It beats me why no-one else is talking about this album and that there are only 10 other supporters. I am absolutely blown away by this Serbian outfit, with the angular/surf/post-hardcore guitar textures, utterly incredible drums and bass virtuosity. This elastic, yet accessible noise-rock/post-rock improv is unpredictable, hypnotic, compelling, spell-binding, vitriolic and every other adjective you could feasibly muster. Possibly my best ever find while plundering the Bandcamp rabbit hole.

2024 finds Ben Chatwin, aka Talvihorros, retaining his sense of evocative melody while exploring the sounds of the modular synth and self-styled 'caustic electronics'. This tape is not as harsh as advertised though, instead it features skewed VHS tape synth tones, dark pulses and bit-crushed beats. The sort of release that would be equally at home scoring the next Netflix series, played loud in a grimy, dank Berlin club or as part of the roster of labels such as 12k, Type, Neo Ouija and n5MD.

Also known as Glissando, Richard Knox' glacial guitar melancholia is paired with Elly May Irving's enchanting vocals and solemn piano along with the The Fleeting Glimpse Orchestra (featuring members of Her Name Is Calla and Iliketrains). This LP is a lost heirloom of mid-2000's UK Post-Rock, with the likes of 'Floods' and the euphoric 'Grekken' landing somewhere between Stars of the Lid and Low. 'Our Flags Wave..', meanwhile, sculpts apocalyptic drones recalling Godspeed You Black Emperor.

Absolutely relentless Space Rock & melange powered Psych Rock, Vert:x, hive minded in philosophy and unwavering in intent. Crude/ lo-fi electronic and live beats thrust the backing as power chords, fuzz, acid-burned synthesizer and audio generator sounds that even Dik Mik would be proud of create an unholy cacophony. "Planet of the Mindstealers", a collaboration with Earthling Society is a 27-minute ripper. Set your faces to melt!

A new line up & a new label, Scottish space-void lurkers Cosmic Dead return from whatever dimension they were last heard from, with a new lease of life. 'Navigator' is doomier, the addition of fiddle gives a Nik Turner-esque flourish, as the track morphs into a percussive-laden jam of fuzz, trance and then catharsis. 'Space Mountain' is epic in scope too, where synth, fiddle and guitar fight it out over a juggernaut groove, that's intent on gaining speed until the sound barrier is broken.

Released in 2009, having been recorded in a bedroom using an array of pedals, a guitar, an old PC and some collected and some borrowed instruments. What Ben Chatwin achieved, in spite of its primitive recording origins is nothing short of remarkable. Expertly arranged and beautifully performed, with attention to detail, this is inventive Ambient, Drone and Electronic music imbued with melodic warmth. Love this LP... (I also wrote the review used as a blurb on this very page, many years ago)

It's only on track 3 that you can actually take a breath, such is the severe aural onslaught of the preceding numbers, which almost hurt to listen to but also satisfy too, like repeatedly scratching an uncontrollable itch with a Brilopad. Instrumentally, this trio and guest saxophonist are off the scale, think Red-era King Crimson or a fat-trimmed Dillinger or a jazzier Don Caballero levels of virtuosity, but as album highlight (Track 4) provides, it's not without purpose or structure.

A sampling of tracks from (in)famous Glaswegian Brendan O'Hare's (ex Teenage Fanclub/ Mogwai/ Macrocosmica) mid- 90's 'Cosmic...' trilogy, that will appeal to fans of Slint ('Ghost Kanal'), Sonic Youth, Ganger, Implodes ('Heart and Soul') and Labradford ('Red Pigment Tattoo''). It's also laced with a sinister Scottish inflection where danger/violence lurks just out of earshot, especially in the more 'ambient'-oriented pieces ('Null''). Investigate this, but seek out the trilogy as a priority.

A further evolution, where Cosmic Horror and dark Prog is explored with the addition of electronica, forlorn cello, piano and synth work, acoustics, Twin Peaks-like atmospherics and elegiac female chanting to an already intoxicating sound developed on their previous outing. This LP will divide opinion, but, like a widescreen cinematic epic, demands that you invest time to let its intricacies unfold and when it comes to Vitskär Süden there's menace within the melancholy.

Thunderous, quick-fire and catchy, 'Sleepstate' has my interest in this Stoner and Sludgy Punk collision piqued instantly. Buzz-saw guitars, shouted vocals, shared harmonies, ethereal atmospherics and rollicking drums all combine, creating hooks aplenty via a controlled chaos or restless energy. Be it the Torche meets Mondo Generator of "Ghost" or the guttural grooves of "Harvest Ritual, Trevor's Head are immensely fun.

While there are only so many ways to describe such fuzzy, desert rocking, heavy grooving Psych, Psychlona has the uncanny ability to breeze past any such preconceptions, via the effervescent cool of their songwriting, such as the infectious vibes of cuts such as "Blast Off" and 'Tijuana', the cowbell-laden 'Star' or the stomping 'Blow', the 8 tracks on show here are as colourful, sun-blasted and kaleidoscopic as the LP artwork suggests.

Orchestral-laden and cinematic, The Monroe Transfer came after the revered collection of Constellation and Kranky label ensembles in the mid-2000's and made a splash. However, the achingly beautiful "These are Bright Stars.." and the goliathan "Frozen Field..." both prove that they should've, instead, made waves... gargantuan city swallowing waves. For grand Post-Rock/Prog and Chamber Rock, look no further.

Now based in Amsterdam, the Japanese collective Guruguru Brain started initially by hosting monthly Tokyo Psych Festivals, but became a fully fledged label in 2014. This is one of their initial releases, and it focuses on the Japanese Psych scene incorporating everything from lysergic and powerful Stoner rock, dreamy drone grooves, spectral Shoegaze, Krauty electronics and mystic ambient soundscapes. Many of these bands are now internationally acclaimed, in no small part, due to this label.

A triptych guitar attack creates a satisfying crunch amid the over-driven psychedelic swirl, the rebounding vocals and dynamic rhythm section propel this live set. Hypnotic for sure, but Magic Shoppe also trade in infectious choruses as evidenced on 'Candy Flip', 'Fuckstrated' and 'In Between' too within their wall of sound. 'Kill' and 'Stars Explode', though, are harder-edged recalling the air-raid siren apocalyptic stoner of The Heads. Blast off!

Kerrang! Mag championed LK in the late 90's (I bought this
on CD following their review) the Indie/Alternative Rock style now sounds a tad of its time, though the female vocals and guitar work remains interesting. 'Harder' reminds me of Therapy? and it is worth spending a couple of coins to hear the harrowing "Chickenbone", which explodes from introspection into a pure fury the impact of which is matched by the harrowing lyrical content. I only hope that this track is not autobiographical.

DeadBlondeStars harken back to the days when Cornell, Stayley and Vedder ruled the airwaves and they make no bones about it, either. Frontman Gary Walker is in possession one of those one-in-a million Rock voices, his powerful vocals could live with any of those those mentioned above easily, they're soulful and emotive. However, the Zeppelin-esque acoustics of 'Skyscrapers' and orchestral-laden, soaring "Telemetrist" shows a band that are looking beyond those obvious influences.

This explosive trio might just be Spain's answer to Slift, colliding Hard Psych, with layered and infectious Prog choruses and washes of synth and mellotron, with the invigorating J Mascis like guitar-pyro being the secret weapon in their arsenal. There is a post-apocalyptic concept to this record, but the biggest takeaway for me is that Maragda must be such a ferocious proposition in a live setting, given they way they rocket through this release.

The band name is a little too on the nose Glam Rock for my liking and I'm missing the joke with the artwork. Musically, though, Glitter Wizard are onto an absolute winner with their weird biker-rock Prog, punkish, Sci-Fi Psych and early Swedish Stoner Rock, think Tull, Steppenwolf, Graveyard, Witchcraft, Purple and The Stooges. Flute, organ and guitar combine to produce such a satisfying listen. Another gem unearthed by Ripple Music.