Boris and Merzbow

Japanese metal and noise innovators Boris and Merzbow are back collaborating again with their new, epic two-part album "Gensho."  The two halves are meant to be played at the same time, a la The Flaming Lips' "Zaireeka," but stand pretty tall on their own too.  Reworking a few old Boris tunes, it's kind of like the two artists are covering themselves, reinterpretations years later, sonic portraits of how things have changed...or even stay the same.  Get the records from Relapse and listen to the newer version of "Farewell," originally on the 2005 album "Pink" below.

Merzbow and Xiu Xiu

Record Store Day is swiftly approaching us, and one of the more interesting releases on the docket is a collaborative album from Japanese noise artist Merzbow and LA's experimental Xiu Xiu.  Fittingly enough, the record is called "Merzxiu," and it's two sprawling, epic tracks of noise, dissonance, drone, and more noise.  This is what the world ends to.  Listen to "Merzxiu B" below.  The record will be out on Record Store Day, though Kingfisher Bluez has a limited number of copies available for pre-order for those with no record stores in their area.