Jake Carmichael - 2012 - Piano I

Instrumental piano

   [FOR FREE]

http://jakecarmichael.bandcamp.com/

• 5 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: Inspiration At A Freakshow, Self Destruction Heroin And Heaven, Crystal Cave

English

The piano remains popular among aspiring musicians for a reason: even on its own, it can convey a world of emotions and scenes. If you don’t believe me, just see how much Jake Carmichael does with it in Piano I, which runs less than fifteen minutes in total but crams an impressive amount of substance into that short time. Most of the pieces here are one-offs, short conceptual pieces that play like sketches: “Inspiration at a Freakshow” charms with its impish unpredictability and compelling atmosphere, while “Self Destruction, Heroin, and Heaven” runs at a more contemplative tempo and focuses on layered chord progressions rather than artsy flourishes. Funnily enough, though, the best track here is also the least gimmicky: “Crystal Cave”, which alone takes up over a third of the total running time, finds endless ways to reconstruct its one motif throughout, as the pace shifts from rushed to hushed and the production drifts from cloudy nostalgia to stark lucidity. The result evokes some of ambient artist Eluvium’s finest work—a piece that hides surprising depth in its simplicity and proof of Carmichael’s smart composing skills and expressive, evocative playing. Both are put to good use in this surprisingly sprawling, emotional, and immersive work.

ilovecolour - 2012 - The Wolf

Alternative Rock

[FOR FREE]

http://ilovecolour.bandcamp.com/

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

Impressions

It says a lot about a record if I can't decide on a song to recommend. Usually that happens either when all songs are outright forgettable or, as in this case, when they all are pretty stellar. Sure, there are only 3 proper tracks on this EP after the intro, but damn am I enjoying those songs. Creative without being incoherent and staying true to one sound throughout the record without being boring. The intro track pushes the listener softly into this den filled with densely packed emotions and palpable tension. What follows could very well be the most enjoyable, cohesive and gripping track sequence I've heard all year. They manage to keep the tracks interesting in themselves as well, for example with well timed intrumentational breaks, the inclusion of a wind instrument sound that surprisingly fits very well or the use of hauntingly striking drumming sequences that reminds you of your foreignness to this world.Even though there are many details to like here, I found the screaming voice parts a bit jarring at first, need to admit that that ilovecolour do a pretty nice job of integrating those into the sound and overall theme of the record, though. You might feel uneasy at first stepping into a seemingly creepy den filled with secrets, but in the end it will win you over with its its extraordinary and irresistable charm, leaving you to howl with the wolves. Hard not to recommend.

The Miracals - 2011 - Give Me A Chance

Surf pop

   [FOR FREE]

http://thesmiles.bandcamp.com/album/give-me-a-chance

• 5 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Give Me A Chance, Pretend

English

It might be just my own issues speaking (and if so, I blame the onslaught of boy bands), but any musician that refers to a girl as “girl” is beginning to sound extremely suspect to me. In real life, people who use that term without irony are usually the same people who get arrested for loitering in front of the McDonalds next to the local juvenile detention facility. What I’m saying is that in order to stay in my good graces after using that word which shall not be sung, you have a damn high bar to clear. You basically have to be about as good as The Miracals: yes, the person whom these guys are asking for their titular chance is never specified as anything other than “girl”, but their sentiments are irresistible due to their beautiful harmonies, twinkling guitar tones, and relaxed sincerity. The target of their affections is a universal, rather than a sexual, construct. Alas, that’s the nagging (if minor) downside of Give Me A Chance: it may be adorable, but its focus gets tiring. When the members of The Miracals suggest that we could “pretend that we’re in love” on the groovy, upbeat “Pretend”, it’s an understated, sweet moment (especially with that gorgeously executed key change at the end), but then they hammer the theme of young love throughout four more songs; by the time they implore, “My girlfriend, love me so / My girlfriend, please don’t go,” on the closer “Girlfriend”, complete with acapella harmonies, cynical minds may sustain eye injuries from rolling theirs too far back. To their credit, though, the sugar is tempered with melancholy, moody production, which goes far in alleviating the risk of musical diabetes. And in any case, the bar has been cleared with room to spare. Give these guys their chance and make sure to brush your teeth after the prom.

PrismViews - 2012 - Feel the Drip

Techno

[FOR FREE]

http://prismviews.bandcamp.com

• 14 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: People Of The Night

Impressions

I'm sitting here, two days before Halloween, and PrismViews Feel The Drip is coming out of my speakers after attending a “zombie disco” party on the weekend. This LP would have been perfect for it. It's Detroit techno by way of disembodied disco, 13 tracks of distorted singing over ice-cold beats (that drum machine must have ice breaking off it with every clack). Some of these vocals sound like desperate cries in the night, the kind you'd hear coming from the darkness of an alley late at night or you imagine come from a graveyard on a full moon (“Fearlust” especially). The band uses 'witchhouse' as a descriptive, and I was ready to write them off as crazy. The lyrics might be a bit creepy/cheesy, but where's the deep bass and in your face synth? It's there, but not in the same ham-fisted combo most witch house blasts across every song. As the soundtrack to a visual installation these tracks make a lot of sense, at least to me. I can picture all kinds of crazy video and performance pieces being engulfed by Feel the Drip. On their own they though, the songs do lack some punch that a performance would provide. The middle third or so of the album (“Memory Loss – Wizard”, “Levitation”) definitely sounds like a chunk of the music has been excised so as to not overwhelm some unseen and unheard party to the proceedings. “Synthetic” and “Gold Velvet” have 'video collage' written all over them. If one doesn't mind the shift in sound those songs take, and admittedly they're a decent respite from constant bass throb, Feel the Drip might just be your techno disco treat. Halloween and performance art not required.

Aaron Larson - 2012 - hepburns, part I

Folk/ Pop

[FOR FREE]

http://aaronlarson.bandcamp.com/

• 5 songs to download
• For free
• Direct Download
• Listening recommendations: Spring Girls, Worst Of Friends

Impressions

This right here, gets my vote for the most misleading album cover this year. After all, who would expect a Dinosaur to star a serene pop folk record talking about the trivial things in life. The topics touched on hepburns, part I are anything but the metaphorical dinosaur on the street. While the whole world talks about that dinosaur strolling around leasurely through the neighbourhood, Aaron Larson tells you about the connection to dear family members, unreachable beauty or special friendship relations. His lyrics are quite poetic really and the image of someone finding the "means to wink and tip his hat as a spring girl walks on down the street" will stay with me long after the record stopped repeating for this review. The style of music isn't all that unusual and listeners won't find anything overly surprising here, even though I'd argue that Worst of Friends is an endearingly enchanting track that was definitely worth finding this album for. Unfortunately, the record isn't quite holding up to that until the end and loses its spell during the last 2 songs which feel a bit too repetitive and dont have the same emotional impact the first 3 tracks have. Overall, its still a very endearing record that fans of slower pop and folk music should give a listen to.

Sonic Spank - 2011 - Setlists & Sextapes, vol​.​1: Live in Athens, GA

Electronic Jazz

[FOR FREE]

http://sonicspank.bandcamp.com/album/setlists-sextapes-vol-1-live-in-athens-ga
http://sonicspank.bandcamp.com/album/drama

• 9 songs to download
• You name the price (min 0,-)
• You get the link if you register your email address
• Listening recommendations: Nutbuster, She Fades Away, Butterflies

Impressions

This record is obviously an evolution of the Daft Punk sound (centered around a Something about us remix), which they are largely successful with. What you'll be familiar with are the Daft Punk-like electronic solos that replace vocals, while the monumental song length is a unique touch to the sound. Fortunately, they manage to keep the songs still interesting with constant catchy and diverse tunes that give every track a new feel to it. I get the impression that they might have been better off with a bit less eclectic mixtures in some of the songs, which drags those songs down that otherwise might have the potential to be true classics of the genre. To be more precise some vocals seem a bit out of place and the pop vocals in other songs are definitely an interesting experiment but might seem a bit jarring at times. However, despite some minor flaws this is a damn fine record that I'll recommend for the variation and catchy tunes. On top of that: being successful in creating their own sound from the Daft Punk blueprint without outright copying it is a pretty great feat in itself.
I was sitting quite a long time on this record and they released the new LP Drama in the meantime, which you definitely should take a look at as well. They moved away from the DP tribute record style and even reimagined some of their best songs from the previous EP (She Fades Away is an amazing track on both records). The newest record is a more rock than electronica, but stands pretty well on its own merits and is more than worth a listen. Check out Maybe this is what I need too. Both records have some minor issues that are more a matter of taste than a real problem with the music, but both are records that I thoroughly enjoy and recommend giving a listen to. Oh and guys, I love your cover artist!