Montag, 17. Sep 2012, 18:14
Cloud Nothings - Attack on Memory
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This album offers a wide range of genres that so boldly show off their obvious influences consisting of 90's emo and indie rock. Not only are the guitar-driven songs reminiscent of older indie music, but they bring new aspects to the table to add something fresh. Attack On Memory has much better production and lyrics overall than their previous efforts.
Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes
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If Cosmogramma was in your face with its abrasive electronic beats and loud dance jams, this new FlyLo album will shift your attention to the smooth and rich sound that he is also capable of. This album is much more cohesive and its jazz/electronic/hip hop influences shine brightly with each song transitioning into one another so fluidly. This very well could be his best attempt at blending these genres yet.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!
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Godspeed has a certain formula for making music that seems to surpass the limiting "post-rock" genre and with this album, they enter only a little bit of new territory, but prove to be just as incredible as before and even project a more optimistic sound in comparison to some of their darker releases.
Swans - The Seer
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Quite possibly my favorite album of this year. This is unlike anything I've heard before. It's intense, enigmatic, and somewhat daunting and the mere challenge of having to sit for about 2 hours to listen to this thing was overwhelming in itself. The long length of The Seer is worth the couple of hours spent. Some moments are dark and creepy and beautiful all at the same time. Heavy and repetitive guitar riffs (but not boring) moments of drone, noisy and chaotic climaxes, and some tracks even feature a haunting hammered dulcimer. This release stands out the most for me thus far.
TNGHT - TNGHT
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This EP was new for me because I have never listened to what people have labeled as "trap" beats before, but damn was it satisfying. Each track is a real banger and should be played as loudly as possible while driving or dancing or doing something fun.
Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel is Wiser than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords will Serve You More than Ropes Will Ever Do
http://o.scdn.co/300/cd4d1d7804a5656eb9c09f5243ec1d02e7879774
Fiona Apple is a great songwriter and this album happened to be my first introduction to her distinct style of music. Her songs are often backed by a piano and her vocals are reminiscent of Regina Spektor at times. You can hear a slight jazz influence in some of the tracks because of the upbeat percussion and intricate rhythms. Every song impresses me and it feels like she isn't just singing her emotions but acting them out for you to feel for yourself.
Death Grips - The Money Store
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I'll admit it: I wasn't too fond of this album upon my first listen. I found it unnecessarily abrasive and obnoxious, and I didn't understand how in the world it deserved all the hype it got. Once I dove deeper into the lyrics and tried to keep an open mind, I began to find the beats fun and pulsating and kind of ironic in comparison to how violent and downright crazy the lyrics are. The album is based around the concept of a psycho who is violent and paranoid and I find it fascinating on so many levels, not to mention a unique take on hip hop.
(More to be added soon)