Manual Zombie - Ice From The Sun (USA 2009)

In July I posted some tracks by the New York/Brooklyn-based dark psychedelic band MANUAL ZOMBIE (check 'em out here) . This here is their latest release.

Surely not everybody's cup of cool aid 'Ice From the Sun' makes for very interesting listening. The entrance of a drum machine with a rather minimalistic sound (just bass and snare, tambourine, no cymbals, reminding me of SUICIDE), that sometimes sounds somehow a little "disjointed" on some tracks (e.g. "disease") only adds to the often disturbing overall effect. Some songs are pretty hard to listen to because of the extremely dark and violent, nightmarish pictures they evoke (first of all "broken world", obviously the story of a serial killer and rapist including overlaying screams curdling one's blood). Be warned! This stuff surely is not for the sensitive, thin-skinned minds!

If you are not afraid to visit the dark side of psychedelia, then this will be a rewarding listening experience!

...And I really love that distorted guitar!

Enjoy!

http://www.manualzombie.com

http://www.myspace.com/manualzombie

Manual Zombie - Ice From The Sun (USA 2009)

(mp3-zip, 12 tracks, 49 min, 35,2 MB, art incl.)

Get it here (Links are dead - RE-UP by request)!

Bleed Stone - You'll Have To See Me/Free Fall For All (video)

Bleed Stone - Far From Gone (USA 2009)

'Far From Gone' is the debut release of BLEED STONE, the musical project of Lucas Kane who writes, records and plays all of the instruments himself in his basement on his computer "with about $100 interface through an Audix i5 microphone. Some of the tracks on the album were recorded with the shitty microphone built in to my computer. I then was able to bounce all of the tracks to 1/4 tape and had it mastered by my friend and fellow musician."

(...) "My writing process is very spontaneous and I often end in a direction I hadn't intended. For the most part, all of those songs were written and recorded within one day. A few songs were based around this glitching-malfunctioning delay pedal I have and I would tune my guitar to the glitching drone and that earthed some material. If anything, "Experimental" would make a lot of sense, but again, terms are so broad for the most part. I get so frustrated with people pinning a label on things, and then no matter how much they evolve, that same view is glued to you that was originally conceived. It's hard to play live and not have people automatically start saying things like "shoegaze" and "dream" and start comparing you to things. I'm just being bitter. I spent about 2 months mixing intently, at times finding the entire thing a waste of time. It's not easy to get quality out of 100 bucks. After the bounce to tape, I was relieved to find it made a huge difference. (...)" (L. K.)

Though it's quite understandable that Lucas doesn't like it, when his music gets labeled as "shoegazer" music (after all nobody wants to get "labeled" - though that again might be some kind of label -) it is also very easy to see why people do label it that way. Some of BLEED STONE's music has indeed everything that usually is associated with that genre... And in my opinion that isn't a bad thing at all. But tracks like 'Off To Sleep Arachnid' do have much more to offer than your average shoegaze song. Then take for example'Tomorrow's Passed' - that's a completely different story again... But so what: Nobody wants to listen to the same song again and again.

In the end it surely doesn't matter how you will call it; what counts is that this is very good music - strongly recommended!

Favoutite tracks: 'Off To Sleep Arachnid' and 'Sexplosion'

Enjoy!

BLEED STONE will be distributing handmade boxsets of the album "Far From Gone" as well as a DVD of music videos and a CD of live recordings.

http://www.myspace.com/bleedstone

Bleed Stone - Far From Gone (Final Tape Mix) (USA 2009)

(mp3-zip, 11 tracks, 67 min, 92,8 MB, artwork incl.)

Get it here!

Nolo - HLFP Song Collection (ICELAND 2009)

NOLO is a young, very promising band from Reykjavík, Iceland. They are two 18-year old guys, Nonnji Lorange and Ivör Björnsson, who have already been playing together in different bands for some years, before they deceided to work together as NOLO.

"I, Nonnji play guitar and I sing and occasionally play the electric piano. Ivör, plays the organ, sings and plays bass. (...) We record all our music with lo-fi equipment really, at Ivörs basement. Normally we use one microphone in all, usually start recording the drums in a specific song - and then the organ and so on... The instruments we use at the moment are 2 guitars (electric and acoustic), an organ (almost a hammond) f.x. the drums we use or coming from the organ or one of our electric pianos." (Nonnji)

My favourite song: "Fondu" – absolute killer track with fantastic guitar sound!

http://www.myspace.com/homeofnolo

http://www.last.fm/music/nolosay/Nolo!

http://www.gogoyoko.com/nolosay

Nolo - HLFP Song Collection (ICELAND 2009)

(mp3-zip, 3 tracks, 8.30 min, 15,1MB)

Fondu - 2.47

Miami Toast - 3.02

Skellin Mín - 2.34

Get it here or here!

Veee Deee - Four Unmastered Jams (JP 2007/9)

"...a small collection of unmastered jams. We have two or three discs worth of these; they'll get released some day." (Clay)

Recorded in 2007 and 2009. My favourite one from those three posts – if you like heavy guitar psych you should really check this one out!

Enjoy!

Veee Deee - Four Unmastered Jams (JP 2007/9)

(mp3-zip, 4 tracks, 35 min, 80 MB)

Get it here or here!

Veee Deee - Veee Deee (LP) (JP 2008)

In January 2008 VEEE DEEE released a self-titled LP that is out of print already.

"A lot of what we do is improvised, but when it comes time to edit our goal is always to make everything as tight and as musical as possible. Maybe that violates some Improviser's Purity Law, but we don't care. A good jam is one thing, a good record is another." (Clay)

Enjoy!

Veee Deee - Veee Deee (LP) (JP 2008)

(mp3-zip, 2 tracks, 34 min, 77,7 MB)

01 Ikebukuro Incinerator - 16:20

02 Your Love Is a Fucking Drag - 17:34

Get it here or here!

Fuckland Better Business Bureau - Pre-Veee Deee (CAN 2004-6)

VEEE DEEE started in 2006, jamming in a rehearsal space in northwest Tokyo, playing 40- and 50-minute long jams. They are two guys: Clay is Canadian and plays guitar and sings; Tom is British and plays drums.

They both like it loud!

"We both thrive on volume and distortion and have a hard time getting into a jam unless it's brutally loud." (Clay)

This here – FUCKLAND BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU – is some stuff that Clay did before VEEE DEEE, some improv with a drummer back in Canada and a couple drone tracks he made by mic-ing the TV in his apartment. Enjoy!

http://www.myspace.com/eatveeedeee

More VEEE DEEE stuff to come!

Fuckland Better Business Bureau - Pre-Veee Deee

(CAN 2004-6)

(mp3 zip, 3 tracks, 49 min, 112,1 MB)

Get it here or here!

Interpretace - Funeral (07-24-2009) (CZCH 2009)

INTERPRETACE (as a trio plus dj ondra) in session on July 24th, 2009.

You'll get the complete weekend funeral session plus a short excerpt from that session entitled 'poh˝eb'.

Enjoy!

Interpretace - Funeral (07-24-2009)

(CZCH 2009)

(mp3-zip, 2 tracks, 116 min, 106 MB)

Old links are dead . repost only if requested.!

Interpretace - 789 (CZCH 2009)

The way how INTERPRETACE sound now - in the year 2009.

Recorded as a trio: Martin, Charles and Richard on August, 7th 2009.

"... our today's magical mystery session ... i mean that this is our contemporary sound, raw recording = no cuts..."

(Richard)

Enjoy!

Interpretace - 789 (CZCH 2009)

(1 track, mp3-zip, 1:35'28, 87,5 MB)

Sorry, old links are dead.

The Vertigo Swirl - Welcome to My Carnival (video)

Some time ago I posted BRIAN ANDREW MAREK's psychedelic masterpiece (under the name THE VERTIGO SWIRL) on HLFP. Recently Brian discovered the video above posted on YouTube.

Let's read what he had to say:

"A talented Finn (a fellow homemade lofi psycher?) with a good cinematic eye made a video for "Welcome to My Carnival"...

I'm pleasantly surprised at all that has happened with this album - popping up on other blogs, songs included in webcasts and music blog compilations, FM airplay both in my hometown and in New Zealand - but running across this video really moved me, both because I feel honored to have inspired it and because it works so well with the music.

It's really nice to know music can make some kind of impact without spending much money - or expecting others to spend theirs. Who knows - in these economically challenging times, this could become the new vogue!" (BAM)

Eva Brown And The Infected Whore - HLFP-Song Collection (IT 2009)

From Florence/Firenze, Italy, comes EVA BROWN AND THE INFECTED WHORE, the solo project of a 24 years old guy who recorded all five songs featured here with guitar and computer.

"i think my music is a sort of electronic folk with dark ambient sounds a lot of time... I think my influences are: Nick Drake, some of Industrial scene, Nico..." (EBATIW)

Quite a variety of styles on offer here – from noise ('Heroin') to dark electronic folk ('Lost Child of the Woods') to dark experimental ambient sound collages ('THE ART OF SELF DESTRUCTION'). Very interesting, experimental stuff. Enjoy!

http://www.myspace.com/detcefniehtdnanworbave

Eva Brown And The Infected Whore - HLFP-Song Collection

(IT 2009)

(mp3 zip, 5 tracks, 31 min, 35,2 MB)

Get it here!

Gory Bateson Sings Original "Trapped in Conan O'Brien's Hair": A Dee Arbus Film

"Gory Bateson, haunted by recurrin' nightmares about being trapped in Conan O'Brien's hair since he moved back to Hollywood, sings his original song "Trapped in Conan O'Brien's Hair" to rid himself of the red demons. Dee Arbus on the cinematography." (YouTube)

More pop art than psychedelic - but very cool!

Mr. Dean - il Grande (IT 2009)

"this is my last "solo-mad-lonely at home with EXTREMELY low budget-album" but although his hundreds of thousends of flaws, i think it sounds pretty nice. -- i'm a semi-professional (whatever means) musician playing alternative and tradional rock with my band in italy, but from time to time i can't help trying to find other ways to approach music/sound. -- by myself, i've always recorded improvisations. every single track and every word of this record are improvisations. -- instruments: acoustic guitar, 10euros and 10 years old and half broken audio equipment, mac. -- the album is, of course, in italian. i'm afraid it loses a lot of meaning if you don't understand it, but, who cares about meaning anyway."

(Mr. Dean)

I sadly don't speak Italian - so I've got no idea what MR. DEAN is singing about, but maybe that's not really that important (B.t.w.: Of course the artists featured on HLFP alone are responsible for lyrical and musical content of their work posted here!). Anyway: What surely comes through, is that this is very intense music - and that is pretty cool, if you want my opinion. Most of the songs are rather simple regarding the arrangements: mostly only one or two guitars - acoustic or electric - and a voice singing or screaming or moaning or whispering... But often there is something slightly weird going on, an unexpected twist or some unusual tuning or whatever - something that make those songs a little ... hmm, weird. Some kind of experimental lofi approach, and I really love that. Enjoy!

Favourite tracks: 'Spettri' and 'Bisonte'

http://www.myspace.com/purpletelevision

Mr. Dean - il Grande (IT 2009)

(mp3-zip, 12 tracks, 45 min, 60,9 MB, front cover incl.)

Get it here (new link March 2014)!

Interpretace - lost & found tapes from the eighties (CZCH 198?)

Time for some more avantgarde music by

INTERPRETACE;

some more tapes from the 1980s. Listen and enjoy:

Interpretace - lost & found tapes from the eighties (CZCH 198?)

A) as "HanniBaal" (as a trio - two guitars & gusle used as a percussion): ante portas (45:32 min)

B) live in chapel hrádek nad nisou (as a trio - two guitars & gusle, flute and radio): chapel live 8- (49:22 min)

More Interpretace here and here!

INTERPRETACE - lost & found tapes 
from the eighties (CZCH 198?)

(mp3-zip, 2 tracks, 132,3 MB, 95 min; art incl.)

Get it here: (New links Feb. 2013):
1. HanniBaal: here or here or here!
2. Chapel live: here or here or here!

Sleeping, Dreaming - Sleeping, Dreaming EP (USA 2008/9)

SLEEPING, DREAMING is an avantgarde/experimental post rock band/project from Jacksonville, FL, USA; all tracks are written by Ray Willson, who – by the way – is looking for more members to support him in what he is doing.

"Sleeping, Dreaming" is another very fine album that really deserves your attention!

The title is program: The songs presented here all capture that specific altered state of consciousness when we find ourselves drifting in and out of our dreamworld – but are neither completely awake nor completely asleep. That doesn't mean that you only get to hear slow, sleepy music. There are enough glitchy beats and video-game like melodies and even distorted guitar noises (end of track 2 "Dreaming") to keep you awake and make you want to follow the constant flow of sounds and musical ideas... Highly recommended!

http://www.myspace.com/sleepingdreaming

SLEEPING, DREAMING - Sleeping, Dreaming EP (USA 2008/9)

(mp3-zip, 6 tracks, 19:15 min, 22,8 MB, artwork incl.)

Get it here or here!

Paneye - along the way to the bigtop, my life just dissolved - AUSTRALIA 2009

I know that some of you people out there have been waiting for more music by PANEYE since listening to his first release posted here some time ago, so this new record will surely make some of you guys quite happy, I guess!

Though sounding a little different from "Wilt and Loom" this again is a fantastic album – more dreamlike soundscapes and very atmospheric time freezing moments. Perfect flowing album.

GET IT!

http://www.myspace.com/paneye

http://thebutterpeople.blogspot.com

http://www.secretstationrecords.com

PANEYE - along the way to the bigtop, my life just dissolved

(mp3-zip, 12 tracks, 32 min, artwork incl., 43,9 MB)

Get it here!

positive face - old loving (USA 2009)

More music by Gary Morris released under the name POSITIVE FACE, recorded in 2009.

Enjoy!

Favourite track: 'feeling old'

http://www.hoorayface.blogspot.com/

positive face - old loving (USA 2009)

(mp3-zip, 5 tracks, 35 min, 64,2 MB, artwork incl.)

Get it here or here!

positive face - he knows you (USA 2009)

Gary, the man behind POSITIVE FACE, originally is from South Africa, but now lives in Brooklyn, NY. Otherwise I don't have that much info on that one. So let the music speak for itself.

POSITIVE FACE is only one of various different music projects that Gary is involved in. You may want to check out his blog http://www.hoorayface.blogspot.com/ to learn more or visit the CURLYFINGERS Myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/curlyfingers) – one of his more electronic projects.

How to describe the music?

Difficult... Layers of sound drifting in and out over a background of rhythm, sometimes dissolving into pure soundscapes; some loops, some percussion, some electronic manipulations, some samples (regarding this aspect not too dissimilar to RANGERS, though not as spaced out) ...

Enjoy!

positive face - he knows you (USA 2009)

(mp3-zip, 5 tracks, 59,3 MB, 32 min, artwork incl.)

Get it here or here!

para!helion - >3 (USA 1999)

Style: high altitude meditations

Featuring:
Dave - Trumpet, effects, percussion
Jeff - Electric Balilaika, effects
J.C. Thorne - percussion, loops, and acoustic bass
Chris & Co... additional percussion.

Improvised and recorded live to two track, Albuquerque, NM.
More information at http://penmallet.blogspot.com/

"Of all the music I have posted (...) at Pen & Mallet, the two ¡para!helion releases are the ones that I personally listen to the most often. I have always chalked that up to the fact that ¡para!helion's music was all improvised. None of the overlearning under a critical ear that goes into creating and perfecting composed songs goes into the creation of improvised music, so, for me, it feels easier to listen to the songs as music, rather than as a product of my ego. In other words, it's easier to let go and hear the songs as songs without being critical of my own performance or wishing I had one more take to move the song closer to the ideal version that I carry around in my head. (...) today we have 6 never released songs taken from the Midaq Alley and 3 Miles from Mecca sessions. At the time we put those two releases together, these didn't make the cut primarily due to non-musical issues like less-than-ideal microphone placement, or minor equipment failures. After 10 years not hearing these, I don't find that those issues hurt these tracks much at all, so I thought I would share them. -- Several of these tracks include additional players beyond the trio including ¡para!helion's original drummer, Chris (iirc) and a gang of percussionist he brought over for one or two of our night recording sessions. Track's one and two come from the very last ¡para!helion session, with Ghazna being the last song we ever recorded."

(Info from http://penmallet.blogspot.com)

para!helion - >3 (USA 1999)

(mp3-zip, 6 tracks, VBR, 42,9 MB, 43 min)

1) Chabolo

2) Ghazna

3) Bactra

4) Haraiva

5) Lampaka

6) Nagarahara

Get it here or here!

Also available in lossless Flac, Ogg Vorbis

as well as Mp3 from the internet archive.

AND DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE NEW REMIX PLAYGROUND.

YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE AND SEND ME SOME REMIXES!!!

FREE PSYCHEDELIC SHOW AT THE PARKSIDE LOUNGE, NEW YORK

The Parkside Lounge, August 6 at 9pm - Psychedelic rockers Manual Zombie, Sky Picnic and the Orange Oven will collaborate a show harking back to 70s-era acid rock.

The show starts at 9pm with the Orange Oven, Sky Picnic at 10 and Manual Zombie at 11. The Parkside Lounge at 317 East Houston, New York, NY 10002

NO CHARGE!

Obscure yet prolific psych band Manual Zombie has recorded four albums

since forming in late 2008 and shows no signs of slowing. The band,

which references the Velvet Underground, Skinny Puppy and Black

Sabbath, plays songs about serial murder, cocaine addiction and

suburban malaise. Heavy and discordant, their performances are

unpredictable and canvassed by TVs broadcasting disturbing images.

http://www.myspace.com/manualzombie

Sky Picnic is quickly building a name for themselves. Recently

featured in High Times, they have been compared to "the Syd

Barrett-era of Pink Floyd" (Brooklyn Rocks), performing long and often

improvised pieces that will wrap around your head and may make you

feel a as though you've popped something. Accented by the mellifluous

Leah Cinnamon, their shows have been called "a one-of-a-kind musical

trip that blurs the lines between music and art" (High Times).

http://www.myspace.com/skypicnic

Opening the show is the Orange Oven, to whom the Parkside Lounge has

become a second home. The band has performed consistent showcases

since the start of the year. Described by music blog Knocks from the

Underground as "psychedelic and hypnotic, the stoner rock soundtrack

to a low-budget sci-fi flick from the early 70s", the band invokes the

"Wish you were here" era Floyd sound with tight jamming and heavier

riffs. http://www.myspace.com/theorangeoven