To kick off new-look diskant’s first record reviews for 2008, here’s the second in a set of three from a new year-long subscription-only series of twelve 7″s (in a limited edition of 300) from Maine, Portland’s fantastic new micro-label, L’Animaux Tryst. Coming out as three 7″s per season, these records form the first batch that came out late in 2007; the newest batch are just about to become available – for more information look here.

I have no idea who Bad Bus are, apart from a description of an “all-star cast of Maine crazies” and a Myspace page, which features their track on this here split 7″, “The Field”. As you can hear, it’s a mild cacophony of fuzz, delayed vocals, clattering percussion and pump organs that fizz together until the most unlikely shambolic bass groove emerges from the clutter, hand-in-hand with a two chord organ drone. It’s a beguiling free-for-all jam that is undoubtedly an excerpt from a much-longer performance, of the kind that should be thoroughly celebrated. Check it out.

Tempera are another band from Maine with a Myspace page and a good line in songs with ridiculous numeric titles. Their offering on the flip side of this 7″ is “22222222222222222222222”, and again you can hear it on their page. I’ve got a real soft spot for this one, stuffed with twisted, pitch-altered sounds that whisper, scream and howl through a lo-fi motorik jam that floats in and out of the song’s floating structure. Female vocals float through the mix, melding themselves with other sounds before being swamped by some unholy pitch-shifting that somehow manages to convey that wandering-back-dead-drunk-at-2am state of mind, where you can see all the crazies and headcases, but somehow seem insulated through a layer of booze/whatever your substance of choice, and firmly set on your path homewards.

A special note for the unique packaging of this 7″, each one coming in a hand-stitched patchwork sleeve that conveys almost no information whatsoever about the contents beyond the band names. Like the music contained within, colours, patterns and styles randomly clash with each other, to create a beautifully ragged tapestry. Excellent stuff.

The 7″ records are available together as the Autumn 2007 mailing of the Tryst Haunt series. To purchase the first bundle (for $24 USA, $28 Worldwide, postage paid), or to subscribe to the series for the full year ($75 US, $90 Worldwide, three records every three months, 12 records in all), visit http://www.lanimauxtryst.com/haunt.htm.

Posted: 03|7|08 at 5:26 pm. Filed under: record reviews.
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