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Rok Lok Records : Reviews
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Reviews for [RL68]
Stars Are Insane "Singles Club #10"




  • Vanishing Point (translated from Spanish)
    Mike Andriani is who signs all the Stars Are Insane material. We think that he does it like therapy to purge his demons, or maybe not, either way it is a simple and plain curiosity to jam on his guitars, amps, and pedals. It could be one or the other, what but is clear is that in his priorities you don't find "reaching the greatest possible number of people": his music is unsociable/harsh/unpolished, never easy, and the formats he publishes on (CDRs, cassettes, and vinyl in the form of test pressings in older printings that no one could order) fluctuate between editions of 10 and 30 copies. We say that he makes music for his therapy-psychiatry-psychology-(put the specialty that you prefer here) and for the niche public that venture to witness the live shows that he gives once every five years. But all this about him we have already said: one notes this music being of the league that if he wasn't occiuped with his guitars, that time would be monopolized with activities like attacks on unknowns publicly on the road, impalement of stray cats, and self-mutilation with objects that would disfigure more than his hand. We noticed his prior works with 9 Untitled Songs (2009). It interested us enough as to try following his bountiful work--which is carrying a volume similar to the brillant mass of Charles Fort, he does that which we fear could start to destroy all that is done systematically of one moment or another--but it was inaccessable: one only could get his records when he put them up on Myspace and Bandcamp. And there would come one of each of the eight records. What we could not do was avoid it in life, that already has been marked--by similarities in his work and by mental instability--of bringing much of his history nearer to that of Azusa Plane, that instead of waiting for would yield to the hat [???] and years later could dedicate a deserved tribute, we have already and we remain like these men. Indeed. If we spoke of Azusa Plane and parallels with DiEMilio it wasn't in vain; Stars Are Insane play with the same resonant pattern, the parameters are almost the same things, but the results differ. Mike Andriani doesn't like leaving duracions of 10 minutes, adocating for immediacy (at least in this EP), and shows more admiration for Flying Saucer Attack than for Jason DiEmilo, for what we can say that, though of an involuntary form, he also likes Popol Vuh. His sound is layers and layers that include clean guitar lines together with others saturated in distortion, including all the spectrum that is between the two extremes. It's peculiar that it seems that each layer is given their own attributes of meteorologic phenomena, superimposed and appearing or turning off such as rain, clouds, snow and the sun. Or it could be, that there exists a form that sirves to explian the cause, but also a component of fate. And this lends a special air to all of the EP. Contemplative but without being weighed down. Ideal for whatever future documentary Werner Herzog makes. The four songs of this EP for the Rok Lok Records single's club--No One Knows Why, Hurricane Blues, Rebirth, and Things Tend To Break, titles that allude to emotional fragility and the devestating forces of nature--are truly evocative. What of what? Fuck, what they evoke in everyone, what do you all want us to say to you? We keep the mental image that forms us, but since we already have, we urge all of you to listen to the fascinating work of a very peculiar man. Seriously, though, he's very good, and the performance that he has gotten out of his 4-track is exceptional.



  • Depression Chamber
    A more experimental release by Stars Are Insane. Mike Andriani pushes with thoughtful guitar pieces that are incredibly wistful, apprehensive, and nearly punishingly sad. Really in tune with the more guitar oriented dreamy noise/ambient that people like Matt Bartram, Scott Cortez, and Kevin Greenspon make. I feel like there are similar tones to what Jen Paul / No Lakes has done as well. Mike’s cassingle release is amidst a wash of sadness, though. Song titles that reveal personal conflict and struggle, and the realization and understanding that shit just happens and no one knows why. It’s a comforting effort. It’s to relate to, and very repeatable. The keys support and uphold guitar plucking that feels never frenzied, yet very lush. Near an anxiety collapse, but still strong in the way that things flow. There are no harsh explosions, or moments of insanity in the music. The cassingles melatonin fueled pieces are quick, with no bit of drone, no bit of aching. Just sadness and acceptance. Never a dark tunnel involved, only waking up every morning and going to bed every night. All in all it’s a very sweet release. Kind of dreary though, like a photo that’s been tinged to be darker, barring the light from being too overbearing. I’m unsure if Mike prefers the listener to come to their own unique conclusions or if there is some special universal feel he hopes to achieve. I can tell you that I felt specific glimpses of solitary mind wrenching, hopelessness, and I craved for beauty. An irking feeling prevents this one from being a hopeful ambient stroll. I think there is something to be gained when a guitar and some keys pluck your heartstrings. But then again, this stuff speaks to me, maybe for me. Released on Mike’s very own Rok Lok Records as part of a continuing cassingle series. Home/self-dubbed and sounds quite warm and right. A simple cartridge accompanied by a simple j-card.