Miumi - Blips EP

Miumi's Blips EP starts out rather ambient and minimal, containing drawn out structuring. The Blips EP however, changes very quickly into a collage of epic instrumentation, gripping vocals, and sparse beats and electronics. The only thing that I dislike about the Blips EP is that it is way too short. Miumi deserves much more time to show off their skill of intensity.

Typical post-rock builds on the structure of quiet repetition to loud repetition, but Miumi shy away from this technique and create a post-rock genre of their own. The Blips EP contains haunting lyrics and experimental tones that are very well developed. The intro features old vocal recordings that bring to mind Godspeed You! Black Emperor. 'Progressive Yoga' begins with electronics that sound like digital raindrops which leads into simple picked guitar on delay. The vocals come in and are very haunting and soothing. A sound snippet then leads into an epic climax of slamming percussion and screeching guitars, as well as funk bass, from what I hear.

'Bitcrusher' refrains from vocals and fills their spot with delightful percussion and forcefully melodic guitars. Warm piano fills out the song and leads into 'Sloggy', a haunting and uneasy track that turns into an energetic masterpiece. Lastly 'Bordeaux' closes the Blips EP with the same intensity as the rest of the tracks. Guitars, vocals, and warm synths make up the majority of the track, as well as a final sound snippet that sends the masterpiece off.

Miumi are a forceful band with a lot of potential in the future. Melodic and abstract, Miumi can go from ambient bliss to highly energetic post-rock. Fans of post-rock bands such as Halves, From Monument to Masses, and Mogwai, are sure to enjoy Miumi. I am very pleased with what I hear on Miumi's Blips EP and am looking forward to a full-length album with the same intensity. Miumi are very skillful musicians and structurally innovative in their approach. Please check out Miumi's Blips EP, you won't be disappointed.

Check out the tracks 'Sloggy' and 'Bitcrusher' off of Miumi's Blips EP:

Iroha - Iroha (2011)

To start off, Iroha's work is very similar to that of Jesu's. This is no suprise however, because Andy Swan (originator of Iroha) has been firneds with Justin K. Broadrick (Jesu, Godflesh) since the age of 16. At this early age of 16, these two made experimental music under the moniker Final. They put out several releases on their own and at the time, had no clue that would eventually become experimental production legends.

Andy Swan was active in the dance music scene for some time, before finding his love for experimental guitar work from the 80's. His new project, Iroha, which also features Diarmuid Dalton of Jesu and Dominic Crane of Rumblefish, takes elements from all over, including shoegaze, pop, and industrial. The songs 'Last Day of Summer', 'Dreams', and 'Autumn Leaves', have a melancholic/shoegaze feel, while 'Eternal' goes the more industrial route. 'Eternal' is my favorite track on the album and sounds very much like a Jesu release. The last track, 'Iroha', features female vocalist Mio singing in Spanish and is unlike anything on the entire album.

The album also contains a bonus disc which contains remixes of the entire album, done by Justin K. Broadrick himself. The similarities to Jesu are even bigger with the addition of this bonus disc. On the Jesu remix of 'Last Day of Summer' there is little guitar work, and instead has hard-hitting beats that recall Jesu's Pale Sketcher project. The remixes on this bonus disc are created by Jesu (as mentioned), Transitional, and Black Galaxy.

One thing needs to be noted, and this is that Iroha definitely know how to create transcending music. This is music that one can get lost in and actually feel the effects of. Although Iroha is fairly new, the band members have been making music since they were teenagers (now in their 40's) and definitely have the skills to produce legendary music. Do yourself a favor and check out Iroha's self-titled album on Denovali Records.

Check out the Jesu remixes of 'Eternal' and 'Last Day of Summer' here:

Dalek - Gutter Tactics

Hailing from Newark, New Jersey, industrial hip-hop pioneers Dalek bring you Gutter Tactics. Named after the robot from Doctor Who, Dalek make dark hip-hop filled with drones and static. In my opinion, MC Dalek and producer Oktopus create hip-hop that is not necessarily for hip-hop fans, but more for fans of industrial and electronic music. This album takes the ambiance of Mogwai or Sigur Ros and hip-hopifies it to that of Public Enemy or earlier, harder hip-hop. It is a great album and deserves attention from music fans all over. 

Gutter Tactics opens with the track 'Blessed Are They Who Bash Your Children's Head Against A Rock', which is a very controversial track that contains Reverend Wright's infamous post-9/11 speech. Many ignored this speech but to me, it speaks truth about American culture. 'Armed With Krylon' is a crushing track, while 'Who Medgar Evers Was...' is a softer, more focused track. The track 'We Lost Sight' is my personal favorite and is a breath of fresh air from the rest of the album. The track contains many harmonics and lots of ambiance, recalling that of Mogwai. Synths and whispered vocals make up the majority of the track. The title track 'Gutter Tactics' combines elements from the present, as well as elements from past albums. The last song on the album, entitled 'Atypical Stereotype', is one of Dalek's longer songs and focuses mostly on ambiance and static.

Gutter Tactic's overall production leans more towards that of industrial music than that of hip-hop. This album is not for everyone, but for those who like industrial and doom in their beats, they will feel right at home. Vocals are pushed to the bottom, heard underneath an earthquake of distortion and ambiance, ultimately creating a unique sound. Dalek have created a masterpiece, in my personal opinion, and it will definitely appeal to fans of experimental music of all sorts.

Check out the track 'We Lost Sight' off of Dalek's Gutter Tactics:

True Widow - As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth (2011)

On March 29, 2011, Dallas, Texas based trio True Widow released their second album through Kemado Records. The album is entitled  As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth, and it pretty much came out of nowhere. The same goes for their first release. True Widow are just now getting the recognition they deserve with this second release. The project was conceived when lead vocalist and guitarist Dan Phillips (formerly of Slowride) was sitting on his couch in early 2007 with a guitar in hand, strumming along. According to Phillips, he doesn't sit down to write music, instead he sits down to play guitar and sometimes the writing process just comes along on its own. True Widow termed their type of music 'stonegaze', but I hear elements from all over. This album is a mix of grunge, shoegaze, post-rock, sludge, doom, and slow-core, which creates one interesting and incredible sound. 

Many songs feature bassist Nicole Estill on vocals. Estill's vocals are very reminiscent of Belinda Butcher from My Bloody Valentine. The vocals are soft and almost whispered, carrying that laid back vibe. Her bass work is very crushing and is a major contribution to the overall sound. An example of this crushing bass can be heard on the track 'Skull Eyes'. The band is rounded out by Slim, the drummer, who provides an amazing beat section to the mix. Much of the album's heaviness and sonic structure comes from Estill's melodic bass playing, while Phillip's guitar work gives the songs rhythm and support. Much of Phillip's guitar work is melodic and shys away from blending in with Estill's bass to create a heavier atmosphere. The guitar work is slow while the bass is crushing and heavy, thus giving the music a sound that is similar to slow-core. True Widow likes to experiment and this can be heard on the entire record, but most notably on the song 'Wither'. Here, Estill has a bass solo and is even heard bending a string, creating a distorted, wah-like effect.

Sometimes a good part in a song may go by too fast, leaving the listener pressing rewind a thousand times, but with True Widow this is never the case. The music goes from repetitive to having a variety of change-ups, but also it is structured, so much of what is heard at the beginning of a song is heard at the end of a song, only with more layers built up. Repetitive or not, True Widow's are a keeper in my book and will definitely please fans of slow but very heavy rock music. Do yourself a favor and please buy As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth from True Widow.

Check out the track 'Skull Eyes' off of True Widow's As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth:

Black Sea - Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored (2010)

Black Sea is a post-metal band from Curitiba, Brazil. In December of 2010, they released their debut full-length album entitled Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored. This is the second release from the Brazilian rockers, the first being their It's All About Silence EP. The EP received a lot of recognition from post-rock enthusiasts worldwide and helped get the band into the post-rock community. Black Sea are daring music makers, but they do a very nice job at it. Bettering textures and experimenting with new sounds are just a fraction of how Black Sea write their music. Progression is key and that is where the term progressive metal comes into play.

Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored blends many styles but is mainly a post-rock/post-metal album. The guitar work goes from quiet to loud, which post-rock is known for, and sounds less open than typical post-rock. The guitar work on this album is full and does not drag on. Elements of jazz bass can be heard but the atmosphere of the entire collective makes the bass sound almost like sludge or drone bass. There is also very non-traditional drumming on Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored. One thing that is not common in post-rock is vocals. Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored contains very amazing vocals that are somewhere between punk and metal style vocals. The vocals are not so much screamed as they are yelled, which is where the punk sensibility comes in. There is a very distressed tone to the vocals and this is where the metal comparison is heard. This is particularly heard in the song 'Waiting for Disarm'.

Black Sea's music is sure to please fans of post-rock and post-metal, as well as experimental music fans everywhere. Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored blends many styles (punk, metal, post-rock, post-metal) but ultimately has a style of its own. Clocking in at 40 minutes and containing 6 tracks, Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored gives the listener just the right amount of time to get lost in the music while also coming out strong. These Brazilians definitely know how to make music and hooked my attention upon first listen. I see a great future ahead for Black Sea and many great tunes to come.

Check out the track 'Waiting for Disarm' off of Black Sea's Somethings Cannot Be Mirrored:

The Calm Blue Sea - The Calm Blue Sea (2008)

When a band creates a new sound and goes from the underground to the mainstream, they usually become influential. Bands that look up to these influential artists desire to sound just like them. Many times, in genres such as post-rock, we see exact replicas of the originals. A wide array of bands are influenced by an already perfected sound, leaving them little room to be creative or better this sound. Many post-rock artists create music that is very similar to how post-rock sounded 15 years ago, with little alteration. Then there is The Calm Blue Sea, who build upon their influences but differentiate themselves from typical post-rock by adding a unique twist to their music.

Hailing from Austin, Texas, The Calm Blue Sea utilizes a very similar song structure as fellow Texans Explosions in the Sky, but develop much heavier tones and a fuller and warmer sound. Their debut album The Calm Blue Sea opens with the track 'We Happy Few', which uses arpeggios and lead guitar that builds up layers so well, that you can actually feel the emotion in this song and not just hear it. The name of the song is perfect because anyone that listens to it is sure to develop a happy mood, no matter their mood before. 'Literal' follows the quiet to loud technique that post-rock is known for, but has a more cinematic feel. Piano and low-volume guitar consumes the first half of the track followed by feedback and layers of distortion that sounds like an earthquake. This track goes from the most beautiful sounding post-rock to the most violent sounding post-rock within minutes. The final track 'This Will Never Happen Again' opens with a fuzzy audio sample, arpeggios, and bass layers, followed by epic distortion that reminds me of Pelican and Isis.

Although The Calm Blue Sea uses the post-rock standard of quiet to loud, they are far beyond other bands using this technique. Their music could almost be deemed film-score worthy. The Calm Blue Sea were never at a crossroads when it came to writing music, because they knew from day one that they didn't want to be another Explosions in the Sky or Mogwai. They differentiated themselves from the other bands and created similar music using their own formula. The Calm Blue Sea is a phenomenal debut album from a fairly new band, so if they are already up there with the post-rock legends, they are bound to become legends themselves with their next release.

Check out the opening track 'We Happy Few' from The Calm Blue Sea - The Calm Blue Sea:

Catacombe - Kinetic (2010)

Portugal-based band Catacombe create a unique mix of modern metal and post-rock. Their debut album Kinetic combines beautiful guitar passages, explosive riffs and very melodic arrangements. The album was released on December 18, 2010, and was recorded between January and March of 2010. James Plotkin helped to master the album. Plotkin's work is most notable on albums from metal pioneers Isis, as well as albums from Khanate, Pelican, and Earth.

On Kinetic, Catacombe create no gimmicks and have no intention of trying to be heavy or different. The album is just pure, musical beauty, and that is what Catacombe intended on when writing Kinetic. At times the album is hypnotic, pulling the listener in and dousing them in musical gasoline until a fire of sonic musicianship takes over their entire core.

Usually the music goes from melodic and atmospheric to sludgy and depressing however, there is a very skilled tone to the guitars and drums that captures the listener. The opening track 'Grundsatz' is a very haunting track and although it is repetitive, the quality of the track is so developed that it leaves the listener wanting more. 'Supernova' sticks to depressing sludge and doom while 'Sequoia' is a happier sounding track, due to how the guitar notes sound. The track 'Anna-Liisa' takes a more progressive and psychedelic direction in sound, using keyboards and haunting samples. 'Memoirs' is an extended track from their first EP and starts out very similar to the original version. The extended version of 'Memoirs' however, is more energetic and builds up into more of an epic sounding crescendo, eventually leveling out with simple chords. 'Cavalgada Epic' contains heavy, sludgy guitar passages but then breaks down into a progressive jazz passage towards the second half of the track. 'Mockba' is another heavy track that resembles the others, but this time around there is a short drum solo and bass passage that give the song a unique twist.

On Kinetic, Catacombe prove that one does not have to create 14-minute tracks to build epic atmospheres. Although the album is not as technical as some atmospheric post-metal, it is very skilled and developed. Personally, this style of music is better played raw and that is why Catacombe's Kinetic is an honest masterpiece.

Check out the track 'Memoirs' off of Catacombe's debut album Kinetic: