ZZP-010 /// HENDIADYS - VIIV

Second tape release for my drone/ambient project Hendiadys, a collaborative output with my friend Benjamin Moreau (Chose Morte/Huata/Fange). On this record we focused on using a variety of sound sources beyond the usual pedal feedback loop (guitar, synths, drum-machine, tape manipulation etc) while still maintaining our personal approach at constructing, layering and tweaking sounds.

C-20 white shell tape, comes in handmade sleeve packaging. Limited to 20 copies, 5€/France, 6€/Europe, 7€/$9/World, all ppd. You can buy through the shop section, our directly via our bandcamp page. The artwork comes from a series of xerox collages made in march 2014. You can see more at http://jeanbaptisteleveque.fr

ZZP-009 /// FANGE - Poisse

Beware of the Sun ! Fange's first ep "Poisse" is now available on tape. Get ready for +30mn of crushing sludge/noise plus an exclusive 10mn noise track on side B ! Heavy down-tuned riffs blaring from big amps, vicious drum-shagging, good old screams, yells & shouts (in french s'il vous plaît) and abrasives noise/drone sprinkled atop for good measure.

The tape version comes in an over-sized VHS-like case, with laser-printed lyrics insert. 6€, shipping out, limited to 50 copies. Get in touch at contact.zugzwang at gmail.com. Fange features Ben from Huata at the guitar, Baptiste from Brain Pyramid on drums, and myself on vocals and noise. Mixing by Kristian Keyboard Productions and Mastered by Sylvain Biguet.

Release announcement : Hendiadys - VIIV (tape)

New release coming on ZZP coming very soon : Hendiadys - "VIIV".
Hendiadys is drone/noise project I have with Benjamin Moreau (Chose Morte/Huata/Fange). Hypnotic drones, tape loops, electronic snippets of distant melodies, layers entwined.

"VIIV" features two tracks recorded in winter 2013, that you can stream/download just below :



This will be a edition of 20 copies, 3€ without shipping. Get in touch at contact.zugzwang at gmail.com.

Back from the dead...

... with a new upcoming release : Fange first EP "Poisse" on tape !

Fange (meaning «mire» in french) plays harsh sludge, crushing riffs and hard beats.

All you will find here is a huge amount of fuzz and distortion, out of hand feedbacks, low tu­ning and big amps, heavy beats and fat kicks, distorted vocals and abrasive noises.

Sinking into a dirty and filthy sludge/noise to exorcise the human grime and primal idioms conveyed by summer and unbearable heats, Fange’s first effort will bury you into mud and oil.

If Nihilist would have played sludge on Sunn O))) amps, or if Bongzilla would have met Entombed at a Merzbow gig, it would have sounded like this.

You can listen to "Lucifour", a first extract from the whole 30mn EP whom should be available hopefully pretty soon. A CD version will be released on Cold Dark Matters Records.



The tape version will come in a VHS like case, with lyrics insert and an exclusive +10mn noise track on side B. This edition will be limited to 50 copies, and preorders are open ! Get in touch at contact.zugzwang at gmail.com.

Fange features Ben from Huata at the guitar, Baptiste from Brain Pyramid on drums, and myself on vocals and noise. Mixing by Kristian Keyboard Productions and Mastered by Sylvain Biguet.

Happy New Year ! Big nap & big sales

Hello everyone, it's been a while. Happy new year and all the good stuff !

This is a quick note to let you know that Zugzwang Productions is not dead, but rather in suspended animation. For the past months I have been working on my drone/noise/ambient solo project Zalhietzli, which you have probably heard of if you have been around here long enough. If not, see the Zalhietzli releases here and here.

I don't know when the next ZZP release will happen, if there is any. It was a fun ride, and even if not everything went smoothly, I am proud of each of the releases I worked on.

In the meantime, be sure to keep an eye on the artists/friends I had the chance of working with. They are all incredible musicians and artists, and simply all around chill bros and dudes. I wish to thank them all for their trust, kindness and passion. And a special thanks for all my little helpers !

Now for something for material, I am doing big, BIG, nay, HUGE SALES on all the shop, to clear up some shelves :

50% OFF on EVERYTHING in the shop !
(woot !)

This deal will last until the end of february, and most of the stuff I am carrying are single items or running low, so do not sleep on this.

The prices showed in the shop are the regular, you will have to do the maths. Shipping is still calculated the regular way.

SHOP

I am also selling blank tapes and VHS like cases, more info on the shop section.


Thanks to everyone who helped, bought, told their friends or worked with/for Zugzwang Productions.
See you, space cowboy !

Jyb

ZZP-007 /// EMOTION OF LOSS / ZMAJEVDAH - Split

Embrace the lo-fi tornado ! The Emotion Of Loss / Zmajevdah split tape is finally available. Fans of grind, drone, noise and doom from around this wretched globe will all be satisfied. This is the work of two great artists that push the boundaries of their sound and their respective genre, their tunes sweating with heart, lo-fi and DIY ethics.

It's really hard to label Zmajevdah's blackened shoegazy grind mixture, but If you're into heartwarming blastbeatitude somewhat similar to Wheels Within Wheels, Liturgy or Panopticon, you will absolutely love the two everlasting tracks encased in this split.

If you followed ZZP from the beginning, you are no stranger to Emotion Of Loss bleak, desperate and crushing sound. His "Demo 2007" was ZZP first release. With his new track Emotion Of Loss dwelves into more ethereal and experimental sounds, lurking toward ambiant and darker atmospheres. This is constricting rings in audio form, slowly suffocating you before the final blow !

We kept the packaging of this tape both simple and classy, with a long strip of thick paper, printed both sides and wrapped around the tape. You can get a glimpse at the artwork with the pictures above.

Limited to 24 copies, 4€ shipping out !

You can stream and download the full split just below.

ZZP-C01 /// ZALHIETZLI - Sainte Rita + Two Songs

Zalhietzli is my solo musical outlet. Experiments in noise, ambient, indus and various sound manipulations, using mainly effect pedals, samples and tape collages. This CDr compiles the two first Zalhietzli releases, "Sainte Rita" from 2011 and "Two Songs, 2012".
I decided to make this compilation as these were only available on tape so far. "Two Songs, 2012" isn't available yet, but should be somewhere in september.

What they said about Sainte Rita :
"Wonderfully claustrophobic dark ambient EP that delves into the genres of noise, drone and industrial." Polar Sunspots.
"Listening to this EP is really like watching a movie, having a nightmare etc., it’s an insanely immersive and dense, like a soundtrack to your subconscious’ inner workings." InB4track.

This release will be available at a "name your price" option. See the SHOP for more details. Listen to the tracks below.

Zmajevdah/Emotion Of Loss Split on Bandcamp

Just a quick note to let you know that the Zmajevdah / Emotion Of Loss split is finally available through Bandcamp, in streaming and free download form. Feel free to listen, download, review, rant, and share !

I am pretty busy at the moment with personal stuff, but the tapes should be available in september. Thanks to those who already preordered one !

SOON ! /// ZALHIETZLI - Two Songs, 2012 + ZLTZ Comp.

Woot ! Two new Zalhietzli songs will be released on C15 tape in september, as an EP titled "Two Songs, 2012" (duh). 

Zalhietzli is my personnal project. A blend of noise, ambient, indus, no wave, using effect pedals, loops and tape collages. Those two new tracks are drastically different from each other. "The Sickening Trophy" is an attempt at making a rock song without any rock instrument, and "Chemtrails Over Rainforest" is a semi-improvised jam of cold, blissful drone/ambient.

You can listen and download to the two tracks just below :

And for those who missed my first release "Sainte Rita", and prefer the CD format, I will release a CDr compilation of those two first Zalhietzli releases. This comp will serve as a promotional support, so it should be available at a small price, or come free with large orders.

Stay tuned, as more ZLTZ-related news will pop up soon !

ZZP-008 /// HAUTE-CIMES - Khmaer Krahom

Burning, unrelenting and unforgiving like a caged beast. With Khmaer Krahom, Haute-Cimes delivers three tracks of cinematographic harsh noise, with disturbing films samples entwining layers of radiating drones and pulsating noise shrills. Haute-Cimes sound is both repulsive and fascinating at the same time, the noise moving and breathing with its own pulse. In 23 minutes, this tape sucks you in and drags you through one hell of journey among desolated landscapes of paranoia and self-loathing.

Haute-Cimes' Khmaer Krahom is like staring at the everlasting collapse of the Sun, laying on your back on a building rooftop, above the smog and stench of the world consuming itself in a last mass orgy of blood, oil and wine.

This tape comes in a crystal case, with a huge 100% DIY insert, and a new artwork ! No computer used in the making of the artworks for this insert, only found pictures, hand-lettered stamp, boxcutter and a photocopier !

Each tape is numbered, and comes with a bandcamp download code, usable on the artist site.

Limited to 30 copies, 4€ shipping out !

You can listen and download the full record just below.

Summer update - Planned releases soon to come

Sup guys. Long time no see. No update for the past two months, as I was actually busy sending delicious Huata tapes all accross the globe. Get yours now, because those are going fast !

I can also say that the two current soon-to-come releases will, well, come soon. Those were the Zmajevdah / Emotion Of Loss split and Haute-Cimes - Khmaer Krahom, both on tape.

It's really hard to label Zmajevdah's blackened shoegazy grind mixture, but If you're into heartwarming blastbeatitude somewhat similar to Liturgy or Panopticon, you will absolutely love the two everlasting tracks encased in this split.

With his new track Emotion Of Loss dwelves into more ethereal and experimental sounds, lurking toward ambiant and darker atmospheres. This is constricting rings in audio form, slowly suffocating you before the final blow !

Here's a preview of the artwork, with the tracklist. Free download link should hopefully available with the tape release. Preorders are open : 4€ + shipping.

ZZP-007 /// Zmajevdah/Emotion Of Loss - Split tape

1. Zmajevdah - Once, Alienation - 5:51
2. Zmajevdah - Disintegration, Now ! - 7:33
3. Emotion Of Loss - Degradant - 14:44


As usual, the final artwork and packaging will be revealed for the official release.


The second planned release is the first offering by french noise purveyor Haute-Cimes, titled Khmaer Krahom.

With Khmaer Krahom, Haute-Cimes delivers three tracks of cinematographic harsh noise, with disturbing films samples entwining layers of radiating drones and pulsating noise shrills. This is like staring at the everlasting collapse of the Sun, laying on your back on a building rooftop, above the smog and stench of the world consuming itself in a last mass orgy of blood, oil and wine.

A short glimpse at the artwork/packaging, which will also be completely unveiled for the release. You can already stream and download the album with the player just below. Preorders are open : 4€ + shipping.

ZZP-008 /// Haute-Cimes - Khmaer Krahom

1. Pertt - 7:29
2. Pure - 8:08
3. Astre - 7:17

Update on the Emotion Of Loss & Zmajevdah split tape

Howdy people ! Just a short note to let you know that the Emotion of Loss / Zmajevdah split will no longer be released on CDr but rather on... (drum roll) tape !

Just like the Haute-Cimes - Khmaer Krahom tape, most of the artwork for the split will be a collage made using only old found pictures and a photocopier.

We also hope to offer a streaming and/or downloadable version of this release soon, so stay tuned !

ZZP-005 /// Proud Father - Hearu Shi No Proud Father

After months of wait, Proud Father's longest effort to date is finally available ! Hearu Shi No Proud Father (aka The Glorious Death Of Proud Father) is as a 90mn journey through lo-fi ambiant, cascading analog drones and electric shoegaze riddled with kaiju samples.

Carefully orchestrated chaos drips from your speakers. It floods your room softly, like a tide. Glimmering clouds and fuzzy swarms of drone angler fishes lure you in the depths of an audio maëlstrom.

If the design conception of the packaging has been a collaboration between me and the artist, the production process was handled solely by Proud Father. These tapes are handpainted, and come in painted-depainted resealable bags. Each copy comes with stickers, tracklist insert and a full size screenprinted poster, with an artwork by Zugzwang Productions.

From now on, the album is available through streaming and free download via the bandcamp page of Proud Father (where you can also download much more gorgeous PF noise/ambiant extravaganza), and through Flaccid Plastic Records, where there's even MORE experimental audio delights. You can even already listen to it through the handy embedded player below.

   


Few copies are available, so get yours fast at the shop ! 6€, shipping out.

SOON ! /// Haute-Cimes - Khmaer Krahom (C23 Cassette)

Burning, unrelenting and unforgiving like a caged beast. This is how next ZZP tape will sound.

With Khmaer Krahom, Haute-Cimes delivers three tracks of cinematographic harsh noise, with disturbing films samples entwining layers of radiating drones and pulsating noise shrills. Haute-Cimes sound is both repulsive and fascinating at the same time, the noise moving and breathing with its own pulse. In 23 minutes, this tape sucks you in and drags you through one hell of journey among desolated landscapes of paranoia and self-loathing. 

Haute-Cimes' Khmaer Krahom is like staring at the everlasting collapse of the Sun, laying on your back on a building rooftop, above the smog and stench of the world consuming itself in a last mass orgy of blood, oil and wine.

You can listen and download the full record just below.

This tape will be packaged in a crystal case, with a huge 100% DIY insert, and a new artwork ! No computer used in the making of the artworks for this insert, only found pictures, hand-lettered stamp, boxcutter and a photocopier !

Preorders are open ! Limited to 30 copies, 4€ shipping out !

Happy birthday me + SOON ! /// Reissue of Huata's two tapes.

Zugzwang Productions is now officially one year old ! Thanks to all the artists and people with whom I worked with/sold or traded stuff. Plenty of releases are planned for the months to come, with more retarded packagings. Stay tuned !

Working on the Open The Gates... packaging. My bedroom is a sweatshop. 

I can also announce that the two most famous ZZP releases are being reissued : Huata's Open The Gates Of Shambhala and Atavist Of Mann, both on tape with their original packaging. Listen here (EP and LP) and see pics of the tapes here (EP and LP). Those are still pretty limited so preorder yours now at the shop !

Mad props.

Did you know that both artists involved in ZZP next split release are involved at different levels of the music scene ? That's true. Zmajevdah (proto-post-grind) is also behind CEPHALOCHROMOSCOPE, a ten-headed beast of a blogspot.

Music reviews, DL links and interviews of wide range of artists. Grindcore, doom, punk, hardcore, more grindcore, and some out-of-the-usual-spectrum of genres you usually find on blogspot using a black colored background. You can also find some of his other musical projects, such as antiétat and Kikurachiyo, the latter being described by the man itself as sketchgrind. Hint : it goes hella fast. So I guess   we're starting to see a pattern emerge here.

Since 2009, dirt, the man behind Emotion Of Loss (sick industrial doom/sludge) is also the head of QUAGMIRE, a 100% DIY label dedicated to noisy, creeping and lobotomizing sounds such as Sete Star Sept, Loinen, Rape-X, Fistula or Ointment.

All of his release are completely handmade, with crazy attention to details and great packaging ideas that perfectly fit the music. We traded some records, so you can find some of his quags at our shop. But be sure to keep an eye on his newsfeed (as confusing as it could get, but hey, THAT is DIY), as this man seems to never stop releasing crazy stuff !

More infos (and hopefully audio links) about the split really soon !

SOON ! /// Zmajevdah & Emotion Of Loss - Split Tape

After producing a bunch of tapes for the impoverished hipsters, ZZP is back in the digital era with a CDr release. Nope, back to tape ! This will also be our first split album, between two solo acts : Emotion Of Loss from Russia (doom/indus/noise) and Zmajevdah from Croatia (blackened shoegazy grind).

Two Internet friends, and more importantly two great artists that push the boundaries of their sound and their respective genre, their tunes sweating with heart, lo-fi and DIY ethics.

If you followed ZZP from the beginning, you are no stranger to Emotion Of Loss bleak, desperate and crushing sound. His "Demo 2007" was ZZP first release. Jump in the time machine to learn about this incredible first effort by clicking here, or listen to the demo here. However, on this split EoL explore new territories in his sound, lurking toward ambiant and even darker atmospheres, so expect some surprises !

Zmajevdah take on grindcore has always been special. Never over-saturated blastbeatitude lo-finess has been so alive and heartwarming, as you can take into account here. But with the two unreleased tracks Zmajevdah offers on this record, his post-proto-prog-grind evolves into some more exciting. More surprises to come, yay !

Previews for these tracks should be available soon, such as hints of the handcrafted packaging that will embody them.

Stay tuned for preorders and more !

Resonances Of Spiral & Zalhietzli reviews

New reviews for two of our releases !

A french chronique for Zalhietzli - Sainte Rita on Ambiant Churches. A new blog already filled to the brim with reviews of dark, ambiant and experimental sounds from across the globe. Updated at a stakhanovist pace, thanks to Elie. Keep an eye on it !

Some well deserved praise for Resonance Of Spiral - DEVBLU, on Cephalochromoscope. This blog is a gem for all extreme and weird music lovers. Mainly grindcore (Discordance Axis 4eva <3), metal, but also some not-so-weird music like blues, hip-hop and all that jazz. And actual jazz too. Thanks to my good friend Karlo for this !


Two quality blogs. Bookmark now, friend.

A lot of news.

Dinosaurs are ALWAYS cool. Don't ask.

Hi everyone ! Zugzwang Productions is almost one year old now, and I am very excited to see how things are going for 2012. As the title points out (because that's what titles are for, duh), we have a lot of ZZP related news ! Here's what's coming for the next months :

NEW RELEASES ANNOUNCEMENTS !

Yep, that's plural. More about that in a future post.

HUATA : First, thanks to anyone who bought a tape of Huata - Atavist Of Mann. With only 50 copies, we underestimated the success this album would meet, so the tapes are already sold out ! A reissue of 50 copies is coming soon, PLUS a reissue of 33 copies of their first EP Open The Gates Of Shambhala. Both reissues will be made with their original ZZP packagings. Another color of paper will be used, to help distinguish the two series.

PROUD FATHER : This release is a bit different from the others, as it wasn't me but Proud Father who took charge of the production process. I'm supposed to receive them soon, hopefully at the beginning of march (but you know what happens when I start setting deadlines). For those waiting for this release, be sure that I'll keep you updated.

LOCAL NEWS : ZZP is starting to infect the real world ! For the French lads and ladies living near Angers, France, you can find some of my products at Biblio Graphik, a small shop dedicated to posters, screenprints, alternative books and exposition. At the moment, only ZZP-003 // Resonance Of Spiral - DEVBLU EP and ZZP-004 // Zalhietzli - Sainte Rita are available there, but hopefully I intend to put a small amount of each release. Click the link above for address and contact.

Plenty of good stuff here ! Yummy for the eyes !

Also, on Feb. 10th I had the pleasure to be invited to the radio show Hors Cadre, aired on Radio G, and independent radio from Angers. The show is hosted by Simon Batardière, a very nice guy and great artist, performing with Jérôme Leclair under the moniker JLSB. Saxophone, field recordings, sound manipulations, improvisations.

You can hear the radio show here (in french). We talk about Zugzwang Productions and my solo musical project Zalhietzli. Concerning ZLTZ, I hope to release something for 2012, but I can't tell much more yet.

Stay tuned !

ZZP-006 /// Huata - Atavist Of Mann

This tape is sold out ! Thanks to everyone !

Quiver, mortals ! Quiver, impious ! The End is coming, and Huata is its herald. Accept its Light, or be crushed under the weight of its Doom !

Yes, I know, this is the cheesiest intro ever, but I was tired of starting all my release announcements with "finally".

But yes, FINALLY (dammit), the tapes of Huata long awaited debut Atavist Of Mann are available through Zugzwang Productions. This has been one all of ride with the fifth horseman of the Apocalypse, the one devoted to fuck up your deadlines. But, at last, here they are in my feeble hands, and hopefully soon in yours.

I am also tired of writing endless tirades about Huata music, so I will sum it up for you. Compared to their first EP : more Doom, more Satan, and the addition of a real church organ that brings a whole new dimension to their sound and songwriting. Or you could listen to the whole deal here.

The tape comes in a paper-made "book", with a witchboard. This handmade packaging is the most ambitious to date on ZZP, and the drawing on the witchboard is the work of our friend Zero Pixel Grind, who worked on the previous EP.

Along with the tape version, the album is also released on LP abd CD through De Arte Magica, a consortium of labels.

Here's a video showcasing the packaging, because "a blurry video is better than a thousand blurry pictures"* !

*Yes I know I am quoting myself. Now go away.