HELM

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Bunch of times, going past H section of the LP shelves, I was thinking I should really listen all these HELM LP's...
I don't have so many, but actually reason to pick these now to turntable, was that I had Birds of Delay "Ball Of Tallow" LP (troniks 2007) in my hand, and thought, well, I'll re-listen Helm stuff first! Impasse came out first as CDR, in 2008. LP reissue happened 2014. Comparing it to a bit later works, like "Impossible Symmetry" LP on PAN, reveals big progression of HELM sound. This PAN LP is fantastic, but also the first one is good. Electronic experimental drone. Something like that, but description barely does justice for it.
I read his recent interview from Adam Lehrer's site, where he cited Anenzephalia, Aube, Cabaret Voltaire etc as influenced of next album on Dais. (linked elsewhere but, here too: https://safetypropaganda.substack.com/p/safety-propagandist-9-helm  )

I had feeling he went to more techno sound, so I had been a bit cautious about buying newer things. Preferences of HELM or Birds of Delay stuff?

[Aldous]

I actually enjoy very much the latest record (Axis) and, although featuring some rhythmic sections or some melody (as in the final track), it is not techno at all!

Considering all this albums, I would say that HELM manages to fluctuate through a quite diverse range of influences and strategies for building his industrialized electronics: field recordings, SPK, kraut, even on the verge of Anenzephalia at times, and so on and on, and still sounding as music made today!

As for me, I'm very much a fan of Cryptography and Impossible Simmetry. The new one, although on the rise at the hierarchy, still needs a couple of extra spins to find its place!

[zd313]

The one he did in 2014 or 2015, "Olympic Mess", it has sorta a Vladislav Delay type vibe. Tbh maybe all his stuff from the last decade does, but this one def had some driving beats. Saw him play in 2013ish and it was very well done - droney yet not calming, seemed as if he was mostly using tapes.... lots of field recording type sounds atop of the drone. May not be 100% what I am personally into but it is always very well done.

[impulse manslaughter]

Saw Helm live once, it was not bad but not memorable either. Listened online to fragments of his records but never got triggered to buy them. The upcoming Axis record on Dais seems to be his best yet and I'm looking to pick it up if it gets any distribution in Europe.