New Albums
Autumn Haze Edition, Part 1
TIM HECKER : konoyo : Kranky (28.09.18)
It’s kinda astonishing how experimental and drone-heavy electronic music turned into something almost consensus during the last years. Canadian producer Hecker sure is one of the genre’s poster-boys - and rightly so, since the results of his sonic explorations open conversations in your head you never knew you’d be able (or willing) to articulate. It’s most certainly not music tailored for daily listening sessions - but if it hits you at exactly the right moment it's a rather overwhelming affair. 9/10
GUERILLA TOSS : twisted crystal : DFA Records ( 14.09.18)
GT is one of those bands that could’ve been bigger than Jesus if they would’ve been around some fifteen years ago - people wouldn’t have been ready for their idiosyncratic mishmash of genre collisions either, yet they would’ve blindly followed the hype that most definitely had been around. If you ever wondered how a clash of all your favorite post-punk bands would sound like, here’s the ultimate answer. 8.75/10
LEIFUR JAMES : a louder silence : Night Time Stories (05.10.18)
Unlike his earlier electronic work, “A Louder Silence“ adds a pallet of warm acoustic instruments into the ten songs which showcase the broad musical spectrum - jazz, dub, house and everything in-between - of the South London composer. The whole thing still feels far away from being just a nice collection of random tracks, there’s coherency and a sense of urgency throughout the album that makes it one of the more pleasant and compelling downtempo albums 2018 had offered so far. 7.5/10
BVDUB : drowning in daylight : Apollo (14.09.18)
As soon as the ghosts of summer start haunting you, “Drowning in Daylight“ will be there to help and ease the pain. Veteran DJ/producer Brock Van Way’s debut for Apollo consists of four epically long and highly captivating ambient tracks (for a lack of a better word) that hit just the right nerve between nostalgia and an unexpectedly precise glimpse into the future. 8/10
EXPLODED VIEW : obey : Sacred Bones (28.09.18)
It’s really hard to pin down the trio’s music. It definitely comes from this particular shadowy corner you’d usually avoid to look a little closer at. It’s uneasy-listening, a bit aloof and unnerving, yet highly fascinating. It puts you in a weird kinda state. It’s dreamy, not the pleasant ones though. Their second longplayer feels a bit like a fucked-up version of Broadcast where distressing truths are disguised as psychedelic pop. Listen for yourself, if you dare. 8.5/10
BEAK> : >>> : Invada (21.09.18)
Portishead did remain silent for a long time by now, but Geoff Barrow seems to be busier than ever nevertheless. After the excellent score for “Annihilation“, he teamed up with fellow musicians Will Young and Billy Fuller once again for another krautrock-heavy adventure. Their third longplayer offers ten new examples of their trademark mix - which is a good thing - this time around though it seems to be a more focused affair - which, you’ve guessed it, makes it even better. 8.25/10