I/DEX - Tetrapolar (2003/2009)

Foundamental
Lastfm

9.4

/Ambient, Glitch ambient, Soundscape, Organic electronica, Ambient dub, Chill out, Experimental electronica, Minimal/

Comment: the Belarusian artist Vitali Harmash provides a handful of tracks which main templates can be described as being homogeneous ones on its own, yet, the listener can detect a loads of elemental turbulences (read it: subtle miscroscopic glitches and sample bits patly consisting of the snippets of spoken word and concrete sounds) permanently ascending from these infiltrated surfaces. Indeed, Garmash`s soundscape is gritty and lush conjuring up many elusive moments aimed at soothing of the listener`s senses. At times he is disposed to be more borealic, at times to be rather warm and longing in his still life-tinged incantations but always he is being highly convincing. His oeuvre can be compared with the likes of Joel Tammik, Loscil, Sidharta, Vladislav Delay, Jacques de Villiers, Tim Hecker. The album is released on an excellent Belarusian label/webzine, called Foundamental Network. A superb outlet.

Elite Gymnastics - Is This On Me?

ELITE GYMNASTICS :: is this on me? from ben sifel on Vimeo.

The Sbirros - Hits From The Crypt (2011)

Kill Mommy

9.0

/Punk rock, Alternative rock, Psychobilly, DIY, Rockabilly, Noise rock, Lo-fi, Garage rock/

Comment: a joyous set of punk/and psychobilly-induced torrents within a concept compiled of the scaffolds of dashing/garage-y rock and roll, the influences of B-category horror movies, DIY aesthetics, Tarantino and Rodriguez produced Mexico-related killsplotation motion pictures. Let`s check out some titles of notches represented there - Teenage Vampire, I Married A Monster From Outer Space, The Toxic Avenger and the meloman can draw parallels upon such Russian combo as Messer Für Frau Müller/Messer Chups who also used to love mixing up obscure themes with a batch of funny topics. These 11 tracks are fronted by Sheena, a shouting and shooting fury who is assisted by Mass, Nitro, and Igor Mortis. This Italy-based collective does not exist anymore being replaced to Female Troubles now. An appealing stuff indeed, the kind of grower, especially the track I Was A Teenage Mutant Rocker where the ensemble exploits the effects pulled out from a theremin.

Abstract Greens - Electric Adonis EP (2010)

Bandcamp

9.0

/Madchester, Indie dance, Remixes, Alternative dance, Baggy, Dance rock, Alternative pop/rock, Leftfield/

Comment: old school dance rock/baggy/Madchester vibes in the embodiment of two versions of an original track and a remix version of it. Behind Abstract Greens is Rob Mulvey, a musician from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK who is being associated to a small local label called Lone Head Records (The Wordsmiths, Commercial Malcolm, The Cherry Action, Knicker Boy, Red Sonya, Haircuts From Mars). In a word, listen to hirsuit guitar chords-riffs backed up with ragged beats.

~▲†▲~ - ~▲†▲~ (2010)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.6

/Drag, Avant-electronica, Experimental electronica, Newbreed, Crunk Shoegaze, Avant-electro, Witch house, Trianglecore, Avant-industrial, Haunted house/

Comment: in the wake of a powerful hype the witch house movement has already grew out of the borders of the United States as its birth place, and so you should not be surprised a tthe moment at all to discover the band names referred via different sorts of (symmetrical or non-symmetrical) magical symbols (mainly crosses and triangles) from somewhere else in the world. On the other side, all this vast bunch of stylistic tags ascribed to this genre to date, is growing with every new day. "Drag", "witch house", "crunk shoegaze", "screwgaze", "ghost step", "zombie rave", "witch wave", "broken-clash", "newbreed", "rape gaze", "okkvlt", "haunted house", "trianglecore". And "noirgaze" as well - the last mentioned stylistic restriction is invented by my side. Further, it is quite thinkable that lots of band titles in future will not be expressed in words (because it is impossible to enact it into clear intention), but instead of it the names will have been described just by zig-zagging (or drawing lines) with fingers. It would be similar as the making of the Sign of the Cross.

It is impossible to find out some information about a project symbolized out as ~▲†▲~ except his/her residing place (Moscow, Russia). A set of 6 tracks of obscure soundscapes, which are obviously influenced by dark wave and shoegaze legends (My Bloody Valentine; Lycia) and sustained by murky, EBM/industrial-infused cadences and buzzing low-end synths, besides it having a joint point with the chillwave music through blissful kind of fluorescence leaped out from the noisy crests. Altogether, the release seems to be one of the best sonic results in the fictive realm of dark-hued world throughout th etear 2010.

[Teaser of the day] The Implicit Order - Throbbing Teddybear

Julian Winter - Slow Motion (2011)

Humanworkshop
Soundcloud
Lastfm

9.1

/Indietronica, Experimental electronica, Club dance, Cut and paste, Organic electronica, Crossover, Sampledelic, Modern classical/

Comment: this is an intriguing, 10-piece approach by a German artist who is known due to his attempts to cross indie pop tunes and suggestive, organic electronica, and glitch-y beats. The compositions are quite short-running ones taking on a realm which comprises the elements of concrete sounds, plucked chords of guitar, chopped-up rhythm loops, and classical/baroque infused bits. Frequently Winter`s sound reminds more of some kind of sound collage/cut and paste/sampledelica rather than the song-oriented arrangements. For instance, he used to pull out the samples from vintage motion pictures. However, the most intimate moments are related to the chords of a lone piano backed up with the torrents of rain and flickering, epic electronic developments (Life`s Pace In Slow Motion). On the other side, JW provides a pair of examples taking on mesmerizing club dance prospects which are up to the level.

Lee Rosevere - Le Voyage Dans La Lune

Balogh - Rhythms of Life (2012)

Happy Puppy 

FMA

9.2

/Post-rock, Instrumental music, Modern classical, Improvised music, Crossover, Organic electronica, Avant-garde, Experimentalism/ 

Comment: there are up 10 pieces involving two main templates made up of the chords of double bass and improvised sequences of piano which at times are variegated with vibraphones and a sensible amount of electronica (indeed, resembling of such post-rock-related groups as Tortoise, The Dylan Group, Mice Parade). Mostly Jared C. Balogh (an US-based producer and header of the Altered State Reflections Records) is intended to find out the balance between joyous progressions and more murkily composed appearances, or drifting between repetition-heavy patterns and incessantly variable array of chords, or the listener can detect the ideological fight between notated chords and more improvised endeavours. The result is highly enjoyable by any means. And do not forget - it is not a sort of muzak. Give your approach to it.

Sidhartha - Mouse Clicking EP (2002)

Wide Area Network Records
Lastfm

9.4

/Abstract techno, Abstract electronica, Experimental electronica, Ambient dub, Crossover, Dubstep/

Comment: the sonic explorations behind the name Andrey Kiritchenko (born in 1976) need not to be introduced actually. He is an experimental electronic music producer who has defined the imaginary scene of post-Soviet electronic music with Alexei Borisov, Kateryna Zavoloka, Younnat, Evgenij V. Kharitonov, Randomajestiq, Buben, and some other ones. Sidharta`s Mouse Clicking had been issued approximately 10 years ago showcasing his ingenious touch of how diverse styles should be crossbreeded with each other in seamless/organic way. The listener can perceive how dub music in the embodiment of ambient and dubstep does have different possibilites to evolve into a more quintessential one (reminding of the likes of Pole, Basic Channel-related things). Those subtle phase changes based on the modulations of synth sequences do make out an astonishing trace. By the way, the term "dubstep" was not used (invented?) then. On the other side, the parts of it will develop into a more abstract compartment of minimal/intellectual techno vibes a la Autechre or Kim Cascone. Furthermore, the 6-piece release used to have lots of energy and vital power oozing out both from carefully treated paces and ethereal layers. Or just call this power simply synergy. In a word, listen to it and sing this album to be a classic one. Never mind, it has already managed to be a classic one on its own.