Under Byen, Alt Er Tabt

Denmark, 2010.

"The Danish band Under Byen (Danish for "Below the City") produce their own unorthodox interpretation of rock. Their soundscape is dominated by piano, cello, violin, electrically-distorted saw, organ, drums, percussion and the very distinctive and intense vocal of leadsinger Henriette Sennenvaldt. Under Byen’s music may best be described as a combination of rhythmic pop music and of a more avant-garde compositional soundscape."

Playlist:

1. 8
2. Territorium
3. Alt Er Tabt
4. Således
5. Ikke latteren men øjeblikket lige efter
6. Unoder
7. Konstant
8. Er noget smukt glemt findes det muligvis endnu
9. Kapitel 1
10. Protokol

Link.

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Guano Padano, Self-titled

Italy, 2009.

"Guano Padano’s music is a kind of road movie, unfolding between the scorching asphalt of Highway number 4 and the juicy smells of the peasant festivals so common in the Pianura Padana. It’s a dreaming mixture of rock, psychedelia, folk and country, jazz improvisations and Morricone hints."

Another steal from soundweave, this album is definitely worth checking out, especially if you like'd like to hear Secret Chiefs 3, Ennio Morricone and Dick Dale combined.

Playlist:

1. Guano Padano
2. A Country Concept
3. El Divino
4. Epiphany
5. Bull Buster
6. Ramblin' Man
7. Jack Frost
8. Del Rey
9. Danny Boy
10. Tromp Valley
11. El Divino (Alternate Version)

Link.

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Ólafur Arnalds, "...And They Have Escaped the Weight of Darkness"

Iceland, 2010.

Ólafur Arnalds (born 1987) is a multi-instrumentalist and producer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland. Mixing strings and piano with loops and edgy beats, Ólafur Arnalds' music crosses over from classical to pop.

Playlist:

1. Þú Ert Sólin
2. Þú Ert Jörðin
3. Tunglið
4. Loftið Verður Skyndilega Kalt
5. Kjurrt
6. Gleypa Okkur
7. Hægt, Kemur Ljósið
8. Undan Hulu
9. Þau Hafa Sloppið Undan þunga Myrkursins

Link.

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Valravn, Self-titled

Denmark, 2007.

The first album by Danish folk/electronic band, Valravn. A bit more folkish than the following release, but still well worth listening.

Playlist:

1. Hedebys
2. Drømte Mig En Drøm
3. Krummi
4. Svend I Rosengaard
5. Marsk
6. Vallevan
7. Under Bølgen Blå
8. Olavur Riddararos
9. Kom Alle Væsener
10. Bialowieska
11. Harra Pætur Og Elinborg

Link.

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Mooncake, Lagrange Points

Russia, 2008.

Many a month ago (ok, it was in February) someone requested some Mooncake. I apologise for the delay and hope you enjoy this really cool instrumental band from Moscow.

Playlist:

1. Nine Billion Names... (to A. Clarke)
2. L2
3. Message From Arecibo
4. Rain In The Ashtray
5. L1
6. 444
7. Novorossiysk 1968
8. L4
9. Mandarin
10. L3
11. The Horizons
12. L5
13. Short Stories Of Methuselah Tree

Link.

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65daysofstatic, We Were Exploding Anyway

England, 2010.

"The band's fourth album, We Were Exploding Anyway, was released on 26 April 2010. First reviews of the album state that the band is going further away from the post-rock sound of their beginning and turning toward an electronic style, using more synthesizers and less electric guitars and live drums."

Playlist:

1. Mountainhead
2. Crash Tactics
3. Dance Dance Dance
4. Piano Fights
5. Weak4
6. Come to Me" (featuring Robert Smith)
7. Go Complex
8. Debutante
9. Tiger Girl

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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Microfilm, The Bay Of Future Passed

France, 2009.

Microfilm is a french band created in 2003 by musicians coming from various musical backgrounds and bands such as Gum, Seven Hate and Myra Lee. The result of their meeting is an instrumental music including audio and video samples and is often described as post-rock in the vein of Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky and From Monuments To Masses.

Playlist:

1. Brute Force
2. Blood Sample
3. State & Island
4. The Bay of Future Passed
5. Devant Nous, Rien
6. Dernière Séquence
7. Combinaison
8. Blood Sample (feat. Antoine Delavaud)

Link.

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Dorena, Holofon

Sweden, 2009.

Dorena is a Swedish post-rock band formed in 2007 by 5 guys spread around the city of Gothenburg. "Holofon", the band's debut, is still an exceptionally well-made album with amazing ambient/atmospheric rock parts.

Playlist:

1. Fantasia
2. Till Våning Tretton
3. Solen Har Förblindat Mig
4. Tiden Gick, Men Utan Oss
5. I Huset Jag Växte Upp
6. En Tonårsromans
7. Dagsländan

Link.

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Gathiens, Nesh

US, 2009.

"Gathiens‘ debut album was written way back in between the spring of 2005 and the summer of 2006, with the majority of it recorded over one weekend down by the beach. After being allowed to gather dust for quite some time, it has finally been brushed off and 2009 sees it receive the proper worldwide release that it so clearly deserves. It is an album that has been lovingly slotted piece by piece into place, like some kind of magnificent sonic jigsaw."

Playlist:

1. Alto Above
2. Connectango
3. Inner Mission
4. Telos
5. Squall
6. Hegira
7. Nesh

Link.

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Irepress, Sol Eye Sea I

US, 2009.

A 5-piece rock band from Sharon, Massachusetts. They began as a very heavy sludge metal, evolving to a sludge-influenced but more progressive, instrumental post-rock. Sounds like a mixture of Rosetta and Giant Squid.


Playlist:

1. Diaspora
2. Rhintu
3. Barrageo
4. Daniel Sen
5. Cyette Phiur
6. Fletchie
7. Adeluge
8. Billy
9. Entanglement

Link.

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Fading Waves, Please Wait

Russia, 2010.

Fading Waves is a one-man post-metal/sludge band from Rostov-on-Don, Russia, formed in 2008 by Lex Maximuk. "Please Wait" combines the intensity of Isis with the atmospheric sound of Cult of Luna.

Playlist:

1. Rush Hour
2. Megapolis Depression
3. Lights On Water
4. Forever Closed
5. No Way Home
6. Flows
7. Waiting For End

Link.

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