Connexion Bizarre posted a review of the latest BLÆRG album, “Dysphoric Sonorities“:

After a meteoric rise in underground popularity, which opened the way for the release of considerable amounts of recorded material that many would easily classify as uninspired mindless tripe, breakcore is considered by some to be a spent genre while some of the most famous artists associated with it have shifted and began to incorporate other genres into their music. However, as with every musical subgenre in this situation, there are occasional gems showing that there is still validity to the genre. Blaerg’s second full-length release, “Dysphoric Sonorities” is one such gem.

Though hardly a newcomer to the breakcore scene, Scott Wehman is something a lesser-known artist, and undeservedly so as this new release shows. While breakbeats and plunderphonics may be at everyone’s reach, it takes talent, music knowledge and imagination to come up with convincing and engaging compositions such as those presented in “Dysphoric Sonorities”. Blaerg effectively went beyond the breakcore paradigms of ‘faster-harder-louder’ and insane chaos, creating a truly captivating album, consisting of an interesting assortment of intelligent and methodical compositions with definite groove. Also, despite its title and the occasional harsher track, it is actually a rather laidback album, bound to appeal to more than just the breakcore enthusiasts.

Opening with the relatively insane dance-friendly “Profane Esoterica” and closing with the more cinematic ambient piece “Titanium Cicada”, “Dysphoric Sonorities” takes the listener on a pleasant ride through the artists’ musical background and knowledge. From the hints of metal percussion and accoustic guitar in “Thrice Vexed” and the tribal and ethnic-influenced pieces (like “Crepuscular Harlotry”) to reminiscences of 70’s and 80’s TV series in “Hermaphrodite Android’s Cumshot Infinity” (hands down the highlight of the album for me) and the playfulness of “Earth Hurdles”, each track builds up as a unique entity and presents a different facet of Blaerg’s music. Ultimately, Scott Wehman comes across as a talented and knowledgeable musician, one capable of effortlessly incorporating disparate influences into his compositions and giving them a high degree of coherence (both as isolated tracks and as whole album) without resorting to cheap ploys to cheat the listener or coming up with an album that is a mixed bag.

Interestingly (and in a nice marketing move), in addition to being available in CD format, “Dysphoric Sonorities” is also as a free download with printable artwork. Check it out and, if you like it, purchase the real thing for better sound quality. It’s definitely worth it.

Grab the album Here!

“Soulseek Days” is a collection of early tracks by breakcore maestro, BLÆRG. In the early stages of music production, BLÆRG’s Scott Wehman spent time on Soulseek sharing his musical creations with other breakcore producers, exchanging remixes, tips and tricks. This web only release highlights some of the previously unreleased material that represents the very early days of creation for BLÆRG. This is exclusively available via Bottle Imp Productions and can be downloaded free. Click the cover art below for artist notes, previews and download link.

New review for Bramble’s “Emergence” at Gothtronic:

Bramble’s third release is entirely created using only the human voice. Mainly the voices of Scott Wehman and Morgan Stanton. The ambient drones that are created this way are oppressing, hypnotizing, breath-taking and at the same time reassuring and calming. This release with six tracks from this project out of Toledo, Ohio suprisingly shows what a wide range of music and tones can be made using only the human voice. Especially the lengthier tracks like ‘Conjunction’ and ‘Apocrypha’ are well-performed and know how to keep being entertaining and interesting with their long spun-out tones.

A well-done and refreshing ambient drone release. A recommendation for fans of VidnaObmana, Biosphere, Kammarheit, The [Law-Rah] Collective and Klaus Schulze.

Go here to preview and buy “Emergence”

And a new review for Life Toward Twilight’s, “Blood” at Cosmos Gaming.

Life Toward Twilight is a musical entity that creates sounds reminiscent of both drone and ambient music, with other influences as well. Now on its ninth release (or sixth if you don’t want to count the three releases that were recorded live), Blood, this project is perhaps one of the more challenging entries in its genre out there and is sure to take multiple listens from even the more seasoned drone listener. But that in itself is what makes this disc so interesting, even if it is far from music for the mainstream.

Blood is a mini-album based around themes and moods from horror films. While this isn’t necessarily a new concept, Daniel Tuttle (the man behind Life Toward Twilight) has chosen to explore these ideas using drone/minimalist compositions. Rather than being background music per se, the sounds on this disc are much closer to the sound effects of a horror movie. One can hear noises that sound like doors creaking and wind howling, as well as the screams of the various victims. In fact, at times Life Toward Twilight sounds like that of death itself. The mood of this disc is very eerie, and it will definitely take multiple listens to make out every little element that makes up this powerful effort.

As with most drone, Life Toward Twilight lacks the traditional structure of most music. Sounds seem to flow in and out of the atmospheric base often established at the beginning of each song, but even these can be extremely soft and hard to hear at times. And while each of these five tracks are different from one another, they share ideas and certain sounds to create the feeling of one long effort. What really makes this a disc worth investigating, however, is the way in which it shocks you. Although much of Blood is minimalist and soft, the occasional vocal or sound interlude will hit at higher than usual volumes and bring the listener’s attention back from the atmospheric droning.

If you’re a drone fan, don’t miss out on this release. You are really going to have to invest some time into this disc to get the most from it, as there are plenty of subtle details that can be missed out on the first time around. But Daniel Tuttle has once again done something unique with his music, creating a disc that is both disturbing and absorbing at the same time. If five songs from Life Toward Twilight can produce so much tension and atmosphere with so little sound, I can’t imagine what a full length of material could do.

Go here to preview and purchase “Blood”

Two new Bottle Imp Productions albums are now available via iTunes

Bramble, “Emergence”

Third release by Bramble. Deep ambient / drone work.

Life Toward Twilight, “An Eclipse”

Re-release of Life Toward Twilight’s extremely limited edition 2003 3″ album. Ambient, otherworldly soundscapes.

Other Bottle Imp Productions albums available on iTunes:

Blaerg, “Dysphoric Sonorities”
Life Toward Twilight, “Blood”

A new review has been posted of Bramble’s new album, “Emergence” by Absolute Zero Media:

“Remember the days when Dark ambience use to scare the shit out of you when label like Dark Vinyl, Soleilmoon, CMI, Eibon and Cold Spring were so mysterious you wondered if they had unlocked the gate to the 8th level of hell to let these sounds out. Well Bramble does that to me again. Deep Drifting Drones and Tones that are so Demonic in nature you get the chill down your spine. You feel like you need to keep looking over your shoulder in the dark for something, but it’s never there. The crazy thing of it all is all this is done by two human voices manipulated and effected through electronic and mixing technologies. Bramble would make Mike Patton proud as he was the 1st I hear to do this with his ” Adult Themes” CD on Tzadik. If you enjoy artist like Daniel Menche, Drakh, Lull and Lustmord then you have opened the door to a new favorite release. It is ultra minimal at time then other moments it builds up a bit but never to climax. Terrified Drifting through the bleak , black of nothingness alone this is the sounds you mind would create as the madness seeps in. Bramble is a fantastic creation and this is there third so now I have two other I have to hunt out and listen too. “

Purchase:
CD from Bottle Imp Productions
Amazon MP3
eMusic
Napster

A new review has been posted by Cosmos Gaming for Blaerg’s, “Dysphoric Sonorities“:

When one hears the word breakcore, it is not uncommon to think of the resulting band/artist to be primarily hip hop focused. But Toledo, Ohio based Blaerg (pronounced blarg), the musical project of Scott Wehman, is quite different from your typical breakcore act. Mixing the drum ‘n bass influences with ambient and industrial styles, Blaerg’s third album Dysphoric Sonorities is a unique experience that should be approached with an open mind, but is also one that will be a memorable and enjoyable journey to those who give it a chance.

Right off the bat, Blaerg’s music hits you with electronic drums that get up to extremely high beats per minute. But though there are plenty of moments that sound like traditional house and drum ‘n bass, there are also prevalent jazz, ambient, and industrial influences as well. Scott Wehman lists Frank Zappa as an influence and this definitely shows throughout the course of Dysphoric Sonorities thanks to the sheer level of variety and on the fly transitions. It may be a little hard to take in at once, but the sense of exploration and atmosphere felt throughout this album is sure to bring the adventurous back time and time again. As for vocals, there isn’t any singing but instead occasional spoken word as well as the use of sound bites. But it should be mentioned that when these appear, they are used to enhance the instrumentals rather than to steal the focus from them. Overall, Blaerg’s style feels wholly unique and will definitely warrant repeat listens.

Blaerg has produced ambient experimental breakcore; something I’m not quite sure has been done before. And while it is likely to remain a fairly small niche, there’s definitely something enjoyable and impressive about what Scott Wehman has managed to accomplish with this album. As long as you don’t have anything against electronic music and are open to the experimental, Dysphoric Sonorities certainly deserves to have a spot in your collection.

Now available in a variety of formats.

Bramble, “Emergence”

Now available from Bottle Imp Productions.

You wake from a fever dream suspended in darkness. Your arms, hands, fingers are heavy. You feel the weight of your fingernails pulling you down, down, down into the soft darkness echoing below you. You feel the darkness fold around you; a shroud, a chrysalis, a womb, whispering to you. It molds to your form, encapsulating you, covering you, entering you. Its gentle caress hums to you comfortingly.

You open your eyes. You see strings of darkness vibrating in tune to emptiness. A searchlight rotating from an unlocatable source catches something in its beam. Floating before you, thin, light, softly formed. With each passing of light you see more of its shape. You identify the arc of its outline, the contours of its fold. You reach for it. You stretch your arms before you and push against the darkness, pulling yourself forward. And your fingertips graze it; soft and smooth, satiny, firm and delicate. The soft fragrance of summer courtyards slips past you. You grasp it and look around you. You stand in an empty room. Car engines, slips of television and radio leak in around you. You hold the wrinkled remains of a single rose petal in your hands.

“Emergence,” the third release by Bramble, is an audio escape. Soft reverberations, gentle tones and atmospheric hums skillfully lull a listener into a subtle, mental wandering which then slowly releases them back into reality. They emerge into the light, blinking and squinting from its relative magnitude.

Purchase:

Buy CD (Comes with free, high quality MP3 download)

Download

Amazon MP3
eMusic
Napster
Rhapsody
Free 128kbps from Bottle Imp Produtions

Tags: ambient, drone, Bottle Imp Productions, bramble

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Two new albums coming to Bottle Imp Productions soon.

Bramble’s third ambient drone album, “Emergence“.

A long awaited reissue of Life Toward Twilight’s “An Eclipse” EP. Originally, this was limited to 25 copies, but will again be available on CD with newly designed cover art.

More updates on both titles coming soon.

Tags: ambient, drone, Life Toward Twilight, bramble

Blogger R-T-C posted a review of BLÆRG’s “Dysphoric Sonorities“:

Dysphoric Sonorities is an album that was released by the breakcore group BLÆRG. Lets start the review shall we? Profane Esoterica is a panic break song that is solely driven by its insanity. The background yells make you feel as if your walking down the long hall,in an insane asylum. Thrice Vexed brings on heavy fast paced drums and crushing cymbals. In the beginning of the song it brings a speedy thrasher feel, then gently slows down to a snails pace by the middle. After that it switches directions like a Tornado, but still brings some devastating creativity.Favorite part of this one is the end because it breaks down like an old hip hop song with spice of electronica. Ebullient Letimotif is…only thing that can explain this one is imagine your working on a high tech mech. But your working incredibly fast, this is that song! Crepuscular Harlotry is a bit on the mellow side of this album. This song has a bit of Brazilian flavor with the drums for a while. Then it changes up to a nice sped up rhythm, with an erie dark hallway like vocal. This one is one of my favorites from the album. Unmitigated Verbosity this song returns back the manic/panic chaotic feeling the first few songs displayed. Excepted this one will make you feel as though your very close friends with the drug Speed…zone out on this one because I did. Hermaphrodite Android’s Cumshot Infinity…I’m just gonna leave this song review empty. Check it out for yourself and along with Earth Hurdles. Both of these songs just put me in a fucking zone. I lost 5 minutes listening to these songs. Almost missed the song after. Luminescent Dermabrasion follows suit with the previously songs packing speed, eerie songs but this time its abit more melodic and soothing. This song literally feels like drugs into your system. And with each chaotic note your slipping more into the highness abyss created by BLÆRG. Titanium Cicada feels like another hallway song but not an asylum. This time it feels like your alone in an old spoooky electric amusement park. And then you touch a button and everything just goes bat shit crazy. I’ve tried my best to explain this incredibly creavtive album but you must check it for yourself. After this album I had a high and a headache. Check out BLÆRG - Dysphoric Sonorities!!

Get a copy of the album at Bottle Imp Productions