Arcane Candy

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 Decodings Catalog Number: ETD0042 Format: 7” single Packaging: Paper cover Tracks: 2 Country: United States Released: 2024 More: Discogs

Text ©2024 Arcane Candy

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.

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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 Records Catalog Number: CR268 Format: 7” single Packaging: Paper cover Tracks: 4 Country: United States Released: May 5, 2023 More: Discogs

Text ©2024 Arcane Candy

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 Records Catalog Number: CR265 Format: 7” single Packaging: Paper cover Tracks: 2 Country: United States Released: May 3, 2023 More: Discogs

Text ©2024 Arcane Candy

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.

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