Tag: Bill Laswell

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August 2021 Bandcamp Friday suggestions: ZENKA, Information Society, Harmony Woods, The Robotic Hands of God & more

Information Society ODDfellows

Once again, Bandcamp Friday is upon us. It’s a good time to snag anything you’ve had your eye on from Bandcamp, and if you haven’t had your eye on anything? Well, I have suggestions!

Each single or album has a rating, using a modified Robert Christgau scale. Also check out my earlier recommendations from March.

ODDfellows by Information Society ★★★

New this week, ODDfellows has everything I love about Information Society’s early albums without sounding dated or repetitive. Haven’t had time for repeated listens but this is already in the queue for regular rotation. My sole complaint at the moment is that they only seem to be releasing this digitally. I really want this on physical media with the rest of my InfoSoc collection… even if I don’t actually pull the CDs out very often. (Sadly, I no longer have the Information Society cassette I played again and again and again and again in high school.)

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Graceful Rage by Harmony Woods ★★

Bought the LP on the strength of the first song alone. “Good Luck Rd.” will hit you like a ton of bricks. Going to be visiting this one again and again. Look for a longer review when I’ve had more time with it, but don’t wait for that – go check it out today.

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“December” by ZENKA ★

This one grabbed me instantly. It’s got a strong beat, hooks you in right away. Party music with a dark underbelly. Love the minor key synth motif that pops up throughout the song and adds just a little menace and tension. Song’s a bit pricey, with a $7 digital download for the single, but it’s damn good.

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Structures: Duo Improvisations for Acoustic Guitar & Tabla by Nate Roberts & Doug Scheuerell ★

Pretty much what it says on the tin. If you enjoy tabla and acoustic guitar, you’ll probably dig this. As the description on Bandcamp notes, this isn’t big on dissonance — which is often a hallmark of improv and puts me off a number of recordings that might otherwise be enjoyable. Highly melodic and enjoyable.

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Music from a Parallel Dimension by The Robotic Hands of God ★

Not quite as interesting or good as The Hidden Master, but still has its high points and is a fun ride.

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EXCAVATION Unauthorized Cut​-​Up Vol 1 by Bill Laswell★

Shares a name and some tracks with an unofficial release from 2008 on CD-R, EXCAVATION has Laswell tinkering with tracks from JT Money & George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and earlier adventures with Laswell and William S. Burroughs. Not an essential release but fun, nonetheless. “We Wanna See Bootsy” is quite a jam.

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Bill Laswell & Pete Namlook: Psychonavigation 1-5

Bill Laswell & Pete Namlook's Psychonavigation album I

Bill Laswell‘s discography is intimidating, and I’ve been grappling with it for a few years now. This week I decided to sit down and give the entire five album Psychonavigation series a listen.

It’s a trippy, bass-y journey that won’t work for everybody, but has a fair amount to offer for fans of experimental ambient music that’s heavy on atmosphere and repetition.

Bill Laswell: A vast and varied discography

My first encounter with Laswell was 1994’s Hallucination Engine. I picked it up unheard on the basis of a review that made it seem like something I couldn’t miss. After just one spin on the CD player, I knew I wanted more but finding more was quite a challenge.

This was the pre-Internet era, at least for me. I didn’t have much luck finding additional Material albums or any info about Laswell’s other work. The record stores of St. Louis had nothing I could find under the Material band name, despite Hallucination Engine being the sixth or seventh album under that band name.

For the past few years, though, I’ve had the opportunity to really dig into the treasure trove of Laswell’s discography–which has only grown steadily since the mid-90s. Even if Laswell had stopped recording in 1994 his output would be substantial.

Bill Laswell & Pete Namlook: Psychonavigation 1-5

Case in point, Psychonavigation 1 was also released in 1994. The first in a five album series (so far, anyway), Psychonavigation spans 1994 to 2002. Psychonavigation 5 was released in 2002, and re-released on Bandcamp in 2020.

Each album has its own character, but if you listen to the entire series back-to-back the albums can blend into one another almost seamlessly.

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My first impression, starting with the 38-minute “Psychic and UFO Revelations in the Last Days,” was that it was a trippy, space-y, and bass-y ride. Nothing really changed that impression through the rest of the series.

You have to wade through some filler to get to the good stuff, though. “Angel Tech” on Psychonavigation 1 is a bit blippy and distracting. At more than 10 minutes it’s the shortest track on the album.

“The Fate of Energy” on Psychonavigation 2 has more groove to it and a little more structure. “Infinum” on the same album is the shortest track in the series. Checking in at 1:49 it’s fast-paced and makes me think of church bells, if you piped them through a synthesizer.

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Psychonavigation 3 breaks things up a bit with seven tracks and nothing that exceeds the 20 minute mark. “Telepathy I” reminded me a little bit of the Blade Runner soundtrack by Vangelis. Ambient synth brings swells and thrums with some background and hard to distinguish vocals. Doesn’t quite have the same menace as the Blade Runner work, though, and is poorer for it.

Theremin whale songs

My notes for “Mind Transference Control” include the phrase “Theremin whale song.” I stand by that. It’s catchy and pleasant, very repetitive. Actually it’s probably not a Theremin, but a similar instrument called a Trautonium, which Namlook is credited with on the 5th album. Unfortunately I don’t have good liner notes to go with the albums so who played what is a bit spotty.

The most Material-like cut in the series is “Mind Over Energy” (track 4). I really enjoy the bass on this one and I’d probably pull this one into playlists.

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I’ve marked down “ENTIB 2060” on Psychonavigation 4 as “harsh and crashy” though I got good vibes off the rest of the album.

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The final entry in the series has a four-part “Cryosleep” series that’s good background music if you like things in the drone/ambient category. Things move along just enough to keep it interesting. If you want it to be. Put on low it’s good background noise. Wearing headphones or putting it on a bit louder you can get into a groove and appreciate how each track evolves.

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Along with the drum programming, Laswell throws in some simulated (I think?) gongs and other spicy noises that keep Psychonavigation 5 from being ponderous and boring. Track 4 (“Cryosleep Part 3 – Holy Man”) has some nice and chunky bass with more vocals and an upbeat, almost frenetic, vibe.

Final thoughts

The Psychonavigation series is a must-have for Laswell completists (and, presumably, Namlook completists as well…) and might appeal to folks who are really into ambient, electronic, dub music. It’s a journey somewhat in the vein of early Pink Floyd without quite so many dynamics or Syd Barrett’s guitar or Nick Mason’s drums to bring it closer to contemporary rock music. But if you dig early Floyd, you’re primed for Psychonavigation.

I’ll probably bring these out from time to time, but doubt they’re going to wind up in heavy rotation. Laswell and Namlook have a few other collaborations I plan to give a full hearing, like the Outland series and The Dark Side of the Moog VII.

Short version: If you already know and like Laswell, give these a shot. If you don’t, start with a more accessible work like Hallucination Engine.

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Jukebox selections: Earthspace, Kill Shelter + Antipole, Sunny War “Staying Alive” cover & much more

Album cover: Simple Syrup by Sunny War

It’s another Bandcamp Friday! Time to fill up the cart and bring home some great tunes. Looking for a few ideas? Check out some of these albums and artists.

Lagniappe Sessions (EP) by Sunny War

Spotted this one on Cover Me, I think, a few weeks ago. The entire EP is made up of covers, but the one that stands out for me is the 8-minute cover of The Bee Gees’ “Staying Alive” that deconstructs the song and gives it a lot of room to breathe.

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Bonus recommendation, her Simple Syrup release that came out last week is beautiful. Really enjoying her voice and guitar playing, it’s sublime. This is the sort of album I can close my eyes and just let wash over me. It’s definitely not background music for working – it deserves full attention.

When the world returns to some semblance of normal I hope I can catch a live show.

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Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony Orchestra

This is not a collaboration I’d have predicted, or known that I wanted, but sometimes life hands you something really good unexpectedly. So it is with Promises, a joint effort from Floating Points (producer, DJ, musician and Eglo Records co-founder, Pharoah Sanders (legendary jazz saxophonist), and a scrappy little outfit known as the London Symphony Orchestra.

This is a perfect record to bring in Spring, it’s all sonic butterflies and sunshine, light breezes and fluffy clouds dancing overhead. Nature’s stretching after a long Winter nap and getting down to the serious business of reawakening. The record was released just a few days ago, but I don’t think it’s too soon to declare this one a classic.

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Machines Reflecting Love (EP) by Earthspace

This short EP from 2020 by Earthspace (aka, Matheus Nogueira from Brazil) is described as “chunky slabs of bass grooves.” It’s short but lots of fun. It doesn’t demand your full attention. It makes for great background work music, but it does reward it if you do choose to close your eyes and just ride its waves.

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A Haunted Place by Kill Shelter & Antipole

A Haunted Place is new from last week, but its cold wave vibe would be right at home next to The Cure’s Pornography and other 80s cold wave/goth classics. This is the kind of gloom and doom that’s fun to listen in any mood. The lyrics are a bit “black writing on black paper in a dark room” but the music is good enough I don’t mind too much.

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Caravan to the Stars by Dark Matter Halo feat. Bill Laswell

Ethereal, heavy on the low end, great stuff from Dark Matter Halo with Bill Laswell. The title is appropriate, feels like a journey through the void at galactic distances.

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Milan 2012 by Material

This one is exclusive to members of the BASSMATTER subscription from Bill Laswell on Bandcamp. It’s a six track jam recorded at Teatro Manzoni, Milan featuring Aiyb Deng, Hamid Drake, Dominic James, Peter Apfelbaum, Steven Bernstein (not that one), and Bernie Worrell.

There’s some truly stunning work from Worrell on the keyboards here. Laswell’s bass is top-notch as always. Gave it a listen the moment the notice landed in my inbox that Laswell had released another BASSMATTER exclusive. The subscription is $22 a month. You’ll get access to all the back catalog exclusives and new stuff released while you’re subscribed.

Did a quick scan of my inbox and there’ve been about 22 releases this year. I wondered when I signed up whether the subscription would be worthwhile or if this would be the dregs of stuff out of the archives… it’s not the dregs. I’ve enjoyed pretty much all the releases that have been issued since I subscribed, particularly the Tabla Beat Science and Method of Defiance stuff.

Tell me what you’re listening to

Enough about my finds this week, what are you listening to? Always looking for new music recommendations. Bonus points if it’s on Bandcamp, but that’s not a requirement.

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Jukebox selections: Bambie Thug, Method of Defiance, Aesthetic Perfection and more

A few of the things that I’ve caught in the last few weeks that are keeping my ears busy, including Method of Defiance, Bambie Thug, Aesthetic Perfection and others.

One of Bill Laswell’s many, many, many, many recurring projects, Method of Defiance is all over the map depending on which album you’re dealing with. Some feature vocalists like Dr. Israel, others are instrumental jams that blow the doors completely off the hinges.

Nahariama is their second instrumental album, this one featuring DJ Krush, Bernie Worrell, Toshinori Kondo, Graham Haynes, Robert Burger, Guy Licata and Aiyb Dieng. Released in April 2013, the album resurfaced recently when Laswell released some vinyl through Bandcamp along with digital downloads.

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Expect a longer review at some point, but this one wow’ed me right out of the gate. In particular, “Quantum Clash” is already in high rotation for me. Continue reading “Jukebox selections: Bambie Thug, Method of Defiance, Aesthetic Perfection and more”

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Bandcamp Friday recommendations: Eliza Rickman, Stickster, Renssy Rios, and much more

Album playing with vibrant colors

It’s Bandcamp Friday! Bandcamp has been waiving revenue share on the 1st Friday of each month to help artists who’ve had their incomes seriously impacted by the pandemic.

Reminder from Bandcamp, “here’s something to keep in mind: on Bandcamp Fridays, an average of 93% of your money reaches the artist/label (after payment processor fees). When you make a purchase on any other day of the month (as 2.5 million of you have since March, buying an additional $145 million worth of music and merch) an average of 82% reaches the artist/label.” So if you happen to be reading this on any other day, don’t hesitate to support folks on Bandcamp then too.

Eliza Rickman covers “Be My Baby”

At the top of my list today, Eliza Rickman’s new single. This is a cover of “Be My Baby” originally by The Ronettes, and will be on her forthcoming covers album. It’s beautiful and respects the original material while she makes it her own.

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By the way, if you are unfamiliar with the original, listen to Eliza’s cover first and then be sure to check out the original. They’re both fantastic.

If you’re totally new to Eliza’s music, I recommend you start with her 2012 album O, You Sinners which is one of my all-time favorite albums. (Which isn’t to say that I don’t love all her albums, just that Sinners hits me juuuust right.)

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Stickster strikes again

I really love this track by Stickster, a.k.a Paul Frields. Full disclosure, Paul’s a friend and co-worker I’ve known well more than a decade now. But I’m giving this track a big thumbs up independent of that, it’s just a damn good instrumental track that reminds me a touch of Vangelis. (Maybe a little more than a touch.) Definitely put this one in your Bandcamp cart today.

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Emma Swift sings Bob Dylan

I have a dirty secret. I’m an avid music fan who really isn’t very into Bob Dylan. I recognize his talent and songwriting genius, but I haven’t really connected with Dylan. However, I’ve really enjoyed covers of his songs – especially Blonde on the Tracks by Emma Swift. Gina Frary Bacon, of WFMU, wrote “An Emma Swift performance can bring you to the edge of tears, because her voice is both heartbreaking and heartbroken all at once. It takes a lot of resilience to be so vulnerable. She brings this strength and beauty to… Blonde on the Tracks.”

Can’t really say it better than that, so I won’t try. Go listen, you’ll believe.

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Modern Americana

Here’s one from The Pomegranate Country Irregulars that has a lot of charm and optimism. It’s filed under “modern Americana” and that sounds like a pretty good description. Some of the music reminds me of mid-period Jayhawks.

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Bass and drums with Renssy Rios

Check out this instrumental album from Renssy Rios that features Rios playing 5-string bass and drums. Some really good stuff on this one and it’s a mixture of some fairly tranquil slow journeys and more fast-paced jams that get the blood pumping.

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Bill Laswell

Speaking of bass, there’s so much goodness from Bill Laswell on Bandcamp. If you’re unsure where to begin, I really love one of his latest releases, Against Empire that features Laswell, Pharoah Sanders, Herbie Hancock, Hideo Yamaki, Chad Smith, and several others. Four (long) tracks that defy easy categorization but travel through avant-jazz, rock, dub, ambient and other genres. Don’t miss it.

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Even more bass with Bill Laswell and Jah Wobble

Finally, get double the bass with this album featuring Jah Wobble & Bill Laswell with the Invaders of the Heart and Peter Applebaum and Hideo Yamaki. Amazing album that just keeps giving.

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But wait, there’s more!

I’d also give a hearty recommendation to any of the other albums I’ve written about that are on Bandcamp or any of the albums in my collection. It’s my number one source of new music these days, they have so many fantastic niche and indie artists cranking out amazing work. We truly live in a time of abundance when it comes to finding music.

 

 

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One from the vaults: World Destruction by Time Zone

Needed a bit of adrenaline on top of my caffeine today, pulled this one out of the vaults for a quick boost. “World Destruction” is a single from Time Zone, a collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa, John Lydon, and Bill Laswell.

The track also features frequent Laswell collaborators Aiyb Deng (percussion), Bernie Worrell (synths), and Nicky Skopelitis on guitar. Lydon and Bambaataa share vocals, with Lydon contributing his unique frenetic delivery.

Nothing not to love about this one, it’s got a driving beat and catchy chorus. Lyrics seem just as appropriate today as they did when it was released in 1984. If you’re a Sopranos fan, you might recognize it from the first episode of season four.

The reconstruction is not bad, but IMO doesn’t add enough as a remix to recommend it. The “Mr. Reagan” sample dates the track tremendously.

But the A-side is all goodness. Stick it in and crank it all the way up.

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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.

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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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“Ekstasis” by Nicky Skopelitis (No. 79)

Nicky Skopelitis Ekstasis album cover

On the off chance that anyone is actually playing along at home, I feel bad about listing records that you can’t easily find on Spotify, Google Play, or other digital music services. Yet, like Prison, I can’t really leave Ekstasis off the list. (You can find it on Bandcamp, though.)

Ekstasis is in a similar vein with Hallucination Engine, being a heady mix of funk, jazz, rock, world music, and the kitchen sink if it adds anything. The album is credited to guitarist Nicky Skopelitis, but the cast of characters contributing looks a lot like a Material album. Continue reading ““Ekstasis” by Nicky Skopelitis (No. 79)”

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“Hallucination Engine” by Material (No. 83)

Album cover: Material's Halluciation Engine

Today’s pick, Hallucination Engine by Material is a bit of a sharp departure from the likes of The Who, L7, Rollins Band, and the rest of the list so far – excepting, perhaps, Steven Jessie Bernstein.

Where I mostly go for straight-forward classic rock, hard rock, or alternative, Hallucination Engine mostly instrumental, or only features background chants or singing – and much of that not in English, so that the vocals are also treated as another instrument or texture in the fabric of the song. Continue reading ““Hallucination Engine” by Material (No. 83)”