There's still stuff from last year I haven't listened to yet (Rusalka, Harness etc), but I have to draw the line at some point...
MNEM - Elyktrion LP (Verlautbarung)
Glad to notice I'm far from the only one enjoying this. Their strongest album to date. It was hard to tell where they'd go after the very stripped down Hegonon, but it turns out they've found new tunnels and paths. Absolutely fantastic.
THE RITA & TRERIKSRÖSET - Private box set LP (White Centipede Noise)
An excellent live collaboration between the two and ZK, which I'll forever curse myself for not travelling to see, and Treriksröset's bowel-burster of a solo oiece on the flipside. And the presentation and contents of this box...
LOOPSEL - The Spiral LP (Förlag För Fri Musik)
Great great solo debut. Sounds like someone who's trying to remember what actual music sounds like and how it's made, but keeps getting lost in the sounds themselves instead. Perfect escape record. The 7" that preceded it by a couple of months is excellent as well.
TESTICLE HAZARD - Fifty-Sixty LP (White Centipede Noise)
They sat on this for eleven years and it turns out to be their best work yet. An insane demonstration of skills and energy, and pretty much how they sound live these days. THE noise record of the year.
ADORAMA - S/t C44 (I Am Elegant)
STAR - Life Goes On C84 (I Am Elegant)
Perhaps unfair to the artists lumping these two together. But the thing is that their merits are the same to me, while sounding very different from eachother at the same time. There's nothing here that hasn't been done before, but these tapes still sound rather unexpected coming out now. There's a freedom and inventiveness to this that feels fresh, although, or perhaps thanks due to sounding like some forgotten Spite or Uncut tapes from 23 years ago.
JOE MCPHEE & LASSE MARHAUG - Harmonia Macrocosmica LP (Smalltown Supersound)
Vintage scifi jazz which doesn't sound retro in any way, if that makes sense. Just exciting stuff that goes in many directions, getting lost. Very addictive record!
HEAT SIGNATURE - Altered States Of Warfare CD (Found Remains)
Has all the punch and energy the last album had, but more dynamic, varied and even better in general. Superb!
SHREDDED NERVE - Cruel Intentions LP (Ascetic House)
A short nightmarish epic, and the best Shredded Nerve so far. I'm still not "done" with this one, so I'llleave it at that.
WORTH - Oculus CD (Total Black)
Like sinking too deep into some feverishly written and beyond confusing science fiction novel that never ends.
ANLA COURTIS & DANIEL MENCHE - Cuspa Llullu LP (Moving Furniture)
This is definitely a Menche LP to me, but it would have been the same, or as great, without Courtis' more musical contribution. Masterful evocative and original stuff.
Honorable mentions:
WCN
This really was White Centipede's year. Sewer Election box set, Savage Gospel, THE PARANOID TIME 7"!, Kjostad, all the tapes released on new years eve... I could have filled the list with WCN only, but that wouldn't have been fair. Or would it?
Some fine reissues and retrospective releases as well:
C.C.C.C. - Amplified Crystal II 2CD (New Forces)
Beautiful and much needed reissue, as I don't count on ever finding the old tape.
STEVE MCCAFFERY - Pataphonix: Selected Sound Poems CD (We Are One)
Great selection of mindfucking sound and poetry pieces from this Canadian mad genius, covering his carreer between 1968-2009. Sone ace liner notes as well. Great great stuff.
JOE COLLEY - Psychic Stress Soundtracks DLP (Misanthropic Agenda)
One of his best works now on vinyl, perfectly pressed and printed.
HIVE - Demiurge 2CS (Skeleton Dust)
Another reissue I'm very thankful for.
I'm pretty sure I forgot more than a few things but... A good year!
