ChaosResolved
01-05-2006, 01:10 AM
50-41 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6776) ~ 40-31 ~ 30-21 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6774) ~ 20-11 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6773) ~ 10-1 (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772)
#40
Loss of a Child
The Future Symphony & Caught and Loss
England
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/lossofachild.jpghttp://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/lossofachild2.jpg
Website:Loss of a Child (http://www.lossofachild.co.uk)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/lossofachild)
British experimentalists, Loss of a Child released a double album for its first mark onto the music scene. The Future Symphony and Caught and Lost combine ambient sounds with a deft dependence on the piano and throws it into the mix with typical rock composition. The only thing brining down this release is a less than perfect production--typical of an independent band, but the projected sound of Loss of a Child with proper handling may prove to be stunning. Loss of a Child seemingly has an endless amount of great ideas, it just needs the right sources to get them out to the world.
#39
Shora
Malval
Switzerland
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/shora.gif
Website:Shora (http://www.shora.com)
Music:Conspiracy Records (http://www.conspiracyrecords.com/)
Malval simmers like a rising star. Large waves of constructive sonic mayhem wash over the musical landscape and percolate deeply into the soil. The tide recedes, only to return again in full force, building an undulating rhythmic structure that manually constructs a monolithic wall of sound too tall to ignore. What else would you expect from a Swiss band, whom have clearly found a compositional style that haunts the very essence of its musical space. Although this repetition does tend to get redundant, Malval is a cryptic offering, sparse and plentiful in terms of originality. Expect big things from Shora in the future, they are tapped into a very good pool of knowledge.
#38
Detwiije
Would You Rather be Followed by Forty Ducks for the Rest of Your Life?
England
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/detwiije.jpg
Website:Detwiije (http://www.detwiije.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/detwiije)
Bringing back the violin with full force, Detwiije's Would You Rather... is a promising release from this young band. Detwiije excels at songwriting, presenting epic compositions that excel in most every direction. "La Guerre des Mondes" displays this holistic ability; spread over fifteen minutes, Detwiije explores every avenues and alley in this song and does so while making it all look effortless. Guitars flare in blistering heat and then cool to the point of stagnation, as they are careful not to encroach on the violin's fragile sound, but as the reverb steps it up, the violin must fight violently to keep pace with the more intimidating physical force. If that isn't a surefire recounting of an epic battle, I'm not sure what is.
#37
The Low Frequency in Stereo
Astro Kopp
Norway
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/thelowfrequencyinstereo.jpg
Website:The Low Frequency in Stereo (http://www.lowfrequencyinstereo.com)
Music:THe Low Frequency in Stereo (http://www.lowfrequencyinstereo.com/soundvideo.htm)
The Low Frequency in Stereo throws down some groovy beats in Astro Kopp, and although this EP doesn't live up to the amazing work of the band's past, it is a fun foray into some new territory. Still, the band proves time and again that it continues to be on of the most overlooked European instrumental acts. The Low Frequency in Stereo is so fluid that is overturns normal stylistic problems in the genre--this is the difference that a talented drummer can make. All the pieces fit perfectly together, and this solidifies The Low Frequency in Stereo as one of Norway's top acts. With a greatly expanding regional scene, perhaps The Low Frequency in Stereo will finally grab some well deserved attention and take the world by storm.
#36
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson
Unnoticable in a Tiny Town, Invisible in the City
Norway
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/ypofh.jpg
Website:Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson (http://youthpictures.deadletterrecords.net/)
Music:Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson (http://youthpictures.deadletterrecords.net/)
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson threw a surprising wrench in the machinery of the post-rock world with Unnoticable in a Tiny Town, Invisible in the City, which breaks the packs of common instrumental bands with a warm, honest approach to songwriting through gentle guitars and smooth drumming. The band uses audio samples the highlight the social commentary of their work, conscious of the larger problems facing the world, but careful not to let this override the music itself, which is an immaculate display all in itself. As the final seconds of "A Letter Not to be Read At Your Wedding" come to a close, the repetition of the words "You Are Not Alone" hammer home, and for a brief second, we almost believe it. Kudos to Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson; this album begs you to shed some tears.
#35
Laura
Mapping Your Dreams
Australia
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/laura.jpg
Website:Laura (http://www.wearemappingyourdreams.com)
Music:Laura (http://www.wearemappingyourdreams.com/media.aspx)
Laura's Mapping Your Dreams sticks closely to the traditional post-rock formulas and utilizes the quiet/loud technique. They share a stark resemblance to International Karate in vision, and the album plays out almost like A Monster in Soul. Still, tracks like "Levodopa" are charming like no other, and several others breach a similar realization of their own value. The vocal component to Mapping Your Dreams is a deterrent to the joyous, beautiful music that these musicians craft. Even then, Laura covers its missteps by offering more and more material for the ears to feast upon. And for that we cannot complain.
#34
Aether
Apart
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/aether.jpg
Website:Aether (http://www.aethersound.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/aethersound)
2005 was a quiet year from Ohio for the most part. Two of its better known instrumental bands, Mortimur and Silencio took the year to tour and work on new material, which opened up the spotlight for other instrumental acts. Luckily, Aether steps up with Apart to pick up the slack. The album starts with the title track, introduced with a swift drum beat, violin accompaniment, and ambient guitars. Quickly it progresses into epic, cresting waves of sonic bliss. "The Stares" tops off the album, complete with bouncy guitar riffs offset by an anti-climatic, crunchy segue. We've not heard guitars this raw in the instrumental genre in some time, but Aether pulls it all together in Apart EP
#33
Port Royal
Flares
Italy
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/portroyal.jpg
Website:Port Royal (http://www.port-royal.it/)
Music:Port Royal (http://www.port-royal.it/)
Flares comes in three parts, and some burn brighter than others. Although there is a good amount of unnecessary instrumentation in Flares, when Port Royal gets down to business, its very capable of holding its own. With breakdowns that explode on the drop of a pin and painfully long segues, the band stretches from breakneck speeds to screeching stops. It's done to the point of nauseum and annoyance after several listens, but an underlying beauty of Flares always drives me back for more. It's good to see an Italian band moving in for the kill-let's hope that others follow soon.
#32
Bright Red Paper
Bright Red Paper
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/brightredpaper.jpg
Website:Bright Red Paper (http://www.brightredpaper.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/brightredpaper)
After listening to this Oregon band's debut album, I was surprised that they had almost slipped through the cracks in 2005. The band is an excellent representation of classically minded musicians catering to a post-rock crowd. Much in the spirit of contemporaries such as Rachel's and A Silver Mount Zion, Bright Red Paper is largely led by the violin with guitars making subtle contributions for most of its work. Yet, true to the post-rock dogma, Bright Red Paper sets the tension high, reaching breathtaking climaxes and earth-shattering cathartic releases. This band is more artistic than your average post-rock band, and all signs indicate that they are working with a winning formula. Now they just need people to discover them.
#31
Byla
Byla
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/byla.jpg
Website:Byla (http://www.byla.net)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/byla)
You wouldn't expect the combined sounds of Dysrhythmia, Infidel?/Castro!, and Behold...the Arctopus to sound like Byla, but it does. Extremely minimalist and so atmospheric that the word cloudy doesn't even begin to describe it, Byla is an exercise in patience. Time is completely lost as the music invokes an existential drift that submerges the listener in his own thoughts and fantasies. Byla doesn't provide all the answers in Byla, but it inserts all the right pauses and asks the listener to participate as well. Patience is key, but in time this plays as a soundtrack to your dreams, complementing your thoughts like an intense psychological therapy. And what more can you ask than that?
~Jordan Volz
#40
Loss of a Child
The Future Symphony & Caught and Loss
England
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/lossofachild.jpghttp://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/lossofachild2.jpg
Website:Loss of a Child (http://www.lossofachild.co.uk)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/lossofachild)
British experimentalists, Loss of a Child released a double album for its first mark onto the music scene. The Future Symphony and Caught and Lost combine ambient sounds with a deft dependence on the piano and throws it into the mix with typical rock composition. The only thing brining down this release is a less than perfect production--typical of an independent band, but the projected sound of Loss of a Child with proper handling may prove to be stunning. Loss of a Child seemingly has an endless amount of great ideas, it just needs the right sources to get them out to the world.
#39
Shora
Malval
Switzerland
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/shora.gif
Website:Shora (http://www.shora.com)
Music:Conspiracy Records (http://www.conspiracyrecords.com/)
Malval simmers like a rising star. Large waves of constructive sonic mayhem wash over the musical landscape and percolate deeply into the soil. The tide recedes, only to return again in full force, building an undulating rhythmic structure that manually constructs a monolithic wall of sound too tall to ignore. What else would you expect from a Swiss band, whom have clearly found a compositional style that haunts the very essence of its musical space. Although this repetition does tend to get redundant, Malval is a cryptic offering, sparse and plentiful in terms of originality. Expect big things from Shora in the future, they are tapped into a very good pool of knowledge.
#38
Detwiije
Would You Rather be Followed by Forty Ducks for the Rest of Your Life?
England
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/detwiije.jpg
Website:Detwiije (http://www.detwiije.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/detwiije)
Bringing back the violin with full force, Detwiije's Would You Rather... is a promising release from this young band. Detwiije excels at songwriting, presenting epic compositions that excel in most every direction. "La Guerre des Mondes" displays this holistic ability; spread over fifteen minutes, Detwiije explores every avenues and alley in this song and does so while making it all look effortless. Guitars flare in blistering heat and then cool to the point of stagnation, as they are careful not to encroach on the violin's fragile sound, but as the reverb steps it up, the violin must fight violently to keep pace with the more intimidating physical force. If that isn't a surefire recounting of an epic battle, I'm not sure what is.
#37
The Low Frequency in Stereo
Astro Kopp
Norway
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/thelowfrequencyinstereo.jpg
Website:The Low Frequency in Stereo (http://www.lowfrequencyinstereo.com)
Music:THe Low Frequency in Stereo (http://www.lowfrequencyinstereo.com/soundvideo.htm)
The Low Frequency in Stereo throws down some groovy beats in Astro Kopp, and although this EP doesn't live up to the amazing work of the band's past, it is a fun foray into some new territory. Still, the band proves time and again that it continues to be on of the most overlooked European instrumental acts. The Low Frequency in Stereo is so fluid that is overturns normal stylistic problems in the genre--this is the difference that a talented drummer can make. All the pieces fit perfectly together, and this solidifies The Low Frequency in Stereo as one of Norway's top acts. With a greatly expanding regional scene, perhaps The Low Frequency in Stereo will finally grab some well deserved attention and take the world by storm.
#36
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson
Unnoticable in a Tiny Town, Invisible in the City
Norway
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/ypofh.jpg
Website:Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson (http://youthpictures.deadletterrecords.net/)
Music:Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson (http://youthpictures.deadletterrecords.net/)
Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson threw a surprising wrench in the machinery of the post-rock world with Unnoticable in a Tiny Town, Invisible in the City, which breaks the packs of common instrumental bands with a warm, honest approach to songwriting through gentle guitars and smooth drumming. The band uses audio samples the highlight the social commentary of their work, conscious of the larger problems facing the world, but careful not to let this override the music itself, which is an immaculate display all in itself. As the final seconds of "A Letter Not to be Read At Your Wedding" come to a close, the repetition of the words "You Are Not Alone" hammer home, and for a brief second, we almost believe it. Kudos to Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson; this album begs you to shed some tears.
#35
Laura
Mapping Your Dreams
Australia
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/laura.jpg
Website:Laura (http://www.wearemappingyourdreams.com)
Music:Laura (http://www.wearemappingyourdreams.com/media.aspx)
Laura's Mapping Your Dreams sticks closely to the traditional post-rock formulas and utilizes the quiet/loud technique. They share a stark resemblance to International Karate in vision, and the album plays out almost like A Monster in Soul. Still, tracks like "Levodopa" are charming like no other, and several others breach a similar realization of their own value. The vocal component to Mapping Your Dreams is a deterrent to the joyous, beautiful music that these musicians craft. Even then, Laura covers its missteps by offering more and more material for the ears to feast upon. And for that we cannot complain.
#34
Aether
Apart
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/aether.jpg
Website:Aether (http://www.aethersound.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/aethersound)
2005 was a quiet year from Ohio for the most part. Two of its better known instrumental bands, Mortimur and Silencio took the year to tour and work on new material, which opened up the spotlight for other instrumental acts. Luckily, Aether steps up with Apart to pick up the slack. The album starts with the title track, introduced with a swift drum beat, violin accompaniment, and ambient guitars. Quickly it progresses into epic, cresting waves of sonic bliss. "The Stares" tops off the album, complete with bouncy guitar riffs offset by an anti-climatic, crunchy segue. We've not heard guitars this raw in the instrumental genre in some time, but Aether pulls it all together in Apart EP
#33
Port Royal
Flares
Italy
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/portroyal.jpg
Website:Port Royal (http://www.port-royal.it/)
Music:Port Royal (http://www.port-royal.it/)
Flares comes in three parts, and some burn brighter than others. Although there is a good amount of unnecessary instrumentation in Flares, when Port Royal gets down to business, its very capable of holding its own. With breakdowns that explode on the drop of a pin and painfully long segues, the band stretches from breakneck speeds to screeching stops. It's done to the point of nauseum and annoyance after several listens, but an underlying beauty of Flares always drives me back for more. It's good to see an Italian band moving in for the kill-let's hope that others follow soon.
#32
Bright Red Paper
Bright Red Paper
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/brightredpaper.jpg
Website:Bright Red Paper (http://www.brightredpaper.com)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/brightredpaper)
After listening to this Oregon band's debut album, I was surprised that they had almost slipped through the cracks in 2005. The band is an excellent representation of classically minded musicians catering to a post-rock crowd. Much in the spirit of contemporaries such as Rachel's and A Silver Mount Zion, Bright Red Paper is largely led by the violin with guitars making subtle contributions for most of its work. Yet, true to the post-rock dogma, Bright Red Paper sets the tension high, reaching breathtaking climaxes and earth-shattering cathartic releases. This band is more artistic than your average post-rock band, and all signs indicate that they are working with a winning formula. Now they just need people to discover them.
#31
Byla
Byla
United States
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/top50/byla.jpg
Website:Byla (http://www.byla.net)
Music:Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/byla)
You wouldn't expect the combined sounds of Dysrhythmia, Infidel?/Castro!, and Behold...the Arctopus to sound like Byla, but it does. Extremely minimalist and so atmospheric that the word cloudy doesn't even begin to describe it, Byla is an exercise in patience. Time is completely lost as the music invokes an existential drift that submerges the listener in his own thoughts and fantasies. Byla doesn't provide all the answers in Byla, but it inserts all the right pauses and asks the listener to participate as well. Patience is key, but in time this plays as a soundtrack to your dreams, complementing your thoughts like an intense psychological therapy. And what more can you ask than that?
~Jordan Volz