Bruno Pronsato - Why Can't We Be Like Us (2008)

ARTIST`````Bruno Pronsato

ALBUM`````Why Can't We Be Like Us

GENRE`````Minimal Techno, Microhouse

YEAR````````2008

Info & Review

It is very hard for me to find good techno (especially minimal) these last years so this gem comes as a very pleasant surprise. I suppose that playing the mega sexy and hypnotic What They Wish to a packed club would be a DJ's suicide but it is evident that author didn't spend 2 years of his life producing this just to create dance music for fluorescent thongs - he spent 2 years because he enjoyed it. This should be listened on the most expensive, finest and loudest headphones you can steal because there are endless little layers and touches of sound between the booming basslines.

Who is it?

The journey from speed-metal/punk drummer to minimal techno producer isn't exactly a common one, but it's exactly the music path that a certain Steven Ford has forged over the past 20 years. After leaving his Voice Of Reason bandmates back in Texas and making a move out west to Seattle, Ford became increasingly interested in computer-based music and electronic minimalism, steadily learning the tools that have made him such an accomplished producer.His early years in the electronic music scene saw him split his output between two different monikers. While his now defunct Bobby Karate pseudonym explored Ford's more abstract side, his more dance floor-focused work came out under the Bruno Pronsato name, and was promptly picked up by respected labels as Musique Risquee, Philpot and Orac.

Excellent review by RA

Why Can’t We Be Like Us is like the unexpected fulfilment of a promise: unexpected because none of Pronsato’s EPs so far had hinted at anything this good; and a fulfilment in the sense that he has spared nothing with this work—there is nothing missing, lacking, insufficient. Not since We Are Monster has a producer so subtly yet undeniably redefined what’s possible within the rubric of house. Listen to this, and so many things seem possible. All you other wannabes, you’re on notice: the bar has just been raised.

Read the rest...

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New link with all 9 tracks! - Thanks Mike hahahaha:)

SEXY-SYNTHESIZER - ROCK-SPECIAL EDITION (2008)

ARTIST`````SEXY-SYNTHESIZER
ALBUM`````ROCK-SPECIAL EDITION

GENRE`````Chiptune, 8bit, Japan

YEAR````````2008

Info:

SEXY-SYNTHESIZER is founded in 2006 by Takeshi Nagai. Their sound is characterized by 1980’s arcade sound effects and familiar electronic sounds, with vocoder vocals singing over all that. Simply categorizing the group with terms like “chip tune” and “8bit sound” are not enough to explain their distinctive rock/punk-based electro groove.

Aside from working on their own productions, SEXY-SYNTHESIZER collaborates with various hip hop,R&B, and electro artists, as well as producing, track-making, and remixing for these artists. Playing live and DJing as well, the group continues to pursue their activities in various fields and genres

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Check this artist:

http://www.sexy-synthesizer.com

http://www.myspace.com/sexysynthesizer

V.A. The In-Kraut Vol. 1,2,3 - Hip Shaking Grooves Made In Germany

V.A. The In-Kraut Vol. 1 - Hip Shaking Grooves Made In Germany 1966-1974 (2005)


















ARTIST`````Various
GENRE`````Obscuro, Psychedelic, Funk, Easy Pop, "Rock & Roll"

YEAR````````2005

Review:
What you get is a terrific collection of swingin' bachelor pad music, complete with a view of the Reeperbahn; most of the tracks suggest someone like Si Zentner trying to play something like rock & roll, with an added level of cultural disconnect added as the performers struggle to play American-style pop, often while attempting to sing in English (frequently in a manner that suggests they learned the lyrics phonetically). If this sounds like a pan so far, though, it isn't -- The In-Kraut is actually lots of fun, with most of the tunes boasting tight arrangements, great studio bands, and punchy, enthusiastic performances, even if the results often have little to do with rock & roll. (It's significant that, according to the liner notes, the upbeat "Marihuana Manta" was recorded by a musician who never smoked dope in his life, while "Molotov Cocktail Party" sounds less like a call to revolution than a tribute to the pleasures of blowing up stuff.) For the most part, The In-Kraut finds studio-centric big bands attempting to tackle rock & roll, and while they don't quite make it on face value, they come up with something that's exciting, compelling, and lots of fun -- proof that sometimes squares can be a lot cooler than you'd expect.

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V.A. The In-Kraut Vol. 2 - Hip Shaking Grooves Made In Germany 1967-1974 (2006)





















ARTIST`````Various
GENRE`````Obscuro, Psychedelic, Funk, Easy Pop, "Rock & Roll"

YEAR````````2006

Review:
The upbeat "Swinging London" by the Hazy Osterwald Jet Set is a standout. The band shouting out London landmarks and addresses of "The Swingin' City" over a KPM styled groove. Mary Roos offers a take of the Jorge Ben penned Sergio Mendes hit "Mas Que Nada" - here in German as "Blauer Montag" (Blue Monday). The legendary James Last provides a number titled "Soul March". It's uptempo, full and well produced with a nice touch of flanging to give it that "sky-ing" effect. Trippy! My fave of the disc is by an attractive gal named Hildegard Knef. In her slightly accented English she talks deadpan over a light jazzy groove on "Holiday Time". It's way out - try to imagine Nico pretending to be a dominatrix reading news headlines and you've got the drift. Dieter Reith's brilliant funky Hammond n horns "No No No" reminds me of Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames take on Earl Van Dyke's "Soul Stomp". No wonder it's culled from an album entitled "Hammond Explosion". The organ and sitar groove of Carlos Fendeira on "Gimmi Moro" is a wild mix that really works and sounds like a deleted cut from the Vampyros Lesbos film soundtrack! "Moon Mission" by Kai Rautenberg & Orchester Juergen Ehlers is a fuzz guitar vs. organ duel that is definitely my favorite instro excursion on the disc. If horns and Hammonds are your thing you need The In-Kraut Vol. 2 for your next soirre, gig, love-in et al.

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V.A. The In-Kraut Vol. 3 - Hip Shaking Grooves Made In Germany 1967-1974 (2008)





















ARTIST`````Various
GENRE`````Obscuro, Psychedelic, Funk, Easy Pop, "Rock & Roll"

YEAR````````2008

Review:
Described in the liner notes as the final volume in this series focusing on late-'60s and early-'70s psych and soul obscurities from West Germany, The In-Kraut, Vol. 3 is, like its predecessors, a perfect mix of the knowing wink and the honestly amazing. Whether it was a question of the technical expectations of a German listening audience, or simply good playing all around, nearly every song on here sounds incredible on a level of tactile impact: horns stab out of speakers, vocals are crisp and clear, and some of the feedback levels sound monstrous even after decades of heavy metal. That said, the flip side lies in the enjoyably workmanlike quality of so many of the contributions: these are adaptations and reworkings of so many American sources of inspiration in particular (or at a slight remove), thus the jaw-dropping version of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" by bandleader Dieter Zimmermann, who replaces the vocal line with a horn section that sounds like a way ahead of its time college marching band, and the mid-song freak-out with lush strings set against a brooding bass swell that it's almost easier to simply marvel at how well they transmute the original material for the kind of starchy swing that seems to be the best way to dance to them. Perhaps inevitably, Peter Thomas steals the show on the whole thing with "The World Is Gone," a bizarre news bulletin-turned-street corner giggle/rant backed by his usual brass-led groovers. Whether it's South African expatriate Gene Williams' rather forced vamps on "My Soul Is Black," or the ridiculous singing on Georgees' "Butterflies Never Cry" -- it makes Blood, Sweat & Tears seem like Low -- this is definitely something that once heard is never forgotten. Whether that's positive or negative may depend on how you feel on the day.

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O'Death - Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin (2008)

ARTIST`````O'Death
ALBUM`````Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin
GENRE`````Indie Rock, Punk, Folk, Alternative
YEAR````````2008

What?
Now that's some breakneck cowpunk.

The Band:
The boys in O'Death come from all over the Eastern Seaboard, but got together in 2003 while they were attending the State University of New York in Purchase, NY. They use folk styles -- primarily bluegrass and old-time music -- for a foundation, but punk, grunge, swing, rock, metal, and jazz figure heavily in their arrangements.

Album review:
by j. poet
Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin isn't as sloppy or uncontained as O'Death's national debut,Head Home, which isn't a bad thing. The playing is tighter and more polished, but they haven't lost any of their manic energy, and in fact this outing is, if anything, even more energetic than Head Home. "Legs to Sin" is as frenetic as anything they've ever done, withBob Pycior's fiddling driving the band into a frenzy. Greg Jamie's vocals are still almost incomprehensible, and just listening to the track leaves you panting for breath.

As the album title implies, the band flirts throughout with death, darkness, and perdition, while churning out an unholy noise that might truly wake the dead.


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Pete Molinari - Virtual Landslide (2008)

Hi, I am Bob Pete Dylan Patsy Molinari Guthrie II

ARTIST`````Pete Molinari
ALBUM`````Virtual Landslide
GENRE`````Blues, Folk
YEAR````````2008

What?
A really, really good album from a really, really good artist. Most of the critics are bullshiting around calling him the Most Awesome Thing Since The Beginning Of Time - but hey - they get paid for that. I find him to very refreshing and pure in form. His songs are dominated with a powerful voice (based on Bob Dylan). The most intriguing thing is how similar he can be to early Dylan but it's obvious he is not "stealing" - he is very much obsessed and strongly influenced by Patsy Cline, Bob Dylan, Billie Holliday and John Coltrane. The most natural thing is not to be shy and continue the story. One thing most of the critics missed to point out is the importance of Molinari's singing + arrangements of straightforward, classic, raw blues - it's so clean it sounds literally like a 60's vinyl record -and that's why it sounds so fresh when released in a confusing mash-up time like the 2000's are.

Here's some short info: Molinari’s voice takes a little getting used to, just like Dylan’s. But once you get over his nasally falsetto and take in the overall feel of the music, you’ll wonder how a young Maltese/Italian/Egyptian man from the U.K. can sound so much like an American folk singer from the 1960’s. The influences Molinari cites are from another time, ranging from Jack Kerouac to John Coltrane to Johnny Cash. And they all come through in his harmonica-laden acoustic tunes.

Review
From Boomkat

To say Pete Molinari is old school would be a great understatement. A Virtual Landslide is Molinari's second album, and was recorded at the all-analogue Toerag studios, famous for recording The White Stripes' Elephant LP among others, and you can certainly hear the vintage charm of the studio's pre-1960s equipment. From the classic boogie-woogie of 'I Came Out Of The Wilderness' to the jangling balladry of 'One Stolen Moment' the album sounds pretty darn delightful, but there's always a danger that the militantly retro production spills over into gimmickry, ultimately detracting from Molinari's writing. But with songs like 'There She Still Remains' on board, there's no such danger. The recording features some lyrical pedal steel playing from BJ Cole, and sounds a bit like something from Dylan's Nashville Skyline period, recalling a lonesome country blues that just doesn't get old. Highly recommended.


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My favourite track "It Came Out of The Wilderness" is included on a compilation V.A. I'm Gonna Burn Yourself (2010) so you might want to get that also:)

Juan Trip' - Fireplace (2008)

VERY NON-CONSISTENT BUT A GOOD EFFORT
ARTIST`````JUAN TRIP'
ALBUM`````FIREPLACE
GENRE`````ROCK, PSYCHEDELIC, RETRO
YEAR````````2008

WHY:
This could have been a much better album but some amazing tracks make up for the general lack of coherence.

A RATHER NERDY ALBUM REVIEW (by someone?):
With twenty new tracks Juan proves that the mixture of futuristic music and the spirit of the Sixties and the Krautrock area mustn’t end up in a tasteless disaster. You know it’s easy, pick up an old idea and reinterpret it new and the success comes automatically… But Juan lives a different idea; with his heads in the clouds and the heart on the ground he puts different areas, styles and ideas together in his very personal style. Surely this music sounds like Velvet Underground, 13th Floor Elevators or Jefferson Airplane, but Juan doesn’t copy this music he makes music with an own identity, with own ideas. No copy and paste music, this is intelligent song writing mixed with a futuristic view on the past. If you hear a song made by Juan you won’t compare it with the past, you will recognize it as Juan’s music. And besides all this musical comparisons and ideas there is a main aspect about “Fireplace” this is music with a message, an identity and this music that takes you far away to places you never seen before. Wonderful and bewitching! Moviedreamintelligentmusic… or do you have any other idea for a name for such an outstanding music?


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Mark McGuire - Amethyst Waves (2008)

LAYERS
ARTIST`````Mark McGuire
ALBUM`````Amethyst Waves
GENRE`````Electronic, Ambient, Krautrock
YEAR````````2008

SHORT INFO:

Yet another new tape from Mark McGuire of Emeralds. And again - absolutely gorgeous. This time more kraut-inspired, psychedelic echoed synths versus melodic guitar loops, slowly expanding layers of mesmerizing sound.

Recorded live to cassette. Edition of 50 copies in Norelco style cases, second edition of 75 in round-corner cases. About 10 copies contain a vocal sample at the end of the A side.

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