The Breathe compilations have become an anthology series that I look forward to with anticipation. However, the Breathe netlabel is also getting into single artist collections with this luscious album by Mexican multi-instrumentalist Ray Garrido. Tropicotrip is an exotic journey that is part hip-hop, part lounge, and very spacey.
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Lepork Records is a new net label specializing in South American punk artists. The small offering of online albums is interesting but I was especially drawn to The Leftouts and their free album titled Last One Standing. It is a raucous effort incorporating power pop with punk. I especially like the opening track, “19 Days” and the tense title tune. This album, as well as the albums by other bands on this net label deserve a listen for their inexhaustible energy but also to show how global the punk genre has become.
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Talk about recording with high expectations…
Their goal was to make an album that would make Pet Sounds seem like a shitty demo tape. But they failed big time and now they have this record on their hands.
Well, it wasn’t a total waste. In fact the self-titled 26 minute EP by Bam Bam is a bit of a thrill to listen to. It sounds like they went into the studio with every trick they had and spared nothing. While Brian Wilson need not worry about losing his throne, this collection of power pop ditties turns how to be immensely creative and listenable.
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"Dig Deep" is a refreshing answer to those dwindling ignorant people that still believe free independent music is inferior to the corporate variety of pop music. Just Plain Ant is an excellent producer of lush and groovin’ hip-hop by any standards. This new free and legal online album is from BlocSonic which is best known for their compilation series of net label music titled NetBloc. This is their first foray into a single artist album and they did Just Plain Ant proud… or is it the other way around?
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I have spent a little time in Italian jazz clubs so I feel fairly safe saying that some of Europe’s best jazz musicians hail from Italy. (I have a French friend who would, and has, aggressively argued this with me). Pianist Paolo Pavan has to be one of the finer jazz artists in Italy and, from the sound of his free online album titled Inside, can clearly hold his own with the upper echelon of jazz musicians throughout the world.
Inside is an album of straight ahead acoustic modern jazz.
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Nick Currie aka Momus released six albums from 1987 to 1993 on the now defunct Creation Records. Since they are no longer in print and unlikely ever to be re-issued, the Scottish singer/songwriter made a momentous decision to release them himself as free and legal online albums.
Admittedly, this is the first time I’ve heard this rather unique artist. In a feeble attempt to classify his music, I would say he comes across as a mix of Nick Drake, Robyn Hitchcock, and Richard Thompson…with traces of techno, new wave, and disco thrown in just to keep you guessing.
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D3Zs is a group of hip-hop artists from Canada and Japan. Having met at a show in Kyoto, the artists worked on a number of projects, one being this free online album released by the exciting new hip-hop net label, Random Flow.
Doin’ The Raps (part 1) is a bit of a revelation. The beats are complex but riveting. The rap is just as enthralling. I especially like the Japanese rapping by Highsnow. I have no idea what he is saying but I love the way he says it. Canadian rapper Cheese is also quite capable at delivering the words along with the beat. I especially like the manic “Checked” and the more grooving “Childhood Memories”. In a slower vein, check out “Crazy From The Head” and “Imagination”.
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