arf's july 2022 haul
The rules are simple: I listen to as many albums as possible, and report back to sputnik with a selection. Some will be new releases, some will be old stuff I'm discovering, some will be stuff I already know from long ago that I gave a proper listen again. Aside from personal favs, I'll try to avoid anything that's getting attention otherwise already. |
| 1 |  | Culprate
αριθμός τέσσερα (Number Four)
Electronic release in the AOTM slot this time! IDM based on trip-hop / dubstep base, with plenty of various folk instruments and styles featuring (celtic, flamenco, duduk), and of course some jazz sax as well. Despite all the different styles, whole album flows like a single composition quite well.
[ IDM ]
2022-07-29
https://culprate.bandcamp.com/album/number-four |
| 2 |  | Grima
Frostbitten
Middle of summer perhaps isn't the best time to release an album like this? Nonetheless, this is a great Siberian atmospheric black metal and oh man is that an accordion, yes it is!
[ black metal ]
2022-07-29
https://naturmachtproductions.bandcamp.com/album/frostbitten |
| 3 |  | Church of Cthulhu
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
Dark, ominous, and (by the last, 3rd track of this EP - the 4th one is just an outro) crushingly heavy doom metal. I really like the atmosphere on this one.
[ doom metal ]
2022-07-28
https://churchofcthulhu.bandcamp.com/album/hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia |
| 4 |  | Moderator
In The Garden
Moderator dropped an extra jazzy extra chill EP that just calls for a "barber beats" treatment - not much needs to be done, just detune and slow it down a bit. There's even some east asian vocals mixed in already.
[ lofi hip hop ]
2022-07-29
https://hipdozer.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-garden |
| 5 |  | Ckraft
Epic Discordant Vision
Well, it's exactly what it says on the package.
[ jazz fusion / metal ]
2022-06-03
https://ckraft.bandcamp.com/album/epic-discordant-vision |
| 6 |  | Midnight Odyssey
Echoes of the Thalassic Deep
3rd part of the Echoes of a Celestial Ruin trilogy by Midnight Odyssey is, in my opinion, the strongest one.
[ aquatic ambient ]
2022-07-15
https://midnightodyssey.bandcamp.com/album/echoes-of-the-thalassic-deep |
| 7 |  | Dragon Tomes
A Wandering Drake
Symphonic dungeon synth with really good melodic writing.
[ dungeon synth ]
2022-07-15
https://dragontomes.bandcamp.com/album/a-wandering-drake |
| 8 |  | Castle Zagyx
Oath of the Dark Chivalry
Dark medieval themed dungeon synth from Castle Zagyx, one of my favourite artists in the genre.
[ dungeon synth ]
2022-07-16
https://castlezagyx.bandcamp.com/album/oath-of-the-dark-chivalry |
| 9 |  | Fellowship
The Saberlight Chronicles
Richly orchestrated uplifting melodic cheese with some damn good vocals. Do also check out their debut single, which was a cover of Can You Feel The Love Tonight (yep that one).
[ power metal ]
2022-07-15
https://fellowshipmetal.bandcamp.com/album/the-saberlight-chronicles |
| 10 |  | Nine Moons
Nine Moons
Stoner rock with a bit more of the old school 70s psychedelia feel to it.
[ psychedelic / stoner rock ]
2022-07-15
https://ninemoonsband.bandcamp.com/album/nine-moons |
| 11 |  | My Sleeping Karma
Atma
Returns with another album of instrumental spacey jams.
[ space / stoner rock ]
2022-07-29
https://mysleepingkarma.bandcamp.com/album/atma
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_keHbK9IL0qgsFtReoeuge8tFLVXsx1V6M |
| 12 |  | Monegros Acid Resort
Blue Meth Desert
KGATLW done it before, sure, but microtonal experimentation could be done more often in stoner rock scene. At some points this album drags a bit - it's over 80 minutes long - if you only want to sample a song or two, I suggest the title track Blue Meth Desert and Acid Fountain.
[ stoner metal / maqam ]
2022-06-02
https://napoleonrigormortis.bandcamp.com/album/blue-meth-desert |
| 13 |  | Skhemty
Sunrise on the Old Kingdom
To continue with the desert theme, here's an album of dungeon synth tunes that sound like when you're playing an RPG and enter the desert zone.
[ dungeon synth / ancient egyptian ]
2022-07-03
https://skhemty.bandcamp.com/album/sunrise-on-the-old-kingdom |
| 14 |  | Onom Agemo and Ahmed Ag Kaedy
Tartit
... and, more authentically, a collab album between a German funk-jazz-afrobeat band Onom Agemo & The Disco Jumpers and Touareg guitarist Ahmed Ag Kaedy.
[ tichoumaren / jazz ]
2022-07-01
https://onomagemothediscojumpers.bandcamp.com/album/tartit |
| 15 |  | Karl Sanders
Saurian Apocalypse
Oh right, Karl Sanders (of Nile)'s solo album is out too.
[ neofolk / ritual ambient / ancient egyptian ]
2022-07-22
https://karlsanders.bandcamp.com/album/saurian-apocalypse
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kpRl1y3uEW84HWzEXFP_BG947x_I9rfrc |
| 16 |  | Crestfallen Dusk
Crestfallen Dusk
Another project by Ryan Clackner of Moonlight Cypress Archetypes, this time fusing black metal with hill country blues. This sounds closer to what I wish Zeal & Ardor did when told to combine black metal with nіgger music on 4chan...
[ black metal / blues ]
2022-07-22
https://crestfallendusk.bandcamp.com/album/crestfallen-dusk |
| 17 |  | Arcanist
Hyperborea
Arcanist's second release after last year Poseidonis also takes us into the realm of weird fiction of Clark Ashton Smith, this time Hyperborea. Averoigne and Zothique when? Oh yes this one also has occasional metal parts.
[ dungeon synth / berlin school / doom metal ]
2022-07-06
https://yuggothrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hyperborea |
| 18 |  | Toan
Phonolite
Really nice dreamy electro-acoustic ambient music.
[ ambient ]
2022-06-18
https://ambientoan.bandcamp.com/album/phonolite |
| 19 |  | Draugurinn
Minningar úr undirheimum
Music for a pagan neolithic ritual, somewhere in Scandinavia. A bit more ambiental, not so much in-your-face as Heilung, but stronger on the hypnotic side.
[ ritual ambient / norse pagan ]
2022-05-27
https://draugurinn.bandcamp.com/album/minningar-r-undirheimum |
| 20 |  | Lisa Bella Donna
Electronic Voyages
Another album of Klaus Schulze tribute moog noodling, in case you thought they don't like electronic music like this anymore.
[ berlin school ]
2022-05-22
https://lisabelladonna.bandcamp.com/album/electronic-voyages-2 |
| 21 |  | Club d'Elf
You Never Know
Psychedelic jazzy jams, heavily based on traditional north African Gnawa tunes and rhythms.
[ acid jazz / gnawa ]
2022-04-01
https://clubdelf.bandcamp.com/album/you-never-know |
| 22 |  | The Gray Goo
1943
When the album starts with a 10 minute epic titled "Bicycle Day" and the album is titled "1943" you already know this isn't just stoner rock, those dudes do more than just that. Yep. This is the funkiest metal you've heard since Primus, except that this time it's also trippy as hell. Would have been a strong contender for my AOTM last month, but again... I can't catch everything the moment it comes out.
[ progressive psychedelic doom funk ]
2022-06-01
https://thegraygoo.bandcamp.com/album/1943 |
| 23 |  | The Dandelion
Seeds Flowers and Magical Powers of The Dandelion
And finally, a recent discovery of mine that's been out for a couple years already: 60s psychedelia worship done right.
[ psychedelic folk ]
2015-09
https://thedandelion.bandcamp.com/album/seeds-flowers-and-magical-powers-of-the-dandelion |
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