Author Archives: birddog

https://lucyrailton.bandcamp.com/album/subaerial Genre: Neo-Contemporary Classical Improvisation Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp August 13, 2021 Subaerial is slightly melancholy but mostly emotionally ambiguous modern music. Performed by an organ and cello duet there’s great third stream avant garde communication from these very naturally compatible instruments. Sometimes Bachlike church sounding alternative with late night irie bandwidth FM communityContinue reading “Subaerial by Lucy Railton & Kit Downe”

Genre: Ambient Rating: 3/5 https://modernarecords.bandcamp.com/album/heima These are solid compositions. And they’re very subtle. Three’ s a good rating and that means I liked it but it also means I think it could be better. These could be Library Tapes compositions but truthfully they’re not as intriguing or engaging. Besides piano there are strings on thisContinue reading “Heima by Stefán Hafsteinsson”

https://m.soundcloud.com/lilyeat/sets/alive-285629700 Genre: Trap Rating: 2/5 Album 1:03:26 22 Tracks Jul 15, 2021 A young man went into a studio and came out with over an hour’s worth of material. A music blogger listened to it and asked, “Is that all do? Future imitations?”

https://floppyears.bandcamp.com/album/unknown-calls-and-hangups Genre: Electric Guitar Improvisational Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 26, 2021 This is the first thing I’ve heard from kwon’s large discography. It’s not at all showy or flashy just moderately paced solo guitar improvisations I’d say somewhat in the vein of Derek Bailey. The tone is outstanding. It’s beautiful. And the arrangementsContinue reading “Unknown Calls and Hangups by dani kwon”

https://l33k5p1n84574rd5.bandcamp.com/album/–29 Genre: Vaporized Dub Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp August 13, 2021 Defeated stragglers slowed down in a world that moves too fast. Sonic evacuation in a space that needs to be evacuated. Methodical but mindless in a world that thinks too much. Plastic plants don’t clean the air but this isn’t a utilitarian art.Continue reading “深夜のスペースダブ by ロフィ騎手 vs. Dub H4xx0r”

https://xperrymental.bandcamp.com/album/oddio-xperryments-1 Genre: Neo-Early Electronic Music Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 12, 2021 I’m not sure how many of them X Perry Mental is aware of but there are influences galore stamped all over this record. The least flattering, in my opinion, is The Residents, an overrated band that tries too hard. However, my criticismsContinue reading “Oddio XPerryments 1 by X Perry Mental”

https://rosieturton.bandcamp.com/album/expansions-and-transformations-part-i-ii Genre: Jazz Rating: 4/5 Definitely a group of top shelf musicians here on this EP of little less than 25 minutes. Obviously, this could be stretched out, no doubt these musicians could solo and still keep you captivated for twice the length but instead the music is intensely economical. The mission is clearly theContinue reading “Expansions and Transformations: Part I & II by Rosie Turton”

https://tonydark.bandcamp.com/album/the-legend-of-d-b-looper Genre: Hip Hop Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp August 6, 2021 An interesting, entertaining, and aesthetically pleasing mellow pop-oriented hip hop release out of Houston. They’re doing their own thing but it’s Tribe or De La Soul (*3 Feet High and Rising is finally coming to Spotify btw – if you care – notContinue reading “The Legend of D.B. Looper by TonyDark”

https://lillernetapes.bandcamp.com/album/frisson Genre: Experimental Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp August 10, 2021 This is a solid experimental release with a lot of cool sounds. These kids are so clever these days. I bet they made this on their phone while hiding in the restroom at work. Or they were running it in the background during covid/zoomContinue reading “Frisson by Etelin”

https://deathbombarc.bandcamp.com/album/mother-of-sighs Genre: Post Punk Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp August 6, 2021 In the vein of Throbbing Gristle this is apparently a concept album centered around a very difficult experience with motherhood. The music successfully captures the creepiness of the old post punk days. Weird droning keyboards and slow beats with weird vocals and allContinue reading “Mother of Sighs by Mother of Sighs”

https://halcyontapes.bandcamp.com/album/rolling-the-sky Genre: Slush Wave Rating: 4/5 released On Bandcamp August 8, 2021 Functions like an orchestra. The beats are like texts that got lost on a dead phone that never woke up but kept on dreaming. Like the best of this genre it turns nostalgia on its head: wistful, luminous, inspired, dazed, reality wrapped inContinue reading “Rolling The Sky by Wizard of Loneliness”

https://silentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/clog-time Genre: Drone Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp August 6, 2021 I know I’m too liberal with praise and my excuse that I’m a fan not a critic doesn’t help my readers understand how 5/5 the 5/5 releases are. They’re all great. I mean that. I can’t help that we are in a golden ageContinue reading “Clog Time by DreamCloud/Pacific 231”

https://doekraw.bandcamp.com/album/doek-composes-silence-by-wilbert-de-joode Genre: Free Jazz Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp August 6, 2021 Four accomplished jazz musicians interpret a composition by Wilbert De Joode for solo improvisations. Wilbert De Joode, who doesn’t actually perform on this record is generally known for his bass playing. Those interested in hearing more of his playing may want to checkContinue reading “Doek composes – Silence by Wilbert de Joode by Doek RAW”

https://liquidlibrary.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-sleeping-cats Genre: Shoe Gaze Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp August 6, 2021 Sounds sort of like DJ Screw was messing around with his My Bloody Valentine records. This approximately nine minute EP deserves to be applauded for its brevity in this age of digital foreverness for almost everything that isn’t pop. That said, these groovesContinue reading “Music For Sleeping Cats by Cascading”

https://homenormal.bandcamp.com/album/bloom Genre: Drone Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp August 5, 2021 Water is one of my favorite instruments. It’s no wonder that the sound of it is so appealing. Thales believed water is alive and the original principle of nature. 2700 years later, the more we learn about matter, life, and consciousness, the more incrediblyContinue reading “Bloom by Ian Hawgood + Stijn Hüwels”

https://mysticalplace.bandcamp.com/album/kot-bayun-fairy-tales-vol-2 Genre: Hip Hop Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp August 5, 2021 Weird and dreamy dungeon synth with Three 6 Mafia Memphis style raps sampled (?) in. I couldn’t actually identify any of the samples or who’s rapping – maybe I missed the identifiers I don’t know. What I do know is flow and thisContinue reading “KOT BAYUN – Fairy Tales Vol.2 by Mystical Place Records”

https://handdrawndracula.bandcamp.com/album/ep4 Genre: Dream Pop Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp August 5, 2021 This is a four song EP which is really equal parts trip hop / dream pop. There are certainly echoes of Portishead but in many places it’s more gothic. The songs lean heavy into their genres for composition which is much better thanContinue reading “EP4 by Praises”

Available on Spotify Genre: Hip Hop Rating: 3/5 Released 2021 Lyrics sample: They ain’t scared of catchin’ the corona like Magic Johnson (You did)Is it real? Is it fake? I don’t know, I know shit sadPeople dyin’ from it off some shit that they been hadThey said Trump had it but I think he wasContinue reading “Don’t Come Outside, Vol. 3 of by Uncle Murda”

https://leabertucci.bandcamp.com/album/a-visible-length-of-light-2 Genre: Ambient Jazz Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp April 16, 2021 The way I digested this record I’m taking it as jazz in the tradition of In a Silent Way. The sound is soft and thick. It also, and this is reflected by the cover art as well, this is not music of illusion.Continue reading “A Visible Length of Light by Lea Bertucci”

https://jeffoster.bandcamp.com/album/brothers Genre: New Age Rating: 3/5 The good news is this is a quality new age release. The bad news is that it doesn’t extend beyond that. Ackerman’s playing is top notch but compositionally it leaves a bit to be desired and doesn’t reach his past standards. The songs are good but they’re not especiallyContinue reading “WILL ACKERMAN, JEFF OSTER, TOM EATON, Brothers”

https://drowse.bandcamp.com/album/cold-fronts-planning-for-burial-bryan-manning-drowse-jonathan-tuite Genre: Dark Ambient Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp July 20, 2021 This is a compilation of ambient music that I might call Dusk Ambient instead of Dark Ambient because it avoids the cliches and trappings of most of the Dark Ambient releases from the last, maybe, three or four years. The bandcamp notes suggestContinue reading “Cold Fronts (Planning for Burial/Bryan Manning/Drowse/Jonathan Tuite) by drowse”

This is a very deep dive into Carter’s brain. Most of it is very serious criticism but some of it simple adoration for the composers he loves. Thank God we live in the digital age and I could break and sample the music he’s writing about. I’ve spent decades listening to contemporary classical music andContinue reading “Book Review: Elliott Carter: Collected Essays and Lectures, 1937-1995”

https://sleepmovies.bandcamp.com Genre: Naval Gazing Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 2, 2021 It’s always more surprising to me when someone can create a decent pop song than any other musical feat. It can’t be studied curated or taught. The frequencies must be picked out of the sky. You’re either a muse for the masses orContinue reading “Melt Transmission by Sleep Movies”

https://svenwunder.bandcamp.com/album/natura-morta Genre: Smooth Jazz Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp June 11, 2021 A big band ensemble creating an extraordinary lush old school in the best way sonic landscape. Lambchop comes to mind as a comparison. It’s sort of like if they had decided to make a jazz record instead of Nixon. I’m late to theContinue reading “Natura Morta by Sven Wunder”