TranscendNoise

40. David Granström – A Distant Color, Secluded The synth rises, the never-ending grandeur evoking sounds of A distant color, secluded create a cosmic event of sorts. The first tracks, while holding their own, live to end in the closing, 20-minute opus "Waning Moon". Granström is a sound artist obsessed with the inner-workings of sound-synthesis, fine-tuning tones to achieve overarching timbre and using algorithmic processes to structure his patterns and build these tracks as perfectly shaped pieces. Going with harmonics that enable the sonic intricacies of what the universe must feel like, the push and pull of symmetries and asymmetrical listening as human beings find its greatest expression in this LP. Intriguingly enough, Granström never feels like he´s simply letting a computer do his thing or is reliant on the perfection of numbers and patterns, there is warmth in his production, the sonic life, dwelling within your senses and slowing unraveling into motionless, b...

50. Kadhja Bonet – Childqueen Childqueen might be the closest expression of an “Alice In Wonderland” like fairy-tale done by a black woman. By way of her vocals, her musical influences and lastly her virtuosity of never being bogged down by making “funk”, “RnB” or “experimental” music, Bonet transgresses realism in favor of surrealist sound-collages and expressions befitting a magical drink that shrinks and enlarges your view of the world – to push you to explore and understand your own viewpoint being a mere slice of a whole world. Playing every instrument herself, producing the whole thing and doing her own artwork, there is no gap, no place where the vision ends, even a slight flute detail, synth rise or string section are born from the same mind that hits us with psychedelic heart piece “Delphine”. Throwback might be a part of the message, or a modus Bonet is familiar with, but for my part, these sonics and compositions stem from a time where I wasn´t alive or conscious enough...

70. Cavern – Sunday (Eater) Instrumental Rock is a tricky thing. Following the great explosion of many many post-rock bands, the most apparent evolution as a listener might be, that you grow colder and are harder to wow the more you know. The deep satisfaction and wonderment of listening to my first tracks of Explosions in The Sky or Jakob might never return and many new bands that emerge do not bring anything greatly different to the table. Yet, if it is clear, that there is no wheel to reinvent, you better learn to use it very well. Cavern´s Eater as a whole is a rare gem of two instruments working in unison and creating some of the best post-rock this year. While there are hints of Long Distance Calling or a general affection for post-metal sounds on the record, "Sunday" is a track closer to something Jakob might have delivered in the past. The clear-eyed outlook of the simple guitar chords, the layers that build and play with each other convey triumph and grandeur. H...

20. Taylor Swift – 1989 When thinking about today’s pop-sensations, there isn´t too much to look up to or be proud of. In general, our pop singers are still not self-reliant figures and formulas exercised by songwriters and producers. The music of the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce or Miley Cyrus are conglomerates of others conveying an image befitting the person present, more pressing than expressing. The songstresses for the most part are promoters, looking pretty and/or creating some buzz. That´s it, search for content all you want, but you will only find the lack-thereof. To be clear, Taylor Swift isn´t the realest pop-star ever to walk the earth or do her skills as songwriter stand alone and uninterpreted by others. But if one thing, you can sense that Swift still cares about the message her music gives to the listeners and is even self-conscious of what she represents. Therefore releasing “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space” as singles for 1989 were well thought - out choices....