Daniel Maze + Dave Zeal – Blueprints For Insect Architecture (2011)

Test Tube

9.2

/Ambient, Experimental electronica, Hauntology, Dubstep, Noise, Crossover, Sampledelic/

Comment: it is quite hard to have a clear-cut definition pertaining of these 6 tracks, which are merely essential parts of Maze-Zeal`s second issue created in liaison with each other on Test Tube (a continuation to Small Airports EP). More profoundly, it is full of trash and hisses, delicate noiseful swerves, dubstep-like ghostly urban undulation, haunting jazz samples, penetrating electronic signals, all of that replaced sometimes with very floaty atmospheric layers to get the whole to be more variegated within its borders. In fact, all of that could be called as experimental ambient in corpore. Masterful!

Wonder Bear - Reverend

Wonder Bear - "Reverend" from Library Voices on Vimeo.

The Victory Park - False Silence (2010)

Radio Hand
Lastfm

9.3

/Post-punk, Alternative pop/rock, Shoegaze, Gothic, New Wave, Experimental indie/

Comment: the debut album by a trio coming from Moscow, Russia does reflect a quite similar effect to the likes of Franz Ferdinand and Interpol, however, their output imposes even more through its acute roughness. Their music is uncompromising, seemingly having no intention for such calculations as regarding the objects of utility, on the other hand, lacking also the annoying hermetics so usual to the studio walls and pertaining of the producers of kind of I-know-which-is-the right way-to-record. It is personal sort of anxiety and pessimism, which encourages these musicians to struggle on to battle their fights. Obviously it is inspired by post-punk and proto-indie forerunners (Joy Division, The Cure, The Chameleons, Durutti Column) which came about from the end of the 70`s and early 80`s. Infused with the verbal side sustained by the pessimistic philosophy of life, and obscure moods. Inspite of a sort darksidedness the guitar chords are played up with the help of the glare and dinstinct flash and overdriving riffs do conduct a trip sometimes even further, crossing the boundaries of post-punk, and coming over to the house of shoegaze music (a la Swervedriver); beyond that there is given importance to the neurotic drums and some pinch of electronics with the purpose to get pushed up this desired and obligatory dark appealing. A worth issue mentioned in by many bloggers from around the world.

Infirm Individual - I`m Not From Here (2011)

Pxl-Bot
Infirm Individual

9.0

/8-bit, Bitpop, Tracker music, Nintendocore, Crossover, Psychedelic electronica, Chiptune, Chipbreak/

Comment: if to regard for a line of delicate creative tradition in the realm of 8-bit electronica/bitpop/console music we cannot be without listening to the oeuvres by Infirm Individual, a young musician from Germany. Indeed, it is a top output by Evil Cee aka Healy Cee to date. It is highly psychedelic, using acidic patterns (autotuned vocals) and blissful grit to bury the sawtooth-shaped patterns beneath it. On the other side, at times it is highly atmospheric, ambient-alike, more profoundly, using the stylistical element as the ground for grindcore-ish vocal manner and shamanic overthrows. You can compare his deeds with such names as ashbrg, and 8bit bEtty, and Bliss, for instance.

Cagey House - Gnomic (2011)

Justnotnormal

8.8

/Sampledelic, Sound collage, Cut and paste, Plunderphonics, Hauntology, Weird pop, Art pop, DIY, Lo-fi/

Comment: the webaudio/netaudio legend Dave Keifer aka Cagey House (being active since the end of 90`s/the beginning of 00`s) makes a slight swerve from his previous, profoundly wraith-filled pop/art pop/intentional pop tradition, on the other side, coming relatively close to his first publications (Model City; Octopus Two). Roaming lo-fi motives are around there to involve shades drawn out from the vials of sampledelia, DIY, and hauntology. At times it is funny, sometimes gratingly melancholic. However, you get highly confused if you are intended to determine it off on the scale of time and space.

Yokandesh – Viva Como Queira (2011)

MixGalaxy

9.1

/Crossover, Jazz, Latin music, Hip-hop, Urban music, Baião, Samba, Pop rock, Easy listening/

Comment: Yokandesh is a musician (born in 1985) from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, who used to merge traditional Brazilian/South American beats and colours (samba, rock, baião, jazz, bossa) with fine hip-hop beats and rhymes. However, being up there to realize his ambitions in an excellent way. The average quality of this 18-track album is high thereby a handful of truly mesmerizing pop songs can be found out from there. Moreover, it involves much more than a common summery pop album.

Mc Cullah - A Mess These Days

Honeydrum - Dead In The West (2011)

Bandcamp

9.6

/Psych-rock, Krautrock, Noise, Avant-rock, Noise rock, Experimental rock, Psychedelia/

Comment: dear psych-heads all around the world. This 2-track single/EP is apparently thought for you. Especially Dead In The West, though low noise-inflected feedbacks and moaning vocal lines. The second one, Levitator, conjures up a dazzling sunshine, taking on a blend of quasi ethnic psychedelia and krautrock-ish phenomenon. A wonderful shit indeed, which makes you feel really free.

Holmes - Holmes EP (2011)

Holmes

7.4

/8-bit, Bitpop, Primitive pop, Experimental electronica, Tracker music, Electronic pop/

Comment: while it is an example of slow 8-bit electronic sound, it does not mean that is a kind of slow music a jot. There are represented 3 notches which showcase running on through acidic sonic tunnels, more detailly, taking on simplistic chord progressions and slightly abrasive throbbing. On the other side, it is without a large scope of colours and rhythm patterns making more sense for us. Indeed, the issue seems to be black and white, simple and unpretentious.

Squadra Omega - Tenebroso (2008)

Clinical Archives

9.2

/Krautrock, Experimental rock, Avant-rock, Space rock, Improvised music, Psychedelia/

Comment: Approximately one month ago I reviewed the Italian krautrock combo Squadra Omega`s album Rennes Le Chateau (2010, Vuoto). However, this one-track album was a follow-up to Tenebroso, issued on the legendary Russian label Clinical Archives on Christmas Eve in 2008. Similarly to RLC, it is a spatial, metronome-shaped improvised rock and roll-relied instance, filled in with blissed-out ridges and penetrating bottoms. Moreover, it is borderless in its absolutely psychedelic course. Yet, it makes some difference, more concretely, through a more straightforward approach, having no time for off-the-wall sonic knitting and effects. If to draw parallels upon a handful of kindred souls, however, you can enjoy Joxfield ProjeX, Frozen Geese, Replicast, and Faust (of course). By the way, OmegaMac used to exploit bzz bZz machine, and the coverprint is amazing.

The Cult Of Penn - Zenn Rabbit

Housewife - Galaxy Galaxy (2011)

Bandcamp

8.7

/Hip-hop, Instrumental, Sound collage, Avant-hop, Cut and paste, Sampledelic, Urban music/

Comment: this is Sydney-residing psych-head Hamish Duncan (also known as Sleep In) and his very version of hip-hop (or/and sound collage/cut and paste). Galaxy Galaxy is the first LP after 3 EP`s issued during the January, 2011. The whole is cooked ready for us without any vocal and spoken word snippets (just some vowel parts), presented through loads of diverse sample combinations and dynamical bass-relied mayhem. Impressive murky yet airy layers are laid out over to the background.

Guillotine Hairshaver – Miloque Kloque (2011)

Elegirl

9.0

/IDM, Experimental electronica, Primitronica, Glo-fi, DIY, Lo-fi, Ambient techno/

Comment: Another spectacular cake on the Japanese Elegirl Records. You can call it as experimental IDM, or a new sort of electronic approach, however, it prickles and tingles relentlessly, constituting the lopsided, at times clumsy patterns and sublime bows based on spherical layers and throbbing undercurrents. It obviously draws inspiration from the nowadays lo-fi/DIY/glo-fi aesthetics and a sort of easy listening and electronic music created many decades ago (you can perceive some similarities with Silver Apples, and even Suicide, for instance). Indeed, it outpaces the possible calculations and patterns of common electronic music writing.

GNs Compilation - Break Asymmetry (2011)

*export

9.3

/Trip-hop, Hip-hop, Sampledelic, Cinematic, Chilltronica, Downtempo, Urban music/

Comment: this is a great compilation of 17 tracks taking on in the vein of cinematic downtempo and gritty trip-hop, unconventional/experimental hip-hop, tricky nu jazz, exciting chilltronica (and apparently much more else), all of that made up through impressive colourful scopes (ancient/retrodelic samples, slowed down rhythms). Here are represented such artists as Quantifier, Maed, Ears, Nienvox, JazzClams, Thallus, B.R.O, Bandfx, Printempo, Crookram, Danny Bow, Niteffect, and Lupid Ocampo. It suits very well to be a part of the upcoming autumn.

Electric Rainbow - Good Morning To The World (2011)

Jamendo

8.5

/Alternative pop/rock/

Comment: Good Morning To The World is dedicated to those (mostly young) Spanish people who did dare to protest against the huge unemployment rate in their country and stand up for their civic rights, just sitting on the ground, yet, who where attacked by the police. All that happened in May, 2011. However, here are represented 10 solid pop rock tracks, thoughtful and calculated.

Lee Rosevere - Son Of Tegwar

Jim Guittard - Buried Underneath the American Dream

Sky Technology & Nova Fractal – Versus (2011)

Ektoplazm

8.8

/Trance, Psychedelic electronica, Psyambient, Psytrance, Crossover, Remixes/

Comment: Dmitriy Kolosovskiy aka Sky Technology meets and mixes Nova Fractal (Renato Brnić), and the way round. The second track Dark Energy is made in liaison, and seems to be the best result there. All the sound goes on at the crossroad of psychedelia, trance, ambient, and outer space undercurrents. Actually this split/collaborative issue is a grower, more concretely, with each listening time you are allowed to discover more segments and magic from within.

Kluge - Grazuole (2009/2011)

Pocket Fields

Bandcamp

9.6

/Dark ambient, Minimalism, Noise, Musique concrète, Field recordings, Experimentalism, Ambient noise, Ambient drone, Drone/

Comment: No doubt, St Peterburg, Russia-based Kluge is one of the most eminent noiseniks/drone musicians through its very impressive fringe area developments and crushing accents nowadays (inspite of being not celebrated yet). Here is one, 40-minute issue (at Bandcamp it is divided into 2 compositions, though) which functions to get evolved into dark ambient patterns at times, into persuasive minimalism sometimes. Mostly all of that strives to conjure up an elusive, delicate pathway between drone and noise. Moreover, he/she uses a cogent practice, more concretely, mixing up artificial knittings with organic soundscapes. (By the way, using non-musical artifacts to make up soundscapes).

Jason Corder - Microcosmos (2004)

Thinner

9.4

/Dub house, Fusion, Electro house, Bubblegum house, Tech-house, Deep house, Cinematic/

Comment: First of all, it is an excellent album for your body and soul, for your lower part and for your upper part by a guy from Lexington, Kentucky who is also known by his dense ambient soundscapes. Actually I don`t have idea why it seems to me that old house music issues will be improving during time course. It veers from slightly neurotic electro house and stuttering tech progressions to bouncing bubblegum disco(theque), from cinematic dance fusion to such numbers having its shift into depth and paying its tribute to dub. This 10-track album was issued on the legendary Thinner label in 2004. Obligatory for sure!

Suzie Zuzek - Oh It`s a pity

Personal Finance - Chump Change (2011)

Bandcamp

9.3

/Psychedelic rock, Art rock, Alternative pop/rock, Funk rock, Blues, Dance rock, Crossover/

Comment: This 5-track issue is not chump at all. The quintet comes out from Boston, Massachussets, offering a way of how solid rock music should be presented for. However, the issue is a highly loaded set of groove-ish art pop and psychedelic pop overthrows, at times reminiscent of The Nits (the first track Pigs On The Prowl especially), Talking Heads, and even The Fall every now and then. Yet, the album is far away from being a cheap rip-off on its own. More detailly, I very like Patrick Orr`s bigheaded vocal manner, bumping guitar gears, and organ-driven acidity. The last track Japan is a sublime flirtation with blues rock.

Renzu - Robogirl In Love (2011)

Renzu
Lastfm

9.4

/IDM, Experimental electronica, Anime sound, J-pop, Electronic pop, Crossover/

Comment: Robogirl In Love is an idiosyncratic stance of electronic pop/IDM music by Sean Bires, a musician from Chicago, Illinois. He issued his first release Synthi in 2004. However, RIL is his ninth album, revealing bouncing, anime pop-influenced warbling. Highly attractive, highly accomplished. And shamefully underrated.

Stephen Walter - Monocline (2007)

Zymogen
Lastfm

9.2

/IDM, Ambient, Experimental electronica, Modern classical, Minimal, Avant-electronica, Musique concrète, Ambient techno/

Comment: there is a big difference between IDM and IDM, ambient and ambient, respectively. Some of the musical projects are deliberately tweaked in the vein of these styles, some of them are accidentally related to them. Stephen Walter`s album is obviously the last case, which is a huge experimentation act ultimately. At times it veers out toward the examples of large-scale ambient, at times reflects upon a sort of beat-induced ethereal sound shimmered right and left. Some explorations are posed on tuning a radio, sine waves and concrete sounds. At times it is drenched in piano music in a weird way. In a nutshell, the 8-track album is a classic one which will celebrate the 5th year anniversary in January.

8bit bEtty - Music Video #1

Friction! - That Dusty Old Couch (2011)

Bakery Allstars Inc.

9.1

/Alt-folk, Art pop, Indie pop, Chamber folk, Electronic pop, Folk indie, Experimental indie, Indie folk, Singer-songwriter/

Comment: Seven highly artistical pop songs by Pierre Björklund, a Malmo-based resident, veering from intimate, chamber folk-ish spatial fingerpicking to sublimely droning indie pop appearances, from bouncy electro psychedelia to restraint, introspective singer-songwriter-ism and so-called cowbell indie. At times his aesthetics can be compared to Alan Driscoll`s (The Womb) craftiness. However, it was his first album on (and the starting issue at all for) Bakery Allstars Inc., one of the best indie labels worldwide. Lots of excellent songs are available around there.

Dronjo kept by 4 - Delta (2011)

MiMi

9.2

/Alternative pop/rock, Shoegaze, J-pop, Funk rock, Fuzz rock/

Comment: Hi, lads and guys! Believe me Jun Usuda`s own musical outlook rocks you out and off, pulls you in and pushes you out. Catchy, chiming guitar gears and hooks are up here to be synchronized with suggestive vocal appearances. All those 11 tracks are powerfully galvanized, more concretely, in a mix of the Western and Japanese guitar music tradition. Stove and Snow, and Sunset Children are convincing hints toward more dance-appealed (funk) rock music. In a nutshell, for fans of J-pop, Talking Heads, Flipper`s Guitar, Yo La Tengo, Cosmicdust, Isn`t Anything-era My Bloody Valentine.

Sense/Net - Rapture (2011)

Bandcamp

9.4

/Noise, Dark ambient, Avant-garde, Lo-fi, Noir, Experimentalism, Hauntology, Avant-industrial/

Comment: as dark as onyx... San Francisco, California (again!)...one-man-project...Paul Raymond Pinson...weird shit...truly off-the-wall... grit of subconsciousness... a soundtrack for the living dead. It might be it is inspired by the works of such avant-garde legends as Desmond Leslie, Hanatarashi, early Cabaret Voltaire, Merzbow, Big City Orchestra, Glenn Branca. However, having certain visions toward ghostly noise without offering stifling borders to surround it. Indeed, this set of 10 tracks is a sort of rapture.

Subterrestrial - The Cellular Cosmogony

Ceptual - Songs for the Sun (2011)

Test Tube

9.2

/Ambient, Experimental electronica, Hauntology, Organic electronica, Minimal/

Comment: Desmond Hollis aka Ceptual aka Palet aka Katrah-Quey aka A Sankip Hummad is definitely an exemplar of sort of genius. There are represented 14 tracks of ambient music which would be an affair of honour for every (experimental) musician by the past and now. More concretely, skipping snippets of guitar-based explorations are adhesively coated with haunting, ancient memories (in a physical approach!), heartbreaking melody threads, orchestrated sections and, at all, cohesive feeling of organic sense. All of that is wrapped up in dense hiss-relied mist (which is one of the most important aspects pertaining of ambient music a jot). However, this kind of accomplishment might be called as symphony either. Indeed, it is much more than our usual perception is keen to figure out for.

.crk - Informal Definition (2011)

Enough
Lastfm

9.0

/Industrial techno, Jungle, Bhangra, Crossover, Breakbeat, Neoclassical, Avant-garde/

Comment: In principle, lots of elaborated breaks (jungle, breakbeat) are relentlessly floating over you offered by a Lisbon-based one-man project - at times mixed up with rotten bhangra sounds or variegated with stammering sonic effects, hashed spoken word lines or ghastily sounding elements popped out from murky industrial landscapes. Moreover, some tracks are embellished with otherworldly ringing (neoclassical) orchestrations which used to keep their way hence getting somehow quite close to avant-prog appearances. An off-kilter shit which is not thought for dance stages for sure.

aiRless pRoject - Dopamine Entities (2010)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.8

/Downtempo, Trance rock, Experimental rock, Crossover/

Comment: This 8-track album is created by Vladimir Mitreski, a Macedonian musician. He is another example from the Balkan country following the quality of fydhws (the first and very qualitative name I could tie up with Macedonia). However, Dopamine Entities is the seventh publication of him, demonstrating a sort of sublime gliding over the downtempo-esque peaks and glowering trance rock hooks a la Spacemen 3`s Recurring. At times it is soothing, at times it is pleasantly awakening. A masterful accomplishment indeed.

Natural Snow Buildings - Solar Flares

Anastasia Vronski - The Kursk (2011)

Electro Rucini

9.2

/Noise, Drone, Lobit, Experimentalism, Conceptual, Found sounds, Electro-acoustic, Acousmatic/

Comment: The Kursk was in a modern way designed Russian submarine which drowned (or was drowned - at least it was claimed in one French documentary film seen years ago) in 2000. Anastasia Vronski used an analogue synth and underwater microphone recordings to create an illusion of the sounds heard by the sailors who perished in the wreck. The soundscape of this 29 minute track is rough and jagged, dense and abrasive. Inspite of being morally ambivalent conceptually, however, the goal is reached perfectly on its sonic side.

Grids/Units/Planes - Her Sound Became my Prayer (2011)

No-Source
Lastfm

8.7

/Post-rock, Shoegazetronica, Electronic, Crossover, Epic, Indie, Emotive electronica/

Comment: While this 5-pieced issue embarks on with a depressive description regarding a woman talking about her child and pain and frustration, it manages to get soon transmitted into a flourishing towering consisting of the elements of shoegazing, post-rock, and chill electronica. There can be drawn parallels upon such kindred souls as M83, Dykehouse, Super Random Knowldege Porridge. Behind Grids/Units/Planes is Andrew Foley, a musician from Brisbane, Australia.

Psychic Enemies Network - P.E.N (1998)

Bandcamp
Cdbaby
Pen & Mallet

9.3

/Post-rock, Ambient, Experimental rock, Epic, Avant-rock, Electro-acoustic, Sampledelic, Crossover, Experimentalism, Ambient rock, New Age, Improvised music/

Comment: This album is a monster. Firstly, its duration is about 90 minutes, on the other hand it veers from vibraphone and xylophone-driven post-rock (a la Mercury Program, and The Dylan Group) and sonic effect-loaded experimentalism to murky ambient patterns and bouncy, cinematic improvisations. More concretely, some chords and snippets are speeded up/slowed down/stretched out, there can be detected for reversed guitars and vocals, witty warped samples) Yet, all of that is somehow zipped through the distorting mirror. In Its Streets offers an unsettling yet highly epic storytelling covered with metallic grit (reminiscent a little of GY!BE). The last track is a remix of In Its Streets by aboombong aka Icastico, an unsung legend, who has been involved in numerous experimental music acts during the last 3 decades (visit the Pen & Mallet site/blog curated by him). In a nutshell, this 13-track album is a hidden and undiscovered yet distinguished chapter in the history of pop music.

Delayscape - Moments, Men and Places EP (2011)

Elpa

8.7

/Electronic pop, Downtempo, Chill out, IDM, Chilltronica/

Comment: Delayscape is an experienced, profilic musician from Copenhagen, Denmark having been involved in industrial and electronic music scenes since the first half of 90`s. He used to exploit hardware devices only to conjure up lush analogue sound on its own. Picturesque, harmony-relied progressions and elliptically shaped synthetic chord progressions are up here to provide a loads of variegating backdrops for soothing electronica and billowy downtempo. Indeed, the issue can be considered an instance of chilltronica either.

Mihkel Kleis - Muusika Lylian Meisteri näitusele 1001 (2008)

HOMSIS
Mediafire

8.8

/Progressive rock, Conceptual, Musique concrète, Improvised music, Experimental rock, Fusion/

Comment: Mihkel Kleis was formerly known as the leader of Estonian prog rock combo Luarvik Luarvik (a chara taken out from the brothers Strugatsky`s Dead Mountaineer Hotel) and nowadays improvisational noise/lo-fi/black metal-tinged project EDASI (which line-ups are permanently changeable for every night - similarly to Damo Suzuki`s Network). Muusika Lylian Meisteri näitusele 1001 is the soundtrack for his art school faculty member Lylian Meister`s exhibition, called in 2008. Here are 6 compositions inspired and made up by horror films, 70`s Italian prog rock music, Edward Elgar, and H.P Lovecraft. Besides the main knitting of soft/hard-cored prog vistas and treacherous miasmahs around it he uses concrete sounds, fusion-like reverberations, samples, acute sonic effects and vowel experiments at times. Or just adding an amusing, uplifting composition to finish off the album in a positive pitch - burn the witch, burn the witch. Burn it out, then.

Richard There - Everyday

sanmi - schizophrenic glitched girl (2011)

Elegirl

9.1

/Toytronica, IDM, Glitchtronica, Microtonal, Organic electronica, Minimal, Experimental electronica/

Comment: this is a lovely project by a lovely recording label from Japan, called Elegirl. Sanmi is an unit started out in 1998. Kyo Sanagi provides a 6-track issue of more or less restraint glitch electronica, i.e undulantly dinging and chiming (at times embraced by sublime noisy hiss washes) or a bit nervously fluttering right and left, respectively. Inspite of its dominantly austere construction it used to evoke a loads of beatific senses and nostalgic memories as if popped out from the very early childhood. It rings out as if Steve Reich`s sonic principles (especially related to Drumming) were thought for to perform them with the help of austere electronic devices and circuit bends. Less is more for sure.

Casket Sludge - The Contents Within Permeate With Necrotic Reek (2011)

Torn Flesh

9.0

/Goregrind, Brutal metal, Avant-metal, Experimental metal, Non music/

Comment: Do you know where can be drawn the distinct frontier between the areas of goregrind and grindcore? Indeed, along the realm, out from where awful kinds of objects begin to surface (excrements, sexual perversity, vomit, necrophilia, brain tumors, schizophrenia, visceral entities etc). (Be very careful if you are intended to check out the sleeves of albums issued on Popsakal, for instance). Goregrind is previously the most banished stylistical lot with enormous brutality and showed up with distorted outlook. Obviously in the former Soviet Union such guys would have been imprisoned in psychiatric hospitals to be cured for (along with political dissidents, by the way). Indeed, mental illnesses and social deflexions are the productions of society (directly and indirectly - depending on the definitions of sanity by certain societies). On the other side, life is a vast theatrical stage where role plays begin to appear. First of all, I like those spectacular prototypes and instruments appeared in Casket Sludge - Moe "Spermblaster" Lest(h)er -pukes & growl - gurgling formaldehyde phlegm throat; Mr. Gorecyst - torso ripping string shreds; Cacophallus - digital pummelling of rotten flesh. If you want to get more involved in absurdity then erstwhile explore the titles of songs and album coverprint. The business as usual - at the first sight there is huge entropy everywhere, i.e through zombie-like moaning and destructive noodling, yet, which have managed to ascend to the organized level of composition ultimately. It always works out.

Spherical Minds - Transpheres (2011)

Archive.org
Lastfm

9.3

/Post-rock, Dub, Chamber rock, Epic, Ambient, Crossover, Avant-rock, Classical, Organic electronica, Minimal/

Comment: Honestly, I don`t have any reprimand against the third album of this French quartet (Paul Chantereau - bass & fxs; Valentin Chantereau - piano & keys; Mathieu Maestracci - guitars & other instruments; Clement Vullion- drums), which used to mix up epic post-rock pannels with chamber/classical music, profound ambient experiments, shamanic incantations, medieval etherealness, dub, and ruffled electronica/glitch inbetween it. While the frenchmens` sound is arguably influenced by such composers and artists as Steve Reich, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Kai Saariaho, Igor Stravinski, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, High Tone, Ez3kiel etc, they used to bring forth an idiosyncratic result on its own - however, for everyone is there something about to record for him/herself. The favorite of mine is Kokkola Transition where female singing in Finnish is whimsically reversed, backed up with acidic electronic, dub, and massive rock forays.

The Charlatans - You Cross My Path (2008)

XFM
Cooking Vinyl
Lastfm

9.4

/Britpop, Alternative pop/rock, Psychedelic rock, Dance rock, Post-punk/

Comment: The Charlatans surfaced in the beginning of 90`s to become one of the most important Britpop/indie groups of the decade in the UK. While they embarked on as a baggy-influenced psychedelic rock/Madchester/indie dance combo along with Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, Happy Mondays and many less known ones they later designed their sound into more crowd-appealed aesthetics. More concretely, they embraced the elements of northern soul and blues, respectively. They were fronted up by Tim Burgess, a narcissist singer who was certainly an exemplar for many teenagers of how to cut their hairdos (for me as well). Tellin` Stories released in 1997, one of the best years in pop music ever, was certainly a great album, moreover, having managed to got the highest ranking in the British pop chart.
As usual, You Cross My Path is filled in with psychedelic, Hammond-driven sound, yet, which is backed up with variegating, upbeat paces/and breakbeats and Burgess`s uplifting singing. By the way, regarding Charla`s sound, I firstly perceived for some post-punk-ish bass lines played up by Martin Blunt ever. In a nutshell, because of having no chinks in its armour, the album rings out as an almost perfect pop rock example. So let`s enjoy the biggest stalwart appeared at Recent music heroes so far.

Possimiste - Behind The Seas

Snorkel Quintet - 3 (2011)

pan y rosas

8.6

/Improvised music, Fusion, Experimental rock, Avant-rock, Live session/

Comment: Snorkel Quintet is an improvisation/experimental combo descending from the southern part of the American continent. The 2-piece session was recorded at LAKarraka, extending from gravelly sonic patterns, synth-conjured lunkers and restrained, metallic-hued electro-acoustic ambience to galvanized progressions based on motorik fusion and delicately drawn feedbacks. In the meantime some subtle flute-based wispiness and kind of sampled subtlety can also be apprehended for.

Unfactory - She Bleeds (2008)

Jamendo
Af-music
Lastfm

7.2

/Post-punk, Gothic, Alternative pop/rock, Electro-rock, Pomp rock, Crossover/

Comment: this is a 5-track release by a collective from Florianòpolis, Brazil, which is inclined to reveal dark-hued, post-punk-hooked and electro-drenched pop rock. Buzzing and bubbling synths, and weird "bugs" are hearable in the soundscape at times. The coverprint measures up to. While it is a pompous one (or exactly because of it), the issue seems not to be the deepest fish in the ocean. A sort of AOR for radio shows.

Hukka - Legend of Kalevala soundtrack (2011)

Gabumat

9.0

/Electronic pop, Fusion, Primitive pop, IDM, Ethereal, Nu jazz, Electro, Chill out, Tekno, Mood music, Conceptual, Psychedelic electronica/

Comment: Hukka (Joel Toivonen) is a composer from Finland, being involved in music since the mid of 90`s. This is a massive, 24-track dedication/original game soundtrack to the game Legend of Kalevala. (By the way, as you have already figured out, Kalevala is the Finnish epos). However, Hukka shows up his legend, exploiting a diverse array of elements - from jazz-y/fusion, chilled yet highly warped electronic pop (which might be the dominating element therein) and New Age-esque puffs to more primitive, low-bit results and IDM/trance/electro/and tekno-soaked breaks. On the other side, all this bunch of tracks is heavily atmosphere-drenched and harmony-driven and thus subject to manipulate with the physiochemical processes in our brain. In any cases, the output is a convincing and pleasant recording. Listen to other issues (Hukka, and Experim3ntus` releases only) on Gabumat as well.

Rocketships Of Love - Rocketships Of Love (2008)

Quixodelic

9.2

/Covers, Space pop, Experimentalism, Electronic pop, Krautrock, Experimental rock, Drone rock, Post-psychedelic, Avant-rock, Psychedelia/

Comment: In the first place, I wanted to call attention to such sites/virtual ambiences as Quixodelic Records, and The Daydream Generation which can be considered a pair of the main support points for DIY music in Europe (analogously to the CLLCT in the USA, furthermore, they are communicated with each other as well). However, one of the most idiosyncratic collective at Quixodelic is Rugby-based Rocketships Of Love which is led by Paul Le Keux, also known from such groups as Uberfuzz, and Grosvenor Suite, respectively. However, ROL was the result of him wanting to take a back seat vocally and get people who he admires to sing the covers of songs he loves. Here are 13 tracks, indeed, some of them are the covers (Spaceman 3, Suicide, Brian Eno, Tommy James and the Shondells, Lou Reed), the residual stuff is a lysergical salute to the creatures of outer space taking on a lot extending from primitive electronic experiments to sublime modular synth-built appearances. An excellent output indeed.

The Hirundu - Inga Morton Mania

Daniel Maze - The Art Of Sleeping In (2006)

Sinewaves

9.6

/Glitchtronica, Avant-garde, Ambient noise, Minimal, Sound art, Avant-electronica, Microtonal, Experimentalism, Abstract, Experimental electronica, Noise, Crossover, Ambient/

Comment: While I have deplorably not written any comments/reviews about Daniel Maze`s oeuvre, I have been a fan of him for a while. (Funny, if I think about the Canadian music I used to relate him to Loscil, Tim Hecker, Muhr, GY!BE). The musician from Vancouver has been a profilic composer searching for innovatively striking fields in the realms of ambient, minimal music, sound art, noise, and experimental electronica. Similarly to this 3-pieced album, which consists of 3 long developments. In fact, Maze deserves his surname, propelling from tense, glitch-fried soundscapes and microtonal progressions (digital stridulation of grasshoppers!!!) to slightly soaring, throbbing plateaus and austere abstractness (at times made up of the crackles only), from pulsating electronic music to laid-back noise outbursts/and metallic orchestrations laid out sometimes. I am sure La Monte Young, Luigi Archetti, and Glenn Branca would like this record. In conclusion, it is a classic album of the electronic/and ambient music indeed.

Bit_Rat - Alberta EP (2011)

Pterodactyl Squad

8.8

/Chiptune, Chipbreak, 8-bit, Chipmetal, Progressive, Crossover, Primitive pop, Experimental electronica, Nintendocore/

Comment: Firstly I made acquaintance with Josiah Tobin, a Calgary-based chiptune/8-bit/tracker music artist through a compilation dedicated to the Pink Floyd`s classical Dark Side Of The Moon (he covered Speak To Me/Breathe). I like his searing approach within it he used to blend gasping sawtooth-shaped beats/harmonies impulsively with doom metal and progressive rock aspects (it can slightly be perceived) at times. On the other side, through its highly dense breakcore patterns, it rings out like a sort of rave music. And not for the robots only.

Possimiste - Behind The Seas (2011)

Bad Panda
Possimiste
Lastfm

9.4

/New Weird Estonia, Experimental indie, Folk indie, Art pop, Singer-songwriter, Post-folk, Dream folk, Baroque pop, Chamber folk, Indie folk, Folktronica/

Comment: For sure, I feel myself really enthralled and inspired, firstly, because the single used to be far away from a dead-end one, and secondly, it comes from Estonia, the home country of mine. Behind this project is a young lady, however, who used to make out great pop dizziness (visit her blog/and other sites for checking out for other contents). In a more concrete way, her fourth single consists of loping rhythms embellished with the orchestrated wispiness, soothing harmonica-based whiffs, xylophonic clatter, angelic yet galvanized vowel harmonies, and exhilarating progressions and transmissions from one point to another level. However, she continues a charismatic and innovative (and absolutely decorous) musical tradition of nowadays Estonian music prospered for the last 3-4 years (Maria Minerva, Kadi Uibo, Iiris, Talbot, Mirabilia, Ewert & The Dragons, Music For Your Plants, Tolmunud Mesipuu, Kreatiivmootor, Imandra Lake, Tallinn Daggers etc). An instance of nowadays grrrl riot/girl power for sure.

Uberlulu - La Fin Du Paquet (2009)

Uberlulu

8.6

/Avant-garde, Classical, Experimental electronica, Weird pop, Crossover, Breaks/

Comment: Uberlulu is a frisky artist coming out from France, being obviously influenced by the dadaist experiments, Californian (less and more) pop avant-garde (Negativeland, The Residents, Big City Orchestra), nihilistic old school industrial music (Cabaret Voltaire, Zoviet France, Throbbing Gristle etc) and apparently much more else. In addition to, the concepts have played a huge role in its music. However, you have excellent chance to see the connections between Uberlulu and those abovementioned artists because of being highly profilic over the last years. This is a two-track single, showing up sultry and easy beat-induced progressions simultaneously, and classical/baroque-drenched weirdness which is spiced up with metallic ticking and barely audible droning beneath it. All in all, it is just a piece of cake (and of course not the best one) for to figure out Uberlulu`s whole configuration.

Tudo de Volta - Eu não

kIRk - About Simple Things EP (2009)

kIRk

9.3

/Hip-hop, Trip-hop, Jazz, Nu Jazz, Breakbeat, Crossover, Urban music, Experimental/

Comment: This fascinating 5-track EP was initially released by the 16 Wersòw label in 2009. Now it can be grabbed from the band`s site only. And it is really worth to do it. Variegated trip-hop/and at times frenziedly bouncing breakbeat breaks meet obsessive mc-ing, all of that is accomplished with a wide array of jazz styles (from Miles Davis-alike cool jazz-y trumpet-relied floating to more freely and frenetic incantations), at the same time getting wrapped up in highly atmospheric and murky ambience respectively. A urban music gem indeed.

Alexis Erisian - The Abolition Of Pain (2007)

Kallisti Gold
Lastfm

5.8

/Industrial, Techno, Crossover, Trance, Electronica, Neoclassical, Electro/

Comment: Lots of sonic aspects and elements are uploaded here, veering from neoclassical/industrial workouts to brooding trance sound. Yet, unfortunately, the impulses of those basic aspects are set against each other, thus diminishing possibly good results on its own. Moreover, you just can perceive coarsely oscillating sound units penetrating your ears having no goal and visible (and invisible) intention. Honestly, because of being exposed as an aimless bulimic one, those 14 tracks (and 66 minutes) are way too enough for the listener.

Glenn Brown - 3 Crows & The Moon EP (2007)

This Plague Of Dreaming

9.5

/Guitar ambient, Experimental rock, Ambient, Space rock, Experimentalism, Post-rock, Soundscape/

Comment: Just a man with his guitar and a few effects devices surrounding him. Beatific, undulating, at times haunting guitar-conjured ambient sound made by Glenn Brown (born in 1973), the follow-up to the album Sodium Light City (2006, Test Tube). The album`s general approach is minimal, yet, evoking a loads of delightful memories you can not resist to. The Tanks Are Empty is the exception around there sounding similarly to Ben Chasny`s magical, one-loop-repeated based psych-folk. Otherwise, Brown`s oeuvre can be compared to the likes of slept., a Foggy Realm, docks, diecidicembre, The Post Riot Era, and Woodworkings. Moreover, some experimental shoegaze acts seem to be quite close to it (A Beautiful Machine, Bowery Electric, Pygmalion-era Slowdive).

Person Man - Eros vs. Agape (2010)

Bandcamp

9.3

/Psych-rock, Anti-folk, Krautrock, Crossover, Garage, Lo-fi, DIY, Avant-garde, Singer-songwriter, Psychedelia, Experimentalism/

Comment: The frenetic man behind these 14 tracks is Max Branigan, a musician out from New York. Acidic psychedelia/psyche-woogie meets noisy psych-rock/garage rock meets off-the-kilter compositions for artifacts/found sounds recorded during the unplugged sessions. Marcy & Miguel vs. Myself is a quasi tribal prog example. Absolutely staggering, by the way reminding of the early session of CAN in the end of 60`s/the starting of 70`s. On the other side, he conjures up heart-breaking songs like Cold Nothing (fast), and Song Of The Opposite. Beside the early period CAN, indeed, Branigan`s project can be compared to Speculativism, Vierivä Viiksiportieeri, Ghost Orbs, and Adrian Aardvark, for instance. This is our punk (folk).

Desperados - RapCore/INTIFADA

Lenn9o9n - Relining Coffins (2010)

Quixodelic
Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.6

/Poptronica, Glo-fi, Baroque pop, Experimental indie, Dream pop, Electronic pop, Psychedelic pop, Indietronica, Free folk/

Comment: It is hinted at Lastfm that David Charleston aka lenn9o9n has been influenced by hip-hop (Tribe called A Quest, and Beastie Boys), late 60`s pyschedelia and avant-garde (United States Of America, Velvet underground, Syd Barrett), and nowadays pop acts (Of Montreal, Broadcast, Mirah). Furthermore, DC takes his musical advice from James Brown. In a more real outlook, however, his debut publication constitutes an array of sublime sounds, veering by its stylistical approach from blissed-out glo-fi music and catchy indietronic/electronic pop to jubilant free folk-alikeness and lofty orchestrations and hysterical, artistical indie rock a la Arcade Fire. A masterpiece indeed. And of course, love the animals (they are people too).

Tudo de volta - Tudo de Volta (2011)

Bandcamp

9.2

/Drone, Ambient rock, Post-rock, Drone rock, Guitar ambient, Epic, Experimental rock, Avant-rock/

Comment: Tudo de Volta is a young, 21-years-old musician from Curitiba, Brazil, offering for the world an upsetting, 3-track EP to be praised now and later. Indeed, it is an epic blend of atmospheric guitars and vibrant rhythms (in fact, the release is without any drums and other pounding instruments). More concretely, as if endlessly running droning and resonating hiss-laden layers assign impressive grandeur to it. At times it seems as if were rolled over by steamwaves able to throw you down.

Naturalbody - Escape The Album (2011)

Jamendo

8.7

/Synth rock, New age, Electro-rock, Crossover, Electronic pop, Ethereal pop, Classical/

Comment: Naturalbody is an artist from Italy who has issued more than a handful of albums at Jamendo. Naturalbody`s usual practice is to create short-running tracks having the length not more than 3 minutes as usual. (For instance, Escape The Album turns up with 9 notches to its closure at 16 minutes). It extends from slightly pitched synthetic pop and some exercises on piano to tumultuous synth-driven rock drawing majestically high bows, or from funky-approved entertainment to atmospheric/classical/and new age-loaded sonic installations. Indeed, NB loves to shoot incessantly. By the way, the coverprint of the album is attractive in its minimal but longing appearance.

Anderlink - When You Sleep

Pilot Cloud - Halycon EP (2010)

Acoustic Firework
Lastfm

8.9

/Shoegaze, Alternative pop/rock, Indie, Dream pop, Post-rock, experimental rock/

Comment: Shoegaze, dream pop, post-rock - all of that has ruled for some decades and will obviously be ruled as well. Just some elements will be added to. All the aforementioned styles are gathered on an issue, carved out by the Philadelphia-based group Pilot Cloud, the combo of Justin Lerner (guitar/vocals), and Nick Biscardi (drums, synth). Their concept makes the listener feel really relieved and blessed. Blissed-out guitar lines used to tower up to the clouds having a little bit more disparate (technical) vision than the usual experience of it used to be for. Moreover, it is not a daily fact for shoegaze/indie groups striving for a bunch of street records/found sound aspects to interweave it into the mix.

Telepathic Teddy Bear - Reactions (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.6

/New Wave, Glo-fi, Poptronica, Electronic pop, Synth pop, Singer-songwriter/

Comment: TDP is the project of Juan Carlos Padilla, a resident out of Boston, Massachussets. The sophomore issue of him harks back to the 80`s new wave/synth pop sounds mixing it up with glistening chillwave/glo-fi sounds sometimes. Yet, it is not all at all, indeed, showcasing the affinity toward piano-driven singer-songwriter-ism and soulful electronica either. The heart-throb of mine is The Music In My Headphones which should be towering in every sort of pop charts.