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Cherubs - Heroin Man (Album Review)

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  Cherubs - Heroin Man (1994) My copy: 2023 limited reissue on hot pink vinyl by Brutal Panda Records. Heroin Man is probably the greatest (or at least most underrated) example of the 90s alternative zeitgeist - in that their drunken, cantankerous persona reflects an obsession with the extreme; from destructive waves of guitar to grainy artwork depicting the supposed death of a close friend. Heroin Man is dedicated in part to the aforementioned Mike Lara, with lyrics and song titles painting images of violent, alcohol-fueled benders that could have led to the untimely demise of the “bathtub man.”  “Stag Party” loops dial tone sounds under crashing waves of distortion, with unintelligible shrieking from Kevin Whitley only piercing the vein halfway through the song - and to great effect. Whitley sputters and panics with equal parts disgust and confusion, reflecting a universal urge to shed any and all inhibitions. “Animator” carries on with a heavy vigor into the forceful bound of “B
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Ramleh - The Great Unlearning (Album Review)

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Ramleh - The Great Unlearning (2019) My copy: 2019 press by Nashazphone. Enigmatic British noise project Ramleh operated in the power-electronics scene primarily in the 80s, pushing the boundaries of both music and aesthetics. Fast forward to their most recent release come 2019, The Great Unlearning : an expansive, modern output that retains a characteristic ferocity nearly 40 years after their debut.  Ramleh’s identity is rooted in density, though the vulgarity of their past is tempered within the lengthy “Futureworld,” which hums and drones across a wide, enchanting landscape fueled by kraut-influenced percussion - their improvisational melodies radiating like a ship coasting through space. Embracing goth and post-punk now is “The Twitch,” propelled by slamming drums and venomous bass. A vocal mantra adds to the onslaught, with simple rhythms allowing the artists to release several discharges of swirling mid-frequency textures. The key word is hypnosis - which is only possible i
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Oneohtrix Point Never - Again (Album Review)

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  Oneohtrix Point Never - Again (2023) My copy: 2023 limited press on orange transparent vinyl by Warp Records. Having built a strong reputation across a multitude of electronic projects, Daniel Lopatin now cashes in on his modern influence to compile what is likely his most ambitious project yet. Spanning over an hour, Again picks up where 2017’s Garden Of Delete left off, for better and for worse. Even with lush string arrangements and big-name features, Lopatin is unable to prevent Again from falling victim to some serious bloat. Anxiety immediately unravels in the orchestral “Elseware” though this introductory track quickly straightens out into a beguiling arrangement that is unlike any “typical” Oneohtrix track. The ritual “Again” then dives headfirst into Lopatin’s usual world of chittering robots and droning vocal mimicry. Things begin more explorative - descending into the depths of some synthesized hell before fading and restarting. Acoustic flourishes fester alongside gra
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The Horrors - Primary Colours (Album Review)

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  The Horrors - Primary Colours (2009) My copy: 2009 pressing by XL Recordings. Hitting the ground running with their take on post-punk revival by way of grimey garage-rock, England’s Horrors explore deeper sonic flavors through the electronic pulse of Primary Colours. While their conceptual sound isn’t as original as the outlets would have most believe, The Horrors do manage to bring the synthesizer back to the forefront of their goth-pop sound, with a tacked on Ian Curtis vocal impression that brings little to the table. Stirring in atmosphere first, then revealing plowing rhythmic noise against repeated synth melodies, “Mirror’s Image” is a convincing first step with dramatic vocals that actually tie warring moods together nicely. “Three Decades” swelters in a bleak haze, crying out not unlike early My Bloody Valentine - proving a stronger sense for texture than structure and form. The bright vibrato synth motifs of “Who Can Say” are perhaps their most obvious pastiche of New Or
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Les Rallizes Denudes - The Oz Tapes (Album Review)

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  Les Rallizes Denudes - The Oz Tapes (2022) My copy: 2022 limited remastered reissue on translucent blue vinyl by Temporal Drift. A major draw to the efforts of Japanese noise/psych-rock band Les Rallizes Denudes lies within their inherent mystery - working only as a live act from 1967 to 1996, their only recorded material came in the form of live tapes and bootlegs spanning multitudes of shows. In collaboration with a U.S. based label, The Oz Tapes collects and redistributes live efforts taken from the underground Oz Studio in Kichijoji during the early ‘70s, displaying their take on the then new style of garage-rock as pioneered primarily by the Velvet Underground.  Beginning with a brief, swampy atmosphere, the record proper kicks off with the almost surprisingly sweet “A Shadow Of Our Joy.” Those familiar with their more freeform noise experiments may be taken aback at these somewhat dry rock tunes, but agitation and torment is still ever prominent in the haggard slurring of f
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Nils Frahm - Graz (Album Review)

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  Nils Frahm - Graz (2021) My copy: 2021 press by Erased Tapes Records. Submitted as a thesis by the name Conversations For Piano And Room, Nils Frahm intentionally toys with anticipation and time to create thought-provoking vignettes of frequently haunting melody. Graz does require patience and appreciation for solo piano work, but the production gives a personal sense in which the room itself plays a major role. “Lighter” is slow and feels fittingly conversational, posing melancholy phrases that hang in the air as if in dismay at a partner’s response to a difficult question. “O I End” becomes more active with swelling two-note ostinatos that rise and fall with hints of urgency - giving an autumnal sense with fluttering cadences like cold leaves falling slowly from their tree. Now even more elaborate is the dignified anxiety of “Because This Must Be,” which owes its regal undertone to its waltz time and foreboding bass droplets.  Now thawing and opening up slightly is the reflecti
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Fishmans - ゆらめき In The Air (Album Review)

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  Fishmans - ゆらめき In The Air (1998) My copy: 2007 Fishmans Rock Festival box set press by Universal Music and Polydor. Translated as “Flickering In The Air,” this thirteen-minute longform single stands as the final studio release from Fishmans (barring live recordings). The vinyl copy includes their first and only instrumental mix on the B-side. Beginning far away, the music tramples the senses as tangles of psychedelic sound effects trickle and spiral around Shinji Sato’s euphoric falsetto. The rhythm section seems to be the last bastion tying their music to dub, sitting steadily as a blank canvas for dreamy melodic brushstrokes. Violin also rises into the mix, elevating the tone with added drama.  This simple structure is what holds them back from reaching the height of something like Long Season : which similarly embraces repetition albeit in a rare, genre-defying style. This may, however, be Sato’s strangest vocal experiment yet as his lyrics later devolve into child-like babb
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