Andrew E - Ober Da Bakod (The Ata Kak of the Phillipines... Almost.)

Andrew E remixes 'other movie themes' for us in freakishly weird Filipino hip-house/techno-hop/mickey mouse club meets ata kak and skeelo without a rabbit or a hat. This is somewhere between Genius and Joan Rivers on bad acid, and it's probably a hell of a lot closer to the latter, but it did kind of remind me of listening to the crown king of weird foreign cassettes, Ata Kak, for which all other bizarro tapes aspire to and fail miserably.  But until Ata puts out his second album, little treats like this will have to do. Check out his awesome 90s Sonic the Hedgehog shirt! And how interesting is his MC-ing in hybrid filipino/english.  And like Ata Kak he also has a random female voice that does completely unnecessary choruses in English, again, the Ata singers are way better. So theres just one thing left I wanna know... what films are these fantastic scores from and where can I see them?

I've decided to go ahead and post all the tracks up on here so that you can check them out before downloading a rar, because i really think this needs to be heard immediately. It's not beautiful lofi techno brilliance like Ata Kak, the comparison is not in quality, but in style and theme, and even that isn't a perfect analogy by any means, but as I am always on the look out for something like Ata, this is the closest thing I've got yet, the main difference being that it lacks earnest love songs and some mental illness.  So here are the tracks.

ROW FOUR: MANDURUGAS: PIN TSIK: IKANG MISS UNIVERSE: OBER DA BAKOD: ANG BOYFRIEND KONG GAMOL: LOOK ALAYK: KOOL ISKOOL: Which is the best? Which is the worst? And is the worst the best? A Paradox.

Kindred Spirits - For Your Comfort (Obscure Xian Folk Rock)

Here we have a nice Xian album that is pretty under the radar still, I don't think it is available anywhere yet on the interweb.  It's a kind of mixed bag, some good lo-fi downer folkrock stuff with original lyrics and some more uptempo straight rock stuff, and then a little bit of country gospel church mixed in, actually some of the best tracks are the couple with stripped down acoustic guitar and echo effects. Retails about 80-125 dollars, this was a super clean copy, so enjoy!

Kindred Spirits - For Your Comfort (Asoka records 1981)

Ciwe Furs - ...of Green Echoes (1995 unknown DIY indie psych folk cassette)

 

I was originally going to post one of the tracks from this cassette along with many more like it in a new compilation mix tape, but seeing as how at the moment I only have about half the tracks I need and a lot of digging to go, I will just give this tape as a teaser to what the comp will be once I finish it.  BAsically I have a bunch of 80s/90s DIY indie rock freak folk kinda cassettes that all are utterly obscure, often private bedroom recordings, and all ungoogle-able. I'm looking for that kind of reverb washed sound, acoustic or electric, earnest vocals, experimental elements are a plus and just generally depressed college outsider aesthetics. It's actually been quite difficult to amass a collection of such tapes (that are worth listening to, an important caveat) and I am considering throwing in some early 2000s works and maybe even a few 7" vinyl releases as well since not all of said genre works were cassette based..  As far as I know there isn't really a market yet for such things, so I will try to create one. This particular tape was recorded in San Angelo, Texas circa 1995. Presumably these are Angelo State students.  The band is Ciwe Furs, a reference I do not get, and they play an assortment of instruments, with reverb laden shoegaze aesthetics sometimes, freak folk weirdness, occasional bongos are thrown in even, good ethereal girl vocals at times, pretty much exactly what I'm looking for.  Yes, there is a reason they never made it big, but thats kinda the point right? Not every track is golden, and I'm not sure which is my favorite at the moment, don't be dissuaded by the bad titles either, they rarely have any bearing on the meaning of the song. Enjoy.

Ciwe Furs - Of Green Echoes

Cix Bits Band - Can't Turn Myself Around (Haze Records test pressing only)

Okay I must admit I downloaded these files from the ebay auction and spliced them together into one track, sounds fabulous and it must be heard tho, awesome track in the style of my PALER SHADE OF WHITE compilation a while back, in fact this probably would be the crowning piece if I were to ever release a second volume.  But for now I can't help but share this one with you guys a little early. Basically it's one long track, maybe taken in a few different cuts, split as an A side and B side, I believe this was pressed before the 12" single was out. This freakishly rare item sold for 550 dollars in vg- condition with a crack through it, yikes. Probably worth it though as it is unique. I wonder what else Haze Records put out? I'm virtually certain that I will be barraged with requests to take this down so get it while the gettin is good. Oh btw the Cix Bits Band actually have another release on Haze that was in fact formally released for sale, or promos I dunno, and its a slightly more psych tinged uptempo funk track, quite good but no where near this guy.


ADD THIS TO YOU PALER SHADE OF WHITE COMP. BECAUSE I WILL PROBABLY NEVER GET AROUND TO DOING A SECOND VOLUME.

Masta Plann - The Way of The Plann (Filipino Gangsta Rap Cassette from 1994)

This tapes gives a whole new meaning to the term Philly Rap. So, how many of you have heard quality mid 90s filipino gangsta rap? Well, here is your chance. I actually think the beats are pretty good, I mean it's no large professor or anything but compared to what I was expecting when I saw the tape I was pretty impressed.  Not every track is a winner but there is a handful of pretty great ones.  The MCs are not quite as good but still, it's better than a lot of the hip house crap that was coming out just a couple years before, and the fact that they are in the Philipines rapping about the same kinda car culture and baggy jeans 'throw yo set' kinda imagery is pretty neat, especially when mixed with the local island-isms. I wonder if Masta Plann is like the Public Enemy of the Phillipines or if this is some drop in the pan mega obscurity there too.  At any rate, this wasnot the only tape I found in the box, I have another that is far more bizarro and lies somewhere between Ata Kak, C&C music factory, and Filipino pop rap. I will be featuring it soon! For now, peak into the world of Masta Plann.

Dave Rakes - Summerwine LP (1972 lounge psych funk)

More first time available on the web goodness, this time from Dallas TX's own Dave Rakes, when I saw the back cover I thought this would be another bad country lounge cover band but was very pleasantly surprised to hear some uptempo funky psych dirges on many of the tracks.  I think if these would have been original compositions it would be worth a lot more, but as it is it remains in the realm of cover band goodness.  Lots of funky drums, keyboard banging, wah wah guitars and very bad singing. Yay

Dave Rakes - Summerwine LP