3 June 2013

Panelak - On All Fours Guitar

10 tracks by Pascal Ansell on guitar and contact mic, tracks 9 and 10 featuring improv drum legend Paul Hession.

Rapid developments from subtle scrapings of strings to full on assaults of noise, in turns tortuous and beautiful, building and dissipating over the course over 42 frenetic minutes.  

I first saw Pascal on a snowy night when he scampered topless between a selection of guitars scattered on the floor of Wharf Chambers in Leeds, the result was not always musical nor easy, but there were little moments of brilliance and I asked him if he had a recording of the set, or if he could recreate it.

His response was to supply in double quick time a whole album, which I am very happy to be able to release.

the download includes a video for track 5 'Lovers Natural and the Beasts'

21 May 2013

The Piss Superstition - Vocal Learning


The Piss Superstition - Vocal Learning
01 – Dilating Pupil (08:36)
02 – Bleeding Heart (10:30)
03 – Fucking Nerve (6:39)

Three new tracks by Julian Bradley and Paul Steer recorded in Manchester and Leeds during spring 2013 and released on 19 April 2013.

A numbered edition of 49 with hand printed and stamped packaging:-
http://kirkstalldarkmatter.bandcamp.com/album/the-piss-superstition-vocal-learning

"Wait a minute" you exclaim petulantly "released in April, added to the labels own blog at the end of May!".  Whilst i could recount excuses about family crisis, holidays and house moves, the simpler truth is that the music contained herein defies a simple explanation or one which avoids descent into review.  Luckily our hand might be held by Radio Free Midwich, whose author was of course the subject of the last release (now child do you see why pop will eat itself) who elegantly details some of the intricacies here.  The all important line is the last: 'Thus: Vocal Learning is the album of the year so far...'. and my penultimate line will be that at the time of writing there are only TWO copies left. 

It really is very good.

27 February 2013

Midwich - Single Figures

Midwich - Single Figures
01 – (Introduction)
02 – Part One - Penny Dropped (06:04)
03 – Part Two - Seasonal Adjustment (14:50)

A live performance by Midwich recorded by Pascal Ansell (panelak) on 9 january 2013 at the Fox & Newt in Leeds.  The gig was organised by Hogwash.  

The CD comes wrapped in an adulterated page of The Midwich Cuckoos with hand printed label and insert, a limited edition of 49:- http://kirkstalldarkmatter.bandcamp.com/album/midwich-single-figures

There is a review of the gig at vibrations.org, from which the following might be taken as a description of what could be contained in the recording - Rob Hayler made the 90’s in Leeds a bit of a noisemongers oasis, what with promoting gigs and operating Fencing Flatworm Recordings, and the recent revival of his Midwich persona is very welcome... Hayler sits behind a table and plays two pieces that build a thick but warm aural soup that fills the room. Hayler rocks in his chair and rolls his head, lost in the enveloping noise. The music has a natural, almost organic texture.

http://oraclenetlabel.blogspot.co.uk/p/reviews-interviews.html