Utility Fog

Sunday, 30th of June, 2013

Tonight we celebrate the long-awaited return of µ-Ziq, and enjoy some other electronica, drone and post-classical sounds among... other things.

As usual listen again by streaming on demand at FBi or downloading here!

Well, it's been a very long time since we had a solo album from Mike Paradinas, whether as µ-Ziq or under one of his many other aliases. He's been busy bringing amazing music to the world with his Planet µ label, with some ultra-important dubstep releases followed in the last few years by the cream of Chicago juke/footwork producers (and some more experimental juke-influenced releases as well).
It looks like a µ-Ziq take on dubstep is never to be heard - perhaps he felt it was too distant from his own sound, or it never quite fitted with his production style (not surprising) - but it's nice to hear some juke influences in the hi-hats and flow on a few tracks from this new album Chewed Corners. There's also plenty of classic Paradinas melodicism, and his penchant for beautiful melodies & chords juxtaposed with noisy, distorted beats - something we hear very clearly in one of the tracks from his multiple-remix mini-album from 1994 µ-Ziq vs The Auteurs (far more Paradinas than Luke Haines!). I also slipped in an incredible drill'n'bass tune from his much-loved 1997 album Lunatic Harness, one of the peaks of idm in my oh-so-humble opinion.

In the middle there we heard a VIP remix from this year of key drum'n'bass producers Fracture & Neptune by Planet µ alumnus Machinedrum, in a kind of hybrid d'n'b/juke style - dance track of the year I daresay.

Next up, Dutch artist Julien Mier has a new EP on Lowriders Recordings called Jane's Junkyar, which we're told derives (some of?) its sounds from non-musical sources. It sounds to me a bit like the ridiculously obtuse and completely-made-up liner notes that Aphex Twin wrote for the first µ-Ziq and Squarepusher releases on Rephlex many years ago, but that's OK because there's plenty of Rephlex braindance to this stuff too. Skittery beats, pretty melodies and even some (also pretty) vocals from Mier on a couple of tracks. I came across him via Memotone, who contributes a quite dark, minimalist remix to the EP, and Mier's beats share a bit of the sortof leftfield post-bass/techno feel of Memotone too.

After the most dubsteppy of Mier's tracks we head back to Sydney with Moving Ninja, aka Farj, sometime of FBi's own Garage Pressure, with a rare new track found on the new Aquatic Lab compilation.

And while it's not dubstep at all, the ultra, well, analogue Winduptoys remix of Melbourne/UK duo Tiatto on their new EP for Clan Analogue shares about the right tempo. Even more interesting is the latter track, which closes their EP: it's a subtle and beautiful interplay between piano and electronic noises.

Also out now from Clan Analogue is a new EP from Actual Russian Brides, 3 years after their debut album. Elle Knox's performance art belies the fact that she's actually a beautiful singer when she wants to be (cf the last track I played), and behind the relentless puns and slightly-bad-taste jokes (I'll leave the analysis to you, dear reader) are some touching themes and beautiful music. Really, I'm very excited that there's a new release from this duo, and equally excited to be able to revisit their 2010 album. Highly recommended, both.

Also very highly recommended are the new EP/mini-album and remix release from Moon Zero out from Futuresequence. Moon Zero's music seems at first glance to be the usual grainy drone stuff, but it actually sits somewhere slightly different - repetitive for sure, but with the sense that these are very long, very patient songs we're listening to, with actual vocals buried in the mix on one track. Attentive listening uncovers some kind of devastating distorted performance on not-quite-recognizable instruments. The remixes are remarkably sympathetic to this sound, some just overdubbing additional elements, some deconstructing the tracks but augmenting the sonic palette rather than going somewhere different. An excellent pair of releases.

The news that Neurosis side-project Scott Kelly and the Road Home will be touring in November with none other than Jarboe, once of Swans, prompted me to play this incredible opening track from the unbelievable collaboration between, yes, Neurosis & Jarboe. It's absolutely chilling. I'm not sure whether we'll be treated to some of this 10-year-old recording at the show, but needless to say attendance is essential (except, d'oh, I'll be overseas at the time).

µ-Ziq - Twangle Melkas [Planet µ]
µ-Ziq - Tickly Flanks [Planet µ]
Fracture & Neptune - Clissold (Machinedrum VIP) [Astrophonica]
µ-Ziq vs The Auteurs - Lenny Valentino 3 [Astralwerks/Hut]
µ-Ziq - Brace Yourself Jason [Virgin/Planet µ]
µ-Ziq - Mountain Island Boner [Planet µ]
µ-Ziq - Tambor [Planet µ]
Julien Mier - Ever Lonely [Lowriders Recordings]
Julien Mier - Flakey Backdrop (Memotone Adaptation) [Lowriders Recordings]
Julien Mier - Here's The Blur [Lowriders Recordings]
Moving Ninja - Saw [Aquatic Lab]
Tiatto - Full Moon (Winduptoys Underwater Mix) [Clan Analogue]
Tiatto - Ruben's Docadahedron [Clan Analogue]
Actual Russian Brides - Colonel Panic [Clan Analogue]
Actual Russian Brides - Puppet [Brigade Music]
Actual Russian Brides - Gathering Dust [Clan Analogue]
Moon Zero - Endless Palms [Futuresequence]
Moon Zero - Endless Palms (MHVA Remix) [Futuresequence]
Neurosis & Jarboe - Within [Neurot Recordings]

Listen again — ~ 58MB

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