Across Oceans - Pacific

Artist: Across Oceans
Album: Pacific
Year: 2012
Length: 26:04

1. Bad [3:57]
2. Exclusion [3:56]
3. Ghost [5:51]
4. Closer [3:03]
5. What Lies Beneath [6:45]
6. A New Day [2:29]

Download Link

The aptly named "Across Oceans" is a collaboration between California acoustic artist Cruz Gongora and A Problem Like Maria from the Philippines. It's got a more stripped down sound than most of the APLM collaborations with primarily acoustic guitar and vocals. Honestly I had thought I had posted this awhile back, but apparently not. Like anything with Maria singing, this is absolutely beautiful. I'd about go as far as to say this is the best fit for her voice yet.

The Ghost Servant - RAGE (In Relation to Living)

Artist: The Ghost Servant
Album: RAGE (In Relation to Living)
Year: 2012
Length: 15:56


1. The Sound Of Rage Swelling [0:54]
2. Teach Me How To Thrash [1:20]
3. On The Topic Of Our Comforts [1:18]
4. His Is The Victory [1:24]
5. These Walls Are A Farce [2:02]
6. Serious Concerns Are Mounting At An Alarming Rate... [2:06]
7. ...But With Grace You Reaffirm How You Are God [3:48]
8. We Dance A Strange Dance [1:02]
9. Only Slightly Less/Let Me Rage For More [2:01]

Download Link

Very cool experimental digital hardcore release. It's rather loud and heavy, but at the same time much more ambient than your standard DHC. Track 7 is particularly epic with a really cool dramatic spoken word reading followed by a chill acoustic guitar section.

No Brigade - Back in Hell

Artist: No Brigade
Album: Back in Hell
Year: 2009
Length: 23:50

1. We Got It [1:42]
2. If I Was You [2:30]
3. Retaliate [2:41]
4. Bleed The Fifth [2:13]
5. Back In Hell [2:06]
6. World Famous [2:44]
7. Don't Look Now [1:35]
8. From Back In Hell [4:10]
9. Only Living [2:40]
10. Outro [1:24]

Bandcamp Link
Archive.org

No Brigade serve up a high energy and loud-as-shit digital hardcore release that emphasises all the best aspects of D-Trash artists. Lots of layered group vocals, spastic breakbeats, and fucking raw ass anger. The album is for pay on bandcamp, but this album along with most of the D-Trash catalogue is on archive.org so check this out along with a bunch of other sweet electronic shit.

Water Gun Water Gun Sky Attack - Slew

Artist: Water Gun Water Gun Sky Attack
Album: Slew
Year: 2012
Length: 56:32

1. Outlanderish
2. Fine
3. A Good Fake pt. I
4. A Good Fake pt. II
5. Thvg Lyfe
6. Knut Nims
7. Stnanks
8. Actiiisciv
9. Out From Underground Alive
10. ckers
11. 12st

Download Link

Hot off the presses is this IDM artist's new album. It's pretty varied while remaining very ambient and cohesive. Thvg Lyfe and Knut Nims are both very beat driven and straightforward while a few songs like Fine and Out From Underground Alive build into interesting vocal sections. Best comparison I can come up with is Boards of Canada, but I'm not particularly versed in IDM (beyond, well, Boards of Canada really).

New Orleans Swim Team - To Be Something, To Be Anything

Artist: New Orleans Swim Team
Album: To Be Something, To Be Anything
Year: 2011
Length: 55:46

1. Overture (Dreamer)
2. You Were No Ground Level Limb
3. To be Something
4. Hide and Seek
5. Manhattanhenge
6. Calloused
7. Plaster
8. Prairie Winter
9. Found
10. Summer Tinted Brown
11. Degrees
12. Like Anchors
13. Caught Between
14. Stillness
15. Your Holy Ghost
16. Recursive
17. To Justify
18. Ribs, and the Things Between Them
19. Wanderlust
20. To be Anything
21. Whatever You Want to Be

Download Link

This is completely different from just about everything I usually listen to and really completely unlike just about anything else. About 60% of the album is heart wrenching spoken word over lovely orchestral tracks. The rest falls closer to a conventional indie rock sound. For many, this album is going to be far too sappy and emo to be tolerable, but for many more this will be something captivating and sentimental. I am man enough to admit I have not listened to this album yet without crying a little (and nothing ever brings me to tears).

New Death Grips!

Death Grips have a new album titled "The Money Store" out on April 24th. Judging from these two singles, it's going to be insane. Get their first album "Exmilitary" here.

Radio Wire Empire Solves a Problem Like Maria

Artist: Radio Wire Empire & A Problem Like Maria
Album: Radio Wire Empire Solves A Problem Like Maria
Year: 2011
Length: 14:01

1. Sea Legs [4:09]
2. Pour Toujours [1:25]
3. Try Me (James Brown cover) [3:09]
4. No Me Hagas Daño [2:05]
5. Somewhere in the Middle [3:11]

Download Link

Radio Wire Empire brings a more acoustic and even more chilled out edge than any of Maria's other collaborators since. Every song here is remarkably pleasant.

Wizwars - Welcome to Thrash City

Artist: Wizwars
Album: Welcome to Thrash City
Year: 2011
Length: 21:00

1. I Am Wizwars (Real Los Angeles Chipthrash) 2:54
2. The Violator 2:42
3. Green Line 1:02
4. Blue Line 2:20
5. Triborough Bridge (Remix_original by DaPantz) 2:35
6. 103rd Street Towers 1:21
7. Anxiety 1:45
8. PJILLST 1:08
9. Get Naked 2:08
10. Thrash City 3:02

Download Link

Real L.A. Chipthrash (whatever that means). Really upbeat and distorted. The download also comes with a live set recording with many of the same tracks.