Cassettes? Really? I said the same thing as cassettes began making a comeback because of their kvlt nature or something along those lines, but one great thing about cassettes is how easy it is to make them and do interesting packaging designs with the cassettes. Well, I was dragged kicking in screaming into picking up cassettes for certain releases by bands and their offshoots of which I have become obsessed with over the years. These are the most impressive cassette releases that I have seen this year.
1. Mamiffer / Oakeater- split (Dead Accents)
OK, so Mamiffer and Oakeater have released several splits together now, but this one was particularly impressive. A double cassette split housed in a wooden box (hinges and all and tied shut with twine), this split is hyper limited (to 36 copies) and is completely gone; but you can look on these pictures in envy if you would like. Both groups put forth awesome efforts on this release, which only makes it a shame that this is not more widely available; but given the massive amount of work that went into the release, I can understand its limited nature.
2. Pyramids- Wvndrkmmr (Small Doses)
This is really 1b or a straight tie for #1 and not just because of the sheer volume of noise that Wvndrkmmer contains within its five cassettes but also because of the sheer number of artists involved in this project; Mamiffer, Fear Falls Burning, Oakeater, Burial Hex, Great Falls, Across Tundras, Romance of the Young Tigers, This Will Destroy You, Tenhornedbeast and a ton more all contribute to this massive undertaking that is roughly six hours of unadulterated noisy and or ambient bliss. A great deal of effort and care was obviously put into this entire release, and it is a release that most people probably will never hear about, which is a damn shame.
3. Have A Nice Life- Voids (Music Ruins Lives)
4. Have A Nice Life- Time Of Land (Enemies List)
Considering that these have a batch of my favorite songs from this dynamic duo, the Voids and Time Of Land cassettes are on this list because of being the only physical formats for these magnificent “records”. Yes both are extremely limited and long sold out, but one can still get the music on these beasts if you are industrious (and I highly suggest doing so). No, do not ask for my copies of these.
5. Sports- Black Note Saga Volume 1: The Grimmsphere (Deathsmile)
Now, I do not have the cassette in my hands yet, but this is the rerelease of the CDr of the same name by this sadly defunct or just on hiatus group and is here because the doomy material that is on the cassette is such a great batch of noise.
(Bob)
