2015: year in Postrock review

Well, 2015 is almost at its end and it was a great year for Postrock fans. Great new music, fantastic live shows.... the genre keeps on giving.  I added a lot of new live music on my Youtube channel but didn't write enough articles on my website, but hey: I moved to a new home and had some quality time building a great place :) Still, I've listened to a lot of music and here's my top-list for 2015, enjoy!

 

Best album of 2015

Winner: SPOIWO - Salute Solitude
Already newcomer of the year according to the biggest Postrock community on Facebook, this is my definite winner this year. A good friend of me told me that he thought that I would like this band and damn...., he was right. I'm a sucker for Postrock / ambient with piano and synthesizer and boy, do the synthesizers deliver. A hauntingly beautiful release that crawls under your skin and triggers all kind of emotions. The definitive post-apocalyptic score is here for you to listen to. It's not all doom and despair: the album turns into some melancholic but more positive atmosphere that suggests that better times are nearly there. Just listen to the tracks YOS, Call me home and Flare... I've mentioned the band a lot this year, but they deserve all the attention they can get. The biggest surprise for me is that they will play the Dunk!2016 festival and I like to think that happened for a small part due to the attention the band got on this website. Can't wait to hear this one live. Get their album now.

Runner up: Caspian - Dust & Disquiet

What a release by Caspian.... these guys continue to give and give. They conclude a very emotional time and that's the body and spirit of this album. A bold selection of tracks with true Caspian tunes mixed with truly new stuff from this band and it all blends so extremely well together. While reviewing this album, I had a clear vision of the story that's told (well, at least: my interpretation) and the words literally flew out of my fingers. A huge accomplishment from a band that has a lot to live up to. Read my review right here to discover the beauty of this release.

Best live show

Boy, a lot to choose from as I went to a couple of live shows this year :)

Winner: Mono - Recoil, Ignite - live at Dunk!2015 festival

Caspian was my most anticipated act for Dunk!2015 as I have never see them live. Nevertheless, it was Mono that truly stole my heart this year. Their performance of the track Recoil, Ignite was goosebumps all over. The sheer intenisty of the band-members, the amazing sound of the festival, it was totally engrossing. Mono more than lived up to my expectations and delivered a show that was pure magic. A couple of months later, I saw them in Leeuwarden and it was every bit as enjoyable as at Dunk!2015 festival.

Runner up: Year of no light - Perséphone - live at Dunk! 2015 festival

Year of no Light, the French Post-metal masterpiece was at Dunk! 2015 festival. After a good show in 2014, these guys started their live set with the track Perséphone from the awesome album Ausserwelt. It's my favorite Post-metal track because of the great combi of guitars and synths. The Dunk stage was a perfect blend of sound and lights that set a perfect atmosphere. Seeing the 9+ members of the band abusing their instruments while headbanging on the dramatic melodies was stunning.

Best Postrock video

Winner: Jambinai - Connection

I saw the last part of their set in Leeuwarden and had the luck to hear this song called Connection. A beautiful, relaxing tune that's perfectly fit to quietly drift away with. The video on Youtube is a fantastic piece of art that deserves a lot more views. Engrossing images of Korean landscapes, people and folklore. It's utterly beautiful and definitely deserves your attention.

Runner up: Tides of Man - Live at Audiotree


Tides of Man - Audiotree Live from Audiotree Live on Vimeo.

Audiotree continuously delivers us high quality live recordings. This year, the amazing Tides of Man were there and played their fantastic tunes live in the Audiotree studios.

 

Onwards to 2016!!! Enjoy, you all!