Downbeat

Phototaxis: Pretty Ugly

Valerie
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.
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Alexander Chereshnev: Unremembered Stardust

Valerie
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.
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Banquise

Valerie
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.
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Koloah: Love EP

Valerie
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.
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Colours of Melancholia

Valerie
Colours of Melancholia is the 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.
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Mathemagic: II

Valerie
Mathemagic likes to record fuzzy pop music that you'll most likely want to get lost in when you're having one of those challenging days. Their music is both hallucinatory and engaging, making you want to simply float away as you take in each strum of the distorted guitars or listen to the zoned-out vocals. II is the latest release from the dreampop Canadian trio. Despite being relative unknowns, they have produced a beautiful record filled with 11 tracks that mesmerize its audience from start to finish.
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Fifty Grand: Fifty Grand

Valerie
Fifty Grand's music can be best described as experimental dark electronic drone. The person behind the sound is Emily Onofrio, aka Fifty Grand. This is one of several records Aural Sects has released for their 2012 roster. Auralsects is a netlabel that works with independent artists in different departments of electronic music, from "dance, electro, pop, ambient, witch, juke, noise and anything we find compelling," according to the collective.
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Rufio: For Lights

Valerie
Combining hip hop with his signature dub and synth style, Sacramento native, Rufio definitely delivers a different kind of vibe with his compilation. Better known as Ru [are you,] For Lights is the first compilation from the artist. It was initially conceived as a record that hopes to capture and explore the different facets of beauty in life. However, the album transformed over time and the artist decided to create it as a sort of story; "Almost like a soundtrack to a movie that hasn’t been produced yet," he relates.
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Taryn Leia Prescott: The Micah Pact EP

Valerie
Simple yet captivating. That's one sentence that would best describe Taryn Leia Precott's sound. Her soulful voice is what captures the listeners attention while her skillful and melodic music creates a beautiful playground for her lyrics. The Micah Pact is a 7-track EP that the artist wrote over a period of years. It's a collection of tracks that expresses the artists' reaction as she grapples"with suffering, both my own and others’. Divorce, fatherlessness, loneliness, broken families, disease, poverty, untimely death...." The album is an answer of sorts and a way of understanding and coping as well.
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