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Russom, Gavilan Rayna – Secret Passage – [W.25th]

cinder   4/9/2021   12-inch, A Library

Gavilan grew up in Providence, Rhode Island in the 70s and 80s. This release is recorded in remembrance of East Side Rail Tunnel, which ran for one mile underneath the city, and the people she spent time with there (the names included on each track). It’s synth heavy, in the experimental, explorative way. Woven throbs, haunting undertones, tape hiss, pulsing swells and echoed swirls. The tunnel had a bend in it, creating total darkness if you were to get to the middle of it, which often resulted in hallucinations as you lost sense of any surroundings. The acoustics also played a big part of her liking – “long natural delays and harmonic reinforcing reverberances.” Unfortunately, the tunnel has been inaccessible since the 90s, the result of urban development and gentrification….booo.

fun facts!:

Is the synth player from LCD Soundsystem

Played/jammed a lot in the earlier years with Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt (track 4 is for him)

Came out as transgender in 2017

Did a few releases with Delia Gonzalez on DFA

Pierson, Dax – Nerve Bumps (A Queer Divine Dissatisfaction) – [Dark Entries]

cinder   4/7/2021   12-inch, A Library

Underground Oaklander, Dax Pierson’s debut solo release. He lives life as a quadriplegic, but that doesn’t stop him at all at slaying the electronic sounds! The vibes here are like a mash of gurgled up computer processed bloops and bleeps, with vigorous rhythms, semi cinematic flairs, shards of trap style beats, and tough edges. A bit of Pantha Du Prince meets Autechre… last track turns the notch down a bit and voids out. Cover art by Pierson’s partner, artist Chuck Nanney, and the back is a photo of his wheelchair.    

*’Dax’s guiding mantra throughout this journey has been a quote from choreographer Martha Graham: “No artist is pleased… There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”’

Meirino, Francisco – A New Instability – [Helen Scarsdale Agency]

cinder   3/31/2021   12-inch, A Library

A 2019 release from Swiss power-acoustic musician, Francisco Meirino. Unsettling high pitches that induce migraines (half of side A), mixed with field recordings from a martial arts dojo in his hometown of Lausanne. Electro acoustic rumblings, electronics in a subdued state. Creaking floors, rotating and rustling sounds. Slaps, hits and cheers & jeers from fights linger in the background. Experimentally visual. Cobra Kai!  

SS / S – “Sicario De Dios” – [Jealous God]

cinder   3/4/2021   12-inch, A Library

This being a collab between Silent Servant (John Juan Mendez) and Svreca (Enrique Mena). The first track opens like a foreshadowing into a nightmarish dream. A dark, guitar drone ala Sun O))).  Then the struggle in your dreams begin. The next track brings a bass heavy techno beat, that runs repeatedly through your head as you run through the fog filled forests at midnight, escaping what lurks in the shadows. Side B has that foreboding drone feel again, as if you’ve been stopped cold in your tracks…something is whispering your name, pulling at your soul, but you can’t see it. The final track – you race like hell to find shelter and hope that your sweat drenched smell doesn’t attract the steaming behemoths that stalk.

C.O.T.A. – “New Mythologies” – [Sonick Sorcery]

cinder   3/3/2021   A Library, CD

A release from 2012 from Children Of The Apocalypse.
Dark ambient journeys through mystical, neofolked fantastical lairs.
Rustling sounds, crackling fires, deep water currents, cult like vibes, possible witchcraft, spiritual dives.Each track takes you on a quest, almost theater/radio story style with all the specific sound effects and foley.
female vocals/singing/casting spells on 3 tracks, the rest are instrumental.

Loscil – “Coast/ Range/ Arc//” – [Kranky]

cinder   2/15/2021   A Library, CD

Ambient electronic project of Vancouver Canadian, Scott Morgan. He chose the name Loscil from the ‘looping oscillator’ function in Csound (some computer language programming thing). This is a release from 2011, looks like originally on Glacial Movements, but re-released on Kranky. Gorgeous, lush tones, drift and wave like soft fluffy clouds after a winter storm. Rays of light bursting through. Mellow, relaxing, and dreamy. Planetarium vibes. 

Gravite – “Gravite” – [Empty Cellar Records]

cinder   2/15/2021   12-inch, A Library

A duo of Matthew Riley and Aaron Diko. For their debut release, they’ve used a collection of classic and reissued analog equipment: Juno 60, Prodigy, Mono/Poly, Minimoog, SH-01A, MS20, Minilogue, Volcakeys, & a TR-08. It’s a fantastical journey through the cosmos, with an edge on the rainbow crystallized comets and colorful oil hues of the horizons. Happy and optimistic. Definitely has a Kraftwerk vibe. Synth-tastic!

Presley, Vincent – “Music To Die To” – [Secret Records]

cinder   2/11/2021   12-inch, A Library

Slow pulse droneage from Vincent Presley (Those Poor Bastards, Zebras). Quarantine apparently had him going mad, and he ended up expanding on his vintage synthesizer collection, creating this lovely hazed out release. The A side brings low ambient drones, giving you the feeling of waking up on an unknown alien desert, the sun so bright it blurs your vision. Side B’s first track has a more lighter essence to it, still low but also hopeful. The final track takes you straight into Blade Runner, with that sci-fi score vibe. Love it. Only 100 copies made on vinyl!

Wolf Eyes / Blank Hellscape [coll] – [12XU]

cinder   2/10/2021   12-inch, A Library

Two sidelongs each from Wolf Eyes and Blank Hellscape. Sludgy, dark, ominous, dirgy, muddy and ghostly. The Wolves sound like a sad horn trying to make its way through an industrial damp warehouse, stuck in a mucky mess. Pulsing sets in about halfway through, before the horn is devoured under the lava and words arise from the molten. But alas, the horn returns. Blank Hellscape brings has more of a sizzling rhythmic cacophony of sound. Effected vox lay inbetween layers and twisted wires, also pulsing with disastrous intentions.

Borghi, Andrea – “VHS” – [Misanthropic Agenda]

cinder   2/5/2021   12-inch, A Library

Andrea Borghi (Italiano!) graduated from the National Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara and studied electronic music, piano and composition at the Giacomo Puccini Music Conservatory in La Spezia. His work focuses on creating sound from inanimate things such as sculptural objects, installations, obsolete media and electronics. This album consists of audio recordings that were produced through an open VHS Recorder using manipulated videotapes. Most of the sounds you hear were taken from background parts, edited from old tapes of obscure and underground cinema. It’s scratchy, creepy, noisy, static-y, weird, strange and very analog in sound. Looking at the album art, I can image watching this & other ideas he’s created, performed live would be so intriguing – a totally unique auditory sensation. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi, limited to 100 copies on LP!   

Sissy Spacek & Smegma – “Ballast” – [Gilgongo Records]

cinder   2/3/2021   12-inch, A Library

A live recording of sorts from home and Los Angeles radio station Dublab. This round, Smegma consists of Ace Farren Ford, Dennis Duck, Ju Suk Reet Meate, John Wiese and Rock N Roll Jackie, among a few others. Sissy Spacek is coming from both John Wiese (og member) & Charlia Mumma, a member since 2008. Two side longs of twisted sound collage. Effected guitars, pedals, wires, strings, crashing cymbals, random vox pop up like a groundhog in Spring. Rolling, crunching industrial noises. Spazzzzstic & skittering. Sounds akin to a Teleki-NotoMotors Noisehaus improv sesh!

Spiral Galaxy – “Spiral Galaxy” – [Lion Productions]

cinder   1/31/2021   12-inch, A Library

Spiral Galaxy is the project of flautist/painter Sara Gossett and guitar/machines manipulator Plastic Crimewave (of Plastic Crimewave Syndicate/Galactic Zoo Dossier magazine/KFJC artist hoodie designer!). Cosmic voyages through the galactic sun drenched desert temples. Special guests include Kawabata Makoto of Acid Mothers Temple giving some chants and spoken word in Japanese, Alisha Sufit of UK 70s eastern-folk band Magic Carpet also with some words… Ryley Walker plays a guitar backwards, Taralie of Spires that in the Sunset Rise on Terry Riley-ish circular sax, sitar-player Hands of Hydra, Moog-maestro Will MacLean of Protovulcan, and Christian Luke Brady of meditative cosmonauts, Fargon. A rhythmic pulsing ritualistic beat on track 2 with some effected French words, puts you into a hazy trance. Side B starts with a super krauty mellow prog excursion with a folky flute and Neu/Cluster/early Kraftwerk looping rhythms. The final track ends with a darker, mysterious feel. Trek across Death Valley and trip on this!

O’Sullivan, Daniel – “Electric Maya: Dream Flotsam and Astral Hinterlands”; – [VHF]

cinder   1/29/2021   12-inch, A Library

First in a series of 3 LPs of Library Music from composer and multi-instrumentalist Daniel O’Sullivan (Æthenor, Ulver, This is Not This Heat, etc). It’s not the cheesy, lounge-y type of music you’d think when you hear the term Library Music (although that stuff is super fun!), these are newer sounds… lush, pretty, dreamy and sort of cinematic in feel. Synths, piano, softness. 18 tracks, specifically made in shorter lengths (longest is about 3:30 long). Drifty, optimistic, thoughtful and sublime.  

Ka-Spel / Stapleton / Potter / Rollet – “Man Who Floated Away / The Closer You Are to The Center, The” – [Bisou]

cinder   1/28/2021   A Library, CD

From 2018. Surprisingly, this is the first ever collaboration between Edward Ka-Spel (The Legendary Pink Dots and Tear Garden) and Steven Stapleton (Nurse With Wound). They’ve been wanting to collab for years, and Bisou, the record label this is out on, gave them that chance. The second track features Colin Potter and French sax player Quentin Rollet (The Red Krayola, Mendelson, Nurse With Wound, Prohibition, David Grubbs, Thierry Müller, Ilitch). As you can imagine with these heavy names, it’s full of experimental sounds and mind trips that take you on lofty dreamy voyages. Creepy tendrils of sounds interweave your brain by Stapleton, while Ka-Spel whispers a haunting tale on track 1. The second track has cray cray sax, skittering percussion, a distracted piano, distorted words, sizzling wires and other intriguing sounds and echoes. Both excellent! 

Lee, Tim “Love” – “Confessions of a Selector”; – [Three Sixty Records]

cinder   1/27/2021   A Library, CD

Funky and sexy downtempo grooves from English producer, Tim “Love” Lee. I believe this is his first release, back from 1997. The perfect era for this type of electronic sound in my opinion. Full of samples, cut-ups and lots of sick, velvet, polyester & shag influenced dance vibes. A few cocktails and a smoking jacket are required for full listening pleasure. Last few tracks include poor Billy and his disciplining pervert parents.

Tangent 2002: Disco Nouveau [coll] – [Ghostly International]

cinder   12/21/2020   A Library, CD

A fantastic compilation from the early ’00s, around the time that electroclash became a huge thing. Robot dance type beats, minimal vox if any at all, and techno disko rhythms that would have Giorgio Moroder drooling like a kitten high on fresh catnip. I remember when this was in our listening station at work way back when… it’s a great introduction to a lot of these artists! A definite take on modern disco, on the minimal electronics edge.

Cleveland, Barry – “Stones of Precious Water” – [Morning Trip]

cinder   12/21/2020   12-inch, A Library

An album from the early to mid ’80s. Barry recorded these tracks mostly between ’81 & ’83, mostly by improvisation. It’s lovely, light and airy guitar passages, wafting close to new age territory, but then he’ll shift into dark haunting forests on the next track. Six of the ten tracks contain contributions from Kay Epple and her late husband Bob Stohl (Emerald Web), adding flute, synthesizers, and bells. Don’t be scared, it’s way more intriguing and meditatively KFJC than other cheesy artists you think of when you hear the scary word, new age. Ambient and drone filled.

Cyclist, The – “Weather Underground” – [100% Silk]

cinder   12/21/2020   A Library, Cassette

Fresh sounds from Andrew Morrison, known as The Cyclist. Rhythmic electronic beats rotate and churn like LED-lit wheel spokes. It’s a chill house sound with throbs of “industrial hypnosis, basement dub, and soul lament within his signature saturated “tape throb” palette”. A refreshing spin!

Negativland – “World Will Decide, The” – [Seeland]

cinder   12/17/2020   A Library, CD

Another fantastic quirky sound collage cut-up from the Neggies. This time around the main theme is about computer data mining, content, Alexa, and the whole idea that we’re definitely being consumed by the faux glamorous life of the world wide web. This album ‘depicts a world where the technologies we use to live our lives have become difficult to tell apart from those things we recognize as being alive.’ An idea too familiar in Silicon Valley, as we see self driving robot buggies delivering meals to your house as you sit on your blubber, building pretend islands in the abyss. (not knocking any one who does, I’m a victim of Candy Crush myself)… just remember to get some fresh air once in awhile, put the phone away and watch the clouds. Great vox from Weatherman, as well as many others, and bizarre experimental sounds!

X.Y.R. – “Pilgrimage” – [Not Not Fun Records]

cinder   12/16/2020   12-inch, A Library

Solo synth designs from Soviet, Vladimir Karpov. Two 20 minute long explorations into dense, desolate, dystopian forests. Dreamy, lush and relaxing as hell. The A-side sets you right in the middle of a crystal marsh, complete with ghostly cooing birds and a soft fog that tickles your inner ears. Side B gives more of a mythical desert scene (despite side A having dunes in the title), with synth that resemble wind instruments, and gurgly critters. Drift…