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IMF – Harlem Electronics
6.17.16 by Mike Haley

Friends, I went to a dark place. I was only there for about an hour or so, probably less, but it felt like a damn eternity. That lurid terminal was the Teletubbies Wiki. I’m old enough to have not watched Teletubbies as a kid, but young enough to be aware of their existence. So I was able to immediately recognize what the cuddly buddy was on the cover of IMF’s “Harlem Electronics” cassette, released in an edition of 100 copies by Pilgrim Talk. Still, I wanted to know more about them, so off into the internet I went… I can’t get that time back. What piece of important information fell out of my brain to make room for knowing who the youngest and smallest Teletubby is, I may never know (Spoiler: It’s Po). The only way to get out of knowing that, and what happens when The Teletubbies enter their Tubbytronic Dome and the Magic Windmill starts to spin, may be a swift kick to the temple by a horse. Sigh.

That’s neither here nor there. Knowledge of those cotton-stuffed suckers is not needed to enjoy “Harlem Electronics.” Association ends with the cover. IMF offers nothing to snuggle. IMF is all about discombobulated shots of relentless noise. Noise created by, or not created by, Ian M Fraser. I say not created by because the liner notes state that “this program performs with no human interaction whatsoever”, IMF opting for algorithmic, computer rendered compositions. Human interaction or not, this tape gashes into existence with unsettling, wavy coarseness and grating randomization. It bolts through an audible brick-and-mortar melee, scrambling streaks of feedback like a malfunctioning machine attempting to fix other malfunctioning machines. No machine is restored to factory settings, though. Instead there is a further soiling of an already exacerbated, oil-stained workplace.  IMF is more of an executioner than a mechanic I suppose, and the causalities on “Harlem Electronics” put most pedal pounders to shame.

This was the swift kick to the temple that I needed. My brain is officially reset. I will go on.

New Batch – Wounded Knife
5.23.16 by Mike Haley

Repeat after me: I want the knife.

You may be wondering why I just referenced one of the two parts from The Golden Child that I remember. It’s because there is another knife I want. The knife, in this case, is Wounded Knife. Specifically their brand new batch of four cassettes. Take a moment to appreciate Eddie Murphy’s impressive filmography from 1982 – 1988 and then we’ll casually chat about what those four tapes are… Alright, got that out of your system? Let’s go.

Randall Taylor unfolds 30 minutes of his cloaked guitar/noise based abstruseness as Amulets. His tracks on “In Flux” (CUT#33), are weary and weathered. Stout burners that inch along on all fours in slow motion thunder storms. To the best of my knowledge, Amulets has only been active for a couple dozen months, in that time releasing tapes on Spring Break, Horror Fiction, and a few others. All pleasing grips, “In Flux” being no exception. Lake Mary & Nathan Wheeler, who performs in the live version of Lake Mary’s Ranch Family Band, link up for “Also” (CUT#34). The duo campaigns through two side-long tracks of antiseptic minimalism by way of grand piano and synthesizers. Gripping and beautiful work. “Harigams” (CUT#35) is a 45 minute improv session between Sébastien Branche, Miguel A. García, Wojtek Kurek, and Mateusz Wysocki. Mimicking a sandcastle that refuses to hold shape, the four form vexing structures of sound. A mixture of dry and wet rasps and squeals that puddle up with each wave. Rounding out the batch is a collaboration between Charles Barabé + Roadside Picnic. Their “National House Milk” (CUT#36) C35 is a deluxe party bag of rando-avant chunks. Doses of flustered on-board beats, swampy synths, and sound samples that made their way through a paper shredder and were hot glued back together just in time to be recorded. Weirdo tunes that will leave blisters.

Buying these is something you should be doing currently.

Spring Break Tapes’ Mystery Batch
5.18.16 by Mike Haley

Some people hate surprises. They like the comfort of knowing exactly what is and isn’t going to happen. They don’t want to be offered a slice of chocolate cake that turns out to be a turd I found at the zoo (dessert prank!). But not all surprises taste like capybara poop. Some are awesome!

Back in April Spring Break Tapes announced preorders for a two tape “Mystery Batch”. No information about the artists was given, other than these would be their debut releases. The tapes would be limited to 50 copies was pretty much all that was said about the releases. Within 24 hours all but artist copies were gone. Sold to chill risk takers with a few bucks in their PayPal account and a knowledge of SBT’s fairly dope track record. If you ask me, and I know you did not, this was totally a smooth move by Spring Break. An amusing way to place new sounds in ear holes that may have missed them otherwise. And it was fun. And fun, IMHO, can be fun to have.

The now un-mystified cassettes, shipped with a “special gift” (maybe capybara pooooop??), are from halcyon soothsayers Gaetano Cappella and Contagious Yawns.

“Italian artist, Gaetano Cappella’s debut Maiella is a cassette dedicated to and inspired by his birthplace of the same name. Cappella equally holds strong feelings for his process of drone creation. All the sounds on Maiella were solely created by him with guitar, natural ambience and a cassette recorder. Like most drone releases there is a darkness to the recordings but you can also feel the spiritual quality they have, as though you were atop the highest peak of a mountain as it moaned and wailed it’s first sounds after a thousand year slumber.” – Spring Break Tapes

“Influenced and inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick’s epic drama of adventure and exploration, Contagious Yawns’ debut, Some Places Aren’t Around Here, shares some of the same qualities as the classic film. Hypnotic rhythms and ethereal synth organ create a feeling of suspense, a sense of chaos and a path of uncertainty. Some Places is undoubtedly an impressive release from an artist we’re sure to hear more from.” – Spring Break Tapes

Both artists will have copies for sale for those who just had to know what was in the box. The label has plans for future blind batches, which I fully support.

Wires Crossed – Hylé vs Haju
5.13.16 by Mike Haley

There is a legion of labels and weirdo jammers releasing cassette, with new names popping up every single day. With those staggering numbers it can be easy to mix em up, get confused, or form loose associations. Wires Crossed will take those Corey Haim/Corey Feldman and Oprah/Uma situations and figure out just how similar they are.

This inaugural Wires Crossed examines Hylé Tapes and Haju Tapes. Two fairly new, impressive labels that I can’t seem to keep straight.

Tell me a little bit about the name of your label. What does it mean, why did you choose it, and how do you pronounce it?

Hylé: In philosophy, hyle (/ˈhaɪliː/; from Ancient Greek: ὕλη) refers to matter or stuff. It can also be the material cause underlying a change in Aristotelian philosophy. The Greeks originally had no word for matter in general, as opposed to raw material suitable for some specific purpose or other, so Aristotle adapted the word for “wood” to this purpose. The idea that everything physical is made of the same basic substance holds up well under modern science, although it may be thought of more in terms of energy or matter/energy. I recorded a track called Hylé with my solo project Acid Fountain and I thought it could be a cool name for a tape label. It sounds kind of French to me with that letter “é”, but it is not.

Haju: Haju Tapes is named after one of my aunts (on my mom’s side of the family). Her full name is Hajra, but everyone calls her Haju. The reason I chose to name the label after her is because we were very close, when I was younger. Our personalities are very similar… both of us are total introverts, which is strange since everyone else in the family is an extrovert. Other than that, I just like the way it sounds. As for pronunciation, it’s Ha-Jew. It always cracks me up, whenever you guys try to pronounce it on the podcast.

What do you think Haju / Hylé means?

Hylé: “Dog” in Miwok?

Haju: “Hail” in French?

Where are you located?

Hylé: Paris, France.

Haju: Northern California, the Bay Area to be exact.

Do you get many orders from California / France?

Hylé: Oh yes, I have shipped tapes to San Mateo, San Francisco, Oakland, LA, … And I have made some tape trades with Ted James Butler (Head Dess, Norelco Mori) and Constellation Tatsu, both from California.

Haju: Not that often. I think we have gotten a couple.

When did you start the label and how many tapes have you released so far?

Hylé: I started in January 2015 and I have released 28 tapes.

Haju: The label officially launched during November 2015. That’s when we put out our first release (oddigtl – Solarium). We have four releases out so far and I just ordered the supplies for our fifth release (Spliff Jacksun – Memory Display).

Who designed your logo? Could you describe what it is?

Hylé: I made it myself. The kind of “blue mountain” you see on it is a modified picture of a piece of wood I have at home. From the bottom of the logo you can see a hexagon taking shape. We use this geometric shape when we talk about France : “L’Héxagone”. And the pink circle is there because it creates a good balance with the “blue mountain”.

Haju: I made the logo. It was made when I first started using Adobe Illustrator. Basically, it’s a square with a couple of strokes and “HAJU TAPES” written in a sans-serif typeface (forgot which typeface it was, to be honest). The strokes are supposed to be an abstract take on the bottom half of a woman’s face (since Haju is a woman’s name). Over time, I have made the stroke weight thicker and font size larger, so it shows up clearly on Jcards. Everyone I’ve shown it to has hated it. I don’t care though, I actually like how unrefined it looks. Kind of reflects the rough Hip-Hop beat stuff that we have been releasing. I also try to switch up the logo’s color scheme for every release.

You put out a tape with people floating on clouds. How does that imagery, if at all, reflect your label’s vibe/operations?

Hylé: For me it will reflect the fact I am a daydreamer, an outsider, and that Hylé Tapes tries to share the mysterious art of amazing musicians as Théodore Lüne, JUJU, African Ghost Valley, Jay Glass Dubs, or Forest Management with people. I try to link these original worlds to listeners.

Haju: I always try to incorporate the artists that we release in the art and/or design work. For the Lzu. release, it was a collage he made for the digital version of the album. I really liked it, so we decided to use it for the physical release as well. I think it really fits the whole vibe of that album. Listening to that tape is a really gentle, dreamy and soothing experience and the artwork embodies that.

In five words describe this cassette:

Hylé: Smooth, collage, dreamy, luminous, touching.

Haju: Sleepwalking, friendly, floating, vintage, self-aware.

All of the photos of your tapes on Bandcamp also have rocks in them. Why is that?

Hylé: When I was a child I used to love rocks and take them home after being at the sea or at the mountain. I still do that. Hehehe. I have stones from all over the World. They are treasures to me. There are some photos with plants and pieces of wood, I love that too!

All of the photos of your tapes on Bandcamp are taken outside (3 out of 4 in your hand). Why is that?

Haju: It’s convenient. No deeper meaning. As soon as I finish manufacturing the tapes, I go out to my deck and take photos for Bandcamp. Nothing fancy.

What tape labels got you interested in starting one of your own?

Hylé: Phinery and Opal Tapes.

Haju: SICKONASTY is a huge influence. It’s run by my buddies Mark Aubert and Bluezr. They release some really interesting stuff and everything from their tapes, stickers to patches are all DIY. Definitely check them out, if you haven’t already. G.O.A.T Beetz is another great label, run by Knablinz. He’s a producer based in Astoria, OR doing his own thing. Really interesting artwork. Nekubi Tapes, out of Greece is also very cool. The artwork, design and music are on point every single time. They used to only do twenty copies of each tape, but they’ve been doing fifty lately. Even with fifty copies, their releases go incredibly quick. Acorn Tapes is a great little UK based label, run by TMCT. Very dope imprint that consistently releases good beat based stuff. Humble Weight, El Sereno Records, Cindy’s Tapes, Colossal Tapes, Warm Gospel, Oligopolist Records, Modal Aspiration Records, Grand Garden, Paxico, Carpi, Spring Break Tapes!, NNA Tapes, Patient Sounds… Too many to name.

You use framed out images in squares and circles on your Jcards a lot. Is that a happy accident or done on purpose? Who does the majority of your artwork?

Hylé: For me it is a happy accident. The artists are completely free to use their artwork if they want, but I love doing artwork too. I have done more than half of Hylé Tapes’ artwork.

Haju: I handle the design work for the most part. The artwork is usually done by me or the artist. As for the circles and squares, I just like the way they look. Very understated in a way. I try to switch it up though, like for the upcoming Spliff Jacksun release, the collage takes up the entirety of the front panel of the j-card. Also, for the Lzu. release, the artwork takes up the whole j-card.

Do you home or pro dub your releases?

Hylé: Pro Dubbed at home by myself with a Sony CCP 2300.

Haju: I’ve been home dubbing everything so far. I think at some point, I’m going to start getting them pro dubbed. Even though there is a sense of satisfaction when you home dub tapes, it starts becoming somewhat tedious and overwhelming.

What was the last tape you bought?

Hylé: A second hand copy of “Arbos” by Arvö Part.

Haju: Ghost McGrady  – Groveland. I don’t know much about him, besides the fact that he’s from LA and makes good music. He has a very mysterious presence.

Beavis or Butthead?

Hylé: Don’t Know… uh huh huh huh huh huh

Haju: Beavis

If your label was a color, what color would it be?

Do you have an ideal tape length?

Hylé: I love C40’s, It is long enough but if the music is good you still want some more.

Haju: Around 20-30 minutes is ideal, as far as beat tapes go. 30-45 for Rock, Jazz, Rap, etc.

First words that comes to mind when you hear the following

Hylé:
Single Sided: Vinyl
Polycase: The “Tapes Series” from 36, a British tape label
Postage: Once a week
Download Codes: Gifts

Haju:
Single Sided: Simple
Polycase: Cheap
Postage: Expensive
Download Codes: Unnecessary

pick a number between 1 and 10

Who is your favorite Batman?

Hylé:  Michael Keaton

Haju: Adam West

How would you describe the sounds you release, and the fact that they are on cassette tape, to someone completely detached from that sort of thing?

Hylé: Empirical electronic music.

Haju: Gritty sample based Hip-Hop beats. Listen to them on cassette, because the tape hiss just adds to the music. Tapes are better than digital, because they are physical objects that you can hold in your hands. Vinyl is cool, but tapes are cheaper to manufacture. CDs aren’t very durable, so I would rather put out tapes.

Have you had to do that with a relative or friend?

Hylé: Yes, and I normally tell them Hylé Tapes is an experimental electronic music tape label with releases of Ambient, Drone, Techno, Improvised electronic music, etc.

Haju: Yeah, my aunt and uncle stopped by, around the time I was working on the motion. release. I was dubbing tapes and trimming/scoring Jcards. They were very confused, until I went on my whole, “why tapes are better” rant.

What is your favorite Star Wars film?

Hylé: The Empire Strikes Back

Haju: The Empire Strikes Back

How do you want people to feel when they look at and listen to the tapes you put out?

Hylé: Puzzled. And I want them to discover the rest of these artists discography on other labels.

Haju: I think it’s different for each release. Overall, I want them to feel satisfied. All of our tapes are around twenty minutes, which isn’t very long, but give me quality over quantity any day. I also want the art/design work to reflect the music. Like one cohesive object.

Pay The Rent – Soft On Glass
5.12.16 by Mike Haley

Have you ever listened to a cassette and thought that it should come with two hammocks. One for you to relax in until your earthly body eclipses and becomes pure energy, and another hammock for the energy? I take by your attempt to close out this tab that you have not, and that’s fine. You just haven’t heard this new ambient banger from White Reeves Productions: Pay The Rent’s “Soft On Glass”.

Pay The Rent’s “Soft On Glass” is a liquefied bliss. A candied concoction of striking synths, lush as h*ck guitar, and drones. Drones that cascade down the pews of a very large, showy church. They move reservedly, like fog. Guitars bellow from the ornate rafters in outstretched waves, their origins cloaked. The stone queue of creepy, blood stained statues that line the walls sorta sway and throb along with the crystal clear keys. Like the rafters, the music on “Soft On Glass” is, in a way, also sort of ornate. Maybe “ornate” isn’t the right word. Flowery. It’s flowery. It wants to be seen. And it does so in servings much, much smaller than it’s dashing, relaxed kin tend to. Instead of playing the long game, Pay The Rent is all about making a show of itself in rather short jaunts, then doing the quick move on. Get baked, pop on this tape, and watch a documentary about bees on mute to taste the honey. This is the life and Pay The Rent stings. Buzz buzz.

The 20 minutes of “Soft On Glass” flies by, but each track is an impressively defined, mini-miracle. Pete Mudge, John Kasunic, and Mike Kasunic is a very tight trio. You should buy their tape and see for yourself.

New Batch – Phinery
5.11.16 by Mike Haley

It’s no joke, nor a secret, that Phinery is on the ball when it comes to synth and sample driven, spirited future music. The kind of shit that sounds like millions of marbles dropping through rain clouds and self-cleaning robots. And at this rate, with 70-some releases in their relatively short lifespan, Phinery just might surpass meat and meat products in export numbers. Meat and meat products being 5.5% of Denmark’s total exports in 2009, of course.

Phinery’s latest batch is bonkers. There are six tapes. That’s a half dozen, OR the number of days in a week if you don’t include Thursday. A little math for you egg heads out there.

ph067 Turning Torso – Umbral
ph068 Cellulist – Territory
ph069 German Army – Mountain City
ph070 Raphael Leray – Solstitial Memories
ph071 TEN HYPHEN TWENTY – OSSUARY GARDENS
ph072 Scy1e – Canard

Prepare your brain for these incoming tunes with a nice pep talk, because it’s gonna be nonplussed and start jumping to random memories and thoughts. Like that summer at the lake when they found that kid’s body, or that juicy hornet that was swatted and sloshed on your Bob Ross poster. These tapes offer a random splotching of dark sliminess on otherwise absolute peaceful, low key vibes. A totally relaxed dankness of choppy samples, canyon-style guitar, and spot on knobfoolery. It’s like every cassette in this fine batch could score a David Lynch shower. Take that as you will. Tons of squirrelly, snappy synths. German Army going pretty hard, in capacity and devotion (‘No Lights’!!!). Bottom line, this is a life or death batch. Are you a lifer? Or are you the dead kid they found at the lake?

Available at Phinery’s Bandcamp situation, alone or collect em all, in editions of 60 copies.