Edward Artemiev - Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker (1999)

Hello. I forgot that I had posting rights on this blog, so I thought I'd go ahead and make a first upload. Just hope I do it correctly~

Artist: Edward Artemiev (Эдуард Артемьев)
Album: Solaris / The Mirror / Stalker - Music From The Motion Pictures
(1972/75/79, re-recorded 1999)
Genre: Ambient / Electronic / OST
Country: Russia

This is a compilation album featuring re-recorded tracks from three of Andrei Tarkovsky's cult sci-fi/dystopian movies, and consists of electronic music which is very daring, meditative and mysterious, much like the movies themselves.

It's actually quite a mixed bag; sometimes it can be reminiscent of Tangerine Dream and the Berlin School, at other times similar to the dark ambient/drone of acts like Robert Rich. (Who, in fact, recorded an album inspired by Stalker in collaboration with Lustmord) Being a soundtrack though, the music is not too obtrusive, rather serving to create atomsphere and evoke feelings. I myself found the album to be rather gentle and dreamlike at times, and rather dark and menacing at others. However, the album does flow really well.

My favourite track is the only song taken from The Mirror (1975), which has a very rough around the edges feel similar to industrial music. Years ahead of its time?
The final song is a close second, a dedication to Andrei Tarkovsky, serving as a wonderful summary of the beautiful yet moody mood of this album.

I would whole heartedly recommend this to anyone regardless of whether they have seen a single minute of the source movies or not. It is certainly a strong enough album to stand up on its own merits.

Megaupload

Fullmoon Bongzai - Noisense (2008)

Look at the cover motherfucker it's a bunch of motherfucking goats and a pink motherfucking black metal logo. Fuck.
I gave it a spin, and, maaan, was my habit of downloading bands with weird names rewarded! Hipsters are gonna cream their collective 120$-a-pair underpants when they'll hear this. I guess I could say it's idm/ebm/power electronics/psychedelic trance/any other bullshit electronica subcategory I've never heard of, but, in essence and structure, it's black metal with quite a sense of humor, played with atypic instruments for black metal. Shitting at the end of the rainbow is an "interpretation" of Ved Buens Ende..., the guy from Varathron provides vocals for three tracks, and various samples from artists such as Diamanda Galas and Screamin' Jay Hawkins are deformed for your entertainment. I feel somehow guilty for liking this a lot, I feel like I should wear tight, Armani t-shirts, memorise the initial cast of "Cats" on Broadway, and try cocaine at rave parties. It's not a true album, but it's a very, very entertaining listen.
Get this if you're a fan of unique sounds or any music with a sense of humor.

Download

-Radu