After feeling overwhelmed by per-album reviews and a broken pair of earphones, I tried to look for another way to lighten the load without having to stop typing. Yes—typing, not writing in the literal sense. Lol.
(Ghost) My Friend – Vanished (2024)
79%
This instrumental band from San Diego, California doesn’t just play post-rock, but also weaves in indie/alternative rock elements à la The Strokes and post-punk melodies reminiscent of The Cure across the first five tracks, making the rhythms more head-nod–friendly. It’s only later, on “Away2” and “Perseids (EP Mix)” as the two closing tracks, that they deliver a more emotional impression through a signature crescendo that lingers.
So yeah, a tighter selection is needed to decide which tracks truly deserve a spot in my favorite playlist.
Andrew Raiher & Daniel Rojas – Neighbors (Original Score) (2012)
75%
Soundtracks can span various genres, and here Andrew Raiher alongside Daniel Rojas follow Judd Cherry’s short comedy film with a blend of folk/polka and classical. Judd himself once worked as additional crew on Spider-Man 2 and Night at the Museum, so it makes sense that Neighbors took part in the Boston International Film Festival in 2012.
Naturally, a comedy film presents goofy or humorous scenes without forgetting moments of tension, so the accompanying soundtrack feels energetic and emotional—much like old cartoons such as Tom and Jerry. Tracks like “Neighbors,” “Around the World,” and “The Plan” are ones I’ll likely skip, while the rest might be considered for my favorites playlist, especially the opening track, “Magic Shirt.”
Botanica – Invisible Gardener (2023)
79%
Tokyo-based ambient label Umé Records embraced the rainy season by teaming up with Poland’s Botanica for this album released back in July 2023.
Across five tracks spanning 39 minutes, we’re invited to sink into the calm of dawn, which also feels cold due to falling rain. Then “Canopy” acts as a slightly rough interlude, like a cluster of fog, yet birds continue chirping under various canopies until “Kenshō” spins in and transforms the scene into something more soothing. “Donas” closes the album with ambient drones and flowing water, serving as what feels like a perfect sleep aid through its atmosphere.
Well, perhaps only “The Mindful Minimalist” and “Canopy” have the potential for me to set aside from this album.
Carlos Ferreira – Erasure Through Repetition (2024)
50%
Carlos Ferreira doesn’t just wallow in ambient, but also ventures into experimental/noise/drone territory. It was slightly surprising and made for a stark contrast with what I’d been listening to earlier that day.
The sprawling noise eventually becomes a point of exhaustion, aligning with Carlos’s own statement that the sonic chaos here is meant to build tension. It’s a form of success for this Brazilian artist, even if it’s clear that I won’t be revisiting Erasure Through Repetition.
Oh, you like noise? Then go ahead—take it.
Deliblat – Demoblat (2025)
79%
Next up is krautrock/post-rock with a sludge/doom metal feel—and yes, instrumental again. “You’re really comfortable listening to instrumental stuff, huh?” I’m used to it.
This Serbian band works well as a remedy for the noise assault from Carlos Ferreira, even though it’s still quite heavy but not overly abrasive, especially in the combined nine-minute stretch of “Karaćeif (Kara Keyf)” and “Daily Blood.” For some reason, “Rasejanost” feels particularly enjoyable in its fairly spacey post-rock atmosphere, to the point where I think I’ll immediately add it to my favorites playlist.
Fans of Earth, Russian Circles, and Pelican might want to give this a try.
Even If We Lose – Even If We Lose EP (2025)
78%
And the closer for today’s session is post-metal. Yes, post-metal. Just happened to be that way. Not post-punk, post-hardcore, or post-black metal, which tend to be more familiar to music fans.
Even If We Lose hail from the Netherlands, which is also home to post-black metal acts like Noctambulist and Terzij de Horde. Despite claiming to like post-metal, I’m still not that experienced with it, but this band feels quite relevant to Amenra and Cult of Luna.
The fairly long compositions across four tracks offer a mix of emotional riffs and vocals, making the predominantly instrumental track “Xenos” feel somewhat bland here. Perhaps because it only runs about 30 minutes, the sense of boredom and fatigue only really shows up on the final track, “In Depths We’ve Laid Our Trust Upon.” So it feels like there’s a bit of a failure there. The rest, though, could make it into my favorites playlist alongside Pillar of Light and others.
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