Tea Time

  GENRE: experimental, pop Ok, so this is one of Panda Bear 's projects, and I already know I feel about his work. Sometimes I feel that it can be reaching in terms of how approachable it is. With this one, however, I can sit back and almost zone out. The song is a multi-layered fusion of pop and experimental music. It begins with a ticking that anchors the entire piece, with a repetitive melodic line in the back. From the ethereal, the piano grounds you with its soft tones and clean chords. The vocals are really clean too, it feels like minimal effects have been added on to alter them. The message of environmentalism, and almost loosely documenting its history stands strong, and you can certainly hear the pain in his voice too. I think that's the most powerful component of the song. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: experimental, punk Isn't it great finding bands that are the result of poop jokes on the internet? No? Well, I'm not one to step away from this sort of zany stuff. I didn't really expect much at all from this band, but it seems like they're taking themselves seriously so I will too. That grungy bass riff they've got is pretty fun to groove too. It overpowers literally everything else in the song, especially the vocals. And, I emphasize "vocals" because there isn't really singing. It's more like, a passionate rant with yelling here and there. The lyrics are great though! Very fun to sing along too, if you decide to even look them up. It's all about feces, which is in accordance with their imagery and themes. Really though, even without this moniker, the song itself is actually well-put together.  Although they call themselves experimental, I'm not quite sure where they incorporate that in this piece. Since they're so small, I d...

GENRE: experimental, atmospheric  I'm not always too excited to be venturing out into music that gives an impression of being old but not a classic. I ventured into my recommended and came upon what felt like a haunting and lonesome experience. A lack of words, a lack of structure, and really a lack of theme that I've found makes for a sobering reflection. I imagine as if the artist was presenting to us a mirror by way of this song. I could see some substance to that argument going off of the creepy album cover. It begs for a deeper dive into who the artist is, especially when they haven't put out anything since 2014. Either way, this piece really does fit itself into a bigger picture. The album, based on the little I've looked into it, seems to be hitting the same vein when it comes to mood and atmosphere, and what the artist is trying to evoke from you. I dig. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: experimental, dreamy It's always fun to take a trip to the more experimental alcoves in music. Rosewood  seems fitting as one of those walk in the park songs. The chirping song birds are out, and really the only instruments are the faded guitar and the pinging synths. The soundscape is incredibly expansive, even when the instruments are so few. From a musical perspective, it's the minimalism that you look for, the spaces in between consecutive melodic lines. The spacious progression of the chords is somber and slightly haunting, and I associate that feeling so much with the mysterious existentialism present in the album cover. Contemplative, small, and curious. Rating: 7/10

genre: experimental, instrumental I wrote about this artist before, and I enjoyed their instrumental material. I dove further into what they have previously worked on, and this album is what I found, emphasis on album.  Each song is less than 2 minutes long, and each song elaborates and develops on a simple idea. And because of that, I decided why not, and added the whole album as an entry. It's a short, quick, and elevating listening experience. The instrumentation is pleasant and minimalist. Consisting of saxophones, fluttery trumpets, and sometimes a piano, there is something genuine about limiting yourself and working with what you've got. All the instruments speak to each other and build upon an initial, progressive musical idea. Usually, the musical ideas are comprised of runs with intricate harmonies. Fortunately, that's the type of stuff I love. Rating: 7.5/10

genre : experimental rock snack: chocolate coconut frozen treat My experience with Radiohead is limited, but what I've listened so far has always caught my attention. Their production is masterful, and their use of synths and how they engineer their sounds is always innovative and incredibly interesting. In the broadest sense, they are a rock band, but their discography says differently. But we're not here to rave about all of Radiohead's  reputation and success. This relatively recent single, Ill Wind,  is what we're here to talk about. Overall, the formula and structure isn't new in the scope of things, it's really more like a new flavor. You get a syncopated, and tasteful drum beat that essentially loops. On top of that you get layers and melodies that grow and develop throughout the song. As always, Thom Yorke sings when he feels like it, with that unique ghostly and wispy voice of his. Has someone checked on him? Is he ok? Either way, the song itsel...

genre: experimental snack: popcorn Finding myself on an emotional branch of music, today's going to be a short listen and a short write-up. This experimental piece is anchored by large, encompassing, dominant piano chords. Although it's labeled experimental, the chords themselves aren't groundbreaking. I guess in its simplicity, the chords hold that much more meaning. The swelling bass notes and the trickling notes in the higher registers evoke this "drifting" feeling. To that end, I guess it achieves what it set out to do. This would work well in movie, to be honest. Other than that, it is incredibly contemplative and uplifting in a subtle, and appreciative way. It feels comforting, and homely. Less is more I guess. Rating: 7.5/10

genre: psychedelic, experimental food: pita chips and hummus  Apparently Spotify recommended this to me? I'm not quite which songs I liked spurred on this recommendation, but whatever. It's nice to see what the algorithms  think I like.  I've dabbled into experimental before, and I tend to like it (without a good explanation why). This is on the verge  of not being experimental, because it's definitely structured neatly. It sounds a lot more like background music than anything. Although cheesy, I do like the Arabesque sample. In general, the song feels like floating an empty sea of white noise. It doesn't do it for me. It's not quite thought-provoking enough to me at least. Really, it doesn't fit well into any of my  moods. Rating: 5/10

genre: folk metal, progressive, experimental drink:   water Here's to song four of Agalloch's  The Mantle .  Now we're getting somewhere. Compared to the previous song, Odal , this song packs quite a punch. Opening with a blistering drum beat, I Am The Wooden Doors , stands out against the backdrop of the album. I can't imagine what it's like to listen to this live. It's definitely a head-banger. Now and then, there's an intermission where the dynamics shift. I'm always a fan of the folk guitar, and it seems to be one of their favorite, consistent ideas to throw in.  There are few vocals, and it's almost like the other instruments take precedence over the singing. But when there is  singing, Agalloch manages to make it worthwhile. However, it's the drum beat that really steals the show.  Rating: 8.5/10

genre: folk metal, progressive metal, drink:   strawberry and banana smoothie Moving on with the album, here is a song that's a real kicker. Listening to this is like taking a big bite out of the album. With this particular song, you can definitely see the similarities with Godspeed You! Black Emperor. And as such, really best way to listen to this song is to divert attention away from other distractions and experience it.  Nonetheless, it has its own place. Firstly, the timpani's back! Good ol' timpani. I wonder if that'll be a continuing theme throughout the album. Moreover, melodic lines throughout the song build upon and vary the phrase from the timpani.  Two minutes into the song, I was pretty caught off-guard, because until now I haven't heard a single word from the band. I hate to say it, but I'm not a fan of a majority of screamo. I understand it's place, but for me it has to have a particular flair to it. Luckily for Agalloch, I find it pretty...

genre: indie, experimental snack: mi goreng At the request of Kevin, I'll be a bit more transparent with my post titles and the ratings-just makes it easier.  cor·po·re·al:  relating to a person's body, especially as opposed to their spirit K: little background- one of the pioneers for electronic sounds/synths in the indie genre Well, like he says, the electronic elements are very apparent in this song. As it pertains to the lyrical content, I imagine that the distorted, crippled synths represent the ghosts she talks about. I really don't know how I feel about its use in the song though. It seems so disjointed. If you can imagine it, if one were to remove the electronic elements, a lot of what makes this song special is concomitantly removed. That is to say that the synths are what make the song stand out. But at the same time, I feel it doesn't even belong. It's experimental for sure, but I think it does too little to extend itself beyond the contemporar...

genre: experimental rock, metal drink: nuoc mat  Upon further investigation of the mesmerizing Dir En Grey, I came upon a side project of Kyo's, SUKEKIYO. I was so drawn to Macabre (from a previous post) that I found a liking to this song by SUKEKIYO that's somewhat on the same spectrum. Kyo enlists his haunting vocal range to add color and emotion.  Here's a funny connection. From a personal perspective, the beginning reminds me of something a middle-aged Asian band would play at a wedding-from the distorted guitar arpeggios to the timbre of the distinct drum beat. It really reminds me of my dad. The vocal range used for this beginning section matches really well too. No doubt about it.  As for the rest of the song, the enthralling build-up, lead guitar work, and Kyo's stunning vocals of course, work together harmoniously to bring about an astounding experience. Although the material isn't as thought-provoking (especially when Kyo doesn't get into i...