P.O.N. – P.O.N. (1995)

by Dæv Tremblay

The Words

P.O.N. was a Japanese jazz fusion band active in the ’90s, and whose only release is this obscure self-titled album. I wanted to talk about it, however, because it is still relevant in today’s world due to its high production value and contemporary sound. P.O.N. features forty-five minutes of blazing saxophone, guitar, and vibraphone on top of a Zappaesque backing band.

How so? Well, if the regular rhythmic modulations — frequently shifting from straight eighths to many different n-tuplets — didn’t tip you off, you might as well be deaf. However, it is, in my opinion, much more … Read more

Among the Rocks and Roots – Raga

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Raga is a brand new album from the experimental noise rock duo Among the Rocks and Roots, formed by Abdul-Hakim Bilal and Samuel Goff. Armed with a bass guitar, a drum set, and a voice, the two-man group play distorted and slow, cathartic music that is politically and socially engaged, lyrically. Indeed, Raga is the second part to an upcoming trilogy about addiction, and tackle the themes of abuse, race, and class conflict.

While I didn’t feel engrossed by part one of this trilogy, Samudra garba pathe, Raga is speaking to me. I have … Read more

The X-Files: Grave Upheaval – Untitled

by Dæv Tremblay

Yesterday morning, a new folder arrived on my desk. The sole name of Grave Upheaval made my skin crawl, but I opened it anyway, driven by my instinctive curiosity and my hunger for the unknown. What awaited inside was almost too much for me to bear, it almost broke me. Just recalling this is hard for me. However, I’ve agreed to testify in front of this comity, so here’s the complete story.… Read more

Tin Men and the Telephone – World Domination, Part One: FURIE (Federal Union for Restoring Intergalactic Equilibrium)

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Aliens have been watching us. They have been for a long time, and they now feel like they have to intervene in order to counter the global rise of populism and demagogy in politics. This extraterrestrial commando is called FURIE (Federal Union for Restoring Intergalactic Equilibrium), and their modus operandi is to come and abduct world leaders that fall into this category. You can command the operation yourself by going to this interactive website!

This is the story behind the newest album from Amsterdam’s modern jazz band Tin Men and the Telephone. The … Read more

Weekly Release Dump

by Dæv Tremblay

Saturday, 24 February

明日の叙景 (Asu no jokei) – わたしと私だったもの (Watashi to watashidatta mono) / Awakening (progressive blackened post-hardcore)

I.O – Pain in Patterns (free jazz/math rock)

Kucoshka – Country Boy Band (experimental/progressive rock)

Sunday, 25

Colosso – Rebirth (progressive death metal)

Lushh – Insight Unsought (modern jazz)

… Read more