2002

El-P – Fantastic Damage

featuring Aesop Rock, Vast Aire, DJ Abilities, Cage, Ill Bill, Camu Tao, Rob Sonic, Mr. Lif, C-Rayz Walz, Nasa

Style: Hip-Hop [Experimental, Hardcore, Industrial, East Coast, Abstract]

Vibes: Rebellious, Dystopian, Futuristic, Urban, Sarcastic, Rebellious, Aggressive, Chaotic, Surreal, Angry, Industrial, Confident, Political, Science Fiction, Energetic, Sexual, Colorful, Messy, Apocalyptic, Disturbing, Raw

Dälek – From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots

Style: Hip-Hop [Industrial, Boom-Bap, Noise, East Coast, Experimental]

Vibes: Brooding, Gritty, Philosophical, Dystopian, Introspective, Angry, Spiritual, Urban, Cerebral, Ominous, Aggressive, Apocalyptic, Cold, Poetic, Political

Musical Qualities: Noisy, Sampling, Dense, Beats, Collage, Heavy, Dissonant, Turntablism, Droney, Feedback

The No-Neck Blues Band – Intonomancy

Style: Ritual Psych, Free Rock

Vibes: Primordial, Ritualistic, Witchy, Meandering, Communal, Abstract, Exploratory, Mysterious, Murky, Psychedelic, Tribal

Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Lo-Fi

Exhaust – Enregistreur

Style: Post-Rock, Avant-Dub, Experimental

Vibe: Mechanical Decay, Deconstructed, Urban, Cold, Dystopian, Desolate, Winter, Melancholy

Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Dub, Rhythmic, Instrumental, Sampling, Slow, Noisy, Repetitive, Analogue

Instrumentation: Drums, Tapes, Bass Clarinet, Electric Bass, Electric Guitar

Little Wings – Light Green Leaves

Style: Folk-Pop

Moods: Gardening, Warm, Mellow, Uplifting, Breezy, Spring, Healing, Joyful, Light, Playful

Musical Qualities: Catchy, Soft, Melodic, Lyrical, Simple, Vocal Harmonies

T5 (Terrastock 5 Singles Box)

Compilation of 7″ records featuring exclusive tracks from 5 different ritualistic-psych artists: Iditarod, Stone Breath, Charalambides, Bardo Pond & Sonic Youth

Styles: Ritual Psych, Free Folk, Drone, Acid Folk, Space Rock, Noise Rock

Moods: Ritualistic, Forest, Mysterious, Nocturnal, Psychedelic, Haunting, Hypnotic, Eerie

The Futuristic Folk of The Tower Recordings [Vol. 1 & 2]

These ceremonial meanderings are the interrupted transmissions of campfire songs picked up by intergalactic satellites. Past and future collapse as old-timey banjo melodies fade into squiggly synthesizers and lo-fi electronics. Distant harmonicas sink behind thick fogs of ghostly whirring, while warped slide guitar, drone fiddle and echo percussion bubble through the folky primordial soup

Neko Case – Blacklisted

LP, Anti- Records, 2002 (2016, RE) Style: Gothic Americana, Alt-Country, Singer/Songwriter Vibe: Bittersweet, Rebellious, Haunting, Western, Passionate, Energetic, Longing, Anthemic, Breakup, Depressive, Heartfelt, Introspective, Twangy, Rustic, Sentimental

Sunburned Hand of the Man — The Trickle-Down Theory of Lord Knows What

Style: Free-Psych, Ritual Folk, New Weird Americana

Vibe: Ceremonial, Communal, Hallucinogenic, Mysterious, Amorphous, Earthy, Cathartic, Primal, Murky, Ritualistic, Surreal

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Lo-fi, Free-Form, Atmospheric, Dissonant, Group Vocals, Repetitive, Chants, Percussive

Do Make Say Think – & Yet & Yet

Style: Post-Rock, Space Dub

Vibe: Intertwined, Autumnal, Contemplative, Warm, Pastoral, Spiritual, Spacey, Meandering, Exploratory, Mellow

Musical Methods: Dynamic, Instrumental, Atmospheric, Loose, Studio-as-an Instrument

Jackie O Motherfucker – Change [Tour Edition]

Style: Free Folk, Mystical Americana, Post-Rock

Vibe: Ragged, Deconstructed, Rustic, Warm, Communal, Ritualistic, Messy, Raw, Triumphant, Mystical, Eerie

Musical Qualities: Group Vocals, Collective Improvisation, Acoustic, Loose, Lo-fi

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vibraphone, Slide Guitar, Fiddle, Saxophone, Drums, Upright Bass

The Iditarod – The Ghost, the Elf, the Cat and the Angel

Style: Psychedelic Chamber-Folk

Vibe: Haunting, Pastoral, Melancholy, Rainy, Delicate, Intimate, Psychedelic, Intertwined

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Slow, Soft, Electro-Acoustic, Sampling, Home Recording

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Cello, Turntables, Banjo, Tanpura, Violin, Singing Bowls, Percussion, Dulcimer, Bouzouki, Organ, Wine Glasses

Boards of Canada – Geogaddi

Style: Trip-Hop, Psychedelic Electronic, IDM, Downtempo, Ambient Techno

Vibe: Mysterious, Hallucinogenic, Woozy, Occult, Cryptic, Nature, Eerie, Warm, Surreal, Hypnotic, Mellow, Haunting

Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Beats, Sampling, Vignettes, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Rhythmic

Hangedup – Kicker in Tow

Style: Post-Rock, Chamber Punk, Experimental Rock

Vibe: Driving, Murky, Cathartic, Ramshackle, Adventurous, Kinetic, Moody, Industrial

Musical Qualities: Percussive, Loops, Rhythmic, Atmospheric, Pulse, Droney, Dynamic

Instrumentation: Viola + Loops, Drums

Sixteen Horsepower – Folklore

Style: Gothic Country, Americana, Chamber Folk?Vibe: Rustic, Sombre, Murky, Rootsy, Ominous, Loner, Western, Melancholy, Moody, Dark?Musical Attributes: Acoustic Instrumentation (Banjo, Upright Bass, Cello, Acoustic Guitar, Accordion, Piano), Atmospheric, Droney, Slow, Lyrical?Lyrical Themes: Alienation, Religious, Christian, Storytelling

Daedelus – Invention / The Quiet Party

Originally released in 2002 on Plug Research Fat Beats Reissue with Quiet Party EP (2017) Format: LPx2, EP on D-Side Style: Glitch-Hop, IDM Vibe: Mellow, Nocturnal, Percussive, Retro (Victorian), Warm Musical Attributes: Glitchy, Digital, Electro-Acoustic, Sampling, Percussive, Melodic

90 Day Men – To Everybody:

Style: Math Rock, Art Rock

Vibe: Angsty, Complex, Cryptic, Moody, Surreal, 

Musical Attributes: Odd Time Signatures, Dissonant, Lyrical

Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Album Information: Released in 2002 on Nonesuch Records Produced by Wilco Mixed by Jim O’Rourke Recorded at the Loft, Chicago Format: 180g LPx2, includes CD

Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Yanqui U.X.O.

Godspeed’s last album before their 10 year hiatus was produced by the legendary Steve Albini, resulting in what might be their heaviest and most direct album to date. Coming off the heels of September 11th, Yanqui U.X.O. seems to be a reaction against the ramped up military-industrial complex and its promotion of fear and xenophobia, as well as protesting Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. The back cover even goes as far as connecting each major record label to some type of weapons manufacturer.