Category: Classical

Ihä - Estructuras De Aire, Colonias De Soplo

ambient / drone

bandcamp

Chilean drone/ambient band Ihä return with a beautiful new four track album. Much like their previous release, 'Esperanza', this one focuses on minimal but atmospheric soundscapes. The result is a soothing yet immersive piece of work, something fans of everything between Brian Eno and Barn Owl can certainly appreciate. Furthermore, people with a hectic life, people who just want to ease down and relax for a moment, should also give this stuff a chance. Play it loud enough, not too loud, close your eyes and let this talented act guide you through the wonderful world of Ihä.

Spankraght - Spankraght EP

industrial / metal / drum & bass

Antwerp is a crowded city. One day a metalhead and a drum & bass producer slammed into each other in one of our many record stores. Their respective Channel Zero and Netsky vinyl albums smashed into pieces and fell to the floor. Instead of fighting each other, they bought some gear and locked themselves in a rehearsal studio. Now they released a nice piece of crossover with a pounding five track EP. Heavy guitars meet electronic beats and synths in a whirlpool of musical energy. It's Pendulum meets Combichrist meets ... let's say Rammstein, or Metallica. Most of all, it's bloody awesome, although I have no idea how to both dance and bang my head at the same time...

August Rosenbaum - Rasa

classical

Tambourhinoceros

Back in November 2017 August Rosenbaum released 'Vista'. Now, as a little extra, he offers a six track EP, containing the stripped down foundations of that album, plus one brand new track, 'Milo'. What can I say about this EP? It's a man playing a piano, nothing more, nothing less. That alone makes this one of the most beautiful things to listening to, especially if that man is a talented and experienced composer. So, if you're into calm, soothing and blissful smile evoking piano music, this EP is an absolutely must have, nothing more, nothing less.

Show Aniki - The Deep Blue Sessions

metal

The EP by French hard rockers Show Aniki compiles four singles. Throughout the years, the band has suffered several line-up changes but that didn't seem to harm the energy. Influenced by everything between Metallica, Anthrax, Disturbed and Alice In Chains these guys deliver four solid and groovy rock tracks. This is perfect stuff for a hot summer afternoon on some big ass rock festival where the older generation of headbangers will often point at the stage and tell the youngsters how metal should be done. So yeah, this is edgy metal with a heavy yet melodic approach. Great stuff.

The Human Race Is Filth - Liberate

grindcore / crust

Right, that was nice metal and all but for true mental torment you'd have to turn toward this cute and friendly American duo. Thrif delivers their second set of chaotic grindcore pummeling, once again with the intensity of an atomic blast. Fans of bands like Dismember and Napalm Death will undoubtedly get a hardon from this stuff (I don't need photographic proof of that!!!). In eight tracks, mostly short blast of ferocious crust/grind, Thrif effortlessly destroys everything in their path, including your sanity, but who needs sanity when you can have grindcore, right?

Misantronics vs Mint Narcosis - EPI

ambient / techno

Misantronics

Mint Narcosis

Ambient and dance beats mix quite well together. Just look at acts like early Biosphere or Psychic Warriors Of Gaia. In that aspect, it's almost weird that ambient act Misantronics and his EDM alter ego Mint Narcosis only now release a cooperative EP. On 'EPI' you can find four tracks, three of them delving deep into the world of ambient techno and one coming up with some breaks. 'Dragon' and 'Kepler' showcase the calm but danceable side of this EP while 'Kuba' is an hypnotic, trance inducing dance track. 'Unwasted Years' is the odd one here, a gloomy IDM track with haunting soundscapes. Certainly to be continued.

The Room in the Wood - Magical Thinking

new wave / alternative rock

Somewhere between the gloomy sound of new wave and the uplifting energy of alternative rock, we find Liverpool residents The Room In The Wood. Think acoustic music with a strong, distinct voice. In the title track the band shows an infectious blend between Leonard Cohen, Wall Of Voodoo and The Lemonheads. Yeps, that's possible. Johnny Cash fans will undoubtedly appreciate 'Baba Yaga' while The Doors lovers will pick out 'Dragonfly' as their favorite. My personal favorite is the opener. It's a track that makes me curious about their other work. I'll check that soon, but for now, this is good enough.

Twilight - Trident Death Rattle

black metal

To be released on May 1st, this three track EP by legendary American black metal band Twilight, is perhaps one of the most epic blackened releases from that continent. These tracks, which feature Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, are harsh, intense and chaotic songs. They showcase a massive sense of derangement and isolation. In fact, Opener 'This Road South' is currently one of my favorite black metal tracks. 'Weathered Flames' is a suffocating spiral of blackened nihilism and closer 'No Consequence' will haunt your dreams for decades to come. These are nightmares translated to music and I like that.

Corpsehammer - Perversión

black metal

Morbid Skull

Speaking about musical nightmares, allow me to plug this ugly little filth monger from Swedish extremists Corpsehammer. This EP is the third part in their EP trilogy, released by Morbid Skull. If you are a fan of old school black metal, and I mean old school in the form of ancient 'World Domination' compilations, this undoubtedly is your thing. In three tracks, plus an outro, Corpsehammer delivers a rancid, hardcore punk influenced approach to extreme metal, often at ferocious speeds. There's nothing pretty about this EP, on the exact contrary. This is the musical equivalent of crawling to mud and faeces, mixed with needles. Awesomeness...

Grim - Requiem

classical / post rock / jazz

Equally awesome but in a completely different way comes this new EP by Belgian trio Grim. This band from Leuven turns classical music into post rock anthems with a gloomy jazz feel. This release is based on Frédéric Chopin, more specifically his Préludes and Marche Funèbre. the result is a cinematic and somewhat intimate sounding blend of post rock and dark jazz, something I'm pleasantly surprised by. I can imagine enjoying this in a small and intimate live setting, like a living room or a salon. However, it would also fit perfectly on a festival like Dunk!. Anyhow, this is pretty cool and certainly recommended.

Mhönos - LXXXVII

drone doom

This album by French ritual drone doom act Mhönos is a massive and epic undertaking. In a way, this is pure catharsis, driving on monolithic riffs, deranged vocals and a crushing atmosphere. What I like most about this, is that the band allow the music to take all the time it needs to grow and evolve. Although slow, I can certainly sense a punk attitude here, mostly in the vocal performance. That reminds me of acts like Winter and coincidentally also Phantom Winter. Yet, the music also reminds me of noise acts like MZ412 and Brighter Death Now. So yeah, this is a brilliant piece of work and it comes highly recommended.

Zero Theorem - Ataraxis

hard rock / metal

Some people are waiting for the new Tool album, others hope Disturbed will release their new record soon and still others are still going heavy on the latest Five Finger Death Punch or Papa Roach. All those people should turn their ears towards Los Angeles based metal band Zero Theorem. This six track EP easily draws comparisons with the aforementioned bands. All these songs are infectious modern day metal songs, with exactly the right doses of aggression, melody, riffing and electronics. It's been a while since I have been excited about anything nu-metal related but this EP definitely does the trick.

Vampillia - Happiness Brought By Endless Sorrow

black metal / noise

Temple Of Torturous

Legendary Japanese "brutal orchestra" Vampilia returns with a four track ep that will undoubtedly blast you into mental oblivion. With a furiously raging blend of black metal, grindcore, drone, post rock and noise, this ten piece smashes all competition. Obviously, that shouldn't be a surprise since this act has been on every extreme experimentalists favorites list for years. Although short, these tracks represent massive anthems and come laced with guitars, drums, violins, piano, screams, grunts and whatnot. This is absolute madness, in the best sense of the word.

The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections - Narrow Escape

dark jazz

And to conclude, let me introduce you to one of my favorite dark jazz bands and their latest single. I have been following this orchestra for quite some time now and I'm always pleasantly surprised by their output. This time they deliver a long track that might as well become one of my favorites in the while genre. It's an eight minutes lasting and lingering piece of dark jazz with delayed bass, lazy drums and a free floating saxophone solo. In other words, this is perfect for a Sunday evening with wine and cigarettes, courtesy of The Orchestra Of Mirrored Reflections.

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Goldmund - Occasus

17/3/2018

classical / ambient

I had a dream last night. I was playing the piano in an old jazz club, one that looked like the ones from twenties movies. There was a girl too, wearing a red dress. She was standing behind the microphone with her eyes closed. It all felt so natural. Playing this piano seemed so easy, that is why I knew it was only a dream. Yet, I tried to remember the melody, the order of the keys. I can actually play the piano a little bit so who knows, maybe one day I'll recreate the song from my dream and play it in an old jazz club. It would be nice but there are people who can do far greater things with this almost divine instrument, people like Keith Kenniff for example.

One half of Mint Julep and sole member of Helios, Keith Kenniff is no stranger to the world of ambient, post rock and modern classical music. Since 2001, Kenniff releases new work and tours the globe on a regular basis, with good reason too. He is one of those artists that can set the mood with only a touch on the keys. That is what he does on 'Occasus', the new Goldmund album, set to be released in April. With a minimal sound, balancing between classical music and electronic ambient, Kenniff gently turns your room into that old jazz club and I couldn't be happier about it.

'Occasus' contains fifteen tracks, all following the path of piano melodies and minimal ambient soundscapes. In that aspect, it is probably safe to say that Goldmund sails the same vast but calm waters as Olafur Arnalds, A Winged Victory For The Sullen and Max Richter. My favorite tracks here are 'Breaking', 'Circle' and the breathtaking ambient piece 'Terrarium' but I'm sure every fan of dreamy ambient can easily appreciate this. So, without further ado, I think it's time for you to go over to Goldmund's bandcamp page and pre-order this album. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

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Gianluca Piacenza - The Road To Home

27/2/2018

ambient / classical

It's strange. During the day, I usually throw a massive amount of music into my WinAmp (yes, I'm old school), click the shuffle-button and press play. Then, all different kinds of music start playing, from ambient over jazz and post rock to techno, black metal and drum & bass.

However, sometimes I promptly shut WinAmp down, only because somewhere in this building or the one next door, somebody is playing the piano. I don't know who it is. I mostly don't know what he or she plays but all sounds must fade away when that instrument resonates through the walls.

It's almost miraculous how such a big and imposing instrument can express so much solitude. The gentle sound of the hammers on the strings can move almost any person to tears. And that certainly counts for the music Gianluca Piacenza creates. I reviewed his previous record, 'Dream' back in 2015 (read - and ignore the annoying ad, we don't do that anymore). Now he returns with 'The Road To Home', a ten tracks piano album that is too beautiful to ignore.

The album opens with the gloomy track 'Dark Light' which immediately sets the tone. The music follows the same path as on 'Dream', being slow, lingering pieces of solo piano. A bit romantic, a bit nostalgic and a bit emotional but mostly soothing and dreamy. From then on, the album calmy moves forward, highlighting in the mesmerizing piano-ambient piece 'Angels', and obviously a few times more after that.

I'm not sure if there is anything else to say about this album. It's simply filled with beautiful music, nothing more, nothing less. If you are a fan of the piano and people who have great affinity with that instrument, there is no need to doubt. If you like music by people like Arnalds, Frahm, Schubert and Beethoven, here are some new breathtaking melodies to accompany you through the upcoming spring evenings.

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Meriheini Luoto - Metsänpeitto

1/12/2017

ambient / classical

Nobody knows for sure what happens after this life is over. Yet, people have always had ideas about it. Some people believe in heaven and hell while others prefer reincarnation. Still others seem to think that the lights go out and that nothing will happen after we die.

Still, it is a scientific fact that whoever dies eventually becomes a part of nature again. Our flesh, our bones, every single cell in our body will disappear and provide food and thus energy to new forms of life. Like a forest that covers a battlefield. It seems like will well forever be a part of mother nature.

Metsänpeitto (lit. 'covered by forest') is a Finnish folk belief that one can become lost in the forest and be transported into another reality; one where the forest is timeless, reversed and distorted. Forest have always had a certain attraction to people and therefore also to their beliefs. Based on that belief, 'Metsänpeitto' is the new opus by violinist/composer Meriheini Luoto. Graduated at the Sibelius Academy in 2016, Luoto has a fresh and exciting view on classical music, folk and ambient and this album is a brilliant statement of that vision.

This album is a rather minimal blend of classical music and experimental ambient. The violin in the central instrument, here and there enhanced with voices, percussion of whistles. Although there are some uptempo and rather joyful folk music passages to be found, the majority of the music on this album is slow, lingering and intriguing. In five tracks, Luoto takes the listener on a strange but exciting journey, something I can always appreciate.

So, who to recommend this album to? Well, I think the fans of avant garde, out of the ordinary music will certainly appreciate this. Fans of Arvo Pärt, Kronos Quartet, Kuro, Henryk Górecki and even Dmitri Shostakovich might want to give this album a good listen, but also fans of (dark) jazz, noise and Nordic ambient. I admit, it can get a bit weird, unconventional and uncomfortable at times but then again, you're not reading articles on Merchants Of Air for pop music references, are you? So yes, check it out. It's something else which is almost always interesting.

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Nile On Wax - Bell Dogs

19/10/2017

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post rock / psychedelic

By now, most people who visit our website regularly should know that Belgium is a musical nation. I have written several articles about it and I have been glorifying the talent in our little country numerous times. I've seen more Belgian bands perform than all other countries combined. My book is loaded with bands, mostly Belgian ones. I have no idea how many have appeared here and I certainly don't know how many will come up in the future. New bands enter my attention span on an almost daily basis. Only a few days ago, I got acquainted with the album I'm about to review here, an album which comes from a band I did not know yet.

Their band name is Nile On Wax, but until recently they were known as Nox. The band consists of Catherine Graindorge (violin, viola), David Christophe (bass, double bass) and Elie Rabinovitch (drums). They live and work in Brussels. As Nox, they released two albums, plus the music for the dance recital 'Charleroi Dances' and movies by Hal Harley and Karim Ouelhaj. That is quite an impressive oeuvre already but, like I mentioned, for me Nile On Wax is something completely new.

The band claims that their music is a blend of cinematic post rock and psychedelic rock and perhaps those were indeed the main influences for Nile On Wax. Yet, from listening to these six tracks, I think that there is a lot more going on. Of course, the sound of the violin and the effects give the whole thing a classical/ambient touch and the bass adds a hint of krautrock. Yet, when the drums come in, I can't help but suspect a history in jazz. Psychedelic? Not so much but nonetheless breathtakingly beautiful instrumental music.

Because of the tribal percussion, closer and title track 'Bell Dogs' is my favorite piece of music on this album, but I can assure you that the whole thing is worth listening to. It opens with 'Rhapsody', a splendid modern day jazz tune which reminds me of acts like Yodok III, be it more melodic. From then on, without toning down on quality, the entire album gently floats through the speakers. While listening to 'Nightride', I imagined Nile On Wax playing at Dunk! Festival next year. I would love to witness this live. So obviously and without any form of hesitation, this is a massively recommended album to post rockers, jazz fans and classical music crossover people.

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Otto Lindholm - Alter

30/9/2017

modern classical / ambient

Oh man, what the hell was I thinking? I'm feverish, struck with the flu but I still wanted to get some review work done. So I shoved an extreme metal album into my media player and prepared the article. Somehow, nothing seemed to work. The picture was a horrible resolution, the music was intense but that's the only compliment I could give and by raising my arm in a gesture to utter my frustration with the technical aspect, I knocked over my coffee and my pot of tobacco. In a rage, I deleted the whole thing and shouted so hard that my cat ran off to another room. She's now hiding under the bed. I think playing blackened death metal was not a good idea.

Still, I wanted to get some work done, so I got myself a new cup of coffee and a sandwich. Once again I opened my inbox where I found the new album by Belgium based double bass player and electronic music producer Otto Lindholm. I fed the album to my media player and when the sounds of vibrating strings slowly dragged itself through my speakers, I finally began to calm down. Soon after, I was floating along with the drones and soundscapes, produced by this talented artist and soon to be released by Manchester bases label Gizeh Records.

'Alter' contains four rather long tracks which balance on the edge between classical music and drone ambient. They are slow, lingering and gloomy pieces of music, reminding me of acts like Kuro, Innerwoud and the double bass version of the things Aidan Baker has been doing over the years. Of course this is great music. If you are into drones and ambient but also love the warm sound of analog instruments, you should not miss out on this one.

I'm not sure if I can pinpoint a favorite track on 'Alter'. Opener 'Fauve' immediately got my hooked but I think 'Alyscamps' is the most narrative one. This feels like an eerie dark ambient tune, telling a whole story with its pulsating strings and haunting sounds. In all, obviously all four of these are well worth the effort. If you're a fan of the aforementioned acts, you truly want to check this out and pre order this amazing piece of work. You won't regret it.

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Omrr - Devils for my Darling

17/9/2017

ambient / experimental

Dronarivm

It's Sunday afternoon. The sun is shining, keeping my coffee warm. My muscles ache from three days of heavy duty. I have just finished writing a review for a heavy doom metal album. For now, I'm done with the harsh areas in the world of music. I need something else.

My inbox guides me to Omrr, the stage name of Omar El Abd, a self-taught musician, guitarist and sound artist based in Cairo, Egypt. His new album is a pearl, so gentle, so calm. It is exactly what I needed today.

Although it contains the simplicity and the calm atmosphere of ambient music, the track on this album are more than that. With electronics, microsounds, field recordings and elements from glitch and modern classical music, Omrr creates instrumental songs with a minimal yet immersive approach. 'Illicit' might be the most traditional ambient resembling song on 'Devils For My Darling' but this too contains something extra, like an own identity.

Throughout the album I can hear influences from acts like Laraaji, Brian Eno, Biosphere but also hints of Autechre and Aphex Twin, along with classical piano. Yet, most of all, I can hear a self-taught musician finding his own little path in the vast world of experimental music. This is an incredibly beautiful universe, created by a very talented artist. Each one of these eight track can stand on its own but if you listen to the entire album, which I obviously recommend, you'll be blissfully smiling all the way. I know I am...

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Brieviews 26

27/8/2017

Odd Nosdam - Lif

ambient / experimental

Sound In Silence

The new ambient album by Anticon founder Odd Nosdam is a strange, otherworldly experience through electronic sequences, tape loops and gloomy soundscapes. According to the biography, the album was recorded during a period of constant rainfall. In a way, you can hear that on these (mostly) short but immersive pieces of music. There is a certain feeling of isolation, not being able to enjoy being outside. The overall sound is cold, metallic and rather harsh, so this is not a gentle, relaxing ambient album. Then again, it is a interesting record to listen to. This ambient grabs your attention and won't let go. Of course it's a recommended one...

Crisopa - Transhumante

ambient / electronic / downtempo

Sound In Silence

Somewhere between classical music, ambient, post rock, shoegaze, trip hop and intelligent dance music we find Crisopa and his latest effort, 'Transhumante'. The tracks on this album are elaborate electronic anthems, laced with soundscapes, percussion and bass lines. Boards Of Canada come to mind, but also The Eye Of Time, Miwon, Autechre and Blackfilm. My favorite tracks are 'I Am The Lord Of These Ruins' and 'Fast Dive' but I can definitely recommend this album to every downtempo electronic music fan out there. This is an exciting album which never lets you down.

Menin - Lord of Pain

doom / sludge metal

It's not often that a stoner rock, doom and sludge band reminds me of death metal but while listening to title track 'Lord Of Pain' Dismember suddenly came to mind. Ministry too, and Godflesh, and Yob, and Conan. Needless to say that I immediately loved the shit out of this tune. Does the term "death sludge" exist yet? 'Logrus' is another brilliant piece of sludge doom, spiced with hints of industrial and a total disregard towards your eardrums. This thing just keeps getting better and better. Hypnotic, intense, immersive and crushing, this one has everything a self respecting doom fans could possibly want.

Ed Carlsen - Elusive Frames

ambient / classical

Moderna Records

I was going to write this review earlier but somehow this EP inspired me to write a passage for my next book instead. It's a book about depression and burnout, so don't expect a very jolly EP. Yet, Ed Carlsen managed to create something beautiful, something inspirational. Based around the piano, Carlsen produces melodic emotions. I can feel a sense of loneliness, solitude and melancholy. Here and there cello, violin, viola and soundscapes appear, perfectly aligned with the majestic piano. I think this EP will accompany me a lot in future writing processes. Highly recommended beauty...

American Anymen - Flag Burner

punk / antifolk

Straight from the NYC "antifolk" scene and carrying a credibility similar to the English punk scene, American Anymen come up with three acoustic anti Trump songs. Acoustic, yes, but they still rock and they showcase a fierce hardcore punk attitude. I like that, it feels genuine and real. So in a way, this EP is more punk than punk rock, more alternative than alternative rock and more hardcore than hardcore. My favorite track is the opener 'Flag Burner' but I'm sure all three of these tunes will often appear in my day-to-day playlists. I suggest you do the same. Besides, the lyrics are awesome...

Stömb - Duality

progressive metal

For me, instrumental music is always more favorable than music with vocals. Most of my favorite bands are either instrumental or fronted by a vocalist who knows to shut up once in a while. So it's no surprise that I absolutely love this EP by French progressive metallers Stömb. With six complex and immersive pieces of music, they have certainly convinced me of their know-how. My favorite is the gnawing and screaming 'The Red Way', which is a world class progressive metal track, but undoubtedly, this whole six-track comes highly recommended to every progressive metalhead out there.

Crejuvent - Time

death metal / industrial

Solo projects are excellent if you have material that other bandmembers think it's just too weird or "out of their style". That certainly counts for Crejuvent, producer, writer and vocalist for bands such as Novacrow, Kryocell, Exhumation and others. On this EP, he showcases his rotten inspiration in a unique and interesting way. Technical, melodic, industrial and brutal, those seem to be the keywords here. Apart from the instrumentation, nothing on this EP is usual or normal, not even in the world of metal. On the other hand, it blasts, it surprises and it's one of the most captivating extreme metal releases I've heard this year.

Haze of Summer - Znoi

black metal

I know, the cover picture doesn't really scream "black metal", neither does the band name and neither do their photos on facebook. Then again, the music goes heavy on the drums, fierce on the guitars and brutal on the vocals. I hear a lot of nineties influences, somewhere between Children Of Bodom and Falkenbach but the current post-black metal scene is also represented as the main influence seems to be Deafheaven. Although easily categorizable as black metal, the music explores and destroys the boundaries of the genre, which in my opinion makes this an absolute highflyer. So yeah, I urge you to check this out, especially if you're into unique stuff.

The Great Russian Empire - Low Ends

shoegaze / alternative rock / dark rock

Speaking about unusual music, here is The Great Russian Empire and their astounding debut EP. Rooted in eighties new wave but just as much influenced by the alternative rock scene of the nineties and today's drone folk genre, this double bass act comes up with surprising songs. Although they are genre-bending, constantly jumping from one style to another, the dark rock foundation always stands. Type O Negative meets Nick Cave meets Ween meets Joy Division, something like. Something pretty damn contagious too, I can guarantee you that.

One Arc Degree - Ashore

ambient / downtempo

Back to the softer, calmer side of the music spectrum then, where we find One Arc Degree and their immersive new EP 'Ashore'. This beauty is a must-have for all fans of glacial ambient, lingering soundscapes and deep downtempo percussion. The four tracks on this EP take you on a gloomy trip through the arctic and its barren, snow filled landscapes. I can't pick a favorite. Initially, that would be the opener 'Emotional Machinery' but each track seems to grow on the listener. At first, the beats in 'The Circus In The Stars' but once when the music is well on its way, you'll be dancing or at least nodding your head. Great EP, makes me hungry for more.

Audioboyz - The Rise of Gqom

electronic / techno / experimental

Hypermedium

Perhaps I should explain what "Gqom" exactly is, since this genre is not often featured on Merchants Of Air. Gqom is a dark, deviant and experimental spinoff, rising from underground techno scene of South Africa. The music is repetitive but doesn't answer to traditional techno arrangements and beats. Instead, you get an hypnotic amalgamation of percussion, noises and drones that will quite often surprise you. In fact, for most techno fans, this might be a bit too off the hook but European IDM fans might as well absolutely adore this sound. It's nervous but different and that's almost always good.

Nabaath - Firestorm Bringer

black metal

Ukrainian (once Russian) black metal act Nabaath throws a new EP/single into the mix and it's a smasher. In two tracks (and an eerie, droning outro) Nabaath blasts all that is holy and pure. This is old school black metal in all its grim and powerful glory. There is not much else to be said about this EP, I think, except for the fact that it's a certain must have for fans of the most obscure and evil music on this planet.

Hellstorm Of Flaming Nothingness - The Universe Is An Abyss Of Suffering

drone / ambient / minimal

Belgian minimal drone act Hellstorm Of Flaming Nothingness returns with a new EP and with "minimal drone" I mean "extremely minimal drone". The four tracks on this EP are dark, gloomy soundscapes. No percussion, no soothing ambient passages, no surprising electronics, just mow tuned nihilistic drones, impending and desolate. "You Contain The Soul Memory Of A Million Dead Stars" is my favorite here, a track that sounds like The Blob is coming for you. That being said, yes, these are awesome titles. But apart from that, this EP comes highly recommended if you want music to scare you.

Pask - Psychogenic excoriation

noise

From the same mind as Hellstorm Of Flaming Nothingness but just as user friendly as a rectal exam, Pask represents the harsh, chaotic side of Björn. This five track EP is a grinding noise assault on your eardrums and your sanity. In five tracks, Björn seems to exorcise a few demons and phobias. His motto is "True Belgian Fucked-Up Noise" and that's exactly what you get on this thing. Unless you're a hardcore Merzbow fan, chances are small that you will like this EP but I don't think Pask minds. I don't even think he'll hear you over all this noise.

Henning Baer - 32-bit EP

techno

Soundcloud

Minimal techno with a somewhat lazy, or laid back, attitude, that's what you can find on this EP by DJ and beats creator Henning Baer, a common name in the Berlin scene. This certainly is something for the house music aficionados among us, those who are into electronic beats, minimal soundscapes and gloomy atmospheres. These tracks are produced for late night adventures on the dancefloor with 'Protect' being my favorite one. In a way, this repetitive tunes remind me of the old days of techno, right before the acid kicked in. The acid house that is.

Chalk Hands - Burrows & Other Hideouts

post hardcore

Hailing from Brighton, UK, Chalk Hands deliver two epic pieces of modern day extreme music. Pianos Become The Teeth, Caspian, Isis and Envy seem to be their main influences, judging from the energetic blast of post hardcore I'm listening to right now. Yet, beyond the sheer brutality, there is still some room for melodic passages and immersive instrumentalism. I like that, it gives the whole thing some welcome variation. Perhaps, if all goes well, Chalk Hands are on their way to the main stages of many post hardcore events. With this kind of energy and enthusiasm, they truly deserve that.

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Sarah-Jane Summers - Virr

24/8/2017

classical / experimental / folk

Eighth Nerve Audio

A few days ago, when leaving the house for a nice get together with friends, I found this album in my mailbox. The envelope looked crumpled and torn. I opened it and saw that the accompanying biography was damaged. The corner of the digipac were folded backwards. The whole thing looked like it had been a car crash. The CD itself was intact, although it sounds weird and unusual. That is probably not because of the horrible accident it went through. This strange and otherworldly sound is created by violinist/fiddler Sarah-Jane Summers. It's an experimental solo effort, a confounding study of her instrument.

To give you an example. Did you know that a fiddle can sound like a noteless blow in saxophone? I didn't know that. The tracks 'Mirr' and 'Aitran' taught me that. Then again, nothing is really normal or usual on this album. I mean, when I think of the fiddle, I think of songs like 'The Devil Went Down To Georgia', not about eerily creeping acoustic strings that have the power to send shivers down my spine. That never occurred to me.

Sarah-Jane Summers is Scottish but lives and works on Norway. She holds a master's degree in Norwegian traditional music. She started recording this debut solo album after a two-week trip to Montreal where she performed with the contemporary string quartet Quatuor Bozzini. The album is inspired by extreme weather conditions. The booklet explains the titles. My favorite track here, 'Aisk', means "A haze, mist, bank of fog". No wonder it's my favorite.

As I wrote earlier, the album is not a collection of joyful fiddle tunes. These are experiments, ranging from avant garde classical music over eerie folk to harsh, intense outbursts of free jazz, all created by fiddle and viola. On 'Unbrak' Summers plucks the strings, on others the bow gently strikes the strings and a few tunes sounds as if Summers has been scratching the strings with spoons. So no, don't expect a nice Mozart-like tune here.

Still, unusual and strange as this album is, it's an interesting and often captivating study. I like how silence plays a role here too. But in the end, the most difficult question is, "who to recommend this album to?". Perhaps fans of experimental classical music will enjoy this and free jazz aficionados too. Ambient fans might find it a bit too abrasive at times but most of these songs are perfect ambient-remix material. In any case, this is a unique album, something definitely worth checking out. Damaged and torn as the sleeve is, I'm keeping this one...

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John Steven Morgan - Solo Piano Works

10/8/2017

classical