Music Reviews

Mouri, Katsura & Olive, Tim – “Various Histories” – [845 Audio]

lexi glass   7/7/2021   A Library, CD

Japanese experimental turntablist Katsura Mouri uses prepared records and portable players to generate buzzing surface noises, while Tim Olive’s noisemaking method of choice is playing found metal objects amplified with magnetic pickups. These five tracks, recorded in Kyoto between 2010-2012, meld their sound spectra, and the result is much darker and dangerous than I had expected. Edited and mixed by Mouri, these beautifully crafted compositions intersperse deep poisonous rumbles, harsh textures, black shimmers, hypnotic vibrations, to a high-pitched flatline finish on the final track.

Unknown Me – "Bishintai" – [Not Not Fun Records]

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

A transcendental trip through “beauty, mind and body.” A cosmic, Japanese quartet of Yakenohara, P-RUFF, H. Takahashi, and Osawa Yudai. Computers, synthesizers, rhythm boxes, and a drizzle of space dust make this stellar relaxation journey something to wrap your yogi around. It’s like floating through candy colored comets, sparkling sequined moons and glittered galaxies. Spoken robotic words on a few. A utopian vision of the future, with therapeutic meditations. 

Microsolutions to Megaproblems [coll] – [Soul Jazz Records]

cinder   7/7/2021   A Library, CD

A great collection of beats from Soul Jazz’s electronic side label – MtM. Quirky techno, leftfield, some house, IDM, ‘avant hip-hop, twisted disco, deep jazz’ and the such from artists Kit Clayton, Kid 606, Sutekh, Hu Vibrational & others, and remixes from Daedelus, Corker/Conboy, Telefon Tel Aviv. Soul Jazz always puts together incredible compilations, it’s nice to hear a techno outing from them! They’re all upbeat, happy, fun and summery sounds. Dip in! 

Mirry – "Mirry" – [Dutchess Records]

cinder   7/7/2021   A Library, CD

Whimsical, child-like reminiscences, warm sunny days, the hum and scratch of old vinyl…
An enchanting story of Tom Fraser’s great aunt, Mirabel Lorber (Mirry), who had recorded a number of piano compositions which she had kept secret from her family. While cleaning out his recently passed grandfather’s house, Tom came across an old scratched Transco record and along with his brother-in- law Simon Tong, brought to life this perfect marriage of sound. He’s re-imagined her piano recordings with added electronics, strings, found sounds, hiss of old records, and fantastical memories. It’s insanely lovely, very cinematic and caring. I imagine she’d be proud. 

Fruit Looops – "Orangina" – [Whited Sepulchre]

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

Cincinnati art-punks blasting chaotic, spazzy and rhythmical sounds. Female fronted screamer, yelling in baby English, maybe just blubbering random made up words… It’s like tossing Melt Banana, Boredoms, and Les Georges Leningrad into a blender and getting a sharp, glassy smoothie. Noisey percussion, zipping electronics, wailing sax, and flunked math guitars. A short & sour cacophony!

Morricone, Ennio – "End of The Game" – [Dagored]

cinder   7/7/2021   12-inch, Soundtrack

End of the Game was a 1975 cult noir movie starring John Voight and Jacqueline Bisset. A drama/mystery/crime thriller – “When a Swiss cop is murdered, a veteran homicide inspector and a rookie are assigned to solve the case but they are obstructed by interfering Swiss politicians.” The score is classic Morricone – themes, rhythms and crescendos that pull on your heart strings and reach into your deepest, most vulnerable, inner emotions. His compositions are always so gorgeous, and full of cinematic perfection. There’s the lovely moody pianos, the soft strings, the gentle horns, the ghostly singing…. and of course there’s a dash of some funky 60’s sounding instrumentals! Ennio e magico!    

Drunkdriver – “Fire Sale” – [Fashionable Idiots Records]

whngr   7/2/2021   7-inch, A Library

Rock n’ Rage frome NYC

Noisy two(maybe three)-piece (Drums, Bass, Vox).

Heavy. Abrasive. Pounding. Disparate and desperate.

Featuring the tirades of Michael Berdan of Uniform.

No discernable FCC’s.

Arabella – “Arabella” – [Spacement]

whngr   7/2/2021   7-inch, A Library

Crusty female-fronted Scream(?) Punk

Stoppy starty.

Clean/filthy vox.

Delicate/destructive.

Warbly and dissonant.

String harmonics.

Slow/fast.

Sweet/tortured.

Frenetic guitar (with up-strokes and angles) over note-intensive noodly bass runs.

Syncopated hand claps.One-two shuffles.

Passion meets lethargy like early west-coast Emo (Heroin or Indian Summer) with a bit of a Dischord Records sound. The innocence of youth corrupted by a lack of effectuality.

Dig the tripped out transparencies in the packaging, this might have felt pretty innovative at the time.

Their final release feels a bit dated for 2021, just like… your source (for convalescence).

No discernable FCC’s.

Reno, NV 2004

Nihill – “Grond” – [Hydra Head Records]

whngr   7/2/2021   A Library, CD

Longform Gnostic Black Metal from the Netherlands.

Clean, harsh, and artful in their portrayal of deep suffering.

Noisy interludes. 

Skulls crushed, serpents writhe, whispers hushed, sun dies.

Sounds large and perhaps high-minded but this does not detract from the power.

Hypnotically repetitive and demonically representative.

Nihill hung it up in 2019 when their lead screacher/bellower (Michiel Eikenaar) succumbed to cancer at 42.This album constitutes their second release in 2009.

Trio Da Kali – "Trio Da Kali" – [World Circuit]

aarbor   6/30/2021   CD, International

Trio Da Kali are from Mali in West Africa. They come from illustrious musical ‘griot‘ families which makes them “hereditary musicians” – very clear from their excellent playing and musicianship. Da Kali means ‘to give a pledge’. In this case the pledge is to a musical heritage that dates back to the early 13th century. The line up of balafon (a xylophone) bass ngoni (a lute) and female singer is also based on ancient tradition, although these days it’s an endangered tradition. This is their first recording from 2015. Their subsequent recordings were all done in collaboration with the Kronos Quartet. These 3 are arguably the best of the up-and-coming generation of musicians in this tradition. The first track is unaccompanied vocal and the rest have instrumental accompaniment. AArbor