Gliss is Victoria Cecilia, Martin Klingman and David Reiss, and the band hail form Copenhagen and Los Angeles respectively. This is dream pop with acid fizz and feathery soundscapes in healthy abundance. I am in love with their Weight of Love song. It makes me believe in angels here on this earthly realm. The track is taken from the band’s Langsom Dans release out now. Peace. Continue reading “gliss // weight of love”
local natives // hummingbird lp
In case you missed out, Local Natives made some pretty memorable music in 2013, and you’ll still find it reverberating in ears in the most mundane places. That young girl on the bus with her shyness tucked safely within the melody of Heavy Feet. Trailing Breakers loud and clear from a car cruising down the avenue, or the Hummingbird LP ebbing and flowing from your fav indie music blog. Yes, this one fueled good times and soundtracked flowing tears by the truck load. Check below, for the full album stream. Peace. Continue reading “local natives // hummingbird lp”
our sunday best: james vincent mcmorrow | post tropical
James Vincent McMorrow has no doubt released what will become one of the most talked about and listened to albums of 2014. Period. It is nigh impossible to argue contrarily against the bare beauty of this rural folksy falsetto meets electronica permutation.
The album opens with the stark and poetically up ending track Cavalier, this song alone is enough to slay the most rogue demon raging in one’s heart. A song which borders on the gospel, and with such grandiose breadth it sucks the literal air out of the room. Cavalier, oh how inaptly titled.
The Lakes is born through tectonic heart beats before they are dashed, coursing bloodied and bruised over the smoothly worn river stone of JVM’s lichen-crusted mewling. By song end, leaving only a memorable coppery and twangy feeling in your ears.
And of course there is Red Dust, again you may wonder if William Butler Yeats is ghostwriting the lyrics unearthed from Mr. McMorrow’s soul. This ode would be at home sung out from the choir at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. So righteous. “Sometimes my hands, they don’t feel like my own, I need someone to love, I need someone to hold…” . Gooseflesh, no?
The track Gold, is as hopeful as Spring time, strewn with clover and dark-red Helleborine. All Points, Look Out and Repeating are all standard issue beauties from the McMorrow archived reverie of the tender and the true . That is until we come upon the latter three tracks. The title-track Post Tropical glistens star-like, inhabiting a haunted space lit by the lighthouse beacon of JVM’s understated singing. It possess cold tendrils and crashes upon rocks its white water and fury, before plummeting over shear cliffs into oblivion. Then there is my favorite track, Glacier. The absolute beauty of James’ voice is front and center here. Set in a call and response tug of war between music and voiced beauty, with hand claps aplenty. The sirens are calling, amid a pensive tuba the woodwinds are crying, and the crescendo builds ever higher before settling mist like and wounded. “I want to go south of the river, face it alone in the heart of the winter…”
The Post Tropical LP closes with Outside, Digging, which could be an ode, perhaps even a final goodbye and thank you to the recently departed Seamus Heaney. For Seamus Heaney penned a most excellent poem, Digging, and so I thought, well maybe. “There is little light from the warmth of the sun…”. Peace. Continue reading “our sunday best: james vincent mcmorrow | post tropical”
dog bite // tranquilizers lp
At times you just have to tug the ribbon from your cares and let ’em fall everywhere. And that’s just what this young music maker did. By the latter years of High School it became evident, it was all about the music. So, a 23-year old Phil Jones stopped resisting and began Dog Bite after dropping out of the Savannah College of Art and Design.
J Dilla, Portishead, Caribou, Panda Bear and The Roots, etc., were influences for sure, but Jones crafted a style not of mere imitation, but one which reflected a personality rooted in his own view of what music should be. Shortly thereafter, he began self-releasing tracks, eventually crafting a 7-inch and CD on Young Turks. Later, as he toured as the keyboardist to Washed Out he picked up an acoustic guitar and composed his debut-full length, Velvet Changes, released on Carpark in early 2013. In support of Velvet Changes, Dog Bite embarked on an extensive North American winter tour with label mate Toro Y Moi. The two marked the occasion with a split 7″.
With the forthcoming release, Tranquilizers. The sophomore LP transcends the reverie state of Velvet Changes in pursuit of a darker, more full-bodied sound. Tranquilizers migrates into a dreamy sonic realm enveloped in its own soulful influence. Peace. Continue reading “dog bite // tranquilizers lp”
moderat // last time + video
Moderat release something for your optics. Check out the Pfadfinderei-constructed video the track Last Time. The single Last Time, is celebrating its vinyl debut today! The 2 x 10″ includes the original song, an instrumental version, an alternate version and a remix by the incredible Jon Hopkins. So pimp. Peace. Continue reading “moderat // last time + video”
eagles // hotel california (luxxury edit)
It is simple, take one of the most instantly recognizable songs of the 70’s, The Eagles’ Hotel California, and rework it using only snippets of the original multi-track stems. Not many could have pulled this off, but that is exactly what Luxxury did and its totally badbutt. Get the FREE DOWNLOAD after the jump. Peace. Continue reading “eagles // hotel california (luxxury edit)”
sinden // ring around the moon (remixes)
R u ready to get cosmic? The title track from Sinden’s Ring Around The Moon EP now has a remix release to call its very own, with three of dance music’s most distinctive characters putting their own spin on the moody Mykki Blanco collab. Young bassmaster CZ kicks in the subs with a fresh and jacking new take, Mixhell harken back to disco punk days with their crushing acid-infused version, while new FG beat king High Klassified gets his cloud trap on to close out the release. This is haute couture ear candy. Peace. Continue reading “sinden // ring around the moon (remixes)”
hungry kids of hungary // when yesterday’s gone
Hungry Kids of Hungary have had a pretty good year. The boys from Brisbane Ben Dalton, Dean McGrath, Kane Mazlin and Ryan Strathie put out an outstanding album, You’re A Shadow. Listen to the song When Yesterday’s Gone after the jump. Peace. Continue reading “hungry kids of hungary // when yesterday’s gone”
a sunny day in glasgow // in love with useless (the timeless geometry in the tradition of passing)
A Sunny Day In Glasgow hit us over the head with a dreamy and buoyant new song, In Love With Useless. It is a sunny cocktail of the good stuff. SDIG will release their fourth album in 2014. I’m excited about that. Peace. Continue reading “a sunny day in glasgow // in love with useless (the timeless geometry in the tradition of passing)”
warpaint // warpaint lp + full album stream
Warpaint is four individuals. Emily Kokal, Theresa Wayman Jenny Lee Lindberg and Stella Mozgawa. Yet, they stand as a single force of sound.
From the needle drop to records end, Warpaint’s sophomore and self-titled Warpaint release sounds like a mature whiskey, perfectly aged and just a potent. The brimming and haunting vocals of Emily Kokal enter your belly and spreads something intoxicating throughout.
This is a collection of stirring songs, which are perfectly suited for the spiritualistic and the sensualistic, so imbibe responsibly.
The verdict. Get it now. Warpaint the album is poignant and evocative; difficult to ignore or forget.
Pre-order Warpaint, Warpaint over at Rough Trade store. I love vinyl and the color red, so the double-lp is heading my way i-mmediately.
Catch the full Warpaint album stream at NPR and The Guardian at your leisure. Peace. Continue reading “warpaint // warpaint lp + full album stream”