Here's my late overview of the ten albums from last year I enjoyed the most. Since I have not listened to every single album that came out last year, I might have missed some great ones. Anyway, set in no particular order, I include a video of a highlight tracks and, if possible, links to where they can be listened to and bought.
Seremonia - Seremonia
There's new sheriff in the kaupunki - the punky occult kraut doom outfit Seremonia. Those odd female vocals, unorthodox production and overall quirky hyperboreal charm really set them apart from the rest.
Try it.
Get it.
The Greg Foat Group - Girl And Robot With Flowers
Lovely vintage psychedelic jazz grooves that feel nostalgic, yet can be relevant in probably any time and space.
Try it.
Get it.
Vespero - Subkraut: U-Boats Willkommen Hier
Equipped with some heavy space guitar jamming, dreamy sax and flute, bubbling synths and catchy rhythms, these Russian krauts made their best album yet.
Get it.
Swans - The Seer
Didn't like their first post-reunion album much but I think this one deserves the praise it got. If only every band could produce stuff like that after 30 years since their formation.
Get it.
The Janitors - 2 EP's: Worker Queen Drone and Head Honcho
Catchy hypnotic fuzzed out psychedelic indie rock. Not that it hasn't been done before but these Swedes do it so damn well.
Try them and get them.
Aluk Todolo - Occult Rock
The sinister Gallic ritual rockers continue to channel the spirits on this massively heavy monument of an album.
Try it.
Get it.
The Entrance Band - 2 EP's: Untitled and Fine Flow
On "Fine Flow" these guys apparently embrace a variety of styles from ethio jazz to spaghetti western soundtracks but the dramatic bluesy progressive heavy-psych fugue "New Orleans" on the Latitudes session album steals the show. An instant classic!
Try them.
Get the Latitudes sessions.
Get "Fine Flow".
Marko Mägi & Zahir - Maitsestatud kanad
This collaboration with Estonian poet Marko Mägi was a breath of fresh air from the legendary garage rock band Zahir.
Try it.
GR - A Reverse Age
The former Gunslinger is not your ordinary lo fi musician. The amount of intriguing tension he's able to pack into his one man music reminds me of Achim Reichel - I say that as a huge compliment.
Get it.
King Blood - Vengeance, Man
King Blood proved that a fuzzed out haze of repetitive noisy guitar jamming can still be incredibly catchy, even when you have no drum set in the mix.
Try it.
Get it.
Seremonia - Seremonia
There's new sheriff in the kaupunki - the punky occult kraut doom outfit Seremonia. Those odd female vocals, unorthodox production and overall quirky hyperboreal charm really set them apart from the rest.
Try it.
Get it.
The Greg Foat Group - Girl And Robot With Flowers
Lovely vintage psychedelic jazz grooves that feel nostalgic, yet can be relevant in probably any time and space.
Try it.
Get it.
Vespero - Subkraut: U-Boats Willkommen Hier
Equipped with some heavy space guitar jamming, dreamy sax and flute, bubbling synths and catchy rhythms, these Russian krauts made their best album yet.
Get it.
Swans - The Seer
Didn't like their first post-reunion album much but I think this one deserves the praise it got. If only every band could produce stuff like that after 30 years since their formation.
Get it.
The Janitors - 2 EP's: Worker Queen Drone and Head Honcho
Catchy hypnotic fuzzed out psychedelic indie rock. Not that it hasn't been done before but these Swedes do it so damn well.
Try them and get them.
Aluk Todolo - Occult Rock
The sinister Gallic ritual rockers continue to channel the spirits on this massively heavy monument of an album.
Try it.
Get it.
The Entrance Band - 2 EP's: Untitled and Fine Flow
On "Fine Flow" these guys apparently embrace a variety of styles from ethio jazz to spaghetti western soundtracks but the dramatic bluesy progressive heavy-psych fugue "New Orleans" on the Latitudes session album steals the show. An instant classic!
Try them.
Get the Latitudes sessions.
Get "Fine Flow".
Marko Mägi & Zahir - Maitsestatud kanad
This collaboration with Estonian poet Marko Mägi was a breath of fresh air from the legendary garage rock band Zahir.
Try it.
GR - A Reverse Age
The former Gunslinger is not your ordinary lo fi musician. The amount of intriguing tension he's able to pack into his one man music reminds me of Achim Reichel - I say that as a huge compliment.
Get it.
King Blood - Vengeance, Man
King Blood proved that a fuzzed out haze of repetitive noisy guitar jamming can still be incredibly catchy, even when you have no drum set in the mix.
Try it.
Get it.
