Koen Holtkamp, half of the masterful field recording/drone duo Mountains, has a new solo record coming out on Thrill Jockey called Gravity/Bees. There'll be two side long tracks and this is a video of an excerpt for "Loosely Based On Bees," a blissful droney piece using the sounds of Philly bees. Honestly, I could use some more bee buzz on this song but who knows, it might show up somewhere else in the full track. This is shaping up to pack a hefty dose of awesome and if we're lucky, it might even be better than Holtkamp's last solo outing, Field Rituals. But at the very least it's getting the deluxe mini-LP treatment from TJ with a custom letter-pressed jacket and everything.
Showing posts with label mountains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mountains. Show all posts
Friday, October 1, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Tim Hecker, Mountains, David Daniell at Cambridge YMCA Theatre (Together Festival)
David Daniell was brilliant. Mountains played a song that sounded like the surf armed with a megaphone coming to turn your soul into water. Tim Hecker was deafeningly indescribable. He played "Chimeras" and I died.
Tim Hecker - Chimeras
Tim Hecker
Tim Hecker
Mountains
Mountains
David Daniell
Tim Hecker - Chimeras
Tim HeckerMountainsMountainsDavid DaniellWednesday, December 16, 2009
Top 10 Drone Albums Of 2009
I wasn't going to do a Top 10 list this year. I figured my Top 1 list was sufficient because that was so clearly the one thing that made such a life changing impact on me. But then the fine folks of Weirdo Records asked me to make a Top 10 for them. I couldn't turn them down, obviously, and it was an excuse to do something that I really wanted to do all along. I love making lists. And people love reading them. I don't know why I withheld from something that everyone so clearly wanted.
Once I made my list for Weirdo, though, I realized that about 75% of it was comprised of drone records. So to make things more interesting, I decided to make a Top 10 list of just drone records.
Links go to original reviews. Please check out the other lists at Weirdo because that's where this originally came from. Now, onto the heckling!
10. Gregg Kowalsky's Tape Chants (Kranky)
Minimal long form tape drone meant for deeeep sleep and/or meditation and/or my favorite kind of parties.
9. Nicholas Szczepanik's The Chiasmus (Sentient Recognition Archive / Basses Frequences)
Enormous drone, fills your house/head with wonderful smooth tones, mostly of the euphoric variety.
8. Ophibre's Approaching The Ionized Piezo Kiosk (Earjerk)
Simultaneously melancholic and blissful drone tearing you in two for a half hour. Literally stunning.
7. Keith Fullerton Whitman's Dream House Variations (Arbor)
4 tapes of differing length meant for simultaneous play and manual fucking around (fast forwarding, speed manipulation, etc) is encouraged. This is just fucking brilliant. Oh, and the music's great too.
6. Acre's Isolationist (Isounderscore)
Even though two of the three tracks on this were previously released (though unheard by me and therefor irrelevant), the brand new track is awesome enough to warrant being in everyone's top 10 list. It's the densest, warmest, drone ever and came right in time for winter.
5. Usputuspud's Live In The Shit (The Nafs)
Murky drone disco. That's why.
4. The Golden Sores' A Peaceable Kingdom (BloodLust!)
This is where drone is going. The is the new drone of the future. Everything about this record is utterly fantastic. Chill ambient style, guitar psych feedbackage, and everything else. This is how it's done.
3. Mountains' Choral (Thrill Jockey) (motherfuckers deleted my fucking review)
Unbelievably amazing ambient naturey organic drone. So life affirming. Put this record on and your stress is instantly zapped. Motherfuckers deleted my fucking review, so here's the same label approved mp3 I put up the first time.
Mountains - Choral
2. Jason Crumer's Walk With Me (Misanthropic Agenda)
This is the noisiest drone record I've heard all year. Sometimes it gets almost unbearably rowdy but it's the kind that gives you chills. The final two songs are probably the best sequenced tracks of the year.
1. Eluvium's Life Through Bombardment (Temporary Residence Limited)
This takes the number one spot with ease. Every Eluvium album on vinyl for the first time. It's like hearing each record anew and in the proper way. Plus, have you seen the packaging on this beast? It's gorgeous and epic. It's a fuckin BOOK. And it's personalized. TRL really went for broke on this and it's absolutely worth every penny.
Once I made my list for Weirdo, though, I realized that about 75% of it was comprised of drone records. So to make things more interesting, I decided to make a Top 10 list of just drone records.
Links go to original reviews. Please check out the other lists at Weirdo because that's where this originally came from. Now, onto the heckling!
10. Gregg Kowalsky's Tape Chants (Kranky)Minimal long form tape drone meant for deeeep sleep and/or meditation and/or my favorite kind of parties.
9. Nicholas Szczepanik's The Chiasmus (Sentient Recognition Archive / Basses Frequences)Enormous drone, fills your house/head with wonderful smooth tones, mostly of the euphoric variety.
8. Ophibre's Approaching The Ionized Piezo Kiosk (Earjerk)Simultaneously melancholic and blissful drone tearing you in two for a half hour. Literally stunning.
7. Keith Fullerton Whitman's Dream House Variations (Arbor)4 tapes of differing length meant for simultaneous play and manual fucking around (fast forwarding, speed manipulation, etc) is encouraged. This is just fucking brilliant. Oh, and the music's great too.
6. Acre's Isolationist (Isounderscore)Even though two of the three tracks on this were previously released (though unheard by me and therefor irrelevant), the brand new track is awesome enough to warrant being in everyone's top 10 list. It's the densest, warmest, drone ever and came right in time for winter.
5. Usputuspud's Live In The Shit (The Nafs)Murky drone disco. That's why.
4. The Golden Sores' A Peaceable Kingdom (BloodLust!)This is where drone is going. The is the new drone of the future. Everything about this record is utterly fantastic. Chill ambient style, guitar psych feedbackage, and everything else. This is how it's done.
3. Mountains' Choral (Thrill Jockey) (motherfuckers deleted my fucking review)Unbelievably amazing ambient naturey organic drone. So life affirming. Put this record on and your stress is instantly zapped. Motherfuckers deleted my fucking review, so here's the same label approved mp3 I put up the first time.
Mountains - Choral
2. Jason Crumer's Walk With Me (Misanthropic Agenda)This is the noisiest drone record I've heard all year. Sometimes it gets almost unbearably rowdy but it's the kind that gives you chills. The final two songs are probably the best sequenced tracks of the year.
1. Eluvium's Life Through Bombardment (Temporary Residence Limited)This takes the number one spot with ease. Every Eluvium album on vinyl for the first time. It's like hearing each record anew and in the proper way. Plus, have you seen the packaging on this beast? It's gorgeous and epic. It's a fuckin BOOK. And it's personalized. TRL really went for broke on this and it's absolutely worth every penny.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Mountains, Mind Wheel at Oxfam Cafe
Second night within the week I went to Oxfam Cafe for a superb show. Last week when I saw Parts & Labor there, I had very little problems with the sound system. I mean, it wasn't perfect but as long as it was loud (and it was) there was little I had to complain about. Not so with Mountains. With music as delicate and subtle as theirs, every crackle and quiver from the speakers brought me right back to the cafe. And the cafe is not where I was when I was listening to Mountains. Nope. I was actually being carried through a stream that was flowing upwards towards to sky. However, it wasn't because the current's so powerful, it's due to a lack of gravity. It was beautiful and transcendent. I'm fairly certain that's something everyone should experience sometime in their life. And now you don't have to find an upward flowing stream, you just have to go see Mountains live.
The band that played before Mountains was Mind Wheel from Portland, Maine and they were exceptional. At times they sounded like a Fuck Buttons/Mountains blend, sometimes they had a naturey Americana sound, but whatever they happened to be doing, it was absolutely wonderful. Felt like I was hovering through this, cruising around at ungodly speeds. They're in the process of booking a show at PA's Lounge, so keep an eye out for that. You don't want to miss these guys when they come back to Boston.
So, yeah. It only seems fitting that the creators of one of the best records of the year would put on one of the best live shows, too. Mountains = awesome. Live Mountains > awesome.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Show Worthy 4/13-4/19
Another great week for shows. Tons of stuff going on. But you know what? I'd say the same thing even if it was just Mountains playing. What? You didn't know? The makers of Best Drone Album Of The Year (the review of which got deleted by Blogger, fuck you guys) are playing at the Oxfam Cafe on Wednesday. Yeah, that pretty much makes everything else going on this week irrelevant.
King Darves
Monday, April 13
2673, King Darves, Jay Sullivan, Benjamin Nelson at The Piano Factory ($5-$10 donation, 8:00, all ages)
This is part of the Coup D’etat music series put on by Semata Productions which automatically means it's going to be great. I only know of Jay Sullivan, who does that awesome turntable drone stuff and is part of Ouest with Howard Stelzer and Brendan Murray. But when some of the other bands are described as "Phil Niblock and Johnathan Coleclough crying together in a bar" or "a voice more glorious than Calvin Johnson and Michael Gira combined" then you know this is the real fucking deal.
Mountains
Wednesday, April 15
Mountains, Mind Wheel at Oxfam Cafe (freeeee, 8:00, all ages)
If you haven't yet heard Choral by Mountains, then do yourself a favor and go to Thrill Jockey's website to buy the CD (you waited too long to buy the limited edition double vinyl. It's sold out suckas). It's one of the best records I've ever heard ever. This show is free. It is all ages. You need to go.
Thursday, April 16
Anal Cunt, The Groinoids, Panzerbastard, Psycho, Fast Death at Church ($12, 7:00, 21+)
I'm only recommending this because Anal Cunt is fucking ridiculously awesome. I have no idea about the rest of the bands. But I mean it doesn't even matter. It's fucking Anal Cunt.
Loud Objects via blackmetalbanjos
Friday, April 17
Ensemble Robot & Loud Objects as part of The Beeline Festival at The Broad Institute ($15, 8:00, all ages)
I'm not totally sure what this is. Here's what the website says. It's the "world premiere of Concert Aria for Obbligato Violin and Robots by computer music pioneer Paul Lansky. Plus Evan Ziporyn's Belle Labs and completely new works by Ensemble Robot and Loud Objects composers for robots and live soldering." Here is what I do know. Loud Objects involves Tristan Perich, the man who made the amazingly genius 1-Bit Music. And there's something to do with robots and soldering. That's all I really need to know. I'm fucking sold. But if $15 is a little too rich for your blood, there's always the Big Bear show at The Middle East Upstairs with Pants Yell that same night for $8. And that could be the best $8 you spend all week.
Sunday, April 19
Count Rockula, Cassette at Middlesex Lounge ($5, 8:30, 21+)
This is a night of firsts. It's the very first event presented by one of the best blogs in Boston, Enough Cowbell. It's also the first night that both Rockula and Cassette will officially be playing Boston. So go have fun, dance your ass off ('cause Monday's Patriots Day!) and revel in the fact that the $5 is being donated to Cycle Kids, a local non-profit helping kids get their hands on bikes.
Monday, April 13
2673, King Darves, Jay Sullivan, Benjamin Nelson at The Piano Factory ($5-$10 donation, 8:00, all ages)
This is part of the Coup D’etat music series put on by Semata Productions which automatically means it's going to be great. I only know of Jay Sullivan, who does that awesome turntable drone stuff and is part of Ouest with Howard Stelzer and Brendan Murray. But when some of the other bands are described as "Phil Niblock and Johnathan Coleclough crying together in a bar" or "a voice more glorious than Calvin Johnson and Michael Gira combined" then you know this is the real fucking deal.
Wednesday, April 15
Mountains, Mind Wheel at Oxfam Cafe (freeeee, 8:00, all ages)
If you haven't yet heard Choral by Mountains, then do yourself a favor and go to Thrill Jockey's website to buy the CD (you waited too long to buy the limited edition double vinyl. It's sold out suckas). It's one of the best records I've ever heard ever. This show is free. It is all ages. You need to go.
Thursday, April 16
Anal Cunt, The Groinoids, Panzerbastard, Psycho, Fast Death at Church ($12, 7:00, 21+)
I'm only recommending this because Anal Cunt is fucking ridiculously awesome. I have no idea about the rest of the bands. But I mean it doesn't even matter. It's fucking Anal Cunt.
Friday, April 17
Ensemble Robot & Loud Objects as part of The Beeline Festival at The Broad Institute ($15, 8:00, all ages)
I'm not totally sure what this is. Here's what the website says. It's the "world premiere of Concert Aria for Obbligato Violin and Robots by computer music pioneer Paul Lansky. Plus Evan Ziporyn's Belle Labs and completely new works by Ensemble Robot and Loud Objects composers for robots and live soldering." Here is what I do know. Loud Objects involves Tristan Perich, the man who made the amazingly genius 1-Bit Music. And there's something to do with robots and soldering. That's all I really need to know. I'm fucking sold. But if $15 is a little too rich for your blood, there's always the Big Bear show at The Middle East Upstairs with Pants Yell that same night for $8. And that could be the best $8 you spend all week.
Sunday, April 19
Count Rockula, Cassette at Middlesex Lounge ($5, 8:30, 21+)
This is a night of firsts. It's the very first event presented by one of the best blogs in Boston, Enough Cowbell. It's also the first night that both Rockula and Cassette will officially be playing Boston. So go have fun, dance your ass off ('cause Monday's Patriots Day!) and revel in the fact that the $5 is being donated to Cycle Kids, a local non-profit helping kids get their hands on bikes.
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