I’m extremely pleased to announce the new release of Croatia’s best experimental bassist, Jurica Jelić! He hails from Knin, and produces a mélange of genres, mixing classical, post-punk, and Slavic paganism as his bass influences.
Gothic
[Music] Isihia [Исихия] – Lord I Called Thee [Господи Возвах]
[Music] Joy Division – Chance (Atmosphere)
Chance was the original working title to one of the most seminal songs of the New Wave–Post-Punk genre, Joy Division’s masterpiece, Atmosphere.
[Music] Present – Liquidation Totale (Live)
Present is a group fronted by Roger Trigaux, who once played guitar for one of my favorite bands, Univers Zero. They’re apparently about to release new music, and this track may be the centerpiece of a new album. Let’s hope so, as they sound like they’re in wonderful form.
[Music] Swans – Cry Me A River
So haunting it’s damn near a suicide dirge. Former Swans co-vocalist Jarboe performs one of the most bleak, desolate covers of this classic torch song penned by Arthur Hamilton.
[Music] Jacula – In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum
Before I developed a love for Rock-In-Opposition bands like Art Zoyd and Univers Zero, I had a deep interest in the schlock-laden works of Antonio Bartoccetti, composer of the band Jacula. It was cheesy, silly, doom-laden music of the best sort. I wonder whatever happened to him?
[Music] Kismet – Love Will Tear Us Apart
Every time I go to Skopje, there is always someone who asks why on Earth I’d bother to come and stay such long periods of time in what they feel is an insignificant city in the heart of the Balkans. You can thank this song, the disc it came on, and a friendship with Gorazd Capovski and Ilija Stojanovski, for this.
I had worked at Tone Casualties records as an A&R Manager, and came across this disc while at my evening job, buying weird music for Aron’s Records (RIP). I had passed through what was then Yugoslavia a few years past, and knew a bit about Macedonian music, but the combination of goth/darkwave and an ethnic, Byzantine sound, came as a huge revelation. I never, in a million years, thought Love Will Tear Us Apart would sound perfect with bagpipes. A pleasant surprise which still strikes a chord after 20 years.
[Video] Swans – Mona Lisa, Mother Earth
I suppose some would call this The Swans’ ‘Joy Division’ phase. The album, The Burning World, showed a marked change in direction from a band who had previously sounded like the equivalent of a drunken brontosaurus stumbling into his cave after a healthy drinking binge (and yes, that’s a good thing). Since they reformed, their sound continues to adapt and grow. They are as vital a band now as they were in the beginning.
[Sample] Standgericht – Scrape Through My Skin (Preview)
Many thanks to Diana of Standgericht, who sent me some material she’s working on for an upcoming album release. If you have a passion for Electronic Body Music of a more brutal type, this will be worth waiting for.
[Video] Nolan “N. F.” Porter – Keep On Keepin’ On
Nolan (then known as N. F.) Porter was an American Northern Soul singer whose hit, which we’re hearing now, would be the catalyst for Joy Division getting signed to a major label. While the band scrapped their attempt at covering the song, the guitar lick would serve as the foundation of their track, Interzone, as heard below:
For more on the story between N.F. Porter and Joy Division, check out this post by OpinEars.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 