The Golden Weight Of Forest Swords

I'm constantly surprised when I hear something that comes out of left field, is absolutely terrifying in how good it is, and yet no one seems to have heard of it. In 2010 this happened when Dagger Paths, the debut release from northern England artist Forest Swords, came to my attention. It was one of the first posts I ever did here at Sonic Masala, and I immediately started handing it around to everyone I knew, telling them how amazing this guy (real name: Matthew Barnes) was. Sure, he hadn't really started playing any live shows, but so what? That was still somewhat an anomaly at that stage. And even if everyone left the live arena and retired to their Garageband desktop studios, Dagger Paths was a clearly defined beast, at once unabashedly assured and otherworldly - a spectral crawl like no other.

Of course he did get noticed, to the point that three years later, as he prepares to launch his debut LP Engravings on Tri Angle Records, Forest Swords is contending with a tsunami of anticipation. I don't think Barnes is too worried though, if 'The Weight Of Gold' is anything to go by. The incredibly dense textures created back on Dagger Paths, meshing together genres so that it became a dense, lysergic mist across the moors where only the bravest tread, were already well entrenched in Barnes' MO, there is nothing second-guessed in this vision. The new track seems even more stranded in Forest Swords' manufactured netherworld, more fettered with foreboding, and more crystalline in its intent. All in all, an incredible extension of what is already an incredible (albeit very short) oeuvre.

You can pre-order Engravings here. Australians, you need to hear this - and much better in person, as Barnes brings his world to ATP's Release The Bats festival in Melbourne on October 26. He joins an already impressive line-up that includes The Jesus Lizard, Sleep, Television and Lightning Bolt, amongst many others - this is going to be AMAZING.

Major Speedy Deals 90s In The Arcane

This week I'm finding myself posting about bands that were sending me stuff when they were but minnows in the pond, likeminded souls scratching each others' backs (see: FIDLAR, Tape Deck Mountain, Weekend, Forest Swords...). And to see these artists blooming and getting deserved praise and adulation whilst Sonic Masala plugs away - it brings a tear (of pride) to the eye. Run forth and prosper, you crazy kids...

One such outfit is Boston-via-NY's Speedy Ortiz. After a lil email to-and-fro with the lead Sadie Dupuis I finally got round to taking in their Sports EP and really dug it, especially songs like 'Indoor Soccer' which took me back to my childhood (90s angular indie rock when it was still indeed independent). Now Speedy Ortiz are riding high after the successful release of their debut album Major Arcana (out on Carpark Records), and the fleshed-out production has done nothing to hide the raw aggression in the compositions, the sardonic sneer in Dupuis' lyrics, the mirrored image of Liz Phair and Louise Post, sanctioned angst. The deliberate wonky nature of songs like 'Plough' (the fact they have a song called 'Plough' feels very 90s too...) They even have an elongated spiked meltdown closer in 'MKVI' that stretches almost over double the playing time of their other songs! As if I wouldn't be a fan of this. So many great tracks... Hurry up and come to Australia guys!

You can buy Major Arcana here.

A Lil Bit Of Youthful Carpark Magic

Carpark Records - responsible for putting out Toro Y Moi's Underneath The Pine (gee, this album really made an impression on me today...), pointed me in the direction of Young Magic, an Australian one man psych-synthostrobic act, and his 7" release You With Air/Sparkly. Its a slick groove-laden release, both songs evoking a sense of dark ambient electronics that are akin to Sonic Masala faves Forest Swords, especially in 'You With Air', in their disparate and hypnotic take on the soundscapes that many drag/witch house labeled acts have tried to commit to tape and have consequently eviscerated beyond repair. I mentioned earlier that there are bands to have come out of the murk that was chillwave to evolve into altogether more ethereal musical beings - Young Magic barely touched the rancid waters, which may speak wonders for his future.

Young Magic's 7" can be bought here - the debut LP is on its way - Im looking forward to it with bated breath. If you are heading along to South By South West in Austin this March, you can see what the fuss is all about - he's on the Carpark/Paw Tracks Showcase, where he'll take the stage alongside such esteemed acts as Prince Rama, the aforementioned Toro Y Moi, and Cloud Nothings - nice.

Young Magic - You With Air
Young Magic - Sparkly

(NB It transpires that Isaac, the brainchild of Young Magic, used to be in a flamboyant and ever-so-slightly shit Brisbane act called Flamingo Crash, but is now based primarily in Brooklyn. This may explain a lot for his heady evolution in sound...)

Sonic Masala's Fave EPs of 2010!

So the duty of Sonic Masala's second 'best of' list falls to me, and its late. No change there. As the title points out I've got the daunting task of picking out our fave EPs for 2010 and there are a hell of a lot to pick from. Now as we all know EP stands for extended play - no shit Sherlock - and as such a format extended play seems to have stretched its criteria somewhat. There really seems so to be no set rules these days about what is an EP and what's not, from the number of songs to the size or even type of format, is all up for grabs. So our list below has taken some liberties, after all isn't a mini album or a limited 10" an extended play?

So with this in mind, and so much awesomeness to choose from, the list below was really rather tough to put together, I'm sure I'll have committed some heinous crimes and omitted some real gems, if so please comment and correct. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here's the EPs and other extended plays that have got SM all worked up into an extended frenzy this year...

Sonic Masala's Fave EPs of 2010...

LA Vampires and Zola Jesus - LA Vampires meets Zola Jesus

Double Dagger - Masks

Not Cool - Rugged Raw

Gum Takes Tooth - 5" floppy disk demo

Factory Floor - Untitled

Forest Swords - Dagger Paths

Pop. 1280 - The Grid

Zola Jesus - Stridulum

Running - Running

Islet - Celebrate This Place

When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth - Peaced

Zorch - Zut Alore!

The Austerity Program - Backsliders and Apostates Will Burn

Drawing Swords On White Chords

These New Puritans are one of the UK's almost best kept secrets - their skewed take on dark electronica/noise is something to behold. However, from all intents and purposes they are yet to fully capture that textural sound live - at least when in front of me at least.

DEFINITELY one of the UK's best kept secrets - but not for long Im sure - is Forest Swords. His slow burning electronic dirges are entrancing, and his Dagger Paths release is still my favourite for EP of the year.

Now you can see these two together, almost as they were meant to be. Forest Swords and swathed TNP's 'White Chords' with his glacial menace, and it heightens the track exponentially. This would be a fantastic double act - and just maybe the Essex dark perfectionists might strike the right balance with a like mind in tow...

These New Puritans - White Chord (Forest Swords remix)

When the Earth Willingly Moves...

Its been a week of trying new things. We've had mnttaB, Induced Labour, Found Sound Nation, Mirror, Castevet, Mike Mokotow, Dirt Dress - all acts I hadn't a lick of knowledge about when I woke up last weekend. Well, here is one more to finish off the weekend...

Given Willingly (not sold on the name) is one-man project by Germany's Andreas Niegl. The single 'Water & Sleep' is getting released, and the plus is there are some juicy numbers added to the mix. Now this is my own opinion, but the other tracks are waaaaaaaaaaay more interesting than what's on its way out. It is still good though, which makes this a tasty find. It is more of an EP than anything else, and with the promise of an album in the near future, it is enough to get excited about.

Each track contains an ambient grind reminiscent of local UK act Forest Swords. Particularly the one featured below, 'The Earth Moves'. It encapsulates punk rock aesthetics, post rock histrionics and electronica to create some beguiling soundscapes... But don't worry, you can sample what they deemed best to be their front-up single and decide for yourself - or better yet, if you like, lend these brothers a hand...

Given Willingly - The Earth Moves
Given Willingly - Water & Sleep

Forest Swords primed with new song

Just a quick post about Forest Swords' new single 'Rattling Cage', out through No Pain In Pop. Check it out - I likee.

Forest Swords - Rattling Cage from ///NO PAIN IN POP\\\ on Vimeo.

And just a little puffing out the chest kinda thing - we covered Dagger Paths months ago, and here's Pitchfork's review from today - so we do have our finger on the pulse!

You can't see the daggers for the swords...

Forest Swords is a one man band - an enigmatic producer and musician who hunkers down out Wirral/Liverpool way. His musical leanings are indicative of his geography - the dark stringwork and guitar at times akin to F@A! era Godspeed! You Black Emperor, reverb soaked vocals, dub-step sampling, tribal drums, all providing a cold, enveloping presence. Its actually quite brilliant. He has just released his first LP, Dagger Paths, which includes this amazing cut, 'If Your Girl', which according to the Fader is an Aaliyah cover. Interesting. He also put out a mixtape, which had remixes of Burial+Four Tet and Wild Beasts, which is well worth a listen. I really really like this album - source it out. Its haunting and quite dark, yet utterly addictive. Also below is one of a 'triptych' of Forest Swords' videos, all available on Vimeo.

Forest Swords - If Your Girl

Forest Swords - Glory Gongs from OESB // FUTURE SOUND on Vimeo.