Local techno producer and live performer Marc Kate, a.k.a. Silence Fiction, a.k.a. Husband, a.k.a. Never Knows comes to us from the future with this heady emendation of the recent musical past, replete with technicolor shadows, tripped-out mixtape passings, overdue redos, shapeshifting pop sublimity, fortunate live distortion, and bass hauntology. Check it.
>>Young Galaxy, “Shapeshifting”
I can’t imagine pop music being more sublime than this.
>>Trish’s Mind Bending Motorway Mix
On January 14th, we lost Trish Keenan, vocalist of Broadcast, one of the most beautiful and haunting voices of our time. Before she passed, she made this bizarre, tripped-out mixtape for a friend.
01 Mind Bending Motorway Mix – Single Track by Abandapart
>>The Horrors, Skying
They’ve traded their Prayers on Fire and Tago Mago for Madchester and Ultravox. My favorite retro-synthesists.
>>The Soft Moon live at Milk
The worst live sound I’ve ever heard. As if someone treated the speakers to violent stabbings at soundcheck. Somehow, the torrential force of the Soft Moon through that PA created a gorgeous, terrifying squalor.
>>Simon Reynolds, Retromania
A great diagnosis for the current cultural trap we’re all in – reveling in the past rather than evolving towards an unknown future. Too bad it doesn’t come with a repair kit.
>>My Bloody Valentine, Loveless Remastered
This release was delayed several times in 2011. And at this rate, it may never come out. Sometimes perfection takes a little time. Or sometimes an endless amount of silence before the sensuous scream.
>>Blondes live at Public Works
Tabletop electronics that fuse techno with Krautrock. I love their recordings, but live, they created an even more technicolor density.
>>Kangding Ray – OR
My favorite raster-noton release in a long time. It’s austere and lush and a bit EBM and a bit techno and even skirts the edges of hauntological dubstep.
>>Bear in Heaven – I Love You, It’s Cool streaming preview
This album doesn’t come out until April 2012, but it’s streaming from the band’s website. However, it has been time-stretched to take four months to play beginning to end. Go there now. I’m sure it’s still droning on.
I don’t make it down to the Holy Cow every Sunday night for the HSS party, but I’m always thankful when I do. Favorite weekly.
>>Occupy
What’s more compelling than people vocalizing their righteous discontent? I’m excited to hear what’s next.