Steffaloo - My Heart Beats (2010)

Bandcamp

8.4

/Minimal, Electronic pop, Free folk, Experimental pop, Singer-songwriter/

Comment: Steffaloo is a musican from Los Angeles, USA who has issued some singles, one EP and one LP (and collaborated with Blackbird Blackbird, for instance). This mere one and half minute long single is pulled out through slight, autotuned vowel experiments and restraint slo-mo bounces subtly surrounding it. Is it either folk, electronic music or...? However, as a soul mate she go with iron like nylon, and Meredith Monk in the same scope but a little from different directions.

Edvenjah - Still in Germany (2008)

Kreislauf

9.0

/Downtempo, Techno, Neoclassical, Crossover, Darkwave, Psytrance, Tekno/

Comment: Sultry, gurgitating techno sequences (in true, which frequently evolves into tekno/and psytrance rhythm frequencies) are variegated with serious, sometimes dark-hued/martial synth progressions-orchestrations in the background; and mingled seamlessly with mesmerizing, atmospheric layers embellished with floating, elliptical paces around it. Furthermore, it makes sense through an diverse row veering from stomping sci-fi rhythms to corroded, lo-fi-inflected beats. Indeed, the 5-track album seems to have acquired the meaning of a buffer zone between the neoclassical music, downtempo, and intellectual techno. A rare yet delectable appearance.

Dreams - Simple Steps EP (2010)

Bandcamp

9.5

/Baggy, Dance rock, Alternative pop/rock, Indie dance, Alternative dance, Madchester, Indie rock/

Comment: this 4-pieced set from Portugal seems to have borrowed its roots from the scene of 90`s baggy/dance rock/madchester (reminding evidently of Primal Scream, Wordsmiths, Flowered Up, and Happy Mondays). Indeed, these roughly sounding, massively stomping beats and hispid, organically flaming vocal manners and abrasive guitar walls ring out really retrodelic whilst Dreams and those abovementioned bands used to make much more sense than nowadays peaky, way-too-much produced rave rock examples (!!!; Klaxons; Bloc Party etc). All in all, I got sentimental and excited and feel myself really fluttered. I recommend to search for old indie compilations on vinyl and listen to Clinker`s self-titled album and Abstract Green`s Romeo Echo Victor (Deluxe).

Joxfield ProjeX - Electric Apple

BeachesBeach - FourFour (2011)

Bandcamp

8.7

/Poptronica, Chillwave, Glo-fi, Sampledelica, Electronic pop, Tropicalia pop/

Comment: The title "BeachesBeach" sounds witty, isn`t? However, it might be visualized as a transcendent shore to be designed to collect such kind of pop tendencies oozing from the scenes of glo-fi/tropicalia pop. Indeed, sublime tropical beats are overlapped with beatific vowels and warm electronica. Last but not least - catchy crossings are genuine part of BB`s soundscape. The use of sample-only techniques used to hint at some similarities having in common with Phaseone and, Rimar - Columbus-based producers.

Cornucopia - Vacu Sessions 16 (2011)

Vacu Sessions

9.3

/Experimental electronica, Abstract, Avant-electronica, Drone, Noise, Experimentalism/

Comment: Portugal-based Vacu Sessions functions to issue innovative mixes and compositions by different artists all around the world. This composition (symphony?) consists of 7 tracks within 59 minutes, employing opposing visions of sound (fluttering, noiseful snippets and thundering bass sequences are set out against dream-filled droning and subtly haunting electronica; clear-cut sounds versus infiltrated progressions). It might be even more important while lots of powerful energy used to seep from the potent form.

A Flat Noise - Hollow EP (2011)

Dystopiaq
A Flat Noise
Lastfm

7.6

/Alternative, Electro-rock, Electronic, Remixes, Lo-fi, Dark pop, Shoegaze/

Comment: This 4-pieced EP embarks on in an electro-drenched, orchestrated rock mould. Thereafter it continues running back and forth on sultry electro segments in its very marrow. Lazily stomping beats, austere amount of guitar chords and hazy electronic progressions in the background are up here to set out a quite heavily opening whole. The last track Hospital (2009) searches timidly for shoegaze realms, yet, succeeding in creating process of dream-alike milieus surrounding pleasantly a listener. The favorite of mine is Hollow (A1X Remix) which constitutes an underlay of dynamical, catchy beats. By the way, the project comes from Ecuador.