WORLD OF FLESH.

Flesh World's demo tape last year was a good introduction to one of the only hardcore bands left in this country worth shit. While being a perfect distillation of teenage restraint and release, it still came across as sounding a little derivative of their influences (‘Flag, Void). Planned Obscelence is a tape by a band who are walking around in their own boots, kicking in skulls left n’ right in ‘em. Like any classic HC record, the intro of Obselence perfectly sets the tone for the violence that is going to ensue. The tracks that FW rip through perfectly combine HC moves with total noise annihilation. The first track of the B-side employs the latter to ear-splitting excellence. This element might be due in part to lineup changes since the demo resulting in Pathetic Human, Liam Haryono, taking over bass duties. As perfectly as the tape starts, closer 'Fuck Time' is an excellent 80's DC vibed conclusion. I caught their recent return show after a lengthy break and can confirm they are one of the best hardcore bands in Asstralia or anywhere else at the moment. Recorded and released by Insurgent, Zinger and good bloke, Western Smith on the Pederast Prophet subsidiary. Essential listening for 2011.

BIG YELLOW JOINT.

This split on the consistently satisfying Goaty Tapes label is my first introduction to both of these proponents of modern guitar-driven muzak. Banana Head sees label dude, Zully Adler involved in simple, yet completely engaging guitar-driven reverberations that border on the psychedelic. ‘Poison Chain’ is unhinged ecstasy, ‘Ruidhead’ is a similarly captivating listen. There is no chorus or implicit structure in either of these, just shortlived existence. It is obvious this guy has spent some serious time with Lambkin, Goss n’ Harris in the past as well as the sounds excreted by NNF over the last few years. The recording process employed by Banana Head is imperative to the project's success, the low fidelity perfectly accentuates the reverb and never allows the vocals to become overbearing. This kind’ve formula could get stale if not executed with the variety and originality with which Adler executes the songs. Instead, Banana Head gets two flippers up from me.

The Phantom Payn side caught me off guard with it’s somewhat slicker production. From what I can tell this is one guy plucking away while he croons over the top, occasionally there are overdubs but they are never conspicuously dominant. PP owes a heavy indebtedness to VU/Reed damage here, but maintains more of a down-home vibe if that makes any sense to you (whatever, it makes sense to me). The disappointingly brief ‘Girl On The Beach’ is my pick of the lot, as it obscures the dominant geet for creepy Argento appropriate keys. To be honest I didn’t really get into the PP side heaps. Having said that, I don’t really listen to this kinda guff often, so maybe I’m outta touch. As with every other Goaty tape I’ve wrapped my peepers around, this split would be more appropriate hanging in a gallery than sitting amidst discarded mandarin peel next to my stereo.

VILLAGE OF H

Village Of H is the most recent offering to be laid at the sacred altar of Spanish Magic. Steeped in secrecy, R.Duncan maintains close connection with hibernating Sydney group, Castings. According to what little information is listed on the one-third of a cover this thing comes cloaked in, the sources for R.Duncan’s sound are TAPE, FEEDBACK and SYNTH. While I don’t doubt the use of the first two, it is the use and variety of synths used throughout Village that is most noticeable. At times R.Duncan uses his electronic doo-dads for nefarious harshness, at others sparse minimalism. But its on the opening track and two concluding tracks where Duncan's sound is at its best. On these slices, Duncan breathes electronic life into the corpse of Raymond Scott and trots him around to make memorable experimental ditties that wouldn’t be out of place between classics in the R. Scott lexicon like “Twilight In Turkey” and “Night And Day”. If there is anything that synth-based music needs in 2011, it is people making excellent and original sounds like this. Although bearing the Spanish Magic name, Village Of H is dangerously close to being a private press obscurity with its lack of track listing, members or much discernible information at all. Lucky for slobbering synth nerds, this one is out there waiting to be heard.

BASH A BIBLE

This release from last year on US label Goaty Tapes may be one of the last from now-defunct Sydney duo Vincent Over The Sink. VOTS, made up of Matthew Hopkins (NOTV, Hochman & Hopkins) and Christopher Schueller, have spent their relatively enduring 9-year existence in virtual obscurity. The first section of Bible Bashers' A-side evokes a stripped-pop sound similar to that of The Shadow Ring, mostly comprised of acoustic guitar with flashes of trumpet, electronics and other welcome intrusions. The nod to Graham Lambkin and co. isn't without basis, VOTS' epitaph release, Dust Studies was released earlier this year on Lambkin's Kye imprint. The tape’s name becomes appropriate as the tolling keys of the second piece take on an almost religious groove. The second side, titled Celestial Cigar, is similarly made up of several short songs that assume varied guises while still maintaining a consistent sound throughout. I assume much of Vincent Over The Sink’s sounds are improvised, but they are no less captivating for this. Rather, they take on a resulting sheen of distressed psychedelia. One of the best tapes of last year, this year and next year.

ORANJ PUNJABI.

Under Oranj Punjabi, Fjorn Butler has been making beautiful, musique concrete inspired reverberations for a few years now. Despite the longevity of the project only one release, 2008’s self-titled cassette, has come to fruition previously. Empty Land opens with “Lungs”, a wavering delayed haze in which infantile animal coo’s end up dominating the effected electronics. “Orphans, Lullaby, Lounge Music” is stripped down tweet n’ hum. The appropriately titled “Deep Forest Throat” is delayed calls drifting through a tangle of tape manipulation. The slow-moving end of DFT is one of the best moments on Empty Lands. “H/N#2” sounds like reel-to-reels being solidly abused with a nice strung-out chant underneath, another of the tape’s highlights. The final, untitled track goes from tape screech to soothing ambience before wrapping up. All of the tracks on Empty Lands go through various mutations before concluding, something of a rarity in contrast to the usual stagnancy of noise releases. The best thing about Oranj Punjabi is the fact that she is never overtly harsh and lets the good shit bleed through. The effort that has gone into the presentation of this tape should be noted too; the first batch came packaged in psychedelic painted boxes w/ a four-panel inlay of Butler’s collage work. This is the first release for the newly anointed Melbourne label, Tristes Tropiques, run by the same guy who was behind the now defunct Rhizome label.

BLEAK, BLACK N' BLOTTO.

Krystoffkrvstoffiston is the confused title under which the unholy pairing of Christopher LG Hill and Simon Taylor make bleak n’ blackened sound. The opening ritual of Crumbling Nationss/Toad Babylon lurches into lyf with some harsh static before vocal belchings and incantations drift out over the top. The ensuing noise comes in delayed waves, creating a nice meld ov feedback and delayed vocals. Pleasant ambiance follows before everything becomes further engulfed in total darkness. The flip starts with strained gutterations and chiming bells before continuing in much the same vein as the first. Both sides are buried under six-feet of feedback and tape hiss and couldn’t sound better without it. There is a fog of mystery that surrounds Krystkrvstoff, often making it difficult to place the origin of each sound. If anything, this just proves they are successful at what they’re doing. Hill’s Bunyip Trax label on which this was issued is as elusive as the mythical beast itself. This and BT’s other 20 or so releases are worth searching for if you have the patience and means to do so.

SICK CUNTS

The Tough Troubles full length cassette is called Illnesses. The second band in recent memory which can claim lineage back to Perth, a small cultural outpost in the remote Western Australian desert state, with a concept album based on poor immune function. This band is based in London, a city with many, many people on a dirty old river in Englandtown, and as such will have spent a great deal of time soaking in the same diseased brine as did the podiatry students and bookkeepers who first thew down their pencils and declared themselves "goth" many, many years ago. In fact, this cassette could be heard as a 101 class in dark UK post punk, from the creepier synth sampling to the minimal cold wave, overwhelmingly goth in feel and a very accomplished collection of songs and sounds. Accomplished? Jeez... what I meant is these cunts are sick and this tape is sick.