Tulasi / Caligine split C40 (Jozik, 2011)

Tulasi / Caligine split C40
Jozik 2011

Here is a split tape between Tulasi and Caligine from Italy (who we reviewed a few posts below) released by Jozik Records. According to Jozik, “Tulasi is a Finnish duo, who are also known for their solo projects Kulkija and Kutomo.”

Side A/the first six songs feature Tulasi. The first track, Silver Love Ocean, opens with BEAUTIFUL drone harmonies/melodies that sound flute-like. Absolutely gorgeous pentatonic/middle eastern modes here. Speechless. The second track, Rose Salt 84, opens with some nice organ drones pulsating, flowing in waves, shimmering. Then the track enters into some more beautiful pentatonic melodies on the organ, then going back into the pulsating waves of blissed out drone. They bleed into the next track, Pulse for Perseids, entering into some more lush organ melodies. Very slow and calm, but not boring at all. On the fourth track, Aura of Elenin, things then get a little more rhythmic and groovy, adding some hand drum beats to the organ. This short track bleeds into the next one, Imminence of YU55, really nicely and smoothly, continuing the hand drum percussion and the organ’s pentatonic, sparse melodies.

Caligine’s side B is one, long 19 minute take, opening with electric guitar drones/feedback and bells or chimes in the distance. On top of the feedback enter some distorted, free form electric guitar chords/strumming. The electronics quiet down a bit and then some real pretty acoustic guitar work slowly fades in. Then on top of the guitar some unclear spoken word, maybe playing backwards (?) enters. I really enjoy the acoustic guitar work.

Samples/Tape is still available here: http://jozikrecords.blogspot.com/2011/12/tulasi-caligine-split-c40.html

Istituzioni Ambienti Naturalismo - Remore (A Collection) (Monstres Par Excès, 2012)

Istituzioni Ambienti Naturalismo - Remore (A Collection)
Monstres Par Excès 2012

This is quite a varied release with many of the tracks sounding a bit different. Most of the sounds in the album are made up of aggressive electronic noise washes. But since many of the tracks sound stylistically different, I’m going to do a (mostly) track by track review. The first track, Cetrioli Olandesi (Reprise), features such washes that comes in waves with short silent breaks in between.

Then the next track, First Impro for Joe, is something quite different, sounding like free form plucking on a detuned guitar and what seems like somebody moaning or crying through a trumpet. The juxtaposition of the two sounds goes nicely together. The third track, иå, is made of more harsh noise, this time creating more of a rumbling, stampede-like vibe. Also some high pitched tones in the mix. A bit more texturally dynamic than the first track.

The fourth track, Paresi (1948-2008), features some rattling sounds, hands rubbing together, some faint high pitched feedback. Really nice variety of sounds. A lot of rustling. Some human breathing. A nice recording of paper being torn, matches being lit. Very nice track.

The seventh track, Breve Studio sul Fenomeno della Saturazione di Frequenze #14, features some high pitched tones that could be a hearing test! Loud feedback! Ow! Haha. Some nice fluttering in the frequencies. Reminiscent of Mary Anne Amacher’s work, though not as rhythmic. It sounds like you are hearing the high pitched tones in your head (I mean you are anyway). Very cool track.

The eighth track, Second Impro for Joe, continues the work from the second track, First Impro for Joe. Features a similar moaning. This time instead backed by what sounds like a harmonica (I could be wrong). Track eleven, Nastro #13b, features some nice flute work, at times shrieking. Field recording background noise, some plucked instrument, something droning.

Track thirteen, Reietti, is a remix by 余益裔. We just reviewed a split of theirs with Caligine a couple posts down. This is a pretty slow paced track and is in a similar style to that split. At 14 minutes in, it’s made of some high pitched fluttering in the background, distant ambient electronics, and bass-y, long-form, synth drones. Not very full drones, mostly just one tone.

The last track, called Gravita features some free form acoustic guitar scrapes and squeaks going through effects, sliding up and down guitar strings, VERY echoe-y plucks and taps on the guitar’s body. It sounds like it’s being recorded in a church. Not very noisey or heavy, but a nice medium pace and volume.

Download for free here: http://www.mediafire.com/?887njy6e05qjea9

Caligine / 余益裔 - Verbi e Riverberi (Monstres par Excès, 2011)

Caligine / 余益裔 - Verbi e Riverberi
Monstres par Excès 2011

The first 5 tracks are by Caligine, and the last is by 余益裔. The first track, Radio Amitābha, features some light, background noise hiss in a field recording style and serves as a gentle opener. It’s only 30 seconds long. It segways smoothly into the background of the next track, Luce Viva I, which features some epic solo acoustic guitar meandering. Middle eastern modes, a bit free form in style. Also incorporates some nice harmonic picking and enters into some nice finger-picking work. Its haunting melodies remind me of Six Organs of Admittance during its Dark Noontide era. The third track, Luce Viva II, gets a little more complex with its technicality and if you listen closely in the background you hear some faint recordings of people speaking under the beautiful guitar work.

In the fourth track, Cadiamo in Pietre Vuote, the guitar continues but becomes backgrounded to some lightly pulsing electronic ambience with an ethereal feel. Some rain droplet sounds enter making a really nice combination with the pulsing, light beat. Sparse field recordings of people speaking, car horns honking as they pass. The field recordings continue into track 5, Il Freddo Riposa ad Est delle Montagne, (overall nice sequencing on the whole album) under some more acoustic guitar work. More rain, sounds of the wet street.

Track 6, Autophonia, by 余益裔, enters with some light hissing, faint bird chirping, cicadas, planes/helicopters, bells. One sound fading into the next quite smoothly. Then, out of nowhere, enters this AWESOME oboe-like instrument playing beautiful eastern pentatonic melodies. The bells/gong enter in unison with the melody, playing along. There is also a rainstick-like sound that enters. The oboe-like instrument enters and exits creating a nice spatial feel utilizing the silence.

Some rustling leaves enter along with some faint recordings of a TV or radio, something prerecorded of some old fashioned synth muzak. Next, it sounds like we’re at the beach with waves crashing. Some crackling from the wind. People talking. At around 19 minutes, it’s a very calmly paced track.

Very recommended split! Originally a white c60, 20 copies.

Download for free here: http://www.mediafire.com/?bhy1z6d916m9g1g