RIP. A weekly roundup of releases on Bandcamp and Soundcloud selected and delivered by Aidan
Bandcloud 305
I spent all my time this week watching Twin Peaks instead of listening to music. I'm not even sorry!!! I also read both The Secret History of... and The Final Dossier. Interesting. Here follows some music you might like.
Farplane - Four Rites Of Transmutation (SC.005)
This set of mixes was released on tape by Seith Communiti, a limited run of just 23, with proceeds donated to The Okra Project. Recorded last month, it's from Farplane, composed of Sold and Hi-Vis. It's nearly three hours in length and you can enjoy it all on SoundCloud (thank you Farplane!).
Bored Lord - any requests?
YET MORE fun and frivolous edits from Bored Lord. I'm largely including this for its cover art, which is incredibly meta, but the music is a refreshingly effervescent take on some classic jams. 'Don't Speak' @ 140? You got it.
oui ennui - œqc
This artist popped up on my radar some time back during a Bandcamp Day, I believe it was the above-mentioned Sold who tweeted about them. This particular release is a recording of a recent live-at-home set that was part of a series called The Quarantine Concerts. There's an essay on oui ennui's progress through the idea of preparation for that set on the Bandcamp page, but I can safely say the set is wonderful, with strange ideas running throughout, moving from droning sounds to strange lumpen beats.
Bary Center - Guide Me Through The Hills Of Your Home
Bary Center is retiring the name with this, the 50th release on Third Kind (hats off, etc etc). This release is great. Deeply ambient and circumspect, it's perfect for THESE STRANGE TIMES. Also the cover art is a monkey styled up like a Saint. What's not to love?
Calm Roots 7 with Alex Rita - Like Floating
Beautifully calming sounds from Alex Rita, a leader of the Touching Bass collective and also DIY seamstress. Here she stitches together serene sonics. Sorry.
Nick Araguay EP
File this under things I inexplicably missed. Hazy and gorgeous techno sounds, airy pads and crisp percussion, a deft lightness of touch clear throughout.
Machynlleth Sound Machine - Machynlleth Sound Machine
Did you know that Bellville in Michigan, the birth of techno, is twinned with the small town of Machynlleth in Wales? I certainly did not until I chanced upon this release. This release recognises and honours that connection with nine tracks of machine soul. A brilliant concept, executed brilliantly. "Techno music soaked in the collective haze of hundreds of years of Welsh history and southwesterly storms – a Cambrofuturistic take on a staple of Afrofuturism."
Museum Of No Art - Museum Of No Art
More kind of semi-ambient stuff! This is slightly modular, slightly singy songy, all tinged with a kind of new age sheen. The echoed clarinet sounds on 'Form and Focus' speak to me, as do the lilting melodies of 'Three Years Later'. A gorgeous release.
KMRU - Peel
Peel is the upcoming release from Kenyan artist KMRU on Editions Mego. The opening track is a 15-minute entity that stumbles and rolls along with simple elements repeated from start to finish. It's hypnotic, disarming, inspiring.
tyreekay - Loops and Track Dump 01
Duno who this is but they just shared a collection of tracks and ideas. Deep n dubby.
Stephanie Merchak - What a Mess!
Stephanie Merchak shared this entry to the Music Weeklies Challenge, which asks artists to create a new track in a week. A new theme is revealed each Friday, and this one falls under Screwball. It fits that particular bill beautifully, as it hops around from place to place with appropriate silliness.
CRONE - I
New scuzzy loops and drones, apparently recorded nine years ago and finally released today. I know it's from someone involved with YLTCU, who has/have released on No Corner. But that's about it t b q h. SCUZZ.
Xozgk - kli_6
This is tagged as braindance bass, which, eyeroll, but it's a super track. It's not a million miles from SAW with modern elements of bass and drums added to the mix but it's still new and ~different~ enough to stand on its own. I probably wouldn't even make that comparison if it didn't have the silly tag and the track title wasn't semi-nonsensical!
PHANTAZN - ALL HANDS MIX
This is a fun'n'sexy mix of garage and Miami electro kinda stuff, Bmore, grime and more, with specific excitement on my part coming from the inclusion of that silly Love Island "I GOT A TEXT" riddim and Freak Nasty's 'Da Dip'. Not to mention M-Beat and Nazyln's 'Sweet Love' cover. All mixed to perfection to boot.
Truancy Volume 266: Zozo
Haven't done this in a while but check out the latest mix shared by Truants! Zozo is a Turkish DJ who did this mix for us some months back, then the pandemic hit, then we stopped posting for a while, and now it's finally out there. It's chunky, acidic, gnarly and powerful. There's a track around 34 mins that's supremely bouncy and fun too.