Originally released back in January via Veinte 33 Records – Modern Prophecy is a 3-track ambient sound-art project from producer and sound-designer Conducive.
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Category: Reviews
Music for Magnolia Trees, by Various Artists
Music for Magnolia Trees is a compilation of downtempo and ambient electronic music, curated and presented by TRIP FM and Triplicate Records.
This 15-track project is a pleasant journey, peppered with peaks and valleys of mood and energy. Pinging back and forth between ethereal ambience and chill-out beats, the diversity of the artists work is spread out like a fine mixed-berry jam over crispy toast.
While you could not say this is a purely ambient release, the whole track list exudes an ambiance of warmth and comfort, even when the grooves are hitting. The resulting listen is wholesome and enjoyable, whether passively as background music, or actively, perhaps as soundtrack to an afternoon bike ride.
Several of the tracks stand-out in their splendor and composition – such as ‘I’ll See You When The Rains Come‘ by Johnny Fallout, which travels between heartwarming classic ambient and late 90’s IDM sounds, making for quite the electronica odyssey. ‘Different Vibrations‘ by Cathode Ray Tube is another highlight, packed with deeply satisfying percussion delays and textural synth-work.
‘Gone Without A Trace‘ is a personal favorite, swirling together all sorts of instruments and inspirations to create a head-bopping trip-hop track that would not be out of place in a Thievery Corporation DJ set.
There’s a definite old-school electronica energy to the project, and it would likely sit well with fans of Boards of Canada, Squarepusher and Casino versus Japan.
Between the bliss and the beats – there’s a lot to enjoy in Music for Magnolia Trees. Nearly an hour of lovely electronic music, created and curated by talented folks. Hopefully you can make some time to give it a listen – which can be done via the labels Bandcamp page, or streaming on all the popular platforms.
The Spider Room, by Joseph Blane
Released on Cassette via Submarine Recordings – The Spider Room is a sprawling 2-track improvisational project by Scottish Avant-Garde musician Joseph Blane.
The story behind this project is arguably just as interesting as the sounds recorded – with both tracks being completely improvised in a cold, dark abandoned building. Armed with a guitar and a recorder, Joseph expanded on these original guitar recordings by utilizing the environment around him – taking advantage of dusty old instruments to provide intriguing overdubs of piano, violin, glockenspiel and much more to round out the improvisations.
Described by the artist as ‘free-form avant-garde noise jazz‘ – which does pretty much hit the nail on the head. The first track ‘Beneath the Dust’ boasts quite a dark mood, while the latter “Above the Dust” evokes feelings of brightness and hope, with a more prominently focused guitar and melodic riffs on the accompanying instruments.
Both parts are roughly 15 minutes in length, providing plenty of time for both the artist and the listener to dig in and immerse themselves. The result is potent and engaging, turning what could be possibly intimidating ‘free-form avant-garde noise jazz‘ into a very listenable experience.
Unfortunately it appears the Cassette edition is NEARLY sold out (at the time this article is published, there remains 1 single copy for sale!) – however the Digital edition is still available for all to enjoy. You can give it a spin via the Artists personal Bandcamp page or head over to Submarine Recordings to try your luck at scoring a physical!
Twenty Twenty, by Congregation of Drones
Beautiful off-kilter modern classical from the duo of violinist Pauline Kim Harris and experimental producer Jesse Stiles together as Congregation of Drones.
This 4 track epic is packed with electroacoustic wandering, sonic exploration and drone studies. The densely populated songs take their time making their presence known and settling in, like a friendly poltergeist.
Anyone who reads EternityTree knows that I am a sucker for electro-acoustics – when producers fuse together the ethereal world of ambience with the very tangible and visceral acoustic realm. Bitcrushed pads encircle the listener while scraping and plucking strings push the sonic movement ahead.
Jesse leaves plenty of room for his counterpart to breath and explore the possibilities of a violin – often eschewing traditional viewpoints for more skewed and experimental phrases. Crisp and sharp at times, soft and wholesome at others, perfectly balancing presence between melody and rhythm.
Twenty Twenty is named after the year it was recorded, releasing 2 years later. With a digital edition dropped along side a sleek double-LP, this one deserves a place in your collection.
Cool Maritime – Big Earth Energy (2022 Western Vinyl)
Artist: Cool Maritime
Album: Big Earth Energy (2022)
Label: Western Vinyl
Genre: New Age / Ambient / Electronic
Record Store: Zia Records, Phoenix, AZ
We’ve all heard the mantra ‘never judge a book by its cover,’ and yet the same rule of thumb could hardly be said to apply to the world of vinyl, where off-kilter, intriguing artwork oftentimes speaks directly about the music contained within. Case in point – Cool Maritime’s glorious 2022 LP ‘Big Earth Energy,’ which I picked up the other day solely because of the wonderful Lisa Frank-esque neon tree frog gracing the front cover, as well as the promotional sticker which promised an experience inspired by ‘Myst and Studio Ghibli.’
The music almost lives up to this high bar, with seven tracks of instrumental electronic goodness that will bring to mind the cushy, muzak-adjacent environments of pre-2000 personal computer game soundtracks like SimCity or, indeed, Myst. Pleasing sin waves, pitched to replicate electronic tom drums, bounce and squiggle around synth pads and buoyant synthesizer melodies. Drum machines are notably absent, and the resulting music works equally well as background tones to do yoga to, or as an active listening experience. It will most certainly pair well with your next session of whatever intense simulation or strategy video game you’re currently obsessed with. Excellent find.
Thomas Jacob Jr is a Producer, Composer, Singer-Songwriter, Music Educator and Digital Artist currently based in Arizona – Bringing us rare and interesting selections from his extensive Vinyl collection! For more content follow his vinyl-dedicated Instagram account
Kiefer – When There’s Love Around (2021 Stones Throw)
Artist: Kiefer
Album: When There’s Love Around (2021)
Label: Stones Throw
Genre: Nu Jazz / Downtempo
Record Store: Zia Records, Phoenix, Arizona
Blame it on the algorithm, but when I switched over from Apple Music to Tidal a few months ago, I couldn’t listen to an album or playlist of anything remotely downtempo without being recommended Kiefer, the soulful hip-hop influenced pianist and producer. A cursory glance at his credits reveals piano work on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy, as well as producer or songwriter credits for another dozen or so artists.
It’s easy to see why this young man’s popularity has blossomed as of late; judging by his recent long player ‘When There’s Love Around’, Kiefer’s vibrant style of downtempo jazz is eminently listenable and chill without devolving completely into uber-smooth cocktail jazz (although I’d probably still be a fan of that). A few synths pepper the landscape, either as melody instruments like on ‘crybaby’, or as mood-setting soundscapes like on ‘loving hands.’
The whole album plays like a greatest hits of town and village theme songs from a lost ‘Final Fantasy’ game circa the PS2 era. There’s just something about the twinkling piano melodies, downtempo grooves, and melodic phrasing that brings to mind the shores of Besaid Island. I can practically hear the menu screen click sound effects in the background.
In an eerie case of foreshadowing, ‘When There’s Love Around’ comes pressed in a vibrant blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Its release predated the current conflict by many months.
Thomas Jacob Jr is a Producer, Composer, Singer-Songwriter, Music Educator and Digital Artist currently based in Arizona – Bringing us rare and interesting selections from his extensive Vinyl collection! For more content follow his vinyl-dedicated Instagram account
Protenomaly, by Directives
Intriguing and satisfying lofi noise tapes by Directives, released by Colorado-based label Aubjects.
Protenomaly is a fascinating, psychedelic project – knit together from eclectic plunderphonics and harsh, washed-out guitars. The depth of audio exploration displayed here is breathtaking – with truly intense and complex compositions gracing both sides of the cassette.
As the sounds pass by – the listener is exposed to very unique and visceral samples, structured and presented in a way that guarantees a connection or reaction. There’s thick tape nostalgia in everything from the soaked tone of the mix to bouncing ribboning of guitar experimentation.
Passive percussion accompanies most of the pieces on Side A, though it’s role in the compositions is less about tempo and more about grounding the sound. Pitter-patters of miscellaneous hand drum elements are scattered here and there, offering a pleasant juxtaposition to the rest of the production.
Side B begins with some truly avant-garde plunderphonic arrangement – with aliens gathering together with distorted angels to deliver stuttered spoken word while taking the worlds longest celestial bong hit. The project continues to revel in its experimental and exploratory glory for the remainder of the playtime, indulging in fragmented guitar riffs + noodling as well as delving even deeper into the dark atmospheric ambience presented on Side A.
Protenomaly can be considered a multisensory aesthetic experience – being divided over 3 mediums. First being obviously the audio portion of the project, which can be purchased or streamed via Aubjects bandcamp page. Secondly there is a limited run of 66 handmade cassette tapes, each with a unique handmade presentation. Third and certainly not least is the visual portion which manifests as a full video interpretation of Side B.
Cloakroom – Dissolution Wave (2022 Relapse Records)
Artist: Cloakroom
Album: Dissolution Wave (2022)
Label: Relapse Records
Genre: Shoegaze / Post-Hardcore / Alternative Rock
Record Store: Puscifer the Store, Jerome, Arizona
Shoegaze as a genre is experiencing a small renaissance in the underground rock community. Hum returned after an extended hiatus by diving head first into bludgeoning post-metal soundscapes; harsher black metal acts like Deafheaven have gradually softened their edges to reveal the smooth, dream pop center hidden underneath; and fellow Relapse Records brethren Nothing continue to hone a thoroughly contemporary brand of shoegazy alternative rock. As excellent as all these bands and records are, Cloakroom’s newest long player Dissolution Wave may be the strongest of them all.
While my roommate was adamant that Cloakroom merely sounds like ‘a hundred alternative rock bands I used to listen to in the 90’s’, I’m not sure I can write them off so quickly. Yes, the reverb, the choruses, and the overall vibe of Dissolution Wave may carry a sheen of nostalgia for the slowcore of the mid 90’s, but the songwriting and atmosphere elevate the music to the upper echelon. The washed out, almost ambient nature of much of the music makes Dissolution Wave go down smooth regardless of whether you’re listening to it actively or as background music. A truly stellar effort from a scene that hopefully has much more to reveal down the pike.
Thomas Jacob Jr is a Producer, Composer, Singer-Songwriter, Music Educator and Digital Artist currently based in Arizona – Bringing us rare and interesting selections from his extensive Vinyl collection! For more content follow his vinyl-dedicated Instagram account
Blue Lab Beats – Motherland Journey (2022 Blue Note Records)
Artist: Blue Lab Beats
Album: Motherland Journey (2022)
Label: Blue Note Records
Genre: Neo-Soul / Jazztronica
Over the last several weeks I have been teaching my junior high school music students about the cross pollination between the jazz and hip-hop music genres in modern music. There is no better contemporary example of this than with Blue Lab Beats’ masterful debut long-player for Blue Note Records, Motherland Journey.
Much like the title suggests, MJ encompasses a kaleidoscope of influences and sounds while still retaining a distinct identity. They fuse the sounds of the African diaspora with modern instruments and rhythms from the London underground music scene, resulting in a melange of jazztronica, afrobeat, neo-soul, funk, and fusion. Guest stars abound, adding contemporary pop, r&b, and hip-hop flair to the smooth fusion instrumentals laid down by producer NK-OK and multi-instrumentalist Mr. DM.
At 17 tracks and an hour’s worth of listening time, one would thing that Motherland Journey might strain to maintain a sense of cohesion and unity with all the genre-skipping, but the opposite is in fact true, as MJ instead plays like an expertly-curated celebration of the London underground electronic music scene.
Thomas Jacob Jr is a Producer, Composer, Singer-Songwriter, Music Educator and Digital Artist currently based in Arizona – Bringing us rare and interesting selections from his extensive Vinyl collection! For more content follow his vinyl-dedicated Instagram account
Author & Punisher – Krüller (2022 Relapse Records)
Artist: Author & Punisher
Album: Krüller (2022)
Label: Relapse Records
Genre: Industrial Metal / Darksynth
Tristan Shone is the one-man bandleader and mastermind behind the industrial darksynth project Author & Punisher. Shone performs his music using a unique collection of hand-built electronic synthesizers and sound machines and has been doing so in earnest for the better part of the last decade.
With 2018’s ‘Beastland,’ Shone found a new audience by shifting to the roster of Relapse Records, a label better known for forward-thinking death metal than doom electronics. With his mind-blowing new album ‘Krüller’, Shone has achieved a clarity and purpose of sound previously unheard in his other work. Of particular note are collaborators Justin Chancellor and Danny Carey, better known as the rhythm section of alternative metal stalwarts Tool, who show up sporadically to fill in some of the low end of Shone’s electronics.
The music reveals shades of late 90’s industrial acts like Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, and Type O Negative, especially in the aggressive vocals and lush layers of metallic distortion, yet ‘Krüller’ remains an absolutely singular listening experience. Shone’s songwriting chops are on display here as well – no longer content with half-finished sound collages or drones, Shone instead focuses on a more streamlined compositional style that benefits the flow of the album as a whole.
This one’s definitely one of the stronger releases of 2022 so far and a easy recommendation for fans of industrial music, alternative metal, or darkwave electronic music.
Thomas Jacob Jr is a Producer, Composer, Singer-Songwriter, Music Educator and Digital Artist currently based in Arizona – Bringing us rare and interesting selections from his extensive Vinyl collection! For more content follow his vinyl-dedicated Instagram account
Eternity Tree 