The Janitors - Worker Drone Queen EP

Get in the dark psychedelic groove with this Stockholm, Sweden foursome. Future Austin Psych Fest-ers perhaps? This EP is dropping next month, but you can listen/download the tracks from their soundcloud page right now, and be sure to keep an eye on their facebook for release updates.

- Dan

Download Worker Drone Queen EP

the band in Heaven - Sleazy Dreams 7" + Demos

This duo sent us a promising demo a while back that had me looking forward to their first vinyl release. Well, that time has come, and it sounds as if the band has reached their full potential. This 4-track 7" on HoZac is dark and moody psychedelic shoegaze greatness. They also sent along a solid collection of demos that requires your attention. While you're listening, order the 7" HERE (200 on gold wax, 475 on black), and check out Revolt of the Apes' interview HERE.

- Dan

Download Sleazy Dreams 7"

Download Demos

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - 1990 Demo

Leaked online earlier this month, this cassette demo is now the earliest known BJM recording. The tape, released 3 years before the band's first official studio album, is as raw and noisy as you might expect, and yet from the opening moments of the first track is undeniably the Brian Jonestown Massacre. This is a great listen for Anton Newcombe fans and it has a great story behind it. If you've somehow stumbled across this blog and have never heard The Brian Jonestown Massacre, I'd recommend heading over to The Committee to Keep Music Evil and picking up a copy of Take it From the Man before diving into this demo.

- Steve

Download  1990 Demo

VIDEO: Regal - Toi Toi

Regal is newly formed French psychedelic garage pop group that features members of Le Pécheur. Their  hook-riddled debut LP, Possible Endings, dropped last month on Azbin Records/Frantic City. Stream it on bandcamp, order it HERE or HERE, and check out the video for the LPs second track, "Toi Toi" above.

- Dan

Negative Nancy - The Urge

Super loud and fuzzy pop/garage/punk solo project of Josh, the vocalist and guitarist of The Clap. Solid. 

- Dan

Download The Urge

Fear Konstruktor - Spiritual Formation

It's not often that I'm compelled to post ambient or noise releases on here, but I got this cassette in the mail yesterday and was enthralled be this Russian's dark, damp, and haunting drones. I had the FUCKING BRILLIANT IDEA of listening to this while watching the documentary Dark Days on mute (instant-streaming on Netflix/first 10 mins on Youtube), and I highly suggest you do the same (you're welcome). Pick up one of the remaining cassettes (edition of 40) for $6 ppd from Already Dead Tapes.

- Dan

Download Spiritual Formation

Actual Water - Latoya (Scotch Tapes​/​Young Guv Limited Lathe Series)

This super limited lathe from Scotch Tapes/Young Guv was released in early 2011, sold out in a matter of minutes, and is being offered as a free download on bandcamp, so have at it. More importantly, Actual Water are FINALLY releasing their second full-length, The Paisley Orchard, on Unfamiliar Records next weekish. They actually sent me the mp3s to share in SEPTEMBER OF FUCKING 2010, but then were like oh wait shit don't share this yet. I jammed to it often in 2011, and I can assure you it's good shit. 

- Dan

Download Latoya

Highlands - Singularity

Crisply recorded Cali psych/shoegaze that lies somewhere between The Jesus and Mary Chain and A Place to Bury Strangers. Your enjoyment of this is directly proportional to the volume in which you listen to it. Vinyl should be dropping sometime soon, but you'll have to check up on their Facebook until then.

- Dan

Download Singularity

Mason Android Park - Mind

Jason Smark is a budding electronic artist out of the state where the sun doth shine upon thee. Under his beat-making "robotic alter-ego" Mason Android Park, Smark creates a dialogue only to be spoken between liquid-based life forms and autonomous robots. He has a release from earlier in 2011 entitled Shmason that is also being offered as a free download on bandcamp. Check 'em.

- Dan

Download Mind

Bad Indians - The Path Home 7"

New 7" from the Ypsilanti, MI psychedelic pop garagers. Three hip swinging tracks that go by far too quickly. They also get bonus points for a super adorbs drummer. Order it from Ginkgo Records.

- Dan

Download The Path Home 7"

VIDEO: Drosofile - Mal

Debut single from this French/American duo. In the same vein as Brainbombs, Drosofile are hellbent on creating a perfect soundtrack for the serial killer in all of us. Simple and relentless percussion, manic vocals, and noisy guitar repetitions help create a general uneasy feeling that'll make you wanna kill a motherfucker. Can't wait to hear more from this band. The 7" can be heard/purchased over at SDZ Records' bandcamp. 

- Dan

GHOSTANDTHESONG/CHRIS REHM - UNSCHÄRFE/SHIMMER

Split cassette courtesy of DZ Tapes. Brace for winter's cold by wrapping yourself in Ghostandthesong's "psych-lo-funk/neo-surrealist-punk" (w/ some Women-esque riffs), and Chris Rehm's (of Caddywhompus) shimmering drones and calming vocals. Pick up your copy HERE.

- Dan

Download UNSCHÄRFE/SHIMMER

Eyes - A Candle In The Crown of The Dawn

Eyes are a now defunct psych/kraut/prog inspired group of weirdos who may or may not have a fucking octopus for a drummer. Seriously, some of the percussion on this record is absolutely insane. I don't want to short change the rest of the band either. Eyes had a real knack for creating beautiful, complex music with just the right amount of improv. My only gripe with this record is the vocals. They're rarely a focal point of any track, but they have a strange Bob Pollard in a tin can sound that threw me off at first. Slight reservations aside, I highly recommend checking Eyes out. You can grab the cassette from Field Hymns Records HERE.

- Steve

Download A Candle In The Crown of Dawn

Thick Shakes - Deep Pockets b/w Gimme Time

Thick Shakes are taking their fuzzy Bostonian garage pop on the road with Radio Control for a short tour of the Northeast starting this month. Catch them at one of the dates below.

• Jan 13: Thick Shakes w/ Radio Control - Flywheel Arts Collective
• Jan 14: w/ Radio Control, & Those Ghostfuckers - Clarendon House
• Jan 15: Thick Shakes w/ Radio Control - The Monkey House
• Jan 21: Thick Shakes w/ Radio Control - 131 Washington Street
• Jan 28: w/ Ghost Box Orchestra, Royal Wedding, and Leagues - Rosebud
• Feb 5: Ladyfest Boston - YMCA - Cambridge, MA
• Feb 17: Elm Bar (old Rudy's)
• Feb 18: w/ the Numerators - The Gutter
• Feb 19: w/ The World At Large - The Level Room

- Dan

Download Deep Pockets b/w Gimme Time

Gardens - s/t

Came across this LP at Stormy Records when I was back in Michigan for the holidays. I was only familiar with In Novelty Land, their 7" from 2009, and despite the off-putting album cover (Attn bands: we don't need to see how cool you look, quit ruining the album ART), I decided to take a gamble and pick it up anyway. Turns out it's the Detroit brand of garage I was hoping to hear. A throwback 60s psychedelic record in modern garage garb. Grab the CD or limited edition green vinyl from Alive Records.

- Dan

Download Gardens

Best Albums of 2011

Welcome to the 5th (and hopefully not the last) OngakuBaka Top 10 albums of the year list. Before we jump right in to our picks, we’ll explain the guidelines for the selection process.

1. These records are in no particular order.

2. No live records, “Best of” collections, box sets, or re-issues. The albums chosen had to be material released in 2011.

3. This is a collaborative effort between the two of us, and if we didn’t agree that an album deserved to make the cut, it didn’t make the list.

4. There are plenty of full-lengths we never got a chance to listen to, forgot about, or never had time to fully digest, so don't freak out if you don't see your personal favorite in our list.

With that said, here are our honorable mentions for 2011:

Ty Segall - Goodbye Bread
Pow Wows - Nightmare Soda
The Feeling of Love - Dissolve Me
Apache Dropout - s/t
Oneohtrix Point Never - Replica
Thee Oh Sees - Castlemania
Panda Kid - Scary Monster Juice
Total Control - Henge Beat

...and now, without further ado, our top 10 records of 2011:




1. Thee Oh Sees - Carrion Crawler/The Dream

2. Heavy Times - Jacker

3. Shapes Have Fangs - Dinner in the Dark

4. Amen Dunes - Through Donkey Jaw

5. The Men - Leave Home

6. The Cosmic Dead - s/t

7. Le Pécheur - Medieval Dreams

8. Catholic Spray - Amazon Hunt

9. Pow Wows - Nightmare Soda

10. Night Beats - s/t