Tag Archives: Espi Kvlt

Syrup Moose Records: V (2024 Compilation)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

ICYMI: at some point in the latter half of 2024, Syrup Moose Records officially announced that they were taking a well-deserved break during 2025. After averaging at least one release (digital and/or cassette, sometimes CD and/or vinyl too) for their first 2-1/4 years in existence, they have hit the pause button on anything new over the course of this whole year.

Honestly, I think this is a brilliant idea and more people should follow suit. It might give me a slight fighting chance to eventually one day dig myself out of the pile of stuff on my to-do list I have been compiling over the past dozen or so years, stuff I’ve heard and enjoyed enough to write something about to share with the folks who come here to read these words, but which I’ve failed to find the time and energy to do so (yet).

Anyway, because they’ve never half-assed anything, Syrup Moose closed out last year with one hell of a bang: their latest and greatest compilation V — the fifth in a series (not including their first anniversary Year of the Moose) — which tips the scales at a whopping 108 tracks (yes, you read that right, one hundred eight), totaling roughly EIGHT HOURS of material as varied as the label’s first two years of releases have been.

 

Various Artists – V (Syrup Moose Records, 27 December 2024)

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Syrup Moose Records: The Year of the Moose (1st Anniversary Compilation)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

From label owner Barlovv:

As of September 1st 2023, the Moose is one. This whole thing started as a bit of a shitpost in the Noob Heavy Discord and now I’m looking at a release a week until next fucking summer. To say that I’m surprised would be an understatement and I also find myself unable to think of it as a stupid joke as it continues to morph into a real thing. At the time of writing, the Moose has reached:

Bandcamp – 48,705 plays, 650 fans
Spotify – 16,000 Streams
Twitter – 687 followers
Bluesky – 443 followers
Mastodon – 132 followers
Instagram – 746 followers
Youtube – 24 subscribers
Discord – 96 members
Newsletter – 262 subscribers

All of this across 41 releases both full releases of new albums, and physical re-releases of older ones. While I’ve not made anyone (including myself) rich, the response to the music has been tremendous. I am immensely proud of the catalogue we have collected here and stand proud behind every single one. I believe that our variety of genre and the stunning, limitless talent you all possess has helped to build one of the strongest overall catalogues out there right now.

I am truly stunned that I’m writing this to mark the one-year anniversary of Syrup Moose Records. A year marked with ups, downs, and no fucking Nazis. I won’t get too introspective here, because if you’re following me on all the sosch meeds, you’ll probably have had your fill of that.

It’s worth saying right off the bat here that it is BANDCAMP FRIDAY, which means 100% of the money you spend goes straight to the label, and in turn, half of that goes to the artists directly. Also, every single digital album on the label is, currently, Name Your Price. Today only.

 

Various Artists – The Year of the Moose (Syrup Moose Records, 01 September 2023)

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Please, Just Let Me Breathe (2023 Compilation)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Welp, the terrible folks in positions of power across these United States (and all around the world) are still at it. Seems like every day we wake up to worse and worse news about increasingly-emboldened lawmakers coming up with more and more devious plots to take away people’s rights, especially LBGTQ+ people, and ESPECIALLY trans people.

It’s hard not to feel frustrated and helpless in the face of so much shittiness and — if we’re being honest — outright maliciousness and malevolence. But for what it’s worth, there are at least some good people out there trying to be helpful. People like Trans Lifeline, “run by and for trans people” to provide needed support for the community.

Also people like Food Desert Recordings, “supporting charities that uplift and empower maligned communities.” Today the digital label officially launches its third fundraising compilation, a gargantuan 27-track effort ranging from traditional heavy metal to post-metal, avant-garde black metal to dark ambient, harsh noise to trap metal. The artists, which include members of the trans community and allies, have donated tracks which in many cases are exclusive non-album singles or alternate versions you won’t find anywhere else. And all proceeds go to Trans Lifeline, which according to the label have totaled nearly $700 so far just from pre-orders.

Various Artists – Please, Just Let Me Breathe: A Compilation in Support of Trans Lifeline (Food Desert Recordings, 28 April 2023)

[[ Update 22 December 2023: if you’ve previously purchased and downloaded this compilation, please note that it has been altered. Unfortunately it has recently come to light that one of the contributing artists has been engaging in creepy, stalkery behaviors in their interactions with several people online. Therefore, this individual’s track has been jettisoned and replaced, as a statement that such actions are not to be tolerated. ]]

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Being for the Benefit of Equality (2022 Compilation)

Posted by valleyofsteel on

Earlier this year, an anonymous, benevolent soul from Maryland (USA) proposed the launch of a new digital record label for charitable purposes. And hence, Food Desert Records was born. Named for the concept where more impoverished communities frequently lack easy access to affordable higher-quality, higher-nutrition foods, this new entity has set out to engage in activities that will raise awareness and generate mutual aid — not only for literal food deserts, but more broadly for any underprivileged or marginalized communities.

The label has cited their mission as “supporting charities that uplift and empower maligned communities,” further explaining that “Friends and allies are welcome; racists, fascists, homophobes, and transphobes are not. Together, through love and music, we will help to build a better world.”

 

compilation cover art

Various Artists – Being for the Benefit of Equality: A Blade with Which to Defend the Trans Youth of Texas (Food Desert Recordings, 04 July 2022)

 

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