Cresting - An E.P.

Cresting's latest offering, simply titled An E.P., is a brief foray into a world of synthesized simplicity. With pulsating melodies and rhythms, warm textures, and an aversion to unnecessary complexity, the album breathes deeply and relaxedly. The seven songs wrap around the listener like a musical bear-hug from a loved one upon reunion. Saying much more about this album will only take away from its direct musical language.

9.1/10

www.fixture-records.com

www.myspace.com/crestingcrestingcresting

Dirty Beaches - The Horror LP

Listening to The Horror LP from Fixture Records' Dirty Beaches is feels like thumbing through a musical sketchbook of sorts. The fourteen pieces give deep impressions of a somberly beautiful world from various angles and perspectives. While maintaining a consistent sonic aura, The Horror LP, contains a variety of colors and textures that gives the album its depth and drive. Played mostly on guitar, this album is a great suite of pensive static-washed pieces that might light the imagination or lull one into deep sleep.

9.1/10

www.fixture-records.com

http://www.myspace.com/dirtybeaches

Brave Radar - A Building

A feel-good collection of lo-fi pop songs, A Building is, at the very least, an enjoyable listen for a warm afternoon. At times throughout the album the music does seem to fall a bit flat if you really dig into listening, but for the most part Brave Radar glides above the typical pitfalls of similar aesthetics. As the album goes on, the songs get stronger with my personal favorite on the album being the beautiful Line Storm. Overall, a strong album for fans of earnest songwriting, and an admirable addition to Fixture Records' growing catalog.

8.7/10

http://www.fixture-records.com

www.myspace.com/braveradar

Omon Ra - Monolith 1

Judging by the name, one might expect Omon Ra's Monolith 1 to be some sort of conceptually lofty free jazz manifesto, but, as wisdom would advise, it's not a good idea to judge a band by its name. The actual content of Monolith 1 is a pleasant collection of tunes touching many areas of folk, pop, and even a bit of doo-wop, though sans outright dooing and wapping. Most of this album breathes with the ambiance of a bedroom rather than the sterility of a studio, which brings an air of intimacy to the album that can be very different to convey. Omon Ra has something in their songwriting that brings out a uniqueness that allows them to simply write songs without worrying about standing out via some overt display of incongruity within their genre.

9.0/10

http://www.fixture-records.com

http://www.myspace.com/theyproject

BBBlood - Alien Nosejob

London's BBBlood is to tranquility as a blender is to your left hand and Alien Nosejob is no exception. Digitally mangled sounds blend with sine wave harmonies and hauntingly ethereal textures to create a work that is destructively jagged and yet somehow imbued with an idiosyncratic mystique. This album has some real depth beneath the squealing surface that is beautiful in its own right. Definitely a worthwhile album for those who want to hear what its like to get possessed by a robot demon, which is pretty damn awesome if you're up for the trial.

9.1/10

http://www.colourride.co.uk

http://www.myspace.com/bbblood

Sarah's Carity - Logic of Collapse

Logic of Collapse, the latest album by Danish artist Sarah's Charity, is an impressive collection of spatial soundscapes that summon a mood of pensive reflection. Warm swells of white noise laden harmonies create a bed of musical warmth that feels almost cozy at times. The image that comes to mind when listening to this album is a sunset offset by storm clouds in the distance. At a half-hour long, Logic of Collapse is timed perfectly and seems to grow in depth with each listen.

8.9/10

http://www.colourride.co.uk