Countdown to ATP: 3 days

It's going down this friday and I'm psyched to go and absorb the whole experience with every sick fibre in my body. This is the last round up in my little countdown, I hope you enjoyed and see you after the best weekend of the year.

Bark Haze
Never heard anything by this trio before. Looking at the members, (Gown, Pete Nolan, Thurston Moore) it's bound to dissapoint, or isn't it? Oh man..
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Taurpis Tula
Listen to: 'Steel Rods Bruise Butterflies' on Steel Rods Bruise Butterflies
Taurpis Tula trade in the Scottish hellhole symphonies you expect when you try to define head honcho David Keenan going by his Volcanic Tongue newsletters. This year's Steel Rods Bruise Butterflies was my first introduction to this fine ensemble consisting of Keenan, Heather Leigh Murray and Alex Neilson and it still is one of the highlights of this year.
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Islaja
Islaja trades in seemingly innocent, Finnish folk sorcery of the highest order. When Finland broke headlines last year it was ready to overwhelm with an incredible amount of great albums. From Paavoharju to Avarus and Lau Nau to Islaja, they all delivered the goods and kept us busy for at least 1/4 of the year. Personally I'm more of a Paavoharju fan but that's just one more Dutch opinion you can ignore.
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The New Blockaders with The Haters
A transatlantic pairing of avant/noise pioneers that might just be the foundation this whole ATP line up is built on. Ask John Olson about it.
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Comets On Fire
Listen to: 'The Unicorn' on Fieldrecordings from the Sun
If you dig The Riff as much as I do then you got to have a special place in your hearts for Comets On Fire's psychedelic anthems. I've never seen them live but I can imagine it's a loud, skullwrecking affair. Utrillo Kushner is one of the greatest drummers in the biz right now, combined with the tandem of Ben Chasny and Ethan Miller on guitars you know it's gonna be just like you first heard cats having a blast in Riff Town, or like that old Def Leppard cassette you once had.
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Sun City Girls
Listen to: 'Nites of Malta' on Djinn Funnel
Going strong since the early eighties and it's still a chore to pin them down. You shouldn't even make the effort of trying because they will definately prove you wrong with their next record. They even covered Golden Earring's 'Radar Love' on their third album, Midnight Cowboys from Ipanemá, which is definately not their best I might add. Torch of the Mystics, with it's astral surf personality, still is my favourite although this year's Djinn Funnel proved to be a strong, strong grower of a record as well.
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Ashtray Navigations
Listen to: 'Strawberries on Ice' on Strawberries on Ice
With Pete Nolan, Thurston Dad and John Olson, drone magician Phil Todd might be the hardest working man on the ATP bill this year. Delivering cd-r after cd-r after cassette after LP on his own Memoirs of an Aesthete imprint or on one or two of the multiple other underground labels around. Four More Raga Moods is one of the finest drone records of this year and packs a hefty psychedelic punch as well. Todd's love for psych rock reigns supreme in his smeary brain and it shows in his music. I love to dive in his stuff just to get down to that psychedelic layer of mud to stay there for as long as I like to.
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Mats Gustaffson + Eye (Boredoms)
It's a damn shame Eye doesn't bring his fellow Boredoms but Mats Gustaffson isn't the worst choice for a partner he could make. Never heard anything by Gustaffson but I love everything Boredoms have done to pieces, seeing their Youtube stuff makes me want to destroy stuff with a happy face. Watch Eye freak out here. I'll do it there.