Sidewaytown

Sidewaytown is the new project of Markus Baltes(ex-Autumnblaze). With the stunning debut “Years in the wall”, a conceptional album, Sidewaytown is creating a wide range of soundcapes where the ethereal beauty of Shoegaze – most known from bands such as Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine – merges with earthy and edgy guitars of the Post Rock genre.

In between well-known elements shine through with early TripHop influences, added by some heavier leanings from Anathema to Katatonia. With his clean singing Markus Baltes perfectly covers the spectrum he needs for his performance, with no need for additional male or female counterparts. Years In The Wall is an excellent musical realization of an unusual story, a pure pleasure of listening, hauntingly beautiful, full of emotions and sophisticated turns in music. It’s the soundtrack… the soundtrack to your own life…

Tracklist
1. Sorry for the bad view
2. Paper walls
3. Asylum F22.0
4. Put your sun in the corner
5. Beautiful accident
6. Lightseconds
7. Empty station
8. Don’t visit a dying bastard
9. Outpatient: Voice
10. The fine print

Download: Years In The Wall (2007)

Web: Myspace Page , Website

A Shoreline Dream

A Shoreline Dream has been best described as a “melodipsych / post rock” band combining lush sampled textures, wall of sound dynamics, and vocals layered like a synth, similar in vein to bands such as Ride, Slowdive and Sigur Rós. Originating & recording in Barnum, Colorado they have recently joined forces with German Mastermind Ulrich Schnauss and the infamous producer Mark Kramer (Low / Joy Zipper / Galaxie 500) on the release of their sophomore LP “Recollections of Memory”, due out on February 10, 2009.

Download: Avoiding The Consequences

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Fly Pan Am

Fly Pan Am, or Le Fly Pan Am, are a Canadian experimental rock band formed in Montreal in 1996. They release their albums through the Montreal-based Constellation Records, producing and collaborating on works with the likes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Shalabi Effect.

Download:

- N'ecoutez Pas (2004)

- Ceux Qui Inventent n'ont Jamais Vécu (2002)


- Fly Pan Am (1999)


Web: Myspace Page

The Kitchen Motors Family

This compilation album came into being two years after the celebration of Kitchen Motors 5 year anniversary at May 1st 2004. The album features mostly previously unreleased songs by the artists and bands who have worked with Kitchen Motors since it started in 1999. For artists Frakkur and illi vill this is their solo debut, although both have been active in bands who have released albums in the past. While Auxpan is contributing with a song called "Ugla" and Amiina has composed a song of the same name they bear no resemblance to each other.
Tracklist
1. Represensitive Man : "mic dictator of love anthem" - 0:56
2. Borko : "Shoo ba ba" - 4:07
3. Mugison : "Mugi wants to be Mum" - 2:13
4. Benni Hemm Hemm : "GítStemm" - 3:40
5. Amiina : "Hemipode" - 4:34
6. Slowblow : "Frank's Theme" - 1:32
7. illi vill : "Ég sé í hljóđum" - 5:39
8. Sigridur Nielsdottir : "Ástarjátning" - 1:57
9. Frakkur : "ammælisstrákur" - 5:31
10. Hilmar Jensson & Skúli Sverrisson : "Einvegis" - 4:35
11. Paul Lydon : "Upptalning" - 3:16
12. Múm : "Asleep in a hiding place" - 4:28
13. Jóhann Jóhannsson "Beginning and end" - 6:21
14. Kippi Kaninus : "Purer, softer, deader?" - 4:52
15. DJ Musician : "Your Favorite DJ" - 4:54
16. Stilluppsteypa : "Demon Jukebox" - 2:55
17. Auxpan : "Ugla" - 2:39
18. Apparat Organ Quartet : "Stylophonia" - 3:44
19. Músikvatur : "Theme for Reynimelur 92" - 2:00
20. Kira Kira : "Hjartafanturinn skrjáfar" - 2:57
21. The Kitchen Motors Family : "Kitchen Motors anthem" - 1:52

Download: Kitchen Motors Family Album

Web: Website

Hammock

Hammock is a two-member post-rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. With music created in between production and songwriting projects over the course of two years, Hammock combines live instrumentation, electronic beats, and droning guitar into atmospheric music similar in style to the work of Boards of Canada, Explosions in the Sky, and Stars of the Lid.

Download:

- Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow

- Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo

- Kenotic

- Stranded Under Endless Sky

- The Sleepover Series (volume i)

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Kira Kira

Kira Kira (Kristin Bjork Kristjansdottir) is a founding member of Icelandic art collective Kitchen Motors. For the past 10 years she has tinkered with noises in bands such as Spunk (they did a split 10” with mum way back in 1998), Big band brutal, Storsveit Sigridar Nielsdottur and as Kira Kira since autumn 1999.

Download: Our Map to the Monsters Olympics   (2008) -   Scotta (2006)


Web: Myspace Page , Website

Saltillo

Menton J. Matthews III ( January 3, 1976 ), also of the critically-acclaimed band Sunday Munich. With Saltillo, Matthews delves deep into the disused corridors of hidden hiding places, distilling the painfully honest solitude, longings, disappointments and aching needs at the heart of secret selves into the pure sound of emotional honesty. This is the sound of disillusionment and hope.
A classically trained musician, Matthews is an impressive multi-instrumentalist, playing cello, viola, violin, guitar, drums, piano, and bass, as well as a slew of electronics. He has spent the last few years refining his song-writing abilities by scoring film soundtracks and doing production work at the mixing desk.
The end result is an immense sadness distilled into sound; echoing trip-hop beats rolling over the sumptuous acoustic strings, downtuned piano notes punctuating the sparser arrangements.

Download: Ganglion (2006)

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Port-Royal

Port-Royal is a Genoa, Italy-based post-rock band started in the year 2000 by Attilio Bruzzone (Guitar, Keyboards) and Ettore Di Roberto (Piano, Keyboards). They would soon be joined by Ettore's brother Michele Di Roberto (Drums), Emilio Pozzolini (Keyboards, Sampling), and Giulio Corona (Bass). They are known to have a unique approach to their music, with an emphasis on instrumentals over lyrics; a style resembling Mogwai and M83.

Download:

- Magnitogorsk (2008)

-Afraid To Dance (2007)

-Honved (2007)

-Flares (2005)

Web: Myspace Page , Website

The Samuel Jackson Five

The Samuel Jackson Five is a quartet from Oslo, Norway, that play post-rock with a slight folk, jazz and progrock influence.

Download:

- Goodbye Melody Mountain

- Easily Misunderstood

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Ef

Ef is a post-rock band from Gothenburg, Sweden. Using little vocals, they feature a wide variety of instruments. Their debut album Give me beauty... Or give me death! was released in May 2006. They had several tours with shows in various European countries. In February 2008 the band released their second album I Am Responsible, with a tour through The Netherlands and Germany, starting March. On March 21, it was announced on their website that bass player Mikael Hillergård had left the band.

Download: - Give me beauty... Or give me death!

- I am Responsible

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Slint

Slint was a rock band consisting of Brian McMahan (guitar and vocals), David Pajo (guitar), Britt Walford (drums), Todd Brashear (bass on Spiderland) and Ethan Buckler (bass on Tweez). They formed in Louisville, Kentucky, United States in 1986 from the remains of Squirrel Bait. The band disbanded circa 1991, but continued to be an influence on today's post-rock and math rock scene.
The band reformed for a series of live shows in 2005, and made subsequent returns to the live circuit throughout 2007.

Download: Tweez

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Red Sparowes

Red Sparowes is a Los Angeles post-rock band comprising current and former members of Isis, Halifax Pier, Angel Hair and Pleasure Forever. Josh Graham of Neurosis, although a founding member, has recently left the band. Their sound is characteristic of soundscape-influenced experimental rock, with an otherwise uncommon extensive use of a pedal steel guitar.

Download:

- At The Soundless Dawn

- Every Red Heart Shines Towards The Sun

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Red Sparowes/Gregor Samsa (Split)

Grails

Grails are an American instrumental rock band from Portland, Oregon.
Initially the band ‘Laurel Canyon’ formed to play one show on a whim. In 2003 the band changed its name to Grails, just before the release of their first full-length album. They adopted a louder, more aggressive style, often switching instruments with each member writing songs that saw them branching out to increasingly disparate styles. They live in Portland but rarely play live in their hometown.

Download:

- Burning Off Impurities

- Take Refuge in Clean Living

- Red Light

- The Burden of Hope

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Minus The Bear

Minus the Bear is a rock band from Seattle, Washington. The band features current and former members of Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving. Their sound is a combination of Pele-esque guitar-taps and electronics, with sophisticated time signature composition. The name "Minus the Bear" comes from an inside joke among the band members, referring to the 80s TV show B. J. and the Bear (BJ and the Bear Minus the Bear Equals BJ).

Download:

- Acoustics (2008)

- Planet Of Ice (2007)

- Interpretaciones del Oso (2007)

- Menos el Oso (2005)

- They Make Beer Commercials Like This (2004)

Web: Myspace Page , Website

The Cinematic Orchestra

The Cinematic Orchestra is a British-based jazz and electronic outfit, created in the late 1990s by Jason Swinscoe. The band is signed to Ninja Tune independent record label. In addition to Swinscoe, the band includes former DJ Food member Patrick Carpenter on turntables, Luke Flowers (drums), Tom Chant (Saxophone), Nick Ramm (piano), Stuart McCallum (guitar) and Phil France (double bass). Former members include Jamie Coleman (trumpet), T. Daniel Howard (drums), and Alex James (piano). The most recent addition to the band is Mancunian guitarist Stuart McCallum.

Download: Ma Fleur

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Xiu Xiu

Xiu Xiu (pronounced shoe-shoe) is an experimental indie band originally from and currently based in Oakland, California, with time often spent in Seattle, Washington. The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart, who has been its only constant member since its inception. His current bandmates are cousin, Caralee McElroy and percussionist Ches Smith. Xiu Xiu are also, on occasion, joined by Cory McCulloch, who has also produced several of their albums. Past members include Lauren Andrews, Yvonne Chen, Sam Mickens and Jherek Bischoff. Some, including McCulloch, have played in previous bands with Stewart, notably Ten in the Swear Jar and IBOPA. The band's name is taken from the 1998 Chinese film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl.
Xiu Xiu's music draws heavily from several disparate genres including punk, noise rock, ambient noise, modern classical, and folk. The majority of lyrics deal with morose topics such as suicide, AIDS, war, and taboo experiences. Musically, the band will often blend cacophonous percussion with lush hooks and diverging lyrical styles, influenced by bands of the UK post-punk scene such as The Cure and Joy Division.

Download:

- Women as Lovers (2008

- The Air Force (2006)

- La Forêt (2005)

- Fag Patrol (2003)

- A Promise (2003)

- Knife Play (2001)

- Xiu Xiu & Devendra Banhart

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Disco Inferno

Disco Inferno was a band formed in Essex in the late 1980s by Ian Crause (guitar & vocals), Paul Wilmott (bass), Rob Whatley (drums) and Daniel Gish (keyboards).
After the departure of Gish (who would later join Bark Psychosis) the three-piece Disco Inferno recorded the single ‘Entertainment’ with producer Charlie McIntosh. Their first album, Open Doors, Closed Windows, was released in 1991 on Che and received positive reviews, although most mentioned the heavy influence of late 1970s post punk bands, particularly Joy Division and Wire (In fact Disco Inferno’s manager, Michael Collins, had previously managed Wire during their 70’s incarnation). ‘Entertainment’, ‘Open Doors, Closed Windows’ and the ‘Science’ EP would later be collected on the album In Debt. In 1992 the band released ‘Summer’s Last Sound’, widely regarded as the first in a run of classic Disco Inferno EPs which saw the band’s increasing use of samples. The band’s use of sampling combined with traditional instruments - particularly Wilmott’s bass - continued on the EPs ‘A Rock To Cling To’ and ‘The Last Dance’ and reached it’s peak on their second album D.I. Go Pop. After the full-on assault of D.I. Go Pop the band opted for restraint on the beautiful ‘Second Language’ EP which also had a new-found optimism in Crause’s lyrics. Their final single, ‘It’s A Kid’s World’, sampled the distinctive drumbeat from Iggy Pop’s Lust for Life and added in a series of old children’s TV themes to good effect, but despite critical acclaim the band attracted little commercial success and split before their final album Technicolour was released in 1996.

Download:

- DI Go Pop

- In Debt

- Technicolour

- Open Doors Closed Windows

Hrsta

Hrsta is a Montreal post-rock band that records on Constellation Records. The band's leader, Mike Moya (guitar and voice), was also one of the founding members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Although people tend to compare Hrsta's sound with that of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band or even Set Fire to Flames (which may be interpreted an adequate description because Mike Moya has played/plays with them all and his guitar sound is unique), Hrsta differs from the previous in the use they make of Moya's voice, a characteristic that's as unique as his guitar skills. The strings are almost always used just as a means to fill a texture or complement the overall sound.

Download: - Ghosts Will Come and Kiss Our Eyes

- L'eclat Du Ciel Etait Insoutenable

- Stem Stem In Electro

Web: Myspace Page , Website

Portugal. The Man

Portugal. The Man is an American band from Wasilla, Alaska, and based in Portland, Oregon, made up of former members of the band Anatomy of a Ghost. The group was but is no longer signed to Fearless Records. They have released their third full-length album, Censored Colors, this September on their independent record label Approaching AIRballoons, which currently has a partnership with Equal Vision Records.

Download:

- Censored Colors (2008)

- Church Mouth (2007)

- Waiter You Vultures (2006)

Web: Myspace Page , Website