October Files - A Playlist

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Before it transformed into a blog, Unlimited Freakout was a radio show that I produced on a semi regular basis for the amazing FLEET FM, who still feel like the show's spiritual home in many ways, even though it's a bit more free floating now. UFO is still a going concern, BTW. More about that later.

Often, in lieu of actual shows, I used to publish playlists on my Facebook page a lot (Also there is a UFO Facebook page now). These playlists were most often the albums I had selected to take in to work with me while I worked my day job at the desk of a video store in Auckland.

I’m currently preparing a set for a Unlimited Freakout show, but in the meantime, and with a lack of any other content of significance (there’s a Lacanian analysis of Michael Mann’s Manhunter incoming, but I’m still fine tuning it), and as I'm pretty busy with wrapping up a work contract, I thought I might as well try this out in blog format. Hopefully, I will have time in the next fortnight to actually record the set.

The albums aren’t new releases, rather a snapshot of where things are currently on the UFO musical barometer.

So, the list for this October is:


Butthole Surfers - Pioughd & Widowermaker! - Bandcamp

Pioughd is the first Butthole Surfers record I purchased, in I think early 1992, on cassette. It’s maybe not peak Surfers (which is arguably Rembrandt… thru Hairway…), but the warped boogie on this was fried enough for me to need to know more about just what the fuck was going on there. I particularly love Revolution Part Two for its inexplicable invocation of Gary Shandling during the coda.

HLM38 - HLM38 - Bandcamp

I don’t think I’ve heard an album capture the the sense of potential embodied in the dank, dubbed-out-on-the-four-track mutations of post punk better than this. Just when you thought you should give up on hearing an album that could capture that grimy ‘lonely guy with some cheap fx pedals loses his mind in a squat’ vibe, this comes along.

His Name Is Alive - Return Versions - Bandcamp

I have only just dipped into the labyrinthine catalog of Warn DeFever, and an early gem unearthed during the excavations has been this dubwise little excursion. Think dubwise as in ‘the mixing desk as an instrument’, as these gauzy, dreamgaze pop epics have been versioned inside out.

Jessy Lanza - All The Time - Bandcamp

I really love this snappy little record (the longest track is just under five minutes). The production is all elastic synth bubble, pinging tics and crisp drum machines, Jessy’s voice is really confident and balances pop and experimental nuances beautifully. Too much fun to be had here.

That's four for starters. I've been listening to some incredible music recently, it's a really exciting time for adventurous sounds and ears. I'll post about the show closer to it being ready to broadcast.


Also getting repeat plays:

Tony Morris -  An Exemplary Earthling - Bandcamp

This is just very special. 

Lil Ugly Mane - Oblivion Access - Bandcamp

It took a bit for me to catch up to Travis, but here I am.

Lee Gamble - Models - Bandcamp

Lee's excursion into AI vocal synthesis is both delicate and eerie.

General Strike - Danger in Paradise - Bandcamp

Crucial 84 bedsit fourth world collaboration between Beresford, Cunningham and Toop, reissued by Staubgold.

Holy Tongue meets Shackleton - The Tumbling Psychic Joy of Now - Bandcamp

Shackleton's productions still meander like no other, and having Holy Tongue's instrumentation to warp and bubble in his studio produces a spectacularly alchemical transformation.

OSEES - SORCS 80 - Bandcamp

Guitars are swapped out for samplers on this adrenalised burst of fuzzy psych gunk. Not that you would be any the wiser.

 

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