Recommendation: Fjord - Portrait For A Reflection

Band: Fjord
Album: Portrait For A Reflection
Label: Self Released
Year: 2016








Tracklist
01. Stars In An Ocean Of Darkness
02. There Is Life Inside This Sapphire
03. Phoenix
04. A Breath As A Promise
05. Island Of Commitments
Streaming / Buy

A portrait… mine, yours… it’s just one’s reflection crafted by nature’s key elements. As you probably figured it out, “Portrait for a Reflection” is a tribute brought to the synergy between man and nature, the power of free will, alongside with the optimistic thought of belonging to an infinite universe. The album contains five songs, each one impersonating through title and sound emotions given by the nature’s five key elements.

"Portrait for a Reflection" is Fjord's second full-length album, but as opposed to "On Icy Shores", they approached it as an instrumental album right from the beginning. This allowed them to bring new dimensions to their sound, combining various post-rock, post-metal and progressive elements, among others, with the main purpose of bringing a fresh vibe to instrumental music. 

facebook
twitter
instagram
bandcamp
SoundCloud
Buy

Streaming: Valerinne - Monumenta

Band: Valerinne
Album: Monumenta
Label: Self Released
Year: 2016








Tracklist
01. Edifice
02. Palinopsia
03. Solastalgia
04. Terra Amata
05. Downstream
Streaming / Buy

Bucharest based post-metal band Valerinne came together in early 2012, when Alexandru Das (guitar/soundscapes), Liviu Stoicescu (bass) and Mircea Smarandache (drums), joined efforts in their desire to play instrumental, atmospheric, haunting, loud and emotional music, completed by live visuals. 

Valerinne’s music takes an organic approach to the post-rock genre. The compositions are ample and dramatic, almost soundtrack-like and evoke a wide range of mental images. The sound spectrum swings from dreamy and fragile to gloomy walls of noise and harsh brutal droning sound intensity.

The band released its debut album, Kunstformen der Natur, in late 2012. Since then they have embarked on a European tour together with Bucharest ambient/drone band Environments, have shared the stage with Amenra, Environments, Atlantis, Maybeshewill, Tides from Nebula, Our Ceasing Voice, Stephen O'Malley and have played at the 2013 Dunk! Festival. 

At the end of 2013 the band released its second album, Arborescent, which takes the aesthetic of their first release further, yet sounds completely different. 2016 started for the band with the double release of their new album Monumenta and a split EP with Tauusk, "Telemetry".

Facebook

Tumblr

Bandcamp

Album: Exit Oz - Împământenit

Band: Exit Oz
Album: Împământenit
Label: Self Released
Year: 2014








Tracklist
01. Enter Oz
02. Colț De Rai
03. Limbile De Ceas: Între Ciocan Și Nicovală
04. Zurobara Spre Orient
05. Cornul Abundenței
06. Marele Magician
07. Colț De Rai (În Marasm)
08. Limbile De Ceas: La Porți
Download

Exit Oz, the only darkjazz act in Eastern Europe, with influences varying from krautrock, Romanian folk, jazz and post-rock, have released a debut album this month.

Besides all three present members of Exit Oz being born and raised in Timișoara, Romania, they all also have the influence of having lived abroad for at least a few years - Alex in Lisbon, Ovidiu in London and Dorothea in Barcelona, thus summarizing a broad array of musical vibrations. 

The project first came out of the improvisation sessions made in 2011 by Alexandru Iovan (tenor saxophone and vocals) and Ovidiu Zimcea (samples). In 2013 other musicians joined the project as collaborators and they had their first live shows as a trio, together with Lucian Naste on guitar and drum machine. 

In 2014, after Lucian left the project, the trio reformed with Dorothea Iordănescu’s entry in Oz, playing synthesizer. Their proposed style is difficult to pin down in one genre, with influences ranging from soothing ambient to noisy electronics and anguished free jazz.

Facebook
Bandcamp
Merch