Intense, surreal, remote, dynamic. Come along with us as we chronicle the adventures of the soul through psychedelic, drone, noise, experimental, pop music based around Chicago bands in particular and local bands everywhere.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

February 2012 Update!

I hope everyone is enjoying their winter -- or lack thereof -- thus far. Just working on my collection, I have some new CDRs from Singapore to promote, and I found one new copy of The Leavitt Ours Vital CDR. That one is a trip -- a special show release from March 2010, sending Truman Peyote and the Lord Jeff off to SXSW.

Make sure to check out new developments. Cinchel has a set of excellent digital releases, and some new stuff on the way. The N.E.C. released Pineapple (Pretty Ambitious) at the close of 2011, and are busy as always. The Great Society Mind Destroyers released Spirit Smoke on wax (Slow Knife). All The Saints just released Intro to Fractions (Souterrain Transmissions), and Brainworlds has a new split with Plosive. Killer Moon and Rabble Rabble are also sure to have some new things on the way, so look out! There's a ton of great stuff available and on the way from Vital Sound bands.

AVAILABLE (prices US / international always negotiable, please email [spectiveaudio] at [gmail] dot [com]):

Sawi Lieu and I\D split CDR (CDR51, self-released from Indonesia / Singapore, $7 ppd US): Wild filtered synthetic loops and layers, and joyful experimentation populate this split CDR between Indonesian artist Sawi Lieu and I\D, a group from Singapore. Sawi Lieu’s contribution features unpredictable filter sweeps and building synthetic layers. I\D’s improvisation and experimentation feature wild interplay between guitar, drums, and noisemakers, contrasted against hypnotic guitar sequences.

I\D, Midnight Hot CD (CD32, self-released from Singapore, $10 ppd US): I\D play a type of acid-fusion, building their abstract elements into tense crescendos and structured jams driven by drums and guitar. The development of their noise is blissful, experimental, and completely free -- there is a willful feeling of exploration and creation. Yet, it's not simply outsider jazz or unfocused wanking; the driving, start-and-stop explorations display willful explosion of genre expectations while establishing their own parameters through their instrumental interaction. 2009 release.

I\D, Elite, Kvlt, and Irrevocably Tr00 (CS+60, self-released from Singapore, $10 ppd US): Heavy on the unrestrained noise throughout, I\D dabble in extremely percussive free improvisation and experimentation. Off-kilter blues contrast unclassifiable synthetic noise, wailing, and heavy percussion. 2007 release.

Emporium, Vision CS (home-dubbed, donation): A personal set from 'Spective proprietor Nicholas Zettel, featuring a culmination of summertime drone exercises and tape manipulation. Opening with ethereal atmosphere, this set of four songs meanders through two-channel follow-and-response folk, followed by reverb circuitry manipulation and backwards tape exercises.

The Leavitt Ours, Return CS (C26, clear, handmade cases, $7 ppd US): Beneath the shadows of Chicago's fuzzier and heavier psychedelic sounds, The Leavitt Ours perform experimental pop in the private press tradition. In order to develop and produce their own reflective spaces and musical statements, the trio embrace aggressive ambient soundscapes, synthetic guitar tones, eclectic percussion rhythms, and driving keyed bass and synthesizer backbones.

Various, Vital-Sound I CS (C62, opaque red, handmade art, $7 ppd US): Atlanta and Chicago psych bands split this compilation, presenting everything from paisley, drone, and repetitious instrumentals to acid blues, pure noise, and doom is covered here. Atlanta contributors are Sovus Radio, Soft Opening, The N.E.C., All The Saints, Brainworlds, and The Sunny Muffdivers. Chicago contributors are Implodes, The Great Society Mind Destroyers, The Leavitt Ours, and Killer Moon.

The Leavitt Ours, Vital CDR (extremely limited, xeroxed art, special show release from 2010. Donation): Early 2010 demos that precede Return cassette and accompany Movement tape (Notice), The Leavitt Ours resemble an outsider ambient troupe honing their sound. There are a bunch of tracks on this one that were eased out by the time Return was recorded; therefore, an eclectic mix of synthesizer, keys, noises, and bratty experimental songs.

Sunny Muffdivers, All Half Evil CS (C26, translucent neon, $5 ppd US): Pure sonic assault from Atlanta. Crusty psych sludge doom featuring bludgeoning rhythms, repetition, and drones create a disjointed landscape in which your mind and emotions can hide.

The N.E.C., B-Sides CS (C46, translucent red, $5 ppd US): Rarities, oddities, and background tracks from Atlanta psych/rock outfit versed in driving song craft and sonic exploration. Songs collected from 2007’s “Million Minks” through 2010’s “Is,” splitting ambient and heavy sides of Atlanta psych.

PayPal: [spectiveaudio] at [gmail] dot [com]