Bleak Bliss: August 2014

Yabby You‎ - Jesus Dread 1972-1977

Vivian Jackson (aka Yabby You) was a legendary roots singer and producer. This stunning collection comprehensively showcases the man and his work. Across two CDs or four LPs this also features such Jamaican legends as Manley Augustus Buchanan (aka Big Youth), Lester Bullock (aka Dillinger), David Sinclair (aka Tapper Zukie), Aston "Family Man" Barrett, Robbie Shakespeare, Carlton "Santa" Davis, Lowell "Sly" Dunbar, Richard "Dirty Harry" Hall, Albert Griffiths, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Augustus Pablo, Aston "Family Man" Barrett, Earl "Wire" Lindo, Bunny Wailer, Uziah "Sticky" Thompson, Bernard "Touter" Harvey, Bobby Ellis, Michael Rose and Tommy McCook. As if that isn't enough you also get the production/version work of the likes of King Tubby, Lee Perry and Prince Jammy.

This was released on the mighty Manchester based Blood & Fire in 1997. I'm not sure how they did it but the label managed to unearth pure gold every time!

Conquering Lion Style

Chanting Style

Marzuraan - Five Years Worth Of Fuck All

At least here, Marzuraan were Lee Stokoe (aka Culver and parts of Female Borstal, Inseminoid and Skullflower and the rest...) on bass, Pete Burn on guitar (who was in Halalchemists with Lee and Dean Glaister and Michael Gillham ... the latter is in Drunk In Hell, Smell & Quim and has been in Nihilist Assault Group), Rob Woodcock on drums (who was in Sex Wound and a load of other things) and Stu Ellen on vocals.

What you get is some of the finest minds in the North-East of England forming a "rock band" because it's a good thing to do and it makes them smile! The majority is recorded live in front of an audience (including a great run through of Rollins Band's "Turned Inside Out") and there is even a studio/rehearsal of Loop's "After Glow".

It's great and was released on Glasgow's At War With False Noise in 2008. And, check the AWWFN bandcamp page whilst you are here!

Five Years Worth Of Fuck All

Human Skin Lanterns ‎- Skin Stripperess (v2)

Given that the Mrs posted her tape, I really had to post mine.

This was released on Mother Savage Noise Productions in 2008. I'm not sure of the delicacies of the MSNP history but I was on the message boards and group pages when Rodger Stella re-released a lot of the (original) label's product in very limited amounts. Who knows what jiggery pokery went on in terms of remastering but it is different than the original tape ...

Skin Stripperess (v2)

Human Skin Lanterns - Skin Stripperess

Macronympha + Taint = Human Skin Lanterns, issued as a tape on Mother Savage Noise Productions in 1995.

Human Skin Lanterns - Skin Stripperess

Gate To Gate ‎- I Turn Black Keys

Blackened noise from Mike Connelly and Greh, authors of the Gods Of Tundra and Chondritic Sound labels respectively. Do you need any more convincing?

This brings together the Bane and House With The Clock In Its Walls tapes from 2004 and 2005 with a 40 minute unreleased introduction. Delivered unto the world by PACrec / Troniks in 2005.

I Turn Black Keys

Concrete Threat + Vomir - Monolithic Blasphemies

Christian Fagerström, Hannes Hellman and Romain Perrot on an LP released on Urashima in 2013 (which I am pretty sure is a re-treatment of the tape that came out on At War With False Noise in 2008).

It used to seem that this blogging lark was a complete waste of time. Spending all of the huge amounts of our lives throwing things that we love into the world in order to be met with silence or casual indifference at best? It's the people who leave the comments or email us that actually keeps our motivation up there. No offense to anybody else but Caligari is the dog's bollocks! He has been listening and giving us his opinion for years and years. To be honest, it's been so long that I think "wonder what he is gonna make of this?" when I am preparing posts. Eventually, we will convert him to the glory of "abstract noise" ... this is primarily aimed at Caligari but feel free to enjoy this as well.

Monolithic Blasphemies

Yeast Culture ‎- IYS

This LP was originally released on Petri Supply in 1989 and was re-released in 2009. That one is the rip that I used to have. And then the outrageously great Art Into Life ‎managed to make and break my heart within a year! This is the 2012 release.

And in preparing the post, the pain returned. Petri Supply combined with Art Into Life to release IYS: Field Tapes which is this LP with another six tapes in spectacular packaging. The numbers of those releases were really small. Myself and Mrs Inside only found out well after they disappeared onto people's shelves. Both of us would have raced to buy it with the boast of who got there first. Oh, the pain!

Anyway, this is the sound of what is left on the Earth when we have completely fucked it up and left the remnants to radioactive cockroaches...

IYS

Yeast Culture ‎- Rena Leicia - The Exposition Of Nothing

This was originally released on Petri Supply in 1988 as a 10" and 7" combo in an edition of 114. The material on the 7" was created using collages of music from 114 old 10" 78rpm records. One of the anonymised 78s was then released alongside the single. Some twelve years later, nine copies of the 7" were found and released. This is one of those.

The Exposition Of Nothing

Yamamoto Seiichi & Acid Mothers Temple ‎- Giga Psychedelia

As I leave my humble dwelling to go and see the mighty AMT, here's a live recording from the "AMT Festival Vol.10" on the 10th of December 2011 in Tokuzo (Nagoya). Released on the Acid Mothers Temple label in 2013.

"The third showdown between Yamamoto Seiichi and Acid Mothers Temple! Marvel at the psychedelic, metaphysical demolishing of the AMT repertory! This is it, your one-way ticket to the Galactic Railroad! No return possible!!"

Yeah Baby!

Giga Psychedelia

Yeast Culture - Untitled

The remarkable first Yeast Culture tape, released in 1988 on Petri Supply. Mysterious low-fidelity rumbling and industrial clank from the Pacific Northwest, paired with poetry, unique paintings and obsessive collage art. Fans of The Hafler Trio, Small Cruel Party, and Hands To will love this.

Yeast Culture - Untitled

YC - Stick Men

Usual YC (aka Yeast Culture) suspects Mark Schomberg and Allen Russell wrangle the tapes and moan into microphones, joined by Key Ransone/Small Cruel Party and other Pacific Northwest sound and visual artists. The resulting tape sounds so mysteriously devoid of human hands that it may well be an untouched field recording of a forest on another planet. Recorded in 1990, released 10 years later on the band's Petri Supply/Incubator labels.

YC - Stick Men

Various‎ - Constructive Music 1990

Compilation released on Ichiro Tsuji's (aka Dissecting Table) UPD Organization in 1990.

This features Dissecting Table, Asmus Tietchens, Kenji Kamei's Deliberate Composition, Étant Donnés, Ruins, PGR (who in this incarnation are Kim Cascone and Ken Reyvision) and Howling Of Himalaya.

Howling Of Himalaya is the tribal synth of Jun Konagaya and it is the only work that he made under that name that I am aware of.

Constructive Music 1990

Grim‎ - Love Song

Beautifully packaged LP jointly released on Art Into Life and Jun's Eskimo Records in 2013. "The singularly strange storytelling power of Jun Konagaya's unit GRIM had been largely overlooked until Haang Niap Records' "Folk Songs For An Obscure Race" compilation of the group's early 80s material. Konagaya restarted the group in 2009 and these are their first new recordings".

A special mention goes to Austria's Steinklang Industries who have released Psycho Sun ... which also purports to have the the first new work by GRIM for 27 years! They also have Jun Konagaya's Organ that was "released" on Eskimo Records and distributed via Steinklang and BRAND NEW copies of 1985's Amaterasu 7" with the booklet (and surely these must have come directly from Jun). If that isn't enough, they have some gorgeous GRIM t-shirts ...

They have also remastered and re-released all of the work of Vasilisk including some exquisitely made wooden LP box sets! And Vasilisk t-shirts. What more could you possibly want?

Love Song

Grim - Vital 1983-86

This is another tape released on Lust Vessel this year. This is a combination of studio and live material from a long time ago featuring Jun Konagaya and Yukio Nagoshi.

Thanks to the Bleak Bliss regular who heard our desperate pleas and sent us the Lust Vessel tapes. Needless to say, we love you!

Vital 1983-86

Grim ‎- Divine Music For Sleeping + Field 1987

C60 released and immediately sold out on Lust Vessel this year.

This brings together two releases from Jun Konagaya's Eskimo Records in 1987.

Divine Music For Sleeping features Jun Konagaya with Yukio Nagoshi and Shinichi Kuraoka and Mr K F (Partial).

Now here is a conspiracy theory that I have convinced myself is absolutely true. As you will no doubt be aware, Jun Konagaya recorded with Tomo Kuwahara as White Hospital. When they stopped recording under that name, Tomo Kuwahara started up as Vasilisk with Yukio Nagoshi and Shinichi Kuraoka. As I have suggested before, the White Hospital dissolution must have been amicable ... Jun released Vasilisk on his Eskimo label. Surely, the mysterious Mr K F (Partial) is Tomo Kuwahara? If that is the case, then ...

Between the sides of Divine is the Field 1987 recording which is Jun Konagaya with Yukio Nagoshi.

Even if I am deluding myself, this is a magnificent journey into a tribal hellhole that I want to go to when I die! Thank you Lust Vessel!

Divine Music For Sleeping + Field 1987

Grim ‎- Folk Songs For An Obscure Race

This is a CD released on Haang Niap Records in 2009. It is subtitled "complete discography". Whilst that is obviously not the case it gives me things I hadn't heard before this came out.

I don't know who appears on which track but the credits are: "Gratitude and thanks to: Tomosada Kuwabara, Yukio Nagoshi, Aya Takahashi, Shinichi Kuraoka, Alan Cummings, Takeshi Yoshida, Sachie Amagawa, Ayumi & Ruan". Alan clearly won't be appearing here in a musical sense but he is a god in my eyes! Without his dedication, people like me would have no idea about our kind of Japanese music. I'd kiss him if I could (maybe even tongues).

Folk Songs For An Obscure Race

Wolf Eyes ‎- Posession Tissues

These are four CDrs that came packaged as a fully fledged vinyl box set. It was released on American Tapes in 2002 in an edition of 20. The release date is stamped on as Mar 05 2002. These are four live sets and I'm kind of assuming that the tour was mid-late 2001. After all, you've got to give John time to get home and press and print and release ...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: There is no such thing as too much Wolf Eyes!

It's AM238 btw.

one two

three four

Wolf Eyes ‎- Undertakers Part One

At this point, Wolf Eyes were Aaron Dilloway, John Olson and Nate Young. This should be the case for all of the Undertakers tapes. As far as I know, it wasn't until 2005 when Mike Connelly replaced Aaron Dilloway. C30 released on Since 1972 in 2003.

Undertakers Part One

Wolf Eyes ‎- Undertakers Pt.2

C20 released on James Toth and Tovah Olson's Polyamory label in 2003.

Undertakers Pt.2

Wolf Eyes ‎- Undertakers Pt 3

C30 released on Mike Connelly's Gods Of Tundra in 2004.

Undertakers Pt 3

Wolf Eyes - Early Vol. 1

The strange crew of restless Michigan punks who made up the Hanson Records and American Tapes "scene" was always cavalier with band names. John Olson has used at least two dozen aliases for albums made by him alone. Universal Indians, Basket Case, Nautical Almanac, and Waves had loose and inconsistent memberships. And who were Beast People? Does it matter?

Wolf Eyes, the highest profile name to emerge from this midwestern cauldron of drugs and skateboards, is not the band today that it was when it began, and it's been several different bands in between. On this cassette, released by Hanson in 2001, Wolf Eyes was the solo alias of Nathan Young, presenting one long track of distractedly low-level electro-doodles mixed with what seems to be a steady layer of howling dogs. Or, I suppose, wolves. This was the first ever recording attributed to Wolf Eyes, and is quite far from everything they would go on to do in the subsequent 15 years: the synth no-wave of their Bulb album, the slow thud of "Burned Mind", scorched free jazz/improv skronk, no-fidelity noise, and the near-rock of their most recent incarnation. Side two sees Aaron Dilloway "remix" Young's original track, blurring the animal howls and bringing the already tensionless hum dangerously close to comatose.

Wolf Eyes - Early Vol. 1

Latrine Psychology Gx - Weighted Ghost Z

Huh? John Olson has released a shit-ton of strange music, but I'm not sure what to say about this tape. It's one of 27 tapes released under the name Latrine Psychology Gx, all of them in teensy editions. This one was an edition of 11 copies. But do more than 11 people really need to hear it? I'm not sure if they do. Of all the music Olson has released, this tape least resembles music.

Side one contains some barely-there synth doodles that scratch around in the dirt as if they're watching TV at the same time (nothing interesting, maybe something useless like The Food Network) and periodically taking naps. Side B is even less musical than that. A saxophone bleats a few impotent bleats, then gives up. Maybe it had errands to take care of. A synth was left running by accident. Someone thinks they've turned it off, but they're mistaken. It's still on. Long minutes pass by with just a hiss there to mark the time, and those minutes are no more or less interesting than those containing intentional sound. But now that I type those words, I realize how troublesome "intentional" is. What was intended with "Weighted Ghost Z"? Why is most of Side B only coming out of one channel? I have no idea what this tape is for, but instead of listening to it, you could go for a nice walk around your neighborhood. Say hello to someone you haven't seen in awhile. Call your mom. She misses you.

Latrine Psychology Gx - Weighted Ghost Z

Solvent People - The Spiritual Notebook 1

Heavy synth and tape workout by John Olson (Spykes, Wolf Eyes, many others), released in an edition of just 6 copies in 2006. As far as I'm aware, there was never a part 2, leaving all the spiritual questions posed by this music frustratingly unresolved.

Solvent People - The Spiritual Notebook 1

Solvent People - Songs From the Afternoon

A short tape of overdriven synth and saxophone by John Olson, released on Tone Filth in 2005.

Solvent People - Songs From the Afternoon

Spykes - The Signal Man

From John Olson's favored solo alias, Spykes, comes a double tape set from 2010, released by American Tapes an edition of 18 copies, packed in a little box altered with unique collage art and a poster.

tape 1
tape 2

Basket Case - Keep The Humans Alive

Basket Case were John Olson, Geoff Walker (who was in the wonderful Gravitar) and Lisa Colwell (who was in Commune Ills and The Lake Bottoms). This occupies a hitherto unidentified space between late '60s radical jazz and Master Musicians Of Bukkake. Ah, just go with that one. Released on American Tapes in 2000 in an edition of ten copies.

It's AM112 btw.

Keep The Humans Alive

Beast People - Wall Eater

CDr attached to a spray-painted piece of vinyl. The Beast People were Aaron Dilloway, James Twig Harper, Nate Young and Andrew W.K. The latter apparently left at some point so have no idea whether he is on this. It's splendidly fucked up and once hearing this it will come as little surprise that there would be a later split release with Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck. Released on American Tapes in 2001 in an edition of 18.

It's AM194 btw.

Wall Eater

The Universal Indians - Flashback Vol One

At this point, Universal Indians are Aaron Dilloway, Gretchen Gonzales and John Olson. This is brilliantly psychedelic but only in the extreme bad trip "Help, my mind is melting" sense of the word! Recorded live in Chicago in 1998 & Detroit in 2000 and released on American Tapes in 2001 in an edition of 18.

It's AM222 btw.

Flashback Vol One

Brinkman's Dead Brain - Mind Fuse Blown

This is Matt Brinkman who is Meerk Puffy and one half of Mindflayer amongst many other laudable ventures. An eight minute tape released on American Tapes in 2003 in an edition of 40. Swirling clatter to the (unintentional?) beat of "We Will Rock You". I shit you not.

It's AM283 btw.

Mind Fuse Blown

Grim‎ - 5eyes

Grim for most of its history has been Jun Konagaya. We've posted Grim before, if you haven't checked it then do it now! I couldn't wait to get hold of this tape and when I put this on it started as a "what?". It starts as a rather benign orchestral synth thing that could quite easily have been found as incidental music for a (superior) 1980s B Movie. An nonthreatening part of Dreams Less Sweet that was dismissed early in the proceedings. Why did I ever doubt? It is frankly triumphant GRIM! It is only 26 minutes long ... so I play it on rotation five or six times.

I don't know when this was recorded but it was released on Rockatansky Records in 2010. There are two tapes that have been released on Lust Vessel this year. They are obviously sold out. Please feel sorry for some poor bloggers, we need to hear them!

5eyes

Smrznik / Placenta Lyposuction / Fukte / Vomir‎ - Brainkiller

Four C100 tape set taking it's inspiration from psychiatric medications. Released on Fabrizio De Bon's (aka Fukte) Toxic Industries in 2010 in an edition of 26.

Paroxetine / Duloxetine

Thioxanthene / Zuclopenthixol

Risperidone / Delorazepam

Clonazepam / Zolpidem

Anne Gillis - Lxgrin

Anne was a visual artist and composer who used looped sounds and adapted domestic items to create wonderful abstract concrète noise. Anne was very active during the Eighties and early Nineties and then I don't know where she went. If you are of a nervous disposition, her work will undoubtedly push you over the edge. Enjoy the drop!

LP released on (CRI)2 in 1984.

Lxgrin

Anne Gillis - Aha

LP released on Défense des Musiques Actuelles 2 in 1984.

Aha

Anne Gillis‎ - Monetachek

LP released on her own Rangehen label in 1985.

Monetachek

Yamamoto Seiichi & Acid Mothers Temple ‎- Mega Psychedelia

Recorded live at "AMT Festival vol.8" in Tokuzo on the 12th of December 2009. Released on the Acid Mothers Temple label in 2011.

Acid Mothers Temple start a U.K. Tour tomorrow!

Mega Psychedelia

Demoon Skirt - Age Of First

John Olson on a C54 released on American Tapes in 1997 in an edition of eight copies.

It's AM41 btw

Age Of First

Olson & Gross - Sax & Electronics

John Olson and David Gross on a CDr released on American Tapes in 2002 in an edition of 25. It does exactly what it says on the tin.

It's AM262 btw.

Sax & Electronics

Skanatel Attack - Fluid Jaws

C16 from another John Olson vehicle. Released on the 14th of December 2003 on American Tapes in an edition of seven copies.

It's AM311 btw.

Fluid Jaws

va - After Life

Solid early 1990's compilation CD on the Portuguese Fast Forward label with no real unifying theme or even sound, though it leans toward industrial darkness and romantic ambience. It's a well-curated album, an engaging listen from start to finish. "After Life" include excellent tracks by Paul Lemos (of Controlled Bleeding, one of my favorite bands), Dive (thankfully instrumental, so you don't have to endure his megastupid worse-than-high-school-poetry lyrics), Bourbonese Qualk (two slinky songs that wouldn't be out of place on "My Government is My Soul"... oh and by the way, this band has generously made their entire discography free to download at their website!), Nouvelles Lectures Cosmopolites, Omala and Attrition. Other contributors include Portuguese bands Croniamantal, Subitto (aka Joao Duarte, who compiled this album), and The New Hard Noise Heavy Rock Cyber Speed Sonic Metal Punk Acid Sound, which is a really dumb name for a band whose music is actually pretty good.

va - After Life

Family Sex - At The Refectory

The only thing that I know about Family Sex is that one of them is Karl O'Connor who records as Regis. What appears here was originally recorded at gigs in 1986 and 1987. It is like turning up at a venue to find out that it is already sold out and you have to listen through the brick wall. Early '80s Sheffield style synth punk laid out on a bed of Suicide's Ghostrider. Very entertaining ultra lo-fi.

This C44 was the first tape released on Krokodilo Tapes in 2013. The label is a tape only subsidiary of Blackest Ever Black. Both imprints offer the most diverse and entertaining output I've heard for years. They tend to sell out immediately. I'm on the mailing list so get a heads up but sometimes even that is not enough. Krokodilo seems to particularly suffer from the scourge of the tape flipper. Their output ends up straight on Discogs at massively inflated prices. I've seen all three of the tapes that I have posted "offered" at £50 each. I hate such people. I told him exactly how much! Anyway, keep an eye on both labels and go to the BEB Bandcamp page as well.

At The Refectory

Feral Love - Precession Dub

Dark tribal synth-industrial dub. Feral Love is Clay Ruby (aka Burial Hex). See, now it makes sense!

C26 that was the second release on Krokodilo Tapes from 2013.

Precession Dub

Helena Hauff - Obscure Object

Helena is a DJ/Producer from Hamburg (I think). This is a 90 minute mixtape which features electro beats on Side A and a much murkier technonoise on the reverse. Whilst even the description might have some regulars on the blog running for the hills, you need to play this out a few times. It could quite easily become your new favourite thing!

The third release on Krokodilo Tapes from 2013.

Obscure Object

Toshito - Pleroma

Weird little mid-90's Japanese noise CDR by Toshito, aka the last person in the world to own a Geocities website, issued on the Mistbahn label.

Toshito - Pleroma

Fossils‎ - Play Where Eagles Dare

This time around Fossils‎ are David Payne and Robbie Michalchuk (the pair also recorded as Bench Grinders). Here we get seven live shows across two CDrs from a busy November in 2011. I have a shelf full of Fossils/MJC tapes and CDrs but there was never any chance that I would get to be in the audience. So this makes me happy...

Incidentally, there was a Fossils bandcamp page that I would always pay $5 on a pay what you like basis to hear things like this. Where did it go? Am I missing something?

[Clearly, I was. It was hiding under my nose exactly where it has always been. Duh!]

Released on David's Middle James Co in 2012 in an edition of 33.

One

and Two

Prick Decay & Violent Onsen Geisha - Dada Junk Spew!

Unofficial CDR reissue of the Chocolate Monk cassette, with one additional track taken from Prick Decay's "Studies for Postal Orgies Vol. 1" tape. Includes a poster and liner notes by Abdul Squeerter, aka (In Spite of Flaming Creatures).

Prick Decay & Violent Onsen Geisha - Dada Junk Spew!

Mossy Pussy / Torturing Nurse‎ - Split

Here's a harsh palate cleanser.

This is a 3" CDr released on Kabrakarakadabra Records in 2010. The former is from Ukraine and the latter we all know and love!

Mossy Nurse

Various‎ - Off Site Composed Music Series In 2001

Double CD featuring such Off Site regulars as Otomo Yoshihide, Sachiko M, Taku Sugimoto, Tetuzi Akiyama and Toshimaru Nakamura. There isn't much available regarding Off Site on Discogs but there is more info on the concerts and discography here.

Released on A Bruit Secret in 2002.

Disc 1

Disc 2

Various - Improvised Music from Japan

This is the mother lode that spawned the series. Ten discs containing pretty much all of the Japanese improvising savants that you could wish for! Just for good measure, you also get a 20 minute live performance by Incapacitants.

The Improvised Music from Japan label was created by Yoshiyuki Suzuki to document the Onkyō music scene that began to emerge in Tokyo during the late 1990s. Onkyō translates as "sound, noise, echo" and represents a form of free improvisation which is more interested in texture than structure. The Tokyo venue Off Site was the centre from which the "movement" emerged and the Off Site label also released music from the genre.

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Various - Improvised Music From Japan 2002-2003

This is the disc which came with the first of the IMJ magazines.

One

Various ‎- Improvised Music From Japan EXTRA 2003

Obviously, these are discs that came with the 2003 edition.

One

Two

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