Luomo - Vocalcity

So this is pretty much my first house album.

And goddamn did I ever get off to an awesome start.

Luomo, aka Vladislav Delay, aka Uusitalo, aka Sasu Ripatti, creates some absolutely groovy (well I could expect that all house music is this way, lol) microhouse/minimal techno. The atmospheres produced are so encompassing that you... well, I, just want to immerse myself in these lengthy tracks. Yes, they're lengthy, and they become that way from the minimalism. Blah blah, yeah, minimalism = repetition, but when it's done right, the outcome is fantastic.

The first track, "Market", begins right away with with the pulsating bass drum (common in house music), synth chords, and synth bass. The short-played synthesizer chords were what caught my attention the most. Heavily syncopated and played with a really catchy and bouncy rhythm. As the track progresses, clicks and cuts are layered, as well as vocal loops. Vocalcity indeed? Yeah.

Synkro has got to be my favourite track on the album. The bass is so damn bitchin', and the vocals just get implanted into your mind. "... because you move/ ... the way you move".

The album closes off with a slower-paced and less intense "She-Center", but it still carries the mood and atmosphere of the preceding tracks.

It got me hooked real fast. I could imagine that this album would be perfect for dance/chillout purposes. Highly recommended.


Listen to:
- Synkro
- Market
- Class

Converge - Jane Doe

So how the fuck did I not like this before?

I am currently listening to Jane Doe for my third time I believe. The first and second times were not good experiences (lol, stupid me). After those two listens, desperately trying to enjoy the album, I just put this album down, thinking it was pretty shitty.

And now, about a year later, this fuckin' dominates. This is hardcore/mathcore/metalcore/... music, done right.

Chaotic, dissonant, cacophonous, wild, yet coherent... from the heavy-as-fuck tracks to the tracks with clean parts, every song is just dripping with raw intensity and emotion. Jane Doe ends off perfectly with a slow and epic title track.

An otherworldly ride through hell. I really do not see anything wrong with this album.



Listen to: everything.

Boris - Heavy Rocks

Heavy, intense, fuzzy, rockin' stoner metal album. I like Boris because whatever genre they attempt, the outcome is, at the least, decent.

Heavy Rocks starts off slow and droney with "Heavy Friends", a perfect introduction to the album. Right away, you will be grasped by the production -- raw, noisy, and damn bass-heavy. The riff will destroy you by its extreme weight, and the vocals towards the end are a great way to end the track. Stoner bliss. Beginning the second track, "Korosu", is where the tempo gets boosted. From here on, it's fast-paced stoner fun.

Although there are some not-so-interesting tracks, I truly admire the attitude of this album.

tip: I listened to this at a low volume one time. That sucked. \m/


Listen to:
- Korosu
- ワレルライド (Wareruride)
- Rattlesnake

Boxcutter - Oneiric

Fuck man, I love dubstep. Kind of an outlandish statement since I only really listen to Boxcutter and Burial.

Anyways, Boxcutter puts out some great shit here on Oneiric. In comparison to Burial's material, Oneiric has more intense music, characterized by the uses of synth. Also, Boxcutter takes a more IDM and drill 'n' bass approach to dubstep, resulting in some interesting experimentation.

While I still need more listens through this album, I must say that "Skuff'd" and "Brood" are incredibly heavy, and the synth melodies/loops are friggin' catchy.


Check out the aforementioned songs, as well as "Sunshine V.I.P." and "Silver Birch Solstice".

Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele

Meh. It's sorta long, and after being exposed to GZA and Inspectah Deck (lyrical masters), this album just really isn't that great. Especially the lyrics.

The beats are good though.

Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing By

Fantastic electronic chillout stuff. The synth/melody work is really effective (aka chillll). The beats are sick -- in the style of trip-hop/hip-hop.

Just sit back and relax to this music.


Look out for: ... well... every track is awesome.

The Cinematic Orchestra - Les ailes pourpres (Crimson Wing) OST

note: I am a TCO fanboy.

I haven't seen the film, but I could imagine that The Cinematic Orchestra's music is completely fitting to it. With feelings and emotions ranging from tranquil to dramatic, this is some of TCO's best work. Dare I say it (even if it makes me look really stupid), but the orchestral arrangements here are really cinematic (lololololololol). "Dance" is a really cool track, set in a 5/4 time signature, making it Mission Impossible-esque. The OST closes off with a nice vocal track.


Check out (if you can):
- Transformation
- Dance
- Exodus
- Hatching

Common - Electric Circus

... I didn't like this. Execpt "Come Close". I can't help but think that Common really set a high standard for himself with Resurrection and Like Water For Chocolate.

Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit/He Miss Road

Incredible afrobeat music. It just makes you wanna dance.

The first couple of seconds (the fucking sweetest funky guitar riff) got me hooked, and the rest of it was really consistent and jazzy and I couldn't stop listening. Given the length of the songs (11 minutes on average) and all the wonderful saxophone parts, the melodies stick with you for a long time.

Speaking of "shit", I had trouble taking one because at the time all I could think of was the music from this album. Really.

Kashiwa Daisuke - Program Music I

Wow, this was one hell of a musical experience. Two lengthy songs à la electronic/glitch/modern classical/post-rock. Damn. Violins, violas, drums, and piano throughout, chopped up by glitchy clicks and cuts. The drum programming is pretty cool here; some drum parts on the songs are borderline drill 'n' bass.

Despite the length, the album flows very nicely.

Epic, beautiful stuff.

Air - The Virgin Suicides

I really like the style (chill pop) and the production, but only a couple of songs here grab my attention (Highschool Lover, Playground Love, Suicide Underground).

The Pharcyde - Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

I love these guys. This album is pure entertainment, much of it through comedy. Take "Oh Shit" (lol) for example. The Pharcyde have serious balls to recount the(ir?) most embarrassing stories. True or not, they are fucking hilarious. "Ya Mama" is also a hot track, in which all four members diss each other's moms. Honestly, how much more entertaining can that be? I was laughing through the whole song. On the contrary, "On the DL" is about some of the deepest feelings and stories that generally wouldn't want to be shared with others (hence, keep it On the DL).

The beats are great -- they're brushed with numerous jazz samples that give it the old-school vibe. Oh yeah, the skits are funny and are quite fitting.

All in all, I love this.


Listen to: Ya Mama, Oh Shit, On the DL