Urceus Exit – Contra [Bonus Tracks and Remixes]

This is something unexpected that popped up in the dark electro-industrial station on Rdio with a track and listening through the whole album was well worth doing so. I will be interested to check out the full discography of Urceus Exit now. Has something like the same stumble upon experience when I came across VAST back at the time.

Electronic, melodic, something underground something, but could not be more specific than that. It just feels deeply personal and intimate.

Cradle Of Filth – Hammer of the Witches

Just one post ago I wrote about Karyn Crisis creating the metal album of 2015 and now after quite some days of listening to the new Cradle of Filth ablum on repeat I am seriously thinking: may 2015 be an year of metal? There is also a Fear Factory record in the works, Disturbed seems promising, and strange to say but Bullet for My Valentine released three very much okay singles so far.

So, as for Cradle of Filth. This album truly resembles the greatest days when I listened to a lot of speedy metal like this, and this was around the gloriuos times of Cruelty & The Beast. Actually I wonder what the whole ablum would be withouth the track “Deflowering the Maidenhead, Displeasuring the Goddess”, because this one is like poison infecting my mind and the chorus hooks come back to me throughout the day always wanting a re-listen.

I least expected to be totally addicted to a CoF album this year but this one deserves some replays. Would be great to catch a live show this year with this lineup and some of the new tracks.

Professor Kliq – The Scientific Method, Vol. III

Electronic music but sounds much live, although the Bandcamp page clearly says what tools were used. Hiphop tempo mostly, soft edges, cool atmosphere, some lounge, some dancefloor, definitely music for the summer.

I have developed some hook on this album, been listening to it for the past few days and it is really pleasant for work, home entertainment and chilling out, too. Don’t get me wrong this is not just background music, there’s a lot detail if you pay attention. Great compositions all over, good choice of instruments, pleasant on the level of !K7 quality, resembles some Kruder & Dorfmeister, Tosca stuff et al.

I just noticed one thing, worth noting: “All original works have been released under a Creative Commons 3.0 license.” Wow.

Hauschka – Abandoned City

I am not sure where I came across Hauschka but I somehow stumbled upon this album from last year and got quite carried away. Although Volker Bertelmann is a pianist his arrangements deliver much more than just nice piano pieces. If judged through my glasses of electronic music I would say it is some sort of acoustic techno and very much reminds me of the Brandt Brauer Frick.

Update: other material of Hauschka seems to be awesome, too. After the second album (Salon Des Amateurs) I’ve just added his full catalog to my playlist and I’m not afraid to listen through it all.

Woo York – Blade Runner

And now back to some thrilling new techno hailing from Ukraine published by the good ol’ Soma Records and backed up with a beautifully illustrated cover. This is job well done all around. The music is minimalist, pumping, pulsing, space travelling, subway riding, night-time driving for the piece of your mind and the nodding of your head.

Janelle Monáe – The Electric Lady

I listen to a very little amount of pop music so it’s no surprise that I am a late comer to take a bow for this album that was released in 2013. However I just cannot not put this one up here and note that this is what exceptional pop music sounds like. All those r&b “superstars” should stand in line to learn some tricks here. Featuring of Prince and Erykah Badu is powerful of course, but the record as a whole is way more that that, and with many faces of many genres beyond r&b.

Witch – Witch: We Intend to Cause Havoc!

Psychedelic rock and blues from Zambia in the ‘70s. Wait, what? I still have to read upon this whole topic because it sounds extremely exciting, even more so since the music is just dope. For now all I can say is that there is this box set with 4 CDs and 6 LPs and the full catalog of the band, 54 songs, almost 4 hours of material. And pure gold.