Crosses - Crosses EP

Chino Moreno (Deftones, Team Sleep, Crosses) has always had a softer, more ambient, side when it comes to music. This was first heard through out the track 'Mascara' off of Deftones' Around The Fur. A whole lot more of Moreno's softer side has come out since then. Deftones' White Pony had a great amount of ambient influence on it, but the hint was not officially there until Moreno released his first side project Team Sleep. The sound was all there with Team Sleep and it was clear that Moreno loved trip-hop and ambient music. He is influenced by bands such as Depeche Mode and The Cure and this can be heard in a lot of Chino's work.

In 2010, Chino released the monumental Diamond Eyes with Deftones and toured extensively in support of the album. Currently, he is working hard on a side project named Crosses and this current sound can't get any better. On August 2, 2011, the Crosses EP was independently released. The sound of Crosses is very similar to Team Sleep, but with more of a focus on ambience, eerie sound effects, and atmosphere. The EP begins with the track 'This Is A Trick', which is a very catchy opener filled with crushing beats and synths that develop under Chino's soft, breathy vocals. The track then leads into a heavy hitter, complete with powerful guitar work and very carefully produced beats. The second track 'Option' could be an outtake off of Deftones' White Pony. This track is very euphoric and has positive and passionate vocals. Chino even shows his spiritual side when mentioning swearing on the cross and taking his name to the grave. Next up is 'Bermuda Locket', which is a track that sounds very reminiscent of Depeche Mode and Chino's influence is mostly heard through out this track. The fourth track 'Holy Ghost' sounds like something off of a 90's Portishead album. The eeriness is very present and the chorus brings to mind Deftones. Lastly is the instrumental track 'Cross'. The song is somewhat dark and is a very good way to end the EP. Overall, the EP was a rewarding listening experience. I highly recommend giving Crosses a listen. You will not be disappointed.

Anyone who enjoys Deftones, Team Sleep, trip-hop music, and ambient music should give Crosses a listen. The EP is available for free on the official website: http://www.crossesmusic.com. Or if you want, you can pay $5 and get a link to download a special quality version of the album along with a PDF of the artwork and lyrics.

Check out the first track off of the Crosses EP entitled 'This Is A Trick':

Empty Space Orchestra - Empty Space Orchestra

Portland, Oregon natives Empty Space Orchestra play an intricate blend of progressive, jazz fusion, and post-rock. Their sound has numerous influences including The Mars Volta, King Crimson, and Tool, but this is just breaking the ice. ESO are innovators on all accounts and create a powerful and unique mix of jazz and post-rock that is completely their own. Their self-titled album opens with the track 'Brainjar' which is filled with funky bass and layered synths, creating an epic jazz fusion masterpiece. The entire album follows along the lines of 'Brainjar' and is a blend of rhythmic jazz, layered guitars, intricate drum patterns, and powerful synths. Another thing to pay attention to on the album is song length. 'Brainjar' clocks in at over seven minutes but is nowhere near the longest track on the album.

While some of the tracks are well over the five minute mark, there are a few well written shorter tracks thrown in the mix. 'Tennessee Red' is a very slow-paced rock track, filled with a down-tuned rhythm section. 'The Hangar' is a beautiful piano medley that could very well be used as a film soundtrack or composition and is unlike anything else on the album. The longer tracks feature heavy ambience, psychedelic noise, intricate jazz drumming, funk-oriented organs, and a lot of delay-driven guitar work. The track 'Tiger Puss' starts off with ambient percussion that is very relaxing and then all of a sudden turns into a progressive metal masterpiece. The longer songs are filled with numerous styles of music and this is one of the many great treats while listening to Empty Space Orchestra. The standout track on the album is 'Clouds', which clocks in at eleven minutes and twenty-one seconds. Songs this long usually have a hard time keeping the audiences attention, but Empty Space Orchestra did a great job at keeping the listeners' attention throughout. The track starts off with an atmospheric introduction and then veers into a progressive metal journey, bringing to mind bands such as Genesis and King Crimson. Overall, Empty Space Orchestra's self-titled album is inventive, innovative, rhythmic, and entertaining, to say the least.

This is a promising debut album for a band that may not be the next King Crimson or Air, but for a band that are more accessible than King Crimson or Air. Please go out and purchase a copy of Empty Space Orchestra's self-titled debut and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.

Check out the track 'Tiger Puss' off of Empty Space Orchestra's self-titled debut:

Exxasens - Eleven Miles and Polaris

In April of 2007, Barcelona native Jordi Ruiz started Exxasens as a solo project. While playing in other bands before this (Playmotive and Kyba), Ruiz started to produce his own songs with only a guitar and a computer. Initially, this was only to pass the time, that is, until he was noticed by others. Ruiz decided to build a home studio and this had a major effect on the quality of his soundscapes. He relied heavily on Myspace and released one song every month. After a few months had passed, Exxasens was getting multiple plays and after composing twelve songs, the label ConSouling Sounds added Exxasens to their roster. In 2008, an initial release of only one hundred copies was published. The album is named Polaris and contains ten tracks of intense melody and precision. On September 11, 2011, Exxasens will release a new album entitled Eleven Miles. However, this is only the physical album release date and the whole album can be downloaded for just one euro on Exxasens's bandcamp page. Eleven Miles is an album worth every bit of your attention and one that develops a rich texture throughout. There is no defined genre for Exxasens's music and this is what gives it so much variety. Exxasens create rich landscapes of sound that takes the listener on a journey through sonic and powerful melodies. So, please do yourself a favor and give Exxasens a listen. This is post-rock at its best.

Check out the track 'Rise Up' off of Exxasens - Eleven Miles:



Audiocaeneat - Red Sessions

Hailing from Dresden, Germany comes Audiocaeneat, a musical quartet that formed in November of 2009. They play a powerful blend of post-rock, shoegaze, and early nineties alternative. Red Sessions is the band's debut album and the music on the album is a mixture of cinematic post-rock with a touch of shoegaze. Upon first listen to Red Sessions, I immediately thought of two bands: Mogwai and The Smashing Pumpkins. The epic walls of sound equivalent to Mogwai are layered underneath of unique vocal chords reminiscent of Billy Corgan. This album has a texture of its own and does not get boring like many in its genre.

On September 9, 2011, Belgian record label Frontal Noize will release a CD-version of Red Sessions. You can visit their bandcamp page for more information: http://audiocaneat.bandcamp.com/. Audiocaeneat are also about to embark on a European tour from October 14th through October 28th. They will be sharing the stage with bands such as Blueneck, Maybeshewill, and Codes In The Clouds. So, do yourself a favor and go pick up a copy of Audiocaeneat's debut album Red Sessions. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.

Check out the track 'Painting The Earth With Night Flares' off of Audiocaeneat's debut album Red Sessions: