6. C Duncan – The Midnight Sun
Genre: Indie, Ambient Pop, Chillwave
Put On A Playlist With: Cocteau Twins, Tame Impala, Brian Eno / Harold Budd, The Enid, 80's New Age albums released on Windham Hill
Haunting, strange and somewhat hymnal sophomore album from Christopher Duncan, one of Scotland's up and coming singer-songwriter prodigies. Heavily influenced thematically by "The Twilight Zone", horror anthologies and the inexplicable, the synth-leaden atmospheres here are rather striking and focused on texture as opposed to poppy. To these ears, it is a fluid, engrossing listen that sounds both out of time and clearly influenced by both the past and present. Those looking for something dark and resonant to indulge in as we heard toward the solstice need look no further than this album.
5. Frost* – Falling Satellites
Genre: Progressive Pop/Rock
Put On A Playlist With: Porcupine Tree, Radiohead, It Bites, Devin Townsend
For me, producer/songwriter/keyboardist Jem Godfrey has been modern progressive rock's one true shining light in the darkness. His ties to the contemporary pop world have given him instincts that elude a lot of other guys in the genre, and he expertly brings the right people together, crafts great hooks, incorporates modern electronica and production techniques, and in general has a knack for dynamics. His painstaking attention to detail is inspiring too, which gives Falling Satellites an empathy of sorts that makes it accessible even to people who might not like progressive rock. The concept is interesting, a propulsive exploration into time and death that draws interesting parallels to David Bowie's Blackstar even as the album draws on a completely different set of aesthetics to illustrate these ideas. Every song here is fantastic, but that trap breakdown (in a prog song?!) midway through 'Towerblock' that transitions to a monster chorus is harrowingly fun.
4. Sumerlands – Sumerlands
Genre: Heavy Metal perfection
Put On A Playlist With: mid 80's Ozzy Osbourne, Jag Panzer, Manilla Road, Fates Warning, early 80's Queensrÿche
The best love letter to early US Power Metal I've run into in many, many years, complete with some blistering performances and songwriting that compares favorably to Ozzy or early QR's best material. Producer and guitarist Arthur Rizk (who works with Texas thrash band Power Trip among others) has a keen ear for the occult, and when his axe abilities collide with the commanding, Ozzy-esque vocals of Phil Swanson (Atlantean Kodex) you just can't stop the jams.
Last edited by Anteater; 12-19-2016 at 11:02 PM.
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