Along Came December - Lost Memories (2012)

Canata

Lastfm

9.0

/Alternative rock, Art rock, Post-punk, Gothic rock, Art punk/

Comment: Along Came December is a one-man-project launched by the Englishman Glen Jones in 2006 under the nom de plume Hello Stranger. Jones was then sparked by video games and 80s/90s indie rock. Indeed, this set of 4 tracks is an enjoyable journey by listening to a tiny bit austere, post-punk/goth oriented and chiming jangle pop-tinged alternative pop. Yet, this album can not be considered a part of the post-punk revival started off at the beginning of 00s because of being more uncompromising in regard to the contemporary mainstream music. Jones` aesthetics involves faithfully much of the attitude pertaining to the one of the 80`s alternative groups.

Youth Camp - /​/​-​/​/ (2012)

Bandcamp
Lastfm 

9.0

/Ambient, Minimal, Drone, Experimental electronica, Ambient dub, Experimental rock, Ambient rock, Post-rock/

Comment: this handful of tracks created by the yankee James Harris`one-man project starts off with a little bit unpleasant, tightly abrasive pulsating noises (there can be drawn parallels upon the works of the likes of Konrad Schnitzler, and Manuel Göttsching, for example) which later will be softened, however, turning sometime into pronounced guitar fingerpicking or more rattling twangs either in the middle of lone chords of the bass drum or extensive air areas surrounding the listener around all corners. Furtermore, it involves some moments where you can be a fitness of how Harris can create hearttrending moments. On the other side, it used to convey to the listener concrete sounds and hazy ambient (dub) panoramas blended endeavours. However, the result is impressive and worth to be caught up.

Boyish/Daisyblue - Gentle Breeze EP (2012)

Canata
Lastfm 

9.2

/Alternative rock, Indie pop, Jangle pop, J-pop/

Comment: this is a sequent issue on a Japanese label, called Canata Records. In any cases, this 4-track issue created by two bands can be characterized by highly joyous guitar works reminiscent of a timespan having been between the mid-80s and the beginning of 90s when the indies made their first efforts. The whole is filled with blossoming guitar chords and suggestive vocal reveries (variegated with male and female vocals respectively) which sometimes is embellished with heavy keyboard-based works. There can be drawn parallels upon the likes of McCarthy, The Pastels, early Primal Scream, The Chameleons. The closing Summer Film track by Daisyblue resembles a little bit of Happy Mondays` Lazytis. In all, it is soo nostalgic and impressive!

The Air Was Thick - Prototype 1.0 (2011)

Canata
Lastfm

8.7

/Alternative rock, Shoegaze, Noise rock/

Comment: Damian Hughes, Andrey Pavlovic, and Tom Peden from Wakefield, UK established TAWT after the demise of their old project Candid Squash, and Lover Octave. Indeed, it is their debut album where 32 minutes are spreaded out over 8 tracks and issued on the Japanese label Cnata Records. By and large, the trio combines glowering guitar lines with heavily stomping drums. The group can be compared with the likes of Smashing Pumpkins, This Lonely Crowd, Inverness, and Ride.

The Hatsune Mikus - Go Manchester!!! (2011)

Canata
Lastfm

9.5

/Dream pop, Baggy, Shoegaze, Madchester, Dance rock, Alternative pop/rock, J-pop, Indie pop/

Comment: I have always been into such groups as Happy Mondays, The Soup Dragons, Darkside, Flowered Up, Northside, The Mock Turtles, The Wordsmiths and other such kind of groups who used to fuse indie guitars with dance-appealed beats. By listening to this 5-track issue I can only perceive very strong bittersweet feeling because of including elements which do build up an enthralling whole. Japanese female vocal driven songs are backed up by suggestive wah guitars, beatific mandolin chords and amusing orchestrations, and loose drum pads. Onwards, the result can be measured in astonishing harmonies and melodies either. In fact, the album`s title should have named as Go Madchester!!! (just a little joke!). However, imagine as if Happy Mondays were met with Richard Hawley, and Asobi Seksu, and Flipper`s Guitar, and Ride. One of the pop albums in 2011.