New releases last eight weeks: Post Rock/Experimental

Review: Swedish trio Death And Vanilla continue to carve out their atmospheric niche, blending elements of post-ambient electronica and spectral folk to craft something distinctly unsettling. Their latest foray into live scoring breathes new life into the eerie, folkloric narrative of a 1968 ghost story. As they shift seamlessly between stuttering tape loops, minimalist drum machines, and haunting choral effects, they create a tension that pulls the listener deeper into the supernatural. Tracks like 'Supernatural Breakfast' are pulsing with an old-school, Carpenter-esque vibe, while others, like 'Nightmares', evoke a sense of unease with their swirling winds and spectral sounds. The band's ability to inhabit these otherworldly spaces is a nod to their growing mastery of atmosphere, a skill that's increasingly becoming their signature. Even as they explore the boundary between the familiar and the uncanny, Death And Vanilla remind us that their sound can be as inviting as it is unnervingly strange.

Review: Earth's live performance at KOKO in 2016 captures the Olympia-formed experimental drone crew's evolving sound in its most immersive form. The trioiDylan Carlson, Jodie Cox and Adrienne Davisioffers a slow-burn journey through layers of doom, drone and minimalist textures that feel as weighty as they do precise. The set begins with a familiar depth, the reverberating basslines and crushing guitar tones building a space of deliberate tension. Tracks like 'Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull' unfurl with a vast and spatial quality, while 'Even Hell Has Its Heroes' crawls along in thick, oppressive layers. What's striking is the restraint: Earth never rushes; each note, each pause, is deliberate, serving as a meditation on the slow, heavy force of sound. The minimalist approach feels almost tactile in its quiet moments, as if the silence itself is as profound as the noise. This live offering underlines their mastery of creating music that moves beyond noise, into a deeper exploration of space, sound, and feeling.