Did you ever just want to pop on a record to zone out to while you are either doing work or trying to rest from some stressful situation, or, did you ever want a mellow record to start the day with or serve as a soundtrack to your latest trip? More and more I am finding these types of records to be essential to my personal mental well being (a respite from the crazy storm of life around me), and there seems to be no short supply of this type of music; but the real trick seems to be wading through the deluge of available releases to find those that hit home, or, in more accurate terms, records that can both affect you and can be ignored. Over time, certain outfits have stuck with me that I have picked up along the way; and House Of Low Culture and Mamiffer are both such projects that I now look forward to what comes from them and this split is certainly no exception.
Let me just say that if you have yet to fall under the powerful spell that Mamiffer puts forth than you just have no emotions in that burnt out husk of flesh that you call a human body and are in dire need of psychiatric attention. For this split, Mamiffer offers just one piece, “Uncrossing”, which continues right where <i>Hirror Ennifer</i> (the debut from the group) left off but in a more leisurely or expanded format; sweeping piano movements and grand organ swells bulwark the white noise, field recordings, and feedback to create a truly beautiful listening experience.
Usually, House Of Low Culture is more subtle in its effect on listeners with what are often quiet sonic textures that offer a more subconscious attack; but here, on this split, House Of Low Culture dispenses with some of its normal familiarities to attempt some new avenues with their music. Often times, I find myself getting lost in their other material (exactly what I love about the music) and that is still a perfectly legitimate road to go down with the quiet atmospheric effects and soothing guitar drones of “Ice Mole” (the entry from House Of Low Culture on this split); but the addition of singing in certain sections (or really chanting in English because that’s what it sounds like) that certainly brings the song to another level.
Let me be honest with you dear reader because it would behoove me to be so; I was going to like this before I even heard it (no love it), but both bands did go over and above even my expectations for what would be coming my way via these two groups. My one complaint is that there is not more material from each because both offerings are more than just excellent, and I have been frequently playing the split over and over again (often back to back) ever since it came in the post; House Of Low Culture and Mamiffer do not disappoint and tease with just a taste of what both outfits may be doing in the future.
See also
Mamiffer: http://www.myspace.com/mamiffer HOLC: http://aaronbturner.blogspot.com/
