Gespenst-The Bloodline

Pay close attention, readers.  Today we are featuring a year-plus old album that qualifies as another undiscovered gem.   How I found out about today's record was via a recent release from Fluttery Records, which we will feature on the next installment.  Today's post is an apt lead-in to what we will be talking about next.

It can be difficult to come across great music from the East, but this definitely qualifies. 

Gespenst was founded in Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia by brothers Syahmi and Zuhair Rawi.  This is the first Malaysian group of any genre music I have found, which makes this record unique in a different way.

As it turns out, there is plenty unique about this disc.  This is not your standard-fare post-rock sound.  While it does feature loads of stretching atmospherics, generous helpings of keyboards and pianos, it also offers huge, chunks of guitar riffing and plenty of tasty leads.  This disc also features sparse vocals, and by sparse, I mean rarer than those found on your average Sigur Ros disc. 

What I love about this album is that, in addition to stretched melodies and eerie ambiance, it features rock beats that you can nod your head to.  Gespenst puts the rock back in post-rock.  Some bands are doing this nowadays--think recent releases by If These Trees Could Talk and Exxasens.  This is a somewhat new development in post-rock which is actually more of a nod to the old-school styles of post rock from stalwart bands such as Mogwai and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. 

Although this is a short album, clocking in with seven tracks averaging around five and half minutes in length, it is something I am really digging.  I'm glad I found out about the subject of our next installment, because it led me right to Gespenst.  This is a fantastic record that I can recommend again and again, even if you are not a fan of post-rock.  Thanks to Gespenst's bandcamp page, we've got the full album stream ready for you to feast your ears on.  Enjoy!

Apricot Rail-Quarrels review

Some time ago we posted a quick review of a new single by a post-rock band from Perth, Australia called Apricot Rail.  The Australian release date has hit and we have a full album to review!  For one reason or another, this hasn't hit US shores yet, but thankfully, Apricot Rail has a fully armed and operational bandcamp page to peruse.  (Props to those who just picked up on my blatant Star Wars reference...what a NERD!)

I would almost hesitate to call this new release post-rock.  Post-rock music in its purest form is highly processed and heavily distorted instrumental rock music that more often than not hints at a coming apocalypse.  Apricot Rail has crafted an interesting release in instrumental music that eschews the heavy distortion for more organic instrumental melodies with just enough feedback to provide a sweeping atmospheric texture.

Vocals, while sparse, only serve to accentuate certain melodies without playing an integral part in the sound as a whole.  This is immediately evident from the opening bars of the very first track.  Another thing that stands out with this release is that this band is not afraid to experiment with lullaby-style electronic harmonies or unconventional instrumentation.  More than one track includes strings and several feature full-on horn sections.  This creates yet another interesting dynamic in the music.  During Cicadas...Part II, a horn section almost had me convinced that I was listening to an odd rendering of The Beatles' Strawberry Fields.  This was a rather astute observation considering that I'm not a Beatles fan.

This album almost literally renders me speechless.  It is that good.  There is something in this music for everyone.  I can't find a single beef with the flow of this album.  "Quarrels" is certainly an early candidate to make our year-end list.  This is extremely impressive music from a relatively unknown band.  The music beautiful and uplifting in ways that most post-rock fails or does not care to attempt.  If you like instrumental music of any kind, you MUST check this out.  You can stream the entire album below.  As always, thanks for reading and enjoy!

Now That We're Older-Beneath the Bridge...review

For anyone new to our blog, let me start by saying that there are many great artists and bands putting out amazing music these days.  They need your support.  That is where we come in.  We look at many under-publicized artists and help them by blogging about it here if we like it.  Please continue to support these artists.

One said artist is an American instrumental rock band called Now that We're Older.  This band is from Cincinnati, Ohio and has just recently released their album, "Beneath the Bridge, Under a Frozen Sky"  Citing influences ranging from post-rock heavy hitters such as Mogwai, Sigur Ros, and This Will Destroy You, this band creates dazzling instrumental rock tunes.  These songs incorporate various instruments and feelings.

Where some post-rock bands create flashy, screeching guitar distortion that represents the majority of their music, Now That We're Older shies away from in-your-face explosions of post-rock cinematic noise in favor of a more earthen instrumental album that is less heavy on the distortion and includes numerous pure instrumentation. 

The effect this creates is somewhere between post-rock and experimental, producing an eclectic array of emotions entirely through the sounds and tempos of the music.  While some tracks include a generous helping of wailing guitar distortion, others offer a healthy dose of piano, drums, mainstream rock guitars, cellos, and gorgeous string arrangements.

To put it mildly, this album blew me away.  It is remarkably well-produced with impeccable mixing and minimal sampling.  In short, I can't say enough good things about this band.

I can't finish this review without sharing my experience about how I found this album.  I was poking around on bandcamp looking for some fresh new tunes for little to no cost, and I saw the album cover depicted above.  I thought, "that's a cool album cover."  Anyone who knows me or regularly follows our blog knows how that usually ends up for me. 

Another great thing about this band is that you can't go wrong by downloading it, because Now That We're Older is offering it for free through their bandcamp page.  As a matter of fact, they are not even asking for donations, as many bands do.  This is a completely free, no-strings-attached instant download that is worth at least $10.00.  Get this album.  You will love it.  For your listening pleasure, the entire album is streaming below, courtesy of Now That We're Older's bandcamp.  Key in on Song for Jewel and Northern Lights, as these are clear standouts.  Thanks for reading and enjoy!

Syberia-Drawing a Future review

Russia is a big country, the largest in the world in fact, in terms of land area.  There is a region called Siberia, also known as the tundra, where the landscape is barren and frozen most of the year.  This could be fitting since January of 2013 so far is shaping up to be one of the coldest ever in Boise, Idaho.

I have recently discovered a band called Syberia.  This band is from Barcelona, Spain.  They play an interesting style of music that little resembles stereotypical Spanish music.  The sound they employ is a monstrous instrumental rock which uses various time signatures with metallic riffing and huge post-rock styled guitar leads that swoop and swirl to create a massive aura of atmosphere. 

"Drawing a Future" is their latest effort, released in 2012.  This album is just the right length for an entirely instrumental piece, never overstaying its welcome or repeating aspects of the style too often.  Contrary to the band's name, the musical style is warm hard rock instrumentation with atypical drum patterns, juxtaposed with chilly screeches of guitar-led atmosphere that carries the album. 

For a new and little-known artist, the production quality is spectacular and helps to maintain the grandeur of the music as a whole.  Fans of a variety of musical genres can find something good to listen to in this music.  If you like post rock, this album delivers.  If you like instrumental or experimental rock, chances are you will dig this.  If you are a metalhead, you'll find plenty of head-bangable moments littered throughout this album.

This review has been brief, but sometimes the music just has to speak for itself, because in the end, no amount of raving on my part will come close to providing the enjoyment of listening pleasure that Syberia brings.  This is a diverse and explosive listen and one that demands attention.

"Drawing a Future" is available through bandcamp as a name-your-price download, so you can't go wrong in getting this.  Syberia's bandcamp page provides us with the full stream of the album.  Check it out below.  As always, thanks for reading and enjoy!