21st Century Band "Dinner Free" CS (Vitrine, 2015)
(No Artist) "Masochism" CS (Vitrine, 2015)
The "dinner" in question here is apparently two cans of baked beans, some ciabatta bread, and three "Natty Daddies" at 8% ABV, according to the j-card. This the sort of non-music that sounds like it's made by someone who eats and drinks like that because that's what it is. Some half-assed attempts at Broken Flag-type simplicity and some sort of Jackman/Haters-ish sections amidst messy emptiness, some of which briefly sounds like ultra-primitive Italian noise. Kind of "punk," nihilistic, etc. I guess. Somehow it's pretty listenable. Neither a joke nor serious but just weird expression of creative impulses, I think. Tape shit is like noisecore in that they're kind of a grab-bag, but sometimes that kind of risk-taking is a bit more fulfilling than a one-click purchase of something you're basically guaranteed to at least appreciate.
The above also shares a catalog number and j-card (to some extent) with an artist-less release called Masochism, which sort of references the type of thing like Come Org's "Ripper Tape" in the advertisement. In that sense, it's a sound collage of slightly unexpected and some disturbing sounds, one of which is a recitation over some odd stock music that sounds like if the actual Ripper Tape had been recorded by the actual ripper, rather than a hoax. Or perhaps Saville if you are into that conspiracy stuff (it's actually samples from an obscure poetry LP called "Life Before Death" by Scottish psychoanalyst R.D. Laing). I think part of what people find appealing about this kind of low-level stuff is that it's genuinely surprising. If this really is entirely found sound, this drunk weirdo is also a pretty lucky guy when it comes to thrift scores. Almost impossible to describe outside of context, but keeps returning to the poetry samples after a few segments of evangelist radio and news reports on female genital mutilation among immigrants in the US. Overall pretty good.
Have also nearly completed the Burried Machine tape discography. Basically spans very similar territory tape-to-tape, with the main variables being 1: diversity of sound source (some are pretty much the same thing for almost an hour while others vary a little to a lot and are ultra cut-up), 2: extended technique vs. cuts and edits (on the shorter tapes we usually get a more diverse, edit-heavy track alongside a repetetive or droney one), and 3: fidelity (most being super lo-fi and grainy with one really sharp and clear). Lots of eerie echo, power starve, tape saturation, and a nice bleak atmosphere. Most seem to reference early MB, MO, Come Org/Broken Flag, and maybe Blockaders/Haters as a basic template, but the clearest recording is more like his take on musique concrete with nearly harsh-noise paced editing and of course some harder elements. I have yet to hear his CD or LP but I'd probably like them even considering how similar most of this stuff is. Standout feature is perhaps the 2pac 2xCS that is just two ~3min loops which basically try to cover as much of his sound in as little time as possible. Plus, you could assemble/mix your own Burried Machine release with just those loops as sources, if you wanted. Make no mistake, this is really non-special stuff, but it's charmingly simple and satisfying, especially in such small doses. Oh and I'd love to hear the split with Knurl if anyone is willing to part with or upload it.
Arv & Miljo self-titled CS (I Dischi Del Barone)
Ends with John Lydon saying "ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" from the infamous final Sex Pistols gig somewhere in Texas. I guess here we have Andersson's way of making that statement, if you will. Seems necessary, though, as I remember a few years ago some other young American guy posting about A&M tapes and complaining that the LP he'd done at that time ("Kropp," from Posh Isolation) was too experimental, too different from what he was used to, and so on. I guess when you have folks like that whining about your stuff it is definitely time for a big change.
Among moments of cut-up and layered noisier field recordings, we also have some nice, straightforward guitar loop sections and some droney/shoegazey parts which are possibly the best moments. The worst moments are utterly pointless, like crowd noise at some concert and bar conversations complete with awful bar punk in the background. That said, I'd have been so disappointed to have spent the money to listen to this on vinyl, so it seems pretty appropriate for cassette format. Sort of like "day in the life" sounds for Mr. Andersson, I guess. Not bad but not full or complete enough for vinyl. Get the tape if you're curious. Much like the above Vitrine stuff in that it's a bit too casual for me to tell whether serious effort was put into it, which can be enjoyable in the right mood.
Tonight: FINALLY getting around to "Little Pieces of Violence."
