Authors: T.H.
Review: JG Thirlwell – The Blue Eyes Original Motion Picture...
Those who may be unfamiliar with Thirlwell’s name have heard his work if they’ve ever watched The Venture Brothers. The Blue Eyes is a dark affair, heavy on noir swells, plucked strings, drawn noise, and bass whispers. It sets and maintains a mood. I haven’t seen the film, but enjoyed the score. … read more
Review: Il Sogno Del Marinaio – La Busta Gialla
Il Sogno Del Marinaio = Mike Watt solo + Nels Cline’s Destroy All Nels Cline … read more
Review: Goblin – Tour EP
Goblin occupy a strange musical space, leaning most heavily toward prog, but also referencing creature feature organ music, when fitting. Profondo Rosso has long been one of my favorite Goblin scores, particularly the title track. The version that appears on Tour EP is my favorite of the five pieces that make up the set. … read more
Local Review: VISTAAS – Sunkhronos
VISTAAS Sunkhronos Self-Released Street: 01.14 VISTAAS = Pierre Schaeffer + Oneohtrix Point Never Sunkhronos is a sample-heavy, cut-up work. This record has the feel of a found cassette in sections—the rare type where ferric tape hiss actually adds to the musicality. I would refer to it as musique concrète more readily than, say, a beat
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