Currently listening, part 1

[chris23]

Omni vu deity - Nuiemiu Rift + Vuunayatu

Two new releases from Ishq and part of the Virtual World series.

Nuiemiu Rift is fantastic--an experimental journey to imaginary worlds, containing a nice fusion of "world music," expansive soundscapes, and mysterious atmospheres. I don't think this is for everyone, but I think it is a true jewel in the recent wave of Ishq releases. Sci-fi anthropology.

Vuunayatu is nice release too, but it hard not to compare it against the other when they are released simultaneously. This one is a bit more on the safe side. Frankly, parts of it are a bit monotonous (e.g., the first track), but the title track--along with a few others--are fantastic.

Available on digital and CD:
https://virtual1.bandcamp.com/album/nuiemiu-rift
https://virtual1.bandcamp.com/album/vuunayatu

[thirdsystem]

Mathew Florianz - Nocturne - Soundtrack For Science Briefings. Recommended elsewhere and I can understand why. Beautiful sounds, on bandcamp if you are interested in checking it out.

Neil Campbell - The Ancient Volcanic Centre of Scotland. Player Press Bandcamp. Had to check it out as the title is my homeland. First few minutes are experimental to say the least. Think this one will be a challenge. Interesting though ;)

[drone on]

The two Omni Vu Deity aka Ishq discs Chris just mentioned can be purchased from me for $15 each.  These are new, sealed copies I ended up with due to a shipping mixup.  I'm forwarding the funds I get back to Ishq so they don't lose out on the funds.  These are limited to 50 copies and already sold out far as I know.  Message me if interested.  Also have them up on Discogs if you'd rather go that route. 

[chris23]

Ghost and Tape - Shift
New release from the recently resurrected Slaapwel label. Gentle, drifting guitar meanderings, with low-fi dusting. This doesn't really stand out in any special way, but it is executed well if that's your jam.

Buy/Listen: https://slaapwel.bandcamp.com/album/shift

2814 -  新しい日の誕生
I'm not sure what Vaporware is exactly, but this is one of a few exemplars from that genre that has really resonated with me, probably because it has a clear ambient component to it.

Buy/Listen: https://dreamcatalogue.bandcamp.com/album/--18

[thirdsystem]

Pete Namlook / Steve Stoll - Hemisphere, music for travel to a different Solar System

Thomas Kohner - Daikan. Some of the deepest bass I have ever heard. Really quite something.

[drone on]

KILLING JOKE-Pylon (2CD).  I wasn't going to buy this but like a sucker I did.  It's another disappointment, although not horrid like their last album.  Here continues Jaz Coleman's apocalyptic vision of a doomed planet being overrun by technology, intrusive governments, and the like.  There are a couple excellent songs on the standard album (Disc 1), while on Disc 2 (bonus disc) there is another excellent song.  That's three excellent songs, and the rest ho hum.  There are flashes of their past greatness via Geordie's snarling hollow body flanged gee-tar and melancholic hooks, but mostly it's just a bunch of metal riffs, pounding drums, and yelling.  Often they just sound like everybody else, which is sad really cuz they were complete innovators and inspired many.  Well I'll just listen to the three songs over and over...

Cluster & Eno-Old Land.  This is a compilation of the two C&E albums from the 70's.  I bought this on a whim (used) as I remember not thinking much of this stuff when I heard it way back compared to Godhead Eno's classics, but wow is this some great music.  Some quirky, weird vocal tracks but with a charm and beauty to them, and some flat-out gorgeous instrumental/ambient pieces. 

   

[drone on]

Wait, there's more! (much more)...

RAPOON-A Pale Blue Door.  This is a book/CD set wherein Robin Storey wrote a fictional book and composed some music to go with it.  The CD is quite fascinating and "spacey" using samples from actual sounds from stars/planets, NASA transmissions, et al.   It's a very chilled environmental composition which I really enjoyed.  Gotten through about half the book and all I can say right now is it's very very gloomy like a lot of his music.  It has a sci-fi feel and there's a theme of an alien "spaceman" whose photograph was taken in the 50's.  Is it just me or is Robin Storey obsessed with UFO's and aliens? Not that I mind it, I'm a believer and all.  Just saying...

RAPOON-Tin of Drum 2CD reissue.  Disc 1 is a reissue of the 1996 album, which is not one of Robin's best works, but it has a really pretty piece that's one of my faves of his catalogue, plus the epic 30 minute track "Southbound' which is quite incredible.  Reason to buy this for most would be the 2nd disc of unreleased/reworked/new music.  I'd have to say this one's for hardcore fans only.  Not much in the way of "music," more like a collage of soundscapes, vocal samples of American southwest cowboy-types (in addition to aliens, I think he's obsessed with "Americana") etc.  You know how it's often said that "bonus tracks" are usually nothing more than stuff that didn't make the real album, or it's tacked on to be an enticement to re-sell the same album?  That's what I get from some of these Rapoon reissues.  Some pretty ho-hum material that doesn't offend but doesn't inspire either.  In any event, it's great to see seemingly all the classic Rapoon stuff from the 90's being made available again. 

[drone on]

Correction:  Tin of Drum was released in 1998, not 1996.

[drone on]

Danna & Clement-North of Niagara. Today I'm waving my "New Age" freak flag high with this excellent 1995 release on Hearts of Space.  Melodic piano and synths.  Moody, haunting, cinematic stuff.  I love this album (haven't listened to it in about 20 years to boot!)

[chris23]

Aglaia - Florealia Nocturna + Ephemeral Blue
New ambient from Gino Fioravanti. The first of these releases is composed of drifting, ethereal soundscapes, and is somewhat reminiscent of Absolutely Deep. The second one is a bit more experimental, but not quite as edgy or alien as some of the releases from last year. Both are fantastic. And, as usual, the art work is beautiful.

https://aliodie.bandcamp.com/album/florealia-nocturna
https://aliodie.bandcamp.com/album/ephemeral-blue

[drone on]

Darnit Chris, your glowing Aglaia reviews forced me to preview them on Bandcamp and indirectly forced me to spend more money on CDs.  So thanks (I think).   ;D

[chris23]

 ;D

[petekelly]

Killing Joke - 'I am the Virus'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4wdbibV3IM

[Julio Di Benedetto]

Pete you got me all Fired up with that track.....Im playing a couple of my heavier delights....ambient viewer discretion advised, its a bit Dark. ::)

Sponge - Plowed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L65NNh6vJ_Q

Deftones - Change
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPpDyIJdasg

[drone on]

"Change" by Deftones. oh YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!  LOVE that song.  I have the CD single, includes a cover of Sade's "No Ordinary Love."  Yes, really. 

Still currently listening to KILLING JOKE-Pylon 2CD.  Also played all day yesterday FIRE DANCES by KILLING JOKE.  Man, what a difference, not just style wise.  Even though it was 1983, with less technology, Fire Dances still sounds better to me production-wise.  After the 80's, so many of KJ's albums had crap production, especially these last two including "Pylon."  It's "loud" but it's not loud enough (does that make sense?) because the instruments are buried in this gauzy mix of processing (to my ears anyway).  The guitars are buried, the drums muffled...there's no edge to it anymore.  It all sounds too "safe" to me now. The studio has rubbed all the edges off a band who are brutal, raw and edgy.  Somebody recorded this album inside a vaccuum and then ran it through loads of filters to squeeze the life out of the real instruments so they almost sound fake.  Did somebody record the band live, then manipulate all the sounds and cut and paste the parts together so it feels like they all did their parts in different studios in different countries??? There's still four or five excellent tracks over the span of this release.  Of course those could have been way better with better production.  I think KJ always do this now: gather a few good songs for an album, then tack on 7 or 8 poor or mediocre ones.  I think they should wait 10 years  until they're 70 and then put out one album with all good songs.  Back to FIRE DANCES.  If you don't have this excellent KJ album, you should.  This is heavy tribal punk rock brilliance.  The guitars snarl in a flange-y pool of echo, the drums beat you into a pulp with tribal rhythms and patterns, the bass throbs, all with a punky industrial feel.  This album is just thrilling.  One of KJ's best IMO.  Get the 2008 reissue with extra tracks, including singles, b-sides and radio stuff.  Excellent!

[petekelly]

From memory, the production on 'Fire Dances' is bloody awful - but the material is excellent.

[drone on]

Yes, I was being kind of ironic that way.  Fire Dances is known for a low production quality.  The production wasn't that great but the instruments are clear and not saturated with digital goop the way they are now.  Key track: "Frenzy".

[drone on]

Subradial--"Ice Diving".  I gave this a few spins at work today having not liked it much when I originally ordered it.  There are some really good tracks here.  Will probably spend more time with it now. 

[chris23]

I loved Fire Dances back in the day. Good stuff! I think Dominator was my favorite track from that release.

Some recent downloads:

Rudy Adrian - Moonwater
2006 release on Spotted Peccary. Really nice, with a range of instrumentation.
https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/album/moon-water

Arovane & Hior Chronik - In-between
A perfect collaboration: The sum is greater than the parts.
https://astrangelyisolatedplace.bandcamp.com/album/in-between

[APK]

Moonwater I found disappointing, but I second the Arovane/Hior Cronik, it's a fine thing.