A terrifying re-mix re-interpretation by Jessica Bailiff of Ceremony's "Never Make You Cry" from the LP/CD Rocket Fire released last year on Killer Pimp.

EXTENDED PLAY features remixes and reinterpretations from Justin K. Broadrick (Jesu/Godflesh/Pale Sketcher), GD Luxxe, Monster Movie (Slowdive/Eternal), and Jessica Bailiff. 

It's out on April 19th and available for pre-order at http://brainwashed.com/commerce.html

Ceremony, "Never Make You Cry (Jessica Bailiff)"

(this is an exclusive remix by Kid606 which is NOT on the CD EP)

Soundpool follow their critically acclaimed 2010 album Mirrors In Your
Eyes with this fantastic limited CD EP (Killer Pimp will only sell 500
copies) of six remixes and reinterpretations. Syntaks, Strategy, GTO,
Screen Vinyl Image, Colder, and Lawrence Chandler (of Bowery Electric
fame) have all twisted and turned these soon-to-be-classic pop gems
around and infused them with new life. Available separately or FREE
with a purchase of the Mirrors In Your Eyes LP while supplies last.

  1. Shelter (Syntaks)
  2. Mirrors In Your Eyes (Strategy)
  3. Sparkle in the Dark (GTO)
  4. Listen (Screen Vinyl Image)
  5. But It's So (Colder)
  6. I'm So Tired (Lawrence Chandler)

pre-ordering available now at http://killerpimp.com

Soundpool - But It's So (the deadlines gonna kill me remix by Kid606)

We will miss you James Izzo aka Thread aka "The Boy Without Hands"

Coil, "Dark River (the Null Tributary remix by Thread)"

We will miss you James Izzo, aka "Thread" aka "The Boy Without Hands"

Bowery Electric, "Saved (Readwriteerror Mix By Thread)"

This is a remix that James Izzo gave me years ago. It was never released anywhere. RIP James, you're missed.

Meat Beat Manifesto, "Wildlife (Thread remix)"

This was given to me by James Izzo (Thread) back in 1999. It is unclear as to which song or songs he has remixed by Pan Sonic (Panasonic back then).  RIP James, you're missed.

Pan Sonic, "unknown (Thread remix)"

artist: Charalambides
title: Exile
catalog#: krank158
formats available: 2LP / CD / digital
release date: October 03, 2011

Exile is the new Charalambides album. Five years in the making, it was recorded between 2006 and 2010 in various locations in New Hampshire, western Massachusetts and New York City, mixed at Black Dirt Studios, and mastered at Sand with Paul Gold. The group remains the core duo of Christina and Tom Carter, with contributions on one track by the string section of Helena Espvall and Margarida Garcia. 

Deeply imbued with the full historical spectrum of american folk and blues song form, Exile is a tapestry of suppliant invocations directed at the heart of the unseen spiritual forces surrounding us. Dense arrangements and thickly-overdubbed tracks sit side-by-side with material that ranks among the sparest and most skeletal the group has recorded, giving Exile the psychic scope of their classic Market Square album while building on the refinements of the more recent Likeness and A Vintage Burden releases.

This album quite coincidentally marks Charalambides' 20th anniversary, as it was the fall of 1991 when they first started playing, and they made their live debut in December of that year. Since their last album, Tom Carter has released a series of collaborations and solo works on a wide array of labels, while Christina Carter has been steadily releasing her solo work through labels including her own Many Breaths imprint.

track listing:
1. Autumn Leaves 2. Desecrated 3. Words Inside 4. Immovable 5. Before You Go 6. Into the Earth 7. Wanted to Talk 8. Pity Pity Me 9. Rider* 10. Down in the Valley* *LP only bonus tracks

selected discography:
A Vintage Burden 2006
Likeness 2007

press quotes for Likeness:
“Itʼs in the tangled intermingling of drone and chime, guitar and naked voice, where the likenesses become talismanic and strange, impossible to fully decipher.” Dusted

“Mesmerizing guitar drones that may dissolve your brain.” Spin

“This is modern folk music, and by taking handfuls of influences past and present Charalambides have created their most futuristic sounding record to date.” Boomkat

“The mix of the sentimental with the bleak further encourages the disparate mood of unease, making this one of the band's most engaging releases in some time.” Raven Sings the Blues

Charalambides, "Before You Go"

The very first brainwashed 7" single. Limited to 1,027 hand-numbered copies.
Clear vinyl, comes with sticker and post card.

Cover Artwork by Benjamin Palmer of 99th Mind.
Postcard Artwork by Daniel McKernan.
Thread is James Izzo.

Coil, "Glowworms/Waveform" (Obsidian Monarch remix by Thread)

The second brainwashed 7" single. Limited to 1,027 hand-numbered copies.
Yellow vinyl, comes with sticker and post card.
Cover Artwork by John Beck.
Postcard Artwork by Daniel McKernan.

Edward Ka-Spel, "Dream Stealer"

An exclusive track to Disc A for "Brain in The Wire" 

Comes in a metal box with a poster, keychain, patch, and image booklet.
Poster and inserts by Daniel McKernan
Other artwork by Jon Whitney

Originally available as a boxset in an edition of 2000. This edition has sold out. Each disc and extras currently available for seperate purchase.

Christoph Heemann & Andreas Martin, "Wires"

An exclusive track from Disc B of Brain in The Wire

Comes in a metal box with a poster, keychain, patch, and image booklet.
Poster and inserts by Daniel McKernan
Other artwork by Jon Whitney

Originally available as a boxset in an edition of 2000. This edition has sold out. Each disc and extras currently available for seperate purchase.

Volcano the Bear, "New Seeker (alternative version)"

Xian Hawkins - all instruments

Two instrumental songs from Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Xian Hawkins. As Sybarite, he's released full-length albums on the Temporary Residence and 4AD labels and has had a number of singles and compilation tracks on labels all over the world. It's upbeat, amazingly well crafted and never wears out its welcome. www.brainwashed.com/sybarite for more info on this painfully underlooked genius.

"Xian Hawkins, a.k.a. Sybarite, crafts some gentle, melodic IDM on the two tracks that comprise his single. Gentle keyboard melodies drift along hazily, fading away behind the crackly rhythms and chopped-up digital glitches. It's all very nice, particularly the pastoral A-side "Dolorous Echo," with its cranking clockwork drums and lush melody lines. Short and sweet, it's made me realize that the 7-inch must be the ideal format for this kind of joyous IDM fun." - Ed Howard, Grooves

"Xian Hawkins' gentle electronic tomes are understated, melodic and multi-faceted. So, interestingly, the simplest and most repetitive track is the most enjoyable on this single. "The Mast" has the same energy bubbling beneath the surface that could be found on the early Aerial M singles. "Dolorous Echo" is a much more standard, fluid electronic song, peppered with intertwining rhythms and overflowing with melody. Short and sweet, Sybarite's contribution to the Brainwashed series is a glimpse of positivity and sunshine." - Dick Baldwin, FakeJazz

"When I think of Brooklyn I think of Hip-Hop, I donit think of tracks reminiscent of the Richard D. James era which sound fresher than the real thing. Sybarite brings a giddy indolent leisurely melodic sense to the crickety kitchen utensil percussion of iDolorous Echoi filling it with ideas. Even though iThe Masti is too brief and demands replays to place the dinging taps on glass sounds the songis tune lingers long past the run out groove. Attention to detail and an uplifting sense of purposeful positive mood elevates these tracks above the rest of the field. Brooklyn has a new challenger, Mos Def watch your back." - Scott McKeating, Stylus

"Sybarite's "Dolorous Echo / The Mast" (Brainwashed 7") pairs two light, gloopy electronic instrumentals that sound pretty nice on a rainy night such as this one. "The Mast", in particular, has a very soothing guitar figure that purrs like a hot kitten." - Byron Coley, The Wire

"Xian Hawkins is the careful composer behind Sybarite. His often low key arrangements are nice to relax to but his main strength on BRAIN005is A side is in working with minor mechanical sounds. iDolorous Echoi features a multitude of micro clicks and cracks and other sounds such as gears being wound. Muted robot bleeps come and go throughout the song and there is a barely there beat holding things down while Eno-eque ambience ties things into place. The sharper sounds remind of Aphex Twin while those lower in the register resemble Boards of Canada (to reference 2/3 of the usual suspects). But the real winner here is on the flip side. iThe Masti begins with tiny spaceship sounds and a quiet, repetitive ping (like someone flicking a small porcelain vase with a microphone inside). Layers of fuzzy synths are sparingly used until two distinct melodies develop. Some soft yet high pitched electronic scratching begins, carving out a mini melody as the low buzzing that came before it continues to fade in the background. A great track." - Andrew Iliadis, Only Angels Have Wings

"Dolorous echo" de Sybarite es un ejercicio m.s normal y vistoso de electrUnica vol.til y texturada. Las secuencias entremezclan melodIas y sintes variados. Pero lo que llama m.s la atenciUn de este single es la bellIsima calma de su recorrido. Su tempo simil al de algunas apuestas m.s glitch como m'm o sogar. Y aunque a pesar de que la propuesta de de Sybarite no deja de ser electrUnica por el lugar de donde se la mire, tiene una marcada calidez e introspecccion. - Pavlo Picco, deVelvet

"Sybarite's been at the music game for a while, with a solo career and as a one-time member of the reunited Silver Apples, which doesn't explain the fairly generic, layered IDM of "Dolorous Echo." You know the type: that glitchy, chirpy, restless type of laptop track that's so busy you hardly notice it hasn't really gone anywhere. B-side "The Mast" is more successful, building satisfying, less synthetic textures within a looped compositional context." - Doug Mosurak, Dusted

"The two songs on Sybarite's (Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Xian Hawkins) blue vinyl are poppy, upbeat electronic tracks. Sparkling melodies weave through whirrs, clicks, and lightly scurrying breaks in "Dolorous Echo" while "The Mast" sets sail on a becalmed sea of soft nautical pings, pretty guitar flutter, and blurry surges." - Ron Schepper, Textura

"Brainwashed number 5 is a sweet 2 track 7" by Sybarite - very melodic blend of electronics and acoustics - simple structure, simple beats and very much in the less is more camp. Nice." - Smallfish

"Xian Hawkins composes some of the most elegant and addicting music, but remains somewhat lost in the tidal wave of other electronic composers currently active. It's a shame because, as Sybarite, he manages to coerce soft, seductive, and contemplative songs out of his machinery and his music never gets old; it's never lost in an emphasis on production or artiness. "Dolorous Echo" is a ricocheting curve of metallic percussion and remarkable melodies built into and on top of one another. It's cascading mass seems to fall in slow motion as the beats slip and spin about, circling around the reversed and chiming synthetic tones that float slowly away at every turn. There's a dense layering of rhythmic and harmonic elements on each second of the song; the flute-like whistle that's somehow surrounded by all the other instruments may not be noticeable at first, but it carries a certain importance with it as it is pushed, pulled, and resituated in the mix throughout the song. It's like being led through a maze at high speed over and over again, until nuances and details become clear out of pure repetition. Only Hawkins is messing with me at every lap of the maze, changing the smallest details for the best effect. "The Mast" is a slowly pulsing array of telephone tones, wooden blocks, and smooth bass. Hawkins' arrangement makes the song feel as though it is vibrating in and out of existence, the extended metallic drones and the rhythms shimmering in unity so that the song feels like a flashing star of bass tones and rocking-chair keyboards. It's a relaxing little number that contrasts perfectly with "Dolorous Echo." It's a good thing that pre-orders of Otology came with a CD that included this release because within another week's time, I would've worn the grooves out of this 7" and have wanted a replacement desperately. This is an excellent place to start becoming familiar with Sybarite." - Lucas Schleicher

Sybarite, "The Mast"

 Jessica Bailiff - acoustic guitar and vocals
Nathan Admunson - bass on A1, A2, B1 + vocals on A2 and B1
Michael Anderson - textures on A1, melodica on A2, treated guitar on B1

Produced by Berry Kramer and Maurice Woestenburg for VPRO Radio "De Avonden," November 2002.
With additional help by Jesse Edwards, 2004.
Limited to 500 light green 7" singles.
Pre-orders come with a CD-R of the music + all the other 7" singles released on Brainwashed thusfar.

Four songs from Jessica including "Shadow," only released on the Brain in the Wire compilation (I'm beginning to think this really is my song or something!), the haunting "Mary" from her self-titled third release on Kranky, "Beautiful Soul," which dates back to her 1998 debut on Kranky, Even in Silence, and an exclusive song, "Come and Close My Eyes," a Flying Saucer Attack cover. All recordings are obviously exclusive. Jessica arrived at Kranky by way of Low, having her first two albums produced by Alan Sparhawk at 20 Below in Minneapolis. She has gone on to record more solo singles and albums and has appeared on record with bands Rivulets, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Flashpapr, and Red Morning Chorus, and makes up part of the core nucleus of bands Clear Horizon, Northern Song Dynasty, and Eau Claire. www.brainwashed.com/jb for more images and sounds from her.

By far the most accessible of the Brainwashed singles, Jessica Bailiff contributes 4 live songs, taken from a session on VPRO Radio in 2002. Treated guitar, undisclosed "textures" (drones), melodica and bass accompany Jessica's acoustic guitar and vocals on these tracks recorded while on tour supporting her self titled third album for Kranky. In this setting, Jessica has less protection from the ability to build atmosphere in the studio, which strips the songs bare and exposed, which works well. "Beautiful Soul" (originally released on her first album) is anchored by a drone built from bass and melodica, allowing the guitar and vocals to soar high above the mix. "Mary" shows Jessica embracing the post-shoegaze folkstress that she is. The single ends with a cover of Flying Saucer Attack's "Come and Close My Eyes." It's a notable homage to her current bandmate's former band (she and Dave Pierce released a collaborative album under the name Clear Horizon). While the cover is enjoyable to hear, I think trying to improve on an FSA recording is a doomed prospect. - Dick Baldwin, FakeJazz

The human physical presence of Kranky recording artist Ms. Bailiff is present in the acoustic guitar and her forlorn folk-ish vocals but despite the obvious pop structure the unfledged lo-fi sound (the songs come through a light fog of grainy atmosphere) gives this release a distant removed feel. They used to call music like this Dreampop, but Jessica isn't obsessed with her shoes or the floor on these four live tracks, she lost in the songs. The final track, oddly enough a Flying Saucer Attack cover, "Come and Close My Eyes" sounds the most personal and human piece here. - Scott McKeating, Stylus

Jessica Bailiff is represented by four tracks on "Live on VPRO, Amsterdam" (Brainwashed 7"). Her vocals and acoustic guitar blend with haunted atmospherics, sounding especially lonely and lovely on her cover of Flying Saucer Attack's "Come and Close My Eyes". - Byron Coley, The Wire

Bailiff's songs are pop but sound almost folky due to her soft voice and the languid lo-fi sounds. She is a veteran on the Kranky roster by way of Low (her first two albums were produced by Alan Sparhawk at 20 below in Minneapolis) and she is also a member of Clear Horizon, Northern Song, Dynasty and Eau Clair. The tracks on this release, recorded live in VPRO studios in Amsterdam, are hushed and slightly grainy. First track "Shadow" stands out as a melancholic plea, introducing her soft and dewy vocals. "Beautiful Soul" (a song from her 1998 debut) follows and is much more akin to Low's style than the previous track. Side B begins with the haunting "Mary" (from Bailiff's third release on Kranky). The song features ample acoustic accompaniment to a sweet yet ominous vocal melody. Bailiff finishes the set with a cover of Flying Saucer Attack's "Come and Close My Eyes." All of these songs are wonderfully textured with subtleties (melodica, treated guitar, etc). This is the warm heart of this three single set--dreamy, lovelorn and humble. - Andrew Iliadis, Only Angels Have Wings

Para el ultimo deje el excelente paso por mis oidos de la misteriosa Jessica Bailiff. Con una guitarra acustica y sonido envolvente tino el dia de un cielo soleado a un gris palido y profundamente melancolico. Los bueno de estas canciones es que son lo suficiente hundidas o profundas como para dejar escuchar al interior (uups.. parezco Luisa Delfino), pero no lo demasiado densas como para cagarte la tarde. El ambiente que propone Jessica es solitario pero no denso, sentido pero no asfixiante y eso se nota en el minimalismo de las cuerdas acusticas rasgadas con cierta pesadez. Me recuerda cierto aire a Espers, en el sentido profano de la comparacion, aunque en el caso de Jessica, parece un alma que va pelandose capa por capa mostrando de a poco su luz interior. Es extrano el caso de "Shadow" que a pesar de ser una melodia lenta debil superficialmente, se percibe una extraordinaria fuerza e impetu: lo que parecia un hilo de agua cayendo desde 3 metros, es una avalancha capaz de pechar un hipopotamo vaguisimo con la fuerza de Conan el barbaro. Concluyendo, si tendria que unir todos estos trabajos de algun modo que no sea pensar en su distribucion por la brainwashed, pensaria en su optimismo pleno. Es decir, a pesar de ser levemente oscuros o un tanto violentos, tienen una energia positiva (uiuuppsss...me sigo pareciendo a Luisa Delfino), un lento pero alentador fluir de movimientos que acompana de forma ritmica a mi bienestar. La vida esta hecha sin dudas para disfrutar. - Pavlo Picco, deVelvet

Bailiff, always the gentlest and most breezy-sounding of artists in the Kranky label stable, offers up four live radio recordings in a trio that provides minimal yet effective backing. The simplicity an acoustic nature of her songs lend themselves to the branding of folk music, but there's too much pop structure here for the tag to truly stick. Bailiff's songs are just as warm and welcoming as they were in the years since I last heard her. Includes a Flying Saucer Attack cover. - Doug Mosurak, Dusted

Recorded live for VPRO Radio in The Netherlands, Jessica Bailiff's 'coke bottle,' transparent vinyl disc includes three originals and a cover of Flying Saucer Attack's "Come and Close My Eyes." Enhanced by Michael Anderson's blurry textures and Nathan Amundson's bass, Bailiff's entranced whispers and acoustic strums distinguish "Shadow." The gentle "Beautiful Soul" originally appeared on her 1998 Kranky debut Even in Silence while "Mary," from her 2002 self-titled album, is rendered haunting by the background haze of Anderson's treated guitar. In a lovely rendition, she imbues "Come and Close My Eyes" with delicate intimacy. - Ron Schepper, Textura

The lovely voice of Jessica Baliiff underpinned by some equally lovely understated strummed guitars. Melancholy and heartfelt music and singing - I always think of her as a very grown up singer song writer - someone who has matured to a point where the frills and possibly cliched bits are lond gone, and you are left with a essense of depth and emotion. You might have gathered that I really like this. Recommended. - Smallfish

Recorded just shortly after the release of her last, self-titled album, this 7" is a rare document of Jessica Bailiff's sound away from the studio. Included are two songs available on her full-length recordings, a cover of "Come and Close My Eyes" by Flying Saucer Attack, and a version of "Shadow," which was previously available only on Disc A of the Brain in the Wire compilation. While her live sound is more bare compared to what she does inside the studio, Bailiff's siren-like voice and hypnotic guitar playing is enchanting, sounding as though it's coming through the ether from some far away, and sometimes sad, place. What this 7" release most exceptionally highlights is Bailiff's song-writing ability. She writes elegantly and fluidly, pacing her music perfectly, allowing her voice to melt into her rhythmic guitar melodies with ease. Her style is completely her own, but not without sympathetic and inviting tones. She can make me believe that she's in the room with me, whispering to me and relating stories pulled from all over the world. There's never an element out of place in her music and each one of these four recordings proves that she's one of the finest writers and performers around. - Lucas Schleicher

Jessica Bailiff, "Shadow (live on VPRO radio)"

Aranos - all instruments

For some time I found the hypocrisy of "religions" we generally hear of and which seem to dominate the "western civilisation" rather irritating. Christians, followers of Islam and those of Jewish faith all share the Old Testament of the Bible yet seem to be unable to live together without resorting to pretty much constant warfare. This, of course is not a new phenomenon. Crusades, persecution of Jews, wars between different factions of Christians, or different factions of Islam are a constant feature of western history. Why? Obvious explanation stares one in the face: The Bible itself. The Old Testament - root of all three main western faiths is a seductively beautifully written justification of violence and abhorrent behaviour mainly perpetrated by God and his followers. I could elaborate how this also spills into New Testament (killing of the fig tree, many of Paul's actions, Apocalypse etc), but if you are interested, you can read the crap yourself. "No Religion" and "Spitting Revivalist Dreams of Everlasting Pain" are an expression of my dismay. - Aranos

Limited to 500 green vinyl 7" singles. Pre-orders come with a CD-R of the music + all the other 7" singles released on Brainwashed thusfar.

The avant-garde violinist Aranos is a confederate of perennial industrial weirdoes Nurse With Wound, and that group's screwy aesthetic shines through clearly on his two oddball tracks here. "No Religion" takes its title a bit too literally, consisting mainly of a pounding bass beat with simplistic chanted vocals over the top ("I've got no religion, and I'm glad, glad, glad"). There's a brief interlude in the middle for a very angry faux-square-dance violin solo; at the end, the chanters are swallowed up in waves of moaning and shimmering digital noise, a welcome relief from the track's monotony. The B-side, fortunately, isn't quite so preachy, consisting instead of a sparse, tense collage of scraped metal, ear-piercing violin abuse, and electronic processing. If Aranos were aiming to express outrage and absurdity, this glorious racket--and not the literal-minded soliloquy of the flipside--would be the perfect way to do it. "Spitting Revivalist Dreams" is infinitely more effective as a pure visceral piece of music, proving once again that musicians should focus on making sound, not manifestos. - Ed Howard, Grooves

The liner notes to this installment of the Brainwashed 7" series explain that both songs are an expression of Aranos' dismay at the hypocrisy of religions - particularly those founded on the Bible. Citing it as the source of the constant warfare between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, it's a "seductively beautifully written justification of violence." Most of "No Religion" is very repetitive, comprised of a drum (?) pulse and a chant: "I've got no religion and I'm glad," with a treated / filtered noise loop bit at the end. Side B, "Spitting Revivalist Dreams of Everlasting Pain" is much less orchestrated and obvious. Instead, it bares its teeth and honestly approaches the anger and frustration called for in the proposed goal of these tracks. Violent shrieks, jarring feedback and overloaded inputs are interspersed with harsh scrapes, groans and explosive bursts. The A side eases into the theme while the B side claws hungrily into its core. - Dick Baldwin, FakeJazz

An angry Czech Irish growls out a folky singalong about the abuses forced on us by our organised religions with the chorus "I've got no religion and I'm glad, glad, glad, I'm so glad that I don't have to hate." Accompanied only by a light Suicide tribal type beat the song grinds into your head only to be split in two by a startling unexpected gypsy fiddle. It ends as you might have guessed with an anarchic feast of sound and the sharpening of metal on metal over buried dog growls. The epically titled b-side is the sound of a Violin with an STD, repeated listens are unnecessary in order to get his point. - Scott McKeating, Stylus

..."No Religion / Spitting Revivalist Dreams of Everlasting Pain" by the Czech / Irish maniac Aranos, probably best known for his Nurse With Wound collaborations. The A side is a sharp slap in the face of organised dogmatic ecstasy (and the horrors that are committed in its name), the flip is a candy-centred, electroacoustic dip into the trauma noise trough. Very worth a swig. - Byron Coley, The Wire

Some of you may recognize Aranos from his ties to Nurse With Wound although for most this is probably the first you've heard of him. This is the first of a bunch of 7" singles that he is planning to release this year, and this single is by far the most out there of these three. Where to begin? Side A's "No Religion" is a million miles away from Side B's "Spitting Revivalist Dreams of Everlasting Pain." "No Religion" begins with a quick, light beat and minor percussion. Aranos sing-speaks all over it about, well, religion, and how much trouble it actually creates in the world. He sings "I got no religion and I'm glad, glad, glad" while dropping stories of hypocrisy and persecution. Aside from a very brief section of violin the song follows a similar pattern until it degrades into looping abstractness at the end. Where Side A held a repetitive beat, no such structure is found on "Spitting Revivalist Dreams." The song is a pure affair with noise. Metallic screeching permeates this songs core; what sounds like sheet metal is rubbed against the edge of another metallic surface. An echo effect is kicked in to add some (unneeded) dissonance to the proceedings. There may also be some type of drilling or welding tool in there as well. Congratulations on making one of the most difficult songs to endure this year, Aranos. - Andrew Iliadis, Only Angels Have Wings

Tengo que admitir que cuando recibi este paquete con todos estos vinilos mi reaccion primera fue una cierta leve decepcion. En casa no tengo ningun tipo de tocadiscos con el cual podia escucharlos. Pero cuando hice coincidir el lugar, la hora, el aparato y las ganas, todo fue maravilloso. Asisti por vez primera a un evento tan importante como lo es la romatica escucha de un long play. Los oidos se concentran, los ojos se cierran y todo apunta al medio de la recta trazada por los dos parlantes. En este caso, los ejemplos son variados y los estilos diferentes para tamanos descubrimientos: Aranos es un viejo, padre o abuelo de la vanguardia chescoslovaca que no se ha cansado de protestar en todos estos anos mediante los sonidos que insesantemente emanan de sus poros, ahora un tanto cerrados. "No religion" (tema con el cual se abre el single) tiene un bajo semi cuartetero y una voz repitente que clama con la acidez necesaria y la ironia reinante "Yo no tengo religion / y estoy contento / porque no necesito odiar", manifestando la principal virtud del ateismo en estos tiempos en que corren, post 11 de septiembre. Y es que la protesta del viejo es muchisimo mas totalizadora que la anarquia de muchos manifestantes de Seattle. La energia se siente presente en las venas y esa violencia se transforma de a poco en amor. "Spitting Revivalist Dreams of Everlasting Pain", se tranforma en su segundo tema electroacusticamente hablando, hiriente y supurante como corte de cuchillo, en donde el silencio cobra (a pesar de su poca predominancia) un papel chocante - pavlo picco, deVelvet

"No Religion" starts out as a long and very repetitive, croaking rant against Christianity, Islam and Judaism, blaming the Old Testament as the root of all the world's crises of faith, and the need to defend one's own worldview against such corrupt documents. He digs into it with a fast polka/gypsy beat and comes off not unlike how the Sun City Girls might with the same inspiration. On the flip, we're presented with a screeching, atonal piece for violin and (I'm assuming) contact mics, building nicely in form and structure as the track unwinds. - Doug Mosurak, Dusted

The two pieces on Aranos's green disc are as eccentric as his other work (Tangomango, Bering Sea). The A side's "No Religion" is dominated by the Czech-born Bohemian Irish resident's defiant rant ("I got no religion and I'm glad") with the briefest of violin appearances dropped into its middle. (Describing the Old Testament as "a seductively beautifully written justification of violence and abhorrent behaviour mainly perpetrated by God and his followers" will leave no one guessing Aranos's thoughts on the matter.) The B side's "Spitting Revivalist Dreams of Everlasting Pain" continues his "expression of dismay" in a writhing instrumental exercise of violin scrapes and clanging noise. - Ron Schepper, Textura

This is right odd. A plodding techno beat with lyrics and twisted folk-esque music that you'd expect to find in some local pub being dished out by the resident nutter! Flip for abrasive electronic oddness - cacophonous even... - Smallfish

Of the three 7" records released by Brainwashed this month, Aranos' two songs stand out as shocking and strange, even with his already strange discography considered. "No Religion" gets straight to the point as a thumping bass drum and tambourine fade in, Aranos sings, "Oh, I've got no religion and I'm glad." Where many of his lyrical outings have been ethereal and surrealist in many ways, for this song Aranos has come down to earth with a definite and unmistakable message: religion, hate, and violence seem to go hand in hand. It's not a revolutionary thought, but Aranos is obviously pissed off. His delivery cannot be mistaken for sarcasm and there's no hint of metaphor nor a sign of symbolism anywhere in his words; this is a direct voice speaking exactly as its source feels. "No Religion" feels like it should belong at a party, too, the bouncing bass and drum rhythms are joyous sounding and Aranos' slash of violin playing is upbeat and bright, betraying the seriousness of the lyrics. I've found myself singing this on my way to work so as to pick my mood up, "I've got no religion and I'm glad, glad, glad, I'm so glad that I don't have to hate." "Spitting Revivalist Dreams of Everlasting Pain" picks up where "No Religion" leaves off. The mechanical, sputtering sound of dying industry that closed up side A are enhanced and pumped up a thousand-fold on side B. It's a noise track in every sense of the word, ringing with piercing shrieks, heavy metallic crashes, and buzzing electronics. Aranos processes these sounds, turning the volume up, along with intensity, at some points, and letting the sounds rumble on the horizon at others. It's like a sonic fit, tossing everything about the room in a sudden and fierce display of absolute frustration. The intensity, at some points, is frightening and, as the song continues to churn on, never giving up, it becomes quite clear why this was coupled with "No Religion." Sometimes talking or singing about a feeling or idea isn't enough, sometimes sound translates the ideas with such clarity that a word might spoil everything. - Lucas Schleicher

Aranos, "No Religion"

 Jack Dangers
Lynn Farmer - Drums [A]
Mike Powell - Samples and keys [A]
John Wilson - Guitar [A]

53 editions come numbered in a special sleeve handmade by Jack Dangers.

Meat Beat Manifesto (a band hardly needing an introduction) offer a stellar slab of fried sounds. Side A, "Lovefingers," is a Silver Apples cover, which opens with a clip of a woman retelling a story of her husband (I think) claiming he'd been attacked by a spaceship. This leads perfectly into a catchy, psychedelic and mutated groove, bringing to mind early Faust. This comparison is hammered home when a blast of oscillators and fuzzy filters splatter themselves across the rest of the grooves. Side B follows a similar pattern with "Radio Free Republic." Starting with a voice sample (presumably from a b-movie), it moves into a heavily rhythm-centric pattern which slowly develops over a shifting pallette of synthesizer bleeps and bloops. - Dick Baldwin, FakeJazz

Where in the past Jack Dangers was the man you seek out for some pre-Big Beat busy prehistoric electronics and bollock kicking breaks here we find him at his monitor a little more relaxed. Still peppering his tracks with samples, he moves further into a Hip-Hop Techno area on "Radio Free Republic" where aggression and pace are not the norm. More interestingly is the Silver Apples cover on the A side which is a short blast of harsh electronic pop ending prematurely in short wave radio abuse. - Scott McKeating, Stylus

We have another sexy Brainwashed 7" in this week. This one is by Meat Beat Manifesto and it's on super thick weapon stylee grey vinyl. You know someone ordered a record this week and referred to it as a plate. I've never had that happen to me before but it did amuse me. Holding this sturdy little fella makes me realise if you didn't like the music you could tape up the hole in the middle and use it as some kind of stupid dining service. However if you did that it would be criminal cos here we have a totally cool slab of Jack Dangers instrumental hip hop infused brilliance which doesn't sound too unlike Boards of Canada to be honest. And there's a cracking Silver Apples cover of Lovefingers on the B side. This be my single of the week... - Norman Records

Meat Beat Manifesto, "Radio Free Republic"

Christoph Heemann
Edward Ka-Spel
Phil Knight
Andreas Martin

Cover artwork by Monika Kwiecinska

What it is that defines a supergroup? The fame of it's members, but I'm sure out there there are enough people who never heard of Edward Ka-spel, The Silverman, Andreas Martin, Christoph Heeman and Jim O'Rourke, yet from my perspective some of them gained real fame with whatever they are doing and their supergroup is therefore Mimir. Not that they are very active, since their releases in the last fifteen or so years can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Earlier this year they played a very rare gig, in Antwerpen, Belgium, guesting also Timo van Luyck (Af Ursin). The whole proceedings where captured on video and come on a limited DVD-R with this 7". The 7" captures two tunes, albeit very short, but a great showcase of Mimir's music, which is the sum of many influences: the krautrock psychedelia of The Legendary Pink Dots, the minimalism of Andreas Martin's guitar playing and the deep drone works of Mirror. The a-side is more Mirror and the b-side more Pink Dots. Two sides of the same coin. How they come together is best witnessed while viewing the DVD-R of the concert. Slowly it builds up through a web of drones, then slowly adding a rhythm and a counterpart of it, and an acoustic guitar slides in. Everybody is full on concentration and seeing your heroes sweat is always a good thing! - Frans de Waard, Vital Weekly

Brainwashed continues its 7-inch single series with an alluring slab of thick clear vinyl featuring two untitled pieces by Mimir (Edward Ka-Spel and The Silverman aka Phil Knight of The Legendary Pink Dots, Christoph Heemann, Andreas Martin, and Jim O'Rourke). Side one adopts an improvised psychedelic-folk feel as droning ripples segue into metronomic clicking pulses and Indian hand-drum rhythms overlaid by acoustic strums. More atmospheric by comparison, the other side is a haunted drone of peaceful thrums, swooping electronics, and natural field noises (moans and bird sounds). As befits its single status (though hardly characteristic of the drone genre), be aware that, while each piece conceivably could last a half-hour or more, Mirmir keeps them short. Still, get it while you can, especially when the first fifty pre-orders come with a DVD-R containing footage of the first Mirmir show recorded in Antwerp in February 2005. - Ron Schepper, Textura

Taken from a session recorded a few years back, itís difficult to pinpoint exactly who did what with which black box (Mimir's membership includes Christoph Heemann, Edward Ka-Spel, Andreas Martin, Phil Knight and Jim OíRourke) on this serving of quality single tone drone. Some milky shuddering movement in the aural undergrowth reveals distant pealing bells from some Shyamalan village just beyond the artworkís moody snowbound wood. Turning over, and again untitled, Mimir introduce a slow burning smattering electronic clicking that builds into a looking glass hip-hop beat with metal percussive touches. Mooring it even closer to convention is the growling buzzing sounds that are budged step by step into an unambiguous melody. - Scott McKeating, Stylus

Mimir, untitled side a

"Graham Lewis by any name sounds pretty good. And this Suicidal cover of The Monks' classic is no exception. Layers of vocals, raspy propulsive electronics, pop structure, even. To be perfectly honest, not much post-reconstruction Wire fallout has done very much for me, but this one's cool." - Byron Coley, The Wire

He Said 27#11, "Oh How To Do Now"

An exclusive track from the "Peace (for mom)" compilation on the Brainwashed Handmade series. 

A few years ago, I was making a mix CD for a friend, and casually asked if he wanted liner notes to accompany the music. He replied by saying that he appreciated having the notes, if for no other reason than to know that each song wasn't just selected at random. In a way, that's how I feel about most compilations I hear. In many cases, they're released as label samplers, tribute albums, promotional tie-ins or other such categories, though somewhat frequently, they exist because of a cause. The Red Hot series has long contributed to AIDS charities, while a Filter/Urban Outfitters compilation released at the beginning of 2005 titled Tsunami Relief offered just that, with benefits going toward the UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund. The newly released compilation Peace (for mom) has a no less noble ambition behind it, but one extremely personal to those involved. Released in memory of Marilyn Whitney, the late mother of Brainwashed founder Jon Whitney, Peace (for mom) is dedicated to those who have lost a mother too soon, and is all the more heartbreaking for it. In honor of Whitney, proceeds will be donated to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Mass., where she volunteered. The songs assembled on the two-CD set aren't necessarily written with the theme in mind, and many of them have been previously released, but that said, their inclusion on this set is not without significance. Quite the contrary, there is a contrasting feeling of both somberness and of beauty, of grace and of grief. Disc A begins with "Sunbeam" by A Place to Bury Strangers, and is one of the Brooklyn band's most stunning and delicate songs. The next song, Antony and the Johnsons' "You Are My Sister," is perhaps the most well-known here, but actually seems more directly tied to the central theme and background. Aranos offers a gauzy ambience in "Fall's Golden Whispers," and Boy In Static layer on a bit of fuzz for "Stay Awake." Caribou's "Hummingbird" is a woozy standout with synths warbling and vibrating, Current 93's "All The Pretty Little Horses" is somewhat tied to the themes as well, though a bit creepy. That doesn't mean it's not great, though. On disc B, Matmos offers an ascendant electronic dream sequence in "Staircase," and Monster Movie contributes the amazing "Vanishing Act." In fact, the first 30 seconds of this song alone is enough to make me want to dig through the band's catalog, which is one of the best things a compilation can do. Marissa Nadler's "Stallions" is characteristically spectral and delicate, which is a wonderful thing, of course. I've never been a particularly big fan of The Dresden Dolls, but I can make an exception for Amanda Palmer's cover of Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," which is achingly gorgeous to say the least. In the liner notes to the album, whose artwork has a stark beauty of its own, Jon Whitney notes that it was his mother who bought him his first records, took him to his first rock concerts and classical performances and came to the first festival he organized. The importance of family is rarely mentioned in rock music, but Peace (for mom) brings it to light and celebrates it, if somberly and with quiet reflection. Those with mothers like Whitney's, who express the importance of music and art, might consider this for a Mother's Day gift (or if you choose to keep it, at least remember to give mom a call!). No matter what, this compilation features everything that makes its kind essential--great music, unheard new discoveries and a really big heart. - Jeff Terich, Treble

A couple years after the time I first started getting into music that was outside of the mainstream, one of the first websites that I discovered was Brainwashed.com. At the time (clear back in 1996), it not only hosted websites for a variety of different artists, but also featured weekly updates (called "The Brain") with album and live reviews and other related information. Over the past decade, the site has grown in scope, but retained the same overall feel, with direct hosting of numerous artist websites (including Matmos, Windy & Carl and a ton of others), often-updated reviews, release date information, and other stuff. Along the way, The Brainwashed label launched, with several sub-labels attached (including Killer Pimp, which was home of the recent A Place To Bury Strangers). They co-released a couple Fridge albums with Temporary Residence, put out a DVDR series of live and behind-the-scenes interviews with great artists, put out limited 7"s and have put out several limited releases under the "handmade" heading. Peace (for mom) is the newest release in the handmade series, and it's dedicated to the memory of site-founder Jon Whitney's mother, who passed last year and was the major source of enthusiasm and influence in life. Like the site as a whole, the release is about as varied as one can possibly get, with everything from quiet folk and chamber music to electronic pop and experimental electronic. Thirty-four songs stretch out over 2CDs, and they're housed in a lovely hand-letterpressed sleeve from Interrobang letterpress. Although there's plenty of great already-released music on the compilation to recommend it (including work from Antony And The Johnsons, Marrissa Nadler, Fridge, Caribou, and others), it's the unreleased work that will likely be the biggest treat for most people (and is the real draw of this very-limited pressing). Boduf Songs, Andrew Lilies, Matmos, Jessica Bailiff, Little Annie Bandez, and Nudge all contribute tracks that are exclusive to this release alone, while Keith Fullerton Whitman and the aforementioned A Place To Bury Strangers both offer up songs that have only appeared on harder-to-get vinyl releases to date. In addition to the exclusive new tracks, there are a slew of exclusive alternate takes of already-released songs, and they're welcome additions as well, with "Woven Clouds" by Carter Tutti standing out as a particularly aching addition. As with the Brainwashed website as a whole, I don't find myself completely loving everything on the release, but there's more than enough excellent stuff to keep me coming back. A great little release, Peace (for mom) is a limited pressing with proceeds going for a great cause. - Aaron Coleman, Almost Cool

Little Annie, "Smile"

An exclusive song from the Brainwaves 2008 triple CD.

Boduf Songs, "Left Behind Like A Piece Of Shit"

By request, another piece from Aranos. This also comes from the "Peace (for mom)" compilation.

Aranos, "Fall's Golden Whispers"

Greater Than One, "We Don't Have Weekends"

An exclusive track recorded for Brainwaves 2008 by Peter Christopherson as Threshold HouseBoys Choir. 

Threshold HouseBoys Choir - Cap Rot Taxi

 An online music community with Web sites for numerous acts, weekly reviews, videos, music, podcast, festivals, and a small record label.

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