Dramatic

dredg – El Cielo

LPx2, 45rpm, Self-Released, 2002 / 2012 pressing First Vinyl Pressing (2012)Originally released on CD by Interscope Records (2002) Style: Art Rock, Progressive Post-Hardcore Vibes: Cryptic, Dramatic, Surreal, Groovy, Anthemic, Epic, Passionate, Intricate, Bombastic, Psychedelic, Sentimental Themes: Sleep Paralysis, Dreams, Existential, Salvador Dalí Qualities: Conceptual, Lyrical, Suite, Dense, Uncommon Time Signatures, Rhythmic, Progressive

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Jeff Buckley – Grace

Style: Singer/Songwriter, Art-Rock

Moods: Longing, Bittersweet, Passionate, Heartbreak, Angsty, Sentimental, Romantic, Introspective, Sensual, Existential, Poetic, Sad, Sombre

Musical Qualities: Dynamic, Lush, Melodic, Polished Production, Orchestral Arrangements, Gospel Background Vocals

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Cecil Taylor – Indent

Style: Free Improvisation, Free Jazz

Moods: Passionate, Kinetic, Complex, Ecstatic, Dramatic, Energetic, Angular, Exploratory, Meditative, Focused

Musical Qualities: Solo Improvisation, Dense, Acoustic, Progressive, Dynamic, Percussive, Atonal, Active Listening, Instrumental, Technical, Rhythmic, Live

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The Great Concert of Cecil Taylor

Cecil Taylor – Piano; Jimmy Lyons – Alto Sax; Sam Rivers – Tenor & Soprano Sax; Andrew Cyrille – Drums

Style: Free Jazz

Vibe: Transcendent, Dramatic, Kinetic, Intense, Passionate, Driving, Knotty, Complex, Forceful, Cathartic

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dense, Atonal, Polyphonic, Polyrhythmic, Free Swing, Dynamic, Acoustic, Live, Fast

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Spellling – The Turning Wheel

Style: Progressive Pop, Baroque Pop

Vibe: Epic, Surreal, Haunting, Ethereal, Passionate, Dramatic, Dreamy, Romantic (LP1), Triumphant, Fantasy, Uplifting (LP1), Grandiose, Theatric, Brooding (LP2), Spacey (LP2)

Musical Qualities: Dense, Orchestral, Progressive, Polyphonic, Polished, Melodic, Rhythmic

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Van Der Graaf Generator – H to He Who Am the Only One

Style: Progressive Rock, Jazz Rock, Symphonic Prog

Vibe: Alienation, Longing, Sentimental, Dramatic, Heartfelt, Cathartic, Introspective, Existential, Theatric, Lonely, Sad, Passionate, Epic

Musical Qualities: Technical, Progressive, Complex, Dynamic, Ballads

Instrumentation: Piano, Organ, Acoustic Guitar, Saxophones (Alto, Tenor, Baritone), Flute, Drums, Tympani, Electric Bass

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Comus – First Utterance

Style: Avant-Folk, Progressive Folk

Moods: Ominous, Forest, Surreal, Dark, Theatrical, Disturbing, Hallucinatory, Mysterious, Ritualistic, Aggressive, Complex, Shadowy

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Percussive, Chamber Arrangements, Technical

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar (6 & 12-Strings), Violin, Viola, Oboe, Flute, Percussion, Electric Bass

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King Crimson – Beat

Style: Art Rock, Progressive Pop

Vibe: Anxious, Eccentric, Romantic, Cerebral, Complex, Catchy, Bombastic, Dramatic, Surreal, Slick, Intertwined

Musical Qualities: Polyphonic, Uncommon Time Signatures, Polished, Progressive, Technical, Rhythmic

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L’Rain – Fatigue

Style: Free Pop, Progressive R&B, Psychedelic Soul, Art Pop, Gospel-Influenced

Vibe: Woozy, Ethereal, Cryptic, Impressionistic, Heartfelt, Imaginative, Dramatic, Dreamy, Eclectic

Musical Attributes: Progressive, Lush, Vocal Manipulation, Sampling, Vignettes, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Groovy, Collage

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Human Behavior – Kedumim

Religious allegory, profane thoughts, and lustful confessions intertwine on Human Behavior’s third LP; Kedimum is a brooding suite of psychological chamber folk that introspects into a conflicted mind, struggling to reconcile matters of indoctrinated faith, natural human desires, and internalized guilt. Primary songwriter Andres Parada is joined by a sympathetic cast of vocalists to create a vivid sonic drama complete with choral vocals and spoken word passages to complement his haunting narrations. The intricate and shadowy arrangements blend distorted electronic beats with a wide array of acoustic instrumentation, including banjo, clarinet, accordian, acoustic guitar, violin, ehru, and cello.

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Ought – Sun Coming Down

There is a certain beauty just to being alive, and Ought make it their mission to find it through raw rock n’ roll that veers seamlessly between upbeat post-punk, meditative feedback drones, dramatic ballads, and cathartic guitar freak outs.

Recommended for fans of post-punk that blends the moodiness of Joy Division, Iceage, and Television with the experimentation and noisiness of This Heat and No Wave.

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Mary Halvorson – Code Girl

Halvorson has been developing her own idiosyncratic and multi-dimensional language on guitar for almost two decades now (perhaps most clearly heard on her 2015 solo album, Meltframe). On Code Girl, this language is augmented by a dramatic and powerful quintet, featuring the symbiotic rhythm section of her usual trio Thumbscrew, as well as Ambrose Akinmusire’s expressive trumpet playing and Amirtha Kidambi’s intensely operatic vocals, singing cryptic lyrics penned by Halvorson. Together the band uses complex five-part counterpoint to weave intricate webs of melody, rhythm, and texture through progressive and dynamic structures.

Side note: It’s interesting how the number 5 is so prominent in all the album images (pentagons, fingers, toes, stars, etc)

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