WHETTMAN CHELMETS “Long Read Memories” (Aescape Sounds)

This is a tough one – when reality encroaches upon us as listeners, we must gird our minds, preparing to be moved. We are no longer passive participants, ingesting entertainment to sate ourselves. We are in the thick of it, lending our empathy to the theme or the cause, or to the artist brave enough to be honest with us.

I am not bemoaning this situation, one where our involvement doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of what weighs on the mind of Whettman Chelmets. The story: Whettman’s brother was convicted of murder at the age of seventeen in 1987, and he is serving a life sentence. “He has grown. … He has facilitated the healing and dialogue of victims of crime with offenders.” Life continues in prison for him. Life continues on the outside for Whettman and his family.

I wouldn’t trust anyone other than Whettman Chelmets with this kind of release. The Joplin, Missouri, musician is a master at maintaining his chosen mood, and he does so wonderfully here through treated guitar and electronics, etc. Field recordings heighten the narrative and add a sense of lived-in-ness to the situation and history. And while the feel here certainly isn’t of the light variety, it’s not remarkably dour either – it’s processual, as the recordings stretch from 2000 to 2019, and you can perceive the hours upon hours of deep thought and contemplation that Whettman’s wrestled through. Fine stuff.

https://whettmanchelmets.bandcamp.com/

https://aescapesounds.bandcamp.com/

--Ryan

QUALCHAN. “Vera’s Dream” C20 (AEscape Sounds)

While working on “Vera’s Dream,” Qualchan. was influenced by the novel “Ecotopia: The Notebooks and Reports of William Weston” by Ernest Callenbach. The book, which I haven’t read (I mean, I have a reading list a library long, sue me), is the chronicle of a society working toward an “eco-utopia.” Callenbach has called the society “imperfect,” rather a work in progress than a fully realized vision.

Qualchan. has seemingly captured that sentiment in “Vera’s Dream,” as the “imperfections” of the recordings are perhaps my favorite things about it. You can probably tell I’m a big Leyland Kirby/Caretaker fan, and that really helps in enjoying what Qualchan.’s up to. You really get the sense that the tape unfolds like a distant narrative, like there’s a story obscured by the sounds, an indistinct account whose blanks you have to fill in yourself.

Whether or not “Vera’s Dream” is intended as a portent of future events or is just an audible longing for even the process of becoming better doesn’t matter in the end. What matters is that its enjoyability doesn’t even hinge on prescribed conclusions like the philosophy of utopian society. See, I haven’t even done the homework necessary to get into the same headspace as Qualchan., but I like “Vera’s Dream” just fine. I just have to inscribe my own history and personality upon it.

Qualchan.

AEscape Sounds

--Ryan Masteller

CARDIAC BEACH “Serf’s Coma” (AEscape Sounds)

Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve hit maximum self-reference. The snake is eating its tail, I repeat, the snake is eating its tail. Cardiac Beach is a wonderful outfit, and “Serf’s Coma” is a fantastic tape release, but let’s face it – this is essentially a live vaporwave band. I truly didn’t think I’d live to see the day when plunderphonics would find its way into a physical space, bands mining the depths of their referential touchpoints and creating brand new sounds on instruments that call into question the very essence of being. What are we supposed to do with this information? How are we going to proceed from here?

Ooohhhhhhh – that’s how bands USED to do it: play live instruments, etc. OK, I can dig it.

I sort of kid, but man, Cardiac Beach really does sound like vaporwave gone native, gone human. Maybe it’s the sound of the crashing surf that permeates the recordings, maybe it’s the sincerity of Cardiac Beach’s reverence of littoral culture, maybe it’s the warble in the recording that reminds me of sunbaked masters – whatever it is, it takes a bit to realize what we’ve got here. But once we’re there, it’s easy to like pretty much everything about SERF’S COMA, for all the reasons I just mentioned, and also because it’s just a fantastic beach record. You pop this thing on at any given summer event, you’ve got an instant hit on your hands. And there’s very few vocals to distract from the hazy jams on this feel-good BBQ chart-topper, and when they’re there, they’re either wordless or sound wordless, mixed back, high over the rest of the tunes. So play the heck out of this thing until the tape starts to melt into itself, like it sounds like it’s doing at the end of “Cruise Ship Tycoon.” Spread the vibes, spread the love, and unleash your inner vacation self. You’ll be glad you did, and also that you started growing a beard and wearing Bermuda shirts to work.

AEscape Sounds

--Ryan Masteller