Favorite Records of 2015

1. Rectal Hygienics – Ultimate Purity (Permanent)

2. Circuit Des Yeux – In Plain Speech (Thrill Jockey)

3. Destruction Unit – Negative Feedback Resistor (Sacred Bones)

4. Bichkraft – Mascot (Wharf Cat)

5. Mommy – s/t 7” (Toxic State)

6. G.L.O.S.S. – Demo (Not Normal/Self-Released)

7. Prurient – Frozen Niagara Falls (Profound Lore)

8. Obnox – Boogalou Reed (12XU)

9. Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell (Asthmatic Kitty)

10. Eartheater – Metalepsis (Hausu Mountain)

11. L.O.T.I.O.N. – Digital Control & Man’s Obsolescence

12. Uniform – Perfect World (12XU)

13. November Novelet – The World in Devotion (Galakthorro)

14. Diat – Positive Energy (Iron Lung)

15. Kamasi Washington – The Epic (Brainfeeder)

16. Koufar – Lebanon For Lebanese (Fusty ****)

17. Bjork – Vulnicura (One Little Indian/Sony)

18. Titus Andronicus – The Most Lamentable Tragedy (Merge)

19. Obnox – Know America (Ever/Never)

20. Heather Leigh – I Abused Animal (Editions Mego)

21. Round Eye – S/T LP (Ripping)

22. Broken Prayer – Misanthropocentric (Sorry State)

23. Pedestrian Deposit – The Architector (Monorail Trespassing)

24.Total Abuse – Excluded (Deranged)

25. Inferior Passions – Any Day (Chondritic Sound)

26. TALsounds – All The Way (Hausu Mountain)

27. Pye Corner Audio – Prowler (More Than Human)

Interview with Andrew Flores of Jock Club

Chicago starts to get cold in October - sometimes even September. The trees magically drop their leaves, car accidents become more commonplace, and people who once left their apartments hesitate before making a decision. For a city that's often described as the biggest small town in the United States, Chicago can also be intimidating: even the most chipper person begins to look slightly haggard and hunched as the wind and cold take their tolls. But the winter also provides a common enemy, allowing for some overdramatized "we few, we happy few, we band of brothers" opportunities.


One such moment was in the basement of the Babylawn in late November in the Year Of Our Lord 2014 when members of the Ascetic House crew, Jock Club, Gila Man, Encapsulate, and Memorymannn, rolled through to remind us frozen midwesterners what it was like to dance. Though each act makes electronic music of some form, Jock Club's was perhaps most appropriate for the setting - after all, Chicago has some history of House Music. Jock Club has less Kraftwerk elements than the early house pioneers. It is, however, one hundred percent as danceable as anything Frankie Knuckles or Jamie Principle were doing back in the day.

Last year, Jock Club just released his first piece of wax called After Hours on 540 Records, though he has roughly a dozen or so releases on tape and CD-R. They're all worth hearing. He's got more planned down the pipe, but I'll let him take over from here.

Jordan Reyes: I read the interview you did for Noisey back in December and I remember you saying you had studied classical and jazz music in school. I don't hear too many cats saying they studied music in the DIY circuit. Do you think it's been important to you? Are you happy to have studied it?

Andrew Flores: Yeah! I think it was immensely important to my musical evolution. Jazz music is really all about the study of improvisation; creating something meaningful out of complete nothingness. That is a very valuable thing. The art of thinking on your feet. I also observed the hive-mind relationship between myself and other musicians. Rhythmic communication through sounds. I apply this to my everyday life; very important to me in producing Jock Club music or DJ’ing.

JR: Destruction Unit and Jock Club are pretty different entities, but do you think that the drumming that you do for DU informs your music as Jock Club?

AF: Definitely 100% without a doubt. Rhythm is everything for me. House / Techno music is really all about the drums; if club music doesn't groove in a certain way, I almost want nothing to do with it.

JR: You’ve been making music as Jock Club for a few years now. Has the equipment you use to make music changed at all since you begun?

AF: In those few years, I've grown and evolved as a person. I can say no one ever stays the same. Music especially is always changing so yeah the equipment I've used has changed along with my style. 

JR: What about the method? Is there anything you do to get into the headspace of making new music now that you've gotten more comfortable with it?

AF: Now more than ever I've been finding new methods to create music with. I really enjoy the idea of taking a sound from an unconventional source; creating a sculpture out of sounds from all over the place. And I don't ever set out to make "the best track ever" I'm trying to document every part of my life. Through music, you can create a timeline of life events, interests, and struggles. I try to stay true to my interests, I like music to have that raw, unmastered, damaged, 'out-the-bedroom' kind of vibe.

JR: You got to release your first Jock Club record on wax last year - the stellar "After Hours" 12" on 540 - why did you decide to put it out on vinyl rather than a tape or CD-R?

AF: I really like putting out tapes and CDs because it is super low profile and easy to produce. Some of my finest moments are on cassette. But as a lover of House and Techno I've always wanted to put out some tracks on vinyl. For the past few years i've been friends with Timmy from 540 in Austin and when he reached out and wanted to put something out, I was like "Hell yeah, lets do it!" I was also pretty intrigued in the fact that I would be releasing a record on a predominantly punk label

JR: I got to catch you on the tour with Memoryman, Gila Man, and Encapsulate in Chicago last year. How was that? Do you have any plans for another Jock Club tour any time soon?

AF: That tour was dope, we played in a some cities i've never been before and in a bunch of different settings: clubs, venues, warehouse space, art galleries and basements. I love touring with Ascetic House acts, and hope to do it again soon.

JR: In my limited experience, I feel like a lot of the crowd that comes out to a Jock Club show might come from a more punk-oriented background. I certainly wanted to check out more house music after seeing you. What's it like playing to a crowd like that? Do you ever think of the expectations and how you might be opening people up to new music?

AF: It has been a complete blessing to be able to bring music to people that maybe haven't heard it before. That is a beautiful thing. We are at a point now where musical boundaries are being knocked down, and everyone is enjoying each others tastes. The last few years has been the grand melding of genres. There is a very large community of people that work on all opposite ends of the spectrum (ex. Punk, Harsh Noise, Techno / House, Experimental) Without this community support, I don't know where I would be today.

JR: For someone like me, a house music novice, who would you recommend for getting your feet wet in the genre?

AF: I get frequently asked this question. The way I see it and explain to others is to focus on the label instead of focusing on the individual artists. When I think of "the essential" labels i think of Strictly Rhythm, Nice n' Ripe, Dancemania, and Henry Street. But overall, the 3 labels that dominate my music tastes are:

-Music is Love records

-Slapfunk records

-My Love is Underground records

JR: I know you're also heavily involved with Ascetic House. What can you say about what's coming up from that camp? Anything we should be on the lookout for?

AF: A full scale interstellar takeover is in the works. I'm not legally obligated to disclose any information

JR: What all is in the future for Andrew Flores and Jock Club?

AF: Some more traveling. New music coming soon

-5/13 - Output NYC - Panther Room 

-6/07 - Threshold AZ (w/ Shifted, Silent Servant, Deep Pill)

-6/21 - Suoni Per Popolo II Fest - Montreal, QC - Secret Location 

-8/14 - Beserktown Fest - Los Angeles

JR: Anything else you'd like to say?

AF: Thanks for your time

Interview with Ryan Rousseau of Gila Man & Destruction Unit

I actually took this picture of Gila Man

Ryan Rousseau has played every single Goner Fest. He's played as Ryan Rousseau & His Desert Children, the Reatards, Destruction Unit, Earthmen & Strangers, Yuma Territorial Prison Guard, and Gila Man. Gila Man is Ryan's newest electronic-based project, though the man is no stranger to the siren call of a synthesizer. Though most clearly known for his roles as a figure in punk/rock with bands like The Reatards and The Wongs, Ryan has been making synth-oriented sounds since 2000. Destruction Unit has an interesting cross-section. Let's be clear, Destruction Unit makes psychedelic music, but each release does "psychedelic" differently. The early four-tracks are like sumfuck psychedelic. Sonoran is basically a krautrock album. And Deep Trip is the equivalent of watching The Running Man while drinking liquid DMT. So psychedelic comes with variety. And thank G*d it does because each Ryan doesn't seem to run out of ideas.

So let's get to Gila Man, Ryan's new techno project. I had the chance to catch Gila Man (and a slew of other Ascetic House favorites) at the Babylawn in Chicago. Ryan opened the night, playing his version of dance music, which is "supposed to [make you] feel as if you are dancing in an alien reptilian world." Hit the check mark for that reptile boogie box. But while the image is at once absurd, it also points to the idea that beyond the allure of electronic music is the allure of the unknowable & the unseen, which is inherently what drives psychedelia and exploration. You know this even if you've never thought of it that way. Expanding consciousness on one level can come from a chemical change in the brain, but it can also just as radically come from a new idea or an outside presence.

Dig. So growing up in a Christian household, I was told that the purpose of life is to conquer death - to be reborn once and never have to go through the transition again. When I learned about the Buddhist belief that we've been born countless of times and a final death/release from "reality" or consciousness is the reward, well, that was a bit of a mind-blower, and absolutely as game-changing as any chemically-driven experience I've had. Scientific fact and speculative fiction promote this idea, as does Ryan's work in all capacities, this uncannily permanent and pertinent and persistent "what if."

Where do we go from here? Stay tuned, sportsfans.

Jordan Reyes: Let's begin with something a bit unexpected. I know that you're a bit of a horror movie fan (maybe just a fan of the weird) and collect memorabilia. Are there any items in your collection that you're particularly proud of?

Ryan Rousseau: I'd say I'm a fan of science fact/fiction and not so much horror. I have acquired a lot of collectible junk through out the years, but nothing I wouldn't trade or sell.

JR: What are some of your favorite horror movies? Is there a certain style you prefer to others?

Stone God, the first GM release

RR: The Coffin Joe films, Basket Case & Blood are some of my favorite horror films. I don't like slasher/gore flicks.

JR: Tell me a little bit about your recent project Gila Man, one of your most overtly techno projects. When and why did you start making music as Gila Man?

RR: I started the Gila Man project to get more involved in dance parties. I've been recording synth-oriented music since 2000. Gila Man is based more on beats, ambient textures & the love of 90's Memphis gangsta rap.

JR: The only Gila I know is a lizard. Do you feel any sort of affinity with reptiles? Or even at a more basic level, do you like reptile life?

RR: I chose the name Gila Man because I do feel a strong connection with certain reptile species, like the gila monster & the sounds are very reptilian visually. You are supposed to feel as if you are dancing in an alien reptilian world.

JR: Prior to Gila Man, though, you've worked with a lot of electronics, like Dismal Light and even some of the releases under your own name. When did you begin getting into electronics? Do you enjoy electronic music more than rock-based music at this point?

RR: I love to record with synths and other electronics. I don't feel so limited to just the guitar frets and what I can do with the guitar. I pretty much always use a synth on anything i record that has guitar tracks and not vice versa.

JR: The last question is a bit of an oversimplification. Obviously, a lot of people have woven rock instrumentation with electronic music, especially in the psych rock realm, from many early Krautrockers to Lost Sounds to Moon Duo to your band Destruction Unit. Do you think that electronic instruments make music more "psychedelic" automatically?

RR: The so-called "psychedelic sounds" one can achieve with synths are pretty much endless.

JR: If someone stopped you, put a gun to your head, and demanded that you answer where the psychedelic elements of your music come from and you had less than 30 seconds to answer, what would you say?

RR: The "psychedelic" elements  come from within my brain and are channeled through the machines.

JR: You guys are also set to go into the studio to record the next Destruction Unit LP. When you go into the studio are you guys pretty much all set with the writing of the record or are there improvisation elements to the recording too?

RR: There will always be improvisation in our music, both live and in the studio. There is no fun without improvisation.

Destruction Unit

JR: Can you say anything about what the new record is like?

RR: The new Destruction Unit tracks are coming along just fine. The new album should have a bigger, tighter sound with more focus on the studio production. We'll have to wait n see what goes down in the studio next week. We're very excited to get this album under way.

JR: What all is in the future for Ryan Rousseau?

RR: Keep your eyes peeled for more Gila Man, Dismal Light & R.Rousseau releases on Cactus Man & Ascetic House in 2015.

Interview with Jes Aurelius of Destruction Unit

At this year's Not Normal Showcase, my friend T-Mac from American Hate/Glow God described the members of Destruction Unit as "conduits of sound." To be a conduit is to be a channeler, one who channels something from a different realm, a shaman of noise and sound, if you will. The description fits and is worn well by the gentlemen of Destruction Unit. These are men with an interest in the known and the unknown: a quick look into the somewhat-adjoined Ascetic House collective verifies this, as it puts out mind-bending cassettes, zines, and other ephemera.

This stuff is all related. The highly spiritual. The unclean recesses of man's id. Psychedelic drugs. Rock n' roll. Destruction Unit pulls these themes together and binds them in a neatly-closed package.

Let's go gonzo for a sec. You've just bought Deep Trip on vinyl. You tear off the shrink wrap like a child at Christmas, you insatiable fucking monster, before bending the wave-pattern front cover back and forth across your eyes, everything coming up distorted, and then diving into the LP and insert from within the cardboard fold. The insert is a page of fake blotter paper that maybe you eat because you need-need-need it in your life, though it never seems to take effect, which is the truly insidious part. You place the LP on your turntable in a faux-ritual and drop the needle, which is when the world begins to melt and sputter on its axis.

This is a band that has released a lot of material, especially for basically reinventing itself a few years back. In my opinion, it's all incredible. It takes the best of punk and krautrock and synthesizes them. Deep Trip itself has become one of my all-time favorite albums, though recordings can't possibly do the band justice. The group needs to be Experienced with a capital "E" to be understood and appreciated, which may explain why they seem to be in a permanent touring mode. They're playing Not Dead Yet Fest this year, which has a ridiculous lineup. I will surely be there.

Jordan Reyes: Destruction Unit started as a project with Ryan, Jay Reatard, and Alicja Trout. I know the majority of the current-day Destruction Unit members didn't ever share the stage with those those two, but did you guys ever get to meet or play with Jay or Alicja? Do they influence your output retroactively at all?

Jes Aurelius: I met Jay very briefly a couple of times, but it was before I had even met Ryan so it was under different circumstances. Destruction Unit was sort of on hiatus, and didn’t start up again until after Jay left his body. I can’t really speak for everyone, only for myself, but Jay’s spirit does influences me to some degree. That being said, I’ve got my own trip so it isn’t really a direct thing. Destruction Unit as most people know it is pretty unrelated to it’s beginnings, save for the name. 

JR: A lot of interviews and pieces on Destruction Unit and your other projects mention the desert. It's an easily romanticized locale with a lot of American mythos tied up in it. Are you guys all originally from the desert or moved there later in life?

JA: We are all more or less from here originally. It’s definitely a part of who we all are, physically and mentally. It influences everything we do in some way or another. I purposefully leave my guitar and amp in the car every 120+ degree day of summer. That’s where the desert sound comes from. It’s a very conscious thing.

JR: Do you think there are any remnants of an "Old American West" that still influence your artistic output?

JA: The west is where all the outlaws, misfits and drifters fled because there was no real structure or law. Today, the spirit of the wild west is very much alive here and it’s something we identify with quite a bit. Living on our own terms and making sure we’re one step ahead of the law is very much an every day part of our lives. That being said, this is not the old west, it is the 20th century, and looking backwards, being nostalgic or romanticizing the past doesn’t accomplish anything. We’re interested in the future, and moving things forward. 

JR: Where and how did you record Deep Trip? It's a record that sounds really huge when I listen to it - how much did recording location impact your sound versus effects?

JA: It was recorded in New York and produced by our friend Ben Greenberg. Location didn’t have much of an impact on the record as far as I can tell. What did have an effect was our schedule over the four days we recorded and mixed the album. We’d get to the studio at about 9am, record until4pm, then go play a show. We didn’t get to sleep before4am any of the nights we were out there, so running on about 3-4 hours of sleep maximum each day really pushed us to the point of total collapse. 

JR: How was it putting a record out on Sacred Bones? Had you guys been in contact with Caleb and friends for a while?

JA: Everyone at Sacred Bones are great. We’ve been friends since before they released our record, and there aren’t enough good things to say about all of them. Not many labels are willing to ensure a loss on a record in order to accommodate an artists vision, but that’s basically what they did with our record. They knew there’d be no way to recoup costs, at least not for a long time, on our record with how we wanted it to be packaged and presented, but they did it anyway because they supported our ideas. 

JR: I was also really curious about your three-way release with Merchandise and Milk Music. For me, that album really came out of nowhere (in a totally good way). How did you guys make that record?

JA: It was an idea that had been in the works for quite some time. Then the idea was sort of abandoned as everyone was too busy. Then it just happened somehow. Timmy [Hefner] worked some black magic. 

JR: I don't mean to jump the gun since you released Deep Trip last year as well as the 3-way LP, but have you guys started writing or recording new material at all?

JA: We’re taking it slow after so much touring. We’re working on new material now but not trying to rush it in the same way we did with the last album. Trying to give ourselves some more time and space to flesh things out.

JR: Figured I'd get in a couple AH questions you can choose to answer if you'd like:

Your Ascetic House collective recently finished a program of 30 tapes in 30 days. Can you tell me a little bit about how that program came to fruition?

JA: It was just an idea we had that seemed ridiculous and impossible so we had to do it. That’s basically it. 

JR: Ascetic House's dispersal system is really interesting to me. You sell products out of a small place in Arizona, and then have a bunch of distributors, right? Why not keep an online store?

JA: We don’t have the time to be running mail order ourselves and it’s not something that interests me at all. The point is to put these ideas out there, whether it be music, writing, art, whatever. Once they exist in the world, I can move on. Some of it is harder to find than others, but it will all find its way to the right people eventually. It’s not an elitist thing or a business thing, it’s simply how we operate right now. I’m more than willing to give copies of releases to anyone who approaches me, so long as I have copies, but I’m not going to go out of my way to make sure every collector has a complete collection sitting on their shelf.

JR: What would be something that people may not know about Destruction Unit from listening to your music?

JA: That each of us has actually been playing our respective instrument for a minimum of 10 years. Sure, it sounds like a mess of noise but it’s all skillfully crafted with precision and intent. We’re quite impressive actually.

JR: Anything else you'd like to say?

JA: Sorry this has taken me so long to get to you. Really enjoy your blog. Wish you the best.