Friction! - That Dusty Old Couch (2011)

Bakery Allstars Inc.

9.1

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

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

Dronjo kept by 4 - Delta (2011)

MiMi

9.2

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

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

Sense/Net - Rapture (2011)

Bandcamp

9.4

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

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

Subterrestrial - The Cellular Cosmogony

Ceptual - Songs for the Sun (2011)

Test Tube

9.2

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

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

.crk - Informal Definition (2011)

Enough
Lastfm

9.0

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

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

aiRless pRoject - Dopamine Entities (2010)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.8

/Downtempo, Trance rock, Experimental rock, Crossover/

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

Natural Snow Buildings - Solar Flares

Anastasia Vronski - The Kursk (2011)

Electro Rucini

9.2

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

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

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

No-Source
Lastfm

8.7

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

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

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

Bandcamp
Cdbaby
Pen & Mallet

9.3

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

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

Delayscape - Moments, Men and Places EP (2011)

Elpa

8.7

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

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

Mihkel Kleis - Muusika Lylian Meisteri näitusele 1001 (2008)

HOMSIS
Mediafire

8.8

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

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

Richard There - Everyday

sanmi - schizophrenic glitched girl (2011)

Elegirl

9.1

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

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

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

Torn Flesh

9.0

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

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

Spherical Minds - Transpheres (2011)

Archive.org
Lastfm

9.3

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

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

The Charlatans - You Cross My Path (2008)

XFM
Cooking Vinyl
Lastfm

9.4

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

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

Possimiste - Behind The Seas

Snorkel Quintet - 3 (2011)

pan y rosas

8.6

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

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

Unfactory - She Bleeds (2008)

Jamendo
Af-music
Lastfm

7.2

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

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

Hukka - Legend of Kalevala soundtrack (2011)

Gabumat

9.0

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

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

Rocketships Of Love - Rocketships Of Love (2008)

Quixodelic

9.2

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

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

The Hirundu - Inga Morton Mania

Daniel Maze - The Art Of Sleeping In (2006)

Sinewaves

9.6

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

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

Bit_Rat - Alberta EP (2011)

Pterodactyl Squad

8.8

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

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

Possimiste - Behind The Seas (2011)

Bad Panda
Possimiste
Lastfm

9.4

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

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

Uberlulu - La Fin Du Paquet (2009)

Uberlulu

8.6

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

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

Tudo de Volta - Eu não

kIRk - About Simple Things EP (2009)

kIRk

9.3

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

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

Alexis Erisian - The Abolition Of Pain (2007)

Kallisti Gold
Lastfm

5.8

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

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

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

This Plague Of Dreaming

9.5

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

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

Person Man - Eros vs. Agape (2010)

Bandcamp

9.3

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

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

Desperados - RapCore/INTIFADA

Lenn9o9n - Relining Coffins (2010)

Quixodelic
Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.6

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

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

Tudo de volta - Tudo de Volta (2011)

Bandcamp

9.2

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

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

Naturalbody - Escape The Album (2011)

Jamendo

8.7

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

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

Anderlink - When You Sleep

Pilot Cloud - Halycon EP (2010)

Acoustic Firework
Lastfm

8.9

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

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

Telepathic Teddy Bear - Reactions (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.6

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

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

Amarok - Amarok (2010)

Orca Wolf
Lastfm

8.6

/Doom metal, Stoner metal, Experimental metal, Funeral doom, Avant-metal, Post-metal/

Comment: Amarok is a unit from the Northern California embarked on in 2009. The group was initially formed by Jeremy Golden, and Brandon Squyres (of The Makai). The current line-up includes Zeke Rogers (also of The Makai), and Kenny Ruggles. There are are represented two long-running notches running on doom metal/funeral/and stoner metal mode. More concretely, the decelerated layers of paces and thrilling moaning are up here to describe this fucked-up world in their very own way. This is why this album seems to be a bit bleeding on its own. As people at Doommantia already described it this is thought for the fans of Khanate, Burning Witch, Weedeater, Grief.

Sir Deja Doog - An Impossible Darkness (2010)

CLLCT

8.7

/Alt-folk, Anti-folk, Singer-songwriter/

Comment: Eric Alexander is one of those stalwarts along with Tinyfolk, James Eric, The Sarcastic Dharma Society, Adrian Aardvark (if to name just some ones) coming out from the Bloomington-based CLLCT collective. Sir Deja Doog is the nom de plume for his side project, however, demonstrating himself as a crafty solo musician. Highly loaded, strumming guitar gears are variegated with profound, contemplative songwriting exploiting just guitar and diverse approaches for singing and delivering his message. The lyrics of the 6-track EP are sometimes descriptive (regarding his loon state of mind), at times plaintive, or straightforwardly striking in its bareness, respectively. He has described the album in the following way - I believed I died and went to Hell. I ended up in the hospital in a catatonic state. This is what I saw.

Sally Paradise - L'Ascension du Mont Shing (EP) (2010)

Jeunesse Cosmique
Bandcamp

9.2

/Chillwave, Experimental indie, DIY, Shoegaze, Dreamwave, Glo-fi, Hypnagogic pop, Electronic pop, Post-pop/

Comment: First of all, Sally Paradise, a Montrèal-based group has itself had a lot of line-ups and shapes and peoples through time and history, but now they are formed as a powerful threesome, sometimes foursome. They used to be inspired by lots of guitars (krautrock, psychedelic fuzz, fucked up foreign pop, flailing female grunge bands), huge-fat-ass mofo-ing beats (Wu-tang, I AM, GI Joe Killaz, Dose One ) and freak noise/spaced-out things (all those Japanese noise bands, John Zorn, Klaus Schulze, Mitsou). L`Ascension du Mont Shing is the quebecois` kick-off issue. It is a multifarious release in its stylistical clutter, furthermore, by the sensual side of the album sexual appeal gets surfaced as the indispensable result of a tight interaction of searing chillwave-ish whiffs, half-stifled dreaminess and sultry shoegaze-inflected progressions (and sung in French, of course!). On the other side, the listener gets headed off as if into the very early stage of his/her childhood. By the way, this blissed-out combo is now preparing a little tour in the US for September (Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, etc.) with their buddy Félix de l'Étoile and a special project with Téléphone Maison, both cosmic people at Jeunesse Cosmique.

Speculativism - The Land of Block

Ollie Cram - Jazzstow (2011)

45 Echoes Sounds

8.8

/Art pop, Flamenco, Improvised music, Contemporary classical, Experimental, Downbeat, Chamber music/

Comment: Jazzstow - a series of sketches collaborated by two friends (Ollie Cram - guitar/bass; Phil Gibbs - guitar/prepared guitars), on a visit to Cornwall, Great Britain. Those 10 sketches are mostly laid-back pathways based on "the firework" of guitar arpeggios and chord changes, and thudding bass lines-downbeat-ish gears beneath it, however, thus making up lots of lead motives first of all. Frequently the duo`s search used to head off into paying tribute to flamenco music. The album is thought as much for the fans contemporary classical music/classical guitar as for the ones of improvised sound. The duo`s output is released on 45 Echoes Sounds (previously known as 45 Rpm-Records).

Computer at Sea - Palace of the Lightbulbs (2011)

Bandcamp

9.1

/Chiptune, Alternative, Indie pop, Crossover, Electro pop, Electronic pop, 8-bit, Leftfield/

Comment: This 6-notched issue is a whimsical combination of rattling chiptune fringed fermentation (whooa!), mandatory indie beauty (however, which used to be for most of people as a sort of inconceivable task), and thumping electro pop (let`s dance!). The publication is a vision by Galen Richmond, a Richmond-residing musician who is up here to promote the sort of tracker/8-bit music which was the very beginning lot of contemporary computer music approximately three decades ago. If to speak about crossover artists who have mixed up sawtooth-designed programming with alternative pop, I recommend giving a try to Hipster Youth, 8-bit Betty, Depreciation Guild, and some Bliss`s issues. In conclusion, this album reflects upon the upcoming tendencies for tomorrow`s sound

Die Stille Diastole - Experimental Little Monkey (2010)

Trastienda
Bandcamp

9.4

/Indietronica, Experimental rock, Post-rock, Art pop, Organic electronica, Cover, Experimental indie, Crossover, IDM/

Comment: Die Stille Diastole is the nom de plume for Bolaño Lucas and Experimental Little Monkey is his 4-pieced issue really worth to try it now and then (at the moment now, of course). More concretely, indeed, it is a stunning exploration between organic sounds and mellow electronica, having its spot directed upon the creation process of a blend of jagged IDM-esque beats/indietronic progressions and lofty musique concrète/found sound/spoken-infiltrated evolvements, and even some esoterical sort of folk-alike sound. The third track is a cover of the Sonic Youth`s Little Trouble Girl. Onwards, by regarding Lucas`s soulmates, however, there can be appealed to Cantaloup and The Dylan Group, Tortoise and Monokle. In a nutshell, is a highly crafty yet effortless result.

SEA Compilation - Summers Daydream (2011)

Sea Indie

8.8

/Twee pop, Indie pop, Alternative pop/rock, Jangle pop, Baroque pop/

Comment: In fact, I have myself pampered with listening to indie music compilations on such labels as Eardrums Pop, Beko DSL, and Hobo Cult so far. Here is another one, offering a 15-track miscellany created basically in the belief pertaining of the goodness of old school alternative pop stuff. Here can be detected for an abundant amount of influences popping out from the C86 movement and its closely related jangle and twee pop, 90`s galant baroque pop/brass/folk. On the other side, however, a few songs are doo wop, ye-ye and disco-drenched. By the way, all the artists come only from the countries of the Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Singapor, Thailand).

Motorama - Alps (2010)

Motorama
Free Music Archive
Lastfm

8.7

/Post-punk, New Wave, Alternative pop/rock, Indie, Dance rock, Gothic rock/

Comment: Rostov-on-Don, Russia-based combo melts poppy elements with post-punk battens and sometimes dashing, dance-appealed grooves on this 10-track publication within the 36 minute length limit. First of all, I am entranced with the interaction of black and white/or dark-hued and light-hearted trilled sounds fluttering around during its course. The notches are frequently beatific in its deliberately resigned condition. My heart-throb is Warm Eyelids which towers upon the sky thanks to a sublime blend of post-punk-ish cadences, jangle pop-ish impetus and Richard Hawley-alike monumental warbling of guitars. Moreover, the track should conquer the charts instead of tarrying its time at the moment. The more listening times I vouchsafe to give to the album the more it used to appeal to the pop recipients in my brain.

A Beautiful Lotus - Redrum Is Murder

Lizard Kisses - Sleeping In (2010)

Bandcamp

9.5

/Alt-folk, Indie folk, Folk indie, Avant-folk, Indie pop, Epic, New Weird America, Dream folk, Free folk/

Comment: Similarly to Nemo Asakura`s older EP reviewed yesterday this album of 9 tracks takes on a pile of sparse instrumentation to conjure up simple yet promptly convincing artistic songs. However, the Brooklynites Cory Siegler and Marc Merza seem to be self-assured in their doings. Merza`s simple yet punctuated guitar strums are up here to create a decent background for Siegler`s sensitive singing manner which respectively is either seemingly disillusioned or hopeful in dreams. Some songs are embellished with ukulele banging (My Bag is Not The Floor Why Isn`t Yours?) and vanguard-ish organ droning gest (Sender), and musique concrète-drenched (Conair Ocean Waves - what a sort of expressive name for one of those upcoming bands in future). All in all, Lizard Kisses, one of the best nowadays musical groups has tremendously been underrated so far. For instance, listen to Sleep Talkin` which makes your soul and heart bleeding.

Glass Fingers - Stranger EP (2011)

Bandcamp

8.9

/Post-punk, Avant-pop, Electronic pop, Crossover, DIY, Experimental indie, Glo-fi, Lo-fi, Dark pop, Alternative, Remixes/

Comment: Portland-based Jesse Gertz`s Stranger EP consists of six tracks, more detailly, half of them are remixes of the songs by The Microphones, The Milkman`s Union, and Huak. In general, the issue drifts between a majestic yet psychotic concept (a la Jason Pierce-esque incantations) and posh glo-fi gleaming and bubblegum-ish post-punk thump and breakbeat-backed electronic music. All of that is subject to the algorithms of lo-fi/DIY culture. In a nutshell, all is nicely produced and designed indeed.

Tree No Leaves - Java Rave (2011)

Bandcamp

9.0

/Art pop, Experimental rock, Cabaret pop, Post-rock, Dance rock, Psychedelic rock/

Comment: Actually Sigmund Freud was not right principially when he suggested that the human being is permanently forced to abandon the enjoyment for the overall socializing sake. Furthermore, delegating some of his/her rights to the rest makes no sense if he/she gets compensated instead of it with potent aesthetical pleasures from the other side. Subsequently this is the essential point of human being`s interactions, yet, observed from the tilted point of view then. The US-based collective Tree No Leaves is a representative of highly crafty music power, where can be seen lots of tensions channelized and elaborated right and left. It is highly enjoyable in the form of hysterical vocal manners, velvety cabaret-like appearances, at times, ascending into the frenzied grooves of exuberant post-rock, off-the-kilter forms of dance grooves, and bedecked art pop. In fact, the album rings out more convincing than its possible inspiration sources (the likes of Arcade Fire, and PJ Harvey) nowadays, for instance. The songs were recorded live at Java Rave in Tiffin, Ohio.

Nemo Asakura - the older ep (2011)

Mayoware

9.3

/Alt-folk, Indie folk, Folk indie, Folk pop, Folktronica, Chamber folk, Art pop/

Comment: this is a little yet very promising content from Japan and under a Japanese label, called Mayoware. All those 4 tracks, sung in English, function to head off into laid-back folk pop-ish soundscapes where, more detailly, can be seen a sublime communication between trilling fingerpicked/guitar arpeggios and epic orchestrations in the background. Furthermore, at times some snippets of rhythm and other patterns are electronic-veiled. However, this is an example of how it is possible to create glorious, heartbreaking music with a little amount of instruments beneath it. Consequently, in the first place, all the sonic layers must be accentuated with a strong quantity of spirituality as similarly as made out by velvety-voiced Nemo Asakura.

Super Random Knowledge Porridge - Satan And His Army

Junior - Algo Respira Por Mi (2010)

Blackfish Discos

8.5

/Alternative rock, Noise rock, Fuzz rock, Shoegaze/

Comment: Indeed, this Buenos Aires, Argentina-based project is not bad at all. You will be washed out by a straightforward, highly energized alternative rock a la Dinosaur Jr which one time evolves into a mesmerizing reverb-laden noise/shoegaze outburst (Hora Feliz). Ultimatively, do Alfred, Gabriel, and Oskar rock your socks off (what a clichè!)?

NightWake - Relation (2007)

Deadknife

8.5

/Crossover, Cut and paste, Drum and bass, Post-Metal, Chipmetal, Samplecore, Sound collage/

Comment: it happened approximately two weeks ago when I reviewed Burning Of Eterna City`s weird metal/grindcore/nintendocore/eurobeat album And Onward They March With Broken Legs. Actually Nightwake`s 14-pieced album speaks out in similar way consisting of diverse stylistic borders for which the sort of central narrative is quite problematic to define (is it either keen to samplecore project or off-the-wall metal album?). However, it is provocative enough in its manifestos and on the other side showcasing itself as a recherche patchwork compiled of spoken word interludes, sublime guitar fingerpicking, brutal metal outbursts, different kinds of breaks beneath it. My favorite one is Dark Goth which is an outstanding combination of chiptune and convincing metal sound. By the way, the total amount of money Nightwake spent for making this album was 4 bucks.

Youth Lagoon - July + Cannons (2011)

Bandcamp

8.8

/Dream pop, Experimental indie, Glo-fi, Lo-fi, Chillwave, Hypnagogic pop, Avant-pop, Post-pop, Electronic pop, Poptronica/

Comment: Trevor Powers aka Lagoon Youth is one of those nowadays wunderkinds who is chosen to inveigle us with the help of fabulous bows of melody and crafty touches of harmony. If you have previously experienced kind of dreamy, blissed-out collectives like Beach House, Memoryhouse, and Mathemagic you are ready yet what to expect for. More concretely, you do sweep along a trajectory where lo-fi meets glo-fi meets dream pop. While those two tracks do not speak about your life, instead writing up your (more or less) exact states of mind, it is really worth to listen to.

Zoos of Berlin - Electrical Way

Mua - Mua EP (2011)

Clinical Archives

9.2

/Post-punk, Industrial rock, Alternative rock, experimental rock, Gothic rock/

Comment: Behind Mua is Dani(e)l Telegin, a towering post-punk/gothic punk/rock musician from Samara, Russia. By pertaining of those aforementioned syles, as usual, dominating, oppressive vocal manner and grave content of lyrics (speaks out passionlessly and blandly about the facts of daily life, about murky shades and moments constituting different frames of mind) is backed up with meticulous, massive drum lines, industrial-inflected grit, and playfully designed guitars and its feedbacks/and overdrives and majestic synth whiffs in the backdrop. In conclusion, the whole of 4 tracks finishes off as a graceful unit ringing out in a harmonious way (as much as such obscure music could ever make it out). However, this EP can be compared to the music of Astma, Joy Division, Kino, Einstuerzende Neubauten. All the lyrics are sung in Russian (in fact, to get benefit from it).

Tiny Fireflies - Snow

Ostin - Delirium (2011)

Enough
Lastfm

8.0

/Darkwave, Experimental electronica, Darkbeat, Dark ambient, Avant-garde, Neoclassical/

Comment: Delirium starts out with sultry slo-mo beats which are densely surrounded by dark-hued ambiences and moaning electronic undercurrents. In principle, it continues running in similar way up to the ninth track, to the end, however, adding and abandoning rough electronic effects, glitch-frayed tangents, orchestrated snippets and less or more audible drilling forays in favor of diversifying the general picture of the concept. Laid-back magnetic wind blows off sometimes. For the majority of the time Ostin (a project from Russia) used to succeed in its doings (at times it seems to be way too stuttering either). The favorite of mine is a track, called as Sear.

Desperadow – I Found God (2010)

Long Lost

8.8

/Experimental indie, Singer-songwriter, Lo-fi, DIY, Alt-folk, Nu grunge, Fuzz pop, Crossover, Indie pop, Alternative, Leftfield/

Comment: Behind the pseudonym Desperadow hides himself Chris Nolan, a hermit from Dublin who offers a 9-track set on the Long Lost label (the same label whose kick-off album was Hipster Youth`s second, superb album Teenage Elders). As provoking as the album`s coverprint used to be the main concept is made up by directing its spot on a corybantic blend of folk/singer-songwriter-ism and nu grunge, bristled psychedelia/even exotica pop, lo-fi/DIY and mellow indie pop songs/and ballads. However, you can detect herein for some similarities with Smashing Pumpkins, Beta Band, Andy`s Airport of Love, Blur, Nirvana, Beck and other similar kinds of artists.