This hobbled together collection of IDM tunes probably came together from this guy one day saying to himself "I want to make some fun videogame music" -- and that's all there was to it. Sometimes good things exist for not much reason, and thank God for it. These tracks are simply endlessly enjoyable. I could listen to them all day.

Highlights: greetings, fat cat, casino night, warsaw, canals..... fuck it, they're all great.

Revisiting this album comfortably distanced from the days of my young adult indie-twee affection, this really doesn't hold up for me. As far as I know, these K Records clichés are largely retired by the point in time this released and I've personally not missed them. It's hard for this sound to strike the right balance with me (and this is probably just a "me" problem). An intellectual wholesomeness is what I desire, dark streaks out of sight and alluded to only ... read more

The endless comparisons to GY!BE and Swans I see given to this album (and so many others) just reveals to me how limited post-rock seems as a genre. The droning bleakness here is a fitting soundtrack to dark thinking in the doom and gloom of envisioning the dreaded future, but most of this fails to grab me in any memorable way (albeit the ones that do are very effective). Atmosphere as a foreground element in music just isn't very interesting. I'm thinking I don't "get" ... read more

More hazy aimless guitar fodder from the OG space rock revivalists. Good thing I like that shit. It's not the most introspective kind of thing going on here with the strung-out vocals and far-away textures like they're known for, but it's well enough a "throw on in the background" experience. I do think the crisp drum beats drag down the hypnogogic potential of what these guys used to so effortlessly sell. Hoping for more "classic" Duster in the ... read more

An admirable depressive bedroom pop effort. Their following release hits on the same feelings in a more impactful way, but this one goes down to rest with you in your headphones while you stare at the ceiling Shinji-style all the same.

Highlights: Public Suicide, I Miss You, Some Day, Hurts

Sleepy downbeat ruminations for staring at the bedroom wall with heavy eyelids that are ready to fall like the snow outside. The world is suspended beyond the door. This is the sound of sadness that is simple (profound if you let it be).

Highlights: What I Might See, Smoking/Dying, It Felt Weird, 03, Bury You, Joke

Fluttering guitars get locked in a stalemate between spacey reverberations and tried and true post-rock meandering. The cosmic veneer does enough to break the stratosphere of piled-up decade-plus-old deep cuts, but perhaps leans too far away from indulging in its concepts to escape suspension in its titular phenomenon.

Highlights: Novorossiysk 1968, Short Stories of Methuseleh Tree, 444, Nine Billion Names

Contemplative downtempo jamming for trodding efforts to forge one's own path against a sea change. The middle tracks compare middlingly against similar post-rock efforts, but the bookends are quite special.

Highlights: Four Months of Darkness, Side by Side in This Gentle Descent

Not much to say here, just some enjoyable midwest-emo-adjacent instrumentals. The thoughtful plucking and steady drum beats don't stick in the brain, but are wonderful background noise for staying in one's lane and getting shit done.

Highlights: Connie, Lorge, Fanshawe, Bye Mom, Thinking Loudly

The crisp sound of an early morning walk around town and a day full of possibilities dawning.
These simple sustained ring-toney bloops and unintrusive beats offer a clean slate to build a nice time upon before embarking into the thick of the day.

Highlights: Ascension, A Walk, Adrift

I didn't care much for this band's previous work, but there's a gripping energy present throughout these winding tracks. When a song builds to a heavy, melodic guitar line, that's where it really has me. I'd prefer less wandering and fenagling about the bloated, tangled overgrowth to get to those havens, however.

Depressing as all hell, but the lot of the intended effect never finds foothold in the barely-there guitarwork and weak-as-can-be deadpan vocal delivery. This project has very apparent "A Crow Looked at Me", "Benji", and "Carrie & Lowell" inspirations that keep me from fully engaging due to how far it falls short. Some polish would not have taken away from the emotional rawness. To be fair to the lacking musicianship and lyrical content however, it's ... read more

On the verge of a maximalist style of production, this slick, sliding guitar-heavy EP goes by in a heartbeat with its light chiptune feel. Themes of aimless nostalgia and fear of growing up fully play all too well together and allow for so much, it's almost upsetting how quickly it flies by. It's just so nice, I wish it were a full album.

Every track is a highlight.

This one has been really sticking with me since release. Billy Cobb has been on my radar for a while, but other than his viral Weezer-inspired efforts and various punk covers, I haven't listened to a full album of his since the wonderfully immersive 'Halloween IV.' This album has me wanting to delve into the rest of his discography, since this guy can sure write a catchy tune. The variety of all sorts of country and folk-inspired sounds across this record is inspiring for a ... read more

As I now understand, these are "cozy jazz" covers of selections from Beach Fossils' previous discography. Whereas this band's fans may find this album underwhelming, I have the benefit of experiencing these songs apart from their original versions, as I've never listened them before.
This is perfectly tasteful melancholic music. An "Imagine myself alone at a dimly-lit diner on a snowy evening as I'm drifting into slumber" listening experience. Speaking as ... read more

A lo-fi indie-folk smattering of tracks. Maybe basic, but not everything needs catchy hooks or lasting impact. I'm enjoying the "vibe" more as I age and responsibilities pile. This record is a small, lovely vibe.

Generic pop-country? Maybe. This is fun though, c'mon. Not much about it screams "Posty" to me until a couple tracks on the back-half of the project; any one of the many featured artists could have released these songs. However, there's a southern comfort in a stab at a totally different style and scene going this smoothly for someone who, in my opinion, needed a fresh break away from his own. I'd like to see these kinds of genuine attempts encouraged across popular ... read more