So it’s that time of year again where I start assessing what I have listened to this year. This first mix is pretty diverse and reflects that working from home since mid-February has had an impact on my listening habits expanding far outside of this blog’s self-imposed remit. For starters, the ear crunching mix of heavy metal and electronica from Kenyan band Duma is definitely … Continue reading Records I Like Best of 2020 Part One
The definition of beautiful includes “having qualities that delight or appeal to the senses and often the mind” and that description sums up the new EP from Russian band Малыш Камю in its entirety. I normally berate the use of the ukelele but my ears make an exception over the course of these four delicate and haunting dreampop/ambient pop tracks. The highlight for me is … Continue reading Малыш Камю – Луна
Dummy’s first EP was something of a triumph as it blended various styles together to create a telling moment. Can they keep it up on their second EP? Why of course they can! EP2, which is mostly home-recorded using freeware and a smartphone, opens with the slow-burning Thursday Morning complete with some lovely effects from buzzing, crackling wires and what sounds like a musical box … Continue reading Dummy – EP 2
The new single from New York’s Lightning Bug is a magical moment for these ears. The Onely Ones mixes dreampop, shoegaze with ambient and experimental music. They then push the boundaries out even further on The Lonely Ones which ventures deeper into ambient territory which includes some “dubby” moments alongside bursts of white noise. There is no need for me to gush any further as … Continue reading Lightning Bug – The (L)onely Ones
There are a few bands that operate outside imposed boundaries and constraints – self or otherwise. Of the top of my head, bands such as Haiku Salut, The Leaf Library and more recently Dummy fall into that group. I can now add Swedish band Hey Elbow into that mix. Late to the party as ever as the band have been going for a few years … Continue reading Hey Elbow – Nurture/Aptitude
The new track from Vancouver based Palm Haze revisits David Bernstein’s 80’s-era ballad You Walk Away. Never having heard the original basis of this song I got stuck in. Musically Walk Away is fuzzy, distorted and atmospheric whilst the vocals are restful but sorrowful. As for the original. Nah. I couldn’t be bothered to find it as my guess would be that it would spoil … Continue reading Palm Haze – Walk Away
Pale Skies, who hail from Tangerang (Indonesia), cheekily tagged themselves in a twitter thread I had going on the recent Bandcamp Friday. Normally I ignore unsolicited contact but in this case I was intrigued enough to give them a listen*. Before I go on I had better set the scene because I am currently revisiting David Toop (ex Flying Lizards) and Virgin’s Ocean Of Sound … Continue reading Pale Skies – Larung Memori
Early Morning Abstract from Brisbane’s Relay Tapes is the follow up to 2018’s Semblance EP. The band delve into a range of influences ranging from ambient to shoegaze in order to create a range of really strong songs. The ambient opener Theme 42 has some drone textures woven in whilst In The Ground opens with some kosmische sounds, slowly building with layers of repetition but … Continue reading Relay Tapes – Early Morning Abstract
Dummy, the band led by ex Wildhoney member Joe Trainor, have released their self titled debut EP. It’s a great blend of styles featuring noise pop, shoegaze, fuzzy guitars, drone and ambient not to mention some psychedelic pop. Lead track Angel’s Gear has that in abundance, wowing me back in January and I have been waiting for this EP ever since! The kosmische influenced Avant-Garde Gas … Continue reading Dummy – Dummy EP
Colchester’s The Angel Makers have moved into ambient territory on their new single which they describe as an “isolation mini mix tape for your quarantine dreams”. Opener Deliquesce sounds like an ambient remix of Slowdive’s Souvlaki Space Station with atmospheric sounds that encompasses the listener. Crystallize adds more textures and tones but the result is the same, as the track gives an affect of drifting … Continue reading The Angel Makers – Deliquesce/Crystallize
