Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Solar Fields - Blue

Droneform Records/Sidereal: 2014/2018

I made a big hullabaloo about having two 'beyond' albums in a row, but let's be honest here: I have far more 'black's and 'blue's. And why not, artists always eagre in finding ways of combining sensory input such as sight and sound. It's easy for us to associate certain colours with types of music, especially when something goes 'darker' and such as. Lordy, for 'blue' alone, I have Blue Lines, Blue Mountain, Blue Planet, Bluenote Cafe, The Blueprint EP (spoiler!), bleu, and Blumenkraft. Oh, and Solar Fields' Blue Moon Station, that one too. Hay, guess what song's on this compilation!

Yep, it's finally time to wrap up another box-set, the quite small yet somehow long gestating three-CD collection of Red / Green / Blue. Which I, naturally, reviewed out of order, though at least the Blue CD came last. Good thing I didn't start this from my usual alphabetical placement, eh? Throw everything into utter chaos, everything I says!

If you've forgotten what this coloured series from Magnus is about, they're essentially round-ups of all his wayward tracks, singles, and remixes as found on various label compilations, primarily from his '00s body of work. Considering he managed to gather three album's worth of material is a testament to his relentless work-rate throughout that decade but to be honest, it feels like Mr. Birgersson was stretching things to fit the concept to meet Blue's quota. For instance, that track I mentioned two paragraphs above? Yeah, there's an alternate version of it on here, but rather subdued compared to the grandiosity as heard on Blue Moon Station proper. It's fine as is, just can't stand toe-to-toe should you feel inclined to compare.

And that's the impression I get with most of Blue. Granted, I've been so got'dang spoiled by Solar Fields over the year that even what I might find 'mediocre' is still downright brilliant when stacked against the yearly bilge. Good Times? Such a deep, groovy slice of world beat and psy chill. Just, y'know, I've heard similar stuff from the man before. Water Silence? Oh yeah, that's a dope tune, but that was on Ultimae Records' Fahrenheit Project Part Five: aka: the one with so much amazing music, Solar Fields actually sounded ordinary on it!

Okay, let's get some neat/interesting stuff out of the way. The opening track, Life: where's this from? Lord Discogs seems to have no record of this chipper world beat tune existing elsewhere. Closer In Motion (Good Morning Edit): ah, good ol' prog-psy Solar Fields, gotta' love those slow, considered builds. Small Little Green Cubes: vintage opulent Magnus, and classy of him offering it to help kick off the Electrik Dream Records print. And finally, a remix of Cloud-Kingdom by Filteria, which really had me thinking Solar Fields was going a little synthwave at the start, before getting back to typical psy-chill territory. Still, that name, Filteria, seems familiar to me somehow. Let me check on Discogs a moment to... Oh son of a...!

Monday, October 9, 2023

Goasia - Amphibians On Spacedock

Suntrip Records: 2014

I hate the word I'm gonna' use to describe this album. It's such a loaded adjective, one that has gained too much negative connotation for my liking. It needn't be so, plenty of positive sounds equally associated with its use. Yes, a lot of that is in a sort of ironic way, but not always either. Some musicians have parlayed this particular stylistic choice into highly successful careers, a few even attaining 'national treasure' status. Unfortunately, such examples remain few and far between, the rest getting this descriptive tag often mocked and derided in the process. And hey, I've been no less guilty of this too, using this word in more negative light than positive. I suppose this obfuscating paragraph is just me trying to assuage a guilty conscience over my imminent use of the word, as I don't intend to mean it in a harshly critical manner. I could just not, but I can't think of any better one within the entirety of the convoluted English language than what I'm about to use to describe my impression of Goasia's Amphibians On Spacedock.

That all sorted? Right, then. I find this album rather corny.

It's corn I like, absolutely, but I cannot deny it being there just the same. The reason calling a goa trance album corny comes so loaded is because the genre – indeed, the entire psy trance scene – cotinues having credibility issues, with good cause. A bunch of cyber-crusties flailing about the woods or desert under the stars during significant astrological events? It's just not serious dancing, mate, not like huddling as sardines in a grimy warehouse or hopping in a spot with a phone in the air while million-dollar visual spectacle barrages your senses. Okay, electronic music in general can be corny, if you stand back a bit, but the outsider's nature of the psy scene always works extra hard for acceptance.

Some of this duo's choice in melodies though, I can't help but call them corny, in a pulpy sci-fi, Buck Rogers sort of way. Opener God, Good Morning is just so gosh-darn plucky and earnest, I half expect a young Jerry Mathers to pop up in a Space Cadet outfit waiting for his first adventure. Hell, maybe that is supposed to be Lil' Beaver on the cover! Tracks like Promised Land and Sundance are no less over-eager in their leads, while cuts that lean more into standard goa riffs don't fare much better. Gotta' hand it to Goasia though, they don't hold back, fully committed and competent in the style of psy trance they want to make. I just need to be in a the right type of mood to take in that there corn, y'know?

Fortunately, it's not all maize straight through. The titular cut has some proper acid tear-out moments, while Dolphins Of Jupiter gets more 'serious' with its squiggly acid sounds. And as far as final track Tetrodotoxin goes, that's some mighty fine vintage Tristan vibes I'm hearing there, b'gosh.

Sunday, August 6, 2023

Tristan - Way Of Life

Nano Records: 2014

Well, I appreciate Audiodrome more now.

Not that Way Of Life is bad. For a collection of standard Israeli full-on psy, it's competently crafted, hitting all the high points it needs to without falling back on cheesy riffs or tired tropes ...often. One track does feature a triplet breakdown, which were a tired cliche even before the '10s took shape, but the sense I get from these tracks is they're mostly in service of giving the party people what the want, and little else. And if Tristan Cooke is fine with making such stuff, that's fine too. It's just, y'know, after hearing some of his more challenging tunes on his debut, it makes him settling on standard party psy so many years later a bit of a let down.

Right, it's not like I was singing high praises for Tristan's explorations of just how minimal psy trance could go on Audiodrome, but I did give a fancy tip of the hat for the attempt. I thought he carried on down that road, though come to think of it, I never really saw his name brought up in dark psy circles. Part of that, I assumed, was simply due to lack of releases. Following his debut, he put out another LP on Twisted Records - Substance - then went on production hiatus for half a decade. He re-emerged on Nano Records with Chemisphere, then took another seven years before coming out with this here Way Of Life. He's mostly stuck things out with single-song collaborations since, including pairings with ManMadeMan, Vini Vici, and a variety of Nano artists I'm in no hurry to scope out. Like, let me at least get through Suntrip Records' catalogue before dabbling in another psy trance label where, if some Discoggian claims are true, this album from Tristan is among its highlights.

Right off the bat, I couldn't help but think, “Oh. He's doing what everyone else is doing now. Huh.” Talking In Technicolour features all the things anyone with a passing fancy for modern psy trance will have heard: peppy plastic bassline, squawky synths, spacey fills, cheeky vocal samples. There are sections that remind me of Tristan of old, cybernetic sounds during the usually wibbly portions of any full-on track. When they're paired with so many stock elements though, little really leaps out either. Tracks like Time & Space, Excitement Generator and Parallel Reality are perfect examples, their early portions taken up by trippy, digital effects, Tristan at his best. Then the second half goes for a standard full-on build, dragging such sounds in tow whether they're suited for it or not. Again, not bad in of itself, just feeling like they could have been something far more daring.

I dunno'. Maybe Tristan received backlash for going as minimal as he once did, or knew those roads were creative (and financial) dead-ends. Nothing wrong with playing things safer in such a fickle scene as psy trance's. Just doesn't do much to stand out from the glut either.

Saturday, August 5, 2023

The Shape - Waveshape Fiction

Anodize/Intellitronic Bubble: 2014/2020

This is the second half of the double album that included _Nyquist's Sonic Periapsis, the fun little gimmick from Intellitronic Bubble of including two completely separate LPs for the price of one. I guess this makes the official first one of these I've completed? Like sure, I've technically done that with the double deal of Skua Atlantic's Atlantic Fusion and Devroka's Processor Overlord, but only by happenstance of already reviewing the Databloem version of Atlantic Fusion. As for the second half of the release containing G-Prod's Space Time's Bubbles LP, that won't be for quite a while yet.

As a side note, why did the label abandon this concept after just a handful of releases in 2020? I get Lee and Árni focusing more on the vinyl side of things, CDs relegated to compilations. This was such a cool idea though, luring in potential new audiences with such plumb deals. Or maybe that's all it was ever intended to be, some nifty CD deals getting folks through the door, keeping them after for the real highlights of all those lathe cut records. Not a bad marketing strategy, nosiree, but man, I cannot deny hoping they make a small return to these 2-for-1 releases as well. They've been handy in nabbing re-released hard copies of some real obscure stuff. Why yes The Shape's Waveshape Fiction is one such item.

Though the alias may be obscure and easily forgotten, the man behind it most definitely is not, as this is another in a great number of Mick Chillage projects. Actually, check that: Mr. Gainsford doesn't really have that many outside his main one – it just feels that way because I keep running into them. Heck, this is the second time I have within these Intellitronic Bubble bundles alone (he's one-half of Skua Atlantic, in case you forgot). I wanted to make a 'Bill Laswell quip' here, but it seems inappropriate, so I'll let it slide.

Anyhow, I hear why Mick adopted a one-off alias for this record, as it's nothing like his usual Chillage tuneage. He was well into his Pixels phase with Anodize that same year (to say nothing of the sublime work coming out on Carpe Sonum Records), putting the unapologetic retro-electro of Waveshape Fiction well out of sorts from his discography. Heck, I'm surprised this even appeared on Anodize, though I haven't had much chance to properly dig into that label. Burned too bright too fast, sadly.

After the album kicks off with the more chill Stranger Than Fiction, we're thrust head-first into second-wave electro – think vintage Anthony Rother and Boris Divider, with a tad less menace. Super dope if you can't get enough of the stuff, but little in the way of surprises either. Mick handles the genre quite well, with a few earworms scattered about the broken robot rhythms and futureshock synths. Still, I get the sense this was more of a fun lark on Mr. Gainsford's part than any serious exploration of the genre.

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Dance With The Dead - Send The Signal

self-release: 2014

Spare some time for an anecdote?

The setting, a little post-clubbing afterparty, which is always nice being at when you're not quite ready for a night to be over. I didn't know these folks in the slightest, but sometimes the conversations you're having are just too good to let die. Still, it became clear to me that our musical tastes weren't so compatible. Lots of Drake, Bieber and the like being played, plus they could tell I was one of those guys, who knew too damn much about music (guilty as charged). But that's fine, I was having a fun enough time chit-chatting about other things (and watching the World Cup Final), so whatever music was playing wasn't a concern for me. Until it was.

At some point, I suggested music a bit more 'peppy', to which I was put on the spot to recommend something. Friends, that has to be the worst thing for me to be asked! Of all the music I know of, I now have to pare it down to just a singular song that my new one-night clubbing pals might enjoy. For some reason, my mind went to Dance With The Dead. It went over like an iridium weight in the atmosphere of Saturn.

I bring this up because, for a time after, I had a crisis of faith, a flailing sense of doubt over my own taste in music. Yeah, I know not everyone will dig what I dig, just as I won't dig what everyone else will dig, but surely Dance With The Dead was bullet-proof? How can some folks not get hype to those pounding darksynth rhythms, the soaring John Carpenter synth leads, and Tony Kim's righteous shredding?

I realize I may have over-committed to this band in buying their entire catalogue off Bandcamp, but man, perhaps I was wrong about enjoying the duo all along. Might they have always been cheesy, corny, and just not cool? Am I so out of touch? I mean, sure, I was one of the 'geezers' when I went to go see them in concert last year, throwing up devil's horns among a crowd of millennials, but might synthwave already be past its prime, with me clinging to a nostalgia of... *checks calendar* a decade old?

Then I listen to Poison off this Send The Signal mini-album, and all is right in the world again. Oh, Dance With The Dead, I can never stay doubtful of you.

Anyhow, Send The Signal is another of the band's earlier EPs, released after the Near Dark album. As such, we're in their era where the synth leads and rhythms dominate over a given track, Tony's guitar action still mostly relegated to a bit of soloing at a track's peak, if featured much at all. Of the six songs (plus an intro), they touch on all the synthwave bases, so a nice little appetizer of the Dance With The Dead stylee. Just, y'know, don't play it for J Cole fans.

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

loscil - Sea Island

Kranky: 2014

A local lad, this loscil is. Not that I realized it at the time of purchase, simply drawn to another bit of familiar cover art with a title also intimately familiar (technically grew up on a 'sea island'). Many a Pacific Northwest beach front is little more than a rubble-strewn wasteland of old cedar driftwood washed upon the shore. Ancient trees felled by strong winter winds, carried out to the ocean where they cruise along currents and tides, piling upon each other in tiny enclaves and fjords all along the coastline. Not the most inviting areas if you're looking to lounge in the sun for an afternoon, but all those dropped logs are handy in a pinch if you need to drop a log of your own.

Anyhow, Scott Morgan has been an active musician for over two decades now, at times working in bands like Destroyer, but primarily producing music as loscil, and fairly active at it too. Lord Discogs lists some thirty items to his catalogue, including works on Ghostly International and Glacial Movements Records. And while I wouldn't say his output is heavily inspired by the general grey-tone of the region's sights and weather, album titles like First Narrows, Strathcona Variations, Sketches From New Brighton, and, yes, Sea Island, will certainly get some Vancouverites' notice. To say nothing of that cover art for Endless Falls. We know that sight all too well wherever we are sat within a traffic jam.

As you may have guessed from those label name-drops, loscil primarily deals in minimalist, dubby ambient drone, with the occasional subtle techno pulse thrown in. Sometimes the music is tranquil and soothing, other times reflective and melancholy, perhaps at times amorphous and non-committal to any particular mood. Whatever you fancy, I'm sure Scott has made some iteration in the past twenty years.

Sea Island touches upon a few of these themes, a nice little soundtrack should you find yourself wandering about such a locale. The bell tones of opener Ahull brings you into the album with a bit of whimsy, even as some of the backing, throbbing synths create a sense of unease. In fact, we don't get anything quite so 'lighthearted' until Sturgeon Bank towards the album's end. In between, there's sombre pieces (Bleeding Ink, Sea Island Murders, Catalina 1943), contemplative pieces (In Threes, Holding Pattern), and gently beautiful pieces (Iona, Angle Of Loll), all performed within a warm layer of foggy dub drone.

Admittedly, the heavy use of said dub tones does give Sea Island a bit of a samey vibe throughout, so it's nice that En Masse towards the end focuses more on piano over the drone. Not that each track doesn't feature a unique sound, it's just everything tends to blend together over the course of a playthrough. That's just the loscil style though, and if you're down for that, you'll be down for Sea Island. Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for my three-hour walk in overcast skies.

Monday, January 9, 2023

Blue Hour - Reference 97

Blue Hour: 2014

Hearing honest-to-Gods, true blue trance music from that positivesource compilation naturally had me wondering, was there any more from these guys? The label may be far too new to have cultivated much of a regular roster, but surely all these artists didn't just suddenly sprout up from the ground like so many Tolkien dwarves. You bet, but that's a lot of digging through discographies, some of which may only have a few scant releases to their name. No, best to stick to labels for now, and fortunately for I, it turned out positivesource is a sub-label. Which means there's a parent label I can check out! Oh, goodie!

Sure enough, said parent label is Blue Hour. You might remember that name as one of the artists I mentioned in the positivesource 'Bundle' review (it was only a month ago). I touched on it there, but here's more details. Started by Luke Standing way back in 2013 (yes, that's 'way back' now, deal with it), the eponymous print carved out a tidy little niche in an overcrowded techno market in Germany. Maybe not the most flashy label thereabouts, but successful enough to carry on releasing a few records every year to this day. I don't have the time to sift through the label's entire catalogue to hear just how consistent the trance vibes that lured me in had been lurking throughout, but I figure scoping out some early works might give me an idea. Ah, this Reference 97 looks promising, perhaps referencing techno and trance from the year 1997?

Or maybe not. The titular opener of this single hits you immediately with the thudding, thunderous techno beats you'd associate with Ostgut Ton releases – maybe the snare action is a little vintage Detroit? But what's this? An emergent synth pad, pulsing to the rhythm as it slides along its sine wave? Yeah, that's kinda' trance, even has a little breakdown where it's just the melody doing its thing. Those big ol' beats waste no time coming back though (fuck d'em builds, yo'), keeping Reference 97 firmly in techno's domain.

Second track is called Don't Speak. Ooh, is that a reference to the No Doubt song? Right, the album it came from was released in '95, and technically had a single released in '96, but it did most of its chart damage in '97, so there could be a tie-in! Ha-hah, oh of course not, this Don't Speak a strict exercise in techno minimalism (but not mnml, thank Lord). There is a weird sound that oozes out after every eighth measure, which might be an ultra-dubbed vocal sample, which could be a clip from the No Doubt song? No, I doubt that.

Final track Moments also brings the boom in its beats, but in a broken way, boy. There's also some synth pad work in support, giving this track a real classic Artificial Intelligence vibe. Could almost appear on B12's label, if that bass kick wasn't so beefy.

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Solar Fields - Red

Droneform Records/Sidereal: 2014/2018

Hah, bet you forgot I have a Solar Fields box-set to get through as well, didn't you! Right, it's not that big a box-set, containing just three CDs in all. And it's not like you can't get these coloured-titled compilations separately either, at least in their digital forms. Red / Green / Blue is only a box-set in the sense that it's a tidy consolidation of wayward collections of music, particularly for those who like having a physical medium on their shelves.

Of the three discs, Red is the most redundant to my own music collection, already having half these tracks elsewhere. In fact, three of them appeared on Fahrenheit Projects, but as Magnus was a regular contributor to that Ultimae series, it's only natural a significant chunk of track list space is taken by them. For the record: Union Light comes from Fahrenheit Project Part Four, OnFlow comes from Fahrenheit Project Part Seven, and Electric Fluid comes from Fahrenheit Project Part Two ...or does it? Wait a minute, something seems to be missing from this Red version, the bit of acid towards that track's end. Is this an early mix? *checks through Discogs* Ah, so it is, this version first appearing on a 3D Vision Relax compilation called Module 01. Huh, guess that makes the Ultimae cut, the superior cut, an exclusive to F.P.2.

Some other Ultimae exclusives include the ultra-subdued Combinations (On/Off Edit) from Oxycanta 2 (which I have), the Solar Fields At His Solar Fieldsiest Fiat Lux from Albedo (which I have), and Times Are Good (Sometimes Remix) from Imaginary Friends. I don't have that one. I don't know why I don't have that one. I guess the by-line of “audio poetry” had me thinking it some spoken word outing? Times Are Good is definitely not that, a pleasant slice of charmingly twee downtempo chill. Not the most mesmerizing Solar Fields tune out there – especially on a compilation containing Fiat Lux and OnFlow - but definitely a hint of things to come with Until We Meet The Sky.

Now the rest. Jeezlh comes from an Interchill Records compilation called Future Memories, a fairly standard bit of Solar Fields psy-chill with another winner of a melody at its peak. I'm more fascinated by Solar Fields appearing on Interchill at all though, especially rubbing shoulders with Eat Static and Phutureprimitive (Carbon Based Lifeforms and Cell also joined in). A different remix of Confusion Illusion appeared on a Suntrip Records compilation, adding operatic singing to his blissed-out chill atmosphere, while Compressed Universe goes a little more prog-psy with its uplifting vibes, which makes sense as it first appeared on a Spiral Trax CD. As for Velvet Reptile from the hopelessly obscure Stargate Recordings, it's fine as a tranquil transitional ambient piece within Red, and that's about all.

Still, a top grade compilation, Red is, with some of Solar Fields' best tracks on it. If you had to choose just one, I'd go with this (spoiler for Blue, I guess?).

Saturday, October 29, 2022

Dance With The Dead - Near Dark

self released: 2014

Stepping back in time with this one, but what else is new with these discography dives, eh? Okay, my recent Twitter ones actually are chronological, but that's a totally different gimmick. Not that me buying up someone's entire catalogue off Bandcamp is much of a gimmick either, but at least my alphabetical stipulation throws a little variety in their sequence. Besides, there's a couple discographies I've gone chronological too, such as Pet Shop Boys and... hmm, gosh, is that all? Feel like there's more I could do, should do. What other act out there have I not done a single review of, but really do like, actually? There's got to be some.

Anyhow, I think we're well caught up on what's the deal regarding Dance With The Dead. Near Dark was their second album, third overall following the EP Into The Abyss. And if there was any indication it didn't take long for Justin Pointer and Tony Kim to figure out what their sound could entail, this here LP is proof-positive. For sure synthwave that leans heavy into its rockier attributes was well established by the mid-'10s, but these chaps, they figured out the perfect blend to push it just that little bit extra, a sweetening of melody and mush of mosh. I really can't explain it any better how their style of synths 'n' thrash is set as such perfect levels here, and carried on to this day. Is it for everyone? Probably not, but for what I want out this music, I couldn't ask for more.

I've got a lot of word count left to burn here, so how about some good ol' track-by-track descriptions, then. Opener Invader sets us off with a stomping half-time beat that marches along with backing arps and synths stabs before Tony's guitar gets its wailing solo action on. A fairly straight-forward tune, then unleashes some low-end shredding for a propah' head-bangin' finale. Now that your body is warmed up, let's up the tempo with Dressed To Kill with more of those gnarly bass-synths powering forward as synths do those vintage '80s horror movie riffs. A little muted breakdown gives us pause, then bring it all back for another sweet guitar solo. Go on, raise those devil horns, I know you want to.

Waves goes more the synth-pop route, the guitar action in support rather than the previous two, but Tony gets plenty of shred time in Midnight Never Ends, even as the synths get their trance on. Speaking of 'ravey' music, Andromeda does that thing Frankie Bones loves to do wherein it sounds like the music is coming from some distant area, maybe a warehouse, before emerging through the rain in full concert glory.

Holy cow, I've burned through a lot of words fast, and I still have half an album left. Uh, Eye Of The Storm: synth ballad. Near Dark: heavy rocker. The Pitt: heavy synther with soloing. Graveyard Shift: spooky rocker. Riser: closing credits-er. There, a vintage track-by-track review! Dope album, too.

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Saafi Brothers - Live On The Roadblog

Iboga Records/Carpe Sonum Novum: 2014/2015

Yet another in a long, long, long (oh Gods, just so damn long) list of acts I've sorely neglected. By all accounts, Saafi Brothers are a group I should have dove into sooner. All the pieces are there for me to have checked them out at some point, members with discographies I've crossed with plenty of times.

Most prominent of these is, of course, Gabriel le Mar, who I have heard in scattered amounts over the years, and never been let down by his output. Another member is Luca Anzilotti, whom most probably don't know off hand, but have definitely heard in the past, being one-half of the famed euro-dance outfit Snap! Michael Kohlbecker isn't one I'm familiar with, though he's been active on the scene many decades, his Eternal Basement project probably his most recognizable alias. Alex Azary (of Aural Float and Elektrolux fame) was also with the group on its first album, so all said, quite the super-group of German producers here.

And what sort of music did these numerous talents create together? Why, nothing less than the invention of prog-psy, is what! Okay, maybe not quite, their works more of an ambient dub techno blend with wordly psy-chill, but tell me 1997 tracks like On Air and Internal Code Error don't predict that genre emerging in the coming century.

As you can imagine with a group containing so many busy-bodies, reconvening for an album session isn't the easiest endeavour for Saafi Brothers. It would explain the sparse discography (and my overlooking of said discography), the group seemingly disbanding after 2007's Supernatural, save live gigs. Still, such gigs seemed to inspire the trio to actually start recording some of those sessions, which they did, consolidating the best outings in the studio for this here Live On The Roadblog album. Initially released as a digital item on prog-psy outfit Iboga Records, it was given the CD treatment on Carpe Sonum Records off-shoot Novum. That isn't as strange of a 'worlds colliding' pairing as you'd think, what with Gabriel le Mar being something of a fixture with the sub-label.

Listening through Live On The Roadblog, you definitely get a 'live' feel for how these tracks were crafted, everything quite loose in arrangement. Still, with most hovering around the six-to-eight minutes mark, they seldom wander off in rambly jams, a clear structure in their progression. Just, y'know, not so stiff in execution as most studio works go. As for the types of tunes, you get dubby world beats (Infinity Is Reality, Ghosts In The Tree), prog-psy groovers (Running Free, In The Eye Of The Storm, Moving Crossroads), blissy chillers (Feeling Lone, Touched By An Angel, Moments Of Clarity), and... electro-dub bangers? Wow, where did How High Can You Get? come from?

The music is solid stuff for sure, but man, all the drippy-hippie spoken word bits, I could have done with less of. When the whole album's concept is 'following one's wanderlust' though, I guess it comes with the territory.

Saturday, August 13, 2022

Dance With The Dead - Into The Abyss

self release: 2014

So I got all of Dance With The Dead, the entire Bandcamp catalogue, all ten main releases. Why would I go and do something like that? I've only heard one track of theirs, and it's a remix at that. Yeah, but it's also one of the most awesome tracks I've ever heard, their go with Gost's Reign In Hell an all-timer in getting me absolutely fuckin' hype. If the rest of their catalogue is even a fraction as dope, then a bounty of kick-ass synth-metal must exist.

Where to start though? I could sift through each album before dropping some coin, but y'all know I prefer the exhilarating reactions of unheard purchases. All the cover art is retro fun, like browsing the Horror section of your local VHS rental shop, so hard to decide just on those merits. Wait a minute, everything is only two dollars more than buying a single album? Heck, may as well go with that option. Might help break up my ongoing coverage of the entire catalogues of Lucette Bourdin and Speedy J.

And thus, by Alphabetical Decree (re: what's currently slotted in the ongoing queue), we're starting this deep dive into Dance With The Dead with Into The Abyss. It's... not the most typical of their releases, that's for sure. Like, their iconography is very much in a George A. Romero vein, and this cover art is anything but. I guess it being one of their earliest EPs – in fact, their second release overall, if the Bandcamp dates are believed – the duo had yet to establish much of a proper identity. If finding influence from something a little more Cameron than Carpenter was where their heads were at, so be it.

After an intro of sonar pings and ominous tones letting us know that, yes, we are indeed descending into the depths of the bounding main, Battle holds little back in delivering the epic synthwave stylee: epic build, choir pads, stomping rhythms, squealing vintage synths, and that triumphant guitar action from Tony Kim. Perhaps not as tear-out as you'd expect from a track titled Battle, but gotta' save a little of that for later in.

From there, we get Moon Runner, a track that- wait, “Moon” Runner? I thought we were going into dark, oceanic domains. What's a tune that would sound better fitted in a Dynatron collection doing here? Well, it's a cool tune regardless, if rather typical of mid-'10s synthwave. Let's get back to that propah' Dance With The Dead synth-n-metal action on Mask (and hey, sonar pings again – way to tie things back to the EPs theme, guys!) and Odyssey (ooh, that bassline's almost as good as the on on Reign In Hell). By contrast, Suede sounds more like it should be the opening credits theme to a classic arcade game, while No Survivors wants to be the closing credits to a Cameron film, orchestral swells and all. Mmm, stick to the shredding, mates. (and they would too)

Friday, May 27, 2022

Solar Fields - Green

Droneform Records/Sidereal: 2014/2018

Wait a tik'...! Solar Fields has a box-set too? Solar Fields has a box-set too! And not just any ol' 'album gathering' box-set, but one that consolidates many a wayward track and tune floating about the compilation and internet ether. Red / Green / Blue actually started out as individual releases on Magnus' own Droneform Records, strictly digital options for those who hadn't been too diligent in obtaining every single item released under the Solar Fields banner. Or heck, even for those who were, but now offering a tidy collection in three releases (because there was just that many out there!). A few years later, Solar Fields starts re-issuing hard-copy releases of his back-catalogue, eventually leading to these former digital-only compilations getting a box-set treatment as well. [enter outdated “and still no Earthshine re-issue” quip here]

As for what differentiates Red from Green from Blue, I really couldn't say. I breezed through them all, and didn't notice much thematic difference between them. Nor are they chronologically sorted, each track seemingly plucked from whatever compilation from whatever year it may have been released. About the only common thing among them is how Magnus sequenced each, with a gradual escalation in tempo, such that they play out in similar fashion. The actual track selection seems to be nothing more involved than being in service of this, but I guess that's to be expected. It's not like Solar Fields has that radical a disparity in his musical aesthetic, especially among tracks mostly intended for compilation contributions.

By alphabetical decree, I'm covering Green first, and of the ten tracks included, I already have two: Spiritual Ocean and Levitate, appearing on Fahrenheit Projects. A few remixed album tracks also appear, including Insum from Leaving Home, Magic Eye from Blue Moon Station and... Sol from Movements? Ah, sweet, Sol is, like, one of my favouritest Solar Fields tracks ever! I bet this remix will be totally dope as well. *listens* Hmm, okay, maybe not after all. Seems less grand and... singular? Something meant to stand on its own rather than add to an album experience, I guess.

So the rest. Opener Level Out is rather chipper and plucky with plenty of spacious woodwinds and chant going with its bouncy electronics. Rain Geometry was a H.U.V.A. Network track, though as this is Magnus' own rub, does the usual Solar Fields slow build with plenty of atmospherics churning up the ethnic sounds on display. Respiratory Rate is an almost experiential piece by Solar Fields standards, the sounds of steady breathing forming a rudder while a mid-tempo bounce breaks out. Finally, The Sight Is White and Third Time (T Version) are noteable for the types of compilations they appeared on: the former on a label called Candyflip Records (cute), the latter on a rather dodgy 2002 psy-trance CD called First Impression. If AP Records was the sort of label Magnus had to deal with in the beginning, I'm sure he couldn't wait to become part of the Ultimae family.

Saturday, March 27, 2021

Lars Leonhard - Burning Clouds

Ultimae Records: 2014

A bit of unfinished business here, tackling the honest-to-God last item from Lars Leonhard in my music collection. Will it for really-reals be the last thing I ever review from the chap? I cannot deny feeling plenty sated on his discography at this point, but there's still more releases to his name that I haven't checked out. All those astronomy-themed albums of the past couple years, that one collaborative record from his BineMusic days, not to mention numerous EPs and single-track outliers. Reviewing Lars Leonhard music could forever be unfinished business, insomuch as reviewing all the music I own could forever be unfinished business. In my present state, however, with something of a natural conclusion drawing closer, Burning Clouds does indeed appear to be the final item I'll be covering from Mr. Leonhard for a while. It's only the twelfth one.

The second of two EPs Lars did for his brief stint with Ultimae, I was initially a little hesitant in getting this one. Stella Nova was the no-brainer, if only because of the wonderful cover-art. It was a perfect representation of the label's dub-chill direction as any, with Lars leading the way. Released the following year, Burning Clouds didn't quite capture the same sense of awe from yours truly, so kinda' passed me by, until I sprung for it out of Ultimae completionist sake. Finally listening to it though, I find this one better out of the two.

Warmth. There's no better word to describe it. Dub techno, but its very nature, tends to be a rather cold and sterile genre, an intriguing counter-point to the surrounding sonic depth dub production tends to create. There can be warm textures in dub techno, but you're then treading into ambient dub's waters. What I'm getting at here is while Stella Nova was fine as another collection of downtempo dub techno tracks from Lars, the clinical nature of the genre could still be felt. Like, sounds and effects perfectly placed, the waves of reverb carrying with it a polished-chrome sheen. And, if I'm being honest, the sort of style I instantly attribute to Lars' overall discography, despite plenty of examples to the contrary.

So I went into Burning Clouds expecting more of the same, but no, there's actual warmth to these three pieces, as though the techno attributes have been softened and given a soak in a steam room. Real dub, yo'. Songcraft wise, the titular opener does the usual minimalist downtempo tune I expect of most Leonhard tracks, just warmer. Halos has more techno sounds, including a very subtle bit of bleepiness that I couldn't help but think of ancient Artificial Intelligence. Still, that softening of the edges is present. And Northern Lights...

I never thought I'd say this about a downtempo dub techno track, but you know that feeling of pulling a light blanket over your body, completely enveloping your senses from a cool evening in its warmth? That's what it feels like listening to Northern Lights. Seems appropriate.

Friday, March 5, 2021

The Oak Ridge Boys - Boys Night Out

Cleopatra: 2014

I promise, hand on heart, arm on chest, ulnar on spleen, this is the last of my Oak Ridge Boys coverage. What started out as a work-related inside joke ballooned into something that, somehow, netted me fifteen of this group's releases. It's been a wild ride, one you'd never have convinced me of happening even half a decade ago, much less when I started this blog. We've had some fun along the way (well, I have), but it's time to put this part of EMC's saga to rest.

It's only fitting that we end the journey with one of their strangest releases ever, Boys Night Out. Yes, stranger than transitioning from gospel to country, weirder than having a huge hit about a late-night horror movie host (or horse, as one co-worker quipped, because “giddy-up!”), curiouser than trading in the beard for a mullet, bizarre-er than covering Seven Nation Army. For 70 years since The Oak Ridge Boys (then Quartet) first came into existence, Boys Night Out did something they'd never done before: release a live album.

Yes, as crazy as it sounds, these lads of birch never recorded one of their concerts for purchase. You'd think such an idea was a shoo-in, their live shows long part of their everlasting appeal. Four chaps, each with identifiable personalities, quirks, and voices, free to interact with an audience while the session musicians do their thing in support. Easy money to cash-in on the support of all those fans, but apparently they (specifically Duane Allen, the longest termed member of the group in its lasting incarnation) never got enough support to do the project proper justice. Fair enough, the live album an incredibly hit-or-miss proposition, truly exceptional examples requiring dedicated craftsman in capturing the energy performances unique to the experience of 'being there'. Given the label troubles the Oakies suffered for such a long spell, it's no surprise it'd take all the way until the mid-'10s for something to come out on... Cleopatra?

Wait, THAT Cleopatra Records? The label that got its start releasing imported industrial and goth records? The one that first introduced me to hard German trance way back when, including such charming titles like I'd Rather Get Fucked By A Vibrator? THAT Cleopatra? I know they eventually became a 'whatever they can release' print, but my mind completely folds in on itself trying to make a connection from Trance Europe 2.0 to Boys Night Out. Do the Oakies know their live album is on a print that also hosts a band called Christian Death?

Incomprehensible label association aside, this CD does capture the energy of The Oak Ridge Boys in their element well enough. All the hits of yesteryear are present, their harmonies are recorded full of power, the back-up band performs fine, and the crowd noise is mostly kept to the applause portions between songs. Or they are all quite polite while them Boys sang their jangles. Also, it's a handy 'best of' package for all those youngin's who were wooed in by their cover of Seven Nation Army!

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Lionel Weets - Stellar Orchestra

Motech: 2014

Well, look at that, another Motech album. How did that slip by? Must have put it in a different 'to review' pile than the 'to review' pile that had all the other Motech releases. Why yes, I have many 'to review' piles going at the same time, is that so weird?

Belgian Lionel Weets started out making thumping techno as MGMX, releasing several singles across several labels. If Lord Discogs is anything to go by (and it usually is), these didn't catch on in any major way. Undeterred, Lionel pursued his musical interests towards a more Detroit-based sound, leading him to a debut album on Motech, this here Stellar Orchestra. His Discoggian info dries up after that, save a lone collaborative single in 2017. Uh, wha' happened? Did this album not meet expectations, causing a crises of musical faith? Not enough bills getting paid to continue on this path? Another case of Lord Discogs missing massive updates on particular artists just because no one's been keeping tabs on Bandcamp pages?

Okay, before I hype this record up more than it probably deserves, I'll say straight up that what Lionel is doing here isn't revolutionary. Indeed, you'll hear plenty of sonic markers that'll have you remembering Detroit techno anthems of yesteryear, Mr. Weets laying his influences naked and bare for all to hear. The Strings Of Life strings, the Plastic Dreams organ licks, the Man With The Red Face saxophone action. Even the... Pump Up The Jam synth stabs? Well, Technotronic was also Belgian, so I guess you had to give some nods there. Come to think of it, Jaydee is Dutch, and Laurent Garnier is French. Are we certain Lionel Weets is doing a strict Detroit thing here?

Yeah, I'm pretty certain. This is definitely tech-house as inspired by the Motor City, and though the rhythms are mostly straight-forward, they have more than enough beef to carry things forward. It's all about whatever melodies Lionel comes up with anyway, and what instrument he uses for a lead in a given track. The first few mostly rely on those archaic string samples we all associate with early Detroit techno, but I'll take Mr. Weets' use of them over hearing Strings Of Life ever again. Elsewhere we get pianos (Don't Follow Me, I Am Lost, Alien Opera), organs (The Night Is Ours), saxophone (Not Today) or synths (Rise Of The Dragons, Different Ways To Paradise). And hey, just to show it's not a total Detroit fest, here's a little garage action with Through The Universe. Oh yeah, that's some shuffle rhythm there!

What amazed me the most about this album is how well it flowed. Yeah, the tracks all abruptly stop, but they also don't waste time when starting up either, getting right into the action again. And once another fun solo breaks out, you're all in for the ride. All solid stuff, and astounding to me that Mr. Weets apparently didn't do much after this.

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Arcturus - Shipwrecked In Oslo

Blood Music: 2014

This crossed my path while browsing about Blood Music's webpage for CD deals. The Ensiferum albums had already intrigued me with their Viking art, so was on the look for anything similar, where Shipwrecked In Oslo popped in. Well gosh, this sure looks spacey and all. Plus, the band's name is that of the third brightest star in the sky? (okay, fourth, if you want to get technical about it) Is it Viking metal though? Oh, what the heck! I'm feeling adventurous, courageous. What a thrill, finding a whole new genre to explore with absolutely no idea who anyone is or if any of them are good!

However, I have no idea if Arcturus actually are any good. They certainly don't appear to be bad, definitely talented musicians at what they do, but man, this is getting into realms of metal I wasn't prepared for. Lord Discogs lists Shipwrecked In Oslo as “Black Metal, Prog Rock”, and “Avantegarde”, and right from the jump, I hear rockers unafraid to go where no metal has gone before.

Apparently Arcturus have been something of an outlier since their inception way back in the emergent Nordic black metal scene of the early '90s. Only two members have been there since the beginning, keyboardist Simen “Sverd” Johnsen, and drummer Jan Axel “Hellhammer” Blomberg - and yes, “Hellhammer” is the most metal name for a metal drummer I've ever seen. Aside from those two though, Arcturus had many rotating members coming and going throughout the '90s, gaining something of a reputation for being the band where black metal musicians would go if they wanted to push the boundaries of what their music could entail. By 2005, they'd settled on their current line-up ...after which they broke up. Then they reconvened half a decade later, and have been stable ever since. This live concert album was recorded in support of their last album before the hiatus.

Actually, I wouldn't even technically call this a live album. Originally Shipwrecked In Oslo was a concert DVD, released on Season Of Mist. I guess when Arcturus reunited, a round of album reissues happened, and somewhere along the way, Blood Music got the music rights to release the audio for this, including limited run CDs and vinyl. This is the only Arcturus item Blood Music has, though to be fair, Arcturus' journey among record labels is almost as convoluted as its rotating band members.

Am I gonna' talk about the music at all in this review? What can I say? There's operatic black metal, with crazy time signatures and key changes, such that a six-minute song can feel triple that length. Groovy solos and blast-beat drumming. Mastering so wonky that it sounds like you can hear everything all at once, but is drowned out at the same time. I want to 'get into' this, but with absolutely no frame of reference guiding my opinion, I feel lost on a black metal sea. Music Entry Difficulty Level: too damn high.

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Skanfrom - Postcards

Suction Records: 2014

Do androids dream electric sheep? Well, I dunno about that, you'd have to ask hardcore Bladerunner fans for a definitive answer. Let's assume they do though. By that token, do androids dream of electric sheep out on British pastoral hillsides? Why would they dream of something so specific? Aren't dreams just weird, jumbled recollections of what we've done, with an added dash of what we want? Why would an android 'want' to do something so frivolous as take in the countryside, when all they're meant to do is all that they're meant to do? Could we even program an A.I. to do something like go on vacation? Not just create an itinerary and send it on its way, but to actually lollygag at the scenery, get side-tracked by random novelty, and distracted by whimsical flights of fancy.

I don't know if such notions were on Skanfrom's mind when creating this album, but Postcards sure feels like I'm watching some twee robot go on a euro road trip. It's all in that Kraftwerkian electro-pop vibe permeating throughout the album (shades of Autobahn and Europe Endless), sightseeing across quaint countrysides. Yet there's also something melancholic and lonesome here, as though this experimental automaton doesn't know what to make of its puzzling programming to wander about English lands. To say nothing of all the strange looks its receiving from the homo sapien crowds. Oh, to be back in the comforting confines of controlled labs, not out in the open, constantly bombarded by sensory stimuli, with no firm directive other than “to go forth”. Humanity is so puzzling.

I should touch upon who Skanfrom is. One Roger Semsroth (occasionally Stephan Metzger), the Skanfrom project started out in the late '90s as the sort of Rephlex-inspired electro-IDM you'd expect of a scene rediscovering electro. Mostly releasing stuff on his own A.D.S.R. print, a tidy retrospective was put out on Suction Records in their early years, after which Roger mothballed the name to pursue a lucrative venture into the realm of techno records. Okay, I don't know about 'lucrative', but as Sleeparchive, he had a pretty successful run making proper minimal techno (not that plink-plonk stuff), even getting a few items out on Tresor. Sleeparchive remains Mr. Semsroth's primary project, but on occasion he's dusted the mothballs off of Skanfrom for an EP or two. When Suction Records relaunched, ol' Rog' provided them with a fresh Skanfrom album as well, being this here Postcards. *whew* I think that's all caught up.

As said, this album is all about that sentimental electro-pop as performed on simple electronics. The 'pastoral English vacation' is heavily implied with track titles like Trains And Lines, Perseids Over Greenwich, British Cottages and Degrees Of Frost (chilly mornings on the moors, I wager), while others are reflective of supposed feelings of unfeeling entities (I Am Not Feeling Well, Lost And Lonesome, Are You Alone?). Scattered about are numerical tracks like Seven (track six), Six (track ten) and Aught (track five). Does... not... compute...

Sunday, August 9, 2020

Kriistal Ann - Delirious Skies

Werkstatt Recordings/Wave Records: 2014/2017

Not her first album, but considering it was the only one of Ms. Ann's Werkstatt recordings to get a re-issue with Wave Records, I feel safe calling it her breakout. It's better than Refraction too, Kriistal's actual debut rather rough and under-produced. Not that the whole minimalist, coldwave aesthetic is known for its cutting-edge studio quality – indeed, the rawer the better – but the songcraft was still comparatively basic. Sometimes you just need to get that out of your system though, expunge those hesitant jitters, get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Right, she wasn't any rookie, having already been making music with Toxic Razor for half a decade to that point. Something something solo spotlight versus shared stage, and all that.

I feel like I'm spinning lyrical wheels here. I want to hype Delirious Skies because it's the Kriistal Ann album that has She Walks In Beauty on it. That piece of music makes me feel things I didn't know I was capable of, and I fully admit it was the absolute best setting to hear it the first time doing that. There's nothing like seeing freshly-lain snow, two feet deep, over a mountain pass as twilight settles upon a starry sky, all the while hearing an all-encompassing mechanical bassline and icy synth leads as Ms. Ann's ethereal voice sing-recites poetry from Lord Byron. Holy cow, I get chills even thinking it!

It's also such a significant leap above in mood and tone compared to the music on Refraction, it feels like much of Delirious Skies is in service of bridging the gap. The opening salvo of songs Fortune Of Medea, Fright, and Punisher do sound stronger and more confident in vocal delivery (Ms. Ann's “ohh-ooh”s in Fright seem off-key to my ears, but she fully commits to giving it her all regardless), with the minimalist coldwave production tighter and punchier. Then she goes into more avent garde territory, with harsher synths, clunkier rhythms, and less singing in favour of operatic spoken-word delivery. Is there a technical term for that? I'm sure there is, like a whole Gothic sub-genre of it.

Anyhow, I don't like it as much, but again do appreciate the branching out. As mentioned, it all comes off in service of building Kriistal Ann into her final form as presented in She Walks In Beauty. And as if to sell the point any stronger, the Wave Records re-issue included a bonus track, Jewel Throne, which sounds leaps beyond even the album's earlier tracks, closer to what her later releases would become.

I'm not so foolish as to try and recommend Delirious Skies to anyone beyond the most ardent coldwave cultists. This remains incredibly niche music, and trying to sell it as anything but makes me feel like a Pitchforkian hipster gushing over witch house. Kriistal Ann simply struck the right endorphin trigger for yours truly, but who knows, maybe she will yours too. Maybe wait for a returning winter though.

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Lars Leonhard - Dark Tales From The Woods

self-release: 2014

Another day, another Lars Leonhard album. Look, when I say I was sent a lot of them, I meant it, the man rather relentless in his output rate this past decade. Maybe not 'tech-house singles' or 'industrial noise experiments' relentless, but averaging a couple LPs per year ain't no slack either. Heck, since I was sent this then-current bundle, Lars has released five more albums. Guess that just happens when your sound is in high demand for NASA videos. Moar muzik for the Stellar Gods!

Thus I must reiterate I've exhausted almost all avenues in talking up Lars Leonhard. There may be a couple albums with specific reasons that went into their creation, but there hasn't been that much sonic difference between most of them, especially in his post-BineMusic era. He's found his lane in downtempo dub techno, and by g'ar, it's where he remains. Unless he has expanded a little more beyond that in more recent albums. I don't know, I haven't heard them yet. I'm still catching up in all these older ones.

So on first ear-glance, I don't have much unique to say about Dark Tales From The Woods, because my first impression is this is more of the same that I've come to expect from Mr. Leonhard. I wonder though, if this impression is due to the general listening gap I give between albums. If I actually played each one after the other, whether significant differences would emerge. Fortunately, due to alphabetical stipulation, I'm dealing with two Lars albums in a row, this one, and Deep Venture. This has given me an opportunity to properly examine them, and whether my lack of picking such distinctions out of other works is simply due to that aforementioned gap. Okay, enough fancy conceptual talk, let's get into Dark Tales From The Woods.

This was among the first (the first?) of Lars' self-released albums, though he still had at least one more outing in store for BineMusic (Passenger At Night). As such, his conceptual streak was still more specific than later efforts would go, though not so razor-focused as 1549 went. The opening track Three Oaks Legend is certainly a moody enough number to set things off, and we're right in the thick of that deep, immersive downtempo dub techno.

And mostly stay in that lane for the duration of the album. Yeah, a couple tracks go groovier than the rest (Forest Window, Rustling Leaves), some feature more of a proper techno pulse (Guardian Of Crows, Deep In The Fog), and others offer a lighter tone to the general mood (The Glade, Rustling Leaves again). It all kinda' blends together though, which makes sense for an album maintaining a consistent theme throughout. Would have been nice to have a journey into these woods, but if tales is what Lars wanted to tell, then tales it was.

Tune in next review to read whether Deep Venture ends up being 'more of the same', or starkly contrasted with this album. Oooh, suspense!

Monday, March 9, 2020

Metamatics - Beatsamatic

XTT Recordings: 2014

Yay! I'm finally reviewing a Metamatics album! Only, this isn't really an album. It's certainly an LP length collection of tracks, released under Lee Norris' oldest of aliases. In fact, the tracks included on Beatsamatic are among the oldest under the Metamatics banner, appearing on vinyl way back in the mid-'90s, via UK based label Clear. You might know of that print as one that nurtured acts like Mixmaster Morris, Jedi Knights, and Doctor Rockit for a time. Technically the first Metamatics album too, A Metamatics Production, though somehow I suspect the follow-up on Hydrogen Dukebox, Neo Ouija, was more substantial in the Metamatics narrative.

I bring all this up because Beatsamatic doesn't seem to exist within Lord Discogs' archives, at least this version of it. And believe me, if there's a body of fellas that would make sure such things are uploaded, it's followers of Lee Norris. There is a Beatsamatic there, the aforementioned '96 twelve-inch, and thus far the earliest Metasamatic item listed. And since I have no way of hearing the original, I can only assume these are the same tracks – sharing some of the original names certainly confirms it.

Okay, so Lee dusted off some oldie works for a digital re-issue. Nothing strange with that, except these aren't even really tracks, at least in the typical since. Rather, Beatsamatic is little more than a collection of electro rhythm loops and tools, seventeen in all and most in the one-to-two minute range. A few reach out to the three minute mark, which makes me wonder if these were on the original Beatsamatic release (not all the track names were printed, apparently). So not an album at all, then, but a sample pack for budding producers and crafty DJs to make use of. And I have this because...?

Honestly, this was part of that MP3 giveaway Mr. Norris did a couple years back via mailing list, and knowing nothing about any of his wider discography, downloaded it sight-unheard. I figured everything among those would be like all the other ambient side-projects he'd offered, hence why I have it now. There's honestly no reason for me to review this though. Well, maybe if you stumble upon it yourself in your Bandcamp wanderings, and wonder what it is before getting it. Just as easy to listen to the samples and read the text blurb to find that out yourself though.

As for why I've kept this, I dunno, maybe I thought I might get some PWoG Psychick Rhythms Vol. 1 enjoyment out of it. Tracks needed to be more than 'tool' length for that though, and only a few get that far.

Or maybe... Maybe I just might use these loops for my own aspiring musical concepts. Snag myself that L.S.G. sample pack off Bandcamp too! Then, mix and mash them together, while throwing in some weird, distorted abstractions of Oak Ridge Boys gospel as backing. Stranger things have been unearthed from Soundcloud, I'm sure.

Things I've Talked About

...txt 10 Records 16 Bit Lolita's 1963 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 Play Records 2 Unlimited 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 20xx Update 2562 3 Loop Music 302 Acid 36 3FORCE 3six Recordings 4AD 6 x 6 Records 75 Ark 7L & Esoteric 808 State A Perfect Circle A Positive Life A-Wave a.r.t.less A&M Records A&R Records Abandoned Communities Abasi Above and Beyond abstract AC/DC Ace Trace Ace Tracks Playlists Ace Ventura acid acid house acid jazz acid techno acoustic Acroplane Recordings Adam Beyer Adam Ellis Adam Freeland Adham Shaikh ADNY Adrian Younge adult contemporary Advanced UFO Phantom Aegri Somnia AEI Music Aes Dana Afgin Afrika Bambaataa Afro-house Afterhours Agoria Aidan Casserly Aira Mitsuki Airwaves Ajana Records Ajna AK1200 Akshan album Aldrin Alex Smoke Alex Theory Alice In Chains Alien Community Alien Project Alio Die All Saints Alpha Wave Movement Alphabet Zoo Alphaxone Altar Records Alter Ego alternative rock Alucidnation Ambelion Ambidextrous ambient ambient dub ambient techno Ambient World Ambientium Ametsub Amon Amarth Amon Tobin Amplexus Anabolic Frolic Anatolya Andrea Parker Andrew Heath Androcell Anduin Andy C anecdotes Aniplex Anjunabeats Annibale Records Anodize Another Fine Day Antendex anthem house Anthony Paul Kerby Anthony Rother Anti-Social Network Anzio Green Aoide Aphasia Records Aphex Twin Apócrýphos Apollo Apollo 440 Apple Records April Records Aqua Aquarellist Aquascape Aquasky Aquila Arcade Architects Of Existence Archives Arcturus arena rock Arista Armada Armin van Buuren Arpatle Artifact303 Arts & Crafts ASC Ashtech Asia Asian Dub Foundation Astral Engineering Astral Projection Astral Waves Astralwerks AstroPilot AstroPilot Music Asura Asylum Records ATB ATCO Records Atlantic Atlantis atmospheric jungle Atom Heart Atomic Hooligan Atomine Elektrine Atrium Carceri Attic Attoya Audiobulb Records Audion AuroraX Autechre Autistici Autumn Of Communion Auxilary Auxiliary Avantgarde Avatar Records Aveparthe Avicii Axiom Axs Axtone Records Aythar B.G. 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