Blogiarhiiv

1/03/2012

lack of Eoins - Sudden Death Mode (2012)



/Indie rock, Remixes, Dream pop, Glo-fi, Art pop, Shoegazetronica, Electronic pop, Alternative rock, Doomgaze/

Comment
: the Estonian leading indie (rock) label Seksound has issued the new single Sudden Death Mode by lack of Eoins, a Viljandi-based alternative rock trio. The single is a solid example of how arty, riff-charged guitar drive meets subtle synth brass sections as if the synth progression were borrowed from a track of Dreamphish, a label-related Estonian indie juggernaut (the latter element will be brought out in remixes either). Additionally, the one is accompanied by the set of 3 remixes by Tallinn Daggers, Wolfredt, and Imandra Lake - indeed, apiece of them is successfully accomplished, however, extending from acidic, bubblegum-ish riding and beatific shoegaze looming to gloomy blend of doom folk/rock, shoegaze and dream pop, respectively. The favorite of mine is Wolfredt`s version because of strongly reminding of all those old indie glimpses and bits coming out of the memories of the 90`s. Essentially nostalgic. In a nutshell, the single is a very felicitous choice to start out a new year.

2muchachos - Summer Vacation EP (2010)



/Dream pop, Chillwave, Organcore, Experimental indie, Alternative, Organic electronica, Glo-fi, Avant-pop/

Comment
: the Russian project 2muchachos` EP Teplaja was one of the best releases in the previous year. Here is another EP, Summer Vacation, issued already in 2010. It is a blissful journey where the main basin is made up by using undulating analog keyboards (Formant Mini; Alisa-1387) and where Cocteau Twins-esque guitar-based magic bits chime in now and then. But not only - the last track Careless Calm starts out like a sunburned vision by Dead Can Dance. However, you can be sure this 4-piece issue used to sound truly organic and natural. If you wish you can call it charming boredom or irresistible laziness. Still one of the best ensembles all around the world.

2GI - mio figlio egoista EP (2005)



/Electro pop, Techno, Club dance, Electroclash, Lo-fi, DIY, Industrial techno/

Comment
: here is represented a set of 4 tracks which used to pierce and bore. It is quite complicated to categorize it somehow. It veers away punk-alike/DIY electro pop/electroclash and hirsuit mix of electro and techno, on the other side it offers more cagey, atmospherical moments (Audio Piercing, a little bit ironically, though). The favorite of mine is Yoyo-b-raw which takes on a mould of rusty drill`n techno. The notch is a truly intense one (containing a gloomy, threatening backdrop of industrial music).

1/02/2012

Alpha Couple - Edna Pontellier (2010)



/Psych-folk, Indie folk, Avant-folk, Drone folk, Cover, Dream folk, Folk indie, Experimental/

Comment
: Alpha Couple is a psych-folk duo (with female singing) from Canada, providing a pair of tracks, which used to differentiate from each other to a large extent. The first of them, the title notch, is a beatific, contemplative siren looming which buzzes and dilates throughout its course. The second track No Children (originally The Mountain Goats` song) used to break all the mirrors around itself turning into a mad, hysterical vista like harpies trying to adopt the string-based music for yourselves. A solid single indeed.

The Wreck Up - Amigdala

Chromelodeon - The Final Recordings (2007/2008)



/Psychedelia, Alternative, Progressive rock, Avant-rock, Experimental rock, Electronic, Electro-rock, Fusion/

Comment
: Chromelodeon was a frantic, 8-piece instrumental music group from Philadelphia which by their vanguard-ish intention and vision could be compared with the likes of Black Moth Super Rainbow, and The Octopus Project. More concretely, as the title of the album refers it is their final album which, by the way, was recorded live in 2005. Heavily acidic synthesizer-driven notches are fringed with intense, hysteric sort of drumming. At times the listener can hear sparse, 8-bit alike electronic bits below those massive, psychedelic synth washes and overdriving synthetic effects, which, however, is not surprising because the combo was known for covering video game themes. Indeed, it is their swan song, though, a very decorous one.

M A S & Travis McAlister - The Fade Out Room (2011)


9.5

/Hauntology, Sampledelic, Avant-garde, Electro-acoustic, Ambient, Musique concrète, Experimentalism, Cut and paste, Sound collage, Acousmatics, Spoken word/

Comment: haunting samples and somehow blissed-out milieus surrounding...haunting samples and blissed-out milieus. Those old school, the 1920/30`s swinging pieces are intertwined with organic street sounds and weird, creepy electronic and atmospherical progressions now and then. Anyway, this 8-track album is similar to the ones of their label mates Gutta Percha, and the Caretaker (of course) who is the biggest name on this genre. Aa s result it is a hypnotic experience passing through the different eras of (experimental) music searching for elusive redemption and vast synergy. Behind the project are M A S (aka Makram Abu-Shakra), and Travis McAlister, two experienced sound creators, who used to play in various improvisation groups together during the early 90's in Southern California.