Quinta-feira 25 Mai 2006, 23h:42
Most of the (to me) stuff new stuff I've been loving lately kind of fits into a category call it female fronted ethereal trip-hop I guess. Halou was the band that really got me started on this and as usually happens when I get entranced with a band I've been looking and finding very good similar stuff.
Invisible Ballet - "Escaping Light"
This is a side project by Rebecca and Ryan Coseboom of Halou so it's an obvious place to start this entry and also very good. The album reminds me most of Mono Chrome a side-project of another one of my favorite vocalists Victoria Lloyd (of Claire Voyant). Entrancing ethereal vocals over dancy darkewave-type beats. In fact those who have heard Mono Chrome's album will have a pretty good idea what to expect from this. Although a couple of tracks on the Invisible Ballet album are more downtempo and Halou-like. With a normal vocalist this would be just another darkwave band with not particularly interesting or original electronics but of course Rebecca is far far from a normal vocalist and they have the sense to let the electronics stay in the background while her voice is the beautiful centerpiece and, just like with Mono Chrome, it all comes off quite beautifully. Maybe it's not quite as good as the new Halou album but it's still pretty damn good and recommended.8.6/10
This is kind of synthpop with some trip-hop-like influences thrown in. Very good vocals. Nice upbeat and uplifting stuff. Maybe kind of like a 21st century update of early Eurythmics or some good new-wave type band like that 8.2/10
Echostream - "Identity"
In contrast to the first two bans mentioned Echostrem ethereal/downtempo side of the spectrum in fact comparisons could be made to Chandeen or Bel Canto at their best but Echostream is even better. Definately something Hyperium "Heavenly Voices" fans should hear. Although the songs "Shadow on the Ground ", "Simplify" and "Repeater" will delight fans of more electronic trip-hop. Echostream has a Japanese vocalist and she has a really good unique and breathy voice. The backing synths/piano are good but mainly minimalistic allowing her great voice to take center-stage where it definately belongs. Echostream do an absolutely gorgeous cover ofCreep which is just totally haunting and probably the highlight of the album but it's an excellent album all the way through. One of the best new bands I've heard in a while. Dreamy,floaty and melancholic with gorgeous vocals and a few touches of electronica to keep things interesting and diverse. Absolutely a stunning debut album! Very close to perfect. 9.9/10
Beauty's Confusion - "Breathe In" This is actually a 2004 release but a new and great discovery for me. Another realease centered around beutiful vocals complimented by subtle keyboards and electronics and a smattering of shoegaze-style guitar work. This is a subtly diverse album something you can just drift and float on. Will definately appeal to fans of Portishead and Mandalay and other bands in this vein but this is far from a deritive band. Vocalist Jenna Ferone's voice is wonderful to listen to, drifting from sultry to yearning to somewhat menacing to haunting effortlessly. Beauty's Confusion has remixesd tracks for a diverse mix of much more well known artists and when you listen to them it's not hard to see why. Both members, particularly Jenna, are very talented, and there is absolutely no confusion about this music's beauty.9.7/10
Well I may do some more shorter reviews/recommendations later this week because there is a bunch of other stuff I've been enjoying, but the aboue (Echostream especially) are definate stand-outs.