Hipdiebattery - Lost & Found

Hipdiebattery is the moniker of Bucharest-based producer and singer Anca Stirbacu. I have to admit that although I was aware of her presence, thanks to the excellent 2012 compilation Robot Elephant vs Tundra Dubs, I had never really explored her music deeply. That's why when "Lost & Found" landed on my radar last year, I decided to finally give her a go. The 13-track collection is essentially a compilation of sonic fragments, demos and textures hoarded away over the years, waiting for the right time to resurface. Music-wise, think of a place on an ethereal pedestal located within the wide spectrum of witch-house. Her selection of distant, ghost-pop vocals and downtempo soundscapes is less an invitation to play with an Ouija board and more of a comforting exploration of dark and hazy afterparty chill rooms. This should appeal to fans of the early, haunted SLEEP ∞ OVER tapes and Italian dark-wave icon Mushy. Recommended!

The album is out now on digital formats and as a super-limited cassette. Grab both here, and stream the whole thing down below.

Patina Lush / Primitive Gauze - Grail

Gnarly split from the exponentially expanding Hibernian Leather catalogue. Patina Lush comes through with a trifecta of rich, drone-heavy compositions set against a backdrop of dense layers of ambient sound. While "Flood Plain Chimera" and "One Hundred Body Incense" feel crushingly dystopian in their overwhelming presence, "Wind Paints The Orchard" lets you contemplate the void slowly consuming the last remnants of daylight. The 19-minute run of Primitive Gauze's "Red Kite Yellow Hammer" is a case study of drone metamorphosis, evolving from an industrial constant into a dark ambient-tinted noise soundscape. Experiencing this at night with headphones is an absolute must, amazing stuff.

"Grail" is out now on limited edition tapes, available here. Stream down below.

Vear - The Church Of Flesh And Bone

Vear has finally released a follow up to last year's excellent Blair Witch-inspired album. "The Church Of Flesh And Bone" dives deeper into the death industrial realm, embracing horror ambient and ritual drone. There was an album by CRAVE from a few years ago called "Save Room", dedicated specifically to in-game save rooms. Vear's record is a full-blown walkthrough of a horror game - one you can't, and won't want to pause. Eerie soundscapes for the dystopian temple of doom. Kneel and pray for redemption, death is at the door.

Get the album on tape here, and stream in full below.

Feral Agathist - Fast Tines

Feral Agathist returns with a new offering of experimental tape manipulations. Backed by Rob Micalchuk's saxophone on "Good Tines", we get a sample of anti-jazz abstractions spiraling into a whirlwind of psychosis through a mix of musique concrète and loop manipulations. It's both feral and beautiful. "Bad Tines", on the other hand, veers towards an even more randomised universe of sound - one that somehow manages to roll forward, taking the listener on an alien trip of skipping late night cable TV channels on mushrooms.

Strap on and download the album here. You can stream both parts after the jump.

Mt Borracho - Artitix

Mt Borracho marks his comeback with this short, ritualistic piece "Artitix". Listening to it makes you feel like a detached spectator of a Mayan ceremony visited by an alien ship. Cop the track here, and fingers crossed there's more to come!

STRFLL - Rebirth

"Rebirth" is a new EP from STRFLL, consisting of four remastered and reworked "oldies". All the tracks gained extra flesh on their bones, making them sound richer, more layered and noisier - rad stuff. Glad to hear "Doin Better" getting a second life, it's a banger that sort of went unnoticed at the time. If I had a car I'd definitely put this on my permanent rotation.

Buy the EP here, and stream all four tracks below.

Modern Violenc3 - Hurricanes & Hellcats

Dancing In Slow Motion - I Cry Out 2 U

Ourobonic Plague - Land Marks