Porn Sword Tobacco

This is the fourth album by Sweden's Henrik Jonsson aka Porn Sword Tobacco. Recorded in the legendary Silence studios with long-time collaborators Patrick and Tommi, Everything Is Music To The Ear came into existence largely without planning or calculation, without much thinking nor hard work -- often improvised on the spot, even the melodies on the characteristic piano that Jonsson claims he never learned to play. He has played in bands before, also releasing a number of records ranging from a leftfield electro EP to two solo albums of laidback electronic dub. Most crucial, however, were his 4 years of travelling across the world as a stage musician for a popular electronic project, playing for numerous audiences on all continents, from Japan to Zambia -- a unique school of music, but also of life, and an experience that nourished a determination to pursue what's really important. In his early years, he swapped violin lessons for a Roland Space Echo, listened to audio plays at the local library, and to his parents' colorful record collection -- The Beach Boys, Eno, Kraftwerk -- this is what forms Porn Sword Tobacco. It's a project that takes a decidedly naive and unabashedly nostalgic position, exploring a dreamy escapism that is undiluted and personal. Porn Sword Tobacco's songs, seemingly field recordings in nightly landscapes of musical sounds, are equally far from ambient and from pop, from retro avant-rock or any other genre. Jonsson hones his songs until they work as loops, or long, rhythmic figures with the heartbeat of classic and modern deep house and electro. Possibly inspired by his relocation to Berlin in 2007, Everything Is Music To The Ear is a statement -- an evolving world of comforting dreams crystallized into comforting audio, exquisitely easy and refined, yet new and unique.

Porn Sword Tobacco - Everything Is Music To The Ear

Enjoy!

Label: City Centre Offices
Catalog#: CCO044CD
Country: Germany
Released: 2009
Genre: Dreamtronic
Style: Modern Classical, IDM, Ambient

Tracklisting:

01. Welcome
02. En Ny Morgon
03. I Love Riding My Bicycle
04. Sjöbodarna Står Tomma Över Jul
05. Havet Är Ärligt
06. Spectrum Campfire
07. Thats Roadrageous!
08. The Lavalife
09. 2 Windows Down
10. Casual Claude
11. Den Kalla Handen
12. Cave 4b-50 Clicks Northwest
13. My Week In Zambia
14. Hõsten Som Sprang Nõr Och Vart Den Ville
15. From Plural To Singular
16. Goodbye

Money Will Ruin Everything

various - Money Will Ruin Everything vol. 1

Enjoy: Disc1 Disc2

Label: Rune Grammofon
Catalog#: RCD 2032
Country: Norway
Released: Nov 2003
Genre: Electronic
Style: Ambient, Experimental, Jazz

Tracklisting:

1-01 Alog - St. Paul Sessions II
1-02 Food - Daddycation
1-03 Skyphone - Kinamands Chance
1-04 Jaga Jazzist - Two Things
1-05 Biosphere - Colpa Mia
1-06 Svalastog - Pine Solution
1-07 Monolight - Still Light
1-08 André Hardang - Borgen Aiibaka
1-09 Spunk - Kamelmusikk
1-10 Jono El Grande - Tango On The Crest Of Reality
1-11 Isak Anderssen - 3rd Wilderness Song
1-12 Arne Nordheim - Hovering
1-13 Luigi Archetti / Bo Wiget - Stück 22
1-14 Supersilent - C - 5.1
1-15 Tove Nilsen - Fingerprint
2-01 Arve Henriksen - Sanmyaku
2-02 Nils Økland - Hertervig Skisse
2-03 Kim Hiorthøy - Wait
2-04 Lasse Marhaug - Fauske
2-05 Strønen / Storløkken - Japan
2-06 Phonophani - Animals
2-07 Information - Stacking Of Different Natures II
2-08 Fe-mail - Jacob's Leketøy
2-09 Øivind Idsø - Masker
2-10 Andreas Meland - Eplesky
2-11 Maja S. K. Ratkje - Intro
2-12 Martin Horntveth - For Luca
2-13 Scorch Trio - Taajus
2-14 Deathprod - Deerstalker
2-15 Susanna And The Magical Orchestra - Believer

various - Money Will Ruin Everything vol. 2

Enjoy: Disc1 Disc2

Label: Rune Grammofon
Catalog#: RCD 2072
Country: Norway
Released: Dec 2008
Genre: Electronic
Style: Abstract, Experimental, Jazz

Tracklisting:

1-01 Humcrush - Mono Hum
1-02 Skyphone - Cloudpanic
1-03 Huntsville - Will Goes Hunting
1-04 Scorch Trio - Hys
1-05 Ultralyd - Conditions For A Piece Of Music II
1-06 Archetti / Wiget - Stück 26
1-07 Opsvik & Jennings - Leaves And Smoke
1-08 Phonophani - The Atlantic
1-09 Food / Nils Petter - Molvær Tukpa
1-10 Deathprod - A Dream For Ted Greene
1-11 Susanna - Goodbye
1-12 In The Country - Ashes To Ashes
2-01 Susanna And The Magical Orchestra - When I Am Laid
2-02 Arve Henriksen - No Horizon
2-03 Nils Økland - Passacaglia
2-04 Eivind Opsvik Overseas - Neil
2-05 Shining - 21st Century Schizoid Man
2-06 Jono El Grande - Eva´s Horse Dance
2-07 The Story Of Modern Farming - Christ
2-08 Maja Ratkje - Die Ballade Vom Ertrunkenen Mädchen
2-09 Supersilent - C – 6.1
2-10 Box - Untitled 6
2-11 Svalastog - Timberwork
2-12 Alog / Spunk - Picnic Avec
2-13 Jessica - Daniel

Knowledge Of Bugs

The Knowledge of Bugs offer stripped, melodic, clicky electronic gems with all the ingredients, tonal melodies, purrs and glitches combining to find a sound somewhere between The Remote Viewer and the Expanding Records sound. Lush. Emotive harmonies are served up in full quantity that beats deploying heavy kicks and percussion backing the fragile almost unearthly melodies that seem to loop within themselves endlessly.

Knowledge Of Bugs - Know Your Bugs EP

Label: BugBrand
Catalog#: BUG01CD
Country: UK
Released: Jun 2002
Genre: Electronic
Style: Leftfield, IDM, Experimental

Tracklisting:

1 D.E. Scam
2 Bass State
3 Fleeted Tracking

Enjoy!

Knowledge Of Bugs - The Woodwork EP

Label: Clean Cut Records (Bristol)
Catalog#: CCT 003
Country: UK
Released: 04 Aug 2003
Genre: Electronic
Style: Leftfield, Experimental, IDM

Tracklisting:

1 That's What You Call A Marlin
2 ZHL
3 Chasing Paper Butterflies
4 Chasing Paper Butterflies (Los' Origami Remix)
5 Chasing Paper Butterflies (Dyslogic Remix)
6 Leene

Enjoy!

Knowledge Of Bugs - My Way No Way

Label: Piehead Records
Catalog#: PIE026
Country: Canada
Released: 11 Feb 2004
Genre: Electronic
Style: Leftfield, Ambient, Experimental

Tracklisting:

1 The Accurian
2 Heard Through Floor
3 I Took My Major In
4 Endless Path
5 Tapes Extract
6 1 Tonne Wheel

Enjoy!

Knowledge Of Bugs - The Shifted Sands

Label: BugBrand
Catalog#: BUG04
Country: UK
Released: Sep 2005
Genre: Electronic
Style: Ambient

Tracklisting:

1 Gold
2 Doves
3 A Warning
4 !CARE!
5 Once In A While
6 Bread & Bones
7 Beyond The Sea

Enjoy!

Apjiw

Electro/ambient is a pretty vague description of what an artist may sound like. One who embodies this term could possibly be an offshoot of Board of Canada's pioneering IDM meets ethereal ambience style, or perhaps a more subtle reincarnation akin to Stars of the Lid's hypnotizing aural submersion. Still not on the mark? How about some of Hammock's gloriously melodic concoction or Sigur Ros' angelic panacea? Or maybe something along the lines of God is an Astronauts shimmering rock styled ambience, or Lights out Asia's emotive post-rock rendition? Truth be told, Chamberland does a pretty good job at working his way through all of these over the course of Think Over. The ground he covers is impressive, to say the least, and it certainly demonstrates that he has a fine understanding of the forces he's working with and makes a strong argument of their mastery as well.

Think Over comes bundled with a nice little conceptual theme that ties the tracks together, which is most noticeably expressed in the voice overs. If you haven't figured it out by the last track, it should become blatantly obvious, and the realization is nothing that is all too shocking for an ambient experience. Through this vehicle Apjiw gets a lot of mileage out of his diverse influences, and the variety of the album is one of its strong points. Tracks flow from one an excellent ambient synth or drone into a heavy programmed beat or piano line without blinking an eye. Apjiw makes it all look so easy, it's a wonder why we see so many disastrous electronic albums released every year. Chamberland's past experience clearly is an asset to Think Over; even though there's such a plethora of ideas and exchanges occurring on a track by track basis, he maintains the cinematic air throughout, which wraps the listener in a warm, envigorating cocoon. "Fun" also permeates through the album, with some use of musical boxes and other toys for musical effect. While some have over exploited this novelty, Chamberland is sure to balance this component with the rest of the layers; balanace is one of the key themes of the album, after all. And whether it be the strong melodies, the caustic ambience, or the glitchy beats, Think Over keeps the pace moving quickly and doesn't let our attention stray too far from home. Primarily upbeat and sometimes downright groovy, the audience should be grinning from ear to ear while eating up Apjiw's every last note. Some criticism must be made towards the album's length, which is not justified by the content provided here. True, Chamberland is wonderful at his craft, but there's not a lot of substance in the tiny three to four minutes tracks, which sometimes sound like fragments than full fledged compositions themselves.

One explanation might be that the album resembles that of a score for a film, which he is understandably accustomed to, but musical albums are a much different matter. The last third of the disc simply regurgitates ideas and sequences that we've already experienced during the first forty minutes, and I do believe cutting a good twenty minutes from the album would greatly benefit Think Over's overall effect. As is, it's overlong and drags towards the end. Criticisms aside, Think Over is an enjoyable album which should fit nicely in the collections of many electro and ambient enthusiasts. If Chamberland continues work on this project, I forsee great things in the future, though some distinction must be made from his day job in order to maximize results.

Label: 9.12
Country: Canada
Genre: Folk
Style: Experimental, Ambient

Apjiw - Think Over (September, 2007)

1. Is that all you want from me
2. Living in a box
3. PPP
4. The man who talks to birds
5. YYY
6. Prism Flame
7. 15
8. Tears
9. 1 sec left
10. Angel Sleep
11. Make a wish
12. Ouverture
13. 2 sec left (remix)
14. Think over
15. Amniotic (remix)
16. 3 sec left (remix)

Apjiw - Things (April, 2009)

1. Things
2. Anilu
3. Maat
4. Fly With Me
5. Continuous Present
6. 134
7. Tears for Us
8. the Shared Fate
9. Breach
10. Human Rights
11. Just a New Day
12. Printemps
13. the Magic Circle

Bibio

Take the layered, unhurried folk exuberance of a Bibio album, replace the source material with something that brings to mind calliopes and cymbalophones, cast it in sepia tone, run it through organ grinder speakers and you’ve got the limited edition EP, Ovals And Emeralds. Marrying musical sincerity with electronic jousting Bibio constructs a sweetly disorienting wall of whirs and electronic moans to create a soundtrack well suited for a gauzy aquarium carnival. Released exclusively on emerald green vinyl, the album packaging is appropriate to its beautiful yet disorienting feel. Dark at times, Ovals and Emeralds is still Bibio, rollicking and full of musical motion. For all your killer-clown-goes-electro-folk kicks, kids, step right up.

Bibio - Ovals & Emeralds

Label: Mush
Catalog#: MH-042
Country: US
Released: 03 Mar 2009
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Folk, Experimental, Ambient

Enjoy

Tracklisting:

1 Oval Emerald Vertigo (5:54)
2 The Death Of A Trapeze Artist (2:15)
3 Carosello Ellitico (4:17)
4 Six String Marenghi (1:45)
5 Polycoulrophon (7:35)
6 Segee And The Indian (3:59)

D_RRadio & Marcia Blaine School For Girls

Latest split 7" on the Awkward Silence label featuring the mysterious scottish electronica outfit The Marcia Blaine School For Girls and D_rradio (death row radio in full), another "little-information-available" collective form the north-east of england. Marcia Blaine offer up 'Kamara Debagging', a 6 1/2 minute workout which has melody at its core but features a deep building percussive understructure that comes to dominate the track with its squashed, mighty rumble. The track's many intricate fizzes, pops and beautiful synth lines keep you occupied while the simple backing beats build and build, all to be topped off with a rumbling outro that will blow your cheap speakers up! Awesome. On the flip, meanwhile, D_rradio take the quiet route with their track 'some other time', another lengthy piece, this time in the vein of Labradford, Stars of the Lid or quieter Tarentel (but with an electronic twist). It's a beautiful piece that works in that distinct, understated way that is so rarely executed with as much panache. Strictly limited to 500 copies only, lovely.

Enjoy!

The Marcia Blaine School For Girls & D_rradio 7"


Label: Awkward Silence
Catalog#: AWKWARD 16
Country: UK
Released: 18 Aug 2003
Genre: Electronic
Style: Experimental

Tracklisting:

A. Marcia Blaine School For Girls - Kamara Debagging
B. D_rradio - Some Other Time

Rhian Sheehan

I have no idea of Sheehan's standing in the local electronica community, I am sure some may pass this album off as a bit light -- but I've always had a soft spot for his interesting sonic landscapes which seem to me to owe an intellectual (not necessarily a musical) debt to Brian Eno's albums such as Music for Films, Music for Airports and his intelligent ambient output in the Seventies. This new album is even more directly in that lineage, and these 14 (mostly short) short tracks are in the manner of music for imaginary films or refer to internal states rather than invoking geographical locations. From a guy who used to make people dance, in a cosmic and swooning style, rather than a boogie woogie way, to someone who inspires us to stand perfectly still and, sway gently. That's the transition Wellington electronica producer and musician Rhian Sheehan makes on his third album, Standing In Silence. Divided into parts 1 to 14 it plays out more like an artwork than an album. Initially, it might come across as idle drifts and ambient meanderings but on sucessive listens some magical charms are revealed, like found sounds from around the world (including an airport announcement on 8), and most cleverly, his daughter's music box. Sheehan uses a lot of guitar this time round, played by Jeff Boyle from sonic instrumentalists Jakob, but it is virtually impossible to pick out a single strum, pluck or riff. The glitchy pitter patter of 2 has a playful, whimsy to it, and 3 conjures up that deliciously delirious state you wake up in after falling asleep in the late afternoon sun. The first signs of a more staunch and cutting sound comes in 5, with heavy chinking bells; then 6 gives way to gentle glitches, chimes, and the first beats are ignited; and 8 erupts into a maelstrom of noise. But from then on the album settles back into a more even-tempered mood, with swooning strings, unravelling drones, and 12 brings together melancholic piano, eerie synth, and cheeping birds. This is an album for fans of Sigur Ros or Boards of Canada. And, hate to disagree with its creator, but not so much music to stand in silence to, more like music to laze in a hammock to. Or, perhaps to lounge on a comfy couch with as it devours and envelops you.

Rhian Sheehan - Standing in Silence


Label: loop
Catalog#: lp050
Country: New Zeland
Released: Feb 2009
Genre: Ambient
Style: Electro-acoustic

Tracklist:

Enjoy..!

1 Standing In Silence Part 1
2 Standing In Silence Part 2
3 Standing In Silence Part 3
4 Standing In Silence Part 4
5 Standing In Silence Part 5
6 Standing In Silence Part 6
7 Standing In Silence Part 7
8 Standing In Silence Part 8
9 Standing In Silence Part 9
10 Standing In Silence Part 10
11 Standing In Silence Part 11
12 Standing In Silence Part 12
13 Standing In Silence Part 13
14 Standing In Silence Part 14