Harsh noise project Restraint Malfunction is out with a new composition this week. The title basically refers to a tumor getting taken out of one’s eye, and you could say this eighteen minute-long piece sounds like exactly that. Some moments are shrill and piercing while others are more ominous and oceanic. It’s an abstract exhibition of variable textures from Restraint
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Wisdm Giovanni searches for the groove on a new beat tape.
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Singer-songwriter Max Devereaux has a new album out. If you know anything about Devereaux, it’s that his approach is eclectic and inspired by many facets of style. This includes but isn’t limited to art rock, blues, soul, and electronica. His songwriting is honest, direct, and stream-of-conscious; when you juxtapose that with his instrumental decisions in each song, you’ve got a
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Keyboardist and composer Tim Whalen marks his debut as a songwriter with his single “Tomorrow.” It’s a song about forgiveness, both internally and externally. The sun washes away the darkness eventually; Whalen sings about leaving the pain of the past behind because tomorrow’s a new day. It’s a simple message but a powerful one, and Tim Whalen’s instrumentation helps captivate
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Experimental percussionist Dave Schoepke has a new single out this week. This piece is actually almost thirty years old; it was originally released on a cassette for a different project, but Schoepke revived it for inclusion on his upcoming EP. The song features vigorous drums and cymbals in addition to a sound effect created by scratching a microphone over the
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Wisdm Giovanni experiments with a collection of riffs on a new beat tape.
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Harsh noise project Restraint Malfunction followed up last week’s debut album already with another one this week. It’s a continuation of the abstract exploration of the first, using hardware synths to achieve abrasive textures. Such sounds evoke feelings of breaking free from the shackles of one’s personal chaos and subjective oppression. It’s both cathartic and liberating; Restraint Malfunction floods our
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Dystopian electronic project Detraction has a new album out. This one fascinatingly introduces pop sensibilities through trip hop beats that weave in and out of the experimental, dense soundscapes. As a concept the whole thing feels like one is retrieving fond moments out of distorted dreams. The final track drones on as if the dreams are becoming more vivid until
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Harsh noise project Restraint Malfunction released an album this past week. Consisting of five pieces all made in the last month, it’s described by Michael Jurek as a cathartic effort freeing himself of obstacles he’s faced mentally as of late. The results encompass erratic static blasts that scatter across the open space, reflecting the irregularities of one’s demons choosing to
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Ambient drone project The Vicuna 100’s latest release envelops us in layers of golden hue. Sandwiched between two shorter cuts is the mammoth track “Soft Melon Boys” which flutters for over twenty minutes; you feel like you’re sleeping in a bed miles up in the sky as yellow clouds gently glide past. If you’re looking for something meditative and trance-inducing,
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Industrial-experimental noise project Death Tape Super Bass released his seventh tape of the year last week. Themed around severe weather in the Midwest, this body of work features chopped-up emergency sirens, windy field recordings, and storm chaser samples. It will remind you of all those times you’ve gotten caught driving in nasty storms, that’s for sure. If you’re looking for
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With is the new pop duo of Anthony Deutsch (Father Sky) and Zaya Leavitt. They’re out with their debut single, and it’s about stepping out of your comfort zone with fearless integrity. Deutsch’s grand, prosperous vocals accompany various tempo switches that all shine with optimism and enthusiasm. It’s groovy yet keeps one foot in front of the other the whole
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Dreamcore artist Cloak’s latest single is about being closely linked to someone because you’re tired of yourself. The young songwriter uses a spider’s web as a metaphor for being wrapped tightly in a bond with another, with helpless croons and electro-slowcore instrumentation to reinforce the desolate mood. Cloak’s doing something unique in the Milwaukee music scene, and this tune is
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Ambient-experimental artist Space Whaler is back with his third record of the year. As the title of this one suggests, there’s a strong textural presence of being possessed and staying glued to an addictive means. Dense, distorted guitar soundscapes swallow us whole in a dreary immersion. Space Whaler brings tall, melancholy madness to life over a five-track movement.
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Mike Neumeyer lets the marimba guide him in a new composition.
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Experimental-electronic folk project Mere of Light is the solo effort of Elise McArdle, known for their role as vocalist/keyboardist of shoegaze band Cream Vellum. Mere of Light’s debut EP is out now, consisting of five tracks all with the harp as main instrument. McArdle’s lyrical themes touch on resounding emotional reactions to change, as well as the personal empowerment that
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Free-improv jazz group Tony Catania Trio have a new record out this week. Featuring Catania on tenor sax, Barry Paul Clark on bass, and Devin Drobka on drums, this body of work is an authentic practice of intention with immediacy. The three musicians speak to one another via their instruments’ languages, effectively creating synergy through avant-garde conduits. The title seems
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Singer-songwriter Dan Kolesari dropped a new single this past week. It’s a rootsy rock jam about life playing out and making sense in the long run. He enlisted local band Burgundy Ties to join in on the recording, and the result will have you putting your arm around your friends and telling them that you’re happy they’re here. We hope
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Alternative-world supergroup Strangelander recently released their sophomore record. Recorded live on WMSE, it’s a four-piece epic carefully built from subtle interactions between the ensemble, all while Amanda Huff’s graceful vocals soar with lyrics about fearless adventure, self-actualization, and hungered love. The music itself takes fundamentals of East Indian art, blues, jazz, and funk. In the cast behind bandleader Steve Peplin
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Experimental-ambient artist Space Whaler has a new EP out. Themed around depression, this body of work makes use of distorted monologues and rain sounds and minimalist guitars. We truly feel draped in the cloak of despair with these incredibly melancholy soundscapes. “Abyss” contains lyrics about being locked in a cage while watching creatures fly freely, while “Reward” spans for over
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Sarnal Key has an immersive experience with their latest.
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Tarek Sabbar gets into an industrial groove with a new release.
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Mike Neumeyer gets experimental for a new track released on the 4th of July.
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Electronic artist Tarek Sabbar has a new single out. While his music in the past has been in the ambient and experimental realm, this new tune he takes into acid house territory. It’s a psychedelic foot-tapper that rings with metallic wonder. Tarek Sabbar has more to come where this came from – stay tuned.
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Drum and bass producer W e r e c r o w’s latest single dropped to celebrate his latest music video hitting 2K views. This one would fight right into a Midnight Club-style racing game, alternating tempos between high-speed techno and moody trap production. It’s a stylish cut with a knack for adventure from W e r e c r
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