The Oratory Of Divine Love - "ARCHangel" CD

This experimental sound project of John Gore (of Cohort Records, 'kirchenkampf', etc.) has been silent for several years, but this 2-track, 60-minute album is a worthwhile bit of listening, and quite refreshing after too many black metal blastbeats and free jazz skronkings. 

Utiizing "only radios", and with "no overdubs", the album begins with "Part 1", which is a sort of urban ambience. It's full of subtle reverberations, laced with sounds you can almost make out, but it's all a swirl of foggy grey. It may even appear static to some ears, but upon closer listening, there's a lot going on. Imagine a busy intersection at rush hour, put the sounds into a blender and listen from the inside of a thick glass jar, if that gives you any indication.

"Part 2" is similar, but to these ears seems somehow darker, more spacious, and more forbidding. The deeply-resonating collage here resembles a cosmic disturbance, or a lonely journey down the fuselage of a deep space station. I consider that a good thing. 

"ARCHangel" is a work packed with depth and understated mystery. Definitely worth a listen.

(Cohort Records)

'kirchenkampf' - "Lowland" CDR

Experimental music from Monticello, Indiana? Most certainly, and micro-indie label Cohort Records, owned by John Gore, has been behind it for years now. 'kirchenkampf' is Gore's primary musical project, and it's been his most prolific outlet for audio collage since the late eighties.
"Lowland" is his latest collection of ambient soundscapes, and this set is an evocative and subtle set of darkened vapor-clouds of sound. And while most of "Lowland" seems relatively formless, the air of mystery and tension is palpable, and worthy of soundtrack consideration. There are seven tracks here, all titled with map references, but that's no consequence, as "Lowland" flows together as a unified whole. Sometimes relaxing and other times uneasy, this album functions well as a meditative background listen, and ideal for reading (or reflecting) alongside.
The handsome packaging and handmade slipcase (painted and stamped by the artist himself) elevates this release into the realms of visual art, as well, and anyone with an ear for the obscure and the subtle should find this to be a fascinating and worthy piece for the collection. (Cohort Records)

>wirewall< - "Terminal Man" CDR

With what sounds to me like a cross between the old BBC Radiophonic Workshop electronic experiments of the 60's and harsher underground noise (think "Dr. Who" theme meets Merzbow at his most ear-draining), this mysterious project contains some of the more abrasive sound I've heard in some time. Contained in a deluxe DVD-sized case with obscure art, >wirewall<'s seemingly freeform electronic textures are jagged and difficult, with swollen shards of digital feedback alongside analogue synth burbles and gurgles. The initial track, "electrode", is packed with wicked bursts of static and squealing pulses. The rest of the album isn't exactly easy listening, either. "memristor" is lower key, but still a clot of alien electronica with disorienting machine whines, whirrs, and proto-computer gibberish. "Terminal Man" is recommended only for those who favor chaos and noise, so fans of tuneful sounds approach with caution here. (Cohort Records)

Kirchenkampf - "Well Of Souls" CDR

John Gore's work as Kirchenkampf probes the dark, unexplored regions of our world (and beyond), and does so with skill and cinematic flair. "Well Of Souls" is a travelogue into deep, subterranean dark spaces, with dense static, flickering drones, and expansive textures. The opener here, the 28-minute ambient track "Deep Dark", is a masterwork of isolationist ambient. The oppressive sounds are vast, overwhelming, and subtle, with hints of an unexplained leviathan looming in the distance. The 24-minutes of "Souls Transfixed" feels almost urban, like a drifty, distant rumble of late-night auto traffic, machines, and the rumble of activity on the horizon. Beautiful, and slightly sinister stuff. The final cut here, "Psyche Void", clocks in at over 24 minutes, too, and this one is more distant, deep, and lonely ambience with an edginess that is palpable. Brilliant work. Also of note here is the fantastic and artistic presentation - the disc is housed in an ornate foldout sleeve with professional printing. Impressive, evocative, and splendid independent work that deserves a wider release. (Cohort Records)