everything this guy touches doesnt do it for me. i say this not to turn you off, or to shit on him, but in context. the context of how i just absolutely gushed over bon iver, and how this is the second diplo ive posted this week, which might make you think that i am absolutely gaga for diplo and sold on a golden touch. this isnt the case. i totally love some of his work, and could take or leave some, like the vast majority of artists. thats all im saying. anyway: santogold: starstruck (diplo remix) from the mad decent blog, in honor of the new diplo megadub of santogold, top ranking. this edit isnt on top ranking, but is unreleased. its sexy and slippery, with some great use of deep, attack-less synths. so check diplo, and check santogold.
try the black cab session of 'creature fear' (below) - as usual, off the cuff, one take. and compare to the lp version: bon iver: creature fear now go to his site, love his myspace, and buy his record. his record, 'for emma, forever ago', is easily, hands down the album of the year. i cant imagine that anything in the next five/half months could possibly top it, and i know nothing in the last 6/half has. according to last.fm, its in my top 10 most played albums, and those stats cover the last 3/half years. the record is tender, heartfelt, the falsetto which i never thought id go for, and really just the most bear-it-all stuff ive ever heard. my first post about bon iver was a little hesitant: id heard three tracks. while 'for emma' has grown on me somewhat, its still not in the better half of the album, and simply cant keep company with tracks like skinny love, creature fear, re: stacks, blindsided, the wolves (act i and ii), and lump sum. for any who remain unconvinced, ill post the rest of the above tracks which i havent already, spread out over the course of the next week.
so heres a smattering of tracks from kinda all over the place, please forgive.
new bloc party: the new bloc party single, mercury, takes the band in the direction of flux, one step further from their silent alarm roots and one step further to electro sound of the moment. choppy vocals? check. synth and beat before guitars? check. horns a la foals/radiohead? check. none of this is a bad thing though. did i love silent alarm's jangly guitar as much as the next guy? well of course i did. but the deep synth line which carries the song is spot on, the almost tribal rhythm that picks up is a welcome shift, okereke's vocals sound as good as ever (and even hit their lovely high end around the three minute mark), and im left feeling that the song is a progression that sounds great and isnt worn uncomfortably. bloc party: mercury
sa's blk jks: now im sure ive made it clear in an earlier post that im a fan of the four guys that make hard-to-classify music under the name blk jks. hailing from johannesburg, featured in the same africa issue of the fader mag as the much-loved esau mwamwaya, and having recently issued forth a new ep-the mystery ep-available at a handful of independent records stores worldwide and for download on the itunes music store, blk jks are on the rock end of the new african sound vanguard. radioclit and esau are working out the more electro end, with radioclit incorporating african rhythms into all sorts of bangers. vampire weekend of course is very vocal about their afrobeat love. so it is of course inevitable that some truly trailblazing rock should come out of the north-meets-south jumble of modern south africa. mzabalazo (resistance), featured here, is one of the toyi toyi songs, militant protest chants which were used in the struggle against apartheid. for a more intelligent take on this style of song, read this. to hear what the hell im talking about, work your rightclick-saveas magic below or watch the blk jks perform it at harriet's alter ego at the end of their american stint a few months ago. in my opinion this song really finds its voice in the live video below, but of course ill take what i can get in mp3 format. hear the noise factor which takes every blk jks song to the brink of anarchy, but dont think for one hot second that they dont have full control of every sonic particle. keep them in your sights, and check them out on myspace. blk jks: mzabalazo
diplo make you shake you shit: i dont know a whole helluva lot about this track. snagged from along the waterfall, and mentioned (rather confusingly to me anyway) by wuzz magazine, this is four minutes of blazing african/electro glory by the genre hopper who brought baile funk to the north. buy this wonky shit here and please dont forget to thank me later. diplo: fuji ouija
the ultimate battle (computer vs. banjo): computer vs. banjo is two dudes, and this track seems to be pretty much what you might expect from two dudes operating under such a moniker, although there is a bit of an exotic vibe to it. is it really just a banjo, because at times it sounds a helluva lot more like a sitar or something along those lines. hypnotic is a word that comes easily to mind when working to describe the sound. its what the 19th century wild west couldve been with lots of hash and a computer? fun stuff. computer vs. banjo: give up on ghosts
little boots covering hot chip (youtube rip): the video went up last week, under the banner of 'i want this but all ive got is youtube'. now i have, sort of. thanks to sucka pants, it is now a fully portable version, ripped straight from the youtube video. in other words, poor quality, keeps her intro oopsies, but damn it still a cute take on the original. check her and hot chip on myspace. little boots: ready for the floor (hot chip cover)
metronomy's upcoming nights out leaked: the new metronomy album is due out 8 september, but has apparently leaked--read ohh! crapp's outrage, or read mfm's album commentary. ill say that i only have a couple tracks from nights out which havent seen proper single releases, not the full fledged album. and ill not post those tracks which havent seen official release yet. but ill share heartbreaker because it is the slickest shit ever, and needs to be heard in all its slinky glory by every man woman and child. i dont really need to hype up metronomy, mostly because i seem to do it all the time, so ill just let this gem toot its own horn, so to speak. and pine away til nights out drops. metronomy: heartbreaker
thats it for today, sorry its been a few days since last post, and as always, if its your music i posted and you want it off, or its your photography i jacked and you want it off, let me know and ill be happy to oblige.
the neighbourhood council is four friends from calgary, alberta: young, unsigned, & with one live and self-released ep. check them out on their myspace, or read about them where i was tipped off at stereogum, or at calgary's fast forward weekly, or maybe just hear what im talking about for yourself:
this is a beautiful and sweeping tune, the nine minute plus opener of their homegrown ep, set pieces. and when i say sweeping, i mean it physically carries you off, whisking you into a blissful neverworld of quiet rhythms, airy explosions in the skyesque guitar work, and the kind of subtle drumwork that is perfect without you ever noticing. when the vocals come in around the five minute mark, all bets are off as you stand transfixed in a swirl of steady piano, guitar, bass, and calm drumming. only this one track for download at the moment, and the ep is available directly from the band, with one other track up on their myspace, the shorter yet nearly five minute long 'she brave soul', the late blooming lovechild of the epic 'liver and tan', sigur ros, explosions in the sky, and the bone structure of the arcade fire.
this video is so fun! the totally retro outfits, the facial expressions, the rocking out, and that there song aint too bad neithers...
so go ahead and just revel, and ill start shopping around for my getup for wxyc's biannual 80's dance. just because, heres me from last semester's shindig:
yeah, not posting that damned beatles song. not like you wont hear it today anyway... wish i could be there to celebrate your 21st with you in style, but alas ill just post a couple birthday themed songs and buy you a drink at the next available opportunity.
radioclit - secousse (crookers spino remix) -----so that esau mwamwaya + marina clip from earlier this week. yeah, that crazy line, just wait til you hear where crookers take it (answer = the ultimate next level). now if only i still had marina's crazy yelping to make me totally lose it. i have to work on getting a record player, so i have a good excuse to buy vinyl, and i have to start keeping my ear to the ground for more radioclit.
metronomy - the raid -----this is the b-side from the new holiday single to be dropped soon, after a couple plays it stuck pretty well, as metronomy shit tends to do. they also have a contest going right now, win free swag for posting a funny picture of your holiday. i posted, i just broke my sunglasses today, so maybe i can replace them with goofy free ones.
one: little boots - stuck on repeat -----r.i.p. here lies every expectation you ever had for simple danceable addictive glory. now you have to think bigger and better. thank god i have little boots. theres also a video of her playing this with her tenori-on. im so jealous, and i apologize if this just sounds like shitty hype, but im hooked and sold.
two: la chansons - sparklin -----golly pete this song kept me alive and sane while i was living in damascus. everywhere you go, every fucking song's chorus has 'habibi' (my beloved) and it takes some real work (and numbing repetition) to be able to discern different songs since they all sound the same. i had a 2gig ipod which i had filled hastily before hand and which spent much of the trip dead anyway. but this. this song (thank you bigstereo for your wisdom and your little track player!) provided me with my little bit of musical sanity. every time i went to an internet cafe my first stop was bigstereo to get la chansons loading and playing while i do the necessary emailing etc. its happy, its got sexy vocals, chunky bass, hand claps, and the occasionally metronomyesque funky/quirky synth. its uplifting, like esau, and cute, like your beloved little ratdog you haul around everywhere. i want more.
three: cassettes won't listen - paper float -----i wish i was better at conveying through words the moods conveyed by tracks. this one finds me at a loss. listen to that intro and tell me what you think it brings. cassettes won't listen is one talented new yorker, ill say that.
four: tegan and sara - back in your head (rac remix) -----i never listened to any tegan and sara until 'the con' dropped a short while ago, and i still havent dug back to the older work yet, but dont worry its on the honey-do list. that said, that album is cute and highly playable for repeat listens, and i swear rac, the remix artist collective, can do no wrong. ive already thrown up their yoav rework, and it was tough to go with just those two. this track finds rac fleshing out the relatively understated original, complementing the vocals and really pumping that piano lick for all its worth, yet not killing it. just peachy right?
five: lightspeed champion - galaxy of the lost (database remix) -----the last of the lightspeed remixes, this time by database, and again hearty appreciation to bigstereo for all three of the lightspeed remixes, all three by brazilians. this one starts out with one of those horribly extended drum intros, before dropping in thick synth and vocals that come off sexy. this mix is smirking and hot, and probably fucked your sister last semester.
seven: cazals - poor innocent boys -----im a sucker for syncopated hand claps and in your face bass lines. this song wants to rock, and cazals doesnt need your permission. came from kitsuné maison comp #2, but their debut 'what of our future' is out now on the same label.
eight: magistrates - colour co-ordination (demo) -----the recording is a little rough around the edges--its a demo you schmuck. whats not rough around the edges is the klaxons-esque vocal work, that brain invading guitar lick, and the piano(!) intro. magistrates are going places ya see.. i remember when i first heard this, my tiny little ipod full of newly downloaded music on random, as i was just coming down the lebanon mountains into the suburbs of beirut, and somehow the tank sculpture, abandoned apartments, and bullet induced pockmarks of old conflicts were hip, cool, and beirut was a hipster paradise. then came the dressed to the nines and people, the ferraris and landrovers, and the rolex clocktower. thats still what the song conjures, pure hip, a little rough around the edges.
nine: phosphorescent - wolves -----phosphorescent showed up in the similar artists block on last.fm while iron & wine was playing. i kept it in mind but did nothing until a new album, pride, was released last year and made its appearance on a ruckus new music drop, again claiming brotherhood to sam beam. ehhhh, shits a helluva lot spacier and i honestly think it could be described as more of a sam beam and sigur rós love child with just a pinch of psychedelia thrown in for good measure. this is pure lullaby, placating not a long day, but a long life, drawing to a close.
ten: shiny toy guns - don't cry out (the teenagers remix) -----for a band formed as a joke, the teenagers are doing pretty well for themselves, with a debut lp and two handfuls of well received remixes following their smattering of myspace singles. since i know little and have heard less of shiny toy guns, i can say little beyond this: this track is compelling, leaving me wanting more, so stay tuned in the future.
& le video: frankmusik - confusion girl (acoustic) -----ahhhhh....frankmusik...what a pop boywonder. if youve heard confusion girl in its frenetic yet poppy glory, then youre probably wondering what the hell an acoustic version might sound like. well it might sound like homeboy has enormous songwriting talent and a real masterful finesse on the piano. it might sound like if frankmusik ever gets tired of electro and synthesizers, weve got a real gem in the making for plain old piano ballads as well. im not sure which i like more, but i give him due credit for being baller either way.
that concludes fifty through june. sorry i didnt write about the first batch, but maybe youre not. im not exactly what youd call a writer or music critic, but hey- thats what blogs are for anyway. the photographs are all the work of my mate tyler huffman, taken in may while i was visiting him in damascus. the photos are from the umayyad mosque in damascus, syria (1), some random mosque undergoing renovations in aleppo, syria (2), the roman ruins at palmyra, syria (3), the beirut shore from general de gaulle avenue, lebanon (4), and the entrance to vespasian's tunnel near samandağ, turkey (5). as for the music, quite a bit of it came either from the blogs listed to my right, from surfing the hype machine, from ruckus new music drops, and from friendly recommendations. all of this was posted for promotional purposes, because the music these artists make is good and worthy of your time, attention, and money. thats the justification behind posting free mp3s anyway. and because these people make a living from this, you should buy some of this stuff. try itunes, amazon, ruckus, turntable lab, or your local independent retailer (r.i.p. schoolkids records chapel hill, 1974-2008). and do your friends a favor, tip them off to your favorite new tunes because music was made to be shared and enjoyed together.
one: athlete - airport disco -----i dont know dick about athlete. theyre english. i remember hearing something about them last summer, and i couldnt get the download to work. at some point i picked up this track, and it slowly creeped its way into my subconscious. it does that. this song creeps, until it decides to soar. thats why i like it-make what you will of it.
two: metronomy - this could be beautiful -----yeah i dig metronomy, a lot considering how little i have. i desperately need their debut lp, Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe) on holiphonic records, and i heartell a sophomore release called 'nights out' will drop in september on france's because music. oh yeah, the song. its a beaut and its instrumental, so do your own thing to it. need i say more? off kitsuné maison comp #1, which you should have.
three: lykke li - little bit -----a darling. thats how i keep hearing lykke li described. indie darling, swedish darling, things along those lines. shit is indie, and yes, she is swedish, so if the shoe fits. came to my attention via the swedish blog psl, with their musik med series, then came all the sxsw blog buzz and lots of free tracks floating around (+a live set from sxsw), and now shes rolling stone's breaking artist from last week. and this track is worth the hype i think. it works. if you need proof, check the musik med video from october 07.
four: lawrence arabia - the beautiful young crew -----dont know anything about lawrence arabia, other than that they have a compelling name and some compelling lyrics...'we love each other, we hate each other, were afraid of each other, because we want to screw each other...' this little jig is complements of transparent magazine.
five: late of the pier - broken (fairy lights mix) -----allegedly there is no fairy lights, and this is just the band's own edit of their song. regardless, its frenetic and playful, and makes for a good time. from kitsuné maison comp #5
six: jaguar love - bats over the pacific ocean -----jaguar love is ex-blood brothers and ex-pretty girls make graves. and johnny whitney's voice is a little less abrasive, going for a little more of a song than a holler, which makes jaguar love a no brainer, for me at least. see earlier post.
seven: the national - green gloves -----how sad would my life be if i had never heard matt berninger's voice? not very...but luckily i did, and the national's tunes consistently make my life sadder when i let them. everybody needs this kinda of soft and lost-sounding beauty every once and a while, and some more often than that. the national does it best.
eight: the whip - trash -----the whip is from manchester, and have that sound. feel the darkness? its a dirty dingy club and you dont give a fuck-you move. and you yell that chorus like your life depends on it
nine: shout out louds - the comeback (big slippa mix by ratatat) -----this is smooth, slick, and in control. there is signature ratatat work going on, and you have to love the confidence of this comeback. its too slick not to believe these swedes when they proclaim their comeback. this is good to kick back to, let it wash you in sweet guitar and synth.
ten: black kids - hurricane jane (SQZMYLMNS remix) -----in my opinion sqzmylmns beats the nuts off mgmt's remix, mostly with the guitar lick off the start. black kids are apparently a rolling stone pick for artist to watch in 08, so i guess watch them or something. im not convinced, something about the guitar effects and the vocals just doesnt click for me.
le video: esau mwamwaya - secousse (live with marina [ex-bonde do role] & radioclit for last.fm) -----oh god, marina+esau+radioclit=fucking livefreediefreedanceyourshitoff kinda good. like whoa. esau's goods, that insanely cool radioclit beat, and marina's borderline insanity make this a total keeper, i just hope it still contains half the oomph if it ever makes it to a studio recording (please oh please drop that album soon). big things coming from esau, just you wait. thank you fader!
one: css - knife (grizzly bear cover) -----so this song is just good. as a song. ive heard the original album version, seen a live cut of grizzly bear on the late late show, rocked the girl talk remix, and now a css cover. and they all have their strong points. this is certainly the most subdued ive ever heard css, and it works...knife seems to tame them in a very palatable way. i dig the metronomy-style goofsynths and lovefoxxx's soft vocal work. the song works-even for brazilian electrorockers css.
three: au revoir simone - fallen snow (age of rockets remix) -----i swear this sounds like the postal service to me. ethereal synths echoing the finest of sub pop classic 'give up'. and then the hand claps coming in on verse two, followed shortly thereafter with the high hat pulse...mmmmm. this song just oozes with dreamy delectable vibes. au revoir simone also provided fodder for the teenagers, who take this song in a slightly darker but still catchy direction (with lovely teenagers bass work). note to self-look into age of rockets...
four: little boots - stuck on repeat (fake blood remix) -----fake blood...one mad sick dude. from the opening lines, this is just anticipation, pure unadulterated. and it slowly works its way up to drop one hell of a bomb on you...by the fake blood vox drop at the 1:45 mark youre inundated, literally drowning it floorprancing goodness. also check out fake blood's rework of the black ghosts and anything by little boots you can get your greasy palms on. and for chrissakes somebody sign this asshole.
five: little dragon - the last -----tell me yukimi nagano's vocals arent just luscious. and little dragon's shit is quirky, and in a good way, not in the this shits weird kinda way. check a video for test to see just where else they can take this quirky goodness (and to see how flatout weird they can apparently be too). how is sweden so chock full of talent?
six: i was a cub scout - our smallest adventures (frankmusik remix) -----i was a cub scout is good enough without frankmusik, and frankmusik is good enough without i was a cub scout...but damn. i was a cub scout makes pleading, emotional tunes with the rhythmic sensibilities of foals or minus the bear and frankmusik makes fast, crazily synthed yet well written pop songs. pure pop underwritten by electronic sensibilities, me love. frankmusik takes i was a cub scout and brightens it a notch, combining their synth sensibilities into something a little brighter than the original tunesmiths and a little darker than frankmusik's usual. drive to this, and let me know when you find yourself accidentally at 95.
seven: chris knox - it's love -----never heard of this dude. when i googled him to get his website, i saw the wikipedia snatch and apparently this kiwi is older than my dad. im sure this songs not, but who knows, maybe its older than me. whether it is or isnt, i dont care, its a good fun thing, lifted from that new heineken commercial where everybody graciously passes on a brew to someone they would obviously never meet. its the kinda song i would never hear, and probably if i had heard, wouldnt have thought twice about, but in the right context it tweaked something. like aberfeldy and the diet coke commercial from a while ago.
eight: now, now every children - everyone you know -----i cant quite put my finger on what this song brings to mind as far as musical influences go...tip of the tongue thing you know. but with regards to feel, a whirlwind of autumn leaves on a clear day, something familiar yet refreshing. and yes im a sucker for straight easy bass lines and delicate female vocals. i havent heard anything else to know, but keep your eyes peeled for now, now every children, i smell underappreciated beauty in the making.
nine: esau mwamwaya - kamphopo -----this is how it works: esau mwamwaya lives down the street from producer duo radioclit. hes running a second hand shop when one day radioclit buy a bike and strike up a conversation. he comes to a party at their place and by the end of the night theyre making tunes together. here is one of them. this is how it works: radioclit gives him architecture in helsinki's 'heart it races,' which has already seen impressive remixes by yacht, dr. dog, and others. our malawian friend esau proceeds to write uplifting shit in chichewe and sing it on top. presto. its fucking alchemy. read more in the fader's africa issue from a few months ago.
ten: death cab for cutie - cath (live acoustic on bbc) -----so i dont remember where i got this. i apologize to whoever was so kind as to post it, and odds are theres a link to this blog somewhere in the list to the right, because those are the ones i surf. unless it came via hype... but this is death cab, or at least ben gibbard, maybe walla on the acoustic guitar, dunno, in the beeb several months ago, before they tagged an ellipsis onto the title. ive listened to the lp cut once, and it aint got shit on this. delicate is the word. understated.
and le video: yeasayer - 2080 (live at kexp for ny noise) -----if you havent seen yeasayer on les concerts à emporter, youre missing out. theyre pretty cool on ny noise too- really dig the echo chorus he makes. and ill bet they were just what the doctor ordered at the cats cradle back in may...too bad i was passed out drunk by 5oclock the day of their show...goddammit. woke up at 945 and theyd already played. yeah, i hate myself too. so here:
one: metronomy - radio ladio -----ive been hard pressed to find any metronomy that didnt make me want to lick the bowl, but as far as staying power, once this track is in my head, its hard to pry loose. also check out the video.
three: the thermals - a pillar of salt -----the anthem we all needed in high school, yet can still rock the fuck out to way too late way too loud and way too much...also a goofy fun video with a ben gibbard cameo. love for the thermals.
four: the dodos - jody -----the dodos...i cant for the life of me get my hands on their debut 'visiter' on frenchkiss, at least not for free (yeah im awful, and yeah damn ruckus) but from all ive heard of it, i need it. psychedelic shit is making a comeback, just ask yeasayer, mgmt, and these guys.
#####oh and this brings up a big point. yes, there have been no death cab tracks. or mgmt, or yeasayer, or bon iver, or crystal castles (originals). and to spoil the surprise, there wont be any. well i lie a little tiny bit, which youll see. but the omission of these is intentional. i havent listened to the new death cab album. the other four are omitted because theyre in a class of their own. and thats for another series, later this month.
five: sam sparro - black & gold* -----i saw this dude, sam sparro, on the latest new music drop on ruckus and promptly ignored it, forgetting for a moment the old adage 'dont judge a book by its cover'... then i saw this track by chance on itunes as the single o'the week, i say by chance because i get on the itunes music store maybe once every other month. but shit, free is free, and its much more convenient to click 'get song' on the itunes store than downloading an album on ruckus and going through the motions to strip drm and add it to itunes. anywho... i grabbed it on a whim, a greedy cheapskate whim, and dear lord. dear, sweet, sweet lord. this is groovy beyond groovy. infectious, love the bass, love his voice, and i cant but dance in my pants everytime i hear it--which is often. is it just me, or are there hints of gnarls somewhere in there? maybe the best parts of gnarls and aqueduct, with some added sex sprinkled on top.
six: the presets - this boy's in love -----i believe ive heard the occasional presets track here and there, scattered throughout the blogs, and nothing ever made an impression. but i got a hold of the latest album, apocalypso, out on australia's modular recording label, and through the glut of new tunes i had thrown on random, this suddenly burst forth, with its driving, needy beat, screaming, demanding, and on a mission. -----hahahaha hey guess what? the presets got rolling stone's attention...
seven: goldfrapp - happiness (metronomy remix featuring the teenagers) -----so ill admit to some willful ignorance with regards to goldfrapp, having seen the name keep popping up, yet steadfastly ignoring it for no discernible reason. the only reason i ever stumbled upon this was that it combined two of my absolute favorite remixers, metronomy and the teenagers, into the most 'world be damned-i have to hear this now' track ive ever found. and it delivered, although i dont hear the footprints of the teenagers other than the glaringly obvious trademark vocals. no steady bass work a la every other teenagers mix, but a more syncopated rhythm coupled with metronomy's awkward yet compelling synth lines. this song is like candy
eight: half cousin - the absentee (fujiya & miyagi remix) -----if you dont know fujiya & miyagi, dont recognize their infectiously groovy bass handiwork (kindly presented without the oomp-tss oomp-tss in so much shit), or never wondered who soundtracked that miller light commercial, then shame on you. i was lovestruck by the karate kid lovers thanks to the hood internet's jams, two of which make great use of collarbone (the miller track) and transparent things, off their 2006 deaf dumb and blind recordings lp. oh, and i feel bad...but i dont know shit about half cousin. maybe another day eh?
nine: hot chip - over and over -----can you seriously hear wind chimes anymore without freaking the fuck out, knowing youre about to get down and dancesweaty?!? repetition has never been so perfectly pitched, plus the boys in hot chip made green screen look like a barrel of fun in one of their ever optically illusionary videos. oh and i hear hot chip's joe goddard is working with little boots (score...)...
ten: passion pit - sleepyhead -----i wish this had a smoother intro, but ill take what i can get as long as it gets like this. i just heard about them the other day, first on good weather for airstrikes, then transparent magazine the next day. passion pit smears a greasy rainbow across the sky, just doubledogdaring you to get up out of bed and do your thang all in your pjs, shake that ass around and airkaraoke like your life depends on it..............dont lie...youre doing it right now..
and le video: little pictures - this house can fit us all -----damn bigstereo for always being so good. dont know anything about new zealand's little pictures, mostly because im too lazy to read about them. i did try to hoard some more tunes, and preferably this one, but to no avail. no luck on the hype machine, rapidshare, ruckus, google, fuckin anywhere. so i have nothing in mp3, just this catchy vid, so handle with care.
