[upcoming bands] Dazzle Ships

Started not long ago [2009, I predict], this band consists of a duo: Tyler on guitar and vocals and Hatii on bass and vocals. I really like it. Sounds original and refreshing, something that's hard to find these days [cliché talk, I know].
This info was taken from a Vice article: "Dazzle Ships was the name of the brilliant and somewhat unlikely collaboration between modernist painters and army officials during
World War 1. It led to warships being painted with complex, colourful, geometric patterns which were meant to confuse opposition viewfinders and periscopes, and make it harder to gauge the speed and position of the ships they were trying to kill. It probably didn’t work very well, but at least it looked great and inspired the awesome artwork to OMD’s underrated Dazzle Ships LP."
These guys remind me sometimes The Chameleons' guitars with The Only Ones' bass and vocals. Kind of strange, like an 80's revival band, but that's not that much inserted into the 80's post-punk, kind of difficult to explain [this comparison occurs in their song "Least Resistance". Indie? Yeah, it's indie, just more original than most of the indie bands that I start to find all similar to each other, since "indie" is kind of trendy this decade.
You can check their myspace here.


-This is a pic I found on their myspace (the one with the pink dots is also featured there).

Below you can hear "Least Resistance":

[gig reviews] Jandek at Teatro Maria Matos

Jandek...To many an iconic figure that fights for anonymity, Jandek decided to perform not long ago. He started his musical career around 1978. He has only given one interview which I think he was somewhat forced to. His work is usually labeled as "outsider music".
It's funny that only in 2004 Jandek started playing live. I'm proud I still got a chance to see him live. His music is enigmatic and depicts many times his aging, as I can see, it's like a introspective diary, his whole works, since the photos he used in his albums, to the lyrics.

This time, the musician has chosen 3 more musicians to play with. They were: Sei Miguel (trompetist, composer, a dedicated jazz musician), André Abel (guitarrist of the well-known portuguese band Tropa Macaca and also co-creator of an uprising portuguese experimental band entitled Aquaparque) and finally, Peter Baastien (saxofonist, percussionist and european free spirit, that contributed to the birth of the free jazz movement in Netherlands in the 60's, played with the best bands of the Dakar dance in the 70's and plays for around 40 years, although he hasn't released any record- just like if it was an inversed Jandek situation).
The concert had a good sound. Jandek was the last musician to enter the stage, if I remember.

The Atom Smashers "First Strike" LP

The Atom Smashers cannot be inserted into a single genre, I tell you. Monte Cazazza is included here, by the way: which only adds more pepper to this record. The other members here are Chris Warden and Joseph T. Jacobs.
Released in 1986 on Pathfinder Records.
The track list is the following:

A1	Birth Control
A2	"A" is for Atom ("B" is for Bomb)
A3	If Thoughts Could Kill
B1	Sex is No Emergency
B2	Dead Cats Don't Swing
B3	Mark of the Devil

My favourite tracks here are: "If Thoughts Could Kill", "Mark of the Devil" and "Birth Control". Kind of a nihilistic and sarcastic vibe, like you'd expect from Monte's works, these songs include sound collages, synthesizers and tribalesque percussion.
You can get it right here [48.6 megabytes]. Enjoy.

Below, "A" is for Atom ("B" is for Bomb)":

Boris "Amplifier Worship"

Sound waves that will blow your mind... this is what Boris specialize in this album. Great masterpiece concerning the sludge and doom metal music, this record was released in 2003 on Southern Lord.
The tracklist is:

1. "Huge" – 9:14
2. "Ganbou-Ki" – 15:44
3. "Hama" – 7:30
4. "Kuruimizu" – 14:27
5. "Vomitself" – 16:57

"Huge" is a great track, which features fantastic vocals and a great characteristic doom metal approach that we can expect from Boris.
"Ganbou-Ki" is a drone doom metal track that's long and pushes you to new boundaries among despair.
"Hama" could be inserted into the sludge metal category, also a good track that includes lots of guitars.
"Kuruimizu", like "Hama" is more sludge metal. Also a nice bet that Boris have done [although I prefer a lot more their drone doom metal songs].
"Vomitself" definitely their strongest drone song, slashing people's ears with their guitar sustained tone pieces.
The album's lenght is 64 minutes. Worth hearing it, specially their doomy stuff.
Get it here.

Below you can hear "Huge":

[Random records selection of the Week] part 1

Once a week I'll choose various records from many musical genres, so that you can check them out for yourself... I'll only specify the genre, the band's name and the respective record. If you want to download them, click on the album cover.


Artist: Sun Araw
Record: Beach Head
Label: Not Not Fun
Genre: Hypnagogic Pop
(released in 2008)



Artist: The Tuss
Record: Rushup Edge
Label: Rephlex
Genre: IDM / Breakcore
(released in 2007)



Artist: Melvins
Record: The Maggot
Label: Ipecac
Genre: Sludge Metal
(released in 1999)


Artist: Lunar Abyss Deus Organum
Record: Snovidenie
Label: Vresnit
Genre: Shamanistic Ambient / Ritual Industrial
(released in 2006)


Artist: Merzbow
Record: Metal Acoustic Music
Label: Extreme Records
Genre: Noise
(released in 1981)

...keep promoting music: buy records, go to concerts, etc. It is our advice.

Grouper "Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill"

One of the best things I've been hearing lately in the folk scene, Grouper is the solo project for electro-acoustic ambient/noise musician Liz Harris, of Portland, Oregon.
This album, released in 2008, is possibly one of the best albums in its genre. Take into consideration the first track: simply brilliant drone introduction, that blends into Liz Harris' sweet voice. The rest of the album is also assured to be good.
The tracklist is:
1. Diesengaged
2. Heavy Water / I'd Rather Be Sleeping
3. Stuck
4. When We Fall
5. Traveling Through A Sea
6. Fishing Bird (Empty Jutted In the Evening Breeze)
7. Invisible
8. I'm Dragging A Dead Deer Up A Hill
9. A Cover Over
10. Wind And Snow
11. Tidal Wave
12. We've All Time To Sleep

My favourite ones are: "Diesengaged", "Heavy Water / I'd Rather Be Sleeping" and also "Invisible". The album's lenght is around 47 minutes. The album's size is 41.28 Megabytes.
You can get the album here. Also, if you're interested check her myspace. There's also a folk musician I've been hearing called Jana Hunter that's brilliant and kind of similar to Grouper.

Below is "Heavy Water / I'd Rather Be Sleeping":

R.I.P. Jay Reatard

"Jimmy Lee Lindsey, Jr. died in his sleep on Wednesday morning [13th January 2010]. He was 29 years old.

He is survived by his mother Devonna May, his father Jimmy Lindsey, and his sisters Leslie Lindsey, Stephanie Duncan and Gara May. He’ll be missed by music fans all over the world.

With 22 full-length albums and over 100 releases, Jay dedicated his life to music. He played nearly one thousand shows in over 20 countries around the world. He was incredibly grateful for all the support his fans gave him over the years."

It's sad that such a great person left us.

R.I.P. Jay Reatard

MAGAS "May I meet my Accuser"

MAGAS is Jim Magas, a [presumed] normal guy from Chicago, USA. He began making music around 1999. Taken from his myspace:"In 1999, Jim Magas, with no knowledge or background in electronic music or its production set out to become a one-man force in electronic rock. "
This record was released in 2006 on Imaginary Conflict [U.S.A.] and Wwilko [E.U.] - this last label, in case you didn't know yet, is Kap Bambino's own label. It is his forth release.
I'd describe his music, from what I've heard before, as enthusiastic headbanger music made by a synth-addict for many trashers. It's great electronic music, kind of the a "new rock 'n' roll", you know. The synths here become true guitars, raging your ears with heavy beats and distorted samples.
The tracklist is the following:
01. Black Door
02. Easy to Please
03. Chicagocide
04. I Need Love
05. May I Meet My Accuser
06. Transgressors
07. Walk Through the Dark
08. Highway Hat
09. Burst City
10. One Hundred Ten

I really enjoyed most of these songs, however I'll only speak about three of them. "Easy to Please" is a fine one, that starts with Jim's incredible heavy synths, then some beats keep coming and then MAGAS' voice takes hold of the sounds. The lyrics seem kind of funny and ironic too. Take this is count: "I'm easy to please / Easy / to please... ". Just like the song's title.
"May I Meet My Accuser" is by far, for me, the best track. Fast beats, possibly the song with the most intense bpm* too. First you hear a small buzz... kind of like a toy ambulance... then snares burst, and synth-ish sounds slash the hearer. MAGAS' voice once again does a splendid work, heavily distorted, like many of his samples. Around 1:07 you hear a synth that reminds you of a guitar. Like I've said before, this guy has invented the twenty-first century schizoid rock 'n' roll!
"Highway Hat" is also a nice bet on this album. Once again, you can hear the electronically created drums and the synths. This time, the vocals aren't that distorted and Jim sings like if he was having some fun, spitting simultaneously the lyrics.
The album can be downloaded right here. This one is a "must" to whoever appreciates Kap Bambino and Felix Kubin too.

*bpm- beats per minute


You should also check this video of him performing "May I Meet My Accuser" live.

Charles Manson "Lie: The Love and Terror Cult"

"Lie: The Love and Terror Cult is the debut album by Charles Manson, originally released by ESP-Disk. Recorded on September 11, 1967 and August 9, 1968 (overdubs), its distribution began during the Manson murder trial by Phil Kaufman who initially pressed a run of 2000 copies, that of which only 300 sold. He later approached ESP-Disk about putting out the album in hopes for a wider circulation, which they agreed to. The cover is a copy of the December 19, 1969 Time Life front cover, on which Manson had appeared, only with "LIFE" substituted with "LIE." Taken from Wiki.

Ever wondered what would be Charles Manson music? Well, I thought about it before I heard his stuff. It's folk. Simple, traditional folk. Nice lyrics, too. I wouldn't label it as psychedelic music... many people have said it's kind of psychedelic: it's just an acoustic guitar and Manson singing, most of the time, why does that seem psychedelic to so many individuals? More easily, Charles Manson' music fits into outsider music.

The track list is the following:

1. "Look at Your Game, Girl" – 2:03
2. "Ego" – 2:27
3. "Mechanical Man" – 3:18
4. "People Say I'm No Good" – 3:20
5. "Home Is Where You're Happy" – 1:29
6. "Arkansas" – 3:03
7. "I'll Never Say Never to Always" – 0:41
8. "Garbage Dump" – 2:34
9. "Don't Do Anything Illegal" – 2:52
10. "Sick City" – 1:36
11. "Cease to Exist" – 2:12
12. "Big Iron Door" – 1:10
13. "I Once Knew a Man" – 2:33
14. "Eyes of a Dreamer" – 2:35

My favourite tracks are: "Ego", "Eyes of a Dreamer" and "Cease to Exist". This album has some cohesion and as I have said before, pretty simple. The album's lenght is 31 minutes and 53 seconds.

You can get it here.

Below is a video of the song "Ego":

Sol Invictus "In the Rain"

This album was released in 1995, by Sol Invictus. A great neofolk / apocalyptic folk / post-industrial group, they began with electronic experimentation combined with folk-influenced guitar work. Their frontman is called Tony Wakeford. He has collaborated with other artists popular in this genre, like Death in June.
The track list is the following:

1. Europa in the Rain I

2. Stay

3. Believe Me

4. Down the Years

5. In the Rain

6. Fall Like Rain

7. Oh What Fun

8. An English Garden

9. The World Shrugged

10. In Days to Come

11. Europa in the Rain II

Above I found links on youtube to most of the songs featured in this album. You can click on the song you want to hear, it'll direct you to youtube. Also, on wikipedia, there are many descriptions of the songs and the instruments used, click here.
You can get the album here, if you want to.

Below is a video for the song "Down the Years":

[upcoming bands] Picture Plane

Pictureplane isn't that new [he's been active since around 2004].
However, to me it is something new. Signed to Lovepump United, this guy has got some great songs. He also does some cool remixes, I presume. He's also possibly, friend with Teengirl Fantasy and HEALTH [both have been talked about on Serotonin Sounds].
You can check his myspace here.

Below is one dope track of his, entitled "Goth-star":

UK Virgin Records "Ambient 4: Isolationism"

Regarded as one of the most important means that popularized this genre, isolationism ambient, UK Virgin Records released this in 1994.
If you don't know this genre, I'll explain it to you in a few words, so that you just get a blurred clue of what this sounds are: the main aim is for sure to isolate yourself; this can be viewed as a dense form of meditation through music consisted by microatonality and drones, driving the person to senses of desolation and despair. However, if you can handle what's generally called as "heavy" or "dark" music, you'll feel comfortable with this type of music. It can have a relaxing effect, counterwise.
The track list is the following:

CD 1

1. KK Null & Jim Plotkin: "Lost (Held Under)"
2. Jim O'Rourke: "Flat Without A Back"
3. Ice: "The Dredger"
4. Raoul Björkenheim: "Strangers"
5. Zoviet France: "Daisy Gun"
6. Labradford: "Air Lubricated Free Axis Trainer"
7. Techno Animal: "Self Strangulation"
8. Paul Schütze: "Hallucinations (In Memory Of Reinaldo Arenas)"
9. Scorn: "Silver Rain Fell (Deep Water Mix)"
10. Disco Inferno: "Lost In Fog"
11. Total: "Six"
12. Nijiumu: "Once Again I Cast Myself Into The Flames Of Atonement"

CD 2

1. Aphex Twin: "Aphex Airlines"
2. AMM: "Vandoevre"
3. Seefeel: "Lief"
4. .O.rang: "Little Sister"
5. E.A.R.: "Hydroponic"
6. Sufi: "Desert Flower"
7. David Toop & Max Eastley: "Burial Rites (Phosphorescent Mix)"
8. Main: "Crater Scar (Adrenochrome)"
9. Final: "Hide"
10. Lull: "Thoughts"
11. Thomas Köner: "Kanon (Part One: Brohuk)"

Along the 2 CD's, my favourite tracks are: Ice "The Dredger", Lull "Thoughts", Labradford "Air Lubrificated Free Axis Trainer", E.A.R. "Hydroponic", Techno Animal "Self Strangulation".
This compilation has around 221 minutes.
If you want to download it, click here.

You can hear now Scorn "Silver Rain Fell (Deep Water Mix)":



Below is one of the tracks, Aphex Twin "Aphex Airlines", which he used to tire dancers during his gigs, as he said in an interview:

[poll] Cotonete Golden Blog

Currently, Serotonin Sounds is one of the blogs featured in a poll held on Cotonete, entitled "Golden Blog". The other blogs that are competing against us are: Indie Cindy, Zepelim, Isto não é uma festa Indie and Independanças. You can see how the other blogs are by clicking on the following ones you want to go to.
If you think my blog deserves your vote, then click here and just vote for Serotonin Sounds.

PS: You can vote as many times as you want to.

Nurse With Wound "Salt Marie Celeste"

As many have said, this is one of the most minimalistic musical works of Nurse With Wound... It consists of a drone that strenghtens for more than 1 hour. Steve Stapleton first introduces whispers... them you hear a drone that's hauntingly depressing.
More minutes and you start hearing the supposed ship Salt Marie Celest cracking... Then it seems a bug passes around... or is it a bicycle? It's surreal, as Steven Stapleton's desire makes it. It's just one track, yes. And it is entitled "Salt Marie Celeste".
Get it here, if you dare.

Here it is a video of NWW performing a song (in Auditório Serralves) that I find similar to Salt Marie Celeste:

[upcoming bands] Drum Eyes

Not quite an upcoming band, but a band that I think has been evolving a lot lately... Drum Eyes... Quite difficult to label. The band members currently are: Shige ∞ E-da San ∞ complitly dengerous ∞ Chris ∞ Kathy ∞ Alistair Crawley ∞ Tom Hanks (according to myspace). My bad, I don't how to decifer that so I'll say that it includes there DJ Scotch Egg, a drummer from Trencher [Liam], Eda from Boredoms and a girl from Comanechi.
Their music mixes 8bit with drums, heavily-distorted guitars. It's a unique mix, I'd say.
Check their myspace here or lastfm page here.

Here it's a video of Drum Eyes performing [courtesy of Last FM].

Kid 606 "Die Soundboy Die"

Kid 606 always struggles to be a misfit in music: he doesn't want to be labeled. He fuses dubstep, drum 'n' bass, gabber, 8bit and many more genres. He's also a fan of industrial and death metal. Just take this in count: he samples parts of Nick Cave and the Birthday Party and puts those samples along to a wobble bass and some rad beats. The best of Kid 606 is that he can generate something completely inovative while mixing every genre possible.
The track list is the following:
1. Die Soundboy Die
2. Raving Cain
3. Loose Noose
4. You can't stop a Steper
5. Get in the Way
6. Bat Manners
7. Umbilical bullets
8. The Drip
9. Death is Pain permanently leaving the Body

My favourite tracks are "The Drip", "Loose Noose" and "Raving Cain". The last one, "Death is Pain permanently leaving the Body", is more like an awkward chill-out track.
This EP has around 60 megabytes and probably 45 minutes of intense rave-stimulating music.
You can get the album here, if you want to.

As a preview, you can hear "Raving Cain" below: