Sub Loam - Excavated Relics Cassette Now Available from Boomkat

Limited copies of Excavated Relics are now available from Boomkat (link below)

https://boomkat.com/products/excavated-relics


Here's what they have to say about it:

"Gauzy, low-key, organically textured dub and wizened folk explorations from Thomas Shrubsole, reviving his Sub Loam alias with two ‘Excavated Relics’ from the archive circa 2009-2010.

The A-side’s Soil Surface’ speaks to Shrubsole’s signature grasp of slow-moving sonic murk with nearly 10 minutes of endearingly weary dub chords perfused with acidic percolations that appear to mimic a sped-up (but still very slow) time-lapse image of soil dynamics, while the other side’s 11 minute piece ’Stone Fragment’ catches him picking out coruscating guitar strings and against peripheral percussion and distant vocal drones in a style murkily resonating with the mystic appeal of Zoviet France. Both are assuredly swaddled in layers of ferric tape hiss. Both humbly worth your time."

Sub Loam reviewed in The Wire

Sub Loam's latest was given favourable notice in the 2014 Rewind issue of The Wire magazine.

See below for more details:

http://www.subloam.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/ov-wires-and-connections.html

For anyone intrigued in further exploring the tangled sonic undergrowth of the Sub Loam back catalogue the following titles are still available direct from dissolving

Sub Loam - Ruderal Memory (Henge 008)  £9.00

Sub Loam - A Concise Dictionary of Plants and Their Uses (Henge 010)  £9.00

Limited copies of the Unofficial Countryside release that features the Sub Loam piece reviewed in The Wire are also available from dissolving. 

Additionally, for anyone wanting to push on further towards related outer sonic reaches, other projects involving Thomas Shrubsole that are still available from dissolving include:

Space Capsule - Space Capsule (Henge 009) £9.00

T. Shrubsole - C. Tattersall - Cassette (Other Ideas OTC 002) £6.00

Prices do not include postage.

As always, mail for orders, enquiries, trades, etc.

Botanical Reflections

Stuart Marshall in The Sound Projector about Sub Loam's Concise Dictionary of Plants and Their Uses:

"Again and again I return to this intriguing mini CD from Sub Loam (i.e. saxophonist and SP reviewer Thomas Shrubsole), as if it would yield to me its mysteries, but alas! Swiftly am I ensnared and borne upon its pulsating airways, yet just as swiftly it’s over! Where fled those rogue minutes? In this wise, concise designates more than botanical taxonomy, though both here are central concerns: manifest in the splicing of Shrubsole’s pithy breath work and the bloom and swirl of spectral electronic backdrops. Most distinct is this in the first of the three untitled pieces: multiple rows of delicate, trowel-headed honks slowly summoning wispy, electroacoustic spirits, while at the same time suggesting an attitude of horticultural preparation that inspires me to chop carrots in concert. Tracks two and tree are (even) giddier: a tiny sax twittering like butterfly wings caught in swerving currents of pure colour; and finally a slow kaleidoscopic reimagining of all that has preceded. It’s an unearthing of unearthly sensations that could well uproot your mental stability. 39 further copies of the CDR are in existence, all of which are accompanied by a hand-numbered A4-sized abstract print by the artist."

 http://www.thesoundprojector.com/2014/09/24/natural-kingdoms/

Limited copies still available direct from Dissolving. As always, email for availability for this, any other Dissolving and related releases and for any other enquiries.

Hisvoice review A Concise Dictionary of Plants and Their Uses

Thanks are due to Tomáš Procházka who has listened to and pondered Sub Loam's latest and has written a thoughtful and sympathetic review in the excellent Czech magazine hisvoice: Jedná se v podstatě o EP o třech skladbách se shouhrnnou délkou necelých šestnáct minut, tak aby se pohodlně vešly na třípalcové CDr, na kterém vychází spolu s autorskou grafikou Thomase Shrubsola v počtu čtyřiceti kusů. Hudba byla nahrána na čtyřstopý kazetový magnetofon a jde, jak ostatně název napovídá, o poctu rostlinnému světu a životu. Jednotlivé skladby označené pouze čísly, jsou věnovány půdě, slunci a rostlinným vláknům. Pokud si nepřečte legendu, která se k nahrávce váže, může být leckterý posluchač zklamán, hudba zní jako jaksi divně úporný minimalismus, saxofon má škytavku a štěká na jednom místě jako opuštěný pták v polích, zajímavé elektronické zvuky za ním nejsou pro změnu téměř slyšet. V druhém tracku má zase šum pásku téměř stejnou důležitost jako užitečný hudební záznam a v pozadí diktuje nějaký lunatický varhaník do kláves náhodná data. Ani třetí track nevysvobodí posluchače z chaotických chuchvalců mimozemského jazzu, bloumavé melodie saxofonu se proplétají s vyťukávanýmy klávesovými zvuky a trochu archaicky znějící elektronikou. Pokud ale posloucháme A Concise Dictionary of Plants and Their Uses s vědomím, že jde o umělecký obraz “chlorocentrického” světa, nalézáme zajímavý amorfní hudební tvar, poměrně výstižně přibližující představu rostlinných světů, klíčení, rašení, rhizomatické spoje, tlení, vznik i zánik probíhající v jediný moment. V tomto vesmíru nic nemá přednost, vše pracuje v součinnosti s ostatními elementy, tomuto světu je efektní čištění za účelem přehlednosti či ušlechtilosti. Toto je hudba permakultury - cenný pokus připomenout pyšné lidské kultuře existenci i jiných vesmírů, než toho, ve kterém aktuálně žijeme. Přál bych si aby takových pokusů bylo víc. Link here: http://www.hisvoice.cz/clanek_1763_sub-loam-a-concise-dictionary-of-plants-and-their-uses.html

Three of a Perfect Pair

A Trio of Recent Reviews...

As a reminder that Space Capsule is still orbiting sound systems in living rooms across Europe (and also that there are a couple of foil-fresh copies still available from here and from Boomkat) here are two lovely reviews, the first from hisvoice magazine in the Czech Republic and the second from Bad Alchemy in Germany, both of whom have also reviewed previous Dissolving albums favourably.   

Space Capsule: Space Capsule

Thomas Shrubsole se na debutovém albu svého projektu Space Capsule pouští zostra na území free jazzu a kosmické elektroniky. Domácí produkce pomocí dvojkazeťáku není prezentována jako znouzectnost, ale jako záměrné vyznání neutuchajícího páskového futurismu. Pod nánosy páskového šumu zní prolínání mírně hysterického saxofonu, klavíru a zklidněné elektroniky tak nějak zaobleněji, bez ostrých hran, a i když je hudba dosti energická a nespoutaná, tak celkové vyznění alba má zvláštně meditativní charakter. Občasné zavytí syntezátoru, zvuková mračna a prapodivné atmosféry dotváří silně kosmické ladění a třeba dodat, že se nejedná o žádnou levnou, podbízivou psychedelii, ale o řádně mimozemský úlet.
Postupné opakování spojené s pomalou destrukcí klavírního motivu v první skladbě 1 může sloužit jako chvilková jistota, ale o náhlé změny na albu vůbec není nouze. Repetice se náhle odebéře kamsi, aby se meditativní nálady ještě více rozvinuly ve zpomalených zvukových mlhách zaechovaného saxofonu, občasného úderu do klaviatury a ztišených syntezátorových efektech. Shrubsole se nebojí vedle sebe stavět melodické a disonantní linky z útrob saxofonu, ale výsledek nezní nikdy zmateně a Shrubsole se suverenitou sobě vlastní vytváří neobydlené zvukové světy. Strhující závěr první skladby v taylorovské kadenci je nepochybně vrcholem alba, zatímco druhá skladba se posouvá spíš dále do vod zklidněného meditativního zvuku, nikdy však neupadá do určitého druhu podbízivosti, kterou lze najít v žánrové škatulce "ambient". Podivně rezonující klavírní úvod skladby 2 může krátce připomenout Basinskiho páskové orgie, nicméně dlouho se nezastaví na místě, a po chvíli zamíří zpět do oblasti free improvizace. Syntezátor se prolíná s klavírem a pod vrstvou efektů může posluchač nacházet stále nové zvukové nuance.

Nazývat tuto muziku jako kosmický jazz, či po anglicku "space jazz" může znít jako stokrát omleté klišé, ale svádí k tomu jak název projektu, celkové mimozemské vyznění desky. Pokud plánujete v brzké době opuštění sluneční soustavy, toto album může být na cestě velmi příjemným společníkem.

Jan Sůsa


SPACE CAPSULE Space Capsule (Dissolving Records, Henge 009, CD-R w/ A3 poster): Thomas Shrubsole ist einer, der im Himmel wie auf Erden zugange ist, unten als Sub Loam und In the Field, oben als Jesus on Mars oder Space Capsule. Wobei sein Oben Kopfsache ist, nicht eine Frage von Hightech oder Weltabkehr. Drei Instrumentalstimmen mischen sich, umgarnen sich: Das schreitende und repetierte Klimpern eines Pianos, die Klangspuren eines Keyboards, die träumerischen und kaskadierenden Tonfolgen eines Sopransaxophons, bisweilen gefolgt von seinem Echo oder Doubles. Das mischt sich vielschichtig, um nicht zu sagen mehr und mehr chaotisch. Klingt aber dann doch nicht so (so chaotisch), weil alle Stimmen dezent, luftig, versponnen weder unter sich um die Oberhand ringen, noch auf Aufmerksamkeit pochen. Es geht da eher eine schleichende Eindringlichkeit von diesem Klanggeflecht aus. Eine ätherische, liquide, psychedelische Suggestivität, wie sie für gewisse weltoffene und luftige Formen von Jazz der Hippiejahre nicht untypisch gewesen ist. Erst als crescendierendes Finale wühlt sich das Piano cecil-tayloresk in sämliche Gehirnwindungen. 'Space Capsule 2' beginnt mit einem prickelnden Geräusch und von feinsten Keyboardsounds umschweiftem Einfingerpiano. Ein hubschrauberndes Wummern mischt sich leise ein und überträgt dem Keyboard sein Wummermotiv. Die Finger klopfen dazu erratische und dissonante Noten, in zunehmender Häufung, raunend, trillernd kaskadierend. In der 10. Min. setzt auch das Soprano ein, mit wieder träumerischen und kaskadierenden Wellen. In einer Wellenlänge, nicht weit von denen auch Evan Parkers elektroakustische Abenteuer schwingen. Und fällt der Blick nach oben, ziehen da Wolken, faszinierender als jedes Ufo.

[BA 79 rbd]

Plenty more great reviews in that issue of Bad Alchemy, as always, I can thoroughly recommend picking up a copy.

On to newer pastures Frans de Waard has reviewd Sub Loam's Concise Dictionary of Plants in the latest Vital Weekly http://www.vitalweekly.net/915.html


SUBLOAM - A CONCISE DICTIONARY OF PLANTS AND THEIR USES (3"CDR by Dissolving Records)
Thomas Shrubsole is an active person, working with such guises as Jesus On Mars and Space Capsule (the latter reviewed in Vital Weekly 902) and Sub Loam. His releases are in a small edition, but recently also started to look better. Here with a larger print on cardboard and the CDR packed in another print, folded around the CDR itself. There are three pieces on this release, with a total length of sixteen minutes. That's not much, I was thinking, when playing this. The website learns me this is "Composed and played by Sub Loam using organic, acoustic and electro-mechanical instruments and means, composted direct to 4-track tape." Nice; composted. However, when I first played this, I was thinking that the opening piece, the longest of the three, was made with the use of a saxophone, multi tracked and processed using computer means. A bit like Lol Coxhill once did, on his split release with Eyeless In Gaza, but less jazzy. Maybe another point of reference would be Nurse With Wound with a more sparse use of resources. A tape collage of saxophone sounds. But then perhaps I am all wrong, and I happen not to know what these organic, acoustic and electro-mechanical instruments are. Of course you could as easily argue it is not really interesting to know these things. Do I like what I hear? Yes I do. Do I care what how it was made? Not really (and when I wrote this before someone said "so you also don't care your shoes are made in a third world sweatshop?" - it seems something different to me, entirely). Like Space Capsule this is vaguely rooted in the world of jazz, but then, perhaps, also connected to the world of musique concrete - more that than jazz, I was musing. Excellent small release, great package, but way too short, I'd say.  (FdW)

It is included on the podcast, too, here: http://www.vitalweekly.net/915.mp3

Many thanks to Jan, Rigo and Frans for taking the time to listen and write such lovely things about Dissolving music...

As ever, to order any Dissolving releases simply drop an email to dissolving (dot) records (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk 

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 

Space Capsule @ Boomkat

"Thomas Shrubsole lends his own name to a slowly expanding constellation of aliases - In The Field, Jesus On Mars, Sub Loam, The Dissolving Orchestra - on his latest for Dissolving Records. Taking cues from Sun Ra and the European avant-garde, 'his 'Space Capsule' is a multi-planar improvisation meshing acoustic afternoon ambience, streaking cosmic jazz and free electric sound with "underground domestic production methods" (read: recorded in his house onto tape). Like much of Thomas' output, these two tracks beautifully capture a sense of space and time and meditative state-of-mind, or, as he poetically puts it, "intuitive thought, multiplied on a vertical time axis". Using Piano, Electric Piano, Soprano Saxophone, Devices, Tape he patiently conducts a fluidly abstract, intra-galactic dialogue of darting sax comtrails, dubbed-out clusters of keys and pinging electronics that feels beautifully unimpeded, free in a manner that only comes with hands-on, physical music, and yet it's instinctively disciplined, organised with a quietly chaotic logic."

click here to buy http://boomkat.com/cds/824934-thomas-shrubsole-space-capsule

Ruderal Memory now out @ Boomkat.com

Sub Loam's limited edition Ruderal Memory album is now available from Boomkat:

http://boomkat.com/cds/700917-sub-loam-ruderal-memory

" Ghostly, longform electro-acoustic invocation from Sub Loam, the character also known as Thomas Shrubsole and Jesus On Mars. Via soprano saxophone fed through multi-cassette, twin-reel-to-reel set up, 'Ruderal Memory' manifests 45 minutes of seancé-like atmosphere with patiently unfolding arrangement informed by yoga breathing techniques and conducted from an anti-anthropocentric stance in key with Sub Loam's themes of elemental interplay and chlorophyllic consciousness. Aesthetically we're reminded of Robin The Fog's spectral experiments on 'The Ghosts Of Bush' or the quivering microtones yielded in William Basinski's 'Disintegration Loops', yet as with all of Shrubsole's output, there's a deeply individual spirit at work, following his own quiet path to personal enlightenment. "
 

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!

Freq visits Jesus on Mars

As we swing towards the solstice the days are getting shorter, the stars are shining brighter at night through the wintery atmosphere and Freq magazine's Michael Rodham-Heaps casts his eyes towards the Red Planet and Jesus on Mars:

...a climbing helix of synth throwing out stark contrasts to the jet-black vacuum of space...

Thanks, Michael!

Fluid Radio on Jesus on Mars

James Catchpole of Fluid Radio has written a lengthy review exploring the terrain of Jesus on Mars,

'... Maybe the tunnels conceal our true Gods, and long lost creators that disappeared thousands of years ago. In this cloying spacesuit, the sound seems slightly muffled, but the music is still audible over the rhythmic intake of breath. A dull Martian light glints off the visor, in a panoramic land of swirling sand....'

read it HERE

Thanks, James!

Frans de Waard encounters Jesus on Mars

JESUS ON MARS (CDR by Dissolving Records)
This release is 'dedicated to P. Dick, R. Pinhas and C. Schnitzler', it says on the cover and its not difficult to see why. I have no idea who Jesus On Mars, wether its a group or an one-man band, but it seems that they have acquired a bunch of analogue synthesizers to shape up their science fiction music, and as we know, science fiction always deals with the past, or at the best with the 'now' (which has become 'past' once we said the word). Fuzzy music of old synthesizers, with dust between the knobs and keys, sounding very 'old'. Like Pinhas and Schnitzler's 'non-keyboard electronics' in the seventies. Psychedelic music that takes the listener of an endless journey through the sky, and beyond, up into the dark, onwards to the planet Mars - as red as the cover of this CD. Its not that I hear anything 'new' in this release, hell no, but I played this twice in a row. Alright, I was too lazy to change the player, but also because these five pieces had something captivating. Wild, experimental and yet close to the world of cosmic music - a bumpy ride through the cosmic and one returns all refreshed and bright. Like waking up from a LSD trip, almost. Thoroughly psychedelic. (FdW)





(from Vital Weekly 842 http://www.vitalweekly.net/842.html )

Jesus on Mars recommended this week at Boomkat

http://boomkat.com/cds/556053-jesus-on-mars-jesus-on-mars

**Edition of 170 copies with catalogue insert. Excellent album of distorted and submerged Kosmische experimentation highly recommended if you're into Conrad Schnitzler, Emeralds etc.** Inner visions of martian sci-fi soundscapes conducted by the protagonist behind Dissolving Records. Paying tribute to Philip K. Dick and Conrad Schnitzler, 'Jesus On Mars' envelopes us in a black hole of analogue swirls, tripping into a vast alternate world of "...temporal concatenations and expansions; inner-spatial vistas and ferric visions of arcane pulp planetscapes." As history, literature and culture repeatedly tell us - from ancient Greece to modern Hollywood and NASA - Mars is not a friendly place and this mood of fearful trepidation is central to 'Jesus On Mars' as we're engaged by mighty dust clouds of cosmic distortion and harmonic hallucinations bound to leave a lasting impression after reentry to terra firma. We're sure Schnitzler would approve of this album.

Terrascopic View of The Ley Hunter's Companion

In this week's second very welcome review the good folks at Terrascope Online have included The Ley Hunter's Companion in their December issue of Rumbles, here's what they have to say:

 "The Ley Hunter's Companion" is a two track EP whose opening cut is strongly reminiscent of Manuel Göttsching's seminal trance epic "E2-E4." The basic rhythm and style is augmented after a few minutes by an analogue-sounding addition, while the base sequence flickers and mutates. At the end of the track a lovely analogue lead line emerges, alas far too briefly. The second cut opens with a softly shimmering sequence reminiscent perhaps of Terry Riley, with more hints of Ashra coming in later."

Thanks guys!

full issue here:  http://www.terrascope.co.uk/Reviews/Rumbles_December_11.htm

Copies are still available direct from the label, email dissolving (dot) records (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk for prices and shipping.

Foxy Digitalis on The Ley Hunter's Companion

 A bit of an odd duck in the best sense, Sub Loam’s “mini-album” is a two-track, 30-minute meditative synth journey, a CD housed with a dedicated map-like poster in a 7-inch jacket.  Containing two classy synth pieces, it’s an album that exalts the peculiar potential of a car trip for reflection, relaxation, and meditation.  This in-car reflection always comes with solitude, and Sub Loam recognizes this and gets them out of the way, immersing the listener in the repetitive sequencer bliss of a blurry countryside passing by.
Both of these pieces are heavily indebted to certain aspects of ‘70s space and Kosmische music.  “Lines In The Landscape” is a minimally changing arpeggiated sequence anchoring a hovering Kosmische-inspired theme.  Although the daydream is broken rather abruptly at the end of the track, we move quickly into the equally mesmerizing “Odyssey.”  This is a slightly faster sequence that features a prominent flanger effect and, again, minimal variation, until it slowly floats away.
Although it was released in time for “summer holidays,” the trip is equally comfortable listening in these winter times.  Limited to 230 copies, this is a nice little document.
8/10

http://www.foxydigitalis.com/foxyd/?p=23056

New review of The Ley Hunter's Companion in October's Issue of Textura

"...Animated by a two-toned series of syncopated synthesizer chords, “Lines in the Landscape” guides the listener on a scenic, fourteen-minute cruise through the open countryside. The mood is jubilant, gleeful even... Even more so than in the opener, we're very much within a kosmische universe of sequencers and oscillators during “Odyssey,” which tinkles and swirls radiantly for a bubbly seventeen minutes...."

Read the whole thing Here

(A small addendum to the review, there was actually a release between 2 and The Ley Hunter's Companion, summer 2010's  Earthern Circle on Craig Tattersall's Cotton Goods label.)

Speaking of kosmische,
The Ley Hunter's Companion is now available at estimable bastion of Krautrocking and Progressive Music Ultima Thule

Copies are also now available at Fluid Radio's Stashed Goods shop, as well.

Still available from Boomkat, Bleep, Phonica and Norman's.

Norman Records Review The Ley Hunter's Companion

http://www.normanrecords.com/cd/127572-sub-loam-the-ley-hunters-companion

 4 stars and highly recommend, thanks folks!

The Ley Hunter’s Companion by SUB LOAM - CD - Boomkat - Your independent music specialist

The Ley Hunter’s Companion by SUB LOAM - CD - Boomkat - Your independent music specialist

The Ley Hunter's Companion recommended at Boomkat and on this week's front page, nice write up aswell... Thanks guys!