Categories
Avant Garde Electro-Acoustic Experimental Musique Concrète Review

T. Jervell – (K) En sommerdag i Kroken (Ruter)

Picked this up on Bandcamp last week after casually scrolling over a post on the Ciat-Lonbarde FB group. Glad I clicked, as what awaited was a magical sound world, weaving electronic and found sounds into a tapestry of molten and frazzled textures. In parts it reminds me of Cornelius, especially the wry humour.

The nerd in me enjoyed listening out for the signature Ciat-Lonbarde sounds, especially noticeable on the aliased destruction of samples the Cocoquantus imparts on everything it touches. However, this shouldn’t detract from what is a really original, fun and considered body of work.

Categories
Ambient Experimental Review Synth

Woodford Halse – Upcoming Cassette and CD Drops!

It’s hard to keep up with all the amazing DIY labels these days. Woodford Halse is one particularly prolific outfit, releasing a couple of tapes and CDs every month. Here’s a quick round up of what to expect in June/July 2021.

As usual, lots of music from the label features in our monthly radio show. Pick of the bunch for me is the Xylitol tape ‘Inside a Stone of Cream there is a Language’, with bubbling resonant synth tracks like Popcorn evoking some serious Raymond Scott vibes and mellow library-esque moments with Business Direct.

Consider this post a heads up, as generally these releases sell out on pre-orders, so stay frosty people and keep an eye on their Bandcamp.

Artist – Giants of Discovery (UK)
Title – Orpheus
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 32
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 4th June
Genre – Electronic, Ambient, Soundscape
Artist – Ffion (UK)
Title – Sessile
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 29
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 4th June
Genre – Electronic, Techno, Ambient
Artist – Quiet Clapping (Cork, Ireland)
Title – The Abbey of the Black Hag
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 41
Format – CD album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, ‘cigarette card’ insert and booklet). 
Pre Orders – 2nd July
Genre – Ambient, Drone, Experimental, Minimalism, Post Rock
Artist – Xylitol (Brighton, UK)
Title – Inside a Stone of Cream there is a Language
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 30
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 2nd July
Genre – Electronic, Lo-Fi, Minimal Synth, NDW
Artist – Salvatore Mercatante (New York)
Title – Tre Sfere
Label – Woodford Halse
Catalogue Number – WF 26
Format – Cassette album with multi layered artwork (die cut outer sleeve, die cut j card and ‘cigarette card’ insert). 
Pre Orders – 4th June
Genre – Electronic, Techno

Categories
Ambient Art Drone Experimental Musique Concrète Review Synth

CHINA Sound Mapping: Anthology Of Experimental Music From CHINA

Unexplained Sounds: May 2021

Since free market reforms and opening up to foreign trade in the late 1970s, China has been among the world’s fastest-growing economies. Along with pulling 800 million people out of poverty, it has also become the world’s largest economy and with it a growing cultural and arts scene.

China’s experimental music and sound art scene began to take shape in the post-Tiananmen era in the late 1990s. A few musicians from the mainland’s underground music scene started to experiment with new ways of making music while the music industry co-opted the once revolutionary and independent rock music scene.

This particular collection of pieces runs the gamut of experimental styles, from music concrete to drones, arpeggiated synth pieces to field recordings. All achieved in a pure and focused dedication to the sound. A really stunning anthology musically and excellent curation from the label.

Recommended.