Efficient Space Australia Vinyl & CDs

Review: Gong bath, anyone? Soft & Fragile is a three track outing built on a framework of custom made bells and chimes, at least one of which was created by the artist - namely Bandt's 'flagong', a three-story glass marimba the musician crafted in the late-1970s, apparently inspired by the so-called 'cloud chamber bowls' of Harry Patch, a chap known for developing weird and wonderful sound-making devices.

She uses the instrument to stunning effect solo on the opening effort, 'Ocean Bells', creating a gently flowing arrangement that sucks you in quickly. From there, she's joined by Julie Doyle, Gavan McCarthy, and Carolyn Robb to complete the full LIME (Live Improvised Music Events) lineup, and the work becomes more complex still, without ever being overbearing or overly theoretical.

Review: Sky Girl is the work of two noted (but arguably under-appreciated) crate diggers, DJ Sundae and Julien Dechery, and gathers together a veritable treasure trove of obscure material loosely connected by (in the label's own words) "the same longing sentiment". Its' fifteen tracks touch on a variety of hazy, down-tempo styles, and were recorded at various points between 1961 and '91. There's much to admire throughout, from the folksy psychedelic pop of The Rising Storm's "Frozen Laughter", and spoken word eccentricity of Scott Seskind's "I Remember", to the dreamy, eyes-closed ambience of Nini Raviolette & Hugo Weris' "Slow" and string-laden samba-folk of Nora Guthrie's "Home Before Dark".

Review: Some albums deserve to stay buried, but Hydroplane's 1997 debut album is not one of those. An alternative project from shoegaze-influenced indie band The Cat's Miaow, the self-titled album offered a uniquely hazy, spaced-out blend of lo-fi dream pop vocals, atmospheric guitar textures, DJ Shadow style sample collage, stoned beats, Radoiphonic Workshop style electronic experiments and '90s ambient tropes. It's an unusual but hugely alluring musical melting pot that went largely overlooked at the time - hence this first ever vinyl pressing of the previously CD-only set. We'd recommend giving it a listen because it really is in a genre sub-category all of its own.

Review: Wilson Tanner steps on solid ground with Legends, a pastoral odyssey steeped in the rhythms of South Australia's Manon Farm. Swapping coastal breezes for the dusty toil of the vineyard, the duo channel the grit of farm life: dirt-crusted boots, crackling radios, and the far-off hum of summer crickets. Their previous works basked in suburban lethargy and nautical drift, but here, the focus is on the raw textures of agricultural labor, where ducks and dogs roam, tractors rumble past, and stainless steel tanks glint in the sun. Made entirely off-grid, the Manon sessions repurpose wind, brass, balalaika, and synth, rigged together with wire and tape. Legends distills the essence of natural winemaking into sound: feral, unfiltered, and alive with imperfections. Overflowing with rustic charm and irreverent humour, it's a heady swirl of folklore and fermentation, bottled straight from the land.

Review: There is something instantly settling about this record. Wilson Tanner are intent on making sure our worries and concerns vanish into the ether, or more accurately float away on a gentle tide under a war evening sun. You might feel the record invokes different imagery, but given the duo - Andrew Wilson and John Tanner - put their acclaimed debut together "over" a shared love of seafood and wine, we think the coastal iconography goes well.

Not least as 69 was recorded in Perth, a city renowned for its spectacular coastline and a resurgent cultural scene. Digressions aside, the producers describe their sound as 'provincial ambient' and you can understand why relatively easily. It's an incredibly organic, understated, and in many ways highly familiar set of tones, not necessarily intent on rewriting any rule books, but certainly assured that everything it offers is of the highest quality, and with the most heart possible.