Hi there, and welcome to the latest edition of Crow’s Nest. As always, if you’re interacting with this content, I thank you and greatly appreciate it. Be sure to spread the word if that’s the case:
No essay in me for this issue, I’m hoping to keep this one tight. The only things I feel I could write about right at this minute are minor personal issues which, while important to me, are relatively small in the grand scheme of things. I hope you are not doing too bad out there at this time, and if that’s not the case, that things improve soon.
As much as I might like to live up to the impression of being a crate digger with an encyclopedic knowledge of numerous underground genres, admittedly I frequently only learn about older work when reissued or, more tragically, an artist I should know about passes away. This is doubly the case for Bush Tetras, whose founding drummer Dee Pop suddenly died right before the release of this 3xLP box set of the NYC post-punk band. Listening through, it’s clear that Dee Pop was a vital element to this group. Hopefully this release will keep the group’s work, ideas and passion alive to future listeners for years to come.
I’m very much not a harp fanatic—I know it’s the nature of the instrument, but the lack of middle and lower end makes it too light and ephemeral to hold my interest—but I’ve fallen pretty hard for this album from a couple years ago on Porto’s Lovers and Lollypops. The electroacoustic treatments really flesh out the sound, to the point that this sounds more like upper-register classical piano. A pleasant listen through and through.
On first listen to her DJ-Kicks mix, I think Jessy Lanza may have played some of her new, original material here opening for Caribou the night of its release. What I am sure of is that this is an excellent mix documenting recent developments in melodic, non-4-to-the-floor club music over the past decade or so. The selections from Michael J. Blood and Lolina are early highlights, especially as the latter is perhaps her most club-focused music since Because I’m Worth It. This is right up my alley and I plan on giving it more spins shortly.
I always keep my ear on dance music out of Ireland so when both Bandcloud and Lighght shared this I knew I had to give it a spin. Twitchy yet laid-back tunes oscillating between ambient and dub techno, like me laying on my couch with a restless leg. For fans of Call Super, Huerco S.’s beat-oriented stuff (maybe not the incoming Plonk though) and those other players in the latter’s orbit I’m not familiar enough with, some notes of Beatrice Dillon too. Keep it odd, Ned.
Speaking of Call Super, the producer has been on a bit of a tear recently, releasing a pair of EPs in his signature style. Solid listening whether at home or, if circumstances allow, the club (I imagine).
While I personally am pretty much in my post-pandemic ‘new normal’, as my 15-minute walk back from smartbar last night and other concert going activity documented here can attest, that isn’t the case elsewhere (nor, necessarily, should it be). Case in point: Utrecht’s Le Guess Who? festival found itself drastically altering its schedule in light of restrictions enacted mid-fest as the Netherlands and Europe as a whole experiences a new surge in COVID cases. Príncipe Discos group Tia Maria Produções had their set cancelled, and quickly convened (virtually) with fellow label act Lycox to make this EP in the time they would’ve committed to traveling/being at the fest. For something so quickly created under the above circumstances, this is an impressive set of material, and a testament to the strength of all involved to navigate and accommodate their own new normal.
Producer Wordcolour has returned with a new single following his debut EP from last year. It shares a lot of its DNA with Minor Science’s AD 93 releases to my ear, which is never a bad thing in my estimation.
Longrunning British experimental/ambient pop duo Insides live up to that genre with this single. Looks like I have yet another back catalog to dig into at some point, once I finally catch up on new releases (lol).
Not the one I was at but here’s a pic from the day before at the Empty Bottle:
Last Sunday here in Chicago was drearily overcast, on-and-off rain with temperatures in the 40s. The sort of weekend day that saps your will to do anything involving effort. In what’s a little bit of a tradition for me I put on some old-school U.K. post-punk/indie rock while laying down hoping my hangover would ease up. It’s not on Bandcamp but Josef K’s Sorry For Laughing was my favorite of the bunch, particularly the middle section where things start getting really weird in the mix.
Jenny Hval has signed to 4AD and released this single as a part of that. It’s a lovely liminal listen for me, the psychological contours of which are a bit lost on me as I admittedly have not given it 100% of my attention. I’m assuming this means a new album is forthcoming considering she has tour dates lined up for next spring too. See you at Constellation for that.
In other signing + new song news, the U.K.’s Jockstrap are now a part of Rough Trade, the label whose stores ironically don’t carry used records. Their new song 50/50 feels like a ‘raise the roof’ acid banger thrown into a blender which is line with their ethos.
Well, that’s it for this edition of Crow’s Nest. If you’ve gotten here, I hope you enjoyed at least one thing in this issue. Thank you for reading, as always.
In a few days it will be Thanksgiving here in the States. Be sure to tell someone who means a lot to you, but you’ve not spoken with recently, that you are thankful for their presence in your world and that you love them.