benzolnye mertvecy - 2010 - soot

Noise Rock

[FOR FREE]

http://benzolnyemertvecy.bandcamp.com/

• 7 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: sujetno, kobalt

English

Merciless, fast, and noisy. That's how to describe the songs on 'Soot', the album from benzolnye mertvecy. If thrash metal or noise are not your sound, and I'd suspect for a good many of you that is the case, just walk away now. This will not likely change your mind. However, if aural freakouts straight out of a psychotic episode are your thing, then have you stumbled upon a gold mine dear reader. Brash guitars, terrifying vocals (and other sounds I dare not even try to describe) are held together by a rhythm section that goes for broke like their very lives depended on it. It takes quite a lot of talent to sound like a cacophony of noise and instruments being tortured and still come out melodically interesting. For seven relentless tracks benzolnye mertvecy manage just that. “kobalt” sounds like Primus might have snuck in and recorded 6/8ths of the song before benzolnye realized what was happening and tore the place apart in response. At the same time it also shows the band are quite capable of more than pure noise and playing as fast as humanly possible when they want to. It's a quick breather before the wind gets knocked out of you again. Before you realize it, the album's done. It's short, it's fast, it's noisy, and it's a heck of a lot of fun..

Gravy Indie Union - 2011 - Out For Lunch

Synthpop/Rock

[FOR FREE]

http://gravyindieunion.bandcamp.com/

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

English

A caveat before we get started: I don't speak Spanish, so lyrically the EP is a complete mystery to me. With that out of the way, lets talk about Gravy Indie Union's EP, “Out For Lunch” shall we? Right out of the gates this is an EP of infectious energy waiting to get out. At just over 14 minutes, 'Out For Lunch' will have your butt rocking the dance floor or anywhere you happen to be with its catchy as all get up indie dance rock. The four tracks on 'Out For Lunch are absolutely soaked in synth and covered with buttery vocals, with a bass so fuzzed out it probably needs to shave by the time the last track, Anana, wraps things up. Tracks 2 and 3; Diskette and Olvidame respectively lean more towards 'rock' than outright dance music, with guitar driven melodies that use synth to accentuate the atmosphere more than create it from the ground up. Unless the lyrics go completely against the vibe of the music, Gravy Indie Union have created the soundtrack for spontaneously breaking into dance basically wherever you happen to be. The vocals being as intoxicating as they are will only make the urge to grab a partner and get down to the music that much greater. I'd listen to a song of the singer reading the phone book with that voice. If you're prone to breaking into an 80's movie dance montage, I suggest you not put this on while driving. Otherwise, Gravy Indie Union's 'Out For Lunch' comes high recommended.

Synthcake - 2011 - Musicophilia

Synthpop

[FOR FREE]

http://synthcakemusic.bandcamp.com/

• 7 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: Musicophilia, House Love Ground, Red Raw

English

These songs are a perfect example of how to turn disharmonious synthesizer tunes into incredibly catchy songs. The first song especially was bound to be annoying pretty soon, due to the over use of one word repeated over and over and over again. I expected to be fed up with this rather special style of music rather sooner than later, but this point simply never came, which speaks volumes regarding the overall quality and variety of this record. That first song "Musicophilia" is probably even due to its features the best possible choice as opener, as it eases the listener into the quirky and haunting tunes of Synthcake with an extremely memorable and hummable backdrop. Another very remarkable song is "House Love Ground", which definitely would fit right in in a goth opera or musical (Think Repo! The Genetic Opera), not unlike many of the other songs. I think the general musical mixture of Goth Opera song direction and haunted Halloween tunes is definitely underused, and these songs are nothing else but refreshingly different, original, yet unbelievably catchy due to the addition of an equally enchanting and bewitching female lead singer. "Musicophilia" will drag you into depths of pop you didnt even know existed, putting a spell on you not many will be able to resist. Only question left is why the outro is right in the middle of the record (only available after download). Be aware of this record, even the track sequence is haunted!

Ben Seaward - 2011 - A Matter Of Moments

Pop/Rock

[FOR FREE]

http://benseaward.bandcamp.com/

• 8 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: Expectations, Can't Help

English

This is a musical project that still might be in active development. I downloaded the album a while ago, and when checking up on it today, I noticed 3 more songs have been added. Nice surprise! The 2 most catchy and easily accessible songs are right in the beginning, which was a good idea to get people interested. Half of the songs are rather laid back pop songs, which is a bit unfortunate since the other songs with their accentuated electronic and guitar parts definitely stand out as being the more catchy and striking songs. I also got the impression that Ben Seaward tried to push too much different musical styles onto one record, without considering that those different styles might not have the same crowd to like them. "Know How" and "You came after me",with their rather special sound effects, especially stand out as tracks that have a certain 80's pop feeling to it that doesn't really go well with the other songs and will probably alienate people who continued listening after the interesting album openener and the follow up song. Still overall easy listening worth a listen or two, especially for these first songs and who knows, he still might be adding more interesting tracks, so keep an eye on his Bandcamp if you like what you heard so far.

The TV People - 2011 - The TV People

Industrial Noise

[FOR FREE]

http://tvpeople.bandcamp.com/

• 5 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: #1B, #4

English

Noise is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. I would normally count myself among those tea drinkers. The TV People however have added just enough structure and melody, if you can call it that; to this eponymous album that it's a decent listen. Some noise albums go for broke, throwing as much noise on top of noise as possible, making for a difficult listen. Not the case here. The TV People go for a more stripped back approach (stripped back for industrial music anyway). If Nine Inch Nails only had keyboards and a drum kit, and a guitar to use only for feedback, it might sound a little something like this. Half of this album is carried by simple, pulsating drum rhythms. Or what I interpret as drums, it's hard to be sure really. The other half is fuzzed out keyboards that layer on top of each other with just the right amount of noise and crunchy feedback filling the cracks to keeep things varied. The atmosphere here is one of paranoia and psychosis, perhaps these TV People shun their own namesakes. And then just to throw you for a loop, #4 ends with a sample that comes completely out of left field. Yet it seems a fitting end for 15 minutes of pounding industrial noise. as if the band is saying "You can stop looking over your shoulder, it's just the TV..."

Jazz Funeral - 2011 - Jazz Funeral

Alternative Rock

[FOR FREE]

http://jazzfuneral.bandcamp.com/

• 13 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Sati, Peasant Blues, Absalom!

English

What better way to help ring in the fall than with a band with 'funeral' in the name. As for 'jazz'? This group is assuredly more at home in the alternative pop rock world than it is leading funeral processions in New Orleans. Much like the oncoming seasonal shift, the album is filled to the brim with a sort of melancholy. A longing for sunnier days, a deep seated uncertainty over futures ahead. And yet, despite the dour lyrics; the album is filled with sing-along choruses and catchy hooks that you can't help but tap your foot two. If you're not swimming in nostalgia, nodding your head to the beat by the time 'Wolves' starts rolling, with its country-twinged guitars, you've missed the boat. In fact the best parts of this record are when the lyrics get out of the way and let the instruments take centre stage. Synth and marching drum beats on opener 'Marché Funebre (Introduction)', room filling organ on 'Hymn', or the finger snaps and guitar strumming on 'Prayer' provide atmospheric counter-points to the angst-driven arena rock of 'Foxholes' and 'Rosary Beads'. The lyrics may not be your cup of tea, but damn it all if the music doesn't keep you listening just to see what they'll try next.

Sweet Water Pirates - 2009 - Swedish Music in English

Indie Pop

[FOR FREE]

http://sweetwaterpirates.bandcamp.com/

• 4 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: I have no place to go

English

Today I am going to present an interesting and charming little Indie Pop project. As already mentioned in previous posts, people in Sweden seem to breath an air filled with music or something. Way too many incredibly talented people there. If you want to see the potential of those guys, check out the first song. It is a really well made and very catchy pop song, that strikes the right tunes in the refrain to stay in your ear, while having charming intersections with an almost breathed female voice in between. The second song is interesting as well in that they try to change up their sugar-sweet pop style and show that they are able to be more varied. However, when arriving at the third song, the feeling creeps up on me that the band wasn't too sure what to do with their record themselves. It seems to miss any form of musical coherence and simply mashing different music styles together rarely works for a release to create a bit of attention. The 3rd and 4th song are also not nearly as memorable as the first or even the second song. However, all of this doesn't change the fact that I like them enough to present them to you, with especially the first song being strikingly well done.

Ruben Lozano - 2011 - Banda Sonora

Classic/ Instrumental

[FOR FREE]

http://rubenlozano.bandcamp.com/

• 14 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Master of Mind, Suite, Tango

English

This might be one of my favourite instrumental albums ever. As the genre description shows, its not an Electronica Instrumental LP, which I come across relatively often these days, but a record filled with classically instrumented pieces of music inspired by modern pop/rock compositions. It also seems that Banda Sonora was a one man project, which is amazingly remarkable since I cant wrap my head around the idea of one guy being able to play piano, violin, flute, an instrument that sounds like a xylophone and probably 1 or 2 instruments more I couldn't identify, and bringing them in harmony. Not only that, but also conveying emotion, mostly deep, melancholic and sad, with just touch of comfort, if at all. If you let this music sink in, it is an exposed emotional ride through your past, past thoughts and thoughtful decisions you encountered. The longer songs, like "Suite" have an especially subtle but lively increase in tension, making sure these tunes will stay with you even after the song ended. It is a bit unfortunate that Ruben Lozano was not able to uncover more, and more diverse parts of his musical self-discovering, but Banda Sonora is still an impressive piece of music, that doesnt dwell within your ears too long and instead goes on to populate your thoughts. Recommended listen for everyone.