Props to Paul of Kamikaze for continually putting me on to even more dope music I’d be sleeping on still if it weren’t for his dedication to sharing it. He’s outdone himself this time.
I’m referring the new Peaking Lights album, which, simply put, is stunning. Titled 936 it’s been an unhealthily addictive addition to my record collection I’ve been rinsing at least once a day for the last week or so. Something about it has just struck a chord with me and it’s almost like my form of daily yoga. It’s the group’s first outing on the Not Not Fun label, who were recently featured 
in The Wire, and the six tracks on the vinyl pressing represent complex lo-fi production with positive vibes, that’ve somehow been mangled to have an edge of crack-edged creepiness to them. Somewhat calming but in the same way some mad monk is perfectly calm before human sacrifice. Emotional to say the least.
The group is comprised of married couple Aaron Coyes and Indra Dunis, formerly players in the Rahdunes together. A slew of other projects individually also led Indra to draw comparisons to the late Trish Keenan, who no doubt will be the benchmark for this style of vocals for years to come. The duo apparently have located from Bay Area to Wisconsin to set up their studio / house hideaway, filled from the sounds of it with vintage synths and tape machines.
The hypnotic elements of the rhythms and fuzzy bass make me want to use the term trance-dub…but that would be ridiculous. I see Pitchfork opted for ‘dub-pop‘ whereas Boomkat described the sound as ‘kraut-dub‘, which seems slightly more applicable given the quirky electronica nature of the music. There’s definitely 60s/70s psyche-electronic elements here inspired by The Silver Apples and The Dragons that fit easily at home in a field on acid and equally on the tube with noise-canceling headphones. Escapism is definitely key.
As always Paul was on to them before the rest of us (actually I think he first told me about them months and months ago ago at a pub but I was watching something shiny at the time) and as he does recently dedicated a portion of Kamikaze #48 to a few tracks off the new album. Played alongside some Ghost Note II, King Tubby and Old Apparatus, it’s definitely a nice introduction to the sound and where it fits in at present.
Since doing that show there’s also been Kamikaze #49 which featured a load of Dilla alongside Ishilan N-Tenere and dropped last week. As of this morning we’ve also got Kamikaze #50, embedded below. I know I’ve said this a million times but can’t stress it enough – get on his mailing list. Dude is next level.
Kamikaze#50+Tim Hecker
A whole load of Tim Hecker in this one, from his crackin’ Ravedeath 1972 album. Also some Florian Hecker, a couple of nice old bits from U Roy and Can, new bits from 2562, Burial, and Morphosis, a track from the new Prefuse 73 album featuring Trish Keenan, Actress remixing Panda Bear, and The Little Mermaid. Spot on.