Friday, June 23, 2017

Music Review: Fluttery Records Sampler


While there can be different factors that make reviewing some bands easier or harder, it is nonetheless pretty simple that if a band or band member follows me, they get on the review list. When an agent or label follows me, that becomes somewhat trickier. That happened in January when I was followed by Fluttery Records.

They have a lot of artists, but what they also have is a pretty extensive free sampler up on Bandcamp. I decided I would review that.

One of the first descriptors they use is ambient, generally right after post-rock. That could work for some of the tracks, but don't let it put you off. Most of the tracks have tunes and melodies. While they might in some cases take more inspiration from classical music, incorporating violins or non-traditional instruments, most bands still sound capable of a broad appeal.

That may come about in surprising ways. For example, "Irradia" by En Plein Air starts out with a dark bass line that could easily start a Three Doors Down song. Instead it brings in violin, then a counterpoint to that with dramatic percussion. The song becomes an instrumental meditation that leaves you with heightened alertness and senses. The overall effect is not rock, even if many of the track's individual elements would fit comfortably into rock.

It is not unusual for the tracks to be instrumental, and often quite long, fitting in with Fluttery's experimental side. That is not a rule; "Molecula's Dance" by Olekksii runs barely more than a minute. They may also pull in more bands from other countries, though I may just be assuming that based on some names.

For the record, if I had decided to listen to the sampler for the purpose of picking an artist to review (as opposed to reviewing the sampler) I would probably have ended up reviewing Mooncake or Neko Nine.

But you never really know.





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