Rhizone – Metropolis, or, In Search of the Black Water, Act Ⅰ: Timelines

To fully subjugate yourselves into the story Rhizone has created for their musical theatre Metropolis, or In Search of the Black Water, you’ll have to read the script, available with a purchase of the album on Bandcamp, or listen closely to the lyrics during your listening session. This will naturally happen as you hit play on Timelines, as the music often diverges into foreign territory so as to more strongly support the story being told. Timelines is one of the best progressive rock concept … Read more

Seims – Four

Seims‘s long-awaited new album finally draws near! The aptly titled Four comes out on October 22. As a follow-up to the dazing 3 and its expansion pack 3.1, 4 has a lot of unspoken promises to fill. And, indeed, it does fill them all! Ⅳ is all that made Seims’s previous works work, but better: expansive progressions, top-notch musicianship, memorable melodies, and an ever-present sense of songwriting are all competing for your attention, with the almost daunting presence of a wide array of instruments, which sometimes make it feel like the band is backed by … Read more

Yves Tumor – The Asymptotical World (Warp)

Yves Tumor, also known as Sean Bowie, is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist based in Italy. I’ve been following him for a while, but this is my first time writing about his music. His style is a blend of pop and experimental rock full of earworms and fun idiosyncrasies, which make listening to The Asymptotical World, and really any of his releases, an energizing and positive experience. On this EP, I would even say that his sound is somewhat inspired by noise rock! Although definitely not being categorizable as such, there … Read more

Plain Cheese Pizza – Plain Cheese Pizza

Vancouver-based, deliciously named avant-prog septet Plain Cheese Pizza just released their mouthwatering self-titled EP. With only four tracks, this is, at best, an entrée designed to prepare our bodies for an unknown future dish. This EP was recorded in 2019, so I guess it’s the post-production process that took three years to complete. I’m being optimistic, but perhaps this means that a full-length is already well under way or even finished tracking! For now, though, I can say that this apéritif is right down your alley!

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Real Loud – Real Loud (New Focus)

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Wizard – Definitely Unfinished

French noise rockers Wizard released an arguably finished EP in early June titled Definitely Unfinished. At three minutes under thirty and five tracks, it’s got enough room to showcase the band’s progression since their 2018 eponymous debut. Wizard the first was already an utterly satisfying experience, but Definitely Unfinished brings an undeniable touch of refinement to the mix. The band’s new sound overflows with drive and energy on unforgettable songs that will spin more than once more, I promise!

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Mdou Moctar – Afrique Victime (Matador)

Mdou Moctar‘s blend of Nigerian-Saharan music and blues-rock has … Read more