Xedh - El Extasis Y La Agonia De La Hormiga Electrica

Artist: Xedh
Release: El Extasis Y La Agonia De La Hormiga Electrica

Label: Far From Showbiz
Year: June, 2006
Format: MP3
Tracks: 3
TRT: 14:46

My first listen from Xedh was this creepy looking MP3 release on Far From Showbiz. There are only 3 short tracks from 4:35 - 5:23. The first track, Tokyo Lucky Hole, starts off with slow vocals mixed with odd sounds and a quiet low pitched tone. There are some movie samples played low as well. A very dark ambient track that has me wanting to play this on halloween with the candles lit up. Track 2, El Extasis Y La Agonia De La Hormiga Electrica (Parte Uno), begins with the low key tone again. A high pitched sound fades in softly with some hidden noises mixed in. There's a lot in this track that's easier to here either really loud or with headphones on. I recommend really loud stereo! It is really quiet at some points but the tonal fade is great. It builds up and down very well. Track 3, El Extasis Y La Agonia De La Hormiga Electrica (Parte Dos), begins with what sounds like soft scrappings. It doesn't follow the other tracks as well. Kind of more glitch noise with less ambient sounds. It picks up nice in the end. Heavy, fast and loud.

The artwork is awesome. The left side features a half skull with some nice dried blood red stains on it. The right side is very black with great font text. Would make a great LP sleeve or poster.
Defiantly a great starting point if your new to Xedh.

DCLXVI - Enoch

Artist: DCLXVI
Release: Enoch
Label: Far From Showbiz
Year: Jan, 2006
Format: MP3
Tracks: 6
TRT: 23:38

I haven't heard much from DCLXVI but this release was downloaded over 300 times on the website so I thought I'd review it. There are 6 tracks, each sub-titled as a Canto and each track gets progressively louder from one to the next, so it says. Same as the length of the track times as well. Starts out short until the last track, which is at 6 minutes.

The first one is what it is; Canto I: The Whispering Ocean. It has soft whispers layered with subtle light pushes and brushes of noise. Very quite and very low. Canto II: The Hydra, has some soft high pitches with an echo to start. Soon comes in a low slowed down voice stating something I can't make out. There's what sounds like a reversed feedback sound as well. Creepy. Canto III: The Golden Serpent, has some various key played sounds that fade in and out in frequency. The pitched shifted scrapping type sound also varies in speed as well. Still a very quiet track and we're half way through. Canto IV: The Red Emperor, starts off musical sounding with slow ambient keystrokes. About half way through the strokes stop and some low and high screeches come in. Violins or something. I don't know, but it's improv style for sure. This track reminds my of some material Ctephin has done so if you like that style than this track should please. Canto V: The Blind Priestess, starts off, again, quietly. There's a hidden rumble that builds speed and intensity. Not at all loud, but another ambient track. Half way through some guitar type pluckings come in at random. There's a rhythm somewhere in there. Canto VI: The Screaming Rabbit, finally showcases the loud noise coming in. A lo-fi feel for sure and lots of feedback highs. Also sounds like a phaser is used in one sample. In and out, in and out. The track ends with a vocal whisper like something out of "The Ring".

The cover artwork is great. A crusted looking picture of a mask with red paint down the bridge of the face within a dark background. Gloomy. Overall a fair release. I like the noise a lot but I don't think each track builds up in noise level as I though it was...not until track 5 hits anyway.

Q & A with Net-Label "Far From Showbiz"

Here's a quick Q&A interview I got to do with Wojciech Konieczny, owner of Far From Showbiz. This net label has over 100 release from artists like Jake Vida, Retro, Disthroned Agony, Oubliette, Ironlung, DJ Redskeye, and DCLXVI. Anything from noise, ambient, field recordings, to techno.

1) You're from Poland, correct?

Yes, it’s a small shithole in Eastern Europe.

2) How did you first get into noise?

First impression was best, I was maybe 15 then so it was around 13 years ago. I listened usually black/death metal then, in I borrowed a cdr with mp3 from my mate. I played a random track from it and it was MASONNA, then I thought - that guy must be really fucked up and people who listen to it are probably worse hehhehe. But not so long ago I was just seeking something different, I couldn't listen things I listened always. I met a guy on dc++ and he allowed me to download NOD [they are probably from Britain, but I’m not sure], 'the story of 3 little pigs, and big bad wolf, that was it... after this day I listen to the noise mostly, I’m addicted heheeh.


3) What made you decide to run a net-label for noise/ambient/electronic and why did you pick Far From Showbiz as the name?

I'm big fan of Norwegian band Beyond Dawn. Its the only rock/pop band I bought original cdrs and I try to complete their discography. They play for a very very long time, and they are great musicians. Yet still they are complete unknowns. So when I was hit by idea of creating netlabel, I already had a name for it. A title of song from their newest album. Check out their site http://www.beyonddawn.com/news.htm there is a few mp3s for download.


You have a lot of different styles on your net-label, Far From Showbiz, which is your favorite?

Yes, FFS doesn't have any strict music line. Everything depends on my mood, and of course which is more important I have to be interested in album I release. Its hard to describe, but I can listen noise almost always, for ambient/electronica I must be in certain mood to be attracted by it... Lately I must say I listen only noise releases from FFS, but I see all of albums as interesting things. I have even a rock band, but its a local group, lyrics are funny but you have to know polish to understand hehehe. Favorite is always noise, lately I wanna to make FFS more devoted to this genre. I do not accept as much non-noise now.


5) You also do DIY CDr's with your label, any other formats coming in the future?

I would like to. But I live in my own way which probably isn't acceptable by most people, and also gives me almost no money. I have my social money, and I work for 4h per day for some shitty money. I'm not interested in regular responsible job, I’m not type of a working man, I can't work with people blablabla. I would like to release tapes too but I cannot afford it. When you spend more than 3/4 monthly cash for alcohol, and for rest of it you trade cdrs with other people its hard to release tapes. cdrs have a lot or almost only positive sides, they are cheap, fast to record, also listening them is more user friendly, try to jump to another track in tape player ehheeehe and you are my god :)

6) Your label has well over 100 releases so far, is there a limit for FFS?

I wanna to continue this until it gives me satisfaction. I hope it will never end. Maybe someday I’ll change my mind but I’m not gonna do this so fast.


7) You work with Pat from Non Quality Audio as well, which I'm a fan of, what's that like?

Its Patrick who runs it. I only made a basic website which is pretty good I think ;) I don't like a sites where I have to make random hits to get what I want. sites should look as easy as they can to be user friendly, without flash and other shit like this. Anyway, it was totally his idea, I only maintained it in early days. I try to be on the news in NQA, there is a lot of good stuff there, some are complete crazy. Its not a smaller brother of ffs, or sub-label of ffs anymore, but fast growing netlabel that is going on its own, its great to see it. Also amounts of releases did by Patrick scares me, but in positive way hehehe. He can move freely in very different kinds of music, this is fantastic in my opinion, cause I don't have such ability.


8) Thank you for your time. Did you want to add anything?

Check out our website at www.farfromshowbiz.tk & send me your works. Thanks a lot for this opportunity to show FFS to more people! Cheers!

Rubbish / Circle Six - In Praise Of Forgotten Gods

Artist: Rubbish / Circle Six
Release: In Praise Of Forgotten Gods
Label: Roil Noise Rubbish
Year: 2007
Format: 2x3" CDr
Tracks: 2 (one per cdr)
TRT: 16:52 / 11:40


New split release with Rubbish, owner of Roil Noise Rubbish, and Circle Six. This split 2x3" release is packaged in a dual hub, which I'm beginning to love a lot. It's like a sandwich except the two cdr's don't touch each other. It gives the buyer/trader a good taste of what each artist is about. It's all placed in a small ziplock bag with well printed colour art of a temple door. The stencil on each CDr is great as well. Looks pro indeed. Much like a Roil Noise Offensive release.

The Rubbish track, at 16:52, starts off with heavy harsh wall for about 30 seconds, then comes in the sounds of crickets and owls, like this was recorded out doors or something. After a short bit of that the heavy harsh lo-fi rubbish style comes in. Tumbling noise with some hidden sounds in the background that are hard to make out. It then quiets down with some distorted industrial type drums kick'n. Noise rhythms in and out. Not the Rubbish I'm use to but this is just pushing the limit of industrial/noise and I like it a lot. Sounds like it could have been an opening set for Throbbing Gristle. This continues with variations here and there for the duration of the track. Sometimes it will calm down for 10 seconds then bring back up with more heavy noise and a different drum pattern. My favorite single piece from Rubbish I think.

The Circle Six track, at 11:40, starts off with a very musical high tone that runs for around 3.5 minutes. There's some subtle vocal blips and lows scraping sounds. Then at 4 minutes the glitch fuckery starts to hit! Loud pulsation’s, glitch patterns fading in and out, channel movement from left to right, repeated loops, odd sounds, this shit will fuck you up high for sure. It all blows up in your face for a good 4 minutes, then calms down a bit to an ambient soundscape with some clicking sounds placed in and out. The track ends softly this way with some vocal samples lightly cascading in. Good production overall. A great split release overall and if you’re into Roil Noise Offensive at all then this beauty won't disappoint at all.

Insects With Tits - Untitled

Artist: Insects With Tits
Release: Untitled
Label: 804 Noise
Year: 2007
Format: 5" CDr
Tracks: 11
TRT: 17:07

Insects with Tits is Roger Smith (Chefkirk) & Kenneth Yates (Harm Stryker & Caustic Castle), both of Virginia. This is my first introduction to hearing this project and it's more on the side of Caustic Castle than Chefkirk, as for as style of noise. There are 11 tracks, half under a minute, for a short EP length that could fit on a 3" if they wanted to.

Each track has it's own unique style to it but the sounds run the same throughout each track, as pointed in the insert, this was a one track take with no overdubs, mastering, or synths. I won't go track by track then since it just is one broken up track but it opens up with a high pitched squeal with a bleep and rip here or there for a short 26 seconds and into the next track smoothly. There are a lot of high pitches glitches, rips and shreds with some great delay patterns at times. Track #3 gets into some heavy noise near the end, as well as track #7, which is the longest at 6:49. Track #7 is the best part overall for me because it's not to high pitched and there's great variation and range during the whole track. Track #9 features some great bass as well, which I loved.

The CDr is packaged in a DVD slimcase with a paper insert and the cover art is printed on high quality paper with a textured type image on it. It's tough to review this type of noise as high pitches are not my favorite genre, but it is rewarding to hear something different for once and I do like this release a lot for it production and quality. 804noise are putting out some good releases and this is one of them, especially if you like this style and the two artists involved.