The Five Dollar Review
Compiled by Nick Smith and KSPC 88.7 FM

Unstable Ensemble
The Liturgy of Ghosts
Family Vineyard

American free-music avant garde improv is generally a terrifying term, since it often refers to passionless academic music created simply to see if it could be done. The Liturgy of Ghosts is the second release from a cohesive and talented improv quintet, Unstable Ensemble. What sets this band apart from the pack is not their dense-multi-layered AMM inspired songs, but rather the cohesive vision and musical direction behind each one of the numbers. The Liturgy of Ghosts contains tracks ranging from the fiery "Flames Leap Out" to the dense AMM-like "In the Fullness of Time." This is a truly wonderful release.

Mae-Shi
To Hit Armor Class Zero
Self-released

Recently, LA's music scene has seen a plethora of fantastic groups ranging from the rock'n'roll stylings of the Rattlesnakes to the electronic bliss of Dntel to the abstract hip-hop of Busdriver. Mae-Shi's five song EP To Hit Armor Class Zero (a D&D reference-aren't they totally hip?!) is a fantastic Gang of Four/Brainiac inspired neo-mutant disco record that easily places the quartet among LA's best and brightest. Heavy bass riffs accompanied by hi-hat heavy drums and angular guitar parts characterize the music. Ezra Bachula's (the son of electronic music pioneer and inventor Don Bachula) vocal work (he sounds like Cap'n Jazz) is also quite good. One of the few problems with this record is that there is not enough of the Bachula synthesizer on it. The album can only be purchased directly from the group at www.mae-shi.com.

BusRatch
Memorium
Parallax Records

Japanese post-turntablist BusRatch's latest effort Memorium is incredible. BusRatch's violent sonic attack is in many ways a complete perversion of the "classic" scratch and cut sound most turntablist records contain (without the liner notes, it would not be clear that they were even using turntables). The group describes their sound as a "turntable earthquake," which is the most accurate description of the tense Christian Marclay inspired soundscapes they create with their instruments. It's a very good release.

Nobukazu Takemura
10th
Thrill Jockey

10th is electronica artist Nobukazu Takemura's fourth release for the Thrill Jockey label and is in keeping with his previous work: deranged, fun, playful, and engaging. On 10th, Nobukazu Takemura uses a computer program to make his childlike vocals (in English, I think) barely audible. The sound collages on the record are reminiscent of Air, Tortoise, or Mouse On Mars and are melody rich and unpredictable. 10th does not mark any real creative progression for Nobukazu Takemura, but it is a relatively strong and thoughtful release.