Samsara Blues Experiment - Long Distance Trip

World In Sound, 2010

Kickass album. The last track is really epic. Speaking of epic, check out my EPIC POP MIX!

"SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT are a Berlin based band, founded in Summer 2007 by leadguitarist/singer Christian Peters. They went through several changes in the first period but are in constant line-up since September 2008 featuring Hans Eiselt (guitar), drummer Thomas Vedder and Richard Behrens (bass). As the band name implies three elemental aspects are to notice - the blues as the fundament where it all comes from, the inclusion of spiritual influences accompanied by Indian/raga music and the experimental approach to mix up varied elements in a convincing manner.

The band's songs are dominated by a playful dual guitar work as well as a passionate blend of heavy psych, stoner and space rock. This is provided with several nuances and transitions in between - quite retro styled, jamming, even sometimes worked out with a repetitive hypnotic touch in the tradition of krautrock. The band produced two appetizer EP's and intensively toured Europe as well as the US-Westcoast in order to reach for the appropriate condition to record a full album.

World In Sound released the long awaited debut 'Long Distance Trip' in March 2010 which finally offers the band's potential. SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT are a demanded live band in the meanwhile and participate at many European festivals, Roadburn, Yellowstock and Burg Herzberg to name a few." (taken from www.progarchives.com)

LIYL: Iota, Ancestors, Gonga, Earthless, US Christmas, Electric Wizard, Naam, Causa Sui
Website : Myspace : dl

Kvelertak

Indie Recordings, 2010

"Brutally catchy punkrock/metal with a taste of groovy darkness!

Kvelertak shamelessly draw inspiration from every corner of something that could fit into their idea of good hard-hitting and catchy rock'n'roll. Regardless of genre, but always truthful to the basic idea of the band; good songs performed with the tongue-in-cheek attitude of their punk-rock pioneers. Unlike the majority of heavier bands they sing in their native language – adding even more character to their already unique sound.

Releasing their much anticipated debut album, Kvelertak are already well known in Norway for their furious live energy and catchy, melodic, metal-inspired punk rock. Outside Norway they are fairly unknown… yet." -myspace

LIYL: Nachtmystium, Municipal Waste, Turbonegro, Kylesa, Skeletonwitch, Judas Priest, Darkthrone, Ludicra, Black Tusk
Website : Myspace : dl

Harvestman, U.S. Christmas, Minsk - Hawkwind Triad

Neurot, 2010

Three awesome bands covering another awesome band make for one fucking awesome album!

"The Hawkwind Triad album is a fitting tribute to the British band that somehow seems to simultaneously remain unknown to the majority of the world’s rock listeners, while also standing as one of the most influential psychedelic bands of all time.

The Triad is unique, as it is an album of covers by three separate artists that essentially flows like an album. Each band -- HARVESTMAN (Steve Von Till of NEUROSIS’ psych guitar based project), MINSK, and U.S. CHRISTMAS -- have approached these 11 iconic songs with respect, but each have also recognized the need for the songs to be reinterpreted in a new space and time. The result is a full-length psychedelic feast that not only captures the feel of Hawkwind’s individual songs, but also has the feel of their classic albums. Even the artwork by Boston artist Thomas Saraceno appropriately provides trippy surrealist scenes fitting to many albums from the 70s. Most of all, the Triad was done out of pure veneration for a band than laid a solid foundation for every heavy, trippy, weirdo band that exists now – as well as for those who will freak out in the future." - Neurot

Harvestman : US Christmas : Minsk : dl

Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones - Parole de Navarre

Denovali Records, 2007

Weird name for a band so slow and so dark. If you like Bohren und der Club of Gore...

"Dale Cooper Quartet & The Dictaphones are the quartet made of musicians covering a wide variety of musical styles (they are former members of Tank, Osaka, TF and ex-groove combo Loupous) creates a music that mixes electronic (samples, cuts, sound treatments) and acoustic (guitars, saxophone, trumpet). They play moody ballads that sounds as if they come out from one of David Lynch’s movies. Like in the Hollywood master of bizarre’s pieces, there is something like a dark and poisonous colour broken by red thunderlights and blue cigarette smoke. Parole de Navarre is an invitation for opening the red curtain of this Dark Jazz cabaret made of shimmering and whirling walls." - last.fm

LIYL: Bohren Und Der Club Of Gore, Swami Lateplate, Dead Fawn, Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corp., Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Kammerflimmer Kollektief
Website : Myspace : dl

Olan Mill - Pine

Serein, 2010

"Somewhere between the beauty of noise and the innocence of quietude rest the pleasant tones of Pine. Moving effortlessly through passages of pipe organ and piano, this music envelops the listener in an aura of sonic bliss, as evidenced by the enochian tranquility of “An Obident Ear,” the heavenly calls of “A Heavy Leg Cycle,” and the cathartic drones of “Country.” The album’s brevity belies the fact that it hides many musical subtleties. Those in search of peaceful music will find a treasure here." (Tom Meagher, thesilentballet.com)

LIYL: Stars of the Lid, Hammock, Eluvium, Mountains, The Fun Years, Brian Eno
Website : Last.fm : dl

Julianna Barwick - Florine

Florid, 2009

"Describing this hazy, hallucinogenic album from Brooklyn's Julianna Barwick, you can neatly take Panda Bear's trippier tracks as a jumping off point, as Barwick loops and layers beautiful vocal harmonies with a similar slow-motion deep sea vibe. But this lovely debut is more than just derivative, and the wordless sound collages are transporting." -other music

Saw her open for Eluvium, an a cappella set using just a microphone and loop pedal, and it sounded incredible. The songs on album don't even come close but still sound gorgeous. The first & last tracks are closest to what I heard live.

LIYL: Eluvium, Grouper, Inca Ore, Stellar Om Source, Valet, William Basinski, Enya
Website : Myspace : dl