LP - Bil Vermette - Katha Visions (Official 2013 Reissue, Includes Digital Download, White Wax, Ltd 100) - $14.99 - BUY
- LISTEN 
- LISTEN
Permanent Records' 38th label release!
PERMANENT RECORDS AND GALACTIC ARCHIVE PRESENT:
Bil Vermette - 'Katha Visions' LP - Official Reissue
Permanent Records' 38th Label Release!
Download Code included with bonus 46min "Environ-Mentals" composition, previously issued as a private cassette release.
Not too far in the past we stumbled across Bil Vermette along with an entire sealed box of his phenomenal private press LP, "Katha Visions", from 1984. Here's the back-story for this re-issue we are so very proud to present:
"Words can barely begin to describe the excitement of finding one copy of this private press rarity, let alone a whole box direct from the distributor STILL SEALED FROM 1984! Thanks to a tip from our ol’ buddy Steve Krakow (aka Plastic Crimewave) we visited Bil Vermette (a recent “Secret History of Chicago Music” subject) himself at his lovely home in Berwyn recently to buy some of his rare Krautrock records. When we arrived at Bil’s place, we were stunned to find an incredible collection of LPs and singles of various genres, and COMPLETELY FLABBERGASTED when he dusted off a whole box (25 sealed copies) of his own privately pressed record from 1984! In case you’ve never stumbled across this one before, it’s Bil’s sole LP release and it rarely surfaces in the wild. Bizarrely enough, these sealed copies are the first we’ve ever laid eyes on here at Permanent, and this will probably be the last we ever see. In short, this record is RARE! And Bil doesn’t have many copies left. The only other box he had in his possession was not full and he said he was hanging on to them for sale at future live performances – which are also quite infrequent.
Even if this record wasn’t incredible, which it just so happens to be, we would’ve jumped at the chance to offer these up to y’all. Fans of all things SYNTH absolutely must hear this LP. Bil is a synthesizer aficionado and it shows. The first track on the “dark side” is “Mountain Funeral”, an aptly titled ambient synth dirge if there ever was one. The title track ventures into territory that was likely influenced by Terry Riley and could’ve easily been an influence on Bitchin’ Bajas. It’s a repetitive, layered, and soothingly long centerpiece to the album. “Long Trail Down” closes out the A-side with effects that sound like seagulls floating over the top of the layered synth chord drones and melodies. It’s an easy track to get lost in, but then again, so is this whole record.
The “light side” (aka Side B) begins with “Morning Dance” an upbeat number featuring the first appearance of synthetic rhythms. Up to this point, “Katha Visions” has been completely instrumental, but “Someday Soon” features the only appearance by guest vocalist Dan Cooper. Cooper’s voice is melancholic and robotic, which fits in with the rest of the track perfectly. “Staircase” sounds like a long-lost John Carpenter horror flick theme while the album’s closer “Opposites Attract” is the curveball track on “Katha Visions”. It includes the first and only appearance by Bruce Walters, an old high school chum of Vermette’s. Bruce disrupts the synth-clusiveness of the record with some soaring guitar lines that have us wondering what else he was up to around this time. We could also see Moon Duo doing a pretty bitchin’ cover of this one.
The cover photos on this idiosyncratically private press-style jacket were taken by another old boyhood buddy of Vermette’ named Larry Spivack. According to Bil, he “was looking for B&W shots of trees reflected on water and Larry nailed it.” We agree. The packaging matches the goods.
When I asked Bil if he wanted me to include any particular info in the review of his LP, he mentioned that “Katha Visions was recorded in the summer of 1984 over 3 weekends, six hour sessions. From midnight to 6am.” We find the late-nightiness of the recording palpable. We think you’ll agree. Need we say any more?" – Lance Barresi, Owner of Permanent Records
RIYL: Krautrock, Kosmiche, Minimal Synth, Private-Press,Terry Riley, Conrad Schnitzler, Bitchin Bajas
FIRST PRESSING ON WHITE VINYL
ORIGINAL DEAD STOCK COPIES of this '86 pressing of a live concert (or CONcert, eh? eh?) from 1985 by this pioneer in electronic music. Working as a founding member of both Tangerine Dream and Kluster. Conrad Schnitzler was always one or two decades ahead of many musicians and musical movements - by the time bands like Einsturzende Neubauten, Throbbing Gristle and DAF were twiddling knobs and creating sonic sheets of cacophonous electronic noise, Schnitzler had already grown bored and moved on to his next sonic interest. "Concert" documents a live performance of Schnitzler in all his 1980s glory - twinkling analog keys cascade over minimal drones that go from pleasing and ambient to harsh, concréte soundscapes. If you're a fan, hopefully you already own this one, but if not don't miss your chance to own an OG copy of this masterpiece. Released on white vinyl in an edition of 1000 on Mark Lane's Idiosyncratic label - we scored these dead stock copies from Mr. Lane himself and there's not many of them left so ACT FAST! CON-pletely RECOMMENDED!
ORIGINAL DEAD STOCK COPIES of this electronic pop maestro's EP from 1984 ~ procured directly from the man himself! Mark Lane is a Los Angeles based minimal electronic musician who has been making music for over 30 years. He's worked with The Klinik, Attrition and Conrad Schnitzler. "Who's Really Listening" expands and refines the ideas on his debut 7-inch, blowing out an icy, 4-song blast of coldwave synth majesty with hints of Gary Numan, early Human League, Robert Turman and Tuxedomoon. You all know how much we love minimal wave records as well as our fondness for finding original pressings from back-in-the-day so with those two things combined, you bet yer ass we're freaking stoked to the max. Who's really listening? - We are... MEGA Recommmended.
7in- Mark Lane - Love Is So Aggravating EP - Original 1981 Pressing - $19.99 - BUY
ORIGINAL DEAD STOCK COPIES!
We scored a batch of these original 1981 Artwork Records pressing singles directly from Mark Lane himself and we've been spinning this thing on repeat for days! Mark Lane is a Los Angeles based minimal electronic musician who has been making music for over 30 years. He's worked with The Klinik, Attrition and Conrad Schnitzler. "Love Is So Aggravating " is 3 tracks of minimal/cold wave wonder with hints of Gary Numan, Devo, Robert Turman and Tuxedomoon. You all know how much we love minimal wave records as well as our fondness for finding original pressings from back in the day so when those two things combine you bet yer ass we're freaking stoked to the max. Mega Recommmended.
Our pals at Captcha Records return with another stunner of far out sonics and they're supplying the info here:
"Unbeknownst to most, a wrinkle in the space-time continuum links Iowa to Jamaica on the Astral Plane. Iowan dub guru ARU presents his debut long- player entitled DPV3.5 (Dub Plate volume 3.5) on Captcha Records. Influenced by Jamaican dub studio tactics and Eno’s “Fourth World” series, DPV3.5 uses noise, circuit bending and glitch sounds to generate a bizarre and hypnotic soundscape. ARU utilizes eccentric snd disorienting lo-fi beats to craft a driving, heavy-psych dread vibe that draws comparisons to Muslimgauze, Cut Hands, Oval and Zoviet France. Easily one of the most interesting records I have heard in the calendar year... Penebranca’s artwork completes the package on this limited edition release."
Captcha is always finding the cream of the crop of underground sounds and ARU's maniacal noise loops, industrialized ethno-glitch and narcotized psychedelia is a sound all its own to say the least. These 19 tracks of dubbed out mutant music are wonked out sound collage at its finest. Totally Recommended.
Our pals at Captcha Records return with another stunner of far out sonics and they're supplying the info here:
"Camel Heads come straight outta Sao Paulo, Brazil, bringing their mind-bent experimental psych sounds to these shores for the first time ever with new release Anoluz. Influenced by Dead Man and North African desert blues, these long-form kraut jams will leave your brains baking on a rock in the Global South, drenched in cosmic sweat. Like waves crashing into the shoreline, the ebb and flow of Anoluz will free your mind, bury your toes in pink sand, and orient your lawn chair towards the sunset. Fans of early Pink Floyd, Sun Araw, desert blues and krautrock rejoice: Captcha Records is pleased to dose you up with the Camel Heads’ Anoluz."
Sao Paulo's Camel Heads' dark psychedelic instrumental space rock is currently quivering our shop speakers and we can't get enough. Captcha Records never faulters when it comes to finding the current crop of originators and innovators and Camel Heads' languid and otherworldly psychedelia is in a league all its own. So, um, yup you guessed it… Supremely Recommended.
Breezy and bubbling outer-space psyche-pop from French chanteuse Claude Lombard - originally released in 1969 on the Disques Jacques Canetti label as "Claude Lombard Chante" and reissued here by the Mpls Ltd label. Lombard's voice reminds us of rockin' French yé-yé singers like Clothilde or Sylvie Vartan crossed with Dusty Springfield or Shocking Blue vocalist Mariska Veres, sensitive when need be, but possessing a powerful timbre that could rattle yer bones when necessary. The "Claude Lombard" album is a loungey affair that swings dark and easy with a yearning, psyche-undercurrent. The arrangements are moody and sometimes amorphous swaying in and out of focus and lends the album a whiff of avant-experimentalism not unlike Nineties krauty-loungers Stereolab! Produced by Roland Kruger who would go on to produce the crate-digger's white buffalo album "Jungle Fever" by Chakachas! If you love any of the nouveau lounge stuff or French pop, you NEED this one - we do and we're diggin it - especially at this nice price! RECOMMENDED!
LIMITED TO 200 HAND NUMBERED COPIES ON FLOURESCENT YELLOW WAX!!!
Chicago's own Bionic Cavemen just released into the wild their hard hittin' debut lp "Predator" after slaying the shop for their record release in-store in late November 2013. Equal parts fuzzed up / whiskey drenched stoner rock and bluesy psych, this album is sure to get you fired up just right for yer next all night troublemaking session. Fans of Graveyard, Witchcraft, Reverberation Appreciation Society releases, and all things DUDE-ROCK come and get some. Recorded and mixed at Electrical Audio for extra mean fidelity, "Predator" is a mind melting, muscular spin that most likely won't travel too far from yer turntable. SO YEAH YOU NEED ONE NOW!!! RECOMMENDED!
Wharf Cat Records is behind the latest from Blanche Blanche Blanche and the band's own Zach Phillips has the breakdown for the recipe behind "Breaking Mirrors":
"Zach Phillips: " for Breaking Mirrors , Sarah Smith and I wrote material designed to be played in unison by a rock instrumentation against a vocal countermelody . the bassist and guitarists were provided with melodies in the form of series of named eighth notes ( 3F 4E 2A 2C , begins "Fisted" ) but were free to determine their movement between octave registers . few chords are played ; on most songs , the base instrumentation is ostensibly monophonic . Breaking Mirrors was recorded mostly live to 2" tape with some first-take overdubbing in the interest of attitudinal counterpoint , intended less to reinforce than to destabilize . Jo Miller- Gamble (drums and e-drums , c.f Great Valley ) , Quentin Moore (guitar , c.f Big French) , Adam Steck (bass) and Colin White (guitar) brought this album off the page and into the air with their intuitive interpretation of the script and their many intentional and accidental contributions . Mike Kutchman , engineer at Kutch1 studios in Greenpoint, NY , became a collaborator via the recording process . for more information , check out the rhythms , and check out what Sarah's singing . “
"Breaking Mirrors" is a high energy collage of up tempo free form rock, hypnotic swirlings and intricate instrumentation all held together by catchy vocal melodies. Tracks unfold with tight locked in rhythms, noisey washes of synths, herky-jerky guitar and bass interplay and future rock rippers that'll surely be stuck in your head for days on end. After a smoking tape and LP release on Night People Records it is a treat to get this new album on Wharf Cat Records. Recommmended.
Tape - Plastic Crimewave Sound - The Oblivion Programme - $4.99- BUY
Rumored to be the last dose of psychedelic mind-bending from Chicago's Plastic Crimewave Sound (which makes us sad) at least they're going out with a bang with this killer new Priority Male released tape, "The Oblivion Programme." And they might've just saved the best for last, as this tape is for sure gonna take you to the outermost edges of the cosmos!!!!! Just where we like to be!!!! And upping the ante even more "The Oblivion Programme" features guest appearances by Michael Yonkers, Marissa Nadler and Whitney Johnson (VERMA/MATCHESS)!!!! So yeah, this is seven tracks of absolutely heady and RECOMMENDED psych rock jams!!! DO NOT MISS OUT!!!!
Edition of 25!!!
Lone wolf magic man Christmas Woods does it all on this here solo cassette. He was once the drummer of Mickey before fronting the alien space prog act E.T. Habit. But here on "Severed Stranger", out on Montreal based Commy Tapes, he plays everything. "Severed Stranger" is a wild concoction of metal tinged prog, mutant synth savagery, lo-fi horror rock and unnerving experiments of sound. Like some mind blowing combination of Psychic TV, Chrome, Emperor and Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Christmas Woods has created a truly unique experience on this 5 song outing of outsider weirdness. And we are diggin' it big time! Wicked limited too so hop to it hombres! Super Recommended.
Seventh Seal Records has unleashed the self-titled debut tape from Sydney's newest rock miscreants, Shebeen Queen!!!! Limited to 50 copies, "Shebeen Queen" is eight feedback-damaged songs that hit the sweet spot between doom, shoegaze and psychedelic noise! Like MBV on a bad acid trip or Boris covering Spacemen 3, this tape is getting us all worked up to hear more from this killer Aussie trio. Repeat listens await, so don't miss out. RECOMMENDED LAMF!!!!!!!
Sydney's Teen Ax is back with another self released dose of bleak noise entitled "Useless." You may know Sam from the Housewives and Toney from Pleasure Bros, but what you might not know is how fucking awesome this duo is when they set their guitars to self destruct as Teen Ax!!!! Walls of feedback and strangled guitar effects wiggle around and worm their way straight into the darkest corner of your mind. "Useless" isn't for the faint of heart, but noise junkies like us, especially the demented Aussie version, need this tape STAT! RECOMMENDED!!!! Just know you might have to buy a new tape deck after listening!
Cincinnati, OH's Temple keep things lean and mean on this 2-song cassette. Both "High Desert" and "Celestial Dictatorship" are rough and tough high speed Motorhead flavored heavy rock fist pumpers that fly by at quick clip leaving trails of attitude and dude stank! Grab this mini single and embrace your inner beard! Recommended.
