Ahem. - 2011 - Adrift EP

Electronica/ Dreampop

   [FOR FREE]

http://ahem1.bandcamp.com/

• 6 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: A Few More Years, Childhood

English

Adrift EP feels less like a coherent record than a record full with experiments and surprises. And like with all experiments, some work out and others don't. Let's just get the bad out of the way right in the beginning. You simply shouldn't start a record with the most inaccessible song available. Gone/Again isn't really a bad song, but it's also not the most convincing song here either. Most people stop listening when stumbling upon unknown musicians if they don't like the first song, which is sad considering what else Ahem. has to offer. This EP is a lovingly created hymn to the imaginative power within us all, convincing the listener to to lie down, catch a breath and slowly drift away from any overly straining thoughts. Song 2 and 3 are the highlights here for me. The second track A few more years is an amazingly catchy and playful track with some spoken vocals, which I highly recommend everyone to listen to. The follow up Childhood shows that the collaboration with Ellen Siberian-Tiger was definitely a worthwhile experiment for the other musician at work here and I highly recommend checking out her other song samples on Soundcloud. Despite its flaws definitely an experiment worth experiencing.

Nathan Pugh - 2012 - Permanent Marker

Trip-Hop

   [FOR FREE]

http://nathanpugh.bandcamp.com/

• 12 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: Night Life, Class

English

That the first track on this album is titled “Filler” may inspire some suspicion in listeners, especially given the fact that the genre Permanent Marker falls under is rife with rehashes of old ideas. Those disillusioned from the start, though, will be rid of those doubts once they hit the play button. Though Nathan Pugh’s bread and butter is right in the wheelhouse of rhythmic, pulsing hip-hop, he imbues his beats with spooky, fun effects and isn’t afraid to divert his attention to his melodies when needed. Tracks like “Night Life” and “Class” exemplify his grasp of balance and atmospherics excellently, as they effortlessly layer trippy, glitch drums over sinister, wailing synths and bone-chilling electronic plinks. The trade-off is that the whole experience doesn’t explode throughout the head so much as it seeps in, and the trek through this nasty terrain is a slower, less galvanizing one as a result. That doesn’t diminish the album’s goals at all, though: Pugh’s music is a cerebral thrill ride once it gets going, and even the slow rise before the peaks is full of wonderful little touches that will have astute listeners in awe. Those who are looking to blow the roof off of the freaking place may be underwhelmed, but those looking for a slightly more subdued thrill have found their soundtrack.

Houdan the Mystic - 2012 - Archer's Jamboree

Psychedelic Rock

   [FOR FREE]

http://houdanthemystic.bandcamp.com

• 7 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: The Men Who Own Evil Laughs, Cosmonaut Falls

English

Rarely does music require me to turn down the level of bass for fear my subwoofer won't survive the journey, let alone last through the first song! That was the case here, as I was getting a sonically-induced breeze at my feet from the first moments of this record and it was awesome. It's like the music had come to life and Houdan the Mystic was playing a show under my desk! Far out indeed. This might not break a lot of new ground for psychedelic rock music, held notes, echo, reverb, crazy pedal effects, but it does sound really, really good and that's what I want from music. There are flashes of exquisitely technical instrument work on display – lot of it on display behind the skins, with drummer Ethan Johnstone keeping things jazzy and fluid. Tell me drums on 'The Men Who Own Evil Laughs' aren't a brilliant display of drum work. Go ahead and try, I'll wait. Of course, given my opening statement, you'd think the bass came in giant, shattering waves. And on some tracks, you'd be absolutely correct. It too gets to shine like the drums and guitar ('Sleeping or Worse', 'Chasing the Strobe'), but when it's not, it's this monolithic wall that blocks out everything else in its wake. To that end 'Ten Bears' stands out from the rest of the album, in that the guitar/bass effects replace proper riffs to create the sound of going backwards (you know, what TV shows and movies use as a 'rewind' sound... Listen, you'll know what I mean) while the drums continue propelling everything forward. It's trippy in a way psychedelic music doesn't usually try to be, but Houdan makes it work. When there is singing, it's almost always harmonies that bring the music back down to reality a bit, since they aren't awash in filters. Kind of a let down in that regard, but not an egregious error, simply a matter of taste in the end. Gather round all ye unbelievers and bear witness to Houdan the Mystic and his psychedelic wonders!.
 

Gulls - 2012 - Down the Hatch

Indie/Surf Pop

   [FOR FREE]

http://gullsband.bandcamp.com/

• 9 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Sleep In The Sun, Wild

English

If you are a regular Wasfuersohr reader, these guys shouldnt be completely new to you, though you might know them better by their main project Magic Man. Magic Man's Real Life Color easily stepped up to be my favourite album last year, so my expectations for a new project from these guys were quite high. Contrary to any expectations I might have had, the sound of Gulls is quite a different affair than Magic Man, which is obvious right from the start. Down the Hatch's albums opener Sleep in the Sun has a very soft and slow pop intro, only to transform into a super fun and driving Indie pop track, reminiscent of the Surfpop music style of Swimming. My initial problem with this record was its lo-fi nature , which gave me a slightly difficult time getting into this record at the beginning, but its hard not to fall for these pure and innocent songs about the most trivial things important to us. If anything, those trivial pleasures are probably the most innocent joy anyone can have, and these songs make a very valid point of how important those moments are to us. So who gives a anything about those songs having a slightly worse quality. They are pure fun and express the fundamental desire to enjoy life. If you didn't get your fair share of sunshine today, take a listen to Gulls' Down the Hatch.

Renaissance Sound - 2012 - Renaissance Sound

Post-rock

   [FOR FREE]

http://renaissancesound.bandcamp.com/

• 4 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Dont Eat My Dwarves, Streets Without Lights

English

Of all the things I love about post-rock, my favorite part of it is all the different facets of music that it touches upon. At its best, it’s a genre of music that can reach stunningly epic peaks without resorting to just loudness or density to reach that high. It’s all about how the songs are crafted, how they can go from subtly off-kilter to obsessively, incredibly catchy to frantically intense in the blink of an eye with just a slight adjustment of course. What does that sum up to? Well, it sums up to something quite similar to Renaissance Sound, as it turns out. The band may come off as slight, but their sound is anything but. It’s packed with sweeping strings, ferocious little drum rhythms, lucid xylophone twinkles, groovy guitar strums, a gaggle of voices, and about a traveling circus’s worth of other instruments. What makes the music stand out, however, isn’t its diversity but its sense of exploration, how it can go from simple and grand moments of sonic bliss to technically astounding showcases that give the whole affair a laid-back, improvisational vibe. It strikes the balance between structure and spontaneity impressively, and the harmony of the two makes for a cohesive yet engaging listen. More than that, though, this is simply joyful music, in the best sense of the word. Though there’s a slightly melancholy tone beneath the layers of sound, the moments where the band just explodes and all of the layers come crashing down are so unexpected and so well-performed that they have a catharsis to them all the same. This is music that spans generations of listeners in its hooks. It’s music for late night thinkers, for movers, for shakers, for dreamers.

Indie Anna Jones - 2011 - Demo EP

indie pop/acoustic

[FOR FREE]

http://indieannajones.bandcamp.com/

• 4 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Bagels, Apple Juice

English

Sometimes, it doesn’t take very much for a song to draw you in. It can be anything: maybe there’s an interesting beat you’re catching on to, or a really insightful melody, or a particularly clever line. For me, that feeling of exuberance and innocence I get when I lose myself in the opening of “Bagels” does the trick: the opening melody is so playful, so airy, that I’m defenseless to its charm. This EP’s appeal can be described in that way; it’s a lightweight, clocking in at fourteen minutes in four tracks, but it steps right in and sets such a welcoming atmosphere that there simply isn’t that much to say. Fans of stripped, acoustic artists should find plenty to like here, whether it’s the simple but effective guitar interplay, earnest and barren production, and the vocals, which never overpower or sink under the music but float along delicately. The lyrics, though taking precedence behind their soundtrack here, fit it well, evoking faint memories and wistful relationships; they may be low-key, but that certainly doesn’t equate to any lack in substance.
There are artists that provoke right out of the gate, that intend to challenge, denounce, and redefine themselves. Then there are the subtler gems, artists that may not be as bold but worm your way into your ears and your heart all the same. While we seek and praise the former all the time (and with good reason), there’s something to be said for the value of the latter as well. So if you’re waiting for a rescue, why not stop for a bit and sniff the flowers…hmm…

The X-Structure - 2012 - Liberation

Downtempo/ Electronica

   [FOR FREE]

http://thexstructure.bandcamp.com/album/liberation

• 7 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: Hopefound The Hero Is Born, Mount Sermon The Good The Bad And The Ugly

English

Why not add more fuel to the electronic fire here on Wasfuersohr? The X-Structure, with their awesome name and Gorillaz-like virtual existence dropped this electronica album late last year, and as I'm reviewing this after listening to Agent Whiskers, is the polar opposite in terms of sound. “Liberation” is a concept album (or aspires to be one at least) of a hero liberating a repressed peoples. This is really down-tempo electronic music, meaning you're not going to be blown away by its pace. As the band freely admits on their site; is reminiscent of trip-hop, albeit trip-hop that takes influence from trance and ambient music more than say hip-hop. Whether or not you're drawn into the story of this album is really going to be a matter of personal taste. I can't say that the music necessarily conveyed anything to me or made me picture what the titles imply, outside of the first two tracks, 'Hopefound (The hero is born)' and 'Not Alone (In the wilderness)'. They would work perfectly in any RPG video game opening and as a hero sets off on a the initial quest respectively. Not take away from the music itself, which kept my full attention the entire play length even if I wasn't about take up arms. The X-Structure incorporate serious stylistic flourishes into the mix, not relying solely on synthetic instrumentation. Hopefound and Not Alone really stand out in this regard as strings (acoustic guitar, and what I want to believe in my heart is a harp) are featured prominently in the melodies of both songs. 'Light the World (There's a new sheriff in town)' is filled with a nervous energy that breaks out of its shell by the end like a musical butterfly, while 'Destiny's Crossing (The hero's sacrifice)' is appropriately large and dramatic. It's kind of a shame that The X-Structures put away their bag of extra tricks so quickly, as the rest of the album doesn't quite live up to the heights of the opening even if it's still a great listen beginning to end. Sit back, chill and let The X-Structure's tell their tale. You may not get the story, but you'll groove to the music.

Dan New York - 2012 -Thirst Four

Rock

   [FOR FREE]

http://dannewyork.bandcamp.com/

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

English

This EP from Dan New York might just be an early contender for my Wasfuersohr pick of the year. Yeah, I'm going that far at the end of February/March with this EP. And it was from the first kinetic guitar squeal and workman like drumming on the brash opening track 'Electric Tiger' that I knew this was worth the download and that was before the gorgeous vocals had even jumped into the proceedings. I have an unnatural love for female vocalists in indie rock I guess, and if they meld well with music, it's an extra point towards it. That vocalist Lindsay Stovall seems to be channelling Zooey Deschanel on this track, with a coo to her voice adds to the appeal of her echoing (think one half of She & Him by way of Melissa Auf Der Mar). Of course the next track is nothing like 'Electric Tiger' at all, why would it be? For one, it's dominated completely by Danny Parker's voice and the melancholic whine guitar/vocal that the chorus leans on. 'Big Hits' is so suffocating in emotion that you can't possibly escape its bleakness. 'First Star' and is much more laid back, no slit wrists here. 'Star' is like a sonically interesting Jack Johnson song. Everything from the guitars and bass to the drums and percussion have sunny, happy ... well until the keyboards envelops the whole thing in swirling noise and echoing dissonance (The sound of Death?). Not everyone makes it out the other side, but damn if everyone isn't chipper. Parker and Stovall harmonize nicely about the whole ordeal. The synths on 'Red and Black' really do create the aural sensation of falling in a sort of sinister, childlike way. This may very well be a song of love and lust, but Parker (on his own again) seems somewhat detached from the experience. A little more straight forward rock than 'Hits' or 'Star', but no so much that you're going to pump your fist (lighter on the other hand...) So the first track and the following three aren't all that similar, and the lyrics are a bit dour, “Thirst Four” won't disappoint.

Departures - 2008 - Departures

Instrumental Classical / Post-Rock

[FOR FREE]

http://departures.bandcamp.com/

• 6 songs to download
  
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Patipada

English

I loves me some post-rock, something well established here on Wasfuersohr. I also happen to really like soundtracks, with an affinity for classical and jazz now and then. So boy does Departures bring a smile to my face when it combines elements of all of these things into one discreet package. This eponymous album is structured like a soundtrack to a film that does not exist, with each piece of music encapsulating the feeling and mood from one scene to the next, thought there isn't one musical thread really linking them together. Like a good film score, it's sweeping and grand, the use of actual stringed instruments and not a keyboard really bring the sound some oomph to go along with its epic scale. Now I must say despite my opening sentence, this album is dominated more by classical musical with flares of jazz and post-rock than the other way around. And it sounds terrific when the different worlds audibly mix. 'Patipada' for example is free jazz and post-rock underpinned by violins that would sound great in a New Wave film from the 70's, or a giallo film of the same era. The song is just overflowing with frantic energy (where the wild saxophones are!). Then again at fourteen and a half minutes, it has to be to keep you from losing interest and I guarantee you won't. 'Living Witness' provides a dramatic sweeping finale to the album (forget 'outro') as if the band have to score the lead up to and eventual making of a life altering decision, complete with a barely audible conversations to give things an added amount of gravitas. “Departures” does everything right, and it's not a mix of styles you're unlikely to hear elsewhere any time soon. Here's to hoping Departures the band get to score films in the future. Until then, we've got this album to hold onto.

The Novel Ideas - 2011 - Summer Demos

Indie Pop/Folk Rock

   [FOR FREE]

http://thenovelideas.bandcamp.com/album/summer-demos

• 4 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: On Fire, Artichoke Heart

English

Todays band are making a Indie Pop & Folk Rock mix that is hard to resist. The main topic sung about in basically every song is love and since this isnt quite a novel idea, you may hope that they have something else to set themselves apart from the countless Indie Pop records released every month with the same topic. And indeed they do. While The Novel Ideas also have their fair share of overly dramatic sounding songs (especially on the LP also available on Bandcamp: The Sky is a Field ), they manage to vary their approach to the topic at hand on this EP quite a bit, somehow accomplishing to make a listening not a repetitive, but a rather fun and catchy affair. The best song to be found here is Artichoke Heart which has a fantastic build up, a remarkably well done and distinctive introduction part and expressive lead vocals. The other songs are very well done as well, and I expect them to gather a lot more fans if they continue making music. As a sidenote: They currently have a Kickstarter project running to finance their upcoming album. Its already fully financed, but if you like their sound and if you want to pitch in a few bucks for any of the mentioned rewards, click here. Considering the overall quality and variety of their sound, I really hope their next full album release comes rather sooner than later.