Tag Archives: Experimental

Flying Saucer Attack – Flying Saucer Attack

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

distorted and noisy as shit rock

Moods

WALL of sound

Thoughts

Almost feels like a precise mbv. Tracks playing in waves with swells of super noisy guitar during things like the chorus. He sings quiet and calm, an interesting juxtaposition to everything swirling around him.

It's effective and there's something magical at play on tracks like 'wish'.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Flying-Saucer-Attack-Flying-Saucer-Attack/release/8020953

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hB2C-cw_bc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAWRyEbQfXg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa2E-rRT4JE

Spotify


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Flying Saucer Attack – Flying Saucer Attack

Description: Album Review of Flying Saucer Attack – Flying Saucer Attack


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

James Ferraro – Far Side Virtual

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

vaporwave (new age synth and computer Muzak with a cynical twist)

Moods

A vaporwave classic, I'd like to logout now please

Thoughts

I'm not a vaporware historian but I appreciate the genre and it's cultural critique: taking the soothing elements of Muzak and warping them into this anxious soundtrack. This is a definitive vaporwave album and representative example of the genres aim. With just the right amount of maddening cheese, it doesn't feel like it's deliberate satire (well maybe on wifi sushi which is almost laugh out loud funny). He really captures the excitement that once existed about globalization's limitless possibility unlocked by the consumer. In hindsight we can see growth in corporate culture has just led to disappointment and further inequality, revealing an entirely new interpretation of this music.

As art I applaud it, its effective and immediate. To sit and listen to this as you would regular pop? I'm not sure it has that appeal.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/James-Ferraro-Far-Side-Virtual/release/7853044

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9ndKlm-G3s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRFn97NyURM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNhP6aoP6XY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w82omu5nrkk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIvR9rqae7Q

Spotify


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James Ferraro – Far Side Virtual

Description: Album Review of James Ferraro – Far Side Virtual


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

The Nels Cline Singers – Macroscope

by ·

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

modern jazz with rock and free jazz ethos

Moods

Accessible experimental jazz for guitar shredders

Thoughts

Lots of guitar here. Earlier tracks are loaded with face-melting jazz guitar solos, with Cline coming out swinging; enlivened by percussive pushes. Middle tracks like 'red before orange' showcase his sweet tone.

Later tracks break away from structure, becoming more textural with bits of percussion and electronics. Really like the track 'seven zed heaven' which starts off with a swinging thing that turns into a tension building piece (Cyro's on this! Awesome weird percussive textures for this not familiar (see Hairy Mother intro).

Great album that rewards repeat listens.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/The-Nels-Cline-Singers-Macroscope/release/5631195

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoVY6M8fTXc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzQCQbso-dY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixk6zST2nM0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZXAIbKNA0o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF2PaUA79ao

Spotify


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The Nels Cline Singers – Macroscope

Description: Album Review of The Nels Cline Singers – Macroscope


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Magik Markers – Boss

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Desert spooky kind of spoken word folk with tense instrumentation

Moods

Enlightenment

Thoughts

Enjoyable, reminds me of Sonic youth a bit. The aggressiveness and slight angularity is something I probably would've liked when I was younger but not something I'm as attracted to now, definitely reaching for chiller songs overall.

I like her spoken word lyrics. She's got a kind of all knowing confidence that works really well, it's hard to imagine these songs succeeding without her.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Magik-Markers-Boss/release/8170173

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwmUKg5Sp3Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUu60J19xpU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA2cV-s8W84

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrYS9FW73EA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmYEZJ9r8VI

Spotify


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Magik Markers – Boss

Description: Album Review of Magik Markers – Boss


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Takashi Wada – Meguro

by ·

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Ambient influenced electro with an ethereal vibe and pleasant instrumentation (percussive, acoustic guitar, keys)

Moods

A pleasant feeling provoked by a place I've only imagined

Thoughts

Floats around with an OK pleasantness on the first couple of tracks. Breaks into a rhythmic part on 28° C that really appeals. Other tracks hit all the right notes but I'd compare this to drinking Japanese whiskey: I want something more than perfect. Didn't really do it for me.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Takashi-Wada-Meguro/release/292056

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjCVDE8eb5c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4oUw8lpMtg

Spotify


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Takashi Wada – Meguro

Description: Album Review of Takashi Wada – Meguro


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Elysia Crampton – Elysia Crampton

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Experimental electro with a Spanish backbeat

Moods

Kinda crazy

Thoughts

A maddening listen at times:  leveraging angular guitars, distortion and repetition to build intensity.

Earlier more melodic tracks like ‘oscollo’ will get more future play from me but interesting overall.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Elysia-Crampton-Elysia-Crampton/release/11876628

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlYom-LzBmo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SxWmN2GkAI

Spotify


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Elysia Crampton – Elysia Crampton

Description: Album Review of Elysia Crampton – Elysia Crampton


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Paavoharju – Laulu Laakson Kukista

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Equal parts experimental pop as it is swirling found sound

Moods

Uncle boonmee who can recall his past lives

Thoughts

haunting and strange indie alt pop sung in a language I don't understand, southeast Asia maybe? Good Western pop sensibilities with a spooky distant lofi vibe going on. Works and the foreign tongue makes this feel like a trip.. Vaguely experimental at times though these are clearly pop lovers..

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Paavoharju-Laulu-Laakson-Kukista/release/1337741

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oVyZxvUlPc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zG2dV_RjPc

Spotify


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Paavoharju – Laulu Laakson Kukista

Description: Album Review of Paavoharju – Laulu Laakson Kukista


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Bullion – Blue Pedro

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

modern electro folk with a synth 80s nod and eurobeat

Moods

Coastal electro folk

Thoughts

Tight ep, tracks loop quick guitar or synth lines and layer electro production bits on top. Nothing revolutionary but it grabs with it's immediacy and just enough variation.

I like the guitar soloing on spin2glory.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Bullion-Blue-Pedro/release/10522688

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zub0p82u7Fg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RILKXsGRO8k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nn2uyuQlKdM

Spotify


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Bullion – Blue Pedro

Description: Album Review of Bullion – Blue Pedro


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Marnie Stern – The Chronicles Of Marnia

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

edgy pop punk alt indie rock

Moods

Live show, small club

Thoughts

Like it, has an accessible popiness to it while still maintaining an precise edgey quickness (think agile backbeat and little guitar licks ). She's got an art pop thing with her singing that adds a curious dimension. Discogs tags this as experimental which I think is a stretch but it's exploratory.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Marnie-Stern-The-Chronicles-Of-Marnia/release/4378698

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8-pS1yXR8g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P5MSa8EGKE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UdHTtdmQ0A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcbYGQgIqYk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up713oIPRyA

Spotify


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Marnie Stern – The Chronicles Of Marnia

Description: Album Review of Marnie Stern – The Chronicles Of Marnia


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Boundary – Fantasmagórico

by ·

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

indie produced synth electro.

Moods

Modern version of the Bandersnatch soundtrack

Thoughts

80s and basic. Glitchy vaporware with ambient synths. Video Games. Has a Spanish rhythmic flair to it though I'm not always crazy about the sequenced drum machine, gives it a robotic feel. Draws from daft punk acid house at times. IDM. Arpeggios remind me of vintage prog rock.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Boundary-Fantasmag%C3%B3rico/release/10555671

Listen!

Spotify


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Boundary – Fantasmagórico

Description: Album Review of Boundary – Fantasmagórico


Rating: 3 out of 5