K9 Cognition Labs s/t CS (The Gift of Music, 2018)
Unabashedly one of my favorite impulse purchases of the year so far. Basically an all-star lineup of gutter-level noise freaks such as Team Boro's honcho, the man behind Legless, the enigmatic S. Skinner, and some other handsome and charming chaps I'm not familiar with. Thirty minutes/four pieces of collaged, hyperactive noise with some odd details that brings about the inevitable MSNP comparison, but not undeservingly: this stuff really has that manic, overjoyed Stella editing style. Apparently computer sounds and mixing (courtesy of one Jon Valdez) played a huge role, which is only really given away through some of the sections which seem a bit too compressed – hate to say it, but I bet the original .WAVs or whatever sound killer and really dynamic where this is just pretty damn good, subdued by a little flatness. I really like this kinda stuff; not full-on rippin' harsh noise but should appeal to the enthusiasts and devotees alike. Comes in this educational-tape style blister pack with an info card that features the peanut gallery and boasts a cool layout that reminds me of both '80s Marvel comics and perhaps '90s Japanese noise labels, if you, ah, like that kinda stuff.
Astor s/t CS, "Inland" & "Alcor" Bandcamp downloads (Penultimate Press, 2017; Kye, 2015-2016)
Extremely serene, immersive sound collage/musique concrete from M. Harwood, the Penultimate Press honcho. Some of the most beautiful and engaging (non) music I've ever heard, no hyperbole whatsoever. Seems to take conscious cues from Ultra, Organum, and NWW; considering some of the uploads on Harwood's YouTube channel, but mostly sticks to its own world of sound which is neither contrived nor forced, with elements of contemporary classical seeping in, though never enough to traipse into dreaded ambient or post-rock territory.
We get field recordings, gongs, sound debris, water, swells of near-melodic tonality, and occasional acoustic instrumentation; always with a sharp, crystal-clear sound that seems to rely on sound itself more often than effects, but always uses it wisely when leaning more toward processing. The LPs would probably appeal more to a wider audience (I think they've been mentioned in The Wire, so there's that) but the self-titled cassette is more firmly in the weird and tense zone, seems a bit less "composed," and features an interpolation of a recognizeable Pink Floyd classic that is not at all out-of-place. I've been listening to these religiously as I have several Mark Groves-related projects. Dunno what's up with those Aussies named Mark. Because of what these guys do, I will never need to settle for synth droning new agey bullshit or post-rock sameyness ever again.
Mercury Hall "Trampoline" CS (Second Sleep, 2018)
Pretty under-the-radar C60 from Mercury Hall, a project I feel both appeals to a very specific niche audience yet is simultaneously underrated due to having a potentially very wide appeal if only there were more exposure. To me, this guy's doing stuff that's easily as good as the French snooty musique concrete legends. That aside, even fanboys like me might not go crazy about this tape, as it's just a lengthy collection of (95%) unprocessed cell phone field recordings taken over the course of several years. It gets repetitive at times, but this kind of thing is really up my alley, as it seems like you basically get a sampler of the types of sounds which comprised the previous releases as-is. Given a great deal personal skill and a couple of tape machines of various types, you could theoretically make your own MH release, but not many folks are as talented as Matteo Castro is. Overall mostly very relaxing, even pastoral, but with some unsettling sections which function more or less as crescendos. Perfect, definitive sound collage even if there is next to zero layering.
Ultra "Lifestyle" CD (The Ajna Offensive, 2000)
I hate to admit it, but I know why folks tend to prefer the first incarnation of Ultra. Although I'm still very much a fan of the later lineup, the subdued malevolence isn't paired with the bizarre exuberance that characterized the earlier albums. Lifestyle very much lacks that enthusiasm and weirdness, despite having the engaging and sinister Ultra atmosphere. Here, without the greater variety of the earlier releases, we see some oddly out-of-place gaffes on tracks like "Gestures and Formations," which has a guitar part that I wouldn't hesitate to describe as sounding like an outtake from Master of Puppets. That was perhaps the first time I've ever listened to this band and felt embarassed. I find it pretty funny that Christoph Heemann has such animosity toward the group despite his time spent in it, given his contributions were significant in making it what it was in their classic years.
On "Lifestyle," we however do get a collection of more droning, ambient-like pieces that sit alongside tracks like Malaria, Yohimbe, and Wad 1, but never quite reach the totally absorptive lugubriousness of pieces like Whistle For Your Mistress, Wad 2, or Aff. Worth picking up for completists, but mostly lacking vocals and dynamics, it can't be anything close to Youthful Pleasures or Zoll. Overall, not useless, but has a similar effect of comparing classic Sutcliffe Jugend to their recent material in terms of expectations.
