Girl Boy Moog - Hum The Beat EP (2001/2005)

Candy Mind

Lastfm

• Electro-indie
• Indie pop
• Alternative pop
• Electronic pop
• Acid pop

Outstanding tracks:

Getting On A Train

She`s A Catfish

Tottenham Court Road (Strawberry Ice Machine)

Psilodump - The Night I Lost You All You All (2005)

Candy Mind

Lastfm

• Electronic pop
• Indietronica
• Electro pop
• Breaks
• Remix
• Breakbeat
• Alternative dance

Outstanding tracks:

bak8

rethought7

Feign Embrace [Commuter Train Remix by Ayhan Aydin]

Scant Intone - Live As Though Dead (2005)

BricoLodge

• Noise
• Live session
• Avant-garde
• Noise drone
• Experimentalism
• Non-music
• Abstract
• Glitchtronica
• Musique concrète

Outstanding tracks:

Active Windows

Granola

The Fig Mints - Enjoy While You Can (2005)

Cozy Home

• Indie rock
• Singer-songwriter
• Folk indie
• Drone rock
• Indie folk
• Lo-fi
• Alternative rock
• DIY
• Musique concrète
• Experimental rock

Outstanding tracks:
I Have a Headache
Cleaning Up
You Got Too Much, Son
The Trouble With Superstition

Petrified Host - As When Lighted (2005)

Narrominded

Lastfm

8.9

/Alternative rock, Hard rock, Power pop/

Comment: there are up 17 tracks which are spread out over 32 minutes only. Petrified Host is a duo (Gabry, and Lars) from the Netherlands whose music is an instance of hard-edged indie rock based on hirsute, noisy guitar gears and heavy riffs and embellished with some acidic synth undercurrents. On the other side, the issue is counterbalanced with catchy melodies and harmonies - one of the practices of the combo is about slow and restrained starts changing ultimately into tumultuous outbursts. Indeed, their roots seem to hark back to the 70`s blues-induced heavy metal/hard rock tradition but also drawing inspiration from the more contemporary grunge movement and artsy Sonic Youth-afflated guitar treatment.

Jalikebba Kuyateh and the Toubabs - Jalikebba and the Toubabs (2005/2009)

Free Music Archive

9.2

/Ethnic music, World Music, Psychedelic music, Folk music, Alternative/

Comment: Jalikebba Kuyateh & The Toubabs` domestic sound consists of African rhythms, suggestive violin chords, and impassioned singing. More detailedly, the collective`s soundscape do involve the elements of kora music, Swedish folk music, compelling rhythms of Indian tabla, and clattery sounds of a gamelan alike wooden instrument. The collective is comprised of the musician of Gambian, and Swedish heritage. The outlet is enough exotic and psychedelic to get laid back and relax. Indeed, at a moment you will perceive yourself to be streaming in the flow of spellbinding sounds.

Ibakusha - Novctzember (2005)

Zymogen

9.3

/Indietronica, Ambient, Downbeat, IDM, Electronic pop, Glitchtronica, Downtempo, Post-rock, Crossover/

Comment: this batch of 6 tracks is an intricate issue which consists of crispy IDM beats, more organic and panoramic indie/post-rock and electronic pop-induced progressions and slowed down, crackle-heavy digital electronica, glitch-heavy ambient and blissed-out downtempo and downbeat flickers bubbling over on  the left and right side. The issue is released on the Italian qualitative label Zymogen.

Skala Collective - Skalkulator (2005)

Jamendo

Skala Collective

10.0

/Post-rock, Krautrock, Psychedelic, Alternative, Leftfield, Avant-rock, Jazz, Improvised music/

Comment: Skala Collective is a trio from Poland whose music is filled with experiments in electronics, improvised music and peripheral rock concepts. Recently they issued their brand new album called Sleepy Dancing under Clinical Archives, a legendary Russian experimental label. Skalkulator was publicized as the debut album in 2005 which is a blend of indie music and more experimental angles and facets of rock sound. For instance, it includes the elements of krautrock, and humming jazz-y feeling. On the strength of this there can be drawn parallels upon the likes of Tortoise, Maserati, Sea And Cake, The Dylan Group, Six Parts Seven, Mercury Program. These 7 compositions are an instance of impelling force, more concretely, conveying enthralling tension between improvised elements and sonic determination. It is an absolutely astonishing, must be monumentum.      

Reality Asylum - Was Tat Ich EP (2005)

Politicide

9.6

/Alternative rock, Post-punk, No Wave, Avant-punk, Art punk/

Comment: this set of 3 pieces is undoubtedly an effort representing post-punk music in a very solid way. Monotonously stomping drum machine-based beats have been managed in a way to be set below gliding or more tempered guitar swipes and spoken word snippets, however, embellished with stereo effects and suggestive melodies at times. Indeed, it harks back to krautrock aesthetics. As we used to know very well Julian Cope who has been championing krautrock music was also a post-punker as a member of Teardrop Explodes once. In a word, it is the kind of punk for what I am ready to give a damn.

Chenard Walcker - Heartbreak Pain Cafe (2005)

Free Sample Zone

9.0

/Breaks, DIY, Plunderphonics, Sampledelic, Cut and paste, Psychedelic, Conceptual, Sound collage, Experimentalism/

Comment: firstly, I am being very far from the opinion this case of a handful of tracks is somehow lame or even the lamest thing (as one reviewer suggested at it). For instance, think of DJ Shadow`s compositions (including his critically acclaimed debut album) which are also made up in the same vein - composed of other musicians` samples, though, the result is craftily channelized and accomplished. This time the prolific Frenchman and copyleft activist meets the sounds of Captain Beefheart, a psychedelic/avant-blues legend`s music, however, giving it his own touch and outlook. The release (as the most portion of his other ones) is issued on Free Sample Zone, Walcker`s own label

Sailor Jupiter - Sailor Jupiter (2005)

Planear

8.8

/Jungle, Techno, Trance, House, Club dance/

Comment: this batch of 9 tracks consists of an array of club-oriented beats veering away from rude jungle rhythms and less rough techno steps to brooding trance and progressive house mixed sequences.

Acre4 - Rockspeed EP (2005/2012)

Legoego
Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.9

/Experimental electronica, Crossover, Modern classical, Art pop, Organic electronica, Poptronica, Electronic pop, Experimental indie, Downtempo/

Comment: this 4-track album comes out from Nantes, France where downtempo-inspired electronica and broken beats are tightly interlaced with art pop and indie tendencies and sampling technology (different spoken word parts and insect`s buzz are up there). Acre4 is a duo which pushed off in the year of 2000 being influenced by such legends as My Bloody Valentine, Kraftwerk, Tortoise, Boards Of Canada, Mùm, and Sonic Youth. Indeed, Antoine, and David used to take on uplifting melodies and somewhat glowering progressions which in the first place get hint at Kraftwerk, and Boards Of Canada. Furthermore, now and then it reminds of Art Of Noise due to witty orchestrations and flourishing synth wave fused outlets either. It might be that the ending track Ping Pong (though Ultragain is quite similar to it) makes some difference from the rest of the whole thanks to its heavily sliced and thudding propulsions and melodica-driven motives (indeed, quite close to the early Mùm)

Flying Monkeys - Random Songs From 2005 (2005)

Lastfm

9.0

/Punk rock, Alternative, DIY, Lo-fi, Hardcore punk, Oi! punk/

Comment: Flying Monkeys was a Chicago-based punk group consisting of Riot Cross, and Calvin Chaos aka Xombie Panic. Their sound is truly lo-fi, rough, and dirty, more concretely, all of that is recorded on a 4-track recorder and sounding like having it done without exploiting any plugs and other "normal" devices. Yet, their DIY-aesthetics is highly charming, suggestive, and even exulting now and then involving the elements of oi!, and hardcore-esque noodling at a high frequency. In a word, these 10 short-running blasts (spreaded out over 13 minutes) are worth to be checked out for.

Al Jolson - Collected Works of Al Jolson (2005)

78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings

10.0

/Music hall, Vaudeville, Jazz, Classic pop, Blues, Vintage sound/

Comment: there are Jolson`s collected works from the years of 1911-26. It is massive, 36 ditties in total. Al Jolson was the the pop star on its own in the beginning of 00s, approximately 100 years ago. The World`s Greatest Entertainer was said about him at his heyday. More detailly, jazz, blues, ragtime, vaudeville tinged songs are to pour out fun and delight, and even farcelike seeds from within the miscellany. In a word, it is a tremendous experience to listen to some of the notches being older than 100 years. A classic one by any means.

2GI - mio figlio egoista EP (2005)

Aceda
Lastfm

8.8

/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).

Bobby Baby - Some Place New (2005)

Corpid
Corpid

9.2

/Indietronica, Experimental indie, Organic electronica, Alternative, Leftfield, Electronic pop/

Comment: Ella Blixt is an indie girl from Hultsfred, Sweden who embarked on playing music in her early teenager years in 90s. This EP can be considered as "classic" because of having been very popular and on the other side Blixt`s ditties are really worth deserving to be giving a try. These 5 songs reflect upon the examples of silentful, mellow guitar chords and minor symphony-based harmonies of melodica assisted by gritty electronic beats below it. The most important aspect is established on the ground that the ditties are craftily accentuated, filled in with lots of crunchy touches and perceptions. All of that happened before she joined with Robert Kretzschmar, and Frank Shültge Blumm to establish new projects (It`s A Musical, and Bobby & Blumm, respectively) and record for the legendary Morr Music. By listening the EP, you can obviously feel similarities with mùm, Cantaloup, Lali Puna, Wixel, Hood and many others.

Lanark - Historia Naturalis (2005)

Newform8

10.0

/Avant-garde, Dark ambient, Experimentalism, Noise, Illbient, Avant-electronica, Abstract, Hauntology, Dystopbient, Avant-industrial, Martial music, Neoclassical, Abstract electronica, Epic/

Comment: Lanark is a composer from Buenos Aires, Argentina who has let his recognizable trace on the field of experimental/avant-garde/electronica/dark ambient/neoclassical music. He has issued lots of albums and shared the record labels (Comfort Stand; WM Recordings) with such legends as Big City Orchestra, R Stevie Moore, Dan Deacon, Chenard Walcker, Phil Reavis, Roy "Chicky" Arad, Jan Turkenberg, Happy Elf and others. However, this 18-track opus takes on an epic vision observed from the dystopic, oppressive point of view. The compositions are filled in with endless, dirge-drenched echoes and undertones as if the world were conquered by ghastly, truly malicious creatures. Indeed, his notches extend from pessimistic, glacial glow-dazzled ambient to wraith-alike (neo)classical conjuring at the portals of death. By now and then Lanark used to exploit more tenuous, bleak electronica, reminding of the first steps made by electronic music pioneers once many decades ago (for instance, Desmond Leslie, Pierre Schaeffer, Vladimir Ussachevsky). All in all, you must listen to the legend`s classic one.

Retro Retry Sonic Youth - EVOL (2005)

Narrominded
Lastfm

9.0

/Covers, Noise rock, Conceptual, Alternative pop/rock, Indie rock/

Comment: 10 Dutch rock groups do cover Sonic Youth`s classical album EVOL and manage it very well. Noisedelic and whimsical. New forms are offered by The Hitmachine, Franco Formica, Gone Bald, Fine China Superbone, Pfaff and others.

Klever - Trip#5

Big City Orchestra - Submission Trax (2005)

Betasound

9.2

/Avant-garde, Experimentalism, Psych-folk, Weird pop, Poptronica, Experimental electronica, Sound-art, Acousmatics/

Comment: BCO has is a legendary avant-garde/art project from Los Angeles, California which embarked on in 1979. They have publicated about 130 hour-long releases and being an important chain in the cassette culture movement of the previous decades. They jumped out from the same nest as did other famous Californian cutting edge groups such as The Residents, and Negativeland, for instance. Their music has swerved in countless directions, veering from sound art and dada experiments and psycho-acoustic explorations to off-kilter electronica and sophisticated noise and acousmatic "folk" music. This set of handful of tracks (trax) consists of affected vowel experiments and electro-(acoustic) folk a la CocoRosie, loop-dominated deranged ambient music, and bristled conditional psych-folk music.