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viewing 1 To 10 of 74 items
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CD
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ALIEN 093CD
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"Since 2001, Duchess Says have been spreading the gospel of the influential and mysterious Church of Budgerigars. Their learned mix of hypnotic rock and saturated keys, concocted by Phil C., Ismael and Simon Says, is delivered by A-C, a sermon laden with the teachings of the novice Mere-Perruche. The congregation has prayed the three Ts; now it's time to reiterate. In a Fung Day T! is their second offering. Adrian Popovich and Joseph Donovan of the Mountain City studio have succeeded in recording a dynamic, dancing alienation. Hypnotizing keys to give order to the sectors; a palpable tension in the main district; refrains hammered ad infinitum -- an infinity of ten psalms. In a Fung Day T! treats the listener to short blitzes of energy, nearly reaching the climax of noise rockers Lightning Bolt, interspersed with what will become new fan favorites. One of the more outstanding jams, 'S.O.H?', is a nice and loose danceable number that recalls the early '80s new wave sound. The record closes with the longest track of the album, a slumbering dark sexy number that recalls the blood red curtain vibes of a David Lynch soundtrack. Duchess Says' penchant for blending aggressive music with dance music works well and makes them comparable to other famous Canadian exports such as Death From Above, Fucked Up and even Crystal Castles at times. This is magnified by the undeniable intensity and sheer originality of high priestess/vocalist Annie Claude. Anyone who has witnessed the band live knows the pure theatrical mayhem that ensues, with onstage antics approaching those of Jesus Lizard's David Yow."
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LP
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ALIEN 093LP
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Gatefold LP version with free download code.
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ALIEN 091CD
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"Fool, Redeemer is a semi-collaborative split release between Canadian acts Picastro and Nadja. Having toured together and shared a stage many times over the course of the last half-decade, the two bands thought it was time to finally release something together. Nominally a split album, with side A featuring tracks by Picastro and side B a sidelong track by Nadja, members of both groups contributed to each other's songs. And a certain mutual influence seeped into the compositions, Picastro's dark-folk appearing at the beginning of Nadja's track 'Venom' and Nadja's trademark drone/dirge tendencies lending a heavier, noisier edge to Picastro's songs."
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2LP
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ALIEN 090LP
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$25.00
NOT IN STOCK, SPECIAL ORDER
Gatefold 2LP version, limited edition of 500 copies on pink/black vinyl with download code. "Anyone who has ever witnessed Acid Mothers Temple live has more than likely heard them perform 'Pink Lady Lemonade.' It's a staple of their live sets and has been released in various forms over the years on of now out of print releases. While 'Pink Lady Lemonade' is a single piece of epic proportions, it comes off more like a very cohesive full-length recording, as the tune is broken down into four separate movements. The record's first movement runs for about 30 minutes and introduces the album's central motif, a mesmerizing and repetitive guitar riff. The track eventually dissolves into a particular jazzy section that has the band frantically freaking out somewhere between ragtime and Sun Ra. This jazz-inspired section ends rather abruptly after just under six minutes, yet it's enough to radically alter the previous vibe and prepare oneself for the third movement. The third segment marks the return of main riff being played in a very gentle manner with slight processing on Kawabata Makoto's guitar and additional synth action from Higashi Hiroshi being panned in and out of the mix. The results are very intriguing and verge into psychoacoustic territory. The effect of the layered sounds is reminiscent of that experienced when listening to the music of contemporary classical composer Luigi Nono, whose compositions created something entirely new out of manipulating taped recordings of vocalists and orchestras. Pink Lady Lemonade maintains the same heavy spiritual qualities that so much of the Acid Mothers output does, but the hippy elements are kept a little further at bay and instead replaced with an artier drone component. The effect of the cascading drone alongside the full band playing is both refreshing and strange, almost as if you were listening to two different pieces of music being performed simultaneously."
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ALIEN 090CD
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$15.00
NOT IN STOCK, SPECIAL ORDER
"Anyone who has ever witnessed Acid Mothers Temple live has more than likely heard them perform 'Pink Lady Lemonade.' It's a staple of their live sets and has been released in various forms over the years on of now out of print releases. It is offered here for the first time in a single CD edition. While 'Pink Lady Lemonade' is a single piece of epic proportions, it comes off more like a very cohesive full-length recording, as the tune is broken down into four separate movements. The record's first movement runs for about 30 minutes and introduces the album's central motif, a mesmerizing and repetitive guitar riff. The track eventually dissolves into a particular jazzy section that has the band frantically freaking out somewhere between ragtime and Sun Ra. This jazz-inspired section ends rather abruptly after just under six minutes, yet it's enough to radically alter the previous vibe and prepare oneself for the third movement. The third segment marks the return of main riff being played in a very gentle manner with slight processing on Kawabata Makoto's guitar and additional synth action from Higashi Hiroshi being panned in and out of the mix. The results are very intriguing and verge into psychoacoustic territory. The effect of the layered sounds is reminiscent of that experienced when listening to the music of contemporary classical composer Luigi Nono, whose compositions created something entirely new out of manipulating taped recordings of vocalists and orchestras. Pink Lady Lemonade maintains the same heavy spiritual qualities that so much of the Acid Mothers output does, but the hippy elements are kept a little further at bay and instead replaced with an artier drone component. The effect of the cascading drone alongside the full band playing is both refreshing and strange, almost as if you were listening to two different pieces of music being performed simultaneously."
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2LP
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ALIEN 089LP
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"Now, for the first time on vinyl, Haunt Me is available as a clear vinyl double LP, packaged in a full-color gatefold sleeve, and limited to 750 copies. Tim Hecker needs much less of an introduction today than he did when he released his debut recording Haunt Me nearly ten years ago; he now easily holds his own with top tier electronic artists from around the world. Despite its age, the album remains interesting and vital. While not nearly as complex as more recent outings such as Harmony in Ultraviolet and Imaginary Country, it gives a very clear view into the artist's approach and style. Haunt Me is a beautifully arranged record that sees nine compositions spread out over twenty tracks that have been woven together to form one long extended piece of music. This method has become standard on the recordings by Hecker that followed Haunt Me and is an excellent method to deeply immerse the listener in the work. At the time of Haunt Me's release, Pitchfork championed Tim Hecker as one of North America's best kept secrets, scoring the album an impressive 8.6 on 10, and they have continued to support the artist's endeavors ever since. On Haunt Me, Hecker is often riding a fine line between ambient and noise. During one interlude, he is utilizing a cascading wave of distortion and throbbing bass, just as it starts to become the slightest bit oppressive. Gears are quickly shifted and the high-end harmonies and feedback are quickly giving way to more lush passages in the vein of early Stars of the Lid. Tim Hecker very quickly learned the technique of blending the ebb and flow of soft and hard sound and he continues to work towards perfecting this technique today."
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ALIEN 087CD
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"While Alien8 Recordings has had the pleasure of releasing three full-length albums by Aidan Baker's ambient doom project Nadja, as well as his collaborative effort Fantasma Parastasie with Tim Hecker, this marks our first solo release with the artist. Although we consider Liminoid/Lifeforms to be a solo effort, there are in fact no less than eight guest musicians helping out on the recording. These include Canadian noise legend Knurl (a.k.a. Alan Bloor) who has been released three times on Alien8 Recordings prior to this recording, as well as members of Arc, Picastro, Forest City Lovers and Whisper Room. 'Liminoid' is a composition for large ensemble exploring sonic immersion in drones and textures, rhythms and pulsations. Incorporating composed and improvised segments, the piece uses elongation of sound and layered polyph- ony in an attempt to create a liminal and/or numinous state. This recording of 'Liminoid' is from its premier at The Music Gallery's X-Avant Festival in Toronto, October 25, 2008. The piece features a powerful vocal performance with every member sharing the vocal duties. The lyrics have been adapted from 5th-8th century Coptic Christian texts and inspired by the book Ancient Christian Magic by Marvin W. Meyer & Richard Smith. The ensemble members for this performance were: Aidan Baker (guitar/ voice), Clara Engel (guitar/voice), Nick Storring (cello/voice), Jakob Thiesen (drums/voice), Richard Baker (drums/voice), Tillman Lewis (cello/voice), Laura Bates (violin/voice) and Jonathan Demers (guitar/voice). 'Lifeforms' is a composition for strings, prepared/effected guitar, and amplified metal works. Likewise incorporating written and improvised material, the piece was originally commissioned and performed by The Penderecki Quartet in 2003. This recording was made in August 2008 at Commonwealth Studios in Toronto. The performers were: Aidan Baker (guitar), Nick Storring (cello), Mika Posen (violin) and Alan Bloor (metal works). This recording has been both skillfully mixed from multiple recordings and mastered by James Plotkin."
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ALIEN 088CD
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"Founded as a duo by T. Graves and Reyna Kay in September 2008, Blessure Grave blurs the lines between the goth, post punk and neo folk genres. The pair has since developed the project into a full band while building a cult-like following, scattering various vinyl and tape releases on boutique labels around the globe. Citing Killing Joke, Death in June, March Violets and The Cure as influences, Blessure Grave injects a pop sensibility into songs otherwise doomed to dreariness, creating an interesting mix of old and new but dark all around. The music initially appears rather simple, but quickly reveals the fact that the songs are fully fleshed-out and genuinely memorable. Perhaps what is misleading at first is that the recordings sound as though they were created in some kult black metal band's dungeon for maximum fog-at-dusk fidelity. Judged By Twelve, Carried By Six is the debut full-length release by Blessure Grave. The CD version will includes 4 tracks lifted from their debut 12" EP Learn to Love the Rope, originally released on Captured Tracks. The album provides the perfect soundtrack for contemplating today's troubled times or for simply being swept away with the nostalgic 80s vibe that permeates much of the recording. The band does not waste a lot a time allowing tracks to drone on: the songs are short and to the point, with the average track approximately three minutes in length. A number of the tracks on the album could be considered singles. Take for example the beautifully haunting duet 'Resting Place For Two,' where band leaders Grave and Kay share vocal duties. Equally enjoyable are pieces like 'Hope For The Worst,' 'In My Mind,' 'The Cycle' and 'In The First Place.'"
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LP
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ALIEN 085LP
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ALIEN 078CD
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"Back in May 2006 we baptized the emergence of the Montreal's energetic party machine Think About Life with the release of their self-titled debut. Here they are three years later with their sophomore effort, Family. This time around the trio is as off-the-hook as ever, but since they dropped their debut they have polished their sound, without losing their edge. Three years is a long wait but multi- instrumentalist Graham Van Pelt has been busy with his other band, Polaris prize nominees Miracle Fortress. Family is broken-toy disco rock, served funky, like a big friendly bowl of sugary breakfast cereal. Upon a base of hearty synths and sweaty drums these tunes bubble with '80s pop guitar licks and are bedazzled with meta-marshmallows of electronic drones and glitchy samples. This alt-dance exterior is a framework from which hang beautifully rhythmic vocals, either musing empathetically about high- school lovers and guilt-ridden bus rides or issuing vaguely strange missives about mysterious wizards and black champagne. The tone is sometimes sly, sometimes frantic but never menacing, ironic or fey. Sounds like LCD Sound system, Outkast, Blur, TV on the Radio, Cars and Quincy Jones-era Michael Jackson done in the ramshackle, outsider style of Public Enemy's producers the Bomb Squad. Family is probably as influenced by cartoon theme songs and 8-bit video game music as the L.A. riots. Beyond its charming pop heart and playful nouveau-disco trimmings, Family can also serve as a floatation device in case of bad-vibes. Step into their rad imagination, they got the magic touch."
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viewing 1 To 10 of 74 items
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