OPM: Dreams and Violence

ATTN :: DFCT – Squeaks and Violence [Deluxe LP]

A dozen-plus tracks of authentic old-school drum and bass spiced up with the occasional dip into hardcore. All the hypomanic chopped breaks, impossibly heavy bass, smart production and ragga vocal samples you expect are on offer here. And, of course, a few tracks offer a lighter touch and some female vox, or sub in some movie samples. Like I said – classic stuff! 

I am no authority on this style (I was always in the house room across the venue from the DnB) but it all sounds like it’d fit nicely with what I do recall. The production is tight and clean (and distorted where it should be, natch), the grooves are impeccable and the vibe is nice and heavy. If you miss the glory days of jungle/drum and bass and hardcore, you’ll definitely want to check in on this. 

(Listened to the entire album)

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Dear Rain –  Cosmos

Enchanting collection of warm and soft electronica that pulls from old IDM, lo-fi downtempo and ambient. Gentle soundscapes, burbling grooves and blankets of synthesizer work together to create a number of lovely and compelling tunes. 

Each of the album’s five short tracks offers its own take on the base approach, but they all fit together nicely to make a coherent set. It’s an upbeat, lowkey vibe that’s entirely positive without ever approaching the saccharine or contrived. A delightfully understated and impressive album of ambient-adjacent grooves.

(Listened to the entire EP)

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bruxa do mangue – uma constelação de sonhos

Largely acoustic singer-songwriter work with a touch of lo-fi soft/indie rock production. It frequently sounds like a ‘90s-era MTV Unplugged session for one of the poppier or more chill grunge bands – an embrace of the softer side of rough-edged rock. That’s no knock on it – those albums sold a ton and made a lot of new fans for those bands. 

On a few of the tracks, the production does a bit more heavy lifting, such as “Sonhando Acordada,” a lovely psychedelic instrumental piece. Anyway, whether you remember those Unplugged sessions fondly, or had to look them up on Wikipedia, this’ll please you if you like rock songs delivered in a largely acoustic context with a high degree of chill. 

(Listened to the entire album)

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Rob Dobson – Galilean Moons

Big-screen space music made with synthesizers – slow moving, majestic and all-encompassing. Playing out like the slower, more relaxed side of kosmische spiked with some bits from its cousin-in-chill ambient, these tracks are always in motion but never trying to get anywhere fast. 

Instead, it’s all about the journey – a trip thru slowly unfolding timbre, minimal melody and deep ambience. Each of the four tracks of the album is named for a different moon of Jipiter, ands each weighs in at exactly 15 minutes, making this a one-hour space excursion that should leave you feeling as light and free as you would in zero-g.

(Listened to the entire album)

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St. John’s Lonely Daughter – SJLD

Fascinating set of dark and discordant experimental music that draws on spoken word, noise, industrial and more. Manipulated samples of someone speaking, inharmonious guitar strums and shuddering noise shapes are the key ingredients. You’ll find some synth here and there, or perhaps samples tortured into synth-like shapes. 

Rhythm is largely a suggestion rather than a vital component – things are moving in a kind of vaguely rhythmic way but there’s rarely much beat. And it’s all a concept piece about dealing with the fallout of a mysterious illness. Weird, clangorous, harrowing at times and always full of surprises, this is a rare and distinctive brand of musical self expression. If you consider yourself an adventurous listener, you’ll definitely want to give this a chance. 

(Listened to the entire album)

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Don’t forget, this Friday is Bandcamp Friday, where Bandcamp waives their fees for a day, so it’s an extra-good time to support artists you like by buying their music! Hey, you could even buy some of mine!