L.A.'s Night Gaunt Recordings is a finely curated selection of some of the best and most interesting artists in the experimental underground. Not confined to just one sound, their releases cross over into the realms of noise, techno, post-industrial, power electronics and more. We've been fans for the past few seasons and featured the label's previous batch of tapes last year. The imprint has returned with three stellar releases including one from a favorite artist and performer at the upcoming Brvtalist live event on July 1st. We are proud to feature each release below.
Alexandra Atnif - Asymmetrik
Ms. Atnif has been on a tear since her Demo release last year and has since put out material on labels like Detroit Underground and newly formed Anthem Aesthetica. Asymmetrik is one of her most accomplished and cerebral works to date. The tape is comprised of seven total tracks, four on side A and three on B. "Fixed Target" commences the tape with the artist's signature rhythmic brutality and tracks like "Decay Mode" progress through moments of ambient and death industrial. The side closes with a climactic, almost cinematic digression into silence on "Anthems of the Deaf and Blind I". Side B offers more of the expertly crafted atmospherics and continues to expand on her arsenal of different realms of electronic production. We could not be more thrilled to be hosting Ms. Atnif's debut live performance, next Friday, July 1st at Complex in Los Angeles.
jjakub - Migration
Next up is the latest release by Nashville-based producer jjakub. This changes the pace a bit and moves into more elements of pulsating, industrial techno that is equally as ready for the warehouse as it is your home cassette player. Pulling inspiration from post-industrial, philosophy and urban decay, Migration is a stellar release that is a great example of the breadth of the label's roster. Both "Excess Labor 1" and "Excess Labor 2" raise the BPM's and offer fuel for the bleak times ahead while inviting the listener to get lost in the tracks' driving, centrifugal force. From the artist:
‘Migration’ is an attempt to convey feelings of hatred, desperation and deep, deep sadness moving back to a city that was replaced by another. One where the poor are pushed to the periphery, old homes torn down and replaced with condos. This a soundtrack to a place filled with yellow cranes and vampiric technocrats. ’Migration’ is the sound of when everything you’ve ever loved has turned into glass, and in your heart you’re terrified by the realization that the only way to stop it is with a firebomb.
Forbidden Colors - And They Danced In The Dragon's Mouth
Finally, we move to the experimental Forbidden Colors tape. Enrique Hernandez’ project is built on the harsher side of noise and power electronics. The latest material moves in a more rhythmic direction, letting in influences from techno and industrial. With a name borrowed from Yukio Mishima, and a distinctly queer aesthetic, Forbidden Colors is truly a sonic assault system. And They Danced... is an uncompromising release that is broken up into six distinct parts. Tracks "I" and "II" nicely start things off with a steady, building, distorted use of analog electronics dispersed with ominous samples and harsh noise. The rest of the release touches on dark ambient, death industrial and moments of dark techno which play well with the theme of the release. This is a great experimental work that is indicative of the sound Night Gaunt always seeks to promote.
