Subway is the London-based duo consisting of Alan James and Michael Kirkman. They are tight. It's always nice to hear a group that isn't bashful of their influences-- and these guys certainly don't give a fuck. Upon first listen of the opener "Persuasion" on their most recent record, Subway II (2008), you should immediately be taken by the percussive, droning synths. But don't be fooled by the Kraftwerk influence-- this is a straight up club banger. The uptempo 707s soon kick in and the track begins to unravel. Still, these guys may want to get you on the dance floor, but their true intentions lie within concepts of meditative thought and the avant-garde. Subway demonstrates their intrinsic mastery of patience and hypnotic repetition on Subway II; both of which are crucial elements of great dance music. Expect a similar sensation while listening to groups like Daft Punk, Devo, or something out of 70s Dusseldorf and Cologne.
Des Moines, Iowa-bred Shondrae Crawford is the producer known as Bangladesh. You may remember him from that one, obscure Lil Wayne track, "A Milli" off the 2x Platinum Tha Carter III (2008) or with M.I.A. on the single "Hit That" (2007). This video of Gucci Mane's (relatively) new single, "Lemonade", features the production of Bangladesh and most definitely lives up to his (well-deserved) hype.
Liars' forthcoming (and much anticipated) album Sisterworld is just around the corner. This is going to be album number five for the Brooklyn art-punks, and from the looks of it, it should be just as ardently imaginative as its predecessors. For proof, check the new video for Sisterworld's first single, "Scissor". Directed by Andy Bruntel, it's as audaciously eerie as it is bizarre.
Well folks, it's been 9 hours since this video landed on Youtube and I am still at just as much of a loss as when we started . If you're not familiar with the mystery Youtuber known simply as "iamamiwhoami", the idea is that these ominous, high-budget music video teasers have been intermittently posted since late 2009 and are obviously the work of an established artist. Right?! With the basic tenants of a good viral-marketing campaign put to use, the videos have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, fully equipped with theories and suggestions of their origins. So far the most popular name I see in the vid's comment portion is Christina Aguilera, despite the fact her camp denied its affiliation with the videos. Other big names are Goldfrapp, MGMT, the Knife/Fever Ray (which I'm leaning towards), and Lady Gaga among others.
Basically the only update here is that there's another enthralling tapestry of rustic, goth-surrealism paired up with some experimental electro for our viewing pleasure. Bastards.
When compared to the version on Animal Collective's latest album Merriweather Post Pavilion, it's this live rendition of "Taste" at the 2007 Midi Festival (in the beautiful French Riviera) that appeals to me more. I'm guessing this is because I heard this version six months before MPP came out and was really psyched about it once I'd read it was going to be on the album. I also really enjoy the stripped down vocals and the sparse beat/melody in this version. It's just solid live AC.
Basically I was left a little disappointed that they had changed the beat and slowed down the tempo on the album. Obviously the MPP version of "Taste" kills and supplies the album's signature sonic motifs, but there's this raw energy that's refreshingly unmatched when they play it live. In a live setting the band also adds these panned-out vocal samples of Panda Bear and Avey Tare shouting "Hey!" during their end mantra of "Am I really all of the things that are outside of me?", which gleefully provides more psychedelic depth. But that's just me. Below is the studio version... so you be the judge!
Everybody's favorite viral marketing campaign is back! A new and amazing "iamamiwhoami" clip has emerged as of Wednesday. This one connecting our blonde hero with a bee. Perhaps an allegory for all the "buzz" she's getting? [Laughs] The video's creator(s) is becoming more benevolent with its new imagery, including a close-up that gives us a good idea of what her face looks like and the contrast of a blissfully-white winter setting outside an idyllic log cabin. It was also brought to my attention that the main contender in the internet guessing game for said blonde is not, in fact, Christina Aguilera. Basically I have no choice but to assume it's either a) the Knife/Fever Ray or b) a new and upcoming artist, all together. Basically we're back to square one, despite the fact we've done been graced with another painfully short visual/aural sensation.
Also, as mentioned in the first "iamamwhoami" post, it is believed that the numeric titles represent a hidden code. With the aforementioned method (a=1,...z=26) the videos provided good reason to believe that Xtina was responsible for the vids, granted that one went along the lines of "Its Me C". But when applying the same logic to this video's title, we get: M.A.N.D.R.A.G.O.R.A. C. Apparently Mandragoras are thought to be little demon dolls or figures given to sorcerers by the Devil for the purpose of being consulted by them in time of need. Cool.
After listening to the fantastic "Island Mist" on Blissed Out's Myspace, I've realized that I have an affinity for tape hiss and drum machines. Who knows, maybe you will too!
Teengirl Fantasy's ethereal beatz never get old. I'll prove it. The synthetic dream house of "Floor To Floor" feels like the last day of school before summer. It's the horizon of long, warm days and late nights with your friends that lay ahead of you. The promise of escape.
You can download Teengirl Fantasy's 4-track EP here (fear not, the band endorses this site). Peace.
Big thanks to Max at the War on Pop for reminding me to give these guys another listen. The Chicagoan (represent) up-and-comers have done recorded themselves a classic record on Chicago's Hozac imprint . Dare I crown them the most blog-worthy band of 2009? Ok, stupid term. Still, their self titled debut is terrific. At its core, it's an earnest testament to the all too familiar longing and restlessness of the modern boy in love, yet remains cool with its refreshing balance of confident/lazy vocal delivery and nervy, anxious guitars layered underneath. It's funny, the record has been giving me the same sensation Exile On Main St. did in the sense that it's loaded with astoundingly catchy material that sort of mesh together into one overwhelming package. I know there are twice as many songs on Exile but wasn't that the Stones' 11th or 12th album? Possibly older? I'm sure it's just the healthy mix of the lo-fi production and the consistency in songwriting that provides this effect. Also, note that on both records we see the groups toy with ideas heard before (themes from outdated styles) and twist them into instant nostalgia. Fucking brilliant.
These carefree jams are for fans of Velvet Underground, Modern Lovers, T. Rex, and even Bowie. Basically glam at its best (except with fuzzed-out, reverby guitars). Also, did I mention that 3/4 of these kids are still in high school? Yikes. Maybe that's why they got kicked out of the Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Apparently they're sharing the bill with Girls on the last leg of their U.S. tour (although the website for Girls' label doesn't specify this) and are playing a few shows on the West Coast with Cold Cave afterwards. Here are a handful of songs I can't get enough of off the album (don't let me downplay the other tracks, cause they're all great)
Of course you have! But just in case you don't have any of it on your iTunes, here's a link to download the single off of their new masterpiece, Tarot Sport. This album is a must buy. Sample and enjoy!
"was there a point for deleting the videos and then reuploading them. you know the whole point of a viral campaign is to generate as much of an awareness as possible. those videos had hundreds of thousands of views. thousands of people would have favroited them and hundreds of blogs were featuring you. generating massive traffic. THOSE LINKS ARE ALL NOW BROKEN!! you think ppl are going to go and edit there posts. no!! you basically have had to start again. and judging by the views of the videos in 4 -5 days although that is alot of views, its not enough to create a massive hype. you shudda left it alone."
This comment on the mysterious Youtube account page of iamamiwhoami just sparked this post, cause this shit just got heavy! Either there were some copyright issues involved, or whoever is responsible for these vids just doesn't care about this commentator's thoughts. Two months ago, like a giddy schoolgirl, I posted the above video on Skyler's Facebook wall due to speculation among the Animal Collective fan community that it was a cryptic teaser to their new visual album, ODDSAC. This was denied by the band's management and I was then left a confused and lost puppy. (See the creepy trailer for ODDSAC here.)
Needless to say, the videos soon garnered over half a million within days, accompanied by thousands of comments by rabid theorists as to what in the fuck this video is all about. There have been proposals of the video belonging to Swedish electro duo The Knife (especially Fever Ray, 1/2 of the Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson), Goldfrapp, Bjork, Animal Collective, Aphex Twin, Daft Punk, Lady GaGa, MGMT… and Christina Aguilera. A month later, another video from the ominous Youtuber was posted. Observe. (Note: the dimensions of these videos don't translate too well to the blog world, you're better off watching them on Youtube.com.)
We know it's not The Knife/Fever Ray because they've been hard at work on that awesome opera inspired by Charles Darwin that they're getting ready to release. However, I still can't be too sure. Also, numerous of the other aforementioned acts have denied association with the vid. So let's talk about this Christina Aguilera business. We do know that she's been working hard on a new album with collaborations galore. Forward thinking female artists like Goldfrapp, Ladytron, Le Tigre, and Santigold are all on the bus. Goldfrapp is known for her fondness of owls. Remember the owl in the second vid? Also, Aguilera's new album is titled Bionic, which sounds nothing like what we'd come to expect from the girl who did "Candy Man". But still, we have one more reason to believe this is the real deal. The Persona Sauna blog came to the conclusion that the titles are in fact codes. The number sequence has intermittent decimal points. This is where the message is contained. When the numbers are matched with their corresponding letter of the alphabet (i.e., A=1 and Z=26), add up the numbers before each decimal point, and this is what you get:
It's with my great pleasure to post some tracks from the late Arthur Russell, a Midwestern-bred baby boomer cellist who left his native cornfields of Iowa for the revolutionary climate of experimental music and culture in 1960s San Francisco. It was there we he met fellow forward-thinking people like Allen Ginsberg.
A natural folkie, Russell had been a devout student in an Indian music school/commune. His Eastern influences translate wonderfully into his work in the late 70s when he arrived in New York city. It was here where Russell garnered the most commercial success (in his lifetime) upon immersion into the burgeoning disco scene. It was when the 80s rolled around that Russell really started to record some of his best music, fusing sensibilities from all of his backgrounds, creating a form of beautiful lo-fi pop that was unprecedented and still unsurpassed. Mr. Russell passed away in the early 90s of AIDS.
So I know that this post would be more fitting in my Dead Pop Stars blog, seeing that he's dead and all. But Arthur's music has never been more relevant. His loads of home tapes have been getting released since 2004 by Audika Records and Soul Jazz Records, respectively. The first song posted below was recorded in '74, yet sounds as if it could of been a K Records single in the 90s, which is kind of eerie. The new Caribou single, Odessa (which is getting plenty of attention), sounds suspiciously close to an Arthur Russell track circa his disco era. It is unquestionable that this guy could be one of the coolest... fuck it... is the coolest artist of posthumously derived fame. Thank you, Mother Internet.
So if you haven't heard the new Beach House record, Teen Dream, here's your chance. The hypnotic 6/8 rhythm of "Zebra" should seal the deal. This is also the first time we're seeing them play with a drummer. It was news to me when the guy told me he was drumming for them after we had just done a shot at Home Sweet Home in Manhattan. A nice dude.
If you like "Zebra", download the studio version below and buy the album if you like it! This must be the 10,000th blog to say something nice about these guys.
Over this past year, I've realized that my taste in music has really reached some sort of "resting place" in a seismic shift of musical interests. I highly doubt I would've had the patience for droney, LSD inspired surf back in high school, I was listening to way too much prog and Phish! Now that I'm hearing this song at 23, my listening habits more keen and focused, it's hard to say whether my longing this music is a direct result of me my weed habit or if it's tbe embodiment of my ongoing search for something more meaningful. There's something oddly transcendental about this gentleman's music.
How could anyone not be enthralled with an album cover like the one above? Big thanks to Skyler for the tip to revisit FlyLo's myspace page, which was a warm reminder that this guy produces A LOT of music. A lot of very intelligent, torso-moving music, to be specific. With the new record coming out in April, I'm still playing catch-up with the 3 L.A. EPs (consisting of new beats and remixes) Warp intermittently released after his 2008 masterpiece, Los Angeles. The album and all three EPs feature the incredible artwork of Timothy Saccenti who is also responsible for Battles' crazy video for ''Atlas''.
These shots are very true to the spirit of FlyLo's music with their ultra hi-def close-ups of lone, obscure, glossy metallic objects. FlyLo harnesses his primal urge of minimalism and turns the simple into the complex with his trademark textures. He simply takes his hi-res camera and focuses on the most basic of hip-hop rudiments to expose them for what they are; thus creating something fascinatingly new. Listen to his new song "Quakes" off of the upcoming 4/20 release Cosmogramma (and everything else) on his myspace. Also make sure to try the 80's Space Invaders themed game, which is hands down the sweetest marketing technique in the history of music.
So that Bygones track I posted was good, eh? Download "Click On That (Smash the Plastic Death)" below and prepare your mind for its daily expansion requirement.
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