Listening Center
Fans of Kosmiche-era eletronics will rejoice in the release of Diaphanous Structures, the latest from Listening Center. On this outing, the arpeggios are a little darker and more skeletal – “Hovering Haze” is the sound of a factory devoid of humans, continuing to do their jobs day in and day out. This feeling continues on songs like “A Torn Hedge” and “Sapling One”, which continuously morphs into new sequences of synth sounds. A few tracks, “Concentric Circles” and “Glass Phantoms”, elicit a comparison to the glassy tones of mid-70’s Cluster, while the around-one-minute interstitial material is reminiscent of fellow retrofuturists Broadcast. This is impressive company to be in.
Plone
In a similar electronic vein, yet decidedly more fun and funky, is the new album Puzzlewood from Plone – their first in like 20 years, this one on Ghost Box. If you’re prone to the sheer pleasure of dancing by yourself to retro futuristic beats a la the lighter side of Stereolab or the High Llamas, then by all means throw this on and have a time. From the label: “This is unironically joyful and melodic electronica; informed by library music, music for children’s TV and a deep passion for the history of music technology.”
Entidad Animada
Arising out of Buenos Aires, comes Entidad Animada – a side project of experimental group Bosques. Ambient textures and downtempo beats carry the listener through the 2020 Covid quarantine from their ears on the EP Aplanando La Curva (Flattening the Curve), doing a fairly good job of conveying the routine and sometime monotony of live under lockdown. Each track is titled with a day number (“Dia 1”, “Dia 2”, etc) – though number 8 is absent for some reason – which perpetuates the time aspect.
The Stargazer Lillies
The Stargazer Lillies have a new video that will be premiering at noon on 4/20, this one for “Icarus Sun” off the recent Occabot. Under normal circumstances they would be commencing a multi-state tour through early May, but alas, in it’s stead the band have promised to create new content to keep their fans entertained and sensory satiated. Tune in here:
Upcoming Releases
A new release is forthcoming from ambient-soundcaper Steve Swartz (formerly of Au Revoir Borealis), titled Light Leaks. The album, in Steve’s words, “explores how we see and interpret the world, how our experience of it is shaped by the giving and receiving of light and how being alive, in itself, is to be a fathomless and complex anomaly.” Look for it June 5th.
Following a single put out earlier in the year, The Asteroid #4 are back again with a digital single – a preview of their next album, due out in July. The song, “Northern Song”, continues that return to 60’s sound with a Byrds-y picking intro, but soon flows into a rousing chorus that these guys are known for. Can’t wait for the new album!
Windy & Carl Vinyl LP Giveaway
Windy & Carl have just released their latest LP Allegiance & Conviction and I’m giving away a vinyl copy to one lucky newsletter subscriber this month. Head over here for for the details.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading, and be sure to subscribe to the Sonixcursions Podcast to hear these and other great bands, and until next time, pleasant orbitings…
