Bleak Bliss: June 2013

Filament‎ - BOX

Filament is the work of Otomo Yoshihide and Sachiko Matsubara (aka Sachiko M). Whilst both are former members of the exemplary Ground Zero, this work is a different beast. The Improvised Music from Japan site has a lovely summation of their work:

"Filament, a limitless laboratory for memory-free post-sampling music which has completely deconstructed sampling. Filament is important both as an answer to Ground Zero's extreme chopping and plunderphonics, and as a touchstone of post-techno experimental music."

For this five disc collection of live works, the term "memory-free" is absolutely key for me. It has a quite magical effect whereby whilst you are listening to it...you forget that you are. When it stops, you can't quite remember what has just been said to you. But in the meantime, it completely declutters your mind of the daily nonsense that seems so important and actually allows real (personal) thought to come to the fore.

Released on F.M.N Sound Factory in 2004.

Disc 1
Disc 2
Disc 3
Disc 4
Disc 5

DR GMWLP - Tunnel Rays

DR GMWLP (aka Dr. Gretchen's Musical Weightlifting Program) is Gretchen Gonzales and John Olson.

The CDr is again attached to a hand painted LP on American Tapes (AM183) but this time the year is 2001 and the edition is only 15 copies!

Tunnel Rays

DR GMWLP - Lung Pyrimids

CDr attached to a hand decorated (hence unplayable) vinyl LP, released on American Tapes ‎(AM160) in 2000 in an edition of twenty.

Lung Pyrimids

Government Alpha‎ - Death Techno 2000

Government Alpha‎ is Yoshida Yasutoshi.

If you don't know his work...where the hell have you been?

If you do know his work then you already know that we are not worthy!

CDr packaged in recycled LP covers in an edition of 27 on American Tapes (AM141) in 2000.

Death Techno 2000

John Olson‎ - Attic Chair

C60 from the man himself on his own American Tapes (AM107). It was released in 2000 in an edition of eight.

Attic Chair

Unknown Artist‎ - Untitled

My money is on John Olson.

C18 released on American Tapes (AM101) on New Years Eve 1999 in an edition of eleven.

Depending on your timezone...this was the first release of the new millenium.

Untitled

The Lake Bottoms - Untitled

The Lake Bottoms were John Olson and Lisa Colwell (who was also a member of Basket Case and Commune Ills). This is a C90 released on American Tapes in 1999 in an edition of 25. It's AM093 btw.

The Lake Bottoms - Untitled

K2 - Untitled

CDr released on American Tapes ‎(AM084) in 1999 in an edition of 20.

Untitled

K2‎ - Funeral Songs

The weather is great and the domestic duties have been piling up...hence the lack of posts...anyhow...

Kusafuka Kimihide is back with a vengeance.

New K2 material seemed an impossibility for a long time but over the past few years he has burst back into prolific life!

Happy days!

Given the label, this is a suitably demented and twisted set of works.

CDr released on Mike Ridge's Quagga Curious Sounds in 2012 in an edition of 50.

And...as if that isn't enough...there is a new K2 Quagga here!

Funeral Songs

Acerbitas ‎- Absolutism

This is Michael Ridge.

This is his British take on the HNW. It was self-released in an edition of 17 last year. I got my copy from the man himself. No point in me and 16 other people being the only people getting to hear this.

Long time frequenters of this space will have delighted in (kickstarter and blog virus inflictor) J's association with Mike which led to J's posts of Mike's DIY Quagga Curious Sounds label and Mike's Zebra Mu project.

It was J's post of the Quagga Sound that brought me to the original incarnation of this blog...which led to me talking to J...which led to me getting involved...which led to me doing what I have ended up doing here...

If it wasn't for Mike, this blog wouldn't exist anymore.

Seriously.

Absolutely

Cadaver In Drag / Hive Mind / Charlie Draheim / Moth Drakula - Tour

...just in case you were in any doubt about the quality of company that Cadaver In Drag kept...

Tour CDr released on Chondritic Sound from 2006.

Tour

Cadaver In Drag‎ - Abuse / Breathing Sewage

Cadaver In Drag‎ varied from grind, doom and power electronics ... often on the same release. In various incarnations, Cadaver In Drag‎ have contained Ben Allen (aka Caves), Jason Schuler (who was in Warmer Milks), Josh Lay, Morgan Rankin (aka Gnarly Sheen and runs Husk Records with Josh) and Travis Shelton (also of Warmer Milks).

This CDr was released on BloodLust! in 2009 and contains material from the Abuse CD on Husk Records and the Breathing Sewage tape on Animal Disguise from 2005. It also includes a previously unreleased collaboration with Mark Solotroff.

I thought that they had stopped recording in around 2009 (which is true) and there would be no more to hear (which is not true). Husk Records have just released "The final lost full length studio album from this genre bending, misanthropic, and often misunderstood band finally unearthed after being recorded in 2009. This is a document of the last stage of the band as they were pushing things into even more abstract terrain than before and continuing their reputation of genre rebellion. Complete with guest appearances from Sara O' Keefe, and studio magic from Paul Puckett".

So if you like these...go and get that!

Abuse / Breathing Sewage