SIMM - Welcome (1998)

When I posted Tapping the Conversation, I found myself wondering what other releases could be filed under "forgotten and overlooked". I began a short, but rather intensive, staring contest with my record collection. Through all the blur, my eyes slowly began to affix on SIMM. Yes indeed! The world needs more Eraldo Bernocchi.

Sadly the case with SIMM, like with many good and promising projects, turned out to be yet another short-lived experiment, only releasing one 12"EP, this full length and a handful of compilation tracks. Both the EP and Welcome were released by Mick Harris' now-defunct Possible Recs.

While the first press was released back in 1996, this reissue came out two years later and featured two additional tracks, namely Him and Backstage sonic, created and recorded in February 1997.

"OK! Enough with the history lesson, how are the sounds?" Eraldo is up for the challenge, trust me. Combining dark and brooding ambient atmospheres, looped beats, his signature guitar manipulations and deep bass into a nicely flowing stream of ambient dub.

It's actually hard for me to pick out standout tracks, as the whole album flows very smoothly from start to finish. If I had to pick a personal favourite, I'd go with the second track, Some silences. Lovely basswork, the restrained beat and the synthbleeps emerging halway through the track. Mesmerizing stuff.

SIMM is an almost hypnotic approach to dark soundscapes and groovy beats. Very calm and laid back, but still packing some serious sonic punch, SIMM and Welcome deserve way more recognition, indeed. Highly recommended, enjoy!

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+47MB/320CBR)

The Bug - Tapping the Conversation (1997)

Audio surveillance, invasion of privacy, paranoia and guilt.

They are all themes explored in Francis Ford Coppola's movie The Conversation from 1974. The troubled main character Harry Caul, portrayed by Gene Hackman, is an audio surveillance expert capable of bugging any conversation between a group of people. For a price, of course. Not to give away too much of the plot, especially for those who haven't seen the movie and plan on doing so, let's just say that one seemingly small and irrational piece of conversation will change the lives of Harry and the people involved.

Let's skip forward in time, twenty-three years to be exact. It's 1997, and this is where The Bug, at this time a co-op between Kevin Martin and Andre Gurov, better known as DJ Vadim, comes in. When you combine these highly productive musicians with the additional help of Dave Cochrane on bass, Simon Hopkins on guitar and Alex Buess on bass clarinet, you get Tapping the Conversation.

This dub-hop rendition of the movie is truely a dive into the deep end. Cochrane's basslines combined with Vadim's beats are the foundation on which the audials and visuals of the movie are reinterpreted on. While the sparse beats advance rather slowly, the textures are constantly moving with K-Mart squeezing tones from his synthesizers, some distorted guitars or the laid-back howls of the bass clarinet.

Although there is a heavy emphasis in the booklet that "absolutely no sonic or visual samples" are taken from the movie, watching the film in advance will help you enjoy the album to the fullest, as the track names are tied to scenes appearing in the movie.

Luckily for us The Bug goes beyond just reheating the suspense and feeling of the original motion picture. Instead, presenting us with their modern take on the menacing and paranoid vibe, this is infectiously catchy cinema for the mind. Enjoy!

"The issues of privacy and individuality, and issues of spying and listening, are as relevant now as they've ever been."

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+32MB/320CBR)

Tactile - Inscape (1996)

Although I've been busy as a bee, I managed to make some room in my busy schedule for another post.

Tactile is an experimental collective, which at the time of Inscape's release, consisted of Sentrax-label boss John Everall, Teresa Mills, of whom I know pretty much nothing about, except for some album art credited to her name on a few releases I happen to own (The Trace Decay-disc and Scorn's White irises blind just to name a few), and Dael Walker, of whom I honestly know nothing about either, except for these three links to his current ongoings which I found while skimming through Google results in my Sherlock Holmes-mode.

The music itself has a simple but working recipe to it. Everything, from beginning to the end, is comprised of fluttering drones and looped sounds. Although the album is totally void of beats and vocalisations, the flowing textures of sound and the throbbing synths drive the album forward. Inscape is constantly moving with small fragments of manipulated static and bleeping noises. The sounds wash back and forth for a moment, only to fade out into silence the next.

Judging by the booklet, the album is intended as an homage to "the goat-footed balloon man", and as a shout-out to early experimental greats including Coil, Drew McDowall and Lustmord. Even my fellow countryman Mika Vainio gets credited for inspiration.

Although the approach is rather simple, the primitive atmosphere still manages to keep me in it's grasp through the six tracks of the disc easily. For the next fifty minutes, take a ride into the cold and barren emotional landscapes of Tactile.

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+08MB/320CBR)

Equations Of Eternity - Vevè (1998)

Harris, Laswell and Bernocchi return for another collaborative effort under their Equations Of Eternity-moniker. Vevè picks up where their self titled left off, spicing things up with even more magick references than on their previous album. Let's sneak a peek behind the veil of secrets, shall we?

Many building blocks of the previous album are left intact. If it works, why mess with it? Laswell simply let's his bass do the talking. The throbbing lines of low-pitched goodness flow onward like a thick stream of glue, gently binding all elements together.

The beat constructions are signature Harris. Like the whole album, they're slowly evolving, and in absolutely no rush to get anywhere fast. Everything is nicely topped off with Bernocchi layering his gloomy soundscapes around the listener. The programmed electronics, manipulated guitar tones and ritual chants really bring the tracks to life. Slowly unfolding and subtle audial movements, constantly floating in and out on the listener. Again and again.

Reading about the track titles and studying their themes will flesh out the tracks even more, and maybe even open up new worlds for the interested and uninitiated. Going through nine tracks of smoothly flowing soundscapes in 56 minutes, everybody is allowed along for the trip. The sounds are certainly worth a listen, even if you don't care for the occult references and themes within.

"But the aim is to go behind the word to find the meaning, and to go beyond the sound to find the wisdom."

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+27MB/320CBR)

Equations Of Eternity - Equations Of Eternity (1996)

Mick Harris, Bill Laswell and Eraldo Bernocchi. Three prolific musicians. Three different countries. Two continents.

Judging by the liner notes, the material for this album was created by each participant, own their own, in their own studios, and finally arranged, mixed down and produced by Bernocchi. Luckily for us, the international mail system was still working to some degree during the late 90's, thus making this collabration possible.

Harris provides some noisy samples and his instantly recognizable spare beats, although for this record he has spiced them up with a touch of tribal feel, sounding almost ritualistic at times.

Laswell provides the driving force of the album. His signature bass sound, thick and groovy, has been mixed decisively into the foreground for the listener to catch on to. It's almost like a steady flow of thick tar oozing from your speakers.

Bernocchi, with whose work I wasn't too familiar during the time of the release, except for a few compilation casette appearances with his group Sigillum S, is the puppetmaster of this show, pulling the strings, providing programmed electronics and manipulated guitar sounds to accompany Mick's beatwork.

Throw in a healthy dose of mysticism, specifically Haitian vodou-references, some distorted chants and a Crowley-quote to boot, and you get this dark, beat-heavy monster of a ritual record. Originally released by Wordsound in 1996, the disc features nine tracks with a running time of 55 minutes.

Enough with words, it's time for you to get lost in this thick concoction of dubby drone. Enjoy!

"Things connect in the end, somehow, mysteriously".

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+23MB/320CBR)

Lull - Collected (2003)

Compiled by Mick Harris himself, this is a compilation of rare or unreleased Lull material. If you've sampled any of the earlier albums, you know that for an hour and ten minutes, you're supposed to dim the lights and soak it all in.

The disc features material from the 1990's, collecting various compilation appearances, from '91 up to '97, on one disc. The sixth track, Escape, was intended for The Cheese Records compilation, but likely never happened, as the track is listed as unreleased in the booklet.

This collection chooses not to plunder the albums, instead plucking a wide-flung collection of compilation tracks and unreleased material, juxtaposing various shades of dark mood and creating a time-spanning overview of the project whole.

Leave the cosy computer-controlled, carpented environment and enter a place hewn from the blackest rock and most malign shadow.

I couldn't have said it any better myself. Enjoy!

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+56MB/320CBR)

PS: If anybody is in possession of the limited special edition, and would like to share the accompanying They're coming out of the walls CDr, don't hesitate to contact me. Thanks in advance!

The Weakener - What do you know about it? (1998)

"Holy asshat, Batman! They're aiming some kind of supersonic weapon at us!"

Although Scorn was on indefinite hiatus during the time this baby was put out, Mick Harris on the other hand just wasn't ready to kick back and relax. It was time for another project, another release and more work to keep the man sane.

Harris is ready and comes prepared. He sets the background with an arsenal of hypnotically slow beats, thick, throbbing and full of echo. On top of that, a seemingly endless variation of drones and noises work their way back and forth in the mix. Spiced up with enough low end and bass to defy, and take on, the Mariana trench, you'd better keep an eye on that subwoofer.

The album features seven tracks in, give or take, 50 minutes. If you're looking for variation, you'd better sample another album. On the other hand, if you're interested in tight beats, a menacing ambience and enough sonic boom to sink a submarine, this is a sure bet.

All work and no play doesn't seem to make Mick a dull boy. Quite the contrary, in my opinion his vision is shining brighter than ever.

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+15MB/320CBR)

James Plotkin & Mick Harris - Collapse (1996)

Amidst all these releases with angry shouting men, it's always good to return to some isolationist ambient. On Collapse James Plotkin teams up with Mick Harris to perform an album full of beatless, ambient landscapes.

The album consists of five long instrumental pieces, which are put together with guitar loops and a ton of processed (un)natural sounds. Imagine the cold, dystopian soundscapes of Lull blended together with Plotkin's floating noisy guitar loops.

Let's summarize: Two prolific musicians combine their views on ambient music. The result is a massive cloud of sound, filled with abrasive low end rumble, heavy drones washing over the listener with some, occasional, melodic guitar plucking going on in the background. Ambient? Yes. Soothing? No. Enjoyable? Very.

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+51MB/320CBR)

Quoit - Lounge (1996)

Boys and girls, it's time to feel the love again. Just in time for the weekend, here's our dear Mick Harris unleashing one of the true masterpieces of drum and bass.

Don't worry, though. If you don't want positive vibes with your music, that's pretty much been stripped away here. Heavy drum and bass beats with isolationist soundscapes floating all around you. Very atmospheric!

The album features eight tracks, with a total running time of just under sixty minutes. Before you decide listen to this, heed a word of warning: The deep end on this album is HUGE. No kidding, the bass is somewhere really down and out there. Hope you enjoy!

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+29MB/320CBR)

Lull - Journey through underworlds (1993)

Time for another journey into the darker side of ambience. Lull's debut album, Dreamt about dreaming, was a oppressive ride into suffocating sounds and bleak imaginary landscapes. On this second full length, we now continue the descend into this weird underworld of sounds.

While there are only three tracks on this album, it is in no way a short listen. The running time exceeds 70 minutes, with the last track being over 45 minutes in length. So take the time to enjoy this netherworldly descend; I prefer to engulf myself in the sounds with some good headphones while lying in a dark room (preferably on a bed or a mattress). Hope you enjoy!

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+71MB/320CBR)

Lull - Moments (1998)

Here's one more Easter treat for you. Mick Harris presents us Moments: Rumoured to be inspired by the soundtrack to cult David Lynch movie Eraserhead, Harris gives us 99 individual tracks which, when listened sequentially form one smoothly flowing, though evolving and once again spooky, soundsphere.

The album really gets interesting once you listen to it on shuffle: you're thrown from one moment to another; from harsh to mellow, from pleasant to troubling. The randomization offers almost an infinite amount of ways the album can be percieved; each listen is a different one (My only gripe with this is the short, glitchy click before each segment).

Either way you decide to enjoy Moments, I hope you discover worthwhile things with the smooth flow of the big picture .. or the chopped up and rearranged chaos. Enjoy!

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+51MB/320CBR)

Lull - Dreamt about dreaming (1992)

Lull was conceived in late 1991 by former Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris (also active with ambient dub project Scorn). The idea behind Lull was the attempt to create sounds that would stretch the structures of conventional music; to develop and explore soundscapes without beats.

What we got on Dreamt about dreaming is a petrifying journey into dark ambient. Horror, fear and darkness are all key elements to Harris's sound. There is no warmth, only oppressive noise swirling all around the listener.

The whole album is reminiscent of a horror movie soundtrack; this time you just need to close your eyes and let the visuals play out in your mind. The keywords to the plot are paranoia and isolation. Enjoy!

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+35MB/320CBR)

Techno Animal vs. Reality (1998)

Released by City Slang in 1997, this puppy features five original songs and their remix counterparts. The third track, Deceleration, is one of the best tracks ever released by Techno Animal, but that's just my humble opinion. For more info, check here. Enjoy!


Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+40MB/320CBR)

Techno Animal - Brotherhood of the bomb/Monolith (1999)

This limited Techno Animal 12" came out in April 1999 on Force Inc. It features two tracks, "Brotherhood of the bomb" and "Monolith". Giving credit where credit is due, I think I ran into this on the "Sickness Abounds"-blog quite a few moons ago, thank you!

Download
(17MB/192CBR)

Techno Animal - Phobic (1997)

Time for another Techno Animal 12", this limited EP was released on Position Chrome in 1997. Side A features three different versions of "The myth/Illogical". Side B features "Fistfunk (Molecular)", "Toxicity" and "Needle". The original tracks of "The myth/Illogical" and "Molecular" are found on the "Electric ladyland 4" compilation.

Download
(39MB/VBR)

Techno Animal - Unmanned (1996)

This was a limited 12" release in November 1996 on Position Chrome. Side A features two remixes of "Intercranial", and side B two remixes of "Lost transmission of the ill saint". The original version of "Intercranial" appeared on the "Rauschen 12" compilation.

Download
(32MB/192CBR)