Free Download Roundup (May)

As the last of these mini-features of free downloads from around the net was so popular I thought I'd let it make a semi-regular appearance on the blog, hopefully monthly if I'm exposed to enough worthy releases to make publishing that often worthwhile.

First up this month we have "She Wants To Be Flowers, But You Make Her Owls" by the Owl Service. The Owl Service are one of our favourite folk-rock collectives here at the Active Listener, and this free (or name your price) 17 track download is basically a best of which acts as a perfect starting point for those still to discover them. They have a huge back catalogue which is available as a data DVD through the same link.



Next we have Gilligan Smiles, a Melbourne based psychedelic rock group that I know almost nothing about. Their new album "Fi​.​Fy​.​Fo​.​Funk" is available as a free/name your price Bandcamp download and has a nice range of well handled material that ranges from Tame Impala-esque jams to the moody "Flow" which sounds like Ride at their most melancholy and is quite lovely. Get it here and show them some support:



Also well worth a bit of your time is Swiss artist Luca Pollioni who has just released his debut E.P as Borderline Symphony. The sleeve art looks like something you'd find on a classic European library or prog rock album and the contents of this release hearken back to that time of invention, trims back the excess a little and lays on a fresh, contemporary sound that embraces vintage psychedelia but never attempts to replicate it. Extremely impressive for a debut, and highly recommended. You can get it below for a name your price or free download. It's worth paying for if you can afford it though.



Last up is more of a reminder. Violet Swells have released possibly the best psychedelic single of the year so far with "Jupiters Garden", and it's free. Nuts. I waxed lyrical about it here, but the simple truth of the matter is that if you like Jacco Gardner and classic baroque pop you simply must download it. There's a limited 7" pressing of it on the way soon too, and lucky us, we're just about to release the follow up single through Active Listener Records (which you can preorder here).
"Jupiters Garden" can be had for free here, although paying a little would help fund future projects.