Deth P. Sun

What? I've never posted work by Deth P. Sun before?

James Gulliver Hancock

Helm - Impossible Symmetry

This is the first I've listened to Helm, but it won't be the last.  Releasing an album last year on Kye and this year on Pan, Luke Younger (Helm) has positioned himself on the two best experimental record labels anywhere.  After listening to Impossible Symmetry, it's easy to see why.  Heavy, scathing drones and found sounds, muddled up and regurgitated.  Think Amateur Doubles painted a few shades darker. 

Cowboy Henk by kama & seele

Ferris Plock

Seo Kim

Chris Rehm - (i found an) Elephant Ring (and gave it to you)

If Phil Elverum were still young, and a Microphone, and were he actually Sean McCann, he would be Chris Rehm.  And Chris Rehm is himself, so that's unnecessary; anyway, (i found an) Elephant Ring (and gave it to you) is everything dream pop was working towards, but could never, not quite, or at least that's what I'd hoped Benoit Pioulard might've pulled off (but didn't), then Rehm came along, and's been making the records I've always wanted to listen to.  Pure gorgeousness.  And belonging much higher than where I placed it, on this list.
   

Wolfgang strutz. Wolfgang sings Hymns.

I won't lie, I feel somewhat obligated to post this album of forest-baked gospel music.  It's like theme music for FG.  Happily, however, it's quite lovely, lightly experimental, toy-ish, enchanting, and indicative of weird-folk luminaries like Vashti Bunyan, or Joanna and Devandra circa 2004.  All good things.  It flies by rather quickly, though.  Fortunately she has another record--a companion of sorts--that she released in February.  And both freely downloadable.  Good stuff.  Great.

Susie Reiss

First Dog to Visit the Center of the Earth - Corecore

First Dog (to Visit the Center of the Earth) finished Corecore late last year and--Cinderella--it was released this year by Debacle Records.  So congrats First Dog and congrats Debacle, because Corecore is phenomenal.  First Dog (aka Jack Rodriguez) has been pretty prolific since starting FDVCE and has produced a lot of amazing music, but for my money Corecore is his finest achievement.  The album is incredibly imaginative and weird and everything that is great and lacking in most beat-driven electronic music.  It stands shoulder to shoulder with genre gods like Matmos and Mouse on Mars at their best.  An album I'll most certainly be mentioning again come list-making time.

Tom Gauld's "Some Advice on How to Cope in These Tough Times"

Stolen from The Guardian, Tom Gauld's contribution to "A cartoonist's worldview."  Follow the link to see additional contributions from Kate Beaton and Luke Pearson, among others.

Arcing - Doubt

I've tried never to be possessive of bands that I like, but back when Erin and I were only dating, I got Tiny Hawks' miniature masterpiece, Fingers Become Bridges, and, while listening to it for the first time in the car, driving between my house and hers, swore her to secrecy.  No one could know about this band besides us.  Oh, high school: the ridiculous things we think and say (though I'm pretty sure I was graduated by time this happened).  Anyways, after putting down the Tiny Hawks moniker, the duo is back, and with two additional members to boot, renamed Arcing.  And Doubt, they're debut 12" is out now on Corleone.  And it's for the everyone: