ChaosResolved
01-05-2006, 01:01 AM
50-41 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6776) ~ 40-31 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6775) ~ 30-21 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6774) ~ 20-11 ~ 10-1 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772)
#20
Tarantula AD
Book of Sands
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/tarantulaad.jpg
Website:Tarantula AD (http://www.tarantulaad.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/tarantulaad)
New York trio Tarantula AD's first full length album, Book of Sands continues the work carried out in its two earlier extended play by fusing together classical compositions and hard rock instrumental vibes to create haunting landscapes that transverse normal temporal constraints and simultaneously progress in all directions. Book of Sands is quite the ambitious project that does take a healthy amount of time to fully appreciate, as it can often come across as contrived and/or confusing, but eventually the music is just accepted for its presentation and that is more than enough to find enjoyable. It's not always clear what exactly Tarantula AD is attempting to do in Book of Sands, but if the name of the album is any indication, you probably aren't really suppose to get it. It's really more of a journey piece that you sit back and try to enjoy, and allow the band to weave an intricate tale before your ears.
#19
Subtract By Two
Agoniser Ecrire
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/subtractbytwo.jpg
Website:Subtract By Two (http://www.subtractbytwo.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/subtractbytwo)
Subtract By Two is a compositional duo with a minimalist mindset and a love for sad music. Agoniser Ecrire abandons normally rock instrumentation for the majority of its work and instead focuses mostly on violin, piano, and electronic samples. Subtract by Two isn't the first band to explore the interaction between violin and piano, nor will they be the last, but there aren't many artists doing so within the confines of the experimental post-rock arena. This widely classical approach lends itself to some beautiful music, as seen in "A Transgression Suite." Agoniser Ecrire is an excellent dive into the neoclassical world, and Subtract by Two present an engaging half hour of music to tantalize the senses.
#18
Don't Look Back
Brighter
France
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/dontlookback.jpg
Website:Don't Look Back (http://www.dontlookbackmusic.com)
Music:Don't Look Back (http://www.dontlookbackmusic.com/dlb_medias.php)
For the most part France is missing from the instrumental world. Every now and then a French band appears with an interesting sound, only to disappear again into obscurity. Don't Look Back might be the first French instrumental band you really need to pay attention to. Taking a multifaceted appraoch to the post-rock genere, Don't Look Back combines audio samples with gut-wrenching screams and slams it on top of a post-rock instrumentation that quickly drops from angelic, quiet sounds to blistering metallic riffs. Brighter is one of those albums that many will sit through with jaw wide-open, shocked and amazed by the sounds washing over their body. Much like Rosetta's The Galilean Satellites, Brighter leaves the listener with the punched-in-the-stomach feeling that begs for more. This may or may not be the beginning of a movement for French instrumental bands, but in any case Don't Look Back has shown that they are a band to be taken seriously.
#17
Ellis the Vacuumchild
Peace By Extermination
Sweeden
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/ellisthevacuumchild.jpg
Website:ellisthevacuumchild (http://www.ellisthevacuumchild.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/ellisthevacuumchild)
Perhaps clocking in as the most fun instrumental album of the year, Ellis the Vacuumchild's Peace by Extermination is an energetic powerhouse the spills contradictions in every direction. This is truly the instrumental album for people who don't like instrumental music. Guitars buzz, hum, and bend, and the drums pound out a jangy beat, almost so swift as to invoke dancing. Songs are concise--generally clocking in around the four minute mark, and not really skimping out on any of the great post-rock details that are seen in larger works. Ellis the Vacuumchild boils down the genre into a prepackaged form unlike anyone else, and Peace by Extermination never allows the listener's attention to wander. Playful sounds are constantly being thrown into the musical space, and it's difficult to escape from the repeated bombardment of the auditory system. With two squeaky clean releases under their belt, Ellis the Vacuumchild are beginning to set its sites outside of its native Sweden and begin dropping its music all over the world by way of peace by extermination.
#16
Explosions in the Sky
The Rescue
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/eits.jpg
Website:Explosions in the Sky (http://www.explosionsinthesky.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/texanband)
Explosions in the Sky's The Earth is a Cold Dead Place will probably go down as one of the most influential instrumental releases of this generation of artists. While the band works on material for its next album, they took the time in between tours to record The Rescue over the course of eight days. Explosions in the Sky took the opportunity to get a little experimental with their sound, drastically cutting down their compositional approach and implementing more instruments than we normally see from this generally conservative band. While the end result is definitely pleasing--tracks like "Day 6" and "Day 7" open up a series of ideas that we'd love to see further explored in future works--ultimately it lacks the emotional response of a typical release from this band, and when much of the appeal of the band's sound is built upon that premise, it's difficult to look past this shortcoming. Still, The Rescue is a solid release that may be the beginning of a new face from this Texan quartet.
#15
World's End Girlfriend
The Lie Lay Land
Japan
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/worldsendgirlfriend.jpg
Website:Noble (http://www.noble-label.net/artist/?en&weg)
Music:Noble (http://www.noble-label.net/artist/?en&weg)
On the experimental side of the genre, World End Girlfriend's The Lie Lay Land is a bizarre, chaotic collection of songs that have the potential to shine in their own radiance and send chills down the spine with haunting, nightmarish samples. The band has an ear for the surreal, sampling eerie voices that penetrate a foundation of instrumental music that fluctuates between experimental, classical, and circus-inspired compositions. The blueprints themselves are a recipe for chaos, sonic landscapes that function in a musical space unfamiliar to many Western ears and it takes a patient listener to fully grasp the implicit driving force of the album. Although no other band truly compares to the complex sound put forth by World's End Girlfriend, fans of Mono and Kayo Dot should find much to celebrate in the material presented on The Lie Lay Land. Most likely World's End Girlfriend is exploring an avenue utterly unknown to many ears, but those who stumble upon this album and are prepared for the highly cerebral experience that follows will discover a truly blissful experience.
#14
God is an Astronaut
All is Violent, All is Bright
Ireland
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/godisanastronaut.jpg
Website:God is An Astronaut (http://www.godisanastronaut.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/godisanastronaut)
Ireland's God is an Astronaut continues it's tradition of excellent in the world of ambienance and electronica with All is Violent, All is Bright. Rich, textured music is repeatedly processed and superimposed upon a post-rock framework to created a layered product that stands out as a polished work of art. Although the songs themselves are short and sweet, they pack quite a powerful punch and tug at the heartstrings like a skilled harpist. Ambient sounds wash over the musical landscape, creating a dreamy watercolor-esque effect that builds upon the coherent vision of God is an Astronaut. Over the years together, the band has steadily evolved into a full creative musical force that is beginning to show signs of breaking out into their own front. All is Violent, All is Bright is the first sign of this new band. The sound this trio harvests is too addicting to ignore, and soon the world will know the sounds of God is an Astronaut.
#13
Pelican
The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/pelican.jpg
Website:Pelican (http://www.hydrahead.com/pelican)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/pelican)
2005 was a good year for Pelican. The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw was the album that the band needed to make. Not only did it define the band's sound enough to separate them from the crowd of metal-influenced instrumental bands, it was received well enough to place them at the front of the pack--meaning that every hard rock instrumental album will not contain a comparison to Pelican. Free promotion is never a bad thing. Metallic riffs and crunchy guitar lines fuel Pelican's arsenal throughout the un forgivingly aggressive length of the album. Tracks like "March into the Sea" surge forward with unsurmountable momentum and explode with an energy that is normally not seen in the instrumental world. Even in the acoustic styling of "-", the passion of Pelican is clear, who are unable to hide the overwhelming energy of its music. Although it's likely that Pelican will ultimately be overtaken by a sea of clones, The Fire in Our Throats... marks the beginning of a trend that we shall see spill into 2006 and beyond.
#12
Tracer AMC
Islands
Northern Ireland
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/traceramc.jpg
Website:Tracer AMC (http://www.traceramc.co.uk)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/traceramc)
Islands is a vast improvement over Tracer AMC's 2004 release, Flux and Form. The band diversifies both in terms of its sound and presentation of its music. Much akin to Up C Down C, Tracer AMC has a knack at creating a diverse collection of complex, intelligent songs that push the notion of a "complete" post-rock album. From the epic "Paper Machete" to the equally epic closer "You Follow the Snow and are Wasted", Tracer AMC cut out a wild path and hit every point from beginning to end, leaving no corner unexplored. Albums like Islands are a testament to the growing strength of the post-rock world: years ago it would be a rare occurrence for a band to be able to make an album that was so smooth and full and devoid of kinks. Today, bands like Up C Down C and Tracer AMC show that the genre isn't necessarily about fancy tricks, but instead a solid performance is more than enough to push a band over the top.
#11
Pivot
Make Me Love You
Australia
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/pivot.jpg
Website:Pivot (http://www.pivotisagoodboy.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/pivotisagoodboy)
Pivot's long awaited debut album finally surfaced in 2005, much to the betterment of Australia's instrumental scene. Whereas much of Australia's post-rock history has followed traditional routes with bands like Dirty Three, International Karate, and Silver Ray, Pivot takes a deep draw of the electronica world and mixes it with free-flowing, jam styled improvisation to create a work of art that somehow (miraculously) pulls itself together into a coherent piece. Samples and glitches work together with a skittering instrumental backbone to create smooth, appealing songs that quickly becoming addicting and pull the listener in with catchy beats. Australia hasn't really seen anything like this before, and Make me Love You is a strong first impression.
~Jordan Volz
#20
Tarantula AD
Book of Sands
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/tarantulaad.jpg
Website:Tarantula AD (http://www.tarantulaad.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/tarantulaad)
New York trio Tarantula AD's first full length album, Book of Sands continues the work carried out in its two earlier extended play by fusing together classical compositions and hard rock instrumental vibes to create haunting landscapes that transverse normal temporal constraints and simultaneously progress in all directions. Book of Sands is quite the ambitious project that does take a healthy amount of time to fully appreciate, as it can often come across as contrived and/or confusing, but eventually the music is just accepted for its presentation and that is more than enough to find enjoyable. It's not always clear what exactly Tarantula AD is attempting to do in Book of Sands, but if the name of the album is any indication, you probably aren't really suppose to get it. It's really more of a journey piece that you sit back and try to enjoy, and allow the band to weave an intricate tale before your ears.
#19
Subtract By Two
Agoniser Ecrire
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/subtractbytwo.jpg
Website:Subtract By Two (http://www.subtractbytwo.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/subtractbytwo)
Subtract By Two is a compositional duo with a minimalist mindset and a love for sad music. Agoniser Ecrire abandons normally rock instrumentation for the majority of its work and instead focuses mostly on violin, piano, and electronic samples. Subtract by Two isn't the first band to explore the interaction between violin and piano, nor will they be the last, but there aren't many artists doing so within the confines of the experimental post-rock arena. This widely classical approach lends itself to some beautiful music, as seen in "A Transgression Suite." Agoniser Ecrire is an excellent dive into the neoclassical world, and Subtract by Two present an engaging half hour of music to tantalize the senses.
#18
Don't Look Back
Brighter
France
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/dontlookback.jpg
Website:Don't Look Back (http://www.dontlookbackmusic.com)
Music:Don't Look Back (http://www.dontlookbackmusic.com/dlb_medias.php)
For the most part France is missing from the instrumental world. Every now and then a French band appears with an interesting sound, only to disappear again into obscurity. Don't Look Back might be the first French instrumental band you really need to pay attention to. Taking a multifaceted appraoch to the post-rock genere, Don't Look Back combines audio samples with gut-wrenching screams and slams it on top of a post-rock instrumentation that quickly drops from angelic, quiet sounds to blistering metallic riffs. Brighter is one of those albums that many will sit through with jaw wide-open, shocked and amazed by the sounds washing over their body. Much like Rosetta's The Galilean Satellites, Brighter leaves the listener with the punched-in-the-stomach feeling that begs for more. This may or may not be the beginning of a movement for French instrumental bands, but in any case Don't Look Back has shown that they are a band to be taken seriously.
#17
Ellis the Vacuumchild
Peace By Extermination
Sweeden
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/ellisthevacuumchild.jpg
Website:ellisthevacuumchild (http://www.ellisthevacuumchild.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/ellisthevacuumchild)
Perhaps clocking in as the most fun instrumental album of the year, Ellis the Vacuumchild's Peace by Extermination is an energetic powerhouse the spills contradictions in every direction. This is truly the instrumental album for people who don't like instrumental music. Guitars buzz, hum, and bend, and the drums pound out a jangy beat, almost so swift as to invoke dancing. Songs are concise--generally clocking in around the four minute mark, and not really skimping out on any of the great post-rock details that are seen in larger works. Ellis the Vacuumchild boils down the genre into a prepackaged form unlike anyone else, and Peace by Extermination never allows the listener's attention to wander. Playful sounds are constantly being thrown into the musical space, and it's difficult to escape from the repeated bombardment of the auditory system. With two squeaky clean releases under their belt, Ellis the Vacuumchild are beginning to set its sites outside of its native Sweden and begin dropping its music all over the world by way of peace by extermination.
#16
Explosions in the Sky
The Rescue
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/eits.jpg
Website:Explosions in the Sky (http://www.explosionsinthesky.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/texanband)
Explosions in the Sky's The Earth is a Cold Dead Place will probably go down as one of the most influential instrumental releases of this generation of artists. While the band works on material for its next album, they took the time in between tours to record The Rescue over the course of eight days. Explosions in the Sky took the opportunity to get a little experimental with their sound, drastically cutting down their compositional approach and implementing more instruments than we normally see from this generally conservative band. While the end result is definitely pleasing--tracks like "Day 6" and "Day 7" open up a series of ideas that we'd love to see further explored in future works--ultimately it lacks the emotional response of a typical release from this band, and when much of the appeal of the band's sound is built upon that premise, it's difficult to look past this shortcoming. Still, The Rescue is a solid release that may be the beginning of a new face from this Texan quartet.
#15
World's End Girlfriend
The Lie Lay Land
Japan
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/worldsendgirlfriend.jpg
Website:Noble (http://www.noble-label.net/artist/?en&weg)
Music:Noble (http://www.noble-label.net/artist/?en&weg)
On the experimental side of the genre, World End Girlfriend's The Lie Lay Land is a bizarre, chaotic collection of songs that have the potential to shine in their own radiance and send chills down the spine with haunting, nightmarish samples. The band has an ear for the surreal, sampling eerie voices that penetrate a foundation of instrumental music that fluctuates between experimental, classical, and circus-inspired compositions. The blueprints themselves are a recipe for chaos, sonic landscapes that function in a musical space unfamiliar to many Western ears and it takes a patient listener to fully grasp the implicit driving force of the album. Although no other band truly compares to the complex sound put forth by World's End Girlfriend, fans of Mono and Kayo Dot should find much to celebrate in the material presented on The Lie Lay Land. Most likely World's End Girlfriend is exploring an avenue utterly unknown to many ears, but those who stumble upon this album and are prepared for the highly cerebral experience that follows will discover a truly blissful experience.
#14
God is an Astronaut
All is Violent, All is Bright
Ireland
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/godisanastronaut.jpg
Website:God is An Astronaut (http://www.godisanastronaut.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/godisanastronaut)
Ireland's God is an Astronaut continues it's tradition of excellent in the world of ambienance and electronica with All is Violent, All is Bright. Rich, textured music is repeatedly processed and superimposed upon a post-rock framework to created a layered product that stands out as a polished work of art. Although the songs themselves are short and sweet, they pack quite a powerful punch and tug at the heartstrings like a skilled harpist. Ambient sounds wash over the musical landscape, creating a dreamy watercolor-esque effect that builds upon the coherent vision of God is an Astronaut. Over the years together, the band has steadily evolved into a full creative musical force that is beginning to show signs of breaking out into their own front. All is Violent, All is Bright is the first sign of this new band. The sound this trio harvests is too addicting to ignore, and soon the world will know the sounds of God is an Astronaut.
#13
Pelican
The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/pelican.jpg
Website:Pelican (http://www.hydrahead.com/pelican)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/pelican)
2005 was a good year for Pelican. The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw was the album that the band needed to make. Not only did it define the band's sound enough to separate them from the crowd of metal-influenced instrumental bands, it was received well enough to place them at the front of the pack--meaning that every hard rock instrumental album will not contain a comparison to Pelican. Free promotion is never a bad thing. Metallic riffs and crunchy guitar lines fuel Pelican's arsenal throughout the un forgivingly aggressive length of the album. Tracks like "March into the Sea" surge forward with unsurmountable momentum and explode with an energy that is normally not seen in the instrumental world. Even in the acoustic styling of "-", the passion of Pelican is clear, who are unable to hide the overwhelming energy of its music. Although it's likely that Pelican will ultimately be overtaken by a sea of clones, The Fire in Our Throats... marks the beginning of a trend that we shall see spill into 2006 and beyond.
#12
Tracer AMC
Islands
Northern Ireland
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/traceramc.jpg
Website:Tracer AMC (http://www.traceramc.co.uk)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/traceramc)
Islands is a vast improvement over Tracer AMC's 2004 release, Flux and Form. The band diversifies both in terms of its sound and presentation of its music. Much akin to Up C Down C, Tracer AMC has a knack at creating a diverse collection of complex, intelligent songs that push the notion of a "complete" post-rock album. From the epic "Paper Machete" to the equally epic closer "You Follow the Snow and are Wasted", Tracer AMC cut out a wild path and hit every point from beginning to end, leaving no corner unexplored. Albums like Islands are a testament to the growing strength of the post-rock world: years ago it would be a rare occurrence for a band to be able to make an album that was so smooth and full and devoid of kinks. Today, bands like Up C Down C and Tracer AMC show that the genre isn't necessarily about fancy tricks, but instead a solid performance is more than enough to push a band over the top.
#11
Pivot
Make Me Love You
Australia
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/pivot.jpg
Website:Pivot (http://www.pivotisagoodboy.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/pivotisagoodboy)
Pivot's long awaited debut album finally surfaced in 2005, much to the betterment of Australia's instrumental scene. Whereas much of Australia's post-rock history has followed traditional routes with bands like Dirty Three, International Karate, and Silver Ray, Pivot takes a deep draw of the electronica world and mixes it with free-flowing, jam styled improvisation to create a work of art that somehow (miraculously) pulls itself together into a coherent piece. Samples and glitches work together with a skittering instrumental backbone to create smooth, appealing songs that quickly becoming addicting and pull the listener in with catchy beats. Australia hasn't really seen anything like this before, and Make me Love You is a strong first impression.
~Jordan Volz