Why bother? It is old.
On December 30th 2011, the DIY label-cum-collective, Sandwell District
declared that they would cease “regular audio communications” as an imprint and sect. On the Tumblr version of their fanzine/communiqué
‘WhereNext’ the following statement was posted.
“ All vinyl artifacts have been decommissioned.
There is a possibility of future,
albeit regular, print communications
with audio accompaniment.
However, details -- and indeed content --
is uncertain at this moment in time.
The Sandwell experiment will exist through live actions
which will continue to expand into new sonic territory --
in addition to audio/print installations
as previously witnessed in
New York, Los Angeles, Gdansk,
Bialystok, Berlin and London.
Stasis is death,
See you on the other side."
So…
Why mention,
or for that matter represent the mark in some thick-twatted blog presentation?
Since the initial 12" drop (2002’s Regis / Ian J. Richardson-Untergang / Untergang 2), half the experience was in the wax plates and there parallel quest.
Trolling concrete for the A-frame marquees of diminishing record shops.
Crate digging for goods in creak garrets and dust basements.
Web scrolling the new release summary at BoomKat, Experimedia or Hard Wax.
Anticipating for weeks my route carrier's delivery; who in our familiarity, has me dubbed the "Hey Buddy" and inclusively interjects a “you know how it is" at every full stop.
Fuck that. It's the score!
Internally swelling up with an occult infection.
The X-acto knife opening the package, Juan Mendez's slice artwork, The colored vinyl, That new toy smell.
Hypno-ventilating on the sound pressures in the air.
Don't read me wrong. I'm not all decked out in last year’s nostalgia.
Check out Silent Servant's (Juan Mendez) Post-Sandwell 'Negative Fascination' on Hospital Productions, Regis' (Karl O'Connor) 'In A Syrian Tongue' on Blackest Ever Black, Function's (David Sumner) 'Obsessed' on Echocord Colour, Rrose's 'Wedge Of Chastity', 'Preretinal', 'The Surgeon General' (with Bob Ostertag) on the Eaux imprint. Don't read me wrong. I'm not all decked out in last year’s nostalgia.
So, why not present labels with current releases?
Say, all the above mentioned or: PAN, L.I.E.S., Not Not Fun, Semantica,
Avian, Perc Trax, Modern Love, Public Information, Spectrum Spools,
Tri Angle, 50 Weapons, Uno...
Or why not map the precursors?
Like Karl O'Conner's seminal Downwards, Sähkö Recordings, Basic Channel,
Mute, Industrial Records. Underground Resistance, Plus 8, Ostgut Ton...
Why? Because. I'm lazy and care not to be overwhelmed.
And I can use The Sandwell District as a focal point to a sound that syntheses
Chicago House, Detroit Techno, UK Industrial, German Körpermusik and Motorik,
Micro Minimalism, Dub Scape, Psychedelic Throb, Cold Wave Chill. Electro, Noise, Experimental, EDM.
That genre mesh represents the majority of music
that smoke wafted from my bedroom
or stuccoed my head in phones in 2012.
Just saying.You know, Buddy.
Post-Sandwell.
Discography
WhereNext?
Rrose
Eaux
B.E.B
Hospital Productions
Echocord Colour
Downwards
*
p.s. Hey. This weekend, the superb artist and d.l. Flit has made you a gorgeous, informative, wide-screen blog post that will surely exceed all of your expectations, and please give yourselves over to it then talk freely and respectively to your guest-host, okay? Thank you. And thank you ever so much, Flit! Otherwise, I am sicker yet today and feel like absolute crap, so please excuse my brevity and blah, and, since the law of averages says that between my day off tomorrow and the endeavors I intend to undertake to end this rather hellish state I'm in between now and Monday, I should be a lot more okay to talk to you by the next time I see you. ** Bill, Hi. Based on the evidence, I am not ready to proselytize on half of bee pollen, but I'm keeping at it. Hope your eyes are better at propping themselves up today. ** Scunnard, Cool, glad you found it/her interesting, man. ** David Ehrenstein, Thanks, but I think that, as far as French theater/dance goes, I am exclusively Gisele's bitch. I think it was the fact that David Leavitt was a huge name-checker of Cheever back when Leavitt was the gay lit darling that lead to the flurry of Cheever talk back then maybe. Congrats on the Jon Swift commendation! ** Billy Lloyd, French culinary delights will be yours, guaranteed. Thank you for your theoretical prayers. If I were religious, I would encourage them. That's okay, re: 'Yuri'. I must have typed his name in the correct spelling a thousand times to my sister, and she still spells it with an 'i'. That go-to one-color costume thing does seem pretty genius. May the wows be the wowiest yet. Have a lovely weekend, B. ** Will, Hi. I don't think it's bronchitis. I've had bronchitis. It's either a flu or an extremely bad cold, I think. I mainly remember Schwarzenegger's sparkle. Early cgi magic. Really glad you found the Marin post interesting. Thanks a lot. Have fun until Monday, okay? ** Cobaltfram, I hope you didn't get sick. That PS3 should make it a whole lot more tolerable if you do, though, I guess. Nice. Mum's the word re: your parents, I promise. ** Flit, Flit! I'm so proud to house your majestic thing! I couldn't follow those strings today if they led to the fountain of youth. Don't worry about me. Thank you re: Marin, and, yeah, may the world give you everlasting joy this weekend, and may the d.l.s reward your brilliance handsomely. ** Sypha, Oh, list, cool. I love a list even when sickly. I seem to be in the extremely tiny minority that doesn't like that X-TG 'Desertshore' album at all. I find it hard to believe that Peter would have let that happen were he alive. I think they either should have released the demos with Gen's vocals or dropped it. It just sounds like a vanity self-tribute album to me. But, like I said, while there are those who agree with me, we seem to be few-ish. ** David J. White, Hi, David! Thanks, man, and I hope your roommates don't pass along their flu versions, or, if they do, god forbid, it's not the French version 'cos whoa, bleah. Awesome that you got that ltd. ed. 'Sluts'. It's just a zillion times better looking and cooler than the trade edition one. #1? Wow. Hope you stay healthy and that your weekend dreams come true. ** Steevee, How was 'West of Memphis'? Egoyan? Curious choice. But, yeah, maybe it'll rouse him from his recent multi-year slumbers like you said. That material might just. ** 5STRINGS, Cool. People make lots of cool shit, man. Seriously. See my blog every day for proof. Artaud sounds good. If I could read, I might read him. Thanks, buddy. ** _Black_Acrylic, It was/is indeed remarkable. Artaud again, interesting. That's quite a swell book, obviously. Should help you, I think. And do post me re: your ideas. Fine weekend to you. ** Postitbreakup, Thanks, I'm trying. Wait, did you just quote Pollard aka God to me? If that doesn't cure me, nada will. Thank you, man, that's so sweet. ** A white fiction resumes its punctuality, Hi! So glad you liked it. Thank you. Kusama did a version of 'Alice in Wonderland'? You mean she illustrated it, or ... ? I have to look that up. I will. Maybe even today as a possible psychological curative force against my beleaguered body. Take care until Monday. ** Okay. Here's the deal. First, apologies for that p.s. Second, don't not comment this weekend because you don't want to bother me because, one, I'll likely be okayish at least by Monday, and, two, this weekend belongs to Flit, and please don't short-shrift his great post and efforts out of a misguided if well intentioned idea that leaving comments would be a hassle for me, okay? Thank you. All right, see you on Monday one way or the other.