John Zurzola

"XYZ" by Boards of Canada, is a very interesting, and eclectic piece. With slow paced synths in the beginning, accompanied by bass lines, this proves a prime example of an ambient, downtempo plunder-phonics. The structure is very similar to that of an Aphex twin track, or even Massive Attack, considering the percussive elements that come into play during the middle of the song. For a song that came out in 1998, I’d say it is way ahead of its time.

Jared Rohlfing

Plastic Anniversary, the latest album by the Maryland-based electronic group Matmos, is an incredibly unique collection of tracks that succeeds in taking the listener on a musical journey of introspection. With strange, almost creepy sounding compositions abundant throughout, Plastic Anniversary is certainly an album I have never quite experienced before. Each track is almost like listening to a scene out of a movie; with bizarre sound effects and some really captivating tunes, the album made me contemplate exactly how the creators made each song. I would definitely recommend a listen if you want something completely different then you are used to. Some of the tracks such as "Silicone Gel Implant" are downright hypnotic and are sure to make you question what it is we consider to be music in the traditional sense. This is of the downright coolest experimental electronic albums I have ever listened to.

Josh Owens

Released by Carpark Records this past January, Toro y Moi (also known as Chaz Bundick) boasts his 7^th and latest 10-track release, Outer Peace. Nine years removed from his debut release Underneath the Pine back in 2010, Bundick has slowly shapeshifted from the early lo-fi chillwave sound to a more crisp, clean dancing groove. In doing so, Chaz has vastly improved both as a vocalist and lyricist.

Compared to his previous work, Chaz Bundick takes s a lot more mainstream elements heard in pop music today, such as autotune and sub bass, and tries to create something fresh in his attempt to get away from the cliché pop formula, with songs like Monte Carlo and Miss Me (feat ABRA). This can especially be heard in the albums final track, 50-50 featuring Instupendo, which only consists of a piano sample, sub bass and auto-tuned vocals. It’s one of the most deceptively simple tracks on Outer Peace, which also happens to be one of my favorites. Other favorite tracks such as Ordinary Pleasure and Who I Am are more characteristic of Toro y Moi’s previous work, but are still subject to the infectious pop influence evident throughout the track list. This is arguably just as satisfying in an album that incorporates tools old and new to build the swelling, groovy and pulsating sound that is Outer Peace.

Jordan Schreiber

Polo & Pan’s debut album “Caravelle” is a surprising mixed bag of music. Although the pair categorize themselves as French electronic, their upbeat and creative music creates a wide range of emotion. From carnival to beach-y to Spanish tango to k-pop, this album is a fun listen no matter the style. Their wide style range may be due to their vision for the album. According to Polo and Pan’s Spotify bio, “Caravelle” tells the story of their world-wide travels. This can be shown through their extensive use of instrumentation. Marimbas, shakers, and guitar is often mixed with their bass-heavy electronic sounds and robotic, harmonized voices creating a dance like vibe. It’s hard to listen to this album and not want to get up and move or at least tap a foot to their repetitive but catchy rhythms. A fun and unique first album, Polo & Pan succeed in an uplifting, worldly electronic album.

Jared Rohlfing

Alex Crispin’s Open Submission is one of the more interesting albums I have heard in a while. It has such a distinct feeling of tranquility and peace while also feeling extremely atmospheric at times. It has such a unique production to it that makes it endlessly fascinating to listen to and dissect. For some, this album will put you right to sleep which might initially turn some listeners off. However, if you can appreciate something that is totally different and possibly out of your comfort zone, then this album will be perfect to accompany you on a journey through your own subconscious. I say that because listening to this album is a strange kind of euphoria. It’s the kind of music that makes one think about the universe and our individual and collective roles we play in the grand scheme. Give this one a listen if you are someone searching for the perfect backdrop to a night of stargazing.

Josh Owens

2017 LP “districtアトランティス” or “District Atlantis,” is memorygarden禅’s first full release on Oakland-based label Constellation Tatsu. District Atlantis’s overall feel is ambient, watery, and dreamy. Very reminiscent of early vaporwave projects by Macintosh Plus (Vektroid) and Blank Banshee, but also with calming and rippling textures, as if the album was recorded through a Nintendo 64 at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Even certain tracks, such track 5 ( 聞こえたエコー (Echo Heard) and track 6 コイgarden (Koi Garden) feel like B-sides to C418’s Minecraft Soundtrack, (with memorygarden禅’s own personal touch of course).

“Fishvapour” as tagged by memorygarden禅 on their bandcamp profile, is the likely best way to describe this subgenre of electronic music. Although the album sticks to its trademark floaty, underwater sound, there are hints of psychedelia and lounge influence sprinkled throughout that remind me of Haruomi Hosono, attributing to memorygarden禅’s characteristic wobbly, wet synthesizer sound. Overall, District Atlantis is an excellent debut for memorygarden禅 to build upon and it will be exciting to see how they expand upon their own sound.

John Zurzola

With music becoming more and more reliant on technology that is advancing every day, finding an obscurely intriguing album such as “districtアトランティス(atlantis)”by memorygarden delves into the mysteriously intriguing genre known as “vaporwave”. What started as an internet phenomena, originating on popular internet forum sites such as the likes of “tumblr” and “reddit” thanks to the work of Skylar Spence (AKA Saint Pepsi) and many others, it has expanded to multiple aspiring artists such as memorygarden which nobody could have predicted. With this being a vaporwave album, one could possibly expect the bizarre interest of 80’s, 90’s, and predominantly japanese culture that is, what could be called a “key ingredient” in the genre to be included, but to my surprise, that was not the case. This is a rather simplistic, but “aesthetically pleasing” 10 track project that experiments with effects you’d hear in a Tokyo-esc environment. It has the ability to put you to sleep, and that’s not a bad thing.

The production entailed in “districtアトランティス(atlantis) is that of typical vaporwave “jargon” if you will, filled with ambient sounds and heavy use of synthesizers, except there aren’t any easily identifiable 80’s or 90’s samples your ear can catch. It seems to be all in memorygarden’s interest in straying away from the normal vaporwave music you’d expect to hear. It’s not attempting to go toe to toe with any “Saint Pepsi” track or especially the vaporwave anthem, “Lisa Frank 420 / Modern Computing” by Vektroid (AKA Macintosh Plus). It is strictly staying in its own lane, and that’s acceptable for now. The tracks all come under a reasonable length, around 3-4 minutes, but some are shorter, falling under the 2-2:30 category. Despite that, it doesn’t take away the ability to enjoy them. memorygarden’s use of mixing certain instruments, such as a violin track, or a synth on the 10^th and final track, “sun輝く街のスカイラインの下に沈むmoon” results in a relaxing melody that sticks to the tone of the album, a peaceful, experimental trip.

In a nutshell, “districtアトランティス(atlantis)” is no “Floral Shoppe”, but it is an interesting take on the ongoing evolution that is “Vaporwave”. While this is a pleasant album, memorygarden should (if they haven’t already) start further exploring all that vaporwave has to offer, and hopefully we get to hear more projects that push the experimental envelope, and fully utilize the “power” of the strange aesthetic that the genre fully embraces.