Famous 5 playlist, November 2017

Every month, we carefully select for your expert ears 5 songs, by 5 artists around the world. We hope you will enjoy this November's edition.

SPC Eco is a collaboration between Dean Garcia (Curve) and the sound artist Rose Berlin. There are so many songs from that could have featured here, such is the quality of their trip hop / electro act. This following song incorporates textures from trip hop, but also some shoegazey guitars, making the piece beautifully crafted. Thanks to Shauna (Shameless PR & Ummagma) for making me discover this truly beautiful music.

A new Post-Rock band, Gerda, from South Korea, have just released their first LP, "the Tide". It was recommended on the FB group Shoegaze Japan, and was love at first hearing. A beautiful first  work, clever and musically excellent. "L'amour étroit" featuring here, is but one of the beautiful song you will enjoy to listen.

This month pick by Sara:

"I strongly recommend the whole album to anyone who is into Radio dept., Wild nothing, Craft spells and so on. The reasons why I like it? honey female vocals, catchy-yet-melancholic guitars & synth and a moveable rythme: I can't help it!

I think it's one of these songs you can listen to with a cup of tea in your hands, while missing something that made you smile and still does. The point is: did it really happen? or even, will it ever be?"

The following band was brought to our attention by the always excellent French blog Totoromoon. From historic Saint Petersburg, Blankenberge brings us an outstanding Shoegaze LP. The Russian artists put together a superb track list of bending guitars and meandring melodies.

The next band was brought to my attention by Sandra Saitua, a colleague of many Shoegaze & Indie FB groups, with a vast and deep knowledge of indie music. Pink Elephants (the Canadian from Ottawa, not to be confused with several other Eponymous bands), make very relaxed psych music. As opposed to many bands that stick again to long loops with the same receipees, Pink Elephants, song after song try to vary textures and atmospheres.

Photo: Eric Nopanen on Unsplash