• Music

    Ghost Rhythms – Imaginary Mountains

    The French band Ghost Rhythms live up to their name.  The beats are pretty wild on this one. This release sets between avant-progressive, Canterbury, and some of the freakier excursions of late-period King Crimson.  Perhaps Samla Mammas Manna and their side-projects could also make good reference points. Very engaging listening, especially if you like time changes.

  • Music

    Lorelle Meets The Obsolete – De Facto

    I would never have come across Lorelle Meets The Obsolete, a Guadalajara, Mexico-based band without the help of my new friend, Ali, whose taste in music is absolutely impeccable.  There is something wonderfully retro about the band, who reference a lot of bands like the Cocteau Twins, My Bloody Valentine, and even Joy Division in the track Unificado.  A worth release.

  • Music

    Santiago Fradejas – Montages, Volume One

    Santiago Fradejas is an experimental musician based currently in Spain, though he hails from Argentina. He is also a friend whose work I have been honored to champion for several years now, along with the work of his wife, A.M Ferrari Fradejas. In this release, the two pair up with Diego Mamani Di Giuseppe and Coco to make bleak, dystopian guitar and moog-scapes. Considering what a horrible year 2020 was, and what disasters wait for us this year, this may well serve as a perfect soundtrack to the mess awaiting us.

  • Music

    Tunnelmental – State and Remixes EP

    A good remix album should have the same song remixed by several pros and not sound a thing like the original.  I think Nigel & Derek of Tunnelmental have pulled it off in this three-track album.  The original track is a bouncy raver with the sampled refrain, “Life is a state of mind.”  I can agree with that.  Track two is remixed by Tony Byker, whose previous remixing work I’m not familiar with, but he ups the bpm to make this into something actually dancefloor-ready.  The final track is a house-style reworking by Derek which closes the EP quite well.

  • Music

    κτίρια τη νύχτα – ΣΧΕΔΙΟ ΠΟΛΗΣ

    κτίρια τη νύχτα (Buildings At Night) release an album of mostly instrumental music, though vocals peek through now and then, complementing the shower of guitars that mixes shoegazer, lo-fi, and, believe it or not, a touch of the 4AD Records sound. It’s a subdued, dark album, maybe not something I would listen to everyday, but it may well serve as a soundtrack to a dark, quiet evening.

  • Music

    Jeff Gburek/Akashic Records – Twin Oscillators ((An Electro-Isolation Suite for 2020))

    At its heart, Jeff Gburek’s latest release on Bandcamp, Twin Oscillators, presents itself as astoundingly good experimental music.  I had the pleasure of writing about his works (13 mentions, the most, I believe, of any artist whose work I checked out) at my now-defunct blog, A Miscellany of Tasteful Music.  The quality of his work never wanes. In a just world, he would be recognized as one of the foremost improvisers to come out of America in decades, and perhaps as time passes, his work will become more widely recognized. This is one of the reasons I write about the…

  • Music - Youtube

    60’s Garage Rock Mix

    Easily one of the best collections of rare or hardly-known garage rock bands.  The track listing reads as follows: 00:00 The Enfileds – I’m for things you do 2:28 The Choir – In Love’s Shadow 5:05 Danny & The Counts – Ode to Wind 7:39 The Odes & Ends – Never Learn 10:23 Squires – Wonderin 12:50 The Illusions – Little Girl 15:10 Dark Knights – Send Her to Me 17:44 Young Tyrants – She Don’t Get The Right 20:39 Mystic Tide – Stay Away 22:54 Avenger VI – Heartbeat 25:02 The Malibu’s – Cry 27:14 The Nomads – Please…

  • Music

    Daniel Thomas Freeman – The Silence After Life (Original Film Soundtrack)

    Soundtrack music is always welcome in my inbox, especially if it is quiet, brooding and sets a heavy mood for an indie film.  I can’t say I know too much about Daniel Thomas Freeman, but now that we are in contact, I look forward to hearing more albums which blend ambient, experimental and soundtrack music together so seamlessly. If you want to delve further into Daniel’s music, consider checking out his Spotify page.  The music here is less atonal, but a pleasure to hear nonetheless.

  • Music

    Cernichov – The Mold Legacy

    Today’s choice, Cernichov, bear cover art on their album, The Mold Legacy, which would fool one into thinking that this was some sort of black-metal release.  Far from it.  It’s actually a very well-balance pairing of noise and ambient music.  It’s as if a post-punk band were working with the noise and ambient aesthetic, so this sounds far more musical and stable than many of the amateur bands who sound like they’re simply flipping on the vacuum switch.  Quite nice.