Rack & Ruin Records

Rack & Ruin is a new net-based label from Amsterdam that specialise in beautiful indiepop, electronica, ambient, experimental and all the hybrids of those you can think of. I first heard about them on an indie/music website in which the Rack & Ruin Records ‘Head Honcho’ frequents and I was impressed. There is quite a catalogue for a label that only just started on April 1st 2008 and I can assure you its no joke either. The music is free to download as well so you would be a fool to miss it. Rack & Ruin Records concentrate on new or unknown artists from any locality. And want to get the music out there for peoples loving ears to enjoy, the bands to get shows and even to get the people paid to make music, imagine that. So to help with this wonderful word of mouth mission go and check out Rack & Ruin Records on the worldwide medium that is the Internet.

Dessktop – Selsey Bill EP (RRR012)
Dessktop was the first artist to grab my attention on the home page’s player, find his myspace page here. Selsey Bill EP is full of ambient tracks made from, what sounds like snippets of sound and synthesisers. San Rafael, is a bell tingling little number with beautiful synth pads. This fades into a vocal loop and the next song. There is a sound like its made on an electronic squeezebox, you know like the ones in folk bands, which is interesting. Aerial Tramway Support Pillar is a screechy lo-fi number like an electrical cable shooting its power through your brain, but nicer. Canton of Pointe-noire, has a wonderful low and scraping noise at the beginning and leads to loops of piano notes and the deep noise of a slow tram over head, hypnotic stuff. This follows on nicely in theme from the last track. Synth strings come in, which are accompanied by spoken word parts that work so well. This track reminds me of a slowed down ambient Trans-Europe Express by Kraftwerk. Croatian World Club Championship brings Selsey Bill EP to an end with a bright and cheerful tinkle from an almost honky-tonk piano loop, high humming pads and then finally fades into a squeaky wheel ending. Dessktop impressed me and the tune that drew me into listen to this EP, How To Kill Woman and Children wasn’t even on it. That has a clattering noise loop that fades in and out with a twitchy and gruff electronic percussion section. Good stuff, that fits in-between the noise, ambient and electronic genres all snug and warm.

These are on my list to listen to next:

Tropical Australian Stinger Research Unit – Ex Stinger (RRR009)
The Macadamia Brothers - Tomatoey Plates EP (RRR013)

Bring it on I say expect to hear more about Rack & Ruin Records in the near future. I have only scratch the surface there is much more music to enjoy here. You can go and check it out now: go on; it’s just over there on the left follow the signs marked beautiful D.I.Y. indie noise pop-tronica.