Mirag - Black Temple Carved In Smoke

Label: Battlecruiser
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

"“Black Temple Carved in Smoke” is Matthew Bower’s (Sunroof!/Total/Hototogisu/ et al) contribution to Campbell Kneale’s ingenious Battlecruiser label, an imprint that features black and doom metal releases created by the alter egos of various drone/free titans. Previous Battlecruiser releases have featured, among others, Pete Nolan, Antony Milton, CJA and Kneale himself in a variety of blackened guises. Along with Ming’s “The Kill” and Myrtu’s “The Burning Ground,” “Black Temple Carved in Smoke” is perhaps the most captivating and essential of these fascinating releases. Foregoing recognizable or parodic metal touch points, Bower opts instead to construct a singular, howling, polyrhythmic maelstrom of sound.

The first untitled track finds Bower navigating through thick, foggy vistas of feedback and chugging percussion, blasting through the chaos with his characteristically searing riffs. Sections of the piece are reminiscent of “Ghosts from the Sun”-era Hototogisu, all white electricity and blistering guitar pyrotechnics. Track two is less rhythmic than its predecessor, opening with a torrent of feedback squeals and de-tuned riffing before spiraling downward into driving gloom and murk. Both tracks are fantastically heavy and quite compelling, my only complaint is the length of the disc, a shade less than fifteen minutes. Lets hope this isn’t just a one-off for Bower." 7/10 - Alex Cobb, Foxy Digitalis

Here

Death Chants - Natural History / Valley of Light

Another couple'a Death Chants as per request.

Death Chants - Natural History












Label: Time-Lag
Format: CDR (ltd. 180)
Released: 2005

"As genres continue to liquefy into each other and separate out into individually crafted and organic mash-ups, the world begins to sound like a smaller friendlier place. As a band name, Death Chants a total misnomer, this collective are far too alive and remarkable to be soundtracking any repetitive marches to the graveyard.

It’s easy to find a lot of music that’s based in the worlds of free playing and traditional structures/styles, and Death Chants aren’t alone in giving heavy nods to country and folk. But where many bands give in to crapulous backroom antics or moonshine madness, Death Chants are endearingly rickety, yet undoubtedly focused. They combine loose playing with long drifts and tentative steps into areas like drone and free playing. There’s an immediately warm lo-fi atmosphere on Natural History that appears to be rooted in the traditions of early American music.

The opening “A Dog in the Ether” begins conventionally on acoustic guitar and cello before gracefully flowing into areas of what should be on the border of discord. Instead, the cello swoops like John Cale’s viola, creating a raga-drone through the song. Following the same basic tenets, “River Road” tiptoes along through smog-infested feedback. A strum-along acoustic section moulds the song whole, as shimmering peaks and falls roll through. An accordion tries to steer the song back into the traditional world, but its foothold proves too loose, and the composition melts away like buffeting drifts of snow. The movements between wandering adrift and core melody make this 11-minute ride arresting from start to finish.

“States” wraps things up with a short ramshackle take on beginner’s garage rock, a decidedly odd touch. The loose and shaky percussion follows a battered acoustic guitar and kazoo-like sing-along vocal. There’s an unexpected flute line that, while eerily ethereal, holds the piece together quite well.

Natural History has many of the hallmarks of a debut – fresh, devoutly amateur and full of potential. I’m looking forward to finding out if future Death Chants hold the same charm and bizarrely bright edges." - Dusted


Tracklisting:
1. A Dog In The Ether
2. River Road
3. States

here


Death Chants - Valley of Light















Label: Cauliflower Dreams
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

"this disc will send you to the moon and back. 2 loooong tracks that sing about the deepest river on earth, your mind." - Cauliflower Dreams.

Tracklisting
1. The Village & The Lake (37:57)
2. Distant, Faraway Suns (28:20)

here

Heavy Eye of the Sun - I & II

Heavy Eye of the Sun - I







Label: Self-released
Format: CDR (ltd. 100)
Released: 2005

Surging, melifluous folk dirges spanning a meal of instruments. Fantastic vocal interplay (sustained vs. fluid overtonation). "Three pieces to get lost in"

Tracklisting:
1. Forest of Cymbals,
2. Comme des nuages dans un fleuve
3. Eyesun/Solœil

here
buy


Heavy Eye of the Sun - II









Label: Self-released
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

"The name Heavy Eye of the Sun inspires vivid imagery. I imagine Mayan temples erected toward the sun-borne gods, and ancient ritualistic dances performed in the fire light by feather-adorned priestesses. It's one hell of a name that insinuates something monolithic, something great. So it takes some guts to name your band that. Thankfully on Heavy Eye of the Sun's latest album (and their debut before this, quite honestly), they certainly live up to these lofty expectations.

Housed in a beautiful collage by the artist & photographer, Maryse Latulippe, "II" is the aural equivalent of a sacred talisman. It is enchanted with mystic spirits. This Montreal duo, comprised of Olivier Borzeix and James Schidlowsky, at times remind me of a more acoustic-based, freer version of The Skaters. Their voices bounce off each other like trees spiralling toward the sky. The opening track, "Comme les ailes des libellules," is an absolute mind-bender. Dueling, rapid-fire acoustic guitars destroy everything in front of them so that Borzeix and Schidlowky's voices can rise above the ether. It's perfectly executed and totally great.

After following a similar track on the second track, the duo unleash some absolutely hypnotic folk goodness on "Shivers." Their voices, again, are the key here. High-pitched wails sound as if they're conjuring the essence of long-dead gods. "Shivers" is thick with layers of acoustic guitars, like a neverending cosmic thicket. Hints of banjo rise from the haze to show you the path home. This is truly brilliant stuff.

"II" ends with the loose-blues of "Sun Spiralling Down." It's far more meditative than its three brethren, but is the perfect end to an excellent album. "II" is full of beautiful acoustic drones, steeped in decaying leaves and wrapped in walls of sonic ivy. It is masterfully organic in all the right places. "II" carefully carves out a niche like an archaic stream slowly etching its way toward bedroock. This is Heavy Eye of the Sun's journey to the sea. Recommended. 8/10" (Brad Rose, Foxydigitalis)

Tracklisting:
1. Comme les ailes des libellules
2. Dappled/Pommelé
3. Shivers
4. Sun Spiralling Down

here (*.m4a)
buy


Heavy Eye of the Sun III is still available through FoxyD's ltd. ed. line. And, I assure you, does not disappoint.

Sunshine Has Blown - S/T

Label: musicyourmindwillloveyou (mymwly0048)
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

gorgeous solar aquatic noise scapes from this Joel Stern and Adam Park led ensemble, weaving tones amongst abstract structures...electric, meyeopic, static, streams of image noise like pictures...good to grow.

originally packaged in textured paper with inner sleeve artwork by velvet pesu.

joel stern (1,2,3,4) – electronics, violin, guitar, mbira, trumpet, objects
adam park (1,2,3,4) – reel to reel tapes, electronics
velvet pesu (2) – cello, mbira, percussion
joe musgrove (3) – turntable, voice, objects
scott sinclair (3) – drums, voice, pc

edited and mastered by Joel at Governor's House March 2006.

Tracklisting:

Governor's House Brisbane 25th November 05
Mormon Gibbon Brisbane 19th Feb 06
Muji Judith Wright Centre Brisbane 19th December 05
Governor's House Brisbane 25th November 05

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Orphan Fairytale - Twilight Time

Label: Sloow Tapes
Format: Single-Sided Cassette
Released: 2006

"Looping casio keyboards inhaling magic dust and blowing it out into bright dancing psychbubbles. Lost star heaven of 100 copies."

this is one of my favourite sloow tapes releases. it shifts between fractured, whimsical melodies, crude rhythmic clanging and passages of industrial-like drone. a highly unique and enjoyable listen.

Tracklisting:

A Untitled

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Tirath Singh Nirmala - Sahasri

Label: Self-released
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

An unusual one here. Sahasri has more in common with the mentality of minimalism than any other release: this one could pass for a high-frequency Theater of Eternal Music / La Monte Young piece. Lovely.

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Tirath Singh Nirmala - Smouldering Juniper

Label: Self-released
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

Another TSN release here, and again, no album art. And no blurb, so I'm having to write something. The rest (Blossom Dawn Freckles, Moor Cragg Mist, Sahasri, Tattv-guna-mala 1&2 and Birch Clove Burst 1&2) - that's the rest to my knowledge anyway - shall be arriving on-screen shortly.

Entirely instrumental effort, here. Moonlit Circles takes the raga and smothers it with some Eastern-inflected minimalism. Little tonal variation, quivered guitar strumming; beaten bells build and power through to a hypnotically nod-head ending. Smouldering Juniper takes you back to typical Tirath terrain: dual microtonal pipes slide over extended synth, leaving you with enough space to Pandit Pran Nath-along. Snowflowers Bloom, meanwhile, is a high-frequency chimed track - not so far from recent John Clyde-Evans output - which sits on speakers as fragile as a butterfly on a wheel.


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Tirath Singh Nirmala - Slimp Tench Depth

Label: Self-released
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

Brilliant. Just brilliant. Everything John released underneath this pseudonym is worth tracking down. Check out Bluster, Cragg & Awe (currently on sale) and his more recent back-to-birthname Apetal Thunderfall on Foxydigitalis for two fantastically diverging-approach releases.

"Brand new limited private press CD-R from Tirath Singh-Nirmala, ex-John Clyde-Evans, and reputedly his last full-length for a while due to his temporary re-location to the Indian sub-continent. Heavier, fuller sound to this one, with drums, tons of bells, shivers of breath and tone and a feel that is somewhere between Vibracathedral Orchestra's more widescreen work, Tibetan liturgy, Sun City Girls and the more percussive, long-distance Steve Reich compositions. Already sold-out at source." - Volcanic Tongue

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Vodka Soap - Un Chand Pyramidelier

Label: New Age Cassettes

Format: CDR
Released: 2006

this record was actually my first exposure to all things skaters' related, needless to say it made a huge impression on me and was the spark for hunting down all i could from their various projects. volcanic tongue put it better than i could when it was featured as their tip of the tongue in april 2006:-

"An absolute masterpiece of sustained meditative breakthrough from Spencer Clarke of The Skaters. Spencer worked on this amazing recording for many many moons, spending a long time in the subterranean depths of the local museum, power-zoning on archetypal visions of death masks and energy centres. The result is one of the most conceptually unified trips to flash across his eyelids to date. Tiny orchestras of gamelan bells illuminate whole communities of overtone while tape wuzz spools into loops of roaring silence and almost subliminal speech and song-forms flit just on the periphery of yr ears. Elsewhere it sounds like a Hermann Nitsch ritual heard from 200 miles up, or an African Trips Festival illuminated by beautifully ornate carousels slow-spinning deep in the black desert night. Totally magical, ageless ritual and a mind-blower of the highest order. Highest possible recommendation."

Tracklisting:

Untitled (0:57)
Untitled (2:22)
Untitled (1:01)
Untitled (5:14)
Untitled (3:32)
Untitled (4:44)
Untitled (4:32)
Untitled (5:03)
Untitled (4:47)
Untitled (2:55)
Untitled (5:45)
Untitled (3:18)
Untitled (2:49)

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Wire Thicket - Dust, Static

Label: Students Of Decay
Format: 3"Cd-r
Released: 2006

Wire Thicket is the duo of Alex Cobb (aka Taiga Remains) and David Kirby, who released their debut 's/t' cd-r on pseudoarcana (which you can still purchase here) later that year they released The dust, Static 3"cd-r on Alex Cobb's own label Students Of Decay. This release consists of two tracks. the first, a 16 minute venture into beautifully ecstatic and full sounds that feel as though they are constantly rising. this has your full attention throughout, like when a storm rages outside and you can't leave the window. the second track for me is the aftermath of the first. dying static crawling beneath subtle notes. it feels like coming back round, and everything opening up again.

Tracklisting:

1  Dust, Static (16:03)
2  Brilliant Dead Highways: Revisited (5:37)

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Meursault - Nothing Changed This Week

Label: Eagle & Serpent Records
Format: CDR
Released: 2006

meursault is the solo project of glasgow's shaun falconer, this being the second release on his own 'eagle and serpent records'. heartfelt movements of understated piano & guitar evoke a tremendous sense of tranquility and contentedness. each piece holds a real clarity of vision with no wasted moments and many of quiet profundity. this has been one of my most valued discoveries and should be known by many more people. i urge you all to check it out.

Tracklisting:

Washing Her Hair
Hands On The Maths
Mirror
Just Coming
We Locked Arms And Boarded A Coach
Jumping From The 40th Floor, Just The Once
Ah-So

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Ghost Brames Of The Cerf's Magickal - For Ever Hang Thy Dreamy Spell, Round Mountain Star And Heather Bell

Label: Ruralfaune
Format: 3" Cd-r
Released: 2006

for me, this record is the soundtrack to many wonderful evenings since i first got hold of it. sitting and being lulled into places of your own imagination by the beautiful chord organ drones, and these two repeating guitar notes just pinning you there throughout till the pieces chaotic end. i urge you all to keep an eye out for more Ghost Brames releases. their static aero cd-r on leaf trail was one of my favourite records last year, and you can still buy it now.

"Having lifted the title of this majestic 3” CD-R from Anne Brontë’s poem “Memory,” this newly formed French duo aim to recreate the innocence of childhood as filtered through the human mind’s imperfect memory. Florian Tositti (The Reggaee) and Jacob Garet (undisputed master of the ‘Magick Skull of Noise,’ whatever that may be) have created the perfect 21-minute prescription for losing touch with the present and rediscovering the purity of unsullied youth. Multiple looped guitar patterns are interwoven and laid upon a blanket of drone, while a flute dances carelessly overhead. Frequent crescendos are followed by the development of new musical ideas, proving that GBCM (a fitting acronym, no?) are adept at creating engaging long form soundscapes. This is indeed another stunning release for the Ruralfaune label, an imprint that continues to explore fresh terrain in the global psychedelic underground. Cheers to them for discovering the spellbinding sounds of GBCM." - bryon hayes (foxy digitalis)

Tracklisting:

1 ForFor Ever Hang Thy Dreamy Spell, Round Mountain Star And Heather Bell (21:33)

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Teotihuacan - Teotihuacan

Label: New Age Cassettes

Format: Cassette

Released: 2006

"recorded in tijuana mexico and the desert outskirts of el cajon california. 1983 ufology convention. music for the desert temples of extraterrestrial light. recorded october-december 2004."

Tracklisting:

Untitled

Extraterrestrial Light

Untitled

Untitled

Inner Flowering

Untitled

Untitled

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The Floating World - River Of Flowers

Label: Foxglove

Format: CDR

Released: 2006

"after mesmerizing releases on barl fire and as part of the "folklore of the moon" subscription series, canada's floating world is bringing her show foxglove. "river of flowers" picks up where her previous releases left off, contorting solemn flute sounds into a web of glittering drones. each track is based off a poem written by her sister. these tracks are overflowing with warmth. this is not austere and glacial, but saturated with decaying leaves and flower petals. hypnotic." - foxglove

Tracklisting:

River Of Flowers

Orchid

Lotus

Anemone

Lilac

Poppy

Hyacinth

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Sabu Orimo - Ichi-On

Label: Subjective Spirit Sound
Format: Cd-r
Released: 2006

Sabu Orimo is a man in his early 20's with an absolutely mind blowing talent for playing the shakuhachi. The first time i heard his music was upon my friend's purchase of both ichi-on and susabu, and i couldn't believe what i was hearing. he quickly became one of my most played artists, and even now i am amazed each time i hear him. whether it be him furiously bashing his shakuhachi down on the floor screaming, or playing at his absolute quietest, his music is just as beautiful and intense throughout all of his releases.
ichi-on was the first of his i heard, and to anyone who has not heard anything from him already, i believe this is a great place to start. As far as i am aware (and with good reason) none of his releases are available anywhere, and if any of you have the solo shakuhachi  ii tape then please let me know. i am dying to hear it

"Second release by Sabu Orimo and another tour-de-force. Still unlike his previous outing, since it is a more intimate recording than its predecessor. Here, Sabu delicately exerts deep mesmerizing tones that balance on the edge of drone and the sound of a summer breeze after a tropical thunderstorm. Still he continues, be it in a less extroverted manner, around delicate gravities of a growling hiss which allows for environmental aspects of the recorded space to creep into the mix, filling the perimeters with atmospheric warmth and depth that stretches the perpendicular distance from the exerted chords to the farthest point of the arched surface he moves about. This gets especially poignant on “Yure” where the allegorical nimbly splattering of the rain supply the ideal backdrop for his instrument to fully blossom. Sabu radiates throughout the disc, tip-toeing on the razor's edge between full blown rage and mesmerizing meditative silence. Truly highly recommended and it fills me with joy and hope to hear and see such a talented new player on the scene since he will only get better and better. Massive!!!" - tiliqua records

Tracklisting:
1 地声 (7:31)
2 ゆれ (9:41)
3 ゆり (9:36)
4 狼 (4:51)
5 森 (29:15)

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