Aether Everywhere is pround to announce a new release by Nuda Veritas, “Still Lives”

Download it here!

Arklight – “Aphasia” ( Grimeology Records/GRM012)

One of Grimeology Records latest releases comes from Arklight, a four-piece noise rock group from Queens, NY.  The 50-minute album is named “Aphasia” a term referring to “the loss of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language”.

The album opens with a track called “Killing My Name, I Cannot Go Forth”, a noise-rock jam that is reminiscent of early Sonic Youth, back in their grittier No-Wave days.  The track takes a bit to hit its stride, meandering around some warm up riffs mingling with lo-fi tape hiss.  About two minutes in, the guitar and drums start to meld into a coherent, if monotonous, rhythm.   The track seems excessively long (a lack of editing is this album’s greatest downfall), though it has its moments.

The next track, “By Dint of the Sun’s Plastic Attack”, takes on a very different feel.  Opening with some heavy rhythmic drumming (almost black metal beats), the track takes on a sense of cohesion must faster than the opener, introducing a phased guitar and some noise textures early on.  Chanted vocals also make a presence, though they could have been a bit more prominent in the mix. Again, this track suffers from a lack of editing, sounding more like a practice session than a true composition.  It’s a shame too, because when this track hits its stride (namely the 7:00-8:00 section), it shows tremendous potential.

“Campbell’s Militia” follows, with grinding, crumbling drum beats and punkish guitar riffs opening the track. It’s a simple piece, but one of the most balanced on the album.  There is some really solid drumming on this track, but it is unfortunately downplayed by the lo-fi production, an aesthetic choice that unfortunately hurts “Aphasia” more than it helps it.   A slow-down transition around the four-minute mark takes on an almost Fugazi-esque feel, and the track closes with the first proper track ending on the album.

The fourth track, “Daguerrotype”, is by far the stand-out.  A nice blending of heavily reverbed industrial sounds, dark ambient guitar tones & heartbeat-like staccato drumming, “Daguerrotype” is the most restrained and masterful selection on “Aphasia”.  The higher production values on this track lend a greater degree of clarity, and could have been helpful if applied to the rest of the album.  The track shows a good sense of atmosphere, build-up & composition, and the whispered vocals add a primitive and haunting touch. Very reminiscent of early Einsturzende Neubauten & good enough that I can forgive the rushed ending.

“Daguerrotype” is followed up by the unfortunately named track “The Language Of War Is Victims”.   Sounding like a free-jazz band in a washing machine, the track takes on a narcotic dirge over ten minutes, ranging from moments of brilliance (the feedback squalls around 4:00 min; the loops at 9:00) to clichéd experiments that should have been edited out (the twangy guitar at the 6:30 mark).  Despite its flaws, it’s still a unique piece that shows a lot of potential.

The album ends strangely with “Luxuriating In a Bath of Adjacent Strings”, an extremely out-of-place harsh techno piece that sounds like an Acid Loops track outputted through a distortion pedal.  While the track takes on moments of PE brilliance (particularly towards the end), it suffers from generic techno beats and concepts, reaching its worst around the 6:30 mark, where it sounds like a cheesy homage to The Prodigy.  This said, the track has some great moments, but it sounds completely out of context with the rest of this album.

While uneven in its production and schizophrenic in style, Arklight’s “Aphasia” still shows moments of great potential.  Coming in at over 50 minutes, “Aphasia” could have been much more effective if it been substantially shorter (this could have been a really tight 20+ minute EP).  If the group is able to spend more time with editing on their next release, finding the diamonds and throwing out the dirt, they could have some really promising material.

Artklight’s “Aphasia” is available for purchase at www.grimeology.com/store

It was nearly 4 a.m. when the phone rang, and I feared the worst.  I was long past the phase in my life when drunken college buddies or ex-girlfriends called in the wee hours of the morning.  These days, if the phone rings after 10pm, it’s usually because someone is dead.  Or worse.

I fumbled to turn on the lamp, knocking over a glass of water and waking my wife.  ”What’s wrong?” she slurred, rubbing her eyes.  “I don’t know,” I responded, worried about whatever horrific news awaited me.  My voice warbled slightly as I gave a soft greeting of “hello”.  There was a long pause on the other end of the line

Finally a husky, heavily accented female voice (Russian? German?) responded back:  “Eez deez Jhay Blon-kard?” she hissed.

“Yes,” I responded, “yes this Jay Blanchard.  Who is this?”

“Deez eez Sahrin.  I handles all meedya affair for ze lee doo oh.  Meestah Lee Doo would likes to meet wif yoo for your eenterview immediately.  We will sendza cah.  Come ahlone.”

The phone clicked.  My hands still shaking, I hung up the receiver and stood up.  ”I….I have to go,” I whispered to my wife, and grabbed the pre-packed duffel bag that leaned against the doorframe to our bedroom.  She nodded, knowingly, as I rushed out the door.

Less than five minutes later, a black limousine pulled up to my house.  It was long enough to take up the entire driveway and then some, the back doors spilling out over the curb and into the street.  I entered through these doors, and realized that the driver and myself were the only inhabitants.

“Uh, hi, I’m going to see Mister L……..”

The driver rolled up the electric back window and I rode the 45 minutes to The Le Duo compound in silent, nervous anticipation.  It was only at this point that I realized all of the windows had been blacked out.

We arrived as we left—in total darkness.  Almost immediately as the car came to a stop, I was pulled out into a large, cold, dark room (I can only assume it was an underground bunker of some sort) and blindfolded by a large, shadowy figure.  I stumbled awkwardly, my arms held on either side by a bent bicep that was larger than my waistline. After my encounter with the driver, I assumed it would be better to just remain silent and listen.  I can remember the sounds of echoing footsteps, the hum of a large industrial elevator, and then the heavy moan of a large hardwood door being opened (I can’t be sure, but I remember it smelled of mahogany).

Once the door was opened, I felt a blast of warmer, drier air & the sounds of a baroque score mingling with the scent of musk and tropical fruits attacked my senses.  The blindfold was removed and I found that I had been left, alone, in a palatial room adorned with the finest Louis XVI furniture in deep tones of maroon and purple, the color of congealed blood.

Within seconds, a well-dressed female assistant entered the room with an ornate silver tray, piled high with Almas caviar and Knipschildt truffles.  Without a word, she waved her arm to motion toward the back of the room where a well-stocked bar resided.  On its mirrored surface laid three large mounds of white powder, a couple razor blades, and a large stack of handrolled cigarettes.  I poured myself a liberal glass of 30-year old Macallan, but decided to forgo the powders, which contained secret pleasures of which I can only imagine.  Had to keep a straight head—I’d never get an interview opportunity like this in my lifetime again, that much was for sure.  I sank down in a plush armchair and lit one of the Cuban Cohibas, large as a baby’s forearm, that sat in a box to my right.

About an hour later, the huge entranceway to the room opened, and my stomach dropped.  The artist himself had entered the room and immediately drew to himself all of its energies. Draped in a flowing silk kimono, he exuded an extreme presence, yet still appeared to float gracefully above the proceedings, like a sedated swan. I knew immediately I was in the presence of a great artist—but also a very powerful and dangerous man.

What follows is my interview. At least what I remember of it. I mysterious blacked out at one point and woke up in a dark limousine, my tape recordings erased.

———————————————————————————————————–

How did the idea for the le duo project come about?

-after my former band, nest material, broke up in 2006 i was looking for a musical outlet.  i envisioned a project that was completely free and that would allow me to play whatever i wanted- however loud or fast or rock&roll like or jazzy or whatever.

What are the greatest challenges and rewards in making improvisational music?

- well, the obvious answer is this:  the greatest challenge is getting everybody on the same page and creating something good.  the reward is that moment when everything comes together & everyone is cooking.  you kinda look around and think ‘yeah man, this is it’

It seems like the le duo is somewhat of a “supergroup” (incorporating top musicians from several bands) which in music history have been notorious failures.  What is different about the le duo that makes it work?

-well, i think lack of ego is a main difference.  everyone i play with is only in it to play, ya know?  its an opportunity for the musicians to get together with people they maybe havent played with before and have some fun.  you can basically bring whatever instruments or noise makers you want and just go.  its a great environment for creativity

Where do you feel the le duo fits in with the whole of the Burlington music scene?  What other acts, if any, are exploring the same type of sonic territory?

-i dont really know if this kind of music has a place here in burlington.  other than ensemble V (arthur brooks and michael chorneys free improv group) i cant think of any other groups doing this thing.  nest material used to bring a kinda free/experimental rock sound, and at the time there were a few like minded groups around, like aquadora & magic sparkle, but i’m not sure any more.

What were your influences for the le duo?  This can be musical or other sources.

- american and european free jazz from the 60’s and early 70’s are a big influence, especially later coltrane, don cherry, pharoah sanders, han bennink & peter brotzman & misha mengleberg, the black artists group etc etc.  also things like the dead and frank zappa and fusion miles, and CAN and on and on

If you could play with any musician, living or dead, who would it be and why?

- i would love to play drums with elvin jones.  he was powerful and subtle and dynamic and just a really beautiful player.

Do you consider the le duo to be a “jazz” project? Is jazz really “dead” in your opinion?

-  i would say no, we are not a jazz group.  i for one do not have the chops to be considered a jazz player and most of the rest of the musicians come from an experimental and drone place. wheter jazz is dead or not, i’m not sure.  seems like nothing really new has come around since the mid 70’s but maybe i’m biased

The musicians you work with come from many different musical backgrounds and genres, ranging from jazz to rock to harsh noise to drone.  How does this melding of musical ideas help or hinder the creative process in the le duo?

-  having people from different backgrounds is what the le duo is all about.  taking people away from what they are used to and throwing them into this messy musical stew is great- maybe you try something you’ve never thought of before, maybe it works, maybe it doesnt, but you tried it and thats awesome.

Where does the name of your EP come from?

-  i was reading alot of doestoevsky this past winter and i think its a quote from ‘notes from the underground’

Translating a live improve piece to a physical recording can be difficult.  What is your personal philosophy on recordings?  Is the goal to capture the live performance “as is” or create a sound of how you think it “should be”?

-  how it is IS how i think it should be.  the changes we made to the recordings werent made cause i wasnt happy about the uncut live show, they were made to just try different things out.  maybe my next ep i’ll just release as is, no editing.

What are your future goals for the le duo project?

-  i’d like to continue to play 3 or 4 gigs a year with as many different people as possible.  next time, tho, i dont think i’m gonna play the full drum set, maybe i’ll just throw my bag of small percussion instruments on the floor and just go to town

Aether Everywhere is happy to announce that Skyscraper’s first release is availible for download!

Get it here //

Discuss it here

Ok, this is a tough one to classify. So i limited it to the brits and to the 1980’s - and came up with a mix that skims the surface of some of the more inspirational artists to emerge from this often unreconizedly furtile period for psychedelia, what started w/ post-jangle dream pop, splinted out rapidly into various club sounds, goth-rock, Madchester, and later into shoegaze and modern brit-pop, but those are podcasts for another day.

Summer’s coming to an end, with what we hope is the beginning of a long and glorious fall season. I can’t think of a better mix to usher in a new season than this emotive mix by Britains favorite melecholic romantics. So download it, Ipod it, and take it with you for your next cool evening walk.

The Cure - Plainsong / Cocteau Twins - Blue Bell Knoll / Echo & The Bunnymen - The Yo-Yo Man / The Chameleons UK - P.S. Goodbye / The Stone Roses - I wanna be adored / The Psychedelic Furs - Pretty in Pink / New Order - Perfect Kiss / Echo & the Bunnymen - Porcupine / The Chameleons UK - Perfume Garden / Kate Bush - The Big Sky (Meteorogical Mix) / The Cure - Pornography

 

 Ae #9: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This weeks episode of the Ae radioshow consisted of another mega-mix, but this time not of a particular band as we did last time with Stereolab, but instead with the illustrious and prolific Kompakt Label. Started by GAS’s Wolfgang Voigt and couple fellow compatriots with a love of, and desire to marry gaussy drifting ambience to 4×4 german techno. Kompakt has grown exponentially in the 10 years since it’s creation thanks to it’s incredible standard of quality, and as the last couple years has managed to break through to listeners not as comfortable on the late night dancefloors as they are in headphones.

Infact as per-usual with the knee jerking indie-critics, many are saying Kompakt has reached some percieved “saturation point” and many of these critics have been claiming a “Kompakt backlash” is in order or underway - which given the last years amazing and varied output by label artists such as The Field, Pluxus, and Gui Boratto, would seem to us to be absolute hogwash and bandwagon jumping.

It’s our opinion that Kompakt remain supremely relevent, engaged and still on the forefront of a genre they themselves pioneered more than a decade ago. Regardless, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to compile a seemless two hour mixtape of some of Kompakts more recent triumphs to let you decide. Enjoy.

Transient - Pluxus / Beautiful Life - Gui Boratto / Intershop 6 - Dettinger / Brutalga Square - DJ Koze / Der Westenplanet - Markus Guentner / Heroes - Hug / Nitsa Is 11 - Ferenc / Closer Dance - Closer Musik / Align - Mikkel Metal / Estella - DJ Koze / Sandia - Ferenc / Phanto & ghost - Michael Mayer / Gate 7 - Gui Boratto / Tactic without Practice - Hug / Chromophobia - Gui Boratto / Kinoton - Pluxus / Wenn Musik der Liebe Nahrung Ist - Markus Guentner / Kappsta 2 - The Field

 

 Aether Everywhere #17: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Due to the request of our attendance at a recent Snake in the Garden show this week Aether Everywhere Radio show (and subsequent podcast) has been delayed for two more weeks. But thanks to a healthy back stock of unreleased AE Podcasts from previous shows along with a personal request from a regular reader I’ve decided to go back to the vault and pull out our show from Last winter focusing on one of my favorite genres - Japanese Psych. What follows is a reprinting of the original post as it appeared on highgatecenter.blogspot.com, enjoy.

—

Hey everyone. Sorry that it’s taken until now to post the latest Aether Everywhere set and download (Jenny’s been checking her computer every couple of hours, folding her arms, and stomping away), but both Tanner and I had pretty hectic weekends. OK, so mine wasn’t really all that hectic, but since I was recently informed by my supervisor that, no, a hot pink Marc Bolan t-shirt (and the like) is not acceptable attire for work, I had to go get me some new threads.

Aaanyway, this past Thursday, we featured Ghost’s Snuffbox Immanence from 1999. A lot of people consider this to be their “classic” album, and I’d agree with that (although depending on the day, Lama Rabi Rabi gives it a run). We then spun a bunch of like-minded Japanese psych tracks, ranging from Ghost’s side work with Damon and Naomi (the rhythm section of Galaxie 500) to Nobuzaku Takemura, whose Steve Reich-meets-Markus Popp “Kepler” is reminiscent of Snuffbox’s “Daggma.” Hope you enjoy, and tune in Aether Everywhere this Thursday at 10 for some Elephant 6 action! - JOSH

(ps. This is one of my favorite setlists, i love all of these songs, and some of the artists are some of my all time favorite players, do yourself a favor, download this one, pop it into your ipod for that ride on the train, walk in the winter woods, or drive down the coast - also check out my mad photoshop p0Wnage! -tanner)

1) Damon & Naomi w/ Ghost - “I Dreamed of the Caucasus”
2) Keiji Haino - “I Don’t Want To Know”
3) L - “Troll”
4) LSD March - “Kimi Wa Tengoku”
5) Maher Salal Hash Baz - “What’s Your Business Here Elijah?”
6) Susumu Yokota - “Sleepy Eye”
7) Nagisa Ni Te - “Me On The Beach”
8 ) Boredoms - “(two circles)”
9) Nobukazu Takemura - “Kepler”
10) Boris w/ Michio Kurihara - “Fuzzy Reactor”
11) Masaki Batoh - “Spooky”
12) High Rise - “Outside Gentiles”

 

 AE Podcast #4 - Jap-Psych: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Due to the request of our attendance at a recent Snake in the Garden show this week Aether Everywhere Radio show (and subsequent podcast) has been delayed for two more weeks. But thanks to a healthy back stock of unreleased AE Podcasts from previous shows along with a personal request from a regular reader I’ve decided to go back to the vault and pull out our show from Last winter focusing on one of my favorite genres - Japanese Psych. What follows is a reprinting of the original post as it appeared on highgatecenter.blogspot.com, enjoy.

—

Hey everyone. Sorry that it’s taken until now to post the latest Aether Everywhere set and download (Jenny’s been checking her computer every couple of hours, folding her arms, and stomping away), but both Tanner and I had pretty hectic weekends. OK, so mine wasn’t really all that hectic, but since I was recently informed by my supervisor that, no, a hot pink Marc Bolan t-shirt (and the like) is not acceptable attire for work, I had to go get me some new threads.

Aaanyway, this past Thursday, we featured Ghost’s Snuffbox Immanence from 1999. A lot of people consider this to be their “classic” album, and I’d agree with that (although depending on the day, Lama Rabi Rabi gives it a run). We then spun a bunch of like-minded Japanese psych tracks, ranging from Ghost’s side work with Damon and Naomi (the rhythm section of Galaxie 500) to Nobuzaku Takemura, whose Steve Reich-meets-Markus Popp “Kepler” is reminiscent of Snuffbox’s “Daggma.” Hope you enjoy, and tune in Aether Everywhere this Thursday at 10 for some Elephant 6 action! - JOSH

(ps. This is one of my favorite setlists, i love all of these songs, and some of the artists are some of my all time favorite players, do yourself a favor, download this one, pop it into your ipod for that ride on the train, walk in the winter woods, or drive down the coast - also check out my mad photoshop p0Wnage! -tanner)

1) Damon & Naomi w/ Ghost - “I Dreamed of the Caucasus”
2) Keiji Haino - “I Don’t Want To Know”
3) L - “Troll”
4) LSD March - “Kimi Wa Tengoku”
5) Maher Salal Hash Baz - “What’s Your Business Here Elijah?”
6) Susumu Yokota - “Sleepy Eye”
7) Nagisa Ni Te - “Me On The Beach”
Boredoms - “(two circles)”
9) Nobukazu Takemura - “Kepler”
10) Boris w/ Michio Kurihara - “Fuzzy Reactor”
11) Masaki Batoh - “Spooky”
12) High Rise - “Outside Gentiles”

 

 AE Podcast #4 - Jap-Psych: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Given the somewhat recent resuscitation of and obsession with krautrock music, it’s become easy to detect the inspiration this cosmic German movement has been for countless artists. It’s also interesting to observe the deconstruction of a particular genre that inevitably occurs with the passage of time. Whether it’s Art Brut’s update on the bratty punk aesthetic, or Nobukazu Takemura’s mind-bending reconstitution of minimalist composition, influences are constantly being folded into the mix in (we hope) new and surprising ways.

While the ever-growing list of kraut-inspired artists is anything but short, there are particular strains that have a clearly defined progression from the early ‘70s to the present day. For instance, I could draw a straight line from the lock step rhythms of Can to the abandoned meat locker aggression of This Heat, right on through to the most successful indie noise-gone-tribal acts going today. There are, however, two problems with this example: First, there’s a substantial period unaccounted for– namely from the early ‘80s to the late ‘90s–and with the trends shifting pretty dramatically during this time, there’s no obvious torch bearer to point to. Oh, but wait! This leads me to the second problem: There is a torch bearer that was releasing album after album of deep, hypnotic pulses, disembodied voices, industrial textures, Eastern stringed instruments, heavily delayed recorder drones (Beaches and Canyons, anyone?), and, yes, unmistakably krauty, quasi-tribal rhythms, all throughout these two decades: :zoviet*france:.

Perhaps the largest factor contributing to :zoviet*france:’s relative obscurity is the group’s commitment to remaining largely anonymous. The most recognized member of this revolving cast of musicians is probably Robin Storey, who, since leaving the band in 1993, has had a successful and prolific career as Rapoon, a purveyor of edgy dark ambient material. (His stuff comes highly recommended, by the way.) Other than that, there’s not a whole lot of information leading to this remarkable group, and when we combine that with their unwavering intent to disregard the commercial side of the art form, we’re left with a bunch of little gems just waiting to be discovered.

Actually, I should clarify that last part. It’s not that they haven’t been discovered–trust me, you’ll find yourself constantly saying, “So that’s where Black Dice got the idea for that!” or “I think I’ve heard that same exact sound on Here Comes the Indian.”–it’s just that for a band with so many high-caliber albums, they’ve remained largely ignored by not only the Pitchforks of the world, but also the listeners who dig a lot of the artists I’ve mentioned so far. So bottom line: if you’re not on board yet, it’s time for you to getcha some :zoviet*france:.

This is the first part of a two-part post. First off, I wanted to familiarize you with the band in case you haven’t checked them out. My second post will be a list of my five favorite :z*f: albums with a corresponding description of each release. I am reserving the next week or so for listening to nothing but :z*f: albums, and when I emerge, I will have the results. This is going to be a challenging undertaking, considering how awesome all of their stuff is, and that each one has enjoyed the designation of being my favorite. This should put it into perspective for you: I’m willing to listen to nothing but this band for a solid week, and I work at a job where I have my headphones strapped on for eight hours a day. How many other bands come to mind that can warrant that level of commitment?

-Josh L