CRAIG LEON - 'NOMMOS'

Formats

• SV017 - LP

• SV017CD - CD

  857176003836

Details

NOW AVAILABLE ON CD! FACT mag no 1 reissue of 2013 *** Pitchfork review 8.0! First appearing incongruously on John Fahey’s Takoma label in 1981, Nommos remains enshrouded in impenetrable mystery—from its understated artwork to the rich assemblage of analog synths contained inside. According to Head Heritage, Nommos is the “missing link between the proto-industrial rhythm and drone of Suicide and the whole minimalist drone / static / repetition method of Terry Riley and La Monte Young.” Best known as a producer, Craig Leon worked on landmark debuts from Suicide, Richard Hell, The Ramones and Blondie. Rather than ape the early NYC punk that he helped foster, Leon’s own music is filled with lush textures and pulsating rhythm boxes. Comparisons can be made to German innovators such as Cluster and La Dusseldorf, yet Nommos is an unbalanced cosmos marked by anxious melodies, aggressive shifts and spiritual overtones. The name “Nommos” itself refers to mythical deities worshipped by tribes in West Africa. Some scholars have argued that the myth has extraterrestrial roots. While these are significant details for understanding the album’s peculiar meditative qualities, there was little context for these sounds upon their initial release. Even today, in the cold light of the early 21st century, Leon sounds fiercely contemporary. This first-time official reissue is mastered from the original analog tapes and pressed in a limited edition.

Tracks

Press

Audio & Video

WATERY LOVE - 'DECORATIVE FEEDING'

Formats

• ITR249CD - CD

  759718524925

• ITR249 - LP

  759718524918

Details

“Take it from me, orbitin’ the Earth over ’n’ over ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. When I was asked to hop on board a Soyuz headed to the International Space Station (Assignment: Critical Observation), I reckoned this’d be the trip of a lifetime. Space, the final frontier. And how ’bout that view? But now I feel like I’ve been here that long—a lifetime, that is. You know, the food ain’t much to speak of, plus I gotta constantly make sure I don’t make no crumbs, else they might fuck up our air breathin’ filters. Crumbs! The things one learns. Drinkin’ ain’t no fun neither, ’less you get your jollies sippin’ daquiris from a straw out a plastic bag, like some swishy, doe-eyed Deadhead. And don’t even get me started on hygiene issues! I believe I could take a life for a proper bubble bath right about now (I miss my ducky, too). Which is all just a lumberin’ yet apropos segue to the matter at hand: this debut LP by Watery Love. “Now, any right-minded corncob south of the Van Allen Belt knows them three precedin’ 7-inches via Richie, Siltbreeze and Negative Guestlist smacked kernels hard, and that smolderin’ ferocity has naturally been carried over here. The glow ’n’ throb what’s got got is as much the byproduct of the eternal bioluminescence of Iron Cross or Third World War as an appreciation for the corroded, fractoluminescence exuded once upon a time by Chain Gang, Slow Death EP-era Leather Nun ’n’ The Gordons. Sure, their environment might seem cold and uncarin’—even downright sociopathic— but behind that facade of David Goodis-like grimness are four sodbusters chompin’ to have a good time. When singer Richie Charles hollers “I’m a skull!” who among the masses would not rush headlong to get a lick off thatboney pate? It ain’t about Rofinol, people, it’s about the roof, and how far can Watery Love raise the fucker. Unlike you dickheads, I’m sittin’ pretty in the catbird seat (what part of me bein’ out to space did you miss?) so let me say, keep it comin’! Higher ’n’ higher, nose to the grindstone and all that. Don’t worry, I’ll stop ya when ya get here. And one more thing—don’t forget to bring a six pack. We’ll need it.” —Roland Seward Woodbe International Space Station, Outer Space Call Sign: Alphar

Tracks

1. Dose the Host
2. Pump the Bimbo
3. Competing Odors
4. Skulls in Zen
5. Only Love
6. I?m a Skull
7. Empty Walls
8. Piece of Piss
9. Face the Door

Press

Audio & Video

EASTLINK - 'S/T'

Formats

• ITR255 - LP

  759718525519

• ITR255CD - CD

  759718525526

Details

“This self-titled debut album from rigid Melbourne, Australia, punks Eastlink is the best full-length to come from Down Under since… well, since the last really incredible release on Aarght!, RIP Society, Homeless or any of the other countless many fantastic new labels that have appeared from that country over the past few years. For those paying attention, it’s hard to not be blown away by the amount of amazing records coming out of Australia lately. This album is no exception and stands near the top of the heap. “Eastlink features members from a variety of bands you already love like Total Control, UV Race, Repairs, Lakes and Straightjacket Nation, just to name a few. With four guitars, one drum and two vocalists, they splinter and drench two-note monotonic riffs the rest of us never noticed were right under our noses the whole time. These nine tracks range from harsh, crude, fuzzed-out one-note pounders to droning soundscapes. “Like The Fall, Eastlink clearly digs repetition and aren’t afraid to use it as a weapon. For these Australian doper-scuzz minimalists, it’s all about the riff. Heavy, punishing, repetitive riffs where four guitars lock on to something intense and primal for four minutes. The band simply pummels tracks like ‘Overtime’ and ‘Spring St.’ into the ground, pausing only for an occasional frenzied guitar solo or blast of feedback and noise. Meanwhile, ‘Dinnerchat’ and ‘Thatcher’s Dead’ are weirdo space-rockers that wouldn’t sound terribly out of place on Brain Records in the ’70s.” —Jay Hinman, Dynamite Hemorrhage

Tracks

Press

Audio & Video

DARK MATTER - 'S/T'

Formats

• SB170 - LP

  655030117015

Details

Hold the tidings, reconnoiterers. This is a new set of songs from Stephen Cogle of Vacuum, The Victor Dimisich Band and The Terminals. Dark Matter stands with contemporaries The Renderers and The Puddle in exemplifying a “late” style of New Zealand post-punk—more concrete, more distilled. Cogle’s vocal flourish stills reminds one of Roxy Music— a band that, recall, is only ten years older than Cogle’s earliest projects. The continued relevance of an ensemble like Dark Matter over Roxy Music can only be attributed to the richness of the musical moment that birthed it. Trusted names like Cogle, John Christoffels, John Billows, Joanne Billesdon, Nicole Moffat and Michael Daly continue into the 21st century in new combinations with new aspects to notice. But more than just an update on the Christchurch Sound, Dark Matter plays with punk nostalgia to craft an overwhelmingly romantic (with a lowercase r) pop record. Too cat-like to be reflective, totally immersed in the garage rock impetus, their flat, gothic psychedelia is equal parts Chills, Television Personalities and Scientists, with the intimacy of Wreck Small Speakers on Expensive Stereos or Small World Experience. With a breadth of material fitting to the subject of “getting older,” Dark Matter is perhaps the most finessed document of Cogle’s vision yet.

Tracks

Press

Audio & Video

DOUGLAS DARE - 'WHELM'

Formats

• ERATP057CD - CD

  4050486109168

• ERATP057LP - LP

  4050486109175

Details

London-based singer-songwriter Douglas Dare releases his debut album Whelm on Erased Tapes. With the piano at the core, Dare vocalises his short prose and poems to a backdrop of drums, electronics and brass… It was in November last year that the duo Douglas Dare and producer/percussionist Fabian Prynn decided to record an album, and by January they were listening to it. Finding themselves out of the home-studio for the first time, the pair recorded much of the album in Flood’s studio Assault & Battery in West London. Other touches were recorded back in Fabian’s home. With the comfort of familiar songs from his live set, such as Clockwork, Caroline and London’s Rose, the session was equally driven by the excitement of creating brand new tracks like Nile, Swim and Unrest in a new environment. The recordings began with finding the perfect piano – a grand piano, battered and bruised, but with a beautiful sound. Flood’s studio provided a treasure trove of gear, including Dare’s favourite new instrument, the Mini Moog, which inspired bass parts on tracks like Unrest. Prynn engineered, produced and mixed the record, and with just the two of them involved from start to finish, their vision for the album remained clear and unclouded. Lyrically, Whelm is often written from other people’s perspectives, with a few of the songs stemming from historical events. London’s Rose for example came from a poem Douglas wrote about the use of underground stations as bomb shelters during WWII; whilst Whitewash addresses the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, and Clockwork was inspired by the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient analogue computer found in the ocean. Despite the weight to some of these subjects, Dare has always enjoyed the use of plain language that is simple and very human. Most of his songs begin with words, as it’s the stories that inspire the music. Whelm will be released incl. poetry book Nine Poems on CD, LP and Download via Erased Tapes on May 12, 2014.

Tracks

01. Clockwork
02. Nile
03. Repeat
04. Caroline
05. Whelm
06. Unrest
07. Lungful
08. Whitewash
09. Swim
10. London?s Rose

Press

"it's bittersweet, raw and honest" The Quietus. 'Very strange and wonderful... One to watch' Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC 6 Music. 'Hard to argue with this kind of emotional resonance'
Under The Radar.
'The opposite of a fanfare arrival, and all the more powerful for it
8/10 The Line Of Best Fit

Audio & Video

STRAIGHT ARROWS - 'MAKE UP YOUR MIND / TWO TIMER'

Formats

• IMSO011 - 7"

Details

Agitated is way pleased to be releasing the new / forthcoming album from the Straight Arrows in the summer, and to get the motor running they are releasing a limited edition 7” with one track from the new ablum, “Make Up Your Mind” and one track exclusive to this release…..a cover of The Tempos – “Two Timer”. This is dancing music, garage pop nuggets that will get you up out of your dronesome slumber and force some rug cutting antics. Easy reference points are Nuggets, Pebbles, and good times! This is psychedelic garage pop without the patchouli scented kaftans, more yr blue bomber bop than LSD loafabout!! This lot are one of the best Sydney bands we’ve heard in a good long age, forget your scenes, “Australia is hip right now” genres, etc, this record is fun, and is not for lameo pigeonholing. Theres 500 black vinyl 7”… get with the beat!!

Tracks

Press

Audio & Video

LIFERS - 'LIVING WITH DAMP'

Formats

• ZM018 - 7"

Details

‘Fear Without A Form’ is the first track to be shared today via The Line of Best Fit [http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/new-music/blog/lifers-149637] by John Arthur Webb (Male Bonding) under the LIFERS moniker. The track sees Webb exploring looped instrumentation framing resulting in what sounds like a stalker's paranoia and will feature on an the ‘accidental’ - LIVING WITH DAMP 7” via Zoo Music on 12th May 2014. From the lush, hook laden melodrama of ‘Humdrum’ to cautionary and rousing claustrophobia of ‘Guns’ (which features lead Dum Dum Girl, Dee Dee) and ‘Some Rise/Some Fight’s’ magnificent guitar and synth crescendo, Living with Damp sees Webb going way beyond his noise and punk rock roots and is all the more thrilling for it. Formats: Ltd Edition transparent green 7”vinyl 500 only!!

Tracks

SIDE A

Humdrum

Fear Without A Form

SIDE A

Guns (Feat. Dee Dee)

Some Rise / Some Fight

Press

Audio & Video

LA SERA - 'HOUR OF THE DAWN'

Formats

• HAR082 - LP

  098787308211

• HAR082CD - CD

  098787308228

Details

As La Sera, Katy Goodman turned an aching heart into two marvelous, alluring yet bittersweet break-up albums (2011’s self-titled debut and 2012’s Sees the Light). On her latest, though, the former Vivian Girl is through crying. Hour of the Dawn sees Goodman waking up, throwing open the bedroom windows and welcoming the day. "I wanted the new La Sera record to sound like Lesley Gore fronting Black Flag," Goodman says. "I didn't want it to be another record of me sad, alone in my room. I wanted to have fun playing music and writing songs with a band." To back her nimble basslines and enchanting vocals, Goodman assembled a new band helmed by guitarist Todd Wisenbaker. "We started playing faster, louder and more aggressively," Goodman says. "I wanted to get that energy onto the album." The forceful new La Sera line-up set about fleshing out Goodman’s melodies and lyrics into strapping rock anthems, debuting them to enthusiastic crowds on tour, and refining them with a newfound obsession to detail. After a year of perfecting their new material, La Sera was ready to commit it to tape. In the summer of 2013, the group decamped to a sweltering studio in East Los Angeles with engineer Joel Jerome and banged out the ten songs that would become Hour of the Dawn—an album that never walks, but runs, a collision of unleashed punk and ‘80s power-pop. "We wanted to make a classic American record," Wisenbaker says. "The album was inspired by a lot of bands: The Pretenders, Minor Threat, X, The Smiths, The Cars and more." The sound that emerged from these disparate influences combined hardcore energy with tuneful harmony, as exemplified by opening track “Losing to the Dark.” Title track "Hour of the Dawn," meanwhile, rides a steady groove towards a long horizon of sunrise. It’s the record's thematic center: a final wave goodbye to a messy past and the beginning of a new day. In a burst of bright, immediate and jangly Smiths-inspired pop, "Fall in Place" captures La Sera at an emotional and musical crossroads. Hour of the Dawn, as its title suggests, heralds the beginning of a radiant and energetic new chapter in La Sera’s evolution—the summit of Goodman’s steady ascent to rock and roll queendom. 

Tracks

1.Losing to the Dark
2.Summer of Love
3.Running Wild
4.Fall in Place
5.All My Love is For You
6.Hour of the Dawn
7.Kiss This Town Away
8.Control
9.10 Headed Goat Wizard
10.Storm's End

Press

Audio & Video