Darcin – Castor Volant (2009)

No Type

• Drone 
• Avant-garde 
• Experimental electronica 
• Space music 
• Minimalism 
• Experimentalism 
• Microtonal 
• Sound art 
• Abstract 
• Ambient drone

Comment: let’s keep reviewing in the vein of the discography of Montrèal, Canada-based No Source/Panospria imprint. Nicolas Dion aka Darcin`s issue is an undoubtedly methodical listening because these three pieces used to unveil throughout 67 minutes. Furthermore, the compositions are quite disparate; especially the second track Bonus Piano is something of a cut-up sort, where silence is varied with very short, wispy sonic bits. Later on, all those bits will be subjected to unsteady wobbling. It would be interesting to know why the artist decided for the sake of this kind of composition. Given that I am just feeling myself fairly curious to know the rationale of such a sort of dividing line, however, the track is fabulous. Castor Volant is the lengthiest composition on it, unveiling its brilliant nature throughout a span of 33 minutes. It is the contemporary kind of drone music being in general produced for small tape imprints with small print-runs oftentimes residing at Bandcamp. Furthermore, it is the contemporary sort of minimalism while listening to this immense piece one can perceive tickling sensations coming out of those incessantly undulating waves, which will be broadening the more the 33-minute course reaches the end. In a word, it is a gentle, in-depth psychedelic experience. Bonus Process could similarly be categorized as drone music though its accents are a little bit different. More profoundly, it is more abstract chiming like the sound of the engine of a space rocket having reached a very remote distance from Earth. Because of that it could be admitted to be a part of ambient drone music/space music. It is similarly captivating and laid-back though its method is set up otherwise. In a nutshell, the outing is a fascinating issue, which even would predict the hype of analogue-based drone music some years before. It is mesmerizing how Nicolas Dion excels at producing and investigating minutiae within the soundscape. Get it now. Yeah. 

Testicular Seizure – Sinister Gore (2009)

Torn Flesh

• Goregrind 
• Death metal 
• Dark electro 
• Brutal metal

Comment: This 6-track issue makes me feel psyched because the US-based trio entitled as Testicular Seizure bombards us with death metal and goregrind liquids, by executing it in a very intense, obtuse and loud way. By stylistic characteristics, it is slightly slowed down and at times this massive sonic waterfall being conjured up with low bass thudding, frantic drumming and visceral, rotten vocals are jettisoned to replace it with angular dark electro and electronic music (for instance, Middle Intro, and the final part of Fuck Up the Pedophile). Frequently the issue chimes like a couple of tracks would have replayed at the same time. It makes difference undoubtedly even in the goregrind and death metal scene and within the discography of Torn Flesh Records. Of course, given that you are intended not to horrify your kids do not play it for them. It is an uncompromising protest against a part of bad things related to the humankind.

Years of Rice & Salt – Service Bell (2009)

Futurerecordings

• Alternative rock 
• Post-rock 
• Folk indie 
• Americana 
• Ambient rock 
• Epic 
• Mood music 
• Alt-country 
• Indie folk

Comment: I guess if you were alleged about a band called Years of Rice & Salt you would have arisen some doubts about the combo unless you are a fan of MasterChef or something like that. In fact, I had some of them before listening to this 4-track issue. However, this is a downrightly trustful one where pastel guitar chords are emotionally loaded to drive down and up the slope of a picturesque hill. By listening to (Rearranging)Deckchairs one could perceive fabulous violin-driven arrangements, which are soothing and spicy at the same time. Ultimately you can perceive the album as a moody and ambient – though in an unusual sense – one played in the vein of acoustic post-rock and Americana style. At Plankton those soaring guitar riffs are complemented by mind-boggling singing. At Splendid Isolation the track embarks on with a blissful insight, and then stepwise will progress into Americana music, which beauty is hard to describe. You just shall have to hear it! The talk of mine has been about the idyllic outing, in fact, the ensemble’s announce is about describing a shipwreck. Consequently there must have been intriguing tension within the whole. The more you listen to it the more you get aware of its greatness. This pre-eminent issue is a part of the discography of Californian, US-based imprint Futurerecordings (great one for sure – it provides shelter for such great artists as Sunlight Ascending, Woodworkings, The Tumbled Sea, Darger and many other ones).              

Ottilie – Histoires d`O (2009)

Acoustic Firework 

Jamendo

• Chanson 
• Alternative pop 
• Singer-songwriter 
• Art pop 
• Acoustic pop 

Comment: this is a cute issue, a sublime drift between dreamy insights and a more buffoonish singing manner and some vocal trickery. In a word, the French singer Ottilie used to rehash the chanson music tradition in a modern appearance being accompanied by acoustic string instruments and Parisian street accordions. As you can see I have had only a few words to describe this beautiful issue. However, it is very nice by any means. The issue is a part of the catalogue of Acoustic Firework, and Jamendo.          

Dire Calamity – EP (2009)

Torn Flesh

• EBM 
• Cybermetal 
• Darkwave 
• Industrial electro
• Synth industrial

 

Comment: there are represented 6 compositions with the total length of 9 minutes only. The issue is a part of the catalogue of Torn Flesh, which could mean something sombre and ill-omened. Indeed, all the formal appearances of it hint at it and dredge pessimism and misanthropy in one’s decayed soul. Musically it drifts between electronic metal, industrial electro/synth industrial and electronic body music. Those rhythms being appeared within it are not aggressive directly but ominous due to darkened atmospheric electronic keyboards and synthesised orchestrations. Behind Dire Calamity hides himself Joshua Ramirez from a death metal/grindcore band called Testicular Seizure.               

Anderlink – Spuren verwischt EP (2009)

Acoustic Firework

Archive.org

• Folk indie 
• Indie folk 
• Singer-songwriter 
• Acoustic pop 
• Alternative pop

 

Comment: by listening to this handful of German sung ditties by Peter Schuhmacher it could be said it is needed no much trickery and more harmonic and melodic intersections to make up a solid folk album. The issue thrusts with slow combustion and natural rolling to gather more energy throughout the course. For instance, listen to Ich Kann Jetzt Nicht Nach Hause Gehen, which is coated with sublime guitar twangs and velvety harmonics. Sturm, and Kleine Kleine Welt is supported by more other instruments than guitars in a slight manner. In fact, at Sturm one could hear a great, slightly abrasive noise effect in fact. In a nutshell, let’s get this issue and enjoy it. 

Adrián Juárez – Carbonilla y Lápices de Cera (2009)

Perkunowa

• Improvised music 
• Electro-acoustic 
• Experimentalism 
• Avant-garde

Comment: Adriàn Juarez is an Argentinian musician whose 19-track issue consists of short, 1-2 minute long sketches or miniatures, which could be considered improvised pieces in the vein of stoned folk music with Latin music ingredients. Vice versa, it could be considered a Latin-alike electro-acoustic music. More profoundly, the outing is based on the play of a prepared piano, however, which chimes like being spawned by a clockwork-alike mechanism. It is quite surprising to know because the music represented over there chirps like plucking of the strings of a guitar or something like that. Thirdly, it could be considered an example of acoustic industrial music tongue-in-cheek. Although the timbre of the tracks is monochromatic it suits perfectly with the nature of the issue. The issue is a part of the discography of Perkunowa.                  

Morpheus – Alkemiisto (2003/2008/2009)

Aventuèl

Lomeanor

• Dark Wave 
• Dark ambient 
• Art music 
• Interpreted music 
• Neoclassical 
• Avant-garde 
• Post-classical

Comment: Morpheus` 14-track issue Alkemiisto is an intriguing issue because the artist’s original music is variegated with his own versions of such classical composers/musicians as Bach, Corelli, Vangelis, Abeni, Vildsvin, Chopin and additionally some video game numbers. It sounds interesting, isn’t? In stylistic and temporal terms it does mean Stanislav Rubyteno has opened possibilities to either unite or juxtapose old, baroque music with blackened ambient and neoclassical tunes. The general mood is resolutely murky and damp thereby allowing few chances to shed light upon in the middle of shadowplay. More concretely, hammering piano chords and solemn organ droning are unwound with yarning orchestrated passages and ominous, expressive ambient glimpses. Undoubtedly Rubyteno`s melancholy is beautiful and dignifying therefore bolstering the issue with quality. Get it.          

Maudlin of The Well – Part Of The Second (2009)

Maudlin of The Well

• Chamber music
• Progressive rock
• Art rock
• Psychedelic rock
• Experimental rock
• Avant-rock
• Epic
• Fusion

Comment: Maudlin of The Well is a combo from Boston, Massachusetts, USA whose fourth issue Part Of The Second is funded by donations of their fans. The quintet plays a sophisticated mishmash of rock, fusion, psychedelic and progressive rock inclined stuff ultimately resulting in the majestic feel. Temporarily it is not related to certain spans of time because of creating and playing music on the band members` own terms and understanding. In a word, stylistically it is a thoroughly artsy whole giving the listener no span to rest because of being intense in chord sequencing and instrumental interplays. It is a top notch by any means.

Akashic Crow's Nest - Torment of the Metals (2009)

Webbed Hand

• Post-rock
• Avant-garde
• Minimalism
• Drone
• Electronic music
• Experimentalism
• Ambient

Comment: Akashic Crow`s Nest is one of the aliases by Chris P. McDill also known as Drone Wallah, Rolling Calf Sinfonette, Rowboat Magicians, Saluki Regicide, and Tree Helicopter. He is obviously one of the most prolific solo artists being around today. Most albums have been released under the likes of Webbed Hand Records, and Treetrunk Records. The composition consists of three compositions of a total time of 67 minutes. Two of them are very extended compositions though the nature of these tracks is quite minimal. More profoundly, it used to wobble in a restrained mode conveying feeble changes in structure and pace. At times it seems like the artist is searching for the resonance with the listener`s perception because it might be you are perceiving some sounds which might not exist at all. It is a sort of psychoacoustic phenomenon being deliberately created. Stylistically it could be considered an example of minimal music in general though it provides branches into electronic, ambient, drone and even post-rock music indirectly.

Basicnoise – More Agravic EP (2009)

Schall

• Ambient dub
• Dub techno
• Crossover
• Deep dub
• Experimental electronica
• Dub house
• Techno dub

Comment: it is a haunting beauty from the past – it is both dance-appealed for your brain and the very overwhelming object to be depicted through your legs, hands and body in general. It could have been an example of perfect ambient music if these compositions would have spared from “smearing” with house, techno, and dub elements. However, the Peter Fanai`s result seems to be even better thanks to the aforementioned smorgasbord of sounds and styles. All these branches will be reflected in one another thereby constituting the circle which is a perfect figure since the ancient Greeks. By listening to it you can perceive that the sentence “I can travel to the future” seems to be downrightly true.

Sébastien Biset – Openfield (2009)

PERKūNowA

/Noise, Freeformfreakout, Anti-folk, Drone folk, Weird folk, Musique concrète, Crossover, Indietronica, Folktronica, Avant-garde, Experimentalism/

Comment: it was some days ago when I discovered that I had stored two issues by such artist as Sébastien Biset, Openfield and The Time I Was Spending, Running And Shouting In The Wind. More concretely, his 11-bar issue is a psyched-out outing based on short-running compositions segmented into harsh noise torrents (indeed, it is thoroughly intense!), sublime indie and folk-tinged compositions and mellow indie electronic insights or just exploiting field recording-based samples to build up disparate dimensions. However, it is interesting that the melting pot consisting of different elements works very well, having no distractions and conjuring up no inferior feels. The issue is a part of the discography of PERKūNowA.

Table Music Meeting - Wild Flower Way/Echo Holiday (2009)

MiMi

/Indie folk, Folktronica, Art folk, Folk indie, Post-folk, Mood music, Drone folk/

Comment: Recent Music Heroes is back again at a notch of the roster of Mimi Records. This time the Japanese collective Table Music Meeting`s 2-track/single issue provides many associations and creates a fine frame of mind. Although the release is described as “electronica” at the Portuguese imprint`s site it is half true at least only. Mostly it is guitar driven folk-tinged music which frequently draws upon droning, however, being saturated with minute yet delicate electronic and free and easy glockenspiel-based fringes. Between these two components you could perceive much air to be flitting around in thereby furnishing the exertion with the organic slide. By its intention the outing could be tagged as “chill out (chill folk?)” music because it calms down the listener providing him/her a virtuous buffer against daily problems he/she encounters. Additionally I recommend to listen to the likes of Oto, Nick Rivera, Plusplus, Possimiste, 2muchachos, Junya Nishimura, Koji Maruyama.

PM Prometheus – Mitochondria (2009)

Jamendo

/Electronic pop, Alternative pop, Synth pop, Electro-indie, Electroclash/

Comment: although New York-based PM Prometheus` album Mitochondria put off with Point Your Tendrils to the Sky which draws on arousing synthesised progressions and piano chords at the edge thereby creating a sublime sense in the listener`s head the artist later takes on more rhythm-ridden developments and harshly discordant structures. Musically PM Prometheus gets obviously inspiration from the 80s synth-pop and electro-rock and the highlight of electroclash at the beginning of 00s.Although the artist complains at his Jamendo site that the album does not maintain consistency of recording quality and the listener has to make his/her volume adjustments I did not clash against the aforementioned shortage. The cover print of the album is appealing (there is a light that never goes out?). Additionally to the 9-track album Mitochondria there are represented the likes of Slumberland, and Lilt at Jamendo as well all of them have been released approximately 5-6 years ago. Ina word, it is a decent exertion.

Kulkija - Autio Valo (2009/2012)

OM HA SVA HA KSHA MA LA VA RA YAM

Free Music Archive

/Drone folk, New Weird Finland, Psych-folk, Improvised music, Free folk, Psycho-acoustic, Weird folk, Experimental folk, Psychedelic folk, Forest folk, Avant-folk, Space folk, Post-industrial/

Comment: Autio Valo consists of two long-running, 10 minute compositions which can be considered a part of the forest folk, the Finnish counterpart of the New Weird folk movement. It starts off with sounds as if coming out of a Sabbath of the witches. Indeed, it is magical and ominous though it will soon dissipate its rays into the soil elsewhere. In general, it is a sultry drift between improvised music, restrained noise/industrial music and folk touch thereby having similarities with such avant-garde combos from Finland as Uton, Thuoom, Kemialliset Ystävät, and Tomutonttu. Furthermore, quite nearby stand such combos as Paavoharju, Violeta Päivänkakkara, Kuupuu, Lau Nau, Islaja, Kospel Zeithorn, Anaksimadros, Keijo, and Vierivä Viiksiportieeri. At times it chimes like a depiction of creating outer space by the Lord. The music is a thoroughgoing, knee-deep psychedelic ripple. Indeed, one can perceive moments where presumably material entities are being processed to the state to turn into the living one at the next moment. Indeed, it is both dizzy and magical to devour the listener. It is an amazing album at any point.

elephantknuckle - When the Screaming Stops, the Madness Begins... (2009)

Torn Flesh

/Grindcore, Electronic, Crossover, Deathcore, Goregrind/

Comment: it is a frantic mixture of heavy-weighted, metal-oriented styles though electronic music does have a noticeable impact on it. It is intense and sultry, providing dodges and hooks in different directions through speech and situation-indicative samples, manipulations of the radio dial, and sinister moaning and electronically loaded rhythms. At times it is calmed down though not being more rational the least bit. For instance, listen to Simple Simon, the first half of it consists of the screaming of a woman, the noise of a chainsaw, uncanny buried singing thereby conjuring a fairly weird, threatening sense which is very comparable with the most straightforward, slamming moments within it. Axis I - Dissociative Fugue starts off with pagan-alike whiffs of a flute which later will be amended with drilling electronic rhythms and riffs of synth-guitars. In a word, the result is truly thought-provoking.

Natant – Hyphenminus (2009)

MiMi

/IDM, Electronica, Breakcore, Musique concrète, Mood music, Modern classical, Crossover, Chilltronica/

Comment: this handful of tracks is composed of different stylistic aspects, however, sounding consequently like a suite for an art performance or puppet show in the art house or puppet theatre, respectively. For instance, Denentoshi has been spliced in the way to draw on rushed, angular beats which ultimately make up like an instance of breakbeat music, however, providing the backup for major piano chords. It might remind of Dave Keifer aka Cagey House`s aesthetic in a way. However, it the track does have a marked cinematic factor inside. The other tracks used to appear in more calm, laid-back mood allowing the listener to enjoy rainy Sunday morning. Anoxia involves a serene doo wop fuelled female vowel effect or ringing like the main theme from a soundtrack of the 60s/70s European motion movie (a la Caravelli, Paul Mauriat, Raymond Lefèvre and others). The title track takes on beeping synthesizer signals and coiling theme developments, however, creating enthralling, almost psychedelic contrast and feel of encompassing the whole. Ostsee crosses the sample of passing cars with light-hearted piano chords and snappy rhythms beneath. It is a great album by any means. 

Woods - July 15, 2009 Bowery Ballroom (2009)

Nyctaper

/Psych-rock, Space rock, Alternative rock, Live session, Experimental rock, Indie rock/

Comment: Woods is the Brooklyn, New York, US-based trio of Jeremy Earl, Jarvis Taveniere, and Aaron Neveu. The trio`s half-hour gig at Bowery Ballroom was performed after four years and four issues from the starting point. The gig was followed by the issue of the album Songs of Shame only some months earlier on Jeremy Earl-led imprint Woodsist being shelter for many well-known experimentally oriented indie rock groups from recent generation (Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, Sic Alps, Pocahaunted, Wavves, Kurt Vile etc). The performance is an eminent proof as the slightly decent tradition oriented rock embodiment will grow remarkably due to extension through some intense key changes, guitar overdrives, sonic effects-delays and organ vamps. Although the combo is considered a part of the New Weird America movement these 32 minutes, however, set about to add some shimmery seeds to the rock and roll music tradition by playing music with immense energy and impetus originating mostly from the blues music legacy. In a word, grab it for yourself, your brother and sister and your cat and dog.

Boiar – MiMinhos (2009)

MiMi

Archive.org

/Minimal dub, Avant-garde, Crossover, Ambient dub, Techno, Experimental electronica, Noise, Electro-acoustic/

Comment: Boiar`s 6-track issue is an interesting album of diverse tendencies and intentions. At times the listener can enjoy airtight dub oscillations (Carinho com Vinho and Delicadeza a sua Alteza are the most clear-cut instances), sometimes more electro-acoustic explorations do appear. Many tracks are spiced up by overdriven acute electronic snaps. What is more, Primor no Amor is a rank crossover composition which starts off with poignant electro-acoustic developments to progress into a topsy-turvy mix of electronic noises and techno rhythms. Regalo de Estalo is another smorgasbord which embraces experiments with pitched-up and pitched-down electronic bits, hirsute white noise and glitched-out electronics and even some lustful synth pop gears and classical music glimpses. The issue involves a loads of shadowy sonic elements which might be discovered only after many listening times. Other tracks are also up to prove the artist`s bias to create fast-changing compositions with thought-provoking debris. In a nutshell, although the release contains musical elements of various kind these elements do stick together and demonstrate the artist`s ability for viable sonic synthesis.               

Abstressionist – Abstression I (2009)

Bandcamp

/Singer-songwriter, Experimental rock, DIY, Improvised music/

Comment: once upon a time there was an imprint, called Modicum Of Silence whose goal was to release music by artists from around the area of the state of Ohio. Abstressionist was one of those artists who released four more or less short-running issues. For instance, Abstression I consists of three tracks with the total time of 7.09 only. More profoundly, there are represented stalking lyrics accompanied by frayed but spaced-out guitar playing wherein mood is downright murky. Third component is air between those sections. At Abstression I (Entanglement) the artist seems to be somewhat distrait sounding as if having a concealing cover on the chords. Later on, it will disappear to bring forth more brisk chords and emotional singing. Nice effort.