Album “Reviews”

Petrol by Anenon

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Anenon - Petrol

The sun sets on a crowded street in southeast Los Angeles. Headlight streaks of countless automobiles tattoo their brightness onto the quickly darkening roads. A hornet’s nest of car horns ricochet off the surrounding towers, and swarm the ears of every living thing in nearby proximity. You walk towards a bridge on the edge of town, and stop once you’re beneath it. The audible chaos funnels into something more cohesive, more musical, more beautiful . . .

The saxophone is a mystical instrument, a musical tool whose capabilities are being discovered and expanded upon still to this day. Weirdly enough, the same can be said about the dense city of Los Angeles, a town that conceals itself to outsiders, only truly revealing its beauty to its devoted inhabitants. The two collide here. Petrol is the newest full-length from L.A. native producer/saxophone player Brian Allen Simon, AKA Anenon.

With raw material captured from an improvised session with violinist Yvette Holzwarth and bass clarinetist Max Kaplan, Simon wraps the listener in cascading waves of strings, reeds, and techno rhythms. The producer took the trio’s impromptu performance and contorted the elements into its final form: a collection of emotion-filled, gorgeously ambient, jazzy electronic compositions that radiate brightly and evolve with grace.

Equal parts Coltrane and Vangelis’ Blade Runner, Petrol is of a rare species. Clearly distinguished by the record title and the sounds of vehicle congestion that bookend the record, these songs aim to illustrate an unturned stone of Los Angeles culture: the duality of loneliness and community found in the light-streaked, sunburned streets of the overflowing city. If you’re seeking jazzy, ambient techno, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Petrol by Anenon

Emily’s D+Evolution by Esperanza Spalding

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Esperanza Spalding - Emily's D+Evolution

You lean on a divider separating the crowd from the stage in front of you. Upon the stage sit a drum kit, keyboards, a rack of guitars, and an upright bass next to the solitary microphone, all sparkling with vivid color reflected from the spotlights above. Surrounding the instruments are a plethora of decorative floral arrangements, sculptures, and more colored lights. The room is cast in darkness, and filled with cheers. The band steps on stage, and they play . . .

Once in a blue moon, an artist comes along possessing a persona, inherent or conceived, that demands to be noticed. They often emerge in the form of powerful vocalists, highly proficient musicians, or songwriters with penchants for fresh innovation and genre-bending. More rare still, an artist that is all three of these things. Emily’s D+Evolution is the newest full-length from Portland native Esperanza Spalding.

Spalding = anomaly; a world-class upright bassist, and a singer with awe-inspiring charisma. Her band — comprised of producer/drummer Karriem Riggins, guitarist Matthew Stevens, and others — move elegantly through intricate compositions resembling funk, folk, jazz, prog rock, soul, and even musical theatre, without wholly committing to any single genre, while the dominant element is Spalding’s stunning voice.

The record title refers to Emily, Spalding’s middle name and a character she created to enhance her more extroverted qualities. She sees it as her duty to serve as the “arms and ears and voice and body” for the persona, and to project the character’s messages: “fight the system”, “find your spiritual center”, “promote peace”. It’s my favorite release of the year, so far. If you’re seeking charismatic, versatile soul, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Emily’s D+Evolution by Esperanza Spalding

January Sun by Kedr Livanskiy

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Kedr Livanskiy - January Sun

While staring intently at the impenetrable blackness through a car windshield, you steadily turn the radio dial. The signal bleeds from neon rave synths into a ghostly haze. Rain begins to spatter the glass, and a click-clack beat fades in from the nothingness. A jagged pillar of lightning ignites the sky, and illuminates the world for a split second: you are surrounded by abandoned vehicles and wreckage. The blackness returns, and with it comes the bass . . .

Late night radio is underappreciated, particularly when the dial is tuned to a station that just barely squeezes through the airwaves with minimal clarity. There’s something so alluring about the washed-out instrumentation that peaks through the haze, and replicating that mysterious charm has become the aim for some artists. January Sun is the newest full-length from Russian singer/producer Yana Kedrina, AKA Kedr Livanskiy.

These six songs sound like phantoms, complete with hauntingly beautiful synths, skeletal house rhythms, and blankets of lo-fi fuzz draped over everything. The standout element is Kedrina’s ethereal voice, gliding over each ghostly composition in both her native Russian and English tongues, and also contorted into melodic loops at times. It’s the soundtrack for an abandoned dance floor, possessed by spirits, still ringing with life.

With feet firmly planted in both singer-songwriter and club-primed territories, January Sun is a rare gem. It’s initially unassuming in appearance and aches of simplicity, but it glows with gorgeous significance when absorbed as a whole. Kedrina is a uniquely charismatic presence, a truth that this brief EP shows off to a greater extent than many full-length records. If you’re seeking ethereal lo-fi house, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

January Sun by Kedr Livanskiy

Basar by Africaine 808

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Africaine 808 - Basar

Palm fronds sway in the early evening gusts that sweep through the desert. The dancing trees outline the path towards a grand palace that juts from the sand in the distance. As you near the palace gates, the sounds of royal horns and war drums engulf your senses. You stand before the towering gates, and the clouds above part, through which giant pulsating orbs of colored light descend. The gates open with a thundering roar. Your feet carry you inside . . .

“World music” is a curious descriptor, seemingly a blanket term for any sonic stylings too removed from mainstream culture to examine as closely as our beloved pop, rock, hip-hop, etc. These foreign genres have boundless merits, but instead of lifting entire palettes, these artists have adopted and intertwined hues of them all. Basar is the newest full-length from German duo Dirk Leyers and DJ Nomad, as Africaine 808.

On a mission to sew together a brand new definition of world music, the duo sample and take distinct influences from a wide range of styles, including cumbia, Nigerian funk, spiritual jazz, and West African instrumentals. They fuse these disparate elements into unique breeds of versatile, bass-heavy electronic music, ranging from disco to squiggly acid house, from intricate techno to soulful trip-hop, and everything in between.

Leyers and Nomad have long been contorting sounds of African and Latin music into edits for their Vulkandance parties, and this release serves as a culmination of the skills refined in those endeavors. The progression of the record is astounding, proceeding at a pace ideally suited for the most diverse, lively celebration; a melting pot if there ever was one. If you’re seeking divergent, electronic world music, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Basar by Africaine 808

On Vacation by CFCF

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

CFCF - On Vacation

You jog along a cobblestone pathway between two rows of thatch-roofed houses. People crowd the road, running, skipping, cartwheeling past you in order to get a decent spot for the parade. Flags and streamers in every color of the rainbow line the streets, decorating the endless blue sky above. Festive music plays from every corner of the village, and nearly everyone is singing or carrying an instrument of some kind. The parade begins . . .

The potential for wordless music to elicit an emotional response in a listener is truly amazing. The perfect chord progression can arouse feelings of melancholy, elation, or fear more effectively than the most eloquent of lyrics. If an artist masters the harmonic craft, then the genre setting, instrumental selection, all of it becomes superfluous. On Vacation is the newest release from Canadian producer Michael Silver, AKA CFCF.

The seasoned producer brings his album title to life with eight cohesive tracks that carry the listener through diversely scenic environments, astride moderately paced, Balearic-leaning grooves, filled with marimba, sax, fretless bass, sultry acoustic guitar, and heartachingly gorgeous synth chords. These songs are irresistibly smooth, impeccably mixed, and easy to lose oneself in during one’s initial exposure to them; a rare feat.

Some might bestow the “pastiche” label on various components of this record, whether it’s the accordion, slap-bass, or “elevator music” vibes. If this is elevator music, you can bet that I’m riding that thing up and down all damn day. This is the most unimposing release of the year so far, and it’s the focus on euphonious beauty that makes it so effortless to love. If you’re seeking scenic, tranquil Balearic music, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

On Vacation by CFCF

Raw Trax by Basic Rhythm

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Basic Rhythm - Raw Trax

You sit upon a cushioned stool, suspended in darkness. Floodlights ignite above you and cast your surroundings in golden light, revealing a cage of percussion instruments. A large black cylinder, covered in countless holes, hangs above your head. You reach up and press a red button on the underside of the cylinder. A roaring sound rings through the cramped chamber, and tiny orbs start shooting out of the holes. The room comes to life with chaotic rhythm . . .

Ye who fear drums, turn back now. There tends to be some rhythmic component within most compositions, usually in the form of a mere time-keeping device; but the forefront isn’t frequently offered to the drums, because most listeners require a melodic element in the spotlight to hold their interest. This is something entirely different. Raw Trax is the newest full-length from London-born producer Anthoney J. Hart, AKA Basic Rhythm.

The phantom of grime hangs heavy in these monstrous songs, led by intricately skeletal beats, bolstered by subterranean bass wobbles, submerged in reverb, and accented by loads of empty space. Hart takes cues from the old-school — garage-flavored rhythms, underground rave synths, distorted vocal samples — but contorts the elements into otherworldly shapes that mystify and mesmerize with sparse, earth-shaking energy.

Raw Trax is a clinic in electronic drum-programming, yet the lack in melodic focus may be off-putting initially for listeners that seek catchy motifs or earworm hooks in their music. Attune yourself to the doctrine of percussion though, and this collection of songs will transform into something undeniable: a tome in the progression of our world’s first instrument. If you’re seeking drum-focused garage-grime, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Raw Trax by Basic Rhythm

Synesthetica by Radiation City

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Radiation City - Synesthetica

You step through the gelatinous doorway at the entrance of a night club known as Jel. A creature with six eyes and turquoise skin hands you a glowing beverage from a platter, which you take it and drink up, loosening your limbs to the perfect degree. You down one more and step onto the undulating dance floor. Everything is cast in fluorescent green light. The lights go out, and a spotlight hits a curtain on-stage. The curtain rises, revealing a large band . . .

One might say that the Beach Boys were onto something, what with all them harmonies and progressions and such. Truthfully, there may be no comparison to that legendary band’s lofty caliber of songwriting, and their impact still echoes through the music of today in many forms. Synesthetica is the newest full-length from Portland-based band Radiation City, a group that honors the Boys without using their influence as a crutch.

These nine songs tour through hybrids of bossa nova-flavored, sci-fi-tinged pop, ranging from tender serenades to shout-out-loud anthems. The otherworldly aspects of the instrumentation are layered so that each sound serves to compliment the foundational rock grooves established by the guitar, keys, drums, and that irresistible bass. Completing the picture are starry-eyed vocal harmonies that soar over everything.

Radiation City do maximalism so well on Synesthetica that any air of clutter is absent from their intricate compositions. A plethora of futuristic samples ornament each track, but their presence is subdued and tasteful, so they merely peak out rather than demand notice. This quintet gives me high hopes for pop, and the Boys can rest easy with their legacy in able hands. If you’re seeking bossa nova-flavored pop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Synesthetica by Radiation City

Savage by Endgame

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Endgame - Savage

Pistons pulsating, gears twisting, lights flickering, compartments opening, compartments closing. You stand upon a slowly rising platform, amidst a sea of the undulating machinery. Your eyes are clouded in steam and smoke, but your vision clears when you reach the platform’s destination: a strobe-light-infested dance floor filled with swaying bodies. You look closer, and see that the limbs of every individual are attached to the machinery below . . .

Atmosphere is pretty much everything when it comes to grime music. If an artist can immerse the listener in compelling surroundings, the battle has already been won; but crafting something fresh requires fresh flavoring, and maybe a dash of historical appropriation. Enter dancehall, a time-honored genre ripe with interesting ideas, and due for a unique overhaul. Savage is the newest release from UK producer Endgame.

The instrumental palettes for these songs are decidedly grime-leaning — thundering bass, cavernous reverb, jagged samples, and sickly-sweet melodies — but the producer contorts these mechanistic components into bouncy, riddim-focused tracks that’d get any crowd writhing. Glistening chimes, mallets, and strings embellish the compositions with entwining polyrhythms that show off the artist’s impressive rhythmic versatility.

The cover image perfectly emblematizes the producer’s achieved goal; this is music that tears at the seams of definitive styles like dancehall, trap, and grime, and chains the pieces back together in unorthodox, yet entirely satisfying ways. It’s robotic and human at the same time, and contains more captivating elements than many full-lengths in four brief tracks. If you’re seeking experimental, grime-tinged dancehall, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Savage by Endgame

A Minor Thought by Moomin

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Moomin - A Minor Thought

Your eyes open to the pink fluorescence of the new day’s sun rising from the ocean. The waves, flowing with the full moon’s influence, continue to crash boisterously onto the shore. The sand beneath you is cold, damp from the mist, but it begins to bake under the glaring sun. You rise to your feet and walk along the shoreline, until you come to a paltry-looking bungalow. You step inside, and emerge into a large room filled with dancing bodies . . .

I’m a firm believer in the holistic quality of dance music and its ritualistic ability to right the most potent of wrongs, but I empathize with those that can’t seem to connect with the extroverted facets of modern, club-primed sounds. Many forget that dance music can be introspective, that listeners can instead opt for dancing on the inside. A Minor Thought is the newest full-length from Berlin producer Sebastian Genz, AKA Moomin.

This record is the cure for the listener that adores the buoyant grooves of house music, but ails from a disdain for the genre’s rambunctiously imposing elements. Gone are the force-fed lead melodies, replaced with warm synths, ocean samples, and basslines that embrace passionately rather than pummel mercilessly. The song structures are simple, soft, and subtle, yet they emanate with vivid life and contain compelling ideas abound.

There’s no doubt that Genz is versatile in his production — his concoctions of live drums, latin percussion, and classic 808 programming are ingenious — but variety certainly isn’t the name of the game on this collection of music. This artist has a distinct sound that he revels within, and if you can get down with one of his creations, you’ll fall deep into the open arms of the rest. If you’re seeking warm, dreamy house, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

A Minor Thought by Moomin

Through The Blinds by Blair French

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Blair French - Through The Blinds

You step into a small cubic container, adorned with countless minuscule projectors along the walls, ceiling, and floor. You begin to feel claustrophobic after a short while, so you close your eyes and think of somewhere comfortable. Not a minute passes before a delicate breeze tousles your hair. Your eyelids part to reveal a boundless meadow. Your mind drifts, and invokes the image of a warm sunset. Stars peak out from the darkness that follows . . .

Ambient music excels at painting images in the minds of listeners, probably to a greater degree than any other genre. The steady, subtle progressions allow for the full absorption of every sonic element, and the sparse instrumentation promotes a meditative, imaginative mindset. Through The Blinds is the newest full-length from Michigan-based producer Blair French, an artist who creates landscapes with ambience.

French does an extraordinary job at illustrating the imagery conveyed in the various track titles — “Star Dust” rises and sparkles with celestial synths, “Window Frost” sounds frigid and fragile — employing a plethora of electronic and classical instrumentation with marvelous results. Each song is serene and awe-inspiring in unique ways; some drift through tranquil beauty, while others grow and evolve through stunning progressions.

Having previously tackled the desolate sounds of Detroit on film soundtrack Detropia under the name Dial 81, the enigmatic producer opts for an organic, lively, and simply gorgeous style on Through The Blinds. It could operate as a sweeping score for a movie, but the true beauty is revealed when the listener imagines the accompanying visuals. If you’re seeking picturesque ambient music, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Through The Blinds by Blair French