Otherworldly Mystics

Behind the Scenes - Part 2: The Original Music

Following up from the post about the animatic, here’s a piece of music that to my knowledge has only ever been heard by 2 people until now. One of the original plans for the 2015 Frog Dog Log short was that once I finished animation, I would then hand it off to Chris Roberts (Orca Life), who wanted to experiment with sound design and music following our collaboration on Transmission in 2012.

I wanted to be as hands-off as possible for this aspect of this short, only going so far as to suggest that I wanted something plucky like a banjo (which neither of us own…). Chris delivered this to me, and while it wasn’t intended to sync up with any aspect of the film, it pretty much set the mood for how I thought about these characters moving forward. It had a very simple and peaceful, Animal Crossing-esque vibe, that up until that point, I hadn’t considered. But, as discussed in the last post, I never did finish that film, and this track remained in a folder on my computer till now.

When it came to revisiting the project in early 2017, we both thought back about the logistics of jumping into a 2.5 minute short as Chris’ first sound design attempt and realized that may be daunting for both of us. I suggested I would come up with a 30 or so second short we could experiment on instead, which was to be a film about sentient smoke from a failed cooking experiment… but then I realized I already had a character that was a sentient cloud, and thus Hog & Fog came to be. So, if anyone ever wanted to know why the spin-off released before the main project, now you know.

Virginia based cassette label Otherwordly Mystics unleashes this wonderful split tape from Rhucle on Side A and Mike Nigro on Side B. Rhucle takes everyday sounds of nature, chatter and waves and surrounds them with blissful ambience. Mike Nigro side builds and blends as it progresses. Starting of with a quiet storm, morphing into nostalgic sound phonics, sputters and rain. It may be summertime, but this tape makes me yearn for the cool autumn days ahead.

[Art by trashcanland]

MMJ is extremely proud to share its list of the Top 20 Albums of 2016. After a full year of blogging about some of the best underground music right now – as well as publishing various interviews, features, and mixes – we’re excited to close out 2016 with offering our thoughts on our absolute favorite releases from the past 12 months.

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20. LILLITH双生 - (SEASON_0) Hazard Garden

[Dream Catalogue]

With (SEASON_0) Hazard Garden, LILLITH双生 found himself reaching new heights as a producer. More refined and layered than his previous releases as サイバー ‘98, this 12-track debut under his new moniker saw the elusive electronic artist redefining vaporwave with a bleak sonic aura, taking hazy synths, wonky trap percussion, and postmodern IDM sounds to craft a record that’s both chilling and refreshing in its musical narratives.

(SEASON_0) Hazard Garden by LILLITH双生

19. The Field - The Follower

[Kompakt]

If Axel Willner’s previous albums as The Field relied on the minimal, hypnotic repetition of micro-samples mixed in with mellow drums and synths, then The Follower emphasizes that dreamy repetition with an even greater focus on tone and atmosphere. The Swedish techno maverick’s sixth release to date is possibly his best yet, from the gloriously dark robotic funk of the opening title track to the blissful ambient drones of “Raise the Dead.”

18. Elysia Crampton - Demon City

[Break World]

Following 2015′s American Drift, Elysia Crampton found new ways to manipulate and reinvent her own sound. On Demon City, the producer delivers a seven-song suite that feels like a cutting edge reflection of contemporary sound and a polished love letter to underground club culture. Blending Latin electronica with post-industrial sound design, Crampton’s sophomore LP is truly a profound statement and one of the most memorable records from this year.

17. James Ferraro - Human Story 3

[Self-Released]

The greatest soundtrack to our post-digital landscape. A reflection of our society in the wake of post-9/11 America, challenging the dissonance of individualism via human achievement and technological advancement. A stunning analytic collection of pieces dedicated to the modern triumphs of western society, embedded in IKEA’s branded simulation of our latest version of the modern Gomorrah temple: the Googleplex. The hyper-polished sound of tomorrow is only a tap away from our dreams within GoPro’s uncanny valley. Starbucks, yoga, and cloud computing are just some of the most monumental accomplishments of our singular era. Your GPS might tell your Smart Car to drive straight into the plastic ocean, leaving only our market crashes and revelations taken from the latest installment of the Human Story to carry our civilization forward.

Human Story 3 by James Ferraro

16. 仮想夢プラザ - 仮想夢女の子

[Self-Released]

仮想夢女の子, staying true to Telepath’s sonic aesthetic, moves at a glacial pace. It’s slow as molasses, yet not a single moment seems to ever be wasted, with 32 minutes of dreamy synth drones building to a gentle, euphoric climax. Comprised of a single track, this release stands as one of the producer’s greatest albums under his 仮想夢プラザ alias. It’s a heavenly slice of ambient music, beautifully blending the styles of classic analogue new age and postmodern dreampunk lost in a VHS-esque haze.

仮想夢女の子 by 仮想夢プラザ

15. Bryant Canelo - The Black Struggle

[Psalmus Diuersae]

Lo-fi and colorfully abstract, Bryant Canelo’s The Black Struggle highlights a powerfully stark style of minimalism through electronic synthesis. Tracks like “Rest My Head on Synthia’s Chest” and “Draft Kings” assemble sounds in a collage-like fashion, with distorted drums and warbly synths crashing through waves of tape hiss as they loop and stutter their way into hypnotic techno and tribal rhythms. 

The Black Struggle by Bryant Canelo

14. Vaperror - Acid Arcadia

[Plus100]

Swapping out the polished footwork sounds of his 2015 tape Polychromatic Compiler in favor for some exuberant, Lone-esque acid house tones, Vaperror’s Acid Arcadia is nearly a total reinvention of his sound, yet it easily ranks as one of his most impressive projects yet.

Acid Arcadia by VAPERROR

13. Tropes - Remixes / Karma’s Reel

[Dirty Tapes]

If Lit Divine was Tropes’ Tago Mago, then Remixes / Karma’s Reel is his Ege Bamyasi. Across this stellar double-cassette, the hip hop producer graces several of these distorted, wonky, and soulful instrumentals with his signature production style and unique approach to slicing and dicing samples.

DT010: TROPES - REMIXES / KARMA’S REEL by Tropes

12. Sir Sicko & Tha Ninesta - On That Other Level

[Self-Released]

Possibly one of the most significant releases to emerge from 2016′s underground revival of lo-fi Memphis rap and chopped and screwed was On That Other Level, a remarkably dark and sonically innovative tape from Finnish producer Sir Sicko and Florida-based collagist Tha Ninesta. Although it borrows many distinct elements from ‘90s staples of the genre like Lil Noid, Tommy Wright III, and Red Dog, this cassette reinvents the classic sound of dusty Memphis rap in a DJ Screw-esque fashion, piecing together various samples and adding an extra layer of distorted, slowed down funkiness.

On That Other Level by Sir Sicko & Tha Ninesta

11. Memory Leaks Onto The Rug - Team Fortress 2

[Self-Released]

Yet another great sample-based record from this year, Memory Leaks Onto The Rug’s Team Fortress 2 was an eclectic, boundary-pushing release that seamlessly blended several different styles of plunderphonics to create a warped, totally zoned out collection of glitch tracks and abstract collages. Hip hop-esque funk looping appears on “Depression,” lush piano appears alongside chopped and screwed samples (à la OPN’s Replica) on “LucerneFlower,” and lo-fi hypnagogic drones envelop “dank”’s meditative ambient tone. It’s a madly diverse project chock full of plenty of awkwardly contorted moments, yet as a lesson in DIY sound design, it’s brilliantly original and manages to venture out to the outer limits of experimental music with each and every stuttering loop.

Team Fortress 2 by Memory Leaks Onto The Rug

10. O A K M I L K - micromagnify

[Illuminated Paths]

Assembling a vibrant mix of layered ambient, wonky sound collage, and distorted glitch movements, O A K M I L K’s micromagnify served as a unique reflection of modern drone music. Piecing together several sonic experiments by using mangled field recordings, samples, tape loops, and “melodic synthesising,” Max Walker’s six-track mini-epic found new ways to add an extra layer of complexity and adroitness to waves of multicolored sound, making it a tape that stood out amongst many other ambient releases from this year.

9. Paul Hares - Astral Travel

[Self-Released]

Much like its title implies, Astral Travel is a totally otherworldly, nonphysical experience. Paul Hares’ lo-fi, hypnagogic ambient drones branch out to the greatest depths of our known universe, with warped, new age synths transporting you to the tropical islands and exotica-themed waterparks of a barren, unexplored wasteland from the distant future. It’s essentially meditation music from 2039 A.D. (AFTER DIGITAL), setting a lush, primitive backdrop to its transcendental sonic aura.

astral travel by Paul Hares

8. SELA. - sell your life | internet money

[Self-Released]

West Coast producer SELA. regenerated the glossy, sexy spirit behind ‘90s and mid-2000s R&B under the guise of classic footwork with this oddly captivating cassette. Taking an unconventional, Chuck Person-esque approach to crafting reverby, chopped ‘n’ glitched loops, sell your life | internet money highlights its most memorable moments with a stark musing of offbeat beauty.

sell your life | internet money by SELA.

7. Perfume Advert - Foreverware

[Seagrave]

During a year when outsider house may have reached its absolute peak, UK duo Perfume Advert dropped the genre’s defining album of 2016. Previously releasing their crunchy, groove-heavy 2013 debut Tulpa and its spacey, more laid-back followup +200 Gamma in 2015, the murky and abstract Foreverware feels like the perfect blend of both records. Incorporating alluring dub techno rhythms with airy synths and brief splashes of drone distortion, Aaron Turner and Tom Brown’s third LP is a polished study of a distinct underground sound. A fitting tape for both the clubs and home relaxation.

Foreverware by Perfume Advert

6. 仮想夢プラザ - 夢愛

[Plus100]

A true gem in his massive, constantly growing discography, 夢愛 was one of the albums this year that solidified Telepath as a modern master of ambient music. Sprawling, enveloping waves of synthesizer drones explore a seemingly never-ending dreamscape on both sides of the tape, allowing the listener to fully transcend while the producer channels shimmering rays of new age sunlight, cloaked by an atmospheric build of hypnotic bliss disguised as echoed noise.

夢愛 by 仮想夢プラザ

5. Tim Hecker - Love Streams

[4AD]

It almost doesn’t make sense that Tim Hecker would release such an amazingly good record 15 years after his debut, but it’s also an eye-opening testament to his incredible artistic prowess. Love Streams is unlike any album in his discography, and because of this, it’s by far and away the best thing he’s done to date. More sonically advanced, more detailed, and somehow even more heavenly than Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again or Virgins, the 11 songs on Hecker’s latest full-length craft a distinct atmosphere that’s as heavy and unforgettable as it is lush and dreamy. The ethereal choir vocals and buzzing drones that play a prominent role on tracks like “Music of the Air” and “Castrati Stack” are beyond extraordinary, leaving anyone wanting to pick apart each and every stunning layer of sound Love Streams flawlessly presents.

Love Streams by Tim Hecker

4. Venetian Snares - Traditional Synthesizer Music

[Timesig]

Traditional Synthesizer Music is definitive proof that Venetian Snares is one of the very few people worthy of the tag “electronic music legend.” That being said, it’s quite a left-field release coming from someone who has cemented themselves in chaotic, noisy breakcore for well over a decade. However, Aaron Funk’s latest game changer is an entirely refreshing and welcomed take on his own established sound. Traditional Synthesizer Music was “performed live exclusively on the modular synthesizer” with no overdubs or extra edits made whatsoever, giving one of the producer’s best albums in ages a strikingly human quality. On the surface, it should sound completely robotic and cold, like many of Funk’s releases, but it instead showcases his greatest strengths as a composer in a truly direct and engaging fashion, leaving many of us to wonder why we never heard this side of Venetian Snares before. 

Traditional Synthesizer Music by Venetian Snares

3. Embassy - Embassy

[Otherworldly Mystics]

2016 was a breakout year for Portland artist Toby Alden, and his self-titled debut as Embassy on Otherworldly Mystics was a record that initiated the sound of one of ambient music’s most promising newcomers. Even during the album’s most delicate and serene moments, Alden’s synth work and smooth sample collaging spoke volumes. Haunting and utterly melancholic drone timbres find tender bliss on opener “Lotion,” and the nostalgic hypnagogic pop masterwork of “Eternal” is a piece that’s both purely emotional and technically awe-inspiring. Embassy is remarkably eclectic with its range of distorted, lo-fi sounds, switching between reverby analogue riffs to earth-shattering drum loops and brutal noise passages to warped pop vocals. It’s a beautiful reminder of a creative mind hard at work, breaking new ground for electronic composition in the digital age by using an elegant, simply magnificent approach.  

EMBASSY by EMBASSY

2. Gobby - No Mercy Bad Poet

[DFA]

Gobby has ingeniously meshed avant-techno with skewed plunderphonics and bizarre outsider-pop in the past, yet no other record in his catalog feels as masterful, as profound, or as innovative as No Mercy Bad Poet. The 11-track release is an astonishingly surreal take on glitched-out trance rhythms and psychedelic alt-R&B ballads locked in uncommon time signatures, taking the New York artist’s sound to phenomenal new levels of daring, unparalleled brilliance. The near nine-minute “Romance Frog” is one hell of a closer and a fantastic example of Gobby’s unconventional, vibrant sound, allowing for the producer to quietly self reflect as flashy electronics collide with mesmerizing splashes of grungy guitar, sound effects, and breezy percussion – it’s a sensational and truly unique moment that defines No Mercy Bad Poet as an unforgettable and endlessly inventive record.

No Mercy Bad Poet by Gobby

1. Babyfather - BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow

[Hyperdub]

“You hear the sirens, yeah? The sirens is a real ting. I hear the sirens every fucking night,” DJ Escrow says at the tail end of “Stealth,” BBF’s absolutely incredible opener. The emcee’s chilling narration leads the hypnotic intro into “Greezebloc” with those very sirens wailing in the background, turning a brief reflection of urban anxiety and quasi-political thought into a euphoric, riveting moment that characterizes the minimal, ethereal and masterful sound of Babyfather’s debut full-length.

Although it deeply roots itself in 2000s grime and R&B, BBF is an album that’s entirely stimulating and refreshing in its conceptual and sonic narratives, completely reinventing modern hip hop as we know it while offering a brutally honest glimpse of our current cultural landscape. That landscape is also the perfect foundation for some unrivaled, utterly radical musical revelations that ultimately craft an unbelievably great artistic statement.

BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow was arguably 2016′s most important record. It was this year’s crowning achievement. An absolute masterpiece that remains so powerful, so detailed and so remarkably exquisite that its “timeless classic” status is essentially confirmed by an unmistakable atmosphere built around one defining line:

This makes me proud to be British.

Babyfather - BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow (HDBLP032) by Babyfather

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[Image credit: trashcanland]

MMJ, in true avant-garde yet discerning fashion, is proud to present its list for the Top 15 Albums of 2016 So Far. Although, in our opinion, it’s been a bit of a quiet year so far in terms of standout albums, our personal highlights from this year truly left a mark on us and reminded us why it’s so important to keep reviewing, tweeting, listening, etc. From stunning electronic postmodernism to intense ambient-glitch drones to experimental footwork cassettes to free-jazz-meets-plunderphonics, find all of our picks down below.

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Babyfather - BBF Hosted by DJ Escrow [Hyperdub]

Gobby - No Mercy Bad Poet [DFA Records]

EMBASSY - EMBASSY [Otherworldly Mystics]

EMBASSY by EMBASSY

Venetian Snares - Traditional Synthesizer Music [Timesig]

Tim Hecker - Love Streams [4AD]

仮想夢プラザ - 夢愛 [PLUS100 Records]

夢愛 by 仮想夢プラザ

Perfume Advert - Foreverware [SEAGRAVE]

Foreverware by Perfume Advert

SELA. - sell your life | internet money [Self-Released]

sell your life | internet money by SELA.

Paul Hares - Astral Travel [Self-Released]

astral travel by Paul Hares

SickO & Tha Ninesta - On That Other Level [Self-Released]

SICKO & THA NINESTA -ON THAT OTHER LEVEL by SICK O

Tropes - Remixes / Karma’s Reel [Dirty Tapes]

DT010: TROPES - REMIXES / KARMA’S REEL by Tropes

VAPERROR - Acid Arcadia [PLUS100 Records]

Acid Arcadia by VAPERROR

The Field - The Follower [Kompakt]

LILLITH双生 - (SEASON_0) Hazard Garden [Dream Catalogue]

(SEASON_0) Hazard Garden by LILLITH双生

Bang! Bros. - Food for Thoth [Hausu Mountain]

[Otherworldly Mystics; 2016]

8/10

“LOTION,” the opening track to EMBASSY’s new self-titled full-length, is a stunning ambient piece that ties together the atmospheric sounds of late 2000s post-noise cassette culture and Boards of Canada’s brief yet remarkable interludes. Throughout its five minute runtime, the track seamlessly blends brushes of gentle lo-fi recording techniques with euphoric noise and harmonious layering. As displayed on “LOTION” and the rest of EMBASSY, Portland’s Toby Alden is a master of crafting sound in order to suggest highly effective themes of abstract imagery and applicable concepts. While pushing the boundaries of contemporary ambient music, Alden also allows room for several other genres and stylistic influences to take place to produce a cryptic, almost futuristic exhibition of orchestration that is guilelessly his own. The glitchy “ETERNAL” emits a similar radiance of audible mastery, with chopped and looped synth riffs that sound like they were ripped straight from some old VHS. In relation to this, EMBASSY is certainly something of a nostalgic journey: there are various collages of sound and manipulated samples that evoke either rooted emotions or stirring memories throughout. Much like WalgreensCVSRiteAid’s Tweet, “I’m having deep nostalgic feelings about the summer of 2001. I was 13 at that time,” there are hints of robotic communication fused with the humanized ideals of personal reflection all over this album. The robotic element of EMBASSY is its jarring transitions, its lo-fi glitch adoration, and its stylistic themes of blank, straightforward postmodernism. The human element of it is its organic, home recorded synthesizer melodies, its pure melancholy translated through avant-garde electronic sound, and its ability to produce a diverse yet entirely cohesive piece of modern music on a single cassette.

EMBASSY by EMBASSY

With these and many other factors in mind, EMBASSY is truly a magnificent record to sit through. Its main material aspect of composition ranges from sprawling drone epics to reverb-heavy glitch hop in a truly harmonious set of ideals, thus making Alden’s purely unique approach to sound art something of a revolutionary musical stance. The songs on EMBASSY are no less “statements” as they are raw musical pieces, with each track following a specific set of audible patterns that allow a great sense of coherence to take place without being at all ostentatious.