Nichole and the Dreamcatchers + Various Artists- Krismus Karuls (KK01)

Originally released in 2003 on Konstrictor Productions this fantastically bizzare record features both a 7 song Christmas EP from Nichole & The Dreamcatchers, whose lead singer, Nichole, is in full command of her twelve year old voice shaped at the hands of Gary Gooper. Amazing stuff. Then the full on extravaganza. Two tracks from Half-Handed Cloud, The Mary Hamhocks (Liz Janes and husband- erstwhile Slowly Rotating Fan- Michael Kaufmann) and Mary Krismus. Probably the prettiest thing Create (!) has ever recorded (”Hymn for St. John of Shanghai”- bonus points if you know what he is the patron saint of…), a great lo-fi, fun instrumental from elusive My Marathon and a simply astounding piece of music from Joel Pickell (drummer and musician in the travelling Half-Handed Cloud circus). What is Christmas without kids!?? Childhood tape recordings from 1978 and 87 bookend the tracks and the album tops off with “Red & Green” from themorningcall featuring some sweet baby chatter.

Create (!)- A Prospect of Freedom (SAA1126)

On the 19th of December, 2004, Create (!), augmented by Raymond Raposa of Castanets, Lynn Johnston and Kris Tiner, recorded its first full length album since 2001’s Patterns. A Prospect of Freedom is a beautifully dense album that birthed equally stunning musicianship over the album’s eight tracks. This music surprises and seem to bridge the gap between Steve Reich’s Music For 18 Musicians and Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz. Coupled with their collaborative release with Liz Janes on Asthmatic Kitty, released in September of 2005, Create (!) have entered another phase of hyperactivity. Their long-awaited, rumoured and beloved studio full length looks to be their next chapter.

Strata- A Young Person’s Guide To Experimental Music (SAA1125)

An ambitious compilation of noise, electronic, hip-hop, free jazz, prog and experimental music, Strata- A Young Person’s Guide To Experimental Music is a primer for those of any age. Featuring rare, new and unreleased tracks from: Create (!), Bizzart, Melk The G6-49, Lafcadio, Soul-Junk, MakeShift:Shelter, Manners For Husbands, Receptor Sight, Electric iLL and others. Collected from the Sounds Are Active and Joyful Noise record labels, Strata- A Young Person’s Guide To Experimental Music, presents both previously unreleased and downloadable tracks with album cuts.

Soul-Junk- 1937 (SAA1120)

Years in the making 1937 utterly destroys the rubble left behind from the previous two Soul-Junk full length records. With no place left to go the tracks on 1937 are the final deconstruction which leaves Mssrs. Galaxalag and Slo-Ro at proverbial forks in the road. Galaxalag has set upon a course which will see him record the entire Bible word for word and beat for beat; while Slo-Ro walks hand in hand with new identity M.C. Ponderosa and refines the hoagie charm of kidnastypup’s splatter raps. The wonderful artwork has been remixed and masterfully assembled by Paul Goode and Jonathan Dueck, themselves the original artists for 1957 and 1958 respectively. Wholly strange, rewarding and consistantly difficult, 1937 is the breakup record. 1937 is the reunion record.

Bizzart- Ear Drung (SAA1116)

Live free-jazz breakouts and lo-fi bass heavy glitch combine with Bizzart’s complex/abstract lyrical patterns. Ear Drung contains over 40 minutes of experimental hip-hop for fans of Bjork, PiL, Squarepusher and CAN. Over a 6 years in the making (yes, six), the album features incredible contributions and collaborations with DJ ESP, who appears on 4 tracks, Soul-Junk who produce “Nivek” and co-produce “Pink Summer in Hell” with Accident. Galaxalag also contributes vocals to “Nivek” along side other M.C.’s Freedom80 (of Non-Conformists), on “Negative Gravity” and Zane (of Tunnel Rats) on the incredibly dirty “Infinite Zero”. Also contributing to the sounds and structures are NOTICE contributors Peter Chan who lays down saxophones and clarinets on 5 cuts, Justice Constantine and Andrew Pompey who play live drums on one track each (”Protocol” and “Infinite Zero” respectively). Create (!) performs on the groove-based deconstruction that is “Stock Options on the Inner Reconstruction of Man” and Slo-Ro (of Soul-Junk) also contributes sounds to two additional tracks (”Ear Drung/Illuminate” and “Infinite Zero”).

Jazz- A Compilation (PS001)

The best music from an invisible scene, Jazz is a vital collection of new and progressive sounds coming out of the Long Beach/Los Angeles area. Five groups contributed 2-4 songs each, from the eccentric and highly melodic pop of Sidecar, produced by Ubiquity recording artist Nobody, leading of the album to the slick and thick fusion/funk of The Slippers. CrankCase (a recent 12” with Ugly Duckling’s Andy Cooper has given them international attention) provides three piece stripped down jamsof pure funk with Ramones aesthetic with the lumbering echoes of the aptly titled Dub Kinetics. Winding up with perhaps the strangest affair of the album, three tracks from the avant-garde free-jazz, world-thrash of Create (!).

Create (!)- Patterns (SAA1102L)

Composed entirely of improvisations recorded live and in the studio, Patterns features Create (!) seemlessly melding underground hip-hop, drum n’ bass, jazz, noise, and African and Eastern musics, Create (!) never has the time to stagnate in any one particular genre or style. Create (!) has only begun to define their sound and with the drum n’ bass of “Elegy March/ Rain To The Sea” to the avant-jazz of “Hubtrane” (complete with harmonium and Moog synth courtesy of Fisher J. Price). Patterns contains no overdubs and no effects. What you hear is exactly what happened.

Create (!)- Moth Nor Rust (mp001)

A document of the first four times that Create (!) ever performed together, Moth Nor Rust is an album of raw improvisations and ideas. Many of the members of Create (!) had never even met prior to the recording and performance of this music. Featured mostly in a trio setting, Moth Nor Rust features tracks recorded live before a befuddled coffee house crowd at The Hub Cafe. Moth Nor Rust is an audio explanation of the genesis of Create (!). Pick it up and listen to their brains..