Light Leak - Graduation EP (2011)

Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.5

/Chillwave, Electronic pop, Post-pop, Dream pop, Glo-fi/

Comment: This is the sophomore release by Henrik Stelter, a 17-year old German-based chillwave/glo-fi producer. Being continuously instrumental, indeed, this is an instance of the old European eleganz und dekadenz. A fine follow-up to his great debut album Thoughts of Mirth (2010).

Mushroom's Patience - Weird Monsters (2011)

Atro-Fact

8.4

/Electronic pop, Post-punk, Experimental pop, New Age, Art-rock, Dark pop, Progressive/

Comment: Dither Craf aka Raffaele Cerroni delivers a bunch of sphere-filled electronic sounds and New Age-like flute sections apparently drenched with rock/post-punk attitude and darkwave-ish experimentalism, which subsequent classification might be a bit problematic. The favorite of mine is Morel (remixed) - (The spirit of the mountain) which reminds me of The Cure`s Picture Of You. Still, by its main attention it is more close to Durutti Column.

The Sunshine Family - The Sunshine Family (2004)

Hippocamp

8.8

/Experimental electronica, Cinematic, Chillout, Downtempo, Nu jazz/

Comment: The Manchester-based label Hippocamp had been active since 2003, before deciding to finish off their duties in 2009. They released circa 200 albums during this 6-year time lapse, much of them yet waiting to be discovered in the future. There is one, 5-track issue which does flutter between the velvet-covered chords of cinematic (nu jazz) tunes and rhythm-backed ambient (downtempo) numbers. In the ending track can be heard even some funky jazz flowings and undefinable recordings from a distance. At the most time the whole is used to hack around lazily thereby making itself out as a pleasant laid-back output.

Ecovillage - Beko_80 (2011)

Beko DSL

9.3

/Ambient, Post-rock, Dream pop, Chamber rock, Post-rock, Organic electronica, Musique concrete, Progressive/

Comment: Emil Holmström and Peter Wikström aka the Swedish duo Ecovillage started out in 2006 and since it having been blending dreamy soundscapes consisting of chamber rock/post-rock, shoegaze, ambient, organic electronica, found sounds. Of course, they are not being an example of arty-farty artists, being skillful on driving out of beatific progressions, bringing forth of diverse segments and managing them seamlessly fall into each other.

Simon Bird - Simon Bird Sampler (2011)

Simon Bird

9.0

/Avant-garde, Avant-rock, Experimental electronica, Electronic, Neo-psychedelia/

Comment: A DIY-musician from Dublin, Ireland, having re-edited some song versions from his previous EPs. Indeed, here are availabled 4 tracks only, all of which are used to come forth through massive bass stompings, circling synth chords, electronic insertions, epic progressions, abrasive guitar riffs and something else, in a nutshell, coming quite close to such experimental electronic rock acts as Fuck Buttons, Black Dice, and Battles.

WMRI - Voices Of Space (2006/2009)

Jamendo
Lastfm

8.4

/Electronic pop, Kosmische musik, Cosmic pop, Synth pop, Robopop, Progressive/

Comment: This 15-track notch comes from Moscow, Russia, reflecting upon fine configurations of spacious synth tunes, electronic pop, robopop (Kraftwerk`s Radioactivity), more concretely, blasting out torrents of unleashed high-chord synths a la Tangerine Dream and krautrock-esque developments (Can`s Tape Kebab).

Sosos - Abigail (2006)

Bandcamp
Sosos

8.6

/Indie folk, Alt-folk, Psychedelic folk, Folk indie, Chamber folk/

Comment: This is a fine set of calm-sensed and impetus-driven tracks respectively based on folk tunes yet because of its adjacent elements it is not quite ordinary songwriting though. Sosos is a 5-pieced US-group which uses variable elements to enrich their soundscape, more detailly, using psychedelic keyboard passages, gospel-tuned backdrops, and orchestrated, baroque-esque progressions. Thereby the album can be considered as an instance of roots music adapted over to the borders of nowadays situation. Quite similar to Wilco indeed.