Monokle & Galun In Frame (12rec)

Vladislav Kudryatsev & Aleksandr Kumach aka the Arkhangelsk-based combo Monokle`s third album Tesaurus (under Id.eology) was one of the best albums of 2009. Now Kumach has left the band and Kudryatsev is joined by a former beatboxnik and otherwise versatile artist Sergey Galunenko aka Galun and the result does seem even in better way to be sound. 12 tracks give testimony of prominent examples of songwriting, balancing between post-rock, poptronica, chillout, downtempo, indie rock. It is used to be continually dense, and warm, and mostly it is so intensely loaded with dreams that the soundscape does seem a bit lazy in the good manner sounding up very nostalgic and relaxing to my ears, conjuring up gratifying listening memories from the past by approximately 10-12 years ago. The tracks like Crossed Fingers, and Means are reminiscent of the manner by Brendan Perry, and the beatific times when I spent the most of my time in the bibliothek of the Tartu University for listening to Dead Can Dance among others. Regarding the next track (Justalite) I shall have to ask you do you remember Louis Armstrong`s great track We Have all the Time in the World for one of the James Bond-related soundtrack? (It was also covered by My Bloody Valentine). Regarding the motive of this track you can see really close similarity with it. Get At Will remembers one of the toughest work, being grew up from the Estonian underground scene Bizarre`s sophomore album Cafe de Flor (1996, Forwards), especially the track Airs Of Arabia with otherworldly chanting female voice and shoegazers` atmospheric guitar swayings. In a nutshell, one of the best works of the 2010.

Listen to it here

9.8

[Artists] 100percentelectric

100percentelectric/Jamendo
Reverbnation
Lastfm

Phillip Wilkerson Daybook EP (BFW Recordings)

As his first name used to be unusual the englishman Phillip Wilkerson is an important and special name among sonic experimentalists and soundscapers. He has released shitloads of albums during last five years, under such labels like Bypass, Resting Bell, Earth Mantra, Amorphos Music, Justnotnormal, and BFW Recordings as well.

4 tracks released in the start of 2010 are used to sound in a very broad way, involving in epic and warm-sounding choppiness, sometimes it can be distant and anonymous, and even "sexy" would be a correct adjective. Probably the tags as "dreamscape" or "subtle soundfields" are the most proper characteristics to describe the essence of the release. No doubt, the coverprint which illustrates a kind of colourful sphereness does convey the stand of the EP in an excellent way. Wilkerson`s quality is here to be proven again. A great masterpiece.

Listen to it here

9.5

Sky Event Sky Event (pan y rosas sitio)

2 musicians, Hathaway Hester (cello, little instruments), and Keith Helt (guitar, little instruments), are influenced equally by modern out and avant composition as well as contemporary Chicago creative music. As it is said, their soundscape is full of plinks, plucks and percussive slaps surrounded by abrasive chamber and electro-acoustic ambiences. At the half time it sounds really austere and rigorous, the first and third track do reflect more delightful approach. In fact, I can´t give it utterly positive agreement because sometimes it seems obvious that involving in the creative process do offer much more fun than the very output for listeners.

Listen to it here

7.5

[Concert] A Silver Mt Zion Live at La Sala Rossa on 2005-06-16 (Archive.org)

A Silver Mt. Zion (and its various titles), a band from Montrèal, is probably the best known act which is grown out or related somehow to Godspeed You! Black Emperor (formerly as Godspeed You Black Emperor!) and is the most involved band via its members (Efrim Menuck, Thierry Amar, Sophie Trudeau) as well. In fact, the aforementioned musicians have been influential collaborators not only on the post-rock scene but also related to alt-folk and indie circles in the North America during last 10 years at least. However, after GY!BE was going on hiatus, therefore the prime privilege was delegated over to ASMZ. If to compare differences between two bands, in the first place, it is the using of vocals, and the soundscape of ASMZ is inclined more to psych-oriented numbers, and indie music as well. For an argue, it seems a bit slower, having been involved in classical music-based arrangements (eminent cello and violin undercurrents), and via Menuck`s gratingly lamenting and sometimes euphorical vocal manner as well. All of those elements are to be heard in an excellent way on this live session also, recorded at La Sala Rossa in their hometown in 2005. Inbetween the songs you can be a witness for the interactivity between Menuck and audience and jocularities regarding "dudes", iPod and Coldplay, and birdfeeders as well. My cue toward indie music wasn`t arbitrary because of Menuck`s euphorical and lament manner (sometimes simultaneously) and the exploiting of chamber music devices and elements so you are getting to see more the link between ASMZ and Arcade Fire (moreover, they have more common through of recruiting the same musicians, and using the Constellation-related studio Hotel2Tango too).

Listen to it here

Blezna Árbole (Alg-a)

The soundtrack of my day comes from Asturia, Spain. Blezna is an experimental sound project, inspired by asturian forests and those trees. Behind it is Juanjo Palacios who took care of soundscapes recordings, virtual instruments, plugins, sample manipulations, composition, process, photography and graphic design. Indeed, it is not wrong to be named it as a kind of the-one-man-orchestra, because this does not consist only of vivid and intense snapshots among the trees, where you can predominantly hear the cracks of burning wood, and at a time the rustling of rain which will be overtaken by lighter and darker soundscapes which by this side will be developed into funeral neoclassical orchestrations and even martial-alike undertows. Such a kind of adduction of neutral-minded field recordings and epic classical music developments is not common at all. By its approach Palacios´ work does remind a bit of another spanish composer Bosques De Mi Mente. What else could I add that those brisk eight tracks constitute a sequent top-notch in the long array of the 2010 best releases.

Listen to it here

9.5

[Artists] Citizen Flagpole

Citizen Flagpole/Bandcamp
Myspace
Lastfm