Asiatic – ‘Problem: Attic & Erb N Warfare’ C35 $6
Asiatic is the sound of the street. Developing his own style of hip hop and rap music from the inner city of Baltimore, Asiatic challenges the urban street fashion with his own brand of cultural hip hop. Streetwise lyrics and ghetto beats, self-produced and constructed with a methodical flow of lyrical stylings straight out of the city. The stress of living on the street, Problem: Attic explores the hardships of the struggling hip hop artist in the down that just says “Believe” with little hope of ever alleviating the daily routine. A laborer by day, Asiatic conforms and constructs the city’s essence in hard hitting tracks and sensual beats. Combining two EPs, Problem: Attic, a rising above, being true to oneself and loyal to your roots; and Erb N Warfare the true expression of the street and the culture that surrounds it. Limited to 50 with mp3 download with purchase.
Heart Heart Julia – ‘Damn’ C30 $5
Damn is the repressing of an old Afternoons Modeling split with Julia Ladense on cdr. Damn features Justin playing some darker guitar pieces with George Dutton rounding out the album. The darkness comes from a period of time in which Maryland was receiving one of its hardest winters ever, and after a few blizzard like snow-falls, the album was recorded. The feeling of being trapped inside and the helplessness of watching the snow increase inch by inch was frightening as darkness overcame the already cloudy night. The hollow sounds were desperate and cold. Uses a broken amp that created unplanned crackles and the sound of an emergency vehicle storming through the night, Damn is beautiful and lonely. Limited to 20 on red liner cassettes. Mp3 download with purchase.
Heart Heart Julia – ‘Soundtrack For Anthropologie’ C66 $5
Written in 2006 as two long experimental guitar pieces reworking Nelson’s classic “After The Rain” and an abstract interpretation of Boston culture – Soundtrack For Anthropologie is ironic and dramatic. Reworked and finally completed in 2012, the gravely instrumental pieces prolong the unique style and blend of distance typical of Heart Heart Julia. This new version, now on cassette, features new artwork and ivory cassettes. Limited to 15 on ivory cassettes and chrome tape. Mp3 download with purchase.
The wonderful city of Asheville seems to be a hotbed for up-and-coming experimental musicians these days, and Zach Smith’s Difference Clouds quickly leapt out as a standout project with his self-titled debut on Bathetic earlier this year. Veering away from the hyperspace sequencing that defined that release, ‘Shiro’ presents a side of Smith’s sound world that is subtler and even organic at times. With synthesizers, sourced thumb piano, and other samples, Smith creates works that patiently unfold and offer build ups that are just as satisfying as the sweet spots. Smith is another young mind impressively locked into electronic sound. Tune in now and expect more great work from Smith and his cohorts from the Land of the Sky very soon. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.
Norwegian twilight prince Andreas Brandal is back with more of his signature audio exorcisms. For someone who’s so outright prolific, it’s simply astounding how thoughtfully and impeccably his work is composed. On ‘Turning Point’, Brandal unleashes seven eerie compositions that come together like the soundtrack to the greatest 70s horror film never made. Somewhere between Carpenter, Lynch, and Goblin, each conveys its own distinct mood and otherworldly atmosphere. Brandal is a true multi-instrumentalist, and you’d have a hard time finding a tape that combines synthesizer, acoustic guitar, and jaw harp as eloquently as this one. Shifting between gloomy abstraction and taut melodics, Brandal never lets you off of the edge of your seat. Turn off the lights and go in alone if you dare. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.
A tight crew of some of Hamilton, Ontario’s finest musicians, Sarah Good, Sean Gadoury, Scott Johnson (Thoughts on Air), and Annie Shaw specialize in beguiling improvisations. At once sprawling and intimate, ‘Golorium’ is a veritable cauldron of spooks and aural delights. Coventry Music brothers Gadoury and Johnson pour out a bubbling broth of guitar, synthesizer, and electronics that ebb and flow while Good and Shaw relish in the spotlight by adding deliciously twisted vocal incantations. Sounding like a pair of pixies experiencing a psychedelic meltdown, they manage to straddle the distant lines of beautiful, playful, and downright creepy all at once. Always count on Hamilton to remind you to keep it free and weird in the best possible way. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.
Since dropping the Nova Scotian Arms moniker in favor of his own name, Georgia’s Grant Evans (Quiet Evenings) has delved even further into the rabbit hole of tape music. As he experiments with longer magnetic spools, Evans’ sounds continue to stretch even further beyond the horizon. ‘Solos for Muted Transparent’ finds Evans dropping a thick cloud of abstract haze on that horizon with two magnificent, side-long pieces. Tones simmer beneath the surface, flirt with harsher textures, and gradually reveal themselves in surprising and beautiful ways. You can only begin to guess where most of the sounds originated, but new ones will continue to reveal themselves with each subsequent listen. It’s always a good time to lose yourself in a mystery. Pro-dubbed and imprinted chrome cassettes, featuring designs by Caroline Teagle. Edition of 100.