[UPCOMING] In Drone We Trust - in collaboration with Ranger Magazine

We're very excited to share that the soon to be published issue #4 of the wonderful Ranger Magazine will include a premiere release of In Drone We Trust, the long awaited collaboration between NishMa, Haggari Nakashe & gaop.

This nine track album has been in the works for the entirety of 2023, with a few singles (with earlier versions of the tracks) appearing throughout the year on compilations.

The album is (obviously) drone heavy, incorporating elements of dark ambient, noise, experimental or avant-garde metal, and just a dash of woodwind instruments and world music motifs.

Ranger magazine is a web publication (with printed copies) dedicated to experimental art, poetry, music and film. We encourage you to explore past issues and stay tuned for issue #4.

In Drone We Trust, by NishMa, Haggari Nakashe & gaop

Bad Dreams - Haggari Nakashe & gaop

Bad Dreams - Haggari Nakashe & gaop is a four track EP, originally released in early 2007.

As a part of our attempt to map out the history of our releases, we're finally posting about it, something we unfortunately never did.

When it came out, it was uploaded to a handful of streaming channels existing at the time, but mostly sent out to people in a Zip file format and on personally burned CDs.

It wasn't one of the releases we did PR for, it was just sent out to friends, posted about on a few forums, later we uploaded it to YouTube. But that was all. 

No idea why, but then again, 2007 was a really busy year for us, and sometimes we just recorded stuff because it was just happening,  released it because it was there and we felt like we have to share whatever we were creating and move on to the next outburst. 

This was one of the earliest Haggari Nakashe & gaop collabs, a bunch of them were also released that very year, all of them quite different, most of them are still pretty good in retrospect. There were a few lost, so if you have files, CDRs or recollection of releases we fail to mention, please let us know!

This specific release was recorded in bits and pieces by emailing tracks and channels back and forth. It's mostly layered bass guitars, flutes and recorders, some FX, but that's it. For a period in our lives where noise was out major focus, it's pretty calm, even though it's dark and haunting.

It was quite interesting or even shocking for us that this release became so "popular" with time. At the moment it already received over 23K streams on Spotify alone, which is honestly amazing for such a niche EP that we never properly promoted, never physically released and never gave it the attention it deserved.

Today this release neatly fits in the catalog, right next to the other woodwind, electroacoustic, post free jazz releases; but back in the day we just did it cos if felt right, not knowing that we're going fall in love with obscure experimental jazz. It was just us trying new sounds, not really knowing why or how.

Let us know if you happen to have a copy of the release, in any format. Or if you recall something about it that we've missed. We really appreciate any input because so much is lost to time.
Also, as always, feel free to add to or edit our Discogs pages. 

RZRecords 6 WAY SPLIT, Volumes 3 & 4 - CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

IMPORTANT UPDATE: We're moving the deadline to December to give us some more time to prep and you some more times to finish your tracks!

Greetings fellow sound aficionados!

We are again inviting everyone to submit your materials for our 6 ways split series!

Hot on the heels of  RZRecords SIX WAY SPLIT, Vol.1 and  RZRecords 6 WAY SPLIT, Vol.2, we are now looking for submissions for the 3rd and 4th installments.

The theme we requested for the previous releases was "dark", and people submitted lots of stuff that just showed how conceptions change between people. We thought it was pretty awesome that the tracks we received were so different in style. 

This time around, think "dark" but there are literally no limitations when it comes to musical themes or genres. Send whatever seems right, or whatever you want to share with the world.

The rules are:

1. no samples - the releases going to be submitted to the majority of streaming platforms and having copyright issues can sabotage the entire project. Please own the rights to your materials. If you have questions - we're here for you.
   

2. 10 minutes per artist - up to 10min. it can be one track, can be 20 tracks half a minute each, it's up to you. If you feel that you're best represented by a 10 second beep - send it over, sounds interesting!

   • Special note regarding your 10 minutes: if you feel like submitting stuff that you might have released in the past - that's up to you. We accept remixes, remasters, or just older stuff that deserves exposure. It might be new to us and everyone else. As long as the tracks make sense together - it's in!
     

3. provide all the info - make sure to properly name your files, provide us with the order you desire if you want them in a certain way, artist name and special notes (caps, special characters, etc). If you have a special logo you use, let us know so we consider that when we work on the cover art. Last time we simply used one font for everyone which made things easier, but send us your stuff just in case.
   

4. no hate - hate speech will not be accepted. Also, please make sure to let us know if your content is explicit, some platforms need to tag it according to their rules.
   

5. limited to 6 participants - we only have room for a selected few per release, so please keep that in mind. if we get lots of submissions there's gonna be another volume coming soon! We usually arrange stuff concept wise, so if you're left out - doesn't mean we hate you, we might be saving your for a more relevant combination of tracks.
   

6. pro bono - while we will distribute the release for online streaming, please note that at the moment we're not planning on a physical release nor are there plans to sell it. participation is without pay, but feel free to contact us for the files if you wish to print your own copies to sell locally. If sometime down the line there's special interest or demand - we might release a physical copy and distribute those between the participants.
   

7. submission - send your FLAC files to contact.rzrecords[@]gmail.com and please try to limit the loudness to -6dB. We find it easiest to work with google drive folders with all of the materials in one place.
   

8.  deadline - We'd like to have all tracks by November 2023. If you feel like you need more time, send it anyways, we'll save it for the next release.We know some people take longer to submit cos they're working on brand new stuff.
   

We want to take a moment to express how genuinely thrilled we are to be building this community with all of you. The response to the first two volumes was beyond anything we had anticipated, not just in terms of the sheer variety of sounds and styles we received, but in the passion and thoughtfulness that came through in every submission.

This series was born out of a simple desire to connect artists and share music that might otherwise never find its way to new ears, and every volume reinforces why we started it in the first place. Whether you're a seasoned producer with years of releases under your belt or someone who's been quietly crafting sounds in your bedroom for the first time, we want to hear from you, this is a space where the only currency is creativity.

We genuinely believe that the magic of a split release lies in the unexpected contrasts and surprising connections between artists who might never have collaborated otherwise, and we are committed to curating each volume with that spirit in mind. So don't second-guess yourself, don't wait until it's "perfect", and don't assume your sound isn't what we're looking for, send it over and let us decide. The door is wide open.

We are also deeply grateful to everyone who has already been part of this journey, to those who submitted, to those who listened and spread the word, and to those who are only now hearing about it for the first time.

You are all part of what makes this worth doing. Let's keep making noise together, the weirder, the darker, the more unexpected, the better. We can't wait to hear what you've got.

gaop - Jar of Fears

We have wonderful news, there's a brand new release from gaop!
t's dark, it's jazzy, it's piano-lead dark ambient with sad undertones. A 47 minute long odyssey with a winter feel to it. 

Jar of Fears

The aforementioned piano is accompanied by metallic percussion, woodwind shrieks and a generally brooding atmosphere created by layered effects. The sound is one of minimalism, but not in an uneventful way.

The release is free to stream on most platforms, but also available for digital purchase on gaop's bandcamp.

This release is another one in gaop's experimental celebrations of post-jazz and post-classical sounds, via a mesmerizing dark ambient, a contrast to his harsh noise releases but not venturing far from "noise" in general, it might be more user friendly, but the color palette is the same. The feedback, the humming drones hiding in the background, those are dead giveaways.

The album is a hauntingly beautiful collection of sounds that delve into the depths of fear and anxiety. With tiny, broken down elements of jazz and modern classical music infused into the atmospheric soundscape, gaop creates a dark sonic journey that really captivates the listener from start to finish.

"Jar of Fears" is a must-listen for anyone who loves immersive and experimental music that takes you on a journey through your own emotions.

From a visual arts perspective, "Jar of Fears" is a fascinating study in how sonic textures can mimic artistic techniques. The album’s minimalistically layered production mirrors the process of glazing in oil painting, where thin, translucent layers are built up over time to create a final image of deceptive depth and richness. gaop applies this principle aurally; the "metallic percussion" acts as an initial sketch, the droning hums are the underpainting, and the shivering woodwinds are the final, delicate highlights applied to the canvas.
This approach transforms the album from a mere listening experience into a piece of sonic art that rewards deep attention.
It invites the audience to dissect its construction, to listen not just for melody, but for texture and negative space. 

In an era of instant gratification, "Jar of Fears" stands as a testament to the power of immersive atmospherics, proving that the most profound emotional landscapes are often painted in shades of shadow and silence. 

For curators and collectors of experimental music, and connoisseurs of post-classical minimalism, this release is not just a digital file; it is an album as art object, a 47-minute exhibition of mood and restraint that deserves a permanent place in the library of modern dark ambient composition.

Ecstatic Feedback - A Pukehammer Records Compilation

 There's a wonderful new compilation out on Pukehammer Records, and our beloved gaop is participating with When the Lights Explode.

But by all means, please listen to the entirety of the compilation as there was lots of effort put into gathering such a superb release, and it shows.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

RZRecords 6 WAY SPLIT, Vol.2

Hot on the heels of Vol.1 it's out extreme pleasure to present: RZRecords 6 WAY SPLIT, Vol.2 !!!

We were lucky enough to be presented with enough materials for two back to back releases. 
This made the process a bit longer because we had to find the right concept for the releases to work in a harmonious way, but this is far from a complaint, it was a pleasure to be trusted with the participants' art, and to come up with a result we are very proud of.

As always, our goal is to find interesting collaboration, to do our tiny part in the promotion of artists you might have not heard of, and in the process to discover new music that excites us.

This is yet again a purely online release, which is spread across several streaming platforms. 
Feel free to share it anywhere, and look for other instances it on other platforms that might pop up later.

The participants in Volume.1 are:

(in order of appearance)

• ohrr
• Intro Vertic
• DEEP DOWN
• NishMa
• xPhin
• Mierdia

Generically this is a very interesting release, so per our usual MO, there's a huge mash up of genres going on.

While as always, the color palette stays dark, this compilation travels between electronic subgenres such as techno, IDM and ambient, into a more nu-metal inspired side of electronics, followed by low end, dark ambient sound art, finishing with a string of highly creative and very interesting noise tracks.

We can only hope that you enjoy is as much as we did while compiling, and still having fun listening to it.

A huge thanks to participants, listeners, and all the RZRecords folks who worked on it and obviously their families for accepting the weirdos that we are, blasting noise in the middle of the night, running away to our computers to fix stuff, corresponding 24/7 on stuff that "normal" people don't care about.

RZRecords SIX WAY SPLIT, Vol.1

It brings us much joy to introduce the following release.

Rzrecords SIX WAY SPLIT, Vol.1 the first in the series of what hopefully will become many.
This is our way to bring artists together, spread the word, collaborate, and have fun.

This is a purely online release, successfully spread like a virus across several streaming platforms. 
A streaming format seemed right to us for the initial releases, with the thought of physical releases becoming a reality perhaps at a later point in time.

We've already started conceptualizing the next releases in the series, so feel free to send in your materials!

The participants in Volume.1 are:

(in order of appearance)

• MettaUniverse
• The Crimson Rod
• MEZZUU
• gaop
• Sabixatzil
• Torture Prophet
  

As always, we love to keep things interesting, so there's a mash-up of genres going on.

While the color palette stays dark, the compilation travels between the industrial side of metal, free noise rock, noisy dark ambient sound art, dark avant-garde jazz, guitar jazz that's cut up with field recordings, and straight-up HNW.

We really had tons of fun working on this one, be it listening to all the wonderful materials we were gifted by these great artists, of the fun of stitching it all up into a coherent form.

Thank you for participating, caring, listening, reading this post or any interaction you may have with RZRecords!

Harsh Noise Wall Means Fight Back: Smash Gay Oppression

The fine people over at Delirium Psychosis Productions have released yet another wonderful compilation, and yet again, we were lucky enough to take part.

Here's a message from the DPP team:

54 years after the Stonewall Uprising inaugurated the gay rights movement, we find ourselves once again in the fight for our lives. Trans genocide must be resisted by any means necessary. We are undergoing a deep historic process in the fight for our liberation, one that has been met with the utmost cruelty at the hands of bourgeois counterrevolution. Stand up, fight back, smash gay oppression.

All proceeds donated to The Trevor Project.

 

This time, the contributions on our end were:

• Haggari Nakashe - Echoed Sentiments
• gaop - Thelxiepia 

Special shoutout to MEZZUU, yet another participant, who's also starring on our upcoming split series.

Synth & Sax for the Elderly by Haggari Nakashe & gaop

Now here's a fun little treat!

A new collab album by Haggari Nakashe & gaop.

It's been on repeat at RZRHQ since we got the master files, happy days indeed.

This one is a bit of everything thrown into the lab, a tad of jazz, ambient, drone, beats, noise, a very good listen.

A word from the artists:

Synth & Sax for the Elderly, a collaboration between gaop and Haggari Nakashe, paying homage to our ancestors via noisy drones, sax abuse and a few beats. Inspired by life itself.

 

Psychic War Against Cop City: An Extreme Music Compilation

The kind folks over at Delirium Psychosis Productions released a 50 track compilation titled "Psychic War Against Cop City: An Extreme Music Compilation" with the profits going to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund.

It's a good compilation with lots of interesting tracks and genres, and a very good cause.

Some of our artists participated, so if you're into the stuff we're doing, here's a great opportunity to contribute or just take a moment to learn about this important cause.

Here are the direct links to the tracks:

• Haggari Nakashe - Modern Life 
• gaop & NishMa - It Must Flow
• Paxit - The Hidden Tongue

Haggari Nakashe's track is a synth drone gone noise. gaop & Nishma's track is multilayered noise, with drums and heavily distorted woodwinds. Paxit delivered straight up experimental doom metal.

'Topic to Topic #2' by gaop & Haggari Nakashe

The following release sparks much joy in our hears.

It's a collaboration between Haggari Nakashe and gaop that's both beautiful and intelligent.

The rich, dark, ambient sounds of this track, are haunting and lovely, blending piano with synths in a droning and slows manner, suitable for both active and passive listening.

Here are a few words from the artists:

'Topic to Topic #2' is a musical experiment that seeks to examine what would happen to a piano composition ripped out from the modern or post modern genres, into the realms of downtempo, electronic drone music, effect-heavy and synth-laden.

The result is this atmospheric, 34 minute track. Beeping, humming, dragging like doom metal, yet retaining its grace.

'In and Out of Town' by gaop

We're thrilled to present In and Out of Town by gaop. A wonderfully tiny EP that is as beautiful as it's ominous. 

It's a fun gem that dives headfirst into Eastern European traditional folk music, breaking the mold to study the pieces and rebuild it in a new, inspired way.

'In and Out of Town' is an exploration of Slavic and Balkan folk motifs via via the prism of avantgarde jazz, film scores, and improvised free music.

In these six tracks, clocking just under seven and a half minutes, this EP utilizes traditional Ukrainian wooden flutes, clarinet, recorders and sax to paint a multitrack picture that's can be both familiar and distant.

The woodwind sounds of this release can be eerie at times, or even haunting, but not deep under the experimental nature of this release, lie the sounds of home.

Snake Handling Gloves by gaop & NishMa

gaop & NishMa present: Snake Handling Gloves.

Drums, recorders and electric organ. Simple and brilliant. 

Abstract, jazz like, nightmarish. Conjuring ambulances, rattlesnakes, dangerous woods, poisonous attacks, hallucinations, trips to the hospital, bagpipes, abandoned churches, deserts, scary birds, warm bottled water, Lars von Trier and other stuff too.

Good stuff.

Reflections by Haggari Nakashe & gaop

Reflections, by Haggari Nakashe & gaop, is an hour long drone / dark ambient piece, with electroacoustic and musique concrète overtones.

It's suitable for trance like states, deep thinking, meditation, frightening trips, horror movies and probably nature movies too.

Available on all streaming platforms, but mostly for purchase on Bandcamp (below) and on Spotify.

NishMa, gaop & Haggari Nakashe - The Hidden Hand

RZRecords proudly present The Hidden Hand, a brand new single by NishMa, gaop & Haggari Nakashe, collaborating on a drone oriented noise track, accompanied by live drums.

The track is available for streaming on most platforms, and for purchase via BandCamp.

2023 is looking great release wise, with a strong first quarter, and a few more surprises up our sleeve for the near future.

The Jazz of Shapes to Come, by gaop

 We're super excited to present The Jazz of Shapes to Come, a brand new gaop album.

It's a celebration of electro-acoustic pianos, woodwind instruments, bells and tape recorder hiss sounds.

While the title obviously references the Coleman masterpiece, The Jazz of Shapes to Come is a different take on free jazz or avant-garde, with an approach that's more mellow, rooted equally in ambient as it is with musical giants such as Art Ensemble of Chicago.

The album is available on most streaming platforms, purchase via BandCamp and is do for a limited physical release in the future.

Haggari Nakashe - Tis the Season for Revenge

Haggari Nakashe has released a holiday themed EP titled "Tis the Season for Revenge" and we love it.

Three dark ambient tracks, it's all you ever wanted, all you ever needed, here in your arms.

gaop - Sick Days

gaop's Sick Days is an interesting take on genres like grunge, noise rock, punk, stoner rock and indie, serving as a fusion and revision of the above, via the experimental gaop prism.

Live and programmed drums, guitar, bass, synths and vocals, all provided by this one-man-band.

This release has no real aspirations to become a part of any of the corrupt, co-opted genres it explores, and yet it wins in advance by not participating. It's a labor of love, creative onanism, fun and effect pedals.

This release is available for purchase via BandCamp, and for streaming on most streaming platforms.