Polynation – Igneous

Electronic music ranging from cinematic ambient through mid-tempo moody melodic beats to dance floor grooves for small sidesteps. They are fellow artists from the same roster as Weval, so that.

It’s kinda ridiculous that I don’t have a good genre definition for this kind of music. I always feel it hard to put a label on it, although it’s clearly a thing.

Tribulation – Sub Rosa In Æternum

This band started from death metal and from album to album steered sideways to finally arrive to this absolute classic goth metal sound represented on this last record. The throaty, harsh vocals from their past add an interesting flavor while the clean, deep voiced goth singing arrived to accompany it. I wouldn’t have their previous record on replay, but this one hits home. It’s a set of beautiful dark songs overall.

Jamie xx – In Waves

This is a really amazing record, beautiful tracks from start to finish. I haven’t been a Jamie xx fan, but this converts me. It makes me realize he’s one of those guys, like Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Orbital, and so on. It’s electronic overground music of the best kind.

Trentemøller – Dreamweaver

It really is a dreamy, ethereal album. It’s new age, dream pop, and some occasional post-punk mixed in. I was surprised to get this from Trentemøller, but it was a good surprise, it’s a lovely record.

Lady Blackbird – Slang Spirituals

Feels to go from the first album‘s jazz sound towards mainstream pop territory. It has some strong hooks, and also some rather quiet, singer-songwriter type songs. I liked more jazz better, but this is still a fine record. Random: Like a Woman is such a great soundtrack song, I could image it played to pieces in movies. The album cover is terrible though, that’s a pity.

Vakhtang – Parallax 20xx

It’s a long record (2+ hours), varied electronic music, from techno to trance to bass music, from mid to high tempo. It’s like someone emptied the drawer and poured it into an album.

Fat Dog – WOOF.

Industrial electro-punk, eclectic as it should be. This vibe and zest brings me joy, makes me smile. I’d love to see this band live.

Zeal & Ardor – Greif

Just a couple of months ago I wrote I hope Zeal & Ardor doesn’t sleep on their signature style of “soul metal” and keeps evolving, growing, exploring further. And here it is. The new record has dropped and it’s nothing in line with their previous albums, and that is absolutely the best thing that could have happened to this band. It’s also a great feeling to read the same sentiment echoed over this record’s Bandcamp page from other people, too. It’s rare that a band can innovate and keep innovating so much, and their fan base taking the course with them and supporting their journey.

As for the record itself, I honestly don’t really know what to write or how to articulate my thoughts, rather. It’s fourteen tracks, which is a lot, and there’s an immense diversity. From calm but creepy lullaby, through massive metal road rage, to their usual beats and pulse but with bits of electronics now, ambient outtake with synths, and hard rock banger hits—it is a lot. I will need many more listening of this to digest properly, but I know I love it. Now I kinda feel like I’ll like the individual songs better than the album as a cohesive unit, just because it’s so non-cohesive and not in a conceptual way. Anyways, let’s try and articulate these feelings again in a few months’ time. Until then, I’ll just keep listening.