Greendjohn - Loophole (2011)

Jamendo

8.8

/Film score, Classical, Soundtrack, Orchestrated music, Conceptual/

Comment: This is the third album (or soundtrack - it would be the more proper classification for such kind of music) by a musician residing in Belgium. Indeed, this sounds like an imaginable soundtrack for a very epic film. More concretely, fast key changes, bombastic orchestrations and even progressions into choir-alike spaces and ominous, martial-hued music vary with decreasings into a near-silence introspection or gliding down into a sort of still life. As a skillful creator, he is very well aware of those emotive elements he is used to operate with - for example, Morricone-esque playings on feminine high vocal registers and flute samples. No doubt, the flowing of serotonine will be activated in your brain while listening to it.

Old Age - Lutsen (2011)

Bandcamp

8.0

/Ambient, Experimentalism, Avant-electronica, Minimal, Ambient drone, Sound-art, Microtonal, Kosmische musik/

Comment: Three tracks. The first track is a soothing, slightly pulsating flowing embellished by some metallic progressions and having nearly epic tendencies within it. The second track is a case of flickering electronica whereas there could be detected for similarities on technical approach with seminal electronic musicians a la Conrad Schnitzler. The third one creates experience through limber drifts over jagged soundscapes, over decreasing and increasing ridges respectively.

Clinker - Good Trip, Bad Trip (2011)

Clinker
Lastfm

/Trance rock, Space rock, Psychedelia, Motorik, Avant-rock, Experimental rock, Krautrock, Progressive, Math rock, Crossover, Dance rock/

10.0

Comment: This is the first notch of the London-based group`s planned pair of albums in the year of 2011. However, when the instruments (guitars, drums, samplers, keyboards) were switched on, the magnificient, 5-track containing journey started off. And it is an essentially enthralling trip. The first track Poison Tree is profoundly introspective, dense, even a bit abrasive outlook upon the world. A massive ballad without being someway pathetic, though. Survive does deliver some spaced-out, electro-rock infused space rock/krautrock gems striking and stroking simultaneously. Being highly dynamic and looping, however, it is krautrockers` rock and roll on its own. Or metronomic pop, as you wish it for. Like Faust on the 1970`s and nowadays releases as well. But Clinker does make grooves up a bit better. Flightpath Of The Righteous is a frenzied yet ultimately catchy blend of neo-progressive developments and math rock-esque bass gears and drum blasts. A murderous combination...whattha hell... what is going there about in the ending section actually? No doubt, it is a 30-second snippet of breakcore-ish/chiptune-ish pace crap. Ame Ni Mo Makezu goes on with the same rhythmic section (in true, tuning it into more danceable ones - one of the best dance rock-gears ever heard), yet, inserting one principial difference by added space rock-ish/orchestration-mixed above it. Arrghhh!!! is all what I would to say. The ending and the longest track, 17-minute-long Pig In My Brain wades through the diverse chapters, beginning with somewhat feeble and subdued shimmerings, yet progressing into a spiritual (sic! resembling Spiritualized too), gospel-induced trance rock-ish anthem.

In fact, it is a bit shame about the British that they are not ready yet to overturn theirselves and discover such a great ensemble with strong issues behind their backs. Let`s take your time and listen to such albums like Clinker (2008), and When I Grow Up I Wanna Be A Space Cadet (2007) as well. However, Good Trip, Bad Trip is one of the strongest candidates for the best album of 2011 for sure.

New Animal - Who`s Gonna Open My .......?

Zoom-On-A-Kill - I Was Her (2011)

Bandcamp

8.5

/Samplecore, Breakcore, Cut and paste, Plunderphonics, Freeformfreakout, Sampledelic/

In comparison with the first album (Couleurs Sans Danger, 2010) by Zoom-On-A-Kill the direction and thought of the latest release is not piled up under a bunch of clenched sounds. Therein can be sensed a lot of different milieus and pleasant air fluttering around you, all the samples are clearly segmented and set out, on the other side, yet never keeping on hold against outrageous maelstrom of sounds which at this time does veer from film score samples, vinyl crackles and 8-bit pieces to vintage Latin rhythms, deep vibes, heavily slapping beats, sliced electro-gears and psych-out MC-ing. In a nutshell, these short-running tracks are the witnesses of an astute manipulation of previously cooked sonic information.

Our Ceasing Voice - When The Headline Hit Home (2011)

Our Ceasing Voice
Lastfm

8.5

/Post-rock, Experimental rock, Instrumental rock, Epic, Ambient rock, Musique concrete, Modern classical, Ambient rock/

Comment: OCV is used to be one of my most favorite Austrian band near Radian and The Autistic Daughters. Though having released some of issues(EP`s) before it, indeed, When The Headline Hit Home is the quartet`s first proper full-length one. The title and the coverprint of the album reflects upon the arrogance of the human being, being masterfully supplemented by (omni)potent, at times exploding crescendos, densed guitar channelizations, blissful choir-backed progressions, remote echoes and endlessly perceived atmospheric plateaus. Mainly instrumental rock, though, the insertions of resigned vocal lines sometimes give it another pleasant touch. For ardent post-rock fans, anyway, the release is obligatory for you.

Computer Magic - Spectronic EP (2011)

Computer Magic

Lastfm

8.8

/Synth pop, Lo-fi, Bedroom pop, Glo-fi, DIY, Chillwave, Electronic pop/

Comment: This is a consistent appearance of nowadays grrrl power. Behind it is a young woman from New York named Danielle "Danz" Johnson who composes, sings and plays synths by herself. Having started off in 2010, she has already released handful of issues, intended to create her own sonority, being neither pure-sensed synth pop nor clear-cut glo-fi/chillwave phenomenon. Besides it she has got lots of listening times and obviously gained cult reputation during this short time interval.

Antonina - Pakike

The Womb - Britpop (2006)

The Womb/Danielle Records

9.0

/Britpop, Alternative pop/rock, Experimental indie, Psychedelic pop, Folk noir, Singer-songwriter, Electronic pop, Trip-hop, Big-beat, Alt-folk/
Comment: This album was publicized in 2006, in an era, when britpop has already been dead approximately 6-7 years, yet, the issue reflects exactly upon those tendencies being dominant throughout the 1993-2000 period while London and Manchester were swinging crazily. In fact, in the ending of 90`s Alan Driscoll aka the Womb leaded off with his musical ambitions. Once to get arrived at the title-based reference, indeed, the britpop was not only a movement of guitar-based groups it incorporates the acts of electronica, trip-hop, club dance/pop dance, big beat, atmospheric pop and (acidious) folk music too. So besides Suede, Pulp, Verve, Lightning Seeds, Blur, Primal Scream, Radiohead and other great indie rock acts else there were also Leftfield, Space, Massive Attack, Chemical Brothers, Björk, Tricky, Asian Dub Foundation, Portishead, Super Furry Animals, Gorky`s Zygotic Mynci, Cornershop etc. Though it was a vast bunch of styles and groups, yet, there was a somehow close connection between all those occurrences and signs. This way I felt then and thinking now by the way. The Britpop is made in liasion with Chloë Reeves, who was singing alone of painfully personal songs here. Lots of hitting appearances can be found from within those 10 tracks (My Lover`s Blood; I Disown My Country; Other Lovers; The Dusty Groove, Nostalgia Town). A beautiful and heavily nostalgic appearance.

Syndrôm - Nomades En No Man's Land (2010)

Bypass
Archive.org
Lastfm

8.8

/Samplecore, Jungle, Drum and bass, Experimentalism, Breakbeat, Rhythmcore, Musique concrete, Folktronica, Crossover, Avant-garde/

Comment: Within those 20 tracks will have happened much in fact. Undoubtedly the whole release is trodden upon densely swinging-grooving beat combinations, mainly on jungle, breakbeats and its closest "step" genres. Yet, the whimsical pace mayhem is differentiated by another level which is constructed of concrete sounds, spoken word overthrows, ethnic drums, the first half of the 20`s century proto jazz, bunch of elaborated sounds, murky soundscape and much more else. By its ideology, idiosyncratical sonic mirror and sheer intellectuality, however, Syndrôm resembles the Italian artist IlKobra.

Boletes - Hunnibug EP/Kites Overhead - In the Shadow of the Mountain EP (2010/2011)

No-Source

Forest Records
Bandcamp
Lastfm
Lastfm

8.4

/Dark folk, Folk noir, Alt-folk, Ambient folk, Singer-songwriter, Experimental indie, Post-rock/

Comment: This is a split compiled of two EP`s. Boletes is Roy Cornall from Scotland who plays up slightly flavoured noir-hued folk. More concretely, this is mainly about middle tempod guitar strummings which are fringed with reverb effects and synthesized walls and lots of changes. Kites Overheas is Gene Kondusky from Canada who showcases his abilitis in the realm of of post-rock-infused indie/folk pop, wherein are presented frizzy guitar drives, reversed sonic effects, pace progressions and repetitive elements, all in all, demonstrating dynamical transitions from acoustic pop notches over to electrified and more technical pop occurrence.

Melophobia – Fukushima (11_04M) (2011)

Webbed Hand

8.6

/Soundscape, Dark ambient, Conceptual, Sound-art, Abstract, Electro-acoustic, Musique concrete, Dystopbient/

Comment: Actually it is amazing how fastly some musicians have already reacted to the horrendous events in Japan nearly one week ago releasing conceptual albums or dedicating the compilations. If to check the album title out Melophobia, a Greek project, is directly connected to it. For instance, (Otsuchi, population = 0), or (No.1 reactor + No.2 reactor + No.3 reactor etc), or (The Bank of Japan & 15 trillion yen). By its outer form the album seems to be filled in with really austere and minimal tunes, yet, by its inner core (or in translation) it comes more into impressive shape, reflecting exactly upon the feelings of despair and fear. Indeed, therein can be detected for creepy, at times almost invisible drone/hiss pulsatings, be a witness for weak echoes of human speech and the sounds of alarm signals and overflowing planes and bypassing trains.

Hox Vox - Marcel Duchamp

Canoply Games - Harmony (2011)

Jamendo

8.4

/Dada music, Fusion, Experimentalism, Avant-garde, Noise, Post-metal, Avant-electronica, Crossover, Modern classical/

A dada musician/peripheral experimentalist from Bratsk, Russia is back again. This time he arrived at with 8 new short-running tracks, however, the main topic of the release is exactly relied on diverse layers which are densely interplayed with each other. Post-metal meets fusion/Zeuhl meets off-kilter electronics/sound effects meets modern classical meets noise meets silence. Brooding guitar riffs, steel-ish noise and at times unexpectedly inserted bleeps, galoping cadences and drifting sonic massives make sense all in all. Indeed, a potent output reminiscent of CG`s earlier effort Cthulhucore (2009).

Good Natured Threat - Short Stories EP (2011)

Melodica

8.9

/Indie, Crossover, Post-pop, Trip-hop, Downtempo, Folktronica, Hip-hop, Dub/

Comment: Behind Good Natured Theart is a duo Mark and Lara Hjorthoy from Vancouver, Canada who have created an inspiring pastiche from downtempo, indie, folktronica, hip-hop, trip-hop, minimal and optimal dub and other styles on their 3-track debut issue. In fact, lots of diverse guitar chords and riffs are mixed up with lots of beats which, by its side, are built on permanent variations. Obviously this release is also a case when it is used to talk about post-crossover genre. So if you are interested in such kind of music listen to such artists as Menion and Arrogalla as well. And the second track Until We Have Faces resembles strongly some tunes from Bizarre`s masterpiece Cafe De Flor (1996). In a word, this is a solid accomplishment.

Korhymes ft. Astèr - Stabilize

A Holiday Friends Christmas Treasury Volume Two - Part One (2010)

Holiday Records

9.2

/Conceptual, Indie pop, Alternative pop, Twee pop, Poptronica/

Comment: It might be this moment is not the most proper time for the Christmas events and reflections, though, indie-based Christmas songs on its own are not usual phenomenons in any cases and any time. Holiday Records is a tough indie label who has offered lots of charming tunes during many years. On this compilation can be met the songs by the label`s essential guards like Victory VIII, Arctic Flow, Travelogue, Jes Maybe, and She`ll Be Eating Her Nails When I`m Famous. Especially outstanding is a track by Arctic Flow`s Memories To Hold which could be considered as one of the most beautiful songs ever created. Let`s add it to the bookmark of songs of the closure of year.

Die Stille - Mirror (2011)

45RPM-Records

Archive.org

Lastfm

8.2

/World music, Fusion, Chillout, Psychedelic electronica, Psy-trance, Electronic pop, Ethnotronica, Ethnic music, Psy-ambient/

Comment: This 4-track case is about a cavalcade of brooding and burbling psy-trance music which comes to pass to meet ethnic music (islamic culture-relied vocal samples; tabla programmings), psychedelic overthrows in rhythms and timbres, ambient-esque spheres and occasional flamenco guitar chords. My favorite instance is Time To Leave.

The Gifted Children - Fallacy Stilts (2011)

The Gifted Children

8.5

/Psychedelic pop, Alternative pop/rock, Experimental indie, Alt-folk, Chamber pop/

Comment: This is a group from Rochester/Buffalo, USA, having been active since the mid-90`s period and recorded more than 1300 songs, yet, remaining in status of unsung heroes to date. On this record they have featured 6 songs of experimental indie pop, more concretely, compiled of dynamically running strumming guitars, subdued near-shoegaze sounds, delicious progressions on orchestrated elements, acidious sonic effects and off-kilter synth ripples. The small things and beautiful songs make sense indeed.

Rocketships of Love - UFC Space Soundtrack (Book 2) (2011)

Quixodelic

9.4

/Psychedelic pop, Synth pop, No wave, Exotica pop, Drone rock, Electronic pop, Avant-pop, Psych-pop, Pop experimentalism/

Comment: First off, this is an amazing set of 14 tracks. Demonstrated through idiosyncratic (analogue) synth-backed and dusty reed organ-shined exemplaries which do veer from highly densed Suicide-alike psych-out torrents and flashingly droning synth gears-vibrations to contemplative near-ambient notches and vastly catchy space age pop/exotica pop once made by such grandmasters like Jean Jacques Perrey and Gershon Kingsley. On the other side, 90`s are apparently visible via the hints at Spiritualized and James for instance. Indeed, it is a re-interpretation of the past experience in the verge of a cycle of the pop tradition.

Kodacrome - Robbery

Kodacrome - Robbery from marathon of dope on Vimeo.

Amygdala Projects - Shortcut to Heaven (2011)

BFW Recordings

8.0

/Electronic pop, Downtempo, Big-beat, Ambient trance, Psyambient, Psytrance, Kosmische musik/

Comment: Those 11 tracks do come by László Néder from Hungary, which mainly relies upon brooding electronic textures with hypnotic big-beat stokes and sometimes calm, middle-tempod hypnotic trance/psytrance/psyambient, and the other time (The Snag) embarks on a journey through the spherical realm of our inner space, reminiscent of the workouts in the realm of dark ambient and kosmische musik.

Bruno & the Susio Squad Band - The Little Prince - My tribute (2011)

Jamendo

8.6

/Pyschedelic, Conceptual, Brass pop, Alternative pop, Progressive rock, Soul funk/

Comment: This issue is concretely inspired by Antoine Saint Exupery`s unforgettable book named "The Little Prince" and is filled in with beautiful harmonies and catchy rhythmic combinations. However, it can be generalized as psychedelic pop with latin pop/brass pop influences and progressive rock glimpses. Some examples. the first track The boy inside me sounds at times very close to Manu Chao-esque delightful (latin pop) somersaults. The sound of an overflying plane refers undoubtedly to Saint Exupery`s main profession (the flyer). On the other side, the refrain of the track the Fox (feat. Mimisoul) is a rip-off of The Cardigans` Lovefool mixed up with soul funk.

The Echelon Effect - We Will Spin Forever

Clinker - Poison Tree

Mumble Mumble Mumble - Mumble Mumble Mumble (2011)

Kill Mommy
Lastfm

8.0

/DIY, Math metal, Doom metal, Improvised music, Math rock, Experimental rock, Post-metal/

Comment: This is the debut release by a duo from Turin, Italy having 8 tracks within 21 minutes in total. More particularly does it mean that they are densely searching for a seamless realm between doom/doom metal and math rock/math rock, among other details having experimented with the speed of rhythms, at times having their sound on hold, i.e slowing it really down. On the other side, it is a joyous, improvised DIY-esque notch. An interesting output and apparent evidence of what it is possible to do just with a bass guitar, vocal and drums.

[P.U.T] My Sun Is Dying EP (2010)

Archive.org

9.2

/Sludge, Avant-metal, Experimental metal, Noise, Industrial, Crossover, Remixes/

Comment: This is a great single/EP from a Brussel-Paris-based experienced trio, which does blend high-energized, monumentum-filled sludge hammering and mud devouring vocal lines with the glimpses of experimental electronica and solid sonic effects. The issue includes a remix by Garlic.wav as well which by any means does add propulsive, slightly mutilated jungle rhythms to it. A superb workout indeed.

Taiga - Aralar (2010)

Jamendo

9.2

/Drone doom, Ambient drone, Dark ambient, Soundscape, Minimal, Post-rock, Post-metal, Ambient rock, Guitar ambient, Sound-art/

Comment: Taiga is a Spanish-rooted project having directed its spot on manipulated guitars and synths on several issues. The recent case is wrapped up into a peculiar form wherein one of 7 tracks lasts approximately 1 hour on its permanent variation. It altogether makes out about 100 minutes of atmospheric soundscapes, tremulously fluctuating guitar chords and spacious, slightly rocking environments and post-metal-esque stomping and creeping septums-infiltrations. A potent and beautiful accomplishment indeed.

Talkative - Strange Luxuries (2011)

Bandcamp

7.9

/Anti-folk, Alt-folk, Experimental folk, Free folk, Singer-songwriter, Lo-fi, DIY/

Comment: This is another open contexted recorded album from USA which by its sonic feats is based on acoustic guitar strummings and strange synth sounds in the backdrop, moreover, including even radiowave manipulations and sunshiny samples from a track of the golden age of disco within it. This workout by its aesthetical approach could freely be a part of the Indiana-based CLLCT.

Pretty Lights - Unreleased 2010 Remixes (2011)

The Pretty Lights

8.7

/Hip-hop, Electronic pop, Funk, Urban music, Remixes, Club dance, Live session/

Comment: The cult dance music figure Derek Vincent Smith from Colorado is back again, more detailly, this time having joyously remixed the luminaries such as Pink Floyd, Jay Z, Kanye West, James Brown and others during a gig in the end of 2010 in Chicago. No doubt, this live session was fulfilled with hypnotic gear frequencies, cinematic samples, psychedelic synth cores and fluttering digital funk frames, as the final result, the album only strenghtens his reputation as a magical beat wizard.

The Home Stretch - The Home Stretch (2010)

Giant Manilow

Lastfm

8.4

/Lo-fi, DIY, Alternative pop, Electro-indie, Experimental indie, Avant-garde, Psychedelic/

Comment: Ben Churchill-headed project and by his friends (Gentle Friendly; Noise Jordan) assisted record is a quite weird output consisting of prettily flowing AOR-pop and lo-fi/DIY-esque guitar strumming and at times primitive pop approach over to electro-pop drives and J-pop glimpses. Besides all of those described above, however, the album does have more obscure and vanguard-ish, into darkness sinking and elemental noise-infiltrated characteristics as well. A convincing result.

Syd Lane - Hypatia (2011)

Quixodelic
Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.0

/Dream folk, Alt-folk, Drone folk, Noir folk, Singer-songwriter, Psychedelic, Slowcore, Experimental folk, Indie folk, Folk indie, New Weird Europe/

Comment: Firstly I shall have to express my bewilderment about how underrated have the issues by this fairy-alike singer-songwriter been so far. Yet, she has released 8 albums during past 7 years and got 365 listening times at Lastfm to date, yet, her songs are not a kind of arty-farty posing but solidly built-up oeuvres. In true, her side projects (with Jeremiah James) like The Loaded Whispers and Chansons De Geste have been a bit more successful ones. However, this time she has been assisted via some guitar solos and mastering by Jason Raspa (Frogville) and the recent release reflects upon diverse aspirations (as it earlier used to be as well). For instance, from the organ-backed slow motion a la Beach House and rigid, organ-droning folk conceptualization a la Fursaxa to slightly psychedelic yet heartbreaking, growing folk songs a la The Wind Whistles and the borders of noir folk will have crossed many times in her contemplative sadness as well. In a nutshell, the concept makes obvious withdrawals from the realm of urban life to be drowned into omnipotentious bucolic idyll for.

Beko_ lsr 01/10/11 (2011)

Beko DSL

9.2

/Neokrautrock, Chillwave, Lo-fi, DIY, No wave, Avant-pop, Experimental indie, Electronic pop, Poptronica, Psych-pop, Ambient/

Comment: This is a hilarious compilation by Beko DSL, including the artists like Dirty Beaches, Wet Hairs, Gremlinz, Jeans Wilder, Terror Bird and other ones. Those 11 tracks are an example of riding on the beauty of imperfectness, searching for a tight connection between lo-fi/DIY-esque experimental-biased aesthetics and gorgeous melody hooks and harmonic sense. Lots of hints at diverse genres and (innovative) pop eras are presented here, yet, first of all, this is an idiosyncratic brooding of nowadays angst in a nutshell.

Shattered Darlings and Liquid Kisses - Chick Pop Vocals (2010)

Nana Records
Archive.org

8.9

/Alternative rock, Fuzz rock, Psychedelia, Noise rock/

Comment: Having listened to some of the releases by this NY-based group I think I can guess that the members of SDLK have spent much of their time while listening to the albums of Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine respectively. This time those 4 tracks are filled in with dynamical, almost fusible guitar glides, fuzz-backed psychedelia drive, thereby being at the recent moment much closer to their famous fellow townsgroup than to any shoegaze-hued glimpse sets. Indeed, it is rock`n`roll on its own purity and potency.

Inca Gold - Inca Gold (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.7

/Alternative rock, Psychedelic pop, Soft rock/

Comment: The debut issue by this London-based group is filled in with mainstream appealed pop rock touch and and subtle pop psychedelia. Yet, this is positioned out far enough from chillwave and drone pop notches as was claimed at some music sites so far. First of all, it sounds similar to the likes of Keane, The Doves and early Coldplay. More detailly, moving on space-y mode via vast and almost unbounded synth progressions, it makes out as beautiful pop album really worth be detected for a follow-up.

Ostenvegr's Travel - Crossing the Wild Wild "Oak Wood" (2010)

Jamendo

7.5

/Field recordings, Synth pop, Electronic pop, New Age, Crossover, Mood music/

Comment: This 6-track album is apparently a simulacrum of nature sounds, mixed above the borders of electronic/synth pop, new age-esque plectrums, and Morricone-esque film scores. The last influence is pleasingly brought forth at Moonlight (chapter V) and Outro (chapter VI).

Lowercase Noises - Ambient Songs (2010)

Bandcamp

8.7

/Ambient, Guitar ambient, Ambient rock, Post-rock, Minimal, Post-shoegaze, Epic, Instrumental rock/

Comment: Lowercase Noises is Andrew Othling who has released four albums during last years. Ambient Songs is written and taken onto tape with one shoot during live sessions. Anyway, this is a long-running issue with long-running tracks incessantly carrying on guitar based chords and elaborations, which ideological roots harken back to the mid 90`s, more detailly, to the Slowdive`s last album Pygmalion which did have nothing common with their shoegaze sound yet, and the reflection of still life conjured up by Pan American for instance.

Roberto Daglio - Bigbossa (2010)

Jamendo

8.4

/Nu jazz, Acid jazz, Chillout, Mood music, Fusion, Soul funk, Funk jazz/

Comment: This release of 7 tracks may become a classic one once. Made by a 52 year-old Italian bass player, however, who is intended to get a journey through lots of genres and making masterful dodges from soothing jazz and soul funk to chillout and downbeat, reminiscent of the workouts by Weather Report and 80`s Miles Davis and Morricone-esque blissful milieus (Ray Of Light; New World).

Antonina - Pakike (2010)

Bandcamp

8.6

/Poptronica, Chillwave, Remixes, Deep house, Fusion, Electro-house, Club dance/

Comment: Antonina is one of the flagships of nowadays new wave bands from Estonia with Music For Your Plants, Maria Minerva, and Laulan Sinule among others, loving to exploit and blend the details of poptronica, indie pop, chillwave, and the milieu of 80`s Soviet pop era. Herein are two original tracks, one of them (Pakike) is solidly remixed by three Estonian club dance gearheads, more concretely, veering from electro-house to deep house and fusion-infused shimmerings. A decent single with all the additional stuff indeed.

City Of Trees - Introspection (2010)

Bandcamp

7.9

/Alternative rock, Gothic rock, Math rock, Pomp rock, Progressive rock/

Comment: This is a quartet from Big Apple mixing together potently stomping hard cored alternative rock and some elements of gothic rock, math rock and progressive rock. All in all, it is excellently produced and played up into an obviously pop-influenced, even bombastic whole where Dan Cerney`s vocal reaches up toward its highest chords being quite playful at times. And the coverprint of the issue is a grandeur one.

Thierry Massard - 20:30 (2011)

Bandcamp

9.2

/Ambient drone, Abstract, Drone, Minimalism, Avant-garde, Sound-art, Microtonal/

Comment: Indeed, he did it again... . The French copyleft music legend and previous noisenik/old school industrial madman Thierry Massard who already started off in 1979 is used to experiment with more "soft" conception nowadays. Herein is a just one, long-running track which incorporates the characteristics of minimal ambient, microtonal buzzing and....ehh...abstract drone. Ok, it might even not to be so much detailed one as described, however, it obviously seems to be a matter of interpretation. Yet, the goodness of the album/track is beyond the question of doubt.

Beko_clandestine (2011)

Beko DSL

7.5

/Lo-fi, Primitive music, DIY, Experimental indie, Shoegaze, Witch house, Drag/

Comment: This compilation of 22 tracks contains the glides of shoegaze music/post-punk, heavy, martial music-alike brooding and punching, substantially rough, even primitive lo-fi/DIY-based electronic/synth-based chords and paces. Here are presented such bands like Meddicine, Mater Suspiria Vision, Petra Schelm and others.

Kevin McCraney - Nightwaves & Dreamscapes (2008)

MODICUM OF SILENCE

9.0

/Microtonal, Musique concrete, Ambient, Drone, Ambient drone, Minimalism, Conceptual, Avant-garde, Sound-art, Experimentalism, Acousmatic/

Comment: Kevin McCraney is a a founder part of the label MODICUM OF SILENCE and being a contributor or member on different albums of the label. However, by himself he has recorded 3 albums, the recent one was his start-off. As the title refers to, indeed, it is an obscure topic, generating and operating with deep, minimal and microtonal soundscapes, droning hisses and inclusive field recordings (yeah, the birds are singing on here). An opulently sensible, soothingly dream-alike, all in all, good shaped in any sense.

Umbra Nihil - The Borderland Rituals (2008/2011)

Free Metal Albums
Lastfm
Umbra Nihil

7.6

/Doom metal, Progressive metal, Death metal, Experimental metal/

Comment: Heavy guitar-riffed metal music with mighty down-tempo rhythms and slightly obscure vocal manner. The ending part of a 5-track issue is interesting via elemental, ambient-filled sounds, some riff swayings and changes of rhythms. Such kind of metal moaning comes from Finland, from the sophomore album by Umbra Nihil. In any cases, take your listening time and think about is it somehow close to borders or not?

Uzumaki - FF8E7 (2009)

Jamendo

7.3

/Industrial noise, EBM, Darkwave, Modern classical, Crossover, Industrial
techno/

Comment: This project comes from Adelaide, Australia, shooting a 16-track set of industrial and noise-infused dance music mixed with stepwise piano chords. Rattle synth riffs do ride on abrasive guitar undercurrents and distorted cadence mayhem. Intense, bombastic and loud. Actually one track comes into greatness (the 11th track which is without the title or just -) combining subtle ambient and harmonic touch obviously differentiating from the rest.

Dala Sun - Sala Dun (2010/2011)

Torn Flesh

8.0

/Stoner rock, Doom metal, Psychedelia, Screamo/

Comment: Dala Sun is a self-assured trio from Patras, Greece being debuted with thisself-released album in 2010 already. Indeed, the three men with vocals, guitar, bass and drums play out a blend of doom metal, stoner rock, and psychedelia. Even some screamo shades and such referring details can be detected for in Haris` vocal line. Though the whole may mainly seem as a tough riff-ridden guitar forging, yet, it could be considered as a background just allowing for psychedelic glimpses to come better forth.

Genox - Hourglass (2011)

Enoughrecords
Archive.org

7.6

/Downtempo, IDM, Electronic pop, Breakbeat, New age, Trance, Dub-tech/

Comment: The recent case is a groundplan based upon diverse faced beats infiltrated and interfering with each other. Indeed, breaking off the ground from electronic pop-based drumming and trance-like brooding to more technical and near-abstract IDM cadences. In the higher layers of the concept can be found out decent atmospheric shimmerings and dusty dubbed-out channelizations. However, it is hard to map the average, cross-sectional area regarding all of this enterprise.

Panorama - Tapete rojo (2011)

Series Media
Archive.org

8.8

/Shoegaze, Soul funk, Dance rock, Progressive, Psychedelic rock, Alternative rock, Experimental indie, Crossover/

Comment: In the previous year I discovered for myself some excellent shoegaze/psychedelic/experimental indie groups like This Lonely Crowd and Inverness from Brazil. No doubt, the Latin American-based music has established a solid aesthetic level amongst the indie music realm, though, having unsung and underrated reputation around the world nowadays yet. Panorama comes from Medellín, Colombia, having recorded since 2001. Their fourth release does veer from ordinary, slightly psychedelic-drenched indie pop (Trampa; Tapete rojo) and atmospheric synth progressions around shoegaze-relied wraiths (Sol brillar; Hola/Adiós) to catchy, danceable soul funk (No encuentro las palabras). By the way, all the songs are spanish-sung.

White Wishes - Today (2010)

Shelflife
Bandcamp
Lastfm

/Shoegaze, Indie pop, Alternative pop, Dream pop, Singer-songwriter/

9.6

Comment: White Wishes is 20-year-old Nikita Pavlov, coming from the area of St. Petersburg, Russia and now sharing his residing place between it and Berlin. His 4-track album Today is just a brilliant, near-perfect indie workout drifting within a realm of dream-alike shoegaze-y pop a la the minor yet excellent hits by Slowdive (Richard, Summer Haze). The lyrics is used to be contemplative going mainly about love without being spiced up into pathetic somehow. Beautiful surges of guitars and melody hooks give it a solid backdrop thereby making me feel really enthralled. And I have no idea how much I have listened to it yet. I can just say the following: let`s wait Pavlov`s new releases. Indeed, he has got a formula how to establish a kind of magic pop.

Light Leak - Thoughts Of Mirth (2010)

Bandcamp

8.7

/Glo-fi, Chillwave, Alternative, Electronic pop, Bedroom pop, Cosmic pop, Experimental indie/

Comment: This is an European version of bedroom pop/chillwave/glo-fi music from Germany, also including the main sample from Gainsbourg & Bardot`s classic Je T'Aime … Moi Non Plus at The Morning Star. More concretely onwards, lo-fi-esque beats are finely shuffled with catchy melody hooks and dream-alike, at times even cosmic harmonics, offering a slightly psychedelic and halfway disco pop experience all in all. Indeed, as if tuned by 70`s producers.

My Duck666 - Music For Believers (2011)

Hum And Hiss
Popsakal

8.5

/Noisegrind, Gorenoise, Noise music, Harsh noise, Avant-garde, Non music, Brutal metal/

Comment: Choky, skipping and voracious simultaneously, the seventh album by My Duck666 (from Moscow) is filled in with spontaneous and very malignant (mainly brown) noise attacks and zombie-esque moanings, however, it might be the best sonic reflection of a human being`s expression of despair, angst and angriness. By its conception it seems to be politically incorrect, anti-religious, personally offensive... and uncontrolled as already said. However, it reminds of the workouts of Japanese noise mongrels like Hanatarashi and Gerogerigegege, especially if to consider their frequent references toward the lowest part of the digestive tract.

Falco Subboteo - Pigged Rubble (2010)

Clinical Archives
Free Music Archive

8.8

/Live recording, Electro-acoustic, Avant-garde, Improvised music, Free improvisation, Free jazz, Turntablism, Freeformfreakout, Experimentalism, Psycho-acoustic/

Comment: How to come to grips with this 3-tracks album by a duo consisting of Val Perona (violin) and Gwilly Edmondez (tape/vinyl/samples)? Actually it is not needed to get as listening to this is pure fun on its own. Still, by its sonority it firstly reminds of free jazz via fastly changeable violin chords and playing techniques, on the other side it is a loosely formed output showcasing fine pitch-effect-based experiments on tapes, turntables and samples. Galopping near-rhythm sounds, warped chords, abrasive electronics, "uncontextual" dodges of samples, vocal interventions and much more make up a solid whole in any cases.

The Stars Ovation - here in the stillness, despite everything (2010)

Rack & Ruin

7.7

/Modern classical, Classical, Ambient, Piano music, Dark pop, Neoclassical/

Comment: Lonely piano chords-dictated music with some dark-hued backdrops and synth orchestrations which evokes melancholic moods in a good manner at times. No doubt, if you are a hard-nosed fan of (modern) classical music, however, you should listen to this one. Interesting chord patterns are conjured up from there and fringed by lots of space.

Non Dolet - Inner (2011)

Section 27

Mediafire

8.8

/Downtempo, Chamber music, Experimental electronica, Avant-pop, Cinematic pop, Minimal, Modern classical, Ambient, Children music, Improvised music, Progressive, Electro-acoustic, Trip-hop, Film noir, Electronic pop, Crossover, Musique concrete/

Comment: An album by a classically educated Russian musician (a young woman called Alisa) is full of diverse tendencies, different sorts of shadows and sonic shards, balancing between acoustic and electronic topics, manipulating with beats and without cadences, veering from silence to less silent, from pop realms to out of pop, from solemn to earthly, from restrainted contemplations to cinematic, orchestrated hooks, sampling of a snippet of a speech by George W. Bush and awesome motorik rhythms of trains, all in all having acquired a good overview regarding different styles and genres. Yet, please do not misunderstand that the recent case is not going about a bulimic output because all is solidly articulated and channelized into a segmented soundscape which is apparently a type of grower with each following listen time. Indeed, her music can just be classified as post-crossover which seems to be very opened to everything.

Un Vortice di Bassa Pressione - Why Not

Maps And Diagrams - The Giant Woods (2009)

Yuki Yaki

10.0

/Ambient, Ambient drone, Drone, Epic, Abstract, Microtonal, Soundscape, Minimal noise/

Comment: An exhilaratingly epic effort by Tim Martin who played out some ambient music with subtly infiltrated (noise) hisses and into abstract mould designed dronescapes. Yeah, it sounds so warm and sensible via its amazing microtonal growings as the sweetest pop song album ever, anyway, reminding of Tim Hecker`s masterpieces like Radio Amor, and Haunt Me, Haunt Me, Do It Again. The Giant Woods harkens back to following statements that less is more and the beauty is covered behind (manipulated) imperfection. In a nutshell, one of the hallmarks of ambient music.

芳川よしの - Lovely Rainy Day (2011)

Maltinese Records

8.7

/Shibuya-kei, J-pop, Electronic pop, Club dance, Easy listening, Mood music/

Comment: Starting off with a kind of peeping sounds the recent album of Yoshino Yoshikawa is getting develop into national shibuya-kei/j-pop tunes. More concretely, in this case does it mean of having lots of dodges and references toward electronic pop and club dance grooves, though, avoiding hints at Morricone-esque growing tunes a la Fantastic Plastic Machine and Pizzicato Five or close flirtations with indie pop numbers a la Flipper`s Guitar. All in all, as it is usual to this kind of catchy tracks it always makes excellent out.