Hey friends! Not too much to report from these parts this week (you don’t want to hear about our boring long weekend or our preparations for Cold Waves in a few weeks we’re sure), but we would like to take a quick moment to let you know about two crowd-funding campaigns that are happening RIGHT NOW and could use your support. We’re a bit picky about this sort of thing generally, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t let you know about our faves The Gothsicles’ campaign for the release of their new album Squid Icarus and Beauty Queen Autopsy’s Kickstarter for their debut record Lotharia. In both cases the reward tiers and general design of the campaigns are quality enough that we have no qualms about giving them our stamp of approval, especially where the ‘Sicles have already met and exceeded their modest goal and BQA have a history of killing it on this sort of thing. Give ’em a gander and open yr wallet if you’re so inclined, then pop back here to check out this week’s crop of new songs.
Haujobb feat. the Horrorist, “The Dancer”
If the only thing you know about Oliver Chesler is “One Night in NYC” or his amazing hairstyle from Depeche Mode 101, you’ve been missing out on the pretty cool analogue body music style he’s been integrating into his work for a minute now. A collab with Haujobb would certainly seem to fit the aesthetic Daniel and Dejan have been teasing for the next album, all detuned basses and snappy synth percussion that grows and contracts to provide subtle variation. This is the b-side to the ‘Jobb’s track with Jean-Luc De Meyer of Front 242 which can be had on 7″ via their Basic Unit Productions label.
TSTI, “Acquaintance (DSX remix)”
Dejan Samardzic’s DSX project might actually be the rosetta stone for figuring out the sonic approach mentioned above, with his 2012 debut EP Anonymous setting the stage for many of the Basic Unit releases and the new Haujobb. A strong emphasis on analogue sounds might seem limiting but has proven to have a lot of range, like on this remix for example; the TSTI original recast from pounding synth workout into minimal ballad without changing its emotional scope. This one will be on the forthcoming TSTI remix album Evaluated from Desire records.
Deathaus, “Memoria (recut)”
Deathaus was one of the more interesting projects to come out of the great witchhouse implosion of 2012. A side-project of Winnipeg’s Distorted Memory (whose 2013 album The Eternal Return is really god damn good you guys), the Deathaus tracks and remixes we heard were a handy bridge between the spooktown aesthetics of the witchy set and an organic variation on the horror film soundtrack sounds that have been making the rounds. These are just a few demos on Soundcloud right now, but we’d happily gobble up an album of this sort if such a thing were to come to pass.
Rabbit Junk, “Pop The Pretty Thirty”
With a more all out metal-tinged assault than their digital hardcore inspired material, the new EP from Seattle’s Rabbit Junk slows the tempo and thickens up the guitars for a more massive sound. We got a nice taste of these kids first hand at Terminus, their recorded intensity is reflected by how much energy they have on stage, especially when joined by Glitch Mode Recordings impressario Sean Payne of Cyanotic fame. Not a bad choice if you’re looking for something to pump you up while you practice your Robot Joxing.
Is anyone else hearing a bit of “Faith in Chaos” in “The Dancer”?