Blog

In no particular order




Charles Spearin - The Happiness Project



Wild Beasts - Two Dancers



Violens - Violens EP



The Veils - Sun Gangs



The xx - xx



Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe



M Ward - Hold Time



Passion Pit - Manners



The Big Pink - A Brief History Of Love



Victoire - A Door Into The Dark EP



Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor



War Child presents Heroes Volume 1



David Sylvian - Manafon



Do Make Say Think - Other Truths



Malcolm Middleton - Waxing Gibbous



Pet Shop Boys - Yes



The Horrors - Primary Colours



A Shoreline Dream - Recollections Of Memory



Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy - Unseen Music Unheard Words



All India Radio - A Low High



The Love Language - The Love Language





Cold Cave - Love Comes Close



Broken Records - Until The Earth Begins To Part




Lost Valentinos - Cities Of Gold




Miike Snow - Miike Snow

All India Radio [downtempo]

Atomica [trip-hop/downtempo]

Bliss [chillout/instrumental]

Corrientes [chillout/cuban]

Eldad Lidor [chillout/lounge]

Gylepomp [lounge/electronic rock]

Lost Balance [chillout]

Lovespirals [chillout]

Michael Zgliniecki [lounge]

Northbound [nu-jazz/lounge]

Quantifier [downtempo]

sir alec hendrix [chillout/downtempo]

Stervhïa [chillout/electronic]

vedad hodzic [chillout/downtempo]

Yello '73 (Gianluca Bove) [lounge/chillout]

Zofka [downtempo/chillout]

Smolik, Artemist Pepe Deluxé, M-Seven, M.W.D., Roebeck, Arts the Beatdoctor, Wilderbill, Bliss, Fila Brazillia, Mop Mop, The Slowdowns, Sweeping Logic, Pilote, Mudville, Daniel Masson, La Caina, Celloman, Panorama, Weathertunes, Athome Project, 40 Winks, Solar Captive, Tango Tempo, Super Star Planet

This post will deal only with the 2nd Quarter of 2009, aka, the months of April, May, and June.
The following are the chart data as recorded by Last.fm (skip past them for my thoughts).
*asterisk denotes a 2009 release, the trailing number is number of plays

3 month artists
1. Beangrowers 240
*2. Bat for Lashes 217
*3. Metric 204
*4. The Decemberists 191
5. Johann Sebastian Bach 176
*6. Camera Obscura 161
*7. Polly Scattergood 139
8. Enya 123
9. Patsy Cline 121
10. Yann Tiersen 118

3 month albums
*1. The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love 127
*2. Metric - Fantasies 109
*3. Bat for Lashes - Two Suns 100
*4. Polly Scattergood - Polly Scattergood 93
5. Billie Holiday - Lady Day: The Master Takes And Singles 83
6. Weeping Tile - Cold Snap 79
7. Beangrowers - Not In A Million Lovers 74
*8. Guitares Cinématiques - Penguins On Mars 73
*9. The Rest - Everyone All At Once 70
*10. Company of Thieves - Ordinary Riches 66

3 month tracks
*1. Metric - Blindness 15
*2. Polly Scattergood - I Hate The way 14
*3. The Pauses - Go North 13
*4. The Rest - Walk On Water (Auspicious Beginnings) 13
*5. Metric - Help I'm Alive 13
*6. The Rayographs - Gold Light 12
7. Rilo Kiley - Pictures of Success 12
*8. The Pauses - The Migration 12
*9. Polly Scattergood - Nitrogen Pink 12
10. Blue October - Congratulations (feat. Imogen Heap) 12
*11. Metric - Collect Call 11
*12. Metric - Gimme Sympathy 11
*13. The BPA - Seattle (with Emmy The Great) 11
*14. Munchausen By Proxy - Sweet Ballad 11
*15. Metric - Sick Muse 11
*16. Butterfly Boucher - Gun for a Tongue 11
*17. Polly Scattergood - Bunny Club 11
18. Jane Siberry - It Can't Rain All the Time 11
*19. Bat for Lashes - Glass 10
*20. Metric - Twilight Galaxy 10
*21. Polly Scattergood - I Am Strong 10
*22. Metric - Front Row 10
*23. Metric - Gold Guns Girls 10
*24. Röyksopp - Were You Ever Wanted (feat. Lykke Li) 10
*25. Polly Scattergood - Other Too Endless 10
26. Counting Crows - Anna Begins 10
27. The Triffids - Stolen Property 10
*28. Patrick Watson - Big bird in a small cage 10
*29. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career 10

Thoughts:
- The first thing that pops out is Beangrowers. They had a 2008 release, Not In A Million Lovers, which is still getting spins enough to show in the top ten (staying power) and they are top artist overall on the strength of my now having their complete library in freshly ripped from CD FLAC.
- The new albums from The Decemberists, Metric, Bat for Lashes, and Polly Scattergood are bunched pretty tightly at the top in all charts and obviously my favs of the quarter.
- Of those four, only Bat for Lashes' Two Suns was in the Q1 lists (staying power).
- Camera Obscura is getting plays and showing in the artist list, but their new one is not getting enough to chart, but for one track.
- The Rest's Everyone All At Once is still getting steady plays, enough to show in both quarters.
- Guitares Cinématiques' Penguins On Mars is the only (somewhat) instrumental album in the above sampling. It does have vocals on a few tracks and some spoken word.
- The Pauses really need to release some more and more official material. Ditto for The Rayographs.
- No EPs are dominated this quarter, against my norm.
- Seems I still really dig female vocals about 2:1

Special Mentions:
- 志方あきこ (Akiko Shikata) - Harmonia
I don't understand a word, but that doesn't matter. Besides the fact she melds 3 or more languages, Akiko uses her voice as an instrument as much as anything. Neo-Classical, Medieval, New Age, World, Alternative, JPop, Art Rock. Label it how you will; it makes my soul smile.

- Alamaailman Vasarat - Huuro Kolkko
The instrumental version of "I don't know what these titles mean, but it doesn't matter". This has more of an edge and at the same is less intrusive (meaning you can listen to this with full attention or as background tunage).

- All India Radio - A Low High
The best straight instrumental release out for the year thus far, just edging out Chris Joss below, and like many of these mentions, could end up in the final list quite easily. Mellow, soothing, a nice trip.

- Chris Joss - Sticks
Chris Joss seems to write soundtracks to early 70s movies that never existed. And I hope he continues to. Recorded during the sessions that produced last year's teraphonic overdubs, this is another solid release with not one weak track. Play that funky music, French boy.

- Gokul Salvadi
More world fusion. More excellent tunage, but released all separately as mostly single track singles, so more difficult to track. (Note: I had previously written he didn't like the term world fusion. I was mistaken and apologize for that, Gokul)

dotSpice/Alchemic Journey/eXSpace
All projects of Juan and Woodoo Prod again instrumental work, again a fusion of styles, again just wonderful stuff.

That is the last three months. The year so far post, aka, the Q1+Q2, 1 Jan through 30 June, half year best of, post is yet to follow (some time this week, hopefully).

Yet again I've decided to waste my time- and maybe even yours- with another list of my favorite albums. This time, I've compiled a list of my 30 favorite albums from each year of the 2000s. Recommendations are greatly appreciated.


2009 so far

1. Isis- Wavering Radiant
2. Fen- The Malediction Fields
3. Wolves in the Throne Room- Black Cascade
4. maudlin of the Well- Part the Second
5. The Field- Yesterday and Today
6. Dereleech- Servant of Entropy
7. Blut aus Nord- Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars
8. Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion
9. Grizzly Bear- Veckatimest
10. Steve Roach- Dynamic Stillness
11. Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O.- Lord of the Underground: Vishnu and the Magic Elixir
12. Telefon Tel Aviv- Immolate Yourself
13. Drudkh- Microcosmos
14. Tim Hecker- An Imaginary Country
15. Funebrarum- The Sleep of Morbid Dreams
16. disappearer- The Clearing
17. Squarepusher- Numbers Lucent EP
18. The Prophecy- Into the Light
19. Mono- Hymn to the Immortal Wind
20. Pelican- Ephemeral EP
21. Boxcutter- Arecibo Message
22. Wolves in the Throne Room- Malevolent Grain EP
23. Phillip Wilkerson- Constant 23
24. Mountains- Choral
25. Great Lake Swimmers- Lost Channels
26. Cobalt- Gin
27. Amorphis- Skyforger
28. Absu- Absu
29. Devin Townsend- Ki
30. Fleshgod Apocalypse- Oracles

2008

1. Jóhann Jóhannsson- Fordlândia
2. Sun Kil Moon- April
3. ColdWorld- Melancholie²
4. Dereleech- Downstream
5. Deepspace- The Glittering Domain
6. Agalloch- The White EP
7. Esoteric- The Maniacal Vale
8. Have a Nice Life- Deathconsciousness
9. Nadja- The Bungled & the Botched
10. M83- Saturdays = Youth
11. Darkspace- Dark Space III
12. Deerhunter- Microcastle / Weird Era Continued
13. Genghis Tron- Board Up the House
14. Ihsahn- angL
15. Virgin Black- Requiem - Fortissimo
16. This Will Destroy You- This Will Destroy You
17. All India Radio- These Winter Dreams
18. Deathspell Omega- Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeternum: Chaining the Katechon
19. Steve Roach- Landmass
20. Aeveron- Existential Dead End
21. Portishead- Third
22. Moonsorrow- Tulimyrsky EP
23. Flying Lotus- Los Angeles
24. I Shalt Become- Requiem
25. Lifelover- Konkurs
26. Atmosphere- When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
27. Leviathan- Massive Conspiracy Against All Life
28. Manual- Confluence
29. Ólafur Arnalds- Variations of Static EP
30. Enslaved- Vertebrae

2007

1. Wolves in the Throne Room- Two Hunters
2. Eluvium- Copia
3. Walknut- Graveforests and Their Shadows
4. Primordial- To The Nameless Dead
5. Lunar Aurora- Andacht
6. Blonde Redhead- 23
7. dälek- Abandoned Language
8. Deepspace- The Barometric Sea
9. The Marcia Blaine School for Girls- Halfway Into the Woods
10. Nadja- Thaumogenesis
11. Stars of the Lid- And Their Refinement of the Decline
12. Burial- Untrue
13. Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd- Before the Day Breaks
14. Drudkh- Estrangement
15. Alcest- Souvenirs d'un autre monde
16. Amon Tobin- Foley Room
17. Radiohead- In Rainbows
18. Moonsorrow- V: Hävitetty
19. Boxcutter- Glyphic
20. Krohm- The Haunting Presence
21. Explosions in the Sky- All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
22. Electric Wizard- Witchcult Today
23. El-P- I'll Sleep When You're Dead
24. Rosetta- Wake/Lift
25. Legiac- Means Feaner
26. Nine Inch Nails- Year Zero
27. Dungen- Tio Bitar
28. The Angelic Process- Weighing Souls With Sand
29. Darkestrah- Epos
30. Christ.- Blue Shift Emissions

2006

1. Warning- Watching From a Distance
2. Wolves in the Throne Room- Diadem of 12 Stars
3. Agalloch- Ashes Against the Grain
4. Drudkh- Blood In Our Wells
5. Jesu- Silver EP
6. AFX- Chosen Lords
7. Tool- 10,000 Days
8. Mono- You Are There
9. Jóhann Jóhannsson- IBM 1401, A User's Manual
10. Nachtmystium- Instinct: Decay
11. God Is an Astronaut- A Moment of Stillness
12. Amesoeurs- Ruines humaines EP
13. Yndi Halda- Enjoy Eternal Bliss
14. Ahab- The Call of the Wretched Sea
15. Mahogany- Connectivity!
16. Insomnium- Above the Weeping World
17. Cult of Luna- Somewhere Along the Highway
18. Steve Roach- Storm Surge: Live at NEARfest
19. Geïst- Kainsmal
20. Robin Guthrie- Everlasting
21. Tenhi- Maaäet
22. The Knife- Silent Shout
23. Katharsis- VVorldVVithoutEnd
24. The Roots- Game Theory
25. Amon Amarth- With Oden on Our Side
26. Above & Beyond- Tri-State
27. Enslaved- Ruun
28. The Black Angels- Passover
29. Deftones- Saturday Night Wrist
30. Mastodon- Blood Mountain

2005

1. Steve Roach- New Life Dreaming
2. Boards of Canada- The Campfire Headphase
3. Jesu- Jesu
4. Boris- Pink
5. Oöphoi- Hymns to a Silent Sky
6. Rosetta- The Galilean Satellites
7. !T.O.O.H.!- Řád a Trest
8. Earth- Hex; or Printing in the Infernal Method
9. Darkspace- Dark Space II
10. Venetian Snares- Rossz csillag alatt született
11. Lurker of Chalice- Lurker of Chalice
12. Sigur Rós- Takk...
13. Robert Rich- Echo of Small Things
14. Deathspell Omega- Kénôse EP
15. Meshuggah- Catch 33
16. Akercocke- Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone
17. Kraftwerk- Minimum-Maximum
18. Gojira- From Mars to Sirius
19. Ulver- Blood Inside
20. Draconian- Arcane Rain Fell
21. Candlemass- Candlemass
22. CunninLynguist- A Piece of Strange
23. Biosphere- Dropsonde
24. dälek- Absence
25. William Basinski- Melancholia
26. Kriegsmaschine- Altered States of Divinity
27. Autechre- Untitled
28. Nadja- Truth Becomes Death
29. 65daysofstatic- One Time for All Time
30. Opeth- Ghost Reveries

2004

1. Drudkh- Autumn Aurora
2. Squarepusher- Ultravisitor
3. Enslaved- Isa
4. Deathspell Omega- Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice
5. Wintersun- Wintersun
6. Lunar Aurora- Elixir of Sorrow
7. Isis- Panopticon
8. Augury- Concealed
9. Meshuggah- I EP
10. Deinonychus- Insomnia
11. Proem- Socially Inept
12. Helios- Unomia
13. Sear Bliss- Glory and Perdition
14. Madvillain- Madvilliany
15. Iron & Wine- Our Endless Numbered Days
16. Leviathan- Tentacles of Whorror
17. Jonn Serrie- The Stargazer's Journey
18. Orphaned Land- Mabool: The Story of the Three Sons of Seven
19. Cult of Luna- Salvation
20. Robert Rich- Calling Down the Sky
21. The Flashbulb- Red Extensions of Me
22. Loscil- First Narrows
23. Vàli- Forlatt
24. Jesu- Heart Ache EP
25. Velvet Cacoon- Genevieve
26. The Dead Texan- The Dead Texan
27. Rotting Christ- Sanctus Diavolos
28. Aura Noir- The Merciless
29. Arcade Fire- Funeral
30. Fennesz- Venice

2003

1. Steve Roach- Mystic Chords & Sacred Spaces
2. Drudkh- Forgotten Legends
3. Enslaved- Below the Lights
4. Boris- Feedbacker
5. Sun Kil Moon- Ghosts of the Great Highway
6. Explosions in the Sky- The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
7. Gridlock- Formless
8. Autechre- Draft 7.30
9. Prefuse 73- One Word Extinguisher
10. Opeth- Damnation
11. Blut aus Nord- The Work Which Transforms God
12. Hala Strana- Fielding
13. Forgotten Tomb- Springtime Depression
14. Ulver- A Quick Fix of Melancholy EP
15. The Gathering- Souvenirs
16. Kid606- Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You
17. Ulrich Schnauss- A Strangely Isolated Place
18. Steve Roach- Texture Maps: The Lost Pieces Vol. 3
19. Alias- Muted
20. Falkenbach- Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty
21. System 7- Live Transmissions
22. M83- Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts
23. William Basinski- The Disintegration Loops IV
24. Pan•American- The River Made No Sound
25. Virus- Carheart
26. The Angelic Process- Coma Waering
27. Madlib- Shades of Blue
28. Devin Townsend- Accelerated Evolution
29. Edge of Sanity- Crimson II
30. Solefald- In Harmonia Universali

2002

1. Agalloch- The Mantle
2. Boards of Canada- Geogaddi
3. Isis- Oceanic
4. Sigur Rós- ( )
5. Opeth- Deliverance
6. Arcturus- The Sham Mirrors
7. Nine Inch Nails- And All That Could Have Been/Still EP
8. Shining- III - Angst - Självdestruktivitetens Emissarie
9. The Flaming Lips- Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
10. múm- Finally We Are No One
11. Porcupine Tree- In Absentia
12. El-P- Fantastic Damage
13. Nile- In Their Darkened Shrines
14. Empyrium- Weiland
15. In Gowan Ring- Hazel Steps Through a Weathered Home
16. Wilco- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
17. Biosphere- Shenzhou
18. ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead- Source Tags & Codes
19. Six Organs of Admittance- Dark Noontide
20. Judas Iscariot- To Embrace the Corpses Bleeding
21. Murcof- Martes
22. Immortal- Sons of Northern Darkness
23. Dark Tranquillity- Damage Done
24. Steve Roach- Streams & Currents
25. Diary of Dreams- Freak Perfume
26. !T.O.O.H.!- Pod vládou biče
27. Beck- Sea Change
28. dredg- El Cielo
29. Lustmord- Zeotrope
30. Jóhann Jóhannsson- Englabörn

2001

1. maudlin of the Well- Leaving Your Body Map (Also: Bath)
2. Aphex Twin- Drukqs
3. Tool- Lateralus
4. Opeth- Blackwater Park
5. Björk- Vespertine
6. Cannibal Ox- The Cold Vein
7. Autechre- Confield
8. Ulrich Schnauss- Far Away Trains Passing By
9. Devin Townsend- Terria
10. Emperor- Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise
11. Aesop Rock- Labor Days
12. Tim Hecker- Haunt Me, Haunt Me Do It Again
13. J-Live- The Best Part
14. My Dying Bride- The Dreadful Hours
15. Daft Punk- Discovery
16. Pete Namlook- Silence V
17. Absu- Tara
18. Plaid- Double Figure
19. Evoken- Quietus
20. Cult of Luna- Cult of Luna
21. Dolorian- Dolorian
22. Gorguts- From Wisdom to Hate
23. Neurosis- A Sun That Never Sets
24. DJ Tiësto- Magik, vol. 7: Live in Los Angeles
25. Liquid Morphine- GrijsGebied
26. Squarepusher- Go Plastic
27. Sigh- Imaginary Sonicscape
28. The Shins- Oh, Inverted World
29. André Estermann- Balloon
30. Therion- Secret of the Runes

2000

1. Weakling- Dead as Dreams
2. Radiohead- Kid A
3. Boards of Canada- In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country EP
4. Boris- Flood
5. Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
6. Lykathea Aflame- Elvenefris
7. DJ Tiësto- Magik, vol. 6: Live in Amsterdam
8. Harold Budd- The Room
9. Robert Rich- Humidity
10. Ulver- Perdition City
11. Jedi Mind Tricks- Violent by Design
12. The Gathering- If_Then_Else
13. Aesop Rock- Float
14. Reflection Eternal- Train of Thought
15. Sol Invictus- Trieste
16. Gas- Pop
17. Shape of Despair- Shades of...
18. Garden of Shadows- Oracle Moon
19. Deltron 3030- Deltron 3030
20. A Silver Mt. Zion- He Has Left Us Alone but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms...
21. Hypocrisy- Into the Abyss
22. Primordial- Spirit the Earth Aflame
23. Bloodbath- Breeding Death EP
24. Amon Tobin- Supermodified
25. Immolation- Close to a World Below
26. A Perfect Circle- Mer de Noms
27. Morbid Angel- Gateways to Annihilation
28. Deftones- White Pony
29. Modest Mouse- The Moon & Antarctica
30. Behemoth- Thelema.6

I originally posted this list on RYM (link here), so why the hell not post it here on last.fm?

This is a collection of artists who I have discovered on last.fm whose music I appreciate and whose music can either be downloaded for free there or can be listened to for free. I am going to include only lesser known artists. For the time begin, this list will consist primarily of ambient artists, as I have only been aware of such artists within the realm of ambient primarily. Any recommendations/links would be appreciated, or any artists you think should be included on this list! Also, if there are any artists who would like to be included on this list, just send me your link. If there is any information that should be corrected or modified, please let me know. Thanks!

To be on this list, an artist must:
-have no more than 50 ratings on RYM for any of their releases
-have no more than 50,000 listeners on last.fm (that's a relatively large figure, but it seems like some artists with that number of listeners on last.fm have not accumulated many ratings here on RYM)
-have at least some of their albums available on last.fm for free listening or free downloading
-be an artist that I have listened to and have deemed worthy to be on this list (yes, I can be a pretentious asshole like that, so take it :P)

I'm also listing the albums I've listened to, ordering them in order of preference (from favorite to least favorite) and rating them, just because I'm a predictable and pretentious asshole like that... still. I would provide a rating criteria, but I won't list anything I wouldn't rate under a 3 (out of 5), so I'll just say anything 4 and over is excellent and something I would definitely recommend, and anything between 3 and 4 is something I liked and would recommend- obviously. I will pretty much never rate anything with a 5- just like I would never rate anything with a 0. 4.5- the highest I will feel comfortable giving- is pretty much near perfect for me, and 3- the lowest I'll give here- still means that I think it's a good album that is worth your time, but just not something that struck me as extraordinary.


Alio Die
Ambient
Under a Holy Ritual is available for free listening
Listened to: Under A Holy Ritual (3.5/5)

All India Radio
Ambient, Downtempo, Post-Rock, Dream Pop
Listened to: These Winter Dreams (4.25), The Inevitable (3.75), Fall (3.75), 002 (3.5), A Low High (3.25)

Alpha Wave Movement
Ambient, Progressive Electronic
Listened to: A Distant Signal (4.25)

amure
Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock
Listened to: Echoes Of... (3.75)

Richard Bone
Ambient
Listened to: SERENE LIFE OF MICROBES (3.5)

Bosques de mi Mente
Ambient, Minimalism
Listened to: Ruido Blanco (3.75), LO-FI (3.5)

Caustic Reverie
Dark Ambient, Drone
Listened to: Stochastic Resonance (4.25), X-Mas EP (3)

Centinex
Death Metal
Listened to: Reflections (3.5)

Dark Drone
Dark Ambient, Drone
Listened to: Forgotten garden (3.25)

Deepspace
Ambient
Listened to: Slow Moving Lifeforms Volume One (4.5), The Glittering Domain (4.5), The Barometric Sea (4.25), Subantarctic Sessions EP (4.25), The Barometric Sun (4), Another Empty Galaxy (3.5)

Defiant Kinetics
Instrumental Hip-Hop, Trip-Hop, Ambient Techno
Listened to: The Elemental EP (4)

Dereleech
Dark Ambient, Ambient, Drone
Listened to: Downstream (4.5), Servant of Entropy (4.5), The Desert Calls My Name EP (4), Longing for the Fallen Sun (3.75), Standstill (3.5)

Distant Fires Burning
Ambient, Downtempo
Listened to: Messierobjekten (3.75)

Marc Doudin
Ambient
Listened to: Oceanview (3.5)

Dyskinesia
Noise, Sludge Metal (?), Ambient
Listened to: Dyskinesia (3.25)

Element Kuuda
Indie Electronic, Ambient
Listened to: Le Village (3.25)

Fear Of Eternity
Symphonic Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal
Listened to: Spirit Of Sorrow (3.75)

Fejd
Folk Rock
Listened to: Huldran EP (3.5)

Felixdroid
Ambient, Minimalism
Listened to: The Longing (4.25), Drawn From Memory (3.5)

Flica
Indie Electronic, Downtempo
Listened to: Windvane & Window (3.25)

Freiband & Machinefabriek
Glitch, Ambient, Drone
Listened to: Oahu (3.75)

Gaudi & Antonio Testa
Ambient, Ambient Techno, Ambient Dub
Listened to: Continuum (3.75)

innere sicherheit
Drone, Noise, Ambient
Listened to: Tales Of The Future (3.5)

Jukeen
Ambient
Listened to: Elevated EP (3.5)

Lackluster
IDM, Ambient Techno
Listened to: Container (3.75)

Lattice
Ambient
Listened to: Songs in the Key of Glass (3.75)

Liquid Mind
Ambient, New Age
Listened to: Liquid Mind VIII: Sleep (3.25)

The Marcia Blaine School for Girls
IDM, Experimental Electronic
Listened to: Halfway Into The Woods (4.25)

Menace Ruin
Drone, Drone Doom Metal, Psychedelic Black Metal
Listened to: The Die Is Cast (3.25)

Mental Home
Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal
Listened to: Black Art (4.25), Vale (3.25)

Monte Montgomery
Acoustic Rock, Blues Rock, Hard Rock
Listened to: Architect (3.75)

M. Persson: Sounds
Ambient
Listened to: Strange skies (4), Healing Waters (3.5)

Pete Namlook
Ambient, Ambient Techno
Listened to: Silence V (4.5), Music for Urban Meditation (3.75)

Pete Namlook / Mixmaster Morris
Ambient Techno
Listened to: Dreamfist 2 (3.75), Dreamfish (3.5)

Pete Namlook / Tetsu Inoue
Ambient
Listened to: Shades of Orion 2 (3.5)

Northcape
Ambient, Downtempo, IDM
Listened to: Detach (4), Some Bright Valley EP (3.75)

Not Breathing
IDM, Experimental Electronic
Listened to: The Black Old Pueblo (4)

Oöphoi
Ambient
Listened to: Hymns to a silent sky (4.5), Mare Tranquillitatis (4)

David Parsons
Ambient
Listened to: Yatra (4.25)

Pilot of the Future
Chiptune, Ambient Techno, IDM
Listened to: Final Ninja Suite (3.75), 1 (3.25)

Pogo
Downtempo, Trip-Hop
Listened to: Wonderland (3.5)

The Prophecy
Doom Metal, Death Doom Metal
Listened to: Into The Light (4)

Resurrection
Death Metal
Listened to: Embalmed Existence (3.25)

Robert Rich
Ambient, Dark Ambient
Listened to: Numena (4.5), Gaudi (4.5), Inner Landscapes (4.25), Humidity (4.25), Calling Down The Sky (4), A Troubled Resting Place (4), Sunyata (4), Rainforest (3.75), Illumination (3.75), Music from Atlas Dei (3.5), Geometry (3.25)

Steve Roach & Erik Wøllo
Ambient
Listened to: Stream of Thought (3.75)

Justin Robert
Post-Rock, Ambient
Listened to: Alone (3.25)

Shao Rong
Chinese Lute, Instrumental, New Age
Listened to: Orchid (3.5)

Spacetime Continuum
Ambient Techno, IDM, Psybient
Listened to: Alien Dreamtime (4.75), Sea Biscuit (4.25), Emit Ecaps (3.75), Double Fine Zone (3.5)

Spiritus Mortis
Doom Metal
Listened to: The God Behind the God (3.25)

Michael Stearns
Ambient, Progressive Electronic
Listened to: Encounter (A Journey In The Key Of Space) (4.25)

Stormlord
Symphonic Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal
Listened to: The Gorgon Cult (4), Mare Nostrum (3.5), At The Gates Of Utopia (3.25), Supreme Art of War (3)

Streams of Europe
Ambient
Listened to: Meanders (4)

System 7
Progressive House, Techno
Listened to: Power of Seven (4), Live Transmissions (4), 777 (3.5), Phoenix (3)

Terminal 11
Breakcore
Listened to: Fractured Sunshine (3.75)

Ultramarine
Ambient House
Listened to: Every Man and Woman Is a Star (3.25)

Usurper
Thrash Metal, Black Metal
Listened to: Twilight Dominion (3.25)

V:28
Industrial Metal, Industrial Black Metal
Listened to: SoulSaviour (3.5)

Vatnajökull
Dark Ambient, Drone
Listened to: Drifting Ice Station (4), Arkhangelsk EP (3)

Venerean
Ambient, Dark Ambient
Available albums so far: Intermittence EP.1 (3.75), Dissociated Drones EP (3), Omega, Vol. I: Anthems for Dreaming (2.5)- Yes, I rated my own albums. I'm that much of a douche, apparently.

Vidna Obmana
Ambient, Dark Ambient
Listened to: The River of Appearance (4), Twilight of Perception (3.75), Passage in Beauty (3.75), The Spiritual Bonding (3.5), Spore (3.25)

Wedard
Depressive Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal
Listened to: Einsamer Winterweg (4), Wo Die Ewigkeit Die Zeit Berührt (2.75)

Phillip Wilkerson
Ambient
Listened to: Vigil (4)

Wine From Tears
Death Doom Metal
Listened to: Through The Eyes Of A Mad (3.25)

My other blog posts about free music available on Last.fm can be found HERE

All India Radio [downtempo]

Corrientes [chillout/cuban]

Eldad Lidor [chillout/lounge]

Gylepomp [lounge/electronic rock]

Lost Balance [chillout]

Lovespirals [chillout]

Quantifier [downtempo]

Stervhïa [chillout/electronic]

vedad hodzic [chillout/downtempo]

This year continues to pull out more and more aces..In no particular order:

Irepress - Sol Eye Sea I
From Monument to Masses - On Little Known Frequencies
The Enablers - Tundra
Bell Orchestre – As Seen Through Windows
KTU – Quiver
Thursday – Common Existence
Eluvium - Life Through Bombardment
mudy on the sakuban - Kidnie
Mono – Hymn To The Immortal Wind
Callisto - Providence
Beirut – March of the Zapotec /RealPeople Holland
Gathiens – Nesh
Marching Dynamics – The Workers Party Of Haiti
Teeth Of The Sea – Orphaned By The Ocean
Pilori - Until the Day Dawn
Reigns - The House On the Causeway
Screen Vinyl Image - Interceptors
Jah Wobble and the Chinese Dub Orchestra - Chinese Dub
Land Of Kush - Against the Day
squares on both sides - Indication
Takeo Toyama - Etudes
Tim Hecker - An Imaginary Country
Time Zones & Area Codes - Around the Ocean
Vanessa Van Basten - Psygnosis
A Wake A Week - Little Black Cloud
Fog in the Shell - Private South
The Antlers - Hospice
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
Zu - Carboniferous
Jeniferever - Spring TIdes
Lustmord - The Dark Places of the Earth
Jacaszek - Pentral
If These Trees Could Talk - Above the Earth, Below the Sky
Various productions feat. Gerry Mitchell - The Invisible Lodger
Eleni Karaindrou - Dust of Time
Eleventh He Reaches London - Hollow Be My Name
George Dorn Screams - O'Malley's Bar
Shelter Red - Strike a Mortal Terror
Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself
Glen Johnson - Details Not Recorded
Hildur Guðnadóttir - Without Sinking
Torngat - Le Petite Nicole
Bronnt Industries Kapital - Hard For Justice
Celeste - Misanthrope(s)
Kylesa - Static Tensions
Long Distance Calling - Avoid the LIght
Tara Simmons - Spilt Milk
Sarah winchester - The Northeast Kingdom
Patrick Watson - Wooden Arms
The Gentleman Losers - Dustland
The Paper Chase - Some Day This Could Be All Yours Vol.1
Zola Jesus - New Amsterdam
Pontiak - Maker
St kilda - E.P.
Woodworkings - Untitled
Bark Cat Bark - Á Lífi
St. Vincent - Actor
Shogun Kunitoki - Vinonaamakasio
Last Days - The Safety of the North
Aidan Baker - A Picture of a Picture
Alamaailman Vasarat - Huuro Kolkko
William Basinski - 92982
We vs. Death - A Black House, A Coloured Home
Saxon Shore - It Doesn't Matter
Redjetson - Other Arms
Pentark - Ha Ha Ha!
Øresund Space Collective - Good Planets Are Hard To Find
Mt. - Teach Your Children How To Think, Not What To Think
Jon Hopkins - Insides
Poison the Well - The Tropic Rot
dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion
Vassilis Tsabropoulos - The Promise
Giant Squid - Icthyologist
Pawa Up First - The Outcome
Hypnic Jerk - Martorell
Park Avenue Music - By Hearts + Horses
Jasper TX - Singing Stones
Minsk - With Echoes in the Movement of Stone
zxyzxy - Hansuru
Arktika - Heartwrencher
Christopher Tignor - Core Memory Unwound
Flunk - This Is What You Get
Elfin Saddle - Ringing For The Begin Again
Pandora's Black Book - Black Brothel
Peter Broderick - Songs For Falling From Trees
A Broken Consort - Box of Birch
DUEN - Inner States
The One Ensemble Orchestra - Other Thunders
Karjalan Sissit - Fucking Whore Society
Cities Last Broadcast - The Cancelled Earth
New Risen Throne - Crossing the Withered Regions
Penemue - The Observers
Aethere - In Coma
French Teen Idol - El Siete Es La Luz
Max Alper - Music For Fritz Lang's "M"
Heroin and Your Veins - Nausea
Matryoshka - Coctura
Proem - Till There's No Breath
Sophia - Sigillum Militum
Negru Voda - Våld De Luxe Promo Appetizer
Nils Frahm - The Bells
Screenatorium - Audimat
All India Radio - A Low High
Yppah - They Know What Ghost Know
Desiderii Marginis - Years Lend a Golden Charm
Drudkh - Microcosmos
Max Richter - Henry May Long
Phallus Dei - A Day In The Life Of Brian Wilson
Six Organs of Admittance - Luminous Night
Luigi Rubino - A Theme For The Moon
Parabstruse - An Unconventional Future
The American Dollar - Ambient One
Caspian - Tertia
Pianos Become The Teeth - Old Pride
Trespassers William – The Natural Order of Things
A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head
Scythelence - Post-Romantic Syndrome
Clint Mansell - Moon OST
The Snapping Of Whips, The Whipping Of Flags - The Soviet Children's Choir Sings for the World
Giardini di Mirò - Il Fuoco
Gerda - III
Jóhann Jóhannsson - And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees
Murcof - La Sangre Illuminada
The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation - Succubus
HEALTH - Get Color
Message to Bears - Departures
the Picturesque Episodes - Strange Lights and Ornaments
worriedaboutsatan - Arrivals
The Eastern Wave - All Covet, All Lose
Amiina - Re Minore
Emeralds - What Happened
Maserati - Passages
Throbbing Gristle - Third Mind Movements
Vision Éternel - An Anthology Of Past Misfortunes
Junius - The Martyrdom of a Catastrophist
The Black Heart Procession - Six
Fuck Buttons - Tarot Sport
Access To Arasaka - Oppidan
GREYMACHINE - Disconnected
Natural Snow Buildings - Shadow Kingdom
Russian Circles - Geneva
Thomas Köner - La Barca
Vindensång - Terminus: Rebirth In Eight Parts...
Rachel Grimes - Book of Leaves
A Storm of Light - Forgive Us Our Trespasses
HORSE the band - Desperate Living
Air - Love 2
Pleq - The Metamorphosis
Aarktica - In Sea
Converge - Axe To Fall
Nanda Devi - Fifth Season
Daïtro - Y
Pelican - What We All Come To Need
Pansori - Demo 2009
Dolcim - Guillotine Ride
Drowning with Our Anchors - You Can Never Go Home Again
Land of Talk - Fun and Laughter
World's End Girlfriend - Air Doll OST
The Tiny - Gravity & Grace
Planning for Burial - Leaving
Hannu - Hintergarten
California Stories Uncovered - Confabulations
Struluckt - When The Night Falls - Tribute To Burzum
Detritus - Things Gone Wrong
Heather Woods Broderick - From The Ground
Nudge - As Good As Gone
Somatic Responses - Reformation
Hecq - Steeltongued
Loscil - Strathcona Variations
Mountains - Mountains, Mountains, Mountains
Piano Magic - Ovations
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Here Be Dragons
sgt. - Capital of Gravity
Elder - Reflect
Emilie Simon - The Big Machine
Arms and Sleepers - Matador
Institute of Joy - A Mountain of One
Arroyo - Individuum & Massen
Electric Assembly - White Splinter
Masske - Masske
3nd - World Tour
Mirah - (a)spera
aMute - Infernal Heights for a Drama
Empusae - Mortusae
Heinali - Film Music (El Mar)
pg.lost - In Never Out
PHANTOGRAM - Eyelid Movies
Rose Kemp - Unholy Majesty
Snowblood - Snowblood
To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie - Marlone
Benny Crespo's Gang - Benny Crespo's Gang
Kreidler - Mosaik 2014
Dominic - Nord
Lords - Fuck All Y'all Motherfuckers
Blueneck - The Fallen Host
Hauschka - Small Pieces
Jana Winderen - The Noisiest Guys On The Planet
Julian Plenti - Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper
Murder by Death - Finch
Peter Wright - An Angel Fell Where The Kestrel Hover
Pyramids with Nadja - S/T
Korouva - Sleepwalker
Sumner McKane - Nanook
Ben Frost - By The Throat
eaststrikewest - w o l v v e s
The Great Disappointment - S/T
2econd Class Citizen - A World Without
Blockhead - The Music Scene
Dirac - Emphasis
Dante Augustus Scarlatti - Demises of the Dynamc Microphone
A Red Season Shade - Interiors
Fall Of Efafra - Inlé
The Bronzed Chorus - I'm The Spring
Autumn Moonlight - The Sky Over Your Shoulders
Guns Of Brixton - Cap Adare
Mountains Among Us - True North
MGR vs. SirDSS - Impromptu
Lisa Gerrard - The Black Opal
The Mercury Program - Chez Viking
Microfilm - The Bay of Future Passed
andorra~atkins - Augenlied
L'Homme Puma - On Remplace Les Yeux Cassés
Emmanu el - Moen
Life's Decay - Dysrieuses
Still Light - Lything
Heaven In Her Arms - Duplex-Coated Obstruction
Apse - Climb Up
Transitional - Stomach of the Sun
Yuki Murata - Films
Képzelt Város - Mit Nekem
Emeralds - The Overlook
English Heretic - Tales of The New Isis Lodge
Field Rotation - Licht Und Schatten
A Lot Like Birds - Plan B
Up-C Down-C Left-C Right-C ABC + Start - Firewolf