Weird Ribs Tubes (CLLCT/Bandcamp)

I suppose Joseph Cox is still better known as Fragile Battleships, by his previous project, through the course of 4 albums, in which he generated interesting ambient music. The 20-year-old British musician offered intense soundscapes with solid variability and impressive credibility - atmospheric soundscapes, restless glitch rhythms, the elements of musique concrete and modern classic, subtle orchestrations, low frequent bass booming, freeform sonic effects.

Although quite different, the direction on Weird Ribs wasn`t actually a very surprising turnaround drifting into a new realm - his spirit of open-hearted inventiveness promised to abound almost in everything. An new middle place is set around krautrock - around music without or within the sound of a few guitars, concentrating on creating electronic music with space odour, so-called kosmische musik. However, you know all of those names - Cluster, Conrad Schnitzler, Manuel Göttsching, Harmonia, The Droids, Cosmic Jokers and many others.

Stereo effects initiate Tubes – from one channel to another moving electronic loops are joined by synthesizer drones pumping thereafter up high chords - maybe it sounds even more Cluster than Cluster itself was able to do it. Goodnight Sweetheart is full of clashing digital sounds which at first glance, though, are quite remote from positive acceptance. Maybe even Cox itself is a bit frightened about it, turning on the previous gear. Leave is one of the highlights on the album - a kraut/synth-based sublime symphony which gets growing and meets the expectations of listeners` perception in the degree of 101 per cent. It might seem to be sound in a way as if Harmonia is circulating with Penguin Cafe Orchestra in the CD-player in the same time. The ending of this is an unexpected offering of Gang Gang Dance-alike vanguard tribal rhythms while a counterpoint in the embodiment of digital noise moves up to an intensive background whistling having some similarities with Cox`s previous project sounds, though, having more outbursting and destroying output. One of the best songs of 2010 to date. Pitter Patter is shaken through tectonic quakes while moving through cosmic spheres. All this enchantment of sounds is being captured from vintage analogue synths and epic tanpura-based long-lasting chords and will be set up a new metaphysics - the castles of old peers will be made up again.

On Tubes modern sense meets retro spirituality, epic meets sound manipulation, old school electronics meets recent technology, dance sentiments are infiltrated into psychedelic chaos. Moreover, as Joseph Cox has also mentioned the likes of Fuck Buttons, and Growning as influences amongst others, this conception will nicely be wrapped up. However, by my opinion his closest musical soul mate is still Dominik Jansen aka Cidulator from Cologne.

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9.3

gillicuddy the yaouhl! mashup (Clinical Archives)

Andreas Rohden aka gillicuddy is of East Frisian-descent, now in Bochum residing a singer-songwriter. He has issued as the sum of 4 albums, all during one year and a half, on respected labels such as Resting Bell, Merzbau, and Clinical Archives to date. Rohden`s music can be characterized as influenced by North American roots-driven pop music and minimalist song composition. Through his restraint approach he is getting close to delta blues and the string music derived from the years of the 1920-30`s. By continuing to go onwards in time it all reminds me of John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Phil Reavis, Lou Barlow, and of contemporaries the likes of Ben Chasny, early Devendra Banhart, (Carlo), Barbagallo, James Blackshaw.

Rohden`s deliberately a bit rough even primitive songs do reflect the truthfulness of the eras of the past decades (especially the album music for moles). In fact, the similarities with John Fahey do have common point in the shortness of the tracks not often reaching a couple of minutes. On the other hand, Rohden `s music has always been a bit too cagey to label it simply as roots music in itself (for example, it is as the same as to consider Wilco or The Silver Jews could it to be). His cutting edge-ness does arise from the fountainhead of the recent time (by the way, he has himself compared his music as if with “living together with the ducks and squirrels”). It is not possible to forget he is yet living in the midst of one of the main European industry complexes. His music would seem as an escaping far away from today and an urban jungle around.

His sonic inventiveness is vividly and broadly demonstrated on his latest release the yaouhl! mashup. In accordance with the spirit of Clinical Archives it does sound in a modern way (no matter how anachronistically this sentence would even sound!), being far away from the sleekness of buttoned-up chart music. However, all those songs establish an excellent bunch. The gambit i know starts with beautiful sonorous overdrives and will be continued by almost 8-minute long adventurous (post-) grunge sound. Indeed, de mannetjesolifant gaat op reis naar de oostzee sounds like grunge music in a way it could ideally to be. The track is compiled of sequences and details which are obviously not very ordinary at all. For instance, one of those sound layers is drifted by tape (speed) manipulation effects, though, the full story will be ended by background hisses coming from the (Baltic) sea. Sh-da is a marvellous blending of avant-garde/indie/post-rock, which main attention are focused on tumultuous structure consisting of the symbiosis of usual instruments and digital audio. Instrumental # 2 does approach a concept of the previous albums, but, yes, ... just moving nearer. Sme. li. co. is likely to move up into underground folk of the 60`s. What does it mean “Sme.li.co”? Therein are explaining sentences:
/ too many people on the subway train to tell people smell like cock / Why do the people under the subway train smell like cock /. In this way? Definitely.

the yaouhl! mashup demonstrates an ingenious and skillful balance between sound experimentation and solid song-crafting. There is actually one thing I am concerning about. Why are all of those song titles and the project title itself as well initiated without capital initial letter? By my opinion one of the best albums of 2010.

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9.5

[Old but important] An Elephant Never Forgets An Elephant Never Forgets (Upitup)

Indeed, the elephants never forget and can probably remember better as many people do. It is also believable that so much shit gathered together inside our brains which would be better forget or think off isn`t actually the matter of the elephants. On the other side, it is quite surprising to suggest that so few artists are paid `tribute` to the largest terrestial animal by integrating their name into groups` ones. Moreover, the elephant have been symbolized strength and durability.
Indeed, nowadays are being more popular all kind of `bears`, and `cats` - though, I ought to admit, over the times - as well. For real, over the previous decade In the USA existed the Elephant 6 movement have subsequently added the proper and symbolic intention to the `elephant` name in music. No doubt, bands such as Neutral Milk Hotel and Of Montreal have strongly influenced the (USA) altenative music scene.

An Elephant Never Forget is also coming from the same continent – from Montrèal, Canada. Dave Landry and Jim Angelillo, who are only known by this act, came in for to leave thereafter. Though, they were also represented by one song on the compilation of Upitup Records, which released their debut album thereafter. This publication could be shown as a peculiar case because of their in that music entered inside the borders of Upitup's cutting edge electronic music desert. However, the duo demonstrated tumultuous spirit and energy of the music from their home city combined with aesthetics similar to Upitup`s artists using huge cluster of influences for. Given that the jacks within the local indie and post-rocks scene are closely related to each other and take into an account a clue that (Le) Fly Pan Am changed quite dramatically the direction on their last album vis a vis their previous outputs it gives us a theoretical basis to suppose that An Elephant Never Forget has maybe even strongly influenced (Le) Fly Pan Am`s album N` Ecoutez Pas (2004, Constellation) - one of the greatest albums from the last decade.

All those diverse elements are nicely represented on the album - musique concrete elements (street sounds, water murmur), ecstatic outbursts (tracks Expl; Analogie – does it reminiscent of Arcade Fire`s ecstatic hystery thereabout 3-4 years later, isn`t?) It will be given a break by hypnotic rock conception (Nippon), electro-acoustic fulminations, slowly expanding minimalistic ambient rock (Essence). Spoken word. Digital noise does find his home within the borders of high-pitched guitar hums. Also laptop folk - as the later brand of Montrèal scene - excellent shimmerings yield great monumentums here (I recommend listen to another duo Simon Trottier-Nicolas Bernier too). The album will be finished off by their label mate Isocore `s masterful psych-electronic remix Poor Corporation.

An Elephant Never Forget is full of sounds which are worth to give a listen, worth to be discovered now and sometime later again. One of the benchmarks of experimental rock music.

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Prinss Mind, Body & Soul: 200% (Jamendo)

Mind, Body & Soul: 200% is the debut album of a quintet coming from Monterrey, Mexico. The album is compiled of 10 tracks, which are filled with recent urban sounds. The broad accents are put on digi funk, electro and r`n`b arrangements. In a lesser measure there are also presented soul and hip-hop sentiments. However, solid song settings, varying melodies, lush electronic orchestrations, modern tuned synth sequences, the effects pushed through sonic filter devices. The tightrope of vocal activity is actually the matter of women who are singing in Spanish and in English (it can happen in the same song as well). I checked out their musical influences - Michael Jackson, Keri Hilson, Alicia Keys, Chris Brown. Actually the only element which disturbs me a bit on the issue derives from the latter three named musicians - I was a bit bored of vocal settings permanently running on autotune effect mode. Though, I ought to admit, into the middle section all those robot-alike vocals are being quite ok but thereafter I was getting a bit tired. Yes, a bit indeed. Despite of that little peccadillo Mind, Body & Soul: 200% goes on and will reach the glorious ending. My favorite tracks are NO Es FaCiL ft AD - crackling sounds and subtle moods reminiscent a bit of Kraftwerk`s classic harmonic signatures, and Necesito de ti does touch me with its roomy and emotionally affecting soul music sentiments. Good album, what else could I report.

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8.3

Henrik Jòse The Little Things EP (23 Seconds)

Henrik José is the producer from Malmö, whose musical curse, cognition, and development is obviously reminiscent of another (and more known) Scandinavian musician Esa Juhani Ruoho aka Lackluster from Finland. Between 1997-2004, the Swedish musician had been known under alias as Bliss. He started as the part of demoscene/bitpop/chiptune/8-bit, specifically contrasting by making psychedelic tracker sound. His later developments had stood on the shifts toward downtempo and electronic pop direction. His musical lexicon includes such headwords like nu-jazz, jazz funk, funk soul, deep house, disco (house), roomy orchestrated music. Regarding the intensity of sound and diversity of genres he is thereby close to samplecore/plunderphonics-movement. All those acid keyboards and autotuned vocals were very up to scratch. For instance, take a listen of the track Making Bomb (1998) which is...mhhh... the bomb, indeed. His music has been issued under Kahvi, Monotonik, and Fairlight Music (once again, having an overlap with Lackluster). His musical subtlety is probably related to his main influences, including the likes of The Smiths, Sigur Ros, Murcof, Pink Floyd, Cocteau Twins, Boards Of Canada, Radiohead, Björk, Aphex Twin. It`s partly seems like an old school indie thug rustling around behind electronic devices.

The recent album is a follow-up to Henrik Jose 2007 in which guitar music was infiltrated into sometimes tricksy electronics, whilst it liked to take a view into inner space, being even a bit narcissistic in its own. The Little Things EP rejects the introspectiveness and seems musically to be much more upbeat and explicit. Also all those guitars are abandoned now. This album is full of electronic tunes. However, Jòse`s 15 years-period of permanently involving in music business does afford a kind of confidence. In the first place, this album is a solid example of his professional musical experience. My favorite tracks are Pinpointing The Problem, and the title song as well, with its tache-throwing harmonies similar to Azeda Booth-esque futurecore pop. However, the ending track We Own This Thing sounds like a tame M83, though.

In the next time I`d like to listen to an album with a bit more longitude.

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8.5

Crowcat Freestreet EP (Psychedelicate)

The State of California is nowadays full of diverse yet cutting edge music. How much good bands I have discovered in a couple of weeks – Dizzy Jaguars!, Wonder Wheel, Testicular Manslaughter, Tan Dollar etc. All those guys and gals who is wearing beach shorts and flabby shirts may be looked out way too usual but their sound is the qualitative brand in itself. In nearly 300 years ago, a French philosopher (Montesqieu) tried to determine human characteristics by bounding them to special geographical conditions. For example, people who are living in the mountains are used to love more freedom and people who are related to the living on the plateaus are biased to despotism. All we can say about California is there is no relation between interaction of thought laziness and summer blaze. I know very well all assignments in this way don`t make sense about it at all. Certainly, (physical) environments do affect the people in a certain way, but ortodoxically categorical assignments are the case of racism actually. This gives some persons the opportunity to manipulate with half-truths to reflect yourselves better and the other groups worse than they are in reality.

However, the emergence of a sequent new wave in the southwestern part of The USA is not a case to be surprised about because California is always having been an important place in the history of innovative popular music. One great act is followed by another - The Residents, Big City Orchestra, Negativland, Cromagnon, Mike Patton, Christian Marclay, Estradasphere, Tuxedomoon, Xiu Xiu, Ariel Pink, Testicular Manslaughter if to name most well-known amongst others.

Behind Crowcat is a guy named Mike McDowell - formerly having some partakings within avant-garde scene around Orange County-area (Dollar Tan, Fadestale, The Month Long Song), and his project Sun Sound Energy. Anyone who is familiar with the latter band, can a bit conjecture what could expect from his new brainchild.

Freestreet - released on McDowell`s own label Psychedelicate Records - consists of 5 tracks within 27 minutes. Obviously it is the optimal size, because this sound is broadly stretched out of pop. All what is on the EP herein can be labelled as total-pitched experimentalism - the fringes of electoacoustic and psychoacoustic environments, mutated vocal sequences/experiments, hi-speed/low-speed passages. Above it at times you can hear soaring vague spoken word samples and Freestreet can be represented without a solid fuzz noise as well. Near conventional instruments (bass, guitar, voice, drums) are also mentioned kalimba and chair(?). Is it an electric chair actually? Is it possible that the prefix "electric" is omitted to mention indeed? Throughout the way a continuous sizzle does make important sense. By its genuine sound it recalls me about limited edition tape albums of the obscure industrial acts by the 80`s. Even nowadays in the omnistylistic era Crowcat sound in a peculiar way. More exactly, his old school industrial moving about is getting closer to some enlightening works of Big City Orchestra thereabout 25-30 years ago. However, at those moments when the string instruments getting emerge, usually bass guitar (electric guitar is being directed into effect-based madness usually), a weird crossover of psych-blues and drone will be born (Clapping Fire). Of course, it all takes place in the guide of free improvisational indulgence.

Freestreet is aesthetically an outstanding publication for sure. Although intense by its form, it does wrap itself in some kind of safety, not being suppressing by its nature. In the first place I ought to admit the EP is not designed for anybody. The listeners who do have a consistent experience regarding old school industrial music/avant-garde/noise/drone are probably witted to understand it. Otherwise it may be seen too much a case of curiosity.

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9.5

Wild Honey Epic Handshakes and a Bear Hug (Lazy Recordings)

I even don`t remember how and when I discovered Wild Honey for myself. If to think about this it is quite strange for me because of being probably the most important coincidence throughout the running year. I think a chance of mine not to come across Guillermo Farrè`s project was quite possible. He is a recent indie-maverick who is releasing his music by his own and being far away from record companies and even netlabels as well.

His first self-titled EP (2008) was a twee-act, and as usual it was a standing on the shoulder of giants - of Field Mice, The Orchids, and Belle& Sebastian as well. Undoubtedly a beautiful album. The recent album has found out new directions to be flared out - musically Farrè has moved more into classical pop music, especially toward sunshine pop and baroque pop. You can feel the melodic and harmonic power of The Beatles, Beach Boys, Free Design, and The Carpenters as well. His song structures are the fragile and lambent ones. Historic dimensionality is engendered from subtle lyrics - those are nostalgic, melancholic, and sometimes with unexpected ends. For example, the track To Steal A Piece Of Art do tell about a mediocre chess player who met a famous avant-garde painter who has an idee fixe to steal and destroy with somebody his piece of art. Brand New Hairdo and Isabella do show up some haircut obsession. There are a lot of tracks what are really worth to be emphasized - 1918-1920, To Steal A Piece Of Art, Isabella, My Bride In Black Gloves, Gold Leaf, One Word Prayer. Irresistible! My friend characterized this album as a searching attempt for lost and majestic sense of life of Europe. You know all those golden days are long gone. We have no choice but you can set up your own private space-time to stay yourself.

By the way, the album is mastered and mixed under guidance of Nashville sound professionals Brad Jones and Jim DeMain. To support this act, you can purchase both vinyl and CD plus make donations.

This is heartfelt pop, deserving more than a cult audience.

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9.5