Masche – ‘Oxia Chaos’
Masche was born in 2013 in Canavese, Italy as an open collective (Anatrofobia, 3eem, Ex-p), aiming at finding sonic combinations between electronics, rock, and improvisation. Their latest album fuses quirky electronics with deconstructed funk bass and free jazz skronks; sounding to these ears like The Pop Group and Glaxo Babies at their most experimental and loose.
Salisman & His Hermetic Order – ‘Clairvoyance’
Following their acclaimed 2020 debut ‘Absolution’, the Anglo-American project (Chicagoans Paul Foreman and Travis Salisbury, with Tyneside’s Chris Tate – Score; One Key Magic; d_rradio) continue the exceptional song writing and meticulous attention to detail on their second album; upping the ante with moments of psych, Americana, shoegaze and – on tracks such ‘Crystal Window Hangings – full-blown acid-prog rock workouts. Immerse yourself in it, you will not be disappointed.
OMNIBAEL – ‘Rain Soaks The Earth Where They Lie’
Last seen on 2021’s split with NYC noise-punks, Lip Critic, Stoke’s Omnibael enter 2022 with a raging debut, developing further the dark dense industrial nihilism with Burroughsian cut-ups, tape loops and gnarly noise. And whilst that may dominate the album, it’s the percussion that kills. Armed with a host of drum machines and samplers, they create a barrage of beats that hammer away amidst a murky cacophony of dense, disturbing sound. And it’s heavy as hell, particularly with the vocals which are by turns shrieking demonic and droning atonal. FFO Godflesh; Throbbing Gristle; The Body; early Swans
Pigments – ‘Thought Forms’
Pigments is an electronic ambient project from Porvoo, Finland, which crafts ambient soundscapes with various synths, live instruments, loops and voice. ‘Thought Forms’ is inspired by Hilma af Klints strikingly original abstract art and her philosophy and involvement in spiritualism and Theosophy in the early 20th century. It gravitates around mysticism and scientific advances, exploring themes of revelation, belief systems and science fiction, to a soundtrack of evolving electronic ambience, drone and experimental soundscapes.
Charlie Butler – ‘Deep Space’
Charlie Butler is a Reading based artist who began a series of solo releases in 2021 exploring weird, heavy and hypnotic sounds alongside being a member of Cody Noon, Mothertrucker and Head Drop. A prolific artist, ‘Deep Space’ is his first solo release of 2022: four tracks of beautiful ambient guitar ranging from bleak post-rock laments to heavy, slow-burning drones in the vein of Godspeed, Codeine, Papa M, Mogwai, Earth and Barn Owl. What’s it all about? Isolation and taking solace in Star Trek, of course!
MAbH (Mortuus Auris & the Black Hand) – ‘Unnamed Vagabond’
MAbH is the solo project of UK based artist Peter Taylor, who has been producing music since 2008 and made his CN debut in early 2021 with ‘Look Under ‘Unnamed Vagabond’ is two pieces of musique concrète, improv and noise that maximises loops made using scratched and sculpted old vinyl, while exploring improvised vocal and non-instrument compositions. The album contains 60 minutes of experimental improvisation and avant-garde composition, decorating the hour-long running time with cracks of light, shards of shadow, and moments of insanity.