Today it's been mainly going through 10 Metamkine labels 3"CD's. I thought I would have listened all of them long ago, but found these still shrinkwrapped, so I guess not listened unless I have double copies somewhere, hah... Not much point on going into details of each disc, but again 3" proves to be killer format. Even more forgettable arty sound experiments work fine in 11-21 minutes duration, while the best ones are very very good and inspiring.
Tapes of recent days:
WHITEHOUSE "Live action 76" tape
How I regret not buying all the tapes that used to be fairly cheap and easy to order from SL. Live Action from Switzerland, 1996. Some killer tracks, others less striking. There are good classic songs like Tit Pulp, but also seemingly random fooling around with electronics, before getting back on full force. Certainly not among best of live actions, but band has it's spirit what makes me want to check even repeated same tracks from different tapes.
ENDLESS SEA "complotto" tape
Cathartic Process
label did have some good stuff, but a lot of titles I'd rate to just average decent tapes. Something one can listen with pleasure, but very few reasons to return to. Harsh noise wall blast of Endless Sea - no complaints, but neither stands out in any way.
666 VOLT BATTERY NOISE "Blunt objects vs sharp things" tape
MSNP
Not the best name of project, hah, but having CD on Pure series and tape on MSNP, of course I remain interested. This era of USA harsh noise basically guarantees you it will be good. If not classic, at least just as good as this tape turns out to be.
KOSMISCHE HORROR tape
Mask of the slave
If there was competition of lowest volume levels of recent listening, A-side of this tape is winner. Mr. Vekka of Haare has often been slightly notorious of tape hiss and low dubbing levels of his own tapes, but damn, Mask of The Slave managed to provide tape with no sound at all beyond tape his on other channel. One light barely blinkin on the other channel. Suffocating and horrid lo-fi noise of some sort is just as hard to describe as lovecraftian horrors. Something does happen there in the fog of saturation. B-side better, but this side project barely challenges might of Haare.
AARON DILLOWAY "Corpse on horseback" tape
Hanson
It's been while since listening Dilloway. I recall couple not-so-exciting experiences with his releases, but this tape rules. I think it was reissued on CD as well. I don't wonder. Organic feel of tape loops grinding and decaying with saturated and damaged feel to them.
CLEW OF THESEUS "Live July 3, 2010" tape
Cathartic Process
It's been while since I listened COT. Minimal drone is something I appreciate - but not always. Some of his stuff has been probably listened in wrong state of mind, and returning to tape like this makes me want to check more of his stuff if it really was this good?! Nothing new in genre of minimal drone, but sound quality and tension and sounds are good.
SHIFT "16 09 05 / 14 02 07" tape
Unrest
Having been listening to later era of Shift in recent times, it is curious to revisit 10+ years old materials, what clearly displays how much Shift has developed. We can hear here his unique Shift sound what nobody else really replicates, but in terms of composition, sounds and ideas, it's lightyears away from where project has developed.
RANDY YAU "Anti linear" tape
No idea when I got this, but early days of Yau was less interesting than what he did at the best. You can hear some of the basic elements found on many of his works. Body sounds, odd glichy hums and statics, but all remains quite undeveloped compared to his best works. Nevertheless, in historical document, it's interesting to listen.
ELECTRIC HOBO "Social Exclusion as a self defensive against the madness" tape
ELECTRIC HOBO "Rustfucker" tape
Lahti based obscure one man project. Plays often live, makes hand made CDR's and tapes, but seems to be barely interested in being involved in wider international scene. You can hear some of his stuff online of course, but these tapes are good ones. Name, is again such a obstacle, that unless seeing good live shows from him, it's unlikely to be very enthusiastic to check "Electric Hobo", haha.. Nevertheless, there are guitar drone tracks what are noisy, yet not noise. I doubt people into early Solmania or Deisel Guitars duo stuff would be disappointed, even if it's way more droning. Yet not as atmospheric as later days Diesel Guitar. Then other angle is his metal junk, loop, echo-box works, which are not very far from some of the more quiet Hal Hutchinson stuff he played in Finland for example. Really good material, that in one hand fits to hand made recycled tapes (which sound good, though!), but in other hand feels almost waste to have this kind of stuff pretty much unavailable.
