[Artists] Mohave Triangles

Mohave Triangles/Bandcamp
Digitalis Limited Editions
Myspace
Lastfm

[Artists] No Pavarotti

KLaNGundKRaCH
Bandcamp
Lastfm

Children Of Ishizuke Tree Chameleon Straship (Clinical Archives)

In the first place I want to admit that the more I listen to this double LP (in total of 112 minutes) the more I fall in love with it. A duo from Minsk, Belarus, makes a subtle guitar-based dream pop music. If you are keen to draw parallels upon in a big manner, indeed, it sounds as if an equivalent version of post-rock version of Mercury Rev`s Desertoir Songs (1998) at times, altogether being described as ambient rock or atmospheric post-rock. Moreover, a sophomore album by Alexander Haletski and Marina Bartosh incorporates the elements of repetitronica, void-filled ambient/dystopbient/dark ambient, soothing drone wraiths, spoken word tunes and even some distant echoes of the ethnic music from East Asia. Alternatively, it might be a kind of lo-fi music in the midst of ambient shimmerings or a sort of underweighted My Bloody Valentine as well. This is an album through the essential touch!

Listen to it here

9.4

Tunguska Electronic Music Society Ellipsis II: Tundra.Ambient.Dreams. vol.2 (Jamendo)

The Moscow-based Tunguska Electronic Music Society (TMS) can be admitted as an umbrella organization which embraces lots of musicians, producers, dj's and composers, who work in a profilic way from the beginning of 2007 in "Tunguska Music" style. Moreover, TMS is also a net of network music distribution labels and a net of little bars and cafes. Its branches are known under such names as Tunguska Chillout Grooves, Tunguska Music Society, Tunguska Project, Tundra Ambient Dreams, Tayga Feeling, Transsyberian Express, Nikola Tesla Tribute, etc.

Before the listening to the Ellipsis II: Tundra.Ambient.Dreams. vol.2 I made acquaintance with the previous ones by the likes of Ellipsis II: Tunguska.Across.Sphere. vol.2, and Ellipsis II: Tunguska.Shaman.Vimana. vol.2, which were more dominated by chillout-esque electronic music being interchanged via smooth jazz themes and mindtouching, atmospheric-fried electronic approach, respectively.

However, the collective fills in the Tundra-titled album with a different point of view being kicked off proceeding in an epic mix of ambient, drone, ethnic drums, wherein Kosmische Musik-alike acid-hued synth swirls are permanently zipping over vast landscapes, which progression later involves the elements of space rock/space synth, unleashing the flow of metallic shards and fluttering, atmospheric sonic arrows over to the space around to be expanded and conquered. In principle, it does recruit a quite austere sonic statement, it is even minimally designed out, on the other side, it does not afford minimalism-close attacks for itself, offering enough propulsions and warbles on its own. Sometimes the whole does acquire peculiar dimensions via weird, even dystopic sonority as if those frogs and insects living in the futuristic, robot-dominated world, would have been mutanted via genetic changes, respectively resulting in croaking and chirping out mechanical sounds hardly discerned. Moreover, any signs about the presence of human being are long dismissed. Still at the closure some resurgent, chant-esque vocals will be appeared to get evolved into a few patterns, yet, getting no dominant reference within the soundscape. For the nature-based concrete soothings as forthcoming concrete sounds in the last tracks, however, are much more importance reserved.

In the conclusion, I really wish to express affectionate hope that the epicness is a universal chracteristic and hence allowing for the 13 tracks within 75 minutes to actualize great touches and milieus for any kind of listeners.

Listen to it here

9.4

Wyrm In The Hills, The Cities (Bandcamp)

Actually quite much is changed since Wyrm`s previous, 2-track release We Cannot Hear The Stars (2010). Indeed, the US-based project has abandoned their minimal, low-frequencied noise vibrations (The Unknown Is Infinity), and secondly, partly, electronic-infused post-rock concept (We Cannot Hear The Stars). Or the way round, a new, also 2-track album can be dealt with as the sequel and progression of the last named track on We Cannot Hear The Stars, making out difference in more epic, static guitar-riffed appearances. More concretely, the wide, potent-buzzing basic layer is fringed by a few elements, for instance, loosely pulsating rhythms at times, moreover, which are almost unheardable and at the closure of the issue seem to be just the set of vibrations of the album`s integrated, seamless parts. Notwithstanding its radical drone/drone doom/drone metal/drone doom metal husk, and regarding its almost invariable, almost endlessly emitting drone-based soundscape, indeed, by the very minimalism-esque type of conceptual approach it has managed to get into much bigger joint area with minimal music composers like La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and even Steve Reich, rather than ordinary metal bands. No doubt, Wyrm`s issue has very pragmatic sense and field of application - it is might be directed for individuals who are searching up for help to fix up his/her minds. Indeed, it is a very relaxing trip into the infinity.

Listen to it here

8.9

[Old but important] Etrethn EP (Tavern Eightieth)

By concerning on for listening to music this very purpose is not only related to wholly hedonistic consideration to be enjoyed. Its side task is to discover small music communities and movements within the vast music business circuit, acknowledge them and integrate them into a broader system of the music community. Nowadays, because of the expansive popularity of different virtual social environments (Facebook, Twitter etc) it is not only the task and straining of the music critics anymore.

Maybe you can remember for I had overviewed such a Leeds-based vanguard dream folk musician as Michael Waters aka Model Warships recently, who is known by his uncountable collaborations and side projects and his constructive relationship with certain labels like Tavern Eightieth and BeatIsMurder as well.

One of such cooperations by Waters is Shi Toys with Edward Trethowan (also the British) whose doings are concerned on the likes of Anva, An Insection, and Etrethn (yet obviously misunderstood by myself how to spell it, though). Trethowan`s action with Etrethn can be viewed on the one issue only. However, merely named as EP (of 6 tracks within 29 minutes) it is really worth to pay much attention for it. As the basic processing peak, a fine and calculated interplay between noise, kinds of pulsations and psycho-acoustic ambiences, and throbbing industrial-alike rhythms can be detected here. By my opinion, as a speculative exercise the EP might be divided into two sections, correspondingly, consisting of first five tracks, and the last (and the most extended) one Shackracing.7, which is an omnipotent case of magnificient, epic ambient noise/cadencic space rock/ambient techno monstrum.

Listen to it here

Sturqen Radio Inoculation (Vacu Sessions)

Vacu Sessions is a sound art/sound design environment/community/label/blog, offering gently live sessions, mix sets, and uncommon DJ-gigs. Obviously it is located in Finland somewhere. Their slogan is as clear as the following one: heavy or light, new and old, predictable or totally unknown: the important here is the dynamic of the music. A continuous exploration of sound.

Here is a track from Sturqen, called Radio Inoculation, specially recorded for RadiaLx 2010, an International Radio Art Festival. With the longitude of 27.58 it seems to be an endless journey via sound exploration and observant knob-twiddling manipulation. Actually Radio Inoculation do tallow our visions and preconceptions about sound art as a kind of. Undoubtedly Sturqen`s conception is rigid, minimal and doggedly insensitive. Imperative even malicious signals, digital crackling of brown noise, throbbing monotonous drone lines and spacious layers are the agents up here presenting their very role to enact an intriguing conception between music and sound design, between a kind of music and non-. In fact, it does mean that there are even some little edges for warm feelings as well. What else can I add to for you - take your time and check it out for the more releases on Vacu Sessions. It is sometimes quite purposeful to listen to it for purifying of your mind.

Listen to it here

9.0

[Artists] rngmnn

rngmnn
1798
Enoughrecords
Supersupersuper
Grundruck
Lastfm

[Artists] Fescal

1798
Bypass
Black Square
Fescal/Bandcamp
Lastfm

Caustic Reverie Remainders (Jamendo)

Have you ever listened to a least one of the fiveteen albums by Bryn Schurman (also know as TheForgotten)? I meant just an one time at least? In fact, Remainders is not an album on its own terms though, being compiled of different tracks having had no locus on the previous albums. In fact, Schurman would be called as the king of metallic drone music, whose monotonic soundscapes and minimal sonic conceptions are paradoxically fulfilled with a lot of warmth and powerfully conclusive feelings. It seems like a logical follow-up to the tradition of minimal composers for nowadays. Or you can imagine it as if La Monte Young or Angus Maclise would have sat behind a computer board and building up some new frontiers within borrowed borealic aesthetics of Tim Hecker. Yet might there be any adjectives to describe the whole in a better way? "Caustic reverie", it would be an obvious answer, though. A lot of impacts are associated with it - the nothern lights shimmers, elemental dust-coloured iceness, epic sub-classical approach, creeping microtonal dirges and subtle hiss-inclinedness. No doubt, it could be thought or illustrated out in other ways also, speaking out the very pictures-evoking soundscapes, or even a new kind of metaphysics (no contradictions between the sounds being contrasted up against the history of human thought and word). It also does sound as a pessimistic approach not being ready yet and probably never to believe in the positivism of technical progressions which is felt into a bumpy nightmare being paralyzed by remote breathes and oncoming steps of malignant robots ready to march on to have a part of destroying the human being as a species for tomorrow. The music of this kind with ambient drone feeling bound up with a pessimistic emotive declination I am used to tag it as "dystopbient".

Listen to it here

9.5

[Artistid] Lather

Lather/Bandcamp
Lather/CLLCT
Myspace

Lengua Mortuoria Viaje Negro EP (B.P.M Front)

Argentiinlane Hristo on tagasi. Hea on märkida, et tema personaalprojekt Lengua Mortoria on mõneti edenenud nendelt vigadelt, mida siinkirjutaja tema debüütalbumile "I" (2010) ette heitis. Taaskord 3 pikka helinarratiivi, kogupikkusega rohkem kui 30 minutit. Digitaalsete kihtide lahku hingamine, teatud programmifunktsioonide varjamatu ekspluateerimine - mis kahtlemata hakkab kontseptsiooni väljenduslikkust häirima - on minevikku jäetud, esile on tõusnud lopsakam ning nüansirikkam helipilt. Narratiivse poole pealt - erinevalt esimesest üllitisest -, kuigi jätkuvalt leinalik, on see samas eksaktsem, löövam ning aktsente õigesti hindavam. Tonaalsus on märksa rõhutatum ning mitmekesisem. Siin on enam ulmeseoseid, sünkjaid ja häguseid eikellegimaid, kalke kitarririffe ning orelite psühhedeelset overdrive`i. "Drone doom" ja "drone" on kahtlemata märksõnad, millede ümber kogu kupatus on keerlema pandud. Tõsi, esimene ja ühtlasi nimilugu mind ei veennud, seevastu Porque todo lo que me rodea es tan extraño? ning Millones de pequeños horrores veensid piisavalt, et ettevõtmise ilmset edenemist tunnistada.

Kuula albumit siit

8.2

[Artistid] Lengua Mortuoria

B.P.M Front
Lastfm

Darger "BigFast" Soundtrack (Futurerecordings)

Futurerecordings on demonstreerinud end seesuguse label`ina, mille artistid on võimelised unistuste läve kildudeks purustama. Ning Darger on kindlasti üks seesuguseid hävitusmasinaid. Unistused on teatavasti kogemuspõhised, sageli pelgalt sotsiaalsete ning eksistentsialistlike pingeseisundite likvideerimise suunitlustest kantud. Kuid Cody Kirkendall ja Matthew Bahnsen lähevad palju kaugemale - see on unistustejärgne muusika universumis, kus puudub koht kõiksugu kujutelmadele ja ideedele. Teod aktualiseeruvad ilma eelneva(te) projektsiooni(de)ta. Platonlik ideede masin on tuhaks põlenud-põletatud ning tihti vastuoludesse mattuv inimkeel helivõnke ilmselget üleolekut tummalt tunnistamas. Käesolev 3-looline ning 32-minutiline taies olevat väidetavasti fiktsioon maailmalõpust, eepiliselt sosisklev saundträkk läbi musta huumori prisma helklemas. Erinevalt paljudest artistidest, kelle muusika käändub sarnaselt lähtekohalt pessimismi, düstoopsesse ämbientmorjendusse, pakub Ohio duo sõnulseletamatut arhetüüpi, sedasorti eepilisust, mis võiks vabalt kehtida ka pärast kümneid apokalüpsiseid. Mingi uus kord-korratus, mis on sundimatu, vaba, soe ning eelkõige mõjus ning (ennast) kehtestav. Tolm kosmoses, pelk vibratsioon, mis liigub, ringleb ning kootub - kootub millekski, mida võimaldab jumalik alge. Ning plaadiümbris on paljutähenduslikult avatud- Lihavõttesaare (kui maailma lõppu jääva) kuju meenutava assotsiatsiooni, artefaktide ebamääraste kontuuride ning sünkja, samas vastupandamatult kutsuva kõiksuse kaudu. Kas lõputu kosmosereis on algamas, võimaldamaks uuestiloomisprotsessi pealt näha?

Kuula albumit siit

10.0

[Vana ning oluline] Flymodus Milky Seas (either/OAR)

Duo Håvard Volden´i ja Martin Taxt`i 5-looline album ei ole salvestatud-produtseeritud stuudioseinte vahel, vaid hoopis üles võetud Henie Onstad Art Center`is Bærum`s (Norra) eelmisel aastal. Volden musitseerib 12-keelelisel kitarril ja elektroonikal ning Taxt tuubal. Kas üllitise tiitel õigustab ennast? Digitaalset merekohinat simuleerivat heli on siin tõesti kuulda. Elektroakustiline kammerlikkus kohtub elektroonika, jazz`iliku improvisatsioonilisuse-teemaarenduste ning vaikusega. Konkreetsemalt tähendab see teritava elektroonilise helikeele, tuuba improte ja drone-lainetuse ning üksikutest kitarriakordidest pikitud vaikuse-vaibumise vaheldumist või simultaanset-polüfoonilist progressiooni. Eriliselt huvipakkuv lähenemine ilmneb loos Undertow, kus tuubaga improviseeritakse nii nagu mõni avangardjazzist läheneb trompetile. Kokkuvõttes võib nentida, et tegemist on teosega, mis sobitub iga meeleolu ning hetkega.

Kuula albumit siit

[Vana ning oluline] Ben Woods - Nymh: Realms of Detachment (Wise Owl)

Ben Woods`i 2008. aastal ilmunud ning järjekorras 3 üllitis on kahtlemata omanäoline helimaailm, mis on võrsunud post-rock`i universumist. Siin on oma võttestik, tõsimeelne suunitlus ning kordustele allumatud meeleolud-mustrid. 9-looline ning 53-minutiline minimalistlik triller kätkeb eneses piaanomuusika üksildust, valju, samas sisekaemuslikku kitarriambient`i ja drone-esteetikat ning vähehaaval kihte koguvat polüfoonilisust. Meeleolud on jäägitult ülevad, süstides iga noodiga eepilist majesteetlikkust. Iga akord on tähenduslik ning lööv. Isegi kui vormiliselt näib esmapilgul vähe aset leidvat, on see seesmiselt plahvatuslik album. Monumentaalne taies.

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Ducktails: Live at WFMU on Marty McSorley's show on 10/24/2008

Üle-eelmise aasta jõululaupäeval salvestatud 7-looline sett (sh intervjuu) paljastab Matt Mondaline`i suuruse. Kuigi väljutanud muusikat suht lühikest aega, on New Jersey resident mõne aasta vältel jõudnud üheks silmapaistvaimaks DIY-liikumise suurkujuks tõusta. Jänki on lugu pidanud töötlemata helikvaliteedist, salvestamiskeskkondadeks on olnud tööriistasara ja kelder ning levitanud oma loomingut üksnes kassettidel ja vinüülidel.

Kitarrid, Casio, Moog ja helifaaside modulaatorid on tema mänguvahenditeks. Helipilt on ühelt poolt uinutav, kuid teisalt (kohati väga) erk oma tekstuurilt. Mulksuvad elektroonilised (mini)efektid/drone, newage`ilikud süntesaatorite ja loodushelide põimumised ning minimalistlikult progresseeruv kihistus on vundamendiks, kandes edasi Neu!, Tangerine Dream`i, Conrad Schnitzler`i ja Harmonia aegumatuid ideaale - demonstreerides ilmekalt, kus peitub chillwave/glo-fi ideoloogiline lähtepunkt. Tõepoolest, suurepärane sessioon.

Kuula albumit siit

[Vana ning oluline] Take Pills Die 07.04.23 Dead Sea Parting (Take Pills Die)

Richmond`is resideeruv Andrew Julian Cauthen on produktiivne muusik, kes on reliisinud oma label`i all üle 90 albumi. Sotsiaalses plaanis väga kriitiliste ja radikaalsete vaadetega jänki muusikas - Take Pills Die on muideks ironiseeriv viide ühele tänapäeva elumotole/tüübile - võib tajuda paljusid elemente, kus põhituuma tinglikult moodustab happeliste sündisaundidega eksperimentaalne IDM. Kolm aastat tagasi ilmavalgust näinud "07.04.23 Dead Sea Parting" on erand selles osas. 19-minutiline träkk (milles olevad pausid näivad vististi erinevatele osadele viitavat) on autori sõnul inspireeritud Stars of the Lid`ist (omalt poolt lisaksin veel teise, kaaslinlastest legendi Labradford`i mõjud). Vaikselt kulgev sümfooniline voog tõuseb-liugleb-langeb, kahaneb-paisub, jättes maha eepilised ja südantlõhestavad kontuurid. Helides on kuulda ka musique concrete`i põiminguid - mis on kooskõlas ameeriklase looduslähedaste vaadetega - ning kummituslikke, justkui kaugustest läbi udu kumavaid aurikusignaale. Cauthen oskab mängida helide ning kuulajaga - liblikatiiva löögi efekti kutsub käesoleva kuulamine esile, kuna üksikud helitehniliselt esilekutsutud mullistused-kollapsid raputavad massiivselt minimalistlikku kulgemist. Üks impressiivseimaid albumeid kaasaegse klassika-ämbiendi-drone`i konkreethelide ristumisalalt üleüldse. Kuula albumit siit

Mister Vapor Altercus (Webbed Hand)

Thomas Park`i aka Mister Vapor`i 64-minuti pikkune sound-art/minimal/ambient/drone-teos viib kuulaja ängistavatesse ning lokaliseerimatutesse koridoridesse - võiks ju kuuldu põhjal arvata -, kust tõuseb ohtralt rõskust ning kuuldub veepiiskade lakkamatut ja pikapeale piinarikkaks muutuvat tilkumist, mida omakorda saadab kurjaendeline bassidrone, mis vahetevahel väändub-käändub valjemaks, et seejärel uuesti tavapärasesse vakku langeda, et siis uuesti tõusta jne. Tõepoolest, selle minimalistlikust iseloomust annavad tunnistust need üksikud-üksikud käänded, mis teadvuses omandavad eksplosiivse efekti. Üleüldse - laske see saund enesele ajju ning aju genereerib seda edasi. Kes on tuttav näiteks Caustic Reverie/Forgotten`i loominguga, see teab, millest ma räägin. Vaatamata tõigale, et mainisin eespool ängistavate koridoride ning veetilkade lõputu langemise assotsiatsioone, on Thomas Park ise pühendanud taiese vanaaja teadlase Galenose poolt kirjeldatud narkootilisele taimele, mille kohta siiski täpsemad viited puuduvad - anonüümne ning lokaliseerimatu ometigi.

Kuula albumit siit

9.0

Nicolas Bernier + Simon Trottier The Market Fresh (Zymogen)

Montrèal`i supertandem Bernier-Trottier on tagasi - seekord üheainsa, kuid pika, 19-minutilise looga imelise Itaalia label`i Zymogen all. Eeldused on per excellence, eks ole? Tõesti, taaskord maalitakse impressiivseid pilte, igas noodis ja katkes on jõudu ning vektoriaalsust. Võrreldes kahe varasema albumiga - "Et Retrouvé En Fôret" (12rec, 2009) ning "Objet Abandonné En Mer" (12rec, 2007) - on elemente ehk vähemaks jäänud - kadunud on läpparifolgi numbrid, digitaalelektroonilised uuristused-arendused -, kuid ka see album kinnitab jõudsalt fakti, et Montrèal on boreaalse muusika kodulinn. Minoorse helikeele kaudu on tunda varasügist - lehtede kolletumist, kõditavat külma hingust ning pikka ja aeglast muutust. Improlikele üksikutele kitarripuudutustele - mis liuglevad läbi (elektroakustilise) ruumi - lisatakse feedback`ist toituvat kitarri overdrive`i, mis kohati omandab kummituslikud mõõtmed - pikad fagotti meenutavad tumedakõlalised akordid tõusevad sügavustest ning jäävad kestma. Siin on ka GY!BE´le nii iseloomulikku hingekriipivat kitarrisentimenti - klimp tõuseb kurku. Ei ole ime, miks mõlemad quebecois`id on hinnatud muusikud, oodatud külalised koostööpartnerite (Ferriswheel; Tricot Machine; Ghost Bees; Timber Timbre) ning esinejatena olulistel muusikafestivalidel (Sonar; Transmediale). Ka käesolev album/träkk on Sound Travels Festival`i raames Torontos üles võetud.

Kuula albumit siit

9.8