Primitive Noyes - Hetch Hetchy

Tribe Of Astronauts – Magic Water, Magic Ice (2011)

Inside

9.4

/Dark ambient, Minimal, Soundscapes, Ambient drone, Modern classical, Dystopbient, Experimentalism/

Comment: Just one track. Some seconds over 21 minutes. The basic carcasses and minutiae of improvised and arranged music are juxtaposed to each other. Indeed, this is a huge soundscape extending over (modern) classical and droning plateaus and trash-filled electronic wastelands (in outer space, in the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, in abandoned territories somewhere). Lots of phase and timbre changes, some nervous system shaking throb sequences. Serious-faced and dark-hued. Compare it to the sounds by Taiga, and Caustic Reverie (TheForgotten).

Saito Koji - Luck (2011)

Resting Bell

9.5

/Ambient, Ambient drone, Shoegazetronica, Microtonal, Minimalism, Experimental electronica, Guitar ambient/

Comment: 3-track album by a Japanese experimental musician, Saito Koji, which used to murmur in a minimal yet highly emotive way. Light-hearted synth droning is laced with deluging organic touch and chirpy guitar-based soothing. Fundamental repetitions, more or less elliptically shaped rhythm patterns-loops, beatific reflet exemplified permanently therein are up to standard. Moreover, the issue seems to be the kind of grower. However, if the ending track were speeded up twice as much, it would have chimed as a hallmark of shoegaze music, in principle. In fact, it applies to the other tracks and recent moment either. It sticks out like a warped version of Slowdive`s sound, yet, having existence of full value on its own. A mesmerizing phenomenon indeed.

On Returning - Dresses & Dreams (2011)

Jamendo

8.8

/Post-punk, Britpop, Synth pop, Crossover, New Wave, Alternative pop/rock/

Comment: Similarly to Swedish compatriots The Search`s retrospective issue Silverslut 1999-2002 (especially the first half of the compilation) reviewed the other day On Returning`s release is attuned to roll in a similar, post-punk-ish way. More concretely, rigid yet vivid bass lines, galvanic guitars, leafy synths in the background are configurated in a way to make up both in energy and synergy. Yet, there can be found out two tracks at least which make acquaintance with more synth pop structures and ambiences, on the other hand, acquiring britpop-ish feeling getting close to the Lightning Seeds-alike pop easiness.

Nina Me - After Seven Years Love

Burning Bright - Freesmiles (2011)

Black Lantern Music

9.0

/Hip-hop, Urban music, Crossover, Blues, Bossa nova, Rap, Raggamuffin/

Comment: Burning Bright is a duo (Salem Anders & Tickle) from Edinburgh, Scotland. Their 4-pieced EP constitutes a synergical mix of scratch-based dizziness, ragga(muffin) infiltrations, bossa nova-inflected nylon strings, galvanized blues`n`hop (a la some hybrid tracks by John Spencer Blues Explosion). The last track sounds similarly to Chenard Walcker`s plunderphonic repertoire. Indeed, it is joyous and highly enjoyable hip-hop.

Monster Rally - Palm Reader (2010)

Bandcamp

9.4

/Exotica pop, Chillwave, Glo-fi, Latin pop, Avant-pop, Experimental pop/

Comment: This is a relatively unsung musical project from Columbus which at times is tagged as "chillwave" and "glo-fi". However, its crucial aesthetical point is focused upon exptic pop-tinged progressions and irresistible sampledelic craftiness (compare it to the works by Cagey House, Ergo Phizmiz, Chenard Walcker, and People Like Us, for instance). Altogether, it is summery pop which used to chime in an ancient and modern way simultaneously. For example, are you able to figure out is the date of those examples of Latin-tinged pop coming either from 1930 or 2130?