All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

“New piece from this Ohio based percussionist experimentalist whose collaborated with a buncha folks recently (C.Spencer Yeh, Fossils, etc). One extremely minimal piece of drone, totally acoustic with an insane ending... In Ryans words 'it's all acoustic. Supersonic acoustic sine waves interfering with one another making audible sweeps, etc. It's all just a floor tom. Secret f**kin' ninja jedi mind moves and s**t'... Edition of 80 in gold sprayed and stickered sleeves of painted and stamped sleeves, everyone individual in either maroon, black or white papers...” – BRR.

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Limited edition split LP in a run of 350 copies, each sleeve featuring a unique postcard fixed to the front. Two sides of post-Fahey/Rose instrumental guitar, one from Cam Deas, the other from Spoono aka Jack Allett of Towering Breaker.

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

New limited LP featuring two members of Jazzfinger, Ben Jones and Sarah Sullivan. Based around the application of broken keyboards to extended noise logic, this is a harsher sound than Jazzfinger, with high, screaming circuitry minimally deployed in a way that would bridge the hysterical sound of early Whitehouse with Charlemagne Palestine’s oscillator and electronics work. Paste-on sleeves, edition of 300 copies, with insert.

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Limited album from Starving Weirdos in an edition of 500 copies. Very different from their last few screwed and chopped drone sides, B/P/M is mostly based around the transportive potential of various piano strategies, with the opening track possessed of an aggressive avant garde edge that combines splinters of ivory with sudden percussive thunks. Further strategies include deep-sea key soundings, with haunted melodies bubbling up through an ocean of F/X and some fast, strumming piano minimalism somewhere between John Cale and Charlemagne Palestine before we arrive in more familiar territory with the extended electronic tones of the closer. OOP.

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“Our very first one sided LP, which is a bizarre trip from Michael Curtis Hilde's Mountainhood project. This one follows on from the two LPs on Time Lag's Red Records label a few months back which vanished super fast, as well as other releases on Reverb Worships and Yod. Total outsider midnight missions into weirdness... strange strings twang and rattle into the darkness, a very strange experience spread across one side of black wax. Limited to 320 copies in pro-printed wrap around sleeve featuring art by Michael.” – BRR.

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“Fantastic new LP from Cam Deas, which was issued in a tiny run CDR for his recent euro tour with Jack Allett earlier this year. This is a slightly different release from the previous LP and split LP with Spoono, essentially this is one long improvised acoustic freak-out. Loose frequent and infrequent twangs to pure whirlwinds of aggressive string assaults and finger shredding plucking. This still retains Cam's signature traditional playing somehow, especially the more intense heavier moments. A solid recording. Limited to 500 copies on heavyweight vinyl in pro-printed fold over covers with photography by Cam and printed labels. Pressed at the superb Record Industry in the Netherlands.” – BRR.

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“Debut vinyl release from Natural Snow Buildings' Solange Gularte's solo project, Isengrind. Modlitewnik continues Solange's fantastically far out occult psych-folk-drone trip outs, 12 tracks across the length of this LP, considerably shorter pieces in comparison to her work with Mehdi in Natural Snow Buildings, Isengrind retains a certain amount of the sound of the duo, but it is a whole other beast, in many ways much stranger and darker, but still hauntingly beautiful with some fantastic blissed out vocal drones, dreamy guitars, and psyche soaked dark drone zones. Heavyweight vinyl, housed in a pro-printed full colour fold over sleeve with all 4 panels featuring stunning artwork by Solange, the inside of the cover is especially spectacular. One time pressing of approx 400 copies.” – BR. Long out of print.

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”Meeting of melted minds on this split LP featuring Sheffield based long time local buddies Hunter Gracchus and Germany based performance and musicial duo of Kommissar Hjuler Und Frau (aka Mama Baer). The Hunter Gracchus have released an ever growing catalogue of super well received releases for the likes of Chironex, Golden Lab, Recollections of Knulp and Chocolate Monk. They also collaborated with Part Wild Horses Mane On Both Sides and Chora as Le Drapeau Noir, as well as performing solo and in other fantastic far out acts such as Vampire Blues, Harappian Night Recordings and Blue Yodel, as well as two thirds of the trio running the excellent Singing Knives label and all working full time. I have to admit, I have no idea how they can manage to do all this, pretty damn impressive. Their side is an amazing live recording from La Planta, Argentina entitled 'Mujeres De La Boca', and if you've ever been to their Furniture Makers practice space, it sounds like Hunter Gracchus somehow managed to transport its entire contents of obscure musical objects over there with their perculiar brains to record some of the best live shit they've produced so far... a really great side long free playing improvised weird out with screwed up voices, skronky blurts and freestyle tribal percussion. Kommissar Hjuler Und Frau have been releasing material for quite some time on their own Der Schöne Hjuler-Memorial-Fond label, including a host of obscenely limited CDRs, cassettes and records. On top of that they've found the time release some truly astounding genre blending avant craziness on Ultra Eczema, Scumbag and Blossoming Noise. For this split LP KHJ & F's 'Zwei Einenperson (Pt. 2)', is a manic 22 minute side of avant garde experi-mentalism, with Kommissar Hjuler shredding electric guitar strings and destroying tapes while Mama Baer's insane vocal fluctuate between the erotic and pure demonic screaming. This recording of Kommissar Hjuler und Frau was made in March 2009 when working on the set for the performance of Zwei Eineperson. This was presented live at the vernissage of Mama Baer's and Kommissar Hjuler's exhibition Geteilter Raum at Kunstraum Winterthur, Switzerland on 2nd April 2009. A CD-R with several parts from their work on this set was previously released on their SHMF label in a very small edition. This is the re-issue of part 2 from their recordings, live in their living room. The full performance has been released as a CD-R and DVD in small edition as well. Edition of 500 on heavyweight vinyl with pro printed jackets, and insert.” – BRR. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

”Brand new full length vinyl LP from Natural Snow Buildings' Mehdi Ameziane's solo project. This is the third vinyl release from Twinsistermoon since last summer's The Hollow Mountain LP and Bride of Spirits 7" which were both released on the excellent Dull Knife label. Following on from these two gems, as well as various obscure self released discs and CDs on Digitalis and Students of Decay, Ameziane's sound has grown somewhat darker at times with this brand new LP featuring nearly 50 minutes of new material. The A side features 6 tracks, where as the B side is a huge almost 25 minute track. The opening track 'Black Nebulae' is a gorgeously textured psychedelic drone based piece, followed by a short, quieter, guitar plucked piece with vocals, but no words entitled '1976'. 'Ghost That Was Your Life' is a stunning beautiful layered guitar piece with Ameziane's astounding beautiful vocals shining through. 'Big Sand' opens as one of the darker pieces, with an occult feeling to its sound, swirling vocal drones, almost like a choir at times, and in come those stunning warm and distinctive guitar sounds with layered ghostly sound scapes, that haunt much of Ameziane's solo and NSB recordings. Half way through this track it fades into layered field recordings, drones, and distant chimes, the sound of this track at this point just has a real melancholy vintage sound, the last two minutes are again a change of sound with a slow plucking of guitar strings. 'Desert Prophecy' returns of the sound of just Ameziane and his guitar, with some lo-fi electric riffing distrotion in the background. Its pretty incredible to hear this and think that its from 2010, and not from the 60s or 70s. The sixth and final track on the first side is 'Trailer', another beautiful somewhat lighter folk sound, which is interesting considering the following is the albums title track 'Then The Ashes Fell', a side long track which is a considerably darker and heavier than much of the rest of the LP, but it weaves in some beautiful lighter more reflective moments. Heavyweight vinyl housed in deluxe heavy thick card tip on jackets. Edition of 979.” – BRR. 

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Edition of 500 copies compilation LP with exclusive tracks from Akron/Family, Joanne Robertson & Matthew Ashworth, Wand, Natural Snow Buildings, Married In Berdichev, Moon Duo, The See See and Seadog. Comes with a full colour zine featuring artwork by Jake Blanchard, Pete Fowler, Andrew Rae, Will Sweeney, Sarah King, Olange Gularte, James Trimmer/Mirt and Mat Pringle.

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

“This one's been brewing at BR HQ for quite sometime, due to come out long ago, this beaut of a split is finally seeing light of day. A mutual respect from these two camps brought about what is surely one of this years more interesting releases in the fields of the split vinyl LP. Ben Nash returns after over a year's absence from releasing any solo work, now busy as a full time member of the excellent Chora, we may all be in for a long wait for anymore solo action after this release... but hear we find Ben entering new territory with less of the guitar plucking from previous solo outings, here Ben is heading in a more zoned out psychedelic drone pieces, fluctuating between blissful electric churning, and incredibly dark swarming monoliths, with buried electric guitar bursts, it's quite a new sound for Ben. Unsurprisingly, he comes out on top form, and it's maybe some of the most interesting recordings he's released so far, but it's a far cry from his debut LP for Blackest Rainbow, 'The Seventh Goodbye' back in 2008. Fellow Sheffield heads Cam Deas and Jon Marshall (Hunter Gracchus) accompany Ben on two of his three tracks. Following on from 2 massively excellent LPs for our buddies over at Not Not Fun, Magic Lantern return, with what also might be the last recordings we hear from them for a while too... their two track side opens with a murky wild sounding basement jam 'Mosquito Coast' recorded in 2008, followed by the 15 minute groove of 'Long Way Down', full of heavy organ, slow burning percussion, wild wahs, raw riffing and the occassional chanted vocal this is one heavy piece of stoned blues psyche rock out. 'Long Way Down' was recorded by Bobb Bruno of Goliath Bird Eater / Best Coast back in 2009. Pro-printed sleeves, designed by Cameron Stallones.” – BRR. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Blackest Rainbow have really upped their game recently in terms of presentation, with heavy tip-on sleeves and immaculate slabs of vinyl, and this is a particularly impressive package. White Summer Of Love Dreamer sees Kawabata of Acid Mothers Temple in hypnotic electro-acoustic form, channelling the ghost of his Inui incarnation through travelling finger-picked acoustic guitar, subtle electronic guitar treatments, bouzouki, sarangi, tambura, organ, hurdy-gurdy, field recordings and automatic vocals. Edition of 500 copies. OOP.

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

“Debut LP from this American artist formally known as Outrage Is A Hat. Yantis fuses guitar mediations with a multitude of instruments and noises creating a truly individual sound of the outer limits of American primitive sound... Yantis blurs modern noise experimentation with almost classical musicianship at times. The heavy and minimal are laid to together to create one of the most interesting sounds I’ve heard from a new artist, definitely worth keeping your ear to the ground for more material from Yantis over the course of 2011... Mastered by Pete Swanson. Pressed on virgin vinyl. Issued in an edition of only 100 copies with paste on covers and insert, stamped labels and pressed on heavyweight black virgin vinyl.” – BRR. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Vinyl reissue of Japanese folk spirit Aritomo’s second LP, originally released on his own Hakanairo imprint in a long-gone edition of 200 copies. This edition comes with pro-printed sleeves reproducing the original artwork and a four page booklet on parchment paper. Blooming The Ena sails closer to the soft breeze coming out of the whole Org stable, with weightless acid folk arrangements combining acoustic guitar, bamboo flute, piano and chimes with vocals that come out of the Tori Kudo/Go Hirano/Shinji Shibayama approach to naive psych. Some of the arrangements have the same strange free-floating folk feel as Richard Young’s Jagjaguwar sides, albeit with a more overtly stoned/zoned appeal. If a track from this hadda turned up on one of the early Tokyo Flashback sides this guy would already have been canonised. Recommended.

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

“Debut full length CD release from Jack Allett, formerly known as Spoono, who previously had a CDR on Blackest Rainbow followed by a split LP with Cam Deas, and a 7" on The Great Pop Supplement. Jack also plays with Ben Knight (Helhesten) in the duo Towering Breaker. This debut waxer is a fine introduction to one of the UK's most interesting solo guitarists. Jack blends sublime finger picking with swirling drones and psychedelic static to create a sound that is very much his own. A must for fans of acoustic guitar music from the past few years, Jack could well be one of the most interesting players there is at the moment.” – BRR. 

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CD edition of what was originally a limited cassette album from Christina Carter. It feels like we have been pretty much constantly drooling over new Christina releases of late but she seems to be in the middle of one of the most creatively-accelerated phases of her career right now and Texas Blues Working is yet another monster in a dazzling run of blats. This one matches choirs of overdubbed voice soaked in a ton of mystery and F/X over electric guitar shapes that move from knotty, almost Jandekian chord puzzles through lucid single-note heartbreak that feels closest to Loren Connors amazing form circa Hells Kitchen Park or Keiji Haino's recent midnight loop work. But it's the vocals that really grab you by the back of the neck, with supernaturally mournful wordless cries echoing through deep space and lucid sunbursts of west coast-style psychedelic oblivion (something of Jefferson Airplane circa After Bathing At Baxters/Volunteers) carved into some of the most emotionally barren and personally spooked song forms. Haunting and unforgettable, another masterpiece from Christina. Already sold out at source. Highly recommended!

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Been a awhile since we checked in with Owl Xounds and this is a great place to re-connect. Here Owl Xounds feature two double bassist, Gene Janas and Shayna Duzberger, alongside Adam Kriney on drums and Mario Rechtern on saxophone and electronics and the resultant omni-directional tonal/rhythmic weave is fairly mind-boggling. Rechtern can really wail on the saxophone with an attack that is almost of Brotzmann dimensions while Kriney’s cracking snare work gives the music a pugilistic edge that allow both bassists to bend way the hell out of shape. This is classic punk primitive free jazz that’s not afraid to get its head bloodied. “BR worked with Adam Kriney of La Otracina and Owl Xounds on the Owl Xounds/Family Battle Snake split cassette back in May 2007, and its great to have this raging free jazz improv psyche out bunch back on Blackest Rainbow again for this awesome LP. 'Splintered Visions' was recorded back in February 2007, and has been torn from the archives of some of the wildest jams put to tape. This time round the group is in a quartet zone with Kriney on drums, Gene Janas on upright bass, Mario Rechtern on saxophones, electronics and devices, and Shayna Dulberger on upright bass. That's right, TWO upright bass shredders! All the wild instrumentation laid down blazes to the sky, getting mightier and mightier, everything wildly bright and energetic, this LP will rage through your psychosis like nothing else!  Housed in equally insane psychedelic hippy techi-colour sleeves designed by the one and only Jefferson Mayday Mayday Vimana. The vision on this one (both visually and sonically) is outta this world! Pressed on virgin vinyl and limited to 250 copies.” – BRR. 

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Follow-up to this great trio’s Sagittarius A-Star LP: Acid Birds features Charles Waters on alto sax, bass clarinet and clarinet, Jaime Fennelly on harmonium and electronics and Andrew Barker on drums, percussion and cello. The sound takes elements of wall-destroying free jazz and welds it to a black backbone that mixes tar-thick electronics, enormous bottom end drones and heavenly harmonium to conjure the kind of ritualistic wipe-out of the Hermann Nitsch Orchestra. Elsewhere the vertical take-offs of shredded reed and singing circuitry mirrors the arc of Steve Lacy’s collaborations with MEV while minting a form of improvisation that is as dense as it is fleet and ferocious. Pretty fantastic. 500 copies on 140g vinyl. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Haunting series of guitar/drone/choral vocal navigations from the duo of Jefre Cantu-Ledesma and William Trevor Montgomery. This debut LP covers a bunch of ground but hews fairly closely to the minimal Charalambides/Metal Rouge/Barn Owl approach to psychedelic satori with hovering Fripp tones and beautiful choral drones that could’ve come straight out of the Popol Vuh songbook up against epically sad melodies and a cinematic feel that is totally captivating. Throw in some extended/ecstatic Japanese psych moves and you got the perfect prescription. Pressed on 140g virgin vinyl, this one sounds amazing too. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Edition of 300 copies collaboration LP between avant English Primitive guitarist Cam Deas and Jack Allett of Towering Breaker. Here Deas further expands on the radical guitar deconstruction of Quadtych, playing in a fractured, extended style while falling back on snatches of baroque folk melody while Allett works with live processing. The sound moves from weird allusive shadowplay through heavy feedback drones to explosive, triumphal electronics with vertically ascending sunburst tones illuminating the very insides of the guitar. Pretty great. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Much-anticipated deluxe reissue of the most talked-about and terminally unavailable release from Mehdi Amezianes of Natural Snow Buildings’ solo Twinsistermoon project. Originally released as a handmade self-released CD-R in an edition of approximately nada in 2007, originals now change hands for big money and it has gathered a reputation as *the* Twinsistermoon release. It’s hard to argue. The set ranges from the stunning opener, “I Wish I Could Drown The World In Reverberation” that marries Rossi-era Ash Ra Tempel-isms to breathless vox and huge walls of shimmering soft-focus F/X through classic space whisper-style acid folk w/depth enough to drown in complete with classic acoustic/guitar shape shifting ala your favourite pastoral late-60s/early-70s stone and imagery that would make Jean Rollin blush. Additionally, this issue comes with a bonus track exclusive to the CD edition. Run of 500 copies. Recommended. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

New duo jams from Chris Forsyth of Peeesseye and Koen Holtcamp of Mountains. Guitar/synth jams that comes across like a more sci-fi addled Rother/Dinger face-off, with flat-lined motorik grooves, cosmo synth and the kind of progressive avant/garage string burn previously favoured by Heldon. Edition of 500 copies. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Bewitching new solo LP from Solange Gularte aka one half of French acid folk experimentalists Natural Snow Buildings. Night Of Raining Fire comes adorned with Solange’s weird post-Darger cartoon artwork that serves to underlines the overall “Lost Girls” atmosphere. The sonics are beautiful, somewhere between Hosianna Mantra-era Popol Vuh, the sunbleached acid folk of Linda Perhacs and the haunted European exploitation soundtracks of the late Jean Rollin, with an impossibly ancient and otherworldly atmosphere. Plus the album really *sounds* great, with lush raga/drones hovering over distant blurs of reverb and singing up-front strings while Solange’s vocals melt all over them. Gorgeous. Edition of 500 copies. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

Bit of a departure for Ben Nash whose solo work and collaborations with Chora have tended towards the free/folk side of things: Oh Lordy Me! focuses on his recent experiments with computer editing, a series of oscillating drone works that bloom into all sorts of austere digital shapes while mirroring the arc of his earlier work in the way that they use a reductive musical palette to suggest the contours of infinite landscapes, w/aspects of Terry Riley’s Poppy Nogood visions translated to laptop software: “I recorded this new full-length record during downtime from playing with Chora and after a long break from recording any solo music. Having become somewhat disillusioned with the process of overdubbing conventional “physical” instruments repeatedly in my solo work I have spent a lot of time experimenting with different ways of inputting, manipulating and arranging sound electronically, both in a variety of computer based environments and also using an Apple iPad. This release is the first in a series that will document these experiments. All sounds on the album stem from and are sequenced within Yamaha’s TNR-I app with some minimal mix processing in Logic.” - Ben Nash. Edition of 250 copies.

New project from guitarist Steve Gunn, a member of GHQ alongside Marcia Bassett: Central Living is the duo of Gunn and Manuel Padding. Padding provides electronic accompaniment to Gunn’s guitar, birthing a hybrid of American Primitive string-think and otherworldly tone poetry. The A side sees Gunn playing in a beautiful cascading style while Padding dissolves tones in coronas of translucent F/X. The flip is a little wilder, with Gunn working a striking almost Bola Sete-inflected melody between high feedback tones before the pair settle into an ominous deep drone piece illuminated by shards of steel string. Indeed, this beautiful side feels closer to the experimental aesthetic of John Fahey circa Days Have Gone By/Voice Of The Turtle than any pale Guitar Soli copyist, factoring in aspects of 20^th century avant gardisms as well as a minimal, compositional aesthetic. Play this back-to-back with the last Glenn Jones album for an object lesson in the contemporary vectors of modern string thought. Edition of 300 copies on virgin vinyl. Comes with a download. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

“Transparent Winter follows on from the debut release on the always excellent Time-Lag label and releases on the equally great PSF, Opax and A Silent Place. Painting Petals On Planet Ghost is the trio of Ramona Ponzini with Roberto & Maurizio Opalio (aka My Cat Is An Alien). Here they return for a new full length vinyl release on Blackest Rainbow. PPOPG create some wonderfully fragile and unusual experiments that fall somewhere between folk, psychedelia and drone. Ramono Ponzini sings in Japanese as well as contributing 'furin, metal and wooden japanese wind chimes'. These are combined with Maurizio Opalio on acoustic guitar, and Roberto Opalio on 'mini keyboard, bodhran, alientronics, and wordless vocalizations'. The trio's eclectic setup helps them create some truly luscious and mysterious music that is perfectly fragile, strange, distant and delicate. 'Mars Appears' is a hazy dream piece with layered guitars, strange electronics and Ramono's perfectly delivered Japanese vocals drawing the listener in surrounded by a strange but perfect fitting created by the Opalio brothers musical output. 'The Mountain' is equally as otherworldy as the previous sides track, with swirling strings and out of this world electronics created by Roberto and Maurizio. Whilst Ramona's vocal are almost delivered in a trance like state. A extremely beautiful record with a gorgeous organic feel to it. The record is housed in a sleeve featuring film photographs of flowers. Edition of 250 copies pressed on 140gram virgin vinyl.” – BRR. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

“'Alive' is the first vinyl outing from Keith Wood's Hush Arbors since his split 7" with Jerusalem and the Starbaskets on The Great Pop Supplement back in 2008. This double LP set comprises of two live recordings from Hush Arbors, the first being 'Live, Heeley Institute, Sheffield, England' which was infact the first release on Blackest Rainbow back in 2007, it was released in an edition of 101 copies on CDR. Finally this is out on vinyl, as it really is a fantastic set of Keith and his acoustic guitar playing what was one of the best venues that was frequently used here in Sheffield, so many great performances went down there (remember MV & EE's set from there that Singing Knives released?), and Keith's really was a great night. The second LP is 'Live from Kittery, Maine', a set from 12th February 2011. A whole different sound to Hush Arbors with this one. Keith is joined by Jason Ajemian and John Moloney (Sunburned Hand of the Man). Keith's sound has developed from the loner psyche folk of his earlier records and 'Heeley' to a more bourbon soaked country rock out vibe. 'Alive' is a fantastic example of two great, yet very different, performances the ever changing Hush Arbors. Pressed on heavyweight virgin vinyl and housed in a gatefold jacket, edition of 350 copies.” – BRR. 

All proceeds from the sale of this release will go to Tom Carter. Read more about the appeal here: http://www.volcanictongue.com/tomcarterappeal

"Solo material from Aidan Baker, one of the most prolific musicians recording at the moment, Aidan creates such a wide array of musical sound its hard to keep track, not only does he perform as part of the fantastic Nadja, as well as in projects such as ARC, and collaborating with other luminaries such as Tim Hecker, he releases a whole host of solo material. This new solo record is really something, pulling together all the genres he works in, fusing heavy drones, with broken drums beats, buried vocals, dreamy ambient manoeuvres, and moments referring to post rock build across the two twenty plus minute tracks on this new recording. Baker's genre blending somehow builds a sound that somehow sounds delicate and beautiful, but also at times sounds gloomy and melancholy. Plague of Fantasies is a rare vinyl release from Aidan Baker. Pressed on virgin vinyl in an edition of only 300 copies." - BR

“Totally killer new cassette box set compilation from Matthew Valentine and Erika Elder in an edition of only 180 copies with a bunch of line-ups which brings the MV&EE live archive right up to date: the set functions as a ‘best-of’ with four complete shows from the period between where last year’s Suub Duub Tour left off to the current Spacetime~Spacemind Tour.  The recordings themselves have been done via matrix mixes and the quality is as good as the best Heroine recordings.  The line-ups are suitably varied, featuring the Toasted Clam (Rongoose and John Mo’lo) on one set and various Golden Road line-ups including two with the Home Comfort wing (Rongoose and Smokehound) and one with the Herb Comfort wing (Matt Lajoie and Smokehound).  In fact these sets are notable for the recorded debut of Smokehound Carson on drums which is a masterful addition to the Golden Road sound.  There’s a subtle deftness of touch to his playing which brings a great energy to the performances.  At times the interplay of the rhythm section (whether with Rongoose or Herbcraft) is so fluid and organic in a real tight but loose type style that it touches on electric 70s Miles in places, underpinning some massively extended jams of wildman psychedelic blues from MV who sounds like he’s possessed by the ghost of “Wobbly Hall”.  There are some serious improvised passages on this one with the sets running from 48 to 79 minutes.  There is considerable variation in the choice of tracks making this feel like your desert discs of your 4 favourite Heroines.  Combined with a fantastic booklet and the usual great presentation from Blackest Rainbow this is a seriously great set.  Perhaps it’s because there haven’t been any Heroines for a while but I can’t remember enjoying listening to a bunch of MV&EE sets in as long and it’s definitely my favourite MV&EE tape box set on Blackest Rainbow so far.  For the COMpletists the set highlights, rare tracks, etc. covered briefly below in chronological order:

Meals Pot Amia (Highlawn House Party, Brattleboro, VT 22/9/11)

Set from a random run of shows between the Suub Duub and Number of Number tours in the fall / winter of 2011: picking up where from the Suub Duub Box Set (COM 37) left off, this one features the Toasted Clam.  Set opens with “Flow My Ray” with the highlight being the extended guitar solo from MV featuring some beautiful phrasing in his playing.  Throughout the set there are some really intricately phrased passages from MV offset against monoliths of Hunter S. Thompson Benzedrine-fuelled walls of Tokyo-style guitar shredding later in the sets.  Next up is “Crash Palace of Records” which features a great extended space FX guitar solo which gives way to “Crash Space” – an amazing Dark Star-era atmospheric jam with some great jazz-like bass runs from Rongoose.  This segues into “Jam” which sounds like your favourite interstellar space guitar jam and will have you reaching for the stratosphere.   The remainder of the set is a massive passage around “Tea Devil” (featuring the uncredited “Tea Jam”) into “Environments”, with the sort of elongated jams of dysfunctional blues that seem to turn themselves inside out that only the Toasted Clam are capable of delivering.  Set finishes with “Fire on the Mountain” into house party closer “Freight Train”.

Vegas Booyah (First Unitarian Church, Burlington, VT 29/1/12)

Following the 3-weekend residency at the Zebulon Sessions this was the first show proper of the year and is notable as the recorded live debut of Smokehound Carson on drums: set opens with “Crash Palace of Records” with again, an amazing electro space FX guitar solo from MV.  Next up is “Crow Jane Environs” with another beautifully phrased solo mixed with eerie oscillating atmospherics courtesy of Smokehound who drops some serious space FX, vibes and traps on this one. This has really developed from the more Albion-folk version from the April Flower tour.  Next is a version of “The Burden” – previous versions had a country flavour but with Smokehound’s drumming this is re-invented a folk-rock stomp which could have come off Fifth Dimension.  Next is the set’s opus, a mind-blowing passage which goes “Tea Devil > Hammer > Jam > Easy Livin’”.  This is the sort of jam with MV guitar shredding over a sort of 70s Miles groove that will have you salivating and coming back to time and time again – you need to hear this.  Set closes with “Get Right Church”.

Townie Tumbleweeds (Headroom Stages, Brattleboro, VT 10/3/12)

Another random show from during the period of rehearsals for the upcoming Spacetime~Spacemind tour and just before the release of Space Homestead: this one features the Home Comfort wing again and is a massive set clocking in at around 79 minutes.  This one opens with “Flow My Ray” and “Crash Palace of Records” with more of those space FX atmospherics during the uncredited “Crash Space”.  The set’s highlight is again two massive passages which go “Hammer > Space Blues > Crow Jane Environs” and “Environments > Sublime Jam > Tea Devil > Jam  > Common Ground”.  This is absolutely mind-blowing and again worth the entry fee alone.  Far too many highlights from the epic lysergic possessed guitar shredding on “Hammer” to the crazy Dark Star-era psychedelic blues of “Space Blues” to the cosmic space FX intro of “Crow Jane” to the atmospheric vibes and tabla drums on “Environments” – you need to hear this!  Notable for the first inclusion of material from Space Homestead with a real transcendental version of “Common Ground” during the come down.  Set closes again with “Get Right Church”.

Jettison Awareness (The Whitehaus, Jamaica Plain, MA 12/5/12)

Bringing us right up to date with a set from the Spacetime~Spacemind tour: this one features a line-up with Herbcraft on bass and Smokehound on drums.  The combination of the rhythm section on this is just as electrifying and overall this set has a real kinda basement jam feel to it – again clocking in at 66 minutes. Set starts with “Crash Palace of Records” but is then notably different with a significant amount of material from the latest album, running through “Shit’s Creek” and “Leaves” into “Common Ground”.  The highlight being the Crazy Horse-style epic slow blues of “Leaves” with a monolithic guitar jam that will have you peeling yourself from the walls.  “Common Ground” again has that transcendental quality with some delightful wah-wah infused playing from MV.  The material from Space Homestead was always going to lend itself to some extended live jams and this is no more notable than on this set with some amazing variation and phrasing in MV’s playing.   A further jam of “Tea Devil > Environments > Wandering Nomad” seals the deal.  This features an incredible four-way vocal passage on Tea Devil with Smokehound laying down some tom-infused tribal drums as the mojo is rising.  Also notable for never before live version of “Wandering Nomad” from Barn Nova which has a real trashed basement / garage feel landing somewhere between The Standells and Crazy Horse.  Set closes with a hilarious shout out for “Best It Ever Was” (GPS33 7”) which somehow results in a primitive cover version of the Beatles “I’m Only Sleeping”.  

Overall, a mind-blowing box set covering four really varied sets.  Dig the reference to the Grateful Dead Europe Tour ’72 maestro in the title.  With all the shows played ‘locally’ in or around Brattleboro something about the cover art which I imagine to be the sun rising over the hills of Vermont seems to typify the ‘Home Comfort’ vibe perfectly.  This is a great one from Blackest Rainbow, it comes with a free download and is highly recommended.” – Andrew Ross. 

Edition of 400 copies 180g vinyl LP from Justin Wright’s always brain-razzing one-man psychedelic juggernaut: recorded at the same basement session that birthed the title track on 2011’s Hovering Resonance, this once more sees Wright unaccompanied, jamming on electric guitar, synth and analog drum machine with the controls set firmly for the heart of the sun. All tracks are freely improvised, moving from slow-burning keyboard zones that combine the kinda slow-motion levitations of early Popol Vuh with an eerie/spooked nocturnal aspect that is closer to some of the European post-Industrial/minimal synth cells or Conrad Schnitzler’s colour coded run of LPs. When the drum machine kicks in the Euro guerrilla/street-fighting cyborg style comes into full effect, forsaking the kosmische stylings for the kind of dark guitar/synth avant punk of Fripp & Eno and Heldon.

New full-length album from Belgium’s Eva Van Deuren aka Orphan Fairytale in an edition of 400 copies on 180g vinyl: both sides of the sleeve go down as my favourite cover snaps of the year, with the rear showing Eva dosed in a field of magic mushrooms while looking like she has escaped from some weirdo John Nathan Turner-era Doctor Who episode complete with handmade Kinda-style snakes being a particular stone. The music is just as transportive and odd, with an evocative neverland quality to Eva’s accruing accumulations of toy instruments, keyboards and unknown tongue. Eva’s logic is minimalist and very simple yet the effect is uniquely mesmerising, with repeating rhythmic cells of almost nursery rhyme melodies and music box tones gradually developing psychoactive intent, to the point that the sleeve actually starts to make sense and visions of giant toadstools and tiny girls doing handstands in the forest combine with the kind of yearningly sad atmospherics of the best of the Valerie & Her Week Of Wonders soundtrack to birth one of the most magical repeat-spins to come out of the ever-fertile Belgian underground. Some of the sound sources and arrangements are comparable to early Pauline Oliveros or Terry Riley but the overall feel is of a profoundly DIY soundworld populated by animated cartoon characters that leave ghostly afterimages behind them, afterimages that Eva treats with gloopy F/X and looped phrases to the point of hallucination. A classic modern minimalist side with a profoundly affecting out-of-time atmosphere. Highly recommended. 

Edition of 250 copies 180g vinyl LP from UK guitarist/droner/electronic experimentalist Ben Nash: Nash’s last LP turned a bunch of heads with his turn to heady/organic electronic drones and The Mineral Victim seems informed by those experiments while incorporating the more zoned guitar experiments of his earlier work. Nash has been playing as part of a trio recently with Solange and Mehdi of Natural Snow Buildings and if this is anything to go by then the results should be pretty spectacular. Here Nash sets up endless singing/angel vox drones that are pure Cosmic Couriers and then he threads it with stunning starlit electric guitar work, spraying epic peaks of triumphal fuzz and arcs of lucid melodies against luminous peaking keyboards. If Walter Wegmuller hadda cut Tarot in a Japanese basement instead of the Swiss Mountains then this is what it might have sounded like. Massively impressive and highly recommended, coloured vinyl copies from the sub-edition of 100 copies available from VT while stocks last.