k-the-i???/Walter Gross split C40 $6
With The Promise Of Automation, k-the-i??? and Walter Gross came together in 2005 as Youth:Kill. With Walter laying down beats and Kiki on the mic, the two created something that may have been beyond its time. The Blueprint Of A Paper Airplane / Like Dust brings the two back 3-4 years later, but unlike the Youth:Kill collaboration, k-the-??? and Walter Gross showcase 20 minutes of solo material. These past years certainly showed growth and development from both artists. K-the-i??? displays 5 instrumental tracks. Walter Gross constructs one ambient track. While k-the-i??? produces heavy beat driven notes with that slight jazz influence going on, be it slight, it carries its own weight with a nostalgic slang. The drumming sequence is stunning. The softness of the tones and the samples used create an airy loftiness that rolls well in its rhythm. Walter Gross on the other hand is much darker, for real tho. The sample of a phone call from Baltimore jail is haunting and eerie. It changes the tone of the album. Gross utilizes time as an instrument and moments as a bridge. Imagine the mantra of meditation from the cell. Lost in the thoughts of the past. Limited to 150 gold cassettes.
Psychopop – ’13’ C13 $6
From the moment this album starts you are brought in and your dreams are sucked out. Like a 70s b-movie soundtrack you found in your father’s underwear drawer you checked out for the brief nipple shots. 13 is a 13 minute beat tape and the latest work from producer Psychopop. Known for his work with some legendary San Diego artists, 13 displays the true talent of Psychopop as a solo artist. 13 minutes becomes a tease that suspends reality and converts into a thought or trembling worry that never goes away, it rests in the back of your mind and over and over again you feel it. While you are baking cookies with your son or sexing around with your lover, these beats have crept up inside you and infected your soul. An absolute thrill. Limited to 100 “nicotine stained” cassettes.
Heart Heart Julia – ‘Whisper My Name’ C41 $6
Spending two years to record, and following similar patterns and methods to the 2009 Love and Be Judge album, Whisper My Name marks the bands continued presence into the abyss. With sounds that are hard to identify coupled with sparse dulcimer recordings and guitar plucking, the album takes a tone of sullen hollowness. Justin allows his voice to be heard at the beginning and end of the album, offering partially original lyrics and the distinct humming reminscent of The Astorians. The overall feel in this album is nostalgic in nature. Recalling heart break and understanding the concept of getting over it to understand what the future holds, Whisper My Name is deeply experimental and revealing. Atmospheric calmness spans the tape from the coolness of George Dutton. The turmoil of chaos calmed emotionally. Limited to 23 cassettes.