Limited edition of 500 copies vinyl release containing two tracks, “One Bird” 21.37 minutes, respectively “Two Bird” 13.38 minutes, this is the result of the clash of three twisted minded titans of experimental music in a studio session in Tokyo in 2009.
Masami Akita knowned of course as Merbow since 1979 has released over 350 recordings. Mats Olof Gustafsson is probably best knowned lately mainly by the trio called The Thing, but he first came to the attention of lovers of improvised music as part of a duo with Christian Munthe, started in 1986 and the band Gush, started in 1988. He has later played widely with musicians such as Peter Brötzmann, Joe McPhee, Paul Lovens, Barry Guy, Yoshimi P-We, Derek Bailey, Magnus Broo, Otomo Yoshihide, Jim O’Rourke, Thomas Lehn, Evan Parker, Misha Mengelberg, Zu, The Ex, Sonic Youth, Hamid Drake, Michael Zerang, Ken Vandermark and many others. O’Rourke Read more Masami Akita, Mats Gustafsson and Jim O’Rourke – One Bird Two Bird (2011)
experimental
Red Snapper – Key (2011)
This is absolutely bloody ass kicking! And I mean it. Don’t judge a book by its cover and a CD by its label. In this particular case the label was “hip hop” and well, maybe there’s some hip hop left-overs in it, but this have nothing to do with what usually we thought of hip hop. This is jazz, modern, alive, pulsing, experimental jazz without being kind of exclusivist, it’s avantgardist without being abstract, in not so many words: this is fucking music! Well, if we trying hard enough we may find some parallels with US3, eventually with the Fun Lovin’ Criminals, but still. If there some other band which reminds me of , perhaps that would be Morphine. Honestly I don’t know where I kept or what I did with my ears in the last few years, but I stumbled into Red Snappers only yesterday while it seems they being around since 1994. But I can take off “Key” from the player since. Read more Red Snapper – Key (2011)
Aidan Baker – Lost In The Rat Maze (2011)
Aidan Baker is a Canadian musician and writer alternately based in Toronto & Berlin. He performs as a solo artist and with several groups: Nadja, Whisper Room and Arc. A classically trained multi-instrumentalist, his primary instrument is the electric guitar with which he creates music ranging from experimental/drone to ambient post-rock and contemporary classical. He has released numerous albums on labels from around the world & has authored several books of prose/poetry. Read more Aidan Baker – Lost In The Rat Maze (2011)
Rolo Tomassi – Eternal Youth (2011)
A friend of mine from London bring to my attention this band from Sheffield, England, in 2009 and their debut album entitled “Hysterics” released one year earlier blow off my mind. Define as “progressive hardcore”, labeled as jazzcore, mathcore or simply progressive rock, Rolo Tomassi delivering a fresh and powerful mixture of hardcore, punk, post metal and avant-garde jazz which is quite innovative and brilliant.
The band was formed in 2005 and immediately began to perform at local venues and pubs to small crowds and released some of their first material, a “3 Track Demo” CD, respectively “4 Track Cassette” which they could sell at the shows they were performing at.
After a split EP with Mirror! Mirror! (limited to 333 copies and released through Speedowax) the band signed to Holy Roar Records and released a self-titled EP featuring re-recorded songs from previous demos and EPs along with new songs. Read more Rolo Tomassi – Eternal Youth (2011)
Garage A Trois – Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil (2011)
Garage A Trois was originally a trio founded in 1998 during the recording of Stanton Moore’s debut album “All Kooked Out!” by Moore, eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter, and Skerik. The project grown to a quartet, the actual line-up including Stanton Moore (drums), Skerik (saxophone), Mike Dillon (vibraphone and percussionist) and keyboardist Marco Benevento. They play a variety of music including rock, funk and jazz. I stumble into this band a few years ago searching on YouTube for versions of the song by Hendrix “If 6 was 9”. Charlie Hunter it’s a killer guitar player and Moore is a color and powerful drummer, Skerik knows to blow his saxophone, so, Garage A Trois was an exciting discovery. Most widely known as a founding member of Galactic, Moore has also Read more Garage A Trois – Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil (2011)
Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact (2011)
This is the fifth album by Gang Gang Dance and their continue the trip into the experimental electronic and worldbeat area of the music. They gained a kind of cult status in the New York underground and which finally push them into the mainstream attention. They blending electronic and post rock, psychedelic music into something strange and mysterious music with exotic perfume. Last year the band received publishing royalties from British group Florence and the Machine. Members of Gang Gang Dance noticed that part of “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” was lifted from their song “House Jam” from they 2008 album “Saint Dymphna” and approached Florence and the Machine’s label who acknowledged that “infringement had occurred”.
After releasing all their earlier records with Brooklyn label The Social Registry, in 2010 Gang Gang Dance signed with UK label 4AD and “Eye Contact” is the group’s second album after stepping out from the underground. Read more Gang Gang Dance – Eye Contact (2011)
Deftones – Covers (2011)
To commemorate “Record Store Day“, Deftones released a special edition “Covers” album. This LP is a collection of classic Deftones’ cover tracks, pressed together on limited edition vinyl for the first time ever and only 3K of these will be available. Deftones play songs by artists like The Cure, Japan, Drive Like Jehu, The Cars, The Smiths, Lynryd Skynrd, Duran Duran. I like covers, actually I collect them and sometimes I find real pearls, interesting reinterpretations or new, unexpected dimension of some more or less classic tracks. To play one on one somebody else’s song, make no sense. It’s actually not the first time when Deftones delight us with covers,their “B Sides & Rarities” – Released in 2005 – compilation included cover songs from their favorite artists, ranging from metal, hard rock (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and post-hardcore (Helmet and Jawbox), to gothic rock, art rock and new wave (Duran Duran, Cocteau Twins and The Cure), so, they always have a “colored” taste, and this vinyl is colored and contrasting as well. Read more Deftones – Covers (2011)
Acid Mothers Temple and The Melting Paraiso UFO – Pink Lady Lemonade – You’re From Inner Space (2011)
It’s almost kinky to write and record a 32 minutes long song these days. And actually it’s a nice track, the mix is what bothering me. The slide guitar is much too loud and covers almost completely the solo guitars and the bass. And it’s pity, they done beautiful things if you listen careful enough. But if you have to focus hard, all the pleasure of the listening goes out on the window. Still, “Part 1” from “Pink Lady Lemonade – Youre From Inner Space” it’s kind of chill, joyful, warm and embracing. A nice trip with beautiful images made of sounds running before our eyes. “Part 2” break in like a noisy explosion, it’s a crazy mixture of improvisations on psychedelic, noise rock and jazz like samples. It last only five minutes, but it’s heavy. “Part 3” comes back with the spacy theme of “Part 1”, the mix is much convincing, the pulse is a little bit faster and the song got a pleasant groove. 10 minutes of shades and bubbling sounds which brings me the image of a blooming flower. Well, kind of hippy. 🙂 Read more Acid Mothers Temple and The Melting Paraiso UFO – Pink Lady Lemonade – You’re From Inner Space (2011)
Somnolent – Renaissance Unraveling (2011)
Somnolent formed in 2006, positioning itself as a funeral doom metal band. Having time for four years to perform at many festivals in the cities of Ukraine and Russia, and issuing a few releases in this vein, including full-length album “Monochromes Philosophy” in 2008 on the label Solitude Production. The band changed their style in the direction of post metal, progressive, sludge, while continuing to experiment. In 2011 they released their second full-length album, this “Renaissance Unraveling” through Slow Burn Records.
This is a dark and gloomy material, preserving the mood and trademarks of the debut album, but including some interesting colors from sludge and heavy explosions of modern metal riffings, some technical death metal elements and interesting breaks and shiftings from different tempos and moods. Read more Somnolent – Renaissance Unraveling (2011)
Last Chance To Reason – Level 2 (2011)
If you like bands as The Dillinger Escape Plan and Between the Buried and Me, it worth to give a try also to this Last Chance To Reason, you will have a very nice surprise. They are from Augusta, Maine, and their debut album, “Level 1”, was released through Tribunal Records in 2007. Their debut album heavily references video games, especially to “Super Metroid” and in the title of their album ‘Lvl. 1’, and song titles such as ‘Escape From Brinstar’, ‘Kraid Ain’t Got Shit On Me’ and ‘Destroy Mother Brain’ they refer to the game.
“Level 2” is a new take on both the concept album and the video game. The current line-up consist of Michael Lessard – vocals, A J Harvey – guitar, vocals, Thomas Waterhouse – guitar, Chris Corey – bass, vocals, Brian Palmer – keyboards , synth and drummer Evan Sammons. Read more Last Chance To Reason – Level 2 (2011)
