Journal
I have a fascination for subcultures, specially those with a close-knit relationship with leftfield and challenging music, so music does take center stage here. Glad if it resonates with you in some way and you discover something new here, in which case you should explore more and support the artists.
Band: LIARS
Album: Sisterworld (2010)
Track: Scarecrows on a Killer Slant (04:14)
THIS WILL DESTROY YOU
Tunnel Blanket (2011)
Communal Blood (08:13)
Band: VAMPILLIA & THE BODY
Album: XoroAHBin (2015)
Track: Cold Bark Bite (05:06)
Band: ROY MONTGOMERY
Album: Island of Lost Souls (2021)
Track: Soundcheck (For Adrian Borland) (07:20)
With compositions steeped in rich guitar effects, the four extended instrumentals in this mini-album suggest communion and isolation, channeled through four island residents’ musical memorials: Sam Shepard, Adrian Borland, Peter Principle, and Florian Fricke. The ambiance across songs wavers between being majestically sad yet with a power mimicking hope, encouraging remembrance and honor without pain.
“Soundcheck (For Adrian Borland)” is a tribute to the late Adrian Borland, founder of the very underrated English post-punk band The Sound. This is nowhere near as emotionally raw as the underappreciated English singer it honors, but it surely hints at his music for the uninitiated. Adrian commited suicide in London on this day 22 years ago.
Band: BEYOND DAWN
Album: Revelry (1998)
Track: Phase to Phase (08:14)
A band which started sounding like a mix of My Dying Bride and Swans and by this album, 3 years after their debut, had managed to dump all the needless gothy references and now sounded unlike any other, flirting with slowcore and post-punk.
Revelry is such a gratifying album, and yet criminally forgotten. Sure you have to be in the mood, but really, all it takes is a moment of inner peace, a lazy Sunday, a walk by the shore, cigarette in hand. Equally of note is their follow-up, '99's "Electric Sulking Machine", both albums well deserving of wider recognition.
Band: RAMESES III
Album: Across Wounded Galaxies (2016)
Track: When the phone goes dead II (06:12)
Band: JAMES WELBURN
Album: Sleeper in the Void (2021)
Track: In and Out of Blue (05:00)
Band: CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
Album: Circulatory System (2001)
Track: Outside Blasts (06:07)
Band: BORIS
Album: Boris at Last - Feedbacker (2003)
Track: Feedbacker Pt. 2 (14:54)
I always feel so absorbed and withdrawn when listening to this album, specially this second movement - the longest and quietest - of the album. It always reveals a very particular shade of emotion as it brings some fine old memories from around the same time this was released back in 2003 (Xmas day to be precise)... as it often happens when you listen to music that was played during a significant life event. Because of such memories this track always feels nocturnal and wintery... cold and warm at the same time, like a late night drive, window down, cigarette in hand summoning deep thoughts.
Band: XIU XIU Ft. CHELSEA WOLFE
Album: Oh No (2021)
Track: One Hundred Years (06:26)
Band: GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR
Album: G_d's Pee At State's End! (2021)
Track: “Government Came” (9980.0kHz 3617.1kHz 4521.0 kHz) (11:36)
Band: AMBARCHI + O'MALLEY + DUNN
Album: Shade Temes from Kairos (2014)
Track: Temporal, Eponymous (11:28)
Band: SWANS
Album: To be Kind (2014)
Track: Just a little Boy (for Chester Burnett) (12:39)
Band: GLENN BRANCA
Album: The Ascension (1981)
Track: The Ascension (13:09)
Band: THISQUIETARMY
Album: Compendium: 2005-2020 (2021)
Track: The Battle of Tohoku (06:32)
This track is included in Oxide Tones's second charity album, titled “More Hope for Japan” to help the victims of the 'Tohoku' Earthquake and Tsunami that struck Japan on 11 March 2011.