HR097 - Cephalic Index & NoMuzic - Rearward Ho! - C60 — 1989
Side A:
Cowering In Fear A Hasty Retreat |
Side B:
Cringing In Caves So Cowardly We Hide |
REVIEW by Jerry Kranitz
Cephalic Index is Mike Jackson, also known as half of the Cancerous Growth duo with Chris ‘Mental Anguish’ Phinney. He also ran the X-Kurzhen Tapes label. NoMuzic is Carl Howard, who also ran the audiofile Tapes label. Rearward Ho! was recorded live on January 21, 1989, in Boston. Mike is credited with ARP Odyssey, Moog Sonic V, Tapes, FX, and Carl played ARP Axxe and FX.
‘Cowering In Fear’ dominates Side A of this C60. It comes roaring out of the starting gate with layers of high-octane laser electronics and bubbling pulsations that waver between ear-piercing and near drone, feeling sci-fi alien at times and ghoulish at others. The storm calms after a while, settling into a slow moaning vibe over which various blasts, screams, and gurgling runs compete for attention. Some of the synth lines even have a light melodic feel, making these passages feel strangely symphonic. Taken as a whole, it’s like a cross between Frankenstein’s laboratory, freaky sci-fi horror soundtrack, and interstellar road race. Oodles of fun effects! Rounding out the A side is ‘A Hasty Retreat’, a combination of electro squalls, radio scratches, pinging ray guns, and a shitstorm of cosmic electronic weather disturbance.
The flip side begins with the 21-minute ‘Cringing In Caves’. It’s more abstract than the previous tracks, beginning with zippy effects, random percussion, and a whirlybird melody. As the piece progresses, we’re treated to a haunting drone melody, a playful jamming synth melody, a slowly whizzing laser that seems to be saying, “Here I am! Now I’m here! No, over here!”. And stilted percussion keeps things rhythmically odd and off-kilter. Later it becomes a bit more thematic, communicating an interesting sense of whimsy and foreboding. It feels like Mike and Carl just let their hair down and had fun on this one. Wrapping up the set is the space exploratory ‘So Cowardly We Hide’. Soundscape waves float along, colored by melodic bits, swirly effects, and underlying voice samples of conversation.
Cephalic Index is Mike Jackson, also known as half of the Cancerous Growth duo with Chris ‘Mental Anguish’ Phinney. He also ran the X-Kurzhen Tapes label. NoMuzic is Carl Howard, who also ran the audiofile Tapes label. Rearward Ho! was recorded live on January 21, 1989, in Boston. Mike is credited with ARP Odyssey, Moog Sonic V, Tapes, FX, and Carl played ARP Axxe and FX.
‘Cowering In Fear’ dominates Side A of this C60. It comes roaring out of the starting gate with layers of high-octane laser electronics and bubbling pulsations that waver between ear-piercing and near drone, feeling sci-fi alien at times and ghoulish at others. The storm calms after a while, settling into a slow moaning vibe over which various blasts, screams, and gurgling runs compete for attention. Some of the synth lines even have a light melodic feel, making these passages feel strangely symphonic. Taken as a whole, it’s like a cross between Frankenstein’s laboratory, freaky sci-fi horror soundtrack, and interstellar road race. Oodles of fun effects! Rounding out the A side is ‘A Hasty Retreat’, a combination of electro squalls, radio scratches, pinging ray guns, and a shitstorm of cosmic electronic weather disturbance.
The flip side begins with the 21-minute ‘Cringing In Caves’. It’s more abstract than the previous tracks, beginning with zippy effects, random percussion, and a whirlybird melody. As the piece progresses, we’re treated to a haunting drone melody, a playful jamming synth melody, a slowly whizzing laser that seems to be saying, “Here I am! Now I’m here! No, over here!”. And stilted percussion keeps things rhythmically odd and off-kilter. Later it becomes a bit more thematic, communicating an interesting sense of whimsy and foreboding. It feels like Mike and Carl just let their hair down and had fun on this one. Wrapping up the set is the space exploratory ‘So Cowardly We Hide’. Soundscape waves float along, colored by melodic bits, swirly effects, and underlying voice samples of conversation.