Absent Without Leave - ‘neath the tumbling stars EP (2011, Three:Four)

Absent Without Leave is the solo project of George Mastrokostas, based in Athens, Greece. His music is instrumental. He previous released various records on labels more or less related to the post-rock scene : Unlabel, Chat Blanc, Awkward Silence, Thisquiearmy, Duotone or Fuzzy Panda, among others. His music is essentially based on atmospheric melancholic electric guitar.

Bio + Larkian + Les Poissons Autistes - self-titled (2011, Three Four)

A collaboration of three Swiss post-rock / ambient / experimental projects, released on a French/Swiss label. What surprises me first is the ironic humor with the titles of the tracks which contrasts sharply with the seriousness and the cold atmospheres of the compositions.

Except on Three:Four Records, I wouldn't have been surprised to discover this record on other labels like Where Are My Records, Temporary Residence, Kranky or Strange Attractors Audio House, as they share this sense of grandeur and darkness while avoiding most of the clichés related to post-rock and offering instead nice musical trips in various backgrounds.

:take: / White/Lichens (2009, Three Four)

Having enjoyed & reviewed the :take: EP recently released on Three Four Records, I was curious to discover where he was coming from musically and so listening to his debut release, a split 10" with White/Lichens was the obvious next step. It is also the first release for the Parisian label.

:take: - ep (2010, Three Four)

:take: is the solo project of Jérôme Boutinot, a French musician from Paris. This self-titled EP is his second release as a split-EP with White/Lichens was released last year on the same label.

If Jérôme started his career as a member of a very typical and average post-rock band called Stereogrammes between 2003 and 2006, his solo compositions are a totally different aesthetic expression much more subtle and sensitive.