Sonic Flower is a side project of Japanese Band Church of Misery. Formed in Tokyo, their music is a mixture of stoner rock, psychedelic groove, funk, progressive and even doom metal. This is their first, and only, album so far, released in 2003. Really good album. Recommended for Kyuss fans!
Kang Eun Il is one of the world's most acclaimed Haegum artists and is regarded as the forerunner of crossover music, combining traditional Korean music with non-traditional genres. Ancient Futures, her debut album, combines various musical genres: traditional, classical, jazz and improvisation (used for soundtrack of Kim Ki-Duk’s movie “Hwal” - "The Bow"). She has greatly broadened the scope of her instrument, playing with famous musicians and orchestras both at home and abroad. Kang has long been interested in the possibility of bringing her instrument to a wider audience by experimenting with crossover music and this has led to her collaborative work on popular songs with a number of famous jazz musicians. Really beautiful, emotional music!
Lights Out Asia is a downtempo and post-rock musical project that was formed in early 2003 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Their music combines elements from electro, shoegaze and post-rock. Garmonia is their debut album released on Sun Sea Productions in 2003. Really good!
Rob Dougan, who started as Rob D, is a genre-blending music composer from Sydney, Australia, but now based in the UK. Mixing the sound of orchestral film music, the beat of club trip-hop, and bluesy vocals, he is only tangentially relatable to electronic music. He was known primarily for his 1995 breakthrough single “Clubbed To Death (Kurayamino Variation)”, popularized by 1999’s The Matrix soundtrack. It wasn’t until 2002 that he released his debut album Furious Angels in the UK. In 2003, it was re-released in a 2-CD album; the second disc provides the instrumental versions of the first disc. Great album!
Emery Reel is a band from Tennessee, USA, that play lo-fi/experimental post-rock music with some fair amount of noise and intensity. Their debut album (the only one so far), released in 2003, is absolutely brilliant! One of my favourite post-rock albums. Get it!
This 2003 album is already a classic! Four Tet is the name used by Kieran Hebden for his experimental electronic solo efforts, to differentiate from his work with the post-rock band Fridge. Hebden’s solo work typically utilises samples lifted from various sources including hip-hop, electronica, techno, jazz, and folk mixed with his own guitar playing. His music is notable for its rich, organic sounds and harmonious melodies as well as for eschewing the traditional pop-song format in favour of a more abstract approach. A must have!
Kammerflimmer Kollektief ("Ventricular Fibrillation Collective") is a German experimental jazz-electronica group characterised by soothing, throbbing soundscapes accented with disjointed sounds played by instruments such as the saxophone. Although the fragile rhythms draw heavily from free-jazz improvisation the final overall effect is closer to ambient electronica. This is their fourth album. Great band!
