Easy Listening July 2020: S66T4, Major Blast, Creode, James Baljo, Body Morph ++

[feverswarms]

(photos, sound samples, and ordering: https://easylistening.bigcartel.com/)

All eight July 2020 tapes - $48 (+ shipping)

EL-013 Secret Maelstrom C60
- After brief periods in Secret Chiefs and S66T4, San Francisco via Port Huron musicians Steve Kish and Thomas Nordstrom joined forces with Nordstrom's sister and former bandmate Carla (formerly of Problem, Hate/Grey, and Hunting Lodge) to form Secret Maelstrom. More traditional song structures and tighter playing than prior groups, every bit as strange.
After a few 4 track demos and one rehearsal (all featured here), the group played their first and only gig in November 1986 at 455 10th, only to disband shortly after, with none of the members remaning in contact or joining other groups for 30+ years.
Edition of 30 copies, double sided one color art.
Sample: https://soundcloud.com/easylisteningmi/el-013-secret-maelstrom

EL-014: Major Blast - Damp Illicit Wealths
- Fourth release by the Dlugosielski/Mitchell tape collab duo, originally released in different mixes on CDr/cassette on a limited basis in 2019. A melted interaction of sax, electronics, and tape compost.
Edition of 20 copies, one color art.
Sample: https://soundcloud.com/easylisteningmi/el-014-major-blast-damp-illicit-wealths

EL-023: S66T4 - The Balance Of Dreams T-10 VHS
- Graphic simulations recorded somewhere in a dream, San Francisco, 1986.
Shot on Super 8 with a studio-recorded soundtrack. Completely unreleased/unseen footage from these Port Huron natives/Hunting Lodge associates.
Edition of 30 copies. Hand stamped covers with one color prints.
NTSC only.

EL-036: S66T4 - Let The Sleeper Wake + Live C60 cassette
- From the ashes of the original Secret Chiefs (NOT the Mr. Bungle offshoot - CD retrospective in the works), former Hunting Lodge cohorts Steve Kish and Thomas Nordstrom, for a brief time, channeled their Port Huron, MI industrual roots and joined the ranks of the innovative experimental scene of San Francisco circa 1986.
This tape features long forgotten and completely unreleased 16 track studio recordings on side A, and the only live show at Mabuhay Gardens (closing night) on side B.
A strange and seldom-heard world of sound.
Edition of 30 copies, double sided one color art.
Sample: https://soundcloud.com/easylisteningmi/el-036-s66t4-let-the-sleeper-wake

EL-038: Various Artists - Street Theater C60 cassette
- The remains of three abandoned comps, picking up the best pieces.
Track by Creode, James Baljo, Body Morph, The Hearing Trumpet, Woven Qualm, Unama'ki, Sick Llama, Major Blast, Tarpit, Secret 66, and The Right Window.
Packaged in a screen printed and hand sewn cloth case.
Edition of 35 copies.
Sample: https://soundcloud.com/easylisteningmi/street-theater

EL-039: Quarter Cauldron - Coastal Jacobite C60 cassette
Recently rediscovered trio session of Tyler Hicks, Heath Moerland, and Knox Mitchell from 2015 processed live at Midwest Color Labs. Hazy electro-acoustics barely maintaining consciousness.
Sample: https://soundcloud.com/easylisteningmi/el-039-quarter-cauldron-coastal-jacobite

EL-042: Lidless Eye - Weighted Ghost C90 cassette
- Fried two track electronic entrails recorded live to 2-track.
Edition of 20 copies, one color art.
Sample: https://soundcloud.com/easylisteningmi/el-042-lidless-eye-weighted-ghost

EL-043: The Fundamentalists - Summer Cole Slaw C60 cassette
- New recordings from Bob Forward's long running (since 1983) Ohio via Arizona unit who has been increasingly prolific as of recent on his Walls Flowing label (check it out).
Complete non-sound. Remix at Midwest Color Labs on side B takes the static brain-fuzz even further.
Edition of 20 copies, one color art.
Sample: https://soundcloud.com/easylisteningmi/el-043-the-fundamentalists-summer-cole-slaw