★Dadaist Tapes
A Void Dance
*50 copies limited edition* First meeting and recording between veteran drummer Dirk Wachtelaer and guitarist Jef Mertens recorded at the studio at Scherpendries, Geel in August 2023. A Void Dance is a first exploration that will hopefully spark more recordings to come.
Nerve Plexus
*25 copies limited edition* Originally released on tape by the Belgian label Dadaist Tapes, Nerve Plexus takes on an improvisational approach; constructed from a blend of homemade instruments, guitar and percussion; the sounds are uniquely placed and sculpted into jumpy abstractions and atmospheric forms generating a synthesis of genres. Recorded and mixed at ZIG Systems, Hudson Valley. New York 20-21 Mastered by Paul Gold at Salt Mastering, Brooklyn New York. Lacquer cut by Rich Flores at NYLC,…
Mirror Mountain
50 copies limited edition. Mirror Mountain is the first release by Many Chants a Trapped Secret, the new solo project by Jef Mertens, evoking textural sounds for imaginary films. The concept/story/idea for Mirror Mountain was inspired by old drawings I made in the late nineties. Each track was recorded chronological, imposing a new direction in the story. Sounds leading to titles and titles leading to sounds.
Wall on the Floor
50 copies limited edition. Jef Mertens: Guitar & Objects. Jean D.L.: Guitar. Recorded at Taping Policies, Geel / 2022Artwork: Hannelore Van Dijck
Solo Music for Too Much Hum
50 copies limited edition. Guitar recorded and mixed by Jef Mertens - June 2022. A take on the guitar noise by Bill Nace, recorded with a similar guitar, a squier Jagmaster.Mastered by Jürgen de Blonde.Artwork by Wouter Vanhaelemeesch.
Rammel
*100 copies limited edition* Belgian musician Mertens came onto the scene as a documentary filmmaker (Sonic Youth, Borbetomagus, Loren Connors, etc) but he has been developing his own unique guitar style over the past few years. This 10” has three wads of it. The first is a wonderful sidelong chunk of motoric chiming string music not all that far from a pop version of Remko Scha. The two shorter tunes on the flip fiddle around with some of the same ideas in different ways, all pretty hep.