Open Muzik

Pondering a New Kind of Netlabel

2009-03-14T06:53:00.000-07:00

Lately, I have become interested in the concept of the netlabel. I have downloaded music from various netlabels of different genres. For those unfamiliar with netlabels, a netlabel is basically a record label, except it releases its music mainly, if not exclusively online- free for digital download (often under the Creative Commons license). You can find a listing of different netlabels at Netlabels.org. One of the most interesting (note that interesting does not mean good) netlabels I have come across is the dramacore netlabel. This netlabel releases "dramacore music" a self-defined genre. The sound is a mixture of noise, industrial, chiptune, and hardcore. The only artist that I actually like from the site is ehafh, who uses some interesting sampling techniques in his works. Though I cannot claim to be a giant fan of the music, I love the concept- that one can create a new genre and release new, interesting works.

My question is why the concept of netlabels hasn't crossed over to publishing. I wonder why there are no "netpublishers" that publish free books/stories online. Why are there not new, experimental, genre-pushing publishers? Setting up a netpublisher would not require any effort, nothing more than a blog and an archive.org account. I would love to see the creative works that would come out of such an effort.

-techierant.muzik

P.S. More reviews coming soon.

The Darker The Sky Is...

2009-03-05T16:23:00.000-08:00

Jonay is a rapper straight out of Sweden, and very proud of this fact. His album The Darker The Sky Is The Brighter The Stars Shine, is a great mix of hip-hop, R&B, and genuine heart. He raps about life, love, and Sweden. The beats have an ethnic/exotic flavor that blends beautifully with Jonay's mellow voice. Swedish Ladies is a fun track about the women of Sweden (they sound lovely), and is probably my favorite song on the album. Even if you are not a fan of hip-hop, I recommend this album for its original lyrics, catchy rhymes, and killer beats. Enjoy.

CIRCA VITAE ep

2009-02-21T07:53:00.000-08:00

Today I went to the Jamendo blog where they have posted some excellent playlists. On playlist #3 I struck gold (also check out the hip-hop in playlist #4). Circa Vitae is a band that's hard to categorize. They possess an experimental Radiohead sound, and seem to mix that with a college rock vibe. Circa Vitae released their CIRCA VITAE ep in December, and I recommend you download a copy. My favorite track on the album is "Pterodactyl", I also like "Tower." Male vocalist Britt and female vocalist Anna have a beautiful, contrasting sound over powerfull lyrics. The EP also sports transition tracks that mix a noise/classical sound. This EP is likely unlike anything you have ever heard, and a worthy add to any collection.

Demo by MoOt

2009-02-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

I have always been a big fan of The Beatles, that is why I was happy to discover MoOt. He is an excellent musician from Britain whose work appears on Jamendo. He released his Demo album almost a year ago, but I did not discover it until recently. I have listened to it a couple of times, thoroughly enjoying every song on the album. The opening track "Dancing Nowhere," is excellent. Listen to it, it is a great example of what the album has to offer. The album is composed of pop rock instrumentals with catchy lyrics. My only complaint is that some of the songs sound too similar. MoOt has a lot of potential, and I recommend heading over to Jamendo for the free download.

The Ugly Army

2009-02-16T14:06:00.000-08:00

The Ugly Army is the latest album by fresh body shop. It is an excellent mix of industrial, pop, and electronic elements. fresh body shop, is a Creative Commons favorite due to the excellent songwriting of Pedro, the band's lead singer. My favorite tracks on the album are "My Artificial Sun" and "The Ugly Army." I especially like the salsa feel of the latter track, which mixes surprisingly well with the industrial sound. I listened to the album for two days, waiting eagerly for it to become downloadable. Now that the wait is over, I recommend heading over to Jamendo to grab a copy. Any fans of Nine Inch Nails, or song writing in general, will appreciate this album. While you're there, I recommend downloading fresh body shop's other albums. You won't be disappointed.

Open Muzik

2009-02-15T19:35:00.000-08:00

Hey all, this is techierant. Welcome to Open Muzik, the blog for Creative Commons music. I'll be posting my favorite albums and tracks from jamendo.com. I'll also talk about music production on Linux. I've got code, ideas, and music to share. I hope you'll stick around.

-techierant