Weyes Blood & Queen Victoria are doing a west coast tour and i will be joining them for the california stretch>>>


April 7th – Los Angeles – Dem Passwords w/ Sean McCann, Regal Degal
April 8th – Santa Barbara – Muddy Waters TBA
April 9th – San Luis Obispo – Cal Poly
April 10th – San Francisco – The Hemlock w/ Horsebladder, KJWAZ
April 12th – Oakland – Mind Fractal Gaze Hut w/ Andy Magic Pulsewave, Pod Blotz

Thanks so much to Henning at No Fear of Pop for this kind writeup

Horsebladder: “Fountains”.


Northampton, Massachusetts’ Elaine Kahn sent over a very charming mail to tell me about her “group” named Horsebladder, “consisting of myself, my keyboard, and sometimes a drum”. What at first faintly appeared like just another nice yet dilettante bedroom project instantly took my breath away after hearing the very first few bars of “Pioneer”, the gloomy, menacing opener of Kahn’s forthcoming 12 inch Not I’ll Not. Three tracks into the EP, the unsettling intimacy of “Fountains” ultimately spellbound me, with its slow-burning rhythm and tenuous synth progression, calmly meandering over the course of nearly six minutes.

The sound of Elaine Kahn’s work – who’s already released a cassette, called Nicole, last year on Night-People – is mostly eerie and dark, as is the general atmosphere, yet in a less palpable way compared to, say, (early) Zola Jesus or Chelsea Wolfe, to take rather obvious examples of contemporary female artists that slightly follow the same path as Kahn. The means to achieve the enchanting, deeply absorbing mood are stunningly simple and distinctly lo-fi, sparse patterns of analog synth, a restrained drum part and layered vocalization, all blurred and hidden behind a constant hiss of distortion and clipping, all of which adds up to a wonderfully unique, occasionally disturbing trip to the unacknowledged melancholy of your soul.

Horsebladder, “Nicole” tape

October 18, 2011

By Dave Miller

Horsebladder, which to me is one crazy name for an artist, is the moniker for a lady by the name of Elaine.  As odd as that moniker is, the sounds though a little different aren’t really too weird.  It’s really more like a handful of fantastical whimsy that gets blown in your face.  The first track, “Losers,” sounds like some kind of capricious zoo that mystically prances through the line of sight of your mind’s eye.  Then the second track, “Years and Years,” continues with a super ethereal dreamlike vibe with soft female vocals, drips that actually sound like some kind of quirky chimes, and other melody that sounds like a glass harmonica or something.  The third is “Who Doesn’t Lie” and is an a cappella sing-songy cruise through that same voice only in a soothing oceanic way.  Then the other side has the other half of this six track tape.  The fourth, “Surprise Disease,” continues with more singing, which I’m finding permeates most of her tracks.  It has subtle drones that I think consist of organ instrumentation, but perhaps just a keyboard.  Either way, an awesome meditative repetition to it.  The seventh track is “I’m So Big,” and continues in the vein of its predecessor, only with more of a ghostly vibe.  It has some crazy bell/rattle that gives it a nautical edge, like a dark night on the water with swarming mermaids beckoning to the boat.  The last, “Go Away,” has a pretty cool soft synth texture to it with a few layers that are a gentle salve to the soul.  All I can say is that this is a solid release that is unlike anything I expected.  My only complaint is its brevity.  A nice listen before bed.  It’s better than sleeping pills or alcohol to put you in the right state.  Dream away thanks to Elaine and her fairy-like music to soothe any savage beast—even this guy.

now available at horsebladder.bandcamp.com

you can also buy the vinyl LP from here

tour was great.  thanks so much to everyone who came out to a show. 

not i'll not is for sale, twittering machines described the album as "Simple keyboard-based nursery-rhyme melodies overlap with each other until they get downright creepy and Elaine adds the cherry on top with her dreamy nightmare vocals."

in other news I will be giving two readings in the near future, both at flying object.  The first will be on october 21st in honor of Ben Este's new chapbook The Strings of Walnetto Arrangements, the second will be a celebration of the next issue of SUPERMACHINE which i have new work in.   

finalish dates / venues / lineups

9.22 The Elevens, NORTHAMPTON w. Merv Glisten & Old Pam's Radio
9.23 Garfield Artworks, PITTSBURGH w. Viper, Herpes Hideaway & Wasp Nest Headress
9.24 Myriad Shockss Festival DETROIT
& Pleasure Dome, YPSILANTI, w. sick llama, Henry & Hazel Slaughter
9.25 Ball Hall, CHICAGO, w. Julie M. Byrne, Sunglasses, Ryley Walker
9.26 713 E. Washington St., IOWA CITY w. Taterbug
9.27 FLoating Laboratories, ST LOUIS, w. Larva Lou & Holy Matter
9.28 Mayday Northside, CINCI, w. AV, & The Maintains
9.29 ..ssomewhere in ohhiioo????
10.2 Zebulon, BK w. Zaimph, The Spanish Donkey, Hubble & Angels in America
10.4 Metro Gallery, BALTIMORE w. Eternal Tapestry & Arboretum
10.5 204 James st, CARBORRO w. R GUstaffson & Secret Boyfriend & ZOMES
10.6 Bobo Gallery ASHEVILLE w. Coppertone, Lame Drive & ZOMES
10.7 Tea House Bazaar, CHARLOTTESVILLE w ZOMES
10.8 the Dream Oven, PHILLY, w. tba
10.10. Media Mansion, NORTHAMPTON w. Northampton Wools & horse spirit penetrates

thanks friendship bracelet

it was really exciting listening to it on vinyl... sounds...so much better!! 

i have seven copies of the test press that i'm making limited ed. covers for people in my life who helped me with the record.  the covers are all different--each one is a portrait of the person i'm giving it to.  i like drawing portraits, find them kinda meditative, not to mention it is interesting to really think about a person's face. 

i started the project yesterday and have my first on finished, it is for bill nace. this is a really crappy photo, obviously, i took it with my webcam. 

TONIGHT
celebrating the release of Nick Meyer's fantastic new book of photographs "Pattern Language"

Performances by Kieran Lally plus Kim Gordon / Elaine Kahn
Duet