N O P A R T O F I T

N O   P A R T   O F   I T
Far more important than baking bread is the urge to take dough -beating to the extreme - Otto Muehl

Friday, September 25, 2020

New Releases

New releases on NO PART OF IT, with options to purchase in bundles available now:


On this new full-length, An Accidental Exorcism, 156 returns to his original experimental industrial sound, but with an added flair. Though the music on this release is still in the spirit of early Einstürzende Neubauten, Test Dept, Crash Worship, and Z'EV, 156 has added the use of synthesizer on some tracks, while still staying away from outsourced samples, as all sounds used are strictly recorded by collaborators. On this newest release 156 pays homage to minimalist horror movie soundtracks, while still sounding like a drum circle in a rusty junkyard, and staying true to the “meditation music for metalheads” motto.

156 is conducted by Adel Souto, who is a Cuban-born musician, multimedia artist, and writer. The outfit started in Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy neighborhood in 2010, but has recently relocated to the Florida Everglades.

Adel began playing music in the late 80s, and had formed or joined many punk and hardcore bands, plus contributing to several albums by other acts. He has written for his own fanzines starting in the early 90s, and has devoted pieces to numerous magazines, fanzines, and websites since. He has released several books, including a “best of”, and a chapbook on the subject of a 30-day vow of silence, while also having translated the works of Spanish poets. His work, both art pieces and photography, has shown in galleries in NYC, Philadelphia, and Miami, as well as in Europe, and South America. His music videos have been screened at NYC’s Anthology Film Archives, and he has lectured on the subject of occult influences in photography at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development's Department of Art and Art Professions.


WAX FRUIT began under a different name, with at least one CDr under its belt, probably around 2010. St. Louis couple Michaella and Dom pool together their lengthy experience in this project, which finds Michaella using her influences as a DJ/Synth Fest curator/bonafide record geek to fuse ideas with Dom, who did synth-based experimental music and noise under the name Sigulda for many years, as well as running Side Of The Sun Recordings for much of that time.

Wax Fruit is clearly inspired by early 80s minimal wave and synth pop, perhaps also some choice synth soundtracks and other things, but I think there are some vocal melodies that contribute something compelling to the genre(s) history, if not carefully crafted lyrics that can easily resonate with most humans in our nauseatingly well-informed period of time.

While there are a few tracks here that are instrumental in nature due to collaborations with hylidae, and although the total running time is less than 26 minutes, DROWNED BY THE WORLD WE LIVE IN still plays like an LP, with the distinct feeling that a story is being told, and that the listener is in good hands. In hopes of reaching a wider audience, DROWNED BY THE WORLD WE LIVE IN has been reissued by NO PART OF IT label from a pro-cassette edition from around 2018, which were also accompanied by CD demos in slimline cases.


Harsh noise for junk metal, tape recorder, and 4 track, Recorded at the Apohadion Theatre in Portland, Maine over the course of two months, summer 2020. Sterile Garden on this recording is Jacob DeRaadt. Lightly mastered by Arvo Zylo.

Sterile Garden has been active since 2006, a project headed by Jacob DeRaadt, with and without regular collaborators. DeRaadt also runs the fantastic Basement Tapes label. His collective's output has evolved to include visual art and film. The project could be characterized by the use of primitive tape manipulation, blown-out field recordings, and just general good, old-fashioned industrial noise, but often without the regular gestures that have come to be constraints within the legacy of these mediums. Some people master the posturing of noise and experimental music; the hills and valleys can be predictable and reliably anticipated. Sterile Garden is even more amusical than those folks, with structures that often sound like archaeological excavations more than compositions.

With over 40 releases on labels such as Monorail Trespassing, No Rent, Dumpster Score, Fusty Cunt, and a recycled tape on RRRECORDS, Sterile Garden has weaved a diverse tapestry of mostly tape-based material, often traversing territory in or around the realms of sound collage, drone, and fluxus level material action. ACIDOSIS sees the project pursuing an updated approach to harsh noise, with DeRaadt's unique way of making his 4 track recordings sound like they were assembled in a burning basement, or dragged through a mud-pit. 


Blood Rhythms is a project headed by Arvo Zylo, with frequent guests and contributors. Here it sees the fleshing out of some ideas that have been in motion since 2003, but it seems like they have never been more appropriate to explore than now.

To be short: repetition as a form of drone music, or ersatz machine sounds, have been part of the repertoire since the beginning. Here we have Zylo taking his more ambient leanings, which were never quite soothing, and often more abrasive in nature than most, to maybe more of a rational extreme. As part of a natural evolution, these tracks exhibit further leanings towards a dense drone atmosphere, although not in a typical style of looping synthesizers and hoping for the best.

Instead, there is a bit more adventure to these tracks, as they're not afraid to be abrasive or raw, and they don't stray far enough from the bounds of noise music to be considered pleasant by the academic crowd. Herein, one might hear string instruments, harpsichords, factory machines, insects, and the air pressure of hissing steam. However, sometimes one sound has been juxtaposed in a way so as to resemble another, or be quite indistinguishable through all of the layers of different sounds, which one hopes at times, would make for a "third voice" to appear. "The Universe..." sees Zylo's signature "failed minimalist" style manifest with what is ostensibly drone music, but in actuality is often jam-packed with layer upon layer of nuanced stereo activity.

This incarnation of Blood Rhythms features source material from Dave Phillips and Daniel Burke. Art by Bradley Kokay. Harpsichord was recorded by Blake DeGraw at Cornish College. Thanks to Christopher D. Turner.
 


Chemtrails is the third release on NO PART OF IT Label from THIRTEEN HURTS, a project helmed by a character who goes under the name "One-Eyed Zatoichi", and active in some form or another since the 70s.

This release is a reissue of an extremely limited CD from 2012. While it has the overall application of many harsh noise and heavy electronics artists, being that it is created mainly with guitar pedals, Chemtrails stands apart in that it has a wide cinematic curve, with wild crescendos and sharp, rhythmic patterns that sometimes lead to climactic and engaging soundscapes. One-Eyed Zatoichi was kind enough to elaborate on nature of the release:

"...it was based on a concept. I noticed that out in Colorado in the middle of nowhere, we had a continuous abundance of chemtrails in the sky. It bugged me not for the chemicals raining down on us, but for the haze left in the sky which directly affected my astronomy efforts at night.

Around that time, I was aware of various conspiracy sites that talked of the Chemtrail issue. While I'm not hardcore or rabid on the subject, I did have concerns and thought that chemtrails would be an interesting subject to create some noise after. Following some research, the first thing I did was to come up with titles for the pieces... ...on Chemtrails, I had the titles first and then created sounds to go with those titles, almost like creating a soundtrack to a word instead of an image.

While I came upon quite a few "happy accidents", there was usually clear intent when I was creating sounds. Thus, as you are listening to the pieces on Chemtrails, you can look at the title of the piece and I'm hoping you can see what I was trying to achieve. Also, the pieces themselves follow a path. From the people, to the idea of inoculating them, to the method of deployment, to the chemicals themselves, to the visible result, and finally the end result. With all the forethought that went into creating Chemtrails, I am close to considering it a 'Concept Album'...

...The piece Useless Eaters is from a quote by Henry Kissinger: "The elderly are useless eaters". He also said the world population needs to be decreased by 50%.

The photos on the front and back of the cd are photos I took from the [solar-powered, completely isolated] house in Colorado. Being at an elevation of 6800 feet, the jets overhead seemed to be a lot closer than when I lived in California. That is how I was able to take a clear shot of the jet flying overhead. Considering this and the sheer amount of chemtrails overhead on any given day, one could say that I was more directly influenced to 'speak out' about chemtrails than a more casual observer."
-One-Eyed Zatoichi
 

In other news:





Blood Rhythms' Zerrissenheit was recommended in Avant Music News' picks of the week.  It was also aired as well as another artist on the label, TROU, by Teachers AIDS on KFJC alongside Eric Lunde, Brume, Darksmith, and more.   TROU was also aired on KFJC by Lexi Glass, along with Zoviet France, Incapacitants, Prick Decay, and Murderous Vision.  



A track from Nital Etch's "Simulacrum" release on NO PART OF IT was featured on a new dark ambient playlist by
Noctilucant
! Good stuff here! https://youtu.be/e40tZ3efS4I?t=2957

Nital Etch was reviewed by KFJC

Eerie Cinematic Vignettes.

Haunting, serene, and at times unnerving like dreams of lovers long passed, entropy, and the death of hope. A collection of modulated strings, samples, and ambient sound collage by Washington state’s Kevin Lewis culled from unreleased selections by this magnificent composer, released August 2020 by the label No Part Of It  (Chicago). In a word, perfect.





TROU was reviewed by KFJC!
“Trou” (pronounced trū ), french for “void” is the mysterious and prolific  rhythmic noise, harsh industrial project from France ca. 2012 to present. Three gloomy tracks of mind wipingly repetitive dark ambient/industrial fare suitable for the final round of stripping your captive of their ego. Apply liberally to the feeble minded in order to gain control and begin supplanting capitulation for autonomy as you guide them towards self destruction and they bend to your terrible will. Originally self-released on cassette in 2017 this outing is another delectable/detestable disc from Chicago label No Part Of It.





In 2005, Arvo Zylo constructed a drone piece out of several layered samples from pop divas holding sustained notes. It was submitted to a compilation with this information ahead of time, and rejected out of fear of copyright retribution. Thinking that since no single sample therein is easily recognizable in the slightest, "Upheaval" was reworked in a total of 100 different versions, the final version being four hours long ("The torture has been transcended" - WIRE Magazine).

This release, which was released in a cassette edition by deadbeat Czech label Nova Alternativa, is now available on pro CDR in the states, because the label failed to send artist copies after over three years of waiting. I do not recommend ordering the cassette edition, and the label had requested not to have the full release on bandcamp because of it. So now, after two years of only being a single, the full release is available to stream, download, or purchase in PRO CDR format.

This is the second full-length collection of Upheaval versions. The first was released on cassette by Tymbal Tapes, and features versions 63-69. More than just drone material, this edition of "UPHEAVAL", traverses several different approaches, from soundtracky ambient "vistas" to abrasive industrial repetition.



Nital Etch, Credo In Deum, Blood Rhythms, Thirteen Hurts, and TROU were reviewed by The Critical Masses. Here is an excerpt about Credo In Deum's "Blood Soaked Sand"":
Beginning with a much more overtly rhythmic approach than a straight noise hum, Credo in Deum warps a captivating tale of vicious danger through your speakers with the harrowing “Battered Wife Syndrome,” a dynamic opener that pits the loud violence of the track’s title against periods of tense quiet, ratcheting up the fear. As the album progresses, the rhythm is dialed back in favor of crackling noise, when the dial is set to “rock crusher,” or malfunctioning diodes, when the dial is set to “Sodomized with Spikes.” (Yowza …) At all turns, regardless, Blood Soaked Sand crackles with wicked energy, a tense and volatile ritual.



Nital Etch, Credo In Deum, Blood Rhythms, Thirteen Hurts, and TROU were reviewed by Vital Weekly. Read the reviews HERE.









Blood Rhythms' Civil War LP was aired on this lovely program, The Institute of Spectra-Sonic Sound, and also features irr.app.(ext.) + Nurse With Wound, Controlled Death, Anastasia Vronski, Phillip Jeck, and more, plus a PSA about the virtual streaming NorCal NoiseFest created by Lob Instagon and Austin Rich! Dig it!





Releases on the no part of it label were aired on the Signal-to-Noise radio program: Nital Etch and Thirteen Hurts! Also in there are guest appearances and tracks by Penderecki, Quicksails, Daniel Johnston, Peter Brotzmann, and more! Thanks to Nick Roseblade!




 This long out of print cassette release has been reissued on pro CDR in a DVD case! Still Arvo's most musical work to date, but it's chaotic and noisy a lot of the time, too. Much of it was recorded in a closet, directly onto a tape recorder, during bouts of life-threatening insomnia. 2001-2003 ish.

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Interview Series #19: Steven Intermill

The NO PART OF IT Interview series was a strain of questions sent to a number of different people between February and March 2019. Each entry was scheduled chronologically to be thrust upon the world on a monthly basis since then. Each individual is introduced informally as if they were being discussed at a bar.   



Steven, also known as Witchbeam, was one half of a long-standing occult-driven synth duo called Telecult Powers, whom I've seen a couple times at Chicago's Neon Marshmellow fests.  I've also seen Steven collaborate with Aaron Dilloway in Cleveland to great effect.  I think he is from Sweden.  I'm not sure what happened sequentially, but I had the impression that he lived in New York, and then (returned?) to Cleveland, where he founded a museum on the Christmas Story, and now a museum dedicated to witchcraft, called The Buckland Museum.   Steven also hipped me to Merrill Womach!   Thanks Steven! 
1.  What kinds of things have you been getting into lately?

Just what's in front of me right now. Operating the Buckland Museum of Witchcraft & Magick takes up all of my time, so essentially just reading and studying things that make a better experience for my guests.


2.  What you do, do you do it as an artist, or is it a hobby?  If you don't like that question,

I don't know! There's not a lot of separation. 

3.  How would you describe what you do?
I don't, I never have, no artist statement. Just wake up every day and pursue what ever strikes my fancy. 

4.  How would you describe your creative progression over the years, in a brief synopsis?
When I turned 30 my eyes opened to the unique opportunities we have as living creatures. I spent the years before that just blank. Not sure what happened, but something did that year. I was filling my head with all sorts of information that finally boiled over into experimental music, illustration, painting. I was into it all before that, but it seemed to wait until my 30s before my ideas started to be more fleshed out.


5.  How would you describe your philosophy?

I had some risks I had to take a few years ago so I took the motto of "fortune favors the bold." Pretty self explanatory, let's see if it pans out.

6.  Do you believe in psychics, magic, ghosts, or gods?  If no, then maybe you'll share your favorite conspiracy theory (whether you believe it or not).
Yes, I believe in all of it, too many extraordinary experiences that can't just be brushed away. Lon Milo Duquette says that it's all in your head, you just have no idea how big your head is. Maybe that's it? As far as conspiracy goes - I do believe there is an attempt to overload our brains with a constant barrage of confusion.


7.  What would you say was your most definitive experience?

Still waiting for it!

8.  Do you have any side projects that I am not aware of? If not, what is something you'd like people to know about you, that you don't think anyone would ever ask?
No, you probably know about all of it.

9.  Would you care to name any theoretical "desert island" records, or at least releases that you think are approaching your concept of "perfect"?  
Ah, now you're going to make me choose between Fun House by The Stooges or Jimi Hendrix's Axis Bold Is Love? Not fair to either!

10.  What is the earliest childhood memory you can (or are willing to) recall?
Probably the most defined would be meeting my friend George when I was a kid, Easter 1976. Orange stuffed duck in my basket, I picked him up and spouted "Hey! George! What are you doing here?" My parents were under the assumption we were long standing friends. I remember that like it was yesterday.

11.  Are you able to appreciate other peoples' creative work regardless of their personal shortcomings or inherent flaws?  To what extent?
Topical question - I'm not going to go out and champion Michael Jackson or R. Kelly because I've never really been interested in their work in the first place. I guess it would be a case by case basis, good art probably only exists because of flaws in character. The cracks are what let the light in. 


12.  Do you have any heroes or heroines?  Who are they?  Feel free to add anything that makes them stand out.

My wife Jillian is a hero, she has the Herculean task of dealing with me day to day. I always in awe of her patience and and work ethic. Helena Blavatsky for having an unrelenting drive.  All the early suffragettes. Raymond Buckland for having an uncompromising understanding of the first amendment.


13.  What would you like to have on your epitaph?  Or what is your favorite quote? 

No epitaph, sky burial all the way. Leave me for the vultures - maybe that line from the Coil song Amethyst Deceivers - "Pay your respects to the vultures / For they are your future."