STARS & STIPS-NEVERGREENS, LP, 1976, NETTHERLANDS

Recorded after the disbandment of Supersister (merely one of the greatest bands of the 20th Century) and his brief time in Golden Earring, keyboardist Robert Jan Stips' one-off Star & Stips project may not have had the breathtaking Canterbury-like depth of Supersister (little does), but it's nevertheless frequently quite a fun ride, if a somewhat more sweet tempered and unven one. Things start off with a bang with the giddily percolating "It Takes A Lot Of Time To Let All People Know" (equal parts Pyrolator, Hajime Tachibana and War). Elsewhere, Stips' proceeds to flirt with funk on "Carry On" and it gives off the same enjoyably ludicrous frisson that Gentle Giant's brief fling with reggae did on "Interview", though for many I expect the real meat here will be the 10+ minute title track, a final grandiose and glorious prog hurrah before his decampment for the land of new wave thats expressly in the style of Supersister's "Pudding & Gisteren". The zany genre promiscuity and overarching air of unfettered whimsy (not to mention the occasional dubious foray into flat out cheezy eheese territory) make Wigwam vocalist Jim Pembroke's curio recorded under the moniker Hot Thumbs O'Reilly that nearest antecedent for whats going on here. Whatever it's context or pedigree though, this is a real charmer and one with a slow burn that takes a few spins to fully reveal itself.

Get it Here

JANKO NILOVIC-SUPRA POP IMPRESSIONS, LP, 1970, YUGOSLAVIA

Top tier library recording of wild, swinging harsichord-laden pop/psych/prog instrumentals that shares a distinct akin to Alain Markusfeld's debut "Le Monde En Etages" and one time Magma guitarist Claude Engel's material on the "More Creative Pop" library LP I posted a while back; fittingly so, as Nilovic, despite his Yugoslavian origin was right in the thick of the Parisian underground scene of the era, having resided in France since 1960, though this stuff glances off of plenty of other exemplars of this form of super suave and groovy Euro prog, from Wolfgang Dauner's work circa Rischkas' Soul and The Oimels to Alessandro Alessandroni and Nora Orlandi's score for "Strange Situations" .

Get it Here


***NOTE: THERE'S A MIRRORED MEDIAFIRE LINK IN THE COMMENT FIELD*** 

DEMI SEMI QUAVER-II, CD, 1995, JAPAN

Looking like a possessed Carmen Miranda and spewing a geyser of glosolalian inanity a mile a minute, Emi Elionola is a quintessentially polarizing presence and her inspired prattling is at the center of Demi Semi Quaver's seismic prog eruptions. As was the case with their eponymous debut (which I posted several months back), the hard-edged J-prog of the Bondage Fruit cum Happy Family school is still the closest touchstone for the intensive species of post-prog madness Demi Semi Quaver unleash here, though the vocal dimension and a distinct funk component go some ways to separating their machinations from those of their immediate peers. Cut from much the same cloth as their debut, this is a crucial piece of the 90's Japanese avant prog explosion and a perfect counterpoint to the lovely Japanese underground insanity that Mason Jones has been gracing MS with lately.

Get part one Here


Get part two Here

V/A-THE CASSETTE MYTHOS AUDIO ALCHEMY CD/K7, CD, 1991, VARIOUS

This compendium provides an intriguing window into one particular subset (a rather American intensive one) of the underground cassette network of the 80's/90's, with a particularly wide ranging remit that takes in everything from John Wiggens' electroacoustic experiments to Daniel Johnston's damaged folk to Yximalloo's cartoonish Resedential-isms to Sue Ann Harkey's very Woo-like work with the Kitchen Table Ennsemble, to Costes' foaming at the mouth dada antagonisms.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Heather Perkins-What You Think Will HAppen, Will
2. Ric E. Braden-Columbus Ave. 10PM
3. Jim Steele-Splatter Experience Of The Green Gods
4. Daniel Johnston-Grievances
5. John Wiggens-Timbre=Melody
6. Yximalloo-China-Pong
7. Qubais Ghazala-The Delphian Oracle
8. Frederick Lonberg-Holm-The Second Minuet
9. Costes-Oh Fortuna
10. Kitchen Table Ensemble-Exploded Views
11. Solomonoff & Von Hoffmanstahl-Banzai Noir
12. Vosch-Tunnel At Dawn
13. Philip Perkins-Remoting (excerpt from Berkeley Remote)
14. Minoy-Sspress
15. Triptic Of A Pastel Fern-Shiny Things
16. Gregory Whitehead-It Makes Me Blush...
17. Mystery Laboratory-Excerpt From V.T.
18. Bat Lenny-Delphi
19. Collapse/Relapse-Webs
20. Hope Organ-Sneaky
21. tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE-Drying Clothes Made Entirely Of Zippers (Partial Cycle)

NOTE: I've replaced the original links for this post with alternate ones, as I left in a forward slash on the jpeg titles in the original post that seems to have been fouling up some windows users.

Get pt 1 Here

Get pt 2 Here

re-ups of the Tone Float, John King and Terry

My original Massmirror links mysteriously (and ominously) disappeared for the first part of Tone Float, the John King-Electric World CD and the Terry Rojvi LP. This is the first instance of my Massmirror links being pulled and it's making me very uneasy. If anyone out there notices that any of my other massmirror links are down, please alert me. Thanks...

Architects Office-1987,1989+9th Year Gala Performance,1991,tapes,USA

Great abstract electronic compositions by this unique but much underrated US industrial/experimental band. Both tapes were recorded live and were released through ADN and Realisation labes respectively.In the great Thessalonians, PGR, vein.You can get their exceptional LP at "No Longer Forgotten Music" blog.

get 1987 here

get 9th year Gala here

Warning-st,LP,1982,Germany

Absolutely brilliant electro meets pseudo disco meets synth pop stuff from early 80s.Warning were one hit wonders with "Why can the bodies fly" which appeared in the soundtrack of a famous 80s TV series. Apart from that the whole LP is much enjoyable electro reminding "Alles ist Gut" era DAF mixed possibly with some more rockish elements.It has some grotesque parts such as screams and most of all this "i'm the beast and i'll eat you all" voice,which makes it in some parts sound very funny!Not to mention this ultra kitsch "STAR WARS" like sleeve!Albeit ,i really love this LP.

get it here

Zanov-Green Ray,1976+Moebius 256 301,1977+In Course of Time ,1983,LPs,France

As requested ,here's the complete Zanov discography.His full name is Pierre Zalkazanov. He's a French synthesizer musician who recorded three albums (Green Ray in 1976, Moebius in 1977 and In Course of Time in 1983). The Klaus Schulze or Tangerine Dream of France possibly.Long space/cosmic compositions using A.R.P 2600, Sequencer A.R.P, E.M.S.: VCS 3 and R.M.I.: Harmonic synthesizer.

get Green Ray here

get Moebius here

get In Course of Time here

***NOTE: THERE ARE MIRRORED MEDIAFIRE LINKS IN THE COMMENT FIELD FOR ALL THREE ALBUMS***

Leibstandarte SS MB [Maurizio Bianchi]-Weltanschauung,LP,1982,UK

Leibstandarte SS was a "side" project of Maurizio Bianchi.In 1981, William Bennett, head of the band Whitehouse and the British Come Org. label, offered Bianchi a record contract, which Bianchi signed unchecked. It was based on a "joke contract" that Steven Stapleton of Nurse With Wound had sketched. The contract assumed all rights to Bianchi's work. After delivery of the tapes Bennett edited-in speeches by Nazi leaders, and instead of the relatively unsensational name MB, it was published under the alias Leibstandarte SS MB, named after the SS unit that worked as bodyguards to Adolf Hitler! The music is harsh electronics sometimes touching the levels of noise. Together with the speeches mentioned create tthe ideal torture/horror soundtrack.Released through Come org in 500 copies and as bootleg in Japan in the 90s in 100 copies edition.

get it here

Sten Sandell-Damp,1985_Now or Never,1988,LPs,Sweden

Wonderful releases by this pionner of improvised music in Sweden. Thanks to David and Bacco for providing these.

Born 1958; Composer, Piano, organ, percussion, voice and electro-acoustic music.
From 1976 to 1986 Sten Sandell undertook wide-ranging studies: on piano with Mats Persson and Carl-Axel Dominique; in improvisation/compositio with Sven-David Sandstrom; and with Par Lindgren into electro-acoustic music. Attended the Academy of Music in Stockholm during the period 1981 to 1986. Influences are broad and include free improvisation, contemporary music (John Cage, Morton Feldman, I. Xenakis etc.), and ethnic music (classical music from India, Japan, Iran etc. folk music from Sweden, Norway, North Africa). From 1976 to the present day, has been involved in group work, solo projects and in dance, drama, and film. The two long-standing groups are Sa Vidare, 1979-89 with guitarist Peter Soderberg and saxophonist Johan Petri, who played 'structurally organised improvisations', and Gush (from 1988 and ongoing) with saxophonist Mats Gustafsson and percussionist Raymond Strid, well known for their free improvised music. Instrumentation for solo projects has included piano, synthesizer, sampler, percussion, and voice and is represented on a number of records, for example, Frames, on the Bauta label.
Sten Sandell has undertaken tours in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria (Glaxon festival, Holland 1986; 'Free Music'-90, Antwerpen 1990; Solo-92 in Stockholm, FMP-festival in Berlin 1994. He has collaborated with Carl-Axel Dominique, Anders Jormin, Sainkho Namchylak, Jon Rose, Mats Persson, Kristine Scholz, David Moss, Phil Wachsmann, Sven-Ake Johansson, Mats Gustafsson, Raymond Strid and many others.
A new quartet (incorporating lute, theorbo, cello, marimba, percussion, voice, piano, harmonium) was formed in 1995 to work with composed and arranged material (Cage, Feldman, Nancarrow, Sandberg and the members of the group) and also in free improvisation.
from European Free Improvisation page

get Damp here

get Now or Never here

O.A.D.-Daytona,CD,1995,Japan

4rth offering from Mason Jones:
Their music can be called Noise Hip-hop, 90'progressive, or CLUB music for next generation.Dance music of caotic noise with loud volume and high sound pressure. Heavy rythm section by Hirishi Funato(ex SIGHTS) and Tkashi Ogushi (ex S..P.H. and Omoide Hatoba),plus electrically processed saxophone and guitar go wild and make ultra enagetic music.Including many guests like Ryuichi Msuda(ex RUINS ),Yoshihide Ootmo,Hisato Hosoi(Children Coup D'etat),and Atsusi Tsuyama(Omoide Hatoba).
Wonderful recording,very esoteric yet enjoyable.A mix of impovised jazz,turntablalism,"dance" music,noise rock and psyched prog!

get it here

Soap-Joh Henshi-Byoin de Go,7" e.p, 1995,Japan/Canada

3rd offering from Mason Jones:

Japanese trio whose names translates to Brothel Girl Murder .They sing a sad song about cows .All female fucked up jazz punk/pop . Released in Canada through Scratch label.Reminds me of Raincoats, Kukl, Liliput but with the unique Japanese attitude.

get it here

Biziriba-st,CD,1995,Japan

2nd Mason Jones Offering:
A group in Kyoto by Female percussion player, guitar and bass with a lot of electronichs, and female mysterious vocals .Hiroshi Funato (ex SIGHTS) plays bass here. Although playing mostly in Kyoto,their career and mysterious world are talked about in many kinds of fields. Tunes full of irregular beats like those sound on "Recommended Label", entwine with the percussions who reminds one of Chris Cutler, and the world brimming with tension and emotion is built by meaningful lyrics and vocals with rich expression.
Great avant gardish pop music with much use of electronics and percussion and a great strange female voice.

get it here

Korean Buddhist God-Magnum You!,CD,1995,Japan

The next 4 posts are a kind and generous offer of Mr. Mason Jones....and they are all great!
Post 1:
Welcome to the totally MAAAD world of Korean Buddhist God! Much in the manner of the fab Boredoms, these folks specialize in genuine insanity, appropriating bits of pop culture and mashing it into the strangest discordant collage. Funny, weird and very intense!Imagine Boredons and Unsane jamming together !A real gem!

get it here

V/A:Saarland Sampler ,tape 1982,Germany

Great German compilation from the early 80s featuring :P4/KATLEWSKI/SINALCO FLUOR S/TOD DURCH MÜSLI/DUOTRONIC SYNTERROR/SAFARI GRÜNSPAN/VOLVOX/ZIRKEL JUNGER MUSIKER/SYNTHENPHALL/GREGOR GRÜN/ANDI ARROGANTI/GLEICHWARME/PLASTIC DOMINGO , playing "hits" of local Saarland Kassete scene!Plink plonk styled electronics with punkish attitude,synth punk,Resident-ish "pop" tunes...

get it here

V/A:2/3,CD/2ble LP,1996,Germany

Great industrial compilation released in the memory of a festival that took place in July 2005 ,where all the bands included performed there.Released in limited to 1100 copies CD format and as 3 sided 2ble LP in 550 copies.Dark industrial in all it's forms here....from the experimental noise of Winterkalt to the almost syth pop-ish lyricism of Dive and all inbetween.

TRACKLIST

1 Deutsch Nepal We Are The Angels (Gabriel) (5:05)
2 Deutsch Nepal Razor In Motion (7:00)

3 Winterkälte Global Warming 1995 (3:40)
4 Winterkälte CH4 (Live) (4:03)
5 Winterkälte NOx (Agenda 21 Version) (4:42)

6 Mental Destruction Your Dying Soul (4:40)

7 Mental Destruction Farväl (5:29)

8 Dive Too Late (4:34)

9 Dive Treasure (5:44)

10 Esplendor Geométrico El Papel De Las Instituciones En Los Sentimientos (8:02)
11 Esplendor Geométrico Generación En Crisis (6:19)

12 Esplendor Geométrico Memoria Y Percepión (4:39)

get it here

Social Climbers-st,3x7" or LP,1980,USA

Wonderful post punk combo from Indiana. Old drum machine,pre Sonic Youth-ish no wave attitude, Devo-ish robotic synth tunes.The only weak point is the voice,but the overall result is very goog indeed. Released through Goulcher label as 3X7" and later through Hoboken label as 12" LP.

Note: linked removed as this is soon due for reissue on Drag City

Phallus Dei - Pontifex Maximus ,CD,1991,Germany

The history of PHALLUS DEI starts in 1988. OLIVER ST. LINGAM releases the tapes "Pigfuck" and "Per Crucem Ad Lucem" on the "Unclean"-label under the guise of PHALLUS DEI, named after an album by Krautrock legends AMON DÜÜL. Shortly after, PHALLUS DEI signed with the label Dark Vinyl, who released the first CD "Pontifex Maximus". It is amongst the most successful debuts of an Industrial band in 1991. After a successful tour with Italian Industrial legends SIGILLUM S, the personnel changed. MK. E. ,who was with them on tour, joined the band. Also, Dutch drummer / multi-instrumentalist RICHARD VAN KRUYSDIJK (who now also works with Niels van Hoorn (the Legendary Pink Dots) as STRANGE ATTRACTOR, and with Marie-Claudine Vanvlemen as SONAR LODGE) joined the band. The trio recorded several songs, later to be released on the album "Cyberflesh". JORIS HUIJBREGTS, who also features on this CD, played previously with Richard in the band Lament, and joined PHALLUS DEI a year later. Together they recorded the critically acclaimed albums "Pornocrates", "Luxuria" (feat. Gitane Demone), "Orpheus & Eurydice", as well as "Universum"; a CD by their ambient side-project PHD2. After Joris left in 1995, they continued as a trio, shifting their sound more and more towards electronica and experimental, cinematic music. A "best of"-CD ("Adorations") was released by Triple X in the USA, and after a period when the band members concentrated on different projects, they came back strong in 2001 with a new album: "Nature Mortes". As PHD2 they released their second album, entitled "Resource".

From Phallus Dei website

One of the best dark industrial recordings from the 90s. Dark atmosphere,chanting,,melancholy.Aided as you can see above by David Tibet,Douglas P,Paul Lemos,John Balance,Vasilisk.Not like their later recordings (very nice too but much acoustic guitar driven neo folkish tunes a-la Death In June/Current 93 style).

get it here