Yes, you're right. I will probably need a new shelf in the not too far future... But for now let's start this with two tapes released on a regular in this series, the good cat people of Tartarus Records:
BONG-RA - Meditations (2022)
Even though most of Jason Köhnen's music is rather slow, it's not the easiest task to follow his prolific output. Being aware of that himself he's already released more than one newsletter explaining and differentiating all his projects. Most of them - even Bong-Ra, which I first encountered still being a breakcore solo thing as the support for a Dillinger Escape Plan show in 2017 - offer some variation of what he coins darkjazz. Several overlaps in personnel certainly don't make it easier to distinguish all that stuff from each other, right?
Well, if the doom metal bass shreds your speakers to pieces, it's most likely Bong-Ra. But on the second album of the project since its doom rebirth, things get significantly jazzier than on "Antediluvian" without sacrificing any of the shattering drone doom heaviness. But with many contributions from one of his partners in Mansur, Dmitry el Demerdashi on oud and jack of all saxophone trades Colin Webster, these "Meditations" sound less like a global sound collage than its predecessor, and more like a coherent band.
The vocals on the four tracks are mostly dark Type O Gregorian choirs and some unintelligible blackened funeral doom gasps, while the role of the actual lead voice is occupied by the saxophone. Together with many Arabisms this creates a sound which will very much speak to any fan not only of Köhnen's other work, but also of similarly minded groups like Wyatt E., Five The Hierophant, White Ward, Neptuninian Maximalism... wow, one could think there was a trend going on there, right? Obviously I'm all here for it. Awesome epic oriental jazz sludge!
Well, if the doom metal bass shreds your speakers to pieces, it's most likely Bong-Ra. But on the second album of the project since its doom rebirth, things get significantly jazzier than on "Antediluvian" without sacrificing any of the shattering drone doom heaviness. But with many contributions from one of his partners in Mansur, Dmitry el Demerdashi on oud and jack of all saxophone trades Colin Webster, these "Meditations" sound less like a global sound collage than its predecessor, and more like a coherent band.
The vocals on the four tracks are mostly dark Type O Gregorian choirs and some unintelligible blackened funeral doom gasps, while the role of the actual lead voice is occupied by the saxophone. Together with many Arabisms this creates a sound which will very much speak to any fan not only of Köhnen's other work, but also of similarly minded groups like Wyatt E., Five The Hierophant, White Ward, Neptuninian Maximalism... wow, one could think there was a trend going on there, right? Obviously I'm all here for it. Awesome epic oriental jazz sludge!
WHITEHORSE & THE BODY - Whitehorse & The Body (2019/2022)
Also packed in the typical Tartarus cardboard sleeve we have The "we'll do a collaborative release with every band we meet" Body and an Australian brutal doom horde I've last written about back in 2014, when they raided Roadburn: Whitehorse. To say that it's nice to welcome them back into my world would probably the wrong wording, because if this EP is one thing, then it's hopelessly fucking bleak.
As so often with The Body the song titles alone almost want to make you slit your wrist: "In My Heart The Answer Is Yes, But I Said No" and "We Found You Totally Innocent, Which Is The Worst Crime Of All". Damn, those are downers.
The history of this collaboration is a little bit convoluted, so let me keep it short: First recordings 2013, then shelved, revived and finally released on CD in 2019. Now, another three years later this is out on vinyl and this little silver-grey tape, enhanced with an Andrew Nolan and Bacchus Harsh remix of "In My Heart", as well as a Statiqbloom and a Lameness remix of the other song. And is all this necessary? Well, if you like sunshine and ice cream it probably isn't. But if you dig ridiculous noises, guitar distortions and vocal disassociation for the sake of the harshest mental breakdown experience, then this might just be your jam. Stare deep into the abyss of nothingness while you drift and dance to the electronic beat of depression! Maybe this should come with a trigger warning? Make it a challenge to live through this and stay in good spirits! Seriously though: This is good stuff. The punishing party ruining potential is just a bonus.
As so often with The Body the song titles alone almost want to make you slit your wrist: "In My Heart The Answer Is Yes, But I Said No" and "We Found You Totally Innocent, Which Is The Worst Crime Of All". Damn, those are downers.
The history of this collaboration is a little bit convoluted, so let me keep it short: First recordings 2013, then shelved, revived and finally released on CD in 2019. Now, another three years later this is out on vinyl and this little silver-grey tape, enhanced with an Andrew Nolan and Bacchus Harsh remix of "In My Heart", as well as a Statiqbloom and a Lameness remix of the other song. And is all this necessary? Well, if you like sunshine and ice cream it probably isn't. But if you dig ridiculous noises, guitar distortions and vocal disassociation for the sake of the harshest mental breakdown experience, then this might just be your jam. Stare deep into the abyss of nothingness while you drift and dance to the electronic beat of depression! Maybe this should come with a trigger warning? Make it a challenge to live through this and stay in good spirits! Seriously though: This is good stuff. The punishing party ruining potential is just a bonus.
BLACK SHEEP WALL - I'm Going To Kill Myself (sunset yellow edition) (2015/2022)
Still in noose mood? What better medicine could there be than this Sludgelord Records reissue of Black Sheep Wall's bluntly titled "I'm Going To Kill Myself"? In combination with the genius darkest of cover artworks I couldn't resist this item, even though it would mean waiting on the cassette to be rejected from leaving the brexited Empire by customs several times while kings and premiers were changed as often as a baby's diapers.
Ultimately the dry and filthy music was absolutely worth it though. Reminding me a lot of Lo! (vocals), Sumac respectively even more so Old Man Gloom (general sound and experimental arrangements) the three tracks on side A - each clocking in at almost ten minutes - are already brilliantly angry, twisted ordeals. But then comes the other side with just one endless piece of pummeling thirty-three minutes of riff worship. If this was purely instrumental, Bongripper would come to mind as an unavoidable reference. Obviously this rudely screaming, unyielding sludge epic sounds nothing like Metallica. Why would it? But it's called "Metallica"! That's just to fuck with your expectations I guess. Ok, this band also comes from California. But why not "Red Hot Chili Peppers" then? Who knows... I can only say that this album is a quite unique monument of mentally and sonically punishing doom. If you haven't heard of this gem before - get your hands on it! Especially in combination with its presentation this is a modern classic!
酸魯磨 ACID LUMO - 桔片 Orange Medicine (2022)
Speaking of presentation: It's time for some WV Sorcerer Productions love again! After their version of Nadja's "Labyrinthine" this is yet another tape with a beautifully designed extra-long J-card. The only thing bothering me a little bit is that the extra craft paper insert with the English/Chinese credits and liner notes is too thick to fit into the tray, so maybe it would have been better to include a cardboard sleeve like Black Sheep Wall above have it, to keep everything together. Of course misspelling the album title is a little bit annoying, but who else makes up for mistakes like that by adding an erratum printed on premium paper? You can always tell that the guy behind this label absolutely loves his physical releases and goes the extra-mile if necessary.
The music on here is a fourty minute improvisation (same track on both sides of the tape) from a Wuhan underground collective, recorded in Shanghai at the Psyche Delta Festival 2020. Its instrumentation includes rock instruments like drums and guitars, jazzy saxophone, clarinet and flute, mystical synth, sitar and erhu (Chinese spike lute), the vocals are ancient drone incantations from another plane of existence. It's an excellent, very loose psychedelic jam with a sound palette as original as engaging, an ear-opening trip for anyone who claims to be familiar with everything free jazz. And then this is also very much a WV Sorcerer in a nutshell release. Aaand among the most exciting live albums of 2022 for sure! Brilliant stuff.
The music on here is a fourty minute improvisation (same track on both sides of the tape) from a Wuhan underground collective, recorded in Shanghai at the Psyche Delta Festival 2020. Its instrumentation includes rock instruments like drums and guitars, jazzy saxophone, clarinet and flute, mystical synth, sitar and erhu (Chinese spike lute), the vocals are ancient drone incantations from another plane of existence. It's an excellent, very loose psychedelic jam with a sound palette as original as engaging, an ear-opening trip for anyone who claims to be familiar with everything free jazz. And then this is also very much a WV Sorcerer in a nutshell release. Aaand among the most exciting live albums of 2022 for sure! Brilliant stuff.
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