According to their website, it’s “a micro record label based in Minneapolis providing small pressings of uncommon, unusual and unpopular vinyl recordings.” That sounds like my kind of label!

The AMR folks sent me a sampling of recent material — featuring hand-numbered, custom printed artwork and records.

Those of you older than me may be familiar with Boy Dirt Car, the noise band out of Milwaukee who has played in Minneapolis often in the past 30 years (yes – thirty) and helped define the “Junk Rock” movement of the 80s.

Boy Dirt Car is exactly the kind of experimental, nonlinear, noise rock I want to play these days, and I’m quite pleased to have Familia on vinyl now. I’ve grown so tired of formulaic crap designed to sell records, and BDC’s sound is the polar opposite. In fact, there’s a strong chance only a few readers would even tolerate this. And that’s okay. You can go back to your Foster the People mp3s now.

The new Steve Mackay album, however, won over multiple coworkers since I started spinning it a couple weeks ago. North Beach Jazz features the saxophonist of The Stooges and Commander Cody (plus time backing groups like The Violent Femmes) belting out Mackay’s San Francisco influences.

My favorite track on the B side, “La Cuisine Charnelle,” which I could easily see Brian Auger getting excited about. People walking down the hall would stick their heads in when playing this record, asking, “What is this?” or merely “Now this actually sounds like music,” which I assume is a dig at my growing collection of experimental noise albums.

Speaking of experimental noise, Afternoon Music also sent over Peter J. Woods‘ Songs for Nothing which is more a work of performance-meets-accidental recording art than anything one would call music.

Defined by harsh, screaming feedback paired with harsh screaming audio, to say this record is unpopular is overstating the obvious. I enjoyed blaring it for Doug Hamlin during a meeting about work that was actually important.

I’m pretty psyched to discover After Music and can’t wait for their next batch of releases.

Have a favorite experimental or noise album? Share in the comments!

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MP3: Pelican – “Lathe Biosas”

I’m finding my playlist tends to ebb and flow with the passive-aggressive seasonal affective disorder that is slowly setting in.

Things like:

• Fuji Kareta
• Indians
• Atari Teenage Riot
• Beast
• Olivia Tremor Control
• Old Bricks

Don’t know Old Bricks? They’re a group out of Raleigh, NC, and I can’t get enough of their sophomore LP, City Lights.

Here’s the single:

MP3: Old Bricks – “Anthem”

May your winters be gray, cold and depressing. And may your playlists be uplifting and the perfect soundtrack for your season.

But what would it sound like if you played those rings like a record?

Bartholomäus Traubeck has answered that burning question with a turntable, PlayStation Eye Camera, a stepper motor to control the arm and Ableton Live software.

This. Is. Epic. I need one of these for the office. I’d love to hear the differences in types of wood. I bet mahogany is rich and sultry while pine would be tinny and forgettable.

Can’t wait for Apple to start mass merchandising this technology.

[via Make]

The supergroup released a free EP last August and are following it up with a second EP that’s pretty great.

Here’s the second track:

MP3: ††† (Crosses) – “Prurient”

Stream the EP here.

Buy it here for $4.

The group is also doing a cool Instagram promotion giving away tickets to people who post cool interpretations of the ††† logo. See the entries here.

MP3: Ghostmouth – “Wasting Time On Her”

MP3: Royal Baths – “Darling Divine”

These buds have an 11mm driver that makes the bass THICK – all the better to spin this new track off Royal Baths’ Better Luck Next Life, set to be released by Kanine Records on March 6th.

Royal Baths on FB