Shingles/Spectrum Tickets split C36 $7(USA)/$8(Canada)/$9(World)
This split collects new directions from two guys who are certainly no strangers to frying brains with sound. Jesse DeRosa (Grasshopper) starts with a little late night music. Armed with little more than his Electronic Valve Instrument, DeRosa layers absolutely gorgeous melodies that swell and move together in dramatic, sweeping fashion. Themes of isolation and mystery run deep through these tracks, yet there is plenty warmth to be found within. Mike Haley (Wether) soundtracks the awakening of sentient cyborgs on the flip side. Haley develops an atmosphere that is colder and bleaker than DeRosa’s, but certainly no less engrossing. Synthesized patterns and drum machine rhythms stay locked into one another, plowing forth toward a new technological dawn. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.
The Aloha Spirit – ‘Under Wild Skies’ C25 $7(USA)/$8(Canada)/$9(World)
Through his thoughtfully curated c60 Radio program, Austin’s Brad Barry has been closely affiliated with experimental music and cassette culture for the past several years. Now, with The Aloha Spirit, he’s sharing his own personal sounds with the world, and what a wonderful thing it is. ‘Under Wild Skies’ finds Barry arranging synth loops carefully and confidently, conjuring placid tones and giving them space to gently buzz and gradually intermingle with one another. This is unabashed relaxation music, teeming with positive vibrations and basking in the radiance of the earth. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.
Bedroom – ‘Solipsist’ C30 $7(USA)/$8(Canada)/$9(World)
After last year’s split with Afterlife, Bedroom finally returns with a second missive. Flying solo this time around, Brooklyn’s Michael Chau presents two long-form pieces on ‘Solipsist’ that showcase his ability to make engrossing synthscapes with both maximal and minimal sensibilities. Chau effectively harnesses the power of the Moog in an impressive variety of ways, churning out passages of spine-tingling melody, mechanical sequences, and drones that hover high above the clouds. It all flows together magnificently, and what’s left behind is an expressive, complex work that’s as sensitive and beautiful as it is muscular and intense. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.
Ghostrider – ‘Voices’ C33 $7(USA)/$8(Canada)/$9(World)
Germany’s Jens Pauly seemed to appear out of nowhere in 2011 with two of the year’s best synth tapes on Hobo Cult and Digitalis Ltd. ‘Voices’ finds Pauly honing his craft even further with seven new meticulously composed pieces. Each track immediately springs to life with vivid, cinematic detail. Pulsing, heavily sequenced numbers call forth images of high-speed drives through neon-lit urban jungles, while more restrained and amorphous tracks bring to mind slow strolls through a foggy hillsides. Steering clear of the slightest bit of excess, Pauly is truly a master at conveying moods that resonate deeply without wasting a single second. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.
All Four New Tapes: $24(USA)/$26(Canada)/$30(World)