Band: Angine de Poitrine | Album: Vol. II | Genre: Math rock | Bandcamp
I’ve gone on record saying I’m really not a fan of microtonal music, but Angine de Pointrine’s microtonality is more restrained compared to some other acts I’ve heard. Their unusual tunings and oddly-fretted guitars serve to enhance their wild and inventive riffs. Their music is energetic and driving, drawing from psychedelia and garage rock. Some of the individual songs can run a bit long, but overall, Vol. II is a fantastic display of technical prowess and inventive composition. “Utzp” in particular is one of the most exciting songs of the year.
Score: 80/100
Band: Divided by Design | Album: Stages to Osiris: Rebirth | Genre: Progressive metal | Bandcamp
The latest EP from this British instrumental trio is some really solid music. The band draws heavily from Tool, Porcupine Tree, and their ilk on the non-extreme end of alt-influenced prog metal. The music is usually melodic and fairly lush, with each song capturing clear dramatic arcs and motifs that tie everything together. This 30-minute release is, in my view, an ideal vessel for this style of music. It’s long enough to express some interesting ideas without drawing on so long as to become tedious and exhausting. I’ve listened to many 45-to-65-minute versions of this record from a lot of other bands, and this more-digestible size really suits this style well.
Score: 83/100
Band: Poly-Math | Album: Something Deeply Hidden | Genre: Math rock, Progressive rock | Bandcamp
The latest release from this instrumental act is full of exciting and inventive music that pulls from a great variety of influences. In addition to classic prog acts, The Mars Volta–and especially Omar’s idiosyncratic guitarwork–looms large here. There are ample dashes of jazz (including Ethio-jazz) and post-rock. What’s noteworthy here is that none of these songs feel overlong, a rare feat for an instrumental release. The band does a great job at blending crunchy guitars and keys with more spaced-out moments.
Score: 81/100
Band: Squatch | Album: Pilgrimage | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
The debut album from these Michiganders is a powerful, emotive record that draws both from classic progressive rock tropes and some edgier, semi-metallic strains of alternative rock. Songs on this album build and swell to powerful climaxes, and I love the way that the sharp and clear tones of the piano often cut through to complement or harmonize with the lead guitar lines. When the band dabbles in some of their jazzier influences, it can feel a bit unexpected or even slightly out-of-place, but it’s not bad music. It often reminds me of some of the best work by Liquid Tension Experiment. The main issue is that this is a very long record, and it doesn’t really feel like it does much to earn that length. I enjoy all the songs on an individual basis, but there’s really not enough internal variance or continuing forward momentum to justify its runtime.
Score: 72/100
Band: Zephyr | Album: Tales from the Future | Genre: Progressive rock | Bandcamp
The debut record from this one-man instrumental act is a pretty solid trio of long compositions thoroughly in the mold of many classic prog acts. The playing is skillful and dynamic, and there are a lot of clever compositional elements, as well. The mastering is a bit thin, but considering the small scope of this project, that makes sense. The massive opening track also feels like it lacks coherence at points, though the music remains enjoyable throughout.
Score: 74/100
Band: ντουμ ταρατατζούμ (doum taratatzoum) | Album: λουπα λουπε (loupa loupe) | Genre: Experimental folk, No wave | Bandcamp
The mood on this record is often somewhat woozy, wonky, and hazy, with a sense of both ritualism and loose improvisation running through it. This is an unapologetically weird record, mixing traditional Greek folk, no wave, krautrock, and other experimental veins of music. The parts where the band leans most into their roots, like on “O Fikos kai o Likos” and “Koumpakia” are my favorite parts. This is a slightly long record, and not everything here is a winner, but if you’re looking for something both mellow and strange, I’d recommend this.
Score: 75/100
The Elite Extremophile 