A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra is what I’m thinking the title references. Since there are so many different instruments being used for the recording, this interpretation might make the most sense. Picking out any instrument (besides the piano, which is pretty distinguishable) can be somewhat difficult, as the sounds are blurred together to create comforting, floating drones.

There are drones, two hours’ worth of the stuff. Personally, I enjoy it when the artist takes a longer format approach, particularly for the’ lose-yourself-in-it’ stuff like what this offers. Over the course of the two hours, you’re treated to the…

Though I’ve written about Earth’s music before I failed to capture his more recent period. Starting with “Hex, Or Printing in the Infernal Method” the project has taken a new approach. Rather than focus exclusively on the hopeless decay of walls of hiss and feedback, the new period is marked by a more optimistic vibe. I’m not implying Earth has gotten poppy or happy, but it gets pretty difficult to outdo him in bleakness.

As I started this album, I immediately felt certain classical bits I hadn’t noticed before. Perhaps that’s due to a cellist this time around (Lori Goldston,…

Ah yes, the album positively reeks of early 80s English twee. This is a great smell, and even together as two albums, it clocks in at exactly an hour. Listening to the most do it yourself band made up of adorable English girls, I get the impression somebody’s been reading my diary.

Each song possesses its own charm. But there are a few rules they adhere strongly to: all percussion must be something like claves or a shaker. The bass needs to be really simple, since the bass player can’t play it. Whoever the guitarist is, try your best. None…

Martin Dosh started out as a drummer according to his bio. That makes sense as the percussion here is of a tactile nature. Little tiny taps are given as much attention as the big kicks. Organizationally speaking, it is really a big draw of the album. Everything contributes to the rhythm, it kind of reminds me of some early Fridge or Four Tet kind of stuff, the way the drums feel so free.

Of course, this would mean nothing if it weren’t for the melodies they helped structure. Generally speaking, I enjoyed the longer songs on the album, where he…

What ever happened to this Sicilian guy? Anyway, Massimiliano Sapienza absolutely knew that noise music needed a much needed boost. Usually, most noise artists have to pick between being overly academic (Yasunao Tone) or overly juvenile (Cock E.S.P). Straddling both sides of the divide, Massimo shows a real talent for form.

The dirty aspect might be seen in the tasteful album art. Or it could also be seen in some of Massimo frame of reference (using pop rock bits, dance bits, thrown into the mix). But he displays a surprising amount of agility in handling the transformation of the songs…

This album is proof that the original weird spirit of LAFMS (Los Angeles Free Music Society) continues. Here we have Joseph Hammer engaging in some old-fashioned weirdness. Plunderphonics would be a good description of what’s going on here. However, that wouldn’t accurately describe what’s exactly going on.

Instead of the usual abrupt edits prevalent in so many plunderphonics records, this is much more spacey. Samples weave themselves in and out of the mix, as various anchors (themes like the ongoing phrase “The Water stops”) give it a sense of moving forward. Most artists would’ve preferred a faster pace, by making…

As I listened to this, I traveled through about four different states covering hundreds of miles. Even watching everything, the sea, the forests, the decrepit cites, they felt small in comparison to this absolutely giant, massive recording. Li brings the solo guitar album to a whole another level in 51 wonderful minutes.

Yes, that’s right. I said it. A solo guitar recording made properly. Most guitar solos wish for this sort of inspiration, but usually churn out something boring or indulgent. What’s so excellent about Li’s method is how the effects used aren’t particularly complicated: some sustain, a great deal…

For those of you obsessed with Grizzly Bear, here’s a good way to get your fix. Mixed with the fully formed songs are equally (and sometimes more) enjoyable sketches. The sketches give some view into the workings of the larger songs. You hear vocals and pianos with varying degrees of fidelity. Serving as both interludes and glue, they help give some structure to the short (30 minute) long album.

Daniel Rossen’s voice first emerges in the great introduction song “Deadly Disclosure”. It sounds so good it might as well be a Grizzly Bear song. Multiple sections come together to create…

For me, Gescom appealed to me as the place where I got to hear Autechre cut loose. Usually they concerned themselves with making another extremely relevant and critically acclaimed album in their day job. Gescom allowed them to explore more of their impulses, so you could get a better idea of what they’d do if nobody was watching.

This particular release ends up being probably one of my more beloved Gescom releases. Containing some excellent melodies and that beautiful smell of early 90s IDM, before IDM became extremely stuffy, it works. Only four tracks long, it manages to keep out…

Nashville is a place that usually gets associated with country music. Sure, they have perhaps more than their fair share of country musicians, but this tends to overlook the other great (and often better) bands that reside in the same area code. Lambchop are one such band.

Lead by Kurt Wagner (he’s the singer), they do whatever they want. If they want to be sincere, they will. If they choose to be silly, they can do that as well.

The album starts off quietly. You barely notice that they have begun. Although the mood changes throughout the album, you still…