The Juliets - Perfect Season (2011)

Bandcamp

9.2

/Indie pop, Alternative pop/rock, Chamber pop, Vaudeville pop, Art pop, Experimental indie/

Comment: The Juliets, a Detroit-based combo is back with their sophomore album, called Perfect Season, a follow-up to their vastly fascinating self-titled release, which was one of the most remarkable notches in 2010. While this 12-track set does not include such frenetic teasers as Sweetheart, Sunday Song, or Evolved Into, the quintet used to be still enough enjoyable, providing idiosyncratic, melodramatic yet a little bit more straightforward pop pieces, having some similarities with the likes of Arcade Fire, The Antlers, The National, and Beirut and Sufjan Stevens. For instance, it chimes even a little better than the last one by Arcade Fire. All in all, enjoy this lovely music made by lovely people.

Jayne Lakissova - Pam-Param

Vulcan Sessions - Vulcan Sessions (2011)

Clinical Archives

8.6

/Improvised music, Electro-acoustic, Experimental, Avant-garde, Free jazz, Live session, Dark ambient, Ambient drone/

Comment: before the listening of this album I had listened to If, Bwana`s (the project of Al Margolis) enthralling Assemble.Age (2010, Mutable) which is a microtonal, improvised noise/electronica/drone embellished with the elements of classicism (I shall have to say thank you to Tiit K, who allowed me the album). However, the Vulcano Sessions does have similarities with the abovementioned so I can admit the continuation of the same path. The album was recorded in Tenerife by the most eminent Spanish improvisers (including the members of Trio Antimanierista who, by the way, have appeared many times in the roster of Clinical Archives before it. More concretely, minimally "orchestrated" or squeaking strings (cellos) are intertwined with brass-wind instruments, and live electronics. The last two tracks (Mi Patio (third); La Particula) used to deviate from the usual template of the issue, providing a poignant vision based on a kind of sharp-edged electronica/droning, vowel experiments and dizzy phase and chord changes, and the washes of massive ambient drones, respectively. Ultimately the listener can conclude this album with 7 tracks is an asylum for old and modern, for traditional and innovative.

Anitek - Sae Yeon (2011)

Jamendo

8.8

/Nu jazz, Trip-hop, Urban music, Dub, Sampledelic, Chill out, Big beat, Crossover/

Comment: Anitek is a producer from Morristown, New Jersey, USA who has released approximately 20 albums at Jamendo. His influences involve Rachmaninoff, DJ Krush, Bonobo, and Fat Jon. Indeed, Anitek`s sound is profoundly eclectic and sampledelic, however, providing lots of warm memories and feelings appearing after many listening times. More concretely, it veers away the basin of nu jazz, shapes of dub and reggae, and the paces of smoky nu jazz and bold big beat. The lovely coverprint is there as well.

[Teaser of the day] Scarlet Leaves - The Last Romance

gnyonpix - Place for a lost boy (2011)

Elegirl

9.1

/Primitive electronica, Lo-fi, DIY, Alternative, Chill out, Electronic pop, J-pop/

Comment: gnyonpix is a Japanese project which showcases how the memories (from childhood?) should be proceeded in a way to shape a reliable folder of songs. Indeed, the primitive kind of concept is made up of joyous yet poignant accents and convincing counterpoints laid down within the concept of infantile pop. The lopsided yet suggestive motive of the last track (requiem for memories) seems to be even a little bit boozy. Not an ordinary publication at all.

Barbagallo - Mediocre