Category: Folk

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

Brieviews 50

23/8/2018

Boobs Of Doom - Thor's Womb

doom / sludge metal / drone / dark ambient

Scottish misanthropic noisemakers Boobs Of Doom do have a good heart. In aid of Carrie's Fund the duo recorded two lengthy tracks. Carrie, a former musician who has a a rare condition causing her spine to collapse crushing her brainstem, needs to raise £100K for life-saving surgery. Title track 'Thor's Womb' is a forty minutes long epos of drones, noise and gloomy soundscapes, a gritty version of Sunn O))) or a sonic dark ambient ritual, that choice is yours. There's also a radio friendly version on the EP. I'm just not sure which radio stations will play it. 'Loki' gift bridges the two in a seemingly everlasting array of drones.

This EP, or single, is long, seventy minutes but in that timespan Boobs Of Doom takes you on a trip through your own darkest imagination. Just download the album, because this is a full length, turn the volume knob to neighbour levels and drift away. Carrie will appreciate it, Boobs Of Doom will appreciate it.

Bara Bandai - Une Nuit Sans Sommeil

drone / ambient

The solo project of Clément Jeunet Fougerat, a member of several French rock bands, comes up with an interesting first EP. Armed only with a guitar and a limited pedal board, Bara Bandai delivers one track, lasting fifteen minutes. The music here reminds me of acts like Syndrome, Ashtoreth and perhaps the more minimal efforts of Barn Owl. Although mostly rooted in drone and ambient sounds, 'Une Nuit Sans Sommeil' (a night without sleep) often comes up with gloomy, emotional riffs and strums. Not easy digestible but definitely worth your attention if you're into music that breathes solitude.

Macabre Demise - 11

death metal

German extremist Macabre Demise have been blasting sickening death grind since 2007. Their latest output is a three track EP, titled '11' and it's one of those things that brutally invites the listener to twist the volume knob to intense levels. On the title track and 'Rot' a sick and twisted lovechild of Carcass and Dismember comes to mind while 'Death And Forget', a Bloodshot Eyes cover, tears and reaps and claws. For fans of mindboggling death metal, this is a neat addition to their homicidal record collection. For nu-death fans, this is how death metal should sound...

The Guests - Highlands

gothic rock

Russian gothic rock ensemble The Guests seems highly inspired by the gloomy side of the eighties. On this EP, they come up with a neat the Cure meets Fields Of The Nephilim track ('Highlands') and four remixes of 'Autumn Walk'. Where the opener is gothic rock pur sang, the Bruno Kramm (Das Ich) remix of 'Autumn Walk' reminds me a lot of acts like Diary Of Dreams or Wolfsheim. There is also a synth-pop remix ('Asper X') and two by Arkhangelsky, where first Depeche Mode comes to mind and then turns back to goth rock. Not bad, I'm curious for more.

Grist - Monads

drone / dark ambient

Sombre Soniks

Australian black ambient project Grist returns to Sombre Soniks with a new six track album. The keyword here seems to be "minimalism", judging by the repetitive and hypnotic opener 'See These Signs (1 8 18)'. Noise, drones and soundscapes once again form eerie tunes, slowly lingering but still powerful enough to guide the listener into a state of trance. With 'The Dark Song (1 8 18)', this album contains one of the strangest tunes I've ever encountered on Sombre Soniks, adding a decent dose of experimentalism to the often ritualistic drones. My favorite? 'We Do Not Seek Progress, Just Respite (25 8 17)', an impending piece of dark ambient.

Jinthra - Psychopath

drone / dark ambient

Sombre Soniks

Another new release by a constant in the Sombre Soniks label is 'Psychopath' by Druhá Smrt member Jinthra. Here, the focus is set on darkness, mental instability and nightmaric sounds, coming at you in four soul crushing piece of dark ambient. This album sucks you in from the very first second with its harsh and immersive drones. The next 35 minutes are the perfect soundtrack for a meditative inner search and an attempt to exorcise your inner demons. The intensity of the tracks is impressive, ranking 'Psychopath' among acts like Lustmord, Predominance and Nordvargr, to name a few. This four track is a must-have!

Akoustik Timbre Frekuency - Banishing Thee Dark Night Of Thee Soul

dark ambient / ritual / drone

Sombre Soniks

And Sombre Soniks throws even more soul searching drones into our ever expanding collection. This time the boss himself delivers two monolithic sets of drones, soundscapes, singing bowls and whatnot, resulting in some highly narrative ambient compositions. As a shaman Akoustic Timbre Frekuency reaches deep into the listener's soul, something haunting, something soothing but always immersive. I really like the way Sombre Soniks and its roster of artists is evolving. Within the new dark ambient scene, Akoustik Timbre Frekuency definitely is an act to keep an eye, two ears and an open mind on...

Loputon Suo - Portti Uuteen

death metal / black metal

If all that darkness is your thing but you prefer your music a bit more extreme, then I can recommend this four track EP by Finnish combo Loputon Suo. Formed in 2014, this band delivers a punishing, chaotic and obtrusive blend of black and death metal, here and there also showcasing elements of doom, sludge, post-metal and blackened grindcore. This EP contains three tracks and a fearsome intro. The overall atmosphere is crushing, the riffs are relentless and the vocals will haunt your dreams for many years to come. Extremists will undoubtedly love this EP, which is best to be played at neighbours punishing levels...

Mount Shrine - Winter Restlessness

drone / dark ambient

Cryo Chamber

Hailing from Brazil, Mount Shrine comes up with a gloomy yet alleviating album. Mildly repetitive drones and soundscapes build murky compositions which invite the listener to loosen up, sit down and enjoy the splendor of ambient music. With six tracks, each of them a highlight in its own right, 'Winter Restlessness' is near perfect ambient album, one which requests multiple listens. This is one of those albums that can end up in people's "favorites" shelves, right next to masterpieces from Atrium Carceri, Desiderii Marginis or Kammarheit, to name a few. Recommended? Hell yeah!

Glass Locus - Escapism

ambient / experimental / downtempo

Audiobulb

In ambient too there is often a nudge towards radio friendly behaviour, quite often by bringing in electronic percussion. By that, many artists wander into the world of trip-hop and downtempo electronic music. So does Matt from Glass Locus, but in the same effort Matt oversteps the boundaries of radio-friendliness and plunges into the experimental nature of acts like Autechre, Boards Of Canada or Plaid. 'Escapism' is an eight track exploration of soundscapes, electronics and jazzy basslines. The result is an interesting audio adventure that easily manages to keep the listener in its grasp. Splendid work, on that keep me hungry for more...

The Dark Third - Even As the Light Grows

dark rock / art rock / blackgaze

For those who are looking for something utterly unique I can recommend this EP by New Zealand's The Dark Third, an album that begins with a flash of free jazz, bursts out in post-blackened shoegaze and adds epic classical arrangements to progressive rock. Is that confusing? Well, you should hear this. Not only is this a one of a kind band that manages to find their way through tonnes of influences, they also write emotional and immersive songs. Then again, what would you expect from a band that claims to be influenced by Steven Wilson, Kayo Dot, Peter Gabriel, Swans and Anathema? Done right, that can result in pure brilliance, and this album is done absolutely right...

Skáld - Skáld

traditional / folk

website

Hailing from the French underground, Skáld delivers an astonishing view on ancient Nordic music. With intense percussion, traditional instruments and a multitude of epic vocals, this act walks in the footsteps of projects like Wardruna, Nytt Land, Tenhi and Faun, only more impressive, to be honest. This EP contains three tracks, the brilliant and heroic 'Gleipnir', the strong and potent 'Ódinn' and the melodic and dreamy 'Rún'.
Here come the vikings, from France but that doesn't matter. If there is one act to keep an eye on in the world of neofolk, Skáld will be your new pagan heroes.

Noche Oscura - Gate

2/8/2018

post rock / drone / post metal

Ever since the first days of Merchants Of Air, I have been fascinated by one man projects and their often surprising output. Not only noise and ambient artists but also musicians in the fields of post rock, black metal, classical music and doom. There are heaps of talented people out there and most of them rarely get the attention they deserve.
So when I saw this album by Polish project Noche Oscura in my mailbox, I immediately became interested. The project, formed by Wojciech Szachowski also seems to roam in the post-rock/metal regions. Besides, the artwork by Michał Szymański is pretty stunning too, so I just had to check this one out.

It was coined as a post rock, post metal album but the first tones seemed to pour directly out the noise scene. Opener 'End' is strange, something between noise, guitar drones and post rock. I'm not sure if it is an intro but it is a quite unique tune. There is a drummer, Mateusz Mazur, but his work seems to be rather limited. The post-scene is far away but somehow that doesn't matter. Besides, the true beauty of Noche Oscura still has to bloom.

And that happens on 'Suspension', a song that contains violins by Katarzyna Gronowska and seems to be inspired by many of today's drone-ambient acts (Syndrome, Thisquietarmy, N) but also by Mike Oldfield. What? Well, much like Oldfield, Noche Oscura doesn't limit itself to elaborate droning ambient tunes. Here, the artists tried to tell stories, mainly with the narrative sound of the guitars. It's different, it's nice and it's certainly interesting.

My personal favorite here is 'Before', an ambient drone tune that also borrows elements from the music of Amenra or Neurosis but also the dark folk of Barn Owl and the post rock of God Is An Astronaut. Mind you, all still without the drums, making me wonder how massive this track would sound with a full live band. That must be bloody impressive, if you ask me. Same goes for closer 'Gate', an impending track, nudging to the doom scene.

Although coined as something for fans of Sunn O))), Amenra, Ulver and Neuroris, I'd probably place this album in my ambient/dark folk collection. That is not a bad thing, on the very contrary. I enjoyed every second of this album, even the confusing chaos of the opener. I'm just afraid that this artist limits himself a bit too much. If he forms a full blown band with this material, they'll be on big ass stages in no time, but for now, let's all enjoy these sounds in the quiet comforts of our own homes...

Serge

Andrew Rothschild - Transitions

3/7/2018

alternative / dreampop / folk / blues

Transitions is an album by American musician Andrew Rothschild, released on June 22. Almost sixty five minutes long, the record has fourteen tracks: Nu, Get Up, Acceptance, Growth, Routine, Suwanee, Roots, Devil Behind Your Smile, Memories, Home, Fall, Crimson, Natural and Encore. Working dedicatedly in the development of a genre he defines as bluestronica – which is the combination of blues music’s graceful intricacies with electronic music devices – Rothschild is a primordially intuitive, sagacious and innovative musician, that has no fear diving deeply on underground and genuine methodical experimentalism. With melodies that works vividly fantastic and exponentially fragmented sonorous intonations within a wider melodic diagram, Transitions can be described initially as a calm, serene and relaxing album, although rapidly becomes much more than that. The horizon of a new musical sensibility that integrates into the apparent simplicity of its content projects the expansion of a rational, sensational and lucid authorial work, that filters on the antagonism of its paradoxical tenacity the beautiful and elevating disposition of a vivacious style of music, that impresses for its formidable level of creativity, flexibility and audacity. Transitions is a majestic masterpiece, and this becomes evident already on the first few songs of the album.

With an energetic, irreplaceable and synergic punctuating premise that wonders throughout the ambivalence of its own passionate sonorous dissidence, the eloquence, the profoundness, the vitality, the consistence and the originality of Andrew Rothschild’s music is beyond ordinary categorizations. With a polyvalent degree of artistry that combines different elements from several apparently disparate genres, the artist deliberates gracefully over the harmonies of its own musical emancipation, creating a totally different and surprisingly original sensorial treasure of sonorous possibilities.

Generally departing from the educated elegance of lounge music, the sound of Andrew Rothschild incorporates elements of folk, trip hop, world fusion and electronica – amongst other genres –, in such a personal way, that you can almost say he invented his own peculiar style of music. Fearlessly innovating and bravely intense, the sensibility, the versatility and the authenticity present on this album will make you feel your life as a projected conscious dream.

The sixth track – Suwanee, possibly my favorite – is simply a wonderful journey throughout a different form of sensibility. In fact, each and every song on this album is a monumental flavor for the soul, a sentimental gift of nature exposed over a silent universe that echoes endlessly inside the most fundamental principles of a sincere conscience. But, strictly speaking, no words or written evaluation could do justice to this marvelously aggrandizing and excellent state of the art work. You just have to listen by yourself. You will be thrilled, be sure about that.

Wagner

ElixiR - Ghosts Of Boscus Cavus

3/7/2018

dungeon synth / ambient / folk

A beautiful, sensible, amazingly poetic record, Ghosts of boscus cavus is the work of a French medieval folk ambient artist known as ElixiR, released on July 1st. With delicate and serene harmonies, that wonders throughout a sonorous conflagration of sincere devotional artistry, the general layout of the work is simple and elementary conscious of its monumental placidity, but splendidly sensational and beautiful, to say the least. With twelve tracks – Boscavium, Boscavum, Monastic ruins, Deus vult, A procession to war, Ghosts of boscus cavus, The holy glory, Une présence près des bois, Misericordiae, L'ordre du temple, Le grand maître, De Molay, Nearer my god to thee and Shelob - Shelob - Fantôme du passé – that are uncommonly more concise than what the genre usually presents, the level of artistic grace and sentiment present on Ghosts of boscus cavus is primordially relevant, formidably created and exceptionally executed. For sure, reveals a talent that certainly knows how to display confidently a decent degree of competence, pragmatism and authenticity.

With a dense parameter of harmonious expression, the volatile expansion by which the anatomy of the sound dilates itself is genuinely organic, although there is an inherent simplicity in the work that makes it abundantly profound and original. With a captivating style, that reunites at the epicenter of its serenity the wonderful sentence of a timeless dream, Ghosts of boscus cavus is an aggrandizing state of the art work, that filters, elevates and condensates at the axis of its marvelous extemporal innocence the sincere grace of existence, which unwittingly transmits a spiritual relevance that absorbs the grandiosity of the human nature.

As I wrote some lines above, the general layers of the music present on the album are simple, but the conflagration of sincere elements, conglomerated at the center of calm and philosophic – sometimes delusional – harmonies, disperses among the dust of invisible planets the groundbreaking allegories upon which the music is created. And the impeccable feeling it generates evokes beyond the lucidity of reason the wonderful artistry that are concentrated behind the work.

A splendid and sensational album, certainly one of the best of the genre released this year, Ghosts of boscus cavus is the infinite anthem played over and over again in the evening of a displaced and solitary cathedral lost in time. In the voracious ruins of a night that never ends, but recalls the savage sorrow of its bitterness, the music of ElixiR is a discreet blessing, that fantastically revolves around the world in a cloak of surreptitiously serene harmonies, displayed over and over again at the pure densities of the soul.

Wagner

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 38

14/3/2018

Mixtaped Monk - Northern Eye

post rock

Indian multi-instrumentalist Mixtaped Monk returns with a beautiful, melancholic and immersive EP, dedicated to a dear friend of his who is battling cancer. On this EP you will find four tracks, each one balancing on the edges between downtempo electronics, experimental ambient and post rock. As usual, with this talented young man, that results in nice, friendly but somewhat stubborn music that has the power to both get stuck in your head and serve as background music for a nice get together with friends. Obviously, I can only applaud these efforts, especially when they sound this professional and unique. Definitely recommended.

Onhou - Onhou

doom / sludge / psychedelic

We stay in the downtempo regions but move towards the extremes with Dutch horde Onhou and their self titled two-track EP. On this one, you will find two ten minutes lasting tracks, both being outstanding pieces of psychedelic drone doom. The whole thing sounds a bit like Conan or Yob on LSD, and I quite like that. The music is harsh, dark, aggressive and as immersive as quicksand. It's also slow, very, very slow, yet hints of melody and tonnes of atmosphere keep the the tracks interesting, not only for a good listen by for several listens in a row. This is a dark entity with a bright future.

My Secret Safe - Storytelling

metalcore

Hailing from France, My Secret Safe delivers solid metalcore, compleet with the djenting riffes and the brutal vocals. On the other hand, you might also see this as nu-metal on steroids. Either how, this EP features an awesome intro and five harsh and brutal metalcore tracks. Now, I'm not really a metalcore fan but I can definitely appreciate the melodic passages in songs like 'Disruptive' and 'The Cure'. For fans of the genre, this is a high quality must have, one that also proves that the use of electronics in metal is no longer frowned upon. So, extreme youngsters, this is a must-have.

Alaska Gold Rush - And The Sky Dives Again

folk / alternative rock

Formed around a guitar, a voice and a set of drums, Belgian duo Alaska Gold Rush are about to release an intriguing EP. They seem to be influenced by American folk music but also deliver a great dose of alternative rock. That results in acoustic rock songs that bring acts like Lemonheads, Buffalo Tom and The Posies to mind. The EP contains six tracks, each one a gem in its own term. Although the songs can be surprisingly heavy, they are also warm and emotional. So yeah, this might something interesting to discover.

Things That Aren't There - Slow Down

post rock / shoegaze

Spotify

Surfing on the waves of post rock, shoegaze and downtempo electronics, we find English duo Things That Aren't There. They could have chosen a better name because I couldn't find a bandcamp, soundcloud or facebook link to add to this brieview. However, I did find three amazing pieces of music in which slow, atmospheric music comes to life in a breathtaking way. Opener 'Slow Down' mostly takes on the electronic approach but 'Neon Cross' is a brilliant piece of post rock, one Mogwai wished they had written. This stuff really is great, perfect enough to send you over to Spotify and check it out...

Circus worlD - The Deceiver

alternative rock

For five good old fashioned alternative rock songs, we turn our attention to Circus WorlD and their brand new EP. Opening with the infectious song 'High', this EP brings us right back to the nineties and its raw but melodic garage rock sounds. What I like most about these songs is the dark rock edge that they seem to showcase. In one aspect, because of the guitars and drums, this brings me back to the alternative rock scene of the nineties but the vocals bring those awesome dark rock and new wave bands to mind. The opener is my favorite track, closely followed by the awesome 'Kill Their Sons'. Nice stuff, surely recommended.

The Divided Line - Paramnesia

progressive rock

This EP by Canadian progressive rock album The Divided Line suddenly went from "not bad" to "wow", halfway through opener 'Breathe'. I was a bit sceptical at first but then the mix of Tool, Deftones, Incubus and Russian Circles fully opened. Now I can't seem to get enough of this sound which somehow brings the progressive underground to the level of arena rock. In six songs, these Canadians clearly show their skills and talents as a modern day melodic rock band. They also never seem to lose their cool, never take things to the extreme and never tone down on quality. So if you're into progrock, you need this.

Adonai Atrophia - Metahistory

dark ambient

An immersive piece of dark, mystic ambient, courtesy of Bulgarian one man act Adonai Atrophia. While opener 'The Infinite She' gently lures you in, 'Al Awwal' brings out the haunting darkness and uneasy atmosphere that make dark ambient such a mesmerizing genre. From there the album easily maintains its grasp on the listener while guiding them along eerie soundscapes and fearsome percussion. The album contains eight tracks, with the harsh and intense 'Malah Ga-Mavet' being my favorite. Dark ambient aficionados can easily trust this release to deliver the angsty goods, I'm absolutely sure about that.

Barrel Blood - Midwinter live improvisation

experimental / avant garde / classical

Armed with violin, cello, their voices and an array of electronics, American quartet Barrel Blood brings strange but soothing experimental music. This EP contains three tracks, all improvised and recorded live. In all, you'll have over half an hour of musical experimentation that sounds both unusual and intriguing. There are hints of classical music, ambient, folk and avant garde but the whole still maintains a coherent and certainly narrative atmosphere. Fans of Godspeed You Black Emperor, Dark Ensemble or Kuro will definitely appreciate this music and I think even jazz fans will like it. Neat stuff!

Black Strike - 132

stoner rock / alternative / metal

Belgian alternative metalheads Black Strike have been listening to a wide array of heavy duty bands. Throughout this short but explosive three-track EP, all kinds of acts come to mind, including Alice In Chains, Channel Zero, Soundgarden, Kylesa , Monster Magnet and even Rage Against The Machine. Opener 'Rat' clearly draws the stoner rock card while 'Tiger' delivers some awesome rap metal. Closer 'Hunt' goes full grunge rock on our asses. So yeah, this is a surprisingly varied EP from a band I'd certainly like to hear more from in the near future.

Funeris - Baleful Astral Elements

funeral doom

Argentinian one man project Funeris delivers solid and sluggish funeral doom, seemingly inspired by the neverending vastness of the cosmos. On this album, he brings five lengthy tracks, plus one intro, with a deep, dark and massive sound, complete with deep growls. Fans of acts like Evoken, Until Death Overtakes Me and Shape Of Despair can easily trust Funeris to come up with the torpid and tormenting music they love so much. Personally, I love how the drums take this music to almost industrial levels, especially in my favorite track 'Through The Vast Cosmic Plains'. Funeral doom must-have!!!

Without Dreams - Funeral In The Infinity Of Cosmos

funeral doom / ambient

Don't go away yet because I found another funeral doom gem on that exact same bandcamp page. Without Dreams is a project that goes heavy on the ambient sounds but also comes up with the beloved distorted and droning guitars and the deep, guttural grunts. Here the tracks are even longer, all over twenty minutes, but they never seem to go stale. On the contrary, Without Dreams adds heaps of melody, piano and keyboard to the typical doom sound and I can only applaud that. So you'll have all of that and the usual depressive atmosphere. This really is funeral doom delight.

Brieviews 37

20/2/2018

Grantezuma - Grantezuma

alternative rock

soundcloud

A rock band, definitely! All the songs of this EP are great compositions as individual pieces. This work were produced by Sebastian Carsin in a very professional way, only reinforcing that Grantezuma works very hard to achieve his goals and doesn't do this in a sloppy way - a praiseworthy attitude in this ephemeral world. Definitely the big hit of this EP is ‘Doce Negro Abril’ (Black Sweet April, in English). If I were the musical producer (in an artistic way), I would have put this song as the first track, with no doubt! Grantezuma deserves recognition, so keep working hard!!! One of the life's secrets (at least in my humble opinion) is: Always be patient and persistent!!!

Glauber

Ferla - 13122017

drone / experimental

Abjection Productions

What do you do if you have a composition that is impossible to play because it requires a lot of expensive electric guitar pedals and all the guitar players that you know don’t have money? Ferla decided to get this music concept and just play it at a festival called ‘Jazz No Hope’, in Porto Alegre city (BR-RS). The music is amazing (despite the poor recording)... Its concept is very simple but very powerful: An overlap of loops with slightly changes at the tremolo bar and the tone potentiometer. So if you like that old-school low-fi bootleg cassettes, this album was made for you!!! If not... that’s ok, because this artist have other interesting works recorded in studio!!

Glauber

Maff - Melañiña

alternative rock / shoegaze

Hailing from Chile, Maff delivers some good old fashioned shoegaze, mixed with alternative rock. So yes, this EP drags you right into the nineties but at the same time it sounds incredibly relevant today. Parts Jesus and Mary Chain, part Sonic Youth, part Dinosaur Jr and part Explosions In The Sky, Maff brings highly enjoyable ethereal rock tunes to your speakers, highlighting in the single 'Hawaii'. That one certainly is one for the dark dancefloors, and so is 'Deserts Are Rainbows', be it in the early morning hours. My suggestion? Check it out. What Maff does is nothing new but it's so damn satisfying...

Sophia Marshall - Lin-dah

folk rock / americana

website

Former HaveNots vocalist Sophia Marshall spent several of her school years in the same building as three members of Kasabian. Now she releases a tribute EP containing three songs from the world famous act. Funny thing is, I am not familiar with Kasabian's music so for me, these are all brand new songs. And I like them, although I'm not sure I will equally like the originals. I'll probably check them out soon. I like Marshall's often fragile voice and the gentle, country-inspired guitars. I'm quite sure that 'Goodbye Kiss' and 'Fire' will often appear in my day-to-day playlist, especially on these chilly winter evenings. Nice work.

We Are Cursed - We Are Cursed

metal / post hardcore

French eardrum violators We Are Curses deliver four pounding and pummeling tracks, balancing between metal, sludge doom and post hardcore. The band consists of members of Synopsys, Godisdead, Jack Dope And Noise so these are experienced musicians. Therefore it will be no surprise when I say that this EP is a thunderous blast. Fans of anything between Conan, Amenra, Yob and Neurosis might want to check this out. It might not yet be the mesmerizing quality delivered by those acts but We Are Cursed are certainly getting somewhere with this. This is a very promising debut EP.

Taller Than The Trees - Hubris

post metal

Since I mentioned Amenra I might as well throw yet another ridiculously talented post metal band from Belgium. The oh so quiet town of Westerlo now has its own noisemakers, named Taller Than The Trees. On this EP they deliver four crushing tracks plius three pieces of ambient noise by W.D. Spectrehead which serve as breathers. The endresult is an immersive twenty minutes lasting epos of sludge doom, post metal and post rock that hopefully will get a decent amount of heads turned into their direction. Sludgers, doomers and headbangers will easily enjoy this album, I'm sure of that.

Black Neon District - Standing Waves

progressive metal

Rising from the ashes of French progressive death metal act Outcast comes Black Neon District, formed by three of its members. They left the "death" part of their music behind them, resulting in clean vocals and a more convincing overall sound. Fans of bands like Dream Theater, Pain Of Salvation and perhaps even Opeth, Evergrey and Meshuggah will easily appreciate the skills and talents that Black Neon District showcases. For me personally, this is a bit too progressive, but that is personal taste. I cannot deny that these guys are skilled and attuned and that there is little to stop them from breaking through in the world of progressive rock soon.

Ficture - Filled Spaces

downtempo / electronic

Audiobulb

This is a coincidence. I was looking for something new to add to my "downtempo" folder, something to accompany acts like Bonobo, Autechre, Miwon and Boards Of Canada. Now this EP falls on my plate and I immediately loved it. It fits right in there, especially the bass loaded opener 'Portable'. All five tracks on the EP are intriguing. They're gloomy yet playful and filled to capacity with interesting sounds, hooks and angles. It's albums like these that put a smile on my face. Today's electronic scene is loaded with generic rubbish but EP's like this one show that there is still hope and that there are still great talents to be discovered.

Depths Of Kronos - From The Void

death metal

Amazon

Back to the headbanging regions of the musical spectrum where we find Dutch destroyers Depths Of Kronos. These guys from the lovely city of Tilburg come up with some infectious melodic death metal. With heaps of tempo changes, brutal growls and tormenting riffs, this bands places themselves in the footsteps of bands like At The Gates, In Flames and Soilwork. To be honest, this is not really my cup of tea, but - also to be honest - I recognize a talented death metal act when I hear them. This certainly is a talented band, one with plenty of variation and with all the necessary elements to make death metal great.

Affasia - Adrift in Remorse

doom metal / dark metal / death metal

Transcending Records

Speaking over diverse metal, here is American death doom band Affasia and their mindbending debut EP 'Adrift In Remorse'. On this EP they seem to show what it would sound like if November's Doom entered the recording studio with Anathema, Slowdive and Evoken, or something like that. Elements of classical music, darkwave, gothic rock and shoegaze fuse with lingering doom death metal and the result is massively intriguing. These four tracks, highlighting in 'Dissolute' show a fresh and interesting direction for the slow and heavy scenes. I wonder how the future of Affasia sounds like...

Revenger - The New Mythology Vol. 1

thrash / death metal

Ok, one more slab of ruthless aggression before I jump into something calm and soothing again. Here is the new, second, EP by Canadian thrashers Revenger. This five track EP is a harsh, powerful and fierce work with skulls ripping riffs, flashing solos and bitter, arduous vocals. It constantly balances on the edge between thrash and death metal. So no, this is definitely not for the faint at heart. On the contrary. I think you'd have to be a seasoned extremophile to be able to enjoy this, but if you are, you will undoubtedly end up with severe whiplash, multiple bruises and a hammering headache. Fuck yeah!!!

Hemka - 707 Collision

techno

Balans Records

From death metal to techno without hesitation, only on Merchants Of Air. Anyway, it's dancefloor time with French producer Hemka and her '707 Collision' EP. The EP contains two tracks and two remixes of the title track. What to expect? Well, repetitive beats, Detroit techno inspired melodies and a raving atmosphere, nothing more, nothing less. I guess this is just one of those releases to play loud and throw yourself onto the dancefloor. My personal favorite here is 'Nocturnal Rounds', probably because I like all things nocturnal. Oh well, let's just dance our asses off. It can be cleansing sometimes...

Tomorrow We Sail - The Shadows

9/2/2018

post rock / indie

That is a smart business idea, name your album after a legendary band. Then, fans of that band blindly buy the album, only to discover that these are not The Shadows at all. This is a post rock inspired band from Leeds. So no, no 'Apache' or 'Guitar Tango' to be found here. But since they bought the album already, they might as well have a listen to it. And then they discover that this actually isn't bad, on the contrary. In fact, much like The Shadows, this album can bring a blissful smile to your face. With your eyes closed, enjoying the almost divine pleasure of listening to music. That is magic. I'll stop writing about The Shadows (the band) now.

Actually, my initial idea was "ow, they have been inspired by Sigur Ros and they use vocals." For the record, I am not a Sigur Ros fan, because of the vocals. My favorite artists keep their mouths shut. Not that I hate vocals but they have to be just right. It's complicated, I know. Because of that, I approached this album carefully. The music started and just like with Sigur Ros I enjoyed it so far. Then the vocals came in.

As I already mentioned, Tomorrow We Sail is a six-piece from Leeds, formed in 2009. Since then, they have been developing their style, which is a blend of post rock, indie rock and English folk. Their instrumentarium is quite impressive, from the basic post rock set up to harmonium, piano, violins and glockenspiel. Perhaps the best way to compare this is: imagine Clannad, Jeff Buckley and Maybeshewill travelling to Iceland with Silver Mount Zion Airlines.

So, how about those vocals? Well, they are ok here, quite good actually. The vocals are mainly the folk part of the whole thing while the rest of the music gently post-rocks away. The result is an album with calm, sweet pop songs that might do very well on stage ànd in the charts. That being said, for some post-rock/metal fans, this music might sound a bit cheesy but I like it. It's going right into my day-to-day playlist.

Serge

Hällas - Excerpts From a Future Past

17/10/2017

progressive / folk rock

Excerpts From a Future Past is an album released on October 13 by Swedish progressive rock group Hällas, through The Sign Records. With a charming and colorful sound, that has a grandiosity of its own, the style of the group is greatly reminiscent of seventies traditional folk rock, as well as a little Jethro Tull and America in their glory days, with an unquestionable countryside appeal of sorts. Sidelined by a myriad of peculiar characteristics that reinvents the genre in an intrinsically calmer dimension of sensible, but inquisitive melodies, Excerpts From a Future Past is a vivaciously captivating, precious and lucid conflagration of incisive, flammable and diluted – but explicitly emotional – harmonies, that conquers the impulsive exhilarations of the heart at the height of an instant, captured at the persistent elevation of beautifully sensitive musical expectations.

With delicate melodies, sensible and radiant intonations, flirtatious eternities of everlasting youthful happiness, and an imperially digressive ecstasy of harmonies dissolved at an ecstatic afternoon of melancholy, Excerpts From a Future Past is a delightful album, with beautiful and thoroughly poetic passages. With a singular style, technically and emotionally developed in a fantastically captivating level, Hällas really has sought to create and anticipate a new form of musical splendor with their infinite horizon of magnificently vivacious sonorous radiances.

In unpredictable and vivid harmonies, greatly driven by marvelous and quasi-impressionistic guitar lines, Hällas masterly exhibits their abilities in what concerns the creation and dissipation of the fundamental axis of their wonderfully intricate, but at the same time sincerely simple, musical style. The final result, this graciously sensible album, speaks for itself.

A very pleasant surprise, Excerpts From a Future Past has revealed itself to be, track after track, a genuinely terrific and aggrandizing state of the art work. Thrilled by a formidable and sentimentally uplifting level of authenticity, this record certainly has potential to acquire cult status, and to be an iconic reference for the genres of folk and progressive rock in the years to come.

Wagner