Some year, right? I know I’m certainly not the first to say it and there’s no way I’ll be the last, but jesus I’m glad this is all over. Let’s dwell on it!
2020 was easily the least productive year I’ve had in… maybe a decade? I hardly did shit this year. Somehow I still managed to drop a dozen records, make two shorts and write a couple screenplays in between starting multiple new jobs and avoiding pandemic-related death or illness.
Warrior Smile – A Stone in the River (Bells of Infinity)
Joe finally put out his first album!! Okay, it’s actually his 92nd, but it is his first under his new moniker and it legitimately feels like a major work. I had the pleasure of ghostwriting some of these songs back when this album was going to be Pigeon Story, his debut under his own name, and it’s crazy to hear them now that they’ve been released into the world. We’re already assembling the band for the second Warrior Smile record which will hopefully be completed in a somewhat more timely manner.
Brenner & Molenaar – Uninvited Savior (Nefarious Industries)
Holy shit, this album came out this year? Dave and I started work on this album in… 2017 maybe?? This was a long-gestating work that I was very excited to finally drop earlier this year. Dave and I bounced tracks back and forth for ages before finally mastering this thing and turning it into the final behemoth it is.
Mycropenez – Cucked By Fate
Waaaaaaay back in February Russell and I were fucking around in the studio as per usual and ended up making the second canonical Mycropenez release. (Album? EP? Whatever, it’s grind.) I had more of a hand in the actual creation/structuring of this record than I Made This Album Please Listen To It And Let Me Know What You Think and I believe it shows in the greater reliance on pingy blast beats, tripped out synths and generally filthy vibe.
Christian Molenaar – Divinorum
At the beginning of quarantine I had some grand scheme to use all my newfound free time to work prolifically and drop albums left and right. That didn’t happen. But I did manage to record this sci-fi solo sax album inspired by Octavia Butler and Travis Scott in an afternoon with minimal editing. This is one of the rare pieces that came together extremely quickly and I feel really stands up to repeat listening.
Christian Molenaar & Noah Souza – Perpetuity
Last spring, while rehearsing for the TDG tour with Fuck Your Birthday where we performed as two-piece for many of the dates, Noah and I recorded a series of sax-drums duets which became Aborted Edge, Arrested and this album. (And one more that will remain unreleased.) Without getting overly personal, I look at this little trilogy (or quartet) with a certain bittersweet nostalgia for 2019. That was really only a year ago?
Sontag Shogun – It Billows Up Remixed, Vol. 1 (Youngbloods)
A few years ago (right before I met Hannah!) I played a show at the illustrious San Diego Content Partners (RIP) filling in on sax for the good homie Dylan’s project Peymaar. I totally forgot I had a date with a cute Tinder match that same night so I decided to invite her to the show. As is par for the course with me, I proceeded to give it my all during the set, which unfortunately entailed violently shitting my pants. Somehow we still ended up going back to my house and I managed to sneak in a shower against all odds. Anyway, Sontag Shogun played that show too! They make intensely beautiful minimal soundscapes and I was honored to chop up a song from their most recent album for this remix collection.
Gridfailure – Sixth Mass Extinction Skulduggery II (Nefarious Industries)
In my Divinorum blurb I mentioned planning to make this year a productive one and failing to remotely meet that; Dave had no such problems. Throughout 2020, Dave released albums at such a rapid clip I haven’t even been able to keep up, but I was very happy my contributions could make it onto “Proven Finite.”
Those Darn Gnomes – Split with Car Made of Glass (List of Lakes Arts)
Car Made of Glass are the best band on the face of the earth. We’ve been talking about a split forever, but playing together in Arcata and San Francisco last summer solidified it, and I’m thrilled we could finally make it happen this year. This is some of my favorite material we’ve released thus far and I’m overjoyed it could make it onto a split with my favorite band.
Those Darn Gnomes – Split with Potion
Speaking of splits with Car Made of Glass, have you heard this shit? Two years ago I was completely unaware of either Potion or CMOG, but thankfully that split came along to rectify that situation, then last summer we got to share the stage with both bands in Arcata. Christ, am I thankful for that. This split is some of the most brutal, blast-heavy material either of our projects has released, and I’m thrilled to see us both explore these directions in the future. I love the Humboldt scene!!
Brian Scafidi – Sardines (It’s Okay I’m Crying)
Back in June I started a new job working for old homie Sean from Paper Forest and It’s Okay I’m Crying and through him I met Brian. When I started the job, Brian was finishing up his first record of doo-wop/surf instrumentals under his own name and was looking for someone to add some horns. A few days later, I was recording saxophone for what became Sardines.
Those Darn Gnomes – Split with Dead Hawk x George Bell (Quone City Press)
This is another record that feels beamed from another timeline; we recorded our side of this split in January of last year, but due to various delays it only saw release a few months ago. Nevertheless, I’m super proud of this material, which moves in a Khanate/Khlyst vein rather antithetical to our recent grind/noisecore material but is certainly sympatico with the massive drone walls summoned up by Dead Hawk and George Bell.
The Red Window – Afterlife (Primal Architecture Records)
This last one is a bit of a cheat since I didn’t really have much to do with the making of the album itself but I did do a little pre-production on this album and the music rules so it’s worth including! Creepy darkwave from Jeremy Kolosine and Josh Strawn (Vaura/Azar Swan/Blacklist/Religious to Damn).
These are, of course, only a few of the personal milestones I celebrated this year. I also released two short films, played three shows (it’s not many but I’m happy to have gotten them in pre-covid!!) and, most importantly of all, celebrated my first wedding anniversary with my incredible wife Hannah, who is still the best thing to ever happen to me. I love you baby! Lots more on the way.
Leave a Reply