Nice mix of music, including totally NEW 2019 tunes already on the first Sunday of 2019!

LISTEN AGAIN to the new sounds of today! Stream on demand, FBi lets it be so! Podcast here.

Aphir – Mirror Garden (feat. Dear Laika) [Aphir Bandcamp]
Aphir – Nine Inch Spy (feat. Happy Axe) [Aphir Bandcamp]
It’s a delight to have a new EP from Becki Whitton’s Aphir to begin 2019 with. Like her previous Dyscircadian EP, each of these experimental pop tunes features a like-minded collaborator. Despite the EP’s Magritte-punning title Ceci n’est pas une Pop, the tracks are definitely catchy. I’m looking forward to exploring Dear Laika soon, and of course Canberran violinist/singer/producer Happy Axe‘s album was one of my tops of 2018.

Nika Mo – Landscape longing [Nika Mo Bandcamp]
Nika Mo – My Mother’s Scarf [Nika Mo Bandcamp]
Great Statue – Twenty-Fifth [Rathe Bandcamp]
Perth musician Annika Moses wears many hats. Under her own name she makes dense radiophonic works based around spoken word and field recordings, works which tend to be a bit too long for me to play here. But luckily she also makes some pretty amazing more-song-oriented music, under a couple of aliases (and that’s not counting groups she’s part of). Nika Mo finds Moses in “garage folk” land, with emotive folk songs wrapped up in some lovely experimental sound work (the rolling marbles at the end of “Landscape longing” are wonderful), while Great Statue is an outlet for more experimental, glitchy, electronic music while still working song in at times. Very much an artist to watch.
The Great Statue comes from a compilation called Impressions/Sequences put out by Perth collective Rathe last year that’s highly recommended.

Alaska Orchestra – The Oloid (excerpt) [Alaska Orchestra Bandcamp]
The work of Megan Alice Clune and various collaborators, Alaska Orchestra is an ever-changing project which covers lots of musical ground. Here we heard the second half of a work from late 2017 called The Oloid – detailed live drone. Alaska Orchestra is playing next Saturday night (12th of January) at the first in a new eclectic, experimental night called Surfacing Series, at the “Down/Under Space” at Freda’s in Chippendale – full disclosure, I’m playing too as raven, and check the link for the full, excellent lineup.

Elsen Price – Birth: The Spirit Begins [Elsen Price Bandcamp]
Sydney double bassist Elsen Price plays in various jazz & world ensembles, with indie musicians, and also as an accomplished solo musician – performing classical works, jazz, and his own solo improvisations & compositions, often with loop pedal. He has a new album in the works, with the wry title Death of the Spirit and the Rise of the Pointless, and this is the first single, available now and being launched at Johnston St Jazz on the 24th of January.

ljerke – Tsjilland [Eilean Records]
The Dutch-Norwegian audio-visual group ljerke is one of a few to centre around Kleefstra brothers Romke on guitar & effects and Jan, speaking his poetry in the Frisian language. For this project they’re joined by a number of musicians including from Norway – the spellbinding trumpet & electronics of Hilde Marie Holsen, the live electronics of Alexander Rishaug and the double bass of Michael Francis Duch, by turns melodic and noisy.

Scandinavian Star – Candi [Posh Isolation]
Scandinavian Star – Regal V [Posh Isolation]
Malthe Fischer has been involved with Copenhagen label Posh Isolation for some time in the mastering/mixing front, and was a member of the semi-legendary Oh No Ono and more recently Lust For Youth. This solo project is a perfect expression of what Posh Isolation does – glitchy ambience, bassy beats, processed field recoridngs & acoustic instruments. Ostensibly based around the legend of the MS Scandinavian Star which tragically burned with 159 people on board (one apparently a convicted arsonist), it can be listened to without any knowledge of that connection as just a beautiful and varied piece of audio work.

Piet Dierickx – A brief history of everything [Consouling Sounds]
Piet Dierickx – Ambulance Du Ciel [Consouling Sounds]
Not a million miles from Scandinavian Star is the new solo work from Belgian musician Piet Dierickx. Dierickx has worked as dummer with Soulwax, and also drummer in some other Belgian groups, but really his background as a drummer doesn’t stand out here, so much as his talent for electronics and sound design. There’s beautiful glitchy, distorted piano, heavy synths and bass, and at times beats. A great solo debut, released right at the end of 2018 by Belgian heavy/experimental label Consouling Sounds.

Homemade Weapons and Red Army – Hellion Blue [Ohm Resistance]
This excellent heavy junglist drum’n’bass track from frequent US collaborators Homemade Weapons and Red Army comes from the current subscription series from venerable label Ohm Resistance, which has exclusive tracks on vinyl or just digital if you prefer from a big range of excellent artists. You can still subscribe, and get the previous releases as well as that which is still to come.

Hiro Kone – Truth That Silence Alone [DAIS Records/Hiro Kone Bandcamp]
Hiro Kone – Rukhsana (feat. Drew McDowall) [Geographic North]
Hiro Kone – Poortgebouw [Dais Records/Hiro Kone Bandcamp]
Electronic whiz and techno experimentalist Nicky Mao has made music under the pseudonym Hiro Kone for a while now, with releases going back to 2011, but in the last two years released two amazing albums as well as a collaboration with industrial/ambient legend Drew McDowall. Her latest, Pure Expenditure, was released on DAIS last year to some acclaim, and I came across it in some best of the year lists thankfully – focused techno and ambient, with a varied approach to rhythm and sonic evolution, which is also found on Love is the Capital, out through Geographic North in 2017. We heard a gorgeous techno track from that featuring Drew McDowall (unrelated to the collaboration from early in 2018). Very glad to be on board now with Hiro Kone! (cheers Norman Records)

JS Aurelius – All in Sync With All, and Me Cutting Through [iDEAL Recordings]
JH1.FS3 – At the Bottom of the Night [iDEAL Recordings]
Two tracks from an excellent compilation on iDEAL Recordings, run by Swedish experimental artist Joachim Nordwall. I’m ashamed to say I had this compilation on my radar for months last year but somehow never actually pressed the Purchase button until late in December – so here’s the first couple of selections from what’s actually a fantastic collection of drone, noise, glitches and techno. JS Aurelius is an excellent visual artist, musician and co-founder of Ascetic House, spot on label and anarchist political force. His track creeps up on you, starting with drones and growing into a sublime synthetic choir before tapering off with a field recording. Meanwhile, JH1.FS3 is the work of Frederikke Hoffmeier, best known as brilliant noise/industrial artist Puce Mary, alongside Jesse Sanes. Here it features comparatively un-harsh electronics and clean vocals from Hoffmeier – a beautiful piece.
I’ll play some more from this compilation next week hopefully!

Listen again — ~193MB

More of the best of an excellent year for music – what I could fit in, that is!

LISTEN AGAIN, it’s for the best… stream on demand on the FBi website or podcast here.

Tropical Fuck Storm – Rubber Bullies [Tropical Fuck Storm Records/Mistletone]
the body – the west has failed (feat. sample of Eek-A-Mouse) [Thrill Jockey]
Golden Syrup – When Will I Run Out Of Breath [Nice Music]
Arikon – City Cum Temple [Portals Editions]
Nima Aghiani – Kah-Gash [Purple Tape Pedigree]
SarrSew – Farewell, Warden. [Zabte Sote]
AMMAR 808 – Sidi Kommi (feat. Mehdi Nassouli) [Glitterbeat]
ZULI – Akhtuboot (ft. Abyusif) [UIQ]
ZULI – Trigger Finger [Haunter Records]
DJ Plead – Get In Circle [Decisions]
Cassius Select – Slang [Plastic World]
Arad – Inti [Bedouin Records]
Eomac – Resist All Dogma [Eotrax]
Djrum – Showreel Pt.3 [R&S Records/Bandcamp]
Sully – Soundboy Don’t Push Your Luck [Rua]
Sophia Loizou – Shadows Of Futurity [Houndstooth]
Saul Williams – The Flaw You Worship [from Neptune Frost]
Oliver Coates – Cello Renoise (feat. Chrysanthemum Bear) [RVNG/Bandcamp]
Hanz – Advice Ad [Tri-Angle Records]
Eli Keszler – Measurement Doesn’t Change The System At All [Shelter Press]
Makaya McCraven – Halls [International Anthem]
LeFtO – McCraven on the Mic (feat. Soweto Kinch) [International Anthem]
Machinefabriek with Signor Benedick the Moor – IX-Three [Machinefabriek Bandcamp]
Machinefabriek with Signor Benedick the Moor – IX-Four [Machinefabriek Bandcamp]
Machinefabriek with Anne Bakker – Scene 7 [Zoharum]
Autechre – g 1 e 1 [Warp/AE_STORE]

Listen again — ~199MB

Nothing but the best! (part 1, lol)

LISTEN AGAIN, it’s best if you do… Stream on demand over at FBi, podcast over here…

Evelyn Ida Morris – The Body Appears [Milk Records]
Neneh Cherry – Deep Vein Thrombosis [Smalltown Supersound]
Carla Bozulich – Let It Roll (feat. John Eichenseer & Andrea Belfi) [Constellation]
Paula Rae Gibson & Kit Downes – Love On Time [Slowfoot]
Aperture – In These Awkward Voids [Subtext]
Penelope Trappes – Carry Me [Houndstooth]
Sophie Hutchings & Julia Kent – Earth Bound [Thesis Project]
Madeleine Cocolas – Pollock, Autumn Rhythm No. 30 [bigo & twigetti]
Happy Axe – Prayers and Mantras [Spirit Level/Happy Axe Bandcamp]
Maarja Nuut & Ruum – Haned kadunud [130701]
Low – Fly [Sub Pop]
Shoeb Ahmad – “lope” [Art as Catharsis]
Camila Fuchs – Battlefield [ATP Recordings]
Lekhfa (Maryam Saleh, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh, Maurice Louca) – Makonsh Wakoun [Mostakell]
Lena Hessels – First [Terp Records]
Hannah Silva – Pain [Human Kind Records]
Eartheater – MMXXX ft. Moor Mother [PAN]
Puce Mary – Slouching Uphill [PAN]
Lana Del Rabies – Devour [Deathbomb Arc]
Nordra – phasing (live) [SIGE]
Zaïmph – Ephemeral And The Material [Drawing Room Records]

Listen again — ~193MB

Experimental music from round the world, mostly of a quiet bent tonight! Including an interview with Andrew Khedoori of Preservation, 2ser, CBAA about his Longform Editions project!

LISTEN AGAIN for beautiful music and great chats. Stream on demand from FBi, or podcast here.

crush crush – plymouth [Eastmint/crush crush Bandcamp]
crush crush – speak to me [Eastmint/crush crush Bandcamp]
This has actually been out since July and I should’ve gotten hold of it then, but for some reason missed out on it being released! crush crush is a duo made up of songwriter/composer/multi-instrumentalist Evelyn Ida Morris (who has released a solo, mostly piano, album and a soundtrack this year as well as this!) and contemporary clarinettist Aviva Endean (who has also released a solo album this year!) The music here finds Morris’s as always beautiful songwriting backed mostly by Endean’s gorgeous clarinet, bass clarinet and harmonic flute, with some keyboards & electronic treatments – pensive, often quite challenging, highly rewarding.

Juana Molina – Dedication, Consecration [Temporary Residence]
Stuart Hyatt – Formation 3, Revisited (Matmos Remix) [Temporary Residence]
Paul de Jong – All These Things Are Real [Temporary Residence]
Nick Zammuto – I Am Alive – Cities And Eyes [Temporary Residence]
Here are a few excerpts from a massive work – or collection of works – under the banner of Field Works, inspired by or derived from the field recordings and conceptions of Stuart Hyatt. There are full songs and post-classical compositions by musicians from around the world, along with compositions and performances of Hyatt himself, and many field recordings – whether it’s recordings from deep space or within the planet, sounds of brooks and streams, or people themselves from the locations being featured. There’s a huge number of really interesting artists involved – see Temporary Residence’s page for the whole list. At 7 LP records plus pictures and lots of text, it’s a lot to take in… Here Juana Molina contributes a lovely piece of her usual looping Argentinian song, here in service of a work looking at the collision of urban and rural in Lancaster County, PA. The magnificent Matmos remix a work by Hyatt himself, based around field recordings as he walked along a single street in Indianapolis… Meanwhile, although The Books broke up a while ago, both Paul de Jong and Nick Zammuto appear here, on separate tracks, both showing their skills at melody, arrangement and electronic production…

Ekin Fil – Windblow [Longform Editions/Bandcamp]
Interview with Andrew Khedoori from Longform Editions…
Steam Vent – * Swells [Longform Editions/Swells]
Andrew Khedoori has had a hand in bringing a considerable amount of music to the world through his Sydney-based Preservation label for years, as well as making radio and for many years being music manager at longtime Sydney community radio station 2ser. He’s someone who explores the deeper limits of the music world, unearthing many wonderful artists active in cassette and net labels in all parts of the world – and that’s something he brings to his curation of his new project, Longform Editions. The project is aimed at being a hub for people to find music that escapes the bounds of the short-attention-span culture – every 2 months they will release 4 tracks from 20 to 60 minutes (or potentially longer) that encourage deep listening – although there’s not prescriptivism here, and if you want background music to accompany a walk or studies, that’s fine too! There have already been some well-known names like Richard Youngs and Matthewdavid and there are many more coming. From the latest batch tonight we heard wonderful Turkish artist Ekin Fil, who creates quiet, ambient songs. And we heard the entire, incredible “* Swells” from Sydney artist Del Lumanta, here under the name Steam Vent – a deep work that combines digital/synthetic guitar sounds with absorbing field recordings. I love this piece. Lumanta’s a prolific artist under various pseudonyms, and also currently facilitates All Girl Electronic (AGE), a free electronic music production workshop program for young women, trans and non-binary youth from Western Sydney at Information and Cultural Exchange, Parramatta.

Śruti – Skein [eilean Records/Bandcamp]
Ljerke – Marwylgen [eilean Records/Bandcamp]
Aries Mond – Ld 32 [eilean Records/Bandcamp]
Benjamin Finger – Voices Beyond Eyelids [eilean Records/Bandcamp]
At the end of every year, French ambient/experimental label eilean Records releases a compilation featuring all the artists they’ve released that year – and every year I hear a bunch of great tracks and kick myself for not picking up the limited edition CDRs when they came out. So tonight’s selections are all along those lines – wonderful new discoveries. Śruti is a duo of Egyptian experimental musicians, Mohammed Ashraf aka SikSik and Omar El Abd aka Omrr, contributing a lovely piece of electro-acoustic sound-art. Ljerke finds Kleefstra brothers Romke (guitar) and Jan (spoken word) with various musicians including, notably on this track, the thudding, ricocheting, scratching sounds of Michael Francis Duch‘s double bass, and the trumpet of Hilde Marie Holsen. French artist Aries Mond is of the muted piano persuasion, but with lovely tactile sounds around the edges… and versatile Norwegian sound creator Benjamin Finger brings us some wheezing accordion and other sound.

Benjamin Finger – Gravity’s Jest (excerpt) [Forwind/Bandcamp]
Benjamin Finger – Melanphony Waltz [Flaming Pines/Bandcamp]
The aforementioned Frank Benjamin Finger is entirely unwilling to pinned down by genre. I wish I’d had time to feature more of his music. As well as the record for eilean this year, he also released an LP on the excellent Forwind, with two long tracks and two short ones. Longform deep listening notwithstanding, I only played a short excerpt tonight of the track “Gravity’s Jest”, all string drones but developing into all sorts of other territory – I strongly recommend immersing yourself in the whole 18 minute track and then the rest of this album. Meanwhile I somehow totally missed the lovely album on Flaming Pines from last year called For Those About To Love, a psychedelic journey skipping from minimalist electronics to strummed acoustic guitar, strings, voices, and processed sound.

Listen again — ~196MB