Audioccult Vol. 1

This is an open letter inviting you to explore a special selection of audio/visual pleasures culled from my own musical and artistic associations and associates. This is the cult of audio.

The NYC duo CREEP opened the week with an ethereally beautiful remix of School of Seven Bells‘ ‘Lafaye’, taken from their beautiful new album Ghostory. When CREEP’s now-familiar plaintive guitar and mournful synth claps hit around the four-minute mark, it lifts the clouds away and sends the mind into a world of crystalized pleasure. Meanwhile, on a similarly mournful tip, Wild Beasts (who you might remember for their 2011 remix of Lady Gaga‘s ‘You & I‘, which actually rendered it listenable) recently released a new remix for London-based sisters 2:54. ‘You’re Early’ is a dreamy alt-pop pleasure, but Wild Beasts drape it with a slow-crush vibe thats enhanced by frontman Hayden Thorpe’s added ‘duet’ with Colette Thurlow. The result is something that feels more like a stalker’s death-threat than a love letter.

School of Seven Bells – Lafaye (CREEP Remix)

2:54 – You’re Early (Wild Beasts remix)

I was beginning to wonder what Gatekeeper were up to. The NYC-via-Chicago duo have been fairly quiet since 2010’s stunning Giza EP. But it seems they weren’t just sitting at home watching Tenebre on repeat, because on July 17th we’re getting a full LP. Exo is twelve new tracks of what will likely be some extremely fucking cool industrial-flavored electronics. No surprise there, but the band have also announced that the album will be accompanied by a first-person gaming environment “in which one explores various worlds inspired by tracks on the album.” I wanted to make some kind of pun about video games here, but then I realized that I haven’t touched a controller since I got pubics.

Denver is home to some of my favorite musicians, including the angelic noise of Married In Berdichev and the post-physical prophecies of Pictureplane, but people are definitely going to start noticing my boy alphabets more. This kid is mad prolific, frequently releasing albums (often one a month!) for free. His latest album Jeanjets just dropped for a mere six bucks, and it’s highly worth your time. Experimental tropical-influenced dance sketches for post-genre pleasure. Former fellow Denverites Hideous Men seem to be on a bit of a break, but member Ryan McRyhew is currently releasing new tunes as Thug Entrancer. His analog soundscapes can be heard on his Ready To Live cassette, and you can download his latest remix album Tropic Mind Vol. 3 for free. Which you should.

There have been a good chunk of other free releases recently. Hype Williams‘ work has always been fairly interchangeable; get one release and you essentially have them all. That doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoyable, however, and when The Guardian announced an exclusive download of a new ‘album’ I didn’t even hesitate before saving it. The Attitude Era is a collection of outtakes, rejected and unfinished demos and remixes that never made the cut. I’m not sure why, because they all just sound like regular Hype Williams stuff. Amongst the bits of fluff you’ll find some true grimy gems, like personal favorites ‘Schadenfreude’ and ‘Millennial Turk’. There’s less than a week left to download it, so grab it fast! Berlin-based black magickians reliq also released their debut for free download, and if you’re in need of soul-transforming shrieks, you won’t find better. Speaking of thrash-rackets, filthmaster general Getter hit 10k on his Facebook page the other day. To celebrate, he dropped a free EP, featuring collabs with Barron and 50 Carrot. Dubheadz will be feeling this one. Fade To Mind‘s Rizzla technically released his free EP this week, but I can’t sit on this one and neither should you. It’s cunty as hell, vogue house for the Now.

Finally, in random news it seems that EB favorite Chelsea Wolfe has left her home at Pendu for LA-based Sargent House, which is connected to the rather essential Terroreyes.tv. After last year’s equally essential ?????????? (Apokalypsis), I’m lighting a candle at the altar for some new spellbinding sounds.

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Daniel Jones is a music promoter and creator of the subculture reconceptualization & aesthetics tumblr Gucci Goth.

Published April 11, 2012.