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”
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”
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”
Spacetime drones. Long-stretched synthy soundscapes for late-night orbital flights.
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
Classic netaudio compilation. Pop and electro, selected by reviewers from Phlow magazine.
This release is thanks to a very active curator in the netlabel scene. While Phlow magazine seems no longer active, its main author Moritz »mo.« Sauer still pushes work to his public GitHub profile for other projects like netlabels.org. But to talk about the music: it’s mostly pop, some electro sprinkled in and 2 tracks that I don’t get. Of course, I have picked two different ones to represent this compilation: Continue reading “Various Artists – [2008] Their Finest Hour, Volume 1”
I can’t best user deaddreamer‘s review:
This compilation is irrestible. It is a chronicle of victory spoken by a silent reader whose emotions are large and resonant so much so that they ripple outward the glory of triumph.
Got curious? Then read on! 😉 Continue reading “Various Artists – [2006] The Silent Ballet, Volume I: Poetry Without Words”
Disco fuel. Decent party music compilation from Germany.
frei² by Robert Bienert is a program featured in Freies Radio Kassel, an independent radio station in Germany’s wild centre. For several years, this program has been sending out a steady stream of Creative Commons music. This release consists of individual tracks, on air for a clubbing night over 10 years ago. Enjoy! Continue reading “Various Artists – [2008] Super Sommer Clubbing-Charts”
Rhythmic metal opus. Serves all from Metallica to brainy poetic lyrics.
Netlabel Sirona Records does not specialise in metal; even better than that this excellent work of band Croak has been published here. In contrast to many other in this genre, their singer’s pronunciation is excellent, i.e. easy to understand. Continue reading “Croak – [2013] Croak”
Laidback easy listening. Simple ambient tracks with distinct flavour.
Another entry from prolific netlabel Enough Records, who have been releasing over 400 albums and EPs since 2002, and are – unlike many others – still active. This weeks album features guitar-based trip hop served on top of ambient synth sounds. A bit too busy for coding, this album makes for a great pool party backdrop (not that I had a pool to test this). Continue reading “Daizy – [2011] The Daizy Factory”
Lavish dance tracks. Old-school underground house from the ’00s.
Not much is written online about netlabel Bevlar, that has published music from 2004 to 2007. If you like the following tracks, it might be worth for you to hunt through their back catalogue of about three dozen releases. Or just wait for me to review my favourite releases in time… Continue reading “Various Artists – [2005] We Are Bevlar 2”
Swedish indie pop. Vocal vocals, acoustic and slightly synthy sound.
Tobias Borelius is part of Emerald Park (review of one of their EPs), who produce straight-up enjoyable indie pop rock. This release leans more towards pop, with a focus on its Swedish mellow lyrics. Continue reading “Tobias Borelius – [2011] Du känner mig för väl, farväl”
Excellent ambient compilation. Many artists collaborate in this long-standing series of relaxing electronica albums.
With Vol. 13 having been released in 2016, I might be a bit late with pointing to this release, but I’d rather point you to some old friends of mine rather than to new acquaintances. This compilation features artists like EugeneKha, one whose solo albums I have reviewed here already some years ago. Continue reading “Tunguska Electronic Music Society – [2011] Tunguska Chillout Grooves, Volume 7”
Musical guitar-focused post rock. Spacy in more than one sense.
This release at Cologne-based netlabel Der kleine grüne Würfel comes from ESA’s communication officer, who produces music for a hobby; what a nice surprise! 8 tracks of laid-back, slightly trippy instrumental post rock want to be discovered: Continue reading “Marco Trovatello – [2018] Not At All”
Meditative tech house. Long loops, straight beats, simple two-chord harmonies. Great background music.
This oldie from still active (as of 2018) Colombian netlabel Monofonicos mostly plays with sound texture. Both rhythm and harmony loop with only slight variations, while voicing, instruments and effects vary. The result is a meditative musical carpet. Continue reading “Qk – [2009] 415”
Groovy relaxed vibes. Electronically produced jam sessions.
This old gem from the earlier years of Jamendo was one of the early motivators that searching for excellent music outside the realm of radio and CD retail stores was fruitful. If you need an ear pleaser that can provide a decent background track to a late night sit in with friends, give this one a go. Continue reading “Revolution Void – [2006] Increase the Dosage”
