Noisescapes, sci-fi acid, dark rhythms, and more from the Bay Area underground

Flung to join White Crate on Lower Grand Radio; L&M release a joyful tribute to modern musique concrète; RITCHRD drops Matrix-inspired acid and breaks

Jul 29, 2022

“A walk down the shore, a twirl in the tidepools, the sound of settling and stretching.”

These are the sounds of Flung, aka Kashika Kollaikal, who we’re proud to be hosting on the upcoming White Crate show on Lower Grand Radio. The Oakland-based multi-instrumentalist, who crafts a special sort of experimental pop in their sound collages, has a new album coming out on Virginia/NYC label Citrus City next month entitled Apricot Angel. Next week, you’ll get a chance to her perform the new songs live on air.

Tune in Thursday, August 4 at 8 PM PT on Lower Grand Radio.

Peace,
ronny

GOOSEBUMP-WORTHY NOISE

Noise is full of artistic potential. Glass, Works! is a joyful tribute to modern musique concrète and the whims of experimental sound design. Utilizing one of the most innocuous of materials, the Oakland-based project L&M (Liam Herb and Milo Moyer-Battick) craft a beautiful, meditative noisescape from glass. The duo utilizes a variety of production and compositional techniques with contact mics, digital sampler, and glass and non-glass instrumentation: “tuned wine and beer bottles blown as flutes,” crystal wine glasses struck with mallets, walkie talkies, cellphones, and much more. The full work is split into three parts, each track harboring its own sonic mystery of how its soundscape was achieved.

Experimental music often runs the risk of leaning far too intellectual. But not always: This work is a fantastic achievement of atmosphere, straight from the ether. L&M have not only forged an industrial, totally listenable sound exercise from playful means, but also a piece that is transportive, meaningful, even alchemical in the listening. Glass, Works! is an insightful reminder of the plethora of instruments we have at our disposal to craft sound worlds with absolute, tangible, listening impact.

— Elise Mills

LETTING LOOSE IN ZION

In a couple weeks, you’ll be able to live out all your Matrix rave fantasies at Crybaby. But we’re not in Zion yet, so here’s something to tide you over until then: VIBE by RITCHRD, the 15th release from their can’t-miss dance label NO BIAS, features six tracks of crisp, uptempo acid and breaks, including samples of everyone’s favorite simulated reality film series on “ARCHITECT.” Thankfully, there’s no complicated storyline to figure out here. Just dance.

SEEING, DANCING IN THE DARK

Want to dig even deeper into the Bay Area underground? Here’s your regular reminder to visit Cone Shape Top, purveyors of well-curated fashion, art, literature, and local music. Their latest newsletter features these two releases: