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Relatively Recent Release Roundup: April 7th 2023

Lots of great new stuff coming out today! You can even find a little bit from me today, I'm on a small compilation with some friends. We're doing a periodic sampling challenge, where everyone produces something using one song and one non-musical YouTube video. I decided to resurrect my old acp alias and load up the (nearly 20 year old!) Reaktor user library instrument 'particlesynth', and just tear these sounds apart with some vintage granular synthesis. I had a lot of fun with it, so if you've ever been curious about what I would do if I made music, you can hear it here. And if you spend any money on it, it'll get donated to the Transgender Law Center. Also, you can also hear music from my friends, they're really great! But I'm biased.

And speaking of me being biased, my brother has a tape out today as well! It's a lovely type of drone, feels like it would really play nice on that format, but I think it works just fine in the digital space. I'll have more to say about it later, but if you don't want to wait for me, you can listen here.

There's so many other intriguing new releases that I want to dive into here. LXV has a new one that is like 26 minutes of gourmet sound manipulation, absolutely exquisite. Fans of IDM should all be rejoicing, since VHS Head is back with his first album in 9 years. Macula Dog remixes from Max Tundra and Cabo Boing and some people I've never heard of (but with company like this they are almost certainly good). And there's so many more that I've got down on the anticipation list. And there's been some really stellar stuff in recent weeks that I haven't covered, like this new one on Party Perfect!!! is such a trip. I really want to go in depth with all those, but I am moving this month! So I'm not going to be spiking up the activity any time soon. The spike will come though! For now, here's some thoughts on the latest album from Fire-Toolz:

April 7th, 2023

Fire-Toolz - I am upset because I see something that is not there. (Hausu Mountain)

Descriptions of Fire-Toolz will often feature a laundry list of styles that collide within a single track, and 2021's massive "Eternal Home" felt like as much of a collection of **Everything** as any one person could ever lay an honest claim towards. I wondered how there could even be anything left unsaid after something like that, but this new one has truly ventured out into a new zone. The style here feels extremely matte, no trace of a shine. There's moments that feel like physically placing a spirtual darkness into the clear light of day and observing it fully. I was not surprised to see Angel Marcloid mention in this Quietus interview that many of the songs are about trauma. Though that might make it sound a bit draining, but I wouldn't say that's the case here. I think the album as a whole is also about what a life after trauma can become, but I'm not sure exactly how to describe the way that it's done. It's not like a linear journey from trauma to healing, going from a to b. But it feels like some kind of peace is made. I'm not super confident in claiming any absolutes in that department, but I think I'm on the right track with this. I probably could benefit from a theologically-informed perspective on the role of 'Paraclete Bhishajyati', because it feels noteworthy that it brings such an extended amount of stability when there's still a fair amount of distance to the end. I'll need my time to figure all this out, but I have no doubt that this album is a significant and powerful entry in the Fire-Toolz discography.




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