Band: Actionfredag | Album: Lys fremtid i mørke | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
I liked Actionfredag’s debut, Turist i eget liv, a lot, so I went into this new release with somewhat high hopes. The opening track, “Angst oppå bordet” is a tense and exciting instrumental, but much of the rest of the album fails to land for me. They’ve incorporated a lot more jazz and Canterbury elements on this record, but it often comes off as a bit weak and mushy. Many songs meander without saying or doing much, and even some of the more enjoyable cuts here are still somewhat forgettable. There’s a certain sonic slipperiness which makes them difficult to hold onto. If you like warm, mellow jazz more than I do, perhaps you’ll get more out of this.
Score: 62/100
Band: Blackwood Station | Album: In the Gamma Garden | Genre: Psychedelic folk, Americana | Bandcamp
On their latest album, Blackwood Station takes a laid-back, psychedelic approach that heavily evokes the late 1960s. Textures are lush, and the atmosphere is dreamy. Bandleader Ian Blackwood shows a natural knack for catchy melodies. Some songs are a bit longer than they need to be, but it’s an overall fun listen.
Score: 78/100
Artist: Jordi Farreras | Album: El curioso impertinente | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
The third album from Jordi Farreras is a fairly long affair, consisting of 17 songs. Most of them are fairly short, though; only two cross the four-minute mark. The mood is generally somewhat somber and mellow. The textures are lush, and Farreras clearly puts a lot of thought into crafting his vocal melodies. Hints of psychedelia sneak in, and good chunks of this record sound like an updated version of The Moody Blues. One of the two songs to cross four minutes is the album’s 15-minute closer, “IV”, which consists of mellow, ambient droning electronics. Looking through his discography, this just seems to be how he closes all his albums. It’s not awful, as far as ambient electronica goes, but I don’t really feel that it’s necessary.
Score: 76/100
Band: Hulk Smash | Album: Deer ++ | Genre: Punk, Space rock, Post-rock | Bandcamp
(Turns out this is a re-issue of an album that was originally released in 2011, but I already wrote the blurb. It’s a fun record, and I’m excited to talk about it.)
Hulk Smash’s appropriately-titled EP, Three Songs and Some Noise (consisting of three songs and a 25-minute noise piece), was my introduction to this band. They play a weird blend of progressive rock, doom metal, and punk with heavily-Vocoded vocals. Deer ++ sees them slow things down a bit, but the rage and heaviness is all still there. Much of this album feels like a Hawkwind record on Quaaludes. Things lurch and stomp, and the robotic whine of the vocals gives this band a unique sound. Keyboard inclusions here and there add some welcome sonic diversity to the mix. The second half of the album is mostly covers, including some real left-field choices.
Score: 81/100
Band: Karmic Thread | Album: Instruments of Passing | Genre: Post-metal, Progressive metal | Bandcamp
This one-man act hailing from Romania plays a djenty, semi-atmospheric variety of metal. It’s quite technical and shred-focused, but there are plenty of spacier moments, as well. It’s a well-balanced and well-constructed EP that makes for a good listening experience. This isn’t necessarily my personal favorite variety of metal (at least for active listening; stuff like this is great for background music while I’m working), but if you’re into acts like TesseracT or Plini, this’ll probably be more up your alley.
Score: 72/100
Band: Pale Cremation | Album: Communion [Soviet Tapes 1984] | Genre: Space rock, Psychedelic rock | Bandcamp
The conceit of the new album from Cleveland-based Pale Cremation is that this is a long-lost Soviet-era rock recording. As such, things are fuzzy and lo-fi, but it suits the aesthetic well. Things are definitely rough around the edges, but the mastering is not sloppy. The different elements are all easily discernible, and there is a lot of depth to this record. This is a diverse record, too, covering ground ranging from space rock to synthwave to doom metal. Communion is an inventive record that evokes verisimilitude of lost media. I’ve got a niche interest in Eastern Bloc prog and psych, so I’ve heard plenty of rough Soviet rock recordings; the music here sounds too modern to actually be Soviet, but the spirit is true enough that this works.
Score: 80/100
Band: Зорки Во | Album: Ночной Gore-Tex | Genre: Progressive rock, Psychedelic rock | Bandcamp
The latest EP from this Muscovite act is a fun, groovy, high-energy release. They blend prog, psych, and garage rock with jazz and funk flourishes. They draw from acts like King Gizzard, Ty Segall, and Hawkwind to summon up engrossing jams. The title track even features some nice, unexpected Latin flavors.
Score: 83/100
The Elite Extremophile 