Like last week, tonight started with a long sunnO))) track from their latest album. Amazing orchestration and dynamics here.
Then sunnO)))’s Stephen O’Malley remixes English folk/experimental artist Pantaleimon.
Another beautiful track from Sydney composer William Gardiner’s debut EP Onliving takes its cue from Constellation label postrock bands as much as from contemporary composition.
And we had a couple of tracks from Tartaruga Records boss Max Bondi’s debut album M – an album with many hidden depths. The cello on the first track was contributed by Oliver Barrett, from whose bleeding heart narrative we took a very fine song, featuring a home-made rhythm loop, noises, and actual singing. It’s beautiful, and free to download (see below).
In Brisbane this weekend I found Swedish postrock/drone group tape’s Mort Aux Vaches CD, and a lovely one it is too.
Biggest news of the week for me is Icarus’ amazing new remix album. You can get it direct from Icarus from their Not Applicable label – highly recommended. Tonight we had an uncharacteristically bouncy remix from Frank Bretschneider, semi-randomized dubstep from Ital Tek, and something lovely from Ivan Pavlov aka CoH. Oh, and something folktronic (if you like) I picked up at the same time, from one half of Icarus as Isambard Khroustaliov.
Recently I finally picked up a copy of Perth postrock band The Tigers’ remix album from 2001. It’s truly fantastic, and postrock alumnus David Pajo’s remix as Papa M is one of many highlights.
Lucky Dragons keep up the high quality on their latest 12″, with blissful textures, tribal drumming and organically digital treatments.
I’m terribly excited about the new Kes Band album, of which I’ve only heard two tracks so far. Beautiful stringy stuff and a cute folk attitude. I didn’t quite get into Kes’s vocals, so it’s nice to see this is an instrumental album too!
Speaking of folk, I saw in Adelaide and couldn’t pass up a compilation of early tracks by the wonderful Pentangle, which features many of my favourite tracks. You can see them playing Train Song live on the BBC here on YouTube.
I also finally (in Perth – yes, it’s been that kind of weekend) nabbed a copy of Sufjan Stevens’ very first album, A Sun Came. Unusual and folky arrangements – wonderful stuff.
We had another excellent track from English cellist Danny Norbury, and then a couple of tracks from Belgian indie/postrock band Bed.
After some post-jazz (am I allowed to call it that?) from Canberra’s Pollen Trio, we had something charmingly demented from Loom, a Canberra/Sydney electronic duo.
As well as more wondrous dubsteppy sounds from Clubroot, tonight we heard Cloaks combining dubstep pretty much with noise. It’s a very noisy and bassy mini-album that I’ve only listened to once on an aeroplane, not the perfect environment, but “Against” was clearly a highlight.
Finally, as well as reprises from the last few weeks of idm/alt.hop duo Bike For Three! and The Rational Academy (with a lovely stripped-down acoustic guitar song), we heard from Mr 76ix’s Spirit of Man 12″, taking its initial cue (on the track we heard tonight) from a track of the same name on his most recent album. Acid squelches and lovely string pads – very SKAM!

sunnO))) – Alice [Southern Lord] {love the quote from Miles Davis’ “Shhh/Peaceful” on the trombone near the end…}
Pantaleimon – Bourne (somnialescent remix by Stephen O’Malley) [Durtro Jnana]
William Gardiner – Reverie [digital prerelease available here]
Max Bondi – Alina [Tartaruga Records] {feat. Oliver Barrett of bleeding heart narrative on cello}
bleeding heart narrative – suitcase [self-released, available for download from Distance Recordings]
Max Bondi – Aleph, Bet [Tartaruga Records]
tape – reversed flames [staalplaat]
Icarus – keet (Psittacidae remix by Frank Bretschneider) [Rump]
The Tigers – Beneath My Hands (Papa M remix) [Sensory Projects]
Lucky Dragons – We Made Our Own Government [Teenage Teardrops]
Kes Band – Patterson’s Curse [Mistletone]
Pentangle – Train Song [Shanachie]
Sufjan Stevens – We Are What You Say [Asthmatic Kitty]
Danny Norbury – Small Field (Live 19/09/08) [Lacie’s Records]
Bed – an itch [Ici D’Ailleurs]
Bed – plainfield [Ici D’Ailleurs]
Pollen Trio – Paleburst [hellosQuarerecordings]
Loom – Snail Shell [New Weird Australia] {free download!}
Icarus – Selfautoparent (Ital Tek remix) [Rump]
Cloaks – Against [3by3]
Clubroot – Embryo [Lo Dubs]
Icarus – Keet (Oxy mix by Ivan Pavlov/CoH) [Rump]
Isambard Khroustaliov – Ant, Tony and I [Not Applicable]
Mr 76ix – 1ne [SKAM]
Bike For Three! – One More Time Forever [Anticon]
The Rational Academy – A New Berlin [Someone Good]

New! Listen again: part 1; part 2; part 3.

I’ve been uploading mp3s of the shows for the last month or so, so you can listen again to your heart’s content! See bottom of post.
We had a long and somewhat in-depth interview with Michael Tee tonight, regarding the legendary Sydney experimental label M Squared. This coming Sunday, the 26th of July, there will be a special M Squared event at the CAD Factory in Marrickville, at which a re-formed Scattered Order “Mark 1” and also The Makers of the Dead Travel Fast will be performing. This is a must-see event, everybody!

If you just want to listen to the interview, you can download it separately here as a 1-hour mp3, complete with the musical samplings as catalogued below.

We started with something magisterial and intense from sunnO))), in which the Hungarian phrase which is clumped up in the song’s subtitle is intoned by an amazing choir while the band does its usual immense sludge-rock thing.
We followed this with laptop-improv supergroup FennO’Berg, and the John Barry-sampling “Fenn O’Berg Theme” from their first album, just re-released as a double-CD set with their second album by Editions Mego. Still as brilliant as ever, 10 years on.
During the 1-hour interview with Michael Tee, I played music from Scattered Order, The Makers of the Dead Travel Fast and the Systematics, from the very early ’80s, as well as one Scattered Order track from their reason rehearsal sessions – a little glimpse of what they’ll be playing next Sunday!
Scattered Order’s last track (from 1983) melded rather nicely (if I say so myself) into Locust’s classic piece of digitally distorted noise-hop, “Penetration”, from 1995.
This allowed me to segue into a few noise pieces. We had two tracks from Hospital Productions head honcho Prurient – the first is from one of the loudest-mastered albums I’ve ever heard, and it’s awesome. The other is, er, much quieter. And we had an awesome Burning Star Core track from an awesome untitled 3CD noise comp co-released by 3 labels back in 2007. We’ll hear more from it next week as I only just picked it up (on the cheap) from Norman Records (no longer the cheap price there though!)
Avowed M Squared fan pimmon followed with his track from the New Weird Australia Vol 1 comp.
Finally got hold of the new The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble EP on CD, and it’s very lovely indeed. Jason Köhnen of Bong-Ra and Gideon Kiers are joined by cello, flute, guitar and more.
Meanwhile Toronto emo-breakcore trio belladonnakillz have a new album out, and I played the somewhat dubsteppy number that closes the album. Indeed, we had a little mini-dubstep/wonky set, with Nosaj Thing & Eskmo representing for the Bay Area, Clubroot (oh so wonderful) for the UK, and P-Vans for NZ, released by FBi’s own Garage Pressure.
Another awesome Bike For Three! track from their debut album, with Buck 65 bringing a very fine lyric.
Also in fine form is Cex, whose latest release is a pair of 12″s entitled Bataille Royale. It can be purchased right now from cexja.ms and features premium itchy house and glitchy hip-hop.
We finished with the slightly glitchy jazz-improv of Canberra’s Pollen Trio, truly a band to watch.

sunnO))) – Big Church (Megszentségteleníthetetlenségeskedéseitekért) [Southern Lord]
FennO’Berg – Fenn O’Berg Theme [Editions Mego]
…Interview with Michael Tee and various M Squared tracks…
Scattered Order – Swiss Like Knives And Forks [M Squared]
Scattered Order Mk 1 – Art Delay [unreleased new track]
The Makers of the Dead Travel Fast – Tael of a Seaghors [M Squared/Extreme]
Systematics – Fat Cows Go Down An Eastern Beach [M Squared/Vinyl on Demand]
Scattered Order – The Pilot Reads Crosswords [M Squared]
…end of M Squared special…
Locust – Penetration [R&S Records]
Prurient – Memory Repeating [No Fun Productions]
Prurient – Striped Swimsuit [Hospital Productions]
Burning Star Core – Let’s Name her Snowy cuz it’s Snowy Outside [Public Guilt]
pimmon – On The Other Hand This Carbon Fire Is (Flammable) [New Weird Australia] {available for free download here!}
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble – München [Ad Noiseam]
belladonnakillz – my dream [dross:tik]
Nosaj Thing – heart entire [Nosaj Thing]
Nosaj Thing – 1685/Bach [Alpha Pup]
Eskmo – Agnus Dei [Ancestor Media]
Clubroot – Dulcet [Lo Dubs]
P-Vans – Wasps [Aquatic Lab]
Bike For Three! – Let’s Never Meet [Anticon]
Cex – Pond & Hooper [cexja.ms]
Pollen Trio – File In [hellosQuarerecordings]

New! Listen again: part 1; part 2; part 3.

About as varied as a show can get tonight!
Started with the wonderful Clubroot, who perhaps takes his cue from Burial’s haunted dubstep, but more accurately is dealing in the same sort of rave/d’n’b/garage nostalgia, and when it comes down to it is just making great tunes.
A great song from last week from A Hawk and a Hacksaw, who like Clubroot may come with some connotations, here of Beirut, but in the end they’re doing their own thing, and doing it really well.
Angel Deradoorian of Dirty Projectors has a wonderful debut CD, from which we took a lovely dirge-like piece. Definitely worth seeking out!
Only one track from the inaugral free download compilation New Weird Australia this week, but it’s another awesome understated number from Telafonica. It was followed by Sunken Foal’s beautiful “Dutch Elm” from last year, by way of introducing a newly discovered early EP from his duo ambulance.
We then had a conversation with the lovely Lawrence English, whose Room40 and Someone Good labels have brought out so much great music over the last 5+ years. Lawrence is in town on Thursday night playing a gig with Seaworthy at Serial Space, which should be a wondrous occasion.
On the Someone Good label, we heard a track from the Lawrence-produced album by The Rational Academy, of which more certainly next week. 10 tracks in 20 minutes!
Jasper TX’s new album is a double-3″ of reworked live recordings, and as usual he takes drone in surprising directions.
After Clubroot’s standout track, we had one of many bizarre offerings from the new Clark album, combining the techno of Turning Dragon with some of the electroacoustic experimentation of Body Riddle.
We then turn to Canberra, and the scintillating post-jazz of Pollen Trio, who were previously known as the Austin Benjamin Trio. With electronic help from the slightly mysterious C.S.K.A., they achieve something special on their new album, as well as on a very limited 3″ CD with Seaworthy.
We then took three amazing tracks from UK cellist/multi-instrumentalist Danny Norbury. I picked up a 3″ CD of his on ONO Records at the Rough Trade store in London last year on the strength of a beautiful handmade cover (an edition of 33!), and the new album also has lovely packaging, befitting the music it contains. Norbury is a very fine cellist, and the first track is pure multi-tracked cello. The third is from a limited bonus 3″, on which The Boats combine Norbury’s cello with their usual subtle electronics.
Sydney composer William Gardiner follows with a track from his forthcoming Onliving EP, a very assured debut combining classical composition with some improvisatory elements and thoughtful studio effects. Expect more from this next week.
Max Bondi’s M is the fourth release on London’s boutique Tartaruga Records, and they haven’t had a dud yet. Beautiful artwork as usual, accompanying a release that encompasses drone, layered cello (from Bleeding Heart Narrative), piano and effects.
With a… different approach to string playing, C. Spencer Yeh mutilates his violin as usual, in collaboration with Norwegian noise artist Lasse Marhaug. UK guitarist Cam Deas follows with some Untitled Blues – highly expressive playing, beautifully recorded for 7″. And a third 7″ record followed, with SJ Esau’s delightfully ramshackle indiepop.
Esau’s usual label Anticon welcome Buck 65 back to the fold with his Bike For Three! collaboration with electronic artist Greetings From Tuskan. It’s consistently high quality stuff. A bit more alt/nerd-hop followed, with Sage Francis’ fabulous collaboration with Jolie Holland, and Busdriver’s sardonic (to say the least!) collaboration with Nocando (“When it comes nerd rap, seems this black thing’s a problem”).
And finally we had the smooth clubby stylings of L.D.’s take on the Animal Collective single Summertime Clothes. Tasty.

Clubroot – Talisman [Lo Dubs]
A Hawk and a Hacksaw – I am not a gambling man [Leaf]
Deradoorian – High road [Lovepump United]
Telafonica – Time And Distance [New Weird Australia] {free download comp!}
Sunken Foal – Dutch Elm [Planet µ]
ambulance – ambulance! [frontend synthetics]
…interview with Lawrence English, with backdrop from tracks from Kiri No Oto [Touch]
The Rational Academy – Swans [Someone Good]
Jasper TX – The Golden Afternoon [under the spire recordings]
Clubroot – Embryo [Lo Dubs]
Clark – Suns of Temper [Warp]
Pollen Trio – Syndrome [hellosQuarerecordings]
Seaworthy & Pollen Trio – Untitled #2 [hellosQuarerecordings]
Danny Norbury – All The Stars Are Out Tonight [Lacie’s Records]
Danny Norbury – Les Cheveux Gris [ONO]
Danny Norbury – This Night Is For You And Me (The Boats Remix) [Lacie’s Records]
William Gardiner – Return [digital prerelease available here]
Max Bondi – Elenco [Tartaruga Records]
C. Spencer Yeh & Lasse Marhaug – In Contemporary Western Society, Death Is Like White Noise To A Man In Good Health – It Fills His Mind When His Dreams And Plans Fade [Arbor]
Cam Deas – Untitled Blues part I [Great Pop Supplement]
SJ Esau – Part of a Diagram [OIB Records]
Bike For Three! – Lazarus Phenomenon [Anticon]
Sage Francis – Got Up This Morning (feat. Jolie Holland) [Epitaph]
Busdriver – Least Favorite Rapper (feat. Nocando) [Anti-]
Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes (Leon Day AKA L.D. Remix) [Domino]

New! Listen again: part 1; part 2; part 3.

Save FBi! You can sign up as a supporter at the FBi website at any time, or you can ring 1300 FBI 945 between 8am & 8pm – make sure you mention how much you LOVE Utility Fog :) It’s vitally important that FBi’s listeners support the station – not only to keep the station afloat, but also to make sure the station is listener-funded to the greatest extent possible. rather than relying on (corporate) sponsorship…
Starting tonight with an extraordinary piece of Eastern European folk/indie fusion from England’s A Hawk and a Hacksaw, who have teamed up with some amazing Hungarian musicians for their latest album, doing something a little like Beirut but actually quite different… This led quite logically into another take from James Blackshaw’s latest wonderful album.
Two tracks tonight from Luke Vibert, whose latest album has seemingly slipped under the radar, but has his usual mix of great beats and delicious cheese. A little slice of genius from his drill’n’bassy Plug moniker underlines this fact. And Nosaj Thing’s beats and lovely analog synths have more than a little in common with Vibert’s sound.
Of maddest kings alive I know little except that the tune I played tonight is delightfully demented electronica, and I want more. And I have a whole EP to get through, so expect more next week! Of Silver Bone Tone I know more, and he’s turned in another great track this week in his oh-so-regular fashion!
Canberrans Spartak are touring at the moment, and hit Sydney this Thursday night (9th of July) playing at Dirty Shirlows, 32 Shirlow St, Marrickville. HIGHLY recommended, these guys are fantastic live. Sydney/Adelaide duo Collarbones follow with a track almost entirely (but for the vocals) sampled from Björk’s Vespertine album.
Years also got played last week on the show, and tonight’s track is one of those perfect tracks that makes you want to make music just like it. Well, if you’re me. Cut-ups guitar and drums (among other things), and great musicianship.
Finally there’s a new album from Sydney postrock alumni Decoder Ring, and indeed it’s a double album. Epic it is, and I’ve only had a brief listen as yet…
While we’re on the postrock tip, Tortoise are generally credited with originating at least one strand of the genre, and they’re back with something different all over again. I revisited some old favourites, with Spring Heel Jack’s blissful drum’n’bass take on “Galapagos”, and the 20+-minute “Djed”, complete with the “OMG my CD player’s skipping” moment…
After a new Tortoise track, Zomby does unspeakable things to the new Animal Collective single, one of many highlight’s from their Merriweather Post Pavillion album.
Some lovely dub-techno follows from Moderat, and then a slightly different take on Milanese‘s “The End” from London dubstep/club/etc producer Untold.
A Nosaj-produced Busdriver track gives way to veteran idm/breaks producer Nautilis, who contributed a track to French label Lamadameaveclechien’s compilation from last year…
After another awesome song from A Hawk and a Hacksaw, we finished off with, well, one of my favourite tracks of all time? Venetian Snares referencing Hungarian folk and 20th century classical music in fine style.

A Hawk and a Hacksaw – Kertész [Leaf]
James Blackshaw – Arc [Young God]
Plug – cheesy (gigolo mix) [Blue Angel Records via Nothing]
Luke Vibert – A Fine Line [soundofspeed]
Nosaj Thing – IOIO [Alpha Pup]
maddest kings alive – sleepy kisses [science girl records]
Silver Bone Tone – Flickering Lights [demo]
Spartak – Sleet/Skid [hellosQuare]
collarbones – waiting for the ghosts [Internet Archive – free download!]
Years – Are You Unloved? [Arts & Crafts]
Decoder Ring – Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom [Inertia]
Tortoise – Galapagos (version one) (remix by Spring Heel Jack) [Thrill Jockey]
Tortoise – Djed [Thrill Jockey]
Tortoise – Charteroak Foundation [Thrill Jockey/Spunk]
Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes (Zomby’s Analog Lego Mix) [Domino]
Moderat – Nr. 22 [BPitch Control]
Milanese – The End (Untold Remix) [Planet µ]
Busdriver – Split Seconds (Between Nannies and Swamis) [Anti-] {produced by Nosaj Thing!}
Nautilis – Slitshifting [Lamadameaveclechien]
A Hawk and a Hacksaw – I am not a gambling man [Leaf]
Venetian Snares – Hajnal [Planet µ]

New! Listen again: part 1; part 2; part 3.