Aidan Baker (of Nadja fame) is a very prolific musician, and his doom-laden drones can be absolutely emotionally devastating. Imagine my surprise and pleasure when it was announced that the fruits of his collaboration with shoegazer Tim Hecker were going to be released on Alien 8 recordings.
Fantasma Parastasie is an epic journey of 8 tracks that wed’s Baker’s expansive recording style to Hecker’s distinctive musical structures, and is wonderfully successful. Standout tracks are “auditory spirits”, where softly chiming guitar gives way to tick-tock rhythms settling the reader into a fugue state, and the mini epic “Gallery of the Invisible Woman,” which pulses with stately bass organ underneath Baker’s layers of crusty distortion.
One thing I really like about Alien 8 is the ability to preview full tracks before you buy…so definitely check it out.
Also on the playlist: Jesus and Mary Chain’s monumental box set of singles and b-sides The Power of Negative Thinking.
