BUTOH SONICS “Annihilate This Memory” C30 (Zazen Tapes)

Per Bandcamp bio:

"Ashiki - Butoh, gong, spoken word

rampaNt - experimental instruments, electro-acoustics, bowed cymbals

Vic Void - Sound sculptures, Dungeon box, prepared piano, found sound

Victim of the String Infestation - prepared guitar, production”

In short, Butoh Sonics are a buncha total fucking weirdos that manage to keep it expansively spacey, mellow, & (yet somehow) fairly tight in their outward-reaching sound-painting of narrative-free, dystopian, atmospheric improv.  I’d suggest a supine session of cloud and/or leaf-watching while taking this in, for a clutter-free-est mind.

https://zazentapes.bandcamp.com/album/annihilate-this-memory

—Jacob An Kittenplan

ZURICH CLOUD MOTORS “Do More Than Destruct-o” C24 (Zazen Tapes)

The Rhode Island Trio, Zurich Cloud Motors, plays a fast & loose strain of punk AF noise-improv (…or is that vice-versa? Depends on the song) and, at times, "DMTD" almost sounds like early Sonic Youth on hyperdrive. Save the Moore-ish delivery (not a knock-off, but definitely feels like a nod-to), the two lutes* and drummer each take turns losing their steps and sanity while the other two hold down the fort. 

High-octane party and or gear-up music for the masses that aren’t afraid to get a li’l distorted & messy! Comes with tiny lyric sheet.

https://zazentapes.bandcamp.com/album/do-more-than-deconstruct-o

—Jacob An Kittenplan

*one’s laying down steadfast punk riffs but the other, maybe a baritone guitar(?), is pretty much playing the feedback/pedal-pedal/chaos the entire time, and it’s fuckin’ great!