quarta-feira, 29 de agosto de 2012

Alison's Halo


Alison's Halo was a (sadly) short-lived band from the burnings lands of Arizona, USA. It's not easy to find information about them, I've only found they were a four-piece, the singer name is Catherine, they released a compilation of their work thoughout the four years of their existence (Eyedazzler, 1992-1996), some songs were recorded at the garage of a band's member and they are preparing themselves to some reunion shows at 2013. At their bandcamp, there are three new songs (not exactly new, they are from 1996, but remained unreleased till now). Well, about the music itself, it's easy to find many parallels with the more ethereal-side of Shoegaze, much in the vein of Slowdive, and it's mainly characterized by lush and reverberating melodies conducted by sweet airy vocal lines.

Maybe because of the wrong place, wrong time syndrome (they were formed during the Grunge hype, remember), they were completely overlooked, even for the gazers. Fortunately it's being repaired (two decades late, but better than nothing, huh?) and they're receiving some attention and being acclaimed. Slowly and timidly, but it's happening, and that's what matters. And my intention is just giving some fuel to it! ;) 






get it! (new link from Mega)

segunda-feira, 20 de agosto de 2012

Hypomanie

Hypomanie is a blackgaze (black metal originally) band from the Netherlands. Their first EP after their change of style, She Couldn't Find Flowers, But There Was Snow, brings us a lovely Swerverdriver cover, Rave Down - which imo is a perfect soundtrack to listen when you're going back home after a hard day of work.
And then they released their album A City In Mono, which I came to know while browsing 4chan's /mu/ (please don't judge me,lol)and it was love at first listen as soon I heard the first seconds of A City In Stereo - It's like a dark fusion between Filosofem by Burzum (great album btw, isn't it?) and those nice post rock bands such as Explosions In The Sky.
Now they've just released their new album Calm Down, You Weren't Set On Fire and it is great! They sound more mature, as if they are now sure they had made the right choice regarding to styles. It is certainly one of my favorite albums this year,and the Filosofem atmosphere continues! The following track Alissa Loves Perfume has a nice Dunkelheit vibe.

Here!



Here!


Here!


Cheers,

Paloma.

domingo, 19 de agosto de 2012

Fuzzass

Coming from the land of the rising sun, Fuzzass is a great musical project composed by Yuko, Takeshi, Atsushi and Hiroshi, where the first three dedicates themselves to the guitar strings and the last one leads the drumsticks. Yep, it wasn't a typo, they are a triple-guitar formation. So, you can imagine what is about to come: a massive attack of feedback and microphony, something the japaneses have expertise in doing during the last two or three decades (if you don't know what I'm talking about, just check out names like Boris, Merzbow, Melt Banana, Mono...). More specifically, they share great similiarities with Sonic Youth, mainly, but also share many echoes, textures and scents directly inspired from Pixies, The Breeders, Blonde Redhead, Deerhunter and so forth. 

Sadly, it seems they only have a single maiden EP released about 2011, called Larva. It has five explosive and incandescent songs (one of them is part of mixtape #04) that make us hungry for more, however it's still an awesome demonstration of the sonic power coming from these guys, which I hope very very much they won't be ever forgotten.















get it! (new link from Mega)

sábado, 18 de agosto de 2012

Mixtape #4 - Fuzz Pandemonium



Hello guys! I know, I know, we were a bit away during this week, although not as much as the last one. Paloma has just recovered her internet access, and I had a tough week, as usual. But here we are! And me, Carlos, decided to make a new mixtape for you. ;)

This time, I made a simple but careful selection of sixteen noisy and incandescent Supernovae, those that make you bang your head (or just thrash your body) like crazy or elevate you into a higher plane of consciousness, in total detachment and mesmerizement. In my humble opinion, it's a great compilation for many purposes, since the simple activity of reading and studying from going to a night club. There are some seminal classics of the Shoegaze universe (the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, The Jesus And Mary Chain, The Telescopes), lost old school gems (Drop Nineteens, Love Battery) and upcoming talented acts, such as the brazilian Loomer, the texans of Ringo Deathstarr (both will play in the Popfestival, at São Paulo next week) and some sadly unknown people, e.g. the japanese Fuzzass and the scandinavian Maribel (maybe you'll hear more of them very soon in this space. Just stay tuned... :P ).



Well, I just hope you guys enjoy this one as much as the former mixtapes. Cheers! ;)





mixtape #4 tracklist:

Curve - Galaxy
Drop Nineteens - Delaware
The Breeders - Cannonball
The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Out Of Reach
My Bloody Valentine - Swallow
Medicine - Aruca
Love Battery - Between The Eyes
Astrobrite - Crasher
Ringo Deathstarr - Starrsha
Loomer - Rocket Fuzz
Maribel - Deflowers
Fuzzass - Bottled Fog
Stellarium - Harbinger
Swervedriver - For Seeking Heart
The Telescopes - Suffercation
Slowdive - Shine


terça-feira, 14 de agosto de 2012

Ty Segall Band

San Francisco, California, Ty Segall. After playing with undergrounds act in his local area, he started doing his own stuff at about 2008 and, nearly 4 years since then, the suffix "band" was incorporated to his own name, and then we have Slaughterhouse, his latest effort. About his sound, some people call it Neo-psych Garage, but, heck, who needs labels? It's just (fuckin') damn good wild, bear and sweat-fueled Rock 'n' Roll. Of course this guy owes much to the late '60-early '70 people, but he's able to forge his own identity and put 21st century face to it without any trouble. Despite of the massive wall of fuzz (or better, behind it), there are catchy n' hooky melodies, which therefore makes this album perfect not only for headbanging or ragdoll-dancing, but also for whistling when you're taking the bus, doing housework or saving the world. 

To summarize it, that's one of the nicest surprises I had this year. Not exactly a Shoegaze-related stuff, but I'm sure it's going to open a sweet smile as this album runs from your phones. ;)






get it! (new link from Mega)

domingo, 12 de agosto de 2012

The Black Ryder

Hailing from Aussie lands, by the hands of the duo Scott Von Ryper and Aimee Nash, The Black Ryder came up to me as one the most pleasant surprises at the end of 2011, but I don't know why, I just decided to post it now. Maybe there are too many bugs in my head lately... well, whatever, never mind. The fact is, they are probably the most solid newcoming act dedicated to the so-called Neo-psychedelia which, in a less prolixous way, means an effervescent alchemy between the Shoegaze hazy sonicscapes and the twisted psychedelic cosmos. ]

This label is usually refered to bands like BJMBlack Rebel Motorcycle Club, Warlocks, The Black Angels and, as you imagine, The two ryders (sic) draw a lot of inspiration from these guys. However, despite of their inspirations, it's easy to see they have a strong identity, exploring the lush tapestries of Shoegaze (much in the vein of My Bloody Valentine Loveless-era, which links them to their "neighbours" of Tamaryn), deeper than their mates. Of course they still whisper Velvet Underground as it should be, but you can see (or better, hear) their sound is sweeter, more candid and serene than the one from the bands I mentioned above, or even from some upcoming bands like Blue Angel Lounge or the also aussie The Mornings After (btw, both also deserve a little space in here, don't you agree?)


Ok, right below you can find their maiden and only album so far. A lysergic and stellar voyage, whereas still sensual and soothing. Enjoy! ;)


update: new link for Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride
















Get it! (new link from Mega)

Throwing Muses

Hailing from Rhode Island circa 1981, headed by the stepsisters Tanya Donelly and Kristin Hersh, Throwing Muses is one of the most emblematic acts of the 4AD label, specially at their early days (early days of the band and the label itself, I should say). About their music? Well... they're very hard to categorize, since they've never got stuck in a single genre or any sonic label, however, it's very easy to see great influences from the 4AD mates (Cocteau Twins, Wolfgang Press) and, of course, some Shoegaze-ish acts in the likes of CranesLush and The Breeders (Tanya Donelly, in fact, was a member of Breeders during its Last Splash era, besides being part of the band called Belly, whose song Dusted was featured in the mixtape #01 in this same blog) specially in the later years of Throwing Muses.

To sum it up, a  dark, hazy and oozy piece of unorthodox Rock, often bittersweet but still candid and uplifting at the core. They released a handful of awesome albuns from the late '80 to the mid '90, and a "single son" album at 2003. Despite their little to no activity in the recent years, they've never broken up, and rumours says they have a demo of a new album recorded at 2011, so, let's wait to see what may come... 

I'm dropping right below my favorite album of them, called University, released at 1995. Imho, their best effort so far, featuring their strongest songwiriting and a perfect balance between the foggy delirium of their early ears and the bittersweetness energy of the early '90 Alternative Rock. A great record for windy, partly cloudy Sunday afternoons. 

So... I guess there's nothing left to say in here. Just enjoy! :)


update: Re-upload of the University album, besides a link for '91 The Real Ramona. Enjoy! ;)



















Get it! (new link from Mega)

















Get it!

segunda-feira, 6 de agosto de 2012

Mixtape #3 - Nyx

Hey guys!

I present you Nyx,our third mixtape. This one contains songs which are perfect to listen at night, and Im pretty sure it will provide you nice dreams :)
The first track, "All you are going to want to do is get back there" by The Caretaker has an amazing ethereal atmosphere and it will work as a stargate to another dimension taking you outta here immediately (I can't help imagining myself entering a hotel full of ghosts and furtive creatures where an old record has been kept playing for the last ceturies nonstop).
Nyx will make you float in space chasing stars with Scarlet Chives (the vocalist's voice is so similar to Liz Fraser's!), Beach House, Still Corners,Grouper, Boy Friend, Sleep ∞ Over. You'll also fall into a blackholes dug by moles with "Hole" by Mercury Rev and hear singing ghosts with Auburn Lull. I can also predict that you'll plunge and drown into deep waters as soon as you listen to Caveman and Benoît Pioulard (I don't know why,but these last ones make me think of water,of listening to the sound of water dropping, ya know? And since water symbolizes life and motion, well, let us drown.Yeah, I do trip balls!)

I hope you enjoy it!

Much love,

Paloma.



Let us drown

sábado, 4 de agosto de 2012

Soren Well

Hailing from Brookly @ NY, these five-piece (jason michale. eric sheppard. kevin schaffner. derek mabra. kristin fayne-mulroy) dedicates themselves to a (bitter)sweet and tender Shoegaze-like sound. Of course, as you listen to a few second of any of their beautiful songs, you can listen their inspiration from classical acts in the likes of Ride, Boo Radleys and Chapterhouse, for example. However, their main inspiration (at least in the conception of my ears) comes from the My Bloody Loveless (Loveless era) and, specially, the couple Gish & Siamese Dreams from Smashing Pumpkins. You can hear (actually, almost taste it) the same kind of vibe resounding from their somber and delicate melodies, immersing the listener in a deep sea of twisted (but "healthy") melancholy and, why not, nostalgia? 

In a nutshell, that's the kind of sound one would like to listen at the end of a saturday/sunday afternoon, specially walking through a park or even a bus/car/any kind of wheeled vehicle travel. Refreshing and promising, I bring you their ep, Starry Eyes Gone Blank Tonight (2010), together with Honey On Fire demo (2011), all free-downloadable directly from their bandcamp. 

Enjoy! :)






get it! (bandcamp)





















get it! (bancamp)

quarta-feira, 1 de agosto de 2012

Failure

Failure started around 1990 by the hands of Greg Edwards and Ken Andrews at the sunny lands  of California. Although they failed (sic) to reach some airplay or mainstream attention even in the Grunge era, they were highly influential at the time of their existence, which lasted about eight years, and its impact is felt until nowadays. These guys decided to bring all the fuzzyness of the typical early '90 U.S.A. Alternative Rock to a whole new level by giving more care to musical production (they did it themselves!) and the craft of sonic textures and atmospheres than their flanneled mates used to do. The results: three gems, Comfort (1992), Magnified (1994) and Fantastic Planet (1996), specially the last two of them. You will find some of the craziest lyrics around from the genre and some of the greatest songs too, imo. I get confused every time I listen to them, wondering how couldn't they reach any kind of repercussion?! They could (and should) be big.

The good part is, even if Failure is no more for almost 15 years, their members remain very active. Andrews was part of some acts like On and Year of the Rabbit at the early '00 and works mainly as a musical productor. Greg Edwards created the Noise Pop, somewhat Shoegazely band called Autolux (there's one song from them at mixtape #01, coincidence, isn't it?), and live guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen joined A Perfect Circle shortly after Failure's demise (as a coincidence too, APC covered "The Nurse Who Loved Me" in their second record. Of course, it has no relation at all...).

This time, I decided to let their three studio albuns for you, instead of just one. Enjoy!


update: New links for Comfort, Magnified and Fantastic Planet, besides the '04 Golden compilation of rarities and unreleased songs. Enjoy! :)



Comfort:






get it! (new link from Mega)


Magnified: 


















get it! (new link from Mega)





Fantastic Planet:

















get it! (new link from Mega)


Golden:

















get it!