Recent discoveries include (but are not limited to
:
Angel In Heavy Syrup, a three-member Japanese girl band mentored, near as I can gather, by someone prominent in the Japanese noise scene. Angel's sound isn't what one would expect based on their descriptions. Lush guitar overlays with delicate vocals interspersed. I happened to download this one and liked it so well that I bought their fourth, and best known album, Angel in Heavy Syrup IV.
Nearly everything that's written about them is in Japanese.
The Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra La La Band, Horses in the Sky.
Founded by Godspeed You Black Emperor leader Efrim, SMV has a sound that's ... I don't know how to describe it ... more dissonant (think Happiness is a Warm Gun or Zappa), and less portentious than Godspeed. SMV also uses vocals eschewed by Godspeed. Horses In The Sky includes songs of protest against the war in Iraq, satirical takes on former president and Mt Rushmore denizen Teddy Roosevelt and something about Canada (or Kanada...). Sonically it's much stronger than Angel in Heavy Syrup, a much cleaner sound.
Adiemus, I just downloaded some of their music at decent, though not exceptional, resolution. Descriptions of it as "new age" or "chill out" music were a real turn off. But actually listening I find them more eganging than the typical new age/whale song/music to shut your brain off by shtick.
I'll keep listening. If they're keepers I'll wind up buying their cds (though not necessarily new
.
Andy Katz