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Eso Steel

Celebrate Psi Phenomenon

Celebrate Psi Phenomenon is a drone, noise and experimental music-focused label from Upper Hutt’s Campbell Kneale, the prolific performer behind Birchville Cat Motel and Black Boned Angel. The label often utilises a distinctive wallpaper aesthetic to their cover designs.

The label was particularly prolific from the mid 1990s until around 2008.

#nzmusic #experimentalmusic #dronemusic #celebratepsiphenomenon

CMR

Internationally focused Auckland-based experimental / noise label run by Richard Francis (aka Eso Steel) as a sub-label of the now-defunct 20City label he created in the late 1990s.

Though only a total of 27 releases releases have seen the light of day so far (including Japanese experimental artist Kyoshi Mizutani, German visual / composition artist Marc Behrens and Francis’ own solo material), CMR looks to be succeeding the releases of his former label 20City with a professional approach to releasing far-reaching experimental music, so far of the laptop-drone persuasion.

20City

Now defunct label run by Richard Francis – aka Eso Steel. 20City released a total of 4 albums and a handful of single-length releases before Francis re-established the sub-label CMR, distributing both through the Auckland-based Acroma mail-order website.

An experimental / noise label with releases from New Zealand, Japanese and American artists with Richard Francis central to most of the releases.

Plains

Auckland-based group comprised of experimental underground regulars – Tim Coster (field recordings), Richard Francis (computer), Rosy Parlane (guitar, computer), Mark Sadgrove (feedback, linuxcsound), Clinton Watkins (guitar) and Paul Winstanley (electric bass, digital feedback).

Eso Steel

aka richard francis – half of small blue torch, a new zealander now living in japan who deals in experimental electronic manipulations. Discography picks in bold sandpaper cassette [1996 20 city] split lathe-cut 7″ [1996 w/ three 20 city] ‘sect’/’doverider’… Read More »Eso Steel

Small Blue Torch

As I understand it, small blue torch is the duo of [Campbell] Kneale and Eso Steel‘s Richard Francis (though line-up changes in this scene are not uncommon). Both are among the finest of new zealand’s current sound artists. Offering an… Read More »Small Blue Torch

Birchville Cat Motel

Extremely prolific Wellington experimental sound-artist who also records his given name of Campbell Kneale, and as a founding member of such varied performance outfits as Lugosi, Hataitai Bowling Club, Black Boned Angel etc.

Kneale has been making music since the mid 90’s, accumulating a vast amount of (usually) limited edition CDr releases and building a name for himself overseas, were he receives a considerably higher profile (though due to the nature of his music – quite abstract, this popularity is limited to an appreciative cult following).