Bear in Heaven: Dust Cloud

Bear in Heaven is a Brooklyn-based rock band formed by Mr. Jon Philpot. The sound of the band incorporates elements from psychedelic music, electronic music and krautrock, of which Jon Philpot has previously released music as part of the duo Presocratics, in collaboration with guitarist and composer Need Thomas Windham. Presocratics released two albums on the record label Table of the Elements in 2001; both were produced by Philpot. The first Bear in Heaven release (Tunes Nextdoor to Songs, Eastern Developments 2003) was an EP of solo recordings by Philpot, recorded in Atlanta, Georgia, with guest musicians performing on various instruments. Shortly after the release of Tunes Nextdoor to Songs, Philpot moved to Brooklyn, New York and joined with guitarist Adam Wills, keyboardist/guitarist Sadek Bazaraa (a graphic designer with Brooklyn design collective GH avisualagency), guitarist David Daniell (of San Agustin), and bassist James Elliott (Ateleia, School of Seven Bells). Eventually drummer Joe Stickney (drummer with Paul Duncan, Rhys Chatham’s Essentialist project, and current touring drummer with Panthers) was added to the lineup. Daniell left Bear in Heaven in 2005 to focus on his solo project. Red Bloom of the Boom, Bear in Heaven’s first full-length album with the full band, was released in 2007 by the Hometapes record label.

"I want to kiss your mouth again
and fill up everything I can
I want to blow you up and let you out
I'll show you how"

Deptford Goth: Real Love Fantasy

Wordless.

Hammock: (Tonight) We Burn Like Stars That Never Die

Hammock is a post-rock/ambient project involving Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson who, unlike their post-rock cousins, utilize a sound that is more dream-like that leaves your ears happy. Their sound is densely-textured, and is driven by shimmering guitar-licks, due to the use of delay. Byrd describes it as "There are times when the need to create a thing begins to interrupt your life. And if you don't give in to it, everything else starts to suffer." I'm rather glad that he gave in.

Phaeleh (featuring Soundmouse): Afterglow

Afterglow is a collaboration between Bristol-based Soundmouse and Phaeleh, with Soundmouse providing vocals and Phaeleh throwing some chill electronics in the background, which results in a rather smooth mellow track. 

Grouper: Water People

This gal knows what she's doing, even if she doesn't. Grouper is an experimental/ambient child of Liz Harris based out of Portland, Oregon. Her music is known for its delicate guitar, her vocals and Wurlitzer keys. She's about as clean as it comes, and she's got some serious potential for expansion. 

Yinyues (featuring Mimi Page): Everything.

The piano is such a haunting instrument. I remember when I was first learning to play, I would hold the Sostenuto pedal down to let certain chords ring out, letting the "soul" of the piano come out. This song is an extension of that.

Yinyue is a British composer experimenting with so much at the same time, and succeeding with all of it. This song captures the essence of a ton of things, all at once. 

Yeasayer: Henrietta

Yeasayer is an American band based out of Brooklyn, New York, who became famous after SXSW in 2007. Yeasayer describes what it does as "middle eastern-psych-snap-gospel". Even if I knew what that was, I'd likely not disagree. Live, they're a trip. I had the pleasure of doing so, and let me tell you...it's something to be experienced. 

Schiller: I feel You

Schiller is one of leading electronic artists in Germany. He's literally got an award room the size of my house (I'm sure. I'm still waiting on the reply to my inquiry regarding square footage). My house is pretty much a dance party whenever this song comes on, I don't care who's here. 

"I feel you in everything

in every river that might flow

and every seed you might have sown

I feel you"

Youth Lagoon: Bobby

Youth Lagoon (Trevor Powers) is a project experimenting with psychological dysphoria, through which Powers attempts to map the paths through his mind with minimalism and hypnotic ambience. He describes what happens as "my mind communicating with me, not the other way around...it can take me to scary places, but I've realized those bizarre thoughts don't have to define me." His work sounds like a blend between the realm of physical and metaphysical, and I like it.

The Get (remix of Dawn Golden and Rosy Cross): Blacks

Gary Get does a really nice job mixing such a beautiful song, blending the smooth ambient with glitches and beats in a fashion that doesn't destroy what was already present in the original song. 

Ra Cailum: Lake Michigan

Ra Cailum is a synth-pop group that originated in Saint Louis, Missouri. The slow feel to this song, combined with a heavy use of synth creates a trippy feel that is relaxing at the same time. The name is a fairly obvious (if you watched the show) reference to Gundam battleship of the same name, perhaps leading to the use of esoteric technological influence.


Man, spell-check really hates this article. A lot. There's a ton of red lines everywhere. 

Deptford Goth: UNION

Deptford Goth is the stage name of British experimental pop producer, artist and chill guy, Daniel Woolhouse. His music exists as an example of real and synthetic, produced partially electronically and partially with a voice as spectral as the afterlife. His synths are pretty hip, and his beat is sparse but real enough for me. 

This Will Destroy You: A Three Legged Workhorse

This Will Destroy You was formed in San Marcos, Texas. They started out performing vocal tracks, but decided quickly that their niche was instrumental. The band name is a rejected title from an early recorded track, which they found to be pretentious, then hilarious and furthermore the name they desired. It was just abominable enough for a rock band, creating the proper amount of hatred from mothers and grandparents, alike. "Hey Mom, can I get "This Will Destroy You"'s new album?" "OF COURSE YOU CANNOT!!" It grabs your attention, makes you listen to the music, and then you're trapped in the black hole of awesome that is This Will Destroy you, caught in the gravity created from a serious blend of mellow and rock. 

Blackbird Blackbird: Tear

Blackbird Blackbird is the professional moniker of San Fransisco, California based Mikey Maramag. He blends together dream-like electronica with folk in a deeply textured and hypnotic fashion, making Tear a perfect example of the layering of electronica over ghostly vocals and folk music.

Chrome Sparks: Send The Pain On

So much mellow! Chrome Sparks is the solo  project of Jeremy Malvin, a 22 year-old musician and producer living in Brooklyn, New York by way of Pittsburgh and Ann Arbor.  With a background in heavy in classical percussion, Jeremy combines his love for synths, beat, and dance music into a unique blend. 

Mister Lies: Cleam

Mister Lies is the result of dorm-room insomnia, the state of being without roots in altered states of being, in a city of strangers and the feeling of homesickness in the previously anonymous Nick Zanca. 

Baths: Aminals

Aminals is a fun song with a lot of different elements comprising the song!

Sigur Rós: (Untitled 3)

This song relaxes the mind, as well as the body. Sigur Rós has an odd eclectic nature, with Hopelandic lyrics where you make your own song. It's really and exercise of your mind, your subconscious id...what you hear is what you want to hear. This particular song is a good introduction to the group; without words but not without life of its own.

Explosions in the Sky: Postcard from 1952

One of my earliest memories was fireworks. Magical doesn't begin to describe what the memory is. Much like this song. Explosions in the Sky is always a good choice for mellow music, light with a hint of the world. Explosions in the Sky is an instrumental post-rock band from Austin, Texas; who, much like my memory of fireworks, are known for their live performances.