Unshaped_Ahead is the music project of DImos Vryzas, and this first (from what I gather) album release “Baul” is an immersive mosaic of tunes based on his very unique and captivating musical storytelling style. Based on minimal melodies and loops of electric guitar, piano, violin & electronic sounds – with samples of different narratives by friends from around the world, makes for an inspiring, simultaneously extrovert/introvert experience – this is truly a home-made treasure chest of an album!
Johnny Carbonaras
Audio
The excellent debut album by Johnny Carbonaras (a five piece band from Thessaloniki, Greece) is an energetic and high spirited – in every sense of the word – collection of instrumental psychedelic surf tunes, sure to pump up your day or night and get you on your feet. True to its musical origins, but also effortlessly experimental, I found myself riding the electric sound-waves and climbing guitar riffs towards the “far-out” within the first few minutes… care to join me?
Bill Mountain
AudioBill Mountain is a five piece band from Houma, Louisiana. Their music an electrifying peculiar mix of post-punk, progressive (70’s Gong style) psychedelic rock, multi-layered vocals, frenetic rhythms and saxophone, ultimately enjoyable and refreshing. The band hasn’t got any official album releases yet (I personally can’t wait for their first) so the four tracks I include here is all they’ve made available online between June 2014 – February 2015.
Mechanimal – Mechanimal
Audio
A gloomy, dark but also melodically poetic mechanical animal is walking down the bleak urban landscape, emitting its lyrical stories and electric sounds. The music here reflects the history & characters of the bands’ main collaborators – electronic rock with dark-wave origins blending spoken-word with electricity and electronics, into a riveting, dramatic epic of ten parts.
If one had to describe Mechanimal with a single reference to genre, then “drone ‘n’ roll”, a name the members themselves give their music, would suffice.
Sancho 003 – Muzga
AudioThree years after their first album, Sancho 003 return with “Muzga” which has sort of a mystical cinematic, soundtrack-ish quality to it. Mostly recorded live by the duo (Titos Kariotakis and Hristos Harbilas) the soundscapes the listener is invited to traverse may seem at first kind of desolate, but with each passing moment a subtle sonic narrative emerges, consisting of their strings, electric guitars & pedals – welcoming and open to interpretation.
Kid Flicks – Hearts Of Gold
AudioKid Flicks’ music truly defies categorization and/or accurate description – other than beautifully captivating creative musical self-expression. “Hearts Of Gold” consists of material produced between 2008-2011 in his very unique way and style – from conception to expression. This surprising experimental sonic cornucopia offers a multifaceted mix of electronic, alternative rock, psychedelic elements of rhythmic delight, simultaneously lighthearted, playful and sophisticated – all captured, played and produced by him.
Mary And The Boy – Timemachine
AudioThis most genuinely experimental duo, present in Timemachine (their second album) a selection of somewhat diverse tracks ranging from lo-fi synth experimental “pop” (!) to probably disturbing to some noise/phonetic compositions bordering what could be considered “subversive”. Certainly not an easy listen for many, but I do find its creative authenticity, cynical lyrics and imagination both stimulating & exalting (I’m strange, if you haven’t guessed already, what can I say).
Alzheimer Beat – Live at Giannina
Audio
Alzheimer Beat is an instrumental music, live only performing act put together by Vasilis Baharidis (percussions), Stefanos Lazarinos (saxophone), Fotis Siotas (violin) – all members of Yiannis Aggelakas’ band “Visitors” – Titos Kargiotakis (console and sound effects) and Yiannis Aggelakas (Dj Set). The band did not make any official recordings, and only appeared live until 2006.
I deeply regret not having seen them on any of their improvisation based rock/jazz/electro fusion performances, but here we can all enjoy one of them at least recorded.
drog_A_tek – Homeland (O.S.T.)
AudioI’ve always had a special love for movie soundtracks. Music there seemed to be more abstract, the compositions roomy, the melodies plain and in general somewhat “open to interpretation”. In addition the occasional dialogue or environmental sounds often included in the album release of a soundtrack always added an extra layer of mystery and interest, even if (or especially when) I had not seen the film.
Well here is a soundtrack by a band that is already incorporating those qualities in their none filmic music – the outcome, to me, is nothing short of amazing.
Villagers of Ioannina City – Riza
AudioOk, I know the word “unique” has been used extensively (but not excessively) with regard to music and style in various posts here – but I believe V.I.C. music absolutely deserves it, if not defines it. This five member experimental psychedelic/rock band from Ioannina City (Greece) play a rare mix of greek traditional folk with post, psychedelic, prog rock, both fascinating and unprecedented.