Focused

Bushpilot – 23

Style: Post-Punk, Krautrock-Influenced, Post-Rock

Vibes: Primal, Hypnotic, Motorik, Surreal, Cryptic, Rebellious, Angsty, Meandering, Wirey, Focused, Intertwined, Psychedelic, Raw, Lethargic

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Elkhorn – Red Valley

Style: Acid Western, Psych Folk

Vibe: Journeying, Desert, Western, Hazy, Intertwined, Road Trip, Nature, Summer, Adventure, Earthy, Exploratory, Flowing, Focused, Impressionistic, Luminous, Pastoral, Patient, Psychedelic, Reflective, Rural, Spiritual, Warm

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Oren Ambarchi – Shebang

eaturing Joe Talia, Jim O’Rourke, Chris Abrahams, B. J. Cole, Julia Reidy, Johan Berthling, Sam Dunscombe

Style: Post-Minimalism, Post-Rock, Electro-acoustic

Vibes: Iridescent, Blooming, Hypnotic, Focused, Psychedelic, Shimmering, Propulsive, Flowing, Soothing, Intertwined, Warm, Intricate

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Meril Wubslin – Faire ça

Styles: Slowcore, New Folk, Trip-Hop, Neo-Psychedelia

Vibes: Brooding, Hypnotic, Haunting, Cryptic, Focused, Shadowy, Sombre, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Repetitive, Dub, Percussive, Beats, Loops, Rhythmic, Atmospheric

Instrumentation: Vocal Harmonies, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Keyboard

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Beak> – >>>>

Style: Space Rock, Krautrock-Influenced, Neo-Psychedelia, Minimal Wave

Vibes: Motorik, Sci-Fi, Retro-Futuristic, Cryptic, Hypnotic, Menacing, Dystopian, Brooding, Psychedelic, Playful, Restrained, Gloomy, Focused, Eerie

Musical Qualities: Analogue Recording, Repetitive, Rhythmic, Riffs, Droney, Bass Lines

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Esmerine – Dalmak

Whilst in Istanbul for an artist residency, the adventurous Montreal chamber rock group recorded Dalmak with an ensemble of Turkish musicians, augmenting their core sound of cello, marimba, and drums with the saz, darbuka, bendir and several other instruments used in Turkish and Arabic folk music. Epic, modal themes emerge from watery beds of minimalistic polyrhythms and suspenseful string arrangments. While often sombre, mournful or foreboding, the musi seems driven by a collective sense of spiritual determination and hope.

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Off World – 2

featuring Sandro Perri, Eric Chenaux, Drew Brown, etc

Style: Alien Electronics, Tribal Ambient, Kosmische

Vibes: Spacey, Surreal, Imaginative, Exploratory, Impressionistic, Abstract, Cinematic, Meandering, Messy, Mysterious, Warm

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Emil Amos – Zone Black

Styles: Library Music, Psych Rock, Instrumental Hip-Hop, Ambient

Vibes: Noir, Brooding, Nocturnal, Cinematic, Focused, Smooth, Shadowy, Eerie, Psychedelic, Sensual, Suspenseful

Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Home Recording, Beats, Instrumental, Loops, Sampling

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The Necks – Travel

Style: Post-Minimalism, Atmospheric Chamber-Jazz, Free Improvisation

Vibe: Flowing, Patient, Focused, Suspenseful, Adventure, Hypnotic

Musical Qualities: Ostinato, Slow, Collective Improvisation, Minimalistic, Acoustic, Repetitive, Instrumental, Atmospheric

Instrumentation: Upright Bass, Drums, Piano, Organ

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Oceansize – Frames

Style: Progressive Rock, Shoegaze-Influenced

Moods: Passionate, Epic, Melancholy, Cryptic, Sentimental, Moody, Longing, Cathartic, Dark, Triumphant, Monolithic

Musical Qualities: Complex, Progressive, Melodic, Uncommon Time Signatures, Polished, Atmospheric, Dynamic, Dense

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Pullman – Viewfinder

featuring members of Tortoise, Codeine, Rex, Tower Recordings, etc.

Style: Chamber-Folk, Back-Porch Minimalism, Post-Rock

Moods: Peaceful, Back-Porch, Mellow, Airy, Focused, Impressionistic, Intertwined, Light, Open, Warm

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Minimalist, Instrumental, Repetitive

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Heldon – Stand By

Style: Space Rock, Progressive Electronic, Avant-Prog

Moods: Mechanical, Ominous, Futuristic, Martial, Dystopian, Heavy, Cinematic, Cold, Driving, Spacey

Musical Qualities: Repetitive, Dynamic, Progressive, Pulse, Suite, Rhythmic, Instrumental, Odd Time Signatures, Riffs

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Jack Rose – Raag Manifestos

Style: Free Folk, Appalachian Raga, Piedmont Blues

Feelings: Searching, Tangled, Spiritual, Sombre, Intense, Thorny, Introspective, Cathartic, Meditative, Nature, Ominous, Mysterious, Focused, Complex, Hallucinogenic, Forest, Epic, Visceral, Jagged

Musical Qualities: Raga, Acoustic, Polyphonic, Modal, Droney, Technical, Dissonance

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Swans – leaving meaning.

Style: Gothic Americana, Neo-Folk, Post-Rock

Moods: Brooding, Existential, Shadowy, Eerie, Sombre, Spiritual, Apocalyptic, Contemplative, Cryptic, Hypnotic, Focused, Nihilistic, Patient, Philosophical, Suspenseful

Musical Qualities: Slow, Lush, Vocal Harmonies, Repetitive, Lyrical, Droney, Rhythmic, Atmospheric

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Eli Winter – Eli Winter

ft. jaimie branch, Tyler Damon, Sam Wagster, Cameron Knowler, David Grubbs, Ryley Walker, & Yasmin Williams

FFO: Jim O’Rourke (Bad Timing / The Visitor), William Tyler, Ry Cooder Instrumentals, Gastr Del Sol, Elkhorn, Moon Bros, Appalachian Folk, Leo Kottke, Jack Rose

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Holden – The Inheritors

Style: Progressive Electronic, IDM, Microhouse

Vibe: Ancient, Tribal, Ritualistic, Pagan, Brooding, Mythic, Cold, Visceral, Mechanical, Hypnotic, Driving, Epic, Focused, Mysterious, Mystical, Patient, Powerful, Suspenseful, Earthy

Musical Qualities: Repetitive, Distorted, Heavy, Rhythmic, Percussive, Loops, Dissonant, Dense, Instrumental, Pulse, Noisy, Progressive, Field Recordings, Sampling

Instrumentation: Bodhrán (Irish Frame Drum), Synthesizers, Drum Machine, Saxophone, Organ, Chanting, Melodeon (Pump Organ), Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Xylophone, Live Electronics

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Rob Frye – Exoplanet

Style: Kosmische Jazz, Analogue Electronic

Vibe: Exploratory, Hypnotic, Adventurous, Mystical, Focused, Spacey

Musical Qualities: Pulse, Improvisation, Instrumental, Headphone Album, Odd Time Signatures, Polyphonic, Progressive

Instrumentation: Flute, Cornet, Organ, Wurlitzer, Synthesizers, Woodwinds, Double Drummers

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Cluster – Sowiesoso

Style: Progressive Electronic, Kosmische Musik

Vibe: Forest, Mysterious, Pastoral, Cosmic, Nature, Mellow, Contemplative, Focused, Motorik, Nocturnal

Musical Attributes: Instrumental, Repetition, Studio-as-an-Instrument

Instrumentation: Analogue Synthesizers, Drum Machine

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Tortoise – TNT

Style/Influences: Post-Rock, Experimental Rock, Dub, Kosmische Musik, Bossa Nova, Lounge, Minimalism, Jazz, Electronic
Vibe: Contemplative, Eclectic, Focused, Futuristic, Impressionistic, Lush, Meditative, Peaceful, Soothing

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Ezra Feinberg – Recumbent Speech

Style: Post-Rock, Post-Minimalism, Progressive Folk

Influences: Kosmische Musik, American Primitive Guitar, Minimalism

Vibe: Airy, Nocturnal, Pastoral, Peaceful, Focused, Imaginative, Impressionistic, Contemplative, Warm

Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Instrumental, Progressive, Pulse, Odd Time Signatures, Pulse, Dynamic, Headphone Album, Minimalistic

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Klyfta – Cosmic Pilgrimage: The Klyfta Tapes (1972-1975)

This lost slab of mythical prog doesn’t shy away from indulging in the retro pleasures of instrumental psych-jammage and triumphant jazz-rock. The atmospheric guitar, spacey Moog, and Hammond organ playing are both epic and economical, nary a note wasted. Philip Grondahl’s violin playing on the opening track is especially heroic, recalling the flights of Jean-Luc Ponty or Mahavishnu’s Jerry Goodman. Despite their collective starward gaze, Klyfta remains firmly grounded by the tightness of the rhythm section. Aside from the explosive entropy of the first track (beginning with Anders Strand’s expansive upright bass solo), the grooves focus on repetitive momentum with unwavering determination.

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Spencer Zahn – Sunday Painter

Composer and upright bassist Spencer Zahn crafts a peaceful album of impressionistic and pastoral jazz that recalls Talk Talk, ECM Records, In a Silent Way, and Bill Frisell. The atmospheres are open and washy thanks to sweeping piano gestures and Dave Harrington’s guitar loopery, while the slow, rolling rhythms of drummer Kenny Wollesen and percussionist Mauro Refosco keep the results grounded.

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Zombi – Shape Shift

LPx2, 45rpm, Relapse Records Style: Space Rock, Progressive Electronic Vibe: Sci-Fi, Driving, Futuristic, Spacey, Motorik, Focused, Muscular, Cinematic, Ominous Musical Qualities: Rhythmic, Instrumental, Repetitive, Odd Time Signatures, Technical, Dynamic Instrumentation: Analogue Synthesizers, Drums, Electric Bass

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