The Womb Purity Test (23 Seconds)

The Englishman Alan Driscoll embarked on in 1998, at the time when the 90`s Britpop movement started to getting to its closure. From the aforementioned year off to this day he has released approximately 10 albums, including one publication named as Britpop as well. Thereby regarding all those facts and the main characteristic of the recent issue, indeed, for all of those people who had grew up within the glamorous touch by Pulp, Suede, Auteurs and the others acts Purity Test should be meaningful enough. Moreover, by being demonstrated an Ultrasound`s vinyl record on the coverprint, how could it have a reference somehow otherwise?

Purity Test is a double album, or at least an album with shitloads of bonus songs (all in total 10+10). First of all, it is a case of whimsical lyrics with hints at escapism, womanizers, and even a kind of obsession. By the background it is full of great synth-based thrills and orchestral progressions, catchy soulful disco tunes, synthetic pop arrangements, diverse rhythm roundabouts and outstanding song performances with eccentric postures. Despite of all those diversities, however, all seems so evidently sounding under the Britpop regime yet. My favorite notches are some dark-hued, even a bit creeping introspections being not sporadically represented here. Rosanna Woolett, Junalyn Corre, Chloë Reeves and Simon Gray are up here to offer their important collaboration over to the release.

Listen to it here

9.5

[Artists] ✝ DE△D VIRGIN ✝

✝ DE△D VIRGIN ✝/Bandcamp
Lastfm

Tunguska Electronic Music Society Ellipsis II: Tundra.Ambient.Dreams. vol.2 (Jamendo)

The Moscow-based Tunguska Electronic Music Society (TMS) can be admitted as an umbrella organization which embraces lots of musicians, producers, dj's and composers, who work in a profilic way from the beginning of 2007 in "Tunguska Music" style. Moreover, TMS is also a net of network music distribution labels and a net of little bars and cafes. Its branches are known under such names as Tunguska Chillout Grooves, Tunguska Music Society, Tunguska Project, Tundra Ambient Dreams, Tayga Feeling, Transsyberian Express, Nikola Tesla Tribute, etc.

Before the listening to the Ellipsis II: Tundra.Ambient.Dreams. vol.2 I made acquaintance with the previous ones by the likes of Ellipsis II: Tunguska.Across.Sphere. vol.2, and Ellipsis II: Tunguska.Shaman.Vimana. vol.2, which were more dominated by chillout-esque electronic music being interchanged via smooth jazz themes and mindtouching, atmospheric-fried electronic approach, respectively.

However, the collective fills in the Tundra-titled album with a different point of view being kicked off proceeding in an epic mix of ambient, drone, ethnic drums, wherein Kosmische Musik-alike acid-hued synth swirls are permanently zipping over vast landscapes, which progression later involves the elements of space rock/space synth, unleashing the flow of metallic shards and fluttering, atmospheric sonic arrows over to the space around to be expanded and conquered. In principle, it does recruit a quite austere sonic statement, it is even minimally designed out, on the other side, it does not afford minimalism-close attacks for itself, offering enough propulsions and warbles on its own. Sometimes the whole does acquire peculiar dimensions via weird, even dystopic sonority as if those frogs and insects living in the futuristic, robot-dominated world, would have been mutanted via genetic changes, respectively resulting in croaking and chirping out mechanical sounds hardly discerned. Moreover, any signs about the presence of human being are long dismissed. Still at the closure some resurgent, chant-esque vocals will be appeared to get evolved into a few patterns, yet, getting no dominant reference within the soundscape. For the nature-based concrete soothings as forthcoming concrete sounds in the last tracks, however, are much more importance reserved.

In the conclusion, I really wish to express affectionate hope that the epicness is a universal chracteristic and hence allowing for the 13 tracks within 75 minutes to actualize great touches and milieus for any kind of listeners.

Listen to it here

9.4

Felipe Casey Cardona Casio Nightlife (Noise Horror)

Having a speak about Felipe Casey Cardona`s 4-track cassette single Casio Nightlife it is not realistic to ignore a nowadays musical situation, this kind of which was rooted by Ariel Pink`s low-tech doings in the middle of the 00`s having attracted so many attention and (re-)launched a new home recording wave, developed mostly into chillwave/glo-fi/stargaze, or witch house/drag/haunted house music nowadays, which relies on a blend of the roughness of the do-it-yourself aesthetics and dream-alikeness of the bedroom music. However, the situation is greatly changed to date and the greatest of them (Ariel Pink, Devendra Banhart, Wavves) are being signed up by well-known labels, moreover, the aforementioned artists have managed to move on toward the centre of pop music, though.

Cardona takes his path in a direct and downright way. Low-end synths and noir-alike vocal sequences with some sense of violet-y colorings are ready to be instantly thrown to the forefront from the very start to the end. The opening and self-titled track seems to be a tribute to the erotic music, on the other way, the finishing Subjective Paradoxical Argument is a deep inner space noir. Two tracks in between do conjure naivistic synth chords and merely discernible distorted backcloth, by having the singing in English and in Spanish. In fact, he does prevalently drift in a lucid and high spirited mood, yet, in the ending phase his conception is used to seem a little bit monotonous and weary. But he is a talented guy anyway. Lets wait what will the sophomore issue bring with.

Listen to it here

7.7

Sun-inside Speed Beauty (Section27)

The Ukrainian project`s first track is named as Transparency Palm which might semantically have a reference to Faust`s first, so-called X-ray album, and the album title might referentially be related to krautrock style in a bit broader sense as well, though its surrealistic and shimmeringly sounding approach is more keen to hauntologic and sampledelic outputs rather than come to over for manipulating with motorik and hypnotic conceptions. Indeed, 13 tracks consisting of weird low-end synth effects, have been played out via high-key sonic patterns, though mainly on the lo-fi mode, remembering strongly of Cagey House, and Manuel Buerger sometimes. In fact, weird can be perceived without the weirdest ones. For example, Tragic Ceiling has been brought forth through mystical spiritual music, respectively to the Russian orthodox tradition. This track could be associated with the collaboration acts of Alexei Rafiev and Alexei Borissov (two albums under Clinical Archives).

Listen to it here

8.3

Epic Flail Mrbitterness and guilty pleasures (Bandcamp)

Epic Flail`i elik newyorklase Randal Helm`i 5-loolise ning 27-minutilise EP kõva tuum peitub indie rock`is, dark industrial-muusikas ning süntpopis. Avalugu breaking down algab 8-bitise abrasiivse trillerdusena, millele taamal Helm`i väljapeetult kandev vokaal omandab kõrgelennulisuse ning harmooniaküllasuse. Kontrast on sissejuhatuseks igatahes võimas. Käesoleva reliisi puhul on paralleele tõmmatud Nine Inch Nails`i ja Blancmange`iga ning koguni spekuleeritud Joy Division`i ja Henry Cow sohilapse võimalusega. Omalt poolt lisaksin David Sylvian`i ja Darkjet`i gloomilikkuse ning Simian`i indie-elektroonilisuse. Indie ja darkwaveliku segmendi kohtumiskoha pealt on suurim sugulushing pigem hollandlaste Fourteen Twentysix. Tegelikkuses on asi märksa mitmeplaanilisem. Träki Lost gruuvivad psühhrifid langevad Spiritualized`i rokkimistega kokku, sellal kui Helm`i vokaal meenutab David Sylvian`i ja Peter Gabriel`i. Voices from the other side jätkab põhimõtteliselt sama koha pealt, kus Lost lõppes, ainult selle vahega, et EBM-ilik sündimulina rütmilisus hakkab helilistest alakihtidest kuulaja alateadvusse murdma. Lõpuloo Thinking Machines (Here Come The) tiitel ei valeta - masinad ja robopop on kohal - kraftwerkilikult autotuunitud vokaalosast ning elektro- ja elektroonikakaosest kerkib üllitise üks tipphetkedest esile. Teisalt kõik see elektrojurakate segunemine eepilise sümfoonilisusega toob meelde Suede`i "Head Music"-u (1999, Nude) mõnede lugude esteetika (Asbestos, Down).

Kuula albumit siit

9.2

[Artistid] PREGNANT

PREGNANT
Free Music Archive
Bandcamp
Life`s Blood
Lost Lamp
Myspace
Lastfm

[Artistid] Jordan Reyne

Jordan Reyne
Myspace
Lastfm

Gynorg 3rdDoor EP (Psychic Oscillator)

Siinkirjutaja kogemus ütleb, et kui emotsioonidele mängiv helikeel muutub mingist hetkest koormavaks, tuleb piduri tõmbamiseks mõni dark ambient/illbient-album peale panna. Diametraalselt erinevad kuulamiskogemused tasakaalustavad, kainestavad ning aitavad hinnangutes paremini orienteeruda, võimaldades žanrilisest solipsismist väljapoole vaadata.

Andrew Cooke`i 5-realine ning 27-minutiline EP on piisavalt pahaendeline oma roomavas õuduses, et pillerkaar kuulaja teadvusest mõneks ajast välja uhta. Britt loob elektroakustilisi keskkondi rütmistruktuuride laiali laotamiseks. Tõepoolest, kahinate-sahinate ja õrna reverb-õõva saatel kulgevate elektrooniliste progressioonide, inimhäälte kaugete kajade kaaslasteks on läbi erinevate intensiivsuste ning stiilidimensioonide tukslev rütmistik. Kuid on teisigi rõhutamisväärseid elemente - lugu Vermist läbiva säriseva sündibassijuraka kohal võnkleb kummituslik efekt, nimilugu kulgeb sügavas, kõike-muud-välistavas vaikelus; isiklik lemmik on Milieus, kus kõrgete, keskmiste ja madalate helide vahele tekib avar ilmaruum; lõpulugu WhiteDot on neoklassitsistlik industrial drone techno. Tegija teos.

Kuula albumit siit

8.7

Okinawa Lifestyle Naha (haaa00a00a0a)

Gruusia duo David Datunashvili-Gigi Jikia alias Okinawa Lifestyle on vähetuntud, samas kahtlemata üks väljapaistvaimaid akte tänapäeval, mis pärinenud endise Nõukogude Liidu piiridest. Tüübid viljelevad chillwave/glo-fi-liikumise sekka liigitatavat muusikat, mis üksnes annab märku sellest, kui palju populaarsust on nimetatud stiil maailma erinevates underground-urgastes võitnud. Tõsi, grusiinid ei ole siiski haibilaineharja pealt õhku tõusnud, kuna eelmisest aastast pärineb nende esimene reliis "Roswell Crash" EP. Teenäitajad chillwave`i vallas? Võimalik.

Rääkides nende 12-loolisest järjest, ei ole võimalik kiidusõnadega koonerdada. Tbilisilased esitavad-vahetavad noote-temposid nii, et nende groove`ide seadmise ning velvetlike harmooniate esilemanamise geniaalsuses ei ole kahtlustki. Võrreldes debüütreliisiga on nende muusikaline helikeel edasi suundunud. Siin on palju rohkem põikeid ja meeleolusid. Näiteks avalugu Rouge à Lèvres tõuseb õõnes industrial electro-jurakate keskelt esile. Levan langeb žanriliselt eelmise üllitise sängi, soojendades piisavalt kuulajat glamuurse ning õndsa kõlaga, et pidada seda üllitise keskseks looks. Tbilisi Presents esitleb noir-meeleolus Pulp`i (Seductive Barry; Weeds II; My Legendary Girlfriend) ning Ariel Pink`i ristandit. Raske on kujutleda, kuidas saaks popmuusika veel paremini kõlada. Little Place Naha segab funky`sid electro-rokihaake digitaalse hip-hop`iga. Goblin Dance segab prügist sentimenti atmosfäärilistesse kihtidesse. Nightwalk ning Sunrise on klubimuusika tuunidest kantud elektrooniline pop, mis, muideks, meenutab mõningaid lugusid Borax`i albumilt "Mikroraion" (1999). Emotional Experience kõigub koguni kusagil lounge`i ja deep house`i vahepeal, mida lõpuosas ilmestab electro-eksperimenteerimine. Ning kas saakski veel olla ilusamat lõpulugu kui on seda Ninenda!

Tundub tõesti , et elame muusikaliselt õnnelikul ajajärgul - vähemalt selle tõusulainel. Lamedad rock-revival`id ning electroclash-puhangud on seljataha jäänud. "Naha" on meisterteos. Loodetavasti kuuleme sellest bändist veel ja veel.

Kuula albumit siit

9.8