Connection issues

Hello everyone...

Will you please let me know if you cannot access the new site? (www.netlabelindex.com) I have been trying to pinpoint a problem with the new server and it seems to work for some and not for others.

If you cannot connect, please send me an email or just drop in a comment.

I just want to get an idea of how big this problem is!

Beta? is up

The site is up!!! It is still in a beta phase and there is still some major changes on the way. There might be some outages whilst we sort out some of the enhancements. (Just so you know its in a Beta testing phase)

But we thought we would let you know you can visit http://www.netlabelindex.com

If you are a netlabel and wish to have your details listed, please send your request to netlabelreview@dodo.com.au . You can have any level of detail listed so let us know

Levels:

1. Only your label information,
2. Label + Artists
   
3. Label + artists + albums
4. Optionally song information.

The site is still undergoing a lot of changes, so if something is "broken" let me know but any feedback is also appreciated.

To all the netlabels that have already signed up who is not on the listing yet... Please bare with us, there is a mountain of data to add! Keep your eyes on the listing, it should be there soon.

(Did I mention the site is still in testing phase??)

Calling all Netlabels!!

Hey guys & girls!

As you might have noticed the site does seem to lack updates in the past few months. I have been busy on a side project and its finally starting to take shape... Well enough shape to be released in the not too distant future.

At this point it is still under wraps and I cant give out any details. The site is still under development too and A hope to have a first version out within the next few months ...

I am now at the stage where I need input from Netlabels out there. The project's success will hinge on the cooperation between myself and netlabels, but this should not be a problem!


So to all netlabels out there who read this, PLEASE email me if you want more information and if you are interested in working with me...

To all Artists who are signed with a netlabel PLEASE get your label to contact me for further information.

I hope this project will create more awareness of the good music out there and make it more accessible for everyone looking for alternative and legal ways of getting amazing music.

My email is netlabelreview@dodo.com.au

Regards,
Afristralian

Quick Mentions

Hey, thanks for all your suggestions to my previous posting. I have downloaded some of the albums and will listen to them soon.

Thought I would use a new format today. Here are some highlights that I am currently enjoying.

[GMIX30] Domovoy - Summer in Soul (download)
Label: www.deepindub.org
Genre: Tech-house, Minimal House, Minimal Techno
Comment: Nice mix with some seriously funky free tunes. Its highly recommended.

[RAR33] Waveform - Atmospheric Trip EP (download)
Label: www.randomaccessrecordings.com
Genre: Ambient Tehno, Ambient House
Comment: Some good chill or "come-down" music. Seriously spaced out stuff, but good non the less.

More on the way

Hey guys ...

Hopefully will have some more reviews up soon. Just cannot get back into the swing of things lately.

Do you guys have any recomendations perhaps? What are your favorite free albums current and past?

Send them along, i am very interested in hearing from you!

Ciao
Afri

DML & Holger Leger - Tropical Split EP [gft net 004]

Album: Tropical Split EP
Artist: DML & Holger Leger
Label: http://gruenfeld-label.net/blog
Genre: Techno / Minimal / Tech-house
Download

Review:

Just sat down tonight to go through the past couple of days downloads and I was pleasantly surprised to find this album in the masses of zip files.

This release is a good solid almost laid back techno album. Back in the old days we would have branded it as "ambient techno" (techno with a more trippy edge). I love the delayed bongo's and the background sounds that fill the tracks. All these sounds are backed up by deep kick drums that keeps you on your toes (so to speak).

Something about the tracks on this album reminds me of opening sets on a cold winters night. Or even the opening tracks to a new DJ's set, building up to something, slowly but still funky enough to keep you moving while you wait for the payout. Its a sort of lazy-funky ... this is what ambient techno should be, mellow, pulsating and trippy.

I'm really enjoying listening to it and its going into my "to keep" folder. Its 3 tracks that are worth downloading.

Highly recommended

LeftKicks - Seidensha Funk [vrb040]

Album: Seidensha Funk
Artist: LeftKicks
Label: http://www.vorbic.com/
Genre: Downtempo / Chill / Acid Jazz
Release Date: 25 Jan 2009
Download

Review:

Its been a while since i have reviewed anything from Vorbic. They started off with a bang a few years ago and seems to have gotten better with age. This release from LeftKicks is a solid downtempo album with nice breakbeats and chilled out tones. Perfect for a lazy afternoon. Funky foot tapping rhythms, Lazy e-piano and deep rolling basslines just make it a pleasure to listen to.

yip, this is a recomended release by every sense of the word...

Download, enjoy and share!

Geschwister Schumann - Your Way [sm016]

Album: Your Way
Artist: Geschwister Schumann
Label: www.symbiont-music.com
Genre: Minimalist, Electro, tech-house
Download

Review:

This is only a 2 track EP, but I thought I would highlight it purely from the fact that it sounds a little like Booka Shade ... And I like it!!

Minimalist tech-house, dirty synth basslines and well constructed beats make this worth a recommendation. To top it off the well placed female vocals in the track just adds the X-factor it needs. The sound is funky, harsh, melancholic and engaging, it comes recommended.

Nienvox -Sign [foot090]

Album: Sign
Artist: Nienvox
Label: www.bumpfoot.net
Genre: Jazz, Downtempo, chill
Release Date: 18-Jan-2008
Download

Review:

a Great blend of downtempo and trippy beats flow throughout this album. Smooth flowing ambient sounds, pads and sweeps start you off and is contrasted by Jazz piano, deep bass, downtempo beats and even a few bleeps and blips here and there. Some of the tracks have a real Ninja-tune-acid-jazz-trippy-style very much in the same line as Funki Porcini. But overall the mood ranges from somber to very busy and almost improvisational jazz, where beatiful piano is juxaposed on fast drums and guitaring.

All I can say is that I really enjoyed listening to it ... If you like Jazz give this one a spin.

Our Ceasing Voice - Steadied Stars In The Morphium Sky (EP)

Album: Steadied Stars In The Morphium Sky (EP)
Artist: Our Ceasing Voice
Web address: http://postrockcommunity.blogspot.com
Purchase: http://ourceasingvoice.bigcartel.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/ourceasingvoice
Genre: Experimental / Ambient
Download
Archive Password: postrockcommunity.blogspot.com

Review:

I downloaded this album and have given it a good few listens. I am very impressed with the quality of the work. The music is very down, slow moving and in the true spirit of ambient music makes the mind wonder when you listen to it. It slowly fills the void of silence with sound effects like reverberant guitars and echo's, generally building up to rhythms and melodies and at times breaks into intense rock grooves (Emotionally moving stuff) . Its definitely something you can listen to when you have some time alone to reflect, concentrate on work or do something artistically (or maybe need a good cry). The bottom line is that its really beautiful music.

The album was recorded in a home studio by the 3 band members and was mastered professionally. It is an intense album that invokes memories of Brian Eno's music for airports and similar works and i can definitely recommend it to ambient lovers.

a Very limited amount of these (50 copies) are available for purchase from http://ourceasingvoice.bigcartel.com. Apparently you will receive a hand made package in the shape of a 5.25" floppy disc, complete with liners, photos ,CD and more. From what I understand the packaging on its own is worth the price and it might just become a collectors item one day. So even if the music is free under creative commons, its still well worth supporting these artists (and others) with a financial donation.

The rar archive might be password protected, so please use the above password if you need to extract it.

Deef - Lebensbegleitende Musik [rec72 - 013]

Album: Lebensbegleitende Musik
Artist: Deef
Label: http://rec72.net
Genre: IDM, Glitch, Downtempo, Chill
Release Date: October 2008
Download

Review:

Yip its been a long time since i have updated the blog. Indeed i have just been too busy to keep up with all the music. I am quite sad as i am sure i have missed a lot of good stuff this year. I keep all the submissions that you guys make and try and keep up as much as i can. So please keep sending them in ... I doubt i will be able to get to all of your requests, so hopefully there are no hard feelings. I hope to get back into it in the new year, so if this is my last post for the year, i just want to give all of you my best wishes for the time ahead.

I received a request for review this morning and for some reason i decided to give it a listen. I think the music just caught my mood perfectly and i found it quite moving in a sense. I cant help but get a feeling that i have missed out on soo much music.

Well, lets give this album a review shall we??

As I mentioned I was thoroughly surprised by this album. (Might be because my life is just so hectic at the moment). The smoothness and blissful ambient electronica fused with glitch, IDM and classic instruments (piano, and other orchestral sounds) has a almost serene feel to it.

This is a soulful album with a lot of heart in it. Albeit sometimes a little "out there" in composition but the rich textured sound really makes up for anything that might not be "perfect".

It might just be my mood as I mentioned, but I really think this is a superb album and well worth the download to any IDM, Chill, Trip-hop or downtempo fans.

Mark.Nine - In Memories EP [io034]

Album: In Memories EP
Artist Name: Mark.Nine
Label: I/O Netlabel
Genre: Downtempo, Chillout
Release Date: 4/2008
Download
Reviewer: Ryan

Marcus Gutierrez is a talented man. He runs his own netlabel, produces a heavy output of music, and does some very nice web design and visual arts, too. All of this and he's still in high school.

As Mark.Nine, Marcus has released hours of music since 2006 on his own I/O Netlabel. Some of you may have enjoyed his last release, Artificial Horizon (April, 2007). His newest creation, In Memories, is an EP of a very similar style. The lo-fi drums, reverb-laden synths, bright, swirling chimes, and pleasantly unusual basslines are all back again for another showing - only this time, better.

>From the moment I started the opening title-track I knew I was going to have a pleasant half-hour of listening. This EP is the epitome of Mark.Nine. I could spend much more of your time discussing the minute details of this EP that astound me, but I digress. Rather, download it and see for yourself.

If you like melodic, downtempo electronica, this is for you. My only complaint is that there's not more of it!

Afristralian:
I Fully agree with Ryan's assessment, this album is (once again) a standout performance from Mark.Nine. It's VERY laid back and sometimes you lose track of the music almost like having a moment of sonic unconsciousness.

The music is really good and its recommended to all lounge and downtempo lovers.