Speed Guru Solo #1

Band: Kawabata Makoto

Album: Mizu Naranu Ao Ni Sae: Guitar Solo 1

Origin: Japan (Osaka)

Genre: Experimental, Psychedelic Noise/Drone

Year: 1998

Another Kawabata Makoto release (Acid Mothers Temple). This time it's solo, and I think (based on the name and the year it was released) that it's his first solo record. It has only two tracks, both about 17 minutes long and both are improvised pieces of droning psychedelic guitar noise. I found this at Bleak Bliss, a fantastic blog, were you'll find more information on this release. Enjoy!

Kawabata Makoto - Mizu Naranu Ao Ni Sae: Guitar Solo 1

Christmas Gift #1: The Darkness Ahead

Band: The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble

Album: Live - I Forsee The Dark Ahead, If I Stay

Origin: The Netherlands (Utrecht)

Genre: Jazz Noir, Experimental, Electronic, Ambient

Year: 2011

To make up for my absence (again), I'm going to do three days of Christmas gifts. Not that I really care much about the holidays, so regard these gifts as antidotes for the overdose of holiday happiness and everything that comes with it.

If you don't know The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, these are the basics. TDKE was founded by Jason Köhnen (Bong-Ra) and Gideon Kiers (Telcosystems) as a project to compose new music for existing silent movies (Nosferatu, Metropolis,...). It's a jazz band, but far from traditional, throwing in ambient and electronic music (calling it 'Mutant Jazz' themselves).

The band also has an alter ego in the form of The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, which focuses more on improvisation, darker drones and of course jazz.

They offer this live record for free on their bandcamp page, in different formats.You'll find this record to be the perfect counterpoint to the busy days ahead. Enjoy!

"I Forsee the Dark Ahead, If I Stay' is the first TKDE live album. A compilation of 9 live tracks recorded during the period of 2006 to 2011, from shows in The Netherlands, Slovenia, Hungary, Spain and Poland.
The download contains a little album/photo pdf cover for your archive. 

The album is available as free download (in exchange for your email) or a donation of your choice. 

Enjoy the album! x TKDE"

The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Live - I Foresee The Dark Ahead, If I Stay

The bandstand is a sacred place.

Band: Various Artists

Album: Invocation Of Sacred Resonance I

Origin: Various

Genre: Doom, Drone, Experimental, Black Metal, Sludge

Year: 2008

It's been a while, both life and laziness have kept me busy, but I'm back with another promise to be more active. So I start with another Southern Lord sampler. You know the deal by now. Enjoy!

1) Ascend - Ample Fire Within
2) Earth - Rise To Glory
3) Boris - You Were Holding An Umbrella (Live 10/16/07 At Echoplex, LA)
4) Wolves In The Throne Room - Dia Artio
5) Gore - Search & Love
6) Iceburn - Power Of The Lion Pt. 3 (Edit)
7) Pentemple - Pazuzu II
8) Lair Of The Minotaur - Horde Of Undead Vengeance
9) Thou - Chained
10) Lurker Of Chalice - Minions
11) Velvet Cacoon - P.S. Nautical

Various Artists - Invocation Of Sacred Resonance I

God I love Autumn

Band: Various Artists

Album: Paradigms Recordings - Autumn Sampler 2011

Origin: Various

Genre: Electronic, Drone, Noise, Experimental, Black Metal, Jazz, Psychedelic Folk, Metal

Year: 2011

I stumbled upon this free label sampler without ever having heard about the label and only knowing one of the artists, Aidan Baker (Nadja), and I have to say, there is quite some awesome stuff to discover on this compilation. Paradigms describes itself as 'a boutique record label based in London, England specializing in exclusive mailorder editions from the esoteric music underground'.
If you like experimental music, then this is definitely worth checking out. Enjoy!

...To launch this Autumn's carefully curated selection of upcoming releases, we're very pleased to unveil a FREE download sampler compilation today featuring one exclusive track from each of our new and upcoming releases this season...(Label Description)

1) Rashomon - Jigora
2) IXTAR - Amulet
3) Kinit Her - Mosaic Of The Hyacinths
4) Tele.S.Therion with Wilderness Perversion[Mortuary Drape] - Grimoire XIII
5) Aidan Baker - Loop Study Six
6) Owlfood - End Of Distance
7) Yr Iliad - Grow In
8) A Sending Service - Toward It's Ideal
9) Iron Forest - Wintermute
10) Höhlenmusik Ensemble - Xibal
11) The Slaves - Angel
12) Heinali And Matt Finney - Tinderbox

Paradigms Recordings - Autumn Sampler 2011

The Fourth Drone

Band: Ginnungagap

Album: Return To Nothing: Live At The Flux Factory, Queens 10th March 2004

Origin: France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Experimental

Year: 2004

Since Ginnungagap has only four releases, and I already posted three of them (here and here), I thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to post the remaining one.
This time Stephen O'Malley, handling guitar duties, recruited Gerrit Wittmer (Misanthropic Agenda) on computer and Tim Wyskida(Khanate, Jodis) on percussion. As the title says, it's live from the Flux Factory in Queens, New York and it contains two tracks. The first (Return To Nothing) is a 28 minute live piece while the second (Nothing To Return) is a remix by Gerrit Wittmer. Enjoy!

Ginnungagap - Return To Nothing

Precious Sound Fantasies

Band: Various Artists 

Album: Tokyo Flashback 5

Origin: Japan (Tokyo)

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Experimental

Year: 2005

I'm finally back, after exams, hangovers and other distractions. I decided to start with the fifth installment of P.S.F. records' fantastic series of compilations (you can find the previous four here). Enjoy!

"Fresh from the darkest depths of the Tokyo psychedelic underground, another crop of ten of the citys wildest sounds. The fifth volume in the modern psychedelic worlds most reliable compilation of out-of-nowhere urban mind liberation. As ever, Tokyo Flashback brings you some old faces alongside the hottest young gunslingers from the wrong side of the Tokyo tracks. Old favourites this time include White Heaven with a vintage track of live acid cool isolationism, Kyoaku no Intention burning down the barn with themselves inside, and Overhang Party ruminating on contemporary world affairs. Most surprising showing is the first track to be released of Keiji Hainos experimental DJ-ing sessions - full-on and unmistakeable Haino, with little fader action and no scratches. New names to juggle with are the dense and crushing tortured muzz of Aural Fit, hallucinatory analogue noise from the mysterious Kabemimi, dark and melancholic gloom from Suisho no Fune, and the beautiful and fractured late-night textures of Hisato Higuchi. 200% head-spinning action." (Alan Cummings)

1) Aural Fit - Behind 20, Beyond 20K
2) White Heaven - Mandrax Town (Live Version)
3) Kyoaku No Intention - Kyoaku No Blues II
4) Kabe Mimi - Green Pupil
5) Suishou No Fune - Black Phantom
6) D.J. Keiji Haino - 中心よりわずか２cmのところに打ち間違われた「・」
7) Hisato Higuchi - Cluster Of Lights
8) Tsuru No Ko - Mitai
9) Overhang Party - Prayer Of A Fool
10) Marble Sheep - Fla Fla Heaven

VA - Tokyo Flashback 5

Reasonably Miserable

Band: Ginnungagap

Album: 1000% Downer EP

Origin: France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Experimental

Year: 2004

Another Ginnungagap release (more here). As described before, Ginnungagap is Stephen O'Malley's acoustic drone project, and each release features other collaborators. This time he recruited Steve Pittis (drones), Dawn Smithson (vocals) and Fritz Welch (field recordings). This EP contains 2 tracks (both around 9 minutes long) full of brooding drones and haunted vocals. Enjoy!

Ginnungagap - 1000% Downer EP

Do you still seek to know? And what?

Band: Ginnungagap

Album: Remeindre

Origin: France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Experimental

Year: 2004

I can finally post again but it will still be going very slow since I'm very busy studying for my exams. Which doesn't mean that I'm not going to try to resuscitate this blog!

This is the first release in the Latitudes series and for those who don't know Ginnungagap, it's basically Stephen O'Malley's acoustic drone project.
For those who are interested, I've already posted another Ginnungagap release here, and you can read a description of what the Latitudes Series are here.

“Stephen O'Malley was very high on the hit list when the Latitudes series was originally conceived. As both a musician in Sunn O))) and Khanate and the in-house visual artist for Southern Lord, Stephen has been an integral part of the Southern family for years, making his indelible stamp on much of their output, and proving an enthusiastic and committed cohort.

Ginnungagap is the moniker that Stephen uses for all his collaborative improvised projects and previous releases under this name have involved artists diverse as Dawn Smithson (Jessamine) and Stephen Gerrit (Misanthropic Agenda). For this session Stephen enlisted the help of psych/free/folk troubadour Alexander Tucker and fellow traveller Anthony Sylvester.” (Southern Records)

Ginnungagap - Remeindre

Band: Various Artists
Album: For To Listening
Origin: Various
Genre: Metal, Punk, Hard Rock, Experimental, Sludge
Year: 2011

Hydra Head Records have released another free sampler which you can procure in the same way as the last one. It has 11 tracks including a Pyramids remix by Justin Foley (The Austerity Program), Cave In covering Black Sabbath and a booklet with pictures and information in it. Enjoy!

'... our new, free, digital sampler entitled For To Listening. It's got a bunch of jams you probably haven't heard before, and if you have then congratulations.' (Hydra Head)

1) Helms Alee - Elbow Grease
2) Gridlink - Orphan
3) Oxbow - Daughter Bent & Floating
4) Neurosis - Prayer
5) Buzzov•en - Drying Out
6) Discordance Axis - Oratorio In Grey
7) Clouds - Secret Potion
8) Cave In - N.I.B.
9) Gridlink - 3 Miles Below Sea Level
10) Jesu - Annul
11) Pyramids - Monks (Justin Foley Remix)

Various Artists - For To Listening

Suddenly you discover humanity? Convenient...

Band: Sunn O)))

Album: Veils It White EP

Origin: U.S.A. (Los Angeles, California)/France (Paris)

Genre: Drone, Doom, Experimental

Year: 2003

Another edition of Roadburn will start in two days, so I decided to make some Roadburn related posts. I quickly came to the conclusion that I should start with this year's curators, Sunn O))).

This EP(limited to 500 copies) contains one 17 minute track and is mixed by James Plotkin, utilizing material recorded during the sessions for the band's third album (Flight Of The Behemoth). Enjoy!

Sunn O))) - Veils It White

Pending Systematic Failure

Band: Various Artists

Album: Tokyo Flashback 4: P.S.F. Psychedelic Sampler

Origin: Japan (Tokyo)

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Experimental

Year: 1995

I've been listening to a lot of Japanese psychedelic rock lately, so I decided to post the fourth P.S.F. records label sampler. So here are another 12 gems from the japanese psychedelic underground. Enjoy!

1) Keiji Haino - Rudra Vina
2) Broom Dusters - Bungaku Shojo
3) Musica Transonic - Weird
4) Puka-Puka Brains - Kodokuna Guitar Ima Sugu Kaeru
5) Onna Kodomo - Furakoko
6) Shizuka - Yo Ni Nokosu Uta
7) Akiyama-Sugimoto - Hound Dog Blues
8) High Rise - Ikon
9) Kakash - Hadaka De Odoro
10) Construction - Fade Out
11) Psychedelic Crazy Horse - Antagata Dokosa: No Wave
12) Hikyo String Quartet - String Quartet No. 1

Tokyo Flashback 4: P.S.F. Psychedelic Sampler

A quickie...

Band: Oren Ambarchi
Album: Der Kleine König 7"
Origin: Australia (Sydney)
Genre: Noise, Experimental
Year: 2002


A small introduction to the Australian king of the drone guitar. Limited to 500 copies, this is admittedly not his best work ever, but it might still be interesting for fans. It's a bit different from his other works in that it is more noisy guitar mutilations than waves of drones. Enjoy!

Oren Ambarchi - Der Kleine König 7"

People Sounding Freaky

Band: Various Artists

Album: Tokyo Flashback 3: P.S.F. Psychedelic Sampler

Origin: Japan (Tokyo)

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Experimental

Year: 1993

My exams are finally over and I decided to celebrate that with the third volume of P.S.F.'s label samplers. Some of the track titles are in Japanese for which I apologise, but I sadly enough don't know the language and I couldn't find translations for them. Musically it's still the same as the previous two volumes that I posted: a collection of some of the best artists from the Japanese psychedelic underground. Enjoy!

3rd volume of Tokyo Flashback Series! Totally 11 groups perform deep sounds. Include Fushitsusha, White Heaven, Shizuka, Overhang Party, etc. (Label Description)

1) Overhang Party - 発熱
2) White Heaven - Midsummer Stroll
3) Fushitsusha - 気がつきだだした
4) Cobalt - 撫の山々
5) Kumo To Hae - Bottom Of The Night
6) Sweet & Honey - Ritual Of The Sun
7) Ghost - Suspect Tells Of Dog Under The Sun
8) Daiichi-Hakkensha - どうせみんなしぬ
9) Uchu Engine - 証明書
10) Maher Shalal Hash Baz - Tapes [Tuning/Casey Don't You Know How It Makes Me So Damn Crazy-うつ病のくすりーThe Night Of Notins]
11) Shizuka - ほどかれた娥羅子のリボン
  

Tokyo Flashback 3: P.S.F. Psychedelic Sampler

Schwarzer Sabbat Für Dean Martin

Band: Bohren & Der Club Of Gore/Wald

Album: Schwarzer Sabbat Für Dean Martin (Split EP)

Origin: Germany (Mülheim an der Ruhr)

Genre: Jazz Noir, Noise, Metal, Experimental

Year: 1995

My exams are almost over after which I promise to post more often. In the meanwhile some more Bohren & Der Club Of Gore. This is a split EP with Wald. I can't find much information on that artist except that it is a certain Mark Sikora who is a german videoclip director (Midnight Black Earth and Prowler For Bohren) and graphic designer (covers for Napalm death). He has six short tracks ranging from noisy metal outbursts to mesmerizing droning guitar loops. Bohren has only one track (as long as all of Wald's tracks combined), which sounds very different from their later output (mind you, this was only their second release as far as I know). It has more of a metal sound than a jazz vibe to it and it reminds me of Ennio Morricone or latter day Earth mixed with some doom. They seem to have had that very deep bass sound from their beginning though (I just love the contrabass). Enjoy!

Bohren & Der Club Of Gore/Wald - Schwarzer Sabbat Für Dean Martin

Fuck buttons, give me velcro.

Band: Fuck Buttons

Album: Surf Solar 7"

Origin: Great Britain (Bristol)

Genre: Electronic, Experimental, Noise, Drone

Year: 2009

Yet another quick post with a lame title. This one fitting in my plan to expand the music genres available on this blog.
Fuck Buttons are a British band that mix electronic music with a good amount of noise and some droning (partly achieved by manipulating children's toys!). This is the single for their second record, Tarot Sport, containing two tracks. The first one is an edited version of the opening track from Tarot Sport (Surf Solar) featuring a strong beat overpowered by noisy synths (or toys or whatever) and some added sounds. Feels a bit like taking xtc on a construction site (if construction workers played synthesizers that is). The second track (New Crossbow) feels more like slowly coming down, being more ambient and less harsh even though the drums have a strong tribal feeling to it. Enjoy!

Fuck Buttons - Surf Solar 7"

Once is orthodox, twice is puritanical.

Band: Orthodox

Album: Matse Avatar EP

Origin: Spain (Seville, Andalusia)

Genre: Experimental Doom Metal

Year: 2010

I finally found some time to make a post. Orthodox is a spanish doom metal band inspired by folklore and jazz, which makes them quite original, using instruments like stand up bass and trumpet (although not on this EP). I'm too lazy and tired to put much work in to this one so I stole the description from the label. Better and less lazy posts are hopefully ahead. Enjoy!

"... If “Matse Avatar” is a warrior call powered by throbbing bass and circular riffing, evoking both OM and Amon Düll II leading galactic troops on their way to invade planet Earth with a subtle Rush reference thrown in the pot (can you spot it?), its flipside “YHVH” goes the exact opposite way, an almost contemplative instrumental of delicate beauty in pure Earth-style, like the calm before the storm..." (Doomentia Records)

Orthodox - Matse Avatar EP

The Horde Is Coming (Again)!

Band: Khanate

Album: No Joy EP

Origin: U.S.A. (New York City, New York)

Genre: Doom, Drone, Metal, Experimental

Year: 2003

This one is for Darsh, who asked me for some Khanate (I also think that it fits the time of the year). I have actually posted this one before on 99 Miles Of Bad Blogs, back when I was a contributor to that blog. I can still recommend that blog to anyone who likes extreme and heavy music.

Khanate is an extreme doom metal supergroup headed by bassist James Plotkin (O.L.D., Phantomsmasher, ...), guitarist Stephen O'Malley (Sunn O))), Burning Witch, ...), drummer Tim Wyskida (Manbyrd, Blind Idiot God, ...) and vocalist Alan Dubin (O.L.D., Gnaw, ...).

This EP was limited to 2000 copies (300 on red and 1700 on black vinyl) and it contains two tracks. The first one is a remix by James Plotkin of a song from their debut release. The second one is taken from the recording sessions which spawned their next release, Things Viral. Enjoy! 

Khanate - No Joy EP

Doctor Doctor Gimme Gas In My Ass

I went to watch this awesome movie at the film festival in my town two days ago. It's a swedish movie and I can recommend it to anybody who likes music or just a good and funny movie. The directors were both present at the screening for a Q&A and they revealed some extra information: The drummers in it are real drummers, the sounds aren't faked and it's based on a short film they made in 2001 called "Music for one apartment and six drummers"(with the same six drummers). They are also going to release the music and want to do live performances with it. I included some trailers and the short film at the end of this post. Enjoy! (the first trailer does not have subtitles but that isn't really necessary to understand it)

Police officer Amadeus Warnebring was born into a musical family with a long history of famous musicians. But he has always felt a bit left out, since he hates music. Now, Warnebring is about to face his worst case ever. A group of six eccentric drummers, led by revolutionary genius Sanna, has decided to launch a full-scale musical attack using the city – its buildings, its machinery, its ceaseless noise - as their instrument. Their twisted art form leads to chaos and disorder. The city is faced with outlaws of a new breed; music terrorists. Warnebring starts a desperate hunt for the serial musicians. As he realizes that the young woman with whom he has fallen in love is the leader of the group, he is left with no choice: he must enter the world he has spent his entire life fleeing - the frightening world of rhythm and music. In a work which shows remarkable creativity, the filmmakers are keen to betray their huge fascination with the urban environment and with the sounds that surround us. “Sound of Noise“ proves that music really can change people’s lives.

Trailer 1



Trailer 2



Music For One Apartment And Six Drummers

In the meanwhile...

Band: Destructo Swarmbots
Album: The Mountain EP
Origin: U.S.A. (New York City)
Genre: Drone, Noise, Experimental
Year: 2004

I just discovered that my exams will last a few more days extra, so I decided to post something small to chew on while I study some medieval philosophy. I have just discovered this guitar/bass duo and I'm really enjoying this EP. Still, I'm tired and whatnot so I'm taking the lazy route, this is what the label writes about it:

A 3" CD packaged in a standard jewel-case, "The Mountain EP" finds Destructo Swarmbots (Mike Mare and James O'Brien) exploring a more delicate and subtle space than previous releases. The two man guitar and bass team, known for it's abrasive sonic attacks, take their layers of manipulated dissonance and situate them in subtle ambient landscapes. The tracks range from "36 beautiful songs" which plays like an condensed and intensified version of Fripp and Eno's "An Index of Metals." to the somber "saving grace on an 8 hour connection" which finds the group delving into more traditional melodic structures.

Destructo Swarmbots - The Mountain EP

absoluteGO!!!

Yes, it has been a week ago since I announced to post again, but my provider is run by idiots so I couldn't do anything. Now on to the post. This was send to me by GrayChild and he described it like this:
It's just a Dronevil type mixdown of Absolutego and Super Roots 5 I made (because of their similar length and noisy approach). It's not official in any way. 

So if it isn't clear for anyone, he took Absolutego by Boris (which I posted here) and mixed it with Super Roots 5 by Boredoms. This means that this is a slab of ultra noisy and drony destruction. Enjoy!

Boris with Boredoms - absoluteGO!!!