
~An article by Jordan Volz
50) Natsumen | Never Wear Out Your Summer XXX!!!
Japan

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Natsumen
For almost thirteen minutes Natsumen
have one of the best albums in recent history. "Newsummerboy" and
"Atami Free Zone" explode out of the gates with unprecedented vigor and
a mix of free jazz and psychedelic rock. Think The Samuel Jackson Five meets The Mars Volta.
Natsumen's frenzied euphoria of sound is orgasmic -- a carefree spirit
blesses the band and propels the album to staggering heights. But then
things begin to fall apart -- "Pills to Kill Ma August" gets sloppy.
The track is considerably longer than the rest on the album, and a
large part of the song is spent unwinding the supernatural energy
gained during the first two tracks. By the time Natsumen emerges from
this process, the band is playing out of synch, but not convincingly. henrytennis
has executed this trick with much success, but Natsumen's lack of
focus, which was previously an assest, turns against them. Afterwards
the band never regains that stunning beginning, and Summer slowly grinds to a stop. Still, the first two tracks make this album unforgettable.
Second Opinion:
Natsumen is one of the most eclectic, energetic bands to come out of
the Land of the Rising Sun. Relying on big-band dynamics and rooted in
rock and jazz aesthetics, Natsumen deliver a driving force that can
best be described as contained chaos.
-Jerome Holeyman
Key Tracks: Newsummerboy; Atami Free Zone; Whole Lotta Summer
49) [nara] | EP #2
Canada

The Silent Ballet Wiki: [nara]
Whenever I see a two track EP, my mind replaces the word "EP" with
"Demonstration." Two songs is hardly enough time to accomplish
anything, but [nara]
is out to prove me wrong. The twenty-seven minute EP showcases two
tracks, both of which clock in at over twelve minutes in length, and to
further throw a wrench in the machine, neither is "epic" as we'd expect
from a guitar-oriented band. While listening to this CD, I'm intrigued
by the visualizations on my computer's media player. I have one of the
standard visualizations where the bars move up and down along with the
"intensity" of the song. You know, if you listen to Mono the meter is broken for half the song and then it's up to full capacity for the other half, and if you listen to a band like Caspian
it's on full capacity the entire time, etc... [nara] barely scratches
the surface on this thing. It takes a good twelve minutes before my
compter realizes that Escalade of Unconscious Fear is playing,
and by that time [nara] have had me in a tight coma for over five
minutes. "The Pills Arrive on Friday" is no less hypnotic with the
shimmering guitars, cascading symbols, and deep, echoing piano. The
visualization's inability to capture the performance is no less
upsetting than the listener's inablity to keep track of time while EP #2 is on. [nara] must be Canadian for "time-stealer." This one is tough to fight, just give in to [nara].
Second Opinion:
One potential criticism of [nara] might be that their songs seem to
lack direction, ostensibly never really going anywhere. However, that
would do the band a great disservice, as understatement is clearly one
of their key intentions. They're perhaps not the band to turn to if you
like your songs loud, heavy or lively. If, however, atmospheric,
minimalist music is your scene, then you could do far worse than EP#2.
-Richard White (Review)
Key Tracks: Escalade of Unconscious Fear; The Pills Arrive on Friday
48) Sparrows Swarm and Sing | O'Shenandoah, Mighty Death Will Find Me
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Sparrows Swarm and Sing
Here we have it, the long-awaited long player from Sparrows Swarm and Sing,
pretentious band extraordinare. Previously the band had been bullied in
school and called names such as "Sparrows, Swarm and Sing!" but the
abused are always stubborn aren't they? Sparrows show no signs of ever
relinquishing its strong GY!BE influence and offer up seventy minutes
of (almost embarrassing) GY!BE worship. On one hand this is
good: Godspeed no longer makes albums, so it was inevitable that
someone would step in to "carry the torch," so to speak. On the other
hand, as artists, is Sparrows satisfied with living in the shadow of
another? Surpassing the greatness of the Canadian collective is
physically impossible--not even Godspeed can surpass Godspeed--so any
attempt is futile. The logical thing to do would be to put a spin on it
(see The Ascent of Everest) and win over fans for a "creative
interpretation." In the end, Sparrows are a hit or miss. Some will love
the mimicry of the band, and others will despise the near plagiarism.
From a critical standpoint, the band is far away from acclaim, but that
never stopped anyone from establishing a large fanbase.
Second Opinion: Best known to critics for its epic orchestrated
instrumentation eerily akin to GY!BE, Sparrows Swarm and Sing and its
Magic Bullet debut O'Shenandoah, Mighty Death Will Find Me
exhibits a clear evolution in musical expression while not completely
losing its benchmark sound. Like new tentacles on the same old body,
the album maintains clear origins, but is now reaching out into new
depths as it utilizes a broad array of elements including folky
acoustic passages and vocal melodies, sparse clink/clatter, and some
paralyzing walls of sound that stray from the traditional post-rock
format, but still challenge the listener with perplexing intensity.
-Jonathan Brooks (Review)
Key Tracks:Across Canyons/Cannons; Warm Blood Within (Part II)
47) The Album Leaf | Into the Blue Again
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: The Album Leaf
Jimmy Lavalle's recent album was almost unanimously described as "disappointing" from writers here at The Silent Ballet. This is no small feat: In a Safe Place
is praised by many staff members, and there are several individuals who
will take opposing sides just for the sake of argument (you know who
you are...). But in all honesty, it's not that bad, just it's no In a Safe Place.
The electronic influence in the album is beyond cheesy -- many of the
samples sound low budget and amateurish. The album does shine when
actual instruments are played ("Wishful Thinking"), but there is far
too much synthesis for the album's own good. "Red Eye" is a confused
track, unsure of its place in the album and what exactly its seeks to
accomplish. The track progresses splendidly for several minutes and
then passes on the opportunity to go for the kill (in a variety of
ways) only to simply fade out with looped instruments and samples.
These types of songs are far from captivating, and this is not an
isolated occurrence. The vocal tracks are a nice change of pace, and
add some substance to the album, but inevitably just further isolate
the awkwardness of the remaining tracks. Into the Blue Again...I'd sure say so.
Second Opinion: It’s a shame that on past form The Album Leaf
have conjured imagery and beauty that almost transcends description
,“TwentyTwoFourteen” in particular, and although it would be remiss to
suggest that Lavalle et al are merely one-trick ponies, the description
seems all too apt far too often. And, ultimately, Into The Blue Again unfortunately perpetuates this critique - because “disappointing” pretty much does it justice.
-Alex Bradshaw (Review)
Key Tracks:The Light; Shine; Red Eye
46) The Hylozoists | La Fin du Monde
Canada

The Silent Ballet Wiki: The Hylozoists
La Fin du Monde is on the brink of being a wonderful album. The
problem being that perfectly good instrumental music is ruined with
wretched vocals ("La Fin Du Monde," "Hearts and Harps"). I can't really
blame them, because there's currently a plethora of Canadian indie rock
bands running around with horrible singers that receive a plethora of
praise from trendy music critics. But to put these tracks side by side
with songs like "Warning Against Judging a Christian Brother" and "If
Only Your Heart Was a Major Sixth" should be a crime. These songs go
straight for the heart and do not let go. The ten-piece collective uses
strength in numbers to achieve a unique sound, one filled with jangling
keys, soaring strings, and more vibraphones than your ears can handle.
All things considered, "La Fin Du Monde," or "The End of the World,"
doesn't sound like it's such a bad time, especailly for those with
selective memory.
Second Opinion: Whenever you
hear of a 10-peice band, you can't help but ask "do they really need
all those people?". In the case of The Hylozoists, the answer is heard
clearly in the music of their latest album La Fin Du Monde.
Leveraging as much talent as they can possibly find, they've captured
an orchestrated sound that beckons your attention. While many
instrumental bands have a clearly defined dominant instrument, The
Holyzoists shine in their ability to spread the table with a
smorgishborg of musical variety. If you're in the market for some good
ole fashion feel good music, then look no further than this album, it
should put a smile on your face no matter what mood you're in.
-Jonathan Carter
Key Tracks: Strait is the Gate; Warning Against Judging a Christian Brother; If Only Your Heart Was a Major Sixth
45) Moly | Hello Shut Up
England

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Moly
Moly's
new sound is shocking. This is not to say the music itself is
unbelievable, but rather that Moly was once a band that could rock out
with the best of them and then, with no warning whatsoever, it's
drifted off into the electronica department. I still haven't gotten
over just how different Hello Shut Up is to its predecessors;
Moly is now a combination electronica/shoegaze band, adding in scarce
vocals and keyboards and greatly reducing the time spent with guitar
and drums. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find passages where actual
drums are being played. While Hello Shut Up does contain many
great tracks ("The Last Night," "This is All A Dream") the release has
difficulties pulling itself together as a whole. No track sounds like
it needs to be cut, but there is glue missing from the album's
framework and as such it's not as rich a listen as other releases in
this genre. The album closer "One Million Tears" is the odd track on
the album, but also one of the more intriguing, as it combines old and
new Moly sounds into a rather nice whole. This opens the door for
future experimentation - will Moly be joining the ranks of Saxon Shore and God is an Astronaut on their next album? Only time will tell...
Second Opinion: I see no reason why Hello Shut Up
shouldn’t appeal to Moly fans both old and new; there is just enough of
the old-style Moly to keep existing fans happy, but their new style
demonstrates a hitherto unseen depth to their work and they deserve to
reach a far wider audience. Once upon a time, Moly might well have
wished they were Mogwai, and they certainly wouldn’t have been the only
ones. If subsequent Moly releases are as impressive as this one,
however, the roles may very well be reversed.
-Richard White (Review)
Key Tracks: Violine; This is All a Dream; The Last Light
44) Del Rey | A Pyramid For the Living
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Del Rey
Del Rey's
third album sees birth in their eighth year together as a band. This
Chicago quartet was playing aggressive instrumental stoner-rock before Pelican
had ever taken flight, but the maturity of the band has led them to
explore more exotic techniques, including world styles and electronica.
A Pyramid For the Living sheds off much of the band's western
influence, as is evidenced by tracks such as "Euphrates," but the band
doesn't forget its roots and often delivers crushing finales with
chugging riffs and dense, atmospheric cloudiness. "Olympic Mons" surges
with a strong rhythm section balanced by electronic noises and eerie
vocals. The track is anchored by terrific drumming that slices into the
heart of the song and watches the guitars swarm in for the kill.
Without a doubt, the most interesting aspect of A Pyramid for the Living
is the unorthodox song structures. The world influence relieves the
band of this stagnation and they're able to soar high into the clouds.
Second Opinion:
Del Rey’s greatest strength throughout A Pyramid For The Living is
their balance of technical prowess and song structure. At no point
during the album does a certain part become too long or repetitive, nor
do they ever veer into the world of free form wankfests...the
creativity and song-writing talent cannot be denied in these Midwest
rockers.
-Nick Brandt (Review)
Key Tracks: Olympus Mons; A Breif Struggle; Euphrates
43) We Vs Death | We Too Are Concerned; We Are Too Concerned
Netherlands

The Silent Ballet Wiki: We Vs Death
We Vs Death could be a flashier band, and after listening to We Too Are Concerned...
the listener gets the impression that it definitely wouldn't hurt. The
album is well-crafted and executed with relative ease, but this
suggests that the band wasn't challenging themselves as much as they
should be, almost as if they are settling for second best. "And How to
Translate It" sets the album in the right direction, with a strong bass
lead, clever interaction between the brass and guitars, and stellar
drumming. An album with this mathy/dub hybrid would be heaven to the
ears. After that the music becomes lethargic, losing much of the
momentum and finding comfort in restraining itself to familiar sounds,
while on occasion breaking back into inspired musical greatness
("(Yes!) We Went to Novgorod"). On the other hand, the smoothness and
easy-listening quality of the album set it apart from the more
frustrating instrumental works of their peers. That is an
accomplishment in itself, and yet an uneasy feeling remains. It's
likely that subsequent releases by We Vs Death will blow this out of
the water, but this is more than a suitable starting point.
Second Opinion:
The music avoids the traditional quiet-quiet-loud build-up and opts
instead for an unflustered, steady exploration of layered rhythm that
broods bit by bit, but never reaches that one, massive climactic point
that our ears know as bands like Mono or Mogwai. Rather, the tracks
here indulge in mini-bursts led by a cascading trombone, an antidote to
the anesthetizing of most instrumental pieces...These distinctive
tracks are something to experience, and while they may not shake the
Earth below your feet with a beckoning tremolo, they thrive as the
perfect cohort to prototypical days and moods
-Jonathan Brooks (Review)
Key Tracks: And How to Translate it; (Yes!) We Went to Norvogod; Fieldfire
42) These Monsters | These Monsters
England

The Silent Ballet Wiki: These Monsters
Now this is a what we like to call an up-and-coming band. Leeds based These Monsters
made a lasting impression this year with its Self-Titled EP, a
collection of endearing, passionate songs that are made unique by Bill
Clinton's favorite oral instrument. These Monsters are likely to be
remembered as "that saxophone band," as the instrument adds a fluidity
to the band's foundations which decentralizes the more traditional
elements of the band. Those with a penchant for the sax cannot go wrong
here; "Nice Day to Star a War" will be your new love. The rest of the
band sits on even terms with the saxophonist, neither dominating its
presence nor allowing it to be overcome by its jazzy meanderings. The
drumming often goes the jazz route as well, except for the climactic
moments when it falls into line with the rising guitars and settles for
a completion of the quiet/loud dynamic. These Monsters is a
taste of ingenuity from a country who has already produced so much
superb music in the last few years. These guys are on the rise; I
suggest jumping on the bandwagon before it's too late.
Second Opinion: I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is one of the most promising bands in the instrumental arena.
-Ryan Harig (Review)
Key Tracks: Nice Day to Start a War; Night of the Storm; Dust and Ivy
41) God is An Astronaut | A Moment of Stillness
Ireland

The Silent Ballet Wiki: God is an Astronaut
2006 was a pretty quiet year for God is an Astronaut, for the most part. This Moment of Stillness was one of the first releases of the year, and is a continuation of All is Violent, All is Bright,
instead of a new presentation of the band all together (I suspect, many
tracks were left over from the recording sessions). While All is Violent, All is Bright was predominantly an energetic, triumphant piece of art, A Moment of Stillness is much more somber and depressive. If it was the case that these tracks were part of the All is Violent, All is Bright
recording sessions, it makes sense that the band had removed them from
the album, as they would have disturbed the ebb and flow which so such
a pivotal part of the music. In their own right these songs are
interesting. "Frozen Twilight" transitions into the slower mode, and
the rest of the album is dense, ambient material. "Forever Lost
(Reprise)" takes on this new facade and fits well into the fold. A Moment of Stillness
is not the star of the God is an Astronaut discography, but it does
tide fans over until the new album, where we can expect the band to
return to its Irish throne.
Second Opinion:While
no subsequent track is able to touch the grandiosity found in the
opener "Frozen Twilight", the rest of the EP thrives by creating a
strong sense of cohesiveness hitherto only reserved for film scores.
With it's soaring melody and restrained cathartic releases, any young
film maker would be lucky to have A Moment of Stillness grace the background of their celluloid creations.
-Dan Wotherspoon
Key Tracks: Frozen Twilight; A Moment of Stillness; Elysian Fields
40) Belegost/The Sea Like Lead | Split
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Belegost | The Silent Ballet Wiki: The Sea Like Lead
This disbandment of both of these artists is a huge loss for the US. As Split shows, both artists were on the cusp of a great release. The Sea Like Lead with its classical rock interpretation of instrumental music, and Belegost
for its brooding, chaotic noisefest. "Nightwalker/Deergod" is the
highlight of the album, spending the better part of fifteen minutes to
introduce the stunning finale of "Deergod." The saddest part of the
band's breakup is that I was fortunate enough to see them in live
action this past year and the new material they were playing put this
track to shame. The first half of the split is a more contemplative
affair. The Sea Like Lead deal with minutia and subtlety; even though
the music has a tendency to get loud, the quiet parts are those that
are more intricately sculpted and polished. As is, Split will always stand as a testament to two bands who never received the respect they deserved.
Second Opinion:
The Sea, Like Lead may erupt out of the gates with two tracks
engineered to make you forget you know bands like Mono or GYBE, but it
is Belegost that steals the show in this split by taking the sounds of
the two aforementioned bands and making it undeniably theirs. Whether
you prefer your music to hit you short and sweet with the instrumental
stylings of a short distance sprinter, or lull you into a calm before
pummeling you through the final stretch like a marathon runner, this
split has something for you.
-Dan Wotherspoon (Review)
Key Tracks: Anticline/Syncline; Nightwalker/Deergod
39) Te' | If That is What is Being Thought...
Japan

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Te'
The Japanese love Te'. I've read some (roughtly translated) articles on Te', and they made it sound like this band is the second coming of Christ. If That is What is Being Thought...
is the band's debut album, released this year in the U.S. to support an
ambitious tour of the same country. Unlike nearly every other Japanese
band on the list, Te' could easily be confused for an American band
going by sound alone, as it incoporates a heavy math-rock foundation
into the standard guitar-rock setup of pedal pushing and exploding
walls of sound. There's not a huge amount of originality to be found on
this cd, but Te' play with such spirit and conviction that for a moment
we almost believe that they've invented a new form of music. "Existance
of Eloquence..." is the band at its best, rocking away like the The Clash had wanted us to. From what I hear Zankyo Records
has all sorts of plans to import japanese instrumental music into the
US to make our bands look amateurish. Te' might just be the start of
that invasion.
Second Opinion:
Japan’s Te’ are just another example of how those Asians just to love
to take influence from the West and make us feel bad by doing it
better...I really cannot stress how much this band rocks. I don’t mean
to say that this is the best album of the year, or that they are truly
breaking new ground, but it is certainly an upbeat, powerful, dynamic
breath of fresh air into the instrumental scene.
-Joseph Sannicandro (Review)
Key Tracks: Avarice Would Speak with Every Word...; A Real Immitation...; Existance of Eloquence...
38) If These Trees Could Talk | If These Trees Could Talk
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: If These Trees Could Talk
Ohio has long been known as a source of wonderful instrumental music: Six Parts Seven, Silencio, and Mortimur,
just to name a few, but people often overlook the fact that these bands
develop independently of the rest of the country's instrumental bands.
Six Parts Seven is one of the landmark instrumental bands in the US and
Silencio was/is so unique that it's scary. If These Trees Could Talk happily joins the ranks amongst their buckeye bretheren. Although their debut EP follows the HydraHead and Neurot school of thought, it's fair to say it's not a direct result as much as they share common influences: Pink Floyd, King Crimson, and other progressively minded rock bands. If These Trees Could Talk is certainly a rock
album, although the use of reverb and delay make the music very
amicable to fans of "post-rock" music. The band's potential is just as
large as its appeal -- with a solid foundation to build upon, If These
Trees Could Talk was a variety of viable options for its next record.
Second Opinion:
If These Trees Could Talk have an astonishing handle on how to go about
presenting instrumental music correctly, with a sense of a voice in
instrumental lines, tasteful use of distortion and technically
proficient playing. Repetition and delay on this release is used far
more effectively than the vast majority of instrumental bands. It would
be conceivable to call them a math rock band with soul and or a
post-rock band with an ability to play musical instruments properly.
-Marcus Whale (Review)
Key Tracks: Malabar Front; The Friscalating Dusklight; Signal Tree
37) Grails | The Black Tar Prophecies: Volume I, II, & III
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Grails
Looking back, the most entertaining part of The Black Tar Prophecies
is that the press release goes through the increasingly cliche
procedure of proclaiming that "Grails does not like to be called a
post-rock band," as if such a labeling is a death sentence. If that's
true, signing to Temporary Residence and securing a spot alongside Mono's 2007 tour is not the best way to go about proclaiming that you're not a post-rock band. The Black Tar Prophecies
was recorded after the loss of the band's violinist, and as such is
noticeably different than the previous two albums. Grails focuses in on
psychedelia and minimalist nodes of thought, as well as honing in on
the "live sound" during recording. At times Grails sounds like a folky
US band, at at other times they're trying really hard not to have any
western sound at all, but rather something middle-eastern or perhaps
Indian. These ideas aren't tied together particularly well and leaves
the album inconsistent--it sometimes sounds fantastic and sometimes
sounds forgettable. This was no doubt an ambitious project, for a band
who has rarely played a US show during its existence, it's not
surprising to witness Grails branching off in this direction, but the
initial steps are clumsy. If nothing else, The Black Tar Prophecies
gives us an indication of what to expect for the Temporary Residence
debut.
Second Opinion: The
Prophecies take the listener to new depths far below the soil of
traditional instrumental rock. Fuck the cloud-walking, gates-of-heaven
post-rock 2006 has put forward, the Grails toss your flesh aside like
the empty wrapper it is and rattle your bones with its mournful, carnal
ambience... Smitten with emotional seduction and instrumental
eccentricity, the completed Black Tar Prophecies give good reason to
the bringers of folk-gloom and their fans to poke their heads into the
light and rejoice, even if just for a moment, before burying themselves
again among the muddled beauty the Grails never cease to create.
-Jonathan Brooks (Review)
Key Tracks: Belgian Wake-Up Drill; Smokey Room; More Erosion
36) Mt. | Lethologica
England

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Mt.
Fortunately for Mt., they're much better at making music than keeping a drummer. After a string of EPs, Lethologica
is the debut album from the young English band. As a three piece, Mt.'s
sound is not one that attempts to blow the listener away by sheer
force. Instead, close attention is put on melodies and transitions, as
well as time-signatures and overall cohesion. In all these areas Lethologica
excels. The album does fall short in the drumming department (which, we
suspect, is due to the revovling door of drummers attached to the
band). Lethologica's drumming leaves something to be desired.
If the act picked up an additional guitarist the drumming would be less
of an issue--the added sound would do well to cover up the sloppy
drumming, but as a three piece the drummer must be able to hold his own. As a debut album Lethologica is a solid album and the future is promising for Mt., and with a bit of adjustment this band will flourish.
Second Opinion:
Mt. has created a solid album in Lethologica, but you can’t help but
feel that is has more to offer. Over the seven tracks and forty seven
minutes there’s a distinct impression that Mt. is holding something
back; it could produce so much more given the clear talent that is on
display throughout this album... Lethologica is packed full
of these moments of beauty, but still manages to embrace complexity
and, most importantly, keeps a friendly face on the music and remains
listenable.
-James Ould (Review)
Key Tracks: Decline Into Shadows; Worms and Coffee; Sense of Wonder Still Intact
35) Johann Johannsson | IBM 1401, A User's Manual
Iceland

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Johann Johannsson
Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson's
newest offering is a playful interaction of computer sounds and a
string orchestra. The album comes complete with a story of the IBM
1401, the first computer to enter Iceland in the 1960's under the care
of Johannsson's father, who doubled as an engineer and musician. His
father had used the computer to make simple melodies and recorded them
onto a tape before it was put out of comission. And thus we have the
basis of the album. It's a nice idea, but in the 21st century, well
after the creation of a little thing some call "electronica," an IBM
1401 is not going hold anyone's attention, except maybe the geekiest of
us. Luckily the large string orchestra carries the album, and although
the interaction between the computer and humans is novel, after
repeated listens it becomes rather trivial and is dwarfted by the
expansive orchestra. This is not bad, and probably is the album's
saving grace, but is clearly not Johannsson's intention. Regardless,
this is beautiful music, and that's all that really counts.
Second Opinion:
This album is a son's tribute to his fathers' pioneering work in
electronic music - so it seems odd that the choice was made to layer a
full 60 piece orchestra over the simple hums of the punchcard fed IBM
1401 instead of utilising the modern day electronic techniques his
family had a hand in creating. The decision was a wise one though
because the two styles blend seemlessly into a work of almost
unparalleled beauty. Johannsson has not only surpassed any expectations
held from his previous releases but may well have raised the bar for
modern/experimental classical music as a whole.
-Ian Nicholls
Key Tracks: Part I; Part III; Part V
34) Tim Hecker | Harmony in Ultraviolet
Canada

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Tim Hecker
Hecker's
forth album continues his journey through the abstract realm of noise
and digital manipulations (where else would he go?), this time at the
hands of the wonderful Kranky label. The appeal of Hecker is
that he takes things which are normally very uncomfortable on the
auditory system -- static, feedback, dissonance -- and turns this into
a comfortable presence. At the same time, with each release Hecker has
been deconstructing this approach and boiling it down to essentials,
generating the same effect with less resources. Thus, the layers
continue to thin themselves out with just a few lines being fed and
slowly the oceanic feel of Hecker's work reveals itself. Harmony in Ultraviolet
takes the next step along the journey and begins to associate these
disturbing sounds to nature itself, closing the gap between the digital
and the organic.
Second Opinion:
In a blissful, hypnotic vision of ambience, Harmony In Ultraviolet is
like sailing into a white light; not knowing anything the destination
or the journey, but understanding that at the end of this passage is
perhaps the most important goal imaginable. At times harrowing in its
simplicity, yet never less than compelling in its beauty; this is sound
that heaven makes while it's waiting for you. Show me another downtempo
release from 2006 that is Hecker's equal, and I will show you its
comparative mediocrity.
-James Ould
Key Tracks: Dungeoneering; Spring Heeled Jack Flies Tonight; Whitecaps of White Noise Part I
33) The Antarcticans | Teach Children: Fear all Teachings of Eternity, The Doom of Self and Nature
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: The Antarcticans
The last time we saw The Antarcticans
they were building up towering walls of noise and delivering
devastating blows to anyone who stood in their way. It's odd to me that
this band hasn't picked up more popularity in the last few years, as
the interest in metal and instrumental music has greatly increased
nationwide, but The Antarcticans' chilling rendition of it must be too
caustic for most to behold. Teach Children changes the band's
focus slightly and they tackle some weighty compositions. The
song-writing quality of the band has drastically increased since their
first release, and a track like "Escape Your Forever Thought"
demonstrates how well they've spent their last two years. An
experimental leaning has also surfaced in the band's work, such as in
tracks "Invention of Faith for the Exploitation of Earth" and "The
Ghost Trees and the Erase of Man." Teach Children is a phenomenal album; those who like their instrumental music metallic-flavored but are tired of the sea of Pelican and ISIS clones should delve into The Antarcticans.
Second Opinion:
Thanks to groups like The Antarcticans, the post-rock scene is alive
and well with some incredibly creative artists joining the scene.
There’s something to be said for having good influences, but it is way
more difficult to be an influence to others. Looks like these guys are
on the right path. -Nick Brandt (Review)
Key Tracks: Escape Your Forever Thought; 2000 Year Clearing of Peace; The Ghost of Trees and the Erase of Man
32) Clint Mansell ft. Kronos Quartet & Mogwai | The Fountain OST
England/United States/Scotland

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Clint Mansell
Clint Mansell and The Kronos Quartet go together like peanut butter and jelly, but I suppose Mogwai heard that Mono might have their name on more releases this year so they jumped onboard The Fountain. It's difficult to tell which is better, the movie or the soundtrack, but we're not a movie review site so I'll just say that The Fountain
is the best soundtrack of the year, and anyone telling you otherwise is
lying. While Mogwai's presence on the soundtrack is very thin, they do
make themselves fully heard when it counts, adding the exclamation mark
to the description "epic!" Case in point: "Death is the Road to Awe."
No one masters the distortion effects quite like Mogwai (a legacy they
will leave behind for generations to come), and the rough exterior
complements Kronos' soft interior quite nicely. After two outstanding
soundtracks (Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain), Mansell
will likely be a hot commodity in Hollywood for years to come. This is
good for us, especially if he continues to tap these wonderful artists
to play his music.
Second Opinion: Although Clint Mansell garnered critical acclaim for his prior collaborations with director Darren Aronofsky, it is with The Fountain
that he has achieved his greatest work. Performed by the Kronos
Quartet, continuing a relationship begun with Requiem for a Dream, and
with some help from Mogwai, this soundtrack augments the film
brilliantly. Make no mistake, however, these haunting melodies and
powerful arrangements are no less so on their own.
-Joseph Sannicandro
Key Tracks: Tree of Life; Death is the Road to Awe; Together We Will Live Forever
31) Helios | Eingya
United States

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Helios
Eingya is a well balanced album, and this is precisely why it succeeds. Keith Kenniff's
vision is pretty simple: loops, guitar, and some back beats -- that's
mainly what we're given. However, the versatility with which these are
used is stunning. Tracks like "Dragonfly Across an Ancient Sky" and
"Coast Off" are playful and provoking, whereas other tracks are almost
purely ambient ("Halving the Compass," "First Dream Called Queen").
Generally what Kenniff does best is incorporating organic
elements into electronic ones, using the loops as his guide to rewrite
what's already played and twisting melodies into new creations. This
process generally results in the aforementioned "playful" tracks where
the layers are more robust and restrict the listener's mind from
wandering as much as on the ambient tracks. Track order was given
particularly close attention, as the songs often anticipate the next.
Kenniff is onto some great ideas in Eingya, let's get him a few Hammock cds and see what he can do.
Second Opinion:
With the aid of just a guitar, some electronics and a whole lotta
talent, Keith Kenniff perhaps produced the most ambitious record of
2006; encompassing genres and trespassing soundscapes with a verve that
many of his peers have still to master. The eclectic beauty of his
third album, Eingya, is testament to this versatility; ambient in it’s
approach, though yawning and profound in its purpose, the record’s
heart is set to overkill - not in spite of its simplicity, but,
ultimately, because of it. The opener, “Bless This Morning Year”, is
worth the price of admission alone.
-Alex Bradshaw
Key Tracks: Bless This Morning Year; Dragonfly Across an Ancient Sky; Coast Off
30) ef | Give Me Beauty...or Give Me Death!
Sweden

The Silent Ballet Wiki: ef
ef's Give Me Beauty...or Give Me Death!
was my most anticipated debut album at the beginning of the year. The
band's demos over the last several years had been nothing but positive,
and it was looking like this Swedish band would be climbing to the top
of the post-rock world in no time. As it turned out, the album was a
bit of a mixed bag, with the newer songs dwarfing the old ones it had
selected to re-record for the album. The two reasons the new songs
shine through are because ef adds a violin to its arrangements and also
a male/female singing pair. Both of these do well to add variation to
the band's sound, which can get quite complementary of Explosions in the Sky
at times. The "ett"/"Hello Scotland" combo is a wonderful pair of
tracks where the band stakes out its own territory and presents a very
distinct vision of where they'll be going in the future. Let's hope
that they continue developing these good vibes and shed off the
influences of old.
Second Opinion:
Ef may be at their best when they make use of the addition of duel
male/female vox, which are unfortunately used sparingly, and seem
rather out of place when on considers them in context of the whole
composition...I think that this band has a lot of potential, and
hopefully will further explore the use of vocals, perhaps going in a
direction akin to Jeniferever, using vocals less sparingly and allowing
for them to become more integral parts of their compositions...Without
the cinematic intuition of acts like EITS or GY!BE to grant their
instrumental tunes direction, vocals can possibly transform this outfit
into something spectacular.
-Joseph Sannicandro (Review)
Key Tracks: Ett; Hello Scotland; Final Touch/Hidden Agenda
29) Adrian Klumpes | Be Still
Australia

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Adrian Klumpes
What could possibly be better than piano music? Answer: unconventional piano music. Adrian Klumpes, of Triosk and Pivot fame, cuts loose in Be Still,
his debut album, but by no means juvenile. In fact, it might just be
that something new that you've been waiting for. Klumpes recorded the
album in one five-hour sitting using one piano and thirteen
microphones. The focus of the album is almost solely on emotions --
every key Klumpes pushes corresponds to a neuron firing in the brain
and triggering an emotional response. The minimalist component of the
album aids in this journey, successfully anticipating the rising and
falling emotions of the listener and using this system of
correspondence to determine the next note. As such a short experiment,
this is not nearly a perfect rendition of Klumpes' talent at the piano,
but the open presentation of the album instills it with a humanistic
quality that is all too real. On Be Still, Klumpes shows that his mind is and endless well of creative ideas, there's no telling where he'll go next.
Second Opinion: Be Still
is undoubtedly something new and something special, hardly comparable
to much that has gone before it. Bassless, drumless, and timeless, the
medium of solo piano is yet to be explored so far in this direction,
using electronics and minimalist principles to create a collection of
pieces that challenge the listener to think, while encouraging them to
gauge with the highly emotional musical content... Be Still
is the start of something revolutionary at the cusp of new music,
popular music and jazz. As the world of music progresses into the
future, this is a vein that must be and will be explored.
-Marcus Whale (Review)
Key Tracks:Be Still; Exhale; Passing Rain
28) Your Ten Mofo | Things Change While Helium Listen to Everyone
Austria

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Your Ten Mofo
Besides receiving the prize for worst band name of 2006 (but not worst album title, we bestow that title upon Te'), Your Ten Mofo also wins the award for the "band most similar to Sigur Ros."
The first track does them in: undecipherable vocals, glockenspiels, and
meandering ambient guitars. Strings are later added to the recipe and
Your Ten Mofo gets cooking in "I Think We're Alone Now," which holds
our attention until the end of the album, complete with the reverse
button we love to hear in this setting. There are some distinct
differences between Your Ten Mofo and Sigur Ros, however. The latter is
quiet found of triumphant compositions -- ones that have a clearing
effect and close the book on a track. While it does employ quiet/loud
techniques, Your Ten Mofo is not as commanding as Sigur Ros and the
songs linger long after they've finished. This leads to the second
point: the songs on Things Change... don't really finish, and
they aren't really songs. The album is one large work, broken up for
consumption purposes, but the idea Your Ten Mofo tries to convey is
that the "tracks" are bleeding together to form one body of art.
They've sold me, but the lovely sound that Your Ten Mofo is capable of
making makes it an easy decision.
Second Opinion:
There are only two tracks worthy of significant discussion; the epic "I
Think We’re Alone Now” and the equally brooding “Glamorous Thoughts
Thought In A White Arctic Body Behind Someone Alone”. Both of which
exhibit a benevolent verve and an astute understanding of the creation
of such ambitious tracks. Their empirical grace, however, does
irretrievable damage to the mood of the record; the rest merely feels
‘attached’ to these two songs.
-Alex Bradshaw (Review)
Key Tracks:
I Think We May Be Alone Now; Glamorous Thoughts in a White Arctic Body
Behind Someone Alone; Rewind and Begin to Leave Used Thoughts Behind
27) Mandelbrot Set | All Our Actions Are Constantly Repeating
England

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Mandelbrot Set
Over the summer Mandelbrot Set
came out of nowhere, released and album with almost no press, shortly
thereafter announced they were breaking up, and then retracted the
statement a few weeks later. This roller coaster ride can be directly
compared to the band's music, which follows the mindset of like minded
UK artists like (old) Mogwai, (old) Moly, and (old) Upc Downc.
Mandelbrot Set is a trio who has full intentions to get loud and messy.
This is quite a surprise, considering that most of the band members are
classically trained musicians, but it just goes to show that when
you've got the post-rock bug there's nothing that will cure it like a
little reverb. All Our Actions Are Constantly Repeating bursts
out of the gates with the electrifying "And the Rockets Red Glare,"
leaving a symphony of distortion in its wake and then transitions
between pleasant, ambient tracks ("Constellation of Rings," "His Hands
Were Too Small...") and epic, jaw-droppers ("Seismic Waves Travelling
Through," "Benoit B. Mandelbrot"). "Benoit B. Mandelbrot" is the star
of the album, marking one of the better "guitar-rock" songs of the
year. If Mandelbrot Set holds true to the album title, they'll been
producing great music for several years to come.
Second Opinion:
The talent that these guys possess shines through blindingly
throughout....The songs on All Our Actions Are Constantly Repeating are
full, upbeat and technically well-executed, yet listening to the album
becomes tiring long before the final note is played...A bit more work
pushing musical boundaries, and this talented band could've had a
monster on their hands.
-Dan Wotherspoon (Review)
Key Tracks: And the Rockets Red Glare; Benoit B. Mandelbrot; His Hands Were Too Smal...
26) Miaou | Painted EP
Japan

The Silent Ballet Wiki: Miaou
In between albums, Miaou takes the time to release a collection of five new songs and three remixes, calling it the Painted
EP. With these things, I always get the impression that the band is
attempting to lure foreign labels into distributing their goods, and it
must have worked because Miaou is a recent edition to the Darla lineup (ft. Hammock). Anyone who's familiar with Miaou will know what to expect from Painted
- a collection of laid-back songs with repetitious compositions and
electronic undercurrents. The new tracks by Miaou are more polished
than Miaou tracks of old, which were often too ambient for their own
good. Painted is able to sustain an organic component to the
music which is offset by the electronic sounds revolving around the
soundscape. "Anything Goes" and "Airship" are particularly strong while
demonstrating that Miaou packs enough variation to keep a nine minute
song sounding fresh. Instrumental remixes are always risky, but again Painted excels, with the standout track being the lovely contribution from Australia's Qua. What's up next? Hopefully a U.S. tour.
Second Opinion:While
rooted firmly in the post-rock genre, there are elements of ambience
and electronica prevalent on Painted, and it mixes together rather
nicely...Miaou are not going to break any boundaries with this release,
but you get the feeling they never wanted to.
-James Ould (Review)
Key Tracks: Anything Goes; Airship; On A Sunday (Qua Remix)
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