V/A The Invisible And Divided Sea (CD Album – Bearsuit Records)
Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, experimental, electronic, psychedelic, trip-pop.
Background/Info: Based in Edinburgh, Capital of Scotland, Bearsuit Records has already been active for a couple of years now. The label releases only a few albums a year so this sampler featuring 17 bands is an opportunity to get a bit more familiarized with the mainly experimental- and minimal taste of the record company.
Artists: Alexander Stordiau, PoProPo, Martian Subculture, Bunny & The Invalid Singers, Yponomeutaneko, Shinnosuke Sugata, The Moth Poets, Swords Reversed, Petridisch, Ageing Children, Kirameki, Manga Brothers, Steeples For People, Annie & The Station Orchestra.
Content: The sound universe of Bearsuit Records remains an open-minded window upon minimalism- and experimentalism. From cinema-like sounds to funky work to trip-hop rock to psychedelic-rock to experimental jazz to mystic passages to folk experiments this album is a truly sonic cocktail.
+ + + : If you’re into experimental music and you want to discover less familiar names from Belgium, Germany, UK, Japan, France, Scotland and US this compilation will for sure bring you a few surprises. Diversity is the keyword so everyone will find one or more tracks to their taste. My personal favorite is the into trip-hop and rock-minded track by Martian Subculture. I also enjoyed the track by Annie & The Station Orchestra, which is a formation I discovered in 2016 by the “Bingo Halls”-album. The song has been taken from this album, but remixed by Ullapul.
– – – : It’s not that the music is not that accessible to a wider audience, but it clearly remains experimental stuff for a restricted number of fans in the genre.
Conclusion: I can’t say that I fully enjoyed this work, but Bearsuit releases have always something apart from the rest and that’s a rather positive element.
Best bands: Martian Subculture, Annie & The Station Orchestra, Steeples For People, Manga Brothers, Alexander Stordiau.
Rate: (6).
Label: www.bearsuitrecords.web.com / www.facebook.com/bearsuitrecords
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