Monster Skies Mix

Here's a wonderfully woven weird gear mix of proto electronics, malformed tape music, cosmic psych and vintage voltage pop by Finders Keepers co founder and b-musicologist extraordinaire Andy Votel. The mix was recorded in Melbourne earlier this year and originally released on cassette in a micro edition of 100 copies. Many thanks to AV and JP for their kind permissions. For those seeking similar musical sustenance, you might do well to seek out a copy of the companion vinyl release on Dual Planet and Finders Keepers. Enjoy.

Monster Skies Mix

Trunk Television

...... 28 minutes and two seconds of televisual wonder.  Thank you Mr. Trunk!!!!!!!

Ela Orleans Mix

It's been a while.  A long time indeed. As way of apology, here's a sublime mix of murmuring electronics and liminal drones which has been beautifully crafted by the Polish chanteuse Ela Orleans.  Her lp 'Tumult In Clouds' (recently reissued on Parental Guidance) has been a long time favourite round these parts and is indeed worthy of your investigation. For those piqued, more information can be found here. Many thanks to Ela for weaving such a  wonderful mix! Hope you all enjoy.

Ela Orleans Mix

1.  Bernard Herrmann - Prelude (from Fahrenheit 451)
2.  Stanley Myers - Solitaire (from Sitting Target)
3.  Susan Alcorn - Heart Sutra (from And I Await)
4.  Bessie Smith Honeyman Blues 
5.  Trevor Jones - Nightmare (from Harry Angel soundtrack)
6.  Je Suis Le Petit Chevalier - An Age Of Wonder (from An Age Of Wonder)
7.  Current 93 - XIV (The Inmost Light) 
8.  Glen Gray - Girl Of My Dreams (Harry Angel soundtrack edit)
9.  Joseph E. Levine - Chase The Hunchback (from Jack The Ripper  Soundtrack )
10. Throbbing Gristle - Janitor of Lunacy (Desertshore / The Final Report 2LP)
11. Femminielli - Shanghai C'est Beau (from Shanghai C'est Beau)
12. DJ Wally -  Sentimental Stamina (from The Creepy Crawlies)
13. Harry Lubin - Fear (from One Step Beyond)
14. Brigitte Fontaine & Areski - Le Chant des Chants (from L'Incendie)
15. Harold Budd - Wanderer (from The Serpent [In Quicksilver] )

Atman

Sequenze E Frequenze

Many thanks to "V" from Heroin In Tahiti for dropping knowledge and providing this wonderfully curated musical excursion into the rarefied outer limits of 'stare at the sun, outsider peaked' Italian music. I've been meaning to post this one for quite a while and I'm ashamed it's taken so long to do so. I hope you all enjoy the mix. 

...... and for those who wish to dig and delve a little deeper into the nether regions of Giallo schlock I heartily recommend this rather odd record.

Saluti da Roma and enjoy the mix!

Sequenze E Frequenze

01. Alan Lomax - Sicilian Field Recording
02. Claudio Rocchi - La Forza
03. Roberto Cacciapaglia - Sonanze (2nd Movement)
04. Dedalus - Con Più Frequenza
05. Franco Battiato - Propiedad Prohibida
06. Dedalus - Emergenze
07. Aktuala - Mud
08. Claudio Rocchi - Oh Lyra...
09. Canzoniere del Lazio - Mogadishu
10. Giusto Pio - Motore Immobile
11. Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza - Kumalo
12. Pierrot Lunaire - Gallia
13. Elektriktus - Second Wave
14. Marcello Giombini - Trans Vita Epress
15. Area - Mirage
16. Telaio Magnetico - Parte III
17. Lino Capra Vaccina - Antico Adagio
18. Roberto Donnini - T 2 A
19. Canzoniere del Lazio - Zandamela (Timbalas)
20. N.A.D.M.A. - Energia
21. Toni Esposito - Rosso Napoletano

Rhinoceros

The Amateur's Attic

...... can I recommend that you all seek out this wonderfully evocative release of strange electronic tonalities by Roj which is due for release on Peter Strickland's rather fine Peripheral Conserve imprint. The track "Home Telescope Kit", in particular, is one of the most beautiful musical compositions I've heard for ages with it's shimmering tuned percussion, deep sonorous brass and weird space echo passages of childlike wonder. An absolutely stunning release and probably not going to be availiable for long. More info here.

Normal Transmission Will Resume Shortly

...... the flip flops, the sunglasses and this rather fine book have been packed. A Sound Awareness is off on vacation for a couple of weeks but don't worry, there'll be more cultural oddness to follow soon.

All WIll Be Set Right Mix

For those of you that missed this rather fine live event in Los Angeles last month, here's another chance to listen to Doug Shipton's live mix of curious electronics and 'weird gear' Neotantrik synth haze which he performed as part of a two day event curated by the ever expanding musical collective Neotantrik. Many thanks to Cinefamily and Mount Analog in LA for the kind permissions. ...... and for those who enjoy this curious musical missive you might want to check out the rather fine Neotantrik lp which drops this Thursday. Enjoy!

All WIll Be Set Right Mix

Enjoy The Experience

Welcome to a world of neglected musical misfits and bargain bin freaks; the LSD soaked lounge crooner, the astral trippin’ cowboy, the electronic porno balladeer, the psychedelic disco queen, the yodelling yoga teacher and the queer cult leader ......

For the last couple of weeks I've been leafing through an oddly enjoyable book called “Enjoy The Experience” by Johan Kugelberg. It's probably the most definitive handbook of 'odd' I've read. The book collects the lost fragments and faded dreams of a thousand or so obscure musicians who, despite having no record deal, released their own unique and occasionally brilliant recordings on an unsuspecting and largely indifferent world. It’s a fascinating story, populated by ordinary people with strange dreams and like the most interesting outsider art, the very best of these private press records have a raw immediacy and visionary power seldom heard (or seen for that matter) in the mainstream. If you're looking for a bumper book of weird and ‘out there’ graphic strangeness, this is the book for you. Unmediated by graphic design convention or artifice, many of the record covers function as highly illogical, off-kilter archetypes or pictorial missives of zoned-out eccentricity which perfectly mirror the highly personal and curious music contained within their respective custom made grooves. A plethora of weird gear idiosyncrasies elevate several of the designs beyond the mundane and into the sublime creating a ‘higher key’ vernacular graphic art of blurred amateur photography, awkward layouts, visionary typography and peaked ‘stare at the sun’ high school illustration.

Weird gear all round.

If you’re a seeker of eccentric vibrations from the late 1960s and 1970s this book is pretty much essential. Seek out.

“Enjoy the Experience” by Johan Kugelberg is published by Sinecure Books.

Roof 1976 – 79

Iran:RPM Soundtrack Design From A Pre-revolutionary Iran

Here's a selection of images from a wonderful book I picked up recently which documents the design of Iranian soundtracks records prior to the 1979 revolution entitled Iran:RPM. What's particularly striking about the book, is that it reveals an emerging popular culture in which traditional and modern values have collided into vibrant and unique forms of expression. Many of these 'graphical' hybrids succinctly illustrate the sheer unexpected range of conflicting cultural ideologies which were present within pre-revolutionary Iran; with lurid sexploitation, cop show theatrics, feminist politics, existential protest song and Persian epics sitting uneasily together to form a most curious and rewarding trip into the hidden cultural history of a pre-revolutionary Iran.

Iran:RPM is published by Magic of Persia with the sponsorship of Salsali Private Museum and Avantgardeglobal.

OnOff

A superb weird gear experimental film from 1967 which I discovered via John Coulthartt's often inspired weekend links. Retina gloopage of the highest order. Enjoy.

Up Mix

For those that like their music 'Up', here's another finely curated mix of Italian film, radio and television music from the 1960's and 1970's by Dee [formerly David] Thrussell [head curator of the rather  fine Omni Recording Corporation and front person of Oz 'kinky electronic pop' combo Snog]. Peek here for the companion mix 'Down'.

Up Mix

1. Eco Spaziale #2 - Pietro Grossi
2. La Via Della Droga (seq. 7) - Goblin
3. Stridulum (titoli) - Franco Micalizzi
4. Pronti Per L'Agguato (versione 2) - Franco Micalizzi
5. Vocalisation - Alessandro Alessandroni
6. Spiagge Azzurre - Alessandro Alessandroni
7. Il Colore Degli Angeli - Berto Pisano
8. Playgirl '70 (party music 1) - Piero Piccioni
9. Casanova '70 (finale) - Armando Trovaioli
10. Cavallina a Cavallo - Ennio Morricone
11. Gli Angeli Del 2000 - Mario Molino
12. Preludietto - Alessandro Alessandroni
13. La Guerre Est Finie - Giovanni Fusco
14. I Sovversivi (titoli) - Giovanni Fusco
15. Un Tranquilo Di Campagna (#2) - Ennio Morricone
16. Dedicato Al Mare Egeo - Ennio Morricone
17. Hiasmina - Berto Pisano & Jacques Chaumont
18. Oh My Love - Riz Ortolani (featuring Katyna Ranieri)
19. Stacchi Polizieschi #1 - Pietro Grossi

Vintage Synth Graphics

"These old synth ad's and papers were found in a box headed for the dump ....." via this rather fine flickr set. 

Suxo Plexo Muxo Mix

Few vinyl archaeologists dig deeper than Andy Votel and when he suggested A Sound Awareness host this mix I was pretty much 'dancing on the ceiling with joy'. Originally aired on Jonny Trunk's OST Show on Resonance FM in March 2013, 'Suxo Plexo Muxo' features a zoned out mix of Eastern European cinematic oddities, weird eye Giallo schlock, Parisian art house freak folk and a plethora underexposed and uncharted celluloid wonders from around the world which will send even the most avid sound collector scouring the crates for years to come.

As always, hats off to Finders Keepers and Trunk Records for the kind permissions. Artwork remixed by myself and Mr. Votel using a few of the rather fine images on display here.

Dig, delve and enjoy!

Suxo Plexo Muxo Mix

Tracklist 
from Pan Kleks - Andrzej Korzynski - (Polton Poland)
from Anna - Gainsbourg Columbier (INA France)
from Belladonna Of Sadness - Masahiko (Finders Keepers)
from Chi - Goblin (Cinevox IT)
from Phantasm - Myrow Seagrave (Verese Sarabande)
from Sitting Target - Stanley Myers (FK)
from Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders - Lubos Fiser (FK)
from La Salamander - Patrick Moraz (Evasion Ch)
from Morgiana - Lubos Fiser (FK)
from Nightmares Come At Night (The B-Music Of Soledad Miranda) - Bruno Nicolai (FK)
from Divertissements - Louk De Book (Cache Cache)
from When Love Becomes Lust - Morricone (Cerberus)
from Daisies - Jiri Sust / Jiri Slitr (FK)
from Saxana - Angelo Michajlov (FK)
from Kama Sutra - The Inner Space (Crippled Dick)
from Lilith - Bruno Spoerri (Cache Cache)
from Pan Kleks - Andrzej Korzynski (Polton Poland)
from Naturally Free - Avenue (Apla Aus) 
from Blood On Satans Claw - Marc Wilkinson (Trunk)
from The Innocents - Isla Cameron (FK)
from Qui êtes vous, Polly Maggoo? - Michel Legrand (AZ)
from The Cremator - Zdenek Liska (FK)
from Fascination - Phillippe D'Aram (FK)
from Stone - Billy Green (FK)
from Sweet Movie - Manos Hadjidakis (Sonopresse)
from Mad Monster Party - Maury Laws (Rankin Bass)
from Honest Blue Eyes - Berndt Egerbladh (CBS)
from Saxana - Angelo Michajlov (FK)
from When Love Becomes Lust - Morricone (Cerberus)
from Danger Diabolik - Morricone (Disobediente)
from S.O.S - Andrzej Korzynski (Disposable Music)
from Zwolf Im Langstrasse- Bruno Spoerri (Cacophonic)
from Man Of Marble - Andrzej Korzynski (Cache Cache)
from Snakes - Suzanne Ciani (FK)
from Holy Mountain - Frangipane Jodorowsky (Abcko)
from Outland - Jerry Goldsmith (MCA)
from Tulipan - Andrzej Korzynski (Cache Cache)
from Kiu - J Pagan (PDI)
from Varadhu Vandha - S. Janaki and Iliayaraaja (FK)
from De Sade 70 Trailer (The B-Music Of Soledad Miranda) - Bruno Nicolai (FK)
from All The Colours Of The Dark - Bruno Nicolai (FK)
from Three Nuts For Cinderella - Karel Svoboda (Supraphon Cz)
from Zwolf Im Langstrasse- Bruno Spoerri (Cacophonic)
from Hausu - Godiego (Columbia Japan)
from Jeunes Filles Impudiques - Pierre Raph (FK)
from Pastoral - JA Seazer (RCA Japan)
from Agilok & Blubbo - The Inner Space (Wax Wah)
from Takin Off - Bobo Bates (Decca)
from Nightmares Come At Night (The B-Music Of Soledad Miranda) - Bruno Nicolai (FK)
from Girls In The Sun - Stavros Xarhakos (EMI Greece)
from Senza Motivo Apparente - Morrricone (General IT)
from Cul De Sac (Matnia) -  Hank Jones & Oliver Nelson (Impulse)
from Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders - Lubos Fiser (FK)
from Mala Morska Vila - Zdenek Liska (FK)
from Anna - Gainsbourg Columbier (INA France)

Ryszard Kiwerski

Has a monograph ever been published on the work of Polish graphic designer Ryszard Kiwerski? These photomontages are simply stunning. If you knows of one please get in touch!

Music For Children

Recorded in 1958 and originally issued across two long playing lp’s, these recordings of Schulwerk or ‘elemental music’ performed by the Children of the Italia Conte School, the Children’s Percussion Ensemble and Chorus Of The Children’s Opera Group are simply some of the most beautiful musical compositions I’ve ever heard. ‘Music For Children’ was borne out of Carl Orff’s progressive ideas regarding the educational development of children through ‘active’ learning. Originating in the early 1930’s when Orff and his assistant Gunild Keetman were in charge of musical instruction at Günter Schule in Munich, Orff encouraged pupils to develop a practical understanding of rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form and the beauty of sound through music, dance and gymnastics. Many of the compositions included within this collection stand testament to his singular educational vision and the way in which his creative use of intuitive learning could transform a classroom into a place of wonder and enchantment. The music is evocative, magically transfigured by the simplest of means with poems, rhymes, games, songs and dances spoken or sung with the barest of musical accompaniment. Wooden xylophones and metal glockenspiels create simple modal ostinatos which hover and shimmer in bewitchingly seductive patterns. Complex rhythmic patterns are stamped or clapped out using non-pitched percussion instruments such as hands, drums, sticks, or bells. The results are startlingly beautiful. Compositions were developed through playful and intuitive experimentation, children were actively encouraged to explore musical possibilities through play and improvisation rather than through any restrictive or formal educational process. This music breathes an innocence out of step with our modern world. Another sublime Trunk release.