Listmania!

In his new year round-up in Foxy Digitalis, Eric Hardiman has some very nice things to say about “Turning Point”:

Andreas Brandal – Turning Point (Tranquility Tapes)

How Norway’s Brandal manages to keep throwing out masterworks like this without achieving greater recognition is a total mystery to me.  More than most, he puts together releases that work as pieces of art.  From track titles to artwork to the intriguing music he makes, any Brandal release is sure to hang together as a complete record, a statement of sorts.  This tape, which is an excellent entry point for the uninitiated, showcases all of the hallmarks of his music – dark atmospheres, multiple instrumentation, amazing compositional skill, and an ability to transfix through every twist and turn of a track.  His work oozes professionalism (in the most positive way), and even a casual listen will reveal that a true expert is behind this music.  Props to the incredible Tranquility Tapes for presenting Brandal’s music in such stylish fashion.  Grab this tape while you still can.

Many thanks to Mr. Hardiman for the kind words! His list includes a bunch of outstanding releases from 2012. Check it out over HERE.

Crawford Philleo picks the cover art for my tape “Staying Is Nowhere” as his favorite from 2012:

Best Cover Art
Andreas Brandall “Staying is Nowhere” (Field Hymns)

Tiny Little Hammers cranked out a number of fantastic images this year, from poster designs to LP artwork. This one, with its wavy two-tone super-skyway was not only my favorite overall look, but also fit the music best of any other cover I could find in 2012, mirroring Brandall’s bleak, expanding/contracting universe of sound.

Thanks a lot to Mr. Philleo! You’ll find the rest of his list HERE.