Lonnie in the Garden - Songs From

Folk

   [FOR FREE]

http://lonnieinthegarden1.bandcamp.com/

• 4 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Black Blue

English

“Songs From” is what you want to hear when you pop in a folk rock record. Lonnie in the Garden have a stripped back instrumentation that gives every song a sparse, bluesy sound, perfect for an intimate setting or a smokey bar. Guitar[s], and what sounds like a really jazz-influenced upright bass and drum combination bring this band to life, with a few wonderfully rough edges worn with pride. I don't think this record would work if it was polished to a reflective sheen, it would lack emotional oomph. Thankfully LitG packed enough emotion for the long haul in the singing. The double dose of female vocals from singers Natasha Roberts and Lynne Craven is a unique strength, and the harmonizing between the two is beautiful to hear, even after repeated listens to these four tracks. Lynne Craven has a very feisty R&B sort of sound to her singing that's filled with a sly, knowing confidence that is especially evident on the tracks 'black/blue' and 'Wondering'. It's not riotgrrl snarling, she's not filled with venom, but there is an attractiveness to the power she's exuding that pulls one into the songs that extra little bit. The second track doesn't follow this same pattern musically; as it's a much slower paced ballad, but the lyrics betray who still has the upper hand in this scenario, and it is without a doubt Lonnie. Taking your shit, they will not be, and know about you most certainly will. For four songs of excellent energetic folk, take a trip with Lonnie in the Garden.

Agent Whiskers - 2012 - A Perfect State of Disarray

Electronica

   [FOR FREE]

http://agentwhiskers.bandcamp.com/album/a-perfect-state-of-disarray

• 7 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: New Dawn The World Is Ours, Caretaker Take Me Home

English

We featured a lot of Electronica records this year, but considering the quality of A Perfect State of Disarray, I dont think you'll be mad at us for pushing one more for today's blog update. Agent Whiskers already released 3 releases and his most recent one outshines his other 2 by far, in terms of sound quality, sound diversity, song structure and album cohesion. I do recommend checking out his other two records as well, though, as some of the presented songs are guaranteed to be stuck in your head as well (Few examples: Awaken on The Path Untaken, or Cascade into Supernova on Abstract Forms of Solace).
A Perfect State of Disarray starts off with a very recognizable, maybe even invasive, opening theme, which would have been enough basis for a catchy track on its own merit. However, Agent Whiskers manages to defy any expectation by adding a second, more upbeat, chiptune theme to the mix, creating a track that inherits something that sounds like two opposing and rivaling ideas, that still manage to coexist for a greater good, or sound in this case. This dichotomy is an arrangement he successfully applies to other songs as well, Caretaker (Take Me Home) for example has one of the most stunning inner song transitions I've heard in quite a while. On the topic of transitions: The song to song transitions are remarkably well done as well. Every song immediately flows into the next, resembling a fluent stream of narration guiding the listener instead of single choppy short stories. This release really deserves to be listened as a whole for someone to really experience the great work done here and probably needs more than one listen to reveal all its subtle nuances.  My only gripe for this record is the inclusion of the last song Endgame (As The World Burns), which by itself is a great song, but unfortunately managed to pull me out of the coherent experience and mood set by the songs before. The song features a strong musical rock/metal theme as its aforementioned dividing contrast, which doesn't quite want to fit into the whole experience.
The third record of Agent Whiskers in 8 months basically guarantees we'll hear more from him in the future and I cant wait for more from him or even Remixes of his songs with other artists. While his other two records had some slightly raw feel to it, his newest release is a work of beauty. Driving bass lines, catchy chiptunes and a great diversity in the song selection, or even within a track, definitely assure you won't get bored anytime soon.

Paralelo - Fig.1

Post Punk

   [FOR FREE]

http://paralelo.bandcamp.com

• 4 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: No Has Visto Morir

English

If you've ever wondered what a dark wave rock band would sound like if their post-punk rock music was wedged into a minimalist John Carpenter-style ambient record; Paralelo's “Fig.1” EP would like you to take a quick break, only 6 minutes and 45 seconds will do, and have a listen. You really can't argue with an album that takes less time to get through than it takes you with your morning cup of coffee now can you? [I don't drink coffee, so it make take less time-Editor note]. Minimalism is the word of the day for “Fig. 1”, guitar, bass, drums under a fine mist of synthesizers and keyboards. That being said, you're grabbed instantly into the mist by that opening bass line, at least I am. I'm reminded of the first time I heard Joy Division and their raw, angry energy and a airy, spacious sound (Try to tell me 'Ebrio y estoico' doesn't remind you of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'!). The bass is followed by either the most synthetic-sounding Gregorian choir ever or a keyboard reaching for the very back of a cathedral. The guitar work is quite good here, taking on a more secondary role in most of these songs than you'd here in most post-punk or most rock records in general really. It's working in the background most of the time to help create that spacey atmosphere, not pump out earth shattering riffs. Paralelo don't necessarily have the same slick pacing as Joy Division and their ilk, opting for 'slow and steady wins the race' approach. Go listen to 'Disorder' and then play 'Todo esta bien' , you'll see what I mean. The lyrics, in so far they sink in (they being in Spanish, myself not) are almost hypnotic, being short simple phrases (“Todo esta bien, madre” for instance) repeated a couple times in the middle of each song in a hazy, sleepy sort of tone that lull the listener (you, and me several times now) into a kind of spaced-out daze. Maybe not the best way to start your day, but not a bad way to spend a break.

Madu - 2011 - From The Elders' Yard

Jazz/ Indie Folk

[FOR FREE]

http://madumusic.bandcamp.com/

• 11 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: We Are Many, Killaloe 

English

Madu is many things: soulful, jazzy, ponderous, but funnily enough, their greatest strength is their lightness. For all their levity, the band still pack a pretty hefty punch when they need to, but their primary mode seems to be brassy and tropical, splashed with just a touch of the exotic. Even the artwork is splashed with touches of humor—there’s a different image for every song, and some are hilarious (the one for “The Deceiver” is just a speech bubble with LIES printed over it, while the one for “We Are Many” takes great pains to make sure everybody gets its title). This approach could have led to a fun but fluffy piece of work, but the top-notch vocal work from Aminah Dastan, paired with chilling melodic lines and thought-provoking lyrics, elevates the music to an even higher standard. My biggest concern is related to where Madu go from here, though; at times the album’s focus almost seems a touch too narrow. The instrumentation, though lush and layered, feels derivative because many of the same musical motifs—mellow guitar licks, groovy drum lines, vaguely psychedelic production—are repeated throughout the album’s 11 songs, and at times the whole thing bleeds together a bit too much. That said, what’s on display here inspires a fair amount of confidence. This is a band with much more going on underneath than their breeziness would suggest.

NQS Records - NQS RECORDS #001

Experimental Electronica

[FOR FREE]

http://nqsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/nqs-records-001

• 10 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Eternalpy, Dance Audrey, In The Hall Of The Mountain King

English

Here we have a compilation album from NQS Records that gets its electronic freak on and doesn't look back. “NQS Records #001” is going to find an audience somewhere, but for everyone else, it's like a smorgasbord: a little something for everyone, but too much to tackle it all alone. If you're a fan of old school Nintendo soundtracks and chiptunes, Walt Disney Sweatshirt has got you covered. Not even Trent Reznor can make 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' sound like this. It's probably the 'smallest' the song has ever sounded. John Von Charles, the other artist to appear multiple times on this compilation also spans the most wide range of sounds. 'Jem' is noise, plain and simple, feedback, tape hiss, and light percussion that not only opens the album, but will probably blow your eardrums if you aren't ready for it. He follows that up with the house-y Ei Li Ans-Chat. Of course what would an electronic compilation album be without a shoegaze rock song, let alone Portuguese rap? I can't say because both show up here. The shoegaze doesn't feel as out of place as the rap song does funnily enough, even if it brings the momentum to a complete stand still. I'm sure they're here to show artist variety for the label, and they're competent enough ('Infant Robot Playground' has Sonic Youth on it's sleeve) but they could have been replaced by two other electronic acts to keep things more cohesive. The other nooks and crannies of the album are filled in with ghost house and trance tracks, which ratchet the pace right back up. If you're a fan of a lot of electronic music, you'll probably find something to enjoy here. “Mountain King” has the most obvious appeal to outsiders looking in, so if you're trying to expand your musical palette to include some smaller subgenres of electronic music; start there and see if anything else catches your attention. You may be surprised.

IIIV - Pilgrimage | Ходочашће

Ambient Drone

   [FOR FREE]

http://iiiv.bandcamp.com/

• 2 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: B Side

English

These are the sounds of a long arduous trek through a barren wasteland, where you're completely alone among the elements and the things that lurk in the darkness of your own mind. The EP's [English] title couldn't be more apt, “Pilgrimage”. These two tracks are all about the long haul, as any good ambient drone records should be, since they're both over ten minutes in length. It's a lot of keyboards and percussion at work, creating tense, even suspenseful musical landscapes. One might be inclined to believe the musicians are evoking the sometimes hostile city they're in; hell encroaching on a beautiful calm. 'A Side' ends with the musical equivalent of a chase scene, repeating glitch loops and a constant tapping giving way to a piano repeating the same keys. 'B side' is gospel choirs and walking alone in an endless land surrounded by encroaching storms, only to end with locomotive and militaristic drumming before final judgement rears up to strike you down! This is just me spit balling together the music and the idea of a pilgrimage relating to one and other. It's a strange, but aurally engaging journey to partake in at least. One filled with awe and wonder, but also suspense and an element of darkness to it. This is ambient drone music that isn't relying solely on stretching guitar notes into forever to achieve its musical goals and that alone is worthy of praise, let alone my listening recommendation. Suggestion: Put this on your MP3 player, go for a hike in the woods (or downtown if forests aren't accessible).

Róspoem - 2011 - Carried by Crows EP

Alternative Pop

   [FOR FREE]

http://rospoem.bandcamp.com/

• 6 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Beneath Autumn, The Love

English

I am predicting that this is going to be one of my favourite records this year. Next to the mesmerizing and poetic lyrics and the catchy sound arrangements, the part that will draw you to these songs the most are the irresistable and intimate sung vocals. Despite having vocals, these songs actually fit in better with some ambient pieces in regard to their musical composition, and have a very soothing and all-encompassing feeling to them. The moment you start listening to Carried by Crows you'll be trapped inside a carefully crafted world of wonderful harmonies and poetic images that caress your senses for the next 25 minutes. Every one of these songs manages to capture your imagination in a way I've rarely seen and especially the opener Beneath Autumn invites to drift away to delicately breathed poetry and the underlying soft musical arrangements. I don't have any exact ways to measure the general popularity of an artist but the number of people knowing Róspoem (177 Reverbnation fans? 7 Facebook likes on Bandcamp?) is far lower than the number of fans these guys deserves to have. Beneath Autum and The Love are among the best songs I heard this year so far and I'd be very surprised if I wouldn't find anyone sharing that sentiment.