- Xcetera is a compilation by Brisbane musician Kat Martian (Brainbeau, X in O, etc.) released on cassette by the Canberra based Moontown Records. Moontown specialise in leftfield Australian music, and have released some of the most exciting Australian music ATM (IMO). They have also done a good job putting out Brizzy music in the past, including Enderie Nuatal, Scraps, Bent, World War Four and 100%. In her own words, Martian describes the compilation a “tape of weird-alt-electronic-babe-bands I've been in including Screamshow, Miss Moist and the Love Pet, Shooga, Bushburger, Voodoo Tahkie, X in O and more.” Some of these recordings are at least three years old, if not older, being brought together for the first time for a physical release.

The cassette opens with La by Shooga, a seven piece freeform electric girl band that relies on synthesizers, noise generators, drum machines and processed vocals. A shifting synth-drum pulse and recumbent synth lines hold the improvisation down. Processed vocals and whirring interject periodically. The freeform, collective improvisation of Shooga is revisited with De. This track is more melodic overall, exhibiting a synth-pop feel.

Another collaboration that is featured is Screamshow, Martian’s old duo with Emma Ryan. Their track Soggy Doggy plods around like a drenched pup come in from the wet. In contrast, New Way Being Facility is a beat-less soundscape. The dancability is turned up again on Don't Twerk On My Parade, an electro-flavoured improvisation under the Bush Burger guise. Bush Burger are also represented by the song Demon Demons, a seemingly sampled based song that sound like theme music tearing apart at the seams, complete with drum solo. Furyurinfurmation by Voodotahkee is a clean, minimal piece clocking less than two minutes, consisting of bubbling bleeps. Other collaborations whose origins are less clear are one-off tracks by Addy & Ruby and Ninax, both lying at the experimental end of the spectrum.

Some of my favourite tunes on the album are under the X In O moniker. This is Martian in solo-mode. I like the languid groove of Bod, and propellant bounce of Solid with its rigid bass sequence and wavering lead synth. To me, Solid is reminiscent of the excellent Brainbeau recordings.

Kat Martian's personal record of the left-field electronica flooding out of Brisbane is important, both as a way of remembering that it's happening at all in a city that -for some reason- is only known for indie-pop and grunge, but also because it's just plain good to listen to. Moontown, Kat Martian and friends, were here, did good: you can't plead ignorance any longer.

- Hill Folk.