..auralcumulus..

Weekend in westport apt.

2010-02-28T10:36:00.002-06:00

On Friday I went with Hannah and Dad to Council Bluffs, Iowa to see Avatar (3D) in IMAX.

123

2010-02-16T11:22:00.000-06:00

Test

when i grow old

2009-02-16T22:42:00.001-06:00

When I Grow Up from Fever Ray on Vimeo.

fever ray

BMSR

2009-01-29T14:33:00.006-06:00

Black Moth Super Rainbow have a new album out May 26, 2009 !!
::Eating Us::
No word yet as to whether it will be a scratch 'N sniff album like Drippers or Dandelion Gum

In the meantime-- check out BMSR's alterego: Tobacco.

"F*cked Up Friends" came out this past autumn

Nneka

2009-01-28T22:31:00.007-06:00

Looking for warmth?
-------
From Nigeria to Germany - Nneka brings a mix of soul, hip hop, reggae, & afro-beat

Her sophomore album - "No Longer at Ease" came out last year - & included the single "Heartbeats" which hit Germany's top 50.

Watch the video for "Heartbeats" here. (the YouTube embedding is restricted)

& her debut : "The Uncomfortable Truth"

micachu & the shapes

2009-01-27T23:36:00.002-06:00

1.micachu like a pikachu

2.young raw uk lo-fi madness.

3.they love harry partch!

4.& webcams...

5.via Herbert(matthew herbert) & Accidental Records

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micachu & the shapes

. . . . .

2008-12-28T19:13:00.002-06:00

......happy holidays

Planningtorock

2008-12-21T16:24:00.005-06:00

Planningtorock aka Janine Rostron

Psychedelic - Kaleidoscope - Infatuation

Her debut "Have It All" came out in 2006 - but she is prepping to tour again here in 2009.

familjen

2008-11-30T10:40:00.001-06:00

"Det snurrar i min skalle" // familjen

Video by Johan Söderberg

hooray!

2008-11-28T18:24:00.003-06:00

You know you have a classic when you have a room of people from across the world (Bolivia, Nigeria & the USA, ages 6 - 60) all appreciating the wonder of Boney M. The perfect soundtrack for the holidays.

If you are unfamiliar with Frank Farian's West German disco legend Boney M, check out "Rasputin," a dance-floor favorite.

The Knife & a Darwin opera

2008-11-26T22:05:00.003-06:00

today's inbox:

THE KNIFE IS WRITING AN OPERA

Danish Hotel Pro Forma has invited The Knife to write music and libretto for "Tomorrow, in a Year" a Darwin opera.

From hotelproforma.dk:

"In November 2009, it is precisely 150 years since Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, a work that describes the biological and geological world, as it has come into existence and continues to do so every single day. Our view of the world has been changed for ever as a result of the theory of evolution. Tomorrow, in a year uses Darwin’s way of observing and describing the world. Change as a process and the interrelationship of all things is the basic material of the performance."

Olof Dreijer is now at a field recordning in the Amazon to record animals, fish and plants.

Read more at Hotel Pro Forma.dk:
http://www.hotelproforma.dk/side.asp?side=2&id=438&ver=uk

Premiere will be in Copenhagen September 2009.

Love,
Frau Rabid

www.theknife.net

Fever Ray / Honey is Cool

2008-10-26T21:35:00.004-05:00

för Sverige - I tiden
-
Karin Dreijer Andersson
The Knife
Honey is Cool
Fever Ray

While brother Olof has been busy DJing & sending music into the outer orbit, Karin of The Knife has been working on her new project : Fever Ray.

An album is due out "early 2009"

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--------

If you are curious of what Karin was up to before the Knife, check out her 90's band - Honey Is Cool.

uh-huh

2008-10-11T02:09:00.002-05:00

uh-huh

trio."da da da".

a-ha

shempi

2008-10-01T20:54:00.006-05:00

we've seen: Schwarzenegger do a war dance
Chevy Chase and Paul Simon slink & ignite

now ABBA turn creepy & lose their heads.
-----

----
ratatat released a new 12" - Shempi- with remixes by Zongamin & Evan Mast's brother E*rock.

get it here

congotronics

2008-09-30T11:45:00.005-05:00

Kasai Allstars
In the 7th Moon, The Chief Turned into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy By Magic //Congotronics 3

"Mpofu" (The Blind Man)
----------------------
If you are unfamiliar with the Congotronics series, check it out

..distorted likembes, electronic guitars, homemade microphones & plenty of dancing..

el Guincho

2008-09-14T11:38:00.010-05:00

el Guincho

1. a Cuban seagull

2. one-man "space age-exotica" band, Pablo Díaz-Reixa

Leg jittering, hypnotic beats sprinkled with sandy pop hooks via Barcelona/the Canary Islands.
-----
If you found a mysterious cassette on a sun-soaked, wide-eyed journey, this is the tape
-----
el Guincho's ALEGRANZA sees its world release via Young Turks / XL : Oct 07 2008

"Palmitos Park"

Yelle

2008-09-11T12:56:00.002-05:00

A little french electro-pop for your Thursday.

Yelle "Ce Jeu"

die roboter

2008-09-09T22:15:00.002-05:00

kraftwerk

why not?

2008-08-19T22:19:00.003-05:00

tourist videos, busking, electric violin

Ed Alleyne-Johnson

Waayaha Cusub

2008-08-06T22:43:00.005-05:00

Waayaha Cusub (New Era) is a group of Somali refugees based in Nairobi, Kenya who are ready for change.

They are currently a local hit, providing East African "synth pop" with a mix of hip hop. The music brings commentary of the Somalian conflict, urging for reconciliation. Realizing the power of music, Waayaha Cusub make use of their tracks to bring awareness of social issues facing their community such as AIDS, clan rivalries and women's rights.

summer vibes :: (3)

2008-08-03T12:25:00.005-05:00

Good grief...

though they say "We're from Barcelona" - let us get it straight.
Sticky sunny pop : Summer at heart : Sweden once again.

I'm From Barcelona recently announced that their 29 person band will be releasing a new album following their 2006 debut : Let Me Introduce My Friends.

Who Killed Harry Houdini? is out October 14 via Mute
-----------------------------
This basic smile-inducing video was directed by Andreas Nilssons (director of many of The Knife videos)

summer vibes :: (2)

2008-08-02T17:41:00.009-05:00

Gothenburg, Sweden duo: Air France (Joel & Henrik) brought to you by Sincerely Yours

. Breezy beach music .

. Soaring utopian pulse .

. Laid-back dance music .

. Balearic beat .

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Everyone says "there must be something in the water" .....
maybe it is hype, maybe it is air.

summer vibes :: (1)

2008-08-02T10:43:00.004-05:00

All of a sudden it is August & it feels like the summer is gone before it even started. Time to focus on the sounds of summer. . .

M83 (Anthony Gonzalez) just released this 80's teen summer flick for "Kim and Jessie" off the "Cocteau Twins meet John Hughes (Breakfast Club / Sixteen Candles)" inspired Saturdays = Youth.

31july08

2008-07-31T22:46:00.006-05:00

the last day of july:

a sticky swarmy night .. . .. dengue fever* is in the air.

Dengue Fever:
A Cambodian pop-star, Mulatu Astatke fanatics & plenty of LA sun.

They released Venus on Earth earlier this year off M80

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* more likely west nile virus, but hey.

i got flattened by a pig farmer

2008-07-11T22:59:00.006-05:00

Prairie, here I am.

"I Got Flattened by a Pig Farmer" / The Horse / Lo Recordings
-UK's The Chap.

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porky deadpan dance . pop trot
The Chaps have a new album out via Ghostly International :: Mega Breakfast

///////

* * * * *

2008-06-30T22:25:00.002-05:00

"Cracked Share"
Expanded Celluloid, Extended Phonograph
film- Lee Hanjun
sound- Hong Chulki

Balloon & Needle

Apparat Organ Quartet

2008-06-29T12:08:00.005-05:00

Apparat Organ Quartet
:::
4 Icelandic organists (including Jóhann Jóhannsson) & a drummer.

dang.

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This Bliss

2008-06-28T22:44:00.007-05:00

Solitudinous musings for a summer night.

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Pantha du prince (Hendrik Weber) of Hamburg, Deutschland searches for utopia in 2007's This Bliss.

Weber creates light layered minimal electronic textures weaving a loose fitting sonic fabric to engulf your senses and lose yourself in.

Romanticism seems at the heart of Pantha du prince, with painter Caspar David Friedrich listed as an influence & songs "Walden" & "Walden 2" titled after Henry David Thoreau's transcendentalist book. The music embodies the Romantic spirit, expressing the sublime & creating a sense of human smallness within the world, through his swelling landscapes and wandering spiritualistic approach to sound. While encased in the sphere of electronics (which may seem contrary to the "romantic" approach), Weber manges to create a "natural vibe" through discrete tribal pulses, sweeping strings, and breathing tunes.

----------------------------------------

If you are curious - - check out Pantha's loose "remix" of Animal Collective's "peacebone." Is there a line between remix & a new song?

the american dystopia

2008-06-26T20:40:00.006-05:00

...
emily haines & the soft skeleton
knives don't have your back
"dr. blind"
- - - -
haines provides lush mellow meandering away from the dance-y bump of 'her' metric.
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
- - - -
did you know bankers get 'incentives'?
*3 months of perfect balancing = a $5 Wal-Mart Gift Card

uh

2008-06-23T18:48:00.001-05:00

some news - - though a bit old now.

Fujiya & Miyagi, the Brighton duo turned trio & now quartet, are back with another album on the way:

Lightbulb is out in September.

The ablum includes "Uh" - their 2007 single

---

electro kraut funk : the new Neu!

2008-05-20T22:51:00.003-05:00

hypnotic + enchanting hums & mums from one bedroom to another

silje nes - multi-instrumentalist mystery of norway
--------------
bringing moments of isolated wonder

she can be found off of fatcat

her debut - Ames Room - was released late last year. In March she released a digital-only EP titled Yellow

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spring love

2008-05-17T21:43:00.007-05:00

The critters are out & romping
::::
A fitting time for Mates of State

The husband-wife duo are back with their new album Re-Arrange Us.

Born out of Lawrence, Kansas - the keyboard/drum band of Kori Gardner & Jason Hammel are now soaking up the California sun.

They've been busy showing our furry friends some love:

& now their new anthromorphic music video.... "Get Better"

//

though, this was my first impression in 2006:

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shy child

2008-05-11T11:22:00.006-05:00

I was a bit surprised to see this posted on pitchfork today... Shy Child has been out of my mind for quite some time. I came by them last year at the Faversham (a quaint place by the uni in Leeds where you can grab a pint, catch a gig & do a mighty jig)

While Shy Child were the final act, Fujiya & Miyagi were by far my highlight.maybe its the whole brit/american:american/brit fascination thing.

For some reason I remember getting creeped out by Pete Cafarella's frozen grin when he sang.

Anyway, here was my initial description of them to a friend:

"nyc's electro punk duo, 'shy child' headlined - a couple songs sound a bit like the faint meet nu-rave - & maybe a hint of timbaland"

ha.
--------

well they finally released Noise Won't Stop, back in the US after all their fun across the pond.

***Here is their video for "Noise Won't Stop" -

Which brought to mind Battles:

rRr a tTt a tTt a tTt

2008-05-09T23:00:00.004-05:00

feast your eyes & click your little finger

"Shiller" - out now

LP3 - July 8th!

IDM . o de ba concrète

2008-05-08T21:39:00.009-05:00

Matmos is back ... maxing out their synthesizers : 100%

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This time M.C Schmidt & Drew Daniel hold back their urges to sample the universe [no sounds of bible pages turning, liposuction surgery, dogs barking, cards shuffling, and acupuncture tools here] In fact, a microphone wasn't even used during the creation of the new album : Supreme Balloon

A happy helium-filled hula - squirm & squeak all you want.
They also released their first video from the album

"Exciter Lamp and the Variable Band"
- - - -

an homage to the experimental film-maker/animator/sound artist - Norman McLaren.

check out McLaren's "Neighbors" (1952)

banking

2008-05-01T23:03:00.006-05:00

I have found a theme song for my current job.

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"Bank" by Midwest Product

from World Series of Love // a title alluding to Prince & cover citing J.D. Salinger. *( I never knew the great lengths Salinger went to have control over his covers)

digital + analog
electro-rock
dead.

they are survived by Ben Benjamin... the 'solo' project of Ben Mullins - electronics/guitar component of Midwest Product.

Both projects are children of Ann Arbor label, Ghostly International (who also brings us Matthew Dear). The label recently collaborated with Adult Swim to bring Ghostly Swim , a crisp compilation free for download at Adult Swim's site.

p.s.
.dealing w/ $ is a dirty job
.my boss wants to be a mortician

lovework

2008-04-25T22:55:00.003-05:00

"oh, I like everything except rap or country"

you know the person, perhaps it is even you...

It seems like an automatic response & I suspect they're just listening to the wrong stuff.

=========

Gabriel Teodros is a Seattle born artist who released a solid hip-hop album last year.

Lovework is a smooth-grooved social commentary addressing a range of topics including: neocolonialism, sexism, racism while tying in his Ethiopian heritage & individual experiences.

The result is a personal yet global record that is bound to make you listen & move.

No Label (Esma Remix)

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beef jerky

2008-04-24T21:26:00.006-05:00

I'm getting sick of words.

Cibo Matto + Michel Gondry =

Sugar Water

During my lunch break as I was staring at grey rain, 'beef jerky' emitted from my lips - the phrase, not the meat.

[i]
searched for songs
[then]
found one by these Japanese girls
[which]
led me to this video.
[eventually]

automatic lover

2008-04-23T21:42:00.007-05:00

The other day as I was browsing through Jay-jay Johanson's discography, I came across the name Dee D. Jackson & Johanson's cover of her hit, "Automatic Lover." Curious, I thought I'd check her out. . . .

Dee D. Jackson is a British disco queen from the 70s who before turning to music was a film producer in Munich. (I wonder how active she was in her music video production...) Her biggest success came at the beginning of her musical career with "Automatic Lover" in 1978 off of Cosmic Curves.

While Dee D. (born Deirdre Elaine Cozier) is an Oxford child - her main following came from non-English speaking countries: Brazil, Germany, Argentina, Italy, France, Spain, Japan..... In fact she was so massive in Brazil, that 'impersonators' popped up to fill the much yearned for intergalactic love & were introduced as D. Dee Jackson (instead of Dee D.) to dance & lip-sync to the songs.

Gotta love the thrusting, chest bumping & galloping!
...
Dee D. now owns a record label in Italy & evidently has a cosmic child named Norman.

happy earth day

2008-04-22T12:38:00.006-05:00

hopefully it is full of environmental friendliness....

Though we still have a far way to go, especially here in the heartland of the usa - where we are still competing against the 'bigger is better' attitude and non-existent public transport & recycling programs..... agh.

On a more upbeat note: I thought I'd share Maasukos: a band from Mozambique. They make use of Niassan rhythms to bring public awareness of environmental & health issues facing their communities and much of the rest of Africa.

Feliciano dos Santos - who spearheads the group - won this year's Goldman Environmental Prize for his efforts & inspiration for action - particularly through bringing awareness of the significant problem of sanitation/water-borne illnesses.

Here is a video for "Mudacia Wana" off their new album Bumping released by Poo Productions.

cheers!

oh jay-jay, you melancholy man..

2008-04-21T22:41:00.005-05:00

some late night listening of jay-jay johanson.

little to compare with, the swede is a trip-hop swooner.

light:dark:sappy:detached

he co-wrote "marble house" with the knife & i'm sure holds a dab of influence on their sound.

so tell the girls i am back in town.

marble house - (ptr remix)

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earth girls are easy

2008-04-20T16:11:00.008-05:00

Julien Temple
+
furry musically inclined aliens
+
Jim Carrey, Damon Wayans, Jeff Goldblum, & Geena Davis
=
an 80s sci-fi musical

---------------

//radical\\
---------------

Don Was (a producer/musician who has worked with the likes of Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Brian Wilson, Ziggy Marley, Bonnie Raitt & BB King) did a bit of work with the soundtrack, including this track under the guise of Luis Restraunt's World - with David Was & Luis Resto.

"The Appliance Symphony" isn't even included on the official soundtrack, but here you go...

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mindless

2008-04-13T21:15:00.005-05:00

The weekend is once again coming to an end & the realization of another long week of meticulous work is sinking in. I identified with this video for The Golden Dog's "Never Meant Any Harm" - as I've held my share of tedious, mindless jobs, whether in a field detassling corn, scrubbing pans or counting sherds. During these experiences I've come to find the musical essence in repetition, which makes the acts bearable & even occasionally - dare I say - fun.

On another tangent>>>I currently work in a setting that enforces conformity through 'business career apparel' & a clean-cut conservative appearance .... How many of us set bits of our 'personal identity' aside for the sake of our jobs? What about when we take it a step further & keep our true passion sealed in a 'safe' using our job only for financial gains .... how long can it remain locked up before the door pops open?

ok, enough of my rambling...
This is The Golden Dogs, a Canadian quintet who I suspect may take their name from classic Canadian literature via William Kirby's The Golden Dog / Le Chien d'Or - a historical romance. The band has the chemistry (lead singer/guitarist & keyboardist hitched after surviving a 3 year long-distance relationship) They also have some gusto & may get stuck in your head....

*good luck with monday

'environmentally sound' sound

2008-04-12T14:45:00.009-05:00

Have you spent much time thinking of the environmental impact of your listening habits?

Sure, the "environmentalist" attitude is growing more hip & maybe slowly mainstream.... with the likes of Radiohead & others becoming conscious of their Carbon footprint in touring. But what about the rest of the process in the industry?

Minnesotan group Cloud Cult have taken their action a step or giant leap further, looking more holistically at their entire process and how it impacts the environment.

Cloud Cult is the brainchild of Craig Minowa, an environmental science major who began the project as a solo endeavor in 1995. It has grown through the years with additional musicians & talents to the point that their live shows are now more of a multi-media ‘happening’ than a concert: with video, live painting and occasionally activists accompanying their music. Cloud Cult bleeds in and out of sounding like a mix of The Polyphonic Spree and Modest Mouse (& perhaps with a little stretch - the occasional dash of the Postal Service or Animal Collective).

Cloud Cult - though offered deals with major labels - has vowed to remain independent and be a product of Minowa's Earthology Records, a non-profit environmental record label that is based on a sustainable farm in Northern Minnesota. The studio is powered by wind & solar energy, while the space is heated/cooled by geothermal waste. For their products, they re-use old jewel cases & use non-toxic 100% recycled materials for the rest. If all of that weren't enough, they calculate the amount of Co2 that was emitted from production & transport and offset that by planting trees....

With all the focus on the environment & sustainability, you might suspect the topic would leak into their music; however, the albums remain quite personal with many songs hinting at the untimely death of Minowa's son in 2002.

If you are unfamiliar with Cloud Cult, their album The Meaning of 8 was included on several lists last year & they just released a new album Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) this past week.

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blizzard

2008-04-10T19:27:00.008-05:00

because there is a blizzard here.....(& for no other reason)

you get The Blizzard :

: : a little bit of Norwegian trace so you can dance like an akward teenager.

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The Blizzard are Lars Nyheim and Tore Vatie Jensen of Sørreisa, northern Norway. Their single "Kalopsia" -which Dutch label Armada hooked- became a 'hit' in certain circles last year. They have a couple remixes coming up sometime around May...

shoegaze mashup

2008-04-01T17:55:00.007-05:00

Sonic Cathedral: club night/record label are releasing a new single on April 7th. It consists of a Maps remix of M83's "We Own the Sky" as well as M83's take of Maps' "To the Sky."

James Chapman (Maps) provides a pulsing rush for Anthony Gonzalez's (M83) "We Own the Sky" - - - providing enough excitement for the inverse that I feel like a child in anticipation for Christmas morning.

Evidently these bedroom shoegazers must be looking up for a change.

M83 has a full-length album - Saturdays = Youth - coming out on the 14th and both Maps & M83 have some live shows popping up soon.

time ::: in constant flux

2008-03-31T17:39:00.005-05:00

As another year of my life passes away, I come -once again- to readjust my understanding of time.

News of the oldest recorded voice brings much appreciated intimacy with the past.

The recording of a segment of the French children's song "Au clair de la lune" was recorded in 1860 using a phonautograph 17 years before Thomas Edison sang "Mary had a little lamb"

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If you're like me & don't exactly know what you should be listening for, here is a more recent recording of the song.

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elephants

2008-03-30T11:11:00.006-05:00

You may have heard of painting elephants - the result of a project Russian conceptual artists Komar & Melamid began in the 90s.

Turns out our large gray friends also have a bit of an ear for music.

Dave Soldier and Richard Lair put together an ensemble of elephants that perform traditional Thai tunes & improvisations, as well as a little Beethoven and Hank Williams on specially designed musical instruments.

Meet the Thai Elephant Orchestra.

They have two albums out off Mulatta Records.

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lonely planet

2008-03-27T22:30:00.006-05:00

Noted in the "Music" section of the Lonely Planet Guide to Vienna are Kruder & Dorfmeister : your Austrian source of old downtempo dub from G-stone Recordings.

A fitting selection for the week - as the annual electronic 'Winter Music Conference' (that they performed at last year) is currently finishing up in Miami.

I stumbled upon this video of the Kiel Canal, that I assume a K&D fan put together. It will either bore you to sleep or leave you in awe. ....or maybe both.

The featured song "Rollin' On Chrome (Wild Motherfucker Dub)" is found on Kruder & Dormeister's The K&D Sessions & is a mix of the Aphrodelics song.

a shot of lithuanian bliss

2008-03-25T18:16:00.005-05:00

labas!

Yesterday I came across Lithuanian sound artist - Gintas K (Gintas Kraptavicius).

Beyond creating some engaging minimalist electronic albums, he has worked on sound installations, music for film & provided a dose of commentary & theory for aural art.

"reloaded beauty" is off of 2004's titled# from the Retinascan label; however, Gintas released 13 tracks & Elementary Particles last year and already has a soundtrack & compilation credited for 2008.

sit back, relax & enjoy Gintas K's calm, clean, experimental ambiance that will reduce your blood pressure and bring you an inner peace.

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if you're in the mood for conceptual - check out Elementary Particles : harmony, disharmony, hell & heaven all in Hz

apples

2008-03-23T21:59:00.008-05:00

the apples in stereo
a return in 2007 brought the tasty New Magnetic Wonder

While it has probably been over a month since I first listened to the album (& considerably longer for any of their older stuff)- for some reason they have been stuck in my head throughout the day. While New Magnetic Wonder definitely seeps with the 'apples in stereo' sound & distinctive voice of Robert Schneider - they chart new ground with the occasional sidestep of experimentation, including work with Schneider's "Non-Pythagorean" musical scale.

though - I'm particularly drawn to Hilary Sidney's sunny "Sunndal song" - providing a change in pace with her sticky vocals.

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The Apples are releasing Electronic Projects for Musicians - a compilation album of rarities & b-sides next week (April 1) off of Yep Roc Records. You can currently stream it on Yep Roc's site.

Populous

2008-03-15T11:28:00.008-05:00

The other day, being in a bit of a mood for neu-shoegazy headphone music, I created a Maps station on Pandora Radio. The first song that loaded up was "Breathes the Best" by Italian producer Populous (not to be confused with the early videogame). Populous aka Andrea Mangia collaborated with Short Stories for this song, which appears on the Breathes the Best EP put out by Berlin record label - Morr Music. Populous shares the label with Lali puna, Múm, & the notwist, so you'll likely correctly assume that the project has a pleasant fuzzy & bleepy aura.

After perusing Populous' videos, I realized the "Breathes the Best" video seemed vaguely familiar. After a second view, I pinned in on the striking simliaries and references to Rauol Servais' animation Chromophobia (1965)!

check it:

Oh, the 2nd artist to pop up on the Pandora playlist was Freezepop. how amusing...

a beautiful moment

2008-03-12T18:15:00.006-05:00

The 1st sunny rays & pale blue sky emerge past the fresh March rain late in the afternoon when the sun is at an angle where everything is beautiful. Children hop & skip through the shimmering puddles. Spring has arrived.

Today was also my first experience listening to the Austrialian, New Buffalo....& what a satisfying experience it was! New Buffalo aka Sally Seltman - who claims influence from conservatories with exotic flowers & botanical gardens - put out her sophmore album last year....and has been garnering acclaim after co-writing 1234 with Feist.

Seltman's soothing vocals float through her budding textures & cheer me up.
So, thank you new buffalo...

Here is New Buffalo's video for "Cheer Me Up Thank You" from Somewhere, Anywhere

Việt Nam par le Français

2008-03-11T22:10:00.003-05:00

-instrumental hiphop?
-France v Vietnam
-Chinoiseries

Onra started this project in August 2006 after motorbiking throughout Saigon exploring his heritage & discovering "forgotten treasures."

Despite the plethora of controversies & questions sampling can instigate, Onra manages to incorporate the 'finds' in a tasteful manner- transporting the listener to a fresh & engaging setting neither here nor there.

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Aargh !!!

2008-03-10T22:19:00.006-05:00

Some days you just need to jerk & thrash about. Today was one of those days.

Perhaps the lost hour went sour...

Just A Band from France.

& honestly a bit of a catharsis for monday

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Linda Linda

2008-03-09T12:33:00.011-05:00

Be a hit in the Asian karaoke scene - learn your Japanese 80s punk.

Yesterday I watched Nobohiro Yamashiro's film Linda Linda Linda(2005) - a fun flick premised on a group of high school girls who are preparing for a concert during their school's fair. When 2 members of the band drop out, the remaining three members choose a new set & enlist Son, a Korean exchange student who barely comprehends Japanese, to lead on vocals.

Linda Linda Linda is a movie that will undoubtedly lift your spirits, showing the humor in inter-cultural misunderstandings & a glimpse into Japanese teen lives along the way.

The film takes its name from the Blue Hearts song "Linda Linda". The Blue Hearts - who thrived during the late 80s - were a turning point in Japanese music, comparable to Nirvana in the US, by bringing the 'alternative' to a more mainstream audience while pushing limits along the vein of the true punk spirit. If you are a fan of The Clash, The Ramones or the Sex Pistols, you should probably check them out.

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.....& if you fancy the all-girl j-pop version by Paramaum (who are also the actresses in the film), here you go:

---------

2008-03-02T21:50:00.011-06:00

The spring never arrives soon enough...

Here is a soundtrack for these long gray days.

Caen is an ambient drone project that is rumored to be the mellower side of noise artist Gordon Ashworth of Portland, Oregon. While Ashworth is known for his industrial screeching as Oscillating Innards, Caen's mood pieces form sonic landscapes along the wavelength of some of Aphex Twin's ambient works, creating an atmosphere that is beautiful yet eerily desolate. // These are the sounds of a frozen land moments before the sun rises.

Don't be surprised if you can't find a copy. The History of Your Immediate Surroundings is a very limited (100 copies) cassette-only release by monorail label.

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moog

2008-02-22T00:05:00.004-06:00

Evidently Air is re-releasing Moon Safari in celebration of the album's 10 yr anniversary. Upon perusal of the reissue's bundle of goodies, I was surprised to see a remix of "Kelly Watch the Stars" by The Moog Cookbook included in the bonus material.

I basically knew The Moog Cookbook (Brian Kehew & Roger Joseph Manning Jr) for their 90s revival of the 'moog tributes' that flourished during the 70s after Walter/Wendy Carlos' Switched on Bach hit platinum. Many of the selections the moog-synth duo chose were heavily covered & parodied pop tunes (ie, "Black-Hole Sun") and therefore the few songs that I heard from their debut album didn't hold a lot of weight.

Perhaps since "Kelly ..." is a remix rather than a cover, I'm a bit more engaged (not to say the Moog Cookbook albums aren't worth listening to//give them a try) It is also worth noting that both Kehew & Manning Jr. have toured with Air on keyboard & each have independently supported/collaborated with a diverse range of musicians including Beck, The Who, Hole...

anyway, enjoy the funk

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lemon friskies

2008-02-17T22:14:00.010-06:00

This evening as I was in a bit of a funk trying to organize my mess (the result of living out of a suitcase the past 2 months ...or arguably for the past 2 years), my ears perked as aural waves from the other room lapped in.
-"Where do I know this music from?"
- 5 secs. later - "ah-ha! wow....I need to see this"
so I quickly ran into the living room where the television had been left on - to see a huge cat prancing around in a bright saturated field, romping with purple turkeys and synchronized fish to none other than Lemon Jelly. For a moment I could have been fooled into thinking that this was another one of their psychedelic music videos.

but, alas....

Friskies - "Feed the Senses"

here is the official "Space Walk" music video...

white flight..

2008-02-15T23:19:00.006-06:00

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the conversation starter with rrrratatat:

Justin Roefols aka White Flight. (not to be confused with the social phenomenon of white suburbia)

Evan & Mike are friends & fans of the Lawrence musician - who my friend/roommate knew during the year he lived in the oasis of the Kansas prairies.

Justin Roefols -(formerly of the band The Anniversary)- after a soul-searching/herbal experimentation stint in South American, returned to create the framework of his debut solo self-titled album in the basement of a suburban middle-class family's house during the days when he had the place to himself. He later finished the vocals in a friend's apartment in Lawrence.

White Flight is a creature containing lo-fi yet catchy psychedelic tunes & bizarre, engrossing samples and sounds. While the music is quite unique, perhaps my best comparison would be to The Unicorns....but whatever, just give it a listen.

According to his label - Range Life Records, we can expect more tunes sometime this summer.

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oh & here is a remix of "Deathhands" by Superargo

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memories

2008-02-14T16:36:00.003-06:00

1 year ago today:
Amsterdam, Van Gogh, Ratatat, & Mike Stroud's dancing uncle...

A bit crazy - Ratatat put on a mesmerizing show at the intimate "small room" of the Paradiso. With Ratatat's progressively building cloud of sound, the concert seemed to come to an abrupt end - a startling jolt back to reality - leaving everyone dazed, waiting & wanting more. Eventually as seconds felt like hours, the lights went up and the post-set began. Mike & Evan (I'm not sure what happened to the keyboardist - though he was fairly wasted during the performance)came out to mingle with the crowd & were flocked by young girls (oddly predominately American).

After discussing Guggenheim & the new mixed tape with Evan, meeting Mike's uncle (it was/(is) his b-day)who when I last glanced was doing some crazy dance-moves with a group of girls, and hanging with Mike in the venue's lounge, the evening finished in bliss wandering the canals of Amsterdam.

This year it is Bloody Valentine. Wish I was there.
happy valentines day

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Ladytron vs. Apop

2008-02-10T17:50:00.000-06:00

Upon learning that Ladytron has a new album in the works – I thought I’d check around to see what they have been up to since Witching Hour. I was well aware they had some live acts, including the much coveted Ratatat/the Faint/Ladytron concert last year in LA & a few scattered D.J sets here & there. So, I decided to do a search of remixes – particularly in light of the enjoyable Hot Chip remix of “Destroy Everything you Touch” - to see what ladytron have ‘touched’…

Lucky for us Ladytron don’t destroy everything they touch (har har)– as they have been quite active over the past 2 years & have turned up a range of remixes including reworkings of Goldfrapp, Bloc Party, NIN , Cities, She Wants Revenge, Looper, Bonde Do Role, and Placebo.

One interesting find was Ladytron’s ‘De-shape remix’ of Apoptygma Berzerk’s “Until the End of the World” found on the bonus cd of Sonic Diary.

If you’re not familiar with Apoptygma Berzerk (commonly referred to as Apop), they are a Norwegian band with a post-industrial / future-pop sound. I saw them last year at England’s Infest – where they headlined with VNV Nation. While I was only truly familiar with their track “Rollergirl” from Harmonizer, I thoroughly enjoyed their energetic live show: dancing through a human carwash of neon orange, yellow & blue dreadlocks. I’d highly recommend checking out “Kathy’s song” off Welcome to Earth or the aforementioned “Rollergirl”

Apoptygma Berzerk have songs featured on the new German film Lauf um Dein Leben & Ladytron’s new album is out June 3

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kneebody

2008-02-08T16:29:00.003-06:00

Sun-soaked jazz that action-heroes dwalk (dance-walk) by.

Kneebody is a LA-based quintet - masters at fusion - taking cues from a variety of genres. They mash together a delightful catchy, brazen-grooved funk.

Their sophomore album Low Electrical Worker was released last year through ColorToneMedia. With a Creative Commons license, Kneebody encourages listeners to sample or "remix" music from their album and even have a page dedicated to the remixes.

Have at it.

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oh sweden

2008-02-06T22:03:00.000-06:00

Why Stockholm's Musikmuseet ends with Abba, I do not know....

Meet yet another Swede.
Lykke Li recently put an album out - check it

skål

bulgur brothers

2008-02-05T11:21:00.001-06:00

Bulgur Brothers
: : :
self-described as "Techno/Disco House/Indie" & “the ultimate Scandinavian boy band”

hmm

I came across them during a recent trip to Cincinnati – browsing (once again) through a used cd shop’s collection. To be honest - - I was drawn to the album cover & upon finding out they are from Sweden (home of the Knife, Peter Bjorn & John, Dungen, the Sounds & countless others… yes, even ABBA...), I figured it was a good bet.

The Bulgur Brothers, while not biological siblings, are ‘brothers’ of the Swedish minimal scene. The group consists of 3 musicians: Mikael Stavostrand, Andrea Tilliander & Johan Skugge all of whom are independently at the forefront of “minimal tech” music in Sweden.

Their album Smoothie Man which was released in 2006 has minimal tech glitches driving their electronic soundscapes with a rusty coat of darker brooding sounds. While the music may be ‘difficult’ for many & fairly inaccessible particularly to those unfamiliar with electronic music, the album has some rich texture and a creative batter of unique and intriguing sounds.

Here is the first (and shortest) track of the album

“Downwards”

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steel train

2008-02-03T14:32:00.000-06:00

On a snowy December day in Durango, Colorado, I found a stack of newly released ‘used’ cds for 3 or 4 dollars a piece. Not a bad offer – so I grabbed a couple that caught my eye. One which I wasn’t quite sure of was Steel Train’s Trampoline. Now with a name such as Steel Train, I was imagining they’d probably be middle-aged men doing ‘southern adult rock’ ….not something that would really excite me. Despite this premonition I thought I’d give it a chance. (Though I have since found out that they take their name from a Bob Marley song….go figure)

Lucky for me, I made a good choice… while there is an element of the southern rock in the album, its life (& their youth) is breathed through some catchy indie-pop/rock tunes. Many of the songs are summer jangles sounding like a blend of Phantom Planet & My Morning Jacket - though the final song "Women I Belong To" does have more of a country kick & a twangy hidden track.

Through a first listen, I was sparked by the song “Dakota” (S. Dakota being the land of my birth) While the song begins mentioning a girl named Dakota, it is transformed into a ‘place’ where everything is alright - “like heaven” – lead singer Jack Antonoff adds in an interview with Daytrotter. Welp – obviously not the Dakota I live in (with 40 below gusts of wind and empty desolation to drown in) Ah..

Anyway, Steel Train has an all-star cast with the original Broadway Simba (Scott Irby-Ranniar) & a former lover of Scarlett Johansson (Jack Antonoff).

Speaking of Johansson – she is popping up all over in the music world. Beyond being inspiration for Steel Train songs & singing karaoke in Lost in Translation, she starred in a Bob Dylan & a Timberlake music video, the new ‘viral’ Yeswecansong video and has a rumored Tom Waits cover album coming out this year. I’m curious how she will compare with other actors-turned-musicians…. Well, I give William Shatner credit for working with the Lemon Jelly.

-----
steel train is currently on tour - check them out.

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B-grade is 'in'

2008-02-02T16:23:00.001-06:00

whats up with all the 'B-grade-epic' music videos?

(retro) // Zongamin-AZZAZZA

(nu) // MGMT-Time to Pretend

Harry Partch

2008-02-01T20:00:00.000-06:00

Harry Partch:
Composer-Hobo-Musician-Sculptor-Theorist

I recently spun his musical essay: And on the Seventh Day, Petals Fell on Petaluma (1963-64) preformed by Gate 5 ensemble. Since I grabbed the record out of a stack of other 60's avant-garde LPs, I wasn't shocked by the unique sounds emitting from the stereo's speakers. After a brief perusal of the recording's notes and a bit of research, however, I was intrigued by Partch's 'process.'

The record is built of 34 verses, the first 23 being duets or trios of a mix of Partch's sculptural microtonal instruments with names such as 'Blue Rainbow', 'Spoils of War' and 'Cloud-Chamber Bowls'. The following 11 verses are pairings of the previous duets/trios through over-dubbing to create 10 quartets/quintets and a final tumultuous septet.

Partch is known for his 43 tone scale (adding to the exotic sound of his music) - where each octave rather than using the traditional 12 tone scale, manages to fit 43 tones into one octave. Since Partch created his own system, he needed to create a collection of instruments that could accommodate to his 43 tone scale. Consequently over time he built an extensive collection of instruments - some of which can be explored here. As you can likely see the instruments can double as sculpture (several of which have been exhibited) thus adding another dimension to the experience of music - experience being an integral component of Partch's art. As Partch states, "This is my trinity: sound-magic, visual beauty, experience-ritual."

Harry Parch making rose petal jam . . . .

freezepop

2008-01-28T13:17:00.000-06:00

A week ago as I was huddled in Chicago trying to warm up from the sub-zero temps, I received a text from my sister:

//

#06: Read Text
From: Hannah
>Have u heard the band freezepop<
CB#: Hannah
4:22P Mon Jan21

#05: Sent
To: Hannah
>No what do they soúnd like?<
CB#: Phone
4:52P Mon Jan21

#05: Read Text
From: Hannah
>Good electroclash similar 2 ladytron but more upbeat<
CB#: Hannah
4:54 Mon Jan21

//

I suppose a fitting way to find out about the group.

I later discovered that my sister heard them through my dad who was broadcasting their music on his phone (one of those all-in-one phone-camera-mp3 player-pda gadgets). Yeah, a bit odd for a 57 year old man, I know…

With track titles such as : :

* ninja of love
* i am not your gameboy
* less talk more rokk

their cheesy quality was kind of expected….sort of like an actual freezepop. Sweet, sticky, bright colors ……not as classy as an ice-cream cone or even an ice-cone & while there are a variety of colours it doesn’t really matter a whole lot which you chose. But refreshing fun fun fun nonetheless. I’m sure, though, that if I listen too much I may get a brain freeze (seriously)

Anyway …. Their songs have been featured in several video games –including :Guitar Hero, Karaoke Revolution and Dance Dance Revolution. Apparently they have quite the following from gamers out there. Here is a video by one of those who mastered Guitar Hero.

yep. freezepop get bonus points for making gamer-kids physically active.

loquat

2008-01-27T13:57:00.001-06:00

lo·quat (lō'kwŏt', -kwāt')
n.

A small evergreen tree (Eriobotrya japonica) native to China and Japan, having fragrant white flowers and pear-shaped yellow fruit with large seeds.
The edible fruit of this plant.

(American Heritage Dictionary, 4th ed., 2006)

No, this is not a dendrology lesson- rather- it is a discussion of the San Franciscan band taking their name from this tree/fruit. I'm not exactly sure how or when I first heard of them; however, this past autumn/early winter (coincidentally the same time flowers appear on the tree) as I was living and working within Mesa Verde National Park, I was revisiting some of the music I already possessed & came across Loquat's EP Before the Momentum. Their music popped out with their catchy yet sentimental pop-hooks.

Notable tracks include:

Half-Assed Mechanic
Swingset Chain
There is a Light That Never Goes Out (cover of The Smiths)

Their sound seems to fit their name. Sugary melodies of Kylee Swenson's vocals are accompanied with a blend of acoustic and electronic support. Their tunes have a slight melancholy yet upbeat mood -- sort of like a daydream/nostalgia of childhood. They have an aura in several songs that make me feel they've been in a soundtrack to a film along the vein of Garden State.....perhaps there is a slight resemblance to Frou Frou or Massive Attack (which would explain the cinematic mood)-- but with a less spacey/ambient vibe... ? ...

Anyway, they are putting out a new album here in 2008 - " The Secret of the Sea." Harder Hit, one of the songs they're using to promote it has a stronger electronic tinge & has me hooked.

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Klaus Nomi

2008-01-26T12:51:00.001-06:00

Well, to go along with interesting characters - I thought I'd recognize a 'new find' -- Klaus Nomi.
I'm not sure how I'd never heard of him before. . . . While Nomi somewhat resembles Peewee Herman caught in Fritz Lang's Metropolis, he is an innovative artist with significant gusto from the 80's who may best be described as a 'new wave opera singer' --Like W. Carlos, Nomi blended musical styles - fusing opera & baroque with the 80's rock/synth style & vibe of the time. Sadly Nomi's musical career was short-lived, ending in 1983 with his death stemming from AIDS.

the begining of my demise: an exordium

2008-01-25T23:21:00.001-06:00

I never thought it would come to this. . .

My rambling words potentially diffused throughout the world.

My primary intention for this blog is to provide a record of what I'm listening to and how it transforms with the wind of time. While I could (& possibly should) have simply created a Word document & said fin, my egocentric urges prevailed with the assumption that 'you', whomever you may be, is interested.

The artist of the day is "Walter/Wendy Carlos"

A fitting choice for the beginning, since I've listened to Carlos since I was a kid. Switched-On Bach (1968) was one of the few records that my Dad held on to from his college days. The record was monumental for electronic music, popularizing synthesizers (at the time the Moog) & coincidentally also bringing classical music to the masses, being the first classical album to hit platinum. Carlos went on to create several other classical 'moogs' : such as Switched-On Bach II, The Well-Tempered Synthesizer, and notably the soundtrack for Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange before having a sex-change in 1972 (hence the 2 names). Switched-On Brandenburgs (Wendy Carlos' debut) followed along with soundtrack work for The Shining and Disney's Tron.

While Wendy still is involved with the science of synthesizers, she has moved her focus to other art forms, becoming a renowned photographer of solar eclipses & drawing kittens.

Regardless of the sci-fi / geek tendencies throughout Carlos' life - Walter/Wendy pioneered into the abyss of the unknown, providing the base work for musicians to come - proving the ability to tie classical ideas with the modern world & igniting the beat of the electronic music movement.