The Process

number two.

Starting with Isotope 217, Chicago post-something jazz and featuring most of Tortoise. Seeing as Sub City broadcasts from the John McEntire building I think this is wholly appropriate. Even though John McEntire is one of few Tortoise members/associates not actually playing in Isotope.

Moving on to Frog Pocket now, aka John Charles Wilson from Ayr. An older record of his- from 2003- on the recently defunct Benbecula label. There are still copies of the CD version of this EP on Piccadilly, which won't be around for long.

Keeping it local, with sometimes amazing/sometimes rubbish Ganger, sadly also defunct themselves but having left a fantastic legacy of experimental post-rock.

'IV', track four of five from the Guapo album 'Black Oni' on Mike Patton's Ipecac label. Sometimes hard to believe they're from London, and not Portland. A record that in fact comes wrapped in several feet of black plastic and makes for quite a difficult time unwrapping it. Definitely some of the hardest working men in prog-business, their blog is always worth a read: http://guaponews.blogspot.com/

'Enhanced Amalgamated Computer Experience' by Satanstornade, on ATP records. This is from the Sonic Youth-curated ATP album, and I haven't seen the track anywhere else. You should also know that this duo is in fact Russell Haswell of Gescom, and Masami 'Merzbow' Akita.

I don't think there's too much needs to be said about Desalvo. If you don't have their Rock Action album 'Mood Poisoner'you should probably buy it now. Or steal it, I'm sure the band won't care.

I'm surprised it took this long to get to Swans. Not the last time they'll be played either. Michael Gira's finest years- this track, 'Butcher' comes from the 1984 LP Cop. Most Swans stuff got reissued a couple of years ago on CD with extra stuff, so you should be able to track it down easily enough.

Fuzz-drenched psych-rock mayhem from Fireball next. All-girl five-piece from New York here, and if you weren't turning it up and jumping around then you're probably not paying attention. This is a masterpiece!

More obscurity now, with a Big Black track- 'Burning Indian Wife'- that was only available on a 7" called 'Happiness is Dry Pants' which came free with Chemical Imbalance fanzine, in 1987. This track was a 'reject' from the Songs About Fucking recording, at Southern Studios.

Japanese punk next. Stupid Babies Go Mad covering Boris for a Black Flag tribute split 10" on Diwphalanx, of course! SBGM haven't exactly had much press, and all the writing is in Japanese so I can't tell you very much more!

'Syncopated Pandemonium' by Striborg is from another split record, this time on Southern Lord (of course), with Scurshahor. Striborg doing what they do, and hopefully a track you haven't heard before.

One of the true greats next, Ian Dominick Fernow, better know as Prurient. Power electronics from 2005 on Load Records. If you don't know Prurient(!) then investigate. There's a vast amount of back catalogue to relish.

Posted at 22:05, 19th October 2009