ANGINE DE POITRINE - Vol. 1 / Vol. II

Ja, ich muss sich schon etwas überwinden, diese Doppelrezension zu schreiben, sind Angine de Poitrine nach ihrer KEXP-Session vor gerade mal vier Monaten doch zu einem internationalen Phänomen inklusive BBC-Auftritt bei Jools Holland,  Massenandrang beim gestrigen Festival de Jazz de Montréal und geschwind über mehrere Kontinente gebuchten Touren geworden, zu dem jeder YouTuber aus der Musikrezensions, -reaktions- und -analyse-Sphäre seinen Senf beisteuern muss, und dem auf sozialen Medien kaum noch zu Entkommen ist.

Die beiden frankokanadischen Außerirdischen Khn an mikotonaler doppelhalsiger (Bass-)Gitarre und Klek am mit Decke abgedämpften Schlagzeug treffen mit ihrer Kombination aus konsequent umgesetztem, sich selbst aber nicht zu Ernst nehmenden, handgemachten Konzept mit DIY-Charme in Zeiten der Verunsicherung, ob Musik überhaupt real oder KI-generiert ist, natürlich - ähnlich wie die kauzigen Fantasy-Doomer Castle Rat - einen Nerv. Dass der virale Blitz ausgerechnet das polkagepunktete Duo mit den (mittlerweile aus Haltbarkeitsgründen nicht mehr aus Pappmaché gebastelten) großnasigen Masken getroffen hat, ist natürlich trotzdem nur mit einer ordentlichen Prise Glück zu erklären.

Denn auch wenn viele - ähnlich wie bei King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - teils anstrengend enthusiastischen Fans sie nun behandeln, als hätten sie Musik komplett neuerfunden, hat es alles was sie tun natürlich vorher schon gegeben. Nur nicht in dieser ganz spefifischen audiovisuellen Konstellation.

Und das ist keinesfalls als Abwertung ihrer Musik gemeint. Ich habe mir ja schließlich auch das aktuelle sowie das wiederaufgelegte Debütalbum gekauft und mir ein Ticket für die Show im hamburger Molotow (wenn das mal nicht noch hochverlegt wird...) im Oktober gesichert.
Denn trotz der großartigen optischen Komponente war mir schon bei meiner ersten Onlinebegegnung mit Angine de Poitrine klar, dass ihre Musik auch auf sich allein gestellt funktionieren würde.   

ANGINE DE POITRINE - Vol. 1 (CD) (2024)

Die Stücke von Angine de Poitrine beginnen wahlweise mit flotten Drums, Gitarren- oder Bass-Licks oder Riffs, die sich durch Livelooping, wie wir es z.B. von Künstlerinnen wie Jo Quail und Refrain kennen, immer weiter steigern. Dabei kann es, auch wenn das Schlagzeug vordergründigzumeist simpel und geradeaus klingt, immer mal auch zu synkopischen rhythmischen Verschiebungen kommen. Die Melodien haben durchweg einen nahöstlichen Touch, da jenseits der westlichen Tonleiter auf einem mikrotanlen Griffbrett gespielt wird, wie man es außerhalb traditioneller Musik z.B. in arabisch beeinflusstem Jazz oder von anatolischen Psychbands kennt.

Bekannterweise haben auch die bereits erwähnten australischen Genrehüpfer King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard beginend mit "Flying Microtonal Banana" einen ganzen Katalog von Songs und Alben mit Vierteltonstimmung. Und im Grunde lässt sich das ca. 35 Minuten kompakte Angine de Poitrine-Debüt ziemluch adäquat als Mischung aus instrumental nicht unbedingt abgespeckten, aber aufs Wesentliche fokussierten King Gizz und dem bassbetonteren, etwas zirkushafteren Ton von Primus beschreiben.

Der verfremdete Gesang ist vorsätzlich nicht wirklich gut, soll er doch die schrullige Kommunikation zweier Außerirdischer mit uns darstellen. Dementprechend kommt er auch nur so sporadisch vor, dass der Gesamteindruck immer noch der eines Instrumentalduos bleibt - wenn man mal den unbetitelten kurzen Bizarrbonustrack ausklammert...

"Vol. 1 " ist ein kurzweiliger, sehr gut gemachter Spaß, der hier im richtigen, Lust auf mehr lassenden Format präsentiert wird. Ebenso wie kürzlich bei Agusa bin ich ich übrigens sehr zufrieden damit, mir beide Alben auf CD zugelegt zu haben, da auch hier ein schön ans Format angepasstes Design und ein gerne durchgeblättertes Booklet geliefert wird, welches ohne komplizierte Erklärungen die visuelle Welt und den Symbolkanon rund um schwarze und weiße Punkte und goldene Dreiecke etabliert. Selbst ohne bewegte Bilder versteht man - soweit dies überhaupt möglich ist - wer Angine de Poitrine sind.

Eine Besonderheit des Trays ist, dass sich unterhalb der nicht transparenten Halterung der Disc noch ein vertecktes Bild, sowie eine "FANK LŌB"-Karte versteckt, die den betont esoterisch kulthaften Charakter des natürlich leicht dadaistischen Avantgarde-Gesamtkunstwerks Angine de Poitrine unterstreicht.
Dafür, dass den beiden seit frühen Jugendtagen miteinander spielenden Musikern die Idee mit den Masken nur gekommen ist, damit sie zwei Mal innerhalb einer Woche mit ihrer bis dahin regulären Math Rock-Band auftreten konnten, ist das Konzept hier schon verdammt komplett ausgearbeitet.

Auch wenn die musikalische Größe hier noch nicht erreicht wird, reiht sich das Duo doch konzeptionell mit Schwung in die Traditionen schräger Upbeat-Krautrocker, der Science-Fiction ihrer metallischen Landsmänner aus Quebec Voivod und ganz allgemein der speziellen, seit Magma ureigenen französischen Verrücktheit ein.      

ANGINE DE POITRINE - Vol. II (CD) (2026)

Im Prinzip kann man das meiste, was ich über "Vol. 1" geschrieben habe, auch auf "Vol. II" anwenden. Sogar das CD-Design ist bis hin zu der versteckten Karte ein direkter dunkler Zwilling. Folgt man dem Farbschema weiter und zieht außerdem in Betracht, dass von arabischer zu römischer Zählweise gewechselt wurde, progonistiziere ich fürs dritte Album jetzt schon einen goldenen Hintergrund - und hoffe inständig, dass es "Vol. △" heißen wird!

Die Spielzeit des Albums ist ein wenig länger, doch auch hier folgt nach sechs Stücken, ein nicht gekennzeichneter seltsamer "secret" track.

Allerdings gibt es auch sofort offensichtliche Unterschiede zu verzeichnen. Die Produktion ist eine Nummer fetter, die Gitarrensounds sind gewagter und das Looping sowie die Arrangements der Songs sind anspruchsvoller. Es stecken nun deutlich mehr Math Rock und "Red"-King Crimson-Prog in Angine de Poitrine. Und doch sind die Stücke nun z.T. sogar trotz fortgeschrittener metrischer Eskapaden noch eingänger und ohrwurmiger. Und höre ich da in "Utzp" etwa passend zu den allgegenwärtigen Punkten etwas Polka?

Wie auch immer, wäre die Musik nicht so gelungen wie sie ist, dann würde die Band unmöglich so sehr als virale Rakete funktionieren. Ich bleibe zwar auch vorsichtig, dass ich mit den Spaß nicht durch Überpräsenz madig machen lasse, aber gönnen kann man Khn und Klek ihre derzeitige Achterbahnfahrt schon. Es liegt ja an jedem selbst, wieviel Angine-Content man anklickt.

Ich hoffe nur, dass ich zum Konzert rechtzeitig genug da bin, dass mir kein Superfan im selbstgebastelten Kostüm komplett die Sicht versperrt.   

Is It Karisma? • AGUSA - Panacea • RED KITE - This Too Shall Pass

Bei der Labelfamilie Dark Essence Records / Karisma Records / Is It Jazz? Records war neulich mal wieder Summer Sale und ich habe einige günstige Compact Discs abgegriffen. Solstein, Dwaal und Erland Dahlen waren dabei, aber auch zwei frische Alben von diesem Jahr.

AGUSA - Panacea (CD) (2026)

Meine herzallerliebsten Retropsychedelikproginstrumentalisten aus Schweden sind jetzt bei Karisma Records zu Hause und haben dort bisher ein Remaster ihres Debüts "Högtid", sowie nun dieses neue Livealbum rausgebracht.

Normalerweise genieße ich das epische, jazzrockig, folkloristisch eingefärbte Kraut von Agusa ja vorzugsweise auf Vinyl, doch ich bin eigentlich ganz froh, dass ich hier zum zweiten Mal eine Ausanhme gemacht habe, denn die Gestaltung des Booklets, durch das man einfach gerne durchblättert, erinnert mich daran, dass man mit etwas Liebe so eine CD auch sehr attraktiv geraten kann.

Musikalisch gibt es wie es wie immer maximale Wohlfühlekstase bei minimaler Tracklist. Diese im September 2024 aufgezeichnete Show bestand nur aus drei Stücken, zwei davon vom letzten regulären ("Noir" war ja ein Soundtrack) Album "Prima Materia". Beide Songs sind für die Verhältnisse des Quintetts erstaunlich nah an der Spielzeit der Studioversion, wahrscheinlich weil das Album damals noch ziemlich frisch war. Der von beiden eingerahmte Brocken "Den Förtrollade Skogen" vom selbstbetitelten 2017er-Album, der sich auf dem Livaalbum "Ekstasis" bereits von achteinhalb auf  elf Minuten verlängert hatte, strahlt dafür nun in orgelröhrender, trommelwirbelnder, gitarrenhexender, flötenzaubernder Pracht von beinahe einundzwanzig Minuten!

Im Grunde bleibt alles wie immer: Agusa lösen bei mir einfach unmittelbar Glückshormonone aus. Und diese Songauswahl könnte kaum besser sein. Und von Minute 7:19 bis 7:57 von "Ur Askan" zeigt sich eindrucksvoll, welchen Luxus sich die Band damit erlaubt, Frontfrau Jenny Puertas "nur" Querflöte spielen zu lassen. Denn was für ein magischer Moment ist diese einmalige Gesangseinlage? Verdammt, als ich die Band vor Ewigkeiten live kennenlernte, war die Dame ja mutterschaftsbedingt nicht einmal dabei... Hoffentlich kommt in absehbarer Zeit endlich mal wieder eine Gelegenheit, diese fantastische Gruppe wieder zu erleben! "Panacea" macht auf jeden Fall sehr viel Bock darauf.

RED KITE - This Too Shall Pass (CD) (2026)

Von Karisma zu Is It Jazz? und von Schweden hinüber nach Norwegen und was auch immer dort im Wasser ist! Wenn es darum geht, Heavy Rock und Jazz auf natürlichste Weise scheinbar mühelos in grandioser Meisterschaft zu verbinden, scheint das Land zwischen Berg und Fjord ja einen unerschöpflichen Quell zu besitzen. Und Red Kites neues Album "This Too Shall Pass" ist nicht einmal ein ständig verspielter Instrumentalrausch, sondern entstand unter dem Eindruck vieler bedrückender Ereignisse einschließlich des Abgangs eines Bandmitgliedes aus gesundheitlichen Gründen, und zeigt dies auch musikalisch.

Vieles von dem, was das Quartett aus Even Hermansen (Gitarre), Trond Frønes (Bass), Gisle Johansen (Saxophon) und Torstein Lofthus (Schlagzeug, spielte auch auf Hedvig Mollestads "Maternity Beat"), sowie ihr illustrer Gastkeyboarder und u.a. regelmäßger Motorpsycho-Kollaborateur Ståle Storløkken auf den acht Tracks dieses Albums präsentieren, geht sehr tief. Ausdrucksstarke emotionale Substanz trifft auf aufregend dynamische, kreativ explodierende Virtuosität.

Habe ich in diesem Genre für dieses Jahr etwa schon wieder einen neuen Liebling? Die Auswahl ist echt hart. Dass mich nicht nur die Gitarre/Saxophon-Läufe hier häufig an Seven Impale erinnern, ist sicherlich nichts schlechtes. Red Kite kommen noch mehr aus der freien - eben jazzigen - und noch psychedelischeren Ecke. Vom Opener "Not To Be" bis zum versteckten Bonustrack hinter "All's Well That Ends" überzeugt mich jede einzelne der fünfzig Minuten dieses Albums. Besser geht's kaum.

TONNEN VON HALL - Donnermesser

Die Hitzewelle hält an. Heute zwar etwas kühler, doch die Restfrische vom nächtlichen Gewitter löst sich allmählich auch schon wieder auf. Mein Arsch bleibt also schön in der schattigen Bude - mal schauen ob ich auf YouTube oder anderen Streamingdiensten versacke oder es schaffe, ein paar Reviews rauszuhauen. Es hat sich ja doch wieder einiges angesammelt...

TONNEN VON HALL - Donnermesser (CD) (2026)

Das Math Metal-Trio Tonnen von Hall haut eine EP mit einer handvoll zwar nicht komplett neuer Stücke, aber deutlich unterschiedlicher Alternativversionen von Songs vom letzjährigen Album "Ein Abdruck vom Messer im Herzen" raus. Also im Grunde sind diese noch kingcrimsoneskeren Varianten der Instrumentaltracks doch so gut wie komplett neu.

Auf jeden Fall überzeugt der superschwere Sound der unkonventionellen achtsaitigen Gitarren, auf denen jede Saite einzeln abgenommenwird und gemixt werden kann, auch hier. Gastsaitenhexer in "Donnermesser" und "Kanister", sowie das Saxophon von Jørgen Munkeby in "Rausschmitte" runden das monströs vielkantige, aber brutal groovende Teil ab. So nerdig der Scheiß auch ist - er fetzt ohne Ende.

Auch wenn es sich hier nur ein Minialbum mit fünfundzwanzig Minuten Spielzeit handelt, kann ich nur jedem empfehlen, sich die CD zu bestellen. Meiner Erfahrung nach sind die Herren von Hall nämlich sehr freigiebig, was zusätzliche Goodies wie z.B. Musik anderer Projekte, an denen sie beteiligt sind, angeht. Da bekommt man fürs Geld evtl. noch eine ganze Ecke mehr, als man eh schon erwartet hat.

Odes to Lentitude with GÛLDUR and HET CONCREET

Do you have time? And a little patience? Here are two recent digital-only treats from Bandcamp for you:

HET CONCREET - To Be Held For A Long Time [live at Roadburn] (Download) (2026)

Maybe I've missed something, but I think this is the first official Live at Roadburn release featuring this year's edition. And it's probably the longest of its kind, since who else ever performed at the world's greatest festival for three hours without a break? So in that regard the recording of Het Concreet's tribute to "Composition 1960 #7" by La Monte Young even beats the three show marathon of Seven That Spells from 2019.

Of course this free Offroad performance in Tilburg's St. Jozefkerk was far from any normal Roadburn show - whatever that even means. I've witnessed over two hours of it live and wrote about it extensively back in April. Admittedly I corrected a couple of mistakes now. The organ was actually a harmonium - and I dismissed one person on stage as some sound guy, while he was actually also a musician operating tapes and electronics. (Other instruments included were electric and pedal steel guitar and cello.)
So yes, it's possible to overlook details, even if you have a lot of time and the music is as minimalist as it gets, which in this case meant: only two notes "To Be Held For A Long Time".

Other observations I made however are affirmed by this recording, like the huge role the ambient noises of footsteps, closing doors or someone coughing in the vast church hall played especially during the quiet build-up, when not even all musicians were participating in the Drone during the first half hour.

I can also recall and recognize some very distinct details in the textures, which I experienced intensly sitting right next to a speaker behind the stage during that later phase when I was wandering around in the space.

The release divides the performance into four movements, and even though I've been there I'm actually surprised of how interesting the many subtle developments in density, form and volume are keeping this Experimental Avantgarde piece, especially since it explicitly features no rhythm, no melody, no "event". Is the latter really true though?

Naturally, just like Kali Malone's "Does Spring Hide Its Joy" this will hardly become an album in my regular rotation, at least not the unbroken whole of it. But if you give it the necessary amount of attention it certainly can be quite a rewarding experience.

GÛLDUR - Ode to the Cold Star (Download) (2026)

From the Neo-Gothic cathedral in the Netherlands to another church: The Church of Noisy Goat has tested my patience lately. I'm all for promoting your stuff on Bandcamp and using the newsletter to do so, but the Brazilian label releases so much and sends so many mails, that I've been tempted to unsubscribe, because it sometimes just feels like a wave of spam and I honestly delete most of it immediately. There are exceptions though, like when the familiar name Gûldur popped up recently.

After the Dungeon Synth project's last release "Between the Moons, the Dead Rivers" I was quiete keen to hear more - and "Ode to the Cold Star" doesn't dissappoint.

Not too far from its predecessor, but a bit darker with a stronger Black Metal spirit at its foundation this hour of slowly meandering Dark Ambient is a creepier experience, which somehoew still emits an eery distant beauty. There is a low-fi feeling to the Synth performance, which includes some almost awkward pauses, where many producers would probably intervene and ask Do you really want to keep it like that? But exactly those deliberate imperfections - and of course the videogamesque medieval sequences every now and then give these nine contemplative soundscapes their own special charme - and ultimately justify the categorization as Dungeon Synth in the first place.

And in case you feel like copying the tracks onto a cassette the download actually comes with a printable J-card for that.

Digital Summer Dance Hits with KALAMATA, KARIN PARK, PAON and PICASTRO

Yes, no. Of course these aren't actually all Dance artists. Maybe I should established a durable name for this kind of column. But you know what this is: If there's digital in the title, I'm talking about releases, which are either only available as download / streams - or of which I personally just don't own a physical copy (yet).

KARIN PARK - Evo (2026)

Karin Park is back with the first of what is going to be a trilogy of digital EPs. After the trajectory of her last albums "Church Of Imagination" and "Private Collection" saw her moving into a more Norwegian Gothic and solemn, introspective direction, these new four tracks created with French producer Anthony Belguise mark a return to a decidedly more danceable Electronic Music format, but without neclecting the formerly established contentual depth.

In these only slightly over fifteen minutes the Swedish-Norgwegian singer shows almost all her strengths. Rich in variety and excellently produced the EP unites exciting sounds, Park's wonderful signature vocals delivering piercing emotions and addictive hooks, internally and outwardly moving songs... what else do you need except for of course more?

That break followed by the escapist dancefloor finale in the heart piece "Sing Your Sorrow" alone is everthing.

PAON - Philosophie Du Soi (2026)

Plus c'est plus! This five-track EP s a wild exuberant fever dream of Experimental Electronic Future Jazz Fusion, flute and flamboyant Chanson vocals by videogame singer Pernelle. She's a real person though, don't worry!

Her project Paon with composer / arranger Lemm is bursting with a spirit of musical adventure, as if someone had condensed the epic double album playing time of Janelle Monáe's "The ArchAndroid" to twenty-five minutes and injected it with an extra high concentrate of Jazz history and a neon-sparkling dose of sci-fi metropolis / Space Opera aesthetic.

Weird and... a lot. Yet also very enticing. This wonderful mindblower is another bold win for the exceedingly great Jazz year 2026.

PICASTRO - Double On Time (2026)

Picastro have been around for decades, but 'm starting into this new EP of the Canadian project led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Liz Hysen without any previous knowledge. And alongside the immediate realization that this is defintely isn't as suited for the club much as the two releases above, my mind goes to the most Experimental tracks of Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys, to Jarboe, to the minimalist singer/songwriter version of Chelsea Wolfe, to the darkest side of Björk... to various other artists in the field of slow burning Avantgarde or Alternative Folk music, which actually come closer to what I'm hearing here. I just don't know who they are. I know that certain parts of these five rather short tracks remind me of familiar music, but I just can't grab it. Damn.

So instead of fitting references I can only give you my honest recommendation for this short but eery collection of sparsely arranged pieces. You don't find such a smoothly stripped down, delicately sinister gathering of piano, synths, strings, guitars, samples and vulnerable vocals at every corner. Give in and float through this shadow!

KALAMATA - Zenosyne (release: June 26th 2026)

Yeah, one could ask whether this actually belongs here: It hasn't been released yet. It's not an EP, but an album. There's no female band member - and not even a singer. But I make the rules here, so fuck it.

The reason "Zenosyne" even caught my attention was a vague familiarity with the the name Kalamata. And indeed I've written about the German Stoner Rockers almost eleven years ago, when they played as the first of seven bands on my first Pink Tank Festival in Itzehoe.

Of course I don't remember that show even remotely good enough to judge the group's evolution from then to now, but what I can say is that these five tracks called "There", "Is", "No", "Coming" and "Back" are all fantastic examples of how to mix heavy Desert Rock riff fuzzery with great guitar hooks and instances of beautiful Post Rock elation.

Even though the cover rather speaks German winter, this perfectly works as the soundtrack to a sunny fair weather cruise. And that's all from me tonight. Audio Ohlsen Overkill bringing you all the hits for the summer holidays! Please tune in again when we're back on air for more! 

cassette craze chronicles XLVI feat. AIDAN BAKER & WARIO PIANESI, CATATONIC LEISURE ALONE, CHURCHLICKERS, COLIN WEBSTER / BALÁZS PÁNDI / MATT CARGILL and COLIN WEBSTER / MARK HOLUB / NOAH PUNKT

Phew, that headline was a mouthful, wasn't it? Even though I snuck a cassette into my last Temple Fang double review there's still enough new tape left to justify this forty-sixth edition of cassette craze chronicles - and of course we're starting with the elephant-blue item, which sticks out most in the picture above:

AIDAN BAKER & WARIO PIANESI - 4Rooms (2026)

Yes, this tape is actually connected to a name tag and several layers of cardboard cutouts with a key ring. And no, it's not as impractical as you might think. It's indeed pretty easy to loose the shell from the ring, so you only need to think about how to store this thing. Mine is hanging on a hook close to my player.
I bought this tape directly from master Aidan Baker himself after his show on the MS Stubnitz in April. I don't know how many copies exactly exist, but it's surely among the rarest items in my music collection.

Musically this is a live improvisation session of the quality you should expect from the Experimental guitar player, who once again impresses with beautiful layers of Ambient, Drone and Noise Rock, while the source of Industrial beats (and probably other sounds I cannot with certainty distiguish from his performance and effects), operated by Wario Pianesi comes as a little surprise, since it's a Nintendo DS.
Full disclosure: Despite its apparent household-name popularity I had to look up, what this Gameboy successor even is, so I can only assume that there were (are? Sorry, I'm completely out of this loop...) not only games for the mini console, but also some kind of music / drum computer apps.

Well, if your name is Wario** this is for sure a fitting instrument of choice. And this session - divided into four rooms ("Room1", "Room2" etc.) - sounds seriously good. Intriguing stuff!

CATATONIC LEISURE ALONE - Veil of Sparks (2026)

The Japanese label NEUS-318 presents a live recording from China by a Russian musician living in Switzerland.

Catatonic Leisure Alone is a solo moniker of none other than Electronic Noise artist and saxophonist Anton Ponomarev (P/O Massacre, Witness Wounds, Suncuts, Teufelskeller - just to name the projects I have already written about).  "Veil of Sparks" consists of a half-hour long performance called "A Noise of Bunch" in two parts, both filled with immersive, aggressive, expressive, mean yet somehow meaningful Industrial Noise. Even the saxophone turns into a manipulated shrill murder apparatus far from a musical instrument and much closer to a mechanical drill recklessly probing your brain. A profoundly brutal trip to Dystopia, scaringly close the actual hell we're building right now. Sick!

The cassette in minimalist design is limited to not 50, not 75, but for whatever reason exactly 23 copies.

COLIN WEBSTER / MARK HOLUB / NOAH PUNKT - Neue Hard (2025)

The following two tapes were ordered directly from another saxophone player, the prolific Colin Webster, whose many appearances in my tape/record/CD collection mostly see him beside Rene Aquarius and Otto Kokke in Dead Neanderthals and in Jason Köhnen's projects Bong-Ra and The Lovecraft Sextet, but also jamming with many other musicians in various outings like Kodian Trio, Saxoctopus or the Martina Verhoeven Quintet. And then there's of course also the work (which probably paid more than all of these combined) on the latest Florence + The Machine album.

"Neue Hard" is a trio recording from Zürich with Mark Holub on drums and Noah Punkt on upright bass. Classic chaotic, but still seamlessly flowing, very musical and listenable Free Jazz with just the right Experimental edge. Rather on the traditional side of Webster's work, but not antiquated at all. Inspired performances, great natural sound of the instruments and a mix flawlessly showcasing both. What more do you need? Awesome!

I always love the lino-print on recycled cardboard aesthetic of his releases and the simple bold typo of "Neue Hard" on this cassette cover is no exception. Since this stuff is already from last year, there might not be too many copies left, so better check it out sooner than later!

COLIN WEBSTER / BALÁZS PÁNDI / MATT CARGILL - Chewed Up And Spat Out (2026)

The second Colin Webster session here, on which he jams with drummer Balázs Pándi and Matt Cargill (Sly & The Family Drone) on electronics, is a darker and weirder beast.

And a little under forty minutes is just the right length for this kind of beautifully eery, yet still wild Doom and Heavy Jazz. Brilliant stuff - and as far as tapes go - also almost gone...

CHURCHLICKERS - Churchlickers II (2026)

Is this an album or rather an EP with bonus tracks? I'd say the latter, because I already owned the second half of this latest Churchlickers tape - which consists of live recordings from the MS Stubnitz - as a digital release from last year.

The opener "Whiteout" is also familiar as a previous live single, but now we get to hear a studio version of this great slowly building Post Rock track, which begins with dark piano, adds twangy and later more and more heavy and atmospheric guitar work. What could have been produced to a huge epic of Mono dimensions with many instrumental layers and a perfect bombastic sound doesn't give in to this temptation, but willfully keeps the unfiltered punkish DIY attitude. And exactly that interplay between cinematic ideas and honest minimalist rawness is the central strength defining the trio from Hamburg.

Only a quarter as long as the opener the three-minute track "Wasp Cemetary" is another great example for that, as well as the familiar live tracks, which well... also include a repeat of that very track. But anyway, that actually doesn't attract any negative attention and it's of course generally nice to have this material on tape now, too. The intensity of those keys in "Frost" alone is worth it. Lick this! 

** Hmm... Coming to think of it... is Wario even real or is this some kind of "Adaption" Kaufmann & Kaufmann situation? ;)

KAZUYA ISHIGAMI - For Postcard

The FMOA Audio Postcards series by the Experimental label Fifteen Minutes of Anonymity is a nice example of pairing an otherwise completely digital release with a limited physical item.

In this case it's only - you just read it - a postcard with some debossed and silver-foiled details. Nothing spectacular, but nonetheless something which lets the release seep from the digital realm into the real world, adding sentimental value to it. And even with international shipping it only costs four US dollars, which is of course less than you would pay for many downloads anyway. I like ideas like this!

KAZUYA ISHIGAMI - For Postcard (postcard / download) (2025)

However, I didn't order this card from the American one-man label, but got it as free bonus directly from Kazuya Ishigami, featured artist on this eighteen's edition of the series, when I ordered a tape (more on that in the upcoming next part of my cassette craze chronicles!) from his Japanese label NEUS-318.

The EP is a twenty minutes long collage of birdsongs, civilizational noises, computerized and Electronic sounds. The beautiful randomness of field recordings merging with a decidedly vague sence of intent, a mixture definitely more sonic installation and Ambient exploration than music in the common person's understanding. In my ears this kind of Electroacoustic sound design demands at least as much artistic choice and musical sensibilty as any kind of "real" music, so I can enjoy it just the same.

Ishigami's recording "For Postcard" is an interesting soundscape, which of course recommends itself for being experienced with headphones.

And as a final note to save you the time: That Bandcamp download code  below is of course already taken, so don't bother! ;)

VOIVOD - Symphonique

One cannot claim that there has been a shortage of releases celebrating Voivod's catalogue in recent years, be it in the shape of reissues, remasters, re-recordings, demos or live albums. It doesn't bother me, since there's thankfully still enough sensational new material coming, but I'm also happy just to be a fan - and not a completionist.

The French-Canadians' latest live release however is one impossible to leave out - a culmination of their career in full orchestral bombast.

VOIVOD - Symphonique (2LP) (2026)

It still somehow feels like this shouldn't have happened. Of course the unique Prog Punk Sci-Fi Thrash Metal of Voivod has earned them a global cult status for over four decades now, and especially in their home country the visible well-earned respect for both their current work and legacy has grown significantly. In the greater picture they still remain a mysteriously obscure phenomenon, forever too out there to be recognized as the defining force of Metal they truly are. And surely not among the first names coming to mind, when you think of bands, which might play a special show with a huge "Symphonique" setup.

But Voivod played that show - even twice - in Montreal in January 2025. Both performances were an exclusive experience for those in attendance, since there was no professional recording. Luckily the whole thing was repeated later that year with the Orchestre Symphonique De Quebec. And that show from the fourth of June is what we can listen to on this album now. 

If you think about it from a strictly musical point of view a lot of Voivod's chord progressions, (dis)harmonies and structures come pretty ready-made not only for a Classical adaption, but for one which avoids the cheesiness several Rock/orchestra collaborations of the past are guilty of. Many Voivod songs already have parts which seem to emulate the drama of old-school historical, sci-fi and horror scores in a way that makes you almost hear strings, horns and orchestral percussion in your head.
And of course the most obvious ones are part of the show's tracklist: "Pre-Ignition" from "Nothingface", in which Piggy famously quoted Igor Stravinsky, and much more recently from "The Wake" the decidedly cinematic "The End Of Dormancy", which we've already heard with a 1960's soundtrack style horn section - and a full-on Jazz sax solo in the live version - on its own EP. Now it seems as if the track has reached its final stage of evolution.

More than half of the setlist consists of the two classic albums "Dimension Hatröss" and "Nothingface" - and it would have been pretty hard to explain if the band had left classics such as "Tribal Convictions", "The Unknown Knows" and of course the mandatory Pink Floyd cover "Astronomy Domine" fall aside. Luckily however Voivod don't insist on the band-name-titled theme song from their rowdy debut "War And Pain", since "Nuclear War" surely was the way better option for this orchestral treatment.
There are also tracks from newer releases. Especially "Fall" from the "Post Society" EP proves itself once again as one of the strongest Voivod pieces of the millenium.

Of course a lot of albums aren't covered at all. Both "Angel Rat" and "The Outer Limits" feature several songs I would have loved to hear too, but also the dark Eric Forrest era and even the more straight-forward Jasonic phase offer plenty material worthy of being symphonified. But which tracks would I strike in favour of that stuff? Certainly not "Into my Hypecube"! "Forgotten In Space"? "Cosmic Drama"? The opener "Experiment"? I'd probably sacrifice one of those, albeit with a heavy heart, because all the arrangements here are so phenomenal. So ultimately the real complaint is that this album cannot last infinite hours and some choice just had to be made.

And even if some songs may seem such eternal staples of Voivod history that it would have felt fair if they had yielded to less overplayed material, the orchestration of courses justifies their inclusion in spades. I've already mentioned that the orchestra has a distinct cinematic style, which matches the tone of Voivod perfectly. Instead of watering them down, it amplifies their songs' characteristics. And in the mix a clear decision has been made: One could keep the Metal band in the foreground and present everything else as an augmentation. Or one could blow the violins, flutes, trumpets, organ etc. right into the listeners face, even if sometimes overpowers the band and especially the singer, who of course doesn't possess the kind of operatic pipes to command an ensemble of this magnitude. Voivod opted for the latter.

So if you want audiophile perfection and Snake not sometimes sounding desperately lost in the spectacle - which he uses to his advantage -, this might not be for you. "Symphonique" is a live recording and despite the setting is still has the same raw energy you'd expect from any Voivod show. The merging of strings, winds and orchestral percussions with the Thrash Metal quartet would probably work objectively better in several instances if recorded in a studio environment. But what would a little bit more clarity even mean against the special vibrancy of the moment captivated here?

Anyone who was at this show can consider themselves blessed in my book - and "Symphonique" leaves no doubt about why I think so.

And do I even need to mentioned that Away's cover artwork hits the nail on the head with its Victorian Jules Verne bombast, the Cyberpunk technology, the rust, bombast and scale of nuclear destruction? Fantastique!

Since the drummer has stated that Voivod would love to bring this experience to other parts of the world in the future, my mind of course automatically goes to the Netherlands, to my beloved Roadburn Festival, which not only hosted the band - and even had Away curate in 2012 -, but also to the  Metropol Orkest, which is known for its many successful collaborations and has played there with Die Wilde Jagd and Triptykon before, too. So if this is to happen anywhere in Europe - it's not too wild imaging it happening there, right? Fingers crossed!        

YAZZ AHMED - Shinrin-Yoku

So achingly beautiful! Yazz Ahmed's music is always a dream, no matter if it comes in long conceptual albums like "Polyhymnia" or "A Paradise In The Hold" - or as an EP with the simple premise:

Music celebrating the healing power of the natural world.

YAZZ AHMED - Shinrin-Yoku (12" vinyl EP) (2026)

Where are the High Fidelity nerds sorting their record collection by themes? If I was insane enough to do so, I'd probably have a Pandemic Recordings section by now. And appearantly those still keep coming, as Yazz Ahmed brings us this little collection of four songs recorded at home and remotely with friends during the height of anti-covid isolation measures in 2020.

The Japanese have at least two words I know of, which can very much be seen as approaches to the pandemic isolation situation. "Hikikomori" (="pulling inward, being confined") is one I already knew from songs of that name by Zola Jesus and Trialogos. It refers to the social phenomenon of people isolating themselves from all social contacts, living as recluse hermits inside their own four walls.
The healthier alternative is "Shinrin-Yoku" (="forest bathing"), which describes the practice of therapeutic relaxation in nature, while focusing on and connecting with your surroundings.

On this EP the British-Bahraini Jazz musician captures the latter as stunningly in her music as her congenius longtime illustrator Sophie Bass does in her once again amazingly fitting artwork.

The base of all pieces are trumpets, flugelhorn and performed or programmed electronics by Ahmed, on three of the four tracks accompanied by her partner and fellow trumpet / flugelhorn player Noel Langley.

The opener "Dawn Patrol" begins with a repeating horn and synths pattern reminiscent of The Comet Is Coming, while the dynamically grooving drums of Josh Blackmore soon stir it into Sons Of Kemet waters and Samuel Hällkvist's first atmospheric, later funky guitar complete these wonderful seven minutes of complex Jazz Fusion fire.
The title track "Forest Bathing" is the most stripped-down song, recorded by Yazz alone. It basically is a meditatively meandering flow of Electronic Ambient with a slow, patiently blooming flugelhorn solo on top of it.

On "A Moment To Be Free" the guitar returns and two further guests provide additional richness of both programmed and natural percussion. With Ahmed  playing one of her mictrotonal horns this adventurous back and forth between her naturally jamming side and the spirit of her remix EPs most obviously features her signature mixture of traditional Arabisms and (Future) Jazz.
"Questions Not Answers" finally is another quieter track, a horn / trumpet duet between Yazz and Noel before an Ambient backdrop with increasingly experimental live sampling of the instruments.

This EP surely is one of those purchases where my memory blinded out the price including shipping immediately after ordering. But I just couldn't resist this treasure - and it will amortise soon enough. Maybe it already has. A just all-around wonderful release.  

Sshhhh... if you need more Yazz Ahmed, you definitely need to check out her appearance on French TV, where she recently presented a live re-imagination of Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew":

 

DOPE PURPLE - Midnight Session

Nach dem Bericht vom psychedelischen Superfreakout in Husum am Wochenende liegt es nahe, hier nun auch eine kleine Rezension meines Mercheinkaufs im Speicher nachzureichen.

Es handelt sich um ein vor drei Jahren in Taipeh aufgenommenes Livealbum, welches als physischer Tonträger auf CD nur exklusiv auf den Shows von Dope Purple verkauft wird.

DOPE PURPLE - Midnight Session (CD) (2026)

Dass die Taiwanesen mit dem frech inspirierten Bandnamen offensichtliche Zitate und Anlehnungen nicht scheuen, ist dem Kenner ja bereits bekannt. Davon zeugt z.B. dass ihr tatsächlich neuestes Album (welches ich mir Samstag nur nicht mitgenommen habe, da es bereits bei WV Sorcerer Productions vorbestellt ist) auf den u.a. berühmtestens von Miles Davis verwendeten Titel "Live Evil" hört.

Der Name des neunminütigen Openers der "Midnight Session" ist allerdings nicht stibitzt. Nein, es handelt sich nämlich tatsächlich um eine Coverversion von Funkadelics, mir gerade erst in Trompeteninterpretation auf Fleas Debütalbum "Honora" untergekommenen Klassiker "Maggot Brain". Neben der sehnsuchtsvollen dreckigen Gitarre fällt hier vor allem das Lead-Blasinstrument auf. Eine Pocket-Trompete? Ein extra schrilles Sopransaxofon? Nein, es ist die in traditioneller chinesischer Musik gespielte, hoch, laut und schräg trötende Suona, die dem Stück - und dem Rest dieser Session - deutlicher als alles andere eine speziell asiatische Note gibt.

Dope Purple live in Husum

Danach folgen neben zwei kürzeren Interludes noch in anderer Reihenfolge die drei epischen, schrill, krachend und vielschichtig lärmenden Krautrockexzesse von "Children In The Darkness": "Night Flying", das komplett durchdrehende "New Psyche & Beyond The Body" und der erhabende Titeltrack jenes Albums.

Wie immer sind Dope Purple zwar hypnotisch rauschhaft, aber aufgrund ihrer ungehemmten Liebe zum Krach kein Easy Listening. Und das ist auch gut so. Sehr geil!

Da die Band ihre aus nur einer Show im Hohen Norden bestehende Clubvisite in Deutschland während der laufenden Europatour ja schon abgeschlossen hat, dürfte wohl kaum jemand, der dies liest in nächster Zeit die Gelegenheit haben, sich die CD zu besorgen, die in einem coolen Digipak mit quadratischem Poster daherkommt.

Aber die Musik an sich gibt's natürlich auch digital auf Bandcamp. Wer auf Psych Rock der Eskalitionsstufen Acid Mothers Temple und Slift steht, der wird um Dope Purple über kurz oder lang eh nicht vorbeikommen. Also warum noch warten? Nichts wie hin da!