Eddy Current Suppression Ring // Walking In Unison

I've already expressed my love for Eddy Current Suppression Ring in my review of Henge Beat by ECSR side project, Total Control. Out of the blue, the group dropped a single via Captcha Records, and it's a duzy. At almost 10 minutes long, "Walking In Unison" contains that signature Eddy Current guitar twang and Mark E Smith-esque vocals. This track displays the combination of repetitious grooves and Brendan Huntley's aggressive vocals that is typical of an Eddy Current release. I <3 it.

Single out soon on Captcha.

Sketch 5

Tim Hecker 'Sketch 5' by kranky

Earlier this year, Tim Hecker released the jaw-dropping Ravedeath, 1972. Yesterday, he announced, via twitter, that on October 10th he will be releasing a set of piano-based sketches recorded prior to the release of Ravedeath, 1972 entitled Dropped Pianos. "Sketch 5" is the first of said recordings to make it's way onto the internet and it has me counting down to 10/10. Hecker's ominous and atmospheric soundscapes are always emotionally stirring and I'm excited to hear the minimalistic turn he takes with these recordings. Just a couple weeks after this release, I will have the privilege of seeing Mr. Hecker perform at Moogfest. You can look forward to a set review here at OnRepeat.

Pre-order Dropped Pianos here.

We're Blood People!

Witch Hat - Blood People by friendsrecords

With every day that goes by, it seems that I fall more deeply in love with Friends Records...

Witch Hat's "Blood People" is an aggressive but slow moving punk jam that comes of their forthcoming LP, Brown in a Dog. The bass line is dragged along by gritty vocals in a combination that sounds like an angrier Prinzhorn Dance School. "We're blood people!" is screamed as the track explodes to sound like something you would find on a Bongripper record.

Brown in a Dog can be pre-ordered here.

Jonwayne

Bowser I (Sigma Head) by jonwayne

Here's something to bob your head to...

Jonwayne got his start as a spoken word artist and rapper in the So Cal underground scene. Eventually he developed a passion for beat-making and quickly became an integral member of LA's beat scene, which has given the world greats like Flying Lotus, Daedelus, edIT, DJ Nobody, Baths, and the list keeps on growing. The sounds captured on Jonwayne's full length debut, Bowser, range from 8-bitesque synth melodies to slow grooving down tempo beats. "Bowser I (Sigma Head)" is the latter, combining stomping bass drum with a synth line that creeps along at a snail's pace, inevitably causing the neck to bend repetitiously.

Bowser is out now via Alpha Pup.

Fugitive of Leisure

On the heels of the spectacular release, Dial Tone Earth, Co La dropped a series of monthly singles entitled Fugitive of Leisure this past summer. Friends Records is giving this sun soaked compilation a physical release, welcoming the season of Autumn with a series of rhythmic textures which boil up nostalgia for the beach.

Cop dat cassette here.

Total Control // Henge Beat

One of my favorite rock albums to be released in the past decade is Eddy Current Suppression Ring's Primary Colours. It's a feisty piece of Aussie garage rock, with tinny guitar licks and warm bass grooves. This incredible guitar sound is what got Mikey Young behind the mixer of the latest UV Race album, Homo. This collaboration didn't end with release of Homo. Instead, Mikey Young and UV Race's Daniel Stewart and Alistair Montfort collaborated along with bassist Zephyr Peavy and drummer James Vinciguerra (The Collapse, AIDs) to form Total Control.

Henge Beat is a definite change in pace from the garage rock sound attributed to Eddy Current Suppression Ring and UV Race. This record combines elements of No Wave greats like Suicide and Theoretical Girls with Post Punkers like Joy Division. Henge Beat jumps to a quick start with "Carpet Rash," where the garage rock tendencies of previous releases are still apparent. Stewart stumbles through the vocal track until Young unleashes a guitar riff that could have been taken straight from an Eddy Current record. Total Control's new-wave feel isn't apparent until the drum machine driven second track, "The Hammer," where Young trades his signature guitar riffs for spacey synth leads.

"Meds II" is an eerie story that creeps through one's dependence on, of course, meds. The degree of repetition used on this track creates a level of anxiety that is suddenly appeased when it explodes with feedback, soaring guitars, and buzzing synthesizers. Stewart's vocal preformance on "Retiree" reminds me of Ice Age's much loved debut, New Brigade. "See More Glass" contains a synth line so ominous, you would swear it was produced by Martin Rev himself. It begins to build as additional synth and guitar lines are added but is suddenly cut off by the minimal electronic beat of "Shame Thugs." "Stonehenge" is a self-contained rocker that boils with energy and leads to this album's swan song, "Sunday Baker," which, strangely enough, is another minimal electronic beat. This one, however, is a bit more developed than "Shame Thugs," and leaves the listener in a dream-like state.

Henge Beat is a very diverse record. It contains bits of new-wave, garage rock, punk, minimal electro, and even no-wave. There is something here for everyone. It's fun and upbeat one second, then dark and dreary the next. Henge Beat seems to end on a somewhat sudden note, leaving the listener disoriented, yet yearning for more.

Highly Recommended.

Sing To Me

Yellow Ostrich - "WHALE" by Afternoon Records

Yellow Ostrich is a trio from Brooklyn whose full length debut, The Mistress, was released last month on Barsuk. Above you can hear my favorite cut from the album, "Whale." This catchy piece of indie-pop will definitely evoke a smile. Mistress is an impressive debut and one that has been seemingly overlooked. I can definitely see Yellow Ostrich having a bright future.

Yellow Ostrich is now on tour with the Antlers and just announced several dates with of Ra Ra Riot later in the Fall. The Mistress is out now on Barsuk.

To Destroy A City // Self-Titled

Every once in a while an album will stumble into my life and be able to completely transform my surroundings. The ability to be sonically transferred from your bedroom to an entire new environment is flooring. Earlier this year it was Tim Hecker's Ravedeath, 1972, with all it's suspense and unpredictability. Ravedeath, 1972 feels like a walk on a rickety old bridge. Unforgiving and overwhelming. To Destroy A City's self titled debut is what hopefully lies on the other side.

To Destroy A City is a Chicago based post-rock trio who formed last summer. According to their label, shortly after their formation "Earth-shaking personal events followed, uniting the group even further and fueling the group’s emotional and creative output." To Destroy A City is an dream-like journey through luscious sonic landscapes. From the solemn piano chords of its opening track, "Metaphor," to its rather euphoric uprisings in tracks like "Ilium," this release is truly an emotional roller coaster.

Reminiscent of Boards of Canada and Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the trio takes you on a tour through enormous sounding dreamscapes. The level of ambience achieved here is masterful. The production on this album is shimmering. Strings are used on every track and, in conjunction with soaring guitar lines, swell to create an enormous backdrop for percussion and keys. On "Neuroitc Sea," "Ilium," and "Goodbye, Dear Friend" this swell keeps expanding until it erupts into anthemic melody. The sounds captured on this record truly lift you right up off of your computer chair and place you in a world dominated by unpredictability.

To Destroy A City explores a large away of sounds on this record. "Philosophy of a Knife" is a slow groove through melancholy ambience pushed forward by pulsating electronic percussion that leads you to, my favorite track, "Before the Outside's Gone." This one gets off to a slow start but as the drumming becomes increasingly complicated, additional melodic phrases are thrown into the mix, and the track explodes into an almost doomy refrain.

In many situations, an album that reaches for this level of ambience comes out a sonically homogenous, over-reverberated mess but To Destroy A City is a beautiful collection of massive soundscapes.

To Destroy A City is due out on 9/27 via n5MD, can be pre-ordered here, and streamed below.

To Destroy A City by todestroyacity

Dreams Come True

CANT - She Found A Way Out

This track comes off of the highly anticipated solo debut of Grizzly Bear multi-instrumentalist, Chris Taylor. The sixth track off of CANT's Dreams Come True, "She Found a Way Out", starts of with Taylor's spacey voice quivering over lightly stroked guitar. Then half way through the track, booming electronic percussion and synthesizers explode as Taylor's soaring vocals create a larger-than-life swell. Taylor definitely shows off his knack for production seen on albums like Twin Shadow's Forget, Morning Benders's Big Echo, and of course Grizzly Bear's Yellow House.

CANT's Dreams Come True is out now on Taylor's own Transdeamer Records and can be streamed, in its entirety, below.

CANT - Dreams Come True by Transdreamer Records

An Introduction...

I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing but, here goes nothing.

OnRepeat is a blog, zine, and radio station run by one person: me.

Here, I will post my rambles and useless commentary on music that I believe is worth rambling about. There will be new content daily, mostly consisting of album/song reviews and the occasional live review and/or interview. I will post a new mix every month that will essentially be a compilation of tracks from recent releases that I found impressive.

The first edition of the OnRepeat zine will be distributed in early October and will contain an interview with Dan Barrett of Have A Nice Life, Nahvalr, and Giles Corey. Check out the zine page for more details.

To your right you will find a mix of my choices of the month, below that you can check out what I've recently listened to.

This blog contains several different pages. On Repeat will be gallery of recent releases that have caught my fancy. Next to that is a link to OnRepeat Radio. This is an online station that will be streaming 24/7. You will hear new music as well as some of my personal favorites from the past.

My goal here is to introduce people to new music. The majority of my posts will refer to new releases; however, each issue of the zine will contain a brief description of one or two classic albums that I love.

I will publish my first post later today, followed by a post every day of the week until the end of time.

Stay thirsty my friends,

-Tom