NEW WEIRD AUSTRALIA – VOLUME 1
Sometime FBi-presenters and musos Stuart Buchanan and Danny Jumpertz have struck on a good thing with their new bimonthly compilation, New Weird Australia. The idea: solicit material from Australia’s “underground” experimental and avant-garde musicians, make a selection of the best tracks, and then release them for free via the magic of the internet. Great for the scene, great for the bands, great for the consumer. But as is sometimes the case with compilations, the organising principle outshines the selected material. Kyu’s Sunny in Splodges and Lessons in Time’s Plastic Street Signs are both standout moments, but they’ve got vocals to keep you interested; better tracks draw digital and acoustic elements together, chasing ambience (Tom Smith track, Anonymere). There’s post-industrial, pseudo-noise, glitch, free jazz, “tribal” material (for want of a better word), and material that will defy any attempt at description, all interesting, but not all compelling. The best thing about this compilation is that it’s diverse, and it’s ongoing. Don’t like this volume? Wait a couple of months and pick up the next one, which will be a whole other thing again. Like something you hear here? Get on the internet and scrounge it out. A great idea, and an interesting listening experience guaranteed.
***1/2
