Andy's Best Of 2008

It's been a good year for noise, with a ton of good stuff coming my way. Here's a list of some my favorites.

Vinyl 12" - Locrian - "Greyfield Shrines" - (Diophantine Discs) - Awesome heavy mixture of dark guitars and synths. Look for a full article about the band here very soon.

Vinyl 7"
- Josh Lay - "Asphyxiation Worship" - (Black Horizons) - Perfect mix of dirty death-industrial synths and cutting black metal vocals.

- Vestigial Limb / Fletcher Pratt - Split 7" - (Epicene Sound) - Really good split. VL comes with some pure harshness, FP brings weirdo cut-ups.

- Blue Sabbath Black Cheer / Pig Heart Transplant - split 7" - (Epicene Sound) - Evil split from these two PNW greats.

CD
- Black Leather Jesus - "Skuff" - (Turgid Animal) Pure harsh noise bliss. Lot's of junk metal fun.

- UR - "Trieb" - (Topheth Prophet) - Killer drone-psych duo from Italy. I've really been enjoying everything by these guys this year.

- Seeker - "Invocation Of The Sleeper" - (Autumn Wind Productions) - Killer dark ambient, singing bells galore.

- V/A - "Rhythm" - (Gruenrekorder/Cherry Music)- Really fun rhythmic field recordings comp. Some really musical stuff was caught by some of the guys/gals on here.

- Barzel - "Born To Destroy Amalek" - (Topheth Prophet) - Did this come out in 07? Really raw, minimal p.e. that reminds me of the grey wolves in some parts. A really well rounded record.

CD-R
- N. - "LIFE" - (DumpsterScore) - Yeah, yeah I put it out. I've been a fan of N's for years though and would love this album just as much no matter who released it. Industrial noise perfection.

- Concrete Violin - "Disparaged" - (Brise-Cul Records)- Another old-school Texas noise master makes the list. Lot's of the high pitched action that I love.

- H/B A/D - "Within The Triangle" - (Snapped In Half) - Awesome colab between headboggle and d/a a/d, with a whole lot of powerful synths to back it up. My favorite "driving late at night" disc this year.

- Krzysztof - "Jajouka" - (Small Doses) - I have no idea who this guy is or where he comes from, but I love this album. Repetitive tone oscillator ambient bliss.

TAPE
- Taeter - "Parasite" - (Turgid Animal Italian Division) - Fecalove's power electronics project. Slow and sleazy. Awesome!

- Medroxy Progesterone Acetate - "Blearyeard OST" - (Tipped Bowler) - The soundtrack to a play that doesn't exist. Amazing, enveloping, ever evolving Midwestern noise.

- Pestdemon - "Esurient And Unwholesome" - (Unrest Productions) - Killer bass heavy, lo-fi masterwork. Minimal gear used highly effectively.

MOVIE - The Call Of Cthulhu - Awesome silent b/w short film based on the old lovecraft story. Could have used a better soundtrack, but still lot's of fun.

GEAR
- Sony MZ-R55 MD Walkman - Nice little mini-disc recorder I scored off e-bay. It's really raised the bar for my field recordings.

- Toshiba RT-SF5 - Killer ghetto blaster I got from the goodwill for $7. Has surprisingly good shortwave, a good tape deck, and RCA/MIC line in's and out's. Fun to plug my synth into it and jam on the back porch

D/A A/D's best of 2008.

Here is the list of my best of 08:

vinyl 12" - Sunn O))) - Dømkirke (Southern Lord) - Best live album ever, better than Kiss Alive.

vinyl 7" - Carlos Giffoni - The Absence of Essence (Arbor) - Awesome art, even better tracks!

cd - Prurient - And Still, Wanting (No Fun) - Dom's best work yet, so brutal yet beautiful as well.

cdr - Pulse Emitter - Nakamichi (GMBY) - Such a well produced album, Pulse Emitter is the man.

tape - Ezra Buchla - Untitled c80 (Deathbomb Arc) - A c80??? I love long tapes almost as much as Buchla synthisizers.

movie - The Dark Knight - Hands down...

tv show - Generation Kill - Blew my mind every week, best thing since Deadwood.

gear - Make Noise QMMG (euro rack module) / MXR Carbon Copy (analog delay pedal) - This was a tie. The QMMG is the best euro module that came out this year in my mind, so versitile - it can do everything! The Carbon Copy was the delay I have been waiting for for years, analog, dark and CHEAP!

soon

Sorry about the lack of updates the past few weeks. With my grandpa passing, the holidays, and leaving the state a few times it's been really hectic.
Starting next week:

-"Spotlight Series" (where I write a little article with a bunch of reviews focused on one artist) on:
Locrian
Cracked Dome
Vestigial Limb

-"Best Of 2008" list

-More interviews from Alex I've been told

- videos

I swear we'll get it right someday. -Andy

Andy's mail bag...

Ever get a big box full of power electronics, 8o's porn, and a gnarly dried out pigs hove? Oh I guess that's just me.... Thanks Les.

Flowers Of Flesh And Blood

The Sounds Of A Good Man Fading Away

As I sit in an oversized chair, I hear sounds I've never heard before fill the room. A small army of medical machines hum and hiss like the many ambient albums that fill my home. The forceful clicking of heels fade in and out as nurses and doctors pass by the thick curtain that separates us from the outside world. Empty IV bags beep with a forceful determination, insisting to be refilled. The sound that stands out most of all is coming from a small machine near the bed. Forcing air in and out of my grandfathers lungs, I watch his chest raise and fall harder then it should on it's own. I hear the man who raised me taking his final, slow, rhythmic forced breaths. His kidneys have failed, along with his lungs and slowly his brain. His pupils no longer dilate, the feeding tubes have been removed. It's just a matter of time now.

I step out of the room. A bearded man enters the with a nervous look of sorrow. I hear my grandfather gargle and choke as the breathing tubes are removed. He's still asleep. I come in to see him laying like a new born child, though he's 87 years old. I hold his hand and watch his heart rate drop on the screen above. He passes quick, peaceful, proud looking.

Roy J. Staehlin - 1922 - 2008

Interview With David Reed.

David Reed of envenomist has been making some of the most unique and inspiring synth music in America for the last 8 years, here is an interview I recently did with him:

Alex Pearson: First off, who are you and what do you do?

David Reed: My name is David Reed. I perform as envenomist, luasa raelon, have recorded under my own name and have a few projects with other people. There is Starlight Fleecing with Ryan Jewell and Larry Marotta. The duo with Jason Zeh. Also have done shows as part of Bloodyminded, worked with Rocco DiPeitro on his compositions, worked with Tom Derwent in Celldim Frequencies, and had another project going called brittle foundries. I have plans for more things but there is the time issue and finding people to work with can be problematic in Columbus, Ohio.

AP: What are the key differences between luasa raelon and envenomist, and how long have they been around?

DR: envenomist is synth-only and follows a certain set of parameters and conditions I think people reading this interview will be able to piece together. It is more limited and bound. luasa raelon is my death industrial/dark ambient project which is more open-ended in how I approach creating the material both compositionally and the fact I use whatever is available to me-synths, samplers, metal, drum machines, guitar pedals, etc. Organizationally, most of the luasa realon discs are stories where I have a narrative theme in my mind and each track is a chapter conveying what is going on in the story. I think that this is a big big difference between the projects now. envenomist releases don't have this narrative running through them. The pieces are more like landscape paintings united in mood or thematically rather than a movie in sound. Older luasa raelon material was organized like envenomist at times but on initiating envenomist, I made a decision to branch things. I don't know how much of this a listener can discern, if at all. This is just the way I differ the projects-the sound sources, the "heaviness" ( I perceive luasa raelon as being heavier), and how I organize the material for releases.

AP: Do you still play live as luasa raelon?

DR: I haven't played a luasa raelon set in over two years. I have been thinking about doing some more shows at some point. Playing a luasa raelon set always seemed to me to be problematic and I have the envenomist live thing down, people ask for that project, and so I have been doing only envenomist live for the past couple years. It would take some doing but would be nice to get back on that horse soon.

AP: Now that we have covered that, I would like to talk about envenomist in more detail, what would you say your major influences are for this project?

DR: Being on tour with Hive Mind and then listening to the second Intrinsic Action CD really got me into thinking about acquiring some analogue synths and seeing what would come about. Exposure to the old MB material was a real kick. Grey told me to check him out as he heard a similarity with what I was doing and I totally loved it. As time rolled on, I began listening to Tangerine Dream, Schulze, and Pinhas which have had a huge influence on what I do with envenomist. And also Morton Feldman, whose compositional style I use in structuring the envenomist material. Not trying to sound pretentious. The way he uses cells of material looping is pretty much what I have been doing. Yep. Totally ripping him off. heh. Non-musical related would be HR Giger, Max Ernst, DeChirico, Architecture, Horror fiction and altered states. With envenomist, I am trying to reproduce altered states of consciousness like hypothermia, heat stroke, drug usage, and shock aurally. This has been the aim from the start and continues. Not in every piece but I think it is a running theme that underlies the material.

AP: What gear are you currently using in envenomist?

DR: Right now: DSI Mopho, Evolver (really heavy use as of late), Realistic MG-1, MC-202, MFB Synth II and a SH-101 all through various reverbs and sometime delay. I use a ton of reverb all the time. It's an integral part of the sound. I also have a Spectral Audio Neptune II and an Octave Cat I haven't been using as much lately.

AP: How important is the gear you use to "your sound"? As out of the many synth artists in the noise community your work really stands out. How did your sound evolve?

DR: The most important elements of my sound are reverb and good-sounding analog synths that I can easily control. Not big on menu diving while I am creating textures. Having a variety of synths is also very very nice. Having four tracks of the same synth just doesn't seem to work for me. Each synth has their sound and being able to blend sounds or differentiate sounds is a big plus when I am recording.

AP: On that note, how do you feel about the sudden influx of "synth noise" and do you really consider what you do to be noise?

DR: I am fine with all the synth-based projects around right now. I think most of them are bringing something unique and interesting to the scene. Always down for another synth peep to check to out. And do I consider myself noise? No. Not in the sense of harsh noise or the more blown-out gnarled stuff. I like to think I am in the industrial tradition and am following that but usually tell people that ask that I do ambient or dark ambient, which is also true. Using the word industrial is so loaded now. I use the word and most people think Nine Inch Nails or EBM and that is not where I am coming from.

AP: If you had to describe your sound to someone who is not hip to the scene, how would you do so?

DR: Hmm. I just answered this one I think. I could elaborate on the above and say that ambient or even dark ambient are also loaded and people bring their expectations to these genres too. I say ambient and people think early Aphex Twin or maybe even New Age (ugh) or assume I do clubby chill-out stuff. Yeah, no. Dark Ambient works but I then have to explain what that IS to the person and its just a mess. I usually just give them something to listen to or now say to check the myspace page or the David Reed releases available online.

AP: Now that we got all the nerdy questions out of the way, whats in the future for David Reed and your label Snip-Snip?

DR: I have a couple CD's on the horizon. The House Of Flesh by luasa realon and The Helix from envenomist. A LP side from Starlight Fleecing. A envenomist LP side for a big synth LP set. A couple split 7 inchers featuring the Zeh/Reed duo. Two envenomist cassettes. Various comp tracks-five or six I can think of offhand. Collab with Wire Werewolves. luasa raelon CS's are floating around. Maybe getting the split with Hum Of The Druid reissued? Another CD project and I have a plan for some vinyl from both projects but too soon to give details.

AP: You were on tour recently, how was that? Where did you play, and who with?

DR: Recent tour was a quick burner up the west coast along with Monsturo and Rale. We played LA, Oakland, Portland and Seattle. I had a GREAT time. Hanging out and listening to David and Bill every night was a pleasure. We had a pretty good crowd for most every show and was nice to see people like Acre, Dull Knife, Pulse Emitter, and Seven Depressions play and to see my friends on that side of the US. With the internet, you know people through conversing but it is always nice to meet them in person and spend time with them. I also enjoyed seeing all of Cali and the Pacific Northwest through the car.

AP: Has anything crazy ever happened to you on tour?

DR: I wish. Nothing FUN crazy. Just horrible long drives like the drive from Denver to LA. Now that was an experience that totally sucked at the time but I think about now and again. The drive from Seattle to Minneapolis. Brutal. So so brutal. My favorite parts of touring are meeting people, hanging with my friends, hearing the bands on the bill, and getting to experience the various cities I am in. Mostly it is get up, get on the road, get to the venue and hang there and then play. Repeat. If you are lucky you get to goof around in the city a bit and kick back with a good person. Eating at different places and record shopping also fun to do on the road. You also really get to know who you are on the road with, and come away from the tour closer.

AP: In closing I would like to tell you about my experience of listing to Abyssal Siege while driving in a snow storm last year. In short while it was the perfect soundtrack for this particular journey, the combination of the tunnel vision snow flakes and your heavy drones nearly transported me to another astral plane. It was one of the most enjoyable and freaky experiences I had last year, so thank you.

DR: Excellent. Like I said, I am trying to reproduce altered states of consciousness. Sounds like I am successful. HA.

Here is a video of an envenomist performance from Pocket Sandwich in Portland Oregon on 11/02/08:

Some Stuff About Stuff

Firstly, I have asked a few friends to write post for this blog. Some of them accepted, some did not. I'm going to ask more people soon, and if you think you have something to contribute please send me an e-mail (dumpsterscore AT gmail). Now they just need to stop being lazy and actually post something. I want this blog to be a more fun read, and have a little more to offer than it does now. Hopefully things will start shaping up in the next month or so.

Second, As far as dumpsterscore goes it's been slow for a while, with just a release here and there, but I have a bunch of new shit almost ready to blow your mind. The N. full length, titled "Life", will be out very soon and it is fucking amazing. Much like his older releases, making use of big gobs of bass and fucked up samples, but also with a slightly harsher side using tape deck feedback loops, and vocals. This disc is going to kill you. Also a fucking insane batch of 3" cd-r's inculding fecalove, baculum, lame prey, and DBH will follow. After that another super heavy synth album from my buddy D/A A/D. There are a few other things I just got masters for as well that I'll announce soon. Hopefully the backlog of stuff will be dealt with this winter as well. This month marks 10 years since I started Suburbia Melting, and 25 years since I was born!

Third, These distro's will now be carrying DS goods. RRR, Freak Animal, Autumn Wind, and small doses has a few copys of the werewolf jerusalem/regosphere split. The first three listed will also be carrying new stuff that comes out!

Fourth, The Eugene Noise Fest was a blast. My set was just so-so (in my eyes) but I had a ton of fun, and a great time hanging with everybody. I love all you eugene people! I'll post all the videos when they go up.

Lastly, I will be in the midwest for a week soon. E-mail if you wanna hang in MN/IL. This also means things might get delayed a week or two with mail and what not. I'll let you know about any delays personally. I'm also in the process of buying a modular synth. I'm fucking excited! More details soon. Hope you all have a good few weeks untill the next post.

Eat shit for money....

It's funny having that little live-feed bar on the side of the site. You can see how people got to this site and where the left to. Every once in a while someone get's here from a search engine, and I always wonder what words they typed in to bring up the zine. Almost every time it's "shit eating", "eating shit videos", and most recently; "eating shit for money".....

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I played a show recently at Dunes here in Portland and it was a really fun night. All the bands played really killer sets, and I feel like I didn't do to bad myself for once. Cracked Dome and Knife Fight were the highlights of the night for me, but like I said everyone played a good set. J.M. (of Knife Fight/Invertebrate) always takes really cool videos of the shows he goes to and here they are from this show. Unfortunately he had some technical problems and the amazing Knife Fight set was lost! They are on tour right now and just put out some awesome tapes, so get ahold of em ASAP.

Robotic Daly


Regosphere


Cracked Dome


Dude War


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:Spending Time At Home Play List:
Brandkommando - MC Fuck - cd-r
Richard Ramirez & Skin Crime - Pleasure, Commerce, & Disease - cd
Rei Rea - Tapeworm - cd-r
Knife Fight - Maximum Guilt Tripping - tape
Noisewerrrrk - Prekartat E.P. - 3"
Cracked Dome - Pill Crushing Love - cd-r
Hush Blasphemy - Radio Nottingham - cd