Moritz von Oswald Trio, "Vertical Ascent" (Honest Jon's)
Techno maestros sculpt stunning sonic edifice.
By Andy Beta 10.21.09 1:04 PM
Von Oswald has been at the vanguard of electronic music for almost two decades, remaking German techno into something befitting a supercollider -- spacious, echoing, metalencased -- with Basic Channel, Maurizio, and Rhythm & Sound.
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The Clientele, 'Bonfires on the Heath' (Merge)
U.K. melancholics shine more sun on pop gems.
By Andy Beta 10.06.09 1:32 PM
The Clientele's fey fan base may have winced when the gorgeously wistful "(I Can't Seem) to Make You Mine" soundtracked the inane Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock rom-com The Lake House.
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Om, 'God Is Good' (Drag City)
Epic devotional drone opens up to new moods.
By Andy Beta 09.15.09 2:05 PM
No matter the new producer (Steve Albini), new label, or new percussionist (Emil Amos replacing Chris Hakius), Om's droning bass/drum take on heavy metal still resounds. As stringently reverential as the duo's name implies, bassist-singer Al Cisneros and begins to loosen his tautly, byzantine lattices ever so slightly on this fourth album.
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Tyondai Braxton, 'Central Market' (Warp)
Sonic scientist trades mad whimsy for clumsy bluster.
By Andy Beta 09.10.09 12:39 PM
The progeny of legendarily convoluted jazz composer Anthony Braxton, Tyondai is known for adding a dash of looney tunes and loopy vocals to Battles' otherwise stoic post-rock. His third solo album is promoted as "new classical," but "J. City" sounds more like a grievous stab at alt-rock.
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BLK JKS, 'After Robots' (Secretly Canadian)
The Motherland’s brightest bohos birth a new rock era.
By Andy Beta 08.31.09 4:09 PM
The reach of Western monoculture, the end of apartheid, the Internet, mp3 file-sharing…we may never know what seismic historical shift to thank for the musical stew that is South Africa's BLK JKS. But in the 21st century, this quartet has been loosed from history and geography.
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Health, 'Get Color' (Lovepump United)
Dance-punk tweakers unchain their melodies.
By Andy Beta 08.31.09 3:06 PM
Try as they noisily might, this Los Angeles quartet (who have toured with acts from Nine Inch Nails to Of Montreal) can’t help but let catchy -- albeit disintegrated -- vocals push through the exhilarating racket of their second album. “In Heat” allows one loveless sliver to escape before pummeling it with a distorted kick drum.
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