Date: March 11th 2008

3 new releases from Mechanoise Labs:

Cisfinitum - Tactio [mn033] (Mechanoise Labs)
With a parsimonious discography mostly released on seasoned Russian labels such as Waystyx, Ewers Tonkunst and Monochrome Vision, Evgeny Voronovsky has established himself as an uniquely engaging artist in the country's current ambient scene. Under the name of Cisfinitum, he has taken a syncretic approach to an often codified genre, uniting his formal training as a violinist at the Moscow State University with his affinity for concrete sounds and experimental structures. Past releases have shown a capacity to synthesize these factors at times while emphasizing the contrasts between them at others, sometimes over the course of a single track. In this aspect, this album follows the tradition faithfully.
Tactio is the live recording of a Cisfinitum concert at the St. Petri Dom (St. Peter's Cathedral) in Bremen, on November 24, 2005. The particular (and as expected highly favorable) acoustics of this environment were consistently used not only as an enhancing effect but as an integral foundation for the performance, making it unmistakeably tied to its context. Presented in the form of six continuous tracks, the album is a contemplative composition of vibrant drones, reverberating bells and synthesized resonance, gracefully evolving from the celestial tones of its start to the tellurian pulses of its climax. This is a piece of work that is elaborate in its simplicity, and it's with much appreciation that it is presented here today. The beautiful iconic artwork by Evgeny Kuprienko further emphasizes the relic-like qualities of this recording.
(CD, digipak, 12.00 €)

Karma Kommando - The Revolver as a Prayer Wheel [mn032] (Mechanoise Labs)
Voluntarily misappropriated karmic concepts for powerless electronics. Like perpetually stumbling in the cycles of cause and consequence with no exit in sight. Mostly conceived and recorded with a few self-feeding pedals, vocals and some wind chimes. "To right every wrong, to wrong every right".
(3" CD-R, mini-DVD case, 6.00 €)

Concrete Belly - Concrete Belly [mn031] (Mechanoise Labs)
Somewhere between bedroom folk music, circuit-bent electronics and comatose drones, this mini-album brings together a little selection of tracks sent to us by this UK musician. The fragile melodies and shimmering guitar sounds might bring to mind some of Aidan Baker's releases, but the noisier riffs and more loop-based structures of these tracks definitely give them their own personality. Disarmingly touching music for those windy yet sunny days.
(3" CD-R, mini-jewel case, 6.00 €)

Please note that from March 1, 2008 to a yet undetermined date, free registered shipping is offered on all orders of over 100 Euros. Yes, that includes international shipping.

http://www.mechanoise-labs.com/

- Latest catalog additions -

For mp3 samples and ordering, please go to the catalog page.

Various Artists - Moral Hazard CD (Indie-ziert)
Invisible Front - Interferences And Time CD (Indie-ziert)
O Paradis - Cuando el Tiempo Sopla CD (Punch Records)
Erik Ursich - Electronic Diffraction Patterns CD (Punch Records)
Comando Suzie - Pobres Chavales CD (Punch Records)

Uthana-Eise - g.d.g.r. CD (Halbwelt)
Various Artists - Muzyka Voln CD (Muzyka Voln)
Kryptogen Rundfunk & Hladna - Rokton & Formanta CD-R (Zhelezobeton)
Overdose Kunst - Was ist Overdose Kunst CD-R (Zhelezobeton)
Nazi Bastards From Aldebaran - Invasion CD (Zhelezobeton)

Skincage - Things Fall Apart CD (Spectre)
Thermidor - 1929 CD (Brume Records / Thisco)
N. - Memories From Before Being Born CD (Belligeranza)

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- Detailed list of additions -

Various Artists - Moral Hazard (Indie-ziert)
16 tracks from the current power electronics scene, featuring contributions from Mourmansk 150, Schwadron, Jesus Of Nazareth, La Comunidad, Melodic Abortion Orchestra, Radio Murmansk, Cavum Oris, Mortuor, Hatred In Eyes, Climax Denial, Sewer Goddess, Leiche Rustikal, Persona and Steel Hook Prostheses.
(CD, slim DVD case with inserts, 11.00 €)

Invisible Front - Interferences And Time (Indie-ziert)
Appropriately subtitled "Kampf auf allen Frequenzen", the debut release by this Berlin-based unit chooses the radio as its key subject matter and explores its impact as the first major mass communication tool of the 20th century. As expected, this translates into samples of number stations, historical radio speeches and general shortwave chatter providing a backdrop for overdriven synthetic tones and crackling (yet controlled) noise. The less agitated moments bring to mind SRP's "Schriever Rundflugzeug Projekt" and other Membrum Debile Propaganda releases, but overall this album is much more abrasive than initially hinted at. A struggle on all frequencies indeed.
(CD, slim DVD case with inserts, 12.00 €)

O Paradis - Cuando el Tiempo Sopla (Punch Records)
A new album's worth of beautiful and melancholic tunes from Barcelona's O Paradis. The tone is sorrowful and nostalgic, with the passing of time serving as a constant theme throughout the album (I don't think I'm imagining those tick-tocking rhythms). Definitely a step away from the more upbeat collaborations with Novy Svet and even more unusual in some ways than "La Boca del Infierno" ("Desnuda" will certainly mess with you), this is another excellent release from O Paradis that's rightfully been released by Punch Records.
(CD, clear jewel case, 13.00 €)

Erik Ursich - Electronic Diffraction Patterns (Punch Records)
Setting aside the 70's synth LP vibe of his first album for another trip back in time to the raw electronic sounds of the 50's, Erik Ursich's new exercise in style is much less musical in nature and focusses more on the sounds themselves. Sounds of vintage analog synthesizers which come across as an homage to Louis and Bebe Barron's ground-breaking soundtrack to "Forbidden Planet", with melody and rhythm shunned in favor of texture, timbre and atonality over the course of this album's 5 long tracks. Highly recommended to those into early synth experimentation and bleeps and bloops. The CD includes a video which can be viewed on PCs.
(CD, clear jewel case, 13.00 €)

Comando Suzie - Pobres Chavales (Punch Records)
First album from a Spanish duo with a rather slick and sexy take on new-wave / 80's electro-pop. The eleven tracks of this album recount tales of "love, desire, remorse and punishment" set in Barcelona and as crooned by Comandante Raul. Sarcastic and refreshingly spirited.
(CD, clear jewel case, 13.00 €)

Uthana-Eise - g.d.g.r. (Halbwelt)
Debut release from this obscure german death industrial / power electronics unit. Plodding machine rhythms, buzzing electronic tones and a rather subdued vocal approach. Somewhat close to some of the less sample-heavy Objekt/Urian tracks.
(CD, jewel case, 12.00 €)

Various Artists - Muzyka Voln (Muzyka Voln)
Label info: "The first release of a new sublabel of ZHELEZOBETON - Muzyka Voln - is a compilation of the same name, containing compositions from twelve Russian projects playing ambient / drone music. A selection of audio-tales in which each project introduces the listener to its own sound world he's living in: mystical stories, isolationism, altered states of consciousness, space landscapes, monotonous technologic rumble, guitar passages and much more...
Specially for this compilation exclusive tracks were provided by: Anthesteria, Bardoseneticcube, Cisfinitum, Closing The Eternity, Exit In Grey, Hum, Instant Movie Combinations, Kshatriy, Lunar^Abyss^Deus^Organum, Necropolis, Polaris and RemoteBand.
This compilation may be useful for those interested in the Russian experimental scene and just for lovers of beautiful contemplative music. Artwork / photos of the Baltic Sea by Pavel "fljõt" Pevnitsky."
(CD, 6-panel digipak, 12.00 €)

Kryptogen Rundfunk & Hladna - Rokton & Formanta (Zhelezobeton)
Label info: "Hladna and Kryptogen Rundfunk - behind these names stand two St. Petersburg-based musicians playing experimental noise music. They both nourish a tender passion for old electronic instruments and often use them at their concerts and on recordings. One warm sunny day they gathered and decided to play on two analogue rhythm synthesizers "Rokton" and "Formanta". These are actually two identical instruments which were produced in the Soviet Union by two different factories. Each of them is the "brain" for electronic drum-kit, but can also be used separately - as a multi-channel tone-noise-generator or rhytm-machine.
Kryptogen Rundfunk used his device smoothly, evenly and calmly while Hladna expelled from his more sharp and unpredictable sounds. Worth mentioning are Hladna's non-standard ways of making sound - on the last two tracks he opened the back plate of his synth and played not only using knobs but also getting inside and abridging contacts with his own hands (for which he was incidentally struck by the current a couple of times).
Live recording without any processing, with all it's natural crackles and tasty overloads. Abstract electronics, minimalism and a little noise."
(3"CD-R in mini-gatefold sleeve, 6.00 €)

Overdose Kunst - Was ist Overdose Kunst (Zhelezobeton)
Label info: "The Japanese duet Overdose Kunst exists since 2001 and records a strange sort of music which they call "schizopoetry". Rejection of stylistic norms in the name of sound-craft freedom, deconstruction and irrational re-assemblage of musical material - that's what stands behind this term. This approach allows them to keep a child's purity and frankness in musical perception with the ability to send an emotional charge without using settled compositional forms. This disc includes the most song-like tracks of the band: crookedly recorded guitars, voices emotionally singing some nonsense in a mixture of several languages, and reversed melodies. Fine and lyrical post-rock from Japanese experimental underground."
(3"CD-R in mini-gatefold sleeve, 6.00 €)

Nazi Bastards From Aldebaran - Invasion (Zhelezobeton)
Achtung! This is a collection of all the tracks recorded by this mysterious band from the late 90's russian scene. The music is old-school electro-industrial with pumping bass lines, arpeggiated melodic loops and clanging beats, all mixed up with some samples to spice up the affair. With completely over the top titles such as "Swastika Man", "Illuminati" and "Nazi UFO Attacks Paris Nightclub", this is sure to be a hit with all the DJs in Neuschwabenland.
(CD-R, pro-printed color sleeve, 7.50 €)

Skincage - Things Fall Apart (Spectre)
"Things Fall Apart" is the much awaited second CD by Jon Ray's Skincage, almost seven years after his highly impressive debut album, "Axon". Mainly created using an array of self-made and broken instruments, circuit-bent electronics and concrete sounds, the album does come across as much more somber than its predecessor, while thankfully letting that certain luminous touch still gleam through the haze. Along with Hollydrift and Brutum Fulmen, Skincage is part of those relatively rare craftsmen capable of truly bringing out the extraordinary from the mundane, of making objects "sing" if you will. A rewarding experience in isolationist sound.
(CD, gatefold digisleeve, 13.00 €)

Thermidor - 1929 (Brume Records / Thisco)
Debut album from this Portugese dark ambient project, with a penchant for clear synthetic melodies and processed noises and atmospheric effects that brings to mind some First Law albums. Features remixes by Flint Glass and Empusae.
(CD, slim DVD case with a mock mini-newspaper, color insert and two stickers, 12.00 €)

N. - Memories From Before Being Born (Belligeranza)
Produced using nothing more than two empty tape-recorders connected to each other, this is the sound of nothingness, hollow frequencies and flat electroencephalograms. This album is presented over the course of 27 short tracks and fulfils its conceptual promise by straining raw, scum-drenched bass tones to oblivion.
(CD, jewel case, 12.00 €)