Nick R 61 – Into The Mind (2019)

Fusion

• Noise-hop 
• Avant-garde 
• Art music 
• Field recording 
• Organic electronica 
• Experimentalism 
• Trip-hop 
• Avant-hop 
• Drone 
• Musique concrète 
• Lo-fi

Comment: as I assumed yesterday no one – neither Trump nor the Left – can save this world. In fact, it is truly childish to set up barricades against each other by the both sides. Something rational and viable can be found from views of the both sides. However, all the saving decisions must be done by us by ordinary people. Only we can bring to pass a silent and green revolution by minimizing our consumption and harmful habits. We shall have to get rid of our corrupted minds and beforehand of noises and wastes all of which is related to excessive consumption of materials and superficial informative content. We shall have to take responsibility for Universe, for us and all the living and yet unborn generations regarding humans and non-humans. Before to do it, before one could be able to comprehend the idea one should clear his/her mind. I guess we need some purgative practises to get out from this god-damned enclosed circle. Profound music examples may help us to deal with it. Most of music one can find from the charts is just a noise – it is not a thing on its own, it is just a product to fasten the aforementioned damned circle. Beyond that one's soul will be empty. Nick R 61's music is being free from this sin. It stimulates thinking of different aspects and spawns suggestive roundabouts in one's mind. Into the mind, isn't? He has been running an imprint called Fusion Netlabel and most of the catalogue is filled in with his own music. Regarding this it can be admitted his path has been long and the recent one is another step to accomplish his audible travel. Otherwise it is a perception of Hindustan and Nepal (the titles of the album are Kathmandau, Chomolungma, and Lhasa), a source of renewing spiritual practises for Westerners since the 60s (The Beatles, George Harrison, Angus MacLise). Nick R 61 employs samples from music/instruments of the abovementioned area and natural sounds to merge them with thick drumming of experimental hip-hop and trip-hop and less or more somber echoes and glowering drones. In a word, the short-running issue is highly poignant and mind-provoking.

Soletik – Directional (2017)

Fusion

Archive.org

• Glitch-hop 
• Electronic music 
• Avant-techno 
• Breakbeat 
• Post-industrial 
• Glitchtronica

Comment: this 22-notch mammoth release by Soletik reflects upon some sort of incongruousness within the Directional structure and following and questing subsequent tensions because of it. The breaks are heavily chopped-up, magnified and amplified to take a cacophonous lead over the course of an 86 minute. Stylistically one can hear different club and electronic music elements like techno, house, electro, breakbeat. Frequently the dominant aspect is challenged by fragmented melodies and harmonies as if the irritating counterpoint to it. It is like a symptom describing a deranged human mind, and it is also a prediction what will have happened in societies in 2018. As many signs will have shown people get tired of artificial arrangements of the economics, societal relationships, an imminent, unreasonable burden of migrants. They are searching for a free version of life, seeking for the true version of democracy, for the vox populi. The question is not about either the right wing or left wing, it is all about the survival of (representative) democracy. The mind-provoking issue is a part of the discography of Fusion Netlabel.

Nick R 61 – .tochka (2017)

Fusion

Archive.org

• Big beat 
• Avant-hop 
• Experimentalism 
• Electronic music 
• Alternative 
• Industrial hip-hop 
• Leftfield

Comment: Nick R 61 is a prolific artist from Russia who has been heading an imprint, Fusion Records for years as well (a huge part of the discography is covered by his own releases). As similar as the title of the records suggests his music is also a platform to mingle different impulses with one another. For better or worse, it might be .tochka (Dot in English) is the most challenging issue of him by widening his legacy with the tectonic squalls of bouncing rhythms, industrial-inspired sonic effects, swirling currents of microscopic noises and scruffy ambiances. Yet it may freely be my illusion because Nick R 61 has been criss-crossing from dub and raggamuffin to glitched-out electronica and techno and hip-hop to drill and bass and breakbeat cadences. Furthermore, it needs a tremendous effort and an immense amount of time to get a solid overview about his oeuvre. All of that embodied in a set of four tracks results in an exciting crossover experience. Without a doubt there cannot be denied an influence of The Death Grips and Dälek on it but on the other side the artist adds his previous spiritual undercurrents to the 12-minute blend. At times one can feel as if shifting between the jungle, and an urban area, between the blossoming freedom and an oppressive, artificial system which is called the civilization. Superb.

x3d5 – Binary Protection (2010)

Subwise

Fusion

• Electronic music 
• Ambient 
• Psybient 
• Alternative 
• Breaks 
• Chilltronica 
• New Age 
• Mood music 
• Glitchtronica

Comment: this batch of 10 tracks is like a raindrop reflecting upon the qualities of being embraced in the other raindrops either. I mean lots of breaks, ambient, cut-up debris, synth effects and psychedelic tendencies to be up there in many ways interspersed with one another. Moreover, it can be considered as a recent New Age music example as if sitting somewhere in the middle of rain forest and enjoying the play of shadows. Sultry rhythms and colourful synthesised shades used to flicker in a way to provide a magical, a bit otherworldly experience. As you can hear it is an organic listening experience. It a bit reminds of some albums of Estonian artist Tont. The cover print is black and white and depicting a place in nature by accentuating its distance from the civilised life. Great music by any means created by Russian artist Vitaliy Stromchinskiy. The outing is a joint release of the discographies of Russian imprints Subwise, and Fusion.

NuLix – 4RE00LA EP (2010)

Fusion

Fusion

• Ambient techno 
• Alternative dance 
• Deep techno 
• Club dance 
• Dub techno 
• Cinematic 
• Nu jazz 
• Broken beats 
• Jazz house 
• Ambient dub

Comment: NuLix is a Croatian musician/producer/recording artist, Robert Selimović also being known from such groups as Kafkaesque Orchestra, R.U.R., and Random Angels. The issue is a part of Bulgarian imprint Fusion Netlabel and it is an example at its finest on the imprint. If you have been having a keen interest in (deep) techno music and cinematic soundscapes and nocturnal vibes being mixed up with contemporary jazz segments then I am very sure an eargasmic experience will be guaranteed for you. More profoundly, at Space Donky the slippery rhythmic shuffle is vamped up by a velvety, nu jazz/acid jazz-based synthesised whine atop. The chilliest span within the issue. The self-titled track is a profound glimpse inwards based on wobbly, volatile keyboard sounds and a placid yet bold rhythm. Safree [intro] is even more immersive and spacious full of magic from the transcendent spheres. In principle, the same could be said about W.D.W.G either though being a little bit infected with expansive dub seeds. Rattlesnake is to be explored through the prism of dub and being spiced up by upright kick drums and reversed syllables. Spark is a tech-electro outlet though in the terms of Selimović undoubtedly. More concretely, it is something which likes to keep moving across the planned pathway, at the same time gravitating toward a glitch-hop and house mixed electric field. In a word, these 23 minutes are simply the best. 

Nick R 61 – Cветтудаб (2011)

Fusion

Fusion

• Dub 
• Raggamuffin 
• Reggae 
• Hip-hop 
• Electronic pop 
• Urban music 
• Psychedelic

Comment: this is an oldie, 2-track issue by the Russian artists Nick R 61, and Raggadigma whose music is imbued with the influences of Jamaican music – reggae, dub, and dance-appealed ragga rhythms. On the other side, one can discern a poppy counterpoint set up to it at Свет. Lyrics are sung in Russian and the words are about changing the world into a better place where one could live on without pain and distress and suffering. The intention is good by any means and it would transmit to the soundscape of the song as well. At Ту да б the lyrics are about flying between galaxies and that the outer space is having vigour and being animated. The words are accentuated with astral-tinged volatile synthesisers and enchanting dub delays thereof resulting in something almost intangible. The outing is a part of the discography of Fusion. All in all, the result is placid, mellow and gentle. Fairly soulful and mind-blowing for our late hours.

Oshi Kito – EP 2 (2010)

Fusion

• Dubstep 
• Alternative 
• Electronic music 
• Breaks 
• Dub 
• Drum and bass 
• Leftfield 
• Breakbeat 
• Art music 
• Breakcore

Comment: Oshi Kito is a musician of Japanese heritage though he is not making music with the influences of J-pop, anime or Japanoise, at least on this 4-track issue which gets clocked in at a 17-minute. I guess the aforementioned styles are the most represented ones from the arrogant westerner`s view though depending on a viewer`s personal preferences undoubtedly. Oshi Kito`s music is inflected by dub, and exquisite broken rhythms which used to wobble and change its pace due those bold synthesised frequencies and rattling drums invoking the sense of drum and bass, and breakbeat (especially at Fauld). At Fauld those synthesizers used to chime like being conjured up by ghastly cats of whom you have no wish to meet otherwise altogether. Indeed, the more you listen to it the more one`s understanding and categorization of the issue is getting blurred, especially if you do listen to such tracks as Kuishi Katika. and Drop Moon. The former of them chimes like an art house journey where the metallic beats used to twist and swing thereof somehow reminiscent of such artists as Cagey House, and Oneothrix Point Never`s R Plus Seven (2013). The latter one exploits uncanny high tones which used to sound like being produced on a keytar atop downright rough bass sequences to create a new intriguing universe. The marvellous issue is a part of the discography of Fusion Netlabel. 

Gloss. - Trophy (2011)

Fusion

Archive.org

• Chillstep 
• Trip-hop 
• Crossover 
• Art pop
• Folktronica 
• Psychedelic 
• Alternative 
• Urban music
• Electronic music 
• Mood music 
• Chilltronica

Comment: so after being finished of listening to Experim3ntus` Korruptio I opened the window of my living room again to get more air for the Mexican producer Gloss.`s issue Trophy. If to join these words together it could almost be pronounced as “catastrophe”. Luckily this 6-track issue is not catastrophic. It is the quite contrary. It is also an example of urban sound though being more synthetic, beat-oriented, acidic and psychedelic in comparison to the aforementioned issue. Mostly because of that these sounds do not have common part with those ones which do come from the street and natural surroundings. So you could open your window. Musically it provides pure joy from start to end – it is tight enough due to chilled-out and trip-hop-alike beats which used to vary in heaviness and at frequencies, acidic synthesizer undercurrents and flickers and a folktronic fabric. For one it might remind of the Beta Band due those sultry folk and electronica mixed developments, for an other person it might be similar to Portishead, and Massive Attack. For a third person Jimi Hendrix is going to haunt him/her. It is not surprising at all because the trip-hop combos leaned frequently and strongly on the tradition of rock music and even directly took samples from there. Otherwise you could hear those heart bleeding melodic progressions which induce the listener longing for something which inevitably is passed by and it might be even passed away (more evidently brought to the fore at New Destination, and Dry Land). This enchanting 6-notch issue is a chapter within the discography of Fusion Netlabel. Additionally to great music it is supported by the witty outer sleeve.

[Artists] Triggern0metr1c

Bandcamp
Myspace

[Artists] Tolmunud Mesipuu

Tolmunud Mesipuu
Myspace
Lastfm

Evan Connolly The Pagans Fight Back (Evan Connolly)

Jam sessions and 17 tracks? Does it foretell us about something bourgeoisiely suspicious actually? Fortunately it does not reach the longitude of 2 hours or more, The Pagans Fight Back does not keep moving into the annoying sessions of predictable sonic patterns and boring cadences. Short improvisation sessions played up on electrified guitars and dynamic bass, vertically downward stomping drums and shimmering hi-hats bring forth a joyous synergy, reminiscent of CAN`s interplays between Michael Karoli and Holger Czukay or the doings by Burrito and Replicast as well. In fact, Evan Connolly (previously known as J2M2 and consisting of James, Mike, Matt, and Jason) might be the best model of jam sessions via joking speech interludes or instant experimental upturns (weird electronic music and sound effects) juxtaposed on music. The kind of stripped-down approach which makes up an interesting workout. Indeed, the quartet was inspired by the group Novels, when they recorded their Novels EP without previously writing any music or lyrics. So they decided to do the same thing in their friend's room, having recorded for 49 minutes and 15 seconds, and edited it down to 17 tracks within 32 minutes. Altogether, by wrapping up the album they have had lots of good time so will you get it as well.

Listen to it here

9.3

[Artists] Time Columns

Time Columns/Bandcamp
Myspace
Lastfm

Spagetti Bolonnaise Disco1 (42 Records/Bandcamp)

Behind this cheesy name can be found a delicious whole of 6 notches, of psychedelic oriented songs obviously compiled of 60`s British music influences, on the first side, running on the more pop-oriented currents (The Beatles, The Byrds), and on the other side, on fusion/jazz rock-relied blasts (the Canterbury scene), and on the third side, chillout moods. However, an Italian quintet consisting of Elia Domeneghetti, Guido Bianchini, Andrea Mancin, Paolo Michelazzi, and Oliviero Farneti who sang in English, play up their "disco" concept in an excellent mode, operating with quasi march-like rhythms, colourful brass sections, smooth jazz parts, vibraphone-played shreds, vibrating electric organ snippets or overpouringly grooving, acid-filled synths (for instance, the ending track Dedicated to Wyatt but Wyatt Wasn`t Listening). In a nutshell, it can be said, indeed, the Italians do it better (it is a cliche, of course, having some pieces of truth inside it, though).

Listen to it here

9.1

[Old but important] Time Columns Sunriseinthesea EP (Bandcamp)

Time Column`s debut, the 5-track Sunriseinthesea EP (released on the 25th December of 2009 promptly after the ensemble`s first US-based tour had finished off) has already been looping at the non-stop regime for some hours in my headphones, and indeed, as for the whole set the better sorts of scents are brought forth after every following listen time. Two guys - Kenny Eaton and Jordan Miller - coming from Baltimore, Maryland, USA, exploiting guitars, keyboards, drums, and effect-sustained devices (moreover, Gibson Echoplex can be suggested as their third member) to conjure a mix of fusion/jazz rock, post-rock, math-rock, and classically layered progressive rock sound. No doubt, their interplay is an instrumental rock-relied synergic reflection, which does search for diverse chord compounds and complex, cadence-based realms, sometimes being "stuck" in restraint runs and even introspective hoverings, the another time, yet, blown up into the acceleration of synth-infused guitar grimaces, acquiring lots of panoramic flashlights to be brightened up and broadened into near-epic glider trips. Indeed, it is a solid example of intelligent rock music which can be enjoyed at the duo`s concert tour coming soon at the beginning of the January of 2011.

Listen to it here

[Artists] Replicast

Replicast
Myspace
Lastfm

Music For Your Plants S/T (MFYP)

Though I come from Estonia I have been quite critical about the most of phenomenons regarding somehow the Estonian indie music and its musical appearances over the previous and last decade. The reason is simple because my native country does have the community of musical critics/activists and musicians very densely related to each other, however, some of them through the job, the other through dense friendship connections. This is why I am not used to believe in maximum-rated overviews in local newspapers after I had listened to some of the albums being classified as really second-rate ones in principle. Once again, I really hope I am not being misunderstood - it is not a complaint it is just admission about the inevitable shortcoming of the small communities.

The debut album by the Tallinn-based trio Music For Your Plants is one of the best issues growing out from the local scene in recent years. Their 8-track release reflects upon past, present and future, where technical know-how is finely arranged with shitloads of ideas and a decent spiritual touch, where all needful is kindly presented and played up into the balance. First off, their affinity toward retrodelic fusion and progressive rock is showed up via impressive light-hearted guitar noodlings and synthesized psychedelic electronics-based vortexes altogether reminiscent of the doings of Kaseke, Radar, and In Spe, the Estonian jazz rock and progressive rock legends by the 80`s, respectively. (Though I am aware of the facts being compared to the likes of Tortoise, Tame Impala and other experimental rock luminaries already). On the other side, though through a narrow slot, you can be a witness about the dodges toward enchanting chillwave moulds (Dr. Mudawi), or the tropicalia/surf pop-mixed-up excellence of Enchanted Sister. Undoubtedly Music For Your Plants is a record which has acquired the potential to be written into progressive rock annuals sometime. In fact, I mean it very seriously.

Listen to it here

9.5

[Artists] Music For Your Plants

Music For Your Plants
Myspace
Lastfm

[Old but important] Replicast The Wallstreet Compound (Obliq/Cryptophonics)

Replicast, Colorado-based octet`s (one of the persons behind it is Eric Allen, also known as a member of The Apples In Stereo) sophomore album, being released in the end of the previous year, reveals the next steps after the debut album Replicast-X. The follow-up, consisting of 9 tracks is full of mixed music (recorded in live and made without overdubs), i.e krautrock-esque hazy jams (remembering CAN`s early period loosely-leaded session sonority), tingling guitar glides, meditative rhythm sections, extending guitar riffs, eager experimentations with drum kits, and all of it is hardwired to a caustic soup of psychedelic Oberheim synthesizers. In a nutshell, this is a huge improvisation set, except Radio Nippon sounding like a tribute to Sonic Youth, though. The whole is mostly instrumental, hovering between outer space and earth, spinning up a lot of every kind of dust on variable sonic elements. No doubt, it may at times be seem as a bit inbalanced or swaying plateau, however, not because of being somehow imperfect, instead of it rather searching for new sonic possibilities through dense interplay of certain instruments, thereafter changing them and finding out for new combinations with others.

Listen to it here

[Old but important] Single Bullet Theory SBT: 1977-1980 (Artifacts/yclept/FMA)

I really love the 70`s music because of not only I was born then (being a part of it 5 weeks, though). It was time when music found itself through very different tendencies and appearances, forming up into decent mainstream pop, innovative crossover areas and shitload branches of blasting avant-garde styles. But it also remained as a decade for a lot of music to be discovered nowadays yet.

Undoubtedly, Single Bullet Theory was such a kind of ensemble from Richmond, Virginia. The band was established on the ruin of the likes of Big Naptar, Grossbreed, and X-Breed, being influenced by garage rock and punk currents, and getting even some highlight glimpses by having shared the stage with Ramones, Patti Smith, and Talking Heads, and found out its way onto MTV, and Billboard chart.

Frank Daniel, Dennis Madigan and Michael Maurice Garrett (along with their soundman Z plus some guest musicians) do offer a solid set of 11 tracks, sounding at times as a soft (or half-soft) version of Talking Heads through its bubblegummish bass hooks and vivacious cadences, and on the other hand, getting very close to new wave/synth pop bands through its distinct synth wisps and gears. Thirdly, you can perceive the influences of fusion and progressive rock (for example, some similarities with King Crimson), and tricky soft rock issues with strong southern rock influences. Or just a kind of entertainment pop rock is proudly represented here. The especially favorite examples of mine are Das Madchen, Miss Two Knives, There is the Boy, and Rock Around the Apocalypse. So listen to it and let`s figure out your favorite figures from this honest and very strong album.

Listen to it here

[Filmimuusika] Mihkel Kleis "Oleg"

No nii, Mihkel Kleis, kohaliku proge- ja fusioonlipulaeva Luarvik Luarviku liider ja vabavormilise friikautansambli EDASI! kunstiline juht on seekord hoopis filmimuusikaplaadiga maha saanud (Jaan Toomiku lühifilmile "Oleg"). Arvestades tallinlase multidistsiplinaarsust, varasemaid kõrvalepõikeid (nt Lylian Meister`i isikunäituse "1001" helindamine 2008. aastal), kunstilist aktiivust ja otsingulist rahutust, ei tule sellesuunalised arengud üllatusena.

12 lugu peegeldavad neid locus`i , mida filmimuusikat on tavapärases mõttes peegeldama mõeldud. Emotiivsed helindid, milles väljendub agressiivse segmendi väljenduslikkus, tüüne vaikelulisus ning vaikuse piiride kompamine, on siin meisterlikult esile tõstetud. Barokne ja kammerlik miljöö on vaheldumas minimalistlikult introvertsete noir-passaažide (või suisa madalsageduslike monotoonsurinatega) või süntesaatoritel põhinevate happeliste fusioonrünnakutega; avantprogele iseloomulik repetiivne ning nurgeline perifeeria tõstab kvaliteeti ja hoiab vaheldust ülal. Kuivõrd filmis on palju rongisõitu (peategelane naaseb Punaarmee kroonust), siis MK püüdis rütmide ja kõladega lokomotiivi liikumist imiteerida (nt loos No. 3 võib lisaks rongikellade tilinat kuulda). Ka on kasutatud kitarri ja bassi (pluss efektiblokke). Muuseas, fuzzitud bassi kasutamise mõte sugenes Andrzej Zulawski filmi "Diabel" (1972) vaadates. Veidraim hetk (samas võib-olla ilusaim) kontekstuaalselt on No. 9, mida võib tõlgendada kui gregoriaanlikku naisvokaliisi (hoiame nihkevektorit jõus). Iga kuulamiskorraga erineb album varasemast nähtamatuks jäänud tah(k)u(de) poolest. Leitud on piir, balanss, mida tihtilugu leida ei suudeta - tasakaal kontseptsiooni lopsakuse ja eksperimentalismi vahel, mistõttu manipulatiivne faktor kuulaja suunas suureneb.

Kokkuvõttes tuleb nentida tõsiselt hea teose olemasolu, igatahes seni parima, mida siinkirjutaja Eestimaal AD 2010 kuulnud on.

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