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DFRNT: Actaeon EP - another great release from CUT Music

Valerie — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:01:46 +0000

Continuing on with their bevy of strong releases, Cut Music debuts their tenth compilation album. This time it's from Scottish producer DFRNT. Known for his minimalistic style, the artist has created a record that includes 3 originals and 2 remixes.

Actaeon EP comes with a collection of 5 tracks that resonate with cryptic drum and bass that ebbs and flows beautifully. Coupled with the occasional vocal sample and ethnic instrumentation, the record is a moody compilation that crosses boundaries.

This is the second EP released by Cut music for 2012 and so far it's showcasing a rather different approach compared to their previous compilations. Although it's slower and more minimal, the rich sound is nevertheless still apparent.

Opening with the intricate Dark Spaces, this 4-minute track is perhaps the darkest one in the record. It features a range of sounds, with clear dub style bass and the occasional complementary vocals. Meanwhile, Everything, combines a more easygoing atmosphere that brings in a hint of sunshine to the album. One of those cuts that's perfect for relaxing on a lazy day.

The remixes included are Smoothiesforme - Will This Ever End and Seba - Painted Sky. The former is airy and slightly upbeat while the latter features a more tribal, world music touch yet still exudes that trademark DFRNT minimal bass and rhythm.

In the end, Cut music doesn't disappoint with this one. It slightly veers off a different direction compared to their previous releases but it still has that characteristic feel that makes it worth checking out. Pretty good record if you want something cool and without much fuss. Take a listen.

Wacky Southern Current: In a Realm of Uncertain Summer

Valerie — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:01:53 +0000

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Wacky Southern Current is a compilation of 9 tracks that herald a beautiful post rock feel. This time around, the artist returns to No-Source netlabel for releasing their second album, In a Realm of Uncertain Summer.

The title is a bit misleading since the tracks are neither wacky nor completely Southern, in fact, it's a set of melodic, acoustic post rock that serves as a the ideal mood setter for your quiet moments.

Made up of Marco Cervellin, the Italian instrumentalist manages to balance a range of genres in one relaxing record. This is slightly different from his first release, but it still captures fleeting emotions to a tee.

While listening to In a Realm of Uncertain Summer, listeners are treated to a fusion of sound that flow together like a dreamy landscape. Its almost like looking through a kaleidoscope lens but instead of colors, all you see is black and white.

Starting things with a one minute intro, the album continues on with a track called Theme for the Uncertain Summer. The song makes me think of movie sequences where the lead character is looking through the window of his or her car, taking in their surrounding with an unattached attitude; almost like an outsider. The carefully crafted melody is perfect, while the slight guitars and hint of drums cap it off nicely. Most of the other cuts run in the same vein, those worth noting include the Naked Mountain Song and Eventide.

If you like listening to smooth and melodic post rock, then this is an album that shouldn't be passed up. Each cut allows you to wander and explore; creating a gorgeous downtempo/minimal soundscape along the way. You can grab the download over at Internet Archive. This one is available for free.

Ending Satellites: 7 Billion Passengers Only One Flight Left

Valerie — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:01:24 +0000

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Cinematic is one of the words that best describe Ending Satellites' new album 7 Billion Passengers|Only One Flight Left.

Hints of rock, alternative and electronica litter across the album; making it an intriguing record to have.

According to their site, the album is "both musical and photographic." The goal is to provide listeners with a chance to explore the melodies along with images (which you can find on their site.) The album has a beautiful concept and it also features collaborations from several talented artists.

You can expect a lot of great things from this record, from sweeping guitars to moody tempos and ambient sounding moments; they're all here. Some of the tracks are instrumental while others feature spoken word or singing.

Opening with the enigmatic single, The Long & Quiet Flight of the Pelican; the track is a dreamy ambient/rock ensemble that satiates the senses. You'll instantly realize why their sound evoke a cinematic feel to them. It's followed by The Next Exit which is a more indie rock/ alternative track featuring Londres. It's probably among the top must-listen cuts in the record, I think.

Although they definitely know how to turn up the volume and rock, some of their best works include their more moody, ambient singles. The album contains 14 tracks, two of which are bonus singles and each of these can easily stand on their own. It's definitely a record worth checking out whether the genre is something you're fond of or not.

7 Billion Passengers|Only One Flight Left is available as a free download but you can also help support the artists by donating through their site. Go ahead and take a listen. You won't regret it.

Beat Culture: Tokyo Dreamer - beautiful electro ambient compilation

Valerie — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:01:02 +0000

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A fairly fresh ambient compilation that's already generating buzz among internet music fans; Beat Culture's Tokyo Dreamer is looking forward to a great year.

The 17 year old musician behind the album is a Korean born, USA based, Sunik Kim. He's fairly new in the musical playing field but he's definitely showing promise by expertly combining various synth sounds with careful pianos and pitched shift vocals.

As a results, the album is a rich hodge podge of sound that reflects an electronic ambient feel along with a hint of shoegaze rock for those few.

Tokyo Dreamer contains tracks that would be perfect for dance clubs and quiet musings. Starting with the enigmatic, Shoreline; the track is a trippy mix of high volume synths and vocals that effortlessly combine to create a sonic landscape. The slower moments are equally filled in with piano work that twinkle and pulse randomly over the 2 minutes plus single.

Other cuts worth taking a listen to include Coastal Sentiments which features Beyonce's Emotions; title-track, Tokyo Dreamer as well as the sparkly dance beat, Memory (Cassettes.) One of the things that tie the songs together is the constant running water at the background. This gives a sense of coherence to the cuts and turning the album into a unified whole.

If you're looking for some chillout ambient sounds to accompany you, Tokyo Dreamer won't disappoint. It's a fairly good album that has enough variety to keep you interested and hooked to the sound.

Jenova 7: Dusted Jazz Volume One - downtempo jazzy trip-hop

Valerie — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:01:28 +0000

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Smooth jazzy trip hop at its finest, Dusted Jazz Volume One is a compilation of 5-tracks created by LA based trip-hop artist, Jenova 7. Combining a laid-back jazz tone with some gorgeous beats, you're bound to enjoy at least one track from this eclectic piece.

Dusted Jazz Volume One is released under Dusted Wax Kingdom Label and came out back in October 2011. It served as a bridge for Jenova 7's debut record, Soul For Sale, which is available for download here and his The Sounds of Sector 7 album.

The entire EP was recorded and mastered in just one month. However, despite the short time; it's a compilation that echoes with great cohesion with the songs seamlessly flowing into each other. Starting with Dark Water Jazz, the track begins with moody lounge pianos on top of what sounds like radio vinyl skipping static. The song progresses into a darker cut, adorned with heavy bass and beats.

Following closely is, Dusted Wax which is accompanied with a slightly slower tempo, quiet hi-hats and expertly placed vocal samples. Meanwhile, other tracks like, A Touch of Evil, lives up to its title, giving off that subtle hint of some dark, ominous presence hovering over the beats. It's a nice, moody cut worth checking out. Finally, the album finishes with, Life Is Just a Ride, which features a sample of comedian, Bill Hicks, in one of his shows.

Dusted Jazz Volume One is a neat compilation that should fit right into your electro triphop favorites. You can download this over at BandCamp. Also make sure to check out the two videos included.

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

Strange Mangers - self-titled indie post rock goodness

Valerie — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:01:14 +0000

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Quiet, post rock group from Boston, Strange Mangers, finally releases their melancholic and hypnotic self-titled debut compilation.

Listening to the band's melodies, you'll capture a whiff of melodic guitars, coupled with hazy vocals and an expansive range of sounds that seem to take you from dreamland, reality, and back.

Although the band is still new and there's hardly anything about them online, their sound is enough to convince listeners that their post rock attitude is worth checking out and listening to. Their album is currently available for free at BandCamp.

Post rock bands often have it hard. There's very few people who appreciate the complexities of the sound and instruments, so it is tough to find an audience who doesn't feel alienated with all that hullabaloo going on. Luckily, Strange Mangers, isn't as tough to comprehend even for those who aren't necessarily into post or math rock.

This six-track mini compilation is a melodic and densely structured album that's easy to listen to. Starting with the shortest song on here, Pilcrow is a near two minute single filled with lush instrument work and a laid-back vibe. Sweet singing doesn't begin until near the end and it's not even very prominent which only adds to the air of mystery to the song.

It's followed by tracks, Bottom of the Bag and Velvinare, the former featuring vocals while the latter remaining true to the more quiet sounds that remind me of Radiohead in places. There's an air of somber moodiness to the entire record, much like there's a hazy fog on a quiet morning. Even though the band manages to satisfy their math rock listeners, the record is still easy enough for anybody who doesn't care about the calculated instrument work or complex arrangements. It's worth checking out and downloading if you ask me.

Saint Bernard: The Spirit of the Stairs - catchy melodic acoustic indie pop

Valerie — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:01:42 +0000

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A quick Google search about Saint Bernard (the band) and you'll most likely end up with not much of useful information. It's too bad since it would be nice to find out more about them and their sound.

Despite the lack of info, their music is enough of a treat for those who take a chance. The Spirit of the Stairs is a lovely collection of indie pop rock tracks. There are 10 songs you can enjoy and each one is accompanied with a lovely acoustic vibe.

Perfect for quiet mornings or if you're feeling a bit reflective; it's easy to pop on the album and simply let the melodies take you away.

The Spirit of the Stairs opens slowly with Montauk. It's the perfect mood setter, incorporating acoustic guitars with quiet, melodic vocals. You can imagine the song as a soundtrack to your dreary days. It's also the perfect company to a reflective morning along with hot cocoa or coffee and lots of relaxing time.

Je t'aime, Je t'aime is another acoustic track that incorporates unusual stringed instruments like the mandolin and ukulele; adding an exotic touch to the song. Plus, the lyrics seem sincere and relatable for anybody who has ever mourned over past relationships. Meanwhile, MDC and Somtimes are two of the more uptempo tracks on the record. Although they still exude that characteristic laid-back vibe, they feature a more poppy indie rock sound overall.

The album is nice indie gem to check out. It's too bad there's very little information about the group out there but their sound alone speaks for them. If you love indie acoustic pop rock, you can't go wrong with this one. Grab the download at a pay-what-you-want basis over at BandCamp or you can also opt to buy it from Amazon and help out the band.

Saint Bernard is made up of Kevin Murray: Vocals/Piano (on Je t'aime, Je t'aime)/Mandolin/Ukulele; Ian Craig: Bass/ Piano; James Gogolski: Drums/ Percussion and Eric French: Sound Engineer/ Lead Guitar.

Stadtmusikantin und Sterntaler (Traveler's Diary): The Traveler and The King

Valerie — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:01:28 +0000

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Don't be fooled by the long and complicated looking name, The Traveler and The King is actually a pretty lovely record for many jazz alternative folk lovers out there.

Originally calling themselves, Stadtmusikantin und Sterntaler, the band now goes by the easier to pronounce name, Traveler's Diary.

This is a debut record for the band. It was released in BandCamp on December 2010 and features a whole range of sounds. You can expect some acoustic percussions, a slight touch of prog, jazz and even folk sprinkled on here.

Title track, The Traveler and The King kick things off. The song has a lounge feel while at the same time adding a hint of alternative rock. Although it's not as catchy as I hoped, it still captures the listeners attention and opens the album nicely.

Showcasing their dynamic capacity, the band follows it off with a more mellow track, Strangers. The song has a nice world music feel to it and incorporates odd bits of sound here and there. The third cut, Lies on the Run begins as an instrumental piece filled with trippy Flamenco style guitar playing. It then elaborates into a midtempo vocals infused cut. Perhaps my favorite off the album, Fools is a jazzy single that has lovely vocals and a sweet lounge club sound.

Overall, the album is worth having. There's good variety to be found here especially if you like to explore different sounds.

The Traveler's Diary is made up of trio The city musician - vocals/ guitar/piano/compositions; Daniel Vargas - double bass and Fiete Wachholtz - drums, percussion. Download the album and enjoy.

Flights: Anywhere But Where I Am - melodic quiet acoustic folk

Valerie — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:36 +0000

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If you're expecting some alternative punk duo to greet you when you listen to this record, then think again. What you'll find instead is a gorgeous blend of ethereal, folky indie pop sound that, well, sounds great as in-flight music.

The band is actually made up of duo Eric Hillman and Brian Holl. Gathering influences from bands like Broken Social Scene, Radiohead, Bon Iver, Bjork and Aqualung; the duo echoes off the same laid-back, melodic and sometimes eclectic indie folk as their influences.

Anywhere But Where I Am comes with 13 tracks and was released over at BandCamp on New Years Day 2012.

The Nashville, TN duo kicks things off with the song From The Lake To the Land. Starting serenely with simple guitars and a reflective mood, the track seems fit as a lullaby to a dark, dreary day. There's a slight haunting feel to it, much like exploring a lush forest in the early morning.

Meanwhile, title track Anywhere But Where I Am, is a personal favorite in the album. This one is a 3 minute instrumental piece featuring classical piano playing. It's a gorgeous track that sparks both a hint of sadness and fond memories. On the other hand, final cut, Fake Arms, combines simple guitars and Damien Rice-sounding vocals.

Overall, you'll find some great company with this album. All of the songs feel as if they live and breathe with you and would make the perfect soundtrack to your everyday musings.

The record is currently offered at a name-your-price option at BandCamp. Apart from the duo, it also features Charles Asch and Hitoshi Yamaguchi on cello and Ben Voce on violin. Take a listen and grab the download.

Night Reports: You're All Out - moody and somber indie rock

Valerie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:01:26 +0000

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Another band that you wouldn't think is composed of only two people at the helm; Night Reports create beautiful indie rock music with a touch of soul.

Long time friends, Derrick Brown and Beau Jennings, have both collaborated in various projects before. However, they've never tackled anything similar to Night Reports. Although the collaboration started out slowly, with both of them passing MP3s and recorded files via email and voice message; they eventually compiled what has become You're All Out.

The record is a concept album of sorts, as it revolves around an athlete who is down in the dumps and living (and reliving) his life in his glory days.

You're All Out is one of those records you can pop into your player if you're feeling a little moody and want the perfect music to keep you company. It's somber and a bit melancholic yet filled with beautiful stories that can serve as your lullaby.

Opener, Are You On My Team? is a solemn little cut that comes with sad vocals and wonderful piano work. It's one of the most likable tracks on the record and after hearing it once, you'd be looking forward to hearing it again once you finish the entire album. French Kicks (World Music is the Real Criminal) changes pace and adds a slightly upbeat tempo to the mix. The song is filled with a catchy chorus, occasional handclaps and an overall happier atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Hang On Me Darlin' features a collaboration with songstress Samantha Crain and her hypnotic, quirky vocals. The song is a 3 minute stunner that gently weaves between a piano ballad to an indie melancholic love song. You Were My Pete Rose is a haunting love song that features Derrick's expressive vocals cooing and silently urging his "sweetness" to return to him.

Overall, if you love the likes of Damien Rice, then you'll have plenty of lovin' for this record. It's an album that masterfully combines hauntingly melodic folk music with that of slightly uptempo indie rock. Definitely makes a great balance. Check it out!