Sylvia Monnier / Class of 69 split (supermalprodelica)

[€5 for Cassette // €7 to Download // https://supermalprodelica.bandcamp.com/album/sylvia-monnier-class-of-69-split]

I was a big fan of Sylvia Monnier's cassette "Lucinda's River" and as such I wanted to hear this one.    It's on a label from Paris though, so I'm sort of okay with just hearing the digital for now but eventually I will probably buy this on cassette if I can because it is rather good.

Sylvia Monnier has two tracks and the first begins with a ringing bowl hum.   There is guitar distortion in the background and then tones like a dialtone begin to beep as well.   Is it cliche to call it tone drone?    How about electronic ambient?   With space laser whirrs come record scratches and then tones begin to drop like gems, to borrow a phrase.     There is an eerie mystique to the next set of tones which come through will full on beats.

From here, Monnier shifts into a long stretch of drone which can only ever remind me of the opening to The Who's "Baba O'Riley" (just sit back, close your eyes and think about it)   Some whirrs come in with sonic lasers before it's over and then it ends on some banging for good measure.

This is my first time hearing Class of 69 and while I was in this split for Sylvia Monnier I must say that Class of 69 is more than just filler.    There is a lot of sharp ringing on repeat, cymbal rim taps and then it just seemingly grows louder until that Jay Peele bowl playing feel comes out.    It's somewhere between angels and ghosts before the change to sonar which reminds me of a submarine.    My point is only further proved by the beeping that presents itself as the sounds begin to come through in waves.

The beeping becomes more distant as the signal is seemingly growing lost and then the sounds of Jay Peele come back before all is said and done.    This split really had me because of the involvement of Sylvia Monnier but Class of 69 makes this a must have cassette.

Nidhamu "Live Electronics & Drones" (supermalprodelica)

[€5 for Cassette // €7 to Download // https://supermalprodelica.bandcamp.com/album/live-electronics-drones]

This cassette is broken down into three different tracks, which two of would have to be on the first side due to length.   It's hard to imagine this being anything outside of its title but here we go anyway.

The first track is the middle in terms of length (neither the shortest nor longest) and it has high pitched electronics which sometimes can come through too sharply for even these veteran ears.   There are only slight frequency changes and as such it's got those elements of drone, which again is what the title claims.   It's almost like whale sounds or some form of sonar but before it ends there are darker tones of drone with some reverberating waves.

The second track is the shortest but is also "Part 2" to the first track so it makes sense they'd go together on Side A in that regard.    This track is full of stomping beats which have ooooh's in the background like a game of Pong.   They almost can turn into sonic booms with an aura of mystery and though it is the shortest of the tracks it does show the most character (That is to say seems the least bit drone)

Finally we have the third and final track which is also Side B and not coincidentally happens to be the same length as the first two tracks combined.    These are dark tone waves and eventually they have some slight beats in them (but ever so slightly, not too noticeable or heavy) and this is just the pure epitomy of what you think of when you see the word drone.

It is somewhat difficult to say anything about this that the title doesn't already sum up in a much more concise manner but I still do enjoy it and for fans of, um, what the title says you'll be wanting to add this one to your wish list as a cassette.