Blame Kandinsky is a Greek mathcore band, and Spotting Elegance in Chaos is their debut album. Their bias towards dissonance makes me happy. While they’re not using them all day, all night, the inclusion of minor and diminished intervals in their songs is just and wise. You could think of it as a more straightforward Dillinger Escape Plan, but they’ve got something more than just that, so be sure to try this one out!
The work of Austin Woodward, Echopraxia just released Candle Cove. As the uncanny tag ‘thalloween’ suggests, this album is a blend of melodic progressive djent and horror themes. I think it’s very successful because the themes developed through the riffs and other instruments are memorable and strikingly movie-like. As in the songs almost sound like djent covers of classic horror film theme songs. ‘Semper occultis’ features a wonky, noir clownesque organ backing the track, also present in ‘Fukuro’, while ‘3s without 4’ stars a very cool slap guitar versus harpsichord passage. It’s a really interesting and unique album!
Imelda Marcos the band is an experimental math rock project from Chicago, and Dalawa is their most recent release. You might get drafts of Hella and Yowie, and it’s all the more reason to check them out. Their style is pretty unique, so comparisons won’t cut it, but this drum-and-guitar duo is psychedelic and impressive. ‘Henna Pinwheel-Fashioner’ in particular, because of its ebb and flow.
You Break, You Buy is an international math rock entity, and they recently released Don’t Join the Circus, an EP of emotional indie math rock. There’s definitely a subtle post rock vibe as well, perhaps only in that the songs buildup and climax in an epic, cathartic manner. Alongside digital download, the EP is sold on vinyl too. A weird choice, if you ask me, but the artwork on there seems more than worth it!
Speak in Hibernation is an album from 2015, but I think it’s worth mentioning nonetheless. Body Thief‘s blend of post rock and hardcore with indie music and clean vocals gives way to a mesmerizing release. Dan Hawkins’ singing is perfect in pitch and tone, singing heart-wrenching melodies over dreamlike songs. I cannot wait for the band’s sophomore album, which can’t be that far off, right?

Fox Capture Plan is a Japanese variety of pop, jazz, math rock, and electro music. Fragile was released very recently, and it’s a very good album from the trio. The songs are dancey while remaining musically interesting, to some degree. The use of double bass sure is uncommon in the genre, and brings out their jazz roots even more. And, with almost forty-five minutes of run time, you’ll have plenty of sweet new tunes to jam to!
Кшеттра (Kshettra) is a Russian ambient jazz duo putting a major emphasis on Oriental folkloric music and instruments. Fundamentally, it’s a drum and bass duo, but they also play Oxoma synth, samples, and invited guests for brass instruments, mandolin, sitar, and singing, among others. The album is entrancing and meditative, and an interesting experiment in which to let yourself sink.

Reflections in Cosmo is an experimental jazz project from Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen. The quartet lacks a bassist, which is unfortunate, but barely felt, thanks to the keyboardist Ståle Storløkken. The whole, forty-minute thing is in a balancing act between composition and improvisation, and delivers a lot of energy, hence the ‘rock-jazz’ term they like to use to describe themselves. Their self-titled album was released on January twentieth.