Style: Free Folk, Ritual Psych, Dhrupad, Tribal Ambient, Acoustic Drone, American Primitive, Weird Americana
Feelings: Ritualistic, Nocturnal, Earthy, Forest, Mystical, Eerie
Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Droney, Improvisation, Raga-influenced
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
Distorted ghosts of past love and futures lost haunt the spaces between these woozy, blown-out guitar loops and the fragmented rhythms of decaying drums machines. Occasional bursts of noise tear through the sedating static of bittersweet nostalgia.
Style: Ritual-Psych, Free Rock, Krautrock
Vibe: Witchy, Ritualistic, Fiery, Tribal, Cathartic, Free, Hypnotic, Mysterious, Mystical, Primal, Psychedelic
Musical Qualities: Suite, Repetitive, Live, Collective Improvisation, Lo-fi, Percussive, Growling Vocals
Style: Free Psych
Vibe: Exploratory, Ritualistic, Primal, Hallucinogenic, Amorphous, Murky, Tribal, Meandering, Communal, Chaotic
Musical Qualities: Live, Collective Improvisation, Lo-Fi, Dub Fx, Tape Collage, Noisy, Dissonant
Style: Free Folk, Cosmic Folk, New Weird Americana, Psych Folk
Vibe: Haunting, Rustic, Mysterious, Intertwined, Suspenseful, Communal, Eerie, Ragged, Discomforting, Ritualistic, Raw
Musical Qualities: Lo-Fi, Droney, Loose, Improvisation, Electro-Acoustic, Percussive
Style: Free-Rock, Ritual-Psych, Group Therapy
Vibe: Meandering, Hallucinogenic, Communal, Ritualistic, Surreal, Messy, Amorphous, Mysterious, Playful, Eccentric, Tribal, Warm
Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Lo-fi, Loose, Percussive, Jams, Suite
Style: Lo-Fi Singer/Songwriter, Slowcore, Alt-Country
Vibe: Intimate, Depressive, Romantic, Nocturnal, Sombre, Tender, Haunting, Dark, Lethargic, Lonely, Longing, Love, Poetic, Raw
Style: Bedroom Psych, Drone, Noise Pop, Shoegaze, Space Folk
Vibe: Nocturnal, Murky, Dreamy, Introspective, Hazy, Hypnotic, Intimate, Washy, Ritualistic
Musical Qualities: Feedback, Drone, Atmospheric, Noisey, Lo-Fi
Style: Acid Folk, Free Folk
Vibe: Forest, Mystical, Gentle, Hypnotic, Colorful, Whimsical, Ritualistic, Heartfelt, Nature, Pastoral, Psychedelic
Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Lo-Fi, Melodic, Raw, Off-Key, Soft, Raga, Electro-Acoustic, Percussive
Style: Gothic Americana, New Weird America, Country-Drone
Vibe: Haunting, Western, Pastoral, Moody, Rainy, Loner, Dark
Musical Qualities: Droney, Lo-fi, Atmospheric, Improvisation
Instrumentation: Banjo, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Field Recordings, Percussion, Harmonium
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
Style: Noise Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Shoegaze
Vibe: Cryptic, Surreal, Hypnotic, Ethereal, Nocturnal, Anxious, Washy
Musical Qualities: Noisy, Fuzzy, Catchy, Atmospheric, Lo-fi, Reverbed Production, Repetitive
Style: Lo-Fi Songwriter, Loner Folk, Slowcore
Vibe: Intimate, Sad, Ethereal, Hypnotic, Heartfelt, Stream of Consciousness, Introspective, Longing, Depressive, Lonely, Melancholy, Loss
Musical Qualities: Sparse, Acoustic, Lo-Fi, Minimalistic, Raw, Repetitive
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
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
Style: Psych, Shoegaze, Free Rock
Vibe: Cathartic, Searching, Cryptic, Heartfelt, Warm, Hypnotic, Sensual, Meandering, Nocturnal, Lethargic, Introspective
Musical Attributes: Collective Improvisation, Dense, Washy, Riffs, Lo-fi, Loose
Style: Folk-Blues
Vibe: Spiritual, Brooding, Angsty, Longing, Passionate, Religious, Rustic, Depressive
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Bluesy, Lo-fi, Solo
Style: Free Rock, Ritual Psych
Vibe: Communal, Mystical, Ritualistic, Meandering, Warm, Cathartic, Psychedelic, Primal, Fuzzy
Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Percussive, Suite, Chants, Lo-fi, Loose, Repetitive
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)
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
Style: Bedroom Pop, Psychedelic Soul
Vibe: Woozy, Groovy, Ethereal, Hazy, Catchy
LP, Originally released in 1981 by Unlikely Records Freedom to Spend Reissue (2021) Style: Ambient Pop, Experimental Home Recording, Minimal Wave Vibe/Mood: Aquatic, Nocturnal, Hypnotic, Impressionistic, Moody, Intertwined, Dreamy, Headphone album Musical Qualities: Loops, Home Recording, Atmospheric, Percussive, Polyphonic, Pulse, Electro-Acoustic Instrumentation: electric guitar, casio vl-tone, vocals, marimba, electric bass, acoustic guitar, digital organ
Style: Free Folk, Post-Rock, Free Improvisation, Experimental
Vibe: Ritualistic, Murky, Witchy, Haunting, Mysterious, Raw, Hallucinogenic, Rustic
Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Dynamic, Dissonant, Droney, Live, Lo-Fi
Style: Drone Rock, Free-Psych, Space Rock
Vibe: Hazy, Exploratory, Lethargic, Meandering, Cathartic, Dreamy, Loose, Hypnotic, Murky, Communal
Musical Qualities: Collective Improvisation, Noisy, Dynamic, Lo-fi, Climactic, Riffs, Jams
Style: Ambient Blues, Solo Electric Guitar
Vibe: Longing, Soothing, Nocturnal, Impressionistic, Lonely, Meditative, Melancholy, Suspenseful,
Musical Qualities: Sparse, Improvisation (solo), Atmospheric, Instrumental, Lo-fi
Style: Roots Reggae, Dub
Vibe: Spiritual, Warm, Apocalyptic, Hypnotic, Groovy, Summer, Tropical, Religious, Passionate, Psychedelic, Peaceful, Soothing, Laid Back, Aquatic
Musical Qualities: Studio-as-an-Instrument, Rhythmic, Melodic, Lo-fi, Slow
Style: Drone, Free Improvisation, Ambient
Vibe: Suspenseful, Haunting, Murky, Mysterious, Meditative, Responsive, Noir
Musical Qualities: Lo-Fi, Improvisation, Noisy, Atmospheric, Heavy Reverb
Style: Psychedelic Drone-Folk, Free-Folk
Vibe: Forest, Mystical, Nocturnal, Mysterious, Exploratory, Abstract, Spontaneous, Murky
Musical Qualities: Electro-acoustic, Improvisation, Lo-fi, Loops, Drone, Collage, Suite, Atmospheric
Style: Dark Ambient, Free Improvisation, Ambient Blues
Vibe: Murky, Meditative, Washy, Haunting, Suspenseful, Mysterious, Ethereal
Musical Attributes: Solo Electric Guitar Improvisation, Sparse, Atmospheric, Slow, Lo-fi
Style: Psychedelic Gospel Folk, Bedroom Soul, Experimental Singer/Songwriter
Vibe: Woozy, Imaginative, Cryptic, Warm, Ethereal, Stoned
Musical Attributes: Lo-fi, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Vocal Harmonies, Vocal Manipulation, Eclectic, Collage
Style: Experimental Singer/Songwriter, Avant-Folk, Drone
Vibe: Winter, Existential, Imaginative, Introspective, Contemplative, Epic, Philosophical, Poetic, Ethereal, Loner, Meditative, Eclectic
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Droney, Lo-Fi, Lyrical, Progressive
Style: Bedroom Pop, Neo-Psychedelia, Lo-Fi Songwriter
Vibe: Breezy, Eclectic, Ethereal, Intimate, Loner, Mellow, Peaceful, Psychedelic, Soothing, Stoned, Warm
Musical Attributes: Atmospheric, Lo-fi, Lush, Melodic, Catchy, Soft
Amidst the icy winds of tribal drones and pagan folk rituals, there are moments of mystical serenity in the music of Natural Snow Buildings, like serendipitously finding warm shelter while lost in a punishing blizzard.
Style: Psychedelic Folk, Drone-Folk, Lo-Fi Songwriter, Neo-Psychedelia
Vibe: Loner, Nocturnal, Forest, Sombre, Autumnal, Spacey
Musical Attributes: Lo-Fi, Noisy, Atmospheric, Droney
Welcome Home Pup is a a swirling haze of dreamy bedroom-pop and homespun psychedelia that wears its heart on its sleeve.
Recommended if you dig Alex G, Animal Collective (pre-Feels), or American Football
Style: Progressive Electronic
Influences: Kosmische Musik, Industrial, Drone, Shoegaze
Vibe: Angsty, Dystopian, Cathartic, Mechanical, Depressive, Futuristic, Hypnotic, Intimate, Loner, Spacey, Raw, Murky
Musical Attributes: Drone, Loops, Noisy Analogue Synthesizers, Drum Machine, Atmospheric, Motorik, Lo-fi, Vocal Manipulation
Style: Free Jazz, Spiritual Jazz
Vibe: Abstract, Active Listening, Chaotic, Energetic, Raw, Spiritual
Musical Attributes: Improvisation (Collective, Thematic, Free), Live, Lo-Fi, Instrumental, Acoustic
Style: Lo-Fi, Experimental Singer/Songwriter, Loner Folk
Vibe: Heartfelt, Imaginative, Introspective, Nature, Intimate, Loner, Bittersweet, Depressive, Psychedelic, Raw, Lonely
Lyrical Themes: Existential, Alienation, Breakup, Philosophical, Poetic, Personal, Death
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Noisy, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Analogue Recording, lo-fi, Distorted
Listening to Alex G, one might imagine a young alien sitting alone in his martian bedroom baring his angsty, teenage confessions to his 4-track tape recorder. Yet, at the core of his music, underneath layers of psychedelic guitars, weird pitch-shifted vocals, and occasional lo-fi hiss, lies some genius pop songs that feel simultaneously adolescent and mature.
Recommended for fans of lo-fi experimentation and bedroom pop. Alex seems to pull influences from all over and channel them through his own unique personality and penchant for odd, psychedelic production. Recalls Elliot Smith’s loner acoustic songwriting and drum machines pulled from 80?s pop songs; there’s even a fucked up jazz piano ballad thrown into the mix.
Style: Experimental Rock, Post-Rock, Noise Rock
Influences: Kosmische Musik, No Wave, Musique Concrète
Vibe: Noisy, Groovy, Spacey, Raw
Musical Attributes: Rhythmic, Studio-as-an-Instrument, Repetitive
Style: Experimental Rock, Noise Rock, Shoegaze
Vibe: heavy, cathartic, lo-fi, noisy, raw, angsty, repetitive, droney, slow
Originally released in 2003 on Merge Jealous Butcher Indie Exclusive Reissue (2019) Format: LP, Blue
Style: American Primitive Guitar, Folk
Vibe: Rootsy, Eclectic, Raw
Musical Attributes: Acoustic, Lo-fi, Sound Collage, Vignettes, Bluesy, Instrumental
Released in 2013 on 4AD Records Format: LP
Originally released on CD in 2003 2019 Pressing, First Vinyl Issue, Remastered Format: LP Features 2 previously unreleased tracks
Released in 2014 on Ghostly International Format: LPx2, hand-dipped vinyl Limited to 800
Released in 2008 on Anticon Records Format: LP
Originally released in 1998 on Up Records 2019 Numero Group Reissue Format: LP
Released in 2000 on Stones Throw Records Format: LPx2
Released in 2011 on Constellation Records Recorded 2009-2010 Format: LP
Released in 2015 on Thrill Jockey Records Format: LP, gold vinyl
Originally released on K records in 2003 Recorded between 2001-2002 2013 Reissue on PW Elverum & Sun Format: LP
Released in 2008 on Kranky Records Recorded Spring/Summer 2007 Format: LPx2, includes Another Bedroom EP on D-side
Originally released in 2005 on P.W. Elverum & Sun 2015 Pressing, re-mixed and re-designed Format: LP, white vinyl
Style: Avant-Folk, Free Folk, Psych Folk
Vibe: Forest, Witchy, Nocturnal, Ritualistic, Earthy, Raw, Nature
Musical Attributes: Dissonant, Droney, Lo-Fi
Released in 1967 on Takoma Records Format: LP
Released in 2007 on Eclipse Records Format: LP Includes 12″x24″ insert
Style: Singer/Songwriter
Subgenres: Slowcore, Country, Folk
Vibe: Depressive, Intimate, Lonely, Sad, Introspective, Raw, Loner
Musical Attributes: Lo-fi, Sparse, Raw, Simple
Album Information: Released in 1996 on Matador Records
I highly recommend this album to any nocturnal recluses looking for a shadowy singer-songwriter to listen to during their next existential crisis. Emil’s experimental blend of hi- and lo-fi recording methods and tasteful use of psychedelic atmospheres allow his strong songwriting to take precedent, while simultaneously offering plenty of new textures to discover with each subsequent listen. Diverse range of influences include Indian classical, psychedelic rock, drone, folk, dub…the list goes on.
