Category Archives: Dub Collision Mix

First unconsciously, then more and more aware came up to me that I worked on the field of the autobiography. Thus I can only retrospectively speak about the time that led me to this concept. This happened about 1962, while I worked on the project of an electroacoustic piece: Hétérozygote. I thus want to try to explain, how significant the simple gesture was to go out from the studio searching sounds outside. I went out with portable utensils, which were my property, i.e. with my microphones and my tape recorder. This was my equipment, and it was I. Whether one wants or not, I was here in an original situation of presence and instrumental recognition making of me without being conscious, a manufacturer of the autobiography. I was present, I held my microphone, I put on my tape recorder as soon as I considered it was good, I took the sound that occurred front of me at the time I decided. This sound was my choice, my moment of the life stored on my equipment. Luc Ferrari

1 All India Radio-Black Satin 3:47
2 Forrest Fang-Little Angklung 8:21
3 Timeless Pulse Quartet-Light 9:51
4 Robin Guthrie-Harold Budd-Hidden Message 4:48
5 Pete Namlook and Dr. Atmo-Faith 11:26
6 The American Dollar Band-Oil And Water 2:58
7 Siram-Atma 6:49
8 Nadja-Clinging To The Edge Of The Sky 16:21
9 Kamelmauz-Pair Of Keys 7:11

The “meta-genre” of electronica is subject to the most severe parsing of descriptive labels of any genre of music. These labels, nevertheless, likely strike close listeners as being under-determined. There are two reasons this is so; that these labels often overlap in unenlightening ways, and, that most such labels capture extremely disparate styles. There’s no way, for example, noise or ambient constitute meaningful descriptions for both of these reasons, all at once. The workaround is to combine labels in ways sensible and ridiculous.

One label does extra duty, experimental. It’s a catch-all. It’s a catch-all when extended to any broad genre of music. Pounding through envelopes is one my central sonic interests. When DJ Weirton brought to my attention iLbient music from Ft. Green (on the Wordsound label) I dug both the newness of the terrain and relations I was long familiar with as an enthusiastic lover of Jamaican dub. When Chris PlusPlus turned me onto guitar noise like Double Leopards I got it right off because I was familiar with Sonny Sharrock and Caspar Brotzman and the like. I dug Coil because their music seemed an off-ramp from Musica Electronica Viva, Terry Riley and Arthur Russell. Likewise most dronology comes to me as variations on the seminal soundworlds of LaMonte Young, and Pauline Oliveros, and The Deep Listening Band. The iconic experiment for me is Edgard Varèse‘s Déserts.

This newest Dub Collision mix ropes in a bunch of very diverse experiments. Each one is different. There’s a lot of heavy processing and deep process involved. I’ve tacked on an unfinished track of my own, (via the guise Kamelmauz,) Pair of Keys. More works-in-progress by Kamelmauz are on-site.

I’ll be posting soon about Aidan Baker/Nadja, whose track Clinging To The Edge Of The Sky, provided the title of the mix. His ritual guitar experiments have completely captured me. Here’s a taste:

Clinging | mp3 320kbs | download only | Megaupload

Some hippie tunes for Tony.

Ran into my bud Tony and his wife, the other evening. About Tony I could say much. We go back to the fall of 1970–man, forty years–and the shared vibe was music. He was way ahead of me as a 10th grader, even if I was a quick learner. As we chatted and caught up, I was moved to remind him he was the first one to expose me to Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Dave Van Ronk, George Jones, Charlie Rich, and a host of other Gods and minor deities. He was a good picker himself and he remains to this day as earnest a fellow as can be.

He asked me ‘What have you heard that’s any good?’ Well, we’ve asked each other this question any number of times. I tossed out a few answers, but didn’t give the question the amount of attention it always deserves.

Actually, so far, 2010 has been a banner year across the spectrum of my wide ranging tastes. This is especially true for the ol’ hippie music, as in the terrific lay downs of folk rock and good ol’ American countryfied rock and roll. Moreover, many of my favored artists over the aforementioned forty years have put out some of their best work ever. Which, at least when I think about it, is amazing. The music business has gone through several wringers cum transformations and, as the saying goes, it isn’t your father’s record biz anymore. However, as a friend put it years ago, “the artist is compelled to record.” Thank goodness for this, too.

The following is a streaming taste of lot of the gems I was moved to think about. The underlying records answer the question, in part. I’ve mentioned a few previously; New Pornographers, Earl Greyhound.

At the moment, none of these records is second-to-none. I always make out a year-end list and have to choose one, so, you dear muso will have to wait and see. Still, I’d highlight from this set the excellent new records by Jackson Browne, Richard Thompson, and Brian Wilson, and Jamie Johnson. This would be three old hands!

Jackson Browne has been putting out excellent records for along time, and, especially over the last decade. I’m Alive is his new gift to his fans and it’s superb. I’d describe it as Jackson and Dave (Lindley) sort of meet something like the Buena Vista Social Club.

Richard Thompson’s new record, Dream Attic, is yet another great Thompson record. However, it transcends the known Thompson quantity/quality for a simple reason: it’s got as good a set of songs as just about anything in his glorious, yup, forty plus year discography. There’s an extra dollop of verve here too.


Brian Wilson ReImagines Gershwin is not a concept likely to go wrong. Wilson is the hippie Gershwin, right? And, any card carrying Wilson fan will have to get this. Heck, I’d buy Brian SIngs From the Shower. This fine new outing deserves wider exposure. One selling point is how Brian affectionately, and brilliantly, Wilson brings to life big servings of pre-rock era pop. This journey many times winds its way back well before the hippie days to evoke memories and the atmosphere of classic vocal harmony pop. A listener doesn’t have to know of The Hi-Los, Four Freshman, and Jackie and Roy, to get where a lot of this record is seemingly coming from, yet, to have a sense of its deep roots adds to its many pleasures. This could end up at the top at year end.

A few additional notes. The set kicks off with posthumously released tracks from acoustic guitar innovator Rose and the great NOLA icon Bobby Charles. Cindy Bullens has been since 1979, and her new record Howling Dogs and Barking Dogs, is excellent. It’s not really a comeback because Cindy has been putting out good records, infrequently, since day one. This is on the country side and is filled with gritty singing and songs for grown-ups.

This set reflects the pop side of my sonic universe. So: more of the other facets will be on offer in the future.

1 Jack Rose-Woodpiles On The Side Of The Road 3:10
2 Bobby Charles-Rollin’ Round Heaven 4:22
3 Lloyd Cole-Man Overboard 2:44
4 Eliza Carthy-Prairie Lullaby 3:48
5 Brian Wilson-Nothing But Love 3:24
6 Jackson Browne-The Next Voice You Hear 9:08
7 Los Lobos-Jupiter Or The Moon 4:22
8 Cindy Bullens-In a Perfect World 3:39
9 Richard Thompson-Sidney Wells 7:34
10 Alejandro Escovedo-After The Meteor Showers 4:38
11 Jamey Johnson-Even The Skies Are Blue 3:55
12 Anne McCue – Broken Promise Land 2:58
13 Eels-This Is Where It Gets Good 6:18
14 The New Pornographers-Moves 3:52
15 Elizabeth Cook-El Camino 2:43
16 Earl Greyhound-Out of Air 5:26
17 Mumford & Sons-Roll Away Your Stone 4:24

Okay, indulge me if you wish by hitting play and putting the page in tab. 70+ minutes long; 192kbs. I’ve supplied links for each artist to support closer investigation. Enjoy.

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