Zombi 'Spirit Animal'

If there is one band that I was forced to list as my favorite prog-rock act around today, there would be no doubting, or no hesitation for that matter, that my answer would be US duo, Zombi. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists, Steve Moore and A.E. Paterra, and they produce some of the finest, and cleanest, sounding music around. The new album 'Spirit Animal' is a phenomenal listen. One that takes you through all sorts of emotions and bewilderment. The band’s signature sound, achieved using only electric bass, drums, and a collection of analog synthesizers, is deceptively lush considering its two man skeleton crew ensemble. Zombi are currently signed to heavy-metal based label, Relapse Records, and have lately been seen touring around with the likes of label-mates The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Fucking Champs, Red Sparowes, Panthers, and Breather Resist. There's influences ranging from all over the place with this album - they've even been classed as the "Daft Punk of the prog-rock world" - with bits and pieces being a remembrance of classic cult-horror film-scores (ie. Goblin). This is an album, from start to finish, that really has your full attention as your curiously waiting for every slight change and future paths of their tracks. It's 50 minutes worthy of your time.

(MP3) Earthly Powers

Patrick Wolf 'The Bachelor'

Ah, how I have been waiting forever and ever for this album to finally make it's way out into the cyberworld. I know it's bad to download leaks, but man I really couldn't resist with this album. Patrick Wolf is one of those unique artists that comes along once every new moon. He is absolutely amazing to listen; no matter what time of the day it may be. He has this way about him that makes me keep coming back for more. It's as if with each album he has there are more secrets to be revealed about himself. He is a story, and a story I'll be following up until the day he retires from music. 'The Bachelor' is his latest effort and it see's Wolf heading a completely new direction. It's almost trance, I guess but not. It's electronic, we can put it that way but not in the way that most of us know it. Just listen to tracks like Hard Times and Vulture to understand what I'm talking about. But! Just when you think you have this album all pegged out, he slips in tracks like Battle (an almost metal ala Mindless Self Indulgent track) and album title track, The Bachelor (which is hands down, going to feature in my top songs of the year list). The album is amazing, and compared to that of his last release, 'The Magic Position', I would say it's pretty close to topping it, if not equal.

(MP3) Hard Times
(MP3) The Bachelor