Raymond MacDonald / Neil Davidson - Flapjack cd (FMR) 7.50

Saxophonist Raymond MacDonald and guitarist Neil Davidson have worked together extensively within the large ensemble framework of the Glasgow Improviser's Orchestra. Honing the empathy down to a duo performance shows how well they react to one another. For me, they key to this album lies in their joint feel for the quiet side of their playing. Sure, they can cut it at the harsher end of improv sound, but the real magic turns on when Raymond is underpinning the rising tension of Neil's guitar with a soft warmth suggesting a subtle glow in the dark or when Neil is using his guitar as a sound generator, applying a battery powered fan to the pick-up. These two should do more together and I hope they will. (JC)

Even if you think you have enough saxophone and drum improv duos on your shelf (and there have been a few of late), this record comes with a high recommendation to make room for another one. Gunter Baby Sommer is the leader of the Dresden Ensemble. Their two way collaboration with the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra led to some exciting concerts and workshops on each side of their Scottish and German home turf in 2005 & 2006. Meanwhile, MacDonald and Sommer found their playing gelled as a duo and - voila - along comes an album full of expressive and melodic playing. The recording is top class and Neil Davidson's witty sleeve note raises the question: how many quality-lit references can you get into 3 short paragraphs? A record to enjoy in so many ways. (JC)

Magickal Folk of the Faraway Tree - The Soup and the Shilling 2cd (Deserted Village) 12

Excellent release that compiles previous Magickal Folk recordings "The Cat's Melodeon" and "The Mildew Leaf" along with new recordings (all of the second disc). The band comprises Dave Colohan (Agitated Radio Pilot / United Bible Studies) and Shane Cullinane (Cosmic Nanou / United Bible Studies) along with assistance from Caroline Coffey, Gavin Prior (United Bible Studies), Sean Og and Scott McLaughlin. The songs are all folk songs learnt from Peter Kennedy's "Traditional Songs of Britain and Ireland ", sometimes with new melodies written by Colohan / Cullinane. This is the most traditional of all the Deserted Village projects but has a gothic-with-a-small-g feel, a real feeling of magic, a "live" sounds like it was recorded in a mystical inn situated at the very edge of the world and of course the wonderful vocals of Dave Colohan. Highly recommended.

New label specializing in improvised and experimental music in handmade packages and run by Una MacGlone, Raymond MacDonald and Neil Davidson of Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra. The one features the above trio - double bass, voice and guitar. It opens with a beautifully pure tone-drone that makes me thing of distant planes overhead on a summer's day. Later on the disc "Muslin" employs buzzing drones that seem to make the air throb. The trio's improvised pieces are equally impressive with Neil & Una manipulating strings with real energy and Aileen's squeaks, croaks and gurgles the quiet sound of nightmares. The air of unease is palpable, particularly on "Slither" where the bass and guitar seethe and indeed slither around the vocal contortions, and again on the closing "Clearing", a writhing mass of quiet noise. Beautifully recorded by our own Mr Cavanagh! Highly recommended. Now sold out at source.

Magdalena Solis - Lady of the Wild Things cdr (Reverb Worship) 5.50

A Belgian trio with a taste for the dark side. Computer-assembled / manipulated jams / samples that ride a fine line between childlike and sinister. Sometimes recalls Hawkwind and sometimes Comus fed through an electronic mangle. 

Anthony Magen - Pourquoi? 3" cdr (Black Petal) 2

"dub-revisioning of personal pain. an attempt to abstract himself from sorrow...or intensify the hurt" (Black Petal)

Greg Malcolm - Leather and Lacy cd (Interregnum) 3.50

Magical multiple guitar playing from Greg Malcolm. On this release he offers interpretations of Steve Lacy tunes recorded at the Wellington Jazz Festival. Greg plays 3 guitars: one on his lap, one at his side and one at his feet without processing or any effects. The result is hypnotic picking mixed with scratchy improvisation.

Mallucoch Quartet - Epitaph for an Exploding Star cdr (Striate Cortex) 5.50

The long-running duo of Jan Iversen and Sindre Bjerga are augmented by a saxophonist, Dario Fariello, and Daniele Giannotta on flutes percussion and "junk" of an unspecified nature. The combination of electronics, tape loops, acoustic instruments and voice leads to some intense, yet understated improvising. An undulating, misty landscape of sound. (JC)

Master Slave is Mike Vest from BONG! and Pete Ryde. Heavy feedback-guitar squall with copious amounts of amp hum and some weird vocals swimming into the distance on the final track.

Matricarians 

• Laburnum Snails cdr (self-released) 5

Of the twelve tracks on this album, eight are traditional songs arranged by Alan Davidson with fellow Matricarians Susan Matthew and David Mackay. Alan's well known fondness for songs of Scotland 's northeast is to the fore, but when it comes to Robin's Testament, what comes out of the "trad/arranged" process is a nine minute-plus psych-out dream sequence! That's just one good reason for buying Laburnum Snails and there are eleven more. Even if you have Kitchen Cynics or earlier Matricarians music already, I'd say this album is well worth adding to your collection. (JC)

• Up Down & Sideways cdr (self-released) 5

This new Matricarians cd is replete with the always enticing voice and chiming guitar of Alan Davidson, as ever, but there are twists anew too.... there's a set of electronic pieces with titles like "Gandar-Dower Organises A Cheetah Race In London" which are, I suspect, named in honour of the man who founded Aberdeen Airport. Then there are 3 rather hypnotic long tracks, one running to over 20 minutes. It's difficult to review Matricarians releases without repeating what we've said here before, but it's very easy to praise them warmly! (JC)

• Chewart Croft cdr (self-released) 5

One of Kitchen Cynics' Alan Davidson's other projects. This is like Kitchen Cynics' dream alter-ego - analogue synths, bells, piano and occasional vocals come together to create a magical soundworld with a deep sense of nostalgia. "The Midwife Has A Baby" sounds like "I Hear A New World" had Joe been obsessed with forest spirits rather than outer space. The buzzing of bees, hum of field recordings and child's glockenspiel of "He Cut A Sappy Sucker" reminds me of Phosphene or a more archaic Colleen. Nursery rhymes and lullabies for ghosts.

Robert Mayson - Hross cdr (Black Petal) 5.75

Solo release from Robert Mayson of Grey Daturas, Whitehorse etc. Bleak industrial electro-pulsings, nauseous drone-throb and monolithic monotony. Comes in the usual lovingly handmade packaging with a sandpaper & wire cover.

Nathan McLaughlin - Echolocation #2 cassette (Digitalis) 5.25

Fragmented drones, atmospheric throb, the distant rumble of the wind and distant electronic murmur.

Shawn David McMillen 

• Catfish cd ( Tompkins Square ) 6

Debut solo album by Shawn McMillen, member of various Texan psych groups - Ash Castles on the Ghost Coast , Iron Kite and Friday Group - which was released on LP on Emperor Jones a while ago. It's a particularly entrancing piece of Texan psych, based around Shawn's illuminating guitar-playing which lies somewhere between Tom Carter and Robbie Basho. It has that epic spaciousness that the best Texan psych always has. As well as guitar, there is autoharp, keyboard, bowed electric bass, Japanese bamboo flute and various exotic percussion instruments. The closing track is particularly Basho-esque with heavy doses of the Middle East in the flute / percussion playing. Outstanding.

• Dead Friends cd (Tompkins Square) 9.25

Excellent new album from Shawn McMillen, who's been involved in several Texan bands including Ash Castles on the Ghost Coast , Iron Kite and Friday Group. It opens with a spaced-out slide guitar and harmonica blues that reminds me of MV / EE at their most cosmic. Some of the spacious Texan psyched-out folk-blues that was found on the previous "Catfish" is present on this album too. Ralph White plays fiddle and kalimba on a few tracks, and the tracks with the latter instrument have a hypnotic quality and simplicity that recalls Moondog. Recommended.

"Debut vinyl release from this new duo that makes up two thirds of Jazzfinger (Ben Jones and Sarah Sullivan). Based around the idea of used broken keyboards, Ben and Sarah make some totally fucked and pretty heavy noise jams, there's some searing moments in this beast, particularly across the two part 'Burning of the Light Fields' which spans all side A, and most of side B... the closer is 'Planatary Wasp', which pretty much would be what Jeff Goldblum would have sounded like if he'd turned into some kind of rancid badass wasp instead of that pussy fly! Turn it up and get ready for your neighbors to come knocking with an ASBO for ya. Limited to 300." (BR)

The sound of crackling black electricity from darkest Iowa . Sometimes a dense churring like millions of robotic grasshoppers, sometimes the high whir of interplanetary radio waves.

Meisselschieber - Ohikuolija cdr (267 Lattajjaa) 5

A veritable everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach from Oorlog Braatö and Rene Kita. They plunder the toybox and a vast array of household appliances amongst more conventional instruments to create a frenetic free improvised scrunch.

Melodie du Kronk - Moxie Carmichael's Secret 7" (Great Pop Supplement) 1.50

Side one of this 7" sounds like a meeting of the playfulness of Felix Kubin with one of those organ led mod instros which trendsetters might've grooved to on a '66 night out at the Bag O'Nails or the Scotch of St. James. Flip the 45 over and there are distinct overtones of '70s detective show sig tune... think Starsky and Hutch for electropop keyboard. It all comes in a wraparound swirly-psych sleeve. One can only say FAB! (JC) 

Memphis Khan 

• The Merchant EP cdr (Reverb Worship) 2.50

What a delightful 6 song e.p! Memphis Khan appear to hail from East Coast U.S.A. and make fuzzed up pop with slightly country-ish tinges. There were moments when I thought of Kevin Ayers; one song (Can I Daydream) would fit neatly alongside some Medicine Head (I can feel a radio segue coming on) and their twangy cover of Michael Jackson's Beat It is a lot of fun. (JC)

• We Can't Say cdr (Reverb Worship) 5.75

Last time I reviewed a Memphis Khan record, I mentioned Kevin Ayers and Medicine Head as possible touchstones for their sound. The style has evolved to a fuller band sound on this new release, but the quality of psych-pop songs remains high, with fuzzed up vocals and a bit of ethereal flute to heighten the atmosphere. Very good indeed. (JC)

Metal Rouge 

• Ephemeroptera 4 cdr (Seymour) 8

4th in the "Ephemeroptera" series from the Metal Rouge duo - Andrew Scott & Helga Fassonaki. It's another blast, split between the cacophonous - feedback, pedal steel and vocals undulating in a nauseous throb - and the spectral - long beams of feedback shrouded by Helga's wordless vocals.

• Ephemeroptera 5 cdr (Seymour) 8

The latest in the Ephemeroptera series is another gem. The opener is the sound of Metal Rouge revving up - guitar strings warping and distant bass rising slowly like steam. The second and middle track is a righteous 3 minute cacophony of crashing drums, raging distortion and Helga's vocals rattling in the maelstrom. This release ends with a charged meditation of trembling wires with Helga's wordless wails awaking the dead. Excellent.

• Trails LP (Emerald Cocoon) 13.50

Metal Rouge are now expanded to a trio, with Caitlin Mitchell joining Helga Fassonaki and Andrew Scott, on drums. Shredded strings, nauseous slide guitar, drum onslaught and wordless vocals hovering like a deadly swarm.

• Live cdr (Fictitious Sighs) 6.50

3 versions each of 2 different songs recorded live during a US tour that differ wildly from each other. Guitar / pedal steel / vocal onslaught that plunges into outright distortion right from the start; even the quieter moments are replete with wah-wah queasiness, violent string-purging and a general atmosphere of unease.

Duo  featuring long-time collaborators Robert Horton & Hal Hughes. Two long tracks: the first is 30 plus minutes of truly freaked-out fiddle playing courtesy of Hughes which Horton accompanies with some pan-rattling percussion. Hughes switches to banjo for "No Tamburo" (which was due to feature guitarist Mike Tamburo until he slept in, in another city!), another long-form slice of backwoods psychedelia. Highly recommended

New cd from the guy who runs Pseudoarcana and is also A.M., Mrtyu!, Nether Dawn as well as sometime Black Boned Angel member. A lovely collection of wayward lo-fi NZ pop songs that sound so insular it's as if they were never intended for our ears. Mumbled vocals, scratchy violin and acoustic guitar never sounded better.

Debut album by Melbourne's Tim Condon that manages to shift through an eclectic range of sounds from dilating guitar repetitions to shoegazey textures, the most melodic electronica to strange Radiophonics. Limited to 75 and packaged as usual in those S&F trademark envelopes sealed with wax.

Mok Nok cdr (Reverb Worship) 2

Mok Nok is "best friends" in Innuit and this duo from Copenhagen are clearly united in a love of overloaded lacerating guitars, vintage synth tones and pounding beatboxes in a sound quality which is more fuzz-fi than lo-fi. Every splatter-painted cover has a paste on witch with red eyes, just to keep things friendly, like... (JC)

Monopoly Child Star Searchers 

• Infant Spirituality Rates Coconut cdr (Pacific City Sound Visions) 5.50

Reissued cdr from Spencer Clark. Enchanting recorder plumes, frenetic jungle handdrums, that wonderful sound of cassette recorded saturation and as hypnotic and out there as those '60s flicker films.

• Prince of Parrot Shooters cdr (Pacific City Sound Visions) 5.50

More hypnotic over-saturated casio levitations  / jungle rhythms from Spencer Clark.

Monosov / Swirnoff 

• Five Recorded Works Vol 3 LP (Eclipse) 4

Third in the Eclipse series of LPs by Preston Swirnoff and Ilya Monosov. This features an intriguingly eclectic mix as usual: a brutal guitar / drums / synth psych-out, semi-improvised piano / guitar / percussion weave, an abstract lullaby with lovely vocals from Naomi, bleak electronica / drone and a track of Indian-influenced drone recorded with Charles Curtis (on tamboura / cello). Another excellent instalment.

• Split LP Vol 4 LP (Eclipse) 4

The final LP Eclipse series from Preston Swirnoff and Ilya Monosov. Subtitled "Habitat Sound System" one side of this LP sounds like it has been beamed straight from the dub caverns of Jamaica. The first side starts with a fuzz-psych gem similar to the duo's work in The Shining Path. The rest of the first side is a slowly unfolding piece of acoustic-based improv, featuring hurdy gurdy, glockenspiel and harmonica, that builds into hypnotic drone-riffing, and ends up in the dub-infested waters that fill the other side. Excellent stuff.

Joe Montana - Shifting Spaces cassette (Digitalis Limited) 2.50

Keyboards in fuzzy overdrive, melodic sweeps and repeated figures over drones, all wrapped in a cassette liner which has a triangle and a steak of prismatised light on it... do I detect a Dark Side of the Moon/Hipgnosis homage here?! Oh, be sure to leave the tape playing after the music seems to be over. On the copy I listened to, there was a long gap and then an organ reprise! (JC)

Moor Loups - Death By Someone's Choice 3" cdr (Reverb Worship) 1.50

"This is the "Death By Someone's Choice" by the very strange and mysterious Moor Loups.The band come from Portland, Oregon and their cd features four tracks of quite dark,considered music. At times there is a psychedelic twist with samples of animals, distorted noises, dub, echoes, voices and murmerings, saxophone, keyboards and guitars pinned down by a simplistic slow drum machine pattern. The cd has a running time of around 20 minutes and comes with oversized photographic artwork featuring an antique photograph of two lumberjacks." (RW)

Thurston Moore - Built for Lovin pic disc LP (Lost Treasures of the Underworld) 5

" A scabrous grab bag of weirdo recordings assembled by Thurston Moore: hardcore basement slam jammer with Mark Ibold (bass) and John Moloney of Sunburned (drums), a rough demo cue made for an HSBC TV ad (w/ Steve Shelley-drums
– uncredited – sorry Steve!),  a few noise b-sides from various lost releases and a couple of long psycho-bead kosmi-killersz. And some subterranean acoustic luv — all wrapped up n a pic disc with art by T Moore extracted from his Street Mouth series of collages....... " (label)

Morning Stalker / The Ghost of 29 Megacycles - Silhouettes 2 cdr (Hello Square) 2

Two long tracks of manipulated guitar tones. First up Morning Stalker - swirling breezes of wowing breath and single note repetitions on guitar that sparkle like dew drops. Ghost of 29 Megacycles is more contemplative still: gentle undulating drone and single droplets of guitar occasional forming above the haze.

Compiles recordings from previous cdrs (Ghost Town By the Sea, Kodak Ghost Poem and Secret Tapes).

• Wings From a Storm LP (Red Records) 21.50

Mrtyu is another Antony Milton project and finds his distortion-fuelled guitar webs and scrapey violin mantras in distinctly bleaker blacker territory than normal. Slow scrawls of jagged guitar, vocals distorted to breaking point and squalling feedback lead the way to the abyss.

Muffin Seeks Sunship - Crashing Cirles in the Midnight Horn cdr (CLaudia) 6.50

"These are all-acoustic improvisations by Sam Hamilton, Mark Sadgrove, Andrew Scott & Eve Gordon. Droning bowed-strings are the predominant sound, with a few percussive bits. Very Cave-man, very hippie, but very beautiful too - These two pieces were recorded in the dead of night, in concrete echoey spaces in the urban environment (too close to the neighbours at times)." (Claudia)

Rob Mullender - Human Resources cd (Bo'weavil Recordings) 2

This album broadens the scope of the Bo'Weavil catalogue into the realm of expressive acoustic improv. Rob Mullender plays nylon & steel string guitars in a distinctive style which can be sparse, expansive or frenetically attacking. I especially liked the piece where he detunes the string throughout, reminding me of an old spring driven gramophone winding down. It's a case of folk roots, very new routes - and packaged to the usual high standard of this label. (JC)

Music and Movement - s/t 7" (Aufgeladen und Bereit) 0.50

The sticker on the front says "with Teenage Fanclub & BMX Bandits members", so Music and Movement score a few points immediately by sounding completely distinct from either of these bands which Lorna Lyon & Finlay MacDonald have been involved in previously and ploughing their own furrow instead. I hear the amalgam of Stereolab's motorik drive with, sometimes, the laconic vocals of the Pet Shop boys and, at others, the harmonies of '60's folk pop. This is the sort of imaginative pop single which, once upon a time, could even have reached the top 50. This juke box jury will vote it a hit... one has to live in hope! (JC)

Also featuring The Golden Road (Asa Irons, Doc Dunn and Samara Lubelski on this occasion). The A side has a real retreat to the country '68 feel to it and could have fitted in on their "Green Blues" album. The B side is laid-back in the sun slide guitar and harmonica. Good-time pastoral psychedelia at its best.

Live recording from 2006 at the Heeley Institute (which looks like a great venue from the cover of the LP - if only more gigs were held at places like this rather than at some dismal pub basement ... more style please!). Just Matt Valentine and Erika Elder and a wonderfully laid-back set that starts with "Cold Rain" and ends with their version of "Freight Train". Great sleeve notes from Matt and Erika too. Highly recommended.

Tapes include The MV & EE Medicine Show 'Citybillies' Brooklyn, NY 5/23/02 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE With The Bummer Road 'The Suncatcher Blossoms A Novatone'  Tonic, NYC 7/18/2005 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE With The Bummer Road 'Abstarct Blues and Egyptian Mud', Campfire Sounds, Acra, NY 7/15/06 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE with The Bummer Road 'Pastis King' Paris, November 11th, 2006 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE with The Golden Road 'Barn Joint' Red Barn, Amherst, MA, > 10/16/07 (feat. J Mascis and Tom Carter) (PREVIOUSLY OUT AS AN UNOFFICIAL BOOTLEG),  MV & EE with The Golden Road 'Lobstora Vs Tone Crabs' Floristree Auditorium Baltimore, MD, 6/14/08 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE with The Wolfpack 'Yurt Aspects/Rural Centrifuge' Wickermania Festival, The Yurt, Goshen, MA 8/2/08 / Tinderbox,  Brattleboro, VT, 8/3/08 (UNRELEASED), MV & EE with Jeremy Earl '"He's On Tonight, Saddleback"/"Multiple Gravitrons" Cakeshop, NYC, 1/20/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE with The Wolfpack 'Mamma Zooed' The Triple, Richmond, VA,  1/23/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE 'Smoked Bossier' Art Space, Shreveport, LA, 1/29/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE with The Golden Road 'Sequential Circuits' Vintage By The  Pound, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2/7/09 (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED), MV & EE 'Pete's Pix Vol. 2' 2004 - 2006 (tracks from Cambridge UK, Colour Out of Space, Thurston's ATP, Oxford, London, and more. Features Nemo, Chris Corsano, Samara, Willie, Jiggs, Sparrow,  Simoes) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED). Each cassette has its own insert of notes.

• Live Road LP (Blackest Rainbow) 12.75

"Collection of very recent live excursions with MV & EE, all high quality recordings from shows in November 2009. The A side opens with a MV/EE duo perfromance of  'Mine All Troubled Blues' from Art Damage Lodge, Cinncinnatti, OH on 20/11/09. This heads straight into two interpretations of 'Environments', one from Project Lodge, Madison, WI which again is just raw MV/EE action, but the second features an enhanced line up with Muskox and Doc Dunn. The two versions are  blurred together into one log blazing 11 minute space jam. The flip side opens with the classic blues soaked 'Tea Devil' with Erika's laidback vocals backed with MV's rippling guitar shreds, Rongoose's (Ron Schneidermann of Sunburned/Spirit of Orr/Pewt'r) heavy bass bliss outs, and Chris Corsano's showcasing a slow moving stoned out drumkit. Straight from here we head into a completely trance inducing psychedelic haze of wild jamming with a totally different version of 'Environments'. The whole of the B side was recorded with Chris and Ron at Bank Row, Greenfield, MA. Edition of 400 pressed on heavyweight vinyl with hand stamped labels in black and white pro printed wrap  around jackets with cover art by Jeremy Earl of Woods/Woodsist Records. (BR)

MV & EE with the Golden Road 

Two sides featuring the same song. Side A is a gorgeous slab of summery pastoral psych. Side B is a strung-out version lasting over 6 minutes with some great MV wah-wah guitar.

Another slab of heavy vinyl from MV & EE and the Golden Road on Golden Lab records. "Limits" is a slice of heavy stoner country rock with some superbly skewed wah-wah guitar and drawled vocals from Matt Valentine. On the other side is equally stoned but quieter - a loose cosmic country blues.

"8 cassettes - features each set from the 'No Floor Tour' with Mick Flower (Vibracathedral Orchestra / Flower-Corsano Duo) and John Moloney (Sunburned) backing the duo. Featuring guest appearances from J Mascis (Dinosaur Jnr) and Doc Dunn."

2nd in the series of live recordings, this one comes from Oklahoma City 11th Feb 2007, and features some excellent strung-out versions of "Death Don't Have No Mercy", "I Got Caves in There", "The Burden", Hammer", "Summer Magic" and "Environments".

My Cat Is An Alien / Bjerga / Iversen LP (Ikuisuus / Gold Soundz) 12.25

Excellent collaboration between the Opalio brothers and Jan Iversen / Sindre Bjerga. Subterranean disturbance from the Norwegian duo and infinite echoes / celestial vocals from the Italians.

My Enemy - Elil EP cdep (Vapen & Godis) 0.50

"n.213 is the godchild of the inimitable nic hughes. most are probably more familiar with the band he plays guitar & sings for: shearing pinx. but his solo digs never disappoint. jolting bursts of electronic mayhem laced with pcp-inflected vocal incantations make "vexaction" a hypnotic & catchy carnival ride. blitzkrieged pop elements even make an appearance, but these short & noisy bones are nothing but the sweetest candy for the noiseniks in all of us. the weapons used range from drum machines, keyboards, reel-to-reels, & guitars to shakers, bells, trumpets, pedals, and more. it's a virtuoso circus of all that is juicy." Sold out at source.

Tatsuya Nakatani, Neil Davidson, Peter Nicholson, Raymond MacDonald, Nick Fells - Aporias cd (Creative Sources) 8

Here we have several members of the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra with percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani during a late 2004 visit to Glasgow. Although some of the expression is wild and full-on, it's a tribute to all involved that a lot of the strongest material on Aporias lies in the most restrained sections. The big reverberant soundstage is especially well suited to Nakatani's deepest drums too. Incipient is the common word throughout the five titles. Thus far, I've tracked down the source for one line as Samuel Johnson... there should be a prize for the person who gets all five! Anyway, the suggestion of something new and fresh is just about right for this meeting of forces. (JC)

Nalle

• Wilder Shores of Love LP (Alt Vinyl) 15
• Wilder Shores of Love CD (Alt Vinyl) 12

The third album from Glasgow-based trio Hanna Tuulikki, Aby Vuillamy and Chris Hladowski contains songs and artwork inspired by the Greek myth of doomed lovers Leander and Hero and a title taken from a painting by Cy Twombly. It's an artistic tour-de-force. The album is bookended by spectral ballads that echo the spookier end of the country canon utilizing spidery shimmers of slide guide and a double-tracked "Gene Vincent vocal effect" on Hanna's vocals to suitably eerie effect. Hanna's voice is in fine form throughout, particularly on "Songthrush" where she seems to channel "Starsailor"-era Tim Buckley in a free jazz / folk collision, inspired by the song thrush's melodic couplets. Aby's contribution to this album is immeasurable with her expressive Nico-esque alto winding around Hanna in the hypnotic plainsong "Bring the Traveller to Land" or the epic title track, some wonderfully atmospheric grand piano on "Sunne's Return" and "Wilder Shores" itself - huge crashing chords that sound like the sea consuming the lovers in the song - and of course her exquisite viola. The penultimate track "Lily" is a splendid psychedelic freak-out with Chris rocking out on fuzzed-up electric saz. Guest musicians abound: current musical partner in Two Wings Ben Reynolds, One Ensemble's Peter Nicholson, GIO's Raymond MacDonald and Alex Neilson and the album is recorded beautifully at Glo-Spot by our reviewer John Cavanagh. Of course, no project involving Hanna Tuulikki would be complete without her wonderful illustration and this comes in a gatefold sleeve with an 8 page booklet of lyrics and illustrations. Heavy vinyl.

• Wilder Shores of Love LP - silk-screened sleeve (Alt Vinyl) 30

I have 5 copies of this, a special limited edition version of "Wilder Shores" at a special price (it is normally £35). Only 25 exist. Silk-screened version of Hanna's beautiful artwork.

You can see Hanna's artwork for this album here - there are also 10 extra special art editions of the LP for sale, featuring original pen and ink drawings, and prints / original artwork. Please contact Hanna for details: http://wilder-shores-of-love.blogspot.com/2010/07/art-edition-lps.html

Solo cdr from Part Wild Horse's Mane on Both Sides percussionist Pascal Nichols. See-sawing unease, the rolling shimmer of metal, quiet improvisation. Limited version with A3 poster packaging.

Some great improv from two members of the Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra (Peter also plays in One Ensemble), recorded at the old Streetlevel gallery onto 1/4 inch tape by Boa reviewer / Mr Phosphene John Cavanagh. Cello and saxophone rasp and wheeze along with wordless vocal mantras to create unsettling shape-shifting drones amidst spells of fluid breath and string stter. Again, great handmade packaging.

Once upon a time Lol Coxhill was set to play a show with drummer Steve Noble and double bass player John Edwards. Unfortunately, Lol wasn't too well, so Alan Wilkinson, who was due to play a solo set at the same show, joined the others instead and that's how the trio we find on this record got together. I'm sure that Lol, ever the generous spirit, will be pleased at the results which have come out of such adversity, for this trio recording is a very good set of free pieces. I'm especially struck by the energy and soul in Wilkinson's baritone playing and the way that big, sonorous tone and such a fluid rhythm section seem to propel each other's energy. (JC)

Reissue of a 1973 Brazilian private press LP from ex-Satwa members and poet Marconi Notaro. Uplifting folk pop with a real loose groove, fried exotica, some gorgeous sunshine ragas (similar to the Satwa LP) as trance-inducing as the midday sun, echo-ridden garage-psych. Heavy vinyl and gorgeous artwork. Highly recommended and guaranteed to make you feel like it's summer again.

NTHnthsthSTH - s/t LP (Release the Bats) 6.50

Second release from this duo featuring Antony Milton (Nether Dawn / Black Boned Angel / AM) and Jani Hirvonen (Uton). A churning drone-pool seething with Milton's ragged guitar, field recordings, percussion, flutes and the underlying influence of Jani Hirvonen's travels in India. Excellent.

Nuslux / Amon Dude / Kiiskinen & Reijo Pami - Feelin' Strong cdr (Lal Lal Lal) 2

Tour cd from April 2008 featuring Arttu Partinen's Amon Dude, Roope Eronen's Nuslux and 2 new names (to me): Kiiskinen and Reijo Pami. 

On the Wrong Planet - First Visit cdr (Striate Cortex) 4

Another lovely package from SC and one I think I will struggle to put back together. Textured (papier mache?) card sleeve with spray-painted planets on it and all wrapped up in a folding paper outer-sleeve. This is Henrik Bagner's solo project (of Small Things on Sundays). This is dark, ambient drone much like STOS, huge clouds of poisoned hiss and hum, sculpted from maltreated vinyl and some guitar. 

One Ensemble - Wayward the Fourth cd (Secret Eye) 11

Third album proper from The One Ensemble and featuring the same line-up as the limited VPRO session release, Aby Vulliamy and Chris Hladowski (Nalle and Scatter), Peter Nicholson (Glasgow Improvisers' Orchestra) and Daniel Padden (Volcano the Bear) - Hanna Tuulikki of Nalle also guests on one song. I've been a fan of Daniel Padden's skewed and intriguing songwriting for some time but the interplay between the 4 players on here lifts it onto a truly magical level. Wonderfully inventive songs and melodies that course through your head all week after one hearing and often veer off into enthralling improvisations. Influences include heavy doses of Eastern European folk music, music hall, 20th century chamber music and Robert Wyatt but no-one else puts these elements together or sounds quite like One Ensemble. One of the contenders for album of the year.

Oortcloud - s/t cdr (Reverb Worship) 4

Beams of lunar synth light transmitted by Clive Murrell who also records as Wyrdstone. This is very 1970s, bringing to mind Radiophonic Workshop music for schools programmes of that era, Neu! and Cluster. Different coloured flourescent sleeves. Recommended.

I've been having a bit of a fight with the dvd player and remote controls to try and play this (my pathetic failure is down to me, not any deficiency in the disc) so the review itself will have to wait til next week. Here's what Opax say: "New short film by visual artist / musician Roberto Opalio, one half of My Cat Is An Alien. Filmed on March 21st, 2006, the video represents a visionary, introspective view of the empty spaces over the city, Torino. Through a unique, hand-manipulated shot made in real-time, Roberto Opalio's poetic fragmentation and distortion of real objects recalls early film experiments by Man Ray, as well as a certain Warholian psychedelia in the use of filtered light as a main principle of creation / perception of one's own reality. The soundtrack, recorded the same day appositely, leads to a further estrangement with the use of Opalio's looped wordless vocals and electronics merging into a heavy, ecstatic stream of sounds."

Roberto Opalio / Maurizio Opalio split LP (Important) 5

Two long-form solo tracks from the My Cat is an Alien brothers. Maurizio contributes a piece of quiet contemplation on acoustic guitar while Opalio opts for the exotic clang of zither and his disembodied vocals levitating high above like a cosmic breath.

The Ophelian - Seasonal - Early Jams & Improvisations cdr (Reverb Worship) 4

London-based trio of guitar, drums and bass. Two long tracks of slow-burning menacing riffing.

One long piece of analogue electronics / synth gloop - pulsing endlessly. Lovingly handmade sleeves with silver spots.

Ophibre / Katchmare - Divided Transmissions cassette (Tape Drift) 1.50

Orphan Fairytale - Neverending Waves cassette (Taped Sounds) 5.50

Reissue of a super-limited US tour cdr by Eva Van Deuren. Starts out as gamelan music for casios and ends in blissed out synth bubbles. Lovely.

Fabio Orsi / Valerio Cosi - We Could For Hours cd (A Silent Place) 4

Two Boa HQ favourites join forces again! Sound sculptor Fabio Orsi has released countless invocations of landscape and memories, drones full of melancholy. Cosi is just as prolific and his transcendental free jazz has brightened up the last couple of years no end. Both are also prolific collaborators. On this release the mood is one of exultant joy with organ, synth, sax, guitar, harp and electronics layered into a sumptuous drone that throbs and pulses with as much intensity as the midday sun. "Pink Sheep Blood" sounds like a dream-world Alice Coltrane, fuzzed and blurred round the edges. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Fabio Orsi / Mamu Thones - The First Born cd (A Silent Place) 3

Another superb collaboration featuring Fabio Orsi teaming up with ex-Jennifer Gentle member Alessio Gastaldello who plays drums, percussion and a pianorgan on this. Together they create a couple of downbeat meditations on the first 2 tracks: bells, murmurs and elongated tones on the opener, then the bellows-driven wheeze of the pianorgan and Gastaldello's Mogadon drumming on track 2. This is an altogether darker album than Orsi's other work, particularly on the latter 2 tracks with growling guitar underpinning the tribal drumming on "The Battle". The closing track's breathy tones feel like cold fingers of night-time fog.

Outerdrive - Hallucinations cd (Mar / Ino) 9.50

A superb example of the big, brooding beast they used to call space-rock on Elsie and Jack offshoot label Mar / Ino. Bass- and delay-heavy, some great trumpet, cosmic vocals: in some ways it's like a psychedelized version of the Drift. Packaged in a gatefold cardboard sleeve with some nice inserts. Be sure to 'rewind' the cd at the start or else you'll miss the best track on the album!

Owl Head, Wooden Man / Night Music - Liftedness cassette (Cabin Floor Esoterica) 6.50

"Creaking basement prayers from a few sides of the Dust Era. Owlhead, Wooden Man, otherwise known as Shon Mahoney (S. Br. Oak, Soft Peace, etc.) slips right into a long buzzing drone piece, full of half-heard layers and imagined howls, the subtle melody of a horn on the radio. A dream in dust, for sure. Then he let's it ride a little easier on a simply folky song blown out and roaring in the most gentle way possible, building into a strange loop of misheard melody. The flip side sees a series of shorter cut works from Night Music's Christopher Kline (Wooden Veil, Soft Peace, etc.) tossing banjos, guitars, jaw harp, old electronics and whatever else he can find into an old trunk, shaking it up, and dumping it out. Sounding like a television made of stones on the fritz during a storm, chopping up flooded gray static and deep woods fortune teller stories. In an edition of 50 painted-label tapes tied with thread to a seed packet designed by the artists and filled with Cosmos flower seeds." (CFE)

This is similar to the Rokkiryma disc: unhinged bedroom lo-fi pop with basic strummed guitar, whistles, handclaps and "incidental" vocals. Again it reminds me of the days of Slampt cassettes which is a very nice memory indeed!

Paper Wings is a duo of Antony Milton (AM, Nether Dawn, Black Boned Angel) and Anthony Guerra. This opens with a corrosive dirge of distorted guitar of the kind you might expect from Haino. The melancholic mood prevails throughout: spectral melodies, doomed feedback clouds, mournful bowing and a sense of dislocation. Beautiful hand-painted artpaper sleeves. Highly recommended.

Some folks start out wanting to be pop stars as they watch the idols of their early experience. It's a case of "I want to be just like Mark Owen/Kylie/Adam Ant/Frank Ifield..." (well maybe not quite!). With Park Attack, it sounds as though they cut their teeth on a raw diet of the Residents and Pere Ubu and thus was their twisted vision formed... bass lines bubble to boiling point, oscillators wail and vocals aim for 13 on a dial that stops at 11. This band are a very polular live attraction in Glasgow. this record goes some way to explaining why. (JC)

Excellent collaboration on side 1: foreboding drum thunder, florid flute flutter and a heavy, heavy atmosphere. On side 2 Swedes Fria Konsellationen ride a zoned-out wave of crepuscular guitar shimmer. Edition of 50.

Pefkin 

• Lie on the Ground & Breathe 3" cdr (Cook an Egg) 4.50

"Yet another slab of pure magic from Gayle Brogan. After her acclaimed releases on Foxglove, PseudoArcana and Students of Decay, Gayle delivers one 20-minute track which begins with a few scattered improvisations on the dulcimer before shifting into one of the most blissed-out ambient folk reveries to date. It all ends on a particularly intimate note as Gayle's highly delicate soundworld is able to suspend time in one breath. Should appeals to fans of Christina Carter and My Cat Is An Alien alike." (Label)

• Possible Confusion Species cdr (Rural Faune) 5

Comes with a lovely rural twig and handmade paper sleeve. Short fragments of toybox folk and VCS3 / violin throb. Four longer tracks: mutilated thumb piano and bubbling vocals recorded on Joe Meek's old Ampex tape recorder in its death throes, harp / clarinet / vocal drone / tone meditations, spacious wild wood folk-improv and ending on a hugely reverberant organ and Radford oscillator drone with melancholic melodica offering a requiem to an extinct bird. John Cavanagh (Electroscope / Phosphene) plays clarinet on one track.

Pefkin / The Circle and the Point split cdr (Deep Water) 5

It's a bit weird to review one's own music but here goes - the pefkin track is an extended piece of string reverie (little lute type thing, hammer dulcimer and electric guitar) with bursts of almost distorted melodica blast which eventually dissolves into a lengthy drone section of harmonium wheeze and VCS3 which I like to imagine is Oliver Postgate meets Brian Eno. Anyway, enough of me, and onto the Circle and the Point: Grant Capes (of (VxPxC)) and Adam Richards (House of Alchemy). These 4 tracks find them at the more blissful hazy end of their sound with guitar, organ, percussion and flutes merging into a sunlit blur.

Full-on fuzz-drones from wowing guitars on the opener to chord organ buzz and then finally onto wind tunnel howl. 

Pewt'r is Ron Schneiderman, member of Sunburned Hand of the Man and the guy who runs the Spirit of Orr label. Solo guitar that sounds like a lacerated Loren Conors and has a real loner feel to it. "Circle of Wax" overloads on delay and sounds like a bleak black-hole dub.

Listening to Aaron Hurley and Scott McLaughlin's music reminds me of that wonderful expression from Hank Williams about that high and lonesome sound. It could come across like too much of an attempt at a pun on my part to call Phantom Dog haunting, but it's true, nonetheless. This album is a landscape of very carefully crafted textures, including vibraphone, 'cello, double bass and electronics. Early orders of the main album will get you nearly an extra hour of music too, in the form of the bonus disc Glisten and the Night Sky. This compilation of previously unreleased tracks from the past along with remixes and some live recordings is much more substantial than some throwaway bunch of extras and makes a good listen in itself. (JC)

Pheonix Cube - Walking the Shore cdr (Barl Fire) 2

It might seem too much like lazy writing (who - me?!) to compare the Phoenix Cube's sound to that of the Kitchen Cynics, as they have made an album together. However it's hard to avoid thinking that Messrs Davidson & Lewis share something in their vision. Anyway, comparison aside, this is enticing music: hazy psych blends with field recordings, chimes, a young girl reading a story, lovely, fragile songs and is that a didgeridoo I hear? File under "impossible to pigeon-hole" (JC)

Phosphene 

A reissue of the super limited Nidnod release from a few years back. "The King Who Would See Paradise" is a story collected by Andrew Lang and published in in The Orange Fairy Book in 1906. It's an utterly magical tale narrated by Mr Phosphene - John Cavanagh - and it sounds like the music and narration from a gently spaced-out Oliver Postgate animation, with backwards (and forwards!) Appalachian dulcimer, subtly distorted clarinet and phased synth drone. It's one of the best things he's done. As if that wasn't enough, there are 3 other tracks of that alchemical blend of Radiophonics, psych-folk, dolls' house darkness and old perfume (with apologies to Syd Barrett) Phosphene excels in. As I said, magical.

To cram the talents of Nalle, Bridget St John, Bill Wells and Isobel Campbell onto one slab of 7" vinyl and top it off with some of Hanna Tuulikki's fabulous artwork is quite a feat! "See A Sign Defined" has long been a favourite Phosphene song of mine and this version is an exquisite folk-pop confection  - with Bridget St John in fine vocal form, backed initially by harpsichord & Farfisa Compact Duo, with Wells & Campbell providing a gorgeous piano & 'cello coda. As it that's not enough, Mr Cavanagh is joined on the other side by Nalle on an dream-like version of Ask Me No Questions, with all four singing slow hypnotic harmonies, influenced by Pauline Oliveros deep listening concept, accompanied by bouzouki, accordian and bells. Play this before going to sleep every night and have the most sumptuous dreams.

The return of the mighty Finnish Octane Grammophon label and a new disc by Phosphene gives us two reasons to be cheerful at Boa HQ. Phosphene, of course, is Boa reviewer John Cavanagh, who also used to be half of Electroscope, wrote a book on "Piper at the Gates of Dawn", makes a mean Christmas dumpling and once featured on page 3 of the Sun next to Corrie's Reg Holdsworth, Pamela Anderson and a Sun Stunna. This excellent 3" features two ocean-inspired tracks: the first a collaboration with Drew Mulholland (Mount Vernon Arts Lab) - a short piece featuring Drew on harmonium, John on long silvery lines of e-bow guitar and sounding like a long lost track from Eno's "Another Green World". The second track is an epic semi-freeform re-imagining of the folk song "The Captain's Apprentice" which features me (on harmonium and vocals) as well as some of Glasgow's finest improvising musicians Aby Vulliamy, George Burt and Raymond MacDonald. Burt and MacDonald's guitar / sax in the latter part of the track ramp up the intensity as the water closes over the boy's head, descending notes and bubbling guitar runs evoking the chilling end he meets. Cavanagh's dramatic vocals have rarely sounded finer.

reissue of a self-released cd from 1999 from Picks and Lighters from Knoxville, Tennessee: a mess of Royal Trux -like strung-out blues, some crepuscular back-porch picking and more unstructured improv-rock

The Pistil Cosmos 

• Wandering in the Dark cdr (Great Pop Supplement) 4

If the shimmering guitar and heavily echoed melodica of the opening track aren't enough to sell this to you, there's plenty more to follow.... a big, expansive skyscape of a piece which builds to a thunderous fuzz-finish, a soothing drone-wind enveloping much melody and atmospheric use of voice too. Vincent Caylet is the person behind Pistil Cosmos and he's previously recorded as "V". This is a lovely record with nice quality card packaging too. (JC)

Latest epistle from Vincent Caylet (V, Monks of the Balhill). Feedback-drenched throbbing drones, reverb / delay-heavy guitar and wordless vocal hypnosis and some cosmic My Cat is an Alien-like space-outs with pastoral guitar echoing in the vastness. Excellent stuff.

With an album already out on Scarcelight, this laptop-totting group features Richard Francis (Sandoz Lab Technicians), Rosy Parlane, Tim Coster, Mark Sadgrove, Clinton Watkins and Paul Winstanley, and this cdr features a live recording from June 2006. Computer-generated drones and loops of ringing feedback provide the background for frenetic burst of machine chatter.

Featuring members of Cursillistas / Herbcraft, Tempera, White Light and others in the L'animaux Tryst family. A huge communal drone built initially around a over-loaded organ drone and latterly tribal drums and chants swimming in a flood of reverb.

"At last, a new LP from Chicago's spacepunk purveyors--! Following 06's sprawling double concept LP, 'No Wonderland," this is perhaps their most consistent and paint peeling statement yet. These tracks were captured with little studio trickery, in a live-type fashion--a set of bellowing free-fest scuzzrock, biker boogie, kraut-style dirges, cosmic communal jams, and fist pumping no-anthems. This is easily the most seriously rocking Plastic Crimewave Sound line-up yet, with hot new leads courtesy of Nick D'vyne, and the solid backbone of PCW (guitarscrawl, yelps) Mark Lux (bass rumblage, electronix) and Lawrence (Skog Device) Peters-(drum). Folks have actually been clamoring for this line-up to lay it down to wax (especially the aforementioned anthemic cut "Shockwave Rider") for some time, so get ready to explode into space. Limited edition - one time pressing." (Eclipse)

Plurals - Six Eyes cdr (Striate Cortex) 5.50

Excellent moody drone melancholy punctuated by lonely wails of clarinet. Another handmade package from Striate Cortex.

Pneumatic Consort / Johann Wlight split cdr (Larkfall) 3

Pneumatic Consort is a side-project of Xenis Emputae Travelling Band and evokes a similar air of ancient landscapes and ways but using recorders and flutes (and sounding very 'Wicker Man' with it) instead of his usual naturalistic drones. The Johann Wlight track is one of his best: birdsong and outside bustle build into a seething mass of atmospheric drone with a melodic plinking interlude - gorgeous stuff from both.

Split cdr featuring 2 Finnish bands with contrasting styles. The Orchestra build huge static-charged pulsating drones, injected with occult energy. The second half of the disc belongs to the dreadfully-named Body Odour who grind out bass-heavy black metal chords as if trying to slow time to a standstill. 

Ramona Ponzini & Z'ev - Ankoku cd (A Silent Place) 3.50

A postal collaboration between Ramona Ponzini (Painting Petals on Planet Ghost / Praxinoscope) and English sound manipulator Z'ev. The title means "deep darkness" and it's most appropriate. Ramona's Japanese chants and bells are deconstructed into soporific tones, layered swarming mantras and warped slowed-down tones. Z'ev provides an oppressive layer of electrical hum and hiss and silvery swoops of metallic whir. 

Posset 

• The Silver Conch cdr (Striate Cortex) 5.25

"Posset uses the grainy texture and skewed juxtapositions afforded by multiple Dictaphones and tapes to improvise on the quiet noise of everyday life using sound sources as diverse as washing up, commuting to work and parenting. " (Striate Cortex) Handmade packaging constructed from white card, paint and thread.

• Peed-trofm:oc cassette (Gold Soundz) 5

"Newcastle's Posset fleshes out a great collection of miniature collages. The dictaphone king of northeast UK expertly blends noise and non-music components into captivating oddball songs.. however strange this may sound, there's an easyness and an everyday feel to these compositions that make them highly entertaining... Some tracks also has a sort of a rhythmic backbone... Six tracks in 10 minutes gives this a good album feel... Yellow tapes wrapped in double-sided yellow A4 sheet. Edition of 30." (Gold Soundz)

Brigid Power Ryce - You Are Here EP 3" cdr (Rusted Rail) 4.50

A truly outstanding release on one of my favourite labels. 2 of these tracks were recorded at ToeRag Studios and the other 3 in Philadelphia by Eric Carbonara and the sound on all 5 is warm and full. Brigid plays 12 string guitar and sings with a languid free-flowing style, reminiscent of Tim Buckley. Highly recommended.

Fletcher Pratt - Mind Gunk Vol 14 cassette (Digitalis) 2

"when you've got 13 previous installments of a series under your belt, you obviously know what you're doing.  fletcher pratt's "mind gunk" series is definitely no exception.  as with previous beasts, vol. 14 is an epic maze of tape collage, synth sprigs, acoustic skronk and general analog chaos..  it's all over the map and you're likely to lose your head along the way, but isn't a little fun always worth the risk? " (Digitalis)

Spacey minimalism from Roberto Opalio (MY Cat Is An Alien) and Ramona Ponzini (Painting Petals on Planet Ghost). Ramona contributes fragile percussive chimes, as delicate and beautiful as gazing into the winter sky as thousands of snowflakes descends. Roberto's eerie vocals and keyboard drone swarm and shiver around the glassy chimes. Both editions come in a textured card sleeve with stick-on art and are pretty limited (130 copies each). Beautiful stuff.

Pro Team - Demo cdr (Fictitious Sighs) 6.50

Trio collaboration between Tim Coster, Oliver of the Sky, Eves (from Piano Queen Rainbow Star Telephone), recorded in Dunedin. Low level acoustic noise / drone, maximal atmosphere, enhanced by the use of a plethora of hand-held recorders positioned around the recording space.

Queen Elephantine are a New-York based duo and the tracks on this cassette sound like a doom-infested Gown at times, with deathly slow black chords ground out and wavering vocals. Later there are some Indian-tinged drones, acoustic guitar and a loose strung-out feel.

• 8 XI 08 Live in Brooklyn cdr (Rural Faune) 3.50

Slow and heavy riffing and crashing drums with tablas lending a psychedelic Eastern feel. Recorded live.

San Francisco's Donovan Quinn is known for his work with Skygreen Leopards & collaboration with Glenn Donaldson. Here, his solo songs make me think of Peter Perrett - indeed "The Rabbit Tracks" is a bit like the country-ish side of Hefner with the Only Ones front man singing instead of Darren Hayman! The end result is rather good too. (JC)

Bill Quick - Maravillosa Gente LP (Time Lag) 16.25

Heavy vinyl reissue of a great lost album of the early '70s. Bill Quick came from Florida , born to an American father and a Venezuelan mother and moved to Spain where he recorded this. It has a wonderfully laid-back sunshine groove to it, sometimes country-influenced, sometimes with gorgeous sun-kissed harmonies, sometimes more introspective guitar and vocals. Beautiful gatefold sleeve that reproduces the original sleeve, also comes with an insert featuring the Brazilian artwork.

• Rusted Prayers Converge cdr (Tape Drift) 1

This is Eric Hardimann (Burnt Hills / Century Plants) debut solo release. Effects-laden solo guitar that sounds subaquatic - ghostly & nauseous swirls.

• Incidences cassette (Digitalis) 2

Eric Hardimann (Burnt Hills / Century Plants). 2 tracks per side of solo guitar / electronics. Spectral feedback and wowing to the point of nausea.

Music by Raymond MacDonald, Graeme Wilson, Christoph Reiserer and Markus Henze: a group of four improvising saxophonists. There's something about the sound of this quartet which is quite baroque at times. Although there are totally free pieces, others were inspired by texts or images and they lock into underpinning patterns which sound quite arranged rather than being a free for all. To add to the enjoyable sounds there's a graphic score reproduced in the cd insert, which informs us that one piece was developed from an idea supplied by Fred Frith. Oh - also worth a mention - the first track, Tchai-Ovna, is a titular homage to one of our favourite small venues in Glasgow, where you can also (as the name suggests) get a super selection of teas! (JC)

Two Horses follows on from Andy Robbins' instrumental tape (which was well received at the Melodybar) in fine style. This is an album of songs - very good they are too - and one long, driving instro. to finish. There's elements of psych-pop, drone-folk and old country blues going on here. I'm thinking that I might be hearing some nods to Bert Jansch, Will Oldham and Tyrannosaurus Rex, but I only mention these as a rough outline. There are really nice textures, from violin & 'cello, electronics and autoharp and, all in all, this album is one I can recommend quite easily. (JC)

It would be a lazy reviewer who simply compared this to another contemporary female singer-songwriter (insert Scout Niblett or similar name here). Yes, this will appeal to fans of these artists, but this is a distinctive voice which has a smoky haze to it more reminiscent of Karen Dalton and the style would've sat well on the Electra label in its pre-corporate days. A new voice to welcome warmly. (JC)

suave polo neck pop in a similar vein to post Neu! fixation Stereolab - bubbly keyboards, liquid-hipped basslines and Cinecitta soundtrack quirkiness and Anthony's understated vocals - on the split Testbild serve up a cheery number with fiddled-with vocals and catchy keyboards melodies a-go-go 

Neil Davidson has taken his acoustic guitar on many fascinating sonic adventures, forever pushing the language of sounds possible with this instrument to new places. Here he joins a group of musicians from Portugal led by the rather legendary Ernesto Rodrigues on viola and also featuring his son Guilherme Rodrigues on 'cello and Hernani Faustino on double bass. Here the four - sorry, Fower - play with hushed minimal intensity, leading to some passages which let loose with freedom and passion, a range which makes this album an absorbing journey. (JC)

Another gorgeous wee disc on 267 Lattajjaa. Lo-fi bedroom pop / folk, made by "musically challenged teenagers" - there are some lovely female sung melodies, accompanied on guitar, casio and hand percussion, slightly (pleasantly) off-key and hesitant. Reminds me of some of the stuff Slampt used to put out albeit a bit more fried. Great cover of "Walk on By" too.

Excellent trio recording from 3 members of Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra: vocalist Aileen Campbell, double bassist Una MacGlone and flautist Emma Roche. The 5 tracks move with ease from wild freeform abandonment to long breathes of bow and blow with Aileen Campbell's extraordinary vocalizations oscillating like a feline theremin  to malevolent inversions of chamber music ("Rain & Rising Dust"). Again, nice boat-themed handmade packaging from Iorram.

Another excellent missive from New Zealand's Rory Storm. Outsider songwriting with scouring guitar and some malfunctioning electronic interludes. 

• Raag Manifestos cd (VHF) 7.50

• I Do Play Rock 'n' Roll LP (Three Lobed) 14

While jack rose's compositional skills are always clear and apparent, observing one of his live performances allows even the most casual of listeners to be exposed to his works in an entirely new light. when played for an audience, rose's compositions are given time to stretch out and display an improvisational punctuation. various live tracks have popped up over the course of rose's discography, but i do play rock and roll is his first complete album of live material. I do play rock and roll's forty-one minutes are comprised of only three tracks meticulously selected from jack's live archives. an epic workout of "calais to dover" (originally appearing on 2005's kensington blues) recorded in 2006 starts the whole affair with a bang. the follow-up is documentation from a 2004 appearance on VPRO-fm in the form of "cathedral et chartres." the disc's closer, "sundogs" is a real treat. previously available only as a studio performance on the seminal by the fruits... triple LP compilation, it takes on a whole other twenty-two minute grinding, droning life live. This disc will be released on vinyl by three lobed recordings in september 2008 from a limited edition of 1000 copies. the LP will be on 180g RTI vinyl and housed within an "old style" high gloss LP cover." (3 Lobed)