this shit rules. it will
have your body moving in some sort of awkward tribalism from the past.
this is not very harsh, as in, i dont imagine britt needing lozenges
after recording this, though i dont think a cup of tea would hurt. the
brass acts like those vortex rooms at the local hanuted house that
twist you around, but on for seconds until you can get a grasp on
reality. man this band rules, this is total airplane music. windy,
flight capable vocals and ambience, with turbulent, ready to rock
thibal percussion. let this record take you somewhere this summer.
sprayed covers crocheted to those plastic 3" sleeves. everything is
purple with a little bit of frost bite.
suburban
boredom and weeks waiting for compilation submissions were
the main factors for this albums conception. armed with a guitar
autographed by "the" bruce springsteen, a synthesizer, drums, and a
four track, a kid sat down at a desk and began to record sounds. he
wished that his friends could be there so that he didnt have to do
everything, by himself, but they live in the city and wouldnt hop on a
metra train to get out to him. this is a tribal entry into suburbia.
when all the kids were getting guitar lessons, a young treetops was
busy jamming screwdrivers into the fret board like thurston moore.
forest drones from the basement. field recordings from the park.
vocal damage and keyboard waltz. what album would be complete
without cynical song titles to make you "lol"? limited to 50 copies,
comes mounted on cardboard with the treetops logo stencil'd on the
front.
jean-paul
garnier does it again. this ever changing artists comes at
us with a lagrely vocal oriented album. free rock guitar jams and
synth explorations. sewer pipe drones with beutifully placed
vocals. this is another album that has been in the works for far too
long, but it is finally here for you to hear. every song sounds
differents as this urban chamelon of an artist approaches new terrain.
some of these songs totally rock(in the rock and roll type of way),
some of these songsrock(in the garage punk type of way), and some of
these songs rock(in the noise drone type of way). these lyrics are
there to make you think. think about your friends and think about the
world. the lyrics are collected in a scrawled out sheet which folded
up fits like a nice book in the purple clam shell case. the clam
shell case is then put in a full color sike-out drawn custom envelope.
in a numbered edition of 50 copies.
This is the
debut full length by Detroit's Haunted Castle. These are the first
recordings from the infamous Half-Crypt (which was recently vacated due
to frequent car break-ins and mail stealing). At the time these tracks
were recorded the basement had black mold hanging from the ceilings in
some areas. It turned out that that shit was totally toxic and needed
to be removed pronto. There is heavy black mold influence running
through these tracks. Abrasive and lo-fi drones that sound like they
are seeping from swamped out electronics. Vocals heavy like elephant
calls coupled crunching guitar and molded basement ambience. There are
even a few fist pumping moments! Guaranteed to be an instant classic.
In a numbered edition of 100 copies in hallucinogenic tripped out linen
bags and cardstock sleeves screened by Jelle Crama.
After
months of attempting to acquire the final (now lost) tour recordings of
Roxanne Jean Police (RIP), Steev Thompson presents his most recent
incarnation, Warmth. Fresh out of a Brian Wilson-esque disappearance
Steev brings deep visceral layers of synth and electronics that churn
and grow. Clouds of fog envelope the tones emanating from Michigan’s
forgotten forests. This tape acts as the precursor to the upcoming
Warmth LP co-released by Arbor and Double Fantasy. In a numbered
edition of 90 tapes in sprayed paste-on manilla envelopes.
The best
thing about Arizona is either that it is warm(like very warm), but not
humid or the burgeoning music scenes centered around the Phoenix/Tempe
area. With shows going on multiple nights a week at places like
Trunkspace and Modified Arts, how could a dude not be totally inspired?
Stephen Steinbrink aka French Quarter is a Phoenix, AZ desert dweller
with a guitar and some friends. He writes songs that will bring back
the feelings of hearing that Neil Young bootleg tape in your cousin’s
car for the first time. He is joined by a cast of talented Arizonans
from bands such as Tent City and Soft Shoulder. The tracks are
wonderfully orchestrated by Steinbrink featuring a never ending array
of instrumentation. New LP forthcoming on Gilgongo Records(of
Tempe,AZ). In a numbered edition of 100 copies with gold stamped discs
and trifold inserts in two color silkscreened chipboard arigato pack.
Dead White
is a one-man dream team comprised of drone maker/dreamscaper, Andy
Brack. Whirling loops of sound bounce off of the walls this dude
creates with his voice and guitar. Too many muted fire alarms must
blare through Andy’s hallway while he is snoozing. Three tracks and
just short of forty minutes, this recording splatters the sound canvas
with aural landscapes; evoking images of really big bird cages and
sacred Tibetan caves. Comes in six color silkscreened fold out posters
by Belgian wizard Jelle Crama. Keep (dead) noise alive(in an edition of
130).
A slight
detour from the recent noisy releases on arbor brings us to Cole
Milner’s newest pop gem. Cole Milner a man of many names such as Cole
Miller, Cole Miller Island, Sneakypines, I Love You, and many other
names following the “C.M. (insert place here)” formula. Cole writes pop
songs in Menlo Park, CA similar to those of the Pacific Northwest
dudes. He’s toured with everybody from Seattle and Portland and is a
really cool guy, and also totally nice. Sometimes he has a moustache.
Sometimes he uses a drum machine. This album features some instrumental
help from the brother, but other then that it’s all Cole. Campfire
songs, bossanova songs, and dance songs. All about love and fear and
stuff like that. Packaged in a paper bag with paste on and an insert by
Cole. In a numbered edition of 100.
Past the
desert smoke and arid dust trails of Arizona lies an Oasis of broken
folk. Occupied by Tent/City, this area is like a river of creativity
and blessed drones. Six artful dwellers armed with instruments ranging
from pots and pans to synths and guitars, pianos and flutes, have the
perfect recipe for clattery commune psych. Taken out of their natural
habitat and thrown into the studio they offer these five tracks to the
coyote spirit. The first three tracks act as studies focusing on
different pairings of the featured instrumentation. This culminates in
the fourth track, an epic 12 minute long jam full of rotted synth,
flute prayers, electric guitar with hints of the raccoon’s good
blessing, all over a foundation of unwavering percussion. In an edition
of 90 triangle stickered cd-rs with an insert all in a hand sewn
paisley pouch complete with button clasp.
if you were
like millions of americans, you spent your weekday nights glued to the
edge of your seat watching lost. a stockpile of these horse head tapes
were found at in the bottom of "the hatch". horse head sounds like
early animal collective circa here comes the indian. in fact these are
three teens from orange county california utilizing field recordings
and pretty guitar strumming to take you into the forest. put this tape
in your walkman, and close your eyes. you will be instantly "chilled
out". primal drumming keeps you steadily in place. before you know it,
thirty six minutes have passed, you open your eyes and youre on the
subway, and in fact, not sitting under an aurora borealis tree. if you
cant go on a vacation this summer, at least buy this tape so you can
pretend for over half an hour that you are in another place. in an
edition of 100 with green tapes in brown paper sacks with an insert and
a pine branch(makes the package smell great when you open it).
ARBOR13
SLEEPING BABIES- "BENEATH THE BLOOD MOON" C20
What is
love? Love is… making eerie jams with your honey. This recently
relocated BF/GF duo drop their first release on arbor. Creepy organ
drones and hypo-hypnotic percussion carry your ears. Howls of a wolf in
heat to the blood moon. Ritual dreams realized through vocal drones.
Totally organic. Featuring members of Quilts. Limited to 50 numbered
copies with art by the band and tapes salvaged from the swamp; stamped
with a blood moon
I remember
when the Zelda game came out for N64. I was all over that shit, but
then forgot about it and never beat it. The thing I do remember is the
sweet soundtrack it had. So-cal sunshine kids Horse Head have
inadvertently recreated the sounds of the ocarina of time with guitars,
drums, and voice. Past releases are hints of songs, these are “songs”.
Lyrics with all the joys and unjoys of being a human. Psych-pop for the
kids. Down tempo tribal beats. Their most song based release
yet(ever?). Upcoming album on Not Not Fun. In hand crafted/sewn
cardstock pocket folders with conch shell stamped discs in an edition
of 50.
The acid
drenched guitar hymns on this tape, seem to come from
somewhere other then Brooklyn. It sounds like an escape from the
city. The sounds contained within still feature the rhythm and
busy-ness of the city, but sound as though they were recorded on an
old tape deck in the woods, or the shed in the woods behind the cabin
in the woods. It is only fitting that members of Shepherds come
from groups such as Meneguar, Woods, Non-Horse, and Wooden Wand and
the Vanishing Voice. It features the same "drop everything and make
music" vibe that those other projects produce. Perfect hearthside
tape to keep you warm as those metropolitan winters are approaching.
Features super nice silkscreened art by Shawn Reed of Raccoo-oo-oon
with copper rusted tapes. In a numbered edition of 100 copies.
Crumbling
latitudes form a sonic bridge connecting Hamilton, Ontario
and ypsi, Michigan. Recorded at the peak of canaduh's summer, the
fossils half of this split stinks of the melted ghetto blaster
thistrack was recorded on. The whole things chugs along at a super
slow-mo rate giving the whole track a gotham city sewer system field
recording vibe. Waves is john olson of American tapes, wolf eyes,
dead machines, and just about every other rad unit out there. Here he
comes in surfing on a sonic torrent of sirens crashing like the waves
and bringing the seashells onto the shore. Wavesss second track
sounds like the distress call of a submarine crashed on the ocean
floor being heard through dolphin ears. In a numbered edition of 100
with slim cases slathered in a whole bunch of paint, but actually ends
up looking super slick.
Karl
Bauer and Eva Saelens (Axolotl and Inca Ore respectively) are two like
minded Bay area psychers operating on two opposing levels. Axolotl
marks the A side with skyward streaking drones and ethereal loops
tinged and focused, ringing with the joyous bliss of upward
passage. An endless array of vocals, electronics, and violin
looping and looping, building and growing: stasis. Inca Ore
makes her craft from an Earth bound level. Oneness with her
surroundings, roots firmly planted. Eerie incantations and
meandering harp play foreground to layer upon layer of looped vocals
and murky ambience, charting your way towards forever. In an
edition of 450 white purity colored 7”s in black and white pro-printed
collage fold-over sleeves by Eva with a numbered insert.
ARBOR18
GANG WIZARD- "FOR THE MAN TRAPPED INSIDE A MAN" 3" CDR
Summer is
over dude. Bummer. Lots of left over Popsicle sticks and melted jams
and memories of the pool are what remain. I guess that you can still
have all that shit in Sun Valley, CA, but not in the Midwest. It’s
getting cold now, but that’s beside the point. Gang Wizard gets
together all the time and records the hardcore hang out sessions. Every
time they are done we are left with a sweet document like this one.
Totally rad dudes, in totally rad moods, creating totally rad tunes.
Disjointed guitar jingles and all over the place drumming create a
cacophony of positivity. Total Happiness from members of Foot Village,
Rose For Bohdan, Dynasty, and Unicorn Hard-on. Released for their fall
2006 NW tour in a numbered edition of 75 neon drenched popsicle-sticked
canvases.
Binges are
a hometown favorite here in Chicago. Up until this point their music
has existed to the public in one form: the live set. For the benefit of
those outside of Chicago, the duo, comprised of drummer Chris Robert
and guitar/bass/drum/mic/tape dude Anthony Decanini, recently teamed up
with Midwestern Raccoo-oo-oon to cover the west coast with their
syncopated improvisations. It is only fitting that their first release
be made up of live material(recorded to DAT tape and mastered with the
utmost care). Decanini creates a vast number of growing and receding
loops from his guitar, bass, contact mic, tapes, and other sources
which act as the perfect foil to Robert’s percussion(a serious thing to
behold). It isn’t so much one person acting as the leader as much as
the two creating an absolute sonic union of sounds blurring the line
between free jazz and noise. In an edition of 200 screened CDRs in
screened sleeves.
Flowstoned
and dethroned, finally. Last year’s bored/burning summer spell of Eagle
Rock entropy birthed a numb drum ‘n drones duo dubbed Black Monk. The
aesthetic of inept, free-punk drumming and red-eyed, void-surfing
low-end infinity found output on two micro-limited cassette releases
(one on Buried Valley, one on Zac/Lambsbread’s Maim &
Disfigure) and one weedian live show (in Tempe, AZ) and then the
scholars split to separate coasts. Fortunately for us/you, Flowstone
comes crawling outta the caverns of a babeless summer on a slab of
black wax, collecting their out-of-print Murmur CS and half the V CS,
plus an unreleased side-long wastoid-land of subterranean percussion
and roaring magma. Just in time for 2012. Black vinyl LPs in stark
pro-printed fold-over covers plus a poster of arcane team scribble by
BM. Limited to 270. Co-released with Not Not Fun.
Ah man, you
know that feeling when you wake up early in the morning and walk out
hazy-eyed into the hazy world to pick up the newspaper? It’s a trip.
Empty Vessel is Roy Tatum of Quintana Roo, Changeling, Black Monk, etc.
Electronics sweating with overdrive. Transcending the aural spectrum
with a dew inducing haze of harsh drones. The ebb and flow of a
confined stream; tranquility turned up to 11. In an edition of 100
numbered copies.
If a tape
should ever be described using the word “submerged” it is this one.
Watersports is the Brooklyn duo of Russ Waterhouse and Lea Cho, who in
the same configuration also make up Blues Control. The A side begins
with “submerged” bubble sounds mastered from the inside of an aquarium.
The serene scene ebbs and flows until shimmering keyboards pierce the
murk like sun into the blimey deep. On the B side the duo is joined by
Aaron Rosenblum of Son Of Earth/Sapat. This track is keyboard heavy
from the start with what seems like all three of the players weaving
sounds through each others keyboarding. A glorious and shimmering
overtone blurs reality. Howling flutes act as sea creatures in crisis.
If you put the shell up to your ear and concentrate you can hear
Rosenblum totally shredding. In an edition of 100 numbered tapes in
oversized double sided collaged tape cases.
I was first
introduced to these New Zealand shredders through the 267 Finland
dudes. NZs finest rock the boat, baby, with some of the dirtiest surf
rock from either side of the equator. This tape compiles live tracks
and other odds and ends from barnacle encrusted clubs. Rock and Roll
with tsunami force breaks everything in its path except for the party.
Recent shred out on Foxy Digitalis and Last Visible Dog. Cover art by
Thomas Bernard on transparent paper with totally hand made tape labels.
In an edition of 50.
Long before
the Ford Motor Co. ruled over Michigan, Plains Indians would chill out
and ride wooly mammoths everywhere. Then the mammoths hit the pits, and
Henry Ford created the car, ever since then the state has been clogged
with smog. Odd Clouds (Rep-ing MI labels Fag Tapes and Tasty Soil)
create a cacophony of tribal electric jamming. Loud and mean; a group
improv cave jam going back to the basics and just kicking it. Wigwam
(of Kalamazoo's Tapeworm Tapes) creates a maize field of drones only to
light it on fire, and burn it to the ground so that it can be reused
later. War horns streak through the desolation of bass drum onslaught.
Comes with a 3" of additional oil slick sludge rock from the Odd Clouds
cave. In an edition of 100 copies in oversized tape case with double
sided full color art(front by Heath Moerland of OC; inside by Miles
Haney of WW), sprayed/stamped tapes, individually water colored 3”
sleeves, the works.
New Jersey
is like the gloomiest place in the country. Daniel La Porte (aka Door)
tries to rep the 732's as gloomy as possible. The dude's jams are like
an onslaught of machine smog; a march through grey streets. Door rips
through the air with the hypnotic and concrete progression of a
helicopter. A close dude of the Nautical Almanac crew, Door has the
similarly sparse but tortured vocals emanating every once and a while
through the clink-clanking of the machine hum and mixer destruction.
Featuring art by Daniel on minimally stamped tapes in a numbered
edition of 100 copies.
Dunedin
captain of the Futurians has been busting music for years. Being a
coconspirator of the Davenport Family(twice removed) everything is
recorded. The A side is a soirée into guitar minimalism. Samples,
delay, electricity. The B side brings it all back home. Folk songs for
Dunedin porch singing, campfire or living room exhibition. Songs about
life and living(but then again, what music isn’t?). Comes in hand dyed
bags garnished with an “I do” ring on red/gold passion/wealth tapes
with an insert. Til death do us part(in an edition of 50 copies).
Shimmer
shining strips of sound float through the sky. The light horn is
calling. Organ sprawls covered in pit-er-pat percussion. This is the
kind of music that you create in your head when you are sitting on the
park bench and rearranging the memories of the sounds going around you.
Except it is better and it is recorded. Earth drones make dreamy
lullabies. These dudes have releases coming out all over the place
including a split tape with Quintana Roo on Dnt, as well as a recent
release on a new incarnation of imvated, cauliflower dreams. Limited to
50 numbered copies with orient smoke dream art on jade tapes.
This
Portland drone duo manages to create lengthy tracks with a psychedelic
precision that makes you forget what time is/was/will be.
This tape contains a track from a live show in Oakland with bustling
airy drones and the dinging of bells luring the ears to go to places
they have not been before. The track progresses thoughtfully
with exact subtleties building to a climax only to come tumbling down
with that exact progression. The B-side is a deja-vu
conjugated burner starting where the other side ended. In a
numbered edition of 100 copies with individually inked and sprayed tape
labels in a silver sprayed case and ink drawn cloudscapes.
Summertime
is all about transcending space and going on tour with your buds. How
could a tour alliance be more buddy buddy than that of LA’s Robedoor
and Detroit’s Haunted Castle? Britt, Alex, Dan, and Suzzette traversed
the west coast with the goal of pacification by sonic means. This
collaboration was recorded in studio with a bunch of mics in Davis, CA.
Robedoor blankets Haunted Castle’s abrasive drones with meditative
tones. The recording is held together by the bass drum’s rhythmic
p(e)ace. In a numbered edition of 300 copies with pro printed fold over
poster art and printed labels by Jeremy Earl of Fuck It Tapes and an
insert by Britt.
ARBOR31
FAMILY BATTLE SNAKE- "BRAIN FRIED ETERNALLY" CDR
Family
Battle Snake is totally cerebral. Dense drones creep and evolve slowly
but surely with every pace. The mechanical hums and vocal hymns are
interwoven with enough horns and mic'd clatter to fill every nook of
your room leaving nothing untouched. Once again, a loud release, but
still very soothing. Completely submerged. In a numbered edition of 90
Cdrs in stamped/sprayed custom digipacks.
Recording?
Compact disc? Before the arrival of the white man to the new world,
these two tribal sisters would chill out, harvest grains, and
participate in drum circles while creating smoke signals. The white man
introduced the electric guitar and microphone as well as recording
technology. The girls turned in their primitive gear to go analog!
Vocal chants for a good harvest. Guitar strums coupled with bass drum
dreams to protect oneself from the evil spirits. Backed behind a teepee
of protective electronic hum. All is good. In two color silk-screened
sleeves with splattered disc dot/ enchanted feather print keeping the
cd in its place, all tucked in a plastic sleeve. In a numbered edition
of 100 copies.
The suburbs
can be kinda weird. Villa Valley and Treetops both come from the highly
forested sub-urban areas of Detroit and Chicago, respectively. Villa
Valley occupy the A side with teeth bared. Tape manipulations, contact
mic-ery, and feedback create a cacophony at times boarding on full out
free jazz (Midwestern style of course). This is what Wolf Eyes sounded
like before they had double picture discs pressed in editions of
1000(not like that’s a bad thing, though). Treetops is Mike Pollard (of
Arbor); Guitar incantations float around the highest peaks of forgotten
mounts. Fuzzed out pyschedelia; primitive percussion and subtle vocal
drones occasionally emanate through the haze. In a numbered edition of
100 tapes in sprayed purple cases with art by Ola Vasiljeva.
ARBOR34
BIRDS
OF DELAY- "LIVE FROM MIND AVALANCE" C25
Beneath the
mounds of tape loops, keyboard mysticism, and vocal séance rests the
human forms of Luke Younger and Steven Warwick aka Birds Of Delay.
“Live From Mind Avalanche” is a particularly deep work. It sounds as
though it was recorded live on the wing of a flying plane or at the top
of some epicly huge mountain in India. Frozen delays and deprived
electronics ache for freedom from desolate captivity. Drowned static
screeching into an abyss of grey tumbles down the side of a snow
slicked slope. Icy smoke envelops whatever remains. In a numbered
edition of 90 sprayed/stamped tapes with art by the band.
It’s about
time that two of the West Coast’s best units share a slab of vinyl
together. This is an epic coupling. LA’s Robedoor (an obvious Arbor
favorite) present what might be their best work yet, “Tremor
Deliverance”. Synths and subdued vocals weave together into an
ornamental sound tapestry with heavy Middle Eastern influence. Total
satyagraha. Portland’s Yellow Swans are constantly touring (just now
embarking on a multi-month European jaunt) and spreading the word of
sonic liberation. Their untitled piece is a wall of sound, totally
alive and growing, infinitely large. In an edition of 500 copies with
printed labels and silkscreened art by Shawn Reed of Raccoo-oo-oon.
Scientists
say that sound travels better through water and rocks than it does
through air. LA’s Changeling and Dublin, Ireland’s Quetzocoatl
challenge these scientists. In a split tape of international
proportions, airy loftiness and spiritual mist-icism play the key
roles. Changeling’s guitar-centric drones become one with the ambience
of the mist surrounding them. Quetzocoatl uses a multitude of
instruments and delay to build a drone which floats across the sky next
to the birds. Each piece ends too soon, almost evaporating into the
clouds from which they were born on a constant migratory path to rad.
In a numbered edition of 100 tapes in sprayed/screened/stamped linen
bags with art/insert by Roy Tatum(aka Changeling).
Cole is
back and this time on a ton of labels (different versions of this album
will be on Stop Drop, Marriage, Paw Dawns, and Arbor). The entertainer
extraordinaire brings his playful melodies and clever rhyming in
attempts to cheer you up and maybe make you dance a little. Cole sings
song about how much he loves you, as in, this wasn’t recorded with his
girlfriend in mind, but actually you! Very similar to the more recent
playfulness shown by Adrian Orange and Calvin Johnson; totally positive
and uplifting. This is a much more cohesive album than Cole’s previous
Arbor release, “No Strangers.” In a numbered edition of 50 copies in
sewn/stamped sleeves with stamped discs.
ARBOR38
MELEE- "VIOLENT FORMS OF LAUGHTER PT. 2" C30
If there
were noise bands in the roaring twenties, they would sound just like
this. Melee creates creaky drones with traditional jazz instruments.
The percussion sounds like rain and rakes scraping against the wall(if
the wall were a giant snare drum). The cello strings squeal sending
chills up the spine. The trumpet cuts through basement asbestos fog
choked under concentration. The whole mess progresses almost
cinematically, totally full of suspense. Features members of
Graveyards. Pt. 1 forthcoming on Meu Dia De Morte label out of Germany.
In a numbered edition of 100 in sprayed tape cases with paste-on cover
and printed/painted tape labels.
I saw Bobb
open for Wilco(yeah, that Wilco) last Thanksgiving in the biggest
auditorium in Chicago; like orchestra/opera shit. He came out in a full
body bunny costume, sat down at a drum pad and created some of the
heaviest synthetic beats I've ever heard using samples, a drum pad, and
some pedals for about 10 minutes. Needless to say it ruled. You
probably know Bobb as that guy in Goliath Bird Eater, Polar Goldie
Cats, Knit Witch et al. If not for that then you know him for his
recording wizardry which he employs on rad S.LA acts such as Silver
Daggers, Mika Miko, Robedoor, Abe Vigoda, Quintana Roo, Hello Astronaut
Goodby Television and probably a billion more. Here he creates two side
long ethereal skyscapes of Technicolor synth work. Somewhere between
Boards of Canada and Kevin Shields' (MBV) solo work from Lost in
Translation. In a numbered edition of 100 tapes with printed/ stamped
tape labels and full color double sided marker/photo collage sleeves.
Among the
metal forests of Denmark, there is Sarah’s Charity. A maelstrom of
expert tone work and free electricity; sounds so electric, yet still
reminiscent of the flowing natural growth of fellow Danes Family
Underground (it should be noted that Nicolas of FU helps out on track
2). This naturalism plus the actual sterility create a feeling nothing
short of psychedelic. A wall of intense oscillation and soothing
vacuous space ala Marcia Bassett’s various projects. Speaking of
Marcia, SC is also famed for being the only non Bassett/Bower related
project to be released on the esteemed Heavy Blossom label. In a
numbered edition of 150 copies in absolutely beautiful mind tripping
deluxe screened sleeves by Dylan Martorell, with screened discs and an
insert.
Even though
Warmth main man Steev Thompson still appears to be incommunicado
totally epic recordings continue to surface. Before Roxanne Jean Police
was officially over and Steev still lived in Chicago, he joined up with
another then Chicago resident Branden Diven of Quilts/American Grizzly
Records. The jams that were created filled a couple of cdrs and the
Warmth side of the split with Quintana Roo on Not Not Fun. This LP
consists of a remixed and edited version of the original cdr running at
just under 45 minutes. Forgotten smog floats through a Northside
basement. Sounds emanate but their source is totally unrecognizable.
Quiet growing tonal blobs erupt into washes of aural color. A complete
union of samplers, synths, vocals, guitar, organs, percussion, and
electronics merge to create the sounds contained within; a loss of
individual existence. Completely serene. In an edition of 300 LPs on
creamy yellow vinyl with hand stamped labels in pro-printed and
screened fold over sleeves with art by Roy Tatum and an insert by Steev.
Kevin
Shields(aka Eva Aguila), resident Deathbomb Arc go-to-girl and craft
fair fabric wizard with her own label Hate State, is undoubtedly the
harsh noise queen of the West Coast. Whether it be her collaborations
with Brian Miller, her jamming in Gang Wizard, or her solo work, she is
always painting from her own sonic spectrum of harsh tones and brutal
waves of distortion. “Cavity Fever” is heavy on keyboard/organ sounds,
a new direction for KS, which are seamlessly crocheted with tape
manipulations, microphone feedback, and expert tone work. Brutally
beautiful sunshine-electric jams. In a numbered edition of 100 sprayed
tapes with mind melt art by George Myers.
Time to
tell all the ’77 dudes to get hip to the ’07 sound. Vancouver’s
Shearing Pinx and Los Angeles’ Silver Daggers are North America’s
ambassadors for the new wave of skronk/thrash/post-whatever punk. The
Pinx play angular, expertly timed, staccato waves of noise and punk.
Two long songs sandwiching one short one in typical Pinx fashion. The
Daggers (experts of interpreting animal sounds w/ regular rock
instruments) create utterly epic art-punk jams complete with swirling
synths and horns based around solid drumming and guitar/bass interplay.
One track was recorded live at The Smell, coming complete with mosh
philosophies, while the second track recalls David Byrne’s “boombox
experiments” circa Stop Making Sense. Be sure to check out their new
record on Load! In an edition of 400 numbered copies on concrete grey
vinyl w/ hand stamped labels in 2 color silkscreen cardstock sleeves
and a long insert.
Pure energy
and total expression are the only boundaries around the free-jazz/music
movement. Primitivism and psychedelic confusion act as the main themes.
Mef Teef of Iowa City, a relatively new collective, have one past
release on Raccoo-oo-oon’s Night People Label (of which MT
percussionist Andy Spore is a member). Spastic drumming acts as the
basis for which brass, piano, and silence interweave. Culled from a
hometown live session, “Dark Star Voyage Pt. 1” features unique
instrumental interplay causing the piece to progress almost
theatrically with definitive mood changes. Brooklyn’s Owl Xounds
Exploding Galaxy is a heavy hitter in the free jazz underground.
Comparisons to avant-garde greats are not unjustified. With a recent LP
out on Wooden Wand’s Mad Monk label and a plethora of sold out self
released jams, this is the collectives first tape. Focused on the
youthful energy of punk music and centered around the drumming of Adam
Kriney (La Otracina, Castanets), in “Transmission To The Pineapple
Universe”, Owl Xounds produce pure blown out oblivion never faltering
in its onward progression. Recorded live at the Cakeshop featuring Gene
Janas on upright bass, Darius Jones on alto sax, and Greg Vegas on
electric guitar the jam is a total freak-out, seething equally with
nods to Sonny Simmons as it is to Sonic Youth. In a numbered edition of
100 tapes with printed labels, art and an insert by Andy Spore.
Youth of
the Beast is pure primitive electronics, suffocating saxophone scrawl
and epic percussion. Acting as the solo output for
Raccoo-oo-oon’s Andy Spore, this record is YOTB’s first vinyl offering
following up a few tapes on Night People and Fuck It Tapes.
Blistering vocal screeches and mixer feedback blasts meld with stray
tones as brass wails and drums are pounded. Spore is a master
of channeling the spirits right into the basement where he crafts his
jams, creating a captivating mass of noise and psychedelic signals
crossing for a painfully beautiful 10 minutes. Breathless sax
solos and massive tribal percussion interspersed throughout.
The sum of all these parts is something intense, unknown; an ever
evolving sonic creature as bleak as it is restless. In an
edition of 315 records with EPIC xeroxed double sided/double foldover
(you’ll understand it when you see it) sleeves and printed labels by
Spore.
Somewhere
the gods of psych are smiling. Gazing down on this Northeastern
all-star unit, just feeling the music. Bark Haze is comprised of Andrew
Macgregor (aka Gown), Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth), and on this
recording Pete Nolan (of Magik Markers). Gown and Moore’s dual guitars
and in constant conversation. There must be a psychic barrier between
these dudes minds, nothing sounds forced, only ever flowing. Nolan
keeps the time with militant precision acting as the foil for guitar
development. A thirty-minute track recorded around the same time as All
Tomorrow’s Parties last winter stretched across two sides of the tape.
Infinite psyched out oblivion like a more sober Lambsbread. In a
numbered edition of 200 copies with double sided red eyed tree art and
tape labels by Maya Miller of Heavy Tapes/Religious Knives.
Tempe,
Arizona is a creative hotspot over run with positive youth and a
supportive community. Soft Shoulder is the in house posi-punk band
comprised of James, James, and Ashley of the clatter crew Tent City. On
this release they turn in their catchy hooks and traditional structure
for two 15+ minute improvised pieces that fall somewhere between TC and
Graveyards. Total washed out summertime drones for the punk dudes or
sunshine thrash for the noise dudes. In an edition of 100 numbered
copies with stamped discs and an insert within a cardstock print bound
with neon nineties nylon bracelets.
Being
Michigan house party mainstays and touring/real life buddies of Haunted
Castle, Villa Valley, prepare to fuzz out you frontal lobe with their
magnum opus. Tracking in at just under an hour in total length, two
really long tracks fill up this disc with metal scrapes, vacuous howls,
and a new element, toy keyboards. These tracks are much more restrained
than their previous output showing a definite direction and focus, most
particularly the second track, which could arguably have a chorus and
refrain. Subdued keyboards add a new layer to the murky manipulations
and feedback howling for which VV is known. Make sure to catch these
dudes on tour with Drenches this June. In an edition of 80
sprayed/stamped discs with medical book collage art by the band.
Blessed
waves of beautiful sounds build and decay into perfect pieces of music.
From opposing locations and opposing approaches to drone, Ohio’s
Emeralds and LA’s Quintana Roo juxtapose themselves with skillful
perfection. Emeralds’ epic synth composition “Bubble Quiet
Complication” marks the acts first vinyl appearance, and possibly
heaviest work to date. A tribute to the sine waves of 70s, this massive
grower oscillates and progresses completely discretely; impossible to
follow and completely transcendental. Bass heavy subsonic patterns work
their way underneath the beauty, completely proving and reinforcing
this bands recent acclaim. Quintana Roo (comprised of members of
Robedoor, Pocahaunted, and Changeling et al.) take a more
natural/native approach to their craft. A massive horn blasts marks a
call to arms on “Beheaded Dynasty”. Twinkling chimes and electric
textures help paint a natural base. Hand drums start the onward march
to oblivion, met along the way by a blessed to infinity bass line
building to an organic overload. In a numbered edition of 450 emerald
green LPs with printed labels and proprinted cardboard jackets with an
insert all from the psyched psyche of Devon Varmega.
At it’s
purest recorded music is two things: basements and one track recorders.
Treetops and Cygnus are a complimentary pair of basement sludge
psychers armed with little more than a few effect pedals(no
distortion?!). The Treetops track is a grower and coming in at just
under 10 minutes one of the longer Treetops jams to date. Light guitar
strumming, tape manipulations and the occasional incantation are the
sole sources for “Wild Beauty”. Sky bound riffs float through the storm
clouds. This track is a companion piece to the upcoming Ecstatic Peace
tape, “In The Vanilla Grove/ Man and Horse”. Cygnus is the
guitar/keyboard duo of Heath Moerland(Sick Llama/Fag Tapes) and his
friend Glen. Heath and Glen use slow flanged strumming and haunted
house keyboards all progressing at a slow-ed down pace. The second
track starts out with some fuzzed heavy riffage and keyboard overload
while progressively deconstructing itself to two guitars; a totally
zoned out “I forgot we we’re recording” style gem. Much more chill then
their previous blown out shred fests. In a numbered edition of 100
sprayed/stamped tapes in red youth stickered poly cases.
Bleak.
Landscapes harvested for consumption and distribution. Where is the
ancestral spirit? Oklahoman duo Ajilvsga, comprised of Brad Rose and
Nathan Young, recall the forgotten sorrows of the Cherokee with
synthesizer. Deep and slow moving, just like the nomadic herd, Rose and
Young’s primitive drones weave in and out of consciousness,
transcending time. Sheer rock cliffs cannot contain the war whoops and
tribal tension of the epic seventeen-minute B side track, “Fire
Builder”. Make sure to keep your eyes on the horizons for upcoming
signals from Not Not Fun, American Grizzly, and native imprint,
Digitalis. In an edition of 100 labeled tapes with double sided full
color art and sprayed cases.
Suburban
Michigan is a breeding ground where every weirdo has a label, a band,
and a handful of secret/under the radar collaborative projects. Here
Graveyard’s Ben Hall and Lambsbread’s Zac Davis create a monolithic one
sider influenced by too many private press jazz records and abstract
instrumentalism. Davis turns in his effect pedals for nothing; pure
clean tones plucked up and down scales and bridges so uniquely that it
is easy to confuse the guitar for a sax. Ben Hall drums like a man with
four arms; constant rattling trap tapping and assorted pots and pans
clattering, flowing completely smoothly. A perfect union of sound. In
an edition of 300 copies in screened chipboard sleeves by Anthony
Decanini.
Emerald’s
Big John is the synth guru behind the illustrious Lilypad. Immense
decay and epic clarity. Just when you think that the tone has
stagnated, another hole of hi-end oscillation materializes. Constantly
progressing to the next level of blissed out forgetfulness. Soft and
comforting, yet possessing the ability to completely entrance the
listener into a state of loneliness; the first disc has the abductive
quality to be over before it even starts. A multi tiered synthetic
existence of pure desolation and beauty. The second disc is a
masterpiece of stereo panning, with a focused separation between left
and right, going beyond the normal dimensions of time and space. Meant
to be played loud and alone to truly grasp the solo solidarity and
self-contemplating tones. Growing louder and heavier to the pinnacle of
reverse deprivation. In typical Lilypad infoless anonymous styled
packaging, in this case a mind bending ‘witchbox’ by visual cat lover,
Witchbeam with an 11”x17” color poster insert in an edition of 50
copies.
The power
is out. The power is back. This tape juxtaposes two expert guitarists
against each other on the natural A/B boundaries of the cassette
medium. Iowa’s own Evan Miller creates long drifting ragas (or as he
like to call them, spells) of acoustic guitar work akin to
contemporaries such as Fahey and Rose, but strays from their “minstrel
in the country” vibe and going more towards “a fisherman on the wharf”
style. Even though there are no words, the emotion and story of his
songs are obvious. “Specter” was recorded during a storm adding an
ominous atmospheric quality to the meandering spell. On the flip side,
Gown creates sky high electric guitar drones similar to his work in
Bark Haze, but his presence in the solo setting adds a particularly
nice clarity to his work; much less of an overload leaving more time to
really soak into the jam. “Pigeon Church” is one of his first
recordings since leaving his internship at Ecstatic Peace and moving up
to rural Maccan, Nova Scotia. In a numbered edition of 100 tapes in 3
color silkscreened sleeves with tape labels and an insert.
Teepees
turned in for shanties. Moccasins turned in for high tops. Spirit fog
turned in for purple haze. This is the sound of the world town. Amanda
and Bethany have had S. LA metal head Bobb Bruno play electric drums on
their tracks in the past, but the results of this album is something
entirely different than anything they attempted before. It is less Bobb
playing drums with Pocahaunted, than it is an entirely new entity
operating in perfect unity. Dubbed out and drenched in the grime of the
streets, Island Diamonds features the same vocal come downs and chord
repetition/progression to infinity that P-haunt is know for, but with
the addition of almost (dare I say) “danceable” beats. This is the
record that Amanda and Bethany have always wanted to make, the crown
jewel of an epic sistership. Rub soap in your eye make it red so you
look raw. Recorded/mixed/mastered over a period of three months, and
the effort/time shows; Pocahaunted’s most developed/realized work yet;
features additional saxophone riffage by Andy Spore (of Raccoo-oo-oon,
Youth of the Beast, Pukers) mastered by James Plotkin. In an edition of
500 Rasta colored LP’s on clear yellow vinyl with pro-printed jackets
with art by Crystal Stokowski, labels by A+B, and an insert..
Just when
you thought all was about to fade to grey an epic expanse of orange,
blue, and a phenomenon known as the “green glow” blinds you. The
rolling hills seem endless, maybe they are(who really knows). At this
moment of severe spatial reconsideration dual guitar drones, one
electric, one acoustic, seem to rise up from the ground right under
your feet. The contents of this tape are organic/communal compositions
of guitar, sampler, synth, recorder, and percussion. The flow of
consciousness is ever flowing/never slowing(at least for 17 minutes).
The first in a series of coreleased tapes (w/ bro label jk
tapes)featuring Treetops+Laissez-Faire. Horizontally oriented jams for
an up and down kind of world. In a numbered edition of 40 tapes in full
color double sided wraparound styled j-cards and sealed with a sticker.
By now this
duo should be far from a mystery though their psychic audio mythos has
been continually deepening, growing, and transcending. Comprised of
Vanishing Voice members G. Lucas Crane(Non-Horse) and Heidi Diehl,
these New Yorkers flee the trappings of the fashion capital of the
world for the land of home grown psychedelia. Non-Horse plays a crate
of cassette tapes and a chain of delay. Wrapping sounds from various
sources into a concocted aural remedy from reality, a psychedelic
blanket sheltering you from the outside world. Heidi lends her voice
and dripping dream guitar work to the powers at hand, juxtaposing heavy
bass with light whispers and shimmering strings with deep murmurs. On
the B side fellow spirit forcer Steve Gunn of GHQ brings a new element
to the group, percussion. A natural oneness is developed between all
players, creating earth music with a deeply rooted sense of calmness
and serenity. In an edition of 100 numbered tapes with printed labels.
Alex
Cobb’s Taiga Remains project pushes the exact opposite vibes as the
name of his Students of Decay label. With use of nothing but guitar and
pedals Cobb materializes lush and precise drones which seem to come
directly out of the air. So heavy and powerful that they don’t even
seem to exist, nor could they come from any instrument / human. Total
peace and solitude; meditative Eastern vibes transcendent in and of
themselves. The A side’s “Winter Tai-Tung” is a light and breezy trip
through the mist, growing unconsciously, beyond notice until the track
ends. The B side’s “Spring Shan-Lin-Shi” recalls visions ten seconds of
prayer service slowed down and stretched into ten minutes, like the
sound right after a bell rings hung in static forever. In an edition of
100 tapes in oversized plastic cases with an insert and printed labels.
ARBOR64
DRUIDS OF HUGE- "ERGOTISM / PURE HYPE" C20
Chicago
trio Druids of Huge rock, roll, and destroy the modern concept of a
rock band. With a name that screams “hooded gods of shred”, the
resulting sounds can be quite refreshing. Percussionary styles can
change at any moment from Sword Heaven-esque pummeling and crash
destruction to light jazz splash/tom simmering. The guitar feeds back
from a massive Sunn amp and rips its way through the basement, fists
pumping and beers spilling. Suitcase electronics provide a warm and
massive tonal base, erupting with its own existence. Rip it real good,
bro. In a numbered edition of 50 sprayed/stamped tapes in cassingle
style sleeves.
Cleveland
noiseniks, Tusco Terror, barrage the earth with their subterranean dirt
worship. Having just released a split LP with Emeralds on Ecstatic
Peace, this crew is ready to take their Midwestern gear slaughter
beyond the realm of the breadbasket. Operating with a loose lineup
usually ranging from 3-5 players all jamming in their own private
zones, contributing their own part to the psychedelic nonsequitors and
cosmic confusions contained within the recording. Pile upon pile of
unrecognizable source contort themselves into an unrecognizable yet
brutally intriguing end result. Don’t stop digging. In two editions: A(
of 68 numbered copies in silkscreened, watercolored, and sewn sleeves
with screened discs) and B (of 32 numbered copies in printed collage
sleeves with screened discs).
Long touted
as the forefathers of Finnish freeform psychedlic music, Avarus, a
collective bearing members from The Anaksimadros, Kemialliset Ystävät,
Maniacs Dream, and more, document their first tour of the United States
on "Kirppujen Saari". The sounds contained show a departure and growth
from typical Avarus recordings. The A side long track begins with a
psychrock romper complete with full “band” instrumentation, slowly it
deconstructs itself into the abstract electric/acoustic stylings and
sonic spattering familiar to their previous work. Slowness builds into
full on clatter filled wal