It’s that time again already! I know the blog isn’t really very active but I did listen to some great music this year, and do want to share some albums that are definitely worth a listen! So do check those out!
MAGDALENA BAY – IMAGINAL DISK: And the award goes to … Imaginal Disk of course. The chill-wave duo that started in 2016 have grown up fast! 15 tracks of surprise after surprise on this epic piece of work! With “Mercurial World” they already proved that they can write some mean, hooky pop-tunes, but Imaginal Disk has taken that to next level. Luckily most critics can hear this and the album has received much credit already. Added to the progressive musical experience, Mica and Matt have added their own sci-fi mini mythology to Imaginal Disk which is expressed in the visuals on video and on tour: the song sequence gives us a storyline that unfolds, whilst listening to this saga, ranging from psychedelic and trippy to floor-stomping abba-esque, to otherwordly tearjerkers. It’s all here: let Mica & Matt, the Mulder & Scully of indie-music, transport you trough their inner worlds in which glitching compact-disks, evil alien doctors, mirror portals and angels on satellites come wizzing past. My personal favourites are: Watching TV (ain’t nothing like the mind-blowing end!), Angel on a Satellite ( I’m not crying, you’re crying), Death & Romance ( yes, a killer!). Absolutely fucking superb!
MOUNT KIMBIE – THE SUNSET VIOLENT: Evidently, when a band starts a collaboration with your favourite singer you can’t help but taking some time out to listen to it. And listen to it I definitely did a lot! What can I say, other than Archie Marshall making the occasional appearance here and there, this is just a really, really great indie album. Energies are high, harmonies blend beautifully (thanks to the amazing Andrea Balency-Béarn), guitars cut and synths shimmer and we hear many classic indie references like, for example, Pavement and The Pixies. Personal favourites are: “Shipwreck“, “Empty and Silent” and “Fishbrain“.
THE MARIAS – SUBMARINE: I have been a big Marias fan since the first brilliant EP Superclean, Vol I, but was actually slightly disappointed with the last albums/EP’s before Submarine came out: despite a few true gems, there simply were too many bland r&b/pop tunes circulating. Submarine does exactly that which The Marias are good at: smooth, mysterious, warm and sultry, sultry, sultry…. This album is 14 track rich and, I have to say, that I adore at least 10 out of the 14 songs! I truly and highly recommend to submerge yourself in the listening experience that is Submarine. Favs: “Run Your Mouth“, “Paranoia“, “Vicious Sensitive Robot”and “Blur“. It’s tough to narrow down the choices!
CHANEL BEADS – YOUR DAY WILL COME : This is the first full-blown album by this New York based project led by underground hero Shane Lavers and pals. “Your Day Will Come” is atmospherical, trippy and highly ingenius: the lo-fi indie is accompanied by shoegazey guitars, washes of violins and electronic beats, which makes the sound hard to pin down. It’s dreamy, organic and edgy at the same time. Listen to “Police Scanner”, “Dedicated To The World”, “Your Day Will Come” and “Unifying Thought“. Do not miss!
SAULT – ACTS OF FAITH: aaah…. the enigmatic Sault. The British music collective by multi-instrumentalist and producer Inflo that keeps alluding us. Sault make neo-psychedelic-soul in the line that harks back to the early works of Minnie Ripperton and The Rotary Connection, but also remind me a lot of 90s Drum ‘n Bass project 4Hero. Sault feels like a lo-fi, organic, evolving, entity charged with all sorts of emotions. Hard to fathom: hearing is believing! This is their 11th LP, and as usual, the album was released as a free download, only available for 3 days before it disappeared again (so not available on Spotify or any platform other than Youtube). The whole thing listens as one track but consists of 9 different acts: ACT 1 Survivor, ACT 2 Set Your Spirit Free, ACT 3 God Will Help You, ACT 4 Heal, ACT 5 Turn It Around, ACT 6 Lessons, ACT 7 Only For You, ACT 8 Signs and ACT 9 Pray For Me. Sault is an experience not the be missed, and I think so-far this is one their best albums to date.
