Kikmaster - Same Shit Everyday

Artist: Kikmaster
Release: Same Shit Everyday
Label: iLLpHABETik
Year: 2006
Format: MP3
Tracks: 5
TRT: 14:26

I happened upon this label while searching for other MP3 only labels and I came across this one that releases purely breakcore/acid/ drum n' bass type music. Being a fan of Aphex Twin and Venetian Snares I though I'd randomly download one and this was it. I was not disappointed.

Kikmaster comes at you with a short EP release with 5 tracks. The first one, Kill The Master, is pure breakcore with the occasionally glitch break here and there. In your face and a real danceable track if your into this. The second track, The Door To Satan's World, starts off with a heavily distorted drum beat, then smoothes off in a trance for a short 10 seconds, breaks back into the glitch rhythmic bliss and pans off leaving you face a fucking mess. Yeah, total chaos, a noise lover’s dream and the best track on this EP for me. Number 3, Djamalungma Master is a short 1:31, but it gets it’s point across. Great drum beat with a vocal scratch. Blast this one baby. Track 4, I like to tune a radio, is an odd one. Lots of that 8-bit NES feel to it and it could have been on an old video game for sure…like the lost track to World 8-1 on Mario Bros. or something. Not my style, but it’s well written. The final track, Horror Outro, is the most experimental piece on here. Very dark and slow compared with the other tracks on here. It ends the EP off with a good touch and I want more damn it.

A very good listen for what you pay for…which is nothing…it’s fucking free and it’s all good. I will say that I have downloaded another album as well and it to has made me want to burn it and play in on my stereo again and again. This label will keep me coming back thanks to releases like this and all I have to do is; rightclick-save-ok!!!

Textured Bird Transmission - Purple Weighted Pellets Of Despair

Artist: Textured Bird Transmission
Release: Purple Weighted Pellets Of Despair
Label: Dead Sea Liner
Year: 2006
Format: CDr
Tracks: 1
TRT: 28:48

Holy ambient!!! This is the first release from the label Dead Sea Liner and Jesus Fucking Christ is it good. It’s a short 28 minutes but holy hell this is some of the best ambient noise you will hear. You ever listen to the Bladerunner soundtrack or something from Tangerine Dream, well; this should be included in that list and put in a movie somehow. It’s that good.

I have never heard of the band to be honest but I will perform a seek and hunt now because of this release. It takes about 4 minutes for the sounds to start to pick up and then the greatness begins. Within the tonal musical bliss there is this low synth held down in the background that I just love to death. It sounds much like those creepy 80’s horror movies that used those synths a lot. Listening to this put me in a fucking trance and it was in large part to the held down tone. About half way through it varies a bit and picks up in intensity, still perfect. Holy shit, my head is going to explode. Like massive waves crashing on my head, but viewed in 100 times slow motion. The splashes and water drops twinkle from the crash and spread through the air to create the fog that blankets my mind. Yeah, I’ll say anything, I’m fucking in a trance and this is my new favorite release of 2006.

I am such a lucky guy to have gotten this for free, seriously. You now must by it. I can’t recommend it enough over anything else. It cost 2 pounds which is about $4 American so it’s yours for that cheap. The artwork is simply a red paper slipped in a plastic sleeve. It’s printed nice and I think it suits this release perfectly. If you can’t dream at nights, this release well help. Get it!

Tuft - Lycanthropy

Artist: Tuft
Release: Lycanthropy
Label: Medusa Head Records
Year: 2005
Format: CDr (black)
Tracks: 1
TRT: 55:40

"In folklore, Lycanthropy is the ability or power of a human being to undergo a "Shapeshifting" transformation into a wolf."

The 2nd release from the fairly new label "Medusa Head Records" and I'll start off by saying that the owner "Kristofer Lee", puts a lot of work into each release. Tuft's Lycanthropy comes packaged in a blue book case, yes. Sitting on your bookshelf you'd think it was actually a book. Hard cover and all. The inside of the book is just as stunning. Great fonts and it look like it came from the late 1890's. I was thinking of placing it in water and heating it to give it that old cracked look, but I might actually rune it.

The noise featured on this disc is one long track created with a guitar and some other short sounds, but the distorted guitar is what you hear mostly. This type of noise would fit right up there with some of that deep bass drone and it sounds like it was all done in one take, live. There is a lot of rumble and tumble through out the track but it can get a bit tiresome after the 30 minute mark simple because it's the same type of noise going on. Much like wall noise, but not as harsh. I think though that this is still a great release and it is in large put to the effort and packaging that went along with it. I probably would have liked the noise more had it been varied, but I don't have to
concentrate as much when listening to this, so that's not so bad. For the packaging alone you get your moneys worth.

Ctephin - Alchemy

Artist: Ctephin
Release: Alchemy
Label: Roil Noise Offensive
Year: 2006
Format: 2x 3" cdr
Tracks: 5 (3: disc 1, 2: disc 2)
TRT: 40:03

One of the best releases to come out of Roil Noise Offensive has just arrived. Ctephin and Noah worked together to bring out a 2x 3" cdr release packaged in a tin case with two stickers and instructions on how you should play the ambient music while burning the incense. Each tin comes with light charcoal for burning the incense on. I’m not sure if all the incense is the same but my release carries frankincense with it to burn. There is even a disclaimer stating that Noah and Stephin are not responsible for fires. I’m glad they put that in there too because sure enough some moron would do that and try and sue Noah. Let’s get to the actually sounds now.

I have nearly every piece of ambient music Ctephin has done and I will say that this is his darkest and creepiest material ever. I burned my incense with my wife while listening to this and using our Tarot cards, just to get the mood right, as instructed. The sounds carried through our house and echoed into our minds while the smell from the incense put the mood even more relaxing. I almost got high too. Pretty good purchase I’d say, cheaper than weed. The ambient tones are so dark that it actually put me into a dream-trance when I closed my eyes. Disc 2, Track 1 is more loop and musical based and I love this track so much. It's like old soft industrial music for your pineal gland. Memories came and went as the tracks progressed, I shit you not. It works! The 2nd track from Disc 2 is probably the loudest one on here, but that's mainly due to the extra static noise, it's still ambient.I don’t know how Stephin did it but he probably was high himself and each track is different enough that it can create different atmospheres for everyone, just as long as you burn the incense with it.

The release is limited to 50 copies, which is pretty awesome considering all the incense there is in each tin. This is by far the most professional looking tin-box release I have seen to date and it’s no surprise what label it comes from. Perfect.

Baron Bum Blood / Rank Sinatra - 7" split

Artists: Baron Bum Blood / Rank Sinatra
Release: Split
Label: Mourning Glory
Year: 2006
Format: 7" vinyl
Tracks: 4 (A: 1 track, B: 3 tracks)


This 7" split is probably one of the best looking ones out there and it looks like both artist involved took their time and money to give their fans something great. The artwork is fantastic and fully colored, even the labels on each side, and it comes packaged in a nice paper sleeve.

Baron Bum Blood starts off side A with one track, and it is his signature sound that got me hooked in with his noise that opens this 7". Radio tuner bliss with high delta noise rips those groves open and the distortion is leveled just enough to give it a good kick. This is BBB’s year. His been doing more live shows now than ever and with this 7" record it’s sure to start him doing even more shows in the UK. Rank Sinatra creates three short pieces here on side B and they are all "love" themes…well sort of. Distorted vocals of him yelling lyrics shred through with heavy drums and nothing can be made much sense of it all. A good thing but it sounds pretty amateur from RS as he has been doing noise for a while now. The last track of his is great though. Almost a Kraftwerkian-distortion-from-hell type sound and I wish his whole side was like this.

All in all this 7" split is really quite something and you get you monies worth for sure. The art alone made me want to jump to my stereo and plug it in. A great UK release from a new label, Mourning Glory, that is sure to get your 7" vinyl-fetish juices flowing, it did for me.