It is wonderful to have this kind of diverse compilation available and would be great for current fans, as well as those people looking to dip their toe in. The only problem is, on the strength of the tracks here, you would just want to load up in the entirety of The Monochrome Set's twenty-first century catalogue...
Monthly archives: September 2023
9 posts
Source Of Denial — a simple, apropos punning album name — hits the air with “Kudistro”, frantic organic drumming and blaring electronics that suggest an adrenaline junkie rave-up or the klaxon wails of public emergency.
For her latest missive from the stratosphere, Norwegian guitarist Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns has gathered two illustrious sonic cosmonauts in the shape of drummer Ole Mofjell and keyboardist Ståle Storløkken. Together they have managed to squeeze six enormous tracks of varying complexity onto this Weejuns album that will leave the listener reeling.
So while I felt a little trepidation in the news that they would be performing with Sinfonia Leipzig, in New Model Army's case I was prepared to make an exception- firstly, the sheer quality of their recent material doesn't suggest that this is a band in any real danger of running out of ideas any time soon, and secondly they've never really given that much of a shit about having to validate what they do do anyone.
And then it's time for Oxbow, and as soon as they kick in I'm kicking myself for missing out on them for so long. Eugene may not actually fight anyone, but he's definitely taken some lessons from The Gospel According to Iggy (and we all know the text) -- he knows in his bones that a good frontman needs to be a bit scary, a lot charismatic and be able to carry a tune. And also -- and this is key -- to get his kit off whenever possible.
A darkened ambience of spiralling guitar that extends the experience, anchored by a pulsing undercut as chords dramatically feast, density dine in wavering cut-ins, solar-flare the imagined vastness.
Boris have been ploughing a wide and varied furrow through the field of guitar-based music for more than quarter of a century. Dave Pettit has taken on the task of listening to all of their studio albums - here is part one of a series of reports as to what he found within them.
...tonight they're playing at the Troxy off the back of their latest criticially-acclaimed release The Beggar. Well, technically off the back of their last two albums, a whole shitload of dates for Leaving Meaning having been cancelled during Covid. Which was something of a double-edged sword for Swans fans, as being unable to tour for one album meant Gira found himself writing material for another one.
Thoughtful minor key repetition is allied to rolling percussion, a background rush that evokes cars passing on wet streets. It is no surprise that the first four pieces are titled "Murmurations" and "Meditations", the minimalist scene setting of the two finds the insistence of the piano notes needled by the prodding of drums that bubble and turn with constant presence