Kalouv – Sky Swimmer (2011)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• Post-rock 
• Epic 
• Art rock 
• Ambient rock 
• Yacht rock 
• Progressive rock 
• Funk rock 
• Crossover
• Indie rock
• Alternative rock

Comment: this 7-track outing is a debut album by the Brazilian ensemble Kalouv being released on a Brazil imprint, Sinewave (which has been a fine platform for providing a review about a part of the Brazilian experimental rock scene). These 36 minutes build up an arousing listening experience veering away from propulsive yet caressing guitar chords and funky yacht rock-alike gears to dizzy crescendos and lofty ambient rock sweeping to intense progressive rock noodling. It is a simultaneous play with the format and timbre, with the mood and self-expression. Actually the great cover print of this release used to embrace all of that in a fine way. Sea, sun, and a fine, light-hearted mood in overall. Great music by any means.

Circvlo – Beleza (2017)

Sinewave

• Math rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Indie rock 
• Crossover 
• Post-rock 
• Post-metal 
• Art rock 
• Art metal 
• Mood music 
• Dance rock

Comment: this 2-notch issue is something of which can be produced in Brazil only. Could you imagine a dance appealed post-rock example with some metal adornments and beyond that it is mixed up with more easy sonic chips as horn sections which used to progress into bossa nova-alike flickers and beatific incantations. Additionally, if you hear an issue of consisting of a flow of permanent chord turns it seems to more resonate with the moody nature of the human being nonetheless all the chords are controlled in mathematical sequences. The outing is a bit in the discography of Sinewave.

Macaco Bong – Macaco Bong (2016)

Sinewave

• Post-rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Dance rock 
• Funk 
• Math rock 
• Psych-rock 
• Stoner rock

Comment: just before I started to listen to this Brazil-based combo's music I had listened to the Smiths' second issue Meat Is Murder in f..king vinyl format (joke!), by many considered as the band's most funky issue (the central composition undoubtedly is Barbarism Begins at Home). The change was not the discontinuation, it was a natural succession from one album to another though formally they are different but you can find much common due to these dance-appealed appearances here and there. At least it happened in my head. Formally it is an instance of post-rock with the danceable bubblegum guitar and the tricky bass guitar and the sustaining drums to showcase something different in the post-rock scene. Of course, I should not be misunderstood - it is not a dance pop in the definition of eurobeat and even post-disco. It may be the trio`s roots come out from the No Wave scene, Funkadelic/Parliament, Jimi Hendrix, Sly And The Family Stone instead. The scaffolding of the album is bold, slightly rough but it builds up slowly to reach its impressive climax. For me it is an unusual case because those sophisticated math rock developments are imbued with enchanting grooves and cheerful twists (for instance, listen to Distraiidos Venceremos). At Baiaro De Stoner one can be a part of a high-spirited audible universe through those frantic and exuberant overdrives on guitars. Yet there are up enough numbers where one can perceive more oppressive elliptical patterns moving from one side to another from the bottom to the top as an ominous vapour. Undoubtedly such a clever and crafty combo must be consecrated because of the structure of the tracks and intriguing and profound guitar timbres and sounds. Let's just call it guitar-induced alchemy for all our well-being. This outstanding issue is a part of the discography of the great Brazilian imprint Sinewave.

Infraaudio - Prana (2016)

Sinewave

Bigorna Discos

• Alternative rock 
• Screamo 
• Epic 
• Emo

Comment: in fact, it is hard to describe this couple of tracks being a part of the discography of Sinewave, a Brazilian imprint. It might be it is the firm sound of the label because it used to drift somewhere between some styles of metal, straightforward alternative rock and massive post-rock. Its content is elegantly slamming and flowing at the same time being accentuated with Portuguese singing. By listening to Antena it can be said it is overflowed with emotions yet not being cheesy and annoying. It is massive yet not being lame. It is like a fine spectacle of rolling guitar torrents and desperate manhood. That's is a way to depict the world around us. And a listener can perceive warmth pouring out of it. Additionally to Sinewave, it is also a bit in the discography of another Brazilian imprint, Bigorna Discos. 

This Lonely Crowd – This Lonely Crowd (2017)

Sinewave

• Alternative rock 
• Post-metal 
• Shoegaze 
• Indie rock 
• Dream pop 
• Fuzz pop 
• Trash metal 
• Blues 
• Technical metal

Comment: Curitiba, Brazil-based quintet is back again with their brand new one of being their ninth outing so far. I can remember for their first issue An Endless Moment Everyday All The Time (2010) which was a sublime drift upwards and downwards and left and right on the base of powerful yet druggy guitar haze. Thereafter it can be admitted it would have been always different, always the same. Lots of guitars chords showcased with different penumbras and different power, however, it can be said the combos is searching for new territories to be conquered. For instance, at Go Where People Sleep And See If They Are Safe the combo exploits electronic beats and synthesised bass frequencies to vamp up their mostly dreamy guitar reveries. Otherwise, there are represented cute songs. For instance, Vancian Noise is a fine fuzz pop/dream pop. Yet Florbela Ex-punk, and Cliodinha`s Wave are also fine ones though in other way showing up blackened energy with unexpected explosions with hints to blues and hard rock and trash and technical metal. The lyrics of the album's songs are extractions from well-known classics. This stunning issue is a part of the discography of Brazilian imprint Sinewave.

Emicaeli – PoPs (2016)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• No Wave 
• Alternative rock 
• Indie rock 
• Experimental rock 
• Avant-rock 
• Math rock 
• Avant-prog 
• Hardcore 
• Art rock 
• Ambient rock 
• Post-metal

Comment: in principle, it is a sort of punk rock. Something which does have similarities with it. In a refracted and deformed way, though. One can perceive the energy of it, madness of it, compulsion of it though all of that is magnified through powerful lenses of more artsy approaches. More profoundly, hardcore meets math rock meets progressive fragments meets post-metal meets whatever. It chimes like a perfect mirror or ironic comment to reflect the decay and shortsightedness of human kind. It is a final glimpse of a deranged mind. Indeed, it is your pop music, do not hesitate it. It is the group`s fifth issue. In a word, the result is a staggering mind fuck being issued on the Brazilian imprint Sinewave.

Team.Radio – Summertime (2011)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• Dream pop 
• Alternative pop/rock 
• Indie pop/rock 
• Shoegaze 
• Post-rock 
• Psychedelic rock 
• Avant-rock 
• Experimental rock

Comment: these five pieces do introduce the listener into autumnal sadness, especially the opening, self-titled track of which beauty pours lavishly over one's centres of sensation because of chiming in a cinematic way due to those intermingled male-female voices and bucolic synthesiser-drenched progressions atop. French Doll is something between Lush, and The Sundays, where deliberately dormant emotions are awoken by witty chord changes and an acidic keyboard key. Vegas reminds me of the Russian indie juggernaut Motorama at its most light-coloured moments. However, it is not Motorama it is Team.Radio and it is their special delivery. Come On is a thoroughly dreamy number with regard to elliptical chord developments (especially in the second part) and hazy female vocal delivery. Albatross is the finishing composition and the quartet's aesthetical apotheosis through combining power and chaos, systemization and tenderness, tension and relaxation. Thereof it is not surprising at all this 13-minute piece is the most post-rock-esque moment within the album. Furthermore, regarding the downright experimental final part of it this is the counterpoint to the rest of the issue. All in all, it is a great issue in the discography of the Brazilian Sinewave.  

Mais Valia – Mais Valia (2015)

Sinewave

• Stoner rock 
• Hard rock 
• Post-rock 
• Math rock 
• Post-metal

Comment: the Brazilian trio of Ricardo Cezario, Alexandre Palàcio, and Vitor Martins used to play quite straightforward yet impressive rock music which purpose is to conjure up powerful chords from their basses, drums and guitars, cross them deliberately and then lay off something special from the mix. There is also another possibility to understand the Brazilian trio’s music. Their 7-track (clocking in at a 37 minute) album might be limited with a certain amount of chord combinations for to get shuffled with each other endlessly until the issue will be over. In that sense their aesthetic could loosely be considered a part of minimalism though played with the usual combination of the instruments in rock music. However, the listener could discover new shades and penumbras to be added with each new track. I like the idea that spawned in my head while listening to their longest track called Metropolis that the trio started off from a muddy, bedimmed soil to rave up their inner engines and then raise to heaven with a monumental trajectory. Last not least – how many cows are depicted on the cover print? The issue is a part of the discography of the Brazilian imprint Sinewave whose grateful purpose over the years has been to release new abrasive rock, noise and metal music from their country. NB! Today will come in Walpurgis Night so it is highly suitable to listen to this issue either. Hail to all witches

Giant Gutter From Outer Space - Set Adrift (2016)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• Math metal
• progressive metal
• Technical metal
• Stoner rock
• Crossover
• Experimental metal

Comment: the Curitiba, Brazil-based duo Giant Gutter From Outer Space has been very active during 2016. Some days ago they released their third issue Stumm under Sinewave. Before it they issued Black Bile (Promo), and before that Set Adrift under Sinewave. This handful of tracks contains many elements pulled out from different metal and rock subdivisions. Instrumentally the punch is driven by heavy noodling of the drums and bass guitar, though it is not the noodling in the classical sense of rock and metal music. More profoundly, it does mean relentless key changes to be appeared throughout the course, a shitloads of dodges and plunges between stoner rock/metal, math rock, technical/progressive metal. I am quite provoked about the question – might it be the sort of improvised music or all these elements are previously rehearsed to be played punctually? The energy coming out from these combinations is another case of appeal. More concretely, it is not the energy of pop inflected music, it is quite murky, silent and glowering. Thumbs up!

Testemolde – Hidroxila (2015)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• Stoner rock
• Trash metal
• Alternative rock
• Crossover
• Post-metal
• Shoegaze

Comment: by listening to the first piece (JDSL) of this 3-track issue one could hear something of rough rock and roll played with a properly metal music approach. On the other side, Geezer adds some chosen shoegaze/space rock elements dispensed properly with more key changes to the mix thereby chiming slightly more psychedelic and thereby providing the stoner rock pathway to trudge. The final notch Testemolde is based on a rough metal riff supported by massive drum slams and galvanized guitar synergy. The accomplished point of the issue is that it succeeds to hold the line between alternative rock and metal music and to erase it now and then when it is necessary of avoiding of being played and getting perceived one-dimensionally. Well done. The notch is a part of the Brazilian alt-rock/shoegaze/dream pop/post-metal imprint Sinewave. 

Juçara Marçal & Cadu Tenório - Anganga (2015)

QTV

Sinewave

• Improvised music
• Freeformfreakout
• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Noise
• Psychedelic
• No Wave
• Non-music
• Leftfield
• Psycho-acoustic
• Improvised noise
• Ambient

Comment: first of all, it is a mind-boggling issue because of disparate elements have been merged in one whole. Juçara Marçal`s ever-changing challenging vocal delivery recalls such artists as Laurie Anderson, Meredith Monk, Diamanada Galas, Maja Ratkje, Jarboe, i.e being the female vocal artist whose aesthetical spot is put on wobbling between singing and mostly high-pitched vowel experiments. From the background she is supported by untamed sonic experiments by Cadu Tenòrio who exploits tapes, prepared violins, synths and manipulated sounds to call forth interesting resonances between those aforementioned compartments. Musically harsh noise torrents, bugs of brown noise and elliptical rhythms used to encounter buried, silence soaked vowel based moments and spaced-out synth induced layers on top. Juçara Marçal sings and chants in Portuguese. The issue is a joint issue to such Brazil based labels as Sinewave, and QTV Records (both of them involve many solid examples in their discography). In a nutshell, the outing is enchanting because of being built upon intriguing sonic compositions, inner burning and accomplished concept. Completed successfully. 

This Lonely Crowd – Meraki (2015)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• Post-metal
• Alternative rock
• Shoegaze
• Post-rock
• Epic
• Speed metal
• Doom rock
• Trash metal
• Power pop

Comment: The Curitiba, Brazil residing combo This Lonely Crowd is back with their brand new one Meraki. If to compare it to their previous albums the quintet continues to develop more metal oriented compositions rather than continuing with shoegaze-tinged ones which were being characteristic to their first albums (And Endless Moment Everyday All the Time, Ephemeris). Of course, those elements are represented over there though the impulses to be propelled further come from doom rock, speed metal and trash metal corners. At times one could perceive destructive blackened energy over the place ready to demolish the structure (Sophrosyne). Indeed, heaven meets hell and light meets darkness. In a word, the collective exploits craftily their previous proficiency to create epic clouds and glistening soundscapes to support and arouse the listener`s fantasies. It is truly interesting to wait This Lonely Crowd`s next issue because having no hint at their next direction. One could already perceive the fulfilled content within the concept of the collective. There is obviously no space for old tricks anymore. Maybe I am wrong, though. At this time it works out fairly effectively because of having reached maximal quality from their aesthetical extent.

Sobre A Máquina – Anomia (2011)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

/Post-metal, Progressive metal, Experimentalism, RIO, Avant-garde, Improvised music, Avant-prog/

Comment: the concept “Anomie” is a sociological term invented by the well-known French sociologist and thinker Èmile Durkheim in his work Suicide (1897). The term does refer to the breakdown of social ties between a person and the community. More profoundly, it is a state of derangement and unrest when moral norms are placed in doubt. Sobre A Maquina´s 2-piece issue is a follow-up to such issues as Decompor, and Areia which were the outings of problematic kind to be classified into very certain pigeonhole. Indeed, The Brazil trio`s music is something which rebels permanently against the stylistic borders though the ones are important because of conveying premises for further crossing. In a word, you need borders to cross them and thereby get somewhere else. Mostly the outing sounds like something of metal music being subjugated to the algorithms of krautrock and avant-prog/RIO aesthetic. It involves a shitloads of unexpected changes in style and instrumentation, in mood and in structure. At times it is calmed down at times it is thoroughly demented and stoned ready to annihilate its very core. It is not background music, it crashes into the listener. In a nutshell, the Rio De Janeiro based combo`s plan was ambitious, however, they were apt to fulfil it. 

J.-P. CARON – ST (2014)

Sinewave

• Drone
• Dark ambient
• Ambient noise
• Epic
• Ambient drone
• Dystopbient
• Avant-garde
• Minimalism
• Microtonal
• Experimentalism

Comment: J.-P. Caron`s recent composition may chime like a graveyard or junk yard antidote to La Monte Young`s music. Just kidding. However, there are represented a couple of tracks first of them extend a little longer than one hour and another is approximately about 14 minutes. Despite their imbalance in format the nature is similar – taut, bleak drones run ceaselessly over endless landscapes full of ghostly shades and penumbras. Inspite of the minimal or even microtonal concept the emotion flourishes throughout and will be full-fledged at the end. Of course, such kind of minimally produced music is tractable by illusions thereby the listener cannot be very sure where is laid down the border between reality and fiction. The blurred vision is actually its strength and source of vitality.                    

Huey - Ace (2014)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• Post-metal
• Math rock
• Psychedelic
• Epic
• Stoner metal
• Experimental metal
• Art metal

Outstanding tracks:

Baby Monstro

Por Detrás De Los Ojos
Pedregulho
Valsa De Dois Toques

Nice Weather For The Carnaval

Samuel Burns

This Lonely Crowd - Möbius & The Healing Process (2014)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

Soundcloud

• Shoegaze
• Alternative rock
• Math rock
• Power pop
• Post-metal
• Trash rock
• Epic
• Space rock

Outstanding tracks:

Gentle

Locked-inn

Aphorisms

Sleepers Among Petals

Forlorn Hope

Disguises

Some Infinite Longing

Cadu Tenòrio - Cassettes (2014)

Sinewave

Bandcamp

• Experimental electronica
• Improvised music
• Ambient
• Microtonal
• Dark ambient
• Micronoise
• Sound art
• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Sound collage
• Post-industrial
• Electro-acoustic
• Psycho-acoustic

Outstanding tracks:

Prematuro

Redoma

Herod Layne - Umbra (2013)

Sinewave

Lastfm

• Post-rock
• Post-metal
• Alternative rock
• Drone metal
• Experimental rock
• Spoken word
• Crossover
• Epic

Outstanding tracks:

Penumbra

Limbo

Lumia

Antumbra

Team.Radio - Leaves Falling (2013)

Sinewave

• Indie pop
• Alternative rock
• Dream pop

Outstanding tracks:

Leaves Falling

Astrolàbio - Coma (2013)

Sinewave

Tape Safe

• Space rock
• Fusion
• Art rock
• Mood music
• Experimental rock

Outstanding tracks:

Images En Mouvement
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