Articles
Robert Henke
Deepchord and Soultek

Albums
Amoebazoid
Boy Is Fiction
BTB
Calika
Vic Chesnutt
Enrico Coniglio
Eric Copeland
Deadbeat
Deepchord : Echospace
Ditch
Terrence Dixon
Brian Ellis
Reinhold Friedl
The Green Kingdom
Marc Hannaford
Hrsta
K. Leimer
Lights Out Asia
Nebula 3
Netherworld
Le Peuplier de Simon
Po
Portable
Lou Reed
Jeffrey Roden
Skallander
Swod
Gregory Taylor
Telephone Jim Jesus
Pau Torres
Tunng
Rolan Vega
Robert Vincs
Warmth
Otomo Yoshihide

Compilations / Mixes
Sander Kleinenberg
One Point Two
Total 8

3"/ 7"/ 10"/ 12"/ EPs
Adultnapper
Arrow!!!
Ascoltare
Beneva vs. Clark Nova
Cinematic Orchestra
Deepchord : Echospace
Easy Changes
Fink
Peter Grummich
The Heavy
Isomer Transition
Laptik
Larytta
Nadja
Pendle Coven
Polvere
Redhooker
Spied
Andy Stott
Torrance & Hochstrate
Andy Vaz

Lights Out Asia: Tanks and Recognizers
n5MD

n5MD seems effortlessly able to give listeners one high-quality release after another and the trend continues with Lights Out Asia's Tanks and Recognizers, the Wisconsin trio's sophomore full-length and n5MD debut. Formed in 2003 by Aurore Rien members Chris Schafer and Mike Ystad and later joined by guitarist Mike Rush, the group operates in a sonic zone peopled by Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine, and deploys an epic, cathedralesque production style favoured by the likes of Robin Guthrie. Put simply, Lights Out Asia's style might be described as an ethereal fusion of dreampop, shoegaze, and post-rock.

It takes no more than half a minute for the gorgeous opener “Roy” to rise heavenward when electric guitar peals swoop over a billowing mass of strings, while the driving beats and guitar blaze of “ Four Square ” reveal the trio's post-rock and shoegaze leanings. Other peaks? Try “Art Divided by Science,” seven gorgeous minutes of chiming guitars and cinematic strings, or perhaps the eleven-minute closer “Spiti Elefas,” whose shimmering atmospheres, programmed beats, and guitar lattices encapsulate all of the group's tendencies and strengths in one fell swoop. Elsewhere, the trio's penchant for blending electronic elements and acoustic instruments gets a nice showcase in “Ring of Stars” where strings sing sweetly amidst tinkling melodies, and Canadian listeners will be chuffed to hear Ontario 's capital get a shout-out (“Oh! Toronto ”). Five minutes into “March Against the Savages,” Lights Out Asia even briefly turns into U2 when vocals uncannily similar to Bono's soar over an anthemic, axe-driven roar. A solid outing, then, with one exception: the group might want to consider retiring vocals in the future, as they're of second-rate caliber (on “Oh! Toronto ” in particular) but, more importantly, are hardly required when the music is already so strong on its own.

September 2007