Fog Songs

Thursday, 10 March 2022

Helen Gillet - Bangkok Silver (2020)

GENRE : solo cello, singer-songwriter, jazz, folk, experimental, Belgium,

RECORD LABEL : self-released

Here's a wonderful experimental cello singer-songwriter album that I randomly discovered on Bandcamp. Helen Gillet is a Belgian-born songwriter and surrealist-archaeologist. Her music is a beautiful and interesting mixture of folk, jazz, pop, funk and classical. I found this album to be very enjoyable and impressive, not only for its various musical stylings and superb cello playing - it's also an interesting mix bag of different moods and emotions. Gillet's songs range from introspective and melancholy, to fun and bouncy, to joyful and amusing, to experimental and strange. She sings in two different languages - English and French. I personally don't know which songs are originals and which are covers, but it doesn't really matter because she makes all these songs her own. I particularly love the first two songs.

I really wish she'd sort out the colour design of her Bandcamp page though. All that white text on white background is painful on the eyes, haha!

Stream/Download the album here :

https://helengillet.bandcamp.com/album/bangkok-silver

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Autumn Chorus - The Village To The-Vale (2012)

GENRE : alternative rock, post rock, experimental, indie rock

RECORD LABEL : AltrOck Productions

To describe Autumn Chorus as an ''alternative rock band'' is a terrible injustice...yet it's probably the simplest and easiest way to sum up their sound, so I'll stick to it for the time being. Autumn Chorus was a 4-piece British alternative rock band, led by frontman Robbie Wilson who sadly passed away in 2016. 'Village To The-Vale' was their first and last album, and a breathtaking masterpiece that most people will never hear...which I find tragic.

I try to refrain using the word 'epic' these days, because it's such an overused word...but I can't help but describe this particular album as epic. It's powerful and delicate, sweeping and intimate, progressive and melodic, melancholy and sweet....it's a beautiful work of art. Autumn Chorus combines the best elements of post-rock, indie rock, progressive pop and modern classical. Within the sound you will likely identify the post-rock guitar licks of Explosions In The Sky, the high fragile vocal stylings of Radiohead, some of the pastoral lyrical themes of Midlake, and the soaring orchestral majesty of Sigus Ros and Olafar Arnalds. It also features gorgeous guest vocal spots from Swedish singer-songwriter Thomas Feiner, the artist (Robbie's partner) Sephine Llo, and let's not forget their daughter, Constance.

Even though I never knew Robbie personally, my heart breaks every time I hear this album and think about the fact that he is no longer with us. He was an extremely talented artist and musician, and I'd have loved to have heard more from him. At the very least he left this masterpiece (and a few various singles) behind. For further listening, I also attached these wonderful singles below...

Stream/Download the album here :

https://altrockproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-village-to-the-vale

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Autumn Chorus - Long Goodby

Autumn Chorus - Snake In The Grass

Thomas Feiner & Fyfe Dangerfield & Autumn Chorus - The Rainbow (TalkTalk cover)

Sunday, 6 March 2022

Ukraine Charity Compilations (2022)

I decided to compile a list of charity compilations from amazing independent record labels around the world, who have all been working tirelessly to raise funds for Ukraine during this horrific global crisis, and have all done a fantastic job. Please consider listening to these great compilations and donating some money to an extremely worthy cause. Ukraine needs our help, and this war affects us all.

Ideally I should have posted this on Bandcamp Friday, but it's been a hell of a week, and I haven't been in the best headspace to blog...for obvious reasons.

I'm sure that there's a lot more great compilations out there that I haven't included in this post. If you know of any, just let me know and I'll add it to the list. These are just the ones I've been personally aware of.

You can check out the individual Bandcamp links for mission statements and further info. And please share this post with anyone you think might be interested.

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GENRE : bedroom pop, lo-fi pop, alternative folk, alternative pop, France, Slovakia

RECORD LABEL : Z Tapes

Stream/Download the album here...

https://ztapes.bandcamp.com/album/sending-sunflowers

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GENRE : ambient, dark ambient, drone, synthwave, experimental, new age, Czechia

RECORD LABEL : Binaural Space

Stream/Download the albums here...

https://binaural-space.bandcamp.com/album/blue-and-yellow

https://binaural-space.bandcamp.com/album/yellow-and-blue

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