TOR FESTIVAL 2014

Tor Festival 2014! Peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Tor!! Jake Blanchard - proprietor of Tor Press, musician, and renowned visual artist - has been putting on shows at Todmorden First Unitarian Church for a little more than a year. Featuring a mix of local bands and those from around the world, the shows have generated immense positive feedback. To celebrate the first anniversary, Tor has decided to host a festival in Todmorden, West Yorkshire that will occur from July 25-27. Spread across three venues, the line-up reads like a whose who in the fields of experimental, psych, drone, noise and folk music. Some of the artists to perform include Honest Bag favorite, Bear Bones, Lay Low; Bridget Hayden; These Feathers Have Plumes; United Bible Studies; and Lobster Priest. Lobster Priest's tape on Blackest Rainbow melted the hard hash instantaneously! All of the funds raised for the three-day celebration will be used to compensate the artists/bands and operate the festival.

As of a few days ago, Tor Press mentioned that only 20 weekend tickets remain. So, instead of lighting up the tasty, head over to the festival sites:
Kickstarter
Festival Website
Facebook Event

peace and love, friends :)

Headboggle and Vibrating Garbage - Untitled (BOTR019)

the dankest party happening in your head.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

You're here, and now it's time to party! Lately, I cannot get enough of this sativa-fueled nug between Bay Area sound artists and noise brothers Headboggle and Greg Garbage, the latter of whom has been featured many times in this trichome-covered stash of supreme vibrations. This cassette is the result of a rehearsal for a one-off collaborative performance in 2012. With Headboggle utilizing Ciat-Lonbarde/ Blippoo and Greg Garbage on MFB/ 606 these electronic zoners explode, streaking across the starry night sky, disseminating its payload on those ready for its heavy-duty vibe. This collaboration emits ubiquitous energy which infuses the surroundings with entrancing, and sometimes funky vibrations that keep your head nodding. 

Despite the symmetrically timed sides, there's nothing even or balanced about these electronic serpents which accelerate, writhe, and contort willfully through one's environment. All one can do is allow the spectacular vibe to play out. On side A, grainy transmissions and deep beats are joined by electronics which vacillate, and increasingly driven rhythms. A confluence of stuttering, hissing, and echoing noise abuts synth that exhibits myriad textures. Suddenly, we drift through some vague spaces prior to being infused with high flying, lively energy. The end of side A is outstanding. Upon reaching the apex, waves of aural energy grace one - lovely! The flip continues the trip. Heavy, periodic beats and incipient energy gradually gain strength as side B commences. Later, the mood turns eerie, leaving one isolated. Shortly, scrambled signals and a wall of noise threaten as it juts, bubbles, screeches and swirls. 

Produced in a limited edition of 80 pro-imprinted and pro-duplicated chrome cassettes, the artwork is by Greg Garbage, and the layout and design assistance credited to Paul Browning. Your ticket to lifted times may be found directly from Beer on the Rug or through Tomentosa!     

peace and love, friends :)

Monte - Index (Dept04)

ear candy.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

A vestige of some spaced-out escapade reappearing in ambiguous form many years later, Index from Monte on Department Tapes is ear candy for those who enjoy blissful, cosmic and mysterious synth. Having the fidelity of a distant dream, Monte bestows two sides of blurry ambient vibrations and field recordings. I have been playing this tape everyday for the past week or so.  One reason is the mysterious nature, which is almost palpable after each listen. An engaging tape, no single element dominates the sound. Index has an intriguing sonic blend, ranging from deep blue mystical synth zoners/sci-fi passages to tranquil drones.

As side A begins there is a lovely juxtaposition of organic sound and multifaceted passages of warm, cloaked energy. Softly ascending synth and field recordings of water soon give way to a warm climate in which arpeggios fervently ride the contour of a radiant wave. Shortly, we jettison to the cosmos where mesmerizing oscillations orbit the head. Quickly moving arpeggios accelerate, becoming a brilliant stream of energy which quivers vigorously. Placid drone and relaxing loops end side A in style. Blurred loops animate among grainy bird calls as the flipside begins - lovely! The next track is completely unexpected. It has a blown out electronic Tracey Trance vibe. After that excellent departure, we land in nug heaven as soft ambient waves modulate uninhibitedly. Withdrawn rhythms hit the head like a lazy breeze.

Of all the tapes I purchased from the last Tomentosa update, Index is the one that I listen to most. There is not much known about Monte, and this cassette is extremely limited - 30 copies.  I'm very impressed with the sounds on the label and anticipating the next batch.  Mostly likely, the last few copies are available from Tomentosa.

peace and love, friends :)