Markus Mehr - In [Hidden Shoal; 2012]

The first release in a triptych to be put out this year by Hidden Shoal records. Each of In’s extended tracks unfold from hypnotic string/synth loops that build in intensity. Blasts of distortion and the occasional rotary effect or horn line keep the music from becoming too predictable. At its best, In comes across as a less beat driven Fuck buttons or an infinitely more hi-fi William Basinski composition.  

Felicia Atkinson - The Owls [Le Bon Accueil; 2012]

Super limited handmade cassette (edition of 50!) from this French/Belgian based artist. The pieces on The Owls have a loose improvisational feel to them as sounds slowly build and unfold organically. On the surface, the compositions appear subdued, even blissful, but underneath there’s a slight sense of unease and dissonance that especially comes through at the end of the title track. For fans of likeminded artists like Emeralds, Roll The Dice, or most releases by Aguirre or Digitalis (with whom she has worked with in the past).

 Nadja - Excision [Important; 2012]

Excision is a collection of previously released and out-of-print vinyl only cuts from these Canadian drone/doomgazers. With the shortest of the 8 tracks clocking in at over 15 minutes, Excision may be seen as an endurance test of sorts to some. However, as the best drone music is capable of, Excision has the ability to skew temporality until its hard to tell whether 5 or 20 minutes as past. Admittedly, I’m not as well immersed in Nadja’s work as I may like, but to my ears this is some of the most effective heavy drone music this side of Birchvill Cat Motel.

Fennesz - On Invisible Pause [Touch; 2012]

Originally recorded as an accompaniment to a modern dance piece, On Invisible Pause was recently made available through Touch Radio as a single 48 minute recording. On Invisible Pause contains all of the digital skewed and manipulated elements we’ve come to expect from Fennesz while showcasing some of the most ethereal and beautiful passages yet in the Austrian’s unparalleled catalogue. The fragments of choral voices around the 31 minute mark a particularly striking.    

Keith Fullerton Whitman - Generators [Editions Mego; 2012]

Discussions surrounding Keith Fullerton Whitman’s music tend to focus on his utilization of highly complex (for me anyways) modular synth apparatuses. Indeed, an examination of his music can often resemble a handbook on sound frequencies and advanced electronic circuitry. Despite how intimidating the technical aspect of his music may seem, I’m always blown away by how engaging and well…”musical” his music actually is. The first track was aptly performed as part of a tribute performance for Eliane Radigue and includes deep drones and hypnotic high-frequency synth sequences. The flip side proves to be the more challenging of the two, with sparse, ear-piecing tones and noise elements patched together in an unpredictable and exhilirating fashion. Taken together, you’re unlikely to hear experimental electronic music that is as strange and affecting as this.      

5)

Jana Winderen - Debris [Touch; 2012]

The Norweigian sound artist returns for the latest on Touch’s limited white label series. Debris consists of two side long pieces orginally designed as sound installations and retains the qualities that have made her previous releases so engrossing. Primarily, Winderen’s works are comprised of field recordings taken from (sub)aquatic sources and possess a mysterious and cavernous quality that is more akin to something in a Dark Ambient vein. A prime example of the engaging and emotive qualities that can be acheived with raw field recordings.

4)

Ssaliva - RZA [Vlek Records; 2012]

Ssaliva is one of the monikers of Belgian artist François Boulanger and RZA is his second official release and first for Vlek records. With its warbly tape-loops, cheeseball synths, and hazy lo-fi production RZA initially comes across as a slightly more fun version of Hype Williams. Songs like the title track and the excellent “Savaan” make Ssaliva standout however, and RZA will likely prove to be the Hyp-Hop album to beat this year (and there’s bound to be a few). It’s a sizzler, and I’m sure I’ll come to appreciate it more the more I listen to it.

3)

Oren Ambarchi - Audience Of One [Touch; 2012]

Certainly the most surprising release so far this year for me, Audience Of One finds Ambarchi exploring vastly new territory. Five years ago if you would have told me that the opening track on Ambarchi’s follow-up to In The Pendulum’s Embrace wouldsound like Bon Iver, I would have called you a liar and punched both you and me in the chest before running and screaming into traffic. It kind of does though. The 30+ minute center-piece “Knots” however, finds Ambarchi in his more usual mode with belly rumbling low frequencies, freaked-out improvsational excursions, and experimental textures and soundscapes. The album finishes though with pastoral piano and guitar passages with an almost Album Leaf-esque (almost) tone to it. Interesting.

2)

Starving Weirdos - Land Lines [Amish Records; 2012]

Mystical, freeeform, tripped-out-ball-jams from this Northern California unit. While I certainly have an appreciation for the style, this form of psychadelic music rarely hits the mark for me as much as Land Lines did. Indeed, many of the conventions employed here by the Weirdos (sitar jams, Eastern hand-drumming patterns) can often com across as campy or pastichey if in the wrong hands. Thankfully, the best moments on Land Lines including album highlight “Captured” the effects are rather transcendental and shit.

1)

Nova Scotian Arms - Cult Spectrum [Digitalis; 2012]

I’m a sucker for most of the new releases on the Digitalis label and the latest from Nova Scotian Arms is no exception. Nova Scotian Arms is actually the moniker of Grant Evans, one half of Quiet Evenings and spouse to Motion Sickness of Time Travel’s Rachel Evans. Cult Spectrum’s airy and expansive soundscapes delve through various moods from soothing to unnerving and are too fully engaging to be termed pure Ambient music. Immediately, the sounds remind me of the awe-inspiring, and isolating nature of a northern landscape. Quality stuff.

sombrereptiles:

Hm, well it would appear that this is my 200th post. So for something a little different, here’s not a track from someone else, but a recording of the set I played almost exactly 3 years ago at the release party we had for my buddy Josh’s Magneticring LP I put out. This is the whole set… unedited, so it’s a bit rough sounding but whatever. Enjoy.

5)

Nord - LSD [PCP; 2012]

Big up to Listen Records (http://listenrecords.net/2012/01/26/news-letter-521-ick/) for turning me onto this one. Orginally released in 1984, LSD showcases Hiroshi Oikawa’s dark, menacing, yet hypnotizing synth loops and drones with unrelenting, almost Industrial rhythmic patterns. Perfect Sunday afternoon music!

4)

Ilyas Ahmed - With Endless Fire [Immune; 2012]

Newest Psych-Folk excursion from Pakistan-born, Portlandia resident Ilyas Ahmed. On With Endless Fire, Ahmed continues his trajectory towards a fuller, more clear sound with slightly more emphasis on electric rather than acoustic guitars (while there is still a major presence of the latter, don’t get me wrong). Still highly effective, but I’m starting to miss the murkiness of his earliest releases. Check out Natural Snow Buildings and their offshoots Twinsistermoon and Isengrind if you like this.

3)

Expo 70 - Journey Through Astral Projection [Immune; 2012]

I don’t know if it’s his instrumentation, recording methods, song structure, album art, or a combination of all the things I just talked about that give Justin Wright’s Expo 70 project an air of authenticity when compared to some of his kosmiche revivalin’ cohorts. Simply put, JTAP is a prime example of the German form of psychedelic music without coming across as dated or pastichey. Totally ballin’.

2)

Kane Ikin - Contrail [12K; 2012]

Excellent and concise set of ambient soundcapes from one half of Solo Andata. The drifting textures and harmonies are coalesced with subtle metallic clangs, abstract percussion, and hints of field recordings lending the music a quality that is so organic it sounds like it was recorded out of thin air. Can’t wait to hear a full album.

1)

Karen Dalton - 1966 [Delmore; 2012]

With only two official studio albums and rare live performances, Karen Dalton was a relatively obscure figure in the American folk scene of the 1960’s. As these raw demo recordings from 1966 demonstrate, however, Dalton possessed a unique, almost otherworldly voice that can certainly be ranked among the best. Indeed, she deserves to be remembered as more than someone who Bob Dylan saw in a club and thought was pretty sweet.     

Despite the fact that January isn’t even over yet, there’s already been a slew of great releases in 2012. Here’s my first Top 5 Albums Of The Week post with surprisingly no filler: 

5)

Porter Ricks - Biokinetics [Type; 2012]

Thankfully, Type has reissued another Thomas Koner related work following his triptych of Dark Ambient albums they put out a couple of years ago. Originally released in 1996 by Basic Channel’s Chain Reaction imprint, Biokinetics is one of the most definitive examples of Dub Techno ever laid down. Nihilism has never made me want to rave so hard.  

4)

Jason Urick - I Love You [Thrill Jockey; 2012]

Beautiful globs of electronic/kosmiche pieces courtesy of Portland’s Jason Urick. Opening with the excellent title track, the album provides many great hypnotic New Age vibes that are both aquatic and cosmic like an alien octopus. While it may not equal the best work of contemporaries Oneohtrix Point Never or Emeralds, comparisions are certainly apt.

3)

The Boats - Ballads Of The Research Department [12k; 2012]

Released on Taylor Deupree’s 12k imprint, BOTRD is, in my mind, The Boat’s best release to date. The trio of Andrew Hargreaves, Craig Tattersall, and Danny Norbury cover a lot of ground over these four extended pieces ranging from ethereal drones, soft electropop, pastoral ambience, and of course, plenty of Norbury’s gorgeous string-work. Pretty, pretty.

2)

The Caretaker - Patience (After Sebald) [History Always Favours The Winners; 2012]

Surprise! Another quality work from James Kirby’s Caretaker project. This time around, Kirby uses Franz Schubert’s Winterreise as source material to compose a soundtrack to a documentary about German writer and swell dude, WG Sebald. Here, the noise and static of Kirby’s source material again plays predominant role, creating a dense winter-like haze obscurring the delicate piano and vocal samples. Perhaps not as consistently terrifying as some of his other work, Patience (After Sebald) is still as engrossing as some of Kirby’s best.

1)

Celer - An Immensity Merely To Save A Life [Self-Relased; 2012]

With a group as prolific as Celer who specialize and Ambient/Droney soundcapes it’s easy to dismiss each release as “good, but more of the same”. I came into this album with such expectations, but was happily surprised. Not that AIMTSAL is a radically departure or anything, but it certainly struck me as being one of Celer’s best, if not THEE best release to date. Still present are the sparse and drifting swells of ambience, but here they are presented with such purpose and force that it is impossible not to stay engaged through the two sidelong pieces. Dare I say, the second piece “Gusts Of Hysterical Petulance” even rivals some of Wiliiam Basinski’s work. Bip bap.  

First off, the only reason I started one of these blogs [blergs] was so that I can bring my computer with me to Mcdonalds and make it look like I’m working on something important while I eat, like, 4 cheeseburgers. Furthermore, this is a blog about music, and specifically music I find enjoyable. I don’t expect anyone to read paragraphs nowadays, so it will consist mostly of lists such as of the Top 5 Albums of the Week or Top 5 Albums To Listen To Whilst Climbing A Fence or something. I’ll decide. My hope is that you will discover something new that you will enjoy, or better yet, discover something you think is brutal and you can make fun of me about it. Speaking of things like lists, here’s a little something I took the trouble of copying and pasting from my Facebook:

TOP ALBUMS OF 2011 

Mainly because I felt like it, I’ve expanded my year end list to include 100 albums instead of the standard 50 that I‘ve done in the past. I have be fortunate enough to listen to an enormous (and sometimes overwhelming) amount of material this year, and looking back, it was these 100 albums that truly stood out and helped defined the year in music for me personally.

The relatively novel concepts of “Hypnagogic Pop”, and more recently, “Retromania” continue to dominate the underground landscape. Whether it’s through technique, instrumentation or just a general conceptual framework, artists like James Ferraro, Leyland Kirby, and Oneohtrix Point Never explore notions of nostalgia, half-forgotten memories, and dream-states, making some of the most intriguing music out there right now. Indeed, this year saw a crop of new labels such as Spectrum Spools and 100% Silk releasing material in a similar vein (with an emphasis on analogue synth based music and retro Dance/Techno respectively).

Elsewhere, it was a very exciting year for Hip-Hop with the establishment of many new up-and-coming rappers and producers. Though the Odd Future crew led by Tyler the Creator received the most media attention, it was albums by the likes of ASAP Rocky, Danny Brown, Main Attrakionz, and the ever-prolific Lil B that stood out, with ASAP’s track “Brand New Guys” blowing everything else out of the water. Present in almost all of these albums too were beats courtesy of Clams Casino who also released his own EP and collection of instrumental tracks as well. He’s definitely a producer to watch in 2012.

Thanks in part to the Planet Mu label in the UK and their Bangs and Works compilations, the Chicago footwork scene continued to garner international attention this year, with DJ Rashad producing the best of the genre in my opinion. Other dance-oriented genres including Bubbling and Skweee also saw notable releases this year (Anti-G and the Museum of Future Sound vol. 3 compilation in particular).

It was also a very important year for Noise music as well with artists both new and established transcending many of the genres potential pitfalls. Of note were releases by the likes of Pete Swanson and Driphouse who incorporated dance beats into more Noise related textures. Also, artists including Cindytalk, Sean McCann, and Bee Mask demonstrated that seemingly more abrasive timbres and abstract instrumentation can be quite emotive and beautiful.

But enough babbling. Here is the list:

100. Dustin O’Halloran - Lumiere [Fat Cat]
99. Ezekiel Honig - Folding In On Itself [Type]
98. Wolves In The Throne Room - Celestial Lineage [Southern Lord]
97. Psychic Reality - Vibrant New Age [Not Not Fun]
96. Tropic Of Cancer - The End Of All Things [Downwards]
95. Ellen Fullman - Through Glass Panes [Important Records]
94. Pedro Magina - Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five [ Not Not Fun]
93. Mike Shiflet - Sufferers [Type]
92. Pete Swanson - Man With Potential [Type]
91. Stephan Mathieu - A Static Place [12K]
90. Archers By The Sea - Paper Light [Bumtapes]
89. AGF & Craig Armstrong - Orlando [AGF Producktion]
88. Bruce Hart - Music For Drawing [Not Not Fun]87. Red Horse - Red Horse [Type]
86. Lil B - I’m Gay (I’m Happy) [BasedWorld]
85. Alvarius B - Baroque Primitiva [Abduction]
84. Sven Kacirek - The Kenya Sessions [Pingipung]
83. Omar Souleyman - Haflat Gharbia: The Western Concerts [Sublime Frequencies]
82. Shannon And The Clams - Sleep Talk [1-2-3-4 GO! Records]
81. Applehead - Applehead de Applehead [Pre-Cert Home Entertainment]
80. Alberich - Psychology of Love [Hospital Productions]
79. Monster Rally - Coral [Gold Robot Records]
78. Liturgy - Aesthetica [Thrill Jockey]
77. Julian Lynch - Terra [Underwater Peoples Records]
76. James Blake - James Blake [Atlas Recordings]
75. Laurel Halo - Hour Logic EP [Hippos In Tanks]
74. Madlib - Medicine Show No. 11: Low Budget High Fi Music [Now Again Records]
73. Rustie - Glass Swords [Warp]
72. Heatsick - Intersex [PAN]
71. Johann Johansson - The Miner’s Hymns [Fat Cat]
70. Nicolas Jaar - Space Is Only Noise [Circus Company]
69. Bee Mask - Elegy For Beach Friday [Spectrum Spools]
68. The Men - Leave Home [Sacred Bones Records]
67. Part Wild Horses Mane On Both Sides - Low Fired Clay Escape [Carnivals]
66. BJ Nilsen & Stilluppsteypa - Big Shadow Montana [The Helen Scarsdale Agency]
65. Corrupted - Garten Der Unbewusstheit [Nostalgia Blackrain]
64. Danny Brown - XXX [Fool’s Gold Records]
63. Peter Broderick - Music For Confluence [Erased Tapes]
62. A Winged Victory For The Sullen - A Winged Victory For The Sullen [Kranky]
61. Sunn O)) Meets Nurse With Wound - The Iron Soul Of Nothing [Ideologic Organ]
60. Austin Peralta - Endless Planets [Brainfeeder]
59. Anworth Kirk - Avonwaith [Pre-Cert Home Entertainment]
58. Sanso-Xtro - Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain [Digitalis]
57. Africa Hitech - 93 Million Miles [Warp]
56. Max Richter - Perfect Sense OST [Metropolis Movie Music Ltd.]
55. Jim O’Rourke and Christoph Heeman - Plastic Palace People vol. 2 [Streamline]
54. Nettle - El Resplandor: The Shining In Dubai [Sub Rosa]
53. Nico Muhly - Seeing Is Believing [Decca]
52. Ectoplasm Girls - TxN [Ideal]
51. Thomas Ankersmit/Valerio Tricoli - Forma II [PAN]
50. Jenny Hval - Viscera [Rune Grammofon]
49. Ben Frost & Daniel Bjarnason - Solaris [Bedroom Community]
48. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up [Sub Pop]
47. Motion Sickness Of Time Travel - Luminaries & Synastry [Digitalis]
46. Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place [Asthmatic Kitty]
45. Zomby - Dedication [4AD]
44. Helm - Cryptography [Alter]
43. Hieroglyphic Being - Le Jardin Des Chemins Bifurquants [audioMER]
42. Evan Caminiti - When California Falls Into The Sea [Handmade Birds]
41. Emuul - The Drawing Of The Line [Digitalis]
40. Deaf Center - Owl Splinters [Type]
39. Stephen Molyneux - Cambodian Field Recordings [No Kings]
38. Hype Williams - One Nation [Hippos In Tanks]
37. Anti-G - Anti-G Presents Kentje’sz Beatsz [Planet Mu]
36. Call Back The Giants - The Rising [Kye]
35. Belong - Common Era [Kranky]
34. DJ Rashad - Just A Taste: Vol. 1 [Ghettophiles]
33. Keiji Haino/Jim O’Rourke/Oren Ambarchi - In A Flash Everything Comes Together As One [Black Truffle]
32. John Chantler - The Luminous Ground [Room 40]
31. Julia Holter - Tragedy [Leaving Records]
30. Fennesz & Ryuichi Sakamoto - Flumina [Touch]
29. William Fowler Collins - The Resurrection Unseen [Type]
28. Roll The Dice - In Dust [The Leaf Label]
27. Rene Hell - The Terminal Symphony [Type]
26. Imaginary Softwoods - The Path of Spectrolite [Amethyst Sunset]
25. Andrew Chalk -アンドリューチョーク (Violin By Night) [Faraway Press]
24. Fabric - A Sort Of Radiance [Spectrum Spools]
23. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges [Constellation]
22. Leyland Kirby - Eager To Tear Apart The Stars [History Always Favours The Winners]
21. ASAP Rocky - LiveLoveA$AP [Self-Released]
20. Loren Connors - Red Mars [Family Vineyard]
19. Clams Casino - Instrumentals [Type]
18. Barn Owl - Lost In The Glare [Thrill Jockey]
17. Cindytalk - Hold Everything Dear [Editions Mego]
16. Tim Hecker - Ravedeath, 1972 [Kranky]
15. Jon Porras - Undercurrent [Root Strata]
14. Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica [Software/V2]
13. Andy Stott - We Stay Together [Modern Love]
12. Chris Watson - El Tren Fantasma [Touch]
11. John Maus - We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves [Upset The Rhythm]
10. Natural Snow Buildings - Waves Of The Random Sea [Blackest Rainbow]
09. James Ferraro - Far Side Virtual [Hippos In Tanks]
08. Peter Evans Quintet - Ghosts [More Is More Records]
07. Leyland Kirby - Intrigue & Stuff Vol. 1-3 [History Always Favours The Winners]
06. Dirty Beaches - Badlands [Zoo Music]
05. The Caretaker - An Empty Bliss Beyond This World [History Always Favours The Winners]
04. Grouper - A I A: Alien Observer/Dream Loss [Yellowelectric]
03. Lee Noble - No Becoming [Sweat Lodge Guru]
02. Chubby Wolf - Turkey Decoy [Digitalis]
01. Sean McCann - The Capital [Aguirre]