Punk and garage rock monopolize the conversation on modern tape culture, but there’s a great big world of weirdness out there. For labels, tape format is the economical option for risk-taking, same goes for the self-release route and the consumer included. Five dollars is low risk to make the impulse decision based on alluring artwork. Kris Geffen, aka Citymouth, is a digger for those unheralded (or under heralded) gems that come cheap to a good home.
He built his “Spring Forward Fall Backward Mix” entirely from cassettes, some purchased, others found. The process reflects his work as Citymouth, as the Astrocentric cassette was compiled over time through various collaborations and live improvisations. For Geffen, there is sound to be found for every waking moment, even if it means picking up a meditation cassette off the sidewalk. “Spring Forward Fall Backward” is a bootlegger’s boon, full of risks and impulses that paid dividends through the gems discovered within the reel. There’s a great big world of weirdness out there waiting to be discovered and mixes like this aid in inspiring bravery towards chance encounters with outlying eccentrics.
Geffen offered the following comment on his mix:
Dance mix and warm up tape for spring cleaning. Mixed live, entirely from cassette tape. Dedicated to Olympia, Washington well water and “all the DJs and tape heads that saved my life last night”. You know who you are.
Citymouth’s Astrocentric is out now on Dropping Gems. Stream the full album here.
“Spring Forward Fall Backward” tracklisting:
01 Onra, “Intro (mixtape rip)”
02 Laraaji at Body Actualized Center 12/20/2012 (sc tape bootleg)
03 Cream Dream, “Paradiso”
04 Sloslylove, “On and On (sped way up)”
05 Ferrari Jackson, “Coconut Pulp”
06 Neil Young, “Computer Age”
07 Knx., “mysunshine”
08 Tropes, “Dionysus”
09 Bone Rock, “Souler”
10 Iasos, “Rainbow Canyon/Lagoon Night”
11 Pun Collins, “Radio Mexicoca At Venice Beach By Night (High Reception)”
12 Meditation tape I found on the sidewalk
13 Open Marriage, “Domestic Science (excerpt)”
14 Shannon Phone, “!)girl//72”
