Various Artists – [2010] netwaves 04.28: new beats

Deep House compilation. Fusion of podcast (as a 60 minute mix track) and compilation (10 individual tracks) in one free format.

Excellent, long running series of netlabel compilations, having amassed over 450 episodes between 2006 and 2018. This compilation features tracks from netlabels Budabeats, Broque, and others.

Missione Pericolosa by Crookram is a funky spin on the faux secret agent theme.

netwaves 4.28: new beats is me cheating, as this track is 59 minutes long and contains all other ten tracks, but as one continuous mix + the (I think) Belgian moderation the music only wins.

Download
Release page (netwaves.org)
Mirror page (archive.org)

Various Artists – [2010] netBloc, Volume 30: Aldartea

Exceptional pop compilation. Outstanding quality from start to finish in 12 tracks.

I’ll directly pass the microphone to the curator:

The netBloc series is my humble attempt to shine some light on music that truly deserves to be heard by as many people as possible.

And this is exactly what he has accomplished with (as of 2018) just over 50 compilations that show the potential of netaudio culture, both in breadth and depth. It’s almost unfair to select among those, but I have my routines: Continue reading “Various Artists – [2010] netBloc, Volume 30: Aldartea”

Seki Takashi – [2016] Night City

Friendly ambient electronica. If Minecraft would have another soundtrack, this EP could set the style.

Ambient music is hard to discover for me: while I am in the mood for exploration, I tend to favour louder and more immediately “gratifying” productions. This EP released at a Portuguese netlabel focused on Japanese music – yes, apparently that’s a thing – MiMi Records. Here, calm bleeps create an ambience very conducive to relaxing activities. Continue reading “Seki Takashi – [2016] Night City”

Various Artists – [2011] netBloc Vol. 34: The Whitewash

History-rewriting compilation. Diverse selection of popular CC music from the era.

This release is a replacement (a whitewash) of previous netBloc Vol. 34 about ccMixter, which had to be redacted for some reason which is not completely clear to me to today. I was just surprised that my recollection, download and album art to this release did not match what is currently online… Bad for me, bad good for you. The whitewash has definitely not worse music than the original… Continue reading “Various Artists – [2011] netBloc Vol. 34: The Whitewash”

Derek Nigell – [2017] Heartbeat of the Universe

Spacetime drones. Long-stretched synthy soundscapes for late-night orbital flights.

Cardiogram spike above brain above black space backdrop with stars

Put this onto your ears if you want to beat silence, yet not distract you from whatever you are doing otherwise. The album does a great job of catching you mid-thought, making you realise how cool the sounds sound that you were not listening to, and letting you of the hook not a full minute later. Best consumed after sunset, in a darkened room, while you shake off a busy day. Continue reading “Derek Nigell – [2017] Heartbeat of the Universe”

BitBasic – [2009] Sprinkling Rainbows

Pop master of glitch. Jazzy electronica, made from scrambled samples and lots of groove.

Ever heard of the genre “drill & bass”? No? Me neither. Imagine a DJ aiming for dance music, but only equipped with 90’s Disco/Pop/Funk/Techno tapes, a pair of scissors (blunt) and a synthesizer. Yes, the result might take more than the first listening to appreciate, but the sheer amount of funk, groove and rhythm that oozes out of every track is great! Let me show you what I mean by listening to these three tracks: Continue reading “BitBasic – [2009] Sprinkling Rainbows”

Various Artists – [2010] Intelligent Toys: We Make Music

Essential experimental IDM. 3 discs, 51 tracks of IDM à la Sutemos are an earful to chew on. Bring popcorn!

This compilation series by netlabel Sutemos is a little bit like vegetables: they are good for you, but they might not taste good at first. This release contains many different flavours, musical vitamins, experiments in sound design, genre-branching dubstep, IDM, cerebral techno, and lots of electro goodness in general. But, the sound is often outside the realm of “standard” harmony, often even completely devoid of it. Like these sentences, it takes some time to wrap one’s head around. So, if you are looking for easy listening while coding, please move on. If you want to enrich a late night party with an eccentric musical backdrop, give it a spin… Continue reading “Various Artists – [2010] Intelligent Toys: We Make Music”

Coax – [2008] Aeons

Frosty ambient IDM with class. Very versatile EP with fully ambient to almost danceable tracks. A real classic, published at Kahvi.

Back in 2009, I started this series of reviews with Coax’s The Ice Garden. Ever since, I was hesitant to write another review on the same artist. But I have done so multiple times over the years now, so it’s time to finally break the spell and give Coax their second review. Their music deserves it, after all: frosty, ambient IDM, released at the notorious Kahvi netlabel, well known for delivering quality electronica by truck. Continue reading “Coax – [2008] Aeons”

Various Artists – [2011] Nine

Essential indie pop/rock compilation. Only 7 tracks, each covering a different style, makes this an essential part of CC music legacy.

diym netlabel is (or was?) a netlabel focused on non-electronic genres, that is, mostly rock and pop music. I have already covered their seventh compilation, called 7, in an earlier review. This ninth instalment is a small but excellent collection of mostly, but not only, quiet music: Continue reading “Various Artists – [2011] Nine”

Xcyril – [2007] Alter ego

Soundtrack for a hard-to-get movie. Melancholic atmosphere, with a hint of suspense.

Xcyril is Cyril Humbert, a professional composer, who has published 11 of his albums, under a Creative Commons license to Jamendo. He specialises in soundtracks for films and video games. This soundtrack in particular has a dark atmosphere, most fitting to accompany a rainy autumn evening. Continue reading “Xcyril – [2007] Alter ego”