Rollin Hunt - Dear People Of The World (2008)

Lost Frog

8.6

/Primitive pop, Lo-fi, Outsider pop, Singer-songwriter, DIY/

Comment: Chicago, Illinois-based artist Rollin Hunt began recording Dear People of the World in his Chicago bedroom using a karaoke machine with a keyboard, drum machine, guitar and microphone. It is an intimate, funest 15-track recording because of doing it at the evening of the death of his father in 2002. By its primitivistic approach, however, the whole reminds of the deeds by Jandek at times.

The Hirundu - The Return To Swill Mountain (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.5

/Dark ambient, Experimental electronica, Ambient noise, Sound-art, Ambient drone, Noise, Microtonalism, Minimal, Avant-garde, Experimentalism/

Comment: The Return To Swill Mountain was the first album released by Johnny Crewdson in 2011. More detailly, it is a massive exploration on droning snippets, minimal yet englutting brown noises and microtonal thudding, often surrounded by ghastly (dark) ambient mist which at times is "illuminated" with the glimpses of ancient human voice samples or more "recognized" electronic music (electronica) and shimmering electro-acoustic facades. By the main intention this 8-track publication can have common parts with the likes of Pan Sonic, Caustic Reverie, slept., Frank Bretschneider, The Vitrines, Morgen Mittag, and Marc Broude. An eminent album by any means.

Phantom Vibration - Growing EP (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.9

/Dream pop, Americana, Alternative, Baroque pop, Tropical pop, Psychedelic pop, Experimental indie, Sunshine pop, Post-pop/

Comment: honestly, Phantom Vibration`s (Daniel Clinton-McCausland, Henry Mackaman, and Gunnar Kauth) debut issue Kids EP offered an amazing listening experience, more concretely, which was forged off into the blend of organ-driven dream pop and americana-based sensibility. The follow-up Growing EP continues running on a similar sunshine pop-fringed path, though, having more air and glockenspiel exercises within it. In a nutshell, while the debut album was more appealing, the sophomore one is worth enough to be given a try. Let`s wait for their planned third EP in a row. The trio is certainly worth to be much more recognized.

Knyaz Mishkin - Live in Soligorsk

Jelani - Wait, You Can Rap?!?! (2008)

Notherground Music
Archive.org
Lastfm

8.8

/Hip-hop,  Cinematic, Urban music, Funk, Soul, Rap/

Comment: Jelani, a hip-hop musician from the Big Apple has been a part of Notherground Music (the fine platform for a circle of DIY hip-hop artists). However, this is certainly of the the strongest albums within it. 12 tracks do demonstrate catchy rhyme settings and enthralling orchestrations (with psychedelic, acid-soaked synths here nad there) and danceable funky beats and blissed-out soul touches in the background. He is assisted by label mates 6th Sense, and Wildabeast, and Mike Maven used to feature in some tracks.

Rainier Lericolais - Adagio Ma Non Tanto (2007)

Tripostal
Lastfm

9.4

/Electro-acoustic, Psycho-acoustic, Film noir, Modern classical, Chamber music, Acousmatic, Organic electronica, Experimentalism, Spoken word, Avant-garde, Sound-art, Noise/

Comment: an eminent 5-track leap by the French electroacoustic/avant-garde musician/sound-artist Rainier Lericolais. Indeed, organic sonic tissue meets the haunting waves of blurred electronica and film noir-patterned curtains which in turn are interwoven with japanese spoken word snippets and vowel effects. Chamber music? Indeed. Ultimately it makes out as an instance of otherworldly experience. I am not sure that those elves possibly audible above there would be well-intentioned on its own...or maybe not. All in all, it is a monumental masterpiece and it does make difference. Beausty-full.

Five Star Debauchery - Five Star Debauchery (2011)

Kill Mommy
Lastfm

8.8

/Punk rock, Alternative pop/rock, Fuzz rock, Blues, Folk rock, Singer-songwriter/

Comment: only good words can I say about this Kentucky-rooted musician`s debut album. These 20 relatively short-running tracks are played up with the help of twanging and fuzzy guitars, harmonica-relied whiffs, and appealingly striking voice (actually you can clearly perceive how he used to love his enterprise). Taylor stands at the crossroad of American roots music (blues, folk and rock`n`roll) and punk respectively. While the release is created with the bunch of ordinary rock instruments Taylor is able to churn lots of modalities and accents on it. Inspite of conjuring up either dreamy jitters or making more straightforward drive sometime, however, his concept is highly enjoyable and hitting all the time. Rock and roll must go on.

Pasqualino Ubaldini - Metissage (2011)

Jamendo

9.0

/Free folk, Drone folk, Easy listening, Chill out, Crossover, World music, Jazz, Improvised music/

Comment: the Italian experimentalist/improvisation artist Pasqualino Ubaldini is back with his brand new one. Here are 8 strong tracks which are set up to follow three separate tendencies on its own - the first of them is hypnotic, truly shimmering folk droning resembling of the doings by the Exeter-based collective Children Of The Drone and its subsidiaries. However, the second one follows the restraint jazz-soaked improvisations and standards from different areas. The third one is biased toward soothing mood music - suddenly ascending whiffs of flutes, wistful orchestrations, ethnic motives (if you are the fan - of course you are! - of Ennio Morricone then these glitches are thought for you). In a nutshell, the release is complete, profound, introspective, on the other side, it is enough tempered and filled in with solar rays and cosmic power.

▼□■□■□■ - CDR (2010)

Mediafire
Lastfm

9.2

/Drag, Witch house, Hauntology, Trianglecore, Post-industrial, Experimental electronica, Lo-fi/

Comment: after a while I am back again with a release by a drag/witch house/trianglecore artist. I love ▼□■□■□■ (pronounce it Mourning Star)`s approach which goes beyond the supposed borders of drag sound because of having the apparent signs of hauntology/ancient sound-based sound collage. Here are represented 6 tracks at the length of 21 minutes. More profoundly, indeed, it is creepy, ghastly, roughly thudding, however, intended to heavily slap your ass and brain. Those warped vocal lines are really impressive. Almost perfect in its imperfectness.

Monotronaut - star.soaked.sea (2011)

Bandcamp

8.8

/Downtempo, Shoegazetronica, Post-rock, Modern classical, Crossover/

Comment: an instrumental crossover set of shoegaze-ish rays, post-rock-ish ascensions, and somber modern classical introspections which is driven by the paces of big beat, downtempo, and more rock resembling beats. It veers away such celebrities as My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Durutti Column, Death In Vegas, Bosques de mi Mente and obviously many more.

Ixtlan - We Both had Motocycles

Amitron_7 - Try For Next Stage Free (2011)

EnoughRecords
Lastfm

9.3

/Ambient dub, Cinematic, Avant-garde, Dubtronica, Cosmic fusion, Electronic pop, Organic electronica, Sampledelic, Sound collage, Progressive, Crossover, Experimental rock, Experimental electronica/

Comment: no doubt, Amitron_7`s The Anton Phase Electro Clockwork Menagerie was one of the top notches in 2009. More profoundly, ultramodern prog meets space rock meets atmospherical dub paces. The Englishman continues his way in a similar mode - the crunchy bits of mostly slowed down electronica is obtained by floating through dub filters, which is embellished with the layers of overdriving cinematic electronica, on the other side, the elements of progressive rock are more subdued, yet, at times appearing like the solar rays amongst the highly concentrated mist. Furthermore, Amitron_7 used to employ lots of spoken word pieces to colour it with clockwork, twisting sonic effects in the background, thus making up somehow sampledelic touch for the listener. Even (open content) folk glimpses can be seen at times (Everything Is Orange Now). However, this 12-track album is excellent and challenging at the same time.

Chamberlain - The Wild And The Innocent EP (2010)

Hujan! Rekords

8.4

/Pomp pop, Alternative pop/rock, Soft rock/

Comment: melodramatic and lovelorn and bombastic yet convincing alternative rock/soft pop from Bandung, Indonesia. Just four tracks are represented there including an instrumental introspection either. Music is issued on Hujan! Rekords and being an example of flourishing pop rock scene in Indonesia.

Beko DSL - Skrotup (2011)

Beko DSL
Lastfm

9.1

/Lo-fi, DIY, Experimental rock, Electro-rock, Post-industrial, Weird pop, Experimental metal/

Comment: rough and brutal yet excellent shit... . Here are uploaded artists who provide heavily effect-charged lo-fi/DIY music which apparently gets inspiration from the compartments of 70`s nihilistic industrial progressions, electro-rock and the hype of witch house/drag music. Yet, you can listen to dub-influenced angst rock, warped metal progressions, straightforwardly punching guitar dashes and much more. Here are represented the likes of Endless Endless Endless, Heroin In Tahiti, Braindamage, Portable Morla, Loopgoat, and many others. The more you listen to the miscellany the more it opens up. The sign of quality indeed. By the way, all these artists are related to the Copenhagen`s experimental label Skrot Up.

Romantic States - The Fourth

DJ Nerd42 - Deltron 3742 (2011)

Bandcamp

9.3

/Mash-up, Plunderphonics, Cut and paste, Sampledelic, Urban music, Hip-hop, Sound collage, Experimental hip-hop, Avant-hop/

Comment: future-hop? Sci-fi-hop? Dystop-hop? First of all, it is a gem of great beats (made from sampling Final Fantasy VII soundtrack), tense milieus and stoned yet hypnotizing lyrics (by Deltron 3030). Indeed, aliens come over to conquer the streets. Or are these people to mask and fight their eternal war forward? In fact, the future is now.

Ielangir - planet's end, planet's elegy (2011)

Tsukimachi
Bandcamp

9.5

/J-pop, Shibuya-kei, Dream pop, Toytronica, Easy listening, Nu-jazz, Experimental indie/

Comment: wow, it is undoubtedly a crafty set of 4 tracks. More concretely, it mostly balances between jazz-alike standards and amusingly infantile shibuya-kei-ish gliding. It chimes and twists incessantly. Like a dream having no possibility to be matched in your brain and glias. In conclusion, such soundscape could make your day...and your tomorrows as well. And improves you to be reborn and get a better person too. Seriously.

Polyvinyl - Sampler (2011)

Polyvinyl

8.0

/Indie pop, Experimental indie, Alternative pop/rock, Art pop, Shoegaze/

Comment: Polyvinyl has been the home place for many important indie artists. The label celebrated its 15-year anniversary this year. Here are represented the likes of Deerhoof, Of Montreal, Xiu Xiu, Architecture In Helsinki, Asobi Seksu, Japandroids and many others. Indeed, enjoy and pay tribute to Polyvinyl either.

Lizard Kisses - Pinch

Matt Stevens - Relic (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.3

/Experimental rock, Art-rock, Post-rock, Math rock, Progressive rock, Experimental electronica/

Comment: if someone would be able to have a bird`s-eye view upon this 10-track albumthen this would just be entitled as post-rock. Actually it has much more to be hidden for the tight sight above and below the layers. For instance, flamenco-infected guitar arpeggios are merged with sublime dance-appealed cadences which in turn are blurred with lofty advance making to be transmitted to progressive rock/and math rock now and then. Futhermore, it incorporates the concepts of biting wave-edit techniques/digital noise. However, the Londoner Matt Stevens`s approach resembles a bit of the doings by the Mancunian Vini Reilly (Durutti Column) - could you remember for those easy, flyaway guitar chords conjuring up the whiffs of magic and free spirited grits around the listener. A potent result undoubtedly.

Wolfredt - Wolfredt (2011)

Bandcamp

8.8

/Shoegazetronica, Post-rock, Indietronica, Experimental indie, Alternative, Leftfield/

Comment: behind Wolfredt hides himself Margus Voolpriit (born in 1973) who has been known as the drummer in some eminent Estonian indie combos (Dreamphish; Pia Fraus) throughout 90`s and 00`s. Regarding Wolfredt he has traded drums and kits to guitars and electronic devices. He makes his vista up with the help of rising, atmospherical guitars, pulsating electronics, a few sonic effects, which ultimately provides enough aesthetical joy and relaxing ambience. Stylistically it mostly veers away indietronica, post-rock, and electronic shoegaze. The last track is a cover version of a track of Picnic, an indie group consisting of a couple of the previous members of Dreamphish (indeed, the issue needs more for such sort of lush (female) vocal lines provided by Marju Taukar aka Marjusass).

Sun Deers - Shaman Colours EP (2011)

Bandcamp
Native Flowers Recordings
Lastfm

9.0

/Free folk, Chillwave, Exotica pop, Poptronica, Tropical pop, Electronic pop, Glo-fi, Dream pop, Alternative/

Comment: actually I cannot agree with one site suggesting that this album is far away from the best because of having no goal. What does it mean having the goal at all? Actually the album can successfully exist of having no visible goal. For instance, these 6 tracks conjure up chillwave-ish running mixed up with the frames of exotica pop, thus resembling of Monster Rally, for instance. Furthermore, it provides free folk-ish ecstasy and tropical pop-loaded mist either. Great work!

▼□■□■□■ Mourning Star - Ghostdrone

Lizard Kisses - Tiny Island Teeth (2011)

Cakes & Tapes
Lastfm

9.7

/Alt-folk, Dream folk, Indie folk, Americana, Folk indie, Baroque folk, Experimental indie, Art pop, New Weird America/

Comment: heck, my heart got broken once again...they made it again...indeed, once again listening to this Brooklyn-based girl-boy ensemble I got profoundly bewitched and satisfied with those bottomless bittersweet feelings and stings in the chest. More detailly, Cory Siegler & Marc Merza`s sound is filled with austere soundscape yet it is so fantastically accentuated and spiced out with other segments (found sounds, Balkan music themes, theremin-afforded screeches) that this makes your day. By the way, this time the duo is assisted by a handful of contributors. One of the best issues of 2011 so far (where are the reviews by Pitchfork, Drowned In Sound and other such sort of juggernauts?).

Thierry Massard - 15 minutes of fame (2011)

Bandcamp

9.2

/Noise, Microtonalism, Minimalism, Sound art, Experimentalism, Avant-garde/

Comment: the French noisenik/experimentalist/netaudio activist/philosopher Thierry Massard is back with his brand new one. He initially embarked on with sound mastering in the late period of 70`s creating it with the help of ubiquitous and less conventional music devices/and non-instruments. These 10 short-running tracks play on the experienced shifting inbetween silence and noise, inbetween ominous progressions and barely audible microtonalism, inbetween sonic effects and "fictional" scapes. The album is obligatory for those guys and gals who used to be keen on "heavy" experimental electronic music. An inspiral listening indeed.

Radix - Autopsy (2009)

Modicum Of Silence
Mediafire
Lastfm

9.5

/Ambient, Breakbeat, Ambient techno, Glitch ambient, Glo-fi, Experimental electronica, Downtempo/

Comment: enthralling broken beats wrapped up by dense yet blissed-out atmosphere do make this album really worth always to be remembered for. More profoundly, the beat structures veers away techno, breakbeat, jungle, downtempo, however all these rhythm structures are coated with darkly glistening synths this way rather being a part of the glo-fi/chillwave music scene. Released on the Modicum Of Silence label which once domesticated such outstanding musician as Brothertiger, a melody maker widely known in the circuits of the chillwave/glo-fi scene at the moment.

Bugotak - Thunder Dance

Vektroid - Telnet Erotika (2010)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.5

/Glo-fi, Chillwave, Electronic pop, Dreamwave, Electro pop, Sampledelic, Alternative dance, Hygnagogic pop/

Comment: permanently struggling dream-soaked grooves, warped electro layers, acid-fried pop sensibility, whimsical sonic effects, however, thus having a very crucial impact upon you, dear listener. Samples tend to come in and go out, thereby resulting in the eternal rotation of moods and ambiences. This is what we used to call as "nowadays pop music". And of course, it is really sexy, yet allowing no opportunity to vulgarize itself and those peoples subjected to it.

Tidy Kid - Toxic Feelings (2010)

Umor-rex
Lastfm

9.3

/Indietronica, Folktronica, Dream folk, Toytronica, Experimental folk, Crossover, IDM, Organic electronica, Lo-fi/

Comment: Tidy Kid has been active since the mid of 00`s providing titillating electronic shapes and shadows. 7 tracks of angular folk songs which are heavily undermined with sparkly IDM-based oscillations and lovely childish setups of chord shackles. Occasionally the album is filled in with intimate, dream-infiltrated approach (Toy Plane In Ice). Indeed, Tidy Kid is still able to avoid for being formulaic and predictable.

Kapala - Moon Rivers (2011)

Bandcamp

9.2

/Psych-rock, Drone rock, Experimental rock, Avant-rock, Post-metal, Psychedelia, Stoner rock/

Comment: a decently droning psych/stoner-rock issue from Phoenix, Arizona, USA. The total embodiment of massively resonating guitars and psychedelic organs/spatially radiating electronica will be ascending into a whole as if being a part of a weird sort of symphony music. Such sound does have a bunch of kindred souls from the past and today (Talbot, Lee Noble, Silver Apples, Flora, Nadja, Spacemen 3).

Trudgernaut - You Won`t Come Around

cИстра - All My Friends Were Dead (2011)

Mimonot
Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.3

/Alternative pop, Dream pop, Soft rock, Covers, Electronic pop/

Comment: great 3 tracks from Khabarovsk, Russia. You can find out from there some sort of sensible chart-appealed indie pop with some dance vibes and new wave-esque influences a la the late period Talk Talk running its post-rock path through the erstwhile shapes of synth pop. You can feel such kind of feeling while listening to their cover version of Dubstar`s Stars.

pEACEFANg - pEACEFANg EP (2010)

No-Source

9.0

/Folktronica, Dream folk, Indietronica, Post-folk, Chamber folk, Electronic, Organic electronica, Dream pop, Experimental folk, Art pop, Ambient pop/

Comment: by the download numbers at Archive.org pEACEFANg`s EP at the moment is being the most popular personal issue having ever been issued on No-Source, an American qualitative sonic brand. Lots of less lucid or more dream-filled subtleties can be found from here. Behind it is an American, A. Fischer, conjuring up on an acoustic guitar and Casio CT-310 synthesiser to getting a  change smoothly from one phase to another, from halcyon guitar-based pastels to beatific synthesised soaring to emotive glockenspiel interventions, thirdly all of that seems to be seamlessly intertwined while meeting each other. It may even remind of Slowdive's Pygmalion in its most quiet moments. Is it an example of artsy mood music? Indeed, it is. Predominantly it is slowed-down and buried yet it does not turn into a lethargic one. By its content it is a greatly uplifting and tranquil mixed release exploring the valences of mellow electronica/ambient, folk and indie.

Sobre A Máquina - Areia (2011)

Sinewave

9.2

/Fusion, Post-metal, Experimental rock, Avant-rock, Improvised music/

Comment: Sobre A Máquina is a Brazilian experimental combo delivering their second issue Areia, a follow-up to Decompor. Their instrumental approach is built on massive guitar dominance poisoned with piano chords, resonating mazes of noises, programmed beats, altogether gathering the enthralled ambience around those abovementioned sonic constituents. Yet, it goes far beyond the borders of post-rock and industrial rock, permitted to land somewhere inbetween post-metal and fusion (saxophone!) and dark wave. I recommend listen to Flora`s Trip (2010), and Wreck And Reference`s Black Cassette (2011) as well.

Alpha Couple - A Walk In Central Park

The Stalactites - Dark Matters (2011)

Bandcamp

8.8

/Instrumental rock, Post-rock, Chamber rock, Experimental rock, Epic/

Comment: instrumental post-rock embellished with the fringes of chamber rock/classical/symphonic music. 11-track issue does have lots of festal moments crafted by Johnny Benoit, Sophie Hebbelynck, and Rudy Hellio. Guitars, drums, and violins are their friends.

Adriano Orrù – Hèsperos (2011)

La bèl

8.7

/Chamber music, Improvised music, Experimentalism/

Comment: Adriano Orrù provides six tracks all played with the help of a double bass and some additional devices. Actually it is much more above you than usual chamber music used to represent cutting edges for. More profoundly, it is filled in with frenetic jam sessions which ultimately seems to be intricate and highly energized.

Lullatone - Growing Up

Lullatone - Growing Up from lullatone on Vimeo.

Marc Broude - Noise Improvisation

Catherine Corelli - Take Da Jive (2011)

Jamendo

8.8

/Art pop, Crossover, Downbeat, Hip-hop, Symphonic metal, Soul, Electronic pop, Pomp pop/

Comment: Catherine Corelli from Moscow, Russia is back again. Her new release is a frenetic hotchpotch of diverse genres veering away gothic symphony-induced mist and and fragile soul and swinging funk and whimsical art/chamber pop. Some downbeat and jazz-like numbers are settled over here either. Certainly CC`s tricky and variable (vocal) timbres are highly enjoyable and filled in with vast passion, however, frequently manipulating with her own listeners. The closure track C#Stars is well elaborated and sensually expressive. All in all, it is a spectacular 12-track enterprise thought principially for everyone.

Bizarre - Cafè De Flor (1996/2008)

Bizarre
Forwards
Rahva Raamat

10.0

/Dream pop, Shoegazetronica, Chamber pop, Electronic pop, Experimental indie, Art pop, Crossover, Alternative pop/

Comment: Tartu indie combo Bizarre`s Cafè de Flor is absolutely favorite album of mine ever made on the ground of Estonia. It was issued in 1996, during the tumultuous period in the midst of 90`s when the Estonian indie/alternative scene reached its peak (Dallas; Metro Luminal; Dreamphish; Chance; Vennaskond; Lobsand Dorje; Una Bomba) but this 8-track album was just an idiosyncratic gem. Furthermore, I have had a loads of bittersweet memories related to this album (initially issued as the cassette format only) from these nostalgic times. How would it be described for? It is very simple actually - you could imagine it as a possible and logical follow-up to MBV`s seminal album Loveless. More profoundly, lots of sultry dance beats, gooey jungle pathways, picturesque dream pop-ish overthrows, formidable yet heartbreaking guitar waves and glides, sensual and seductive vocal lines above it function to glimpse like a Morgan le Fay or a blissed-out flashback. Every piece on it does have potent virtue on its own - the issue is a never-to-be-forgotten legacy conveying the harmony between the realm of idea and shape. One of the biggest albums of 90`s and all times waiting to be appreciated in the future.

Bob Ostertag - Motormouth (2011)

Free Music Archive

9.5

/Abstract techno, Experimental electronica, Breakbeat, Conceptual, Avant-garde, Experimental techno, Minimal techno/

Comment: legendary academically trained electronic music composer Bob Ostertag (born in 1957) is back with his brand new one. Here are represented 10 tracks based mainly on propulsive, thudding bass gears which by its structure are quite restraint, however, playing the effect through the merest changes and craftily hidden basic algorithms. All in all, it is a sort of intellectual techno and adhesively experimental breakbeat-ism thought for those melomans who used to adore the sound by Autechre, Future Sound Of London, and Aphex Twin. By the way, all the sound is played up with the help of one modification of the legendary Buchla synthesizers.

Echelon Effect - Debris

Pumps - Pin in the Map (2011)

Death To False Hope
Bandcamp

8.2

/Happy punk, Pop punk, Hardcore punk, Easycore/

Comment: Pumps is a quintet from Brooklyn, Big Apple, pumping up the grids of pop punk and hardcore punk all of that mixed up together. More concretely, just shouting verses in chorus are flung out backed up by the hum of lots of noodling guitars. Very straightforward and without any surprises and compliments (except one man desperately crying "f.ck you" at City of the Damned).

United Consumer Fuckers - Prepare For Revolution (2011)

Anonymous Archives
EnoughRecords
Lastfm

9.0

/Mash-up, Plunderphonics, Cut and paste, Sound collage, Conceptual/

Comment: a challenging political manifesto by an unknown artist who is intended to step against the worsening situation pertaining of economical and moral situation and political decisions in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The album functions to create a cutting mix of diverse artists and albums, all of that is managed to create fifteen short-running tracks. It veers away golden age disco, post-punk, electronic pop, hip-hop, and even hair rock-ish noodling. The timespan of recycled tracks extends from 1968 to 2009. By the way, this is the first record issued on the EnoughRecords`s sublabel Anonymous Archives.

Puffin On My Side - Lech-Lecha (2011)

Inglorious Ocean

9.4

/Post-rock, Epic, Instrumental rock, Ambient, Ambient rock, Chamber rock/

Comment: Puffin On My Side is a solo project of the Rome-based Alessio Mecozzi who is known as a member of the rock group Mokadelic. In fact, similarly to Mokadelic this album of 5 tracks consists mainly of the elements of instrumental post-rock interwoven with atmospheric plateaus, amusing spoken word interludes and attaining its objective with dream-charged milieus. All I can say about it is just amazing. The album is a dignified sequel to the issue Early Morning (2009). In addition to Inglorious Ocean I recommend listen to artists released on such labels as Futurerecordings, Dedicated, and Wise Owl.

Transhuman Apocalypse - Ambient Anonymous (2011)

Silent Strikes - 27/Infinit (2011)

Bad Panda

9.0

/Post-rock, Downtempo, Crososver, Organic electronica/

Comment: Silent Strike is a combo from Bucharest, Romania conveying to us just a pair of notches - 27, and Infinit, respectively. It is a silentful ride along the paths of downtempo, post-rock, balmily buzzing synths, and providing a little glacial ambience strewed over the structures of picturesque scaffolds. However, Silent Strikes` kindred souls extend from Sigur Ros, and Mank to Orange Crush, and aAirial.

Saåad - It Was LP (2010)

Bandcamp

9.2

/Dark ambient, Dark wave, Sound art, Minimal, Ambient noise/

Comment: the Frenchman Romain Barbot`s sound is placed on hold somewhere inbetween ambient, dark wave, noisy ambient and sound-art-like aspirations (those sublimely undulating hiss doses around the main intentions of the record). Here are set up 7 tracks which are loftily stuttering ones with epic orchestration-afforded reverberations. Throughout the course it seems to be minimal, murky, and slightly threatening.

Mr. Spastic - Lucid (2011)

8bitpeoples

8.8

/8-bit, Chiptune, Tracker music, New Wave, Synth pop, Crossover, Bitpop/

Comment: synth pop/New Wave meets tracker/chiptune/8-bit music. Propulsive synth whiffs are supplemented with sawtooth-alike sonic fringes and dreamily glistening vocal supplies over it. By the new wave-ish side this set of 5 tracks reminds a little of David Sylvian`s group Japan, and Jef Barbara.

Mr. Spastic - tEh rOx!

Omara - Simultanmassakker (2011)

Omaramusic

9.2

/Industrial techno, Dub-tech, Experimental techno, Deep techno, Electro, Tekno/

Comment: I love the German Omara`s deep, gleaming grooves running in the repetitive vein of techno, tekno, electro, and dub which at times is wrapped up with the lopsided noisy and industrial-esque forays of post-krautrock music. All of that is played up in 3 long-running tracks which is thought for your spongy matter and for your legs. All the tracks are as similar as different yet, on the first place, craftily elaborated to make huge impact on the listener`s understanding and perception. Why? Because of having appealing, progressive mind throughout the course of the notches. However, Omara seems to be a happy man having ability to create such outstanding kind of music and owning its own record label.

Quell Figure - Roots (2011)

U-Torn

8.7

/Drum and bass, Jungle, Experimental techno, Experimental electronica, Breakbeat, Crossover/

Comment: the Russian Daniil Kasperovich`s 8-track album is influenced by intelligent dance music, sultry techno, off-kilter drum and bass/jungle and poignant breaks, this way reflecting upon its own progressions as well. However, the programmed beats are at times varied with brooding piano chords.

Proviant Audio - Mushrooms EP (2009)

Sojus Records Network

9.3

/Nu-jazz, House, Acid jazz, Afrobeat, Sampledelic, Cut and paste, Crossover, Sound collage/

Comment: during the last days I have reviewed lots of such sort of albums having its very point focused upon sampledelic basic, catchy trip-hop/hip-hop grooves. The Norwegian Mathias Stubø`s work (being then in the age of 17 years old) shows up much similarity with such kind of music, yet demonstrating more affinity toward catchy nu-jazz, psychedelic afrofuturism and looping house music. Furthermore, including peculiar spoken word lines (cigarette is a very democrate instrument). In conclusion, it is really expressive and impressive.

Johan Reinhold - Shoot Me Down

Bobby Baby - The Some Place New

Tim Chaplin - The '80's Girls EP (2008)

23 Seconds

9.2

/Covers, Singer-songwriter, Alt-folk, Indie folk, Folk indie, DIY/

Comment: the British singer-songwriter and experimental musician Tim Chaplin is covering a handful of hits from the 80`s. Here is Westworld`s Silver Mac, Kirsty MacColl`s They Don`t Know, Yazoo`s Only You, and Roxette`s It Must Have Been Love. Twanging guitars and convincingly accentuated are loftily wrapped up by lo-fi-esque intimate ambience and gritty hiss. Indeed, let`s break on through to the other side of those beloved songs.

Ars Sonor & Meklabor - Box of Matches (2011)

Eg0cide

9.4

/Drone, Ambient, Dystopbient, Ambient drone, Ambient noise, Soundscapes, Epic, Minimal/

Comment: this 4-track is an intricate compromise between lush ambient soundscapes and epic drone pulsation created by Laetitia Schteinberg (Ars Sonor), and D. Vlasov (Meklabor) who are supported by the well known drone musician Mystified ( playing flute) in one track. More concretely, the album is a majestic drift between bleak and whistling sonic plateaus, as if murmuring its wishes over the metallic landscapes and wrathful hills. Great.

ShakySuperFly - Don't Sweat the Neon Fever (2011)

Dystopiaq

8.8

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

Comment: 9 tracks which end up at the length of 21 minutes. More profoundly, all the tracks are cut up to the pieces of hip-hop, propulsive sultry samples, "accidental" spoken word snippets and primitivistic electronica. A solid reflection of the urban sampled tapestry.

Bus Stop Dreams - The Kiss

Keep away from heat... - des notes de clementines (2008)

Rack & Ruin

9.0

/Post-rock, Crossover, Electronic pop, Electro-indie, Alternative, Experimental pop/

Comment: Predrag Nedic is a Belgrade, Serbia-based recording artist better known as pndc and member of the former electro-ambient duo Erogenius. Here are represented 3 tracks walking on the borders of post-rock-ish scaffolds and pulsating electronic indie-esque sultriness, thus showcasing its remarkable pop potential and appealing power. By any means, it is a very interesting issue. However, let`s continue discovering the gems under now defunct Rack & Ruin records.

LFC - Asschoes (2010)

pCloud

9.0

/Industrial, Avant-garde, Dystopbient, Minimal, Noise, Experimentalism, Ambient noise, Non-music/

Comment: as you know the music history has permanently been the field for weird musical ideas and outlooks to be appeared and poisoned the mainstream correctitude. If you are listening for to get impressed by the sonic whirlwinds and bleak landscapes of LFC you will perceive the impact of 70`s nihilistic industrial music for sure. More detailly, behind this 10-track set you can see the destructive and constructive power units simultaneously. For instance, at times you can detect for the seeds of The Art Of Noises manifesto, declared by Luigi Russolo, one of the forefathers of the contemporary noise and electronic music. LFC takes up so seriously that all its sonic structure is incessantly bumping and shaking. In conclusion, the whole is heavily appealing for sure. In a nutshell, dystopian wastelands are waiting for your listening times.

Thompost - Muffled (2011)

Elpa

9.5

/Post-rock, Indietronica, Organic electronica, Experimental folk, Folktronica, Experimental indie, Art pop/

Comment: every artist under this sun (and under the other possible suns either) has its genuine vision and speech to describe the world or at least some parts of it. Thompost provides a sublime indie/folk/post-rock vista where organic string-based layers are craftily embellished with the fringes of electronica and some ebullient orchestrated beauty over it. Furthermore, all the concept is built on the contrast of rough and sparse yet expressive patterns and on the other side pertaining of flowing fairness and throbbing sensitiveness. At times it seems to be quicker, at times it is more restraint, yet, most of the time it gets attention from the listener. This 11-track masterpiece is issued on an eminent label from Latvia, called as Elpa.

Madame B - I`m Sorry That I Hate You

Juj - Slack (2010)

Wedidit
Lastfm

9.2

/Sampledelic, Cut and paste, Sound collage, Plunderphonics, Urban sound, Trip-hop, Hip-hop, Soul/

Comment: Juj comes from Santa Cruz, California, having produced a sublime 16-track album where hip-hop meets trip-hop which onwards meets cinematic soul and...sunshine. Actually there is left no hollow sense inbetween those mainly short-running notches, all the possible slots are covered with cozy sampledelic outreaches and synergical sampling techniques. His oeuvre can be compared to the likes of Rimar, Ears, Phaseone, kIRk, and htrspltn. Additionally to these names Juj is having a handful of label mates at Wedidit Collective either.

The Vitrines - Utopian Lapses (2010)

Slow Studies

9.0

/Dystopbient, Noise, Dark ambient, Lo-fi, Ambient noise, Experimentalism, Soundscapes, Avant-garde, Hauntology, Sound-art/

Comment: in fact, all the sound seems to be running and running in the compartments of dystopian and utopian fantasies whereby all the basic aspects and minutiae are deliberately positioned to stay very far from the imaginable subjects and all the ambience above it is filled in with somehow billowy, restraint horror. The 8-track album embarks on with the abrasive bits of noise progressions which throughout the course will be a little bit toned down thus being channelized into more ambient-esque approach (on the other side, having the sound of essentially rough and provocative because of being decorated with any kind of sonic trash and thus providing the withstood to the usual understanding of ambient music). All in all, it might be perceived as an imperfect one in the beginning, yet thanks to it the issue does demonstrate its hitting power.

Beko DSL - Crashsymbols (2011)

Beko DSL

9.0

/Synthwave, Post-punk, Dark pop, Art pop, Shoegaze, Experimental indie, Dreamwave/

Comment: a sequent glittering miscellany by the French label Beko DSL. These 13 tracks used to veer from rigid post-punk and synthwave to shoegaze and lush dreamwave. Here are represented the likes of Hobbledeions, Abstract Cannon, Bonifrate, Rimar, Kumon Plaza, Sumsun, Antn Hrkwk, Noah Wall, Two Bicycles, Bong Rodent, Shuriken, Phil and the Osophers, Monster Rally, Daniel Sex Jr., Moon Bounce, Pregnant, Honeydrum, and Flamingod. Indeed, the compilation might make your day.

Matt Stevens - Intermission