PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

k.p.g · January 28, 2025, 07:04:52 PM

Lidless Eye - Sand Sickness (Green Records and Tapes)

Going into the land of the creeps for a brief bit with this random YouTube rec. Knox certainly has an ear for that grim sound better than many who try to replicate. Gentle synth work creeping in and out of the stereo field; some stuff very dark, while some could have worked on a much more ambient-driven release. You're not getting much beauty from a tape called Sand Sickness though.

Into_The_Void · January 28, 2025, 10:46:54 PM

Staruha Mha "Unknown Fires" unknown stuff from 2001, cold and ghastly dark ambient from Russia. The author committed suicide in 2003. Outworldly shit.

https://nostalgiedelaboue.bandcamp.com/album/unknown-fires

k.p.g · January 30, 2025, 09:35:52 PM

Kyle Flanagan - Hole in My Head (Hot Releases)

I have often talked very publicly about how much Kyle has meant to my growth as an artist and fan of noise. From the first time we met, the vibe and style of what he does/what he likes had me like "yeah, this here is the real deal." Even today, we had a conversation and I thought that exact same thing again. I think he is the only artist I am ever in the "completionist" mindset about (which I have accepted might be a lost cause with several less than 10 copy tapes he has out). All this being said, I knew that I had to buy this as soon as I saw my local record store was carrying it in their shop. It is one that has alluded me for years, and is an early document of an artist I did not know yet. He was nowhere near his prime of creative flow, so I was excited.
This tape did not disappoint. It is a great listen, albeit primitive for how sophisticated and refined his approach is to noise now. You can tell he has the "idea" of what he wants to do with his sound, but maybe not the knowhow; maybe not the right equipment; maybe not the experience. You might look at an artist's early work and go "what the fuck were they thinking" There is none of that with this tape though. Kyle Flanagan had a pretty clear idea of what he wanted to put out into the world from the jump, and that is damn near impossible to find in an art form like this.

Growing Rot - Hazed Gaze (American Tapes)

I guess he is known better for doing the Alleypisser project, but this tape caught my eye at the same store that sold me Flanagan. It is faaaaaaaaaaaaar quieter than any other release I have purchased from the label. It is very weird, very sparse, tons of loop. Fits right in with the label. The j-card ranks among one of my favorite Olson pieces all time. I just cannot believe how quiet it is.

Baglady · February 04, 2025, 04:42:43 PM

KIYOSHI MIZUTANI - Cemetery LP (Ferns 2024, orig. Ulcer House 1991)
I chuckled - in a positive way! - when Ferns reissued Mizutani's Inferiors Betrayal as a DLP a couple of years ago. There's just no obvious audience for this guy. Too weird for most regular noise heads, too dated for today's arts n farts crowd. So to put out a thing like that, and barely promote it, I guess Ferns just want it to be out there for those who really need it? Noble!
Then this came out in April last year. Finally picked it up a few days ago, and I'm just as thrilled with this one. Fragmented in a dreamlike bizarre manner. Acoustic crackling, sawing and hammering, a car burning off somewhere, sampled voice fragmented, short radio snippets, outdated programmed percussion, the odd synth stab etc. Again and again I ask "why this sound? it makes no sense", which is usually the case with dreams as well. These odd elements and objects right in the center and completely out of place. At times, these four tracks balance on that threshold between the bizarre and the nightmarish, but that's where it stays, a restraint I appreciate. It never goes full on noise or nightmare.
Mizutani doesn't sound quite like anybody else (which is why he fits wo well on Ferns, who houses a bunch of other true originals!), but a few names do come to mind who treads similar dream countries where things often stop making sense, such as Ultra, Francois Douris (the RRR LP at least), P16 D4, certain older John Duncan stuff. It's a sonic space few newer artists care to thread - and perhaps all for the better, but still - which I guess might come across as almost cringy today for it's sonic qualities. The old sytnh sound, the theatrics, the percussion... I gladly go there now and again though. The Undying comp from 1989 on Freedom In A Vacuum summarizes that whole thing so well, as does a good chunk of the less raved about artists on Journey Into Pain for example. Just weird, old, almost pretentious racket without an obvious audience (at least today). Great LP!

Also, I had completely missed that Ferns recently reissued yet another old Mizutani thing, but on CD this time, Actual Infinity / 2 Variations from 1991. Instant buy, obviously.

Balor/SS1535 · February 04, 2025, 06:49:49 PM

Quote from: Baglady on February 04, 2025, 04:42:43 PMKIYOSHI MIZUTANI - Cemetery LP (Ferns 2024, orig. Ulcer House 1991)
I chuckled - in a positive way! - when Ferns reissued Mizutani's Inferiors Betrayal as a DLP a couple of years ago. There's just no obvious audience for this guy. Too weird for most regular noise heads, too dated for today's arts n farts crowd. So to put out a thing like that, and barely promote it, I guess Ferns just want it to be out there for those who really need it? Noble!
Then this came out in April last year. Finally picked it up a few days ago, and I'm just as thrilled with this one. Fragmented in a dreamlike bizarre manner. Acoustic crackling, sawing and hammering, a car burning off somewhere, sampled voice fragmented, short radio snippets, outdated programmed percussion, the odd synth stab etc. Again and again I ask "why this sound? it makes no sense", which is usually the case with dreams as well. These odd elements and objects right in the center and completely out of place. At times, these four tracks balance on that threshold between the bizarre and the nightmarish, but that's where it stays, a restraint I appreciate. It never goes full on noise or nightmare.
Mizutani doesn't sound quite like anybody else (which is why he fits wo well on Ferns, who houses a bunch of other true originals!), but a few names do come to mind who treads similar dream countries where things often stop making sense, such as Ultra, Francois Douris (the RRR LP at least), P16 D4, certain older John Duncan stuff. It's a sonic space few newer artists care to thread - and perhaps all for the better, but still - which I guess might come across as almost cringy today for it's sonic qualities. The old sytnh sound, the theatrics, the percussion... I gladly go there now and again though. The Undying comp from 1989 on Freedom In A Vacuum summarizes that whole thing so well, as does a good chunk of the less raved about artists on Journey Into Pain for example. Just weird, old, almost pretentious racket without an obvious audience (at least today). Great LP!

Also, I had completely missed that Ferns recently reissued yet another old Mizutani thing, but on CD this time, Actual Infinity / 2 Variations from 1991. Instant buy, obviously.

This sounds really great, and I have been meaning to check it out since someone first mentioned it here around the time of the release. I like early duo-Merzbow, so this sounds quite good.

Krigsverk · February 06, 2025, 06:32:04 PM

Richard Ramirez - Tracking Device CD (Freak Animal)

Not sure what to add to the previous review really... my fave Ramirez release. Such a varied and intricate album, totally blown away. "Eyes Slowly Adjusting to the Darkness" is a great example of tension, controlled distorted sounds and just a feeling of dread. Been on repeat all week.

Bizarre Uproar - Teurasjäte/Propaganda Bizarre -Blood and shite 2006-2007 DCD(Ominous Recordings)

Not much to add here either, peak-BU material. A real treat if you are into this shit. And I mean shit. There is lots of it on display.

cr · February 06, 2025, 09:28:04 PM

Quote from: Krigsverk on February 06, 2025, 06:32:04 PMBizarre Uproar - Teurasjäte/Propaganda Bizarre -Blood and shite 2006-2007 DCD(Ominous Recordings)

Not much to add here either, peak-BU material. A real treat if you are into this shit. And I mean shit. There is lots of it on display.

Is this "new" one? Haven't found it on Ominous yet.

k.p.g · February 06, 2025, 10:37:10 PM

Spykes - Mouth Wash (American Tapes)

A mug goin' in 2000s style - what more can you ask for? ... I guess I could say that over the course of delving into more of the ever-expanding world of one John Olson, a common criticism I've heard is "you've heard one, you've heard 'em all." Not saying it is entirely false; I mean you do enough edition of 3 type releases, there is going to be plenty of similar sounding jams across. However, I will note that the shift from his previous project, D.L. Savings T.X. to Spykes is extremely noticeable early on. The electronics have become far spacier, and it is apparent that Olson has a much better understanding of what zones his rigs can go to. The emphasis on guitar is pretty noticeable here too, which is an element I think has been dropped for a long while now. Most importantly to those who are turned off from the "jazz" end of things (i.e. a horn in noise), the inclusion of reeds here is not as overly apparent as it would go on to become. Not a lot of "horn with a delay on it," much more "horn adding a piercing high tone atop this noisy assault."

Pretty great tape overall. Gotta be thankful for YouTube guys like Active Abuse taking the time to upload this hard to find material from his collection.

Krigsverk · February 07, 2025, 09:12:12 AM

Quote from: cr on February 06, 2025, 09:28:04 PM
Quote from: Krigsverk on February 06, 2025, 06:32:04 PMBizarre Uproar - Teurasjäte/Propaganda Bizarre -Blood and shite 2006-2007 DCD(Ominous Recordings)

Not much to add here either, peak-BU material. A real treat if you are into this shit. And I mean shit. There is lots of it on display.

Is this "new" one? Haven't found it on Ominous yet.

Yes, drops next week! Highly recommended.

FreakAnimalFinland · February 07, 2025, 04:17:12 PM

Nærværet - Når Man Ser Inn I En Annens Hjerte LP
Satatuhatta
wonderfully lo-fi and wowing, fluttering, damaged reel-to-reel tape manipulation makes even quite musical elements turn into eerie atmosphere. Always liked Alter of Flies and this is one been on turntable multiple times a day for a while now and somehow just lures to re-listen again and again.

Mold - Secret Things Of The Outside World LP
Satatuhatta
Listened this from Bandcamp when I was out of town, and somehow it didn't strike instantly. When listening LP, totally opposite: Instant hit, and listened LP three times today and thinking it requires more. Excellent dirty and broken sounding noise!

PUTREFIER "Trace element syntax" CD
Pure/RRR
I remember first time I heard Putrefier, was DEDICATION 2 compilation CD. Really great CD too! It was so early on my noise joyrney, didn't even realize comp was partly old materials, partly new. There would be like mid 80's Japanese noise tape tracks thrown along Macro, CCCC, Putrefier and many more. Including also fine mix of tape-scene / industrial names and latest Japanese noise names. Don't remember exactly in what order I got next Putrefier works, but this CD was quite late in Pure series. I got them about in order of CDs coming out, and insert in this one already lists about 50 pure discs.
In new WCN interview, artist mentions this was originally sent to Praxis Dr Bearmann label for LP release, but label wanted to put out his 80's style material and therefore release never happened, but went to Pure series. When this came out, I thought it would be like "japanese noise". Sure, it is far from 80's Putrefier, but it is most definitely not "japanese noise" sounding. If you compare this in content of Pure series, this ain't Incapacitants, Masonna, Pain Jerk kind of thing, but you could rather lump in along crude and lo-fi harsh works of Prick Decay, Akala, Sudden Infant, Murder Corporation, and so on. It is not fast and sharp, more broken low-tech, at times even ultra primitivism of some sort. I know that I certainly admire this nowadays way more than I did back then. I was just today listening other noise, thinking how come it doesn't sound NOISY enough. This Putrefier is like true noise. Its not about fast assault, high tech edits, brutal hammering. Instead, all the sounds are pure damage and dirt. I like.

k.p.g · February 07, 2025, 09:18:13 PM

Community Mental Health - Untitled (American Tapes)

A heavy synth affair that sounds like machinery colliding back and forth throughout. At times, you enter some zones reminiscent of M.B.'s signature dread; other times are just oscillating sputters. At just 30 minutes, no sound ever tires too quickly. This one feels more like meditations on a few zones than just a "let's see where this takes us" style jam.

Penon · February 08, 2025, 02:20:52 PM

For anyone who is looking for new bands with classic PE sound, look no further than [Code/Neda]
"The Inner Enemy" album on Cloister has been a constant feature of my playlsit recently.
https://cloisterrecordingsus.bandcamp.com/album/the-inner-enemy

Fistfuck Masonanie · February 08, 2025, 05:23:12 PM

Grunt - Karike CD (Freak Animal)

Very "hands on", organic, and with a direct live feel. Harsh and straight to the point. Crisp and sharp frequencies with rustling junk metal. Pretty sure I even hear wooden boards clanking together buried in the mix. Maybe I didn't notice it on the earlier tracks, but track 7 sounds like concrete or stones grating against each other as well.

In some ways reminds me of the "noise tool shed" a la New Blockaders. I made that comparison with the Bizarre Uproar collab as well. Seems to be Grunt's most recent approach and sound palette which I'm enjoying. Again, very organic and the tracks feel like they were recorded as live takes.

Looking forward to additional spins to absorb this one.

The packaging is unique. I like the folding housing with the photography booklet. I'm a little worried about the wear and tear over time, but it looks great.

k.p.g · February 10, 2025, 05:06:49 PM

Mankind's Devastation/K9 Hemorrhoids - Split (Sickening Shit)
Mankind's Devastation/Kiehuva Neste - Music = Destroyed, but at What Cost? (Not on Label)

Spent my early morning exploring the earlier works of Mr. Isaac Horne, who I think has earned his reputation in extreme music circles more recently for his work with Sissy Spacek & Sulfuric Cautery. Mankind's Devastation precedes both those projects, but still has that signature disgust that Isaac brings throughout his work. While this can all be written off as simply gorenoise/goregrind/noisecore, it has a level of intensity that is entirely unique to the man behind it. His drumming is terrific, and I think he knows this, so more often than not, that is the main instrument in the mix. Whereas vocals or guitar or noise would take up that spot, it is drums here. IQ decreases with each blastbeat (and there are a lot of them). This is worth checking out for anyone who wants more modern gorenoise. And if you prefer drum machine over the real thing, he also is currently doing another great project called Malignant Hypothermia.

Gore.

k.p.g · February 10, 2025, 07:20:42 PM

Ahlzagailzehguh - Memory and Hearing (Hospital Productions)

Tackling into this longform behemoth right before I take a lunch break. Over time, I have not been as interested in cut-up noise as I once was. This record is currently working some magic to my ears though. The heavier emphasis on silence than previous releases by this artist that I have heard makes for a generally better pacing for a record of this nature. There are moments where you wonder if a track ended. Is there any sound? I think so, but it is nearly inaudible in the mix. It shows great restraint from the artist to take sounds he probably thought were pretty good and bury them down like that. Harsh blasts feel earned when they come in. If I could pump my fist, I would.

There was clearly a lot of love and care put into this one, just given the size of the sound palette being presented. I am not sure how many artists would have the patience to make something similar.