Mar

The Seven Fields of Aphelion Debut Release – Periphery

The Seven Fields of Aphelion steps out from the shadows (in a manner of speaking) of Tobacco and Black Moth Super Rainbow to release Periphery, out now on Graveface Records. An angelic album of ambient moods and textures, impressionistic, sweeping and intimate in the same breath, Periphery personifies dream-like. As Aaron Jentzen mentioned in his City Paper review, the BMSR keyboardist has surprisingly forsaken percussion of any kind. With Tobacco’s tendency to embrace 808 kick drums and hip-hop beat making so readily, its refreshing (cleansing?) to see Aphelion compose music that is almost defiantly atmospheric and shapeless.

Tracks after the jump. Continue reading →

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Album Review/Feature

Black Moth Super Rainbow/Graveface Records/The Seven Fields of Aphelion

Oct

Marshmallow Ghosts – “Shrieks” (Black Moth Super Rainbow Side Project)

If there ever was a group that could embrace the carnival menace of the Halloween season, Pittsburgh’s own Black Moth Super Rainbow is it. Marshmallow Ghosts is a collaboration between BMSR and Graveface labelmates The Appleseed Cast, Dreamend, and Casket Girls, who conjured up the 7″ single “Shrieks” to be released on October 20th.

The project represents what is basically Graveface Records’ house band. “Shrieks” casually injects some macabre wonder into air via tumbling organs, horror movie samples, and marching drums that invoke the House of Usher in all its dilapidated glory. It’s a goofy one-off, for sure, but a total delight in the same measure.

I spoke recently of how singer-songwriter Jane Herships easily crystallized that emotional transition of the fall season as one looks toward the winter ahead. Marshmallow Ghosts, however, take a snapshot of the eerie October nights, haunted houses, graveyards and Vincent Price kitsch that permeate the best kind of Halloween spirit. It’s not especially sinister, just delightfully camp in an exceedingly creepy way.

I think we can all appreciate that our Halloween rests in the hands of seasoned experts.

The Marshmallow Ghosts – Shrieks