Sally Paradise - L'Ascension du Mont Shing (EP) (2010)

Jeunesse Cosmique
Bandcamp

9.2

/Chillwave, Experimental indie, DIY, Shoegaze, Dreamwave, Glo-fi, Hypnagogic pop, Electronic pop, Post-pop/

Comment: First of all, Sally Paradise, a Montrèal-based group has itself had a lot of line-ups and shapes and peoples through time and history, but now they are formed as a powerful threesome, sometimes foursome. They used to be inspired by lots of guitars (krautrock, psychedelic fuzz, fucked up foreign pop, flailing female grunge bands), huge-fat-ass mofo-ing beats (Wu-tang, I AM, GI Joe Killaz, Dose One ) and freak noise/spaced-out things (all those Japanese noise bands, John Zorn, Klaus Schulze, Mitsou). L`Ascension du Mont Shing is the quebecois` kick-off issue. It is a multifarious release in its stylistical clutter, furthermore, by the sensual side of the album sexual appeal gets surfaced as the indispensable result of a tight interaction of searing chillwave-ish whiffs, half-stifled dreaminess and sultry shoegaze-inflected progressions (and sung in French, of course!). On the other side, the listener gets headed off as if into the very early stage of his/her childhood. By the way, this blissed-out combo is now preparing a little tour in the US for September (Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, etc.) with their buddy Félix de l'Étoile and a special project with Téléphone Maison, both cosmic people at Jeunesse Cosmique.

Speculativism - The Land of Block

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.