OPM: A Whole Lotta Post

mattlikestapes – Off the Beach

Post ambient meets post rock for a quiet, minimal musical discussion that exists in the liminal space between the two. Splashes of guitar, synth and electric piano move in languid shapes around each other. Short loops come and go; the occasional glitchy element disturbs the surface. 

It’s all very minimal and generally relaxing, but even among the chill there are occasional buildups of tension to keep things interesting. All told, it’s a slow ride to nowhere in particular, but the scenery along the way is frequently lovely and fascinating. (And if you stick around to the very end there’s a funny diversion to cap things off!)

(Listened to the entire album)

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This Questionable Life – Exquisite Torment EP

Dark and powerful post punk delivered by the classic power trio lineup. Guitar, bass, drums and vocals deliver tales of tough times and bad feelings. Comparisons to Joy Division and Interpol are apt, and I think I hear some Killing Joke, the Fall and probably some Nick Cave in there? 

You get the idea – dark, muscular riffs, despondent vocals, and a powerful rhythm section that lays down the perfect foundation for the guitar to jangle and chug over. The subject matter is closely matched to the vibe, so if you’re looking for some classic, dark post punk, this is worth a listen!

(Listened to the entire EP)

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John Lithium – Psychic Negation

Extremely minimal soundscape/drone ambient perfect for scaring the hell out of yourself alone in the dark. This is an album – one long track, that stretches for almost an hour, to be precise – that takes its time; for the opening seconds, I honestly wasn’t sure if the internet was lagging. So, turn it up! 

At higher volumes (relatively speaking; a box fan would drown this out even if turned all the way up) bits of texture and movement begin to stand out from the monochromatic background drone. This kind of music/sound art requires a fair bit of patience on the listeners part, but if you are so inclined, you could easily get lost in this.

(Listened to the entire album)

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Aubrey Van Gelded – FAWM 2025

A rollicking collection of vintage indie rock with touches of alt country, modern pop and more. To my ears, the vibe here is very late ‘80s to mid-’90s indie/alt rock – it reminds me of what I was listening to in those years, anyway. As such, it’s largely guitar driven, but not afraid to mix in some synths and keys. 

A handful of tracks break out of that mold, including the excellent “Habit,” the most contemporary sounding song on the album. Despite some widely varying influences and styles, there’s a smart, smirking aesthetic that carries thru, via the singing and lyrics, holding the material together in a coherent fashion. 

(Listened to the entire album)

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Martyrs – “Pin Blue Sometime” single

A compact epic of a single that starts off somewhere between The Streets and Arctic Monkeys and ends up neck deep in Bowie’s underrated late ‘80s/early ‘90s output. Opening with some clean strummed guitar and very British speak-singing/rapping before the rest of the track kicks in and everything shifts into that late Bowie space. A weird marriage and unusual vibe but it actually works quite well. 

Paired with the single are two “b-sides” (can’t be what we’re still calling them now that there’s no “side” to speak of…): “Make Me Ambient” which offers up exactly what’s written on the tin, and “Derelict Beach Cafe,” a slow burning song that puts me in mind of TV on the Radio (or perhaps the Genesis influences TVOTR was calling upon…) spiked with that same era of Bowie and gives the title track a run for its money (as all the best b-sides do…). Fascinating and distinctive release.

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Got time for one more? My album The Mechanics of Mysticism released earlier this month and I’d love it if you’d give it a listen. It’s a psychedelic musical tour thru the tools and technologies of mystical experience, or a dozen tracks of wild, trippy instrumental post-industrial ghostwave and weird wizard synth, if you prefer. Have a listen and let me know what you think!

If you’d like to listen with other fans and/or learn about the inspirations and process of making the album, join us this Sunday, June 1 at Bandcamp for a Listening Party.