Zero Map - Cerebrum Paté (TORCD04)

diffuse psych vibes for head expeditions. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Up, up and away!  When Zero Map orbits your head, one can be sure of an entrancing trip.  The third eye zoners that comprise their discography exist in many forms: charged ritualistic hymns; electronic transmissions that hover ominously; noise glitch conflagrations; inner gazing quests with heavy psych drone as the conduit; intimate vocal drone and sustained strings.  Personally, I love the manner in which their music is unpredictable.  It travels on a luminous, variegated continuum through space.  Head warriors will dig this!

 Zero Map is the project of Chloe Wallace and Karl M V Waugh, who are both members of the A Band. Cerebrum Paté, on Tor Press, harvests one's psychoactive particles to fuel Zero Map's sonic dream machine, which rumbles, resonates and reverberates in the cavernous recesses of the head.  Much like the numerous neutrinos that emanate from the sun, 'Neutrino Detector' moves through the listener unimpeded, the disquiet palpable.  Heavy, rumbling currents smolder in the vastness while cavernous explosions are audible in the distance.  A mellifluous wave emerges, yet is cloaked in the consuming rumble and echo; stuttering glitches and vacillating signals periodically abound.  Cascading electronics give way to voluminous, torpid loops and slight rumble.  Toward the end, minimal drone and glitch billow from the speakers.  Awesome track!  The following track, 'A Python', exhibits a different side of this project, consisting of otherworldly, resonant drone, which spills forth from the speakers - engrossing!  Shortly, an electronic maelstrom ensues among conspicuous rumble.  Near the end, the noise peaks, moving into a territory unlike anything on the cd.  Encompassing blasts of noise buttress the listener, before being released into the open expanse of space.  

From the top shelf to your head, these heady crystal-covered zoners come enclosed in a lino print card sleeve, which features the artwork of label proprietor, not to mention incredible artist, Jake Blanchard. Cerebrum Paté may be purchased directly from Tor Press.                  

peace and love, friends :)

    

Kevin Greenspon / Former Selves - Betrayed by the Angels / Apropos of Golden Dreams (Bridgetown #100)

faithful vibrations abound!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Kindred spirits.  Sonic soul-mates.  On their second split release, Kevin Greenspon and Former Selves exhibit their illustrious talent in creating two sides of affecting, vibrant music.  Betrayed by the Angels / Apropos of Golden Dreams is a landmark release, number 100 in the Bridgetown catalog.  As a celebratory release, I cannot think of anything more apt than the manifestation of Kevin's resplendent and noisy paeans, comprised of guitar and synthesizer; and the penchant of Former Selves to harness the essence of the moment.

Kevin exhibits an acute sense of space and texture, populating the A side with radiant and resonant soundscapes.  His sonic forays are spacious and shimmer vividly.  Various shades of noise appear throughout, adding a lovely dimension.  As the needle drops, airy, twinkling notes appear and soon merge with layers of soothing sound.  From the speakers, layers of tranquil sound swirl; the changes are poignant.  In this section, the troughs are just as luminous as the peaks.  In the second track, nascent tones chime, periodically joined by bursts of guitar noise.  Shortly, sustained notes glisten in the early light of day.  Later, crackling and rumbling noise appears.  One thing I love about Kevin's music is the manner in which the elements of noise and ambient sound coexist.  Rather than acting as a veil, the heavy crackle and rumble are situated contiguously to the flowing sonorous streams.  The sequence of tracks 3, 4, and 5 is my favorite section of Kevin's side.  Thick layers resonate faithfully, filling the room with heavenly sound.  Vacillating passages and ethereal tones give way to a succession of chimes and soothing drone.  An excellent side of music!

A burgeoning drone with a benevolent character and solemn notes commence the Former Selves' side.  The aforementioned notes are captivating.  Later in the track, sustained notes drift pleasantly.  Poignant and tranquil, it's the manifestation of sonic light - an instance in which the lucidness of the music radiates outward to the awaiting listener.  Cascading notes and shifting ambient layers soon follow.  This music is honest to the human condition.  These peaceful, soothing tides can overcome the most prodigious bastion.  Well, we're only one-third through at this juncture, and the ascent continues.  In the second track, meandering waves of gentle sound abound.  Shortly, lightly echoing tones coalesce with a blissful sound.  Loops flutter in the easy aural breeze.  Before one is aware, the final track douses the atmosphere in peaceful energy.  Sustained tones resonate within the heart, delivered by minimal drone.  Soon, the elements of the track - cascading notes, bird calls, and a field recording of water - come together.  Personally, I love the part where the bird call appends to the crest of a glistening note.  Beyond the clouds, where the blue sky is vast, this angelic hymn to life enriches all who seek it.      
         
There is an abundance of love in my dwelling for this 12".  Produced in an edition of 550 - featuring the gorgeous artwork of Samuel Partal - Betrayed by the Angels / Apropos of Golden Dreams is packaged in an extra thick heavyweight jacket.  The 12" may be purchased directly from Bridgetown.  Also, please support Kevin Greenspon and Big Waves of Pretty as they trek around the US.  Not only is the show a wonderful experience, but the merch tables have some heavy duty goodies!
  

peace and love, friends :)

Former Selves - Golden Dreams from former selves on Vimeo.

Xiphiidae - Quaking Myth (Zorn33)

I'm at the peak of kush mountain, and Quaking Myth is the dollop of kief that delivers us into the light.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :) 

 The initial revolutions of Quaking Myth encapsulate the qualities that I tend to seek in music - and really, that can be said of the entire record.  There is undeniably something special occurring in those nascent rotations, which finds the listener eager to immerse themselves.  Hazy, lo-fi wonders meander and multiply, quickly expanding throughout the head.  Xiphiidae is the project of Housecraft proprietor, Jeffry Astin.  Originally released by Housecraft in 2010, Quaking Myth receives the vinyl treatment from Aguirre Records.  The music is a lovely amalgamation of many different styles and influences.  Aguirre's description is right on: "...broad influences from modern and ethnic drone, tape music, music concrète, kosmische and lo-fi, among others."  The stunning artwork speaks to the music. 

  A sequence of ephemeral and variegated waves undulate, piercing the dome and refracting in myriad directions.  Shortly, vivid colors merge in the shifting autumn light.  Track 1 on Side A is a conduit to awareness.  Swollen passages of benevolent sound engulf the listener.  Patterns and shapes begin to pulsate merge, dissociate, and recede into the haze.  There is a wonderful progression throughout from the solemn to the more ascendant - this track is played on repeat in the house.  The flipside delves into the qualities that make this project great.  Instantly, one is catapult into a misty forest of garbled tapes, minimal and foreboding drone, and sinister rhythms.  The following track is imbued with hypnotic rhythms, field recordings and airy incantations.  Finally, a buoyant drone progressively expands; prodigious rays of aural energy abut robust and resonant sound - intense and lovely!  However, toward the end the sonic waves morph, becoming elongated and moving in a dreamy manner.

Top shelf vibes from Xiphiidae!  These won't be around for long.  I purchased my copy at Tomentosa.

peace and love, friends :)

Black Thread - Effulgent Angel Piss (Turmeric Magnitudes)

Drifting somewhere in the hazy rainbow among fraying threads.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

Effulgent Angel Piss is the elixir of aural athletes.  A few weeks ago, I wrote about a tape replete with uplifting lo-fi nugs, Fragrant Hoof Carvings, from Black Thread on Turmeric Magnitudes.  Since then I've been able to comb the discography, which exhibits the different dimensions of this awesome project.  On this tape we're descending a few levels, which finds us ensconced in aural fog and knee deep in withering ambient loops of Effulgent Angel Piss.  

Once 'Effulgent Angel Piss' is discharged from the speakers, misty ambient loops dilate.  Shortly, there is an intriguing contrast between the luminous, lo-fi static-encrusted loop and the solemn reverberations that appear sporadically.  Minutes later, tones bleed into the other, while the sonic fidelity plummets a few levels. Undulations of hiss and static shroud the track. Yet, even as one perceives being farther away from the music, the opposite occurs;  the opaque beauty of the hazy energy radiates widely and seeps into the soul - lovely!  On the flip, a voluminous, airy tape loop ruminates in the clouds, buttressed by vibrant shapes and colors.  With the loop decaying, the listener floats in the slipstream - the austere light is blinding!  Soon, the noise becomes more intense, nearly cloaking the sounds.  As the noise subsides, we depart the clouds to enter a new atmosphere full of feedback that circumscribes streams of serenity.

 From the top shelf with love.  Black Thread creates a singular sonic environment which juxtaposes ambient tape loops and noise.  This project touches on the densely layered, haunting ambiance of Stephan Mathieu, while channeling the weathered, ambient minimalism of William Basinski.  I highly recommend the entire discography - expect to see more Black Thread nugs on this blog in the future.  One may purchase Effulgent Angel Piss directly from Turmeric Magnitudes.  Also, Black Thread tapes may be purchased from Tomentosa.

peace and love, friends :)
             

Hellvete - Sint-Denijs (BRR245)

enthralling drones and Cali Kush trichomes!  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

After many revolutions of Sint-Denijs, the second vinyl release from Hellvete - Glen Steenkiste of Sylvester Anfang ii - on Blackest Rainbow, the uplifting sonorous waves of energy suggest one thing:  Be here now.  Over two sides of vinyl, ethereal and buoyant energy brings the listener into the moment. A captivating lp, Sint-Denijs extends a hand of friendship to the listener.  Now, this shouldn't be construed as an indication that this is an ambient or new age release.  If anything, this lp contains a welcoming, spiritual quality.  Beginning with the earliest releases in 2005/06, Hellvete continuously evolves.  Some of the latest releases, including the Crooked Tapes release, reflect the influences of minimalism and folk music from throughout the world.  In this release, Glen realizes the beauty of these sounds by employing harmonium, bowed banjo, electric tampura, and analog synth.  Throughout Sint-Denijs, Glen's prodigious soundscapes bathe the listener in august light.  And, this lp accomplishes that with a focus on subtly changing attributes, such as texture, which enrich the immense sound. Overall, the effect of Sint-Denijs is analogous to copious rays of sunlight endowing the chest with warmth.

As the needle drops, 'C-142' emits a nascent harmonium drone.  The crystalline, sustained tones shower the listener with tranquility.  Concentrated beams of energy allow the listener to watch the breath flower in the moment.  With time, the sustained tones become more robust and the shifting details audible - music that elevates the soul.  On the flip, 'G-356' places the listener in a trance, beginning with loops of electric tampura that permeate the head.  Shortly, the pace increases.  Within a minute, the addition of harmonium and synth proves hypnotic.  At the end, reflections on the beginning manifest as undulations of electric tampura embrace the listener - my favorite track on the lp.        

Sint-Denijs is the fast acting sonic medicine in the Honest Bag healing it.  If today I could do one thing to make a positive difference in the life of a friend, then I would introduce them to Sint-Denijs.  To learn more about Hellvete, read this interview on Decoder.  With a quickly dwindling supply, only 8 copies of the 180 gram frosted clear vinyl remain - the black vinyl is sold out. Before Sint-Denijs goes OOP, purchase a copy directly from Blackest Rainbow.

peace and love, friends :)

Imperfect Masters - This Humanly Mess: Music of El Cerrito for Clarinet and Boot, Vol. #23 (fon35)

voluminous, woozy sounds that breath life into the night.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

  Even prior to experiencing this tape, the story on the back of the j-card proved intriguing; I pondered the words for a long time, continuously re-reading them.  Under the radiant energy of the crescent moon, a beautiful amalgamation of tones from two adept improvisers begins to slowly drift into the listener's head-space.  Throughout This Humanly Mess: Music of El Cerrito for Clarinet and Boot, Vol. #23, on Full of Nothing, a bucolic vibe is emitted.  Imperfect Masters is the duo of Robert Horton and Dan Plonsey.  Robert Horton is known for creating musical instruments, one of which, the boot, features on this release.  The boot is a four string slide instrument. His partner on this release, Dan Plonsey, is a renown composer and saxophonist - though he utilizes the clarinet on this release.

Upon pressing play, these skilled improvisers seem the perfect match: the woozy strings of Horton intersect perfectly with the soporific, slowly expanding sound emitted from the clarinet.  In the next track, droning strings vacillate uninhibitedly in the background. Plonsey's clarinet ascends ever so gently at the beginning before matching Horton's energy with fluctuating tones.  There is a lovely intersection of jazz and blues in the third track.  The resonant strings of the acoustic boot coalesce nicely with the hovering clarinet. On the fourth track of side A, drone and boot combine with the soft emanations of the clarinet.  Droning and resonant strings create the perfect backdrop for the diffuse - and at times coiling - clarinet, which envelops the head like indica haze - one of my favorite tracks on the tape.  Frenzied strings abound at the beginning of the second track on the flip.  Shortly, Plonsey's clarinet howls - yet, not too aggressively - while scraped strings exist in the back of the mix.  In the last track, energy slowly exudes from the clarinet - quiet stillness engulfs the listener as strings wobble gently.  Before long, the boot oscillates, becoming more prominent.             

Lately, I've been listening to this on the porch under the starry sky and luminous moonlight - nice conditions for these vibes.  This Humanly Mess: Music of El Cerrito for Clarinet and Boot, Vol. #23 is highly recommended. Produced on red, transparent tapes with lovely artwork provided by Ivan Afanasyev, this tape is sold out at the source.  However, Tomentosa always has the goods.  One may purchase This Humanly Mess: Music of El Cerrito for Clarinet and Boot, Vol. #23,   from Tomentosa.

peace and love, friends :)

Tuluum Shimmering - Before Us Is Our Ocean (RC74)

Dank, serene vibrations for your day in the sun.  peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)

As gentle vocals swell adjacent to mellow strings, one can almost perceive the cool breeze from the ocean and the enveloping sun. The loop-driven music of Tuluum Shimmering possesses a luminous aura and a gentle nature.  With loops of mellifluous vibrations permeating the listener's head, the releases from Tuluum Shimmering have the sonic feeling of being nearby.  And, the scope of Tuluum Shimmering's sound is wide.  Where the dreamy undulations of Ulau Tau/Spirit of The Sun emitted hazy ritualistic vibrations, Before Us Is Our Ocean, on Rotifer Cassettes, presents an idyllic sonic setting for the listener.  Loops of sweetly flowing vocals, strings and percussion become hypnotic.  Words do not do justice to the ubiquitous beauty of Tuluum Shimmering.

Before Us Is Our Ocean is buoyant and will put your head at ease.  Only 5 more copies remain.  One may purchase this tape through Rotifer.
       

peace and love, friends :)