Raving techno beat silliness still reigns supreme in the hearts of some, and thanks to Marijke Jorritsma and Gregory Zifcak it isn't hard to see why. With the help of some old synthesizers and other modified equipment, these two are breathing life back into the acid and ecstasy fuelled heart of dance music.

I listened to enough Frank Zappa and "experimental" music in the past to know that I typically hate bands that just talk or moan over their music. Even Captain Beefheart bugs me on that level, sometimes. Excepter, however, prove to be an exception to that rule. Paired down to a four piece, the group's sensitivity towards atmosphere and rhythmic dynamism prove to be more than winning qualities on Sunbomber and it was all recorded in just one hour.

This compilation is a showcase of contemporary French rock and roll. My first impression from it is that France has just discovered an up and coming band called The Stooges. All the bands featured play dirty, fuzzy garage rock to varying degrees of quality. The Kaiser Fucks the New French Rock demonstrates two things: the French are capable of rocking out and any band can play this style of music but only a few truly rock.

Contrary to what the title suggests, Jel's first solo full-length isn'tan overt political message (of any stripe), set to SP-1200instrumentation.  While Soft Money isn't socially ignorant—it hits on anti-commercialism as well as theever-relevant war on terror—the Oakland-based producer instead letswhat he can do with the sampler take the stage. For most, it's a savvymove—there's plenty to occupy the right ears. But be warned: in thewrong hands Soft Money  will be a snoozer.

Last year Richard James released eleven EPs over the course of a few months. The Analordseries was gimmicky marketing at its best. It looked like James wasspreading himself too thin, quantity over quality. This CD is acompilation of what James sees as the best cuts from the series. It’snot that inspiring and marks a step backwards for James.

There are no surprises here, but I don't suppose thelisteners of Growing are necessarily at the gates demanding precisely whatit is that the band's name teasingly implies: growth. This album could be The Sky's Run Into the Sea; it could be The Soul of the Rainbow andthe Harmony of Light. Up to this point, the realm of Elysian drones hasbeen well-trodden by this duo, but it doesn't hurt to retread some sweet-smelling fields or even lie down in the grass for a while.

This Italian duo has recorded a good debut album but have cursed it with a terrible name. Judah are industrial journeymen, they aren’t setting the world on fire but at least they’re getting the job of writing enjoyable music done.

As Wolf Eyes continue to swing between incredible ‘weird shit’ andtypical ‘black tar noise’ releases, their presently MIA member AaronDilloway is eclipsing his sometime cohorts. Under this new strictlycassette pseudonym, and many other aliases, he has been honing hisprevious abattoir dregs noise bursts.

It's strange that near-legendary techno producer and Pure Plasticfounder Mark Broom feels the need to put out records on BPitch Control, a labelwhose buzzword, bandwagon status seems to have peaked in recent years.  Explanation could be that the A-side of From London With Love is actually aremix of an out-of-print 7” track of Broom’s from last year on the UnxploredBeats label.

Emo vocals are to music as venereal diseases are to sex. St. Louis natives Derek Dobson and Josh Nissenboim might have had something going for them when they began recording this album, but their decision to include vocals can only be considered a lesson in how to spoil an already stumbling and poorly produced release.

This is the best metal album I’ve heard in years. Stuff your Mastodonsand your Opeths, Lair of the Minotaur stomp all over them. This is amajor change of opinion for me: I used to think they were no greatshakes but with their new album they have completely won me over.Heavily influenced by every great metal band, they have made a stomperof an album that is relentless.

This is the sound of post-rave culture chopped up and spitviolently back at the heads of those who remember what it was like totweet on whistles incessantly in a warehouse at five in the morning,but it's also a trip through Mathhead's unique headspace by way of hissampler. Mathhead'sdebut for Reduced Phat represents the most fun I've had with abreakbeat record in some time. 

Blackshaw might well have been outgunned by the more famous style-fusing traditional guitar players (e.g. Fahey, Rose and Chasny) in terms of recognition, but things look likely to be on the turn. After the 12 string sucker punch combination of Celeste and Sunshrine releases, this gatefold Important (and important) release consolidates his position as more than just an up-and-comer.

After nearly three years of relative incubation, Aereogramme hasresurfaced with a monster EP showcasing, in only 32 minutes, theirrepertoire of noise, affinity for technology, mastery of songcraft,lust for those heavy metal chords, and respect of beautiful pop.  Ifthat's not enough, Seclusion comes equipped with a music video,repeated (same video, different songs), directed by Steven Morrison andpaying homage to Japanese horror directors Hideo Nakata and TakashiShimizu.

Bubbles is justwhat I had hoped for this collaboration, only a debut in the most officialsense as Allien and Sascha Ring (Apparat) have been working together and sideby side for several years, on remixes, each other’s records, and helping runtwo of Berlin’s best label’s, Bpitch Control and Shitkatapult.  I’ve heard both artists evolve over the pastfive years and become more similar in sound.

Nearly four years after crafting Playthroughs Keith Fullerton Whitman is finally returning to the sound that practically defined his place among the masters of experimental music. Working again with processed guitar, Whitman has modified the setup used to write Playthroughs and come away sounding fresh and exciting once more. This time around the music is more prodigious and towering than ever, a wall of incandescent guitars backed by the flicker of digital starlight.

When I was 16, I saw the Spanish group Aina play for about 30 people insomeone’s living room in Washington, DC. It was the first or seconddate on what was to ultimately be their last tour of the States beforedisbanding. While this may seem like a somewhat random way to start offa review for another band, the experience nonetheless left animpression. Aina sounded like one of the best bands I had heard at thatpoint, boasting a full sound literally dripping with jagged hooks andan anthemic quality that recalled Jawbox–how was it they weren’tselling out clubs all over the place?

Homosexual artwork and unconventional approaches aren't enough to get me badmouthing the newest from Liars. Plenty of complaints have been unfairly leveled upon this now awkward trio, most of them having to do with the fact that the music sounds intentionally difficult and unfocused. Drum's Not Dead is devoid of shock tactics, however, and the music is a shimmering, chaotic, and surprisingly pretty mess.

Alex Neilson (Directing Hand, Taurpis Tula, the One Ensemble of Daniel Padden) and Frank Janiurek’s new project magnificently combines acoustic experiments, digital breakdowns, slow drone and vocal melody. This 3" CDR’s single 22 minute long track further reinforces the idea of free percussive playing as a thing of beauty, not of noise.

The last time around Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss delivered what everyone thought was their scathing political record. Reading interviews with them, however, suggests the band are far more personal than that and therefore more exciting and insightful. Quasi's latest on Touch and Go is stripped down, grittier, and perhaps just a little brighter than anything else they've done. Quasi may have found some room in their music for hope.