Funny, I was unaware of the existence of this label and in one month I happen to listen and review two of their cds, I've been positively surprised by Harold Nono solo work and this label sampler shows they've a good roster. Apart from Harold Nono it's the first time I hear the rest of the musician here featured with a track, what we have is basically melodic if not poppy music thought there's some weird "trait d'union" joining the ninety per cent of the artists on this cd. Electronic pop music? More or less that's the deal in many tracks even if there're some considerable differences but I've to repeat that it looks like the label has a clear distinctive physiognomy: for example take the first four tracks they're different but still have something similar and that means at Bearsuit they've probably assembled the tracklist to make the listening easier and flowing, I'm quite sure about it or well, that's my impression. The first track that put me on guard for some sensitive difference is the fifth, the composer moniker is Oldman and offers a weird mix of soft rhythms plus sexy vocals and some distorted guitar to make the difference, somehow it reminded me of New Wet Kojak. Kaboon Karavan, Harold Nono serve a couple of bizarre fragmented tracks that (above all in the case of Nono) are quite out of ordinary. Then, when you think you've finally identified the general sound of the label here we go with some strange but ethereal tracks like those of Pequena Fiera!, Limbic Somnus, Alfred Brown. With the last musician there's also a sort change of atmosphere of the whole cd, above all when you pass to James Ross' song whichh could have been part of Badalamenti's soundtrack for Twin Peaks... and what about Linda Bjalla?! Is it that far from Julie Cruise or Elizabeth Frase?. The compilation opens with some electronic music but approaching to the end it follows a song-writing route. Sonicbeat reminds me a lot of early Mum without vocals, while Hulk and Cahier are still really melodic like many indie-tronic artists but don't change the very substance of the sampler. It's a weird, melodic-oriented sampler, give it a try for they may have discovered the heirs of Plone, or Mum or the new answer to Hood and Postal Service among their ranks, interesting label and soft enjoyable sampler.

This' the second release by Robert Martin aka Fluorescent Grey I review and it confirms all the good things I've been thinking at the time I've heard his previous work. This electronic musician joins some nice post-IDM reminiscences with some experimental-electronic attitude therefore it's easy to speak about some of the most cryptic, odd Afx, Autechre and maybe Lfo with less melody and with a dark electronic attitude. Let's say if this label is gonna have Mick Harris in their catalogue as I've read, I'm sure the taste of his forthcoming work for them won't go that far from some of the darkest moments of this cd (the first track for example). Fluorescent Grey kept his rhythmic skill and hasn't hidden his "acid" aftertaste, the fact is he's refined his working on abstract tracks and at the same time when surrendering to melody he's put some narcotic dub radiations. Martin has an odd sense for melodies which means the music is not that easy listening-electronics alike and here's where he probably in some way he's closer to Mick Harris "Logghi Barogghi"-era. Dissecting the track-list you'll find the music becomes more melodic when you're arriving to the end of the cd but the strangest things of all is a really melodic song that due to the flutes reminded me of that Marxmen anthem sung by Sinead O'Connors titled "Ship ahoy". I think Fluorescent Grey has improved his compositional process but hasn't changed his physiognomy therefore if you liked his first full-length your expectations won't be deluded. Good recording and well shaped production that crystallizes all the particulars of the music assembled by Bobby Martin, he probably has to work a bit on the atmosphere of the tracks but if you're into rhythmic electronics, post-drum and bass music take for granted this guy plays in the major league.

After releasing their latest album few months ago, here is a new Bisclaveret CD on my player. This time it isn't a proper new album but a collection of nine remixes plus a video of "Insane in God". On the remixing desk we have Moan, Sleeping Pictures, Endraum, Ghosts of Breslau, Loverdozed, God's Bow, Hoarfrost, Horologium and synta[XE]rror. These projects gave their version/vision to "Insane in God", "Ritual of all embracing madness" (two tracks contained into the "Psyche nomine" album), "Duch moj" and "All things lost" (here reworked by Loverdozed which gave to the track an electronic experimental touch). Even if we have different version of three tracks the bands are able to give to the listener a good range of styles and solutions. We start with dark ambient with a bit of goth and pass to ritualistic industrial, e.b.m., minimal dark ambient, electro goth, minimal experimental, industrial dub and bleeping ambient i.d.m.. The best track, in my opinion are the less minimal (basically all but two) because it's really difficult to make an interesting track with few sounds (mostly pads), no rhythm and no melody. Anyway, seven tracks out of nine are worth your attention and if you already knew the ritualistic experimental electronic music of the band here you'll find new interesting interpretations of it.

Generally I’m not a fan of piano works probably cause I’ve been listening too many bad or at least insipid piano works, anyhow some of my favorite contemporary music is written for piano, has been conceived in front of it or evolves around the idea of the instrument and that’s also the case of the oddest pair of all: Cage and Feldman. While as I’ve said many piano works tend to bore me to death, when that kind of releases is expressive I happen to get completely absorbed during the listening and John Luther Adams has captured my attention from the very first listening. I can’t say if "Alaska created the music or if the music created Alaska" as Mr. Adams is wondering in the lines of his biography, but be it suggestion or not, there’s probably a small portion of Alaska frozen in the music of this musician. While I’ve put the emphasis on piano, this cd features some other guest appearances of percussion and vibraphone and they’re not secondary at all above all the percussion infact in the economy of the third track percussion become the corpus of the whole composition. There’s a big ambient feel in the music of this composer but differently from other piano composers flirting with ambient music (for example David Cunningham) there’s no trace of keyboards, piano treatment or post-productive treatments of these recordings. Adams’ music is ambient under a really Satiesque perspective and not just due to the instrument, but also for the fact this composer is not anxious to demonstrate anything, the center of this music is just inspiration and like Carver’s writings surplus has been removed from these compositions. At the same time, despite having no thrills, this music has not much of the american minimalists’ influence, sure their shadow is there but nothing more than that (but which American –an not just them- contemporary composer can say he’s immune from that kind of influence?). "Red arc/blue veils" is simple but vibrant, melodic and intense, differently from what you may think of its simplicity this cd is far from wallpaper-music, it goes deep. If the snow of Alaska creates a quiet atmosphere, this music probably is able to re-create Alaska wherever you are.

There’s no doubt Isis (or I’d rather say Neurosis) and Mogwai have become independent standards there days and I dare you to deny that. This Danish band demonstrates once again this thing makes sense and being really melodic oriented belong to the category of bands following the route of the Scottish heroes. Just Mogwai then? No, they’ve melted also a bunch of other ethereal influences and being from the north of Europe they’ve some reminiscences of that all Nordic taste you can detect in Sigur Ros thought they’ve no vocals differently from the island ethereal masters. Atmospherical evocative post-rock with a strong European accent infact while they’ve same evocative inspiration of bands like Gospeed You Black Emperor, they keep far from that coral/orchestral explosions which are one of the main qualities of the canadians. Soft glacial depressive melodies played really well so if they stick a bit too much to their influences, it’s also true they’re undoubtly developing a good songwriting ability. Like in the case of many of the bands I’ve mentioned during the review this music pays an heavy debt to Morricone’s soundtrack or at least to some of the most evocative soundtrack composers fo the last thirty years. Good recording, good technical skill, some catchy melodies... the only possible remark is that concerning the personality, they just need to develop little bit their language to fully become themselves but over all an ok release.