aemic - beta (m.a.s.)
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again aemic confuses the hell out of me with this new 10"
picture disc. the DR design depicts a series of bar graphs
on one side of the wax with various bits of track
information including creation date, m/bytes, and sampling
frequency in hz. but the m:s:ms track durations shown on
the graphs don't correspond to the actual track times at my
preferred rotation rates (33 rpm on the pie chart side, 45
rpm on the bar graph side). whatever. anyway, the record
fails to disappoint; it offers a fine balance of synthetic
and organic sounds and groovy drum programming sans the
lame attempts at complexity which litter large portions of
some recent releases like the ischemic folks compilation.
indeed, the tracks on beta even include melody, but not to
a fault (as some m.a.s. releases do). the melodies are
enough to make the songs sound like *songs*, but are also
sparse enough to place emphasis on the harmonics tones
of the more rhythm-oriented elements.
nothingface (eat raw)
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like the other eat raw record i own (lithops - didot), this
thing is pressed on one of the fattest slabs of vinyl i've
ever handled. the record asserts an immediate impression
of quality and luckily the music lives up to it. expect
everthing from mellow downtempo breaks to forward-thinking
pop melodies to minimal ambient techno. perfect music for
a summer by the pool. now if i could just get the people
at the neighborhood pool to play this instead of commercial
crap from shania fucking twain and that dork from new kids
on the block...
stars of the lid - avec laudenum (sub rosa)
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though this isn't this-listy, i had to mention it because
it's the best CD i've heard in a long time. it is
definitely (to quote those responsible for it's subtle
washes of environmental noise and immense waves of analog
drone) "pure pass out material." as someone who once spent
long hours with environmental sound sources and various
instruments including an e-mu modular analog synthesizer
and multiple 2- and 4-track tape decks, trying to create
music like that on this CD, i think the stars of the lid
deserve massive props. fortunately, on monday (6/28) i'll
get the chance to offer them the same, as they are playing
a show in my neck of the woods, at the granada in lawrence,
kansas. i encourage all midwesterners to attend. i'll be
the one wetting my pants over the opportunity to see such
an amazing show.
matt