Electronica

(Aphex Twin, Massive Attack, Moby)

Krakenti: Mice Plan

I was familiar with Krakenti’s work in the context of heavy industrial music – kind of like Trent Reznor in his angrier days. While I do like industrial, I find that most independent industrial albums can get very same-y after a while. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Krakenti’s latest release on Bumpfoot, Mice Plan, was described as a mix of “various styles,†industrial blended with trip-hop and ambient. I wasn’t disappointed.

Jimmy Behan – In the Sudden Distance

Jimmy Behan is one of those artists I kind of discovered accidentally. I had a couple of his releases on my hard drive, but they were mixed in with a lot of other things I'd downloaded at approximately the same time, so I didn't really notice they were there. Then occasionally a track would pop up on shuffle, and I'd think, this is great, who is this? I'd look at the name, and nine times out of ten it would be Jimmy Behan. So I dug his releases out and gave them a proper listen.

Bangguru – Bang the Guru! EP

For those born in the '70s, or even youngsters who just foster an invented nostalgia for what it was like to be a kid in the '80s, there's a certain timeline of sounds that inevitably weave their way through the collective memory. Portuguese electropop band Bangguru have a sound that embodies all these elements within a single package, and not only is this the kind of music I like to listen to, these seem to be exactly the sort of people I'd like to hang out with.

netBloc 13

"Color in a world of monochrome" is the tagline for the thirteenth netBloc compilation release from blocSonic, and there couldn't be a more appropriate way to describe this collection of photos, artwork, and of course fantastic free music. A feast of visual and audio delights, there's more than enough here to keep you interested for the long haul, and to make you want more.

Pequeña Fiera! “Secrets with no words” – dreamy and hazy experimental art rock release

Another great release from the Error!Lo-Fi Records (Spain). Pequeña Fiera! is a band that explores the border between lo-fi and experimental/art rock (vide Radiohead, Sigur Ros, etc.). What we got on Secrets with no words are 5 very dreamy and hazy tunes that take us somewhere very much behind the rainbow. If the band thought about the compositions a little bit thoroughly than it would definitely be a minor underground hit-band.

Erdbeerschnitzel helps clean out your ears with Pathetik Party

A lot has happened in recent years that is making me give electropop another chance. You might think there's only so much that can be done with dancey club-type music, but the advent of IDM as a distinct "listening" genre (i.e. stuff you might actually play at home) has really opened doors for musicians like Tim Keiling, also known as Erdbeerschnitzel, to spread their wings and explore a bit.

Jan Felipe “Abril” – indietronica with a truly international flavour

One of the things I really love about Creative Commons music is the potential to connect directly with artists. It helps increase my enjoyment of the music, knowing a little about what these musicians are like and understanding their drive to create. Often they contact me via last.fm after seeing their albums in my library, and the conversation develops from there. Sometimes, as in the case of Brazilian songwriter Jan Felipe, it can lead to some very interesting things.

Bankai “Teen Slut Pimp Strut” – fast & funky electronica album

Bankai is a awesomely creative glitch/nerdcore electro producer from Melbourne, Australia. His first release, an EP titled "Quarter Circle Punch", was very successful & popular among the music blogs, private torrent trackers and independent music sites like thesixtyone.com. Just half a year later, Bankai is out with his second energy-loaded album "Teen Slut Pimp Strut".

tet production “Boum Boum” – an off-beat mix of different music styles

A lot of times, the kinds of music which leave impressions in your memory are out of this world, weird-sounding and unconventional. Take Tet Production's Boum Boum album as a good example - once you start playing it, you are not going to be sure as to how the next tracks would sound. With fresh and intriguing styles of hip-hop, electro, jungle and dance genres all in one album, Boum Boum is a very different album which is sure to leave a lasting impression in your musical mind.