brb>voicecoil + omnibadger – ‘DISCO’
Newcastle based sound deconstructor brb>voicecoil and Stoke based noise punks Omnibadger release collaborative album ‘DISCO’. “If it doesn’t provoke thought or debate, it’s not art, it’s entertainment, a night out at the disco. It’s less about judging a book by its cover than simply paying attention. Ooh, look at that jagged font! Songs called ‘Swastika Tattoo’ and ‘Subhuman’. Hints of fash, must be dodgy! Of course not. Know your enemy. This is an exercise in observation and critique. And sparse, gnarly electro 303 noise blended with some sludgy great racket and shouty growly vocals that brings the industrial trajectory through to 2022. This is a collaborative effort, one where distinctive elements from both sides shine through and combine to make something greater than the sum of its parts. Tracks like ‘Summer’ and ‘Sister’ allude to disco divas of the 70s in title alone, ‘Drink the Kool-Aid’ alludes to mass murder and mind control in the same decade. And while the shady sides of the dark noise and industrial scene are well-documented, so is the flipside of the coin, confronting the nastiness head on and asking difficult questions and presenting those challenges in a confrontational manner, both sonically and visually. Feel the pain. Accept the challenges. Face the truth.” (Christopher Nosnibor)
Greg Nieuwsma and Antonello Perfetto – ‘Chase Ritual’
Greg Nieuwsma and Antonello Perfetto have been making music together since 2014. Originally from the midwestern USA and Naples, Italy respectively, they came together in Krakow, Poland where they both live. As a part of the band Sawak, they released 5 records, progressing from a straightforward rock sound towards more avant garde experimentation. After the dissolution of the band, their collaboration continued, first releasing one record under the name Corticem, then putting out records under their own names. The recording process for Chase Ritual entailed layering improvisations on top of drones. Two of the three long-form tracks also feature manipulated samples of radio broadcasts from around the world. It liberally draws from a variety of influences including jazz, American minimalism, gnawa, art rock, tribal music, and raga.
Summer Night Air – ‘5’
First album of original material in 8 years, from the Tyneside electronic duo. Warm, simple, poppy electronica, with shades of synth pop, hip-pop, new-age, blissed-out ambience, and drum & bliss for your listening pleasure.
Salisman & His Celestial Bodies – ‘Gulch’
3rd album from the Anglo-American collaboration, which takes all the catchy hooks and cool song-writing sensibilities from ‘Absolution’, mixed with the prog-psych experimentation of ‘Clairvoyance’, creating the perfect companion to both. Trolling the underbelly of the remnants of the remnants, we found mostly nothing. Rotten milk and poorly performed blues. The Lexington Strut consumed us. Feet worn and cracked. Centuries of endurance. Sweet coffee consumed in a tub of pathetic burlesque performances. We didn’t like it but it was our home. Gulch.
Gvantsa Narim – ‘Gvantsa’
From Tbilisi, Georgia, Gvantsa Narim is an enigmatic sound artist, who starting writing music in 2013. Taking inspiration from religion, esotericism and Georgian polyphonic music, this – her second – album consists of 6 compositions, written during 2018 – 2022. Combining emotions and feelings; unearthly sweetness and infinite depths. There is no place for chaos here. Transcending to inspire the soul with new imaginations.
Blanket Swimming – ‘A Quiet Vision’
Nicholas Maloney (Blanket Swimming) is a musician and sound artist currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, creating personal, evocative recordings that offer a space that can be used to practice the rewarding act of deep listening. He looks to challenge listeners’ focus and perception of sound while exploring the experiential nature of sound within the context of composition. Recorded earlier this year, ‘A Quiet Vision’, takes electric guitar loops, layered with field recordings creating a work of subtle texture and flowing space.