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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Six Records CMM Wants you To Know

Ampersand "The Purplest Patch" E.P. (bandampersand.bandcamp.com)

The pulsating synths of "The Purplest Patch" set the coordinates for the jump to light speed. Once you reach your destination a powerful almost trance inducing vocal begins. Welcome to the world of Ampersand. If there is such a thing as psychedelic crooner music this is it as the intoxicating sounds set the listener in motion alongside soothing tropical like electronics. "If It Sleeps It's Alive" adds elements of guitar and a percussive chime that's followed by a huge sounding vocal tone, full of ethereal happiness. Truly unique, positive and uplifting sounds.

Holy Monitor S/T E.P. (holymonitor.bandcamp.com)

Premium psychedelic rock n roll here out of Athens Greece. These guys lay on the thick fuzz and tremolo alongside a driving yet laid back beat. "The Way Out" reminds me of "Recurring" era Spaceman 3 but at a way quicker pace. "Golden Light" and "Cacti' have that Stooges "Funhouse" type vibe that evokes a spirit of mystery and suspense. This E.P. may be best heard at top volume blazing in high gear on an open desert highway. Looking forward to hearing more from these hypnotic space rockers.

Middle Red Piece S/T E.P. (middleredpiece.bandcamp.com)

Excellent debut E.P. from this French noise rock unit. The tracks have tons of energy and intricate guitar work that channels the spirit of Yo La Tengo, Fugazi and Drive Like Jehu, matched with spot on thunderous like drumming. Stand out tracks "In My Thoughts" and "Yulia" have a bit of menace to them that I have not heard since Girls Against Boys "Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby". Add in the swagger of their matter of fact style vocal stance and you've got a very impressive release that leaves me wanting more.

Patkus "The Gospel Book Of Archbishop Ebbo" E.P. (patkus.bandcamp.com)

Three tracks of lo-fi guitar driven ambient sounds that are quite beautiful. "Cunegonde" goes through several movements ranging from swirling backwards drones, to more rhythmic based grooves before locking into a melodic pattern on the verge of feedback that finally leads to a lullaby like slumber. "Free Hyka" is peaceful, eerie and meditative all at once, while the title track echoes the classic new age sounds of composer Mike Oldfield. Clocking in at over twenty minutes this E.P. is a substantial release to satisfy your need for captivating experimental soundscapes.

The Poetry Book (Demo E.P.) (thepoetrybook.bandcamp.com)

Gritty noise pop that brings to mind The Lightning Seeds, early Jesus And Mary Chain and The Psychedelic Furs. The lo-fi drum machine and single note filled guitar parts give "Bruises" a lot of charm. "Empty" is a much darker track delving further into the realms of noise while "Solaris (Love Dies At Dawn)" puts an evil spin on textbook Spector like girl group songs as the track has an underlying menace that's matched by few. I love the overall feel of this E.P. As dark as it is there's an immense feeling of hope and determination throughout.

The Waking Life "Child Of Bliss" E.P. (walkinglifenc.bandcamp.com)

Some truly haunting sounds make up this three track E.P. from this Wilmington North Carolina experimental artist. "Sachi (Child Of Bliss"), sounds like something out of a John Carpenter film while "Instant Beauty for Dirt Cheap" makes me think of giant machines working in the dead of night on a long lost industrial planet. The E.P. closes with "The Kingdom Of The Gold And The Rose" which is more of an improve piece, full of guitar strangulation and grinding tones. Highly recommended for fans of dark, ambient experimental soundtrack work. Have a listen and become a believer.

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