After the amazing tape release earlier this year on the American Neon Blossom label comes my second ASC purchase of the year. Found this one lurking cheaply on the French Amazon site of all places. "Happy Horse".
The sound is of Astral Social Club live, it doesn't say it is a live recording anywhere on the sleeve or insert, but it must be. To tell the truth it sounds like the "set" Neil performed in Exeter in 2007.
Although it can't be, as I remember him telling me that he forgot to press the play/record button on his mini-disc as he went on stage.
The sound is repetitive, motorik, ostinato. Swirling cosmic samples of a thrashed guitar mix with polyphonic keyboard chord whilst an underlay of pulses (synthetic + organic) play hide and seek amongst the sound. It is a beautiful release.
(There are a few bands/projects/artists knocking about at the moment doing this 30 minute - 40 minute improv. cosmic jam type stuff, and to be honest a lot of it sounds like self indulgent dirge. It is a dangerous area to get in to).
The album starts off with the magnificent "Skelp", a 7" from 2009 which blends in to a track called "Kilmarnock"which I reckon alone qualifies for track title of the year! The sound arrives, grabs your ears by the neck and says listen to this.....
Released on the Japanese Happy Princes label. (New one on me), and packaged in a lovely soft yellow velvet bag, please buy.
No comments:
Post a Comment