Juno Recommends Experimental: July 2024

Review: 'Autobahn' by Kraftwerk, released in 1974, is a seminal track that redefined the future of electronic music. Its significance lies not only in its innovative use of synthesisers and electronic instruments but also in its ability to evoke a specific visual and emotional landscape. Here, the song's repetitive, motorik rhythms are given an overhaul - or more specifically three - by Jim Rider, a regular at Lee Burridge's All Day I Dream parties. They're beefed up for the floor, certainly, but maintain the kind of delicate touches that makew the original such a great listen.

Review: Dave Tipper, formerly a key component of the late 90s/early 00s breakbeat scene both as a producer and as bossof the Fuel label, reissues this Tipper album released in 2014 but still garnering immense interest a decade later. His 12th full-length release masterfully blends IDM, breakbeat, glitch, and downtempo, veering from downtempo to sound design and his impeccable, inimitable breaks sound. Through innovative sound manipulation techniques, he juxtaposes skewed, chopped, and distorted low-end transmissions with ethereal orchestral melodies, making this a must have for fans of challenging - in all the right ways - music.

Review: Prolific experimental musician Eiko Ishibashi and filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi follow up their for-the-ages 2021 collaboration for the latter's film adaptation of Drive My Car, with a slick and bold proclamation in jazz, electronica and improv: Evil Does Not Exist. Indeed, only the enlightened among us know that the ills of the world largely boil down to misunderstandings - oversights contra insights - thereby rendering any recourse to real malice by bad actors null, even when they themselves think it true. Evil Does Not Exist once more appears as both an album and film; the former artist's soundtrack here is as sublime as the realisation itself, combining dense copses of brass and freeform drumming to produce a euphoric miasma.

Review: The Long Shadow Falls collects the 41 unknown and redreamt mixes that Current 93 created for two (long-ago sold-out) lathe-cut 12" releases, respectively titled 'The Long Shadow Falls' and 'Why Can't We All Just Walk Away?'. Whereas the original lathe pressings are lost to time, this reissue thankfully revives this curiously lengthy record. The former suite is riven across a whopping 39 twelve-or-so-minute ambient/post-rock cuts, while 'Why Can't We All Just Walk Away' comes as a single fourteen minute opus, and is backed by a short untitled tune. Yes, this is the same song repeated 41 times over, with subtle differences in the mix between them. Evincing the musical cunning of a Himalayan cat, these are just the sorts of antics we've come to expect from Tibet and co.

Review: Since returning in 2015 following a two-decade long hiatus, post-punk experimentalists The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus has offered up a trio of admired albums. Even so, The Dream We Carry is still the multi-media-loving Liverpool collective's first new full-length for four years. It's an inspired set all told, with the band shrouding their beautiful neo-folk and ethereal compositions in simmering strings, dusty sound design, oodles of effects, and all manner of samples and field recordings. It's quietly picturesque and exquisitely crafted, providing a mixture of musical melancholy and hopeful positivity. It comes highly recommended.

Review: By 1996, Richard D. James, aka Aphex Twin, had a prolific career at 26. He co-ran Rephlex Records, signed with Warp Records, and had multiple releases and MTV-aired music videos. His fame surged with the 1997 Come to Daddy EP and Chris Cunningham-directed music videos. James was constantly creating music, describing his output as endless. The Richard D. James Album marked a turning point, featuring his creepy distorted smile on the cover, solidifying his bizarre persona. Despite his unassuming demeanor, James's music was wildly innovative. Raised in Cornwall, he preferred making music in solitude, viewing himself as "some kid mucking around in his bedroom." Departing from previous methods, the album was entirely computer-made, reflecting recent work. James aimed for accessibility with hidden complexity, making the music engaging yet intricate. The album featured more structured songs with clear melodies, such as 'Girl/Boy Song,' blending orchestral sounds with drum solos. Symphonic elements persisted, creating emotionally resonant moments. Tracks like '4' and 'Fingerbib' showcased his ambient sensibilities and inventive sounds. Vocals, heavily altered, added a unique touch.
The album combined delicate symphonics with intense beats, exploring drill ‘n’ bass. It had a cohesive vision, evident in tracks like 'Cornish Acid' and 'Peek 82454201.' Named after his deceased brother, the album held personal significance, subtly influencing its depth and emotion.

Review: Inside the brand new issue:

David Lynch & Chrystabell: As their new album Cellophane Memories marks the culmination of 20-plus years of collaboration, the director and singer unpack their dream-like songs over a damn fine cup of coffee. By Britt Brown

The Sound World Of David Lynch: The Wire's writers decode the strange audio messages embedded in the work of the visionary film director, with essays by Philip Brophy, Joe Muggs, Ned Raggett, Xenia Benivolski, Marc Weidenbaum, JR Moores, Lucy Thraves, Bill Meyer, Kurt Gottschalk, Emily Pothast, Claire Biddles, Ryan Meehan and Derek Walmsley, plus ONO's travis

Invisible Jukebox: Dhangsha: Will Asian Dub Foundation's founder member screw his face up at The Wire's mystery record collection? Tested by Daryl Worthington

Unlimited Editions: Gothenburg's Discreet Music label and distro reps DIY values in their international roster

The Inner Sleeve: Mabe Fratti on Pescado Rabioso's Artaud

Global Ear: Monterrey is the melting pot for cumbia sound system styles from Mexico and beyond. By Juan San Cristobal Lizama

Copper Sounds: Bristol's instrument inventors ring the changes from bells to ceramics. By Louis Pattison

Miaux: Retro synths provide a happy ending for the Belgium based musician and sountrack composer. By Leah Kardos

Theodora Laird & Caius Williams: The London improvising duo are back in the room with their site-specific jams. By Lucy Thraves

Epiphanies: Lonnie Holley goes to church and finds himself in the recording studio

The Wire Tapper 65: A track-by-track guide to this issue's free CD

Soundcheck: Ernie Althoff, A Song For You, Black Decelerant, Nathan Bowles Trio, Brique, Kim Cass, Clevelode, FIN, Alec Goldfarb, Haunted Plasma, Alexander Hawkins & Sofia Jernberg, Takashi Inagaki, Vijay Iyer, KMRU, Iztok Koren, Ana Kravanja, Samo Kutin, Landless, Lankum, Eve Libertine, LoSO, Ian Lynch, Drew McDowall, Joe McPhee with Ken Vandermark, Microcorps, more eaze/pardo/glass, Neil Luck, Antonina Nowacka, Oneida, Pale Spring, Tristan Perich & Ensemble, Pseudotouriste, Psychic Graveyard, Laila Sakini, Sawn Half, Scientist, Senyawa, Shark In A Bathtub, ShrapKnel, Wadada Leo Smith, Wadada Leo Smith & Amina Claudine Myers, Sote, Vince Staples, Tegh & Adel Poursamadi, JG Thirlwell, Pat Thomas/Dominic Lash/Tony Orrell, Thuluth, Laurie Tompkins & Max Syedtollan, Wave Generators, Weird Weather, Yokel, Patricia Wolf, Xylitol, Loula Yorke, ZULI

The Boomerang: Steve Beresford, Elaine Brown, Faust, Fingers, Jorga Mesfin, Louis Moholo-Moholo, Purl, Sparks, Noel, Martin Rev, Alan Vega, Ween

Print Run: Futuromania: Electronic Dreams, Desiring Machines And Tomorrow's Music Today by Simon Reynolds; Rebel Girl: My Life As A Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna; Neu Klang: The Definitive History Of Krautrock by Christoph Dallach; Living Space: John Coltrane, Miles Davis And Free Jazz, From Analog To Digital by Michael Veal; The World Got Away: A Memoir by Mikel Rouse

On Screen: Matt Stephenson & Alan Jones Burning Bridges: The Story Of Paul Burwell

On Location: Badhead Festival, Shenzhen, China; Roadburn, Tilburg, Netherlands; Elaine Mitchener, London, UK; Robert Ashley's Foreign Experiences, New York, US; Moers Festival, Moers, Germany; Long Play Festival, New York, US; Blurt, London, UK; Chicago Jazz String Summit 2024, Chicago, US; Bristol New Music, Bristol, UK; Long Play: Sam Prekop & John McEntire + Kate NV + The Soft Pink Truth, New York, US; Lanark Artefax, London, UK

On Site: brecht fragments, London, UK

Review: Guitarist and composer Patrick Higgins moves out of his comfort zone for a high concept record that pushes boundaries in many directions. As emotionally charged as it is expansive, the title track itself premiered at Monom Studios, Berlin, on a 75 surround speaker setup, giving some idea as to how bold and high spec the ideas are behind the collection as a whole. Versus has plenty of fingers on live instrumentation, but it's also concerned with totems of electronic production - the seamless interweaving of musical textures and layers, free improvisation and an appreciation for bridging styles within and between tracks themselves. Avant garde, ambient, experimental, and installation-worthy stuff from a true great, these are less tracks and more sonic moments contributing to a wider, singular work that's good enough to fully immerse you.

Review: Newly signed to Ninja Tune, Ebbb debuts with a five-track EP that shows great intent. Emerging from the same London avant-garde live scene that birthed black midi and Black Country New Road, the band has quickly developed a unique sound in just a year. Their music blends pulsing rhythms, immersive electronic production, sparkling melodies, layered vocal harmonies, and beats that range from ambient to industrial. Described by the band themself as "Brian Wilson meets Death Grips," the EP is experimental and unpredictable yet deeply considered and precise with an idiosyncratic hybrid of sounds that showcases Ebbb's innovative and tightly crafted music.

Review: This new reissue of The Angel From The West Window by Tangerine Dream's showed the returned back to their electronic music roots in 2011. Departing from the mellower tones that characterized some of their 90s output, the band's latest album at the time delved into more challenging and orchestral electronic landscapes. The Angel of the West Window, inspired by the works of German author Gustav Meyrink, showcases a revitalised sound: pulsating sequencers, expansive synthesized textures, and evocative electric guitar solos dominate the album. Collaborating with Thorsten Quaeschning, Froese infuses the tracks with dynamic rhythmic foundations and ethereal electronic layers, creating an edgy and immersive sonic experience. Electric violin accents add a haunting depth to the compositions, enhancing their atmospheric quality. Standout tracks like 'The Mysterious Gift to Mankind' and 'Living in Eternity' highlight Tangerine Dream's ability to blend synthetic and organic elements seamlessly. The album's thematic richness and sensitive melodies evoke a cinematic scope, making it ideal for both introspective listening and atmospheric settings. Long-time fans have welcomed this resurgence, celebrating Tangerine Dream's return to form and their enduring influence on electronic music. Tangerine Dream's musical legacy and innovative spirit is part of electronic music history. Fans of their Virgin records output should really enjoy this album.