2/28/2012
Gillicuddy - ...Plays Guitar (2012)
Clinical Archives
Lastfm
8.8
Lastfm
8.8
/Art pop, Singer-songwriter, Instrumental, Conceptual, Experimental/
Comment: undoubtedly Andreas Rohden is one of the most intriguing folk/indie songwriters from (Bochum) Germany and Europe generally. The recent array of 7-tracks clocking in at a length of 15 minutes all in all could be cited as the most accessible album ever produced by him. As the title hints at itself it consists of halcyon guitar chords only. Indeed, the pieces are polished, clear-cut and arranged without effects and whimsical point of view. Yet, on the other side, the whole seems to chime in arty way where arpeggio-pitched acoustic guitar chords used to occur as instrumental introspective visions which altogether will offer pleasant moments and calming milieus.
Sanderson Dear - Circles Change EP (2011)
9.2
/Deep techno, Psybient, Psytrance, Crossover, Experimental electronica/
Comment: Sanderson Dear is a musician/producer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who conveys mostly (ambient) trance-infiltrated techno propulsions which have been managed to get the original vibe and deep shape for the publication. More profoundly, those detectable repetitive patterns and motifs provide essentially enjoyable listening. This 3-track issue can be considered as one of the projections of the Outer Space. The universe is built on hypnotic oscillations and dusty glimpses of light. In a word, circles change.
Deserted Avenues - Hope (2011)
Comment: just a set of 4 tracks which consists of driving and slowly ascending guitar chords or their walls. The very most of it are instrumental compositions created by Deserted Avenues, a musical group who originate from Jönköping, Sweden. In a word, the issue can be described as an instance of post-rock stereotype. Though it is well produced and a times there can be perceived formidable power behind the structures it used to be without alarms and surprises.
2/27/2012
Stones & Holes - Stones & Holes EP (2011)
/Post-punk, Alternative pop/rock, Shoegaze, Indie dance, Madchester, Blues, Shoegaze, Alternative dance/
Comment: Stones & Holes is the collaboration act between the Estonian dance rockers Paul Sild, and Mart Avi (also known as the embodiment of Badass Yuki), and Saint Petersburg, Russia-based psych-rocker Alex Bondarev (aka Amazing Electronic Talking Cave and aka Killorgiveup). However, only good words can be said about this 6-track EP because all the notches are truly outstanding on it. With no exceptions. It veers away from intense, murky post-punk and atmospherical shoegaze-ish layers to catchy, old school Madchester/indie dance rhythm sequences to eccentric, bent visions of blues obviously having gotten influenced by the American Primitivism scene (John Fahey, Leo Kottke etc). However, the favorite of mine is 25 Hour Strip Club because of being highly catchy and nostalgic. More detailly, it involves the elements of formidable shoegaze and dance-appealed throbs, yet, on the other side it is embellished with Mart Avi`s vocal lines reminding of Mozza`s techniques (the impassioned accents, barking whiffs and compelling sighing in the first place). Of course, The Smiths was, is and will be the the best band for all eras (Ok, with The Beatles, and CAN) but this EP is also something which will be very hard to be forgotten.
Malty Media - Buk Buk Buk EP (2009)
/Psyambient, Sampledelic, Cut and paste, Plunderphonics, Sound collage, Experimental electronica/
Comment: Stuart McDonald aka Aquaboogie, and Michael Upton aka Jet Jaguar (who had produced together in MonkeyShuttle, an ambient combo from Wellington, New Zealand back in the 90s) offer up a handful of notches over 17 minutes exploiting a shitloads of samples extending from concrete sounds and elusive orchestration scatterings to glimmering electronic bits to spoken word snippets and pulsating trance rhythms (placed in between dub mixed ambient a la The Orb, and electronic trance rock a la Spacemen 3`s Big City (Everybody I Know Can Be Found From There). For instance, it is all about a track entitled as Chook Nocturne. In a nutshell, it is a very intriguing issue released on the legendary Monotonik records.
Magicks - Maya (2010)
/Experimental indie, New Weird America, Indie dance, Glo-fi, Shoegazetronica, Avant-pop, Chillwave, Dream pop, Freak folk, Post-psychedelic electronica/
Comment: Jason Magicks shows up his muscles throughout this 13-piece release (there is a hidden track as well - a cover version of Beach House`s Walk In The Dark). There is all what can be considered important having come out from the underground scenes of the USA in the course of the previous decade. More concretely, freak/free folk-ish twangs and jubilant vocal whiffs are mixed up with glo-fi/electronic shoegaze-ish progressions. For instance, Moving Right Along, and Chillin All Along are killer progressions (and of course, the abovementioned cover version with a mesmerizing, dance-appealed dimension). This Chicago-based one-man-project shares equally pleasure and challenge to the modern ear. Ohterwise, it is an instance of zeigeist music which used to have potential to outreach temporal borders toward the past and future.
Alexei De Bronhe - Dance, Dance, Dance (OST) (2011)
/Conceptual, Experimental electronica, Soundtrack, Ambient, Easy listening, Mood music, World fusion, Avant-electronica/
Comment: there are represented 7 short-running sonic episodes which show up some electronic music possibilities by a wide range of styles. By the way, it is a conceptual album because of pretending to be a soundtrack on its own. Given that soothing and full of feeling moods are up to ooze out from glockenspiel-relied aggrandizements, glacial glow-alike appearances, resonating-heavy sonic effects, and majestic and immense translucent looming. At times it is about pulsating sonic effects/electricity, at times about raga-drenched propulsions being conjured up by a tanpura and the tabla drums. Its more experimental moments are finely outbalanced by profound laid-back incantations, the listener can detect the elements of cinematic and easy listening flickers being inherently characteristic for very most of soundtracks. In a word, this is a mesmerizing manifesto by Alexei De Bronhe, an indie filmmaker, video, producer, musician, and audio-visual artist from Minsk, Belarus. The issue is being released under an excellent creative artists' umbrella, Foundamental Network.
Soolee - Breath (2011)
Elegirl
9.3
9.3
/Folktronica, Organic electronica, Psytrance, Crossover, World music, Experimental electronica/
Comment: Japanese music. Just 3 tracks. It embarks on with national motifs interlaced with organic electronic beats. The result is truly longing. In fact, the following track used to run in the similar manner as well, though, the relation between the layers is changed and variegated. More profoundly, the notch showcases more chill out-tinged vibes and oscillations. The last track is longer than the previous two tracks in total (11 minutes). It exploits repetitive structures and snippets, flourishing synth orchestrations which are backed up with psytrance rhythms bubbling below and around it. In a nutshell, the outlet is astonishing where the shape and harmony used to amplify each other.
Nureyev- La Leyenda Del Esquimal (2012)
La Gramola
9.0
/Indie rock, Alternative pop/rock, Psychedelic rock/
9.0
/Indie rock, Alternative pop/rock, Psychedelic rock/
Comment: a handful of chirpy pop songs sung in Spanish. Catchy harmonies and hooks which have been managed to get a slightly psychedelic touch due to sonorous keyboard/organ sounds, and intense guitar treatment. On the other side, it includes a little bombastic and artificial segments either. You can perceive some similarities with such artists as My Morning Jacket, and The Band Of Horses. However, the opening notch William C is a killer, obviously the best piece I have experienced during the year of 2012 so far.
2/25/2012
Ouroboros - Rebis EP (2011)
Jamendo
8.8
8.8
/Neoclassical, Acousmatics, Dark ambient, Crossover, Illbient, Experimental/
Comment: this 4-track EP pushes off with angelic female vowel effects backed up with murky male vowel drones. However, the other pieces used to showcase either more gloomy washes of ambient and blissful orchestrations, and sparse digital processing. In a word, the release is a solid drift between and along the joint territories of neoclassical, dark ambient, and acousmatic tendencies.
Juno6 – Devils From Darkonia (2012)
/Tech-house, Dub-house, Industrial techno, Minimal techno, Minimal dub, Crossover/
Comment: dominantly deep techno explorations are up there to find out the connection with more profound spheres inside and outside the Earth. Yet, at times the listener can detect some seeds borrowed from within the realm of punching industrial-ism, the rhythms are frequently variegated with the vibes of house, and dub. Furthermore, for instance, by listening to the last track the listener could perceive more experimental tendencies extending from minimal techno vibes to spacey visions based on the impulses from the Outer Space.
Zloty Dawai - Torso Apart (2011)
/Improvised music, Psychedelic, Free jazz, Noise, Avant-garde, Experimentalism/
Comment: there are represented a handful of (long-running) improvisations, conjuring up lots of noises and dust comprised of (electronic) sonic effects, downbeat basslines, splashing and squeaking strings. All these endeavours are performed as live recorded snippets allowing the air to react with composed sounds. Stylistically the whole veers away from electro-acoustic noise and free jazz outlets to spoken word-prevailing progressions and spacey, acute electronic effect/noise-filled appearances. Ultimately, everyone who is used to be keen to improvised music could find something from within it for him/herself. ZD is a Cologne-based combo involving 5 musicians. Torso Apart is a follow-up to their Teleopsis Belzebuth (2005), and Dada Work Chant (2006) all these albums have been issued on WM Recordings.
Annorkoth - Annorkoth (2012)
/Black metal, Darkwave, Symphonic metal, Dream pop, Crossover, Epic, Ambient rock/
Comment: Annorkoth is an one-man-project from Podolsk, Russia who has been very prolific through his site for the last two years. Annorkoth`s sound is an impressive blend of majestic yet doleful black metal and death metal and on the other side ethereal darkwave/ambient/shoegaze appearances (a la Lycia, Love Spirals Downwards, or Scarlet Leaves). Suggestive vocal lines are cleverly pushed on the background, however, the first line is filled in with picturesque synths and epic guitar noise walls which at times will be calmed down to function as sublime interludes played up to articulated, clear-cut guitar chords.
Double Dan - Emotions In Motions (2008)
23 Seconds
Lastfm
9.1
/Alternative pop/rock, Twee pop, Indie pop, Baroque pop/
Lastfm
9.1
/Alternative pop/rock, Twee pop, Indie pop, Baroque pop/
Comment: sometimes you as the listener do not need many words to describe music at length. Double Dan, a Swedish trio is one of such kind of instances whose music involve highly sonorous and propulsive indie/twee pop tracks which used to revolve around flourishing guitars, full-chorded singing, lush synth expansions. Its well-accomplished result is not surprising at all because the members of the band are related to such Swedish pop luminaries as Sambassadeur, Club 8, Acid House Kings.
Crouching_World - Dismembered (2011)
Bandcamp
9.0
9.0
/Improvised music, Avant-garde, Experimentalism, Illbient, Experimental electronica, Funk, Dance rock, Noise, Electronic pop, Dark pop/
Comment: a quite amorphous (or bulimic) vision about music. However, it is mostly electronic and effect-laden, or filled in with threatening, murky orchestrations or on the other side are variegated with more pop inflected standards - even funk groove teasers are proudly represented there. Of course, it is not an usual example of funk music - it is rather mutant type of dance rock (heavily accentuated with whimsical electronics). Indeed, these subdued guitar chords are truly astonishing components. The favorite of mine is Dismembered Head which consists of compelling synth throbs and gloomy bassoon layers and slight vowel effects. This 5-piece project comes out from Chicago, Illinois.
2/23/2012
Merino & Rat - Metamorfosis (2011)
Monofonicos
9.1
9.1
/Industrial techno, Soundscapes, Experimental techno, Dub-tech, Illbient, Dystopbient, Psycho-acoustic, Avant-techno, Electro-acoustic/
Comment: Santiago Merino & Miguel Isaza have created a seamless blend precessing around the axis of techno rhythm sequences (which are obviously dub-inflected at times) and more or less dystopic electro-acoustic ambiances/soundscapes and heavily drilling industrial-soaked sonic effects (hiss-drenched vapour, croaks, murky reverberation, squeaking bits-bats). In a word, the whole is subjected to an algorithm of permanent changes and disillusioned gradients.
Comment: Santiago Merino & Miguel Isaza have created a seamless blend precessing around the axis of techno rhythm sequences (which are obviously dub-inflected at times) and more or less dystopic electro-acoustic ambiances/soundscapes and heavily drilling industrial-soaked sonic effects (hiss-drenched vapour, croaks, murky reverberation, squeaking bits-bats). In a word, the whole is subjected to an algorithm of permanent changes and disillusioned gradients.
Billy "Bong" Kenny - Albatross EP (2008)
/Downtempo, Chilltronica, Chill out, Lo-fi, Cinematic, Experimental electronica, Mood music/
Comment: in a rough way, lo-fi-tinged downtempo rhythms and profound dub flickering counterpoint organically progressing synth inflections and cinematic orchestrations effectively accentuated above it. Just 3 pieces spreaded out over 11 minutes by Billy "Bong" Kenny, a producer from Liverpool, UK.
El Senor Ciuf Ciuf - As Seen From Above (2006)
/Indietronica, Art pop, Avant-pop, Electronic pop, Poptronica, Crossover, Experimental indie/
Comment: at the first sight or seen from a remote distance the aesthetics of El Senor Ciuf Ciuf seems like an indietronic one, yet, if you have a more tight focus upon it you can see very joyous elements and effects evoking from within it. The listener can detect Faust-alike brass and free jazz and art rock mixed frantic rock jams, quirky synthetic pop appearances which used to have no temporal anchor jutting out from itself. From this aspect the Italian musician`s outlet can be compared to the likes of Ariel Pink, and Gary Wilson, for instance. Furthermore, at times it is driven by effortless, electric piano driven snippets and compartments and as an example of his pop contrast because he used to take on a more acute, devouring and choking noise`n´tronica (The Unspeakable Chant of A Collapsing Universe). In a more general way, the listener can detect how experimental yet joyous rhythms can be housed in the same pigeonhole. in a word, such an eccentric but highly mesmerizing gem was created in 2006. An unsung ghost from the past.
Muradyan - Heart Cocktail (2007)
/Experimental electronica, Avant-electronica, Glitchtronica, Sound collage, Sampledelic, IDM, Post-rock/
Comment: Vahram Muradyan is an Armenian musician/electronic music producer (born in 1983) who takes on a wide array of tendencies within the experimental electronica genre. Indeed, his sound is highly experimental and innovative by any means. Lots of different rhythms and moods are represented there which, however, used to extend from the segmented glitchtronic outlets and pitchbent minimalism and ancient or more contemporary samples exploiting aesthetics (a la The Caretaker, and People Like Us, respectively) to lofty post-rock-ish noise walls and barely perceptible digital tribalism. In a word, this 14-piece album talks to you.
2/22/2012
Noisy Sins Of The Insect - Discography
Lastfm
8.7
/Screamo, Hardcore, Alternative rock, Crossover/
8.7
/Screamo, Hardcore, Alternative rock, Crossover/
Comment: desperate screamo/hardcore attacks from Istanbul, Turkey, from a combo who had been active for 2 years (2005-2007). On this album is represented their whole discography. More concretely, angst-pouring vocal madness is backed up with dense noodling and drumming, though, at times being variegated with more relaxing moments and visions (running more in the vein of grunge/and US-based alternative guitar rock).
Cough Cool - Digestible Doom (2009)
/Lo-fi, Noise pop, Post-punk, Avant-rock, Experimental indie, DIY/
Comment: just one musician/guitarist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA who used to amplify his lo-fi noise pop-tinged undertakings through more or less avant-garde tendencies (throbbing nihilistic electronica, spoken word pieces-samples, sound art-alike micro noises and disturbed radio waves). In a more general way, Cough Cool sounds like an expansion of The Jesus & Mary Chain, though, the listener can detect the influences of such Japanese art rock bands like Maher Shalal Hash Bash, and Nagisa Ni Te.
2/18/2012
Glitter Bones - The Dark Tide (2011)
/Poptronica, Slowcore, Glo-fi, Chillwave, Post-pop, Leftfield, Post-psychedelic electronica, Lo-fi/
Comment: the single (4.52) is a slow paced, dream-soaked enterprise, looking at the world through offbeat glasses. There are some brisk turns into a blissed-out realm, into great beauty into which the listener get immediately immersed. Glitter Bones is the collaboration act between Nick Donlin, and Zach Vouga this time they are assisted by Brian Brissart (vocal) from BIGCOLOUR, another Chicago, Illinois, US-based collective. The single crosses finely tendencies so characteristic to Beach House`s slowcore aesthetics and blissful seeds from the glo-fi/chillwave scene. An enthralling wash indeed.
Fog Lake - Stay Lost (2012)
Bandcamp
9.5
9.5
/Ambient, Folktronica, Post-rock, Experimentalism, Soundscapes, Organic electronica, Crossover, Experimental electronica, Musique concrète/
Comment: the project comes out from Halifax, Canada, however, deserving downrightly its name - it is deep , it is hazy, it is highly vapour-wrapped, though, Fof Lake`s music is not about ambient music only. This 10-track album vents itself through folktronic and organic repetitions, spoken word and glowing bass fused undertakings (indeed, the production is outstanding - all those (semi-) chord repetitions, flickering half and full tones, micronoises are very accurately laid down). It sounds almost like Thomas Park`s Stellar Fugue (the previous review at Recent Music Heroes), though, being devoid of rhythm sequences this time. Truly epic and inspiring for a new day.
Thomas Park - Stellar Fugue (2011)
Treetrunk
9.6
9.6
/Abstract techno, Ambient techno, Deep techno, Avant-techno, Experimental techno/
Comment: profound, glacial glow-tinged techno seeds used to dominate left and right. The listener can detect burning layers (created by using brass instruments) above hypnotic beats. These 7 tracks are similar to each other, however, showcasing slight changes within the limited concept. As you know very well the phenomenon can be free only then when it is cirumscribed (upon it the one can set itself free by outreaching the borderlines). A top notch for your body and mind. It is not surprising at all because it is a project by Thomas Park also known as AutoCad (2000-2003), and thereafter Mystified.
2/17/2012
Hiroshi - Bitronica (2007)
Abdicate Cell
Betamod
9.1
Betamod
9.1
/Chipbreak, 8-bit, Electro pop, Bitpop, Tracker music, Crossover, Nintendocore, Experimental electronica/
Comment: sawtooth-alike chiptune/chipbreak patterns meet straightforwardly punching electro rhythms and ineluctable, system-induced noise conjuring up uplifting atmospherical seeds oozing out from these 9 tracks (spreaded out over 26 minutes). However, now and then the album gets deviated from the main line because of getting quite close to chime almost like electroclash or electro-indie (NES monday) examples or just providing more psychedelic and orchestrated tunes in a lofty way (Mario v Wario). Or having more obvious flirtation with more big beat cadences (Chipcore). The album had been released both on Abdicate Cell, and Betamod.
Grndaz -Shitsteppers Make Cruel (2011)
Comment: a set of two whimsical urban music productions. These ones are filled in with a loads of effects, abrasive and punching electro breaks and featuring joyous mc-ing (Mr. Payne) above and around it (the second track is embellished with female voices, though). In a word, business as usual - all of that regarding grime music on its own.
Cults - Split Face EP (2009)
/Doom rock, Psych-rock, Psychedelic rock, Drone rock, Avant-rock, Experimental rock/
Comment: this 4-piece EP is a follow-up to Cults, Atlanta-based producer`s excellent Contagious Spirits (2008) which was soaked with treated electronics and manipulated psychedelia (call it post-psychedelic) and drone and some glimpses of psych-rock. Actually at Split Face EP he continues to deepen some of the abovementioned paths, though, the main (or even only) accent is directed more upon doom/psych rock developments. Indeed, it is a more rock-oriented one where more or less ragged guitars are interlaced with restraint kind or more tortured kind of vocal lines. It veers away the influences of Bardo Pond, and Sonic Youth. In a word, it is enjoyable, though, being not so bliss inducing as the debut issue.
2/16/2012
Dyskinesia - Dalla Nascita (2011)
/Post-metal, Post-rock, Sludge, Avant-metal, Crossover, Noise, Black metal, Epic, Improvised music, Experimental rock, Avant-rock/
Comment: by listening to this 7-track album by the Italian quintet Dyskinesia you can admit its better qualities to be running in the vein of the tradition of the brothers Russolo, the forefathers of noise music. More profoundly, it is on the way brutal enough and on the other side it is highly fascinating due to its arty aspirations and accomplishments. The album can be considered as a compartment postured in between burning sludge/black metal/post-metal, infiltrated improvised noise and epic but tumultuous post-rock moulded drifts and crescendos. In a word, it is as obscure as dark onyx and as light as the most sunshiny spectra in the sky. However, do not recommend it to your grandmother. She may not understand it. All other cases are unconditionally mandatory.
Paper Plane Pilot - This Afternoon (2012)
/Alternative pop/rock, Post-punk, New Wave, Gothic rock/
Comment: this is a synth-driven/orchestrated single produced by Dustin Frelich (voc, keyb, g, dr), Eugenio Iglesias (b), and Bryarly Bishop (voc). Though the notch is produced recently it partly harks back to the 70`s British gothic/post-punk tradition. Indeed, those solemn, slightly glowing synth whiffs, guitar shapes and Frelich`s resigned singing manner make difference. In a word, the single is masterfully accentuated and dosed.
Tudo de Volta - Sempre Acaba (2011)
Bandcamp
10.0
10.0
/Guitar ambient, Shoegaze, Ambient rock, Ambient, Ambient noise, Post-psychedelic, Drone rock, Post-rock, Avant-rock, Minimal, Experimental rock, Psychedelia/
Comment: Sempre Acaba is a follow-up to Tudo de Volta, a Curitiba, Brazil-based musician`s self-titled debut at the start of 2011. There are represented 4 tracks which is a platform for fusing ambient, post-rock, shoegaze, psychedelia, drone, epicness and deliberate vulnerability into an enthralling whole. All the layers around there are craftily densified, at times the whole gets embellished with flickering spots and lights and is curtained with more darker whiffs and veils and variegated with subtle changes regarding more or less visible phases inside the whole. It is profoundly abstract and highly sensitive simultaneously. The project can be compared to the likes of Slowdive (Pygmalion-era), Bowery Electric, Aboombong, Flying Saucer Attack, Pan American, Doldrums. This is a way how rock music should breathe and throb, relieve and give hope for melomans. This is a gospel, obvious soundtrack for God.
Love Sex Machine - Love Sex Machine (2012)
Bandcamp
8.6
/Black metal, Sludge, Screamo, Brutal metal/
8.6
/Black metal, Sludge, Screamo, Brutal metal/
Comment: this French collective provides extremely brutal noodling, earth devouring concepts and massive washes of noises and vocals above it. These 8 tracks can be considered just as one huge wave comprised of the elements of sludge metal, black, metal, screamo. In a word, the album demonstrates its power and harshness in a specific way. Yet, in order to be a top notch, it should have produced in a more variegated way (to have more hooks and gears). It seems to be way too monotonous ultimately. As an one-time attack, however, it is very efficient.
Waylon Thornton - Paranormal High School II (2011)
White Moon
8.3
/Lo-fi, Rockabilly, DIY, Rock and roll, Garage rock/
8.3
/Lo-fi, Rockabilly, DIY, Rock and roll, Garage rock/
Comment: Waylon Thornton is a musician from Gainesville, Florida, USA who has issued a shitloads of releases on his White Moon Recordings since 2007. He also performs the music with his wife Megan who used to play drums then (Waylon Thornton and Heavy Hands). Paranormal High School II incorporates 7 short-running compositions which used to rotate mainly around ragged rock and roll/rockabilly explorations spiced up with garage-y rock reverberations.
Pollux - Life.Sound.Alteration.None (2011)
/Dark ambient, Epic, Ambient, Experimental electronica, Minimal, Soundscapes, Ambient noise, Ambient drone, Microtonal/
Comment: Arnaud Barbe is a 23-year-old musician from France who runs the Sirona-Records either. Despite his young age he has been very prolific so far. However, there is represented a set of 17 tracks which comprises epic, monumental washes of (dark) ambient and symphony-blended progressions. Indeed, it is very beautiful in its uplifting power. There can be detected some solemn approaches due to heavy use of the vibes and drones of a cathedral organ. These are very broad, world-wide appearances of sound. Furthermore, the album can be seen as a counterpoint to M83`s aesthetics in the field of ambient and Kosmische Musik. Let`s call it a holistic representative of sphere music. In addition to M83`s sound Barbe`s oeuvre can be compared to the likes of Loscil, Pan American, Daniel Maze, slept. It is impressive by any means.
2/14/2012
Emerald Park - Reality Bites (2012)
/Alt-folk, Indie folk, Baroque pop, Alternative pop/rock, Folk indie, Indie pop/
Comment: by listening and tagging this EP I had gave it 53 keywords-descriptions in all, including "best of 2012", "indie pop", "baroque pop", "alt-folk" amongst others. Indeed, the 3-track issue makes highly sense inspite of having personally experienced such sort of music for hundred and hundred times before it. Good music - chiming guitars, slight orchestrated sounds, articulated vocal manner. The combinations of these cornerstones used to be always deeply moving. Particularly for me Emerald Park is a collective being a representative of so-called Swedish meadow pop scene (it is my invention, though). It does mean that down-to-earth indie pop is seamlessly interlaced with dreamy baroque and lush folk tendencies, and all of that is sung in an effortless way. The favorite track of mine is UME (alt.version) on it. Closely related to the abovementioned definition, however, you can draw parallels upon such artists as The Concretes, Acid House Kings, Sambassadeur, and even Jens Lekman. Ultimately, if reality bites you can always escape into music to relieve your soul.
(exitpost) - Lake Monster (2012)
Bandcamp
9.2
9.2
/Dream pop, New Weird America, Experimental indie, Avant-pop, Chillwave, Alternative, Glo-fi, Avant-pop, Post-pop/
Comment: (exitpost) is an one-man-project led by Ken Herman, who takes care of lush guitar strums, exulting Animal Collective-tinged vocals and electronic devices and manipulations behind it. You can be sure these 200 seconds are filled in with pure beauty which consist partly of dreams and partly of propulsive experimental aesthetics. More concretely, Herman shifts between realms belonging on the way to New Weird America/free folk/weird folk and on the other side it is a case of the chillwave/glo-fi movement.
ki††y c▲t - hold on (2011)
/Avant-electronica, Witch house, Dubstep, Haunted house, Drag, Experimental electronica, Trianglecore, Dark Wave, Crunk shoegaze/
Comment: this is a set being a part of the witch house/drag/newbreed/haunted house scene coming out from Russia. The issue comprises 8 tracks spreaded out over 22 minutes. However, the publication is full of flourishing higher chords and gritty, exorcized beats and seamlessly infiltrated noises in between it. Flickering dark wave and shoegaze mixed layers (reminding rather of the likes of Lycia, and Scarlet Leaves) used to conjure up ghastly milieus and hollow yet sensitive (i.e pertaining to horrifying senses-topics) outlets. For instance, by using synchronic translation to build up a track on it. Or are there the seeds of black metal craftily veiled with other more dominated styles and endeavours? By the way, as you know Russia is home for another enthralling witch house artist referred as ~▲†▲~.
2/13/2012
I/DEX - Tetrapolar (2003/2009)
/Ambient, Glitch ambient, Soundscape, Organic electronica, Ambient dub, Chill out, Experimental electronica, Minimal/
Comment: the Belarusian artist Vitali Harmash provides a handful of tracks which main templates can be described as being homogeneous ones on its own, yet, the listener can detect a loads of elemental turbulences (read it: subtle miscroscopic glitches and sample bits patly consisting of the snippets of spoken word and concrete sounds) permanently ascending from these infiltrated surfaces. Indeed, Garmash`s soundscape is gritty and lush conjuring up many elusive moments aimed at soothing of the listener`s senses. At times he is disposed to be more borealic, at times to be rather warm and longing in his still life-tinged incantations but always he is being highly convincing. His oeuvre can be compared with the likes of Joel Tammik, Loscil, Sidharta, Vladislav Delay, Jacques de Villiers, Tim Hecker. The album is released on an excellent Belarusian label/webzine, called Foundamental Network. A superb outlet.
The Sbirros - Hits From The Crypt (2011)
Kill Mommy
9.0
9.0
/Punk rock, Alternative rock, Psychobilly, DIY, Rockabilly, Noise rock, Lo-fi, Garage rock/
Comment: a joyous set of punk/and psychobilly-induced torrents within a concept compiled of the scaffolds of dashing/garage-y rock and roll, the influences of B-category horror movies, DIY aesthetics, Tarantino and Rodriguez produced Mexico-related killsplotation motion pictures. Let`s check out some titles of notches represented there - Teenage Vampire, I Married A Monster From Outer Space, The Toxic Avenger and the meloman can draw parallels upon such Russian combo as Messer Für Frau Müller/Messer Chups who also used to love mixing up obscure themes with a batch of funny topics. These 11 tracks are fronted by Sheena, a shouting and shooting fury who is assisted by Mass, Nitro, and Igor Mortis. This Italy-based collective does not exist anymore being replaced to Female Troubles now. An appealing stuff indeed, the kind of grower, especially the track I Was A Teenage Mutant Rocker where the ensemble exploits the effects pulled out from a theremin.
Abstract Greens - Electric Adonis EP (2010)
Bandcamp
9.0
9.0
/Madchester, Indie dance, Remixes, Alternative dance, Baggy, Dance rock, Alternative pop/rock, Leftfield/
Comment: old school dance rock/baggy/Madchester vibes in the embodiment of two versions of an original track and a remix version of it. Behind Abstract Greens is Rob Mulvey, a musician from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK who is being associated to a small local label called Lone Head Records (The Wordsmiths, Commercial Malcolm, The Cherry Action, Knicker Boy, Red Sonya, Haircuts From Mars). In a word, listen to hirsuit guitar chords-riffs backed up with ragged beats.
~▲†▲~ - ~▲†▲~ (2010)
/Drag, Avant-electronica, Experimental electronica, Newbreed, Crunk Shoegaze, Avant-electro, Witch house, Trianglecore, Avant-industrial, Haunted house/
Comment: in the wake of a powerful hype the witch house movement has already grew out of the borders of the United States as its birth place, and so you should not be surprised a tthe moment at all to discover the band names referred via different sorts of (symmetrical or non-symmetrical) magical symbols (mainly crosses and triangles) from somewhere else in the world. On the other side, all this vast bunch of stylistic tags ascribed to this genre to date, is growing with every new day. "Drag", "witch house", "crunk shoegaze", "screwgaze", "ghost step", "zombie rave", "witch wave", "broken-clash", "newbreed", "rape gaze", "okkvlt", "haunted house", "trianglecore". And "noirgaze" as well - the last mentioned stylistic restriction is invented by my side. Further, it is quite thinkable that lots of band titles in future will not be expressed in words (because it is impossible to enact it into clear intention), but instead of it the names will have been described just by zig-zagging (or drawing lines) with fingers. It would be similar as the making of the Sign of the Cross.
It is impossible to find out some information about a project symbolized out as ~▲†▲~ except his/her residing place (Moscow, Russia). A set of 6 tracks of obscure soundscapes, which are obviously influenced by dark wave and shoegaze legends (My Bloody Valentine; Lycia) and sustained by murky, EBM/industrial-infused cadences and buzzing low-end synths, besides it having a joint point with the chillwave music through blissful kind of fluorescence leaped out from the noisy crests. Altogether, the release seems to be one of the best sonic results in the fictive realm of dark-hued world throughout th etear 2010.
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