Monthly Cassette Reviews (April Edition in May!)

Super Minerals “Clusters” (Stunned)
New batch of Stunned cassettes and CDRs are proving that this tiny label from California (run by Phil of Magic Lantern and Super Minerals) is clearly digging deep, far and wide to bring you some of the more bent sounds cooking underground. The label's releases tend to last no more than 2 weeks before selling out, so you'd be wise to keep an eye on their blogspot page to keep up. Oh heck, 4 new releases just dropped. See? Already behind on this one. Anyways, first up in the new batch is the newest from Super Minerals, who've managed to squirm from one vibe to the next so's not to be pigeonholed by pesky bloggers like myself. This time around the duo are going for a Terry Riley or La Monte Young piano driven arpeggiation that is dizzying. Two side-long pieces with the first being the dueling pianos and the flip taking a flashback into the tropical jungle morning. Quite unlike anything else I've heard from this confounding duo. Check out Stunned Aside.


Warm Climates “Edible Homes” (Stunned)
Stunned indeed! Second Stunned release here is an incredibly strange folk-ish effort from this LA native. This is my intro to the man, but he's apparently been releasing CDRs for close to a decade now. How the hell did I miss this guy? It's no matter becuase we found and we do likes 'em. The vocals on 'Edible Homes' brings to mind the twisted prog folk of Comus but he's tending a much gothier patch here, maybe more along the lines of early Legendary Pink Dots. The folk angle pops in and out, fighting for space alongside droning organs, fuzzy field recordings, garbled electronics, and even some wild, almost free jazz-style drumming. There are also some great blips of programmed electronics that bring to mind the spazzier moments of Aphex Twin's "Drukqs". Yessum, real mixed bag here, but sewn together well enough to convince me to start paying attention.


Dead Luke “The Black Plague In Mono No.3” (Jerkwave)
Can't get enough Dead Luke round these parts, and even though the man is calling it quits, he still has a fleet of new records dropping this year to keep his name floating around for a bit longer. Apparently there will be LPs coming from Night People, Florida's Dying, Sacred Bones, a split LP on Aurora Borealis, where he'll be joined by Zola Jesus, and a cassette coming out on Bathetic Tapes, which is a label I cannot find much info on. Possible interview with label head here? Where was I? Ok, Dead Luke. This one may only be recommended to the hardcore Luke fans, as the pop that's bubbled through to the surface of his other releases (the best being that 7" on Sweet Rot) is not really present here. This one runs from the bouncy goth synth of those earlier releases all the way to droning sitar bliss-outs. Also some Cramps-style boogie jams for good measure. This is part 3 of Jerkwave's ongoing 'The Black Plague in Mono" series, so I'm sure we can expect some more bent pop on the upcoming full lengths.

The Elks “The Black Plague In Mono No.4” (Jerkwave)
Outside of the black and white cover art adorning the cassettes in 'The Black Plague In Mono' series, and a general bleakness in the music, there's not a whole lot connecting these releases (Hanging Coffins and Absinthe Minds did the first two). Not a concern, just a thought. The Elks are running the same line of gnarly/blown out garage sickness that the likes of The Hunches, Lamps and The Hospitals have already traversed. If yr worried that this is a mere aping then rest at ease, The Elks take things to the next logical extreme by turning up the static, amping up those harsh metallic drums, and even adding in some droning synth. The vocals are especially effective here, flipping from a lock-jawed hiss to ferocious barks. Highly recommended shit here. Check out an earlier CDR the band released here (courtesy of The Elks).




BT. HN. “Valastro” (Cipher Productions)
First of two new collaborative efforts by Vancouver's Sick Buildings and THE RITA. This cassette, which was released on the Australian label Cipher Productions, starts off with a jarring shot of white noise that fire out like a cannon (this writer actually flinched) and is followed by what sounds like a a gathering street mob. Later, a man speaking French for several moments is interrupted by a familiar blast of harsh noise that could only be the doing of THE RITA. The speaker's voice is then interspersed with the same shots of noise that started the tape off, sounding like speaker happens to be under siege. The explosions are eventually wrenched into blow torch-like blasts and are backed up by violent feedback and teethgrinding vocals. This is perhaps the most visual release I've heard from either of these fellers, and brings to mind urban warfare happening well out of ear shot from these cozy Canadian shores. Apparently it has more to do with dynamite fishing than anything else. Go figger.


Lake Shark “Harsh Noise” (Lake Shark/Rundownsun)
Second collab between these two was recorded in a hotel room in NYC while the two were waiting to attend last year's No Fun Fest.
This is a real quicky and was reportedly recording using materials found in the room. There is a low bass rumble that acts as the river bed for a harsh electric trickle to weave its way atop the bass-y flow. Short and well to the point. Nice oversize packaging on this sucker, too. Thick cardstock flap with a nice print job. There's also some nice smut thrown in there for yr viewing pleasure.













Silver Futures “From The Swamp Rot Rises My Baby’s Dreams” (Future Sound Recordings)
Newest release by Future Sound Recordings, who are also responsible for those early Ducktails cassettes, is a duo featuring Mark McGuire (Emeralds) and Etienne Pierre Duguay, who is the drummer in Predator Vision. This effort definitely leans more towards the Emeralds end of things here with a cascade of twilight synths, dream sequence guitars and hushed xylophones (I think). Everything is wrapped in a warm tick-tocking swirl of ambient hum that gives this release a comforting new new-age vibe that I just can't get enough of these days. I've seen the future. It is silver.







Jeans Wilder “Antiques” (Night People)
Night People, who have always been dependable for their quality releases of disparate new sounds, have unearthed a gloomy pop cretin from somewhere along the US West Coast. Yup, another avant bedroom composer that seems to have dropped out of nowhere. Well, this one is gonna go in the pile that is already occupied by Night Control, Blank Dogs and Kurt Vile, though this doesn't really sound like any one of those. There are a few similarities, however, including warbled keyboards, echoed vocals, and some b-movie synths. What does separate him is his use of the acoustic guitar, giving this cassette a much more intimate feel while still remaining distant and out of grasp. Upcoming releases include a split cassette on Bathetic (seriously, someone wanna get me some info on this label) with the brooding a gal out of the UK, and a few 7"s and 12"s on tba labels.


Peaking Lights “Two Songs For Ceremony” (Night People)
Freshest, newest jams from one of my personal favorite groups running right now. Two songs, two sides, silkscreened covers, and 100% quality from Night People. Unfortunately, my wholesale copies vanished like a Record Store Day 7", but it looks like the label still has copies, so get's 'em while you can. Anyways, those who've heard their fabulous full length LP/CS on Night People/Not Not Fun can expect the same hazy head rush. Repetitious guitar waves, post-war electronic squiggles rising like fireflies, a lightly thudding drum machine, and those dreamy and distant vocals wrap around yr skull like a thundershot of THC. A brilliant cocoon of gauzy lo-fi dreamadelica. Oh so recommended. The duo seem to be outta merch right now, but hopefully they have some new material dropping soon. In the mean time, we can expect a new collaborative effort between Aaron of Peaking Lights and Luke of Dead Luke. They've dubbed themselves Bone Patrol and will have a cassette on Luke's own Jerkwave sometime soon. Couldn't be more excited 'bout that one. Check Peaking Lights blog here for infrequent updates. There's even a photo of Temptation from their opening slot at last year's show at the Sweatshop (RIP), which was stolen from yours truly! That one's on the house, guys.


Knitted Abyss “Winter Barn” (Night People)
Ok, one more from Night People, and it sure is on the same dub tip that Peaking Lights are rockin'. Knitted Abyss hail from New South Wales in Australia and consist of two members, one of whom calls Naked On The Vague home. That's right, we have a bonafide NOTV side-project here. Not exactly on that tip, but NOTV aren't exactly the kinda group you wanna even bother trying to replicate. The front end is chock full o' echo canyon drum machines and low end throbbing bass that brings to mind that overlooked Siltbreeze LP from fellow Australians Fabulous Diamonds LP. There are also some intense but muffled vocals which must have caught the ear of Shawn Reed, Night People's label head who also rocked the same style with Raccoo-oo-oon and continues the tradition with Wet Hair. Though this release tends more towards the hypnotic end of the spectrum rather than going for the full freak. The flip is a little different and see's the group heading into some groovy kraut blues that eventually gives way to rolling hits of noise. A mighty debut effort.


Treetops “Deep Purple Infinity” (Taped Sounds)
The never ending train of Treetops cassettes continues on, and thee Expressway is here to make sense of the mess. First up is a new one on the mysterious and plainly-named Taped Sounds, of which I have no information about. The recording here is a mid-pace drone creaker that's got a nice tapestry of wave-y synths that are layered up until it reaches an almost Tim Hecker-like ambience, though of a much more lo-fi quality. The flip is crammed with shaky, crystalline synths that are accompanied by cymbal rushes, which creates a nice underwater-with-the-sun-rippling-through kinda vibe. This would be a top notch release if it wasn't for the crap taping job. Must be low quality cassette used or just a crappy tape deck. Check out the Tomentosa site here for some other releases by Taped Sounds.


Treetops “North” (Arbor)
A nicer fidelity is achieved on "North", most likely due to the pros over at Arbor. More synth work here but of a dreamier, alien vibe. A lo-fi and gentle humming drone accompanies this side, creating a dream-like atmosphere that is easy to drift away in. The flip is another bliss-dream exercise that features some of those nice cymbal washes we heard on the above-mention release. Midnight beach soundtrack complete with whisps of ghosts drifting off the rolling tide.











Treetops “Melancholy” (Arbor)
Up there right alongside the guitar drones of Expo ‘70 (more on that below) is the most recent cassette release by my favorite droner Treetops. The flip begins with a slow mo windmill blast from the ray gun guitar this one man jammer before fading into the darker low-end buzz drone we’ve come to know and love. The flip is a short little come down of twinkling synth drone.













Treetops “Eternal Sky” (Monorail Trespassing)
Finally, we come to the newest Treetops cassette, released on the ever-improving Monorail Trespassing label. This one's a little darker and night nearly as meditative as those above mentioned cassettes. This one starts off with a slow encroaching bass rumble that rides underneath a slow cycling synth drone. The bass eventually outpaces the intensity of the droning synths, but eventually both fade out and give way to a dark piano (keyboard maybe?) lament that resembles some early Stars Of The Lid material. Beautiful drone/bliss territory covered here.









Earn “Down The Well” (Monorail Trespassing)
Another great cassette on the label comes from the mysterious Earn, whom I cannot find a lick of information on (privy parties please drop a comment). Whoever this is has dropped one of the finest tapes so far this year (truth), and I cannot stop flipping this (double truth!). The cassette starts off with a slow droning, plaintive cello that's apparently played by Scott Reber (of Work/Death infamy) before veering off into a warm swarm. The warmth is eventually subdued by a sharp wall of shoegaze noise that goes from calm to frighteningly shrill. Earn is definitely exploring the depths of shoegaze noise here, in fact, it almost feels like walking in on My Bloody Valentine as they perform the "bridge" of 'You Made Me Realise'. Not quite as damaging as that, but you get the idea. Brand spanking new tape on Ekhein sounds promising too. Check the samples on Mimaroglu, and, while you're there, pick up a tape or two. One of the best distributors online right now.



Expo ‘70 “White Ohms” (Peasant Magik)
One of a slew of new releases by this one-man guitar drone overlord, White Ohms is another advancement of the man's sound. Not quite as bleak as "Black Ohms" but still immobilizing and works as great companion piece. Though their influence is deep and their name gets tossed around a little too often, the Sunn O))) vibe is strong here. But, rather than the weigh of the recordings focusing on the deep tone of the guitars, Expo 70's approach, particularly on a few tracks here and elsewhere, is more about the volume of the buzz his guitar can conjure. Though the entire cassette here isn't strictly amplifier worship, there are a few moments of deep canyon guitar echoes and donging guitar ambience to bring some balance.
Not sure if there are copies left, but Expo 70' has just dropped an excellent LP on Fedora Corpse. Also worth investigating is the Evenings LP on the same label, another artist plunging the bottomless depths for dark ambience. Check an Evenings sample here. There is also a new LP to look forward to, which will also be released by Peasant Magik. You can pre-order that sucker here and even get the "White Ohms" cassette tossed in there.


FNU Ronnies - Golem / BLOOD! - Evacuted Materials (Skrot Up)
After kicking out the harsh garage jams on their debut 7" last year (on the up and coming Philadelphia based Richie Records), FNU Ronnies turn in another hellish trip through gnarly industrial/kraut/garage territory. The group's rhythm section find a deep groove to ride out while the keyboards screech, the guitars shred and scrape, and the seething vocals come out in wavering assaults. This is heavy on the Chrome vibe here. BLOOD, who take over on the flip, are almost indiscernible from FNU Ronnies, which is fine by me, because, outside of Six Finger Satellite, no one has taken the Chrome essence and roughened up the edges quite like these two. The FNU Ronnies side has just been released as a one-sided 12" on Night People, which seems like an odd pairing, but the who the hell am I to argue? As a side note, there are some upcoming releases on the Danish label Skrot Up by some groups that I know shit all about, including Balaclavas, SFHHH and Thetlvmth. After an hour of myspace "research" I have deemed these groups to be the new breed of damaged art punk, and This appears to be just about the most exciting new cassette label happening right now. New releases are in the mail and will hopefully be devoured in time for the next monthly issue. Until then, keep diggin'

Monthly Cassette Reviews-March Edition

Another edition of my adjective abusing, rambling, inane reviews on the cassette underground. Sweet batch of punk, bedroom-pop, space-drone, and sonic blech this month...


Teepee “Voodoo” (Jerkwave)
Starting off this month's edition are two great art-punk recordings from the burgeoning Jerkwaves Tape label. So far, recent releases on the label have included Pink Noise's "Dream Code" album (re-released on vinyl by Sacred Bones), awesome bedroom-punk from Nice Face (who also had a vinyl release on SB), and, of course, a Dead Luke cassette. For those not in the know, Jerkwave is run by the man behind Dead Luke, which, apparently, has been retired so he can work on other projects (more on the below). Anyways, Jerkwave's description of this Florida band as being drone punk is pretty darn accurate. Intense and phased-out guitar rays ride underneath lo-fi punk anthems. Kinda of like if Spacemen 3 started up now and listened to the Intelligence rather than the Velvets. The listen here is pretty intense, however, there are a few moments of respite, particularly in 'Glad I Never', a gloomy lo-fi little number that shows these cats can turn down the drone every once in a while to let their pop muscles shine.


Rodent Plague “Evacutations” (Jerkwave)
Next up in the Jerkwave army is another blackened comet in the A-Frames/Intelligence/AFCGT sphere, Rodent Plague is the main vehicle of Erin Sullivan, who has spent some time with the above mentioned circle of bands, but has also played with the Dipers and Climax Golden Twins. So, when the man goes solo, it is definitely time to pay attention. The tracks here range from A-Frames-style clunker-punk to industrial bliss waves and even veering into loose ragas-- with about a half dozen overdubbed guitars. Quite the juxtaposition, but, it all works quite well together.




Absinthe Minds “The Song Of Returning Night” (Not Not Fun)
So this is what the "retired" Dead Luke has been up to since abandoning his own moniker to work with others. His other here being the incredibly talented Zola Jesus, who dropped one of last years best 7"s on Sacred Bones. The combo of these two was not quite what I expected (uhhh, bedroom weirdo's making strange love to their four tracks and birthing some sort of goth-pop baby...maybe), instead we get to hear the actual recording of the birthing process of said goth-pop baby. Low moans and high wails emanate from these two, while heavily reverbed keyboards, cryptic guitar lines, and outta control echoed FX puddle together to make for one intense cavernous romp through the backwater lanes of these two youngin's maze-like minds. Phew!




Antique Brothers “Season’s Feast” (NNF)
This next jam from the newest batch of Not Not Fun cassettes comes from the Connecticut-bred brothers Cy and Ged Gengras, who have been, apparently, playing together as the Antique Bros for four years, but you coulda' fooled me cuz this is my first encounter with them. Actually, I guess I have heard Ged play before-- the man has, on occasion, drummed in Pocahaunted, Robedoor, and Vibes. So he's pretty much the official drummer of the Not Not Fun stable. And, much like his work with the above mentioned, Antique Bros are mining the same slow-building psych/drone terrain. These fellers, however, seem to have a deep appreciation of eastern-styled drone (think Taj Mahal Travellers, people), which is usually accompanied with hard-plucked acoustic guitar. These moments of somewhat calmer reflection tend not too last long before they break into Sun Ra-esque freakouts and mountainous psych runs. There are also a few moments here that remind me of the heyday of the heavier end of post-rock, kinda like the more crushing moments on those early Mogwai singles. Even though I've missed the boat on these guys before, I will hereby be paying closer attention and passing off the details. Here's to pressing something to wax! Oh yeah, great packaging on this one from those kids over at Not Not Fun. Brilliant psych-o-delic cover by Amanda of NNF/Pocahaunted infamy.



N. 213 "Vexation" (Digitalis Limited)
Now on to some local action..."Vexation" is another great distorted and demented take on pop. N. 213 (lead singer and axe slasher in Shearing Pinx) has been steadily pumping out solo releases on his Isolated Now Waves label for years now, but this time around Digitalis gets a chance to release a cassette, which apparently sold out so fast it was never even listed on the Digitalis site. The first side showcases Nic's penchant for cheaply recorded but incredibly infectious weirdo-pop, and, admittedly, this has been some of my favorite material of his to listen to. Up at the front of the mix is his signature cheap warbled keyboards, drum machines, and a myriad of found sounds that find their way into each track. Some of the tracks here flit between bouncy, sing-a-long anthems to garbled fits of noise. N. 213, in many of his previous releases, and shown to extremes here, has been battling his inner demon to make either some frightful noise or seriously giddy thrash-pop. This cassette is a shining example of both. The flip is a little darker than the previous set of tracks and features long multi-layered blasts of echoed trumpet, creating an eerie vacuum of lost-in-space atmospheres. Sadly, OOP, though I have posted a track below. Try hitting up Nic at a Shearing Pinx show, as he just may have a copy left...

'Hair Respect'




WWHITE CLOUDSS "Before and After Everything" (Smoke Filled Casket)
This just may be the best damn thing I've heard from the Smoke Filled Casket label. I'm pretty sure this is another moniker of SFC's head honcho Michael Piercey (who also damages ears under Seagull and Crotch), if it is, this is a major leap from the white-out blasts under his other pseudonyms. Indeed this is just as heavy and sonically assaultive, but rather than just a relentless blast we have hypnotic head-nodding waves that teeter between sheer terror and aural delight. Reminiscent of those salad days of Burning Star Core.





gr8-2000/Stamina Mantis split (Thankless)
Fans of Suicide, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and sugar rushs will definitely be all over this gr8-2000 flip. Tom, the man behind gr8-2000, is probably the most infectious guy in Vancouver making music right now, on and off the stage. This release relies a little less on the 8-bit beats that can dominate his live show, which, I have to admit, is a bit of a relief, as it’s just being done to death right now. I spent so many of my formative years of my life in front of video games that I can't help but think of all those wasted hours whenever I hear those blips and bleeps. My nostalgia for those sounds have run their course. Moving on, Tom has implemented boom-clap drum machines, candy-eyed keys, and swaying synths, all of which roll together perfectly in this tooth-decaying mix of dance-floor ready beats. Anyone remotely young at heart when it comes to electronic music will be sure to love this. Jaded assholes oughta just steer clear. Only thing missing here is Tom’s Alan Vega-esque yelps, which only make one appearance here. The Stamina Mantis side showcases the band's punk tendencies, and has one ripping thrasher after another. Seems as if these guys were as bummed on the Dark Knight as I was, they just took it one step further by writing 'Fuck You, Batman'. Much love goes out to Bill at Thankless, who dropped a giant pile of Thankless recordings into my lap recently, most of which I'm still combing through. The cassette in question is the newest release on the label and definitely worth picking up.

Blake “Mother” Strukof (Halved)
Debut release on local label Halved, started up by the man behind local drone outfit Empress, and he also runs this fantastic blog over here. Anyone who heard either of the Empress CDRs, which now have proper distribution here and here, should expect the same tidal drone cycles. Blake "Mother" Strukof, the newly adopted pseudonym of Empress, takes the slow encroaching drone rumbles of his previous project and litters the mix with a tide of scrap yard debris. The velocity is eventually increased, creating a menacing feel that I've never really heard in his music before. Perhaps that is what prompted the new recording name for this project, a way to distance Empress from this harsher end of his musical landscapes. Apparently this was entirely sourced from a thrift-store Christmas album, not sure I hear a lick of snow of merriment in there. Fine by me. Looks like Halved has a few upcoming releases by local space-drone-psych monsters solars and the mysterious Roger Mexico. Halved is a most welcome addition to Vancouver's already healthy cassette underground. Keep it coming...

Naked On The Vague “The Mickey Mouse Headache Tapes” (Near Tapes)
A collage of shows recorded during their 2008 North American takeover, "The Mickey Mouse Headache Tapes" showcases the Australian duo in a rawer form. Though this cassette is similar to their hypnotic Siltbreeze LP, the vibe is a bit more chaotic and a lot less refined. Droning organ, drum machines, real drums, rolling guitar lines, those signature disaffected vocals, and warped keyboards cycle towards a hypnotic nightmare/dream sequence that'll have you either clamoring for the stop button or keeping it on repeat. Their debut LP still stands as their best document, but anyone who caught their set at Pub 340 last year should be sure to try and cop this cassette from the fresh-on-the-scene Australian cassette label, Near Tapes. The memories will come flooding back. Try contacting them through their myspace or give fusetron a shot.




Sloow Road “s/t” (Sloow)
Sloow Road is a duo comprised of Sloow Tapes head Bart De Paepe and Matt Valentine, who has spent time in MV & EE and Tower Recordings, not to mention dozens of solo efforts. Anyone who has found themselves loving the fucked folk of Valentine and the "earth-psych" efforts of Sloow Tapes will definitely need to search out a copy of this sucker. The cassette starts off in a hypnotic raga, complete with buzzing strings, gently strummed guitar and hand percussion, which eventually melds into the next track. Now they enter the heavy end of psych; buzzed-out guitar stalks loudly behind cyclic crystalline guitar. Oscillating synths and panning electronics take the Sloow Tapes earth psych into a dream-like orbit.





Tyvek “Blunt Instrumental EP” (self released)
Thee mighty Tyvek kicked the shit out of the Peanut Gallery last month (was actually the second to last show ever at the PG), and, luckily for those with cash in hand, they had a few merch items up for grabs. I only had enough to snatch up this cassette and their last two OOP 7"s, and I had to pass on a handmade live cassette. "The Blunt Instrumental EP", which is not entirely instrumental, is a collection of demos of tracks that'll probably end up on a release or two somewhere down the line. The tracks here flip between demented surf and sketches of tracks with all the mistakes left in. Not for everybody, but definitely an interesting glimpse into the writing process of the band.




Sky Limousine “Telepresence” (Digitalis Limited)
Sky Limousine is the one man synth wizard known as Josh Burke, who also runs the Avocado Jungle cassette label. Most of the Sky Limo albums were released on his own label, but this one comes courtesy of the ever amazing Digitalis label. Burke weaves a dizzying mix of arpeggeated rainbow synths that bubble and swirl around the ears. The pieces here are fairly short, which suits these synthesizer work-outs quite well. Beautiful packaging from the ever consistent Digitalis Limited series.





Thurston Moore “Blindfold” (Destructive Industries)
This cassette oughta tide over any SY hardcores until the June 9th release of "The Eternal" (check out a pastiche of songs from "The Eternal" here), not that this anything like what their new album will sound like. Nope, this is an assaultive guitar crusher that intertwines 3 or 4 layers of shrill guitar drones and feedback to concoct a 30 minute tonal headache, and that's just the first side. The Richard Kern photograph on the front encapsulates the dread found here quite well. The flip is made up of 3 harsh blasts of white static and guitar squeals, not quite as forgiving as the other side. This may be one of the harshest piece of noise I've heard come from Moore, proving the man can still write amazing pop and bring the noise when the times call for it.




Prehistoric Blackout “Wake Up Dead” (Arbor)
Not as menacing as the title would suggest, "Wake Up Dead" appears to be the debut of Prehistoric Blackout, the moniker of one Taylor Richardson, who also makes up one half of the NYC synth-drone outfit Infinity Window. In the past he's also worked with Marcia Bassett in Purple Haze and even participated in The Boredoms' 88 Boadrums. Much like his work in Infinity Window (who just released an amazing LP on Arbor) Richardson piles up the synths until they create a criss-crossing tapestry of drone. Every once in a while he employs dreamy washes of warped fuzz guitar, creating dark soundscapes similar to the work of Fennesz circa "Live In Japan"-era. Not near as dark and concentrated as his work in Infinity Window, but wholly satisfying nonetheless.




Blank Realm “Street Bananas” (Digitalis Ltd. )
Australia's Blank Realm have about a dozen releases starting from 2005. Most have been impossible to track down due to them practically living on another planet. Luckily for us Western-living folk, labels like Digitalis and Not Not Fun have put out some cassettes so's the rest of us can hear the basement burbles of that strange continent. The three releases I have been able to warp my ears around have all been rather hard to pin down (read my inane scribblings on their first NNF cassette here), and their newest cassette on the ever wonderful Digitalis Ltd. series is just as confounding. The idea seems to be the same, just with entirely different demolished soundplanes being explored here. This one starts off with some overdriven slit-speaker bass squirts, bookended by dying keyboards and field recordings of, well, “street bananas”. The following track sounds as if it's to roll right off the tape, warbled, distant vocals, shaky keys, and a hiccuping, plodding guitar line. This cassette also slides into demented folk territory, just in case you don't find their sound varying enough. An amazing full length is coming from these cats, I can feel it...


Ducktails "Dreams In Mirror Field" (Future Sound Recordings)
This is actually new pressing of a Ducktails cassette released back in 2007 and appears to be his second release. Anyone after those pleasant summer vibes that Ducktails has been rocking lately will be sorely disappointed here. It seems that Matt Mondanile (who also plays in the superb Predator Vision and Real Estate) was still finding his footing at this point and the meandering found here is proof of that. This C30 veers between harsh vacuum drone, blasts of bubbling bass, and hoovered electronics. Underneath this heaviness the listener occasionally gets glimpses of his future in warbled pop when he employs warm Eno/Cluster synths, which are usually consumed by his noisier tendencies. You may still be able to get a copy of this from DNT.





Ducktails “Acres Of Shade” (Arbor)
Finally managed to track one of these down after they quickly vanished from the Arbor site. This isn't quite as pleasant as his 7" on Breaking World Records, but still features his trademark watery wah and crystallized synth. Matt utilizes some aspects of dub here by physically slowing down the track and speeding it up as it suits his mood. Plenty of echo-y drum drops and drips of wah to keep the tropical vibe going, it's just not as beach-ready as this track here.

That's it for this month. Please drop a comment if you need help finding any of these titles. I tried to keep this month's batch as new as possible so that curious readers could try and cop these.

Monthly Cassette Reviews

La Otracina “Gardens Of Blackness” (Digitalis Limited)
After a spate of ridiculously limited CD-r and cassette releases, La Otracina were given their proper debut in 2007 by Holy Mountain. "Tonal Ellipse of the One" was a sorely overlooked modern psych ripper that saw the Brooklyn trio venturing into the desert to conjure the ghosts of early Ash Ra Tempel via Man's Ruins bands. "Gardens of Blackness" begins this way before veering into a horrific stoner-scape that's complete with darkly yawning keys. The flip is a bit more transcendental, employing some deliciously layered warm and warbled keys with some lightly plucked acoustic bits, which are then looped and reversed and accompanied by wide washes of cymbals. Very Taj Mahal Travellers-on-the-beach-mode here. Quiet a departure from that previous releases on Holy Mountain. Interested parties should also note that the group also have a brand new full length...on Holy Mountain, of course.

Sachiko “With Lament” (Sloow)
Newest batch of Sloow Tapes arrived the other week and lord-y are they ever beautiful--inside and out. First tape up is the newest solo venture by mysterious Japanese underground siren, Sachiko, who I know very little about other than it appears to be a single female who only has a a handful of releases to her name. The first side of the tape are some entrancing siren tracks that utilize voice only. Sweet, short and high-pitch wordless vocals are looped and layered until a whole new dizzying wave is trapped. Once the first wave is looped Sachiko keeps adding more lines to the bobbing waves below. This sucker will set you adrift into an undulating and foggy sea. The siren appears through the mist, drawing you closer. Seriously some of the most beautiful work I’ve ever heard put to tape. Grouper fans rejoice.

Pink Lumionous Invocation “The Pink Sea” (Sloow)
Another great dark jammer from Denmark's Pink Luminous Invocation, who already dropped a bleak beauty on Not Not Fun last year. Those early Sonic Youthisms that pervaded their previous cassette are pretty much gone, replaced by an even doomier atmosphere. Discordant and hazy thumping make way for a slow-mo slug through doom-and-organ-laden psych, which eventually picks up some momentum until the psych-ringing is hammered over yr skull. Eventually the beast runs out of steam until it’s just an ominous hum. The "Pink Sea," despite it's cute title, this is about as dark as doom-drone overlords Robedoor ever get. Very recommended.

Check out both Not Not Fun releases here. (via No Not Fun Not No)



Sepviva Bells “Halloween In The Sea” (Sloow)
Sepviva Bells is a duo comprised of Tara Burke (most famous for her fucked-folk project Fursaxa) and Grant Acker (also of Slurp Dogs). Here we have a disjointed mix of flutes, panicked drumming and a general lo-fi electric folk where the tape sounds as if its about cut out at any moment. Some tracks flit between mega-fuzzed guitar with childish drumming, while others reflect the fractured-folk of Burk's Fursaxa.

Scoop it here. (via microphones in the trees!)








Usputuspud “Disco” (Caligulan)
This unpronounceable (don't bother) is the one-man side project of Matt Rogers, who also swings a mean axe in Wildildlife (check my post about them here). Unlike the straight-up pummel horse that is his main band, Usputuspud is Matt's diversion into experimental ambient waters. "Disco" is, apparently, made up entirely of harmonica samples, though you wouldn't guess that after listening to this. The harmonica has been stretched and warped into murky sweeps of ambient bliss and even into a 4/4 drum machine-like beat, hence the title. The flip is a little headier and has a slightly dubby infection to it, with some parts even reminding me of Blues Control, though I can't help but hear them in a lot of music these days.


Usputuspud “Liturgical Alcoholik” (White Lodge)
The second release in this saga is much more subdued affair and is about an inch away from new age. Ambient lights sway from the left channel to the right, while deep drops of bass burst at the top of a slow-bubbling swamp, creating a serene and otherworldly landscape. It then mellows into a beautiful echo-y synthscape. Incredibly simple, but effective nonetheless.







Oneohtrix Point Never “Ruined Lives” (Young Tapes)


Menacing and dark new age on this amazing space-case label that's run by the same man that also ran the now defunct JK tapes. Chirping bird electronics collide with Ash Ra Tempel "New Age of Earth" via Blade Runner synth workouts. The cascading synth lines on this one spin around enough to make you a lil dizzy. Keep an eye on this label. Great things coming...





Strange Water “Environments” (Arbor)
Speaking of the new new age, over the last year Arbor has been harvesting some amazing soundscapes of midwestern (among other locales) drone/ambient that has been dropping jaws everywhere. Editions of 100-200, usually on cassette, sell out within a week of dropping. A new release by Ducktails, in an edition of 200, was gone within days (try fusetron or DNT for copies). The demand is at an all time high and shows no signs of slowing.
First release up from late last year's final onslaught is courtesy of Strange Water, which is a collab between Dan Dlugosielski (Uneven Universe) and Mike Pollard (Treetops and Arbor head honcho). This is one long droner over 2 sides of tape and features the train-like sax bellows of Dan and the slow encroaching drone concocted by Pollard. Darkness is eventually cleared for a crystalline high end drone that dominates the flip.


10, 000 Things “Crooked On Chrome” (Arbor)
Another collab here, this time between Geoffrey Mullen (of the Rare Youth label) and Scott Reber (aka Work/Death). This is a tougher nut to crack, but works along the same dark ambient lines as the Strange Water release. However, this one's a tad murkier and receives abrupt transmissions of static. Not bad overall.








Outer Space “Perfect Vacuum” (Arbor)
Emeralds side-project alert! This time around it's the usually quieter John Elliott that drops the new age bomb. Much like his main focus in Emeralds, Outer Space consists of deep drones made up entirely on a vintage Korg MS-10. Though this isn't quite as put-on-repeat listenable as Steve Hauschildt cassettes, "Perfect Vacuum" is heavy on imagery. Low frequency drones oscillate under eerie electronic drips, sounding as if yr caught in cave on some distant moon.






Bee Mask “s/t” (Arbor)
Bee Mask has been quietly releasing some excellent tapes on the low-profile Deception Island label, but this is his first for Arbor, who's a great addition to the label. Side A opens with some fried electronics which give way to squelching synth maneuvers before flying into high-pitch synth drones. The flip is all down-the-drain drones accompanied by an eerie jack-in-the-box twinkling, making for an ominous listen.











HNY “Mute In The Dust” (Not Not Fun)
HNY is a member of sonic oddballs Social Junk and this is her first release solo. HNY traverses the same mystic forests as her witchy contemporaries (think Grouper, Inca Ore) but prefers to head out into those forests in the dead of night. "Mute In The Dust" is jammed full of darkly-looped synth and guitar lines which swirl like blackened smoke around her banshee wail. Occasionally her vocals are allowed to travel along on their own and end up in wind tunnel of mirrors. There's also a coupla' cold wave sections that make this listen even icier. This is quite the debut and I ache a little to hear some more.


Tricorn and Queue “Continual Passage” (Stunned)
Warped and bubbly drone with plenty of warmth. Far from the sterile drone-works of other contemporaries, this work is almost crystalline and has a glowing lo-fi edge to it that many drone recordings lack. It's kinda like the Stars of the Lid debut if those bastards hadn’t have been so moody. Shimmering and slightly warbled synths bring a Boards of Canada feel, minus the beatwork, natch. Environmental field recordings swing into the mix with ease, giving these recording an earthy vibe.



Brave Priest “Precious Summers” (Stunned)
On the other end of the Stunned spectrum we have the debut recording by Portland's blazing Brave Priest. This tidy little threesome combine fiery whips of wah, howl at the moon vocals and a rumbling rhythm section which comes flying out the gates in the same way that Residual Echoes used to rock. It's not quite as bombastic and assaultive as Comets On Fire, who were Residual Echoes' big bros, but instead are more on the classic rock end of the spectrum rather than Blue Cheer. The recording here is a little on the lo-fi end of things for a huge-sounding band like this, but I'm sure we can expect some hi-fi recordings to drop soon.

Predator Vision “II” (Abandon Ship)
Continuing along the psych jammer highway, this new-ish cassette by up-and-comers Predator Vision should hold you over until their Not Not Fun split with Sun Araw arrives. Ya'anyways, this C30 features two side long psych workouts that feature the watery, eastern guitar wranglings of Matt Mondalien, who some of you may know as the horribly-named, yet totally awesome, Ducktails. This isn't nearly as pleasant as Ducktails, however, but instead stalks a darker end of the kosmische tropics that co-conspirators Sun Araw tend to habit. That upcoming split on NNF should prove to be an early highlight of '09.

Check out one of those jams here. (via Raven Sings The Blues)




Darwinsbitch “Steel Hum” (Digitalis)
I am at a loss for words on this one. Apparently it's made up of synths, tapes and violins, but I'm at a loss to hear any of those. I guess any Vanouverites who read this will just have to check out her show at Little Mountain on Saturday, February 7th. 8:30pm! Solars and Gregg Kowalsky (ambience from the Kranky label) will also be playing. Presented by Vancouver's up-and-coming promoters, Twee Death.