netlabels and libraries are both great resources for finding new and interesting music. i highly encourage you to check out your local library system and see what they have available in their catalogs - most are available for browsing online now, too.

if you aren’t familiar with the idea of a netlabel, it’s really pretty simple: it’s basically the same as a “regular” music label with one big exception. most netlabels publish most, if not all, of their releases online for free public consumption. artwork is even included in the usually-zipped files. now, that of course is a major difference, as netlabels can’t be expected to make any money off of free releases, and neither can the artists. now granted, many of the labels do have ways of making money through actual hard copy sales, t-shirts, and of course working that much harder at everything else around them to be able to continue doing it.

easily the biggest repository of netlabels is archive.org. by posting audio through archive.org - and hundreds of thousands have - netlabels themselves agree to the terms that the content is available for anyone to freely download, copy, play and distribute under the widely-used creative commons deed, which can often be identified by this logo:

of course, a sense of copyright etiquette is still expected - you can’t claim these songs as your own or sell them to the OC or anything like that.

with that, a few netlabel releases i’ve come across recently:

i’m a big fan of just picking one and listening to it. millhaven’s bars closing down came from 12rec back in february of 2005, and, like several other acts you’ve come to know and love, millhaven do the “floating guitar lines erupting into sonic fireworks” thing. one defining characteristic of this album is the nautical motion of the songs - each climax is built as a product of the proceeding momentum, and the unhurried, unforceful way in which the inertia is released makes sticking with the band until the end worth it.

cinematics are included as well, as evidenced by the last section of “e. zann,” which sonically captures the storm of falling embers from the previously-mentioned explosive light show - white hot flares screeching out of the sky in a dazzling downward fade.

there’s no implication of malice or agression in these songs, although they are not necessarily uplifting, either. a lot of it would sound appropriate soundtracking a training sequence in a heroic kung fu movie, one probably involving training on a beach. six tracks are spread over 55 minutes - the longest clocks in at just over 16 minutes; the shortest, at just over 5. this really is recommended for those with the patience to not only listen to but become caught up in the sound of bands like this.

to download this album in zip format, click here.

another recent netlabel find is airliner’s apparel ep, which is available here. on opener “sneakers and socks,” warm bass ambles along with syntherflies bouncing around all over while order and reason march off to the side in the form of chaotic neutral drum breaks. “pants” climaxes on perfect guitar pop, while both “jacket” and “shirt” break away from the light-headedness of the earlier tracks into more somber territory; the latter of the two rides a very nice jazz-house ‘n bass groove. “skirt” is a light and carefree parade of one past the overwhelmed sound-caresses of everyday machinery going beep beep as reverently as possible, ending finally in swelling strings. it’s not surprising, then, that closer “panties” is a low-tempo affair, with the last of the long day’s vibrancy making its final rush of the night, before being over with at last. incredible stuff.

again, this release is available, in its entirety, and 100% legally for free here.

another one for the discerning electronic music fan, phylum sinter’s the discreet business ep is available in full here. originally recorded in 2002, this ep sees works moving through territory previously haunted by such similar spirits as the future sound of london or underworld at their second-toughest mellowness. detroit is, of course, at the root - tracks like “the all drug olympics” were made to soundtrack early-morning excursions into the most abandoned parts of dead cities, and at just over eleven minutes, it’s definitely the scenic route of the album.

phylum sinter also offers a few more current tracks on his site here. check this one out:

phylum sinter - magnetic pandabears