TYY Records - Half improvisation E​.​P (2011)

TYY Records

8.5

/Electronic pop, Glo-fi, Breakbeat, Trance, Emotive electronica, Chillout/

Comment: Three tracks. Three different artists (Karanabe; tractmx; Under construction). A kind of compilation. Just breaks and harmony-filled layers hovering above it, and that is too enough, though. The first two tracks (artists) are quite similar to each other, being the representatives of laid-back electronica with blissful synth(etic) glistening above it. Some differences can be perceived between those tracks, mainly on the basis of the different lengths of rhythm patterns - tractmx`s track is more hipping-skipping-stomping, besides it incorporating the acid-filled motive. Under construction`s notch is a brooding one being visualized through trance-tinged cadences and cutting shards of broken beats all of that covered with lots of synthetic harmony cores as if borrowed from a track of some New Wave band sometime.

alicia or simbra - lindora (2010)

Cocodriller Recordings

9.5

/Folktronica, Post-rock, Laptop folk, Epic, Crossover, Experimental rock, Organic electronica, Dream folk, Ambient/

Comment: This 5-piece album is an example of different ways of how beauty can be embodied through the music. How it could be striking in an elaborated way. Magnificient guitar washes, subtle yet pondering fingerpicking, intensely droning (and penetrating) yet wondrous organic electronica, dream-filled soundscapes are laced with each other to result in a synergic post-rock/ambient/folktronic issue. All you need is that. At least for certain life occurrences, though. It obviously rings out much better than most of the post rock projects you are honoured to know. It is essentially epic and monumental.

Pimpollo Fenicio & Pimpollo Persa - Música para Niños Leones (2011)

Bandcamp

9.3

/Noise, Drone, Sound art, Microtonal, Avant-garde, Experimentalism, Minimalism, Non music/

Comment: "Noise", however, regarding strictly the sound processing is a somehow self-indulgent definition for itself. Indeed, having a hint at the lacking of any kind of borders encircling it, thereby you can see very diverse directions and levels and quality base in this realm so all of that will subsequently be determined on your profound intuition actually (in fact, how to discern it from such styles as sound art, drone, minimal industrial?). Of course, there might be represented some qualities somewhat "intrinsic" to the noise sound, for instance, harsh and very loud sounds, chopped and pitched sonic elements, hooting skeletons and hiss-based undercurrents. All of that is represented on this album of 9 tracks, moreover showing up the inclination toward an arty concept flirting with obscure drone-relied minimalism/microtonalism, and emotive sound art. By the way, this mesmerizing concept comes from Lima, Peru.

The Picturesque Episodes - Tokyo Pulse

Dream Mechanics - Screensaver

Matthieu Choux - Deux Pièces (2011)

Petcord

8.8

/Electro-acoustic, Psycho-acoustic, Acousmatics, Sound art, Experimental electronica, Avant-garde, Minimal, Abstract/

Comment: Although this is an instance of dense electro-acoustic progression, however, it makes some difference from the most kinds of electro-acoustics thanks to its vastly evolved dramaturgical point of view. There are represented 2 long tracks which are intended to hit the listeners through the sudden dashes of tempo changes, unexpected treated vocal cuts and hauntingly dystopic milieus reminding of some kind of horror movies sometime seen. Silence is set against the noisy frames and clear-cut half tones-dark drones inbetween it are those essential algorithms searching for new intentions and purposes to be set up.

Jani Hirvonen: Field Recordings From India & Nepal (2007/2010)

OM HA SVA HA KSHA MA LA VA RA YAM
Free Music Archive

7.5

/Field recording, Found sound, Audio documentary, Musique concrete, Non music/

Comment: This is an audio documentary based on one man`s wandering and recording in the Hindustan Peninsula and Nepal. Although not always used to be the best in the quality of sound, however, during those 103 minutes you can be a witness to the street sounds, temple incantations, wedding outtakes and nature sounds (birds and camels) surrounding you tightly right and left. Juxtapose it with an analogous yet more elaborated and purposed output by Oscar Coen Polack, titled as The Skipping Monk (Recordings Of Nature And Culture In India) (2009, Narrominded). Deserving thanks in any cases.