In 1914, Sir Shackleton embarked on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition with his crew aboard a ship called Endurance. This journey - considered the last in the age of Antarctic exploration - did not end upon some triumphant return to their motherland, but rather in the sinking of Endurance and the fatal stranding of its survivors... Continue Reading →
There are many reasons artists avoid delving into previously discarded tracks. Perhaps they are self conscious - terrified of opening a window that would shed light on what they perceive to be a less talented/developed version of their musical selves. Or maybe they are afraid that the perspectives they explored so long ago may grossly... Continue Reading →
Split albums are an integral part of the cassette community. Not only do they make sense logistically — being that the Side A/Side B format lends itself perfectly to the concept — but they also speak to the overall ethos that defines the movement. Yes, the spirit that drives a split is a transcendent one... Continue Reading →
Chances are, if you’re reading this you are most certainly well-acquainted with Orange Milk Records. I assume anyone who’s interested in left-field music is at least aware of their monolithic presence in the cassette dimension — if not dutifully and respectfully obsessed. Yes, for the better part of the last decade, co-owners Seth Graham and... Continue Reading →
Wayne Longer is his given name, but you most likely know him as Adderall Canyonly (one can’t easily forget a moniker like that). His vacillating instrumental soundscapes have been driving listeners onward down nameless neon-lit roads since the genesis of the cassette revival (for those who don’t know, that was around 2010). With releases spanning... Continue Reading →
The Reptilian Elite conspiracy theory is one of my favorites. It revolves around reptilian overlords who wear human suits, infiltrate political parties and powerful corporations, and subsequently hold clandestine dominion over the world as we know it. Honestly, based on Western civilization’s current trajectory, I am poised to believe anything at this point. Why not... Continue Reading →
Puzzle Time is a four-way split curated by Nicholas Langley, owner of United Kingdom label Third Kind Records. Complete with tracks from four different artists (Langley himself included) and an actual puzzle designed by Bristol-based illustrator Takora, the album (in the words of Walt Whitman) truly contains multitudes. Bary Center’s opening tracks are pensive and... Continue Reading →
Strategic Tape Reserve is a cassette label owned by Eamon Hamill (possibly the most well-spoken lad in the underground music game) -- who operates out of Cologne, West Germany. Though STR's canon is not genre-specific in any way, the complete body of work shares a common theme of explorative home-brewed quality. In an effort to... Continue Reading →
Hausu Mountain is a legendary Chicago-based experimental label (owned and operated by duo Max Allison and Doug Kaplan) that has been churning out quality noises and transmissions since 2012. Unlike many labels, the Hausu dudes go out of their way to restock tapes (for two years after the album release date) when they get low -... Continue Reading →
Let’s talk about language. Unless you’re living in an underground bomb shelter with Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek, you know that it’s the weapon of choice these days. This is not to say, of course, that this has not always been the case. The power of language dates back to its ancient origins. Language was,... Continue Reading →
Album Reviews, Label Spotlights, and More 