LITTLEBABYANGEL - GADA

Band / Artist: LITTLEBABYANGEL
Year: 2018
Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop

My Review:
This one is a really interesting one. Really unique beatscape, and a delivery that feels raw and catches my attention. It does have a sorta sad quality throughout that I could see not being everyone's cup of tea, but its definitely one that I would want to take a little time for.

Here was a quote from the email notice for this one.

This is 'GADA' - the debut tape from Littlebabyangel. Eleven songs played and produced by Stephan Armstrong and his childhood friend Cameron Morse. The tape is free. You're getting it first. 

One of the guys that started LuckyMe grew up in the Highlands of Scotland and as a young kid he was on a chain-letter network where people swapped mixtapes. We mean actual tapes. Actual letters. You'd post lists of the tapes you had to the next person on the network, and they'd hit you back asking which ones they want dubbed. And you'd send them the copied tape along with the checklist for the next person; moving bootlegs in from New York to London and up the UK. Hand to hand, he was getting new music sent to the middle of nowhere. We need something like this now. So we're asking you to start it. This record isn't public anywhere. No stores. It's just on this link. It's free. Forward the mail to someone. If you receive the mail from someone you know, you can forward it on too. We're not putting this out any other way right now. 

I don't yet know much about the artist or label, and wanted to share faster than looking into it too long. Anyway, you should listen to this one. Also take your time on that site, its really interesting. I'm curious about the story being brewed here.

LITTLEBABYANGEL - GADA

Ｓｐｏｒｔ３０００ - Ｃｌｅａｒａｎｃｅ Ｓａｌｅ

Band / Artist: Ｓｐｏｒｔ３０００
Year: 2018
Genre: Vaporwave

My Review:
This works for today.
A concept album about the last days of a department store. Each track gets progressively darker - glitch and distortion echoing in the ruins

soundcloud.com/sport3000
sport3000.bandcamp.com

AS138
released January 16, 2018

Ｓｐｏｒｔ３０００ - Ｃｌｅａｒａｎｃｅ Ｓａｌｅ

Richard Houghten - All Guitars 2

Band / Artist: Richard Houghten
Year: 2017
Genre: Folktronic, Experimental Rock, Covers, Acoustic

My Review:
This is different. The entire recording is made through use of an acoustic guitar that has been manipulated to create wild soundscapes, covering tracks by Aphex Twin, Orbital, Dj Shadow, Bonobo, David Lynch, and more.

I am really liking hearing the cover of Aphex Twin's "On", or Orbital's "Halcyon & On & On" for sure.

It's a good mix to add to a chillout set, for sure. Only part of this that I would rag on, is the cover art. Not the worst thing I've seen, but I'd offer to help work on it if it were a friends piece. Thats just me being an art major, nitpicky asshole type.

Anyway, the songs have good depth, play in a very complimentary way to one another, and leave me with a great morning playlist. I might reach out to this guy and ask if he'd like to be involved in a project I have going.,.. but thats something I'll share with all of you a bit down the road, when I have my house in order (its almost there!)

Richard Houghten - All Guitars 2

Calexico - Calexico Sampler 2017

Band / Artist: Calexico
Year: 2017
Genre: Americana, Indie, Country

My Review:
Okay, so after years of seeing this band come up in connection with others I was listening to, like Iron & Wine or Wilco, I finally saw this sampler and decided to give them a listen. Its GOOD, but I don't think its quite my cup of tea.

That being said, I know it is quality music, and I know that it carries a lot that people would enjoy, so I wanted to share this short sampler album with you all. If you enjoy this country indie sound, then love this and give them support.

Alright, back to cleaning house in the middle of the frozen night. I've got a walls worth of drywall to remove.

Calexico - Calexico Sampler 2017

Sims - Wildlife

Band / Artist: Sims
Year: 2011
Genre: Hip-hop

My Review:
I have insomnia. Thats neither here nor there, because this is a pretty awesome hip-hop album.
Lots of really impressive sampling work and really solid, soothing beats with a pleasant subdued method of rhyming. I enjoyed this a lot, listened to it about 3 different times while busy and found I'm getting more into it as it keeps playing.


Alright, I'm busy as hell, hope you enjoy.

Sims - Wildlife

The Heroic Enthusiasts - Self Titled

Band / Artist: The Heroic Enthusiasts
Year: 2017
Genre: Synth Rock, New Wave, Alternative Rock

My Review:
Retro EIGHTIES SYNTHROCK. It is reallllllly good. If you like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, or Echo and the Bunnymen, then this would be a good one to listen to. It has a little dreampop, and a lot of new wave. Here is a link to their website.

https://www.theheroicenthusiasts.com/


Another weird detail, their name may be inspired by the poetic book, The Heroic Enthusiasts, which I've linked here. Written by Giordano Bruno, he was artistically presenting the argument that not only was the earth not the center of the universe, but so too was the sun just another of untold numbers of stars, spinning across the cosmos.

Alright, I'm going to go make something to eat. Y'all have a good listen and enjoy.

The Heroic Enthusiasts - Self Titled

Fed. - 902BassDrum

Band / Artist: Fed.
Year: 2015
Genre: Jungle, Breakcore, Drum and Bass

My Review:
Some days, jungle is just a good way to start out the day. Today, that is the case for me. Plus the art has a kitty.

I've heard a few things from Fed. in the past. Best I can remember, this is my favorite. Its much more wild and jazzy, which is really getting me going. It rolls into hiphop or anthem house or reggae, then wildly dissects it, then pulls back to lounge jazz, only to fuse both into the next wave of crazy breakcore wildness.

If this is your jam, here is a long list of other works by the artist (Igor Fedshin)

         [SRmp3 247] Fed. - Hold your gun Babylon 

[SRmp3 205] Fed. - Lion Conversion

[SRmp3 180] Fed. - Mashup Business

[SRmp3 167] Fed. - Fedish Animal

[SRmp3 119] Fed. - Noise, Hash and Meat

[SRmp3 091] Fed. v.s. Annoying Ringtone - Baking

[SRmp3 064] Fed. - Everybody Sucks

Alright, well I'm gonna let this one out into the world now. Enjoy.

Fed. - 902BassDrum

Head For the Hills - Potions & Poisons

Band / Artist: Head For the Hills
Year: 2017
Genre: Bluegrass, Country, Indie Folk

My Review:
Here is a nice, well composed album of Chill Bluegrassy music, with that country flair that always makes me think about my Grandfather, and lyrics that have a pleasant amount of wisdom and introspection. I really like that they have earthy voices, and seem to come at their music from a raw perspective.

Here is the description of the album from their website.

Potions and Poisons is the fourth album of original music from Head for the Hills, the Colorado based post-modern bluegrass outfit of Adam Kinghorn, Joe Lessard, Matt Loewen and Sam Parks. There’s no reinvention of the wheel here--no computer programmed banjo rolls or digitally arpeggiated fiddle lines. Instead we find Head for the Hills at the peak of their powers of musical alchemy, building little worlds of sound from the detritus of bluegrass, jazz, hip hop, folk and soul. Potions and Poisons is a look at the darker side of love, lust, and life; an examination of our affinity for and aversion to the things that make us fragile but human. Recorded at home in Colorado with the band’s go-to engineer, Aaron Youngberg (Cahalen and Eli, Martha Scanlan, Grant Gordy and Ross Martin), the record features appearances from Bonnie Paine (Elephant Revival) on vocals and washboard, Erin Youngberg (Uncle Earl, FY5) on vocals, and a lush string section. Potions and Poisons is the most Head for the Hills record yet, and in the great tradition of bluegrass (and soul and folk and old time music), it delivers some bitter pills, but the ten new original songs are more than a survey of the human condition. This is reflective but buoyant music, restorative and full of vibrancy.

Enjoy it
Head For the Hills - Potions & Poisons

([not music]) Night of the Living Dead

I thought, in honor of the late George Romero, I'd share some information and a link to one of the best noir horror movies of all time.

Did you know that the original Night of the Living Dead is a public domain movie? I will let this fine video tell you more.

So because of this fun quirk, you get to honor this man for free if you so desire. Sad, but at least you get to watch a free movie.

George Romero's Night of the Living Dead

RIP Horror master.

Blind MIC - Codeine Bluez

Band / Artist: Blind MIC
Year: 2017
Genre: Hip-Hop, Trap, Trip Hop, Chillstep

My Review:
This music is actually really calming to me, but it feels like some kind of "we're gonna die so whatever here comes the grave". So yeah, I feel oddly conflicted about this album but I do like it enough that I've played it repeatedly.

I would love to say more, but I've been working myself to death this week, too tired. Good trip-hop/trap thing with a UK feel and drug and drinking references. Y'all have a good one.

Blind MIC - Codeine Bluez

Gosprom - 20

Band / Artist: Gosprom
Year: 2011
Genre: Trip Hop, Acid Jazz, Electropop, Alternative Pop

My Review:
So I probably downloaded this album back in 2014 or 2015. I am now at the point that I am reviewing it. Not because it was bad, just because I don't think I was ready for it yet. Really mellow, with a melding of electronics, jazz, and glitch, in a way that reflects a melody that I can't help but to really love now that I've spent my time in New Orleans and had the jazz seep into my life.

That being said, this is a more relaxed, atmospheric album, that plays in areas more like a demanding stage piece. I really enjoy putting it on for the night and having some work to get finished while it plays, so I can perk up and dance about a little when it behooves me.

So yeah, hope you like a weirdly drippy/glitchy russian electro-jazz-trip-pop album. I'm gonna listen again now.

Gosprom - 20

-{:(.SINGLES.):}- Gener, Very Proper Dragonflies, Cousin Silas, Cosmonauts Day, Naomi Wachira

Band / Artist: Gener, Very Proper Dragonflies, Cousin Silas,  Cosmonauts Day, Naomi Wachira
Year: 2004, 2015, 2017
Genre: Folk Reggae, New Wave, Post-Punk, Post-Rock, Drone, Ambient, Dream Pop, Pop Rock, Prog Metal

My Review:

Gener - Les dones (Al Pagoda Remix)
This is pure ear candy. It has a great retro sound with a beautiful melody over it. So pleasing. This Spanish netlabel seems to always have good stuff.

Very Proper Dragonflies - Swingin' Single
This one is really cute too, with that older feminine-ish new wave sound that once was, and I sort of miss. If the first track isn't really doing it for you, you need to give the second track a shot, its really really good. Like, next VDay mixtape good.

Naomi Wachira - Beautifully Human
Now for some folk reggae, in all of its calmer, and "everything is gonna be alright" glory. I am going to need to dig further into her music.

Cousin Silas - Quiet Afternoons
And now to a really long relaxing ambient post-rockish drone of soft pads and melodies unfurling at the speed that flowers bloom, to get you into a nice soft meditative state.

Cosmonauts Day - It Got Them
And finishing the whole thing out, and bringing you back up for the day ahead, here is a nice prog-metal, post-rock jam out with just enough creepy to make it really fun.

MemCave - Color Fire

Band / Artist: MemCave
Year: 2014
Genre: Electronic, IDM, Chillstep, Breakbeat

My Review:
During a period where I was halfway involved with the blog, I got a message from Kansas City based producer and DJ Keith Rich, otherwise known as MemCave, who I have posted here before. He gave me a copy of a soon-to-be-released album, Color Fire. I wanted to post it, but with everything going on, I didn't get to it for so long, that I couldn't justify trying to post the link to download while he was selling the album on bandcamp.

So fast-forwarding to now, I was going back and revisiting artists, and saw that he released the album under a Name-your-price setting, and since it has been a number of years, I feel okay in sharing it with people.

I listened to this album in the car for a really long time, and I am glad to share it with people. I was really down on myself for not sharing it before when I had the chance, so I hope you all enjoy it. There are these great repeating beat sets, with all this lush flourishing warm noise surrounding it and emotional melodies.

I strongly encourage you to give this a listen. And if you see this MemCave, I'm glad I got to share this one for you finally.

MemCave - Color Fire

Amyl and the Sniffers - Giddy-Up / Big Attraction

Band / Artist: Amyl and the Sniffers
Year: 2016, 2017
Genre: Garage, Pubrock, Punk

My Review:

If you like X-Ray Spex, and other femme fronted punk, then you'll love the hell out of this. These guys are in Melbourne, Australia, and they play hard, and very fun punk rock.

Amyl and the Sniffers - Big Attraction

Amyl and the Sniffers - Giddy-Up

Jon E Erkkila - Be True To Yr Crew

Band / Artist: Jon E Erkkila
Year: 2011
Genre: Country, Acoustic, Folk

My Review:
Some good acoustic folk-country tunes that are reminiscent of what the train kids play in the french quarter. This guy hails from Flemington, NJ, where apparently there is a pocket of music called the Flemington Folk Scene.

He uses an acoustic guitar and a banjo, and does a pretty solid job with each. The recording quality is really solid, and the playing is soothing and technically skilled.

I don't have much more for this one, I have a report I need to finish up writing. Hope y'all enjoy.

Jon E Erkkila - Be True To Yr Crew

-{:(.SINGLES.):}- All Electronic, All the time (Nnls, Aardonyx, Notch, Rameses B, Alex Tune)

Band / Artist: Nnls, Aardonyx, Notch, Rameses B, Alex Tune
Year: 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017
Genre: NRG, Hardcore Techno, Nu Breaks, Electro House, EDM, Electronica, Techno, Trance, House, Drum and Bass, Lo-fi

My Review:

Notch - Listen To The Rhythm / Descent
Some great old style uplifting trance/house stuff. I really enjoy the use of the rhythmic repetition of the vocal tracks and atmospherics. I posted them not long ago actually.

Nnls - Connection
This has a great lo-fi feel and a really well done atmospheric quality.

nnls about the release: „Roads are more comprehensive than any other human sign, nothing is shared more than them, sometimes they last for thousand years. So, while listening to the album you can try to work out road names from titles and draw my own non-existing non-spiral non-jetty.“

Here is the website built as advertising for the full album.

Aardonyx - Dedicated
Drum N Bass is always a welcome return to the table. This one is very similar to Hybrid, for the mix of the techno sound with orchestral suites and ethereal female vocals. Here is their bio.

aardonyx are a UK born production duo writing Drum and Bass in minimal, abstract and liquid styles, with a wide variety of musical influences.
After making music separately for many years they joined forces under the name Aardonyx in 2016.
This is just a taste of what's to come...
For DJ bookings or correspondence please contact theaardonyx@gmail.com  

Rameses B - Russ EP 
This is sort of that Pop-anthem EDM (Electro/House) you hear these days, and its got a good hook to it. Would be good music for a compilation video of someone doing crazy cliffhanging stunts or skiing barefoot on youtube.

Alex Tune - Takes Me Higher
Some gritty Hardcore or Progressive Breaks/NRG/Nu Breaks with that late ninties to 2010 sort of rap-rock singover style going on. I like it some, but I'll need to listen to it when I'm more in the mood.

.ʕ=ϣë¡ɍɗʏ=ʔ. RQ laji-2 - Bad Future Bullshit / Worse Future Bullshit / Low

Band / Artist:  RQ laji-2
Year: 2014, 2015, 2016
Genre: Electronic Rock, Experimental Rock, Synthpunk, Electro Jam, Lo-fi, Noise Pop, Chiptune

My Review:
Do you like Black Moth Super Rainbow? Do you like Mr. Oizo? How about Battls?
This might be for you. I really ended up falling in love with it.

I've shared things from this label before, and will do so again in the future (because they make me happy, so fuck you). This wasn't expected. Not in the least. I am really, REALLY into it. I never thought I'd hear what sounds like Tobacco covering a Nirvana song.

The only thing is,.. I don't know what the hell you would call it. I really wanted to figure that out, but my search for a real genre to call this just went nowhere. SO I MADE ONE UP. This, for all who read my scribbles, shall now be Electro Jam. It has all the electronic warblies and hiss of analog equipment and noise rock, and all the midi-ness of chiptune, but the style presentation of a rough edged punk or garage jam band. Its closest relative I'd have to say would be Black Moth Super Rainbow and Tobacco. It blends creepy / raunchy into the mix in the midst of it all.

I'm sharing 3 releases in one post, but I don't really know what to say about each separately. So here is the whole thing. Halley Labs released all of these. The whole of that label seems to be one single person, but who cares. The music is good. This offshoot seems to be a fairly new experiment as far as I can tell, and could really evolve into its own whole band, which I would love to see play live. I hope it keeps going.

RQ laji-2 - Bad Future Bullshit

RQ laji-2 - Worse Future Bullshit

RQ laji-2 - Low

Eric Pietras - All This And More Than A Brother

Band / Artist: Eric Pietras
Year: 2015
Genre: Ambient, Electronic, Soundscape, IDM, Minimal

My Review:
This one is a good relaxing Soundscape/IDM album, with a ton of emotional growth in the songs. The description says some songs "are worlds unto themselves, inviting the listener to explore new vistas emerging from sonic fog", and I'd be inclined to agree.

I laid back and listened to this one this morning while coming to terms with being awake. It was a nice way to be peaceful. The artists description was this;

Eric Pietras is a scientist, photographer and musician from the San Francisco Bay Area. He also presents a weekly ambient/experimental internet radio show entitled 'Sounds In The Dark' at BFF.fm. 

Sounds like my new best friend.

Eric Pietras - All This And More Than A Brother

Big Wave Records - Mysterious Dub Works

Band / Artist: Negritage, Alchesound, Mighty Patch, Alpha D, Zoroastafari, Zazzle, Arkeyetexture, Dub Bred
Year: 2016
Genre: Dub Reggae, Dub House, Chillout, Dubtronics

My Review:
Some good old dub reggae chillout tunes. With much flavor, and artists from all around the world, bringing in their own styles and cultures to the songs, which keeps it feeling fresh and worthwhile.

There isn't a lot of info here other than some base info about each artist, so I'll share that and just let you enjoy.

Connect & Support
--------------------------
✪ Negritage (Argentina) 

✪ Alchesound (South Africa) 

✪ Mighty Patch feat Alpha D (Brussels, Belgium) 

✪ Kandee Dub (Nantes, France) 

✪ Ultrabase (Belgian Babylon) 

✪ Julian Burger (Poland) 

✪ Zoroastafari (Canada/Poland) 

✪ Zazzle (Bulgaria)

✪ Arkeyetexture (United States) 

✪ Dub Bred (Scotland/United States) 


Alright, enjoy the tunes.

Big Wave Records - Mysterious Dub Works

Atilla Krang - Gymkhana

Band / Artist: Atilla Krang
Year: 2016
Genre: Noise-Rock, No-Wave, Indie Rock

My Review:
The first track doesn't do this as much justice as the second and onward. Its really thrashy, but it has a great hook and rhythm, and I almost said screw it with the first track, but I've made sure to listen to at least 2 songs at random of an album before I shift to something else.

But yeah, this has a great sound for being their first album. I'd compare it just a little bit to Banned Books, who I posted before. Its definitely worth a look. I am giving this one another listen right now actually.

Atilla Krang - Gymkhana