social junk - champs - is night people – cass - 5$
Met this group of West Virginians down in Miami at INC back in Feb. I was instantly siked on there sound and live show. Total wreckage, throwing drums around the room, yelling into broken mics, four track warble, guitar feedback, totally unhinged damage but focused and intense. Comparisons to Sword Heaven, Savage Republic, The Dead C, etc. might be accurate but overall Social Junk is really hard to pin down. Haunted electronics, floating on an endless barrage of pissed vocals and repetitive drum jams. Silkscreened Artwork by SDREED. Social Junk full length LP coming soon on Not Not Fun.
-inp
shv- s/t - is night people – cass - 5$
Ali formerly of the excellent Boston act Dreamhouse is SHV (Superior Human Vomit). I first got turned onto SHV via Ali playing in the basement here at Night People HQ. After that night Ali gave me a copy of her killer first SHV tape - Endless Love, on the Rare Youth label. SHV is never the same thing twice, always performative, always sitting on the edge of failure and greatness, always pushing the boundary. I've seen SHV jump through a ceiling to start a set, tie up a whole audience, stick a dude in an oven, and generally just rock the fuck out always. This tape doesn't disappoint either, blown out synth and drum machine burners, catchy post punk hypnosis, cultist weirdo gestures , something new on every listen of this especially hard to pin down puke punk project. Art by SHV, Printing by SDREED, with fold out double sided covers.
-inp
ryan garbes - shit education - is night people – cass - 5$
Garbes is back at it, blown over saturated tape punk psychosis, harsh head psych fusion rippers, another slab of destroyed rock greatness. This one even more catchy then the last. Like listening to your guts fall out on the floor while some rockers annihilate a house party in the background. Totally a sound of its own, influenced by all the greats with deluxe double sided silkscreened fold out covers by the man himself.
-inp
trash dog - wasted gift - is night people – cass - 5$
The name says it all, annihilated, fucked up, hardcore damage from Witcher, Drip, and Garbage, Iowa City underground punk filth. Manic deranged vocals over primitive punk trash. Includes special bonus addition of the ultra limited and out of print Garbage Eater cass. Killer Double sided fold out cover and mini zine artwork by Ryan Garbes.
-inp
wet hair - s/t - is night people –1 Sided 12" (silkscreened picture disc.) - 10$
This is the first solo work of Shawn Reed as Wet Hair, recorded during late fall of 07. On this LP we find Wet Hair discovering its attitude, its approach, its dark underworld aesthetic, of cult zone dub, blasted vocal purge, trance snyth uneasiness. More direct, focused, and eclectic then the Irifi cass. this one burns blown out and electric, amplified to the point of breaking and then subtle and brooding once more. Play it loud. Ultra deluxe silkscreened artwork by SDREED. As much of a visual artifact as a medium of sound. Click image to see full artwork.
-inp
evan miller - s/t - is night people – cass - 5$
Miller is back at it with a new tape for Night-People. This one cuts real deep, Miller at his most epic. The A side starts things up with deep echo's swimming around cut up tape manipulations, leading into chambers of drone with Miller's characteristic tonal vocals transitioning into a kind of finger picked sentimental raga. The B side offers up a real burner, perhaps Millers best straight acoustic number, a real beautiful complex side that plays between minimalistic somber portions and upbeat workouts. Artwork by SDReed.
-inp
raccoo-oo-oon - mythos folkways vol iv, future vision - is night people – cass - 5$
New live Raccoo-oo-oon document, recorded one early Jan. winter afternoon at the Cave of Spirits in Iowa City by Ryan Garbes to stereo cassette deck. A side is groovy future fusion scramble, melodic vocal chants rolling over tight percussion flows that ride like kenetic energy blasting into the atmosphere. B side is blown out guitar burners giving way to dark night ride vibes. In general think about starring out of your sunglasses at the end of the world and thinking this is alright. Artwork by SDReed and RGarbes.
-inp
koi pond - volcano - is night people – cass - 5$
Koi Pond is a three piece from NYC made up of some generally awesome dudes. Erik Roper plays bass and is a legendary artist/illustrator who does work for numerous bands, labels and publications such as Arthur, Southern Lord etc. while also playing in other bands such as Under Satans Sun and Mattalama. Pete Vogal plays synth while also jamming in Bow Ribbons, and designs arwork for clothes, David Aron plays drums, is the perpetrator for Little Cakes Gallery, used to skateboard alot, makes rad visual artwork, and jams in USUN with Mark Borthwick and Hisham Bharoocha. Despite these dudes epic resumes, Koi Pond is epic all on its own. Volcano is all about cosmic grooves, deep often minimal, endless repetitions that slowly evolve into more psyched out blissed out trances. Roper and Arons tight rhythmic foundations create the perfect backdrop for Vogal's synth improvisations. This is a meditative listen that never gets old, it just keeps grooving on and on forever. Like Neu covering Dark Magus in a Tibetan Monastery. Artwork by Dave Aron, printing by SDReed.
-inp
wet hair - irifi - is night people – cass - 5$
Wet Hair is the new solo outing of Raccoo-oo-oon member Shawn Reed. Cult vibe organ drone, slowed down tape hiss percussion warble, and chanted vocal bathed in echo, provide the basics for Irifi, a lone march across a desert, these are droney reverberations tinted with pop influence cloaked in the dark , music for vampires. Recorded by Ryan Garbes for maximal blow out. Expect more from this quickly evolving project soon. Artwork by SDReed.
-inp
subterranean league - is night people – cass - 5$
This one is total damage, psychic vampires spinning around on their heads slathering a bunch of gross cut up pedal wreckage out of maxed out PA's. SL comes straight out of Iowa City's most moist basement corners, anonymous, cult vibe, Asian twins, ready for wreckage. Dynamic, fast, psychedelic harshness, for underground lurking and poisonous raptures of the heart. Re-release of ultra limited Eager Mother cass. Silkscreened artwork by SDReed.
-inp
cooper jones / cars - split - is night people – cass - 5$
This split cassette captures just a little slice of the Manchester/Nottingham/Sheffield area young improv scene. Got the pleasure of meeting and performing on the same bill with some of these folks back in March and recognized right away that something interesting was brewing there. Total duo action going on with this release, Sophie and Kelly kick out some epic intricate folky guitar action as Cooper Jones, and on the flip side Patrick and Pascal break on some sprawling percussion and drum storms as Cars. Lots of movement here, this is a long document, capturing the flow of what these two groups do. Silkscreened artwork by Ryan Garbage.
-inp
-past / sold out-
raccoo-oo-oon – behold secret kingdom – nnf / is night people - lp - 11$sold out
You know what they say: beautiful tribal spirit psych lies in the eyes of the beholder. So enter the kingdom and hold the secret in your hands. Iowa City’s prodigal sun-starers offer up the fruits of their deepest inquest yet into the heart of the heart of the country. Eight wilderness rituals of swirling percussion, mossy guitar noise, forest howls, and animal instincts that unfold and erupt with more focus, intensity, and complexity than anything else in Raccoo-oo-oon’s discography thus far. The songs were tracked in the studio with warmth and power by Mike Dixon and then given a heavy mastering job by Pete Swanson, so sonically the vinyl shines and burns and explodes in all the right places. A crushing statement of electric alchemy by one of our favorite bands in the world. Black vinyl LPs in awesome pro-printed jackets, plus an insert, with Midwestern magick color visions/nature photography art by the band.
-nnf
youth of the beast - white cat - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Andy Spore of Raccoo-oo-oon sings, drums, and screeches, stacking sounds up to their breaking point, calling all youth to follow down the black magic trail.
binges - flame of the millenium - is night people – cdr -5$sold out
Finally a release on Night-People from Raccoo-oo-oon tour mates and Chicago's best basement improv unit Binges. Killer drums, percussion, electronics, saxophone, guitar, and bass from these two dudes Chris and Anthony. Binges are ultra focused and tight, Chris glides around on his kit with supreme precision with Anythony juggles a bunch of loops, noises, and instruments all at once. One of the most solid and exciting underground bands around right now. Artwork by the band printing by SDRreed.
-inp
changeling - beyond the edge of dreams - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Changeling is Roy Tatum, LA based multi-instrumentalist and Buried Valley Cass. Label head, who has spent time in such groups as Black Monk and Quintana Roo, while periodically providing drum duties for other LA bands. Changeling is focused around lush ambient guitar drones that provide a lot of layered feeling in their presence. "Beyond the Edge of Dreams" has a lot of duality and contrasts in its sounds. Moving from beautiful cascades that evoke ecstatic ponderance and a life spent looking to distant peaks or shores breaks way into persistent smothering washes of synth like uneasiness leaving this listener feeling quite isolated. Either way, this is a rich listen, cinematic and airy, like early Popul Vuh at its most sorrowful. Silkscreened artwork by SDReed.
-inp
pukers - dead dog - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
New Iowa City hardrock duo Pukers resurrect Yoko Ono and John Bonham only to literally kill them once more. Distorted drums and fucking distorted vocals battle to occupy the same oversaturated space on 1/4 inch tape. The result: catchy tunes, pumping beats, wounded crooning, and a little guest guitar and harmonica to boot. Produced by the golden child: Ryan Garbage. Real deal shit.
-isnightpeople
hell & bunny w/ mike khoury - restitution - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
The percussion and cello masters who make up 2/3 of Graveyards infamy collaborate with violinist Mike Khoury to bring about a sparse and intriguing listen. Droning strings offset by bursting rolls and plucks set the framework for two improvisations perfectly evoking a mood of sinister desolation. Each side rolls on with an uncomfortable unpredictability until climaxing in the death of the composition, leaving the listener unsettled yet oddly pleased.
-isnightpeople
Ryan Garbes - Endless Bummer - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
New garbage from the young musical genious Ryan Garbes (perhaps best known for his drum and percussion contributions to Raccoo-oo-oon). Side A revels in redlined blown out drumming, finding eventual accompaniment from a drunken slide guitar fury, resulting in what can be properly described as the fucked blues. Side B brings together the holy trinity of drums, guitar and more guitar into a kind of distorted raga with each element taking turns, trading fours, evoking an eternity of summer fun in the mouth of inevitable oblivion. Sleeve and label screenprinted by Ryan.
-isnightpeople
black vatican - zed omega - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Black Vatican is Andy Roche and Owen Gardner, two dudes who grew up in Iowa and live in Chicago and Baltimore respectively. Black Vatican jam out some killer tracks on Zed Omega traveling the distance between blown out psych pop, junk garage rock, spaced out synth, and weirdo falsetto harmonies. Zed Omega is a catchy, but destroyed album falling someplace between art pop appropriation and science fiction exploration feeling familiar and classic despite all its noise and weirdness.
-isnightpeople
chris cooper bill nace duo - i'm fucking in a sitting room - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Bill Nace (Vampire Belt, X.O.4 etc.) and Chris Cooper (Fat Worm of Error etc.) kick it real dense and noisy on this cassette of Buddies guitar duo action. The Night-People crew got a chance to check these dudes out live in London back in March and where totally inspired and impressed by their feedback-drenched pedal fest, string shredding, approach to complex noise composition, and creation. All sorts of tools are used, all sorts of sounds are generated, but what really makes it stick is the variety and the rhythmic patterns that prevail from quiet to loud throughout. Dynamic, tense, and tenuous guitar slaying.
-isnightpeople
evan miller / twelve canons - split - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
On Evan Miller's second release for Night People, he brings out some intimate low key stunners that don't lack on the details and bring out just as much contemplation in the listener while feeling just a little sad in their tune. Iowa City's long time dark folk ramblers Twelve Canons change things up a bit by moving into some lighter territory, referencing the same kind of slightly sad, ecstatic, but light and airy tunes Evan creats on this release. Perfect late night summer time jams.
-is night people
blue shift - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Providence's own Cybele Collins brings a maelstrom of solo improvisations shredding the strings of her violin furiously, building dense walls that crest only to reveal quiet beautiful melodies underneath. Filled out with loose poignant drumming, and housed in dense drawings by the artist, the tape is made up of many short songs, always changing, never dwelling too long on any given theme. The result: a catchy and complex release, that over time one comes to realize has been created with the utmost love and care.
-isnightpeople
tent city - cascade trinkets - is night people – cdr - 6$sold out
Tent City are a band of Arizona desert punks, who create organic improvised sets and compositions. Cascade trinkets breaths out some Don Cherry like world jazz fusion, while remaining folky, focused and tight. These 3 tracks move along smooth with a meaty percussive underbelly, and melodic sax lines that bring everything present into focus, reflecting the kind of beautifully dry and sandy cactus country you would envision Tent City living in
-isnightpeople
evan miller - three spells for six string guitar - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Evan Miller is an Iowa City 6-string slinger who grew up in dusty Oklahoma. Over the last couple years he has devoted himself to the craft of his instrument, honing his songwriting and perfecting his playing. He's studied the greats and shows it on this release, with a nod and an ode to the late great John Fahey. Evan toils in the dirt of rural Americana and blues, but keeps his sound fresh and original at the surface. This cassette is just a glimpse of what Evan has up his sleeve, and with his mesmerizing live show and flawless playing, he's just getting started.Evan Miller is an Iowa City 6-string slinger who grew up in dusty Oklahoma. Over the last couple years he has devoted himself to the craft of his instrument, honing his songwriting and perfecting his playing. He's studied the greats and shows it on this release, with a nod and an ode to the late great John Fahey. Evan toils in the dirt of rural Americana and blues, but keeps his sound fresh and original at the surface. This cassette is just a glimpse of what Evan has up his sleeve, and with his mesmerizing live show and flawless playing, he's just getting started.
-isnightpeople
flak mask - uncle henry's ecco duplex - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
A half hour of new music from this New Orleans based duo featuring members of Impractical Cockpit. Combining impoverished electronics and deconstructed analog instrumentation, grating rhythms meet soothing echos in these long-burning trance-inducers that always leave you wondering, what am I actually listening to here?
-isnightpeople
mef teef - implied brain-flex - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Debut transmission from this Iowa City based Free Music group. Rolling piano lines and crisp rhythmic drumming hold the backdrop for trumpet and saxophone spazz and howl. Before you know it everything breaks down into mush before instantly reforming into perfect hard-bop catchiness, swing cheesiness, or carnivalesque creepiness… but only for a measure… and then who knows what comes next.
-isnightpeople
dan friel - obsoleter - is night people – cass - 5$sold out
Obsoleter features the solo work of Dan Friel from Brooklyn's Parts and Labor. Fuzzy beats, distorted synth washes, and catchy keyboard riffs deconstructed into very active evolved compositions that will make you feel perfect about zoning out to these upbeat jams. Silkscreened artwork by Shawn Reed
-isnightpeople
time life - gripstone - is night people – cass -
Lucas Non-Horse Crane and Heidi Diehl of the Vanishing Voice have been hashing out some new sounds as the duo Time Life. Heidi’s operatic vocals creep over her guiding repetitive guitar lines, as Lucas builds and pushes to the surface his tape manipulations and altered beats. Sonically realized infinite refracting light, a new set of sounds from two of NYC’s best.
-isnightpeople
raccoo-oo-oon – behold secret kingdom – nnf / is night people - lp 11$ sold out
You know what they say: beautiful tribal spirit psych lies in the eyes of the beholder. So enter the kingdom and hold the secret in your hands. Iowa City’s prodigal sun-starers offer up the fruits of their deepest inquest yet into the heart of the heart of the country. Eight wilderness rituals of swirling percussion, mossy guitar noise, forest howls, and animal instincts that unfold and erupt with more focus, intensity, and complexity than anything else in Raccoo-oo-oon’s discography thus far. The songs were tracked in the studio with warmth and power by Mike Dixon and then given a heavy mastering job by Pete Swanson, so sonically the vinyl shines and burns and explodes in all the right places. A crushing statement of electric alchemy by one of our favorite bands in the world. Black vinyl LPs in awesome pro-printed jackets, plus an insert, with Midwestern magick color visions/nature photography art by the band.
-nnf
evan miller - three spells for six string guitar - is night people – cass - 5$ sold out
Evan Miller is an Iowa City 6-string slinger who grew up in dusty Oklahoma. Over the last couple years he has devoted himself to the craft of his instrument, honing his songwriting and perfecting his playing. He's studied the greats and shows it on this release, with a nod and an ode to the late great John Fahey. Evan toils in the dirt of rural Americana and blues, but keeps his sound fresh and original at the surface. This cassette is just a glimpse of what Evan has up his sleeve, and with his mesmerizing live show and flawless playing, he's just getting started.
-inp
(restock of same title but yellow covers this time)
youth of the beast - white cat - is night people – cass - 5$ sold out
Andy Spore of Raccoo-oo-oon sings, drums, and screeches, stacking sounds up to their breaking point, calling all youth to follow down the black magic trail.
pocahaunted - beast that you are - is night people – cass -5$ sold out
This Los Angeles based duo needs no introduction, emails have been flowing in about this tape before Night People even had them assembled. Psychedelic sisters of an ancient Californian apocalypse, Pocahuanted call out some hazy echoes over the valley on this tape of blown out guitar jamming, pre-american vocal serenity, and saxophone wash and skronk (provided by Andy Spore). Another killer outing from this prolific left coast institution. Artwork by SDReed.
-inp
drip house - 2 - is night people – cass - 5$ sold out
peaking lights - clearvoiant - is night people – cass - 5$ sold out
Peaking Lights is Aaron and Indra (also of Numbers) from Rah Dunes new duo project recently relocated to rural Wisconsin from the Bay Area. Floating electronic pulses, controlled feedback, tape loops, organ, snyth, guitar, and vocal harmonies layered into waves of four track noise pop goodness. The perfect soundtrack to walking in mysterious places, haunted neighborhoods, lost river banks, and bike rides at night. This release really glows and grows. Silkscreened artwork by SDREED.
-inp
nimby - s/t - is night people – cass - 5$ sold out
Nimby is Brenden O'Keefe, Iowa City long time resident, local train hopping ripper, and general super enthusiastic supporter of the local weirdo scene. Nimby as a project is focused around a home made Tupperware trash bin synth drum kit with some pedals to back it up. This is Nimby's fist release, and features big damaged beats, blasted vocals, and a whole slew of destroyed loops and distortion, totally killer. silkscreened artwork by SDReed.
-inp
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