Thursday, January 31, 2013

Fluorescent Heights - Tidal Motions (PURR 0021)



healing waves of sound for the inherent crests and troughs of life.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


 When the temperature precipitously declines, it may affect one's mood.  It was warm seven hours ago, but now the surrounding area has been pervaded by a maelstrom of wind and precipitation.  In times like these, I turn to my eternal guide: music.  And, if you require an infusion of vitality, then I suggest that you check out the healing sounds of Tidal Motions, by Fluorescent Heights on Constellation Tatsu.  Tidal Motions is brimming with positive energy - nicely symbolized by the beautiful artwork - which is communicated by well-structured tracks of placid synth.

The tape commences with gauzy, azure waves that meander serenely.  As the first track matures, dreamy synth moves tortuously, finding a middle ground between the crest and trough.  A spacious atmosphere exists  in the second track, where voluminous tones beget tranquility.  Along with being well-structured, the textures of sound employed by Fluorescent Heights make the beauty of this tape palpable to the discerning ear.  This is the type of music that you will play on repeat throughout the day.  The third track has a different energy than the others.  It kind of reminds me of the mood created by J D Emmanuel on Wizards.  This track is a slow-burn of languid synth that changes subtly, engendering new waves of sound that drift easily in the nascent energy of the day.  The fourth track is more poignant, yet no less alluring.  It contains the same beautiful elements of the other tracks; yet, it is more restrained and introspective.  The last track is an aural dream, a celebration of sound - perhaps the most soothing on the tape.  In this track, billowing waves of morphing azure synth inflect and glisten in the light - healing energy.

The January batch of Constellation Tatsu is replete with ambient and new age zoners.  The GREYGHOST tape is excellent!  If you are interested in securing a copy of Tidal Motions, then purchase directly through Constellation Tatsu. More so, go for the entire batch!  It contains four awesome tapes and a VHS for an extremely reasonable price.

peace and love, friends :)
                     

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Jake Blanchard - Archaic Practices (FCR13)



tones, drones 'n trichomes!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


For such a special release, only the finest indica would suffice.  The new year is only a few weeks old.  Yet,  Ulrich Rois - proprietor of Feathered Coyote Records and member of the awesome Bird People - has impacted my dome like few others.  The overwhelming beauty of Archaic Practices, from renowned visual artist, Jake Blanchard, was somewhat unexpected, in that I was unaware that he also makes music. If you dig Blackest Rainbow, then you have likely been mesmerized by Jake's art.  Personally, his artwork for the Effigy 2lp from Pelt was a highlight from 2012.  The visceral nature of the music on this tape, combined with ubiquitous ritualistic vibes sees Archaic Practices glisten in the present moment. Concurrently hypnotic, mysterious, foreboding, alluring and disquieting, Archaic Practices is comprised of expansive ritualistic drone and percussion that negotiates a path through the hazy atmosphere.  In the evening, Archaic Practices provides the perfect soundtrack - it makes me feel alive.

It immediately arrives in waves of mesmerizing energy; an offering of a multitude of sounds, the coalescence of sonic elements that bludgeon the listener.  The second track is an introspective zoner of solitary percussive tones swirling ominously among sporadic eerie tones.  The gorgeous percussion juxtaposed to the waves of sonic energy remind me of the otherworldly beauty of Affenstunde.  The flip starts off with disquieting vibrations.  One does not know that which will happen next.  Metallic drone and percussion gradually become more intense, turning into a cacophonous mass of reverberating energy.  Before long, however, it drifts ominously among the percussion.  The last track of the tape diverges from the others.  The mood is more ethereal than foreboding or mysterious.  In the beginning, dubious tones conceal their beauty in a shroud; the atmosphere gradually eases, becoming lighter.  This track possesses a pastoral radiance of ascending and profuse tones that are juxtaposed to a buzzing drone.  Toward the end, unrestrained, buoyant tones fray, producing an environment that would feel at home on Touch Records.

Feathered Coyote is quickly becoming one of my favorite labels.  I highly recommend purchasing a copy of Archaic Practices.  This tape will be something that I fondly remember at the end of 2013 - even though it was released in December 2012.  One of the most pleasing aspects of this tape is Jake's trippy artwork, screen-printed on card stock by Ross Lovelock.  Produced in a limited edition of 100 home-dubbed cassettes, one may purchase directly from Feathered Coyote.

peace and love, friends :)
                    

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Roman Wolfe - Ylem (905.165)




nocturnal emanations for an interstellar weigh station.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


If you find yourself drifting between the stars, then Ylem - by Roman Wolfe on 905 Tapes - will guide you to  the space sanctuary.  Certainly, this is music for the sonic seeker.  Prior to setting my mind alight with these mysterious, highly alluring tracks, I was intrigued by the accompanying photo.  The image is of a woman in ceremonial attire accepting the hand of another person.  Meanwhile, a masked person in a uniform, and what appears to be an eye, lurk in the background.  Fourth amendment vibes are diffused throughout this nebulous environment, comprised of copious layers of mysterious, futuristic sounding synth.  

The A side starts with contiguous layers of synth, one of which is mysterious, yet beautiful in a Popol Vuh kind of way; the other part contains pulsating tones.  Various transmissions manifest from the periphery, until ritualistic, reverberating tones move to the fore.  However, soon the listener enters a brooding zone of pernicious sounds and submerged, scrambled vocals.  I really dig the arrangement of sound.  The flip literally feels like the other side, as it has a different character from its sonic mate.  Ominous, buzzing synth climbs the celestial staircase, glistening in the light of nearby stars.  Light, incipient beats join the eerie vibrations, which almost immediately coalesce with glowing waves of energetic synth - a wild synth jam!
            
Ylem is apparently the second release from this wonderful artist, for whom there is a dearth of information.  Do not allow the absence of a soundclip to dissuade you from investigating and purchasing this fine tape.  The Discriminate page allows you to sample the goods - secure you copy through either 905 or Discriminate!

peace and love, friends :)

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Al Doum & The Faryds - Positive Force (JDR002/BS002)









medicine to pacify your ills and fuel the ascent - crystals of love.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


Prior to dropping the needle, an incipient, positive energy was palpable.  The inscription on the insert, regarding the positive force, was an invitation to immerse oneself.  The stunning artwork and design was a harbinger to a cosmic journey which would soon fill the room with hypnotic tribal percussion; reverberating sax; enveloping flute; diverse fretwork; heady bass; and spoken vocals.  Everything was lined up for a great psych experience.  Six tracks later, my head glowing intensely from the trip, I discovered that Positive Force is more than a psych album - it is a sonic journey.  There is a distilled wisdom that this six-piece disseminates, and if handled with care by listener, it manifests as sonic enlightenment.  Positive Force, by Al Doum & The Faryds - a co-release by Julia Dream Recordings and Black Sweat Records, is a compendium of psych rock, Krautrock, jazz, fusion, and eastern/African influences among others.  An album so mesmerizing deserves to be played on repeat.

The album commences with the mystical vibrations of 'Sinai', one of the more impressive tracks I have heard in a while.  The band lay down an edifying groove of heady bass and tribal rhythms that immediately alters the trajectory of the mind.  Almost immediately, waves of sax and alluring guitar alternate.  Soon, they reach full jam mode as the charged tones of the guitar and fervent sax coalesce in search of the zenith.  From this point, they peer inward, as the ritualistic zoner, 'Earth', unleashes an entrancing mix of sparse guitar, bass, percussion and spoken vocals.  Nothing quite prepared me for the lovely 'Rahjan Creek',  a pastoral, hazy raga-like zoner.  The trip re-commences on the flip with the appropriately titled jam, 'Ship of Joy'.  Beautiful percussion and a lively bass line create a foundation, over which hazy chants, languid guitar and sax hover peacefully.  The next track, 'Lava' is similar in spirit, though different from the stellar 'Rahjan Creek', as waves of percussion and horns pervade your head.  This leads to 'Thirst', which manifests like the dawn of the sun.  It has an energy unlike anything else on this journey.  The healing six-string reverberations, solitary bass line, and wave-like flute infuse the soul with light from the embryonic sun.

This lp is one from the highest of top shelves, and another prodigious statement from Julia Dream Recordings.   Released in 2012, this blazing hash rocket is something that I would add to Tasty Trichomes.  For denizens of the US and Canada, purchase your copy through Julia Dream.  Also, one may purchase a copy of Positive Force here.

peace and love, friends :)
                                

Monday, January 21, 2013

Innercity - A Minor Prince (Sloow)



gazing at the star of Innercity through the kaleidoscope of Sloow.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


The conjurer of copious tangential states of being and levels of awareness promulgates the total mind trip.  A Minor Prince, from Innercity on Sloow, is a variegated nug to say the least. Illuminated in the light - the crystals glistening - it manifests as a labyrinth of lo-fi synth/electronics trips.  If one walks down the nearest corridor, they are greeted with sonic waves of effervescent, new age beauty.  In the distance, industrial vibrations and percussion exhibit another facet of this multidimensional wonder.  There is a capriciousness to the flow of the tape, which is absolutely a good thing.  One is left wondering that which will come next.  If one peers in another direction, they are greeted by the ambient beauty of ethereal and poignant tones.  The mysterious synth ruminations of 'Farewell to Kitten Island' lead to No Mind Pond.  'No Mind Pond', a ritualistic burner, could be that which happens when Sylvester Anfang ii and Silver Bullets burn hash oil until sunrise.  Otherworldly vibrations abound as 'Theme From A Minor Prince' permeates your head.  However, the closer may be the best track.  'Woken Up in Blood' has these brooding, pernicious groans, synth, and trippy sounds reminiscent of Thurston Moore. Pack lightly fellow travelers!

2012 was such a prolific year for music.  In retrospect, this would make my list of Tasty Trichomes. Here is a link to what is likely one of the last copies - if not the last - floating around: Plus Tapes.

peace and love, friends :)

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Mortuus Auris and the Black Hand - The Transit of Venus (Skell 011)




radiating the luminous love of the Morning star.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


He's back!  It has been a while since the last Mortuus Auris and the Black Hand (MABH) release - aka Peter Taylor.  When I first delved into tapes, he was busy illuminating the excellent discography of Stunned Records.  The split tape with Emuul is one of his best Stunned releases.  Seeing MABH on Skell feels right, as it is home to many Stunned alums.  On his Skell debut, The Transit of Venus,  MABH creates a sonic ritual to the transit of Venus as it crosses paths with the sun.  This phenomenon, as observed from earth, is somewhat of an anomalous occurrence - It occurred in 2004 and before that in 1882. The Transit of Venus commemorated the transit which occurred in June of 2012 - the next occurrence will be in 2117.  The Transit of Venus possesses qualities that distinguish it from its Skell predecessors.  This music is the soundtrack for floating through the ether. While there are moments of disquiet, wonder, shifting sound and capricious energy this tape contains a discernible lightness.  Often I prefer to listen with my eyes closed, enhancing the contemplative/meditative energy of the trip.  MABH employs a myriad of instruments and sources to realize this transit: electric organ, accordion  harmonica, warped vinyl and tapes, radio and vocals.  

One of the standouts from this tape is the first track on side A (Lucifer), 'Contact I'.  The nascent electric organ rises placidly, the radiant tones casting a shadow.  A luminous drone meanders over the opaque star, the concentrated energy pulsating.  Alternating opaque tones drift through buzzing beams of sound, the small black disk of Venus - tantamount to the size of Earth -merely a spec of space dust compared to the prodigious star that is the center of the Solar System.  As the peaceful organ ceases, traces of noise and radio become encapsulated in the highly reflective clouds.  Soon, loops of warped vinyl and tape become disoriented in the searing heat and dim light.  Disparate, inebriated plucked tones wander, until blurred noise signals the ascent of the Evening star.  The flip is just as engrossing.  Once again, MABH exhibits his adroit ability in crafting beautiful ambient hymns with the first track on side B (Sol Invictus), 'Aftermath I'. The embracing drone of the accordion modulates, glistening in the awesome light of the Sun.  Meanwhile, the ritualistic 'Aftermath II'  is one of the most interesting tracks, comprised of vocals and harmonica.  The harmonica has a frayed, quivering quality to it.  However, MABH's vocals make this track shimmer.  The last track encapsulates the aural beauty of the entire tape.

The new batch of Skell - 5 tapes - is highly impressive and The Transit of Venus is the beacon.  While there is not a sound clip for this tape, below you will find some sonic love from MABH's soundcloud page.  The Transit of Venus was produced in an edition of 50 pro-dubbed tapes.  Also, the new batch exhibits the wonderful artwork/designs/image manipulations of Julie Watts, who made the inaugural batch of Skell shine.  There are a few options for purchasing: One may purchase directly from Skell, or through two of the greats, Flipped Out and DNT.

peace and love, friends :)
                     

Monday, January 14, 2013

Von Himmel - Florid Pagoda (donkey disk)




fuel for the celestial trip, blazing an indica path.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


It blazes a luminous crystal-covered pathway, ascending the dome prior to disseminating the glorious message from the peak.  We have arrived in the resplendent environs of trichome valley, a setting in which hazy rituals cross paths with cosmic synth paeans to denizens of the moon and blown-out space psych offerings.  Von Himmel have returned in style with Florid Pagoda, their latest tape on Donkey Disk, in beautiful shells reminiscent of old school Sloow.     

Side A commences with spacey synth and effects that drive the listener into interstellar zones; an area laced with luminous organ-like tones, ethnic percussion and quivering strands of synth.  Next, tranquil tones expand languidly juxtaposed to searing noise, while a stream of sonic energy pulsates through the middle.  Sacred drift, reverberating tones and lucid streams immediately bathe the listener.  This track radiates peace.  The sound meanders like the water of a placid lake.  My favorite track on the tape, it shines like the recordings of Gregg Kowalsky and Root Strata.  Meanwhile, a mass of sound obliterates the tranquility momentarily.  Hazy rituals hover ominously, while blown-out guitar and organ ascend tempestuously.

Man.. Florid Pagoda should come as a package deal with Purple OG.  On this tape, four crystal-covered zoners, inculcated in sagacity, cut through the mist and blaze a path to higher zones.  The sonic healing of the third track is something to lightly hold in your awareness - lambent beauty.  One may purchase this cassette through either Time-Lag or Tomentosa.      

peace and love, friends :)

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Felicia Atkinson - A River (Space Slave 12)




ominous vibrations abound in the crystal-covered environs.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


The previous year was a fruitful one for Felicia Atkinson, who also records under the name, Je Suis Le Petit Chevalier.  One of the highlights was the beautiful, warm lp, An Age of Wonder - released in tandem with La Station Radar and Shelter Press.  That one was recorded under Je Suis Le Petit Chevalier, as well as the stunning, A Guide To The Sun, which was released on Sicsic.  As 2012 approached its apex, Felicia released a tape that exhibits her adroit ability in working with tones, space and time.  A River, released on ascendant Space Slave Editions, ensconces in your head with expansive tones of great depth.  Otherworldly as whole, this is the kind of music that transports one to a different state.  Anybody that digs the deep tones of Oren Ambarchi and various artists on Touch Records will be in heaven. In her interview with Felicia on Foxy Digitalis, Rachel Evans' stated it aptly, "Felicia has an uncanny ability to create whole environments with sound, taking you out of your present physical state and into some other realm where the artists night visions play out before you like a picture-show in slow motion."  Given the intimate nature of these works, I recommend listening with headphones -  the vibrations are pronounced, making one feel more proximate to the sound.

The tape commences with the spacious tones of 'Winnicott', which comprises side A.  In this track, heavy, multidimensional tones pulsate, drifting soporifically over frozen fields of noise.  Sometimes the tones seem inhibited as they traverse the terrain.  At other times, they manifest as thick, commanding beams of elongated sound that stretch to the horizon prior to dissipating.  In the last few minutes of the track, the thick tones appear somewhat removed, vibrating on the periphery and providing a contour to the more pronounced noise. The flipside is just as inviting.  One of my favorite tracks is 'Willa', in which variegated, protracted tones infuse the soul with radiant energy.  'Dora' changes things up a bit with the juxtaposition of plodding tones, vibrating low ends and extended heavy tones.  'Anita' closes out the tape with dark, reverberating tones that are occasionally illuminated with warm flashes of aural energy.

A River is something you will find sitting pretty on my top shelf!  I highly recommend this tape.  Furthermore, this release sees Space Slave illuminating the cosmos.  One of the things I dig about Space Slave, aside from the wonderful sonics, is the variation in packaging and the beautiful design/artwork.  Each Space Slave tape in my collection is unique.  One may purchase A River directly from Space Slave!

peace and love, friends :)

Monday, January 7, 2013

Crystal covered Time-Lag nugs 1.7.13



Time-Lag nugs!!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)



Hey folks!  Hope 2013 has everybody smiling.  Aside from the lovely nug, pictured above, here is another reason to smile:  a fresh Time-Lag update!  In the event that you do not receive the Time-Lag e-mail update, I have copied the contents and placed it below.  And, if you are interested in the Time-Lag story, then check out this interview that I was honored to conduct with Time-Lag proprietor, Nemo Bidstrup - so fresh that it needed to dry before the goods could be sampled.

peace and love, friends :)



~ rolling into this fine new year. deep snow & chilly sunshine in these parts. feels like a proper maine winter… excited to be kicking off 2013 with some new time-lag action, the first in nearly a year if you can believe it..!

~ fairly short update today, but looking like the next one will be a biggie… CELEBRATION and ELLIE DANIELS reissues both being pressed now. test pressings sounded amazing. next update should see those ready for the world, and with time on our side hoping to have a new used/rare vinyl list as well, and maybe even a special surprise time-lag release. new website is currently well underway too! stay tuned… for now this new one should keep your brain warm…

~ after much work & collaboration with josh, this one is finally complete. couldn't be more excited about it really, came together very sweet. taking orders now & will start shipping this week :


JOSHUA BURKETT ~ XAVIER'S BIRDS ~ book & 7inch (TIME-LAG 059) $22.00
really wonderful release here… full sensory stimulation from one of the our fave & most under-documented contemporary players, artists, and general hushed enthusiasts of the unusual (mental, visual, musical, etc.)… more then a few folks in the know list 'gold cosmos' and 'where's my hat?' as all time classics, so no doubt these new tracks are bound to please. a bit different from past releases, each of the three tracks here is a collaboration with a different long time friend and musical compatriot, building off josh's unmistakable home-fi acoustic foundation : LAU NAU adds her stunningly haunted vocal textures, WILLIE LANE strangles electrified strings like only he can, and THURSTON MOORE subtly corrodes with a haze of damaged frequencies & vibrating plucks… three totally separate vibes unfold as diverse golden facets of a whole… as few and far between as proper burkett releases have been over the years, even less exposed has been his amazing & unique artwork. while just about anybody with a eye turned towards new england underground album cover art, show posters, mail art, etc. will surely have had a glimpse of josh's instantly recognizable visual universe, the quantity, scope, and focus of his paintings, drawing, sculptures (and words!) presented here is truly visionary. josh's hand picked selection of pieces for the book span from all the way back to his very earliest paintings, up to some of his most recent… the book itself is 52 full color, pro-printed pages of artwork, each piece accompanied by josh's equally interesting stream of consciousness writing about the work, which is both enlightening, highly amusing, and often pretty hysterical. get comfy, get lifted, and settle in for a multi-sensory trip… 7inch is a large hole 45rpm disc with hand stamped labels. book has a double-sided offset printed neon green cover, with a hand painted & metallic gold screen printed wrap-around title strip. numbered edition of 222 copies.

JOSHUA BURKETT ~ XAVIER'S BIRDS ~ 7inch (TIME-LAG 059) $8.00
same music as the above version, but without the massive book. 7inch is a large hole 45rpm disc with hand stamped labels. each copy is packaged in a one-of-a-kind hand painted recycled 7inch cover, with a double-sided offset printed neon green outer cover that matches the book, and with the same hand painted & metallic gold screen printed wrap-around title strip. numbered edition of 111 copies.


~ and a nice batch of new goodies have arrived as well (remember, free shipping in the usa!)...


CRYSTAL SYPHON ~ FAMILY EVIL ~ lp (roaratorio) $20.00
crystal syphon, one of the greatest “lost” groups of the west coast psych scene, came together in merced, california in 1965. originally a beatles / byrds-influenced unit called the morlochs, they soon shed their original moniker and moved in a more psychedelic direction, becoming a fixture on the ballroom circuit from 1966-1970. although their music may nod in the direction of the new tweedy brothers and quicksilver messenger service at times, it’s imbued throughout with a distinctive sound that arose from practicing up to six nights a week. the band entertained offers from various labels during their existence, but as they insisted on complete artistic control and ownership of their music, no deals were struck. now, some 44 years after its creation, roaratorio is proud to make the music of crystal syphon available for the first time ever. drawn from studio tracks, rehearsal tapes and a live recording from the fillmore west, family evil is released in an edition of 500 copies, with cover art by norman orr and extensive historical liner notes in an old-style “tip-on” jacket. digital download included. 

DADAMAH ~ VIOLET STAINS RED ~ 7inch (yellow electric) $10.00
two unreleased tracks from dadamah (kim pieters, janine stagg, peter stapleton, roy montgomery) recorded in the early 90's. beautiful murky vocals from kim and roy, bleak jangly bursts of guitar and droning organ/synth. on red and purple vinyl... totally cool to hear more stuff from this amazing & under-appreciated group!

DREDD FOOLE ~ BLUES SERMON WITH CONGREGATION ~ lp (humito) $18.00
restock… the first vinyl document of the dredd and mv&ee collab recordings, this is a reissue of two deep slides originally released in 2004, as companion volumes to "kissing the contemporary bliss", in extremely limited runs. the sessions behind this record represent a singular apex of high in the catalogs of both dredd foole and mv&ee, where the playing and being of each of the three individuals involved coalesces into a singularly cosmic perception and extrapolation of the blues doctors' truth, while simultaneously, individual sonorities and specialties drive their own cadillac. a major work of contemporary psychedelic blues in its own right, this lp is also an essential piece of the puzzle for com enthusiasts; this is a key document of the star-gobbling sound mv&ee were toying with as their private universe back in the early-mid oughts, including such sides as "lunar blues", "cosmic dust and the electrobeam hermit thrush", and "zone of domes". like those albums, mv's patented "spectrasound" techniques are on full display, creating a dazzling living environment in which dredds otherworldly and piercingly free vocals orbit. classic and singular psychedelic visioning, the sound here has almost has no known parallels i can think of, outside of buckley/underwood, or possibly robbie basho, but just gone. listeners who know mv&ee solely as harvesters of song, or are unfamiliar with dredd foole's "recent" work, can look forward to flipping their respective gourds... another excellent humito release!

ELEPHANT MICAH / HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER ~ HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER PLAYS ELEPHANT MICAH PLAYS HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER ~ 7inch (paradise of bachelors) $6.50
paradise of bachelors is pleased to announce the first-ever recorded collaboration between hiss golden messenger and elephant micah, the respective musical projects of m.c. taylor of durham, north carolina and joe o’connell of southern indiana, in our estimation two of their generation’s most compelling songwriters and lyricists. their forthcoming split 7”, scheduled for release on september 4th, 2012, finds these critically lauded artists versioning each other’s compositions and wrestling each other’s angels. the two songs, both possessively titled, explore related issues of power, domain, submission, and mortality in the aftermath of a heavy rain. hiss golden messenger offers an ambling, mandolin-laced take on “my cousin’s king” - an ambiguous centerpiece of elephant micah’s superb "louder than thou" lp - while elephant micah’s abstracted interpretation of “balthazar’s song” dilates the bleary donkey’s lament (after robert bresson) that opens hgm’s "bad debt" and closes "poor moon." the 7” will be available in a limited, hand-numbered edition of 500, featuring kustom kudzu stamps.

GROUPER ~ SLEEP (FRAGMENT) ~ one-sided lp (filip, canada) $22.00
sleep (fragment) is a new 12" record by grouper, published by fillip in an edition of 800 on 180gm white vinyl. this canadian release is based on sound installations performed several times by grouper in berkeley and vancouver… very limited stock.

GROUPER ~ A I  A : DREAM LOSS ~ lp (yellow electric) $18.00
repressed again... first in a two part vinyl release by grouper. a i a is a two-part release comprised of songs written and recorded over the last four years.  both albums are low, both discuss:  being an other to one’s own self, to other humans; ghosts and aliens, both literal and metaphorical; other worlds to escape to. 

GROUPER ~ A I A : ALIEN OBSERVER ~ lp (yellow electric) $18.00 
repressed again... second in a two part vinyl release by grouper. a i a is a two-part release comprised of songs written and recorded over the last four years.  both albums are low, both discuss:  being an other to one’s own self, to other humans; ghosts and aliens, both literal and metaphorical; other worlds to escape to.

GROUPER ~ COVER THE WINDOWS AND THE WALLS ~ lp (yellow electric / root strata) $18.00
restock... 3rd repress of grouper's third solo full length. self-release on yellowelectric (though printed as rs47/gr-003.) this record was originally pressed in 2007 on root strata... always welcome new edition. this time of black vinyl.

LICHENS ~ LÍTIÕ FÓLK ~ lp (morc, belgium) $22.00
on this release, robert lowe (of om, 90 day men) focuses on his distinct voice. for the most part of the album, you’ll hear nothing but his wordless vocals – some parts melodic, some droning, some pulsating, but at all times enchanting. impressive from the very first to the very last notes. edition of 260 copies.

METZ ~ S/T ~ lp (ossining) $13.00
dented corners, reduced price… “hearing it in its entirety for the first time confirmed that it was every bit as good, if not better, than i had imagined. the late 70’s produced some great hard rock in the lone star state and way too little of it made its way to vinyl. metz takes that hard rockin’ tejas spirit to the next level by injecting the music with equal parts glam and dirty white boy funk and its about time the world got to hear it."- rich haupt, rockadellc... "some will find it hard to believe that a glamrock band with a gritty urban veneer came from texas and stuck together long enough to release this milestone record. the metz take on glam includes some of the associated clichés, like heavy chunks of chord strokes and catchy riffs, danceable rhythms and beats, and a vocalist with some theatrical influence in the singing department. besides the obvious, metz bring some original flair that pushes their material over the top! instead of the lead singer getting all the attention (he sounds like a cross between marc bolan and a less angry johnny rotten), it’s the two or three sassy black girls that ssteal the show with the best vocals (leads & harmonies) on the entire album. these streetwise babes strut along as they dish out extra servings of sex appeal during performances, which is a scarce gender switch for glam rock. metz also provides lots of mind-stripping guitar solos and untamed organ with hovering leslie cabinets that occasionally drift into dark and gothic sound trips." - scott "loopden" bubrig, acid archives.

MONTGOMERY, ROY ~ MUSIC FROM THE FILM HEY BADFINGER ~ lp (yellow electric) $18.00
23 short and moody narratives, reminiscent of carlos paredes. solo guitar music and loops from recordings he rediscovered/revisited several years ago. we've talked about how he feels they can't be altered, need to exist as they were in that time, in a skeleton form, a collection of fragments. a galaxy, or a sketch book; they belong all together.  

O'BRIEN & JAKE, JUSTEN ~ TIME WILL TELL ~ lp (guerssen, spain) $26.00
the greatest album in the history of north dakota is justen o'brien and jake's time will tell (1978). bootlegged twice already, guerssen is proud to present the first artist-approved reissue of this mysterious, deep, ufo-inspired masterpiece. featuring crystal-clear sound, the originally-intended cover art in a gorgeous gatefold cover, in-depth liner notes by douglas mcgowan (yoga records), and never-before-seen photos capturing the mystique of this long-gone psych/prog/lounge classic, even longtime fans will need to check back in with justen o'brien's unique vision of the cosmos. a truly major left-field rediscovery on par with bobb trimble, jade stone and luv, or dr hooker.

PEAKING LIGHTS ~ LUCIFER IN DUB ~ lp (weird world, uk) $22.00 
following this year’s hugely critically acclaimed new album lucifer, la duo aaron coyes and indra dunis, aka peaking lights have announced the imminent release oflucifer in dub – a special collection of dub edits conjured up by coyes himself. the sonic boom-mastered, six song collection takes the glistening strands of krautrock, minimal house, analogue dance music, skewed pop and the band’s core influence – dub - which lucifer so successfully fused together and pushes even more deeply into the murky heat of the latter. the result is a seductively heavy surrealist-soundsystem monster that acts as a perfect companion piece to the hypnotic groove and intricately patterned melodies of its parent record... “before lucifer even had a song written or a name to it we had the ‘light bulb skull rattle’ that we had to do a dub for whatever was to come out of the studio session at gary's electric”, says coyes on the album’s genesis. “after spending the better half of the year on tour we managed to finally settle in to a spot in echo park where we set up a small studio and got physical with dubbing out the luciferlp. we have always loved the challenge of approaching the music we make from a new angle, and although the dub aspect to the music we make may be there in structure this is the first time we have layed it down by playing as the engineers... both of us really love how lucifer in dub turned out. we wanted it to have a different feel with the mastering; shawn reed of night-people who put out our early recordings introduced us to sonic boom who we met while on tour and later worked with mastering some of our remixes. he really understood the sound we were after, there was no compromise in the low end, he gets our zone - warm, lush, round, heavy on the psychedelics.” limited to 200 copies in north america… very limited stock.

PHANTOM BUFFALO ~ TADALOORA ~ cd (microcultures, france) $10.00
tadaloora is phantom buffalo's fourth album. a masterpiece. we're very proud of it. and we think you should buy it right now and listen to it for the rest of your life. 

PRINTS OF DARKNESS ~ ZINDABAD ~ lp (ravi) $28.00
“raw, exciting and really quite excellent... fans of fuzz will find a feast of it on this set. the prints turn in enjoyable readings of ‘summertime,’ ‘morning dew,’ and country joe & the fish’s ‘rock and soul music,’ but it’s their original numbers that really stand out... the band’s bottled-up creative energy comes bursting to a head on the culminating number, ‘oh color the shadowy distance,’ which starts out as an über-dramatic doors-in-the-garage exercise atop a ‘tobacco road’-type stomp riff, before levitating into a psychedelic instrumental section that sounds a bit like jorma kaukonen jamming with the velvet underground. thrilling stuff.” - mike stax (ugly things)... this is the story of a sixties garage band... only this one was based in lahore, west pakistan, where there was a small american community and a funky school in an old british raj-era bungalow. september 1967: skip boyce had a drum kit assembled from various shops in penang during a family vacation and danny carr had a framus bass and a huge amp. let’s start a band! new kid steve davy provided the missing link. add his psychedelic hofner guitar and small amp and the great flower famine was born. “let’s just play songs with three chords (‘gloria,’ ‘louie louie’ and ‘for your love’ were the first three); more followed: stones, animals, kinks, doors. old friend travis “smokey” henderson was in the states, but returned to lahore and joined as lead guitarist. john sligh was added as lead singer because he liked the same tunes the others did and looked cool. by the end of the school year, the famine was a tight unit - the best rock band in west pakistan. september 1968: a year’s worth of new music, and new influences - hendrix, led zeppelin, the san francisco groups. meanwhile, steve bought a hofner violin bass like paul mccartney, skip returned from the states with a full set of ludwig drums like ringo, and a new redheaded kid arrived by the name of richard woodbury. his addition and a new name for the band (prints of darkness) gave the group a new style. their repertoire expanded. september 1969: one addition to the personnel - roberta “bourbon” kilgore as vocalist. the prints started writing their own tunes in earnest. on may 22, 1970, they played their last show and for the first time in three years, the instruments went in different directions afterwards. and so did the prints. in the band’s final year, several of their shows were recorded using a single open mic and a standard quarter-inch reel-to-reel tape recorder. the best tracks have been cleaned up and compiled for this release on ravi records, a label set up by music mail order company metro music. the release is a true labor of love, with no corners cut, and no expense spared on the sound restoration, mastering and packaging. the heavy-vinyl lp (180 gram) is housed in a super-deluxe gatefold sleeve modeled on the stones’ “high tide and green grass,” complete with a lavishly illustrated and annotated booklet. hand-numbered limited edition, only 800 copies for distribution… recommended!

STAMPFEL, PETER ~ LIVE ~ lp (mystra) $16.00
yes!! it's that/thee legendary 'holy/moly/modal' master from the 60's & ever onward..this recording is an amazing live document from a awesome performance in the mid-90s!... unlike any performer ever, stampfel has stumped the best and blown minds forever..comes in a 'every-copy unique' handpainted/silk-screened/paste-on cover and has insert with notes by stampfel & mystra... plus a 8 page booklet with holy modal rounders/fugs stories...

VON HIMMEL ~ FLORID PAGODA ~ cassette (donkey disc) $6.00
moon timbres encompassing ancient marrow knowledge and ritual awakenings give way to bongo fury freak-outs and stately sequencer appendages subsumed by organ/guitar effluvium approaching escape velocity.


~ as always, everything on this list is in limited stock, so please email for confirmation before sending any money. all prices include shipping in the usa. all lps will be shipped MEDIA MAIL, cds/tapes go FIRST CLASS... but if you want priority, or have any other shipping needs just let me know and i’ll sort it out. same goes for all you overseas folks. anyone who wants to be removed from this list, just let me know...




thanks to lyrkoss for the good vibe  

Kief with Nemo Bidstrup (Time-Lag Records)


The holidaze may be long gone, but the kief is still running strong.  As we commence the new year, it's fitting to speak with a person that has changed the way I listen to music: Nemo Bidstrup of venerable Time-Lag Records.  For those that are unfamiliar, Time-Lag Records is a record label that is based in Maine.  Additionally, Nemo operates the Time-Lag online shop, a veritable gold mine.  One of my initial correspondences with Nemo in 2007 resulted in acquiring a rare cd by Visitations.  From that point, I was hooked.  Time-Lag seemed to fuse incredible sonics with meticulous care in artwork and packaging.   Nemo's generous and kind nature is the kief on top of the bud - it makes the records complete.  I recall writing long e-mails to Nemo, inquiring about recommendations from his stellar Time-Lag update.  Essentially, I was asking him to provide me with somewhat of a musical education.  Despite having more pressing concerns, he would always reply promptly with a friendly, informative response.  All of this talk about records is making the crystals on the nug glisten.  Let's burn one together, family style!  

Enlightened listening and trichomes - be generous with the kief.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)


don't forget the kief!





1)  There is nothing quite like the Time-Lag online record shop.   It contains an incredible array of music and media from many periods of time.  For the readers who are unfamiliar with the shop, would you please talk about its history?  Also, what inspired you to open the store, and how have things changed over the years?   

Nemo: well first off, thanks. have always tried to keep an interesting selection… though the website itself is less then ideal, or aesthetically pleasing… hoping to get that remedied very soon, though. pretty behind the times in the digital realms… the shop grew rather gradually and naturally as an extension of the label itself. when the label was first starting up, in 2000 and couple years following, i was just sending out xerox catalogs & occasional email updates with whatever new time-lag releases i'd just finished. but of course i was listening to a ton of other music myself, following a lot of new sounds and other small labels starting up. a lot of that stuff had me pretty excited, so i started distributing releases on other labels though the time-lag mailing list. was great to be able to share a bunch of other interesting releases with my customers, as well as helping out other like minded artists & labels… and it also made it possible for me to check out a lot more music then i would have been able to otherwise… so, what started as adding a few non time-lag releases to each update grew into quite a large stock of distributed items, on top of a growing catalog of time-lag releases. at that point a website became pretty essential… and from there it has just continued… started adding more reissues to the inventory in sync with doing more reissues on the label, and eventually started adding used vintage vinyl as well, as that's always been a big part of my musical interest. 



2)  Time-Lag is also a record label.  Through its wonderful history Time-Lag has released new cd-r's, cds and lps from beautiful artists such as Visitations, MV & EE, Six Organs of Admittance, Cursillistas, the Tower Recordings and many others;  Recently, you have been reissuing rare private-press gems - some of the best records in my collection.  There is a lot of love and diligence put into each Time-Lag release, from the wonderful sound quality to the labor intensive hand packaging.  What led you to create the label?  With the focus lately on reissues, do you plan to release new music in the future?  Also, you were successful in funding a Kickstarter project to reissue lps from Virgil Caine, Eddie Callahan, Drywater and the Bachs.  What was it like to fund the releases in this manner and do you anticipate doing it again?  Also, do you have a favorite among the reissues?

Nemo: i'd been following a lot of new and relatively off-the-radar music through most of the 90s, and had always had a love for vinyl… at some point as the 90s wore on suddenly a lot of the great little labels i loved either closed up, fizzled out, stopped releasing much vinyl at all, or if they hadn't stopped, were just doing it really low quality. i'd been doing my own music as well around then, and when i really felt like it was time for me to get a proper release out into the world beyond just the tiny cassette editions i'd been making, there just didn't seem to be any good options… cuz you know, i wanted vinyl, and i wanted it done right, pressed well, packaged nicely, etc… and there just weren't many folks making records like… there was some really amazing music being made then, and i really felt like the artists making it deserved to have this awesome music released out into the world with some real love put into the presentation… all the pieces sort of fell into place in my mind one especially mystical evening in 1999 and the concept of time-lag was birthed…


the reissue side of the label essentially came about after hearing the satwa lp for the first time and being totally floored. i knew the world needed to hear that album, and though it was 30 years late, it fit so perfect with the time-lag aesthetic, both musically and visually… i've always been into the older lost & obscure sounds, so bringing some of those albums into the time-lag family felt perfectly natural… and from the other end, as time has gone on, there have been more and more new labels popping up and working with interesting new groups, doing vinyl again, doing nice packaging, etc… so i wasn't feeling the drive to be quite as involved with the new sounds,… just as in my own life my musical interest was increasingly on the older sounds, and increasingly out of touch with the rapid fire new wave upon wave of new artists trying to make their mark… at this point i've got a couple reissues in the works (celebration "old green village" - 1976 private press french basement acidfolk & ellie daniels "both sides of the coin" - new england 1971 private press demo only femme loner folk) as well as an art book / 7inch by joshua burkett & friends. the label is in a definite slowdown phase at this point, so not exactly sure what the future will hold beyond those releases… likely a few bigger reissue projects here & there, and for contemporary stuff i'd like to be doing only sorta special handcrafted things, more art objects then proper releases… probably at least a few lathe-cut editions and such… we'll see… have a pretty clean slate for the first time in 10+ years so plan to let it unfold slowly…



kickstarter was an interesting & novel experience, and overall i think certainly a success, but i highly doubt i'd do it again… it was cool for what it was, but the situation with those 4 releases all lining up was pretty unusual…


hard to pick a favorite reissue, but satwa always stands out. not only because it was the first, but because of the whole experience around tracking down lailson & lula cortes, working with them, and eventually sharing some truly amazing experiences with them in brazil… life altering stuff for sure...

3)  For those people interested in opening a shop or starting a label, what advice would you give them? 

Nemo: don't pay attention to anybody else's advice! just do your own thing and make it personal...


4)  Of all Time-Lag lps, Maravillosa Gente, from Bill Quick is my favorite.  There is nothing quite like this lp.  It's such a beautiful combination of music and words - and an incredible story.  Would you recount the experience of re-issuing this lp and its meaning to you.

Nemo: it's always been a special album for me. the original lp sort of fell into my lap years ago, and really hit me instantly. got played quite a lot while my wife & i were first spending a lot of time together, so became part of a very special life soundtrack in my mind…  there's just something so perfect about those songs and the whole vibe. the reissue process was a little strange as bill quick himself had seemingly vanished at some point in the 90s, so i worked with the original producer & label owner, as well as some of the players, to make the reissue happen. always hoped he'd surface at some point, and indeed he did just last year. was really a trip hearing from him!


5)  You have recorded with the likes of MV & EE, Cursillistas and others.  And, you have performed as Drona Parva and participated in Attar Cups.  Also, you helped to record the excellent Village of Spaces lp.  What are some of your current projects?

Nemo: haven't actually been doing much of my own music these last years. ironically, though a big motivator in starting the label was to be able to release my own recordings, once the label actually got going i had so many amazing releases lined up by other artists that my own stuff took a back seat. i have been revisiting the drona parva archives and hope to eventually do an lp or two of stuff that was either never released, or came out only on long gone compilations and such, going all the way back to earliest stuff from '97 or so… also recorded as part of a project called aldus shores which also features the prisma ladies and cursillistas, and we've got an lp called "happiness" done but as-of-yet unreleased. should be out in 2013… honestly, though, much more focused on fatherhood, house repairs, wood splitting, etc. these days… do have some very fun jams with my daughter from time to time…



6)  What are a few of your favorite labels / bands & artists? 

Nemo: far too many to even think about favorites. for new sounds, mainly just listening to friend's stuff these days. for old sounds, digging the non-label, primitive, amateur goodies lurking in strange dark corners…


7)  What have you been listening to lately?

Nemo: lots of lost & random local maine sounds from the 60s & 70s, broselmaschine, cooley-munson, joshua burkett's themed mixes, misty hush revival, willie lane, damin eih, third estate, grouper, steve roach "structures from silence"…

   
8)  What's next for the label and the shop?

Nemo: i mentioned the three time-lag releases that are in the works. beyond that i think there will probably not be much else released on any large scale for at least a year, if not more. there's a few lathe-cut projects conceptualized and at least one actually in production… working on a time-lag discography / book project… as far as the shop, not adding much new distro stock these days, but still can't resist adding some choice items here & there. will hopefully be doing used/rare vinyl lists more often in the future… and at long last there's a new website in the works, hopefully up within a month or two. should be a lot easier to use, and also be a nice visual archive of the time-lag catalog, with photos & info on all past & present releases...

Pick up some Time-Lag love at Time-Lag, Tomentosa and Eclipse!

peace and love, friends :)