For too many days here at Life Elsewhere Tower we have been experiencing endless ominous skies, discharging attention-seeking thunder and lightening with humidity so wretched even the mosquitoes have taken a time out. A perfect backdrop for another week yet more absurd headlines.
Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress!
The Senate votes to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general!
Conservatives meet to make birthright citizenship their long-term project!
Pirro, Trump’s longtime champion, is on the outs over Reflecting Pool move!
Iran signals major shift on key oil route as vance says US will put Tehran to the test!
Following appeals court loss, Trump tries to rebrand his ballroom as a “military center”!
A viral $20 burrito is dividing conservatives online!
The gloomy, grumpy, grim weather also set the mood for Vol 404 of LEM. We begin the selection with a hefty nod to Dark Electronic, Cold Wave, Goth, Industrial then Trap, Arab Rap, Experimental are introduced followed by Breakbeat, Minimal, 2 Step, Future Dubstep, Dub and Ambient. Abstract has not yet been coined as a genre as far a we can tell, but we’d certainly like to use that moniker for this selection. And you’ll note this is a non-stop mix without commentary, yes we could blame that exclusion on the weather but in reality it has been an extremely busy week out of the studio. Brief info on each cut are listed below. Of course we would love to get your feedback, do share your opinion. Kindly note our YouTube Channel is now available, please go there and subscribe or give us a thumbs up!
Odor Eater – Subterranean
The LP is But For Who? From Portland, Oregon artist Harley Moore on lyrics, vocals and clarinet with synthesizers, drum programming and backing vocals by Logan Devlin.
Incirrina – Always Here
Trace is the 3d studio album by Incirrina out of Athens, Greece. Music composed and performed by Incirrina. George Katsanos (analogue synthesizers, octapad, drum programming, electric bass guitar, kantele, alto melodica, samples, waterphone, vocals). Irini Tiniakou (synthesizers,vocals).
Strange Futures – Scrap Metal
The Bristol-based outfit’s LP is Art Or Love. They describe their music as electro-punk dance party and ethereal goth séance and suggest you bring your own bleakness.
Trianglecuts – When Death Leaves
From Manchester, Gwendolen Osmond – Vocals/ Vocal Processing/ Lyrics, Doug Gordon – Synthesisers/ Sampling/ Programming/ Recording/ Mixing/ Production. When Death Leaves is album title.
Escape & Backwhen – Trash
Backwhen is a music producer and DJ based in Denver. Airwalk is the EP. Cool sleeve photo.
DJ GAWAD & Pierre Pepe – Pop Shit
Out of Amman, Jordan a new wave of Arab Rap, self-described as “M𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙚𝙨, 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙨, 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩” Produced by DJ GAWAD, vocals & lyrics by Pierre Pepe & DJ GAWAD. The EP is Dove, do not overlook.
Perverts In White Shirts – Change
Perverts In White Shirts are Nathalie Dreier and Dave Phillips out of Zurich. The LP, Culturally Appropriated Songs And Revisited Memories is worth investigating. Don’t confuse Change with the Killing Joke classic.
Leo – Cicada Burnt
Lot’s to learn about here, Leo says, “Cicada Burnt serves as a timely reminder of the lively and eccentric working class dancehalls and nightclubs where it all began”.
WZ – Cold Blooded
From Wzshakhta, Czechia. On the droll titled Duck Fidgital imprint. Two cuts to indulge in. Cool.
Rational Soul – Flea Market Dub
On LDH Records out of Liverpool. Four splendid cuts melding Grime and Dubstep to full effect. Another cool sleeve.
Al Wootton & Irene Bianco – Hara
The LP Rope is on the fine Trule imprint. Rope is a collaborative improvisation between musician and producer Al Wootton and musician and percussionist Irene Bianco. Wootton’s hardware processing of various sampling methods, plus guitar, bass guitar and clarinet, provides a counterpoint for Bianco’s experimental treatments of drum kit, bells, vibraphone and other percussion instruments. The result is foggy, dubbed out, glacial, free form compositions that defy categorization. Perfect example of Minimal.
RosieCpt – Woman ! I Can’t Live
Freedjom + RosieCpt – Woman ! I Can’t Live (Freedjom Remix – B’s Version)
Double-sided EP from Berlin producer. RosieCpt draws inspiration from a broad web of sonic threads. her sound orbits around dub, over a strong low end focus, washed out delays meet digital creatures. Is Abstraction now a genre?
Delian Sound – Radics
Arranged and composed by Leon Haxby. From an eclectic group of individuals who are in the shadows contributing to our scene spinnin’ the deepest & darkest according to On Shadow System out of London. Delian Sound are based out of Cambridge.
Martyna Basta – Guidlines (Feat. Felisha Ledesma)
Martyna Basta is a Polish composer, producer, and singer-songwriter whose work resides at the intersection of art-pop, chamber folk, and electroacoustic composition. Moving away from the rigidity of her classical guitar background, she shifted toward electronics, using reworked field recordings and instrumental samples to craft a sonic diary. I love the LP Winged In Collapse.
The image above, a screenshot by Mr. B from a series of short videos of ominous skies. Courtesy of Norman B’s collection.