Still Available A-M 1..2..3

Still Available N-Z

25-Aug-2019. 20% Off Until Next Catalog!

 

Still Available A-M

Af UrsinAika (La Scie Doree) LP $28

Af Ursin is Timo Van Luijk's solo project and Aika is a reissue of a very limited LP from 2008. I am glad to see this one gain a wider release as the music is fantastic. The entire record is bathed in a low lying fog of surface noise which really, really reminds me of a lot of the classical music I listen to from the 20s and 30s. The mists of history. Each of the five pieces has different instrumentation with solo piano, tape manipulation, keyboards, horns, percussion, strings, and voice all taking their turns. The overall mood is stately and melancholy and always minimal and arresting. There are touches of 20th century classical composition or perhaps RIO without the heavy instrumentalism. This is a truly superb LP, impeccably organized and sequenced. I don't think I've ever heard anything quite like it, and that is saying something. Small Details Dept: I love the way the surface noise continues between the tracks and in the run off grooves. That is nice. Here's to you, Timo! Top shelf!

Af UrsinTrois Memoires Discrètes (La Scie Doree) LP $22

Another fantastic Af Ursin release. Af Ursin is Timo van Luijk's solo project. The first piece, Sylphide, is a side-long wonder. Long drawn out brass tones with some other accompaniment. I could listen to this music all day. The closest parallel I can think of is Davide Mosconi's divine LP of foghorn recordings. But Sylphide has a bit more of a musical element. This will be my go-to last side of the night for my (rare these days) late night Salons. The second side features two tracks: the first, Taciturne, has low end whooshes and flute. The flute is one of my least favourite instruments, although it is in the second tier of LFI, along with the acoustic guitar, far behind the supreme instruments of torture: the harmonica and banjo. At any rate, the flute works well with this one and it perfectly sets up the last piece. Elegie is an aptly titled track that sort of fumbles its way. This fumbling only makes the music sadder and more profound. Trois Memoires Discrètes is a superb LP. Fans of IFCO and Andrew Chalk cannot possibly not enjoy this. Beautiful cover and funny 3" labels. Ho-Ho! Excellent!

Alpha Strategy/Projekt StinkaMuck (Ownness) LP $12  

Split LP. Alpha Strategy is Rory Hinchey's solo, sort of No Wave project. Totally unlike anything I have heard from him before. Vocals, very nifty atonal synth, and drum programming. Alpha Strategy sort of reminds me of a weirdo San Francisco band circa 1980. Projekt Stinka (excellent name) plays odd sparse folkish tunes mostly with pump organ or accordion with the occasional guitar or bass. Excellent girl vocals. If I could hear this in a smoky bar, I would be a happy man. Beautiful Graham Lambkin cover

Altar Of FliesLet New Life Rise In The Face Of Death (Hasten & Korset) CD $10

Altar Of Flies is Mattias Gustafsson, who also runs the H & K label. His music is a combination of field recordings, found tape sounds, and various location recordings of oscillators and hummings, all combined in a compositional fashion. At almost an hour, there is a bit more noise and a bit less music than I would prefer, but I am a crazy old man who listens to Historical Classical Music and Opera all day long. Mattias' compositional sense is very strong and he does a nice job of combining the various elements. The last two pieces (five total), Natt Vid Ensight Vatten and Anagrams, are brilliant, both a bit less noisy and a bit more focused and atmospheric than the preceding three. A man to keep your eye on.

Jean-Philippe Antoine/Leif ElggrenObject Metal Espirit (Firework Edition) 7" $10

Another fine single from Firework Edition. Five pieces, four of which consist of spoken repetitions of the title phrase. The other piece, the longest, is a sort of pretty keyboard meandering with amplification which distorts a few of the notes. Just the kind of Art single that always finds a nice home here at HQ. It would be perfectly at home on the Meeuw label as well, if that means anything to you, and it certainly should.

ArtbreakhotelDrag (Vitrine) C30 $10

ABH, as they shall now be known, is a Japanese solo artist. The first side, Drag (with material from the first New Blockaders LP), start off with a very dense segment of clanging, feedback, and general noise, before moving on to a much less dense accumulation of various off speed samples. The second side starts less vigorously at first, but maintains a creaking intensity throughout. Another interesting piece of the Vitrine Anti-Puzzle Puzzle.

Arvo + MijloSvulsmen I Skyn / Essensen Av Denna Forbannade Stad (Il Dischi Del Barone) 7" $10

Two sides of field recordings from Arvo + Mijlo, whose work is previously unfamiliar with to me. The first side is a superb seagull and harbor recording. There may be a little 'business' with the recording, but it is very subtle. I like birds. The second side seems to be of a quiet street, although some muffled mournful music leaks through near the end. The first side is a real keeper. IDDB marches on!

AstorInland (Kye) LP $18

It turns out Astor is Mark Harwood, who runs the excellent Penultimate Press label. Inland continues on from his excellent debut, Alcor, also on Kye. Inland is a bit more musical than Alcor, but still has that same secret world quality, Like a person trapped in a blurry land of giants and their technology. The sounds and the editing are quite fine. The experience of passing through changing climates of micro-aggressions is quite disorienting. Most of the sounds are unidentifiable, but there are enough signifying sonic markers to give the music the displacement of a dream. There is a wonderful cyclical quality to the arrangement of the record as a whole, which never fails to excite me. I have only had three listens to Inland as it arrived only a few days ago, but it has gotten better and more interesting with each successive spin. Very odd cover too!

Asuna100 Keyboards (Meeuw Muzak) 7" $10

Asuna is one man from Japan and this 7" is excerpts from two installations, each of which featured 100 cheap keyboards which are all listed on the insert. One side is a somewhat pastoral drone; the other is 100 machines gone crazy, although, after a while, it starts to sound like a drone too. Nice one, Meeuw!

Derek BaileyImprovisation (Mupymup) LP $26

Another reissue of this 1975 Cramps LP from the DIVerso series. As anyone who knows me knows, I despise the acoustic guitar and Free Improvisation. BUT, and it is a huge but, I love Derek Bailey's solo music. (It must be said that Bailey also plays electric on this LP and the acoustic pieces are with a pick up and his trademark stereo volume pedal is in full effect.) This was the second Bailey LP I owned after the very confusing (for me at the time) trio LP, Topography Of The Lungs. This LP was still confusing, but I got a real charge out of its angular ways. Around the same time, I got a copy of Anton Webern's complete works and while those records confused me as well, I could see a parallel between Webern's piano music and Bailey's guitar music. Derek Bailey is certainly one of the few qualified to both carry the Free Improv bag and make a strong case for it. This reissue is the best sounding release of this classic so far.

Derek BaronThe Harpist (Pentiments) C40 $9

Derek Baron is a new name to me and The Harpist is a superb introduction. Two side long pieces of music that are very difficult to describe. There is a lot of percussion, much of it small and lo-fi. There are parts that have the same sort of organic feel as David Tudor's Rainforest. There are some bits of radio, media, and feedback that could have come from an early 80s Come Org tape. (In form, not content.) There are some wind instruments as well. While there is the occasional outburst, most of the action is fairly low key in a very appealing way. I really liked this tape the first time I heard it and like it more with each play. The Harpist has a nice sense of drama and it has an aimless and yet, directed quality that I think is very difficult to pull off. Quite nice.

The Barton WorkshopPlays Philip Corner/ Om Entering And Once Entered (Kye) LP $17

Well, this certainly is a pleasant surprise. The Barton Workshop is a ten piece group with strings, brass, and woodwinds. This LP consists of four tracks, all recorded live between 200-2007. It is a corker. I have a fairly well stocked Philip Corner shelf, but I have not heard many (any?) orchestrated versions of his pieces. The music has that early 60s sense of Modernist Optimism, before writing grant proposals and hype took up much more time than composing. There are occasional percussives, rustlings, and mutterings throughout, which only add to the enjoyment. Philip Corner himself adds some Celeste to the final piece, a beautiful reworking of Chopin's D Major Prelude. A superb release and my favourite Kye LP since the fantastic Elklink.

François BayleL'Experience Acoustique (ReCollections GRM) 3LP $36

L'Experience Acoustique was recorded between 1968- 1972, but remained unreleased until a CD issue in 1994. Although this is from his earlier days as a composer, Bayle still delivers the otherworldly Acousmatic goods. There are glimpses of more 'conventional' sounds as opposed to his later work. Recognizable field recordings, TV/ radio (Hendrix excerpts!), some keyboards, synths, woodblocks (nice!), and a deconstruction of a rock band at the start of side six. I have not had time to get my head around this as all of this material is new to me. I do not think this is quite as advanced as his later work, but it is still very interesting and a million miles ahead of most music at the time, although there are bits that remind me of Lumpy Gravy (Frank!) Perhaps this huge triple LP would be a nice introduction for those unfamiliar with the Acousmatic experience. Lots to enjoy and figure out.
[Bent corner from shipping. Low price. Same great music.]

Ludwig van BeethovenNinth Symphony (Archipel) CD $11

Here is an oddity that really puts the H in Historical. Although the booklet only contains an over-inflated essay, the provenance of this recording is interesting. This version of Wilhelm Furtwangler conduction the Berlin Philharmonic of Beethoven's Ninth was recorded on a home acetate machine from the radio on Hitler's birthday midnight 1942. A home 78 acetate recorder! Imagine that! It would be like trying to record a 70 minute piece of music on 3 minute cassettes, always being sure to allow overlap so that an extremely busy DJ could piece the whole thing together later. At any rate, this is another excellent reading of Beethoven's Ninth by Furtwangler. If you got one of the Furtwangler 6 CD boxes that I sold in the last list, you probably don't 'need' this one as the sound is obviously hissier and the performance is not all that different. (If anyone who missed out on the 6 CD box is still interested, I may be able to get more. Please inquire.) The third movement is a little slower (excellent) and the finale is a little more out of control (also excellent) than the other '42 Furtwangler reading. This is the only ninth I own with Helge Rösvange, the Dane with the creamy high D. He doesn't get to show it off in this piece, but he acquits himself nicely. The other main singers, Erna Berger, Gertrude Pitzinger, and Rudolf Watzke are excellent as well. The spirited Bruno Kittel Choir was the best in Europe at the time. And, a somewhat creepy sounding Nazi radio announcement from the original broadcast is included at the end.

Mel BentleyRed Green Blue (Vitrine) C40 $10

The odd Vitrine machine rolls on. Red Green Blue  has some rather straightforward poetry, some bits that sound like cut-up poems, and a fair amount of soundwork. I am not all that interested in Spoken Word pieces, but this is, for the most part, pretty good. Bentley obviously has a good way with words, although I prefer the pieces where she uses more soundwork, which is very nice. The all tapping piece and the spoken word/ some bowed instrument being abused piece at the end of side two are both excellent. Vitrine continues to stake a very unusual claim. I don't like everything that Allen has released, but I think the label certainly has an interesting and definite agenda, which is very rare these days.

Lea BertucciLight Silence/ Dark Speech (Dischi Del Barone) 7" $11

This is my premier exposure to Lea Bertucci's work. For the most part the music is multi-tracked saxophone which brings to mind both Urban Sax and early 80s Lovely Records. Not bad comparisons in my book. Dischi Del Barone rolls on.

Maurizio BianchiCarcinosi (Menstrual Recordings) LP $29

Very nice authorized reissue of this late first period MB classic. Two side-long pieces of minimal, desolate, bedroom electronics. As slow and delicate as a shuffle to the gallows. Did I ever tell you that I fucking love MB? I suppose so. Strong Stuff.

M.B. – Endometrio (Dias)        LP $21

M.B.. Maurizio Bianchi. I fucking love M.B.! (Pre-retirement, anyway.) How much do I love M.B.? I have four pictures on top of my TV: Nico, M.B., Graham Lambkin, and Gil Wolman. That says it all. (Don't worry. I have another special place for my Ferry pictures.) Endometrio is from 1983, near the end of M.B.'s First Phase. Two side long pieces of heavily echoed synth and radio, I would guess. These sludgy wedges of sound are both monolithic and unremitting. Every once in a while you can detect a synth or radio bleep or some vague snatch of melody underneath, but you could be imagining it all. There isn't a lot to hold on to and you end up swept away by Bianchi's bleak vortex of sound.  Or, at least I do. There was a brief period, circa 1981-84, when there were a variety of artists, loosely grouped around the Whitehouse/NWW/Experimental scene, that were dead set on creating a new musical vocabulary that had nothing to do with music of the past. When was the last time that happened? The music of these explorers not only had 'nothing to do with rock and roll', it had nothing to do with jazz or folk or dance music or any other kind. These days this sort of 'sound art' is much more common, but those were the days when the doors were opened. At any rate, this is an excellent LP. Slightly noisy pressing, but so was the original. Comes with a nice insert not in the original release.

Maurizio Bianchi Menses (Menstrual) LP/ CD $40

Deluxe reissue of this early-ish MB LP with the same stamped cover with a hole and the same labels as the original. Also comes with a small insert which did not appear in my original copy, although I am sure it was supposed to. I fucking love MB! (I forgot to say that in the other MB review.) Menses is an early-ish MB LP and the music is a bit more wandering and less monolithic than his music would become later in his first phase. Still, even early MB is a pretty grim pile. I mean this in the best possible sense. Yra, side one, is synths, echo, and a very murky rhythm box, which is sometimes more audible than others. Yra seems a bit less focused than the best MB, but still delivers the MB goods. There is a bit about 2/3 of the way through that certainly is as close to 'fun' as MB ever got. Scent, side two, is also less focused than slightly later MB, but you can hear the blossoming of that feeling of slightly aggressive hopelessness that would become his trademark. Certainly an imagined future or the present gone awry. Great stuff! Great pressing! If you are new to MB, this might not be the best place to start, but then again, why not? There is a reason Karla, myself, and all of our friends call him The Master (coined by my good friend Miles Champion.)

Maurizio BianchiTriumph Of The Will (Menstrual) LP + one sided 7" $25

Originally issued by the Come Organization under the name Leibstandarte SS MB in 1982 along with the companion LP Weltanschaung in 1982. Both records feature MB's music with Nazi speeches and music superimposed on top without MB's knowledge. Excellent early MB, who we all know around here as The Master. At the same time, I rarely play this LP as the speeches (which are probably from the Leni Riefenstahl's film of the same name) give a different, and somehow, less depressing and disorientating atmosphere than The Master's finest. Nice pressing and a 7" of Under The Victory Banner. (If only someone would reissue Examples of Cannibalism, which also has MB's music with readings from cannibal trial transcripts.) If you are new to MB, this is probably not the place to start. If you love The Master like I do, you might need it.

Birds Of DelayThe Cut (Ultra Eczema)         LP $29 

Birds Of Delay are Luke Younger and Steven Warwick. I became interested in Birds Of Delay after hearing Luke Younger's excellent solo LP, To An End, released under the name Helm. (Still available too.) Side one starts off with a beautiful drone, then some knife sharpening and a finish with a flip-flop walk away. It is very nice work, with minimal, but fine editing. The B side is a Sound Poetry piece with the word 'snap' spoken and repeated by both Birds, looped, distorted, and played with. At first I found the piece a bit annoying, but about ten minutes in, I thought "Steady on. If this were an Italian Sound Poetry record of some drunk with a multi track tape machine, you would be thinking how great it was." That much is true. It really has THAT sound and is relentless. I won't be playing it as much as the first side, but still…

Georges BizetCarmen (Aura) 2CD $14
All the way from 1908 comes the first complete recording of Bizet's Carmen. And, as the cherry on the pie, it is in German, the only real language of opera. This is an acoustic recording, so the sound has that haunting mysterious thin quality of the past. Carmen might be my all-time favourite cooking opera. It is hard to top spending the afternoon making a delicious soup or pasta sauce, listening to Carmen at high volume, and opening the bar a little early. The only singer I am familiar with on this recording is Emmy Destin, and she is an excellent Carmen. Destin has a great opera laugh. Although it says on the CD 'orchestra and conductor unknown', word on the street is that it is Bruno Siedler-Winkler leading the Berlin State Opera Orchestra. Siedler-Winkler was a great conductor as well as a fantastic lieder accompanist. This recording will not replace the superb '42 version with Elisabeth Hongen as Carmen and Karl Bohn at the stick, but it is very charming nonetheless. I can guarantee this will cause more of a stir at your next gathering than Merzbow ever could.

Blackhumour Engines Of Desire (Regional Bears) C80 $11

Blackhumour (sorry, I have to use capital letters. It is my code.) started in the early 80s and since 1986 has been the solo project of Frazer Hall, only using found vocals. This makes it sound like the music would be a collage show of voice samples, but it is nothing like that. Instead, it is bunches of short repetitive vocal loops that often have a very machine-like quality. If I did not know the story, I would never guess that found vocals were the basis for most of the music. Once in a while a recognizable voice pops up, but it is usually quickly subsumed. If you like very repetitive, lo-fi, trance inducing music, this is for you. On and on. I really appreciate an artist that sticks to it and the Blackhumour approach has not changed much over the years. One good trick, like the hedgehog.

Lars-Gunnar Bodin/ Bengt Emil JohnsonSemikolan (Paradigm) LP $19

The wise ones among you may recognize Bodin from his superb Clouds LP and Johnson from his excellent contribution to the God-like OU boxset. Here they are together for a series of compositions done for Swedish radio in 1966. From the OU connection, one may expect Sound Poetry, and while there is a lot of male and female reading in Swedish and some of it is highly modified with effects, Semikolan seems much more a record of Modernist composition. The thing that really strikes me about these pieces is that although there is certainly a critique and Negative aspect to the music, it also displays that exciting and curious optimism that a lot of Modernist music had in the 50s and 60s. Composers still had an idea that their compositions, no matter how bizarre, could have a positive effect on public discourse. This idea is completely dead these days, but I still like to think it is possible. Look where it has gotten me! At any rate, I can not imagine anyone not loving this LP. The possibility of actual freedom was not lost on these two. Hats off and glasses up to Clive Graham for this great reissue. My life is honestly better with this in the house.

Karla BoreckyStill In Your Pocket (Recital) LP $14

Long awaited LP issue of this classic solo piano LP previously released on cassette (in the UK) and CDR (in Japan). Karla, of course, is the keyboard motor behind IFCO as well as Tart, The Pickle Factory, etc. Here she is solo and alone. These seven pieces, recorded between 2007-2010, are very much in the Satie/ Robert Haigh/ Chopin mode with Karla's unique Romantic and repetitive style. Her searching and probing playing is a wonderful melodic and homemade experience. Karla navigates her own course like a lost sheep. Excellent cover painting by The Lady herself. Get lost in the reverie.

Karla BoreckyThe Still Life (Recital) LP $22  

Karla's second solo piano LP! Unlike Still In Your Pocket, which was a collection of things she had recorded over years, The Still Life was composed and recorded as an LP release. It is fantastic! Karla has a very repetitive style which is unlike any other pianist I have ever heard. And, she has great touch. Maybe not quite Red Garland or Walter Gieseking, but close. Melancholy would be a word that springs to mind when whilst listening to this music, but there are also very odd pieces, such as Whirling, Whirling and Honi Soit, which reveal glimpses into a strange musical world. Also included are two IFCO covers, The Life Of The Party and The Island Of Taste. I think Karla's solo version of Island is sadder than the original IFCO version. Nice pressing, cover art by Karla and a laminated bookmark featuring more art by Karla. I know I am biased, but this is a gorgeous record that is both High Art and has a homemade feel, which is part of the High Art.

The BowlesST (Kye) 7" $16

I found a few of these in an out-of-the-way spot. I would like to blame Bernard, but this is certainly Pilot Error. This 7" was released on Kye in 2012. The Bowles were Matthew Hopkins and Christopher Schueler, both of Vincent Over The Sink, along with Mary MacDougall. Six tracks, four songs and two short tape pieces. Utterly charming.  Mit insert.

Anton Bruhin - !! Heldengesange & 3 Gedichte (Alga Marghen) LP $29

Originally released in 1977 as a luxury 2 x 10" boxset. Bruhin is a Swiss eccentric whose work might lossely be considered to be in the Sound Poetry arena. 11 Heldengesange & 3 Gedichte is 15 short pieces, usually with some recitation. The music has some loops (some enchantingly deformed), some horn fanfares, and a little too much fucking harmonica. I just cannot stand that sound. It always makes me feel as though I am trapped in a prison and will never hear any other music again. If we leave the horrible harmonica aside (please!), this is a fascinating release and very ahead of its time with its primitive 'sampling' and looping. Very strange what people get up to sometimes.

Leif BrushStitched Phenomena (Pentiments) C50 $9

Leif Brush (born 1932!) is a sound artist who has been at it for many, many years, but his work is barely documented. This tape marks his first ever physical release, and what a release it is! Stitched Phenomena consists of one 47 minute piece, Earth Star Songs. Brush has a constantly evolving concept of a 'terrain instrument', which harnesses wind and other natural forces to trigger synths and do who-knows-what-else. The music is quite fantastic. A lot of very 60ish avant garde synth sounds as well as many other sorts of sounds, all organized in a sparse and very organic way. There is a pinging synth sound that comes and goes throughout the piece which really holds the whole thing together beautifully. A lot of music tries to sound like an alien landscape, but Earth Star Songs actually sounds like an alien landscape. Top Marks! Let's raise a glass to Leif Brush.  And, let's raise a glass to Guido Gamboa, who runs the Pentiments label and promises more to come. Here's to you both!

Leif Brush - Stitching In Process: Windmixed Data (Pentiments) 2LP $28

Pentiments follows the Stitched Phenomena tape with this massive double LP of Leif Brush pieces, mostly from the 70s and 80s. Brush (born 1932) has been working on an ever-evolving conception of a terrain instrument, using wind, water, trees, and nature to create music, either by amplifying natural sounds or using them to trigger synths or other mechanisms. The music has some 60s sounding avant garde synths plus a boatload of unidentifiable sounds, as well as (of course) some sounds of nature. The whole double LP is a lot to take in, but it is really worth it. Even though the sounds are not that similar, Brush's music reminds me of the two Jacques Brodier LPs released by Penultimate Press. Both Brodier and Brush have been around forever, building both their own instruments and their own private sound worlds. Stitching In Process… also includes the occasional vocal snippet, mostly of Brush talking about his own work. The almost side long Blips/ 1980 Mix is really fantastic with nature activated string instruments frizzling along with some electronics. I am only on my third spin through the whole set and feel like I am only scratching the surface. Deluxe gatefold sleeve. A view into a world you did not know existed.

Bull Tongue Magazine #4 $6, #5 $6

Bull Tongue is a magazine edited by good old Byron Coley. It is all reviews. The first section is the Bull Tongue Review section, which is short record reviews of new releases by Byron and Thurston Moore. The rest of the magazine is reviews as well, but reviews of anything, the subject determined by the reviewer. It's a really fun magazine and can be read for a few minutes at a time, or for a whole evening.  I have reviews of old movies in both issues and Karla has a review of Artaud in issue #4.

The C & B1991 Pre-Shadow Ring Recordings (Siltbreeze)... 7" $10

C & B = The Cat And Bells Club, Graham and Darren's pre-Shadow Ring outfit. The parts are all there on this four song EP and it fits seamlessly into the formidable Shadow Ring discography. (Perhaps the best historical trajectory of any band ever. Fact!) 'The Shadow Ring rhythm' has already been born. Graham handles most of the vocals. C-Town Breeding Ground shows a strong Grotesque influence. Father's Dead made me laugh and laugh. Brilliant.

John CageCheap Imitation (Mupymup) LP $26

John Cage did a two-piano version of Erik Satie's Socrate (for piano and voice and a great piece in its own right) for a dance piece by Merce Cunningham. The owners of Satie's copyright denied Cage permission to use it, so, using chance operations via the I Ching, Cage changed the notes and Cheap Imitation is the result. I am not a big fan of chance operations in Art (if you want to truly remove yourself from the work, get someone else to do it), but I am most interested in results, and this is great music. Meandering single note, fairly tonal piano lines that seem to stretch to infinity. Although extremely subtle, this is very odd music. Cheap Imitation is probably my favourite Cage LP or at least the one I have played the most. Nice reissue which duplicates the inner pocket sleeve design and printed inner sleeve of the original.

Andrew ChalkBaroque Steps (Faraway Press) LP $25

Wow. Baroque Steps seems to me to be an Ambient Monument. Two side long pieces with no titles other than the title. The first side starts out sort of dense and then clears out a bit. The second side starts out sparse and stays that way. A lot of the music sounds like keyboards and a lot of the music sounds backwards to me. No matter at all. Baroque Steps is simply a great record. It carves an atmosphere in the room from the moment you put it on. Where am I? Where was I? Outstanding. Beautiful handmade LP cover and insert. I know I say this all the time, but this is another fantastic Andrew Chalk LP.

Andrew ChalkThe Cable House (Faraway Press)  CD $27

CD reissue of the very limited LP. The Cable House is one of Andrew's most devastatingly beautiful releases yet, and that is saying something. My first thought when hearing this release was “Budd & Eno – Plateaux Of Mirrors" both because of a similar sound palette and also because everything sounds slowed down. The Cable House also features expertly subtle uses of backwards sounds and amp and room noises. Because Andrew's production values are very subtle and of the 'team player' variety, his excellent sense of production often gets overlooked. I have played this one a boatload of times since it first came ashore. You can't miss!

Andrew ChalkThe Circle Of Days (Faraway Press) LP $26           

Wow. Another stunning LP from Andrew, this time in a vaguely Music For Films mode. Like Eno's excellent LP, The Circle of Days has a different sound palette for each piece and each piece has its own delicate atmosphere. I think Andrew's LP is a bit more purposefully sequenced than Eno's, which is something, as you all should know, I value highly. Fourteen tracks, some short, some longer. Guitar, keyboards, etc, plus some judiciously deployed field recordings, as well as the usual superb production. I like to think that Andrew's music as well as that of Timo van Luijk (both solo as Af Ursin and with Andrew as Elodie)and, of course, IFCO represent the spearhead of a new sort of music. A music that, well well aware of the avant garde of the past 100 years and not afraid to use it, is stepping away from both computers and noise and is endeavoring to create new forms of beauty and atmosphere, relying on playing instruments in real time and situational recording/ production values. This approach is probably far too subtle, especially for the jaded internet generation, but, being an Optimist, I believe it will bear fruit. Time Will Tell. At any rate, I would not go on and on if I did not love this music.

Andrew ChalkEveryone Goes Home When The Sun Sets (Faraway Press) CD $18

Another superb release from Andrew. Everyone Goes Home… is 19 tracks of vague memories and recollections, expertly sequenced as always. The main instruments are guitar and keyboards, but there are also field recordings, tape work, and who know what else in these melancholy, well-crafted miniatures. I cannot help thinking about Eno's Music For Films, but I think Andrew's release has a more coherent flow to it. There is a certain dream-like quality to a lot of Andrew's music that is really all its own, and that is something. There is so little Experimental Music these days that counts tonality and lyricism among its weapons, except in an ironic way, which makes many of Andrew's releases seem like a blast of fresh air. Like IFCO, Andrew's music explores a different path, unafraid of being beautiful if it needs to be. Fine stuff. The usual handmade Faraway Press art object CD cover.

Andrew ChalkGhost Of Nakhodka (Siren) CD $28

Another fine release from Andrew, an artist who continues on his own path and really believes in the integrity and beauty of his work, both in the music and the presentation. Ghost Of Nakhodka starts off with the title track, which is a long shimmering keyboard (?) piece with some nice backwards action. It is very organic and beautiful. The following nine tracks are all much shorter sketches with varying instrumentation, all with a nostalgic melancholy atmosphere. There are a couple of acoustic guitar pieces that I am not that fond of, but that is me and my somewhat eccentric hatred of that instrument. Besides, they fit in great with the superb sequencing of this CD. Another fantastic handmade cover by Andrew. Someday his covers will be in a museum, under glass, as a representation of what can be accomplished with handmade artist multiples - if there are still museums in twenty five years. Perhaps, by then, all facets of life will be mediated via video screen, computer monitor, or phone. Too bad…

Andrew ChalkA Light At The Edge Of The World (Faraway Press) CD $24

Stunning new CD from Andrew, this time with one 40 minute plus piece for electric piano and some effects. Very simple and also simply gorgeous. If you ever though some track on Budd and Eno's Plateaux Of Mirror would be great if it lasted 40 minutes, this is for you. The music is both melancholy and calming, perhaps because it also feels somewhat optimistic to me. This is because I believe the future of art lies in new forms of beauty. There is also the definite human element, which connects Andrew's music to IFCO more than the actual sound. People using instruments to make experimental music is less common than one would think these days. Beautiful handmade sleeve with the dowel system.  Top Marks! I am going to pour myself a cognac and luxuriate in this music one more time.

Andrew ChalkPainted Screens (An'Archives) 10" $25

On this peculiar 10", Andrew is joined by Daisuke and Naoko Suzuki, Frederico Durand, Timo van Luijk, and Francis Plagne. That is a lot of personnel and there are a lot of different sounds: guitars, field recordings, vibraphone, wordless singing, breathing and a lot of unidentifiable squeaks and such. And yet, Painted Screens is very minimal and aimless. (I mean aimless in the best possible sense. It is very difficult to do and not sound like crap.) If you are into early 70s drumless, aimless French Prog or TG's After Cease To Exist soundtrack, you will certainly enjoy this 10". This record casts a very intriguing haze over my listening world. It may do the same for you. Lost and yet unafraid.

Andrew Chalk/ Jean-Noel RebillyL'Etat Intermediare (Faraway Press) LP $25

Jean-Noel Rebilly is a long time associate of Andrew Chalk's. I know him from clarinet credits on a number of Andrew's and Elodie's LPs. This is another superb Faraway Press release. Yes! There are a lot of clarinets. Also field recordings, keyboards, guitar, vibraphone, piano, and whatever else these two fine musical gentlemen cared to add to the mix. The pieces are all slow and stately and really hold tight to a very peculiar atmosphere. Ten tracks. The instrumentation varies from piece to piece, but the excellence does not. There are fascinating textures and atmospheres from beginning to end. Another great Andrew Chalk related release that truly conjures up its own musical world. Slow, strange, and easy. The usual great Faraway Press cover. You can't go wrong!

Andrew Chalk & Tom James ScottCalluna (Skire) 12" $22

A 12" 45 EP! This brings me back to the glory days of A Certain Ratio and Crispy Ambulance. Nine short-ish pieces spread over two sides. Tom handles the spidery piano and Andrew does the orchestrations. The orchestrations are quite minimal at times and yet provide the vital backbone to the music. Both Tom and Andrew expand a bit on the second side, which feels like a widening of the vista, a superb effect. The spectre of the first Budd and Eno collaboration hovers about  - always a positive sign in my view.  Simply a compact jewel of a record.  Music that was built to last.

Andrew Chalk/ Tom James ScottWild Flowers (Skire) LP $25

Another gorgeous LP from Andrew, this time teamed with Tom James Scott, who handles the piano chair. The record kicks off with the side long 'Speaking To The Rose', which is somewhat of an epic of dreamy utopian nostalgia. The piano, keyboards, strings, and tape hiss stay mostly in soft focus, but bubble up to bloom now and again as if shifting on salty waves. The second side has three pieces, all of which stick to a similar formula. The last track is but a whisper. Although they are very subtle, there are many queer shifts in the arrangements of all of these pieces. I suspect this LP will take many, many listens to acquire a fuller understanding of the very interesting mixing strategies. Comparisons to the early Budd/ Eno LPs have to be made, but whilst the Budd/ Eno ship was anchored, observing the beauty, the Chalk/ Scott ship is floating on a lost voyage with quietly fevered, misty memories of home. Melancholy. Baby. Excellent stuff.

Andrew Chalk/Daisuke SuzukiThe Days After (Faraway Press) ....CD $26

Two superb long tracks by these two superb musicians. The Days After has a much more ominous feel than a lot of Andrew's work. The playing is sparse, but the combination of field recordings, harmonium, chimes, and guitar is blended into a lattice of mystery stretching out over the abyss. The usual-usual beautiful handmade cover mit insert and obi.

Andrew Chalk/Daisuke SuzukiIn Flaxfleet Clouds Uplifted Autumn Gave Passage To Kind Nature (Faraway Press) ....CD $26

I have both the new CD re-issue, which comes in a hyper-deluxe package. Same $29 minutes of music as the 12". Beautiful insert and sleeve. Here is what I wrote about the 12":

Superb 12" 45 RPM from Andrew and Daisuke. The A side, Queen Of Heaven, is a gorgeous upriver journey that vaguely bring to mind Hassell and Eno’s Charm (Over Burundi Cloud). That is never a bad thing. Side B has two pieces. Of Beauty Reminiscing is a tonal meditation with lots of field recordings. Very odd, beautiful, and haunting. The Water Clock is a nice, (at least sort of) optimistic finish. A perfect release complimented by beautiful hand made covers by Andrew, each cover being different. Here’s to Andrew and Daisuke!

Andrew Chalk/Daisuke SuzukiThe Shadows Go Their Own Way (Siren) ....CD $26

Another great one from Andrew and Daisuke which I somehow missed putting on the last list. (Bernard, where are you?) This is an odd album of thirteen short-ish tracks. The instrumentation varies from piece to piece, with lots of field recordings thrown into the mix. The pieces seem almost to begin and end at random, but there is an inner logic at work, similar in feel to Eno’s Music For Films LP. The Shadows… is immaculately constructed and feels both intimate and intense, in a nicely melancholy way. I’ve listened to the whole thing seriously around 10 times now and I still feel I need more time with it. That, my friends, is good news. Beautiful package mit Obi strip.

Church ShuttleAura Deterrent (Vitrine) C30 $11

Church Shuttle is Chris Durham, whose work I am not familiar with. Aura Deterrent falls squarely inside the Vitrine canon of anti-music that is not Noise music. Lo-fi narration,lo-fi loops, very eccentric production (mostly lo-fi) and all the bumps and whirrs anyone could ask for. I find this music to be a bit self-indulgent, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Like a lot of the Vitrine catalog, it has that very queer air of being a very self-centered message from another planet. On tape. You know if you need this without me telling you.

Cory Cleary, Jonathan Gean, Peter Friel, Mattea Landry, Eric SchmidHouse Music (FPBJPC) LP $22

House Music is an LP of a capella covers of Blackwater, Smells Like Teens Spirit, Hall Of The Mountain King, Land Of Confusion, and Phylyp's Task. This sounds like it is a recipe for disaster, and I suppose it is a disaster, but it is a fun disaster. Apart from a few times when the lyrics are mentioned and maybe parts of Hall Of The Mountain King, it would be very difficult to recognize many of these covers. The voices are often rhythmic and sometimes together, but this is definitely in Sound Poetry territory; there is no slickness. House Music recalls both Fluxus and, especially, the very short lived Furious Pig. Not for everyone. A plain white paper sleeve with writing on it functions as the cover. I shall put the copy you buy in a plastic bag. No extra charge.

Philip CornerColdwater Basin 2 (Alga Marghen) LP $26

Coldwater Basin sold so fast that I was not able to secure any copies for the catalog and had to search for one for myself. It is a pretty good record of water running into a sink. So, here is Coldwater Basin 2, a one-sided 14 minute affair. I think the second volume might be the better of the two as the water sound is less obvious. There are times when the music sounds like a lo-fi version of an INA/GRM LP. As with the first volume, there is a lot of what sounds like tapework, but I suspect these are just artifacts from the recording. Philip Corner, faucet in the sink, sometime in the 60's. Very nice indeed.

Frederik CroeneF. C. Me Fecit (BAADM) LP $19

I only know Frederik Croene from his fine LP with Timo van Luijk. Here he is playing a pipe organ and Mr Croene certainly knows his way around the massive beast. The music is an excellent balance between Bach/ Captain Nemo style organ and more droning, spacey playing. If you love the sound of a pipe organ like I do, but do not need to hear hymns or patriotic songs, this is the record for you. The recording is superb and Croene's playing hits all the right buttons for me. Back in the day, I would have made a 90 minute tape of this and the Stefan Fraunberger LP (also in this catalog) to listen to in the car. Totally enjoyable from beginning to end.

Frederick Croene & Timo van LuijkVoile Au Vent (La Scie Doree)  LP $26

Voile Au Vent is just an excellent release. It is a very hard to pigeonhole and how often does one say that these days? Piano, keyboards, sax guitar, bass, flute, some percussion and rhythm box, and who knows what else. Each of the four tracks has its own sound and direction. The pieces sometimes have a David Jackman-style portentousness to them, especially on side one. I mean that as a high compliment. The sound is an odd cross between the early 80s UK cassette underground and the spacier moments of 70s ECM records. I had better have another drink and play it again. Beautiful sleeve and design.

Maxwell August Croy/ Sean McCannST (Students Of Decay) LP $15

Another excellent outing from Sean McCann, this time with koto player M. A. Croy. Beside Croy's koto snuggle Sean's atmospheric arrangements for violin and cello, which he plays himself. It is a georgeous LP, a beautiful haze with the koto floating in and out of focus. For some reason, this LP reminds me of an aesthetically idyllic seaside holiday, although there is nothing in the music or the titles to suggest this. There are lots of interesting textures generated by both players and the depth of Sean's arrangements seems like a breath of fresh air. Nice work, Boys!

CupolLike This For Ages (Dark Entries) LP $14

Cupol were Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis from, of course, Dome and Wire. Like the fantastic 3R4 LP and the also fantastic Ends With The Sea 7", both issued under Gilbert & Lewis, Cupol is basically another name for Dome. This recording pre-dates the first Dome LP. The original release had the title track as the A side at 45 RPM and the long percussion piece, Kubla Cupol as the 33 RPM B side. This reissue adds three bonus live tracks to the now 33 RPM A side. According to the extensive liner notes, Cupol was inspired by a mutual love of the records of The Master Musicians of Jajouka. Like This For Ages in a superb Dome-style song with a stunning arrangement. The bonus tracks are from a PeelSession from the same period. Anchors is an earlier, jumpier version of Ends With The Sea. Norde is an early version of Breathsteps from Dome 2. The lyrics and vocals are very similar, but the music is entirely different. Quicken Your Step does not seem to be on any of the Dome records. It is a somewhat aggressive song, more like a Wire B side. The side long Kubla Cupol is a fantastic piece of interwoven rhythm parts which come and go. At first I thought this was a slightly different mix from the original, but a careful A/B with Karla's help determined that the mix is the same, but the new version has been cleaned of some hiss and everything sounds a bit clearer. I have heard the original so many times that I was slightly discombobulated at first, but I am sure, in the future, I will study both versions. It is hard to describe how excited I was at the time when this, 3R4 and the Dome records came out. It almost seemed like a whole new way of making music and was a big influence on The XX Committee. The whole of the Dome/ Gilbert & Lewis/ Cupol (and let us not forget the AC Marias 7" and P'o LP) output has probably been the biggest inspiration to the music I have done throughout my life, even if a lot of IFCO does not sound that much like Dome, etc. You cannot go wrong with this unless there is something wrong with you and your taste.

Cut-Out - Interlude with Fun Machine (Starlight Furniture Company) LP... $14

Cut-Out is Anti-Natural Robert Beerman (we call him Bob here at the Wet Spot) and Steven Fisk. Bob is the founder of, and Steve is ex-, Pell Mell. This LP is an excellent collection of keyboard instrumentals in a sort of lounge-y, Krautrock vein. Think Hematic Sunsets mixed with mid-period Cluster. Very modern and archaic at the same time. Nice one!

DarksmithHatred Of Sound (Second Sleep) LP $30

Darksmith releases pop up every now and again like a weird plant that can shoot up or not. This one did shoot up and it became a tree! Hatred Of Sound is a superb LP. Yes, the music is of the solo field recording/ Sound Art genre that is nauseatingly crowded with fraudulent pretenders these days, but this is the real thing. There are four tracks per side and they each sound different, but all of the same piece. There are all sorts of sounds, all coherently put together. And, there just enough musical bits to keep me interested. (I might also add, some of the 'non-musical' bits become musical through repetition.) This LP brought to mind the superb Metamorphosis LP from the early 80s for some reason. Perhaps its austere and focused outlook. Even though the field recording/ Sound Art thing is ground well trodden, Darksmith seem removed from the usual paths. Superb LP from beginning to end. Sorry about the price. I bought these from the label and they were expensive.

Dead Girl's PartyThe Things I've Lost (Feeding Tube) LP $17

Dead Girl's Party has to be one of the strangest bands I have ever been in. Conceived in 2003 after I saw a party balloon rolling in an empty yard during one of my Health Walks, there was much talk, but no actual recording until a five day session at the Swill Radio Studios in Johnstown PA in 2007. The music we recorded then was, as expected, menacing drones. After Matt and I went over the recordings, we thought the music was OK, but that we should try something else: songs.

The original song idea was to combine Roxy Music and Dome, with particular attention to both bands' subversion of the song form. Matt had a job in 2008 that ended at noon on Thursdays, so he would come over after work and we would spend the afternoon working on songs. Neither of us are great musicians in the traditional sense and I had not picked up a guitar in six years. It took us a while.

The Things I've Lost does not sound particularly like Roxy Music or Dome, but I believe we stuck to our pledge. Matt sings, plays keyboards, and some electronics. I shout and play guitar with a bit of synth and radio. We used very unconventional recording techniques, although the effect is very subtle.

If you are an IFCO fan and do not like songs, I would not recommend this LP. If you do like songs, I think this is one of the more original sounding song LPs I have heard in a while. I am very proud of the oddness of both the sound and the songs.

Originally released on cassette by Entr'Acte in 2009, now on a better sounding LP, mastered by Sean McCann.  I am building a beautiful new boat, crafted solely out of cynicism, resentment, and despair. Ahoy Sailor! Let's go! Right Now!

Deux FillesSilence & Wisdom/ Double Happiness (Dark Entries) 2LP $21

Nice reissue of these two mostly forgotten LPs. Deux Filles were a duo of Colin Lloyd-Tucker and Simon Turner Fisher who masqueraded as a couple of rural French Girls, going to the extent of writing false biographies for the liner notes and dressing in drag for the cover photos. The original LPs were released in '82 and '83 after which they ditched the concept and recorded under the name Jeremy's Secret, a band I have never heard. The music is mostly languid, mostly tonal instrumentals with the occasional percussion, voice, and tape use. This would not have been out of place on Factory or Crepuscule at the time. There are a wide range of instruments and textures used and some of the pieces have slight exotic or ethnic touches. A very nice snapshot of an interesting current of music that would soon by ruined by the horrible mid 80s digital machines. I prefer Silence & Wisdom as it is a little less experimental. (I think both of these guys are probably pretty good musicians and a lot of pretty good musicians are not that good at being experimental.) These were pretty obscure at the time, so if you are interested in this sort of thing, it is certainly worth checking out.

Raymond DijkstraDe Schroef (Le Souffleur) ....LP $35

Raymond has been releasing odd and sometimes luxurious editions of his music for some years now. This is a rather bare bones release with a sheet of printed newspaper with the titles, etc. and the record in a heavy plastic bag. Dijkstra’s style, wheezy harmonium with an amplified and effected metal scratching on glass sound, is present, but broken up into short fragments followed by silence and a lock groove, then repeated. Five short pieces on each side. A perplexing release and a great art record.

Raymond Dijkstra L'Opus CH (Le Souffleur) LP $28

I’ve only heard a handful of Raymond Dijkstra’s LPs and none of his expensive art editions, but Opus CH would definitely be my favourite. Most of the other music I’ve heard has been denser and a little noisier, with a certain alien approach that brought to mind both Topography Of The Lungs and the first New Blockaders LP. Opus CH is a slightly different pie. Whilst retaining the squeaky electronics, the acoustic sounds (a harmonium and maybe a horn) are brought to the fore, creating a heavy atmosphere that lasts from beginning to end. Opus CH also has more of a repetitive nature allowing the listener to luxuriate in the strange and compelling sound world. A powerful statement. Excellent production and pressing too. Go for it!

Aaron Dilloway/ Robert TurmanBlizzard (Fabrica) 2LP $29

Blizzard was recorded whilst the two of them were stranded at Turman's place during a blizzard. Originally released as a CD in 2009 and here given the heavy-duty vinyl treatment. Since I always think recording music during extreme weather conditions is a good idea as it helps set a mood, I am already behind this. The music does not disappoint. Turman handles the tapes (lots of mutating loops) and Dilloway the synth. The sound is somewhat minimal, but there are occasional fuller bursts. The whole thing sounds frozen and unearthly, while still retaining an organic sound, which is quite difficult to pull off. I loved this when it first came out and still do to this day. Sides 3 and 4, in particular, really bring the minimal organic Industrial hammer down.  Hard.  Great to have this on LP.

Double Goocher ShopST (Regional Bears) C25 $11

Double Goocher Shop is Renato Grieco and MP Hopkins, who should be familiar to frequent readers. Lots of field and who-knows-what recordings, some voice and mouth sounds (including a bit of singing and a fair amount of spoken word), some radio, etc. There is also a lot of editing which is quite well done. The tape has a weird dream-like quality throughout, with the shifting sounds and spoken voices. It is an odd listening experience. The text on the front mimics the strange doublespeak of some of the spoken words. If you like the Surrealist/ NWW/ Lambkin vibe, this is your ticket to ride. Mystery and curiosity at every turn. Very nicely put together. Great stuff.

François DufrêneCri-Rythmes ( Recital) LP $22

Fantastic reissue of a cassette originally issued in 1977 containing Francois Dufrêne's Sound Poetry. The pieces are from 1967-1972. WOW! This is one of the best Historical Sound Poetry reissues I have heard in quite a while. Just a tape machine and a mouth and yet… I am a veteran appreciation of Sound Poetry and this is a superb example. I do not think there is a lot of overdubbing, but I also do not know. The range of sounds and the organization of same are incredible. Right up there with other Sound Poetry Gods such as Gil Wolman and Henri Chopin. Very little equipment, lots of ideas. I truly believe that music like this shows most so-called Sound Art to be a fraud. (This is somewhat a factor of age. You too will think that a lot of new art is a crappy representation of the past, if you still care about new art when you are in your 60s. You will probably be right.) If you want to hear something truly radical, this is it. Let us all raise a glass to Sean for his commitment to Historical Sound Poetry reissues. Fucking fantastic. Great insert with an excellent Bernard Heidsieick essay about François Dufrêne from 1984, a couple of years after Dufrêne died at 44. Definitely the best Dufrêne I ever heard.

Jean DupuyAll Of The Time (Recital) LP $22

I was totally unfamiliar with Jean Dupuy, but thanks to Sean McCann's tireless work at Recital, now I am. All Of The Time consists of pieces from 1969-2017. The first side consists of three excellent, what I would call process pieces. The first piece, Concert Of Seconds, has 22 rotating discs connected to clockwork mechanisms. The sound is sort of what you would expect, short mechanical rhythmic sounds going in and out of phase. The next piece,  Elle Aimait Bien Les Frites, Marguerite (Marguerite Adored French Fries) feature two female voices singing the chorus to this French folk song. Each time through, they move up the scale and sing it a little higher until they get too high to sing anymore. That might not sound that great, but I found it quite enjoyable. The third piece, Paris-Bordeaux, is a field recording from a mic hanging out of a toilet on a French high speed train. Apparently, at that time, the toilets just flushed out onto the tracks. (Oh boy!) It sounds like you think it would sound and that means great. I love trains anyway. The second side is all spoken word pieces dealing with anagrams. They are sort of like Brion Gysin's Permutation Poems, but I like Gysin's voice a bit more. Some English, some French. Certainly not bad, but I enjoyed the first side more. Very nice explanatory booklet in the usual luxury Recital style.

Still Available A-M 1..2..3

Still Available N-Z

 

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