PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[whiteheatnoise]

After going through a several month-long uninspired noise dry spell, I find myself back into the fold I love so much following the Heat Signature Euro tour last month. As a result, I have been devouring noise any chance I get, which usually means a CD in the car and records or tapes at home when full-volume listening allows:

Mikadoroid - s/t cs (bootleg reissue of 1996 Slaughter Productions release)

Fucking awesome, long-form collaboration tape from the minds of David Gilden and Thirdorgan. It's a long one so there's plenty of room for Mikadoroid to combine their powers and noise methods, including lots of blasted-out dynamic noise that zips back and forth amongst the stereo field.

Treriksröset - s/t cs (Hatband, 2018)

When you listen to Treriksröset, you listen to a guy that "get's it", and by god is this tape no exception. Two live sets, two significantly different vibes, both excellent in their own right. I love that the project shows versatility with a somewhat ambient, but alienation-inducing feedback-heavy performance on the B-side, but I'm sitting here cross-eyed, drool running down my chin with the A-side of this fucking tape. Tommy is a master of overloaded, fucked noise, but like other legends, has the innate ability of lasso-ing that shit in and controlling it with what sounds like an effortless hand. It feels genuine, it feels extreme-r than extreme, it's the absolute best. Desert island tape.

Outdoor Horse Shrine - Hibernal Deformation cs (self-released, 2023)

A maiden voyage recording for a new and very promising noise act from Cincinnati, OH. I have known Joe, the guy behind OHS for many years as a customer at Skeleton Dust, and was surprised to see him start a noise project recently as I never really knew him to be a fan of noise. At any rate, it doesn't really matter what his background on noise is or isn't, he has already impressed me with an excellent live set at the shop in early April, and again with this recent self-released tape that was gifted to me. Without trying to sound derivative, OHS reminds me of MSBR in a lot of ways; it's free and explores all sonic territory unabashedly (thankfully remaining in the harsher realm much of the time), but also has it's own kind of focus and locked-in feel. Check out the killer instrument list too!

[TS]

Nothing like a bit of the ol' filth & violence to get the summer started.


Bizarre Uproar: Indoctrination of Fist & Cock CD
Rather sparse by BU standards. By which I mean that there's no heavy bass rumble that has been a constant of many of his albums. Metal junks and electronics, including the "chirping" kind of synths. Vocals are pretty much buried. Excellent album and a nice deviation from the expected. Or an emphasis of a different side of BU if you like.

Thanks for the review. Will have to check out! The monolithic BU sound is great, but I have always wished that he would do more of the sparser, low key albums, such as "Lily the Flesh".

[impulse manslaughter]

Metgumbnerbone – Out Of The Ground CD; bought this a while ago but but it quickly ended at the bottom of a pile of new cds. Played it a couple of times over the last few days. The Ligeliahorn LP always was a huge favorite and when the Anthropological Field Recordings 2CD was released I played it a lot, really great material, although I didn't really like the artwork and the total lack of information. This latest CD also has zero information keeping the mystery intact I guess. I think these are unreleased pieces from the past, arranged into a new album. The artwork is in the same vein as the other one so they fit nicely together as a set. About the tracks; it really feels like a collection of leftovers. The first few are more rhythm-based morphing into each other. After this tribal percussion session the reverb-drenched metal junk starts kicking in, eventually evolving in a some interesting pieces in the classic Metgumbnerbone shamanic junkyard style. Some faint voices in the background, flutes (?), etc. The album ends quickly after finally picking up the mood in the second part. All in all, nice to hear some more of their material but as an album it didn't work for me.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

Cov Ops - New Agenda CD (Freak Animal Records) 2023

Very much enjoying this album from this new project. Seems like the information is minimal and the artist is anonymous at this point in time. The execution is excellent and there must be some veteran at play here, perhaps, but I have no clue to who. Well-layered, edited, and fine-tuned sounds in the industrial and power electronics realm but done with extreme attention to detail and crafting. The sounds are oppressive and dense, yet, continually moving and kinetic. Unique ideas flow between each track but maintain uniformity throughout the album. However, base and classic elements constitute the foundation. Vocals, feedback, synth, contact mic on metal, and more. There is a very harsh lean to the sounds and attitude, it's not a synth-dependent album.

Very much looking forward to future releases from this artist. I can confidently say this will easily be in my top releases by the end of the year.

*Side note: this whole batch is solid, especially the Decondition and KSNK. I also love the continuity of artwork between the releases. Similar layouts, colors, and hues that tie these releases together nicely. Love when labels have a consistent look and feel between releases.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

Cov Ops 2nd album to be issued sometime late 2023, I suppose!

AM NOT "Cold + Disloyal" 2xCD
Unrest
Been listening this latest Am Not album and indeed it feels like Am Not would be have stripped down sound into colder, noisier and more in-your-face approach. It has moody and atmospheric tracks, hints of melody too. There are moments when I very positively think about references to Anenzephalia, despite Am Not hardly sounds like that. Like mentioning in AM NOT -topic elsewhere on forum, despite being firmly into this type of "genre", he has his own take to it and vastly about generic heavy electronics. Recommended!

LINEKRAFT "Hunger for life" CD
Old Captain
Another recommended new title. I have heard couple friends thinking that Linekraft is reaching pace of releases that it gets soon too fast to get.. or need them all. Yep, I doubt the pace will remain this fast for long? Who knows.. but fact is, there is no bad new Linekraft, plus they are also pretty different.  Primitive Survival Instinct live tape, I liked a lot! It offered more primitive recording quality and approach, and so does Hunger For Life. It is not messy or dirty really, but being a live recording, it has charming rusty production, neat vocal sound, and three tracks are new studio tracks, and rest are live material, songs known from Subhuman Principle, Asura, Industrialized Criminals History, Chaos State. It doesn't feel like live album, apart from having less hi-fi sound. No audience clatter, and sound is more suited for material than being some kind of compromise. I am sure that this is the reason why it was published in first place. Becoming great album of its own, despite having links to former releases.

[Manhog_84]

"A REPORT OF THE MYSTERIOUS NOISES HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF JOHN D. FOX, IN HYDESVILLE, [TOWN OF ARCADIA,] NEAR NEWARK, WAYNE COUNTY, N.Y.
Authenticated by the Certificates, and Confirmed by the Statements of the Citizens of that Place and Vicinity."

A very good tape I bought randomly from Satatuhatta because the covers and concept looked interesting. Sounds a bit like nowadays Skin Crime. Screeching and howling noise with parapsychology theme. There seems to be three other similar tapes by the same (sub)label.

[MT]

Primitive Wings - "Slow Urge" tape
CD was a delightful flood of detail and extremely well composed pieces. "Slow Urge" has still the insectoids buzzing, all kinds of fluttering and scraping going on, but overall the sound is thicker and murkier in tone, like more dirtier sibling the debut CD. Tape is kept short and to the point. A side being more atmospheric and rustly, b-side being more intense, harsh noisy feel to it.


Tim Olive - "Cone" tape
Previously unknown artist to me, but samples got me interested. "Cone" is a slowly moving tape, taking it's time to lure the sounds out, before they disappear in the air. Atmosphere is, lack of a better word, paper thin and very immediate. Sounds are so close, kind of difficult to explain. "Cone" is more like sound collage than noise. Maybe abstract noise? But I really like it! Microsounds are always a sweet spot for me. Ultra small details, crackles just at the right spot. At times there is like a dreamlike quality to the tape. Highly enjoyable, take a listen at Bandcamp or just buy it!


Squamata - "Rust Fetish" tape
Squamata was hot in action when I got into noise, but own very few of their few releases. "Rust Fetish" is their tape on Freak Animal, and nothing calls me to buy more than mid 2000s Finnish noise tapes. There's plenty of pedal fueled contac mic action with plenty of metal works as well! Tape doesn't leave to ask for much more, just a damn solid noise tape that I like a lot for personal nostalgia of that time period. One minus comes from FA, only one side of the tape has material, tsk tsk, such a waste!

[MT]

OWL - Tapes 97-99 CD

I vaguely remember this CD coming out but didn't pay much attention to it at the time. For some odd reason this CD jumped in front of me online and decided to buy it. And I have been missing out some good material. No clue who this J. Helola behind the project is, but OWL presents very pleasent, grainy and densily textured noise. For some reason I keep thinking of "radio noise" when it comes to OWL. Was it mentioned in a promo text? Anyway, there's plenty of very nice work with delay, screeching feedbacks and wonkery fiddling with effects, volume and such. It's like endless surfing on pitch black radio waves. Occasionally there's a short burst of some oldie, which affirms my impressions of radio noise. I think anyone into noise, but not that HARSH noise, should get this. There's a very pleasing warm and soft, yet textured quality to it. Kinda like a perfectly soft but firm old pillow. Not available in too many distros BUT It's super cheap on discogs!

[DBL]

OWL - Tapes 97-99 CD

I vaguely remember this CD coming out but didn't pay much attention to it at the time. For some odd reason this CD jumped in front of me online and decided to buy it. And I have been missing out some good material. No clue who this J. Helola behind the project is, but OWL presents very pleasent, grainy and densily textured noise. For some reason I keep thinking of "radio noise" when it comes to OWL. Was it mentioned in a promo text? Anyway, there's plenty of very nice work with delay, screeching feedbacks and wonkery fiddling with effects, volume and such. It's like endless surfing on pitch black radio waves. Occasionally there's a short burst of some oldie, which affirms my impressions of radio noise. I think anyone into noise, but not that HARSH noise, should get this. There's a very pleasing warm and soft, yet textured quality to it. Kinda like a perfectly soft but firm old pillow. Not available in too many distros BUT It's super cheap on discogs!

I remember really liking that CD but it's been a while since I played it, so I should revisit it some day. I do share the image of it having some clear mis-tuned radio frequencies though, and a (in a good way) soft sound.

Old Europa Cafe's distro description seems familiar somehow so it might be the publisher's original promo text:
"These collected works of Finland's OWL could be simply squashed into the categories of "radio noise" and "electronic interference collages" but that wouldn't really be right. We're rather talking about an isolated vision of sound exploration with primitive equipment, no awareness of the existence of any kind of "noise scene" (this came later), no rules, and pure enthusiasm for sonic ugliness.
A glimpse into the dark vaults of atonal pleasures, executed with crude boomboxes, one cheap multi-fx unit, no distortion (!!) and rudimentary recording techniques.
Almost all overdrive here is purely from tape saturation, and the results are creepy, fuzzy, intense and very active.
A powerful trip, unharmed by outside influences.
Carefully selected pieces from six cassettes out of a huge box of tapes.
Maybe one day there will be more discoveries, but for now here is an album of essential tape overload mania from a young mr JH, who later got busy making several zines, Anal Barbara, XXXX, Schmuck noise, and more."

I didn't remember he was in XXXX too. I got their split tape with Half Mile Down a while ago but haven't played it yet, so it remains to be heard what it's like. However, I'm lucky to say I think I own all releases (aside of some compilation appearances) from the absolute genius group of rough dumbass noisecore that's Anal Barbara.
He did some collage work including at least one zine of that stuff, along with other zines like Hullu (just one issue?) and Spärdäri (at least two issues). I think he still lurks around as a listener at least?

[Commander15]

PRESAGE - VENERATED cs (Narcolepsia 2023)

Oh boy! Like hundreds of modems screaming in their death throes, slithering and wailing. Active, moving harsh noise with generous amounts of high frequencies and odd atmosphere. I like that there is emphasis on mid- and high frequencies instead of that certain American Bassy Rumble. Feedback loops are stuttering screaming, spitting and slithering under the iron heel of noise operator. Really good, colorful harsh noise!

[Andrew McIntosh]

OWL - Tapes 97-99 CD
I think anyone into noise, but not that HARSH noise, should get this. There's a very pleasing warm and soft, yet textured quality to it. Kinda like a perfectly soft but firm old pillow. Not available in too many distros BUT It's super cheap on discogs!

This is a good little album and to my ears has a certain harshness. Seems to me it's the last track, "CRPS", that lowers the grating down a little and stretches the sounds out a bit more. Previous couple of tracks sound to me like feedback fiddling. It's certainly one of the more interesting Freak Animal releases.

[MHK]

I thought OWL was made with radio noises only but may be wrong. It's been a while since I've listened to it. Last I heard from the guy he played in a reggae band, but that was a few years ago.

Off with the gossip and let's see the playlist:

Will Over Matter - Lust for Knowledge CD
I haven't heard every WOM release out there, but most of them, and this is my favourite. Tracks are generally shorter than on many of his other releases and seem better structured and thought out. Quite unique noisy experimental electronics, usually with rhythms and different vocal styles. Is there anyone else who does same kind of stuff?

[Andrew McIntosh]

Is there anyone else who does same kind of stuff?

That's a very good question and I hope the answer is no. WOM, to me, are one of the more original projects around, and fuck knows this scene needs it.

"Blades Sharpened Again", from that particular release, is a particular personal favourite. I greatly appreciate that kind of "PE-in-conventional-song-structure" sound. The only comparison that comes to mind is Deutsch Nepal's "Alchohology Superior" (another personal favourite little "tune"), and it's probably not much of a comparison, sound-wise.

[Commander15]

HAUDAT - s/t cs (self-released 2022)

One of my personal favorites from the year 2022. Primitive, strange noise. Not obscene in any sense of the word but... peculiar! It has been compared to Capers but Haudat is lot more "physical" in its approach, as there seems to be some contact mic damage thrown in? Not sure, i might be talking outta my ass with this one. Curious sounds of defective electronics and strange, slightly melancholic and still atmospheres. Something very profoundly Finnish in this short but sweet tape.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

Government Alpha - Snakes and Ladders c46 / CD [Xerxes/Freak Animal/Industrial Recollections]

Man, does this one just fucking kill? If I had to choose one recording from the all-mighty Yoshida Yasutoshi, this just might be it. I was lucky enough to score an original tape copy from Mr. Alpha himself through email correspondence in the early 2000s and it truly changed my world. One of the first noise artists I discovered, and to this day, one of my favorites, and in my opinion, the most consistent throughout the years. I think I got this, the Alphaville LP, and the Ground Fault CD "Sporadic Spectra" around the same time.

I'm actually currently listening to the CD version on the Xerxes box set, reissued by Audio Dissection and Industrial Recollections. It sounds so pristine on the CD and I'm thrilled to have this classic preserved in another format.

The perfect blend of harsh and "psychedelic" sounds. The cover art is one of my favorites as well.