Where the food sounds good, and the music is pretty tasty too.
Sky Barbarick & Matt Buszko make up NYC duo Noosa and they’re logging a lot of frequent flyer miles with their interstellar space traveling song, “Fear Of Love.” You can expect Noosa’s forthcoming Fear Of Love to drop this Spring so be on the look out. Peace. Continue reading “Noosa // Fear Of Love”
“Our Hump Day… Ergo Our Wednesday Spotlight Favorite!”
More often than not, whenever you talk to someone with any degree of success in any given field, and you ask the secret of their success, you will usually get an answer that goes something like this: I was born to do this, or I started with the basic principles, or I worked really hard and learned everything about (insert passion).
So, it comes as no surprise when the musical auteur known only as illy symphony gives us a similar formulaic response. But, here it sounds like the truth only because it is, or rather he is, the real McCoy. Like the well-worn adage goes, “The proof is in the pudding,” and in this case, I’ve not only sampled the pudding, but my ears have licked the damn bowl clean as well. Needless to say, the results are downright euphonious!
Recap, illy symphony started with the basics, he fell head over heels for percussionistic sounds, mainly the kick and the snare. Later, he become enamored with vinyl and the art of synthesizing and excavating the ghosts of beats into the twin atmospheres of rhythm and groove. In short, with an innate skill illy symphony has mastered his chosen craft and is now poised to make a debut. A debut not given to someone unworthy of review. No, this one has put in work. And yes, I hope you like pudding, the rich chocolatey intensely rhapsodic variety, because this won’t just stick to your ribs, it’ll coat your eardrums with joy. After the jump, check out what illy symphony had done with the works of Lana Del Rey, Little Dragon and Jack White, and if they’re pleased with his work, like me you’ll be utterly ecstatic. Peace. Continue reading “illy symphony (Our Wednesday Spotlight Favorite!)”
Long before electro-pop had much of an audience, or was even considered cool, there was Andy Bell and Vince Clarke taking a step into the unknown with, if not bravado, then youthful naïveté, and an ocean worth of enthusiasm and talent galore. Since 1985 the duo have been busy creating hit after hit, selling more than 25 million albums worldwide. So, if you’re thinking these gentlemen are new to the scene, well think again. Long before there was: MGMT, Passion Pit, Cut Copy or Hot Chip, and a slew of other bands with similar sonic ties, there was Erasure (Factoid: Vince Clarke was a founding member of Depeche Mode). I applaud them for being true originals and visionaries, whose music has really become the soundtrack to so many lives across the globe. I also want to salute Andy Bell for his courage, for being one of the first openly gay music icons to come out, which was no mean feat in the 80’s. Erasure will release Fill Us With Fire as the third single from their Tomorrow’s World album on March 12th 2012. I’ve been a fan, I’m still a fan. Peace. Continue reading “Erasure // Fill Us With Fire (Video)”
From the pop culture bad boys over at Adult Swim they’ve recruited the alternate reality guru of all things not right in the universe Lifuchs to conjure up titillating visions for Neon Indian‘s Era Extraña’s far-out groovy “Fallout” video. And don’t you just love animated cartoons of the adult variety? I do, and boy oh boy is this something you’ll not soon forget. Definitely not safe for work and just shy of an R-rating. And for all those reasons it is sure to garner loads of interest. And yeah, just in case you’re wondering the song is pretty good too, even if the visuals are literally stealing the limelight from the audio. In this case the song “Fallout” is the supporting cast for the scene stealing video and not the other right way around. Peace. Continue reading “Neon Indian // Fallout (Video)”
According to Jeremy Malvin, bka as Chrome Sparks, life at the moment has its positives which include the following: His age, he’s barely into his 20’s. He’s a student, presently matriculating at the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). And lastly, his above average height, which I’m guessing is just over 6 foot (182.9 cm for those into metrics). Call it an unflagging modesty, but he failed to mention his ability to make astounding futurian-worthy music, seemingly out of thin air. For someone so young he is making quite a name for himself, both inside and outside of his Michigan, by way of Fort Duquesne environs (hidden history lesson). When he’s not deeply submerged in sub-space rearranging molecules into dreamy soundscapes, he’s moving crowds as DJ Professor Purple at local haunts like Necto. Also, he’s fresh from a Chicago date having shared the bill with Theophilus London. He’ll soon be sharing the limelight with Diplo protégé Rusko at Ann Arbors’ Necto. And for those lucky locals they’ll catch him with Nightlife and Alexis at Woodruff’s in Ypsilanti this Wednesday night! And be on the look see for Chrome Sparks forthcoming EP Surface Glows, no date as of yet, but rest assured I’ll keep you posted. Peace. Continue reading “chrome sparks | still sleeping | ft. steffaloo”
I recently discovered the magical music by the wonderful project known as Pearl Fiction. Below, I’ve included the track Talking Seems To Fade Away and it just screams, “Put me in your ears!” And so, who can refuse the sweet mewling of such an adoring song? Not me, because I’m such a sucker for new and exciting music!
From what I’ve been able to cobble together, Pearl Fiction is the solo project of the persona known only as Pearl, formerly of the band Zeigeist. Long-story short. There was discontent. A subsequent fallout ensued. Pearl exited in fine fashion, and now exists as the most excellent solo thing. And by the sound of it I’d have to admit he’s sounding just fine. For more visit pearlfiction.com for additional musical fare. I highly recommend it, especially since you’ll find a song titled “Stories From A Purple Soul.” And what so especial about this song you ask? Well, if features the beautifully tender voice of Malin Dahlström of Nikki & The Dove fame. I expect big things from Pearl Fiction, and that’s a totally non-fictious statement. Peace. Continue reading “pearl fiction // talking seems to fade away”
Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian are L.A.-based electro-pop duo Capital Cities. And although these two have been at the music thing for a minute, not since Dangermouse and his groundbreaking Grey Album, have I been so blown away by such an imaginative sonic coupling. The duos cover/remix of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe” featuring Tupac Shakur is a mash-up supreme. Also, you’re going to want to check out their incredible 2011 EP release Safe and Sound and of course I got it for you after the jump. And I know you’re gonna want your very own copy of the “Breathe” single, you can get it here. And if you’re going to make the most of the music, well you gotta get up and dance. Peace. Continue reading “Capitol Cities // Breathe (Ft. Tupac Shakur)”
For fans of Pretty Lights when you hear on the wire that mew material is afoot it’s like a birthday present for your ears, and they just can’t wait to unwrap the shiny new sounds inside. And with every new Pretty Lights track you’re a bit stupefied at the continuous breadth of Derek’s creativity and originality. Bro takes it higher every time. So it is with “We Must Go On” and its electric space-time continuum vibe, and sassy bass. A bass so primal and naked it’s akin to the reverberations of an exploding distant star light-years away: the lament of the end, but the joy of a beautiful beginning too. Like all of his work, it is an amalgamation of many presences both varied and new. As if all the corners of the world came together into a fluidity of plangent sound. In this case, a sound so enchanting it enthralls your soul, and you find yourself communing peacefully and dreamily with every sunrise and sunset, past, present and future. Peace. Continue reading “Pretty Lights // We Must Go On (Video)”
What can be better than taking the best a band has to offer for over a decade and placing it all into a nice neat package? Well, nothing. Life In the Trenches – The Other Side of 2001-2011, is such a package and it is filled to the brim with wonderful treats to satisfy the old and new fan alike. Who can deny the work of Fredrik Lindson and Torbjörn Håkansson? The duo has made memorable music, which I’m sure has whispered into the ears of lovers dancing cheek to cheek, both horizontally and vertically alike. Well, what can you do, it’s just that kind of music. Inside this collection of songs you’ll find single-only tracks, rare tracks and new-old material never before released. It’s a sweet compilation of dance worthy (Flipside Of A memory, Flipside Of A memory & New Plans) and cuddle inducing (C’est la Vie) sounds. Cop it. Play it. And most importantly, do what you do while listening to it. Peace. Continue reading “The Embassy – Life In The Trenches / The Other Side of 2001-2011(Album)”
She swallowed shards of flower petaled ice/Sung arias of longing and regret/She reached her strong durable hands out into the heavens and drew unto herself the flesh of stars/There I stood in a field of woe/Marveling at the silhouette of her voice howling into the night sky.
I am enthralled with Battlekat, formally referred to as ‘Just A Number 05272011′. I am continuously amazed as I listen to the kaleidoscopic jigsaw puzzle that is their music. Which,by the way sounds like it was made from the shattered souls of stained-glass Gothic cathedral windows. In my mind that’s an above level compliment. Agreed, its quirky, but just enough to keep things interesting. And the musicianship is as tight as Amber Rose’s pretty posterior. For this Best Fit Session live set, we have Bk playing their song, “The Pain,” and it is without a doubt something I want to listen and watch endlessly for the next week or so. And rest assured the song The Pain and a few others I snagged from iTunes will be on my playlist and on constant rotation. Another cool band from Scandinavia is always a good thing. Peace.
Battlekat – The Pain (Best Fit Session) from Best Fit Sessions on Vimeo.