You Big Ox – An Unkindness of Ravens

You Big Ox is a doomgaze band stemming from the progressive sludge weirdos in National Sunday Law. An Unkindness of Ravens is a brooding, melancholic album that’s beautifully melodic and atmospheric; a true sludgy shoegaze demonstration. The relatively long songs give ample time for the sustained chords to sink in and flood you with all of their weight.

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The Antistandard – All of Them! (Discordian)

The Antistandard is a Barcelona-based avant-garde jazz quintet conducted by saxophonist El Pricto and his graphic scores. Featuring established members of the contemporary music scene like guitarist Diego Caicedo, The Antistandard is a solid recording of new extreme music.

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Nagy Emma Quintet – Set to Face

I failed to expressed how I liked this Hungarian modern jazz group when their debut, Extended Play, came out, but I won’t miss the chance now, with the release of the full-length Set to Face. Singer Nagy Emma’s quintet plays some really interesting and enjoyable compositions, with skilled and tasteful improvisation. It’s a marvellous collection of songs you surely won’t regret listening to!

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Ernesto Aurignac Orchestra – Uno (Moskito)

Spain-based Ernesto Aurignac just released Uno, his first recording of compositions for jazz orchestra. I have to say the album as a whole is just brilliant! Each track has that cinematic feeling; not like a movie score, as that would lessen the music, but like a movie in itself. The music is not merely a support for images and emotions, but rather it is their vessel and cradle; it speaks of and for itself.

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Monotrope – Immutable Future (New Atlantis)

I have written about Monotrope in the past; the instrumental progressive rock band has a truly distinct sound, thanks in great part to Edward Ricart’s guitar sound and use of open tunings. Their characteristic approach to composition is further explored on this album, and each track is thus unique and interesting in its own particular manner.

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Teeth – The Curse of Entropy (Translation Loss)

Teeth is a band merging together the unlikely worlds of doom metal, sludge, and grindcore, in a way similar to what Sloth Herder are doing, but in their own distinctive manner. The Curse of Entropy is the band’s sophomore album, the first one on a label, and it shows the band’s level in terms of understanding what makes their sound tick. Each track is purposeful and well-defined, and makes my neck hurt.