jazkamer “metal music machine 2” compact disc

• the metal (4:25)
  
• bestial desolation (3:09)
  
• no lamb for the lazy wolf (8:37)
  
• the crimson worm (16:39)
  
• electra glide in black (4:22)
  

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: metal music machine 2 pica026. cd. released november 2010. "metal music machine 2" is the sequel to jazkamer's 2006 metal album "metal music machine". it is recorded with the same line-up, in the same studio, and continues the paths laid out by the first album; jazkamer exploring the deep dark fjords of metal. from 80's german thrash to überslow doom and 70's classic heavy metal; "metal music machine 2" is a varied platter of metal mania. the original album was something of a surprise hit for the band, which lead to creating a live mmm-big band. the live incarnation swayed more in the direction of noise meltdown, but for "metal music machine 2" jazkamer takes a step back to pure metal; the album is perhaps more metal than the first and absolutely no noise or electronic elements can be heard. jazkamer would like to dedicate "metal music machine 2" to the memory of ronnie james dio; the greatest voice of heavy metal who sadly passed away this year. as a sign of respect "metal music machine 2" is a completely instrumental album with no vokills.

tommi keränen “bats in the attic” compact disc

• bats in the attic (35:48)

pica disk press release...

keränen: bats in the attic pica025. cd. released october 2010. pica disk is proud to present “bats in the attic” - keränen’s solo debut full-length cd. this album has arrived to shatter finland’s pristine reputation. you thought they were a bunch of bland mobile-phone-touting nords? think again: from the swamps they came and to a swamp of blistering warped noise they now return. active for years as rulla, tommi keränen has been keener to raise hell on stage worldwide than to put in studio time. though he’s dirtied his hands as an incapacitants and pymathon collaborator and as a member of testicle hazard, gentle evil and les manures, solo releases have been rare indeed. his sound – messy, thick, out-of-control electronic chaos – now reaches boiling point, with source material recorded at the prestigious ems in stockholm using vintage analogue synthesizers.

jazkamer “failed state of mind” compact disc

• variation of a failed state of mind (1) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (2) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (3) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (4) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (5) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (6) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (7) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (8) (3:20)
  
• variation of a failed state of mind (9) (3:20)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: failed state of mind pica024. cd. released october 2010. "failed state of mind" is jazkamer's 25th studio album. most people know of the infamous "that difficult 25th album", but for jazkamer the landmark number appears to have given no difficulties, as "failed state of mind" is the most mellow and easy-on-the-ears recording jazkamer since 2006's "panic". the nine tracks that makes up the album is a drifting tapestry of droning guitars, distant location recordings and tasteful percussion work, all woven together in a seamless stream that is subtle and abstract. melody is hinted at, but never achieved, buried beneath layers of sound. one could almost thing that jazkamer is getting mellow in their older years. what sticks in the ear is the clarity with which jazkamer shifts between different swathes and bandwidths of noise. from moment to moment what you catch feels like a pinball machine, a child's electronic toy, a rasping insect, a fax, or simply the abstract whirr of sonic information; all caught up in an articulate but pressured streamline. "fail state of mind" is a pure and profound release that sticks a new definition to naturalism. argentinian sound-wizard anla courtis contributes with guitar-work on two tracks. cover by san francisco-based photographer and artist suzy poling.

jazzkammer “peanuts” compact disc

• tickle (2:22)
  
• electricity to heat water (2:21)
  
• no need for shoes (3:29)
  
• dj falling asleep (6:46)
  
• peanuts and metal (7:16)
  
• thunder roll (5:30)
  
• liquid plastic (1:57)

pica disk press release...

jazzkammer: peanuts pica023. cd. released september 2010. "peanuts" is a mixture of location recordings and percussion, and can be seen as a continuation of the music jazzkammer explored on the albums "timex" (2000) and "pancakes" (2002); carefully constructed transparent sound-surfaces. one track also features turntable surface crackle, which could bring the listener's thoughts back to the "turntable surface fireball" lp (2001). although "peanuts" is not a noise record, it could hardly be called ambient music. it might work well as background listening, but listen carefully and realize the many details in the music. strangely jazzkammer's 'quiet' albums have previously been described as their most difficult. hegre and marhaug are rather puzzled about this themselves, and hope that "peanuts" will make its listeners feeling enlightened and joyful. the "peanuts" cover photographs are by spanish photographer valeria picerno.

jazkamer “matthew 28:17” compact disc

• psychedelic buzz aldrin and pragmatic albert hofman (8:52)
  
• cosmic cookies (4:12)
  
• put hegre into orbit (8:21)
  
• the nudes (6:49)
  
• space, stars, earth, planets and more (15:29)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: matthew 28:17 pica022. cd. released august 2010. on "matthew 28:17" jazkamer for the first time in the 2010 monthly series operates as its core duo of lasse marhaug and john hegre. this reduction does little to lighten the density of their sound, rather the opposite, because "matthew 28:17" is a thick haze of dopey fuzz-guitars and droning organ. for the longtime jazkamer fan this album bears similarities to the 2002 mini-album "the sound of music" – which often has been thought of as a highlight in the jazkamer oeuvre. the themes of "matthew 28:17" are a mix of the subjects astronomi (both hegre and marhaug are keen space-enthusiasts) and religion (but neither are particularly avid churchgoers). this duality and conflict of science and spirituality is expressed as dionysian ecstasy through primitive psychedelic noise music. jazkamer offers no answers on these difficult matters, but hope that their listeners will join them on their dance around the campfire. the cover artwork of "matthew 28:17" is by japanese visual artist yasutoshi yoshida, also known as recording artist government alpha. all profits from the sales of "matthew 28:17" will be donated to nasa.

jazkamer “cover by hair stylistics” compact disc

• 129 songs, no index (19:25)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: cover by hair stylistics pica021. cd. released july 2010. "cover by hair stylstics" is the july edition of jazkamer's ongoing 2010 monthly compact disc series. this month's album finds hegre and marhaug joined by iver sandøy playing noisecore. noisecore is a crossover between grindcore and noise music. one could call it improvised grindcore, as its emphasis is on short bursts of blastbeat drumming backed by screaming vocals and heavily distorted guitar. often the music is improvised on the spot. early pioneers of noisecore were bands like gerogerigegege, 7 minutes of nausea and fear of god, and although the genre never flourished like grindcore, it nevertheless has lead a healthy underground life with bands like sissy spacek and october revolution. jazkamer ventured into noisecore territory on 2008's "art breaker" album (smalltown superjazzz), which featured 59 songs in mere 17 minutes. many reviewers complained that 17 were even too much. despite this reaction "cover by hair stylstics" ups the ante with 129 songs in 20 minutes. because of the compact disc-format's limited index ability the songs are presented as one continious track. jazkamer also prefers the album to be experienced as a whole, rather than prominence given to individual songs. for jazkamer's monthly 2010 series they have invited one different visual artist to contribute every month. the artwork of "cover by hair stylistics" is by the japanese actor, author and composer masaya nakahara. nakahara is know for him musical work with projects like hair stylistics, suicidal 10cc and violent onsen geisha. on the front cover nakarhara can be seen drawing the artwork used on the inside of the cover. "cover by hair stylstics" was recorded during an excruciating two hours in duper studios in bergen. editing and mixing the material took even longer to complete and involved several coffee-breaks. pica disk hopes that jazkamer fans across the world will enjoy "cover by hair stylstics" for a long time.

jazkamer “we want epic drama” compact disc

• we want epic drama (1) (30:15)
  
• we want epic drama (2) (42:58)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: we want epic drama pica020. cd. released june 2010. the june edition of jazkamer's 2010 monthly cd-series. a big-band noise extravagansa. the first studio recording of the metal music machine line-up; two drummers, electronics and three guitars. artwork by justin bartlett.

kevin drumm “necro acoustic” quintuple compact disc boxed set

• spraying the weeds (5:55)
  
• blistering statick (4:39)
  
• needleprick (2:06)
  
• idle worship (18:19)
  
  
• malaise (1) (4:16)
  
• malaise (2) (9:23)
  
• malaise (3) (3:20)
  
• malaise (4) (2:10)
  
• malaise (5) (1:47)
  
• malaise (6) (1:36)
  
• malaise (7) (2:54)
  
• malaise (8) (2:21)
  
• malaise (9) (15:00)
  
• malaise (10) (6:44)
  
• malaise (11) (4:01)
  
  
• stomach acid (3:03)
  
• blistering statick (7:01)
  
• band pass (5:12)
  
• take the focus off (2:52)
  
• stale content (2:52)
  
• bustelo (1:15)
  
• trash (2:55)
  
• dilemma 1 (3:45)
  
• dilemma 2 (9:13)
  
• older shit 1 (3:10)
  
• older shit 2 (2:44)
  
• totemic saturation (13:31)
  
• the blurry stupor (10:15)
  
  
• no edit 1 (23:33)
  
• no edit 2 (34:37)
  
  
• organ (54:54)

pica disk press release...

kevin drumm: necro acoustic pica019. 5cd box set. cd1. lights out new album of necro acoustic material recorded 2006-2008. 2 pulse generators, band-pass filter, feedback, computer assistance. cd2. malaise reissue of the limited edition double cassette previously released on hospital productions in 2009. guitar, oscillators, computer assistance. cd3. decrepit previously unreleased material from 1998-1999 and 2008 + reissue of drumm's tracks from split lp with 2673 on kitty play records (2005) + the limited edition lp on dilemma records (2008). guitar, oscillators, filters, tape recorders, analogue synthesizer, computer assistance. cd4. no edit<br>new album of prepared guitar material recorded in 2009. prepared guitar, eq, octave fuzz, rat pedal, marshall mini-amp. cd5. organ first full length release of this classic track heard in edited form on the "comedy" album. this is the full 55 minute version as recorded by jim o'rourke in 1996. believed to have been lost for years, but recently discovered. thomas organ, chord organs, marshall jcm 900, ampeg 4x12 cabinet, bag end 2x12, rat pedal. packaged as a solid box with gold print, individual cd-wallets and 24 page booklet.

jazkamer “chestnut thornback tar” compact disc

• sentimental journey (19:47)
  
• lament for klaus kinski (2:11)
  
• life as a secret agent is over (2:15)
  
• burp boogie
  
• burp boogie (0:26)
  
• in the days of the burning guitar (3:27)
  
• it is the nobel prize i want. it's worth $400.000 (2:08)
  
• we need a painting
  
• not a frame (3:45)
  
• yellow mountain fur peak (13:55)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: chestnut thornback tar pica018. cd. released may 2010. the may edition of jazkamer's 2010 monthly cd-series.

jazkamer “self portrait” compact disc

• self portrait (1) (10:48)
  
• self portrait (2) (10:56)
  
• self portrait (3) (16:16)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: self portrait pica017. cd. released april 2010. the april edition of jazkamer's 2010 monthly cd-series. the first all-acoustic jazkamer record

jazkamer “the monroe doctrine” compact disc

• the monroe doctrine (29:59)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: the monroe doctrine pica016. cd. released march 2010. the march edition of jazkamer's 2010 monthly cd-series. free-form funk-noise.

jazkamer “musica non grata” compact disc

• honda sound works (32:24)
  
• musica non grata (14:55)
  
• feedback fans (8:09)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: musica non grata pica015. cd. released february 2010. the february edition of jazkamer's 2010 monthly cd-series. "musica non grata" is a feedback-fest. armed with guitars and analogue synths and an arsenal of amps, hegre, gross and marhaug locked themselves into duper studios in bergen, exploring how feedback-timbre sounds like when recorded on an analogue 24 track 2" tape-machine. the three long tracks that makes "musica non grata" are slow-moving long-form meditations on feedback that will be bliss for a select few and hell for most listeners. february is not an easy month. cd in digipak cover. photos by martín escalante. december 1st 2009 / jazkamer 2010 monthly series in 2010 pica disk ventures on its most ambitious project yet: to release one jazkamer cd-album every month of the year. the jazkamer 2010-series will be 12 proper new albums. the idea is to keep things exciting all the way, so in keeping with jazkamer’s eclectic tradition of making very different sounding records, each monthly album will be different from the previous installments. the 2010-series will cover the wide (non)musical range jazkamer has become known for since they started in 1998. this includes: first studio recordings of the metal line-up since ”metal music machine” album new ”art breaker”-style grindcore recordings new ”panic”-style broken-blues material collaborations with john wiese, putrefier, government alpha and others material with regular four-piece line-up of hegre, marhaug, gross and drønen and much, much more. expect some surprises along the way also. the cd’s will be packaged in proper digipak covers, and each will feature artwork by a different visual artist, like savage pencil, martín escalante, jose de diego, justin bartlett, yasutoshi yoshida and others.

jazkamer “solitary nail” compact disc

• solitary nail (30:01)

pica disk press release...

jazkamer: solitary nail pica014. cd. released january 2010. the january edition of jazkamer's 2010 monthly cd-series. a trio recording of jean-philippe gross, john hegre and lasse marhaug. studio live-electronics recorded to analog tape at duper studios in bergen. edited and post-produced by gross. a dense tapestry of perfect electronic happiness. cd in digipak cover. december 1st 2009 / jazkamer 2010 monthly series in 2010 pica disk ventures on its most ambitious project yet: to release one jazkamer cd-album every month of the year. the jazkamer 2010-series will be 12 proper new albums. the idea is to keep things exciting all the way, so in keeping with jazkamer’s eclectic tradition of making very different sounding records, each monthly album will be different from the previous installments. the 2010-series will cover the wide (non)musical range jazkamer has become known for since they started in 1998. this includes: first studio recordings of the metal line-up since ”metal music machine” album new ”art breaker”-style grindcore recordings new ”panic”-style broken-blues material collaborations with john wiese, putrefier, government alpha and others material with regular four-piece line-up of hegre, marhaug, gross and drønen and much, much more. expect some surprises along the way also. the cd’s will be packaged in proper digipak covers, and each will feature artwork by a different visual artist, like savage pencil, martín escalante, jose de diego, justin bartlett, yasutoshi yoshida and others.

tony conrad / c. spencer yeh / michael f. duch “musculus trapezius” compact disc

• musculus trapezius (65:17)

pica disk press release...

tony conrad / c. spencer yeh / michael f. duch: musculus trapezius pica013. cd. released january 2010. from the abstract of the article "emg trapezius muscle activity pattern in string players:: part i—is there variability in the playing technique?" authored by anncristine fjellman-wiklund, helena grip, jan stefan karlsson,  and gunnevi sundelin, first published in the international journal of industrial ergonomics (volume 33, issue 4, april 2004) : "work-related neck and shoulder disorders are a great problem for string musicians; a playing technique with more relaxed muscles and a greater variation in the muscle activity pattern, i.e., with shorter sequences at a varied number of amplitude levels... might prevent pain." oops. an epic performance captured pristine, unfurling its massive limbs patiently and cannily over the course of seventy-plus minutes. conrad mingles amongst his trusted wood-and-steel sidekicks, engaged in both age-old conversations and inspired new inquisitions; yeh bookends his passive/aggressive behaviour on violin with spare piano incantations; duch acts as a ghostly anchor, casting formidable binding and deft velocity. yes, the drones do flow freely, but these reliable horizons fracture into surprising detours, tearing apart not only the instruments and players involved, but the expectations of the music itself. recorded in sofienberg church of oslo, norway in february 2008, and mastered by jim o'rourke in tokyo, japan. cd in digipak cover. tony conrad: harpsicord and violin. c.spencer yeh: piano and violin. michael f. duch: double bass

government alpha “resolution of remembrance • 1992-1999” quadruple compact disc boxed set

• four discs of ultra-harsh jump-cut noise
  from yosutoshi yoshisa dating back to
  his earliest recordings !!!

• bruise (1:08)
  
• funeral march (1:26)
  
• cry bitterly (3:17)
  
• drop (3:19)
  
• thing origin (3:41)
  
• demonstration (3:01)
  
• missing (2:03)
  
• general practionar (3:06)
  
• artificial fertilization (4:27)
  
• crystallization (4:24)
  
• mixed parentage (3:02)
  
• critical condition (4:57)
  
• blame (4:45)
  
• pale (3:24)
  
• parasite (5:33)
  
• safeconduct (0:39)
  
• left-brain-consciousness (3:05)
  
• burial ground (10:40) 

• liquefaction (5:44)
  
• irregular conduct (4:45)
  
• renewal (4:53)
  
• abortion (4:28)
  
• in trance (2:51)
  
• unsanitary mud (3:00)
  
• the crematory of eden (3:14)
  
• untitled (1:43)
  
• siesta (4:47)
  
• insomnia (4:26)
  
• perceptive perception (4:05)
  
• elliptical orbit (5:27)
  
• electocardiogram (4:02)
  
• creaky pulse (2:17)
  
• gyaku-kou (1:29)
  
• aku-junkan (4:54)
  
• shinkuu (7:21) 

• perfumed erinyes (4:46)
  
• blindman’s buff (5:36)
  
• sphygmograph (5:57)
  
• erebus (5:48)
  
• rubbish! (4:08)
  
• anonym slander (4:46)
  
• quoit (2:03)
  
• quarrel (6:45)
  
• quickening (5:10)
  
• vaporizer part 1 (7:31)
  
• ecdysis (6:27)
  
• death and afterimage (4:18)
  
• wadachi (5:02) 

• depressing sun (6:05)
  
• setting sun (4:45)
  
• ultra centrifuge part 4 (7:10)
  
• ultra centrifuge part 5 (2:12)
  
• process 1 (3:11)
  
• sidewinder part 2 (6:23)
  
• for backache (4:08)
  
• for stomachache (4:46)
  
• volta effects part 5 (6:53)
  
• thrombosis (6:38)
  
• stormy sunday morning (2:58)
  
• death and gem (4:47)
  
• the world end with you (6:01)
  
• shine 1 (4:16)

pica disk press release...

government alpha: resolution of remembrance 1992-1999 pica012. 4 x cd box-set. released autumn 2009. 500 copies. yasutoshi yoshida's government alpha project started in 1992 and quickly became one of the leading names in the third generation of japanese noise music. government alpha was characterized by its ferociously intense signature sound. noise fans often speak of a feeling of "pure energy" felt when listening to noise music. few artists consistently embodies this better than government alpha. audiences in the west first started to take notice when government alpha appeared on the susan lawly "extreme music from japan" compilation and vinyl releases on segerhuva and vinyl communications. but at the same time yasutoshi recorded a series of works released on the cassette format. these were (as often is the case with noise tapes) released in very limited editions. the "resolution of remembrance 1992-1999" box-set is a selection of 62 tracks from these obscure releases in the years 1992 to 1999, released by labels like harbinger sound, mother savage noise productions, hospital productions, utsu tapes, american tapes and of course yoshida's own xerxes imprint. the first cd also includes previously unreleased tracks from 1992/93. an unstoppable natural flow of soundwaves seemingly unfiltered by human presence, as unpredictable a flow as any natural force. pure noise, not filtered through, but channelled by the musician. let me emphasise how happy i am to see this box set being realised. hopefully it will work as an eye-opener to those who are new to the music of yasutoshi yoshida. - from tommy carlsson's liner notes

oren ambarchi / lasse marhaug “devil wolf men” seven inch single record

• devil wolf men part 1 (6:15)
  
  
• devil wolf men part 2 (6:20)

maja solveig kjelstrup ratkje / lasse marhaug “music for gardening” compact disc

• music for gardening (4:37)
  
• complaints won't help (5:36)
  
• call in the dogs (2:54)
  
• sound check (2:17)
  
• merry go round circus in town (3:05)
  
• stuck in the roundabout (2:34)
  
• like a prayer (3:47)

incapacitants “burning orange” compact disc

• incapacitants - orange smoke (28:27)
  
• fumio tommikawa - out of schnaps (26:25)

hijokaidan “polar nights live” compact disc

• hijokaidan - no oslo no harm (26:56)
  
• jojo hiroshige & per gisle galåen - book of changes (26:36)
  
• junko & sten ove toft - le rayon verte (25:38)

birchville cat motel “gunpowder temple of heaven” compact disc

• gunpowder temple of heaven (40:49)

hild sofie tafjord “kama” compact disc

• kama (41:00)

oren ambarchi / lasse marhaug “worried friends b/w nervous enemies” seven inch single record

• worried friends (6:40)
  
  
• nervous enemies (6:51)