[Concert] Low Live at Eindhoven (Low)

The legendary, Duluth-based slowcore trio Low (Alan Sparhawk, Mimi Parker, Steve Garrington) known by its mesmerizingly creeping soundscape has issued a 4-track live release being shot at St. Catherina Cathedral in Eindhoven on January of 22, 2009, joined by lots of local guest musicians and instruments - a full, 5-piece choir, analog synth, Hammond organ, piano, and vibraphone. The gig included such tracks as Monkey, Silver Rider, July, Laser Beam. So the two tracks taken from the Things We Lost In Fire (2001, Kranky) and the another two from Great Destroyer (2005, Sub Pop), respectively. As they introduced yourselves in as a new approach in the North America-based indie scene approximately 2 decades ago their power is lost nowhere to date - the gig is suggestively slow and blissfully hypnotic, reminiscent of the milieu of silent time at the end of a year being closely related to the forthcoming Christmas time and lots of huge snowdrifts. So let`s enjoy it and waiting for the trio`s brand new heavy C`mon.

Listen to it here

[Artists] Archana

Archana
Archana/Bandcamp
Myspace

Steven Porter Vacu Sessions 3 (Vacu Sessions)

The first and last time when I reviewed an artist (Sturqen) under the label/blog/community Vacu Sessions, I mentioned then the label is "obviously from Finland". Actually it is the Portugal-based label, having been offering solid help for soundscapes classified between music and non-music (or a peripheric side of music) to be surfaced again and again.

Steven Porter is an artist`s pseudonym behind which are hidden Yuji Kondo, and Katsunori Sawa from Kyoto, Japan. Lots of things will be happened in those 27 minutes of one track recorded in Honen-in Temple. The issue is fulfilled with a lot of turns, breaks and variable gears shifting forward and back and having its irritating outputs through effervescent facets, however, thereby it is not wrong to be considered the whole a kind of radiophonic art, for instance. More detailly, besides the chopped-and-cut-up singing at the beginning the entries of opera singers and baroque-esque wraiths are intentionally represented here, bringing forth an emotion-loaded side. On the other side, the basic core is carried along on musique concrete-infused electro-acoustic overthrows which side-effects will be developing and channelized into broadening yet intense buzzscapes and desolate industrial ambiences. In a word, it is an interesting, open-minded construction through the forging of diverse genres and evoking of wide-scale perceptions.

Listen to it here

9.2

[Artists] Primitive Noyes

Primitive Noyes
Myspace
Lastfm

I Have A Box Bunnies (Fwonk)

This 6-track set of a debut album consists of a subtle net of indietronica/poptronica, caustic electronic pop, fusion, downtempo and post-rock as well, having its roots apparently set in the synthetic approach of obscure bands in the 70`s, of kosmische musik, more detailly, drifting between rock-esque sensitivity and ambient music, respectively. So it is placed between soothing and dynamic, between static and trippy, having mainly based upon extended guitar chords, unarticulated but epic vocal segments, cluster-laid rhythm sections (sometimes march-angled) and airy or shimmering synth wisps coiling up into the upper dimensions at times. In a kind of weird way, it can be considered either austere or lush at the same time. In a nutshell, if you are used to be a sympathizer of GY!BE, Air, Monokle, or God Is An Astronaut, this album is up here to be directed for you.

Listen t it here

9.2

[Artists] Replicast

Replicast
Myspace
Lastfm

Greyhound Out Of Mainline The Cat That Got The Dream (Bandcamp)

First-off, I felt deeply in love with this 10-track album, fulfilled with hypnotic blues and dirty psych-folk elements, which roots seem to be closely bounded up with the American Primitivism movement via angular, minimal-laid guitar chords and a genuine intimacy feeling, though, the project comes from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. For sure, the issue is getting look high and low, more detailly, veering from the epic blowup of Rembetiko (The Strange Relationship) to murmuring dream-drowned illusions. The side-effects (or instruments) of those description objects are strongly reverb-drenched sonic membranes being often accompanied with concrete music sounds, spoken word snippets and dusty milieu evoking hiss-crackle appearances hovering overhead and everywhere. In any cases, it should not be misunderstood - it is not a kind of GOOM`s shortcoming but the kind of being occurred to come out as the advantage.

Listen to it here

9.3

[Artists] Mimi Majick

Irdial
Irdial
Lastfm

Phaseone Thanks But No Thanks (Lefse)

The St Louis-native Phaseone is a producer having in an excellent way remixed Animal Collective, Radiohead, Banjo Or Freakout, Fool`s Gold among others. Previously I smacked my mood up listening to his second issue White Collar Crime, basically created of the abovementioned artists` tracks/remixes. Thanks But No Thanks is his debut album (of 13 tracks) demonstrating his idiosyncratic approach to music compiled mainly of hip-hop cadences, scintillating soul/r`n`b vocal examples, trip-hop/downtempo-alike cinematic approach, digital funk-drenched shreds, delicious microscopic electro-touched synth buzzes, sometimes embellished with murky or stomping bass sounds, having even a bit of a lo-fi/DIY-esque odour at times. The second half of the album, however, is accomplished out in a more astral-like and futuristic way. Moreover, in the wake of his indie-propensity and regarding the musical situation at the beginning of the 21th century this album has much more stylistic potential than it is possible to catch with the first listenings, yet. For instance, sometimes it is getting close upon a level strongly reminiscent of the touch of chillwave music. Indeed, Phaseone`s music does have an experimental soul/funk/hip-hop backbone, the kind of de/reconstructing strongly the core of urban music at the moment. More concretely, his approach can be compared with the likes of Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer, Outasight, Teebs, Yuk and others. An astonishing accomplishment, indeed.

Listen to it here

9.7

[Artists] DØGRÅVAS

Chromechoes Production
Myspace
Lastfm

[Compilation] Music Beyond No Borders Vol. 1 (Yes No Wave)

It could hardly be argued against a fact the compilations are the best stances reflecting upon the faces of labels, in principle. This is a way how to get informed about the general aesthetical intentions of a record quickly and efficiently. Yes No Wave is an Indonesia-based label, which apparently deserves its name, though, tossing even in a more wide approach regarding punk-funk/dance punk/post-punk/punk/proto-indie rather than the classical US-based movement of 70`s which is not surprising at all.

This compilation saying sincerely "yes" to borders is comprised of 10 tracks (and artists, respectively), starting out by Dubyouth offering bhangra-inflected dub, a crossover form the kind of the most of us having obviously made their first acquiantance after the surfacing of Asian Dub Foundation in the second half of 90`s. In fact, it is a bit more keen to reggaeton shuffles. The following Hengky Strawberry does seamlessly interlocking lo-fi aesthetics with baggy beats into a magnificient whole. Denda Omnivora & The White Liar are up here to shooting out their psychotic torrent via growl`n`electro rock, Coffin Cadillac sparks turmoiling blues hooks to be integrated them into a jacking hi-hat-fuelled punk shape. Zoo reveals perhaps the most dislocated conception firstly taking on splintering into dadaistic vocal approach and ethnic punk propelling further to be billowed together again. My favorite is BondiNedHansel`s F.M.A, a vanguard sort of world music-drenched electro-fusion, more concretely, being stuck in hypnotically repeated "whoomanizer, whoomanizer" and a static guitar abrasion.

In a nutshell, Music Beyond No Borders Vol. 1 is a completed and exciting excursion showcasing the necessity of borders (through which things become to exist in such a way they are predicted to be).

Listen to it here

Wry Deep Field/Nostalgia (Sinewave)

Previously I have overviewed three eloquent Brazilian shoegaze bands like Inverness, Loomer, and This Lonely Crowd on my blog, though, the next one Wry could be counted as a precedessor for all of them - both by their lineage, temporary precedence, and musical activity as well. Being started out at the ending of 90`s, the quartet have issued a handful of albums, shared the stage with Man Or Astroman?, Mudhoney, Superchunk, Ash, Asobi Seksu, and The Rakes among others, and recruited knob-twiddlers like Tim Wheeler (Ash), and Raphael Gordon (producer of The Strokes). Indeed, in recent years the quartet is used to be an international combo sharing their home between Sao Paolo and the United Kingdom.

Deep Field/Nostalgia does consist of two tracks, though, those track titles are referred a bit the other way. The opening Deep Field Nostalgia is fringed with a pair of elements, shuffling blissful fuzz noise and rigid organ-based drone sounds, respectively. However, the ending part of the number is a sole and distinct appearance of the last admitted element while you can detect for mere sensitivity of the natural environment around it. The second track In The Hell Of My Hell is a remix being layered up of sunbeam-titled synth effects and shimmering dodges of harmonic-filled layers and multiple combinations of breakbeat frequencies altogether conjuring a wraith-alike milieu.

Listen to it here

8.8

Park Bench Trauma Nix (Paragrafo)

My pleasure is to announce that the new label Parafago (obviously from the South America) has been available since the beginning of December, having reached for 3 albums to be released already. In any cases, its first notch by Park Bench Trauma (stupid yet witty name, isn`t?) is bounded up with stroking contradictions and peripheric sonic manifestos. 11 tracks could just be summed up as a mashup activity, for instance, reminiscent of the vast scale of sample/stylistic exploitation by Stock, Hausen & Walkmen. First off, although it consists of 11 tracks the time is quite limited for. Once again, as it is cued yet it is a very strange mess-up veering from electroacoustic/psychoacoustic/old school industrial/witch house-drenched nihilism and austere sound art to likely irony-filled sporadic pop numbers of classical music-based avant-garde, latin rhythms, spoken word, and electronic pop. No doubt, one of them The Neon Bible is a great pop standout, though I don`t know is it the original oeuvre or beatific outtake from elsewhere. Indeed, the anonymity of PBT is its distinct sign, thereby giving no possibility for different kind of side-effects to be surfaced sometime. In fact, there is just the case about music regarding its genuine position to be retained.

Listen to it here

8.4

[Artists] Silver Rocket

Silver Rocket
Af-Music
Myspace
Lasfm

Cagey House Major Monk (Black Square)

Avant-garde music veteran Dave Keifer aka Cagey House is back with an having-no-idea-which-album-it-could-be-in-queue release. Because of the high quality of his albums and the uncompromising intention for perfection, Cagey House`s follow-ups are very anticipated. Keifer started off producing music on the FruityLoops-based manipulations but later has found its fondness in sampling processing. In fact, he has issued 2 albums in the near future - Major Monk, and The Stupid Grin (under Sayonara).

In fact, the first three tracks - the seven ones in total - on Major Monk were completed in the beginning of 2009 already. The American musician had used lots of vocal samples to bring forth a suggestive narrative (he has even designed a dialogue relied upon a couple). The first-off Preliminary Major Champion Monk embarks on entering into an appalling radiophonic territory. On the other hand, regarding Keifer `s doings in last years the opening does not make an extraordinary feeling, though. (For instance, check it out for his masterpiece set Lark). As a king of the sampledelic(plunderphonics/cut and paste/sound collage music, he is still used to dive into the abyss of linear composing schemes where one sample is deliberately followed by another, having dosed an witty collation of chords to get deeply into a listener's inner world. On the other side, however, every key/key change on it regarding somehow emotions is charged up in different shape and amount thereby I can imagine it might even be a kind of frightening music for some listeners. By speaking in a more concrete way the soundscape is wrapped in by a poignant environment, dusty antiquity, much of it played out on Keifer`s big hype upon theremin (at least keen to its samples, indeed). The third and fourth track do deviate from the main concept of an unexpected but welcome direction so far. It comes out as if the like of Laetitia Sadier (McCarthy; Stereolab; Monade) is attended therein for to feature with Moog-relied backdrops thereby conveying a mild psychedelic-drenched dimensionality over to the soundscape. The next number Basement returns to the initial situation via "trampling and scraping things" (by Keifer`s own words). All you can be witnessing subsequently here is a mixed-up array of clicks and bleeps, otherwordly effusing sonic patterns of programmed toys, sole trombone blasts, and psychedelic shades as well. To get finished it off, you shall have to look at the excellent coverprint of Major Monk, purposefully amplifying the sonorous impression of it - and vice versa. In fact, it is just the pleasure to perceive it as a whole.

Listen to it here

9.5

[Artists] Slutever

Slutever
Slutever
Myspace
Lastfm

Fur Devastate The Details (Mine All Mine)

The US band Fur is back with its sophomore release, and the 6-track offspring does sound rousing and refreshing. Do you guess the quartet is coming from? Of course, from Detroit, from the motor city. And their music is quite comparable with the acceleration and chase of vehicles, and mesmerizing gazing of the go-by of route bollards and grey-green-esque mixed panoramas. Their majestic rock pose is digged deeply into an eloquent incarnation of shoegaze, grunge, post-punk, gothic and alternative rock shades. Overrolling guitar hooks and overdrives do pinball around epic and abrasive area, creating vital pop conceptions, being compiled of the shoegaze-influenced Smashing Pumpkins from the 90`s, the Interpol`s murky pop rock sheen, Joy Division-esque ennui screen, the Lycia-alike overhead hovering sombre shapes, and of course Break Me, My Love having a kind of pattern as if Kurt Cobain has made his feature for the Devastate The Details. However, my very fondness is moulded into title track, with the natural-born-breakbeat-paid-for rhythm section, penetrating riffs, and atmospheric synths, being wrapped in by a lot of key changes; and Houston played out via the meeting of a bittersweet verse-chorus and shape-changing guitar appearances. The rock music in its honesty.

Listen to it here

9.1

[Artists] Inverness

Inverness
Jamendo
Myspace
Lastfm

Music For Your Plants S/T (MFYP)

Though I come from Estonia I have been quite critical about the most of phenomenons regarding somehow the Estonian indie music and its musical appearances over the previous and last decade. The reason is simple because my native country does have the community of musical critics/activists and musicians very densely related to each other, however, some of them through the job, the other through dense friendship connections. This is why I am not used to believe in maximum-rated overviews in local newspapers after I had listened to some of the albums being classified as really second-rate ones in principle. Once again, I really hope I am not being misunderstood - it is not a complaint it is just admission about the inevitable shortcoming of the small communities.

The debut album by the Tallinn-based trio Music For Your Plants is one of the best issues growing out from the local scene in recent years. Their 8-track release reflects upon past, present and future, where technical know-how is finely arranged with shitloads of ideas and a decent spiritual touch, where all needful is kindly presented and played up into the balance. First off, their affinity toward retrodelic fusion and progressive rock is showed up via impressive light-hearted guitar noodlings and synthesized psychedelic electronics-based vortexes altogether reminiscent of the doings of Kaseke, Radar, and In Spe, the Estonian jazz rock and progressive rock legends by the 80`s, respectively. (Though I am aware of the facts being compared to the likes of Tortoise, Tame Impala and other experimental rock luminaries already). On the other side, though through a narrow slot, you can be a witness about the dodges toward enchanting chillwave moulds (Dr. Mudawi), or the tropicalia/surf pop-mixed-up excellence of Enchanted Sister. Undoubtedly Music For Your Plants is a record which has acquired the potential to be written into progressive rock annuals sometime. In fact, I mean it very seriously.

Listen to it here

9.5

[Artists] Music For Your Plants

Music For Your Plants
Myspace
Lastfm

The Dog Pòstumo (Transienda)

The 9-track album of the Spanish band The Dog does start out with an ancient advertisement clip against the marijuana smoking, which soon delves into scuffed guitar riffs and electronic mix-based turmoil. As a whole one it seems in its very beginning to pretend for a kind of soundscape searching for its source between silence-infused images and furious yet controlled guitar ascents. A bit later it is used to get evolved into melancholy-pitched post-rock reflexions accompanied with subtle classical/baroque/chamber music elements, and soon, on the other side irreversibly setting itself up for dream folk-esque status unwinded via fingerpicked guitars, airy vocal arrangements and its whispering modifications, violins, glockenspiel thrums and harmonica-alike ingoings. Sometimes it sounds quite close to A Silver Mt Zion (especially No sè què cenar), at the another time it is used to sound like a sort of wistful Penguin Cafe Orchestra. In a nutshell, I shall have to admit that Pòstumo is full of outstanding examples which can be classified as "post-folk", as it was precisely described by Rajsank from the Yamanotedreams blog, indeed.

Listen to it here

9.2

[Artists] Wake The Giant

Wake The Giant
Myspace
Lastfm

[Old but important] The Transmitters Count Your Blessings (You Are Not Stealing Music)

I can not even hesitate for some seconds that the British-rooted post-punk movement has probably offered one of the most impressive moments during the overall pop course, spawning a lot of bands with different point of views, from mocking dadaistic pop ideas to artistical endeavor for creating new exhilarating near-pop conceptions. More concretely, from industrial music-driven vanguard conceptions (This Heat) to danceable krautrock-influenced experimental punk occurences (The Magazine; Public Image Limited; Gang Of Four) were only some ways to illustrate this wave of new offsprings. There were also an array consisting of The Fall, The Mekons, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Cure, The Slits, Swell Maps, The Pop Group among others. This is music I like to consider a kind of punk music instead of so-called punk music I am used to really despise for its empty twitch (Public Image Limited pisses off Sex Pistols for sure).

Undoubtedly The Transmitters has been among the best examples of the kind of. They released three albums all in all from which the last one Count Your Blessings (1987/1989) was reissued under the Portugese label You Are Not Stealing Music in 2006. The album of 8 tracks reveals psychedelic spaced-out avant-rock environments, even the elements of world music are up here to be infused into a vibrant universe of funk rock guitars, hysteric singing/manifesting manner and detail-riched drummings, remembering the albums of CAN by the second half of 70`s. Especially outstanding number is Radio Studente, mixing burning psychedelia (of caustic synths and abrasively repeating space fusion-alike guitars) and sufi music into an exhilarating whole. However, after the hiatus of The Transmitters, the members of the band continued to make up their cult position in the line-up of Transglobal Underground, and Loop Guru.

Listen to it here

Weldroid Attitude Indicator (Kahvi)

I suppose, there is no question about Tamas Zsiros aka Weldroid`s ability to proof himself as an artistically established musician among the IDM-niks in worldwide. No doubt, his previous releases Stranglehold (2008, Kahvi), and Splines (2010, Soft Phase) has showcased his strength to reach off mesmerizing rhythmic patterns, playing out in abstract cadences at the one time, or keen likely to harmony-based occurences at the second time, or infused versions of the two abovementioned ones at the third time. Yet, it is not a kind of near-softcore IDM appearance, having its flow on a blend of motorik gears and electro-esque blurbing of the robot-alikeness in the style of Autechre or Dopplereffekt, respectively. In a word, based upon a sheer cutting edge conception.

However, the Hungarian`s third release (15 tracks within approximately 80 minutes) under the legendary Kahvi Collective seems to be more outstripping vis à vis with the two previous issues. Aside every kind of obligatory nucleus-based angular metallic techno beat variations around here you can detect for krautrock-alike Moog-based blurbs in the vein of Tangerine Dream or its members` solo projects (Silicon Man Extraterrestrial), deliciously malicious sonic effects, in-deep-psychedelia-poking-around synth brooding or elemental cosmic layers to overlap and spice up the whole record. One of the best electronic albums of 2010 to date.

Listen to it here

9.6

[Artists] FUR

FUR
Mine All Mine
Myspace

Black Tambourine black tambourine cassette (Bandcamp)

There were quite messy times about the musical situation in the Foggy Albion during the 80`s when indie music had intensely searched for its very own identity. Of course, the solid premisses were up there having been moulded via the post-punk/proto-indie blowouts, and The Smiths made its succesful enterings into top charts. To be set up into the broader meaning of a then-time occurence chain, it was appropriate time when underground music identified itself through the cassette culture movement as well. In any cases, the tape-based C86 compilation was the most influental appearance showcasing a wide and vital array of twee pop and jangle pop ensembles at the time, some of which later evolved into alternative dance/baggy form (for instance, The Soup Dragons, and Primal Scream), and some musicians (Tim Gane) abandoned/cancelled his previous band (McCarthy), replacing it with obvious purpose toward innovative pop frontiers with a new type of formations (Stereolab) to be reached off.

The aforementioned situation by the US-side was strongly reverberated by the label Slumberland, which the most golden rabbits were/are The Lilies, Hood, and Black Tambourine. The last named one was consisted of the members of Whorl, and Velocity Girl, having crossovered twee, noise pop, and shoegaze (though a bit less visible angle) elements with each other. More concretely, Black Tambourine might be imagined as a bastard of Jesus & The Mary Chain, Lush and Talulah Gosh. A great bastard, yet, having stuck in catchy, joyous, and delightful warbles.

On this compilation, 4 solid tracks/re-mixes made by Don Zientara after the mastertape of original mixes were stolen from a car are proudly represented here. The differences between original mixes and new mixes are apparently subtle in principle - doubled vocals on Can't Explain and For Ex-Lovers Only, a long feedback ending to Throw Aggi Off The Bridge, different effects & treatments (reverb, reverb, reverb) all around. The vocals are somehow buried even deeper, and the guitars sound louder. Undoubtedly a hidden pop music chapter lighted up nowadays.

Listen to it here

9.0

Peripherique Tiefseetauchen (Musicartistry)

Musicartistry is a label/musical environment which release frequency graphics is unfortunately getting underneath with every year. Indeed, Peripherique`s brand new heavy is the first notch under the record in 2010. Peripherique comes from Cologne, having been in music for nearly ten years and recorded a lot of issues since 2004 under Musicartistry in principle. In the beginning, though, defined as hip-hop artist he has gradually drifted into trip-hop and dub music area.

Listening to the Tiefseetauchen (of 8 tracks), however, the main spot is focused upon dub, representing nowadays stylistic currents, thereby continuing the aesthetical array of the last albums. First of all, it is all about cinematic dubstep cadences, which is interlocked with tekno and trance blurbs at times. Except the finishing track Statik, being remixed by Zengineers, which is a case of dream-alike drum and bass, having strong reminiscence of the 90`s (Dillinja, LTJ Bukem).

Listen to it here

8.8

aboombong amnemonic (Bandcamp)

First off, it is quite hard task to figure out in which way should aboombong`s new album/third album in turn be classified up to. However, it is a creatively destructive blend of diverse styles in the middle of it the prefix "post" is set up. Yet, JC Thorne`s music, even when you are used to be familiar with different sorts of musical genres, but despite of some closeness it sounds like the science fiction in real time. JC Thorne is a resident from Seattle, who has played in a dozens of ensembles during last three decades, though, it is very little known something about him. In the same way, some analogy can be drawn with Swedish krautrock/space rock/experimental rock outstanders Joxfield ProjeX, which is obviously curated by the two 60-years-old men.

The opening Cheshiahud Loop sounds like a smog-buried and neurotically repeating Holy Fuck. From Cracked and bloodied Fingers deepens further to increase the smog consistency while shoegaze and space rock frames do catch fire and begin to melt and seemingly slide away. More concretely, over 10 minutes of pure ecstasy can be discovered from here. Cromsby Grovernor Worthington's Jujujaiponmolam is played out through a very wide range of musical instruments (including shitloads of ethnic music drums and bells), yet, the very result is based upon a ticking loop of a hypnotic guitar gear in space rock/krautrock regime. 18-minutes of elemental enchantment, which could easily be considered the 21st century Hallelujah (CAN`s Tago Mago), or Krautrock (Faust`s IV). The epic alchemy, the way how to come over to my opinion essentially. Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, & Wang Hongwen in Dahomey does acquire monstrous dimensions via demolishing drums and scratching guitars while retaining its majestic façade. The anxiety and anger on the track could almost cut with a knife. The album will be stopped off after Noon which is billowy/expanding/spasmic ambient drone metallic refuse, thereafter the whole can be summed up as a monster hovering above everywhere. This is a kind of eclipse of the sun, played up with an experienced know-how and outrageous energy swoop. In fact, one of the most astonishing releases of 2010, for sure. Enjoy and take care of it.

Listen to it here

10.0

[Artists] Echoes de Luxe

Echoes de Luxe
Myspace
Lastfm

[Old but important] Etrethn EP (Tavern Eightieth)

By concerning on for listening to music this very purpose is not only related to wholly hedonistic consideration to be enjoyed. Its side task is to discover small music communities and movements within the vast music business circuit, acknowledge them and integrate them into a broader system of the music community. Nowadays, because of the expansive popularity of different virtual social environments (Facebook, Twitter etc) it is not only the task and straining of the music critics anymore.

Maybe you can remember for I had overviewed such a Leeds-based vanguard dream folk musician as Michael Waters aka Model Warships recently, who is known by his uncountable collaborations and side projects and his constructive relationship with certain labels like Tavern Eightieth and BeatIsMurder as well.

One of such cooperations by Waters is Shi Toys with Edward Trethowan (also the British) whose doings are concerned on the likes of Anva, An Insection, and Etrethn (yet obviously misunderstood by myself how to spell it, though). Trethowan`s action with Etrethn can be viewed on the one issue only. However, merely named as EP (of 6 tracks within 29 minutes) it is really worth to pay much attention for it. As the basic processing peak, a fine and calculated interplay between noise, kinds of pulsations and psycho-acoustic ambiences, and throbbing industrial-alike rhythms can be detected here. By my opinion, as a speculative exercise the EP might be divided into two sections, correspondingly, consisting of first five tracks, and the last (and the most extended) one Shackracing.7, which is an omnipotent case of magnificient, epic ambient noise/cadencic space rock/ambient techno monstrum.

Listen to it here

Sturqen Radio Inoculation (Vacu Sessions)

Vacu Sessions is a sound art/sound design environment/community/label/blog, offering gently live sessions, mix sets, and uncommon DJ-gigs. Obviously it is located in Finland somewhere. Their slogan is as clear as the following one: heavy or light, new and old, predictable or totally unknown: the important here is the dynamic of the music. A continuous exploration of sound.

Here is a track from Sturqen, called Radio Inoculation, specially recorded for RadiaLx 2010, an International Radio Art Festival. With the longitude of 27.58 it seems to be an endless journey via sound exploration and observant knob-twiddling manipulation. Actually Radio Inoculation do tallow our visions and preconceptions about sound art as a kind of. Undoubtedly Sturqen`s conception is rigid, minimal and doggedly insensitive. Imperative even malicious signals, digital crackling of brown noise, throbbing monotonous drone lines and spacious layers are the agents up here presenting their very role to enact an intriguing conception between music and sound design, between a kind of music and non-. In fact, it does mean that there are even some little edges for warm feelings as well. What else can I add to for you - take your time and check it out for the more releases on Vacu Sessions. It is sometimes quite purposeful to listen to it for purifying of your mind.

Listen to it here

9.0

[Artists] Billie the Vision & the Dancers

Billie the Vision & the Dancers
Bandcamp
Myspace
Lastfm

Oathless Standing Where Our Paths Shall Meet (Hawk Moon)

For sure, the British have been having a proud tradition of ambient music veered from the conceptions of Brian Eno and David Toop to the later and recent works by the Caretaker, Cousin Silas, Phillip Wilkerson and Simon Housley. Simon Housley is a young musician from Stoke-on-Tent having been releasing music since 2007. His first tracks were played out as spacey neofolk/chamber folk-drenched pieces, which soon evolved into a more melancholic space music approach, completed strongly with the ingredients of modern classical/symphonic progressions and dark ambient/dystopbient, and infused layers of musique concrete as well. Besides an array of singles, however, Housley has self-released three albums being as an obligatory task for every serious ambient music lover to be listened here and now. Those issues are Seen Through Reflection, Lambent Amber Winds, and Zephyr.

No doubt, his new release of 8 tracks continues to move along those aforementioned ambient characteristics. In principle, it is slow, minimal yet extensive, and hypnotic based upon the phase changing-alike methodology. Though it is an austere sonic example it does evoke a lot of emotions, for instance, extraditing the sense of still life, as if foretelling us about the forthcoming cold and snowy winter. In fact, the season is arrived exactly in such kind of embodiment and the emotion is mightily up here to be became much more dinstinct. Vis à vis with Housley`s previous releases it does seem to be a bit more solemn yet remaining its status as a somehow joyous oeuvre, though.

Listen to it here

9.1

Vincent Lillis The Singularity (Rack & Ruin)

The last album of the Rack & Ruin being overviewed on this blog was Teacups` Song about Yarn, an off-kilter blend of magnificient chamber pop/baroque pop and abrasive chiptune beats. Thereafter my spot has drifted away from the doings of the label involuntarily and unfortunately. Now it is time to come back again, and hopefully having no possibilities for further apologizes anymore.

The irishman Vincent Lillis is an extraordinary young musician, having released his third album in two years already. His previous albums Purple Magpie, and Neb Nub offered a off-the-wall blend of artistic guitar music with a kind of alternative dance appeal. You could hear The Fall-esque skidding bass strokes, Ian Brown`s electronic touch, kinds of inbalanced and unfixed somber backdrops, even some world music elements which altogether was being perceived a bit arty-farty in some sense. In any cases, it did need quite much attention to hold up your concentration to be fixed upon this.

The Singularity seems to be his most mature release (read it: purposefully channelized one) to date. The opening Mind Your Mind is a loud cacophonous track with heavy drum breakbeats, gorgeous bass pulsatings, and a funny sunbeam-named looping synth effect, all in all it recalls Primal Scream`s the 90`s second half/00`s beginning (albums Vanishing Point; Xtrmntr). However, the following tracks continue to drive on similar way in principle, besides it recruiting tabla drums, dynamic bass lines, spacey vocal chants, programmed beats, also finding the support from the 70`s post-punk movement as well. The tightness of ambience under and around the conception is an interesting matter to follow, for instance, discovering some underpressure-overpressure fluctuations at times. Consequently the result underlying spiderwebbing mesh work seems to function per excellence. Indeed, an solid alternative dance/madchester/baggy set evoking pleasant memories of good old times. A nostalgic slap, in fact.

Listen to it here

9.3

Dark Souls Day X-Lives (Af-Music/Jamendo)

I have listened to the Thessalonikian (Greek) band Dark Souls Day`s debut album X-Lives for a while having really been enjoying it. On the first place, because of being stilistically categorized as gothic/dark rock its topics and characteristics are inevitably common to the abovementioned genres consisting of dark-sided lyrics, low-key guitar chords and extended riffs, exhilarating combinations of post-punk-esque rigid bass and full-packed drum cadences, and dark-shrouded synth figures. Besides it, Nikos`s lead vocal (reminiscent of Peter Steele) is thoroughly resignated but not only driving on monotonous gears and wheels though, offering enough key changes and dark-spirited variations. Secondly, when the roles will be inverted for the sake of Pepi`s singing times then the accents will be getting up otherwise, finding out closeness to hardcore-alike indie/alternative rock (The Breeders, The Pixies, Dinosaur Jr etc). No doubt, you can hear a watershed having drawn alongside the borders of post-punk and alternative rock, the 70`s ending/80`s beginning and the 80`s second half/90`s beginning. Yet, it has no disturbing effects. Outspoken in advance, the album is fulfilled with great numbers, though, the special favorite of mine is epic Electrify, one of the best songs of 2010 on an album being one of the finest examples in the gothic/post-punk area during last years.

Listen to it here

9.3

Felipe Casey Cardona Casio Nightlife (Noise Horror)

Having a speak about Felipe Casey Cardona`s 4-track cassette single Casio Nightlife it is not realistic to ignore a nowadays musical situation, this kind of which was rooted by Ariel Pink`s low-tech doings in the middle of the 00`s having attracted so many attention and (re-)launched a new home recording wave, developed mostly into chillwave/glo-fi/stargaze, or witch house/drag/haunted house music nowadays, which relies on a blend of the roughness of the do-it-yourself aesthetics and dream-alikeness of the bedroom music. However, the situation is greatly changed to date and the greatest of them (Ariel Pink, Devendra Banhart, Wavves) are being signed up by well-known labels, moreover, the aforementioned artists have managed to move on toward the centre of pop music, though.

Cardona takes his path in a direct and downright way. Low-end synths and noir-alike vocal sequences with some sense of violet-y colorings are ready to be instantly thrown to the forefront from the very start to the end. The opening and self-titled track seems to be a tribute to the erotic music, on the other way, the finishing Subjective Paradoxical Argument is a deep inner space noir. Two tracks in between do conjure naivistic synth chords and merely discernible distorted backcloth, by having the singing in English and in Spanish. In fact, he does prevalently drift in a lucid and high spirited mood, yet, in the ending phase his conception is used to seem a little bit monotonous and weary. But he is a talented guy anyway. Lets wait what will the sophomore issue bring with.

Listen to it here

7.7

[Old but important] 8bit Betty Too Bleep To Blop (Hippocamp)

If to check out for the legendary Manchesterian label Hippocamp`s (being on hiatus at the moment) download rates at Archive.org you can see Bryan Teoh`s album Too Bleep To Blop sharing bravely the second place with more than 40 000 times (not included the other download sites and servers to this sum). Vox populi vox dei, as it is used to say nowadays. Although five years have already passed since the release date, however, Teoh`s magic powder have been very refreshing up today yet. 7 tracks, based prinicipially on the numbers of chiptune/8-bit/chipbreak/tracker music, being part of this (those) genre (genres), within it recent computer music was started off approximately two and a half decades ago, and maintained previously (cult) popularity to date as well. Teoh is obviously one of the most ardent musicians I have had the privilege to listen to. Indeed, ablaze breakcore rhythms, subtle pace changes, great harmonic sweetness coming forth through autotuned vocals and elements of lollipop and shibuya-kei - even more else, the echoes of indie/shoegaze music can be heard therein. The American's ante is performed on the covering of 8bit`s very technical nature with a lot of emotions and life sense. If to mention all of those extraordinary tracks like And I Know That You're Happy (Ballad of the Lonesome Spaceboy), Reading Rainbow, Nikoma's Theme (Extended Mix) Spooky Loop, the Green Kangaroo, Blast Off!, it might be viewed as a tautological array because Too Bleep To Blop consists actually of 7 tracks only. Teoh`s comeback with his new releases would be very recommended in any case.

Listen to it here

[Old but important] Replicast The Wallstreet Compound (Obliq/Cryptophonics)

Replicast, Colorado-based octet`s (one of the persons behind it is Eric Allen, also known as a member of The Apples In Stereo) sophomore album, being released in the end of the previous year, reveals the next steps after the debut album Replicast-X. The follow-up, consisting of 9 tracks is full of mixed music (recorded in live and made without overdubs), i.e krautrock-esque hazy jams (remembering CAN`s early period loosely-leaded session sonority), tingling guitar glides, meditative rhythm sections, extending guitar riffs, eager experimentations with drum kits, and all of it is hardwired to a caustic soup of psychedelic Oberheim synthesizers. In a nutshell, this is a huge improvisation set, except Radio Nippon sounding like a tribute to Sonic Youth, though. The whole is mostly instrumental, hovering between outer space and earth, spinning up a lot of every kind of dust on variable sonic elements. No doubt, it may at times be seem as a bit inbalanced or swaying plateau, however, not because of being somehow imperfect, instead of it rather searching for new sonic possibilities through dense interplay of certain instruments, thereafter changing them and finding out for new combinations with others.

Listen to it here

[Old but important] Single Bullet Theory SBT: 1977-1980 (Artifacts/yclept/FMA)

I really love the 70`s music because of not only I was born then (being a part of it 5 weeks, though). It was time when music found itself through very different tendencies and appearances, forming up into decent mainstream pop, innovative crossover areas and shitload branches of blasting avant-garde styles. But it also remained as a decade for a lot of music to be discovered nowadays yet.

Undoubtedly, Single Bullet Theory was such a kind of ensemble from Richmond, Virginia. The band was established on the ruin of the likes of Big Naptar, Grossbreed, and X-Breed, being influenced by garage rock and punk currents, and getting even some highlight glimpses by having shared the stage with Ramones, Patti Smith, and Talking Heads, and found out its way onto MTV, and Billboard chart.

Frank Daniel, Dennis Madigan and Michael Maurice Garrett (along with their soundman Z plus some guest musicians) do offer a solid set of 11 tracks, sounding at times as a soft (or half-soft) version of Talking Heads through its bubblegummish bass hooks and vivacious cadences, and on the other hand, getting very close to new wave/synth pop bands through its distinct synth wisps and gears. Thirdly, you can perceive the influences of fusion and progressive rock (for example, some similarities with King Crimson), and tricky soft rock issues with strong southern rock influences. Or just a kind of entertainment pop rock is proudly represented here. The especially favorite examples of mine are Das Madchen, Miss Two Knives, There is the Boy, and Rock Around the Apocalypse. So listen to it and let`s figure out your favorite figures from this honest and very strong album.

Listen to it here

[Artists] rngmnn

rngmnn
1798
Enoughrecords
Supersupersuper
Grundruck
Lastfm

Tiny Fireflies ePop005 (Eardrums Pop)

By concerning on every kind of single labels around us I have mostly referred to Beko DSL, yet, there are other akin records as well, definitely enough worth to pay much attention. For instance, the likes of Club 7, Bad Panda, and Eardrums Pop are the names to be rememebered in the first place.

In fact, the last named record was previously known by its sizable indie pop compilations (13 compilations in total), having acquired a kind of magnificient quality the better you are hardly able to find out from somewhere else (indeed, your obligation is just to listen to those ones!). However, the last notches of its discography are exclusively the matter of singles, having a geographical stretch from Indonesia to The United Kingdom, from Finland to the United States. By stilistical approach it might be compared to the sounds of the legendary The Slumberland Records, and The Best Kept Secrets. Indeed, mellow indie pop, consisting of jangle pop and twee pop shadows, yet, having a nowadays touch via poptronic elements.

The Fireflies`s 3-tracks single set is the first missive, signifying the departure from the array of compilations. A duo (Leslie and Kristine) comes from Chicago, having been sharing their duties at Very Truly Yours, and proceeding their solo projects (Tiny Microphone; Fireflies) as well. One of those beatific tracks is a cover of Skeeter Davis` hit The End Of The World, inspired by Claude Longinet`s interpretation of it, and another (Holding Pattern) exploits a sample by Serge Gainsbourg`s La Horse. As it is said yet, it sounds really beatific reminiscent of chillwave oozings and sighs, getting quite close to Memoryhouse (Kristine`s hyper dreamy timbre and vocal manner turns/ascents tend to be similar to Denise Nouvion). On the other hand, a kind of slow(core) movement with the help of drum machines and cathedral-alike organs conveys a decent cue toward Beach House, though. Or hinting at the beautiful coverprint (by Minkee) could have it be named as "lovewave" instead of? A great music, no doubt.

Listen to it here

9.4

[Artists] Etrethn

Tavern Eightieth
Myspace
Lastfm

Atlas Sound Bedroom Databank Vol. 1 (Atlas Sound)

Nowadays (experimental) indie music golden boy Bradford Cox is back again. No doubt, he was one of those remarkable newcomers - besides the tandem Avey Tare-Panda Bear, and Ariel Pink - whose conception poisoned profoundly the understandings of music lovers throughout the previous decade. At first, with Deerhunter, as the singer of the Atlanta-based quintet (now quartet), he has been evolving a blend of art-rock, noise rock, space pop/ambient, and shoegaze, all wrapped up in expansively psychedelic ambience. As Atlas Sound, his one-man-band, he is used to exploit the most of the abovementioned stylistic elements while showed up more electronic and laptop-based approach as well. By the way, besides the extraordinarily lank look he is also known by his exclusive songwriting method via stream-of-consciousness.

During last years he has released a lot of concert outtakes and bedroom demo recordings of the both projects via his/Deerhunter blog. Bedroom Databank Vol. 1 compiled of 11 tracks is the last appearance in the array (in Wikipedia has already mentioned the numerical follow-ups to the Bedroom Databank). The album is stilistically a wide-scale one, extending from minimally bleeping laptop-based lo-fi electronics, and Stereolab-esque light-filled synthetic pop to harmonica-leaded introvert alt-folk/indie folk songs (though it is mostly managed to be fulfilled with every kind of electronic effects). However, by my opinion, Lanterns is an outstanding ambient track, encircled by ticking icy-tinged IDM-beats. Really profound and sensitive, remembering a bit of Pulp`s Seductive Barry. There are also two covers represented here to get coated into new appearances (Bob Dylan`s This Wheel`s On Fire; Kurt Vile`s Freak Train).

Listen to it here

8.6

[Artists] Dark Souls Day

Afmusic
Jamendo
Bandcamp
Archive.org
Myspace
Lastfm

Fescal Endorphin (1798)

This year has been busy for Fescal, a British native residing in the South Korea at the moment, having previously released some issues under Black Square (Omnia), and Bypass (Lethal Industry) AD 2010.

However, endorphin is in effect a good substance for one`s brain to lift up the mood and give a firm push for a subject`s further movings and actions. The essential question is, should it always be designed into a variegated output or might it be the matter of sparseness as well? Regarding an example of Fescal`s new one, I can admit that the last named possibility has also a solid perspective, though. 7 tracks consisting of sparse layers of ambient, throbbing microtextures, subtle tape hiss-based ingredients and darkwave-esque harmonies. Even a half-way inbetween ambient and krautrock-alike touch are conjured here (Sheep Dip), and the glass bead game of Door Cinema (with the assistance of loops, droning microsounds, and musique concrete). Indeed, by its mood the sonority of the whole at times does consist strange (dystopic) impulses of an isolated place somewhere. Here the writer says that the best tracks are the two last ones (Waltzing Nature; Frozen Time) and the first one (Hollow Spirit), finding out and acquiring mightily epic point of views.

It to estimate the album from the ideal perspective of ambient and experimental music, the result is getting proportionally close to the final end.

Listen to it here

9.3

Alessio Ballerini Blanc (Zymogen)

The privilege, the pleasure is mine... . Zymogen is back with its new notch, Alessio Ballerini`s brand new heavy album Blanc. The coverprint with a snowy mountain peak...what is it up here to be referred actually? As it is obviously known "Blanc" does mean as "white" in French, so is it possible to have somehow a reference to the highest peak in the Europe? Why not, though in fact, the album concerns on climate changes regarding the melting of the ice sheets of Greenland. 5 tracks are appeared here to be sounded really warm and comfortable, though, it is full of ghosts and ghouls, which, however, are not used to be frightening occurences. The whole one might be reminiscent of borealic space of Tim Hecker, endlessly snowy landscapes, chaotically swirling airy vectors and silent whirls of the storm. Here you can relax for listening to hiss-infused mini-orchestrations, electro-acoustic trash-y clangors, minimally sounding piano loaded modern classical pieces. Could you imagine that a kind of (beatific) shit and a piece of beauty are rolling alongside to get finally joint together, and as a result, delivering a hallmark about an exhilarating sound example in the end of 2010. By the way, Ballerini is helped by Canenero, Gianni Pavan, and Christian Fennesz (indeed, by this famous österreicher Fennesz).

Listen to it here

9.4

[Compilation] Beko DSL Beko_Fla (Beko DSL)

In fact, there is not much time passed by when I reviewed Bekos DSL`s compilation box_3 being dedicated to witch house/drag/haunted house/screwgaze/crunk shoegaze. It is another compilation, however, also subnamed as A Beko/Free Loving Anarchists Collab concerning profoundly on shoegaze, lo-fi, fuzz pop, dream pop, and post punk-influenced sound from one area/scene (Houston, Texas). Indeed, this miscellany can be dealt with as a fine indie stuff for nowadays people being seriously annoyed by the mediocrity and unvariedness of ordinary music examples. 8 tracks by projects like Rape Faction, Lois Magic, Pink Playground, Young Henry, The KVB, Virgo Rising, Wicked Crafts, Sacred Place do draft solid harmonies and catchy pace notches. The favorite numbers of mine are The KVB`s Into The Night which is an experimental drive on the level of DIY via pulsating trance-alike synth drones, and Joy Division-esque coolness; and Virgo Rising`s To Deal Without It based upon reminiscence of a track by My Bloody Valentine (find it yourself out, I guess) through a memorable synth repetition and spaced-out milieu.

Listen to it here

[Artists] Addis Abbeba/Аддис Абеба

Addis Abbeba/Аддис Абеба
Lastfm