This was written on Tuesday, as right now I am in Barcelona.
Death In Scarsdale - Ruminations
I love the label Invisible City Records (not the Toronto enterprise). They release dark and dank drone music. They celebrate three years of existence this month and are offering a discount on all physical releases (the digi is almost always PWYW). I went back through their recent releases as I'd missed a few, and this one really grabbed me. Two lengthy pieces of atmospheric noise and effects that haunt and chill the bones.
Hardworking Families - Hardworking Boss Time - Live 1//7
This is incredible. It's a live set recorded by Hardworking Families (Tom Bench), who previously released on Don't Drone Alone. It was a support slot opening for Ian William Craig in Brighton last May. The foundation for the set was a home-dubbed copy of Born In The USA Tom found on the street (!) that was looped and relooped through a series of players, mixers and pedals. It starts out quite fuzzy and hazy, all friendly and welcoming sounds, before being distorted and shredded entirely. Amazing stuff really.
Tropical Rock - Yellow Dock
Tropical Rock is Ka Baird and Camilla Padgitt-Coles. This pre-order has one track available for preview and it's a 20-minute exercise called 'Resonating Reflex Phenomenon'. It's a gently modulated syncopated cascade of synth bleeps that wouldn't be out of place on a 90s trance comp. It's incredible. These sounds drift away after about nine minutes, allowing a bed of sound to take over. Flourishes of saxophone escape this mist from time to time, suspended in time, eventually fading into nothingness.
VA - Misapplications (Conditional)
I still haven't wrapped my head around Conditional. Honestly, a lot of their releases are strange and confusing to me, a terror of unnerving squeaks and blips. This comp celebrating their 10th releases does not assuage that concern. There's some lovely stuff here too though. Maria W Horn's 'Emblem' is a nightmare stomp. Cosi's 'Lev' is a dial tone come to beautiful life. Broshuda lends assured frivolity as ever with 'Eatn Kream', while Rosen brings stretched soundscapes in 'Exertion'. There's so much to get through here - not quite something for everyone, but it's a rich experience nonetheless.
SoundCloud playlist
Marlene Claudine Radice - Not Long But Suspended_Live Recording
A live performance of this track that features a lot more guitar and flute than the original. Deep.
Newtype Rhythms #22 - Special Guest: Burnt Friedman
The Newtype Rhythms show always has excellent guest mixes: recent editions have come from Eomac, Chloe Frieda and Konx-om-Pax for example. This one from Burnt Friedman is particularly special; a glorious tread through percussive sounds that grows ever more insular. Something truly beautiful is at play here.
(RG-S23) Birch - "Indigestive Indigo"
This is a one-track release on Roof Garden records, which bills itself as: "Techno-pastoral, ambient utopia." It's a muted number from Danish ambient artist Sofie Birch, and it grows from nothing to something and then dies.
Jasmine Infiniti - GAUNT
The caption for this one reads "Vincent Price". I think there's a vocal sample of his in the mix but it's hard to tell. It's pitched down and drenched in effects. There's a huge bass line and eerie synth patterns throughout this monster track. Fitting, as its creator calls herself "QUEEN of Hell".
K-$ for The Dankish - An Acid Paati
Here we have a superbly fun mix of acid tracks from South African DJ K-$, who's described as "an old soul trapped in a young body".
Secret Self: Seance Radio Show 42: Guest Mix Stephanie Merchak
This is a wonderful mix of noise, techno and sound art from Stephanie Merchak, who released on Arell this year. Each track in the mix is annotated and features links to buy or hear elsewhere. I love that kind of diligence.
I'm mildly bereft after the end of Twin Peaks. So I went back to the start again! I'll see you again in 25 years...