MYRRH – ‘Hymns’ C32
After the first edition flew out the door in record time, this killer cassette has been repressed in a pro duplicated edition of 100. Sludge-mystics trigger involuntary trance-mode. Myrrh is the power trio of Jackie Beckey (of Brute Heart), Andie Mazorol (Mother Of Fire) and Jason Millard (Lighted). They have made a name for themselves around Minneapolis with their epic and minimal form of instrumental doom pummel, but the instrumentation itself also sets this group apart. Viola, Lap Steel, Electronics and Drums weave together to form what could possibly be the heaviest folk music ever made. There is an air filled sense of space throughout these recordings, while still providing detailed crunch and clarity to the goings on. Sweeping strings and percussive plucking folded over sliding fuzz and tone-crackle, backed by enormous crushing rhythm. Restrained yet unbelievably massive. Masterfully recorded by Jason Misik to 1” tape, and beautifully mixed by John Marks (Art of This), “Hymns” comes as a very powerful follow up to their excellent self-titled debut album, recently re-released on vinyl from Soft Abuse. Pro duplicated black shell Type II Chrome cassette comes with a double-sided glossy cardstock J-card featuring layout and original black and white photography by Andie Mazorol. Dramatic and drifting psychedelic doom anthems for tomorrow’s sweat soaked soirée.
SINDRE BJERGA – ‘Radiant Flux’ C44
Majestic balance burns through damaged synapse. Entrancing electro-acoustic scratch, long form isolationism and cavernous tape-drone meditation from Sindre Bjerga, who should need no introduction after his prolific string of releases on various labels across the underground spectrum. With “Radiant Flux”, Bjerga provides a well matched pair of profound live documents from his recent live actions in Norway. Broken tone acrobatics and crinkled tape stew, garble and wallow in the hopeless gurgle ditch. Side A was recorded live in Public Library! Each side features the same gear setup and deliberate sonic approach, yielding two obviously related but distinctly separate audio tapestries. An impulsive trance nod off, slashed silk. Pure room-sound environments! Real time duplicated bright yellow opaque shell cassette with printed bright yellow labels comes beautifully packaged inside custom fabricated machine-sewn plastic envelopes, featuring original full color/translucent collage art by M.H. with a hand-numbered printed vellum insert. Frozen fire shines brightly, an everlasting shard of light.
CLEAR FLUIDS s/t C10
Pure alien-funk synthesis recorded live direct to tape. Two pounding doses of primitive and propulsive dance-floor industrial from mysterious sex maniac CLEAR LIQUIDS. Gritty rhythm, blown synths, addictive bass grooves and obsessive beat worship make for instant banger classics demanding repeated listens. My neighbor said it reminded him of another time and place long ago, sitting around smoking crack and shooting dice. Uhh… To each his own. Sexually charged and highly rhythmic lurch-pummel, perfect for late night subwoofer abuse, or illicit back room frottage. Translucent purple shell cassette comes looking sharp in a clear Norelco case with stark black and white double-sided xerox death, featuring original creeper artwork by M.H. in a hand-numbered edition of 33. Slamming and smoked out.
HOUSE OF BATS s/t C40
Dare to enter The House of Bats. This is one of those recordings that might make you think that your tape deck is dying. Strangled and deeply bruised magnetic sound, twisted into tortured new shapes and thickly coated in poisonous bile. House of Bats is the duo project of Andreas Brandal (of Flesh Coffin, Hour of the Wolf) and Robert Meldrum (of Corpse Candle, Ghoul). Brilliant new harsh/creep score for hardcore social deviancy and subversive oppression of the subconscious. Real time duplicated clear shell cassette w/ lacquer sealed black and white labels comes packaged with double sided full color J-card, in a clear and red painted Norelco case.. Mutant garbled death moves and truly demented horror audio.Hand numbered edition of 50
SAGAS – ‘Sojourner’s Lament’ C40
Wailing feedback morphs into delicate fingerpicking and sweeping tides of lap-steel shimmer. Sagas is the solo project of Matt McDowell (of Dire Wolves, Waterfinder). Lovely and real,”Sojourner’s Lament”, presents three focused improvisations for lap steel, guitar and electronics, each with its own respective sense of deep spacial awareness and an uneasy sense of doom hovering just beneath the surface. Lighten Up is proud to offer up these new sessions for your personal deep listening and metaphysical mind travel. Clear shell cassette comes packaged with full color double sided J-card featuring original collage artwork by M.H. with matching full color labels in a clear Norelco case. Aqua-lung beauty for barren cornfields.
MOLE HOLE – ‘Sordid Hypnosis’ C40/wooden object
Raw delivery in an attempt to document and capture the essence of recent crude and cathartic live actions. Grinding static assault and shifting granular murk-attack. Recorded live, no mixer, no pedals, no overdubs. Sounds sourced from adapted/broken phonograph machine, prepared/damaged lathe-cut picnic plates, and prepared/damaged 16mm film loops and projector, along with analog micro synth, everything heavily zonked and spat back out for ultimate brain damage. Psychedelic crackle-mantras and rhythmic warble tone, carving deep jagged lines into frontal lobe. Handmade wooden-object package, with unlabeled solid red shell C40 sandwiched between two thick chunks of 90 year old barn wood (slightly rotten, old paint flakes, etc.) firmly fastened together with a pair of 2” phillips screws, topped off with wrap around xerox paste-on artwork featuring disturbing and stark double exposure hypno-regression fantasy, wrapped up tight and protected in heavy 7” plastic bag. Numbered edition of 25.
VISITOR – ‘III’ C32
Let yourself drown. Visitor have established themselves around Minneapolis as an undeniable powerhouse, with their singular brand of pounding riff worship and massive double drummer attack. Featuring Andie Mazorol (Myrrh, Mother Of Fire), Graham Baldwin (Bloodwall, 2208), and Jefferson Zurna (3 Moons, Gili Gili Men). Gigantic guitar wash and crunch, waves of echo and relentless pummeling rhythm. Have no fear, this is NOT bass laden drone bore, but crushing and deeply psychedelic doom rock anthems of the highest order. Two heavy side-long improv monoliths for these frightening modern days. Real time duplicated black shell cassette with black and brown labels comes packed in double sided fold out J-card featuring antique sepia tone photograph in a clear Norelco case. Like the ocean.
THE HOWLING HEAD – ‘Nausea Swamp’ C20/printed vomit bag
Difficult to capture in words, The Howling Head brings horrific mind-altering onslaught. Caution, may damage speakers. Twenty minutes of crude and pure sonic nihilism. Piercing feedback cuts through steep grinding walls of analog oblivion. No instruments, synths or computers were used in the creation of this material. Entirely sourced from amplified micro-cassette field recordings of air conditioner motors. Transparent blue shell cassette with bright green and black “nausea” labels comes with gross bright green art paper J-card featuring vague and grainy “ditch” xerox artwork. Special duplication methods were used in the production of these cassettes to ensure complete destruction of sound. WARNING: Because of the intense nature of this album, stomach distress may occur. Custom printed Vomit Bag for use when listening is included with every copy. Hand numbered edition of 25. Yuck.