Bouwakanja – Incantation (2016)

Pavillion36 Recordings

Free Music Archive

• Dub 
• Electronic music 
• Experimental electronica 
• Electro 
• Breakcore 
• Alternative dance 
• Wonky 
• Ambient techno 
• Hip-hop 
• Urban music

Comment: in the first track there are up occult, wonky Jamaican dub rhythms which later will be complemented by more Western elements though it is still disputable by its nature. However, it is a bit of voodoo/witch man stuff anyway where the witches prepare their audio systems in the way to have an addictive impact on the listener. It involves many different vibes and cadences and thereby this 15-notch outing can be considered the sort of breakcore issue. More profoundly, from dub and electro to post-dubstep and skidding synthesised frequencies and uncanny electronic propulsions to noisy interludes and undulating wonky vibrations. At Rhino one can experience being sustained by a deep/ambient plateau being backed up by crunching, needle-shaped rhythms. That's very epic and dynamical and narcotic simultaneously. It is followed up by Potemkin, the spacey electro hip-hop per excellence. Indeed, the listener undergoes many metamorphoses though some of them are microscopic ones and used to succeed in a logical order to one another. So yeah, there are represented both change and homogeneity/consistency. The issue is a part of the discography of Pavillion36 Recordings. It is the French artist under the French imprint. In a word, it is a solid French case.

Nick Yulman – Warsaw Machines & Songs (2012)

Bandcamp

• Indie folk 
• Alt-folk 
• Singer-songwriter 
• Art pop 
• Electronic 
• Folk indie 
• Avant-pop 
• Post-pop 
• Music Hall 
• Vaudeville music 
• Americana

Comment: I can remember for an excellent album, Twitches issued by Nick Yulman aka Bone Conductors in 2008 being one notch in the compartment of Outstanding Music at Recent Music Heroes. That's was great. That's was great to listen to this new sort of American Dream in sounds. In fact, Warsaw Machines & Songs used to continue in a similar manner though the accents are slightly different throughout these compositions. You can hear a contemporary music hall and vaudeville music metamorphosis within it. It is especially staggering at Things Are Other Things. It is so. It is so.... . It is so damned beatific and beautiful. Similarly as Sufjan Stevens used to do. Ten for Ten is an abstract clockwork composition yet arousing some warm sensations inside you. It is artsy and affectionate at the same time where a field recording and goofy laughing chord are set up to loop and then they are traded for a gentle machine-like flicker to interplay with hazy guitar chords. True craftsmanship. The same could be said about Island Is Gone. It is a top tier in the contemporary Americana. The point of it is not related to these formal elements only it is also about the relationship between them. At Head Strings Yulman sings in the silent zone we stand alone and spend the afternoon on their own. Usually it might be a quite simple phrase but how it is ached for it makes blatantly sense. Bloody loneliness yet which is highly needed to conjure up great aesthetics. That's organic synergy and because of that it is so appealing either. Killer in a soft way.

The Gifted Children – Autumn Ghosts (2010)

The Gifted Children

• Indie rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Jangle pop

Comment: this handful of compositions is a very short case by an American group who has issued enough beautiful indie/alternative pop issues since the previous decade. Indeed, it can be considered as such one though because of short span of it this chimes like one track only. Jangly guitars are accompanied by beatific synthesised progressions and wondrous orchestrations and compelling piano taps and cozy male vocals thereby ultimately reminding of the Christmas coming soon. Indeed, it is ennobling and solemn. At the moment it is the Advent to still go further for one week. So cast off autumnal ghosts from yourself and be ready for the beginning of the winter on the 22nd of December. In a word, it is very pro by any means.

[Teaser of the day] Our Subatomic Earth - Sublimity

• Post-metal
• Screamo
• Ambient rock
• Crossover
• Experimental metal
• Post-hardcore

Artist: Our Subatomic Earth

Release: Aesthetics

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2010

[Teaser of the day] Chenard Walcker - Polpetta

Free Sample Zone

• Plunderphonics
• Sound collage
• Afrobeat
• Avant-pop
• Funk
• Afrofuturism
• Sampledelic
• Alternative dance
• Psychedelic
• Afrofunk
• World music

Artist: Chenard Walcker

Release: Echolalie

Label: Free Sample Zone

Year: 2004

The Bourgeois – The Bourgeois (2015)

Jamendo

• Punk rock 
• Indie rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Garage rock 
• Noise rock 
• Ska

Comment: this handful of tracks is a strong appearance of energy of blues and rock and roll heritage which in turn is converted into a contemporary garage and alternative rock slam. The name of the musical group used to ironically refer to our our every day's life I suppose. I reminds me of McCarthy's ditty We Are All Bourgeois Now which was covered by Manic Street Preachers, the faux-communist/leftfield group a kind of whom Joseph Stalin called for useful idiots. Of course, the punks are cool but untrustworthy by their nature who used to demonstrate their stubbornness in principles yet who are ready to betray their principles for money or a bottle of alcohol. And the effect and scope of their aesthetic is way too flimsy to could have had a long-running intriguing impact. On the other side, for instance, the stances of the post-punks are more sustainable and intriguing because of having the impulse of changeability within it thereby reflecting upon the life in a more trustworthy way. Of course, the energy of punk rock within other styles is frequently something really enjoyable and staggering. For instance, the US-based duo The Bourgeois (Zach Mobley, and Ty Clark) dissolves it in different directions from Sonic Youth-esque psyched-up noise rock (Be Your Own Machine) to skidding ska numbers (Electric Shock Value). It is really pleasant to follow the singer's timbral formations from one tone to another, from mind-blowing madness to more sedative moments. For example, at Perverting The American Dream one can hear him singing almost in Tim Burgess-like style and tonality at the beginning but later it will be fleshed out due to more powerful appearance with variegated shades within it. All in all, get it and will be the dog of it.

[Teaser of the day] Juanjo Palacios - Pantalàn

Audiotalaia

• Dark ambient
• Soundscape
• Neoclassical
• Avant-garde
• Musique concrète
• Post-classical
• Sound art
• Experimentalism
• Field recording

Artist: Juanjo Palacios

Release: Portuario

Label: Audiotalaia

Year: 2011

[Teaser of the day] Slutever - So Prone

• Punk rock
• Riot Grrrl
• Fuzz rock
• Alternative rock
• Indie rock
• Shitgaze
• Garage rock

Artist: Slutever

Release: Pretend To Be Nice

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2011

The Star Pillow vs Tacet Tacet Tacet – Concurrence (2016)

Laverna

• Ambient 
• Space rock 
• Doom rock
• Avant-rock 
• Improvised music 
• Trance rock
• Experimental rock 
• Avant-garde 
• Ambient rock 
• Krautrock

Comment: in truth, the talented musicians need no rehearsal time to cake a delicious food. There is up such a case where three musicians met each other for the first time and decided to improvise a set at the studio. More profoundly, Paolo Monti (The Star Pillow), Francesco Zedde (Tacet Tacet Tacet), and Angelo Rondine (The Swan) provide a set of three compositions which is saturated with clouded synthesisers, murky guitars and stomping yet infrequent drums to drift somewhere between doom-laden rock, krautrock, and ambient (rock). At times it is just a state of mind as if the soundscape used to stand still and hover at one point. Indeed, it is a blissful daydreaming on its own. In general, these magic moments used to move in and out or just changing places with more moving progressions. The listener can discern aesthetically evoked tensions within the trio`s soundscape of being both aesthetical/mental and physical kind. It is also a battle field for an impulsive power and the inertia. By kindred souls there can be drawn parallels upon the likes of Slowdive`s Pygmalion, Labradford, Silber Records-related artists, Flying Saucer Attack, Saito Koji, Glenn Branca, for instance. It is one of the issues in 2016 and being a part of the roster of Laverna.

[Teaser of the day] Monster Rally - Moondog

• Exotica pop
• Alternative
• Breaks
• Cinematic
• Mood music
• Post-pop
• Electronic music
• Hip-hop
• Chilltronica
• Sampledelic

Artist: Monster Rally

Release: Mystery Cove LP

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp 

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Airless Project - The Ghosts In Your Mind Are Not Afraid (Of You)

• Avant-rock
• Experimental rock
• Electronic
• Krautrock
• Space rock
• Noise rock

Artist: Airless Project

Release: Drowning In Mist

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp 

Year: 2013

Decktonic – Unbox Me (2016)

Bandcamp

• Electronic pop 
• Alternative pop 
• Poptronica 
• Alternative dance 
• Electro pop 
• Acid electro 
• Synth pop

Comment: New Yorker, US-native Christian Montoya is a tough guy with regard to his previous doings within the electronic and dance pop world. Although he has not reached to be known worldwide the quality of his music deserves it already. For instance, listen to his pseudonymous Miami Slice's Brooklyn 2 Brooklyn (2014, Hairdu), and Disco Cuts EP (2013, self-released/Soundcloud). The recent 5-track issue is an amalgamation of acidic electro pop propulsions, blinking synthesised pop gears and light-hearted electronica and danceable vibrations. Maybe it is not obviously visible but the aforementioned elements are profoundly imbued with club dance (house, techno) elements. You can catch a glimpse of it but there are not represented any of these elements in the pure stylistic way. Start Up is retrodelic by its nature because of reminding of Pet Shop Boys due to those bombastic hooks and majestic blasts therefore inducing charm and an inner chugging to the composition. Montoya exploits female vocals which is an always functional way to such sort of music. The favourite of mine is Out Of Space where the light yet mind-blowing rhythm is accompanied by spacious synthesised hovers and flickers. In fact, the same could be said about the subsequent (and final) piece as well. At times he is helped with vocals by Daniel Davis, and someone denoted as kitty. And that's enough for to constitute something very stunning. In a nutshell, the result is a top gear.

[Teaser of the day] 2muchachos - Fruity Journey

• Chillwave
• Dreamwave
• Hypnagogic pop
• Indie pop
• Glo-fi
• Dream pop
• Alternative

Artist: 2muchachos

Release: Summer Vacation EP

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2010

[Teaser of the day] H Stewart - Dear Empty Ears

Clinical Archives

• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Sound poetry
• Experimental electronica
• Sound art
• Electronic music
• Noise music
• Leftfield

Artist: H Stewart

Release: De La Souffrance

Label: Clinical Archives

Year: 2007

Chravis Phranklin – Loosened Cheap (2016)

Bandcamp

• Synth-rock 
• Electro-rock 
• Alternative rock 
• Indie rock 
• Post-punk
• Crossover 
• Dance rock 
• Screamo 
• Post-hardcore 
• Alternative dance 
• Indie dance

Comment: I like this bunch of 7 compositions by a US-based artist, called Chravis Phranklin. By the way, this is not a first appearance by Travis Franklin at RMH but under this nom de plume it is the first appearance here indeed. Although those earlier appearances (as a part of YALL, and gummy) were also good enough to be praised this album hits you at a greater extent with catchy hooks, resigned and scarred vocals and noisy feedbacks where an electro (and even chiptune-ish flickers), grunge, post-hardcore, screamo and post-punk blended cast is set up to catch a bigger fish into the net. His ability to set out great songs is obviously showcased here. For example, listen to Drumset, a stunningly hedonistic indie dance/pop song with post-punkish roots. It is like a tiny wave which used to progress rapidly into an overwhelming avalanche of involving many disparate elements to fling them to the shore with one intention within it, though. What's next? I guess the artist is going to elaborate the recent concept though at Error the first chords may foretell his further plans to abandon a rock-based template and enter into the dance and electronic music scene like many post-punk musicians did once or more recently Kevin Parker of Tame Impala did it (Tame Impala's Currents is a stunning bastard from the previous year though at first I did not get into it). At least he seems to be talented in this regard as well. All in all, the result is fairly good and deserves a notch in the list of the best albums of the year of 2016 at RMH.

[Teaser of the day] Blues For Spacegirl - Glacier Spins

Jamendo

• Ambient
• Kosmische Musik
• Alternative
• Soundscape
• Epic
• Crossover
• Electronic music
• Post-rock

Artist: Blues For Spacegirl

Release: Alice Springs

Label: Jamendo

Year: 2009

[Teaser of the day] Amitron_7 - Atonal Blues and the Brain Factory

Free Music Archive

• Electronic music
• Sampledelic
• Art pop
• Chilltronica
• Spoken word
• Indietronica
• Ambient pop
• Post-pop
• Mood music
• Alternative
• Experimental pop

Artist: Amitron_7

Release: Come Ye Sinners to the Gospel Feast  

Label: Enoughrecords/Jamendo/Archive.org

Year: 2014

Scott Lawlor – Experiments In Isolation One (2016)

CerebralRift

• Minimalism 
• Avant-garde 
• Non-music
• Soundscape 
• Experimentalism 
• Drone 
• Conceptual
• Abstract 
• Microtonal 
• Experimental electronica

Comment: first of all, during the first minutes of listening to this 78-minute long issue by Texas-based artist I had to take into account noise of the TV coming from a neighbouring room. Because of that I put on earphones to dive into a delicate universe of Scott Lawlor. Furthermore, it was quite surprising to discover that the US-based artist's concept resonated with the behaviour of mine. Given that his idea is to dig into the realm of sensory deprivation (aka perceptual isolation) and because of that being the area of study in psychology. Indeed, I am here to be as a guinea pig for this awe-inspiring soundscape. It can be admitted it is more a physical rather than a psychological and mental experience. At least at first glance I think. For sure, its psychological effect comes in a bit later because the effect of this droning lobotomy is something refreshing and detersive. Maybe it is comparable with the effect of antidepressants making a person feel himself/herself dull and torpid. Moreover, such an effect makes me unable to perceive the nuances of the recent soundscape – is it running at one pace only or does the artist provide some microscopic changes and phase shifts within it? I do not know. Additionally, there is a little to talk about in aesthetic terms altogether. Because the intention of these 78 minutes is something different. Let's continue in psychological terms – let's guess I am perceiving some odds and ends within it but could I be sure I have right at all? It might be my consciousness has already started to play tricks. However, at a 54-minute I am sure I heard/discerned a new layer to be added to the blend. All in all, it is better to follow the artist's initial idea and lost himself/herself under this sly and overwhelming avalanche. In truth, it did have healing effect upon me (I have had a shitty mood today). The outing is the first part of the trilogy of releases and a bit of the discography of CerebralAudio/CerebralRift.

[Teaser of the day] Lambchop - Directions to the Can (live at Hopscotch 2016)

Nyctaper

• Electronic pop
• Alternative pop
• Autotune
• Art pop
• Lounge pop
• Live session
• Soul
• Mood music
• Indietronica

Artist: Lambchop

Release: September 8, 2016 Hopscotch Music Festival (Raleigh, NC) 

Label: Nyctaper

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Faust - Jennifer

Free Music Archive

• Krautrock
• Experimental rock
• Art rock
• Live session
• Psychedelic
• Alternative rock
• Avant-rock
• Noise rock
• Proto-indie

Artist: Faust

Release: Live at WFMU Fest, Oct 1 2009 

Label: WFMU/Free Music Archive

Year: 2009

The Fucked Up Beat – Researches Ghostwaves and the Midnight Mysteries of Rhode Island (2016)

Bandcamp

Free Music Archive

• Avant-garde
• Sampledelic 
• Plunderphonics 
• Experimentalism 
• Leftfield
• Breaks
• Latin music 
• Electronic music 
• Hauntology 
• Mood music
• Trip-hop 
• Downtempo 
• Psychedelic

Comment: it is always great pleasure to meet with Brett Zehner and Eddie Palmer's new works and it is permitted at least twice a year. Musically their task has been to reflect upon some conspiracy theories mostly related to extraterrestrial beings and unknown flying objects. And aesthetically it could be described – always different always the same. Mammoth (a 48-minute monolith), one of the duo's albums released in 2016 was named very "indifferently" in comparison to the New York-based duo's previous works and also musically it involved new tendencies and patterns additionally to the already known ones (haunting cadences, buried speech transmissions, Latin music coloured timbres in an old-fashioned way, intriguing sample snippets). More profoundly, low and austere bass rhythms used to move on in an unstable yet elegant way therefore showcasing more experimental and minimal approach in comparison to their previous works. The recent 10-track outing seems to run more in a previous vein because of consisting of the samples of desperate accusations due to the government of hiding an information, for instance. These fabulous speech samples are accompanied by sharply soul-scratching, highly longing Latin oldies and loosely throbbing rhythms, and gleaming electronic ghosts. Additionally, one can hear tanpura drones, brass outbursts and manually played drums. The soundscape of the issue is highly dynamic, ghastly volatile and at the same time providing many parallel lines and notches. There are even represented some moments which come quite nearby to danceable music (at The Rouge Terror of Narragansett Bay/ Parks At Night Are Always Dangerous). Indeed, the song titles of the project deserve to be focused on additionally. In a word, I could not resist to the appeal of The Fucked Up Beat. Why should I do it at all? Let's go tripping back to the past because the right answer is this release is time machine. Every wave is new until it breaks even if it has been ancient and dust-eaten before (paraphrasing Neil Young – Rap id Tran sit). Similarly to Mammoth it is an excellent issue from the year of 2016. The more you listen to it the more you are getting lost within, the more you are getting out of here. By the way, recently they issued a brand new one, called Records Vanishing Crop Circles and Occult Rituals in the Future Age of Paranoia.

Andrea – Bedtime Stories EP (2012)

Bad Panda

Archive.org

Free Music Archive

Bandcamp

Soundcloud

• Design pop 
• Electronic pop 
• Remixes 
• Alternative pop 
• Post-dubstep 
• Poptronica 
• Synthwave

Comment: Paris, France-based artist Andrea`s (or AndreaLo) 7-track issue involves 2 original compositions and 5 remixes of a track, Work the Middle. With regard to the song titles and some voluptuous sighs within it this does have implicit suggestions at oral sex (Work the Middle, Going Down) and I guess the remixes depict a stage when a human being is inflected with a human papilloma virus and prone to different types of head and neck cancer. If to let that black humour aside I have to admit I like it. The album I mean, of course. I enjoy it though I am quite suspicious about the so-called design pop (which often embraces post-dubstep vibes within it) being very predominant today. You know one could produce it in his/her cellphone very easily and mostly is excessively polished and artificial. At times it lacks soul and spirit. Fortunately this case is mostly spirited and enjoyable to live up to one`s expectations. One is sure Andrea is indifferent toward post-dubstep neither substantially nor formally (at Bandcamp you can find out his version of James Blake`s I Never Learnt To Share). Work the Middle is remixed by such artists/producers as Kodak To Graph, Kyson, Real, Grobbie, and Splinter. The issue is a bit in the discography of Bad Panda. 

[Teaser of the day] DRGS - Arz

Hippocamp

• Mood music
• Poptronica
• Lo-fi
• Sampledelic
• Electronic pop
• DIY

Artist: DRGS

Release: A Load Of Old Drugs

Label: Hippocamp

Year: -

[Teaser of the day] Stealing Orchestra - The Darkside Of A Travesti

Free Music Archive

• Electronic music
• Brass pop
• Alternative
• Sound collage
• Sampledelic
• Big band
• Art music

Artist: Stealing Orchestra

Release: The Incredible Shrinking Band

Label: You Are Not Stealing/Free Music Archive

Year: 2003/2012

[Teaser of the day] Cherushii - Rudy`s Party

• House
• Club dance
• Electronic music
• Alternative dance

Artist: Cherushii

Release: Manic EP 

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Wave Temples - Visual Dream Guide to Telepathic Time Travel

• Alternative
• Electronic music
• Avant-garde
• Dreamwave
• Synthwave

Artist: Wave Temples

Release: Spring Ritual

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2015

Roswell Conspiracy – Les Fragments Anodins (2007)

Abyssa

• Electronic music 
• Kosmische Musik 
• Synthwave 
• Alternative 
• Space music 
• Ambient 
• Post-rock 
• Indietronica 
• Krautrock

Comment: this 8-track issue was released 9 years ago but its actuality could be even a bit more brought forth today than many years ago. Recently artists within the indie/alternative music exploit electronic devices as a main instrument to express their aesthetic and artistic ambitions. I am quite sure that soon such a sort of ambient music as represented here will be tagged as indie. However, it should not be surprising at all because history used to repeat itself. Its spiral curve was presented many decades ago with the appearance of krautrock with regard to its inner logic of development, from guitars to be left for synthesizers and for poignant electronic manipulation until it would have changed for a new beginning with other accents. It is partly movement, it is partly the consolidation of an old tradition, and the rejection of it. And sometime this pattern gets forgotten while the repetition is again thinkable. Throughout these 8 pieces one can follow these air and elemental part laden layers full of ennobling emotions and lofty sensations. In fact, its sophisticated technical side does not burn out emotions within it because it is artistically finely balanced. This awesome outing is a bit of the discography of Abyssa.

[Teaser of the day] Motionfield - Falling In Stillness

Autoplate

• Synthwave
• Kosmische Musik
• Soundscapes
• Ambient
• Electronic music

Artist: Motionfield

Release: Music for Pictures

Label: Autoplate

Year: 2005

[Teaser of the day] The Fig Mints (Of Your Imagination) - Get Out, Stay Out

• Psych-rock
• Garage rock
• Trance rock
• Indie rock
• Alternative rock

Artist: The Fig Mints (Of Your Imagination)

Release: Bad Choice Brigade

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp 

Year: 2005

Vernon LeNoir – Balkan Spezialitaeten (2006)

WM Recordings

• Sampledelic 
• Electronic music 
• World music 
• Alternative 
• Conceptual
• Plunderphonics 
• Sound collage 
• Avant-garde

Comment: these 20 minutes are as diversified and manifold as the chart of the Balkan peninsula used to be in front of our eyes at the globe. Indeed, in English the word "balkanization" refers to something hostile and excessively divided. In the context of this issue the meaning of the word would be exploited positively. It is based on samples being either adjusted with each other or superimposed upon. Musically it contains mainly the vivid rhythms of Gypsy music though one can hear Slavic languages and hints at them either. Indeed, the outing is not arbitrarily lopsided. There are also represented spoken word snippets in English and...ABBA additionally. Those light-hearted upper layers and predominant motifs are backed up by thudding basses beneath. In a nutshell, the artist gets right to create a carnival-alike milieu throughout the course. By kindred souls it reminds me of a little bit Russian projects Messer Chups, and Messer Für Frau Müller by its exuberant madness. By artistic side the inspiration for LeNoir were the poetry of Igor Dithyrambescu and the surreal interpretations of Tizian paintings by Anushka Hamedalidbegovic. The issue is a part of the discography of WM Recordings.

[Teaser of the day] Bockholt - The District

Jamendo

• Chilltronica
• Electronic pop
• Electro pop
• Alternative 
• Mood music
• Synth pop

Artist: Bockholt

Release: 2009

Label: Jamendo

Year: 2009

[Teaser of the day] Weldroid - Shanghai Madmen

• Tracker music
• Chiptune
• Alternative
• Electro pop
• 8-bit
• Alternative dance
• Electronic music

Artist: Weldroid

Release: Silicate Garden

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2014

Elvis Bordello – Harmony Beijing (2014)

King Of The Glitch

• Electro-indie 
• Leftfield 
• Alternative 
• Electronic 
• Experimental pop 
• Krautrock
• Leftfield 
• Indie 
• Drone pop

Comment: this bunch of 10 tracks is somehow oppressive and relieving at the same time. Mostly it consists of rigid electro(nica) and austere drones, almost industrial music-alike sonic elements providing somehow dance-appealed seeds within it. The point, however, is it is not a sort of danceable music for the human being. It rather describes robots to shake their clanging hands and rattling fingers in the rhythm of these vibrations. On the other side, these spasmodic and awkward robots seem to have acquired some human characteristics to be gentle and kind in their own terms. It is a remarkable characteristic throughout the album. It can be concluded that the humanism is allowed to exist without the human beings themselves on this occasion. The more you listen to it the more it is getting softened stepwise the more it will absorb and deny its hirsute nature. It is like living under such a star which used to bomb its subjects with tickling electromagnetic flows and arousing particles. All in all, it is the outstanding result of a mind-blowing idea. The artist is promoting his 11 albums through his own blog (King Of The Glitch) of whom Harmony Beijing is the latest one. Undoubtedly we are going to arrive at it sometime.

[Teaser of the day] Ergo Phizmiz - Daruckatekarte

Wombnet

• Avant-pop
• Experimental pop
• Leftfield pop
• Indie
• Art pop
• Electronic
• Alternative

Artist: Ergo Phizmiz 

Release: Nose Points In Different Directions   

Label: Wombnet/Free Music Archive

Year: 2010

[Teaser of the day] Ann Deveria - Primera Parte

Audiotalaia

• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Electro-acoustic
• Ambient drone
• Sound art
• Microtonal
• Electronic music
• Abstract
• Live recording
• Drone
• Acousmatic music

Artist: Ann Deveria

Release: Domingo Tarde

Label: Audiotalaia

Year: 2009

Trent Hawkins – Ninnananne/t2helaev (2015/2016)

Bandcamp

• Kosmische Musik 
• Krautrock 
• Ambient 
• Synthwave 
• Electronic music 
• Alternative 
• Art music 
• Mood music

Comment: indeed, by now I decided to review two issues by an artist within one comment because I am listening to a tape which physically includes both of them being issued by Tallinn, Estonian underground imprint Trash Can Dance (a print-run of 36 tapes; soon in next days it will be officially announced for sale). Trent Hawkins is the pseudonym of a guy from Tartu, Estonia who is also known as the drummer of a local stoner rock group, Smõuk. However, substantial guitar riffs and oppressive psychedelic noodling of desert rock is jettisoned for floating synthesisers and ticking rhythms which are up there to depict something otherworldly and beatific. I like the artist's pure aesthetic of Kosmische Musik where all the elements are enjoyably aligned to constitute a logical whole with enchanting space between and around. It might slightly remind of some works by M. Geddes Gengras under Umor-Rex where one can discern similar perceptions of mathematical relations and measures between the establishing sonic elements. Furthermore, it is as pristine as one counterpart could be against lousy aspects surrounding us in our every day's life. A sort of music for escapists. Similarly to the American musician's soundscapes the recent one is also the grower. At first glance it might seem a little bit lightweight and even superficial but it is the deceptive impression. At first one needs to take some time for warm-up to comprehend this hippy of ambient music (the description by the label boss Gert "Trash" Moser). Or maybe not, though. All in all, both of them are fairly fine ones. After listening to these ones I am sure you will be listening to Trent Hawkins third issue (3) either (also available in tape format on Trash Can Dance).

[Teaser of the day] Endamisi Salamisi - XIK

• Electronic music
• Avant-electro
• Alternative dance
• Experimental electro
• Leftfield
• Kraut-electro
• Minimal electro
• Kosmische Musik

Artist: Endamisi Salamisi

Release: Endamisi Varas (split with Luurel Varas)

Label: Trash Can Dance

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Antonina - Pakike (Laksberg Mix)

• House
• Alternative dance
• Electro-house
• Electronic music
• Remix
• Club dance

Artist: Antonina

Release: Pakike

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2010

Yonatan Levital – ...and Monkey (2005)

Birdsong

• Lo-fi
• Indie folk 
• DIY 
• New Weird Israel 
• Pychedelic folk/rock 
• Experimental folk/rock 
• Improvised music 
• Yacht rock 
•  Field recording

Comment: it's great pleasure to be back again at the discography of Birdsong, an Israeli imprint which does not release albums anymore as I have understood. Fortunately there are up a lot of albums worth to be discovered. For example, this 12-track issue was released 11 years ago reflecting partly upon tendencies being actual at the time. One of the categorisations of mine was New Weird because the artist uses a DIY and lo-fi/bedroom recording approach to accentuate his naive folk and indie drenched preferences. On the other hand, it is comfortable to generalise something being out of the centre and outsider yet involving many different facets. More profoundly, there are up detuned tinny guitars and low-end synths and a sitting monkey in the sheepskin jacket additionally to Yonatan to provide something tickling and exciting and flesh out your fantasy. From nowadays (free)folk approaches to storytelling and American Primitivism in music, from improvised moments to light-hearted, carnival-alike yacht rock roundabouts, from vivid found sounds to introverted guitar twanging. That's great – all these audible and imaginative elements and contrast between them.

[Teaser of the day] fydhws - Movement 3 (Mountain)

• Doom rock
• Experimental rock
• Post-rock
• Epic
• Post-metal
• Avant-rock

Artist: fydhws

Release: The Sound

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp  

Year: 2014

[Teaser of the day] Kenyon - Charlie The Freak

Hinah

• Indie folk
• Baroque folk
• Alt-folk
• Singer-songwriter
• Chamber folk
• Indie pop
• Folk indie

Artist: Kenyon

Release: Catch A Star

Label: Hinah

Year: 2005

[Teaser of the day] Fake Cats Project - Fake Cats Project Robs Rachmaninoff

• Avant-garde
• Dada music
• Psychedelic rock
• Improvised music
• Experimental music
• Electronic music
• Avant-rock
• Synth-rock
• Experimental rock
• Leftfield

Artist: Fake Cats Project

Release: Music Laundering Mashine

Label: Haze/Free Music Archive/Archive.org

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Item Caligo - Rest In Apathy Part 3

Laverna

• Modern classical
• Ambient
• Alternative
• Piano music
• Epic
• Experimentalism
• Minimalism
• Avant-garde
• Art music

Artist: Item Caligo

Release: Lav63

Label: Laverna

Year: 2014

[Teaser of the day] Elisa Luu - 13 Maggio

La bèl

• Art pop
• Post-rock
• Modern classical
• Electronic
• Ambient pop
• Avant-rock
• Chamber pop
• Mood music
• Crossover
• Epic
• Experimental pop
• Alternative
• Baroque pop
• Indie
• Post-classical

Artist: Elisa Luu

Release: The Time Of Waiting

Label: La bèl

Year: 2010

[Teaser of the day] Ultimate Xperience - Across Thee Universe (Space Time Continuum)

Ektoplazm

• Goa trance
• Trance
• Psytrance
• Tekno
• Electronic music
• Club dance

Artist: Ultimate Xperience

Release: Lazarus Rising

Label: Neogoa/Ektoplazm/Bandcamp

Year: 2016

The Hathaway Family Plot – Having No Alternative (2016)

Bandcamp

Free Music Archive

• Art pop 
• Post-pop 
• Noise pop 
• Electronic 
• Avant-pop 
• Singer-songwriter 
• Alternative 
• Leftfield pop 
• Indie 
• Experimental pop 
• Glitch pop 
• Anti-pop 
• Post-industrial

Comment: The Hathaway Family Plot’s previous issue before Having No Alternative was Spare Time and it was one of the most outstanding issues in 2015. The same could be said about Having No Alternative because Kevin McFadden provides something similarly qualitative as he has done before. That’s an obvious killer in terms of harshness and softness, in terms of still life and noise keeping on to drift somewhere between the pop scene and underground undercurrents. Because of that Having No Alternative, and Sparing Time represent the true essence of nowadays indie music. More profoundly, he hijacks obvious, easily understandable elements of the established culture to intermingle them with elements of the counterculture and frequently by its furthermost angles (for instance, at Mountain). At the same time it is simple and sophisticated, lofty and oppressive. Visually it can be transported to a desolate wasteland to accompany a walker who is trudging across the gothic and magic realism mixed terrain. At the artist’s Bandcamp site it is stated that he still has not discovered the meaning of life. It can be assumed it is a state of tension which forces Kevin McFadden to thrive and discover new areas around him. By kindred souls there can be drawn parallels with the Estonian musician Mart Avi whose music is to follow the aforementioned aesthetical logic and even chronologically does have a similar path.

Lezet – Aether (2016)

Kermesse

Archive.org

• Post-classical 
• Art music 
• Modern classical 
• Chamber music 
• Avant-garde 
• Drone 
• Experimentalism 
• Minimalism 
• Electro-acoustic

Comment: The Serb Igor Jovanovic aka Lezet has been a musical hero within the webaudio/netaudio world with his 68 albums for almost 10 years. Indeed, the amount of the issues is immense and only such artists as Buben, The Implicit Order, Cousin Silas, Cagey House/Dave Keifer and Wings Of An Angel can compete with him in this regard. Of course, music is not a topic for competition (only some decayed forms of it like the Eurovision Contest are subject of it). Lezet`s music has been a state of art, a sort of it. He has issued music on such great imprints as Dog Eared Records, Clinical Archives, Sirona-Records. SuRRism-Phonoethics, Buddhist On Fire, PICPACK among others. Aether is a short-running, 3-notch issue under Argentinian imprint Kermesse Records consisting of a simplistic structure at first sight. Indeed, I have to accentuate for once more – at first sight. In truth, those cello-alike major and minor chords have been managed in the way to conjure up enough emotions, fantasy depictions from one`s mind, and awe towards something/someone. One cannot deny its overwhelming touch and impression confluencing at a crossroad of electro-acoustic, minimalism, drone, and post-classical music. In spite of the tags it is primary to perceive all the shades and penumbras of the whole. For instance, one can discern attractive loops and iterative patterns as if running due to inertia and then, at a time it will be jettisoned for impulsive chords and structures. It is one of the best issues in the list of the best albums of 2016. The cover art is painted by (another musician) Jared C. Balogh.

Safir Nòu – Groundless (2016)

La bèl

Bandcamp

• Art pop 
• Chamber pop
• Post-pop
• Baroque pop 
• Alternative pop
• Indie pop
• Post-rock 
• Balkan folk 
• Post-classical 
• Epic

Comment: first of all, I have had a successful day behind. After a day's hard work I visited and bought approximately 10 tapes for 30 Euros by Trash who is curating his own amazing Trash Can Dance label. By the way, I got my personal project's four tapes of the latest issue additionally (Autharktos' Warped Irrpulses). And now I am listening to the Italian one-man-project Safir Nòu's 7-track masterpiece on the amazing La bèl imprint, which used to run in the vein of chamber pop-based easiness and high melodic affinity (it might remind you of Penguin Cafe Orchestra at Blue Dance and other tracks as well), and one of the exceptions do happen at Puppets' Waltz filled in with joyful gypsy melodies and positive sensibility. At New Lunacy cinematic post-rock progressions will take over the course for a 7-minute. It will be ending with a hymnal orchestration which could be considered one of the top moments within the album. In overall, it is fairly enjoyable how these instrumental passages used to elegantly roll over your mind again and again. In a word, the result will appear in the list of the best albums of Recent Music Heroes in 2016. If you like such artists as Bark Cat Bark, Beirut, Tortoise, Esmerine, A Silver Mount Zion, Tindersticks, Yann Tiersen then this issue is also your cup of tea. Get it! Support it!

Sunrise Square - Pril

[Teaser of the day] Kangsinu - Waiting For Sci-Fi Metastasis

Jamendo

• Lo-fi
• Shoegaze
• DIY
• Epic
• Dark wave
• Space rock
• Alternative rock
• Indie rock

Artist: Kangsinu

Release: Planet Of The Rape

Label: Jamendo

Year: 2009

[Teaser of the day] Cidulator - Philomela

Jamendo

• Neokrautrock
• Art rock
• Motorik
• Indie rock
• Alternative rock
• Psych-rock

Artist: Cidulator

Release: Nightingale EP

Label: Jamendo/Archive.org

Year: 2010

[Teaser of the day] Chris Skinner - CardShark

Jamendo

• Blues
• Alternative rock
• Grunge
• Hard rock
• Indie rock

Artist: Chris Skinner

Release: Moscow Satellites [EP]

Label: Jamendo/Archive.org

Year: 2009

Mmöner – Forest Eruption (2016)

Bandcamp

• Primitive electronica 
• Electronic music 
• Improvised music 
• Alternative
• Leftfield 
• Fantasy music 
• Mood music

Comment: this handful of tracks is an intriguing one due to those artistically resonating elements within a whole. It might sound slightly primitively, however, if you have listened to naive fantasy music soundtracks then your opinion might be contrariwise. Indeed, one can hear one naive chord followed by another in a primitive way, one can hear one naive turn followed by another. On the other side, the issue can be depicted as a soundtrack for showcasing one weird electronic keyboard to be played with gleaming glisters and acidic glares and while sustaining its magical milieu throughout the course. The title Forest Eruption seems to be a little bit disorienting because the wooden mass in front of your ear will not disappear. Rather it will thicken stepwise. I like the tracks of containing the word “moss” (for instance, David Bowie`s Moss Garden which is a track with obvious influences of an early Kraftwerk). Indeed, Moss Hymn is the favourite of mine within it though the rest of it is very similar to it. In a nutshell, the result is fairly amusing and pleasantly entertaining. I also recommend listen to it while you will be enjoying the Christmas. Solid work by the artist who describes himself/herself as one of these creatures… .

Erreome – Mis Ciclos (2011)

Rawmatroid

• Deep house 
• Remixes 
• Electronic pop 
• Chilltronica
• Dubtronica 
• Alternative dance 
• Club dance 
• Funk house 
• Electro-house

Comment: this is the first entry into the discography of Rawmatroid and a successful one. Erreome is an artist from Spain and his 5-track one is classy. It (City Start) starts off with solid deep house vibrations full of nostalgic sensations, hovering magic and soulful sensibility. At Help the artist will change the pace by showcasing more funky seeds though still flowing in deep house vein. Catedral is the last of Erreome's original tracks before remixes start to step in. In truth, it is a different case in comparison to the two first ones because of providing an electro-house with tinny synthesised chords and the poppy gear. Ales Pardo's version of Help is quite similar and slightly inferior to the original one and thereby adding not much charm to the whole. It is more funky than the original track. Kebiin's re-interpretation of Catedral is a good bit because of hooking up dub and chilly electronica-tinged vibes to the mix. All in all, the result is fabulous and overtly a top notch (especially the original compositions).

[Teaser of the day] Bone Conductors - Her Approach to Art

Luvsound

• Art pop
• Avant-pop
• Indie pop
• Neo-psychedelia
• Chamber pop 
• Alternative pop
• Singer-songwriter
• Electronic
• Baroque pop
• Psych-pop
• Experimental pop

Artist: Bone Conductors

Release: Twitches

Label: Luvsound/Bandcamp

Year: 2008

[Teaser of the day] Janne Nummela - Inclined Plane II

Tape Safe

• Experimentalism
• Improvised music
• Electro-acoustic
• Post-classical
• Acousmatic music
• Psycho-acoustic
• Electronic music
• Avant-garde
• Art music

Artist: Janne Nummela

Release: Exioëhary

Label: Tape Safe

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Black Wanderer - III

• Dark ambient
• Drone
• Ambient rock
• Blackgaze
• Guitar ambient
• Abstract
• Post-metal
• Experimental rock
• Crossover
• Experimentalism
• Minimalism
• Epic
• Avant-rock
• Avant-garde
• Ambient drone

Artist: Black Wanderer

Release: 67P

Label: earthMANTRA

Year: 2016

[Teaser of the day] Tree No Leaves - Sentience Screwed

• Art pop
• Space pop
• Avant-pop
• Indie pop
• Progressive pop
• Psych-pop
• Alternative pop

Artist: Tree No Leaves

Release: Tree No Leaves 

Label: Self-released/Bandcamp

Year: 2016

Jared C. Balogh – A Change Equals A Rest (2016)

Enough

Jamendo

Free Music Archive

Bandcamp

• Post-classical 
• Downbeat 
• Modern classical 
• Mood music 
• Avant-garde 
• Experimentalism 
• Art music
• Post-jazz

Comment: Jared C. Balogh continues to flesh out his concept of post-classical music which was also clearly discernible on his previous issue Awkward Balance (under the pseudonym Life Like Thunderstorms). As you can see there is up some logic (about strongly searching for balance) between the two titles. Emotionally it is a restrained one as if moving in a multiple stream of configured elements which do have a subdued power and having possibility to appear differently. At times one configuration used to predominate over other ones, and vice versa. Because of that it can be called the artsy sort of mood music. It is mind-provoking and soothing at the same time due to being partly driven by velvety downbeat rhythms and immersive electric piano chords. It might it is a sort of (post-)jazz music. At Let's Spoon To This Mello Storm one can hear some similarities with Tortoise, for instance. It is even more calm if to compare it to Awkward Balance. However, it is somehow lurking otherwise. The issue is a part of the discography of Enough Records (but it is also available at Jamendo, and Free Music Archive). 

Luis Marte – Routier (2016)

Pueblo Nuevo

• Alternative dance 
• Club dance 
• Kraut-techno 
• Techno pop 
• Tech-electro 
• IDM 
• Avant-techno 
• Experimental techno 
• Motorik 
• Micronoise 
• Glitch techno

Comment: one part of the rhythmic sort of music has been related to the depiction of speed and driving across the highway and staring at the dotted line. For instance, it was so by Kraftwerk, and Neu!. Argentinian Luis Marte's Routier is a successor of this glorious motorik rock/krautrock-esque tradition though doing it in a techno-based and IDM format (at Grenade, and Not Find Another Like one can hear very Kraftwerk-esque whistling bleeps wandering throughout the pieces). On the other side, it is hard to estimate do come there influences either directly or not. It might be these ones come through the neo-krautrock and IDM and clicks and cuts and glitch scene, i.e therefore indirectly (being presumably influenced by such artists as Seefeel, Jan Jelinek, Mark Van Hoen's projects, Autechre, Mouse On Mars, Kreidler, To Rococo Rot). More profoundly, the artist is obsessive at lying around beats and humming sounds and elegant noises thereby creating the impact of watching the panorama while driving into the sunset. Furthermore, these rhythms could freely create a soundtrack for road movies (Vanishing Point, for instance; just remember astounding Primal Scream's album of same title being influenced by a cult motion picture). All in all, it is a beautiful (techno) outing by analysing it from different points of a space. It is a bit of the discography of a Chilean imprint, Pueblo Nuevo.

Lazlo Supreme – Evil Made Easy (2010)

Free Music Archive

Urban Home Companion

Bandcamp

• Hip-hop 
• Soul 
• Rap 
• RnB 
• Electronic pop 
• Alternative pop 
• Electro-hop 
• Urban music

Comment: I guess there is no problem to enjoy this 7-track issue from Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA made up of vivid chants and hip-hop beats and piano taps, floating soul flickers and eventually all of that resulting in proper pop songs. It provides highly enjoyable moments when the aforementioned elements merge seamlessly together. As we know very well artists have a little to provide with regard to something truly new and innovative for most time but it is always enjoyable to get a part from a well produced issue and this is one of such kind. At times nowadays soul and hip-hop performers forget themselves into technical labyrinths and thereof forgoing emotional and affectionate touch but over there all is balanced all right. Switch it on and get a part of it. The issue is a part of Urban Home Companion.