[2001] Supersilent - 5

Another radical change of pace in their style, this release is very minimal in style. While there's several free jazz bursts that rise from the almost quiet delivery (in an excellent display of dynamics), this album requires a lot of attention since it keeps itself low key, consisting mostly on lengthy brass notes and short electronic bursts, even more prominent here than in 4.

Download it here: [V0][FLAC]

Buy it directly from Rune Grammofon here.

[2011] The Skull Defekts - Peer Amid

Dark, psychedelic rock with some tribal elements, and a healthy dose of noise rock, it's what the new The Skull Defekts is all about. Less out there and more traditional than some of their previous material, this is the rockiest side of the band, still retaining some of the abrasive noise/drone experimentation the fans of the band are already familiar with. I'd say it's a really solid release, if anything is less "out there" than their previous releases but it doesn't take away the best of the band.
This is the vinyl edition, which includes an extra song called Hidden Hymn.

Download it here: [320][V0]


Buy it directly from Thrill Jockey Records here.

[1998] Supersilent - 4

Follow up of the 1-3 album which compiled 3 CD's into one (half live, half studio), 4 is an entirely studio album, single CD, which combines the free jazz output displayed on their first album with strong electronic elements and even vocalizations (by Henriksen), making it very different from their preceding release.

Download it here: [V0][FLAC]


Buy it directly from Rune Grammofon here.

[2008] The Skull Defekts - The Drone Drug

With an almost unapproachable output that hardly resembles their apparent influences (Wire, Can and a few others), The Skull Defekts' trance-inducing noise/post-punk is left behind in favor of relentless feedback noise, manipulated as abrasive electronic drone, that might have more in common with Yellow Swans than bands akin to Earth or Sunn O))). Worth giving a listen.

Download it here: [V0]

Buy it directly from Release The Bats here.

[1987] AMM - The Inexhaustible Document (Reissue 1994)

Very few albums from back in those days get close to what AMM engineered during the recording of this album: tense, minimal improvisations which explored and exerted the slow building mindset of the ensemble, while managing to retain a feebly kept attention from the listener due to its length.
This reissue in particular has an expanded version of the track Page 9:2 with material recorded during the same period, and considerably less minimal than the original version track.

Download it here: [V0][FLAC Part 1 Part 2] Updated!


Buy it directly from Matchless Recordings here.

[2006] Circle - Miljard

Very unlike most of their back catalog, Miljard is Circle's most obvious ambient album, which still has a few motorik tingles, but it's mostly slow and drawn out. If you enjoy that side of them or if you're a fan of low key, guitar-oriented post-rock, you might enjoy this album. Personally I think it's good (in a complete different direction), 2CD's full of  great ambient music which the short bursts of intensity the band is known for.

Download it here: [320: Part 1 Part 2][V0]


Buy it directly from Ektro Records here.

[2011] Masami Akita, Mats Gustafsson & Jim O'Rourke - One Bird Two Bird

One of the most interesting releases in which Jim O'Rourke participates this year (the other would be the Ambarchi/O'Rourke/Haino followup of Tima Formosa), One Bird Two Bird is one of the best collabs I've listened in quite a while. I can quite see why Masami Akita is credited with his real name and not his usual monicker (Merzbow), considering his contributions are actually low key and in tune with the building improvisations as the album progresses, of which O'Rourke and Gustafsson (The Thing) are mainly responsible for (and as far of the latter goes, his sax goes crazy on Two Bird, the most awe-inducing track of this album). Without a doubt,  the most intense free improv collab I've heard this year so far.

Download it here: [V0]

Buy it directly from Editions Mego here.

[1998] Supersilent - 1-3

About time I posted Supersilent over here... And I'll try to post all their discography, chronologically.
This is the first release via Rune Grammofon of the collective conformed by Arve Henriksen (Food, Christian Wallumrød Ensemble), Ståle Storløkken and Helge Sten (Deathprod, Merriwinkle). 3 CDs of their very first material, full of unpredictable structures and almost no common melodies through live improvisation; part of instrumentation used for this album (and the ones following next) can be tell apart, but mostly it's a mix of timbres barely recognizable, reminding most of what AMM did many decades ago in a similar vein.
This album alone is a classic of the band, and a perfect start in the modern conception of free improvisation.

Download it here: [V0: Part 1 Part 2][FLAC]


Buy it directly from Rune Grammofon here.

[2008] Spunk - En Aldeles Forferdelig Sykdom

The darkest Spunk album, and pretty much in line with their preceding release Den øverste Toppen På en Blåmalt Flaggstang, it brings most of the bizarre elements of the group by straining as much as possible their instruments capabilities and delivering a somewhat offputting (yet entrancing) atmosphere. Their most cohesive work.

Download it here: [V0]


Buy it directly from Rune Grammofon here.