The Samurai Conquistadors - Taosyneche (Provided)

Track Listing
1. Lunar Swoon
2. Tat Tvam Asi
3. Baby Magnet
4. Gaia
5. 2Hg
6. Yukon Territory
7. Ellipsis
8. Sansla Mint
9. Tchjasi
10. Arhythmatic
11. Ephda Ida

Note from the author
Being an independent music reviewer and blogger, I realized that it might be necessary to admit outright which albums I bought myself and which albums were provided to me by the bands. I can solemnly swear that the method by which I acquire each album will never have an effect on the review itself. After all, I just like listening to music, and I'd have bought each of the provided albums anyhow. That being said, much love and appreciation to Dane Heins of The Samurai Conquistadors for providing the album. Dane and I went to grade school together, and I cannot thank him enough for creating such great music and then letting me listen to it for free! Talk about a pal.

Niceties aside, on to the review.

Review
Taosyneche might be my new favorite album of the year. When listening to most any band, I'm usually inclined to hear the music in a forced frame of mind or genre, but The Samurai Conquistadors seem determined to break free of any labeled box they're placed in. Every song on the album seems to draw from multiple genres, never quite settling on a rigid sound.

Anyone who enjoys Broken Social Scene might find themselves more inclined to pick up Taosyneche before the next BSS album. Taosyneche beautifully blends soft rock, indie rock, post-rock and smooth jazz to stand atop a genre all its own. And, with BSS's move toward lo-fi rock with Forgiveness Rock Record, fans of older BSS albums might find solace in The Samurai Conquistador's smooth sound.

We are introduced to a strong trumpet in the first track, Lunar Swoon, that maintains itself throughout the album. While the band does a good job of mixing and blending well together, the trumpet's ability to rise above the ocean of sound and announce its presence on the track is something few horn players have the talent to do. Later in the album, we find what sounds like trumpet duets or an added saxophone. I will be the first to admit that brass instruments are tricky to deal with (especially in the middle of an easy listening album), but TSC add them flawlessly. I'm not sure brass has ever been mixed so well on an album.

TSC certainly make use of time changes, which gives each song a sense of movement. The whole album seems to blend into one constantly growing and shrinking song. It's hard not to listen to the entire album in one sitting, something any artist should take pride in in this day and age. However, although the time changes lend to the album's movement, some of the transitions are awkward or out of sync. Difficult changes are noticeable in a few places, but that's to be expected on a debut album. A bit more time in a studio (with an uncomfortable number of plays, no doubt) and the tracks will sound much more polished.

Having a vocal background myself, I want to note something about Taosyneche's vocal harmonies. Interspersed two and three-part harmonies take the vocal lines from amateur to professional almost instantaneously. In my opinion, vocal harmonies give a band a more full sound, making their songs more accessible to people's wide range of tastes in music. Aside from the harmonies being present, Taosyneche's harmonies are spot on. Great vocals can really make or break an album, and TSC have definitely made their vocal talent known.

If you're looking for a new band to fall in love with, you'd be hard-pressed to find one more deserved of your love than The Samurai Conquistadors. With their debut album Taosyneche, TSC have proved that they'll be a musical juggernaut for years to come.

My rating: 4.8 / 5

Delphic - Acolyte

Track Listing
1. Clarion Call
2. Doubt
3. This Momentary
4. Red Lights
5. Acolyte
6. Halcyon
7. Submission
8. Counterpoint
9. Ephemera
10. Remain

Review
Let's all admit it: there's good electronic and there's bad electronic. But there is no doubting that Delphic has allied itself with the good electronic with Acolyte. From song to song, the beat has your attention, and the smooth vocals draw you even closer. Whether you're looking for an alternative to something as in-your-face as Cobra Starship, or Broken Social Scene's move toward synthesizers in Forgiveness Rock Record got under your skin, Delphic should be on your list of bands to watch.

The thing I value most about owning full albums is the ability to listen to a song "in context." Sometimes, a song's place in the album gives it more or less meaning, or even alters its tone altogether. For this reason, transitions between songs and the way in which songs are arranged on an album can have a major impact on how the full album is perceived. The order of Acolyte's tracks is something aspiring artists or managers need to pay close attention to. The tracks' transitions are nothing short of professional. Even in a first listen, the next track's tone can be inferred from the ending of the track before it (apart from the first song, of course). This aids a listener in finishing an album, instead of giving up and getting bored halfway through. After all, we live in an age of "aural ADHD," so keeping a potential buyer listening can be the difference between gaining a fan and fending off a pirate.

In electronic music, originality among an album's tracks is imperative. If everything sounds the same, what incentive does the listener have to buy the album if they can scrobble a track off iTunes and hit the repeat button? Delphic does a good job of keeping my attention with their use of various instruments and arpeggiators, as well as with the sparse use of electric guitar. The lyrics and vocals never seem forced on the music, giving each track a distinct individual character.

If you're a fan of electronic music or powerpop, you're almost certain to love Delphic's Acolyte. And, if you haven't dipped your toe into those genres, Acolyte might be a good starting point. Its heavy pop themes make it accessible to most listeners.

Lobspork Rating: 4.3 / 5
Pitchfork Rating: 5.0 / 10