After receiving a mysterious email last year, we featured a hyper-limited LP from an act called Western Standards.  The record went on to get some good praise, including a nice writeup at Boomkat.  Well, not even a year has passed and I got another email about a brand new WS release.  Still shrouded in the [...]

European metal labels better than Hypertension Records are few and far between.  These wonderful Belgians have once again blessed us with two fresh vinyl releases, both from fellow countrymen, and both with really great-sounding pressings.  The first is the new LP pressing of Kingdom’s “Hemeltraan”, a slow, brooding foray into metal and drone.  Largely instrumental, [...]

Graf Orlock, known for their extravagant packaging, have outdone themselves with their new “Doombox” release.  Using the enclosed instructions, the packaging can be folded into a large boombox, pretty awesome.  Oh yeah, and the music is even more extreme than the package, though probably not considered extravagant (disgustingly gruesome grindcore).  The 10″ was pressed on [...]

Blood Warrior is an awesome side project of Greg Jamie (O’Death), Joey Weiss (Super Monster), Kristin Kellas and Rubin Berger (Musee Mecanique, Laura Gison, Mirah).  The music they play is definitely closest to Jamie’s O’Death output, but it leans more in the direction of traditional Americana (though fused with modern indie rock influences).  The LP [...]

The amazingly prolific Dan Bejar has just created his best album ever.  Sometimes known for his work in The New Pornographers, Bejar’s Destroyer project is where he’s usually able to cut loose and release creativity en masse.  Unlike his previous efforts though, things are generally toned-down “Kaputt”, offering something much smoother than usual.  This record [...]

I really wanted to like the new Iron & Wine album. I really did. Sorry Sam Beam, but Ben Chasny is my go-to acoustic heart-throb for 2011 (and probably every year after). Asleep On The Floodplain tries less than half as hard and sounds ten times as lush and emotive as the aforementioned major label [...]

Here’s a serious treat for the rabid beat-heads out there: MF DOOM’s complete Special Herbs series collected onto one comprehensive vinyl box-set edition. This is looking like 5 LPs plus one seven-inch of the finest, fresh-cut rhythms available. $85 might seem a little steep, but keep in mind what you are getting here – primo [...]

Back with their first album in over five years, Norwegian duo Deaf Center just may find themselves atop the experimental music scene again.  To put it frankly, from what we’ve heard so far, “Owl Splinters” is seriously amazing, likely as good as anything you’ll hear all year from the dark ambient / drone community.  It [...]

Sacred Bones just dug up two of Chile’s most exciting psychedelic bands, giving them the larger American introduction they deserve.  The Holydrug Couple’s “Ancient Land” EP definitely contains the more traditionally structured songs of the two, clearly displaying early 70s psychedelia influence.  Föllakzoid’s s/t EP creates something much more abstract, instead relying on a foundation [...]

Underwater Peoples just released this new 12″ from San Francisco’s Melted Toys, proving they’ve still got their finger on the pulse of underground pop music.  Things are laid-back and synth-laden here, the perfect record for a sunny afternoon.  The vinyl is $14 at UnderwaterPeoples.com. Audio courtesy of Altered Zones.