[Artists] EDASI

Artishok
History of misery
Myspace
Lastfm

[Old but important] Retrigger Jeanie & Caroline Album (Psicotropicodelia)

This album of 15 tracks sounds as a maelstrom of styles and sounds, veering from electro-rock, psychedelia, samplecore and fusion to creepy chiptune/8-bit shreds, joyous brass music and library music/space age pop samples. Indeed, it might be seemed as a kind of weird compilation compiled by diverse artists from here and there. Yet, Jeanie & Caroline Album is a brainchild by the one and only musician Raul Costa from Brazil who firstly released it under the title Jeanie & Caroline at Ego Twister in 2007. Now it is empowered by three more tracks including the huge LIVE at neverland (MixSetBonus). More concretely, on this publication Costa is intended to convey heavy guitar riffs, bubblegum-pumped big-beat paces, sublime doo wop, trashing surf pop, caustic synth glimpses and catchy brass fields, sometimes reminding of the Saint Petersbourg`s combo Messer Chups by its slightly mocking manner regarding the attitude against pop cliches or the French combo Juanitos by its stabbing blend of psychedelia, surf pop and brass attacks. On the other side, paying a tribute to the early electro pop experiments by The Silver Apples as well. Sometimes the tracks glide into the easiness of chillout pop, exploiting in half-transparent way some well-known pop motives (for example, Edward Grieg`s Peer Gynt). Indeed, the whole is a bulimic attack yet it is a sort of refreshing sonic binge first of all.

Listen to it here

[Artists] Waylon Thornton

Waylon Thornton
White Moon Recordings
Free Music Archive
Myspace
Lastfm

[Artists] The Velcro Lewis Group

Velcro Lewis Group - 8.21.10 from Coach House Sounds on Vimeo.

The Velcro Lewis Group
Free Music Archive
Lastfm

[Compilation] VV.AA. - Rock Against Mommies vol. I: Attack Of The Space Mommies (Kill Mommy)

Don`t be afraid of the Sicily-based label Kill Mommy Records` slogan which suggests that this is a label for homemade rock`n`roll for amateurs. In fact, this so-called amateur-ish music has its powerful output and subtle sense of feeling which often overweights lots of examples regarding so-called established (indie) music. Here are 25 tracks represented showcasing a retrospective cut about the label`s active period during the last 2 years including such artists like Vanny Zero, Nowhere Boy Simon, The Last Merendina, The Big Wireman, Thee Undead Big Blues Shit, With Bubble In The Jungle, Dead Bugs, Ryan Patrick, Cafè Bakunin, Stereo Moon, The Brazierlights In The Window, Johnny Hoodoo, Vaqueros Paganos, Quint Baker, Jim Guittard, Ana Threat, My Pal Dragon, Plakonik Projekt, Thedirtycoast, Therese De Genova, Jon E. Erkkila, Sbirros, Gone Fishing, Mumble Mumble Mumble, and Billcarson. In a more concrete way, here can be heard such kind of music which veers from crackly blues and rockabilly madness to sophisticated alt-folk/folk indie/weird folk experiments and catchy indietronic jams, from psychedelic garage shootings and schizoid strummings to new wave and austere, roots-influenced string music from straightforward grrl riot punk to rough, even exorcized bass gears of psych-rock. The geographical range is also ultramundane: from Italy to USA, from Canada to Scotland, from Argentina to France, from Brazil to New Zealand, from Austria to Denmark. One cover can also be found from here:Nancy & Frank Sinatra`s Something Stupid by Vaqueros Paganos.

Listen to it here

Artner 11:40 (Budabeats)

At 11.40 are presented 5 brainchilds within 22 minutes by Daniel Artner (also known as dyspeptic) who has made out a fine mix of psychedelic funk, cinematic jazz, blue-coloured trip-hop, fringed by string lines, hip-hop scratches and speech samples at times. Shuffling broken beats/downbeats, dusty organs, Miles Davis-esque trumpets, dynamic guitar lines, subtle brass samples, lone piano chords, and soothing flutes are the instruments here searching for different combinations with each other creating up climax-touched variations and afrobeat-alike easiness. Indeed, it is in a smart way layered oeuvre emboding different roles as entertainer and as brain dance notch. If you like the sounds from Bristol or the acts under Ninja Tune, Dusted Wax Kingdom and other similar labels, in this case, this issue is certainly for you. And not only for you.

Listen to it here

9.2

New Animal New Animal (New Animal)

New Animal is a duo from Atlanta, consisting of Kris Hermstad and Derek Burdette. Recently the duo issued their self-titled album, compiled of 15 tracks. Actually their similarity with Animal Collective is not incidental on the name level only as having much broader touch through shimmering soundscapes and blissful milieu as well. Of course, they are more contemporary (i.e blissfully arranged) group incorporating a little chillwave and glo-fi elements as well. All of it can be seen via psychotic singing manners, repeated psychedelic loops, and impressive (even epic) overdrives, all in all, those mixed electronic pop currents and acoustic folk indie grounds do make out a subtle post-crossover (or post-Animal Collective) approach. Apparently it could be called as animated indie or spiritualized disco too. Really outstanding/transcending moments are embodied in such songs as All I Want Is Gone, Grow Back Out, They Don`t Know, Kill The Lights. In fact, something similar happened about one year ago as well when another duo named as Magic Man released their Real Life Color. Indeed, New Animal might be one of the best candidate for the top album of 2011 at today`s hour already.

Listen to it here

9.7

dustdevil & crow while speaking softly you can hear the insects sing (Bandcamp)

While speaking softly you can hear the insects sing is the sophomore album by dustdevil & crow, however, in the meantime having got a solid addition regarding the line-up subsequently consisting of Michael Duane (guitars, basses), Bendle (voice, inept guitar, junk percussion, jaw harp, organ, low tech digital mischief), Aboombong (drums, percussion, treatments drones), Delphine Sayre (voice), Rob Tarana (violin), and Nick Toombs (guitar, field recording) at the moment. Indeed, all of those artists and their roles are very worth to be emphasized out. Here are represented 11 tracks, making out an idiosyncratic mix of post-rock, avant-garde, chamber rock/folk, dark-hued folk, psychedelia, and more concretely, having obvious influences from the 60`s British psych-folk, drone folk, some decades later appeared concept-based vanguard guitar workouts, and fuzz-filled or other feedback-based experimentations. Regarding the recent case, indeed, it is quite hard to draw difference between the kind of post-folk and post-rock. Yet, it would not have made up any difference at all if the basic ground were rubbish. Moreover, the sextet has even their own "pop song" (Breathing In). In a nutshell, it is a wide-opening yet subtle killer giving no chance for a listener to be realized out with some listening times.

Listen to it here

9.5

Shattered Darlings and Liquid Kisses Shattered Darlings and Liquid Kisses (Is This Music?)

Shattered Darlings and Liquid Kisses is a combo from Long Island, NY, USA, which is headed by songwriters Matt Richards and Tony Delgado (line-upped by James Johnson, Lillian Richards, and Debbie Hass, and their partly unknown keyboard player). Their debut issue is represented through 20 tracks within 53 minutes full of loaded guitar drives, subtly offered psychedelic synth shreds and solidly elaborated dream-alike vocal arrangements all in all building up dynamic sonic architectonics. If you have been a fan of My Bloody Valentine and the Irish quartet`s ascending guitar layers then their basic approach might be felt into your expectations and visions, though, SDLK does add their suggestive point of view. Moreover, by its loud, psychedelia-soaked and sometimes soothing approach does SDLK`s soundscape hint at the glorious and influential tradition of psych-rockers, dream poppers and power rockers as well. Honestly, it is a very pure rock`n`roll blowup obviously working superb in different situations and at any time out. To complement this experience for I highly recommend listen to SDLK`s EPs as well (In Tangiers; Chick Pop Vocals under Nana`s Records).

Listen to it here

9.6

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

[Artists] Tolmunud Mesipuu

Tolmunud Mesipuu
Myspace
Lastfm

[Artists] Alison Eales

Alison Eales
EardrumsPop
Lastfm

[Compilation] Between Two Waves – Vol. A (EardrumsPop)

As I said once, the Norwegian-based EardrumsPop has been one of the finest single and compilation records around the world to date. (Unfortunately the first compilations are being down for a while because of purposed to save space for future issues. I hope those will be uploaded somewhere else, at Archive.org or Bandcamp, for instance). The music under this label does proof out as a voice of nowadays and classical sensed indie conscience. More profoundly, it does veer from jangle, twee pop, dream pop, baroque pop and sunshine pop currents to poptronica and electronic pop, and shibuya-kei notches (lots of artists represented herein come from Japan). Yet, in principle, the indie pop under EardrumsPop is rather a retrospective appearance, for sure, having avoided to be a hype-centric one (which is also very important!), instead aspiring for great classical melodies and astonishing harmonies to shuffle seamlessly the (theoretical) gap between nowadays and the previous decades.

On Between Two Waves - Vol. A (released in April of 2010) are represented 14 tracks by the following artists like Boa Constrictor vs The Honeydrips, Baffin Island (The Very Most + The Hermit Crabs), Suspicious for the Winter (Casa Murilo + Like Spinning), Jacob Borshard and Cake on Cake, Starlight Recorder (Dylan Mondegreen + Alex Rinde (The Margarets)), Leaving Rio (Cineplexx + Onward, Chariots), Peacock Dreams (Shelby Sifers + Spirituals), Saturnalia (The Lost Cavalry + We Walk On Ice), Kubot (Martin Gustafsson (Boy Omega) + Martin Bergström (New Beginnings/Sin Närmiljö)), Early to Bed (Wisdom Tooth + Me And The Horse I Rode In On), En handvändning (Solander + Jerker Kaj), Johnny Favourite and the Exs (Johnny Favourite + little xs for eyes), Dizzie Bird (The Marble Man + Angela Aux), and Broken Motion (Paragraphs + Me And My Arrow). As it can be witnessed for, regarding the collection title and concerning on the artists`specific juxtaposition to each other, each song in principle consists of a blend of (at least) two artists or musicians (can it somehow be related to the abandoning of the kind of snooty eccentricity, though?). The miscellany is full of great songs, though, some of them are outstanding - Baffin Island (The Very Most + The Hermit Crabs)`s You Make Two Weeks Two Days which is a fine ukulele-based troubadour pop reminiscent of some workouts by Jens Lekman and Sondre Lerche; Jacob Borshard and Cake on Cake`s Summer Will Have Its Way is a Belle & Sebastian-esque warble; Leaving Rio (Cineplexx + Onward, Chariots)`s Vanish does involve delicious doo wop harmonies, sung the first half in English, and the ending side in Spanish, respectively.

Listen to it here

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

Th.en.d Metaphors EP (Mixgalaxy)

The Berlin-based Norman Dauskardt aka Th.en.d has released two EPs to date. His first, the 3-track issue Schizophrenic Birth (2009, Acustronica) was composed in a seemingly loose way, yet, regarding some aesthetical intentions and sonic feats, it can be admitted now, those aspects of the sonority foresaw the future upon the next release(s). Beside overwhelming, lazy downtempo milieus, or more punctually, below the lustrous play of colours the motorik rhythms are pretending for the dominating position to be overtaken sometime. Moreover, though The Beatles and The Doors are referred as Dauskardt`s main influences, the krautrock-ish angle is the most evident characteristic on the new record. In any cases, it is not possible that a decent German-based experimental musician could somehow have had no idea about the glorious tradition and continuity of the Teutonic experimental rock scene. Buzz-injected, heavy-weighted in a psychedelic way, symphonic-inflected synth chords, austere yet dynamic metronome-drowned beats do play up a solid whole, first of all, reminding the doings of NEU!, and the soundscape of recent compatriots by the likes of Mina, Cidulator, Isolèe, and Lali Puna as well. If you wish call it as neokrautrock, or call it as post-disco, however, it is quite impossible to resist against the kind of mesmerizing, determined rhythm-based magic sound.

Listen to it here

9.3

Cody England The Monotony Monopoly (Rack & Ruin)

First off, the description "Cody England from USA" met at the record site sounds very amusing way, isn`t? By this way, I can remember for that Dallas, the Estonian indie frontband by 90`s was also made fun of it the same way at times ("Dallas from Tallinn"). However, the Arkansas-based musician is described as "a part-time assistant librarian and a full time creative", which actually says much about his dedication to the creating process. He made his debut this year, having released two issues to date. The debut The Metal Band from Hamburger Land (an apparent reference to his previous employment) showcased his adoreness toward minimal songwriting approach with deeply lovelorn lyrics and taking on some bittersweet arrivings at memories. Yet, the conception of his opening album was a bit too fragile and loose, where the parts of it were set apart from each other, sounding sometimes as a set of the Christmas songs for the lo-fi crowd.

No doubt, the sophomore one is much better evolved into the impressive output, though, based upon the same instrumentation as the previous time. His music is played up with cheap yet magnificient effect-drenched Casio synths (I have at home an example of the first series, namely Casio Tonebank SA-1 bought for 300 EEK/ca 25 USD and being properly worked out during the last 10 years), and home organ GEM H-400 as well. His warm, dream-alike voice does make up lots of great resonances with mild organ drones and programmings on the slow-paced/middle-paced/fast-paced mode. Being sometimes serious, sometimes sad, and sometimes funny the only "weakness" is a fact the record is too short (5 tracks within circa 10 minutes). Searching for soul mates Cody England`s approach can be compared to the aesthetics of his home label Rack & Ruin the first place, though, which generalized sonority has lots of common roots with the bedroom music pioneering by The Russian Futurists and keyboard-drones-based-austereness-drowned-into-harmonies of Beach House as well. A strong workout, indeed.

Listen to it here

9.1

Raindeer Raindeer EP (Bandcamp)

Raindeer does consist of three lads - Charlie Hughes (vocals, synth), Devin Byrnes (synth), and Beau Cole (guitar, bass) - coming from Baltimore, Maryland, a town being once home for Animal Collective. Vis à vis with Collective, besides the trio`s aesthetical heritage originating from similar (post-)psychedelic breeds and DIY-based conceptions and lo-fi-infused common ground their start, however, is not a less impressive opening at all compared to the very launch by Avey Tare-Panda Bear circa 10 years ago, more concretely, being soaked in a rousing mix of electronics and indie pop and subtly nudging at their boundaries and zones. Yet, those 6 tracks of the debut issue are remarkably more extrovert and pop-oriented encompassed by broad yet intelligent postures and caustic keyboard (under)currents, the kind of reminiscent of those played up by the English innovative pop group Space in the last years of the Britpop-era (the track The Green Lights), and MGMT as well. Of course, there can be found out some similarities with the later-era Animal Collective, which drove some obduarate Collective`s fans to despair (Dark Place). On the other side, fortunately, Raindeer is able to avoid this kind of ostentatious artistical shelves cranking out of emotions being anchored at a subject`s genuine sensitiveness. No doubt, the trio is able to master crafty pop numbers, for instance, the ending This Is My Last Transmission which at the outset is intentionally restrained to come off into a catchy even hysterical explosion.
A solid debut, indeed.

Listen to it here

9.2

[Artists] Cody England

Cody England/Bandcamp
Rack& Ruin Records
Myspace
Lastfm

[Artists] Replicast

Replicast
Myspace
Lastfm

[Compilation] Music Beyond No Borders Vol. 1 (Yes No Wave)

It could hardly be argued against a fact the compilations are the best stances reflecting upon the faces of labels, in principle. This is a way how to get informed about the general aesthetical intentions of a record quickly and efficiently. Yes No Wave is an Indonesia-based label, which apparently deserves its name, though, tossing even in a more wide approach regarding punk-funk/dance punk/post-punk/punk/proto-indie rather than the classical US-based movement of 70`s which is not surprising at all.

This compilation saying sincerely "yes" to borders is comprised of 10 tracks (and artists, respectively), starting out by Dubyouth offering bhangra-inflected dub, a crossover form the kind of the most of us having obviously made their first acquiantance after the surfacing of Asian Dub Foundation in the second half of 90`s. In fact, it is a bit more keen to reggaeton shuffles. The following Hengky Strawberry does seamlessly interlocking lo-fi aesthetics with baggy beats into a magnificient whole. Denda Omnivora & The White Liar are up here to shooting out their psychotic torrent via growl`n`electro rock, Coffin Cadillac sparks turmoiling blues hooks to be integrated them into a jacking hi-hat-fuelled punk shape. Zoo reveals perhaps the most dislocated conception firstly taking on splintering into dadaistic vocal approach and ethnic punk propelling further to be billowed together again. My favorite is BondiNedHansel`s F.M.A, a vanguard sort of world music-drenched electro-fusion, more concretely, being stuck in hypnotically repeated "whoomanizer, whoomanizer" and a static guitar abrasion.

In a nutshell, Music Beyond No Borders Vol. 1 is a completed and exciting excursion showcasing the necessity of borders (through which things become to exist in such a way they are predicted to be).

Listen to it here