Espers, III

US, 2009.

Espers is a neo-psychedelic folk band from Philadelphia. Their music is reminiscent of late-sixties british folk such as that of Fairport Convention, Pentangle and The Incredible String Band as well as many contemporary folk acts such as Six Organs of Admittance, Marissa Nadler and Nick Castro and as such their work is often lumped in with the so-called new weird america movement or naturalismo as Devendra Banhart preferred to coin it in 2006.

"With new album III just released, Espers have continued to stretch the folk genre. There aren’t many bands who can blend the atmosphere of early Black Sabbath with finger picked acoustic guitars, and electronic flourishes, but this is the swirling domain that Espers so fittingly occupy."

Playlist:

1. I Can't See Clear
2. The Road of Golden Dust
3. Caroline
4. The Pearl
5. That Which Darkly Thrives
6. Sightings
7. Meridian
8. Another Moon Song
9. Colony
10. Trollslända

Link.

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Marissa Nadler, Ballads of Living and Dying

US, 2004.

Marissa Nadler is an American folk musician. Nadler studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she began her performing career after writing songs for many years. Nadler writes strange, yet classic, melancholy songs. Her voice is often bathed in a wash of reverb and space echo and creates a ghostly, atmospheric feeling to the music.

Playlist:

1. Fifty Five Falls
2. Hay Tantos Muertos
3. Stallions
4. Undertaker
5. Box of Cedar
6. Bird Song
7. Mayflower May
8. Days of Rum
9. Virginia
10. Annabelle Lee

Link.

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Balmorhea, River Arms

US, 2008.

Balmorhea is a band formed in 2006 in Austin, Texas. Their sound is a mix of post-rock, ambient, classical and acoustic sounds. Really nice stuff that vaguely reminds me of Hammock, Ólafur Arnalds and Bosques de mi Mente.

Playlist:

1. San Solomon
2. Lament
3. The Summer
4. The Winter
5. Greyish Tapering Ash
6. Baleen Morning
7. Barefoot Pilgrims
8. Context
9. Process
10. Divisadero
11. Limmat
12. Theme No. 1
13. Windan Sea
14. San Solomon (Reprise)

Link.

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Profondo Rosso, Rue Bara

France, 2008.

"Inspired by the world of movie soundtracks, Profondo Rosso develops an instrumental music that ranges from folk songs to electrified tracks – as such as those one can hear in film noirs. The name of the band comes from the original title of the 1975 Dario Argento’s movie, Deep Red."

Playlist:

1. Au Vélodrome
2. Estivale
3. 08:34
4. Pourmenadenn Ar Bonedoù Ruz
5. Prémonade
6. A La Belle Étoile
7. La Plaine Électrique
8. Rue Bara

Link.

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A Backward Glance On A Travel Road, Self-Titled

France, 2009.

A Backward Glance on a Travel Road is a project born out of the progressive metal group Hypno5e. This work is, however, entirely acoustic, "while keeping the progressive and epic feel, mood swings from haunting to hopeful, and guitar tones as deep as the abyss".

Playlist:

1. Regular Barbary
2. Falling
3. Johny Got His Gun
4. In Absentia part I
5. In Absentia part II
6. Hier Régnant Désert
7. Approximativement Moi

Link.

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Stroszek, Songs of Remorse

Italy, 2007.

Stroszek is the acoustic project from Frostmoon Eclipse guitarist Claudio Alcara, playing music in an acoustic/folk-metal vein. "Songs Of Remorse" is built upon carefully strummed minor-key acoustic guitars, deliberate yet restrained piano lines, bursts of textured heaviness and deep, lush, cleanly-sung vocals that relay a sense of dread beneath the surface.

Playlist:

1. A Nightwalk In Partille
2. Color Of The Street
3. The Night Porter
4. The House Told Me
5. Stones In My Throat
6. The Railroad Track
7. Not Even The Half
8. Slow Sleep
9. Was It Worth The Wait?
10. Wheels To Rust
11. Sand

Link.

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Green Carnation, Acoustic Verses

Norway, released in 2006.
Green Carnation usually play harder prog but, as the title evidences, this is an acoustic album, quite melodic and mellow. If you enjoyed Borknagar's Origin, you'll certainly enjoy these beautiful verses.

Playlist:

1. sweet leaf
2. the burden is mine... alone
3. maybe?
4. alone
5. 9-29-045 (part 1: my greater cause/part 2: homecoming/part 3: house of cards)
6. child's play, part 3
7. high tide waves

Link.

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Borknagar, Origin

Norway, 2006.
Borknagar are best known for playing black metal, but this album, Origin, is entirely acoustic and folk. Possibly one of the prettiest albums I've heard.

Playlist:

1. earth imagery
2. grains
3. oceans rise
4. signs
5. white
6. cynosure
7. human nature
8. acclimation
9. the spirit of nature

Link.

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