Amarok - Amarok (2010)

Orca Wolf
Lastfm

8.6

/Doom metal, Stoner metal, Experimental metal, Funeral doom, Avant-metal, Post-metal/

Comment: Amarok is a unit from the Northern California embarked on in 2009. The group was initially formed by Jeremy Golden, and Brandon Squyres (of The Makai). The current line-up includes Zeke Rogers (also of The Makai), and Kenny Ruggles. There are are represented two long-running notches running on doom metal/funeral/and stoner metal mode. More concretely, the decelerated layers of paces and thrilling moaning are up here to describe this fucked-up world in their very own way. This is why this album seems to be a bit bleeding on its own. As people at Doommantia already described it this is thought for the fans of Khanate, Burning Witch, Weedeater, Grief.

Sir Deja Doog - An Impossible Darkness (2010)

CLLCT

8.7

/Alt-folk, Anti-folk, Singer-songwriter/

Comment: Eric Alexander is one of those stalwarts along with Tinyfolk, James Eric, The Sarcastic Dharma Society, Adrian Aardvark (if to name just some ones) coming out from the Bloomington-based CLLCT collective. Sir Deja Doog is the nom de plume for his side project, however, demonstrating himself as a crafty solo musician. Highly loaded, strumming guitar gears are variegated with profound, contemplative songwriting exploiting just guitar and diverse approaches for singing and delivering his message. The lyrics of the 6-track EP are sometimes descriptive (regarding his loon state of mind), at times plaintive, or straightforwardly striking in its bareness, respectively. He has described the album in the following way - I believed I died and went to Hell. I ended up in the hospital in a catatonic state. This is what I saw.

Sally Paradise - L'Ascension du Mont Shing (EP) (2010)

Jeunesse Cosmique
Bandcamp

9.2

/Chillwave, Experimental indie, DIY, Shoegaze, Dreamwave, Glo-fi, Hypnagogic pop, Electronic pop, Post-pop/

Comment: First of all, Sally Paradise, a Montrèal-based group has itself had a lot of line-ups and shapes and peoples through time and history, but now they are formed as a powerful threesome, sometimes foursome. They used to be inspired by lots of guitars (krautrock, psychedelic fuzz, fucked up foreign pop, flailing female grunge bands), huge-fat-ass mofo-ing beats (Wu-tang, I AM, GI Joe Killaz, Dose One ) and freak noise/spaced-out things (all those Japanese noise bands, John Zorn, Klaus Schulze, Mitsou). L`Ascension du Mont Shing is the quebecois` kick-off issue. It is a multifarious release in its stylistical clutter, furthermore, by the sensual side of the album sexual appeal gets surfaced as the indispensable result of a tight interaction of searing chillwave-ish whiffs, half-stifled dreaminess and sultry shoegaze-inflected progressions (and sung in French, of course!). On the other side, the listener gets headed off as if into the very early stage of his/her childhood. By the way, this blissed-out combo is now preparing a little tour in the US for September (Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, etc.) with their buddy Félix de l'Étoile and a special project with Téléphone Maison, both cosmic people at Jeunesse Cosmique.

Speculativism - The Land of Block

Ollie Cram - Jazzstow (2011)

45 Echoes Sounds

8.8

/Art pop, Flamenco, Improvised music, Contemporary classical, Experimental, Downbeat, Chamber music/

Comment: Jazzstow - a series of sketches collaborated by two friends (Ollie Cram - guitar/bass; Phil Gibbs - guitar/prepared guitars), on a visit to Cornwall, Great Britain. Those 10 sketches are mostly laid-back pathways based on "the firework" of guitar arpeggios and chord changes, and thudding bass lines-downbeat-ish gears beneath it, however, thus making up lots of lead motives first of all. Frequently the duo`s search used to head off into paying tribute to flamenco music. The album is thought as much for the fans contemporary classical music/classical guitar as for the ones of improvised sound. The duo`s output is released on 45 Echoes Sounds (previously known as 45 Rpm-Records).

Computer at Sea - Palace of the Lightbulbs (2011)

Bandcamp

9.1

/Chiptune, Alternative, Indie pop, Crossover, Electro pop, Electronic pop, 8-bit, Leftfield/

Comment: This 6-notched issue is a whimsical combination of rattling chiptune fringed fermentation (whooa!), mandatory indie beauty (however, which used to be for most of people as a sort of inconceivable task), and thumping electro pop (let`s dance!). The publication is a vision by Galen Richmond, a Richmond-residing musician who is up here to promote the sort of tracker/8-bit music which was the very beginning lot of contemporary computer music approximately three decades ago. If to speak about crossover artists who have mixed up sawtooth-designed programming with alternative pop, I recommend giving a try to Hipster Youth, 8-bit Betty, Depreciation Guild, and some Bliss`s issues. In conclusion, this album reflects upon the upcoming tendencies for tomorrow`s sound

Die Stille Diastole - Experimental Little Monkey (2010)

Trastienda
Bandcamp

9.4

/Indietronica, Experimental rock, Post-rock, Art pop, Organic electronica, Cover, Experimental indie, Crossover, IDM/

Comment: Die Stille Diastole is the nom de plume for Bolaño Lucas and Experimental Little Monkey is his 4-pieced issue really worth to try it now and then (at the moment now, of course). More concretely, indeed, it is a stunning exploration between organic sounds and mellow electronica, having its spot directed upon the creation process of a blend of jagged IDM-esque beats/indietronic progressions and lofty musique concrète/found sound/spoken-infiltrated evolvements, and even some esoterical sort of folk-alike sound. The third track is a cover of the Sonic Youth`s Little Trouble Girl. Onwards, by regarding Lucas`s soulmates, however, there can be appealed to Cantaloup and The Dylan Group, Tortoise and Monokle. In a nutshell, is a highly crafty yet effortless result.

SEA Compilation - Summers Daydream (2011)

Sea Indie

8.8

/Twee pop, Indie pop, Alternative pop/rock, Jangle pop, Baroque pop/

Comment: In fact, I have myself pampered with listening to indie music compilations on such labels as Eardrums Pop, Beko DSL, and Hobo Cult so far. Here is another one, offering a 15-track miscellany created basically in the belief pertaining of the goodness of old school alternative pop stuff. Here can be detected for an abundant amount of influences popping out from the C86 movement and its closely related jangle and twee pop, 90`s galant baroque pop/brass/folk. On the other side, however, a few songs are doo wop, ye-ye and disco-drenched. By the way, all the artists come only from the countries of the Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Singapor, Thailand).

Motorama - Alps (2010)

Motorama
Free Music Archive
Lastfm

8.7

/Post-punk, New Wave, Alternative pop/rock, Indie, Dance rock, Gothic rock/

Comment: Rostov-on-Don, Russia-based combo melts poppy elements with post-punk battens and sometimes dashing, dance-appealed grooves on this 10-track publication within the 36 minute length limit. First of all, I am entranced with the interaction of black and white/or dark-hued and light-hearted trilled sounds fluttering around during its course. The notches are frequently beatific in its deliberately resigned condition. My heart-throb is Warm Eyelids which towers upon the sky thanks to a sublime blend of post-punk-ish cadences, jangle pop-ish impetus and Richard Hawley-alike monumental warbling of guitars. Moreover, the track should conquer the charts instead of tarrying its time at the moment. The more listening times I vouchsafe to give to the album the more it used to appeal to the pop recipients in my brain.

A Beautiful Lotus - Redrum Is Murder

Lizard Kisses - Sleeping In (2010)

Bandcamp

9.5

/Alt-folk, Indie folk, Folk indie, Avant-folk, Indie pop, Epic, New Weird America, Dream folk, Free folk/

Comment: Similarly to Nemo Asakura`s older EP reviewed yesterday this album of 9 tracks takes on a pile of sparse instrumentation to conjure up simple yet promptly convincing artistic songs. However, the Brooklynites Cory Siegler and Marc Merza seem to be self-assured in their doings. Merza`s simple yet punctuated guitar strums are up here to create a decent background for Siegler`s sensitive singing manner which respectively is either seemingly disillusioned or hopeful in dreams. Some songs are embellished with ukulele banging (My Bag is Not The Floor Why Isn`t Yours?) and vanguard-ish organ droning gest (Sender), and musique concrète-drenched (Conair Ocean Waves - what a sort of expressive name for one of those upcoming bands in future). All in all, Lizard Kisses, one of the best nowadays musical groups has tremendously been underrated so far. For instance, listen to Sleep Talkin` which makes your soul and heart bleeding.

Glass Fingers - Stranger EP (2011)

Bandcamp

8.9

/Post-punk, Avant-pop, Electronic pop, Crossover, DIY, Experimental indie, Glo-fi, Lo-fi, Dark pop, Alternative, Remixes/

Comment: Portland-based Jesse Gertz`s Stranger EP consists of six tracks, more detailly, half of them are remixes of the songs by The Microphones, The Milkman`s Union, and Huak. In general, the issue drifts between a majestic yet psychotic concept (a la Jason Pierce-esque incantations) and posh glo-fi gleaming and bubblegum-ish post-punk thump and breakbeat-backed electronic music. All of that is subject to the algorithms of lo-fi/DIY culture. In a nutshell, all is nicely produced and designed indeed.

Tree No Leaves - Java Rave (2011)

Bandcamp

9.0

/Art pop, Experimental rock, Cabaret pop, Post-rock, Dance rock, Psychedelic rock/

Comment: Actually Sigmund Freud was not right principially when he suggested that the human being is permanently forced to abandon the enjoyment for the overall socializing sake. Furthermore, delegating some of his/her rights to the rest makes no sense if he/she gets compensated instead of it with potent aesthetical pleasures from the other side. Subsequently this is the essential point of human being`s interactions, yet, observed from the tilted point of view then. The US-based collective Tree No Leaves is a representative of highly crafty music power, where can be seen lots of tensions channelized and elaborated right and left. It is highly enjoyable in the form of hysterical vocal manners, velvety cabaret-like appearances, at times, ascending into the frenzied grooves of exuberant post-rock, off-the-kilter forms of dance grooves, and bedecked art pop. In fact, the album rings out more convincing than its possible inspiration sources (the likes of Arcade Fire, and PJ Harvey) nowadays, for instance. The songs were recorded live at Java Rave in Tiffin, Ohio.

Nemo Asakura - the older ep (2011)

Mayoware

9.3

/Alt-folk, Indie folk, Folk indie, Folk pop, Folktronica, Chamber folk, Art pop/

Comment: this is a little yet very promising content from Japan and under a Japanese label, called Mayoware. All those 4 tracks, sung in English, function to head off into laid-back folk pop-ish soundscapes where, more detailly, can be seen a sublime communication between trilling fingerpicked/guitar arpeggios and epic orchestrations in the background. Furthermore, at times some snippets of rhythm and other patterns are electronic-veiled. However, this is an example of how it is possible to create glorious, heartbreaking music with a little amount of instruments beneath it. Consequently, in the first place, all the sonic layers must be accentuated with a strong quantity of spirituality as similarly as made out by velvety-voiced Nemo Asakura.

Super Random Knowledge Porridge - Satan And His Army

Junior - Algo Respira Por Mi (2010)

Blackfish Discos

8.5

/Alternative rock, Noise rock, Fuzz rock, Shoegaze/

Comment: Indeed, this Buenos Aires, Argentina-based project is not bad at all. You will be washed out by a straightforward, highly energized alternative rock a la Dinosaur Jr which one time evolves into a mesmerizing reverb-laden noise/shoegaze outburst (Hora Feliz). Ultimatively, do Alfred, Gabriel, and Oskar rock your socks off (what a clichè!)?

NightWake - Relation (2007)

Deadknife

8.5

/Crossover, Cut and paste, Drum and bass, Post-Metal, Chipmetal, Samplecore, Sound collage/

Comment: it happened approximately two weeks ago when I reviewed Burning Of Eterna City`s weird metal/grindcore/nintendocore/eurobeat album And Onward They March With Broken Legs. Actually Nightwake`s 14-pieced album speaks out in similar way consisting of diverse stylistic borders for which the sort of central narrative is quite problematic to define (is it either keen to samplecore project or off-the-wall metal album?). However, it is provocative enough in its manifestos and on the other side showcasing itself as a recherche patchwork compiled of spoken word interludes, sublime guitar fingerpicking, brutal metal outbursts, different kinds of breaks beneath it. My favorite one is Dark Goth which is an outstanding combination of chiptune and convincing metal sound. By the way, the total amount of money Nightwake spent for making this album was 4 bucks.

Youth Lagoon - July + Cannons (2011)

Bandcamp

8.8

/Dream pop, Experimental indie, Glo-fi, Lo-fi, Chillwave, Hypnagogic pop, Avant-pop, Post-pop, Electronic pop, Poptronica/

Comment: Trevor Powers aka Lagoon Youth is one of those nowadays wunderkinds who is chosen to inveigle us with the help of fabulous bows of melody and crafty touches of harmony. If you have previously experienced kind of dreamy, blissed-out collectives like Beach House, Memoryhouse, and Mathemagic you are ready yet what to expect for. More concretely, you do sweep along a trajectory where lo-fi meets glo-fi meets dream pop. While those two tracks do not speak about your life, instead writing up your (more or less) exact states of mind, it is really worth to listen to.

Zoos of Berlin - Electrical Way

Mua - Mua EP (2011)

Clinical Archives

9.2

/Post-punk, Industrial rock, Alternative rock, experimental rock, Gothic rock/

Comment: Behind Mua is Dani(e)l Telegin, a towering post-punk/gothic punk/rock musician from Samara, Russia. By pertaining of those aforementioned syles, as usual, dominating, oppressive vocal manner and grave content of lyrics (speaks out passionlessly and blandly about the facts of daily life, about murky shades and moments constituting different frames of mind) is backed up with meticulous, massive drum lines, industrial-inflected grit, and playfully designed guitars and its feedbacks/and overdrives and majestic synth whiffs in the backdrop. In conclusion, the whole of 4 tracks finishes off as a graceful unit ringing out in a harmonious way (as much as such obscure music could ever make it out). However, this EP can be compared to the music of Astma, Joy Division, Kino, Einstuerzende Neubauten. All the lyrics are sung in Russian (in fact, to get benefit from it).

Tiny Fireflies - Snow

Ostin - Delirium (2011)

Enough
Lastfm

8.0

/Darkwave, Experimental electronica, Darkbeat, Dark ambient, Avant-garde, Neoclassical/

Comment: Delirium starts out with sultry slo-mo beats which are densely surrounded by dark-hued ambiences and moaning electronic undercurrents. In principle, it continues running in similar way up to the ninth track, to the end, however, adding and abandoning rough electronic effects, glitch-frayed tangents, orchestrated snippets and less or more audible drilling forays in favor of diversifying the general picture of the concept. Laid-back magnetic wind blows off sometimes. For the majority of the time Ostin (a project from Russia) used to succeed in its doings (at times it seems to be way too stuttering either). The favorite of mine is a track, called as Sear.

Desperadow – I Found God (2010)

Long Lost

8.8

/Experimental indie, Singer-songwriter, Lo-fi, DIY, Alt-folk, Nu grunge, Fuzz pop, Crossover, Indie pop, Alternative, Leftfield/

Comment: Behind the pseudonym Desperadow hides himself Chris Nolan, a hermit from Dublin who offers a 9-track set on the Long Lost label (the same label whose kick-off album was Hipster Youth`s second, superb album Teenage Elders). As provoking as the album`s coverprint used to be the main concept is made up by directing its spot on a corybantic blend of folk/singer-songwriter-ism and nu grunge, bristled psychedelia/even exotica pop, lo-fi/DIY and mellow indie pop songs/and ballads. However, you can detect herein for some similarities with Smashing Pumpkins, Beta Band, Andy`s Airport of Love, Blur, Nirvana, Beck and other similar kinds of artists.

Kromofonica - Ipnagogica (chapter two) (2011)

Jamendo

8.6

/Fusion, Crossover, Chill out, Avant-prog, Drum and bass, Psychedelic, Big beat, Synth, Progressive rock, Alternative, Progressive metal, Art pop/

Comment: Kromofonica is an Italian duo (Vincenzo Geraci - guitar & bass; Edilio Ciuffardi - bass & arrangements) delivering a mind-boggling patchwork of styles - veering from acutely pounding breaks/drum and bass-backed rhythms and brooding synth grooves and light-heartedly trudging jazz fusion to psychedelic and progressive rock (even quacking avant-prog snippets are represented at times) and metal appearances, showing off its artistical and relaxing sides nested and one on the other. Furthermore, it can be considered a kind of spectacular or even a little provoking whole in its vast changeability and meeting of genres. However, it can be compared to Hox Vox, Mahavok, Death In Vegas, and Miles Davis, for instance.

Luarvik Luarvik - Tantsib huntidega

Sally Paradise - Je n'aime pas danser

GRINDING AFTERMATH COMPILATION! (2011)

American Aftermath

8.5

/Grindcore, Brutal metal, Fastcore, Technical grind, Deathgrind, Experimental metal/

Comment: This is our heavy rock for sure. The compilation of 69 tracks consists mainly of grindcore and its subsidiary/subgenres (differences coming forth at different rhythm/speed/technical levels). However, diverse scope of tortured shrieks and groans, washes of brutal guitars and sheer patterns of drum machines are up here to design thundering sonic combinations thus paying off tribute to recently deceased Anal Cunt`s frontman Seth Putnam (1968-2011). It is a distinguished votive tablet indeed.

Casque-T-êtes - Casque-T-êtes (2010)

Jeunesse Cosmique
Mediafire

9.4

/Avant-garde, Psych-folk, Chamber music, Dream folk, Musique concrète, New Weird Canada, Experimentalism, Avant-folk, Freeformfreakout, Noise/

Comment: Montrèal-based combo`s release is stunningly obscure, demented psych-pop music as if produced by the members of Sonic Youth stayed on a heavy dope trip. The quebequers glitch-esque/electro-acoustic abrasiveness is interwoven with chamber-based progressions and spatial concrete sounds, which at times will be evolved into sublime French-sung (in fact, one of them is in English as well) folk ditches filled in with dreams and recherche noise/folk/ambient cross-breeds containing shitloads of "errors" in between. In conclusion, it is an example of cosmic youth indeed.

X-Structure - New Earth (2011)

Bushmen

X-Structure
Lastfm

8.8

/Space-trip, Downtempo, Shoegazetronica, Synth pop, Ethnotronica, World music, Psyambient/

Comment: This is the 12th issue by X-Structure, a quartet from the Republic of South Africa which started out only in 2008. It is highly appreciated via their very holistic approach compiled of diverse genres which the quartet themselves used to entitle as space-trip. More concretely, it veers from psychedelic ambient and downtempo to the shades of electronic shoegaze and thrilling, synth pop-induced world/indigenous fusion. Altogether, during these 92 minutes you can get charged up through a loads of sublime vibes and moods.

The Fukked Up - If I Were Kool

Lukas Nystrand - Magic Forest (North Star) (2004)

Goodbye Cruel World

8.6

/Downtempo, House, Crossover, Chill out, Experimental electronica/

Comment: This 3-pieced issue was released in 2004 by a profilic Swedish musician who is also known under pseudonyms such as Glenny#417, Sentimental Cat, LuKiss, Textile God of Sweden, Disciples Of Ageema and many other ones. However, the publication which was the first one for the Goodbye Cruel World records used to validate itself through laidback beats and simple yet whimsical sequences as if searching effortlessly for a midway point between house vibes and downtempo progressions which are partly coated with ancient hisses and familiarly processed electronics at times. All in all, you can enjoy this ghost from the recent past (yet, which seems to be so far away).

N-qia – qia songs (2011)

La bèl

9.3

/Folktronica, Crossover, Baroque pop, Shoegazetronica, Jazz, IDM, Organic electronica, Experimental electronica, Experimental indie/

Comment: This is the second issue (after Neeva`s one) coming out from the Italy-based La bèl records which does have put itself quite aside in comparison to the label`s usual alt-folk/experimental folk perspective. Yet, I shall have to accentuate the word "quite" or "relatively". This 4-track EP comes out from the Nippon headed by such producers as Nozomi (vocals) and Takma (programming). Lots of IDM-acock rhythms are represented here which are embellished with baroque-esque milieus, electronic shoegaze-alikeness and organic electronica/jazz-y/folktronic-infiltrated evolvements. While it sometimes resembles of the Iceland`s mùm or some Efterklang`s deeds, I can perceive it as idiosyncratic on its own.

Rimar - Higher Ground (2011)

Rimar
Bandcamp

9.2

/Mash-up, Plunderphonics, Chillwave, Crossover, Glo-fi, Hip-hop, Sound collage/

Comment: Chillwave-ish trip takes on hip-hop beats on this 9-pieced issue. Indeed, if to compare it to Rimar`s another release, called A, it is more devoted to blissful/nostalgic progressions and hip-hop-backed dizziness, on the other side, less to (old school) disco paces and apparently detached style appearances. Yet, it previously gets its inspiration from the mash-up/plunderphonics scene thereby suitable for comparing to the likes of Juj, Bahwee, Professor Ojo, Thallus, BeachesBeaches, and Phaseone.

Projecto [`trepia] - Avance Leghons

Lee Noble - No Becoming (2011)

Bandcamp

9.6

/Art pop, Shoegaze, Lo-fi, Experimental indie, Post-psychedelic, Avant-folk, Space rock, Psychedelia, Tape music, Avant-pop, Psych-folk, DIY, Glo-fi/

Comment: Nowadays psychedelia undubiously. Dusted synth drones are variegated with the riffs of abrasive yet spatial guitars and more or less restrainted clatter of hi-hats and clinking of memory-evoking glockenspiel forays. At times demented shoegaze meets Ariel Pink-esque art pop, at times hypnotic guitar-based fingerpicking is wrapped up in highly sublime droning and atmospheric overflowing in the fringe area of a Black Hole. At times all is burning around the centre. The array of soul mates veers from La Monte Young and Terry Riley to Ariel Pink and Russian Futurists, from 13th Floor Elevator and Gong to Superficial Random Knowledge Porridge and Deep Magic, from John Fahey to Boy MTN. Indeed, all is positive, all is accomplished. All is infiltrated. However, you can already expect for the next surprises out from California.

Bubamara Brass Band - Bubamarija / Kashtanizma (2011)

Clinical Archives

8.8

/Brass music, Improvised music, World music, Balkan brass/

Comment: A 4-pieced instance of Balkan/and gypsy brass music with the fringes of big band-like undercurrents and improvised music from Moscow, Russia. Highly energetic and galvanized, i.e played up with the assistance of incessant key changes and tumultuous improvisation snippets left and right. On the other side, giving credit to Emir Kusturica`s music and popular films either.

Grateful Dead - Live at County Fairgrounds on 1968-05-18 (1968)

Archive.org

8.5

/Psychedelic rock, Southern rock, Classic rock/

Comment: Another live session by Grateful Dead before their gig at the legendary Woodstock festival in 1969. As usual this 7-pieced set is a heavy blend of rocking psychedelia and southern rock. Classic!

Hoorah!Hello - Vincent

Vulpiano - Sampler EP: Vol. 3 (2011)

Vulpiano

8.8

/Doom rock, Alternative rock, Fuzz pop, Indie rock, Psych-rock, Experimental rock, Electronic pop, Crossover/

Comment: First off, what a pity that Natural Snow Building, the most well known artist (and one of the best/deepest/idiosyncratic combos worldwide at all) on Vulpiano Records is not represented herein now (though, this time the compilation features the new Vulpiano logo designed by Solange Gularte). Yet, this is an intricate volume hinting at Vulpiano as the strong label. It veers from King Elizabeth-represented slowly evoking doom rock to Red Bellows´s psych/post-Britpop sound a la Campaq Velocet, from an vital electronic pop vision by J.G Hackett to a sultry introspection by Lately Kind of Yeah. Furthermore, you can perceive influences veering from pop psychedelia a la Boo Radleys and Blur to fuzz pop. Indeed, by its dominating alternative rock/and pop-inflected electronica-based approach it reminds of miscellanies compiled by NME in the second half of 90`s/first side of 00s.

Sharks! On Fire! - Air Combat (2010)

Bandcamp

8.6

/Pop punk, Happycore, Easycore, Alternative pop/rock/

Comment: I am not inclined to prefer pop punk/happycore/easycore musical groups in the mp3 player of mine. In true, this Vancouver, Canada-based quartet is a very pleasant exception in its acid-fried, over-the-shaft bent synth passages and enormous energy whiffs and washes. In a nutshell, for all the pop punk hipsters worldwide, direct their own spot upon Sharks! On Fire!, and Windsor-based label SmileCore Nation as well.

Abluonihil - Nova EP (2011)

Mahorka
Lastfm

8.9

/Abstract techno, Experimental, Noise, Experimental electronica, Glitch, Avant-garde/

Comment: Renzo Peressi from Venezuela delivers an innovative 4-track EP, named as Nova (entitling it simply and pretentiously). It is cosmic and nihilistic, noiseful and heart-warming having a stunning drift inbetween micro and macrosystems at the same time. It is seemingly primitivistic in its glitch/noise-based developments, on the other side, exploiting dream-filled minutiae in its very favor. It can be imagined as if it were produced by Autechre strongly affected by old school computer games.

Det Mekaniska Undret - Olika sidor av staden (2011)

23 Seconds

7.7

/Tram wave, Electronic pop, Synth pop, Conceptual, Electro pop, Camp pop/

Comment: This 10-track album by Andreas Österberg might be the first example of the kind to be tagged as "tram wave" ever. Indeed, the issue can be considered as the soundtrack and dedication to the tram line 11 in Gothenburg (all the songs are entitled as the references to those objects regarding this route). Musically it is simplified and even campy related to other "waves" as similar as Army Of Lovers used to have its approach towards pop electronica many years ago, for instance. All of that is played up with the help of blissful synths, simplistic beats and self-irony. My favorite track is the ending Saltholmen med Verklighetens Folk. By the way, all the songs are sung in Swedish.

girlhood - girlhood (2010)

CLLCT
Bandcamp

9.4

/Tracker music, Electro pop, Chiptune, Post-dance, Weird, Psychedelic dance, Shoegaze, DIY, Crossover, Glo-fi, Alternative dance, Bedroom pop, Experimental pop/

Comment: this 8-pieced album represents the best qualitative and even most unexpected sides of the music popping out from the CLLCT collective. Stylistically it comes forth as the kind of patchwork revealing a penchant for gentle, blissed-out electronica, jagged 8-bit/tracker rhythms, blindfold yet exalting electro pop (which does have acquired the best subleties of the contemporary disco music), and trash-coated shoegaze contemplation. All those kinds of styles and sounds and melody/and harmony hooks are masterfully balanced and collected to here what everybody needs apparently for to be in an ecstatic sense of innocent joy. Indeed, it is almost perfect in its imperfection.

Lucy Tentacles - Moon Egg

fljungbe - Slow and simple music performed on synthesizers (2009)

Jamendo

9.0

/Krautrock, Kosmische Musik, Conceptual, Electronic pop, Exerimental, Chill out/

Comment: this 6-pieced issue is dedicated to a handful of seminal German krautrockers/electronic/kosmische musicians (Ralf Hütter, Klaus Schulze; Edgar Fröse) and quite unsung Swedish experimentalist Ralf Lundsten. And to Moog and other analogue keyboards either. The listener can shift alongside with burbling, mid-tempo dominated synthetic rhythms and overdriving harmonic whiffs and washes, autotuned (robot-like) vocal appearances and lots of motives ringing a bell, however, all of that running along the more and less lopsided orbits of inner/outer space. On the other side, the album can be specified as an instance of chill out music strongly inspired by the ideology of Kosmische Musik. Indeed, it is time to set your dials backward to come over to a retrofuturistic era.

Hox Vox - It's the Loveliest Thing I've Ever Heard

Lizard Kisses - Please Stay (The Drifters Cover) (2011)

Bandcamp
Mediafire

9.7

/Cover, Alternative pop/rock, Glo-indie, Slowcore, Dream pop/

Comment: A heartbreaking cover by Lizard Kisses, the Brooklyn-based duo consisting of Marc Merza and Cory Siegler. Slowly moving sonic patterns on quiet fingerpicking is supported by Cory`s blissful, highly accentuated singing manner (reminiscent a bit of Memoryhouse`s Denise Nouvion`s one). I guess Burt Bacharach (indeed, the song was originally written by him) would like this version. By the way, the single is part of the cover album Tears On My Pillow: Part II.

aAirial - Together EP (2011)

Imaginary Nonexistent
Lastfm

9.0

/Downtempo, Ambient, Modern classical, Piano music, Crossover, Organic electronica/

Comment: In principle, this is an unforgettable, romanticism-induced shift based on ambient, downtempo and modern classical progressions searching for more shaking deepness and easiness at the same time. Indeed, it used to be light-hearted and contemplative simultaneously. Lone piano chords surrounded with tight yet effortless ambiences and lofty, haunting orchestrations and backed up with tenuous rhythms make out a huge impression for the rest of a day.

Squadra Omega - Rennes Le Chateau (2010)

Vuoto

9.2

/Psych-rock, Krautrock, Improvisation, Psychedelia, Jam session, Experimental rock, Space rock, Avant-rock/

Comment: This improvised amalgamation of 21 minutes bases on gorgeous impetus of space rock and free jazz-relied fusion, galvanized psych-rock, and buzzing synth layers/acute electronics of krautrock/and psychedelia. Even some experiments on the basis of the radio waves are proudly represented herein. As usual such sort of stylistic combination harking back to the very tradition of 70`s avant-rock groups works always out.

BOA - Push (2011)

Jammerdosa

9.0

/Indie pop, Alternative pop/rock, Dream pop, Meadow pop/

Comment: This was Gothenburg-based quintet Boa`s first single(s) ever. Similarly to many other Swedish indie bands it is fronted up by the female singer who used to be suggestive in her trilling singing manner. At times whimsical and even a bit hysterical (reminds of Arcade Fire) yet sublime indie pop/rock sound which would rock the world off. Hopefully soon it would be made out already. So you can jump up while running along the meadow.

Swampyboy - Quasi Horror (2011)

Sociopath

8.7

/Chiptune, Electro pop, 8-bit, Acid, Bitpop, Chipcore, Experimental electronica, Chipbreak, Tracker music, Psychedelic/

Comment: First off, I feel a little shame about the fact that it happened to be the first issue on Sociopath reviewed by me at RMH. However, the UK-based Swampyboy aka Phork (the pseudonyms by Joseph Loney) has been active in music since 2008 having issued a handful of albums (mainly on the Sociopath Recordings, but also on Amenorea, GDTK, and Faceblast). However, this 8-pieced set provides a dense, synergic array of sawtooth-shaped clanging and acid-boiled overdrives-interventions. Indeed, it might be that 8-bit music is the most psychedelic and highly tempered music in the first place. At least I am inflected to perceive in that direction once again.

Doug Sharp - Veluria Ponsonby`s Epiphany

Cameron Schwartz - A Boy and His Horse Soundtrack (2009)

CLLCT

8.5

/Art pop, Film music, Experimental, Conceptual, Alternative, DIY/

Comment: CLLCT is obviously the biggest DIY/lo-fi/folk-based site worldwide containing more than 1500 artists and 2800 albums and 2.8 million visit times at the moment (in fact, the amount of it is increasing with every day). Cameron Schwartz (also known as part of the psych-folk collective Cameron and the Friendly Ship) composed this 12-track album for a farcical episode running on the Internet. Hushingly chiming guitar chords and clear-cut arpeggios drifting along are once variegated with one more synthetic template (Escape From the Police) and music for the prepared guitar (Rescuing Horse). While all tracks are short-running (approximately about 1 minute), they are craftily created thereby having enough of inner and formal strength simultaneously.

Mindmasher - Mobius Trip (2011)

Stato Elettrico

8.6

/Electronic pop, Techno, Tekno, Art pop, Psytrance, Big beat, Chill out/

Comment: Behind Mindmasher is John Klappstein, a resident from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The album starts out with a bit oriental, laid-back vowel exercises which in the following track will be transformed into a blend of atmospheric layers and pounding tekno beats. Later the whole tends to incorporate much more stylistic elements, including catchy electronic pop approaches and sultry trance and techno occurrences. By the way, the collaboration acts by Brad Sucks and SurveillanceParty feature herein. However, this 4-pieced EP can be compared to Air`s 10,000 Hz Legend (2001).

Talkative - Light Years (2011)

Bandcamp

9.3

/Psychedelia, Free folk, Post-psychedelic, Psych-rock, Experimental indie, Electro-indie, Fuzz pop, Alternative pop/rock, Psych-folk, New Weird America, Crossover/

Comment: In fact, lots of elements is added in comparison with Talkative`s first album Strange Luxuries (2011, self-issued). The trio`s previous, quite austere anti-folk concept is potently widened this time embracing exulting, Animal Collective-inspired free folk-ish chasing, post-psychedelic synth progressions and dizzy psychedelic gears, on the other side, there are made up some furry fuzz pop appearances with relieving energetic loopholes. Furthermore, Voodoo Change would be a potential indie chart skyscraper based on electro-indie and demented psych-rock/stoner grooves. Highly enjoyable indeed.

Momoko Pins - Runner-Up

Speculativism - War and Peace (2010)

Archive.org
Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.5

/Avant-garde, Dada, Cosmic prog, Anti-folk, Freeformfreakout, Psych-music, Weird, Crossover, Shoegaze, Singer-songwriter, DIY, New Weird Europe/

Comment: Peter David-Smith, a 58-years old eccentric musician of the Scottish/Canadian heritage is one of those unsung frenetic artists coming from the Foggy Albion. The Hirundu, Gnomefoam, Children Of The Drone (and countless of its subsidiaries), Clinker are the first bundle I can remember promptly for. However, PDS can be entitled as the singer-songwriter by his approach, yet, his sound functions to swerve its way in a very peculiar manner. Dada/chamber/electro/cabaret, abrasive guitar forays, blindfold hip-hop progressions, exorcized piano music, off-the-wall folk/anti-folk/DIY/shi-fi and much more. From mocking grimasses over to desperate cry (by trying to summarize it figuratively somehow). Here is even a cover of John Lennon`s the most famous solo song (it is so warped that it is quite hard to recognize it). The favorite of mine is Aldershot which is a blend of cosmic prog and shoegaze-ish guitar templates. About a dozen of albums by him still waiting to be listened to. PDS is a truesome genius indeed.

Insect Guide - Grey Sky

Parchim - Tribal Sun (2011)

DNA Production
Lastfm

8.7

/Tribal techno, Ethnotronica, Crossover, Psytrance, Avant-industrial, Big beat, Dark ambient, Experimental, Downtempo, Illbient/

Comment: This is Parchim`s sophomore album, the follow-up to Инстинкт Самоуничтожения (which can be translated as instinct of self-destruction) issued in 2009. 5 tracks within 26 minutes will create a fabulous, trance-induced scape compiled of soothing ethnic/tribal downtempo and psychedelic trance paces and stomping big beat rhythms and bristled tribal techno paces backed up with dark ambient/illbient/industrial forays and layouts. And esoteric storytelling snippets as well. Altogether, all is finely channelized and designed to create unusual ambiences and elusive soundscapes waking up far-flung memories in a listener`s mind in any cases.

Jef Barbara | DannielRadall – Cocaine Love EP (2011)

Amdiscs
Bandcamp
Mediafire

9.2

/New Wave, Art pop, Alternative, Synth pop, Disco pop, Remix/

Comment: Montrèal-born Jef Barbara delivers a highly enjoyable vision of art pop relied on a mix of New Wave/synth pop/, and 70`s gay disco a la Gino Soccio, and Patrick Cowley. Indeed, it is very nicely balanced between the rhythms and harmony whiffs. The last track is DannielRadall`s remix of Cocaine Love. Similarly to Ariel Pink`s bedroom pop aesthetic this 5-track whole seems to be out of the determined time and epochs.

Romantic States - Still Petals (2011)

Beko DSL
Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.0

/Glo-rock, Alternative pop/rock, Bedroom pop, Lo.-fi, DIY, Experimental indie/

Comment: This is a combo (Jim & Ilenia) from Baltimore, Maryland, USA who used to produce a kind of music I would entitle as glo-rock made in bedroom. The duo`s sound consists of sublimely ascending layers based on lo-fi, fuzz pop and shoegaze-ish tendencies. The favorite of mine is The Fourth which exploits the arcs of mandolines above a Bacharach-esque melody hook (more concretely, it reminds of Do You Know the Way to San Jose sung by Dionne Warwick, and Frankie Goes To Hollywood once). An enjoyable, 6-pieced EP indeed.

Mos Dub - History Town

Doctrine - Leavers` Do (2011)

Bandcamp

9.1

/Chillwave, Electronic pop, Glo-fi, Robot pop, Alternative dance, Synth pop, New Wave/

Comment: Doctrine is the sonic conglomerate by Holden Brahms, and Douglas Donovan. They used to fuse new and old, which mostly is an entrancing forge of chillwave and new wave, post-punk-ish thick bass lines and robot pop (this mix of autotuned vocal lines and bubblegum beats are really elusive). inconnection with this issue I recommend listen to the Okinawa Lifestyle (from Georgia), and the Latvian electro-rock-disco-proto-indie legends Zodiac. By the way, these 5 tracks are produced by Clyde Drexler (having no idea, is it either the former basketball star or his namesake).

Motorama - One Moment (2011)

Motorama

9.4

/Post-punk, New wave, Dance rock, Gothic, Alternative pop/rock/

Comment: From Russia with love...this five-pieced collective comes from Rostov-on-Don and makes highly catchy post-punk/and gothic pop-influenced rock music. The synergic, harsh-mellow interplay between the members of Motoram is potently up to the standard, revivifying the legacy of such 70`s bands as Joy Division, Comsat Angels, Sad Lovers and Giants, and The Sound (if to hint at some ones of them). Listen to their album Alps (2010, Free Music Archive) either.

edPorth - Key Black (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.0

/IDM, Experimental electronica, Electronic pop, Art-pop, Downtempo, Ambient, Alternative/

Comment: Patrizio Piastra has abandoned guitars an his epic post-rock-ish ambitions so evidently represented on the debut album Saying vamos and thinking let`s go (2010, Inglorious Ocean). All what is up here is proudly clothed with burbling, pounding electronics and beats and subtle ambient layers above it. This 11-pieced whole veers from mellow, organic electronica/IDM and dystopic ambient and calm downtempo to soothing, art pop-ish singing and pleasant electronic pop. Some of the tracks are very slightly throbbing ones. You can see influences ranging from Bola and Art Of Noise to Dead Can Dance and Seefeel. A solid accomplishment indeed.

Super Random Knowledge Porridge - live at UAF (2010)

SRKP live at Uue Ajastu Festival from SRKP on Vimeo.

Tschabba - Tschai (2009)

Jamendo

8.8

/P-funk, Art-funk, Hip-hop, Crossover, Acid jazz, Fusion, Afro funk, Urban music, Chill out/

Comment: This 10-track album comes out from Idar-Oberstein, Germany. T Brendel jr has done good job working out P-funk and art-funk, bossa nova ideology and hip-hop/scratch overthrows, slightly opened Latin rhythms and decent acid jazz influences, always frabjously functioning psychedelic afrofuturistic progressions and mellow chill out elaborations into the seamlessly, synergically sounding whole. Indeed, lots of using of reed organ-based backdrops and different kinds of breaks and pipes. Enjoy and blaring it out.