EP Grab Bag vol. 100

Took a bit but I got myself to sit down and listen to some of the now outrageously large pile of submitted material. There's no way I can really post it all, but these caught my eye and I feel they're very strong EPs that I would be remiss not to share with everyone I can. These span a pretty large geographic swath of the English-speaking world but mostly fall into the rough category of psychedelic lo-fi. Gotta love that lo-fi. Oh, and looks like we did this 100 times now...

To be had here:

The Diane Plains - Somnambulist EP (2015)

A London outfit that makes lo-fi experimental tunes that span a remarkable range of styles simultaneously. While all are rough and psychedelic, they sort of have one foot in the electronic sphere and another in the analog. It is like a chillwave band got some guitars and a drum kit before they set to it. I mean it is trippy, electronically manipulated and oddly nostalgic but still retains much of the trappings of shoegazing, psychedelic noodling and droning bliss that we all know and love. It hears tingly, if you get my drift.

Shredded Sun - Let It Collapse EP (2015)

Shredded Sun is a new formation of three members of the now defunct Fake Fictions. Sadly I'm not familiar with Fake Fictions, but I can say I'm already a fan of Shredded Sun. Lo-fi garage pop that has oddly poignant lyrics and experimental stretches. The shorter songs on this EP have already gotten solid locked into my head and I find myself thinking of them without realizing, however it'll be the two longer tracks "Change My Mind" and "Swing Philadelphia" make this EP most worthy of sharing.

Surprise Party - Circle of Death EP (2015)

There yet more lo-fi rock, this time coming from the Manitoban capital, Winnipeg. They've got the EP all tagged up with cute labels like 'disaster rock' and 'sexy music' but at it's core it is some fuzzy psych-rock. Don't get me wrong, it's lovely stuff. The very sort of washed out rock that I can't ever get tired of. It is somewhere between droning and jangling, certainly heavily influenced by shoegazing. I liked it enough to put checking out their full-length, Heart of Love, from last year on my agenda.

Nanaki - Dandelion Radio Session (2015)

Several times I have written up the music of the Manx musician known as Nanaki. I've always praised his epic, beautiful post-rock and still find it moving and wonderful to hear. He's still making astounding instrumental music in this EP, yet it shifts into a more post-punk/art rock mode. It is more showy and aggressive at times while other moments are surprisingly cheerful. Undoubtedly one of the more talented guitarist and composers I get submitted to this blog, can't recommend hear Nanaki enough.

Dusty Boots - Rebel on a Rainbow (2015)

Finally stirring away from the psychedelic, here's an example of charming contemporary folk. If this was from the U.S. I would call it New Weird America, but as it happens Dusty Boots is a man from Australia who wrote these songs with his girlfriend while sleeping in a van. It is happy and a bit hippie-like as you might imagine from that background, however this should not take away from how lovely these songs really are. I recommend it if you liked Rented Rooms by C. M. Slenko, Slight Birching or even the Nashville sound of Caleb Groh. 

Nanaki - The Dying Light (2014)

Nanaki is the moniker of a Manx musician that makes experimental instrumental. In fact he has been making it for some time now, and this is his first full-length album since 2003. He hasn't been silent in the meantime, there was an EP he released early last year called Afterlight. As the title of this new album poetically implies, The Dying Light is a follow-up to that EP and expands the guitar-heavy post-rock to an epic scale.

Much of the music Nanaki makes on this new album is gets near post-metal in the degree of heavy guitar playing, but I'd place it nearer bands like Lebanon, Maserati and Kinski which I compared the Swiss band, Viaticum, to as well. During seven minute plus songs "Unholier Than Thou," Nanaki seems to be at the pinnacle of his guitar-wielding powers. However, the style of the album doesn't stay to the droning post-rock guitar throughout. Roughly halfway it gets more experimental and some of the tracks, such as "Perpetual Commotion" begin to veer away from the guitar and rely more on the piano in an elegant mid-album tonal shift. Thereafter the songs become more cinematic, the piano creating the effect of many unseen tales having taken place with these enthralling compositions in the background. While I'm not familiar with his music prior to his elongated period of hiatus, I can confidently say he is growing in composition skills since Afterlight already. The longer, more dramatic songs really allow him to paint a sonic landscape more thoroughly and rewardingly.

To be had here:
Nanaki - The Dying Light