New Arrivals
Le retour de
Jac Berrocal, voice & trumpet, Jean-Noël Cognard, drums & percussion, Philippe Thiphaine, guitar (from Heliogabale), Quentin Rollet, alto saxophone, Ben Ajrab, bass, Rivkah, voice & keyboard.
Sentinelle
Inspired by the likes of the largely unknown first wave of continental European minimal electronic bands of the early ‘80s (Absolute Body Control, Twilight Ritual, Martin Dupont, Snowy Red), the seminal early industrial bands, as well as the emphemeral, psychedelic atmospheres of the British shoegaze bands of the 1990s, Xeno and Oaklander perform using entirely analogue synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines to produce a highly-crafted, complex of form of moody, electronic pop music that is…
Live On
Follow-up to last year's well-received full-length of collaged live performances released on SHDWPLY. This is another half hour-plus of the Baltimore drum/drone collective at their most zoned and loose-limbed.
Throat
In view of the band's assertion that this is a program designed to be listened to in one sitting, it seems a little impertinent to discuss highlights. The seven tracks that make up "Throat" seem a little arbitrary in view of the overall discontinuity of the release, but in as much as this is music which has no time for a lot of preconceptions, that might be an inherent part of the band's intentions. The opening is where the Brotzmann reference comes into its own, but before the piece is o…
New Bodies
Peter Kolovos is a free sound artist from Los Angeles, CA. Over the last decade he has developed an intensely personal sound vocabulary based on raw texture, volume, and duration. The result has been physical, abstract work that constantly shifts and evolves in real time. The mechanisms of impulse, memory, intent, restraint laid bear. Mastering: Rashad Becker. Full Color Heavy Tip-On Cover-180 Gram Vinyl. Edition of 500 copies.
Rain in skull
Australian Charles Curse's music is one of the weirdest things I've come across all year. On Rain In Skull, fragments of disjointed folk melodies move across a plain of wheezing chords, tape hiss, children's voices, ambient washes, amp hum, electronic glitch and bits of buzz in general. The contrast between downcast guitar playing and the physical claustrophobia-inducing weight of sound is equally perplexing and intriguing. It's all presented in a decidedly lo-fi environment but the sound constr…
Day before one
Frode Gjerstad (alto sax, bass clarinet) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums) recorded 2000 by Frode. Cover art by Terry Nilssen-Love. 'Two men sitting on a balcony, old friends, right before dawn. Maybe sipping some nice cups of tea, maybe even something stronger. Talking about anything, things shared, opinions, the way of the world. From time to time the conversation heats up a bit, touches things that are not seen completely eye to eye, then (eventually, always) understanding, friendship, trust take…
Trans-Europe Express
Classic album from 1977, the sixth Kraftwerk album, originally issued by Kling Klang. This is the English-language, U.S.-cover art version. One of the inspired electronically-based pop records of all time. Performed by the quartet of Hütter, Schneider, Flür & Karl Bartos, this is the quintessential Kraftwerk sound recording experience. Tracklist: Side One: A1. Europe Endless; A2. The Hall Of Mirrors; A3. Showroom Dummies. Side Two: B1. Trans-Europe Express; B2. Metal On Metal; B3. Franz …
Insect
'insect is a work by Dave Phillips that consists of untreated field recordings made in Thailand in 2001. It was first presented live on the 6th of December 2002 at Egocity in Zürich. the accompanying text evokes questions of what might happen to humanity if insects were to perish. Insect was originally issued as a cdr in an edition of 50 copies in 2003, and later rereleased by dp on demand. By the time i heard this work, almost 3 years after its release, i was astounded by its sound. A wo…
True Breath
Stunning five-song debut EP by this young Tokyo producer. Ghost-in-the-drum-machine rhythms layered with her exquisite Cocteau Twins vocal haze, but impeccably crafted into nuanced multi-movement compositions. Will be doing a full-length later in 2012 as well. Our fave new female artist
Lux Aeterna
greay-area LP reissue, Lux Aeterna, was originally composed to celebrate a friend of William Sheller's wedding, thematically driven by concepts of union and togetherness, and ostensibly based on the Catholic mass, this is far from any sort of religious music you've ever heard. Following in the footsteps of other iconoclastic composers, like Serge Gainsbourg, Jean-Claude Vannier, Lee Hazlewood, David Axelrod, Scott Walker and of course Magma (more on that in a second), Sheller conjured up w…
Henzai
Tokyo-based guitarist/singer Hisato Higuchi presents his fourth full-length and first LP release. Henzai is Higuchi at his most bare. Each song appears like a spectral poem -- sewn together with hushed electricity and whispers. This recording is wholly intimate, recorded in seclusion, and washes over the listener like a hazy, day-break dream. Higuchi splits these 12 torch-songs between slow-motion improvisations and the composed, yet each is sung with a mix of beautiful wordless/Japanese languag…
Live at Supersonic 08
Recorded at Supersonic 2008, this was Harvey Milk’s first ever UK performance.After much persuasion Capsule managed to coax Harvey Milk out of America to play in the UK for the first time. Saturday night on the outside stage at Supersonic 08 became a memorable occasion with this long awaited performance providing a suitably raucous climax to the festival’s proceedings…they certainly didn’t disappoint then and we’re equally excited to have been able to record and package up this little piece of S…
Joka Baya
First in a trio of limited edition new LP’s from the ever mysterious Vibracathedral crew, returning from another relatively quiet period with an uncompromising set of outre’ jams. Slightly reorganized around a lineup of stalwarts Mick Flower and Adam Davenport with frequent collaborators John Godbert (Total) and John Moloney (Sunburned Hand of the Man), the band here stretches way, way out over these six sides, taking in several different styles while maintaining “that” sound all the way through…
The Age Of Swing
After the monumental Hammond Pops, new work for finest norwegian noise duo Golden Serenades. Two long track clocked at 35 minutes for their most violent and complex work to date. 140 gr vinyls, black inner sleeves, printed labels, deluxe 330g ivory paper.Ltd 150
Daydreaming
When you think of Seattle, what do you see? No doubt it revolves around Grunge, rain or Frasier... Well prepare to have your cultural preconceptions realigned by the stunning new album 'Daydreaming' from Seattle's Rafael Anton Irisarri, an artist better known under his 'The Sight Below' moniker. Whilst the notion of another record combining modern production with a set of ivories may seem something of a cliché, Rafael Anton Irisarri ensures any such misgivings are dispensed with soon afte…
Stellar Pulsations
Originally schooled in the foundations of hard bop, cornetist Rob Mazurek, quickly surpassed the form's conventional limitations; his multihued electro-acoustic work over the past two decades has subsequently drawn inspiration from numerous genres besides jazz. Mazurek's unfettered creativity and stalwart leadership skills have thereby cemented his reputation as a key figure in the Chicago scene—primarily as organizer of the venerable Chicago Underground Collective and several other innovative e…
Live in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, July 25th, 1970
White vinyl LP release of saxophonist Albert Ayler's quartet with pianist Call Cobbs, bassist Steve Tintweiss, and drummer Allen Blairman performing in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France in 1970 (LP 1 of 2). Just a few months before Albert Ayler presumably jumped to his death from the Statue of Liberty ferry into the frigid November waters of NYC's East River he was on stage for two energy filled nights at the Fondation de Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France. Little did he know at the time tha…
The Unrock Tapes
Repressed. After having released records on labels such as Locust, Drag City and John Fahey's Revenant, Richard Bishop's The Unrock Tapes contains eight complete tracks, six of which are highlights taken from earlier tour CD-Rs that were released on micro-editions years ago. They have never been available on vinyl. Two completely new and unreleased songs make this album even more special. Bishop's guitar-playing skills contain a variety of influences. They could arouse the absurd impression…
Here's Sunshine
This is another lost private-press gem, from a Texas singer/songwriter who is remembered for “looping, melodically through often surrealist lyrics with a strong Tim Buckley influence.” Another description drops the always-intriguing “downer” folk tag on this record, calling it “stark, edgy real-people loner vibe, reverb, acoustic instrumentation, occasional hand percussion, piano, harmonica, as that off-the-chain Texas feel that approaches solo Roky Erickson territory.” The record label, Backbea…