ALBUM REVIEWS SEPTEMBER 2016 - THE BLOG IS A WHOLE YEAR OLD!

A mostly pointless rant:

A full year ago I posted the first instalment of this monthly music review roundup on a bit of a whim. I'd toyed with the idea of reviewing music and having my own blog for a while. Never wanting to entertain the self-indulgence that comes with having your own blog, it was something I never committed to. After all, when you write a blog you are placing an importance on your own opinions and holding yourself out there as someone whose opinion is especially worthwhile, and that comes with an unavoidable element of narcissism. But there's one thing I know for sure: great music gets me excited and sharing that music with others is even more exciting. So I made this blog as an outlet for nerding out about music I enjoy and sharing it with others who might come across a new favourite artist, song, or album. Really, I wasn't sure what it would be, but decided to commit to posting every month and seeing where it went. Mostly, I've treated it as a project for myself that might also interest others (and it has been one that I have enjoyed, that is for sure).  

To recap, a year on, I see the purpose of this blog in the following vague terms. Every month I choose between three and five new albums that are a bit off the beaten track which I share my thoughts on. This is a selection of what I personally find most interesting and think others might get a kick out of (I listen to between 10-15 new albums a month, not all of them are worth talking about or suit this blog). I make no assumptions about what genre or style you, the reader, might enjoy. If it's interesting and I think others might have missed it, I'll put it on this blog. There's amazing music coming out constantly, across all genres, and in this day and age we have access to everything instantly, so why not give it a go?

At the end of the day, whether you read my thoughts or just click through the links to listen to something new, I don't really care. I just hope you find something new that excites you, or interests you, or at least try and explore something new. And with the backlog of posts there's plenty to explore if you're not fussed about the music being brand new. 

I sincerely hope this blog has and will continue to introduce people to new music, as above all that is what I set out to do. So after a full year, and some reflective rambling, I know I'll still be writing this blog for the foreseeable future, because there's a lot of great new music coming out all the time and I can't seem to shut up about it. 

Here are a few from September you might have missed. 

clipping - Splendor and Misery 

Genre: experimental hip-hop
Favourite tracks: 'All Black', 'Air 'Em Out', 'Break the Glass', 'Baby Don't Sleep', 'A Better Place'

This is the follow up to clipping's last incredible full length release CLPPNG, a collection of unique hip-hop tracks that stood out for their lyrical prowess and noisy production. In fact, I'd easily name CLPPNG among my favourite hip-hop albums of the last few years and still return to it fairly frequently. Splendor and Misery takes the storytelling and experimentation of clipping to new heights, framing the whole album within the story of a slave surviving on an interstellar cargo ship and his relationship with the on-board AI. It's highly conceptual and sounds more than a bit weird, but clipping pull off this concept with maturity and without leaving anything half-baked. 

Structurally, the album features a number of interludes and shorter tracks in between what could be considered the full songs on the tracklist. While this is clearly to fit in the beats of the story and concept, it makes for a stilted listening experience. If you aren't invested in the concept here, and if I'm honest there isn't a whole lot here for you if you aren't, there appears to be a lot of filler on an already short album. I'm impressed with how clipping have strung together a fully realised concept in such a succinct package and there are a few really great tracks on this album. However, I don't hear a whole lot on Splendor and Misery that is enjoyable outside of the context of the album. Even the most enjoyable moments on this album don't match the satisfying intensity of CLPPNG, although I will admit that with how much there is to digest in clipping's music there might be room for this new album to grow on me. 

I enjoy Splendor and Misery for the ambitious, fully realised concept that clipping have put together. You can't deny that clipping are releasing some of the most unique hip-hop out there. I still really enjoyed the abrasive, often skeletal production on this album and of course Daveed Diggs' highly technical rapping. If you're new to clipping this new album might be a bit daunting as the concept only makes digesting clipping's music even more difficult, but if you like substance in your hip-hop clipping are mandatory listening. 

You can listen to 'Air 'Em Out' here:

The Caretaker - Everywhere at the end of time

Genre: ambient, experimental
Favourite tracks: not applicable

The Caretaker is one of those artists I've been waiting for an opportunity to mention on this blog and he's finally released a new project, completely out of the blue. A side project of electronic musician James Leyland Kirby, The Caretaker is responsible for the astonishingly brilliant An Empty Bliss Beyond This World which is one of my all time top-shelf favourite albums. An Empty Bliss is an enchanting and deeply affecting album that presents fragmented, slightly distorted passages of pre-war dance music as though they are being remembered by a dementia sufferer. Everywhere at the end of time is its conceptual and musical successor in a lot of ways, albeit far more ambitious in its scope. 

This album is the beginning of a six part series, following The Caretaker's fictional descent into dementia and ultimately death. It's a dramatic way to end a musical project, that's for sure. Two new albums are going to be released every year with each becoming more fragmented as gaps in The Caretaker's recollection begin to form. This first instalment, then, represents these musical ideas in their most complete and lucid form before they slip away. As such, this is mostly a collection of electronically processed pre-war dance and big band music, kept almost entirely in tact. On their own, these tracks are warm, jovial pieces of a bygone musical era, accentuated by pops, hisses and other artefacts of their age. The full importance of this album will only become apparent with the context of the future instalments as these tracks represent a sort of baseline. These are the full, lucid memories that will slip away and die throughout the albums to be released over the next three years. 

It's artsy and conceptual and difficult to make much of at this stage, but Everywhere at the end of time is the beginning of a hugely ambitious and interesting project. I've chosen not to name favourite tracks as I feel this album is more about the atmosphere and aesthetic created through its whole run time which serves as a starting point to be contrasted against going forward. I'm eager to see if this project will flourish beyond the lofty ambition of its concept and create something that justifies its apparent pretentiousness. I may review future instalments as this project develops. I would also strongly suggest checking out The Caretaker's back catalogue, especially An Empty Bliss Beyond This World. 

You can listen to Everywhere at the end of time in its entirety here:

Eluvium - False Readings On

Genre: ambient, minimal, experimental

Favourite tracks: 'Strangeworks', 'Fugue State', 'Movie Night Revisited', 'Rorschach Pavan', 'Posturing Through Metaphysical Collapse'

Matthew Cooper, known as Eluvium, is an artist I've been aware of for a while but have never delved too deeply into his discography. Upon a first listen of False Readings On the words that sprung to mind were dark, haunting and brooding. There's something kind of spooky about the shimmering textures and underlying drones of Eluvium's music. It's an atmosphere full of beautiful tension and layers of detail that only reveal themselves through multiple listens. 

False Readings On could easily be lumped together with a lot of other dark ambient and drone music out there that doesn't offer much beyond its atmospheric, background music qualities. But I think this album presents more complexity than is initially apparent. For its whole run time it remains consistent with its dissonant counter play of sonic ideas, stacking minimalist piano over wide synths and electronic oddities. Tracks build and dissipate slowly and with purpose, pushing the album forward with a captivating sequence of rises and falls between its noisy and more subdued tracks. Eventually False Readings On reveals more than just its dark and haunting side. There is an element of hope and clarity intertwined with the underlying sense of tension and anxiety on this album, and that is where this album's beauty shines through. 

Something about the little details that crack through the often noisy backdrops of this album feel just right to me. It's captivating and all consuming with its building walls of noise and carefully composed interjections. False Readings On offers complexity with its specific atmosphere and ear candy that makes it stand out from similar albums.

You can listen to 'Fugue State' here:

Margaret Glaspy - Emotions and Math

Genre: singer-songwriter, indie folk

Favourite tracks: 'Emotions and Math', 'Situation', 'You and I', 'Memory Street', 'Anthony', 'Parental Guidance', 'Love Like This', 

Emotions and Math is the debut full length album from American singer-songwriter Margaret Glaspy. This one actually came out a few months ago but I didn't get to it at the time. I've come back to it a fair bit so thought I'd give it a mention. The album shows off Margaret's distinct personality as a songwriter and musician, never afraid to offer some bite to her vocals or crunch to her guitar. 

This one is short and to the point, clocking in at a bit over 30 minutes with tracks that are direct and without filler. Margaret's vocals range from smooth and rich to raspy and punchy, giving the songs a real sense of movement, especially through the way the vocals are placed alongside the guitar riffs. Between her voice and the crunchy guitar playing, Margaret Glaspy lets her own personality shine through despite the overall feel of this album being very familiar. Regardless, there are some really solid songs to be found here, even if some feel a bit generic and by the numbers. 

I really enjoy the passion and attitude that charges through these songs. It's a solid album and sure to be enjoyed by fans of indie folk with a bit of a soft rock flavour. 

You can listen to 'Memory Street' here:

Annnnnddddd that's it for this month. And the first year of monthly album roundups. Let me know what you think about this month's post or the blog in general. Any feedback is helpful and appreciated! 

If you're looking for more tunes check out the backlog of posts. There's now a whole year's worth of them and plenty of music to check out. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you've found something interesting!

Have nice day! 

ALBUM REVIEWS AUGUST 2016

The sheer amount of new releases this past month has been insane. I'll do my best to give you a rundown of some of the latest albums you might have missed.

Watsky - x Infinity

Genre: alternative hip-hop, spoken word

Favourite tracks: 'Talking to Myself', 'Love Letters', 'Brave New World', 'Midnight Heart', 'Conversations', 'Roses'

I had high hopes for this album. The tracks Watsky dropped in the lead up were solid and showed a lot of promise, seemingly shedding some of his goofy charm for tighter production and writing. A fair chunk of these tracks deliver on these fronts despite the result being an overlong and inconsistent album. 

There's a lot of incredibly busy, dramatic production on these tracks featuring melancholic pianos and walls of strings. There are moments on this album where I really like what's going on instrumentally, even when it feels unnecessarily busy and a tad overproduced. For most of the album this style pulls through and gives this album the point of difference it needs to make it clear that this is still a Watsky album, it's not trying to fit in with the rest of the hip-hop world.

Some of these tracks are incredible and deserve to be considered alongside Watsky's best, delivering the clever, technical verses he is known for. There are also some decent songs that are enjoyable within the context of the album, even if I don't see myself revisiting them in the future. Unfortunately, a handful of tracks just miss the mark. On an album that's boasting a run time of over an hour it seems bizarre that these tracks made the cut. The hooks are weak and borderline annoying and the verses are forgettable. It just feels so odd to have these tracks dropped between some of Watsky's most polished work.

There are some seriously great tracks to be found here, which makes it even more frustrating that x Infinity carries some unnecessary filler that holds it back from being a solid album.

You can listen to 'Midnight Heart' here:

Banks & Steelz - Anything But Words

Genre: rock, hip-hop

Favourite tracks: 'Giant', 'Wild Season', 'Anything But Words', 'Conceal', 'Love and War', 'Point of View'

Banks & Steelz is a new collaboration between RZA of Wu Tang Clan and Paul Banks of the veteran indie rock bank Interpol. The result is a fairly predictable but well executed marrying of the styles each member is known for. 

These tracks are primarily driven by rock-oriented choruses and instrumentation, with RZA providing some rap flavouring on the verses. Each track follows this trading of rap verses and rock choruses quite simply but it never feels repetitive as each track carries its own personality. The instrumentation is varied with some genuinely interesting ideas that do an excellent job of tying the tracks together and underpinning both the melodic choruses and rapped verses.

Anything But Words doesn't break any new ground in terms of blending rock and hip-hop. The songs are predictably structured but carried by the competency of each member as they both bring energy and character to the complete run time of this album, providing some excellent tracks along the way.

You can listen to 'Giant' here:

Glass Animals - How To Be A Human Being

Genre: indie rock, pop

Favourite tracks: 'Life Itself', 'Pork Soda', 'Mama's Gun', 'Cane Shuga', 'The Other Side of Paradise', 'Poplar St'

This is the follow up to Glass Animals' 2014 debut Zaba, which garnered a lot of attention for its mellow, psychedelic pop sound. On this new release, the band go for a sound that is a bit more upbeat and far more overtly poppy than it was on Zaba, weaving catchy hooks and lively grooves into a fresh bunch of tightly produced tracks.

There is still a focus on lush instrumentation with How To Be A Human Being delivering some proper ear candy, but this time around the songs themselves have more of a punch. It's pure fun from start to finish as Glass Animals lay down some quirky and incredibly catchy songs that you can't help but come back for more of. 

Glass Animals display a polished sound on this album that strays from and expands upon the sound fans will be familiar with. Regardless of you how you feel about this far bolder sound, there's no denying that How To Be A Human Being is a lot of poppy fun. Definitely check this one out if you're looking for some feel good grooves.

You can listen to 'Life Itself' here:

Those are my picks you might have missed from August. To be honest there are some others I might include in a later post as a catch up when I have more time, but right now that will have to do. 

Still heaps of new albums coming in the next few months that I'm waiting on and I'll be reviewing them right here so keep an eye out!

Next month's post will also mark one whole friggin year since I started this blog so it's gonna be a super mega ultra special anniversary edition with cake and a jumping castle and those little Cadbury coated sponge roll things if those are still around and streamers and maybe a clown.* So be ready for that one. 

Have nice day :)

* I wish. Except it'll have none of those things and just be another monthly post, it's not really a big deal.

ALBUM REVIEWS JULY 2016

By the time you're reading this it'll probably be a tad later than usual. I had three albums lined up that I intended to review from July but after closer listening and more albums dropping throughout the month I decided to swap two of those out for some better, more interesting picks. In the interest of actually giving the albums some proper time and attention before I write about them this post will be fashionably late. I also had to rewrite two reviews that somehow disappeared despite the fact that Blogger autosaves and I manually clicked the save button. I might be just a bit mad about that. It's okay, that version of this post only contained pure musical insight, the meaning of life and the identity of the Zodiac Killer but it's gone now so oh well. 

Sincere apologies to all four* of my readers and whoever the hell it is that reads this in France (Google stats tell me all).

*not really, this blog actually attracts more eyeballs (and hopefully ears) than I thought it would so thank you

Oh Pep! - Stadium Cake

Genre: folk, pop

Favourite tracks: 'Bushwick', 'Wanting', 'Doctor Doctor', 'Trouble Now', 'Tea Milk & Honey', 'The Situation', 'The Race', '7 Babies', 'Afterwards'

This is the debut full length album from Melbourne based folk-pop duo Oh Pep! Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, Stadium Cake offers up some of the most infectiously listenable and refreshing folk-pop in recent memory. 

Often playful, sometimes introspective, Oh Pep! manage to create music that exemplifies the characteristics of the genre while still being distinct. There's a quiet confidence to the songwriting and performances on this album that makes each song a well crafted and fully realised piece of a free flowing, complete project. Not a single track here falls flat, each song offers its own interesting musical ideas and hooks that don't feel tiresome even after a few listen throughs. The instrumental performances carry their own intrigue, brilliantly fitted to each song and carefully composed in their own right. 

Oh Pep! never lean on lazy songwriting or cliches on Stadium Cake and the result is a collection of mature yet playful and infectiously catchy songs. This one is worth a listen for sure and I eagerly anticipate Oh Pep!'s follow up to what is a stunning debut.

You can listen to 'Doctor Doctor' here:

Thank You Scientist - Stranger Heads Prevail

Genre: progressive rock, jazz fusion

Favourite tracks: 'Mr Invisible', 'A Wolf in Cheap Clothing', 'Blue Automatic', 'Rube Goldberg Variations'

Following up their 2014 debut Maps of Non-Existent Places, Thank You Scientist have put together another winding journey through their own brand of jazz-infused prog rock.  

Perhaps not as focused on big guitar riffs and shred fests this time around, the band really lets the improvisational style jazz take the foreground for a lot of this album. The tracks are fairly long, with some taking the listener for a genuinely engaging ride along the blend of prog rock and technically complex jazz performances while other tracks wander a bit too much and don't really earn their run time. The various and sometimes lengthy guitar, saxophone and violin solos, while impressive, can cause some of the tracks to lose focus but when the band strikes a balance between the rock and jazz elements of their sound this album really comes into its own. 

The vocals are too often the weak point on this album as well. There isn't much variety in the vocal delivery and I feel some of these songs would greatly benefit from a bit more punch here and there. There is a hint at an overarching concept behind this album but to be honest the lyrics aren't strong enough to leave me feeling a need to delve further into it and tease out exactly what that concept really is.

While there are exciting and interesting moments on this album, some of the tracks drag on with ideas that aren't strong enough to carry the song through.There are some solid tracks and impressive performances to be found here but as a complete package Stranger Heads Prevail is a tad unjustifiably long winded. 

You can listen to 'Mr Invisible' here:

2814 - Rain Temple

Genre: ambient, electronic, vaporwave

Favourite tracks: 'Before the Rain', 'Lost in a Dream', 'Transference', 'Inside the Sphere'

Vaporwave, maybe the perfect example of microgenre labelling gone mad, is a genre that I'm always apprehensive to talk about because it's so loosely defined. Not to mention that it's practically relegated to meme hell and seen as a joke about silly hipster music genres. 2814 sit squarely in the vaporwave scene despite not fitting into the nostalgic elevator music cliche ａｅｓｔｈｅｔｉｃ* of the genre. 

*I couldn't help it

If you're a vaporwave naysayer, don't be turned off 2814. You could drop the vaporwave label from this album altogether because it's first and foremost a properly nuanced and constructed ambient album. The focus of Rain Temple is the expansive soundscapes and build of sonic ideas. Musically, the tracks hinge on very minimalist and repetitive phrases with the drama and motion coming from the introduction of new elements and effects to round out the feel 2814 are going for. The sense of atmosphere is believable, dense and consistent throughout the entire album. 

Rain Temple is a nuanced trip through the haunting sounds of a futuristic city. While it doesn't offer anything particularly distinct in its musical ideas or sonic palette, this is a captivating and well constructed ambient album. Check this one out if you're looking for something atmospheric to play in the background. 

You can listen to the album in its entirety here:

And there we have it. I hope there was some variety in this month's roundup and if you read this far you hopefully found something interesting.

I have a list of new releases I'm eager to listen to so we'll see what shows up in next month's post!

Thanks for reading and have nice day :)

ALBUM REVIEWS JUNE 2016

There were a few albums I really liked from the month of June. Here a few you might not have heard of. Enjoy :)

Mark Kozelek Sings Favourites

Genre: easy listening, lounge, covers

Favourite tracks: 'Send in the Clowns', 'I'm Not in Love', 'Mainstreet', 'Get Along Home Cindy', 'Float On' 

I make no secret of my adoration for Mark Kozelek, especially his output over the past few years. As a songwriter he's top class, notable for weaving fleshed out stories into his lyrics. This latest release, however, is an album of covers taking a range of songs and reimagining them as solely piano and vocal arrangements with a lounge atmosphere. 

In his work as Sun Kil Moon, Kozelek is not exactly known for his vocal chops or technical singing ability but rather the content of the songs themselves. While these covers obviously lack his own personal touch in their writing, Kozelek really plays to the strengths of his vocal ability, even if that ability is not particularly varied. Paired with the careful piano arrangements, the vocal performances still manage to convey the same sense of sincerity, melancholy, and raw emotion we expect from Kozelek. That is the real strength of this collection of covers, especially on the tracks that are pretty standard arrangements of songs that have been done to death many times before. 

Despite being a pretty straight up and down collection of covers, this album works brilliantly as a comforting listen from its warm version of jazz standard 'Send in the Clowns' to the slow, relaxing cover of Modest Mouse's 'Float On'. It's a bit self indulgent and occasionally offers up a cover that is unimaginative but hey, these are still great songs performed in a particular way that really strikes a certain mood and feeling. 

You can listen to 'Send in the Clowns' here:

Shook - Continuum

Genre: electronic, jazz

Favourite tracks: 'Infinite', 'Remember', 'Tidal', 'Traces', 'Within', 'Don't Worry, It's Okay'

I've played through this one a bunch of times this past month and have really enjoyed the occasionally frenetic but well composed piano and synth based sound Shook has created. At times it's very intimate and evocative while also offering some pretty lively tracks with a bit of a Daft Punk and general chill house vibe. 

The technical and jazzy piano playing is the driving force behind this album, backed up by wide synths and drums that elevate the compositions and give them a grand sense of scale.While most of the tracks build these spacey soundscapes there's still enough of a groove to grab on to and carry you along. It's very free flowing and melodically infectious with each track leaning on a very similar atmosphere but still sounding like distinct parts of a whole unified project. 

This is the kind of album you can crank up and just lose yourself in. It makes great music to play in the background or just kick back and relax.

You can listen to 'Remember' here:

Nothing - Tired of Tomorrow

Genre: alternative rock, shoegaze, noise rock, post-grunge

Favourite tracks: 'Fever Queen', 'Vertigo Flowers', 'A.C.D. (Abcessive Compulsive Disorder)', 'Nineteen Ninety Heaven', 'Curse of the Sun', 'Tired of Tomorrow'

I've given this one a decent amount of time but despite the better songs I can't really call it solid the whole way through. The noisey walls of sound that underpin this whole album carry their own level of intensity and are broken up by some melodic lead guitar lines and riffs but it also leaves the weaker tracks on the album feeling too similar to be memorable in any way. 

When it comes together I really like the noisy, shoegazy (is that a word? it is now) thing Nothing has going on. It's infused with enough solid musical ideas to not get bogged down in the sometimes sludgy wall of sound and reverb the band is throwing together. It manages to bring the right kind of intensity to these songs and the band knows when to pare it back to suit individual songs. The soft, dreamy vocals too often feel like the weak point on this album, not because they are soft and dreamy but because they are always soft and dreamy and never vary to fit the intensity of the instrumentals.

At their core the songs carry some pretty poppy hooks and it seems as though the band is trying to hide some of the weaker ideas and more predictable chord progressions behind the noisey aesthetic, but there are some solid songs to be found on this album. 

You can listen to 'Fever Queen' here:

That'll do it for this month. Hope you enjoyed this selection of  lesser known albums from the last month. 

Have nice day :) 

ALBUM REVIEWS - MAY 2016

I've been flat out with uni but luckily May provided a bunch of solid albums to accompany the late nights and stress. Below are a few you may* have missed. Give em a listen :)
*groan

Hunter as a Horse - The Two Magics, Vol. 1

Genre: alternative, electronic, folk, dream pop

Favourite tracks: 'The Abyss', 'The Passenger', 'Fallen Leaves'

This is the debut EP from Hunter as a Horse, an up and coming alternative and electronic duo from Germany.  This is a short one, clocking in at just under 20 minutes but I thought I'd give it a mention since I think there's some real promise in the tracks on this EP. 

The whole EP oozes this distinct character. It's dark but free flowing and lively with layers of synthesizers and tightly produced drums. The vocals are soothing and do their job of fleshing out these tracks, despite occasionally sounding a little too emotionless and disconnected. On the one hand this vocal style doesn't show a lot of range and I'm concerned about how this style would carry on a full length release, but on the other hand it fits the tone of the songs pretty well.

A couple of the lyrical hooks are a bit cliché or repetitive, but I really dig this EP for the unique little bunch of songs that it is. I'm keen to see what these guys do next. 

You can listen to 'The Passenger' here:

Marissa Nadler - Strangers

Genre: singer-songwriter, dream pop

Favourite tracks: 'Katie I Know', 'Hungry is the Ghost', 'Strangers', 'Janie in Love', 'Nothing Feels the Same', 'Dissolve'

This is my first proper dive into the music of singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler. At its core, this album is a collection of solid, well written songs that I imagine would be just as suited to an acoustic set as they are to the dreamy sonic backdrops on this LP.

What sets this album apart is the detailed instrumentation and reverb-laden production that gives the whole album an ethereal air of melancholic introspection. The solid song writing meets this slightly dark shade of dream pop that perfectly complements Marissa's voice and acoustic guitar playing. I really like how her voice is processed, especially on the tracks that involve some clever overdubbing as Marissa's voice is stacked into glorious harmonies. It never feels too busy and lets her vocals and the songs themselves sing through during the more sonically sparse moments on the album. 

If you're in the mood for something a little slow and dreamy, I'd highly recommend giving this one a go. 

You can listen to 'Janie in Love' here:

Andy Stott - Too Many Voices

Genre: electronic, IDM

Favourite tracks: 'Butterflies', 'Forgotten', 'Selfish', 'On My Mind', 'Too Many Voices'

Andy Stott made waves in the IDM world with his last two albums, 'Luxury Problems' and 'Faith in Strangers'. His music has been fairly recognisable for its sluggish tempos, hard thumping bass, and whispery vocals. While Andy's previous work has always featured long, minimalist build ups before crashing waves of bass and layered textures, this new album mostly favours a more open sound. The tracks on this album feature far more spacious mixes that are far less heavy and aggressive in the bottom end. There's not quite as much going on as there usually is in Andy's music, but that's not always a bad thing. 

This makes for an overall package that some might say is just a collection of underdeveloped ideas, and in regard to some of these tracks that might be a fair call. I personally think the more minimal approach and open, breathing mixes give this album a kind of quirk and personality that sets it apart from Andy's previous work. For me, the real crowning jewel of this project is the title track 'Too Many Voices'. It's like the work of some slightly deranged synthetic choir, layering voices on top of voices with no way of telling what's an actual vocal performance and what is chopped and edited samples. The whole track is brilliantly crafted and mesmerising in its own weirdly catchy way.

This album isn't amazing the whole way through, but I personally like this detour from Andy Stott's usual sound and there are some great tracks to be found here. 

You can listen to 'Too Many Voices' here:

Death Grips - Bottomless Pit

Genre: experimental hip-hop, industrial, noise

Favourite tracks: 'Giving Bad People Good Ideas', 'Hot Head', 'Spikes', 'Eh', 'Trash', 'BB Poison', 'Three Bedrooms in a Good Neighborhood', '80808'

I know that people interested in the genre are probably all over this one already but it would be wrong to omit this album from this list. This is another savage, relentless and undeniably consistent album from the critically renowned experimental hip hop group Death Grips. 

I'll be honest, it's hard to articulate exactly what it is about their music that I find so appealing. It's loud, aggressive, and downright filthy but manages to also be catchy and sonically pleasing at the same time. I think it's the way their music is so unrestrained yet simultaneously so focussed that makes Death Grips unlike anyone else out there right now. This whole album is exactly what Death Grips fans have come to expect and not a single track disappoints. It's the perfectly measured levels of ferocity and abrasiveness that make this album, much like their previous releases, a listening experience like no other. Death Grips continue to be the most innovative group in hip hop. 

If you're a hip hop fan that has somehow missed the experimental juggernaut of Death Grips thus far, jumping on this album would be a good idea.

-

There were a couple of albums that dropped in the last week of May that I'll include next month. 

If you enjoyed this selection of albums or think there was a gem I missed let me know. And if you share this post with your friends you will get a lifetime supply of chicken nuggets. As usual, 100% legit no scam offer.*

*by that I mean 100% bullshit, this joke isn't even funny any more 

ALBUM REVIEWS APRIL 2016

This was another super busy month in terms of new releases. To be honest, a lot of the albums I listened to were a bit underwhelming and I don't have a whole lot to say about them. I like to review music that deserves and invites discussion. I see no point in featuring albums that are already receiving significant attention or that I don't have anything to say about beyond some comments about why it left me indifferent.

Anyway, here are some album reviews. Enjoy.

Mogwai - 'Atomic'

Genre: post-rock, soundtrack

Favourite tracks: 'Ether', 'Bitterness Centrifuge', 'Pripyat', 'Are You A Dancer?'

This latest album from Scottish post-rock juggernauts Mogwai is actually the soundtrack to a documentary that examines the progression of the atomic age. No strangers to scoring film and TV (their score for the French TV series 'Les Revenants' is remarkable), Mogwai have done more than put together a solid post-rock album. 'Atomic', though entirely instrumental, tells a story. From the opening track 'Ether' to its closer 'Fat Man', this album glides between the exciting promise of the atomic age to its most haunting disasters.

While Mogwai's music has never been particularly upbeat, 'Atomic' is clearly one of their more sombre works. There is a sense of wonder and dread underpinning this whole album that no one moment is without. This is Mogwai's great achievement with 'Atomic'. The album invokes its subject matter perfectly yet Mogwai still sound like themselves - they never let their music become too bogged down in the strict concept behind these songs. 

The grand sweeping strings and looming horns on this album are all carefully placed among the guitar and drum heavy arrangement Mogwai fans are used to. There is a distinct blending of Mogwai's signature sound with new elements that gives this album a sense of character and pace. The arrangements feel just as lively on the album's more sparse and pretty tracks such as 'Are You A Dancer' as they do on the more sonically dense songs on offer such as 'Bitterness Centrifuge'. 

'Atomic' is intriguing and captivating from start to finish. As a Mogwai album and as a meditation on the advantages and pitfalls of living in an atomic world, this album triumphs with elegance. 

You can listen to 'Ether' here:

Tim Hecker - 'Love Streams'

Genre: electronic, ambient, experimental

Favourite tracks: 'Violet Monumental I', 'Violet Monumental II', 'Castrati Stack', 'Voice Crack'

I have a huge amount of respect for Tim Hecker. He is responsible for some of my favourite ambient albums, including the astonishing 'Ravedeath 1972' which I still listen to fairly frequently. His music has always managed to create whole worlds of sound that blur the line between synthetic and authentic. 

'Love Streams' is immediately recognisable as a bit of a side-step from the style Tim Hecker has been known for thus far. This album leans more heavily on starkly electronic elements. From the opening track the listener is treated to a bright synth playing wild arpeggios. As Tim Hecker likes to do, he fleshes out these tracks with a mixture of slightly dissonant sounds both acoustic and electronic. 

On his past works, his ability to create challenging and evocative soundscapes has been Tim Hecker's strength. On 'Love Streams' I don't feel this extensive palette of sounds comes together in the challenging yet coherent way we expect from Tim Hecker. The broad strokes that emerge from the build of layered minutiae don't always result in something that feels particularly intriguing or well thought out. Occasionally there are ideas that come together as interesting sonic or textural moments on this album, but there seems to be a lack of direction with regards to the structure of these tracks and the album as a whole. Many reach a point of critical mass and sort of fade out without any real feeling of completeness. Compared to Tim Hecker's previous albums, this leaves 'Love Streams' feeling a bit disjointed and not very cohesive.

What I love about Tim Hecker's music is its ability to be challenging yet painfully evocative. There can be so much going on yet from track to track his albums are mesmerising in their build and execution of ambitious sonic ideas. 'Love Streams' didn't give me that feeling of focus and connectedness, leaving even its most interesting moments floating out in the open on their own.

You can listen to 'Castrati Stack' here:

Cicada - 'Farewell'

Genre: contemporary classical

Favourite tracks: 'Farewell (In a Pretentious Way)', 'Happily Ever After?', 'Breakaway', 'Meteoric Night', 'Boom Boom', 'What Do I Do'

I had previously never heard of Cicada, a contemporary classical group from Taiwan. As I understand it, this album consists of a selection of their earlier compositions chosen for their thematic connections rerecorded and collected into this new full length LP. If I hadn't have read that I would never have picked that this is a compilation album of sorts. The whole album feels so specifically attuned to this melancholic story of loss that it really conveys a sense of movement both musically and thematically.  

The arrangement of Cicada's music is fairly stripped down. The band consists of a violinist, cellist, acoustic guitarist and pianist. I feel the steel string guitar adds a folk flavour not usually encountered in the genre, but other than that this album isn't offering anything particularly unique. It is simply a shining example of brilliant musicianship and composition. Each track is distinct and eventful, astonishingly pretty and elegant with a touch of melodrama. It's introspective music for a rainy day or a relaxing evening that stands firmly on its own passages of understated piano tinkling and gripping string melodies.  

'Farewell' is a delightful collection of compositions that is thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. I will definitely be delving into Cicada's back catalogue as soon as possible. 

You can listen to 'Farewell (In a Pretentious Way)' here:

That'll have to do it for this month. I really should be doing assignments. I also just realised that none of these albums contain words. So there ya go. 

If you enjoy this blog share it with your friends and you'll get two free tickets to see Shark Tale 2 in 3D**. No scam.

Have nice day :)

** not actually a real movie. And even if it was... come on. 

NEW ALBUMS MARCH 2016

Wellllllll there has been an unbelievable amount of new music this month. To the point that I'm yet to have a chance to properly digest it all, or even locate it all for that matter, so a couple of albums will have to wait till next month. 

In the spirit of this blog, I won't be reviewing the new releases I know you've probably already heard/seen elsewhere. Instead, here are a few new albums you might have missed from the last month. Enjoy :)

GoGo Penguin - 'Man Made Object'

Genre: jazz, contemporary classical, experimental

Favourite tracks: 'All Res', 'Unspeakable World', 'Weird Cat', 'Initiate'

This is the first release from Manchester based jazz piano trio GoGo Penguin since they signed with the famed Blue Note Records. Their first two releases garnered much deserved critical praise for their infectiously catchy, jazzy, and modern instrumental compositions. Blending elements of electronica and trip-hop into an all-acoustic, traditional setting, GoGo Penguin's music is mesmerising in its complexity and virtuosity. On top of all that, it's melodically poppy and memorable. 

The full range of the band's talents are on display on this new album, from the rhythmically intense drumming to the emotionally charged piano playing. GoGo Penguin's music often sounds like the most perfect jam sesh ever: it feels spontaneous yet still proves itself to be finely polished and playfully clever. That being said, I don't feel the same level of energy in this collection of tracks compared to their previous albums. There are some stellar, solid songs that are impressive in all the same ways, but this album doesn't hit the same level of mind-bending intensity as often as their previous album '2.0'. Regardless, this is a consistent release and more GoGo Penguin is never a bad thing. I've listened to this album many times this month and will no doubt return to it in the future.

This is a group that's definitely worth checking out. Starting with this latest LP or their previous release '2.0' will give you a good idea of what these guys are all about.

You can listen to 'All Res' here: 

Lushlife/CSLSX - 'Ritualize' 

Genre:experimental hip-hop 

Favourite tracks: 'Hong Kong (Lady of Love)', 'Incantation', 'The Ecstatic Cult', 'Burt Reynolds (Desert Visions)'

Features from the likes of Ariel Pink and Killer Mike were enough to draw me to this new, and very ambitious, project from the mostly unknown rapper/producer Lushlife. Bringing in a wide range of contributing producers and rappers, 'Ritualize' pulls together interesting ideas and some amazing tracks here and there but never feels like a cohesive listening experience.

From the outset I was excited by the angle this album seemed to be taking. The dreamily processed pianos and downtempo beats feel like a homage to the production style of Nujabes, perhaps not as clean or streamlined, but still a riff on the work of a producer I absolutely adore. And moments of this album do in fact pull off the introspective, overly pretty instrumental style to great effect. We also hear some very poppy glistening, glassy synths on a few tracks on this album along with the grimy, wet synthwave-style production on the Ariel Pink feature track 'Hong Kong (Lady of Love)'. 

For the most part, the production choices and musical ideas are intriguing despite the lack of consistency across tracks (to be expected on an album so laden with collaborators). Unfortunately, a number of the tracks are let down by Lushlife's lyricism and delivery. His rapping is competent but also pretty mono-tonal. He seems to only have one speed, one flow, one setting on his own verbal amplifier. Each verse feels a lot like the last and more like a way of getting from X musical idea/hook to Y rather than an interesting aspect of the song in its own right (the one exception to this that comes to mind is the track 'Burt Reynolds (Desert Visions)'. His voice often feels like it's just there, which is a real shame for the tracks that string together some excellent production but aren't backed up by solid verses. Of course, there are some pretty incredible verses from the guest rappers on this album, especially Deniro Farrar and Killer Mike. 

If you have an interest in the softer side of hip-hop, check this one out. There are some genuinely excellent tracks on offer that I know I'll be coming back to. 

You can listen to 'The Ecstatic Cult (feat. Killer Mike)' here:

Gramatik - 'Epigram'

Genre: electronic, dubstep, future funk, hip-hop

Favourite tracks: 'Satoshi Nakamoto', 'Native Son Prequel', 'Eat Liver!', 'Back to the Future', 

New York-based producer Gramatik has really put himself out there these last couple of years. Between a steady stream of his own releases and the establishment of his very own Lowtemp record label last year, he has managed to establish himself as a heavy-hitter in the world of electronic music. Never one to conform to one current trend, Gramatik dabbles in electro-swing, trip-hop, future funk, house and dubstep (and as is the case with this new album, a combination of some or all of the above). 

This album leans harder on higher impact, dirtier, dubstep-influenced passages than a lot of Gramatik's other work. While the high-energy bass-fests that sprinkle this whole album grab your attention, they occasionally feel like the remnants of a trend in electronic music that has come and gone. When they work, Gramatik's dubstep passages feel like a perfect synthesis of a once-beloved genre and his own, more nuanced production style, combining lots of bassy wubs with some smooth guitars, brass and strings. As is to be expected, Gramatik's style shines through truest when he is building jazzy, downtempo beats that let the mix breathe organically, rather than the somewhat chaotic dubstep style which can contend too much with the vocals and other instruments. The dubstep influence isn't wholly distracting, it just feels like it works better when it is pared back a bit, such as the track 'Eat Liver!', compared to when Gramatik lets himself run wild into ideas that are too hectic and loose to be interesting beyond serving as a drop. 

I'm a little mixed on how I feel about this album as a whole. Some of the tracks are really well balanced and interesting, others don't let the originality of Gramatik's production style really shine through. Perhaps my lukewarm response to a lot of the heavier moments on this album are more of a personal preference thing, or maybe these crazy wubs and drops are supposed to be banged out over club speakers and not carefully listened to. As with all of Gramatik's music, you can download this album for free of his website and have a listen for yourself. 

You can listen to 'Back to the Future (feat. ProbCause)' here:

Denzel Curry - 'Imperial'

Genre: hip-hop, trap, cloud rap

Favourite tracks: 'ULT', 'Sick and Tired', 'Knotty Head', 'Narcotics', 'Pure Enough', 'This Life'

This is the full length follow up to Denzel Curry's very well received debut 'Nostalgic 64'. Known for his ferocious, aggressive vocal delivery, Denzel spits out edgy, angry raps over trap beats and dreamy samples. The full extent of his technical prowess makes its way onto 'Imperial' as he proves himself a worth contender in the crowded world of hip-hop. 

Denzel doesn't just rap fast, he raps smart. His flows alternate and evolve thoughtfully, with care and attention to how the rhythm of his lyrics mesh with the instrumentals on these tracks. Never without a fire in his throat, Denzel Curry drives 'Imperial' along with relentless passion making this album a dense, hard-hitting listening experience. Among the ten tracks on this album are some brilliantly written verses and some of Denzel's catchiest vocal refrains and hooks. Occasionally the lyrics fall into some cliches of the hardcore hip-hop world, with some tracks dealing with robbery, drug dealing, drug taking etc. But for the most part this album feels raw, authentic and focussed on delivering a musical vision from a unique artist. 

This is a solid album from front to back. It's savage, sometimes dark, and full of gritty, ferocious verses. Fans of hip-hop would be doing themselves a disservice by passing this one up. This is an artist who's just getting started, I expect we'll see a lot more of Denzel Curry over the next few years. 

You can listen to 'ULT' here:

This month was crazy busy with new releases. I hope you enjoyed this selection of albums. I try to feature albums that are little more obscure but still deserve attention in the hopes of introducing people to something new, so I've chosen not to include the big mainstream releases from March. That doesn't mean I didn't like them or ignore them like some kind of hipster music snob, I just think this blog is better suited to showcasing the stuff that's a bit off the beaten track. You can find that other stuff anywhere. 

There have already been some pretty great albums this year, but nothing so far has blown me away. Maybe that will change next month with new albums from Tim Hecker and Mogwai, two albums I've been anticipating for a while. 

Thanks heaps for reading. Everyone who shares this blog or comments an album they enjoyed from the last month will receive actual superpowers. No joke. 100% legit offer ***

Have nice day :) 

*** of course it's a joke why are you even reading this tiny text?