EXCLUSIVE: Cart(a)ing Not Drown(er)ing

Two great releases are just off the horizon for Texas' Saint Marie Records. Elusive Californian atmospheric wanderers Carta are releasing their third record (and first for the label) in the form of The Faults Follow, an eleven track opus of undulating ebbs and flows. They have never truly had an easy time of it (the first incarnation broke up after spending two fruitless years trying to put out their debut record) and The Fault Follows was borne out of the stresses that comes with family (life, loss and everything in between). It makes sense then that this offers a different feel for the band - indeed, we have a preoccupation with vocals for the first time - its introspective musings curling into each other like ingrown hairs, getting under the skin and staying there. Here is the exclusive release of the title track:

Sonic Masala followers might be a little more familiar with Houston's Drowner - we championed their self-titled EP back in 2012. Their debut LP proper You're Beautiful, I Forgive You doesn't shirk from the heavy lifting, offering moments of heady distortion and washes of aural grind that shoegaze acolytes can get their rabid maws into, but the quieter, contemplative moments help to buoy the album, therefore making those moments of release all the more emphatic. When people say noise can be beautiful, they probably had Drowner in mind. The expansion to a five piece also makes a hell of an impact, as 'Glow' attests - hazy sunlight breaks through the meshed-in noise...
 

You can pre-order both albums here and here respectively. Two very solid albums right here - don't miss the boat.

Peeling With Their Bloody Knives...

We have been mightily impressed with the musical output of Austin doom-laden noise merchants Bloody Knives, especially as their shoegaze aesthetics have continually been twisted and corrupted into some other seething beast. I say shoegaze, mainly due to the wall of sound, but there is no guitar - this is more A Place To Bury Strangers and Health than MBV here. Each release is a further spike into the heart of dissonance, the bile pumping out then molded into a strangely alluring mantra of soothing darkness. The Death EP (their third - see what we thought of the first two here and here) is spiralling even further into the muck and the mire, yet even more productive in finding melody and warmth amidst the abject nihilism. This trio are seductive, tapping our deepest, base desires - give in and live.

Death is out now on Saint Marie Records (who have some stellar releases in the bag - stay posted) - you can buy it here. Check out the track 'Peeling Away The Skin' below.

Bloody Knives Get Bloodier

I was really impressed with Austin's industrial shoegaze trio Bloody Knives and their debut release back in 2010. A heady mixture of HEALTH and A Place To Bury Strangers, the tracks on Burn It All Down were relentless and loud - very loud. (check it out here if you missed out - silly.)

Well, I missed their Disappear EP from May last year (silly), but grabbed their Blood release recently. These punkish rogues have taken their aesthetic and twisted the dials to breaking point. It can be quite busy, and the noise can fight the actual melody of the song, but it's true that this trio are insistent on branding their music onto your soul. By the end of this listen, you'll be glad to oblige.

Bloody Knives - Blood
Bloody Knives - Death Blessing

Drowners Never Go Away

Take a moment to meet Drowner, fittingly from Space City USA - Houston, Texas. Their press ticks off influences that colour each corner of the shimmering guitar rock spectrum - Ringo Deathstarr, My Bloody Valentine, Mogwai, Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, The Cure... And whilst the shoegaze elements are inherent in their self-titled debut LP (out March 13 on Saint Marie Records, a niche label that specialises in this sound and have also added SM faves Bloody Knives to their roster), making such connections is a little too safe. Case in point is second track 'Never Go Away', at just under eight minutes a creeping track that is Siren-esque in its gossamer, eerie calls. The washes of guitar are actually delicate, meticulously balanced, even in the stronger rock numbers such as 'Point Dume' or 'Written'. After bringing Fonda's comeback to our attention last year, Crash Avenue are responsible for pushing this release, and with good reason. This reminds me of when I heard Whirr (the band formerly known as Whirl) for the first time. Seeing as their Distressor EP is one of my favourite releases of its kind in the past few years, that is saying something. Get on board.



Drowner - Never Go Away
Drowner - Point Dume

A Weapon To Use On Strangers

Now here is something. There was a period a few months ago there wasnt anything that I could do without getting me a fix of A Place To Bury Strangers. I was hunting far and wide for B-sides, remixes and rarities, a few of which I shared with your fine selves.

From that point, I moved on, but have kept dipping my toes in their abrasive version of shoegaze nihilism. I pretty much thought Id have to wait until the New Yorkers brought out their next album.

Or maybe not...

I have been listening to Austin, Texas duo Bloody Knives for about a month now. Its pretty rude of me to have kept em from you really, so Im finally imparting their album Burn It All Down. Despite labelling themselves as electropunk, what with the use of drum machine/laptop/keyboard/noise and all, the first five seconds of opening track 'Tell Me Im Wrong' had me swooning for APTBS's 2009 classic Exploding Head. And as this album progresses, the foreboding sense of dread and doom dealt with demonic efficiency and mirthless glee accentuated this notion. That said, this is not just a homage - the industrial dirges that spark tracks like 'No One Else' infuses the album with ever darker images, whilst the electronic flourishes on 'Close' and 'No One Hears' comes out like a slightly less manic Death From Above covering Joy Division. This is a very impressive release, imbued with the right amount of attitude and aggression to ensure repeated listens - even moreso if you're intending a night filled with narcotic fuel and a trip down the rabbithole.

Burn It All Down is out now on Killredrocket Records - grab a digital copy here. If you do decide to hunt down a physical (limited edition) copy of the album, be prepared - it is an amazing package due to the band's emphasis on the art being as much a telling factor of the music than the music itself. Well worth it.

Bloody Knives - No One Else

Bloody Knives - Hands Around Your Neck