Various Artists – Statement

Clan Destine Records are an achingly hip, seminal underground label; they have released early material by a host of experimental and electronic artists, from the ghost drone of Mater Suspiria Vision to the sludgy psych-rock of Hey Colossus. Their new split LP features contributions from four artists, including label stalwart, cult chanteuse Ela Orleans.

First up is Slim Twig, whose lo-fi psychedelic pop is warm and deep. Organs, guitars and muffled drums waltz around louche, lounge-lizard vocals. Dirty Beaches take things deeper into psych-rock territory, with a sprawling ten-minute squall of tortured guitar and minimal synth, eventually peaking into stripped-down broken beats. Ela Orleans' contributions are exquisite – her songs evoke bubblegum pop and sixties soul; Jacques Brel and Serge Gainsborough filtered through abstract noise and drone. US Girls' lo-fi punk is less groundbreaking, but full of energy and weirdness. A great intro to a brilliant label. [Bram E Gieben]