Browse by Label: DIGITALIS

Artist:	CODY, TURNER
Title:	Buds of May
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 001CD

"Taking influence from the world of classic singer songwriters, from Bob Dylan to Townes Van Zandt with maybe a little of Will Oldham thrown in for good measure, Cody proceeds over the course of the epic Buds of May to vocalize his own views on life. He is firstly a storyteller, and in a world where mainstream lyrical content is more banal than it has ever been, Cody comes as a breath of fresh air. Simply produced with guitar and bass underpinning the tracks, it is Cody's distinctive singing voice which carries each piece as he creates distinctive melodies that stay with you for some time after the record has reached a close. Right now with artists such as Jose Gonzales haunting the mainstream airwaves, it seems almost impossible not to stumble across new singer-songwriters whenever you flick through the racks of a high street store, but what Turner Cody offers is a unique voice in a crowd of copyists. Cody is at once cynical and hopeful and should offer an antidote to a tired, apathetic world. Unforgettable music."

Artist:	WOLFMANGLER
Title:	Cooking With Wolves
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 002CD

"Where there are wolves, there is the digger, Smolken. Left for dead two years ago when he left the murderous heat of central Texas for the place of his birth, Poland, Wolfmangler has now been recast in rusted iron for its latest incarnation. Once a revolving door of different lineups, Wolfmangler is now the sole brainchild of Smolken. One thing remains the same, however. This is still some of the grimmest, most desolate doom metal on the planet. Following a split CD with Moss and a full-length release on UK metal institution, Aurora Borealis, Cooking With Wolves is Smolken's first Wolfmangler release in its new Polish form. What he concocts barely qualifies as music. It's more like the sonic equivalent of the Black Death. Heavy bass riffs, pounded and beaten into tracts of molten lava, spew pure dissonance like venom from a forked tongue. It is music for the funeral of civilization, an epic dirge to finally burn out the fire of the sun. Wolfmangler is a unique entity, creating music unlike anyone else. Somewhere between black metal forests and Eastern European folk lies this bizarre hybridization. Cooking With Wolves uses an arsenal of acoustic and electric basses, bent and bowed into a cohesive, battered doom-orchestra. Smolken combines traditional and Cole Porter tracks with original compositions. Further, no guitars were used in the making of these recordings. It's what classical music would sound like in hell. Inside each aural molasses cocoon, Smolken's trademark growl pierces through the murk to lead everyone and everything through the mountains to the sacrifice. These songs are a complete experience, each one drawing more blood than the previous. Cooking With Wolves is a slow-acting poison. These shattered, shambolic acoustic death folk romps are a thing of pristine grandeur, boiled into a bubbling black mess. I can think of no better way to march toward the gallows with rotting skulls in hand."

Artist:	AHMED, ILYAS
Title:	Between Two Skies/Towards The Night
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	ACE 003CD

"I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Ilyas Ahmed is incredible. Born in Pakistan and raised in New Jersey, he now plies his trade in Portland, Oregon. Between Two Skies and Towards The Night is where it all began. Released in criminally limited editions of 50 copies each, both albums are now fully remastered by Pete Swanson and repackaged in beautiful gatefold jackets from Stumptown Printers. Also included are extended liner notes from David Keenan. I think he sums up both these albums best: 'Call it abandon, a facility for letting go, for moving on; either way Ahmed's music is *gone*. And all we have are the recordings, scattered notes to prove that he once existed and felt it all as deeply and miraculously as any of us. And right now, from where I'm calling from, I wouldn't ask for anything more.' Ahmed's original voice is a welcome addition to an oversaturated aural world. He has gone on to put out numerous self-released CD-Rs as well as a new CD/LP on Time-Lag. But in the beginning there were these. What Between Two Skies and Towards The Night make crystal clear is that his vision and his voice were there from the very beginning."

Artist:	BAARS/WOUTER VAN VELDHOVEN/RUTGET ZUYDERVELT, MARISKA
Title:	Zeeg
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 004CD

"Zeeg represents the best that the Dutch underground has to offer. Combining the talents of Rutger Zuydervelt, Mariska Baars and Wouter Van Veldhoven, this album shows off what can happen when the stars align. This is stunning in its scope and breadth. It's a sonic magic trick. Most enchanting is how Zeeg manages to slow time to a near stand-still. The sounds and motifs unfold like a snail trapped in tar; each note, each sound seemingly more important than the previous. The depth of sound is considerable, and the impact is immense. While the performers know exactly where they plan to take you, the listener remains shrouded in mystery. It's all about the journey and this is a deliciously delicate place to get lost in. The care with which Zeeg was improvised and created is obvious. But how, exactly, these three stalwarts manage to pull the listener down this diamond rabbit hole where stellar time is meaningless is a riddle. Through Van Veldhoven's use of tape recorders and metallophone to Baars' lovely voice that is endlessly manipulated and looped by Zuydervelt, everything clicks. Add in Zuydervelt and Baars' guitar work and you have an exquisite combination. Zeeg is simple. It is minimal. And it is pure beauty. If you cannot disappear here, then you aren't truly living."

Artist:	MUDBOY
Title:	Hungry Ghosts! These Songs Are Doors
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 005CD

"Mudboy dares you to find a suitable label for his warped sonic missives. But find one way to trap him and he changes direction and weasels out under the cracks in the wall. This is music for those who like to skit the line between light and dark, because we believe Mudboy himself when he says that this record is all about the dark arts. His spells and incantations are the perfect guide through this analog labyrinth. Hungry Ghosts is at times hypnotic, dabbling in psychedelia, but is also disorientating like a house of mirrors. The circuit bent organ and arsenal of pedals does Mudboy well and will keep you guessing for as long as you're willing to give it a go. This album is a grower, but after a few listens you'll find yourself completely hooked. On Hungry Ghosts, the listener is given glimpses into a whole host of new worlds. Each song is like a diorama; intricate, detailed, and totally 3-D. You'll find yourself wandering aimlessly through this mess of devilish sonic missives only to realize that once it ends, not only are you lost, but completely entranced and calm. This is meditative music for the agitated soul. Like poltergeists that haunt belfries and spires, Mudboy is never in one place for too long. This is the CD version of the recent LP on Not Not Fun. This enhanced CD contains the same music as well as a short video by Mudboy, 'Orthern Lights.' The disc is packaged in lasercut & slightly burned cardstock sleeves with matching insert. It's similar to the LP, only more intricate."

Artist:	CURSILLISTAS
Title:	Wasp Stings The Last Bitter Flavor
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 006CD

"Wasp Stings The Last Bitter Flavor marks the first widely available release from this Portland, Maine troubadour. The brains behind the project is Matt Lajoie and he is perhaps best known for his enchanted album on Time-Lag Records. His folk-inspired psychedelia reaches new heights on Wasp Stings as he puts together an album of lost songs, found hiding in a dank and dusty cellar. Lajoie's approach here is different. It's as if he's taken the negative space of his previous works and hashed them out and spruced them up until they've become epic, flowing songs whitewashed with a basket full of analog hiss. The whole thing flows together like magic poured straight from the sky. It's haunting, beautiful music. Cursillistas' music is often densely populated with a variety of instrumentation and textures. Lajoie is a master at molding sounds from a variety of sources into a cohesive, organic whole. This music, as with past efforts, sounds like an intimate secret whispered in the listener's ear. You feel as though you're being led into a world where very few lucky souls find their way. Lajoie's distinctive voice is the true weapon here, weaving hypnotic melodies over rivers of delicately strummed acoustic guitars. Wasp Stings The Last Bitter Flavor is his message in a bottle. It's a love letter to everyone and no one, and there's a lot to love here. Lajoie is joined by the inimitable Nemo Birdstrup (Time-Lag Records figurehead and the brains behind Drona Parva) and sometime MV & EE collaborator, Sparrow Wildchild."

Artist:	SMITH, STEVEN R.
Title:	Owl
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 007CD

"Steven R. Smith's name has become more commonplace over the last half-decade, and that's a very good thing. From his monumental works as Hala Strana to being a prominent contributor to many Jewelled Antler projects, his sound is distinct. This is the first brand new solo album from Steven R. Smith since last year's epic The Anchorite. On here, you'll find some of the things you expect with a new Steven R. Smith record: sparse, angular walls of his trademark guitar playing with embellishments from an array of acoustic instrumentation. But there's a new twist here: vocals. Yep, vocals. Smith unleashes his voice on Owl and does so in such an impressive fashion that it leaves one asking 'what took so long'? Owl is full of desolate but hopeful aural landscapes. There's a tinge of regret and longing in his voice when he belts out the words, 'this is the world we know...' And in those six words, Smith sums up what Owl brings to the table. There is something recognizable about this terrain; the paint is just worn down enough to expose the raw wood underneath. But carefully placed in each corner, in each nook is something new that breathes life into the familiar. This is a bold step for someone who has already accomplished a great deal, and leaves us listeners without a clue as to what will happen next. This is magic, indeed."

Artist:	SUTHERLAND, CHRISS
Title:	Me In A 'Field'
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 008CD

"Many people might not be directly familiar with the name Chriss Sutherland, but most know Cerberus Shoal, of which Sutherland is a founding member. Me in a 'Field' marks his solo debut and shows why Cerberus Shoal is so revered. He's also a current member of Fire on Fire, who will release their debut on Michael Gira's Young God label. But here, Sutherland presents simple, wonderfully crafted songs in their barest form, but backed by the same heart that has made his previous efforts so great. This collection of songs has been brewing for years, but finally found its way into the light after Sutherland returned from an extended stay in Spain and urging from his friend and compatriot, James Toth aka Wooden Wand. All of the songs are built around the combination of guitar and voice, though some are enhanced with piano, banjo, etc. Simplicity is often a lost art form in-and-of itself, but this is where Sutherland strives. Listening to him belt out his almost-perfect lyrics reminds me that even though the singer/songwriter realm is overpopulated and generally tired, when it's done right it can be magnificent. Me in a 'Field' is such a welcome entry into the genre that it goes down smooth and sweet. Lyrically, Sutherland is a wizard. His songs are universal. When he sings about those close and important to him, they become the listener's friends and family too. It's music that will appeal to many audiences and cuts across boundaries. At its heart it may be folk music, but Sutherland's offering something that's freer and more exciting."

Artist:	TUMA, SCOTT
Title:	Not For Nobody
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 010CD

"To me, Scott Tuma is a bit of a legend. From his days with the seminal Souled American to performing with Boxhead Ensemble, his two incredible solo records, Hard Again and The River 1 2 3 4, there are few musicians with such a quality discography. I kept waiting for him to drop another solo record, but it never came. So when I learned that he'd been working with members of Zelienople under the moniker Good Stuff House, I jumped at the chance to make contact. A few emails were exchanged, and 18 months later after the birth of Tuma's second child, Not For Nobody was finally ready. It's been nearly five years, but the wait has definitely been worth it. Not For Nobody hits you hard, straight in the throat. These mostly-acoustic compositions, recorded with guitar, banjo, harmonium, and percussion among other instruments, are steeped in an elegance that few artists can master. Not For Nobody marks the triumphant return of a musician sorely missed. It is dripping with beauty and melancholy and hope for something better. This is an album for the ages. Housed in a silkscreened gatefold jacket."

Artist:	AKIYAMA/KEVIN CORCORAN/CHRISTIAN KIEFER, TETUZI
Title:	Low Cloud Means Death
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 011CD

"For years, I've counted Tetuzi Akiyama as one of my absolute favorite guitarists. He's been cranking out great records for ages, honing his style and skill in every possible way. Add in Christian Kiefer, who has also put out a string of magnificent releases, and a talented drummer/percussionist in Kevin Corcoran (who has appeared on releases on Weird Forest and played in Antennas Erupt!) and you've got a recipe for something magical. Low Cloud Means Death is a series of sea-inspired improvisations that are fighting a continual battle with the silence between each note. This is sparse music at its finest. Minimal notes float in the air as Corcoran lays a web of various percussion beneath the organic layer Akiyama and Kiefer weave. The instrumentation is varied -- Akiyama sticks to acoustic guitar while Kiefer splits time on accordion, piano, and other vices. What the trio produces ends up coming off like an all-improvised Morton Feldman or something of the like. This is a journey on salt-encrusted waves, traipsing through empty spaces in search of whatever aural mystery can be found. It goes something like this: Thump. Quiet again. Twang, thump. Quiet. Quiet. Still quiet. Distant blap. And let me tell you, it is one fantastic voyage. Limited to 500 copies. Artwork by Eden Hemming Rose."

Artist:	SUPER MINERALS
Title:	Multitudes
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 012CD

"There are a lot of good times happening in SoCal these days and the Stunned Records/Magic Lantern crew is responsible for a whole hell of a lot of it. Well, Super Minerals are an important cog in that machine and this duo's intentions are blaring loud and clear on their first proper CD, Multitudes. This duo of Phil French and William Giachhi may rip it up when they're moonlighting in Magic Lantern, but here they are burning it all down slow. This is an album full of zoned-out drones that smolder and sink deep down into the mud. Synths wallow in the sun-dried ruins while guitar & bass write new epochs with shards of sonic debris. Fried whispers drift in the analog breeze slipping in and fading out before you even realize they're there. Late night whirrs and gentle skeletal purrs make a home in these aural prisms, never quite letting the blood boil. But Super Minerals will guide you as you meander through the rain-soaked city streets, never quite leading you back home. Limited to 500 copies in gatefold jackets."

Artist:	CROSS, MILTON
Title:	Light In The West
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 013CD

"You might not have heard of Milton Cross, but you've certainly heard of the main band he's in (Tarentel). He's also a member of Dial Square and Party of Doom. Light in the West was originally self-released in a limited CDR format, but has now been remastered and reworked (some tracks removed, some new ones added) and reborn in this new skin. Cross does his best work when he's playing his violin or harmonium. He's classically-trained and his skill is immediately apparent. Both instruments permeate the album, adding a thick layer of glowing warmth to the songs which they haunt. From the heartbreaking opener, 'It's Been Almost a Year' to the quiet, wavering whispers of 'Future Ghost,' Cross has created an album full of endless layers and organic details. Each listen reveals something new to dissect and digest. It's an album we are very proud to resurrect from the ether." Packaged in two-color silkscreened gatefolds. Limited to 500 copies. All new artwork by Eden Hemming Rose.

Artist:	GUNN, STEVE
Title:	Sundowner
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 014CD

"Steve Gunn is probably best known as a key component to the mighty GHQ with Marcia Bassett (Double Leopards) and Pete Nolan (Magik Markers), but his solo efforts have been even more impressive. With a couple limited & hard-to-find CD-Rs under his belt and a few offerings under the moniker Moongang, Gunn is ready to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight with his first proper CD. This music is finely-tuned and expertly crafted by Gunn's capable hands, showing his skill not only as a guitarist, but as a songwriter as well. Sundowner may be short & sweet, but it has an epic feeling. Gunn reaches deep into the vaults to line the walls with hypnotic acoustic guitar dirges, organic drones, and banjo ditties. And unlike any of his previous work, he also unleashes his voice on three songs, showing that not only can he play with the best of them, he can sing too. When he's not wowing the listener racing around the fretboard, his simple but effective vocal hooks are sinking themselves deep into the confines of your memory." Limited to 500 copies in 2-color black gatefold jackets.

Artist:	TAIGA REMAINS
Title:	Wax Canopy
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 015CD

"Taiga Remains is the brainchild of Cincinnati's Alex Cobb. Over the past few years he has developed a signature sound that blurs the line between blissed-out guitar work and atonal, blown-out dirges. Cobb never sits still; Taiga Remains is always moving forward, searching out new ideas and sounds. His label, Students Of Decay, is clearing house for all things drone. He's been spotted on Root Strata, Callow God, Arbor and more. In the world of vinification, it's been a damn good year. On Wax Canopy, Cobb pushes the line he's scratched in the pavement further than before. His soothing, six-string sorcery still dot the horizon on this album, but there's also a more angular, blown-out monster at work here. It's like he's channeling the angry spirits of the world into a fuzzed elegiac strains. This is powerful music built to shake the foundation and rattle your crystal bones. These diamonds are forever. Limited to 500 copies. Cover art by Jefre Cantu-Ledesma."

Artist:	DARWINSBITCH
Title:	Ore
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 016CD

"Darwinsbitch is fluid forms of drones, doomy laments and folk melodies fleshed out from a backbone of sine oscillators and violin. As the sky opens up and pellets of ice begin to fall, there is warmth trickling through the cracks in the walls. Darwinsbitch finally makes her incredible debut a reality. Ore is a slow-moving masterpiece, the kind of album that takes a few listens to truly crack, but once you find yourself swimming inside its molten core, you never, ever want to leave. Behind these droning squalls is the lone figure of Marielle Jakobsons. Armed with her tiny army of sonic weapons, she concocts a lavaflow of melodies only to then bury them underneath a flowing river of muck. They creep out, though, and sink their teeth in when you least expect it. Ore is a silent killer. Layered in textures and sound, Jakobsons knows how to weave an immaculate sonic tapestry that is stunning and profound. Laced with an austere sensibility, her music is a lesson in organic experimentation. She laces these austere drones with an all-too-often unheard delicacy and richness. In the end, it's simply beautiful music. Jakobsons also plays in the duo Myrmyr (with Agnes Szelag) and Date Palms (with her partner-in-crime, Gregg Kowalsky). Limited to 500 copies in 3-color metallic arigatos."

Artist:	OF
Title:	Rocks Will Open
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 017CD

"Loren Chasse is responsible for a whole host of vital albums. He was a founding member of the Jewelled Antler label and has sparked so many great moments from the likes of Thuja, The Blithe Sons, Softwar, and of course his main solo guise, Of. For years, this project has evolved into something of absolute magical grandeur. Rocks Will Open is the latest opus in Chasse's catalog. The music on this album is as organic as it gets. Each tone, each sound feels like it has been culled directly from the Earth's crust. Gentle drones arc toward the hazy sunlight, flickering like distant birds sailing out over the sea. Between the ghostly echoes rises a cacophony of plucked strings dancing toward oblivion. Loren Chasse's vision is perfectly expressed on Rocks Will Open. Limited to 500 copies."

Artist:	SOCIAL JUNK
Title:	Born Into It
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 018CD

"Social Junk have blasted through walls, east & west, over the past few years cranking out some serious sparklers along the way. Now after dropping a megaslice of deliciousness on Not Not Fun last year, this duo follow it up with a journey through the mother earth canal. Born Into It stretches across the lands with thudding percussion and hypno synth excursions. Waves of swirling vocals from both Heather Young and Noah Anthony. You may have just been born, but stretch those wings baby because it's time to fucking fly. There's no going back once you take the first plunge on Born Into It. Immediately, through no fault of your own, you'll be drawn in and tied down. At times it feels like Young & Anthony are scouring the lands, taking in whatever technological progress they can find and chewing it up and spitting it out into a gloriously dissonant pile. This is music for the next wave; music to find your way back to the sun. Social Junk are soaring like never before and Born Into It is their latest testament to a new world."

Artist:	SOCCER COMMITTEE & MACHINEFABRIEK
Title:	Drawn
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 019CD

"This is not your grandfather's Machinefabriek album. Not even close. Rutger Zuydervelt has joined forces with Soccer Committee's Mariska Baars on a multitude of previous albums and EPs, but nothing has come close to the sheer force of Drawn. Baars' bare-bones songs of lament and longing are taken apart and reassembled by Zuydervelt's capable hands. The result is stunning. Drawn skirts the line between fractured folk music and drone, never settling into one facade. Through Zuydervelt's production work, Drawn sounds like a dusty, unearthed gem found tucked away in the darkest reaches of an abandoned basement. This is music that is timeless. Gentle acoustic guitar plucks and soothing harmonium tones work magically to highlight the brightest star on the album: Baars' fragile, beautiful voice. She is in magnificent form, pulling emotions from the depths. Not to be overlooked are the flickering samples of Franz Hautzinger's mournful trumpet. This is music for the ages. Baars and Zuydervelt have made a magnificent album that will leave its mark and haunt you long after it ends. It really doesn't get much better."

Artist:	ACRE
Title:	Sacrifice
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 023CD

"This album has been a long, long time coming but the wait has most certainly been worth it. Aaron Davis has been firing missile after missile as Acre for some years now, but nothing else stands out as his defining moment quite like Sacrifice. This opus has been in the pipeline for years, being etched out of silver and rising from pile of ash after pile of ash. It's absolutely monumental, totally epic in scope. Each thick slab of heavy droning sibilance is a testament to Davis' vision and attention to detail. It will suck you in immediately and stick to you like glue. Notably there are no synthesizers or guitars anywhere on Sacrifice. When you hear the density of sound and variety in the sonic textures blowing out your speakers it seems utterly impossible. Yet, here we are. As the opening blasts of 'Badland'" echo through your skull at 100 mph, the horizon seems lost in a thick, white haze. Everything else stops and shuts down. Subtle shifts in trajectory are barely noticeable at first, but by the end of the journey you've landed on a completely different plane. Surface to air, infinite flight; all achieved in just over 14 minutes. It's not all a blown-out, straight-to-the-skull masterpiece. 'Live Take' feels positively smooth and silky in comparison. Reverberating tones drenched in pure light bleed nothing but effervescence and life. Everything feels exactly in the spot it should be, there's no detritus or collateral damage to speak of. Davis runs a tight ship, only letting things bolt for the door and scream over the edge when its absolutely necessary. In the end, the biggest thing about Sacrifice is just how massive it feels. From the beginning, it's a string of endless symphonic hypnosis. Acre's compositions are as precise as ever here, each note and each path carefully chosen and dropped into place. No synths. No guitars. No laptops. No looping. Yeah. It's time to start dropping bombs."

Artist:	PULSE EMITTER
Title:	Oppressive Nature
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 024CD

"I've been a fan of Daryl Groetsch AKA Pulse Emitter's synthetic concoctions for years now. Hailing from the hotbed of Portland, Oregon, his work is almost unparalleled when it comes to modular synthesizer excursions. Oppressive Nature is a 40 minute journey into cities that will soon be lost and overrun to the wilderness. The thematic idea behind the album is nature's inevitable reclamation of the concrete jungles we've constructed and amassed. Where Groetsch truly succeeds on Oppressive Nature is creating such an organic landscape with his synth. His work here is highly focused and dialed-in. Through the static and electronic waves something warm and almost triumphant emerges. Heavy saw waves weave a chaotic mass of urban debris, smoothed over by the sine waves of time. Barriers fade away as they are consumed by sonic vines that find their way into all these aural cracks. The result is oddly beautiful in an almost post-apocalyptic way. Nature always wins."

Artist:	BLACK TO COMM
Title:	Charlemagne & Pippin
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 026CD

"Marc Richter's new Black to Comm offering Charlemagne & Pippin churns out a slowly, methodically building single-tone battleship, that somehow manages to become more powerful, hopeful, and grandiose as it oscillates. Richter's characteristic organ noise is rounded off beautifully with various electronics, bells, metal percussion, toys, water, and violins, provided by band members Renate Nikolaus and Ulf Sch�tte, which grow around the central note yet slowly move to the center themselves. The bursting electronics, white noise, and buzzes become more frequent and attempt to overpower the mighty organ. Together, these three musicians bring about a musical pairing that suits the title. A pairing of power and play, father and son, age and youth. It's probably best to turn the lights off and the speakers up for this meditative 35 minute slab of drone excellence."

Artist:	CONCERN
Title:	Truth & Distance
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 027CD

"Gordon Ashworth is Concern and this is his manifesto. Truth & Distance is a mini-epic, a minor masterpiece. Within these sonic walls lies a stunning landscape, adrift in golden tones and silver siren songs. Ashworth creates beautiful, shimmering music that defies categorization. It stands on its own, droning away into the furthest reaches of the night. Using only acoustic instrumentation, Ashworth conceives pieces of music in which resonance and timbre mutate and in the air and unfold naturally, organically. Hints of piano glisten like night shadows whispering through the leaves. Strings are bowed and plucked into oblivion. Everything is turned into a pile of reverb. Everyone is a ghost. Concern will shine a light on it all. Truth & Distance indeed. It's all coming up roses this time. Co-released with Iatrogenesis. Packaged in custom-designed silkscreened gatefolds by Seizure Palace."

Artist:	CAMINITI, EVAN
Title:	Psychic Mud Shrine
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 029CD

"In a perfect world, Evan Caminiti would be a guitar god worshipped by hordes of spike-wearing metalheads. Seriously. Caminiti's newest solo offering (and first large-scale release) is a big, smoldering mass of guitar sacrifices. We're deep down in the hollows now. Psychic Mud Shrine is epic in every way. Thick, massive walls of lava-flow guitars bow down at an altar of excess. Caminiti creates jagged drones like no other. Distorted guitars sound simultaneously tortured and energized like it's unsure if this hell on earth brings pleasure or pain. It's just so fucking massive. With titles like 'Melting Temple/Plumes of Babylon,' you know what direction this is heading and it's a train you don't want to miss. Psychic Mud Shrine is a powerful statement from an artist coming into his own. Over the course of four sprawling masterpieces, you'll be entranced and exalted. This album rings out from the deep valleys carved straight to the fucking core. Edition of 500 in gatefold jackets with all art designed by Caminiti."

Artist:	MYRMYR
Title:	The Amber Sea
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 030CD

"Myrmyr is the duo of Agnes Szelag and Marielle Jakobsons (aka Darwinsbitch). They create electroacoustic songs on many instruments such as violin, cello, voice, bass, gezhong, piano, and accordion. When those instruments aren't enough, they invite friends to play with them and write scores for conducted improvisations. Their scores are often conceptually or process-driven, resulting in their unique style of electroacoustic music, reminiscent of Scandinavian free folk, lullabies, dramatic film scores, and electronic improvised music. The Amber Sea is their debut album and is the story of amber, inspired by the mythology, Baltic folklore, and geology of this magical gem. The album traces the story of how amber is created, with material from intimate lullabies and free form ballads to epic orchestral oceans."

Artist:	HANSON, J.
Title:	Boolean Blues
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	ACE 031CD

"Josh Hanson is another of Portland, Oregon's underappreciated sons. Having come up through the ranks of longtime, long forgotten faves Hochenkeit, he also spent time as a member of The Davis Redford Trio. But Hanson's path diverges into a totally different sphere nowadays, spinning solo modular synth exploits to the stars. Influenced not just by the likes of Subotnick and Cluster but also various types of Eastern sounds, Hanson is looking forward, trying to find new pathways in electronic music. Using a homebuilt synth, Hanson is like a magician that keeps you looking one direction while he's cooking up something special from out of left field. Boolean Blues is psychedelic and mathematical all once. Starting with the pulsing and surprisingly catchy 'Shut Your Fucking Krout,' you are instantly sucked in as a listener. The revolving synth melodies are in your face, never trying to hide behind a veil of reverb of fuzz. 'Catshit and Sandalwood' works as two separate tracks, conjoined at birth and held together through piercing synthetic bleeps. Again, there's a softness and melody here that hook you straight off, but the heavy doses of electronic mayhem that go along with it are what keep things uneasy. It's like a warning bell going off so often you have no idea if there's hell on the way. That feeling comes to a head on the centerpiece, 'Swat Valley Driver.' This is where the psychedelia really kicks in. After a methodic exercise in control backed by a minimal analog beat, you are greeted with heavy Indian influences. No, of course there's no sitars or tanpuras, but Hanson twists his synth into spitting out racing analog ragas. It's fucking exquisite, all the while backed by black bass lines. 'Peace in Sumeria' continues the theme but moves a little bit West, getting lost in translation all the way. What is perhaps most amazing about Boolean Blues is that even though at its heart it's a synth album, wholly electronic, it feels like so much more. It's full of warm tones and rich visions. It's a trip in every sense of the word."

Artist:	VA
Title:	Gold Leaf Branches
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	3CD
Price:	$22.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 001CD

"Gold Leaf Branches is a massive collection. It is an undertaking that is years in the making, one that often looked as though it would never be completed. But after endless hours of emailing, calling, and generally harassing the 59 artists presented here, Gold Leaf Branches is complete. This is a compilation with two simple motives: to collect as much of the music I love from all over the globe in one place and to expose as many people as possible to numerous outstanding artists they might not have heard. Gold Leaf Branches succeeds with flying colors. Of the 59 tracks here, all but one are exclusive to this release." Artists include: Six Organs of Admittance, Charlambides, James Blackshaw, Hala Strana, Lau Nau, Wood & Wand featuring the Rose, Nick Castro, Marissa Nadler and more.

Artist:	KEIJO
Title:	Palla, Blown From Here
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 016CD

"Keijo hails from Jyv�skyl�, Finland -- a small town in the north that claims to be the center of the universe. In the sprawling Finnish underground, Keijo is the wise sage who everyone admires. In his 52 years, he has travelled the world twice and seen his share of turmoil. He was nearly killed in a motorcycle accident and still bears a metal plate in his skull as a constant reminder. But these experiences have been essential in shaping the sound world he constructs with his fingertips. After releasing a handful of small-run CD-R releases on labels such as Pseudoarcana, Lal Lal Lal, and Foxglove. Palla, Blown From Here sees Keijo finally getting the larger audience he deserves. He has worked and collaborated with Finnish acts such as Vapaa, Avarus, and Kheta Hotem. This CD, limited to 500 copies, sees Keijo taking a more solemn path, reflecting on the quiet moments nature brings. These nine songs showcase Keijo's array of talents, including his impressive throat-singing abilities. Palla, Blown From Here is the aural transition of summer into autumn. Over the course of this album, Keijo's soft acoustic compositions flow from him like prose from a poet's pen. The beauty this music exudes is a testament to his life and his work. This is Keijo's world and we are just living in it."

Artist:	CARTER & GOWN, CHRISTINA
Title:	We've
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 018CD

"Christina Carter is best known for her work with ex-husband Tom Carter in the legendary Charalambides. She also boasts an impressive body of solo work on labels such as Kranky and Eclipse. Gown is Nanaimo, BC's own Andrew MacGregor. Early in 2005, the two begin a month-long trek from MacGregor's home in British Columbia to their current place of residence in Western Mass, where MacGregor is temporarily running the mighty Yod store. During their journey, the duo played live on WDVS radio in California. We've is culled from that sprawling session. Carter's playing has always been about creating open spaces that live and breathe on their own. We've is no different, but Gown manages to find his way into those spaces and destroy them. There is a constantly shifting dichotomy at play here, and the results are fantastic. Gown and Carter have loads of chemistry and We've is the perfect of example."

Artist:	KYRGYZ
Title:	Kyrgyz
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 020CD

"Kyrgyz is a name that will be unfamiliar to most, but the band's members read like an all-star team of Bay Area improvisers. This quartet consists of Tom Carter (Charalambides), Loren Chasse (The Blithe Sons, Thuja, etc), Christine Boepple (Skygreen Leopards Skyband), and Robert Horton (Broken Mask, Infinite Article, etc). Kyrgyz's debut album is 60 minutes of droned-out bliss. With its roots firmly planted in trance-inducing soil, the six songs here stretch their branches toward the sun. When four artists of this calibre come together in a single setting, the expectations are high. There is tension to spare. But Kyrgyz is such a perfect blend of all their talents that it never implodes beneath the pressure. Horton is the hand that guides this mix of heavy, hypnotic drones, a thicket of acoustic scrawl, and even free jazz skronk. Each sound is carefully chosen and blended together magically. There are equal elements of Charalambides and Jewelled Antler throughout Kyrgyz, but again it is Horton that upsets the balance to create something completely new. In the end, this is nothing short of brilliant."

Artist:	HUSH ARBORS
Title:	Hush Arbors
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 021CD

"Hush Arbors is the brainchild of Keith Wood. After years of self-released and small-run CDRs, Wood's debut release is finally available in a wider format. This release follows a successful tour of the Eastern United States opening for Six Organs of Admittance. Over these 43 minutes of blissed out forest folk also finds itself knee-deep in organic drones. Wood's high-pitched voice is the focal point which the music swirls around, and these songs emanate from the cosmos like a cathartic release from the sky. But don't be fooled, despite these cosmic aspirations this is music straight from the earth, covered in bark and soaked in soil. Hush Arbors is a relic." 'This music is for you who love your perfect clothes caked in mud. This music is for you who could have been scientists but realized that most scientists are thrown into the back of an anonymous van and sold into slavery for their government. And at that point, you said, 'Fuck it. I love the stars and germs and shit, but I'd rather not have a gun to my head'.' - Ben Chasny

Artist:	WITH THROATS AS FINE AS NEEDLES
Title:	With Throats as Fine as Needles
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 022CD

"Deep inside an abandoned bunker on New Zealand's north island, With Throats as Fine as Needles have perfected their craft. On this, their debut CD release, the group has expanded to a quartet. Birchville Cat Motel's Campell Kneale and Pseudoarcana chief, Antony Milton, have joined forces with James Kirk (Sandoz Lab Technicians, Gate) and Richard Francis (Eso Steel) to create a claustrophobic, organic web of massive drones. Everything on this CD was recorded outdoors with battery-powered instruments. Underneath the ground, the quartet burrows out their own cavern, bouncing sounds off the walls until it becomes a singular, solid mass. Each gently sculpted tone floats in humid air. The music is saturated with the dirt and grime from a million a years of human history, wailing out in unison like an excavation turned exorcism. With Throats as Fine as Needles are your guides through this aural fog."

Artist:	BROTHERS OF THE OCCULT SISTERHOOD
Title:	Goodbye
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 023CD

"As far as the Southern Hemisphere goes, Australia's budding underground has often played second fiddle to that of its island neighbor, New Zealand. But a new crop of Aussies is levelling the playing field. Leading the way is the brother/sister duo of Michael and Kristina Donnelly aka Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood. These cosmic travellers are soaked to the bone in dust, like relics from the past. They speak only in tongues and send out shortwave psychedelic radio transmissions into the bleeding edges of drugged-out folk sludge. BOTOS' organic compositions are familiar to many by now. After a string of CD-R releases on Time-Lag, Celebrate Psi-Phenomenon, and others, this is their first pro-pressed offering. Building on transcendent themes and saturating everything in an all-encompassing puff of bong smoke. Endless walls of instrumentation create artificial boundaries that the Donnellys destroy with far-reaching, hypnotic drones. By the time Goodbye comes to a grinding halt, it feels like the stuff of legend. Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood are only interested in blowing your skull to smithereens while cradling you in their arms. They are simply magnificent, and there aren't many doing it better these days."

Artist:	KEIJO & THE FREE PLAYERS
Title:	After At Once
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 024CD

"Once again, Finnish-native Keijo Virtanen unloads another dirt-stained masterpiece. Over the past few years he has assembled a group of artists that have become known as the Free Players. Their collaborative efforts are like a clinic in improvisation. The interplay and spontaneity between them is epic. The Free Players often include members of Finnish free-jazz pawnpins Vapaa, as well as Kheta Hotem, Kundalini Snakes, and others. After At Once is the ensemble's first non-CDR release and finds them in top form. The members of Vapaa play an integral role on After At Once. Tiitus Pet�j�niemi is especially key with his vocal wailings and incantations. Tribal percussion and chromatic whimsy often punctuate Keijo's sarod-laden excursions through the mist. There's a heavy Indian influence on these recordings, stemming from Keijo's many trips to its sub-continental shores. Musically, After At Once is spacious, but cohesive. With the addition of the sarod on these recordings, the music takes on a life of its own. As always, Keijo's hand guides the magic and in the end, it's still his world we're living in."

Artist:	CARTER, TOM
Title:	Glyph
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 025CD

"Since the early '90s, Tom Carter has played as one-half of the essential Charalambides. During that time, Carter also released a handful of solo albums on his own Wholly Other imprint as well as a recent reissue on the seminal Kranky Records. Glyph was originally issued as a limited-edition CD-R on the aforementioned Wholly Other. It is long-since out-of-print. This reissue of these remastered tracks breathes new life into the pieces. What is most striking is the warmth that pervades this entire album. With one piece for steel string acoustic guitar, another for lap steel, and the final (and shortest) on nylon string acoustic, there is diversity amongst the cogent thread that holds it all together. Carter's improvisations speak volumes without saying a word, and Glyph is one of his finest achievements to date. It is an ode to the last year of his life in Austin, Texas and all that it contained."

Artist:	UTON
Title:	Mystery Revolution
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 026CD

"Tampere, Finland has become quite the musical hotbed over the past few years. Staples like Avarus and Kemialliset Yst�v�t make their beds in the gnome-infested waters throughout the city. Uton is perhaps the country's best kept secret. Mystery Revolution is a sonic excursion through the Finnish forests unlike any other. Massive drones are balanced by the hypnotic dance of flutes, bells, and keyboards. Underneath everything runs a mind-altering stream of fuzzed-out brainwaves. Every corner you turn, there's another smiling nymph, begging you to follow the golden path into the mystic woods. Uton's minimalist rumblings are there to infect and enchant, and Hirvonen never fails to impress. The mask is off with Mystery Revolution, and Uton will remain shrouded in obscurity no more. This pine-scented excursion may be mysterious on the surface, but overall is a thing of beauty, lying in wait for the perfect time to infect you. Mystery Revolution is proof that Uton's dreamy soundscapes are one of Finland's finest exports."

Artist:	WRIGHT, PETER
Title:	Red Lion
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 027CD

"You can remove a Kiwi from New Zealand but you sure as hell can't remove New Zealand from a Kiwi. Such is the case with Christchurch transplant, Peter Wright. Over the course of a decade, Wright has etched his name in glass in the annals of drone-world superstardom. And while I'm not sure what that really means, the point is that when it comes to soaring dronescapes, few do it better than Peter Wright. He has helped pave the way with contemporaries such as Birchville Cat Motel and Double Leopards, but clearly has his own distinct voice. With his past few albums, Wright seems the logical successor to native Kiwi, sound manipulator extraordinaire, Roy Montgomery. Red Lion is Wright's latest incarnation and, once again, pushes the boundaries of what he can do with his trademark 12 string Danelectro to the absolute outer limits. He pushes the limits of simplicity without ever breaking. Wright's albums are a thing of sheer, pure beauty, existing in a vacuum where nothing on the outside can tamper with their grace. Even with his lofty intentions, Red Lion is immediately approachable and grabs the listener from the opening notes. As always, Peter Wright offers up something wholly infectious and undebatably magnificent."

Artist:	MANDELBROT & SKYY
Title:	OD-Axis
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$14.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 027LP

"M&S is the duo of Jeff Witscher (Rene Hell, Secret Abuse, etc) and Daren Ho (Driphouse, ex-Raccoo-oo-oon, etc) and OD-Axis is the synth-laden dreamscape you would hope for. There are heavy sci-fi leanings and sharp rhythmic backbones but what comes through most clear is Witscher & Ho's sense of pop melodicism. Underneath all the weirdness and all the debris, OD-Axis is one hell of a catchy record. All three pieces are just a setup for the side-long journey that is 'Monte Carlo,' however. This 18-minute opus an ice-cold killer that leaves little doubt that Mandelbrot & Skyy is more than your typical collaboration. Calculated beats underline the movement as Witscher & Ho lace a dozen sonic ideas around a central, slow moving design. The ride starts off ominous as it traverses through an aural wormhole with no specific destination in mind."

Artist:	REYNOLDS, BEN
Title:	Outmospheric Arts of the Outmosphere
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 028CD

"Ben Reynolds has emerged as one of the most prolific contributors to the UK ecstatic-drone scene over the past year. He has released numerous solo CD-Rs and last year saw his first CD on the Finnish Ikuisuus imprint. Outmosphere was originally intended to add to the list of CD-R releases, but once we heard it, we knew it deserved something bigger. Many moons later, this is Ben Reynolds' first stateside widely-available CD release. As his music has developed, Reynolds has given nods to raga-infused acoustic folk all the way to dense, monolithic drones. Outmosphere finds all these elements smashed together in perfect harmony. Each song is carefully constructed, keeping in mind its place in the larger whole. Throughout Outmosphere, he turns this holy racket into something mystical and beautiful. On every track we are treated to cosmic webs of earth and space magic woven in only the way Ben Reynolds can. Outmospheric Arts of the Outmosphere is an excellent introduction to Reynolds' work for those unfamiliar, and a perfect continuation of previous efforts for those who are fans already. It is a sublime and rich listening experience all around."

Artist:	SEHT
Title:	The Green Morning
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 029CD

"New Zealand's Seht (aka Stephen Clover) has spawned a musical monster around one consistent idea: that simplicity can be the most mind-expanding drug around. Over the course of a dozen releases on labels like Last Visible Dog and Celebrate Psi-Phenomenon, Clover has perfected this artform. Using a minimal array of instruments and effects, he sculpts every sound source he can find into soothing walls of aural bliss. Doing more with less is rarely done better than this. The Green Morning is Seht's third proper CD release, and comes on the heels of a series of limited CD-Rs. Through his ability to synthesize a seemingly endless array of sounds into a single, focused point, Seht acts as a modern composer in the same vein as William Basinski. Clover's drones have explored various territory through the past few years, everything from glacial ambience to deconstructed blues. The Green Morning is like the early moments of dawn, bathed in warm plumes of sonic sunlight. These songs are the memories trapped beneath the floorboards, and by looking back, Clover offers a mere glimpse into the ambience of a not-so-distant future."

Artist:	LOST DOMAIN, THE
Title:	White Man at the Door
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 030CD

"Brisbane's improvisors extraordinaire, The Lost Domain, have been launching sonic missives into the stratosphere for almost 20 years now. These guys were blitzing the path well-travelled by Jackie-O Motherfucker and No Neck Blues Band, before either group even existed. In Australia, they know how to play the blues. Maybe it's in the water, or maybe it blows in from the ocean, but one listen to The Lost Domain's White Man at the Door, and there's no denying it: these motherfuckers can play the blues. White Man at the Door follows the legendary Shytone 'Dead Set,' a compendium of pre-war inspired classics compiled by Lost Domain mainman, John Henry Calvinist (aka David Mac Kinnon), and much beloved by none other than John Fahey. These six tracks are like nothing else the group has released. Ragtime Frank (aka Simon Ellaby) puts in the vocal performance of a lifetime as he extracts songs like 'In My Time of Dying' and 'Frankie & Albert' from deep inside his bones. Over an archaic bed of acoustic instrumentation and junkyard percussion, Ellaby belts out gut-wrenching line after gut-wrenching line. It will bring listeners to their knees. The pre-war inspirations behind these tracks are obvious, but the execution and emotion is 100% authentic. White Man at the Door is a lost relic. It's like something found in a dusty corner of the Library of Congress, begging to be rediscovered. This is the kind of album that most bands only dream of making. It is pure, whiskey-addled perfection."

Artist:	NIRMALA, TIRATH SINGH
Title:	Bluster, Cragg, & Awe
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 031CD

"Not too long ago, John Clyde-Evans made a huge splash with his phenomenal solo LP on England's Fisheye imprint. He also performed as an important member of the seminal UK group, Hood. After taking a seven year hiatus and committing to the path of Sikhism, he returned as Tirath Singh Nirmala. His continually unfolding backstory is interesting enough, but it's his music where the real magic and mystery stretch their silver wings. Nirmala returned to making music after his close friend and collaborator, Vibracathedral Orchestra's Neil Campbell, gave him some free software and set him on his way. Nirmala responded with nearly a dozen self-released, highly limited CD-Rs. The releases were filled to the brim with Eastern-influenced, transcendental drones and uplifting spiritual sound explorations. His manipulation of sine waves and use of obscure Asian instruments creates a wholly original and unique sound. As on his solo LP as John Clyde-Evans, Nirmala's ability to concoct sprawling, majestic drones using such simple terms is unmatched. Bluster, Cragg, & Awe, Nirmala's first non-CD-R release, is the perfect beginning. It collects the best tracks from those now impossible-to-find releases and adds one new song and one collaborative piece with Scottish guitar guru, Richard Youngs. It is a journey that lasts less than an hour, but contains a lifetime of aural experience, wrapped into one, shimmering golden package. Oh yes, Tirath Singh Nirmala has returned."

Artist:	CARTER & ROBERT HORTON DUO, TOM
Title:	Steeljaguar Rocket
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 032CD

"Charalambides' Tom Carter and Robert Horton have become close collaborators over the past few years, appearing in a handful of projects together from Kyrgyz (w/ Jewelled Antler-ites Loren Chasse and Christine Boepple) to Mudsuckers (w/ D. Yellow Swans). But when they are stripped back to a duo, the sonic onslaught is just as dense and impressive. Steeljaguar Rocket is the second album, following-up Lunar Eclipse. Horton again acts as the puppetmaster, pulling the strings to move each sound into its right place. Expansive improvisations and full-on psychedelic freakouts intermingle, creating a cosmic web of enchanted debris. Fiddler extraordinaire Hal Huges adds exponentially to the dynamics at work with his marvelous playing on the title track. The strained violin notes whisk the listener away to the dirt-soaked alleys of Damascus. It's a hypnotic journey through jewel-encrusted foreign lands, like a solo flight to sun. Everything is not peaceful on Steeljaguar Rocket, however. Digging further into the cataclysm finds Carter & Horton turning up the volume knobs and cranking out wailing solos on top of a bed of heavy drones and cacaphonic drums. Like Horton's Future Ears project, it's equal parts noise, free jazz, and fractured folk bliss."

Artist:	ZELIENOPLE
Title:	Stone Academy
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 033CD

"Hailing from Chicago, Zelienople have been etching out a place for themselves in the Windy City for the past five years. Constant collaborators with Souled American's Scott Tuma, this quartet mixes ghostly song structures with ambient drones better than just about anyone. With recent releases on Time-Lag, New Zealand's Pseudoarcana, and Tarentel's Root Strata imprint, the boys of Zelienople are rising like vines toward the canopy. Stone Academy picks up where 2005's brilliant Ink (recently reissued on CD by Loose Thread Recordings) left off. It balances the simple beauty of guitar-based songs with overwhelming, dark drones. The combination is as powerful as it is intricate. Each note, each chord is carefully chosen and perfectly placed; they never take too long or push too much. The attention to detail is magnificent. Zelienople have mastered the art of making expansive, luminescent drones sound as organic as the soil beneath your feet. Stone Academy reverberates like it's planted deep inside a lost cavern, hidden miles beneath the surface waiting for excavation. With rich textures and challenging soundscapes, Stone Academy is a wholly satisfying listening experience. The darkness is only a canvas for the light of these compositions to shine through. Zelienople offer up one of the year's finest aural adventures."

Artist:	HORTON, ROBERT
Title:	Dirt Speak
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 034CD

"Robert Horton made a monumental splash into the scene of free music in 2005. With nearly 30 years of experience under his belt, the catalog of recordings he's accumulated is enough to make even the most prolific artists blush. After taking a hiatus from releasing music from the mid 90s until now, the dam finally broke in 2005 with the release of Angel Humming Through Wire on Foxglove. Ever since, Horton has released albums on Celebrate Psi-Phenomenon, Jyrk, Important, Nosordo, Last Visible Dog and more. Dirt Speak is Horton's first solo CD release under his own name. When he plays with close collaborators Tom Carter (of Charalambides), Yellow Swans, and others, Horton takes on the role of primary curator. He weaves his magic into the sounds of others with mathematical precision. In his solo works, he takes this boundless inspiration and pushes it even further. Organic, insular drones are the backbone of Dirt Speak, but the heavy tinges of folk, jazz, and musique concr�te are equally important to its unique sound. Horton will use anything that makes any kind of sound as a source for his music. In addition to more traditional instrumentation, Dirt Speak also features the use of vibrators, an electric toothbrush, and even the sound of contact mics in a fire."

Artist:	CORSICAN PAINTBRUSH
Title:	Aquarian Hymns
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 035CD

"Tulsa, Oklahoma is probably one place you would not expect to find a bouzouki or a person who can play one. But thankfully for the spirit of international culture, husband and wife team Brad and Eden Rose live in that very city. They make music under many names (most notably the North Sea but also Wax Ghost, Golden Oaks, and Agilvsga), and with many friends (from Michael Donnelly of Brothers of the Occult Sisterhood to Robert Horton (as Eastern Fox Squirrels), but Corsican Paintbrush is purely their creation, their musical offspring. Combining lush instrumentation with clattering percussion and ramshackle beats, Corsican Paintbrush creates a new world of sound out of old world technology. Swerving feverishly between what could easily be chopped up Native American rhythms, sampled Celtic melodies, and space-age funk played on trash heaps, the music of Corsican Paintbrush is actually all of this and none of it. Aquarian Hymns is nine tracks of gorgeously recorded acoustic grace; marked with periodic bursts of lysergic freak-outs, from the sharpened slide guitar strings and tired voice of 'Break Through These Branches' to the heavy accordion and woodwind drones of the closing track 'Aquarius.' The true masterpiece of the release is the expansive and slow-developing 'Carbon Revival,' taking its sweet time (over fifteen minutes) to uncoil its scaly form and sink its dripping fangs into your mind. Corsican Paintbrush paints an engrossing picture of a folk music never before encountered, and it does so with broad and yet delicate swaths of color and texture. Just don't call this sound new age or ethnic folk, it digs deeper and broader than that, sounding at times like a piece from the richly diverse Sublime Frequencies collection, and at other times like a death march across the desert, carried on the back of the Sunburned Hand of the Man."

Artist:	KEIJO
Title:	Flying Over
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 036CD

"The godfather of the Finnish Underground is back with his most complete album to date. Keijo Virtanen's far-reaching hands can be felt throughout the Nordic peninsula from his home in Jyv�skyl�. While he often performs in numerous groups such as The Free Players and Kheta Hotem, it is in his solo work that he is most accomplished. Virtanen is not just a talented and prolific musician, but also an artist and published author. His inspiration and creativity know no bounds. At 54 years-old, Virtanen still rides his motorcycle all over the country and shows no signs of letting up. Virtanen finally took his show on the road this past autumn, touring with members of Uton and Vapaa throughout Northern Europe. He also released two CDs on the much heralded Last Visible Dog imprint. Flying Over is the culmination of a landmark year for this troubadour. These nine tracks run the gambit of all of Keijo's talents, from the rattling blues transgressions of 'On the Edge,' to the throat singing-laced organic drone of 'Late Night Here & Far Away.' Virtanen's range is pure magic. While the bulk of Flying Over is entirely Virtanen's creation, he is joined by two of his closest collaborators on two tracks: Sami Virtanen and Jussi Karsikas, two extremely talented Finns in their own right. Whatever the moment calls for, though, Virtanen fills the void and the empty space with exactly what is needed. He is a wizard of sound and a seemingly endless well of magnificent music. It shouldn't be surprising for someone who makes their home at the center of the universe."

Artist:	HUSH ARBORS
Title:	Under Bent Limb Trees
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 037CD

"Keith Wood and his Hush Arbors project had a good year in 2006. After multiple solo tours and stints with Wooden Wand & the Vanishing Voice, his first CD and LP were released earlier in the year. He ended the year relocating to England and plying his trade across the pond. With all this in mind, it was decided that a re-release of his first full-length for Digitalis was in order, and thus this expanded version of Under Bent Limb Trees was born. Keith Wood concocts massive emotional releases in his head and transfers them to tape using the most organic means possible. Bowed dulcimer, singing bowl, banjo, and his trademark falsetto dot the horizon of this majestic album. This graceful and subdued music has been extracted from the earth and laden with golden spirits. This two CD set is the perfect embodiment of Wood's delicate take on shy melancholia that has one foot in the forest and one on a log fire, burning with passion. His experience as the go-to guy of not only Ben Chasny (Six Organs of Admittance) but Massachusetts God-botherers Sunburned Hand of the Man for live appearances has clearly set him in good stead for his own recordings, and this collection only serves to magnify his deft talent and unique voice. Disc one features the whole of 'Under Bent Limb Trees,' newly remastered and sounding better than ever. The real prize is in the second disc, which features out-of-print, rare, and unreleased tracks culled from Wood's own collection and various limited and obscure releases."

Artist:	ORSI/GIANLUCA BECUZZI, FABIO
Title:	The Stones Know Everything
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 038CD

"Anything that can be said about this double CD release can also be said about the roar of a rushing stream or the sound of snow falling on a clear night. These two sound artisans have crafted so perfect an auditory environment that it is completely devoid of artifice or noticeable flaw. It is a field of glass on top of a quiet lake. To some, this might sound dull. To others, it might strike you as meditation music for your yoga class. To all of you, all I can suggest is listening to this journey into sound and be prepared to come out the other side changed by what you've experienced. Fresh from his spectacular 3" CD-R on Foxglove and another release for A Silent Place, Naples' Fabio Orsi partners here with sound artisan Gianluca Becuzzi. Orsi is another young and unexpected talent coming through the new Italian pipeline. The Stones Know Everything is the second release of his sprawling trilogy with Becuzzi (the first CD, Muddy Speaking Ghosts Through My Machines, appeared on A Silent Place in late 2006). Gianluca has been around for the better part of two decades making music under the monikers Kinetix, Limbo, and others, but his work with wunderkind Orsi opens a new chapter in his impressive body of work. Crafting something this immense puts these two musicians into the realm of Stars of the Lid, Birchville Cat Motel and Growing, creating several intense worlds of ambient splendor, juxtaposing the sounds of everyday life with jetstreams of microtones and pulses of audible light. And they handle this enormous task with the care and precision of a watchmaker or a surgeon, but also with the ears of an obvious fan of sound."

Artist:	SOFTWAR
Title:	Softwar
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$12.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 039CD

"What could these musicians do after collectively playing on a million records, releasing a million more, and nurturing a scene that is both international and inner-visionary? Why not release a record that is so stunning in its scope and so well executed in its manner that it defies simple comparisons. Such is the story of Softwar and this lushly presented gift to our eyes and ears. Loren Chasse, fresh from his blistering noise work on Kyrgyz, shows us a softer but deeper side with the swirling opium-induced gems on Softwar. Playing with him are the equally talented Christine Boepple (also a key part of the Jewelled Antler sound, as well as Kyrgyz), Kerry McLaughlin and Geoff Koops. Focusing on what could be called more 'traditional' rhythm structures, the songs merely lull you into a false security before melting your brain with some heavy layers of tone, provided by multiple organs and keyboards. For fans of Thuja and the Jewelled Antler collective (obviously), but also for those who love the out-there ragas of MV+EE (you'll just crack a tooth from smiling over the opener 'Psychic Shake' or the twisted noise-hop of Jackie-O Motherfucker, found buried deep in 'Immul (the Children's Crusade).' Conceived in a redwood think tank, born in Golden Gate Park, Prui begins March 2007. Softwar is a thick slab of fractured voices in harmony and almost unidentifiable sounds, slipping slowly through the rabbit hole and back out the other side of the sun."

Artist:	WARMTH
Title:	Leave Your Wet Brain in the Hot Sun
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 040CD

"Warmth has undergone plastic surgery since this album was originally released as a criminally limited CDR on Belgium's best scuzz label, Audiobot. Back then, Warmth was known as Roxanne Jean Polise. The name may have changed, but the sounds are still the same: dense electronic forest fog that set Michigan-native Steev Thompson's music apart from most of his compatriots. Leave Your Wet Brain in the Hot Sun is Warmth's finest hour. It's his hypnotic, marrow-sucking opus. Leave Your Wet Brain in the Hot Sun is a thick blanket of unsettling doom. The smell of death is in the air, floating in-and-out of range like a black cloud. Warmth's mixture of distorted, haunted synth loops, hijacked guitar frequencies, and various samples of dirt-soaked piano. Thompson's drones are reminiscent of Andrew Chalk and Mirror in the way they lure the listener in during the early stages with his quiet and methodic approach. They're soothing and soft, but totally misleading. Once the eyelids start to get heavy, Thompson runs you down with discordant, often abrasive, missives. He plays this dichotomy up to perfection, and shows an amazing understanding of composition and layering. As each electronic swirl draws you in closer, like a moth to a buzzing streetlight, you get lost in this aural concrete labyrinth. Leave Your Wet Brain in the Hot Sun will bury your mind under piles of dust. Warmth is painting the town with a gang of spectres on his back, sandblasting diseased tones through everyone's eardrums. For fans of Double Leopards, Hive Mind, and that ilk, it is only once you're destroyed that you'll be totally satisfied. (Includes two unreleased bonus tracks, not included on the original album)."

Artist:	MICROBLIND HARVESTMEN
Title:	Songs & Instrumentals From Death Bottom Slide
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 042CD

"After 2 1/2 years of a seemingly endless stream of releases, Robert Horton shows no signs of slowing down. The inevitable question of 'What next?' may crop up from time to time, but with the launch of Microblind Harvestmen's debut album, Songs & Instrumentals From Death Bottom Slide, Horton punches back with resounding fury. Joining up with long-time collaborator and fiddler-extraordinaire, Hal Huges, this duo is plowing through fresh, new ground on their way to a mud-soaked heaven. Songs & Instrumentals From Death Bottom Slide has been in the works for over 20 years now, with the first remnants begun as far back as 1983. This is music that is lost in time, however, spanning countless eras and cultures, and melting them all together into a giant, boiling mess. As with most things Robert Horton does, his hand is the guiding force that keeps the album flowing. But Hughes' contributions are just as vital: stunning fiddle work that is a perfect slice of Americana along with drops of mandolin and banjo to light the leaf-covered path. Horton and Hughes mix a range of originals with a number of traditional tunes turned completely on their heads. 'Hellblazer' may have its root in the Old West, but Microblind's version is a spastic exorcism of wailing horns and screeching violins, flowing like a river of sound underneath the duo's parched vocals. This raucous romp through burning crops and the backwoods blows up into the harmonica-tinged, banjo tune 'Innermost Friend.' It sounds like an unearthed document from 75 years ago, left to rot in a bourbon cellar in Tennessee. Music like this doesn't just appear, it takes time to properly age. Microblind Harvestmen are the rare creature, like those only found in a few places in nature, that manages to avoid simple classification. This is drone. This is raga. This is folk. This is free-jazz. This is pure, covered-in-dirt, dancing-in-the-rain psychedelia. ...Death Bottom Slide is a riveting world, finally unleashed after years in the barren wilderness."

Artist:	(VXPXC)
Title:	Porchmass
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 043CD

"In the past two years, (VxPxC) has grown from a Golden State oddity to a Los Angeles institution. The trio of Grant Capes, Tim Goodwillie, and Justin McInteer have churned out an entire catalog of blissed-out improvisations that range from the organic and melodic to overblown chaos. There's never a dirth of new ideas flowing out of their collective minds, and on Porchmass, their first proper CD release after a slew of CD-Rs and cassettes, they push the envelope into a whole new realm. Recorded entirely on McInteer's porch in Terrace City, in East L.A., Porchmass is a ramshackle choir singing in effigy to the orange polluted sunsets of Southern California. (VxPxC) only use a small arsenal of acoustic and battery-powered instruments, singing bowls, and pots & pans as makeshift percussion, but it is a magic junkyard orchestra. This is also the first appearance of the now-trademark accordion that graces recent (VxPxC) sessions. By using this array, the group traverses new territory somewhere near the islands of Jewelled Antler or The Vanishing Voice. Despite the minimal setup, the songs on Porchmass are incredibly rich and diverse. Between the solemn notes of the accordion, washes of droning keyboards, and turbulent acoustic guitars rises a heartbroken voice that acts as a torch. The wordless vocals flicker like volcanic ash falling from a sunkissed sky. There's so many things at odds with each other throughout these pieces that the resulting dichotomies and trichotomies create an entirely new sound. (VxPxC) is Los Angeles through and through. But this is not your grandfather's L.A. of Hollywood glam and cocaine binge weekends. Capes, Goodwillie, and McInteer are blessed by the sun and palm trees, but when you dig deeper, you find the warm, inviting underbelly that keeps such an enormous city afloat. Porchmass is a quiet hymn for the populations that the outside world has forgotten."

Artist:	CLYDE-EVANS, JOHN
Title:	apetal thunderfall
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 044CD

"It's been a monumental year for John Clyde-Evans. He recently returned from a year living in the Punjab region of India, and after a slew of releases under his Sikh name of Tirath Singh Nirmala, he's back to the good ol' JCE. That's not all that's changed, though. His latest opus, apetal thunderfall, spins off into a new web of cacophony, leaving behind the pastoral anthems of yesteryear and taking aim at more abrasive ways to leave behind the rust. apetal thunderfall was recorded entirely during JCE's stay in Jalandhar in 2007 using found software and audio sources. The resulting recordings feel almost primitive. Evans uses his uncanny ability to blend and mix multitudes of tones into sprawling thickets of sound. It is hard to call this music drone, but at the same time there is a continuous flow to these three pieces that works in a similar way. Over the course of 43 minutes, this music etches itself into your skull, drilling itself in deep without drawing blood. Divided into three tracks, apetal thunderfall is more a singular entity than a collection of works. This album is cathartic, both musically and as a vehicle for JCE himself. But make no mistake, this is not spiritual music with mystic over/undertones. Simply, it is the new aural vision from one person made while living in India for a year. It is abrasive yet beautiful, and harkens back to a time and place when things were far less complicated."

Artist:	POCAHAUNTED/ROBEDOOR
Title:	Hunted Gathering
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	2CD
Price:	$20.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 045CD

"There's a savage battle raging in the hallowed streets of Los Angeles, being fought by prehistoric megaliths spewing lava from their mouths. These acid-tongued shamans are interested in one thing and one thing only, and that's to raze this city to the ground. Okay, perhaps it's not so apocalyptic, but hot off the heels of opening for Sonic Youth, dirt worshippers Robedoor and their native sisters Pocahaunted have unleashed an army for the ages with Hunted Gathering. Drones painted with black holes collapse under their own weight while the archangelic voices of Pocahaunted birth a brand new world of spirit decay. Hunted Gathering is both a split release and a collaboration. Each band offers up their own malfeasance while collaborating on the epic final eponymous track. The union of these two groups is a natural combination. Two members are married and run the Not Not Fun label together and they share amps and a practice space, for example. But there's also something about both that is visceral and raw. Robedoor's subsonic doom is washed down with a smooth chaser of Pocahaunted's reverberating soul sounds. Recorded by the inimitable Bobb Bruno at the NNF/Bored Fortress studio space across many moons in 2007 and mastered by Yellow Swans' Pete Swanson, Hunted Gathering is an essential feast for fans of doom-infused drones and Stevie Nicks. These hunting & gathering songs from the Eagle Rock air also feature appearances by the aforementioned Bruno as well as Changeling mastermind, Roy Tatum. Climb the totem pole and let these mutant beasts put you under their psychosis spell. Hunted Gathering is full of antiquated sounds soaked in electric mud. Robedoor and Pocahaunted are your brothers and sisters in conjuring and the gatekeepers to a lost universe of sonic enchantment."

Artist:	KELLY, JEREMY
Title:	Jeremy Kelly
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 046CD

"I first met Jeremy Kelly at Bottled Smoke back in May and subsequently got to know him via email over the summer. Simply put, he's an incredible artist and musician. There's a few things you should know -- first, he's an effects-building wizard. He makes a lot of his own stuff, giving his music unique sounds and textures. Also, he's one hell of a guitar player with one hell of a nice guitar. Third, his circuit-bending wizardry also lends its hand to his mighty Doepfer modular synth, which has its tendrils woven all throughout his debut CD. This self-titled effort is a cohesive conglomeration of a dizzying array of styles, recorded beautifully by Ged Gengras (Antique Brothers) with help from Grant Capes ((VxPxC)) out in Los Angeles. Gengras even joins in on saz at one point, concocting a hypnotic Middle-Eastern jam that feels baked in the scorching desert sand. Add in some blues-infused acoustic ragas that throw a nod to Ben Chasny's Six Organs of Admittance and glazed walls of analog noise, and you're somewhere in the ballpark of this album. It's all over the place, but never too far from the path Kelly has laid down for himself. This is some serious magic." Limited to 500 copies.

Artist:	MANPACK VARIANT
Title:	Sticky Wickets
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 047CD

"Manpack Variant is the persistently intermittent co-mingling of electronicists Jaime Fennelly (Peeesseye, peeinmyfacewithsurgery, Phantom Limb & Bison) and Chris Peck, resulting in transcendent sound rituals and unexplainable detritus such as the recent Flash Vault 7" split with Gerritt on Misanthropic Agenda and now Sticky Wickets, the band's first full-length CD. Sticky Wickets will take the paint off your walls. Bone-crunching noises fly in an analog heaven, short on altitude but high on fire? Insanity? Asylums? Try it all on for size. Manpack Variant are bringing barrels of concrete to the show, ready to build a scuzzed-out monument complete with skeleton electronics and bags of fuzz. And to add even more sparkle, Sticky Wickets features original artwork by Jason McLean. Entranced by latent characteristics of military-industrial sound hardware, Manpack Variant has laid audiences from Vienna to Vancouver (to waste) with their own special bland of ecstatic nose drool. Ambient ambient ambient! Ambient ambient ambient! Four years now they have failed to either get a sharper blade or have a new one made. Take a load off: the album woks!"

Artist:	MB/HUE/FHIEVEL
Title:	Erimos
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 048CD

"This release is quite special as it has given us the opportunity to work with one of our all-time favorite artists (and one of the true all-time greats), Maurizio Bianchi. Erimos is the first in a series of works about the spaces 'between the elements.' This album contains a single, 40+ minute exploration. Heavy on electronics, the amazing thing is how warm the whole piece feels. Bianchi is joined by two of the next generation of Italian sound sculptors, Hue (aka Matteo Uggeri) and Fhievel (aka Luca Bergero). The two have breathed new life into Bianchi's music, showing that the future of the Italian underground is brighter than ever. Bianchi began producing music almost 30 years ago in 1979, and since 1980 has used electronic equipment with the avowed goal 'to produce technological sounds and in such a way to work on complete realizing of the modern decadence.' His best known work, Symphony for a Genocide was recently reissued by New York-based Hospital Productions. This seminal work proved what a pioneer in electronic music he was. On Erimos, we find Bianchi stretching time and manipulating sound as ever. Over the course of this monster performance, the trio weaves intricate circles around one another, nearly colliding at every point. But the success comes from their abilities to play off each other, resulting in original and captivating sounds and textures. It is electronic drones unlike any other. Erimos is captivating and beautiful, even if its main inspiration comes from something as desolate and isolated as the deserts on its cover."

Artist:	COSI, VALERIO
Title:	Heavy Electronic Pacific Rock
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 049CD

"Valerio Cosi may be young at only 22, but his talent is undeniable. He may be mostly known for his exquisite saxophone playing, but this Italian wunderkind doesn't stop there. Cosi composes strings of magic using all sorts of instrumentation and production tricks. Heavy Electronic Pacific Rock marks the first CD release in Cosi's ever-expanding discography, and he saved the best for this, his most widely-available release to date. Heavy Electronic Pacific Rock is a monster. Clocking in at nearly an hour in length, this Kraut-infused ride takes Cosi's modus operandi of juxtaposing multitudes of ideas that generally seem at odds and pushes it to its outer limits. Using techniques and ideas often found in contemporary free-jazz, but blurring them and whitewashing them with buckets of noise and Eastern-inspired rhythms, it is clear Valerio is on a mission. His music is the spaced-out reincarnations of the ghosts of giants. It is an arsenal of unique sonic phrasings built to bend your mind. This is Valerio Cosi at his peak as a performer, young as he is. Heavy Electronic Pacific Rock is his finest hour, his opus."

Artist:	ANGELL, THEO
Title:	Auraplinth
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 050CD

"What can I say about Theo Angell? He's an artist, a musician, a filmmaker, a shaman. He lives and works in New York City, but plies his trade all over the country. Angell is perhaps best known for his work in Hall of Fame and Jackie-O Motherfucker, and also as part of Samara Lubelski's live band. But with the release of Auraplinth, all that will change. This is Theo Angell's opus. This is his masterwork. It finds him at his absolute peak and delivers an album unlike anything else. He uses his voice to etch out a detailed map of the stars, made up of dirt and bone, proving the organic nature of the cosmos. Auraplinth is an amalgamation and invention, joining foundation with the ether. Both of these forces are constantly at work throughout these 15 tracks. His voice is molded into every possible form. At times it reverberates above a river of folk-inspired melodies, while at other moments, he creates a bed of sound with wordless vocal moans. That voice is the glue that holds this great document together. On Auraplinth, Theo is once again joined by the evolving cast of characters known as The Tabernacle Hillside Singers. This time it includes Cynthia Nelson (Ruby Falls), Dan Brown (Hall of Fame) & Josh Stevenson (Magneticring)."

Artist:	UTON
Title:	We're Only In It For The Spirit
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 052CD

"For the past five plus years, Uton has been one of the most consistent projects to come out of the snowy confines of his native Finland. His output has been constant, but the quality is always great. His drones have always been underscored with a sense of melody and a keen utilization of the space where the music was created. These songs are not icy or glacial, though, like one might think. Uton has an uncanny ability to inject an inviting sense of warmth and spirit. We're Only In It For The Spirit is ghost music; barely there and out-of-sight in the blink of an eye. The man responsible for these masked-spirit journeys is Tampere native, Jani Hirvonen. He's collaborated with the likes of Jan Anderz�n (Kemialliset Yst�v�t, etc), Bridget Hayden (Vibracathedral Orchestra), & Anla Courtis (Reynols), among others. When it comes to enchanted, sprawling drones, Hirvonent is a true Rennaissance man. He is joined by Vapaa's J.P. Koho on all tracks, who complements Hirvonen's delicacy with subtle hints of chaos. We're Only In It For The Spirit continues to trek through new worlds of sound, polishing off the once-rough edges of Uton's sound into something that acts as a beacon in the void. Dark, brooding drones for guitar and electronics flicker and fade like a distant, stellar horizon. Hirvonen is a master craftsman, and Koho is his perfect foil. The two play off each other's every move and produce an end result that rivals anything Uton has released previously. We're Only In It For The Spirit is a magical piece of work."

Artist:	ENSEMBLE ECONOMIQUE
Title:	At The Foot Of Nameless Roads
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 053CD

"By now, just about everyone is familiar with the mighty Starving Weirdos and their otherworldly junkyard drones. Last year, the world was introduced to another band of mystics from the Weirdos camp called RV Paintings. One of the constant threads from both of those bands is the inimitable Brian Pyle. Ensemble Economique is Pyle's debut foray into the solo forest. At The Foot Of Nameless Roads is a masterpiece of an album, filled to the brim with cacophonous melodies, meditative auditory chants, & hypnotic shambolic rhythms. If you love the Weirdos, you will be all over this. At The Foot Of Nameless Roads is one hell of a first statement. Pyle has concocted an absolute gem. This is dense music that begs for deeper inspection. Each space, each note carefully chosen and etched into glass. Ensemble Economqiue is music for the darkest nights, the pinkest mornings, and everything in between. This is vivid, haunting music that leaves a trail of gold in its wake."

Artist:	GREEN BLOSSOMS
Title:	Whiskey Leaves
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$11.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 054CD

"It was important we get this out in the heart of summer because Whiskey Leaves, its familiar melodies and breezy instrumentation are the perfect accompaniment to your hot, humid nights. The duo of Aiko Kogo and Anthony Guerra first made their presence known on a micro-edition CDR from New Zealand's Pseudoarcana. Whiskey Leaves, though, is a different beast entirely. While on the surface these compositions feel simple, once you dig a little deeper you realize the care put into each song. This is intimate music. Guerra sets the pace with layers of makeshift percussion and guitar. Kogo also plays ukulele, but it's her voice that is the real focal point of the album. Soft and restrained, even when you can't understand her words (some of the lyrics are in Japanese), you are hooked from the get-go. Hours later, you find yourself humming her melodies while her ghostly incantations are stuck in the back of your mind. This is fractured pop perfection. Whiskey Leaves will be a welcome addition to fans of Tujiko Noriko, Tenniscoats and the like. Beautiful."

Artist:	DONOSO, RICARDO
Title:	Progress Chance
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$20.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 006LP

In recent years, Boston has become an epicenter for some of the best experimental music emerging out of the USA. A native of Brazil, Ricardo Donoso has floated under the radar until recently, but has become an integral piece of the Boston puzzle. Not only is he half of the exquisite Perispirit and the brains behind the Semata label, but he's also a member of avant-metal outfit, Ehnare. Donoso's previous two solo efforts were both cassettes (on Digitalis and Razors & Medicine, respectively) but Progress Chance presents an impressive leap forward into something quite unexpected. While on a hiatus from working on the score for an upcoming film, Donoso was inspired to try something new. His roots as a jazz drummer in Brazil weren't always obvious on his previous solo efforts, but through his soundtrack work, he realized that he wanted to make a record that explored his interest in techno and more specifically, old Goa and Scandinavian trance. The idea was to strip out the four-to-the-floor beats and any drum programming and create his own version of the "morning dance music" he grew up with in the Brazilian rave scene. As Donoso explores his synthesizers in new ways, the result is something incredibly intricate yet surprisingly accessible. Through the heavy use of gates and arpeggiators, Donoso lays down a series of rhythmic counterpoints. There are certainly traces of Berlin school influence -- "Baiting Disappointment" and "The Deck Of An Ancient Ship" would not feel out of place with Mirage-era Klaus Schulze. Yet Donoso finds his own voice, figuratively and literally. Ghostly whispers and incantations drift in and out over the polyrhythmic layers of synthesizers like radio waves from the grave. "Conditional Formatting (Descent)" feels timeless with its gradual build-up and hopeful repetition while "Chrome Decadence" is over-the-top without being gauche. Even with the newfound hints of positivity prevailing, there is still something vaguely austere creeping in on "Morning Criminal." If you've fallen under the spell of Leyland Kirby's Intrigue & Stuff series, or if you've been drawn in by the many different shapes and colors thrown out by a new generation of producers messing with dance music templates -- this album will rule your world. 500 copies only, cut to vinyl at Dubplates and Mastering, Berlin.

Artist:	MIND OVER MIRRORS
Title:	The Voice Rolling
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 008LP

Mind Over Mirrors might not be a household name, but the brain behind the project, Jaime Fennelly, has been involved in numerous acclaimed and respected projects over the last few years. Primarily known for his work as an integral member of Peeesseye, he's also involved with Acid Birds, Manpack Variant and Phantom Limb & Bison. The Voice Rolling is his first solo record in five years and the first under this new moniker. First and foremost, this is a harmonium record and that's important to remember because it doesn't sound like any other harmonium record you've likely heard. Nearly all of the sounds created were made using a medium-sized Indian harmonium and then processed electronically via tape echo, harmonizer and other guitar pedals. Add in the fact that it was recorded to tape and you get a dense, warm record full of grit and emotion. On "Barely Spun" and again on "Round, Around," Fennelly bends slowly-building, repetitive melodies into massive sonic mountains. There is so much joy and ecstasy flowing out of "Round, Around" that it will remind you of how you felt when you first heard the pure expressions in Sacred Harp singing. The music on The Voice Rolling is rampant with an over-arching feeling of being alive -- something that's all-too-often absent in experimental music. Fennelly has an innate ability to manually construct looping bass patterns that sound almost arpeggiated, but have considerably more depth. The rawness and repetition of pieces like "Brickfielder" and "Point Hammond" feel more in line with American primitive blues than any sort of Indian ragas. Turn Roscoe Holcomb's voice into a harmonium and stretch it out and you're going down the right path. Fennelly put the album together in Chicago, but the organic undercurrents throughout were a product of three years of remote living on an island off the coast of Washington State. It is music that embraces both sides of the coin. This is a visceral listening experience that, at times, will make you want to stand up, raise your arms to the sky and scream. Recorded to tape by Jaime Fennelly and mastered by Scott Colburn with art by Serena Lander. Cut to vinyl by Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin.

Artist:	CHARLATAN
Title:	Triangles
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 010LP

There's something almost religious about this Charlatan (Brad Rose) LP, its narrative arc swinging from light to dark and back again. From the opening chords of "Lime Beauty," we're awash in polarized-lens glinting twilight, fluorescent skies over the water. "Trace Blue Outlines" is trance-like and reflective, with long, arpeggiated figures chasing each other skyward in a fugue. Darkness creeps in around the edges of "Vodka Rocks," with almost post-rock moodiness bringing the side to a close. "Traces" opens the B-side and is a breakout track. With dark new-wave synth textures and warped dissonance, it has almost an Altar Eagle vibe, but things get darker, deeper, and more personal as multilayered melodic lines close in on the loping drum track. This is the kind of song you don't want to end, and wonder if you can set lyrics to. After "Foxes" provides the perfect interlude with classic Charlatan synth tones on a masterfully layered canvas, closer "Swimming Pool Summer Nights" is just as staggering. Its slow drum pattern echoes early Cluster experiments as blissed-out synths and even bird-like squawks pass through its celestial gates. As time goes on, it yields into what could almost pass for some kind of acceptance, embracing the darkness that came before it. More than any before it, this is an extremely emotional Charlatan record -- majestic, reflective, yearning for something like transcendence. Even though it's richly layered, it's not gauzy. There is nothing dreamy or half-remembered about these pieces. They are sharp, fresh as wounds. This record puts Charlatan on a seriously high plane for anyone exploring these tones, textures, or emotions. Limited to 500 copies only. Mastered by John P. Twells (Xela) at Seventh Door, cut to vinyl at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. Original cover illustration by Caroline Teagle.

Artist:	RADIO PEOPLE
Title:	Radio People
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 015LP

LP release; limited to 500 copies only. Radio People is a project from Ohio-stalwart Sam Goldberg. After a handful of solo releases under his own name on Weird Forest, 905 Tapes and the Emeralds-run Wagon & Gneiss Things labels, he debuted Radio People on an ultra-limited self-titled cassette on his own Pizza Night imprint. At that point, there was no way back and the only move was to push forward with this cosmic beast. Two more short-run tapes followed and it was clear that this new chemically-imbalanced synthesizer project wasn't just a quick hit one-off. Radio People is here to stay. On this, his debut vinyl effort, Goldberg has compiled the best elements of those three, long-gone cassettes. This Dubplates & Mastering-cut slab of wax is the strongest statement Goldberg has made, proving his talent lies far beyond ambient soundscapes and well into the world of pop-infused synthesizer chaos and Kraut-inspired composition. Major hooks sit alongside dense planetary drones. Goldberg pairs rivers of polysynth tracery with deep shards of droning organs, minimal live percussion and a whole host of drum machine backbone. This really is the best of both worlds. Melodies suck you in, beats get your head bobbing and then you're sucked down a complex tonal wormhole of introspective loops and ambient synthscapes. Pop song frameworks nestle themselves neatly beside somber soundscapes, sometimes jumping back and forth in the same track. Barely-there vocals foil the stasis, leaving the listener guessing and wondering if there's a ghost in the mix. Radio People's embracing of simple Kraut rhythms to underscore the catchy, kosmische wanderings give this music an accessibility not present in much of Goldberg's previous work. It crosses boundaries and comes back and shows still-untapped wells of talent and ideas in Goldberg's bag of tricks.

Artist:	TWELLS & CHRISTENSEN
Title:	Coasts
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 016LP

Coasts has been a long time in the making. John Twells (aka Xela) and Matt Christensen (of Zelienople) have been collaborating in various forms for years, but this is their first fully-realized work. The entire album was made with vintage gear and recorded to 8-track during a weekend in Chicago in 2008 and finally mixed at Twells' Seventh Door Studio outside Boston. The resulting record is a spectral odyssey in two parts. Darkened passages shift and fall apart while keeping the piercing sun at bay. Faint song structures lurk beneath the rolling black waves, but only get an arm above the surface during those rare moments of light. Opening with "The Crate," immediately you are immersed inside the belly of the whale as Twells' siren call gets trapped beneath Christensen's bleak guitar notes. It all feels held together by the thinnest of threads. Rattling tones crawl out from underneath swirls of electronics, like barely-there points of reference in a white-out. Lines are crossed but blur together and everything ends up sounding like a desperate, beautiful collage of sound. It's all a ruse, anyway, as you are tricked into a sense of calm as the dying orchestral zones gently flame out. "Burning Bridges Together" is your reward for buying in. Crunching guitar chords bowl into you at full-force, moving slow but piling on the pressure. Christensen belts out the vocals this go-round, getting buried underneath endless washes of fuzz-soaked cacaphony. Tension rises to the point of no return as they desperately search for a breaking point. Things finally settle down and gently fade into oblivion, Christensen's guitar providing the final epitaph. In the end, the seamless nature of the collaboration is what really leaves its mark.

Artist:	CAROUSELL (RICHARD SKELTON)
Title:	Black Swallow & Other Songs
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 020LP

In the last decade or so, Richard Skelton has cemented his place as one of experimental music's most favored sons. Through a multitude of projects (under his own name and otherwise) and his own Sustain Release label, there has been an absolute treasure trove of music to sink your teeth into. The first project of Skelton's that the Digitalis label-head heard back in 2005 was Carousell (and the lovely A Dead Bridges Into Dust album) so it felt poetic to reissue the Carousell album, Black Swallow & Other Songs. Originally issued on Sustain Release in the criminally low run of 100 CDs, Black Swallow & Other Songs is a soft and sparse exercise in understated melodies. This is music rich in texture and heavy on the emotional impact it makes. The nine minute "Artery" opens the album and slowly coalesces from a fractured whisper to leave its marks on your skin. Blurry violin notes stretch to the breaking point while Skelton loosely strums and plucks his guitar into a warm, aural embrace. The title track continues with this theme, but adds a heavy dose of nostalgic melancholy to proceedings. It's like you have to look back, accept things and head down the winding path to a new future. On the closing suite, "Owl Lanterns" and "The Clearing," we get a full dose of hopefulness. A child's laughter flickers by while the bowed strings add an unfaltering lightness. Skelton's guitar plucks are floating on clouds, passing by with a buoyant spirit. As Autumn Grieve's wordless vocals bring everything to a close there is nowhere else to go but up. Her voice is the exclamation mark, powerful and restrained as it leads the minimal bowed & plucked strings to rest. Black Swallow & Other Songs is a potent mix of darkness and light, expertly crafted by one of the UK's premier composers. Vinyl cut at Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin. Limited to 700 copies only for the world.

Artist:	BRODERICK, HEATHER WOODS
Title:	From The Ground
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 023LP

LP version. This is Heather Woods Broderick's debut album -- From The Ground is built around warm, reverberating atmospheres and familiar yet striking melodies, gently wrapping around the listener and finding magic in subtlety. Her soft voice matches the delicate neo-classical arrangements that are as light as a feather. Careful attention has been paid to the album's understated production, giving the feeling that these are lullabies pulled straight from the still morning air. Broderick's songs make the case that sometimes starting out somewhere simple is often better. At the core is Heather and her guitar and throughout From The Ground that combination is its greatest strength. Plucked and strummed chords provide the foundation from which these songs take flight. The record is populated by lyrically-engaging songs and impressive instrumentals that take the listener into a world full of Indian summers and pink sunset skies. It's inevitable that anytime From The Ground comes up, the fact that Heather Woods Broderick is, indeed, the older sister of everyone's favorite ultra-talented multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick is mentioned, but his string arrangements and production on the album cannot be overlooked. They add another layer to compositions that are already stunning, further making the case that From The Ground is an alluring yet subtle force to be reckoned with. From The Ground was originally released on CD by Preservation Records (Australia). This limited LP edition features new artwork and a previously-unreleased bonus track. Vinyl cut at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. Includes a hidden locked groove.

Artist:	CONCERN
Title:	Truth & Distance
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 029LP

Gordon Ashworth is Concern and this is his manifesto. Truth & Distance, originally released on CD in 2009 is a mini-epic -- a minor masterpiece. Within these sonic walls lies a stunning landscape, adrift in golden tones and silver siren songs. Ashworth creates beautiful, shimmering music that defies categorization. It stands on its own, droning away into the furthest reaches of the night. Using only acoustic instrumentation, Ashworth conceives pieces of music in which resonance and timbre mutate in the air and unfold naturally. Hints of piano glisten like night shadows whispering through the leaves. Strings are bowed and plucked into oblivion. Everything is turned into a pile of reverb. Everyone is a ghost. The title track starts with frayed edges and continually dials back, trying not to fall apart. Ashworth's skill in wrangling discordant sounds out of his array of acoustics seems to grow as the piece flows along. Daunting as the seemingly endless layers of droning tones may be, it's the all-enveloping nature of this music that makes it so engaging. Like hearing Basinski destroy and rework Peter Broderick's deepest compositions, Truth & Distance feels familiar while sounding new. As the final, looping piano chords of "Heartsink" disintegrate into oblivion, Concern has gone all in. This is music that trades in immediacy for reservation and restraint. Ashworth is able to combine all these elements into towering aural monuments that he scatters through the air and down into the soil. This new vinyl edition features extended cuts of all three pieces from the original CD, adding 10 minutes of new music that pushes the album to another level. In addition, there is all new art and it is cut by Berlin's D+M. Limited to 500 copies only.

Artist:	CHUBBY WOLF
Title:	Turkey Decoy
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 030LP

Chubby Wolf was the moniker used by the late Dani Baquet-Long of Celer for her subdued world of sound. With the help of Dani's husband and Celer's other half, Will Long, the final Chubby Wolf recordings are finally seeing the light of day, posthumously. Turkey Decoy represents some of her most accessible work. "Cantankerous Baby" opens the set with cybernetic clouds -- it's like endlessly floating through an unknown haze built around processed vocals and sample-ridden electric guitar. As you continue dreaming through the morose romanticism of pieces like "Prescient Inspiration," there's an understated sensuality that weaves its way into the music. "If There's An Elephant In The Room" pulls back the curtain and reveals a breathless aftermath punctuated by distant piano chords and sprawling drones. Each swell of Baquet-Long's voice makes you want to avert your eyes, unsure if it's something you're supposed to see. Closing out the album, "Scalloped Toes" and "Intrusively Coexisting" wrap things up with an elegant sweetness as everything comes full circle. The former is bathed in warm, relaxing tones that bleed into the barking and howling of Dani's beloved wolves that begin the last song on the album. "Intrusively Coexisting" is more gloomy and leaves lingering questions about all that came before it. It's the right way to end such a raw album -- each layer removed like an article of clothing, until there's nothing left to hide behind. Limited edition of 500 copies only. Cut at Dubplates And Mastering, Berlin.

Artist:	ENGLISH, LAWRENCE
Title:	Kiri No Oto
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 031LP

There's no doubt that Australia-based media artist, composer and curator Lawrence English has been responsible for some of the best drone compositions in the past decade, but with Kiri No Oto he unleashed his magnum opus. It's a stunning album on every level. English blends an array of natural and unnatural sources into a living document that is constantly captivating and engages the listener on many levels. This is a work set apart from much of English's discography, but still blanketed by his exquisite attention to detail that keeps everything in its right place. Originally released as a CD on the Touch label (TONE 031CD) in 2008, Kiri No Oto finds a new lease on life etched into wax. Album opener "Organs Lost At Sea" leaves nothing to chance. From the first saturated chords, you are enveloped in Kiri's aural landscape. Towering drones get weighted down with fuzz, overpowering the fog that's present throughout the record. It's like hearing the hum of the Earth released from its cage for the first time. Flowing seamlessly into the quieter but no less imposing "Soft Fuse," there's never a chance to catch your breath. English is content to overrun your ears. "Waves Sheer Light" catches you by the wings and lifts you high into the clouds. This is what floating sounds like. It's an enchanted and dizzying experience. This is music that is timeless in the literal sense. You get lost within these sonic walls, unsure if you've been swimming there for hours or only a few minutes. This is especially true on the underwater gauziness of "Figure's Lone Static." It feels endless. "White Spray" plies similar ground with bits and pieces of electric harmonics peaking through the static every so often, acting as beacons to find your way. One is content to get lost here. As the album comes to a close on the cathartic "Oamura," Lawrence English's job is done. He has taken you on a dynamic journey and kept you riding on eternal highs. When the melodic tones finally get overtaken by the sound of ocean waves, it is simply time to flip it over and start the experience again. Vinyl cut at Dubplates & Mastering in Berlin. Limited to 500 copies only for the world.

Artist:	EMUUL
Title:	The Drawing Of The Line
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 033LP

Seattle's Emuul has been around the block a few times over the last few years, releasing an excellent string of tapes on Digitalis, Monorail Trespassing, Stunned and others. Emuul (Kyle Iman) has always shown a masterful level of restraint and subtlety, leaving the listener to fill in the blanks. Iman uses each song as a dot on a map that ultimately leads you to an aural treasure. The Drawing Of The Line is his most fully-realized work, crafting a set of deceptively complex songs that flirt with unexpected, slightly-buried pop influences to create an expertly-composed meditation on an unknown future. On the opener, "Expectations," Emuul is at his restrained and sanguine best. Using a series of repetitive, evocative notes over a bed of rising-and-falling oscillations, there's much promise ahead. "Love Theme" is even more tender and blossoms into near-catharsis, longing for that time when everything you hope for is finally within reach. Those feelings are set aside with the worried and frenetic walls of "The First Look." As the synthesizer and guitar move faster, and as wordless vocals descend on the mix, it is as though things didn't quite turn out the way they could have. He brings it all home when he closes out the A-side with the six-minute "Big Clouds," recorded to tape and sounding dense to the point of breaking, while the side-long "Plus One" is the ultimate pay-off for all that came before, a 21-minute meditation on self-reflection and acceptance. The Drawing Of The Line is a beautiful album that offers the perfect introduction to Emuul's sound.

Artist:	NOVA SCOTIAN ARMS
Title:	Cult Spectrum
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 035LP

Grant Evans, who is also of Quiet Evenings alongside his wife Rachel (aka Motion Sickness Of Time Travel) and co-curator of the Hooker Vision label, is the brains behind Nova Scotian Arms. Throughout numerous releases, he has shown a consistent ability to keep listeners guessing as he explores endless sonic territories. With Cult Spectrum, Evans is drowning himself in a hazy aural sea. Like much of his work, there is a very distinct mood on Cult Spectrum. This is funereal music that is stretched to the breaking point -- distant echoes are buried underground in a delicate mix of sounds that are as cosmic as they are organic. This duality is at play straight-off with the masterful opener, "Gathering/Composition." Soaring in crystal skies on beds of hiss, each strained note from Evans' Rhodes piano emerges from the murk like an anchor keeping the song and the mood forlorn. Tape-loops and radio interference deliciously muddy the waters on the 16+ minute "Emulsion," combining all those and more into a cacophonous stew. Acoustic guitars circle around in a swirling synthetic drain -- each wave emerging in stages as Evans shows considerable compositional skill in the way the piece is put together. With "Overcast (1st Delay)" comes a melancholic, skyward glance, taking shape through tonal dichotomies. This is the sound of dissonance sculpted and shaped into something far greater than the sum of its parts, leaving its mark long after the final, ghostly seconds of "Hearse Overdub (Decomposition)" fade away. Evans is digging a tunnel, heading straight for the sun. Mastered by Lawrence English and cut to vinyl at Dubplates and Mastering, Berlin. Limited to 500 copies only.

Artist:	PANABRITE
Title:	Soft Terminal
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 036LP

Panabrite is the project of Norm Chambers -- not a household name to most people, but for those who have been reveling in his music for the last few years, he is absolutely adored. He is also, we should add, the man responsible for one of the most-loved synth albums of the last few years, although that's a journey he took incognito and we just aren't at liberty to divulge that identity quite yet. Some will be quick to chalk Soft Terminal up as just another Kosmische record, but that's just the surface dressing. There is something deeper happening here: vivid, liquid dreams are sculpted into intricate fantasy landscapes, each layer revealing another aspect of Chambers' production prowess. The thing with Chambers, is that he has an innate ability to write richly-textured, melodic compositions that have as much in common with vintage electronic library music as they do with minimal synth-pop and '70s prog. Soft Terminal opens with "Rainbow Sequence" and "Index Of Gestures." The former remains understated, moving simply and slowly while pulling open the curtain on the rest of the album. With "Index Of Gestures," Chambers opens up the sequencers and lets them fly. Dizzying passages resonate and when the piece finally feels like it will lift off, he tightens the reins and dives straight into an underwater sequence. But that's only a small part of the story. "Janus" opens with finger-picked guitar arrangements augmented with synth chords and rising leads. The guitars return on "Sound Softly" while Chambers' ghostly, robotic vocals float away unscathed. On "Beta Axis Terminal," pointillist tones flutter in and out before sharp, sequenced chord progressions overtake them. As the piece continues to build, vocoder hovers above thickened basslines and you feel lost in a dystopian sci-fi novel. But ultimately, Chambers' pop sensibilities are most evident on the mini-masterpiece, "Camembert Symphony." Pushed along by the constant thrum of a drum machine, multiple melodies are interwoven, wrapping themselves tightly around you. Each soaring synth glues the song deeper into your mind before fading away into the sonic ether. Cut to vinyl at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. Limited to 500 copies only.

Artist:	KPLR
Title:	KPLR
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 037LP

Over the past year-and-a-half, the duo of Dexter Brightman and Jair Espinoza have explored abstract electronics in increasingly new and interesting ways. Over the course of numerous tapes on labels such as Avant Archive, Neon Blossom, and others, the duo has combined the ideas of repetition and sound art and continually mutated them into something that is becoming increasingly difficult to pin down. With the recent Tek No Muzik 12" on Crazy Iris, mechanized acid was introduced in the mix. It is not techno music in any sense of the term, but is subversive electronic music aimed at overloading your aural receptors. On this self-titled debut full-length, KPLR has been stripped down to a one-man operation. Dexter Brightman took inspiration from his daily environment surrounded by continuous machine noises that, after hours of constant repetition, began to morph into machine music. Repeated phrases, beats, and even harmonies began to find their way through the mire. This KPLR record takes those ideas and elevates them to something impossible to define. These zonked-out digital malfunctions fit together like a puzzle, each piece of debris manifesting itself as part of a larger whole. It's music that is simultaneously cold and abrasive yet draws you in, almost mechanically, so that you can't pull yourself away. KPLR is inquisitive and intuitive as it bounces rhythmically through the grid. It's hard to call this dance music as it's too discombobulated and fried, built on a web of endless, screeching circuits. Dexter Brightman is on his way to becoming part of the machine. Mastered by Brad Rose and cut to vinyl at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. Limited to 500 copies only.

Artist:	PERISPIRIT
Title:	Spiritual Church Movement
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 038LP

Perispirit is the duo of Ricardo Donoso and Luke Moldof and they have been haunting the Northeast of the United States for a couple of years now. After a slew of releases on Prurient's Hospital Productions label and Ricardo's own Semata Productions, Spiritual Church Movement has Perispirit taking an unexpected turn as they unleash their most cohesive and accomplished work to date. Spiritual Church Movement is the sound of two worlds colliding and forming something entirely new in the aftermath. In this case, digital and analog systems are turned against each other. Moldof's analog source material was blitzed and manipulated while Donoso worked his sorcery via digital matrix, showing that both approaches can win the prize. Squalid sonic debris spill out and melt together with beats that are barely there and melodic shrapnel to create this weirdly compelling, utterly disjointed composition. And if you thought Moldof and Donoso were concerned about expectations, Spiritual Church Movement is proof it was the last thing on their minds. Synthesizers are mauled by digital processes, battered down to bare bones, turning passages of melody into disease-stricken organisms paired with fractured, plodding rhythms, at times sounding like Autechre attempting to make a noise record: it's well and truly fucked. The expertise with which everything is constructed, though, is what makes these pieces excel. Everything is where it should be and the combination is almost religious in its attention to detail. But before the duo gets too close to the sun, everything is burned to the ground and the process starts over. Just when you think you have it figured it out, Spiritual Church Movement is off on another disfigured tangent. Over the course of these two sprawling sides, the cult of Perispirit is born. Ricardo Donoso and Luke Moldof carry with them the conviction that anything is possible and nothing is out of bounds. Spiritual Church Movement is their manifesto. Mastered by Brad Rose and cut to vinyl at Dubplates + Mastering, Berlin. Limited to 500 copies only.

Artist:	FRAK
Title:	Muzika Electronic
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 039LP

FRAK has been around for 25 years now. They have been the talisman of Sweden's inimitable B�rft label since its inception. Over the course of dozens of tapes, 12"s, and full-lengths, this group has known no real boundaries. It is alien music in every sense of the word. Even if each track offers something different to the narrative, the album keeps a connective tissue running throughout. After 25 years, FRAK is showing no signs of age. Muzika Electronic is a mix of skewed dance music paired with heavy doses of modular synthesizer exploration and bizarro pop. It's all brand-new, recorded specifically for Digitalis. FRAK is constantly skirting the line between minimal dance music and noise music, often finding new and innovative spaces to occupy and exploit. Album opener "Voyage No. 1" embodies this to perfection. Slow-moving rhythms provide the backbone while looping, crusty synths spin around, spiked with dizzying, high-pitched melodies. It seems odd at first, but as an introduction to what is contained within the sonic walls of Muzika Electronic, it starts this journey off right. It flows into the deceptively catchy "Tristesse Dance" like magic. You will find yourself hooked on the cyclical bassline within a few bars. FRAK's pop sensibilities are most on display, though, with the New Order-tinged "Pulse-Crack." Wide-eyed leads mesh into the pulsating bass undercurrents, riding a blissed-out electronic wave into outer space. It is absolutely hypnotizing. The robotic vocals of "Varje Dag" and "In Order To Create" swim in a sci-fi glow. This is music that is wrestling with itself, never sure if it is searching for the future of dance music or looking back to its past. That dichotomy, though, is what drives Muzika Electronic into so many great and unexpected realms. Cut to vinyl (LOUD) by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin. Art by Tiny Little Hammers. Limited to 500 copies only.

Artist:	PACO SALA
Title:	Ro-Me-Ro
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 043LP

Paco Sala first came to fruition sometime in 2011 as producer Antony Harrison began developing a totally different side to his usual musical explorations as Konntinent. Following up a debut cassette, Radial Sundown, that introduced Paco Sala as a new solo vehicle for Harrison's love of hip-hop, Italo-disco, & synth-infused pop music, Harrison joined forces with vocalist Leyli -- and everything changed. Leyli's voice became the perfect vehicle for Harrison's squashed productions, adding an elegance and airiness to his dark, introspective tropes. This is most evident on the show-stopper, "Spiral" -- Leyli's vocal is divine, streaming skyward as it twists into endless, delicate shapes, with a hypnotic beat and Tropic�lia-infused loops acting as the perfect backdrop. Leyli slowly takes over the album's first single, "Gifts Of The Bloom," with layer-upon-layer of wordless murmurs. Along with B-side opener, "Tre's Future First," they show off Paco Sala's Italo influence with stunted beats and catchy, yet minimal synths. It's the vocals, though, that continually push Ro-Me-Ro to another level. Ro-Me-Ro is as striking a debut as any on the esteemed Digitalis label over the last few years, tapping into that emotional, sparkling intersection where followers of Nite Jewel, Chromatics, Not Not Fun and Julee Cruise will find much comfort. Original art by Marie-Pascale Hardy. Mastered by Brad Rose and cut to vinyl by Rashad Becker at Dubplates + Mastering, Berlin. Limited to 500 copies only.

Artist:	ROLL THE DICE
Title:	Roll The Dice
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	DIGI 055CD

CD edition, featuring two bonus tracks and revised artwork. Though this is the official debut recording from Swedish duo Roll The Dice, Malcolm Pardon and Peder Mannerfelt are certainly not strangers to the world of independent music. Mannerfelt has been producing records for years as The Subliminal Kid and also produces for and tours with Fever Ray while Pardon continuously composes for film and television. Having shared a studio in southern Stockholm for several years, they finally decided to join forces in something musical. Each of their sessions together started and ended in the same way. There were to be no pre-conceived ideas going in, but there had to be a completed track at the end of each day. These forced limitations led to a creative cloudburst, finding unexpected passages from beginning to end. Elements of early analog electronics bleed into hints of minimalists such as Terry Riley and Arvo P�rt. Repetition and understated progression engage the listener subtly. It may bring a piece of Basic Channel to mind, but it's another beast entirely. Each track consists of only synths and piano. Nothing more. No computer processing. No drum machines -- pure analog. The result is something warm and emotive. There may be a murky darkness underlying these tracks, something almost sinister, but there's a streak of something comfortingly familiar running throughout. Two years after their first session together, they put the finishing touches on the record through the API desk at the legendary Gr�ndal studio in west Stockholm. It is music that etches itself into your mind like diamond on glass. Pardon and Mannerfelt operate with absolute precision, expressing raw emotions and ideas that are as flitting as they are unforgettable.

Artist:	SVARTE GREINER
Title:	Penpals Forever (And Ever)
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	DIGI 056CD

The first side (first two tracks) were originally issued on the Penpals Forever cassette on Digitalis in 2008, limited to 180 copies. Both tracks have been completely remastered. The remaining pieces are all new and exclusive to this release. Svarte Greiner is the nom de plume of Deaf Center's Erik K. Skodvin. Hailing from Norway, his solo efforts are always stripped bare, white-knuckle sojourns through dark, haunted ambient sonic corridors. Penpals Forever (And Ever) is the imaginary tale of a long dead Baroque painter and his telekinetic correspondence with a flightless bird. It feels archaic; experimental death marches circa 1622. Like Guercino's Et in Arcadia ego, once the end is realized, there's nowhere left to go. It's beyond our experience and sometimes you never recover from the shock. Despite its rather cheery title, Penpals Forever (And Ever) is another step toward the abyss. Musically sparse, Svarte Greiner finds new channels connecting desolate landscapes through ethereal nightmares. It is music best served cold. Chattering, looping guitar lines that feel like muscle being separated from bone slowly build into aching piles of aural dissonance. It's painful to a point. Recorded voices speak a language you can't understand underneath ominous, echoing single notes. Distant metal fragments scrape the dirt from detuned strings while a nefarious feathered minstrel bows dying instruments in the background. No hope left, death is just around the corner. As it ever was, Svarte Greiner is again weaving something deliciously sinister. This is music that is uncomfortably bare. Within its blood-stained confines, there is nowhere to hide. Skodvin's tangled, gnarled tale goes back and forth into infinity until it becomes clear that the flightless bird in question lives inside your skull. Drowning slowly into one's own twisted mind, Penpals is the soundtrack of loss; the procession of fears gradually becoming so overbearing that you can't escape your own demons.

Artist:	SVARTE GREINER
Title:	Penpals Forever (And Ever)
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 056LP

LP version. The first side (first two tracks) were originally issued on the Penpals Forever cassette on Digitalis in 2008, limited to 180 copies. Both tracks have been completely remastered. The remaining pieces are all new and exclusive to this release. Svarte Greiner is the nom de plume of Deaf Center's Erik K. Skodvin. Hailing from Norway, his solo efforts are always stripped bare, white-knuckle sojourns through dark, haunted ambient sonic corridors. Penpals Forever (And Ever) is the imaginary tale of a long dead Baroque painter and his telekinetic correspondence with a flightless bird. It feels archaic; experimental death marches circa 1622. Like Guercino's Et in Arcadia ego, once the end is realized, there's nowhere left to go. It's beyond our experience and sometimes you never recover from the shock. Despite its rather cheery title, Penpals Forever (And Ever) is another step toward the abyss. Musically sparse, Svarte Greiner finds new channels connecting desolate landscapes through ethereal nightmares. It is music best served cold. Chattering, looping guitar lines that feel like muscle being separated from bone slowly build into aching piles of aural dissonance. It's painful to a point. Recorded voices speak a language you can't understand underneath ominous, echoing single notes. Distant metal fragments scrape the dirt from detuned strings while a nefarious feathered minstrel bows dying instruments in the background. No hope left, death is just around the corner. As it ever was, Svarte Greiner is again weaving something deliciously sinister. This is music that is uncomfortably bare. Within its blood-stained confines, there is nowhere to hide. Skodvin's tangled, gnarled tale goes back and forth into infinity until it becomes clear that the flightless bird in question lives inside your skull. Drowning slowly into one's own twisted mind, Penpals is the soundtrack of loss; the procession of fears gradually becoming so overbearing that you can't escape your own demons.

Artist:	SANSO-XTRO
Title:	Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	DIGI 058CD

Since her 2005 release Sentimentalist (TYPE 007CD), Melissa Agate aka Sanso-Xtro has relocated to her native Australia and the move has treated her well. Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain takes a lot of the ideas from her first record and dials them in, pushing everything to the next level. This collection of songs is a quiet force, blissfully confident and expertly assembled. Sanso's soundworld is a fully immersive environment. On the opener, "Fountain Fountain," we get a glimpse of everything to come. There's this carefully controlled chaos at work that is immediately hypnotizing. Agate sings simple passages toward the end, welcoming listeners into this new world as her voice floats above the fray. It becomes obvious as the album progresses that Agate is, at heart, a drummer. The staccato rhythms and percussive embellishments bring the album to life. These rapid-fire beats in conjunction with precise, half-speed instrumentation work in perfect harmony. Reminiscent of Blackdance-era Klaus Schulze at times, there's an intoxicating dizziness that is effortlessly present in "The Origin Of Birds" and "Wood Owl Wings A Rush Rush." Agate even throws a few nods to free jazz with "Goodnight Thylacine." Her skill as a drummer is matched by her ability as a songwriter, knowing when to push it over the top and when to hold back. Album closer "Exit: Joyous Mountain," sounds like a lost Alan Lomax gem with its melodica/harmonica duet and delicate singing. "Hello Night Crow" is the literal and figurative center of the album, though. It starts with a ringing synth loop that gives nothing away until the chord changes emerge a minute in. Again, it's about the slow-build, raising the tension and anticipation before melting into the sky. "You wouldn't recognize that it's not there anymore," Agate sings over the bubbling waves of synths. It is beautiful and crushing.

Artist:	SANSO-XTRO
Title:	Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	LP
Price:	$18.00
Catalog #:	DIGI 058LP

2005 was the last time anyone heard from Melissa Agate aka Sanso-Xtro on her record for Type, Sentimentalist. Since then, quite a bit has happened. Agate has relocated to her native Australia and the move has treated her well. Fountain Fountain Joyous Mountain takes a lot of the ideas from her first record and dials them in, pushing everything to the next level. This collection of songs is a quiet force, blissfully confident and expertly assembled. Sanso's soundworld is a fully immersive environment. On the opener, "Fountain Fountain," we get a glimpse of everything to come. There's this carefully controlled chaos at work that is immediately hypnotizing. Agate sings simple passages toward the end, welcoming listeners into this new world as her voice floats above the fray. It becomes obvious as the album progresses that Agate is, at heart, a drummer. The staccato rhythms and percussive embellishments bring the album to life. These rapid-fire beats in conjunction with precise, half-speed instrumentation work in perfect harmony. Reminiscent of Blackdance-era Klaus Schulze at times, there's an intoxicating dizzyness that is effortlessly present in "The Origin Of Birds" and "Wood Owl Wings A Rush Rush." Agate even throws a few nods to free jazz with "Goodnight Thylacine." Her skill as a drummer is matched by her ability as a songwriter, knowing when to push it over the top and when to hold back. Album closer "Exit: Joyous Mountain," sounds like a lost Alan Lomax gem with its melodica/harmonica duet and delicate singing. "Hello Night Crow" is the literal and figurative center of the album, though. It starts with a ringing synth loop that gives nothing away until the chord changes emerge a minute in. Again, it's about the slow-build, raising the tension and anticipation before melting into the sky. "You wouldn't recognize that it's not there anymore," Agate sings over the bubbling waves of synths. It is beautiful and crushing.

Artist:	IMAGINARY SOFTWOODS
Title:	Imaginary Softwoods
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	2LP
Price:	$30.50
Catalog #:	DIGI 060LP

In 2008, a triple cassette oddity appeared out of nowhere adorned in washed-out nature collages and zero information. Turns out that John Elliot of Emeralds was behind the madness, and after further dissection of the sounds enclosed, it all began to make sense. Those three tapes (one yellow, one blue, one red) were the first taste of something that felt like a lost private-press object from the early European electronic experimentations of the '60s and '70s. Each vignette is its own story, its own exploration. Synthesizers and other electronics are stripped to their bare bones, never drifting beyond a mere five minutes. It's the brevity that is the guiding hand, though. Every tone and every note is carefully considered and utilized as you're sucked into a world of washed-out colors and sullen landscapes. One thing that immediately stands out with these pieces is just how restrained Elliot is with them. It adds considerable tension, even if it's understated, giving the album a surprising amount of emotional depth. Each piece is its own miniature mountain, traversed and left behind all in a matter of minutes. As you interact with the subtlety changing harmonics and tonal shifts, you begin to float away into synthetic dreams. If all bedroom albums were this great, I'd never leave the house. A true gem. It doesn't get much better than this. Completely remastered for vinyl by James Plotkin and cut in Berlin by D+M. The deluxe vinyl edition is presented in full-color gatefold jackets with all new art from John Elliot in conjunction with the inimitable Witchbeam. Strictly limited pressing.

Artist:	TUMA, SCOTT
Title:	Dandelion
Label:	DIGITALIS
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.50
Catalog #:	DIGI 061CD

Extended CD version. This is Scott Tuma's third release on the Digitalis label. After a five-year hiatus, 2008's Not For Nobody reminded everyone of the subtle force that was lurking in Chicago. He followed that up with an epic collaborative LP with Zelienople's Mike Weis and an underrated gem as part of the Good Stuff House trio. Those ideas and manifestations present on all three albums come to a head with Dandelion. This is Scott Tuma at his most definitive, most vocal, and most devastating. His acoustic vignettes flicker in and out like the specters of long-forgotten greats, showing up just long enough to remind you that once upon a time, they ruled the land of kings. Sparse guitar plucks and banjo strums ache in the thin air. "Red Roses For Me" puts all the pieces in place with hollow, reverberating drones piercing the grey skies in the first half of the song. Quiet recordings of birdsong echo in the background, bouncing off minimally shifting banjo and chimes. But this is when Tuma really starts to mess with you, this is when Dandelion takes one of many unexpected turns. As a siren wails in the background, he is almost playful in the last half of the piece with a chord organ and gently strummed guitar bleeding nostalgia into the streets. It's a sinister joke in the middle of the flood. Dandelion is a hymn to loves won, then lost. Dying on the vine, he bellows "you are so pretty," yearning for something simpler and easier to navigate. "You're always on my mind" reminds us that things come to an end, that even the best things have a shelf-life. It runs head first into the megalith that is "Free Dirt." Mike Weis makes his presence felt as the duo navigates the darkest moments Tuma's ever put to tape. This is "Taradiddle" drowned in the mud. Hope is lost to the darkness as denial turns to acceptance. Winding down into a wall of cymbals and heavy-handed acoustic guitar, it's total catharsis. Eventually this ride, this testament comes to an end. The mournful longing of the final two pieces wraps Dandelion up into a perfect, graceful package. Scott Tuma shows one more time why there's nobody else like him around. This may be an album that asks a lot of questions, but it also answers every single one. Extended CD edition, including 20 minutes of bonus material not available on the vinyl edition. Featuring custom artwork by award-winning artist, Christopher Koelle.

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