Cryptic Ruse – Dual Spaces: Exercises & Diagrams

Cryptic Ruse‘s latest release is an impressive split with itself, dividing the album in twain down the middle, progressive metal during the former half and doom-drone during the latter. The album is very interesting, as always, by the multiple microtonal temperaments being used and the metal environment in which they’re played. With the recent addition of “Igliashon” Jones to The Mercury Tree, I fear that Cryptic Ruse will take a back seat, but we can still enjoy it while it’s there.

---

Banda Municipal de Barcelona, Salvador Brotons, and Spanish Brass

… Read more

Y/N – Larry and the Eternal Light

Somewhere between avant-prog and pop music lies the intricate and eccentric Y/N entity. Larry and the Eternal Light is a fascinating achievement: it’s funky, groovy, experimental, addictive, challenging, and weird, all at the same time. It’s an amazing album that brings the weird factor to the forefront.

---

Oratnitza – Alter ethno

Oratnitza is a Bulgarian folk music band which emphasizes the dance aspect of their deeply-rooted traditional music, as well as influences from other ethnic musics; hence the title. For example, their usual lineup consists of a kaval (a Balkan flute), didgeridoo (Australian), … Read more

Mula & Poil – Mulapoil

French avant-prog phenomenon Poil always impress, so I guess they aren’t surprising in that regard, but they’ve joined forces now with Colombian band Mula for a lengthy experimental split record. Poil’s thirteen-minute song, “Gagaku”, shows them at their peak of creativity and musicianship, while Mula’s side acquaints us with the unknown entity. Both sides of this little album are genuinely interesting in their own rights and a nice little derangement of the ear.

---

Nybo/Ravn – En (alle)

This odd Norwegian organism just released what looks like their debut album for streaming on Bandcamp, even if … Read more

Anguish – Anguish

The album is the epitome of this genre fusion, perhaps the best one to come out of it yet—more certainly the best one I know—swaying between experimental jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and electronic, noise passages. A must!

Read more.

---

Poline Renou, Matthieu Donarier et Sylvain Lemêtre – Adieu mes très belles

Adieu mes très belles assembles contemporary compositions with traditional folksongs and improvisation techniques. The result is à cheval between avant-garde jazz and contemporary classical music, as well as folk music.

Read more.

---

Noise Trail Immersion – Symbology of Shelter

Most of the time, it’s a gem of

… Read more

Wet Electric – Wet Electricity, Volume 1

In an uncanny series of events, Wet Electric‘s latest album art features an old-school computer, just like Ellen Kirkwood’s [A]part (which is amazing, by the way). Better than mildly funny is the music on Volume 1. The New York quintet plays an avant-garde style of jazz that is most wondrous, and deals conceptually with the mystery and spirituality that seems to be lacking in today’s “information age”. The album is great: it has touches of minimalism, which make it breathe, and a certain folk sensibility, too, thanks to the full-time violin … Read more