Albums
Atmogat
Autechre
Autistici
Bitcrush
Black Gold 360
Sylvain Chauveau
Cut Iowa Network
Delicate Noise
Dof
The Element Choir
FNS
Four Tet
Gutta Percha
Greg Haines
Chihei Hatakeyama
Ian Hawgood
Jóhann Jóhannsson
Kahn and Mueller
Konntinent
L/M/R/W
Francisco López
Aaron Martin
Musette
Near The Parenthesis
Offthesky
Dustin O'Halloran
Redhooker
Relmic Statute
Ruxpin
Sintetic-Collage
Sister Overdrive
Starkey
Tokyo Mask
Youth Pictures of F. Hend.
Compilations / Mixes
Agoria
Advent
My Private Space
Peeling
Untitled 10
EPs
Amman.Josh
A Wake A Week
Tolga Baklacioglu
Boxharp
Cursor Miner
Abe Duque
EPROM / Eskmo
Funckarma
Florent Ghys
LJ Kruzer
Lobisomem
Maps and Diagrams
Moving Dawn Orchestra
Marcello Napoletano
Alexandre Navarro
Obsidian
Glen Porter
Nigel Samways
The Soul's Release
Sparkhouse / Jacksonville
Subeena
Talvihorros
VA:
My Private Space
Inpartmaint
A simple scan of the artists included on this compilation—Akira Kosemura, Aus, and Fjordne among them—tells you right away what you're in for: warm, melodic electronica done with all of the grace and delicacy its Japanese producers have come to be known for. “Azure” by Akira Kosemura and Haruka Nakamura sparkles as beautifully as falling snow crystals on a sunny winter morning when entrancing piano and acoustic guitar melodies resound against a shimmering palette of tinkling percussion and electronic radiance. Wrapping wistful acoustic piano and melodica playing in a cloud of electronic dust and crackle, “Will You ...” offers a trademark example of Fjordne's distinctive style. Though Kadan's “Distance” is an over-too-fast two minutes, its classical-styled piano prettiness makes it one of the recording's sweetest offerings, and Yna's lovely waltz “Tangeline” isn't far behind.
In addition to the soothing set-pieces, the album features a goodly share of post-rock-styled pieces. With rambunctious breakbeats added to atmospheric swirl, No.9's “Left the Wind” exudes a more aggressive though no less melodic feel than many of the pieces included here. The wide-screen jubilance of his “Good Morning” proves as alluring, especially when its rhythms swing as exuberantly as the song's uplifting guitar and keyboard melodies (the song's closing guitar motif can't help but call to mind Pat Metheny's rendition of Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint ). Aus's “Halo” is likewise closer in spirit to post-rock in its buoyant sprint, and even suggests a Metheny-like breeziness in the spaciousness of its attack and its chiming guitar themes. Subtle traces of hip-hop seep into the rhythms Uran Okajima uses as a base for the elegant neo-classical piano (and violin) melodies that grace “An Old Story.” But regardless of whether a piece is rhythm-oriented or more meditative in mood, melody is always front and center in the material, making the hour-long collection a solid representation of these artists' styles.
April 2010