The Best Free Netlabel Releases of 2009

[D_Davis]

After an extended leave of absence, I'm back. For good or bad :)

Needed to decompress and get some priorities and projects in order. They are now in order.

Anyhow, thought I'd return with a music list.

The Best Free Netlabel Releases of 2009

2009 is the first year in which I listened to more music released for free than music released commercially. As a matter of fact, there is so much quality music being released for free that I am not purchasing any commercially available music in 2010 - perhaps even longer. The biggest problem with this music is that there is too much being released - it takes a lot of time to evaluate all of the releases. The Creative Commons group of musicians is amazingly talented. As part of that group I've made many good acquaintances this year, and will continue to foster these musical relationships in a number of future projects.

Of course I am lucky that I tend to gravitate towards ambient/electronic/experimental music these days, as these genres are offered in abundance by a huge number of netlabels.

So yes, this list will consist mostly of ambient/electronic music, mostly. So, if that's not your cup of tea, no big deal.

These are really in no particular order except for one which will be mentioned as the Numero Uno release/project of the year. This list is also an ongoing WIP, as I'm still getting caught up on some releases.

Enjoy.

[D_Davis]

Adverb - Monument EP
Netabel - Electronica RU

http://electronicalabel.ru/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/e16_adverb_-_monument_ep_200x200.jpg (http://electronicalabel.ru/2009/08/01/e16-adverb-monument-ep/)

We'll start things out with a bona fide masterpiece. Adverb's Monument EP is a triumph of minimal techno. While The Field gets all the praise (and his stuff is pretty good), Adverb is where it's at. This EP trumps The Field's 2009 release and then some. Minimal techno is all about restraint and precision. Each beat, chirp, blip, note, and hit must be placed in exactly the right place for the right reasons, and Adverb knows how to do this. With carefully composed and structured electronic soundscapes, Adverb creates a lavishly textured atmosphere that sounds futuristic and nostalgic. It's the perfect music for late night quiet time.

Electronica RU has quickly become one of my favorite netlabels, and a number of their releases will be appearing here.

Listen:
Monument (http://www.lastfm.ru/music/Adverb/_/Monument?autostart)

[Raiders]

:pritch:

[D_Davis]

Off Land - Commute
Netlabel - Resting Bell

http://www.restingbell.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rb062_commute-276x276.jpg (http://www.restingbell.net/releases/rb062-commute)

Creating a sense of place, an atmosphere in which the music exists, is an important quality to ambient music. As listeners, it is good to feel connected to the ambient soundscapes thus creating sensory context. Offland's 3-track epic, Commute, does this very well. This album is based upon the artist's hour-long subway commute. It's the length of a single round-trip commute and was composed and arranged around a number of field recordings made of the actual subway trips. While listening to this it is easy to imagine being on a subway, staring out at the world as it zips past your window; a perfect composition for an early fall evening, as the sun is setting and the cold chill of winter hangs crisply on the air.

[D_Davis]

Western Homes - Are Empty
Netlabel - Rack and Ruin

http://www.rackandruinrecords.com/albums/images/rrr134.jpg (http://www.rackandruinrecords.com/releases14.php#album4)

A wonderful little album of whimsical, indie, electro-acoustic-pop. Mixing the best qualities of lo-fi noise, ambient, indie rock, and electronica, Western Homes creates an album that is at once familiar, but altogether fresh and exciting. This is an album that I imagine "the kids" being into, something that Pitchfork or Tiny Mix Tapes might praise if they didn't overlook CC music. It contains a number of short, poppy tunes with good lyrics, acoustic guitars, synth loops, drum machines, and fuzz. It is, in a word, fun.

[D_Davis]

MAAP - MAAP:E1
Netlabel - MAAP Music

http://carlsagansghost.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/maap1-300x300.jpg (http://maapmusic.com/?page_id=13)

The Multiple Artist Ambient Project is something I launched in September of this year, and as only 1/16th of the collaboration, I feel justified in mentioning here, as it could shed some light on some other deserving artists.

This project was started in an effort to foster more creative collaborations within the CC community; to build relationships between the artists and the listeners; and to help the creative output of the individual artists.

It is basically an interactive listening experience that will grow and mutate as more artists and listeners get involved. It was inspired by Brian Eno's theories of generative music, The Flaming Lips' album Zaireka, and the In B Flat project.

On each of the 5 compositions, a basic key, mode, and tempo was selected. It was then up to the artists to record a part using these as a guide. Control over the finished composition was partially relinquished, as the artists were encouraged to go in as blindly as possible.

I then uploaded the parts to a website on which the listener can mix their own version of each composition, thus creating their own ambient album. The different parts can also be downloaded and mixed in a DAW, and I am encouraging anyone who is interested to do so. All of the music is CC licensed giving the user the right to mix, remix, add, and create derivative works for non-commercial use.

Some of the artists and listeners are also releasing their own versions of the first Excursion. Mine was the first to be available, and the second, by Lights Galaxia (my label and band mate) will be released early next week. Hopefully many more will come.

This is basically an album that keeps on giving. Excursion 2 will be breaking ground in February, so if anyone here is interested in joining please stay tuned for more information.

[D_Davis]

Maudlin of the Well - Part the Second

http://maudlinofthewell.net/artworks/PART_THE_SECOND.jpg (http://www.maudlinofthewell.net/)

Not all of the releases mentioned in this thread are electronic/ambient. This one couldn't be further from those genres.

Part the Second comes highly recommended to fans of Long Kin Killie, King Crimson, Mogwai, old Mercury Rev and other great prog/post-rock. This album is fantastic - probably the best prog-rock album I've heard all year. It's a wonderfully orchestrated and arranged mixture of symphonic rock with post-rock elements that help to make it more than a simple throwback or emulation. That can be a problem with modern prog - much of it really isn't progressive, but instead is strives to sound like the prog-rock of decades past. Maudlin the Well's album doesn't suffer from this problem, but it expertly takes steps forward while recognizing the roots of the genre's aesthetics.

[D_Davis]

Chris Tenz - Forlorn Memories
Netlabel - Soft Phase

http://softphase.org/img/sfp05-cover-575px.jpg (http://softphase.org/netlabel/releases/sfp05)

Forlorn Memories is haunting and beautiful, soulful and personal, captivating and expertly produced. Guitar-based ambient music doesn't get much better. Tenz weaves lavishly arranged ambient compositions with acoustic guitar, piano, a little bit of feedback and noise, and lush synth-string passages. It's the perfect album to listen to curled up on the couch with a good book on a gloomy, rainy day.

[D_Davis]

I am still blown away at the stigma surrounding CC licensed music versus that which is commercially available. Many people still believe that paying for music released by "professional" artists makes it a more valuable or legitimate art (even if many of these people download the commercial music for free - just the fact that it can be purchased makes them think it is better). As if somehow selling your music makes you a better musician. People still see CC licensed music as being hobbyist music, or music that isn't as good - in terms of production and composition.

This is absolutely false.

HP Lovecraft once said, “What a man does for pay is of little significance. What he is, as a sensitive instrument responsive to the world’s beauty, is everything.”

I believe that there is a shift happening in the music world right now. It is becoming harder and harder for small artists to make a living and a mark in the commercial industry. The days of the "big" indie release from labels like Matador, 4AD, Merge, etc., are coming to an end.

As more and more music is made and released for free the niches that these labels once controlled are becoming more and more splintered, thus making it harder to justify spending the money on a release because it becomes harder to recoup the expense.

I look forward to the day when CC licensed music is taken just as seriously as commercially available music. That day may never come - the playing field may never be completely level - but by continuing to release quality music the CC community can work to make things better.

[D_Davis]

Gorje Hewek - Sur-Dramatic Nature
Netlabel - Fragment

http://www.fragmentmusic.net/images/releases/frag016_mid.jpg (http://www.fragmentmusic.net/releases.php)

This four track EP is another excellent example of minimal electronica/ambient done to near perfection. It is a short, singular work that shines with precision arrangements and compositions. I'd love to see and hear someone like Makoto Shinkai use this music for an anime, as it possesses similar introspective qualities.

Fans of Ghostly's Tycho will probably dig this:

That in it (http://www.deepmix.ru/fragment/frag016/frag016_-_04_gorje_hewek_-_that_in_it.mp3)

[D_Davis]

Ten and Tracer - Tsotsitaal
Netlabel - Acrerca

http://www.acrerca.com/Images/coverplaceholder.jpg (http://www.acrerca.com/shoppe-tsotsitaal.html)

Fans of noise-based, soundscape ambient looking for a brilliant album, stop looking. Here it is - it's free, and totally worthy of your time.

Tsotsitaal is a complex album, one that is not readily accessible. It's light on the melodies and harmonies, heavy on the crystalline-like atmosphere and digital textures. It is an album of nuanced sound; some of the tracks are barely audible as the sounds drift in and out of the stereo field.

Ballardian in nature, it makes a perfect soundtrack to a work of stark, urban speculative fiction.

[D_Davis]

Marconi Union - 13
Self-Released

http://www.marconiunion.com/catalog/fd13.jpg (http://www.marconiunion.com/catalog.asp?ID=40)

(It looks like they're charing about $3 for this now...it was free, though)

Marconi Union - OK, these guys are so awesome that after listening to their music Brian Eno hired them to remaster a bunch of his albums. They're also super nice guys, and they really like Carl Sagan's Ghost a lot, so that is also awesome.

Their best album by far is Distance - it's actually the album that got me back into playing music a couple of years ago.

13 is a collection of MP3 tracks (B-sides, new tunes, remixes...) released via the band's website. It's a good representation of the duo's styles. Ranging from dub-ambient to light trip-hop, and yet always maintaining their signature sound. They've lately enjoyed a bit of commercial success with one of their compositions being used in a Palm Pre commercial, the one with that creepy looking girl.

[D_Davis]

Planet Boelex & Lisa's Antenna - Little World
Label - Soft Phase

http://softphase.org/img/sfp01-cover-575px.jpg (http://softphase.org/netlabel/releases/sfp01)

Upon my first listen I loved this release so much it became my year-long goal to get a release on the same label - Soft Phase - a label owned and operated by Ossi, the main artist behind this incredible album. I'm happy to say that I achieved my goal.

But that's not the point. The point is this: with electronic music this good is released for free, I cannot fathom a need to purchase any. This album is incredible, and if not for a highly, no - insanely - ambitious project edging it out it would have been my favorite release of the year.

Little World is melodic, sensual, full of passion, nuance, and deft programming skill. It's machine music with heart and soul, and the added vocals by Lisa's Antenna bring a beautiful and haunting atmosphere to the already densely textured compositions.

Fill Me UP (http://download.softphase.org/sfp01/planet_boelex_and_lisas_antenn a-06-fill_me_up.mp3)

[D_Davis]

Valzi - I Nvr <3 U
Net Label - Petite & Jolie

http://www.petitejolie.com/images/artworkpics/pj007_-_valzi_-_i_nvr_love_u_-_front_cover_350.jpg (http://www.petitejolie.com/releases/007/)

Chip Tunes - 8-Bit generated sounds. Nintendo music. Perhaps the buzz-genre of the year.

This is by far the best chip tune album I've heard all year. It's endlessly interesting, inventive and melodic. I'd love to see the game that should have been made to coincide with this release.

[D_Davis]

Talking Makes No Sense - The Winter Drones
Self Release

http://bandcamp.com/files/10/69/1069970672-1.jpg (http://tmns.bandcamp.com/)

This one costs about $8, but you can stream the whole thing for free from Bandcamp.

If you enjoy noisier, more drone-based ambient, with some semi-harsh feedback and lo-fi scratch, then definitely check this album out. It was a recent discover of mine, and I wish I would have stumbled upon it sooner. All the more proof that the CC community needs something like iTunes to get the word out. Definitely check this out if you're into stuff like Belong and Tim Hecker.

[D_Davis]

Crepusclum - Sing on in Silhouettes
Netlabel - 12Rec

http://www.12rec.net/Pix/060_Crepusculum_Sing-on-in-Silhouettes_Front_Large.jpg (http://www.12rec.net/Release_Crepusculum_Sing-On-In-Silhouettes_060.htm)

Sing on in Silhouettes is an absolutely gorgeous guitar album. The compositions feature mainly acoustic guitar, with accents from various electric guitars, bass, and some very light electronic/FX/loop work.

Lots of nice finger picking, chord strumming, and lead playing here. It reminds me a bit of old Tortoise, or Duruti Column in its timbre and mood. The second track, "Reflected in Clouds (http://ia341326.us.archive.org/3/items/12rec.060/02.Reflected_On_Clouds.mp3)," is a fantastic little tune, and "Abaculus Perspective (http://ia341326.us.archive.org/3/items/12rec.060/10.Abaculus_Perceptive.mp3)" stands out with the added female vocals.

[D_Davis]

Various Artists - Mixotic 161: DJ Millerindub - Fonosintesis
Netlabel - Mixotic

http://www.mixotic.net/mixes/161_-_Millerindub_-_Fotosintesis/cover_medium.jpg (http://www.mixotic.net/dj-mixes/ambient-chillout/161)

An excellent DJ mix using a number of CC licensed ambient/chillout tunes. There is some absolutely amazing stuff on display here from Philip Wilkerson, Mel, The Inventors of Aircraft, and a number of other artists from a number of different labels, many of them focusing on a different style of ambient music. The styles here range from classic drone, to field recordings, to piano-based compositions, and on to more experimental stuff.

The mix does what any good mix should: it takes the listener on a sonic journey through a soundscape draped with beautiful noises. It's a perfect album to get yourself acquainted with a number of different artists, and it is perfect for late nights such as this.

[Russ]

Want to give this thread some love, because what I'm listening to now (from these links) is amazing.

Keep 'em coming, D. Oh, and welcome back.

:cool:

[D_Davis]

Want to give this thread some love, because what I'm listening to now (from these links) is amazing.

Keep 'em coming, D. Oh, and welcome back.

:cool:

Thanks Russ - glad you're liking that albums.

[D_Davis]

Bleeding Heart Narrative - This Octopus is Going to Eat Your Face
Nelabel - Distance Recordings

http://www.distancerecordings.com/img/DIST011_250.jpg (http://www.distancerecordings.com/dist011.php)

Cello and Piano. Chaos and order. Noise and nuance. Drones and melody. Bombast and subtlety. This album is made of many things, helping it to be one of the most inventive, creative, and interesting albums I've heard all year.

[Adam]

Speaking as someone who really enjoys that rush you can only get from stealing commercial music, yeah, there's a lot of good stuff here. I've listened to the first three albums you posted straight through and Western Homes is by far my favorite, so far

[D_Davis]

I've listened to the first three albums you posted straight through and Western Homes is by far my favorite, so far

It's a great little album. I like how short, and to the point it is.

[Lasse]

Valzi - I Nvr <3 U
Net Label - Petite & Jolie

I like this one. :pritch:

[D_Davis]

Fallen - Feathers
Label - Resting Bell

http://www.restingbell.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/rb076_feathers-276x276.jpg (http://www.restingbell.net/releases/rb076-feathers)

Feathers is a skillfully produced and written excursion into territories previously blazed by bands like The Beta Band, early Badly Drawn Boy, maybe some Mush records guys, and other somewhat lo-fi indie-pop artists with a heavy dose of samples/loops, some noise, and a spirit of experimentation.

Most of the tracks have nice little grooves. And while the music is not overly complex, the album remains interesting through its clever arrangements and execution. It's also really short, having a singular vision.

"Sticks and Bows (http://raw.media.sonicsquirrel.net/restingbell/rb076/02-sticks_and_bows.mp3)," the second track, is the best on the album.

[D_Davis]

Jap Jap - A Resonant Discovery EP
Netlabel - Monotonik

http://www.mono211.com/files/covers/mtk210s.jpg (http://www.mono211.com/content/releases/mtkmp210.html)

Sometimes you just need some upbeat, mid-tempo, happy electronica as the soundtrack for a lovely transition from a very late night into a way-too-early morning. Jasper Boer's, aka Jap Jap, brilliant EP is such an album.

This is music to listen to while watching a glorious sun rise, a sun rise seen not because of a restless, sleepless night, but one seen on purpose, one seen with a loved one or a group of close friends. The songs contain infectious grooves and bubbly synth leads, and are totally overflowing with that odd kind of nostalgia great electronica is known for. There is something about this kind of music that makes it easy to reminisce about the good old days, staying up way too late playing video games, or returning home, happy and already hung over from a great night out.

"Surrounded By Magic" (http://ia331409.us.archive.org/1/items/mtk210/mtk210-jap-jap-05-surrounded-by-magic.mp3)
"Morning Light Dream" (http://ia331409.us.archive.org/1/items/mtk210/mtk210-jap-jap-03-morning-light-dream.mp3)

[Acapelli]

i just wanted to post in here and say that i appreciate all the effort you put into making this thread, even if most of the music isn't really my bag

would you count officially released artist mixtapes as part of this trend? because i've been listening to those for years

[D_Davis]

i just wanted to post in here and say that i appreciate all the effort you put into making this thread, even if most of the music isn't really my bag

would you count officially released artist mixtapes as part of this trend? because i've been listening to those for years

Thanks. I'm sure there is some stuff out there for you to like, simply because there is so damn much! I've only scratched the surface this year. Seriously, almost every day, at least a few times a week, I discover a new label with an extensive back catalog. I discovered 2 today, and on each of these I've found 2 new artists that sound great (shoegazer stuff) - it's totally crazy.

Not sure what you mean by the mixtapes? Are these commercially released artists? If so, is the music on the tape CC licensed - that is, free to distribute?

[D_Davis]

I can't vouch for this whole comp, but fans of shoegazer stuff will probably dig a bunch of it (especially tracks 1-4. I just discovered this label today, and this is a comp of a bunch of artists they released in 2009, as well as a few to be released in 2010 (Hollydrift - mentioned in the 2010 thread)

http://www.bfwrecordings.com/images/sampler2200.jpg (http://www.bfwrecordings.com/releases/IHeardSomethingInTheDistanceVo l2.php)

[Acapelli]

Yes, they usually are commercially released artists, and mostly a format used by rappers in collaboration with a dj (ala the clipse or lil' wayne), or as a sampler to introduce a label to wider market (paper route records' fear and loathing in hunts vegas), and are free to distribute, usually done through the artist's own website

one of my favorite releases of last year was gordon voidwell's voided checks mixtape. they sound like prince filtered through the glitchy beats of max tundra. as far as i know, they are not signed to any label and it was completely self-released

there was also the adult swim curated atl rmx mixtape, in which the theme was to have superstar indie producers remix songs from atlanta rappers

[D_Davis]

Yeah - I've heard some of those. Some of them are pretty cool. There is a ton of CC licensed indie hip hop out there. It's just a whole other field, one that I don't explore now as much as the ambient stuff.

Although I did hear one really good hip hop album.

http://www.newcocoon.com/images/vxObservationscover.jpg

Variex - Observations From Across the Room (http://www.newcocoon.com/downloads/variex-observations.zip)

on New Cacoon (http://www.newcocoon.com/) (you may want to check this label out)

I also heard some pretty cool German hip hop a few months ago.

[Acapelli]

i think you and i have very different tastes on what we like in hip-hop. can't stand anti-con, stones throw, def jux, etc.

i much prefer listening to more "mainstream" rap. gucci mane and g-side are the standouts of the year. both offer accessible, yet sonically interesting southern rap records this year

[D_Davis]

i think you and i have very different tastes on what we like in hip-hop. can't stand anti-con, stones throw, def jux, etc.
r

You can say that again! :) No biggie.

I can't think of anything mainstream sounding on released on these netlabels. I'd bet that if an artist already has a more mainstream sound, then they are probably more interested in making money with their music, as their chances of being signed are much greater. Most of this music - and most of the new music I've been listening to - is more indie and DIY, or at least more experimental in nature. Many of these artists don't stand a chance at really making a living with their music.

[D_Davis]

So I'll post a few more reviews/recs before getting to the best thing I've heard all year.



A word about these artists and labels...

Many of these artists and netlabels accept donations. Even if the goal is NOT to make money with this music, it still costs money to make and to release. Equipment costs, bandwidth/ISP charges, and time: these all add up. Most of these artists are not interested in making a profit, however that doesn't mean that they don't want to recoup some of the costs - a break even proposition would be great.

Personally, it'd be awesome to make $5000 a year on music. That's less than a good monthly salary, and it would help offset the costs of upkeep on the equipment, buying new gear (to make more, better music and release for free), ISP charges etc. I'd bet that many of these artists feel the same.

So, if you like any of this music, and the artist/label accepts donations, please do so. It takes a lot of time and effort to make music, and almost as much time and effort to get it released.

However, even more important is recognition and thanks. I can't tell you how important it is to hear from a fan that your music is liked. It's pretty much the best thing ever, especially if you're doing it all strictly for the love of the music. So please, let the artists and netlabels know that you appreciate their work. It really does make this all worthwhile.

And lastly, if you do like what you've heard be sure to pass it along. Post links in forums, on facebook, twitter, etc., and let other people know about this music.

Thanks.

[Lasse]

I also heard some pretty cool German hip hop a few months ago.

If you suddenly decide to remember what it was, please let me know. I really like German hip-hop, and I used to have a lot on my playlist. Kinda wanted to get into it again.

There's a few of these releases I'll be checking out. And a lot that I won't. But if there's just one gem among them, it'll be worth my time.

[D_Davis]

If you suddenly decide to remember what it was, please let me know. I really like German hip-hop, and I used to have a lot on my playlist. Kinda wanted to get into it again.


Here you go:

http://www.ideology.de/archives/id054_frontcover_mittel.jpg (http://www.ideology.de/archives/audio000206.php)

[D_Davis]

Lucette Bourdin - Silver Moon
Netlabel - Earth Mantra

http://earthmantra.com/images/releases/earman073.jpg (http://earthmantra.com/release-detail.php?id=73)

Lucette Bourdin's Silver Moon teeters dangerously upon the precipice of New Age and Dark Ambient, two styles of ambient music I don't care for; New Age because it tends to be soulless, lacking an edge, and is rarely (if ever) interesting, and Dark Ambient because it is dull and murky , lacking texture, and is rarely (if ever) interesting.

Good ambient music should be approachable on two levels: it should be able to drift into the background becoming unobtrusive atmosphere, and it should be able to be engaged as an interesting form of music. Silver Moon does both of these things and more.

In many ways this album probably sounds like prototypical ambient music, at least to those who rarely listen to it. That is, I imagine that this is what most people think of when they think of ambient music. However, there is much here to offer even the most jaded listener of this misunderstood genre, all thanks to Bourdin's deft ability to create interesting textures coupled with deep and ominous drones offset with peculating electronic rhythms and just enough melody and harmony to keep things memorable.

"From Their Shadowy Cote" (http://ia331415.us.archive.org/3/items/earman073/05-FromTheirShadowyCote.mp3)
"Now the Moon" (http://ia331415.us.archive.org/3/items/earman073/01-NowTheMoon.mp3)

[Lasse]

Here you go:

http://www.ideology.de/archives/id054_frontcover_mittel.jpg (http://www.ideology.de/archives/audio000206.php)

Hey, that's pretty good. I've put it on my mp3-player now. I like their beats, and they're flowing pretty well. Great find.

[D_Davis]

Hey, that's pretty good. I've put it on my mp3-player now. I like their beats, and they're flowing pretty well. Great find.


I like that it's called kraut-hop. :D

[Lasse]

I like that it's called kraut-hop. :D

Ditto. I didn't notice it until it said krauthop on my mp3-player. I laughed. :lol:

[D_Davis]

Are Germans OK with calling things "Kraut-..."?

have they taken ownership of the word?

Would it be the same as a Japanese group calling their music Nip-Hop?

Serious questions...I'm curious.

[Lasse]

Are Germans OK with calling things "Kraut-..."?

have they taken ownership of the word?

Not that I'm an authority on German or Germany, but I think it's primarily used in the meaning of cabbage, isn't it? I know it was used as a derogatory term waaay back, but that's certainly not the first thing I think of. I may be wrong, though.

EDIT: After reseaching it a bit, I may have been wrong on the kraut-thing.

Would there be anything wrong with the term "Nip-Hop"? This is assuming "nip" refers to "Nippon" or something like it.

[D_Davis]

"Nips" was a derogatory term given to the Japanese by the allies during WWII. Yes it referenced Nippon (which is the Japanese proper name for Japan), but it was not meant in a nice way.

Not sure about "kraut."

[Lasse]

"Nips" was a derogatory term given to the Japanese by the allies during WWII. Yes it referenced Nippon (which is the Japanese proper name for Japan), but it was not meant in a nice way."

Right, I never heard that term. I know "krauts" were used just like you say "nips" were. So I suppose we still don't know a thing. :lol:

[D_Davis]

Doyeq - Condition Delay
Netlabel - Electronica RU

http://electronica.sashamix.info/releases/net/e14/[e14]_doyeq_-_condition_delay_ep_200x200.jp g (http://electronicalabel.ru/2009/06/01/e14-doyeq-condition-delay-ep/)

Giving Adverb a run for his money in the best minimal techno release this year is his own label mate, Doyeq. Spend enough time listening to the amazing artists on this label and you will probably come to the same conclusion as I have - Russia and the Eastern European countries are the place to be for minimal tech. Must be something about the environment that is conducive to this kind of stark minimalism.

The only problem with this release is that it is a little too long. It's billed as an EP, and yet it is 8 tracks and 54 minutes long. At half the length it would have been twice as brilliant.


Might as well continue the Electronica RU love with their newest sampler:

http://electronicalabel.ru/wp-content/uploads/e20_va_-_electronica_20.jpg (http://electronicalabel.ru/2009/12/09/e20-various-artists-electronica-2-0/)

It's a sprawling 37 tracks long, and contains examples of just about every kind of minimal electronica there is - dub, techno, house, you name it. These label samplers are a great way to discover bands, so check it out.

[D_Davis]

Derrick Hart - Songs From A Cross (The Sea)
Netlabel - 12Rec

http://12rec.net/Pix/059_Derrick-Hart_Songs-From-A-Cross_Front_Large.jpg (http://12rec.net/Release_Derrick-Hart_Songs-From-A-Cross_059.htm)

The best straight up indie-rock I heard all year. This 4-track EP is stunning. The songs are complexly arranged, expertly produced, and executed with the kind of sonic perfection one might imagine coming only from a more professional label like Merge, Touch n Go, Darla, or Thrill Jockey.

Hart's voice is strong and honest, lending a familiar quality to the pleasant and melodic music surrounding it. "You're Winning So I Quit" is the stand out track here; it is simply a beautiful song. I wouldn't be surprised to find this guy on a bigger label after this - if that's something he wants. I don't know.

[D_Davis]

Relative Q - Small Craft Exercise Caution
Neltabel - One Dot

http://one.dot9.ca/2/releases/034/images/225.jpg (http://one.dot9.ca/2/releases.php?id=034)

Instrumental, electronic post-rock at its finest, with a healthy dose of drum machine, loops, and prog-like synth.

If you can't groove to this track, you can't groove.

"Fairer Shores" (http://one.dot9.ca/2/releases/034/one030_03-relative_q_-_fairer_shores.mp3)

Well OK, so that's not really true. I understand the subjective nature of groovitude. But dammit, this tune is just too good. I love the simple and powerful beat, and that synth lead is awesome. One of my favorite tracks of the whole year. If you dig that, you'll probably dig the rest of the album.

[D_Davis]

Rho - October Turncoat
Netlabel - No-Source

http://full-source.com/nosource/netlabel/discog/003.jpg (http://full-source.com/nosource/netlabel/releases_003.htm)

If you can't tell by now, I really like guitar-based ambient music. Especially when it's drenched in otherworldly f/x and created using interesting sonic textures.

Rho's October Turncoat is just such an album. As a matter of fact, it may be the best such album I've heard all year. This is kind of "best of" collection with songs culled from two of the band's commercial releases. I haven't heard those, but I can say that this album does work as a cohesive unit; it doesn't sound like a simple collection of songs, but rather an album.

The opening track "Simpl" is amazing. Lush guitars coupled with some nice drum loops and electronics make it interesting on a variety of levels. "JW2" the second track opens with the sound of a guitar seemingly recorded underwater on an old tape, before evolving into a nice little acoustic jam.

[D_Davis]

Sleeping Me - Lamenter
Label - Phantom Channel

http://ia341034.us.archive.org/0/items/SleepingMe-lamenterphch010/3440706813_8a318a0516_thumb.jp g?cnt=0
(http://www.archive.org/details/SleepingMe-lamenterphch010)

Washed out guitar bliss, drenched in reverb and delay, stretching into the horizon creating otherworldly sonic textures and drones. Yeah - this is good.

"Northern Pacific" (http://ia341034.us.archive.org/0/items/SleepingMe-lamenterphch010/NorthernPacific.mp3)
"Bleeding Riverbed" (http://ia341034.us.archive.org/0/items/SleepingMe-lamenterphch010/BleedingRiverbed.mp3)

[D_Davis]

Pilot Cloud - In Transition

http://www.thesirenssound.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/pilot-cloud-in-transition.jpg (http://www.pilotcloud.com/)

This is not CC licensed, but you can download it for free from the band's website. You can also purchase it on iTunes.

And it is awesome. The best shoegazer I heard all year. The title song reminds me of a long lost song by Chapterhouse, circa Whirlpool. The album is brimming with beautiful, shimmering guitars, great drum work, driving baselines, and drowned out vocals. However, Pilot Cloud also injects a healthy dose of prog-rock into the mix and they aren't afraid to play a straightforward riff or lead/solo part when the moment strikes.

It's the best of the old mix with the best of the new. If you even remotely like shoegazer and dream-pop, this album should be in your collection.

[D_Davis]

Inverz - Slow
Netlabel - Phantom Channel

http://bandcamp.com/files/17/63/1763925273-1.jpg (http://phantomchannel.bandcamp.com/album/inverz-slow)

A wonderfully modern take on the ambient genre, mixing electronic glitch, with drones and acoustic work. The opening track "Home End," is exquisite. With minimal vibes, field recordings, guitar, and drifting electronic textures, Inverz conjures a digital world full of haunting beauty and stark imagery. This is a perfect album for a dark rainy day.

[D_Davis]

Saine - Clockwork EP
Self-released

http://www.sainemusic.com/images/cover%202.jpg (http://www.sainemusic.com/music.php)

Saine's Clockwork EP is a fantastic little album of chilled-out electronica. The opening track has a dub-like feel, and even includes some harmonica samples, thus adding an organic element to the mechanized clockwork of the electronic sequencing. Each of the remaining tracks echoes this quality. Saine deftly injects a real human touch to a genre that can all too often find itself sound too sterile and cold.

[D_Davis]

One more brief write up before the numero uno.

I'm sure you're all dying with anticipation.

:)

[D_Davis]

Feldmaus - Spaces
Netlabel - Passage

http://www.passagemusic.net/assets/images/pass001_mid.jpg (http://www.passagemusic.net/index.php?id=9)

Spaces is an intricately produced and arranged electronic ambient album mixing elements of drone, glitch, and electronica. The opening track, "Sunbeams in High Grass (http://www.passagemusic.net/assets/releases/pass001/pass001_-_01_feldmaus_-_sunbeams_in_high_grass.mp3)," is one of my favorites of the year. It sounds like a dusty memory shown on a dirty old movie screen through an old worn out projector unable to play the audio without fading in and out, and with some serious wow and flutter and warble.

The entire release is kind of like this. And it is an engaging listening experience from beginning to end.

[D_Davis]

Here it is, the best release of 2009 (free, or otherwise):


Wixel's 2009 project
Self-Released

http://bandcamp.com/files/42/14/4214519207-1.jpg (http://2009.bandcamp.com/)

Up until a few months ago, I thought that my releasing 6 albums this year was pretty ambitious. I’ve always wondered why bands take so long to write and record an album. It’s pretty silly that fans have to sometimes wait for years between releases from their favorite artists, especially when "professional" bands don't have to worry about day jobs, and especially now with the ease of recording on the go and self-releasing. So yeah, awhile ago I felt ambitious. But I was quickly humbled, and now this dude makes me feel lazy.

Wixel’s 2009 Project – an album every month.

And he’s done it. The project has been finished, on time. And what’s more, the albums are good. Yes, some of them are quite short, and sometimes the compositions and songs aren’t totally fleshed out, but dangit, when you have this much material those things don’t really matter. Judged as a whole, this is a stunning accomplishment.

I’ve heard seven of the twelve albums. What I like most about what I’ve heard is how Mr. Wixel changes things up style-wise while maintaining his own unique vision. While all of the compositions are ambient in nature (with a strong focus on mood and atmosphere), he’s also added in some genuine songwriting, lyrics, and all kinds of neat little things like fieldrecordings. Thus far the entire project feels organic, and he is capturing the differing moods of the changing year with skill.

http://bandcamp.com/files/17/39/1739071165-1.png

He’s released all of the albums as free downloads, but he’s also taking donations for each one. I suggest you download some of them to see if you like him, and then make a sizable donation on some others. He has released a limited number of physical versions of each album. From what I’ve heard the original pressings all sold out, but I think he’s planning on another run.

http://bandcamp.com/files/30/62/3062689042-1.jpg


My favorites of the seven I've heard:

Clouds
http://bandcamp.com/files/25/63/2563366781-1.png (http://2009.bandcamp.com/album/wixel-clouds)

This is a stunning ambient album.

Blood Red Bird
http://bandcamp.com/files/32/47/3247363574-1.png (http://2009.bandcamp.com/album/wixel-blood-red-bird)

A little more indie-rock in style - reminds me of Elliot Smith and early Pink Floyd. More song-orientated than Clouds, but still highly evocative and atmospheric.

The End
http://bandcamp.com/files/30/62/3062689042-1.jpg (http://2009.bandcamp.com/album/wixel-the-end)

The End is the final release of the project. I was wondering how Wixel was going to finish things off, and he couldn't have done it any better. This is not a triumphant sounding end to an epic project, but rather the music conveys a sense of tiredness, and feelings of wanting to relax after a long day (year) of work. But there is also a sense of joy in these three extended compositions, of looking forward towards a brighter future after having proven to one's self that the nearly-impossible can be achieved.



I've never heard a more ambitious project from any musician. And that Wixel is doing this without the financial backing of a label - apparently in his spare time - makes it all the more worthy. This is a monumental achievement in the realm of the recording arts. This is the kind of thing that the major awards should be reserved for. Big bands who make thousands/millions while only releasing one album every couple of years should be ashamed of themselves - this is where it is at. True artistic craftsmanship of the highest order. A DIY project that makes all others shine a little less brightly.