Like dust settling on the floor, disrupted by unruly primitive machines, the latest release from Jamie Hutchings takes shape and begins to gel and morph amid the clatter and klang of all manner of percussion. It’s never clear whether elements of a real drum kit have been sacrificed in the process of making this mostly instrumental album. A floor tom could be an empty container … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Jamie Hutchings – Making Water
They’ve been recently touring American and now on the eve of a European tour, Mess Esque, the duo of Mick Turner (Dirty Three) and Helen Franzmann (McKisko), have released the first part of a new double single – ‘Armour Your Armour’ on Milk! Records. The song follows their dreamy, interzonal template of wandering rhythms (courtesy of Jim White), Mick’s gently tidal guitar musings and Helen’s … Continue reading Mess Esque Release New Single ‘Armour Your Armor’
There’s a clear line that can be drawn from Australian recording project The Finch Cycle, to the post-rock titans Mogwai. It’s there in the slow dynamic sweep of grand electric gestures, stately guitars and the eviscerating sonic detonation that occurs at the three minute mark of ‘Operation Island’. The guitars march and chime in lockstep, a frantic metallic chug before the clouds clear and the … Continue reading THE FINCH CYCLE EXPLORE ATMOSPHERIC POST-ROCK DYNAMICS ON ‘OPERATION ISLAND’
Swiss band Preamp Disaster released their new album By The Edges earlier this month and the main single from it is this giant, swinging slab of heavy, metallic post-rock – ‘Above The Bloodline‘. The song is one of those tracks that builds and builds in intensity and density across three minutes before the dynamics splinter and take a deep breath before the vocals enter the … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Preamp Disaster – Above The Bloodline
The impressively named Swiss trio Contessa di GongGong recently released this moody and agile instrumental track that hits a nimble and tight rhythmic groove while the rest of the group add post rock noir touches of shimmering and sparkling guitars and subtle vocal samples. They describe their sound as cineastic spacekraut. The tracks are based on improvisations and apparently involve “consciously random developments”. The track … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Contessa di GongGong – El Camino
Dark cosmic sounds abound on this recently released track by French electronic musician/producer Franz Kirmann & Italian guitarist Roberto Grosso. Much like the Fabels track we’ve also posted this week, this one also had us casting our mind back to the creeping electronic sounds of Massive Attack. No vocals here though, all of the atmosphere is created by haunting, see-sawing synths, processed and hypnotic guitar … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Franz Kirmann & Roberto Grosso – In Waves
Many thanks to Sydney duo Fabels for sending this song/clip our way. It’s a totally captivating dreamscape of a song. It draws on shoegaze, post-rock and ambient elements of repetition and hallucinogenic airiness. The sparkle and chime of Ben Aylward’s guitar widens the horizon of the song beautifully, allowing the atmosphere to rise and retreat with a cinematic quality that never gets overblown. Vocalist Hiske … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Fabels – Waiting
Here’s a fascinating new project for fans of Talk Talk and Mark Hollis. Seven musicians who were involved in the Talk Talk albums Spirit of Eden, Laughing Stock and Hollis’ solo LP have come together as Held By Trees, led by producer/composer David Joseph. They approached the recording in a similar way as they did under Hollis – emphasising spontaneous improvisation and keeping the best … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Held By Trees – In The Trees
Drongo is an eight-piece band from Oslo, Norway, playing music belonging somewhere between Krautrock, techno, afrobeat and math rock. The band’s line-up includes a drummer, one percussionist, one bassist, two guitarists and three keyboardists. ‘Neshorn’ is from the band’s debut album 1, that was released on April 16th. It swings with a primitive Krautrock repetitive intensity, gathering steam as it charges forth, all fractured, worn … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Drongo – Neshorn
Ambient / post-rock / drone / soundtrack / soundscape There’s a beautifully ponderous lumber and sway to this new post-rock track from the Toronto, Canada artist Alaskan Tapes (Brady Kendall). The lulls and gentle washing peaks are perfectly paced and giving a sense of movement that carries the listener through an emotionally melancholic six minutes. What I like is that the piece never gets heavy … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Alaskan Tapes – The Sky Sings Its Chorus (For Us Alone) [Pt. 1]
Perth, WA quintet Mt. Mountain released their new album Centre last week and earlier this year this great clip for the record’s second single ‘Peregrination’ was posted on YouTube. It shows the slow-build mastery of dynamics and interplay that the band have built into their music. Elements of post-rock, stoner, psych, Krautrock and more. They all intertwine and combine to form a wonderfully immersive and … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Mt. Mountain – Peregrination (Official Video)
We’ve always been partial to the music of The Notwist, the way they blend those beautiful sad-eyed vocal melodies with post-rock intricacy and krautrock rhythms. They exist in that sweet spot between song craft and experimental composition, always inventive and beguiling in their art-pop explorations. ‘Sans Soleil’ comes from the band’s first album in seven years, Vertigo Days, out January 29th on Morr Music. Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Notwist – Sans Soleil
Doubtful Sounds 