ATARI TEENAGE RIOT

"A cultural cold war divided along class lines, a new age of surveillance, heroes incarcerated in the worst conditions possible for speaking out against the military complex, a corrupt press core owned by multi-national corporations and raised to repeat soundbytes. This is the post-cyberpunk world on the brink of collapse Atari Teenage Riot’s fourth album Is This Hyperreal? is born into. Every track is an iridescent explosion of nervous energy requesting your attendance in Atari Teenage Riot’s campaign party of education and awareness."

—Digital Hardcore Recordings

digital hardcore

drum & bass

industrial

experimental

mp3@320kbps

Is This Hyperreal? (2011)

OMAR RODRIGUEZ-LOPEZ

"The sound of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and John Frusciante riffing off each other and bouncing textures over simplistic, yet defined melodies is what lies in this new Omar-related musical endeavor. The record goes back to the concept of a two-man guitar jam. It's one of the most basic forms of musical bonding and the intertwining of individuals' styles and musical thoughts over a set progression or song. However the process of two men recording their completely different musical abilities over an album of set melodies and songs, transcends above what is originally seen as a stripped-down, simple jam. (...) The fact that the jam-based, un-intellectualized approach of this album can create such a haunting atmosphere and create a vibe of musical complexity, is what is ultimately the most impressive aspect of this record. When two men approach the same song structure with different sounds and ideas, it can lead to magnificent heights."
—Sputnikmusic

instrumental

progressive

mp3@320kbps

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante (2010)

FLASHBACKS #1

"Listeners under the impression that drug music began with "White Rabbit" and ended with "White Lines" would be wise to pick up the first and best volume in the German Trikont label's excellent Flashbacks series - compiling 25 jazz, blues, and vocal cuts from the first-half of the 20th century, the set documents World War II-era vice and sin at its finest, deftly mixing radio hits with utter obscurities. The songs range from the benign (Gene Krupa's "Feeling High and Happy") to the explicit (the Memphis Jug Band's "Cocaine Habit Blues"), and while some of the selections are clearly reaching to justify their thematic inclusion - Bukka White's immortal "Fixin' to Die Blues" almost certainly has nothing to do with "fixing" in the junkie lexicon sense of the term -- the pacing and sequencing are dead-on, and even novelty throwaways like Harry "The Hipster" Gibson's "Who Put the Benzedrine in Mrs. Murphy's Ovaltine?" stand up to repeated listening in this context. Excellent remastering and liner notes (in both English and German) round out the package."

—Jason Ankeny

jazz
blues
pop rock

mp3@VBR

Drug Songs (1917-1944) - High & Low (2005)

NAVEL

"(...)It's really wonderful and relaxing, but not as minimalistic as its reference point (Brian Eno, in case you aren't familiar with ambient music). In fact, it doesn't actually sound much like it. There's even got some sparse bass and guitar playing on the first side, not unlike what you would expect to find on a (very) quiet Mogwai song anno 1998-ish. Overall this is really excellent ambient/drone stuff though, and considering these guys have been releasing stuff since the late 90s I'm a bit surprised I haven't come across them before. If you haven't either, make sure you give this a try."
—UAXUCTUM

1. Music For Spaceports 16:24
2. Très Cosmìque 13:31

ambient

drone

mp3@320kbps

Ambient 1: Music For Spaceports (2009)

GUADALUPE PLATA

"Pedro de Dios Barcelo, Carlos Jimena and Paco Luis Martos are cranking out screaming, ramshackle blues influenced by swamps, serpents and satan. In that order. Not just blues, but the kind of peeled-out, whacked-out riffs, licks and choogles that can fuel popular uprisings. Adding to the sinister mystique are the band’s videos and press shots, which look like something out of a snuff film. The blues can be boring in the wrong hands.
These guys will make you sweat a little."

—The Days of Lore

 blues!

KAPITAN KORSAKOV

"The Belgian band has released an album of gritty noise rock of international allure. For next to the obvious Cobain references the band has created a very versatile sound. Opening track 'When We Were Hookers' has one of those soaring riffs Made Out Of Babies would kill for, while 'Cozy Bleeders' on the other hand dishes out a druggy psychedelic trip. The production is raw, but fits the music, and gives the record an obscure, non-commercial edge that adds to the credibility of these manic rockers. (...) The band does prove to have established a solid base from which to start a nice underground career though. I am certain this rips live. Earplugs mandatory."
—Lords of Metal

psychedelic

noise

stoner rock

mp3@VBR

Well Hunger (2009)

RIDE

"The term shoegazer is synonymous with My Bloody Valentine, and even more specifically with the album Isn't Anything and their powerful follow-up Loveless. If one had to name the next thing that comes to mind when hearing the word shoegazer it would probably be Slowdive's Souvlaki. The albums Loveless and Souvlaki are usually considered the two-headed monster within the genre. There is, however, a third album, released a full year before Loveless and 3 years before Souvlaki, that arguably holds a claim to the first truly great shoegazer album. Imagine a less abrasive and more laid back Loveless, and you have Ride's Nowhere."

—Scott Herren, SputnikMusic

shoegaze

alternative rock

mp3@VBR

Nowhere (1990)

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND

"Is Safe As Milk a classic? Absolutely! There wasn’t much else going on in 1967 that was as bent as this music, but that’s what makes it so significant.  It’s the origin of a man too stubborn for his own good and ignorant of the elements that make records into products.  It’s aural painting from a legend in the making and deserves a spot in any classic rock collector’s cabinet."

—Mark Polzin, ClassicRockMusicBlog

psychedelic

experimental

blues rock

mp3@128kbps

Safe as Milk (1967)

HET DROSTE EFFECT

"Het Droste Effect’s first EP is self recorded on 8-track cassette tape at Studio Casa Cassette Eindhoven, The Netherlands. It contains 4 instrumental tracks ranging from repetitive robotrock to calm ambient to psychedelic kraut and space rock, infused with field recordings and special guests on bass, moog, vibraphonette, saxophone and monotron."

—  Het Droste Effect Bandcamp

psychedelic

space

instrumental

fuzz rock

The Droste effect depicts a smaller picture version of itself in a place where a similar picture would realistically be expected to appear,
as seen on the cover.

mp3@320kbps

Het Droste Effect (2011)

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA

"The Inner Mounting Flame's ascending and descending distortion-laden mantra-like riffs and unison playing set a standard for jazz-rock that is still in place today. It's Indian influences merged with blues scales and rock rawness set the music world on fire. The musical attack was relentless. (...) Melodies and rhythms like had never been heard before. The distortion and the loudness could be insulting, and the speed of the playing was mind-numbing. In short, this was the greatest jazz-fusion recording ever made."

— All About Jazz

jazz-rock fusion

mp3@VBR

The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)

LED ZEPPELIN

"Physical Graffiti is the true testament to the greatest rock group that there ever was. Unfortunate for the musicians they influenced who don't get it, Led Zeppelin was more than just the aggressive salvos of guitar, bass, drum and caterwauls of a singer with a blonde mane in tight jeans. Physical Graffiti shows that like no other, light and shade can be accomplished."

— PopMatters

rock & roll baby!

The Rover, LED ZEPPELIN

mp3@320kbps

Physical Graffiti (1975)  removed file

QUEST FOR FIRE

Quest For Fire Myspace

'Lights From Paradise is probably the best psychedelic stoner rock album you’ll hear all year. (...) Quest For Fire has produced in my head a strong contender for the best-of lists at the end of the year and I really hope that you cats don’t miss out on it. It has everything on it, fuzzed out Rawk, some arousing psychedelia, 70s worship, Pink Floyd vocal worship, and just look at that album artwork again, the colours are so goddamn edible.' 

— Gaia, The Number of The Blog

stoner

psychedelic rock

In the Places of a Storm, QUEST FOR FIRE

mp3@320kbps

Lights From Paradise (2010)

BAUHAUS

In the Flat Field, this second disc, so loaded with alternates and outtakes, is a revelatory experience because it offers a portrait of the band struggling with itself, and experimenting, trying to eke out that certain sonic something that would ultimately set them apart and create so many imitators.

You know you like it!

Get it. Buy it. Steal it.

post-punk

gothic rock

Dive, BAUHAUS

mp3@VBR

In the Flat Field (1980)

HAWKWIND

Hawkwind Myspace

'Doremi may not be Hawkwind's most renowned album, but it carries the same type of prog rock spaciness as their first two releases. Even though the keyboard playing is trimmed down just a tad, the introduction of Ian Kilmister, otherwise known as Lemmy of Motörhead fame, makes up for it. With Lemmy's hard-lined guitar playing and Del Dettmar's synthesizer stabs, tracks like "Space Is Deep" and "The Watcher" are infused with elaborate instrumental meanderings in perfect Hawkwind fashion. The longer tracks, both "Brainstorm" and "Time We Left This World Today," have Lemmy getting settled in the band's extraordinary milieu, but end up being the album's strongest cuts. There's a harder feel to the songs all the way through, with the guitar and drums coming to the forefront ahead of Dik and Mik's "generators" and "hot electronics." Doremi is the inaugural album for drummer Simon King, and with guitarist Dave Anderson and percussion man Terry Ollis now departed, Hawkwind still manages to muster up a firm intergalactic space-metal atmosphere...only with a more rugged thrust.'

— Mike DeGagne, allmusic

progressive

space

psychedelic rock

Lord of Light, HAWKWIND

mp3@256kbps

Doremi Fasol Latido (1972)

COMBO PIANO

Japanese Takuma Watanabe, producer, composer and pianist.
Has other musicians (apparently all guest musicians), even in live performances. Takuma has already released albums, but this belongs to his side project. Their sound is very dynamic, active, noisy and confusing, but you can feel the gentle eastern as well as it's melancholy.

jazz

piano

experimental

progressive

mp3@192kbps

Combo Piano (2010)

HOMOSTUPIDS

Homostupids Myspace

'Latest 12" from Cleveland's kings of idiocy, and it doesn't disappoint. This one is a little more "punk," a little less "weird" than some of their recent releases, almost sounding like Dangerhouse-era west coast punk in some places. Fucking killer.'

— Sorry State Records

garage

punk

noise

retard rock?

#2 Starman

mp3@320kbps

Strawberry Orange Peach Banana (2011)

ETERNAL TAPESTRY

Eternal Tapestry Myspace

'Beyond the 4th Door contains long stretches of melodic guitar improvisations, dark brooding songs that slowly build and expand to allow in layers of light. The album was recorded in their home studio and was created by recording more that two hours of material, mostly live, and hand picking what you hold in your hands. There is a free and open nature to their structure creating for the listener a spacious environment to explore.'

— Thrill Jockey Records

experimental

psychedelic rock

#1 Ancient Echoes

mp3@192kbps

Beyond the 4th Door (2011)

TAME IMPALA

Tame Impala Myspace

'(...) three-piece TI play with some of the ingredients of arena rock as well but do so in aid of more leftfield, organic sounds and interesting excursions. The result is a cleanly executed and frequently dazzling debut: Innerspeaker is a psychedelia-heavy outing that toys with paisley pop, stoner vibes, and an expansive array of swirling guitars.'

— Zach Kelly, Pitchfork

psychedelic rock

a steady flowing psychedelic groove rock band that emphasizes dream-like melody.

mp3@VBR

Innerspeaker (2010)

WOBURN HOUSE

Woburn House Myspace

'Beautifully crafted, adventurous and inspiring - this unique band are always tough to pin down. Levitating between the bliss of the finest European avantgarde metal, epic song structures and earthy, organic post-rock tones, "Monstrous Manoeuvres In The Mushroom Maze" unfurls layer upon layer of beautifully textured melody that is driven by a bass drift that reminds us of classic early Lungfish in parts too. And all wrapped up in beautiful artwork painted by Toby Driver of Kayo Dot and mastered by the sound genius of Tom Kvålsvoll.'
- Paradigms Recordings

You can check Toby Driver artwork at this place.

atmospheric
post-rock
progressive
psychedelic

mp3@192kbps
Monstrous Manoeuvres In The Mushroom Maze (2009)

WOODEN SHJIPS

Wooden Shjips Myspace

'Like fellow locals Comets on Fire or English space rockers Hawkwind or Spaceman 3, Wooden Shjips' magic is created by a mix of pummeling hypnotic grooves and otherworldly guitar that sounds like Hendrix strung out in a methadone clinic.'
- Andy Tennille

I hope you are on drugs!
Enjoy the fuzz.
(must listen: Clouds Over Earthquake)

psychedelic
space rock
experimental

mp3@VBR
Vol.1 (2008)