Joshua McAbee & the (7/13) Moon - Accidentally Transcending cassette (Housecraft) 1

This comes sweeping in like a melodic fog off the sea: oscillations turn into a radio dial tuning in strings on the shortwave, a voice squelches up and down in pitch like scratching vinyl and there's a very hopeful sounding end too. All on a neatly packaged tape with 5 screw fixing on the cassette shell, just so you know it's good quality. (JC)

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)

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. 

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.

Anthony Magen - Pourquoi? 3" cdr (Black Petal) 4

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

Magnetic North Duo - Static Fields Forever cdr (Tape Drift) 5.50

New project featuring Sindre Bjerga alongside improvising guitarist Nils Rostad. It's a good match with the warm guitar tones splashing like sunbeams through Bjerga's low bass rumble and fog of hum.

Greg Malcolm - Leather and Lacy cd (Interregnum) 8

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.

Were you needing to visit the dentist to have your teeth de-scaled? No need: just open wide, play the first track on this cd at volume and the plaque will be melt away in seconds! It's called Flash Pumper: fairly short, but very effective and an overture to the sonic warfare to follow. Ominous subsonics, hypnotic morse-like patterns, extreme electronics from Jaime Fennelly and Chris Peck. Mr Fennelly's other credits include Phantom Limb, Bison, Peeesseye, and the splendidly named peeinmyfacewithsurgery. I am not familiar with the oeuvre of the latter combo, but decided it might be prudent if I avoided searching for them on the computer where I work. (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)

Matricarians (with Paul Ricketts) - Water Music cdr (Self-released) 5

Another new release by the prolific Alan Davidson. I have to say I could never tire of hearing anything involving him, and his Matricarians project is as fine as the best Kitchen Cynic recordings. Matricarians also features the talents of Susan Matthews, Duncan Hart and David Mackay. "Water Music" was inspired by a recording Alan was sent of humming water pipes (which sound like a didgeridoo!) by Paul Ricketts (which he uses on one track here) and the other 15 tracks all have a watery theme from atmospheric field recordings (such as the dripping cistern at the Scotia Bar!) to haunting takes on traditional folk songs (eg the wonderful "Boddamers Hanged the Monkey") to Alan's own compositions, as ever brimming with his magical story-telling. The music encompasses Alan's shimmering bell-like acoustic guitar-playing, haunting string-based drones, heaps of reverb / echo and some gorgeous percussion that reminds me of music boxes. Magical. 

Mechanical Children 

• Blue Mouth cdr (Blackest Rainbow) 2.50

A duo featuring Ben and Sarah of Jazzfinger. Apparently recording using two broken drum machines, although you'd be hard-pressed to have guessed that, as this sounds like the rheumatic wheeze of old machinery - buzzing analogue electronics. Comes packaged in an LP sized sleeve.

• I Rise To Cover All LP (Blackest Rainbow) 9.25

"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)

Meditations - Precipice cassette (Digitalis) 5

Not the kind of meditations you would use to mellow down easy. Bass that crawls under your skin, black metal vocals, warped synth and a general air of malevolence.

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.

Melodie du Kronk - Moxie Carmichael's Secret 7" (Great Pop Supplement) 3.75

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) 5.75

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)

Metal Rouge 

• Three For Malachi Ritscher cd (Root Strata) 9

First non-cdr release from Andrew Scott & Helga Fassonaki and it's a gem. Guitar, pedal steel and wordless vocals combine in incredible zoned drones, focussed through delay and some brutal distortion. The opener builds into a string-bending wail of molten metal. The second may be quieter but is no less intense, with dulled tone thrums and shimmering steel. The final track echoes Charalambides with Helga's spectral vocals weaving a path through the pedal steel and guitar. Highly recommended.

• 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.

• Republican Trees LP (Digitalis) 15

Metal Rouge on vinyl - Christmas has come early! And in a gorgeous silk-screened sleeve too. Spectral string-bending reminiscent of "Joy Shapes" Charalambides. Andrew Scott's shredded guitar at times bleeds out the speakers and Helga's disembodied vocals will haunt you from here to next week.

• 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.

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.

Moglass are a trio from Ukraine who use guitar, bass and electronics to create a glacial world where space and time are drawn out to the point of becoming meaningless. 

also: Tom Carter

Mok Nok cdr (Reverb Worship) 5.50

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 

• Mandala Levitations cassette (Pacific City) 4.50

Two new instalments of mesmerizing casio / fuzz gloop from Spencer Clark (Skaters / Vodka Soap) - cheap keyboard sounds flutter rhythmically, jungle beat percussion throbs and a levitational vibe permeates both cassettes.

• 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.

Monopoly Child & Black Joker - Star in Nightlife on Horseback cdr (Pacific City Cassettes) 5

A collaboration between 2 of Spencer Clark's alter-egos creating a hypnotic swirl of casio / hand percussion, with that super-compressed tape-recorded sound.

Monosov / Swirnoff 

• Five Recorded Works Vol 3 LP (Eclipse) 6

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) 6

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) 6

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)

Moonswift - s/t cdr (Reverb Worship) 5.50

The three songs contained here run to nearly 35 minutes, the shortest coming in at a little under ten minutes... expansive music indeed. As I write this review, a morning of foggy swirls mists the tree outside my window and Moonswift's ethereal voice (she plays bass too) and the guitars of Sand Snowman and Mike Baluk create an ideal atmosphere of mystery. All rather lovely. (JC)

Moor Loups - Death By Someone's Choice 3" cdr (Reverb Worship) 4

"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) 10

" 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) 3.50

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).

also: Jon Dale

• 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.

Mudboy / Orphan Fairytale split LP (Bread and Animals) 10.50

Gorgeously presented LP in a silk-screened sleeve that seems to be thick with paint, even the inner sleeve is decorated. One side of solo Mudboy (with a little from Stefan Neville - Pumice - on chord organ on the opener): warped electronics / synth swarm. The other side finds him team up with Belgian Orphan Fairytale in a hypnotic dream / nightmare world of synths, chord organs, child-like electronics, weird resonances and occasional wordless vocals.

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) 3

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: Teenage Fanclub

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.

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 Enemy - Elil EP cdep (Vapen & Godis) 1

Myrmyr - The Amber Sea cd (Digitalis) 7

Myrmyr are a duo comprising Agnes Szelag and Marielle Jakobsons (Darwinsbitch) and this is a concept album about the story of amber, tracing its origins and folklore. It's a magical and mysterious album, appropriately for such an extraordinary stone. The album opens with a Nico-esque harmonium-based drone-song. The album continues in a beautifully sombre vein with Baltic-tinged chamber folk, comprising 'cello, violin, piano and assorted woodwind / brass, and  electro-acoustic drone-based compositions that remind me of A Broken Consort. 

"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)

also: Neil Davidson, Raymond MacDonald

An exquisite album of experimental folk from the stunning gatefold sleeve to the extraordinary music within. Glasgow-based trio Nalle are artist Hanna Tuulikki, Chris Hladowski (One Ensemble, Family Elan) and Aby Vulliamy (One Ensemble, National Jazz Trio of Scotland). Side one opens with an adaptation of a poem by Robert Frost: a warm cocooning drone of singing bowls and harmonium, delicate improvisatory fingers of oud playing and Hanna's voice and Aby's viola swooping and swooning round each other. The album mixes Eastern European and English folk forms with modal drones and madrigals with Japanese Gagaku and throughout Hanna's vocals are in stunning shamanic form almost as if she's trying to birth a new emotional language. The Japanese influence can be heard most strongly on "Alice's Ladder" with vocal, bowed bouzouki & flute carrying the melody / harmony lines amid the otherworldly pluckings of kantele and also on "Young Light" which features some great hammer dulcimer playing from Chris. "Voi Ruusani" is a reinterpretation of a Finnish gypsy song as atonal funereal dirge, and at 10 minutes long it forms the backbone of the album along with joyful episodic "Seven Sirens" which comes over like Family Elan playing "A Very Cellular Song" with a hand-clapping, bells-a-jingling Hanna defying you to resist a jig around your bedroom. The album ends austerely with the avant-madrigal "First Eden Sank to Grief". This is an album that slowly uncoils its secrets and magic and although the influences are often obvious, it's woven together by 3 very talented individuals into something completely unique. The music is beautifully recorded by our reviewer John Cavanagh at Glo-spot and I've been a big Nalle fan for some time so I may be biased, but this is an utterly magical album I can't recommend highly enough. 

also: The Mystery Water Saloon Boys, Singing At the Moon comp, One Ensemble, Hanna Tuulikki, Family Elan

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)

also: Sunmilk, Golden Oaks, Juniper Meadows, Autumn Galaxy, Akhet, Eastern Fox Squirrels, Ajilvsga

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.

Marianne Nowottny - Skymother Mountain cdr (Foxglove) 5

A truly zoned performance from Marianne Nowottny, reading the poetry of Li Bai accompanied by the haunting exotic pluckings of the zheng (like a Chinese hammer dulcimer) - another beautiful package from Foxglove.

NTHnthsthSTH - s/t LP (Release the Bats) 12.50

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) 3

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. 

unnerving electronic ambience from this French artist

Lovely new album from Loren Chasse (Blithe Suns / Thuja) of horizon-reaching floating tones carved from autoharp, cymbalon, zither, sheng, guitar and stones. 

On - s/t LP (Saucerlike) 3

Vinyl issue of the recent C/Psi/P cdr. Germs-style primal punk from Australia, propelled by a two pronged bass rumble that's loaded with menace.

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.

Roberto Opalio 

• The Last Night of the Angel of Glass cdr & dvdr (Foxglove) 5

Vast chorales of looped wails and cries dissipating into pure tonal guitar traces. Carrick's son wants me to point out that the vocals made his internal organs rise into his neck and his soul shrivel ... Anyway, he's still alive and he's right about one thing, this is as far from aural wallpaper as it gets. Mind-messingly beautiful. There's a dvd-r with a hypnotic film shot in real time of an Opalio glass art creation and candle burning on his balcony. Highly recommended. Sold out at source.

• Whispers of the Last Night dvdr (Opax) 4

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."

also: My Cat Is An Alien, Praxinoscope, Painting Petals on Planet Ghost

Roberto Opalio / Maurizio Opalio split LP (Important) 8

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) 5.50

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) 3

Fabio Orsi - Faded on the Blowing of Winter 3" (Akoustic Disease) 3.75

Another gorgeous release from Fabio Orsi on Italian label Akoustic Disease, in nicely handmade packaging. The first track builds into a dream-like orchestral swell out of the rheumatic wheeze of a chord organ and a very muffled take on the bass line from Suicide's "Ghost Rider" (really!). The second is possibly Orsi's most soporific drone work yet.

Fabio Orsi / Valerio Cosi - We Could For Hours cd (A Silent Place) 6

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) 6

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.

Two way collaborations: on side 1 Fabio "demixes" The North Sea and on side 2 the roles are reversed. Orsi's side ranges from sitar drones to field recordings; The North Sea start with sparse strings and end in a tidal wave of sound. Fine stuff and nice artwork from George Parsons too. (JC)

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!

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.

The latest on Dublin's Deserted Village is a split cdr featuring 2 tracks, a collaboration from papercut and Wrecking ball. The first track is a lovely piece of drifting submarinal drone that starts off gloomy in a Bjerga / Iversen way, then brightens like the sun is piercing the depths. The 2nd is a longer piece of slowly uncoiling manipulated tones that buzzes initially with distant electronic chatter then evolves into piercing tones feeding back on each other.

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)

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.

also: Electroscope, Gold Leaf Branches comp, Rewriting the Book comp, Kanoja, Myos Hanoja comp, Wailing Bones Volume 8 comp

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.

Before anyone hurls a charge of nepotism in my direction, I was in the thrall of Rusted Rail before I made a record for them and my undimmed enthusiasm for Keith Wallace's label would be - er - undimmed even if he hadn't just released a new Phosphene cd. Did you detect the faint whiff of self publicity there? Where was I...? Oh yes, the new R/R/release from these Yorkshire based Galway folks is utterly lovely. Aaron Hurley's high, plaintive voice sits atop a shimmering cloud of tremolo guitar, vibraphone and 'cello. Guests include Anne Marie & Aaron from Mirakil Whip and Dave Colohan, there's a marvellous track with lots of spoken contributions... it sounds good; it looks good... go on, get it! (JC)

Pheonix Cube - Walking the Shore cdr (Barl Fire) 6

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 

• featuring Lol Coxhill and Friends - The Plum, the Orange and the Matchbox cd (Secret Eye) 8.50

An intriguing tapestry of sound from John Cavanagh (ex-Electroscope and author of a book on Pink Floyd's 'Piper ...' LP) in collaboration with soprano saxophonist Lol Coxhill and others (inc Raymond MacDonald & George Burt): John underpins their free jazz blowings with some magical Delia Derbyshire-inspired analogue electronics and spiked organ-playing - highly recommended

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.

also: Electroscope, Raymond MacDonald, George Burt, The Honeymoon Music Compilation, Rewriting the Book comp

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

Synth sounds from Arkansas. Impenetrable walls of fuzz-heavy blocks of synth assault interspersed with floating throbbing tones and woozy songs that verge on the point of breaking up.

The Pistil Cosmos 

• Wandering in the Dark cdr (Great Pop Supplement) 5.50

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)

• Smoking Clouds in the Land of Fire cdr (Stunned) 4.50

This is a darker trip into the cosmos with Vincent Caylet (V, Monks of the Balhill) than previous releases. Vincent's wordless vocals echo endlessly into a chasm of reverberating haze on the opener and on the second track his voice tracks beams of pulsing electricity and heavy blasts of fuzz. Sold out at source. 

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.

"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)

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. 

The Polyps - Isla & Elma cassette (Digitalis) 1

Quirky bedroom pop from Raf Spielman of the Golden Hours. The kind of fuzzed-out over-the-limit home recordings you thought had gone the way of 8 track cartridges ... introspective fragile laments with melodica mingle with ramshackle pop with cranked-up gutar and rudimentary percussion. Nice hand-painted sleeves.

Ramona Ponzini & Z'ev - Ankoku cd (A Silent Place) 6

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. 

Brigid Power Ryce - You Are Here EP 3" cdr (Rusted Rail) 5

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)

Praxinoscope 

Gorgeous picture disc reissue of the s/t Praxinoscope cdr that came out on Opax last year. Praxinoscope is Roberto Opalio (My Cat is an Alien) and Ramona Ponzini (Painting Petals on Planet Ghost). Roberto's disembodied vocals grow into a vast spooked choir over Ramona's delicately glassy bells and chimes, and minimal space electronics  - beautiful and highly recommended.

also: My Cat is an Alien, Painting Petals on Planet Ghost, Roberto Opalio

These are the first recordings made by Constantin Dubois (who runs the Nothing Out There label) and Aurelie Brouet. Recorded during winter in a cold bedroom, according to the insert, the sounds within do seem to be infested with chill air; abstract notes amid a lonesome spaciousness and heavy sense of foreboding and melancholy. 

Pulse Emitter - Oppressive Nature cd (Digitalis) 7.75

Modular synth-scapes from Daryl Groetsch of Portland, Oregon. This oscillates between spiralling bubbles which I feel should accompany a '70s school science programme, horizontal meditations and all-out fizzing onslaughts. Nice gatefold card sleeve.

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.

• Forever Bleeding Canyon Cloud cdr (Foxglove) 2

More shudderingly gorgeous otherworldly drift from Dublin's Timothy Hurley, also of Bonecloud. Bottom-of-the-well drone, a huge, enveloping fog of wordless vocal swarm and spooked choral clouds. 

• Sleeping Within the Sun cdr (Phantom Limb) 2

"Easily one of the hardest working young artists in the free-form music world today, Tim Hurley, aka Quetzolcoatl, has been releasing his sonic bliss like a hundred flowers blooming.  Luckily, he stopped by our garden and gave us this collection of works, a cosmic swirl of keyboard pulses and vocal loops.  Guaranteed to make you nod out and then undergo some powerfully transformative dreaming.  " (PL)

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)

Free improv music which encompasses jazz influences, a tinge of acid rock and that rather fascinating jumping-off point where punk artists melded their edginess with the feeling that their music could go almost anywhere. Moments here made me think of the feel the Raincoats caught with Odyshape, although most of this is instrumental, so that's more an impression than any direct similarity. The main instruments here are drum and guitar, with Rhodes keyboard sounds, a Damo-esque vocal or two and, throughout, a very strong sense of groove. (JC)

Solo recordings by Eric Hardimann of Burnt Hills / Century Plants. Ghostly oscillations and weird atmospheric fluctuations in the midst of a great fogged fuzz. 

• Rusted Prayers Converge cdr (Tape Drift) 2

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

• Incidences cassette (Digitalis) 5

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

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.

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

This compiles the two LPs (Red Horse, White Mule and Opium Musick) onto one cd: warm, beautifully recorded acoustic finger-picked guitar bliss - hints of Jansch / Fahey - from Pelt member. Highly recommended.

• 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)