Merzbow [recommend me]
 

Im trying to decide on which Merzbow album to buy, but I have no idea where to start as I have only heard a handfull of Merzbow songs and his discography is massive.

So...

which Merzbow album is the best/your favorite?


also, dont worry about recommending me his most "accessible" record, as im so avantgarde I only listen to Branca and Blondie at the same time, and even then I spin Debbie Harry at 45rpm so she sounds possessed.

i have scsi duck. its cool, but not something that i actually listen to. definatly not the whole way through...
but its still cool...

well...

pulse demon is probably the best first merzbow album to check out..

venerology is kinda the one everyone talks about. its quite good. other great ones id recommend are noisembryo, tauromachine and 1930. get pornoise, its 5 cassettes and available for $25 from RRRecords.

I liked 1930 as far as that kind of this goes.

the trouble with merzbow is that most of his albums (particularly the good ones) are out of print, he's put out a zillion records but aside from a few of his 90s records that came out on bigger labels it's tricky to track down anything but his latest releases. so having said that it's best to get on soulseek and just download the out of print classics, or trawl ebay.

my favourites are these:

rainbow electronics (but not rainbow electronics II)
24 hours a day of seals
batztoutai with material gadgets
aqua necromancer
ikebukuro dada
1930 (not out of print)

Aqua Necromancer


That's my favourite of his, but i couldn't tell if it's his best because of his monumental output.

last of analog sessions is pretty okay. also, metamorphism is pretty okay, but it's probably OOP by now (i'm sure you can find it on soulseek or you could just ask nicely).

also, the stuff he's done with boris (especially the walrus/groon EP) is pretty good stuff, too.

1930 is a good start if you're buying i suppose, as it's one of the more readily available ones. it's the first one i bought and look where it got me: 7-8 years later i now have no less two merzbow albums... and a collaboration with boris.

i downloaded batztoutai with material gadgets and i really liked that one too. i suppose i should get that sometime as well.

That sums it up pretty well.

My own favourite is Green Wheels, which was a CD and 5" record. Unfortunately I found the 5" record impossible to play because of its size.

i totally disagree, i would say that megatone and 04092001 are among the worst records i own

1930 is absolutely wonderful. Also Pusle Demon and Merzbuddha.


And do not forget about the splendid collab with Jazzkamer "Live at Molde free Jazz Festival"

merzbox if you wat to shell out a stupid amount of money for 50 albums and vids and teeshirts etc.... albums that mr akita has done that i love the most are

1930
sphere
pulse demon
04092001 with boris
a perfect pain with genesis p orridge
venerology
merzdub with jamie saft

first decide what you are looking for... there's a huge diversity of styles on the master work.

anyway....

recently re-released(on cd):


Collapse 12 Floors

fucking classic, go buy it.

you're not alone in that. a lot of folks i know say the same thing, but i like them.

The one and only Merzbow I have heard comprehensively is "Offering", and it was very cool. Two twenty-minute tracks, from this end of the millenium, so very grounded in beats and a strong sense of rhythm. The second track is especially cool, with all the squeals and noise showers riding on a massive kill-ass beat.

But it's limited, though according to Akita's website, still in stock and it's distro seems to originate from Russia (though I got mine in a specialty music store in South Africa).

venereology
rainbow electronics

any analog merzbow is fucking awesome, digital merzbow, i'm not that into it but i like frog a lot.

also worth getting, in the merzbow line:

-masami akita & russell haswell - satanstornade

Thanks for all the recommendations, I think im going to go with 1930.



I downloaded part 1 of metamorphism last night, or 22 minutes of it anyway, im not sure if its broken into only two tracks on the cd... but anyways it was quite good and I would definately appreciate it if you could upload the 2nd part, as it failed for me on soulseek.
thanks.

I also downloaded Merzbow eats Teaculture and was completely unimpressed.

metamorphism is actually 4 or 5 parts. give me a bit to upload it to a file sharing site and i'll PM you the link.

I've heard his new album Merzbear is quite good but I can't find it anywhere.

Pulse Demon
1930
Rainbow Electronics
Venerology
and my favorite,
Aqua Necromancer.

importantrecords.com has it, surely.

just got merzbird. real good

rainbow electronics is awesome, but out of print and goes for ridiculous amounts. not to be confused with rainbow electronic II mind you which is just a remix of I and not as good.

alchemy has reissued rainbow electronics

really? awesome!

If you can find it, the "Hannover Interruption" LP is a real blast.

Merzbuddha just dropped through my letterbox not ten minutes ago. quite bass heavy drone with lashings of frothy white noise layered on top.. sort of what i expected, but good nonetheless

I love Mezbuddha, the noise there is not as "random" as on his other offerings, it's more structured I guess.

wow, it's great... really rhythmic with sparse clicking and jangling sounds just now...

i got age of 369/chant 2 (2CD reissue of a couple of tapes released in '84) the other day and i'm damned if it's not a great record. i do love merzbow.

BRRRAP BRRRAP BRRRAP!
http://www.xtr.com/catalog/xltd-002.php

You chaps and chapesses can find a plethora of Merzbow going away here: http://awkwardist.blogspot.com/2007/...-re-posts.html


In fact, if you have a few weeks of spare time to check out 200+ new albums, that blog has so many great ones going. Check it out. I'm only giving it away because I love ya all.

this article lists all the essential Merzbow releases

The Entire Merzbox.