TakeMeToTheMorgue! Oblivion EP (Torn Flesh)

I have wondered for myself for a while that the web-based music has had inverted outputs regarding its charts somehow. First off, at the top of download rates can be seen some curiosities and non-musical phenomenons (The Conet Project - Recordings of Shortwave Numbers; Wakka Chikka Wakka Chikka: Porn Music For The Masses). Besides it, some labels (Clinical Archives; Torn Flesh Records) concerned on the most lateral scenes off the pop music centre have reached off a thousands of download rates per day, which apparently does mirror for the crowds of experimental music-oriented lads and gals to be veiled behind the Internet music. By the way, this tendency is closely related to a hype relied upon the drag/witch house/crunk shoegaze/screwgaze movement, which uprising trajectory had initially been a matter of the blogosphere only.

Indeed, Torn Flesh Records is a label with increasingly growing discography, which spot is basically focused on bellicose dark/black/grind/noise, on the first place, and electronic overthrows applicated to it, on the other side. In fact, Jessie Martin aka Ylnez Payne aka TakeMeToTheMorgue! from Stuart, Virginia, vis à vis with the label does have a bit different reference set, delivering its touch on (modern/neo) classical music-inflected shots (15 tracks). By its fundamental aspect, of course, it is buried into dark and funeral - still slow-paced rhythms are sometimes stopped to be accessed to the ground, segued seamlessly into lethargic sleep to get have lots of plays with shadows and roaming between the visible and invisible in Nowhere Land, or on the other way, having fast run for noise-near peaks and raging low bass tectonics.

Listen to it here

8.5

[Artists] Th.e.n.d

Mixgalaxy Records
Acustronica
Myspace
Lastfm

Crookram Through Windows (Budabeats/Bankrupt)

Yesterday as a whole day was quite nervous, nothwithstanding (or because of) I had crammed up lots of guitar-based and machine-created releases into and overhead my head. On the other side, at the very ending of the day Crookram`s sophomore issue being recorded after 2008`s 19/76 (in the meantime, the joint EP Escape by Crookram and Sagesse was issued as well) offered vital change at a different point of view. 19 tracks of less than 53-minute duration by the Netherlands-based musician are crisscrossed via cinematic samples obviously derived from the Mediterranean culture room, more concretely, reminiscent the workouts by the likes of Caravelli, Mauriat, and Morricone, being finely accomplished by funky fusion-infused bass lines, hip-hop echoes, which, sometimes, will turn into Stereolab-alike electronic indie tunes via nailon-stringed bass gears, subtly overfloating orchestrated proceedings and vibraphone-embellished frames. Moreover, it is an idiosyncratic chilled out electronic pop where, for instance, ukulele`s (sample-approved) appearance can be happened in the same picture with sampledelic electronic hoverings and otherworldly charged chants. The album Through Windows, one of the favouritest of 2010, is released on the records Budabeats and Bankrupt, respectively.

Listen to it here

9.4

genus inkasso with interests and penalty (True Call)

By listening to genus inkasso`s 4-track issue, however, my first impression was turned into the next question forms - did I have any idea of it being either a kind of mocking shot to the face of any types of experimental music peers or was it just a relaxing act, offering some satisfaction for the creator? Why did I have the questions and hesitations to be surfaced for? Was it a sheer expression of sonic metaphysics by directing a scraggy finger toward the scale of relativeness, maybe even referring to the end of pop music? What does it mean "interests and penalty" in this context actually? Should I be aware of it at all? Might it be the most genuine sound act ever heard? Nothing special, it is just for some irritations to be evoked.

4 tracks of bumfuzzling, lopsided chromatic areas, consisting of unlimited metallic manipulations and noise-soaken stabs, having lots of dodges aside wrapped in by the embodiment of digital boogies, shitloads of angular, abrasive elements, madly dadaistic repetitions, experiments with gibbering paces, inbetween bleak chamber repercussions and dark ambient-like flash of lights find some moments for to come in. In a word, this is a conception where all elements are mightly loaded with unrestricted chaotic potent running alongside an linear array while conjuring the associations having even no little possibility for place and time because of permanent change chains drifting upon the order through different fractals and levels. In fact, it is so intense that the regularity/beauty can glimpse at times only.

Listen to it here

8.4

[Artists] Mon Insomnie

Beko DSL
Bandcamp
Lastfm

Jay Bennett Kicking at the Perfumed Air (Rock Proper)

Jay Walter Bennett (1963-2009) was first of all known as a keyboard player in the line-up of Wilco during the years 1994-2001. He was dropped out from the band after the artistic-relied disagreements with the frontman Jeff Tweedy, and Jim O`Rourke who was being invited for producing and mixing Wilco`s fourth (and legendary) album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot finally issued in 2002. Thereafter Bennett released 6 solo albums reflecting upon his personal failures (department from the band, divorce) and disturbed touch because of having been sustained on painkillers (lacking the money for hip replacement surgery).

Vis à vis with his previous album Whatever Happened I Apologize (2007/2008), the 11-track brand new heavy Kicking at the Perfumed Air (mastered and recorded(?) 2007-2009) is more fulfilled with suggestive splendour, making it up through crafty variegated tunes, first off, offering energic and dynamic proceedings, on the other side, downdrifting into a melancholic alliance of sparse fingerpicked guitar and husky voice manner, or on the third side being brought forth via mid-tempo songs, based, as usual, upon alt-country/alt-folk tunes spiced up with lush organ blowups. Moreover, having managed to get in for a touch upon Bennett`s approach at the silence-noise and traditional/modern scale it does not make much difference in comparison with Wilco`s last issues in principle, having its experimental oasises in the middle of the American roots music-drenched desert. As Kicking at the Perfumed Air is filled with excellent tracks from the outset to this closure, it can proudly be admitted about the presence of the beautiful swan song by this great singer-songwriter.

Listen to it here

9.6

[Artists] Alexander Martovsky

Foundamental Network
Sgustok Net
Lastfm

[Old but important] Werewolves Dance Raincoat Dress (BNS Sessions)

I tried to analyze and find out for myself the main intention hidden behind the name of a US-based 5-piece ensemble, of course, in correlation with their multicoloured musical approach. It might be realized out that the title "Werewolf" is appropriate enough for reflecting upon the difference between the main core and lateral shreds of their musical conception, drifting between the mainstream and peripherical murky areas relied upon the nowadays and past experiences of (alternative) pop music. In a more concrete way, the 12-track album released at the end of 2009 does have a lot of references biased heavily toward the head-on psychedelic swayings of old school monsters (Vanilla Fudge; Manfred Mann, early Pink Floyd, ) and some later hypes (Kula Shaker), groovy drone-infused motorik rock a la Spacemen 3, Brian Jonestown Massacre and early Spiritualized, and Neu! as their precedessor, on the other way, their tie-up to the mainstream currents reminiscent at times of the likes of Franz Ferdinand, and Keane does build up a gleamy backbone based upon joyous guitar gears and distinct even manifesting/shouting vocal lines or hovering below the piano-based soulful soft-rock ideas. Last but not the least - I am really fascinated by the ending track House Of Anarchists which does satisfy my very need for Spiritualized and Bobby Gillespie`s apathetic fuck-off posture. All in all, Werewolves did play out via Dance Raincoat Dress a magnificient whole without any weak examples thereby being one of the most dynamic, completed rock releases you could find out from the the last years. As they have said at their home page that the only way to support revolution is to make your own.

Listen to it here

[Artists] Phaseone

Phaseone
Lefse Records
Myspace
Lastfm

Alex Winston The Basement Covers (Alex Winston)

Alex Winston is a young American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with classically trained background having got much attention during last years performing with diverse range of artists at the different stages (Chuck Berry, Miranda Lambert, The Wreckers, Love Arcade, Electric Six, We Are The Fury, the Satin Peaches, Uncle Kracker, and more). Now he has released an 5-piece cover album, making out a refreshing coat for the chosen songs of Mumford & Sons, Teddy Bears, The Rolling Stones, Jack Penate, and Francis and the Lights. No doubt, her high-pitched timbre and artistical shuffling are up here to reveal her talented skills drifting ideologically very close to the New Weird America movement`s female figureheads like Joanna Newsom, the sisters Casady (CocoRosie), Danielle Stech-Homsy (Rio en Medio), Meg Baird (Espers; The Baird Sisters). As an ordinary characteristic regarding the NWA the soundscape is half-electronic, half-acoustic, conjuring innocently beatific even naivistic milieus via minimal-approved chord paintings. Indeed, enjoy it, it is really worth much attention to be paid for.

Listen to it here

9.5

[Artists] The Conet Project

Irdial
Archive.org
Lastfm

Cody England The Monotony Monopoly (Rack & Ruin)

First off, the description "Cody England from USA" met at the record site sounds very amusing way, isn`t? By this way, I can remember for that Dallas, the Estonian indie frontband by 90`s was also made fun of it the same way at times ("Dallas from Tallinn"). However, the Arkansas-based musician is described as "a part-time assistant librarian and a full time creative", which actually says much about his dedication to the creating process. He made his debut this year, having released two issues to date. The debut The Metal Band from Hamburger Land (an apparent reference to his previous employment) showcased his adoreness toward minimal songwriting approach with deeply lovelorn lyrics and taking on some bittersweet arrivings at memories. Yet, the conception of his opening album was a bit too fragile and loose, where the parts of it were set apart from each other, sounding sometimes as a set of the Christmas songs for the lo-fi crowd.

No doubt, the sophomore one is much better evolved into the impressive output, though, based upon the same instrumentation as the previous time. His music is played up with cheap yet magnificient effect-drenched Casio synths (I have at home an example of the first series, namely Casio Tonebank SA-1 bought for 300 EEK/ca 25 USD and being properly worked out during the last 10 years), and home organ GEM H-400 as well. His warm, dream-alike voice does make up lots of great resonances with mild organ drones and programmings on the slow-paced/middle-paced/fast-paced mode. Being sometimes serious, sometimes sad, and sometimes funny the only "weakness" is a fact the record is too short (5 tracks within circa 10 minutes). Searching for soul mates Cody England`s approach can be compared to the aesthetics of his home label Rack & Ruin the first place, though, which generalized sonority has lots of common roots with the bedroom music pioneering by The Russian Futurists and keyboard-drones-based-austereness-drowned-into-harmonies of Beach House as well. A strong workout, indeed.

Listen to it here

9.1

Interview with Thierry Massard

My interview is with Thierry Massard, an experimental sound creator/noisenik/netmusic activist/blogger from France, who shot his first albums at the outset of noise and industrial music history. Indeed, he do not appreciate anyhow he would be described as the musician, and I think I can actually understand him well as this realm of sonority is rather a matter of perception where usual understandings about music have no effect for. At the moment he has new stuff on preparation, such as the upcoming album: inconnu ("unknown" in French) for the suRRism phoenetics label which obviously will be released on the coming weeks; and had just released his very first "remix" for a tribute to the contemporary multimedia artist, Joël Hubaut for Dock(s) - an art revue.


When you started recording your first album?

Sübe Version was recorded during the summer 1979, in my parents garage (if you listen to it closely you can here some buses or trucks passing by in the street).

What kind of equipment did you exploit for the album to be recorded?

The equipment was more than rudimentary - a cheap electric guitar, a chamber of echo (an antiquity) some uncontrollable and strange pedals - some recordings of films sequences (mainly a film noir, but I do not remember the title … a b-movie) there was also an organ for children and a small radio (as amplifier for the guitar, voice, pedals).

Sübe Version was recorded directly on a monophonic cassette tape recorder I had paid 30 euros … and to do a kind of mix of all the sound sources - I just placed the tape recorder on the ground, in the middle of the garage and drawn some circles around, then I just placed the different sources to some relative distances to the microphone. Quite rough, isn't it?

The release as a 50 examples limited edition in the cassette format was done in autumn 1979 - these cassettes were not sold but just offered and sent to some people such as Cosey Fanny Tutti of Throbbing Gristle. This was also often used by the multimedia performer artist Joël Hubaut, in his performances. This first experience had partly some residual follows, a few tracks done between 1979 and 1982, then I stopped producing for over 25 years. This release may probably remained "secret" if I had talk about to my friends Fred Debief and Max Marlow who decided to release it, in 2008, on their netlabel Metropublik (now defunct) - following this reissue he also produced a Hands on Thierry Massard remixes version for Kreislauf, including 25 remixes by some of the major musicians of the netscene and I must say that I was really touched and fully honoured, imagine this forgotten thing - much than reworked by all these fabulous people (I really admire the work of many of the musicians present on it).

What groups were your most important influences at the time?

I must say that I'm not a "musician", before doing these first steps, I had just some experiences in early local punk bands, but at the time I was mainly fascinated by the early industrial scene, Throbbing Gristle of course, Chrome, the first singles of The Human League, Robert Rental, The Normal, or The Residents, Pere Ubu, Kraftwerk, early Devo things, Faust, Neu! and more generally the Krautrock and all the early punk scene.

Might it be possible looking for some philosophy behind your music?

This is difficult to talk about a philosophy behind my sounds, this was (is) more a kind of general attitude regarding our social environment, I always described myself as a "combative pessimistic".

In my personal case I can not talk of an evolution or "changes" for all over the years, because I stayed silentful during all this time listening to music as a regular music fan - my absolute passion for music became more "active" through my experience with the netaudio scene on coordinating two blogs from 2006 until 2009 - this deep interest for writing about music (as you) gave me a taste of "doing things" which grew and became some recent releases.

Let`s deliver us some description about your sophomore album?

Staircase & Corridors is precisely that kind of release which really comes and goes through some time strata - some of the primal stuff treated there come, yes, from analogic recordings of 1982 (and you can here me talking with my mother) some of these original recordings were filtred through an antic Wem chamber of echo, but always recorded with a low cost recorder easily & often satured - the sources come also from radio waves, and for the recent stuff (digital) from EvP (electronic voice phenomenas like for what what", and what² (a kind of remix) I'm also often working on very microscopic samples from here and there that I use to cook or mix like.

I really love the mild and lush timbre of your latest issues (jeudi 16 septembre...;...vendredi 4 juin 2010). Am I being right supposing for you are using computers and potent interfaces nowadays?

I'm only using audacity on my oldish PC as this is precisely the only program I understand and my computer is blowing out of breath as an ox - I'm also considering that I'm not concerned by the standards of music production - I like that rough way of my sounds - cut ups sometimes - noisy on several ways - as you can see I'm a sort of homing device person, looking after things and others, and mostly, I can not imagine and accept to be considered as a musician.

Thank you, Thierry.

[Artists] Werewolves

Werewolves
Archive.org
BNS Sessions
Myspace

Raindeer Raindeer EP (Bandcamp)

Raindeer does consist of three lads - Charlie Hughes (vocals, synth), Devin Byrnes (synth), and Beau Cole (guitar, bass) - coming from Baltimore, Maryland, a town being once home for Animal Collective. Vis à vis with Collective, besides the trio`s aesthetical heritage originating from similar (post-)psychedelic breeds and DIY-based conceptions and lo-fi-infused common ground their start, however, is not a less impressive opening at all compared to the very launch by Avey Tare-Panda Bear circa 10 years ago, more concretely, being soaked in a rousing mix of electronics and indie pop and subtly nudging at their boundaries and zones. Yet, those 6 tracks of the debut issue are remarkably more extrovert and pop-oriented encompassed by broad yet intelligent postures and caustic keyboard (under)currents, the kind of reminiscent of those played up by the English innovative pop group Space in the last years of the Britpop-era (the track The Green Lights), and MGMT as well. Of course, there can be found out some similarities with the later-era Animal Collective, which drove some obduarate Collective`s fans to despair (Dark Place). On the other side, fortunately, Raindeer is able to avoid this kind of ostentatious artistical shelves cranking out of emotions being anchored at a subject`s genuine sensitiveness. No doubt, the trio is able to master crafty pop numbers, for instance, the ending This Is My Last Transmission which at the outset is intentionally restrained to come off into a catchy even hysterical explosion.
A solid debut, indeed.

Listen to it here

9.2

[Artists] Cody England

Cody England/Bandcamp
Rack& Ruin Records
Myspace
Lastfm

Ghost Dance Elkan (Ghost Dance)

Ghost Dance (not to confuse it with the same-titled gothic rock band from England in the 80`s) is a two-piece ensemble from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Chris Corrao (guitar) and Tyler Taglieri (drums) play up a decent joint of math rock and noise rock with an intense touch of experimental rock. Being influenced by the likes of Tera Melos, Hella, Lightning Bolt, the duo`s 6-track debut release is managed to showcase seriously sheer and rough ornamentics of repeated motives driving mainly on up-and-down drifting abrasive guitar riffs embellished by more light-radiant, progressive rock-like keys, and at times massively hammering rhythm combinations too. Sometimes Ghost Dance`s soundscape is quite laconic by building up the way on arid chord bows and even drone-shaped glimpses. Sometimes all of that seems to be thoroughly composed, the another time quite loosely related, yet. All in all, it reminds of a kind of gestalt rock manifesto playing out in a mode of improvised, jazz-like music applying a vague control upon it. Undoubtedly it is a vital issue, yet, which circumscription needs lots of listen times for the access to be allowed.

Listen to it here

8.8

[Artists] Botanic Project

Myspace
Lastfm

[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
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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
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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
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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
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[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.

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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.

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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.

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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