arf's february 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 |  | Ode and Elegy
Ode and Elegy
Personal AOTM. I love the range this album has, in all possible senses.
[ post-metal/chamber ]
https://odeandelegy.bandcamp.com/album/ode-and-elegy
2022-02-01 |
| 2 |  | Park Jiha
The Gleam
Minimalist tunes played on Korean folk instruments. Her first release when Glitterbeat discovered her & she had an Europe tour received quite a lot of attention, but this one deserves it just as much if not more. Certainly recommended if you're into post-rock and might check out something a bit more exotic sounding, but with the same kind of musical philosophy behind it.
[ korean folk/minimal jazz ]
https://parkjiha.bandcamp.com/album/the-gleam
2022-02-25 |
| 3 |  | Deva
Csillag
I'm a sucker for eastern european folktronica that makes you trip sober. This one does exactly that so I will hard recommend it.
[ hungarian folk/psybient ]
https://movegentlyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/eva-csillag-lp
2022-01-20 |
| 4 |  | desert sand feels warm at night
夢の砂漠 (Dream Desert)
It's just another vaporwave album, right, what's the fuss? A single hook from 80s Japanese pop looped into oblivion. And then you realise, each of the 8 tracks is over 20 minutes long. In fact, the last two are full on 40 minute drone-ambient tracks. As much as this sounds overdone, it's amazing how much you can get from so little musical material, and at no point was I actually bored listening to this. I'd dare call this a perfect soundtrack for a summer night. Probably helps a lot to actually do it at night, though.
[ vaporwave/ambient ]
https://desertsand.bandcamp.com/album/--30
2022-02-04 |
| 5 |  | Starterra
Transformation Cycles
Starterra's second release. Another VERY solid piece of space floating music, on the border between old-school Berlin synths and modern psychedelic electronic ambient with roots in chilled out trance music.
[ berlin school/psybient ]
https://exospheremusic.bandcamp.com/album/transformation-cycles
2022-02-15 |
| 6 |  | Tangerine Dream
Raum
Released on the same day as Blood Incantation's tangerine dream cover album, but mostly ignored. Band members say that there's a LOT of late Edgar Froese's musical material still unreleased and this is one album of apparently mostly his ideas developed to completion. And, if you ask me, it does the project justice.
[ berlin school ]
https://kscopemusic.bandcamp.com/album/raum
2022-02-25 |
| 7 |  | Chrome Canyon
Director
Another good release from last month, for those of you who want to expand horizons into progressive electronic. A bit more on the melodic rather than ambient side.
[ progressive electronic ]
https://chromecanyon.bandcamp.com/album/director
2022-02-11 |
| 8 |  | Ezkaton
To Those Who Fell
Ominous and depressive sounding black metal from Ukraine, released just as shit started really going south. Callout to @Assemblage for suggesting this to me. & stay strong to everyone who's caught there right now.
[ atmospheric black metal]
https://ezkaton1.bandcamp.com/album/to-those-who-fell
2022-02-22 |
| 9 |  | Kakofonium
Krucjata Dziecięca
Brutal electronics + black metal, what more you need to hear to check this out. Absolutely tremendous idea, & it's not sloppily done.
[ electronic/black metal ]
https://plusztapes.bandcamp.com/album/krucjata-dzieci-ca
2022-01-28 |
| 10 |  | Etran de L'Air
Agadez
Two solid releases coming from Sahara this month.
[ tichoumaren ]
https://etrandelair.bandcamp.com/album/agadez
2022-02-18 |
| 11 |  | Imarhan
Aboogi
In both cases it's the same hypnotic rhythm-driven desert blues-rock we're used to from Tinariwen, Bombino, Mdou Moctar, and the likes.
[ tichoumaren ]
https://imarhan.bandcamp.com/album/aboogi
2022-01-28 |
| 12 |  | sonhos tomam conta
insolação
Lush, reverb-drowned, dreamy EP from Brazil. Lua Viana clearly has some personal issues, but this one is happier (perhaps more manic?) than previous releases, hope venting through heartfelt music is working out well for them in long term.
[ blackgaze/emo ]
https://sonhostomamconta.bandcamp.com/album/insola-o
2022-02-04 |
| 13 |  | Geomir
Forgotten Kingdoms
How good can production be so that it is still dungeon synth? Can you use production tier symphonic libraries and it still counts? Of course, this album would be just as good on 90s synths too, but the big sound makes it stand out a bit.
[ dungeon synth ]
https://georgemirtsekis.bandcamp.com/album/forgotten-kingdoms
2022-02-16 |
| 14 |  | Fogweaver
Labyrinthine
New Fogweaver is out y'all. This one is a bit darker than the last albums, it deals with material from The Tombs of Atuan.
[ dungeon synth ]
https://thefogweaver.bandcamp.com/album/labyrinthine
2022-02-18 |
| 15 |  | Estrema Fortezza
Estrema Fortezza
Old school dungeon synth from Italy that reminds me a lot of the dungeon synth part of Summoning's sound. Recommend to anyone looking for classic sound but not just copycats.
[ dungeon synth ]
https://estremafortezza.bandcamp.com/album/estrema-fortezza
2021-12-16 |
| 16 |  | Scrying Glass
Wyrmhole
And this is what you get when you cross dungeon synth with 70s prog. Could this be a sountrack to a retro sci-fi movie, perhaps?
[ progressive dungeon synth ]
https://scryingglass.bandcamp.com/album/wyrmhole
2022-01-01 |
| 17 |  | Eternal Ascent
Reclamation
I'm a sucker for power metal that pumps you up. Last month I gave a shoutout to Planeswalker, and this is another similar album - filled with symphonic synths and melodies that vary just enough that it doesn't turn into prog wankery yet.
[ power metal ]
https://eternalascent.bandcamp.com/album/reclamation
2022-01-22 |
| 18 |  | Greensky Bluegrass
Stress Dreams
Last month I gave shoutout to the Punch Brothers album but this one deserves it too - though they go with a bit more grounded and traditional sound. Also, do check out their music video for the song Stress Dreams (which is my favourite song on the album, and might be my favourite this entire year so far even). It's right something that you'd expect from KGATLW and surprisingly it.
[ progressive bluegrass ]
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mQpXNhyboKoD5vCMZeDsRxDnKJmsRPmE0
2022-01-21 |
| 19 |  | Cody Carpenter
Balance of Extremes
Turns out that the son of John Carpenter is also making his own music, with 5 synth-heavy instrumental prog albums out, and a more synthpoppy project Ludrium. The last one was released in January, this is me catching up with it & I can recommend if you're looking for classic prog released in 2022.
[ progressive rock ]
https://ludrium.bandcamp.com/album/balance-of-extremes
2022-01-07 |
| 20 |  | Primeval Well
Talkin' in Tongues with Mountain Spirits
Skin Tension received some attention on here, let's see some attention given also to the related (some band members are in both bands) act that plays Appalachian-tinged black metal. While this is similar to what Panopticon is doing in premise, while Panopticon is more bluegrassy, this one goes deep into Appalachian occult folk magick. Certainly a folk background I'd like to see explored more by black metal acts.
[ appalachian folk/black metal ]
https://primevalwell.bandcamp.com/album/talkin-in-tongues-with-mountain-spirits
2021-10-20 |
| 21 |  | Scenery of Pale Lake
清醒的人格分裂 (Lucid Schizophrenia)
One thing I should probably look more into is the Chinese metal scene - there seem to be quite some bands that sprung up in last decade, and Pest Productions holds quite a collection of albums showcasing mainly the DSBM and folk-black sides. Both make sense, I guess, given the gloomy living situation and longstanding tradition of China. This album was supposedly in the works since 2013 (!) and the final result is this unusual dissonant gloomy sound that practically deconstructs black metal right in your face.
[ avantgarde/atmospheric black metal ]
https://jinghubai.bandcamp.com/album/-
2020-12-26 |
| 22 |  | Saimaa
Urheilu-Suomi
Finnish progressive rock tribute to their sports. Extremely eclectic record, but everything ties into big symphonic prog sound. This was my discovery of the month from among the older releases I'm checking out.
[ progressive rock ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUl8XXPaE2I
2017-12-22 |
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