Midori - shinsekai

Latest 2010 output from Japan's interesting weirdness, Midori (ミドリ).
Another nice blend of jazz/pop/punk/scramz. Almost sounds like a timely festive album, plus the part where your long-lost relative finds the liquor cabinet and starts inflicting cerebral assaults over romping carols.

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Customer - Soft Comedy EP

Customer is...

better summated themselves:
"Customer is the beginning of what is commonly called the end. The idea is a simple one, creating music for the sake of creating music. There are no deep underlying themes in this music. In fact there aren’t even any members because everyone is a customer. They create some of the most under whelming sonic imagery ever to be conceived. Most likely, their message is… relax. Customer released Checkout Line in 2007, the Chocolate Ants EP in 2008 and the Soft Comedy EP in October 2010"


To be more literal I think it's three dudes from Ohio, playing folktronica/IDM. Some guitar in the mix, samples ranging from shampoo commercials(?), the X-Files, and I-wanna-say the Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (specifically the segment the Hellacopters sampled in "Gotta Get Some Action (Now)!").
Unsure about the sample in the final track but it's pretty cool. And dig the cover.
The rest of their discography is up for free download on their myspace, and based on the quality of this EP, I'd say they're worth a gander(ing).

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Undertakers Circus - Ragnarock

Undertakers Circus was a twelve-piece (apparent pair missed the photo-op) rock group from Oslo, Norway.
The band was founded in 1967, characterized by their dense horn-section and jazz influence, making for unique renditions of rock/psych/folk songs.
The band's first LP 'Ragnarock' was released five years after their initial singles, finally seeing light on Polydor records in 1973.

Highly slept on stuff -- the group is noted for being one of the first Norwegian rock bands to have politically heavy lyrics, and language barriers aside, it's evident they had their own spin on the conventional styles of the time. The album goes from straight out cardboard-cutting blasts (such as personal favorite "Løfte"), into the more obscure and delightfully weird dirges and sing-alongs.

Congas, flute, bass, brass, bells & whistles...
Def worth checking out.
They released one more album in 1975 as Undertakers Cirkus before disbanding in 1976, 'Brød & Cirkus'.

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Azat - Hesitate

Latest track from Azat.

Sailors With Wax Wings - s/t

Sailors With Wax Wings is a side-project of Pyramids creator R. Loren. He enlisted a who's-who for this atmospheric debut, which should be enough to pique your interest past any sort of influential review: Ted Parsons (Swans/Godflesh/Prong), Colin Marston (Krallice/Behold…The Arctopus), Aidan Baker (Nadja), Simon Scott (Slowdive), Dominick Fernow (Prurient/Cold Cave), Vern Rumsey (Unwound), Hildur Gudnadottir (Múm/Throbbing Gristle/The Knife), Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride), Jonas Renkse (Katatonia), Marissa Nadler, J. Leah, James Blackshaw, [and artwork by] David Tibet (Current 93) and Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer/Pyramids).

Basically the album operates as a shoegaze/dreamy collision of tremolo guitars and vocal effects often interspersed male/female. It lulls in some spots, but intentionally so, and repeat listens really give the feeling of experimentation while holding onto a fundamental sound -- guitars often criss-cross and intersect, the drums feel disconnected, vocal effects warble into clean, and in choice moments, the album explores darker territories that contrast perfectly with the otherwise ethereal.

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Babe Ruth - First Base

Babe Ruth were a rock band from England active throughout the 70's (along their latest release in 2009). The band has changed lineups multiple times throughout their total of six, with 'First Base' their debut in 1973. The band is known for their heavy/groove form of rock, led by the power-vox of Janita Haan.

I haven't checked out much else of their stuff, but this album is pretty cool. From the extended jam of "King Kong" to the standout "The Mexican"...it gets some repeat.

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Supdates

Ayso, friend RQM sent me a heads up on his new video for "Atomic Fusion" (from his 'Colors Fade' EP).
Maybe with permission I'll up robot koch's latest EP they hooked up, cover art alone is pretty sweet (not to mention he just released his latest, 'Songs for Trees & Cyborgs'):






Lastly of second, got an email from AFTA-1 on his latest project, which made me wish I'd check my email more often. In his words:

"I have once again begun a new journey In my creative process... Life Translations :

At heart, Life Translations is a daily experimental journey I have begun, intended to remove expectation and fear from the art that I am inspired to create through my life experience.

To further explain, Life Translations are my daily meditations; creations reflective of my daily life experience. They are pieces of music / photo / video / any art, inclusive of sounds and imagery collected from my immediate surrounding; created, and essentially completed in the same day, so as to maintain the purity of the initial inspiration which birthed the art.

The Idea is to Live, Collect, Translate, and Release. I live life, collect audible and visual fragments of my experience throughout the day, compile them with as little editing and interference as possible, then give away the purest form of the creation, before more layers or pieces are added.

It is a process I am thoroughly enjoying and learning a lot from every day. Very blessed that I can share it with all of you, and hopefully provide some healing L O V E tones for your own day to day."

So far he's released four of these, I compiled them into one folder but check back cause he'll likely update in-between brushing your teeth. And if you haven't bought/heard his last release 'F O R M' yet you R E A L L Y S H O U L D , I M O .
Each track has its own individual art (titled them for ya nice peepz), I just chose his cover for "Occasional Seed".

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