Various ‎– Mind The Gap #90

 


Varied compilation of mainly hypnagogic eletronics, but with great tracks by Bridget Hayden and Chris Abrahams. 2011 cdr on Gonzo Circus.

Download

The Necks - Three

Arrived during the lockdown omg! 2020 CD on Fish Of Milk.

Download

The Dogmatics - Chop Off The Tops

Second  excellent album of macabre atonal jazz exploring the limits of music space and clarinet potential by The Necks' Chris Abrahams and Kai Fagaschinski. 2018 self-released LP.

Download

The Dogmatics - The Sacrifice For The Music Became Our Lifestyle LP

Mentioning The Necks the other day in the new Swans album post, I've come to think that the best albums there are the two where the Australian trio participates, owing very much to Chris Abrahams's hazy piano. What better way to listen to some more Abrahams than this duo he maintains with German clarinetist Kai Fagaschinski. Awesome slithering and unsettling improvised avant-jazz with emphasis on music spaces, microtones and a very entertaining black metal aesthetic as you can see in the album cover and the logo. Excellent stuff. 2012 lp on Monotype Records.

Download

Swans - leaving meaning.

2019 has been a year of disappointments with regard to albums I've been expecting: Earth's successor to Primitive & Deadly was completely unimaginative, Martyrdod's Hexhammaren was a shit turn to metal, a predictable development since they signed to Century Media, and of course Mayhem's Daemon proves once more why we should all spill blood to Satan so that Blasphemer returns. So, all these months I've been thinking that I will be disappointed by the return of Swans, or to be more precise of Gira and friends. The guest list is extremely impressive and promises an amazing listening experience: The Necks, von Hausswolff sisters, all members of the 2010-2016 run, as well as Ben Frost (who I don't really like but anyway). Plus I really liked the demos of What Is This. However, the album is quite calm if we compare it to the sonic onslaught of the previous years, and reminds more of Angels Of Light with a more psychedelic feeling. OK, objectively the songs are amazing, but I don't feel the vibes of the previous ones, of if I should be more precise it reminds me kinda strongly of To Be Kind, the most boring of the four albums, and the one with the weakest production, an element the new album shares, especially in the more rocking and drum-filled tracks. But then, with the things that are happening in my life the time to devote completely to demanding albums is very limited so perhaps this is the problem. 2019 2 X cd on Mute/Young God Records.

Download

Jon Rose And Chris Abrahams ‎– Peggy

Dizzying avantgarde improv by Jon Rose on violin and The Necks' pianist Chris Abrahams. Rose is probably using prepared violin at points, judging from his history of inventing and adapting musical instruments. Excellent! 2018 cd on ReR Megacorp.

Download