ectoplasm girls

ECTOPLASM GIRLS - SEXODROME by iDEAL Recordings

Ectoplasm Girls is the musical project of artist Nadine Byrne and her sister. Dark musical tunes on death and dreams. Their lp TxN is out now on Ideal Recordings

200 years

200 Years is Elisa Ambrogio from Magik Markers and Ben Chasny Six Organs from Admittance. Not much more to say, just listen!

amen dunes: for all

chicaloyoh

Chicaloyoh (Alice Dourlen) has a new 7" called Les Fantômes sortent des racines out now on Tamed records. This french girl builds dark and beautiful pyschedelic songs and music, inspired by Nico, drone, and dark psychedelic. I hope a full length will follow soon!

In my garden shed (extrait) by Chicaloyoh

krautrock - the rebirth of germany

A documentary about german cosmic music broadcasted few years ago on BBC 4.

john wiese: seven of wands

A new cd by John Wiese, Seven of Wands will be released on Pan Act recordings (Bill Kouligas's label). The prolific noise artist has been active for quite some years now and has collaborated with such musicians as Sunn O))), Matmos, Smegma...

amen dunes: through donkey jaw

I can't stop listening to this record. Amen Dunes is the project of Damon McMahon, a musician now living in New York. His music is quite intoxicating, subtle and dreamy. The first references that come in mind is certainly Syd Barrett but also The Velvet Underground and for some titles, post punk weirdness.

Not A Slave

pete swanson

A new record by Pete Swanson (Yellow Swans) will be released soon on Type. (info found on Root Strata)

the skull defekts: 2013-3012

A new ep by The Skull Defekts will be released in november via Thrill Jockey. The band has collaborated with an ex Lungfish member again, after joining forces with Daniel Higgs for their last album. This time, they have recorded with Asa Osborne (Zomes) three new songs. Listen to an extract here:

Childrenerdlihc (extract)

hive mind: elemental disgrace

The monolithic sound of Hive Mind (Greh Holger) comes back with Elemental Disgrace out now on Spectrum Spools.

Elemental Disgrace II (extract)

three legged race

Besides creating amazing visuals, mostly for covers, Robert Beatty (Hair Police, Burning Star Core) also has time to elaborate beautiful and dark synth music. You can listen to his whole discography (released on Night People, NNA tapes, Arbor, Mountaain, What The...? Records, Tone Filth...) here.

annapurna illusion: life is an illusion

This is the new Annapurna Illusion, Life Is An Illusion out on Rocket Recordings. AI is High Wolf's darkest project, the prolific french musician. Great modern kosmische music!
Extract (Album Sampler by Rocket Recordings)

shelter press

Kaugummi books, the independent publishing company announced to stop his activities few months ago. Since then, they have moved to Brussels and have opened Shelter press. Check their blog too!

disappears: superstition

Great song from the album Guider out on Kranky records. Krautrock, noise, postrock intertwining to create an energetic sound.

pulse emitter & brizbomb

For the lucky ones who will be in Paris tonight, Pulse Emitter is part of a show at Instants Chavirés with Non Horse and Jason Lescalleet.

tim hecker

We should all listen to Tim Hecker when it's sunny outside.

sun araw & high wolf jam!

SA // HW \\ SA
shrine time

circuit des yeux

Circuit des Yeux Portrait is one of the most beautiful record of 2011. Haley Fohr plays a dark and beautiful folk, influenced by blues, no-wave and folk musicians. The video for 3311 has been directed by Robert Beatty, the visual artist and musician (Hair Police...). Portrait has been released on De Stijl records.

lee noble: horrorism

This is an extract from Lee Noble's last full length Horrorism on Bathetic records. This album is a collection of dark, lo-fi drone almost mixed with pop songs.

wooden shjips: lazy bones

Video created by the members of Black Dice for Lazy Bones from the last Wooden Shjips album.

sic alps was here (... suite)

sic alps was here

Sic Alps live at Emporium Galorium, Rouen. Photo by Patrice Vibert.

sic alps: european tour and new 7"

Sic Alps is currently on tour in Europe. They will be in France next week. Check the tour dates here. In addition to that, a new 7" will be released at the end of september on Drag City.

charalambides: exile

I am really happy to learn the return of Tom and Christina Carter as Charalambides. Exile will be out on Kranky soon.

Before You Go

le révélateur

Le Révélateur is Roger Tellier-Craig, a Montreal based musician who has played with Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Fly Pan Am. The name comes probably from the 1968 movie by Philippe Garrel. The three pieces from Fictions (out now on Gneiss Things) are beautiful synth music with such quality, that makes him directly stands alongside ARP, Jefre Cantu Ledesma...

Bleu Nuit

bardo pond

Bardo Pond was one of my favourite band in the 90's and still is. I think this band has been underrated for too long because of their independence and use of feedback, noise and esoterism. Nevertheless, they have influenced a lot of major bands such as Mogwai, Gospeed You! Black Emperor. They recently released a self titled album on Fire records and they will play in october at the ATP festival in England and in Paris for the BBmix festival alongside Skull Defekts.

pulse emitter

The music of Daryl Groetsch is one of the best example oh how synth music has to sound. Organic, mysterious and dark (or deep if you prefer). There is so much synth music nowadays (Emeralds, Oneohtrix Point Never, Stellar Om Source...) emerging from the noise scene, and Pulse Emitter is certainly one his most suitable representative. His latest album Spiritual Vistas has been released this year from Cylindrical Habitat Modules and Expansive (his own label). Pulse Emitter will be on tour in Europe this fall.

tomutonttu

Jan Anderzen seems quite busy these days. After releasing split records with Our Love Will Destroy The World (Don't Fuck with Magic) and Astral Social Club (Tipped Bowler), the finnish musician has released Elavanä Planeetalla on New Images and a one side LP on Beniffer Editions. Listen some extracts here:

Extract 1
Extract 2

low: route du rock 2011

One of the most beautiful show I've ever seen. Under the rain, Low gave the audience a perfect and intense spectacle with a good set-list and an excellent sound.
Watch the concert here: Low à la Route du Rock

wooden shjips: black smoke rise

rawraw edizioni

A dipper grip by Frédéric Fleury

Rainforest #7 by High Wolf.

I've already talked about Rawraw on this blog. So I won't say anything else, just go and check their website to look at their beautiful zines.

implodes: marker

Appropriate music for this dark and sad day here in Normandy. Implodes are from Chicago and they released Black Earth few months ago via kranky records, mixing post rock, shoegaze, ambiance and drone with success.

the common people

There is not much information about this american band. I learn that the band recorded Of the people/by the people/for the people from in 1969 and David Axelrod was supposed to be the producer. Unfortunately, he helped them on the first three tracks due to financial problems with Capitol, the record company, which obviously make this album a failed chef d'oeuvre. Because it's almost impossible to make no difference between these orchestrated songs from the rest of the album. Anyway, it is still a great psychedelic pop record.

sic alps: breadhead

Drag City has announced the release of a Sic Alps 7" in august. 4 new songs as short as usual for the band who will be touring in Europe at the end of the summer.
Two extracts below:
Breahead
Can't you see

charalambides

back to the 90s

angel olsen

Dark beautiful haunting folk music. You can find Angel Olsen's 12" on Bathetic records.

sun araw: ancient romans

The new Sun Araw record, Ancient Romans will be released this summer as a 2xLP. You can listen to the first extract on his website. Amazing as usual. Besides, Sun Araw (Cameron Stallone) has collaborated with Eternal Tapestry on a 45-minutes jam out in july on Thrill Jockey records.Here is an extract:
Sun Araw/Eternal Tapestry III

a selection of movies

Il Deserto Rosso by Michelangelo Antonioni released in 1964. The original score (electronic experimentations) has been composed by Giovanni Fusco who was the man behind most of Antonioni's films

Zabriskie Point by Michelangelo Antonioni released in 1970. The soundtrack is composed of songs by Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, John Fahey...

Road to Salina by Georges Lautner in 1970. Music by Clinic (a 70's pop band), Christophe (the french singer) and Bernard Gerard.

le révélateur: bleu nuit (video by sabrina ratté)

Excellent music by Le Révélateur who is one the greatest drone maker now. The beautiful video is the work of Sabrina Ratté. This video artist creates amazing ethereal and retro videos.

Few days ago, I had the pleasure to organise a show here in Rouen (France) with some really great artists. The first act was Prairie Litière. Besides having a weird name, the french noise duo had completely blown the audience's mind with a noise and uncompromising set, reminding me Yellow Swans and such noise makers, which was really good. The second act was Chicaloyoh. Alice Dourlen gave us a beautiful and dark moment of psychedelia. Mesmerizing! And finally High Wolf who delivered an amazing trance-like, multi layered journey to imaginary landscapes, to make a long story short, it was brilliant. Thanks to everybody for that great evening/night, specially Alice, Max, Bertrand, Baptiste and Paul. I hope to have some photos soon.

night people

Night People is one of the best label right now (in my opinion). NP is home of psychedelic, noise, lo-fi, dubby, pop, garage and really fresh music today. Having released tapes and records by a bunch of talented artists such as Wet Hair, Terror Bird, Peaking Lights, Tyvek, Naked on the Vague, Three Legged Race, Robedoor, Daughters of the Sun, Circuit Des Yeux, Sleep Over, Rene Hell, Smycken, etc... All of these beautifully packaged (all the sleeves are screenprinted and designed) by the boss Shawn Reed (Wet Hair, Raccoo-oo-oon...). You can download here a free Night People comp and watch a new song by Wet Hair via Impose magazine.

high wolf / annapurna illusion

High Wolf and his alter ego Annapurna Illusion have just released a split on Group Tightener. High Wolf is very prolific, experimenting a lot under various names, you can't miss him and it is getting better and better. He will play this spring in Europe, so if you can, catch him live.

grouper: alien observer

Extract from Grouper (Liz Harris) new album A/A out on her label Yellow Electric.

daniel swan

Daniel Swan is a young british graphic designer, working throught video, drawings, internet... He is currently part of an exhibition The New Psychedelia at MU gallery in Eindhoven which shows works by a new generation of artists redifining the aesthetics of psychedelia. Daniel Swan shows also his artworks (tapes, dvds, fanzines) via his website.

news from not not fun

Wet Hair Radiant Lines


Apart from appearing on the front cover of a music magazine, Not Not Fun have released the latest 7" by Dylan Ettinger, Lion Of Judah and an artbook/7" by Wet Hair. Both of them look great. Dylan Ettinger follows his way into melancholic dubby synth-pop and Wet Hair gives us two hypnotising drums/synth tracks like they use to. NNF still is one my favourite records label now.

pwrshare.info

Hanna Terese Nilsson and Rasmus Emanuel Svensson have launched a new website pwrshare.info which is the digital version of pwr paper. I talked about it a month ago. In their own words: "PWRSHARE.INFO is a data haven, content farm and file-sharing site." It works like a virtual gallery showing radical artists from Goodiepal, Aaron Graham or Brenna Murphy, most of them exploring the possibilities of technology to create through various means (internet, sculpture, music...).

high wolf: a guide to healing

The french one man band High Wolf returns with this 7" of trance-like and hypnotic music fueled by indian influences on Bathetic records. I can guarantee you it will turn your brain upside down. Listen to an extract here and enjoy:
High Wolf Free your energy field

gang gang dance: mind killa

Like everybody else I post this video but I just truly like their sounds and visuals since years. This video was directed by Shoji Goto (Boredoms), who has also realised a video for OOIOO in 2OO7. Mind killa is an extract from Gang Gang Dance next album.

le révélateur, jefre cantu-ledesma and ali_fib gigs one last show

Jefre Cantu-Ledesma (Root Strata, The Alps...) and Le Révélateur will play this month in Paris (France) for what sadly seems to be the ultimate Ali_fib gigs show for some time. You can hear some tracks here:

Le Révélateur Arco Naturale
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma Stained Glass Body

grouper

I've always loved Grouper (Liz Harris) but I haven't had the pleasure to see her live. Her albums are really great, from Way Their Crept to her last one Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill. This is haunting, dark and strange music. The video is an amazing live performance recorded this year.

yoshi sodeoka: psychedelic death vomit (slight return) 3d

Amazing video by Yoshi Sodeoka, a visual artist and mucisian. This video was made with the anaglyph technique. This is really crazy. Go here for more.

wet hair: in vogue spirit

This is an extract from the next Wet Hair album In Vogue Spirit on De Stijl records. Wet Hair was formed by Shawn Reed and Ryan Garbes. The noise duo seems to get closer to lighter, almost danceable and hypnotic tunes. In addition, Shawn Reed who is also a graphic designer, responsible for album artworks on his own record label Night People, expose his work with the Montreal based artists Seripop in the canadian city this month.

moon duo: mazes video

2.0.0.1.2.0.1.1.

A short cosmic journey. Find more about the visual artist Julien Brunet here.

total life: maximum pleasure

Total Life is the side project of Kevin Doria from Growing, the drone/noise duo, recently a trio. Total Life is a noisier experimental project. In 2008, Kevin Doria's Ken Bradshaw was a collage of Pet Shop Boy samples. You can listen to this here and buy it at Social Registry'shop.

robert beatty: record covers, videos, three legged race, hair police...

A member of the noise band Hair Police, Robert Beatty has also created amazing artworks for Burning Star Core, Birds of Delay, Infinity Window (Daniel Lopatin of Oneohtrix Point Never and Taylor Richardson) and has realised videos through Resonant Hole, his own label. Check this out! Everything he has done is really good. He also plays under the name Three Legged Race. His new tape is available at NNA tapes.

rene hell: the terminal symphony

Jeff Witscher (rene hell) has been around for some time now, collaborating with Night People, Yellow Swans... The terminal symphony is his latest album and certainly his most accomplished piece of work. A really beautiful electronic and haunting album which would open the doors of a new world. It 's out now through Type records.

beko: digital singles label

Mp3s downloads are now the norm for any kind of label but few are only digital. This is one of them and a good one. The french label Beko allows you to download singles by various bands from around the world. French ones such as Archers by the Sea, Folle Eglise, Chicaloyoh, The Dreams, The Feeling of Love, Splash Wave but also Glass Graves, Hooray!, Wild Safari from the US... Moreover, it is free!!!

pwr paper

Last edition of PWR paper published by Hanna Terese Nilsson and Rasmus Emanuel Svensson. They both are visual artists who work on books, zines, illustrations and objects. I have talked here about the musical output of Rasmus Svensson, Smycken released by labels such as Night People and Release the Bats. They also work on an object-based project, circle.