Author Archives: birddog

Available on Spotify Genre: Dark Ambient Rating: 3/5 Although there’s probably no way to really know it, at least from the sounds, this is a live album taken from the tour following the release of the original Cylene. François J. Bonnet is Kassel Jeager ( https://kasseljaeger.bandcamp.com ) and the author of The Order of SoundsContinue reading “Cylene Suisse redux by François J. Bonnet & Stephen F. O’Malley”

https://yesandmusic.bandcamp.com/album/yes-and Genre: Ambient Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 23, 2021 This definitely surprised me. Completely unpretentious, at first I thought this was going to be a very well done new new age record and it is but it’s also a lot more adventurous than just that. The dissonance is used sparingly but it’s definitelyContinue reading “yes/and by yes/and”

https://andrewheath.bandcamp.com/album/drawings-from-imagined-cities Genre: Ambient Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 23, 2021 This is the second of Heath’s releases I’ve reviewed. Here’s the first: https://birdboyblizzard.music.blog/2021/03/27/how-to-breathe-like-a-stone-by-andrew-heath-anne-chris-bakker/ How To Breathe Like A Stone by Andrew Heath & Anne Chris Bakker also received a 4/5 rating. Conceptually, I wish Heath would push the field recordings aspect of his workContinue reading “Drawings from Imagined Cities by Andrew Heath”

https://regionalbears.bandcamp.com/album/legends-of-american-theatre Genre: Field Recording Ambient Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp June 3, 2021 Well… I’ve found another shoo in for the 2021 albums of the year list. Legends of American Theatre successfully accomplishes the most laudable goals of contemporary field recordings. It is frighteningly of our times. This music feels like an audio extension ofContinue reading “Legends of American Theatre by Vanessa Rossetto”

https://dirkserries.bandcamp.com/album/recloose Genre: Ambient Drone Rating: 3/5 released on bandcamp July 23, 2021 I very rarely review things I don’t like so 3/5 is my default lowest rating. There’s a handful of 2/5’s but in general unless there’s a real cause for it I don’t listen to it if I don’t like it. And it wouldn’tContinue reading “Recloose by Dirk Serries”

Genre: Chill Wave Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 16, 2021 (no longer available on bandcamp) This is a surprisingly good vapor release. Nice grooves that are very easy to slip into, good production and arrangements. It’s surprising this hasn’t made more inroads into the mainstream because it seems to me like it should appealContinue reading “Eternal Melancholy by Manicurés”

https://ilusorecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-sword-still-hangs-upon-the-wall Genre: Instrumental Prog Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp July 23, 2021 This is the third release by Domene this year but the first one to make its way to my ears’ vibrating hair cells. As usual I’m going to draw comparisons to put the music in context: Adrian Belew, Steve Howe, and Stephen O’Malley.Continue reading “The Sword Still Hangs Upon The Wall by Álvaro Domene”

https://falt.bandcamp.com/album/die-akustischen-konzerne Genre: Experimental Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 12, 2021 If I were stuck in the mud while kayaking I’d listen to this while I waited for the water to rise. Lots of good sounds. Holds the promise of the unknown. Isn’t that what we went out to experience in the first place?

https://siddhatthagotama.bandcamp.com/album/- Genre: Black Metal Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 16, 2021 Hard hitting sincere black metal. It’s banging alright. My only complaint is I wish it was recorded with more high end. It sort of sounds like in the eighties when Dolby came out and all it did was ruin the sound by mutingContinue reading “पुनर्जन्म भाग १ by गौतम बुद्ध”

https://lyndsiealguire.bandcamp.com/album/the-night-is-in-my-mouth Genre: Ambient Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 14, 2021 When she vocalizes it’s almost art pop. And sensual. It strikes me like a perzine almost it’s so intimate. As ambient, it’s unique an oddly melodic comfortably separating itself from the herd. Relaxing and engaging and everything it’s supposed to be but with somethingContinue reading “the night is in my mouth by Lyndsie Alguire”

https://mobile.twitter.com/desertsandvapor Genre: Slushwave Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp July 19, 2021 This is the second review I’ve written up for desert sand feels warm at night as I also reviewed the comparably remarkable 我思う、ゆえに我あり. Both received the maximum 5/5 rating but the other review is quite short. My original intention was short and sweet butContinue reading “ピアノの独り言 by desert sand feels warm at night”

https://fullspectrumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/catalogs-sound-pieces-with-text-and-10-unrealized-scores Genre: Experimental Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp July 15, 2021 I listened to this outside, in a light drizzle nighttime Florida electric storm and damn if that isn’t the right setting for this amazing collection of sounds and words. This is the best thing I’ve heard this month and sure to be on myContinue reading “Catalogs: Sound Pieces with Text and 10 Unrealized Scores by Andrew Weathers”

https://faienceknife.bandcamp.com/album/- Genre: Dream Pop Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 13, 2021 Well-crafted dream pop songs by this Russian band. Obvious comparison is the Cranberries. It also has a touch of a psychedelic component slightly reminiscent of the great Japanese female psychedelic band Angel’in Heavy Syrup.

https://hiemalambient.bandcamp.com/album/leaving-the-stars-behind Genre: Drone Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 14, 2021 This band has 87 releases and and I’ve listened to a lot of them and they are consistently very good. We shouldn’t take them for granted.

https://boguscollective.bandcamp.com/album/beautiful-katamari Genre: Vaporwave Rating: 5/5 This label, B O G U S // COLLECTIVE, now has over 500 releases and pumps out two a week with married couple sex regularity. It’s hard to say what’s up. How many artists are behind it? Are the recordings designed for multiple listens or just for the one off?Continue reading “Beautiful Katamari by SECAM 97”

https://jpegmafia.bandcamp.com/album/ep2-2 Genre: Hip Hop Rating: 2/5 released on bandcamp February 12, 2021 I have very high expectations based on his previous releases and not everything has to be pioneering but this is just lazy and generic and from one of the most promising hip hop artists in his prime it’s especially disappointing.

https://philipjeck.bandcamp.com/album/stardust Genre: Experimental Drone Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp May 21, 2021 Jeck, who is a top tier twenty-first century composer, worked on dubplates originally created by Coloccia, during the lockdown months of the pandemic. I’m typically more liberal with 5/5 than most music critics (I consider myself a fan, not a critic) so theContinue reading “Stardust by Faith Coloccia & Philip Jeck”

Genre: Jazz Rating: 5/5 Release date: March 12, 2021 Available on Spotify In my opinion Charles Lloyd is an underrated musician who deserves to be ranked among the likes of Chet Baker or Stan Getz and even though this a late career release (He’s in his eighties.), this is a fine place to start ifContinue reading “Tone Poem by Charles Lloyd and The Marvels”

Genre: Free Compositional Jazz Rating: 4/5 Streams in full on Spotify Release date: January 15, 2021 Kansai born septuagenarian, Aki Takase, leads this ensemble and takes full writing credit for four of these fourteen tracks and partial credit and the remaining ten. She’s the band leader and the clear driving force behind this trio withContinue reading “Auge by Aki Takase, Christian Weber, and Michael Griener”

Genre: Jazz Rating: 3/5 Dave Holland is one of my favorite bassists but for most listeners, in this trio format which also includes drums and and guitar, the ear is going to be naturally drawn toward the guitar. Well, it’s Kevin Eubanks from The Tonight show unfortunately, he sounds like like a guy from TheContinue reading “ANOTHER LAND DAVE HOLLAND (Dave Holland, Bass and Bass Guitar Kevin Eubanks, Guitar Obed Calvaire, Drums)”

https://enoia.bandcamp.com/album/ambrosia Genre: Post Punk Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp July 7, 2021 A self-described one man show but the record is nicely spiced by a guitarist and a vocalist. The song structures are based in large part around keyboards and this Russian is not short on talent. There’s classical influences but ultimately it’s closest toContinue reading “ambrosia by enoia”

https://leilabordreuil.bandcamp.com/album/dust-2 Genre: avant-garde Rating: 5/5 Three improvised compositions with the exception of tape in the third one are entirely cello and bass. The song titles are very austere and the music is cold, stark, and barren. The deep register of the instruments make for an extraordinary atmosphere and I don’t remember ever hearing a duetContinue reading “DUST by BORDREUIL/ROWDEN”

https://miguelzenon.bandcamp.com/album/law-years-the-music-of-ornette-coleman Genre: Free Jazz Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp March 12, 2021 I’m going to keep this one short and just say holy shit it’s fucking amazing these musicians get together for the first time on stage and capture the spirit and style Ornette so perfectly. Mind blowing.

https://miguelzenon.bandcamp.com/album/el-arte-del-bolero Genre: Jazz Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp January 8, 2021 As the name implies, this is a collection of Latin standards played in a duet format. It was recorded in NYC at The Jazz Gallery during the frightening month of September 2020. These interpretations are pure soulful jazz that I would personally classify asContinue reading “El Arte Del Bolero by Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo”

https://weallbreakpyroclastic.bandcamp.com Genre: Haitian Trad Jazz Fusion Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp June 11, 2021 To my ears, the standout musicians on this record are Miguel Zenón on alto saxophone and Matt Mitchell on piano. Zenón grew up in Puerto Rico and imo his career highlight is appearing on Not in Our Name by Charlie Haden’sContinue reading “Path of Seven Colors by Ches Smith and We All Break”