Adrian Clement - Blog: Excellent Examples of New(ish) Music Part 2.5

[Currently watching Seinfeld - The Complete Series]

16. Blood Stereo: The Magnetic Headache
2008, Bottrop-Boy

The Magnetic Headache is the first proper CD release by Blood Stereo, a noise project by Karen Constance & Dylan Nyoukis. Nyoukis is also in charge of the wonderful mainly DIY/CDR label Chocoloate Monk and is currently curating a Rock-A-Rolla sponsored event, Color Out of Space 3. More info below:

Taking place September 5 - 7th, Colour Out Of Space 3 is the third outing for the Brighton based exploratory sound fest, curated by Dylan Nyoukis.

The event will feature over thirty acts, films and more incuding: Thurston Moore & Chris Corsano + Limpe Fuchs + Aaron Dilloway & Joseph Hammer + Leslie Keffer + Adam Bohman + Ghedalia Tazartes + Skaters + Lionel Marchetti & Yoko Gami + Skullflower + Astral Social Club & Axolotl + Charlie Drahiem + many more acts !!

For more info and updates see www.colouroutofspace.org

Here is the first track off the record:

17. Eightfold Sun Compilation
2008

I've only recently found out about the new Sydney-based zine Eightfold Sun, and I did it completely by chance at Red Eye Records about a week ago. Extremely well-written and well-informed articles and essays on music, this issue with a black-metal/experimental metal slant. Pick a copy, they're only $8, and they come with a 13-track sampler of a lot of cool music, including "Vow of Vengeance" by Sydney-based black-metal outfit Nazxul:

18. The Tango Saloon: Transylvania
2008, Vitamin Records

I saw The Tango Saloon at The Factory a few months ago. Aside from the fact that a Jehovah's Witness attempted to press their propaganda up against me, handing me one of her pamphlets in the process, I had a great night. Featuring Danny Heifetz of Mr Bungle fame on drums, and a whole range of other people playing a wide variety of instruments, it was a night not to have been missed. The Tango Saloon's previous self-titled record was released on Ipecac. During that time they supported Mike Patton's solo project Peeping Tom when they performed in Sydney at the Enmore Theatre. Mike Patton guests on Transylvania on the track "Dracula Cha Cha":

19. Cult of Luna: Eternal Kingdom
2008, Earache Records

I have to say that I disagree with Rock-A-Rolla's scathing review of Cult of Luna's new record Eternal Kingdom. The reviewer, Bobby Bone, states that "Cult of Luna have an air of contrivance about them, the quasi-mythical concepts and overblown songs hiding what is essentially a post-metal boy band at heart, all polished, packaged and pre-fabricated for mass consumption by Neurosis fans' teenage cousins." I think Bone is a new reviewer for Rock-A-Rolla, and he brings with him a strong sense of negativity to everything he reviews. While I agree with him on several of his opinions, I find that his review of the new Cult of Luna to be, perhaps, a bit snobbish. I like the record for what it is, and I respect Earache records' artistic vision. I don't find this record to be out of line with that at all. Here's the title track of the record:

20. Lukas Ligeti: Afrikan Machinery
2008, Tzadik

I've certainly saved the best to last in this post. Lukas Ligeti has crafted an absolute masterpiece of a work with Afrikan Machinery, his second-to-date release for John Zorn's Tzadik label. Combining a large portion of what I like and enjoy about music into one record is a huge feat, but Ligeti pulls it off somehow. Here is a description of the record from Tzadik:

Lukas Ligeti is a young drummer and composer of deep musical lineage who has developed into one of the most interesting compositional voices working today. For his second Tzadik release Lukas focuses on electronics. Using the Marimba Lumina, a new instrument invented by the legendary electronic pioneer Don Buchla, he fuses electronic, acoustic, traditional, avant-garde, European, American and African influences to create a unique post minimal world of spinning polyrhythms and hypnotic textures. Beautiful and endlessly listenable.

Easily record-of-the-year thus far, and slowly becoming one of my favorite records of all time, Afrikan Machinery is a must for everyone interested in classical music, contemporary-classical music, avant-garde/experimental composition, sub-Saharan African music or electronic music, or if you appreciate musicianship an technicality. Here is the opening track "Balafon Dance System":