SALA - Jurmala Revisited-Breath (2012)

Audio Gourmet

8.8

/Ambient, Musique concrète, Modern classical, Field recording, Minimal, Crossover/ 

Comment: just a pair of long-running tracks which start off with lush sounds coming out directly from within the natural environment, however, soon getting slowly mixing up other sounds into it. Such sound can be considered as natural kind of ambient music where changes used to be minimal and laconic yet captivating ones thus reminding of the likes of Juanjo Palacious, and Oskar Hallbert. The project originates from Lithiania and is headed by Audrius Simkunas.

mnttaB - shiny stones and miracles (2010)

Bandcamp

Lastfm

9.3

/Art-punk, Post-punk, No Wave, Avant-rock, Noise rock, Experimental rock/

Comment: mnttaB is a frantic art-punk/post-punk group from Australia warming up old No Wave traditions a la The Screamers, and 80`s Sonic Youth with more angry and propulsive hints at British post-punk examples a la The Fall, where abrasive, angular guitar-induced noise wall is mixed up with the chords of violins, and manifesting vocal manner. In a nutshell, it is highly convincing due to its nihilistic approach.

[Teaser of the day] Sindrones - Race Around the Yellow Moon

prOphecy sun – Breaking Heat (2012)

 Ramshackle Day Parade

9.2

 /Abstract electronica, Avant-electronica, Experimental electronica, Experimentalism, Hauntology, Remixes/

Comment: just a pair of pieces (the original track and the remix version of it) which take on off-kilter compositions made up of minimal, a little haunting layers and vowel experiments covered with ghastly vapour. It is paradoxically contradictional because of consisting of blissful yet somehow hysterical compositions resembling of the doings of Curd Duca (his Elevator albums) under Mille Plateaux approximately 13-14 years ago. More profoundly, she is full of weird silence and disturbing coziness.

Maston - Voyages (2012)

Bandcamp

9.4

/Exotica pop, Avant-pop, Post-psychedelic electronica, Glo-fi, Alternative, Leftfield, Electronic pop/

Comment: this set of 6 notches pushes off with intensive yet uplifting synth and brass mixed sounds reminding a little bit of Morricone-loaded Stereolab. Indeed, Strange Rituals is one of the best birds popped out from 2012. However, the following tracks showcase the same traces, though, using more spacey guitar sounds and showing more Scott Walker-esque visions which in turn are blended with fine haunting electronica and vintage, dusty keyboards within it. At times it resembles of Space, the British indie combo from the 90`s who loved express themselves through buffoonish vocal lines, acidic synths and highly orchestrated frames. Furthermore, Maston used to take on gritty exotica pop throughout its course. In true, it is elusively strange and retrodelic at the same time. In a nutshell, the result is superb and highly convincing.

Le Bâtiment - Nathalie (2012)

Bandcamp

8.5  

/Alternative pop, Slowcore, Alt-folk/

Comment: there are represented 7 notches all of them are sung in French which veer away refrained ballad-based or even slowcore-ish alternative pop and more alt-country-alike endeavours on the other side. Some influences come out by the side of Wilco, and some by the side of Low. Indeed, the album chimes paradoxically like a French equivalent for the Americana movement.

[Teaser of the day] Malty Media – Hilbert Space

Eko_Fisk - Solid State (2012)

BFW Recordings

8.7

/Ambient techno, Psybient, Experimental electronica, New Age/

Comment: glacial glow-alike ambient propulsions have popped out to dominate on this 7-piece release. On the other side it is a little trance tinged or now and then embellished with blissful electronic looming or New Age and Morricone-esque soundtrack frames.

Sofia - Toe to Toe (2004)

Goodbye Cruel World

8.9

/Lo-fi, DIY, Weird pop, Anti-folk, Avant-garde, Experimentalism/

Comment: there are up 3 tracks spreaded out over 7-8 minutes. It is built on the DIY aesthetics and lo-fi drenched compositions, which more concretely consist of pitchbent guitar layers, melancholic motives, lopsided electronica, and odd sonic effects. Something like Beta Band or Penguin Cafe Orchestra bent heavily and profoundly. This ghost from the past chirps truly intriguing and exciting.

Collapse - A Mano Armata (2011)

Jamendo

8.8

/Hardcore, Math rock, Hard rock, Punk/

Comment: just 4 notches, which used to be a blend of thick, abrasive guitar layers or gliding guitar riffs, shouting vocals and heavy, at times machine-alike drumming, thereby drifting somewhere in between hardcore, punk, math and hard rock. Straightforwardly striking by the musical group originating from Italy. Solid punch.