Edmahnd – Henosis (2014)

Radio Stalingrad

• Dark ambient 
• Illbient 
• Ambient 
• Soundscapes 
• Avant-garde 
• Minimalism 
• Experimentalism 
• Sound art

Comment: I can remember for Brian Eno once set out to visualise ambient music as furniture music. I guess he had not yet the idea of dark ambient and illbient music, which does have a sonic similarity but of which ideological standpoints hold many millions of miles far from the ones of ambient music. You get convinced in that any time by listening to another dark ambient/illbient issue, for instance Edmahnd`s Henosis on Radio Stalingrad. The 3-track issue’s sources are profound and ominous despite consisting of a monochromatic fabric and endless echoes and incessant iterations. By its nature it is a sort of minimal music though loaded with adversarial emotions and frightening sensations. It sounds as if foreseeing an impending doom of unknown nature and heritage. The direction of the danger is also unknown but it is perceivable being somewhere around there. From day to day such type of music is being produced and we are the only subjects from whom the message is being addressed. I hope we are not stupid enough to ignore it blatantly. Get it, love it or…love it.       

Qoreader – Seventhouses (2014)

Mediafire

• Electronic dance music 
• Electro pop 
• Techno pop 
• Rave music 
• House pop 
• Post-disco 
• Folktronica

Comment: undoubtedly The Indonesian Qoreader`s 10-notch is an amusing one to listen to. However, by listening to it this arises some questions in me – how should it be tagged? Is it either rave pop or electronic dance music; is it either electro pop or post-disco? Of course, the latest definition and electronic dance music are ambivalent ones by their nature – as much as I have understood the term ”electronic dance music” is related to certain artists all over the world. “Post-disco” is a kind of electronic music being emerged after the explosion of disco music, which does say a little concrete about the real status of things. I guess Qoreader does have dug up some elements from the aforementioned styles, of which borders are so hazy and will be blurred with any next month going by. More in detail, it involves catchy rhythms, superficial yet frequently mind-blowing melodic patterns (for instance, at UptoHigh) and sampled vocal interference (aggressive female sayings surprisingly). There are up even some mocking elements interwoven into the sonic text in one track – “are you ready?” What the fuck does it mean? The Red Veil can be considered the exception of the whole because of being built up on a folk and electronic music mingled pace. The artist himself says that techno music is his root and dark ambient is his influence. To proof this statement or not you must spend some time with these 28 minutes. The issue was self-released through Mediafire two years ago. I like it. I like it very much.  

Ou Où – Ou Ng (2014)

Bandcamp

• Ambient 
• Post-rock
• Electro-acoustic
• Sound art
• Experimental rock
• Soundscapes
• Electronic music
• Musique concrète
• Ambient drone 
• Epic

Comment: I could remember for that I had had only good words about the St Louis, US-based duo Ou Où`s previous issue Geocities. The same could be assumed about Ou Ng which is similarly overwhelming in its aesthetics and epic touch. Similarly to Kinematik VKE`s Placental Drops From A Gestating Sky (2014, Dystimbria) it is often composed of elemental sonic “debris” (hisses, crackles, concrete sounds) which is magnified to get higher sublime reach and provide new colours through its alchemic approach. Of course, all the aforesaid elements are crossed with “ordinary” ambient developments and droning undulations to drift between the known and the unknown to uphold strain within compositions. In a nutshell, it is fabulous to spend a part of your life with these 26 minutes.

Kinematik VKE – Placental Drops From A Gestating Sky (2014)

Dystimbria

• Illbient
• Post-industrial
• Avant-garde
• Dark ambient
• Sound art
• Ambient drone
• Epic
• Experimentalism

Comment: this issue could be shown off as a nice exemplar of sound art music by considering that the artist exploits very intriguing approaches and a huge swarm of samples to create the craved result. However, Kinematik VKE as an artist has reached far more because these 20 minutes hide buried emotions within the whole. It might be seen quite paradoxical while the composition consists mainly of droning sounds which are at times adorned with accidental noises and metallic strikes. Furthermore, all the soundscape is highly intense and expertly accentuated. To explain the effect of the outing it could be assumed it is not music something of the sort where the sounds merely move on from a point A to a point B. Instead of it this used to develop vertically where many elements either will be progressing simultaneously or will be added at a certain time. It could be described as an example of polyphonic music where the woodwind instruments and violins are jettisoned in favour of abrasive hisses and murky threads which have been managed in the way to trudge at different speeds to alter one`s state of mind. Ultimately it chimes like an example of symphonic music, though an ominous sort of ambient music. It is staggering by any means.

Kingdom Of The Holy Sun – Thirteen Eyes EP (2014)

Bandcamp

• Indie rock
• Space rock
• Blues rock
• Psychedelic rock
• Trance rock
• Drone rock
• Alternative rock

Comment: with regard to the name of the Seattle-based quintet references emerging out from it used to be quite strong and fantasy-provoking. On the other side, music supports it entirely because of being loud and aesthetically overwhelming. It could be said this 4-track EP is an instance of genuine rock and roll whirlpool. It is rebellious and boisterous. More profoundly, it consists of droning psychedelic frequencies a la Spacemen 3, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Spiritualized, glowering, muddy blues energy and murky, angular, deliberately rough post-punk spores a la Joy Division. Indeed, huge energy is up there from beginning point to final seconds. The guitars are massive, even epic on it, pummelling drums run on mid-tempo and it makes immediately difference. I guess it makes sense with any weather. It is undoubtedly mandatory. Holy Shit of the Holy Sun. 

Rory Storm – Dot Matrix: Red (2014)

Tape Safe

Tape Safe

• Experimental techno
• Avant-techno
• Deep techno
• Abstract
• Dark ambient

Comment: Rory Storm`s handful of tracks wades into the realm of techno music though an abstract one. Indeed, at times those rhythms are minimized to get along with no feeling to simply develop on in an intriguing way. More profoundly, machines are very excited to progress obsessively on microscopic elements of rhythmic music. At times those elements are magnified with dark ambient tinged terrains (containing ominous shades and echoes within it) and even shoegaze and noise rock-alike interventions (for instance, rd_04). In a nutshell, it could be assumed the issue is obsessively enchanting. The outing is a part of the discography of Tape Safe.

FET.NAT – Poule Mange Poule (2014)

Bandcamp

• Avant-punk
• Dada music
• Spoken word
• Free jazz
• RIO
• Sampledelic
• Art rock
• Improvised music
• Punk funk
• Psychedelic
• Crossover
• Art punk
• Avant-prog
• Alternative dance
• Experimental rock

Comment: this issue comes out from Hull, Quebec, Canada which is a blend of free jazz and improvised music and punk funk which in turn is sprinkled with dada music drops. It could be said the set of 6 tracks is charmingly angular fulfilled perennially with unexpected turns, slowed-down otherworldly atmospheric glimpses and even some noisy and disturbing outbursts coming out from nothing (I mean to surface rapidly as if from nowhere). At times those punk funk-based and dance-appealed numbers will change into avant-prog/RIO music thanks to free jazz-y inner impulses, at times members of the group are perverted by language, at times they exploit samples and spoken word parts to magnify their mix.  Holy shit. The mission is successfully accomplished. It is an outstandingly refreshing issue from (French) Canada.

Die Geister Beschwören – Drawn To The Investigation Of Shadows (2014)

Bandcamp

• Acousmatic music
• Dark ambient
• Indie folk
• Americana
• Experimentalism
• Avant-garde
• Drone folk
• Folk indie
• New Weird America
• Post-classical

Comment: this issue comprises a couple of lengthy compositions which in turn used to chime like mind-boggling patchworks where sound snippets from different sources are followed by one another with great subtlety. More profoundly, it is from immersed indie folk/Americana and drone folk numbers and steamboat-alike ghastly epic brass sections (which sort of has always made difference in fact) to dark ambient and concrete music blended endeavours and post-classical sublime orchestrations based on vowel effects. The result is organic and sonically logic which in turn does mean there is up a mesmerizing whole for your pleasure. Very well done indeed.

Unicorn Hole – Some Songs (2014)

Torn Flesh

Kitty On Fire

• Cybergrind
• Electro-metal
• Midicore
• Harsh metal
• Electronic
• Ambient

Comment: this album could be called as a conceptual one as for progressive rock because of surfacing compositions with the same names though differing with regard to have the different parts within the 8-track course. On the other side, the first seven tracks all do have the same length – just one minute to run. Musically it is not progressive rock though rather being mechanically produced metal music being internally tagged as midicore. Indeed, it draws on machine-alike rhythms, anxiety loaded vocals, and electronic harmonic above the rhythms which in total could a little remind of chiptune/8-bit/tracker music. However, the ending composition You Could Have A Leg In One Hand And A Brerb In The Other is the case to turn all upside down – it is a fairly blissful glimpse by conjuring up the pictures from ambient music which could have some similarities with a late period Talk Talk, and some compositions of Durutti Column, for instance. The issue is a solid joint effort under such prolific and established labels as Torn Flesh Records and Kitty On Fire.

KFC Murder Chicks – Golden Age Of Cross Mystery (2014)

cOmaRecOrdz

• Ambient
• Breakcore
• Avant-electro
• Industrial hip-hop
• Noise-electro
• Avant-hop
• Experimental hip-hop
• Bhangra
• Electro-clash

Comment: As the artist`s name suggests music oozing out from this 5-track release must be frenzied and noisy. It might be even thoroughly frenzied and noisy. Indeed, it is true, it is downrightly true because all of that used to rely on squelching yet exquisitely craved bass thumping which works out like the black hole by those three chicks named as Stella, Beatrice, and Stephanie. Stylistically it is hopelessly puzzling to categorize it because of loaning influences from different places and slots. Furthermore, as a result it is an example of sophisticated and elaborated synthesis where one could discern to be somehow familiar with and on the other side all of that seems to be fairly new to refresh and inspire your mind and soul, respectively. As a result, it is both exploratory and entertaining, being at times funny and amusing, being at times elegantly aggressive and violent. Maybe it is a sort of hip-hop, maybe it is a stoned version of bhangra. Is it a glowering version of electro-clash at the time the electro-clash as a style is already dead? It might be. Those bold and rough clusters of electro-hop rhythms, some high-pitched vignettes and fast lyrics reciting constitute the quintessence of the outing. However, the only exception is Making Up For That where the artist enters into the sinister realm of dark ambient music which is a plateau for elusive ghosts and ominous apparitions. Indeed, by listening to the track it makes me to startle about how the trio in liaison with their producer DJ Rozwell could be so versatile to be able to drift between different genres in such organic way. All in all, it could be admitted to be an outstanding poltergeist induced issue. Thank you, KFC Murder Chicks, thank you, cOmaRecOrdz!           

JTPE - Segment II EP (2014)

Upitup

• Drum and bass
• Breakcore
• Experimental hip-hop
• Jungle
• Spoken word
• Urban music
• Avant-hop
• Remix

Comment: this handful of tracks by the Nijmegen, Netherlands-based artist embarks on with a track called Blacklisted which consists of precisely measured monochromic industrial hisses and jungle-hued cadences and some syllables and vowel effects atop here and there. The course will be continuing in a softer mode with a little bit faster yet bouncy rhythms (Koffie Door Een Rietje). However, the following three pieces are rendered similarly like the first track had been managed to run. Indeed, those machine and technology induced signs reappear to stimulate your subconsciousness and alter your state of mind. For instance, at Bedroom Junglist the artist unites aggressively surfacing rhythms, ill-omened exhoes and hisses with spoken word snippets in a sophisticated manner therefore giving it the elusive touch to grasp it one must listen to it many times in a row. Indeed, representatives of artificial intelligence have ultimately won here, however, having discovered delight and happiness coming out from dancing and dealing with music. All in all, it is a top notch for sure regarding the rhythms oriented music scene because of overwhelming power and exquisite artistic creativity. Of course, it is highly recommendable to get the artist`s Segment II-B issue which contains all of those B-sides, outtakes which did not get placed on the relevant release.      

Dia del Mercado - Troubled Roads, Battering Rain

rin la – Normality Brings Out The Normality In Me (2014)

Bandcamp

• Hip-hop
• Witch house
• Rap
• Dark ambient
• Experimentalism
• Avant-hop
• Leftfield
• Micronoise
• Drag house
• Urban music

Comment: rin la is an Estonian classically educated musician (if I could remember for clearly then he studied the guitar as an instrument) who is dwelling In Vienna, Austria at the moment. By the way, he is not only in the family of him who is related to the music. For instance, her sister Alina Ostrova is well-known in many indie music circles as a member of Hype Williams under the pseudonym of Inga Copeland. In 2014 he had been especially active by issuing three outings in all. NBOTNIM was the last one then, however, reflecting properly upon profound investigation and development of hip-hop/rap music by him. Indeed, one could hear noise fuelled and ominous ambient horizons and hovering dub swaths above his silent, stuttering chanting which might remember of Tricky`s approach to recite verses. For sure, it is innovative because of craftily incorporating exquisite witch house and drag house shards and threatening vibes into the body. Musically it is a distinctive and idiosyncratic hip-hop example which has much more to say than an average gangsta rap instance. Moreover, rin la certainly chimes better than most hip-hop acts worldwide. By similar artists with similar venturous approach from Estonia I recommend to listen to Simon Ace`s Oberon (2013, Bandcamp). 

Taman Nada - Taman Nada EP (2014)

SUB/SIDE

Indonesian Netlabel Union 

• Indie folk
• Folk rock
•  Folk indie
• Indonesian pop

Comment: if to run around in Internet and searching for netlabels then you might stumble upon such conglomerate of imprints as Indonesian Netlabel Union. The idea to establish such a sort of nationwide bond seems to be appealing. Furthermore, Indonesia is one of those Asian countries of having the decent indie scene and in general does have an awe-awakening musical legacy regarding both pop music and ethnic/world music. One of the notches is SUB/SIDE in the imprint`s compound and Taman Nada`s self-titled three track issue is a part of its discography. It starts off with whistling to evolve into clear-cut, light-hearted pop music which at times seems to be as crystalline as branch water. Indeed, it is devoid of crackbrained threads, tumbling strains and stoned outbursts however, in spite of it the result is impressive due to predominant vocal lead which is accompanied by sparse instrumentation due to neat guitar fingering – especially at the opening piece Fase. However, this track and Marilah Mari do provide the best harmony solution of which could be found over there. Musically they can be considered a part of the well-acclaimed indie folk/folk rock scene being so popular nowadays thanks to such combos as Mumford & Sons, Angus & Julia Stone, Ben Howard, and Fleet Foxes. All the songs are sung in Indonesian (or at least in a local native language). Let`s grab music from there. 

Meow Meow vs. Jefflocks - Hard Gaan (2014)

Sociopath Recordings

Bandcamp

• Bhangra
• Alternative dance
• Drum and bass
• Jungle
• Wolrd fusion
• Crossover
• Breakbeat

Comment: this 7-piece issue by the Netherlands-based artists is a fabulous example of catchy broken rhythms and vocal delivery. More profoundly, it is relied on highly energized drum and bass and bold jungle paces to provide the background to bhangra stylized singing. At times the whole is saturated with relaxing synth progressions being so characteristic to deep house progressions thereby adding some complexity in structure (infrrrrma fe Dead). However, one can perceive some sublime noises and scattered sub bass frequencies coming out of the maze of the blend of those intensive rhythms and vocal deliveries. In a word, it is a fascinating punch getting your soul and body. Last but not least - it reminds me of cool late teenage listening sessions with music by Asian Dub Foundation, and Fun-Da-Mental in the 90s, The issue is a part of the discogrpahy of a meritorious label, Sociopath Recordings being active since 2006.  

DIYE - Cemetery Lane (2014)

Bandcamp

/Psychedelic rock, Noise rock, Experimental rock, Ethereal wave, Space rock, Alternative rock, Indie rock/

Comment: DIYE is the duo of Albert Dean, and Maria Soromenho from London, UK. The album starts off with a track, called Paris which is very relevant with regard to recently happened horrendous events in the capital of France. Furthermore, the album`s title has references to the event either. Paris reminds quite of the mystical milieu of being dominating on Cocteau Twins` album Treasure. In fact, the track seems to be more serious-minded due to airy yet lone guitar chords and some sublime arpeggios coming through the air being supported by Maria Soromenho´s floaty voice. And vice versa. However, the rest of a couple of tracks are decent one either – Bad Girl In A Fur Rug is a more indie oriented one reminding slightly of some of the pieces of the Estonian indie classic Dreamphish though the Londoner`s music is more spaced-out and noisy. No Time is fraught with elegant anxiety and guitars are getting almost lost in dense vapour of noisy sounds. Additionally I recommend listen to music being issued on Little Ying Records.

Enkil – Evolution (2014)

Teque-Nique

/Psytechno, EBM, Tekno, Alternative dance, Psybient, Psytrance/

Comment: Franco Barletta aka Enkil is a musician with the rock music background, however, who discovered the world of electronic music/analogic synth for approximately 13 years ago. He has issued 4 outings under Teque-Nique so far. Evolution consists of three compositions (Kimika, Hypnotic State, Evolution). Roughly it is a blend of psychedelic techno and tekno and trance propulsions, alarm-alike synth wobbling and bold synth threads and some glistening ambient textures. By historical influences in music one could hear electronic body aesthetic and pathos coming out of those exuberant, solid synth developments. Eventually it could be admitted it is a solid exertion reflecting upon the solid genre.

Lezet – Accumulation (2014)

Buddhist On Fire

Lezet

/Experimental electronica, Ambient, Ethnotronica, Glitchtronica, Rocktronica, Modern classical, Musique concrète, Crossover, Abstract, Avant-garde/

Comment: Lezet is a very prolific artist from Serbia who has issued approximately 70 albums so far. Accumulation is a short-running issue (ending at the length of 20.56) but it justifies its name because many elements used to surface throughout the course. One could hear mandatory experimental electronic developments, glitched-out noises, and even world music infected motives and sultry rhythms of rock music are represented over there. At times his progressions used to turn into an abstract one – for instance, Bezoar is one of such sort of tracks where vocal loops are slightly shifted against each other to create an indecipherable message and culminate into noisy torrents at the end of the composition. Rain is a fragile modern classical piece saturated with a heavy raining sample. The result is dreamy and giving one a cozy corner to freshen /himself/herself up in his/her haste. Indeed, Lezet exploits samples now and then to saturate his soundscape. In a word, it is a thoroughgoing exertion with many interesting moments. The issue is a notch in the discography of Buddhist On Fire.

Nojoined - A Good Day For Gravity (2014)

aReW

Archive.org

/Ambient, Drone, Minimalism, Organic electronica, Kosmische Musik, Musique concrète/

Comment: behind these 39 minutes is David Priestley whose issue draws upon a minimal approach which consists of droning electronics, and undulating spaced-out synths on the top. At the first sight it might ring a little bit matted, however, the more one listens to it the more it will be opening up for you. Indeed, the core of these 6 pieces is dark-mattered and obscure though one can find out glimpses coming out of it and coming into it. For instance, you can discern the sounds of concrete music and Moog splattered rhythms. In general, it is the solid drift between dark ambient and Kosmische Musik.

Camilo Franco - Minutos Antes De – EP (2014)

Sólo le Pido a Dior

/Experimental electronica, Techno pop, Mood music, IDM/

Comment: Camilo Franco is a musician from Buenos Aires, Argentina whose 3-track issue is a seamless drift between IDM-tinged electronic explorations and pop inflected vamp. Indeed, by listening to it one can perceive a posture and attitude being so characteristic to the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 00s being mostly related to the minimal techno/IDM scene of Continental Europe (mostly artists and labels related to Germany, and Austria). By listening to it at the moment it chimes like something of mood music – it used to meander slowly in between rhythmic and harmonic banks without rapid changes in sonic fabric and harmony. All those chord changes can be perceived markedly arousing a feeling of calm and an absence of agitation. Antes is an exception because it merges together climax fuelled voices of a man and woman thereby arousing sexual desire in the listener. On the other side, the aforementioned compartment is backed up by sublime synth chord progressions reminding of an early and mid-period Kraftwerk (which was less techno and electro-oriented). In a nutshell, it is a decent work. Find it out at the discography of Sólo le Pido a Dior Records.