An article by The Silent Ballet Staff
20) The American Dollar | A Memory Stream
United States
 
Self-Released
Returning fans should revel in the recent developments found on the soaring and introspective A Memory Stream. The American Dollar takes their signature sound and extracts the best parts to assemble something new and exciting, even for an established genre favorite. The album is decidedly more experimental than the band's earlier work, freeing them from the rigid formulas that dragged down previous releases and unearthing a hidden gem underneath.“Starscapes,” for example, holds its own for thirteen minutes and takes many unexpected twists in its lengthy progression -- a success of no small proportion. The American Dollar is a rising star; A Memory Stream is merely a short stop on their way to the top. (Brendan Kraft)
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19) Sgt. | Stylus Fantasticus
Japan
 
Penguin Market
With a compositional style indebted to the post-rock scene and a sound that seems to come equally from Boris, King Crimson, and Mogwai, Sgt. managed to create a record that simultaneously pays homage to its predecessors and also resembles nothing else on the market. Strings sing, the saxophone squeaks wildly, drums skip between rock grooves and breakbeats, and all is synthesized into a well-oiled machine. The crux on the album is the fine balance between risky, experimental music with the utmost precision of highly technical musicians. At times beautiful, at times dancey and upbeat, occasionally even contemplative, Stylus Fantasticus is a record with many facets, each one sincere and masterfully presented. (Lee Stablein)
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18) Il Rumore del Fiore di Carta | Fallen
Italy
 
Self-Released
Not only do Il Rumore Del Fiore di Carta have the coolest name ever, but they are also an incredibly talented band. Fallen often gives the impression that the band is unsure of which direction to take, but a thorough analysis of the album reveals that there's more to the subject than what meets the eye. Soon the listener realizes that it’s not the destination that matters, but rather the journey. The band's blend of psychedelic rock, post-rock, and dream-pop, as well as their tendency to often switch moods from melancholy to jubilance, make for a very tasty treat. Fallen is a journey that always has something new to offer, and Il Rumore del fiore di Carta spin a powerful narrative. (John Kontos)
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17) Evan Marc + Steve Hillage | Dreamtime Submersible
United States/England
  
Somnia
Experiments in dance music tend to be hit or miss. Rave culture has left a healthy portion of the EDM world still obsessed with DJ’ing (which is not necessarily a bad thing). Thus, the desire to create danceable, club-oriented beats that still have substance is a major part of the electronic music aesthetic. Evan Marc and Steve Hillage come together on Dreamtime Submersible to create the definitive minimal dance album of 2008, similar to what Gui Boratto did last year with Chromophobia. Get lost in “Hypnagogue” and see why these are two of the most talented producers in the game. (Jack Britton)
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16) Troubles | Wolf
England
 
Self-Released
Seldom before in the history of music has a successful Top 40 group reinvented itself as a non-commercial enterprise and triumphed. Rising from the ashes of Hope of the States, Troubles is a true marvel, a band that has finally come into its own. Wolf plays out like a spaghetti western, a mélange of mariachi horns, bordello violins, and saloon guitars. Occasionally a glockenspiel wanders into the bar, sees the guns, and politely backs out. Many bands have attempted to capture a Morricone vibe, but few have sought to lasso it and drag it into the new century. Wolf represents not only the rejuvenation of a band, but of a genre. (Richard Allen)
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15) Beware of Safety | dogs
United States
 
Mylene Sheath
There has been no lack of guitar driven post-rock albums the past few years, but very few stand out as special. Beware of Safety’s first full length checks all the standard boxes, but what sets it apart is the abundance of addicting melodies. Whether it’s a quiet or loud part, or even one of the band’s explosive breakdowns, there is always a memorable melody leading the way. The guitar tones on the album are exceptional, as is the production. We can almost feel the grind of the amp’s overdrive on the powerful “Circa.” The composition on the album is also outstanding; each section is perfectly sculpted to suport and emphasize the other parts of the song. Beware of Safety have crafted a masterful debut, and I can only see them growing from here. (Brenton Dwyer)
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14) Anoice | Out of Season
Japan
 
Ricco/Self-Released
With their second release, Anoice have crafted an effort that, much like Remmings, has the ability to transport the mind to uncharted territories. The soft and subtle ways that originally caused many to fall in love with the band are still present, and those who give Out of Season a devoted listen will not be disappointed in the least. The album is filled with beautiful instrumentals that complement one another perfectly, easily becoming much larger than a merely a sum of its tracks. Transporting the listener from cloud-nine down to a more realistic place that allows one to simply sit and contemplate the important things in life, Out of Season is an album that deserves all the praise it has received. (Erich Meister)
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13) Peter Broderick | Float
England
 
Type
Remarkably, Float is only one of two strong releases from Peter Broderick during the calendar year. Strings, banjo, and subtly placed field recordings are added to complement Broderick's exceptional minimalist piano style. This is an album built on reprise, and developing upon a theme is an area where Broderick excels. The gorgeous piano melodies delivered on Float tug at the audience's emotions and linger long afterwards. Broderick's compositions are fresh and memorable, a true testament to the artist's creative mind. In just twelve months this twenty-one year old has amassed quite a back catalog. Imagine what he could achieve in his lifetime. (Brenton Dwyer)
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12) Akira Kosemura | Tiny Musical
Japan
 
Shole/Self-Released
The first time I listened to Tiny Musical, I was about four hours into a six hour drive. That’s an odd point in the time span of any road trip: too late to still be excited about the drive, but too early for the anticipation of arrival. I was struck with a type of moving cabin fever, a desire to do just about anything besides sitting in the car and staring blankly at the horizon for another two hours. Yet, this is the perfect mindset for Tiny Musical. Akira Kosemura, the Japanese master of piano-electronica, understands the anxiousness of moments like these and wrote an album that soothes and relaxes, before elevating to giddy new heights. This is a record about transcendence, tiny or otherwise. (Tom Butcher)
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11) Emanuele Errante | Humus
Italy
 
Somnia
Not to be confused with the delicious chickpea-based dip, in the natural world humus is the amorphous organic matter resulting from the decomposition of soil residues. Dull as it may sound, it’s surprisingly complex and useful stuff, and it makes a wonderfully fitting title for this release by Emanuele Errante. A proponent of the minimalistic school of constantly and subtly evolving ambience, with Humus he has produced an album of breathtaking maturity and intricacy which stands up to repeated and attentive listening even better than it does to a less intensive approach. With two accomplished works under his belt, Errante is in prime position to inherit the torch in the ambient genre; in fact, it's already his for the taking. (Fred Bevan)
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