Even with the world falling apart at the seams, there were still a bunch of quality tapes made in 2020. I kept up with supporting my favorite artists and labels as much as I could. The sounds I like the most have not changed much, with my long standing preferences for experimental music, noise, synth drones, and a bit of indie rock remaining intact.
I capped any label at two tapes and tried to get as much variety on the list as possible.
Hausu Mountain, Not Not Fun, 100% Silk, and Unifactor all kept plugging along with new tapes. I think No Rent continues to be the gold standard for diversity and creativity. It was tough picking out only a pair of cassettes from them.
Ultra Violet Light celebrated their five year anniversary with a collection of artists using Buchla synthesizers. The compilation features Marcia Bassett, Suzanne Ciani, Dan Deacon, and more. This tape is a good reflection of what UVL has been doing over the years. It was nice to get a new Drainolith release to end the year. Electric Hearse showcases some great deconstructed post-blues guitar playing by Alex Moskos. I really dug Ordet's Welcome To Earth. It reminded me of early U.S. Girls to an extent, except it was more jarring and abrasive. In other words, a perfect summary of 2020.
As always any tape had to be released in the calendar year and I had to listen to it a lot. And if you are one of those types who needs a definitive cassette of the year, then that honor goes to Secret Destroyed Instantly by Aaron Dilloway and C. Lavender on Hanson Records. The duo teamed up to create a mesmerizing blend of tape and synth drones.
The list goes band/album/label for those with questions of that nature.
01. Aether Jag - Curved Peacetime - No Rent
02. ArkmFoam - bloodrootspitball - Refulgent Sepulchre
03. Apologist - Dirt Road - Full Spectrum Records
04. {arsonist} - Reality Structure - Unifactor
05. Cloning - Walking In Silt - Flag Day Recordings
06. Control Point - Dreamer's Disease - Hot Releases
07. Aaron Dilloway & C. Lavender - Secret Destroyed Instantly - Hanson Records
08. Drainolith - Electric Hearse - Freedom From
09. Davey Harms - World War - Hausu Mountain
10. House Panther Diadem Ensemble - Five Questions - Unifactor
11. Long Distance Poison - Technical Mentality - Hausu Mountain
12. V. Kristoff - Sydra - Not Not Fun
13. Machine Listener - Metonym - Moon Villian
14. Ordet - Welcome To Earth - No Rent
15. José Orozco Mora - Formas Aparentes - Constellation Tatsu
16. Ribbon Stage - My Favorite Shrine - Berzerk Tapes/K
17. Spiteful Womb - Mirrorgazing - Gutter Bloat
18. Sunk Heaven - Y Serpentine - Decoherence Records
19. various artists - Buchla Now - Ultra Violet Light
20. Wipe - s/t - Adversary
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