EAGLE CHALICE "Let's Float" c20 (Hidden Fortress Tapes)

Another two sider. Who'da thunk? A two sided tape!
First side feels a little too together. The parts are there and anyone with ears can discern the wah-pegiated synth from the bell tones but for me it feels a little phoned-in, like it's mood music or a keyboard preset demonstrating a sequencing effect on a new model. In particular the drum sounds really feel like the 'rock' setting just slowed down which makes it difficult for me as a listener to feel the agency in the music. Other folks might have an easier time just sitting back, untying their shoes and letting themselves drift and float.

The second side was a whole other slice of banana bread. The entire tone is way more suggestive and subtle. The minimalism gives each component more strength by demanding more out of it. A bit darker but definitely not approach cold or goth it still has the 'floating' vibe hoped for in the title but this trip feels a bit more unknown and tenative lending itself to a sense of adventure and discovery whereas the first side feels content to sit on the 'new-age' surfboard and cruise the clouds.

Well done art / layout and just because i'm less of a 'chiller' may mean other folks will have the exact opposite feelings. It's nice though. TWO SIDES for real!

Released by the very likable Hidden Fortress Tapes
http://hiddenfortresstapes.blogspot.com/

KID WIZARD "To The Stars By Hard Ways" (Hidden Fortress Tapes) C30, Ed. of 30

Space music for the lo-fi set. If there are two things in the world that I love, its DIY synths and tapes hiss on analog synth music. Both those are here in spades. Another tape that had a nice career in my car over the summer. Good for you, I haven't waited too long and copies are still available (at time of writing). But enough sales-hype, let me tell you about To The Stars By Hard Ways.

As notes warble on a home made mellotron (for real?), a filmless score is made, then bumped out of the way almost immediately by some juicy electro groove. That's the flow of this tape. Kid Wizard is a master of the medium. Only in the Bay Area would someone posses both the skill at electronics to build his own entire Synthsizer studio, and also have the musical genius to groove house parties like Kubric would have in the '70's.

If I were doing A&R for either Rephlex or Satamile, I'd be tossing this guy a cash advance. Some one, some one PLEASE put this on wax. It deserves it more than anything else I've heard this year.

Hidden Fortress Tapes.
Kid Wizard on Myspace.