Haunting

HOOD – Cold House

Style: Post-Rock, Slowcore, Glitch-Pop, Dub-Influenced, IDM-Influenced, Hip-Hop influenced

Vibes: Autumnal, Lethargic, Melancholy, Haunting, Hypnotic, Sombre, Intertwined, Reflective, Depressive, Winter, Bittersweet, Cold, Introspective, Soothing

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Armand Hammer – BLK LBL

Style: Experimental Hip-Hop, Progressive Boom-Bap, Industrial Hip-Hop

Vibes: Brooding, Eerie, Futuristic, Haunting, Cerebral, Cryptic, Cold, Dystopian, Gritty, Restrained, Conscious, Surreal, Tribal, Abstract, Visceral, Dark, Philosophical, Mystical, Raw, Suspenseful

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Kee Avil – Spine

Style: Experimental Songwriter, Post-Industrial, Glitch, Post-Punk

Moods: Deconstructed, Cold, Sensual, Disorienting, Mechanical, Intimate, Eerie, Somatic, Futuristic, Visceral, Stark, Brooding, Anxious, Cryptic, Moody, Shadowy, Intertwined, Haunting

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BIG|BRAVE – A Chaos of Flowers

featuring Patrick Shiroishi, Marisa Anderson, Tashi Dorji

Style: Doomgaze, Slowcore, Post-Rock, Drone Metal, Noise Rock

Vibes: Introspective, Poetic, Gloomy, Cathartic, Funereal, Bittersweet, Heartfelt, Sombre, Patient, Deconstructed, Intimate, Western, Melancholy, Powerful, Depressive, Haunting, Brooding, Winter

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Ghost – Temple Stone

All tracks recorded live in sacred places (Seiryu Temple, Waseda Salvation Church)

Style: Ritual Folk, Acid Folk

Vibes: Mystical, Ancient, Ritualistic, Spiritual, Forest, Psychedelic, Mysterious, Medieval, Haunting, Dreamy, Eclectic

Instrumentation: Chants, Flutes, 12-String Guitar, Cello, Drums, Organ, Hurdy Gurdy, Harp, Piano, Horn

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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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Keiji Haino / Jim O’Rourke / Oren Ambarchi – With Pats on the Head, Just One Too Few Is Evil One Too Many Is Good That’s All It Is

On their twelfth live recording, the electrifying power trio continues to expand the vocabulary of their improvised sonic sorcery. One LP of mysterious duo invocations, followed by two LPs of primordial free rock. Through concentrated force and harnessed chaos, the trio patiently pushes primordial riffs to their noisiest, most visceral limits, striving to become the sound itself.

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Maria BC – Spike Field

Style: Dream Folk, Experimental Songwriter, Ambient-Folk

Vibes: Ethereal, Melancholy, Hazy, Intimate, Soothing, Haunting, Dreamy, Autumnal, Cryptic, Tender, Mellow, Reflective, Mysterious, Nocturnal, Flowing

Musical Qualities: Soft, Glitchy, Atmospheric, Lyrical, Electro-Acoustic

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Robert Wyatt – The Animals Film

Style: Progressive Electronic, Film Score, Experimental

Vibes: Dystopian, Hallucinatory, Mysterious, Suspenseful, Gloomy, Hypnotic, Futuristic, Exploratory, Ominous, Cinematic, Haunting, Imaginative

Musical Qualities: Suite, Vignettes, Atmospheric, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Progressive

Instrumentation: Synthesizers, Piano, Experimental Vocals, Drums

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John Fahey – Sea Changes & Coelacanths

4LP Box Set including the albums “Womblife”, “Georgia Stomps, Atlanta Struts, and Other Contemporary Dance Favorites”, and
“Hard Time Empty Bottle Blues”

Style: Avant-Folk, Free-Folk, Ambient Blues, American Primitivism, Tape Music

Vibes: Haunting, Nocturnal, Murky, Brooding, Eerie, Aquatic, Bluesy, Woozy, Raw, Meditative

Musical Qualities: Instrumental, Sparse, Improvisation, Collage, Vignettes, Suite, Electro-acoustic, Live

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Matana Roberts – Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden

Style: Free Jazz, Creative Music, Liberation Music, Jazz Poetry, Spiritual Jazz

Vibe: Passionate, Rootsy, Poetic, Storytelling, Rebellious, Compassionate, Intertwined, Haunting, Spiritual, Driving, Communal, Triumphant, Sad, Powerful

Themes: Ancestry, History, Feminism, Trauma, Memory, Black Liberation, Identity, Death

Musical Qualities: Suite, Thematic, Graphic Score, Improvisation, Spoken Word, Complex, Group Vocals

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The Flaming Lips – 7 Skies H3

Abridged version of a 24-hour recording from 2011

Style: Post-Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Experimental Rock, Progressive Electronic

Vibe: Cold, Apocalyptic, Desolate, Ominous, Mournful, Sombre, Mysterious, Existential, Rainy, Spacey, Melancholy, Nihilistic, Haunting, Hypnotic, Lonely, Dreamy, Cerebral, Meandering, Greyscale, Dystopian

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Michael O’Shea

Style: Avant-Folk, Post-Minimalism

Moods: Hypnotic, Mysterious, Meditative, Ritualistic, Nocturnal, Haunting, Ethereal

Musical Qualities: Pulse, Homemade Instrument, Minimalistic, Solo, Improvisation, Repetitive, Electro-Acoustic, Extended Technique, Sparse

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Espers

Style: Wyrd Folk, Progressive Folk, Acid Folk

Moods: Forest, Sombre, Enchanting, Gloomy, Mystical, Medieval, sombre, Melancholy, Mellow, Mysterious

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Spires that in the Sunset Rise – Four Winds the Walker

Style: Avant-Folk, Acid Folk, Free Folk

Moods: Cryptic, Thorny, Communal, Witchy, Anxious, Haunting, Ominous, Nocturnal, Eerie, Mystical, Psychedelic, Surreal, Shadow, Dark

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Cello, Vocal Harmonies, Mbira, Zither, Percussion, Slide Guitar, Drums, Electric Guitar, Organ, Xylophone, Autoharp, Harmonium, Spike Fiddle, Thumb Piano, Lap Steel

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Friends of the Road – Now You Know Something Right Here and I’ll Tell You For a Fact

This collective of experimental Seattle musicians perform back-porch seances on old-time jigs & folk tunes, half of which can be found in Alan Lomax’s Folk Songs of North America book. The ritualistic, droning dissonance of cello, banjo, harmonium, & fiddle recall Pelt, Henry Flynt, & Tongue Depressor. Despite an often haunting atmosphere, folksiness and camaraderie pervade the tape in the form of warm lo-fi sing-a-longs and friendly, candid banter between tracks. The original social function of the music lives eternally, a nonlinear communication with fellow travelers from the past, present, & future.

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Grouper – A I A: Alien Observer

Style: Ambient, Dream-Folk, Drone Pop

Moods: Melancholy, Nocturnal, Cosmic, Grainy, Contemplative, Lethargic, Meditative, Peaceful, Intimate, Ethereal, Loner, Haunting, Dreamy, Hazy, Meandering, Monochrome, Murky, Soothing

Musical Qualities: Atmospheric, Droney, Lo-Fi, Home Recording, Loops, Simple, Slow, Soft, Solo

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ONO – Red Summer

Styles: Industrial-Gospel, Dub Poetry, No Wave, Experimental

Moods: Visceral, Dystopian, Disturbing, Haunting, Surreal, Aggressive, Mechanical, Heavy, Deconstructed, Vulgar, Cerebral, Conscious, Dark, Ominous, Shadow

Themes: Racism, History, Philosophy, Sex

Musical Qualities: Noisy, Spoken Word, Dub, Sampling, Rhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Dissonant

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Dengue Dengue Dengue – Zenit & Nadir

Styles: Digital Cumbia, Organic Beat Music, Psychedelic Electronic

Moods: Brooding, Earthy, Intertwined, Shadowy, Dancing, Determined, Tribal, Complex, Mystical, Hypnotic, Mechanical, Ominous, Rootsy, Haunting, Dark, Knotted, Mysterious, Ritualistic, Futuristic

Musical Qualities: Polyrhythmic, Percussive, Loops, Progressive, SpokenWord, Electro-Acoustic, Sampling

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Spires that in the Sunset Rise

Style: Free Folk, Ritual-Psych

Moods: Eerie, Forest, Nocturnal, Ritualistic, Witchy, Disturbing, Haunting, Communal, Pagan, Cryptic, Anxious, Surreal, Dark, Chaotic, Mysterious

Musical Qualities: Dissonant, Acoustic, Improvisation, Lo-Fi

Instrumentation: Cello, Violin, Acoustic Guitar, Autoharp, Melodica, Harmonium, Little Harp, Percussion, Mbira, Piano

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The No-Neck Blues Band – Qvaris

Style: Free Rock, Ritual Psych, Experimental

Moods: Primordial, Free, Exploratory, Mysterious, Suspenseful, Ritualistic, Shadowy, Meandering, Deconstructed, Abstract, Communal, Deconstructed, Nihilistic, Murky, Stoned, Raw, Haunting, Surreal, Nocturnal

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dissonant, Repetitive, Loose, Droney

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Helena Espvall & Masaki Batoh – Overloaded Ark

Style: Progressive Folk, Acid Folk, Psychedelic Chamber Music

Moods: Mysterious, Exploratory, Medieval, Mystical, Ancient, Brooding, Forest, Haunting, Serpentine, Ritualistic, Cinematic

Musical Qualities: Complex, Dense, Acoustic, Progressive, Percussive, Noisy, Improvisation

Instrumentation: Cello, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Organ, Sho, Banjo, Renaissance Harp, Rauschpfeife, Crumhorn, Cornamuse, Hurdy Gurdy, Electronics, Darbuka, Riq, Frame Drum, Percussion, Recorder, Piano, Vocal Harmonies

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Joshua Burkett – Gold Cosmos

featuring PG Six, Chris Corsano, Ben Chasny, Dredd Foole, Matt Moran, Matt Valentine, etc

Style: Loner Folk, Free Folk, Lo-Fi Psych

Moods: Introspective, Surreal, Shadowy, Nocturnal, Intimate, Haunting, Whispery, Eerie, Imaginative, Loner, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Suite, Home Recording, Lo-Fi, Raw, Droney, Electro-Acoustic, Atmospheric, Dissonant

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Jackie-O Motherfucker – Bloom

“I am not me” the chorus sings repeatedly, a spell to dissolve the ego and deconstruct the myth of American individualism, leaving fertile ground for a collective vision of abundance to bloom. The open-door band of multi-instrumentalists shakily weave through a suite of haunting drone seances, raggedly tender folk sing-a-longs, liberated group improvisations and triumphant post-rock discord. Once again Jackie-O Motherfucker continues their forward march to a beautiful anarchic world without losing touch with its roots in the weird American underground.

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Angel Bat David – The Oracle

Style: Organic Beat Music, Bedroom Gospel, Spiritual Jazz

Moods: Heartfelt, Raw, Sombre, Spiritual, Flowing, Passionate, Mournful, Mysterious, Haunting, Cathartic, Eclectic

Musical Qualities: Home Recording, Collage, Beats, Improvisation, Solo, Loose, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Lo-fi

Instrumentation: Clarinet, Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion, Drums

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Burial – Antidawn EP`

Style: Spectral Ambient Collage, Future Garage, lowercase

Moods: Longing, Nocturnal, Romantic, Lonely, Haunting, Foggy, Urban, Ethereal, Intimate, Rainy, Winter, Stark, Fragmented

Musical Qualities: Sampling, Soft, Atmospheric, Collage, Sparse, Reductionist

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Old Fire – Voids

features vocals from Bill Callahan, Emily Cross (Loma), Adam Torres, & Julia Holter

Style: Haunted Folk, Ambient Americana, Southern Gothic

Moods: Desolate, Bleak, Haunting, Western, Cinematic, Stark, Sombre, Rustic, Melancholy, Brooding, Contemplative, Depressive, Nocturnal, Alienation, Dystopian, Impressionistic, Lonely, Moody, Mournful, Mythic, Noir, Personal

Musical Qualities: Suite, Atmospheric, Slow, Sampling, Electro-acoustic, Droney

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Raum – Daughter

Grouper & Jefre-Cantu Ledesma

Style: Ambient, Drone

Moods: Plaintive, Autumnal, Soothing, Mournful, Nocturnal, Washy, Hazy, Melancholy, Haunting

Musical Qualities: Electroacoustic, Field Recordings, Noisy, Lo-fi, Atmospheric, Soft, Slow, Studio-as-an-Instrument

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Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions – Until the Hunter

Style: Ethereal Country, Psychedelic Folk, Slowcore, Singer-Songwriter, Dream Pop

Vibe: Enchanting, Dreamy, Hypnotic, Forest, Wistful, Brooding, Western, Nocturnal, Sensual, Lethargic, Soothing, Melancholy, Reflective, Autumnal, Ethereal, Desert, Romantic, Bittersweet, Spectral

Musical Qualities: Slow, Lush, Soft, Atmospheric, Vocal Harmonies, Lyrical

Instrumentation: Slide Guitar, Vibraphone, Keyboards, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Drums, Cello

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Horseback – Piedmont Apocrypha

Style: Gothic Drone-Folk, Mystical Americana, Ritual-Psych

Vibe: Shadowy Spiritual Journey; Western Ghost Stories; Backporch Mysticism;
Apocalyptic, Cathartic, Haunting, Rustic, Ritualistic, Loner, Dark, Perilous, Murky, Intertwined

Musical Qualities: Droney, Suite, Improvisation, Thematic, Dynamic, Atmospheric

Instrumentation: Electric Guitar, Harmonium, Organ, Vocals, Percussion

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Jackie-O Motherfucker – Liberation

Style: Free Folk, Mystical Americana, Drone, Free Improvisation, Post-Rock

Vibe: Weary, Hopeful, Rustic, Communal, Spiritual, Ragged, Eerie, Melancholy, Deconstructed, Hypnotic, Communal, Haunting, Raw, Suspenseful, Intertwined

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dynamic, Lo-Fi, Atmospheric, Droney, Group Vocals, Dub FX

Instrumentation: Electric Guitars, Vibraphone, Flute, Drums, Violin, Cello, Clarinet, Saxophone, Banjo, Melodica, Sitar, Electronics, Turntable, Keyboards, Trumpet, Electric Bass

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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

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Peter Kardas – I Saw You

Style: Inner Space Music, Ambient Pop, Tape Music, Minimal Wave

Vibe: Ethereal, Suspenseful, Introspective, Soothing, Nocturnal, Hypnotic, Meditative, Cinematic, Dreamy, Ominous (A2, B2, B3)

Musical Qualities: Pulse, Home Recording, Minimalistic, Atmospheric, Vignettes

Instrumentation: Keyboards, Drum Machine, Vocals, Tape Loops, Electric Guitar, Marimba, Echo

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Jackie-O Motherfucker – Fig 5.

Style: Mystical Americana, Free Folk, Post-Rock, Drone

Vibe: Haunting, Meandering, Rootsy, Rustic, Nocturnal, Mysterious, Deconstructed, Ragged, Communal, Murky, Abstract, Lethargic, Hallucinogenic, Raw

Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Instrumental (except B1,C1), Loose, Lo-fi, Dynamic, Droney, Noisy, Group Vocals (B1), Harmonies (B1, C1)

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Helena Espvall & Masaki Batoh

On this self-titled collaboration, acid folk luminaries Helena Espvall (Espers) and Masaki Batoh (Ghost) create mysterious and earthy interpretations of traditional Medieval, Swedish, Japanese, and Finnish folk songs, plus a Son House cover, an original, and a handful of free improvisations.

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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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Ilyas Ahmed & Jefre Cantu-Ledesma – You Can See Your Own Way Out

Style: Drone, Tape Music, Ambient, Drone-Folk

Vibe: Nocturnal, Haunting, Hypnotic, Ethereal, Meditative, Warm, Nature, Nostalgia

Musical Qualities: Sound Collage, Instrumental, Field Recordings, Collage, Electro-Acoustic, Noisy, Home Recording, Vignettes

Instrumentation: Tapes, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Piano, Drum Machine, Synthesizers, Bass, Keyboard, Percussion, Bass Clarinet (B2)

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Spaza – Spaza

“There is a heightened and sustained sense of intuition running through this recording whose sonic palette is so wide it captures – through soundscaping, invocation, lament, impressionistic vocal weaving – not only the transient and hybridised nature of life in Johannesburg, but also the heaviness of the air at the time of its recording. More ambient, controlled swirl of rhythm and experimental mixing than incessant groove, the album is an outpouring of a range of expressions that exist between the supposed binaries of indigenous forms of music and the electronic experimentation Johannesburg is known globally for.” (from Bandcamp)

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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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