low - fye: The Comfort Soak (UK-Wales 2009)

No need to introduce LOW - FYE to you blog readers; this is already his 3rd release on Homemade-Lofi-Psych. "The Comfort Soak" is the most recent collection of haunting songs, all written by LOW - FYE in spring 2009. Sparse, sketchy songs played on acoustic guitar with some occasional sound collages added to the mix ("Voices") in lofi aesthetics - reminding of a moody solo SYD BARRETT (ca. 1969/70).

Very cool stuff - VERY cool!

Recommended listening!

Check out older posts here.

http://www.myspace.com/thebluethenblack

low - fye: The Comfort Soak (UK-Wales 2009)

(mp3-zip, 10 tracks, 18 min, 16,2 MB)

Get it here or here!

Manual Zombie - S. T. (HLFP Compilation) (USA 2009)

MANUAL ZOMBIE is a New York/Brooklyn-based psychedelic band (like SKY PICNIC), a duo of two guys: Ahmad and Ben. Compared to SKY PICNIC their music is more sinister and far less influenced by 60ies/70ies psychedelic rock. MANUAL ZOMBIE's sound is at least to some degree rooted in the 90ies grunge, post punk and metal sound (though on tracks like "automatic people" some Sweet-Sister-Ray-VU-Punk is greeting). I'd also say I hear some BLACK FLAG influences, and I especially love that excellent distorted guitar playing. Their other main weapon is the voice - often spooky and menacing with strange spoken word passages: This is a trip to the dark realms of psychedelia. Enjoy!

MANUAL ZOMBIE's website lists four releases, and the 9 tracks from this collection here are taken from those records (that you can buy there) except for one song that was only recorded recently.

Favourite tracks: "Automatic People" and "No More Sun"

Next N.Y. live gig (w/ ORANGE OVEN and SKY PICNIC):

6 August 2009

Parkside Lounge
 317 E Houston St (btwn Ave B and Ave C),

New York, NY 10002

10 PM - FREE

http://www.manualzombie.com

http://www.myspace.com/manualzombie

MANUAL ZOMBIE - S. T. (HLFP Compilation)

(mp3 zip, 9 tracks, 34 min, 26 MB, art incl.)

Get it here or here!

Karma - Senior Rocker (USA 2008)

KARMA is the brainchild of Zachary Ciulla, who now is living in Austin, TX, and used to live "out near DC". "Senior Rocker" is the first KARMA release in over three years - everything has been self-released so far. In DC. Zachary was in a indie/shoegazer band called CALENDAR (with his friends Geoff and George). - "I was the loudest fucking bass-player, haha. It was part of our sound, though."

"The initial tracks were recorded live, in like, 2 or 3 sessions with my friend Geoff (ex-Calendar drummer) at his basement in Arlington, Virginia. This was in October 2008. I just happened to be in-town visiting, and we decided to make the record right there. We took a super Lo-Fi approach, both out of interest and necessity, recording quickly and using whatever equipment he had laying around. We recorded onto my old TASCAM 8-track cassette-corder, which ate the tape at one point. Actually, we lost most of a song because of that. Anyways, after our time was up, I mastered the results onto another cassette, collecting not only the basic songs, but also outtakes and mangled or slowed-down snippets to use as filler material. That's where three of the tracks come from. Most of the overdubs were recorded back at my apartment in San Marcos, Texas. There I transferred the songs from that tape onto my computer, which is what I used for the rest of the process. The software I used was ACID for overdubbing and mixing, and Sound Forge for mastering. I finished this record on December 31st, 2008, just in time for New Years :) ... I played guitar and sang, Geoff played drums. I overdubbed more guitar and singing later, as well as bass and maybe one or two keyboard tracks back at my apartment. ... The cover is a picture of Geoff's dog, Toby, stoned as usual. Also, this album is dedicated to Geoff's dad, S... W... . We started recording the day after he passed away, it was sort of eerie, but strangely uplifting..." (Z. C.)

Zachary mentions GUIDED BY VOICES as a key influence (as well as MODEST MOUSE), and one can clearly hear that (though in fact I like KARMA's sound better...) An confident and uplifting, if somehow bittersweet and quirky listening experience. Pretty cool homemade lofi stuff, well worth a listen!

Favourite track: "Stilted"

http://www.myspace.com/karmarock Check it out! More free downloadable recordings there!

Karma - Senior Rocker (2008) (minus 2 songs)

(9 tracks (2 cover versions were left out), 29:18 min, 29,3 MB, front cover incl.)

Get it here or here!

Legion Within - Mouth Of Madness (USA 2009) (excerpt)

Legion Within's new album, “Mouth of Madness”, was released on June 16th.

"Their first formal release thru KMFDM Records, "Mouth of Madness" displays Legion Within as a mature band who have blended darkwave and industrial into their own distinctive brand of dark rock.

Crafting Mouth of Madness over two years was an arduous process. Written throughout a time when band member’s lives were rife with personal tragedy and upheaval, disquiet lays heavy within the music. The songs range from romance, escapism, and tragedy to tongue-in-cheek dark humor and flights of sadistic fancy.

Bouncing back from the industrial political-angst of 07’s the empty men, Mouth of Madness embraces the current political and emotional climate with a firm hand.  Singer William Wilson calls it, “Courageous Nihilism.  From day one we are all doomed.  But that's just the way it is, we deal with it..." (Press info)

LEGION WITHIN's new album is a great mix of Dark Wave, Industrial and Goth Rock. If you like bands like CASSANDRA COMPLEX or MARYLIN MANSON, you should definitly check them out. Here is an appetizer for you. 

If you like what you hear, PLEASE SUPPORT THE ARTIST AND BUY THE RECORD.

The band is from Seattle.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/legionwithin

http://www.legionwithin.com/

Buy their record here:

http://www.kmfdmstore.com/index.php?cPath=62_67_72

LEGION WITHIN - Mouth Of Madness (2 tracks; excerpt from the album)

(mp3 zip, 2 tracks, 8 min, 10,7 MB) Get it here or here!

Brother Dolphin - Factory Farmer's Daughter (USA 2009)

Talking about homemade lofi music... Here is a track by BROTHER DOLPHIN (born: Eric Douglas Alexander): Factory Farmer's Daughter.

"i see music as the entire scope of vibration from that which is so much heavier than physicality that we only encounter it in dimensions of our nightmares to the highest of vibrations-- the light itself. within time, which i call the theater of relation, i live my life as a man in absolute poverty which means no possesions/possesor. so, as a recording artist, i'm reliant on the intersection of the creative principle of inspiration and the receptive principle of material means within the theater of relation. the sound is usually pretty lo-fi.

the submitted track was recorded in a basement in bloomington, IN. from the realm of infinite possiblity, in the basement, i found a snare drum, a rusty guitar with some strings missing, a really nice bass with active pickups and everything, a four track recorder, a tape, and the acoustic guitar i keep with me as needed to accomplish my earthly tasks. the electric guitar is backwards because the third track on the recorder wouldn't record so i flipped the tape over and recorded to the second track which when flipped back around sounded backwards in relation to the other tracks. after filling all four tracks i ran a cable from the headphone jack out into a PA with a ten band eq and plugged it into a bass cab. i then played the recording into an empty room upstairs with wood floors and big windows and recorded that sound onto a hand held tape player.

i'm currently in the psych-pop band Everything, Now! we tour a lot-- both coasts. i also played in the psych/noise/rock band Hot Fighter #1 as well as the bands ...revel in the morning and Clearance along with a lot of side projects stemming from those bands."

More info including contact email address inside the zip file.

Brother Dolphin - Factory Farmer's Daughter (USA 2009)

(1 mp3 track, 2:53 min, 4 MB) Get it here or here!

dee jay cee - Things to do in the West When You're Dead (USA 2008)

Some short experimental/psych tracks recorded by DEE JAY CEE in December 2008 on an mp3 player. Instruments used were a standard tuned guitar, an open tuned guitar and an assortment of cymbals, floor toms, pots and pans.

Q: "Anything that you think is interesting, that you'd like to inform the blog readers about?"

A: "It's all the same everywhere you go."

DEE JAY CEE was born in Cleveland, moved to Seattle, then Oakland and will soon live in Chicago. He started playing drums since he was ten and guitar since he was 15 or so; played in a variety of punk bands, improv kraut groups and even a ska band.

When asked how he would "label" his music (I know it's a stupid question, but then WE ALL respond to labels if we like it or not...) he answered: "shlock".

As influences he names holger czukay, rev. gary davis and d.a. levy.

I love the lofi approach to make music: DEE JAY CEE is able to create some really special atmosphere with rather minimalistic equipment - the results are stunning, and I'd love to hear some more of that stuff.

Check out his site:

http://www.chewingpine.com/

dee jay cee - Things to do in the West When You're Dead

(mp3 zip, 5 tracks, 10 min, 11,1 MB, front artwork incl.)

Get it here or here!

Glaze of Cathexis - The Golden Konbanwa (USA/JP 2009)

The latest release from GLAZE OF CATHEXIS - simply their best until now!

Can't say too much about the lyrics (being not a native speaker of the English language - I don't really understand everything), but I very much like the sound of the words and also the singing.

The music is probably the most psychedelic GLAZE OF CATHEXIS have ever recorded, ranging from garage-psych-rockers ("The Release Will Come Soon") to relaxed spaced-out tracks ("Call of the Cosmic Tribe") and more electronic songs ("Into the Aether"). Great stuff, strongly recommended!

"This is a bit of a concept album, although it reflects my belief that the best concept albums are somewhat loosely tied together. Scott's poems go the farthest in tying those ideas together. I see it as an awakening and exploration of alternate states, ending with the need to reconcile that with the world around us."

(M. G.; read more at Dr. Schluss blog.)

All songs were recorded in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 2008 - June 2009 except the spoken word parts recorded on a cell phone in Tokyo, JP. This work is a collaboration of Matt Comegys (Dr. Schluss) and Scott Atkinson.

Check out older posts here!

Favourite song: "That Halycon Moment" (though way too short!)

Glaze Of Cathexis - 2009 - The Golden Konbanwa

(mp3 zip, 11 tracks, 44 min, 80,9 MB, artwork incl.)

Get it here or here!

ephemeroL - ephemeroL (GER 2006)

The complete first album from German experimental/noise/drone band ePHEMEROL from Frankfurt a. M.

Their second brand new album "plenK!" is now available in very limited quantities (contact e-mail see inlet artwork). You'll also find a version of one track from the new album on the 2nd HLFP Sampler "Embryo Thoughts".

Enjoy!

"we are using minimal electronic music, free improvisation and early industrial music to create something altogether new. Repetition and frozen chords are as important and valuable as free material or rock music."

(band info)

ephemeroL - same (2006)

(mp3 zip, 6 tracks, 65 min, artwork incl., @320)

Get it here and here (easyshare 2 parts) or here (megaupload)

Live ePHEMEROL see here!

ephemeroL and Secret Chiefs 3 live in Frankfurt a. M. (GER), 07-05-2009

This is your chance to see two excellent experimental bands live next Sunday, the 5th of July for only 8 €- that is if you happen to live in or near Frankfurt am Main or visit that German city in that time.

http://www.myspace.com/ephemeroled

"ephemeroL is the platform on which we are breaking new ground for different influences and genres. Basically a rock band with guitar/bass/drums, we are using minimal electronic music, free improvisation and early industrial music to create something altogether new. Repetition and frozen chords are as important and valuable as free material or rock music. Our live presentation varies from free improvised chamber tunes, endless drones and pure noise to more conventional structured rock tunes..."

(info from Myspace)

http://www.myspace.com/secretchiefs3

"The music is unmistakably all a part of the same audacious vision. A precisely orchestrated journey through counter culture musical styles. Each song blends without notice into the next. Even in spite of songs like band identity Traditionalists "The Indestructible Drop" and "The Exile" which are stark experiments in noise and sound design. Once the folk pianos of the identity FORMS album closer "Welcome to the Theatron Animatronique" conclude, the opus takes on a pivotal sense of completion. No closing credits though. It may sound intimidating on the surface butwowTrey Spruance is onto something."
Raymond Flotat, mxdwn.com (from Secret Chiefs 3 Myspace)

Interpretace - garaz (CZCH 1981)

Some more historical avantgarde, no wave stuff by INTERPRETACE.

"i've something old for u only one extant recording from our no wave garage sessions back from 1981 ...

ps: grammar school band ... drums/bass/guitar/sax " (richard charvat)

Enjoy!

Interpretace - garaz (1981)

(mp3 zip, 1 track, 30:17 min, picts incl., 56,4 MB)

Get it here or here!

Interpretace - MC (OEC) (CZCH 198?)

3 tracks by our old friends and regular blog contributors INTERPRETACE, originally featured on a MC on the OEC label - kindly sent to me by Richard Charvat to share with you. Avantgarde improvised industrial sounds, that will blow your mind!

Enjoy! And check out the older posts here, if you like what you hear.

Interpretace - MC (OEC) (Czch 198?)

(mp3 zip, 3 tracks, 64 min, 147,5 MB)

Get it here!

Spacefinger - Spacehand (USA 2009)

Talking about electronic-space-music: Here is SPACEFINGER from Houston,Texas.

Not too long ago I posted 2 albums from 2007, and here you may check out how SPACEFINGER sounds now - in 2009.

All tracks were recorded April 8, 2009 - inspired by the NASA picture of PSR B1509-58. Again you'll find strange fascinating soundscapes from another world, ambient sounds, experimental, relaxing or rather disturbing...

Michael Fuller, the man behind SPACEFINGER, also recorded a new solo work with very different music: a double album collection of acoustic performances entitled "Dusk". Listen and/or download here.

Enjoy!

http://www.spacefinger.com/

http://www.conicalrecords.com/

http://www.myspace.com/conicalrecords

SPACEFINGER - Spacehand (2009)

(mp3 zip, 6 tracks, 97 min, 223,8 MB, VBR)

Get it here (megaupload)

Sky Saxon, SEEDS singer dies at 63 (1946-2009) R.I.P.

In 1965 SKY SAXON (born Richard Marsh in Salt Lake City, Utah) founded the Los Angeles based psychedelic flower power/garage rock band THE SEEDS with Jan Savage (g), Rick Andridge (keyb) and Darryl Hopper (dr). Hit songs included Can't Seem to Make You Mine and especially (You're) Pushin' Too Hard (top 40 song in 1967).

In the 1970s he became associated with Hollywood Hills commune Source Family/YaHoWha and released a number of albums under various band names in subsequent years.

SAXON died on June 25, 2009 in an Austin, TX hospital. (source: wikipedia)

Caregiver - Letters 2 (USA 2008)

The fourth and final post of CAREGIVER: Letters 2, again from 2008.

Read more about CAREGIVER below. Enjoy!

Caregiver - Letters 2 (USA 2008)

(mp3-zip, 3 tracks, 35 min, 47,8 MB)

Get it here or here!

Caregiver - Letters 1 (USA 2008)

The 3rd CAREGIVER release, also from 2008.

Three very long tracks, again very much in the style of mid-seventies TANGERINE DREAM or NEU!/HARMONIA.

I love that kind of stuff!

Caregiver - Letters 1 (USA 2008)

(mp3-zip, 3 tracks, 45 min, 61,6 MB)

Get it here or here!