Softest - Music for Rain: Volume One (Inner Islands - 028)

Music for reflection - and some kush never hurts. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

 After being near the abyss, a return to bliss is needed to keep this joint rolling. My head was feeling weary and I needed to recover. Thus, I decided to plunge my hand into the Inner Islands jar which sits on the top shelf. They always deliver me to a serene place where my soul becomes enlightened. The first of two Summer releases on Inner Islands, Softest is the new project of Braden J. McKenna. On Music for Rain: Volume One introspective, soothing music provides one with the space and aural light to meditate on the beauty of the moment. Guitar, synth, and field recordings create slowly morphing soundscapes.

As the first track commences, morning dew glistens softly in the faint, embryonic light. Soft nascent vibrations act like the first cup of coffee, slowly shaking off the slumber in the sun's vastness. The mood is light and airy throughout. Waves of soft colors coalesce begetting undulating tranquility. When you breathe with these sounds, the environment shimmers; the bark of the tree uneven, stale and damp; a sheet of heavenly light flashes hot across the saturated grass coating it in brilliance; and the seemingly immutable sweet scent of the Earth that permeates the nostrils like the first few conscious breaths of the day - sweetly flowing and music for anytime of the day. Ascendant energy rings faithfully in "Surface Dance." Shifting radiance and delicate sounds are interspersed with nature. Peaceful loops combine with gentle streams of rain and crystalline radiance in "Trying"; gentle sounds wallow and ripple in the final track. 

One may purchase Music for Rain: Volume One directly from Inner Islands.

peace and love, friends :)

Dura - Silver/Lawns (Cut#10)

start your week with these kind vibes. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

When the sun is mostly enveloped by clouds, strokes of light escape the opacity. Vivid burnt orange and yellow streaks swirl within a murky formation. As the shrouded warmth breaks through subtly, tranquil energy contacts the bare skin. Then, all one can feel is light and unabated warmth. The soul of the solar system lighting the path that leads to kindness. Silver/Lawns resonates deeply with nature. Fused with the outdoors, this tape assumes a majestic quality. Dura's recent release on Warsaw's Wounded Knife puts the listener in a dreamy state for a little less than one hour. On Silver/Lawns, Dura uses layers of guitar and lustrous loops to make the speakers breath. Placid waves of guitar drone cascade and solitary strings glisten in the morning dew. Shimmering strings are worked into a dither, while kind american primitive guitar plays over top of ethereal drone. As the sustained sonic energy abates, the strings still smoldering, lovely patterns emerge.    

Wounded Knife produces tapes for tape lovers. This label based in Warsaw exerts tremendous effort to create a memorable audio-visual experience. I highly recommend Wounded Knife to readers of this blog. Limited to 50 copies, it is already sold out at the source. However, digital files may be obtained from the artist. Also, I am in the possession of two copies. If anybody would like the second copy, then send me an email. The first person to email me will receive the tape.

peace and love, friends :)  

Banana Pill - Weave (CW18)

the right medicine for your head. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

When the two sonic shaman in Banana Pill exhale, their beautiful art paints the atmosphere in peaceful, warm hues and tones. Weave, a recent release by Finland's Banana Pill on Cosmic Winnetou, endows the listener with brilliant undulating energy via guitar, violin, synth and other instruments. One cannot help but be moved by the mellifluous, benevolent mood that pervades each track. Yet, this is not an inert release. Banana Pill's adroit ability in composition sees them manifest soulful moments from pulsating waves of heat; majestic violin; dusty strings and kind melodies, encompassing drones. Subtle changes abound, with certain elements moving to the fore after prolonged periods of dreamy drift. Visceral, cozy drones vibrate through the soul. Weave compares well to some of my favorites on Hapna and Apestaartje - one of the best this year.

One of the most memorable facets of this tape is the flow, and Banana Pill pours it on heavy right from the time the play button clicks. In "Wave", blurred strings contort prior to being engulfed by an aural dream - tender and pulsating. Pastoral and idyllic, splintered sunlight circumscribes the listener while soothing violin strokes the soul. Robust waves reach for the zenith, vibrating and brilliant in nature. As they crash toward the trough, the light flickers out. Track two, "Shapes", commences with peaceful, bright strings and gentle violin, which eventually becomes more assertive. Where the first track contained warm, intense colors, this one dances gingerly behind a hazy veil - lovely! Pleasant strings ripple through the head as crystalline synth concurrently echoes in the side A closer, "Spiral." The flipside is just as captivating. Inchoate energy becomes concentrated, bathing the listener in soulful vibrations. Affecting violin softly vacillates among august drone - another lovely moment! Ethereal and ubiquitous, "light" truly realizes the track name - vast, luminous, and vibrant music that precipitates blooming awareness. Squirming electronics are deluged by quivering radiance in the final track. Placid strings ruminate calmly only to be overcome by cascading tranquility.      

Top shelf lofty love for this tape, and that goes for the other two cassettes in the sixth batch. Cosmic Winnetou tapes are produced with lots of love. In this instance, 75 home-dubbed tapes feature the artwork from one of my favorite artists, Sylvia Monnier. Sold out at the source, which is unfortunately true of the entire batch, get your Cosmic Winnetou fix at Tomentosa.

peace and love, friends :)

Crown of Eternity - Vibrate the Cosmos (Crown of Eternity, 2014)

Trichome power! Peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The ethereal soundscapes and blissful chants that comprise Vibrate the Cosmos plant the flowers in your mind and then stick around for the crystal covered harvest. Crown of Eternity is the husband and wife duo of Mike Tamburo and Gallina Tamburo. However, this is more than a musical project. Mike and Gallina teach Kundalini yoga in Pittsburgh and operate a yoga and vibration healing center, Crown of Eternity. If I could select one word to describe Vibrate the Cosmos, then it would be "immersion." For well over an hour, Mike and Gallina stimulate your awareness through renditions of sacred Kundalini yoga mantras and heady soundscapes that combine psychedelic, ambient, shoegaze and looping music. The detailed liner notes provide background on each mantra. For over a few years, I have been listening to Mike's music. At the cross-section of his many projects, Mike's soul shines brilliantly to endow the listener with serenity and warmth. With Gallina joining Mike, they create one of the most beautiful releases with which he has been associated. The lush instrumentation supports the vocals appropriately; it creates a tranquil environment in which their voices soar majestically. Traversing a magnificent rainbow arc from beginning to end, layered chants and vocals illuminate barren areas. Omnipresent in my favorite track, "Ecstatic Har", Mike and Gallina's energy flows unabated. Mellifluous, melodious and imparting heavy vibrations from the beginning, the entrancing chant and instrumentation is a manifestation of the lucid awareness referenced in the album title.  

The beginning of "Ra Ma Da Sa" is the sonic equivalent of dawn and sunrise. Embryonic vibrations resonate delicately in the beginning. Shortly, radiant beams of guitar echo and the duo's vocals gradually grow in vitality. Psychedelic particles sparkle among the stars in the following track, "Ang Sang Wahe Guru." Sonorous, heartfelt vocals combine with dreamy guitar. Later in the track, synthesizer disperses infinite healing vibrations among all denizens. The spacey intro to the next track has the vibe of the more recent Expo '70 releases. The mantra recited by Mike and Gallina rises and falls in the manner of the breath. Gallina's piano adds to the track nicely. Subsequent to "Ecstatic Har", tremulous notes mix with a languorous recital of words from Guru Arjan, the 5th Sikh Guru. 

According to the liner notes, Crown of Eternity's music is written and arranged with A tuned to 432 hz aligning with Universal vibrations. I often find myself rejoicing and singing to the energy that flows from the breathing speakers. One can purchase a copy directly from Crown of Eternity.

peace and love, friends :)

Cloudsound - S/T (Fluere Tapes 01)

purps! buckle up... peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Earlier today I tried to remember, albeit unsuccessfully, where I heard about Cloudsound, a project of Lee Boyd that always keeps the listener lifted; later, i remembered that it was from Ana, of the venerable Microphones in the Trees. This is the initial effort from Fluere Tapes of Sweden. If subsequent releases can match the overall beauty of the s/t cassette from Cloudsound, then it will be a bright future for Fluere Tapes. Over two sides of tape, outer zone guitar excursions ripple from pulsating speakers. Cloudsound traverses the cosmos, making transitory landings, but never veering from the trichome-laden course of a sonic explorer.

Subsequent to the flowers going up in smoke, resplendent clouds billow resulting in a welter of variegated sonic energy orbiting the starry mind endlessly. Crystal-covered ragas; kind jams; meditative hymns; outer zone seekers - this tape has it all. The guitar playing is beautiful and bright - evoking the beauty of Known Quantity-era Willie Lane- trickling out under the glare of sunlight. Blown out bliss cloaks intricate finger picked patterns and drone. Lofi shoegaze makes a brief appearance. Serene drone exists in dense ambient clouds. This tape makes the speakers breath. On the flipside, Cloudsound's ascent continues unscathed. Basho-esque finger picked guitar has a clean sound. Shortly, spacey effects appear, which add a nice element to the recording. Buoyant notes burn brightly until trailing off -heartfelt vibrations. Warm drone emits pulsating light that partly cloaks idyllic strings. There's not a downer on this tape. A little later, a brief stop in psych folk territory catapults us among celestial bodies. 

The photograph, by Christy Romanick, who also appears in the side A closer, connects nicely to the music. The illustrious Liz Pavlovic is responsible for the layout. Available as a cassette or cd, I highly recommend these jams. On a night when the sky is clear and the stars abundant, this tape provides a nice companion. Both formats were produced in a limited run; secure a copy directly from Cloudsound.

peace and love, friends :)

Ōgon Batto - 007 (HAK007)

Vivid vibrations that guide you through the dubious darkness. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The overwhelming sense of disquiet burns brightly from the bowl immediately. Bleary, opaque synth and ominous low ends have a portentous effect. Hazy noise careens until, unexpectedly, a sequence of piano notes finishes the track. Ōgon Batto, in the seventh release for Hare Akedod, exhibits a prowess for composition throughout this tape; the tracks seem structured for optimal impact on the listener. Many of the tracks could be regarded as ambient/dark ambient, yet there are infinitesimal manifestations of Krautrock and American Primitivism in some of the tracks; more so, the eerie cinematic feel produces evocative moments - a reason that this tape loops at the house. Ōgon Batto is the moniker of Bent Von Bent, co-curator of Hare Akedod. Along with David Edren - Hare Akedod/DSR Lines - they create limited edition electro-acoustic cassettes. I highly recommend the back catalog, especially Raju Arara. In the second track, the guitar is more pronounced compared to other tracks. Cascading piano notes produce waves of eerie chill. Meanwhile, reverb-soaked chords spread through the atmosphere with ease - a lovely juxtaposition. Menacing vibrations continue to circulate in the following track, "Jacht Op Allen." Contemplative piano ruminates in the stale air next to majestic zither. Ritualistic percussion increases the tension, which gives the track another dimension; poignant waves fade in while mutant synth manifests on the periphery. The flipside contains beautiful instances of minimalism. Enigmatic tones move furtively in the beginning of the first track on side B. The track slowly comes into being. Shortly, waves of synth pulsate, accelerate and descend all around the listener. Throbbing drums jut up through the sheen of gauzy electronics toward the end. The second track, which features field recordings, is lovely and more minimal than the others. The penultimate track is fantastic. Exhibiting celestial arpeggios and sustained tones that have an organ-like quality, it's the coalescence of something one might hear from Miasmah and Lunar Miasma.

Produced in a limited edition of 80 tapes on transparent tapes with white print, the beautiful artwork was also produced by Bent Von Bent. Ōgon Batto's meticulous work has produced one of my favorite releases of 2014. Hare Akedod tapes don't hang around for long. Before they are OOP, secure a copy directly from Hare Akedod. Tomentosa should receive copies in the near future.

peace and love, friends :)

Sugarm - Pure Racket (HAUSMO 15)

sweet as Sugarm. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

The speakers exude ominous hiss - a harbinger for sure. Within seconds, bursts of preternatural energy, static encrusted loops and discordant noise arrive. Arcs of luminous vibrations begin to undulate in the presence of aggressive percussive machinations. The introduction on side A, "Anti-Life Equation", primes the listener for an incredible listening experience. Sugarm's latest release on Hausu Mountain, Pure Racket, is more than an amalgam of various genres and styles; part noise, rock, ambient, kosmische, and psychedelia, trepidation will ooze from the speakers in one moment only to be replace by an influx of warm tones in the next. With Pure Racket in the cassette player, the bowl is literally runneth over. Just like Miles', McLaughlin, and the gang once said about their music: "call it anything." Sonic surprises are ubiquitous - maybe a route not anticipated or an element which one did not expect; the idyllic american primitive acoustic guitar that resonates among field recordings in "No Place, No Thing" is an example. Beyond the aforementioned, Pure Racket's two sides are discernibly different. 

Sugarm does not provide the listener a minute to acquiesce, as we jettison the strident feedback and vacillating noise of the the first track, arriving in a misty environs of the "Second Pig". Hazy, ritualistic vibrations, characteristic of early Popol Vuh, are jolted by writhing static textures - gorgeous juxtaposition. Urgency palpably hovers. It comes on dreamy, and then turns psychedelic. Decomposed tones fray as they meet the air. Finally, tension is released in the form of warped reverberations. "Casual Town" is my kind of place - no doubt a dispensary on the corner! Soporific drums mix with distorted waves of synth. Things turn even more surreal as the tempo increases. A welter of noise and static-laced samples are circumscribed by a beat that teeters uncontrollably- awesome track! "Police State (of Mind)" coats it with kief and caught me off guard with a combination of spacey and psychedelic noise. Lost in the City's - the penultimate track on side A - use of poignant synth and static noise that echos and frays at the periphery has a visceral, haunting effect. If you were on edge for side A, then the flipside should take care of your head -warm drone, field recordings, gorgeous melodies and more are present. Indica permeates the sinews that comprise these jams. Blurry tones twinkle amid noise of field recordings at the start of "Strange Rules". Shortly, the sky is illuminated with dreamy, yet effervescent, fireworks. As it descends a few levels, warm drone combines adeptly with synth that surges. Meandering warmth endows the atmosphere with serenity, and faint vocals swirl delicately among field recordings in "Hog Farm." Hypnotic synth billows in an opaque environment as indecipherable vocals ripple in the next to last track, " I Met Berserk." Sugarm brings it home in style with benevolent synth and lively low ends.

One only locates Pure Racket upon inquiring about the top shelf strains on offer. Sugarm's latest on Hausu Mountain is highly recommended. Often I spin this tape for hours at a time. Pro-dubbed and produced in a limited edition of 100 chrome cassettes with gray shells that feature purple imprints, Pure Racket may be purchased directly from Hausu Mountain. 

peace and love, friends :)

Peasants - Sawngs (II026)

trichome tuesday starts nicely with the latest offering from Peasants. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Generally, I prefer to start the day with the kind of vibrations that throw off the shackles of lethargy and embrace awareness. The latest offering from Peasants on Inner Islands has proved as sonorous as the birds that sing outside my window in the early morning. Peasants is a duo from Portland. Sawngs is comprised of music recorded in Washington Park. Tranquil sounds of nature don't permeate the recording; rather, they are an integral part. Along with the lovely sounds of nature, Peasants use languorous guitars that emit idyllic energy. An intimate recording, the dreamy vibe is ubiquitous; hazy transmissions ripple toward the waiting soul. Delicate tones fluctuate in the late morning sunlight. Reverb-soaked strings billow, yielding the sweet, plentiful scent of earth and a gauzy veil of mist. Sometimes the strings echo towards the zenith. At other times, they manifest as swirling ambient energy in the afternoon heat, touching down on the listener benevolently. These songs are aligned with the human condition and something that I unequivocally recommend; especially as the vibrations that breath life into your body upon arising. It's difficult to select a centerpiece, as the album flows beautifully. However, the penultimate track is special. "Slow Flowers" unfolds dreamily. The longest track on the album, it provides the artists an opportunity to explore their ideas more fully. Strings covered in reverb resonate lightly among birds in the beginning. Ethereal drone drifts lazily. As the track progresses, the vibe becomes even more dreamy and hazy. Slowly, meandering sustained tones and vocal drone move to the fore. Folks that dig Koen Holtkamp and Apestaartje are in for a real treat.  

Oh sweet, dank goodness! Inner Islands releases are produced in limited editions. Sawngs may be secured directly from the label, along with Tuluum Shimmering's latest jams.

peace and love, friends :)

German Army - Tassili Plateau (FH043)

my wake 'n bake (no shake) jams - peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

For a while, Holland Village was untouchable, situated at the apex of my German Army (GeAr) column of tapes - until I heard the new one on Field Hymns. Crystal-covered Tassili Plateau, on Field Hymns, has a dank, otherworldly quality that hovers and permeates like the finest indica. A surreal mountainous area in the middle of the Sahara, Tassili n'Ajjer is renown for the rock art - 15,000 drawings and etchings currently identified to date - that suffuses the landscape. It is a magnificent record of human evolution and the movement of animals among other things; the images correspond nicely to the GeAr jams on offer. Evacuate your head space prior to liftoff because this LA duo lights up your head with an array of  intriguing textures on synthesizer and guitar; ebullient, evocative passages; ritualistic burners; adept tempo/mood variation that endows each jam with a singular character; and hash oil-coated drum machines.

GeAr is impressive from the time one presses play. "Border Marsh" features voluminous, sustained synth which modulates to yield a dreamy effect; however ominous, intractable vibrations descend shortly. The juxtaposition is beautiful - the unyielding, writhing metallic sound that abuts eastern imbued tones. Warmth pervades the atmosphere in "Mumbai" as pleasant, reverb-soaked melodies dance on the air. "Antiseptic" presents something different than the first two tracks; decayed drum machines caked in dust combine with ghastly synth and some of the cleanest vocals that I've heard in a GeAr recording. Walls of thick noise meander, while the synth twinkles in "Crooning Ignorance". The last track on side A, "Indian Beast" is one of my favorites. Slow moving, hazy beats churn as crystalline tones exude geometric designs. Embryonic droplets of beauty mature into sonorous streams. Pack it tight for the flip because once you press play a continuum of beats plummets which precipitates the release of fervent, dense tones into the atmosphere. Another outstanding track is "Bondage". There is a ritualistic nature to this track which imbues it with an intriguing, dubious character. Sustained synthesizer - voluminous and bleary - bends around the labyrinthine structures that partly comprise the lunar landscape in "The Sexual Cycle of Human Norms." The last track is about as heady as they come. "Goa" is the sound of the Beach Boys hotboxing in some futuristic ballroom.      
 
Tassili Plateau is one of a few recently released recordings from German Army. Released in an edition of 75 cassettes, Tassili Plateau is highly recommended and may be purchased directly from Field Hymns.

peace and love, friends :)

Cody Yantis - Resonant Memory (PT004)

Planted's seeds sprouted the super bud of tapes. Peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Planted Tapes returns in style with a lovely cassette by Cody Yantis. Admittedly, one of the most salient attributes across some of my favorite releases is the manner in which an artist explores the relationship between the texture of a tone and space. Resonant Memory is exemplary among recent releases of this type; the fragility of a resonant murky string juxtaposed to variegated sustained tones that dance among chirping birds; bolts of sonic lightening erupting from the guitar in the manner of Steven R. Smith; withered piano chords decompose, their energy redolent. Additionally, the banjo is notable on this release. Yantis' approach to recording Resonant Memory utilizes piano, banjo, electric guitar, and percussion among other instruments with the Akai GX - 4000D reel-to-reel tape machine. Upon pressing play, the sound bellows as one merges to the vibrations with alacrity. Yantis' heartfelt banjo melodies and crafting of the atmosphere evoke memories of listening to Tape and the Hapna label. One of my favorite sections occurs near the end of side A as withered tones fracture in the air next to a field recording of children playing - quite lovely.
                  
While you're perusing the goods on offer at Planted, check out the informative and exclusive Q&A with Cody Yantis. Planted Tapes has a permanent spot on my top shelf - trichome heaven. Resonant Memory comes in an edition of 100 tapes. Assembled meticulously by the Planted crew, the photographs are credited to Cody Yantis. One may purchase a copy directly from Planted Tapes. 

peace and love, friends :)

Dura - Altered Resonance (PS047)

Help is on the way - Dura and Pure Kush! Peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Potent oscillations arrive quickly, burrow deep within the still body and illuminate the inner architecture of the listener. Throughout Altered Resonance, on Patient Sounds, there are copious opportunities to merge with the vibrations of life. Mattson Ogg, of Dura, adeptly combines warm drones and ambient/american primitive guitar. With eyelids tightly closed, the supreme resonance cascades through the bones and begets enhanced perception. Nestled in the wave of awareness, one notices the manifestation of delicate strings. Much like the slowly rising sun, incipient strings are initially cloaked by robust drones before becoming a more active part of the compositions - often vacillating between the background and the surface. Overall, Altered Resonance triggers awareness with ease - highly recommended!    
        
Much like my favorite sonic healers, Ogg triggers the sixth and seventh senses. Powerful drones pulsate as solitary strings vibrate throughout the soul. A deluge of majestic vibrations infuse the atmosphere with vitality -  a crest so high that the infinite blue sky seems proximate. Restrained, tranquil guitar becomes more active, even ascending to the fore as the side progresses. Toward the end of side A, a lovely tempo is achieved; surging and receding drones abut serene strums - heavenly. As the flipside commences, an embryonic drone alternatively oscillates and pulses. Fragile strings and field recordings remind me of the lovely elements that pervade a Josh Mason recording. Ogg's use of texture and tone are prominent on side B. Sustained tones bend toward the light -soothing and comforting. Flowing waves in continuous motion become more reflective toward the end. Ethereal and harshly resonant drones combine with shimmering strings near the end.

Altered Resonance, produced in a limited edition of 50 copies, is sold out at the source. However, Tomentosa appears to have the last copies - vital stuff if you prefer to inhabit these zones.

peace and love, friends :)