Glider/Various

Although they are only 20 years old, the slow-core electro-analog trio that is Epic45 are quite advanced with their style of high quality darkly introspective romantic ambient electronic lounge groove muzak. They polish the ride cymbal until it shines like a halogen light and tap it with a grace that makes the listener glide. Comparisons to Bark Psychosis, Mogwai, Godspeed You Black Emperor! and Labradford are apt, but their approach is by far more accessible and by far less ominous sounding. There is such smoothness to their unique type of film-less soundtrack music that it could calm a bullfight in Spain. Also taking this route is Glider, a duo (Pascal, from Quebec City, and Gavin, from England) that collaborated by exchanging tapes across seas to hone their craft. On the heels of their acclaimed 2001 release, they have asked various like-minded artists from across the globe to participate in fertilising the seeds of their music with their own computers and send back the results (aka remixing). Various artists agreed and the results are impeccable. Highlights include remixes by San Francisco's Tarentel, Bloomington, IN's Ativin, Couch Terminus B and Montreal's own 1-Speed Bike, who take a rock sample and speed it up in a humorously high-speed and almost undanceable frenzy. While this duo may not find themselves on the cover of The Wire anytime soon, they are a sure-fire way to make your mind swim the right way, which is in every possible direction.