There is such a gentle lilt to the voice of Nata Boundriver of Ясный-Svetly that I can imagine this being what Kate Bush or Hope Sandoval sounding like if either had fronted post-rock era Mark Hollis or some band specializing in ethereal, ghostly music. A sublime listen.
Music
Isiliel – 月虹創聖記
It’s not often that I run into a combination of black metal and shoegaze music (blackgaze), but Japan’s Isiliel is such a beast. For black metal, the vocals are rather elegant and symphonic. Interesting and well done.
Henri Giraffe – The Giraffe Transmissions
Henri Giraffe works under a score of pseudonyms (this is one of them, obviously), but what is impressive about the release is that it is some of the freakiest lo-fi space rock I’ve heard in a while.
The Black Hunters – Trod & Part Two
No reviews today thanks to a busy schedule, so some reggae will suffice for today.
Brendan Perry – Eye of the Hunter / Live at the I.C.A.
Dead Can Dance singer Brendan Perry released this masterpiece of an album for 4AD Records in 1999. 23 years later, the label is offering the album as a download, CD and LP with bonus tracks from a performance recorded during 4AD’s infamous 13 Year Itch residency at the storied London Continue Reading
Gold – A Higher Purpose
You may wish to lower the volume a bit for this one. Gold is a magnificently harsh noise-rock band out of Leeds, U.K., whose brutal take at experimental music is both ear-blasting, yet strangely soothing at the same time. A full album is coming in November.
Syriana – Hārim
Syriana are an interesting project released by Real World Records. Here’s the back story, courtesy of the label’s Bandcamp site: “In 2010 Syriana’s album The Road to Damascus presented a musical reflection by Nick Page & Bernard O’Neill of their take on the geopolitical landscape surrounding Syria at the time. Continue Reading
Cousin Silas and Various Artists – The Four Elements – Air (Volume 1)
Cousin Silas and his merry band of collaborators continue to impress with massive compilations of ambient music. He, and all bands associated with him, are worth a deep listen.
Mimik Banka 表情銀行 – 狗日子 (Dog Days)
One of the benefits of being in Beijing at a high-grade academy is that I run into some rather brilliant young minds who are turning me on to great local music, case in point being Mimik Banka, who listeners would compare their music favorably to acts like dream pop and Continue Reading
Luther Thomas Human Arts Ensemble – Funky Donkey Vol. 1
Yet another vinyl masterpiece, reissued to perfection, comes to us from Wewantsounds. This gem features a big player in the St. Louis jazz scene, Luther Thomas. From the label’s press release: “A gang reunion, an effort of revitalization, a headbangers’ blowout, a legendary “lost” recording, a snapshot of its time, Continue Reading