Lemur – Lemur (2013)

Enoughrecords

Free Music Archive

• Stoner rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Post-metal 
• Post-rock 
• Math rock 
• Technical metal 
• Experimental rock 
• Psychedelic rock

Comment: Lisbon, Portugal-based Lemur's 15-track record is long enough to provide many enchanting moments regardless of a quite confined stylistic array. Or maybe I misunderstood the extent of it. In general, it is post-rock though the artist is very keen to go beyond its borders as frequently as it is needed. It in turn depends on how to avoid being an average, even possibly boring post-rock artist. Lemur is successful in doing of it. For instance, monumental guitar, bass and drums interplay is frequently variegated with poignant violin arrangements, sensible glockenspiel chords, psychedelic keyboard interpolation (most remarkably at Widmannstätten). Once in a while the prevalent soundscape consisting of soaring guitars, bold bass lines and thumping drums is jettisoned in favour of rhythmically more high-strung math rock/technical metal/stoner rock/progression rock matrixes (at Cell's Cleavage, for example). One of the most favourite songs is Razor Lung wherein one could trace post-rock-ish instrumentation (at times one could discern even post-punk-ish glimpses) complemented with lofty violin gears reminding of easiness of Penguin Cafe Orchestra, for instance. Spikes and Nails on the other side is the demonstration of power through fast-changing guitar chords, massive overwhelming energy having its source somewhere between blackened and white matter. It is an unsteady madness, and it would be a crime to hold it steady. In a word, this 15-track issue is decorously and expertly played out enough to remind it for a long span of time. The release is a part of the catalogue of Portuguese record label Enough Records.

Chuzausen – Dump Garden (2015)

Enoughrecords

Free Music Archive

Jamendo

• Electro pop
• 8-bit
• Ambient trance
• Breakcore
• Electronic pop
• Mood music
• Tracker music
• Alternative 

Comment: this 11-notch album chimes like a rusty mood music issue where low-end, 8-bit frequency based rhythms do vary with more bold and thudding rhythmic patterns. All these cadences are adorned with catchy melody and harmony threads where one could perceive even the 80s electro disco and house vibes (at Not House, for instance). Not House is followed by Out Smarted which is a fabulous blend of folk, hip-hop and 70s electro pop a la a late Kraftwerk. The next track People is about catchy warped synth lines and heavily stomping electro rhythms which are imbued with exquisite sonic debris and a vowel iteration. The opening tracks Are We Digital, and Duck+Cover remind a little bit of the Orb`s ambient trance opus Orblivion (1997, Island) which makes me immediately psyched. The more you listen to this issue by the Madrid, Spain-based mastermind Chuzausen the more you perceive his poppy yet not self-indulgent potential which could be a case of ideal pop in certain circumstances. The whole is organic and witty – all these elements which are treated over there are the delicate ones and they are expertly mixed up with each other. Fairly great indeed.

Nasienie – Private Loops (2011)

Enoughrecords

Archive.org

Free Music Archive

Bandcamp

• Ambient pop
• Shoegaze
• Post-rock
• Electronic music
• Crossover
• Dream pop
• Alternative

Comment: this 15-track issue is truly inspired from beginning to end because of consisting of elements being ennobling and sublime. Principally it is ambient music which is imbued with dream pop, shoegaze, and post-rock threads. On the other side, all this sort of categorization is indirect and implicit because the aforesaid stylistic determinations say quite little about true nature of the issue – all these parts are just faint flickers without definite borders and angles where one style is superimposed by another or just seamlessly melted into each other. The whole seems to dither surrealistically and phantasmagorically. It reminds a little of more atmospheric endeavours by My Bloody Valentine (The Light, for instance) or Slowdive`s technical and abstract issue Pygmalion. Recently I have listened to another very similar and staggering issue by Brother Saturn which was entitled as Tales Of Space Exploration 35-42 (2016). Last but not least I could remember for a dream where I entered into a music shop to buy a very rare tape recording of My Bloody Valentine which chimed truly fabulously but I eventually lost the gem. It was a truly horrendous experience to me. However, by listening to it this helps partly to restore the former feeling. In a word, the outing is mandatory due to its special nature and effect. Nasienie is a Russian project and the issue was released under legendary Portuguese imprint enoughrecords.

The Silence Industry - Brother Sing, Sister Shout (And Other Conspiracies) (2014)

Enough

Free Music Archive

Jamendo

Archive.org

Bandcamp

Lastfm

/Cold wave, Post-punk, Goth rock, Alternative rock, Space rock, Remixes, Psych-rock/

Comment: majestically thumping drum syncopation, reverb-heavy guitars and cloudy vocal lines are there to constitute something special for those listeners who think gothic rock and post-punk should be crossed and drawn up in a spaced-out way. The thread which could be tagged as cold wave. Silence Industry is a combo from Canada the line-up of which is made up of Graham Jackson, Laura Mikulec, Josh Pearlman and Hyuma Frankowski. The combo has been related to such labels as Ekleipsi, afmusic, and enoughrecords over the almost 10 years. Their 7-piece issue depicts that silence can be entrancing and gruesome at the same time. Indeed, although all these tracks are produced to be quite lengthy it does not bother nevertheless. However, the only remix represented within the pack does not impose upon me (consisting merely of a maze of sonic effects – it is just annoying at its best). The album is finished off with the bonus track Beneath A Sinking Sky which deviates from the other pieces just using the strums of acoustic guitar (the only unplugged version on the album). By kindred souls I recommend listen to Lycia, an early Cocteau Twins, an early Dead Can Dance, The Chameleons. The issue is released on Enough Records, a prolific Portuguese label containing much music worth to be discovered.

The Easton Ellises – NightWavs (2014)

Enough

FMA

Jamendo

Lastfm

/Dance rock, Post-punk, Alternative dance, Electro-indie, Punk funk, Synth rock, Alternative pop/

Comment: The Easton Ellises is a Montrèal, Canada based duo of Alexandre Dionne (previously known as Stereomovers), and Simon Roy who have gained popularity with such issues as EP One, Black Love (single), and Dance It, Dance All, and EP Two. (mostly related to a Portugese record label, enoughrecords). Their music is an inseparable blend of electronic pop, synth pop, post-punk, post-disco, and alternative pop, though in general Dionne-Roy`s sound could be added to the compartment of the so-called post-punk revival music because most of the movement`s related bands used to blend exalted bubble gum-alike beats with catchy guitar hooks and emphatically arrogant singing. The recent issue comprises 4 tracks all of them reveal that arguments about the death of suggestive melodies and rhythms regarding the nowadays musical groups are just vain attempts. Because of having those elements represented throughout the issue their temporary bombasting approach turns into something appealing. Indeed, I do not bear any arguments against their aesthetics. It is pure enjoyment ready to penetrate into your inner world.                           

Amitron_7 - Come Ye Sinners to the Gospel (2014)

Enough Records

Jamendo

Free Music Archive

Lastfm

• Electronic pop
• Easy listening
• Indietronica
• Downtempo
• Sampledelic
• Chilltronica
• Nu jazz

Comment: I can remember for the English musician Amitron 7`s issue The Anton Phase Electro Clockwork Menagerie released in 2009 under Enough Records. It truly ate into my mind. However, the recent issue is a vast, 19-track one involving lots of musical and stylistic elements – from brooding electronic and indie mixed hums, entertaining spoken word and concrete music samples to sinuous nu jazz/fusion-alike jitters, blissful easy listening moments, some haunting and spaced-out blended flickers and a little disconcerted downbeat-induced decelerations. Some improvised moments from the ending part can be found from there. Indeed, the album expands and flourishes providing many moments worth to be arrived at. At times Amitron_7`s music does somewhat reminisce the early 80s in Estonia due to such fusion/jazz rock group as Kaseke. The result is a remarkable chill-out/fusion/electro-jazz release – actually it is far more than just the sum of its ingredients.   In conclusion, music is the music fans` gospel and Come Ye Sinners to the Gospel is an array within it.      

Jared C. Balogh - Modern Renaissance (2013)

Enough

FMA

Lastfm

• Modern classical
• Avant-garde
• Chamber music
• Experimentalism
• Art music
• Baroque music
• Noir

Outstanding tracks:

Pursuit of Happiness

Flattening Droning Distributing Beauty
Social Graces
Shadow Boxing
Stay Awhile So I Can Breathe

Daizy - Aramat (2012)

Enoughrecords

Free Music Archive

Lastfm

• Downtempo
• Electronic pop
• Poptronica

Outstanding tracks:

Not Found

Chuzausen - Awesome Is Grey (2013)

Enough

Free Music Archive
Lastfm

• Electronic pop
• Chipbreak
• Ethnotronica
• Breaks
• Crossover
• 8-bit
• Hip-hop
• Acid electro

Outstanding tracks: 

Golden Tales

The Walker

Epic Fail 

Emerge/Sustained Development - Innervation (2013)

Enough

9.3

/Drone, Dark ambient, Drone ambient, Abstract, Avant-garde, Minimal, Experimentalism, Microtonal/

Comment: this split consists of 2 tracks - one track is composed by Emerge, and another one by Sustained Development. Both compositions are long-running, filled with slow and quiet burning. Despite the pieces` calm nature at the first sight the issues are a little bit frightening having enough hints at the more dreadful characterization. More detailedly, those reverb-heavy austere lines are imbued with abstract, unknown matter showcasing many dark corners and orifices at the foreground and backdrop. All in all, the final perception is excellent.

Trollhead - Trolls In Dub (2011)

Enough

Bandcamp 

9.1

/Breakcore, Industrial electronica, Experimental electronica, Dubstep, Big beat, Downtempo/

Comment: this issue of 4 pieces comprises bold rhythms, sub bass oscillations, spoken word snippets and intense yet whimsical electro overdrives atop it. However, the result is a seamless whole, though, involving many anguish, Zeitgeist-induced moods and ambiance. Stylistically, it shifts somewhere in between noisy industrial, punching big beat, crawling downtempo therefore resulting in highly hyperactive breakcore-esque madness. Furthermore, such a combination of sound was entitled as "dubstep" then. In conclusion, this issue has been managed in a way to provide enough charm, emotional bond and thought-provoking content.   

The Easton Ellises - Dance it, Dance All (2013)

Enough

Jamendo

Free Music Archive 

8.8

/Alternative dance, Electronic pop, Remixes, Conceptual, Electronic pop, Robot pop/

Comment: The Easton Ellises is a dance rock combo from Montrèal, Quebec, Canada whose track Dance It, Dance All is the subject for remixing at this time. More concretely, there is up the original song and 7 remixes of it. Mostly these remixes are shot through with more or less thudding bass propulsions, acidic rhythm cut-ups, abridged sequences, shimmering synth guitar rubs, flickering autotuned vocal mutations, however, all of them used to exude joyous energy and viable undulation. Yet, there is one, outstanding remix having different point of view - Motel Costel`s mix is made up of diaphanous, Latin guitar strumming, effortless vocal lines and slight funky rhythms.          

Various Artists - Retork (2003)

Enoughrecords

Bandcamp

9.2

/Experimental electronica, Electronic pop, Glitchtronica, Chiptune, Soul funk, Downtempo, IDM/

Comment: Retork is a compilation album by Enough Records, a Portugese record label. It involves the manning of such artists as Mosaik, Aisth, Kilowatt heaturing Synesthesia, Sense, Makunouchi Bento, Duncan Avoid, Xhale, Julien Neto, Kschzt, Khonnor, Quobe, Fysiz featuring Netpoet, Sinespree, Nullsleep. However, stylistically this 12-track issue extends from peaceful yet profound IDM/downtempo freights to more angular glitchy paces, from chiptune-tinged acid dashes to catchy autotune soul funk. These exhales used to be on the ball by any means.  

V.A - Atlan This (2012)

Thisco

Enough
Lastfm

• Noise
• Dark ambient
• Illbient
• Post-industrial
• Ambient drone
• Post-industrial
• Experimentalism
• Avant-garde

Ghost Hunter - In The Early Months (2008)

Enough

Lastfm

• Leftfield
• Neokrautrock
• Experimental indie
• Alternative
• Indietronica
• Psychedelic
• Poptronica

Jari Pitkänen - Sirin (2012)

Enough

Lastfm

9.4

/Ambient, Soundscapes, Ambient drone, Avant-industrial, Dark ambient, Abstract/

Comment: Jari Pitkänen`s 2-track issue used to exhibit the strong interaction between glacial ambient and billowy drone chords filled in with more or less caustic, industrial-tinged oscillations and more abstract susurruses. In a word, the result is expressive and convincing, however, searching for balance between explorative and affective elements. There can be drawn parallels upon the likes of Blues for spacegirl, Ars Sonor & Meklabor, Caustic Reverie, slept., Kirill Platonkin.

Beta Dog - Fake Hero (2012)

Enough

Soundcloud

Lastfm

8.8

/EBM, Industrial rock, Dark pop, Trance, Electro-rock, Crossover, Techno rock, Electronic pop, Synth rock/

Comment: this batch of 11 tracks is the debut album by Beta Dog, a Czech project full of gloomy synth layers, rigid machine-driven rhythms and a little bit tortured, hacking vocal appearances and obscure themes sometimes mixed up with spoken word and theatrical samples and robot-esque vocoder filters. Stylistically it veers away the elements of rock, industrial, electro(nica), trance and synth pop.

dUASsEMIcOLCHEIASiNVERTIDAS - SADITREVNiSAIEHCLOcIMEsSAUd (2011)

Enoughrecords

Lastfm

9.1

/Free jazz, Avant-rock, Smooth jazz, Crossover, Psychedelic rock, Space rock, Experimental rock, Jazz rock, Alternative, Krautrock, Improvised music/

Comment: this project with the lengthy name and album title hails from Portugal providing a sprawling blend of free jazz and rock improvisations which in turn do range from spacey explorations and powerfully overdriving dodges to over-the-top guitar sections and noisy walls, acute brass interventions and heavy drumming torrents. In fact, on the other side, all these rough patterns are sometimes toned down with silentful contemplations which in turn are supposed to be the platforms for further brisk shuffles and incisive appearances. So the band do follow the closed circle formula so characteristic for some compartments of experimental music.

Abstract Nostalgic Fractals Systems - The Inner Peace (2012)

Enough

Bandcamp

Lastfm 

9.3

/Dub-tech, Ambient dub, Crossover, Experimental electronica, Tech-dub, Deep house/

Comment: this 8-track album is an lofty amalgamation of trippy space disco/house/techno rhythms, panoramic ambient-esque organicness, and highly suggestive dub vibes, more concretely, resorting freely a huge array of frequencies and fractals. In a word, feel how the bounce comes down.

Globoscuro - Riccardo III (2012)

Enough 

Lastfm

9.1

 /Avant-industrial, Hauntology, Avant-garde, Drone, Spoken word, Crossover, Psycho-acoustic/

Comment: Globoscuro, the Livorno, Italy-based musical project provides 8 notches spreaded out over 54 minutes. It involves the elements of spoken word and ghastly sort of industrial music which used to be full of hysterical despair, painful female crying and paralyzing angst which used to step by step bulge throughout the course. Now and then the result is managed to pour out into a mystical and theatrical sea reminding a little of Alio Die (also from the same country), for instance.