Our friend and impresario of one of the finest experimental record labels on Earth has just released his latest project. Raffaele Pezzella’s Sonologyst continues down the road of melding experimental music and field recordings into a hazy cocktail worthy of two or three shots of absinthe. This is dream music if you’re into rough, surreal hallucinations where you’re stumbling around a crowded market.
Post-Industrial
[Music] Jos Smolders – *.5O (for Frans de Waard)
Experimental music composer Jos Smolders is a friend of these pages, and it warms the heart a bit to see him pay tribute to Frans de Waard, the composer known as Kapotte Muziek and Beequeen who has also been one of the editors of the crucial Vital Weekly for eons. It is because of both Frans and my old friend, David Cotner, that I was inspired to start this blog. I am indebted to all three men.
[Music] Surrogate sigma – Topologie Algébrique
Fifty cents isn’t a bad investment for well over 400 releases on the Genetic Trance label out of Ohio. One of the releases caught my ear – this one by Surrogate Sigma. Unsurprisingly, there is no information on the band that I can find, save that they are from Ukraine and operate under a ridiculous amount of aliases. Still, this particular release reminded me of the works of old composers who were active during the 1980’s cassette culture days.
[Music] Various Artists – Kalamine Records: Inside / Beside
Kalamine Records is an experimental music label out of Bordeaux, France. They have a very impressive roster of composers and groups who have a amazing command of studio techniques, making filmic, creepy compositions. This is essential headphone listening.
[Music] The Rosenshoul – Low Winter Sun (Deluxe Edition)
The Rosenshoul are a side project of the folks behind Flowers For Bodysnatchers (namely Duncan Ritchie). If you thought FFB were bleak, this goes a bit deeper into the bowels of Hades.
What is particularly remarkable is the fact that time stands still for a good portion of this album. One can feel like they fell into a bottomless pit and know that there is no place you’re going to crash at. You simply fall and fall into the music, and the coldness and terror emanating from the album never seems to cease.
This is dark ambient music that would have been stellar listening during the 1990’s. It’s incredibly well-done.
[Music] Lifetime Achievement: 7 Albums That Show The Many Sides Of Merzbow — Bandcamp Daily
His project is infamous for its sheer extremity and unapologetic harshness, but the din’s more nuanced than meets the ear.
via Lifetime Achievement: 7 Albums That Show The Many Sides Of Merzbow — Bandcamp Daily
[Music] Muslimgauze – Eleven Minarets
It’s a bit perplexing to think that Bryn Jones (a.k.a. Muslimgauze) has been dead for 20 years, and yet continues to ‘release’ music. He must have been far more prolific than anyone could ever have imagined. Thankfully, the quality of a good deal of this archival music has been excellent. Not everything holds up, but this release gives the fans of the man what they want – experimental beats with a techno sensibility, made for dancing with heavy boots, I suppose.
[Music] JOHN 3:16 – Elyon
JOHN 3:16 are the braintrust of Philippe Gerber, whose dark, post-Industrial Music soundscapes are among a handful of releases I can comfortably read Holy Writ and Apologetics to. There is something, dare I say, holy, about the quality of his work. The label he runs, Alrealon Musique, are consistently putting out heavy material. My friend here is worth a follow on all projects.
[Music] Heathertoes & Hopek Quirin – Travelling And Its Outgrowing Motives
Heathertoes is my old friend Hubert’s post-industrial/experimental project. He is collaborating on this release with Hopek Quirin, and the sound is reminiscent of 1980s cassette culture at its best.
[Music] Various Artists – Anthology of Contemporary Music From Africa Continent
Raffaele Pezzella strikes gold yet again with this compilation of experimental musicians from all over the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa. Most of these names are quite new to me, but all show the potential to provide scores of impressive releases as time passes.
This is a great snapshot into the field of avant-garde music from Africa.
A Miscellany Of Tasteful Music 