Review: Tapes Round-Up Part 3

Haven't done one of these for a while, which is very remiss of me as there is sooo much good stuff coming out on tape right now. One thing that does occur to me when writing these round-ups is that tape releases tend to be in very limited runs and so invariably have sold out when I (eventually) get around to writing. However, most have accompanying downloads and at the very least can lead you to some of the groovy tape labels out there.

Superalma Project - Dystopian Children (The Spiritual Triangles)



The Spiritual Triangles is a new label out of Portugal and if this release is anything to go by their future is looking pretty rosy - this tape by Superalma Project (which is the working name of one Igor Almeida) is one of the best things I've heard all year!! The central idea of 'Dystopian Children' apparently "inhabits the vacuum between the presumed end of earthly things and the personal recollections of my childhood, and from this conceptual junction, germinates this album, that I think it is so far, the most mature and structurally complex work of Superalma Project." In real terms the album is a gorgeous mix of lush drones, field recordings, eighties influenced synth and experimental electronica. Tracks like "The Sky Darkens And We’re All About To Be Vanished" veer more towards the experimental, darkly ambient end of the spectrum with some oscillating electronica and deep drones while "Bring Them the Blood Of The Outlanders!" could fit neatly onto one of the ace 'Cosmic Machine' compilations of seventies synth music. However, it is when Almeida goes all dark that this album is at its most potent...glitchy, edgy electronica sitting above cavernous drones that are simultaneously beautiful and foreboding. Brilliant stuff!



Whirling Hall Of Knives - Another Shudder (Cruel Nature)



As I've said on more than one occasion, Cruel Nature is one of my favourite labels - consistently putting out challenging work by cutting edge artists. Case in point is this release by experimental legends Whirling Hall Of Knives. 'Another Shudder' is a huge fucking beast of a tape....opening with sub-techno beats that threaten to break free and cause mayhem and when the industrial effects and electronica join the fray...wow! Ostensibly there are two tracks: Side A and Side B, but each side is made up of three distinct entities. Side A is 'Bunker Shudder/Waum', 'All Channels' and 'RDWRX'...it moves from the aforementioned brutal beats to some harsh electronic drone before some 'straight' techno, albeit with loads of fuzz and static and a glimmer of mutated sampled vocals, sees things out with a fixed loop that threatens your very sanity. 'Side B' comprises 'Evil Tonal Beyond', 'Verted' and 'Hovvl', opening with more twisted drone and electronica that reeks of evildoing and malice. Things then get positively dancey with some beats that border dangerously on house, rescued only by some more coruscating drone and experimental musings. As we reach the end we are subjected to some dark ambient worthy of the legendary Lustmord himself....deep (and when I say deep I mean deeeep!) drones that sound as though they emanated from Hades itself, lightened only by some jittery electronica...it is so malevolent and so goddamn good! I notice that there is only one copy of the tape left on the Cruel Nature Bandcamp site but seriously, fork out the £3 for the download...you won't regret it. Bloody excellent!



The Big Drum In The Sky Religion - Super Panentheistic Freakout Infinity (Liquid Library)



Liquid Library is another label that can always be relied upon for thought provoking, creative material. This one was actually released last October but I notice that there are still some copies left. The Big Drum In The Sky Religion were previously known to me via their 'Psacredelia' tape (also from Liquid Library) which is also pretty fantastic. 'Super Panentheistic Freakout Infinity' is comprised of just 2 tracks; 'Alpha' and 'Omega'. 'Alpha' is a glorious riot of psychedelia and noise...imagine sitting in on a Myrrors rehearsal whilst listening to, say, Haikai No Ku on an old Walkman.....it's messy, it's gnarly, it's distinctly lo-fi but it simply genius! 'Omega' is more of the same except a tad slower in tempo and, if anything, even more discordant. I love this tape...it redefines the whole 'psychedelic' tag...there is very little formal structure and even less sense but boy is it a damn good listen.



Liminal Haze - Volume 1 (Invisible City)



Invisible City is one of my new faves...operating out of Gateshead they specialise in dark and edgy electronica..playing regular host to drone giants like Culver and Anla Courtis. Their latest comes from Liminal Haze and is really rather brilliant. 'Volume 1' is four tracks of umbrous drone punctuated by industrial clangs and whirrs that conjure up visions of dystopian futures and post-apocalyptic cityscapes. It is deeply immersive and deeply atmospheric, an audible tape hiss throughout adding a real frisson of age and authenticity to things. All four tracks hover around the 15min mark so this all adds up to almost an hour of meditative darkness....the very antithesis of relaxation, immersive but with an undercurrent of evil and dread. For those who like drone and darkness then 'Volume 1' is a must have.