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Jokulhaups is an independent record label operating out of Bedfordshire, and spilling over into Milton Keynes (particularly through releases by Aglaziator (see below). They very kindly sent me a couple of free CDs to review, and I liked ‘em!  It’s great to know that this kind of thing is around under own noses, well worth checking out. Their website is at : http://www.jokulhaups.tk/ - and tracks can be downloaded from there, as well as all the usual, news, mailing lists, etc.  But first – the CDs...

“Anarchy In The Hearts Of...” : AGLAZIATOR

Aglaziator is Kieran Durcan, an MK resident adept in creating this interesting mix of trancey instrumental loops and fuzzed up beats. This mini-album opens decisively with the intricate “Let Your Mind Trip”, which is, well... kind of trippy. I guess hence the name. But the tracks get progressively less ambient as they progress, ushering in urgent rhythms and scuzzy guitars, until all the levels are become piled up on top of each other, occasionally falling inwards on top of itself, like on the chaotic “No Vein”.  As long-time readers will know, my musical tastes are pretty broad, but often centre on the vocals any lyrics (hey, c’mon, I’m a writer). However, I have my moments when it comes to instrumentals as well, and found this eminently listenable. If I was pushed to find reference points (and I think in music journalism you’re supposed to), I’d probably call this akin to the electronic experimentalism of someone like Squarepusher, but unique too, evoking interesting moods (for example thoughtful paranoia on “When The Hero Comes”, to name but one). Half-audible voices mumble in the background, squelchy beats kick in, and sinisterly peaceful chimes clang in the distance. It’s not all electronica, though, “The Martins Remix” could be an instrumental by a rock band, acoustic guitars strum and are jarred across by jagged violin sounds and cheerful flutes. And “Entrance Theme To A Haunted Lifestyle” is just bizarre, a zig-zagging melange of tones and bleeps.

“New Music Split CD 2” : EUROPICA / AGLAZIATOR

The other offering from Jokulhaups is another mini-album (both of these are about 20/25 minutes long), this time split between Aglaziator and another artist, Europica. It’s the latter that starts things off, with the jazzy reggae lilt of “The Trumpeter”. The other thing music journalists should do (I have my copy of “The NME Guide To Music Journalism By Numbers (Foreword By The Strokes) right here as I listen and type) is point out differences between artists, and that’s not difficult here, although both are instrumental. Europica seems more brassy, more skanking than Aglaziator’s layered rattle bag of sounds, and the mixture works well. “You Are The One” (Europica) is cheerful, a sunny day strut, which stops abruptly and gives way to Aglaziator’s drum n’ slap-bassy ticking “My Tangle, Your Tangle, We Tangle”, which ends, excellently with what sounds suspiciously like a Mr.T sample. Nice one!