Cynic, Carbon-Based Anatomy

U.S.A., 2011

Following up on the last post (that was a prog-metal one), we have the recently released EP from Cynic.
Highlights on this one: they dropped the growly vocals, focusing on Masvidal's trembly but melodious and emotional vocals with a more reduced but pleasing pitch-shift here and there. Amazing work from the three founding members, counting on Reinert's beautiful musicality on drums, delicious timbre from Malone on the bass, and Masvidal's great guitar work, sipping on jazz and whatnot.
Apart from the minor fact that a couple of the songs are re-hashes from previous sideproject Æon Spoke, this is a delightful release.


Playlist:
1. Amidst The Coals
2. Carbon-Based Anatomy
3. Bija!
4. Box Up My Bones
5. Elves Beam Out
6. Hieroglyph

Link.

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Kimbra, Vows

Australia, 2011

Amazing artist, amazing voice. Unwilling to span to the kind of clichés spreading throughout the internet about this album, I'll just say it's a very good musical effort, from a very promising young artist who's obviously not afraid to stretch out beyond boundaries. Pop music certainly, but much much more. I'd also advise to check out her music videos.
Ready to let you get under my skin.


Playlist:

1. Settle Down
2. Cameo Lover
3. Two Way Street
4. Old Flame
5. Good Intent
6. Plain Gold Ring
7. Call Me
8. Limbo
9. Wandering Limbs
10. Withdraw
11. The Build Up

Link.

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Renaud Garcia-Fons, Oriental Bass

France, 1997

This is what acoustics classes do to me. Garcia-Fons' music is overwhelming: inciding primarily on a jazz language – and this album being no exception – it is at most times ethnically-influenced and takes up a character of journey due to its themes and their development. The title by itself, helps understanding what elements will figure; handclapping as well as Eastern European and Northern African drumming combined with mediterranean orchestrations with are involving and beatifully played by this gifted composer and double bass player. And watch out for the bowed parts.


Playlist:

1. Oriental Bass
2. San Juan
3. Goodjinns
4. Oryssa
5. Ghâzali
6. Jullundur
7. Hommage à Ostâd
8. Bajo Andalúz
9. Jam Bulería
10. Djâni

Link.

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The Lounge Lizards, Queen of All Ears

U.S., 1998

I really didn't know about John Lurie – or The Lounge Lizards for that matter – until a few days ago on a bus ride where this friend showed me some tracks off of this record. I stood amazed; great rhythmic/melodic constructions and such harmonies that left me staggered.
On the other hand, it is (not just) jazz – whatever that might mean to you – but music which I'm sure you'll find, at the very least, amusing.


Playlist:

1. The First and Royal Queen
2. The Birds Near Her House
3. Scary Children
4. She Drove Me Mad
5. Queen Of All Ears
6. Monsters Over Bangkok
7. Three Crowns of Wood
8. John Zorn's S&M Circus
9. Yak
10. Queen Reprise

Link.

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Noël Akchoté, Alike Joseph

France, 2000

Akchoté is a French guitarist, mostly active in improvisational free jazz & experimental music. Alike Joseph is part of the Joseph trilogy published and released by the defunct Rectangle label and is mainly focused on ambient noise produced with nothing but a guitar and an amplifier, being very well balanced and executed. It is purifying.


Playlist:

1. 3
2. Two
3. 1
4. 00

Link.

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Al Di Meola, Elegant Gypsy

U.S., 1977

Al Di Meola is one of the most acclaimed guitar virtuosos alive, and Elegant Gypsy is a fine essay on latin/flamenco's fusion with lots of jazz and rock seasoning. Feels somewhat refreshing, even in spite of its age.


Playlist:

1. Flight Over Rio
2. Midnight Tango
3. Mediterranean Sundance
4. Race With Devil On Spanish Highway
5. Lady Of Rome, Sister Of Brazil
6. Elegant Gypsy Suite

Link.

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Bohren & der Club of Gore, Black Earth

Germany, 2002.

Bohren & der Club of Gore are a noir jazz band founded in 1992 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. They play a crossover of jazz and ambient, which they self described as an “unholy ambient mixture of slow jazz ballads, Black Sabbath doom and down tuned Autopsy sounds”. Over the years they have continously reduced and compressed their music to extremes.

Playlist:

1. Midnight Black Earth
2. Crimson Ways
3. Maximum Black
4. Vigilante Crusade
5. Destroying Angels
6. Grave Wisdom
7. Constant Fear
8. Skeletal Remains
9. The Art of Coffins

Link.

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Nils Økland, Monograph

Norway, 2009.

Nils Økland is a Hardanger fiddle player from Norway. In spite of being associated with the traditional Norway folk music scene, Nils presents a distinctive style heavily influenced by free jazz.

Playlist:

1. Mønster
2. Pas de deux
3. Kvelartak
4. Horisont
5. Mono
6. Rite
7. Ø
8. Snor
9. Slag
10. Seg
11. Dialog
12. Skimte
13. Nattsvermer

Link.

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Sunwrae, Autumn Never Fall

Australia, 2009.

The exquisite Sunwrae Ensemble perform a grand spectacle of stunning chamber music on piano, vibraphone, string quartet, alto flute, clarinets, harp, double bass & drums. Dynamic, engaging and visually stimulating, Sunwrae stylishly captivate audiences, performing instrumental music by Artistic Director Rae Howell, textured with persuasive rhythms and spectacular improvisation.

Playlist:

1. Autumn Never Fall
2. Chinook Winds
3. Poly
4. The Machine
5. Soluble Sun II
6. Disappointing
7. Drawn Down

Link.

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Interstellar Overdrive, Hibernation

Greece, 2009.

This is a band first formed in Athens in 1999. Their genre is, however, very hard to define: it's somewhere between ambient, experimental, jazz, progressive, indie, folk and alternative rock.

Playlist:
1. Music To Swim In
2. The Man With A Shattered World
3. Sweet Nothings
4. Echo
5. A Short Piece For The Poison-Man
6. Pensees Du Pays Des Milles Automnes
7. Not A Soul Around
8. Nervous Happy
9. Tumulte
10. Gadgetry
11. Music Without Trees
12. Happy Hour
13. Welcome Stranger
14. 32.4 Channels For A Mono Piece
15. Untitled

Link.

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Uniquetunes, 8

Russia, 2009.

Uniquetunes are an instrumental band from St. Petersburg, Russia, whose unique style blends jazz, electronic, downtempo and experimental rock with a 70's-inspired psychedelic mood.

Playlist:

1. 88
2. Paper Shoes
3. Linza
4. Dr. Sartor
5. Mexico
6. Birdy
7. Style Kings
8. Blue Mood

Link.

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Adolf Plays The Jazz, Dirty Waters

Greece, 2009.

Adolf Plays The Jazz are a Greek post-rock band formed in Athens in the year of 2002. They started creating music for soundtracks of films their friends made. Their music combines a 70's art/experimental rock attitude with post-rock, shoegaze and jazz.

Playlist:

1. Dirty Water
2. Ad Funk
3. False Trail
4. Matter of Fact
5. Mos[cow]
6. Black Flags
7. Lush
8. Ungdomshuset
9. No Return
10. Trap
11. Drive

Link.

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Trilok Gurtu, Massical

India, 2009

I have to admit I don't know that much about Trilok Gurtu, except that he is, aside from a world class percussionist, a frequent collaborator of great musicians such as John McLaughlin or Jan Garbarek.
This was an album that got me right away. Sure, it has your usual jazz stuff too, but it is still a beautiful fusion effort. And what a gorgeous cover too.


Playlist:

1. Seven Notes To Heaven
2. Bridges
3. Mumbai Shuffle
4. Havatight
5. Dive In
6. Monk-E-Desh
7. Kuruksetra
8. Pathri
9. Etnosur
10. Massical


Link.

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Guizado, Punx

Brazil, 2008.

Very interesting experimental eletronica/jazz/rock/psychedelic/avant-garde ensemble from São Paulo, Brazil.

Playlist:

1. Vermelho
2. Miragem
3. Maya
4. Areias
5. Rinkisha
6. Coloridos
7. Der Golem
8. Órbitas
9. Sagitariu's Dream
10. Afroka
11. Zonzo

Link.

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The Cinematic Orchestra, Man With A Movie Camera

U.K., 2003

Definitely one of the most amazing albums I have listened to these days. Conceived as an invitation to a soundtrack for the homonymous Dziga Vertov's movie, this alone is sure to take you to a semi-transe of texture flying, or at the very least some amazing daydreaming.


Playlist:

1. The Projectionist
2. Melody
3. Dawn
4. The Awakening Of A Woman (Burnout)
5. Reel Life (Evolution II)
6. Postlude
7. Evolution (Versão Portuense)
8. Work It! (Man With A Movie Camera)
9. Voyage
10. Odessa
11. Theme de Yoyo
12. The Magician (Interlude II)
13. Theme Reprise
14. Yoyo Waltz
15. Drunken Tune
16. The Animated Tripod
17. All Things


Link.

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