Rodrigo y Gabriela: Area 52 (ATO)

Rodrigo y Gabriela: "Juan Loco"

With their last album, 11:11, dueling guitarists Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero exploded into the spotlight, gaining a new swell of fans with their blend of acoustic rock and Latin sounds. Now the duo — whose original material already is infused with the energy and frenetic fretwork of classical guitar and metal — has re-imagined its own material with the aid of a 13-piece Cuban big band.

Area 52 is full of horn stabs, jazzy piano accents, and flute flourishes, but it goes well beyond being a traditional Cuban record. A healthy diversity is borne from psychedelic guitar effects and unexpected guest appearances, including sitarist Anoushka Shankar, bassist Carles Benavent (Chick Corea, Miles Davis), and drummer John Tempesta (Testament, White Zombie).

“Hunuman,” one of the duo’s biggest songs, is re-imagined — and nearly unrecognizable from its powerful acoustic-thrash beginning — as a dramatic string-tinged intro paves the way for the song’s main melody. It even bears shades of Carlos Santana. Though fans will have to keep waiting for brand-new songs, these selections nearly qualify.

- Scott Morrow

Gangrene: Vodka & Ayahuasca (Decon)

Gangrene: "Vodka & Ayahuasca"

In November of 2010, rappers/producers The Alchemist and Oh No released their first full-length collaboration as Gangrene. The album, Gutter Water, showcased the duo’s subtly sophisticated production techniques as well as Alc and Oh’s emcee skills, although the latter fell flat in moments of self-aggrandizement or gratuity.

Now Gangrene returns with its follow-up record, Vodka & Ayahuasca — a grimy, tripped-out nightmare. Like its predecessor, V&A tends to suffer a bit from outlandish lyrics and occasionally clunky deliveries, but its hip-hop beats fused with psychedelic effects, distorted-guitar and piano samples, and as clips of ayahuasca freak-outs provide a satisfyingly weird, unnerving atmosphere. (For those unaware, ayahuasca is a DMT-laden hallucinogenic.) Though the album may be unappealing to those outside of drug culture, the bizarreness of the whole experience will keep you listening track after track.

- Meaghann Korbel

Victor Villarreal: Invisible Cinema (Joyful Noise)

Victor Villarreal: "Enters"

Following his years as an unheralded but influential guitarist in Cap'n Jazz, Ghosts 'n' Vodka, and Joan of Arc, finger-picking virtuoso Victor Villarreal went through a musical disappearance. He finally resurfaced in 2009 with Alive, a tribute to his late brother that featured Villarreal's vocal debut over strummed singer-songwriter pieces.

Invisible Cinema is, in the words of Joyful Noise, his first "fully realized" effort. The complex guitar passages are restrained but more frequent, and with them are a handful of accompanying instruments as well as, seemingly, more self-confidence as a singer. Though Villarreal's vocals can be hit or miss, he has made ample progress since Alive, and the opening track, "Enters," is proof. After two minutes of amazingly melodic guitar work and backing strings, the piece is joined by drums before Villarreal launches into a 3/4-based vocal phrasing — something that he might not have tried on Alive.

With bits of trumpet, bass, guitar feedback, and drums and other percussion, Invisible Cinema has enough flavor to keep from getting old. If being a solo performer is the next chapter of Villarreal's career, he should do just fine.

- Scott Morrow

Plug: Back on Time (Ninja Tune)

Plug: "Feeling So Special"

Back on Time is the latest collection of tracks from oddball electronic musician Luke Vibert, whose aliases of Wagon Christ, Plug, and many others have tens of albums to their credit (in addition to officially "solo" releases). In gathering these 10 tunes, Vibert rummaged the depths of his apparently massive catalog of Plug material from 1995 to 1998, a time when he was putting his own stamp on the drum-and-bass genre.

Though these previously unreleased songs are roughly 15 years old, the record sounds, for the most part, strangely renewed. Tracks like the break-beat-driven, semi-glitchy, semi-jazzy “Yes Man” display Vibert’s creativity in fusing different electronic styles. But the album’s freshness is in part due to his playful humor: the industrial “Come on My Skeleton” throws a curve-ball with the sober warning “you might also become aware of your anus or genitalia”; “Mind Bending” jerks back and forth between Speak 'n’ Spell-style synthesized speech and a stoner’s awe at some “fucking excellent acid house.”

Melodies and beats are aplenty, in nearly whichever style you prefer. But when the album threatens to become a tad too serious, you can count on that humor to cut the tension at just the right moment.

- Meaghann Korbel

Gonjasufi: MU.ZZ.LE (Warp)

Gonjasufi: "Feedin' Birds"

Written as an emotional and spiritual outlet while on the road touring, MU.ZZ.LE is psychedelic rapper Gonjasufi’s latest “mini-album” since his 2010 debut, A Sufi and a Killer. The combination of down-tempo beats and haunting lyrics on this album make for a dark and introspective atmosphere, but his voice is his most powerful and versatile instrument. At times, it’s something of a hoarse croak, a barely audible mumble; at other times, it reaches a sorrowful croon and a creeping howl, often in a sudden, drastic shift. The effect is unsettling — and unforgettable.

- Meaghann Korbel

Honorable Mentions

Abigail Williams: Becoming (Candlelight)

Bleubird: Cannonball!!! (Fake Four)

Dodecahedron: s/t (Underground Activists / Season of Mist)

Imbogodom: And They Turned Not When They Went (Thrill Jockey)

Lamb of God: Resolution (Roadrunner)

Nada Surf: The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy (Barsuk)

Pyramids / Horseback: A Throne Without a King (Hydra Head)

Rhyton: s/t (Thrill Jockey)

Zomes: Improvisations (Thrill Jockey)

Doomtree: No Kings (Doomtree)

Doomtree: "The Grand Experiment"

Moving from a high-school clique to a crew and record label was a natural transition for the Minneapolis-based Doomtree collective. Over just a few years, the unlikely “family” unit went from trading beats at Hopkins High to producing albums, organizing tours, and throwing the annual Doomtree Blowout, all with a small but mighty lineup.

The label’s foundation was built on the wings of impassioned, down-to-earth MCs P.O.S and Sims, hybrid rapper/songstress Dessa, multifaceted instrumentalist Paper Tiger, and nostalgic storyteller Cecil Otter, but the seven-member collective soon demonstrated its cohesiveness as a group. No Kings is Doomtree’s third studio album, and though it maintains a playful demeanor, it’s the most diverse and mature of the three.

From track to track, the different flavors and personalities of each member come through in their own ways. "Bolt Cutter," the album's second single, features four MCs (including both rhymes and vocal melodies by Dessa) and a spate of production values, shifting from a minimalist tom beat and bass line to electro-hop synths to piano and acoustic-guitar melodies — before it all layers together and adds a deep electronic groove. But no matter its style, the production is on point.

No Kings also celebrates the start of Doomtree’s second decade together. More importantly, it maintains the balance that makes such a large collaboration work, both as a group and as a business.

- Text by Portia Medina and Scott Morrow.

Calexico: Road Atlas 1998–2011 limited-edition vinyl box set and Selections from Road Atlas 1998–2011 CD (Quarterstick)

Calexico: "Griptape"

In their 15 years as a band, Calexico’s Joey Burns and John Convertino have built their music around being on the road. It’s as evident in their thematic lyrics as it is in their sound — which, though it’s been described as Southwestern or “desert noir,” really can’t be pinned to one region. The two have drawn musical influences from around the globe because that’s exactly where they’ve been.

With Road Atlas, Calexico compiles eight of its off-the-map recordings from the past 13 years, including live sets and self-released tour albums. Selections from Road Atlas is its mini-edition, combining those live cuts, exclusively available tracks, and film-score vignettes.

Latin American influences exist throughout, especially in the musical snippets from the documentary Circo and several other tunes with Mariachi-tinged guitars. But there's also plenty of the band's balladry ("Griptape") to go with lap-steel guitar swells ("All the Pretty Horses"), Italian Western motifs ("Glowing Heart of the World"), and jazzy post-rock ("Cachaça").

In a sense, the band has mapped out the detours in its history, taking listeners to places where few have been.

- Text by Meaghann Korbel and Lauren Zens.

Dimlite: Grimm Reality (Now-Again / Stones Throw)

Dimlite: "New Better Pain"

Despite drawing some similarities to outside-the-box producers such as Flying Lotus, Daedelus, and Hudson Mohawke, Dimlite falls into an altogether different category of electronic producer. The man behind the beats, melodies, and overall strangeness is Swiss musician Dimitri Grimm, also known as Misel Quitno and one half of The Slapped Eyeballers, who has made a habit of producing indescribable (and sample-free) blends of hip hop, kraut rock, funk, and electronic pastiche.

Grimm Reality, Grimm's third full-length as Dimlite, combines some of the trademarks of his alter-egos, fusing some of the minimalist loops and worldly timbres to bass and beats. Whirring electronics, simple bass licks, and sputtering beats contrast with Soul Train funk and grooves, which then are paired with spiraling lasers or wonky rhythms behind psychedelic reverb. Though it sounds like a mess, most songs have a harmonious (if confusing) appeal.

Vocals emerge intermittently on nearly every track in the form of bizarre utterances, and in most instances, these cuts of laughter and speaking are distorted in pitch or tempo. Although the spacey electronics exist throughout the album’s entirety, traditional sounds appear on and off, including a piano, viola, and heavier use of bass guitar. What comes next from Mr. Grimm is anybody's guess.

- Text by Lauren Zens.

Honorable Mentions

Beaten by Them: People Start Listening EP

Boris: New Album (Sargent House)

Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow (Anti-)

Coalesce: Give Them Rope 2xCD reissue (Relapse / No Sleep)

Chris Cornell: Songbook (Universal)

Pyramids / Horseback: A Throne Without a King (Hydra Head)

As usual, ALARM leaves no genre unexplored in our list of this year's overlooked gems.

Sigh: Scenes from Hell (The End, 1/19/10)

Sigh: "The Summer Funeral"

With a history of fusing other revered genres to a doomy combination of black metal and thrash, Japan's Sigh used its eighth studio album to deliver symphonic, epic metal that calls upon classical instrumentation to top its rock foundation.

Brass, woodwind, and string instruments — as well as organ and piano — accent as well as lead sinister melodies that take surprising turns through fanciful themes. Raspy, menacing vocals coat each track, resulting in a dramatic presentation that isn't much at odds with its complex backdrop.

RJD2: The Colossus (RJ’s Electrical Connections, 1/19/10)

RJD2: "Games You Can Win"

Following a divisive album that saw the introduction of poppy, soulful vocals, producer RJD2 returned with something of a split release — an album that leaves no shortage of accessible, vocal-driven tunes but that emphasizes some inventive instrumentals.  Whether or not you dig the soulful RJ, there's no doubt that the music on The Colossus is some of his best to date.

Chicago Underground Duo: Boca Negra (Thrill Jockey, 1/26/10)

Chicago Underground Duo: "Spy on the Floor"

For 15 years, the Chicago Underground Duo (and Trio, Quartet, and Orchestra) has been an avant-garde jazz outlet for prolific Chicago musicians Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Isotope 217) and Chad Taylor.  Boca Negra is an interesting dichotomy, as spiraling vociferation leads to upbeat grooves, shifting piano chords, harmonic electronics, and ambient samples.

Algernon: Ghost Surveillance (Cuneiform, 1/26/10)

Algernon: "Broken Lady"

The brainchild of guitarist Dave Miller, Algernon walks a thin line between melodically driven post-rock and instrumental unconventionality.  Ghost Surveillance places greater emphasis on synthesizers and sprawling song structures, but at its core is the combination of accessibility and technicality that has defined Miller's style. Noisy, circular rock riffs transform to tranquil, wandering passages. "Timekiller," the album's fourth track, is a beautiful, buoyant number — and one of the band's best creations to date.

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: Into the Wind (Ubiquity, 1/26/10)

Bei Bei & Shawn Lee: "East"

In the hands of a marvel, the guzheng — a gorgeous Chinese zither — resonates with tactile beauty as its many strings are plucked with precision.

Bei Bei, a native of Chengdu, China, is one such musical technician. And this collaboration with Shawn Lee, a prolific producer who can man as many genres as he sees fit, is undoubtedly one of the year's finest albums.  Together, the two use Into the Wind to navigate through funky down-tempo jams, Kung-Fu flavor, hip hop, soul, and driving grooves.

Daníel Bjarnason: Processions (Bedroom Community, 2/1/10)

Daníel Bjarnason: "Bow to String I: Sorrow Conquers Happiness"

Best known as a conductor and arranger for indie groups such as Sigur Rós, composer Daníel Bjarnason also holds a lofty classical résumé. Processions, his proper debut, is, at many points, a challenging classical work.  Powerful cellos scale and race with crackling percussions before settling into gently bowed and pizzicato string accompaniments; easily half a dozen strings battle for dominance in a sorrowful, harmonic piece that resonates long after hearing it.  Undoubtedly, Processions is a daring and original debut.

Shining: Blackjazz (Indie Recordings / Distribution, 2/2/10)

Shining: "Fisheye"

Beginning as an experimental acoustic jazz ensemble, Norway's Shining — the brainchild of saxophonist Jørgen Munkeby — transformed to a progressive jazz-fusion outfit before delving into its darker side for a collaboration with black-metallists Enslaved.

Blackjazz pushes deeper into the band's dark recesses, forging a progressive industrial sound for the young century.  Big, complex rock riffs, twisted through gnarly distortion, form the foundation and support a mass of frantic, whirring synth lines and gut-wrenching black-metal screams.  In all, Blackjazz is a new epic — and perhaps the best metal album of 2010.

Pillars and Tongues: Lay of Pilgrim Park, LP + download (Endless Nest, 2/9/10)

Pillars and Tongues: "The Center of"

With just three members, Pillars and Tongues manages to craft powerful folk abstractions and interwoven, trance-inducing vocal dynamics. Both composed and improvisational, these shifting forms evoke spiritual vibes in their soulful essence, heavenly harmonies, and repeated patterns.

Dessa: A Badly Broken Code (Doomtree, 2/9/10)

Dessa: "Dixon's Girl"

The only female member of Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree, Dessa is a spoken-word vocalist, singer, and MC whose awaited full-length was finally released earlier this year.

On A Badly Broken Code, her true solo debut, Dessa's vocal diversity is matched by its underlying music, ranging from hard-hitting beats and rhymes to lilting harmonic overdubs.

The Bastard Noise / The Endless Blockade: The Red List (20 Buck Spin, 2/16/10)

The Bastard Noise: "Mutant World of Shame / Underworld"

A spinoff of treasured "power-violence" hardcore group Man is the Bastard, The Bastard Noise is approaching its 20th anniversary of creating noisy electro-doom brutality.  For this split release with hardcore/punk experimentalists The Endless Blockade, the group utilizes the trademark drum-and-bass style of Man is the Bastard in combination with its far-out sounds.  The Endless Blockade contributes three tracks to the release — one 14-minute epic and two avant-garde remixes.

Freeway & Jake One: The Stimulus Package (Rhymesayers, 2/16/10)

Freeway & Jake One: "Know What I Mean"

Continuing his life after Roc-A-Fella Records, former freestyle star Freeway now makes his debut on Rhymesayers, a fitting new home — if only temporary before a move to Cash Money.  Fellow Rhymesayers standout Jake One provides a funky, malleable backdrop for Freeway's fiery delivery and lyrics that are alternately personal and light in content. And though Freeway deserves his accolades, Jake One's production is the MVP of this collaboration.

Carolina Chocolate Drops: Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch, 2/16/10)

Carolina Chocolate Drops: "Hit 'Em Up Style" (Blu Cantrell)

Beholden to the traditions of Americana and early African-American folk, the string trio Carolina Chocolate Drops continues blurring the lines of old and new. On Genuine Negro Jig, the group's fifth album, a few original numbers and a trove of traditionals take root in banjo, fiddle, and percussion. Three-part harmonies shimmer on the famous folk tune "Trouble in Your Mind," and simplicity shines on gripping renditions of "Why Don't You Do Right?" by Kansas Joe McCoy and "Trampled Rose" by Tom Waits.  Most surprisingly, Genuine Negro Jig includes an enjoyable rendition of "Hit 'Em Up Style," an unintentionally farcical pop hit by Blu Cantrell.

Mako Sica: Dual Horizon LP (La Société Expéditionnaire, 2/16/10)

Mako Sica: "I'Itoi"

A translation of the phrase "land bad," Mako Sica has more than a nominal Native American influence; the trio's distant vocal reverberations and dirge-inspired tunes recall the spirituality of America's original inhabitants.

Between the vocalizations of Brent Fuscaldo, the melodies of guitarist Przemyslaw Krys Drazek, and the rhythms of drummer Michael J. Kendrick, Mako Sica maintains a strong balance of abilities — with a brooding combination of jangly guitars, reverberated vociferation, and instrumental dynamics.

High on Fire: Snakes for the Divine (E1 Music, 2/23/10)

High on Fire: "Snakes for the Divine"

Stoner-metal trio High on Fire has built a devoted following over the past dozen years as fans fell in love with Matt Pike's gruff vocals and thunderous guitar riffs. On Snakes for the Divine, Pike uses his throat to channel Lemmy Kilmister; meanwhile, the band has picked up its pace and crafted an album that isn’t as outstretched. Hard-hitting riffery leads an effort that, though diverse at times, may be the band’s most driving release.

Jaga Jazzist: One-Armed Bandit (Ninja Tune, 2/23/10)

Jaga Jazzist: "One-Armed Bandit"

Five years have passed since we've heard the powerhouse melodies of Norway's Jaga Jazzist, the post-rock/"nü-jazz" conception of brothers Lars and Martin Horntveth.

One-Armed Bandit, immediately the group's best album, resembles symphonic prog rock, arguably a few steps removed from parts of Frank Zappa's expansive catalog and closer to countryman Jono El Grande's diverse and theatrical style.  This album, however, is much more cohesive than either of those comparisons suggest, and at times it is nearly overwhelming with grooves and harmonious refrains.

Rob Swift: The Architect (Ipecac, 2/23/10)

Rob Swift: "The Architect"

Turntablist/DJ Robert Aguilar, formerly of the X-ecutioners, has long utilized his love of jazz, R&B, and other musical movements to create compelling hip-hop instrumentals while displaying his tight beat-juggling skills.

The Architect is Swift’s foray into the classical world. In addition to a multitude of sampled styles and sounds, classical cuts comprise a substantial chunk of this Ipecac debut. Rearranged strings, organ, and horns often make the foundation of a given track, occasionally evoking high-tension Italian Westerns, as Swift’s scratches dance atop banging beats.

Rotting Christ: Aealo (Season of Mist, 2/23/10)

Rotting Christ: "Aealo"

For more than 20 years, Athens' Rotting Christ has traversed different directions on the metal path.  With its previous release, Theogonia, the group released a striking, original album that fused its dark sound to the ethnic sounds of its ancestors.

Like its predecessor, Aealo features female Benedictine chants, lingual pipes, and a medieval feel. Combined with dueling high-pitched harmonies and powerful guitar work, these new elements highlight an album that should be among the most original metal releases of the year.

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: Ali and Toumani (Nonesuch, 2/23/10)

Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté: "Ruby"

As two of Africa's most internationally renowned musicians, guitar legend Ali Farka Touré and kora phenom Toumani Diabaté have displayed impeccable abilities while integrating the styles of other cultures into their ethnic sounds.

Each Malian, the two collaborated for the acclaimed In the Heart of the Moon in 2005, shortly before Farka Touré's passing in 2006. Fortunately, the two set aside time to record new material before touring for In the Heart of the Moon, and the result is another beautiful set of duets that sees a posthumous release.

Throughout Ali and Toumani, Farka Touré roots each creation in melodious African-blues pieces. Diabaté's virtuosity accents each track in the form of fanciful scales, which at times evoke classical harpsichord passages, perhaps most notably on "Sabu Yerkoy."

Fang Island: s/t (Sargent House, 2/23/10)

Fang Island: "Sideswiper"

Mostly comprised of ex-Daughters, the good-time rock quintet Fang Island was one of the most quickly ascending bands of 2010, jumping onto tours with The Flaming Lips and Stone Temple Pilots following the release of its first full-length album.

The self-titled release is chock full of palm-muted and speed-infused indie-prog anthems, with über-layered vocal harmonies to go with a triple-thick guitar assault and distorted-bass bludgeoning.  It's one of those rare releases that feels absolutely radiant and thrashing at the same time.

B. Dolan: Fallen House, Sunken City (Strange Famous, 3/2/10)

B. Dolan: "The Reptilian Agenda"

Going way back with Sage Francis, rapper B. Dolan is a like-minded MC and slam poet whose style isn't terribly dissimilar to that of his long-time friend. Fallen House, Sunken City is Dolan's second full-length for Strange Famous, and it's full of the sociopolitical themes (if often in quick blasts or asides) and contentious delivery for which he's known.

In addition to some seemingly personal lyrics, Dolan takes passing shots at big business, taxation, the pharmaceutical industry, the concept of ownership of natural resources, the Israeli razing of Palestinian developments, and, among many other things, the so-called New World Order — dropping clips of Dick Cheney and George H.W. Bush in "The Reptilian Agenda."  On top of Dolan's socially conscious rhymes, A-list production by Alias makes this one of the year's top hip-hop releases.

Archie Bronson Outfit: Coconut (Domino, 3/2/10)

Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"
Archie Bronson Outfit: "Shark's Tooth"

With its warbled vocals and driving percussion, British psych-rock trio Archie Bronson Outfit is like a more adventurous Wolf Parade — as comfortable burning up the dance floor with clean, bouncy riffs as it is turning up the reverb and rocking in a garage.

Coconut is the band's first LP in nearly four years, and it kicks off with a crunchy, swirling guitar line and a hypnotic bongo-laden beat. Produced by DFA's Tim Goldsworthy, Coconut gets spaced-out and drone-like at times, but it always offers a hint of pop accessibility amidst the static and haze.

Download the inaugural podcast for This Week's Best Albums: October 12, 2010 and subscribe to the free podcast via iTunes or another application.

Dimmu Borgir: Abrahadabra (Nuclear Blast)

Dimmu Borgir: "Born Treacherous"

Dimmu Borgir: "Gateways"

Norway's Dimmu Borgir is one of the preeminent names in symphonic black metal, and it garnered particular fanfare from two of its most string-infused albums, Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia in 2001 and Death Cult Armageddon in 2003.

Abrahadabra, the band's first album in three years, is its most spectacular and elaborate release to date.  It features one hundred guest musicians – ensemble players and choir singers – helping make this a symphonic-black-metal masterpiece.

It bears a resemblance to Puritanical Eurphoric Misanthropia and Death Cult Armageddon, but whereas those albums featured large-scale orchestrations as complementary pieces, intros, or interludes, Abrahadabra intricately weaves classical flourishes into nearly every passage.  That’s courtesy, in large part, of composer Gaute Storaas, who arranged the orchestral pieces, but the overall spike in detail owes to the band not writing the album while on tour, which guitarist Silenoz said has led to lesser material.

If you enjoy black metal with orchestral additions — or just dark music in general — be sure not to miss this.

Sufjan Stevens: The Age of Adz (Asthmatic Kitty)

Sufjan Stevens: "Too Much"

In 2005, singer/songwriter Sufjan Stevens scored a major hit with Come On Feel the Illinoise, his most detailed album and the second installment in his "50-state project."  Last year he released The BQE, an instrumental soundtrack to his film of the same name, and it was even more elaborate and orchestrated than Illinois. But fans have been awaiting his first vocal-based release since Illinois, and now they have it in The Age of Adz (pronounced odds).

Longstanding fans should appreciate this more for being a great cross-section of Stevens’ career, mixing the electronic embellishments of his earlier material with the sophisticated folk of his latter.  It’s well balanced, with enough pop nuggets and layered complexities to attain a happy medium.

Atmosphere: To All My Friends, Blood Makes the Blade Holy (Rhymesayers)

Atmosphere: "Until the Nipple's Gone"

Led by MC Slug and producer Ant, Atmosphere has taken a steady ascent to indie-rap popularity.  The group's last album, When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, was a surprise for many, focusing more on live instrumentation than samples and ushering in a feel-good R&B/pop vibe to many songs.

To All My Friends, Blood Makes the Blade Holy is Atmosphere's newest pair of EPs, combined here as a long-player, and it's much closer to the group's roots than Lemons.  The live instrumentation remains — many songs are built around guitars and keyboards — but most songs hit hard, and Slug draws shades of yesteryear.

There's slide guitar and piano in "The Number None," which starts the final three (and poppiest) tracks.  The two songs that follow — "Freefallin'" and "To All my Friends" — are both singles but something of misdirections, as the dual-EP release has, by that point, well established a different vibe.

Circle of Animals: Destroy the Light (Relapse)

Circle of Animals: "Poison the Lamb"

Circle of Animals is a new project by multi-instrumentalist producer Sanford Parker (of Minsk) and saxophonist Bruce Lamont (of Yakuza).  It’s a tribute of sorts to Chicago’s industrial scene of the late ’80s and early ’90s, although it ties in influences from other heavy experimentalists such as Swans and Godflesh.

You have to dig songs that build in layers to enjoy this album, but it’s well executed, and any given track might really pay off four minutes in.  Lamont mostly handles vocal duties here, and Parker is responsible for most of the instrumentation, but the album features a great cast of big-name drummers, including Dave Witte of Discordance Axis, John Herndon of Tortoise, John Merryman of Cephalic Carnage and Secret Chiefs 3, and Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth.

Lamont's sister Kelly makes a great vocal cameo on "Poison the Lamb," a track that you can exclusively download at the newest installment of The Metal Examiner, our weekly metal column.

White Moth: s/t (Angel Oven)

White Moth: "Shoot the Clock" (f. Dälek)

Last week we wrote about Sailors with Wax Wings, one of the two new solo projects from Pyramids head honcho R. Loren.  It was jam-packed with guest stars, and now, in as many weeks, Loren releases his second such star-studded solo effort.

Like Pyramids and Sailors with Wax Wings, White Moth bests fits in atmospheric post-metal, but its tracks are more compact and structured more like traditional songs.  There also are much stronger glitch and digital-hardcore influences, and the latter is at least partially thanks to contributions from Alec Empire of Atari Teenage Riot and Ashley Scott Jones of Evol Intent.

The album — hopefully the start of a full-blown series — also has improvised sax work by Sam Hillmer of Zs, a guest rap by Dälek, and an appearance by Lydia Lunch.  If you enjoyed Sailors with Wax Wings last week but want something a little "firmer," pick up White Moth.

Yann Tiersen: Dust Lane (Anti-)

Yann Tiersen: "Dust Lane"

Remember Amélie?  A lot of people fell in love with the 2001 French romantic comedy, and its bustling soundtrack was a big part of that.  That music was by Yann Tiersen, a folksy French composer whose lighthearted pieces use a lot of accordion, violin, and piano but also glockenspiel, harpsichord, and toy piano.

Dust Lane is Tiersen’s first solo studio album in five years, and it’s also his first release on Anti-.  His earlier work was always very melodic and accessible, but this is a push in a much poppier direction, one that maintains some of the intricate accents but wraps them around basic hooks, often built with synthesizers and guitars.

And though Dust Lane is a song-based album, the tunes are structured unlike typical pop songs.  The one weakness is the final track, "Fuck Me," which feels embarrassing despite its serious end-of-the-world theme.  On the whole, however, Dust Lane is a great album and a new chapter in Tiersen's career.

The Gaslamp Killer: Death Gate EP (Brainfeeder)

The Gaslamp Killer: "Carpool Dummy"

A founder of LA's Low End Theory weekly series, The Gaslamp Killer is a dubstep DJ whose mixes and production credits have built his name as much as his own material.

Death Gate is The Gaslamp Killer's third EP, and though it reflects his eclectic taste with the samples on "When I'm in Awe," the five-song effort is a rather stripped-down drum-and-bass release, relying on big beats and spacey effects.

Many might prefer his spliced mixes or collaborations, but Death Gate portends great new solo material on the horizon.

The Black Heart Procession: Blood Bunny / Black Rabbit (Temporary Residence)

The Black Heart Procession: "Blank Page"

After a prolific start as a band, the gloomy, piano-driven sounds of The Black Heart Procession have been heard less frequently over the past five or six years.  Recently, at least, this has been partly due to the reunion of Three Mile Pilot, singer/guitarist Pall Jenkins' old band.

With a new Three Mile Pilot album — and Jenkins' similar vocal style gracing that as well — the release of the Blood Bunny / Black Rabbit "micro-album" should come as a grateful palette cleanser for long-time Black Heart Procession fans.

Featuring three new songs and five remixes, this release takes the group to a few new places.  The new songs go a little further – more guitar, different structures, etc.  There’s a nice contrast from the remixes, including one by Jenkins as Mr. Tube (one of his other endeavors) that gets noisy and samples some kind of PVC-tube instrument.

Blood Bunny / Black Rabbit maintains a nice balance throughout, and though it may not be the ideal starting point for a listener, it accurately portrays The Black Heart Procession without getting stale.

Honorable Mentions

Belle & Sebastian: Write About Love (Matador)

Free Moral Agents: Control This (Chocolate Industries)

Hauschka: Foreign Landscapes (Fat-Cat)

Intronaut: Valley of Smoke (Century Media)

Madball: Empire (Good Fight)

Jon Mueller: The Whole (Type)

Benoit Pioulard: Lasted (Kranky)

Sailors with Wax Wings: s/t (Angel Oven)

Sailors with Wax Wings: "Yes, I Have a Thousand Tongues, and Nine and Ninety-Nine Lie"

Led by vocalist/producer R. Loren, Pyramids emerged in 2008 as a compelling new voice in atmospheric post-metal via its self-titled debut on Hydra Head.  A collaborative album with "shoegaze-metal" duo Nadja followed in 2009, and now R. Loren has debuted the first of two new solo projects — due in successive weeks — that each feature small armies of standout guests.

Sailors with Wax Wings is the first of the two, featuring members of Swans, Krallice, Nadja, and Current 93 as well as solo artists such as James Blackshaw and Marissa Nadler.  Though a few contributions seem larger than the rest — notably the guitar presence of Colin Marston (Krallice) and Aidan Baker (Nadja) — nearly all blend into the greater aesthetic.

When combined, the contributions create noisy, fuzzy post-rock/metal with cavernous drum hits and epic qualities, reflecting influence from bands such as Godspeed! You Black Emperor and Mono.  In addition to his "textures," Loren is responsible for droning, echoing vocals, most of which float in and out like another instrument.

The second new project, White Moth, has a few similar characteristics, but it's much more electronic and varies more from track to track, featuring a few digital-hardcore tracks, an improvised sax solo, and a guest rap.  Check back next week for more on that.

Marnie Stern: s/t (Kill Rock Stars)

Marnie Stern: "For Ash"

In 2007, Marnie Stern broke on the scene with a debut that marked her as one of rock's most shred-worthy female guitarists.  The album, In Advance of the Broken Arm, also drew in listeners with her quirky vocals and the wild beats of Hella drummer Zach Hill, who has recorded in Stern's band since.

Like In Advance of the Broken Arm and its successor (This Is It…), Marnie Stern is a dizzying mix of rapid-fire finger tapping, Stern's falsettos, and some of Hill's most straightforward (yet untamed) beats.

This junior release is a bit more direct, however, and a few more of the freewheeling high-string riffs are underpinned by single power chords.  This isn't a new dynamic, but it's emphasized more, and Stern doesn't follow those high notes with her vocals as often.

Frankly, the material on Marnie Stern could fit on any of her three releases, but each album has gotten a little closer to perfecting Stern's style.  This one is as good as any to be introduced to her.

Dark Dark Dark: Wild Go (Supply & Demand)

Dark Dark Dark: "Daydreaming"

The vocal- and piano-driven chamber folk of Dark Dark Dark deftly balances commanding harmonies and melancholy melodies. The sextet’s music is beautiful and potent, but each tune has the potential to break hearts. (Think of a musical place between the dense indie folk of Mirah and the haunting sounds of The Black Heart Procession.)

Wild Go, the band’s second full-length, is another stunner, expanding on the instrumentation and breadth of The Snow Magic, the group's debut LP.  Led by multi-instrumentalists/singers Nona Marie Invie and Marshall LaCount, Dark Dark Dark uses Wild Go to flesh out the direction of Bright Bright Bright, an EP that was released in March.

Invie's vocals are particularly powerful, but they couldn't achieve what they do without the group's backing vocals or its variety of sounds, including piano, upright bass, accordion, banjo, and guitar.  According to Invie, it's Dark Dark Dark's most personal and open material — but regardless, it's the band's best.

Shad: TSOL (Black Box / Decon)

Shad: "Yaa I Get It"

Born in Kenya of Rwandan parents, hip-hop artist Shadrach Kabango — better known as Shad — was raised in London, Ontario, where he has attained quite a deal of success on the Canadian charts.  (His second album, The Old Prince, was nominated for Juno Award and a Polaris Music Prize, and TSOL — originally released in May — got as high as 24th on the Canadian Albums Chart.)

TSOL, now available in the USA, is Shad's third full-length album.  His vocal style exudes a bit of a Kanye West vibe, but his delivery and rhyme scheme also are reminiscent of P.O.S — who put out one of the best hip-hop albums of 2009.

Many of Shad's rhymes are lighthearted and reference anything from Kindergarten Cop to lychee bubble tea, but occasionally he references serious topics such as the Rwandan genocide and Obama haters.  And though one of his tracks falls victim to "I'm a great rapper" syndrome — the single "Yaa I Get It" — it's also one of TSOL's hardest-hitting and best tracks.

Many songs lean heavily on soul samples — particularly the first non-intro track, "Rose Garden," Shad's remix of / take on the Lynn Anderson song of the same name.  Cuts of soulful strings and horns are all over TSOL, partnering with a few scratches, electronics, and solid if unspectacular beats for Shad's rap verses and some sung/synthesized vocal choruses.

TSOL has similarities with some of the better radio rappers of the USA — Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli — but Shad goes toe to toe and delivers another album with some indie appeal.

Honorable Mentions

Clinic: Bubblegum (Domino)

Alain Johannes: Spark (Ipecac)

Mark McGuire: Living with Yourself (Editions Mego)

Mary Halvorson Quintet: Saturn Sings (Firehouse 12)

MiM0SA: Silver Lining (Muti Music)

Soars: s/t (La Société Expéditionnaire)

Tricky: Mixed Race (Domino)

Tom Zé: Estudando a Bossa (Luaka Bop)

Self-described as digital hardcore, White Moth includes the musicianship of Ashley Scott Jones (Evol Intent), Colin Marston (Krallice), Sam Hillmer (Zs), and Alec Empire (Atari Teenage Riot).

The debut self-titled album is due for release on September 28, via Angel Oven Records, and the project has premiered the song "And Clash and Clash of Hoof and Heel"with accompanying video.

In the works since June of 2009, this Stephen Crane-inspired project was co-produced and mixed by Colin Marston, and mastered by seasoned guitarist / electro maestro James Plotkin (Khanate, Phantomsmasher, OLD).  The playfully batik-esque cover art was done by David Tibet of Current 93, while design/layout was charged by Faith Coloccia of Mamiffer.

The track list:

1.  “Soft Gardens Near The Sun, Keep Your Distant Beauty”
2. “There Came a Drooping Maid With Violets”
3. “If I Should Cast Off This Tattered Coat”
4. “And Clash and Clash of Hoof and Heel”
5. “Yes, I Have a Thousand Tongues, and Nine and Ninety-Nine Lie”
6. “God Fashioned the Ship of The World Carefully”
7. “There Was One Who Sought a New Road”
8. “Strange That I Should Have Grown So Suddenly Blind”

The artists:

R. Loren- vocals / textures
J. Leah- vocals
Ted Parsons (Swans, Jesu, Godflesh) – drums
Simon Scott (Slowdive) – electronics
Aidan Baker (Nadja) – guitar
Colin Marston (Krallice) – guitar
Vern Rumsey (Unwound) – bass
Prurient (Dominick Fernow of Hospital Productions, Cold Cave, etc.) – noise / electronics
James Blackshaw (Young God Records solo artist, Current 93) – piano
Hildur Gudnadottir (Touch Records) – cello
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) – vocals
Jonas Renkse (Katatonia) – vocals
Marissa Nadler (Kemado Records solo artist, appears on Xasthur’s latest record) – vocals
David Tibet (Current 93) – cover art
Faith Coloccia (Mamiffer) – design, layout, painting, collage

Recorded at Southern Studios, the Latitudes series reaffirms the bond between studio, label, and individual artists with the opportunity to record spontaneous, collaborative, or experimental work in the studio in a one-day session.  The result is truly unique, offering a more personal and relaxed experience from bands to their fans.

The packaging itself is complementary of this, distributed in limited runs primarily through small independent distributors, mail orders, web shops, and retailers.  The artwork for each cardboard CD case is personally embellished by the bands and framed within a template by cult musician/designer Stephen O’Malley (Sunn O)))).  In addition, an artisan sleeve motif is designed by each band with an insert bearing the details of the session, along with a photograph from the tour or session.

Gang Gang Dance’s Kamakura consists of one 15-minute track, recorded in August of 2007.  The group blends genres from indigenous to familiar Western forms, celebrating organic sound with non-verbal communications.

Sky Burial, by Nadja, is a 38-minute, two-track instrumental CD recorded in September of 2009.  Appealing to fans of Sunn O))) and Pyramids, the two lengthy tracks are crushing yet ethereal, in the habit of the group's usual doom-infused "dream sludge."

Distribution for both recordings is limited to 1,000 hand-numbered, rubber-stamped CDs and 1,000 vinyls.  Previous releases in the series, as well as upcoming recordings, can be found here.

Heavy Trash: Midnight Soul Serenade (Fat Possum)

As Jon Spencer and Matt Verta-Ray unleash their third disc of old-school roots rock and rockabilly as Heavy Trash, the duo collaborates with a bona fide cast of contributors to create some of its finest tunes on a disc that expands its repertoire.

Accompanying organ is spread throughout Midnight Soul Serenade, an album that also contains splashes of piano on "Gee, I Really Love You," vocal gentleness and female vocal backings on "Good Man," vocal eccentricities on "Bumble Bee," Southwestern guitar and baritone harmonies on "Pimento," and low tones and acid flair on "The Pill," a tune evocative of Twin Peaks that tells its own psychedelic tale.

Top-end players Simon Chardiet, Sam Baker, Powersolo, Mickey Finn, Daniel Collas, and Those Darlins lend their good graces. If this kind of music piques your interest, pick this up.

Themselves: CrownsDown (Anticon)

After six years of silence (spent on countless other projects, many with each other), no-nonsense rap duo Themselves — Adam "Doseone" Drucker and Jeffrey "Jel" Logan — returned with a free "mixtape" earlier this year. Now the two have released their proper third album, CrownsDown, a sample-driven album that is both experimental and traditional.

The gritty, nasally intonation and rapid-fire delivery of Jel are slathered up and down the disc, which is based on hip-hop and dance beats and patchwork samples. Subtle founder Dax Pierson and 13 & God bandmates Jordan Dalrymple and Markus Acher make cameos.

Minamo: Kuroi Kawa: Black River (Tzadik)

Avant-violinist extraordinaire Carla Kihlstedt (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, 2 Foot Yard, The Book of Knots) and prolific classical pianist Satoko Fujii (Satoko Fujii Orchestra) spend much of their time on the outskirts of musical convention, combining their desired genres in whichever ways that they see fit.

Here the two create two worlds on two discs: one of dutifully recorded compositions and one of live, stream-of-conscious improvisations. Fans of experimental chamber music should dig this.

Honorable mentions:

Dave Douglas: A Single Sky (Greenleaf)
Jesu: Opiate Sun (Caldo Verde)
Mike Reed’s People, Places & Things: About Us (482 Music)
Jessica Pavone: Songs of Synastry & Solitude (Tzadik)
Pyramids with Nadja: s/t (Hydra Head)
Rupa & The April Fishes: Este Mundo (Cumbancha)
The Squirrel Nut Zippers: Lost at Sea
John Zorn: Femina (Tzadik)