tempera

tempera ~ tempera 12'' lp + cd (l'animaux tryst (field) recordings, 2010)

 "when it comes to quality control and prolificacy, one can't imagine a band doing much better on either count than Portland, Maine’s own Tempera. considering the thousands of minutes of original material they’ve committed to tape, microcassette, and hard-drive over the past four years, it's hard to believe that this is still officially Tempera's debut long-playing album. and befitting the band's thorough self-scrutiny the music is decidedly top-tier. this self-titled lp contains two side-long, long-form improvisations, with kraut-rock inspired tom-heavy drumming backing ethereal vocals and synth tones and drones; smooth, blissed-out ambient passages building to cymbal-crashing climaxes. here, Tempera's Nicholas Barker and Corinna Marshall are joined by electric pianist/drummer Robert Stillman (of Robert Stillman's Horses) to hit that ecstatic, transcendent zone." l'animaux tryst

foto: bumbarrels

sold out ~ download

planets around the sun / herbcraft / sacred basil

planets around the sun ~ ram of heart and the earthen chariot (sloow tapes, 2012) 

"Planets Around The Sun have been exploring many inner and outer spaces inebriated with fluid acid folk/drone/psych improvisations. prior to this indefinite tour, they collected these recordings made in various barns, on boats and in bedrooms. an epic collection by these traveling wizards who are also part of the extended Cursillistas, Herbcraft, Tempera, White Light etc. family. 70 copies." sloow tapes

"...fantastic repeating gamelan-tone hypnotics and zoned female vocalese giving way to Godz-play-Jandek downer guitar blues. some of the guitar playing is as out as Matthew Valentine’s post-Takayanagi navigations of folk/blues but when the rest of the commune start hunching like Amon Duul it’ll have you reaching for your Siloah albums to make sense of the levels of brain-erasing boo that these heads bring to the table." volcanic tongue

buy / listen / 'sunshooter'

herbcraft ~ flowering (julia dream, 2012)

"Portland, Maine’s Matthew Lajoie is a man of many projects, and lately he has kept himself busy releasing and touring with Planets Around the Sun and his latest venture Brainshadows. ever since the dissolution of his principal group Cursillistas however, Lajoie’s main creative focus has been Herbcraft. this year Lajoie returns with two new releases of his signature psych-induced outsider folk. before the third proper Herbcraft record arrives this fall, a new limited edition tape comes next week to bridge the gap. Flowering contains ten fresh transmissions of opaque and somber yet delightfully ambitious and sprawling explorations. Flowering will be out July 9 on Julia Dream Recordings in an edition of 99 tapes. The new imprint has no website yet, but distribution will happen via Volcanic Tongue." nfop

listen 'journey to the center of your hive' & 'california poppy'

sacred basil ~ tuvan annex (digitalis ltd., 2010)

"sacred basil is the trio of nicholas barker (tempera), matt lajoie (cursillistas) and jordan spencer (gorman) and their collective talents are lighting up the skies. "tuvan annex" starts of shimmering and peaceful but it's a total ruse. guitar lines get washed into an oscillating oblivion and everything gets bathed in a heavy dose of noise swash. it's like being stuck in a tornado, desperately searching for a way out. the shimmer returns but with full-on density and triumph. each shift feels in the zone. blissed guitars and electronics join together, siamese twins moving in perfect harmony. contemplative, sparsely used notes flicker like a lightbulb about to give up hoping to make one final impression before crossing the great divide. there's something almost heartbreaking about it all.

but those aren't the only paths being crossed ~ not at all. rickety, looping acoustic guitars thrum their way forward with barely-audible background beats and electronic backwash. it's like being lost when nobody wants to admit their mistake. it's unsettling but worthwhile as it finally comes together and everything gets sucked to the bottom in a massive, exquisite whirlpool of sound. love those collaborations." digitalis

sold out ~ download

endless caverns

endless caverns ~ chakra ledge (cabin floor esoterica, 2010)

"the buzz of the city is slowly wrapped with the humming body tones of the seven major chakras amplified. percussion, dilruba, trumpet, heartbeat, vocals, electric guitars and bells join in a mass of energies. sky high night jams for the sidewalk crowd recorded this past spring by Matt Lajoie (Herbcraft, Cursillistas, etc.) at the Building of Song in Portland. a dense journey through echoing sea port howls and shaken soul tremours. program repeats on side b. in an edition of 75 hand-painted tapes with an insert in a sewn fabric pouch."

sold out | download

endless caverns ~ magi hymnal (l'animaux tryst, 2010)

"debut release from matthew lajoie. fripp & eno, terry riley, ambient, krautrock, inspired minimalist, composition, conceptual, drone guitar... primarily recorded direct to mono reel-to-reel in an empty frankincense and myrrh smoked out house on christmas eve, chalice toasted to the great north star, this a mediatation on isolation, astrological voyaging, and biblical magick."

sold out | download

(thanks to broadcasts from poor farm for the rip & the upload)

sinner jim whitney | franklin & lajoie

sinner jim whitney ~ am thirty-three thirty (cabin floor esoterica, 2011)

"Pure analog dreams. Tape manipulations and radio singers, handmade loops, piano runs."

sold out | download

franklin & lajoie - s/t (cabin floor esoterica, 2011)

"White Fir & Herbcraft/Cursillistas brothers team up for free-form improvisations. Patched together from a few days of living room sessions. Horns, tapes, viola and guitar among other things, melted together into the fuzz."

fotos: christian espejel &  frida johansson

sold out | download

(thanks to broadcasts from poor farm for the rip & the upload)

cursillistas / love cult

cursillistas & love cult ~ split (blackest rainbow 2010)

"Edition of 100 copies cassette from Cursillistas & Love Cult, a ritualistic acid/folk outfit that conjure the kind of cultic confusion of galactic explorers like Siloah, Dom and Ghost using bowed strings, drones, smeared vocals and acoustic instruments. First up is Cursillistas' epic 23 minute 'Great Salt Desert', a superb weirded out blues drenched, desert dried, psychedelic mirage... The b side opens with Love Cult's 'Breadcrumb Pony Tail', a swirling blissful distortion dripping psyche dream, a really beautiful 11 minute wonder. This is followed by 'Somn' a more crushing electrifying piece with tinkering and rattling from unrecognizable objects, distorted feedback blurts and what sounds like then objects trying to communicate. Limited to 100 copies with parchment paper (either gold or ivory) cover with black and white print." blackest rainbow

foto: hannah davis

download / buy

gorman & cursillistas

gorman & cursillistas ~ ash masks (cabin floor esoterica 2009)

"Tour split between Gorman and Cursillistas for their short string of mid-west dates together in June during the epic Cursillistas/White Light jaunt down from New England. Gorman side is bowed banjo and bells swirled into a familiar drone. Cursillistas drops a jangling moving extended drone piece at a totally different side of the spectrum from Matt's usual song-based jams. Dropped together in a hurry outside the Morning Glory in Pittsburgh - "Sagittarius" is misspelled! - but full of love regardless. In full-color wrap-around cardstock art with a printed vellum strap and an insert. Limited to something less than 20 and single digit copies left on my end!" cabin floor esoterica

download

cursillistas

cursillistas ~ peace pipers (l'animaux tryst field recordings 2009)

"I know a couple months back I said these would be exclusive to the Tryst Haunt subscribers, but thanks to a print shop that gave us a bunch of extra sleeves, combined with the fact that some folks haven't taken advantage of the free tape swap option, there are a few extras kicking around that should be in your hands. Exclusive Cursillistas jams that add up to a prequel or addendum to the Joint Chiefs LP out on Digitalis later this year (see below for more info on that). 45 minutes of headspace dustbowl jams that are a perfect complement to your zoned-out summer heatwave evenings. Limited to 100 copies on transparent sapphire-blue tapes, wrapped in a full-color printed textured art paper sleeve, held together with a piece of golden yarn; few left. $6 + shipping." tryst field

foto: transformerkat

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cursillistas

cursillistas ~ les biches (time-lag 2009)

"deluxe & expanded vinyl version co-released with matt lajoie's own l'animaux tryst (field) recordings label. originally presented in 2006 as the first l'animaux tryst release, an extremely limited 3inch cdr. this new version fills out the album with four previously unreleased bonus tracks from the original recording sessions. each track is newly mixed and whole album features super nice warm analog remastering for the ultimate in hi-fi lo-fi. these recordings represent a definite turning point in the cursillisitas trajectory, with the sparser intimate acid-folk-pop sound of the earliest releases blending easily into a more filled-out and improvisation based psychedelia. heavy use of layered overdubs, xylophone, live looping, and more experimental atmospheres added to the reverbed vocals, acoustic guitar, and crude percussion push things towards the more free-wheelin' full band sound of the present… a drifting trip that wobbles between the dark & the light… pressed on 180gm vinyl. packaged in a totally deluxe letter press printed tri-fold art paper cover with metallic screen printed interior, photo-mounted vellum insert, and all sealed up with a hand-sewn button enclosure. this vinyl version also includes a cd version of the album packaged in a stark hand-stamped art paper cover. hand numbered edition of 300 copies." time-lag

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sacred basil

sacred basil - day of six billion (cabin floor esoterica 2009)

"Hometown meets out of town in a blow out jangle of sounds. Recorded last fall in Portland, Sacred Basil brings together Cursillistas, Gorman, Planets Around the Sun, and Tempera for a living room improv after breakfast. Grooving organ, trumpet wails, building drum circle pounds, singing bowls, etc. A treasure chest of instruments dumped on the floor and a rotating cast picking them all up to work out the tones. Packaged in a tri-folded art paper 'booklet' that opens to reveal a full-color collage and pasted on vellum insert. Tapes painted & stamped and tied with twine. Limited to 50." cabin floor esoterica

foto: zweifellos mondbetont

download (link de disconcerted sounds)

cursillistas / white light

cursillistas/white light ~ travel light (l’animaux tryst (field) recordings 2009)

"Cursillistas and White Light are hitting the road with a limited 12" split LP to celebrate the occasion. 150 copies large, Travel Light gives each band their own side to showcase their latest material. Your chance to nab a copy depends on the tour dates below--if you can make it to a show, you'll have a shot at hearing this beautiful wonder. If you can't make it out to see Cursillistas and White Light, then keep your fingers crossed that L'animaux Tryst has a few extra copies post-tour they are willing to part with.

Cursillistas' side begins with previously-unreleased live favorite "Crutches" (hand-picked by White Light for this split), and then follows up with a bummer-folk quartet of their most recently-recorded material. White Light presents four previously-unreleased songs on their side of the split, which mark their first official output since a well-received 7" single in the Tryst Haunt Series over a year ago. A warm lo-fi glow cushions these psych-soul-pop tunes, which mix communal spaced-out jams with heavy loner meditations." electronic voice phenomenon

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cursillistas

cursillistas ~ joint chiefs (digitalis lp 2009)

"Cursillistas has been a longtime Digitalis favorite so we're very, very excited to be offering up their newest creation as a vinyl-only release. "Joint Chiefs" sees originator Matt Lajoie joining spirit and forces with Dawn Russell and burning new ground along the way. This is a new path entirely. Where past Cursillistas efforts have been drenched in sunkissed tones and melodic stirrings, "Joint Chiefs" dredges up muddy waters and dark emanations like a blast from the deep. this is barn owl meets the dust bowl meets peyote music. Loose strings ring out on acoustic guitars while rattling percussion marches toward the river. Lajoie and Russell send their voices out on top as a guide, looking for any light that is seeping through the thick, duststorm clouds. Just when it looks like it's going to clear up a bassed-out blanket of fuzz and synth tones come along to ruin all the progress you've made. "Joint Chiefs" feels like an epic journey, sordid and sweet. If you find yourself lost in these dark woods, all you can do is adapt, suck in the smoke-filled air and toast the charred heavens. Cursillistas reinvented." digitalis

foto: jon edwards

dust bowl reds (mp3)

peace pipers (mp3 excerpt)

tempera

tempera - live at tryst haunt + bonus tracks (l' animaux tryst (field) recordings 2008)

"...tempera buzzes its way through lo-fi live loops, beats backing aetherial vocals, a complete electro mindgroove. five drummers/droners on three-and-a-half drum kits, a cello, violin, flute, citara, moog prodigy, woodchimes, dilruba (bowed sitar), loopers, bells, bowls, pedal boards, and more...'more' being fantastic new temperans matt lajoie of cursillistas, chris l. of visitations, and ed knisely of a primitive and savage land! we will make a joyous noise" tryst haunt (field) recordings

foto: suruei

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cursillistas

cursillistas - thee seven storey mountain (cdr 2008)

"thee seven storey mountain, May 2008. Edition of 30 cd'rs in sewn, Spirographed sleeves, with typewritten insert on graph paper. Available only at Cursillistas shows..."

"Matt Lajoie, mastermind behind Portland, Maine’s L’animaux Tryst label, returns as Cursillistas and delves deeper into folk’s freakish heart, tribal beats, echo chambers, and chugging rhythms..." electric voice phenomenon

arrebatadoramente bonito, con una atmósfera similar a los discos de matt valentine & erika elder, al primero de panda bear, a trees, chants and hollers de valerie webb & paul labrecque,...

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cursillistas

cursillistas - thrush chimes in the field haunt (time-lag cdr 2006)

Cursillistas es en realidad Matthew John LaJoie, un duende de Portland con lazos y sentimientos británicos. en Thrush Times demuestra su fascinación por el pasado, por las grabaciones de Harry Smith, por el psych folk británico y la música tradicional india. construye su música, al igual que Joshua Burkett, Justin Vollmar, The Skygreen Leopards, Ethereal Planes Indian o Hush Arbors, sobre una montaña de folk psicodélico, rupestre, tribal, repleto de tonadillas desnudas que se inspiran por momentos en Palace Brothers o en Greg Ashley (esa voz tan dulce...). acústicas, organillo, vientos, títulos extraños, banjos a la deriva...y aunque para mí sea un desconocido, todo estaba escrito ya en el delicioso Rotary and Gems. sólo puedo recomendaros que hagáis todo lo posible por escuchar la preciosa Hands (haunt) Feet.

 

'Heard Palace Brothers' Days In The Wake. Made music. Interned at Time-Lag Records. Heard music. Made music. Recorded Rotary and Gems as gift for friends and family. Time-Lag distributed, and the 10 copies available sold out in two hours. Brad Rose heard Rotary and Gems. Wrote that it was "an excellent introduction to what promises to be one of my favorite folk-inspired projects around" and awarded it a 9 out of 10 in a foxydigitalis review. Wrote more songs. 14 songs finished for upcoming album Thrush Chimes in the Field Haunt, which was released by Time-Lag Records in July 2006.'