Basement Demos is just what its name suggests, a bare-bones sampler from Pennsylvania alt-rock duet Ryan Nicholls and Sam Krepps. Marco Henkel at wasfuersohr responds warmly, awarding the release three out of five vinyls and writing that it's "a great and groovy mini-selection of tracks." Though he criticizes the EP for its brevity, I find that the conciseness makes for a tight, engaging listen; it's a tasty treat, bustling with jangly guitars and surprisingly rich harmonies between the band's two members. That said, it's a shame the band hasn't released any new material in the past two years, as the potential on this short set suggests greater things to come.
Listen to and download the entire EP for free below.
This may be one of my free finds of the year. Marco Henkel at wasfuersohr offers a rave review, awarding the release a rare five out of five vinyls and hailing it as "an electronica record that uses subtle, yet very powerful rhythms together with driving beats and some elements that remind me a bit of house at times (who can resist a French touch, after all?) to form an engaging sound voyage for the listener." It's an incredible debut--albeit one we're getting to two years late when Pyramid has already released several other EPs--rich in detail but offering plenty of space for introspection as well. Fans of Carl Sagan and NASA's imgur page will have a grand time with this one, and more restless stargazers should find a lot to love in the album's dance-floor instrumentation and pulsing beats. On an additional note, it's also nice to see that Pyramid is still going strong: his Facebook page suggests he's busy working on something new.
Listen to and download the entire album for free below.
Do you love broken SPACE keys and slash marks? You'll be all over Brighton noise pop group Twin//Venus, whose debut TenderFang rushes through ten gorgeously grimy compositions at a breakneck pace (all but one clock in at under three minutes). Matt Grosvenor at wasfuersohr awards it three out of five vinyls and draws comparisons to Sleigh Bells; however, instead of that group's "full frontal assault on guitars and hiss," he explains, "Twin//Venus have thankfully...pared back the layers of noise so that the song structure can shine through like a drum-machine loop of sunlight cutting through the darkness." And sure enough, TenderFang finds warmth in the most bizarre of places, and the waves of reverb-soaked guitar and dolled-up vocals wash over the entire release like a patch of sun over a basement window. All very, very interesting, even if you won't remember a thing after your hangover the day after.
Listen to and download the entire album for free below.
"Like rain pouring over an innocent bystander, frontRegen tells stories about touching human beings," writes Marco Henkel at wasfuersohr, offering alternative pop band frontRegen three out of five vinyls but praising the band for making "music that always tugs at the listener." I'd have to agree with that assessment; the EP feels like a walk in a park I haven't been to in a few years, a Polaroid faded around the edges but still in its place. Vocalist Katrin Battenberg is especially moving, offering a piercing voice that reconciles the fragility of a Dia Frampton with the cadence and weight of an Adele. Sadly, it seems the band hasn't been active since its last release, but that's certainly no reason to pass over an outstanding release. "Life isn't always made from the choices we make ourselves, but you do have a choice whether or not to listen to this sincere and heartfelt EP. It certainly has some issues, but don't we all?" appeals Henkel at the end of his review, and it's hard to argue against that.
Listen to and download the entire album for free below.
If you'll still itching for great free indie music, wasfuersohr posts reviews of new album twice or three times a week! Go check out the site and unearth some Bandcamp jewels. And remember to check for our next edition of Bandcamp Bargain Bin soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment