Aquarius Records closed in 2016. This site is an archive — a place to rediscover their extraordinary music recommendations. Nothing here is for sale.
Showing results 101 through 109 of 109.
V/AState of the Union 2.001(Electronic Music Foundation)3cd$ 35.00
This is the third installment in an ongoing series of compilations of experimental and avant garde artists, with its profits directed toward the National Coalition Against Censorship. Compiled by Elliot Sharp, the general concept here is to compose a
VON HAUSSWOLFF, C.M.Operation Of Spirit Communication(Die Stadt)lp$ 14.98
As co-monarch (with Leif Elggren) of the Kingdom of Elgaland-Vargaland, C.M. von Hausswolff has issued an edict which abolishes death and has invited the dead to become citizens of their virtual state. In order to communicate with the dead, von Hausswolff
WELLWATER CONSPIRACYThe Scroll and Its Combinations(TVT)cd$ 16.98
Third record from the duo of Matt Cameron (ex-Soundgarden) and Jon McBain (ex-Monster Magnet). Wellwater Conspiracy is their sort of retro sixties psych pop band, complete with tamborines and jangly guitars, but a little harder edged and heavier. Like a mix of
WHISKEYTOWNPneumonia(Lost Highway)cd$ 16.98
Ryan Adams took a few years off from his band Whiskeytown, and made quite a splash during that time with his solo album "Heartbreaker". I wonder if it was fun dating Winona Ryder. Now he's reconvened the quintet for their fourth full-length of
WICKHAM-SMITH, SIMON & RICHARD YOUNGSLammergeier(VHF)cd$ 13.98
Recorded 3 years ago and only now finally being released, this is Wickham-Smith and Young's umpteenth record together and bears quite a few similarities to their last, 'Metallic Sonatas'. The main similarity being the use of the laptop to effect their
WINDSOf Entity and Mind(Avantgarde Music)cd$ 14.98
Debut 22-minute, five-song ep of dark and moody and mostly mellow post-black metal from Norway, featuring the proficient guitar soloing of Carl August Tiedeman (who's played on records by both Arcturus and Ulver). Atmospheric, almost romantic stuff (there's lots of piano synth), with clean, crooning vocals (similar to Sculptured). Black metal trainspotters should note also that Jan
WOLFIETall Dark Hill(March)cd$ 14.98
When you see mention of the label March Records from Chicago you know you're in for some bright'n'bouncy pop, and here we have a perky trio from Champaign, IL known as Wolfie. On previous releases (on the Kindercore and Parasol labels) it seemed they were heading in a decidedly light, new wave direction, however this time they're spotted fishing in the Quasi pool of sweet melodies
ZA FRUMIZa Shum Ushatar Uglakh(Tarki)cd$ 12.98
Let me preface this review by mentioning that Allan has never read The Lord Of The Rings (even with his extensive D&D experience...hmmm). Za Frumi is a group of Swedish musicians, disenchanted with the black metal scene, and the music scene in general, who were compelled to look elsewhere for the magic and mystery they felt was lacking in modern music. The result is 'Za Shum Ushatar Uglakh', a musical tale of a clan of orcs and their battle against a mighty vampire lord! That's right, orcs. The story goes like this (from the liner notes): "Join the epic voyage of the orc leader Uglakh and his compatriots. Their adventure begins in the deep lustrous forest filled with the sounds of the wild and the roar of a great fire. Around it sit the Uruki Uglach, awaiting the mysterious primal dance of their shaman. The morning after, the uruks, compelled by their mystic shamans advice to Uglach, attack an old castle. After the raid, the subservient Golug Fachtal and his more adventurous kinsmen Yagui forage the forest, and set out to build a watch tower. After a frustrated argument about a toadstool, the wet Yagul and the other orcs begin building a tower, while the dagalush Knish and his kapuli friend go further afield, and find a deep sea beach, where the melodious elves are making sweet music. Later, we join the clans march during a night filled with wonder. They press constantly on, sometimes marching, sometimes sneaking. After a short stroll in the forest, Uglakh and his clansmen happen upon the dark, brooding castle of the dreaded vampire Ismael. The journey through his dark castle has two parts, with mysterious subterranean chanting and majestic orchestral sounds. They face many perils there, and end in the final battle with Ismael in his greatest chamber." Much like a radio play, the whole drama is played out via dialogue (more on that later), ambient sounds and incidental music. So simply as a musical story, utilising dark ambience, cinematic soundscapes, the sounds of life in the forest (sticks crackling, wind blowing, water splashing, swords clashing) and a litany of grunts and growls, which is the dialogue spoken entirely in orcish (for real! -- a handy translation is included in the booklet for those not fluent in the tongue). It's really interesting and quite entertaining. But the music, taken on its own, is quite an epic dronescape (albiet littered with very un-drone like segments). 'Za Shum...' is a strange mix of dark rumbles and throbbing pulses, simple clattery rhythms and tribal workouts, grunting and growling and roaring (that could be electronic rumbles or misplaced death metal vocalists if you didn't already know it was orcs) and the occasional folky flute interlude. Imagine the No Neck Blues Band jamming with Jonathan Coleclough or Andrew Chalk, with Chris Barnes (Cannibal Corpse) or Glenn Benton (Deicide) grunting the dialogue with the Thai Elephant Orchestra as their rhythm section. It's that weird. It's that cool.
ZOVIET FRANCEThe Decriminalization of Country Music(Tramway)cd$ 15.98
We first heard of Zoviet France's latest offering "The Decriminalization of Country Music" back in December; yet it has taken until now for the distribution channels to get into place for this record to finally make its way here to Aquarius. With almost Zoviet France began 20 years ago as an anonymous collective of musicians who embraced the DIY attitudes of Punk and Situationism, yet found inspiration in Terry Riley's tape mechanisms, Lee 'Scratch' Perry's schizoid dub production, and the wonders of non-Western instruments (tablas, bouzoukis, Tibetan bowls, Egyptian reeds, etc.). While each of their albums hold very distinct aesthetics, the basic ZF sound is a eerie cyclical drone built from a interlocking network of tape loops with dubbed intrusions of the aforementioned ethnic instruments. One of the subtle ties between all of the Zoviet France records is the process of recycling material, in which a handful of discreet sound elements repeat throughout the album within a broad spectrum of recognizability. For an album like "Hessian" it would be the surreal chant "OK, Boys!" and for "Feedback" it would be the distant whir of a sputtering drum machine. "The Decriminalization of Country Music" is one of the more obvious examples of Zoviet France's recycling process, as they had been commissioned by the Tramway Gallery in Glasgow, Scotland to re-interpret the sounds of the gallery's extensive redevelopment from a desolate warehouse to a workable exhibition hall. While ZF utilizes various construction site sounds and the resonant properties of the room itself, the dominate theme for "Decriminalization" is the sound of a languorous slide guitar, making comparisons to Ry Cooder inevitable. At the beginning of the record, Zoviet France boldly introduces the haunting guitar sounds against quiet static loops and rich drone synthesis. Yet as the album progresses, the guitar's presence becomes more diffuse, with only a few fragments of muffled twangs hovering amidst the post-industrial ambience by the end of the album. "The Decriminalization of Country Music" stands as Zoviet France's most minimal piece to date, and like all of their records is an amazing, if not required listening experience.