Features, essays and columns, for those looking for a bit of extra substance.
FOCUS // Spiderland: A Math Rock Classic Turns 25
When Touch & Go Records released Slint’s Spiderland on March 26, 1991, the album barely made a ripple...
FOCUS
RELEASES WE MISSED IN 2015
We here at Fecking Bahamas are not perfect. It’s hard to believe, I know, but it’s the sad,...
PENS+, one of the few Japanese bands actually using Bandcamp…
Like most Internet denizens, we here at Fecking Bahamas have a soft-spot for math-rock hailing from Japan. Despite the language barrier, the quality and quantity of their math-rock output has earned the country quite the reputation. Here, we chat to Ryo from PENS+ about the name, Bandcamp and the term 'math rock'.
TOP PICKS // Our most anticipated albums of 2016
No matter where you are in the world, returning to daily life after a period of holidays sucks. It's a relatively minor frustration but nonetheless it leaves you feeling empty as you slowly unpack your joy. Even worse is, you're going to die later. And all that labour you're undertaking is completely superfluous; it aids no one but instead keeps the fleeting and ephemeral human endeavour ticking over. Your life is absurd.
The History Of Math Rock Pt 2: “You’ve Got To Learn How To Prog Before You Can Math”
In Part 2 of our History Of Math Rock series, we explore the roots and development of the prog rock era in the 1970's, a movement that was essential in shaping the later math rock genre.
A COLLECTION OF THE WEIRDEST AND WACKIEST JAPANESE BANDS WE HAVE COME TO KNOW
To honour of the tentative reactivation of Japanese noise math act nuito, we present a fairly encompassing breakdown of the weirdest, craziest, schizophrenic, unusual bands to come out of Japan. A list spanning noise rock, math rock, jazz and other oddities.
Starting a record label in the 21st century: Small Pond Recordings
What does a label actually do? How do they sign bands? How do they get their footing in a world where music production/recording/distribution is becoming even more democratized? We spoke to Small Pond Recordings, a label who have put everything on the line by setting up a huge recording studio and rehearsal space in Brighton.
Storm Static Sleep: a new book chronicling the history of post rock
Storm Static Sleep: A Pathway Through Post-Rock is Jack Chuter's detailed history of the genre, with over 30 first-hand interviews with members of Mogwai, Mono, and Slint. We talked to Jack about writing the book and his thoughts on post rock today.
The History Of Math Rock Pt 1: “So I Guess Black Flag Is ‘Math Rock’ Now?!”
In this very special Focus feature, we present to you the first article on the internet devoted specifically to the history of the genre of math rock. In this first instalment we trace the first elements of math rock stemming somewhere between hardcore punk in Los Angeles, and No Wave in New York.
AND SO THEY NAMED IT “ARCTANGENT”…
ArcTanGent, the definitive festival for math rock, post rock and post metal, is now in its third year. The line up is bigger than ever and it is expected to reach maximum capacity. Again. What has made this festival so goddamned successful? And where did ArcTanGent actually come from? We talk to James Scarlett and find the roots of ArcTanGent...