Psychic Sun is the umpteenth 7” single by the violinist John Krausbauer Sauerkraut. Kicking off the proceedings on side 1, “Violin I” features a clearly and loudly recorded violin splurging out a whole bunch of echoing screech scorch that sounds warmer than a mitten full of peanut butter cookies freshly baked by your mom on a sunny Sunday afternoon while she was wearing one of those aprons straight out of the 1950s with flowers embroidered all over it. The fun continues on side 2 with a similar track shockingly enough called “Violin II.” If you can’t hang with this music, maybe you should go pay your taxes or fill out a form or somethin’. The nice pattern artwork on the front cover vaguely reminds me of Jon Gibson’s Two Solo Pieces LP.
Label:Eroto Tox DecodingsCatalog Number: ETD0042 Format: 7” single Packaging: Paper cover Tracks: 2 Country: United States Released: 2024 More:Discogs
Here we have yet another 7” Pringle, I mean roof shingle, I mean vinyl single courtesy of violinist John Krausbauer, guest starring organist David Maranha. Why is there laughter at the end of the latter’s last name? Ha! Maran Ha! Just kidding. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Now I can’t stop laughing. Did you know that in addition to being contagious, laughter is actually rhythmic minimalism? I did, or at least I just figured it out right now. If you collapse in a fit of laughter, you will find yourself saying the same word over and over again. “Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” That is the epitome of rhythmic minimalism right there, folks. But that’s not what you get on this record.
Another day, another 7” single! On this one, the violinist / keyboardist John Krausbauer joins forces with Japanese-American experimental musician Patrick Shiroishi. Similar to the way Certs offers up “two mints in one,” this lil’ platter boasts not one but two songs on each side! “Bird’s Song” opens it all up, gently laying you down into a bed of keyboard drones as a saxophone flits around your head, while “High Life” proffers a smattering of skittering free improv by way of the same sax accompanied by violin. Way over on side 2, a similar approach to “High Life” can be heard on “Swing Low,” while “Tuning In and Turning On” closes out the whole shebang with another drone—this time meshed with a mass of muffled vocals.
Label:Carbon RecordsCatalog Number: CR268 Format: 7” single Packaging: Paper cover Tracks: 4 Country: United States Released: May 5, 2023 More:Discogs
On this 7” shingle, I mean single, the violinist John Krausbauer teams up with the Love Child himself, Alan Licht. On side one’s “Superstizione,” the dynamic duo proceeds into free improv mode with a whole colon load of sea-sawing seasoning speckled with keen, ecstatic distortion sparkles. On the flip side, “Lateral Tracer” traces the contours of a glacier with a smooth, gentle drone that is at once ice cold and perfectly pleasing. Maybe this piece deserves a place on Alan’s “Minimal Top 10” list in Halana magazine?
Label:Carbon RecordsCatalog Number: CR265 Format: 7” single Packaging: Paper cover Tracks: 2 Country: United States Released: May 3, 2023 More:Discogs
John Krausbauer is a composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Oakland, California. His work involves drones, repetition, duration, alternate tunings, maximum volumes, and stroboscopic lighting. John has performed across North America, Europe, and Japan in basements, sidewalks, rock clubs, colleges, churches, and art museums. Since 2004, a whole Coleman cooler-load of his recordings have been released on independent labels in the US, Europe, and Japan.
Enjoy a flip through the very rare first issue of Arcane Candy, published in the year 2000.
Title:Arcane Candy Issue Number: 1 Publisher: Arcane Candy Year of publication: 2000 Size: 8.5” wide x 11” tall with overlays of various sizes Page count: 42 Printing: Black and white photocopy Edition: 100 copies Status: Although it’s out of print and unavailable, this issue’s contents is posted in the Arcane Candy No. 1 category Description: Arcane Candy #1 presents a wide selection of sub-underground sound and music, including Tony Conrad, Keiji Haino + Fushitsusha, Rich Jacobs, and The Electronic Poems (an article featuring mid- to late-20th century avant-garde electronic music composers).
Founded in 2004, Modern Silent Cinema is the instrumental music project of one Cullen Gallagher of Brooklyn, New York. Cullen should not be confused with the comedian Gallagher, who used to smash a watermelon with a sledgehammer as part of his act back in the ‘70s. For the present album, The Cabinet of Modern Silent Cinema, Cullen has culled (pun intended)—or perhaps even cobbled together—these pieces from “an archival mix of lo-fi experiments, micro-cassette demos and three guitar duet with Boru.” They proceed from quiet, forlorn electric guitar and bass duets to solo heavy electric guitar riffs. From bluesy workouts to distorted yet melodic songs that strongly recall the likes of Roy Montgomery.
Label: Bad Channels Records Catalog Number: BCR-008 Format: CD-R Packaging: Mini-LP gatefold Tracks: 13 Total Time: 40:51 Country: United States Released: 2024 More:Official
Founded in 2004, Modern Silent Cinema is the instrumental music project of one Cullen Gallagher of Brooklyn, New York. (Not to be confused with Old York, or even just York, ya dork.) Much more than just a CD-R, The Cinema Detective also serves as a soundtrack to a “metaphysical dystopian essay film.” It’s mostly comprised of gentle, melodic acoustic guitar lines that sometimes lapse into a contemplative minor key. A few tracks feature solo synth workouts that proceed from repetitive stately melodies on into sparse notes and dissonant clouds. The final track offers up a surprise in the form of a full band sound complete with drums and multiple guitars, ending with a searing electric lead.
Label: Bad Channels Records Catalog Number: BCR-007 Format: CD-R Packaging: Mini-LP gatefold Tracks: 15 Total Time: 36:47 Country: United States Released: 2024 More:Official
Founded in 2004, Modern Silent Cinema is the instrumental music project of one Cullen Gallagher of Brooklyn, New Yawk. As its title suggests, Passages X-XXI (For Solo Piano) is a collection of short works for solo piano. Ranging from traditionally melodic and elegiac pieces to minor key dirges to upbeat yet dissonant romps, the ones and zeros of these digital files are populated by all sorts of simple arpeggios and ascending lovelies. Recorded during a cozy Maine Thanksgiving complete with a crackling fireplace in the background, this is the perfect lo-fi rainy day disc.
Label: Bad Channels Records Catalog Number: BCR-003 Format: CD-R Packaging: Mini-LP gatefold Tracks: 12 Total Time: 34:04 Country: United States Released: 2024 More:Official
Philip Blackburn is a British-born, St. Paul, Minnesota-based composer who has been active since the 1980s, when he earned degrees at the Universities of Cambridge and Iowa. Best known as the director of Innova Recordings since 1996, for whom he most notably rescued Harry Partch’s long lost personal archives and released them as the Enclosure Series, Philip left Innova in 2020 to run the Neuma record label. In addition to producing over 400 Innova albums for other composers, Philip has also stuck his toe out into the spotlight as an environmental sound artist, releasing several solo CDs over the past two decades. The latest is a 2-CD set called Ordo that spans the entirety of Philip’s 40-year career.
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