MetalJazz

Satyricon, "Satyricon & Munch" (Napalm). When Norwegian blackmetalmen Satyricon oozed music to complement the artworks at Oslo's museum dedicated to Edvard Munch ("The Scream"), their press release reveals that they didn't distract themselves with thoughts of ambient music, movie music, technique or limits, which must have been a good idea, because this dark mess sure is fun. Seizing a variety of instruments and tossing each away, Satyricon droned, dripped, pounded and stalked unpredictably, with an attractive melodic aesthetic. Listenable even if you're not gloomy, but it helps.



Steuart Liebig, "Yantra," "Moksha," "Bardo," etc. L.A. composer Liebig has been delving deep lately into modular synthesizers, the analog ones with the patch cords. A visit to his extensive Bandcamp page can be a rewarding tour into the wilds of interdimensional listening; yantra is a tantric aid to meditation, and after both composer and listener have surrendered themselves to the accidents/purposes that may happen when circuits empty and oscillators collide . . . Well, at times you're underwater, at times you're in outer space, at times your brain experiences electric shocks. When you need it, you know. Listen/buy here.



Garretson & Gorodetsky, "Tunnel of Time" (Catasonic). Just as in any time tunnel, you leap into the whoosh machine of singer Weba Garretson and guitarist Ralph Gorodetsky and never know where you'll pop out. In Brazil pondering epistemology? In Mexico hoisting your ruffled dress? With the Everly Brothers a-sobbin' your devotion? Click-clackin' down the hillbilly railroad tracks? G&G's most fully realized and most scrupulously recorded effort finds the L.A. duo and friends contemplating solitude and dealing out something for everyone, our faves including "Lesbian Lasagna" (lurching saxjazz about Echo Park gentrification), "Dusk" (dark flutejazz reminiscent of Mingus' "Eclipse") and the waltz "That's the Way Love Is" by MetalJazz's Greg Burk (Ralph's violet-hearted arrangement choked us up). Listen/buy here. G&G play Maui Sugar Mill, 18389 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana 91356; Fri. July 1, 9pm.