Listen: Guest Mix by Martin Bisi

We’re proud to present a guest mix by legendary producer/engineer Martin Bisi! Martin worked with the likes Sonic Youth, Live Skull, Helmet, Cop Shoot Cop, Material and countless others. He also produced few solo albums, the most recent of which is Ex Nihilo that came out on Labelship in 2015.
Back in 2014 we interviewed Martin regarding Sound and Chaos: The Story of BC Studio, a documentary dedicated to his Brooklyn-based recording studio. This year marked the release of BC35: The 35 Year Anniversary of BC Studio that brought together members of Sonic Youth, Swans, White Hills, JG Thirlwell, Cop Shoot Cop, Pop 1280, The Dresden Dolls, Alice Donut, Lubricated Goat and Parlor Walls.
There’s also a limited edition cassette of BC35 available via Sleeping Giant Glossolalia.

Now, onto the mix itself….

Natural Velvet – “Gazed Upon” from Mirror To Make You

A great band i recorded relatively recently. They’re based in Baltimore.

Ambitious Lovers- “Locus Coruleus” from Envy (MUSIC VIDEO)
This is the band that Arto Lindsay had a little after his No Wave period with DNA. You can hear in this song blending of No Wave skronky guitar and 80’s pop or dance sounds.

US Maple – “More Horror” from Talker
A band from Chicago. From that Midwest post-rock, somewhat garage orbit. I later worked with the guitarist, Mark Shippy on his Invisible Things records.
See also: A-Z of Skin Graft Records – US Maple

Material w/ William Burroughs “Soul Killer” from Seven Souls

This features William Burroughs reading from his book The Western Lands.

Lydia Lunch & Thurston Moore “The Crumb”
This sounds to me like it could be a soundtrack to a Richard Kern film, but it’s not. This has Thurston returning to BC Studio after finishing Sister -a record Sonic Youth didn’t record with me.

Wrekmeister Harmonies “Behold! The Final Scream” from The Alone Rush

Brand new release this year. Has the sonically large drumming vibes of Thor Harris (Swans).
See also: Guest Mix by Wrekmeister Harmonies

Dresden Dolls – “Will” from A Is For Accident
This is an odd Dresden Dolls song in that Amanda Palmer plays organ, not piano. It was recorded in the sessions of the eponymous Dresden Dolls record, but was ultimately an out-take that was added to their A Is For Accident (mostly live) record.

Beat Circus “Hypnogogia” from Dreamland

Boston’s Beat Circus. This record was themed around the Dreamland amusement park that closed -burnt down actually, in 1911.

Brian Eno “Lizard Point” from On Land
This is from the 1st sessions ever at BC Studio, in 1981.

Bill Laswell – “Hindsight” Baselines (1983)

I actually play drums on this. One of the few instances where i drum on a record. I also play the big tom breaks. The congas are played by Daniel Ponce who played the bata on Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit”. Ponce was a master Yoruba/Cuban percussionist.

V Effect “A Tree Grows In Managua” from Stop Those Songs
A great example of a certain sound in the E Village of NYC around 1980 – jazz-informed No Wave with stilted, mutant rhythms and clear political messages.

Barbez “Mizmor Leasaf” from Bella Ciao
Most of this record, including this track, is made from the transcribed melodies of the religious music of a little-known Jewish community in Rome Italy. They are the oldest continuous residents of Rome. They are neither Ashkenzi, nor Sephardi, so completely unique in Europe.

Pop 1280 “Nailhouse” from Imps of Perversion

Keeping the New York City darkness alive. Some things keep evolving. This takes me back to some of my beginnings, at the Mudd Club of the 80’s, in NYC. But, the sounds have evolved.