Vuzh Music Blog

I thought I’d pass along a recommendation of an underground recording I’ve just enjoyed. Olifaunt‘s newest album “Three Crows Become Four” (love that title!) is an autumnal set of churning bass drones, reminiscent of Crib (wow, Crib is important enough that it has a Wikipedia entry! If only I were so important! Alas I’m just not “notable”)… also recalling prime Maeror Tri.
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I reckon this project will find its way onto a label like Kranky or Infraction sooner than later, (definitely sooner than Drone Forest) so go check them out now and you can say you were there before the poseurs!
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Olifaunt has given this album to the world for free, at the Internet Archive (link), and/or at Last.FM (link).

I’ve just listened to a netlabel release I’d like to recommend.
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Hedningarna is a band I’d previously never heard of, that performs Scandinavian folk music on instruments such as hurdy-gurdy, Swedish bagpipes, lute, fiddle and several custom instruments.
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DJ Nikto has taken their recordings and run loops through delays, reverbs, digital smears, stuttering pauses and filter sweeps. Simple enough in concept, but the whole is very effective, it reminds me a lot in spirit and execution of some of the more ambient releases by the hallowed Muslimgauze.
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The album is available for free from the venerable, admired Russian netlabel Top 40. There are streaming and downloading options at the link below.
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DJ Nikto remixes Hedningarna

Last.FM has its flaws, but it’s been great for discovering new music. Here are a few wonderful gems I’ve found while looking for music that Last.FM’s algorithms have deduced to be “similar to” C. Reider, and “similar to” Drone Forest.
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An absolutely gorgeous 20 minute long bit of grey ambient bliss from Stray Ghost, called A House Of Gold And Oak was recently mentioned on Disquiet, and for good reason, this album is beyond good. (Last.FM link)
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Still Crescent (Myspace/Last.FM) and August Stars (MySpace/ Last.FM) are the same guy, Sébastien Wright , who creates some ridiculously beautiful droning ambient music. This stuff is really great… I wish I could point you to a freely downloadable album, but at least you can stream his music. It’s worth it.
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The eye-poppingly cool website of Erstlaub is appropriate given the high quality of his quietnoise drones. This guy knows how to let a drone develop from one interesting thing into another. Long live Erstlaub! (here’s his Last.FM link)
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