Aires - Fantasma (2015)

Bad Panda

Bandcamp

• Ambient drone
• Drone
• Epic
• Ambient
• Dark ambient
• Experimentalism
• Avant-garde
• Ambient noise
• Microtonal
• Minimalism

Comment: Portugal-based Vitor Bruno Pereia aka Aires & Rui. P. Andrade`s Pânico-Ambiente was one of the top notches in the previous year where picturesque sonic landscapes were seamlessly interwoven with subtle white noise elements which ultimately appeared to be an idiosyncratic top notch. In fact, Aires continues to explore the direction within this 3-piece issue, however, by adding some new growing elements and tones to the blend. For instance, he exploits some robot-soaked sounds at Fantasma I, and manipulates with ominous vibes at Fantasma III thereby entering into the area of dark ambient (although the first two-three minutes are put down to a subtle electro-acoustic manipulation). All these elements used to spring up gradually as if a minimal music record with a specifically winding thread and point. Although the issue is pre-dominantly guitar driven the guitars are not a purpose on its own but just being an instrument which are subjugated to be sublimely manipulated and warped. The issue is a part of the discography of Bad Panda Records. In a nutshell, the result is a solid follow-up to Pânico-Ambiente.

Brother Saturn - Tales Of Space Exploration 35-42 (2016)

We Are All Ghosts

We Are All Ghosts

• Ethereal Wave
• Modern classical
• Post-rock
• Experimental rock
• Ambient rock
• Abstract
• Soundscape
• Avant-rock
• Epic

Comment: this is another issue in the series of Tales Of Space Exploration by an artist, Drew Miller aka Brother Saturn who continues to explore the ongoing themes of travel, desolation, home and loneliness. However, musically it is startling of how music could be so enthrallingly epic and beautiful that one could not find proper words to describe it for. At least I have some problems to deal with it. More profoundly, its beauty seems to be extended to the point where most of the whole`s chords chime in a minimal, and thereafter abstract way. Lower chords of the guitar are variegated with higher, more theme-leading, majestic ones by an electronic keyboard which in turn consist of light repetitions, slowed down progressions and lone accessory chords. For instance, by listening to I`ve Never Felt This Before chimes like a revelation being pristine and picturesque at the same time. At the time when the winter still continues to show its features while being slightly weakened by some sublime threads of the spring it sounds like an example of seasonal music. By its intimate yet cohesive construction it reminds me slightly of Pan American`s opus Quiet City (2004, Kranky), and Labradford`s music in general. In spite of clocking in at a 82 minute one could not find tired of it at all. Furthermore, thereafter you are very ready to find out Drew Miller`s previous issues, especially those of being a part of the aforesaid series. At the moment it is my most favourite issue being released in 2016 so far. The issue is a part of the discography of We Are All Ghosts.  

[Teaser of the day] Art Sonic - Something in the Air

No-Source

• Indietronica
• Indie pop/rock
• Acid pop
• Organic electronica
• Electro-indie
• Musique concrète
• Synth rock

Artist: Art Sonic

Release: Roadside Sketches

Label: No-Source/Acustronica 

Year: 2012

Thee Outside – Deaf Disco (1997/2010)

Year Zero

• Drum and bass
• Jungle
• Experimental
• Alternative dance
• Breaks

Comment: this issue of 12 tracks was initially released in 1997 whereas the British music scene was virtually shook by a wave of Britpop which started off sometime in the mid of the 90s and on the other side there was up the club dance scene of drum and bass, jungle, speed garage and house music of becoming more apparent on the mainstream ground. Indeed, these styles of dance music come to provide something refreshing for more demanding music lovers. On the other side, some of those artists whose music had had a remarkable influence on the aforementioned styles decided to stand off or set their steps otherwise to continue stubbornly their very own idiosyncratic path. Such true pioneers as Aphex Twin, Mike Paradinas-led projects, Dryft, Luke Vibert, Venetian Snares, Squarepusher would go underground again. Thee Outside`s music in connection with artistic and aesthetic approach did have a similar, wide-ranging behaviour with regard to going beyond the boundaries of dnb/jungle music in a curious yet sapid way. Musically the artist used to loan from other adjacent styles yet exploiting deviant sonic effects in a great amount to the compound which appeared to be relatively uncommon then. All those details are accentuated and amplified in a truly poignant way. Although the nature of Deaf Disco is exquisitely experimental it might be as one of the most accessible notches in the discography of Year Zero. Let`s enjoy the dexterity of British people to generate poppy sounds for our pleasure. You should take time to concentrate and behave in the way it is repeated in a rhyme at Empty Mind - /empty your mind of all thoughts and distractions/you`ll lose yourself to become the music/. 

[Teaser of the day] Sora Shima - Monsoon

Archaic Horizon

• Post-rock
• Space rock
• Experimental rock
• Ambient rock
• Guitar ambient
• Epic
• Avant-rock

Artist: Sora Shima

Release: Distancing EP

Label: Archaic Horizon

Year: 2007

Pink Priest – beko_31 (2010)

Beko DSL

Bandcamp

• Dreamwave
• Leftfield
• Avant-garde
• Drone
• Ambient
• Hypnagogic pop
• Glo-fi
• Micronoise
• Chillwave

Comment: recently my mind and soul was psyched by an Estonian indie show, Nestor & Morna at Raadio 2 where Siim Nestor played a song by The Dreams, the French duo who has appeared for many times in the discography of an imprint called Beko DSL. Indeed, I got reason to go back in time while I had listened to the label`s music for much more than I used to do recently. In any cases, one should do it again and again. There were up many groups and one-man projects in the label`s list who gained in popularity later. For instance, Death And Vanilla, Memoryhouse, Cankun, Dirty Beaches, Raw Thrills. On the other side, at the end of the 00s and in the beginning of the 10s there were up many styles which become to appear to influence indie scenes worldwide and even mainstream music worldwide. More profoundly, I do consider such styles as chillwave/hypnagogic pop and witch house/drag house in the first place. Indeed, myspace as a music platform to rev up the artists to gain fame has eventually resulted successfully for The Arctic Monkeys only. A new generation of artists then believed more in music blogs, small record labels (Woodsist, Not Not Fun, Patient Sounds, CLLCT, Beko DSL, Rack And Ruin) and music distribution by their own. The Bandcamp would appear soon. The US-musician Cody Watson aka Pink Priest is one of such sort of artists whose music used to drift between and across the aforementioned styles. The first platform of him is certainly the sort of music recorded in home and probably in his bedroom, and on the other side his outright dreamed-out and slowed down music used to refer toward escaped moods where dreams are built up to be bigger than life. In fact, it is to be much bigger than your fucking, ordinary life. It is quite puzzling to imagine where would be the home place of his music, where would it be to settle down. Obviously it is not a cosy place because those warped vocals, gentle waves of droning and slightly solemn yet somehow ill-omened sonic threads give no support for any pop-oriented point. You are left alone altogether and while listening to it for more and more you are not going to long for it. Instead of it, Sleepyhead, and Get Haunted will grow faster on you than you would have expected it. It is for the fans of Sun Araw, Lee Noble, Ducktails, M Geddes Gengras. Of course, get other issues of Cody watson via Bandcamp for yourself. 

[Teaser of the day] Miquel Parera Jaques - anx07-04

ComputerMusicNeix

• Experimental electronica
• Avant-electronica
• Abstract
• Minimalism

Artist: Miquel Parera Jaques

Release: anx07

Label: ComputerMusicNeix

Year: 2005

Randy Spike – Trans Sister Radio (2016)

Bandcamp

• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Guitar ambient
• Noise
• Non-music
• Space rock
• Noise rock
• No Wave
• Leftfield
• Drone
• Experimental rock
• Avant-rock

Comment: Randy Spike is a poet, painter, and musician from Long Island, New York whose uncompromising, staggering issue used to run in the vein of the mentality of the No Wave movement, an outgrowth of innovative rock music whose forerunners were Andy Warhol, and The Velvet Underground and its members side projects (Angus Maclise, Lou Reed, John Cale). What Have You Learned? is the most long-running and mind-boggling composition at Trans Sister Radio (indeed, the word “sister” in this context may denote “Sister Ray”, one of the most radical benchmarks in the holdings of The Velvet Underground) imbued with slightly buried monochromic, metallic-tinged noise eruptions being backed up by spoken word threads and spectral samples of the sacred music. Finally it rings out like a harrowing instance of symphonic music which could be compared with the doings of Glenn Branca, for instance. Could it be tagged “grey noise”, for instance? It is a frantic, dada-alike appearance saturated with overwhelming emotions such as anger, desperation, anxiety, and eventually resignation to some extent. The other two tracks are more noise rock-oriented wherein Randy Spike exploits more conventional patterns and vamps in an unconventional, writhing way to variegate his formidable result. At moments the listener can perceive elements from the minimal music, at other times his music harks back to the drone music and the Theatre of Eternal Music. Singular Gape Waves is a sublime progression due to the amplifying, sinuous effect of the bass thudding which ultimately chimes like sinister ambient music. Who dares to say thereafter that noise music is not sexy altogether? In a word, it could be said the recent year started off with a big bang.  

[Teaser of the day] Frenklah - Shinkansen

Dusted Wax Kingdom

• Psychedelic
• Breaks
• Nu jazz
• Sampledelic
• Cinematic
• Trip-hop
• Hip-hop
• Alternative

Artist: Frenklah

Release: Tokyotape EP 

Label: Dusted Wax Kingdom

Year: 2016

Jane Siberry – Shushan the Palace: Hymns of Earth (2003)

Bandcamp

• Christmas songs
• Art pop
• Covers
• Chamber music
• Orchestrated music
• Conceptual

Comment: it happened actually some days ago when I mentioned the Canadian meritorious singer Jane Siberry (born in 1957) as one of possible influences of such new and very interesting artist as Eva Neves Pereira aka Rarareruri whose soundscape is innovative in her mind-boggling crossing of disparate and earlier fringe era styles such as glitched-out minimal electronica, glo-fi, ambient pop. However, Jane Siberry has been active for many decades whereas having released a battery of albums.  It is the Canadian`s third Christmas-themed release, following 1994's Count Your Blessings, a live concert she performed with Holly Cole, Rebecca Jenkins, Mary Margaret O'Hara and Victoria Williams, and 1997's Child: Music for the Christmas Season. In 2003 she interpreted several Christmas liturgical hymns by classical composers like G. F, Händel/C, Jennes; J. S, Bach/S, Franck; F. Mendelssohn/J. F Von Bunsen; F, Layritz/J. C, Mattes/K, Spaeth; G. Holst/C. Rossetti; E, Poston; J, Rist/J, Schop. Although the Christmas time is already long behind the artist`s music arouse solemn and purgative feeling to the listener`s soul. Orchestrations behind her evocative singing are duly arranged having no excessive, bombastic broadening which frequently could sound in a feigned way. It could be said the bunch of Jane Siberry`s Christmas song would freely be up there to chime on the 24^th and 25^th of december.

[Teaser of the day] |sistra| - Love is a Verve

BFW Recordings

• Indie pop/rock
• Alternative pop/rock
• Dance rock
• Indie dance
• Alternative dance

Artist: |sistra|

Release: All My Friends Were Dead

Label: BFW Recordings

Year: 2011

Klangstorm - Live at The Custard Factory on 1998-05-14 (1998)

Archive.org

• Krautrock
• Fusion
• Improvised music
• Funk rock
• Live session
• Ambient
• Psychedelic rock
• Jazz rock
• Experimental rock
• Space rock

Comment: the Klangstorm`s 32-minute gig at The Custard Factory in Birmingham, United Kingdom almost 18 years ago (it was the heyday of Britpop then over there) starts off with an vignette of ambient music which soon will erupt into a bass, drums and guitar induced propulsive soundscape. Indeed, the bass guitar used to thud properly and the drums add additional rhythm power to it, the solo guitar used to lead the improvised parts throughout the course. Indeed, there are up a lot of key changes and tempo changes which provide volatile nature to the whole. Furthermore, at a 14 minute all the aforesaid elements used to collapse into an airy, ambient interlude by synths which are accompanied by mercurial guitar flows and more serious, monotone bass chords beneath. All of that eventually results in the funky jam thereby reminding of a mid-period of the Teutonic legends CAN. Indeed, Robbie Wood`s guitar playing resembles Michael Karoli`s one conveying different patterns through frantic changes in chords and chilled out incantations. In a nutshell, the whole is an enjoyable jam being the first in a series of the quintet`s sessions at The Custard Factory. It has a historical value for sure. 

[Teaser of the day] Daemon Rising - Decimate the Heavens

Stillborn Twins

• Death metal
• Grindcore
• Technical metal

Artist: Daemon Rising

Release: Daemon Rising

Label: Stillborn Twins

Year: 2016

The Strange Story of Joseph Schenck - S/​T (2010)

Inglorious Ocean

• Post-rock
• Indietronica
• Alternative
• Cowbell indie
• Ambient
• Electronic music
• Experimental rock
• Mood music
• Art rock

Comment: the last issue of an imprint called Inglorious Ocean which got letter space at Recent Music Heroes was Sub Noir`s Reflex, an issue of made up of influences of IDM, indie electronica, and concrete sounds. This issue seems to be quite similar in some respect though providing more post-rock allusions to the 4-track blend. However, it does not mean it is a somehow guitar dominated, crescendo directed experiment. Instead of it one is drawn into a Tortoise/Mice Parade/The Dylan Group-influenced terrain of minimalism, progressive rock, art music, electronic music, and indie rock/indietronica. The Bruxelles, Belgium based artist`s music used to relentlessly drift within those styles and boundaries as if being hurried up to create possibly many combinations and textures altogether in a certain amount of time. In spite of it the issue`s course used to meander in a slow and tranquilized mode which are at times accentuated with syllables and words and concrete sounds . Guitars are deftly combined with electronica or used to run alone previously being prepared or processed. With regard to the cover print it could be admitted the greyish tone is predominating over there. In a nutshell, I recommend to listen to other issues under Inglorious Ocean additionally because I have found no issues so far being somehow disappointed to my mind. Manual dexterity meets beauty meets calmness.

[Teaser of the day] Reef Frequent - Struggle for Air/Drifting Away

• Avant-rock
• Post-rock
• Electro-rock
• Experimental rock
• Dub
• Electronic music

Artist: Reef Frequent

Release: Afterlife

Label: Bloody Carpet

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Mart Avi - Tuvalu (A Song of Longing)

• Post-pop
• Avant-pop
• Art pop
• Baroque pop
• Singer-songwriter
• Electronic
• Techno pop
• Chamber pop
• Ambient pop

Artist: Mart Avi

Release: Humanista

Label: Bandcamp/Self-released

Year: 2015

The Red*Eyes – The Red*Eyes (2011)

Interplanetary Floral Star

• Avant-rock
• Noise rock
• DIY
• Experimental rock
• Industrial music
• Experimentalism
• Dada music
• Lo-fi
• Avant-garde

Comment: the first chords of the self-titled issue of the trio of Ed Landis, Ross Martin, and Eric Hunter Bruno reveal that it is recorded as a self-indulgent production. Indeed, it embarks on with hand clapping at Doctor Janikowski as if actors coming up to the stage. Later on, the frantic canard of guitar induced sounds is ready to penetrate through tiny slots of the listener`s brain. Indeed, the concept is thoroughly experimental and mind-boggling – the reversed lo-fi guitars are up to create invigorated background for buried vocal deliveries which at times are variegated with drowsy ambient electronics and programmed beats. It might remind of early releases of the Fall (for instance, Perverted By Language), The Residents, old school industrial/post-punk acts like Cabaret Voltaire, Clock DVA. Especially Banana Compost Phase #4 used to run in the vein of the last mentioned style. More profoundly, it is ticklingly nihilistic and dada induced anti-pop piece. The final piece High Gain exploits shimmery guitar chords and explosive noise dynamites to create tension and contrast inside the track throughout the course. The issue is a part of the discography of a label with the uncanny name, Interplanetary Floral Star.           

Rarareruri – Wet Pillow Syndrome (2015)

MiMi

Bandcamp

• Electronic pop
• Art pop
• Ambient pop
• Glitch pop
• Avant-pop
• Glo-fi
• Experimental pop
• Singer-songwriter

Comment: Eva Neves Pereira aka Rarareruri`s 15-track issue used to trudge across different pathways of contemporary pop music which is about to loan from everywhere – from rough underground to exquisite mainstream. However, there is no possibility to do it otherwise. It is quite impossible to invent new kind of sonic borders to operate within. There is no potency to do it due to physical and temporal constraints which wrap up our human life. However, Rarareuri is a poignant artist with her own touch which is extracted from glitched-out pop, IDM, freely played synths and loosely programmed rhythms. She is an artist who is searching relentlessly for balance between experimentation and pop format – for instance, let`s listen to I love everyone; I mean... Mankind, I love mankind and Could've, Should've, Would've (I Kinda Did) you could enjoy the pop ditties coming back from charts of the future. By kindred souls there can be drawn parallels with the likes of Grimes, Possimiste, Jayne Lakissova, Julia Holter, Iris, Kate Bush, Jane Siberry.

[Teaser of the day] The Hathaway Family Plot - An Easy Winter (Instrumental)

• Modern classical
• Post-classical
• Post-rock
• Epic
• Avant-garde
• Acousmatic music
• Experimentalism
• Experimental electronica

Artist: The Hathaway Family Plot

Release: The Easy Winter Instrumentals EP

Label: Bandcamp/Self-released

Year: 2016

Der Zirkus brennt – A Heap of Broken Images (2015)

Archive.org

Free Music Archive

Bandcamp

• Post-rock
• Post-classical
• Chamber music
• Mood music
• Modern classical
• Piano music
• Ambient
• Crossover
• Art music

Comment: these nine images are about piano based music where the mostly restrained chords used to simmer from track to track with some tectonic dodges into guitar induced noises. Much such sort of will be happened at Spy From The Void, Star Smugglers, and Wilhelmina where unknown ghosts will enter into the nature of the tracks in a knock-down way. On the other side, Days Before Winter for instance embraces very exactly the mood due to the title. It is fairly picturesque due to lonely chords and emphasized space between them. There are up exquisite cool jazz vibes meeting an austere chamber ambiance. It could be said the trio of Dario Mambro, Marco Di Vita, and Federico Bernacchi tries to relentlessly search for the balance by interlacing moody music with artsy advancements. In a word, one will get calmed down and then get excited and thereby living up to the listener`s expectations. At times the trio`s sound chimes like a subtle breeze coming from nowhere to accumulate and gain in artistic and aesthetical terms. That`s a fulfilling formula for creating music for sure. By kindred souls the issue could be compared with such artists as Max Richter, Bosques De Mi Mente, Hauschka, Nils Frahm, Ólafur Arnalds, Lubomyr Melnyk.

[Teaser of the day] Yo La Tengo - Friday I`m In Love [The Cure]

Soundcloud

• Indie pop/rock
• Cover
• Dream pop
• Alternative pop/rock

Artist: Yo La Tengo

Release: Yo La Tengo: October 10, 2015 Kings Theatre

Label: Nyctaper

Year: 2015

KFC Murder Chicks – Golden Age Of Cross Mystery (2014)

cOmaRecOrdz

• Ambient
• Breakcore
• Avant-electro
• Industrial hip-hop
• Noise-electro
• Avant-hop
• Experimental hip-hop
• Bhangra
• Electro-clash

Comment: As the artist`s name suggests music oozing out from this 5-track release must be frenzied and noisy. It might be even thoroughly frenzied and noisy. Indeed, it is true, it is downrightly true because all of that used to rely on squelching yet exquisitely craved bass thumping which works out like the black hole by those three chicks named as Stella, Beatrice, and Stephanie. Stylistically it is hopelessly puzzling to categorize it because of loaning influences from different places and slots. Furthermore, as a result it is an example of sophisticated and elaborated synthesis where one could discern to be somehow familiar with and on the other side all of that seems to be fairly new to refresh and inspire your mind and soul, respectively. As a result, it is both exploratory and entertaining, being at times funny and amusing, being at times elegantly aggressive and violent. Maybe it is a sort of hip-hop, maybe it is a stoned version of bhangra. Is it a glowering version of electro-clash at the time the electro-clash as a style is already dead? It might be. Those bold and rough clusters of electro-hop rhythms, some high-pitched vignettes and fast lyrics reciting constitute the quintessence of the outing. However, the only exception is Making Up For That where the artist enters into the sinister realm of dark ambient music which is a plateau for elusive ghosts and ominous apparitions. Indeed, by listening to the track it makes me to startle about how the trio in liaison with their producer DJ Rozwell could be so versatile to be able to drift between different genres in such organic way. All in all, it could be admitted to be an outstanding poltergeist induced issue. Thank you, KFC Murder Chicks, thank you, cOmaRecOrdz!           

[Teaser of the day] Wepwawet - Annual Osiris Feast At Abydos

• Dark ambient
• Avant-garde
• Industrial illbient
• Dytopbient
• Musique concrète
• Epic
• Post-industrial
• Experimentalism
• Black noise
• Martial industrial
• Organic electronica
• Industrial techno
• Avant-techno

Artist: Wepwawet

Release: The Book Of The Netherworld

Label: Radio Stalingrad

Year: 2014

JTPE - Segment II EP (2014)

Upitup

• Drum and bass
• Breakcore
• Experimental hip-hop
• Jungle
• Spoken word
• Urban music
• Avant-hop
• Remix

Comment: this handful of tracks by the Nijmegen, Netherlands-based artist embarks on with a track called Blacklisted which consists of precisely measured monochromic industrial hisses and jungle-hued cadences and some syllables and vowel effects atop here and there. The course will be continuing in a softer mode with a little bit faster yet bouncy rhythms (Koffie Door Een Rietje). However, the following three pieces are rendered similarly like the first track had been managed to run. Indeed, those machine and technology induced signs reappear to stimulate your subconsciousness and alter your state of mind. For instance, at Bedroom Junglist the artist unites aggressively surfacing rhythms, ill-omened exhoes and hisses with spoken word snippets in a sophisticated manner therefore giving it the elusive touch to grasp it one must listen to it many times in a row. Indeed, representatives of artificial intelligence have ultimately won here, however, having discovered delight and happiness coming out from dancing and dealing with music. All in all, it is a top notch for sure regarding the rhythms oriented music scene because of overwhelming power and exquisite artistic creativity. Of course, it is highly recommendable to get the artist`s Segment II-B issue which contains all of those B-sides, outtakes which did not get placed on the relevant release.      

[Teaser of the day] Satanoise TV - Koko

• Sampledelic
• Avant-garde
• Epic
• Soundtrack
• Micronoise
• Cinematic
• Experimentalism

Artist: Satanoise TV

Release: No Music For The Films 

Label: Malware Label

Year: 2016 

Various Artists - Hi-Five! EardrumsPop's 5 Year Anniversary Compilation (2015)

EardrumsPop

• Indie pop/rock
• Jangle pop
• Shoegaze
• Alternative pop/rock
• Twee pop

Comment: if you want to get the overdose of indie/alternative pop music then listen to this magnum opus by EardrumsPop which contains 38 tracks in total. Of course, the term “indie music” says nothing about it because so different genres and styles have been incorporated into it over many years and even decades. By that it might even be tautological to describe musically contemporary pop music as indie/alternative pop. Furthermore, the scheme could be even fuzzier by considering that not only mainstream music did loan from alternative/indie pop but vice versa either. If earlier the term stands for small independent imprints being separated from mainstream labels then later these imprints got sold by the latter ones. Later on, such instances as weblabels, Archive.org, Free Music Archive, lastfm had been a home for indie music and today Bandcamp as a growing platform is getting more and more recognized to represent a genuine idea of independent distribution as to indie/alternative pop. However, EardrumsPop artists` roots mainly come out of the 80s jangle and twee pop (mainly they were the C86 compilation related artists) music which resorted to ironically naïve and thereby elegantly self-confident attitudes within the indie music scene thereby conveying a lot of viable impetuses to the style to get evolved into something powerfully flourishing and beautiful. There are represented such artists as The Marble Man, Tomiji, Lost Tapes, Vukovar, Making Marks, Ralegh Long, Uncle Rico, The Paris Work-In, Monster Bobby, The Just Joans, Are You Feverish Ian?, The Royal Landscaping Society, Marc Elston, Ceremonies, Shekon, The Lost Cavalry, Finnmark!, The Pinefox, Kids On Bikes, Boyish, A Little Orchestra, Sleeping Policemen, Tiny Fireflies, The Color Waves, The Swapsies, Evripidis and his tragedies, L & M Kingsize, Cape Canareval, Laura K, The Very Most, Helena Sundin, Niko Niko!, Antony Harding, Colin & The Clarys, les bicyclettes de Belsize, Onward Chariots, and Little xs for Eyes. Most of those artists are already familiar for those who have enjoyed previous issues under EardrumsPop. Happy birthday, EardrumsPop.

[Teaser of the day] Smõuk - Maailma lõpp ja algus

• Hard rock
• Stoner rock
• Heavy metal
• Psych-rock

Artist: Smõuk

Release: EP_2013

Label: Bandcamp/Self-released

Year: 2013

Cuarto / Indiosingracia - Krilin Split (2016)

La bèl

• Folktronica
• Folk indie
• Experimental pop
• Art folk
• Indie folk
• New Weird Italy
• World music
• Post-folk
• Ethnotronica

Comment: I am very glad that the Italy-based imprint La bèl is back with their brand new one which is a split album for Cuarto, and Indiosingracia. Indeed, both artists provide a handful of tracks the former is more world music/ethnic music centred and the latter`s concept used to rotate around the more orthodox folk and electronica tinged concept. On the other side, this differentiation is indirect and contingent just based on some diverse chords and tendencies between the two artists. The most important thing is that the result is consistent and accomplished from start to finish having no signs about weak and accidental compositions. A common thread is that both artists provide instrumental music despite there are represented some vowel effects now and then. Of course, all those tiny fragments and bits which used to appear over there have significant weight and impact. At times those suits can ring loosely yet consistently and elegantly as if it were produced near the campfire (I mean it indirectly). Cuarto´s Harco´s e-mail is an example of blissful crossover which consists of world rhythms, free jazz/improvised sonic mist and folktronic undercurrents. As I said previously I am very glad that La bèl is back with their brand new one…which used to reflect upon such sort of music they are the masters of pertaining to (with regard to the likes of Plusplus, Nick Rivera, Elisa Luu, for instance). Get this and the previous ones under La bèl. 

[Teaser of the day] The Hirundu - Let Me Go (Here It Comes Again)

• Anti-pop
• Avant-pop
• Post-punk
• DIY
• Experimental rock
• Dada pop
• Electro-rock
• Industrial pop

Artist: The Hirundu

Release: Weird

Label: Pitch And Putt/self-released

Year: 1990

Deaf In Italy – A Series of Simple Gestures (2012)

Lumi

Lumi

• Synth pop
• Electronic pop
• Indietronica
• Post-punk
• Minimal synth
• Ambient pop
• Neoclassical
• Synthwave
• Shoegazetronica
• Alternative dance
• Darkwave
• Art pop

Comment: this bunch of 13 tracks used to be quite rare because of being one of two issues being ever released on Lumi Netlabel. In general, it might be an example of synthwave issue because all those sounds seem to be produced by electronic keyboards only though stylistically the release will vary throughout the course. For instance, one of my most favourite pieces within it Fragments Behind Colour has been managed to trudge at an interface between shoegaze, darkwave and concrete music. Indeed, the ill-omened tendencies in sonic creation could be traced in other compositions either, for instance, at Matter In Motion (there are up even some ambient and post-punk progressions thereby reminding of Durutti Column`s aesthetic, for example). In other tracks the music is virtually dominated by minimally designed synth progressions with subtle ambient flavours. Furthermore, not only synthesizer- induced sounds do arouse one`s minds and feels because there is a flock of rhythms of diverse kind which used to draw mind-boggling patterns and all of the at will be amalgamated into the synergic whole. The listener could feel himself/herself to be subjected to intriguing audible manipulations and compounds where no one could feel himself/herself lonely. Even if he/she feels himself/herself lonely then it is a quite different sort of loneliness because of being caused by a crafty aesthetic burden which necessarily comes over you. It could finally be said Deaf In Italy`s A Series of Simple Gestures is the solid streamlined drift between poppy indie electronica and elegantly rejecting dark-hued art pop. 

[Teaser of the day] Cyberdread - Mescalito

Jamendo

• Chill out
• Chilltronica
• Progressive house
• Club dance
• Mood music
• Electronic pop

Artist: Cyberdread

Release: Mouse Music

Label: Jamendo

Year: 2010

Hanetration – Coiled Fire EP (2016)

Bandcamp

• Post-industrial
• Micronoise
• Drone
• Avant-garde
• Dystopbient
• Ambient drone
• Experimentalism
• Electro-acoustic
• Abstract
• Electronic music

Comment: Hanetration`s two previous works Acid Reflux EP, and Waldsterben were added to the list of best albums in 2015 by the Recent Music Heroes blog. Indeed, I made it with no least hesitation. Undoubtedly it stirred up great interest regarding the UK-based artist`s next issues to surface in the future. Here it is, the brand new one, 9-track Coiled Fire EP which is the one and same Hanetration by the idea yet providing new, astonishing compositions into spaced-out drone reliefs which sound like the lunatic`s downshifted dreams being beset with electro-acoustic scars and crackling microscopic strains. All of that used to result in an uncanny, even frightening world which seems to be both real and beyond the borders of our cognitive world. On the other side, one could clearly discern the artist`s dexterity to manipulate with loosely bound compositions of being composed of different counterparts yet injecting a decidedly refreshing and propulsive verve into it. It would be proper to be tagged as "post-music". If it were an outing by Kanye West or Justin Timberlake it would be recognized and famous worldwide. It could be said this issue is one of the best issues in 2016 so far.           

[Teaser of the day] David Evans - Microsoundwave

Free Music Archive

• Drone
• Microtonal
• Abstract
• Mircrosound
• Experimental electronica
• Avant-garde
• Acousmatic music
• Experimentalism
• Micronoise
• Electro-acoustic

Artist: David Evans

Release: Domestic Cinema

Label: Wood & Wire

Year: 2013

Alternative links:
Bandcamp

[Teaser of the day] Eureka Brown - Crystal Clear

Digitalia Records

• Dream pop
• Alternative pop
• Art pop
• Cinematic pop
• Post-pop
• Indie pop
• Glo-fi

Artist: Eureka Brown 

Release: ¡Digitalia!

Label: Digitalia Records

Year: 2009

[Teaser of the day] Kobi - Or Out West To The Narrow Opening

Silber

• Ambient pop
• Organic electronica
• Art music
• Space pop
• Musique concrète
• Drone pop
• Improvised music
• Alternative

Artist: Kobi

Release: Outwards From A Core Area In The North

Label: Silber

Year: 2005 

[Teaser of the day] .zigo - Asokal

• Dark ambient
• Art music
• Post-classical
• Post-industrial
• Acousmatic music
• Avant-garde
• Sound art
• Experimentalism

Artist: .zigo

Release: Rumiterio

Label: Plus Timbre

Year: 2016

Tortoise - 1992-04-13 - Lounge Ax (1992)

Archive.org

• Post-rock
• Progressive rock
• Electronic music
• Improvised music
• Live session
• Experimental rock

Comment: firstly, I did not like Tortoise`s last issue The Catastrophist (Thrill Jockey) because I felt as if the legendary Chicago, Illinois, US-based combo had tried to reinvent a new formula of pop music while having no enough faith in it. The result was quite sleazy and superficial. On the other side, I have no hesitation to show up their legacy to be one of the greatest among the indie and post-rock scene during the last three decades. Furthermore, John McEntire, the vibraphone player, keyboardist and drummer and producer of the combo has contributed at many fascinating albums with regard to Stereolab, Yo La Tengo, Bright Eyes, Radian, Jaga Jazzist if to name some of those ones. This 9-track gig at Lounge Ax was obviously one of their first performances whereas having issued no albums so far. Many compositions which appeared here were added to their first eponymous issue. Although Tortoise`s music is being generally tagged as “post-rock” if to dissect it this consists mainly of progressive rock, electronica, dub, krautrock, minimalism, and concrete sounds. Indeed, the combo has exploited elements of the aforesaid styles in different combinations throughout 24 years. It could be said this 41-minute issue is one of such sort of although it might sound a little bit clumsy because obviously having had no enough experience yet to interplay with each other in a more fast and cohesive manner. By regarding the Tortoise`s narrative to prefer instrumental compositions it is surprising enough to discover a track with vocal delivery called Lonesome Sound. It is disturbing that one could hear chitchatting while the combo is playing. The set is ended up by Ry Cooder, one of the most well-known compositions by Tortoise.

Morgan Sadler - Go On (2011)

Happy Puppy

• Singer-songwriter
• Indie folk
• Canadiana
• Folk indie
• Folk

Comment: Morgan Sadler is a singer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada whose single Go On won a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best Song 2009-2010. Indeed, the ditty is great due to fine fragmentation of properly dosed and dreamy singing and somniferous instrumental parts beneath it. Been Known To, and Going Nowhere are certainly more ceremonial and conventional ones where Morgan Sadler`s vocal is unveiled and the chords are more bold and naked-tailed to be set out for poppy boasting and mainstream appeal though making sense enough to accomplish the whole.

Josef Blo - The Studious EP (2011)

Dusted Wax Kingdom

• Hip-hop
• Sampledelic
• Cut and paste
• Soul-hop
• Cinematic
• Breaks
• Urban music
• Sound collage

Comment: although this issue of 11 fragments is a short-running one clocking in at a 14 minute the result is at times exceedingly amusing. For instance, the opening piece Tradition starts off with a funny music hall vignette and cut-up beats and somewhat buried yet funny vowel expressions. However, later on, the music by the Canadian producer Josef Blo used to evolve into soulful progressions and even cinematic flickers which are reached by exploiting heavily sampling and cut and splice technique. It embraces a bunch of scratches, broken beats and hovering synthetic sounds and orchestrated parts all of them being fondly spliced and reiterated thereby representing the cut and paste/sound collage music rather than the pop-oriented product. On the other side, it does not mean it is nothing to do with poppy music – for instance, listen to Get Stoned and indeed, you get stoned due to those beatific harmonic movements and synergy between different elements. In a word, grab this album from a pre-eminent jazz/soul/hip-hop/broken beats/sampledelic music imprint, called Dusted Wax Kingdom.

SAD - Crystal Faces (2011)

Ruzzinet

• Breakcore
• Electro pop
• Alternative dance
• Deep house
• Synth pop

Comment: by analysing the coverprint of this 3-notch issue you might presume of this music to be something fairly infantile and done with toys, for instance. However, the result is an example of great electro propulsions with chopped vocals and hovering atmospheric synth lines. By considering the coverprint once more one might assume something playfulness within it and he/she is not wrong altogether. As we know very well the puerility and playfulness often used to stick together. The second track Hipnolist involves synth pop frequencies to be added to crunchy electro cadences. Marvin is even more one step farther because of recruiting sublimely bouncing house-y vibes and softened vocals to the mix. Who could expect that after listening to the first a couple of compositions? In fact, the kind of versatility is the privilege of accomplished artists. Indeed, the result clocking in at a 21 minute is fascinatingly filled with pleasant surprises and sustainable threads. The issue is a par tof the discography of Ruzzinet. 

[Teaser of the day] Umculo Isipho - Phulaphula

Bushmen

• House
• World music
• Lo-fi
• DIY

Artist: Umculo Isipho

Release: Mwowethu

Label: Bushmen

Year: 2014

[Teaser of the day] Tont - Bassid langevad lovesse

• Experimentalism
• Organic electronica
• New Age
• Musique concrète
• Dub
• Abstract
• Avant-garde

Artist: Tont

Release: Rändurvaim

Label: Trash Can Dance

Year: 2015

Volfoniq – Ernest (2011)

LibreCommeLair

Free Music Archive

• Dub
• Reggae
• Tango
• Raggamuffin
• Crossover
• World music
• Electronica

Comment: Volfoniq is the Frenchman Nicolas Sorbier who has issued a bunch of albums over Internet in recent years. Ernest consists of 11 tracks which used to rely on Jamaican styles of special kind – dub, reggae, raggamuffin. However, all these styles are sprinkled with some European sounds – accordion chords coming out from the streets of Paris, there are also represented the vibes of tango music with electronic frequencies which was widely popularized by Gotan Project. On the other side, the Jamaican styles are interlaced with ethnic drum sounds of Asian origin. In a word, musically it is an iridescent release providing enough delight and some overwhelming turns for your pleasure.

Of Montreal 2008-10-10 Roseland NYC (2008)

Nyctaper

• Indie pop
• Alternative dance
• Psychedelic rock
• Live session
• Alternative pop
• Funk
• Folk indie
• Soul
• Indie folk

Comment: Of Montreal is one of the most well-known artists coming out from the so-called The Elephant 6 Recording Company. The Denver, Colorado, US-established company involves such artists as Neutral Milk Hotel, Beulah, Olivia Tremor Control, The Ladybug Transistor, and M Coast, Apples In Stereo among many others. Musically these combos make difference against each other though sharing exquisite playfulness, aesthetical curiosity, artistic freedom and fondness for music of going beyond genres and styles. Furthermore, it was not unusual that the projects altogether used to share one and the same members (for instance, Jeff Mangum was or has been a member of such combos as Neutral Milk Hotel, Elf Power, Major Organ and The Adding Machine, Circulatory System, The Apples In Stereo, Synthetic Flying Machine). Of Montreal is the project of one of the collective`s founders, Jeff Mangum and this gargantuan set of 26 songs with a total length of 107 minutes is an example of the quintessence of the Elephant 6. There are up fine examples of energetic indie pop songs with strong hints at psychedelic and acid pop undertaking which might even remind of the New Weird America movement at the time, funk and dance-appealed frequencies, and more programmed synthetic and design pop. There was presented a cover version of Nirvana`s Smells Like Teen Spirit in the set. Moreover, one could perceive more or less humorous moments seeping out from those numerous sonic layers. By the way, one of the ditties was performed while Jeff Mangum was riding almost naked atop of a white horse. You could see the magnificent horse and a contemporary Dionysios riding on the picture above. In a nutshell, it could be said all the people who attended the gig got satisfied. 

[Teaser of the day] Futurebandit - F ᴬ ᴸ ᴸ ᴵ ᴺ ᴳ

• Vaporwave
• Chopped & Screwed
• Leftfield
• Soul
• Downtempo
• Experimentalism
• Abstract hop
• Chillstep
• Avant-hop
• Glo-fi

Artist: Futurebandit

Release: Falling Out Of Time

Label: Aloe City

Year: 2015

Plastik Kettle – New Horizons EP (2011)

Elpa

• Alternative pop
• Electro pop
• Robot pop
• Electronic pop
• Synth pop

Comment: The Sardinia, Italy-residing musicians Alessandro Pintus & Corrado Caocci have said they are inspired by the universe of robots and their profound passion for the synthesizers. By watching the title of their first issue Our Toys Are Better Than Yours (2007, Elpa) the duo`s statement gets cemented further. Their sophomore issue New Horizons EP proves also that the music of Italian combo is a highly subtle undertake on robots and electronic keyboards. The flow is iridescent due to warped yet graceful vocals and elegantly bouncing electronic rhythms full of (artificial) solar rays and organic synth templates. In a word, if this issue were a part of the discography of a well-known artist it would be widely recognized. The issue is a solid notch in the discography of the Latvian imprint Elpa music.

Verãopop – Nouveau Shamanic LP (2015)

An Out

• Drone
• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Electronic music
• Improvised music
• Psychedelia

Comment: Verãopop consists of a couple of musicians – Nelson P. Ferreira operates behind the drums and theremin and Vitor Bruno Pereira plays the keyboards and sings (in true, he does not do it on this 3-track issue). The issue embarks on with heavy pounding which soon will be accompanied by psychedelic electronic sounds, noisy cymbals, static loaded synths and stalking drones. Furthermore, one could perceive how the duo presents all these elements with different loudness and aesthetical intensity. At times the listener could perceive quite ill-tempered and even threatening moods which, in true, do not last for long. Frequently the lsitener coul discern sounds being played simulatenously (polyphonically). Indeed, all these elements will constitute the row of thought-provoking sonorous combinations throughout the issue clocking in at a 24-minute. The issue is a part of a Portland, Oregon, US-based imprint An Out Recordings.

[Teaser of the day] La Confraternita Del Purgatorio - Paura & delirio dal Barbiere

• Avant-prog
• Experimental rock
• Avant-fusion
• RIO
• Dada music
• Psych-rock
• Avant-rock

Artist: La Confraternita Del Purgatorio

Release: Le Palle

Label: Tandori

Year: 2015 

Petitoto – Le Petit Circus (2015)

Totokoko

• Primitive pop
• Toytronica
• Electronica
• Alternative

Comment: oh yeah, the babies are singing, or at least the adult persons mimicking their babbling and vowels. However, musically it is the extraordinary experience because of providing such infantile threads and cunning hypocorism throughout the course. Furthermore, the idea is good and it is expertly accomplished. The vowel layers are backed up by dreamy toy chords and low-end synth semi-orchestrations which are at times saturated with somniferous crunching and different kind of sonic effects. The issue is a part of the discography of the Japanese imprint Totokoko.