OREN AMBARCHI & MARTIN NG - 'Reconnaissance' CD (Staubgold)
Reconnaissance is the first duo release by Australian composers Oren Ambarchi and Martin Ng from Sydney - a trilogy of pieces based upon the fluid architectural modulation of harmonics and resonances. Recalling the landmark experiments of the Sonic Arts Union (Robert Ashley, David Behrman, Alvin Lucier and Gordon Mumma), Ambarchi and Ng create an enigmatic tapestry of pulsing, shimmering and shifting sound which represents a subtle and compelling realignment of Eastern and Western minimalist traditions.
UK 11£
Europe 12£
World 13£
QUANTITY
PAS - 'Pure Energy Output Sessions' CD (PAS Records)
NYC experimentalists PAS (Post Abortion Stress) is a group out to create musical collages through the form of abstract sound. Their name refers metaphorically to those who have been aborted by society, because their point of view doesn't fit in the constraints of 'normal' society. The short name refers to the negative in French, metaphorically negating everything that is established to start from a new beginning. The band create soundscapes underpinned by the notion that music can be whatever the ear perceives... a conception fueled by the love of life and art. The compositions themselves are more akin to soundscapes than 'songs' in the traditional sense. There are no clearly defined melodies, no structural landmarks that give you any sense of traditional anchor. Sonic sculptures in the mode of pure art. 6-panel digisleeve.
UK 10.50£
Europe 11.50£
World 12.50£
QUANTITY
SHIFT - 'Sleep Paralysis' CD (Freak Animal)
Re-issue of the 2006 cassette, originally released by Freak Animal. A simply landmark release in Swedish act Shift's discography. Heaviness, slowness, heavily processed vocals, deep throbbing synths... Somewhere between power electronics, death industrial and heavy drone, not fitting exactly to the easy sub-genres, but suitable for anyone appreciating dark and heavy electronics.
UK 10.50£
Europe 11.50£
World 12.50£
QUANTITY
THE PROTAGONIST - 'A Rebours' CD (Rabbau)
'A Rebours’ is named after the 1884 novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans - a very important piece of literature, a landmark of symbolist aestheticism, materialistic decadence, and of language itself. The debut album from The Protagonist (Magnus Sundström) was originally issued by Cold Meat Industry in 1998. The sheer power of the orchestral, cinematic, imaginative pieces, the obviously talented compositions are all too convincing. Various guests on the (mostly spoken) vocals and playing additional instruments, mostly strings add depth and variation to the album’s tracks. A sense of romanticism prevails, with some tracks driven by military style kettle drums and orchestral complexity. Others appear more subdued and introspective. 13 years after the original release, this album seems to have matured instead of aged, and is now revealed to a new generation of listeners, and to those who missed it the first time around.
