2014: year in review

Well, 2014 is a wrap! Audiowise, this was a great year. Lots of fantastic releases, lots of great live gigs and I made some new friends along the way. Discover the best the genre had to offer in 2014.

 

 

Best album of 2014 - Postrock

Winner: This Will Destroy You - Another language

This album isn't all that well received in the press, but it resonated with me. I have a big emotional click with this album that quietly passes by with some grand build-ups and explosions of sound. It's more delicate than their earlier work, but it's an amazing experience to dive in this album and let it carry you away with great tunes like New Topia, Dustism, War Prayer and Invitation. Here's the review!



Runner up: Blueneck - King Nine

Man, a new release by the mighty Blueneck. Some progrock, lots of postrock and shoegaze influences with resonating synths and fantastic delicate vocals. Their newest, King Nine, is an album that won't open up to you when you casually listen to it once. Bit of a shame for the more general crowd, because they will miss one of the most stunning releases this year. A regular visiter of my site had the best description of Blueneck's music:

Blueneck rips the soul out of your body: naked, vulnerable, melancholic, soft

Listen to the track "Man of Lies" below and if you enjoy what you're hearing, grab this album from Bandcamp!


Best live show

Winner: God is an Astronaut - Live gig at Dunk! 2014 festival

I visited a lot of concerts, just visit my Youtube Channel. I had the pleasure to see lots of live Postrock, including the amazing Dunk! 2014 festival in Zottegem, Belgium: 3 days of Postrock Bliss. I would never have guessed that GIAA 's set would be my top live pick of 2014. I've seen them a couple of times and the last 2 shows were a bit "meh". Well, at Dunk, they blew me away. It was like they supercharged their guitars revamping older tunes and set the place on fire during tracks from their last album. They were the festival finisher, very humble and man, they loved playing there. A fantastic, transcending experience that hit me full force.



dunk!festival2014 • God Is An Astronaut (live) from The Stargazer TV on Vimeo.

Runner up: Long Distance Calling - Live at 013 Tilburg

Long Distance Calling has an already great track-record. At least half of the tracks from the new album feauture vocals to appeal to a broader public and renew themselves musically. How would that be? Well, my first Postrock gig in 2014 was this concert. An extra long evening with Long Distance Calling and it was fantastic. I took my dad to this gig and he was likewise impressed. Great atmosphere, blazing tracks and an uplifting band played the stage and crowd. Amazing gig.



Best Postrock video

Winner: iLiKETRAiNS - A Rook House for Bobby - Live at Botanique, Brussels

Remember a couple of years ago, the great Caspian gig at the Audiotree studios? Somehow, that video seeing them performing live, the way it's captured on film and the fantastic music was an irresistible combination for me. This year, iLiKETRAiNS did the same. Possibly my favorite iLiKETRAiNS track expertly filmed and with great audio quality. You have to see this!



Runner up: 65Daysofstatic - Beatcast Coach Road Session

Ok, I know this video is from 2012, but I just recently discoverd this beauty. In the lines of the Caspian gig, a studio session with high energy and great audio quality... enjoy!



65 Days Of Static BeatCast Coach Road Session from BeatCast on Vimeo.

Best new Postrock Discovery

Winner: Tides Of Man - Young and Courageous

Tides of Man always featured a lead singer. He left the band, "Should we search for a new lead-singer? Hell no! We're making a full on instrumental Postrock album with the help of crowd funding"  A bold move by this band, but damn, did it pay off. Young and Courageous is one of the best albums I've listened to in 2014 and deserves everyone's attention. Soaring tracks, great build-ups, high energy segments and lots of emotional impact. And damn... the artwork of this album, amazing!



 

Well, that's a wrap. Let's hope 2015 will be another great year, rock on!