Music Discussion Thread

[Naga]

There's quite few of us hipsters music enthusiasts around here so I feel like we should have something like this. I know we have "What are you currently listening thread", but that pretty much comes down to listing whatever you're listening, and while there was some discussion, it's still a rarity.

I'd love this thread to be about: discussing new releases, recommendations, music theory, vidya OSTs... etc, etc. That, of course, doesn't mean that anyone shouldn't make a music related thread outside of this, but I think it would be nice to have a hub for sharing taste, recommending music, talking about genres and so on. You can also talk about what you're listening atm, but listing should be avoided, I think.

If there's enough interest I think it should be fun. There's a great site for making collages called topsters.net, in case anyone want to share something.

 

[Naga]

I've been listening to a lot recently but these 3 were a stand out.

1. Dälek FFTOGAG - experimental hip-hop - sounds like hissing, metallic sound of a vacuum cleaner. There's some interesting downtempo segments where flow really shines and flow in general is pretty great. The album has a racial and spiritual theme and delivery is quite aggressive, which, imho, sounds great with experimental tune, occasional bleeps and deep drums. Pacing could be better but listening to it in one go wasn't hard even the slightest. RECOMMENDED

2. Wrong - post-hardcore-punk, some jazz - is everything you'd expect from post-hardcore band, really. While I don't think it's bad in any way, I don't think it's particularly great. Lyrics are quirky and sometimes intelligent, but generally edgy, which is great in this type of music tbh. I really sensed a drop of quality in the second half, like everything was to do was done in the first part and later of it's just more of the same but slightly different. There's some great moments and saving grace are some experimental moments that are easily 10/10 but I'd recommend it with cautious approach. It's still a ton of fun.

3 - The Ape of Naples - ambient - this is so Gnostic I grew a halo. If you like ambient this is a damn essential if you ask me. Most of people will find this boring as hell but it gets better if you're paying attention. Anyway, it has a primal and divine feel to it, if I had to explain in a sentence I'd say it sounds like angel and neanderthal were talking about god. There's a lot about it I simply like a lot and I like the album's art direction where begging is easy and melodic as to signify to easiness of asking simple questions in life and the second track is already the hardest things on the album to show that there no such thing as easy. top recommend tbh.

 

[Taek]

Good thread idea, Naga.

Flowers for Bodysnatchers - Aokigahara
If you know anything about Aokigahara, you can kind of guess the atmosphere of this album. It's really dark ambient with a focus on building a soundscape, the album feels like a journey through the forest itself and never lets up with its oppressive atmosphere. There are small swells of music here and there, but they only ever bear down on you further, this is not an album to listen to when you're feeling down.

Grouper - Dragging a Dead Dear Up a Hill
Similar in feel to Aokigahara, but different in it's execution. This is a shoegaze/dreampop album, so a similar atmosphere is achieved not through minimalist electronics and piano, but with fuzzy guitars and drum beats hidden in the mix. The album kind of sounds as it's titled, if that makes any sense, it feels less oppressive than Aokigahara, but it has the familiar downtrodden atmosphere. As with a lot of shoegaze, the lyrics are down in the mix, so the words are hard to pick out, the idea that the voice is being used as another instrument rather than the focus.

Both of them are really good albums that I've been getting a lot of pleasure out of listening to recently.

 

[Naga]

Flowers for Bodysnatchers - Aokigahara
If you know anything about Aokigahara, you can kind of guess the atmosphere of this album. It's really dark ambient with a focus on building a soundscape, the album feels like a journey through the forest itself and never lets up with its oppressive atmosphere. There are small swells of music here and there, but they only ever bear down on you further, this is not an album to listen to when you're feeling down.

Shit man Last.fm doesn't give me anything. I feel outhipstered. I'll have to look a bit more for it.

How'd you even find this one? Japanuary?

Grouper - Dragging a Dead Dear Up a Hill
Similar in feel to Aokigahara, but different in it's execution. This is a shoegaze/dreampop album, so a similar atmosphere is achieved not through minimalist electronics and piano, but with fuzzy guitars and drum beats hidden in the mix. The album kind of sounds as it's titled, if that makes any sense, it feels less oppressive than Aokigahara, but it has the familiar downtrodden atmosphere. As with a lot of shoegaze, the lyrics are down in the mix, so the words are hard to pick out, the idea that the voice is being used as another instrument rather than the focus.

I know this one though. Similar vocals as Blue or Boa, it's not my typical type of shoegaze, but I love the addition of acoustic guitars. It reminds me of Sometimes from MBV's Loveless and I always though there's a potential to make a whole album out of that sound, and while that particular sound was a great addition to a large variety of sound Loveless had, I really wanted a lot more like it. This is not a bad alternative at all, but instead of sensual, wanting tune this sounds like I'm hollowing with the nature. I don't think it's worse because of it but I'm still searching for a good shoegaze that could recreate that sound. I like the eeriness and soundscape this album builds, and while I don't think it's particularly innovative with its art direction, I'm sure a shoegaze fan would like to listen to it at least once.

 

[Taek]

Shit man Last.fm doesn't give me anything. I feel outhipstered. I'll have to look a bit more for it.

How'd you even find this one? Japanuary?

smh tbh fam, I got you

I do a lot of searching on bandcamp for stuff, the ambient tag usually brings up some good shit.

I know this one though. Similar vocals as Blue or Boa, it's not my typical type of shoegaze, but I love the addition of acoustic guitars. It reminds me of Sometimes from MBV's Loveless and I always though there's a potential to make a whole album out of that sound, and while that particular sound was a great addition to a large variety of sound Loveless had, I really wanted a lot more like it. This is not a bad alternative at all, but instead of sensual, wanting tune this sounds like I'm hollowing with the nature. I don't think it's worse because of it but I'm still searching for a good shoegaze that could recreate that sound. I like the eeriness and soundscape this album builds, and while I don't think it's particularly innovative with its art direction, I'm sure a shoegaze fan would like to listen to it at least once.

I pretty much agree with all of this, I'm a big fan of shoegaze in general so the album falls straight into my area of musical desire.

 

[Naga]

smh tbh fam, I got you

I do a lot of searching on bandcamp for stuff, the ambient tag usually brings up some good shit.

I also sometimes use Bandcamp but I use it more or less to support local artists and sometimes, I find the unexpected goodness.

The last thing I supported from Bandcamp was Ujubasajuba from Kairon Irse, and that was some good stuff. I'm pretty sure you've heard of it before but it's the most dynamic, hardest shoegaze I ever found. Before that I think it was one release from Trevor Something. I'm not usually too big on cyberpunk, future 70s, new retro/revival etc, or generally the music that makes you feel like running on blades, but that one was a standout for me.

But Hotline Miami soundtrack is one of the dopest compilations I've heard in my life. Hotline Miami 2 OST is another huge beast compiled of all I've mentioned above.

 

[Taek]

I also sometimes use Bandcamp but I use it more or less to support local artists and sometimes, I find the unexpected goodness.

The last thing I supported from Bandcamp was Ujubasajuba from Kairon Irse, and that was some good stuff. I'm pretty sure you've heard of it before but it's the most dynamic, hardest shoegaze I ever found. Before that I think it was one release from Trevor Something. I'm not usually too big on cyberpunk, future 70s, new retro/revival etc, or generally the music that makes you feel like running on blades, but that one was a standout for me.

But Hotline Miami soundtrack is one of the dopest compilations I've heard in my life. Hotline Miami 2 OST is another huge beast compiled of all I've mentioned above.

I've had Ujubasajuba on my regular listening cycle for a while now, I really struggle to get tired of it.

I like bandcamp, it has a good search feature, and there's usually no paywall there for you to listen to more than one track on an album, and they offer all their downloads as FLAC, which is good for my audiophile fuckwittery.

Also, anyone who want's to get into shoegaze at all needs to look at this chart.

 

[Naga]

Also, anyone who want's to get into shoegaze at all needs to look at this chart.

I should probably put that chart in a OP post like some others if people post more.

and they offer all their downloads as FLAC, which is good for my audiophile fuckwittery.

muh bitrate

You're not alone here tho. I tend to download all of my favorite albums in FLAC, it actually does help while listening to shoegaze, and some other where there's 100 of different sounds involved all at once. It's like listening to vacuum cleaner on medium instead of high power.

if someone is confused about this stuff (flac. is somewhere between digital and analog, but not as clear as analog):

Spoiler

 

[Taek]

I have quite a few of those charts, I might post more depending on if I'm feeling charitable.

That image is amazing.

 

[sothis]

mm, shouldn't this be in entertainment though?

 

[xCanaxCherry]

mm, shouldn't this be in entertainment though?

Yeah I agree

I doubt anyone listens to my kind of moosic here, but here you go anyway.

"they're all the same singer, have some diversity" shh don't judge me ;-;

 

[Naga]

Yeah I agree

I disagree.

I doubt anyone listens to my kind of moosic here, but here you go anyway.

"they're all the same singer, have some diversity" shh don't judge me ;-;

I recommend:

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Thousand Knives - here
Midori (ミドリ) - Shinsekai - here
Doopees - Doopee Time - here

__________

It's a month of Japanuary and there's a ton of Japanese music recommended all around.

I picked myself up some Fishmans and it's great so far. Long Season is so damn good, I could actually listen to this on a fishing trip.

 

[ZetsubouKaiji]

Good thread idea, Naga.

Flowers for Bodysnatchers - Aokigahara
If you know anything about Aokigahara, you can kind of guess the atmosphere of this album. It's really dark ambient with a focus on building a soundscape, the album feels like a journey through the forest itself and never lets up with its oppressive atmosphere. There are small swells of music here and there, but they only ever bear down on you further, this is not an album to listen to when you're feeling down.

Grouper - Dragging a Dead Dear Up a Hill
Similar in feel to Aokigahara, but different in it's execution. This is a shoegaze/dreampop album, so a similar atmosphere is achieved not through minimalist electronics and piano, but with fuzzy guitars and drum beats hidden in the mix. The album kind of sounds as it's titled, if that makes any sense, it feels less oppressive than Aokigahara, but it has the familiar downtrodden atmosphere. As with a lot of shoegaze, the lyrics are down in the mix, so the words are hard to pick out, the idea that the voice is being used as another instrument rather than the focus.

Both of them are really good albums that I've been getting a lot of pleasure out of listening to recently.

I really enjoyed both of these. They've both got a melancholic feeling to them that I enjoy quite a bit.

 

[Naga]

I really enjoyed both of these. They've both got a melancholic feeling to them that I enjoy quite a bit.

I think you'd really enjoy Fishmans - Long season then.

It shares a lot of feelings of those two, but its more jazzy and a lot more relaxed in nature. There's a lot of nature motifs but in a completely different way than those two, and some of its jazzy, more classical segments really stand out as melancholic but in a really nice way - it's incredibly positive in comparison to those two, but that doesn't mean its impact is any less valuable. It has similar structure, where couple of tunes have a backdrop throughout the album and sometimes there's a really nice modulation to them. In a way those tunes serve as both buildup and crescendo.

And its bigger pro is that it's a complete package and a satisfying listen. It's only 30 minute long and it's not too demanding. It's a beautifully taken as a careful and casual listen. Here's the link for anyone interested.

 

[xCanaxCherry]

I recommend:

Ryuichi Sakamoto - Thousand Knives - here

Spoiler

The other two are ehm... not really my style.

 

[Thrawn]

These music choices...

Y'all are a team of hipsters.

Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork
Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
Talking Heads - Remain in Light

 

[BrainBlow]

The Thomas Was Alone OST is so friggin' great for such a simple game! I love chilling and reading with it playing in the background!

Nothing quite like the soundtrack of a game about little colored blocks that made you cry.

 

[Naga]

These music choices...

Spoiler

Y'all are a team of hipsters.

Hurtful words fam but deep down I know you're right.

Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork
Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
Talking Heads - Remain in Light

Talking Heads and Jefferson Airplane are pretty damn dope. Remain in Light is probably not my favorite, I think Fear of Music still has an edge over it, imho. But if Remain in Light had its second part on the level of quality as the first half it would be god-tier. It's already a classic but I still have some minor issues with it...

I'd recommend Love - Forever Changes if you haven't already, or XTC - Drums & Wires - it's a band even Shinji likes - so there's that.

I still follow David Bryne wherever he appears on tho.

The Thomas Was Alone OST is so friggin' great for such a simple game! I love chilling and reading with it playing in the background!

Nothing quite like the soundtrack of a game about little colored blocks that made you cry.

This one is definitely up there in my vidyaa OSTs, it give me a lot of weird geometrical feels.

 

[randomredneck]

Y'all should experience the power metal awesomeness that is Iron Savior.

 

[Naga]

Spoiler

The other two are ehm... not really my style.

You know, there's a lot of useful forefox extensions like proxy unblock one that would allow you to see videos that you otherwise can't. Just saying.

Ryuichi Sakamoto! Hellls yeah

I love his 80s and his mid game works, and both me and you know he worked best with Sylvian.

My taste will probably be nothing like anyone here, but whatever, here's a few i'm listening to right now. A lot of proggy stuff, i guess.

Native Construct - Chromatic Aberration
Structural Disorder - The Edge of Sanity
The Contortionist - Language I: Intuition
Thank You Scientist - Feed the Horses
Novelists - 5:12AM
Polyphia - James Franco
Dysphoria - The Apogee of Human Race Time Being

Yep, this is my first time hearing any of this. Also, according to Last.fm we have very low compatibility. Huh, I'll proabably want to go through some of these if you recommend them. It couldn't hurt for me to branch out into proggy post-metal (djent in one word I think), or at least that's what it sounds to me so far.

EDIT: Listening to this more reminded me that I recently listened to VOLA and found it enjoyable, not my usual type of thing but I think you might like it, Brad. Though you probably heard it already, I have a sneaking suspicion about it...