First release in Rococo's "Me Gusta Me Gusta" series of subscription-only one-sided LPs comes from the Graveyards trio of John Olson (Wolf Eyes) on reeds, Hans Buetow on cello and Ben Hall on drums. Beautifully articulate post-fire music moves that cut huge swathes through tense, thick air. Another beauty, hand-numbered edition of only 200 copies.

Numbered edition of 300 copies one-sided LP featuring Graveyards in duo mode, with John Olson (Wolf Eyes) on saxophone and electronics and Ben Hall on drums. Comes with an etched B-side and a full colour mini poster, both featuring art by Olson. Very minimal shadowplay style with the slightest butterflies of bowed confusion cutting swathes through still, black silence before building to a primal, echo-heavy climax that sounds like a pair of mammoths dropped deep into a canyon. Recommended.

New collaboration LP from the trio of John Olson, Nate Young and Mike Connelly with Chris Goudreau aka Sickness. Goudreau takes original Wolf Eyes material and sculpts it into a massive, constantly shifting pulse-based piece that feels like an inspired plunderphonic take on the organic, evolving logic of their live shows. It starts off with a classic section of minimal, grinding electronics, given an otherworldly gliss of F/X by Goudreau that makes it dazzle like a primitive Heemann/Chalk creation before building into torrents of sheet metal melodies and squelching rhythms, with parallel sounds given enough electronic treatments to lend them a very hallucinatory, instantly dissolving feel. Indeed, it's one of Wolf Eyes most psychedelic sides, if your definition of psychedelia takes in Throbbing Gristle and CCCC as well as electricity and LSD. Recommended.

Limited to 600 copies 7" from the duo of John and Tovah Olson (Wolf Eyes et al) is one of their most straight-forwardly gorgeous approximations of the nowhere zone to date. Black and white sleeves with full colour inserts.

Debut album from this Detroit synth-punk duo with some kinda historical connection to Wolf Eyes. Featuring K. Michael and Nate S., the group build from a base that would take the malevolent electro-threat of early Suicide and ply it with amphetamine-charged Cramps riffs, the kind of drum machine batteries most associated with Big Black and a claustrophobic, assaultive style that is somewhere between early Industrial rock and contemporary minimal synth stylings, with murky, convulsive songs that are somehow uniquely Detroit but that have tendons that stretch alla the way to both coasts, taking-in aspects of CBGBs-era NY scum and peroxide LA glam punk. A beauty.

New edition of 450 copies one-sided LP with a gorgeous full-colour sleeve by John Olson (Wolf Eyes). Here the duo of John and Tovah Olson move deeper into the kind of liminal, broke back electronics zone that defined their great run of collaborations with John Wiese, with creeped-out midnight soundtracks populated by shadowy nocturnal forms, firefly drones and a murky, drug-addled atmosphere. This feels like the beginning of a whole new phase for Dead Machines and it makes for a subtle but powerful trip.

Limited edition new solo album from Jason Finkbeiner of Rochester avant-garage monsters Pengo on John Olson's American Tapes imprint with paste-on B-side art, corrugated card sleeve and insert featuring a repro of a letter to Aaron Dilloway (Wolf Eyes) from Rochester Charles detailing various formative drum influences, including Al Bouchard of Blue Oyster Cult, Jim Fox of The James Gang, Mitch Mitchell from The Experience, Motorhead's Filthy Phil Taylor, fucking Phil Ehart from Kansas, et al. Sounds are based around sick, oscillating tape work that sounds like an elastic band and wah-wah pedal running a turntable that's playing a slowly melting copy of Yatha Sidhra's A Meditation Mass re-recorded by Chie Mukai and Matthew Valentine, the way you always wanted to hear it 'done'.

2006 Sub Pop album from the Wolf Eyes trio of John Olson, Nate Young and Mike Connelly, mixed by former member Aaron Dilloway, the official follow-up to Burned Mind. The preceding Human Animal 12" gives a good snapshot of the kind of blasted topography that the group map out here, with the first half of the album given over to the kind of eerie midnight stasis sound of the group circa River Slaughter albeit given a hi-fi upgrade and new depth of field via slow smokes of drone and viper-shots of electronics. The drum machine is at its most space-puncturing, firing repeat beats into cloaks of doom while Olson works serpentine sax patterns into steel helixes somewhere at the bottom of a ventilation shaft. One track features creeped-out spoken word narration, while over on the flip/later tracks the group move into full pit-pounding mode with assaultive nod-out rhythms and Nate's insane post-Iggy vocal shred moves foregrounded by a ton of metal. Exactingly programmed, this is the one to peak with. Highly recommended. Vinyl edition limited.

Split single that pairs a particularly dark track from Wolf Eyes that starts off with a mangled little girl vocal before the beats kick in for an alien vox/locomotive noise juggernaut. Massively fucked vocals/electronics from Prurient on the flip. Full colour covers with double-sided insert.

“Connelly & Oldzone Refusal Unit: Two complete gigs from the mid summer tour with Uneven Universe, Evenings & Hive Mind. All acoustic, no amps, no electricity, nothing. Horrible scrape, empty litter containers with glass, bottle caps, metal, reeds, acoustic clutter supreme. One set from Gabe's killer Toledo Den of Death, the other from the amazing GOOD STYLE shop in Madison. Killer tour, ended in the woods jammin THE CHIEFTANS x 2 45s on 3rpm. Summer simmer acoustic. Racket to rocket to uncharted ear trails. Color Covers.” – John Olson.

Massively extended long form string/drone/Industrial jams from Midwest free jazz outfit Graveyards that push beyond the whole screwed spectral/orchestral arc of their recent work into new zones of lonesome tone : “What is up with the mail these days? Sometimes you get the weirdest things. Are "Dog Missing" flyers illegal now? Seems like it, cause just the other Tuesday I lurched out to check the daily box to see if my new copies of DIRGE or EVIL MINDED shown up yet, and there was this lone LP resting there. Had a post it note stuck to it that read:
"PLEASE HELP: OUR CREATURE THING HAS VANISHED. WE SUSPECT THE WORST. WE CANNOT GIVE DETAILS ON THE THINGS/ANIMAL OR HAVE ANY PICTURES< BUT WE DO HAVE RECORDINGS OF IT IN "ACTION". PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS RECORD (at any speed) AND CALL 237 - 4568 IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON OUR MISSING CREATURE. AND RETURN MY STAMPS- THANKS- YR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOSE ANIMAL CULTURE CENTER"
Shaking my head, thinking how I just got a killer local platter to add to the animal sounds/droll Yankee/ chooltch industry recordings sections and put the record on.
Well, it seems like they are never gonna find this thing cause it SOUNDS like a super shy version of that horrible creature in the twilight zone flick that tries to scare the passengers and eat the plane. But this "Thing" hangs out in empty hangers and lightly scrapes its torn and rotten fingernails across HUGE rusty industrial size fans at 3am in a creaking wet unlit corner. Who would want this in their house? Sounds from this animal are rare, seems like this LP has like three light rustlings and the THING is gonzo, moved on...just like a ghost trace of it... good luck to them.
After jamming the "MISSING CREATURE" lp on every speed my numark can handle, I IM chatted fellow animal sound lp vet DILLOWAY and told him about the new local style missing thing section, and he said energetically:
"Dude, you should quick like go around the neighborhood and grip all those lps and put em out, don’t get busted say it's...I dunno... GRAVEYARDS or something... "
FUCK!!! Killer idea. So here it is - all the LPs from District 176 Howard St./Frandor with NO INFO and a crude handmade painted sleeve like from the hairy mitts of the said MISSING ANIMAL itself. If you find this THING.... shit, record it and do a FOLLOW UP. And leave it in yr NEIGHBORS mailbox. UUUGGHHHHHHHH. Title taken from a super tuff blueprint question from my Blueprint Reading 112 class last fall. Edition of 100. Inzane handpainted recycled covers, each one uber-unique. MISSING!!! THING!!! RECORDED!!!” – John Olson. Recommended.

Compilation featuring unreleased tracks from Connelly & The Machines, Body Morph, Hive Mind, Dog Lady and Drainolith: “So the other day, me and my lab buddy supreme Scott were knee f'in deep in trying to find out if a huge craggly motor was delta or wye three phase connected, and needless to say, was NOT having luck. It was a one of them RAW bologna built motors that has wire numbers, but its pointless cause its all on its own weirdo system. Whatever. So as usual, we shot the shit.
"What’s up this weekend man?"
"Not much, got a killer afternoon gig at the spot on Sunday...."
"What’s a gig?"
"Ah.... I’m having some of my weirdo friends over to make ah.... music...."
"You make music?"
"Sure"
"Would you ever play a 'gig' for the troops?"
"We should get black to that motor...I think I know the lead wires now..."
"Well, I can’t come over, I gotta fix my tires on my hunting jeep, but you know what would rule Olson?"
"What’s that?"
"If you would press that jammer on wax, mix all the tracks together into one inzane mess and sent it to Smith out west to press...."
"Man, you might be on to something"
"Make it one long one-sider with a lock groove, I mean shit...that’s how I remember gigs anyway.... and just use a flyer for the cover!!!"
"My man!!!"
So I took Scott's advice. Took the killer matinee jam, got out the scalpel, mixed everything together seamless inzane style, book ended it with an EVIL Hive Mind loop and boosh!!!! Pressed gig memory!!!! So it's just like a gig, except you don’t have KNOX MITCHELL's dad dropping you off or Collino spilling brews everywhere or your secret recipe INZANE CHILLI remains burning up in the bottoms of an empty crock pot. Oddly, not a peep of crew-audience noise to be found. Dog Lady played acoustic string scrape, Dan Body jammed reed universe from the uneven side (and then BLASTED Disclose and Firmeza 10 in the jamm room), Drainolith is my main man Alex K from Montreal and kept it uber real with amazing synth scramble, live from yep, THE BASEMENT. Greh said he did a cover of THE SHINING but I’ve never seen that mini-series. Dead Machines and Connelly jammed magical pixie flutes, infected metal scrape and vocals from an eerie afternoon lagoon. Like an endless gig, ...you gotta SIT THRU THE WHOLE THING...in one inzane memory blurr surpreme.... Record ends with an EVIL Hive Mind lock groover, endless...party. ... forever.... Was a blast, more of this style to come. And BYOB!!! There are three party stores right in the hood, duh!!! 2pm SHARP!!!> Edition of 100 in handmade recycled sleeves, numbered.” – John Olson.

Compilation featuring unreleased tracks from Dwelling Unit, Madness, Influx, Immune Future Problems, First Responder and Cripple Crime’s Triangle: “Massive new comp of all short tracks of all sorts of styles. Weirdo flow, new blood, all heated and raw. Mysterious Island swamped and flanked in all sides by a tidal wave of consuming statics. More to come from each of these creatures, stirring and pacing in a sound cell waiting and plotting to bust out. Color covers, slip case.” – John Olson.

Hand-numbered ‘bootleg’ edition of only 30 copies reissue of what was originally released in a run of 32 copies on American Tapes in 2000. Universal Indians were the trio of John Olson (Wolf Eyes), Aaron Dilloway and Gretchen Gonzales, playing hardcore free jazz/psych from the early 90s. This disc collects a bunch of live jams where they are joined by Neil Campbell (Vibracathedral Orchestra/Astral Social Club et al), some of which are variously fucked with in post-production by Olson. It’s a fantastic collection, moving through violent hovering drone work ala Vibracathedral with junk percussion, wailing atonal foghorn jazz moves ala Borbetomagus and classic twonked string confusion. This still sounds great and only confirms what an amazing time the 1990s were for underground music. Highly recommended. 

Edition of 500 copies solo album from Twig Harper of Nautical Almanac in the mode of his classic Intuitive American Esoteric series. This is a massively psychedelic/continually unfolding series of tape works that move from moments of single string acoustic blues guitar through chattering voices, glitches, weird snatches of audio verite, what could almost be Industrial re-thinks of Suicide’s “Ghost Rider”, piano demolition ala Philip Corner… in many ways it makes me think of the place that John Fahey might have ended up if he had pushed through with the more extended experiments in concrete ragas that he was involved with near the end of his life, formulating  a particularly personal and future-visioned take on American Primitive that came from the sounds of his surroundings and the landscape itself and the way they operated within his own personal mythology. Few people can make tape work sound so musically expressive and, yeah, intuitively America as Harper and this is a real treat. “First proper CD release from Nautical Almanac’s Twig Harper. Twig was a big part in Hanson Records getting off the ground back in the mid-90's, so I'm very excited to release his debut solo glass mastered CD! Hot off the barefoot of his collaboration release with Daniel Higgs on Thrill Jockey... Twig Harper continues in the alternate universe tradition of his three volume Intuitive American Esoteric LP series, with 43 minutes psychedelic tape manipulations and droning synthesizer… electronic and organic sound mixed to brain warping perfection. Bell's, homemade electronics, synth, piano, strings, junk, horns and voice treated with tape for "full-on" musique concrete/sound poetry/electronic trance inducing confusion. Recommended for fans of Albert Hoffmann, Smegma, Pierre Henry, The Butthole Surfers, Maria Sabina, Dylan Nyoukis, Tobe Hooper, Criswell, Tod Dockstader, Sirhan Sirhan, The 13th Floor Elevators, Aliens, Humans, Jokes, and OBE's. 500 copies packaged in black poly jewelcases.” – Aaron Dilloway. 

A new solo Dilloway LP is always cause for celebration round these parts: Infinite Lucifer, Chain Shot and Rotting Nepal are still regular spins and it’s hard to think of anyone with such a peculiarly personal approach to the accumulated strata of degraded loops. This one comes in an edition of 500 copies with a fold-out sleeve and takes as its ‘theme’ satanic biker gangs and associated culture. It opens with one of Dilloway’s more pastoral and eerily evocative pieces, with the sound of wind through grass and music box/wind chime sounds that come on like The New Blockaders running on empty, before a lonely female voice hymns a post-apocalyptic landscape completely denuded of people and Dilloway ramps up the metal percussion. Fantastic. The second side expands on the atmosphere of implied amplifier violence before dropping to a hypnotic twilight zone where cosmo-keys and arcs of classical tone flit past in what sounds like the initiation soundtrack of Satan’s Slaves. So file it next to Infinite Lucifer for maximal light. Recommended!

Duo work from Mike Connelly of Wolf Eyes and Carlos Giffoni, fucked-up single speaker hypnotics with Giffoni's cycles of almost fluent tongue irradiated by a crust of hard circuits. Comes in cool shrunken video case packaging. Limited.

Second release in Rococo's "Me Gusta Me Gusta" series of subscription-only one-sided LPs presents as killer set of aural pugilism from Spencer Yeh of Burning Star Core and John Olson of Wolf Eyes/Graveyards et al. Hand-numbered edition of 200 copies. Moves from gunky, Dead Machines-style punk electronic wrassle through epic synth/goth peaks that sound like early Tangerine Dream re-scored for Nico performance by Brian Eno, John Cale and Yasunao Tone. Wild.

Live recording of a pre-Basketcase group called Mr Asthma from sometime before 1999, re-worked and edited by Nate Young of Wolf Eyes in 2008. Their sound was more Industrial and junk yard than many of their contemporaries, applying blast furnace walls of feedback and F/X to the clank of metal on metal, hulking rhythms, bowed strings, loops and TG-styled head-hunting horns, all applied with a classic American Tapes-style feel for dislocated drone thunder.

New album from this solo synth/electronics project of Nate Young of Wolf Eyes. Two tracks, one an eerie duo performance from Young and Max Eisenberg recorded live in Detroit 2008, the second a trio set featuring Young, Eisenberg and Twig Harper of Nautical Almanac.

New jams from the duo of Nate Young (Stare Case/Wolf Eyes et al) and David Shettler. They call it ‘new British blues’ but the sound draws more on early Heldon’s combination of propulsive electro/rock dynamics and dark/kosmische synth damage. The drum machines have a lightness of touch that situates them in a parallel universe to Wolf Eyes’ pummelling beats, w/a trippy, psychedelic edge while the keys skirt infinite repeat patterns and nagging two/three note melodies before dissolving in chattering clouds of delay. Aspects of Nurse With Wound and Nord combine to knock the set sideways into an exploratory/surreal Industrial tributary. 

Major long-form statement from Aaron Dilloway of Wolf Eyes et al: over the past decade or so Dilloway has come into his own as one of the masters of tape composition and entropic loop hypnotism. Masterpiece albums like Chain Shot and – especially – Infinite Lucifer have somehow redirected the whole marching band for the end of the world feel of the Albert Ayler Orchestra into virtual, post-noise soundworlds where the noise of collapsing architecture is matched with headhunting horns, insane levels of cracked electricity and flat-lined dead-at-the-wheel drones. Modern Jester represents the absolute apex of this approach. Several years in the making (and with the exception of one track, a completely different release to the cassette of the same name) Modern Jester sees Dilloway using tape loops, percussion, synthesizer, metal, voice and tape F/X to conjure monolithic free form noise blats that combine the early brain-erasing style of Non with the Industrial strength freedom of Borbetomagus and Voice Crack. The by-line on the sleeve reads “Every second of this recording contains subliminal messages” and the jams have a sidereal, opaque appeal, with snatches of chattering vocals and other non-physically locatable sounds leaking like white light from beneath screaming horns and arcs of peaking feedback. But it’s not all about sheet metal memories. There are some truly sublime moments, with sad gasps of semi-erased melody rising and falling with all of the otherworldly beauty of William Basinski’s Disintegration Loops while some of the more, uh, ‘psychedelic’ moments mirror the black nightmare sound of Japanese underground legends Nord. Imagine an orchestra of Cosi Fanni Tutti’s playing Demo Moe’s Demolish NYC through The Grateful Dead’s speaker stack and then playing the whole deal back through a cracked 8-track while doing 90 through a sandstorm and you’re at least close to the kind of ecstatic, overloaded appeal of this remarkable record, one that makes as much sense filed next to John Coltrane’s Live In Japan as it does beside Xenakis’ Bohor or Keiji Haino’s Execration That Accept To Acknowledge. Edition of 500 copies in silkscreened gatefold sleeves. A modern masterpiece, highly recommended!