Emeralds - “Lasting”

Various Artists - Lasting c90 [Pineapples Tapes, 2009]

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Few things give me greater pleasure in life than a solid compilation. What better way to discover something new than from a lovingly crafted mix of various artists and styles. Lasting, the final release from now-defunct Swill Radio sub-label Pineapple Tapes, has gotten heavy tapedeck love since its release last year. Clocking in at ninety minutes, Lasting presents tracks from many of Scout Foust’s various collaborators and label musicians, plus a few outsiders and no doubt fans.

Above is the titular piece courtesy of Emeralds, a real doozy that comes on suddenly with synth burst and bubble, before making room for a few minutes of McGuire guitar and then disintegration into noise.

Solo piano plays a large role elsewhere on the tape, from Karla Borecky’s sublime, minimal “Structure” (which I’ve played many times on the radio), to Vikki Jackman’s slightly more whimsical “A Night Sketch,” to birdcall and repeated keys from BRRR (a.k.a. outspoken sociology professor Dr. Timothy Shortell).

Tim Goss displays some evil beats with his shamanistic “Thunder-rum,” while the prolific Asmus Tietchens summons trance music from Jupiter with “S.17.A.” Philadephian Weyes Bluhd brings the creep with mournful, wordless evocations over ethereal creaks and the sounds of some midnight lake.

I could describe every piece on here, but I suggest just downloading the damn thing and listening to these sixteen tracks. The MP3s are encoded at 256 kbps to preserve some of the great sound from the chrome tape. It’s a wonderful sampling of minimalism, field recordings, synthesizer exploration, and discreet noise. Well worth checking out. Tracklist and download link below.

Side A

• 1. Foust!, “Jungle Fever (Goldfish Mix)”
• 2. Karla Borecky, “Structure”
• 3. Graham Lambkin, “Recycle 19”
• 4. Emeralds, “Lasting”
• 5. BRRR, “Ditmas Park Excerpt”
• 6. Dead Girl’s Party, “The First Pill”
• 7. Tim Goss Featuring Beverly’s Records, “Thunder-rum”
• 8. Frans de Waard, “Nijmegen Hiss”

Side B

• 9. Asmus Tietchens, “S.17.A”
• 10. Ian Middleton, “Forest Walk”
• 11. Vikki Jackman, “A Night Sketch”
• 12. Weyes Bluhd, “All And Over”
• 13. Matt Krefting “Maiden Voyage”
• 14. The Collection Of The Late Howell Bend, “Long Fields”
• 15. Andrew Chalk, “The Last Rose Falls”
• 16. Idea Fire Company, “The Sinking Ship”

Listen to “Lasting” by Emeralds above, and download the full tape here.

Sean McCann - “Ocean Lamp” (excerpt)

Sean McCann - Fable Shop c49 [Cylindrical Habitat Modules, 2010]

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Grabbed this in a batch of tapes from Cylindrical Habitat Modules a couple months back. McCann’s Open Resolve tape got a fair amount of attention in blogland earlier this year, and the dude’s got much, much more to offer. (Discogs says 35 releases since 2008, and those numbers are usually low.)

Fable Shop is two side-length pieces with a lil’ one thrown in the middle, and they’re both pretty, meditate takes. McCann’s hushed string-sounding drones are particularly sparse in A-side “After the Spring,” laying atop comforting sounds of unknown object manipulation. All a bit thin and distant, like listening through an ear horn. Your grandfather listening to a small string quartet accompanying the kitchen sounds of making breakfast, maybe? Side B’s squawky “Gaslit Statues” makes way for more bowed beauty with “Ocean Lamp,” the sound now a little lusher, a little more powerful. A potential oboe emerges from the mix. There’s a definite sense of renewal sparked by major keys. Good vibrations.

All in all, a beautiful tape of calm, wheezy, wave-like string drones, with pleasant foreground mystery noises and an overall imparted feeling of purpose and positivity. Mix with summer sunrises for feelings of hope. (Cheesy line, totally uncheesy music.)

Listen to an excerpt of “Ocean Lamp” above, and download the full tape here.

Sean McCann at Myspace and Discogs.

Taterbug - “Keep On Creeping On”

Treetops / Abelar Scout / Evan Miller / Taterbug - Split 2xc20 [Young Tapes, 2009]

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