Lights Out Asia - Tanks And Recognizers (2007)

Date Released: July 17, 2007
Origin: United States
Genre: Shoegaze, Downtempo, Post-Rock
Label: n5MD
Site: http://www.lightsoutasia.com/
Tracklist:

1. Roy
2. Ring Of Stars
3. Four Square
4. Oh! Toronto
5. March Against The Savages
6. Lilies Of The Subway
7. Art Divided By Science
8. Drift/Fade
9. Spiti Elefas
__________________________________________________
Wisconsin post-celestial-shoegazer trio Lights Out Asia delivers their sophomore full length and debut for n5MD titled Tanks and Recognizers. This follow-up to their critic and fan favorite Garmonia (sun sea sky) pushes their sound far forward with a palpable intensity by giving a seemingly subliminal nod to some of the more electronically minded ethereal bands of the mid 80s to early 90s like Breathless, Chapterhouse, My Bloody Valentine or even the more emotionally rich moments of Colourbox. Lights Out Asia who is actually influenced more by a more current crop of like-minded artists such as Mogwai, Massive Attack, and Robin Guthrie’s various works, blend them all, the erstwhile and contemporary, with an updated style, feel and modern expansiveness. Tanks and Recognizers is a cinematic and ambitiously crafted album which could easily fit into any indie rock or electronic music collection. Soaring, floating, and moving forward as it pulls you in to its hopeful heart consuming ebb and flow of electronics, guitars and lofty vocal yearning. Tanks and Recognizers is that perfect album for those days when the horizon and sky are of the same hue and for those moments where every perspective is so gorgeously blurred.

Review taken from: http://www.n5md.com/discography.php?catno=148
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/154437193/Lights_Out_Asia_-_Tanks_and_Recognizers.rar.html

Variation of Memorable I, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Memorable I, 2008

Lights Out Asia - Garmonia (2003)

Date Released: 2003

Origin: United States

Genre: Shoegaze, Downtempo, Post-Rock, Ambient

Label: n5MD

Site: http://www.lightsoutasia.com/

Tracklist:

1. Knockknock
2. You’re All On Display
3. Chapters Of A Red Sky
4. Promontory Cemetery
5. Absence Of Oceans
6. Hail Russia Live
7. Garmonia
8. Farewell Humphrey Bogart
9. Sigil
10. God Help Us
11. Not Every Day’s A Victory
12. Untitled
__________________________________________________
Lights Out Asia’s Garmonia is a middle-of-the-night car ride soundtrack. It's the songs you imagine yourself composing when scrolling through all the different patches on an awesome keyboard you can never afford. It’s an embryonic journey of mellow tunes that would not feel out of place on an episode of The X-Files. The samples and atmospheric music combine together to create a great nighttime soundtrack that may remind you of Enigma, Sigur Ros, and Depeche Mode. This reverb-soaked meditation is a great disc to work, drive, or make sweet love to. It’s hard to believe that music this ethereal could come out of the frigid wastelands of Wisconsin, but it does. Perhaps it’s something about the icy stillness of –25 degree days, or the way the once-soothing lake turns to a hardened sheet of glass. Whatever the reason, Lights Out Asia has created a great disc that could become the soundtrack to your life.

Review taken from: http://www.tlchicken.com/view_story.php?ARTid=2055
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/154587836/Lights_Out_Asia_-_Garmonia.rar.html

Variation of Starry Night, 2007

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Starry Night, 2007

Julian Fane - Our New Quarters (2006)

Date Released: October 6, 2006
Origin: Canada
Genre: IDM, Shoegaze, Modern Classical
Label: Planet Mu Records / Revolver
Site: http://www.myspace.com/julianfane
Tracklist:

1. Our New Quarters
2. New Faces
3. Youth Faces
4. The Moon Is Gone
5. Downfall
6. Jonah The Freak
7. Break And Enter
8. Rattle
9. Among The Missing
10. Plastics For A Heart
__________________________________________________
For this follow-up to his acclaimed Special Forces album, Vancouver-dweller Julian Fane has placed far greater emphasis on more conventional song structures than its predecessor, with vocals taking a central role at every turn. Fane's voice bears more than a passing resemblance to that of Thom Yorke, and the Radiohead frontman's solo outing, The Eraser provides an obvious reference point. But while Yorke's album was an exercise in minimalism (by his standards at least) Our New Quarters positively exudes epic ambition. The title track sets the tone, with its quietly dramatic Sigur Ros-style post-rock, only for subsequent tracks 'New Faces' and 'Youth Cadet' to introduce shattered electronics and rasping beats. All these elements are distilled to greatest effect on 'The Moon Is Gone', the most successful marriage of Fane's song craft and electronics here. Almost as good, the neon synths and fiery beats (sounding like they've been lifted straight off Bjork's Homogenic album) of 'Rattle' provide another highlight. However, the haunting piano chords and whispered falsetto on 'Downfall' suggest Fane is at his most powerful when he switches his electronic gadgetry off and plays it straight. It's absolutely magnificent stuff, managing to sound profoundly emotive without resorting to histrionics.

Review taken from: http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=29438
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/151284955/Julian_Fane_-_Our_New_Quarters.rar.html

Variation of Abstraction XXIX, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Abstraction XXIX, 2008

Julian Fane - Special Forces (2004)

Date Released: September 6, 2004

Origin: Canada

Genre: IDM, Shoegaze, Modern Classical, Ambient

Label: Planet Mu Records / Revolver

Site: http://www.myspace.com/julianfane

Tracklist:

1. Disaster Location
2. Safety Man
3. Freezing In Haunted Water
4. Sea Island
5. Stasis
6. Darknet
7. Book Repository
8. Birthday Boys
9. Taoist Blockade
10. Coronation
11. In Space
12. Exit New Year
__________________________________________________
Rather fittingly for this time of year, the cover shot for Julian Fane's first CD is of a wintry scene. The contents within are also suitably warming comfort for this time of year on this emotive and tuneful record. Fane is a Canadian although the recognisable influences are mainly Icelandic, the childlike innocence of Múm is the obvious comparison to make. Yet Fane takes a more direct approach to melody. The tinkling chimes of 'Stasis' are a prelude to a mini symphony, 'The Birthday Boys' and 'Freezing In Haunted Water' are rich with lush and dreamy keyboard washes. 'Book Repository' is a rare but welcome excursion into eerie Piano Magic territory and 'Taoist Blockade' is a brilliant evocation of Oriental melancholy. The only weakness is Fane's rather timid vocals. He needn't worry though, for 'Special Forces' is blessed with enough persuasive charm to melt an iceberg.

Review taken from: http://www.leonardslair.co.uk/fane.htm

Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/151303130/Julian_Fane_-_Special_Forces.rar.html

Variation of Abstraction XXIII, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Abstraction XXIII, 2008

Eedl - Everse (2007)

Date Released: October 19, 2007
Origin: Spain
Genre: IDM, Leftfield, Glitch
Label: spa.RK / Finetunes
Site: http://www.myspace.com/eedl
Tracklist:
1. Zyx
2. Spectrum
3. Beli
4. Windstille
5. Müsli
6. Slumber
7. Dim5
8. Cauma
9. False Reprise
10. Left High And Dry
11. Seeking Too Far
12. Deppart

__________________________________________________
Since the turn of the century, IDM as a genre has seemed to be a pissing contest between various sound designers to see who could elicit the most crazy sounds out of their software and glitched-up hardware. This has shifted over the past year, as artists have broken out of this rut and developed their sound saturation skills into quality song writing. Everse, the latest release by EEDL on sp.ARK records, follows this trend.
The sounds on Everse follow traditional IDM conventions, with light pads, syncopated glitch rhythms, and sharp leads. Eedl, like many current artists, wrangles what could be boring, machine-like sounds into solid songs that consistently remain engaging. Make no mistake - this record still retains a robotic quality; however, EEDL is able to inject thought-provoking emotive qualities into every track.
While Everse doesn't break any new ground in the field of quirky electronics, it does its best to mature the genre. Standout tracks like "Musli" and "Seeking Too Far" remain stuck in the listeners head, eliciting a calmness and providing introspective journey into sound.

Review taken from: http://www.igloomag.com/doc.php?task=view&id=1645&category=reviews
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/151234803/Eedl_-_Everse.rar.html

Note about Susumo Yokota

I know that some of you have been looking for some post about this artist on the blog. I have some material of him but unfortunalety, right now, I am not able to post it, this because I have to follow a programmed schedule and all October posts are already made (they'll just be appearing automatically each day at 00:01 hours, -Mexico City time-) but, as a hint, I can tell you that finishing the Thievery Corporation posts (end of October, beginning of November), the next ones will be those of almost all Yokota's discography (which is huge). So, thanks a lot for your recurrent visits to this site, and for your patience about Susumu's posts.

If you want to request any album or artist that follow the trend of this site, feel free to let me know what you want in any of the post through the comments link (I read all of them) and I'll try to upload what you want as soon as possible.

Thank You.

Variation of Three Drunk Monkeys, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Three Drunk Monkeys, 2008

Swandive - Anyone On The Air? (2000)

Date Released: August 22, 2000
Origin: Switzerland
Genre: Trip-Hop, Downtempo, Alternative
Label: Earforce
Site: ---
Tracklist:
1. Fall
2. On The Air
3. Thorn
4. Killer
5. Too Far
6. Oblivion
7. Today
8. A Kind Of Escape, Part I
9. A Kind Of Escape, Part II
10. Bipol
11. Gold
12. Venus
13. Perfect
14. Being In Two Places At The Same Time
15. Narvik - Kirkenes

__________________________________________________
Swandive was a Swiss trip hop band who was founded in 1995 by Marco Neeser (Sky Antinori), Lorenz Haas and Ann Kathrin Luethi (Annakin). In 1999 Ivan Engler and Ali Salvioni joined the band.They were very successful in Switzerland, gave concerts abroad (Germany, France, Czechoslovakia and Austria) and went on tour with the bands Faithless and Olive.They broke up in 2002. New bands of the Swandive members arose - the singer's new project is called Annakin (www.annakin.net), Marco Neeser founded Division Kent (www.division-kent.com).
This is by far, a must have album. All tracks are softly constructed and are just like a great bite in your mouth, full of tastes, textures and contrasts. Hope you enjoy it.

Review taken from: https://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/2910306-anyone-on-the-air
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/148718750/Swandive_-_Anyone_On_The_Air_.rar.html

Variation of Rangers Under Shadow, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Rangers Under Shadow, 2008

Swandive - Intuition (1997)

Date Released: 1997
Origin: Switzerland
Genre: Trip-hop, Drum & Bass, Downtempo
Label: Earforce
Site: ---
Tracklist:
1. Left
2. Solitary Swimming
3. Demunication
4. Inner Man
5. Nutopian Days
6. If I Scream
7. The Game
8. Losing My Religion
9. Bathroom Pain
10. Finally
11. As You Are
12. Innocent
13. Exit 101

__________________________________________________
First LP of two, of this great Swiss band. This album came out just when Trip-hop scene flooded all the musical genres in the middle of the 90’s. Great tune, strong lyrics and powerful percussion lines give this album a delicious flavor. This release became more or less famous for the REM cover “Losing my religion”. A nice depressive version of the US band’s single.

Just before releasing their second album “Anyone on the air?” they spitted away. Such a shame but at least, the leave behind they rapture two amazing creations. Enjoy this first delivery.

Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/148681933/Swandive_-_Intuituion.rar.html

Variation of Moneda Corriente II, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Moneda Corriente II, 2008

Murcof - Cosmos (2007)

Date Released: September 24, 2007
Origin: Mexico
Genre: Glitch, Click & Cut
Label: Lear Recors
Site: http://myspace.com/murcof
Tracklist:
1. Cuerpo Celeste
2. Cielo
3. Cosmos I
4. Cometa
5. Cosmos II
6. Oort
__________________________________________________

While Murcof (Fernando Corona) didn’t invent the concept of sample-based electronica, or even the use of classical samples in electronica (the lineage can be traced back to the original musique concrète-ers), he set the standard for a specific kind of sample-tronica five years ago with his debut Martes. By mixing the beats and glitches of electronic minimalism with the orchestral drama of 20th century classical, he spurred the creation of a new kind of home listening market populated by Marsen Jules, Max Richter, Deaf Centre and Ryuichi Sakamoto in various collaborations.Murcof’s new album is the soundtrack for an audiovisual project called Cosmos, and it's a grand departure from his earlier work. Martes sat perfectly on the crest of a classical-sampling wave when it was released on Leaf in 2002, sounding fresh and lush in the midst of the dry clicks and cuts minimalism of the day. But the Mexican’s trajectory has since veered from the path he set down. He’s retained the lush textures (now real instruments playing sequences composed specifically for the album), and some of his earlier beat orientation, but his ambitions have become engorged with classical monumentalism.The six tracks on Cosmos are bombastic compared to Murcof’s previous output, and even makes the sombre Remembranza (2005), apparently a tribute to his dead mother, seem lightweight. The operatic opener, 'Cuerpo Celeste', is a shocker (interpret that how you will): Nine minutes of heavy, dark drones periodically drowned out by pipe organs and choir sample assaults. If you make it to the end of this one, the next few tracks will be a relief, but not for too long. The grandiosity arcs near the end of the album, setting the scene for the disturbing finale, 'Oort'. The style of Cosmos is indeed, as Leaf PR suggests, closer to Hungarian composer György Ligeti (best known for the opera, Le Grand Macabre, and Kubrick soundtracks 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining etc), Coil, or even Sunn O))) than Murcof. Corona has plunged determinedly into macro modern-composition territory and left micro-electronica far behind.Now based in Barcelona, the Tijuanan has just embarked on a tour to support the new album, playing shows in the Planetariums of Europe. Which brings us back to the main point. The album is part of an audiovisual show: a show that involves video projections of sublime heavenly bodies in the comfort of a dome designed specifically for that purpose. Perhaps the majesty of the projections above will render the soundtrack less overblown? Tone it down somehow? We can only hope. A recent live show of Raster-Noton label boss Carsten Nicolai (Alva Noto) also had a kind of sci-fi bombast to it. Perhaps this new melodrama is a way out of the micro cul-de-sac, and a sign of things to come.

Review taken from: http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=4842
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/148394297/Murcof_-_Cosmos.rar.html

Variation of Calabacitas, 2008

Alfredo Esparza - Variation of Calabacitas, 2008

Murcof - Utopía (2004)

Date Released: June 28, 2004
Origin: Mexico
Genre: Click & Cut, Glitch
Label: Leaf Records
Site: http://myspace.com/murcof
Tracklist:
1. Ulysses
2. Maíz (Der Abschied von Dawson City mix)
3. Memoria (Sutekh's Trisagion mix9
4. Urano
5. Maíz (Icarus mix)
6. Ulysses (Fax mix)
7. MO (a.mo.re - aeroc mix)
8. Una
9. Muim (Colleen mix)
10. Ultimatum

__________________________________________________
Fernando Corona is a producer from Tijuana who is one of the central figures in Baja, California's Nortec Collective. He started by releasing Matmos-ian traditional Mexican cut-ups as Terrestre, and in 2002, he debuted with the album Martes under the name Murcof. Along the way he's remixed, cut vinyl as the mastering engineer for the Static Discos label, and scored the independent film Nicotina. He's a busy guy with a lot of talent, this Fernando Corona. Remember the name.
With Martes, Corona took fragments of 20th Century classical by composers like Morton Feldman and Arvo Pärt and combined the tense arrangements with micro beats. It was an interesting record with an unusual sound, but it wasn't ultimately great; something about the loops and repetition of Martes didn't seem to gel. Corona's conception called for freedom and openness, music unconstrained by the snap-to grid. For that we would have to wait another 18 months.
The 12-inch single "Ulysses", released earlier this year, delivered completely on Martes' promise and immediately built anticipation for the next Murcof full-length, due by the end of 2004. On both "Ulysses" and the B-side "Urano", Corona ditched samples to write and record his own charts, melding percolating minimalist beats with his subtly dissonant and open-ended phrases for strings. On this CD, Leaf has rewarded those without turntables by compiling the two tracks from the "Ulysses" 12-inch, two previously unreleased tracks, and seven remixes of material from Martes.
Beyond the exceptional "Ulysses" 12-inch, both unheard tracks here are good but sound like holdovers from the Martes sessions. "Una" loops and chops a short section for strings and sets the melody against an undercurrent of catgut groans and plucks. It's like a duet between two instruments from the violin family-- one set to play "music" and the other focusing on "sounds." "Ultimatum", which foregrounds the drum programming and uses bits of piano and violin more as seasoning, is probably the funkiest track Corona has released as Murcof.
The remixes are mostly strong, with the two best coming from familiar names. Jan Jelinek's "Der Abschied von Dawson City Mix" of "Maiz" is an excellent meeting of the minds that finds Jelinek using clipped fragments of plucked violin and double-bass slides for his own jazzed-up rhythmic ends. Deathprod's take on "Ulysses" leaves little of the original identifiably intact, but creates the kind of vast, doom-laden half-speed drift that will be instantly familiar to those familiar with his excellent Morals and Dogma.
Colleen's mix of "Muium" is inspired and imaginative, as Cécile Schott burrows deep inside the original track, emerging with handfuls of individual notes that are stretched into drones and reassembled into weird melodies. On the beat-friendly tip, Sutekh's "Triasgion mix" of "Memoria" is highly danceable and driving techno infested with squirming samples pushing in several directions simultaneously, while fellow Nortec Collective member Fax (Ruben Tamayo, not Pete Namlook) offers a dubby and comparatively warm take on "Maiz".
Fernando Corona's distinctive stamp is clearly affixed to every note of his originals, so his music lends itself to the remix treatment. But most exciting on Ulysses are the two new tracks that (hopefully) point the way toward the next Murcof album. What Corona brings to the table is something depressingly rare in electronic music: a fresh ear. Like Ekkehard Ehlers, Corona seems to hear music differently, allowing him to compose tracks that sound like no one else.

Review taken from: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/20198-utopia
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/148160800/Murcof_-_Utop_a.rar.html

Variation of Reconstruction VII, 2004

Alfredo Esparza -Variation of Reconstruction VII, 2004

Murcof - Martes (2002)

Date Released: June 25, 2002
Origin: Mexico
Genre: Glitch, Click & Cut
Label: Leaf Records
Site: http://myspace.com/murcof
Tracklist:
1. Memoria
2. Mapa
3. Mir
4. Mármol
5. Mao
6. Muim
7. Mes
8. Maíz
__________________________________________________

From the recent Tango infused beats of The Gotan Project to Chile's deep techno pioneers Ojo De Apolo, the music of South America has been slowly creeping into the public area in recent days.
One thing that were particularly glad to see down South is the recent exposure of Mexican record labels like Mil, Static Discos and The Nortec Collective, who are showing that even Mexico can compete with the rampaging electronic music hordes who currentlydominate the US and European music scenes.
Originally a part of Tijuana's noteworthy Nortec Collective, Fernando Corona has splintered off recently to record his own music under the Murcof moniker. Having gained our attention with an excellent 4 track EP on San Francisco's Context Free Media label last year (three of those tracks appear here as well), Tony Morley's Leaf label has seen fit to release a full length of his work here in the UK.
Taking a page out of the minimal electronic music book penned by labels like ~scape, Chain Reaction and Context Free Media, Corona has pieced together a fantastic collage of micro-house with classical overtones that are both harmonious and otherworldly. Whereas some electronic artists flirt with classical music in their own compositions, such as Aphex Twin, Sun Electric or Ulrich Schnauss, this my friends, is the real deal.
Check the brilliant mix of plucked strings and Korg organ pad on "Mir" for example - each painstakingly edited together like the accents on a score of parchment; or the sense of dread that sneaks up on you in "Mo". The sense of mix placement and space is fantastic - alternating textures of lush ambience and cold minimalism that tickle the ear on headphones and embraces the body on a speaker system.
Corona not only has a great sense of melody but seems to have a real understanding of how traditional instruments can retain their beauty within the cold, harsh world of electronic music. Check out the layered mix on "Mum" where he pieces together ambient piano, strings, a solo female vocalist and some grinding electronics that all sit perfectly on top of a beat that wouldn't be out of place on a Pole CD, or Wagon Christ's work on Rising High.
For those seeking a unique take on classical music or for adventurous DJs out there who are looking to spice up their mix with something truly special, Martes should be an essential purchase.
An absolutely wonderful and highly original work.

Review taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/qfdp/
Download link: http://rapidshare.com/files/147166951/Murcof_-_Martes.rar.html