Soothing Chill

Maps and Diagrams - "Last Train Home" (MP3)
Maps and Diagrams - "Navel" (MP3)
Maps and Diagrams - "Savannakhet" (MP3)

Usually it is hard to put the finger on why an Ambient album is "good". For me, richness, atmosphere and innovative sound design is important. While "The Giant Woods" could have been transmitted in the early 70's (soundwise), the dense and slightly haunting feel of the record got me eventually. The artwork caught that impression very well - a walk through the forest at night, getting lost in a foreign town as the sun is about to settle... The chill comes on soft feet!

Besides, the intense layering and enwinding of different textures creates a sound that allows for aural discoveries on every new listen. Something you can find with Ian Hawgood, Slow or Astrowind as well. Dig yourselves into these nine tracks and escape for 48 gracious minutes.

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Download: The Giant Woods (ZIP)
Artist-Website: Maps and Diagrams (@Discogs)
Release: The Giant Woods
Netlabel: yukiyaki.org

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• Wo0 – “With the Flowered Minds” (Phantom Channel) (1)
• Wixel – “An Empty Canvas” (0)
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• Various – “Format” (Fällt) (0)
• V.A. – “Cycles” (Camomille Netlabel) (11)

Metapop with a wink

Gillicuddy - "de mannetjesolifant gaat op reis naar de oostzee" (MP3)
Gillicuddy - "sh-dah" (MP3)
Gillicuddy - "instrumental #2" (MP3)

What might come aleatory on first listen complies just right as soon as the concept unfolds. German songwriter Gillicuddy combines the most different genres on a short-lived EP, typically in one song. This has been true for "Shmalhans is Kuechenmeister" and "The Repeating Thoughts" but is brought to perfection only now.

Take "de mannetjesolifant gaat op reis naar de oostzee" as an example. First part is technical Noiserock, Jesus Lizard-style. Then Gillicuddy slows down the Jazz and pushes the song in a direction reminiscent of Sonic Youth: slightly detuned guitars, decent but uneal somehow. These fade into multilayer field-recordings you are never allowed to trust. Eventually, the secret is revealed, and the elephants of the Baltic Sea make their appearance...

This song is the wildest. However, despite the versatility, a typical atmosphere of humorous darkness comes with all songs on "The Yaouhl! Mashups". This brings forth consistency, proofs the musical craftsmanship of Gillicudy and guarantees for great listening pleasure. His best up to now, without the slightest doubt.

MP3 Avantgarde Pop Music Download

Download: "The Yaouhl! Mashups" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: www.gillicuddy.net
Release: Gillicuddy - "The Yaouhl! Mashups"
Netlabel: Clinical Archives

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• V.A. – “A Whale in a Manger” (4-4-2 Music) (1)

Electronic Folk Music

Bluermutt - "The Broken City" (MP3)
Bluermutt - "Androids' Breath" (MP3)
Bluermutt - "Indoor Failure" (MP3)
Bluermutt - "Single Touch" (MP3)

Bluermutt's "Dislocation (and Consequences)" EP oscillates between highly processed Folk, Krautrock and melodic Electronica. Strength to his compositions is always the strong melodies, governed by a warm and rich production. Maybe this is why I consider Bluermutt Pop music rather than anything else- albeit, Pop music with respectable edges.

The first four tracks are breathtaking: "The Broken City" sounds like a dedusted Harmonia jam, ca. 1974, so full of melancholy sweetness and glittering textures. "Android's Breath" features Leafcutter John, soul alike when it comes to "Fractal Folk". His mature yet gentle voice fits the Bluermutt sound neatlessly. Wow. "Indoor Failure" eventually is pure candy. Over a Four Tet-style instrumental, vocals and guitar perform a wonderful Pop melody. Ohrwurm, you were warned! On four, "Single Touch" introduces the ambient part of "The Dislocation (and Consequences)". Warm and cracking Dub, bathed in sunlit harmonies, and a lot of depth: just wonderful.

Support Bluermutt by sending over some bucks for the download! "The Dislocation (and Consequences)" EP is available for pay-as-you-like via bandcamp.

MP3 Electronic Pop Music Download

Artist-Website: skyapnea.com
Release: Bluermutt - The Disloaction (and Consequences) EP

Related posts

• Bluermutt – “Decivilice After Consumption” (Nexsound Pop) with Phlow CD Raffle (6)
• XYDZO – “Y” (Pulsations For You) (3)
• Wixel – “An Empty Canvas” (0)
• Virot & Friends – “Release Party CD-R” (Clapping Music) (3)
• V.A. – “A Whale in a Manger” (4-4-2 Music) (1)

Stockfinster - "Push Push" (MP3)
Stockfinster - "Knuckle" (MP3)
Stockfinster- "Gold Canyon" (MP3)
Stockfinster- "Mitglieder" (MP3)

Stockfinster (German for "pitch black") is the one man band of Malmö-based Sebastian Borg. In the liner notes to "Dead Line", Borg (who commonly appears as "batti") excuses himself for being unproductive and slow. However, for a 76 minutes opus magnus, perfectly arranged and composed like this, many musicians need a whole lifetime for. If any.

The music of Stockfinster is a mixture of Postrock and progressive Pop, essentially enhanced by many electronic elements. There is an element of nostalgia to Borg's music that stems from his melancholic melodies and the late 90's breakbeat patterns. Several time I had to think of early Lamb or other forward-thinking "Trip Hop" acts. From the world of Netaudio, Orange Crush, Endless or Nic Bommaritio might suit for comparison.

Albeit not actually at the edge of contemporary music, Stockfinster has something more valuable to offer: timelessness. Strong, atmospheric melodies, impellent beats, and a supreme production. Should be OK for the next four years, no?

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "Dead Line" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: stockfinster.nu
Release: Stockfinster - "Dead Line"
Netlabel: sutemos.net

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• Monokle – “Tesaurus” (Ideology) (3)
• Dublin Duck Dispensary – “Luanqibazao” (Rack & Ruin) (2)

Raleigh Moncrief- "Goldrush (Chandeliers Remix)" (MP3)
Raleigh Moncrief- "Similies" (MP3)
Raleigh Moncrief- "Combed Over Chrome" (MP3)

Ah c'mon! I can't find out ANYTHING about neither "Raleigh Moncrief" nor the remixers (?) "Chandeliers" and "Dash!". Obstructive Vibrations, please! Moncrief is from Cali, is he? Everything I got is the private Myspace of designer Brandon Kalarney and these five tunes...

Well. "Combed Over Chrome" is massive. Spliffed-out and dirty. Fresh and experimental, yet catchy and compatible with any Hip Hop and Dubstep dancefloor. Astro Nautico, well-informed source for Bay Area Rap as usual, says "Hudson Mohawke and Matthew David had a baby and named him Raleigh Moncrief", and that's a good comparison indeed.

All five tracks are dope. While "Combed Over Chrome" features heavy beats and glittering synth arpreggios, "Goldrush (Chandeliers Remix)" focuses on IDM-ish melodies and baaad ass bass. With "Similies", Raleigh Moncrief fuses wobble-wobble Dubstep with an Old School Hip Hop beat and Mohawkesque synth leads. Timeless. Eventually, "Quiet Please" closes the chromo dance with a deep 'n' dirty piece of solanaceous Dubstep that equally sounds L.A. and London. OMG what a BOMB!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: "Combed Over Chrome EP" (ZIP-Archive)
Netlabel: obstructivevibe.com

August Ambient Bliss

Wonderful we get such music for free! Even more as it's Fall in Middle Europe and it does not take much imagination to syncronize to contemplative songs of Slow to the sound of rain on the other side of the window.

Behind the telling moniker is young Sergey Suokas, hailing from Karelia, Russia, close to Finland. Sergey released a lot of music under different names, including a set of 12"s for his Techno outfit Suokas. The US-American record label Self Storage published the first full-length Slow album just recently ("Sealand"), and "Dual Box" is Sergey's second EP for Resting Bell already. His engagement with experimental Ambient duo Feldmaus is worth a note as well. Boy... he's a maniac!

It always feels a bit stupid to connect geographical ancestry and sound identity.  However, with all Slow release so far I had the strong impression that Sergey Soukas combines something somehow Scandinavian with something somehow Russian. Quixotic, naive melodies on the one hand, clear and focussed song writing on the other. His sound design is lush and playful.

I only have a very few timeless favourites in Ambient music, among these probably Nest and Direwires & Freder, but "Dual Box" by Slow has a realistic chance become classic as well.

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Download: "Dual Box" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: sergeysuokas.ru
Release: Slow - "Dual Box"
Netlabel: restingbell.net

Emilie Lund - "Childhood Friend" (MP3)
Emilie Lund - "Rewind" (MP3)

Five tiny songs, acoustic guitar, vocals, some little gimmicks every now and then. Emilie Lund's voice is slightly girlish but brings forth a certain mature timbre I enjoy a lot. I tend to say she sounds very Swedish although I can not explain what this means - maybe it's the very rolemodel Nina Persson burned into my mind. Hard to resist however.

Despite her voice and the fact Emilie writes beautiful and mesmerizing melodies, her songs are always more than just folky lullabies. There is a strong 60s feel about her selftitled EP. I can hear she is up for the likes of Vashti Bunyan, Nick Drake, Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks and everything in-between. Still the record does not sound dated by any chance.

Emilie Lund opens a jewel case filled with delicate Art-Pop, dreamful abstractions of US-American Folklore and these little bit of edges I called black spots in the introduction. In "Rewind", she sings "He went searching for her love as if  / his love weren't imporant / Even tried to heal her scars as if / his scars weren't important". Boy she's gorgeous.

MP3 Folk Pop Music Download

Download: "Emilie Lund EP" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/emilielund
Release: Emilie Lund - "Emilie Lund EP"
Netlabel: aaahh-records.net

Astrowind - "Lost And Found On The Moon" (MP3)
Astrowind - "Mute Pilot" (MP3)

Astrowind are Kriipis Tulo and Mahi Bukimi. I follow them since their first releases at long-gone ElektroSound Netlabel and their retro-style synthesizer Ambient always made a little bell ring in my head. After two record that did not get me too much, this one is just right again. "Fresh Wind in the Valley of Dreams" is released on the young Moldavian Netlabel Silent Flow.

Astrowind play old Russian synthesizer, record their jams live on tape (!) to carefully rework them at home (I love the idea they do it with a cutting knife and Scotch tape but I guess on this account they do NOT do analogue). Outcome is multicoloured streams of dense synthesizer Ambient, enhanced by extensive pedal processing and vocal samples from Soviet cosmonautics (In particular, "Fresh Wind in the Valley of Dreams" is dedicated to A. A. Leonov).

Astrowind music flows like water. And like water can vary from runlet to tsunami, Tulo and Bukimi play with dynamics as well. Modus operandi changes from lovely to destructive, from contemplative to rude health - but the overall mood is august mellifluence. The cosmonautics reference works beautifully as well and given this, the link to 70's German Kosmische Musik ain't too far-fetched. Lovin' it.

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Download: "Fresh Wind In The Valley Of Dreams" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: astrowind.net
Release: Astrowind - "Fresh Wind In The Valley Of Dreams"
Netlabel: Silent Flow

Brian Grainger - "Summer's Parting Ways" (MP3)

Recently, my focus shifted a bit from the Ambient and post structuralist music I have been reviewing for Phlow since the beginning. This is quite a natural process. But every once a while, a record hits me like a slingshot and throws me back in time. This happened for Tiago Sousa's debut LP (available via Humming Conch soon). And it happend for "Sawdust Aromatics" by the likes of David Tagg and Brian Grainger.

Allow for a brief historical abstract. David Tagg was behind the wheel at Expanding Electronic Diversity. In 2006, David and Brian Grainger of Milieu Music met to first found a band and subsequently launch the experimental music imprints Install Sound and Second Sun Recordings, the later of which is an exclusive market place for their own collaborative music. "The Future of  Modern Guitar", as we can learn at the SSR info site.

For "Sawdust Aromatics", Rope Swing Cities (another key player in US experimental music) compiles two songs of each Tagg and Grainger, giving a total running time of +50 minutes. Brian Graingers pieces are intensively harmonic mediations on simple guitar motives. The epic "Summer Parting Ways" exactly feels like late Summer paralysis, with a wonderful synth texture beneath delayed guitar. The howling and otherworldly processings in the later half of the song are mesmerizing.

David Tagg, in contrast, focuses less on harmonics but the Gordian entanglements of field-recordings and processed guitar. Rather sound design than song, Grainger's composition are more easily to get into. Still, beyond the crackling textures of David Tagg's music, a lot of goodness can be found.

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Download: "Sawdust Aromatics" (ZIP)
Artist-Website: David Tagg | Brian Grainger
Release: "Sawdust Aromatics"
Netlabel: ropeswingcities.com

Related posts

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• Wo0 – “With the Flowered Minds” (Phantom Channel) (1)
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• To4ka.Dna – “ZVUK” (Constanta) (2)
• Slow – “Dual Box” (Resting Bell) (3)

"Reintroduction" by Huw Roberts (MP3)
Daniel Maze - "Steampunk" (MP3)
Neuf Meuf - "Zul" (MP3)
Herzog - "Perhaps She'd Like To See Me Fall Apart" (MP3)

Huw Roberts, the face behind Serein, is a critical mind that shaped the label's identity for the last three years, choosing artists and artwork with greatest care. Roberts starts Serein 4.0 with a mesmerizing mix of favourites and unreleased material. Highly recommended if you are digging rich and analogue-ish Ambient music.

For the future, Huw Roberts promises new release by The Inventors of Aircraft, 1000 Hours of Staring (sooo looking forward!) and the Phlow Mag darlings Nest. Website looks clean and beautiful, only the loss of all previously released material is a miss - still, via archive.org, everything remains accessible. Watch this place!

Reintroduction by Huw Roberts

01 Marcel Türkowsky - Kuro Sawa
02 Herzog - Perhaps She'd Like To See Me Fall Apart
03 Nest - Kyoto
04 1000 Hours of Staring - Deliverance (unreleased)
05 The Inventors of Aircraft - All, Nothing
06 Stephane Leonard - Words in Progress (unreleased)
07 The Inventors of Aircraft - The Black Dog
08 Michael Trommer - Long Line Building (unreleased)
09 Nest - Wheatstone (unreleased)
10 Segue - Half Way (unreleased)
11 Marcel Türkowsky - De Dodu
12 Huw Roberts - Atlas Oryx (unreleased)
13 Pine - Flume (unreleased)
14 1000 Hours of Staring - Wintincubator

Release Page

Bettina's favourites from the back catalogue

1000 Hours of Staring - Co-operative Thread (ser006)
Neuf Meuf - It's Cold in Space (ser009)
Nest - Nest (ser013) @Phlow
Daniel Maze - Red After Image (ser016) @Phlow

2% - "Leeward" (MP3)
2% - "Glory" (MP3)

Californian Trenton McElhinney is a tech-savvy kid. For his second EP "Nowcast" he is using Max/ MSP, the Monome controller and his acoustic guitar. While the pattern-based programmings of the Monome do not easily allow for crazy breakbeat frenzy, it suits the 2% music perfectly well: monochrome, rich textures and crunchy Hip Hop beats.

"Stop", you might want to object, "All music at Archaic Horizon sounds like this!" - fairly true, but somehow 2% does better than most. Microloops dream in concentric stagger, textures intensively fill the room with warm noise and canny harmonies. A certain feel for what is necessary is manifest in McElhinney's music. Here is another connection to Para I guess: minimalism as compository guideline.

Young McElhinney is a man of taste and virtuosity. His art- and photoworks supply a fine complement to his music and are worth a minute of your attention, e.g., whilst listening to the "Nowcast" EP. Archaic Horizon sums it all up: "2% loops samples into vaporous drones creating a milky haze for his melodies to refract within then drops beats that land you back on solid ground." Wooord!

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Download: "Nowcast" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/2pourcent
Release: 2% - "Nowcast"
Netlabel: archaichorizon.com

Oskar Hallbert - "21 (Unsent Letter)"
Oskar Hallbert - "03 (From the Stockholm Tape 2)"

Oskar Hallbert is a Swedish composer who does not only incorporate instruments like piano, guitar and woodwinds in his music but intensively focuses on blurry field recordings and the warm hiss you got from cheap microphones. Beauty, in case of Hallbert, seems to happen as in passing. Like not intended. In a sudden, harmonies cross and form melodies, then move apart again. A moiré effect.

This is wonderfully fragile- and the more you don't expect a song to touch you the more you're moved if it does, eventually. For me, Oskar Hallbert is a kindred spirit to Vienna wunderkind David Schweighart whose album is online for free with 12rec. Netlabel and worth every second as well.

Hallbert's EP "Sids Apartment" (ZIP link!) was out on Rainmusic in 2008. You easily will agree that the French label is the perfect place for music like his. "1123581321345589" was released on an US CDR label before, now luckily Zymogen re-publishes the 10 + 79 tracks (!) for free. Take your time and enjoy this tender trip into bliss and beauty!

MP3 Folk Music Download

Download: "1123581321345589" (ZIP)
Release: Oskar Hallbert - "1123581321345589"
Artist-Website: myspace.com/oskarhallbert
Netlabel: zymogen.net

Bluermutt - "Before Going To Bed" (MP3)
Bluermutt - "Fashion Arithmetics" (MP3)

Bluermutt refined his style on "Decivilice After Consumption". While "When I'm Not" showed Giovanni Civitenga's addiction to leftfield Pop only in traces, the new Bluermutt album can be considered an avowal to groove, melody and vocals in general. Therefore, it suits the Nexsound Pickup-series beautifully.

Be aware: Bluermutt music is light years away from radio-friendly muzak. But Giovanni's stumbling IDM and Hip Hop beats are do not stand isolated in tracks but form songs nowadays. Bluemutt is accompanied by a vocalists Fredo Viola, Steph Thirion and Linn Rasimelli plus a series of random sample voices. The wonky IDM hymn "Fashion Arithmetic" is outstanding, "Self Approach" strongly reminds me of Canadian Electropop wizard adcBicycle and "Before Going To Bed" is nothing but bewitching.

Much goodness can be found along the way. However, "Decivilice After Consumption" works best when listened in a whole. I like he subtle guitar meditation "Jimmy Coda" a lot, and "Daily Explosions" with songstress Kinn Rasimelli with all its out-of-space synthesizers is uplifting. Last but not least, it should be noted that the opening "Welcome To A Clear Bluer Sky" features Rap wunderkind Dorian Concept on synths. Damn good!

On www.decivilizeafterconsumption.com, you can listen to the whole album and read about production details.

Phlow CD Raffle

Kids, we keep it simple this time. The three first to twitter this post (#phlow #bluermutt #nexsound) and send me, Bettina, the link will get a CD copy of "Decivilice After Consumption" for free. How does that sound? Come on!

CD Electronic Music Purchase

Release: Bluermutt - "Decivilice After Consumption"
Label: www.nexsound.org
Artist-Website: www.skyapnea.com
Microsite: www.decivilizeafterconsumption.com

MP3 Purchase via www.necodo.com

Wixel - "Skatebeats" (MP3)
Wixel - "Bacterial" (MP3)

I'm a keen fan of Belgian Wim Maesschalck's work and music since 2004. Starting as a solo outfit, Wixel soon became a band with Wim as central songwriter. The latest Wixel CDs "Heart" and "Somewhere Between the Sun and the Moon" in particular are wonderful pieces of postmodernism Folk- and Avantgarde music everyone should be familiar with.

2009 saw the launch of Wim's "12 Records in 12 Month" project. Up to now, six records are online for download via bandcamp. You can choose what you want to pay for the MP3, including nothing, or you go for the limited edition CDRs available from Slaapwel (the tiny record label Wim is running).

-

The June EP "An Empty Canvas" is the preliminary highlight of the series. Wim discards the fragile Folk approach and delivers a dense piece of dim and orchestral Ambient, not too far from Gas, Nest or 1970's German Electronica like Cluster or Tangerine Dream. Wim himself notes Arvo Pärt and Dubstep for influence. Check "Skatebeats" and the massive "Bacterial" to get an idea.

What I like best about "An Empty Canvas" is the multilayer sound. A lot of dirt and noise twinkles through the washed-out textures and synthesizer patches, you can discover new aspects on every new listen. The beats, however, could deserve some more elaboration. But taking in account the facts this record was programmed in a month, that is pretty OK I guess.

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Artist-Website: slaapwelrecords.com/wixel
Release: Wixel - "An Empty Canvas" via bandcamp

Red Box Recorder - "Up With The Bunting" (MP3)
Red Box Recorder - "My R2 Unit" (MP3)

You know, I'm a sucker for elaborate artwork. In case of Red Box Recorders' second album "Colour Codes", the frontcover made me download the record blindly deafly. Once unpacked I was delighted to find a PDF with a lot more wonderful images... Thumbs up for the man Max McLaughlin, who is some sort of in-house designer at Acroplane. Take a look:

But hey - I would not write this if the music didn't kick me at all! Red Box Recorder (aka "DJ Particle Fusion", lol) came a long way, picking the best from Drum & Bass, Hip Hop, Downbeat and Soul music. The outcome, however, is difficult to categorize.

There is a wealth of instruments used, and they mix beautifully with the complex beat patterns. Some tunes recall older Ninja Tunes records, some feature influences from UK breakbeat more clearly. Programmings are always soulful and performed with a good sense of musicality. I had to think of Koen Park and Resynthsize every now and then. "Colour Codes" is a bit too long to be without a spot, but a lot of goodness can be found in here!

MP3 Electronic Music Download

Download: "Colour Codes" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/djparticlefusion
Release: Red Box Recorder - "Colour Codes"
Netlabel: acroplane.co.uk

Anamanaguchi - "Holiday" (MP3)
Tugboat - "El Scorcho" (MP3)
Bit Shifter - "The World Has Turned (...)" (MP3)

The element that many chip tune musicians and most Weezer songs have in common is a certain will and addiction to melodies. Catchy melodies. OBSCENE melodies. While Weezer cross their kitschy music by River Cuomo's fragile vocal performance, in case of "Weezer- The 8-bit Album", Nintendo and Atari TV games take the job. Did I mention it works like perfect?

The spectrum ranges from "band" (Anamanaguchi, :(, I Fight Dragons, and - surprise! - Bit Shifter) to oldschool gameboy-only (Tugboat, Nordloef, Arcadecoma). You don't need much more. This is the lovely liner notes Pterodactyl Squad put on:

"Do you remember that dream you had, where the sound chips from the beloved games consoles of your youth all got together and formed a Weezer tribute band? Yeah? No? OK. That dream is about to come true whether you had it or not."

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: Weezer- The 8-bit Album (ZIP)
Release: V.A. - Weezer- The 8-bit Album
Netlabel: www.ptesquad.com

Boring Music Vol. 6 Mixtape (MP3)

As always, the mix comes off quite versatile. Starting with Indierock, I'm moving to experimental Ambient, Downbeat, and end up with some square-edged Techno tracks. Enjoy, and download the free EPs that stand behind the single songs I chose for the mix... Please spread.

Downloads

Boring Music Vol. 6 256kbit MP3 | 500px artwork | ZIP inc. MP3 and JPG

Playlist

inc. links to the respective reviews

01 - Francois Virot: "Young Love & Fresh Fruits"
02 - America Del Sur: "Relationships, Partnerships, Friendships"
03 - Patterns: "Idle Eyes, Sore City"
04 - Liger w/ Gustav: "Me Protools You Jane" (Thank you Dino)
05 - FourColor: "sets02"
06 - Gillicuddy: "II"
07 - OffTheSky: "Swallow Shallows"
08 - Slow: "Morning Love"
09 - Imachi Akira: "Untitled"
10 - Son Of A Bricklayer: "One"
11 - Orange Crush: "Invocation"
12 - Monokle: "Seven"
13 - Koen Park: "The American Distant"
14 - XYDZO: "Kuhtu"
15 - Andrey Kiritchenko: "Sinemagiq 4"

PS: Please enjoy Boring Music V and Boring Music VI

MoR -" I've Cheated" (MP3)
MoR - "Emo Riff" (MP3)

Sound engineer Antonio Rosselli appears under the moniker MoR (Masters of Ribongia), which is not too clever as this name was adapted by many others before. Scroble your name before publishing it is the message! Anyway, just to avoid some confusion...

"I've cheated" is a very wonderful mixture of Four Tet-style Electronica and up-lifting, cheerful Chiptune-melodies. Something you can find with 12rec. recording artist Rob Hunter as well. What made me listen up this time is the influence from UK contemporary dance music - every now and then, Rosselli introduces abyssal Dubstep synthesizers and lets his beats stumble in a Garage/ 2step-style. This comes rough and dirty and beautifully mirrows the more gentle elements like chimes and acoustic guitars. Eclectic listen!

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "I've cheated" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/masterofribongia
Release: MoR - "I've cheated"
Netlabel: beatismurder.com

fLako - "Footprints" (MP3)
Hi-Res - "Watch" (MP3)
Elaquent - "Pixelated Mess" (MP3)

If you are not familiar with the traditions of beat tapes, let me give you a brief introduction. Producers publish beat tapes to introduces themselves to the scene and pave the way for possible cooperations. Usually, these tapes are collections of beats rather than perfectly produced songs. Typical beat tapes show a variety of styles in maybe 20 different skits, each lasting one to two minutes. The best-known beat tapes are "Donuts" by J Dilla (I mean, face it) and the "Rap Beats Vol. 1" CDR by Samiyam.

Here's three free beat tapes for beginners

fLako is a Chilean-German producer from Berlin now living in London. His tapes "The First Space Shit on the Moon" was published via the Kwatro collective and features 30 sketches of warm and semi-electronic Rap beats. His tape is highly musical, razor sharp and sounds pretty much now. Definitive must-have, kids!

Download fLako's "The First Space Shit on the Moon" via zshare

Next in line is Portland cat Hi-Res. This funky guy released his soulful tape "1080 Beats" via myspace just recently, and it's really worth a listen. Dusty-jazzy beats and samples set Hi-Res apart from most producers in the game and save the kid a top ranking in the Post-Dilla charts. So clap your hands to what he's doing.

Download Hi-Res' "1080 Beats" via zshare

Finally, don't miss Canda's finest Elaquent. "In Colour Vol. 3" is the third installation of a series of beat tapes which are deserve your attention all together. Elaquent is working with vocal samples and cut-up Rap vocals that made people compare him to Prefuse73. Maybe the most underground, most rough tape in this collection.

Download Elaquent's "In Colour Vol. 3" via mediafire

Mobystow - "Tariel" (MP3)

Kauders - "His" (MP3)

Portformat - "Classics"

Portformat a.k.a. Ibrahima M'Bodji is a German/ Senegalsese producer. In 2009, Ibrahim will release his debut album by the hands of Tokyo Dawn records but before we can download a fine collection of mellow, mostly instrumental Hip Hop tunes. Organic and jazzy beats, musically speaking close to his buddy Comfort Fit plus some more Soul.

"Classics" via sendspace.com

Mobydick & Plaistow - "Tarial EP" (eDogm)

Critically acclaimed Geneve Jazztrio Plaistow hooked up with Moroccan MC Mobydick to form a new band: Mobystow. Mobydick spits in French and Darija language (which is a n Arabian idiom). That sounds fresh and interesting, and his associative, spoken word-style flow is unique. Plaistow add their visions of high energy Post-Bop to make this EP something new and outstanding.

"Tariel EP" @ eDogm

Kauders - "Brian Invited June" (Bird Song)

Gottfried Kauders is guitarist of Automassage and Code Inconnu, two bands that empathically push the borders of experimental Rock music. There is a certain sickness about both bands mainly due to the sluggish guitar play of Kauders. For his solo output, Kauders got into Avant-Garde Pop rather than Rock. But his style is not to mistaken. Strange music, unique music, but beautiful music above all.

"Brian Invited June" @ Bird Song

Deastro - "Grower EP" (RCRDLBL)

Deastro is a recording artists from Detroit, Michigan who is promoted by Ghostly recordlabel as a wunderkind in Shoegaze Electronica. Randolph Chabot a.k.a. Deastro is about to release his debut LP with Ghostly but his epic "Grower EP" is online for free via RCRDLBL. Home grown IDM, sweetish melodies and uplifting beats - somewhere between chip tune, Boards of Canda and My Bloody Valentine.

"Grower EP" @ RCRDLBL

Fine Before You Came - "sfortuna"

OK, I don't know much about Italian Indierock outfit Fine Before You Came. Flip of Zymogen sent me the link, asking if I would fancy some tough Rock music. I do. FBYC released their new record "sfortuna" as a free download on their website. The band exists for nearly ten years now and is quite successful in Italy. They play awkward melodic and aggresive Post-Hardcore that strikes a chord with me. Super!

"sfortuna" via mediafire.com

Cornbeast - "Megablast" (MP3)
Cornbeast - "Sparks" (MP3)

In a way, Cornbeast suits the recent trends in Discorock and punky Electronica quite well. Catchy melodies, uplifting beats, rough sounds. So far, this is true for a lot of chip music releases. But Cornbeast's "Chip Hero" brings along more than just 20 minutes dancefloor energy. Below his bleepy textures, gameboy Fredrik hides well-written songs with melodies that make stick and do not solely work by making you remember your Nintendo handheld.

This is the case especially for "Megablast", "Chip Hero" and the ballad "Sparks". Soulwax meets Daft Punk in a 8bit outfit? Gameboy Arena Rock? Probably said too much, but you get the idea. Recommended.

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "Chip Hero" (ZIP)
Artist-Website: cornbeast.com
Release: Cornbeast - "Chip Hero"
Netlabel: 8bitpeoples.com

Coehn & Foehrb - "Dejavue" (MP3)
Coehn & Foehrb - "Mittel Zum Finger" (MP3)
Coehn & Foehrb - "Nixtape" (MP3)

For sure: if you are able to understand kid Coehns' streetwise and funny Rap lyrics, it is more easy to dig "Die Tugend Von Heute". Coehn & Foerhb kick Hip Hop like it was big in Germany in the late 90's - straight forward, funky beats, Hip Hop that focuses on Rap with a storytelling vibe. Nice but not too decent, Coehn is a lyricist that knows about Raps' history but is able to extrapolate as well. His rhymes fit the beats of Stuttgart homies Foerhb, Radsch und Naturtalent seamlessly and although Coehn is not pushing genre borders, his styles are far above the genre common level.

However, there is no exclusive need to understand the lyrics. Coehns' flow is highly enjoyable, and the beats exhibit an interesting variety from Golden Age to influence from Dubstep and synth-driven electrorap. Coehn & Foerhb manage to balance juvenile party and fuck off, skills and laxity. I am looking forward to attend their live set at the Cologne Commons festival the day after tomorrow!

MP3 Hip Hop Music Download

Download: "Die Tugend Von Heute" (ZIP-Archive)

Artist-Website: www.coehnundfoehrb.de

Release: Coehn&Foehrb - "Die Tugend Von Heute"

Netlabel: www.bsolid.de

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• Various – “Cologne Commons Compilation” (3)
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Anton Mobin - "Micro-Climat" (MP3)

What struck me about "Micro-Climat" on first touch was the bass-heavy physicalness of Anton Mobins' aural quilt. He interlaces field recordings with musical elements (some percussive, some traces of instruments) and drops smithereens of conversation (French language). Mobin a.k.a. Anthony Baron uses the full range of the audible spectrum, from high frequent noises to subsonic audio events. Most of the time, his Music Concrète-composition is beautifully pure although most sources are hard to guess. Every now and then, however,  Anton Mobin radically enhances the  intensity of his track, resulting in bursts of curiously non-aggressive noise I have scarcely heard before.

Rich and refreshing, Anton Mobin places himself right between the IDM-influenced Electro-acoustica of d'incise, Preslav Literary School and Brooklyn noise pioneers Black Dice. Thanks to konkretourist Netlabel which I discovered only with this release!

By the way, Marco Medkour, one half of konkretourist, will present his "Soundmap of Cologne" at the Cologne Commons festival this weekend, 12th to 13th of June. Another exciting project.

MP3 Experimental Music Download

Download: "Micro-Climat" (ZIP Archive)
Artist-Website: audioblog.arteradio.com/ANTON_MOBIN
Release: Anton Mobin - "Micro-Climat"
Netlabel: www.konkretourist.de

Sky Barstow - "Can We Leave This Place" (MP3)
Sky Barstow - "Closet Dance" (MP3)

Robin Barstow a.k.a. Sky Barstow enjoys synthesizers and organs, "those big enormous ugly things". He is a circuit-bending sound engineer and recorded his recent album "It's Circuar" on an army of dirty little synths. What he get to hear is awkward chiptune hymnals, melancholy Indiepop tunes and 80's influenced DIY Grandezza. The album did not get me on first try. But listening to it again and again, every time it got better.

Most of the songs are longer than five minutes, and a lot of things happen in between. What sounds aleatoric initially turns out to be the mature profile of a talented not only knob tweaker but musician. "Can We Leave This Place", "Closet Dance", "It Rained All Day" and "Probably Not" are single hits with massive edges and sharp outlines. Robin Barstow mixes juvenile melancholy with queer exhibitionism, charm and a good amount of self-mockery. Can you imagine a mix between Nick Diamond and Mike Patton, ca.  Mr. Bungle? Well, maybe you can after having heard "It's Circular". Superb!

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "It's Circular" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: www.barstow.no
Release: Sky Barstow - "It's Circular"
Netlabel: www.peppermillrecords.com

Gillicuddy - "II" (MP3)

Let's start with the downer - behind the five tunes the tracklist promises, only two songs lurk actually. "I" and "II" are the same as "IV" and "V", as an interlude "III" is ten seconds silence. "The Repeating Thoughts Of Old Zinng Zanng". Got it?

Gillicuddy a.k.a. Andreas Rohden is much more subtle songwriter on his new EP than it was the case on "Shmalhans is Kuechenmeister". Both "I" and "II" are subtle and decent Folk songs that deliver a certain 60's feeling but are far to clever to be judged retro. The two-voiced vocals are very beautiful. Gillicuddys' songs float in a strange place in-between, they do not seem to serve any purpose. While "I" is a bit more traditional, say Wilco meets Sea & Cake,  "II" takes the song imperciptible into textural regions, makes it disappear somehow.

Fading in, fading out, diappearing...  after ten seconds silence, "I" and "II" repeat themselves as "IV" and "V". And although it is sad we only get these two new songs to hear, the concept makes sense. Very good.

MP3 Folk Music Download

Download: "The Repeating Thoughts Of Old Zinng Zanng" (ZIP-Archive)
Artist-Website: www.gillicuddy.de
Release: Gillicuddy - "The Repeating Thoughts Of Old Zinng Zanng"
Netlabel: www.restingbell.net

V.O.M. IV - Part II, Track I (MP3)
V.O.M. IV - Part II, Track IV (MP3)
V.O.M. V - Part I, Track IV (MP3)

V.O.M. again. The name stands for Magical Unicellular Music, and this strange name makes sense on different levels. Magical - something happens between the tracks, something unexpected, something one can not explain. Black magic rituals, Voodoo, call me names. Unicellular - the most simple form of life, evolutions successful all-in-one model. Reduced to the max. Music - well, yeah, music! V.O.M. is primitive, hypnotic, threatening... I'm prone to call it Minimal.

V.O.M. was born from Minsk performance collective Solntsetsvety (Солнцецветы). On this release for the Russian Clinical Archives Netlabel, Magical Unicelluar Music is V.O.M. IV and V.O.M. V, Minsk and Moscow, respectively. Two bands, united by the ideas given above.

Listening to "Камень", it is hard to distinguish who is who. Both bands play primitive, noise-driven Krautrock, repetitiv and hypnotic. Instruments are guitar-bass-drums, plus sporadic electronic gimmicks, the whole thing mainly instrumental. V.O.M. record music half-improvised, with a stunning amount of DIY/Punk-inspired energy that sets them apart from New Age and esoteric music. In my opinion, early Can, the endless songs of Neu! and 80s' Postpunk, especially Pop Group and Sonic Youth, are good references.

The whole album makes up one hour, 40 minutes. Naturally, not every single jam is excellent. But tracks "Part II, IV" (V.O.M. V) and "Part I, IV" (V.O.M. IV) will give you a good idea about the Magical Unicellular Music sound. If you dig these, you will love the album!

MP3 Rock Music Download

Download: "Камень" (ZIP)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/unicellularmusic
Release: Magical Unicellular Music - "Камень"
Netlabel: clinicalarchives.blogspot.com

2nd rec is a German record label that released CDs some years back. When sales went down, 2nd rec decided to sell-out and re-start as an experimental online label. "Jars, Jams & You" by Italian Sicilian duo Tellaro is available for download only, and you can choose the price, including downloading the full-length album for free. We support 2nd rec and want to convince you to pay something valuable for this wonderful record.

Tellaro are Francesco Cantone and Tazio Iacobacci. Their electronic Pop music is build from a billion sources, like a beautiful Frankenstein patched up from the junkyard of 40 years' pop culture. The download package comes with a 17 sides pdf booklets including notes for every song, charming and interesting. We learn about friends making political speeches, grandmother and baby sister Iacobacci singing a song, Tazio's uncle from the US playing slide guitar, etc. etc. Most contributions include vocal performances, not necessarily singing though.

Wonderfully, all this makes up for a fresh, interesting and hymnal Pop record. Clever Pop music, notoriously underrated, in good tradition with acts like The Books, The Beta Band, Evil Superstars or the Anticon posse. Prelisten tracks "Dario Whorenges", "Life Goes On" and "Bad News Don't Need To Be Introduced" to become a believer. Then, believe it, every single tune on "Jars, Jams & You" will be worth the bucks you spend for the download!

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "Jars, Jams & You" (Chose-Your-Price Download)
Release: Tellaro - "Jars, Jams & You"
Artist-Website: myspace.com/tellaro
Netlabel: 2ndrec.com

Clipper - "Aus Allen Fugen" (MP3)
Clipper - "Ein Konsequentes Lied" (MP3)
Clipper - "Silbernes Band" (MP3)

Clipper left Indiepop behind. Their vision of independent Pop music is high gloss and vulnerable on his own free will. Readers familiar with German Pop will probably see the intersections to bands like Tele, Kante and especially Blumfeld. Naive and quite the opposite to cool, Clipper position themselves right between flimsy 80's strings, falsetto vocals and opulent arrangements. "The New Romantics of every days' life", true that...

"Alles erscheint in einem anderen Licht" combines ten songs written between 2004 and 2008 to a coherent album. The formula throughout all songs is Pop. But be aware! All catchy Clipper melodies overlock clever and complex compositions. Beyond the 80's icing lurks an understanding in music that has more in common with 60's psychedelia, think of the Beach Boys, the late Beatles, and, fast forward, Talk Talk ca. "Spirit of Eden". This is a bit much every now and then still "Alles erscheint in einem anderen Licht" has a lot of treasury to discover!

MP3 Pop Music Download

Artist-Website: www.clipper-musik.de
(mouse over single tracks to right-click download)

Exclusive Compilation and Interview with Sebastian Redenz | From 2001 to 2008, Autoplate was the experimental subdivision of Thinner Netlabel. 50 high quality releases in eight years, the label was officially shut down three months ago with a beautiful EP by Russian Ambient outlet Slow. Time for us to get Sebastian Redenz in for a talk to shine a light on the Autoplate history and find out why the label had to cancel operation while Thinner is alive and kicking.

Slow - "Morning Love": Download

Dear Sebastian, please give our readers a brief introduction to who you are!

Sebastian: My name is Sebastian Redenz, I’m 27 years and being part of a team I managed Autoplate as A&R (Artists & Requirement). I also do A&R work for Thinner, am in the process of finishing my social sciences studies in Mannheim and am currently in the process of relocating to Frankfurt, where I work for Cocoon Recordings being my main employer.

When I read about the final Autoplate release and the associated demise of the label, I felt relieved and disappointment at the same time. Disappointment because one of the most reliable Netlabels for experimental music cancelled operation, relief because you finished it with a clean cut. Why did it take so long for Autoplate to wave goodbye eventually? Was the dismissal of Autoplate part of the Thinner relaunch already?

First off, thanks very much for the flowers. Indeed, the aftermath of our relaunch in 2007 things didn’t go as expected for various reasons. A new Autoplate website was planned but never entered production phase. Quite quickly after THN100 got released some major changes started to take place in the lives of all key members. Some went into fulltime employment, some started their own agency or were just busy studying, so it became obvious that the availability to contribute to a common project decreased significantly. We had to make a decision really – maintain two Netlabels on an equal marketing level, which wouldn’t allow growth or take the decision for one Netlabel and invest the saved time into marketing and developing the label.

Autoplate was always on a much smaller scale compared to Thinner, the label didn’t organize any live shows and the people never left much feedback. Unsurprisingly though cause there’re indeed many excellent Netlabels releasing ambient and experimental music. So we decided to fade the project out with a final release and to concentrate on Thinner, which just has a bigger audience and potential and thus is more interesting for all of us.

You are right to say that there are many excellent Netlabels for experimental music. Still, Autoplate introduced and established some big names to the scene. Think of Kevin Krebs, Jason Corder, Andrey Kiritchenko, Gultskra Artikler, Normal Music… Musicians of great talent and inspiration. The most successful is probably Martin Juhls aka Marsen Jules, ironically for both Autoplate and Thinner. Can you tell us what it was like to let him go? Martin is an recording artist now…

On the one hand I was very happy for Martin. By that time we were running both labels together and thus working together closely. His Autoplate albums definitely made things easier for him to acquire a recording contract with CCO, since both albums were downloaded over five thousand times each, being a big aid for his name to become noticed for this particular sound. This particular example showed the importance of promoting the music – for both albums Martin sent a batch of CDRs to magazines and radio stations. On the other hand it was unfortunate to see him leaving as an artist who probably had the biggest impact for Autoplate.

Autoplate and Thinner started in 2001. Re-listening some of the early Autoplate releases it’s quite obvious that the label sound was down to many evolutionary shifts. Does this reflect your own taste in music? Are you still interested in experimental or ambient music? Noting the impact of Marsen Jules, maybe you’d like to give our readers an impression what the stylistic development of Autoplate was due to.

I tried to keep the label exciting by staying versatile and work along a bigger picture of experimental electronic music. In the beginning we only wanted to release music with a conceptual "overhead beyond the music", inspired by Mille Plateaux. If you review the first Autoplate releases you’ll notice, they all come with album length playing time.

At some point glitch became rather uninteresting to me and I started looking into acquiring more ambient and electro-acoustic music for the label. Martin’s albums came in just perfect as we were already working together before, with him releasing as "Falter" on Thinner. Starting with his album we had a string of great releases. From there Autoplate always oscillated between deep organic ambient and intimate electro-acoustic music. Another notable highlight between the studio productions was the live album by Move D, which was later re-released on Bine Music/ Raster Noton. Today I’m still interested in these particular genres, but time constraints currently make the further continuation of Autoplate impossible, unfortunately.

On the Thinner blog, you started the “Netlabels Who Care” series. Do you follow the scene? Are you aware of new labels and artists? Any favorites you would like to mention?

I regularly check out about ten Netlabels. I monitor what’s happening and download the one or other release, it depends on how the release is presented to get my attention. If the Netlabel properly presents a release with artwork, info text and high bitrates it is likely that I check it out. Recently I’ve came along a statement which said that Netlabels gave a new bloom to ambient and experimental music in general. I couldn’t agree more!

Okay, thanks a lot for the interview and good luck for your thesis!

Website: www.autoplate.cc

Farewell Autoplate! MP3 Compilation Download

Sebastian prepared a selection of personal favourites from eight years Autoplate. Make sure to download this epic piece of Netaudio history.

Exclusive Download of Autoplate Compilation

DOWNLOAD COMPILATION (205MB, zip-file inc. artwork)

Playlist and links

• APL005 Affective Disorder – "Pa.kkzak. Doeken"
• APL007 Taavi Tulev – "Televiisor On Tuksis"
• APL011 Randomajestiq - "Nikkl"
• APL012 Gultskra Artikler - "Teplo Spokoyno I Yabloko"
• APL014 Off The Sky – "Mileece’s Reduction"
• APL020 Hans Appelqvist – "Full The Moon"
• APL025 Kenneth Kirschner - "May 3, 1997"
• APL027 Lomov - "Hochwaldregen"
• APL029 Fernando Lagreca - "Planea"
• APL030 tlon - "In The Shadow Of Unexpectation"
• APL036 Emil Klotzsch - "sctl14"
• APL037 Protogroup – "Anahata"
• APL038 Arrial – "Terminal 4"
• APL044 Daniel Blomqvist - "När Andra Sover"
• APL045 Segue – "Dready"
• APL047 Twile – "Spanish Cruiser"
• APL048 Weigl & Hoffmann – "Country Lane"
• APL050 Slow - "Ends"

Another wonderful mixtape of Autoplate-exclusive material can be found on thirteensongs.net. The mix is called "Down A More Minimal Part" and was performed by long-time Netaudio supporter Larry Johnston.

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Monokle - "Friday" (MP3)
Monokle - "Magic Go!" (MP3)
Monokle - "Seven" (MP3)

Monokle is Vlad Kudryavtsev and Alexander Kumach, two young guys that sound like one of your favourite bands. On a basis of warm and organic IDM beats, Monokle compose epic Indiepop- and Postrock tracks that imply influence from 40 years of Popmusic ("From Can to Plaid", as Ideology says). You can find pieces of Kraut- and Progrock, 80's Pop, 90's Electronica and loads more in the Monokle music. Listening to this 45 minutes, I am amazed how seamless everything engages.

The album "Tesaurus" is super-versatile but works perfectly as an album, homogenous in mood and atmosphere. Vlad and Alexander blow their tracks up to massive hymns, including numerous stems of synthesizer, guitars and electronic gimmicks here and there. They do well, although most songs on "Tesaurus" don't need all the fuzz- Monokle have the melodies to reach out for everyone. A brilliant example that Netaudio is so much more than just electronic music!

MP3 Electronic Pop Music Download

Download: "Tesaurus" (ZIP)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/monoklemuz
Release: Monokle - "Tesaurus"
Netlabel: www.ideology.de

Orange Crush - "Invocation" (MP3)
Orange Crush - "Snow Bound" (MP3)
Orange Crush - "Quiet Skies" (MP3)

Let's start with the obvious reference: Boards of Canada. I'm sorry, Karl, you must have heard it a thousand times... The heavy influence of the Scottish pioneers is the reason I never sang the praise of Orange Crush I guess. Solid production, good tracks but something was missing on "The Field", Endersons' debut for Archaic Horizon. On "Autumn Reflections", apparently nothing has changed. The improvements, however, are subtle and essential.

Tonal synth- and organ chords, simple three-parts melodies, relaxed Downbeat- and Hip Hop beats, dense instrumentation, loads of atmosphere: the ingredients are the same. Now and back then, Orange Crush sounds dusty, sun-beaten and not much like Vest-Agder in Norway where Endreson lives. A spongy 70's feel is omnipresent throughout the album, certain stems seem to wave and warp like recorded to old tapes.

In the end, it's the melodies that make "Autumn Reflections" a better record than "The Field". Enderson is on point and writes songs rather than recording sound ideas. This is a bit more conservative, but it makes a wonderful album that gives you an idea what the Summer in 2009 may taste like. Ace!

MP3 Electronica Music Download

Download: "Autumn Reflections" (ZIP)
Artist-Website: myspace.com/orangecrushmusic
Release: Orange Crush - "Autumn Reflections"
Netlabel: archaichorizon.com

New Wave Syria - "In Motion" (MP3)
New Wave Syria - "Random Logic" (MP3)
New Wave Syria - "Let it out" (MP3)
New Wave Syria - "Audiorape" (MP3)
New Wave Syria - "Vitamin" (MP3)
New Wave Syria - "Vision Horror" (MP3)

Thus, Sloveanian Electropop duo New Wave Syria got my attention right away. Girl (Urša) and boy (Rok) perform on a battery of cheap little synths and drum machines, curly head Urša sings and shouts over the instrumentals. Dreamy and noisy, the band settles their niche between hipster Pop a la The Ting Tings on the one and 80's influenced psychedelia on the other hand.

New Wave Syrias' debut EP "Hello, Yes" on Cheap Tunes Records is best when the shoegazing elements dominate. "Vitamins" and "Random Logic" are noisy little Pop tracks with good melodies and a lot of teenage flippancy, while "Let It Out" and "Audiorape" sound rather London or NYC than Slovenia. You are free to judge this as a compliment, but I like the introspect tunes better. Refreshing album!

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "Hello, Yes" (ZIP)
Release: New Wave Syria - "Hello, Yes"
Artist-Website: myspace.com/newwavesyria
Netlabel: cheaptunesrecords.com

Caroline - "Wonderlust" (MP3)
Linda Bjalla - "Tomorrow" (MP3)

To my ears, the influence of Japanese music is bigger on the spectrum MiMi represents. This is not J-Pop but Japanese Pop. Subtle, melodic, eccentric every now and then. Mawkish by chance.

The compilation starts with Asako Fujimoto a.k.a. asakomusic. She travels around the World and accordingly, her music is conglomerate of Folklore and awkward Pop music. Caroline Lufkin afterwards conducts a hymnal Popsong, with some electronics assembling her otherworldly voice. Bewitching. Izumi Mizawa's music sound like processing the lush and warm melodies of Caroline to something artificial- a study on aural harmony

Reiko Matane a.k.a. le mépris a.k.a. pillowdiver is well known for her album on Aerotone. The track on "M100" is a shoegazing piece of Dronepop... solid. Back to the real Pop music with Linda Bjalla (Izumi Suzuki). Piano-drive neoromanticism, not shying away from glockenspiel and reverberated vocals. Got me, somehow. Miki Odagiri deliver Creation Centre-style Avantgarde Pop with loads of loose ends- nice, but I have a certain problem with the vocals...

MP3 Experimental Pop Music Download

Download: "M100" (ZIP)
Release: Various - "M100"
Netlabel: clubotaku.org/mimi-125x125

FourColour - "sets02" (MP3)
Taylor Deupree - "Silver Trees" (MP3)

Fällt rounded up an impressive collection of musicians. "Format" opens with a beautiful and suble guitar impression by 12k's Taylor Deupree. The influence of this guy on modern day Ambient music is not to overestimate! FourColour a.k.a. Keiichi Sugimoto (Cubic Music) delivers wonderfully dense Ambient/ Drone meditation on bubbling synths. The collagists' Avant-Pop of The Focus Group (Julian House) is unsettling but fascinating.

In the later half of the album, there is Steinbrüchel to mention. His composition "b|ton" sounds like a microscopic study of background noises and unwanted hissing of a tape machine. Interestingly, it is based on a guitar recording by Daisuke Miyatani, the grand maestro of accidental folk. Music like dust. Hard Sleeper fuses field recordings, rural Acid and warm Ambient, giving an undogmatic piece of electronic music. Only Lawrence English, usually a sure shot, was sort of a disappointment to me.

MP3 Ambient Music Download

Download: "Format" ZIP
Release: Various - "Format"
Netlabel: www.fallt.com

Diatribes + Demierre + Bourquenez - "Tornade" (MP3)

Jacques Demierre uses the piano as a source of sound rather than a classical instrument. Part Cecil Taylor part John Cage, his play is full of little noises and surprising tonal cascades, percussive and herein the perfect complement for Cyril Bondis' poetic and introspect drums. Between the clusters, there is a lot of space- or none. A refreshing and rich concept that requires concentrated listening admittedly.

On two tracks, Plaistow head Johann Bourquenez joins the gang. His approach to piano is much different from Demierre's delicate boned experimentalism. "Tornade" rushes the listener with the energy of  a, well, tornado and leaves the wastelands, Jacques Demierre and Diatribes can perform their subtle improvisations on afterwards.

MP3 Free Jazz Music Download

Download: "Piano(s)" ZIP
Release: Diatribes, Demierre & Bourquenez - "Piano(s)"
Netlabel: insubordinations.net

New Earth Objects - "Part 2" (MP3)

New Earth Objects is Clemens Wegener, Marian Reinig and Tommy Neuwirth. Not much is known about the band- anyway, we've got this wonderful live recording! Within 73 minutes and basically four tracks (ranging 12 - 27 minutes), the band creates their very own sound vision blending minimal Electronica, Krautrock and Pop.

Synthesizers go along with decent sound gimmicks, super simple drums and hushed vocals. Warm textures are played out to maximal duration, drums and beats are a meditation on structure, a natural pulsing rather than an instrument to agitate the crowd. Especially the first two tracks are absolutely bewitching. "Slow down, slow down..." - must have been a special performance!

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "Live at Schmiede" ZIP

Artist-Website: myspace.com/newearthobjects

Release: New Earth Objects - "Live at Schmiede"

Netlabel: headphonica.com

Telafonica - "Angels We Have Heard On High" (MP3)
Eliza Magill - "Joy To The World" (MP3)

Actually, this compilation is only four songs and one musical collective:

Sydney-based Telafonica start with their version of "Angels We Have Heard On High". Absolutely intriguing, the band contrasts their coldish Trip Hop / Electronica sound with the heavenly "Gloria, in excelsis Deo" hookline of the traditional carol. Wonderful voices (Magill/ Elmer), wonderful trumpets.

Second is Telafonica songstress Eliza Magill. Her version of "Joy to the World" is far more traditional, but nonetheless skilful and beautiful. In duet with the male vocals (Adrian Elmer), the whole version sounds like a light-hearted version of Low (who must be names when it comes to Christmas carols of course). Fully acoustic, intimate recording, a heartbreaker.

The Lessons in Time hails from New South Wales and deliver the lopsided part of this compilation. Pretentious on first listen, a revelation at repeated performance! Blake Wassell, the lad behind the moniker, delivers an emotional lo-fi version of "O Holy Night" and raises the hymnal potential of the original to higher power. The Australian Liger? Oh, he plays in Telafonica as well!

Eventually, Telafonica join for a last hymnal. "Good News (Sing for Joy)" I wasn't able to identify properly, but who cares? Trip Hop and electronic music-influenced Popmusic, only the female vocals fit the concept better.

Thank heavens to nethymnal.org for the spiritual guidance!

MP3 Pop Music Download

Download: "A Whale in a Manger" ZIP
Artist-Website: telafonica.blogspot.com
Netlabel: 4-4-2music.com

Patterns - "Idle Eyes, Sore City" (MP3)

In the meantime, the band released a split LP with The Falcon Five and another shared 7" with fuckuismyname, and  Patterns' full-length debut is about to be done according to the band's blog. A good moment to get familiar with Germany's finest Postpunk outfit!

The band play nervous and awkward DC-style Punk- and Mathrock, charged top to bottom. Their melodies are unconsumed, all grooves and breaks come tight. Of course I have to mention Q & Not U and Les Savy Fav, but I guess Patterns are fine with this comparison. Sooo good.

MP3 Rock Music Download

Download: "People I Adore" ZIP
Artist-Website: myspace.com/pttrns
Release: Patterns - "People I Adore"
Label: ursaminormusik.de

XYDZO - "A Bali Na Bega" (MP3)<
XYDZO - "Djug" (MP3)
XYDZO - "Kuhtu" (MP3)

First off, the term Folklore might be misleading. Ulmar's approach to music is fully electronic, XYDZO is not about going back to the essentials, restoration or whatever. While listening to "Y" the reference that came to me repeatedly was "My Life in Bush of Ghosts" by Eno & Byrne.

Back in 1981, Ambient music pioneer Brian Eno and Talking Heads frontman David Byrne hooked up to create a artificial documentation of tribal music, ethnic field-recordings and Avantgarde Pop. Ljekio Ulmar adopts a similar position. He takes elements from Russian and African Folklore, popular and electronic music and glues it together to something new and exiting. This is wonderfully successful due to his substantial understanding of Pop music and music in general (is the title "Y" itself a meta-reference to the Pop Group's abrasive debut from 1979?).

The album is full of hits. Some will convince on first touch, for some you might need more time. But every single tune features a fresh idea and makes sense in the dramaturgy of the album. Essential listen! Asked for my Netaudio top ten EVER, "Y" would be in.

MP3 Folklore Music Download

Download: "Y" ZIP
Artist Website: myspace.com/xydzo
Release: XYDZO - "Y"
Netlabel: pulsations-for-you.ru

Every song of the album is accompanied by a fullscreen video in blazing 8-bit aesthetics.  Abstract patterns mix with scences inspired by 80's videogames, pixelpower in 52 colors, psychedlic mayhem! Check this high energy VJ set by Paris Graphics and the ingenious David Mauro. Great fun, especially if you let the music run at high volume.

http://dawnmetropolis.com

"Dawn Metropolis" by Anamanaguchi, out on Normative records (MP3/ CD/ LP)

"Power Supply" free EP on 8bitpeoples.com