Have received a goddamn charmer of a split LP from the UK on the new Carnivals label. Side B has our old favorites Temperatures, making a bed-splitting racket on a long piece called “Bifurcation.” This finds them moving ever further beyond the shadow of tongue. Side A has a new-to-us trio from Manchester called A Middle Sex (presumably a reference more to Jeffrey Eugenides than Greater Uxbridge) performing a suite entitled “An Unclean Yawn.” An extended blurt of drums, voices, feedback and blood, its parts move together like kittens fitted with large boots—thump, thump, thump.
- Bull Tongue Top Ten by Byron Coley and Thurston Moore.
Nice to have underknown UK band Temperatures back after being blown away by their edition-of-100 Ymir LP a couple years back... their side here might be even better, just a lurching, grinding mutant 16-minute thing with plenty of rock swagger. This band should be huge... at least with this split LP they're up to an edition of 300. Maybe next one will be 500 and they can reach the Billy Bao fans. A Middle Sex is another UK band, and their shit is cool too... some sort of galloping drum-driven avant-pop whatsis... they pick up the This Heat torch and run with it, but they had so much caffeine and/or LSD that they keep dropping it and staring directly into the sun and/or the pretty swaying trees. Then they remember what they were doing and pick up that torch and run again... but then get sidetracked again by a pleasant stream... and so on... and it all flows much better than that would suggest.
- Blastitude
I knew nothing about this 12” platter at all when I stuck it on my turntable. I was floored by the sounds that came from my speakers. This is the first release by Manchester’s own, Carnivals Recordings. On side one is Middle Sex. At first listen they are comparable to the Liars in some ways, but come off with more originality. Dubbed out drums, organ drones, hallowed vocal chants and throw in some SY guitar worship, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. They are full of energy and I’m sure cook-up a mean fucking sweat (audience included) live. On further research I find out they are an improvising trio from Manchester England. Which makes since. Glad I can put two and two together, Manchester band on a Manchester record label. The Middle Sex are full on conjurers of sound and energy and Unclean Yawn is brimming with lush fuzz, sweeping feedback and pummeling percussion. Here’s to wanting more from this trio.
Temperatures “Bifurcation” makes up side two. A very different side, but man it is a wooly mammoth sized holy mother of god beast. Just sit the stylus down and stand way the fuck back. Falling down stairs drumming, white light and sub-bass electronics and all sorts of yorps and yells come forth. Then spin off into a distant hairy planet. Damn this thing has teeth. By the time Bifurcation had ended. I felt as if I had been pistol-whipped, but in a good way. Is there such a thing? But I am begging for more. Two sides from two different bands, but some how they fit together and compliment each other. Damn fine release by these across-the-ponders, Carnivals . Shell out the dollars and or pounds for this sucker. Much recommended. 9/10 -- B. Miles
- Foxy Digitalis
This is the first outing for Manchester based, lo-fi label Carnivals
and what an excellent start it is!! A split release from touring
buddies A middle sex and Temperatures with an awesome eye-boobs cover
(this sounds crude but that is what appears to be going on). A Middle
Sex have produced their best work so far with ‘Unclean Yawn’. I’ve seen
this Manchester improvised noise trio on a number of occasions and
can’t help but be amazed at the wonders that they conjure with such
simple tools. Swirling loops of drone and wailing feedback act as a
canvas for layered tribal drums, scattered vocal chants and some
sinister guitar wailings of the best kind. What amazes me is the
consistency of the track and it’s valiant efforts to cover all bases,
wandering from rapturous outpourings of sound and rhythm to static
drones, drifting ambience and ‘almost’ pop friendly bliss. This is a
total winner! Comparative to the Boredoms, Black Eyes and (to an
extent) Liquid Liquid for there ability to successfully merge uplifting
ambience with thunderous assaults of rhythm. Awesome. Temperatures
'Bifurcation' is an entirely different beast, 16 minutes of miserable,
spiteful, hulking free jazz madness steadily corroding in on itself.
Bass dirge and moog drone are juxtaposed with a one handed mad man
drumming to create a crazy wild soundtrack to your own death. I've
heard Temperatures in more inventive spirits than on 'Bifurcation' but
they do succeed in boaring a giant sized hole in my cranium with thier
deliberately intense, self decaying sonic mish mash. Ace. Both sides of
this record are totally worth hearing. This is easily my choice for
album of the month...hint hint
- Norman Records
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