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Howl: Happy Valley

Valerie — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:01:54 +0000

Age is no excuse not to make a great record, just ask Howl. This little electro, ambient project is helmed by 18 year old Josh Banham aka Howl. This isn’t his first piece either as he’s been releasing several mini compilations for awhile.

Recorded between October 2011 and July 2012, Happy Valley is a collection of tracks “about dreams and songs about love and songs about dying,” according to the artist.

This is actually his first non-digital release. Each piece of the physical CD is handprinted, although listeners can also grab the digital record at a name-your-price option.

Trippy and melodramatic, are two words you might find yourself describing this record. Filled with 10 cuts that range from 1-4 minutes, the compilation provides a beautiful escape. Named after a race track in Hong Kong, Happy Valley is an important place for Howl since according to him, this was the place where most of the cuts here were “dreamt up.”

Although the album begins with HV, which serves as more of a prolonged intro rather than a track by itself, the cut runs close to 2 minutes and serves as a doorway into the complex and cool world inside.

Forests, begin the compilation proper with a single haunted by trip hop beats and melancholic vocals. It’s a slow and slightly cerebral cut. Meanwhile, Falling, is a hardcore mix of sounds. Elements of electronica, dance and ambient atmosphere are present in this somewhat dark and gritty track.

All of the songs on here were written and performed by Howl with the exception of The Himalayas, which sounds like a celebratory track coupled with 80s British synth pop vocals.

To sum up, this is an unexpectedly likable record. Despite being very low-key in certain instances, you’ll find that the songs have that special touch that makes you want to listen to what the singer has to say or in most cases, want to communicate through ticks, beats and rhythms. This is a worthy download if you ask me. Check it out for yourself.

Related Links:
Howl on BandCamp
Howl on Facebook

Ten Million Sounds: Finding Time

Valerie — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:01:02 +0000

With the amount of electronic musicians out there, it’s hard to find really good quality ones. Luckily, Finding Time by Ten Million Sounds has made everything easier by compiling the best electro/ambient music around.

Finding Time by Ten Million Sounds

Featuring 13 ambient, electronic and downtempo beats; Finding Time serves as the second compilation from Ten Million Sounds and is meant to take listeners through a relaxing stroll. According to their liner notes, it’s curated “for the most peaceful hours of the day, these thirteen tracks will take you from late night into the early morning sunrise, connecting atmospheric beats with a love for our natural environment.”

True to their word, the album is comprised of nothing but the most melodic and relaxing electronic downtempo hip hop to grace your ears. A track from Aether titled Solace, opens up the soothing compilation. Composed of a steady, relaxing beat coupled with the occasional vocal sample; the track liberates and calms the nerves on an edgy day.

Jimmy Whoo’s Star Child adds a bit of funk and soul to the compilation. Combining a nice bassline beat along with smooth jazz and soul touches, it’s one of those tracks you groove along to on a quiet Saturday night. Rob Viktum’s 4/17/1975 is another lovely single that’s definitely worth noting.

Truth be told, this is one of the few electronic compilations that has gotten me very excited. It’s a record composed of cool, chill out ambient tracks that are so relaxing it seeps through your bones. Filled with an equal portion of hip hop and electronica aesthetics, it’s the best of both worlds. The best part is that you can get this at a free/pay-what-you-want-download. All proceeds will be donated to a non-profit organization called Smile Train. The organization helps provide funding for corrective cleft palate surgery for children.

Track list:
1. Aether – Solace
2. Handbook – With You This Far
3. Incise – Night Glow
4. Jimmy Whoo – Starchild
5. Brock Berrigan – Synthaholic
6. Poldoore – Waiting For The World
7. Ohbliv – Badarou
8. Evil Needle – Soft Touch
9. Somepling – ThirdCriminal
10. IV The Polymath – The Recipe
11. Rob Viktum – 4/17/1975
12. Bahwee – Every Time
13. Ta-ku – Fairy Tale

Amousemet, Bxp: Refactoring

Valerie — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 14:01:59 +0000

When two electronic musicians come together you can expect great things to follow. Refactoring is just one of such exercises that brought about the perfect mood surrounded with eclectic beats and mixes from Italy-based producers and DJs, Amousement and Bxp.

Listening to the EP is like diving down head first into an unknown world where the Twilight Zone and occasionally happy unicorns seem the norm. You’ll be easily pleased with the EP if you like a little bit of the dark side as well as some cool electro/house music.

Amousement has been active in the scene since 1996, using both digital and analog hardware to create his masterpieces. On the side, you’ll also find him playing live for a punk band. Refactoring comes from the heels of the artists’ collaboration with Bxp, a relationship that made it “possible to move from typical ambient sounds to a dancefloor mood.”

Weaving a lot of experimental sounds into his tracks, the album is like unwrapping a nice present. In Autumn, listeners are treated to a smooth mix of synths and flourishing electronic beats. The track perfectly combines energetic rhythm with a more laid back feel making it quite pleasant to listen to. Y& M, meanwhile, relies on a dark, dubstep feel to communicate its energy. Coupled with random vocal samples; this is perhaps one of the darker tracks in the record.

The other two cuts in the EP include 1A9, which sounds like the perfect video game soundtrack, and Shuffle Night, which is more laid out for a house/electronica dancefloor showdown.

Overall, the EP is quite intriguing. There’s a great mixture of elements from bass, synths and samples. The rhythm ebbs and flows nicely between tracks so you get chill-out spacey music mixed in with some of the stronger beats. Great as a soundtrack to your next house party. Enjoy!

Quest’ opera � distribuita con licenza Creative Commons Attribuzione – Non commerciale – Non opere derivate 2.5 Italia.

Action News Team: How To Defend Yourself Against Fresh Fruit

Valerie — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:01:10 +0000

Action News Team is as eclectic as can be with their new record, How to Defend Yourself Against Fresh Fruit. The album comes with a host of blues, rock, jazz and alternative punk sounds that seem tossed inside one giant blender and turned into a smoothie.

The band hasn’t been sitting idly, in fact they’ve released about 12 compilations and singles since last year on BandCamp.�This is the latest from the roster and the second one to be featured here in the blog.

You’ll discover a world of boozy dance club vocals, wailing guitars as well as 70s inspired Doors vibe circling all around.�

According to the band, they only intended to create a 5-track EP but ended up having a 17-track record instead. No harm done though since the record sears with great rock tunes from start to finish.

After being greeted by a raucous and short intro, second cut,�Getting Old Sucks, follows suit. Bearing deep, rockish guitars and an abundance of rolling drums, the track feels like a CBGB punk staple. Moreover, the slurry vocals and slight uptempo beat add to the band’s magnificence in this track.

It’s followed by a decidedly more mellow 70s-style rock and roll single in Pope Mobile. It’s easy to imagine the Lizard King freaking out on stage to this one.�A few personal picks from the record are�Naked Mud People; trippy title track,�How to Defend Yourself Against Fresh Fruit; as well as the heavily blues rock,�Harmless Fun.

Influenced by groups such as Sonic Youth, The Pixies and the Stooges, it’s easy to pick out their hand in developing the band’s current taste.

Overall, this is a fun compilation that could find a special place on your playlist. It’s perfect for anyone who has a heart for old-fashioned rock and those who like things a little eclectic and weird. Grab the compilation. It’s available for free download.

All India Radio: Free Me (Remixes & Outtakes)

Valerie — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 14:01:53 +0000

All India Radio is a four piece crew from the land down under. Even if you’ve never heard of them, chances are you might have encountered their songs from TV shows like CSI: Miami, One Tree Hill or Australia’s premiere series, Bondi Rescue.

They’ve released 8 albums since 2000 and continue to impress as well as win over more listeners thanks to their ambient sound. Their mix of hypnotic downbeat electronica serves as a lush soundscape that listeners can easily get lost in.

Free Me (Remixes & Outtakes) contains a collection of released/remixed and previously unreleased songs that’s offered by the boys for free.�

The End or Near, kickstarts the album and features a Sade-like feel. Showcasing beautiful female vocals, moody guitars and a slightly dark atmosphere; the song graciously welcomes listeners to the band’s unique sound. It’s definitely an easy favorite and provides a high standard on the tracks you can expect to hear from the record.

Free Me (Remixes & Outtakes) by All India Radio

Other tracks that you shouldn’t skip on include,�Morning Drops, which is a gorgeous acoustic song featuring the same female vocals from the first cut. It’s simple and clean while combining violins at the background. This is also one out of three previously unreleased tracks by the group. The other two, Waukaringa and Tijuana Dream, are two of the longest tracks in the record. They run for 7 and 6 minutes, respectively.

Overall, you get an album that’s definitely a must-listen for any ambient lover out there. It’s even a surprise that they’re releasing this for free since most of the tracks are pretty good and definitely done in great quality. Go ahead and take a listen. You’ll definitely enjoy this as well.

Phototaxis: Pretty Ugly

Valerie — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:01:32 +0000

Phototaxis is a special band that’s made primarily of�Yael Feldinger�(lead vocalist and singer), as well as�Itay Tsuk (composer, arranger and pianist). They’re joined together by the talented crew of�Nir Blum,�Roy Cheled,�Yael Geva and�Neta Cohen Shani.

The band is only�a couple of years old, but they seem poised for success; having their debut record come out to critical praise in their home country of Israel.

Fusing a lush set of tracks that echo jazz, blues and a trip hop atmosphere; Pretty Ugly is a strong record that aims to please its listeners and does it successfully.

Phototaxis sounds like the lovechild of Macy Gray and the Sneaker Pimps. Their sultry blues jazz and trip hop combination is endearing. You’ll find yourself gently swaying to the grooves of the tracks and being mesmerized by the sound.

Released last 2010, the album is a couple of years old. Starting with the title single, Pretty Ugly, listeners are greeted to great vocal work and a slightly-drunkin’-jazz-bar mood throughout the cut. It’s probably one of the best tracks representing the group and album in total.

Alone,�is another enticing single that bears a slightly stalkerish-feel. With a steady beat and hypnotic vocal work, it’s quite catchy. Meanwhile, Isn’t It Funny is a more serious jazz ballad that deserves a slot in a James Bond film; while ending track, Leftovers, creates a mesh of synths, samples marked by a melodic hazy veil.

Pretty Ugly is nowhere near being ugly. In fact, its’s an awesome record especially for people who adore the whole trip hop/jazz blend. Featuring great composition and recording, it is a real gem in a sea of overabundant mediocrity.�Take a listen and see if you like it too.

Alexander Chereshnev: Unremembered Stardust

Valerie — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 14:01:38 +0000

Artist and composer�Alexander Chereshnev, has unveiled his latest project titled Unremembered Startdust. The EP comes equipped with 4 tracks that are both hauntingly dreamy and melancholic.

The artist has been around the music scene since 2004, producing various types of music and releasing a few EPs. Among his first compilations was a short record titled Going Home. This was released under his then moniker, Siberian Son.

After this first foray, he followed it up by releasing various vinyls, singles as well as contributing to different compilations including this latest record.

His previous works were supported and welcomed by quite a few world-famous DJs the likes of Hernan Cattaneo, Nick Warren, Paul Oakenfold, John 00 Fleming and Anthony Pappa to name a few. Moreover, his succeeding albums also gained plenty of notice. Although he’s moved on to a more ambient, downtempo vibe; the artist still brings in that special touch.

Unremembered Stardust is his latest album. As each of the track plays, the artist brings you to a world where deep and dreamy sounds abound. Starting with Vanishing Memories, you get this foreboding feeling ringing in. It’s haunting but also filled with a nice melodic touch. Meanwhile, Parfois is a gorgeous track that features spoken word in French along with some atmospheric sound while�Some Other Color, is one of the more upbeat tracks on the record. Finally, the EP is finished off by Non Mi Ricordo which features SackJo22. The song has that Elvish feel like something you can imagine fairies, nymphs and elves would sing to themselves in the forest.

Overall, you get a short but concise compilation that stirs the senses. Each cut somewhat represents the artists’ capacity to mix different styles and genres; making the record a delight to listen to. Go ahead and make sure to grab the download.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

Banquise

Valerie — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 14:01:05 +0000

Banquise is one of those groups that you wish you know more about. Playing a soft electro pop sound, �the group is as much a mystery as they are a delight.

There’s hardly anything to be found online about them. Save for a sparse Facebook profile and a BandCamp page with nothing but just music and hardly any info, it’s hard to find out more about this group.

One thing that matters though is that their sound is delightful to listen to, with swirls of pianos, synths and a soft relaxing feel enveloped in between.�

This quaint self-titled compilation starts off with, �Magic Moment. It’s a mellow, love song most of the time but also resonates a dreamy soft indie sound. The track is accompanied by sweet, falsetto-like vocals that recalls to mind early 80s love songs, minus the cheesiness.

On the other, La Cadence is a cut with great�percussion�and vocal work. Upbeat and moody, the song combines male and female vocals intertwining to create a cocktail club ready single. Bad Guys,�echo a tropical reggae beat. It seems like a track that should be enjoyed with cocktail drinks on one hand.

The rest of the songs are a healthy mix of�electronic�indie pop with a slight dance, occasionally, alternative touch. It’s a great album to check for those who love cool laid back music. Even if there’s not much about the singers, you can bet that their sound more than makes up for it. Take a listen and grab the download if you like what you hear.

Related Links:
Banuise on BandCamp
Banquise on Facebook

Koloah: Love EP

Valerie — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:01:56 +0000

Another intriguing release from one of the most active electro ambient netlabels today; Cut Music is showcasing Kiev producer, Koloah, and making his latest effort Love EP, a part of their 2012 roster.

The label has been sharing one great compilation after another and this is the 11th release from them.

Most of their compilations have gained considerable attention and it’s not hard to see why. In fact, several of these EPs were also also featured right here on the Frostclick blog.

Blending in a tropical/ethnic vibe with steady percussion and smooth dance grooves, In The Beginning, gorgeously opens the short EP. The carefully placed vocal samples convey a mystical feel to the track and the mid-tempo dance beat should serve as a club staple.

Meanwhile, I’m In Love With U, features a more serious dancefloor beat. Showcasing fluttering vocals and great synths, the song prompts listeners to race for the dancefloor and simply enjoy. In contrast, title track, Love,�slows down the tempo a bit and provides a gentle electronic R&B vibe. It’s perfect for creating a cool yet subtle atmosphere after going all out on dance tracks.

The only real downside to this EP is that it’s quite short. With only three songs, the party is over at only 15 minutes or so. Nevertheless, it’s one of the best releases Cut Music has offered. Go on and grab the download. While you’re at it, make sure to check out their other compilations as well.

Colours of Melancholia

Valerie — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 14:01:16 +0000

Colours of Melancholia is a one-man project of Berlin based musician, Sebastian. It’s an album that leaves you great window seats to the artist’s sonic exploration.

Initially influenced by heavy metal, rock and punk; Sebastian �says he’s always been fascinated in sampling as well as experimental types of production. This interest then led to this self-titled debut record.

The compilation is a lush landscape of sound; showcasing great use of beats, samples and synths to create a pleasing album worth noting.

Exploring a dark, shady world; Colours of Melancholia is a beautiful piece that uses samples and abstract hip hop rhythms to create one exploratory track after another.

From the start, listeners are greeted by Feelings. Containing deep bass, �electric guitar plucking and voice loops; each of these serve as a subtle puzzle piece that expands into one coherent yet moody sonic picture. Other songs experiment with more organic sometimes ethnic beats. You’ll hear this in tracks like Sitar and Griechisch musik.

On the other hand, singles like Victim of Progress, is a track that’s infused with trip hop elements while Punk Ist Anders, adds a playful, jaunty tempo to the record.

Despite the different genres tackled in the record, there’s a pervading melancholia embedded in most of it. If you look closely, there’s�a marked complexity that draws listeners in; making them feel as if they’ll miss on something if they blink.

Colours of Melancholia is nowhere near a sappy album. You’ll be surprised to find a couple of “happy” songs on here. Nevertheless, the artist has captured melancholia expertly in majority of the cuts. Overall, it’s a nice album if you want to try something new. Go ahead and grab it. It’s at a name-your-price download on BandCamp.