Kent State - Walk Through Walls (2011)

Paranoid Futures

Bandcamp
Lastfm

9.6

/Shoegaze, Psych-rock, Noise rock, Avant-rock, Psychedelia, Experimental indie, Alternative rock/

Comment: Nicholas Vance-led project takes on the aesthetics of wall of noise, obsessive glowering guitar mayhem, and sonorous cellophane guitar pop and makes it up in a great way. It is noisy, it is sharp, it is smart simultaneously. Seductive as usual through its powerful psychotic grooves and exulting ridges and riffs. Indeed, though it might seem even simple it punches the listener`s heart and soul. Psychedelic death pop as some of them used to hint at one of the most eminent musical groups at the moment.

[Teaser of the day] Acre4 - Rockspeed

Archive.org

Bankie Phones - werk it 2

Raindeer - Moonstruck EP (2011)

Bandcamp

9.3

/Poptronica, Experimental indie, Disco pop, DIY, Electronic pop, Synth wave, Electro pop, Glo-fi/

Comment: firstly, the coverprint is fabulous, incorporating nowadays and vintage tendencies, glamour and old-fashioned signs. Indeed, similarly to the sleeve this 6-piece issue showcases its borderless playfulness - all those highly effusive, at times retrodelic synth riffs and bubbling synth vibes are embellished with fragile yet somehow whimsical vocal lines and gliding, light-hearted electronica. On the other side, Apocalyptic Love runs on massive disco pop propulsions and stroboscope rays. In a word, this Baltimore-based musical collective provides an impressive glam-fi vision. In any cases, I used to believe in that. It is sexy, it is charming, it is compelling.

The Underscore Orkestra - Balancing Act (2012)

Bad Panda
Lastfm

9.0

/Vaudeville, Swing, Music hall/

Comment: an amusing, one-track appearance reminding of the heydays of vaudevillean, highly swinging pop. Indeed, it used to be a quite authentic representation of it. It involves an array of tempo changes (from very slow to very fast moments) and harmonica-laden chirps which play on a suggestive motif. The notch is sung by female and male voices, thereby creating a lot of pleasant contrasts between the different sides of the piece. The track can be considered an example of a simulacra, yet, it is not because it is very good, i.e being without any deviations.

Phopha - The Bus (2008)

Ground Floor
Jamendo
Lastfm

8.8

/Electronic pop, Found sound, Trip-hop, Musique concrète, Crossover, Modern classical/

Comment: bubbling synth propulsions or more trip-hop/breakbeat-laden rhythms are either set below the piano drops or found sound/street sound-drenched synth and cathedral organ-driven progressions. At times the outlet is more picturesque, sometimes more restraint in its quite onerous developments. The last track exploits a template of rhythm as if melancholic piano driven and Kraftwerk-esque synth whiffs fused pop were mixed up with bhangra-influenced breakbeat punches. In conclusion, this 7-track issue is well composed and accomplished. The project originates from Czech Republic.

[Teaser of the day] Dark Souls Day - Electrify