CAT5

Edit: Message deleted

Hey guys,
 
I have been thinking about the differences in how acts seem to grow or be hindered by record labels... I don`t know the whole story of course, but off my observations:
 
Artist Growth:
 
I really think Danger Crue is the GOAT label right now, all of their main active acts are growing, even newer acts like UNiTE and DIV have been skyrocketing to popularity, Kameleo and ALSDEAD are becoming more prominent fast, and Girugamesh has made a MONSTER comeback (I never was that into them, but INCOMPLETE and MONSTER have been on loop at full blast since they came out for me).
 
On the other hand, a lot of PSCompany`s bands are either going stagnant or downhill.
I don`t know the story behind Alice Nine, but I don`t like their new stuff at all, pretty much since 9 (didn`t like half of it). And KRA, despite gaining what I think is one of the best guitarists out there now (my personal favorite) Taizo, have not really grown, despite putting out a huge amount of great material, including their last album, which they were forced to record in ONE DAY (except the track with piano arrangement done by a session musician, which they got one extra day for.
 
I think Kra should be one of the premiere VK bands now, but they haven`t had a chance to grow. When Taizo left Zoro for KRA it was supposed to be a huge jump for him because KRA are on a slightly major deal, but they really aren`t given the support they should have.
 
Youtube Channels:
 
DangerCrue puts up pretty much every PV in great quality, has comments enabled, puts up all sorts of teasers and comments, and listens to the fans. (When DIV was uploaded out of sync people commented and Danger Crue fixed it).
 
PSCompany takes down most PV`s of bands, and uploads hardly anything. When they do, they upload multiple 30 sec. videos that could have been put together as one, just making  a hassle for fans. I guess they think it will hinder sales to give away PV`s that come with physical copies, but I disagree, esp. when you can`t even follow a band properly.
 
Company Image:
 
Danger Crue seems to be getting more and more loved. Their acts also have a sense of unity, and when you are a fan of one, you end up learning about the others.
 
PSCompany is hated by many, there are conspiracy theories and tales of artists not allowed to have relationships, etc... 
The way they are set up is really disjointed due to the size of them, and there isn`t really one place to hear them all.
 
All in all, there are artists I actually wish went to Danger Crue instead of PSCompany, such as BORN and KRA (on a major deal with DC managing, like MuCC).
 
What are your thoughts on these two labels, and other labels such as Resistar, BandAid, etc?
 
 
 

downy remix album will be released at 2014/03/19 (2,625yen), which will include remix songs of their album (so-called "第5作品集『無題』") released at 2013/11/20
 
[participating artists]
Fragment
やけのはら(yakenohara)
Olive Oil
Geskia!
SUNNOVA
石橋英子(ishibashi eiko)
Ametsub
mergrim
DJ ATSUKI
etc.

NON-JAPANESE PICKS:

Cant wait to check out this list... your choices are always soo good to try out

I like the Japanese list and happy to see Ichiko Aoba, Abe Fuyumi, and 88kasyo Junrei, among others.
 
But I'm focused more on the non-Japanese releases, because I feel like I didn't listen to enough this year. I've already listened to a few of these like AlunaGeorge, Toro y Moi, and Buke and Gase.
 
Loved the previews for these artists and I'm gonna check them out later: Blood Ceremony, Braids, Esmerine, Frande, Rose Windows, Ross McHenry, SPC ECO, The Internet. I hope I enjoy them as much as you did!

Really enjoyed both lists. Actually downloaded some of the songs.

why is this almost always the case =/
 
Kinda like that geek sheep sleep or whatever...the band that 345 from rin toshite is in...they couldn't be more meh sounding...

NON-JAPANESE PICKS:

CAT YOUR BOLD IS LEAKING!

Anyway, great list! I can alway see where our tastes line up and where they differ. I might have to try out a few of these artists on that mixtape that you haven't gotten back to me about

I love you and I love the list to the point where I shouted "YEEESSSS!" upon seeing the topic yesterday--loud enough to make both my brother and mother snapped back at me in annoyance because they were still sleeping; which I believe doesn't come off as a surprise. So many feels... There's also Dirty Androids! <3 I already have like half of the albums you mentioned on your non-Japanese list (all thanks to the hours spent on extensive stalking and whatever) and I shall also give Play Dead Season, Raizen & Lycoriscoris a try. Haven't gotten around to listening to the new Kamomekamome as their previous release wasn't particularly memorable... but I agree with Heaven in Her Arms / COHOL split especially; HIHA's a hit-and-miss and yet the release was filled with awesome badassery.
 
I am letting you know I am ready to feel you. ♫

The Non-Japanese
 
 

 
Arbouretum - Coming Out of the Fog
 
What is it?
I have seen all sorts of genre labels put on this band. Folk rock, doom folk, psychedelic rock, stoner rock, indie rock, alternative country. Make your pick.
 
Why do I like it?
Having never heard of this band before, I just tried this album on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. It's a very laidback album full of melancholic atmosphere and expressive guitar riffs. Some songs are more on the doomier side, while "The Promise" in particular gives me an inexplicibly David-Bowie-feel, probably due the vocals. Absolutely worth mentioning is also the slow, folky and country-esque "Oceans Don't Sing", because it's simply beaitiful. Basically, if you like any or all of the genres mentioned above, you should give this a try.

 
 

 
Corde Oblique - Per le strade ripetute
 
What is it?
A (neo)folk project from Italy. "Ethereal" and "neoclassical" are also words used to describe them, and they call themselves "Progressive Ethereal Folk".
 
Why do I like it?
Because they simply make stunningly beautiful music. The main head behind the project is guitarist and composer Riccardo Prencipe, the vocals are female for the most part though and in usually in italian. The music is based on accoustic guitars, doleful violins and expressive vocals, sometimes accompanied by a piano. And some of their melodies are just heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I can specifically recommend "Averno", "Bambina d'oro" (for the amazing violins) and "Ali bianche" (nice "dramatic" drums).

 
 

 
Kauan - Pirut
 
What is it?
Started out as black metal band, then moved more into doom metal and finally became something of an ambient post-rock band. The new album something in between the latter two.
 
Why do I like it?
This was probably my most expected album of 2013, and boy, it did not disappoint. Although it almost didn't came to pass, because while main composer Anton Belov was working on the album in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, an asteroid exploded over the city, causing damage and delaying the production of the album, while also influencing parts of it (notice the cover art and the sound effect in the sample at 0:34). The whole album is written as one song (although divided on the CD for more convinient listening, but the seperate "songs" are just numbered I - VIII). Within this song of 39 Minutes the band explores some of their roots with harsh vocals and a strong doom metal feel, but also include their later, more ambient sound with accoustic guitars and beautiful violins and piano. So while it's technically one song, it never gets boring or repetetive. And yeah, they sing in finnish, although the band is actually from Russia and Ukraine.

 
 

 
The bianca Story - Digger
 
What is it?
Indie-rock band from Switzerland that incorporates fragments of post-rock mixed with portions of new-wave.
 
Why do I like it?
Another random discovery I made this year that turned out to be quite enjoyable. "Digger" is a catchy, playful album that incorporates a good amount of variety, from the slower post-rock-ish "Crescendo" to danceable songs like "Glück macht einsam", and everything inbetween. In particular I like the use of two vocalists, male and female. The deep, earthy vopcals of Elia Rediger mix very well with the sweet soft voice of Anna Gosteli. If this sounds like something you can enjoy, you can download their album  for free on their homepage. The production was financed via crowdfunding with the explicit intent to make the album availible for free.

 
 

 
Týr - Valkyrja
 
What is it?
Folk metal, broadly speaking. Týr use clean vocals only and they do not employ any "traditional" folk instruments like flutes or bagpipes. Depending on song and release the music can tend towards progressive, power or heavy metal, the folk influence mostly coming from incooperating traditional melodies.
 
Why do I like it?
Týr has yet to disappoint me. Granted, my favourite release is still their Ragnarok album from 2006, but this is probably favourite release since then - and the albums inbetween were definetely not bad at all! On "Valkyrja" they once again demonstrate their strongest feature: incredibly catchy melodies. Even months after the release I still find myself with bits and pieces of "Another Fallen Brother" or "Lady of the Slain" stuck in my head. Their songs can be extremely straightforward, like the opener "Blood of Heroes", or progressively playful like "Hel hath no fury" (which gets bonus points just for that title). They aren't exactly re-inventing themselves with this album, but they delivered what I expected from them: great, addicting metal. And I still giggle when Heri sings about his "flute" in "Mare of my Night".

 
 
Other things I liked (alphabetical):
Ancient VVisdom - Deathlike
Amon Amarth - Deceiver Of The Gods
Ereb Altor - Fire meets Ice
Layla Zoe - The Lily
 Lilly Dahab - Huellas
Månegarm - Legions of the North
Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
The Monolith Deathcult - Tetragrammaton
Turisas - Turisas2013
Vali - Skogslandskap
Wardruna - Yggdrasil
Woodkid - The Golden Age

The Japanese

 

 

 

 



 

Church of Misery - Thy Kingdom Scum

 

What is it?

The soft spot between doom metal, sludge and stoner metal. Although apparently they don't like to be called stoner metal.

 

Why do I like it?

It's immersive, brooding, dark and groovy at the same time. The songs are complex and yet "accessible" enough for a casual listener of this specific genre (like myself) to enjoy. There aren't really any songs that stand out in particular, but the album, that is all themed around famous serial killers, is best enjoyed as a whole. And as such it does a really good job. But if I had to pick a favourite song, it would probably be the faster-paced, blues-y "Lambs to the slaughter". But it's best just to spin the album as a whole and enjoy the powerful bass and psychedlic rythms.



 

 

 



 

Gauzes - 揺篭

 

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like La'Mule.

 

Why do I like it?

When trimming down my list to 5 japanese picks, I had my top 4 figured out pretty quickly. The battle for 5th was hard, but eventually GAUZES won against Jupiter, amber gris and other stuff. Because you just don't hear stuff like this often anymore, and hearing it done well is even rarer. Obviously if you want originality, this isn't really the place to look. But like Grieva they manage to combine a nostalgic sound with modern influences, although I consider GAUZES more "conservative" in the way the emulate their idol's sound. I must also admit that their album only "clicked" at the second listen for me, but now I really love it.



 

 



 

グリーヴァ (Grieva) - 鬼ト影

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like old Dir en grey.

 

Why do I like it?

I already wrote an extensive review on this in the joined staff list, so I'll keep it short. It seems the common consensus now is that you either hate this band for being a Dir en grey copycat, or that you love them for bringing back a long-lost sound. Yes, I could just go back and listen to some old DeG records, but I really like what these guys to with their influences, while still sounding fresh enough to be enjoyable.



 

 



 

実験台モルモット (Jikkendai Marmot) - 見開キ こころ❤断面図

 

What is it?

Jazzy pop-rock basically, with a unique vocalist.

 

Why do I like it?

Jikkendai Marmot always manage to deliver delightful, sweeping jazz-pop - and lovely vocal acrobatics. Which, I guess, are a matter of taste, but you can certainly hear that vocalist Tani Takuma is passionate about the music, especially in songs like 正しい心の殺し方.  He is accompanied by a violin, sometime cheery, sometimes melancholic and a playful piano. Most of the songs on this album are of an upbeat nature, while still maintaining their characteristic melancholic undertone. There are also some full ballads like 小さな虫 though.  If you liked their previous releases, you will also like this. If you don't like jazzy stuff and/or crazy high-pitched vocals, you probably should pass up on this.



 

 



 

なかの綾 (Nakano Aya) - へたなうそ

 

What is it?

Jazzy retro-pop with latin influences and a smooth, beautiful voice.

 

Why do I like it?

I absolutely loved her debut album "Zurui hito" from 2010, although it was basically just an album full of covers of old songs, mostly from the 60s and 70s. But it was just thorougly enjoyable and very coherent, despite containing all these songs from other people. Compared to that the new album "Hetana uso" falls a bit short - literally, as it's only 7 songs, one being a re-recording from the first album. But it still has all the things that made the debut shine: beautiful nostalgic songs, that make you think of old movies, rendered in Nakano's soft, yet powerful voice. I didn't actually check if "Hetana uso" has any original songs or ist just all covers again (it probably is), but it doesn't really minimize the enjoyment you get from this album.



 

 

Other things I liked (alphabetical):

amber gris - Around Children

青葉市子 - 0

Dear L'Novel - 愛と死

Jupiter - CLASSICAL ELEMENT

LUNA SEA - A will

メメント・モリ - 百花繚乱-好色狂女

Yeti - 賛成の反対

So yeah, here's my best-of-list for the year 2013. I like my lists more concise, so I set myself a limit of 10 releases (5 japanese, 5 non-japanese). I'm also notoriously slow when it comes to listen to new releases. Basically, I feel just about prepared enough to write my Best-of list for 2010. XD
 
So there's a lot of stuff I have missed and that may have made the list, if I had more time on my hands.
 
I still had to trim down my list to make it 10 releases. I tried to focus on stuff that hasn't been mentioned in other staff lists.
 
 
Lists will be posted in the next 2 posts. Order of the list is alphabetrical.

^ lmao Pay Gaz no mind. The maid fucked up and taught him how to read and write.

@Velovelo: I'd never heard of The Red Paintings, but am quite impressed by the track you shared. Guess I'll be looking for more from them. Thanks!
 
For those out there that enjoy good rock/indie instrumental music, I really recommend El Ten Eleven.
 

NON-JAPANESE PICKS:

NON-JAPANESE PICKS:

I think this is the first year I actually knew albums on Cat's list before trying any of the samples.
 
I'm going to go through the samples on your list and report back with things I'd like to try further.

Aw yis, I Am Robot And Proud is great. I couldn't get into Braids' latest thing at all, though despite how I heard part of it live last summer. It didn't really captivate me for some reason.. On the other hand, I remember hearing some of Local Natives' new stuff live and really liking it, but I haven't managed to listen to the studio version yet... Should really get around to it. I'll check some of the hip-hop stuff on your list out too, I feel like I haven't listened to enough hip-hop in the last year.
 
In terms of japanese artists, I agree wholeheartedly with all the ones I actually know. Especially 88kasyo and The Novembers continue to sweep me off my feet every year with what they manage to release..