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Can This Even Be Called Music? June Edition

This column is a monthly feature where I point the Heavy crowd to some more obscure releases that deserve to be heard. If you want more obscure and weird music

6 years ago

This column is a monthly feature where I point the Heavy crowd to some more obscure releases that deserve to be heard. If you want more obscure and weird music recommendations, visit my website!

The Recent Stuff

Portuguese instrumental prog band Shell from Oceanic just released their highly anticipated sophomore album, the sequel to the widely praised Ambivalence. How to Let Go is not only the physical but also the spiritual successor of their debut album: the band’s blend of jazz fusion with instrumental progressive metal reaches a peak on this release. In all regards, it is superior: from the more technical approach, to the merging of genres, to the textures exploited, How to Let Go is certain to position itself as a staple of the genre, right alongside its older sibling. Be ready to be rightly amazed!

A Gem from the Past

Alright, this is not very old indeed, but this 2017 album got grossly overlooked, and passed right underneath my radar. Jon Bap‘s experimental, microtonal hip-hop album, Yesterday’s Homily, deserves more than one casual listen. The record is dense and very experimental, bringing in elements from electronic music, jazz, and contemporary classical to the hip-hop basis. It’s so out there that it barely sounds like hip-hop anymore, instead transcending the boundaries of the genre and evolving into an abstract deity. Praise!

What the Future Holds

Sacramento progressive mathcore act Journal is set to release their third album, Chrysalis ordalias, in July, and I’ve had the pleasure of premiering a new song on my own website. Listen to it now and prepare for the unreal onslaught going to happen on the album’s release date. I’m still entranced by the band’s previous album, Unlorja, and their upcoming concept album, while slightly different in its approach, gives off a similar awe-inspiring feeling. It’s a true mix of metalcore, mathcore, and progressive metal, and the result is astonishing! The album also comes, in its deluxe edition, with a 160-page novel telling the story behind Chrysalis Ordalias, grab one before they run out! I’m awaiting my copy eagerly myself!

Dave Tremblay

Published 6 years ago