It's been quite awhile since we've posted and we are sorry for that. Hopefully it will become more consistent again soon. For the delay, I put a good 'n up here.
This is one of my favorite collaborative albums. A beautifully ominous record filled thickly saturated soundscapes composed by 2 very accomplished musicians (in which, you should look into more if you had not heard of them before). Click away and enjoy the rich drones
Good Old War is a three piece from Pennsylvania. Their lead singer reminds me of the singer from Dr. Dog. Everything about this CD is quality. With their feel good music and harmony rich vocals, this CD is great for the Summer!
This album is my most favored albums by the Books and one of my most beloved albums in general. The Books are at two piece experimental folktronica (or something along the lines of that) group consisting of Nick Zammuto and Paul de Jong. Lost and Safe, their 3rd full length release, is an ingenious album that dives into our present day society and how we are influenced to not mentally progress and be comfortable with living static lives (hence the record's title). The concept and ideas behind this album are brilliant and beautiful. You will be serving yourself a discredit to not listen to this album. Their other records are phenomenal, also.
This is the video (created by the Books) for "Smells Like Content" from Lost and Safe, featured on their DVD compilation Playall:
If you would like a good laugh after listening, read this album's review on Pitchfork (Mark Richardson, sorry this wasn't another Animal Collective record to shit your pants over).
The Dead Texan is Adam Wiltzie, one half of Stars of the Lid. He began recording as The Dead Texan because he felt as though it was to aggressive. What he means by aggressive is a mystery because, with his use of highly reverberated guitar tones, to the minimalist chord repetition, it doesn't stray too far away from Stars of the Lid's unique sound. However, this work is a little more composed feel that goes beyond simple soundscape music. I guess that's where the aggression is. Kind of ironic that this is unintentionally following a Stars of the Lid Post.
One of the most beautiful ambient albums I have ever graced my ears to hear. The internationally renowned duo of Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride, having been creating music together since 1993, have solidified a strong name for themselves in a genre of such subjective talent. ...and the Refinement of Decline is an album of thick textures and timbres of synthesized and acoustically orchestrated instrumentation that creates an atmosphere of tranquillity, filled with cinematic dynamics that sends chills down your spine.
The actual name of the group implies closed-eye visuals (which ever way you would like accomplish that). So, close your eyes and float away
The sound of this CD reminds me of J Dilla and MF Doom's instrumental CDs. Incorporating bunches of old samples, it turns old funk into new hiphop. Great listen.
IDMF is a net label / forum for electronic musicians. They release everything for free. In their second compilation, they explore the ambient side of electronic music. Ranging from minimal, neo-classical ambience such as Halogen's Length and Brecht, to the pure sleepy ambience in Sasha Borodin's Asleep next to Emily, Concord is great for reading, studying, or just relaxing.
Meet Ashton and Caleb Bird. Two brothers that have been playing for about 12 years together and have released their second EP, Reservations, last September. The EP is short but oh so sweet and luscious. Thick baritone guitar, intense drumming, eerie vocals throwing you back to the prime eras of psychedelic music, and tasteful electronic noise fills this EP leaving you craving for more.
They will touring with Big Business this May (and it could not be more fitting). Go check them out and buy this EP (it's on vinyl, if you are in to that sort of thing)
Juana Molina began her career as an actress on an Argentinean sketch comedy show. She later went on to her solo musical work and, because of her eclectic style, has been compared to artists such as Bjork. Her music diverts from folk guitar work and singing with her raspy voice to more ambient and electronic sounds. The album Son (spanish for "they are" or "tune") is themed off of the sounds of birds. It's something you'd have to hear to understand.
Venetian Snares quite possibly has the most hectic, in-your-face, music ever. Using hard jungle drum samples and bass synthesizers, he creates music that's similar to old 90s jungle and dnb scene, but much more complex. This CD is perfect for when I want to listen to really crazy music, but not experimental craziness.
A Hawk and a Hacksaw is the music of Jeremy Barnes (formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel) and Heather Trost, who joined Barnes in 2005. A Hawk and a Hacksaw blends several different genres of Eastern European music (as well as many other neighboring cultures) to a modern form of composition with a great sense of experimental approach that plays off the minimalism and psychedelia of the 1960's. The couple's erratic arrangements, incredible dynamic perception, and ghastly intriguing aura helps to create the elaborate musical abstract they present.
The newest release from Svedish psych rockers, Dungen (doon-gun). Most of this CD is very laid back, creating an atmosphere that seems nostalgic of the 1970s.
Belong is a New Orleans based duo that runs synthesizers and guitars through various effect processors that create dark, washy distortion and glitchy electronic textures. You could compare their sound to artists like Tim Hecker. This is one of my favorite ambient CDs!
I thought I should follow up that last Aphex Twin post with this. It is most of the popular popular Aphex Twin songs played by a 20 piece orchestra. Intrigued? You should be. The arrangements are spot on. This is a gem for Aphex Twin fans as well as anyone who acoustic renditions of complex electronica.
Aphex Twin, along with other 90s artists from the Warp label, were the front runners of modern electronic music. The height of Euro House and Trance music birthed IDM (intelligent dance music) - music with not-so-dancy drums and aimed for listenability rather than danceability. The most renown artist from this era is probably Aphex Twin. With the Richard D James Album, he begins to show his twisted sense of humor which is later magnified by his EPs, Come to Daddy and Windowlicker. With the success of his music, he bought a tank and a submarine.
After starting off in the early 80's as a chart topping, synth-pop/new wave band, Talk Talk progressed their stylistic approach into a direction that would later help define the musical spectrum of post-rock. Talk Talk's final record, Laughing Stock, is a brilliant album composed of broad instrumentation, soaring dynamics, and genius improvisation with a vast and defining ambience behind its entirety. This record is fantastic and is deserving of anyone's listening.
