Category: Acoustic

Sleep FUSE Subscription Series

Ashtoreth - Ciuthach

drone / ambient / folk

Ashtoreth joins the Sleep FUSE subscription series with an enigmatic one track EP, based on a Scottish folklore creature myth of the Ciuthach. This 23 minutes lasting track follows the same path as most of his releases, which is a good thing of course, especially if you love droning vocals, eerie soundscapes, field recordings and atmospheric ambient. As always, Ashtoreth invites the listener on a dark, somewhat haunting sonic journey, either through vast forests or you own imagination. That choice is yours. Recommended? Undoubtedly...

Zer0 れい - an overview

electronic / ambient/ synthwave

Afterglow 20XX

More experimental sounds from Belgium, this time with Zer0 れい . This music delves right into the eighties, inspired by old movie and video games soundtracks. The result is an unusual and somewhat eerie approach to so-called vaporwave; It's synth music, but coming at you in a gritty, raw and somewhat way. But what would you expect from a project from the same guy who gave us the harsh noise of Unholy Analog Noisemachine, Crucifix Eye and MxCx. This EP contains six songs, none of which being suited for radio stations. It's strange, but with minimalistic synth tunes like 'Pariah', this an become quite interesting.

Midihack

Released in June, 'Midihack' can please me a lot more than 'Afterglow 20XX'. The EP opens with 'Mods', a track that takes me right into either Mr Robot scenes or apocalyptic fun fairs. The EP shows a bit more, or more distinct, rhythms, making it a tad more digestible. However, don't expect some easy listening new age, this stuff is still rather dark, reminiscent of the gloomy, experimental side of eighties synthpop. For me, this is one of the most surprising releases of the year, with excellent synth tunes like 'Komatsu Subzero' and 'rax2'. So if you're hungry for something different, you might want to check this out.

Slipstream 20XX

The most recent effort by Zer0 れい begins with a sharp intro before the vaporwave kicks off again. Gradually, over the three releases i can hear this act evolving as the whole becomes more musical and varied. Here, some of the old noise exploits of the artist comes shining through, appearing in mostly harsh tracks like 'Anticipation' and 'Suspension'. But you can also fill the dark dancefloors with tracks from this album, including 'Broadcast' or 'Ossuary 20XX'. In all, this album is a lot tenser and heavier than 'Midihack' but still an excellent example of what musical experimentation can lead to.

Xasthur - Aestas Pretium MMXVIII

acoustic / folk

Legendary black metal act Xasthur is now an acoustic three-piece and I guess the black metal scene just has to deal with that. 'Aestas Pretium MMXVIII' contains five songs, all fully acoustic but still containing some of the aesthetics and technicalities of extreme metal. My favorite remains the opener 'Against Your Will'. I think old fans might have a problem with Scott Conner's clean vocals but then again, this is not black metal, this is "doomgrass", something between American folk music and the dark abyss that is extreme metal. My suggestion? Try it out, it just might be your thing now.

Black Market Heart - Who Put A Knife Through Your Heart?

post punk

Founded by Spencer Robinson (The Wolf Spiders, The Lords of Altamont), Black Market Heart delves deep into another dark side of the eighties, that of post punk and new wave. Their debut EP delivers three short tracks which might best be described as grinding version of Joy Division or a minimalstic version of Sisters Of Mercy. 'Can't Live On The Other Side' immediately got me hooked. 'Under the Ivy' brings Bain Wolfkind to mind, especially in the vocals. Finally, 'Silver' invites me to those dark dancefloors again. So, new wavers of all ages, there is still hope. Check out this gem!

The Lautreamonts - Who Are You Wearing

post punk

A more melodic yet experimental version of post punk comes from Brazilian act The Lautreamonts, and what a version it is. In opener 'The Adequacy Waltz' alone acts like Cinema Strange, Dead Can Dance and Dresden Dolls came to mind. 'Who We Were' is a fantastic track, nudging towards shoegaze and dreampop. Yet, there is more than that, I ever hear a tad of grunge in 'The Ones He Wore' and closer 'Black Sabbath' is exactly what you'd expect, a surprisingly enigmatic cover. I often found myself thinking "damn, this is good", not only from a personal standpoint but also as far is overall quality is concerned. This is high quality postpunk, destined to reach high peaks in that scene.

Ennui - End Of The Circle

funeral doom

Non-Serviam Records

Yes, a new funeral doom album. As a huge fan of everything slow and torpid, I can only be ecstatic about that. Hailing from Tbilisi, Georgia, Ennui keeps the funeral doom tradition in high regard, resulting in this crushing album. Three songs, seventy minutes of high quality music, quite similar to Esoteric, Shape Of Despair and Evoken. The atmospheric approach here is astounding, perhaps capable of gaining some fans in the post-post scene as well, if they appreciate growls and fierce black metal passages. But in the end, this is a perfect funeral doom album that will mostly and undoubtedly please the fans of the genre.

A Shoreline Dream - Waitout

shoegaze / dreampop

Shoegaze combi A Shoreline Dream continue their series of single with a new five-track, titled 'Waitout'. With a vast wall of jangling guitars and subdued vocals, this trio sets another step into their remarkable journey. If you are a fan of acts like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and Ride, you might want to check out these dream-like anthems. The ballad 'Barnum' is probably my favorite track here while 'New York' will undoubtedly appeal to fans of danceable anthems. But eventually, I guess all of these tracks are certain highlights in the career of a band that honors that beautiful sound of shoegaze.

Rude Audio - Rude Redux

electronic / house / synth

Hailing from London, UK, Rude Audio delivers some neat dance tunes for late night clubbing and chilling. The tags on bandcamp mention the term "Balearic" but I'm not very familiar with that so I'll have to go with how this music makes me feel. Well, opener 'To The Sun' is a minimal house track which brings me to imaginary beach clubs. 'To The Half Moon' rings out the dub. 'Rumble On Arab St.' does something intriguing with eighties synths and sequences and 'Pipeline Dreaming' gently wobbles on. Eventually, the Rich Lane remix of 'To The Half Moon' reminds me of lengthy car drives in Grand Theft Auto or Miami Vice. Nice? You betcha!!!

Idle Hands - Don't Waste Your Time

hard rock

Well, since we're diving into eighties revivals, why not check out the heavy metal corners? Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Idle Hands honors the early sounds of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Yet, there is also a sense of goth rock present. 'By The Way Of Kingdom' brings bands like Killing Joke or Sisters Of Mercy to mind while ancient rockers like Boston or Toto aren't that far away either. That combination is interesting, to say the least. My personal favorite is 'Can You Hear The Rain', yet all track here are good old fashioned dark hard rock songs which all rockers should give a chance.

Lower Automation - Shoebox Companion

math rock / alternative rock / experimental / noise rock / punk

It's been a while since a band reminded me of Belgian's finest, Evil Superstars. Chicago based trio Lower Automation does something frenetic and deranged with punk, math rock and noise rock. Parts Dillinger Escape Plan, parts Sonic Youth and parts Jesus Lizard come at you with high velocity and with the sonic insanity of Melt Banana. This six track EP is as dynamic as a rhino stampede, even without twisting the distortion button on their amps. 'Tethered' might be the most radio friendly songs here but it's not radio friendly at all. So I guess you have been warned. If you like punky musical chaos, you need this.

Serge

Maurizio Abate - Standing Waters

20/3/2018

ambient / folk

Boring Machines

From crushing death metal riffs to calm acoustic guitar fingerpicking, we at Merchants Of Air like ourselves a bit of variation. I don't think that's really a surprise for most of our readers. Throughout the years we have been getting comments about the versatility in genres on this website. It seems like everything is possible here.

But enough about us, let's dive into these 'Standing Waters' by Italian guitarist Maurizio Abate, a soothing blend of folk and ambient with a minimal touch of drone and with a warm, comforting atmosphere. That is pretty much all I need right now.

The digital version on bandcamp opens with a track titled 'Teaser Track' while 'Odonata' opens the physical edition. Shortly after pressing play, on either one of these tracks by the way, I'm imagining a walk over an Italian beach on a warm summer evening while nearby a street musician is playing beautiful, romantic but melancholic tunes on his acoustic guitar. It alternates between blissful folk and mesmerizing ambient soundscapes.

'Shaping The Mud' is my absolute favorite here, an acoustic track that dares to look forward and issues influences from post-rock. It's followed by the lingering 'Nymphs Dance', which feels like a long solo jam session. That musician from the previous paragraph is now carefully experimenting, testing melodies and plucking techniques. I like that. Halfway through the track I'm already doubting if this should be my favorite instead of the previous track.

But I guess that doesn't matter. All that matters is that this album is filled with acoustic guitar goodness. 'Pond Mood' is another one of those inspiring pieces of music, one with an immersive sound and a nostalgic atmosphere. 'Standing/Crumbling' is yours to discover, dear reader, and I urge you to try it out. This is a beautiful album, one that digs right into the essence of music and right into your soul.

Serge

Brieviews 31

5/12/2017

Cryptae - Cryptae

death metal

Two guys from The Netherlands, one being the drummer for Dead Neanderthals, wanted to try their hand at death metal. So they got into a recording studio, made heaps of noise and barfed the result on bandcamp. That result is a think, chaotic and brain scattering array of riffs, drums and growls, with the sole intention of decapitating its listener. This is probably what the Dutch call "teringherrie". It's relentless, confusing, intense and harsh. Does that make it recommended? Well, only if you're a seasoned extreme metal fan. If you're not, you might want to stay away from this. It's just not safe...

Clckws - Counter Clockwise

punk / hardcore

Inverted Grim-Mill Recordings

Speaking of things not being safe, here is the debut EP by Zoersel residents Clckws. With fierce, rabid and foaming female fronted hardcore punk, this quartet might want to shake hands with acts like Oathbreaker soon. I mean, the music is as energetic as a Tesla coil and frontwoman Eva barks out her soul with sheer intensity. On this EP they throw eight songs in your face, each one being a severe attack on your sanity. The 17 seconds long 'Blow Up The Boiler Room' almost feels like a Napalm Death song and, like everything else here, this is another brilliant example of "Brutal Belgium". You've been warned.

Lump Hammer - Lump Hammer

sludge metal / noise rock

On the other side of the Channel, more specifically in Newcastle upon Tyne, we find another noise-dragging combi, named Lump Hammer. Think Godflesh on meth, think Napalm Death on LSD, think Conan in a basement instead of a recording studio. These tracks are slow, massive and brutally intense, like a steamroller with spikes driving over your private parts. Something like that, I don't know. All I know is that each second of this EP is a gigantic hammer-blow, driving on swampy guitars, harsh screaming and tormenting drums. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go murder something...

Pile of Priests - Tenebrous Labyrinth

death metal

Nope, we're not slowing down on the intensity on this edition of Brieviews, not yet. First, I'd like to crush your cheeks and eardrums with this magnificent set of progressive death metal songs by Pile Of Priest. Somehow it seems that this trio gets better with every release, and this time their evolution results in a highly interesting EP. With the speed of Krisiun, the progressive nature of Death and the melodic approach of Edge Of Sanity Pile Of Priests should be on their way to the top of the death metal industry. Besides, the EP contains three thrash metal covers, which are all delightful assaults on your neck muscles.

Horror God / Techne - Split

death metal

Lavadome

Horror God

Some more death metal, less progressive and more destructive than the previous one. For this compilation, Horror God and the retiring Techne delivered four blasting tracks each, mosty fast, accompagnied with deep, evil growls and a decent dose of technicality. Fans of bands like Immolation, Suffocation, Gorguts and Autopsy should definitely consider getting their hands on a copy of this split. The tracks by Horror God are simply murderous while Techne adds a dark, mysterious and downright haunting atmosphere to the whole thing. Nope, death metal adepts, there is no reason not to check out this album.

Diary Of My Misanthropy - Leviathan

post rock / post metal

After all that brutality, I need something to calm my nerves and strangely enough I found that with Czech trio Diary Of My Misanthropy. On this EP, the band comes up with a fantastic approach to post rock and post metal. Fantastic because it contains elements from doom and the icy cold atmosphere of depressive black metal. That, and the complex, almost jazz like drums, really make this EP a standout in today's post-whatever scene. Yep, I think this is one for the future but we can only know for sure when we see these guys perform. I sure I hope I'll be able to experience this live one day.

Noydem - A Time Will Come

alternative rock

Amazon

Another great example of excellent modern day rock music comes from French band Noydem and their impressive EP 'A Time Will Come'. With immersive, catchy alternative rock songs, this guys once again proves how good that country can rock. A decent bunch of rock history comes to mind when I listen to songs like 'Welcome Home', 'Stay' or 'A Place To Live', including Velvet Revolver, Incubus, Foo Fighters and Audioslave. My favorite track is 'Bring Me Down', a potential smash hit but then again, all these songs have a certain hit potential, especially in the alternative music scene. So check it out, this definitely rocks!

Clint Maedgen - cmradio.tv #1

electronic / alternative / experimental / trip hop

Time for something completely different. Clint Maedgen is an American electronic music composer, singer songwriter and visual artist who comes up with weird but infectious pop tunes. One this album you can find eleven experimental and lo-fi trip hop songs. Sometimes Prince comes to mind, sometimes it's Archive-ish and again sometimes I'm reminded Tricky's weirdest moments. Oh, and Ween. Yet, it all comes in a whole different, somewhat silly setting, not necessarily suited for the biggest of festivals. Recommended? Sure, if you like the unusual and absurd regions of the musical universe, you need this

Ric Gordon - Standing Here

indie / alternative rock

Hailing from Kansas City, Ric Gordon delivers another EP is vintage acoustic rock songs with this new EP. It's a welcome deviation from all the heavily distorted guitars I have been through in the past few days. The songs on 'Standing Here' remind me a bit of acts like Lemonheads, R.E.M. and perhaps the Pixies. Indie rock, folk and Americana are the main influences but you can also find a touch of post punk and alternative rock. My favorite track here is 'Rise Above' but I'm sure every fan of good old fashioned acoustic pop rock can easily enjoy this whole EP.

Misto - Helios

post rock

In April I discovered the talented Italian one man post rock band. Now he returns with a beautiful full-length. In six tracks Misto easily manages to keep the listener interested. Opener 'Buried Under Remote Lands' is a brilliant post rock tune, reminding me of God Is An Astronaut while 'Polemic Guy Wants To Fight' seems to combine space rock with punk rock. This is just awesome, daring and inventive. Title track 'Helios' is an instant post rock classic and everything else is just breathtaking. Nah, for real, 'Helios' is simply a perfect and well varied post rock album, one I will be listening to a lot this winter.

Necrodancer - Void

black metal / "funeral grunge"

Lost Pilgrim

French/Belgian horde Necrodancer comes up with a filthy, rough and raunchy approach to evil music. The band claims they play "funeral grunge" and yeah, why not. There is indeed something grungy about this whole thing, like in Nirvana being buttfucked by Satan himself. But for the majority, this album is a punkish version of old school black metal, resulting is heabanging blasters like 'The Necrodancer' and 'The Turning'. So if you want your music pretty and clean, this album will do very nasty things to your sanity. However, if you are one of those filthy, rotten souls who like ass sounds nasty and vile, you need this.

Malefic Levitation - The Ancient Plague

black metal

Sentient Ruin

More putrid insanity comes from Fresno, California evildoers Malefic Levitation and their obliterating debut EP. After a short intro, the duo rages on with chaotic black metal with the melodic sense of a dead rat. For real, this is brutal stuff, often alternated with skull crushing doom metal passages. Yet, most of it drives on pounding blastbeats, insane guitars and haunting screams. As a black metal fan, what else could you possible want? Forget about atmospheric passages or inventive folk stuff, this music represent a set of axes thrown to your head at hitting the spot each and every time. Awesome.

Wren/Slabdragger - Mothers Of The Beef And The Magic Of Invention

sludge metal / doom / krautrock

Holy Roar

Slabdragger

Wren

This is so cool, Slabdragger and Wren releasing a split where the first turns Frank Zappa's 'Muffin Man' into a psychedelic sludge metal experience while the other krautrocks and post-metals the hell out of Captain Beefheart's 'Electricity'. Not only that, but they make it look like fun too, like they had a hell of a time recording these two tracks. So, obviously, you need to check this out. I think it is already my favorite split release this year.

Stefano De Ponti | Eleonora Pellegrini - Physis

ambient / experimental / noise

website

Sound sculptor Stefano De Ponti and vocalist/body performer Eleonora Pellegrini deliver a strange, ritualistic album, divided into two parts. With minimal drones, noises and soundscapes, plus Pellegrini's strong vocal performances, the duo delivers an alienating sound, inspired by the sounds of nature. The result is something that quickly grabs your attention. It's not very comparable to most ambient music but it fits right into the world of the avant-garde where people like Diamanda Galas and Nurse With Wound like to dwell. So yes, if you want your music a bit strange and unsettling, this is the one you want.

Serge

Spectrale - ▲

28/10/2017

acoustic / folk

Les Acteurs de l'Ombre

Now here is something different, apparently coming right out of the French black metal scene but nothing to do with black metal whatsoever. To make it easier for myself, I categorized this album under "folk" and "acoustic" but there is so much more to this than being another folk album.

When you look at the influences, you might understand. Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Brian Eno but also Sunn O))), Ulver and Pink Floyd are in there and in a way you can hear all of them, be it in an acoustic setting. So don't expect any bombast or intense riffing. Expect to dwell in awesome acoustic music.

Spectrale is the brainchild of Jeff Grimal, musician and artist. For this project, he chose for acoustic and esoteric exploration. Acoustic guitars, cello and drums make up most of the music and often some shamanic vocals appear as well. I can't help but think of acts like Barn Owl but Spectrale seems to handle things differently. They balance on the edge between folk, ambient and progressive rock music with an immersive and hypnotic sound. Hell, even Anathema comes to mind at times.

In the end, the album will probably fit in best between your ritual ambient albums but I can just as well see these guys play at a festival like Desertfest. The whole thing is simply a thrilling and exciting musical journey. I'm not going into a song by song description but I can tell you that tracks like 'Andromede' and 'Landing' are masterfully crafted pieces of music and they are far from the only ones on this album. Check it out, it's different but it's also a very welcome addition to your collection.

Serge