Clear Channel has proven once again that some of the most ethereal, heavenly guitar records being made today are coming from the realm of Matt LaJoie and Ash Brooks. This tape, the latest of LaJoie’s many solo releases, is made up of two deeply atmospheric astral guitar soundscapes, “Voice One” and “Voice Two.” Each track sprawlsContinue reading “Matt LaJoie – Clear Channel”
Tag Archives: Tape Cassette
Andrea Cortez – The Secret Song of Plants
Want to find a way to pure relaxation? Then turn off your phone and TV, close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly while listening to Andrea Cortez’s sublime The Secret Song of Plants. Cortez, a board-certified music therapist and sound meditation instructor, combined ethereal harp improvisations with various effects and the sonic-translated electricalContinue reading “Andrea Cortez – The Secret Song of Plants”
Jeffrey Silverstein – You Become The Mountain
Listening to Jeffrey Silverstein’s You Become The Mountain feels like you’re laying down on a soft cloud as it floats you through a golden sunrise. The Portland-based musician uses pedal steel, minimalist electric percussion and slick, reverb-soaked guitar to create dreamy soundscapes that are rich with comforting vibes. Occasionally, he mixes in his own vocals and inContinue reading “Jeffrey Silverstein – You Become The Mountain”
Itta – Enter
In these dark, crazy times, we are indeed privileged to be able to have albums like Enter by Itta to relax to. Itta, who is one half of the new age electro band TENGGER, has created a real thing of beauty here. Each song is centered around her multi-layered angelic vocals, which reverberate and soarContinue reading “Itta – Enter”
Glymmur – Field Study: 33 Minutes
Glymmur’s Field Study: 33 Minutes is a master class in expressionistic soundscapes. To say that Glymmur, real name Drew Gabbert, is a dark ambient musician, wouldn’t be really giving him enough credit. He’s more of a sculptor of sound. On Field Study…Gabbert takes recordings of himself playing guitar and all sorts of other instruments and objectsContinue reading “Glymmur – Field Study: 33 Minutes”
Heavy Stars – Processions
Heavy Stars’ Processions is a loose concept album about the journey from birth to death, told through the use of field recording samples, manipulated vocals and a comfortingly chill ambience. Each track on this cassette represents a different stage of life, each of which the artist describes as being a mini-procession (hence the title). StartingContinue reading “Heavy Stars – Processions”
Paul Hares – The Magic of Awareness
Paul Hares’ The Magic of Awareness is a tidal pool of handcrafted sounds and shadowy improvisations. Hailing from Russia, Hares is a true auditory sculptor, as this album finds him manipulating various recordings and noises into vast ambient seascapes. Across the album’s two side-length tracks, Hares experiments and treats analogue tapes with a whole array ofContinue reading “Paul Hares – The Magic of Awareness”
Francie Moon – All The Same
Francie Moon completely obliterates all expectations with the expanded cassette release of All The Same. The New Jersey band kicks the tape off with a sludgy acid rocker that Bardo Pond would be proud of (“First Wave”), and then spirals off into a variety of contrasting directions, like laid-back dub grooves (“Dear Love”), or etherealContinue reading “Francie Moon – All The Same”
Holy Mountain Top Removers – Tonight the Machete Dreams
The music of Holy Mountain Top Removers quite literally knows no bounds. There is simply no end to the band’s sonic horizons. Just when you think you’ve begun to grasp their sound, it completely changes in the most unexpected—and exciting—of ways. Without exaggeration, this Nashville band can play just about anything, and a major strengthContinue reading “Holy Mountain Top Removers – Tonight the Machete Dreams”
Brewster – Forever Better Kissers
Brewster’s long awaited debut full-length is a fine example of just how personal the craft of the modern singer-songwriter can be. Forever Better Kissers glows with a casual familiarity, largely due to its mix of detailed, confidential lyrics and intimate arrangements. Hints and name-drops of suburban-hometown New Jersey locations and references to melancholic high school memoriesContinue reading “Brewster – Forever Better Kissers”
Record Crates United 