Richmond Avant Improv Collective – ‘Communion / Il Delirio E La Mortalità Di Amore’ 2CDr
Two ecstatically mind-bending free-improv face-melters and esoteric soul-healers from RAIC (the Richmond Avant Improv Collective) in one 2-disc set. ‘Communion’ and ‘Il Delirio E La Mortalità Di Amore’ are RAIC’s 3rd and 4th albums, respectively. Ranging from traditional free-jazz combo improvisations to distorted noise jams and lush, global drones, the two albums span an impressive breadth of vision as well as offering an eclectic, yet unified, listening experience. Double boutique numbered edition. Lino block printed outer sleeve, stamped inner envelopes, hand-stamped CD-Rs, full-colour insert/poster.
Heavy Moon – ‘Heavy Moon XII’ C46
On their twelfth journey into the cosmos, Heavy Moon once again leaves the stratosphere in a trail of smoke to hitch a ride on the astral drift. Acid guitars orbit over kosmische synths and motorik rhythms while waves of fuzz crash upon alien shores. C46 high-bias cassette. Comes in envelope sleeve with colour insert card.
Partli Cloudi – ‘Pet Smells’ C30
Periodically, Vancouver Island librarian Partli Cloudi emerges from the periodicals stacks and offers up another cut-up, broke-down, sideways look at the world through the textual magic of sound. Pet Smells finds PC stretching his muscles a little, in his words: “I was purposely trying to tap into more of a Three Feet High and Rising meets Smiley Smile type of record, and questioning if humour and joy can have a place in music versus more ‘acceptable’ emotions like angst, sadness, and ironically… melancholy. I guess when I said ‘music’, I meant like boring indie / underground / experimental music… putting the mental back in experimental. Don’t quote me on that though.” C30, high bias cassette, in printed envelope with insert card and dime bag of genuine pet hair.
Gad Whip – ‘Trapped In A Pin Hole Camera’ C38
All day every day, making tomorrow seem like yesterday. The musical ennoblement of the Big Time Television pirate music video channel in Max Headroom, GAD WHIP come on like a nightmare wedding of Mad Max and Bladerunner with their anarchistic trash heap of tripped-out industrial post-punk. Trapped In A Pin Hole Camera features the core trio of Amos, Bolam and Davies aided and abetted by Neil Campbell (Vibracathedral Orchestra, Astral Social Club etc), Paul Walsh (Smell & Quim, Foldhead etc), Jimbo Baxter (Freaks Union, The Fuckin’ Glorious etc), Eva Davies & Ryan Walker (both on extra guitar & bass duties). Recorded in several kitchens throughout the summer of 2017 in West Yorkshire, UK, with “one mic and a busking amp” the band claims, though the recording is by no means the lo-fi shambles that implies. C38, Printed envelope, full colour insert card.
Eiyn Sof – ‘Meadow Thrum’ C32
It’s a murmuring attempt at animating an imagined landscape, and all manner of anthropomorphic entity within. I’ve been thinking of this album as druidic lore-play; it’s some pretty decadent fantasy. Hyper visual and hyper surrealistic, as far as lyrics are concerned. Threading in a lot of ’irreverent’ and intentionally loose percussive and organic sounds among more careful and familiar melodic stuff, which is gently reflective, I think, of the overarching concept and heart of the thing: play between two worlds. Above/below. Sound: a whole lotta sprawling polyphonic vocal stuff, including a small men’s chorus, droning, and percussion using throat, tongue and breath. Lots of table-tapping, hairbrush-bristles-on-paper, jewellery jangling, and some cutting and pasting of found battle sounds (swords clinking, drop-kicks, etc.) And of course, analog synth (Juno 60) and piano, acoustic string instruments (toy guitars, autoharp), electric bass, and bird song- mostly cardinals, robins and grackles. High bias transparent gold cassette. Housed in printed envelope with insert card.