From the wildest in ambient experimentation from Merzbow and new collaborator Lawrence English to the debut from young breakout group The Linda Lindas here is all of the new noise you may have missed from this week.
Horsegirl – Versions of Modern Perfection (Matador Records)
Chicago’s Horsegirl are the freshest that experimental indie rock has to offer. You can hear the influence of bands like Built to Spill, Dinsaour Jr., and Sonic Youth all over this record, but the group does work their way into their own sound.
There is nothing to find here but well thought out catchy, hook filled tracks. Each crack in this LP is filled with a lot of character and a defined sound that is surely something special.
Versions of Modern Perfection is out on Matador Records.
Find out more about Horsegirl here.
Merzbow & Lawrence English – Eternal Stalker (Dais Records)
For those familiar with either Merzbow you know that you are probably getting into something that’s 0h so intense and belligerently noisy. Eternal Stalker will subvert that expectation.
Working in collaboration with Australian sound artist Lawrence English the pair create a large soundscape that rests somewhere between environmental and industrial sounds. This is a difficult and experimental take on ambient music, but a unique and interesting one for sure.
Eternal Stalker is out on Dais Records.
Find out more about Merzbow here, and Lawrence English here.
Editrix – Editrix II: Editrix Goes To Hell (Exploding in Sound Records)
Editrix have stumbled onto a sound that is incredibly difficult to describe because of it’s sheer uniqueness. Somewhere between math rock or no wave, angular riffs are the status quo here.
The guitar sound is a shrill scream that is only balanced by the hypnotic bass and drum grooves. This is a great display of primal Avant Garde music that still grooves with incredible passion. Don’t miss it.
Editrix II: Editrix Goes To Hell is out on Exploding in Sound Records.
Find out more about Editrix here.
The Linda Lindas – Growing Up (Epitaph Records)
Let’s ignore the fact that the members of the Linda Lindas range in the ages of 11 to 17 years old for a moment and just marvel at the raw power of this record. I think this is one that might be overshadowed purely on the schtick that the members of Linda Lindas are so young, but regardless it’s still a totally excellent catchy record.
From the raw punk riffage on “Racist, Sexist Boy” to the soft acoustic number “Growing Up” this record is tied together through the themes of youth, class, and power, all coupled together with shockingly good songwriting.
Growing Up is out on Epitaph Records.
Find out more about The Linda Lindas here.