Tabs Out

New Batch – Night People
3.31.15 by Mike Haley

Sampling the new batch of tapes from Mr Shawn Reed’s label Night-People is the stay-at-home equivalent of jumping from planet to planet, stealing indigenous pop technologies for some sort of grand experiment back on Earth. Doses run white hot with ecstatic structures, abstract dream sounds, and difficult pleasures. Each with the classic, and quite lovely, N-P eye candy design work. Suit up, get in your rocket, and let’s have a taste.

Moon Dice launches the party of five with a C36 titled “My Motel Room”. The four piece from Australia drug themselves in a blooming field of colors. Elastic, psychedelic guitar and vocal treatments gently oiling the landscape.  There are obvious influences from the usual suspects, but nothing overwhelming. Night-People make the excellent observation that “Moon Dice have a bit of a new wave feel without sounding new wave”. From what I’m hearing, seems like they pull off that method for several genres and decade-specific zones. Safe to say that Moon Dice holds their own and roll snake eyes.

Another C36 called “Guyonetics” from Coleman Guyon’s Trailblazer is second in line. I don’t think I’ll ever learn how to fold a fitted sheet, but I’ll have no problem figuring out the logistics of melting out to this one. There is only a crumb to munch on here, but ya get some super warm synths and d-lish krauty vibes. I like a snare that pops, too. Once you pop, you can’t stop. It clears my sinuses.

Next is yet ANOTHER C36 (buy blanks in bulk, brother!) from Silent Girlfriend. “Backstabbing Female Supremacist” is the name, and it’s actually a reissue of a tour tape by this solo project of Natalee Decker (formally a member of the trio Uncanny Valley). Decker cold brews stinging, danceable electronic music. Savage rhythms, austere vocals, and an all around gloomy 10-day forecast. Hell, she even mixes in some sound clipage about this love-it-or-leave-it, ace #1 country’s institutionalized racism to get you in an even better mood. For real though, it’s solid as a glacier and just as frosty.

I know everyone has their own opinion on what is considered “beautiful music”, but come on. I think we’re all talking about this. And by this, I’m talking about Tereshkova. Tereshkova is Jeff Lane, and Jeff Lane’s contribution to the latest Night-People batch is a C52 called “Pelagic”. Very dreamy sectors are explored that will leave you feeling very fuzzy. It’s not shoegaze, because you don’t wanna wear shoes while zoning out to this. Sockgaze it is. Go grab some socks, the comfy ones, and a Snuggy.

I guess they didn’t wanna scare you off, so they waited until the end to bust out this bonker box of a C26 by Gem Jones. “Wurm Man Dubiosity” is a costume party for “normal” musical genres. A chance for standard styles to get wacky without worrying about anyone pointing fingers. Zappa shoots the sheriff? Brian Wilson listens to ska? Stop reading these stupid words and listen, ya turkey.

Like the guy at the bowling alley that sorta sprayed that disinfectant stuff into the shoes, I’ve done everything I can do. It’s now up to you. YOU! You have the power to order these tapes now from Night-People.

New Batch – Factotum Tapes
3.27.15 by Mike Haley

There are two undeniable truths about Matthew Reis. He has a HORRIBLE camera (just spend 30 seconds scoping the pics over at Factotum Tapes and you’ll see what I mean) and he’s a super essential cog in the Midwest raw noise gear. The dude is fervent about participating in / repping his hometown of Dayton’s dense experimental scene. Factotum’s releases are now in the triple digits, loaded with Reis’ various solo activity (Developer, Teeth Collection, etc.), one-off collabs, and splits with local jammers. Operations aren’t limited to the Dayton borders, but it’s obviously an important piece of the puzzle.

The Factotum style is straightforward. Black and white printing, shredded artwork, and white shells with no info on them. Meaning if you drop a bunch of his releases, and they spill all over the floor, like I did a few weeks back, you’re pretty much fucked. You have basically no chance at matching those unmarked tapes up with the proper cases, even if you listen to them. But that’s okay. Sometimes it’s okay to be fucked and deal with it. Why would you grip a Factotum batch if you weren’t prepared to be fucked, right?

Speaking of Factotum batches, there is a new one. Five tapes (plus a zine) are now available, and they’re just what you would expect. Reis pairs some desultory, cut-up Developer cruelty with Deceiver, Plagues, and Thirteen Fingers for three split C10’s swarming with crushing power electronics and intensely harsh noise. A C30 called “Remixes” where Developer and Tinnitustimulus swapped sounds back and forth. Chopping, looping, and manipulating until settling on this disorienting material. And finally an hour and a half cassette by Rowlands_Bobby, a duo featuring (you probably guessed it) Matthew Reis and Dayton’s Whoracle Of Delco.

Listen to each of these, in full, below. Order them from Factotum. Be fucked.