Year 6 Compilation Available Now!

by Dæv Tremblay

Listen and Download for Free

The Words

Our sixth year as a music blog is over today, enter year 7! As the name suggests, Year 6 compiles some of the best releases that we came across from July 2017 to July 2018. Most of them are taken from our Monthly Recommendations column, but a few aren’t because we discovered them after the month has passed. What we have is almost one hundred tracks of diverse music from many corners of the world. 1.2 gigabytes; many, many hours.

I have to thanks all the bands who contributed to this compilation, and … Read more

Geph – Apophenia

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

You like Chapman stick, right? Who doesn’t? This simple apparatus akin to a wooden plank fitted with too many metal transverses and strings made primarily for tapping gives a nice, airy tone, and is perfect for self-accompaniment, thanks for its huge tessitura. Many artists have put this device to good use, but I recall none using two of them at once!

Enters Boston’s Geph—the pronunciation of which is an extension of the /dʒɪf/-/ɡɪf/ debate—, which is made up of two stickists and a drummer. The instrumental trio plays a modern brand of progressive rock highly … Read more

Jptr – The Absence Of…

by Dæv Tremblay

The Music

The Words

Jptr—disemvoweled “Jupiter”—is a Swiss avant-pop duo. Consisting of Ramón Oliveras, of modern jazz band Ikarus fame, and Andrina Bollinger, who is part of another art pop duo: Eclecta, Jptr boasts one of the most impressive, and, perhaps, surprising lineups.

After catching up with the project’s self-titled 2,017 release—with which I immediately fell in love—, I gave a shot at The Absence Of…, which is coming out on 13 July. While their debut, Jptr, is rhythmic and upbeat and energetic, its follow-up veers in an entirely new direction. Atmospheric, contemplative, and minimalist, The … Read more

Weekly Release Dump

by Dæv Tremblay

Saturday, 30 June

The Sound That Ends Creation – Roses and Thorns and Dead Unicorns (grindcore, mathcore)

Sunday, 1 July

Fifth Quadrant – Vision (progressive metal, prog fusion)

Monday, 2

Andreas Scotty Böttcher – Electric Symphony (jazz fusion)

Ars de Er – Fièvre (progressive rock, avant-prog)

Bisonwar – Tribes (instrumental progressive rock, math rock)

… Read more

Monthly Recommendations:
June 2018

by Dæv Tremblay

It’s always difficult—and rather arbitrary—to call on the best of something, anything; especially when there are to be only four chosen ones, amongst a sea of candidates. I probably already alluded to this challenge when I came up with my recommendations series, but I want to state it again, as a memory refresher. Here, I emphasize four albums, out of a sea of potential releases that came out during this passing month, but, really, all albums mentioned in this post—including the “Honourable Mentions”—could have starred on the podium. The choice of these four might be more of an effect of … Read more