https://buhrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-life-of-insects Genre: Sound Art Rating: 4/5 Ale Hop is a (I think) German audio and visual multi medium artist. This album of program music that is described on the bandcamp note is a combination of voice, electronics and an aggressive hard punching electric guitar. There’s also a complimentary video (see below) that appears to meContinue reading “The life of Insects by Ale Hop”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Unstill by Andy Cartwright
https://seabuckthorn.bandcamp.com/album/unstill Genre: Experimental Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp April 2, 2021 Cartwright, who I’m familiar with as Seabuckthorn, who is a title contender for C. Diab’s belt as the bowed guitar heavyweight champion -oh damn I almost forgot Kawabata Makoto – but anyway I know Cartwright as this guy who plays the guitar with aContinue reading “Unstill by Andy Cartwright”
six utilitarian drones of around seven minutes duration by mark s. williamson
https://spaceship.bandcamp.com/album/six-utilitarian-drones-of-around-seven-minutes-duration Genre: Ambient Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp April 2, 2021 Honestly, this got a bonus point because I love the title. I also love his notes on the bandcamp page. Basically, he describes this as “utilitarian” music in comparison to his former compositions (that I look forward to listening to) that are more programContinue reading “six utilitarian drones of around seven minutes duration by mark s. williamson”
Paxum – Underwater Harmonis
https://poorlittlemusic.bandcamp.com/album/paxum-underwater-harmonis Genre: You Tell Me Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp April 3, 2021 / previously released cassette only 20 copies and more music on January 20th 1995 / reissued January 20th 2015 (the best I can figure looking at discogs) This is a peculiar release by Rob Michalchuk who plays piano on the recording andContinue reading “Paxum – Underwater Harmonis”
Amongst A Landscape Of Spiritual Reckoning by Forest Robots
https://forestrobots.bandcamp.com/album/amongst-a-landscape-of-spiritual-reckoning Genre: Ambient Rating: 3/5 released on bandcamp April 2, 2021 The notes on bandcamp suggest they were going for something very thematic and specific. I’m not sure if I went on that sort of journey into sound but it’s good for a chillax.
Utro by AU
https://pantheophania.bandcamp.com/album/utro Genre: Ambient Rating: 3/5 released on bandcamp April 2, 2021 A mellow way to chill and study or read while drowning out your neighbors. The neighbors thing might sound flippant toward the music but I’m serious. The right background sounds are crucial. I’m here to help.
Singulum by France Jobin
https://francejobin.bandcamp.com/album/singulum Genre: Drone Rating: 5/5 Jobin frequently composes music and writes about time and quantum physics. I’m definitely not like the IQ1000 sort but I have thought about music as an artistic medium that takes place in time as it’s happening. One aspect of drone since the onset of the Fluxus movement has been theContinue reading “Singulum by France Jobin”
Peter Brötzmann, Steve Swell, Paal Nilssen-Love – Live In Copenhagen
Genre: Free Jazz Rating: 5/5 Recorded at Jazzhouse, Copenhagen, Denmark April 14, 2016 Authors can write about their homes and where they are from and move the story in the setting of their origins. Older musicians, like the now octogenarian Brötzmann, who are carrying on the greatest musical tradition the world has ever known haveContinue reading “Peter Brötzmann, Steve Swell, Paal Nilssen-Love – Live In Copenhagen”
A Cassowary Apart by Andrew Tuttle & Padang Food Tigers
Genre: Ambient Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp February 12, 2021 Banjo and guitar and electronics based instrumental Americana ambient. The reason this is a clear cut above is simply because they can really play. The blends are effective and smooth and never corny or cliche. It’s smart well-crafted music that’s a pleasure to listen to.
“Vida e Visão” by Apaixonar
https://norentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/vida-e-vis-o-norent021 Genre: Soft Experimental Rating: 4/5 It’s hard for me to tell if this is some kind of acoustic or traditional stringed instrument like a guitar or an electronic effects keyboard or computer thing. Whatever the musical origins it’s a collection of drip drop plucking sounds floating around in some kind of ambiguous order. It’sContinue reading ““Vida e Visão” by Apaixonar”
vol. 1 by Leila Bordreuil & Kyle Flanagan
https://leilabordreuil.bandcamp.com/album/vol-1-2 Genre: Noise Rating: 3/5 released on bandcamp April 1, 2021 Yep it’s noisy. Should appeal to fans of The Haters and Sissy Spacek.
Kiri Ra! by Kiri Ra!
https://oonarecordings.bandcamp.com/album/kiri-ra Genre: Ambient-Jazz Fusion Rating: 3/5 I feel kind of torn about the rating because this peaks out at a ripping five but unfortunately it doesn’t hold there. It has some great moments of jazz spirituality and maybe even glimpses of In a Silent Way and has sustained moments of, if you’ll work with meContinue reading “Kiri Ra! by Kiri Ra!”
Blue Line Sequence by Dimos Vryzas
https://dimosvryzas.bandcamp.com/album/blue-line-sequence Genre: Neoclassical Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp March 5, 2021 A fantastic collection of minimalistic violin improvisations.
Melancolía by Dyb
https://dybmusic.bandcamp.com/album/melancol-a Genre: Ambient Rating: 3/5 released on bandcamp March 24, 2021 Peacefully drowns out your neighbors and effectively does what it sets out to do.
Mur by Taylor Deupree
https://dauw.bandcamp.com/album/mur Genre: Ambient Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp March 26, 2021 Deupree is a big name for good reason. Consistently solid releases like this one. Minimalistic and micro-focused.
Clear by Lend me your underbelly
https://lendmeyourunderbelly.bandcamp.com/album/clear Genre: Improvisation Rating: 5/5 The same dude, Christian Berends, plays guitar and bows a stand up bass all of which appears to me to have been done using a single track although I’m not positive about that. Anyway, these four tracks evoke a fantastic euphoric mood. If you’re a fan of either or bothContinue reading “Clear by Lend me your underbelly”
The Blue of Distance by Elori Saxl
https://elorisaxl.bandcamp.com/album/the-blue-of-distance Genre: Neoclassical Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp January 22, 2021 In contrast to the contemporary classical movement of the twentieth century the electronic and acoustic instrumentation work in harmony rather than contrast. I could see this appealing to fans of Philip Glass, Steve Reich, John Luther Adams, and the track Wave III reminded meContinue reading “The Blue of Distance by Elori Saxl”
idyll by marine eyes
https://marineeyes.bandcamp.com/album/idyll Genre: Ambient Rating: 5/5 released on bandcamp March 27, 2021 Absolutely stunning solo debut from marine eyes who has previously collaborated with the also stunningly brilliant 36. Comparisons to Grouper come to mind and her vocals used to great effect with very economical usage reincarnate Dolores O’Riordan into a more enlightened afterlife. She alsoContinue reading “idyll by marine eyes”
Hidden Shores (extended mix) by Jeff Pearce
https://jeffpearcemusic.bandcamp.com/album/hidden-shores-extended-mix Genre: Ambient Drone Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp March 26, 2021 It’s hard to say sometimes why one ambient piece is more relaxing or peaceful or beautiful or healing than the next but this one is just a cut above.
Vault ep.2/4 (Drone) by Proem
https://proem.bandcamp.com/album/vault-ep-2-4-drone Genre: Space Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp January 6, 2016 In the style of early Tangerine Dream except more stripped down.
Offal by Sutcliffe Jugend
https://coldspring.bandcamp.com/album/offal-csr209cd-lp Genre: Power Electronics Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp May 9, 2016 These old school noise masters were still bringing the ruckus in 2016.
Pyrrhula by Nordvargr
https://coldspring.bandcamp.com/album/pyrrhula-csr98lp Genre: Dark Ambient Rating: 3/5 originally released on CD by Cold Spring in 2008 A Swedish equivalent to Lovecraftiangothic. I probably would have bought into this hard if it had made its way into my ears back when it was originally released. Unfortunately for them there’s since been an over saturation of this soundContinue reading “Pyrrhula by Nordvargr”
Calm Morbidity by Steel Hook Prostheses
https://malignantrecs.bandcamp.com/album/calm-morbidity Genre: Industrial Rating: 3/5 released on bandcamp October 28, 2016 This won’t only drown out your neighbors it might convince them to move.
Fire! Orchestra ‘Ritual’
Genre: Free Jazz Rating: 5/5 Released: 2016 This 21 piece orchestra, which includes the beyond brilliant Susana Santos Silva on trumpet, is one of I don’t know how many five star masterpieces on Rune Grammofon. There’s quite a handful of excellent reviews of this record online already. People have already said it better than IContinue reading “Fire! Orchestra ‘Ritual’”
Brunei by Vinyl Williams
https://vinylwilliams.bandcamp.com/album/brunei Genre: Art Rock Rating: 4/5 released on bandcamp August 26, 2016 Dreamy shoe gazy vibes. Usually, but not always, I try to keep it more obscure than this but what the heck. Basically, a personal project masterminded by Lionel Williams. He’s a very talented guy.