PLAYLIST with COMMENTS/REVIEWS

[Skuggsidan]

Ho - Fucked to death by a horse,c30 (IOPS)
Guess this title alludes to the mythical Mr Hands, who was fucked to death by a rutting stallion in 2009 according to the Gregorian timeline. Going beyond the theme, I have to say that this is one of the best releases on cassette this year. Cutting sharp-harsh noise that makes the eardrums truly agonized. Even from a distance, I hear dead souls tormented inside a calculator. Squealing, pounding, hard. Total support.

[aivosumu]

Bizarre Uproar - Pakkosyöttö 2xCD

Relentless harsh noise album. Not having tracks separated on the reissue is certainly fitting for this kind of thing. Funny part on CD1 where volume goes much lower for some minutes and rumbling/gagging sounds are playing, makes the listener want to raise the volume to hear better, then suddenly snaps back into max volume harsh blasting. NK and some other tracks from this were among the first BU material i ever heard when discovering the project ~5 years ago, so this one is crucial for me. Great to finally have it in shelves as proper double CD.

Worth - Sacred Violence Noise CD

Third or fourth time listening to this, I haven't really been able to get any kind of grip of the album as a whole. I don't mean that as a negative comment, there's just so much to take in, different interesting sounds, field recordings, harsh noise ear candy... gonna have to dedicate many more listens to properly explore this one. Interesting liner notes describing the creation process and concepts.

[Stipsi]

Evening trekking with hope by merzbow.
Heavy mid 90s merz vibe on this.
Really like it.

[Baglady]

Re: the discussion in the WCN pod thread about the scarcity of in depth discussion on noise and releases: very glad that this Now Playing thread is seeing more frequent lengthy posts again! Keep it up, please. Even when it's mostly stuff I wouldn't even let near my doorstep, it's always a good read. Encouraging!

Edit: scrolling back a few months, I realize that most of the releases brought up are already in my shelf or would be most welcome there. Duh.

KYOSHI MIZUTANI - Works 1989 - 1991 CD (Povertech, 1999)
The DLP reissue of Inferior's Betrayal (1994) should arrive tomorrow, so, excited about that I took this CD out. First half is the 1990 LP The Same Thing Makes Always Her Laugh (ZSF Produkt). A strange mix, mildly out. First track "Cross Off", is a spars affair of wire, synth and field recording patterns played backwards on tape, bouncing against eachother. Sort of inbetween minimal early industrial and ye olde art world. "Guitars On M.T.L." is dissonant free-form guitar and drumkit skronk. Quite a leap! "Character Assasination", layers of different types of feedback; raw screech, electronic pulses, guitar, "bolts and nuts", radio buzz with voices and music drifting in and out. Amazing stuff! The following three tracks were picked from three early Mizutani tapes which, again, shows alot of variety. The "Exfoliation 1" track is particularly good - makes me wish for that tape to be reissued as well. Some parts on this disc don't really do it for me though, but it doesn't matter. As a whole it's such a great statement of the inventiveness and creativity of the artist. Adventurous restless explorative noise!

With all this said, this disc is all the Mizutani I've ever heard. Been thinking I should pick up something else, something more recent, but years go by and I'm still stuck with this (fine) CD (and a DLP come tomorrow). How are Mizutani's work from 1994 to present day? Any choice picks to seek out?

[NerveGas]

Re: the discussion in the WCN pod thread about the scarcity of in depth discussion on noise and releases: very glad that this Now Playing thread is seeing more frequent lengthy posts again! Keep it up, please. Even when it's mostly stuff I wouldn't even let near my doorstep, it's always a good read. Encouraging!

Edit: scrolling back a few months, I realize that most of the releases brought up are already in my shelf or would be most welcome there. Duh.

Agreed. It's one of my favorite threads and a big reason I check the board frequently. Even if releases aren't personally that interesting to me I'm happy to hear people's thoughts on them. Keep the reviews and discussion coming!

[-NRRRRK-]

HÖH/Violent Shogun - Untitled (Narcolepsia)
My first encounter with both projects. A-side has some beautiful lo-fi tape-loops and in-between-stations-radio. Very organic flow and a wonderful oldschool, murky sound. B-side sounds a little more refined and "musical", while A-side had a more collage-like character. B-side even features some almost hi-fi sounding synth drones. Some tracks feature loops with speech samples and some classic music in the background, which gives them a little martial/industrial touch. Unfortunately I cannot compare the tape to any other material of those projects or even make out who contributed which elements. Nevertheless enjoyed it very much and played it a couple of times back to back.

A little addendum: there seems to have been no mastering or only light compression in post production. Tape levels are rather low, but there are some great dynamics to be found. Compliment on that.

[Theodore]

HÖH/Violent Shogun - Untitled (Narcolepsia)

A little addendum: there seems to have been no mastering or only light compression in post production. Tape levels are rather low, but there are some great dynamics to be found. Compliment on that.

I was listening this yesterday. Yeah, oldschool way. Obviously 'mastering' was done on tape. You can tell that from the characteristic sounds between some tracks. Love the fact that these wasnt removed. HOH sounds like HOH. Violent Shogun, i havent listened his most recent works, but he goes steps towards to HOH here. I was wondering if he is 'remixing' / using HOH sounds. J-card has no info and the stamp with + symbol on tape suggests [?] this is a collab, maybe ? - I wouldnt say levels are low -at least not on my copy- . Side A is a lower than B indeed, but around 0. There is a channel inbalance in this side, 2 meter bars / ~5dB , typical of HOH, hah. I for sure remember another tape by him like that. Oldschool. Side B rises up to +6, with more stereo action. It's not C30 BTW. Definetely not. Close to C50 i would say. Not full. 19+23 min. Somewhere around that, by memory.

Now Playing : Meteoryt - Przezroczyste Królestwo Dymu CS [Heavy Meditation] . First listening. Label's name is a perfect description for this. Recorded in 1976, Poland ? Are you joking us mr. Haare ? This sounds like you !

Edit : OK, i just relistened Meteoryt without browsing and typing. With full focus, and i feel i can safely say that this is a diamond. Who are they ? Are there more recordings ? I googled the 2 polish names listed on the j-card. Nothing relative came up. It's a pity this tape is so limited, and i rarely say that cause sometimes those willing to take a 'bet' should win something. Yes, i scored ! But material here is too good for just 27 copies.

[FallOfNature]

Cervical Smear - S/T
Gnawed - Harm
Agonal Breathing - the new one

[Bleak Existence]

Bastard Noise - the human waste chronicles

[-NRRRRK-]

Now Playing : Meteoryt - Przezroczyste Królestwo Dymu CS [Heavy Meditation] . First listening. Label's name is a perfect description for this. Recorded in 1976, Poland ? Are you joking us mr. Haare ? This sounds like you !

This sounds interesting. Is it still available?

And good points on the HÖH/VS tape. There is indeed a very audible noisefloor in between tracks. Haven't checked the time while listening, but I think you might be right that this more than a C30. Levels on the deck I listened are at around -2 to -3 bars with peaks reaching 0 at times. So one might say this is indeed a very good transfer, but compared to most other noise tapes I play on that deck, levels are much lower. But as I said, it preserves dynamics and sounds very good anyway.

[FreakAnimalFinland]

I still have some of Meteoryt.

About HÖH, it is not only mastering what is done on tape, but EVERYTHING. It is curious that none of his material has computer editing on it, but even for the CD releases, artists sends the master c-cassette, and nothing has been digital until it is being digitized to be pressed on CD.

Freak Animal will be doing both new CD, but also re-press of the s/t CD. Back when it was releases, which is not that long ago, but it didn't seem realistic to sell more than small press of such a ultra primitivism. Talked with a lot of noise folks now, and it is clear how the primitive and broken noise became one of the many currents in contemporary noise. While putting out CD of HÖH seemed almost insane when it was done, now it seems like you can actually easily make too little of them, since there actually is audience for no-tech noise.

I guess it would be interesting topic of its own. Contemporary no-tech noise. While there are such an advancement and easy access to gear, all sorts of things, and people pushing noise to unheard technical excellency... but at the same time, you got like CD's being pressed consisting broken cable sounds on wrinkled magnetic tape. Some years ago when such material was being published, I can't remember many raving how great it was.

[Krigsverk]

Been spinning Jaako Vanhala's Here Be Lions for a few days here... damn, this is still the shit. Non stop action, and so many little details that you keep discovering with every listening. Probably on my top 3 list of best noise albums ever. Few things cleanses my soul like this one.

[Fistfuck Masonanie]

V/A - Psychomania C30 (Der Dunker)

What an absolutely stacked lineup, damn! Two Zyklon SS tracks to bookend the comp, then you have Mania, Bizarre Uproar, Skin Crime, and Coma fucking Detox in the meat of the sandwich. Grabbed this recently from the Black Psychosis distro in the UK. Definitely missed it when it first came out and a testament to the gift of releases sitting around for a couple of years and remaining available.

"Released in Memory of Keith". For some reason guessing this comp was planned before Keith's passing and the Mania track may have been one of the last things he recorded, but I'm not sure when the track was submitted. Please someone correct me or fill us in on the back story. Definitely more raw than the tracks on "Raw Nerves & Unseen Eyes".

Every track on the comp is a short but precise 5-minutes or less. Just enough time to shred and leave you wanting more. But then followed up by one of your favorite noise projects who kicks your ass all over again.

The comp definitely has the rawer "tape comp" production, do you know what I mean? That is not a knock, the tracks are a little rougher and less polished, a little nastier. I love it!

Skin Crime starts side B and it's a great ominous and menacing build-up. You just know something nasty is coming and builds excellent tension. You sit anxiously in their brothy and bubbling stew. After Skin Crime finishes boiling their cauldron of noise soup, Coma Detox kicks in harsher with a plan of attack. Lots of smashing, pummeling, and I don't know what else EQ'ed pretty high in the mix.

Our curator Zyklon SS phases back in to see our way out with a synth-heavy pulsing attack. Instead of letting you out graciously, he kicks your ass back out the door. It's over before it's begun and you flip the tape back over.

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

HÖH/Violent Shogun - Untitled (Narcolepsia)
My first encounter with both projects. A-side has some beautiful lo-fi tape-loops and in-between-stations-radio. Very organic flow and a wonderful oldschool, murky sound. B-side sounds a little more refined and "musical", while A-side had a more collage-like character. B-side even features some almost hi-fi sounding synth drones. Some tracks feature loops with speech samples and some classic music in the background, which gives them a little martial/industrial touch. Unfortunately I cannot compare the tape to any other material of those projects or even make out who contributed which elements. Nevertheless enjoyed it very much and played it a couple of times back to back.

A little addendum: there seems to have been no mastering or only light compression in post production. Tape levels are rather low, but there are some great dynamics to be found. Compliment on that.

A is Höh, B is me, the last track on each side is the artist using sound sources submitted by the other one.

There was no mastering made for the tape. And yeah, Höh is as primitive as it can get. His setup is pretty much non-existent and I sent him a sound interface with a homemade written guide on how to use it last year, but I think it is a lost cause (for the best, though.)

[monster ripper]

"Released in Memory of Keith". For some reason guessing this comp was planned before Keith's passing and the Mania track may have been one of the last things he recorded, but I'm not sure when the track was submitted. Please someone correct me or fill us in on the back story. Definitely more raw than the tracks on "Raw Nerves & Unseen Eyes".

Originally the comp was to help raise money for Keith, but unfortunately he passed before it was finished.  Not sure if the Mania track was recorded specifically for that comp, or if it was something they had lying around already.