Aaron Dilloway - Uss Orgo

"'Uss Orgo' is a rough long form collage recorded live to cassette. It contains a few sound sources that were later released in quite different forms on 2010's 'Psychic Driving Tapes' and 2012's 'Modern Jester', as well some crudely chopped and screwed 'Floyd'. 

"Side Two is a static 40 minute side of my organs Leslie Speaker run through an old guitar synthesizer. Very lo-fi and best results when played quietly.

"Includes bonus tracks of unreleased sound sources made on organ and guitar synth with tape delay, used and not used on the original release, as well as an alternate shorter B-side." (Description from the recent reissue on Dilloway's bandcamp, available cheaply with additional material here.)

A. Untitled

B. Untitled

mp3/320kbps

Vasculae - Effort Towards Regression

Dense, driving harsh noise underwritten by a deep rumbling wall in this 2014 release from Jon Borges' Vasculae project. Well executed and in keeping with the generally high quality of this project and Borges' others. Recorded 2012-13 and released on the always stellar Heavy Psych label the following year.

A. The Undeterred

B. An Aesthetic Framework

mp3/320kbps

Troum - Sigqan

Endowed with the vast, symphonic quality that distinguishes this duo's music as a cut above most ambient acts. There is true emotive and sonic progression here over the three parts of this work. Released on American dark ambient/noise label Desolation House in 2003 as an edition of one thousand CDs.

1. Sigqan Part 1

2. Sigqan Part 2

3. Sigqan Part 3

flac/16-bit

Troum - Vorbei der Tod

"Raubbau proudly features one of the most respected artists in the ambient genre - for over two decades German duo Troum have taken the clues from their dreams and translated them into a transcending sound of majestic beauty. Their drone-based compositions are mostly on the calm and soothing side, but never lack a little edginess and experiment to spice things up.

"The 'Vorbei der Tod' LP clocks in just over 40 minutes and emphasizes a sacral, ceremonial approach. Troum follow their hands-on approach of using acoustic instruments and guitar sounds rather than electronics, and create a universe of sound from there: according to its thematic backdrop the A-side is dominated by what seems like the residue of organ sounds and religious chants, whereas the B-side is more serene, immersive and hallucinatory, before the final 'theme dream' provides a ceremonious finale. The LP format is definitely the perfect fit for this material.

"One is simply baffled just how expressive and captivating music so quiet and roomy can be. put on repeat to discover more of those little details, and rest assured: death is over." (From the Bandcamp page. Available to buy digitally or as an LP here.)

1. Dream Theme/Towards The Indivisible Being

2. Inner Procession

3. Symmetrization

4. Ein-Bewusst

5. Theme Dream

mp3/320kbps

Zaïmph - Mirage of the Other

Sophomore full length release of Marcia Bassett's Zaïmph project. Guitar/vocal based electroacoustic manipulation, but without the distorted doom aspect of 2009's "Death Blooming Pleasure" (see below). Released in 2006 on Belgian psych label Gipsy Sphinx as an edition of five hundred and twenty five LPs.

A1. Laughter Of Memory

A2. Jeweled Hand

B. Icandescent Landscape

mp3/v0

Zaïmph - Death Blooming Pleasure

Zaïmph is a solo project of New York-based electroacoustic collective member Double Leopards. This release begins with guitar-based 'doom noise' in the vein of a rawer, heavier Sunn O))) sound (see Blue Sabbath Black Cheer); this builds into (still guitar based) noise drone electronic manipulation more closely resembling the likes of Skullflower. Unique here are Bassett's vocals: thick and crepuscular on the opening track and soaring and angelic on the B-side. An edition of three hundred LPs released on Carlos Giffoni's No Fun Productions, recorded in 2007 and released two years later. 

A1. Great Are The Riches Hidden In Tribulation

A2. Of Hildegardes

B. As Well In Death

mp3/256kbps

Aaron Dilloway - Foul

Live material from noise maestro Aaron Dilloway, released in 2007 on Dilloways own Hanson records (recording date is not listed). Raw, swirling, sometimes rhythmic analogue work with great variety in approach. Re-uses the cover to his 2001 live release "Wolf Eyes".

A. Untitled

B. Untitled

mp3/320kbps

Double Leopards - Out of One, Through One and to One

Hazy drone-based electroacoustic odyssey from New York-based sound art project Double Leopards. Maintains a rich psychedelic atmosphere through slowly-birthed organic audio. Released as an edition of one hundred LPs on psych label Eclipse Records in 2005, recorded the year previous.

A. Untitled

B. Untitled

mp3/v2

Incapacitants - Ad Nauseam

Early three cassette series by seminal japanoise duo Incapacitants. The three tapes are titled "Edition Mikawa", "Edition Kosakai" and "Edition Live" respectively. The raw materials for the first two tapes were the same and it's on the first cassette we get the denser, more typically Incapacitants sound, whereas on the second we get an interesting mix of drum machine work ("Technodelicatessen"), sparser noise and doom metal (the momentous "Into Another Doom's Pain") that display great musicianship while being firmly outside of the 'pure noise'/non-music manifesto of this group. The live tape is phenomenal, rip-roaring harsh noise that is incomparable: dense and alive with insane energy. Those who saw this duo live on these 1993 dates (and indeed at any time) were very lucky.

A1. Abrasive 1

A2. Abrasive 2

B. Abrasive 3

C1. Technodelicatessen

C2. Grind Goddess

D. Into Another's Doom's Pain

E. Live At Yanemura Tokyo 931031

F. Live At Show Boat Tokyo 940411

mp3/320kbps

K2 - Cruel Truth

Available to buy digitally for a highly reasonable $1 here (please do), this represents some of the still very active K2's latest work and is a lively contrast to his earliest material posted below. Distinctively high fidelity but also varied, very engaging and a stellar example of the essentially timeless nature of the japanoise style. Released on American weblabel Deathbed Tapes this year and recorded live in 2019. Edition of one hundred physical cassettes alongside a digital release.

A. Outsider/Insider

B. Speculum Drunker

mp3/v0

K2 - Materia Informis

Early and hard-to-find release from Japan's K2. An excellent example of live-feedback work, making use of various materials to produce tactile and original noise. Recorded in 1985, mixed in 1990 and finally released on early Japanese industrial/noise label Kinky Music Institute in 1993.

A. Heavy Metal

B. Unknown Material

mp3/320kbps

MSBR - Structured Suicide +

Some of the last work produced by the late Koji Tano before his untimely death in 2005. Presents a re-working of material from 1993 (the original "Structured Suicide" tape), alongside a new "Final Harsh Work" piece. Captivating noise from a late master of the craft, released on Tano's own Denshi Zatsuon label as a CDr in 2003.

1. Structured Suicide +

2. Final Harsh Work Vol. 30

mp3/320kbps

Incapacitants - Zouvneree

2018 release from the Japanese noise titans Fumio Kosakai and Toshiji Mikawa. An excellent example of their unparalleled energy and skill in producing relentless noise in glorious hi-fi. Released on Japanese noise label Alchemy Records as a CD.

1. Electronic Music Incapacitated

2. Development Hell In A Cell

3. Ear Health By Stealth

4. We Are The Bushbashwhackers!!!

mp3/v0

Tetsuo Furudate - Macbeth

Hugely overlooked predecessor to Furudate's 2001 "Othello as Noise Opera" (see here). Released on Japanese experimental label SSE Communications in 1993, this project is an interpretation of Shakespeare's play in noise form. Psychologically rich atmosphere, spoken sections and highly skilled electroacoustic/noise work make this a tragedy not only in terms of the subject matter, but in terms of being an early and pretty much ignored example of noise as serious interpretive art.

1. Scene 1

2. Scene 2

3. Scene 3

mp3/224kbps

The Rita, NFW & Christian Nicolay - Atlantis

2011 split/collaboration between The Rita (Sam McKinlay), NFW (American harsh-noise artist better known under his Taskmaster moniker) and the relatively anonymous Christian Nicolay. The Rita and NFW join together for the A-side which is an extremely dense and overdriven noise wall assault. The B-side has harsh sections but is much more varied over the same ~25 minute running time, making use of dynamics and samples. The third track shared here is both sides played together, which also makes for great listening. Released as a double cassette run of one hundred copies on intriguing but apparently defunct US noise label Satan's Din.

A. The Rita & NFW - Water

B. Christian Nicolay - Fire

(AB). The Rita, NFW & Christian Nicolay - Water & Fire

mp3/320kbps

In Slaughter Natives - Sacrosancts Bleed

Dated 90s industrial/EBM sound and angsty anti-Christian themes aside, this 1992 album from Swede Jouni Havukainen is very well constructed and entertaining. Even the (often shaky elsewhere) blending of metal elements turns out to be great fun. Released as a CD on Cold Meat Industry.

1. Chaos Breeding

2. Koprofagi Christi

3. Fifth Skin

4. Taste Of Human

5. Sacrosancts Bleed

6. Scum

7. Intercession

8. Christians

9. Inferno

10. Invocation

11. Mortified Flesh

12. Arcanum

flac/16-bit

N. - Autofagia

Extended four-cassette sound project from Italian noise/industrial artist Davide Tizzoli, released on famed Italian industrial label Slaughter Productions in 1998. Presents a highly atmospheric and varied journey in soundscapes, ranging from noisier sections to drone to the faintest minimal static. Classic and highly engaging over the whole running time.

A. Untitled

B. Untitled

C. Untitled

D. Untitled

E. Untitled

F. Untitled

G. Untitled

H. Untitled

mp3/192kbps