SIMON MAGUS "I Traded Virginity for Vice" C32 (Outer Realms)

At first glance, I thought with the computer-generated geometric cover, that this might be some sort of mellow space-ambient chill-out-with-your-headphones-on-the-bus moon-synth new-age spiritual computer-healings of electronic introspection, though the urgency of the song titles seemed to clue in that it might be otherwise: " So Cold, So Old" & "I Am In Control". Upon pressing play and actually going for it, I am finding this to be more a layering of noisy (but not cluttered) oscillations and textured electronic groans, with garbled, urgent vocals adding a sort of kitchen-sink junk-noise vibe.

The jams sort of get into a groove for a while and then fall apart to gurgle, soon forming another sort of groove-thing (with wild-man vocals punctuating certain parts) and riding it out for a while. This feels like a kind of plug in, hit record, and go nuts vibe. That is probably exactly what it is, but there is enough direction to it that I wouldn't be surprised if there was overdubbing or more specific planning involved.

Something about the vibes here reminds me of being in my late teens in the pre-internet days, and knowing there had to be "noise music" of some sort out there. I was an avid zine reader, and ordered my first DIY noise cassette (an Earwigs tape) in response to some ad I saw somewhere. Dunno how similar they really are, Earwigs is probably more cluttered and feedbacky and all over the place, but somehow this is totally making me think of the weirdo freak-out junk-noise vibes I was taking in at that time.

Straight out of Lansing, MI. Edition of 12, so if you like yr tapes limited...

http://outerrealms.bandcamp.com/

-- Garrison Heck