We are sad to report that German indie record label Engram Recordings has ceased operating. They have, thankfully, decided to leave their catalog online as long as Bandcamp exists. This sampler is a great way to get to know about their quirky releases.
Post Doom Romance presents a new album of some of the gentlest “noise” I’ve ever heard. The tones are low, sparse, and somehow calming. Perfect for cold-weather headphone listening.
Our friends at MuteAnt Records have released an utterly weird and wonderful new release. Jacques ‘n’ Their Box actually understand how to craft songs out of noise, making this album far more pleasant than most experimental music.
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.
Reverse Image are a project out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, who produce absolutely stunning ritualistic experimental music. There’s a hint of early Nurse With Wound mixed in here as well. All respect is due to their label, Khatulistiwa 赤道, for alerting me to this gem.
ruò tán are China’s more organic answer to old post-Industrial/cassette-culture bands like Germany’s Cranioclast. The music is eerie, yet so utterly engaging. Probably the best reference to this music is for those of you who remember not only the aforementioned band but the early works of projects like O Yuki Conjugate out of Great Britain. Not at all music to meditate to, but it did make for engaging music to lay back to and simply absorb.
Our beloved friends at Russia’s finest indie music magazine, Meticulous Midgets, has released their annual compilation of weird experimental, lo-fi and avant-garde music. Featured artists include Russia’s own Assembly of Honey, the Italian ambient sound sculptor Marco Lucchi and Latvia’s Шумилов Бор (Shumilov Bor) among a host of talent worldwide.
Our dear friend Hubert Heathertoes collaborated with Roger Smith (he of some rather amazing experimental music projects like CHEFKIRK) as Lumber for a drony, well-sculpted collection of noise compositions. It’s such a pleasure to hear noise that is well-done, well-composed, rather than the boring vacuum-cleaner-like garbage that pollutes most of the so-called harsh noise scene.
Jettenbach were reviewed here once before, and as I quite enjoyed this noisy ambient drone work touched with elements of post-Industrial and Kosmische Kraut, I thought it good to share some new work by the project.
This work by Chinese composers Li Hongqi (violin) and Yang Haison (theremin) is a 52-minute piece of droning experimental music. The feeling of the recording reminds me of early Industrial music and it flows rather nicely. Thanks to storerecords out of Beijing for releasing this.