Vital Weekly review of Sub Loam - Excavated Relics

Thanks to Frans de Waard for reviewing Sub Loam's Excavated Relics cassette:

'Back in 2016, Thomas Shrubsole released 'The Portable archive' under his Sub Loam name (see Vital Weekly 1051), which was culled from material he already recorded in 2009 and 2010. It is something I enjoyed very much, as Sub Loam is something along the lines of lo-fi electronics, drones, ambience, and field recordings. Now there is a tape with "two recently rediscovered examples" from the same period, which Sub Loam feels they should be heard out there as well, and, sure, why not? This is something that could have also been surely been on the original release. On the first side, there is 'Soil Surface', a slow rhythm piece. Or perhaps something that is on a loop device but slowed down quite a bit. In sync we have a mild synth sound burping away. It is a very moody piece and almost a dub-like one at that; all bass but no dance riddim. This is a particularly great piece by Sub Loam. The B-side contains 'Stone Fragment', in which the guitar plays quite a big role, strummed in a really odd way, and set against a set of misty electronic backing, with an odd flanging effect on the strings. It seems like he's playing the guitar with a stick, creating odd timbres. Buried in the background there is a bit of percussion. It is a totally different kind of piece and a most enjoyable one at that as well. I sure can believe that if you found this after ten years you would want to release it.' (FdW)

Review from Vital Weekly issue number 1208

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Frans de Waard observes Space Capsule

SPACE CAPSULE (CDR by Dissolving Records)
This is, I believe, the first time that Dissolving Records sends information along with the release, and it puts a few things in perspective. Dissolving Records is run by Thomas Shrubsole, who also works as Sub Loam, Jesus On Mars (both of them reviewed before), In The Field and 'various other pseudonyms, sometimes anonymously'. Here he acts as Space Capsule, an odd project of free jazz music. He plays 'acoustic and electro-mechanical instruments (soprano saxophone, piano, electric piano) aided by rudimentary electronics', and I assume not all at the same time, but taped to a form of multi-track recordings (analogue or digital) and that leads, I think, to some intentional randomness in the music. In an odd way it sounds very jazz like, even when it's all a bit more electronic, such as in 'Space Capsule 2'. Shrubsole plays loosely connected notes and improvises along with that and then on the next track he throws some other, similar and dissimilar notes, and then mixes them together, perhaps adding a bit more electronics in the process. Of the two pieces I liked the second better, but also to be honest, I think both pieces were a bit long and could have been edited down a bit, even when I understand that the length of this is necessary for this kind of spacious free jazz. Not yet entirely Sun Ra like I think. Great package! (FdW)

from Vital Weekly number 902

Space Capsule is also included in the podcast: here 

Frans de Waard on Ruderal Memory

Frans de Waard has published a lovely review of Sub Loam's Ruderal Memory in this weeks Vital Weekly...


SUB LOAM - RUDERAL MEMORY (CDR by Dissolving Records)
Quite an obscure release here, but it's apparently released for the Vernal Quinox, which happened here without noticing it. Behind Sub Loam we find Thomas Shrubsole, and if I am not wrong it has been a while since I last heard his music; his '2' was reviewed in Vital Weekly 732. At the very foundation of this work there is the soprano saxophone playing, along with a 'multi-cassette, twin reel-to-reel set up' to do some further manipulation. With a reel-to-reel you can easily slow down things, going from 19cm/per second to 4,5cm/per second, and perhaps that's something that Shrubbsole does here, but in a clever way. He slows down his sounds but not all of them and not all the way. Just a few, and keeps other running at regular speed. His saxophone playing reminds me occasionally more of a trumpet actually. While the whole thing sounds at times a bit crude - which may be because it is recorded live in one take - it also has a fine orchestral feel to it. Glissandi appear out of nowhere, together with a low rumble of slowed down tapes and throughout it's perhaps heavy but also in a way zen like like. Somewhere in the middle of you would find drones and improvised music, all with a classical touch, certainly in the last ten minutes. Dense meditation music, and perhaps not that spring like yet, more like a farewell for the winter season. Raw and intense, but never noise based. Very nice!


Full issue here: http://www.vitalweekly.net/876.html

Thanks, Frans!