CITYGUYS is a collaboration between Berk Çakmakçı (Soft Gates), Mike Sheffield (Heavens Gate), and Jeremy Krinsley (Human Resources). Z TRAIN was recorded live at House of Aragon HQ in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on November 16, 2011
HOA005 Massspectra, “Layer 1”
A bi-coastal collision that hit the little circle button on the tape deck and dropped deep drone and rusty brass into a squall of busted noise and no age motherfucking jazz. — John Bail
A collaboration between D. Sarna and Renahan Aaron. Available in a series of 25 cassettes. Out October 25.
HOA004: Alan Watts, “Thank You, Spectral Void”
Alan Watts (b. 1915) was a Bay Area philosopher who popularized Zen Buddhism in America. After publishing The Way of Zen in 1957, he appeared in several Kerouac novels. Flash forward fifty-four years to a smoky basement in Bushwick. Brooklynites M. Watts, J. Watts, and P. Watts are at the DIY venue Xpo 929, smoking weed and lighting incense, messing with an MPC drum machine and riffing out distorted guitar textures. They’re doing their best to drown out the teenage emo-core show upstairs. They fittingly call themselves “Alan Watts.”
The trio’s debut Thank You, Spectral Void EP is an organic and loosely poppy take on pulsating, industrial darkwave. Their sprawling, gloomy “Spectral Void” loads warped, subtly screeching guitars over a Suicide drive of steady bass and schizophrenic beats, worthy of repeat plays. “It reminds me of the Factory Records shift to club music and ecstasy,” bassist P. Watts tells me. “The sweet spot right between ‘Closer’ and Happy Mondays.” Meanwhile, guitarist M. Watts says, “we channel alien airwaves through a microwave oven attached to a bus.” Alan— who said, “in music, one doesn’t make the end of the composition the point of the composition”— would approve. —Jenn Pelly, Pelly Twins/Altered Zones Alan Watts - Angelique Highway by house of aragon
HOA003: Human Resources, “Oxyc Woody” CD-R
The weirdo black sheep of the Human Resources catalog, “Oxyc Woody” explores the borders of electronica, joyous industrial skronk, and home-made noise apocalypse. Hear the whole thing here.
