Mamer 马木尔 is perhaps my favorite underground artists operating in China today. His work fuses Kazakh folk music with avant-garde music, bordering on experimental, even though he has a pedigree in working with record labels like Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records. It’s rare to see an authentic musician dig into Continue Reading
Noise-Rock
KK NULL – Extropy
From the days when his old band Zeni Geva were the kings of noise rock, KK Null has consistently published loud, noisy, brutal albums that would put most metal bands to shame. This is a bit different in focus, however, as the Bandcamp notes explain below: “From the opening track, Continue Reading
Love 666 – Take a Chance on Death
A quick warning ahead of time – do NOT put this in your hi-fi stereo system. Love 666’s latest album is about as lo-fi as it gets, and considering the audience chatter, this has to be a live recording. The music is harsh, brutally in-your-face noise-rock that bands like Les Continue Reading
Harae – Kagura
Words fail to describe the beauty of this release, even if it is an acidic beauty. Harae are a band run by beloved friends, and both innovative musicians in their own right. Combined, however, they have made magic, especially if you like a harsh wall of noise cascading over you Continue Reading
Skyjelly – Spirit Guide مرشد حقيقة (Mahorka Edition)
Boston’s Skyjelly are a bit of a revelation for me. They sound like a post-punk band infused with the power of Krautrock bands like Faust or the British trio This Heat. One of the best of the year so far!
Kassyus Clay – Kassyus Clay EP
Kassyus Clay come to us from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and sound nothing like samba or bossa nova. Instead, they bring a brutal instrumental sound that crosses post-rock with Sonic Youth.
Li Xing – Lost Track
Li Xing is a Shanghai-based psychedelic noise-rock guitarist who produces a sludgy, powerful album which is reminiscent of Keiji Haino’s mid-period guitar noise era.
Shūko No Omit – 秘密の回顧録 (Secret Memoir)
Ramble Records out of Australia have published a unique album here – one that should be seen as a modern psychedelic rock masterpiece. From their Bandcamp site: “Shūko No Omit, the name of the band, featuring Yonju Miyaoka on guitar and Vocals, his older brother Taiju Sugimori on bass and Continue Reading
Gold – A Higher Purpose
You may wish to lower the volume a bit for this one. Gold is a magnificently harsh noise-rock band out of Leeds, U.K., whose brutal take at experimental music is both ear-blasting, yet strangely soothing at the same time. A full album is coming in November.
Arrowounds – Therianthrope Series
A post-punk/ethereal gem has been bestowed upon us by our friends at Lost Tribe Sounds. Arrowounds tie together influences from bands like, “Can, Bark Psychosis, Young Gods, Slowdive, Durutti Column, Seefeel and much of early 4AD,” according to the band bio, but there is an element that makes this band Continue Reading