★Important Records
Skulls CM von Hausswolff & The Sons of God descending the Silver
The Skull Defekts is back with a new limited edition vinyl lp.500 copies pressed. Cover by Fredrik Soderberg. This time, we are dealing with two unique collaborations. The first one is a live recording from Fylkingen, Stockholm where The Skull Defekts met oscillator master CM von Hausswolff in a deep drone meeting. The second one is a studio recording together with the infamous performance and noise duo The Sons of God, Kent Tankred and Leif Elggren.' artist: The Skull Defekts title: Skulls CM …
S/T
Neuter River is a new project from Jan St. Werner of Mouse On Mars, one which concerns itself with the more experimental, far-out sounds within the producer's repertoire. The label describes the LP thusly: "Neuter River is not exactly a band or a person, it's the remains of an idea, a shifting light cube at the end of a ragged kaleidoscope. Atonal precission / pentatonic noise." Quite what that means will be unclear even after you've heard the record, but then it's the extremity of the …
Split
Mouthus: Drum and guitar explosion through tape manipulation and a total synth bath. Collided through a number of recording sessions and strings of modulation to elevate the particle riffage to a heightened state of platectonic rock. Bulbs: Like tuning your radio slowly between far off new age stations in the most serene way possible. The marriage of muted melodies existing below feedback skwerls and electronic swerls. Transmissions from a better place.
3. telepathics
Important Records have four releases involving Kouhei Matsunaga: an NHK record (apparently coming soon), a solo CD, a split LP with Mika Vainio and this here disc which has him collaborating with both Vainio and Autechre's Sean Booth. This is certainly a strange listen... The first track is Mika and Kouhei and needs the volume cranked right up. It builds from tiny scraping and string-like sounds into briefly menacing drones and back down again into crackle, hiss, dog frequencies and some really …
Self VA
This is Important's third release in a 4 record Important feature on the work of the enigmaticJapanese artist Kouhei Matsunaga. Self VA is Kouhei's 2nd album. His first was released on the Mille Plateaux label in 1998. Since then he has kept busy with numerous collaboations as well as his work with NHK (Raster Noton). Kouhei seamlessly weaves all of his work together in seemingly effortless fashion. Collaborations on Self V.A. include Leif Elggren, NHK, Sensational (Jungle Brothers), RLW and mor…
13 Japanese Birds Vol.13
Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messaien's Catalogue D'Oiseaux. Beginning in January 2009 one volume of 13 Japanese Birds will be released each month. The 13th and final volume will be released January 2010. Each volume will be a one time pressing of 1000 copies.
Zurich
Back in 1994, members of Seefeel (Sarah Peacock), Knives ov Resistance (Tony F Wilson aka Spykidelic) and Slowdive (Neil Halstead) collaborated on a remarkable recording project entitled Zurich, which has until very recently been lost in the mists of time. When Touch Recordings artist Mark Van Hoen discovered the tracks on an old CD, he duly passed them to Important who've manufactured 500 copies at the world-renowned RTI pressing plant, packaged in heavy duty jackets screen printed at Monoroid.…
New Monuments
Formed for the purpose of playing 2008's Instal Fest, this trio comprises C Spencer Yeh (of Burning Star Core), Ben Hall (of Graveyards) and Don Dietrich (of Borbetomagus), coming together for the common cause of relentless, ear-blasting improv. Sax-toting noise legend Dietrich is no stranger to the more abrasive school of free improv, having been operating in the field since the early 1980s, but the comparatively fresh-faced Yeh and Hall hold their own here (manning violin and traps, respective…
The Harmonic Series (Musical Works In Just Intonation)
'The Harmonic Series' is a compilation of musical works in Just Intonation created by three generations of contemporary composers who utilize this tuning system. This compilation was curated over the span of two years by Duane Pitre and released on Important Records in November 2009. The goal of this compilation and its accompanying liner notes is to educate listeners about the origins and use of Just Intonation, as well as to portray the unique beauty of this tonal “color palette,” which is hea…
The seven storey mountain
'The Seven Storey Mountain is a trans-generation group of highly recognized figures in modern music. Paul Lytton, for instance, has been playing drums with Evan Parker since 1969. David Grubbs is recognized for his work with Jim O'Rourke in Gastr Del Sol, Bastro, Squirrel Bait & extensive solo work. Nate Wooley is one of the most exciting young trumpet players currently working and he's collaborated with Taylor Ho Bynum, Peter Evans, Mary Halvorson & many others. WOOLEY is a member of Blue Colla…
13 Japanese birds Vol.10 Niwatori
'MERZBOW's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messaien's Catalogue D'Oiseaux. Beginning in January 2009 one volume of 13 Japanese Birds will be released each month. The 13th and final volume will be released January 2010. Cover art by Jenny Akita.'
O True Believers
Like most of his previous work, O True Believers may be born of a finite moment of hope in a sea of infinite sadness, a fleeting moment of fragile beauty that extends beyond it's physicality. Unlike past albums, the listener's feeling upon conclusion is more ambiguous: there is no happy and immediate resolution, as if ghosts of the past will find themselves resurfacing time and time again in the future, an idea which is reflected in several reoccurring themes within the songs themselves. Colourf…
Ex Patris
The title Ex Patris (from the fathers) plays on the idiomatic baroque lute compositions presented here which emulate the classical repertoire. It also refers to this almost forgotten instrument, which was passed on by the fathers. The aim is to bring back and liberate the lute. The four compositions on Ex Patris form a circular narrative of interlocking repetitive melodic series. The follow up to Important release “ It is all that is made” kicks off with the pro apocalyptic track “The Day is Com…
13 Japanese Birds Vol.11
Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messaien's Catalogue D'Oiseaux. Beginning in January 2009 one volume of 13 Japanese Birds will be released each month. The 13th and final volume will be released January 2010. Cover art by Jenny Akita.
13 Japanese Birds Vol.10
It is being released by Important Records from January 2009 to January 2010. Each album is limited to 1,000 copies. They are available individually or by subscription; as just the CDs or with a custom bamboo box. Also available only with the box was an acrylic-on-bamboo painting by Masami Akita. The boxes sold out in June and started shipping in July, the paintings are sold out and started shipping in September. The series is part of Merzbow's recent return to live drums. The albums are recorded…
The Echo From The Purple Dawn
Brand new full-length from C.C.C.C. member Hiroshi HasegawaÕs solo project Astro. Using a battery of oscillators, ring modulators, & field recordings, Hasegawa has created an engaging & versatile album that masterfully drifts between spaced-out analog dream drone & a more extreme form of harsher droning.
Non Meters Volume One
A collective of musicians that are all connected to each other in some form or fashion. Their membership includes Guillermo Herren (PREFUSE 73, SAVATH & SAVALAS), Zach Hill (HELLA), Tyondai Braxton (BATTLES), John McEntire (TORTOISE), Alejandra Deheza (SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS), & Eva Puyuelo Muns (SAVATH & SAVALAS).
Kokuchou: 13 Japanese Birds Pt. 8
Merzbow's 13 Japanese Birds is a 13 month series of releases inspired by Olivier Messaien's Catalogue D'Oiseaux. Beginning in January 2009 one volume of 13 Japanese Birds will be released each month. The 13th and final volume will be released January 2010. Cover art by Jenny Akita.
Deceh
Limited edition of 400. Handmade letterpressed covers. Deceh is a fine drone quartet utilizing traditional ethnic drone instruments as well as vintage analog synthesizers. This record was recorded on a centered room microphone as the group sat in a perfect square around it. This method of recording perfectly captured the focused intimacy of the moment, complete with the crackling bellows of an ancient harmonium. Bringing strict discipline, control and patience, theyre able to achieve densely tra…
Conference live
Deluxe limited edition vinyl-only release packaged in heavy-duty tip-on style die cut jackets. A definitive statement of the new Om energy, recorded on 24-track multi-track remote audio at their 2008 performance in New York. Mastered by Carl Saff, the audio quality is strikingly clear and full. On this night Om performed the seminal album Conference of the Birds live in its entirety. Newly invoked energy resonates in the sound of the band: the dynamics between Emil Amos and Al Cisneros have rend…