This Lonely Crowd – Some Kind of Pareidolia (2011)

Sinewave

7.7

/Power pop, Psychedelic, Shoegaze, Alternative rock, Dream pop, Noise rock/

Comment: This Lonely Crowd has been an astonishing quintet from Brazil who has made up much dizzy energy (via strong emphasis on the power pop and shoegaze-ish angle), or being involved in more dream-charged contemplations, respectively. However, the recent issue tries to cross those two extremities, though, affording less entropy with captivating X-factors altogether - if to compare it to Entangled Chaos, or especially to an endless moment everyday all the time. Moreover, the second part of the Some kind of Pareidolia is obviously more impressive than the first set of tracks, showcasing more clear-cut elaborations, figurative language, directed power and found synergy - or the other way around - just being avoided to be sticked in intransitive chasing and incoherent jamming. Despite of some deficits, however, it can be considered a kind of pleasurable release indeed.

Port80 - Lundenburger (2010)

Jamendo

8.5

/Techno, Tekno, Trance, Noise, Experimental techno, Psychedelic dance, Crossover/

Comment: Port80 aka Unterschwellige Einheit aka Sivitz is an artist from the Czech Republic who at the recent publication used to play terse capsule trance and trance-induced intellectual techno (or the way round). Indeed, it is not a sort of simplistic or superficial rhythm music appearance, being coloured with deepness and well-balanced details and undercurrents. At times brooding, at times more light-hearted. In any cases, all of which were hugely senseless if in-between the diverse sound pannels there cannot be detected for any dose of synergy. At the closure of this 8-track issue can be found out even some impressive noise attacks (apparently I stay to miss them).

Lowlands - Beko_85 (2011)

Beko DSL
Bandcamp
Lastfm

8.6

/Alternative rock, Indie, Jangle pop, Post-punk, Fuzz rock/

Comment: Behind Lowlands is Tobias Brockie (aka Rhinoceros Brave) from Wellington, the New Zealand. This 3-track issue is about windy jangle pop with some influences of post-punk and fuzzed-out/feedback-backed guitar gears (plus some bombastic progressions). The tracks are running from fast paces to slow tempo-ness. Simple but masterfully treated.

Gongue - Blurred (2011)

Dracula Horse
Bandcamp

8.8

/New Weird Europe, DIY, Anti-folk, Experimental folk, Avant-folk, Alt-folk/

Comment: Dracula Horse is first of all known as the home label for Coolrunnings, though it does offer little corners for the other artists, including The Foggy Albion-relied Gongue either. What references does Gongue`s sound have exactly? It is profoundly made with the attitude of the nowadays DIY patchwork-ism - simple anti-folk-ish guitar strums (and more complex alt-folk adventures) are variegated with no-so-light electronic slopes (which at times do chime as if the examples coming from the Kraftwerk`s albums (particularly from Radio-Activity), dance funk and weird pop moments (electro-acoustic overthrows, "unstable" sonic snippets-effects). Indeed, it is the issue which is made out with obvious care and dedication.

Mobdividual - Movement V Live

Spheruleus - Forgotten Outland (2011)

Resting Bell

9.2

/Ambient, Drone folk, Dream folk, Minimal, Found sound, Field Recording, Sound-art/

Comment: By having the course on slowly rolling and progressing snippets, behind those subtly manipulated sounds dedicated to the wastelands in your soul is the British grand master Harry Towell (also known as Audio Gourmet, and Eyes Flutter Beneath) who has released over 15 issues (under such labels as Earth Mantra, Test Tube, Audio Gourmet, Under The Spire) in a last few years. This is a case based on three tracks where atmospheric sounds are mixed up with contemplative string chords, slightly heardable found sound-relied cracks, subsequently, all those parts are wrapped up in intimate synergy. Especially mesmerizing is listen to it while the sun goes down. Very often this otherworldly concept of drone-folk-ish enterprise resembles of the French legends Natural Snow Buildings.

Monster Rally - Coral LP (2011)

Bandcamp

8.9

/Sampledelic, Exotic pop, Electronic pop, Avant-pop, Post-pop, Tropical pop, Glo-fi, Chillwave, Easy listening/

Comment: No doubt, the name of Monster Rally is probably quite well-known in the friendships of nowadays music, especially amongst the glo-fi/chillwave music admirers. A handful of releases having been issued by Moster Rally so far. The first two tracks are strongly in the vein of Stereolab, however, a little later the other influences starting to come out too. Step by step, indeed, there can be figured out the fact that this project may be more toward the past, or placing itself out as a retrofuturistic combo. In detail, it runs in front of you like set of exotic glimpses on the sampledelic method. And doing it really joyfully out (some samples laid here can be classified as a genuine classic spot. For instance, the tracks like Cuban Velvet, and A Voice/Big Sur)