Vaatican Records - "Sampler N°30" (2014)

Vaatican Records

/Experimental electronica, Leftfield, Psyambient, Sampledelic, Glitchtronica, Breakcore/

Comment: it is highly likeable to listen to this menarche of 20 tracks by different artists on Vaatican Records. By listening to these pieces of art you can perceive something fairly special coming through these compositions on the imprint. It does not matter when rough breaks and glitch loaded frequencies and freaked-out sound collages and sample infused noisy electro pop appearances are variegated with more moody psychedelic ambient and emotive electronica propulsions and cinematic break explorations. It might be the ideas based beneath these forms are set up in the way to keep close to each other, i.e having no big gap between each other. There are represented such artists as Chors Blor, Pagale, Timon Simplar, Muimuitikiti, Crackzilla, Bradley The Buyer, Rappeur Qualitè Prix, Vlooper, Age2.1, A Ghost In The Way, Steradd, Haruki Tamesue, Paq, Steve E. Denver,Delzoid, Cobra (avec Logo Panthère), Blue Cat Cinema. There are the masters at work indeed.       

SC#006 VA Compilation (2014)

Symbiotic Cube

Bandcamp

/Experimental electronica, Glitchtronica, Dubstep, Ambient dub, Electro, Space music, Leftfield/

Comment: Symbiotic Cube is a record label from Cologne, Germany, the home city of an essential krautrock group named CAN. CAN was a combo who liked to produce frantic and cutting-edge yet strongly danceable compositions, at times more funky, at time more disco, at times more reggae-inclined. This menagerie of 10 tracks involves also dance-appealed numbers though they chime in a more remarkably electronic and software-based way. The miscellany includes artist worldwide (from USA to Iran, from Russia to Mexico). The whole is masterfully selected and compiled extending from emotive, almost pop-induced electronic music and electro to more cut-up, sheltered and hidden compositions. In any cases, if you are planning to organize a space journey this example is a good source to get some moody music for relaxing in these days. There are represented such projects as Odepth, Andi Finger, Abduct, Leaving the Planet, GLASKIN, Reverse Bullets, Rowan J. Thyme, YBSTN, Tzeshi, and r.m.ʝ〜ʎ. In a word, come close to it to discover the asset of it. 

Ekleipsi Net-Label Halloween Compilation (2007)

Ekleipsi

Free Music Archive

/Neofolk, Dark folk, Funeral metal, Neoclassical, Space rock, Post-classical, Dark Wave, Shoegaze, Breakbeat/

Comment: honestly, what kind of music could be expected from the Halloween compilation else but dark-hued, doleful, ominous and overwhelming aesthetic examples pouring out from any chord and rhythmic staple. Furthermore, no one can blame this compilation of having blanched outfit and nature (except the bloof, of course, thought to be delivered to witches and other supernatural beings). More profoundly, there are represented 30 tracks of disparate edges of the spectrum replete with black and grey-filled shades, extensive dread appeal, and phantasmal murmurs here and there. At times it is solemn and epic, at times rhythm and echo centred. There are represented such artists as Darrell Waters, Blue Skies Bring Tears, Shadegrown, Noctiflora, The Light Beyond, The Silence Industry, Jupiter Make`s Me Scream, Art Of Empathy, Aesis, Aritus, CriadCrias, Schattenwald, Comascape, Surrain, Milkrun. By the way, most artists on it have two tracks represented. In a word, goth kids come over here to grab it for yourselves.

OverClocked ReMix - Super Mario 64: Portrait of a Plumber (2014)

OC ReMix

/Chiptune, 8-bit, EDM, Remixes, Alternative rock, Fusion, Nintendocore, Mood music, Chipbreak/'

Comment: this 21-track miscellany involves many artists with disparate approaches/remixes ranging from orthodox 8-bit/tracker/nintendocore music templates to more moody and orchestrated progressions and organ driven jazz rock/fusion excursions, bouncy electronic dance music, cloudless film score induced compositions and even majestic guitar-based rock music. I guess this might be a sort of challenging sonorous smorgasbord for any plumber who is prone to take hold of more pretentious music rather than listening to this one which mostly come from the adult-oriented radio stations. More profoundly, eventually this creates the feeling you can perceive after an incisive rain torrent and at the time of the generation of a rainbow arch across the clouds. On these two discs are represented such artists as halc, Nutritious, Sole Signal, Tuberz McGee, Scaredsim, Brandon Strader, The Coop, prophetik, Fishy, Fratto, Mikeaudio, Argle, Sir Jordanius, Theory of N, G-Mixer, Electric Concerto,  

Rosario Indie - Compilado 2014 (2014)

Rosario Indie

/Indie pop, Psychedelic rock, Alternative dance, Alternative rock, Fuzz pop, Electro-indie/

Comment: it is a decent miscellany of disparate indie pop tendencies – ranging from common indie pop progressions, dreamy pop reveries and dance-appealed notches to krautrock influenced motorik beats, knee-deep psychedelic reflections and clamant outcries of guitar sounds. In a word, this compilation involves plenty of synth sounds, electronic manipulations, fetching guitar chords and crossover sounds, This compilation of 17 tracks is related to Rosario, a city in Argentina. Indeed, it gives you a good overview about indie music in Rosario, and Argentina either. There are represented such artists as Mi Nave, Oscar Favre, Daddy Rocks, Juani & Checho, Proyecto Sarajevo, Vacaciones en Globo, Juli Camelli, Helena Nav, SÉNOR CASCO, ńńńń, Hombre de Color, Jubany, Té de Indio, Korben Dallas, Rejected & The X Club, Cromattista, Alpha Centauri. Most ditties are sung in Spanish. 

nonlips - A Collection Of Songs Recorded By The Flaming Lips (2011)

Bandcamp

/Covers, Lo-fi, DIY, Alternative pop, Indie pop, Psychedelic pop, Space pop/

Comment: Wayne Coyne curated combo is a lucky one because of producing music what they wish themselves to create while the albums are bought by thousands of people. The more time goes on the more frantic their aesthetic approach seems to develop – they are an apparent avant-garde combo within the major stream of pop music. There are up 17 covers with Lips` songs reflecting upon Lips` psychedelic and space pop explorations and mellow electronically tinged soft pop tendencies being so actual in recent production. Furthermore, these artist represented on the miscellany add lo-fi and DIY coloration to the pot. Let`s listen to it – it`s thought-provoking and chill. It is a compilation where music is made by members of The Flaming Lips Message Bored communities (2002-present).         

VA – Movin On (2006)

MinusN

Archive.org

/Glitchtronica, Experimental techno, Abstract electronica, Avant-electronica, Improvised music, Minimal techno/

Comment: although this miscellany of 14 compositions was released approximately 9 years ago the whole chimes truly impressive and refreshing today as well. The composition was a part of the discography of a record label, Minus-N which disseminated the seeds of experimental electronic music throughout the 00s. As previously said the result is outstanding because of revealing some best sides regarding experimental electronic and abstract/minimal techno compartment. Although the shape of these tracks might be seen as austere, desolate or bleak at the first glance the more you are ready to immerse in it the wider and warmer the content will seem to the listener. Indeed, it can be said the result is fairly appealing (not quite sexually appealing unless you are imagining to have sex with robots fed by high AC/DC voltage loaded cables). Eventually you can conclude the result is minimalist rather than somehow disadvantaged. In any cases, there are represented such artists as Claudia Bonarelli, .at/on, goem/fdw, The Suffragettes, Shalma, Lod, g_n44f, Motor, Masaya Sasaki, Andrey Kiritchenko, Pero, Salmon, Muffrare, Jos Smolders. The compilation is mandatory.

Quattroannidiversi – ViVeriVive (2015)

ViVeriVive

Archive.org

/Art rock, Indie rock, Singer-songwriter, Indie folk, Alternative pop, Post-punk/

Comment: ViVeriVive is an Italian record label who has recommended many Italian artists with disparate aesthetic interests and impulses to the world. However, this compilation of seven tracks by seven musical projects is more guitar and drum-heavy and many artists on it used to draw influences from seminal art punk, post-punk, and No Wave scenes. On the other side, some tracks on it are more restrained and folk-inclined ones. It is thought-provoking music performed in Italian. The are such artists as Zinalbo, Faro, Gio Fattoruso, Reazione Acustica, Rudolfo Toè, Il Nostro Tempo Violento, and Lullabier.   

Totokoko Christmas Compilation 5 (2014)

Totokoko

/Folktronica, Modern classical, Alternative, Indietronica, Conceptual, Cowbell indie/

Comment: actually it is never late to listen to Totokoko label related (Xmas) compilations because music represented over there has no time related barriers. The compilation reflects upon the Japanese label`s sonorous nature – from soothing indie electronic and folk related programmed music to more IDM and modern classical centred compositions. Some songs are embellished with field recording/electro-acoustic shells. Despite their predominantly glitchy body nine artists/compositions inhabited over there will reveal their sensitive soul and warm-riddled heart. More concretely, there are up such projects as Henri Almond, Morimoto Naoki, OOOQ, Mitsuyoshi Matsuda, Shayou, Junya Nishimura, Koji Maruyama, and Ryosuke Miyata (ex.Miche). Enjoy modern Xmas songs.  

Poverty Electronics Vol. 2 (2014)

Bandcamp

/Noise, Power electronics, Leftfield, Avant-garde, Experimentalism/

Comment: it is often asked how one could distinguish between bad and good noise music. It will be even more problematic because of noise music frequently used to converge with other styles, for instance with power electronics, industrial and experimental electronic music. Noise music does not mean the kind of harsh noise anymore as previously it used to be. However, the recent compilation of 18 tracks is a fascinating gathering of impulses and chips of the abovementioned styles. There are up in a row such artists as Schemawound, Wozzeck, datewithdeath, Ryan Stanley, Jon Thoresen, mhzesent, mutant.R.I., Big Purr, Nathan J Carter, A Raja`s Mesh Men, NRIII, DJ Conical Bore, Sickle Cell Maneuvers, Der Domestizierte Mensch, Stormhat, Cool Person, Rubbish, and AG Davis.    

Beko_cs02 (August 2010)

Beko DSL

/Indie pop, Alternative pop, Indietronica, Electronic, Dream pop, Ambient pop/

Comment: as you can see a huge amount of stylistic tags above this compilation of 21 tracks embraces a lot of artists from the modern indie music spectrum. Mostly it is dominated by synthetic, keyboard percolated orchestrations and tenuous vocals. Indeed, the guitars do have a backseat role within the case. The miscellany was issued 5 years ago and it can say at the moment that some of these artists have gained popularity meanwhile and are solidly represented in most important webzines. For instance, Blackbird Blackbird, Porcelain Raft, Foxes In Fiction are those ones. Additionally there are represented such artists as Fluker Love, Black Coffee & Cherry Pie, Wizard Oz, Kites Sail High, Raw Moans & Party Trash, Petit Tambour, Cosmic Sound, Pandit, Liquid Days, Kiss Kiss Fantastic, Lay Bac, The Beauty, Vacation Dad, Mon Insomnie, The Cq, Hard Mix, Winter Drones, Coma Cinema. 

Tunguska Electronic Music Society - Siberian Jungle Vol.5 (2014)

Bandcamp

Jamendo

/Drum and bass, Electronica, Jungle, Mood music, Dream and bass/

Comment: TEMS is a collective of artists and musicians from Siberia, Russia who have issued a barrage of compilation albums during the last 7-8 years. They have got many followers all around the world. This time their key word is jungle, though their approach is without orthodox one because of mixing those pumped rhythms with synthesizer invoked magniloquent panoramas and drowsy new age-y feeling and even indie electronic and jazzy whiffs. It is a moody album rather than having intention to conquer the club venues. However, there are up some exceptions either. Get yourself the headphones and listen to this decent agreement between those spaced-out panoramas, blissful synth touches and spicy rhythms. It used to ignite some memories from my childhood while watching and enjoying the film score of such cartoon as Tayna Tretey Planety (1981, Sojuzmultfilm). Indeed, the compilation embraces a lot of outstanding compositions. There are represented such artists as Susanin, N-Box, Black Dominates, Joint Stock Galaxy, Berkheya, Cj Ools, Parhelia, SND, Van. In a word, TEMS did it again. It is obviously one of the best compilations from the year 2014. The more you listen to it the more it winds up.    

CKKO40 - Kito Sounds 6 (2014)

Bandcamp

/Electro-indie, Alternative dance, Downtempo, Electro pop, New Wave, Dub, Electronic pop, Techno pop, Synth wave, Minimal wave, Kraut-electro, Alternative pop/

Comment: CHEZ.KITO.KAT Records is a French label which set off in 2006 to promote mind-provoking electronic pop music. The recent compilation involves 17 pieces by such artists as Artabana, Synthesis, Beat For Sale, Jürgen Jogurt, Binary & Dyslexic, Det90, E1000, Mr Bios, Shizuka, Kuston Beater, In Circles, Alexandre Martinez, No Drum No Moog, Dr Geo, Daily Vacation, Arbee, Bochum Ludmila. The compilation is outstanding because of going out on a limb with regard to traditional synth pop and electronic pop music examples springing to mind. Why? There can be drawn parallels upon such movements as minimal wave, post-punk, spaced-out synthesizer rock, dub, and krautrock which definitely would have impact on the abovementioned artists in a more or lesser extent. Although the music presented there is ambitious it does not sacrify its emotional side. Get in those 80 minutes to get a parallel world for yourself.      

EPV NAVIES – VOLTAGE CIRCLE (2014)

Elementperspective

Bandcamp

Free Music Archive

/Glitchtronica, Experimental pop, Glitch techno, IDM, Experimental electronica, Indietronica, Art pop, Ambient, Ambient techno, Abstract, Glitch ambient, Glitch dub, Modern classical, Post-industrial, Electro-acoustic, Clicks`n`bleeps, Organic electronica, Dream folk, Crossover, Soundscapes, musique concrete, Ambient drone, Avant-electronica, Noise, Art pop/

Comment: by watching this list of a huge amount of tags wrote down above it implies a vary-coloured nature of this 16-track issue. Indeed, the main spots are `electronic` – ranging from refreshing alternative pop expressions and stereophonic fireworks to remarkably harsher, even abstract synthesised glimpses, with more or less bellying, protuberant rhythms; `ambient` - with or without drones, at times knee-deep and spacey, at times more morose, glitch-draped and noise-soaked; `classical` - at the time it does mean mutant classical music where the axial term is buried under other, electronic-induced elements. The only exception is a Finnish singer-songwriter, Violeta Päivänkakkara, though, make that this time her track (Sya; the compilation also includes the video version of it) chimes significantly more electronically than she commonly used to do. Additionally, there are represented such artists as sanmi, AUCHRE, Gallery Six, Rawpass, Senna, Makoto Masui, Nankotsuteacher, N-qia, --memor2, Yoshitaka Hikawa, SHOMOMOSE, Y:E:T, and gift. All in all, it is an excellent introduction to the Japanese label elementperspective. Great.               

I Heart Noise - Boston Not LA Vol. 3 (2014)

I Heart Noise

• No Wave
• College rock
• Experimental indie
• Electro-rock
• Jazz
• Leftfield
• Experimental rock
• Avant-rock
• Psych-rock
• Trip-hop
• Dada music
• Crossover
• Indietronica
• Hip-hop

Comment: recently I reviewed a Boston residing combo, The Mules`s two-track issue 7`` of combining punk rock with No Wave and experimental rock aesthetics. This compilation of 9 tracks is also about Boston, more profoundly, about Boston-based label I Heart Noise related artists. There are represented such artists as School For Robots, Skyjelly, Mary Casiello, Con-Tex, Andrew Geano, Twink, The Sound Down Cellar, Valentin Price, and Jenova 7. The base of the miscellany is mostly of how to splice rock music with electronic or noise music experiments and electro propulsions. Of course, there are some exceptions either – for instance, Mary Casiello`s I Can't Be Tamed (Songs I Hate) is more jazz and improvised music oriented composition. Jenova`s Heroin For Dilla is an insight into a sublime instrumental hip-hop/trip-hop rhythm world. The most challenging and uncanny track comes out from Con-Tex whose Somehow There You Are is composed of warped electronic and acoustic instruments layering which in turn is laced with crawling dada-near vocal manifestation. In the aggregate, it is a fabulous and varicoloured sum of spellbinding and charismatic compositions worth to be enjoyed and get appreciated.                

Jazz Friends – Autumn Leaves (2013)

Jamendo

• Nu jazz
• Mood music
• Chillout
• Acid jazz
• Art music
• Easy listening
• Smooth jazz
• Downbeat

Comment: this miscellany of 9 tracks issued approximately 10 ten months ago is relevant at the moment either. In fact, it may behove for any time. The smorgasbord  starts off with a fabulous regatta pop example by Roberto Daglio combining together easy-paced cognition, 70`s ending jazz progressions reminding a little bit of Miles Davis, and Jaan Kuman, for instance. However, in addition to it there are represented also jazz-induced mood music, more art music progressions, smoky downbeat shuffles, and more contemporary electronic/acid/nu jazz grooves and hovers. In a word, it guarantees to the listener good feeling and pleasant state of mind. Beyond Roberto Daglio there are represented Stefano Mocini and Liquid Frame, JAZ, PeerGyntLoboGris, Liquid Frame, DavidKBD, Nujazz Trio, Thorvald Odin, and Lino Del Vecchio.                 

A&C Download Sampler (2014)

Arts & Crafts

• Funk
• Electro-indie
• Alternative rock
• Poptronica
• Baroque pop
• Neokrautrock
• Indie pop

Comment: Arts & Crafts is an indie label based on Toronto, Canada whose well-known artists are or has been Bell Orchestre, The American Analogue Set, Moby, Röyksopp, Stars, The Hidden Cameras, Tricky, Los Campesinos!. The recent sampler includes such artists as NO, Gord Downie, The Sadies, And The Conquering, Kevin Drew, Lowell, Reuben and the Dark, Timber Timbre, Trust, and Zeus. Stylistically the compilation used to veer into lush indie electronic and electro pop, circumspect baroque pop, funk-inclined rock, straightforward but viable rock and roll, and even an up-to-date version of krautrock. However, the catchiest and most volatile track on it is Kevin Drew`s You In Your Were, and more pretentious and distant one is Timber Timbre`s Curtains!?. In a word, the Arts & Crafts`s sampler is compelling and worth to be enjoyed again and again. Subscribe to the label`s mailing list.      

1-BIT WIZARDS - The Journey Begins (2013)

Kittenrock

• 1-bit
• Chiptune
• Chipbreak
• Bitpop
• Psychedelic electronica
• Primitive electronica

Comment: this compilation of 13 tracks is a short-running one (ending at 34.12) involving such artists as Fluidvolt, Factor6, Irrlicht Project, Warlord, Mind Body, Shiru, Mister Beep, and TDM. More profoundly, the formula seems to be quite simple – the artists provide 1 bit based sonic figures – the fine-grained interaction between brisk rhythms and catchy melodies thus constituting a decent whole. Furthermore, the listener can detect for various audible cognitions and experiences being acquainted with already and new ones at the same time.      

Celestial Matter ~ Various Artists (2013)

Subterranean Tide

• Ambient
• Ambient techno
• Kosmische Musik
• Space music
• Soundscapes
• Ambient drone
• Hauntology
• Experimental electronica
• Microtonal
• Minimal
• Ambient rock
• Dark ambient
• Abstract

Outstanding tracks:

Bobby Jones - Alone in the Vast Ocean (Excursion 1)

Fernando Carvalho - Divinidad Revelada

Savaran - Oort Cloud

Cinchel - Dry Ice (1st movement)

Darren Harper - Sung From Sympathetic Strings

Mystified - Dusty Measures

Elian - City Point

Darren McClure - Interiors

The Green Kingdom - The Dust of Divinity

Kluge - Tolophie

HXDK - Adrift

Beko DSL - CS01 (2010)

Beko DSL

• Indie pop
• Electro-indie
• Lo-fi
• Alternative rock
• Shitgaze
• Dream pop
• Organcore
• Fuzz pop
• Poptronica
• Indietronica
• Glo-fi
• Ambient pop
• Alternative dance
• Post-psychedelic electronica
• Drone pop

Outstanding tracks:

Death And Vanilla - Between Circles

Romantic States - The Fourth

The Bilinda Butchers - All My Friends

Eternal Summers - Pure Affection

Tan Dollar - Clams

Wonder Wheel - Eyes

Nude Beach - Hot Girl

Greatest Hits - Your Just An Uptown Girl

Muscle Drum - So Slow

Edh - Longwasted

Woven Tales - God Helmet

Eachothers - Jogging Holiday