tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47987114609318972842024-03-13T17:00:43.885+01:00derives - slowcore, ambient, melancholic, sunny... indie music reviews & discoveriesslowcore, ambient, melancholic, sunny... indie music reviews didier goudeseunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17858755361515762201noreply@blogger.comBlogger474125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-14266780955887633742012-12-26T13:14:00.001+01:002012-12-26T13:14:10.379+01:00@tumblr<div>
mostly happens here for the time being</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://dderives.tumblr.com/">http://dderives.tumblr.com/</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-22151184305135017432012-09-02T20:10:00.001+02:002012-09-02T20:10:16.070+02:00Josh Varnedore - sun chapter (2012, Dynamophone)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8_lAoH4NKFw/UEOPkKjwFII/AAAAAAAAG7s/nqWa1V17cOM/s1600/sun-chapter.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8_lAoH4NKFw/UEOPkKjwFII/AAAAAAAAG7s/nqWa1V17cOM/s200/sun-chapter.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
Josh Varnedore wants his music to be loved and cherished. On three tracks he collaborates, with Hammock, another one with Hideki Umezawa (Pawn) and a last one with Amman Abbasi. Three names which tell a lot about "Sun Chapter".<br />
<br />
It's ambient music but it's inviting, fresh and closely related to dreampop. The only problem is that it is not particularly original and not extremely memorable.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Most of the time it's just a pleasant record. The highlights are "Earth", "Vertebrae", "Sun Honey" and "186,000 Endings Per Second", the last two were already released last year on a EP. Strangely, all these tracks are collaboration.<br />
<br />
"Sun Chapter" is beautiful but really too smooth, without asperities, trying too hard to emulate Hammock and Jonsi & Alex, losing a part of himself in the process.<br />
<br />
But I still like it, at small doses, it doesn't compete with the beauty of his debut EP and with the one he co-wrote with Amman Abbasi.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=1867542298/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400"><a href="http://dynamophone.bandcamp.com/album/sun-chapter">Sun Chapter by Josh Varnedore</a></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-67538379847857011912012-08-29T21:24:00.000+02:002012-08-29T21:24:00.232+02:00My Autumn Empire - ii (2012, Wayside & Woodland)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t8Rj9XfiM24/UD5lO1ASOMI/AAAAAAAAG6U/LIA68EPqIQk/s1600/mae-cover1-low1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t8Rj9XfiM24/UD5lO1ASOMI/AAAAAAAAG6U/LIA68EPqIQk/s200/mae-cover1-low1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
Second solo album for Ben Holton (Epic45), exploring a much more straightforward folk-pop approach, à la Elliott Smith and Sparklehorse, with the previous Hood references mostly swept under the carpet.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's charming but mostly it is sleep inducing. I'm a little bit at loss when I come to compare this record with his previous one, "The Village Compass" as there is nothing in the same vein. Nostalgic UK autumnal folk influences have been replaced by nonchalant late summer US (indie) pop references.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Even more there is something in this record that reminds me of Radar Bros or even Spain. Field recordings, minimalism and reverb have been replaced by drums, pop sophistication and much more elaborated classical textures. He really made an album out of my field, showing an unexpected love for orchestral pop with surprising vocal harmonies.<br />
<br />
Among the eight songs, I would only keep the slightly acid "Sleeves" which reminds me of Patrick Phelan, and "Sleep" a cover of This Heat which brings him back under British folk influences à la Appendix Out.<br />
<br />
A nice and well done album but for the most part, really not for me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="400" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/42143190" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/42143190">My Autumn Empire II</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/waysideandwoodland">Wayside and Woodland Recordings</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-58598500185258025882012-08-28T20:29:00.003+02:002012-08-28T20:29:47.137+02:00Pastoral - pastoral (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wIFbC4vfO1s/UD0EvvnO3HI/AAAAAAAAG5k/k4319ULLmt4/s1600/tumblr_m66s7kstZk1qhr9e0o1_1280.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wIFbC4vfO1s/UD0EvvnO3HI/AAAAAAAAG5k/k4319ULLmt4/s200/tumblr_m66s7kstZk1qhr9e0o1_1280.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I recently reviewed the "Believe you me" EP by Drops, solo project of Liam Hennessy, writing that it sounded close to an American indie influenced version of Umber, solo project of Alex Steward, both from Nottingham, UK.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We are now one step further with a purely American instrumental solo project. Pastoral is Zachary Thachet, from Huntington Beach, California and his debut EP sounds as warm, as positive, as euphoric than the two others, even more. </div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mostly acoustic, his music is highly intimate, sunny, naive and seductive, and brings to mind the emotional post-rock approach of Six Parts Seven, the finger style playing of Mike Kinsella (Owen / American Football) and Mark Kozelek ("Ocean Beach" era Red House Painters), The Photographic's debut album "Pictures of a Changing World", or the early records by Tristeza & The Album Leaf. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's an EP which will make you smile, will give you enthusiasm, which has got the perfume of the best sunny spring days. I've been listening to it the whole day, and I've just passed the 100 plays mark on last.fm right now, and it will still rise. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know it's a record to keep through seasons, with nice textures and a nice production, honest, humble and so gorgeous.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=3115760470/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400"><a href="http://pastoralsounds.com/album/pastoral">pastoral by pastoral</a></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-43054062701155039112012-08-28T08:58:00.003+02:002012-08-28T08:58:45.933+02:00Federico Durand - El libro de los árboles mágicos (2012, Home Normal)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GmG_q2hcY8E/UDu52trBNEI/AAAAAAAAG5I/2P-QLCbq3QY/s1600/cover4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GmG_q2hcY8E/UDu52trBNEI/AAAAAAAAG5I/2P-QLCbq3QY/s200/cover4.jpeg" width="195" /></a></div>
Fourth album by Federico Durand, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and I have the feeling that I never stopped listening to his music since I discovered "La siesta del ciprés", "Elin" and later "El éxtasis de las flores pequeñas".<br />
<br />
While starting to listen this new album, I had no special expectations, just the certitude to expand his lovely atmospheres and to welcome a few more of his sensitivity and aesthetic experiences in my daily aural environment.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
It marvelously happens, the field recordings are exquisite and his acoustic sounds and digital processing have this glowing aura which is specific to him.<br />
<br />
It's music that heals and soothes through it's refinement, humility and poetry. Federico dedicated to a little mountain village in Córdoba, Argentina, called La Serranita, where lives his mother: <i>"Behind the house there is a path which leads to Anisacate river. Here and there you can see bushes, eucalyptus and espinillos which either sleep or blossom in the shelter of the seasons. Sometimes, at dusk, an owl appears while invisible insects whisper among the leaves. And in the vicinity of the mountain path there grow plants of rosemary, mint and other herbs you can make infusions with".</i><br />
<br />
The ambient approach of Federico Durand is relatively classic, it's the way he creates his vaporous textures, giving some freewheeling to elements that makes his music alive, bucolic and organic. It's a body of dreams and nostalgic feelings, a corpus of daydreams and deep sensations you can only get when you're in contact with natural environments, given through the personal artistic perspective of Federico Durand.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://federicodurand.blogspot.be/">http://federicodurand.blogspot.be/</a><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F47062420" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-6266112462400229852012-08-25T16:47:00.000+02:002012-08-25T16:47:02.465+02:00T̶o̶n̶g̶u̶e̶ - demo (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zr-QA_9L2f8/UDjgmYqDfJI/AAAAAAAAG4w/YSfHlpEoc5g/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zr-QA_9L2f8/UDjgmYqDfJI/AAAAAAAAG4w/YSfHlpEoc5g/s200/cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ryan from Megan & Amelia/DEERS!/Matsuri, Andrew from Matsuri/Ten Thousand Leagues, Conrad from John Cota and Nik from Calculator are forming T̶o̶n̶g̶u̶e̶.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is their first demo and they belong to the post-hardcore genre and are potentially my favorite discovery in this category since Ohana. They are the grandchildren of bands such as Hoover, Bitch Magnet, Slint, Four Hundred Years or Rodan.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's quite (in)tense and screamo for a good part, but there are no useless noisy parts and sometimes they are slipping towards inventive quieter developments. It's not an easy listening but there are a lot of subtlety in their compositions which keeps you attentive. I have homeopathic needs for such type of music and they are filling these perfectly.</div>
<br />
<a href="http://itsachugknocklife.blogspot.be/2012/08/tongue.html">http://itsachugknocklife.blogspot.be/2012/08/tongue.html</a><br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=1671458885/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400"><a href="http://notongue.bandcamp.com/album/-">/ / / by t̶o̶n̶g̶u̶e̶</a></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-38255141093343172202012-08-24T21:01:00.000+02:002012-08-24T21:01:23.499+02:00Bart and Friends - there may come a time (2012, Matinée)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J4Ci0UfSAbg/UDerBhtobsI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/isyn1ppupjw/s1600/081.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J4Ci0UfSAbg/UDerBhtobsI/AAAAAAAAG4Y/isyn1ppupjw/s200/081.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was surprised to read that it's the first EP of Bart & Friends on Matinée, as they sound like they have always been there. After having been silent during most of the 00's, they now multiply releases in the 10's.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They are a team of veterans of the 90's jangly indie scene and if nostalgia is part of the game, they haven't lost their verve and their melodic qualities. If Bart Cummings (Girl of the World, The Cat’s Miaow, Hydroplane, Pencil Tin and The Shapiros) is obviously the leader of the band, he is not singing here, abandoning totally such duties to Pam Berry (The Pines, The Shapiros, Glo Worm, Black Tambourine). Mark Monnone (The Lucksmiths), Louis Richter (Mid State Orange, The Lucksmiths), Jeremy Cole (The Zebras) and Scott Stevens (Summer Cats, The Earthmen) are completing the lineup.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is a cover of Elvis Presley's "Can’t Help Falling In Love" which will make the clocks turning even more backwards, and a classic jangly one minute pop song, "There Are So Many Things I'd Like To See". There are two other songs presently featured on their "Make you blush" EP and only one of the two is in a new version with Pam's vocals replacing thoses of Bart. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The very reasons to come down here are the title track and of "A kiss you won't forget".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is something strangely desperate about "There may come a time" which makes the song poignant and perfect for rainy afternoons, a melancholic nonchalance which works like a sunny spell and leaves you with a smile. "A kiss you won't forget" is a polar opposite, sounding like springtime, upbeat and full of spontaneity, bringing back to mind the Cat's Miaow days.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://matineerecordings.com/item.php?item_id=220">http://matineerecordings.com/item.php?item_id=220</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F47194806" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-48215429551050349672012-08-23T22:34:00.000+02:002012-08-23T22:34:00.719+02:00Tawny Peaks - tawny peaks (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0O2RlTh-XxA/UDaOF-Fx6OI/AAAAAAAAG4A/QZge1uWnYMQ/s1600/3030846193-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0O2RlTh-XxA/UDaOF-Fx6OI/AAAAAAAAG4A/QZge1uWnYMQ/s200/3030846193-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">Tawny Peaks are a band from Montclair, New Jersey, formed by Charlie Perris (vocals), Molly Grund (vocals), Jonah Fried ( bass, vocals), Sam Skinner ( guitar, recordings & production) and Dexter Loos (drums). </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">This is their first self-recorded, self-released album, offered graciously as a free download on their bandcamp page.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">In my book, indie bands with vocalists on one side and musicians on the other side don’t really work.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was wrong.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">It is one of the best indie records of the year and Tawny Peaks might well become part of indie history, a name to remember and a reference if they goes on in this direction on future releases.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">Among the eight songs, six are mind-blowing, one is a weak twinkle emo punk song, “Molehill”, the other one “Ambiguity” would deserve being reworked, developed and recorded again because it’s a great song which is not receiving the right treatment, and looks here in such clothes like a b-side of Rainer Maria.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">I think the reason it works is that both the vocals and the music are strong speaking of content and form.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">As the main vocalist, Charlie Perris has got a strong presence and Molly Grund completes this with subtlety and bright harmonies, adding a softer but still sensible touch. The lyrics are well thought and well written, but mostly almost on each song you’ve got this instant when you just want to rewind the song to listen to the words again, because they have this sense of formula which often transcends the song. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">Speaking of music, the role of the guitar is always impressive, it is played at the same level as the vocals and brings as much nuances and subtleties to the song, often making the difference. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">Sam Skinner is a great indie guitar player with a deep understanding of style which goes far beyond the math/emo territory and embraces large indie roots with an impressive sensitivity and control of tension through the songs. If he's a talented guitar player, he's not falling into the guitar hero trap and is instead someone able to understand the complex alchemy of a song, and able to push the limits further, avoiding selfishness and counterproductive self-satisfaction. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">These elements create together a climate of emulation which make them work conjointly in order to reach a rare artistic balance. I cannot easily compare them to other bands but names such as American Football, Victory at Sea, Rainer Maria, Modest Mouse, Three Mile Pilot, Metal Hearts come in my mind.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">They may come from the emo/hardcore/math scene but they surpass their origin with the talent of their songwriting and are just so fucking good. Opening track, “With steps” is just a hymn, not so unlike the Front Bottoms’s “Swimming Pool” and I imagine scenes of live fury during shows with crowds of fans singing along. This is this kind of song you can identify yourself strongly with and want to make your own and the last part is really making it a winner.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">“Collect Calling” could be just the kind of song The Anniversary did so well on their album “Designing a nervous breakdown” until suddenly right at the middle they transform the song with an unexpectedly quiet part and a rise of tension, until coming to a conclusion repeating some of the brightest lyrics I’ve ever read in this genre: “You act like the world's one giant fuse waiting to blow / And every tiny tremor digs into the very center of your soul / I can't put this on paper, so how can I talk to you?”. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">Then there is "More Proof", their "American Football meets Rainer Maria" song. I’ve dreamt of such songs for years, and still cross my fingers that there will be such ones on the debut album by Brave Bird too. Once again it starts like a rough ball of melodic energy, which is progressively refined. Surprisingly the slower acoustic live version of this song available on Vimeo is greater than the album one, auguring that Tawny Peaks still have their best days available in front of them. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">“March Sadness” is the song where they switch the vocals, with Molly taking the lead of this acoustic song. It reminds me of Caithlin de Marrais (Rainer Maria singer) solo records, but once again only until the last part where they finally add their magical touch with a beautiful electric guitar part, singint together, until this clever enigmatic phrase : “Risking forks in the road “. Attacked on both sides, you can only surrender.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">“The Tree Song” is purely melodic and joyful, but much more experimental in terms of structure, built on urgency, cut-ups and repetitions, the kind of development you may have expected to find on one of the two first Joan of Arc records. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">And they had to finish on an upbeat melancholic eight minutes song and they did it very well with “Bring back the mountain”. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">I really don’t know what’s in the pipeline for Tawny Peaks, but their debut album happens now and makes me feel deeply happy and entertained, putting levels in the red.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=2172575133/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://tawnypeaks.bandcamp.com/album/tawny-peaks">Tawny Peaks by Tawny Peaks</a></iframe><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-21851979968883689792012-08-23T21:48:00.000+02:002012-08-23T21:48:04.548+02:00Pausal – forms (2012, Barge)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LKiIRzDOQAc/UDaFU_U-jQI/AAAAAAAAG3o/sl_lsLudsqM/s1600/Cover4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LKiIRzDOQAc/UDaFU_U-jQI/AAAAAAAAG3o/sl_lsLudsqM/s200/Cover4.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
The trouble with ambient drone music is that it is quite simple to start repeating yourself after a few compositions and through the process, you may lose a part of your appeal, as, not matter the level of quality you'll achieve, you will start to fail at surprise listeners.<br />
<br />
To this situation, Alex Smalley and Simon Bainton brought the option to broaden their sound, giving rise to backwards influences.<br />
<br />
There are ten compositions on this second album but they are regrouped into sets of two and three, so we end up just to have four tracks.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Most of the tracks names are related to plant biology and horticulture. The choice of artwork also brings some light about their stylistic changes. It’s a selection of representations of, what looks like to me, different pollens, coming from “ Kunstformen der Natur” (“Art Forms of Nature”), a publication of 19th century naturalist Ernst Haeckel, known for his meticulous illustrations.<br />
<br />
Similarly, each of the Pausal compositions are perfectly designed and own a certain individuality, even if each one is a portion of the whole and are mixed into each other.<br />
<br />
The focus of “Forms” is on their representation, with each detail sublimed, giving no place to approximation, yet keeping the desire of blurring the lines. Underneath the new layers of electronic sounds you still have the emotional and sensitive dimension of previous Pausal releases.<br />
<br />
Such evolution has been compared to what Mountains did with their “Choral” lp but I think “Forms” is less drastic in terms of change. The expansion of their sound goes into the direction of older ambient explorations, such as the ones made by Harold Budd, Brian Eno or even David Sylvian, and it’s also tempting to speak of new age or kosmische music influences but they don’t go that far or too far this way.<br />
<br />
They don’t want to make you lose your mind into meditative or psychedelic trips, they seem to have simply wanted to keep their sense of depth with the addition of lusher, more shining digital sounds. <br />
<br />
“Fertiliser / Horticulture / Mower” opens with the sound of a small river running underneath trees where birds are singing, slowly electronic sounds and synth waves come to complement and replace this sole, but recurring through the composition, incursion into field recordings. They are later joined by manipulated harp sounds.<br />
<br />
If it is really pleasant and if the quality is obvious, it is strangely not so intense and not particularly innovative, as they haven’t chosen the temptation greatness instead they always keep softer patterns. The second part of this composition is particularly great in the context of summer bucolic landscapes between afternoon and evening, when the nature if waking up after the warmth of the day.<br />
<br />
The first part of “Milk Whistle / Pollen Counter” makes me think of the intense buzzing near the entry of a beehive during the warmest part of the day but strangely, during the next part, the synth waves in the background bring me back to fresher nocturnal feelings, so I don’t really know on which foot I’m standing. New buzzing drones come to erode progressively the full scene turning it to a ballet of dragonflies at the foggy surface of a pond, while rising horizontal sunrays enlighten the scene. Later it turns into a walk in a dark forest full of huge pine trees. <br />
<br />
The last two tracks are closer in form to past Pausal releases : “Fruiting Bodies / Liberty Capped” is deliciously aerial like pollen floating into the air of a sweet spring day, while the grass and leaves undulate under the influence of the breeze.<br />
<br />
“Lawn Aura / World Away / Decomposition” is much more monochromatic, like the sun inundating, with a waterfall of vertical rays, snowy fields, sandy beaches, the sea or the lawn areas of a public park.<br />
<br />
"Forms" is a successful second album for Pausal, which if it makes them forward suggest further moves too, in order to keep lisibility and strength.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pausal.net/">www.pausal.net</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bargerecordings.com/">www.bargerecordings.com</a><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F48398554" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-84807176494786522552012-08-23T21:19:00.002+02:002012-08-23T21:19:24.526+02:00Seaworthy - sleep paths (2012, Slaapwel)<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-99t4YmasafQ/UDZ0eebMnRI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/uPEkCJHzFe8/s1600/seaworthy-350px.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-99t4YmasafQ/UDZ0eebMnRI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/uPEkCJHzFe8/s200/seaworthy-350px.jpeg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">First Wim Maesschalck came with the the concept behind Slaapwel Records, a small record label specialized in music to fall asleep to, then artists belonging to the ambient instrumental scene adopted the idea. "Sleep Paths" by Cameron Webb's Seaworthy project is the eleventh release.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">As a listener you're left with sleep-inducing records which don't need to keep your attention but just wish to quiet you down and disarm your brain. Suspense, tension, entrancement and surprise are out of question, so it is works conceived at first for fans of these artists and to those interested by the idea.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The specific project behind "Sleep Paths" started four years ago to end up finally with a seamless composition of 40 minutes which does quite well the intended job. If the start is interesting and the textures are beautiful and refined, you eventually end up in dullness with sleep as lone escape. But it doesn't work for me and just leaves me nervous after 15 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I rightly prefer the part II, which is a different 29 minutes long version of the first track and is, in a subtle way, dedicated to insomniacs or to those who need to be lulled in a different way. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">You're the only one still awake, the lights are switched off since a certain time and tomorrow will anyways be there, in a matter of a few hours. You see the alarm clock with some worry, remains of city lights enter the room through the window, maybe some moonlight and a few sparkling stars. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Sleep Paths II" is then more than welcome to bring you away and exhaust your mind. Where the part I works as a lullaby and just try too hard to succeed, the part II is mostly a story delicately read to you, much less linear, repetitive and smooth, instead there is place for some disorder, imagination and meanderings. It's a much less blurry version. There is a guitar which is walking slowly through the darkness, some field recordings, decaying digital sounds and effects. You can really start to feel elsewhere and forget you're in bed and anxious, instead you'll be tempted to let your own visions, interpretations and feelings submerge you and invite you to progressively lose track with sleeplessness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=1204777117/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://slaapwel.bandcamp.com/album/sleep-paths">Sleep Paths by Seaworthy</a></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-59392051275126038652012-08-20T23:45:00.000+02:002012-08-20T23:45:11.944+02:00Eiji Mitomi - planet (Childisc, 2007)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I1EwhKfSa-g/UDKjqzBhcFI/AAAAAAAAG1U/xkcnZT4q73o/s1600/R-1767787-1242065211.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I1EwhKfSa-g/UDKjqzBhcFI/AAAAAAAAG1U/xkcnZT4q73o/s200/R-1767787-1242065211.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
I listen to "Planet" ans I ask myself, where I've been these past five years?<br />
<br />
Eiji,Mitomi is a musician, guitarist, composer from Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan. This is his third instrumental solo album for Nobukazu Takemura's Childisc Recordings.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
The info about Eiji Mitomi is almost non-existent, except on his own website which is published in Japanese.<br />
<br />
"Planet" never stops to be amazing. It's a very quiet album, dealing with silence and built mostly around an electric guitar giving a lot of place to silence and dying notes. I'm tempted to compare his production to works by artists such as Hisato Higuchi, Loren Connors, Yuichiro Fujimoto, Aerial M, The For Carnation, Tenniscoats, Padang Food Tigers or Tara Jane O'Neil but that would be just shortcuts and shortcomings.<br />
<br />
"Planet" is infinitely quiet, minimal, and marries simple forms and structure with impressively subtle textures and interpretation. The intensity of his own playing transcend his compositions.<br />
<br />
There is not a single weak tracks among the compositions of "Planet", and there are many highlights, but it's a demanding and austere record. Like the aforementioned musicians, he is able to play inside a haunting atmosphere of melancholy and contemplation he is creating himself through the process.<br />
<br />
I really don't get why such a beautiful record slipped completely under the radar but I hope he won't wait too long before coming back to the scene and release a fourth one.<br />
<br />
What I like the most is how his music follows straight lines, goes straight to the point with a fulfilling grace.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.eijimitomi.com/">http://www.eijimitomi.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/eijimitomi">http://soundcloud.com/eijimitomi</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-63572590964296410972012-08-19T18:57:00.000+02:002012-08-19T18:57:51.217+02:00Unrecognizable Now – two rooms (Kesh, 2012)<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glpglisRNhA/UDELIe9YIfI/AAAAAAAAG00/GXUY9kWzAKA/s1600/R-3756272-1343122544-9147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glpglisRNhA/UDELIe9YIfI/AAAAAAAAG00/GXUY9kWzAKA/s200/R-3756272-1343122544-9147.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Since his debut album on 12k, "Monocoastal" (2010), Marcus Fischer has been quite busy with a bright second album on Tench, "Collected Dust", and successful collaborations with Taylor Deupree, The OO-Ray, Devin Underwood and Cory Allen.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">He also found the time to record a new album with Matthew Jones for their project Unrecognizable Now which as been on the quiet side since an EP in 2008.</div><a name='more'></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What I like with Marcus Fischer works is that his music possesses a strong identity, a perceptible personal touch, but without never being too invasive, rough or even invisible. In a certain way the artwork of this present release perfectly pictures in an extreme way the favorable but austere haven which is his music for me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It looks like an underneath shelter, safe, fresh and inviting to meditation and contemplation. It's a picture of the scenery in which "Two Rooms" was conceived and recorded. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's a long empty corridor in en empty office building which Marcus and Matthew invested for "Two Rooms". They totally took advantage of the acoustic reverberation volume capturing their compositions with two microphones placed at either end of the long corridor while they were playing in an adjacent room. They also used cello contributions by Ted Laderas. The closest comparison with Pauline Oliveros's Deep Listening Band about this kind of setup imposes itself as both experiences turned also into surprisingly successful records. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It looks like it has been a quite challenging work as new particular rules have been necessary to establish within the limits of the place, in terms of interactions between walls, sound sources, air, distortions, echoes and distances.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a listener the most interesting aspect is how textures and layers play together, creating nuances while drawing a three dimensional understanding of the area. You're not just ears, you're invited to breathe the whole volume. While listening to it, I just imagine myself, laying with my body on the hard concrete surface while my eyes are following the limits of the lightened walls. There are four tracks between six and eleven minutes on this record and two additional remixes, one by Kane Ikin and the other one by Simon Scott.</div><br />
<a href="http://unrecnow.com/blog/">http://unrecnow.com/blog/</a><br />
<a href="http://kesh.bandcamp.com/album/two-rooms">http://kesh.bandcamp.com/album/two-rooms</a> <br />
<br />
<iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=191816574/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://kesh.bandcamp.com/album/two-rooms">Two Rooms by Unrecognizable Now</a></iframe><br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-39394596551032279872012-08-18T23:10:00.000+02:002012-08-18T23:12:32.151+02:00Orca Orca - make live (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JV4ziuU1Osc/UC-vblUTpDI/AAAAAAAAG0c/9TljuhvL9zk/s1600/Orca-Orca-Make-Live-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JV4ziuU1Osc/UC-vblUTpDI/AAAAAAAAG0c/9TljuhvL9zk/s200/Orca-Orca-Make-Live-Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If we were 20 years ago, "Make Life" would have been released on an obscure but reputed lo-fi tapelabel (Blackbean and Placenta, Cactus Gum, Studio Muscle or Shrimper maybe?) and I would be writing this review for some hard to find printed black & white indie fanzine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Today, "Make Live" is available to everyone for free on Bandcamp and I'm publishing this on my Blogspot, both virtually available for anyone. I see this as a huge progress, and it helps to makes indie and the whole d-i-y. attitude as an even better alternative to mainstream art, while avoiding a sometimes too elitist or arty attitude. </div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Even more people are joining the movement conjointly these days as now video & graphic artists are integral part of the game too, with online videos, acoustic sessions and live footage have become the indispensable complement to an online existence. Thanks to this situation we are probably experiencing the better period ever for being curious and open minded about music in general.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But speaking of records and songwriting, in the end, nothing totally changed as you're finally experiencing the music between your ears, on loudspeakers or headphones and quality standards stay the same as it is a love or hate story between emotions which are shared or not. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Previously called Young Minds, Orca Orca is the solo project of Jim Hewitt, from Allston, MA. (expanding to a whole band for his live shows). "Make Live" is available both on his Bandcamp and as a limited audio cassette. "Make Live" features six uptempo happysad indie jangle dreampop songs with a love for reverb & synths. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">His songs have a straightforward emotional urgency full of simple but efficient melodic hooks. He's not reinventing his style of music but surprisingly you can keep returning to them and they are not losing their charm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Say So" is not so far from what the contemporary semi-gods of the genre, Craft Spells or Wild Nothing, are achieving but fails at getting the same mark level. So I even favor when he chooses the sidelines like with the invigorating "Underground" and "Holding On", playing an indie wild card and joining the team of false underdogs populated once by the likes of Vitesse, Aden or East River Pipe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">What I like the most are these songs he seems to be only playing for himself, for his own emotional balance, the dreamy and introspective "Designated Driver", which is for me like a long lost echo of Chuzzlewit or the heartfelt melancholy of "When the sung goes down". </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A sweet and nice EP.</div><br />
<a href="http://orcaorca.tumblr.com/">http://orcaorca.tumblr.com/</a><br />
<br />
<iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=1433917672/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://orca-orca.bandcamp.com/album/make-live-2">Make Live by Orca Orca</a></iframe><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-37315370974707360142012-08-17T11:50:00.000+02:002012-08-17T11:50:44.949+02:00Drops - believe you me (2012, Heat Death)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7CSxqX44CC0/UC4SgGBCCII/AAAAAAAAG0E/FN7RYWlICZk/s1600/drops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7CSxqX44CC0/UC4SgGBCCII/AAAAAAAAG0E/FN7RYWlICZk/s200/drops.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">A few months ago I discovered the lovely summer intimate pastoral songs of Umber, solo project of Alex Steward. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Liam Hennessy, of Drops, coming from Nottingham//Sheffield, might just be his sibling or best friend as both share a lot of similarities through their solo projects. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A quick Google search confirmed this bet as it appeared they are indeed close friends.</div><a name='more'></a> <br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Believe you me" is a pastoral, ambient, springlike debut EP whose main difference with Umber would be a stronger attraction for American influences ( Message To Bears (obviously!), but also(early) Album Leaf & Tristeza, Owen (for this considerable intimate warmth and acoustic guitar proximity), maybe the Red House Painters (circa the dreamy "Ocean Beach") and probably The Gloria Record ep's for the ebow and the emotional part, and so many others, while on the UK part, I have no doubt that Epic45 are among his heroes). Compared with Umber, his songs are also relatively warmer, mode direct and very emotional. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both have this freshness, this candor, this simplicity, this heartfelt naivety which makes their music so attractive and so full of infectious happiness.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Acoustic guitar plays a central role, with keyboards, some percussions, handclaps, ebow, glockenspiel, and sparse whispered vocals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">From start to finish it is a highly impressive debut EP and I've rarely listened to such uplifting music. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=4075137443/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://drops1.bandcamp.com/album/believe-you-me-ep">Believe You Me EP by Drops</a></iframe><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-20165502511128526162012-08-16T20:44:00.000+02:002012-08-18T09:05:26.551+02:00Outerhope - no end in sight ep (Number Line, 2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKrvxrZKfkY/UC0-sk_BdLI/AAAAAAAAGzs/CnDvHi-SCVk/s1600/outerhope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKrvxrZKfkY/UC0-sk_BdLI/AAAAAAAAGzs/CnDvHi-SCVk/s200/outerhope.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Outerhope is an established Filipino indie band from Manila. Composed of siblings Mike (guitar/harp/vocals) and Micaela Benedicto (synth/piano/vocals) they released so far two albums, one released in 2005 and the other one in 2009.<br />
<br />
They just released a new EP available for free on the netlabel Number Line records.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
If Moscow Olympics opened the road in 2007, 2012 is the year during which Manila becomes a true name in the international indie pop map, with Eyedress, Bee Eyes and Outerhope, and probably a few others I still have to discover.<br />
<br />
If the two albums of Outerhope were picturing the band as mostly a gently indie folk band, they absolutely reached the next level here. There are four songs on this EP, if two of them are regular, pleasant and honest songs, the sparse acoustic "Pale as the day" and sweet & saccharine "No End in Sight", the two others are just simply bright, awesome and extraordinary.<br />
<br />
"Hear the days" and "Lost Year" are perfect dreampop songs, so graceful, warm, bright and melancholic that they bring me close to tears.<br />
<br />
"Hear the days" start with beats, synth and an electric guitar, a perfect synthpop song mixing the kind of vocal harmonies you would expect on a song by Ida or A Weather with the sweetest quiet and solar melodies and instrumentation you would find on records by Field Mice / Trembling Blue Stars and Brighter / Harper Lee.<br />
<br />
"Lost Year" is slower, with a delicate reverb, nostalgic feelings and an impressive grace, dealing with perfection. The synth melody is simple and aerial and I could not imagine something more heartfelt, just like if Low was a Sarah records band.<br />
<br />
I feel speechless next to the beauty of these two songs, absolutely among the best ever recorded in this style of music.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.outerhope.com/">http://www.outerhope.com</a><br />
<a href="http://outerhope.bandcamp.com/">http://outerhope.bandcamp.com</a><br />
<a href="http://numberlinerecords.com/">http://numberlinerecords.com</a><br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=1878597680/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400"><a href="http://outerhope.bandcamp.com/album/no-end-in-sight-ep">No End in Sight (EP) by Outerhope</a></iframe><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-43351934717609356072012-08-15T15:36:00.000+02:002012-08-15T15:36:20.205+02:00Bee Eyes - honeymoon ep (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--fG1yFyS4cg/UCui4qtTF7I/AAAAAAAAGyo/__KshZD46jg/s1600/bee+eyes+honeymoon+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--fG1yFyS4cg/UCui4qtTF7I/AAAAAAAAGyo/__KshZD46jg/s200/bee+eyes+honeymoon+cover.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Bee Eyes is a polymorphous indie band from the Philippines and more precisely from Metro Manila. A four people band with the usual setup of two guitars, vocals, drums and bass. They play indie lo-fi songs which could have been recorded during de early nineties, somewhere between USA and UK. </div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If there was a tag record K Records, a recording date of 1993, I would have been totally mystified and would have said to myself: another unknown band of musicians who felt under the radar mixing their indie roots with a love for England's indie guitar (twee) pop.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bee Eyes is a modern band, who started as a projects of friends in 2006 and stayed active until now. They have a couple of releases and I feel in love with their most recent single. Idris Vicuna, from previously lauded here Eyedress, is playing the lead guitar and apparently contributes to second vocals but mostly Bee Eyes seems to be the personal expression of Julius Valledor (vocals/rhythm guitar).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'll be a little more picky about this release. There are six songs and five of them are tagged as demos. The one which is not a demo, "Playboiii" is strangely my less favorite one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I prefer when Julius sings with fervor with a quite twee attitude. Then they start collect tiny sweet shoegaze pop miracles, like "She dreams in color", which sounds almost like a bright forgotten Boo Radleys early demo. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They embrace a darker line on "Half Cartoon" proving the multiplicity of their ambiances, explore some crooner chillwave pop on "Sunday Slowdown". "Beekeeper" has got this kind of slow relaxed warmth I enjoy on certain Sea & Cake records. "Dasma Girl" explores the reverb bedroom pop direction. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think now they need to apply to each of these demo's the production and refinement process which makes their single "Double Sunrise" so wonderful. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Honeymoon ep" is a work in progress, there is a potential, the songs are there, they just need to be slightly more appealing than now, but well that's why they present this release as a collection of demo's.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm confident. </div><br />
<a href="http://beeeyes.blogspot.be/">http://beeeyes.blogspot.be/</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?v0i2et8o6802u83">http://www.mediafire.com/?v0i2et8o6802u83</a><br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/26861297" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/26861297">Dasma Girl</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/awesomer">Idris Vicuña</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-29518116474073225872012-08-14T22:35:00.001+02:002012-08-14T22:35:22.019+02:00Jedadiah Bernards - two poems/piano - (2012, Vintermusik) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJiqPy6ubmk/UCqst4MYQVI/AAAAAAAAGxw/W_PyWmpAE4k/s1600/Jedadiah+Bernards+Cover+200x200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rJiqPy6ubmk/UCqst4MYQVI/AAAAAAAAGxw/W_PyWmpAE4k/s200/Jedadiah+Bernards+Cover+200x200.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
This is official debut release of a young musician from Portland, Oregon : two short concise piano pieces for a total length underneath four minutes.<br /><br /><div>
The contrast with the capharnaum which is his Soundcloud page is surprising.<a name='more'></a><br /><br />If it's uncluttered, these two tracks are far from being simple sketches. It is sold as a 5” Lathe cut record limited to 100 handmade copies with a digital version.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These tracks have been recorded in a church near his hometown and have been inspired by poems of Mary Jo Salter. Started as haikus and he developed them, using the natural reverberation and the atmosphere of the place.</div>
<div>
<br />But it's not church music and it tells much more about its author. I love thir natural echo, their sound imperfection, and their shortness really helps to create an unexpected urgency. It's like the very instant, once a year the sunlight follows a secret path of revelation through the stained glass windows.<br /></div>
<div>
I became really tired of the use of piano music inside this ambient/electronic/etc. instrumental scene, as often it lacks of depth, of an intimate sense of melancholy and mostly of authenticity. Three elements present here and glorified by a subtle and intuitive sense of textures.<br /><br />First steps must be radical and it's the case here.<br /><br />I also deeply recommend passing through the tracks on his Soundcloud page too. Some are trials by errors but other ones show this very same identity and sensitivity. I particularly enjoy the tracks he recorded as an homage to Matthew Shepard.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.vintermusik.com/">http://www.vintermusik.com/</a> </div>
<div>
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/jedadiahbernards">http://soundcloud.com/jedadiahbernards</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-1322905222172469242012-08-13T21:47:00.000+02:002012-08-13T21:47:24.550+02:00Josh Mason - temple bell (Sunshine Ltd., 2011) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FTjP5OTXhPM/UClPuGeyWxI/AAAAAAAAGxc/6nre_BYlu8w/s1600/cover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FTjP5OTXhPM/UClPuGeyWxI/AAAAAAAAGxc/6nre_BYlu8w/s200/cover.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Moving slightly forward in my exploration of the quite under the radar but inversely proportionally precious Sunshine Ltd label, after having enjoyed records by Jared Smyth and David Andree, I now discover the works of Josh Mason.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Born in 1983 and living in Jacksonville, FL, Josh Mason progressively moved between being member of a band towards developing his own vision through a solo project. The instrumental result floats between two universes, between symbolic post-* music with the acoustic guitar, which could remind as diverse people and band as Tara Jane O'Neil, Joan of Arc or Scott Tuma on one side, and a more electonic/ambient approach on the other side, from Fennesz to 12k artists and consorts. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
His own motto, stolen from his facebook profile, perfectly resumes his achievement : <i>"Utilizing his background as a guitarist, he creates works that push the limits of what the instrument was designed to do. Instead of discarding or ignoring them, he highlights chance and mistakes and pairs them with field recordings and digital processes to produce new and exploratory sounds.</i>"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My only complaint could be that he always (consciously) avoids elements which could create a too obvious melodic structure. Besides that he is regularly capturing and evanescent and fragile beauty. The title track "Temple Bell", "Ash"and "Obsidian Flakes" are particularly graceful. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is something vegetal about this record. It makes me think of those time lapse documentaries where you see plants growing and blooming in the space of half a minute. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The record is sadly sold out and was just edited as 50 tapes & downloads. I've just been lucky to find it still floating on some streams. It's a keeper and I'm looking forward discovering more music from him. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://sunshineltd.info/josh-mason-temple-bell/">http://sunshineltd.info/josh-mason-temple-bell/</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-939740338911598322012-08-12T19:57:00.001+02:002012-08-12T19:57:44.621+02:00Vio/Miré - four songs (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GyrFLQrvMWI/UCfnJJ38t1I/AAAAAAAAC50/52LGpClI2yw/s1600/2302422673-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GyrFLQrvMWI/UCfnJJ38t1I/AAAAAAAAC50/52LGpClI2yw/s200/2302422673-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Four new songs by Brendan Glasson, alleviating the wait for a new album, next to the superb "January 2009".</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I surrender as soon as "Foxes" starts, as I know his songwriting escapes categorization and makes trial at criticism futile.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Each song is a grower and turns out to be dear.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If the structures seem familiar and usual at first it doesn't take long before losing yourself inside bright, fluid and subtle intricacies. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Brendan Glasson is able to give a color to the moment you listen to his music. There is no nostalgia, his songs exist with depth in the exact instant you're enjoying them and you'll remember them like that.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He fills both my soul and my brain, without playing the emotional melancholic vibe too much, using classicism with a quite sensitive approach of musical textures. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
None of these song is formatted as a single or as a highlight even if for each one you are convinced he could have done that if he wanted. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is a kind of bluff with each song starting until he puts his cards on the table and outmatches every single doubt you might have imagined.</div>
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=159143129/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400"><a href="http://viomire.bandcamp.com/album/four-songs">four songs by Vio/Miré</a></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-21430945764193902492012-08-11T22:09:00.001+02:002012-08-16T20:44:53.574+02:00Eyedress - half japanese (2012, Number Line)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obMmZUwELGg/UCarNYv5cXI/AAAAAAAACvE/1ucsSd3SuA4/s1600/halfjapanese-cover-300x300.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-obMmZUwELGg/UCarNYv5cXI/AAAAAAAACvE/1ucsSd3SuA4/s200/halfjapanese-cover-300x300.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>Idris Vicuña plays guitar for Bee Eyes but when he is busy with his solo project he almost totally forgets the guitar and embraces an immoderate love for all things synths, keyboards, beats and related to electro chillwave.<br />
<br />
He released an instrumental album last June, called "Nature Trips" but forgot one important element, the vocals, and I find it indigestible.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
It could have been the end of the story but two months later he already reinvented himself. Though the musical nature haven't changed, the tempo is quieter and mostly he started to sing.<br />
<br />
It's a record which seems to come from another world and while "Nature Trips" sounded anonymous, here I discover something truly, amazingly, unique. I suspect he loves Wild Nothing and Craft Spells even more than me but really he is developing his own thing.<br />
<br />
I deeply enjoy the sweet melancholic nostalgia of "Mountbatten", I find it amazing how he reaches a subtle intimate level, it's a song I want to listen to again and again while watching the sun rising everyday on my way to work. <br />
<br />
Strong, unruffled beats are paving the melody of the lighthearted "Teen Spirits", making it more generic. It's just like if a part of interaction and candor was missing which makes me enjoy like-minded Magnetic Fields songs so much. <br />
<br />
Next track, "Tokyo Ghost" is simply superb, emotional and introversive, strangely reminding me of The London Apartments. I love how deep and personal this song is, and the result is particularly moving.<br />
<br />
On the last track, "Death bed", vocals are offered by Cat Cortes and it's the kind of somber lullaby you could expect on a Memoryhouse record if they were trying to emulate the proximity and directness of the Young Marble Giants. It's a wonderful song, and I feel wordless, disarmed about it.<br />
<br />
"Half Japanese" is not a perfect EP but it sounds like the real debut of someone you'll really want to follow closely as he's able to capture priceless emotions.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://eyedress.blogspot.be/">http://eyedress.blogspot.be/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=363922069/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://numberline.bandcamp.com/album/half-japanese">Half Japanese by Eyedress</a></iframe><br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-61170827670427943782012-08-10T22:02:00.001+02:002012-08-10T22:02:31.684+02:00Kane Ikin - sublunar (2012, 12k)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I0J0VeRsz1s/UCVglc6cLFI/AAAAAAAACuw/wvySlacaGZs/s1600/Ikin_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I0J0VeRsz1s/UCVglc6cLFI/AAAAAAAACuw/wvySlacaGZs/s200/Ikin_cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">First solo full-length release from Kane Ikin, who is also one half of Solo Andata, and who recently recorded one album with David Wenngren (Library Tapes). "Sublunar" follows the "Contail EP" (2011).</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At first the moist, dense and warm atmospheres of the record made me think of Pan American, but the nearly absence of regular beats and melodies as central driving force made me realize it was somewhat a misdirection.</div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">"Sublunar" is not an easy record as most tracks are not particularly inviting. It sounds like it was recorded at night, when everyone was sleeping, as both quietness and somnolence pervade this record, and as it is mostly dark, with the moon, stars, sparse neons and light bulbs as sole sources of light.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">Kane Ikin maintains your mind just between awakening and sleep and I would be more than tempted to listen to it while driving at night or while working late. It creates a background you're free to fill with your activities and preoccupations, his subtle cinematic rhythmic evolutions which will keep you alert and focussed on your tasks. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">But maybe I'll stick again with the Mark Nelson comparison as finally I'll find the same utility for this record, injecting his composition in my extended shuffle music library where their occasional appearance of its track will bring oxygen and comfort inside an appeasing grey zone.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">"Sublunar" is never as good as when you forget that the record is playing, then suddenly you'll find unexpected resonance and harmony with his compositions. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F54785421"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-88990362037637046642012-08-09T21:19:00.000+02:002012-08-09T21:19:11.972+02:00Stephan Mathieu - coda (for wk) (2012, 12k)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQja2fYDBNM/UCQJIpygXxI/AAAAAAAACuc/f4nHYZlKM4Y/s1600/12k2024_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQja2fYDBNM/UCQJIpygXxI/AAAAAAAACuc/f4nHYZlKM4Y/s200/12k2024_cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">New CD-EP (one single track of 20 minutes exactly) from Stephan Mathieu on 12k.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sounds source have veen two antique mechanical-acoustic gramophones, fully processed and transformed digitally on a computer later. </div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">They were playing recordings from 1927 of the pianist Wilhelm Kempff, an interpretation of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 26 Les Adieux.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">While listening to "Coda" you find no remaining direct traces of the original, at best part of the atmospheres but mostly they are used contextually in order to feed a reflection.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">It's an ambient, drone track with a lot of restraint and depth, with highly subtle and complex textures achieving an impressive limpidity.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">I find it incredibly appeasing and emotionally recharging. While ambient music is mostly supposed to contribute to the background ambience or may be tempted by cinematic or emotional movement here the single focus is about meditation, precision and clarity.</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><br />
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F33760494"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-57483684281559256372012-08-08T20:40:00.000+02:002012-08-08T20:40:19.904+02:00David Newlyn - deterioration (Flaming Pines, 2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ImXm0v-JS2w/UCKhCWcTzNI/AAAAAAAACuI/ER_qyusevYo/s1600/Cover+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ImXm0v-JS2w/UCKhCWcTzNI/AAAAAAAACuI/ER_qyusevYo/s200/Cover+art.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
David Newlyn is a musician based in Durham, England. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This new album has been recorded on micro cassettes, phones and cameras, using fields recordings taken while visiting the Belgian medieval city of Bruges. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You never identify precisely those outdoor sounds but you can feel these through the music, as they create the atmosphere of the songs, so I imagine myself easily walking through quiet and dormant small roads between old buildings and along canals.</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While the process may recall the tape deterioration exploration of William Basinski, the fact David Newlyn isn't using repetitions and themes makes the final result totally divergent. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a certain way "Deterioration" is mostly an experimentation whose guidelines made possible to achieve a decent collection of tracks. If i had to relate my impression about this record and choose a season, I would say late winter as it is not very colored and mostly cold but without being glacial as recurrent hiss is here to give some comfort.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To enjoy "Deterioration" it is necessary to keep a critical and attentive point of view. The opening track "Dependence" really makes me think about walking at dawn through the cold street of a still sleepy town, crossing the path of people returning home while others are on their way to start the day, while you're just visiting with a totally different perception of time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Why Does My Number Change" is an instant of dream with the sunlight giving an unexpected beauty to the rooftops as seen from a viewpoint. "Set Four" sounds like an instrumental fragment of the Cocteau Twins or This Mortal Coil played inside a full cloud of hiss. The reverb and found sounds on "A Different Person" add an unexpected graceful perspective on the proto emulation of strings and piano. "Deletion On" reminds of of Yuichiro Fujimoto with its strong sense of intimacy. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Other tracks just leave me confused dealing with a certain isolationism : "Atheist", "Seacoal Black", "Bring Your Own Reasons", "Away From The Receiver".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I think it is a relatively uneven album but featuring several interesting directions. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://flamingpines.com/">http://flamingpines.com/</a><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F55355146&show_artwork=true" width="100%"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-28882564557290493822012-08-07T21:32:00.004+02:002012-08-07T21:32:54.335+02:00Linear Bells - summer haze (2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-toUS1LOJ_fk/UCFh0zPTxSI/AAAAAAAACtg/q59e8jXsAPU/s1600/linear+bells.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-toUS1LOJ_fk/UCFh0zPTxSI/AAAAAAAACtg/q59e8jXsAPU/s200/linear+bells.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Linear Bells is the project of David Teboul, a composer and sound artist based in Nantes, France. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">On "Summer Haze", he produces instrumental music which tends to be layered and finely textured ambient soundscapes. </div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unprocessed field recordings are added in the background giving a vivid link to reality. It provides the aural environment you could get walking in a vast public park with headphones on your ears, the artwork pictures perfectly these sensations of summer meadows, full of flowers, foraging insects, birds and other walkers, but never far from the noises of the city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I find it difficult to picture where his music is standing, as it is not as minimalist as artists like The Stars of the Lid or Saito Koji, and not as shoegaze or dreamy as Hammock or Josh Varnedore. It is somewhere inbetween but probably just at a different place, mixing elements of reality with surrounding drone atmospheres and you feel like floatintg, perceiving as much as you are invited to introspection.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are two tracks on this release, the magnificent "Summer Haze" of 26 minutes, and the shorter "This Afternoon or Tomorrow"(8 minutes) which sounds like the aural equivalent of a speleology trip and doesn't totally convince.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Summer Haze" definitely deserves to be experienced with the interaction and balance between field recordings and linear layers of sound, to an almost hallucinatory level, and David Teboul resume perfectly its effect in the liner notes : <i>"Just lying on the grass, close your eyes and let you lead by the summer chimeras." </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><br />
<iframe width="400" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=2362883589/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://linearbells.bandcamp.com/album/summer-haze">Summer Haze by linear bells</a></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4798711460931897284.post-9313455657604728922012-08-06T20:04:00.002+02:002012-08-06T20:04:55.800+02:00Waves on Canvas - into the northsea (2012, Psychonavigation)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bf_50wTuJaI/UB_0nRmVQmI/AAAAAAAACtM/Ggb18du6TOE/s1600/1495807069-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bf_50wTuJaI/UB_0nRmVQmI/AAAAAAAACtM/Ggb18du6TOE/s200/1495807069-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
I have bad reasons for listening to "Into the Northsea".<br />
<br />
Three singers related to the glory days of 4AD, Louise Rutkowski (This Mortal Coil), Pieter Nooten (Clan of Xymox / Michael Brook) and Ian Masters (Pale Saints / Spoonfed Hybrid) are contributing each one to a single song.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Waves on Canvas is the project of an Italian musician, Stefano Guzzetti. He composes soft and delicate instrumental and the whole album could have been released 15 years ago.<br />
<br />
It is often beautiful, like on "Twenty Years" but rarely risky. Of course the song with Louise Rutkowsi is somewhat reminiscent of This Mortal Coil circa "Filigree & Shadow" but without the ability to reach the same mystery.<br />
<br />
Often it is just merely pleasant and inoffensive, at best beautiful and gentle.<br />
<br />
There is just one true highlight, "Starfish", co-written with Ian Masters and it brings me back directly at the center of his own too rare discography, making me ask myself once again why he never found his place after having recorded such graceful and strong songs with The Pale Saints and Spoonfed Hybrid. This song is precious.<br />
<br />
The other tracks with vocals are somewhat arty and relatively cold, reminding me of the introspective ethereal side of Piano Magic.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=996603102/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" style="display: block; height: 100px; position: relative; width: 400px;" width="400"><a href="http://psychonavigation.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-northsea">Into The Northsea by Waves on Canvas</a></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0