“Earth, year 2107. …. The average temperature at the surface of the planet raised by 8°C during the ten last decades. Because of its unsustainable heat, he equatorial belt today is improper for inhabitation…”
Picking up where their debut, 2007’s “Weird news from an uncertain future” left off, “Y2112Y” is another twisted journey into the future as Jean-Luc De Meyer see it. “I could have died at three of a unknown malignant virus / I could have died at five of a missile fired by mistake / I almost died at ten during the floodings on Pluto/ At twenty I survived the bombings of the cosmic war / I should have died at thirty when a meteor struck the earth / I nearly died at forty when my spaceship crashed on Mars / But I’m alive today to start my second century”.
And if 32crash doesn’t ring the bell, the name of Jean-Luc De Meyer (the voice of the legendary Belgian EBM band Front 242, but also of several other projects) should. At least if you’re interested in the electro-industrial are of music. Read more 32crash – Y2112Y (2011)
experimental
Animals As Leaders – Weightless (2011)
Tosin Abasi’s Animals As Leaders are back. Scheduled to be released on November 8, the 12 new tracks of “Weightless” picking up where they left off with their 2009 self-titled debut album.
Cutting edge riffs and fleet-fingered solos, the energy full explosion of metalcore and matchcore with the spacy pulse and smoothness of classic progressive rock and metal acts merging different approaches and sounds from Rush to Dream Theater, but adding to it a fresh and powerful breath, Animals As Leaders became soon one of the most critically acclaimed metal act.
I’m still not an unconditional supporter of instrumental rock/metal albums (and bands), but I have to admit, Animals As Leaders have some interesting moments, managed to avoid cliches and patterns, delivering good songs and not exclusively technically brilliant self-exposures. Scaling form metalcore to jazz, “Weightless” is a power and colorful release. Read more Animals As Leaders – Weightless (2011)
Jennifer Lo-Fi – Noia (2011)
“Troffea” starts as an indie fueled jazz song, complex rhythmic constructions, powerful vocals and smooth guitar works build up an interesting, but dizzy song. Jennifer Lo-Fi? Inspired and catchy name for a newcomer band.
“Neveo” follows in a more conventional manner, if we can admit as conventional a mixture of power pop and indie rock aromas and psychedelic rock resonances with some tasty Brazilian spices. “Ovos” starts as a rock ballad with indie, blues and jazz infusions, they simply shifting from one thing to another, playing tight, energy full and from smooth and hypnotic themes they get violently hardcore. Impressive. And the best is yet to come. Read more Jennifer Lo-Fi – Noia (2011)
Dirk Geiger – Second Life (2011)
Second life… half life… ain’t life at all? Difficult to be extremely precise, we’re living kind of interesting times and well, interesting is also the music of Dirk Geiger and this collection of remixes by 14 talented electronic artists, so this is quite an opportunity and we’ve got both: the interesting universe of Geiger, but also the reinterpretation of some fellow electronic artists. Even further, you can download also for free – “name your price” (I’m priceless! 😀 ) – this release from the Tympanik Audio’s official web site.
Geiger’s world is gloomy and contorted, subtle dark layers and distorted glitcherings are bring to the surface a dark, but pulsing universe. This is a post-industrial area of the music filled with cinematic soundscapes, post-psychedelia and percussive noises, a world of modern isolation and cold desperation. Still, Geiger is full of colors and life, he’s music is intelligently build and subtly driven, groovy and vibeful merging of hard and smooth counterparts. Read more Dirk Geiger – Second Life (2011)
Dub Trio – IV (2011)
Their 2004 debut album “Exploring the Dangers of” was literally recorded as a live-dub experiment and the band managed to deliver their own unique interpretation of dub and push it further to the another level of an art form. DP – Dave Holmes (guitar & keyboards), Stu Brooks (bass & keyboards) and Joe Tomino (drums & Melodica) break down the walls between raggae, dub, electronica, rock, punk and heavy metal to bring to the surface their own powerful and breathing music.
Although I’m generally avoid any instrumental rock album because I consider them usually kind of meaningless and boring, Dub Trio have some kind of secret magic power, have that primal, ancient and natural force to keep your interest constantly high, to crush you down with their massive sound and expressive compositions. Read more Dub Trio – IV (2011)
Lou Reed and Metallica – Lulu (2011)
Metallica got a new lead singer or Mr. Lou Reed hired a metal band? This might be the clash of the titans, the collaboration of the millennium or a collision and disaster. The first sing released on YouTube, “The View”, in late September 2011, got up to date (and counting) 856,775 views from which 11,433 are dislikes and only 4,050 likes. One user wrote: “You’re know what I can’t wait for ? Willie Nelson and Slayer!!!!!!!!” Clash of the generations and styles? It’s kind of odd, after all these years and attempts of eliminate the genre limitations (in music I mean 👿 ), the audience seems to deliberately refuse any “violation” of the comfortable boundaries. I hear pretty much recently that idiograma “think outside of the box” while our parents, teachers, friends, politician, economists, priests and preachers, bosses and co-workers, the media, the internet (if someone consider it the closest person to him 😀 ), in less words, everybody and everything, pushing us back inside the box. The most obvious example is the Facebook. Instead taking advantage of the multitude of the internet (outside the box), most of the people are staying more and more captive exclusively on Facebook (inside the box). Talking with ex high-school lovers, growing sheep at virtual farms, read the news, giving likes to stranger’s cats or listening music, Facebook took over and for many becomes the internet itself, even further, the home and the family, the whole universe. Our feelings resume to giving – or not – likes superficially to “things” because we’re never leave that place, never dive beneath the surface. Any box is a prison and ladies and gentlemen, don’t matter what, I won’t imprisoning myself by free will ever! Read more Lou Reed and Metallica – Lulu (2011)
Brazda Lui Novac – Dizzy (2011)
It took almost 13 years since Victor made up his mind and last year he released his first self-titled album, although, previously he released several EP-s and featured on several other compilations and releases. “Dizzy” follows surprisingly soon, and this time Victor further down deeper into the dark side of IDM, the new album explores a more cinematic and subtle area of electronic music, actually this is not even close some dancing music, but food for thoughts – and spirit.
“Dizzy” will be released on Raumklang Music, Thursday, on October 20th at The Silver Church Club in Bucharest, Romania starting at 21 PM, local time.
The big release party will featuring 3 live acts and DJ set including Luntaire, Dirk Geiger and Matze with a DJ set. At the location will be on sell not only the fresh album by BLN, but also the previous self-titled album – first physical release, previously available exclusively in digital format on various online music stores -, different merchandises, but Read more Brazda Lui Novac – Dizzy (2011)
Tom Waits – Bad As Me (2011)
It’s been seven years since “Real Gone” (2004) and ladies and gentlemen, Tom Waits are back and he’s brutally fresh. “Chicago” is a noisy opening track with garage rock pulse and horn-fueled cabaret rock after-taste and the whole album flows glowing and pumping, it’s like a radiography of Wait’s whole career and his best moments projected into the future. If “alternative” and “avant-garde” rock actually means something, then Tom Waits makes sense. Nowadays nothing means anything and nothing make sense, except commercials and music is nothing, but ultimately additional accessory to our iPods. And this is the world we use to say we’re against, but we’re accept it. Tom Waits said sometimes ago: “Apparently, the highest compliment our culture grants artists nowadays is to be in an ad ideally, naked and purring on the hood of a new car”, and he added: “I have adamantly and repeatedly refused this dubious honor.”
There’s no room for artificial intellectual bullshit, for faking alternatives. If you don’t actually feel it, better… “Get Lost”. 😀 Read more Tom Waits – Bad As Me (2011)
Trunks – On The Roof (2011)
“Hardfiscurry” is one of the most glowing and exciting record opener track I heard lately. It has an excellent and tensioned groove and something quite hypnotic which keeps you nailed for everything what’s coming up next. “Screaming Idiots” kicks out as a punk rock anthem, but the screaming saxophone reminds me of Morphine and shift the mood from Crass to Last Exit. Trunks is one of the best bands I had the pleasure to listen recently, they are alive and do not fit in into the trendy patterns. And each song is a different path into another universe.
As they say, they are not actually a band in the classic sense, but more a creative collective building music and gathering around the poetry of Jack Kerouac. Read more Trunks – On The Roof (2011)
Matt Stevens – Relic (2011)
I admit, I didn’t listen to Matt Stevens previous works and quite honestly, I’m kind of “scared” of instrumental rock music because generally speaking it’s quite predictable and boring. Obviously this is not a “politically (or ethically) correct” supposition, but still, don’t matter how sad it is, it’s still true. Well, Matt seems to be very determined to prove me otherwise and listen to “Relic”, his third and latest solo release, I had the surprise to discover that we think and feel in very similar ways about music even if we came from and we’re chosen to go down on different paths. And there’s another fact too: I hate guitar solos as well, because – again, generally speaking – they are nothing, but tasteless fill-ups and egocentric showing-ups. Last, but not at least, I defies genres. There’s nothing stupider than imprisoning yourself in some particular box. And Matt Stevens defies genres as well, his music is colorful, borderless and ageless, breathing and very alive, spacy and intense, subtle and powerful. The bottom line is that Matt delivering music and not only some “musical product” or some “background noise for a few moments of our life”. Matt plays straight from his heart to our soul. Matt’s play seems effortless and joyful, playful and still profound, very expressive. Much more, you can download even for free – “name your price” – “Relic” from Matt’s Bandcamp page, Read more Matt Stevens – Relic (2011)
