I Heart Noise : Bricolage Retrospective (Label Mix 2018)

At the tail end of last year we were honoured to be asked to put together a Bricolage "Retrospective 2018" mix for renowned taste makers iHeartNoise. The session takes a look back at a whirlwind 12 months of broken beats, mangled electronica, glitchy IDM, ambient landscapes, experimental sound collage and gritty electro. It features tracks from each of our 7 stand alone releases from 2018 alongside a selection of cuts from our special "Retcon" anniversary compilation.

Tune in at the link below or over at the IHN mixcloud. Tracklisting below.



01. Lying Cat – Fstal Better To Begin (Nov 18)
02. Yasda – Restless Man Of All Work (Aug 18)
03. Supply Fi – Dry Remains (Apr 18)
04. Equal Parts – People Find Time (Aug 18)
05. Dark Fidelity Hi Fi – Hanasaku (Aug 18)
06. Fragile X – Res Ipsa Loquitur (Aug 18)
07. Devras Plexi – Something We Dreamt (Mar 18)
08. Anonymous3 – Nine (Aug 18)
09. No Arrival – Terra Ratio (Aug 18)
10. All Buttons In – The Life And Death Of A Neuron (Aug 18)
11. futurendeavours – Yautja Blood (Jan 18)
12. Arran Trax – Dammerung (Jun 18)
13. GrevusAnjl – The Nicest Of Vices (Aug 18)
14. Justin Case – Seagulling (Jul 18)
15. Minimal_Drone*GRL – Bifurcated Worlds (Aug 18)
16. Menopausal Hound Dog – Clown Interruption And The Bore Science Nostril Shots (Feb 18)

In The Loop : Episode 31

Our latest episode once again of In The Loop lends an ear to what a few artists from our roster have been upto recently....

CREST OF THE SYNDICATE

Crisp drums paired with intricate and soft melodies that drift by on a cloud of floating synths on "Daydreaming". A wonderful summer tinged track to brighten up the dark winter nights.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JUSTIN CASE

Patience is key on this new track from Justin Case. The ambient progression and slow build up pays off as "Ayr" gradually morphs in and out of acid basslines, IDM sensibilities and broken beat rhythms that are becoming an integral part of the maverick producers arsenal.



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALL BUTTONS IN

"Polara 147" is a slice of dub infused glitch from the ever prolific, ABI. Industrial undertones and menacing beats that collapse into an ambient interlude before resurfacing....



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COLAB

"Under The Bridge" starts with gentle keys before some field recordings glide into view and create space for some atmospheric synth work that create a serene mood dripping with that nostalgia element that Colab has down to a tee.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREVUSANJL

"Bruno's Ghost" is a haunting piece of cinematic electronica. A tale of two abstract styles coming together as one. Part serenading tones and part twisted bass and marauding percs. A great spectre like combination.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ghost Stories 2018

Our "Ghost Stories" section has become custom for Bricolage in Halloween season over the last few years and has proved to be popular among our fans and artists. This year's selections of eerie electronics and spooky soundtracks come from All Buttons In, GrevusAnjl, Crest Of The Syndicate and Minimal_Drone*GRL.

So, without further ado....

MINIMAL_DRONE*GRL

1. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead



"My first pick is "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus.  Known as the first Gothic song in 1979, this is 9 minutes of experimental brilliance with atmospheric guitars and skittering drums.  Drawing from post-punk, alternative rock with a touch of dub, this is a journey into the void with a dark and dreary vibe from beginning to end.  Always a classic for me."
2. Dario Argento - Suspiria



"I'm a huge fan of classic horror movies, especially the Italian genre "Giallo".  "Susperia" by Dario Argento is one of my favourite films in this genre.  Surrealistic and colourful visuals and a thick fairytale atmosphere give this movie a unique touch that really gets your imagination going.  Goblin's wailing, strident prog rock score - with pounding rhythms, heavy breathing and dissonance, maintains the suspenseful, supernatural tone throughout."

3. F.W. Murnau - Nosferatu



"My next pick is "Nosferatu" by F.W. Murnau.  Here is the story of Dracula before it was buried alive in clichés.  Murnau's silent film (1922) was based on the Bram Stoker novel.  I admire it for it's artistry and ideas, it's atmosphere and images, than for it's ability to manipulate my emotions like a skillful modern horror film.  It doesn't scare us, it haunts us.  It shows not that vampires can jump out of shadows, but that evil can grow there, nourished on death."

4. Ben Frost - The Carpathians



"Frost's music is all about contrast - merging beautiful classical minimalism with the dirty grind of metal and drone core.  This combination is unsettling to the mind, refusing to split in half and choose between genres.  For me, this track evokes the terrifying, uncomfortable, sickening feeling of being stranded in an evening snow storm when you hear the sound of a pack of wolves howling in the distance."

5. Mario Bava - Black Sabbath



"My final pick is another Giallo film "Black Sabbath" by Mario Bava.  This trilogy of horror stories serves as an interesting look at a trio of varying filmmaking styles.  All three are wonderfully evil, stylistic with incredible camera work and beautifully designed sets.  My favourite of the the three is "The Drop of Water".  It's about a nurse who steals the ring off an old occultist woman's hand only to have her grinning corpse torment her from beyond the grave.  The initial shock of seeing the old witch is truly bone-chilling." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CREST OF THE SYNDICATE

1. Hobo With A Shotgun

"This is a Canadian Grindhouse film and the reason I pick this as its one of my favourite horror films. Its gory, its crazy, its disturbing and the story is pretty simplistic but that is what makes it so great. The first time I saw this film was in 2012, a friend recommended it to me and after watching it, I was hooked, my favourite part is the summoning of 'The Plague', 2 armoured demons from hell.. If you haven't seen it and you like trashy horror films, I'd fully recommend it."



2. Aphex Twin - Come To Daddy

"Where to begin?! This song is awesome, the video is disturbed... probably not in the spooky halloween sense but is well worth a mention. However its the Little Lord Faulteroy Mix is where its at, try listening to it at 2am with its bizarre creepy speech but nonetheless a brilliant track (all the mixes included)"



3. RJD2 - The Horror

"The spooky opening track from the fantastic Deadringer album. Its spooky melodies, old samples and hip-hop beats make this track a must for any halloween party playlist. Plus check the whole album (if you haven't) its a masterpiece!"



4. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster - Psychosis Safari

"This track, where to even start with this... the album 'Horse of the Dog is one of my favourite albums purely for its intensity, its guitar riffs and general gloominess (I'm not a gloomy guy by the way). This track is the standout for me, I can't remember when I first heard this but I'm sure it was on the Steve Lamacq show and was immediately hooked and bought the album on CD the next day, this has a great hook and the vocals are insane at the end. The album is well worth listening to and doesn't last long at 28 minutes."



5. Future Sounds Of London - Dead Cities



"Last but not least, here is FSOL with Dead Cities. This is my favourite album ever and inspired me to get into music when I was just 15. Dark, gloomy and just perfection all the way through from 'Herd Killing' to 'First Death In The Family'. Such a solid album with no filler and confirmed my lifelong love affair with electronic music. Not halloween affilated on the surface but listen closer to the tracks and you'll see what I mean particularly the track Vit Drowning/Through Your Gills I Breathe. The link above is my favourite track of all time 'Antique Toy'.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALL BUTTONS IN

1. Surachai - Temple of the Weakening Sun



"One of Surachai's finest synthesizer explorations, a deep and dark ominous masterpiece. Well balanced between melodic warmth and crushing mayhem. The video is equally stunning."

2. Kyrptic Minds - Six Degrees



"Beautifully crafted deep brooding atmospheric dubstep, with added ferocity and the dancefloor in mind."

3. V.I.V.E.K - Asteroids



"Asteroids is a vast and spacious track with deep pulsating subs that induce intense sensations. Full of V.I.V.E.K's distinct dark and menacing atmosphere."

4. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand



"Arguably The Bad Seeds finest moment. A haunting, menacing tale full of Cave's eloquent black wit."

5. The Misfits - Halloween



"The name says it all. I can't think about Halloween without thinking of this song. Classic punk rock fun." 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREVUSANJL

1. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead



"These first two are a blast from my past. Songs pulled from my dark, angsty youth. Starting with my all time favorite Goth song, Bauhas 'Bela Lugosi's Dead'. I played this until the tape finally broke. Sitting in a darkly lit room; stereo so loud, it annoyed the neighbors across the street. I know where some of my hearing problems originated. And at that age I wouldn't have it any other way.

2. Type O Negative - Black No.1 (Little Miss Scare-All)




"Continuing the back story of my Gothy past, here's one of the funnier details about my wife and I, when we first moved in together. On laundry day, we typically had 3 black loads, and half a light load. I don't think I owned a non-black shirt until my 30s. And here's the next song we were addicted to for months; Type O Negative's "Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)"
"There are so many great songs from that time period, the list could go on! But lets move on to the more recent, more atmospheric side of darkness. I want to share 3 (and not even close to all of the) discoveries I've made on SoundCloud that could all be strong contenders for scariest ambient song (or album) of the year, soundtracks suitable for your worst nightmares.

3. Blink Twice - Summoning

"This first is by Mood Exhibit's darker incarnation, Blink Twice. The song is called "Summoning". Suffice it to say, sometimes it's healthy to revisit and express your past, and Robert Salchak is great at embracing that dark inner child (check out any of the Blink Twice songs found on SoundCloud, and you'll know exactly what I mean.)"



4. Humanfobia - Aura Obscura

"The second SoundCloud group to make my list is Humanfobia (comprised of S'bila Orbe on sound programming and Mist Spectra on vocals; and partnering with musician James Onsen for this project). They generously make these haunting soundscapes year round, so we have plenty of new material to get us through the next Halloween season, if you're that specific. Otherwise, just enjoy it year round. This song is entitled 'Aura Obscura'. "



And here's where the EP can be found, if the track whets your appetite.

Link : Humanfobia - Aura Obscura EP

5. Grim Heka - Room 237

"My last offering is from Darren Coyle, the genius behind Optapus (and his even darker, dark side Grim Heka). The Grim Heka music scares me silly (and the images he finds for his cover art are wonderfully creepy and disturbing). If you're running low on nightmare-inducing soundscapes, his latest album is there to help you out."

Link : Grim Heka - The Overlook Hotel

"Here is but a taste of this talented musician's frightening world."



"I hope you enjoyed this little peak into the frightening stuff that keeps GrevusAnjl awake at night. Sleep like the dead, my friends."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Until next year......

"Retcon" (bc038)

“Retcon” is our most expansive and adventurous project to date. A mammoth twenty track compilation to celebrate 3 years as a label.

On this release we bring you new sounds from some Bricolage stalwarts and regulars plus creations from a collection of new artists that we’ve welcomed to the roster.

The Bricolage outlook has always remained the same for our VA albums and, just like all our previous compilations, there’s music from all over the electronic spectrum and across the world on “Retcon”. No stone is left unturned. No sound unplayed.

Available for stream and download at the links below or at our bandcamp.





I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all the artists and friends associated with Bricolage for their support and patience in the build up to the “Retcon” release. Due to unforeseen personal reasons, and a very difficult summer, this album almost didn’t happen. The support of the aforementioned people gave me the strength to ensure “Retcon” was given the release I feel it deserved and for that I’m very thankful. The album has proved to be somewhat of a beacon of light for me personally and has proved to be a worthwhile commitment. I hope you feel the same. (John / Fragile X)

Bricolage : Retcon (Phase Two)

On the 31st of August we mark our third anniversary as a label. In those three years we’ve worked with some fantastic artists and released what, we’d like to think is, some unique and special music along the way. 

To celebrate entering into our fourth year we’ve managed to pool together a mammoth 20 track compilation containing a mixture of 10 artists from our current roster and 10 artists that are new to the label. 

Titled “Retcon”, the compilation will be released on Friday the 31st August and as usual will showcase a wide variety of styles from the electronic sphere.

Tonight, we welcome 5 new artists to the label and unveil some more of the sounds to feature on the album.

YASDA


Yasda is the solo project of Andras Nagy, a native of Budapest, Hungary. The project was started in 2015 as a platform to creatively express thoughts and ideas. Influenced by a wide range of genres that reach into Detroit techno, experimental ambient and contemporary electronica, his own tracks build a common ground with field recordings, samples, unique beat-making and self generated plug ins that ensure continuous activity and a bright outlook for the future.

The track "Restless Man Of All Work" will feature on "Retcon". Stay tuned for more info on that soon. For now check out the conceptual "Surreal Haircut" below.



Yasda (Facebook)

Yasda (Bandcamp)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GREVUSANJL


Justin MacKay aka GrevusAnjl is a visual/graphic artist by trade that is relatively new to the music production scene. Although he has been "goofing around" with sculpting soundscapes for around 12 years now, it's only recently that he has focused his energy on properly learning the tools and methods of the trade. He's a huge advocate of the Soundcloud platfrom and has utilised it for inspiration and connections with his peers. "Retcon" provides Justin a more than deserved chance to feature alongside some of those inspirations. He has contributed the fantastic "The Nicest of Vices" to the album. All will be unveiled soon....

Check out the unique "Tearing At The Fabric" below. It featured on our December 2017 compilation courtesy of Belial Pelegrim.



GrevusAnjl (Facebook)

GrevusAnjl (Twitter)

GrevusAnjl (YouTube)

GrevusAnjl (Bandcamp)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANONYMOUS3


A Yorkshire based experimental artist....

"I started off playing guitar in various bands and found some success. Once I discovered electronic music I found I concentrated more on using my fx rather than playing the actual guitar. A few years ago I decided to begin a new music venture. A solo project under the name of Anonymous3. I found artists through platforms such as Soundcloud who offered me support advise and ultimately encouragement to continue trying to progress with it. I’m currently working on my latest EP which is going to be titled ‘Paint By Numbers’ hoping to complete it this year."

His track "Nine" is an exploration of sound and mood that nestles somewhere between dark and light. It fits perfectly into what we want to portray on the upcoming compilation.



Anonymous3 (Facebook)

Anonymous3 (Twitter)


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SULEVIA


Sulevia, an ancient Celtic goddess, is the alias of Sylvia Halla. A Vienna born painter and poet that allows optical structures to flow into her intensive ambient crossover tracks and synesthetic vibrations. Her music is born of contemporary techniques but influenced by the study of ethnology and world instruments alongside a spiritual and meditative nature.

All these elements combined make for special and intriguing music such as "Bamboo" which is all set to feature on the new "Retcon" album.



Sulevia (Website)

Sulevia (Facebook)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HUMAN AGE


Human Age is the electronic music project of Dylan Johnson. Dylan resides in the south bay of Los Angeles. He is inspired by consciousness and philosophy. He released his first single, "Turning in Place", in January 2018, and is currently in the process of writing a body of work. 

That very track, a work of true sound art, will be featured on the "Retcon" release.



Human Age (Facebook)

Human Age (Instagram)

Human Age (YouTube)

Human Age (Twitter)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------