Nanaki – Decline & Dislocation (2018)

Small Bear

• Alternative rock 
• Indie rock 
• Post-rock 
• Epic 
• Power pop 
• Art rock

Comment: Nanaki is the solo project of Michael Daugherty who is a member of the UK-based combo Postcode. His 9-track instrumental release is based on loaded guitar gears and riffs which used to move from the top of one mountain to the slope of another mountain. Indeed, the touch is epic and majestic. Similarly to the releases of Postcode it is released on Small Bear Records. After the first listening rounds I did get a few impressions of it because it seemed to be an average post-rock release. However, the average post-rock issue may also hide many layers behind the most superficial one. Just will have some patience to get into it. Secondly, by listening to a post-rock release it is also about by discerning the sonic power and a majestic touch of it. From almost invisible progressions and subtle reverberations to overcoming crescendos and ferocious outbursts to make an expressive impact. By Michael Daugherty powerful guitar gears and timbres are tempered with synthesised brass arrangements, however, the latter can only be faintly perceived. Thereafter he reflects upon more picturesque paintings by employing pastel guitar chords, exquisite synthesiser and glockenspiel developments. Indeed, it is a fine result.

Slow Decay – Ghost E.P. (2017)

Small Bear

• Post-punk 
• Gothic rock
• Coldwave 
• Alternative rock 
• Epic 
• New wave

Comment: this set of 3 tracks drags up good old post-punk and gothic rock phenomena such combos as an early Cocteau Twins and The Cure, Comsat Angels, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Chameleons. It is led by the distinctive operatic female voice being accompanied by groovy and spacey synthesizers, semi-atmospheric guitars and intense, compelling drums and bass rumbling. Ultimately these elements will create something more, more than just the sum of the instruments. One can perceive a dark, transcendental flow within the upper layers. That`s all we need at a time. This great outing is a part of the discography of Small Bear Records.

Gogo Yubari – The Yes Yes Sound Of Gogo Yubari (2017)

Small Bear

Bandcamp

• Avant-rock 
• Experimental rock 
• Noise 
• Post-hardcore 
• Blues 
• Noise rock 
• Avant-garde 
• Doom rock 
• Hard rock 
• Electronic music 
• Glitch
• Crossover 
• Leftfield

Comment: approximately 15 years ago one Estonian music reviewer stated that music is impressive only if it hurts. Unfortunately he did not elaborate on in which way it should have appeared. I hope Gogo Yubari's 14-notch outing is a slot to provide answers to it though the final answer cannot be declared anyway. Gogo Yubari's music is a sway between deliberated madness and technical possibilities, between blues and hardcore influenced developments into noise and noise rock. And the combo's noise rock is obviously influenced by Sonic Youth, and The Pixies but the influences are magnified and deranged by solar storm. All the radars are running out of power only the power button is switched on. Oh mother I can feel the soil is falling over my head. The Lepidotrepist is a disparate case because of being subdued by its moody approach but by its nature it is a vanguard case with extended and reversed guitar chords. It is a convincing warped world. To The Ends Of Unearth is another exception wherein guitars and vocal part are slowed-down into an example of alien doom rock. Fairly impressive. It might be The Exodus Of The New Work is the most conventional work on it though these energetic steam guitars are loaded with Motörhead-alike dynamics. On the other side, there are also up more electronic and glitched-out experiments full of tension, electricity and galvanised abstractions. The miscellaneous outing is a part of the discography of Small Bear Records.

The Bordellos – How To Lose Friends And Influence No-One (2016)

Small Bear

• Post-punk 
• Alternative rock 
• Indie rock 
• Psychedelic rock 
• Americana 
• Lo-fi 
• DIY 
• Trance rock 
• Acid folk

Comment: The English combo The Bordellos started their issue with the statement we don't believe in motherfuckers anymore, which rather used to foretell a pessimistic approach to come. Indeed, it is fastened by the title, being a paraphrase of a Dale Carnegie's writing. Lyrically it hints at many cultural subjects and artists, at times cynically and ironically, at times on nostalgic feels though musically the album is foremost an enjoyable entry into psychedelic and lo-fi littered music. However, the combo provides some dodges into American roots music (involving much harmonica interplay with the rest of a composition) and trance rock, however, the latter having a common part with psychedelia anyway. For me, the musical group associates with contemporary British DIY culture, having joint parts with the likes of The Hirundu, and Clinker, for example. Of course, by listening to this 13-track outing one can suppose about many artists of being obvious influences under it (The Fall, Captain Beefheart, Spaceman 3, 60s acid folk from the UK, Jesus And The Mary Chain, Jandek, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Bob Dylan among others) I like their critical disposition and anti-pop stance against some cultural appearances and institutions with regard to the song titles (Piss On Spotify, Did The Bastards At The BBC Kill John Peel?, Vinyl Record Stamp Collector) which in turn fortunately is backed up by stark psychedelic touch and ability to create strong, often jam-alike compositions. Listen to this issue and read more about their thoughts in an interview for Yeah I Know It Sucks. The issue is a part of the discography of Small Bear Records.

David Woodgett – Over The Ash Tree (2015)

Small Bear

/Psych-rock, Alternative rock, Indie rock, Blues rock, Space rock/

Comment: UK-based musician David Woodgett`s three track issue is a true-bred rock and roll accomplishment. Based on bold blues rock energy and rhythmic threads Woodgett adeptly refracts it through a contemporary prism of guitar and drums generated music. The result is enjoyably murky where ominous bass chords are set up to fall into mesmerizing repeated cadences which is assisted by Woodgett`s enchanting singing and some spaced-out echoes. Indeed, a righteous rock and roll act must be sinister on its own by marring the contemporary FM radio station experience and enchant the listener altogether. In a nutshell, it is an eminent outing on the Small Bear Records.

Nanaki – The Dying Night (2014)

Small Bear

/Post-rock, Post-metal, Epic, Experimental rock, Art rock/

Comment: Nanaki is recently minimized into the solo project of Mikie Daugherty, being known as the guitarist of Postcode from Great Britain creating post-punk and shoegaze influenced alternative rock. Nanaki is obviously dissimilar case because these 12 compositions represented over there reveal Daugherty`s spot on epic and majestic post-rock progressions – interactions between bold guitar layers and doleful pianos, symphonized synths and some programmed rhythms and intoxicating digitized noises here and there. For instance, listen to such a track as There's No Such Thing As Good which is…(very) good on its own involving a mesmerizing synth glide over epic yet slightly glowering guitar timbres. Frequently these layers change mood to evolve into more overwhelming post-metal hits. Of course, it is essential to find out those odds and ends in his music which make sense in addition to the aforementioned elements. Ultimately it can be said it is a decorous and satisfactory issue.