Gel-Sol - Gel-Sol's Adventures Beyond the Plunderworld (2009)

Gel-Sol

9.2

/Plunderphonics, Sound collage, Conceptual, Cut and paste, Humour, Experimentalism, Spoken word, Non-music/

Comment: there is just one, 27-minute progression of...music? spoken word? radio play? Never mind, what ever it could be but it is intricate in its intense turn of samples and snippets which is filled with blue jokes, amusing bits from ancient movies, farting, kung fu fighting, fit of angers and immense using of foul language (keep it listening far away from children!). Andrew Reichel created this publication with over 7 years of collected samples. Of course, such kind of release was not the first composition and will not be the last one undoubtedly. If to check it out toward the past I can remember for Cassetteboy`s adventures either.

Tears On My Pillow: Part II (2011)

Cactus-Mouth

9.0

/Covers, Experimental indie, Psychedelic pop, Rockabilly, Conceptual, Indie pop, Fuzz pop, Glo-fi, DIY/

Comment: this 12-track I discovered thanks to the listening of Lizard Kisses` cover version of the Drifters` Please Stay. Beside this heartbreaking effort you can enjoy other solid versions of the ditties of pop juggernauts either. School Knights, My Parasol, Holytigress, Shimmering Stars, Acid Glasses, High Pop, Filardo, Ba Babes, Cloud Nothings, Guitars, and Kid Counselor do their work completely.

~▲†▲~ - ~▲††▲~ (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.5

/Witch house, Avant-garde, Lo-fi, Trianglecore, Synth noir, Electronic pop, Noirwave, Dark wave, Hauntology, Drag/

Comment: I am very glad that this avant-electronica project from Moscow, Russia has dominated as the most popular group at Recent Music Heroes approximately for a year. ~▲†▲~`s sophomore issue continues in the similar vein searching for lofty crossroads between haunting electronica, mesmerizing ambient, dark wave. It might be that shoegaze influences are a little bit reduced if to compare it with the first, self-titled album (except the avant-gaze anthem Stickweed Houses, which was also represented on the previous issue). On the other side, Vague I used to take on an organic electronica/musique concrète-soaked "light" approach. At times the release chimes like a demented sort of M83 (doing much better in this way). Indeed, the project is continually my favourite witch house/drag/trianglecore ensemble.

Sobria Ebrietas - Esion (part 1)

Nordbeck - Önnestad (2011)

Sediment

9.2

/Modern classical, Musique concrète, Dark ambient, Acousmatics, Experimentalism, Organic electronica, Ambient, Conceptual/

Comment: Martin Norbeck`s 5-track publication based on (prepared) guitars and pianos is inclined to let the listener in a condition as if they were drowned in deep oblivion. His conception can be compared with another Swede Oskar Hallbert who used to exploit lots of surrounding sonic mist to lay more organic approach over his progressions. Yet, on the other side, Nordbeck (who runs the Sediment label as well). Yet, Nordbeck`s soundscapes are more dark ambient and modern classical-tinged oeuvres where certain sounds are heavily amplified in reverb and delay effects being craftily accentuated. Especially eminent is gitarr 2.

The Dreams+Delacave - Beko_99 (2011)

Beko DSL
Lastfm

9.2

/No Wave, Angst pop, Experimental indie, Lo-fi, Primitive pop, Dark pop, Avant-rock, Electronic pop/

Comment: it is nice to meet the Dreams again, a French duo taking on impassioned lo-fi approach blended with existential, moan-soaked singing. This time they are joined by another Gallian combo Delacave, offering up as similarly as the Dreams three tracks of glowering, angst-drenched drones, creepy guitars, haunting vocal lines and monotonous paces buried below it. On the other side, the last track Funeral Party reflects upon a more primitivistic shape.

Adam Bohman, Adrian Northover – Granite, Silk & Soldering - Solo And Duo Recordings 2010-2011 (2011)

Audition

8.9

/Free jazz, Improvised music, Electroacoustic, Crossover, Experimentalism, Drone/

Comment: in the course of 15 notches the listener can concentrate on tight electro-acoustic rustles spiced up with jazzy whiffs and sharp shards or on the other side, mixed up with some chords, which are more treated, stretched, and gleamingly droning. In true, this album can be viewed as if free jazz/improvised music were wrapped up in a sort of abrasive ambience. Yet, the release shall have to be listened carefully because of containing more layers and progressions you are able to follow at the first sight. Adam Bohman takes care of the prepared strings, and Adrian Northover plays two diverse kinds of saxophones on the album being issued by a label publishing very intricate music from the past and today.

Tëal - Arxitt EP (2011)

17 Sons
Bandcamp

9.2

/Experimental techno, Abstract techno, Minimal techno, Noise, Avant-electronica/

Comment: first of all, it is an eminent effort for your body and mind centre. Indeed, it is a truly angular, chrome-coated and shade-filled set of a handful of obsessive tracks. Experimental, creepy, pitch-bent, mostly monotonous techno shapes are interlaced with witty noise vapour as if were introduced to broadcast signals between the muscles of robots and the neuroglias of human brain. Anyway, this is music for man-machines and its clones which occurs to seem quite horrifying sometimes. You could compare it with Autechre, very compulsive Autechre, though.

The Notes - Fearless (2011)

Bandcamp

9.1

/Indie pop, Noise rock, Alternative pop/rock, Shoegaze, Twee pop, Fuzz pop, Lo-fi/

Comment: these 10 tracks are pleasant indie pop appearances obviously influenced by punk-ish straightforwardness, Sonic Youth-esque feedback admiration, shoegaze-ish sound massives, blonde hairy indie, C86, and the artists on Sarah Records and Slumberland. While the album can be considered more past than present it is a nice listening though. Moreover, many melomans do think that old school music (indie) allows more hedonistic units than nowadays combos.

Retro Retry Sonic Youth - EVOL (2005)

Narrominded
Lastfm

9.0

/Covers, Noise rock, Conceptual, Alternative pop/rock, Indie rock/

Comment: 10 Dutch rock groups do cover Sonic Youth`s classical album EVOL and manage it very well. Noisedelic and whimsical. New forms are offered by The Hitmachine, Franco Formica, Gone Bald, Fine China Superbone, Pfaff and others.