Outsider Art Batch October 2021

Outsider Art, 4 Cassette batch, October 2021.

https://outsiderart.bandcamp.com/

https://outsiderart.bigcartel.com/

Natural Orthodoxy – Industrial Athletes – Cassette/Download – 2021 – OA084

https://outsiderart.bigcartel.com/product/natural-orthodoxy-industrial-athletes

https://naturalorthodoxy.bandcamp.com/

Manchester’s Natural Orthodoxy is one of the newer UK Power Electronics to be producing high quality work, having previously released tapes on Outsider Art, Total Black and Phage Tapes since it began 2017.

Natural Orthodoxy utilizes accelerating drones, clatter and voice samples for ‘Living for The Weekend by Hard Fi Plays In Headphones While Antique Revolver Is Loaded’. These three components play off each other perfectly, there are some impressive, nasty loaded undercurrents buried within this work. However, they pop to the forefront as further revving drone, noise and vocals square up to each other in ‘This Workplace is a family/Terminated Without Severance for Failing to Meet Delivery Quota’, the vocals add real impact to this track.

I am impressed by the ominous drones and sharp frequencies, even more so when I read the title, ‘Coordinated Assassination of Middle-Management Tyrants Across the UK’. What I feel is happening here is PE based on the impact everyday work life has on a person and that is great - the horror of the day job amplified through this work makes me delirious and grateful at the same time. By the time we hit ‘Our Employees are Strictly Forbidden from Urinating In Bottles on the Workshop Floor’ I am impressed at the spite being spat back out at everyday life.

I once read how Power Electronics is ultimately an impotent sound form, this someone’s core feelings made whole – a common occurrence on Outsider Art releases. Listening to this on headphones, I feel empowered and got a good buzz of this release. Natural Orthodoxy continues to go from strength to strength.

Soulsdue – Neon Sucking Caterpillar Mask – Cassette/Download – 2021 – OA085

https://outsiderart.bandcamp.com/album/neon-suckling-caterpillar-mask

Neon Suckling Caterpillar Mask is the debut release from Brighton based project Soulsdue.

This one is interesting, it has immediate parallels to Ritual Chair’s Ashamed release from 2019 through its’ vocal narrative, but those die off well as the spoken dialogue is repeatedly punctuated by different blasts of noise – I am impressed by the contrast as the dialogue is clear and the noise is pure and raw. This is a simple formula, but it is sounds fresh, original and most importantly - very effective. The pure and raw components spark off each other perfectly, I almost feel excitement at what is going to happen next throughout the whole release.

I will summarise this as a piece of work that is Steven Jesse Bernstein level brilliant and I excitedly, truly hope that there will be more to come. This is a brilliant release and one of this year’s best.

Tired Out – DJG & Playworker – Cassette/Download – 2021 – OA086

https://outsiderart.bandcamp.com/album/tired-out

https://danieljgregory.bandcamp.com/

DJG (Daniel J. Gregory) and Playworker’s (Dean Lloyd Robinson) collaboration begins as ominous contrasts of sharp pitched, screeching noise, blasts of distortion and cluttering sounds forming Torn Out. It is as if the three sounds conflict with each other and the speed of this conflict is in a constant state of flux. Shifting away from this, Ripped Out uses high-pitched feedback as its lone intro whilst clutter and humming drones eventually appear in the background.  This uses noise that has a rawness and aggression that is in line with Soulsdue, interweaving links between the different tapes. Sounds take on different meanings as things go quieter and play off in the large sense of space that is formed from doing this. This is a temporary quietness as the sounds explode again and the resulting Cacophony is immense.

Burnt Out feels more in line with wall noise, but it retains a clear definition of each element (feedback, clutter and sharp pitches of noise), I admire the difference between each Out. Space felt through minimal noise returns for the title track Tired Out as the experimentation continues when blasts of feedback, clutter and twanging interrupt. This piece goes through a lot of shifts in sound compared to other thacks.

This work is four tracks of shifting, experimental aggression. This is a strong release of well delivered ideas.

Kuebiko – Hemlock, Fool’s Parsley or Cowbane – Cassette/Download – 2021 – OA087

https://outsiderart.bandcamp.com/album/hemlock-fool-s-parsley-or-cowbane

I have been lucky enough to see this project do some amazing live shows over the last few years. I have a lot of high hopes for Kuebiko and really want this release to be good. Hemlock… is Kuebiko’s second release for Outsider Art.

Experimental playfulness forms as strings and field recordings fill out the sound. As the piano enters the track, it is like rays of sunlight bursting through heavy clouds. Flute, tapping and further field recordings of chatter and conversation blend until noise throws bad vibes over the hope. Untitled Continued has a sound that is more cohesive with drones and vocals. Field recordings of a different environment emerge, but are less defined and piano burst remerges, throwing beauty across the work. As deep rumblings emerge under the piano melody, it is near perfect.

The progression the project has shown is impressive and I am excited to see how this will be translated into a live setting. Funny enough Kuebiko is playing live next week so I will find out. Either way this release is another Gem of 2021.

This batch is the most experimental that I have heard from Outsider Art and easily one of the strongest. It would be hard to pick a best one out of the four as each of them shines in their own unique way. All are well worth getting - support this label. All titles are available from the Big Cartel link above.

Coventry Soul 2021

Cremation Lily and Knifeoutofexistence live review.

Cremation Lily, Knifedoutofexistence, The Mysterious Monopole and Kuebiko.

Thursday 7^th March 2019, The Chameleon Arts Café, Nottingham.

Rammel Club.

I was keen to attend this gig and see all the acts mentioned; I’d recently reviewed the Kuebiko cassette release on Outsider Art Records. I am also a keen fan of Knifedoutofexistence and Cremation Lily and have reviewed their stuff in the past.

Kuebiko played on the floor of the venue, he was surrounded by devices which included contact microphones, chains and effects pedals. This worked as you had to look down or be directly face to face with the artist depending on whether you stood or sat. Sounds started small and gradually grew into a larger, harsher, more frenzied assault of noise. As things intensified the chains got smacked around, contact mikes were put in the artists mouth, Sellotape mummified his head and things descended into a sonic tantrum. The improvised, performative aspects of Kuebiko made for an impressive set.

Kuebiko.

I knew nothing prior to this about The Mysterious Monopole. The artist looked very different, her eyes were covered with patches of black lace and she was dressed in Brown with an old tie on. This coupled with how the performance built up gave it an impressive ‘wtf odd’ factor. I don’t mean this as a criticism, but she built tension before it even started, which is quite a feat. Samples of noises and keyboard lines were played as the show built up to some impressive demonstrations of unique noise making. The artist started sawing up packs of Ryvita type snacks with a Contact Mic enhanced saw and then she was playing homemade card records on a turntable. The noise was crumbly and parallels the project Evil Moisture with unique sources of sound, but more warped off in her own tangents. Like Kuebiko the set was fully improvised, with a stronger performance art bent. An audience member was brought in to do vocals in a repeated chant as the artist crunched up Ryvita and trampled on the saw. This seemed to be a commentary on food politics that dominate life. I was half expecting to be force fed Ryvita or something as the artist made full use of the stage made for a truly excellent performance. To see someone coming at noise from such a truly eccentric, unpredictable angle was very exciting.

 The Mysterious Monopole

This show was a collaboration between Cremation Lily and Knifedoutofexistence, which is another self-personified Power Electronics project whose slow burn growth over the years has been impressive. The collaboration started with Knife’s more experimental PE set with both artists contributing noise, Cremation had a minimal set up that seemed to consist of an electronic device that threw out sampled sounds and beats and a tape player, where as Knifed had a larger, complex set up. The noise got harsher and louder yet contained good atmospherics and the Knifed vocals were cleverly put in the background as he shouted into the microphone, this added more performance to what he did as he faced to audience. Last time he did the whole back turned to audience type performance thing, the frontal approach was more direct and way more effective. Both artists seemed to fire off each other. The noise seemed to be able to say more without being overpowered by vocal rage. The performance was a mass of complex emotion and range. This mixed with the distanced vocals and rich textured sound made for the strongest Knifedoutofexistence show that I’ve seen yet, I was very impressed – the slow burn development continues unhindered.  

Cremation Lily and Knifedoutofexistence.

Where Cremation Lily is concerned, I’m politely obsessive. I believe the project upped the ante with Power Electronics very early on by coming from such a deeply personal angle. Funeral Home has one of the most impressive modern vocal performances that I’ve ever heard, that and S.T.A.B.’s Day of the Male are the vocal benchmarks to me in how I judge modern Power Electronics. The project continually progresses and changes with each passing year; I’m excited to hear where it’s at each time. This is my fourth time seeing Cremation Lily and I enjoy each performance.

The atmosphere stripped down as things moved to the Cremation Lily part of the set.  What threw me was that I was expecting a more ambient set, yet there were beats, moody electronica with passages of noise thrown in, the shift between the two sets was smooth and effective. Cremation’s vocals shifted between agonised shouting, distorted rage and some actual singing. Knifed effectively switched from complimenting to contrasting the work with a range of sounds. Previous Cremation Lily sets had been displays of noise that just exploded where as this was a longer musical set with continual shifts into different musical parameters. The depth of feeling, past sadness and sonic texture was impressive as it seemed to run through both sets. Like any good set I am left with questions, while I truly loved both sets and saw both artists conquer new heights, is this duo thing something that should be recorded and developed outside of their individual work? Both artists shifted into new areas, they complimented, supported and built on each other’s strengths, not allowing for any weakness to hinder the sound.  Had it not worked, this whole collaboration could easily have had its ass kicked because of the strength of both the support acts. But it did work, giving an epic finale to a great night.

Choppy Noodles 2019.