New Year Flicker / Ether Feels

Common Metals, Ethereal Feelings , and Something Like Love. It’s 2022 and I’m still reeling from the last year. Alas music to the rescue. How about something experimental from a duo called Staubitz and Waterhouse ? Tune in for a favorite project of mine that they did right here https://meatsheetfanzine.com/chance-meets-instrumentation-more-new-distant-duos/

For the RIDE fans another song from Andy Bell who will have a new LP soon. Stay in tune and on target. From Osaka Japan, Ether Feels finished 2021 strong with their EP (released Christmas Eve. ) Send me your tunes and I’ll do my best to write upon it.

Staubitz and Waterhouse – Common Metals

If one is tired of structured and predictable “songs ” Common Metals offers safe haven from those doldrums. New England experimental / field recording noise duo offers 4 tracks. Check it out here https://staubitzandwaterhouse.bandcamp.com/album/common-metals

First out the cardboard baler gate is “Septic ” A field recording of one (or more?) machines in use. Belt and motor driven sounds that oscillate nearly at the same RPM’s for its entirety. If you really listen there is background shop conversation that gets drowned out by the mechanical buzz.

Second is “Runoff”. Recordings of aqueous drippings and drizzles. It sounds like cars could be passing in the background but it is subtle as if the listener is not close to the road. What I find to be interesting is, I can’t tell if this an actual workplace or just respite on a back porch from rain with cars occasionally passing. If it is a workplace the sounds are calming.

Next up is “Worker Drone”.

Those who have done the whole retail stocking or some kind of production of goods thing may recognize these buzzes and vibrations.

Since I’ve operated a cardboard baler for several un – named corporations in the past, I can say with utmost certainty the source for “Worker Drone ” is a baler. My record time at making/ changing a bale is approximately five and a half minutes.

This track’s front 4 or 5 minutes being cardboard disposal and maybe the bin to transport it. After that it is the very quiet of business work place noise. The antithesis of creating structured music. Maybe its offices or storeroom with seemingly little to nothing going on sonically. Yet the mic picks up the low level work noises. As the track closes though there is a clinking and hint of another baler run follwed by a low frequency growl and some other electronic noises. I know the multiple baler runs all too well.”Worjer Drone ” closes with the kachong ‘ and hurrrrrrrrr of the blaer gate and metal crusher that flattens. What’s your fastest bale time ?

Last is “Dishintergration”. Twenty two minutes of what is seemingly a dish wash cycle. As this may seem on paper to be dull. On the other hand I found it to be hypnotic and soothing. If one classifies and listens to limited scopes of music then I can understand how one may not be into concepts such as this.

To the contrary though, if you can appreciate the ambient background, middlegrounds, and foregrounds of everyday life’s audio then Common Metals is a metallurgical treasure. It’s all about intent and perspective, is it not ?

“Dishintergration” starts off whirring , humming, nothing unpredictable per se on the surface. Conversely, as it plays I can recall being stuck in the rhythm of jobs I had in which the noise (s) cause a sense of clarity and slight relaxation. This track and the others, could they be a commentary of sorts? Speaking to workers of any kind? I’d like to hope so. I got pleasantly lost in this track and when it began to shift to its closing cycle I had wanted it to go on a little more. The sound of the jets and water shooting, gurgling, and trickling reinforced the soothing effects.

Overall I tend to think of this release as real life commentary that takes on artistic meaning. The lines are blurred between the two. It’s up to the listener to discern if it’s one or the other, or in my case.. both.

Andy Bell – Something Like Love – Sonic Cathedral Records

Straight away I hear Ride’s Vapor Trail chords. No coincidence as Andy Bell is in Ride. Something Like Love is the first single and video from forthcoming Flicker LP shedduled in February. I’ll allow the embedded video to speak for itself

In addition to the clean electric guitars the vocal harmonies and lyrics shine on this one. “Use a mirror to remember, and look back with something like love”

A tune that seems to speak on fleeting time , the lyrics painting a vivd picture. Something Like Love is a gorgeous indie pop song that only Andy Bell can write.

In contrast to The View From Halfway Down’s songs , Something Like Love‘s background vocals and accompaniment bolster the strong skeleton of the song that I reckon Andy penned on keys or acoustic guitar. Also like Vapor Trail there is underlying strings or keys that sustain their notes. Look for Flicker the LP very soon.

Ether Feels – Candle Light in the Dark

Dual male / female vocals paired with sparkling shoegaze from Osaka, Japan. This EP has 5 songs.

Check out the wares https://etherfeels.bandcamp.com/album/candle-light-in-the-dark

First is what I assume a new take on a song called Candle Light In The Dark. Aside from shimmering haziness there is a jangly outro which merges with noisy guitar. So basically Ether Feels merge the jangle. pop, and dream like elements into one tight track. Second is Kiss. You get two minutes of precise gentle guitar notes higher on the neck. Kiss then drives more edgier pop home. The vocalists harmonize along. It’s great sunny day music for sure. Speaking of sunny days, the next one is Lazy Summer Days. The thump of the bass captivates me.

If this isn’t the poppiest track it is my favorite.

Featuring Cardigans inspired Ether Feels with a blend of disco groove and guitars that assist in looking at your laces. Next we go night bound on Moonshine. More jangly pop and I’m down with it. It’s refreshing to hear the vocal harmonies and bright guitars. Mant bands get lost in reverberated murk and trying to capture the essence of shoegaze. However, Moonshine is like a bright valley at night. Focusing on the accentuated light and not the shadows. The chuggy outro gives a good contrast and showcases some drum fills that I don’t get to hear often in a dream pop band. Last track is Tonight. A dream pop number with gritty guitar edges. Starting with pop and then kicking on the distortion (and off). Tonight is a good closer. I urge you to take part in the feels.

So the year is well under way. Please support these artists and me ! Floppy disks are expensive and the inflation rate seems to be rising , so your support means a great deal of gratitude to the artists and zine editor John Meat.