Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Terry Riley - Persian Surgery Dervishes (1972) (2x LP)


Terry Riley
Persian Surgery Dervishes (2x LP) (1972, Shandar)

"This is one of my favourite works by Riley. It's comprised of two live concerts of solo electric organ, the first from '72 and the second from '71. Two different takes on the same composition. I find it both very warm and thoughtful, while still glistening with moments of jarring dissolution. It's quite trance inducing and I recommend some serious digging, my fellow astral beings!" - DD

Los Saicos - ¡Demolición! The Complete Recordings (2010) (6x 7")


Los Saicos
¡Demolición! The Complete Recordings (6x 7") (2010, Munster Records)

"Gravelly, raucous and super cool, this is garage surf at it's finest. Peruvian rockers who listened to British Invasion types, Los Saicos were apparently oblivious to the harsher garage rock and surf sounds of the mid 60's that they came to mirror. Some seriously grooved out tunes here, so dig in and chew it primitive folks!" - DD

Joe McPhee - Sound On Sound: Solo 1968-1973 (2010)


Joe McPhee
Sound On Sound: Solo 1968-1973 (2010, Corbett vs. Dempsey)

"Among my favourite horn players of all time, Joe McPhee has an indescribable ability to excrete what sounds like all of life's sorrows through his music. There are few other players that capture such an emotive style and surrender themselves so willingly and wholeheartedly to their instrument. Cosmic Love showcases this perfectly, and is quite possibly the greatest song ever recorded. This album is pure heaven so please enjoy!" - DD

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Erkki Kurenniemi ‎– Äänityksiä / Recordings 1963-1973 (2002)


Erkki Kurenniemi
Äänityksiä / Recordings 1963-1973 (2002, Love Records)

"Known to the world as many things, perhaps most importantly Erkki Kurenniemi was an electronic music pioneer and designer. Not only did he create his own truly engaging electroacoustic compositions, he also designed and built many instruments and applications, assisting greatly in the development of the medium. This masterpiece is a collection of some of his earliest and most important pieces, so please enjoy!" - DD

Legion - Tunnelvision (1994) (7")


Legion
Tunnelvision (7") (1994, Syntactic)

"Andrew Lagowski's Legion brings us a rather tranquil and holy affair with this single-sided 7" of harmonic industrial fuzz. Ambient crackle resonates atop a haunting choral melody, which flutters in and out along with distant buzz drones creating a breezy clutter. This is a very nice, so dig in!" - DD

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company ‎– Like A Duck To Water (1976)


Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company
Like A Duck To Water (1976, Earthquack Recordings) (Re-issued by Cuneiform Records – Rune 147)

"This is the second release from David Borden's incredible synthesizer ensemble, recognized as the world's first. This album features more of Steve Drews' work than Borden's, but I seem to like it even more than the debut. This is the 2001 reissue with bonus tracks and I have to admit it's not the best rip. There are a few blips and wiggles (during Waterwheel in particular), but the music is too brilliant to really care. Uber minimal, gorgeous tonal waves rippling through your head. This is everything I love about synths, so dig in and tune out hazy Jane's." - DD

Monday, May 28, 2012

Kaoru Abe, Motoharu Yoshizawa, Toshinori Kondo & Derek Bailey - Aida's Call (1999)


Kaoru Abe, Motoharu Yoshizawa, Toshinori Kondo & Derek Bailey
Aida's Call (1999, Starlight Furniture Co.)

"So simple, yet such a wild and frantic roll and tumble. Kaoru Abe destroys his alto while playing slap back with Toshinori Kondo's madman trumpet squalls. The whole lineup is fantastic! At times it's quite calm and teetering, only to rejuvenate and come prancing back with a robust fervor. It was recorded live in Japan on May 3, 1978. You can never go wrong with quality players like these so please enjoy!" - DD

Incapacitants - As Loud As Possible (1995)


Incapacitants
As Loud As Possible (1995, Zabriskie Point)

"Total sonic assault. That's all I can say to describe this supremely wrenching physical spasm of sound. From one of the originating bands of the Japnoise scene; take your clothes off, get bloody, and dig into this with virulent raw power." - DD

Brendan Murray - Wonders Never Cease (2007)


Brendan Murray
Wonders Never Cease (2007, Intransitive Recordings)

"This is one of the most beautiful albums I've ever heard. It's also somewhat of a melting pot for sound. There are moments of suspended time and space, where nothing moves, and you can see the universe from outside itself, slowly expanding through the infinite void. There are moments of chaos and harsh noise, crashing through beautiful landscapes like firecrackers. It's easily one of the most enjoyable records to lay in bed and daydream with, so please do." - DD

Raglani - Of Sirens Born (2006)


Raglani
Of Sirens Born (2006, Gameboy Records)

"'Serene' doesn't begin to describe how this record makes me feel. It is beautiful beyond words. I don't often get such joy and harmony out of "ambient" music, but this just draws you in so completely, allowing your mind to float though patterns and colour, remembering and dreaming all the while. It's been mentioned in other reviews but it is hard to deny the peaceful similarities to Popul Vuh's work on many a Herzog film. Sit back, relax, and dig this delicate beast." - DD

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Milford Graves - Meditation Among Us (1977)


Milford Graves
Meditation Among Us (1977, Kitty Records)

"I initially grabbed Meditation Among Us because I was digging hard on Kaoru Abe. This is a supreme example of not only his talent but everyone involved. Ridiculous spazzoid free jazz explosions; drums sound like hundred car pile-ups, horns sound like the puddle that was my brain vaporizing in an unfailing series of ultrasonic bursts. Vocals on side two are like some haunted primitive, cursing and flailing at the stars. And the piano is just beautiful; spacial at first, then tense and bold. This is meditation among space-demons and hellfire. Chew it!" - DD