KYLIE MINOISE – ‘THE DELICIOUSNESS OF FIRE’ C20 £4(World)
Lea Cummings (aka KYLIE MINOISE) is not only the proud father of numerous, impressive bludgeon-core projects, but also presides over and directs the rather wonderful Kovorox Sound label from his Glasgow home. Here he is serving up chunks of reliably (un)palatable harsh noise. Side A of THE DELICIOUSNESS OF FIRE sees the superimposition of stuttering sirens, guttural feedback, and spiralling walls of deep static. Each layer of racket consuming and devouring the other – cannibal-jazz! Solid boulders of sound are drilled, extracted, refined and polished, before being cast back into the roaring furnace of futility. On the flip side, a deafening toxic gale blows long and hard. Swirling columns of sonic detritus rise up and disintegrate, tumbling down in a series of echoing, slow-motion crash landings. A rusted, collapsing, corrugated iron shed of a release. Edition of 45, with full colour “exploited crab” artwork.
DALE CORNISH – ‘VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY SALAD’ C35 £4(World)
DALE CORNISH’s VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY SALAD is a poignant document of breakdown, regeneration and the ineffable power of shredded greens. Utilising a collection of field-recordings, drones, sample and loops, CORNISH delicately constructs two pieces of intricately arranged “sound events”, with a view to disarm and engage the listener. A collection of musics that, when scrutinised, begin to fall away just as they become discernible. An artifact to be treasured or forgotten, lost in the sea of distraction and detestation. As always, CORNISH’s work is exquisite and porcelain-like – dainty and fragile, subtle and beloved of sensitive old ladies. Edition of 35 with collage artwork, blue tapes and free essay on the politico-philosophical phenomenon of “The Free Floating”.
THE DIGITARIAT – ‘COMPLEX LOOP NIGHT’ C30 £4(World)
Active since 1994, Paul Knowles has been releasing work and performing as THE DIGITARIAT for over 10 years. COMPLEX LOOP NIGHT is a disorientating excursion into a world of reverberating vocal sampling, abrupt stabs of screaming distortion, and undulating landscapes of textural sonic improvisation. Butchered synth loops, foreign chic-chat, and prepared abrasives elegantly dance and weave – duetting blissfully and shifting seamlessly under and increasing foreboding sonic sky. The storm on the horizon hits hard at the end of the Side A, I don’t think we’ll ever find out who fire-bombed the glockenspiel factory. Side B. The last moments of a half-mad dying cyborg – screaming and flailing, recalling and announcing, coming and going in a blaze of rhythmic malfunctions. Edition of 45 with clear tapes, green stickers, “dancing Charlie” artwork printed on tangerine paper, and free educational literature.