This CD is part of a very sonically and visually attractive 4-CD box set from 1997 called Driftworks, which showcases the glacially-paced, environmental sound-spaces of Pauline Oliveros and Randy Raine-Reusch, Thomas Koner, Paul Schütze, and Nijiumu. The latter’s disc is full of subtle rhythms featuring shaking rattles, one-note reverb guitar stabs, slowly-blowing low-end rumbles and much more—produced with mainly unknown sources, except Keiji Haino’s unbeatable voice eeling its way through all known and unknown moonlight-filled aquariums. What it all amounts to is 65 minutes of 1:00 a.m. snacking perfection. Four mini-LP jackets holding the CDs come housed in a hard, handsome slipcover box. Arresting, modern type and graphic design compliment beautiful photos of stark, barren land and seascapes on the box, jackets and the eight-page book of notes. Just like Pearl Drops, “It’s a great feeling.”

Label: Big Cat Catalog Number: AB 1000 Format: 4-CD Packaging: Box set slipcase with four mini-LP jackets Tracks: Nijiumu: 3 Total Time: Nijiumu: 65:25 Country: England Released: 1997 Related Artists: Fushitsusha, Keiji Haino More: Forced Exposure, Official, Poison Pie, Wikipedia

Nijiumu is a side project of Keiji Haino that sometimes involves other musicians. (Confusingly, it’s also the title of his is his first PSF solo disc, PSFD-7, which came out a decade after his debut album, Watashi Dake?, in 1981.) Era of Sad Wings contains 10 tracks and 66 minutes of the deepest night atmosphere chock full of low, distant rumbles; reverb-drenched guitar; bowed string curtains; plenty of moaning and keening vocals; mysterious, squealing echoes; austere string pluck and plaintive horn-tooting all over the place. An air of black-midnight ghost float is consistently maintained. A soft painting of an angel holding a horn while floating through a dimly-lit scene adorns the front cover. This album is an early Keiji Haino classic.

Label: PSF Catalog Number: PSFD-31 Format: CD Packaging: Jewel case Tracks: 10 Total Time: 66:05 Country: Japan Released: 1993 Related Artists: Fushitsusha, Keiji Haino More: Forced Exposure, Official, Poison Pie, Wikipedia