Dylan Carlson - Conquistador (2018)

Conquistador is a solo album from Dylan Carlson, the guitarist/composer of Earth and, guess what, it sounds like... the guitars parts from Earth! No surprise at all then, but it's ok since it is so good. The atmospheres created by these five instrumental guitar tracks have a kind of "dark western" feel that reminds earth's Hex album. One of my favourite so that's good. If you like Earth you'll enjoy this album, if you don't know Earth, well, you really should know Earth you know...

The Bandcamp page 

The Bug - Concrete Desert (2017)

Concrete Desert is a collaboration between Kevin Martin (The Bug, Techno Animal, etc.) and Dylan Carlson (Earth) is released under the name The Bug and by the techno label Ninja Tune but actually it is closer to the most minimalistic Eath albums (like Hex), it sounds more like Dylan Carlson guitar drone / americana / ambient soundscape fearturing Kevin Martin adding some noise aelements and a few discreet beats. I would have liked more of the heavier dub / industrial elements from the Kev Martin musical world but anyway it is still a really good ambient album. I enjoy it like it is for now... but hope in the future another collaborative album, maybe this time with a different dosage.

The Bandcamp page.

Earth - Primitive and deadly (2014)

Primitive and deadly is Earth's eighth full lenght and is their most accessible and catchy to date. they went closer to the rock format (but we could say this is a kind of experimentating for Earth!) and even have three songs with vocals. two with Mark Lanegan, as good as he is usually, and one with Rabia Shaheen Qazi the women singing in Rose windows, and she's doing good as well. but it's not just the singing, the music is less minimalistic, with some nice melodic guitar works. the atmosphere reminds the solemnity and subtly dark one we had in Hex : or printing in the infernal method, but sounds less desolate, with a lighter feel. I think overall it's really a success, they really managed to make their sound evolves while sticking to their strong identity and offering a subtle but very enjoyable listen.

their Bandcamp