Venice - Animals, Stars & Other Psychedelic Creatures (2011)

Bad Panda
Lastfm

9.6

/Avant-garde, Avant-pop, No Wave, Post-rock, Post-psychedelic electronica, Electronic, Krautrock, Avant-rock, Experimental rock, Psychedelic/

Comment: The Rome-based Venice`s album kicks off as a kind of vanguard-ish tribal sound (Faust`s proto-industrial hypnotism) which step by step is getting evolve into...ehh...vanguard-ish tribal sound. A way too tautological, isn`t it? Indeed, but it so bloody cool. However, the second track makes some turns rightward (or is it leftward actually?), incorporating the elements from the vibraphone-centered post-rock a la the early Mice Parade and The Dylan Group and some full railing atmospheric layers of Kosmische Musik. It is almost undescribable how soft and subtle it used to be chiming throughout the course. The third track continues principially in the same vein, though, turning its focus more upon bouncy yet cutting edge paces, however, reminiscent of No Wave-drenched ones and besides it adding some treated guitar effects either. No doubt, a superb issue.

[aftersun] - Goodbye (2011)

Bandcamp

9.8

/Shoegaze, Post-punk, Goth rock, Psychedelic, Alternative rock, Space rock, Covers/

Comment: [aftersun] seems to be a combo from Brooklyn, New York which makes a mesmerizing sound loving heavily to loan from a mix of cosmic shoegaze, proto-shoegaze, and the British post-punk/gothic punk music. Indeed, this 2-track issue bases on atmospheric, astonishingly overdriving guitars, rigid bass undercurrents and the same way stomping drums. More detailly, it resembles of such bands as The Chameleons, Swervedriver, Moose, The Comsat Angels, and the French post-punk legend Asylum Party whose track Old Dreams Are Not Innocent is covered herein. An amazing trip.

Japanese Gum - Gonna look in the backroom

Plastic Whore - Elite Elbow Patch Collection (2011)

Plastic Whore
Lastfm

9.2

/Alternative rock, Post-punk, Experimental rock, Electro-rock, Crossover, Psych-rock, Doom/

Comment: Jarmo "Chopper" Nuutre has been active since the first half of 00`s in the Estonian (indie) music scene, i.e being the drummer in many groups. Obviously the most known is he used to be via as one half of doom/stoner/post-metal duo Talbot (having got appreciated outside the borders of Estonia as well), also being recently a member of the dream pop/shoegaze combo Jean Dean. However, Plastic Whore is his solo project, and Elite Elbow Patch Collection is his most accomplished solo publication. In comparison with Talbot, indeed, it might be a little bit subdued enterprise, though, which does not mean it is the restraint project a jot. EEPC is full of (sometimes even) very diverse stylistic angles showcasing itself as a melting pot of alternative rock/post-punk/punk funk, primitive electronic music, doom-ish string waves, grandeur heavy guitar riffs, hardcore snippets, and much more else. First of all, my favorite track is Bogus Charlie which rushes out as a homage to the Fall, more concretely being filled in with a dialogue between synergical bass guitar crests and a nihilistically primitive drum section and those mumbling vocal effects and mere yet sufficient electronics. On the other side, the exertions on infused guitar layers and some funky bass developments do resemble Sonic Youth and Talking Heads, respectively. Indeed, regarding the Estonian scene it is another mesmerizing album after Mirabilia`s Sümpaatiline Õudus EP during this year so far.

The Peach Tree - Children of Cain, Night-Loving Creatures, Prepare Thyselves for 2012 (2011)

Tribal Dancing Kid
Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.6

/Dark folk, Synth noir, Neofolk, Singer-songwriter, Apocalyptic folk, Dark wave, Heavy metal, Electronic, Experimental, Conceptual/

Comment: The Australian Angus Maiden is a busy man, who used to be running the label Tribal Dancing Kid and who has released a bunch of albums under the pseudonym Peach Tree. The recent album is inspired by 21st December 2012 and the Mayan Prophecies. However, through those 11 tracks are represented the dominating dark folk-ish line (those lavish guitar strums), spacious synth noir overthrows, teeth gnashing heavy rock-ish guitar riffs, naive-shiny stompings or primitive burblings, and sweaty chopped-up chords-breakbeats. By the vocal characteristics Maiden does add either dark-tinged manners or high-tempered oppression. An intriguing concept, interesting sounds, and indeed - no sense to be denied- quite rational expectations/conceivable scenarios against this fucked-up world/simulacrum. So let`s see will the whole be restarted or not.

Lule Kaine - Radiation From Futurist Furniture (2007)

Chew-Z
Lastfm

9.0

/Krautrock, Epic, Progressive, Experimental rock, Avant-rock, Motorik, Post-rock/

Comment: Lule Kaine is an eminent experimental rock combo from Turin, Italy having the activities since 2002. They have opened Turin shows for such prominent post-rock/experimental rock groups as Explosion In The Sky, Tarentel, and Girandini di Mirò. However, Radiation From Futurist Furniture is the sophomore album under Chew-Z being accomplished in 2007. The first half of the issue follows the formula of krautrock through precise cadences, metallic echoes, step-by-step evolving through new layers, all in all resembling those proto-industrial whirls by Neu! and Faust conjured up approximately four decades ago. The second half (the last two tracks) is more precisely post-rock, made out through restraint guitar chords, subtle half-orchestrations and dainty electronics. Indeed, it is a convincing workout.

Wonder Bear - Golden Years EP (2010)

Bandcamp

8.7

/Experimental indie, Alternative pop, Glo-fi, Chillwave, Electronic pop, Dream pop/

Comment: Here are represented 5 songs by Ben and Daisy, a pair residing in New York. The handful of skillful outings, though. By its strategy, line-up features, sonic resemblance/its dream-alikeness and female-led vocals, however, the duo can freely be compared to the Canadian miracle fruit Memoryhouse. In true, aboard some rough appearances Ben and Daisy are able to showcase their teeth either. It is a little shameful that only 37 persons are condescended to express their fancy to the EP via Bandcamp (over to Facebook) at the moment.

Fandango - Fandango (2011)

Bandcamp

9.2

/Latin music, Crossover, World music, Improvised music, Psychedelic, Experimental, Tango/

Comment: This is a highly frenzied, 13-track gem from Buenos Aires, Argentina sounding out tango grooves and latin rhythms and world music influences to insertion into more experimental enterprises, including slowed-off, near-drone layerings by bandoneòns, dense, practically exorcised incantations (Tutù-Marambà), simultaneously catchy and arrogantly tootling trumpets, luminous strumming strings (Mentiras Piadosas), some lightening glimpses of surf-based acuteness, and profoundly melancholic, even funeral experience (1976, Mustang Ranch) and epic, slightly dark-hued opuses (Boris Karloff † Ruta Ocho) By its ideological spot, however, Fandango`s soundscape is obviously influenced by Manu Chao`s melting pot, yet there where Balkan vibrations confluence with tango whirls it can be drawn upon indie stars like Beirut, and Bark Cat Bark. By the way, here are decorously presented the covers of The Doors (People Are Strange), Depeche Mode (Personal Jesus), and The Rolling Stones (Paint It Black), giving to those even great tracks an idiosyncratic turn.

Dublicator - Anonym Vectors

Deimost - Space Sadness (2011)

Jamendo

8.4

/Piano, Modern classical, Electronic, Melancholic pop/

Comment: It is Barcelona-based Deimost`s follow-up to his 2010`s issue Mirando en el Baul which was similarly a modern classical appearance. Likewise the brand new one continues its explorations using at times the electronic/new age-esque fringes, restrainted minor key-infused spacious piano chords, reminiscent sometimes of Ennio Morricone`s rich articulations in searchings for blissful sonic sensitiveness. On the other side, Space Sadness might be a case of sore homesickness watched back from the outer space somewhere. A solid accomplishment indeed.