Ilsha‘s wonderful debut Dive is out today! Listen to this amazing set of songs on all streaming platforms now. If it’s your thing, you can buy the vinyl in our Bandcamp webshop or at one of the release shows next week: Nov 2: Worm, Rotterdam Nov 5: Het Koffiepand, Middelburg
And the press agrees with us: De Subjectivisten: “intense mini soundtracks full of contemplative splendor” Here Comes The Flood: “a memorable trip through emotions by way of intricate multi-layered compositions that sparkle and shine”
This amazing album by LOGOUT is already 1 year old! To celebrate this fact, we put a 50% discount on the vinyl. Get your copy of this Greek psychedelic bedroom pop masterpiece now for just € 7,50 in our Bandcamp store (only 16 & 17 november!).
We are very happy to release the new self-titled Astral Swans album today!
This self-titled record is Swann’s most upbeat, catchy & immediate album to date. Each song operates as an absurdist short story filled with Swann’s wry observations of the sad beauty of mundane moments. The songs range from affirmations of joy amidst dread, composed in the streets of Shimokitazawa Tokyo (The Wind In A Mindless Universe), to ballads of disoriented uncertainty set against the backdrop of early quarantine (Spiral). Songs about birds heckling the anxious and heartbroken in Vondelpark Amsterdam (Bird Songs), to a cover of the Cat Power classic Cross Bones Style, sung as a duet with Julie Doiron (Eric’s Trip, Mount Eerie). The album closer I Was Awake For Awhile is an interrogation of somebody who is trying to piece together the events that transpired over many days of, well…being awake.
PRESS De Subjectivisten: “the strong, sometimes timeless songs of Astral Swans manage to take you completely out of reality, something that is very welcome in these troubled times” WoNo Magazine: “a gem of an album that is certainly a contender for the best of 2021 list” Here Comes The Flood: “a carefully balanced set of songs, a tapestry whereupon optimism (Beautiful Things Will Happen) and pessimism (End Of The World) are playing catch”
True Sound by The World of Dust is out today! For his 6th record, the experimental folk artist from Bilthoven once again teamed up with GBV associate Todd Tobias. Tobias provided an upbeat yet dreamy backdrop to Breuer’s lyrics – this time resulting in a concept album about his grandparents. Now available on CD and all streaming services.
The press has been loving it so far: De Subjectivisten: “a compelling, impressive and most wondrously beautiful gem and tribute” 3voor12/Utrecht: “magnificent!” Proglog Afterglow: “intriguing and honest” Here Comes The Flood: “accessible underground music that will be embraced by anyone who is serious about music and has had his share of loss and love”
In some ways a concept album, True Sound charts a very personal exploration of the life and death of Stefan Breuer’s grandparents. The unique overarching narrative that plays out with each song, and the warmth of the delivery, unites the album into a moving and consistent whole. As with The World of Dust’s acclaimed previous album, Samsara, the instrumental elements on True Sound were created by Todd Tobias, who sent them to Breuer to write and sing the lyrics. Tobias’s wonderfully melodic compositions call to mind his work with Robert Pollard, creating a haunting marriage when combined with Breuer’s pure vocal tones, reminiscent of The White Birch’s Ola Flottum.
The mesmerising, drumless opening track ‘Sailing’ introduces Breuer’s grandfather, Jan (whose personal effects are on display in the Museum of Vlaardingen), over insistent, metallic guitar and burbling modulation. First single ‘Goodbye’ has a charming, wistful sway and gorgeous vocal harmonies, which belie its sobering story of Jan’s battle with cancer. Jan’s first wife, who passed away during childbirth, is commemorated on ‘Petronella’s Death’, with its elegant, descending guitar figures. And Breuer’s grandmother is touchingly memorialised on the elegant tempo shift and eerie arpeggios of ‘Nel’s Passing’. Ultimately, True Sound is testament to the liberation that comes from letting go.
We’re proud to announce the release of Venus Mirror, the sublime new EP from Moonchy & Tobias. The EP is available now on a limited edition CD in a dope gatefold digipak. Head to Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music and the rest to soak in this beautiful release.
The luminous, soothing Venus Mirror is infused with an almost tropical sway. This might be the most accessible piece of work by the duo so far. It also might be the best. Here Comes The Flood wrote: “Venus Mirror is for daydreamers of all ages”.
We’re excited to announce the release of ‘Delibo’, the new single from the forthcoming Moonchy & Tobias EP, Venus Mirror. The EP will be out on June 5 through Tiny Room Records and Hidden Shoal. ‘Delibo’ is also accompanied by a beautiful music video from Pat Moonchy:
Preorder the CD (very limited CD-r version of 20 copies!) through our Bandcamp page:
Venus Mirror is a buoyant follow-up to the brooding, nocturnal atmospheres of the duo’s 2020 release Moonchy & Tobias III, the luminous, soothing Venus Mirror is infused with an almost tropical sway. On ‘Specchio Di Venere’, Tobias’ modulated synth, tuned percussion and acoustic guitar paint a widescreen scene, over which Moonchy’s vocal traces a mesmerizing wordless melody. On the other six tracks, Moonchy sings both in her native Italian and in ancient Latin, her voice soaring and graceful in turns. In the single ‘Delibo,’ the warm major sevenths of jazz are chilled by a shivering wind. ‘Leniter’ brings the EP to a fittingly ambiguous close, setting the listener adrift on see-sawing, reverb-drenched piano lines.
Geri van Essen‘s beautiful new folk album Cleaned the Windows is out today on CD and digitally! 🥳 Listen to this record now on Bandcamp, Spotify, or buy the CD to support the artist directly. Here are some useful links for you:
Geri van Essen: “Even though I’ve essentially written another set of laments, I think a there is a jumble of emotions in the production of this album and I’m very happy with that.”
The press has been happy as well: The Next Gig: “an honest folk album, contemporary with a nod to the past” Timpaan Muziek: “ideal for dreaming away in a melancholic mood at night” Here Comes The Flood: “Cleaned the Windows is like a gentle summer breeze – highly enjoyable and reinvigorating”
We released Tiny Wine’s debut EP Archer yesterday on 7″ vinyl and cassette! You can purchase now on our Bandcamp – we will ship in January. If you’re into lo-fi bedroom pop like Daniel Johnston, Smog and GBV, you might want to check this out. Limited edition, cool underground 4-track stuff, harking back to a golden era of indie music.
They also wrote some cool words: “It sounds warped and faded, rippling from another time with lo-fi beauty. There’s a backward ambiance to it, with just the voices, sparse guitar, and the simple crack of the rhythm holding it together like homemade glue. It’s a dreamy song that pulls on those themes of nostalgia. The band work a nice buzzing guitar riff and a catchy whistled melody for a bit of texture as things crackle to a close.”
Pre-orders of the vinyl and cassette are up now too, go to our Bandcamp store.
We released a lot of music in 2020, but we listened to a lot of music as well! Being stuck at home 24/7, you know how it goes… Anyway, these albums could be great discoveries or recommendations for all you Tiny Room Records aficionados. And if you like this Best Indie Albums of 2020 Year-End List, you might want to check out the beautiful records we put out this year (see the bottom of this post, with links to Bandcamp for your convenience).
Have a good holiday! Stay safe, don’t die, don’t kill. <3
1. Adrianne Lenker – Songs and Instrumentals 2. Guided By Voices – Mirrored Aztec 3. Modern Nature – Annual 4. Thelonious Monster – Oh That Monster 5. The Microphones – Microphones in 2020 6. Karl Blau – Children Of All Ages 7. Microwolf – My Cauliflower Ears 8. Mike Wexler – Mike Wexler with Synthetic Love Dream 9. Yves Jarvis – Sundry Rock Song Stock 10. Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher 11. Lomelda – Hannah 12. Guided By Voices – Surrender Your Poppy Field 13. Landowner – Consultant 14. Horse Lords – The Common Task 15. The Johns – Forge 16. Avery Plains – soOn 17. Lake – Roundelay 18. Elvis Depressedly – Depressedelica 19. Laura Veirs – My Echo 20. Sore Eros – Sore Eros
The records released on Tiny Room Records this year
We never add our own releases to our year-end lists, because they would replace the top 6 in the Best Indie Albums of 2020 Year-End List. It’s another league 😉 This list was compiled by label owner Stefan Breuer, who is also a musician on some of the releases. He has a big ego, but not big enough to put himself above Adrianne Lenker and Guided By Voices. However, give these albums a listen, you indie fans!
