Friends are great! Especially whenever they make great things, and send them to you in the mail. Here’s a taser factory word on a few choice items that have recently hit the always crowded studio postal hole. 1. thee open sex- “on every street corner” (cassette - Magnetic South) My dear friend John Dawson holds an existence in the realm of sound, which transcends positives, negatives, and calls for distinctions of earthly makes. open sex is a solo recording effort, and a project, which has seemingly been building an encompassing live presence. 
This channels subtle meditative progressions and rhythms that slow the rate of time. One moment you’re on a boat and the next you’re on the floor of your room, but it’s comfortable…file under: Beyond Everything.
2. Apache Dropout- “Do the Splendid Crown“ (7” – Magnetic South)
This record drips mid-western psychedelia in some unforgiving, all analog means. Crashing weirdo garage from Lord Fyre and a couple of Hot Fighters, which somehow carries rock n’ roll through waves of bottoming out and topping out and stuff. Come on! I mean they’re named after an Edgar Broughton Band song! Rippin’ Live…
3. Cloud Becomes Your Hand (cassette – Canada Goose Tapes) A new audio product from Brooklyn based Stephen Cooper. I’ve been pals with Steph for years, and have watched and listened to snips of his eclectic evolution thru various sound projects ranging from strange post-rock to free-improvised jazz, as well as the sculpture band Eagle-ager. 
Years ago, I begged him to submitted a track from his video game inflected Portal project for a comp I was helping assemble. CBYH rings back to the Portal persuasion in his sensibility towards overall compositional structures. He builds soundtracks which bounce simple poppy hooks off highly pronounced multi instrumental formations, fleeting experimental placements, and technological utility.
4. Ground-Ups / Crotch Council- “who talks to my necklace?” (cassingle – Friends and Relatives Records) Ground-ups is a free-ish noisy hard jazz group featuring...me, and various others throughout it’s fluttering little course. This tape features what i believe to be a free freak out from the Justin Clifford Rhody, Clare Hubbard, Shane Edge, and me period. Harsh horns / harsh drums!
Russian Tsarlag and Aurora Doreyalice as crotch council brings back some rad memories of shadow lake drownings and the time of my life. I always found Carlos’s voice oddly persuasive. Groan up, and Trash guitar / trash drum! Cover art by…Me!
5. EMERGE series (5 CD Set - THIT Sounds) Mr. Goatmother is one prolific and busy (goat)motherfucker, and the massively involved EMERGE series is ONE of the latest additions to his all media catalog for this year alone!
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The Official Text: “The Emerge Series is a series of five album singles exploring "drones" and "emphasis" in the keys of C, D, E, G, and B. The packaging is all handmade. Each album also includes linear notes and a five color poster.”
This is entirely true. And for those with waning ideas surrounding “drone” and “emphasis”, prepare to re-write your mind. This is powerful art, and better-than-engaging.
*There’s more where that came from, but these are so taser, and most recently-est listened to.
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