BOOGARINS. sombreou dúvida. OAR (10.05.19) Fran: The Boogarins have been putting out excellent music for a while now, and “Sombrou Dúvida“ is a sneaky good addition to their catalogue. As rock emerges from this psychedelia infused fusion of genres, the Brazilians show themselves incredibly comfortable in their sound - a guitar led trip through a sea of space synthesizers and relaxing tropicália rhythms. In a very meta moment, during the song Sombra ou Dúvida, vocalist Dinho Almeida talks about being wary of habits while living life avidly, a profound message for a band that keeps impressing with their continuous evolution. 8.5/10

TOO SLOW TO DISCO NEO. en france. City Slang (out now) Fran: Sometimes it feels like we are going backwards. Compilations outside of streamable playlists aren’t really a thing nowadays anymore. Nevertheless, Too Slow to Disco is a welcome blast from the past. Filled with euphonious melodies that are in fact too slow to disco, the album doesn’t pretend to be more than it is, a cool hour of groovy music. Highlights come from Descends and Instanté, that form a nice duo at the latter stages of the record, and the very interesting Pays Imaginaire - played over Debussy’s Clair de Lune, the Polo & Pan managed to avoid pastiche with a unique track invoking supreme calmness of spirit. 6.75/10

FAYE WEBSTER. atlanta millionaires club. Secretly Canadian (24.05.19) Fran: Atlanta Millionaires Club is, at its best, a kitsch amalgam of styles - sweet-sounding, easy to listen, and relaxing.
Under the guise of the young and promising Faye Webster, what could have been a shallow record, acquires life of its own, even if the thematic is still, at times, superficial. “Kingston“ and “Flowers“ are serene tracks filled to the brim with sentimentality, that tackle the essence of the album - a cliché, that comes from the heart, Atlanta Millionaires Club is honest.
6.75/10

DRAHLA. useless coordinates. Captured Tracks (out now) Fran: I like the post punk infused, hard rock of Drahla. It’s eclectic enough to grab your attention, and original enough to merit it. Unfortunately, not all elements of their sound coalesce. While the instruments play with a certain metallic urgency, the vocals seem dazed and lacking in bite. You gotta give them props though for the inspired use of the saxophone, which elevates a track like React/Revolt to the high point of the album. As useless as their coordinates may be, Drahla seem to have a clear direction in mind, and certainly have had no trouble staying their course so far. 7/10

JON BRYANT. cult classic. Nettwerk (17.05.19) Fran: So let me preface this by saying that we do not endorse cults. We don’t believe that cults are an answer to your problems. If you are looking for community, a friend group, or if you are in search of a general sense of belonging, go to a bar, a football game, whatever. But please don’t join a cult. These things don’t end well, historically speaking. Having said that, if you are a musician of some talent, and just happen to find yourself in the midst of one of these “meetings”, would you mind using it as a source of inspiration? Cause we’d greatly appreciate it. Jon Bryant for example, managed to score a quaint little record off his rendezvous with NXIVM, a cult disguised as pyramid scheme disguised as marketing company (you may have seen them in the news lately). The album, aptly titled Cult Classic, is a solid pop foray. From the sentimental, Did What I Did, to the melancholic, Paradise, it has something for everyone. Jon Bryant took a bad moment in his life, processed it, and externalized it into inspired music. So, maybe it was worth it? 7.5/10

PETER WOLFF. breath. My Proud Mountain (out now) Fran: How far are you willing to go to achieve confluence with the macabre? I, for one, have my boundaries. Peter Wolff, on the other hand, doesn’t. Breath is dark, very dark. As a matter of fact, Wolff probably used darkness as his muse. But, hey, at least he’s original. The dimmed beauty of the album comes through in the minimalist piano, so expressive in conjunction with the totality of sounds (and noises) that lay an almost uncomfortable groundwork behind every track. Highlights include the energetic “waves will carry you“, the mysterious “i will swim“, and the impulsive “forsake the tearing rage“. If you’ve been looking for a scary, existential time, look no further: (1) cue Breath very late at night; (2) dim your lights; (3) look out your window, preferably one that faces the ocean; (4) let your mind wander - a glass of bourbon is optional. Experimental, industrial at times, the album is wildly contemplative, and an achievement in ambient music. Lord Byron would be proud. 7/10