...the artists behind the three new long-form releases and one archival set below draw their strength from such sonic æther funnelling, both consciously and subliminally.
Adrian
95 posts
...this hybrid set-up of past Piano Magic players from different eras of the group gels succinctly through three freshly-cut pieces across fifteen minutes. The comparative brevity suits them well, particularly when focusing proceedings even more tightly on the ensemble’s pop-noir smarts on the two bookend tracks fronted by Johnson.
Although more organically earthbound and less sonically expansive overall, this triumvirate of nascent offerings doesn’t simply dispense thin sketchy outlines for Weaver’s latter-day technicoloured presentations.
..reassuringly sustaining a reputation for molten brilliance in the live arena, it’s arguable that Prolapse’s creative stock has never been higher. Which makes another dive into the group’s historically healthy working relationship with BBC radio producers and DJs suitably enticing.
...arrives with the strong expectation of being another consistent concoction. Dutifully and rewardingly, Phelan and co. don’t abuse such presumptions with the honourable Hullabaloo.
...sounds and ideas that can sate listeners’ appetites on subliminal and intuitive levels, whilst also pushing them to sample new additions on the artistic menu. Enter then, two distinctive albums which do just that, in varying degrees.
..thirty-three minutes of subtly inventive instrumentals and warmly abstract songs. Loosely assembled in tech terms but not necessarily low in fidelity, the multi-skilled Kennan solitarily forges these ten gathered pieces with varying combinations of keyboards, electronics, strings, guitars and her own reverb-wrapped vocals.
Whilst streaming playlists have become somewhat of a leviathan bestriding the world of multi-artist showcasing and taste-making, there is still space for the defiantly valiant art of assembling thoughtful standalone compilations. Particularly when they are curated by gatekeepers from the DIY mix tape generation, who also have a Rolodex replete with choice contributors at their fingertips. Enter then, two collections vying for such attention from reliable and familiar sources.
Otherworldly and oblique in equal measures, this is a curiously compelling conception overall, that signifies either just the start of longer epic journey or a fleeting collaborative detour. Whichever it is, Customs And Rituals Of The Taps Of The Holy Trinity marks itself out an arrestingly memorable entry in the soon-to-be-sealed-up Fenny Compton catalogue.
...it’s back to core archival business once again with three further releases, albeit with a few novel twists in the tale.
As some of Sonic Cathedral’s fledgling artists have left the fold of late.. it has fallen to two veteran enterprises to lead on the label’s mid-year release schedule and related activities.
... it’s hard to advise against grabbing all three of these quite limited Brown Spirits reissues in one go. Whilst your bank account and storage space might not thank you in the moment, your ears will do long into the future.
Everything about this nineteen-minute selection is indeed just a joy — from the neat inviting 10” vinyl presentation right down to the deep hooks embedded in its actual grooves.
Whilst the somewhat murky mix and generally unhurried pacing dissuade instant gratification, the slow burn approach of Eternity Bores Me will reward those already in thrall to the consistently reliable micro-scene from which it comfortingly emanates.
We definitely aren’t able to successfully sound like anyone else -- it would be nice if people saw us as our own thing that transcended some of the things we borrow from elsewhere. I think live we have our own thing -- whether or not we can capture that on record at some point remains to be seen. Double live album time!
I might be the only person that thinks the self-titled Smiths album is better than Hatful Of Hollow. I love that first LP.
...for its springtime produce Precious Recordings has switched supply channels to parachuting in a batch of new releases.. two distinctive new albums arrive ..which lean heavily into the reconstituted veterans wing of the enterprise. #indie #musicreview
Stretching the twosome’s multi-instrumentalist and sound design talents to the max – through recording sessions in studio set-ups in rural France and a variety of locales in England — All Clouds Bring Not Rain piles an immensity of layers on and around its kaleidoscopic swirl of songs.