Ollie Cram - Jazzstow (2011)

45 Echoes Sounds

8.8

/Art pop, Flamenco, Improvised music, Contemporary classical, Experimental, Downbeat, Chamber music/

Comment: Jazzstow - a series of sketches collaborated by two friends (Ollie Cram - guitar/bass; Phil Gibbs - guitar/prepared guitars), on a visit to Cornwall, Great Britain. Those 10 sketches are mostly laid-back pathways based on "the firework" of guitar arpeggios and chord changes, and thudding bass lines-downbeat-ish gears beneath it, however, thus making up lots of lead motives first of all. Frequently the duo`s search used to head off into paying tribute to flamenco music. The album is thought as much for the fans contemporary classical music/classical guitar as for the ones of improvised sound. The duo`s output is released on 45 Echoes Sounds (previously known as 45 Rpm-Records).

Computer at Sea - Palace of the Lightbulbs (2011)

Bandcamp

9.1

/Chiptune, Alternative, Indie pop, Crossover, Electro pop, Electronic pop, 8-bit, Leftfield/

Comment: This 6-notched issue is a whimsical combination of rattling chiptune fringed fermentation (whooa!), mandatory indie beauty (however, which used to be for most of people as a sort of inconceivable task), and thumping electro pop (let`s dance!). The publication is a vision by Galen Richmond, a Richmond-residing musician who is up here to promote the sort of tracker/8-bit music which was the very beginning lot of contemporary computer music approximately three decades ago. If to speak about crossover artists who have mixed up sawtooth-designed programming with alternative pop, I recommend giving a try to Hipster Youth, 8-bit Betty, Depreciation Guild, and some Bliss`s issues. In conclusion, this album reflects upon the upcoming tendencies for tomorrow`s sound

Die Stille Diastole - Experimental Little Monkey (2010)

Trastienda
Bandcamp

9.4

/Indietronica, Experimental rock, Post-rock, Art pop, Organic electronica, Cover, Experimental indie, Crossover, IDM/

Comment: Die Stille Diastole is the nom de plume for Bolaño Lucas and Experimental Little Monkey is his 4-pieced issue really worth to try it now and then (at the moment now, of course). More concretely, indeed, it is a stunning exploration between organic sounds and mellow electronica, having its spot directed upon the creation process of a blend of jagged IDM-esque beats/indietronic progressions and lofty musique concrète/found sound/spoken-infiltrated evolvements, and even some esoterical sort of folk-alike sound. The third track is a cover of the Sonic Youth`s Little Trouble Girl. Onwards, by regarding Lucas`s soulmates, however, there can be appealed to Cantaloup and The Dylan Group, Tortoise and Monokle. In a nutshell, is a highly crafty yet effortless result.

SEA Compilation - Summers Daydream (2011)

Sea Indie

8.8

/Twee pop, Indie pop, Alternative pop/rock, Jangle pop, Baroque pop/

Comment: In fact, I have myself pampered with listening to indie music compilations on such labels as Eardrums Pop, Beko DSL, and Hobo Cult so far. Here is another one, offering a 15-track miscellany created basically in the belief pertaining of the goodness of old school alternative pop stuff. Here can be detected for an abundant amount of influences popping out from the C86 movement and its closely related jangle and twee pop, 90`s galant baroque pop/brass/folk. On the other side, however, a few songs are doo wop, ye-ye and disco-drenched. By the way, all the artists come only from the countries of the Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Singapor, Thailand).

Motorama - Alps (2010)

Motorama
Free Music Archive
Lastfm

8.7

/Post-punk, New Wave, Alternative pop/rock, Indie, Dance rock, Gothic rock/

Comment: Rostov-on-Don, Russia-based combo melts poppy elements with post-punk battens and sometimes dashing, dance-appealed grooves on this 10-track publication within the 36 minute length limit. First of all, I am entranced with the interaction of black and white/or dark-hued and light-hearted trilled sounds fluttering around during its course. The notches are frequently beatific in its deliberately resigned condition. My heart-throb is Warm Eyelids which towers upon the sky thanks to a sublime blend of post-punk-ish cadences, jangle pop-ish impetus and Richard Hawley-alike monumental warbling of guitars. Moreover, the track should conquer the charts instead of tarrying its time at the moment. The more listening times I vouchsafe to give to the album the more it used to appeal to the pop recipients in my brain.

A Beautiful Lotus - Redrum Is Murder

Lizard Kisses - Sleeping In (2010)

Bandcamp

9.5

/Alt-folk, Indie folk, Folk indie, Avant-folk, Indie pop, Epic, New Weird America, Dream folk, Free folk/

Comment: Similarly to Nemo Asakura`s older EP reviewed yesterday this album of 9 tracks takes on a pile of sparse instrumentation to conjure up simple yet promptly convincing artistic songs. However, the Brooklynites Cory Siegler and Marc Merza seem to be self-assured in their doings. Merza`s simple yet punctuated guitar strums are up here to create a decent background for Siegler`s sensitive singing manner which respectively is either seemingly disillusioned or hopeful in dreams. Some songs are embellished with ukulele banging (My Bag is Not The Floor Why Isn`t Yours?) and vanguard-ish organ droning gest (Sender), and musique concrète-drenched (Conair Ocean Waves - what a sort of expressive name for one of those upcoming bands in future). All in all, Lizard Kisses, one of the best nowadays musical groups has tremendously been underrated so far. For instance, listen to Sleep Talkin` which makes your soul and heart bleeding.