Lagging
Okay, so my job with the Census Bureau is over, but now I have to spend all my time looking for a new employer. I did land a part-time gig at a national electronics big box store (hint: initials are BB), but that will only pay half my bills. So, while I drive to interviews and the Department of Labor’s One Stop Career Center (a very useful resource if you’re looking for a job), I listen to all kinds of crazy stuff.
Lou Reed – from The Velvet Underground and Nico to The Blue Mask (various labels)
Hey, it’s Lou Reed. Need I say more? Another one of my handy MP3 discs.
HP Lovecraft – various writings (various publishers)
My dad was always very pro-Poe, but kinda anti-Lovecraft for some reason, so I wasn’t exposed to his writings until much later in life. Granted, I find most of the Cthulu stories and the Necronomicon stuff dull, but stories like “Pickman’s Model,” “Herbert West – Reanimator” and “Celephais” are truly imaginative and chilling.
Blood of Kingu – Sun in the House of Scorpion (Candlelight)
Roman Saenko is one of my black metal heroes, and here, with his post-Hate Forest sophomore release as Blood of Kingu, he’s returned to that Hate Forest brutality, combining it with the ethnic music and Tibetan/Egyptian chants that dominated the first BoK album. The result is probably the best recording the Ukrainian Saenko has made to date.
Dark Ages – Twilight of Europe & A Chronicle of the Plague (Supernal)
Another Roman Saenko project, but instead of blistering black metal, it’s morose electronica inspired by the Middle Ages, particularly the Black Plague. More akin to Burzum‘s neo-classical albums, these album are dark melodic soundscapes that do an excellent job capturing the fear and paranoia that reigned Europe 700 years ago.
Drudkh – various albums (various labels)
Yet another Roman Saenko band, but this one is more ethereal, depressive and atmospheric than his typical black metal, plus Thurios from Hate Forest and Astrofaes is the main collaborator. Poetry by Ukarainian poet, Taras Shevchenko, is frequently used as lyrics.
Steven Henifin – Eternal Darkness – Sanity’s Requiem Soundtrack (Nintendo)
Very creepy music for a brilliantly executed Lovecraft/Poe-inspired video game for the now-defunct GameCube.
I Doser – “Gate of Hades” & “Hand of God” (I Doser)
Essentially, I Doser is some silly program that you download in order to listen to extended binaural audio tracks, labeled as .DRG files, on head phones with results that are supposed to be similar to those of mind-altering drugs. I haven’t tried listening to these half-hour tracks on headphones in their full .DRG versions, but I do enjoy the droning atonal MP3s that I downloaded as samples. The concept may be silly, but I do appreciate the cyberpunk element to the whole thing.
400 Blows – 3-19-98 (Total Annihilation)
Before they came to prominence with Rehash Records and then GSL, they released this punishing CD on Anthony Francoso‘s label that was started as a vehicle for his band at the time, Sleestak. (Most of Sleestak are now in Geronimo.) Anyway, I really think this is 400 Blows at their best – loud, uncompromising and nasty, and it’s how I remember seeing them at Al’s Bar in Downtown LA many times. I was so happy when i finally found this CD after not being able to locate in my collection for several years. Produced by Tom Grimley, if that name means anything to you.
Various – Party Monster (Tvt)
Yes, it’s the soundtrack to the biopic about Club Kid Michael Alig‘s rise and bloody fall starring Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green and Chloë Sevigny, among others, and it’s damn good!
Skatebård – various DJ sets (n/a)
Skatebård has firmly established himself as my favorite electronica DJ. His sets are mostly Euro-disco, italo and hi-NRG, making them perfect for long summer drives along large bodies of water.
