Bleak Bliss: July 2019

MCMS - 1997-2000

Triple disc compilation of free noise and drones from Omaha, Nebraska, released by Last Visible Dog in 2004. MCMS was mainly a duo of Matt Silcock and Chris Moon, who started the Last Visible Dog label in order to release MCMS' recordings and those of like-minded artists from around the world. Kris Lapke, who now records as Alberich, was an occasional member. This set collects music that originally came out on their first few Last Visible Dog CDRs, one split with Yermo (aka Moon solo) on Campbell Kneale's Celebrate/Psi/Phenomenon label, and a lathe-cut LP put out by Eclipse. Fans of New Zealand freenoise, Ashtray Navigations or Pelt will likely already be on their fuzzy wavelength.

disc 1
disc 2
disc 3

Control Unit - Burn

... and now a noise-rock maelstrom where Silvia leaves nothing unexpressed.

I've never heard the Modern Duets flexi, the Complay tape or the OTO Live CDr (please help me out with that) but the rest of Control Unit's catalogue is commercially available in eithe physical or digital formats. Seek and ye shall find ... I recommend that you do.

C30 released on Fort Evil Fruit in 2014.

Burn

Control Unit - Steel Tape

In the intervening period there was some quite beautiful creative destruction that happened in the world of Control Unit and they metamorphosed into this armour plated feedback drenched noise butterfly.

C40 that has four tracks that repeat either side. Delivered courtesy of Jim's delicious Fusty Cunt in 2012.

Steel Tape

Ninni Morgia Control Unit - Ninni Morgia Control Unit

"Control Unit is the work of guitarist Ninni Morgia and the wonderfully forthright chanteuse and musique manipulateuse Silvia Kastel. It’s like Catherine Deneuve dumped two cases of post-Repulsion psychiatric notes over Pere Ubu’s Dub Housing, lit the fuse and, ahem, stood well back" Julian Cope, Vinyl of The Month, Head Heritage, June 2012. Can't improve that as an introduction.

However, that would come later. This initial release has Jeff Arnal on drums and the legendary Daniel Carter on trumpet, clarinet and occasional vocals whilst Silvia is handling the mixing. It's a very enjoyable romp through constrained free-jazz psychedelics ... similar to the more ferocious Japanese exponents but with one hand still on the steering wheel.

Double LP released on Ultramarine in 2009.

Control Unit

K2 & The Haters - Noise Tournament Vol. 1

... and is there a better to finish and start than with a doff to GX's 40th anniversary of (brain) circuitry frying?

7" jointly released on Kinky Musik Institute and Banned Production in 1994.

Noise Tournament Vol. 1

K2 & De Fabriek - Noise Tournament Vol. 2

I'm not sure that The Factory got the way that this series was supposed to roll so generally KMI didn't get that much of a mention in the pressing ... but no harm done.

7" jointly released on Kinky Musik Institute and De Fabriek Records in 1995. ‎

Noise Tournament Vol. 2

K2 with RLW - Noise Tournament Vol. 3

... and now it's Ralf Wehowsky (P16.D4, etc.). Name me a better series of singles. Not different. Better.

7" jointly released on Kinky Musik Institute and Banned Production in 1995.

Noise Tournament Vol. 3

K2 with Runzelstirn & Gurgelstøck - Noise Tournament Vol. 4

You are familiar with the script but this flips it end over end. Pairing these two is properly mind expanding. Kusafuka Kimihide reworking Rudolf Eb.er is akin to the best noise reworking of a Roadrunner cartoon working as an instructional amateur dentistry spank fantasy. The reverse is better. Totally dissected and reassembled lunacy genius. The whole event is utterly deviant and completely sublime.

7" jointly released on Kinky Musik Institute and Banned Production in 1997.

Noise Tournament Vol. 4

K2 with Aube - Noise Tournament Vol. 5

Self-explanatory and essential.

7" jointly released on Kinky Musik Institute and Banned Production in 1997.

Noise Tournament Vol. 5

K2 with Smell & Quim - Noise Tournament Vol. 6

K2 with prime British noise-filth, what could possibly go wrong?

7" released on Kinky Musik Institute ‎in 1997.

Noise Tournament Vol. 6

K2 with Hands To - Noise Tournament Vol. 7

The last of the Tournament series where one gets to work with the source material of the other ... this time around it's Jeph Jerman.

7" released on Kinky Musik Institute in 1997.

Noise Tournament Vol. 7

K2 - Variation: Pianoise

The first track is called "Piano For Sadists" ... that will give you a clue where this is headed.

7" released on Dead Mind Records in 2013.

Variation: Pianoise

K2 / Jalopaz - K2 / Jalopaz

Jalopaz is the work of Alex Yusimov who was in the genius whatthefuckcore outfit The Locust. That's information right there.

7" released on Leg Meat in 1996.

K2 / Jalopaz

K2 - Anybody Can't Catch Up With This

Half an hour of good old junk metal abuse.

10" released on Ant-Zen in 1997.

Catch Up

K2 - Iron Kulture

7" released on Patrick O'Neil's Self Abuse Records ‎in 1996. There were some copies of this bundled in with the Destruction For Model Citizens tape (that I have never heard ‎... please help out with that if you can!).

Iron Kulture

K2 - Renal Ekonomix

When I first started with this very brief little blogging lark (who knew?), I started off doing discog style posts and it quickly became clear that it was a bad idea and was effectively just a link dump. Those links have been dead for a very very long time so I am going to gradually plunder some of those as I'm assuming some of it will be new to some people. It won't be new to Caligari because he/she has been with us for practically the entire journey. Saluti!

Anyway ...

7" released on Praxis Dr. Bearmann in 1996.

Renal Ekonomix

Various - Moonlanding Vol. 1 / 2

The Haters, Zipper Spy, John Wiese, Cory Ronnau, Spastic Colon, Aube, MSBR, Bastard Noise and Thurston Moore.

7" released on John Wiese's Helicopter in 2000.

Vol. 1 / 2

The prevailing narrative is one of human progression ... not everyone entirely shares that point of view. Maybe they should all just be sent back where they came from.

Various - Moonlanding Vol. 3 / 4

Mason Jones, K2, Sissy Spacek, K.K. Null, Panicsville, Disc, Darin Gray and Jetstream Panic.

7" released on John Wiese's Helicopter in 2000.

Moonlanding Vol. 3 / 4

Various - Sexorama - An International Industrial / Noise Compilation

It's never a gentleman dining out is it?

I thought that I had posted this years ago but apparently not. Four volumes (but five tapes) of quality industrial / noise from pillars within the scene that were released in Japan by Masami Akita on his ZSF Produckt between 1984 and 1986. Luckily, they were gathered into a single set by RRRon on his Statutory Tape imprint in 1992. As for who's here, it's easier to just look.

Sexo

ramalama

K2 - Pathosonico Anatomico

Recently, I've been listening to this again and again and have been surprised by how organic it is (in terms of real instruments) compared to the second coming of the junk metal meister. Frankly, I think it's been time very well spent. I posted this in a bit of a rush about nine years ago and didn't split the tapes but now I have. Not sure why somebody listed Side E as a three track on discogs, even when you take it down to a thousandth of a second (and I have), it's a single track. Just saying.

Five C40ish tapes released on RRRon's Statutory Tape in 1999.

Pathosonico Anatomico

K2 / PD / [ISOFC] - Haiwian Eye Melt Down

Your favourite kinky music institution joins forces with Prick Decay on one side and (In Spite Of Flaming Creatures) on the other.

7" jointly released on Spite and Kinky Musik Institute in 1999.

Haiwian Eye Melt Down

Stahlnetz / Incapacitants - Gruenkreuz

Stahlnetz were a German power electronics unit. They appear to have recorded very little and I know even less about them.

7" released on Campaign Org. in 1995.

Gruenkreuz

Incapacitants / JunkDrome - Quo Warranto / Channelling Through Transparent Planes

JunkDrome were Mikko Aspa and Toni Eiskonen pulling off some fine noise-rock moves ... think Godflesh with a Pussy Galore swagger and a little bit of a Drive Like Jehu duck and swerve. As far as I can tell, this is their only recorded output. That's a damn shame because it really pushes my buttons.

10" released on Mikko's Freak Animal Records in 1997.

Quo Planes

Incapacitants / Macronympha - I Hate Derivatives / Wet Panty Contest

Stellar (sorry) 7" released on Mother Savage Noise Productions way back in 1995.

They also had a split C60 released on Bizarre Audio Arts last year that appears to still be for sale? What's wrong with people these days?

Hate Contest

Incapacitants - Sarin Will Kill Every Bad Aum !!!

A 7" middle finger to the terror cult released on the excellent and frequently surprising Dirter Promotions in 1995.

Bad Aum

Incapacitants - Alcoholic Speculation

It always seems like a good idea at the time.

7" released on Zabriskie Point in 1995.

Alcoholic Speculation

Incapacitants / K2 - We Are All Stupid

It's true. You are not worthy and neither am I. Two fifteen minute "solo" pieces followed by a monumental 34 minute collaborative live assault.

CDr released on absurd in 1998.

We Are All Stupid

Black Leather Jesus / Incapacitants - A Purpose Not Necessary

Kevin Novak, Richard Ramirez, Sean Matzus, Vance Osborne, Fumio Kosakai and Toshiji Mikawa setting fire to your head.

CD released on Dada Drumming in 2006.

A Necessary Purpose

Government Alpha - 記憶の解像度 Resolution Of Remembrance 1992-1999

Now and again, the Brazilian anarchoharshnoisehead Jhones Silva emails in. Recently, he asked for a re-post of this box set. It's been so long that I had shamefully forgotten that the original link had been dead for nearly ten years. So ...

This is the exemplary representation of Yoshida Yasutoshi's Government Alpha mission.

If that wasn't enough, this four CD box set was released on Lasse Marhaug's Pica Disk in 2009. Clearly Lasse is a stone cold Norwegian legend but oh my lord does the man concentrate when he releases a box set. I buy them so I know. This is a flac rip and frankly it deserves to be shared in lossless.

p.s. Lasse, I know that you are thinking about it but are you going to reprint those Reynols T-Shirts or what? I need to be suitably dressed!

Quickening

Sprout

Chaos

Diffusion

va - Macro Dub Infection Volume Two

The follow-up double disc of dub-influenced electronic music, featuring tracks by Bill Laswell, Mouse on Mars, Plug (aka Luke Vibert again), Him, Prince Paul, The Rootsman, Alec Empire, Porter Ricks, Third Eye Foundation, Maurizio, Rhys Chatham and a collaboration I didn't see coming: Ice & Palace... yes, that Palace...

disc 1
disc 2

Simon Wickham-Smith - Murrinh Kulerrkkurrk

Imagine Rovo raving within sight of Uluru. Insistent and persistent and capable of driving a person crazy in a bad way or a good way or both.

Double CDr released on Rhizome in 2004.

Murrinh Kulerrkkurrk

va - Macro Dub Infection Volume 1

A fantastic double CD (or triple LP) compilation of industrial electronic dub compiled by Kevin Martin (of The Bug, Techno-Animal and GOD) in 1995. There are some really excellent songs here by Automaton (a short-lived Bill Laswell project), Mad Professor, Bedouin Ascent, Omni Trio (aka Robert Haigh/Sema), Tortoise, Scorn, Wagon Christ (aka Luke Vibert), Golden Palominos, Coil, Laika, Two Badcard, The Rootsman, Tricky and many others.

disc 1
disc 2

Simon Wickham-Smith - Buckminsterfullerene

Looped and reversed dubtech and broken drone glitch.

Double CDr released on the immaculately conceived Celebrate Psi Phenomenon in 2002.

Buckminsterfullerene

Android Sisters - The Best of the Android Sisters

... and now for something completely different! The Android Sisters were absolutely a product of the early 1980s, when computers were scary and sinister and a JG Ballard dystopian future and/or nuclear war seemed right around the corner. American composer Tim Clark was the human brain behind these mechanical siblings, delivering a cold version of "futuristic" (now charmingly anachronistic) robot pop that came out as an LP on Vanguard in 1984. The Japanese label EM Records reissued it on CD and added some bonus tracks in 2004.

Android Sisters - The Best of the Android Sisters

Simon Wickham-Smith and Richard Youngs - Asthma and Diabetes

Two people using a whole host of instruments, objects and recorded sound to create the best aural screenplay you've ever seen ... erm, heard.

LP released on Majora in 1993 with artwork that surely doffs the cap to The Gordons' extremely fine first album.

Asthma and Diabetes

Julian Bradley - Heel Intercom

2003 was a busy year for our hero. Another CDR of solo yawn, this time released by those heroes at Chocolate Monk in a small edition that probably more than met "demand". Oh, and it's great.

Julian Bradley - Heel Intercom

Simon Wickham-Smith & Richard Youngs - Ceaucescu

Sitting somewhere between working class children in a school "choir" and cavernous orchestral feedback, I'm positive that Nicolae and Elena would have thoroughly disapproved of this opus but that just makes it better for those making the clumsy association.

LP released on Forced Exposure in 1992.

Ceaucescu

Simon Wickham-Smith & Richard Youngs - Knish

Over here nish means nothing (as in "chatted her up all night and I got nish" ... less sexist translations were available but at least I am obliquely aware of that). Maybe I should have always been mentally spelling it with a silent K. Richard's guitar and Simon's piano seem completely disconnected ... and then one or both sweep towards the other and the (black) whole is revealed.

LP released on Ignivomous in 1996.

Knish

Julian Bradley - A Companion as Glamorous as Sleeping on Wheels

Not only did Bradley adopt the hilariously cumbersome moniker A Companion as Glamorous as Sleeping on Wheels to use in place of (and/or in addition to?) his own name, he also released this album under his own name, with ACAGASOW as it's title. Lots of shorter pieces here, recorded between 1997 and 2000, released as a CD by the Belgian label Veglia.

Julian Bradley - A Companion as Glamorous as Sleeping on Wheels

Julian Bradley - Ditch Us In the Doorway

Bradley's 2003 CDR on the Belgian label Audiobot, released in an oversized package just to make sure that the discs get nice and scuffed up as quickly as possible. Sigh...

Julian Bradley - Ditch Us In the Doorway

Simon Wickham-Smith & Richard Youngs - Enedkeg

A ticket into a private world.

LP released on Majora in 1996.

Enedkeg

Simon Wickham-Smith & Richard Youngs - Worried About Heaven

Sonic euphoria followed by consideration.

7" released on Fourth Dimension Records in 1993.

Worried About Heaven

Simon Wickham-Smith & Richard Youngs - 444D

String manipulation, reversed loops and locating a tortured orchestra in a cave using echo location before flying off on a broken Wurlitzer organ to lament at leisure.

10" released on Fourth Dimension Records in 1995.

444D

Julian Bradley - Miss Modern Venus

Maybe Bradley's best album? That's a tough call to make, but I'm making it and you can't stop me. Tape loop hypnosis for sweet daydreams. Released on a CDR by Peter Wright's Apoplexy label in 2003 under a strange new combo "band" name: Julian Bradley/A Companion as Glamorous as Sleeping on Wheels.

Julian Bradley - Miss Modern Venus

Simon Wickham Smith & Richard Youngs - The Enigma Of Rotons

Brief guitar considerations recorded to tape, cut into a 7" lathe and released on Hell's Half Halo in 1998.

The Enigma Of Rotons

Julian Bradley - Reasoning With a Goner

Yet another low-key beauty from Julian Bradley, released on CDR by the magnificent Betley Welcomes Careful Drivers label. Indeed, if you already love the music of Betley's own Ashtray Navigations (and if you have working ears, then you have no excuse) then this will mash those same pleasure buttons.

Julian Bradley - Reasoning With a Goner

Neil / Richard /Simon / Stewart - Durian Durian

... or Campbell / Youngs / Wickham-Smith / Walden if you prefer. Expect prime UK tomfuckery.

LP released on Forced Exposure in 1992.

Durian Durian

Tape Hiss - Tape Hiss

A one off name for this collaboration between Neil Campbell, Stewart Walden and Richard Youngs.

C60 that repeats Side A on the reverse released on Richard's No Fans Cassettes in 1994.

Tape Hiss

Julian Bradley - Stella Concrete Geet

Recorded in 1999, released as a cassette by Freedom From in 2000.

Julian Bradley - Stella Concrete Geet

Julian Bradley - Untitled

Julian Bradley is one of those low-profile noise/drone guys in vaguely the same orbit as Vibracathedral Orchestra, A Band, Richard Youngs, Simon Wickham-Smith, John Clyde-Evans/Tirath Singh Nirmala... so you know that you can expect high quality with minimum pretense. This untitled LP was issued by Giarida in 1998 in an audience-defying edition of just 100 copies.

Julian Bradley - Untitled

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