Staff Picks
Curious what the staff at Torn Light are listening to? Check out the titles we’ve been digging lately below.
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As Serious As Your Life: Black Music & The Free Jazz Revolution 1…
$19.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “A very good book about the scope of free jazz. The author being a music journalist has first hand accounts of viewing and interviewing […]
GENRE: Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz, Non-Fiction -
Unica Zurn – The Man of Jasmine & Other Texts
$24.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “A unique and disturbing memoir from an underread surrealist master” – Cleo Anagram play meets psychic crisis in Unica Zürn’s acclaimed [...]
GENRE: Memoir, Weird Fiction/Sci-Fi/Unexplained Phenomena -
David Toop – Ocean Of Sound: Ambient Sound & Radical Listen…
$16.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “Great book that does a great job of breaking down the various was of listening and hearing sounds and how in turn those sounds […]
GENRE: Non-Fiction -
Neutral – Live Pa Autodidaktik LP
$12.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Neutral live tape – now reissued on wax via Happiest Place. Disturbing “true industrial” sound. No flexing – akin to throbbing gristle or buried […]
GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth / Neofolk -
Transmissions From Abroad – Soviet Wave 1986 – 1990 –…
$8.00 | Cassette, CSWhat our staff has to say: “Soviet Wave Tape. 35 Min mixtape of dark and synth wave tracks virtually unheard and kept behind the Iron Curtain until this amazing curation […]
GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth / Neofolk -
Intersystems – S/T
$70.00 | Box Set, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Fantastic boxset that collects all 3 LP’s from Canada’s Intersystems, includes a lovely 132-page book. For anyone interested in Canada’s [...]
GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych -
New Monuments – Language Is The Skin CD
$13.00 | CDWhat our staff has to say: “The birth of NEW FREE JAZZ. A completely unhinged document of New Monuments. Fresh new quartet line-up. This is the next level, and the […]
GENRE: Jazz / Fusion / Free Jazz -
Sonic Youth – In/Out/In
$21.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Unsurfaced guitar scrapes, mellow jams and the familiar vibe of 2000s Sonic Youth. This rules.” – Alex Album formatted collection of underheard Sonic [...]
GENRE: Indie / Alternative -
Cosmic Scholar: The Life and Times of Harry Smith
$31.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “The Harry Smith resurgence is upon us.” – Jack He was an anthropologist, filmmaker, painter, folklorist, mystic, and walking encyclopedia. He taught [...]
GENRE: Art/Photography, Folk / Country, Non-Fiction -
Magn?s P?lsson ? Enginn Gleypir S_?_lina CD + Book
$21.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Audio from a Magnus Palsson exhibit. Very Runzelstirn Gurgelstock or Hermann Nitsch energy here. Lots of of grunting, moaning and intimate human sounds. Includes [...]
GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic -
Equipment Pointed Ankh – Downtown! LP
$22.00 | LPShips prior to release date of 9/29/2023. What our staff has to say: “‘Kentucky Kraut Rock’ If you are not yet familiar with EPA, please make it a point to […]
GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych -
Broadcast- Tender Buttons
$30.00 | LP, VinylBroadcast will have their long out of print albums made available again through Warp Records on LP and CD. This seminal catalogue encompasses the albums Work And Non Work, The […]
GENRE: Indie / Alternative -
Colin Andrew Sheffield – Images
$15.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Gorgeous ambient soundscapes through manipulated samples of jazz records. While the source material is mostly unrecognizable, completely repurposed into amorphous [...]
GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic -
Alternative TV – Vibing Up The Senile Man
$21.00 | LP, VinylPossibly one of the weirdest experiments in the post-punk realm, Vibing Up the Senile Man (Part One) is the second studio album by English anti-heroes Alternative TV, originally released in […]
GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth / Neofolk -
VA – Revolutions Per Minute (The Art Record)
$20.00 | 2xLP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Originally released in 1982 and now available from Song Cycle Records, Revolutions Per Minute (The Art Record) showcases 3 to 5 minute sound pieces […]
GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic -
Alan Licht and John Krausbauer – Self Titled 7″
$12.00 | 7"What our staff has to say: “Insane amplified violin shredding on top of electric guitar on A side – I’ve never heard a violin sounding like that, blending completely with […]
GENRE: Experimental / Noise, Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic -
Shirese – Rose Of Smiling Faces LP
$23.00 | LPWhat our staff has to say: “If the almighty Grapefruit Records has a hand in it, you know it’s going to be good. Killer psyched out rock very reminiscent of […]
GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych -
The 12th Annual International Sound Poetry Festival – Boxset �…
$85.00 | Book, CSWhat our staff has to say: “Almost 5 hours of recordings from the 12th Annual International Sound Poetry Festival on 4 cassettes and including a lovely 240 page book documenting […]
GENRE: Experimental / Noise -
Matthew J Rolin – Passing
$22.00 | LPWhat our staff has to say: “I’m a big fan of Matthew Rolin’s guitar style, and this recent record is stunning. Each track is a dense, glimmering passage of fingerstyle […]
GENRE: Folk / Country -
Equipment Pointed Ankh – Changing Legs
$10.00 | CDWhat our staff has to say: “EPA return with a disc of duos. I would say this is a good disc for all Improv Heads, Kraut Rock Dropouts, & Kentucky […]
GENRE: Experimental / Noise -
Chronophage – S/T
$20.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Chronophage is one of those bands that I will forever be interested in their output. This most recent record feels like a small departure […]
GENRE: Indie / Alternative -
Fuxter Schittly – “1998 – 1999 God Particles”
$10.00 | CD, CDWhat our staff has to say: “An excellent example that we have no real grasp on what is going on around us. In a world of fake news and discordianism, […]
GENRE: Experimental / Noise -
Ann Quin – Tripticks
$18.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “A joyful & experimental deathtrip of a science fiction novel” – Cleo First published in 1972, Ann Quin’s fourth and final novel was a […]
GENRE: Fiction/Poetry/Essays/Criticism/Transgressive -
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments – Bait and Switch (Clear Vinyl…
$25.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Essential Ohio record, Incredible lyrics! Highest praise.” – Kobe A journey to the center of tinnitus and inebriation! TJSA’s debut album [...]
GENRE: Indie / Alternative -
Sluggo – Sluggo LP
$18.00 | LPWhat our staff has to say: “Sluggo was that band, and The Contradiction E.P. that gave me pride of being from the midwest. Amazing reissue with the first EP and […]
GENRE: Punk / Hardcore -
Sun Spots – Loosey 12″ EP
$13.00 | LPWhat our staff has to say: “Sun Spots 3rd EP Loosy hits hard with Tracks like Big Stroke and the title track Loosey heavily influenced by bands like SuperChunk and […]
GENRE: Indie / Alternative, Punk / Hardcore -
Karger Traum ? III LP
$20.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Great LP from a cool label Fixed Rhythms. Joocha and Das Ende are the standout tracks for me, a great record to grab if […]
GENRE: Techno / House / Electronic -
Similar Shapes – Sites CS
$9.00 | CSWhat our staff has to say: “Ambient soundscapes, environmental noise, all tinged with decay. Listening to this tape feels like library music you heard as a kid appearing in your […]
GENRE: Experimental / Noise, Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic -
V/A – Deutsche Elektronische Musik 2: Experimental German Rock A…
$40.00 | 2xLP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “I feel like it’s always worth grabbing Soul Jazz comps when you see em, lots of staples on this one including CAN, Popol Vuh, […]
GENRE: Art Rock / Krautrock / Prog / Psych -
Spoils – Find Later CS
$8.00 | CSWhat our staff has to say: “Spoils are my favorite band in Ohio. Rock for life.” – Kobe “Ohio style baby you know what we mean haha” Upon first listen […]
GENRE: Indie / Alternative -
Intermedia, Fluxus and the Something Else Press: Selected Writings by …
$35.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “Fun book on one of the centers of the Fluxus movement. At the very least the one who helped create a written documentation of […]
GENRE: Art/Photography, Fiction/Poetry/Essays/Criticism/Transgressive -
CrusHerr – Den Haag Acid Pack CS
$12.00 | CassetteWhat our staff has to say: “303 Heavy CS. Use in application ranging through various heavy techno uses.” – Jack Label Description: Dope Sheets is a new sublabel of the […]
GENRE: Techno / House / Electronic -
Mikey Young – You Feelin Me?
$12.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “The solo endeavor of Mikey Young, who’s resume of bands include Total Control and Eddy Current Suppression Ring just to name a few. You […]
GENRE: Indie / Alternative -
Kanye West – Donda
$30.00 | Box Set, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Donda is the nexus of Kanye’s genius and mania. Praising god, remembering his mother and grieving the breakup of his family. It is easy […]
GENRE: Hip Hop / Rap / Neo Soul -
Iggy & The Stooges – Metallic K.O.
$25.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Absolutely beyond Raw, Stooges at their best.” – Cleo IGGY and the STOOGES ‘METALLIC K.O.’ The Original 1976 Album – the notorious [...]
GENRE: Punk / Hardcore, Rock / Pop -
Hatred Surge – Human Overdose LP (Yellow Vinyl 2022 Repress)
$20.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Top tier death metal. Absolutely crushing, FFO being absolutely destroyed. Favorite track ‘Skinjob’” – Dan HATRED SURGE – Human Overdose LP [...]
GENRE: Punk / Hardcore -
Birth! – I Will
$6.00 | CDWhat our staff has to say: “Revisited this Midwest classic after hearing of Doug’s passing. An album ahead of its time – and even though it has been years since […]
GENRE: Industrial / Power Electronics -
David Tholfsen – Walk With Me
$15.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “Layered vocal melodies that guide you through a natural world. FFO Avant yodeling.” – Dan David Tholfsen is an American musician and artist living [...]
GENRE: Experimental / Noise -
Wanda Jackson – There’s A Party Goin’ On
$7.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “When it comes to people who I think have some of the most interesting voices in rock, Wanda Jackson is on that list. The […]
GENRE: Folk / Country, Rock / Pop -
James Purdy – In A Shallow Grave
$15.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “James Purdy is one of the most underrated american writers of the last 100 years. His writing is grotesque, funny and heartbreaking, often in […]
GENRE: Fiction/Poetry/Essays/Criticism/Transgressive -
Nancy Barile – I’m Not Holding Your Coat
$9.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “Awesome memoir about being a part of the Philly hardcore scene in the 80s. Barile’s story is deeply personal while also steeped in punk […]
GENRE: Art/Photography, Punk / Hardcore -
Nape – Ten Tonne Angel CS (2nd Edition)
$10.00 | CSWhat our staff has to say: “Top level techno. Raw, primitive, engaging angular sounds all under the umbrella of dance inducing psychedelia. A MUST HAVE OF 2021!!!” – Brandon [...]
GENRE: Techno / House / Electronic -
taupe set xl – shadow of venus
$10.00 | CassetteWhat our staff has to say: “There is always a teetering feeling I have with ambient music. I’m on the verge of standing in place as the piece moves past […]
GENRE: Modern Composition / Musique Concrete / Electronic -
Nigel Ayers – Electronic Resistance
$70.00 | Book, PrintWhat our staff has to say: “A fantastically displayed retrospective of work by Nigel Ayers, including his ‘mail art, collages, assemblages, flyers, slides, video stills, ephemera, [...]
GENRE: Industrial / Power Electronics -
Mark Perry – Snappy Turns
$15.00 | LP, VinylWhat our staff has to say: “First ever vinyl reissue of Mark Perry’s (of Alternative TV fame) 1980 album, ‘Snappy Turns.’ A classic of the UK DIY scene. If you […]
GENRE: Post-Punk / Goth / Darkwave / Minimal Synth / Neofolk -
MattxIbarra – Seventeen (H2L Reissue)
$25.00 | 2xLP, VinylMatt Ibarra presents “Seventeen” a double LP working through 6 compositions. Soothing minimalist ambient akin to Loscil or Windy & Carl.
GENRE: Techno / House / Electronic -
Marsh Chapel – Child Of YHWH
$16.00 | LP, VinylNew Torn Light release that we have been more than excited to work on with Drew & the crew. Torn Light has a huge place in our heart for records […]
GENRE: Experimental / Noise