Man, I'm thinking I've been really underrating Matmos - The West. I guess I hadn't listened to it since Ultimate Care II dropped, and maybe it makes more sense to me now? Like there's a similar approach to rhythm here. I actually think if anyone was getting into Matmos via Ultimate Care II and was unfamiliar with their back catalog, The West might be a good choice for where to go next.
Looking at the numbers for my running tally, I feel like it was within my grasp to get 420 Releases listened this year, 69 2016 releases listened, and 311 only listened once. That would've been pretty funny, kind of disappointed that didn't happen. But otherwise I'm happy with how my listening habits are shaping up, I think I'm striking a good balance between savoring some albums and tying them in my head to where I'm at right now, and also keeping a large set of albums filling in the spaces and keeping things fresh.
_____________________
Running Tally '16
First Listens: 160
Releases Listened This Year: 439
2016 Releases Listened: 69
Total Listens: 727
Only Listened Once: 315
RoundTheBendI miss the comfort in being sadProfile Ground Control
I had been meaning to finally get around to checking out the work of Tony Conrad since I saw that Outside The Dream Syndicate had been reissued. It seemed pretty clear he was working in areas of interest for me, but I just never got around to it. The sad news of his passing today led me to finally start, and of course I found it so compelling that I had to keep digging in more. Joan of Arc in particular, I might just have a bias towards the organ, but that is really something right there. It's all been some very good listening though, sad that it took this to prompt me, but excited to get to know this work better.
_____________________
Running Tally '16
First Listens: 166
Releases Listened This Year: 446
2016 Releases Listened: 70
Total Listens: 736
Only Listened Once: 321
On the 7th, I did 7 listens. 8 on the 8th, 9 on the 9th, and now 10 on the 10th. And today, they were all from the 2010's.
This Sophia Loizou album that Skinny picked for ALC is really fantastic, you guys need to get on that, it's really something. Also, Demdike Stare recently had something come out on their label, this Orior album. It's all unreleased archival material (79-83) from this band, don't quite know how to explain it but it's worth checking out. Check out Loizou first though.
Also check out this thing sometime because it's fantastic:
Vanessa Rossetto has been putting out some really excellent field recording collage type music this decade. I was slow to take to this sort of music, like I was always intimidated by Luc Ferrari and only recently have begun to appreciate his work. So I can't really speak with the greatest authority on how this sort of music has progressed over the years. But I think where Rossetto is really pushing it forward is by the sense of her presence in the music, like people are talking to her while she's recording, she's talking to them, and she's using it. I don't think she's the only one doing it (the Joe McPhee/Graham Lambkin album from last year had it too), but she has to at least be a driving force in the trend I figure. On this album, she works with Matthew Revert, an Australian author who had his musical debut of weird, genuinely experimental lofi songs out in 2014 (with a dedication to Rossetto). He seems to be bringing in some slightly more overt performed musical gestures into the collage of sounds (not from much that resembling a traditional instrument, though they do seem to pop up, there's just some sounds on here that feel more "performed"). But there's also this charming closeness and respect in the snippets of their conversation in the opening track "Secret Celebrity Facebook Accounts" that is just as valuable. First, there is bits of the conversation you can hear, with Revert telling Rossetto about the idea of the titular accounts that celebrities have to keep in touch with friends and family. And then there's the bit later on, where they're enjoying having come up with the idea for the ducks that are used on the packaging of the album (drawn by Revert). It's just great, it gives this feeling like they really enjoyed hanging out and working together, and just makes the whole enterprise feel so much more personable than it could. Though of course that wouldn't mean much if there wasn't also the masterful construction going on as well, managing to strike that balance in keeping things active and engaging while also allowing for space, avoiding overcrowding the frame. Some really incredible stuff right here, sure to be among the very best of the year.
Does anyone know the best way to go about hearing Tony Conrad's Four Violins? I guess I want to go with the "Early Minimalism Volume One" release? https://www.discogs.com/Tony-Conrad-Early-Minimalism-Volume-One/master/382563 I can't seem to find anything from the straight "Four Violins" release. I guess it's probably the same recording anyways.
So far for this Friday on my hypepile I've got Oren Ambarchi, Kassel Jaeger & James Rushford - Pale Calling, which I've been anticipating for a bit and looks to be another excellent bit of experimental ambient trio featuring Jaeger (how perfect would it be if another one came out this year so that there'd be 3?), and then there's also Peder Mannerfelt - Controlling Body, samples on that sound very good, I've enjoyed his stuff iwth Roll The Dice and his solo releases the past couple years but this one seems like it could top them all. I only got enough of an impression to know that I want to listen to the whole thing so I could be off base, but I'm hopeful.
_____________________
Running Tally '16
First Listens: 168
Releases Listened This Year: 450
2016 Releases Listened: 72
Total Listens: 752
Only Listened Once: 322
Checked that Autolux album out, I'd been hearing praise from the band in a few spots and I guess Mecca pushed me over the edge. Thanks for the push! Some very nice listening, solid songs that sorta scratch that Enon itch for me with well constructed songs with an electronic tint to the indie rocking. Though as noted by Mecca they definitely have more of a shoegaze sound. Some enjoyable stuff, and the back discography is an unintimidating two whole albums, so I have no excuse to not get around to checking those out.
Also seeing Allabaster put The Way Out as their number one made me realize it's been a while since I listened to that one. My attachment to Lost and Safe has too much history to shake it as my favorite, but yeah, glad I pulled this one out again, totally a legit choice for a #1.
_____________________
Running Tally '16
First Listens: 169
Releases Listened This Year: 454
2016 Releases Listened: 73
Total Listens: 758
Only Listened Once: 324
Pale Calling starts out in really subtle territory, like there's this organ really low in the mix giving a consistent pulse, with field recordings and mic noise and small drones and other assorted sounds all built up on top in this really cool dynamic evolving form. The organ foundation allows for everything up top to drift around and take some odd turns without feeling totally freeform. And then the B side flips the script a bit, there's still those noises but the organ is cutting through, and it's joined by piano and accordion (!) popping in here and there. The accordion was a bit jarring for me on my first listen, but I got used to it quick. It's still tasteful and fitting in with everything else in how it's played, and the directness of it and the other instruments is a nice counter to the indirectness of the first half. Really not what I would expect from some free improvisation, which is good cause if there's any expectation that needs to be challenged, it's the one for that. It is crazy, but two trios featuring Kassel Jaeger may just be responsible for some of the best music this year. Man, how perfect would it be if we got a third one, too. That's just greedy though I can't really expect that. Would be fun tho.
Modern Pressure was a great discovery, Type records is so good at bringing the idiosyncratic electronic music that works with dance music tropes without necessarily being super functional in that space. You've got steady beats here, but it's not really danceable. Works great on your own in the dark though, the compositions don't feel especially crowded but all of the components sound so huge and fill up all of the space. The structures go on that whole linear progression sort of style that I like so much, but this one is really good at pulling the depth out of the minimal in that regard. Fans of electronic music that isn't quite techno but is close (if you squint, maybe) should absolutely check this one out.
Controlling Body seemed really good, I was really hoping for something darker and more menacing like Mannerfelt's 2014 album. It's very well done though, the stuff with human voice is cool, Limits To Growth has probably gotta be one of my favorite tracks from him. I'll need to sit with this one for a bit, but probably anyone who saw me say "fans of electronic music that isn't quite techno but is close (if you squint, maybe)" should also consider checking this one out.
_____________________
Running Tally '16
First Listens: 172
Releases Listened This Year: 460
2016 Releases Listened: 76
Total Listens: 775
Only Listened Once: 323
So I was checking out Brainwashed.com and saw they reviewed this Himukalt album and it seemed interesting. It's some pretty good power electronics type of noise stuff, very well done, would recommend for fans of that sound. https://helenscarsdale.bandcamp.com/album/conditions-of-acrimony
Later on I was checking youtube for vids of Fernando Grillo playing because he's so good, and I noticed this album he did with some people that I need to check out. One of those people was Octavian Nemescu, and he was mentioned in the title of the video where other people weren't so I was like oooh who's this? I see in the related vids a solo album of his with a description that lets me know he's doing weird synth stuff, so I decide I'll check the Grillo album later and go for this, and it's some really fantastic approachable sort of droney stuff, some pretty direct melodic stuff but with some really spacey clever interplay between different synth lines, I think this is one that people would dig. But where this really gets exciting is I was searching for info on this album and I found an active mp3 blog called The Static Fanatic that posts links to out-of-print/unavailable cool stuff like this and I'm super excited to dive in, saw a lot of stuff that seems like some essential listening for me, so you can expect to see a lot of first listens sourced from there in the future.
_____________________
Running Tally '16
First Listens: 174
Releases Listened This Year: 464
2016 Releases Listened: 77
Total Listens: 783
Only Listened Once: 326
So on twitter I saw someone mention this Pierre Henry documentary on youtube, gave it a watch. Not like an amazing piece of cinema, but it was a great look into his house and seeing footage of old performances with Béjart choreography was fantastic. I wish they had actually talked to his wife though, it seemed so interesting how she assisted him in his work at the time of filming, but they really didn't examine that relationship at all.
There's a new Valerio Tricoli album out, that's got the combination of ridiculously small pressing and expensive import price to make me worry that I won't get to hear it. I could buy it now but I already sorta hit my spending quota for the week so I need to wait. I mean someone will probably rip it, but what if they don't and I just don't get to hear it? I would be pretty bummed because the first side is him on the Russolo futurist tip with some Intonarumori sounds, so this is obviously something I need to hear. To take my mind off that I listened to some older Tricoli thing that I hadn't checked yet. It's good stuff, lots of dips into hard silence which only bring more focus in on the great design of the sounds that do pop up.
_____________________
Running Tally '16
First Listens: 177
Releases Listened This Year: 469
2016 Releases Listened: 77
Total Listens: 796
Only Listened Once: 328
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Tap
RoundTheBend
