The Mauskovic Dance Band - Shadance Hall (Dekmantel)

From the Netherlands, the Mauskovic Dance Band continue to weave their rhythms into ever more curious and beguiling combinations.  I'm speculating that the proclaimed geographical origin for this release (the Welsh valleys) has something to do with their appearance at last year's Green Man Festival, where the band brought a mesmerising live set to the Chai Wallah stage.

Some of the spirit of that set is undoubtedly captured here.  Finished off in Amsterdam, the result is a compelling and bewitching combination of elements derived from instruments that clash and bounce all over the place, encountering echoes, reverbs and curious bass rhythms as they go.  

This is nowhere more pronounced than on the wonderful 'Squeeze Dogs', which features in my Dandelion Radio show this month but the album's eight tracks all manage to surprise and consistently reward as the listener works through.

The album is available as a digital release here. 

Vert:x - 1947

If you heard the first Vert:x release for Unwashed Territories you'll know what to expect: sonic overload, where guitar and electronic pyrotechnics crash around psychedelic/krautrock drones destroying patterns that you suspect may not have existed in the first place as they go. It's an exhilarating experience, so when it comes in the form of 15 and 21 minute tracks, as it does in their new 1947 release, the effects of the bombardment are longer lasting and even more pleasing.

This time the textures are even more intense, lulling the listener into downtempo peaks and valleys of sound until you come out the other end like a traveller from a voyage both mesmerising and disorientating, like Odysseus emerging from the land of the lotus eaters not entirely sure whether he's been drugged into bliss or had his senses blasted into oblivion by some crazed hallucinatory demon.

Vert:x are a pretty special experience live, so every time they play a gig or a festival a bunch of people who've been there always rush out and grab a copy of their first release for us, the glorious transmission u.t., making it easily the most popular release on Unwashed Territories thus far. Each release is available for less than the price of a pint, with the effects considerably more pleasing and the hangover an absolute delight. Get the two releases here:

1947
transmission-u.t.