It’s pretty easy to get trapped into playing down Calgary when it comes to the local music scene. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we’re actually quite fortunate and really do have an amazing pool of talented musicians right in our backyard. Not literally… well unless of course Chad VanGaalen happens to be hanging out on your lawn… and who knows maybe he is. If so tell him we say hello. Now all of this is really just a roundabout way of getting to the real point of this post; Black Mold. This would be the name of Chad VanGaalen’s new side project. See, told you I would tie this together.

The new album Snow Blindness is Crystal Ants is set for release on August 11th through Flemish Eye. Fortunately, there are two tracks available now to wet your… appetite? whistle? I’m not quite sure what’s being “wet” here but I do know these are sounding mighty good. Here’s a quotable to ponder, and then on to le musique.

The product of several years of late-night instrumental experimentation, mainly on vintage analogue and hand-built modular synths, Snow Blindness… is at times glitchy and unpredictable while at other times Teutonic and sparse. Elsewhere, other songs utilize 8-bit beats & warped synthesis to create multi-layered rhythmic patterns.

Black Mold – Tetra Pack Heads - {Snow Blindness is Crystal Ants, Released: Aug. 11 2009 }

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Black Mold – Metal Spider Webs - {Snow Blindness is Crystal Ants, Released: Aug. 11 2009 }

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