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Wye Oak – “Talking About Money”
The Knot

It’s uncommon that I’m exposed to an artist through their latest album, but then find I prefer their earlier work — especially when the latest album is as good as Wye Oak’s Civilian. But The Knot does everything Civilian does, with more variety, grandeur, and power in general. From the setup and punchline of the first two tracks to the unbelievably confident “Talking About Money” to the shoegazer “Mary Is Mary” and triumphant “Tattoo,” there is hardly a misstep on the album and a surfeit of just plain excellent music. (insound)

Murcof – “Spring In The Artificial Gardens”
The Versailles Sessions

The occult quasi-baroque meanderings of The Versailles Sessions seem a strange sequel to Murcof’s dubby, Loscil-esque Martes and Remembranza. But a lot can change in a few years, and the artist’s experimental leanings were already evident. Still, it’s a fairly baffling 50 minutes. The focus is on space and ambience, not (as the compelling but ultimately frustrating “Louis XIV’s Demons” shows early on), and this track embodies that without being terminally weird.

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Marielle V Jakobsons – “Crystal Orchard”
Glass Canyon

An ethereal but sonically fascinating album. Jakobsons creates wonderful atmospheres, and the journeys through those soundspaces occasionally resemble songs. The first three tracks (this is the second) are especially intriguing. (experimedia)

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Sin Fang – “Strange House”
Half Dreams

An excellent EP packed with some just plain great songs. This one in particular has a wonderfully varied structure, swinging from jangle to piano-and-surf to Elephant 6 psych. Calming but still upbeat and musically interesting. (insound)

Efterklang – “Sedna”
Piramida

I’ve discarded two whole albums from Efterklang due to a lack of focus, which the earlier Tripper, by contrast, had in excess. “Sedna” is the first new song by them that has not only arrested my attention but truly sounds Efterklang-y to me, yet evolved and different. Imagine Talk Talk mixed with DNTEL — understated and beautiful. Also look for the almost Graceland-esque “Dreams Today.” Great cover art, too. (insound)

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Johann Sebastian Bach – “Prelude #1 In C major”
The Well-Tempered Clavier

The opening track from Bach’s historic collection of keyboard pieces is a simple and delicate piece, but with lots of room for expression. Glenn Gould plays it crisply on the piano, but with a precious air, and at any rate I prefer the richer overlapping tones of the harpsichord. This is a nice recording, but it was Luc Beausejour’s that originally caught my ear.

Austra – “Lose it”
Feel It Break

The feminine electro-pop of Sister Crayon crossbred with turn-of-the-90s dancefloor synth, resulting in a slightly repetitive but ferociously catchy tune. Great timbre. (insound)

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The Most Serene Republic – “Career In Shaping Clay”
Population

If you’re familiar with TMSR, you know what to expect: bombastic, somehow geometric indie rock, with a sort of uniquely multitracked vocal effect that, to be honest, isn’t for everyone. But it makes for really great songs now and then, like this one, which stumbles a bit in its second quarter but really nails it for the climax. Phages is probably still a better intro to the band, but Population is still a quality record. (insound)

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Minotaur Shock – “Local Violin Shop”
Chiff-Chaffs & Willow Warblers

A classic “organic electronica” album I always associate with Four Tet’s Pause, Fridge’s Happiness, and Manitoba’s Start Breaking My Heart. “Local Violin Shop” is a great example of this vanguard of cross-pollination. Its lively drumming and occasional drilling loop makes it a bit too active to be played in boutiques, but it’s still eminently likeable while also rewarding closer listening. (insound)

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Lights Dim / Gallery Six – “Sea of Tranquility”
Moon EP

This short ambient album was put out to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the moon landing. It’s very reminiscent of the Fennesz/Sakamoto collaboration, Cendre, but a bit noisier. Only 21 hard copies were made (and sold), but you can pay what you like to get it at their Bandcamp page or download it for free at Archive.org.

Gregorio Allegri – “Miserere mei, Deus”

No day like today to reflect on the enormities of mankind, the number and scope of which have, incredibly, survived centuries of prayer. The piece itself (I have learned) was forbidden to be performed outside the Vatican or transcribed, on pain of excommunication. It was only after a 14-year-old Mozart memorized it during attendance and copied it out from memory that it escaped the confines of the Sistine Chapel; the Pope himself praised Mozart and the music was released for general performance.

Jack Rose – “Dusty Grass”
The Black Dirt Sessions

A bit like a minor-key “Rappahanock River Rag” at the beginning, but morphing into something more complex and urgent once it departs from its initial jangly theme. This EP is host to a number of excellent tracks, including an extended “Cross the North Fork” and a melancholy pair of tracks closing out the B side. Certainly worth a listen for fans of Jack Rose (RIP) and acoustic guitar in general. (insound)

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The Willowz – “Cons and Tricks”
Talk in Circles

Just some straight-up noisy garage rock. Love the “busy” tone about 2/3rds through. Apparently this was on Jersey Shore? Doesn’t matter, great song.

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Lead Belly – “Black Betty”
Negro Sinful Songs

After hearing the 1977 Ram Jam version of this song, I was curious about its origins. Turns out it dates back to at least 1933 (almost certainly decades before), but was first commercially recorded by Lead Belly in 1939. Betty herself seems to be everything but a trouble-ridden woman; “Black Betty” is said to refer to a whip used in prisons, or the black wagon used to transport prisoners, or (as early as 1736, noted by Benjamin Franklin) a bottle of whiskey.

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Tanakh – “5 AM”
Ardent Fevers

While this album never approaches the mystical prominence of Villa Claustrophobia, it does have some moments of beauty and lucidity. Here is one of them. (insound)

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World’s End Girlfriend – “We are the massacre”
The Lie Lay Land

A beautiful but sometimes grating and even terrifying album, The Lie Lay Land is inarguably also very creative. The way this Japanese electronic-classical composer combines soothing strains with noise and samples is atmospheric and powerful, though certainly not for everyone. This track is probably the most accessible, though their collaboration with Mono is more likely to attract the average listener’s ears.

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Various – “The World Is Gone”
The World Is Gone

An unaccountable and varied album, touching on dub and noise as frequently as it does on folk melodies. It’s not always successful, but there’s a kind of grooving, dirty honesty pervading it that makes it impossible to truly dislike. This is the only instrumental track, but the vocals elsewhere range from Espers-esque harmony to jarring spoken word. It can be a bit hammy, but certainly worth a listen. (insound)

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The Microphones – “I’ll Be in the Air”
Don’t Wake Me Up

Early Phil Elvrum is occasionally hard to tell apart form late-era Phil Elvrum. In this case the pensive vocals and roiling guitars could have come from practically any of his projects and albums. It is in fact from 1999’s Don’t Wake Me Up, part of a very fertile period in his songwriting career. I can’t tell if that’s Mirah singing backup, but it’s possible.

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Lowcloudcover – “Skeleton Key”
Separation Anxiety

Confident, competent, and well-produced, this Lowcloudcover album sounds great but not particularly original. But reliably good, slightly-extended (all but two of the songs clock in between five and six minutes) psych-rock is surprisingly difficult to find and this is a fertile source. They must also be given extra credit for actually using the bass rather than letting it slog along deep in the low end.

Jonsi & Alex – “Stokkseyri”
Riceboy Sleeps

A rich, contemplative soundscape that manages to faultlessly merge digital and organic tones. Perhaps closest to Sigur Ros’s ( ), but more subdued and blue-grey. (insound)

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Olivia Tremor Control – “Holiday Surprise”
Dusk At Cubist Castle

Despite their sound being more ether-soaked psychedelia on this record than the sharp, more abstract Black Foliage, OTC were plenty ambitious with this album. With multiple multiple-part tracks and an entire optional “background” track on a separate CD, this was straight up concept work. But with solid songwriting and an sound that changes so often you can’t help but pay attention, you can take the concept or leave it and it’s still a great record.

Autechre – “krYlon”
Oversteps

At first, I thought claims Autechre had gone melodic on this album were overstated. Then this and the final track cashed that check but good. It’s their most beautiful and accessible work since LP5’s “Rae,” combining some of that album’s glitch-outs with harmonies as much Frost as they are Tri Repetae. And the 10-minute closer, “Yuop,” channels (if you can believe it) Stars of the Lid more than anything, all zen bowls, strings, and eerie majesty. Oversteps does have the usual Autechre weirdness, but parts are powerful and the last two tracks are simply stunning.

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Loscil – “Zephyr”
Plume

This hypnotizing album is Loscil’s third, far more rich than the muted Submers or the barely-there Triple Point. It’s full of tracks like this, repetitive but enveloping, and deceptively full of detail at every tone level. Beauty, but hovering on the border of threatening depths. (insound)

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Black Forest/Black Sea – “Sevastopol”
Black Forest/Black Sea

An album of freaky chamber folk, before the band went a bit more digital. The cello/guitar combo makes it sound like an Espers backing track, but the off-kilter melody and confidently atonal background noise set it apart. An unpredictable band, for good and ill.

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Cults – “You Know What I Mean”
Cults

Halfway between Saturday Looks Good To Me and Connie Stevens, this song hits its tone just right. The album is full of these catchy little nuggets of song-singing, now more synthy, now more grungy. Thoroughly entertaining, even if it won’t live forever. (insound)