Sleepwalkers Local 242 - Dreamlands (2007)

Artist: Sleepwalkers Local 242

Album: Dreamlands

Location: Los Angeles, USA

Genres: Blogspot Scene, Ambient, Drone

Year Released: 2007-xx-xx

Format(s) Released: CDr

Explanation:

This is Dreamlands, the debut album from Los Angeles-based musician Sleepwalkers Local 242 (aka Grant E. Capes).

I've listened to a few of Sleepwalkers releases though none have really stood out to me. When I first heard of this guy I wasn't that familiar to the whole Blogspot Scene but seeing such weird covers and titles got me interested.

I first heard of Sleepwalkers while looking for a completely different artist, Sleepwalkers [New Mexico rap group consisting of Enoch and Nogoe]. Saw 'Sleepwalkers Local 242' come up and found the name really cool.

This release is one of Sleepwalkers more abrasive releases (compared to the chill ambient he made later). It doesn't veer into noise territory, but the release is drowned in dissonance. The first few tracks leverage guitar distortion and builds up these crescendos that almost sound like moaning. It almost sounds improvisational in a way.

The album consists of long droning soundscapes, cold in feeling and mechanical. Nothing dreamy about this it feels more like a fever-dream where nothing quite makes sense. It goes on a bit long, and my ears rung after it, but it wasn't particularly bad.

One particular track, Insect Metal Hive Slaughter has this obnoxious loop meant to sound like insects. It drones on and on, though gets better by the midway point when a harmonica(?) comes into add some much-needed calm to the track. It is by far the worst track on this.

Horrorshow (Remix) is the standout track here. I don't know what it's a remix of but I'm curious to hear the original Horrorshow. It's this 27-minute track that's nothing but a continuously evolving chiptune drone that goes on for a few movements, pauses and switches up its style. I'm not sure the genre other than drone but damn it sounds like what I imagine to be 'industrial chiptune'. It's lobit and covered in reverb, allowing for the individual signals to linger on just as they fade out. It's glitchy, distorted and barely functioning and hits the peak of the album.

If this release were just Horrorshow with one or two other tracks I would probably like it a bit more.

Reasons for Disappearance:

Like all Blogspot Scene releases this dropped via mail-order only and likely never in record stores firsthand. Sleepwalkers has a Bandcamp though has never re-issued this album. No idea why. He really should (even if it's just Horrorshow (Remix) + some extras). I finally found it after much searching on trackers. I had the option to purchase this on Discogs at one point but missed my shot.

Download: aHR0cHM6Ly9tZWdhLm56L2ZpbGUvN0JKUTFUZ0ojdmNmeUtleWtkRWptcTYtblFmTzNRVkpJalNDUmNHYzJSdTRPRTMtWE5GTQ==

Password: horrorshow

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