Goodbye Ivan - The Cherry Wood EP (2011)

Parallax Sounds
Bandcamp

9.2

/Alt-folk, Mood music, Epic, Folk, Alternative/            

Comment: behind Goodbye Ivan is Arnaud Sponar from Geneva, Switzerland whose album takes on a trip across bucolic folk pastures which mostly seem to be cloudless, though sometimes varied with melancholic elements. Sponar exploits guitar only, though, being played in an echogenic mode throughout the course it reminds of the kind of epic ambient (-near) music actually. On occasion his play is embellished with some hanging flamenco motives which are also very appreciated therein. Furthermore, there can be felt the presence of Simon Jeffes and Penguin Cafe Orchestra in place filled in with seamless harmonic bridges and zippy chord transmissions.

Bagpipe Whiskey - Asparagus Puppy EP (2009)

Parallax Sounds

Lastfm

9.0

/Folktronica, Breaks, Psychedelic, Acid pop, Electronic pop, Sampledelic, Sound collage/

Comment: Bagpipe Whiskey is the one-man-project by Benjamin Mason from Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK whose issues are being related to such imprints as Kift Flipper, and Parallax Sounds to date. This set of 4 tracks (spreaded out over 17 minutes) is a dizzy compound of chopped beats, and organic sounds where lofty electronica and synthesized psychedelic slabs and more or less acoustic ascensions (and intense scratch units now and then) are merged with pleasing motives and uplifting harmonies. There may be drawn parallels upon the likes of Four Tet, Monokle, ChromaData, DJ Shadow. By the way, the release was published on the 31st October (the Halloween day).