Black To Comm, Alphabet 1968 (Type)

Another great year for the Type label draws to a close with what may well be one of their best. I’m certainly convinced that it is the finest release that Marc Richter has produced, shoehorning as it does the more abstract drones which have characterised previous Black To Comm albums into a more obviously structured framework, and adding some surprising sounds. The result is a suite of ten epic and atmospheric tracks which covers far more ground than you’d expect.

Broadcast and the Focus Group, Witch Cults Of The Radio Age (Warp); Roj, The Transactional Dharma Of Roj (Ghost Box)

The worlds of Broadcast and Ghost Box have become increasingly intertwined over the years. Ghost Box co-owner Julian House has long been charged with the group’s visual identity via the vibrant series of record sleeves which have graced their work. More recently, Broadcast appeared at the fictional Ghost Box HQ “Belbury Poly” to wrap a live soundtrack around a Julian House short film (an event repeated recently for The Wire Magazine’s Into The Vortex gigs). Hallowe’en 2009 has brought a full-fledged audio collaboration between House’s Focus Group and Broadcast, in which they investigate the “Witch Cults Of The Radio Age’. (As if the muddied waters weren’t swirling sufficiently, former Broadcast member Roj Stevens has also released his first solo album on – where else – Ghost Box).

Kevin Drumm, Imperial Horizon (Hospital Productions)

And so Imperial Distortion continues on to the Imperial Horizon: this new release by Kevin Drumm feels less liek a standalone work and more like an absolutely necessary coda to last year’s scarred beauty of a double album. His black metal and evil noise roots seem ever more distant as he heads further out into this ambient sea, with this latest voyage being a one-track one-hour epic. Patient explorers will find this to be one of the most rewarding journeys they will take this year.

Bleeding Heart Narrative, Tongue Tangled Hair (Tartaruga)

It seems I always start Tartaruga reviews with a reference to the lovely package. Well, I’d hate to disappoint. I can only assume that said heavy duty cladding and thick thread used to house Tartaruga records is needed in order to help constrain the epic, bulging contents within. This latest one from Bleeding Heart Narrative strains the seams of decency with its yards of swelling symphonic and electronic post-rock pop.

Emeralds, Emeralds (Gneiss Things); Mark McGuire, Solo Acoustic Volume 2 (VDSQ)

How often am I going to have my mind blown by Ohio’s Emeralds? I’d barely put it back together again following this year’s What Happened (and the reissued Allegory of Allergies) before they’d launched another hypagogic exocet at my skull in the shape of this vinyl-only release on member Steve Hauschildt’s Gneiss Things label. Guitarist Mark McGuire has found the time to contribute to the VDSQ label’s solo guitar LP series.

Natural Snow Buildings, Shadow Kingdom (Blackest Rainbow)

Over the last year, it has become one of my favourite British labels. I’ve bought their LPs of twelve-string ragas. I’ve bought their cassettes of minimalist electronic drone. I’ve bought their CD-Rs of twisted analogue noise. Are there any other formats that Nottingham’s Blackest Rainbow want to try and sell me? Oh, here is one: a comic. About vampires. Yep, this excellent new double album (triple on vinyl) from Natural Snow Buildings comes housed within a glossy sixteen page lovingly-illustrated comic book on the subject of the Vampires of Roumania. Now, do I look like the sort of person who reads comics? Do you think I’m some sort of geek? Probably one with long hair? Who has “trouble finding the right girl”? Who spends way too much of his money on limited-edition cultural ephemera? Eh? Er. Um. Right. So how much do you want for one of these again?

Bill Orcutt, A New Way To Pay Old Debts (Palilalia)

Miami’s Harry Pussy featured an improvisatory core of the phenomenal drummer Adris Hoyos (a huge influence on the likes of Chris Corsano* and Brian Chippendale**) and her husband, the incendiary guitarist Bill Orcutt (supplemented at times -as if he needed it – by a second guitarist). They exploded in 1997, leaving a still-twitching corpse and a discography full of what-the-fuck free-punk-jazz-noise. Since then, little has been heard of Orcutt, but this coruscating blast of solo guitar is ample reminder of just how important that band – and Orcutt – were.

Radian, Chimeric (Thrill Jockey)

I was beginning to give up hope of ever seeing another Radian album, given that 5 years have elapsed since the sublime Juxtaposition, and given how busy the band – in particular Martin Brandlmayr and Sylvian Nemeth – have been with their extra-curricular activities (Trapist, Polwechsel, Lokai, and Autistic Daughter to name but a few). So long has it been that this almost feels like a reformation. In fact, so different is much of this from their previous work that at times it actually feels like it is by another band altogether.

Ben Frost, By The Throat (Bedroom Community)

Ben Frost’s debut for the Bedroom Community label, Theory Of Machines, was one of my favourite records of a few years back, a skilful blend of ambient drones and electronica with much harsher, processed sounds. So which direction will he go in for the follow up? Well, it is called By The Throat. The front cover has a pack of wolves on it. What do you reckon?

Simon Scott, Navigare (Miasmah)

Once again I find myself opening a review by talking about the convoluted and surprising course the artist has plotted to get to this place. Simon Scott is probably most famous for having been the drummer in shoegazers Slowdive in the early 90s. Since then his creative explorations have taken him in several new directions, taking a lead role in the bands Televise and Seavault, stewarding the fine Keshhhhh label, and now launching his debut solo release for the ever-essential Miasmah label (which is captained by Erik Skodvin). And while this is a denser and less composed-sounding release than most on Miasmah, it has that haunted cinematic feel to it typical to the label.