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Thread: Cyclic Law label

  1. #1
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    Cyclic Law label

    Hey all...

    I'm guessing a few of you may be aware of the Cyclic Law label (Mr. Battema most likely) but most of this stuff was new to me. The label is pretty niche to the dark ambient side of things and occasionally veering into the more extreme power electronics realm. So far, everything I've heard has been at the very least great but more often than not...outstanding! I've been hitting the label fairly hard lately and have heard the following:

    Taphephobia-Ghostwood
    Taphephobia/Kave-Monuments

    The former is short to mid length not quite fully fleshed out "songs" (if you will), but I found them to be more about moods and atmospheres that are introduced and then, too soon perhaps, concluded...leaving the listener fending for themselves to navigate the murky, vine and weed strewn path leading to god knows where that was only partially constructed. Maybe this was the intent, maybe not...but I found the constant mood changes less satisfying, albiet beckoning.

    This shortcoming (well, not really) was corrected in "Monuments" which is a split between Taphephobia and another artist name Kave. This release is comprised of two long form drones, heavy on the subsonic bass moves (seems to be a given on this label) that tell a tale. What kind of tale I hear you asking??...well, it's a tale of disturbance, a tale of disruption in all things good, a tale of scorched earth in the Shire and a tale of the eviscerated, violated, half aborted body of whatever prog artist you choose to imagine laying drawn and quartered on the rusted steel table in your basement. It's really good.


    Visions and Phurpa-Monad

    This one has four 10-12 minute drones that can very well be the soundtrack to Guillermo Del Toro's unmade Lovecraft film (instead of that POS Shape of Water that really just wanted to make me gag). Deep bass distortion was sometimes prevalent which really just made me turn it up louder. Occasionally there was the human(oid) chanting of what could only have been emanating from the re-animated larynx's of long deceased monks from the monastery of Our lady of the Fallen Souls. This was an enjoyable listen on this pleasant valley Sunday.


    ...and finally...


    Dodsmaskin-Ingenting (the "o" in this band has a line through it but I didn't know how to do that)

    This one was really really excellent!! Apparently it was released in 2015 with zero fanfare and has since been extremely difficult to procure...until Cyclic Law re-released it. It's certainly the most extreme of the lot, sometimes exhibiting power electronics tendencies. I read that a part of this was done by putting recording equipment on train tracks and waiting for trains to travel over it...yeah, I can see that. Other parts sound like the grainy interior of a slaughterhouse made specially for Elves and Dwarfs while the ruined body of JRR Tolkien was suspended in chains above the proceedings forced to watch the defilement of his masterwork. I can see that too! Regardless, it's all excellent and it presses all the right buttons for me having a balance of dark ambient, power electronics and even some acousmatic/electro acoustic moments happening. Highly recommended!


    So is anyone else familiar with the CL label that can recommend some easy listening on a sunny spring day?

    TIA

    best
    Michael
    If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap

  2. #2
    Oh wow...despite the flattery (which by the way, was awesome ), I have not heard of this label. But it sounds very cool and I will definitely be checking it out shortly. Mucho thanks for the tip, sir!!

    Edit: oh wait, I do know some releases from this label (got the Aun at their awesome show a few years back, and The Nest has been in/out of my rotation for a while). But I've never really taken a deep dive into the label itself. Looking now and yeah, this looks like lovely stuff
    Last edited by battema; 04-30-2018 at 07:59 AM.
    If you're actually reading this then chances are you already have my last album but if NOT and you're curious:
    https://battema.bandcamp.com/

    Also, Ephemeral Sun: it's a thing and we like making things that might be your thing: https://ephemeralsun.bandcamp.com

  3. #3
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    This is a real stand out for me on this label.

    She goes by the name Allseits and the name of her album is Chimare. Her real name is Nina Kernicke and I have to say it's some of the best guitar based drone I've heard since Dirk Serries Fear Falls Burning and Microphonics projects.

    https://youtu.be/_AX3m2OVpXU

    best
    Michael
    If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by neuroticdog View Post
    This is a real stand out for me on this label.

    She goes by the name Allseits and the name of her album is Chimare. Her real name is Nina Kernicke and I have to say it's some of the best guitar based drone I've heard since Dirk Serries Fear Falls Burning and Microphonics projects.

    https://youtu.be/_AX3m2OVpXU

    best
    Michael
    I dig.
    "please do not understand me too quickly"-andre gide

  5. #5
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    sorry, hopefully this will post the video. I usually dont do this...

    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_AX3m2OVpXU" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>
    If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap

  6. #6
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    lol, hopefully this works
    If it ain't acousmatique-It's crap

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