Tag: bandcamp

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té’s “Therefore, the fantasy of density fails, and the world that you see is “forgetting” tomorrow.”

Therefore, the fantasy of density fails, and the world that you see is "forgetting" tomorrow. album coverIf you’d enjoy some hard rock without screamy vocals (or, any, for that matter) then I have a great recommendation for you. Check out té’s Therefore, the fantasy of density fails, and the world that you see is “forgetting” tomorrow. Or ゆえに、密度の幻想は綻び、蹌踉めく世界は明日を『忘却』す。in the original Japanese.

Google claims that the original translates to Therefore, the illusion of density collapses, and the snarling world “forgets” tomorrow. and honestly I like that one a lot better. For brevity’s sake, I’m going to just call it fantasy of density fails.

Not sure if I picture the band snarling but they’re definitely intense.

Playing at the boundary between continuous and discontinuous

I think I stumbled on té via Bandcamp but possibly through some of the post-rock and instrumental sets I’ve been digging on YouTube. The last Bandcamp Friday, I stocked up on several of their albums, including this one.

Weighing in at 11 tracks that range from less than two minutes to nearly eight, té brings some tight guitar-heavy rock that feels disciplined but not rigid. Some of the tracks, like “Honeymoon of the “particle” in the desert is the moment of the moment when the existence of me is sparkling.” transition from heavy to almost airy, and back.

For my money, the band manages to be intense without being ponderous. They could hold their own next to Helmet or End of Silence-era Rollins Band, but also deliver some transitions to slower sections that give a bit of a breather to the listener to brace for the next onslaught.

You can give the album a shot on Bandcamp to see if you like it. If you’re into instrumental rock / post-rock (or aren’t sure if you are), I strongly recommend giving this album a spin. I’ve been going down the té rabbit hole and have no regrets.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3698151970 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

 

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Praxis: Warszawa

One of Bill Laswell’s many, many, many projects, Praxis is an experimental rock band that has featured a rotating cast of players. This iteration features Laswell on bass, Bryan Mantia (“Brain”) on drums, Buckethead on guitar, and Mix Master Mike and DJ Disk on samples & turntables. Continue reading “Praxis: Warszawa”

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Nicky Skopelitis & Raoul Björkenheim: Revelator

Revelator by Nicky Skopelitis & Raoul Björkenheim

Bill Laswell has been a busy fellow lately, pushing out a lot of stuff on his label (I guess?) to Bandcamp that’s been out for years or even decades but no longer in print. I’m really enjoying Revelator, a collaboration with Nicky Skopelitis and Raoul Björkenheim. I’d never heard of Raoul before, but I’ve picked up a couple of things by Skopelitis over the years and really enjoy his work.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=3161926210 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]

This one is from 1998, but sounds like it could have been recorded yesterday. Some really lovely guitar work on this one, it flows really nicely. If you enjoy instrumental multi-genre jams, I would recommend checking this one out. It works as background music, but also rewards close listening.

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The Staves: Tired as Fuck (and a rant)

A few months ago, I stumbled on The Staves “Tired as Fuck,” and it’s been a go-to listen on YouTube, Spotify, etc. It’s got a great build – adding layers until it turns into a chorus of voices and blistering guitar and throbbing percussion.

Really, you should listen to it right now if you haven’t already.

And now, the rant… I really want to buy a copy of this, but it’s only available digitally. I can buy it via iTunes, or listen on Spotify and Apple Music. (Or YouTube.) Or I can buy it via Nonesuch as an MP3. (Presumably, I hope, at 320.) No CD, no vinyl, not even FLAC.

Maybe demand is no longer there, but I don’t want my only copy of music to be digital.

I recently went with a deal on Bandcamp to buy 200+ releases from Buckethead, and it was similar – no vinyl, no CD, just digital. At least in this case, Bandcamp offers FLAC so the music quality is as good as you get on CD, even if you don’t get the actual physical media. (And Bandcamp has a reasonably good archival experience, I can go back for my purchases anytime – at least as long as they remain in business. Which I hope is a long time.)

Similarly, one of my favorite scrappy Indie labels (Magnatune) stopped offering physical media a long time ago. They’re such an awesome outfit, I’m happy to subscribe and have access to their catalog, but… I’d really love to have physical copies of Ehren Starks’ catalog, and Ninety Pounds of Ugly‘s Richmond Motel Room 3. (Pity they’ve broken up.)

For folks who only want digital, that’s great – but I want a pristine, physical copy. Hell, I want something the artist or band can sign if I get the chance. Something that, assuming civilization survives, somebody might pick up in 100 years and listen to.

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Today’s album pick: Dynamics by Secret Drum Band

Secret Drum Band's Dynamics

This is another Bandcamp win, Secret Drum Band‘s Dynamics. Based in Portland, Oregon the band describes the album thusly: “Dynamics sees composers Lisa Schonberg, Allan Wilson, and Heather Treadway delving headway into creating living, breathing soundscapes, rich in rhythmic textures. Driven by five drummers, each song also employs an array of affected vocals, guitar, and synthesizers from noise musicians, often mimicking sounds found in nature.”

I’m on my third or fourth listen to the album, and I’m still finding new things to enjoy. If a hard, driving beat and textured sounds appeal to you, you really should give it a listen or two.

[bandcamp width=100% height=120 album=2378566956 size=large bgcol=ffffff linkcol=0687f5 tracklist=false artwork=small]