Feist - Metals
Regarding her second album, the eminent The Reminder, there are songs that make me love Leslie Feist, namely I Feel It All and My Moon My Man and there are songs that make me want to use the record as a Frisbee, the kind that gets chewed to shreds by your dog. Ok, maybe it’s not her fault that 1,2,3,4 is synonymous with about ten advertisements as it undoubtedly aided in her popularity, reaching a demographic from indie kids to middle-aged housewives i.e. Question Time and Corrie viewers alike. I am of course being overly abrasive to make the point that I hope her latest album consists of songs of the same caliber as The Limit To Your Love and is vacant of tracks in the same vein as “that song from that advert”. However, the question is, how will this affect its popularity with the masses when it comes to a middle-class dinner party?
I first call to the stand the single from the album, How Come You Never Go There?, which indeed is the most similar to 1,2,3,4 in terms of its potential as an obvious hit. However this would be an overstatement as in honesty, there are few parallels to be drawn between the two. In fact, the whole album seems like it has been recorded far from commercial TV and indeed civilization itself, possibly in a Canadian Forest with surrounding Centaurs. There are no hints that Feist is trying to please her current following, it appears as more of an album for her own consumption. Her approach is refreshing even in a world not lacking in female vocalists that can be described by referencing Billie Holliday, moreover its lack-of-influences originality exudes modernity. This is odd considering the album is more lo-fi and rough around the edges than its predecessor.
The singles title rhetoric followed by the line “How come I’m so alone there”, describes the morose tone of the album. The song is jerky and has a strange time signature compared to its flowing, upbeat forerunner. Undiscovered First sounds like a Robert Plant country song that was conceived around a campfire. It is probably the most uplifting song on the album but so is the case with country music, there is still a thread of Macabre. By the end of the song, it has progressed into a head-banging loud stomp where Feist flourishes out of subtlety and really lets loose. It is remarkable how much different she sounds without the jazz kookiness. Feist is also a lot louder on Comfort Me where she explores her vocal range. A Commotion is pretty much a garage rock tune that meets shabby chic (Black Keys Vs Cath Kidston?) that turns out as another welcome addition to the already multi-faceted album. There are a few songs that are just a bit too subtle and indistinct from each other so that you can play each one back to back and you won’t notice the change.
To conclude I think that if Feist tried to recreate the pop songs of The Reminder, it would have seemed like a bit of a carry on. Her back-to-nature where the charts don’t exist attitude was definitely the right decision and she has turned out an exceptional album.
Neon Indian - Era Extraña
Neon Indian is a pioneer in that infectious, poorly named genre called Chillwave that swept the indie world in synchrony with the likes of Washed Out and Toro Y Moi. Although retro is as popular as ever, it is remarkable how such a mushy, drowned out, synth heavy sound ever made it out alive. Its nostalgia inducing tone evokes emotions that are as vague and as blurry as the dreamy music videos. Allow yourself to get lost in that pensive, slightly melancholy sound: It’s self-indulgent music for self-indulgent people. I think due to the prolific rise, we all expected an imminent and not very dramtic fizzling out. However, haters think again. This summer Washed Out released his first LP and both Toro Y Moi and Memory Tapes released their second, so it seems against the odds Chillwave is still making, err, waves.
Whereas all three of the aforementioned have kept it terminally chill, Neon Indian has gone for a tighter sound on his new album Era Extraña. Yes, you still have massive synths, layer upon layer with strange space noises to accompany, but it seems more intricate and accomplished than Psychic Chasms. The song Polish Girl is far more danceable than anything on the previous album and is quite poppy. There are of course the down-tempo numbers, namely the title track, where all the various synths blend into something that has a lot of atmosphere with the power to entrance. I think that this latest release shows that Chillwave has credibility and should continue to be pursued. Although the change is subtle, it may be a step towards the evolvement of Chillwave into the next sub genre. I think they called it blue wave or something stupid. The album is available to buy now.
May/11
Dangermouse & Daniele Luppi - Rome
Broken Bells was one of my favorite albums from last year which was both due to the fact that I was hankering after new Shins material and because Mercer and Brian Burton aka Danger Mouse proved to be a formidable duo. Burton's torrent of creativity has not ceased to carve its path through various genres and will no-doubt influence many to come.
The first song, The Theme of Rome sets the tone for the album but its got about as much to do with the city as Clint Eastwood as it sounds like a Spaghetti Western Soundtrack. In fact the original choir from The Good the Bad and the Ugly have been resurrected for the backing vocals. However don't let this make you think its another variation of the 60's revival.
Given Burton's visionary approach to his musical endeavors, it makes sense that any guests on the album should be of similar prolificacy. Jack White, a man of equal ambition and who, like Burton seems to have endless talent, features on three of the songs. As the album is decidedly bluesy, White's delicate voice translates well. Also his theatrical nature fits the peculiar, medieval tone of the album. You will have heard first single Two Against One where Jack White sings about battling with the mind over struggles with self-loathing and insecurity. I particularly like the use of harpsichord contrasted with the themed mexican feel.
Norah Jones similarly bluesy but more aggressive voice has been used as a romantic counterpart for Jack White in this paritcular Spaghetti Western. Norah's country influence sits well with the imagery of ol' towns in the Sanatana Susana Pass in Ventura county, California.
A favorite of mine is The Gambling Priest which reminds me of music from the time of the vietnamese war. It also demonstrates, along with many other songs particularly the interludes, the influence of composer Daniele Luppi as they have the feel of a movie soundtrack. This is not to detriemntal effect but merely removes another boundary in that film scores are highly accomplished pieces of music and who says that style can't be incorporated into a chart album.
Burton takes on music from all eras and genres which can include at any time, Spaghetti Western, Baroque and blues rock. This combined with eery vocals does make the album have a deranged feel and makes it impossible to pigeon hole. But I guess that is Danger Mouse's game; pushing past genre boundaries, soaring above the squabbles over which music is what and creating something completely new.
8.5/10
Release date: 17/5
Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - "Black" ft. Norah Jones by theaudioperv
Apr/11
Grimes & D'Eon | Darkbloom
First off... sorry about the disappearing act, dissertation meant no blog time or music time for that matter. Anyway it's ok because an exciting new record dropped today even if I have no idea about what new music actually is (just discovering Chillwave, its so totally rad).
It's a split 12" with the A-side featuring the multi-talented Grimes and the B-side featuring her fellow Montreal partner in crime D'Eon. Both styles of music appear to have the same 80's pop grounding, with the pair releasing their own debut LP's last year, at a time where their respective sounds were very much with the times... if not ahead. However, each have branched off on Darkbloom with Grimes pursuing a darker more theatrical sound and D'Eon having a retro feel with R&B influence.
I'll start with Grimes who has a penchant for juxtaposing her pre-pubescent ethereal voice with abstract synth chaos. She seems to have included the whole catalogue of sounds from whatever software program that was used to make her songs. Each song chops and changes frequently, save her voice which maintains the fluidity so the songs are in no way clumsy. The single Vanessa is a haunting dance tune which evokes similar emotions as what the likes of 'Holy Other' and 'How To Dress Well' do. However the real masterpiece is Urban Twilight which has an eery drone synth throughout against layered angelic voices and glitchy drums.
D'Eon has more nostalgic connotations which for me is symbolised by the use of an 808 cowbell on Tongues. Again contrast is emphasized on this track with the uptempo R&B beats and D'eons, sometimes wanky, voice. I really like Transparency which is buried in layers of retro synths- check out the video in which Grimes chomps on D'Eons hair.
In conclusion both artists deliver a couple of gems each but I'm not a fan of the avant-guard stuff (Orphia and Telepathy) which are just plain annoying. Still I'd recommend it for Grimes' experimentation and D'Eons early synthesizer revival.
7/10
D'Eon - Transparency
Grimes - Vanessa
Both videos directed by, and starring Grimes herself
Feb/11
Siriusmo | Mosaik
Siriusmo has been making his own brand of spinny hard hitting well, electro (I guess), for a decade now and never fails to deliver. Always seemingly just off the radar, bringing out great EP's now and then with people at your average discotheque remarking "TUUNNEE" without knowing who made it. Then he resides back to his Berlin music cave to make another. This time however, he has just released his first long play on Modeselektor's Monkeytown entitled Mosaik. He brings back some old favourites such as the trippy, head nodding High Together and the mellow, uplifting Nights Off. The rest is a mixed bag in terms of destroying genre boundaries and creating a 17 track hedonistic whirlpool where no 2 songs sound alike.
Where to start, hmmm... Well, the title track, like so many Siriusmo tunes, starts off like one thing and then ends a completely different song. What starts off as a bouncey spun out jumble of rising arpeggios and hip hop beats turns into a dubstep beat driven skank out.
The album can be abit demanding with the first 30 seconds of 123 being German ramblings from an old educational video (I imagine). But its worth the wait when it drops to exactly the kind of song that makes me love Siriusmo. It's like his previous tunes that have cropped up sporadically from his music cave such as Die Rockwurst or Das Geheimis that are just so on it, so infectious but are effortless, like just on the off chance he decided to make a song, not that its a big deal or anything.
There are a couple of hard electro tunes which are very suited to the dancefloor, (Sirimande and Feromonikon) and some, not-so-nice on the ears experimental bits (Peeved) and the beautifully named Feed My Meat Machine.
My possible favourite is the funkiest interlude known to man; the boucey, sample heavy Las Den Vogel Frei!. There's no way you can't nod your head violently like James Brown singing Sex Machine on speed.
To conclude, this is undoubtably the most original electro LP you'll ever hear. You could spend hours trying to pigeonhole it but it would be futile. You could listen to it and wonder how the gothic detuned 'Adams Family' synths can make you want to listen to it over and over. . Instead forget all I've just said and get lost in the wacky world of Moritz Friedrich.
9/10
"Mosaik" (MTR10) by Siriusmo
Jan/11
We're New Here
Gil Scott-Heron - NY is Killing Me (Jamie XX Remix)
Comeback err.. Granddad Gil Scott-Heron released his album I'm New Here this time last year after a 16 years Hiatus. Regular attendance to prisons for drug charges kinda got in the way. A spectacular album I'm sure, more interesting however is that XX mastermind Jamie Smith is releasing a remix album of I'm New Here, entitled We're New Here. By now we've all heard NY is Killing Me and we've all agreed it is an absolute stonker. Like it's ridiculous how on the money that tune is, I couldn't think of a song better suited to the demands of the average Warehouse Project goer. It's almost enough for me to hate it, but I don't. The ghostly organ with that bouncy bass really do raise the hairs on the back of your neck.
The other big one off the album is I'll Take Care of You which is the polar opposite of the danceable aforementioned tune. It's a soulful, bluesy one of Gil's which is the main feel the original album. It starts off subdued with his raspier and age-weathered voice against a single piano and then breaks into the trademark XX ethereal guitar. Midway through the song the vocals are chopped and it turns into a dance tune. The Crutch is an uptempo glitchy tune contrasted against Gil's spoken word which actually does well not to sound out of place. My Cloud is a soulful lullaby that is beautiful in its simplicity.
The whole album, together with a few jazzy interludes is an interesting listen. You don't find many remix albums, especially not as debuts, so it is quite a bold move of Jamie's. It is varied and you could invent a different genre for most of the tracks. I think fresh would be an apt word to describe it. Amazing is another.
8.5/10
Release Date | 21st February
Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
Right, lets get the obvious out the way. Shit name. I mean really shit name unless I'm proved wrong by some intelligent, uncontrived reasoning that in noway is related to the Hardcore music genre. Good, now lets talk about how this is completely different to any previous Mogwai album. Sure, its got music you can fall asleep to. Sure, its got music you can bathe in your miserable, deadbeat life to. BUT, it is different I promise.
Ok, maybe not to the untrained eye, but the seasoned Mogwai fan will notice that this is the most accessible album to date, with songs rarely pushing past the 6 minute mark. The album is not void of vocals like Hawk is Howling nor does it prominently feature vocals Mr. Beast. Hawk is Howling was produced by Mogwai confidant Andy Miller (One half of the production team of the legendary 1997 Mogwai Young Team album. Whereas, Hardcore brings back the other half, Paul Savage.
You know when you here a song that defines your music taste you feel that its your song even though its quite clearly not? Too Raging to Cheers is that song for me, even though it's clearly by Mogwai, I feel like I wrote it. I hope you know what I mean so I don't sound arrogant
San Pedro is formulaic and aggressive. A song that bellows from the Scottish Highlands. Multiple layers of noise rock guitar that although has melodic breaks, is an unrelenting power trip. Although it does sound like the soundtrack for a montage on a Halo 3 advert.
Mexican Grand Prix has a Kraut Rock feel with synthesized drums, vocoded lyrics and primitive sounding synths. This is set to be the popular track from the album and proves that sometimes branding Mogwai as Post Rock is a wee unfair, nay, a lazy misnomer. It would have been easy for them to have song after song of melodic build ups and ethereal cruscendos like the rest of the Post rock bunch. But Mogwai have once again proved that they can shake up a stereotyped music form and have produced a varied album which provides all the right answers to why you search for good music and wait great lengths for albums such as this.
Even after all this though, I'm still left wanting. Maybe it's because that although the form of the music is undefined and diverse, it is predictablty so. But I prefer to think it is just because I am used to Mogwai's standard of excellence and because it is near impossible for them to better themselves. I doubt Hardcore will go down as their best album, but it is a Mogwai album nonetheless and I love it.
8/10
Mogwai - White Noise
Nov/10
Teeth of the Sea - Your Mecury
After gaining critical success with their debut, Teeth of the Sea are back with their own brand of post-psych-rock. Clearly, the album is hard to link to a specific genre and the underlying theme is difficult to determine, although it is one of exploration and adventure (both musically and in the imagery it conjures). This is due to its experimental and varied nature. The Ambassador sounds like a 6 minute version of an early Metallica intro; a drone of noise with aggressive tom-tom beatings. A.C.R.O.N.Y.M brings 70’s psych rock with distorted guitar riffs and screaming feedback together with early synths. Think Manfred Manns Earth Band meets the intro of The Who’s Baba O’Riley. The title track is harrowingly progressive to the point where you just want it to be over. Other tracks are more ambient, void of drums and regard for typical song structure. Even so, it strikes you as intelligent to the point of nodding respect; in the same way as you’d feel wrong bad mouthing Richard D. James for being too ‘out there’.
However, the peaks of noise rock and ambient troughs are seldom uplifting. This is a melancholy journey, maybe to the depths of Middle Earth. Don’t expect to come out the other end ready to conquer life’s trials, instead prepare to be more disheartened by what lies before. Obviously this does not render it a bad album; it is worth it for a few seriously good songs but some leave you confused about where they are coming from and why.
7/10
Teeth of the Sea - A.C.R.O.N.Y.M.
Oct/10
Wooden Wand - Death Seat
Don’t let the title give you the impression that it’s all satanic guitar riffs and screamo vocals. Instead kick back and let James Jackson Toth’s voice inspire you. He is your noble story teller in lieu if Bob Dylan, his narrative witty and dark in humour. The rich layers of acoustic guitar give an earthy, well-trodden weight that draws you in to James’s lyrics. Listening goes down easy and it’s not long before you’re on a shambolic journey that requires no effort on your behalf. However, it is not lo-fi to the extent of the indie folk you here so much of these days. ‘The Mountain’ is a psychedelic number that leaves you sympathetic to Toth’s trials and tribulations. ‘Ms Mowse’ is similarly hallucinatory but more somber. Then James goes downright gloomy with ‘Servant to Blues’. This is Wooden Wands third LP since former records with his collaborators Vanishing Voice. It is more accomplished and mature like an aged single malt, which I’m sure he also enjoys. Reminisces of relationships are humourous in ‘I Made You’ as if taken from a wisened perspective. I like how free of pretence this particular revival of 70’s folk is, even amoung the genre’s growing popularity. Maybe you’ve found yourself in the midst of some pretty chaotic times, if so Death Seat will empathize and entertain.
8/10
Mrs Jynx - Shark Carousel
One of Planet Mu's less well known is the wonderful Mrs Jynx. The beautiful, flowing synths sound so paradisiacal that you could be chilling in Eden itself. Mrs Jynx is the moniker for Manchester bred Hannah Davidson and she has created a completely unique style that lies between ambient and IDM. Her 2nd full length album 'Shark Carousel' was out this July and is a must. Listen to it and let it relax, inspire and mesmerize you. Would definately like to see Mrs Jynx make a bigger name for herself, she deserves it.
Mrs Jynx - Silky
Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner
Where to start? Well it's all abit mad really, but hugely enjoyable. Straight Outta Essex, Gold Panda has made it on to Ghostly Records joining the like of Matthew Dear and School of Seven Bells. You can listen to the recently released debut LP 'Lucky Shiner' on his MYSPACE. He is obsessed with Japanese culture and this shows in his music; 'Quitter's Raga' has a very oriental feel. The song is also very glitchy and experimental with distorted samples taken from old VHS tapes found in charity shops. Other songs such as 'Back Home' are chilled and uplifting. Definately worth more than a little moment of your time.
Gold Panda - Quitter's Raga
Panda Bear
Ok now onto a completely different type of Panda, erm well, just 'Panda Bear'. If you like Animal Collective, you'll like this. This may have something to do Panda Bear is Noah Lennox of Animal Collective. Dreamy trippy hippy music with all sorts of harmonious vocal layers, impromptu key changes and other strange noises. I'm pretty sure it was recorded deep in the Amazon with an entourage of beautiful swaying hippy women (you know the type) and native tribal men smoking fuck knows what. Get yourself some of that shit, smoke it and listen to this. Enjoy.
Panda Bear - Slow Motion
Sept/10
Seek Magic by Memory Tapes
Well magic was sought and magic was found. I, like all people interested in music, trawl through every method possible to find that song that makes you think, 'yes'. Unfortunately you then over play that song and the excitement wears so you have to go hunting for a new one to get your hit: its our crack. However, the play count of 'Green Knight' on my iTunes has increased more rapidly then any song before and shows no sign of slowing.
The song has a very psychedelic feel, the funky 70's guitar riff with psychedelic rock vocals with psychedelic 'aaaaahhhhss'. I didn't even know I was into that shit. 'Pink Stones' is a faster tempo instrumental number that gets your feet tapping when the beat kicks in after a long ambient intro. It resides back into ambience but some Japanese guitar comes in and you realise the whole feel of the song is oriental.
'Stop Talking' has an up tempo 80's beat with some funky guitar which suddenly breaks into a dramatic chorus. And its this that I think is the trend with alot of the songs; sudden breaks from downbeat interludes into psychedelic dream pop chorus's. This gives the songs a great sense of theatre. I don't know if its because theatre is something that is a dying in popularity that it has been idealized by some bands today like Empire of the Sun or because its just part of synthpop. Probably the latter. Maybe its because the world needs to take a journey away from economic crisis and iPads. Memory Tapes does just that.
9/10
Memory Tapes - Green
Knight
Causers Of This by Toro Y Moi
More hectic than the chillwave of aforementioned Memory Tapes but chilled nonetheless. Its glitchy and messy but still manages to soothe. Its busy too with a multitude of little synth shots especially in 'Lissoms'. I think it is the airy vocals that maintain the chill and are heavily side chain compressed in most cases. This is Chazwick Bundick's first full length album and I think its a magnificent debut.
Its quite varied aswell. I really like a song called 'You Hid' which is nice and chilled with a lazy electric piano and slooowww hip hop beat. But the title track is much more upbeat and dancey.
Chazwick also has a side dance music project where he goes my the moniker 'Les Sins' and I definately recommend you check some of that shit out, its good.
8/10
Toro Y Moi - Lissoms
Life of Leisure by Washed Out
Another psychedelic, dreamy, 'chillwave' heavyweight is the marvelous Washed Out. I'm being taken to a place that everyones going, I'm sure I like it but I'm not sure if I'm invited. That's the vibe I get anyway, ya get me? The American Ernest Green has produced some emotive and powerful works with 'Life of Leisure'. If you have problems dreaming, stick on 'Feel it all Around' whilst trying to sleep. The concise album is mostly chilled, different from the glitchy feel of Toro Y Moi. Best listened to in solitude, or when shaggin the misses possibly?
8/10
Washed Out - Feel it all Around
Baths - Cerulean
This July saw the release of Cerulean by Baths. Parallels can be made with this and Bibio with the glitch hop feel and Flying Lotus connotations. However Baths ditch the folk and replace it with the much raved about Chillwave, but more from the Toro Y Moi spectrum. 'It's not Chillwave though, Chillwaves been rinsed, its gay blah blah' I hear you say. Ok it's not Chillwave. It is however dripping with beauty, the shimmering melodies of 'Animals' dance around your ears whilst you can hear the kids play in a distant Eutopia. But the glitchy snares mean that you can never be fully immersed in the dream. It hovers on the horizon but you can never quite get there, always one step behind. This album makes me feel a kind of scared that I can't get enough of, hope it does the same for you.
Baths - Animals
Baths - Hall
