Secret Chiefs 3 Le Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomini Web Of Mimicry 2009
I had this idea of Web Of Mimicry as too eclectic for its own good, doing a lot of style swap and possibly on to "I've been doing drum circles 10.000 years before Boredoms" Pattonisms. But, as far as the idea of an imaginary soundtrack seems overused, this one's an interesting take on an aesthetics developed by the likes of Ennio Morricone, Goblin, Bruno Nicolai and recently, Zombi, Emperor Machine or even Quiet Village. Above all, substance and concise tracks (barely exceeding 3 minutes) is more important here than instrumental wankery, which is cool with me.
****
High Wolf Animal Totem Not Not Fun cs 2009
OK, so perhaps it's not anything we haven't heard before: "Future Days"-era Can, tropical drone & forest neo-soundfuckery whatever, bellbottomed and poppier La Monte Young, Pauline Oliveros and Charlemagne Palestine, but this is more than just an emulation of the sources. This French "loop enthusiast" as it says on his Myspace created these 4 longish (but never boring) tracks with passion and conviction. Seemingly, this great-sounding (rare in a tape culture nowadays where murk'n'hiss is de rigueur) is debut release, but there was a CDR and a c30 before on their own Winged Sun Records. Also, collaboration with Astral Social Club is coming along, so perhaps it's time to replenish your salvia divinorum supplies.
****
Ducktails Backyard Release The Bats 2009
Very pleasant collection of songs in many different styles and moods, ranging from sub-Skaters/James Ferraro/Ariel Pink deranged pop to Kraut-ed mature Beach Boys session leftover soundalikes. My girlfriend could even dance along to most of it, although the skies are totally verdunkelt with rainstorm a-coming. "Backyard" contains early recordings of 23-year old New Jerseyite Matthew Mondanile, probably some of it appearing in different formats and scattered throughout many labels, including Arbor, Future Sounds, Breaking World, Captured Tracks, Not Not Fun and a handful of others. Last track, almost-13 minute "Dreams In Mirror Field (Excerpt)" succesfully creates the illusion of listening to "Swastika Girls" on a fourth generation 70s Albanian tape deck that's falling apart. It's that good. In the label press blurbs, they say Ducktails is (are?) "perfect summer listening". Well it is if your summer is all about lo-fi and squealing analogs and electrostatic disturbance.
