x.y.r. - waves t*pes vol.1 (2015)

Bandcamp

Handstitched

/Exotica pop, Post-pop, Chillwave, Glo-fi, Hypnagogic pop, Dreamwave, Alternative, Mood music/

Comment: x.y.r is the project of Vladimir Karpov, the native from the Russian northern capital Sankt Peterburg/Saint Petersburg whose 4-track issue continues to create otherworldly beatific soundscapes replete with dreams and fata morganas of having no source at first glance. Let`s explore the titles within it – Sea Kaleidoscope, Dreamwave, Romantika, and Dolphin Smile. Inspiring, isn it? I don`t even know is it either the sort of post-chillwave sound or contemporary New Age music? Or something else? Never mind – despite it might seem unpretentious at first sight it is actually an album for die hard glo-fi/dreamwave fans. Any vibe and wobble on it seems to be thoroughly planned and elaborated for its own sake. It might be you have experienced deep dreams of depicting otherworldly dimesions and possible universes beyond the Earth. It could be something like that. In fact, it is much better than the dream because of being essentially real. Let`s partake. 

[Teaser of the day] Wisdom Tooth - Everything`s Green

Free Music Archive

• Singer-songwriter
• Dream folk
• Weird folk
• Folk indie
• New Weird America
• Free folk
• Indie folk

Artist: Wisdom Tooth

Release: Oxbow Woods

Label: Phoning It In

Year: 2010

Alternative links:

Bandcamp

Lastfm

Wilco – Star Wars (2015)

Wilco

/Blues rock, Indie rock, Rockabilly, Alt-folk, Alternative rock, Americana, Alt-country/

Comment: It is not the first entry by the Chicagoan juggernaut Wilco into the free music/netaudio world. Their most critically acclaimed album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002, Nonesuch) got the name and some samples from Irdial`s The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations which is uploaded for free download at Archive.org. Furthermore, the combo`s ex-member Jay Bennett (1963-2009) had issued his latest album Kicking at the Perfumed Air for free download either.

Star Wars is mostly a solid, tradition-drenched issue. It is an Americana, roots-driven sound though there are up some moments which used to reflect upon toward rockabilly and even Suicide-inspired nervous template (Pickled Ginger). The 11-track album starts off with EKG wherein angular, galvanized guitar shape apparently reminds of artists from the No Wave scene. The Joke Explained is a sonic bastard somewhere between Lou Reed, Johnny Cash, and The Fall (at Mark E Smith`s most rockabilly loaded self-indulgent moments). Stylistically the whole balances between country, blues, folk and energized guitar rock. The favourite track of mine is Magnetized which is a soulful Americana glance with the assistance of theremin-alike high-pitched keyboard chords. Very nice. 

[Teaser of the day] Deek Hoi - Vice

Lastfm

• New Weird America
• Hip-hop
• Experimental pop
• Psychedelic
• Electronic
• Freeformfreakout
• Ambient
• Crossover

Artist: Deek Hoi

Release: Deek Hoi

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2009

Para Contra - ..Offered With Many Apologies EP (2008)

Rack And Ruin

Lastfm

/Improvised music, Art rock, Alternative pop, Free jazz, Indie rock, Musique concrète, Progressive rock, Electro-acoustic, Avant-rock, Lo-fi, Psych-rock, Space rock, DIY/

Comment: actually the title of this 7-track issue is misleading in multiple ways – firstly it is categorized as an EP though it involves music with a length of 53 minutes. Secondly, the title`s intention seems to provide self-indulgence about the music though by listening to it I can assume it is a very uncompromising issue at abandoning stylistic borders by Ontario, Canada-based trio Para Contra. Of course, it is possible that Alex, Brad and Jake think of quite inferior sound quality represented over there. However, it does not matter and actually adds some charm to the pot. Furthermore, their music is being a part of Rack And Ruin Records whose goal was to pick up home recorded music. The trio`s music is at times full-fledged to extend to the space, at times it is nervously brooding searching for backdoor to leave behind shortages in mind. At times provokingly primitive, at times showing up more sophisticated compositions through psychedelic progressions, artsy progressive rock-alike piano taps and even adding some field recorded sounds to the blend. There is even up one immersive jazz inclined composition called Para Jazz which now and then resembles Sun Ra, the huge mystic in the pop culture. One seems to be true – these guys probably have enjoyed their sessions altogether. Ultimately I could acknowledge that the issue used to grow up on me.

[Teaser of the day] The Shining Men - At Home

• Ambient techno
• Industrial techno
• Leftfield
• Ambient noise
• Avant-techno
• Experimental techno

Artist: The Shining Men

Release: The Great Brain EP

Label: 17 Sons Records

Year: 2011

Alternative links:

Jamendo

A Century of Covers - Belle and Sebastian Tribute (2006)

The Breakfast Jumpers

/Cover, Twee pop, Indie pop, Jangle pop, Fuzz pop, Electro-indie, Conceptual, Alternative pop, Indie folk, Punk rock, Alt-folk/

Comment: indeed, it is a 20-track tribute album for Scottish combo Belle & Sebastian after their 10 years of activity and 7 long players. Given that it could be said it would be great honour for every band to have cult following over a relative short span of time. Stuart Murdoch led combo continued the tradition of The Smiths in a more folk inclined mode though the band`s another obvious influence is being legendary Arthur Lee and his combo Love from the 60s/70s. However, there are up such combos to do not give a damn – The Sad Snowman, Perturbazione, Austin Lace, BillieThe Vision &The Dancers, Canadians, Hell On Wheels, Mixtapes & Cellmates, John Wayne Shoot Me, Mr.60, Tokyo Overtones, Prague, Tom Willman, The Niro, Tall Poppies, Le Man Avec Lunettes, Kawaii, Against Lupa feat. The Buzz, Spring Sale!, and Bob Corn. Beyond the predominant light-hearted twee and jangle pop and folk blended layer there are up some exceptions either – for instance, Spring Sale!`s Get Me Away From Here, I`m Dying is a hirsute punk/pub rock version and Perturbazione do cover in Italian; Mixtapes & Cellmates` provides a spellbinding fuzz/noise pop version of Photo Jenny; John Wayne Shoot Me`s version of Waiting For The Moon To Rise makes up a journey due to a beguiling synth vamp, melody dodges and sensual female voice. The cover print also brings forth the dynamics being overwhelming on the miscellany. In a nutshell, it is a solid tribute issue to an eminent combo. Let`s swallow it. 

[Teaser of the day] Brandon Strader - Sweet Wet Nectar

• Mood music
• Electronic pop
• Smooth fusion
• Easy listening
• Synth fusion

Artist: Brandon Strader

Release: The Wettening

Label: Self-released

Year: 2012

Cemetery Cemetery – Cemetery Cemetery

Lastfm

/Fuzz pop, Indie pop, Jangle pop, Dream pop, Shoegaze, Lo-fi, Alternative pop/

Comment: the first experience of mine with Santa Barbara, California, US-based quartet was being at the end of the 00s while I was avidly discovering the netaudio-based music (mostly at lastfm and later through Archive.org). Probably I came into contact with them thanks to the Borrowdeer Records related compilation which involves many artists representing diverse attitudes and persuasions (mostly alternative folk, free folk and electronic/indie fuelled starting points). The collective has been active in the first half of the 00s and this short-running, 7-tracks issue was issued in the meantime then (I was not able to find out the exact year of it). However, musically it is a charming chapter due to Tim Meyer`s soft vocal delivery and jangly guitar chords with DIY attitude which quite much resemble the aesthetics and opinions of artists related to Slumberland Records, an imprint from the same state, for instance. The release embraces catchy songs (for instance, I`ll See Your Key where Tim Meyer`s dreamy vocal is backed up by slightly murky keyboard chords and uplifting refrain; Thousands And Thousands involves many fab dodges and twists on the harmony and melody level due to sparkly guitar work, Meyer`s daydreamy vocal flow and slight keyboard vamp). Thanks to the issue I can rediscover myself to be an ardent classic indie pop fan. Ina word, it is a great and rare issue indeed.

[Teaser of the day] Summer of Haze - GHΩS† ΩF DΩLPHIN

Lastfm

• Vaporwave
• Hypnagogic pop
• Leftfield pop
• Sampledelic
• Avant-pop
• Seapunk
• Electronic 
• Glo-fi

Artist: Summer of Haze

Release: Ω†Р∆ЖΣНИΣ З∆К∆†∆ 8 ΩКН∆Х СƱПΣРМ∆РКΣ†∆

Label: Oddot

Year: 2013

Alternative links:

Archive.org

Bandcamp

Far from Moscow – Forest (2011)

Far from Moscow

/Experimental electronica, Abstract electronica, Dream pop, Folk, Glitchtronica, World music, Ambient, Indie rock, Alternative pop/

Comment: the forest is being a holy place for northwestern nations of Slavic and Finnish origin in Europe, being a place wherefrom to get power, food and mind related inspiration to live off to the next day. Furthermore, the forest is being a cathedral in a direct and indirect sense, a source which is necessary to arrive at it again and again. By listening to this issue of 19 pieces you can hear stylistically diverse opuses and approaches, however, being more or less directly related to the woods. Many tracks on it are directly rooted with folk music though representing their music in innovative terms and arrangements. The artists might even be inspired to create the forest on their own terms rather than just providing reflections upon the real forest though this could be a rewarding task either. In any cases, the listener can discern sort of a parochial feeling being characteristic to the aforementioned area. I do not mind it in an insinuating way because the borders are necessary to give the phenomenon the shape and essence, sort of existential premiss. There are up a swarm of artists from Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. More profoundly, Spice Mouse, Antanas Jasenka, DakhaBrakha, Propala Gramota, Viljandi Guitar Trio, Arturas Bumsteinas, Port Mone, Imandra Lake, Andrey Kiritchenko and Ojra, Mari Kalkun, R&R Electronics, Pastacas, Astrowind, Talupoeg, Audio Z (T. Bajarkevičius), Argo Vals, Antanas Kučinskas, Ocheretyanyi Kit, and Iduvigik. 

[Teaser of the day] CementO - Near Infinity

Wavelike

• Free tekno
• Acid techno
• Industrial techno
• Leftfield

Artist: CementO

Release: No Man`s Land 

Label: Wavelike

Year: 2014

Alternative links:

Archive.org

Lastfm

Natural Snow Buildings - The Night Country (2014)

Vulpiano

Vulpiano

Mediafire

/Drone folk, Avant-folk, Chamber folk, New Weird France, Ambient folk, Space folk, Free folk, Dream folk, Post-folk, Experimental folk, Baroque folk, Leftfield, Epic/

Comment: depending on my mood I would call the French duo Natural Snow Buildings the best recent group worldwide in several times. No joke. Indeed, Mehdi Ameziane and Solange Gularte have been solidifying their inner and outer space experience on approximately 20 issues since the beginning of the 00s. Their music is actually much bigger than a sum of its components, however, creating the fabulous vamp over the listener`s ears on The Night Country. Although there are up 80 minutes to go it does not sound worn and boring at all throughout the course. In fact, the issue is craftily balanced due to representing spaced-out glimpses juxtaposed next to woolgathering and idyllic explorations (for instance, Eli`s Song, Season of the Slasher). Furthermore, it is quite pointless to categorize the moments of pure beauty and transcendental bridging from one galaxy to another. If you are feeling yourself a little bit lonely and depressed in the apartment in a town then this 11-track gives wings to you to fly outwards and farther until the spot of you is going to fade away. By denoting the duo`s sound by tags above I shall have to admit it is quite ill-suited to call this sound “weird folk” because such sort of soundscape seems to be thoroughly immanent, natural and full-fledged. However, by doing it nevertheless I assume you do know why I did it and what I meant. Given that a drawn-out talk is a shitty case and to end it I just say grab this divine issue and let`s immerse in a fragment of music of the spheres.

[Teaser of the day] Burial In The Sky - Serpent Of Monotony

Torn Flesh

• Death metal
• Technical metal
• Math metal
• Grindcore
• Progressive metal
• Art metal

Artist: Burial In The Sky

Release: The Psychosis EP

Label: Torn Flesh

Year: 2013

Alternative links:

Bandcamp

Soundcloud

Spiedkiks - Take Off Your Make Up (2013)

Rec72

FMA

/Funk, Hip-hop, Urban music, Electronic pop, Tech-house, Drum and bass, Remix, Big beat, Alternative dance, Sampledelic, Alternative pop/

Comment: Spiedkiks is a German duo whose influences seem to extend beyond their native krautrock tradition which is also represented on this 7-track issue though in a lesser extent. In the opening track Ear Conflict On Main Street the listener could recognize Kraftwerk-ian slightly buried vocalizations stranded in the midst of a funky mayhem (by its accents and timbre resembling Computer World in the first place). By going on, lots of rhythms of slightly different kind would be added to the melting pot by getting inspiration from the vocal-based plunderphonic aesthetic and 80s/90s acid techno and big beat and hip-hop spawned energy. The mix is spiced up with upbeat guitar hooks and hirsute riffs. The duo has set up their pace very firmly to arouse sentiments under your hat and activating the listener`s dance inclined synapses at your extremities. There is also a fabulously spacey tech-house remix by Dominik Berlin. The finishing track Kitchen Suite is a frantic, 13-minute long blend for the afterparty including more calmed down, classical music sections and cinematic funk explorations being juxtaposed next to acidic robot funk, enthrallingly nervous hip-hop scratches and drum and bass/jungle based rhythmic obsessions. Eventually it can be said it is time to pick up this issue and the follow-up Little Smartphone People to your music drawer. It is definitely worth any of its moments. 

[Teaser of the day] Roger McGuinn - St. Clair`s Defeat

Free Music Archive

• Folk
• Americana
• Cover
• Singer-songwriter

Artist: Roger McGuinn

Release: Folk Den Project

Label: Folk Den Project

Year: 2009 

Irish – Destructions LP (2007)

Jamendo

Negative Artwork & Sounds 

/Experimental electronica, Lo-fi, Synth industrial, Breakcore, Drone, Avant-garde, DIY, Drum and bass, Leftfield, Psychedelic/

Comment: I wrote about Kengo Miyazaki aka Irish`s previous issue, called Manufactures (2006, MinusN) for almost four months ago. Similarly to Manufactures Miyazaki continues to explore electronic borders and churn electronic dark matter by positing electronic rhythms next to synthesiser induced whiffs, though, both of these compartments are being warped in a way to create psychedelic sensations and kind of whirling feel. All of that is subject to many stylistic turns and phase and pitch shifts. I cannot understand is he doing it tongue-in-cheek or having serious attitude. Throughout the course inferior lo-fi sounds are running alongside with “serious” industrial drones and even epic progressions (the last one third is truly bewitching of the ending track Welcome Home (Hulot)). For instance, listen to Broken Smile and just trying to understand it – is it jungle/drum and bass music or not at all? If it is the fact then in which way it used to relate to other drum and bass/jungle artists? Miyazaki as a sonic hooligan used to destroy gravitational mass around the listener to free him/her to get ascended and veered away. However, the geniuses are not objects to be judged. Holy shit as you have already understood.

[Teaser of the day] Quonset Slut - Fuck Backwards

Distance

• Ambient rock
• Dark ambient
• Doom rock
• Soundscape
• Stargaze
• Post-rock
• Minimalism
• Guitar ambient
• Avant-rock
• Experimental rock

Artist: Quonset Slut

Release: Quonset Slut

Label: Distance Recordings

Year: 2011

Milky Way Wishes: A Kirby Super Star Tribute (2013)

Ocremix

/Chiptune, 8-bit, Chipbreak, Brass pop, Crossover, Urban music, Alternative pop, Poptronica, Tracker music, Metal, Conceptual, Nintendocore, Electronic pop/

Comment: Ocremix.org is a site for music activists and artists who are being enthusiastic for searching and creating with regard to the videogame music. This time a bunch of artists who have created 23 compositions are being keen to pay tribute to such men as Dan Miyakawa, and Jun Ishikawa who created a game called “Kirby Super Star”. However, do not make adverse opinions about the issue because that hint does not mean this tremendous mixed bag involves 8-bit/chiptune/chipbreak progressions only. There are also up enthralling guitar driven and orchestrated (with or without brass sections) opuses with obviously different sound quality rates. For instance, Sixto Sounds exploits punchy metal drums, powerful guitar riffs and overwhelming orchestrations with a hint at mariachi music. PrototypeRaptor reveals his preferences in the vein of hip-hop, soul, and R`n`B music, of course, set out in his own terms. By going on, gentle melodies and light-hearted, volatile motives are also represented over there to spawn good sentiments and touching sensations for you. In fact, the release is a tickling quest for the listener to rediscover new undercurrents, sonic plateaus and highlands and densely crossed styles being still possible to be dug out from some compartments of pop music. There are represented such musicians as halc, Insert Rupee, Geoffrey Taucer, Usa; PROTO-DOME, Ergosonic, Sir NutS, Brandon Strader, Hylian Lemon, Mazedude, Benjamin Briggs, OverCoat, Monobrow, OverCoat, Sixto SoundsPrototypeRaptor, The OverClocked Plaid Muffins. Few tracks are composed in collaboration between some of the aforementioned artists. In a nutshell, let`s listen to this smorgasbord of two discs and find out your cup of tea.

[Teaser of the day] Alexandre Bilodeau - ÃÃÃÃEnergy (Paul Keeley Remix)

Epsilonlab

• Tech-house
• Electro-house
• Hi-NRG
• Remix
• Electronic dance music

Artist: Alexandre Bilodeau

Release: Energy

Label: Epsilonlab

Year: 2005

Os Clausas – Os Clausas (2013)

Sine3pm

/Minimal techno, Experimental techno, Motorik, Kraut techno/

Comment: less is more if to start off with some triviality. However, the Italy-based artist Christian di Vito aka Os Clausas` music is being far away from it. There are up experiments with more and less stern yet appealing techno patterns, noises and electronic drones. Furthermore, you can perceive ambient textures under the rhythmic mayhem. The favourite track of mine is DRSD which is a gentle echo and expansion of motorik rhythms by Klaus Dinger, and Michael Rother who constituted a seminal krautrock combo, Neu! for four decades ago. Indeed, representing static, repetitive rhythms in the middle which in turn are accompanied by a lurking hiss fuelled drone on one channel which will spread out stepwise. PP exploits reed organ shuffles juxtaposed against the cadences atop. The finishing track Milspec is funky on its own terms, however, arousing a more loosening feeling at the end of a day. This dainty issue is a part of the huge discography of the Italy-based imprint Sine3pm being a home for many more and less known artists worldwide.

[Teaser of the day] The Firstborn - Vajra Eyes

• Doom metal
• Post-metal
• Progressive metal
• Raga music
• Crossover

Artist: The Firstborn

Release: Lions Among Men

Label: Rastilho Records

Year: 2012

Mizukage Records Compilation Vol.06 (2011)

Mizukage

/Folktronica, Modern classical, Glitchtronica, New Age, Piano music, Dream folk, Experimental electronica, IDM, Kosmische Musik, Chamber pop/

Comment: this compilation proves that the Japanese music could stylistically be very varicoloured and eclectic, however, giving no damn regarding the content and verve. Indeed, the listener can discover lots of great compositions from there extending from keen folk and electronica mixed compositions to semi-mechanical loops and incisive digital noise blended torrents to breezy flute fuelled New Age-y motives to Moog induced spaced-out rhythms to quirky modern classical outputs where slowly slung piano chords are accentuated with fragile noises and bracing debris. In fact, the listener can discern how subtle melodies and sublime harmonies are juxtaposed against possible kind of form experiments thereby creating welcoming tension between these compartments. All of that reminds of My Bloody Valentine who was probably the first alternative rock combo being ready to introduce an inferior, noisy concept with fascinating melodies and enthralling gears. The miscellany involves such artists as fraqsea, Atnr, Sane Masayuki, Hajimeinoue, Oxyfog, Fugenn& The White Elephants, Go-Qualia, Shintaro Aoki, Waki, Himuro Yoshiteru, Tsunenori, Morning Dew, Yoshihisa Nagao, and Haniho Kyuden (Tominaga & Aiko). 

[Teaser of the day] Ruang Ketinga - Tetang Jiwa

Mindblasting

• Indie folk
• Alternative pop
• Indie pop
• Folk indie

Artist: Ruang Ketinga

Release: Ruang Ketinga

Label: Mindblasting

Year: 2014

Alternative links:

Soundcloud

TFSL - Tales From The Sleeping Land (2014)

Mahorka

Bandcamp

/Post-rock, Stoner rock, Space rock, Krautrock, Musique concrète, Psych-rock, Drone rock, Avant-rock, Doom rock, Experimental rock, Improvised music/

Comment: this alignment of heavy punching guitar spawned sounds used to create different emotions and sensations in my head. It is more joyous than most of the combos brought forth from the section of doom rock/spaced-out rock. Relatively I did mean. It might be TFSL`s 7-track issue is a less obsessive and more gliding one dedicated not only to survey the listener`s fucked-up state of mind but also providing a placebo to rise up your mind and soul. Let`s call it “the doom or stoner fusion” if you wish. However, the soundscape is powerful and overwhelming by giving only few moments for breathing and extending your muscles throughout a time span of approximately one hour. It is saturated with spacey guitar overdrives and mighty gong sounds to the extreme extent which used to move across the spectrum and penetrate all the layers being discernible on the scale. By now and then additionally to some more tranquil compositions the sonic brew is accentuated with some concrete sounds and signs reflecting upon the de-escalation at some extent. However, all these sounds are seamlessly related to each other or growing out of one another. All of that creates an immensely pleasurable context for your ears generating and unleashing new connections and associations. I am very glad that for a while after the elimination of the Iron Curtain there appeared solid experimental rock scenes in the Eastern Bloc countries. The recent project comes out of Bulgaria. The issue is a part of the discography of Mahorka imprint.

[Teaser of the day] Rebe - Bohemia

Clinical Archives

• Art rock
• Alternative pop
• Chamber rock
• Downbeat
• Experimental rock

Artist: Rebe

Release: La Maquina Olvidad

Label: Clinical Archives

Year: 2009

Alternative links:

Free Music Archive

Tuaiki - 惑星 28 (2013)

Poleporecords

/Post-rock, Indietronica, Experimental rock, Noise, Alternative pop, Shoegazetronica/

Comment: first of all, it was quite difficult to find out the albums with Japanese hieroglyphs from Internet (for instance, if you are having one exemplar at your mp3 player before and you are trying to find it out at WWW thereafter). However, finally I got it at Poleporecords site in Bandcamp. Tuaiki`s 5-track issue is a keen blend of post-rock induced panoramic yearning, affective rhythms and emotive layers of indie electronic and shoegaze-y examples and digitally formed noise vamps on the verge of the soundscape building up the welcome contrast to the former mentioned ones. Madness meets sensitiveness, heavenly beauty meets tectonic mud. The title track chimes like a free jazz-esque foray into the guitar drenched feedback noise and boldly stumping programmed beats. 何故、此処に居るのか私には分からない involves a stunning noise torrent with some vibrations within it. Indeed, much bangle is up there carved out with love and caring which used to cut through.

[Teaser of the day] Nuvem Leopardo - Narcisos

• Psych-rock
• Doom rock
• Experimental rock
• Hard rock
• Space rock
• Alternative rock
• Psychedelic rock

Artist: Nuvem Leopardo

Release: Revolver Mercurio

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp 

Year: 2015

Iris Garrelfs - Breathing Through Wires (2014)

Pan y rosas

/Experimental electronica, Avant-garde, Micronoise, Electro-acoustic, Spoken word, Live recording, Abstract, Sound-art/

Comment: Iris Garrelfs is an experienced musician/artist who has been active for almost three decades. This compilation involves 5 lengthy live improvisations recorded in the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2014. Her music consists of two elements predominantly – her vowel effects and voice bending is accentuated with minimal electronic components either being separated from her voice or coming out of it. At times she mimics the sounds of animals (duck`s quacks, swine`s belches, evil dog`s snarling), at times the music of her is layered and looped with multiple voices (some of them are slowed down into moaning, some of them are slightly speeded up), at times the listener can perceive more nervous and orgastic syllables juxtaposed against more tranquil, angelic voice appearances as if depicting the life course of someone. Her sound proves that a very minimal, stepwise approach on only one word (as the final track builds up in this way) with some sonic manipulations could essentially be enthralling and convincing. Iris Garrelfs´ music could be examined side by side with the likes of Meredith Monk, Laurie Anderson, Roomet Jakapi, Maja Ratkje, Jaap Blonk, Diamanda Galas, Michael Schiefel. In a nutshell, it is a thought-provoking legacy from the potent voice and sound artist. 

[Teaser of the day] Toxic Chicken & Joel Nobody - Youth Dementia

• Industrial techno
• Leftfield
• Glitch techno
• Avant-garde
• Noise
• Experimental techno

Artist: Toxic Chicken & Joel Nobody

Release: Nobody Likes Techno

Label: Poverty Electronics

Year: 2015

The Line Below (2012)

Soundcloud

/Indie rock, Dream pop, Jangle pop, Avant-pop, Electronic pop, Art pop, Alternative pop, Chillwave/

Comment: this compilation of 7 tracks involves outstanding indie music from the very beginning to the late seconds. Stylistically and technically it is mottled as indie music used to be, more concretely, extending from light-hearted yet thoroughly affecting guitar driven sonics to more artsy, keyboard/synthn and programmed beat driven experiments where the touch of human soul is deeply mixed up with machine dominated areas. The miscellany embraces such combos as Spakkiano, Murder, Husband, Welcome Back Sailors, His Clancyness, Karibean feat. North, and Wolther Goes Stranger. Furthermore, all these combos seem to come out of Italy. In a word, the Italian musicians in the compartments of progressive rock, disco music (Italo disco), noise music and motion picture soundtracks have earlier proven to be top notches worldwide. This time they proved they could produce fabulous, assured indie sound either. Get this must have package for yourself.

[Teaser of the day] Ail Fionn - Saz/Mandolin Jam 1

Archive.org

• Free folk
• New Weird England
• Improvised music
• Pych-folk
• Drone folk

Artist: Ail Fionn

Release: Les Hourquets, March 2005

Label: Self-released

Year: 2005

LA Screamin Popeyes - Save The Brainforest (1990)

TheLiving Archive of Underground Music 

/Avant-garde, Improvised music, Dada music, Synth pop, DIY, Field recording, Weird pop, Electronic pop, Art punk, Leftfield, Post-punk, Dance rock, Spoken word, Experimental pop/

Comment: thanks to this 9-track issue (the download version is zipped into the two lengthy tracks in total, though) I discovered a new platform for old, rarefied music, called The Living Archive of Underground Music which is curated by Don Campau. Indeed, it is time to discover amazing sonic examples from the past. First of all, I truly like the title of the album which was relevant many decades ago and is still today. By watching what is going to happen every day worldwide it is ridiculous and sad at the same instant. People make this shit happen to. Given that the singularity of human being used to diminish remarkably. Save The Brainforest reflects upon these deranged and oppressed tendencies excellently. In detail, it veers from robot-alike spoken word snippets and roughly processed guitar riff noises to psychedelic and orchestrated synth lines and such sort of improvised situations reminding of radio drama and sultry jungle encircled happenings. There are up some hilarious artsy (post-) punk and fucked-up synth pop/dance rock progressions either. Behind the project were Jeff Olson, and Carl Strong who recorded the issue on the 4-track tape machine set up on a kitchen table. With this fabulous issue the project did continue to uphold the Dadaist and obscure DIY tradition within the US-based music scene (The Residents, Big City Orchestra, Fantomas, Negativland, No-Neck Blues Band, Bob Chaos based imprint etc). 

[Teaser of the day] Guili Guili Goulag - Otmushtenie

Free Music Archive

• Electro-acoustic
• Avant-metal
• Post-metal
• No Wave
• Avant-rock
• Progressive metal
• Sludge metal
• Post-punk
• Crossover
• Math metal
• Experimental rock

Artist: Guili Guili Goulag

Release: Ib.Ex.Ib

Label: Self-released

Year: 2014

Alternative links:

Bandcamp

Libra Makowski – Drum Your Life (2011)

Jamendo

Archive.org

/Drum and bass, Electronic pop, Jungle, Speed garage, Breakcore, Trance, Remix/

Comment: this is the first album by Lublin, Poland based artist Libra Makowski (having been active since the end of the 90s) where he predominantly takes on bold drum and bass and jungle rhythms which are mixed up with some speed garage frequencies. Actually the result reflects upon the artist`s earlier music making experiences because synth/keyboard sounds presented over there used to run on in the vein of trance music and pop ambient/piano pop/classical music (for instance, the albums like Girlfriend Experience, and Cosmologic). For instance, Shaman Dance is a blend of jungle beats, trance-y synth progressions and tabla induced vamp. At times those stark beats are accompanied with sublime female vocal deliveries and growling radioactive grooves and prevailing synth overdrives (for instance, at City Lights). Consequently it can be said the artist search for balance between the sensibility of pop music and bouncy club dance oriented sentiment. 

[Teaser of the day] Pavel Ambiont - Svapna

Segmenter

• Deep dub
• Ambient dub
• Dub-techno
• Minimal dub
• Space music

Artist: Pavel Ambiont

Release: Peace Dub EP

Label: Segmenter

Year: 2008

Melinda Ligeti – Belonging (2015)

Acustronica

/Alternative pop, Singer-songwriter, Jazz. Doo wop, Mood music, Easy listening/

Comment: Melinda Ligeti`s 17-track issue could be considered both a branch of jazz music and mode of contemporary alternative pop. I mean artsy pop music, of course. Sonically it is light-hearted and quite gravitation free due to soaring vowel effects and singing mixing mode and contemplative string plucked chords thereby reminding of the doo wop tradition coming out of the 60s. Furthermore, the sentiment of bossa nova is not being far away from it. At times some keyboard sounds are added to bring forth either a more lively touch or more deeply thoughtful sensations within the blend. In any cases, Ligeti is adept to move the listener`s emotions with her fairly sensual vocal turns and lurking jazz compositions behind it. All the instruments are played by her and dedicated to her sons. In a nutshell, it is a potent retro futurist pop album.  

[Teaser of the day] Josephines - Made of Stars

• Psych-rock
• Blues rock
• Alternative rock
• Indie rock

Artist: Josephines

Release: Josephines

Label: Self-released

Year: 2015

Pizza Puppy – I Got Sunburned (2015)

Underground Core Collective

/Breakcore, Sampledelic, Electronic pop, Mash up, Breakbeat, Crossover/

Comment: by watching the cover prints of albums issued by US-based Underground Core Collective you can see obviously young musicians yearning toward their childhood and obsessions about certain things. About the Little Pony and pizza and burrito, about the sample-based and mash up culture, about the “cores” related to digital dance cadences and anime. Pizza Puppy`s 10-track issue is an organic blend of heavy bass thumping beneath and more light-hearted singing/rapping/chanting snippets. The artist is not ashamed of himself to merge slightly cheesy and “deep” elements together in a seamless way thereby fulfilling one of the pop formulas properly. Throughout the course you can perceive an incessant torrent of sounds and rhythms arriving and leaving and then returning again. More laid back spans are followed by remarkably more aggressive ones being represented even in particular compositions frequently. Let`s enjoy it. 

[Teaser of the day] Natural Snow Buildings - You'll Become What You Fear the Most

Vulpiano

• Drone folk
• Avant-folk
• Post-folk
• Epic
• Art folk
• Experimental folk
• Psych-folk
• Experimental folk
• New Weird France
• Ambient folk

Artist: Natural Snow Buildings

Release: The Night Country 

Label: Vulpiano 

Year: 2014

Alternative links:

Mediafire

The Stepkids – Wanderers (2014)

Soundcloud

Stones Throw

/Soft rock, Digital funk, Funk rock, Synth fusion, Doo wop, Alternative pop, Electronic pop/

Comment: the shortened Soundcloud version of Wanderers comprises three compositions veering a crossover attitude of soft rock, synthesised fusion and digitalized funk rhythms and robot pop. Although getting partly inspiration from the musical groups of bygone decades the issue`s general impression is very modern – all these production tricks with appearance of stereo effects and overdriven acid keyboard chords, layers of exuberant sonic minutiae atop used to gravitate toward catchy rhythmic structures and subtle singing. At times the singing chimes in the vein of the best doo wop tradition. You can even hear Miles Davis` funk-inclined shuffles through predominant jazz narratives. By listening to The Slap you can discern how it bridges the US-based r`n`b, funk and soul tradition to Italo disco and Kraftwerk-ian electro pop influences par excellence. In a word, it is a fine example of contemporary pop music. It is infinitely better than Lady Gaga, and Miley Cyrus, for instance (in fact, they are more products rather than musical output).

[Teaser of the day] Plastic Whore - Thirteen-Eleven

Lastfm

• Industrial 
• Death metal
• Trash metal
• Electro-metal

Artist: Plastic Whore

Release: Wet Planet

Label: Self-released

Year: 2004

Outer Gods - Ascend Unto The Seventh Throne (2015)

Drowning

/Drone doom, Drone, Ambient, Post-metal, Avant-metal, Experimentalism, Spoken word, Minimalism, Field recording, Crossover/

Comment: this issue consists of two lengthy compositions at which drone music, doom metal, and ambient are three whales the Atlanta, Georgia, US-based combo used to draw on. Although those sounds represented over there are frequently austere and bleak ones with little changes the result is highly emotive and galvanizing. Guitar based drones are densely interwoven with electronic sounds resulting in thought-provoking outputs. For instance, there are up some snippets where gloomy yet picturesque church bells and ambiances create sensations of impending doom. It is intriguing to hear how the layers of the issue are interconnected with one another and used to minimally change throughout these two lengthy courses – at times with immense even squelchy gravitational power, at times decelerated to a more minimal extent. All of that seems to be highly convincing at its uncompromising hustling. Stylistically it is puzzling to discern is it either metal-related music or drone/ambient oriented experimentations. At least, it does not make sense. Consequently it can be said it is one of the best issues in 2015 so far. 

[Teaser of the day] Ranon - To My Life

• Afrobeat
• Disco funk
• Dance music
• Afrofunk
• Ethnic electronica
• World music

Artist: Ranon

Release: Africa Edits

Label: Self-released/Trash Can Dance

Year: 2013/2015

The Death Sound - TDS: Year One (2008)

OFF/BRUMA

Lastfm

/Avant-garde, Noise, Experimentalism, Live recording, Spoken word, Psycho-acoustic, Electronic, Industrial, Leftfield/

Comment: I don`t know does deserve the project of Matt and Alex its name or not but music outstretched at a course of 77 minutes is fairly startling because pushing forward an avant-garde concept. However, the issue embraces some live recordings which are obviously less important and more confusing and quite tedious parts on it (for instance, The Birthday Party coming out of a length of 33 minutes). Otherwise, there are up plenty of incisive and thought-provoking electronic progressions being obviously influenced by the tradition of old school industrial music (Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, Big City Orchestra, Clock DVA). It includes off-kilter spoken recitations, ominously throbbing dance rhythms or more insolent and louder clanging, reverb-heavy steely rains, wobbling electronic wisps, squelchy synth progressions being interwoven with some spoken samples from having-no-idea-wherefrom. Those different rhythmic formations used to reflect upon different mental and spiritual states. At times the artist`s appearance can be highly immersive (for instance, Psychic Wave - Crest 2) or weirdly light-hearted while rejecting law of gravitation (For instance, The Zac Cunningham Throwing Up in His Bedsheets Memorial Benediction), a times presenting the lunatic´s lullaby songs (No Waking). The project reaches its goal by providing oppressive milieu to be coated over the listener`s mind. In a word, you must hear it. It rewards close listening for sure.

[Teaser of the day] Indigowave - Sidewalk

Soundcloud

• Alternative dance
• Electro-indie
• Indie pop
• Chillwave
• Alternative pop

Artist: Indigowave

Release: Sidewalk

Label: Self-released 

Year: 2014

Alternative links:
Lastfm