Toychestra - Toychestra

 

Label : Self-Released

Country : US

Year : 1999

Format : 7 inch

More toy-based avantpop for whoever still pops their head in here. Not much to really say that wouldn't involve the term "toy" being repeated incessantly, but it's more than worth a short listen. In contrast to the delightful music and artworks, the sleeve smells of old cigarettes. 

Funny what secondhand goods can get you.

The group runs a tight ship at bandcamp, so check that out if you want the rest of their discog.

Here

Scavenger Quartet - Whistling For Leftovers

Label : Phonetic Records - PR 0901 SQ / Snowdonia

Year : 2001

Country : US / EU

Format : CD

 

Some soundtracks for imaginary films. This rotating cast of a quartet is headed by the great Frank Pahl who uses his typical exploits (toys and whistling, mostly) to create wild if not incongruent compositions, though the latter could be attributed to this being something of a collection of commissions than a proper album.

An instrumental Only A Mother in some ways, their following album is much more focused. Maybe it will hit these almost dead hallways sometime soon? Breathe a little life into it.

(click the CD)

Harpy - Hot Drive

Label : Self-Released - HP-006

Country : Japan

Year : 1998

Format : CD

Before I start, let me recommend this live performance being offered on Bandcamp by the great itoken. With that giving me a good conscious to share this to you for free, here is a set of tracks recorded in the late 90s by one of my favorite toy/avant/prog groups, a mix of live and studio tracks. 

A zip of this has been floating about the internet for a long while, but only in measly 192 kbps mp3. Today I give to you, in fresh 4K quality, a 96 kbps opus rip!!!!

(FLAC version can be found on slsk if need be)

Here