I always enjoy getting a new batch from Ekhein. Aside from the music being consistently spot on, Matt’s serial layouts have a really effective touch and are a nice respite from the usual design wackiness out there…

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Earn
Center Self

For the last couple of years I’ve pretty much snatched up any of Matt’s Earn  tapes (no LP yet?!?) I can find. His stuff seems to always hit the spot when I’m in the need of loopy guitar haziness…and that’s pretty often.

[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/earn.mp3|titles=earn]

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Migrations In Rust
Seasons Cast In Pearl

First I’ve heard of Migrations In Rust & I’m diggin it. Side A sounds like some weird Glass Armonica tampering, while the flip builds up to sounding like a gamelan orchestra in space. Perfect!

[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Migrations_in_rust_Bathed.mp3|titles=Migrations_in_rust_Bathed]

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Antiquity
Antiquity

Jonas Asher takes a break from Grasslung to make music that sounds a lot like Grasslung. Sincere Void will be out via RS on the 27th.

[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Antiquity.mp3|titles=Antiquity]

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1958-2009
III

Apparently this is the last installment of this really nice series that pays homage to The King Of Pop. Dreamy synth/guitar (i think?) melancholy that will hopefully see the light of day as an LP set or CD someday

[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/1958_2009.mp3|titles=1958_2009]

Tecumseh
Barn Owl
Gregg Kowalsky

21 Grand
416 25th Street
Oakland, CA 94612

Fairlights, Mallets and Bamboo- Fourth-world Japan, years 1980-1986
By Spencer Doran

Haruomi Hosono – “Down to the Earth“ from Mercuric Dance
Ryuichi Sakamoto – “A Rain Song” from Esperanto
Mkwaju Ensemble – “Ki-Motion” from Ki Motion
Haruomi Hosono – “Air Condition” from Philharmony
Mariah – “Shisen” from Utakata no Hibi
Yasuaki Shimizu – “(Untitled Pieces for Bridgestone)” from Music for Commercials
Mkwaju Ensemble – “Lemore” from Mkwaju
Seigen Ono – “Mallets” from Seigen
Masahide Sakuma – “WINDOWS/Hi!!” from Masahide Sakuma
Geinoh Yamashirogumi – “Agba’a” from Africa Genjoh
Yasuaki Shimizu – “(Untitled Piece for Tachikawa)” from Music for Commercials
Danceries – “Grasshoppers” from End of Asia
Phew – “Closed” from Phew
Haruomi Hosono – “Windy Land” from The Endless Talking
YMO – “Loom” from BGM

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Spencer Doran is a Portland based musician who plays in Operative, Cloaks & RV Paintings.
You can catch him (for free!) in a Cloaks set this Friday @ Grace Cathedral for Episcodisco!

Mirror
In to the wood
Three Poplars, Cdr, 2002

01. In to the wood (1:11:49)

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This is the first installment of what I hope will be a semi regular series of brief reviews of cassette tapes that come our way.

First up…

Driphouse
50/50
Nu New Age

Former Raccoo-oo-oon guitarist & current Brooklyn resident Darren Ho dropped another dose of Driphouse  earlier this year via the always delightful Nu New Age. If ornate holographic bursts of color are your thing (there mine!) then track this one down. Sounds like Darren has really found his rabbit hole and he seems to be having a good time in it. When’s the last time you heard someone open up a side with a harpsichord?

Intro:
[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/driphouse_01.mp3|titles=driphouse_01]

Garden (edit)
[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/driphouse_02.mp3|titles=driphouse_02]

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No UFO
Soft Coast
Nice Up

Pretty much been blasting these two No UFO sides ad nauseum down in RSHQ lately. All compliments of Vancouver, BC head Konrad Jandavs.  Loving the Faust Tapes template in use here: analog tomfoolery one minute, guitar dirt the next, then booty bass after that. Probably why I’m not getting tired of this one. Completely lost feeling… and I mean that in the best way.

Edit from Side A:
[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/no_ufo_1.mp3|titles=no_ufo_1]

Edit from Side B:
[audio:https://rootstrata.com/rootblog/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/no_ufo_2.mp3|titles=no_ufo_2]

Flying Saucer Attack
Sally Free And Easy
EP, Drag City, 1996

01. Sally Free And Easy (6:59)
02. Three Seas (8:40)

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Ilyas Ahmed
Mountainhood
Plankton Wat
Pioneer
Bird By Snow

The Woods
Portland 8pm $6