#cd deep dive

julia is the self titled album from san diego post-hardcore band julia (chad haley, jeremy miller, matt yeager, noah wilson). following the lead of earlier bands like unwound and helmet, julia doesn't let its influences confine its sound - infusing their music with an "emotive" spin. every instrument works together to carve out visceral feelings in each song - gritty, coursing guitar noise makes its way through an extremely tight rhythm section, paired with raw garage vocals and an assortment of experimental sounds. every song builds and flows with an abundance of texture and emotion, often employing dissonance between instruments in between moments of harmony, cacophony between moments of calm. the uniqueness of this album has cemented it as a cult-favorite among both old and new post-hardcore fans. enjoy!

false cathedrals is the sophomore release from kentucky based emo band elliott (on this particular record, chris higdon vocals, jay palumbo guitars, jonathan mobley bass, kevin ratterman drums). while falling solidly in the midwest emo category, elliott also inhabits the post rock space with soaring, radiohead-esque vocals, driven guitars, expertly placed basslines, and intricate drum work. dreamy, floating, melancholic, and powerful, false cathedrals is a vastly underrated emo classic that anyone can enjoy.

the only release from austin, tx based band imbroco, this EP is a predecessor to the sound that post-hardcore would become by the likes of title fight in the 2010s. featuring texas emo/punk scene veterans, the band was considered a "supergroup": vocalist rory phillips, drummer gabe wiley, guitarist scott mccarver, and bassist matt breedlove had all been in well established bands prior to imbroco (the impossibles, the stereo, mineral). the band ebbs and flows masterfully from atmospheric softness to loud intensity, building tension in each song with beautiful guitars and drumwork + soft but powerful vocals. blending post-hardcore, shoegaze, pop-punk, and emo elements seamlessly, this EP is a lovely listen! support imbroco here!

stevia was one of many aliases of the late susumu yokota, a well known japanese composer in the international house and edm scene. this album is an experimental, ambient treat, juggling downtempo, sometimes jungle beats with an assortment of interesting sound textures ranging from ghostly to bubbly. an intriguing listen and a one of a kind album, fruits of the room lets you drift into the soundscape of some distant, unknown future. feel free to support stevia here and enjoy!

through a happy accident I stumbled across this particular album in CD form on ebay. reference is an IDM electronica album released by producer simon walley, otherwise known as CiM. swinging constantly between atmospheric and quirky, walley juggles rhythmic complexities with ease, matching soft synths with gentle beats crafted from a variety of low-bit, glitchy textures. listen for subtle uses of ambient, drum and bass, house, and funk influences throughout. this album might be something you'd imagine as a video game soundtrack but turned up a notch on the sophistication and futurism front. enjoy!

it's no surprise that i'm an absolute sucker for shoegaze judging by this blog's posting history (lmao), but honeydip's another sunny day takes the cake. formed in osaka, japan in 1995, honeydip was a four-piecer consisting of jun shibuya (vocals), eiji ichihara (guitar), takahito kajimoto (bass), and masato hayashi (percussion). with origins in the shoegaze and space-rock genre, another sunny day marks honeydip's last firm entry in their original genres before their forays into shibuya-kei and funk. this album is nostalgic, glowing, atmospheric, and gorgeous. the catchiest track by far is summer's gone, which features emotional choral voices layered on top of driven, shoegaze noise and a repetitive guitar riff that works for the entire song. while playing with the more sonically experimental instrumentation of space-rock, honeydip manages to weave in the strong melodic basslines and chord progressions of classic japanese pop, creating a sense of wistfulness that permeates through the whole album. a great listen for shoegaze enjoyers.

unrest is the first studio album release from visionary ambient electronic artist rei harakami, who has maintained a passionate following since his passing in 2011. rei sets forth a cleverly layered, cool, futuristic composition in each song: shuffling downtempo, techno, and jungle beats are paired with rounded, chunky synth leads, a myriad of intriguing electronic sounds and textures, and atmospheric musical themes that appear throughout the album much like they would in an orchestral arrangement. the album ebbs and flows effortlessly through various moods: chilled, jovial, apprehensive, slow, spacious, and contemplative. think of unrest as the animal crossing ost's intricate, innovative predecessor. it's clear, even from his earliest work, that rei was destined to think outside the box.

ny based band rex (doug scharin, curtis harvey, phil spirito, rob king) puts a unique, folksy spin on grunge in their first album release, rex (self titled). through fuzzy vocals, twangy guitars, and wooden folk percussion, rex sways softly in psychadelic, rural melancholia while occasionally letting their grittier grunge roots peek through. often heralded as a early leading voice in slowcore - rex is innovative, contemplative, and downtempo - truly underrated. feel free to support rex here!