PF 036 Greenhouse – ‘Forever Tired’ C83
Long time PF friend Curran Farris returns for his third Prairie Fire Release. Forever Tired debuted last year as a 3 track 60 minute digital only release – but we’ve added another 20+ minutes to make this an epic testament to Curran’s skills as a lone guitar droner. We can’t be sure, but we suspect the title might allude to how Curran was expecting to feel as the birth of his first child approached. Even though his days are filled with child rearing, dog walking, and house reno-ing, don’t expect Forever Tired to be an domestically chilled endeavour. Elements of tense noise and synth explorations are incorporated into the usual GH drift. Find some decent headphones and a soft space to lay down and roll though this – complete mesmerisation will occur. Ed. 0f 75 w/ Download. Design by Cole Peters.
PF 037 Grain Count – ‘Ikeda Built’ one-sided C40
Grain Count is Winnipeg noise artist Pat Klassen (Sleep, Diabetes Foot). Our relationship with Pat started a few summers ago when he left a shell of a Fuzzface pedal (painted with bits of fur and plastic toys glued to it) on the doorstep of what was then PFT HQ. We were charmed enough to seek out this mysterious pedal artist and foster the mounds of sounds he was issuing forth. After a series of self released tapes, Pat sent us a 20 minute track of very minimal tones and severely restrained wall static meant as an homage to Ryoji Ikeda. The beauty of the piece is the sustained static contrasting with the occasional shifting of tones that makes for four pieces in one. Neither overpowers the other, instead combine harmoniously into a track that will appeal to sound art lovers as well as HNW aficionados. Ed. Of 40 w/ Download. Art/Design by Cole Peters.
PF 038 Wasted Cathedral s/t C25
Wasted Cathedral is Chris Laramee, member of Saskatoon space travellers Shooting Guns. When he’s not part of SG’s effort to become the Canadian Hawkwind, Chris is laying down some brilliant Prairie Kosmische Musik. When we contacted Chris, he sent us a stack of recording to wade through, all of which were amazing. We initially planned to release 2 WC tapes back to back – this the 25 minute teaser and a full 60 minute mind melter. After some heavy deliberation, we concluded that offering up too much too soon would probably create a soporific effect on the underground community on a grand scale. While the idea made us giggle a bit, we took the responsible route of doling tracks out at a reasonable pace. More WILL follow. Ed. Of 75 w/ Download. Art/Design by Cole Peters.
PF 039 Gomeisa – ‘Death Poems’ C40
When Gomeisa dropped Treatise, his 4 hour box set on Phage, last year – I was convinced that was going to be the final chapter. I was partially correct. Death Poems is a departure from the Gomeisa oeuvre both sonically and visually. Death Poems teases with an static intro and then kicks into a spastic and emotionally turbulent collection of blasts and calls yet unheard by this artist. Even the cover art hints at something more whimsical than minimal. Top marks all round. Ed. Of 50 w/ Download. Art/Design by Cole Peters.
PF 040 Adrian Dziewanski – ‘Archival Anthems’ C35
Adrian contacted us this fall and sent some tracks over that we couldn’t ignore. Beautifully crafted dronescapes that create stunning isolated and cold atmospheres. I don’t know about where you live – but there are times here in Winnipeg (especially in January) where if there’s enough snow and the temp is cold enough, say -45 degrees Celsius, driving around late, late at night is like being on the moon. There is no movement, everything gives off a blue hue, and if you stay outside too long, you die. It’s the best combination of beauty, desolation, and danger. Archival Anthems is a perfect mid-winter soundtrack – the point where it’s undeniable that everything is in a dead state. It’s not a requiem as there are hints of warmth and hopefulness of what is just ahead… perhaps. Ed. of 75 w/Download. Art/Design by Cole Peters.
PF 041 T. Fuller – ‘Eat Your Beets’ C30
T. Fuller is Terrence Fuller (Repulsive Bile & KkrakK). For his third Prairie Fire appearance we asked him to put together some tracks based upon a 2009 dub noise percussive performance. The A-Side is full of Scorn induced electro-percussive workouts that become consistently weirder as the last track fades out. The B-side begins to inhabit sonic territories consistent with 70s Italian zombie/cannibal flicks and Skinny Puppy’s mid-80s output. While the inclusion of Eat Your Beets may seem to be a bit a stretch for PF, we thought it a good match to the Crabskull and Tyrannosaurusex tapes in this run as well as showing off another dimension of the weird Winnipeg underground. Check it.. you’ll dig it. Ed. of 75 w/Download. Art/Design by Cole Peters.
PF 042 Derek Rogers – ‘A Crack In Everything’ C40
We’re really excited about this one. So excited in fact, that it’s really tough to not veer into hyperbole while writing this. After consuming a handful of DR releases over the last year and a bit round the PF HQ, we were pretty sure we knew what we’d be presented with – but to be honest, nothing prepared us for how awesome this tape is. Melody meets sound exploration and harmony sides up against discord, the mood effortlessly shifts from beautiful and enveloping to flat out cranky over the course of 40 minutes. The title track and end exit track “Ghosts of Melancholy” have a dystopian sci-fi soundtrack feel (I was leaning toward Escape From New York) while other likes “The Ones Who Love Us Least Are The Ones We’ll Die To Please” have the potential to bring on a profound emotional response from the listener. Last year was a pretty big for Derek – what with his name was all over Best Of.. lists and all. We’re pretty sure this tape will have 2012 pick up where 2011 left off. Spin these tracks for yourself and get your head around what a monster this is. Ed. of 100 w/ Download. Art/Design by Cole Peters.
PF 043 Crabskull – ‘Jovian Black Opera’ C60
Another major surprise. Chrys Fournier, Crabskull, Scab Smoker drummer & Dub DJ, caught me at a local record shop in the Summer and told me he had some tapes I might like. We have gave me was two 90 minute collection of the wildest, creeped out dark hop this side of 2001. After digesting 3 hours of the Crabskull experience, I was sold and told Chrys to piece together a collection of the tracks he liked the best from the two tapes… the result is Jovian Black Opera. It’s analog, grimy, gritty, lo-fi, rough edged D’n’B that grabs hold and drags you down deeper and deeper into the dark. Def. not the last Crabskull release you hear on PF. Ed. of 75 W/ Download Code. Design by Cole Peters.
PF 044 Celer – ‘In the Finger-Painted Fields of the Eyes’ C88
In the Finger-Painted Fields of the Eyes is everything you would expect from a Celer/Will Long release. It’s subdued, introspective, lonely, and beautiful. It’s almost as if a lifetime’s worth of quiet moments were collected and then transferred onto tape. If you’re in a space where you need something to bring you down and mellow you out, this would be it. Initially this tape was going to be roughly one hour long. As the production process rolled on, Will sent us a second version that pushed the length of the tape to be nearly 30 minutes longer. It’s an astounding collection of music that we are very lucky and honored to be able to present. Ed. of 100 W/ Download Code. Design by Cole Peters.
PF 045 Tyrannosaurusex – ‘Cities of the Red Night’ C40
We tracked down J. Wiley after he posted some wacky drum/space echo dub like recordings and said throw us some tracks and tapes will be made. He followed up on our offer and came through big time. Cities of the Red Night offers up the occasional blast of computo-krautisms in the form of bleeps and bloops backed with basic drum patterns – but then comes the rumbles, the drones, the feedback’d Dead C guitarisms, the obliterated loops – man this tape has EVERYTHING! When someone has a debut release this strong – you can’t but get shivers thinking about what will come next! Ed. of 50 W/ Download Code. Art/Design by Cole Peters.