Some time ago Stylus presented an article named “Summer Dubbin” and while I planned to fashion a mix of my own, the due date came and went before I felt as though I had something which might be considered finished. In an attempt to perhaps salvage that effort, a trimmed version may be found below.
Romps through feral hills hedged by branches no longer bare and balm nights spent basking in the moonlight are moments often associated with Summertime. An environment of birdcalls, watery skies and bushy puffs of green grass beckon a certain sort of response from many. Teens frolic from schoolhouses to grocery stores, restaurants and the like, while workers stare out beady office windows in a glum haze, swearing they can smell an aroma from the barbeque being held at their house ten miles away. Such is not often the hour for a music which seeks to engage ones attention, for the summer is an hour wherein we hold our engagements loosely in between our fingertips and hope the gusting summer breeze will blow them away. But, of course, this is not to say that we might not instead choose to hold on a little more tightly and watch our avant-garde tastes commingle and flap fervently in this summer air. For too long has the summer been owned by the pop beast, so come forth now chaps, lets at them!
Fennesz - Ciscassion
A strangely triumphant piece culled from the eloquent Venice.
Black Dice - Creature
Blissful bleeping, flying metal sparks and hypnotic, off-kilter loops swell around a base of electro-jamming. Creature is nearly the aural equivalent of a summer heat-haze.
Yituey - Golondrina
In a way, someone’s feet have their own solo on this one, as a person splish-splashes through water as it settles down after its flight from a clifftop. Chirping birds, digital snaps and voices from lost travellers drift in and out of this piece which reminds of the best moments from Chris Watson .
Dorine Muraille - Madrague, Retour
Sogar - st.03
Despite being built by sine wave modulations and multi-layered glitches this nevertheless remains a rather melodious affair. Like a jaunt through the wilderness, this has a plethora of noises to search out.
Asa Jang & Junray - Xylophone
Strange distraught vocals float through a dense atmosphere with spaghetti western hues dissected by shuddering electronics.
The Wind Up Bird - This
“I love you, sorry I’ve become this monster”
Hecker - VI Retrospect
A symphony of cheap synthesizer squalls create a havoc of relentless noise to punish your ears and those around you. Extended sine waves and coarse drones means this creature ought to be let loose whenever you want everyone to disappear.
Coin Gutter - Southern Yukon/Northern BC (And Perhaps Parts of Alaska)
All Your Dreams Are Meaningless was a fine debut record from this Canadian Avant-Gardist. What begins as a scrap of glitchy sound art, quite unsuspectingly, drifts into a tsunami of frightening digital interference and screaming voices.
Kaffe Matthews - She Could
Oskar Aichinger - The Cave Of Insanity
Nemeth’s contorted computer explorations and Aichinger’s swirling synths fashion melodies which drown beneath waves of noise and unbound piano.
Christopher Willits - Lichen
Basil Kirchin - Once Upon A Time
Wheezing vintage synths spin a beautiful web upon which a child gets entangled, repeating “someday you’ll see, something special will come from me.” An endearing mix of free jazz and musique concrete forms something that is quite undefinable.
Food - Pie
Richard Youngs - Soon It Will Be Fire
Youngs has an enchanting voice, and though attempts to decipher his words will be fruitless, the listener may implant his or her own memories into this timeless audio journal.