weekly discovery 36: trains by poppy ackroyd.
the track is taken from resolve, released in 2018 by one little indian.
if you are not familiar with classically trained pianist and violinist poppy ackroyd (and you are just coming across this post) then you are in for a treat. personally, i was lucky enough to experience her live performance in brighton a little while back, and it’s safe to say that the emotive layering and looping that is particularly significant in her music is fully developed into her live performances.
highly recommended track from a highly recommended artist.
the august participant in our monthly feature is the german band chogori.
in october, the experimental duo will release the new album lake on less records, a label co-founded by composer tom blankenberg.
the first thing that strikes you while listening to lake, is the adventurous aspect of music the duo has embarked into. lake is hard to categorize (which is a good thing) due to it’s playfulness and openness. all tracks on the album are varied, each with its own story to tell. the fact that it’s a challenge to give any similar-sounding references makes this album a lot more interesting, and also more enjoyable. for example, there are some contemporary jazzy vibes in repetition, which make me think of manchester-based gogo penguin. i really need to mention that the rhythm section of repetition is absolutely incredible, both in terms of rhythms, but also in the way chogori allows the drums to breathe – the acoustic space is simply beautiful.
another favourite on the album is definitely ifny, atmospheric sounds with a continuous bassline that very much builds around the concept of the album/artwork. tracks like ifny adds to the already mentioned space, beautifully captured.
lake is in my opinion an album to look forward to – the perfect mix of electronica, classical and jazzy sounds. it is also a worthy contributor to the entire idea behind the less records collective, and i look forward to hear more both from the band and the label.
tracklist:
01 sinus flux 02 ifny 03 new temper 04 bowing elements 05 repetition 06 four 07 cottage 08 vico 09 thelonious 10 grand prix
weekly discovery 35: hands rest by aparde.
the track is taken from hands rest, released in 2019 by ki records.
starting off with a beautiful pad intro, paul schröder (a.k.a aparde) slowly brings the listener into a very compelling and highly emotive chord progression that is consistent throughout the track. the core of hands rest is an absolutely perfect mix of rhythmic surprises, beautiful melodies, tied together with mellow, distant vocals. melodically speaking, this should be a superb match for anyone who enjoys the sound of rival consoles, but there are also enjoyable similarities to be found with jan blomqvist’s albums, as well as label mate christian löffler. all in all, this second studio album from aparde is an extraordinary effort that surely should put him up on the top amongst germany’s ever-developing scene of electronic music.
weekly discovery 34: hope by andy pawlak.
the track is taken from one word of truth outweighs the world, self-released in 2019.
pawlak is beautifully and carefully planning the soundscape throughout the album. intimate pianos are layered with the occasional electronic beat, and even choirs, as in hope. what makes this entire album stand out – and what makes it extremely enjoyable – is how the mixing is executed. the background soundscapes are almost unnoticeable from time to time, which adds to the emotion.
one word of truth outweighs the world can be bought through bandcamp.
make sure to follow our spotify playlist for all music featured on the blog.
weekly discovery 33: flamingo by daniel brandt.
the track is taken from channels, released in 2018 by erased tapes.
just as for the entire album, flamingo is an incredible listening experience for anyone with even moderate interest in contemporary, experimental music. in his compositions, brandt seems to constantly expand the borders of what is rhythmically possible, and this feeling grows with every track listened to. a highly recommended album.
today’s featured track is dressing by manos milonakis.
the track is taken from festen, released in 2017 by moderna records.
for more information about manos milonakis, visit the facebook page here.
dressing and festen can be digitally bought through bandcamp.
today’s featured track is weightless by jason van wyk.
the track is taken from opacity, released in 2017 by home normal.
for more information about jason van wyk, visit the facebook page here.
weightless and opacity can be digitally bought through bandcamp.
today’s featured track is ghost in the machine by cédric d. lavoie.
the track is taken from 88, released in 2018 by preserved sound.
for more information about cédric d. lavoie, visit the facebook page here.
ghost in the machine and 88 can be digitally bought through bandcamp.
today’s featured track is i promise by alex kozobolis.
the track is taken from alex kozobolis, released in 2016 by 1631 recordings.
for more information about alex kozobolis, visit the facebook page here.
i promise and alex kozobolis can be digitally bought through bandcamp.
mellow structures 