Teacups - Songs about Yarn (Rack & Ruin)

Rack & Ruin Records is certainly one of the fewest labels which has the ability to astonish the melomans at times. The album of 16 tracks gets involved in interesting aspirations. The main feature is to "mess up" the sounds of chiptune/8-bit and orchestrated sound/chamber pop, this is actually the reason why you can hear naivistic and rough electronic music approaches alongside with lucid symphonic sounds. The last mentioned ones are based on violin loops and tehnique of modifying some octaves and the first named are conjured up from old game consoles such as SNES and N64. Although almost all tracks are instrumental and have short duration, nevertheless, the picture will not get fragmentized yet. There are 2 exceptions, though - Knitting for your Resume (SNES) is a beautiful indie pop bob with singing. Also, it would be unfair not to mention the main and longest track Songs About Yarn in B-flat which does come forward through blithesome soundtrack-alike milieu. Listening to Songs about Yarn is a really worth experience, mainly by 2 aspects - solidness and extraordinariness.

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9.4

Clinker Open See EP (Opera Dog Productions)

Europe faces against immigration problems nowadays. Refugees from the Third World, mainly from Africa, are searching for new living places by different reasons. For the Europeans have not been left anything but to choose between the two sides - to be for it or against it. Having been in to express empathy or showing up their dislike. On the other hand, we must take into account the fact it has mainly been the side effect of the White World expansive foreign policy and the weight of colonial history alongside with all kind of related rewards - the ruination of economic situation, the mutilation of natural environment, severe local wars during the Cold War in purpose of encompassing a larger part or reshaping the spheres of interest. The basic needs of the native people have been suppressed by the secondary needs/wishes of the Western peoples. Indeed, the recent situation can be seen as if a karma wheel is inevitably getting upon us - the cause-effect relationship is still being relevant.

Peter Jordan & Co. have made their firm decision in favor of empathy. Open See EP is inspired by Jim Goldberg`s photo exhibition of the same name, which main purpose was to reflect the experiences and sentiments of asylum seekers. Clinker uses even the phrases of the refugees in their lyrics. In comparison with their previous oeuvres Londoners have increased part of the wind instruments and backing vocals, though, while diminishing the role of synthesizers and electronics. The 4-track issue is wrapped with heartsore undertones of indie soul/soft rock and epic chamber pop numbers while nothing lose about their angular songwriting. Clinker has always shined with such albums containing of grandeur numbers - One Hell to Another and Will This Never End (Ood Song) will for sure complete this list.

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9.2