Seppuku – Permanent Real Delicate (2011)

Dracula Horse

• New Wave 
• Post-punk 
• Synth-rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Indie rock 
• Synth-pop 
• Dreamwave 
• Alternative 
• Space pop 
• Kosmische Musik 
• Dance rock 
• Art punk 
• Acid rock

Comment: it is tremendous honour to be back at the discography of Dracula Horse, the American imprint of being closely related to Coolrunnings, a combo that had produced a bunch of outstanding contemporary psychedelic issues. However, Seppuku's 6-track issue of being embedded in a 16-minute is as great as well. It starts off with an abrasive electronic/synth-punk/new wave rant to stepwise evolve into more psychedelic and spacious appearances at will. The artist is dripping with dreamy guitars and dream-drenched synthesisers which used to have more in common with such space explorers as M Geddes Gengras, Oneothrix Point Never, Steve Hauschildt, Leyland Kirby rather than with die-hard post-punk ensembles. First and foremost, I am talking about composition called Ravine. And of course, all of that effortless aplomb leads eventually to remembering Tangerine Dream. In a word, that's an explosive yet bewildering miscellany of dance-appealed guitar chords, and reverie-induced keyboards, and suggestive propulsions. Top quality by any means.

Monroeville Music Center - Le Progrès (2011)

Bandcamp

9.4

/Exotica pop, Space Age, Acid pop, Alternative, Electronic pop, Mood music, Avant-garde, Experimental electronica, DIY, Proto-electronica/

Comment: these 4 tracks are to constitute a simplistic release just produced with the assistance of shimmering synth-based bleeping and crispy beats at the bottom. Those gentle themes and motives atop it used to hark back to the exotica pop and Space Age pop traditions back in the 1960s (at the time when Moog synthesizer was just invented thereby inducing a cult). There can be drawn parallels upon the likes of Raymond Scott, Martin Denny, Gershon Kingsley, Jean Jacques Perrey, Bruce Haack, and Morton Garson. 

Ave Eva - Self Titled EP (2011)

Dracula Horse
Soundcloud

9.5

/Dream folk, Repetitronica, Psychedelia, Exprimental folk, Post-psychedelic, Toytronica, Sound art, Microtonal, Freak folk, Abstract electronica, Soundscape, Ambient/

Comment: The result is vastly bigger than the total sum of the issue`s particles would afford to expect it for, though. Indeed, it is essentially sparse by its formative angle - only some tickling drum loops, separated string chords and metallophone-backed minutiae, ghostly spreading miraculous atmospheric texture can be met left and right. The main point is that the soundscape does change its colour/tonality and intention through a relentless array of modified sonic (pitch) effects. As the final effort, it stretches itself out from dream-alike repetitronica and subtle microtonal-relied sound-art to astonishing dream-folk and toytronica notches. The more you listen to it the more you getting fall into the sort of post-psychedelic depth (which is psychedelic on its own, though). The parallels can be drawn upon the workouts by Oskar Hallbert, and Thuoom/Thuuooom, both of them coming from the Scandinavian Peninsula.

Gongue - Blurred (2011)

Dracula Horse
Bandcamp

8.8

/New Weird Europe, DIY, Anti-folk, Experimental folk, Avant-folk, Alt-folk/

Comment: Dracula Horse is first of all known as the home label for Coolrunnings, though it does offer little corners for the other artists, including The Foggy Albion-relied Gongue either. What references does Gongue`s sound have exactly? It is profoundly made with the attitude of the nowadays DIY patchwork-ism - simple anti-folk-ish guitar strums (and more complex alt-folk adventures) are variegated with no-so-light electronic slopes (which at times do chime as if the examples coming from the Kraftwerk`s albums (particularly from Radio-Activity), dance funk and weird pop moments (electro-acoustic overthrows, "unstable" sonic snippets-effects). Indeed, it is the issue which is made out with obvious care and dedication.

Coolrunnings - Dracula Is Only The Beginning (2011)

Dracula Horse
Bandcamp

8.2

/Psychedelia, Avant-pop, Experimental indie, Poptronica, Alternative pop, Glo-fi, Art-rock/

Comment: Knoxvillian quartet Coolrunnings is back after the great EP Babies Forever which was one of the peak albums in 2010. In fact, it can be considered the group`s first proper LP. In principle, they continue keeping on their current aesthetical tradition offering strong drifts toward Animal Collective-esque exulting psychedelia and Arcade Fire-like straightness in songwriting. This time their songwriting is way too restrainted and less shimmering, though, proffering some really great moments either (Megalomania; Burnout).

Coolrunnings Babes Forever EP (Dracula Horse/Bandcamp)

The Knoxvillian trio Coolrunnings by Brandon Biondo, Forrest Ferguson and Elliott White have published two EPs (Buffalo; Babes Forever) during the August of 2010. However, I like the latter one more - the discussion is not going only around the coverprint. Here can be drawn out some essential characteristics which will be occurred via magic runs on (post-)psychedelic ecstasy and (pseudo) religious hysterics. It can be imagined as if a formula consisting of 40 percent on Animal Collective and Arcade Fire and 20 per cent on The Dandy Warhols respectively. Indeed, although both releases include wide-range musical imageries as broadly as the same, seems Babes Forever to be a more fluid and organic one. Moreover, the borders between the illusions, dreams and reality are blurred through encapsulated lyrics having added much impression to the whole contribution. The issue is full of essentially sublime moments, for instance the track like Better Things When I Got High With You shining out in a bombastic manner. Or Trippin` Balls At Der Wienerschnitzel which embarks on arrogantly rough synths similar to The Ganglians thereafter developing into the sublime rise of symphonic accompaniment on ecstatic drive. In fact, between those mentioned drifts can be found out for much more minutiae and detailed expressions. Or the self-titled song`s hypnotic drumming introduction and the followed sudden change of direction, and subsequently its re-formation again. The ending notch Slumberland is going on about the quintessential evidence once again to be commended through the orchestral brass arrangements being finally resulted in highly potent loftiness. In other words, a kind of vanguard pop which on the other side betrays the trio`s healthy desire toward the charts. Indeed, the six tracks form a whole which is plentiful of pop potential. In any cases, I will keep my fingers crossed.

Listen to it here

9.5

Coolrunnnings Babes Forever EP (Dracula Horse/Bandcamp)

Knoxville`i trio Coolrunnings ehk Brandon Biondo, Forrest Ferguson ja Elliott White üllitas 2 EP`d ("Buffalo" ja "Babes Forever") augustikuu vältel. Siinkirjutajale meeldib viimatinimetatu rohkem - põhjus ei ole ainult plaadiümbrises. Põhikarakteristikud ilmnevad psühhedeelse ning psühhedeeliajärgse ekstaasi ja (pseudo)religioosse hüsteerilisuse kaudu. Kujutage ette seesugust valemit, et Animal Collective`i 40 protsenti, Arcade Fire`it 40 protsenti ning The Dandy Warhols`i ülejäänud 20 protsenti. Tõepoolest, kuigi muusikalised kujundid on mõlemal üllitisel üldjoontes samad, näikse "Babes Forever" voolavam ning orgaanilisem olevat. Ning jalustrabavam samuti. Kujutelmadesse-unenägudesse ning ähmastunud reaalsusesse kapseldunud laulutekstid lisavad tervikusse oma impressiivse panuse. Väga ülevad hetked ilmnevad radade Better Things ning When I Got High With You pompöösses kaunikõladuses. Trippin` Balls At Der Wienerschnitzel hiilgab alul pohhuistlikult robustsete süntekatega a la The Ganglians, mis edasi areneb ekstaatiliseks draiviks sündisümfoonia saatel. Õigupoolest jääb veel sinna vahele kõiksugu elemente. Või siis nimilugu sissejuhatav hüpnootiline trummeldamine ning selle järgnev ootamatu suunamuutus ning uuesti ülesehitamine. Lõpulugu Slumberland on kvintessentslik tõestus siinkirjutaja esimesele väitele - taaskord tuleb kiita orkestratsioone-brass-seadeid ning võimsat kõrgelennulisust. Teisisõnu, avangardistlik pop, millest kumab läbi elutervet edetabeliihalust. Tõepoolest, 6 rada moodustavad terviku, milles on rohkelt poppotentsiaali. Mina hoian neile kõvasti pöialt igatahes.

Kuula albumit siit

9.5