AD042 – Teenage Tasteless – ‘Bartam Shumak’
Artist Location: Berlin, Germany. Edition of 40 on white c90s. Design by Samuel Weikopf / Joshua Tabbia. “Some music is just a journey and then after awhile of listening – you end up gone with the wind. Hailing from Berlin, Teenage Tasteless brings you the sounds from their new album, “Bartan Shumak.” A dark electronic mix of six extensive tracks, bringing you all kinds of goodies, (not too sour, not too sweet, just about everything for the normal taste buds.) Let me just say, if you’ve ever liked anything that we have released this is a definite ‘must-have-album’. Teenage Tasteless brings us a fresh aftertaste, with electronic sounds of dark-chocolate echos, layered on top of bitter drones that twist, shout and purr. A few piano chords, drum machines and the fundamentals of haunted solo singing voice will at times accompany the blends in the album. A couple of the tracks push beyond 12 minutes, and will have several movements to the song, still bringing together the whir and the buzz of something new and beautiful to the diversity of a completed noise mix. Its a dark, tried and true sound, pushing the instruments until they finally distort within the coalescence and end with a somber harmony and a lasting impression.” -Ray Jackson, Already Dead Tapes 2012
AD041 – Br’er – ‘Deviation’
Artist Location: Philadelphia, PA. Edition of 50 on white c32s. Design by Darian Scatton / Joshua Tabbia. “Br’er is one of the all too rare bands seeking to make honest music outside of fashion, hype or influence. This is creative expression that still sounds fresh and exciting. A captivating experience that surrounds the listener and gives a lasting impression. Deviation marks a turning point in the evolution of Br’er. The music expands upon their previous ‘City Of Ice’ and features several alternate versions of songs from the album. This is the band’s last full length release before shifting into a more electric and heavy sound. Acoustic guitar, violin, cello, harmonium and auto harp give this album a very human and vulnerable quality. Dark subject matter over beautiful and hypnotic arrangements. Music worth hearing multiple times.” Sean Hartman, Already Dead Tapes 2012
AD040 – Dominic Pierce – ‘West’
Artist Location: Calgary, AB. Edition of 40 on clear c30s. Design by Robert Huston. “I got depressed for two years after starting a garden behind a strangers house in Detroit. After the two years I walked back there and found a great blooming plant growing more than I could ever imagine. I came across the music to explain what I felt. Dominic, a hard-working and progressively industrious musician traveling throughout Canada and the US, making simple instrumentals with the minimalist sound of electroacoustic songs. His new album “West” to be released on Already Dead Tapes will keep your foot tapping, fingers snapping and images reeling in your head of good retrospective thoughts. Upbeat beats buried below layering guitar riffs and harmonic electronically tuned chords – an easy-dance album to play throughout the day with bright chord structures and groovy breakdowns.” -Ray Jackson, Already Dead Tapes 2012
AD039 – Alpha Couple – ‘Covers’
Artist Location: Toronto, ON. Edition of 50 on white c62s. Design by Kristel Jax / Joshua Tabbia. “An expression of a nightmarish landscape, but somehow, it sounds too human for something like a nightmare. Alpa Couple is a group that turns inwards; blending the voices into experiments and public conversations as music. The ambition is consistent as it seeks imagination, but even more profound and unique is the vulnerability the two musicians deliver. Wherever the voice lacks words, the singing drives with an emotional lament and a sorrowful cry. You can view the compositions as perhaps haunting, or you can listen to it and think of something surreal. Either way, the duet demonstrates a human quality, an expressive glow, and, of course, one great album.” -Ray Jackson, Already Dead Tapes 2012