Alva Noto and Ryuichi Sakamoto- Moon

They must have known fans were wanting more from this collaboration. Luckily, the sine wave magician and impressionist pianist deliver. Out now on Raster.Noton.

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Boris- Giddiness Throne

Part of a double disc set, this Japanese group does drone like no other. This excerpt is the more placid of the two tracks on the first disc, but at times, grows into a frightening mass of sound.

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The Album Leaf- Spinning Makes Me Dizzy

One of the songs from a tour-only EP that the Leaf had available on his latest tour, this song mines the same sort of territory as his latest album. Definitely fit for a tour EP, though, as it doesn’t exactly capture any of the urgency of those tunes.

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Ark- 1g2c

Mr. Oizo goes microhouse? In parts, Ark record is the most amazing piece of work I’ve heard yet this year. At others, it’s interminable microhouse that hardly raises an eyebrow. This is one of the keepers.

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Kepler- You Must Admit

Possibly my favorite band of all time? Probably not, but very close. It’s one of those personal bands that you can’t really explain very well to anyone else outside of those that intimately know you. Sorry, kids. Today is not that day on the Stypod. Check for their new album in July on Troubleman.

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Mary Gauthier- Mercy Now

One of the best country records of the year so far, Gauthier’s title track makes you focus on the lyrics more than anything else. Something I don’t often do. She’s strangely able to hold my attention, which is more than I can say for most.

[visit a site here, buy stuff here]