Relatively new label this, but Washy Tapes are smashing it. Came across a stream of a related artist by chance a few weeks back, which led me to their site previews and as a result this tape only release from Basic House.
I’m always wary of cassette releases that often get one play before sitting on the shelf, unripped, for months. It’s always nice to listen to music on the label’s intended format, but finding the time to revisit it on a cassette rarely happens for me. That said, this was incredible material that needed to be taken out and about as soon as possible. Just raw house in the widest use of the word, borderline abrasive with some of the beats and noise, beautifully harmonic in others. If your tastes fall somewhere in with Container as well as Dem Hunger and a bit of Sculpture, this is bang up your alley. Proper washed out and worn down vibes that are as intense as they are unexpected and leftfield. The standout for me is the closest to what I’d normally buy on wax, the track ‘Canc‘, streamed below. It’s here on the release that the stunning composition flowing throughout comes together with the analogue brutality of kick drums drenched in peaking effects, built around a twisted dance floor structure. It’s an incredible listen.
For a while all I really knew about Basic House is the name S. Bishop, tied to his soundcloud account. As it turns out though, Basic House is the guise of Steve Bishop, aka founder of the ever-stunning Opal Tapes label. As well as curating and releasing some of the most interesting music out there at the moment, he’s also making it. Definitely need to hunt down the rest of his catalogue as Basic House, and hopefully there’s more on the way.
Press release for Cryptid Binaries below, a real good looking, super-limited release available only through the Washy Tapes site now, get on it quick.
via Washy Tapes
**’Cryptid Binaries’ is an immense 39 minute trip through brutal kraut, jittery tape-music, dense noise and minimalism. High quality C40 green cassette, housed in a hand screen printed white card container, with full colour card insert.**
From distance this collection attempts to unify the grey wastes of concrete to the dance floor and its inhabitants. Under scrutiny I admit that these songs are my attempt to understand the rhythm of yeast within its circadian cycle.
Let the petri dishes yield what the dance floors can not.