48th installment of the Joyful Union Select series.

Tracks by Devio, Alpha Sect, //turntboiフォレバー95, Maylay Sparks, Machineprinz, Lucid Express, Prolaps, Juga-Naut & Giallo Point, and more.

Joyful Union Select 048

Artist: Giant Claw
Album: Mirror Guide
Format: Digital / Vinyl
Release: May 7 or 14, 2021

Music by Keith Rankin
Visual art by Ellen Thomas and Keith Rankin
Mastered by Starkey

Artist Statement:

I have been recording Mirror Guide off and on since my previous album Soft Channel came out in 2017, working on pieces in my spare time while co-running Orange Milk Records and trying to make a living as a freelance visual artist. 

I wanted Mirror Guide to feel less frenzied than some of my previous music, and decided to use a hyperreal string sound as a lead instrument the rest of the sounds could orbit around. I improvised long stretches with the digital instrument and picked moments that elicited some emotional response in me as the foundation for each piece. It helped to imagine a small synthetic ensemble playing every additional part, considering the choices an individual might make if they were focused primarily on their instruments’ role within the group. 

In my improvised sessions I also gravitated towards what I called a ‘bouncing ball’ rhythm - later described to me as an exponential rhythmic sequence. After thinking about how genres often center around a core rhythmic pattern I adopted the sequence as another consistent feature for the album. 

In the past I’ve cut up pop acapellas as vocal elements, but on Mirror Guide decided to work with several artists I had come to know from three very different music scenes. I traveled to Pittsburgh for a few days and recorded with vocalist Tamar Kamin (from the band the Van Allen Belt) generating hours of improvised and lightly prepared melodic material that I later edited into several songs. I also incorporated more poetic almost spoken word vocals from Japanese musician and photographer NTsKi and a small segment of screeching moans from fellow Ohioan Diana Gruber. 

More generally I found inspiration from artists like Paul Lansky, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and the range of emotion in the music of Geinoh Yamashirogumi Orchestra, best known for scoring the Akira soundtrack which is a longtime favorite. I was also encouraged to complete Mirror Guide through conversations with the late composer, tape collage pioneer, and friend Noah Creshevsky, who gave me several boosts of confidence after hearing early versions of the music.

Giant Claw - Earther

Cong Josie returns with his second single, ‘Persephone’, from his forthcoming debut LP. The first single, ‘Leather Whip’, blew the club’s saloon doors right off with it’s throbbing, post-punk swagger. Now, Cong returns, all misty-eyed and sentimental in a ballad dedicated to… you guessed it, Persephone. Whether that Persephone is the Greek goddess of spring and the underworld herself, Cong’s daylighting alter-ego, Nicolaas Oogjes’, daughter of the same name, or someone trapped between the living and the mythical is anyone’s guess. What we can be sure of however, is that the song motors in slow motion fuelled by nostalgic passion and a deep love for doo-wop balladry. The thing is though - a sense of danger hides just under the surface throughout playing with the classic form. Revving synthesizer pulses finally give way to an unflinching drive right into Hades itself, or so it may seem. ‘Persephone’ may just be a lullaby for those most loved, the flowers in bloom, the birds, the butterflies and the eternal underworld abyss... all in one.

Cong Josie: Persephone (single)

Ocean Hue Hours (prod. navy blue)

Side A - Track 2 - Sundays Clown

Counterspell

The Abominables (T.D.D Remix)

The Brvtalist is pleased to premiere a new track from Greek artist Alpha Sect. We present today "The Club That Never Sleeps", an EBM infused bomb that comes off Brazilian imprint Forkha upcoming release. 'Drowned In Fire' features 8 tracks, including remixes from swærm, Moken and Magnum Opus.

Out May 14th on digital format + tape. Pick up your copy now: https://forkha.bandcamp.com/album/drowned-in-fire

@forkharecs
@alphasectmusic

PREMIERE: Alpha Sect - The Club That Never Sleeps (FRK005)

"This LP album is a representation of how making music like the old school record producers would look like in 2021. Featuring 2 of the most talented saxophone players (Vladimir Lebedev, Omri Abramov) on 4 different tracks, DX-Digital is combining the art of being a record producer/arranger/mixer and synthesizer extraordinaire on this 9 track album. Coming from a background of funk, jazz and smooth jazz, DX-Digital is able to bring a different flavor to the synthwave-based genre and create a positive vibe that reminds you of driving in the sunset of a nostalgic and romantic 80's scenery."
Reviews:
David Rotenburger:
"This is retrowave heaven with tons of awesome sax prevalent on each of the tracks! This music would be cool on the dancefloors of beach side bars!"

PACIFIC RYDER

B U Y H E R E

MIKKIS GYM

Frozen Mugs

Garment Gargantuans (feat. Rocc Spotz)

upcoming new beattape BLAQ PITCH VOL. 1

Track 5

www.blaqlotus.bandcamp.com

Show-N-Prove

The opening track from a first new 9 track album in over 35 years. Head over to Bandcamp for more tracks and the options to purchase in  lathe cut vinyl, CD or cassette.

Dancing On The Head Of A Pin

The debut tape from DJ MOURN (fka WRYYTHE). A compilation of tracks from 2017-2021 including reworks and remasters. Self-produced, self-mastered, self-released.

TAPES AVAILABLE AT DJMOURN.BANDCAMP.COM

9. LOADED DICE

Nu Grip

labor

Metamorphosis (Teaser )

"Craco is a small town in southern Italy, completely abandoned after a landslide in 1963. Since then, plants and animals slowly started to take over the ruins, creating a suspended atmosphere magnified by distant echoes coming from rural production and imaginary voices."
Order here: https://vertical-music.bandcamp.com/album/hearing-voices

Nicola Di Croce - Hearing Voices (Excerpt)

From the forth-coming release 'Music For The Rapture'
6/2/2021
Cassette and Digital
bonding tapes.bandcamp.com

TORITO X JUMBLED - MUSIC FOR THE RAPTURE [BOND042] FREE DOWNLOAD

Abstrações de você EP.:https://soundcloud.com/l-z-u/abstracoes-de-voce-ep
Artwork by Lzu.

Os olhos dela sorriam. (from "Abstrações de você EP.")

https://postpartum.bandcamp.com/album/straight-from-da-unda

peace to the underground heads!! keep it real yo

Devio - Underground beat

new ep: https://tapepop.bandcamp.com/album/someone-like-you-ep

passion

Vénia
Música original de João Vairinhos
Reinterpretação por Lázaro (Pedro Geraldes)
Fotografia de Pedro Geraldes

- Lázaro -
Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/1a6riAH5E…3nSduUjWldLicdMg
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/sao-lazaro
Instagram: www.instagram.com/p.geraldes/
credits
released January 15, 2021

Joyful Union Select 048

Joyful Union Cassette Blog