Ex-World Serpent musician and painter Tor Lundvall releases "Empty City" as the successor to 2005's critically-acclaimed "Last Light", and in doing so unleashes what promises to be and sounds like yet another great ambient music record that is both easy to approach and enjoyable. While "Emtpy City" does not feature Lundvall on vocals like "Last Light" did, it does continue the tradition of slow-paced (as opposed to completely lacking of any rhythmical structure, like many other releases of this kind) and subtly haunted (hence the "file under: ghost ambient" suggestion) atmospheric and ethereal soundscapes. Although Lundvall has composed and recorded this stuff in the comforts and peace of the East Hamptons in April (when you can still drive around and rich people are still hiding n the Upper East Side; when you can fully enjoy the beauty of the sea and the grandness of the hovering sun downs and sunrises), it would be interesting to find out whether a NY-based musician like himself was thinking of the emptiness of bodies in the Hamptons in April or of the emptiness of souls in the actual city of New York... but we'll probably be left wondering about that at least until he unveils his next album, and probably beyond...For a complete experience, visit the artist's aesthetic collection of ghostly visuals at torlundvall.com, where you'll find paintings (he of course also was in charge of the artwork of this CD) and more info about his music.

This new release on Zahr by sicilian Mashrooms is perfectly positioned in their rock, emotional, melodic, post-rock ranks of the label. Differently from many of their unlucky contemporaries, Mashrooms probably had a clear perception of what they wanted and how to get it, and if you just check the production (David Lenci plus John Cogleton from Paperchase fame) I think it all becomes more than a palpable suspicion. Post-rock? Neee, I'd better write "pop"-rock schemes/solutions but don't worry, that’s far from that boring "wishy-washy" Mogway direction, these guy are from Catania (Uzeda, Carmen Consoli, Flor, White Tornado): therefore "rock" means "rock". If you're thinking they're Shellac (ergo Uzeda) oriented like too many bands from there, you're again wrong, if we’ve to make a comparison to tsome other talented Sicilian we’re closer to Twing Infection/Tellaro's sound and I think that's a good thing considering it’s 2006. Solid-emotional-Louisville-oriented-guitar-rock with a good indie-sensibility, a violin to make the sup more tasteful and some good vocals where you need them. I can't say "The Ginko" will change your life, but sure it's one of those record where you can't but notice there's a kick ass production/quality, everything’s at the right place, simple but incisive. The teamwork of Cogleton plus Lenci gave the american-rock quality trademark to the natural skill of this five italians. Could it be from the U.S.? Sure, let's say it sounds much better than many American bands playing this style which in itself is a result.

Minimal-industrial music - minimal electronics? To be or not to be?!...differently from Hamlet, the matter this time remains the same. I think the main source for the opening track is a cable connected to an amplifier and than manipulated with a naked hand or with any possible human conductor in general, add some distortion effect, a reverb, a flanger and you probably have it. Sometimes it gets more rhythmical, sometimes it could be the acoustic and ultra-minimalist answer to Panasonic’s debut, but it’s a bit too "to the bone" to be realisticly compared. The sound is not bad at all, but it’s a bit vague so vague it’s hard o get the real point in most of the track (shapeless or not). Probably Djenjer is into few weapons/instruments but used as much as he can, but it sounds a bit incomplete. I think if he would had some more samples/sounds the future will look brighter... but maybe he will pursue this "reductionist" path demonstrating I’m completely wrong.

Xavier Iriondo of Uncode Duello, A Short Apnea, Polvere, Afterhours...whatever...is here with this new group called Oleo Strut. Mr. Iriondo had probably been sucked deeper into that temporal warp that brought his mind back in the seventies, definition: kraut-freaky-psychedelic-extravaganza. While Wallace is in some way becoming his own personal recreational area (he's involved in too many new releases to list them all), this guy is so enamoured of that music lost back in the days, that if Cramps records was still alive I'm sure he'd be part of their "pack". Be it the production or just Xavier's "heavy hand" in it, but on this 3" mcd the italo-french combo revives the ghosts of Faust, Popol Vuh, Can and the result is categorically high-quality. Dark and odd, like many other releases filed under the type, the soundtrack effect is strong, but obviously we're talking about Herzog, Argento, Fulci, Jarman (considering him the most recent extreme). Many acoustic instruments, organs, "intrusive percussions" (?), concrete noises and an incontrovertible night feel. This 3" should preannounce the release of a full length (like it happened with Polvere) and it's a good premise obviously. Xavier/Wallace: love it or leave it.

From a band member of Psycho D-Vein we have this masterpiece of indie sound "Dust Fear of Lover". This promo remind me directly to the sound of Jesus & Mary Chain with electronic taste, but not only, My bloody Valentine, Lush and many other bands from the second age of 4ad, in these great melodies of new wave you can find also Joy division (always present) and Velvet Underground (the cd included a cover of Lou Reed). The only bad point for the cover of "Nothing changes" by Death in June, It's time to change!!! the others aare 13 beautiful songs to remind us that the underground is alive an kicking.