Muhr Her Fall Themes (Bandcamp)

The Montrèal-based musician Vincent Fugère can be considered a webaudio legend, having released countless albums under his aliases during the last 12 years. Indeed, aside as Muhr, he has also used such aliases as Koei, Vizion, Kaminari Synthesis, A Few Days Until Never Again, and Life As A Tree and managed 2 records - Apegenine and Camomille. By having been heavy-drifted above the realms of subtle electronica, drone, ambient, post-rock, and modern classical/chamber music Fugère has been a part of the conscience of his hometown`s famous experimental scene. More concretely, the albums like Drames Et Précipies (2006, Zymogen), Poussière (2007, Serein), Anthèmes pour les Regrets (2008, 12rec), and Farewell Anthology (2009, Soft Phase) can be labelled as pure gold by conjured stunning accents based upon the meandering on and between the area of elemental appearance of the nature and invisible closeness to the civilization. So if someone is really into the sound of Hauschka, Daniel Maze, Bosques de mi Mente, GY!BE, Max Richter, Sylvain Chauveau, The Sight Below, Fugère`s soundscapes may complete the kind of array for you.

In fact, after Farewell Anthology the quebecois has had serious hesitations either to continue or to make the final closure as Muhr, but fortunately decided to trundle on with his new numbers. At Her Fall Themes are represented 10 tracks of minor, piano-based insights stepping over to the more brighter voyages directed over to imaginary landscapes being sometimes seasoned with march-infused cadences are beautiful appearances which, in principle, may be stayed for the last examples regarding his creation so far.

Listen to it here

8.8

Alexander Martovsky Libidolove, Mortidowar (Foundamental Network)

A young, 23 year-old musician from Minsk, Belarus, Alexander Martovsky has been active throughout the ending year, having issued no more or less albums than 3. The album Libidolove, Mortidowar, after his previous workouts M42, and Keep Quiet, Everybody Is Sleeping, reflects upon his skillfully aesthetical and professional aspirations, and it might be, still searchings for certain realms to get landed somewhere for having a possibility to be settle down into a mould for his personal future. Actually the last intention may not make much difference at all, as a final result being ideally reached off in principle and represented as one of the best notches in 2010. In a more concrete way, there are 14 tracks building up a exhilarating whole between lush shoegaze-filled soundscape, mesmerizing poptronica and post-rock-ish blowups, minor symphonic arrangements a la Ennio Morricone, and rigid/austere electronic music experiments, subtle IDM-cadenced opalescence and malignant drum and bass-based motorik whips, and for much more, and for much more. All in all, it reminds of 2010`s superb works of Monokle & Galun (In Frame), and Foxes in Fiction (Swung from The Branches). No doubt, listening to the tracks like You, and Heaven, what should it be described for? Would this album predict Martovsky`s position as a further experimental rock star or, on the other hand, shows up the overally screwed-up substance of pop business?

Listen to it here

10.0

Raw Moans + LAY BAC beko_70 (Beko DSL)

There is a fine joint release by LAC BAC and Raw Moans, the kind of one-man-bands, coming from Austin and San Diego, USA, respectively. More detailly, two tracks by both sides, used to be quite similar to each other, however, it can be drawn the gap between them. Raw Moans is up here, to reflect upon minimal, dreamy floating, though, doing it that way which will show up the devoid or at least restraint of his feelings. It is mainly a blend of hazy monotonic chord array and loose motorik rhythms. LAC BAC does play up disco house-drenched, heavy-filtered bedroom visions similar to Ariel Pink`s early doings, on the other side, the second track Ralf Goes Out is based upon a highly down-pitched cadence to offer the platform for Jsef Calamusa`s murky voice to be appeared everywhere.

All in all, it might be seemed as a following example riding on the chillwave and witch house hype, yet, undoubtedly it is a split masterfully composed and played out.

Listen to it here

9.0

[Artists] Crookram

Crookram
Bankrupt Recordings
Budabeats
Lastfm

[Old but important] Dog Bite The Yellow Springs EP (Rack & Ruin)

There was the year 2008, and two EP`s (The Owls And Eyes; The Yellow Springs) were released by Phil Jones aka Dog Bite from Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The first named issue was combined through lo-fi approach with looped samples of voice and strumming guitar chords holding up the subtle layering in that way. In principle, on The Yellow Spring, a 5-track issue, Jones proceeded the same act, yet excellently completed it, on the other way, having made difference as well by adding some new corners and flanks - tanpura drone sounds in the kick-off track Black Tie, and world music/tribal music-inflected Nameless Names. Aside the guitar strummings and fluctuant vocal layers as the main elements of EP`s sonic backbone it is fringed by suggestive electronics and effects. No doubt, though this EP was recorded and completed in the wake of Panda Bear`s Person Pitch being published approximately 18 months earlier, the release has its very own dynamic, touch and value. In a word, let`s make the distinction between those records, thereby giving a chance for you and this so far overlooked pearl of New Weird America/New Americana.

Listen to it here

[Artists] S.o.m.a

Sinewave
Myspace
Lastfm

TakeMeToTheMorgue! Oblivion EP (Torn Flesh)

I have wondered for myself for a while that the web-based music has had inverted outputs regarding its charts somehow. First off, at the top of download rates can be seen some curiosities and non-musical phenomenons (The Conet Project - Recordings of Shortwave Numbers; Wakka Chikka Wakka Chikka: Porn Music For The Masses). Besides it, some labels (Clinical Archives; Torn Flesh Records) concerned on the most lateral scenes off the pop music centre have reached off a thousands of download rates per day, which apparently does mirror for the crowds of experimental music-oriented lads and gals to be veiled behind the Internet music. By the way, this tendency is closely related to a hype relied upon the drag/witch house/crunk shoegaze/screwgaze movement, which uprising trajectory had initially been a matter of the blogosphere only.

Indeed, Torn Flesh Records is a label with increasingly growing discography, which spot is basically focused on bellicose dark/black/grind/noise, on the first place, and electronic overthrows applicated to it, on the other side. In fact, Jessie Martin aka Ylnez Payne aka TakeMeToTheMorgue! from Stuart, Virginia, vis à vis with the label does have a bit different reference set, delivering its touch on (modern/neo) classical music-inflected shots (15 tracks). By its fundamental aspect, of course, it is buried into dark and funeral - still slow-paced rhythms are sometimes stopped to be accessed to the ground, segued seamlessly into lethargic sleep to get have lots of plays with shadows and roaming between the visible and invisible in Nowhere Land, or on the other way, having fast run for noise-near peaks and raging low bass tectonics.

Listen to it here

8.5