Authors: T.H.
Local Review: Twilight Transmissions – Shadowland
Beyond the visual aesthetics, this album fares quite well. It’s a well-textured series of electronic soundscapes and beats that would not sound out of place accompanying a modern horror film, game, or a walk through a haunted hospital.
… read more
Local Review: The Circulars – Self-Titled EP
The Circulars’ sound, while comparable to several bands from a bygone era of earnest and dark, jangley pop music, could be properly suited to nearly any time—simply based on the fact that the songs are good, the musicians are talented and there’s no air of pretense to deflate the mood. … read more
Local Review: Orem Owls – Index
Orem Owls Index Hel Audio Street: 04.07 Orem Owls = Oneohtrix Point Never + Ben Best & Karl Jørgensen + Neotantrik I appreciate the work that Hel Audio is doing, quite a bit. It is a local label supporting fringe music, such as that made by Orem Owls, with several artists regularly participating in showcases
Local Review: Ether – Archive: Unreleased Recordings 1993–2013
Ether Archive: Unreleased Recordings 1993–2013 8ctopus Records Street: 06.14 Ether = Grails + Sunn O))) + Can I was unfamiliar with Ether prior to receiving Archives for review. Fortunately, that unfamiliarity has been remedied. This double-disc, 20-year retrospective contains some impressively exploratory psychedelic noise, but is best heard over a few sittings—as the improvisationally long-winded
Review: Francis Harris – Minutes of Sleep
The presence of tape hiss, vocals, and organic instruments, juxtaposed with drum machine rhythms and synth chords, is very welcome. “Hems,” “Dangerdream” and the title track are my favorites, as they eschew the House rhythms found in the album’s middle and tend more toward atmosphere, which I’m in the mood for right now. … read more
Review: Ensemble Economique – Interval Signals
Interval Signals, one of two recordings from Brian Pyle’s Ensemble Economique solo project released in December, is a 40-minute pastiche of field recordings, radio sounds, and as the album’s title implies—interval signals. … read more
Review: Ensemble Economique – Light That Comes, Light That Goes
My first thought upon hearing the familiar “if you need help, please hang up and try again…” recording in Light That Comes, Light That Goes’ opening track, “If You Need Help,” was that it may be a bit too ubiquitous of a sample to be effective in another context. … read more
Review: Ensemble Economique – Melt Into Nothing
Ensemble Economique = Starving Weirdos + Slowdive + HTRK … read more
Review: Drew Price’s Bermuda Triangle – Friends And Family
I wasn’t exactly excited to listen to this album, mostly due to an underwhelming description on the press release, the presence of several new LPs on the “to listen” shelf—and a Breaking Bad episode on the DVR—but I’m glad that I did. … read more
Review: Dub Thompson – 9 Songs
Dub Thompson 9 Songs Dead Oceans Street: 6.10 Dub Thompson = Pere Ubu + The Outsiders Dub Thompson are a teenage duo with a somewhat bland name and a sound that ranges between the bands listed above or, as in “No Time,” a group like Trail of Dead bastardizing an English Beat cover. 9 Songs
Review: Cult of Youth – The Final Days
Cult of Youth = Joy Division + Deer Tick + Der Fluch … read more
Review: Carmen Villain Sleeper
Carmen Villain/Hillestad has a history as a model. It’s in every review and bio. I don’t care all that much. However, listening to Sleeper again while writing this review, I am noticing that I am not all that distracted — and at times, her music is of the kind that could easily play in the background during a photo shoot or similar activity. … read more
