Plutonic Rainbows

I am learning Python this year.

• Harlan Ellison - Angry Candy
• Carl Sagan - Cosmos
• M.R James - Ghost Stories Of An Antiquary
• Donna Tartt - The Goldfinch

Looking to the year ahead, I am going to try and post more on books and films as well as music. Hopefully there will be some great new things coming in 2018.

Best wishes to you for the new year.

In previous years, I've posted fairly long lists but I think I'll keep it short this time. There were others but these in particular are great albums that kept me spooked or blissed out.

• Claude Speeed - Infinity Ultra
• William Basinski - A Shadow in Time
• Niggas With Guitars - Ethnic Frenzy
• Ossining - I Will Be Missed
• Danny Wolfers - Swan Song of the Skunkape
• Aaron Dilloway - The Gag File
• Nadia Struiwigh - Lenticular
• Huerco S. For Those Who You Have Never (And Also Those Who Have)
• Pessimist - Pessimist
• Phil Struck - QTT5
• The Hardy Tree - Through Passages Of Time
• Alessandro Cortini - AVANTI
• Sky H1 - Motion
• Konx-om-Pax - Caramel
• Depeche Mode - Spirit
• Martial Canterel - Lost At Sea
• Ciaran Byrne - Galtrim
• Broken Lift - Kosmosu
• The Focus Group - Stop-Motion Happening
• Gatekeeper - Optimus Maximus
• Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch - Blade Runner 2049
• Naaahhh - Themes

The last albums of 2017 I've heard are Bheal by Ian Martin, Where Things Are Hollow by Pye Corner Audio and Other Infinities by Claude Speeed.

Bheal is an album of dark, dense and somewhat disturbing electronics. There is an undeniable tense quality to many of the tracks. Clearly aimed at listeners who want to be unsettled by their listening experiences.

Claude Speeed follows on from Infinity Ultra earlier this year with Other Infinities - a selection of pieces that did not make it onto that album. This new release has some catchy hooks such as on Invocation of the Spirit of RUSSIA. In truth, a lot of these pieces feel like demos and offcuts of varying quality and it's not too difficult to see why they didn't fit with the previous album. However, they are still curious pieces in their own way and worth a listen.

Where Things Are Hollow sees Pye Corner Audio setting out over four tracks of sequencer driven goodness. As usual, there are hints of John Carpenter and much of it has a film soundtrack quality.

Great end of year surprise from Damon Wild, delivering his third album and thirteen years since his last one. This is a superb blend of techno ambience, dreamy soundscapes and evocative sequencer driven melodies. Wonderful stuff.

You can get if from Boomkat in a variety of formats.

Bleep:

Anna von Hausswolff’s Pomperipossa Records becomes the first label to host a new Scanner LP in eight years. Fibolae deals primarily with the changes that have happened in Robert Rimbaud’s life since 2009’s Rockets, Unto The Edge Of Rockets. Beginning with a series of answer phone messages left by lost loved ones - his brother, his mother and Coil’s John Balance to name but three - the LP touches on doom metal, techno, post-punk and synthwave while remaining firmly in its own lane. ‘Spirit Cluster’ is a John Carpenter theme that never was, while ‘Savage is Savage’ is an unrelenting assault of drums and synths that brings to mind a less refined version of These New Puritans’ Hidden.

You can buy it here.

Bleep:

S>>D aka Sean Dorris from Belfast delivers his debut album called Co Intel Pro on CPU. Refined sampling alongside hip hop influenced breaks sees S>>D operating in a similar dimension to VHS Head. Reminiscent of 1980s sci-fi soundtracks interwoven with IDM-tinged electro, haunting atmospheres prevail throughout with hints of a genre that has yet to emerge. Presented over 2x12" vinyl at 45rpm for superior sound quality.

Fans of Pye Corner Audio, Gescom or indeed anything on Skam will certainly dig this. You can listen to the album previews here.

Stereogum:

Enigmatic vaporwave prankster James Ferraro has just behaved like enigmatic vaporwave prankster James Ferraro and uploaded a new collection of music to Bandcamp without any warning or description. Appropriately enough, it’s called Troll, and its cover art appears to be a poorly compressed MS Paint doodle. But the music is both weirder and better than that slapdash presentation suggests, and you can hear all five tracks here.